A Wager Duel, Yu Xiaogang's Desire to Prove Himself

Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena registration area.

The place was crowded and chaotic, with clamor rising and falling. Spirit Masters had come from everywhere to register for the competition, and quite a few people had come merely to watch the excitement.

Just as Su Mo and Bibi Dong were preparing to register for that day's spirit battle, an arrogant voice suddenly rang out behind him.

"Hey, Asura, right?"

The people around them fell silent and turned to look.

Su Mo and Bibi Dong turned around as well.

A burly young man strode over.

Several Clear Sky Sect disciples in matching uniforms followed behind him.

They looked aggressive and put on quite the display.

"Kid, I am Tang Hao, young master of the Clear Sky Sect."

Tang Hao stopped before Su Mo, raising his chin slightly and speaking loudly, as though afraid the surrounding people would not hear him.

"I hereby challenge you to a wager duel. If you lose, hand over the method for absorbing Spirit Rings beyond the limit. What do you say? Do you dare accept?"

His face was full of arrogance, and his gaze carried a hint of contempt. He did not take Su Mo seriously at all.

"It's Tang Hao, one of the Clear Sky Twins and the young master of the Clear Sky Sect!"

"My heavens, this is going to be a good show!"

"I heard Tang Hao has never had an opponent among his peers."

"That Asura may be formidable too, but against Tang Hao, who possesses the world's number one Tool Martial Soul, he's probably doomed."

The surrounding discussions rose one after another.

Clearly, Tang Hao's reputation was resounding in Heaven Dou City as well, and most people did not think highly of Su Mo.

Upon hearing this, the corners of Su Mo's lips curled beneath his mask.

Tang Hao? A wager duel? Wasn't this just delivering a treasure right to him?

"Oh? Brother Tang is in such high spirits?" Su Mo said calmly. "Then what are you willing to offer as the wager?"

Tang Hao gave a disdainful smile. "What do you want? As long as it is something my Clear Sky Sect possesses, I can agree to it."

He was so confident because he had never suffered a single defeat among his peers since childhood.

Moreover, he was now level fifty-eight, three levels above Su Mo. Coupled with the sheer dominance of the Clear Sky Hammer, he felt he could crush Su Mo without the slightest pressure. There was simply no chance he could lose.

Su Mo pondered for a moment before saying, "I heard that the Clear Sky Sect possesses a secret technique called Ring Detonation. Could you put that up as the wager?"

"Ring Detonation?" Tang Hao's expression changed slightly, and a trace of hesitation flashed through his eyes.

Ring Detonation had been created by his grandfather and was an unpassed secret of the Clear Sky Sect. Very few were qualified to learn it. In the entire sect, he was currently the only one who had learned it.

If he truly lost, he could not make that decision himself.

But with so many people watching, would backing down now not disgrace the Clear Sky Sect?

If people said the young master of the Clear Sky Sect was afraid, how could he continue to hold his head high in the Spirit Master world afterward?

Besides, how could he possibly lose?

Tang Hao had never lost since childhood!

"Fine, I agree!"

"Young Master Tang is truly forthright." Su Mo smiled faintly, an imperceptible glint of amusement flashing through his eyes.

"I hope you keep your word. Don't deny the debt after losing. After all, so many people at the Great Soul Arena are watching."

"Hmph, I, Tang Hao, always keep my word and never renege on a debt!" Tang Hao snorted coldly.

Even if he really lost, he could just tell the other party to go to the Clear Sky Sect and take it themselves. That would not count as breaking his word—assuming they dared to go.

Very soon, the two registered their wager duel at the Great Soul Arena.

News of their imminent spirit battle spread through the entire Great Soul Arena like a tidal wave.

Asura had recently become a famous figure at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena, with his reputation at its peak.

Tang Hao, meanwhile, was the young master of the Clear Sky Sect and held an extraordinary status.

Thus, the Great Soul Arena attached great importance to this match.

Their battle was arranged for the central arena and would begin half an hour later.

The ticket price was immediately tripled.

Yet even so, in only a short while, every ticket was snatched up. The scene was exceptionally heated.

Before long, the seats around the central arena were completely filled.

Some people even opened betting pools on the spot.

"Place your bets! No changes once wagers are placed! Young Master Tang pays one to zero point five, Asura pays one to three!"

Most people unhesitatingly placed their wagers on Tang Hao.

The young master of the Clear Sky Sect, the world's number one Tool Martial Soul, a level fifty-eight Soul King, undefeated thus far.

With all those advantages combined, they naturally believed Tang Hao was more likely to win.

Only a small number of people wagered on Asura, hoping to take a gamble.

Meanwhile, inside a VIP box on the top floor.

This was the box belonging to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Ning Mingyuan sat in the seat of honor.

Gu Rong stood behind him like a statue, silent and motionless.

The young Ning Fengzhi sat to one side, his features bearing some resemblance to his father's.

"Father, do you think Tang Hao can win?"

Ning Fengzhi asked, his tone carrying a hint of curiosity.

Ning Mingyuan said indifferently, "That boy Tang Hao has both talent and strength. With the dominance of the Clear Sky Hammer added on top, he has few rivals among his peers."

"Then Father favors Tang Hao?" Ning Fengzhi pressed.

"Hard to say." Ning Mingyuan shook his head. "After all, no one yet knows what his Martial Soul truly is.

And if even his female companion has such a Spirit Ring configuration, might his own Spirit Rings be even more terrifying?"

Ning Fengzhi nodded thoughtfully and turned his gaze back toward the spirit battle stage, becoming even more curious about Asura.

Meanwhile, in another private box.

This was where the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was seated.

The clan leader, Yu Yuanzhen, still appeared middle-aged. He sat upright on the sofa, quietly watching the arena below.

Beside him sat a flat-haired youth, holding a thick notebook in his hands as he stared intensely toward the spirit battle stage.

The youth was Yu Xiaogang.

He had once been the highly anticipated young clan master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, but when he awakened his Martial Soul at the age of six, he had awakened a purple pig.

At that moment, the entire clan had fallen silent.

He had gone from a young clan master admired by all to a useless waste mocked by everyone behind his back.

Though he had endured endless ridicule, he remained unwilling to accept it.

Since the path of cultivation was closed to him, he would take another path: theoretical research.

Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river. Yu Xiaogang would prove to the world that even without a powerful Martial Soul, he could still become a theory master admired by all.

He would make those who had once looked down on him see him in a new light!

He would let everyone know that Yu Xiaogang was not useless!

This time, after hearing the news from the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena, hope had ignited within him.

Yu Xiaogang knew this was very likely an opportunity for him to hold his head high and make a name for himself in one stroke.

If he could uncover why the Spider Emperor was able to break convention and absorb Spirit Rings,

then Yu Xiaogang's name would surely be recorded in history and remembered by all!

Thus, he had asked Yu Yuanzhen to bring him along to observe, hoping to discover something he could use to prove himself.