Do You Dare?

"Hong Bao, you grandson—do you dare fight your grandpa, Ye Zhen?!"

In an instant, Ye Zhen's wild voice exploded through every corner of East Arrival Peak like thunder in a parched spring, echoing without end and jolting awake many disciples deep in bitter cultivation.

Hong Bao, who had been practicing martial techniques, heard Ye Zhen's voice and immediately bulged his triangular eyes. "Well, well, Ye Zhen! I hadn't even gone looking for you, and you dare challenge me? You're courting death!"

With a whoosh, Hong Bao shot out of the woods and raced toward the Martial Arena.

Li Yuncong, third on the Earth Ranking, had been meditating in a quiet room. Hearing Ye Zhen's voice reverberating over East Arrival Peak, he rose and headed for the Martial Arena. "Has Ye Zhen gone mad? Still, win or lose, I must get a good look at Hong Bao's moves. He's second on the Earth Ranking, and I'm third."

At the summit of East Arrival Peak, Gu Duozhi was practicing swordsmanship against the wind. His features were rather feminine, and he suddenly sheathed his sword. "Interesting, interesting. An unknown brat actually dares challenge Hong Bao, second on the Earth Ranking. The Earth Ranking, silent for so many days, may finally become lively because of this.

"I, the first on the Earth Ranking, ought to join in this excitement as well!"

Inside the Instruction Hall at East Arrival Peak's peak, Instructor Liao Feibai had been sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed. This shout startled her into opening them. Her long Sword Willow Brows furrowed, and a trace of worry suddenly appeared on her heroic, pretty face.

"He actually challenged Hong Bao, second on the Earth Ranking. Could his cultivation have broken through to the True Essence Realm? But even if it has, Hong Bao is not someone he can defeat easily."

Light rippled in her lovely eyes, and Instructor Liao Feibai suddenly chuckled. "Still, that courage and bold spirit suit my taste quite well. I only hope he won't be beaten too badly..."

Because of Ye Zhen's roar, all of East Arrival Peak gradually awakened. Outer Disciples cultivating bitterly in every corner stopped their training and headed toward the Martial Arena, especially those Outer Disciples whose names were on the Earth Ranking.

"Someone is challenging Hong Bao, who has occupied second place on the Earth Ranking for an entire year. We have to watch such a splendid show. At the very least, we can probe Hong Bao's true strength..."

Below the Martial Arena, Jin Yuanbao stared at Ye Zhen, who stood on the stage brimming with heroic spirit, utterly dumbfounded.

He had considered countless possibilities, but he had never imagined that Ye Zhen would challenge Hong Bao so openly. Hong Bao was second on the Earth Ranking—even Gu Duozhi, first on the Earth Ranking, was unwilling to provoke him lightly.

Even Jin Yuanbao himself, ninth on the Earth Ranking, could only take a detour whenever he saw Hong Bao. Yet Ye Zhen had become an Outer Disciple barely more than four months ago, and he already dared challenge Hong Bao!

Ye Zhen's shout instantly drew back the Outer Disciples who had left dejectedly after losing money. Looking at the confident Ye Zhen on the stage, only one thought flashed through everyone's minds—Ye Zhen would undoubtedly lose!

The next moment, several hundred Outer Disciples surged toward Jin Yuanbao.

"Senior Brother Jin, open the betting!"

"Jin Yuanbao, hurry and open the betting! We want to place wagers!"

This was the first time Jin Yuanbao had broken into a cold sweat over opening a betting pool. If Ye Zhen's victory over Ma Hun had been an upset, it was only because everyone had known too little about Ye Zhen's strength, allowing Jin Yuanbao to pick up a huge bargain.

In truth, when he had opened the pool for Ye Zhen versus Ma Hun, Jin Yuanbao had wondered the same thing—could there be an upset?

But now, even if he analyzed it carefully a hundred or a thousand times, based on his observations of Ye Zhen's strength, Jin Yuanbao would reach the same conclusion: Ye Zhen had almost no chance of winning.

If he had to put a number on it, that chance might be... one in ten thousand!

Under such circumstances, if he opened a betting pool, he would surely lose—and lose every last penny.

"Um... hasn't Senior Brother Hong arrived yet?" Jin Yuanbao answered miserably, his brain spinning at full speed as he considered how to escape today.

"Ye Zhen, I'm here! Just you wait!" From a distant mountaintop came Hong Bao's distinctive furious roar, making the corners of Jin Yuanbao's mouth stiffen.

"Hahaha, Junior Brother Li, let's compare our movement techniques and see who's faster!"

"How could I refuse?"

In an instant, two figures shot forward like wind and lightning. One was nimble as a swimming dragon, the other faster than a flash of lightning. Like two wisps of pale smoke, they sped toward the Martial Arena.

"Senior Disciple Brother and Senior Brother Li!" the crowd cried out.

The two figures were initially neck and neck, but Gu Duozhi ran faster and faster, while Li Yuncong's speed remained steady. By the end, Gu Duozhi had pulled several dozen meters ahead of Li Yuncong.

"Senior Disciple Brother is mighty!" Seeing Gu Duozhi win, the many Outer Disciples erupted into cheers.

"Hahaha, Junior Brother Li, you're still the same. You never like competing for supremacy in anything. You still held back some strength just now, didn't you?"

