A Wager

What shocked people most wasn't an underclassman challenging an upperclassman. It was a freshman challenging a fourth-year student! In Shrek Academy's ten-thousand-year history, nothing like this had ever happened before!

As soon as the news broke, a large crowd of students flocked to the Soul Fighting Zone to watch.

Lounge.

"My challenge to Xu Sanshi has probably spread throughout the entire Outer Court's Martial Soul Department by now. Xu Sanshi has been famous in the Soul Fighting Zone for a long time, so plenty of people will come to see him."

"Even though Shrek Academy is hailed as the continent's number-one academy, and the academy itself isn't exactly aboveboard, there are bound to be some shady businesses in the Soul Fighting Zone. There are a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins in here. Find the people taking bets and put it all on me. Be careful not to bet too much in any one place."

Gu Yuena took the card Xia Linyuan handed her and sighed. "I knew a greedy, profit-minded guy like you wouldn't do something without a practical benefit."

Without even looking up, Xia Linyuan said, "This is the first task I've given you in all the years we've worked together. If you can't handle something this simple, there's no point in continuing our partnership. Don't make me think working with you was a mistake."

Gu Yuena pursed her lips. "I've only been asleep for a few thousand years. I haven't been an idiot for a few thousand years."

"Right. You slept for a few thousand years and let your brain atrophy. You weren't an idiot for a few thousand years."

A few dark lines appeared across Gu Yuena's fair forehead.

At the lounge where Xu Sanshi was staying.

Seeing Xia Linyuan, Xu Sanshi stammered, "What are you doing here?"

Xia Linyuan sat down across from him and smiled. "It's nothing much. I just thought that Spirit Fighting with you, Senior, would be awfully boring without a little wager."

He couldn't be bothered to beat around the bush, so he got straight to the point, tactfully asking Xu Sanshi if he dared to wager with him.

A wager? Xu Sanshi's gaze sharpened.

On the surface, he seemed carefree, almost like he was missing a few screws—but he was only like that around people he knew.

He wasn't exactly clever, but he wasn't stupid, either.

"What do you want to wager?" Xu Sanshi asked in a low voice.

Xia Linyuan held up five fingers. "The only things from the Xuanming Sect that interest me are the Mysterious Water Pills and the method for making them. Ten Mysterious Water Pills."

"Gasp!" Xu Sanshi couldn't help sucking in a breath. Even as the Xuanming Sect's young master, he was taken aback by Xia Linyuan asking for ten Mysterious Water Pills right off the bat. "You've got some nerve asking for ten. That's a hefty appetite."

"Flattery will get you nowhere."

"If I put up ten Mysterious Water Pills, what do you have that's worth betting against them?"

"Pfft!" Xia Linyuan couldn't help chuckling at Xu Sanshi's question.

"What are you laughing at?" Seeing Xia Linyuan's amused expression, Xu Sanshi grew irritated. It felt like Xia Linyuan hadn't come to negotiate at all, but to make fun of him.

Xia Linyuan's amiable smile slowly turned strange. "I can give you anything you want."

His voice was peculiar. His tone was utterly calm, yet it was full of bewitching allure, stirring the heart.

For a moment, Xu Sanshi nearly lost control. He almost blurted out that he accepted Xia Linyuan's wager.

At that moment, Xia Linyuan was like the serpent in the Bible, tempting Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.

Xu Sanshi bit his tongue, managing to clear his head a little. "Anyone can make empty promises. You'll need to offer something real to convince me."

Xia Linyuan shook his head, looking regretful, as if he pitied Xu Sanshi for passing up such a good opportunity.

He took out a red card and set it on the table. "This card holds twenty million Gold Soul Coins, plus an overdraft limit of fifty million. Mysterious Water Pills may be worth a fortune, but that doesn't mean they're impossible to buy."

Xu Sanshi furrowed his brow. "I'm not short on money. If you're trying to wager money against me, I'm not interested."

"That's not all I'm offering."

Xu Sanshi blinked, then gestured for Xia Linyuan to continue.

"If you win, I can help you obtain any Spirit Ring you want. I'll use my resources to help you hunt for it. There's no limit on its age or when we go after it."

No limit on its age, and no limit on when they went after it.

Xu Sanshi's eyelid twitched. "Even a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring?"

"Of course." Xia Linyuan spread his hands. "If you beat me."

Xu Sanshi's heart began to race.

Whether it was true or not, if he won, he'd have a free helper to hunt for a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring! A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring! Not some common Ten-Year Soul Ring from the outer reaches of a Spirit Beast forest!

Even if the Xuanming Sect wagered every last fighting force it had, it might not be able to get its hands on a single Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring!

But reason quickly brought Xu Sanshi back to his senses. He sneered, "Words are cheap. Why should I believe you?"

Xia Linyuan smiled. "Because my surname is Xia, because my name is Xia Linyuan, and because I'm the son of Duke Molong. Surely you can believe me now, Senior?"

Xu Sanshi's whole body jolted, and his pupils contracted. "You—you're..."

Xia Linyuan smiled. "I'm Xia Linyuan. I hope you'll look after me from now on, Senior Xu."

Xu Sanshi was absolutely miserable. It was only the first day of school, and he'd already gotten into a fight with Beibei's junior, Huo Yuhao, and with Xia Linyuan, the son of Duke Molong Xia Yanqing. He must have forgotten to check the almanac before leaving home that morning.

The trouble with Beibei and the others was manageable. They were brothers who'd practically grown up in the same pants. But Xia Linyuan was another matter entirely.

Who was Xia Linyuan? He was the son of Duke Molong—and the future Duke Molong! He was also the Young War God whom the current Star Luo Emperor, Xu Jiawei, had hailed as the future successor to the White Tiger Duke's position as commander of the three armies!

If the Molong Duke Mansion were still what it had been five years ago, Xu Sanshi wouldn't have been intimidated in the slightest.

But Xia Linyuan had gone to the front lines at the age of seven. In less than five years, he'd earned great military honors and been summoned and rewarded by the Star Luo Emperor several times.

Thanks to him, the once-declining Molong Xia Clan had risen rapidly in standing, both in the Star Luo Empire and across the Douluo Continent. It had even begun to overshadow the White Tiger Dai Clan, which had been unwaveringly loyal to the Star Luo Imperial Family for thousands of years and had consequently been entrusted with command of the three armies.

The Molong Xia Clan's influence wasn't confined to the Star Luo Empire; it extended across the entire Douluo Continent. Even the Sun Moon Empire had to show them respect. So even with the Xuanming Sect and the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family behind him, Xu Sanshi had no choice but to back down when he encountered Xia Linyuan.

"If you're still not satisfied with the wager, Senior, I'll add one more thing: I'll help you pursue Senior Jiang Nannan."

Hearing that, Xu Sanshi immediately perked up. "You mean it?"