Priest Tang's smirk widened, turning into a full-blown laugh. "Oh, and who might you be, pipsqueak? Challenging a superior cultivator?"

Dong Aigou squared his shoulders. "I am Dong Aigou, a humble disciple of the Flame Lunar Devil God, and I won't stand for such disrespect towards the High Priestess!"

Yin Lian placed a calming hand on Dong Aigou's shoulder, her voice cool but firm. "Leave it, Dong Aigou. There's no point in arguing with him."

But Dong Aigou, fueled by a mix of righteous anger and a desire to impress Yin Lian, wouldn't back down. "No! An apology is owed!" he shouted, his voice laced with defiance.

Wang Jian, a shadow clinging to the corner, watched the scene unfold with a smirk. This was perfect. The buffoon had walked right into his trap. In a normal situation, Dong Aigou's Destiny Jade might have somehow tipped the scales in his favor, allowing him to win against the higher-level Priest Tang. But today, fate, or rather, Wang Jian, would have a different say.

Wang Jian, lurking unseen in the shadows, watched with amusement. The scene unfolded exactly as he anticipated. This Priest Tang was exactly the kind of arrogant fool to provoke an unnecessary confrontation.

The argument escalated quickly. Dong Aigou, despite having a cultivation base a full realm lower than Priest Tang, launched himself into a reckless attack. Normally, Dong Aigou's luck, fueled by his Destiny Jade, might have pulled him through. He might have landed a lucky blow, forcing Priest Tang to back down.

However, Wang Jian, a master of subtle manipulation, intervened. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a barely detectable pulse of Shadow Energy, subtly weakening Dong Aigou's movements and hindering his strikes. Just enough to tip the scales in Priest Tang's favor.

The fight was a one-sided affair. Priest Tang toyed with Dong Aigou, landing blow after blow with sadistic glee. Dong Aigou, frustrated and weakened, crumpled to the ground, a picture of defeat.

"Pathetic," Priest Tang spat, wiping a stray drop of blood from his lip. He turned to Yin Lian, the victor's smirk back in place. "See, High Priestess? You shouldn't depend yourself on such weaklings."

Just as Priest Tang raised a hand, seemingly to deliver a final blow to the fallen Dong Aigou, a deep, resonant voice echoed through the temple grounds.

"Hold on there."

A figure emerged from the shadows, his features obscured by the dappled sunlight filtering through the temple gates. Dong Aigou groaned, lifting his head in shock. Who was this newcomer? This stranger, radiating a confidence that belied his unfamiliar face, stole the moment Dong Aigou desperately needed.

Yin Lian, however, felt a jolt run through her as the newcomer stepped into the light. His presence resonated with an unexpectedly strong Blue Moon Eclipse Devil Bloodline aura. It was purer, more potent than anything she'd ever encountered, even her own. Years of service in the temple hadn't granted her access to such a vast quantity of Lunar Essence.

The newcomer, a devilishly handsome man with a glint of amusement in his eyes, bowed slightly. "Greetings. I apologize for the interruption, but such blatant disrespect towards a fellow cultivator cannot be tolerated."

His voice, smooth as silk, sent shivers down Yin Lian's spine.

Priest Tang's smug grin faltered as the newcomer stepped into the full light. He narrowed his eyes, scowling. "Who are you to interfere?" he barked, his voice dripping with condescension.

Wang Jian kept his voice smooth, "Just a fellow follower of the Flame Lunar Devil God," he replied, his gaze flickering to Yin Lian.

A flicker of surprise, tinged with a hint of something deeper, crossed Yin Lian's face. Here was a cultivator radiating pure Blue Moon Eclipse Devil Bloodline aura, a strength she'd never encountered before – even amongst the high priests – and yet he claimed allegiance to their temple.

Priest Tang, however, dismissed him with a sneer. "Another weakling, I see. Move aside, or I'll treat you the same as this pathetic fool."

He unleashed his aura, a torrent of crackling Divine Tribulation Realm energy that caused cracks to spiderweb across the polished marble floor. His leering gaze flicked back to Yin Lian. "And as for you, High Priestess, I would like to have a private discussion with youafter I deal with this... nuisance."

Yin Lian gritted her teeth, disgust churning in her stomach. She knew exactly what "private discussion" meant in Priest Tang's sleazy voice. But before she could formulate a response, the situation took a dramatic turn.

