Brother Ding Qian, Inner Court Prodigy!

Ye Feng stood beneath the Gambling Arena platform, one hand on his hip while the other casually wiped at his forehead.

In truth, he had barely exerted any effort in that fight. There was not even a bead of sweat on his brow; this entire display was purely for the people around him.

The defeated Qi Gathering Realm Third Layer disciple was still slumped on the ground. It took him a long while to come back to his senses, his face alternating between green and white. Clearly, he could not accept the result of "I merely stumbled by accident and got pushed off the platform."

"Brother, a wager is a wager. Five Low-grade Spirit Stones." Ye Feng bent down, his tone carrying just the right amount of "apology," though a trace of calculation lay hidden in his eyes.

The disciple gritted his teeth, his clenched fists cracking, but the Gambling Arena's rules were right there. He did not dare break them and could only pull five gleaming Low-grade Spirit Stones from his storage pouch and slap them fiercely into Ye Feng's hand. "You just got lucky!"

Ye Feng accepted the spirit stones and weighed them on his fingertips, thinking to himself: Playing weak really does work. As long as they think I'm some weakling who won by luck, more people will definitely come hoping to pick up an easy win.

That was exactly the effect he wanted.

The more challengers came, the faster he could save up spirit stones. Then he could borrow more sword manuals and fist manuals from the Martial Pavilion, build a solid foundation, and use the system to modify his intent afterward.

But before Ye Feng could celebrate for long, a cold voice suddenly rang out below the platform. "Stop pretending. There isn't even any sweat on your forehead. You didn't use your full strength in that battle, did you?"

Ye Feng's heart skipped a beat. He looked up and saw that the speaker was a disciple in cyan Inner Court robes, standing with his arms folded and staring at him sharply.

Hearing this, the surrounding disciples also crowded closer for a look. Soon, someone chimed in, "Yeah! I thought something was strange just now. He looked slow when dodging, but he always avoided every move at exactly the right moment. How was that luck?"

"And that last punch looked completely limp. How could it throw the True Qi of a Qi Gathering Realm Third Layer cultivator into disarray? He clearly hid his strength and dug a pit for others to jump into!"

Someone else suddenly caught on. "Wait, could he be Ye Feng, the genius from the Outer Court selection not long ago? I heard he mastered three martial techniques to perfection while still in the Outer Court. He's probably already broken through to the Qi Gathering Realm by now!"

The moment those words fell, the disciples who had been eager to try instantly wilted.

Five Low-grade Spirit Stones were no small sum. Converted into Sect Contribution Points, that was five hundred points—enough to exchange for two bottles of low-grade Qi Gathering Pills. No one wanted to take that many resources and step on a landmine. What if they really faced a ruthless opponent who was playing the pig to eat the tiger? Wouldn't that be a massive loss?

The disciple who had just been defeated beat his chest and stomped his feet, slapping his thigh as he shouted, "I knew something was wrong! So you'd already broken through to the Qi Gathering Realm! I was your whetstone, and I lost five spirit stones for nothing! If I'd known, I wouldn't have rushed onto the platform!"

Ye Feng stood in place, the "fortunate" smile on his lips freezing.

He had not expected the Inner Court disciples to be so shrewd. They had seen through his scheme after only one match.

Now that everyone was afraid, no one dared step onto the platform again.

He had only earned five spirit stones so far—not even enough for the deposit to borrow a single sword manual from the Martial Pavilion. A headache immediately began to form.

This money was way too easy to earn, wasn't it?

No, it was way too hard to earn!

"Looks like I need to raise the stakes." After pondering for a moment, Ye Feng simply turned around, leaped back onto the fifth Gambling Arena platform, and picked up a brush to alter the wooden sign.

The original words, "Wager: 5 Low-grade Spirit Stones, limited to below Qi Gathering Realm Fourth Level," became, "Wager: 10 Low-grade Spirit Stones, limited to Qi Gathering Realm Fourth Level and below."

Ten Low-grade Spirit Stones!

The instant that number appeared, an uproar broke out beneath the platform.

The disciples who had originally been barred from participating by the cultivation limit also had their eyes light up.

The temptation of ten spirit stones was simply too great. Even if Ye Feng truly had some skill, the Qi Gathering Realm Fourth Level was a full major realm above the Third Layer. They might not be without a chance of winning.

Within the crowd, Ding Qian's eyes had gone red from watching.

He had yet to break through to the Qi Gathering Realm and was not even qualified to step onto the platform. He could only watch helplessly as Ye Feng changed the rules, the fire in his heart burning ever hotter.

