Unbeknownst to Lei Dong, an hour or so earlier, the Old Ancestor Youming and the Old Ancestor Wan Gui, two friends of many years, had been embroiled in a tense discussion over the very same matter. One lamented that Wan Gui's top disciple was utterly reckless, nearly causing his own beloved disciple to be blasted to death simply to secure third place for Lei Dong. The other countered that running into Lei Dong was rarely a good thing; surely Youming had witnessed the ruthless nature of that boy firsthand? Yet, even as he spoke these words, a wave of smug satisfaction washed over Wan Gui; he silently praised Wan Yan for being so clever and astute—she had managed to secure third place for him without even needing Lei Dong to lift a finger. Of his three disciples, one was fighting for second place, another was firmly ensconced in third, and even Zuo Chao, battling in the loser's bracket, had managed to claw his way to a respectable fourteenth place.

This record was undoubtedly enough to secure the overall first place title. This was the first time since establishing the Myriad Ghost Lair that the Old Ancestor Wan Gui had achieved such a commanding lead; before the final bout had even begun, it was already certain that they would surpass the Heavenly Demon Palace in the total score.

Lei Dong, for his part, was truly speechless. He had expected a bitter struggle with that young man surnamed Yue, yet here he was, having so easily claimed third place. But then again, he sighed softly to himself, despite her anger, his Senior Sister had clearly looked out for him at every turn. Compared to her, he felt himself to be quite the heartless ingrate.

He now had nothing pressing to do. The final match, Ding Wan Yan versus Dongfang Fu, was one Lei Dong certainly did not want to miss. In fact, it wasn't just Lei Dong; many spectators were eager to witness the first true clash between these two 'Yin-Fiend' prodigies.

In front of the central Arena A, a crowd had gathered, ranging from Foundation Establishment cultivators to the newest initiates. Even the Golden Core Old Ancestors, save for the Old Ancestor Kukotsu, were seated in the viewing stands, their entire focus centered on this imminent duel.

"It's starting, it's starting! How can we miss the contest between the two Yin-Fiends?" The Enchanting Demon, buoyed by a recent, substantial win in a private wager—even if the payout hadn't yet arrived, she wasn't worried about Kukotsu defaulting—looked particularly radiant and captivating. "I'll run the odds for this one, everyone can join in. Ten high-grade spirit stones per bet. Dongfang Fu to win pays 1 to 0.8. Ding Wan Yan to win pays 1 to 1.5. A draw pays 1 to 3. From now on, no one is allowed to use voice transmission to communicate with the two on the stage." A draw was a rare outcome in these Grand Competitions, though not impossible.

"Enchanting Demon, are you looking down on my Wan Yan?" The Old Ancestor Wan Gui grumbled slightly, displeased by the lower odds offered for Wan Yan.

"Wan Gui, I must admit, Dongfang Fu’s reputation has always surpassed Ding Wan Yan's. Your Wan Yan has only seen rapid progress recently, catching up to Dongfang Fu’s cultivation level," the Enchanting Demon analyzed with impeccable logic. "If Wan Yan’s odds were the same as Dongfang Fu’s, wouldn't the vast majority of people naturally bet on Dongfang Fu?"

The reasoning made sense. Even if their cultivation levels were comparable, Dongfang Fu’s name carried more weight, and moreover, she was the Chief Disciple of the Heavenly Demon Palace—a Palace that had claimed the top spot in nearly every Grand Competition for as long as anyone could remember. Offering 1 to 1.5 odds was already a significant acknowledgment of Ding Wan Yan’s strength.

The crowd considered the odds to be fair. Many regretted not placing a wager on Lei Dong’s previous match against Baili Yun; a simple bet against Kukotsu could have brought immense profit.

"Youming, ten bets on Dongfang Fu to win," the Enchanting Demon began accepting wagers and calling out the bets.

"Old Ghost Youming, you're really crossing the line," the Old Ancestor Wan Gui raised an eyebrow and cursed. "And here I thought we were brothers."

"Brotherhood is brotherhood, but making money comes first," the Old Ancestor Youming, cloaked in black so that his face was almost entirely obscured, grunted. "Besides, when your Ding Wan Yan ruthlessly attacked Wu Hen earlier, I didn't hear you mention brotherhood either."

"This ancestor bets on Wan Yan to win," Wan Gui stated, almost petulantly, with fierce resolve. "That girl Dongfang might have the bigger name, but my subordinate wasn't raised on thin air. Enchanting Demon, record fifty bets on Ding Wan Yan to win for me."

Fifty bets? At ten high-grade spirit stones each, that was a staggering five hundred spirits. Another grand gesture.