As Gu Duozhi walked into the crowd, the many Outer Disciples automatically opened a path for him. His reputation as the Earth Ranking's number one, the Senior Disciple Brother, was thunderous indeed.

"You're Ye Zhen, the one challenging Hong Bao?" Gu Duozhi narrowed his eyes and sized up Ye Zhen.

"Ye Zhen greets Senior Disciple Brother!"

"Good, good! Regardless of victory or defeat today, this courage alone earns my admiration!" With that, Gu Duozhi walked into the crowd. The Outer Disciples surrounded him like stars surrounding the moon, and people occasionally stepped forward to greet him.

"Junior Brother Ye, why were you so impulsive? If you find yourself outmatched later, admit defeat early to ensure your safety..." Li Yuncong sighed softly, offered Ye Zhen a word of advice, then disappeared into the crowd without saying another word.

More and more Outer Disciples arrived from all directions, and the calls for Jin Yuanbao to open a betting pool grew louder and louder.

"Jin Yuanbao, don't tell me you want to run off right after winning some silver?"

"Senior Brother Jin, hurry and open the betting! I'm waiting to place my wager. I have to win back the five hundred taels of silver I lost earlier."

With the crowd's emotions surging like a tidal wave, cold sweat streamed down Jin Yuanbao's forehead. These people were practically here to pick up silver—but then again, in the current situation, betting on Hong Bao was indeed like picking up silver.

Watching the gathering Outer Disciples grow more numerous, Jin Yuanbao was nearly in tears. If he opened the pool, wouldn't he lose even his underwear?

Who didn't know how to pick up silver?

Even if he lowered the odds to the absolute minimum, he still could not withstand such volume.

Jin Yuanbao knew perfectly well that if he acted as bookmaker today, the little fortune he had struggled for over the past few years would all be lost.

"Forget it. Let Iron Casino's reputation be ruined if it must be. That's still better than losing everything. At worst, I'll never open another pool..." Gritting his teeth, Jin Yuanbao furrowed his brow and shouted, "Ow, my stomach hurts..."

With a flash, Jin Yuanbao was about to use his ultimate urinary escape technique and flee.

But one voice nailed his feet to the ground.

"Jin Yuanbao, a man should be honorable. A bookmaker has never had the right to run away halfway through. Since you started this betting pool on Ye Zhen today, you must see it through to the end. If you dare run today, then you needn't do any business on East Arrival Peak ever again!"

Senior Disciple Brother Gu Duozhi's cold snort made Jin Yuanbao force out a smile uglier than crying. "Senior Disciple Brother, how could I possibly?" Jin Yuanbao theatrically rubbed his stomach. "Eh? How strange. My stomach doesn't hurt anymore!"

"Honor your mother!"

Cursing under his breath, Jin Yuanbao helplessly called out, "Here we go, betting is open! Jin Yuanbao's Iron Casino is taking bets! Hong Bao's odds are ten-to-one, Ye Zhen's odds are... one-to-ten!"

Gritting his teeth, Jin Yuanbao lowered Hong Bao's odds to the minimum while raising Ye Zhen's odds to a terrifying level, hoping to attract a few risk-takers to bet on Ye Zhen and reduce his losses.

"Senior Disciple Brother is mighty!" With a cheer, the many Outer Disciples swarmed forward and began placing wagers.

"Betting on Hong Bao—one thousand taels!"

"I'm betting on Senior Brother Hong—three hundred Sect Contribution Points!"

The many Outer Disciples placing wagers went mad, but Jin Yuanbao was dumbstruck. As the wagers in his hands grew ever greater, his face turned paler and paler.

This round would not only cost him his entire fortune; he would likely end up buried under a mountain of debt!

"Five hundred taels. I'm betting on Ye Zhen." When Feng Haoran's voice rang out, it sounded like heavenly music.

"Feng Haoran, you're betting on Ye Zhen too? Just wait until it bankrupts you. I'd rather honestly earn myself a couple Blood Origin Pills. I'm betting on Hong Bao: eight hundred taels of silver and two hundred Sect Contribution Points." Shi Tianjia said to Feng Haoran.

"You don't understand!" Feng Haoran left Shi Tianjia a perfect view of the back of his head, his gaze fixed on the Martial Arena, burning with fervor.

Boom!

Hong Bao, who had rushed over in haste, leaped high into the air. As he landed on the Martial Arena, he smashed a fist into the ground, sending shattered stones flying everywhere.

"Ye Zhen, you're the one challenging me?" Hong Bao licked his lips, his reddened eyes filled with surging battle intent.

"That's right!"

"You've got guts, but I like that!" Hong Bao bared his white teeth at Ye Zhen. "I've wanted to beat you up for a long time. This way, I can beat you much more freely. Even if I beat you to death, no one will blame me!"

He abruptly assumed a fighting stance and shouted, "Come on! It's been a long time since anyone dared challenge me on the Martial Arena. My fists are already itching—I can't wait any longer!"

"Hold it!" Ye Zhen suddenly called out.

"What, are you afraid? If you're afraid, then come kowtow to me..."

"Hahahaha! Afraid? If I were afraid, I wouldn't have used an Amplification Talisman to challenge you!" With a loud laugh, Ye Zhen suddenly pointed at Jin Yuanbao. "I'm preparing to bet my entire fortune on myself to win. Do you dare?"

************

P.S. Young man, do you dare bet all your recommendation votes here? Do you dare?