"I am terrified." Lei Dong let out a dry laugh, knowing the Ancestor was no longer holding his previous transgression against him, yet he still felt the need to explain, "If the Ancestor could put himself in my shoes, I also practice the Ghost Control Art. If I hadn't been extremely fortunate to capture two high-grade Spirit Ghosts, how could I possibly bring myself to willingly offer one to the Ancestor?"

Wan Gui Ancestor had actually considered this reason long ago, but he was simply incensed that the boy had managed to completely bamboozle him. He, a dignified Ancestor-level figure, had actually been moved by the boy's filial piety. In the end, not only did he waive the matter of compensating for the loss of the high-grade Spirit Ghost, but he even gifted him the Nirvana Falun, a treasured artifact that had accompanied him for many years, after meticulously erasing his own spiritual imprint. One must remember that he had originally refined the Nirvana Falun as his vital artifact. Wiping away the divine consciousness he had spent so long nurturing had truly damaged his vital energy.

Of course, saying he would only give it to the boy if he secured a top-three spot was merely a tactic to motivate him during the Grand Competition, ensuring he didn't try to hoard his strength and slip by as he did in the minor contests. It wasn't as if he would actually reclaim the Nirvana Falun if the boy failed to achieve a top-three finish. At worst, if the boy dared to slack off and not exert his full power, he would merely be sent to a desolate frontier post for several years of rigorous tempering.

Who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, the boy would produce yet another high-grade Spirit Ghost? This infuriated Wan Gui greatly, not because he coveted another high-grade Spirit Ghost. It was the sense of shame and annoyance from being emotionally manipulated that made him wish he could kick Lei Dong to death.

Nevertheless, Wan Gui Ancestor had to admit: his disciple was truly exceptional. Although his innate talent was only above average, in every other aspect, he was outstanding. Especially his meticulous planning; when ruthlessness was required, he never dragged his feet. Originally, the Ancestor estimated that by supporting him with more spirit stones, allowing him to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage before the age of forty would be a fulfillment of a wish.

Who knew that this rascal would use such an extravagantly costly method to achieve Foundation Establishment on his own? And it had only been fifteen years since he joined the sect. At such an age, closing himself off for life-and-death seclusion for over four years demonstrated the firmness of his willpower. This made Wan Gui Ancestor sigh internally; if the boy's natural talent had been superior, given all his other conditions, reaching the Golden Core stage, or even stepping onto the Nascent Soul path, would not have been unimaginable.

In truth, no one knew how perilous Lei Dong’s recent life-and-death seclusion had truly been. Especially after reaching the peak of the twelfth layer of the Qi Refining stage and feeling the time was ripe, in order to secure a breakthrough in one go, he had swallowed the remaining four Earth Spirit Pills and two Foundation Establishment Pills consecutively.

If he had relied solely on a few Earth Spirit Pills to force a breakthrough into Foundation Establishment, it would have been nearly impossible. But combined with the effect of two Foundation Establishment Pills, the result was terrifying. The pent-up volatility accumulated from long periods of isolation, coupled with the sensation of his meridians on the verge of bursting under the violent impact of the medicinal power, nearly caused Lei Dong to completely collapse. It was fortunate that the year spent in the Little Yin Sha Cave had tempered his nerves to be somewhat tenacious.

Otherwise, overcoming that hurdle would have been incredibly difficult. It was precisely because of this that, after finally enduring the impact, mastering the rampant true Qi, and successfully breaking through the Heaven and Earth Bridge to achieve Foundation Establishment, Lei Dong couldn't help but release a roar to vent and soothe the immense pressure and ecstasy.

The path of cultivation is indeed fraught with danger; a single misstep can lead one into eternal ruin. Looking back now, Lei Dong still felt a lingering fear. If he had suffered a deviation of Qi and fallen into demonic deviation, it would not have been a joke. Throughout history, the number of cultivators who died attempting to force a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment was as countless as carp crossing a river. Lei Dong certainly did not wish to be one of them. Henceforth, he would need to proceed with even greater caution.

"Considering you brought glory to the Myriad Ghost Grotto and secured third place in the Grand Competition, this seat will not dwell on the matter with you." After a few more cautionary words, Wan Gui Ancestor shifted his tone, "Lei Dong, you also know that any disciple of our Myriad Ghost Grotto, upon successfully advancing to the Foundation Establishment stage, can formally take this seat as their Master. Are you willing?"