Some of the surrounding Old Ghosts began to ponder. Wan Gui wasn't a foolish man given to impulse. If he merely wanted to show psychological support for his disciple, a small bet of five or ten would suffice. To commit fifty bets at once—didn't this suggest extreme confidence in Ding Wan Yan?

Under normal circumstances, these Old Ancestors and Demon Lords wouldn't be so suspicious of Wan Gui. But consider this: the old man had generously gifted the Nirvana Dharma Wheel and a superior-grade spirit ghost to Lei Dong, who was only at the eighth level of Qi Refining. Ding Wan Yan, favored even more highly, surely hadn't been neglected. If nothing else, if Ding Wan Yan secretly possessed just two superior-grade spirit ghosts, she could likely secure a solid victory over Dongfang Fu.

Most importantly, no one would casually toss five hundred high-grade spirits into a dry well.

"Youming, don't blame this ancestor for not warning you—if you lose your money, don't blame me," the Old Ancestor Wan Gui communicated secretly to the Old Ancestor Youming, his expression impassive.

The Old Ancestor Youming stiffened internally but forced a hearty laugh outwardly. "Enchanting Demon, could you change my ten bets to Ding Wan Yan to win? While I also wish to make money, I cannot disregard brotherhood!"

"Nonsense! Get as far away from me as you can, Youming!" the Enchanting Demon roared back indignantly. "You’re a respected Old Ancestor, and you think you can just change signed wagers?"

"If Youming can't afford the money, he should stay on the sidelines," the Old Ancestor Jiyin sneered. "Enchanting Demon, I'll place twenty bets on Ding Wan Yan to win."

"Nonsense! Twenty bets and you call yourself rich?" Youming flared up in anger. "Enchanting Demon, put down another thirty bets for me, betting on Ding Wan Yan to win!"

The entire cohort of Old Ancestors began to get restless. Although they couldn't detect Wan Gui’s private message to Youming, even a fool could guess that Youming’s sudden change was connected to Wan Gui. The two were practically inseparable.

"I'll bet too—"

"Hold on." The Enchanting Demon also sensed something was drastically wrong. She worried inwardly: if this continued and Ding Wan Yan actually won, wouldn't she be bankrupted? She hastily shouted to halt further betting. "Due to an incorrect assessment of the situation, the odds for Ding Wan Yan are now adjusted to 1 to 1."

"Enchanting Demon, you are being entirely unfair."

"I say, Enchanting Demon, you are an Old Ancestor. How can you go back on your word?"

"This old lady adjusts the odds based on the developing situation! The wagers already placed will naturally be calculated at 1 to 1.5. Anyone wishing to bet on Ding Wan Yan now must accept 1 to 1. You bunch of cowards, you all want to carve a piece of flesh from this old lady, do you think I’m stupid? If you don’t like the odds, bet on Dongfang Fu or don't bet at all!" The Enchanting Demon slapped her foot back onto the chair, planted her hands on her hips, and angrily cursed them one by one.

"Enchanting Demon, you're clever enough. One to one it is. I'll place thirty bets."

"Twenty bets, Ding Wan Yan to win."

With every additional bet, the Enchanting Demon’s face grew paler. She hurried to change the odds again. "Anyone betting on Ding Wan Yan from this point forward will be adjusted to 1 to 0.8." She then turned to Wan Gui, her face contorted in fury, killing intent radiating from her. "You, Wan Gui! You schemed against this old lady! If Ding Wan Yan actually wins, watch me peel your skin!"

Seeing the odds drop sharply to 0.8 due to the Enchanting Demon's extreme agitation, the momentum of betting on Ding Wan Yan slightly slowed. Two more individuals placed bets on Dongfang Fu to win, but the stakes were small—only five bets each.

The Golden Core Elders upstairs also grew uneasy and began placing bets.

In a short span, the bets favoring Dongfang Fu reached eighty. But the problem was, even as the Enchanting Demon slashed the odds again and again, the number of bets on Ding Wan Yan continued to soar, quickly reaching two hundred and ninety. As for those betting on a draw, there were only a meager fifteen wagers, given the extreme unlikelihood of a tie, which meant a high probability of losing their money. Some had placed small tokens just for fun. As for the two women cheating and manipulating the fight—that was practically impossible with so many Old Ghosts watching.

The Enchanting Demon gritted her teeth with frustration, wishing she could devour Wan Gui. If he had thrown a wrench into things and Ding Wan Yan actually won, wouldn't she face total ruin?

...

(Around 11 PM, while showering and preparing to clear my head for an update, the power suddenly went out. It seemed the entire complex lost power... I waited half-asleep for about ten minutes until the electricity returned. My apologies for making everyone wait so long.) M