Right at that moment. In the very center of the Heart Demon Palace, a "shimmering distortion" birthed a portal formed of pure energy.

"Sigh~..." Dantain Bingyun, who had remained silent, finally let out a soft, drawn-out sigh. A somewhat tattered cloud sleeve shot out, striking the red light head-on, jolting it backward. Her previously deathly pale face now held a faint flush; the look of exhaustion vanished completely, replaced by an almost feverish intensity. Brilliant white light erupted ceaselessly from her, as if she were enacting some secret art, forcibly suppressing all her injuries. The situation seemed to have inverted. Dantain Bingyun’s slender fingers flicked rapidly, launching sharp, needle-like icicles straight toward Lei Dong, who sat cross-legged on the ground. It was a clear posture of turning the opponent's own tactics against them. Qi Feifei gasped in shock, dissolving into a cloud of peach-red mist to shield him first. As her crimson ribbon danced, it wove into an impenetrable wall. Swish, swish, swish—the icicles were blocked one after another by the red ribbon. However, Qi Feifei's already damaged crimson ribbon gained several more tears.

Qi Feifei, overcome with indignant shame, flung the Thunder Fiend Pellet she had just obtained back out. Dantain Bingyun's expression finally flickered slightly. At this moment, she was only using a secret technique to suppress her injuries. Although her combat strength might temporarily surpass Qi Feifei's, it couldn't be sustained for long; she would inevitably revert to her true state, worsening her internal injuries.

She could only launch a few more ice shards with her fingers, precisely striking the Thunder Fiend Pellet that was almost upon them. Simultaneously, she swept her cloud sleeve around Jie Chen, erecting a transparent protective barrier that enveloped both of them, and drifted backward. Even so, the blast from the Thunder Fiend Pellet nearly shattered the transparent barrier to dust.

Dantain Bingyun knew this was not the best time to press an attack past Qi Feifei to take Lei Dong’s life. Daring not to delay further, she wrapped the nearly unconscious Jie Chen with her cloud sleeve, transforming into a streak of white light, and fled toward the portal.

Even as Qi Feifei relentlessly pursued, Dantain Bingyun blocked every attempt. In the blink of an eye, she and Jie Chen passed through the teleportation array; their forms distorted briefly, and then they vanished.

The frustrated Qi Feifei stamped her foot in anger, especially since this was the first time Lei Dong had actively asked her to do something, and she had failed. Dejected and somewhat ashamed, she floated to Lei Dong's side and lowered her head to say, "Senior Brother Lei, it is all because Feifei is useless that I couldn't keep them..."

Lei Dong’s expression was calm. Though he felt regret, he slowly shook his head. "This is not your fault. That Dantain Bingyun likely calculated this already. Otherwise, she would never have dared to truly play the 'drive the tiger to devour the wolf' trick. Be more careful in the future. We are all from the Eight Great Sects; there’s no need to be overly fearful of any one group. It's just a pity the teleportation array appeared too timely and bizarrely. If you had only managed to entangle her for a short while longer, she wouldn't have been able to hold on..."

Lei Dong's words offered some comfort to Qi Feifei. She was a very intelligent woman. Even though she didn't grasp the full sequence of events, she knew that if Dantain Bingyun had a way to truly counter Lei Dong's killing intent, she wouldn't have resorted to a scheme.

"Junior Brother Lei, that teleportation array didn't appear by chance..." Dongfang Fu, who had observed the entire affair, spoke. A complexity swam in her icy-clear eyes. "That portal was set to appear as soon as the first person broke free from their heart demon. However, Wang Hui temporarily sealed it with a secret technique. Now that Wang Hui is dead, the seal's power has dissipated, and it naturally reappeared. As you say, Dantain must have planned this early on. She is indeed a clever woman, far exceeding me. Purely in terms of wisdom, I am inferior even to you, Junior Brother Lei."

"Senior Sister Dongfang is being too modest. You merely prefer tranquility, and your nature is aloof, making you unwilling to interact with others."

"Unlike me, who has struggled to climb upward since I first joined the sect. I wasn't born a schemer, but I had to learn to scheme, to kill. Since the portal has appeared, it’s unwise to linger here." Lei Dong glanced at the remaining few who had not yet emerged from their heart demons. Whichever of those three emerged would not be good news. "Senior Sister Dongfang, if you are unable to move yourself, let Feifei carry you for a stretch."

"That will suffice..." Dongfang Fu had also been healing throughout, recovering some injuries and true energy to some extent. However, hearing the affectionate way Qi Feifei addressed her, she couldn't help but look at the two of them with a complicated expression.

"Very well, then. Feifei, take Zhao Wuji along as well. I have an agreement with the Heaven's Path Alliance first..." Lei Dong glanced at the reckless Zhao Wuji lying not far away. "Let's hurry. Be careful when teleporting out; we must guard against a sneak attack from Dantain Bingyun. I'm not worried about the Heaven's Path Alliance members..." He managed to recall some of his magical artifacts, along with the weakened Three Ghosts and the Tiger.

