An Upper Grade Spirit Ghost

Although Lei Dong possessed an utterly heaven-defying treasure like the Soul Devouring Pagoda, which could improve the quality of Spirit Ghosts, if he kept selling Middle Grade Spirit Ghosts at his current cultivation level, sooner or later someone would grow suspicious. Powerful cultivators would act first and ask questions later, even over the faintest suspicion. And even if they were wrong, they had nothing to lose.

That was why, after this tremendous haul, Lei Dong could barely contain his excitement. Of course, he didn't let it go to his head. The Ghost Fire Sword was one thing. It was the Yin Sha Sect's signature Magic Tool, and after wiping away its spiritual imprint, he could refine it and use it without much trouble. But the Evil Ghost Banner and that oddly shaped shield would draw far too much attention if he used them right now.

If he brought out all three at once, wouldn't he be telling everyone outright that he was the one who had killed Ghost Fiend Ancestor's son? Selling them wouldn't work either. Given Ghost Fiend Ancestor's power, he held considerable sway across tens of thousands of li. Once he learned his son was dead, he would surely plant informants in every marketplace. If an Evil Ghost Banner or an oddly shaped shield turned up, he would investigate thoroughly, even if they weren't his son's belongings.

After turning it over in his mind, Lei Dong decided he needed to learn the art of refining tools. He didn't expect to forge powerful Magic Tools himself, but at the very least he could alter the appearance of powerful ones. Treasures seized from someone he had killed, like those he'd just acquired, absolutely couldn't be entrusted to anyone else. Not even someone he trusted most. Better safe than sorry.

The Storage Belt was useful too. Its capacity was far greater than that of the beginner's item Lei Dong wore, nearly ten cubic meters. As for the robe, it had been torn to shreds, and Lei Dong wouldn't wear it even if it could be repaired. For now, he had no intention of bringing any of these conspicuous items home. Instead, near what seemed to be an abandoned cave, he dug a deep hole in a secluded spot and buried them, taking great care to disguise the site. The only things he brought with him were some Low-grade Spirit Stones, one Middle Grade Spirit Stone, and two Return Origin Pills.

Lei Dong returned to Myriad Ghost Cave under cover of night. Everything was peaceful; the ugly young man's death clearly hadn't come to light yet. Otherwise, such a major incident in the sect would have set the whole place abuzz. He chatted briefly with a few people, mostly about the second Three Year Small Competition, which was about to begin.

After returning home, he wasted no time. He picked a Low-grade Spirit Ghost that looked reasonably appealing and began to improve it. After feeding it one hundred and twelve Soul Beads, the Spirit Ghost, which had originally possessed only Low Grade aptitude, evolved again and again until it ultimately reached the Upper Grade. Under the appraisal technique, most of its body had turned golden yellow.

Once he had confirmed that he could truly raise a Spirit Ghost's quality to Upper Grade, Lei Dong's heart began to pound wildly. An Upper Grade Spirit Ghost was worth far more than a Middle Grade Spirit Ghost. And it wasn't just a matter of value: Upper Grade Spirit Ghosts far surpassed Middle Grade ones in both power and growth rate.

Just as he was about to refine it, impatience giving way to hesitation, Lei Dong suddenly stopped. He frowned and thought it over. It was true that Ghost Taming Art was his main cultivation technique, and Upper Grade Spirit Ghosts were the dream of anyone who cultivated arts like it. But he had three choices. First, he could refine the Spirit Ghost himself. Yet in the short term, it couldn't replace his Three Ghost Soldiers. And with his Spirit Forging Art, he couldn't command four Ghost Soldiers at once. It wouldn't do much to increase his strength in the near term.

Second, he could sell it. There was no fixed market price for an Upper Grade Spirit Ghost. Each one had to go through an auction, where buyers fought over it before its new owner was decided. If he put it up for auction, it would certainly cause a stir. Even if the auction house dealt with him honestly, once word reached Myriad Ghost Ancestor, Lei Dong would be in serious trouble. After all, Myriad Ghost Ancestor was desperately eager to acquire another Upper Grade Spirit Ghost.

For people at the Qi Refining Stage, Middle and Upper Grade Spirit Ghosts were certainly excellent. But even with nothing more than a Low-grade Spirit Ghost, carefully raising two or three of them could still give one formidable power.

But for those at the Foundation Establishment Realm, Low-grade Spirit Ghosts were no longer enough. Their aptitude was limited. They might do well enough as Ghost Soldiers; with enough time and effort, they could gradually grow. But advancing a Low-grade Ghost Soldier to the Ghost Guard level, equivalent to the Foundation Establishment Realm, was extremely difficult. Even if it managed to advance, the time, effort, and resources required would hardly be worth it. So anyone at the Foundation Establishment Realm who wanted to practice Ghost Taming Art needed at least a Middle Grade Spirit Ghost, or it would fall behind their cultivation.

