Naturally, Lei Dong was acutely aware that the old man Gongsun's boundless gratitude stemmed entirely from Lei Dong’s unparalleled strength. Had the killer of his grandson been an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator with no backing, regardless of how much Old Man Gongsun doted on his grandson, he would surely have sought vengeance.

But to Lei Dong, these were mere fleeting interludes. Once Gongsun Qing awoke, Old Man Gongsun gave her the necessary lectures and guidance, and life settled back into its usual calm. Lei Dong wholly transformed into a reclusive scholar, rarely stepping out of the compound. At most, he would venture to a nearby Great Ruin City to procure miscellaneous supplies needed for crafting high-tier puppets.

Time sped by, and soon the commencement of the Ten Thousand Puppet Sect Grand Competition arrived. Lei Dong and Gongsun Qing, fully prepared, awaited the arrival of the Ten Thousand Puppet Sect’s flying vessel. Over these few years, Old Man Gongsun had truly been riding high; thanks to the resources Lei Dong provided, his cultivation had advanced significantly, steadily inching toward the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. Furthermore, Lei Dong's growing renown had spread, fueling rumors that he stood a good chance of contending for a core disciple position, which had brought Old Man Gongsun a substantial measure of vanity.

As for Gongsun Qing, after the incident, it was unclear what Old Man Gongsun had said, but she had certainly matured, growing much more composed and steady. Now in her early twenties, she had blossomed into a great beauty, currently dressed in a pleated long gown, moving with an elegant and commanding grace. Although she remained just as close to Lei Dong as ever, her conversation had noticeably decreased. With Lei Dong’s casual patronage and her own diligent efforts, at this age, she had broken through to the late stage of the Qi Refining realm, reaching the ninth level. Among her peers, this was already considered a respectable achievement.

The most significant change was in Lei Dong himself; these few years had allowed him to completely inhabit the persona of Gongsun Dong. His demeanor and actions no longer betrayed any premature leakage of powerful aura. To an observer, this youth seemed barely thirty, a promising disciple in the early Foundation Establishment stage.

Attaining Foundation Establishment before thirty was impressive, even in the Great Qian Continent, a land where the pursuit of cultivation thrived and talent flowed freely. At the very least, within a top-tier sect like the Ten Thousand Puppet Sect, he could contend for a top-ten spot among the core disciples in the Puppet Competition. Becoming a core disciple was not merely a glorious honor; it promised a smooth and brilliantly illuminated future, access to abundant resources, and even the possibility of an audience and guidance from a Grand Elder. Unless felled by unforeseen calamity, he was bound to become a mid-to-high echelon figure within the sect.

Yet, the finest timber attracts the sharpest axe. As Gongsun Dong’s fame soared, various troubles inevitably surfaced. In the final six months leading up to the Puppet Competition, certain powerful clans, seeking to eliminate rivals and clear the path for their own disciples, would often take desperate measures and employ dirty tricks.

Though the Ten Thousand Puppet Sect heavily policed such underhanded maneuvers—once the cause of a talented clan disciple’s injury or demise was traced back, they usually meted out swift, decisive punishment to deter petty villains—the world was vast. Wealthy and powerful families needn't dirty their own hands; by simply spending wealth, they could always hire cultivators desperate for spirit stones to act as assassins.

These transactions, born of mutual interest, ensured that along the road to the sect’s quadrennial competition, at least two or three Foundation Establishment geniuses under thirty would perish, most of them hailing from impoverished or humble backgrounds. The Ten Thousand Puppet Sect was deeply vexed by this. Whether driven by the new Grand Elder's inaugural sternness or a desire to protect newer disciples, this term, the sect uncharacteristically dispatched ten flying vessels manned by ten Golden Core cultivators to ferry the twenty families fielding Foundation Establishment disciples to the competition.

Naturally, only families with a Foundation Establishment competitor qualified for this courtesy; others had to arrive through their usual means, receiving no special treatment whatsoever.

After receiving notification from the Ten Thousand Puppet Sect, Lei Dong and his companions waited barely half a month before a luxurious medium-sized flying vessel settled outside the entrance of the Myriad Flower Valley. Old Man Gongsun’s face shone with increased luster; overjoyed, he followed protocol and offered customary gratuities. Only then did the “three members of the Gongsun family” board the vessel, setting off for the Ten Thousand Puppet Sect.

Lei Dong was indifferent; his personal vessel, the Harem, was an artifact painstakingly refined by the Netherworld Ghost Emperor himself, incomparably more opulent than this medium-sized ship. However, the Gongsun duo acted as if they had stepped into the Grand View Garden, emitting sounds of continuous awe. This forced Lei Dong to trail behind, feigning an equally stunned reaction to the vessel's luxury.

“Fourth Uncle, Fourth Uncle, how many spirit stones do you think it cost to build this ship?” Gongsun Qing asked, tugging Lei Dong’s arm and shaking it in amazement.

Lei Dong also put on an expression of shock. “I reckon at least a million spirit stones.”

“A million spirit stones? That’s so expensive.” Gongsun Qing was profoundly shocked again, sticking out her tongue in adorable astonishment.

