"Dong'er, hold your temper, don't be rash for now," seeing his fury erupt, Mu Qingxia quickly lowered her voice to soothe him. "We must consider this matter carefully. Your sister is still young; she won't be in danger."

"Mother, rest assured," Lei Dong's expression slightly relaxed as he advised, "Your son is not without backing in the sect. I will first go inquire about that fellow's strength." With that, he paid no mind to his mother's further persuasion. True Qi circulated through his Dantian, and he unleashed the Ghost Shadow Evasion. His form flickered, and in an instant, he shot out the door and soared into the mid-air.

The suppressed rage he had held back in front of his mother now exploded anew, his entire being radiating murderous intent. Given Lei Dong's cautious nature, he certainly knew this world was fraught with danger, and action could absolutely not be impulsive. Yet, even so, he yearned to immediately descend upon that insolent wretch's doorstep and slaughter his entire clan.

"Junior Brother, you are brimming with killing intent, where are you headed?"

A clear, crisp voice materialized out of thin air beside Lei Dong's ear. Lei Dong paused, for his cultivation had already advanced to the tenth layer of Qi Refining, allowing him to distinctly perceive a gust of sinister wind rushing near, and the vague, misty outline of Ding Wanyan’s form was faintly visible.

"Senior Sister?"

As Lei Dong stood stunned and bewildered, he watched the sinister mist condense. Ding Wanyan, clad in a sleek, fitted black long dress, suddenly materialized vividly before him. Her nearly flawless, pretty face held a slight look of surprise. "Oh? It hasn't been that long, Junior Brother, and your cultivation has surged so rapidly?"

Lei Dong’s inner fury slightly abated. Seeing Ding Wanyan ask about this matter made him somewhat awkward. Unwilling to dwell on it, he shifted the topic, asking in surprise, "Senior Sister, how did you find your way here?"

Hearing Lei Dong ask this, Ding Wanyan’s cheeks flushed slightly. "I was accompanying Chen Ge and Wei Hua back to their hometown for a visit, and I took the liberty of stopping by your place. What, aren't you welcoming us?" As she spoke, she glanced behind her. Indeed, two streaks of escaping light were approaching side-by-side in the distance.

Lei Dong’s lips twitched slightly. His Senior Sister was truly incapable of telling a simple lie; who would believe such nonsense? But to expose her would be to admit his own foolishness. He cupped his hands in a respectful salute. "It is truly an honor for Senior Sister to grace my humble home with a visit."

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Ding Wanyan, Chen Ge and Wei Hua finally arrived, drenched in sweat. They each suppressed their escape lights and landed before him with flashing movements, smiling amiably. "Senior Brother Lei, we juniors have brazenly come to bother you." As he spoke, Chen Ge’s expression remained normal. Wei Hua, however, kept winking at Lei Dong and pulling a face of helpless misery, clearly signaling that the two of them had been dragged along by Ding Wanyan as human shields.

"Senior Sister, and both brothers, please come inside first. Forgive the simplicity of this humble abode."

Although Lei Dong was inwardly furious about that arrogant thief, he couldn't neglect his Senior Sister and brothers when they came calling. Moreover, they had arrived at the perfect time; with fellow sect members lending a hand, why should he fear that insolent scoundrel?

"Wait a moment, Junior Brother," Ding Wanyan stopped him. "I saw your expression was resentful just now, filled with murderous intent. Has something happened?" Ding Wanyan had intentionally waited until everyone arrived before speaking up to ask.

Lei Dong knew there was no need to hide this matter, and having fellow disciples assist was the best outcome. He composed himself, his face still angry, and recounted the entire incident blow by blow.

Upon hearing the tale, the faces of the three changed drastically; they were all exceedingly indignant. Especially the two men, Chen Ge and Wei Hua, who directly cursed the thief, shouting that they should wipe out his entire clan. Even Ding Wanyan’s face flushed with anger, her breathing uneven. Not only did that person dare to violate the sect's rules, but he had also shown such blatant disregard for Lei Dong. Knowing that Lei Dong was a sect disciple from the Myriad Ghost Cave, for that person to dare act so arrogantly and even invade his home—this was clearly no longer just ignoring Lei Dong, but scorning the entire Myriad Ghost Cave.

Furthermore, these senior and junior disciples had quite good relationships, forming a small group with some degree of cohesion. They were even more incensed, sharing a common enemy and mutual outrage.