Qi Feifei dared not waste any more time speaking. With a burst of crimson, she swept up Zhao Wuji, then supported the weakened Lei Dong, and upheld the transparent energy shield. Just as they were about to depart, Dongfang Fu stepped forward first, barely managing to activate her Profound Yin Shield, and whispered, "Junior Brother Lei, I will go ahead."

A few breaths after she darted out, Qi Feifei followed, carrying Lei Dong and wrapping Zhao Wuji with her crimson ribbon, before flashing away.

After a brief bout of dizziness, Lei Dong was suddenly bathed in light. Opening his eyes, he saw the familiar sun hanging high in the sky. He let out a sigh of relief; they had finally escaped that deadly Heart Demon Palace. Simultaneously, Lei Dong caught sight of several figures. There was Elder Li Yijian of the Heaven's Path Alliance's Golden Core stage, as well as Dantain Bingyun and the recklessly complacent Jie Chen—and, of course, Dantain Bingyun herself.

Li Yijian's expression was also one of surprise. He had waited here for a long time, anxious when no one emerged. It would be tolerable if two or three people had died, but if all the young disciples of the Eight Great Sects perished in the Heart Demon Palace, the Heaven's Path Alliance would face enormous trouble. The Eight Great Sects would surely suspect the Alliance of foul play, of deliberately dragging out and killing their promising juniors.

Who knew that if they wouldn't come out, they would emerge all at once? And every single one was severely wounded. He had no idea what transpired. Especially upon seeing the heavily injured Lei Dong and Zhao Wuji, he felt both urgency and vexation. "Nephew Lei, what has happened to you all..." At the same time, he immediately checked Zhao Wuji's injuries. After several breaths, he breathed a slight sigh of relief; the boy wouldn't die.

"Elder Li, this junior has not failed your trust." Lei Dong revealed a smile. "The agreement with Elder Li is fulfilled. Here is one Heart-Cleansing Fruit." With that, he flicked out a special jade bottle.

When Li Yijian took it and inspected it, he realized the jade bottle wasn't one Zhao Wuji had carried. He instantly understood that Lei Dong had seen through some arrangement. Feeling slightly awkward, he said, "In that case, I thank Nephew Lei."

"Elder Li needs no thanks..." Lei Dong said with a broad, ingratiating smile. "This junior merely acted according to the agreement. However, I request Elder Li expedite arrangements for our recovery. As for what exactly happened inside the Heart Demon Palace, we will discuss everything once our injuries have healed..." As he spoke, Lei Dong subtly glanced at Dantain Bingyun.

Dantain Bingyun also looked back at Lei Dong. Her gaze was remarkably calm. Yet, Lei Dong caught a flicker of alarm in her eyes. Clearly, Lei Dong had left a profound impression on her. First, he was powerful—incredibly so. Dantain Bingyun judged that even in her prime, going all out in a one-on-one duel with him would yield only a fifty-fifty outcome. Second, his resolve was unyielding, and his ruthlessness extreme. Any trace of disdain or light regard she held for him before entering the Heart Demon Palace had long since vanished, replaced by apprehension. His terrifying nature surpassed even that of Dongfang Fu and Ding Wanyan. At least those two, however strong, were far less cunning and savage than Lei Dong.

Li Yijian observed their subtle interaction and managed to piece together some understanding. Responding to Lei Dong's request, he quickly sent a message. Before long, several Foundation Establishment disciples from the Heaven's Path Alliance arrived, piloting a medium-sized flying boat. They carried Lei Dong and the others back to the Heaven's Path Alliance headquarters in Heaven's Path City.

What followed was a series of arrangements for lodging and treatment. Lei Dong was assigned a secluded and relatively quiet courtyard, built upon a decent spiritual meridian. This was clearly treatment reserved for honored guests. Lei Dong wasn't concerned about the Heaven's Path Alliance attempting any petty tricks. He quietly focused on mending his body and recovering his vital energy there.

A full month passed before Lei Dong’s injuries finally healed. The ghost guards in the Soul Nurturing Tower and the Soul Devouring Shadow Tiger in the spirit beast pouch also gradually regained their strength under the sustained recovery. The fact that none of them had perished in that battle offered Lei Dong a measure of relief. After all, cultivating a high-grade ghost guard was exceedingly difficult, and the Soul Devouring Shadow Tiger was even rarer.

On this day, just as Lei Dong concluded his cultivation, the guard stationed at the entrance reported that Dongfang Fu had come to visit.

Regarding Dongfang Fu, Lei Dong had always intended to win her over and secure her favor. Given her extraordinary status and standing, maintaining a good relationship with her could only benefit his future development. He personally escorted her to the main hall, brewed a pot of tea, and smiled broadly. "Senior Sister Dongfang’s esteemed presence; my failure to welcome you properly, I beg your pardon. Please accept this pot of tea as a meager offering..."

"Junior Brother Lei is too courteous." This world revered strength above all else. If Dongfang Fu hadn't truly witnessed Lei Dong's capability before, it was one thing. Now, having seen his might firsthand, she unconsciously placed him on the same tier as herself. She spoke softly. "Junior Brother Lei, before entering the Heart Demon Palace, I promised to procure a Heart-Cleansing Fruit for you. Take this..." With that, she tossed over a jade bottle. She didn't even inquire whether Lei Dong had already acquired one himself.