Bet!

Xiao Clan Hall

Xiao Zhan and the three elders sat at the head.

Below them on the left sat some of the clan's powerful and influential elders. Beside them sat several outstanding juniors. As the grandson of the Third Elder of the Xiao Family, Xiao Han naturally sat beside his parents.

"Han Er, remember not to act rashly today. They are from the Misty Cloud Sect. They are our honored guests!" Xiao Han's father, Xiao Hao, solemnly cautioned him.

No one knew a son better than his father.

Xiao Hao knew all about Xiao Han's unusual hobby. Because of it, he had often tried to reason with Xiao Han in private.

Earlier on, Xiao Hao had thought Xiao Han was merely interested in women and wanted to play with them.

To satisfy the previous Xiao Han's preferences, Xiao Hao had successively replaced several maidservants who attended his bed. Regrettably, Xiao Han seemed completely uninterested in any of them.

Helpless, Xiao Hao, as his father, could only accept Xiao Han's peculiar hobby. Every now and then, he cleaned up after him, using money to compensate the owners of the missing underwear.

Xiao Han was deeply moved by this. In a calm tone, he said, "I don't know whether they're honored guests or not. But soon, they won't be."

"What do you mean?" Xiao Hao looked at Xiao Han curiously.

Not only Xiao Hao, but Xiao Han's Mother and Xiao Ning, who was seated nearby, also looked at Xiao Hao with curiosity.

Xiao Han's eyes shifted, a crafty gleam flashing through them as he asked, "Do you want to know?"

"You little brat, hurry up and tell us." Seeing Xiao Han deliberately keeping them in suspense, Xiao Hao could not help scolding him lightly.

"It would be too boring to say it outright. How about we make a bet?" Xiao Han smiled and swept his gaze over the people around him.

"A bet?"

Everyone turned to look at Xiao Han. Even Xiao Huangtao, the Second Elder's grandson, looked at Xiao Hao curiously.

"Yes." Having successfully piqued everyone's interest, Xiao Han said, "I can tell you why they have come, and I can even predict what they are about to say. If even one word differs, I will pay each of you 5,000 Gold Coins."

"What? 5,000 Gold Coins?" Xiao Ning and Xiao Huangtao exchanged a glance.

At that moment, even Xiao Mei, who sat with one person between herself and Xiao Han, looked at him curiously.

"Yes." Xiao Han smiled and continued, "Of course, if I happen to predict it correctly, word for word, each of you must pay me 10,000 Gold Coins."

"What? 10,000 Gold Coins? You might as well rob us!" Xiao Ning was no fool.

To direct descendants of the Xiao Clan, 10,000 Gold Coins was no small amount.

Ordinarily, even the core disciples specially nurtured by the Xiao Clan only received 500 Gold Coins' worth of cultivation resources each month. 10,000 Gold Coins amounted to at least two years of savings.

As for Xiao Huangtao, after pausing to think, he asked, "Xiao Han, are you serious?"

"Every word is true." Xiao Han smiled confidently.

"You mean that if there is even one word different from what they say, you lose?" Xiao Huangtao looked at Xiao Han with a sinister smile.

"Han Er, don't!" At the side, Xiao Han's father, Xiao Hao, hurriedly tried to stop Xiao Han from this childish behavior.

Guessing why those people had come was one thing, but predicting every sentence they were about to say without a single word being wrong was another.

That was clearly impossible!

Xiao Han smiled at Xiao Hao, his gaze brimming with confidence. "That's right. So, Xiao Ning, Huangtao, do you two dare to bet with me?"

The commotion here also drew the attention of several elders seated in front.

Let alone Xiao Han, even these elders had no idea why people from the Misty Cloud Sect had suddenly come to the Xiao Clan.

Not only did these elders not know, but even the Three Great Elders and the Xiao Family Patriarch had no idea what the Misty Cloud Sect's sudden visit was about.

Yet Xiao Han, a junior, dared to boast that he could guess their intentions—and even precisely predict what they were about to say, word for word.

How could that be possible?

"Fine, I'll bet with you." Xiao Huangtao answered without hesitation.

"I'll bet with you too." After calming down, Xiao Ning readily made the wager with Xiao Han.

At that moment, Xiao Mei beside them became interested as well. Blinking her large eyes, she asked with a smile, "Brother Xiao Han, can I bet with you too?"

"Of course. I won't refuse anyone." Xiao Han was exceedingly confident.

There were far more than four or five outstanding disciples in the Xiao Clan Hall. After Xiao Mei, three more people joined the wager. As for the others, they wanted to participate, but they did not have enough money for the stakes.

"Cousin Xiao Hao, look at how enthusiastically they're playing. Why don't we have a round as well?"

Trying to gain an advantage was human nature.

Seeing Xiao Han, Xiao Ning, and the younger generation gambling, Xiao Ning's father, Xiao Yaozu, also became interested. He wanted to drag Xiao Hao into it and win a sum from him.

"Hmph." Xiao Hao snorted and shot a glance at the gloating Xiao Yaozu.

There were six people betting against Xiao Han. If he lost, that would be 30,000 Gold Coins.

That was no small sum.

In clan affairs, Xiao Yaozu and Xiao Hao had always held sharply differing views. Xiao Yaozu naturally knew that Xiao Hao would not bet with him. He was simply taking the opportunity to mock him for having a foolish son.

Xiao Han was perceptive; how could he fail to see what Xiao Yaozu was thinking? The faint smile never left his face. "If the old man won't bet, the young one can bet with you. Uncle Yaozu, since my father won't join, how about I bet with you instead?"

"You...?" Xiao Yaozu looked at Xiao Han in surprise.

To be honest, Xiao Han had guessed his thoughts exactly.

Xiao Yaozu knew Xiao Hao would not be foolish enough to bet with him. He had said those words only to seize the chance to mock Xiao Hao for having a foolish son.

He had not expected Xiao Han to be foolish enough to actually volunteer to bet with him.

"Han Er!" Xiao Hao's face darkened, his anger commanding without needing to be expressed.

Ignoring Xiao Hao, Xiao Han provoked him, "What is it, Uncle Yaozu? Don't tell me you don't dare bet with me?"

"Heh heh, what a joke. Why would an elder like me not dare to bet with you?" Since someone was offering him money, why would Xiao Yaozu refuse? Smiling, he said, "Kid, my appetite is rather large. I'm afraid you can't afford the bet!"

"Is 100,000 enough?" Xiao Han opened with a wager of 100,000 Gold Coins.

"What?" Xiao Yaozu was slightly stunned. 100,000 was enough to cover the Xiao Clan's daily expenses for two months. It was no small amount.

Xiao Yaozu had wanted to use Xiao Han to fleece Xiao Hao and teach this foolish youngster a lesson, but he had not expected the stakes to be so high.

"If I lose, I will pay Uncle Yaozu 100,000 Gold Coins. But if I happen to predict it correctly, Uncle Yaozu will have to pay me 200,000 Gold Coins." Xiao Han smiled, that confident smile never leaving his face. "I just wonder whether Uncle Yaozu, an adult, can afford to bet against a junior like me."

200,000 Gold Coins was no small sum.

Afraid Xiao Yaozu would refuse to play along, Xiao Han used a provocation.