A Wagered Duel

As the sun gradually sank, more and more contestants arrived at the enormous plaza in the center of the Beast Horn Arena. Wu Yun, Mu Lingsha, Lin Dong, Lin Hong, Lin Xia...

"Lin Dong, where the hell did you go? Didn't we agree to join forces against Lei Li and the others?"

On the plaza, Wu Yun slowly approached Lin Dong and lowered his voice.

"I went to collect identity plaques. How else was I supposed to enter the finals?"

Lin Dong raised the dozen or so identity plaques in his hand, looking at the agitated Wu Yun in confusion.

"Ah, there was a huge opportunity just now. Without your help, we couldn't make a move at all." Wu Yun slapped his thigh, utterly frustrated.

"Oh? A huge opportunity? What kind of huge—"

Lei Li and Xie Yingying, the two people in whom the Lei and Xie Families had placed great hopes, were late in arriving. They seemed to have encountered some inexplicable trouble, leaving Lei Bao, the Lei Family Head, and Xie Qian, the Xie Family Head, with terribly grim expressions.

Lin Zhentian and Luo Cheng, the Savage Blade Martial Hall Master, were even optimistic enough to speculate that Lei Li and the other girl had encountered a Heavenly Yuan Stage Demonic Beast that had wandered out from deep in the mountains and met with misfortune.

After all, aside from ordinary beasts, the Beast Horn Arena also contained a more powerful kind of creature: Demonic Beasts. Even the weakest Demonic Beast could rival a human martial artist at Body Tempering Stage 6 or 7, to say nothing of the stronger ones.

Just as Lei Bao, unable to restrain himself any longer, was about to send people into the Beast Horn Arena, Lei Li, Xie Yingying, and the others finally arrived, though all of them looked rather dreadful.

Lei Li and the others had ultimately been awakened by passing contestants. Fortunately, no Demonic Beasts had passed by while they were unconscious, or they would all have ended up in a beast's belly.

However, they had awakened far too late. The competition was already nearing its end, and all the contestants who had gathered enough identity plaques, as well as those who had lost theirs, had arrived at the huge plaza in the center of the Beast Horn Arena.

With no other choice, Lei Li and Xie Yingying took identity plaques from their clansmen. After barely scraping together ten plaques each, they hurried to the enormous plaza.

On the plaza, several middle-aged men who appeared to be judges nodded at the hurriedly arriving Lei Li and Xie Yingying, signaling for them to quickly enter the arena and prepare for the final round to determine the ultimate champion.

"Whew, it's good that Li'er and Yingying are all right."

Seeing Lei Li and the others appear, Lei Bao finally let out a long sigh of relief.

"Though Li'er and the others are unharmed, their performance was far from impressive. The Lei and Xie Families will still be looked down upon by Qingyang Town and the nearby powers. What should we do?"

Xie Qian, seated beside Lei Bao, spoke with a slight frown.

"What are you worried about? Li'er is an Earth Origin Stage expert, while Wu Yun of the Savage Blade Martial Hall and Lin Dong of the Lin Family are only at Body Tempering Layer Nine. Later, I'll make those two families pay."

Lei Bao glanced at Lin Zhentian and Luo Cheng, who were smiling in the distance. Let them be pleased with themselves for now. Before long, they would not be able to laugh even if they wanted to.

There were ten contestants who had gathered enough identity plaques. The weakest among them was already at Body Tempering Stage 7. The matches among these ten were of considerable quality and filled with thrilling moments, drawing bursts of cheers from the spectators in the stands.

As expected, the two who entered the final round were Lei Li of the Lei Family and Lin Dong of the Lin Family, the foremost members of their respective younger generations.

"Wait. Let me say a few words first."

Just as Lin Dong and Lei Li stepped onto the Battle Platform, Lei Bao, the Lei Family Head, suddenly rose to his feet. His voice, bolstered by Origin Energy, was loud enough for everyone present to hear.

"Hmph, looks like Lei Bao is about to stir up trouble again."

Lin Ken, the eldest master of the Lin Family, snorted coldly.

"He merely wants to use this chance to propose some wager. Once his precious grandson Lei Li wins, he'll gain both face and profit."

Lin Zhentian remained calm and composed. Familiar with his Old Opponent's temperament, he saw through Lei Bao's intentions at a glance.

But he was not worried in the slightest, because his precious grandson Lin Dong was also an Earth Origin Stage expert. The claim that he was merely at Body Tempering Layer Nine was simply false information Lin Zhentian had deliberately spread. He had been waiting here for Lei Bao all along.

"Lin Zhentian, every Hunting Competition, we set some stakes to add a little fun to the contest. This time, it is the younger members of our two families who have entered the final round. How about our two families have a wagered duel?"

Seeing the stands fall silent in an instant, Lei Bao nodded in satisfaction before turning toward the Lin Family's seats.

"Heh, didn't I say this Old Thing only had this one trick?"

Lin Zhentian gave his sons a thoroughly disdainful smile. Without even standing, he called out from his seat, "Fine. I, Lin Zhentian, accept this wager. What stakes can you, Lei Bao, put up?"

"You uncouth Old Thing. Just wait, I'll show you..."

Lin Zhentian's frivolous manner caused a flash of anger to pass through Lei Bao's eyes, but he outwardly laughed heartily. "My Lei Family will stake Ironwood Manor. If Lin Dong can defeat my Li'er, Ironwood Manor will belong to your Lin Family."

"Fine. Our Lin Family will put Blazing Flame Manor on the line."

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Zhentian immediately accepted the wagered duel.

Ironwood Manor produced a special kind of ironwood and was a fairly substantial asset of the Lei Family. Blazing Flame Manor, meanwhile, was a large estate that brought the Lin Family considerable profits. Its value was even greater than Ironwood Manor's.

"Ha ha, good. Then it's settled. Let the match begin now."

Upon hearing that Lin Zhentian was willing to stake Blazing Flame Manor, greed flashed across Lei Bao's face. He immediately and impatiently declared the wager established.

"The match begins!"

On the other side, the judges in the plaza, having received the signal, immediately announced.

"Hmph, who wins and who loses is still uncertain."

Lin Zhentian sneered, then fell silent and focused on watching the battle.

On the enormous Battle Platform, two equally young figures stood facing each other.

"Lin Dong, did you hear that? Your grandfather is using your Lin Family's Blazing Flame Manor as a wager. I heard Blazing Flame Manor accounts for a large portion of your family's income. If I win it, won't the Lin Family go bankrupt?"

Lei Li stood tall in fitted martial attire. Coupled with his reasonably decent looks, he could barely be considered a young hero.

"The Lei Family's Ironwood Manor isn't bad either. I've had my eye on it for a long time."

An unreadable smile appeared on Lin Dong's face.

"Hmph, you're merely a weakling at Body Tempering Layer Nine. How dare you contend against a dignified Earth Origin Stage expert like me?"

Lei Li clenched his fist, and a dense radiance of Origin Energy flickered across his body. This was the foundation of his arrogance and the confidence that he could easily defeat Lin Dong.

"You talk too much!"

Lin Dong's body flickered, and he suddenly vanished from where he stood.

Yet Lei Li, confident in his superior strength, remained unmoving. He raised both palms and bent them into strange arcs, his ten fingers extending and retracting like the swaying heads of venomous snakes.

He continued muttering, "Naive. This is the Spirit Snake Palm, a Grade 2 Martial Art of my Lei Family. Its techniques are sinister and soft..."