Wang Jian stepped forward, a subtle smile playing on his lips. He raised a hand, and a blinding light erupted from his palm. It coalesced into a swirling vortex of concentrated Lunar Essence, engulfing his entire figure. The transformation was instantaneous.

In a blur of motion, Wang Jian launched himself at Priest Tang. A barrage of punches rained down, each strike imbued with the raw power of his Lunar Essence. Priest Tang, completely caught off guard by the sudden display of power, found himself overwhelmed. He tried in vain to raise his defenses, but Wang Jian's attacks were too quick, too precise.

The one-sided fight didn't last long. Within minutes, Priest Tang lay sprawled on the temple floor, groaning in pain. His arrogant smirk was replaced by a look of utter disbelief.

Silence descended upon the temple, broken only by Priest Tang's ragged breaths. Yin Lian approached Wang Jian, a mix of gratitude and curiosity brimming in her eyes. "Thank you," she said, her voice sincere. "Your intervention was…

unexpected, but very much appreciated."

From the side, Dong Aigou finally managed to scramble to his feet. He glared at Wang Jian, a mix of anger and confusion clouding his features. "Who are you?" he demanded rudely.

Wang Jian turned to him, a hint of amusement twinkling in his eyes. "Ah, greetings," he said calmly. "To both of you. I apologize for the abrupt entrance. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Wang Jian. I've been in seclusion in a nearby cavern for several centuries. Until recently, that is."

He paused, allowing the information to sink in. "Before my seclusion, however," he continued, "I considered myself a humble follower of the Flame Lunar Devil God. So, upon emerging from my cavern today, I found myself here...and quite coincidentally, witnessed this little… altercation. I couldn't just stand by and let such disrespect linger."

Yin Lian smiled faintly, her respect for this mysterious stranger growing. Dong Aigou, however, wasn't buying it. He puffed out his chest, jealousy simmering beneath his anger. This newcomer had stolen his chance, the chance guided by his Destiny Jade! He felt cheated, robbed of the opportunity to impress Yin Lian.

"Convenient timing," he scoffed. "But who are you really? And why were you hiding in a cave for centuries?"

Wang Jian raised an eyebrow, a flicker of something cold flashing in his eyes for a fleeting moment. He quickly masked it with a charming smile. "Those are stories for another time, perhaps," he said smoothly. "For now, I believe our priority should be ensuring Priest Tang receives the appropriate punishment for his transgression."

Yin Lian found herself nodding in agreement. Priest Tang stirred on the ground, a whimper escaping his lips. The arrogant smirk was thoroughly gone, replaced by a mixture of fear and resentment.

An awkward silence descended upon the three figures. Priest Tang, groaning on the ground, seemed to shrink under the combined gaze of Yin Lian, Dong Aigou, and Wang Jian. The question hung heavy in the air – how to deal with the fallen priest?

Dong Aigou was the first to break the silence. "Kill him," he spat, his voice laced with a dangerous edge. "He deserves nothing less for his disrespect towards the High Priestess and the Flame Lunar Devil God!"

Yin Lian's brow furrowed. While she couldn't deny Priest Tang's transgression, a lingering doubt gnawed at her. Killing him seemed… excessive. Yet, she remained silent, unsure how to voice her reservations.

Wang Jian, ever observant, noticed the subtle shift in Yin Lian's expression. He decided to take the lead. "Killing him," he said, his voice calm and measured, "would be the immature response. It wouldn't serve as a proper lesson, nor would it truly benefit us."

Dong Aigou scoffed. "Easy for you to say! He disrespected the High Priestess in the most depraved way! Death is too good for him!"

Wang Jian met Dong Aigou's glare with an unfazed expression. "Indeed, his actions were deplorable," he conceded. "But there are more creative ways to handle this situation. Killing him eliminates any potential future benefit."

He saw a flicker of understanding dawn in Yin Lian's eyes. "Instead," he continued, drawing a curious object from his spatial ring, "let's make him truly regret his transgression." The object he produced was a shimmering scroll, its surface etched with intricate symbols that pulsed with a faint blue light.

"A Soul Contract?" Yin Lian inquired, her voice tinged with surprise.

"Indeed," Wang Jian confirmed. "With this, we can bind him to a set of conditions. He'll be forced to swear an oath, enforced at the soul level. If he breaks those conditions…" He trailed off, letting the unspoken threat hang in the air.