Successfully Collecting the Prize Money

"May I ask what brings you to the Great Soul Arena, Senior Chen Xin?" Xue Qinghe asked Sword Douluo. Even though she knew, she still chose to ask knowingly.

"It's like this. My disciple won a bet at the Soul Fighting Arena a few days ago. I had nothing to do today, so I accompanied him here for a stroll," Sword Douluo said with a faint smile as he looked at Qian Renxue.

"Senior Chen Xin, when did you take on such an outstanding disciple? How come I've never heard of it?" Xue Qinghe clearly knew that Ye Xiaofeng had become Sword Douluo's disciple, yet she acted as if Ye Xiaofeng did not exist.

Damn it, this woman can't even see someone as big as me. Is she blind or something? Ye Xiaofeng grumbled inwardly.

"Feng'er, hurry and greet His Highness the Crown Prince," Sword Douluo said with an unhappy look.

"Ye Xiaofeng pays his respects to His Highness the Crown Prince." Ye Xiaofeng clasped his fists and gave a slight bow.

"I have long heard of Young Master Ye's great name. Seeing you today, you truly live up to your reputation." Xue Qinghe smiled at Ye Xiaofeng. A flash of killing intent passed through her eyes, but Ye Xiaofeng still caught it.

"I'm just a country bumpkin. How could I possibly deserve His Highness the Crown Prince's attention?" Ye Xiaofeng replied to Xue Qinghe with an innocent expression.

"Your Highness, I won a little money at the Soul Fighting Arena a few days ago, but I had an urgent matter and left in a hurry without collecting it. My master happened to be free today, so he accompanied me to collect it." Ye Xiaofeng looked at Xue Qinghe with a smug expression.

"Feng'er, do not be disrespectful to His Highness the Crown Prince." Sword Douluo and Ye Xiaofeng began playing their parts, one acting stern while the other played the good cop.

"It's fine. The money has been prepared. Give it to him." Xue Qinghe looked at Ye Xiaofeng as though she wanted to have him torn apart by five horses, chopped into pieces, and thrown into a river to feed the fish.

Luo Shaotian hurriedly handed Ye Xiaofeng a black-and-gold card. Though rage burned in his heart, he did not dare show it before everyone.

"Your Highness, is this all of it?" Ye Xiaofeng could hardly believe that this was all the money.

"Of course not. There are five hundred million on the card. The rest will be repaid with this Great Soul Arena." After speaking, Xue Qinghe took a cold breath.

"Your Highness, may I boldly ask whether this Great Soul Arena is worth two hundred and seventy-two million?" Ye Xiaofeng was still more interested in money. After all, the Great Soul Arena was worth at most one hundred million.

"Feng'er, let us do as His Highness says." Sword Douluo Chen Xin signaled for Ye Xiaofeng to stop, still saving Xue Qinghe some face. No matter what, she was still the Crown Prince for now.

"Hehe, I was just joking. Then we'll do as His Highness wishes." Ye Xiaofeng smiled at Xue Qinghe as well.

"Young Master Ye, we have plenty of time ahead of us," Xue Qinghe said coldly, then prepared to leave with Luo Shaotian.

"Your Highness, why wait for another day? Isn't today better?" Ye Xiaofeng deliberately stressed the word "today."

Before his transmigration, he had read Third Young Master's history of Douluo. Even if he had transmigrated to Douluo Continent and changed some things, he could not change too much.

"What did you say?" Xue Qinghe frowned, highly suspicious of Ye Xiaofeng's words.

"I mean, Manager Luo still hasn't given me the ten million reward he promised me." Ye Xiaofeng scratched his head and smiled at Xue Qinghe and Luo Shaotian.

"No money. As for the ten million, use him as collateral." Xue Qinghe did not want to pay Ye Xiaofeng another coin. What use was Luo Shaotian, that piece of trash? She might as well use him to cover the ten million.

"Uh, all right." Ye Xiaofeng had nothing more to say to Xue Qinghe. She had directly used Luo Shaotian, that piece of trash, to offset ten million.

"Young Master Ye, here. I hope you'll still have such good luck next time. Farewell." Xue Qinghe had almost said that they had plenty of time ahead of them, but Ye Xiaofeng's words had disgusted her so much that she immediately changed them. From this moment on, Ye Xiaofeng was thoroughly on Xue Qinghe's blacklist.