After venting their anger, Chen Ge calmed down somewhat. "Senior Brother Lei, you wait here at home. Chen Ge and Wei Hua will go out first to gather some information. We’ll be back in half a day. Only by knowing yourself and your enemy can you fight a hundred battles without fail. Since that thief is so arrogant, he must have some backing; we cannot afford to be careless."

"Hmph, I think he’s just courting death," Wei Hua scoffed. "What 'old sect master' or 'immortal cultivation family'? If he were truly capable, why wouldn't he establish his own territory and sect, instead of building a family in this desolate backwater? But then again, scouting things out is still necessary."

Lei Dong understood that he shouldn't trouble his Senior Sister with this, and he appreciated the thoughtfulness of Chen Ge and Wei Hua volunteering. He bowed respectfully. "Then I must trouble both brothers. I will accompany Senior Sister for a short while inside the house, awaiting good news."

Chen and Wei, ignoring their exhaustion, immediately steered their escape lights away.

Lei Dong then led Ding Wanyan, descending back into his home.

Mu Qingxia had been anxiously watching her son go out to investigate the situation in the courtyard, but she saw him return not long after, bringing with him a girl of unparalleled beauty, resembling a celestial fairy.

After receiving guidance from the Nascent Soul Ancestor, Ding Wanyan had returned only to find that Lei Dong had left without a word, having registered that he was going home to visit relatives. Annoyed by this, she impulsively dragged the innocent Chen Ge and Wei Hua along to follow. Ding Wanyan was fine, but it was hard on those two brothers, who had rushed along breathlessly, nearly killing themselves from the exertion.

The decision to follow had been somewhat rash on her part. Soon after setting out, Ding Wanyan began to feel uneasy and regretful. She also worried that pursuing him so directly meant a loss of propriety, and secondly, she felt a tremor of anxiety thinking about facing Lei Dong’s parents. She considered turning back. But what kind of person was Chen Ge? He certainly had his own plans, stubbornly refusing to retreat. With silver-tongued eloquence, he managed to persuade Ding Wanyan to continue until they reached this place.

According to Chen Ge’s calculations, a celestial favorite like Ding Wanyan was far beyond his station to cultivate a connection with. Now that his own brother was capable and had managed to stir romantic interest in Ding Wanyan’s heart, he naturally had to give her every possible push. If Ding Wanyan became his brother’s companion, it would bring tremendous benefits to them as well, effectively securing a powerful backer. Therefore, when Ding Wanyan’s girlish affections made her hesitant and uncertain midway, Chen Ge and Wei Hua exerted all their efforts to help Lei Dong, especially Chen Ge, who constantly and subtly instilled in her all of Lei Dong’s supposed virtues, praising him as if he were a divine man descended from heaven.

He then repeatedly recounted several fabricated stories, heard from hearsay, to Ding Wanyan. They were all cautionary tales about women who failed to pursue the man they admired, only to watch that man take another as his beloved, leaving the woman melancholic for the rest of her life. It was as if he implied that if she didn't come this time, Lei Dong would surely be snatched away by another woman.

Hearing this made Ding Wanyan’s heart grow cold, and her sense of propriety diminished day by day.

When Chen Ge fabricated these stories, he had originally intended only to frighten Ding Wanyan. He never could have imagined that, during this journey, while Lei Dong’s heart remained intact, his body had genuinely been compromised...

Although Lei Dong also felt awkward, the maturity he possessed from a young age allowed him to formally introduce everyone to each other.

Mu Qingxia was an experienced woman; how could she fail to see the deep affection that this shy, gentle, fairy-like girl held for her precious son? The knot of worry in her heart largely dissolved, and she took Ding Wanyan’s hand, chatting warmly and affectionately.

Sitting in the living room, listening to his mother and Senior Sister converse, Lei Dong kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, interjecting not a single word. However, Ding Wanyan, after overcoming her initial apprehension, calmed down considerably. She took out the gifts she had prepared midway with Chen Ge’s help, especially some complexion-improving pills purchased from the market. If not for the lingering worry in her mother’s heart about a certain matter, she would certainly have been grinning ear to ear by now.

But even so, her impression of Ding Wanyan improved significantly.

"Auntie, I have heard from Junior Brother Lei about Uncle and little sister’s situation," Ding Wanyan noticed Mu Qingxia was still forcing a smile, so she gently consoled her, "Please rest assured, we will certainly handle this matter properly."

"That’s right, Mother," Lei Dong spoke up for the first time. "Senior Sister’s status in the sect is far higher than mine, and she is highly regarded by the Grand Elders. What foundation does that arrogant thief have that could compare to Senior Sister’s standing? Please put your heart at ease until little sister returns home."