Ignoring the Ancestors who were deep in their feverish gambling on the stage, Ding Wanyan and Dongfang Fu had already stepped onto the arena platform together. The crowd watching was countless, forcing the Ancestors responsible for maintaining the venue to dispatch extra personnel to prevent any unforeseen chaos.

"The final match for the top spot in Arena A: Dongfang Fu of the Heavenly Demon Palace versus Ding Wanyan of the Myriad Ghost Grotto. The match begins." The Foundation Establishment referee announced with a grave expression.

Unlike others, neither woman immediately launched an attack at the start. Instead, as if by silent agreement, they slowly exchanged a bow. Only then, with solemn faces, did they assume their fighting stances.

Both women were rare anomalies in the Yin Sha Sect, seldom seen in a hundred years, and both were statuesque beauties. Standing opposite each other, their auras were extraordinary, perfectly matched, neither yielding an inch. Before the fight had even begun, they commanded every eye in the audience to fix upon them.

"Wanyan, thank you." After Dongfang Fu bowed deeply, her voice carried a distant, ethereal quality as she uttered words that made no immediate sense. With that, her imposing presence abruptly intensified. Pure, profound Yin Sha True Qi diffused outwards, making the air instantly feel cold to the bone. "To show you my respect, I will use my full strength to defeat you."

"Dongfang. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have advanced this quickly to this day. Today!"

The fighting spirit within Ding Wanyan surged, burning straight into her core. Her eyes flashed with a chilling, absolute coldness. A faint, translucent cyan Yin Sha energy slowly coiled around her slender, graceful body. She lifted her delicate head slightly, resembling an unmatched, solitary lotus—icy and charming, yet undeniably proud.

"I will defeat you."

As Ding Wanyan finished speaking, the Yin Sha energy erupted. Her delicate form flashed out like a tigress, covering several yards in the blink of an eye. Twisting her body, she lashed out with her bare palm without reservation, striking the void. Massive and pure Yin Sha energy materialized into a fierce, vicious ghost, its claws and teeth bared, howling fiercely as it lunged toward Dongfang Fu with overwhelming menace.

The energy arrived before the palm strike. It whipped Dongfang Fu’s robes into a frenzy, lifting her veil slightly. Her eyes, already narrowed almost to voids, held nothing but icy indifference.

Suddenly, an aura no less potent than Ding Wanyan’s erupted, causing the already cold air to drop several degrees further. Her figure coiled like a drawn bow, her hands crossed, tapping rapidly in the air. Hiss, hiss, hiss—streaks of light blue, piercing finger force rained down like a storm of pear blossoms upon the vicious Yin Sha ghost.

Each streak of finger force momentarily halted the ghost. Almost instantly, the Yin Sha ghost was pierced by dozens of strikes. It burst apart in the air, dissipating into nothingness.

Not only that, but a cold, white aura, looking like mist but not quite mist, like light but not exactly light, enveloped Dongfang Fu. It moved like a tangible thing, rolling like clouds and spreading in all directions. Wherever it passed, the bluestone of the arena cracked audibly.

"Profound Yin Net."

Lei Dong, watching from below, uttered the technique’s name in his mind. Although he hadn't truly experienced the Profound Yin Net, Lei Dong could tell that Dongfang Fu’s mastery of it was far from superficial. He thought that perhaps Wu Youhan was the only person among his acquaintances who knew the Profound Yin Net. However, Lei Dong refused to believe Wu Youhan’s version held any real power or depth. Moreover, she had been defeated disastrously without even fully unleashing it, so there was no point in dwelling on it. At the same time, he felt a pang of appreciation; his Senior Sister's Ghost Fiend Palm had clearly improved significantly. It was no wonder that Yue Wuhen had been crippled so severely before his Senior Sister, barely able to raise a hand in defense.

It wasn't just Lei Dong; many observers were surprised that the Yin Sha Twin Stars seemed to enter the fray without any preliminary yielding, pushing the contest straight into white heat. They had initially expected a few rounds of mutual deference before a friendly spar commenced.

Alas, they didn't understand. They didn't understand the true pride residing in the hearts of the two women on stage.