The same logic applied to Myriad Ghost Ancestor. He was a Golden Core Stage cultivator who specialized in Ghost Taming Art. Middle Grade Spirit Ghosts might serve at the Foundation Establishment Realm, but the higher one advanced, the slower their growth became. To raise a Middle Grade Spirit Ghost to the Ghost General level took countless sacrifices. Even after reaching that level, advancing further would be harder still.

Therefore, if Myriad Ghost Ancestor wanted to practice Ghost Taming Art, he needed an Upper Grade Spirit Ghost. Only one of that grade was worthy of his status. Just as Lei Dong would hardly take an Inferior Ghost as a Ghost Servant, Myriad Ghost Ancestor was no longer suited to using Middle Grade Spirit Ghosts. At present, he had one Upper Grade Spirit Ghost and one Top Grade Spirit Ghost, so he must surely want at least one more Upper Grade one. If, while he was in that frame of mind, he heard that his Personal Disciple had sold an Upper Grade Spirit Ghost to someone else, the consequences would be disastrous...

That left a third choice: offer the Upper Grade Spirit Ghost directly to Myriad Ghost Ancestor. The reward might not be as great as what he could get by auctioning it off, but it could raise his standing with Myriad Ghost Ancestor, who already treated him well, by leaps and bounds. Just imagine: what Personal Disciple could show greater devotion than one who offered up an Upper Grade Spirit Ghost? Such a devoted disciple deserved to be cultivated with everything the Ancestor had. Besides, if the Ancestor accepted the gift, he would surely bestow all kinds of rewards. In the end, that would bring Lei Dong greater benefits than selling it himself.

After weighing everything, Lei Dong decided to present the Upper Grade Spirit Ghost to the Ancestor. For one thing, he was only at the Qi Refining Stage, and Middle Grade Spirit Ghosts were more than enough for him. For another, if he could create one Upper Grade Spirit Ghost, he could create a second. Why not trade something he wouldn't lack in the future for a wealth of benefits from the Ancestor and a direct, substantial boost to his chances of survival? What deal could be better?

Once he'd made up his mind, Lei Dong went at once to request an audience with the Ancestor. As a Personal Disciple, he could be granted a personal audience for important matters after informing a Ghost Slave. After all, any Personal Disciple might one day become the Ancestor's right-hand man. If the Ancestor didn't treat him well early on, how could he expect him to be obedient and loyal in the future?

Sure enough, when Lei Dong said he had an enormously important matter to discuss, the Ancestor soon received him in the reception hall of his cave dwelling. He wasn't particularly pleased with Lei Dong, but neither was he dissatisfied. Lei Dong's shortcomings were his mediocre aptitude; his strengths were his quick wits, diligence, and ruthlessness. In an Evil Sect, if you weren't ruthless, you'd be nothing but meat on someone else's plate, even after reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm.

After paying his respects, Lei Dong said, his face alight with excitement, "Ancestor, this disciple ran into a bottleneck in his cultivation. I went out partly to clear my head and partly to see if I might be lucky enough to catch a valuable Spirit Ghost, so I could trade it for something like an Earth Spirit Pill. Who would have thought that after more than a hundred days, having caught only five Low-grade Spirit Ghosts, this disciple would be lucky enough to find an Upper Grade Spirit Ghost?"

Myriad Ghost Ancestor's expression had been calm at first. He thought the boy was being far too long-winded. But the moment he heard "Upper Grade Spirit Ghost," his unruffled expression changed. "An Upper Grade Spirit Ghost? Lei Dong, are you sure you saw correctly?"

"This disciple appraised it. It is indeed an Upper Grade Spirit Ghost." Lei Dong took out an ordinary Soul Nurturing Pagoda and respectfully offered it to the Ancestor. "Please appraise it yourself, Ancestor."

Myriad Ghost Ancestor could barely contain himself. He had reached the Golden Core Stage. In his entire life, aside from a stroke of luck in the fifth layer of the Qi Refining Stage that had won him a Top Grade Spirit Ghost, he had only ever obtained one other Upper Grade Spirit Ghost, after becoming an Ancestor, when he won it at an auction. That time, he had nearly been bankrupted. Since then, no Upper Grade Spirit Ghost had ever come his way. Now that he'd heard Lei Dong had caught one, how could he not be excited?

Seeing Myriad Ghost Ancestor's impatient expression, Lei Dong chuckled inwardly, then hurriedly lowered his head. He couldn't let the Ancestor see through him.