The Wager: A Thousand Jin—Do You Dare Take It?

In another private room.

When he heard that Qu Changqing had bought the magic treasure Beishan Hu had produced for one hundred and twenty taels of Essence Liquid, Beishan Baiwei's expression turned somewhat ugly.

His friend Hun Wuqi saw this and smiled in consolation. "One hundred and twenty taels of Essence Liquid barely counts as the value of an Earth Rank mid-grade magic treasure. It's nothing much. No matter what, it can't compare to the Human Rank top-grade formation Ji Ning brought out. Brother Baiwei, there's no need to care so much."

"I'm not worried that the treasure I put up will lose."

Beishan Baiwei shook his head and looked toward the private room where Qu Changqing was.

"This Young Master Qu is the grandson of the Zhenhua Sect's Supreme Elder, and he has now joined the Yinglong Guard. Given time, he will surely become a notable figure in Anchan Commandery."

Beishan Baiwei's gaze was dark. "Even an outstanding figure like him has begun currying favor with that Beishan Hu. I didn't expect that."

"Perhaps Brother Baiwei is overthinking it." Hun Wuqi smiled.

"Maybe Young Master Qu simply happens to like this Qushan Seal, or perhaps he bought it as a gift."

"There, look."

Hun Wuqi gestured toward Beishan Baiwei. "Didn't Young Master Qu give it to the other youth at his table?"

Ji Ning also looked over curiously.

He saw Qu Changqing talking with a youth of fifteen or sixteen.

And judging by the youth's appearance, he seemed to have been deeply shocked, looking utterly astonished.

"Who is that youth?" Ji Ning asked curiously.

Earlier, Beishan Baiwei had explained that anyone able to enter this hall was extraordinary, even if their background was not as noble as Beishan Baiwei's or Beishan Hu's.

They were all people qualified to associate with figures on Beishan Baiwei and Beishan Hu's level as equals.

Yet such a person was wearing nothing but the sort of gray cloth robes commoners wore?

One had to know that Ji Ning himself was used to wearing beast-hide clothing.

The beast hides used for his clothes were sewn from the fur of Xiantian great demons.

Yet that youth wore only ordinary mortal clothing, sitting so openly in a place like this.

That plain, unadorned style, utterly unconcerned with others' gazes—

Even Ji Ning was somewhat surprised by it, and he became a little curious about the youth.

"I've never seen him."

"He should be from another commandery. Perhaps he's a friend Young Master Qu met in the Yinglong Guard."

Both Beishan Baiwei and Hun Wuqi shook their heads in turn.

Although Anchan Commandery was a relatively remote minor commandery among the Xia Clan Great World's three thousand six hundred commanderies—

Anchan City, as the commandery seat, was still quite prosperous.

Cultivators from other commanderies often passed through while carrying out missions, especially members of the Yinglong Guard, and would stay to rest.

Thus, seeing unfamiliar faces in the Cave of Carefree was perfectly normal.

The high platform outside the private rooms began the final treasure auction.

The item being auctioned was a formation diagram and formation-setting treasures for a Human Rank top-grade formation Ji Ning had brought out to help Beishan Baiwei.

Thus, Ji Ning, Beishan Baiwei, and the others stopped paying attention to Qu Changqing's side.

However, Qu Changqing was now completely ignoring the treasure contest outside.

At this moment, he was still baffled by Xia Manggan's statement that he had "not yet practiced Qi Refining."

"Brother Xia Mang."

After hesitating for a moment, Qu Changqing could no longer suppress his curiosity and asked, "You have only cultivated Fiendgod Body Refining and have never practiced any Qi Refining techniques? Didn't that make things inconvenient for you before?"

Fiendgod Body Refining was indeed powerful. It could crush Qi Refining cultivators at the same stage.

But that was only when Qi Refining cultivators were forced into close combat and did not possess particularly powerful magic treasures.

The magic treasures cultivators used were the most common means Qi Refining experts employed against Fiendgod Body Refining experts.

The boost a good magic treasure gave to one's strength was no less significant than the enhancement divine abilities gave Fiendgod Body Refining cultivators.

More importantly, before reaching the Original Spirit Realm, Fiendgod Body Refining cultivators could not project their Divine Power outside their bodies.

Their methods basically relied on charging into close combat with their fiendgod bodies.