Dongfang Fu needed no explanation. But Ding Wanyan, only in front of Lei Dong, displayed her gentle and delicate side. This, however, did not prevent her from harboring a pride uniquely her own. As she sincerely stated, without Dongfang Fu, her own progress would not have been so swift. Therefore, using her full power to defeat Dongfang Fu was the truest form of respect, not some insincere pretense of yielding in a spar.

Seeing Dongfang Fu break her Ghost Fiend Palm with the Spirit Slaying Fingers and then unleash the Profound Yin Net, Ding Wanyan’s expression remained unchanged. Her graceful body hovered lightly in the air; she spread her ten fingers, and the hem of her skirt and long sash billowed without wind. Powerful, dominant Yin Sha energy violently exploded outwards, instantly expanding over ten yards, forming fierce, swirling gusts of malevolent wind that roared across the stage, obscuring the white mist.

The Yin Sha Net directly clashed with the Profound Yin Net.

The two distinct auras slammed into each other, immediately churning, attacking, and countering. From the overall momentum down to the minute rotation of the internal energies, they collided, intertwined, and consumed one another.

Crackling, popping sounds arose from the impact of the fine energy streams, creating ripples. Or the sheer force cracked the bluestone, sending shards flying.

Those below watched, mesmerized. They marveled at the women's profound attainment in both the Yin Sha Net and the Profound Yin Net, and they admired that two such outstanding women chose not to engage in flowery footwork battles, but rather a direct confrontation of true power—a contest of cultivation, mastery, and energy purity that admitted no deceit or artifice.

In barely ten breaths, the clash between their techniques reached a fever pitch, fiercely contested back and forth. Yet, it was evident that both women were almost perfectly matched in cultivation and technical proficiency. To continue fighting would only result in both exhausting their strength and retreating.

They exchanged a look, as if sensing each other’s thoughts. Both reined in their momentum.

Dongfang Fu’s gaze was intense. Her arms swept in bizarre, flowing arcs, movements ethereal and beautiful, captivating the onlookers. But the power of the ensuing technique made them gasp. Fine beads of sweat appeared on Dongfang Fu’s forehead. As she completed her final gesture, the condensed Profound Yin mist abruptly retracted inward, instantly solidifying and transforming into an ice-white great bird. The bird’s tail feathers were magnificent and elongated; with a single beat of its wings, its body spanned several yards.

"Profound Ice Phoenix."

Even some Foundation Establishment cultivators nearby couldn't help but whisper the name of the technique with pale faces. Originally, they had been dismissive of Dongfang Fu's grand reputation—the rare genius, reaching the twelfth layer's peak before the Grand Competition, just a breath away from Foundation Establishment. They believed she focused too much on raising her cultivation while neglecting fundamental techniques. Ding Wanyan, the other of the Yin Sha Twin Stars, harbored similar disdain. This was understandable; which of those who reached the Foundation Establishment stage lacked extraordinary talent?

But after witnessing the sheer power of both Ding Wanyan's and Dongfang Fu’s respective techniques, seeing them both master the Yin Sha Net and Profound Yin Net to a level of near-perfection and considerable might, they all shed their arrogance. But now, watching Dongfang Fu manifest the accompanying technique of the Profound Yin Net—the Profound Ice Phoenix—they were all stunned into silence. Although it was clear Dongfang Fu was not entirely proficient in casting this technique, meaning the Phoenix’s power couldn't be absolute, still, this was the Profound Ice Phoenix, rumored to be agonizingly difficult to forge within the Profound Yin Net!

Ding Wanyan was not idle while Dongfang Fu summoned the Profound Ice Phoenix. With equally rapid hand seals, she was weaving a complex array of techniques. The crystalline sweat on her brow suggested this was no simple spell either.

"Go!"

Dongfang Fu raised her slender arm, uttering a cold command. The ice-white Phoenix immediately spread its wings and soared, charging toward Ding Wanyan with phenomenal momentum. From its beak, a plume of thick, white, chilling smoke erupted. Even those outside the barrier could feel the penetrating coldness.