Bet Duel

"Ironwood Manor?" Even Xie Qian was stunned upon hearing this. Ironwood Manor produced a highly special and valuable kind of ironwood; even for the Lei Family, it was no small enterprise. Lei Bao actually dared to wager the entire manor!

Of course, Xie Qian recovered after only a brief moment of surprise. In his view, the Lei Family's chances of winning this wager were simply too high.

"Father, forget it. There's no need for us to take such a risk." Behind Lin Zhentian, Lin Ken, Lin Xiao, and Lin Mang all showed hesitant expressions. After struggling for quite some time, Lin Ken finally gritted his teeth and tried to dissuade him. Losing the Fire Python Tiger Cubs for the sake of that wager would be far too great a loss.

"You have a point, but I choose to accept!" Under Lin Ken and the others' stunned gazes, Lin Zhentian actually agreed without hesitation, looking entirely confident. "One of my favorite things to do is say 'fine' to people who think they have victory in the bag."

The sudden turn of events quieted the entire Beast Horn Arena for a moment. Then, uncertain and astonished gazes all turned toward Lin Zhentian.

"Father, you can't act on impulse!" Lin Xiao was startled by Lin Zhentian's decision, while Lin Mang and the others frowned. They could not understand how their usually steady father had fallen for such obvious provocation so easily.

"Trust me, and trust Dong'er and Changqiang as well." Facing all those questioning looks, Lin Zhentian merely stroked his beard and smiled calmly.

"Hehe, Lin Zhentian, I never expected you to still have some of your old spirit. Truly admirable." Seeing Lin Zhentian agree so readily, Lei Bao felt a trace of unease. But as the head of the Lei Family, his word was like spilled water—how could he take it back so easily? Wouldn't that make him a laughingstock? "My Lei Family will send Lei Li. Has your Lin Family decided who to send?"

"I'll do it." Lin Changqiang slowly walked into the arena, a bright smile appearing on his face. The curve of his lips was not even half as impressive as Nike's God of War, yet it still made Lei Li on the opposite side grow wary.

The other contestants on the Stone Platform also consciously retreated, leaving a sizable open space in the middle. One of the judges who had just checked the Identity Tokens walked into the arena as well, acting as the referee for this match.

Lei Li cracked his fingers and fixed Lin Changqiang with a vicious stare, his eyes full of disdain. "Does the Lin Family have no one left? You actually sent someone at the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering to face me? Then I'll make your defeat even more thorough!"

In the face of Lei Li's threat, Lin Changqiang merely silently switched his equipment slots to two Thunderclap Battle Blades (increases Yuan Power and fist-and-kick power by six percent), then nodded indifferently. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're right about everything."

"Begin!"

The moment those words fell, Lei Li gave a cold snort. A dense glow began to flicker across his body. This level of Yuan Power fluctuation was clearly not something the ninth level of Body Tempering could achieve.

"So he really is at the Earthly Yuan Stage!" Waves of exclamations erupted throughout the Beast Horn Arena upon seeing the Yuan Power glow around Lei Li. A smug smile appeared on Lei Bao's face.

Yet in the next instant, his smile froze abruptly. Lin Changqiang's body had also begun to emit a dense glow, one even stronger than Lei Li's!

"Mid Earthly Yuan Stage! How is that possible?!"

The moment Yuan Power surged around Lin Changqiang, the entire Beast Horn Arena exploded into uproar. Nearly everyone's eyes were filled with shock!

They were somewhat impressed but not surprised that Lei Li had reached the Earthly Yuan Stage. After all, he had already been at the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering half a year ago. Breaking through to the Earthly Yuan Stage now was perfectly normal.

But no one had expected Lin Changqiang, who had only first begun to make a name for himself half a year ago, to have reached the Earthly Yuan Stage as well—and even surpassed Lei Li!

In the Lin Family's spectator seats, Lin Xiao and the others were left dumbfounded. Even the prepared Lin Zhentian stood frozen on the spot. "Didn't these two kids just reach the Earthly Yuan Stage a little over ten days ago?"

"These two? Does that mean Lin Dong has also broken through to the Earthly Yuan Stage?" Lin Ken and Lin Mang swallowed, then simultaneously looked toward Lin Xiao behind them.

"Th-this... I don't know either!" Lin Xiao looked equally lost under their gazes.

Lin Hong and the other younger members of the Lin Family beside them had their mouths hanging open, a fanatical gleam appearing in their eyes.

Not far away, Lei Bao sat down with a gloomy expression, killing intent surging in his eyes. Lin Changqiang's cultivation speed filled him with a fear that came from the bottom of his heart.

If this person was not eliminated, he would become an endless source of trouble!

"This is impossible!" Lei Li's face twisted viciously as he suddenly stepped forward and charged at Lin Changqiang. His palms curved into a strange arc, like venomous snakes swinging their heads. Boosted by Yuan Power, they even created bursts of tearing wind as they sliced through the air.

"A Second-grade martial art, Spirit Snake Palm?" Lin Changqiang raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Unfortunately, I'm not Lin Dong. I have no interest in playing some gradual escalation game with you."

"Flame Vortex!" Lin Changqiang formed a tiger seal with both hands and, when in Rome, shouted out the name of his technique.

Lei Li had only just rushed close to Lin Changqiang when he saw a vortex made of flames rise beneath his feet. Immediately afterward, the piercing sensation of being burned made him grimace in agony.

"Ah!"

He screamed and hurriedly retreated. But when he looked at Lin Changqiang again, he found that the latter had already raised his right hand!

"This move may have a decent range, but it's slow and terribly inaccurate. I can dodge it!" A sharp glint flashed through Lei Li's eyes as he stared ahead with complete focus.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Five explosions rang out in an instant. Before Lei Li could react, he was blasted flying like a kite with a snapped string, crashing heavily onto the ground.

Lei Li spat out a mouthful of crimson blood and froze in a daze. Only when he noticed Lin Changqiang walking toward him did he desperately brace himself against the ground, trying to get up. In the end, he failed. All he could do was helplessly watch Lin Changqiang approach.

Lei Li looked up helplessly at Lin Changqiang, but perhaps because his injuries were too severe, he could not see him clearly no matter how hard he tried. In the end, he only heard the other man seem to mutter, "Good thing I pulled back in time," before his vision went dark and he lost consciousness.

With Lei Li's swift defeat, the entire arena fell silent in an instant. The Lei and Xie Families looked as though their parents had died. Gaze after gaze, filled with intense shock, fell upon the battered Lei Li.

This outcome had surpassed everyone's expectations. No one had imagined that Lei Li, hailed as Qingyang Town's number one among the younger generation, would lose to Lin Changqiang so easily.

"That's it? He won?"

Even Lin Dong and Lin Zhentian, who had been prepared, could not help clicking their tongues. Lin Dong had thought that even if Lin Changqiang won, he would at least have to fight hard, while Lin Zhentian had expected a bitter battle.

"With talent like this, he is no ordinary man..." Lin Zhentian hurriedly took a sip of tea to moisten his dry throat.

Lin Ken and the others beside him nodded in deep agreement. Even Lin Mang, who had once disliked Lin Changqiang, had nothing to say. He knew that Lin Hong would likely never be able to catch up to him again.

In contrast to the Lin Family's mingled surprise and delight, the Lei and Xie Families were steeped in Death Qi. Lei Bao's old face was dark, while Xie Qian could only force a bitter smile, secretly glad that he had not joined the wager.

This time, the Lei Family had not only lost Ironwood Manor, but had also received a resounding slap in the face from the Lin Family. Their reputation had been utterly ruined!