As for flying, storage, and other matters that were everyday conveniences for Qi Refining cultivators, Fiendgod Body Refining cultivators before the Original Spirit Realm—and even before becoming Celestial Gods—could not use magic treasures. Those ordinary daily matters were therefore incredibly troublesome.

Among Human Race cultivators, there were those who cultivated only the Qi Refining Path for various reasons.

Yet there were very few who cultivated only Fiendgod Body Refining.

Especially when one's body had reached the Purple Mansion Fiendgod level, that body was even stronger than the finest Innate Dao Body.

Wouldn't it be easy to cultivate some vital energy then?

Even if one could not immediately cultivate to the Purple Mansion Realm, reaching Xiantian would at least allow one to use unranked magic treasures.

At the very least, it would solve everyday problems such as flying and storage!

Qu Changqing did not believe Xia Manggan failed to understand this logic.

And precisely because of that, he was even more puzzled and unable to comprehend it.

"..."

Xia Manggan glanced at Qu Changqing, shook his head, and said nothing.

What was he supposed to say?

That he had only been born yesterday?

Then he came here and had been called "Dao Brother" for half the day?

Better not.

No wonder Brother Xia Mang came to Anchan Commandery to find a sect and take a master.

Qu Changqing sighed inwardly.

By now, he had already imagined all sorts of stories: Xia Manggan being neglected by his family, yet aided by a loyal old servant, then fleeing the Royal Capital to become powerful and enact a tale of "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—never look down on the poor young man."

"Brother Xia Mang, accept this magic treasure." Qu Changqing said solemnly.

"As for Qi Refining techniques, my sect has quite a few. I'll first find one suitable for you. Cultivate it to the Early Purple Mansion Stage, and you'll have a few more chances of passing the test when taking a master."

"In that case, many thanks, Brother Qu." Xia Manggan smiled and could not be bothered to refuse or explain further.

The grand finale of the night was playing out in the hall outside—a wagered battle!

Beishan Hu's arrogant voice echoed through the hall.

"Beishan Baiwei, are you really that gutless?"

"Nine hundred taels of Essence Liquid! I'll wager nine hundred taels against you. Do you dare?"

A brawny, azure-skinned, one-horned man nearly two zhang tall stood in the center of the hall, radiating a terrifying aura.

"A great demon at the Purple Mansion Completion Realm, cultivating both Fiendgod Body Refining and Qi Refining, and possessing the divine ability Law of Heaven and Earth... A retainer like that isn't easy to find."

Qu Changqing glanced at the private room opposite, where Beishan Baiwei's veins were bulging from rage, then shook his head. "Young Master Baiwei is going to suffer a setback this time."

With Beishan Baiwei's Wanxiang Realm strength and wealth of magic treasures, he naturally would not care about this Purple Mansion great demon.

But the Cave of Carefree's rules for wagered battles required the combatants from both sides to be of equal cultivation realms.

No matter how furious he was, he could not personally enter the arena.

And for the moment, he could not find a Purple Mansion retainer by his side capable of taking down this great demon.

So he could only listen to Beishan Hu's wanton mockery.

"It's still too early to say who will suffer the setback." Xia Manggan smiled.

He had already seen Ji Ning rise in the room across from them.

And according to the original plot, this wagered battle in the Cave of Carefree would mark the beginning of Ji Ning's rise to fame in Anchan Commandery.

Very soon.

The distinguished guests in the private rooms, all happily watching the spectacle, saw a youth dressed in beast hides enter the hall.

The youth wore a smile and had a calm expression.

He looked as though he had merely come to have some fun.

"Who is that youth?"

"Is he confident he can defeat that rhinoceros demon?"

"Our Human Race is at a severe disadvantage at the Purple Mansion Realm when facing a great demon who cultivates both Qi Refining and Body Refining."

Buzzing discussions rose from private rooms throughout the hall.

"Haha, Beishan Baiwei, have you truly run out of subordinates? You actually made your friend enter the arena himself! I recall that your friend Ji Ning intends to join the Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect, right?"

Beishan Hu's wild laughter rang through the hall again. "A little brat who hasn't even joined a sect yet actually wants to fight my Rhinoceros Great Demon, who has already learned divine abilities? He's simply courting death! My apologies, but it seems your nine hundred taels of Essence Liquid will belong to me again."

"He hasn't even joined a sect yet?"

"Doesn't that mean he only just entered the Purple Mansion Realm?"

"Is this youth trying to get himself killed?"

Hearing the information Beishan Hu had revealed, those who had been curious about Ji Ning's identity were all astonished.