After Xue Qinghe left, only Sword Douluo, Ye Xiaofeng, and Luo Shaotian remained in the room.

"Manager Luo, no matter how I look at you, you don't seem worth ten million." Ye Xiaofeng looked at Luo Shaotian with a cold smile.

"Young Master Ye, please spare me. I am willing to serve you like a dog or horse." Luo Shaotian was so furious at Ye Xiaofeng that his teeth itched, but now that His Highness the Crown Prince had abandoned him, if he did not build a good relationship with Ye Xiaofeng, only death awaited him.

Of course, Ye Xiaofeng now had Sword Douluo Chen Xin backing him. No one dared touch him openly. To protect himself, Luo Shaotian could only choose Ye Xiaofeng.

"Spare you? No matter how I look at it, you aren't worth ten million Gold Soul Coins." Ye Xiaofeng stared coldly at Luo Shaotian. He had to make Luo Shaotian submit completely, or there was no telling whether he might bite back someday.

"Young Master Ye, I know my life is worthless, but doesn't the Great Soul Arena happen to need a manager right now? I can be useful." Luo Shaotian immediately put on a smile and ingratiated himself, his mind swiftly becoming more flexible.

"What, so you can make me lose a few hundred million too?" Ye Xiaofeng looked at Luo Shaotian with a smile.

"I'm afraid there isn't a second person in the entire soul world as shrewd as Young Master Ye." Luo Shaotian hurriedly flattered him.

"Enough flattery. There are loopholes in the Great Soul Arena's betting rules too. Looks like they need to be revised." Ye Xiaofeng had no intention of letting anyone swindle money out of his pocket.

"Starting today, the arena betting program will be changed into a welfare betting center. First, establish a welfare foundation. From now on, twenty percent of the winnings from welfare betting will be used every month to support four public welfare causes: Soul Master education, medical aid, poverty alleviation, and disaster relief."

"Young Master Ye, isn't twenty percent of the revenue too high? We can't afford that," Luo Shaotian hurriedly said to Ye Xiaofeng.

"What does it have to do with us? I made it very clear—it comes from the winners' earnings. For example, before, if someone bet one hundred Gold Soul Coins and won, they would receive their hundred-coin stake plus a hundred-coin reward, for a total of two hundred Gold Soul Coins. Now, if they win, they will receive their hundred-coin stake plus a hundred-coin reward, for a total of one hundred and eighty Gold Soul Coins. Understand?" Ye Xiaofeng smiled faintly at Luo Shaotian.

"Brilliant! How did I not think of that?" Luo Shaotian slapped his forehead.

Seeing this, Sword Douluo sighed in admiration. Ye Xiaofeng not only had a good heart, but also possessed remarkable business acumen.

Ye Xiaofeng knew perfectly well that he had merely brought over the welfare lottery rules from his previous life. The betting here was essentially no different from a lottery. The only difference was that one went into the state's pocket while the other went into his own, but the twenty percent cut was the same.

"Second, this did not exist before. Every welfare betting ticket will cost one hundred Gold Soul Coins, and twenty percent of its revenue will likewise go into the welfare foundation."

"Young Master Ye, isn't that a bit expensive? It used to be free," Luo Shaotian said softly.

"What, do you not need a salary? Do the other attendants not need salaries either?" Ye Xiaofeng needed money now to expand his strength.

"Not expensive. Not expensive at all," Luo Shaotian hurriedly said with a smile. He had thought that, as someone guilty of an offense, he would be lucky to survive. Now that he could receive a salary, he hurriedly flattered Ye Xiaofeng.

"Third, the registration fee for every contestant in arena matches, whether solo, paired, or team events, will be raised to ten thousand per match. The winner may receive five percent of that match's revenue."

"Fourth, to ensure fairness and prevent fixed matches, opponents will be randomly assigned by the Great Soul Arena. No Soul Master more than one rank above their opponent will appear."

"Fifth, for matches initiated through challenge letters, if the betting amounts on the two sides are too vastly disproportionate, the welfare betting for that match may be canceled and the stakes returned. However, ticket fees will not be refunded. That's all. Have the announcement organized today and release it in three days." After speaking, Ye Xiaofeng smiled innocently at Sword Douluo and Luo Shaotian.