Just then, he caught sight of a figure standing not far away. It was as though he had seized a lifeline, and he hurried over.

"Brother! You're finally here!" Ding Qian grabbed that disciple's arm, his tone urgent.

"It's that kid, Ye Feng! He cheated me out of five Low-grade Spirit Stones during the Outer Court selection, and now he's putting on an act at the Gambling Arena! Hurry and help me vent this anger!"

The disciple called "Brother" was named Ding Hao. He wore Inner Court robes embroidered with silver patterns.

This was treatment reserved for Inner Court Prodigies.

He was tall and straight, his brows carrying an air of pride. The fluctuations of True Qi around him were steady and powerful—he was unmistakably at the Qi Gathering Realm Fourth Level!

It was even rumored that, through exquisite martial techniques, he had forcibly held his own against a Qi Gathering Realm Seventh Layer disciple. He was one of the Inner Court's publicly acknowledged Top Prodigies.

Ding Hao looked in the direction Ding Qian indicated and happened to see Ye Feng standing on the platform, adjusting the wooden sign.

He had long heard Ding Qian complain that "there was a disciple in the Outer Court who could beat him." At the time, he had thought his younger brother was exaggerating, but now that he saw Ye Feng defeat a Qi Gathering Realm Third Layer cultivator, he had to acknowledge it.

"This Ye Feng does have some ability. What a pity he's too arrogant—he dares use the Gambling Arena to rake in wealth the moment he enters the Inner Court."

"Exactly!" Ding Qian hurriedly agreed. "He even deliberately pretended to be weak just now to trick people into going up there! Brother, hurry up and teach him a lesson. Make him return the five spirit stones he cheated out of me, then make him cough up these ten spirit stones too!"

Ding Hao patted Ding Qian on the shoulder, his tone brimming with confidence. "Don't worry. With your brother here, no one can bully you. Since this Ye Feng dared provoke someone from the Ding Family, he has to pay the price."

As his words fell, Ding Hao leaped into the air and landed steadily on the fifth Gambling Arena platform. He stood nearly half a head taller than Ye Feng and looked down at him, his eyes filled with contempt.

The crowd beneath the platform instantly erupted!

"It's Ding Hao! He's actually making a move?"

"My heavens, Ye Feng is finished this time! Ding Hao is a prodigy of the Qi Gathering Realm Fourth Level, a ruthless figure who can fight those three levels above him!"

"I thought Ye Feng had some skill before, but now it looks like he probably can't even take a single punch from Ding Hao. He's definitely going to lose those ten spirit stones!"

The Qi Gathering Realm Fourth Level disciples who had originally been tempted all stepped back.

Who would dare compete with Ding Hao for an opponent? Wouldn't that be courting death?

Meanwhile, Ding Qian stood beneath the platform with a look of wild delight on his face, arms folded as he waited to watch Ye Feng's sorry figure get beaten off the platform.

Ye Feng looked at Ding Hao before him and roughly understood the situation.

Judging by Ding Qian's smug expression, this man was probably Ding Qian's older brother, here to avenge his younger brother. Ye Feng had never heard Ding Hao's name before, but from the reactions of the surrounding disciples, this man's strength was likely nothing to scoff at.

"You're Ye Feng?" Ding Hao spoke first, his voice carrying an oppressive weight. "My brother said you cheated him out of 5 Low-grade Spirit Stones during the Outer Court selection tournament?"

Ye Feng raised a brow. "You can't put it like that. Your brother challenged me of his own accord. He lost, so he had to accept the wager. I never forced him."

"Hmph, sharp-tongued!" Ding Hao snorted coldly, with no intention of arguing with Ye Feng. "I won't waste words with you today. These 10 Spirit Stones will count as compensation for my brother. You should know that Ding Hao's younger brother isn't someone just anyone can provoke!"

Before his words had even faded, Ding Hao suddenly raised his right fist. The True Qi of the Qi Gathering Realm Fourth Level erupted without restraint, and a faint yellow glow even shimmered around his fist as it hurtled toward Ye Feng's chest with a howling gust of wind!

In his eyes, once this punch landed, Ye Feng would either be blasted off the platform or forced to admit defeat. The outcome had long since been decided.

Ye Feng stood where he was, without the slightest trace of panic on his face.

Staring at the incoming fist, what he thought of was not how to concede, but...

Good thing I didn't pack up early. Looks like these 10 Spirit Stones will be mine without a hitch.