But some formidable figures in the private rooms guessed that since this youth was Beishan Baiwei's friend, he must have something extraordinary about him.

Perhaps his Qi Refining was merely weaker, while his Fiendgod Body Refining had long since reached Purple Mansion Perfection, giving him the confidence to stand up for his friend.

Thus, everyone watched expectantly as Ji Ning walked into the hall and approached the pink-robed fox woman, Lady Ziyi, for a strength assessment.

"Hm?" Lady Ziyi looked at Ji Ning in surprise, then announced loudly.

"The immortal cultivator sent by Beishan Baiwei cultivates both Fiendgod Body Refining and Qi Refining. His Fiendgod Body Refining is at the Late Purple Mansion Stage, while his Qi Refining is at the Early Purple Mansion Stage."

Boom!

The entire hall erupted in uproar.

"His Fiendgod Body Refining is only at the Late Purple Mansion Stage?"

"He hasn't even reached Purple Mansion Perfection. Has he grown tired of living and come here to die?"

Upon hearing Ji Ning's cultivation in both aspects, the formidable figures in the private rooms above immediately shook their heads and sighed.

Many even assumed that the unknown Ji Ning had risked joining the wagered battle merely to curry favor with Beishan Baiwei.

"Late-stage Fiendgod Body Refining?"

Beishan Hu laughed even more wildly. "Everyone, today all present may have a share! If anyone wishes to join the wager, feel free to place your bets. Bet on my Rhinoceros Great Demon to win, and the odds are ten to one. Bet on Ji Ning to win, and the odds are one to two! I, Beishan Hu, will take every bet."

"There's such a good deal?"

Someone friendly with Beishan Hu deliberately played along. "Young Master Hu, with your great demon's strength, victory is guaranteed. Aren't you practically giving away Essence Liquid by opening such a wager?"

"Haha, I'm in a good mood today. I'm giving away Essence Liquid!" Beishan Hu laughed wantonly.

His suppression of Beishan Baiwei had his father Beishan Yin's support.

Now that he had seized this excellent opportunity for a wagered battle, he naturally would not let it go.

He wanted to make a big scene of it and preferably draw everyone into the wager.

As long as everyone bet on his great demon to win, it would be the same as openly declaring that they did not think highly of Beishan Baiwei.

What would Beishan Baiwei think?

Even if he did not show it openly, it would inevitably create a rift between him and those people.

Everyone able to enter this hall was an outstanding figure from one of Anchan Commandery's major powers.

By spending a few dozen jin of Essence Liquid, he could drive a wedge between Beishan Baiwei and the major powers.

To Beishan Hu, that was an incredibly worthwhile deal!

However, anyone who could enter this hall and possess such strength and status was naturally no fool.

Thus, although a few people sang along to humor him, in the end, no one joined the wager.

After all, once they participated, no matter whom they bet on, they would offend the other young master of the Beishan Clan.

It was not worth it for that trifling amount of Essence Liquid.

This made Beishan Baiwei's iron-blue expression ease slightly.

Beishan Hu did not care.

He was doing this to strike at Beishan Baiwei anyway.

If no one participated, so be it.

It would save him some Essence Liquid.

But someone thought differently.

"Beishan Hu, does your wager have a limit?"

A clear voice suddenly rang out from a private room above, echoing distinctly through the entire hall.

"I didn't bring any small change when I left today. I don't have Essence Cards worth a few dozen or a hundred taels. Do you dare accept larger denominations?"

Everyone followed the voice and saw that the speaker was a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old youth dressed in gray mortal clothes.

"Little brother, are you Young Master Qu's friend?"

Seeing that he was the friend of Qu Changqing, who had earlier shown him considerable respect by buying his Qushan Seal at a high price, Beishan Hu immediately smiled.

"If you're betting on my Rhinoceros Great Demon to win, then your wager cannot exceed nine hundred taels of Essence Liquid. After all, guests should follow the host's lead. The stake cannot exceed that of the two people in the wagered battle."

"But if you're betting on Ji Ning to win—"

The smile on Beishan Hu's face did not fade, but his eyes suddenly turned deep and dark. "Then there is no limit! I just wonder, little brother, whom will you bet on?"

"No limit?"

Xia Manggan smiled. "Then I'll bet a little less, so that you won't renege when you lose. It's just that the smallest Essence Card I have on me holds one thousand jin of Essence Liquid. Do you dare take it?"