"Oh, right. Manager Luo, how much was your monthly salary before?" Ye Xiaofeng looked at Luo Shaotian.

"Young Master Ye, it was around ten thousand a month before," Luo Shaotian said stiffly. The words "around" made it sound rather dubious.

"You no longer need to repay the previous ten million. Starting this month, your salary will be raised to one hundred thousand per month. All other attendants will receive ten thousand per month, along with monthly perfect-attendance and performance bonuses." To fully motivate his employees, Ye Xiaofeng knew that throwing money at the problem was the simplest and most direct method.

"Thank you, Young Master Ye. I will not disappoint your expectations." Luo Shaotian hurriedly thanked him, so moved that he was nearly in tears.

"However, you must understand that I can give you everything, and I can also take back everything you have. If you dare betray me..." Ye Xiaofeng stood with his back to Sword Douluo, and the look in his eyes changed abruptly as he watched Luo Shaotian.

"Young Master Ye, rest assured. From this day onward, my life, Luo Shaotian's life, belongs to you. If you tell me to go east, I will never dare go west." Luo Shaotian saw Ye Xiaofeng's eyes as if the god of death himself had descended. Before Ye Xiaofeng could finish, Luo Shaotian hurriedly declared his loyalty.

"Manager Luo, you're already one of my people. Why are you so nervous? I was only joking just now." Ye Xiaofeng's method of giving a slap and then a sweet reward was truly flawless.

"Thank you, Young Master Ye." Luo Shaotian broke out in a cold sweat.

"Go. Split the money in the card into two cards of one hundred million each, and another card with two hundred million." Ye Xiaofeng took out the Black Gold Card and handed it to Luo Shaotian. Without another word, Luo Shaotian took the card and immediately went to handle it. Transfers between cards were much more convenient than dealing with Gold Soul Coins.

"Feng'er, if you continue developing like this, in a few years you may be able to control the wealth of the entire empire." Even Sword Douluo was impressed by Ye Xiaofeng's business mind.

Before long, Luo Shaotian handed the divided cards to Ye Xiaofeng. He looked at them with immense envy, but did not dare show any jealousy.

"It's lunchtime, Master. I heard the food at Heavenly Human World Inn is quite good!" Ye Xiaofeng turned and smiled at Sword Douluo.

"Yes, yesterday's home-style dishes were quite good." Sword Douluo slightly closed his eyes, savoring the memory.

"Manager Luo, go carry out my plan. Master, please." Ye Xiaofeng now had his entire heart set on Sword Douluo. As long as he pleased him, his own strength would only grow greater.

"Master, your next mission is to study the sword with Sword Douluo and successfully complete a character for 'kill' to complete the mission." Ye Xiaofeng once again heard Xiao Bing of the Heavenly Mystery System issue a mission.

"Say, can you stop appearing and disappearing without a trace all the time? Can't we communicate more often?" Ye Xiaofeng looked at Xiao Bing's virtual image with displeasure.

"You dare scold me, Master? You dare scold me?" Xiao Bing immediately acted like a little girl.

"Uh, how could I? I was just saying it. Don't be angry." Ye Xiaofeng immediately gave in.

"If you dare scold me again next time, I'll strike you dead with lightning. Hmph!" After speaking, Xiao Bing disappeared angrily.

Damn it, I knew this shitty system would screw me over. Good thing I'm clever. And why is a robot pretending to be a girl anyway? Seriously! Ye Xiaofeng began grumbling inwardly.

"Feng'er, what are you daydreaming about? Could it be that you're thinking about those three girls?" Sword Douluo deliberately teased Ye Xiaofeng.

"Ah, Master, how could that be? I was thinking about how to better study swordsmanship." Ye Xiaofeng hurriedly began making things up. He used one lie to cover another.

"Mm, it's good that you have that determination. Let's go." Sword Douluo reluctantly believed Ye Xiaofeng's nonsense.

Not long after, the two arrived at Heavenly Human World Inn. Shopkeeper Li spotted Ye Xiaofeng and Sword Douluo approaching from afar.

"I did not know that Senior Chen Xin and Young Master Ye would honor us with your presence. Forgive me for failing to welcome you from afar." Shopkeeper Li hurriedly began flattering them.

"Shopkeeper Li, Master was quite satisfied with yesterday's home-style dishes." Ye Xiaofeng smiled at Shopkeeper Li and gave him a wink.