Having made his decision, Lin Yan quickly left the scene.
He headed for the Hunting Grounds' finish line at breakneck speed.
Perhaps it was because the Hunting War was nearing its end.
As Lin Yan traveled, he encountered far fewer people and beasts than he had when the event first began.
That let him race toward the finish line even faster.
Smack!
With another punch, Lin Yan took down a beast charging straight at him.
He flicked a finger, sending out a ball of Purple Fire that quickly burned the beast's corpse to ash, leaving behind only the most important part: its beast core.
Lin Yan plucked up the beast core and muttered to himself, "We should be almost there."
He continued on his way.
After only a couple of steps, he spotted the corpse of a Fire Python Tiger lying by the roadside.
That made him even more certain the Hunting War was about to end.
After all, judging by the scene before him, Lin Dong and the others had surely taken down the Fire Python Tiger.
So the fight should be starting soon, too.
With that thought, Lin Yan hurried toward the finish line even faster.
Meanwhile, elsewhere,
things were unfolding just as Lin Yan had expected.
By now, Lin Dong, Wu Yun, Lei Li, and the others had all arrived at the Hunting War's finish line.
After Lin Dong and Wu Yun stepped onto the stone platform, several presiding judges quickly came over and counted the identity tokens they carried. Only then did they nod and leave.
Below the platform, Lei Li and Xie Yingying looked on, their gazes turning icy.
Before Lin Dong and Wu Yun could step down, Lei Li immediately turned toward the viewing stands where the Lei and Xie Families were seated and shouted,
"Grandfather! Uncle Xie! Yingying and I ran into a severely wounded Fire Python Tiger and its three cubs in the forest. The two of us fought desperately for a long time before finally wearing it down. We never expected Lin Dong and Wu Yun to ambush us and snatch the three Fire Python Tiger Cubs! Please give us justice!"
His words sent a commotion through the crowd. In particular, when they heard about the three Fire Python Tiger Cubs, everyone's eyes filled with greed.
Those were Fire Python Tiger Cubs! If raised well, they could become fighters as powerful as Heaven Origin Realm experts.
In an instant, Lei Bao and Xie Qian's expressions darkened.
They didn't care whether Lei Li's claim that Lin Dong had stolen the cubs was true. At that moment, they had only one thought: wrench the Fire Python Tigers from the Lin Clan's grasp!
"Lin Zhentian, Luo Cheng, you heard him, didn't you? Lin Dong and Wu Yun stole our Fire Python Tigers. Now hand them back!"
Lei Bao quickly addressed Lin Zhentian and Luo Cheng.
Wu Yun, standing nearby, spoke up at once. "The Fire Python Tiger was already badly wounded. Does that mean whoever sees it gets to claim it? Heavenly treasures belong to those with the ability to take them! The same goes for this Fire Python Tiger. Whoever has the strength can claim it. We got it, so why should we hand it over?"
Lei Bao's expression darkened. He bellowed, "Don't try to twist the truth!"
But Luo Cheng immediately cut him off. "So when your people speak, they're telling the truth, but when my people speak, they're twisting the truth? Do you think my Mad Blade Martial Hall is easy to bully?"
Lin Zhentian finally decided to speak as well. He had held his tongue earlier only because he hadn't known what had happened. But now that he did, his view was surprisingly in step with Lei Bao and Xie Qian's: no matter what it took, they had to keep the Fire Python Tigers!
He said, "I agree with what Wu Yun just said: heavenly treasures belong to those with the ability to claim them! This can hardly be called theft. You could just say we were fated to meet those Fire Python Tigers. So, Patriarch Lei, what you just said is nonsense, too."
Lei Bao and Xie Qian understood that taking the Fire Python Tigers from the Lin Clan and the Mad Blade Martial Hall wouldn't be easy. But they weren't willing to give up. The Fire Python Tigers were far too important. If they could get their hands on them, their families' strength would increase considerably.
After thinking it over, Lei Bao made another decision.
He turned his gaze toward Xie Qian, Luo Cheng, and Lin Zhentian, then said,
"If that's the case, how about we make a wager?"
"Everyone just said that heavenly treasures belong to those with the ability to claim them."
"So now, let's find out who really has the ability!"
Lin Zhentian was the first to object. "Patriarch Lei, what a clever scheme. You're trying to get something for nothing!"
Lei Bao snorted. "I'm not that shameless!"
"Here's how it'll work. Each of our four families puts something up as a wager."
"Your Lin Clan and the Mad Blade Martial Hall already know what you'll wager: the Fire Python Tiger Cubs."
"My Lei Clan will wager Ironwood Manor, and Patriarch Xie will wager an item of his own. How does that sound?"
The crowd exchanged glances, while Luo Cheng addressed Lei Bao directly. "Then how do you intend to settle the wager, Patriarch Lei? Don't tell me you're planning to spar with Patriarch Lin and me?"
As he spoke, Luo Cheng stared coldly at Lei Bao, the scar on his face shifting like a centipede.
Lei Bao snorted and shook his head. "Of course not!"
"I believe the younger generation should settle the affairs of the younger generation!"
"So, I propose that the younger generation settle the wager with a spar!"
"I won't bully you. My Lei Clan and the Xie Clan will send Lei Li. The Lin Clan and the Mad Blade Martial Hall can send Lin Yan! If you win, we'll hand over our stakes, put this matter behind us, and make no further claims. If we win, the same goes the other way. How about it?"
Luo Cheng and Lin Zhentian fell silent for a moment.
Nearby, Xie Qian couldn't help quietly asking Lei Bao, "Brother Lei, will this really work? If I remember correctly, Lei Li was beaten by Lin Yan a few months ago."
Lei Bao answered in a low voice, "That time, Lei Li didn't use his full strength. Besides, he's reached the Earth Origin Realm now, and I've taught him my Lei Clan's fourth-grade martial art. Lin Yan is absolutely no match for him."
Xie Qian finally relaxed. If things were as Lei Bao said, then they were all but certain to win this wager. After all, Lin Yan surely hadn't broken through to the Earth Origin Realm!
"Good. We'll do as you say, Brother Lei."
Lei Bao soon turned his gaze toward Lin Zhentian and Luo Cheng.
After conferring, the two realized that today's matter wouldn't be settled so easily.
And, given the situation, this seemed to be the best option.
"Hall Master Luo, what do you think?"
Lin Zhentian asked Luo Cheng for his opinion.
"I choose to trust Lin Yan."
"I've heard about what he did from Wu Yun."
Luo Cheng answered without delay.
Lin Zhentian nodded quietly.
Then he looked toward Lei Bao and Xie Qian, and spoke in an even voice. "Very well, it's a deal!"
"We'll begin the wager as soon as Lin Yan arrives!"
Lei Bao laughed at that.
Xie Qian also smiled, certain of victory.
They didn't press the matter any further. Instead, they settled down to wait.
And as they waited,
Lin Yan finally arrived!
Before you continue