The Wager

The next morning, Su Yu stepped into the busiest part of Skywind City—the South Market District.

On both sides of the street paved with bluestone slabs, shops of every kind stood in tight rows, their hawkers' cries rising and falling in waves.

He hadn't set foot here in years, and the market's bustle had only grown since.

"Esteemed guest, take a look at these fresh Qi Gathering Pills!" A grinning shop assistant blocked his path.

"Martial artists in the Qi Refining Realm can boost their training speed by Thirty Percent!"

Su Yu paused to look. Inside a glass cabinet lay three cyan pills, their surfaces gleaming with a moist luster.

The price tag read three thousand gold taels, making him click his tongue inwardly.

That was nearly a year and a half of his allowance.

In the past, he might have gritted his teeth and bought one to attempt a breakthrough.

But now, with the Soul Light Orb, such ordinary pills felt far less necessary.

"Even a Human-grade Low-tier pill costs this much..." Su Yu sighed softly.

On the Nine Heavens Continent, pills, techniques, and weapons were all divided into five grades—Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, Yellow, and Human—with Human-grade split into High, Mid, and Low tiers. Above Human-grade, they were further divided into Supreme, High, Mid, and Low.

Even the lowest Human-grade Low-tier pill was a rare treasure for an ordinary martial artist.

Turning a corner, the clang of metal drew his attention.

In front of a weapon shop, the owner was demonstrating a longsword with a chilling gleam:

"Take a look, everyone—this Human-grade Low-tier Azure Edge Sword can cut through iron like mud!" The blade swept down, and a three-inch-thick iron plate snapped cleanly in two.

"Only twelve thousand gold taels!"

Su Yu's gaze sharpened.

Weapons, like martial techniques, had their own ranks. A Human-grade Low-tier blade already counted as a spirit tool.

In the hands of a Qi Refining Realm martial artist, such a weapon could let them fight above their level.

But the price was enough to make anyone balk.

"Looks like I'll need to find a way to earn some money." Su Yu patted the money pouch at his waist.

After five years of frugal living, he'd only saved up five thousand gold taels.

Walking on, a stench of blood and musk hit his nostrils.

This area was packed with shops selling beast materials, their doorways hung with all kinds of hides and horns.

Suddenly, Su Yu's eyes locked onto a transparent crystal.

It was a Tier 1 Mid-grade Swift Wind Wolf's beast core, glowing with a faint blue light under the sun.

The moment he stared at it, the Ancient Sword in his Soul World trembled violently!

The cracks on its blade flared with eerie red light, and a fierce craving surged through the soul link.

"Good eye, young master." A burly shopkeeper with a scarred face sidled over.

"This is a Swift Wind Wolf core hunted fresh from the Monster Forest yesterday. The Wind Attribute spiritual energy inside is exceptionally pure."

Su Yu's heart leaped.

On the Nine Heavens Continent, demon beasts and human martial artists alike were divided into eight major realms, each split into Low, Mid, and High tiers.

A Tier 1 Mid-grade beast was equivalent to a human martial artist at Qi Refining Level 4 to 6. A beast core was the condensed spiritual energy of the beast, usable for alchemy or tool forging.

"How much?" Su Yu forced down his excitement.

"Four thousand gold taels." The shopkeeper raised four thick fingers.

"Fair price, no tricks."

The price made Su Yu frown inwardly.

Though the Monster Forest ten li outside Skywind City was dangerous, with his current strength at Qi Refining Level 6, hunting a Tier 1 Mid-grade beast wasn't impossible.

The Ancient Sword trembled again, even harder this time.

Su Yu could feel the urgency radiating from the blade.

It craved this beast core!

"Boss, I'll take it." Su Yu didn't hesitate, reaching for his money pouch.

"Well, well, if it isn't the Su Family brat?" A sneering voice came from behind.

"I heard you finally broke through to Qi Refining Level 4? How truly congratulatory!"

Su Yu turned slowly to see three young men in fine robes standing behind him.

The leader had a sinister face, and a prominent character was carved into the jade pendant at his waist—it was Lin Xuan, the third young master of the Lin Family.

The power structure of Skywind City was peculiar.

The lofty City Lord's Mansion maintained its aloof stance, only stepping in to settle major disputes when necessary.

What truly held the city's lifeline were the deeply rooted four great families: the Lin Family, the Su Family, the Chu Family, and the Xu Family.

Among the four great families, the Lin Family held the greatest power.

As the first family to put down roots in Skywind City, the Lin Family controlled the city's gold mines and over half of the medicinal herb trade.

The Su Family, as latecomers, had relied on their unique artifact-forging techniques and martial heritage to leap into second place within mere decades—a development that undoubtedly shook the Lin Family's monopoly.

Ever since the Su Family, under the leadership of Patriarch Su Tianheng, began dabbling in the trade of beast materials—a domain long monopolized by the Lin Family—friction between the two houses had grown increasingly fierce.

Just last year, a sizable brawl broke out over ownership of the South City Spirit Fields.

When disciples of the four great families crossed paths, tensions were always high.

Especially between the Lin and Su families—whenever their disciples met, sparks were sure to fly.

Su Yu didn't respond. Instead, he turned to the shopkeeper. "I want this beast core."

"Eight thousand taels!" Lin Xuan slapped a stack of banknotes onto the counter, shooting Su Yu a provocative glare. "This young master is taking this beast core."

The shop erupted into murmurs.

That price far exceeded the market value of a Level 1 Mid-grade Beast Core. Anyone with eyes could see Lin Xuan was deliberately picking a fight.

Su Yu tapped his fingers lightly on the counter. Within his Soul World, the Ancient Sword continued to tremble. He kept his cultivation suppressed at Qi Refining Level 5 and said flatly, "Young Master Lin certainly spends lavishly."

"What's the matter? Can't the Su Family's genius even scrape together that much?" Lin Xuan deliberately raised his voice. "Or could it be... you're scared?"

A flicker of cold light passed through Su Yu's eyes.

It wasn't that he feared conflict—he simply didn't want to reveal his true strength too early.

"How about this," Lin Xuan suddenly sneered. "If you can take three moves from me, the beast core is yours."

The onlookers began whispering among themselves.

Everyone knew Lin Xuan had broken through to Qi Refining Level 6 a year ago, and there were even signs he might soon push toward Level 7. This wager was clearly meant to humiliate Su Yu in public.

Su Yu suddenly smiled. "Three moves? One beast core isn't enough. Add three more of the same grade."

Lin Xuan's face turned ashen.

He hadn't expected this former waste to be so arrogant. "Fine! Very well! This young master will see what gives you the right to talk big!"

The shopkeeper hastily cleared the space.

Lin Xuan ripped off his outer robe, revealing a form-fitting outfit embroidered with gold thread. With a flick of his wrist, a cold-glinting longsword appeared in his hand—a Human-grade Low-tier spirit artifact, no less.

"First move!"

Lin Xuan's body exploded into motion, his sword tip aimed straight for Su Yu's throat.

The sword style Lin Xuan practiced was the Spirit Snake Sword Style, and this move—Spirit Snake Emerges from Cave—was as fast as lightning. As the sword tip quivered, it split into three afterimages, covering all the vital points on Su Yu's upper body.

Su Yu lightly tapped his toes, his body drifting backward like a willow catkin.

To outsiders, it looked perilously close—but in truth, he had already seen through the sword's trajectory. The extraordinary insight granted by the light orb gave him a far deeper understanding of martial techniques than others of the same rank.

"One move." Su Yu calmly counted.