It seemed that Ding Wanyan was far more dependable in Mu Qingxia's eyes than Lei Dong; a little comfort from her was enough to ease Mu Qingxia’s tense state somewhat.

The two of them chatted for another half-day, nibbling on the common fruits and melons kept at home, so they didn't feel hungry. As dusk began to settle, Chen Ge and Wei Hua returned, bringing back some rather detailed news about that brazen thief.

The man’s surname was Li, and his given name was Chang'an; a native of the Wu Kingdom. Over a century ago, because he possessed a decent enough spiritual root, he entered the Ghost Fiend Mansion of the Yin Sha Sect. His aptitude wasn't much better than Lei Dong’s and a few others', so he spent thirty arduous years before stumbling upon an opportunity to reach the Foundation Establishment stage. He then began serving the sect, accumulating some thankless labor over the seventy-plus years, though not achieving any great merits.

Past the age of one hundred, constrained by his limited aptitude and delayed by handling miscellaneous affairs, he had only reached the third layer of Foundation Establishment by this time. Thus, while he still had some lifespan remaining, he decided to return to his hometown and establish a cultivation family named the Wanxi Li family, remaining a vassal under the sect. Of course, this was already six or seven years after Lei Dong had entered the sect.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator, even within the Yin Sha Sect, held quite a respectable status. To venture outside the sect, compared to the scattered small rogue cultivators dotting the landscape, they were practically figures of legend. Consequently, within just a few short years, he had amassed over twenty rogue cultivators of decent cultivation as retainers under his command. Openly and arrogantly, he began to vie for supremacy within the Wu Kingdom.

The various nobles and dignitaries of the Wu Kingdom vied to flatter him. Even the Emperor of Wu was contemplating arranging a marriage alliance with Li Chang'an. In just these few years, he had become unrivaled in prominence within the Wu Kingdom. It wasn't just his profound cultivation; his original identity as an Executor within the Yin Sha Sect naturally made him utterly conceited.

Especially since he had left the sect six or seven years ago, the Wu Kingdom felt distant and remote, allowing him to grow even more arrogant. Through networking with a branch leader, he learned that the Lei family had produced another spiritual root possessor, and one with quite good aptitude, which set his schemes in motion.

All cultivators knew that higher cultivation meant greater power, but the probability of passing on descendants lessened. Li Chang'an was already at the third layer of Foundation Establishment; even if he married numerous mortal women, the number of offspring would not be vast, and while the chance of a spiritual root among them was much higher than in mortals, he ultimately felt his own aptitude wasn't great. Even if his descendants possessed spiritual roots, the odds of them having excellent ones were slim.

This spurred an intense desire to marry a woman with an excellent spiritual root aptitude who did not cultivate. This way, he might have more children, increasing the overall quality of spiritual roots among his progeny. He could then make the Wanxi Li family flourish and ensure at least one Golden Core ancestor among his descendants, allowing him to rest easy even in the netherworld.

He had indeed made inquiries about Lei Dong. But the information received suggested Lei Dong's aptitude was merely above average, perhaps even inferior to his own. Although there were rumors that Wan Gui had taken him as a personal disciple, what threat was a personal disciple with no future? Even if he were killed, justifying the act would be simple with any fabricated reason. Therefore, tormenting Lei Dong’s family presented no psychological barrier for someone of Li Chang'an's standing.

Most of this intelligence was violently extracted by Chen Ge from a fifth-layer Qi Refining rogue cultivator attached to the Wanxi Li family. Unsurprisingly, that fifth-layer cultivator had surely been silenced.

The four fellow disciples discussed this intelligence in the living room. They all agreed that given the strength of the Wanxi Li family, the four of them rashly approaching would surely lead to trouble. While the twenty-plus retainers weren't individually formidable, their combined strength was enough to make even Ding Wanyan hesitate. Numbers were sometimes an advantage. Imagine over twenty people launching various attacks simultaneously, blanketing the sky—such imposing might could not be ignored.

They also discussed assassination, but that seemed unrealistic; how could a cultivator at the third layer of Foundation Establishment, an elder who had lived over a hundred years, be ambushed by a group of Qi Refining cultivators?

Just as Chen Ge and the others were at a loss, Ding Wanyan produced a stark black metal token, engraved with numerous fierce and vivid ghosts of various shapes, all looking ferocious and malevolent.

The three junior disciples, having never seen such an item, had their attention captured, staring intently at the token.

Seeming to sense their confusion, Ding Wanyan explained, "This is the Ten Thousand Ghost Token, bestowed upon me by the Old Ancestor."

