Victory

Inside the private room where Li Du sat.

The atmosphere was crushingly tense.

"Bet!" Li Du gritted his teeth, his eyes reddening. "Brother Lu is risking his life to win back our pride. We can't let him down!"

Lu Zhen's odds were sky-high: nine to one.

But Li Du didn't even look at the odds. He wagered every last Mystic Crystal in his terminal.

"Count me in." Dantai Ming's face was ashen as he followed suit without hesitation.

Shi Lei's eyes were red as he staked all the starting Mystic Crystals he had just received.

This was the spirit martial artists fought for!

One after another, they placed their bets. Only Hou Jin, tucked into a corner, clutched his Void Terminal without making a move.

"Old Hou, what are you doing?" Shi Lei turned and demanded, eyes wide.

Hou Jin's face stiffened. His gaze darted away.

"This... this is obviously a death sentence." Hou Jin coughed twice, hiding his embarrassment and a secret flicker of jealousy. "We have to be sensible. Mystic Crystals don't come easily. We can't go mad with him and throw them down the drain."

The private room fell silent.

Hou Jin wasn't the only one.

In the corner, Taishi Kong's face had also gone cold.

"Sensible? Brother Hou is right." He glanced down at the arena. "I thought our 'Same Boat Society' was about weathering the journey together and supporting one another."

"Who knew it was about such reckless, life-or-death contests of pride!"

Taishi Kong cupped his fists sharply, looking from Li Du to Dantai Ming. "Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. A society that wagers lives to settle a grudge is beyond my station. As of today, I withdraw."

With that, he lifted his chin, looking every inch a man of righteous