Lei Dong grumbled internally a few times: If I dared utter the word 'unwilling' in front of the Old Ancestor, would I see tomorrow's sun? But then again, accepting Wan Gui Ancestor as his master, Lei Dong was genuinely willing to the utmost degree. This Wan Gui Ancestor, despite his outwardly fierce demeanor, was actually quite good to his disciples. Even if given several other choices, Lei Dong would still choose Wan Gui Ancestor as his Master.

Since he had already made up his mind to follow Wan Gui Ancestor, putting on an act would only be inviting trouble. Lei Dong’s expression turned solemn, and he respectfully declared, "Disciple Lei Dong considers it the fortune of three lifetimes to be accepted by the Ancestor as his master."

"Stop flattering. This seat only asked if you were willing, why are you dragging in three lifetimes?" Wan Gui Ancestor glared, reprimanding him sharply.

"This disciple is willing." After solemnly agreeing, Lei Dong added, "However, every word this disciple speaks comes from the heart. Since entering the sect, the Ancestor has cared for and protected me with immense kindness. This disciple has no way to repay such benevolence, only holding undying loyalty towards the Ancestor. If I speak a single falsehood, may I be struck down by lightning. This disciple seeks nothing else, only that the Ancestor one day achieves Nascent Soul and steps onto the Heavenly Path."

Although Wan Gui Ancestor accused him of flattery, he had to admit that Lei Dong’s compliments were sometimes quite pleasant to hear. Among his disciples, some were cunning, some honest, and some cruel and violent. But one as quick-witted and clever as Lei Dong, there truly were none. Wan Gui Ancestor had heard Wang Kang’s detailed account of the battle at the Li Family of Wanxi.

What made Wan Gui feel most satisfied was that after ransacking Li Chang'an's estate, the boy hadn't kept the spoils for himself but had distributed them meticulously, earning high praise from Wang Kang.

Not hoarding the spoils showed that the boy understood social etiquette. His relationship with his fellow disciples should not be poor in the future. Wan Gui’s own good impression of Lei Dong increased significantly. After all, no one wants a disciple who is selfish and does not know how to respect and honor their elders.

"Since you are willing, this seat will accept you as an Inner Disciple. From this moment forward, you are my true disciple. When your senior brothers and sisters have all gathered here, this seat will conduct the formal ceremony." Wan Gui Ancestor stopped criticizing him and spoke with a touch of warmth, "Do you have any other questions? You may raise them swiftly."

Lei Dong showed a look of joy and took the opportunity to ask the Ancestor about several issues he encountered in cultivation, particularly his doubts regarding the Netherworld Grand Art.

Wan Gui specialized in arts of the Netherworld lineage, especially the Netherworld Grand Art, in which he possessed profound attainments. His explanations resolved Lei Dong's issues easily and clearly. Lei Dong felt enlightened, as if a sudden shower had washed away his confusion. Many lingering, unresolved questions in his heart dissipated like melting snow. The more questions Lei Dong posed, the more Wan Gui Ancestor listened without the slightest impatience; instead, he was rather pleased. It wasn't that he had a self-abusive tendency, but the sheer number of questions Lei Dong asked clearly indicated that his research into the Netherworld Grand Art was already quite deep.

A prerequisite for cultivating the Netherworld Grand Art was prioritizing the Ghost Control Art and similar techniques during the Qi Refining stage. However, Qi Refining disciples rarely managed to acquire high-quality Spirit Ghosts, and even those who initially chose the Ghost Control Art often switched to other paths soon after. Consequently, very few managed to master the Ghost Control Art. After all, the cultivation method is easy, but Spirit Ghosts are hard to come by. Especially if one cannot obtain high-grade Spirit Ghosts, their combat power, even upon reaching the Golden Core stage, will be far inferior to others.

Of course, if one possessed two or three high-grade Spirit Ghosts, or even one extreme-grade Spirit Ghost, Golden Core cultivators who specialized in the Ghost Control Art would possess a distinct advantage; the better the Spirit Ghosts, the more pronounced the advantage. Under such circumstances, primarily cultivating the Netherworld Grand Art would be the most suitable path.

In a sense, the Netherworld Grand Art serves more as an auxiliary tool; it does not emphasize direct offense as much as other major arts, but it can significantly boost the combat power of Ghost Servants and Yin Soul fierce spirits controlled by the Myriad Ghost Banner. For Lei Dong to cultivate the Netherworld Grand Art was more suitable than for anyone else.

…… (A new day, continue the fight, let out a loud roar, asking for recommendations~)