Ten Thousand Ghost Token!

The three of them jolted in unison, unable to suppress a soft gasp.

Although they had never seen this token with their own eyes, they had heard of it. When this token appeared, all disciples affiliated with the Ten Thousand Ghost Cave were bound to obey the holder unconditionally, as if the Old Ancestor himself were present. The Old Ancestor Wan Gui bestowing this token upon Ding Wanyan showed the profound trust and admiration he held for her.

"I will summon the Foundation Establishment martial uncles from the Ten Thousand Ghost Cave. If just two Foundation Establishment martial uncles come, plus the four of us, it will be enough to level the Wanxi Li family," Ding Wanyan said, her expression turning grim and murderous.

It seemed only when speaking of Lei Dong did she display a hint of the softer emotions of a young woman. But having spent so long in the Yin Sha Sect, witnessing endless treachery, brutality, and bloodshed, Ding Wanyan had become decisive and ruthless in action. Especially after the Baili Yun incident, she understood a crucial lesson: striking a snake and failing to kill it results only in future harm. Had Lei Dong not possessed numerous trump cards and superior skill, he might have died on the arena.

Chen Ge and Wei Hua’s eyes lit up, and they burst out cheering in approval.

"However, Senior Sister, I heard the Ten Thousand Ghost Token can only be used once. Afterward, it requires the Old Ancestor to inquire about the cause and deem the previous use appropriate before he re-empowers the spell," Lei Dong worried slightly. "What explanation will we give when the Old Ancestor returns?"

"Junior Brother Lei, you need not worry," Ding Wanyan stated seriously. "You have likely experienced how the Old Ancestor treats his disciples. If he learns that disciples of our Ten Thousand Ghost Cave have been bullied like this, he surely will not stand idly by. Moreover, Qing'er has upper-tier spiritual root aptitude; bringing her into the Ten Thousand Ghost Cave—the Old Ancestor would not only not object but would praise the action as brilliant."

Lei Dong thought it over carefully; this was indeed logical. He himself understood the extent of their Old Ancestor's "thirst for talent."

After the group concluded their discussion, they decided that if a fight was necessary, it must result in complete success—cutting the roots entirely. Li Chang'an was senior and deeply entrenched, but the sect would certainly not fault the disciples of the Ten Thousand Ghost Cave for the sake of a worthless corpse, especially with an excellent disciple favored by the Old Ancestor like Ding Wanyan involved.

Ding Wanyan stood solemnly, holding the Ten Thousand Ghost Token and reciting an incantation. Moments later, the black token suddenly erupted with a black light. The malevolent spirits carved on the token seemed to come alive, writhing as if trying to crawl out from the token's surface. Lei Dong and the others watched with fascination, unmoved; any inexperienced mortal would surely have fainted from such a bizarre phenomenon.

"Bang!"

The black light exploded, and more than ten vengeful spirits shot out. After circling above their heads for a moment, seemingly driven by Ding Wanyan’s will, they flew out through the window into the darkness, and calm returned.

"Judging by the speed of those Foundation Establishment martial uncles, they should all gather here in at most ten days," Ding Wanyan said, feeling slightly weak after wielding the Ghost Summoning Token. After a brief consideration, she added, "I will try calling Dongfang as well. If she is willing to join us righteously, it will be even more secure."

With that, she took out a blank jade slip, held it in her hand, and poured her focus into it for a moment. Then, with a graceful raise of her hand, she summoned a spirit ghost, amorphous and shaped only like a mass of black mist. She tossed the jade slip to it, and the black mist swiftly lunged, engulfing the slip within its form.

"Go~"

Ding Wanyan sent a command to it using her divine sense. The spirit ghost instantly transformed into a faint shadow and flew outward at high speed.

This action caused the three junior disciples to stare at each other in bewilderment, especially Lei Dong, who was completely stunned: "Senior Sister, what kind of spell is this?"

"Ghost Emissary Dispatch," Ding Wanyan retorted, rolling her eyes at Lei Dong. "It's quite a feat for you, the primary cultivator of the Ghost Control Art, not to even know how to refine a Ghost Emissary."

The mention of the Ghost Emissary instantly reminded Lei Dong that such a technique did exist. However, refining a Ghost Emissary required a Spirit Ghost, and the resulting Emissary possessed no combat capability, only knowing how to deliver messages or perhaps fetch minor items. Lei Dong, however, had always been uninterested in anything that couldn't directly enhance combat strength.