Master, we really can't bet anymore

"Come, come, the New Blood Martial Arts Competition betting is open now."

"Elder Chen Hai's new eldest disciple—Zhuge Long—only cultivated for a month and reached Qi Cultivation Third Layer. Now a year has passed, and he's already at Half-step Foundation Establishment Realm."

"Nishang Peak's peak master's personal disciple—Zuo Fenghua—has mastered the Nishang Sword Art to perfection. Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer, an absolute favorite to win!"

"Yunhai Hall's hall master's personal disciple—Xiao Yan—gained the ancient inheritance 'Exotic Fire' sword art during an external training journey. Each time he absorbs an exotic fire, his strength rises a tier. Half a year of cultivation puts him at Qi Cultivation Level 7, but he absolutely has the power to kill across realms!"

"Yunlong Peak's peak master's son—Nan Wen—has perfected the Thunder Fire Sword Art."

At Dragon Spring Town, the center of Dragon Spring Sword Sect.

As the New Blood Martial Arts Competition draws near, various gambling dens start hawking, luring disciples of Dragon Spring Sword Sect to place their bets.

When you place a bet, these dens will even sell you some information on the contestants, making you more confident in your wager, even making you feel like you're the one pulling the strings.

Little do you know, the intel you have, others have too.

You think you're the mastermind, but in reality, you're just a leek to be harvested.

That day, Xiao Mo walked into the largest gambling den in Dragon Spring Sword Sect.

Inside the den, a dedicated area was set up for this New Blood Martial Arts Competition.

The names of some contestants were written on plaques, hung on the wall, with odds listed below, updated every hour for the convenience of Dragon Spring Sword Sect disciples to bet at any time.

Xiao Mo searched and searched, but couldn't find the name he was looking for.

"Fellow cultivator, why isn't the name I'm looking for here?" Xiao Mo asked a nearby staff member.

"Oh, fellow cultivator, you must be a disciple who just joined recently, right? If the name you're looking for isn't on the wall, it means that person isn't a hot favorite to win," said the steward named Xu Xin. "Which name are you looking for? I can look it up for you here."

"Linggan Peak—Jiang Qingyi," Xiao Mo said slowly.

"Linggan Peak's Jiang Qingyi, let me find her." Xu Xin took out a box and probed it with his Spiritual Sense.

"Found it."

Xu Xin pulled a plaque from the box.

"Linggan Peak's Jiang Qingyi, Qi Cultivation Level 7. She couldn't get started for a long time at first, but later she must have gotten some opportunity. In this past year, she's advanced to Qi Cultivation Level 7. Her strength is decent, and she has a shot at the top fifty, but as for winning the championship, she's still far off."

"What are the odds?" Xiao Mo said flatly.

"For odds, top fifty pays one to two, top thirty-two pays one to three, top sixteen pays one to ten, top eight—"

"Just tell me the odds for winning the championship," Xiao Mo cut him off.

"Haha, fellow cultivator, no one's betting on Jiang Qingyi to win. Let me explain our den's rules. Our pools are divided into several types. One of them is the championship pool, which only bets on the winner. And you can only place bets before the New Blood Martial Arts Competition starts. If the Jiang Qingyi you bet on wins, and you're the only one betting on her, the den deducts a one-percent fee, and all the spirit stones in the pool go to you. But fellow cultivator, you should know, this pool is huge. If you want to bet on such a dark horse, you need to stake at least fifty High-grade Spirit Stones. That's a lot of money. I know you want to support your friend, but friends are friends, money is money. No one wants to throw money away. Don't you agree, fellow cultivator?"

Xiao Mo gave the steward a faint look, didn't waste words, and directly tossed out a pouch of High-grade Spirit Stones: "Fifty High-grade Spirit Stones in total. All of it on Jiang Qingyi to win the championship."

When Xiao Mo returned to Linggan Peak, it was already noon, and the scent of cooking wafted from the courtyard.

Xiao Mo walked into the yard, and Jiang Qingyi was just coming out of the kitchen carrying dishes.

Ever since Jiang Qingyi came to Linggan Peak, Xiao Mo's yard and room had been cleaned by her, and she also made all three meals a day.

At first, the food Jiang Qingyi cooked really wasn't great.

But she learned quickly, and gradually, Jiang Qingyi's cooking skills got better and better.

Nearly a year had passed, and Jiang Qingyi's skill was now no less than that of some chefs in Dragon Spring Town's taverns.

"Master, you're back! The food's just ready, hurry and sit down to eat," Jiang Qingyi said, her eyes lighting up at the sight of her master returning.

"Good." Xiao Mo nodded and sat down on a stone stool.

The ingredients for the dishes on the table were naturally not ordinary mortal food, but the Flesh and blood of Spirit beasts and vegetables rich in Spiritual Energy, which were quite beneficial for cultivation.

Jiang Qingyi brought out the last plate of water spinach, then filled a full bowl of rice for Xiao Mo.

Master and disciple sat facing each other, eating their meal.

Before long, a crow reached the Mountain Peak of Linggan Peak, calling out as it flew: "Elder Xiao, there's a letter for you."

With that, the crow dropped a letter from the air.

Xiao Mo caught it, opened it to read, then put it away.

"Master, what does the letter say?" Jiang Qingyi asked.

"Nothing much, just a betting slip I placed."

"Betting? Slip?" Jiang Qingyi blinked, then caught on at once. "It's for the New Blood Martial Arts Competition, isn't it? A lot of people seem to be betting on it lately. Who do you think will win, Master?"

Xiao Mo smiled, looking warmly at his disciple. "What do you think?"

"Huh?" Jiang Qingyi froze.

"No, no. Master, how can you bet on me? I can't do it." Jiang Qingyi quickly waved her hands.

She would certainly give her all in this New Blood Martial Arts Competition for her master's sake.

But she truly had no confidence in winning the championship.

"You're my disciple. If I don't bet on you, who else would I bet on?" Xiao Mo smiled.

"Then... how much did you bet, Master?" Jiang Qingyi looked at her master nervously.

"Not much." Xiao Mo picked up his bowl and took a bite.

"That's good."

"Just fifty High-grade Spirit Stones."

"Ah?" Jiang Qingyi jumped in shock, bolting upright. "Master, your monthly spirit stone salary is only twenty High-grade Spirit Stones."

"That's true." Xiao Mo smiled at Jiang Qingyi. "But how could my disciple have no one backing her?"

"But Master, that's way too much." Jiang Qingyi was already taking on a butler-like demeanor.

"It's fine, it's fine." Xiao Mo gently patted her head. "In ten days, my salary for this month will come in. We won't starve. But when the competition starts, I'll have to go put half a month's salary on another betting pool to support my disciple."

"Master." Jiang Qingyi's helpless voice echoed through the mountains. "You really can't bet any more."