Pfft! On the same flying vessel, a young man resembling a dandy in his twenties was drinking. The mouthful of water shot out instantly as he stared wide-eyed at the newly boarded trio, looking at them as if they were aliens. He muttered internally, A million spirit stones? I’d give you ten million if you could buy me one! Country folk are truly country folk, so ignorant, so utterly lacking in worldly knowledge.

However, the country girl didn't look bad. The dandy narrowed his eyes, staring at Gongsun Qing somewhat brazenly, completely disregarding Old Man Gongsun and Lei Dong, who appeared to be mere Foundation Establishment cultivators. With a sharp snap, he opened his folding fan. “Little sister, this magnificent vessel is the latest model from the Ten Thousand Puppet Sect. Not only is the interior exquisitely luxurious, but its performance is unmatched. At full shield capacity, it can withstand several full-power strikes from a Nascent Soul cultivator. Moreover, it is equipped with an Ice Dragon Cannon and a Fire Dragon Cannon. These two cannons, one Yin and one Yang, when fired simultaneously, can injure even a Nascent Soul cultivator struck head-on. Its speed is also incredible; at its fastest, it can cover seven thousand li in an hour. Meaning, the journey from home to the Ten Thousand Puppet Sect takes a mere hour at the quickest. As for the cost? Tsk, tsk, the base manufacturing cost alone is fifty million spirit stones. Sold commercially, you wouldn't get one for less than one hundred million spirit stones. Heh heh, to suggest a million, how could this gentleman even utter such a figure?”

“I was speaking with my Fourth Uncle; what business is it of yours?” Although Gongsun Qing sensed this person was quite powerful, relying on her Fourth Uncle and grandfather being present, she refused to yield. She found him intensely irritating. She scoffed, “You’re just boasting, probably heard it somewhere secondhand, right? Can you afford this vessel?”

“Hmph, while I cannot afford it myself, my family’s ancestor purchased a smaller luxury model, the pure manufacturing cost of which was twenty million spirit stones. You poor country bumpkins, even if you sold all your family assets, you couldn’t afford a vessel worth twenty million spirit stones, could you?” the dandy sneered with arrogant triumph.

Old Man Gongsun quickly began transmitting a message to Lei Dong: “Senior, this child must be from the Li Clan, one of the Ten Great Families under the Ten Thousand Puppet Sect. Their Clan Head is a Nascent Soul cultivator; their power is immense. I beg Senior not to stoop to the level of this ill-mannered boy.” He was deeply concerned that if Lei Dong became displeased and annihilated the youth, the matter would be exposed. Lei Dong could simply leave, but the Gongsun family could not simply disappear.

“Rest assured, with my level of composure, why would I jeopardize the major undertaking for the sake of such a minor junior? Moreover, this so-called Li Clan is beneath my notice,” Lei Dong transmitted back casually. “Remember this: from now on, stop using ‘Senior’ when transmitting messages to me. With your cultivation barely past the Golden Core stage, a high-tier Nascent Soul cultivator can eavesdrop on your transmissions. Do not expose us.” Lei Dong was not bragging; he genuinely did not regard the Li Clan as a threat, the only entities causing him any slight apprehension being the Ten Thousand Puppet Sect itself, specifically the two Soul Transformation puppet masters within it. Furthermore, this so-called luxury vessel was far too crude in Lei Dong’s estimation; capable of resisting a few full-power strikes from a Nascent Soul cultivator, it certainly couldn't withstand ten. While it could injure a Nascent Soul cultivator struck head-on, which Nascent Soul cultivator would be foolish enough to stand still and be hit?

Therefore, in Lei Dong’s view, this thing could only fend off Golden Core cultivators; against Nascent Soul experts, it likely couldn't even facilitate an escape. Lei Dong's Harem vessel, however, was a truly extraordinary artifact. Even without deploying personnel, relying solely on its capabilities in combat, handling several Nascent Soul cultivators would be effortless. That was a truly priceless item, a vessel unobtainable for billions of spirit stones.

Seeing that Lei Dong and the others seemed unimpressed by his words, the dandy felt a flicker of annoyance at being ignored. He turned to confront Lei Dong. “Boy, you are Gongsun Dong, the one rumored to have a chance at the top-ten core disciple spot? Your cultivation looks rather… mediocre. But I wonder about your puppet artistry? The Puppet Competition isn't just about having some cultivation; what good materials could you possibly have from your remote village to craft a fine puppet? Hmph, it’s because of you that our Li Clan members had to take a detour, wasting valuable time.”

Under the Ten Thousand Puppet Sect, there were hundreds of affiliated families, some thriving while others declined. There were decaying families like the Gongsuns, and powerful clans boasting Nascent Soul level combat strength. The core disciples chosen for the quadrennial competition almost always hailed from these strong families. The smaller or mid-sized families usually had to aim for outer or ordinary inner disciple status. It wasn't that they didn't aspire higher, but they simply couldn't compete. The strong grew stronger, and the weak weaker. Children from powerful clans enjoyed ample resources for cultivation from birth, and their puppet-making materials were invariably top-grade. How could the lesser families compare?

“Enough, little brother,” a slightly hoarse, clear, cold voice cut in. “If you have time to bicker, you should return to your room and cultivate.”

……