Before his rebirth, although Yang Chen could not cultivate martial arts or set foot upon the road to supremacy, what he loved most was nurturing geniuses. Besides his reputation as an alchemy prodigy, Yang Chen also bore the nickname "Talent Scout."
This showed just how deeply he loved martial arts.
Now that he could cultivate martial arts, it was undoubtedly like finding a glimmering exit in the darkness of his life.
Yang Chen sorted through his thoughts and had already made certain plans for his future path in martial arts. He knew very well that this could not be rushed. After all, his current identity was still that of a useless good-for-nothing in the Yang family, someone who had even been so pathetic as to hang himself not long ago.
As he pondered, Yang Chen straightened his clothes, climbed out of bed, opened the door, and said, "Mingyue, come take a walk with me!"
"Young Master, you... you want to take a walk?" Gu Mingyue stood outside the door. When she saw her young master emerge, her eyes widened, only for her expression to suddenly fall again. Her young master had always idled his days away. If he was going out to "take a walk," was that not simply more neglect of proper business?
"Yes, take a walk." Yang Chen walked ahead.
After all, he was currently an ordinary young master of the Yang family. He still needed to learn much more about this Hundred Clan Yang Family.
Gu Mingyue could not say much either. Taking tiny hurried steps and lifting the hem of her lace-trimmed dress, she quickly followed Yang Chen. Her crystalline, limpid eyes secretly stole glances at his back, while her heart heaved with long sighs. She knew clearly that her fate was to become Yang Chen's concubine in the future. She had long prepared herself for this and did not feel unwilling or humiliated at having to become the concubine of a good-for-nothing.
All she wanted was that, when the day came for her to marry Yang Chen as his concubine, she could help him turn over a new leaf and stop living such an idle, wastrel life.
Yet she did not know whether she could truly accomplish that, and a faint sadness filled her heart.
Yang Chen was especially skilled at reading faces, and Gu Mingyue's sorrow was written plainly across hers. He did not know whether to laugh or cry, wondering what exactly this little maid was thinking about. Still, at only fifteen, she had already begun to show the makings of a beauty, and her figure had developed remarkably well. Within the Yang family, she truly was someone men fought and bickered over.
As he was thinking, a group of people suddenly approached from ahead.
"Well, well, who did I think it was? Yang Chen, I just heard that you gambled away more than half your sister's property, then had no face left to show anyone and hanged yourself. I found it quite curious, so I came to take a look. I thought this good-for-nothing like you had somehow found the courage to kill himself. But just as I guessed—suicide? Hahaha, where would you get the courage for that?"
As that strange, mocking voice rang out, Yang Chen fixed his gaze ahead and saw the speaker clearly.
The youth before him was about the same age as Yang Chen, both around twelve or thirteen.
In martial arts cultivation, one came of age at fourteen. At thirteen, so close to adulthood, one was not truly that young anymore.
This youth was neatly dressed, fair-skinned, and handsome. One glance was enough to tell he was a young master of the Yang family. Once Yang Chen searched through his memories, he identified him. This youth was named Yang Heng, the second son of Yang Family Elder Yang Zheng. He had dabbled in both alchemy and martial arts and was considered a minor genius among the Yang family's younger generation.
After thinking it over carefully, Yang Chen understood. Yang Heng had caused no shortage of trouble for the former "Yang Chen." Yet the root cause of it all was actually the maid behind "Yang Chen," Gu Mingyue.
Yang Heng had long obsessed over Gu Mingyue's beauty. He had repeatedly professed his feelings and harassed her, only to be rejected by Gu Mingyue. This had stirred Yang Heng's anger, and he had gone out of his way to make trouble for "Yang Chen," wanting to humiliate him. Even the former owner of this body, "Yang Chen," had been provoked and goaded into attempting suicide by Yang Heng.
Yang Chen narrowed his eyes slightly.
As a member of the same clan, Yang Heng treated his compatriot brother this way merely for the sake of a maid. Yang Chen did not have the slightest favorable impression of him.
Of course, he did not wish to stir up trouble yet. After glancing at Yang Heng, he said calmly, "Mingyue, let's go."
"Yes, Young Master!" Gu Mingyue replied obediently.
Seeing Gu Mingyue so compliant and obedient toward Yang Chen, Yang Heng felt anger rise from nowhere. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Mingyue, why can't you get it through that head of yours? What future is there in following Yang Chen? Yang Chen is already such trash now. The Yang family has abandoned him. Why suffer and toil following him? You would be better off following this young master. With this young master's talent, I will surely rise above the rest in the Land of a Hundred Clans someday. You had better think this through carefully!"
Hearing this, Yang Chen turned his gaze toward Gu Mingyue and stopped walking.
To be honest, he did want to see Gu Mingyue's attitude. After all, Yang Heng's words would tempt anyone. What future was there in following a useless young master like him?
Yet contrary to his expectations, Gu Mingyue's attitude was exceptionally firm. She lightly bit her pearly teeth and resolutely said, "Yang Heng, I recognize only our Young Master Yang. I have rejected you many times already, and I have made myself clear enough. I am willing to suffer alongside Young Master. Stop pestering me!"
When those words fell, Yang Chen found it a little strange.
The former Yang Chen's memories contained nothing about Gu Mingyue's background or origins.
Gu Mingyue's words made Yang Heng fly into a rage. Seeing that she would not yield to reason or force, he immediately roared, "Fine, fine, fine, Gu Mingyue. You really refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!"
"What are you trying to do?" Yang Chen pulled Gu Mingyue behind him.
That action made Gu Mingyue's delicate body tremble slightly. She had not quite processed it.
Since when did her young master make such a manly move? Usually, whenever trouble arose, Yang Chen shrank back faster than anyone else.
It had to be said that Yang Heng and his servants were all exceedingly surprised by Yang Chen's actions. Yang Heng in particular laughed in extreme anger. "What, Yang Chen? You've grown some courage now? I will not bully you in martial arts. I could beat ten of you and you still would not be my match. All you know is a little alchemy. But your alchemy skills? Hahaha, are they even fit to be seen? Back when you gambled against the Wang family, you used an entire furnace of precious materials and failed to produce even a single pill. You disgraced our Yang family completely. Tell me, what about you can even be brought out into the open?"
Yang Chen had been questioned many times in his previous life, but this was the first time anyone had questioned his alchemy.
He rubbed his chin, amused. "You say my alchemy is not fit to appear on stage. Then I am curious—how are your own alchemy skills?"
"Young Master, we... we should not compete with them. Let's go." Gu Mingyue tugged at Yang Chen's sleeve from behind. Seeing things head in a bad direction, she feared he would suffer a loss.
Last time, Yang Chen had also been provoked by the Wang family. In a fit of anger, he had made a grave mistake.
Seeing Gu Mingyue so anxious that she was like an ant on a hot pan, Yang Heng became even more fired up. "What, you want to compete with me? Yang Chen, if you truly have any backbone, then compete with me. Otherwise, obediently roll aside."
"Hahaha!"
"He actually wants to compete with our Young Master Heng? Does he not know our Young Master Heng is a First Grade Intermediate Alchemist?"
For a moment, the servants behind Yang Heng burst into loud, arrogant laughter.
Yang Chen was not discouraged. He slowly said, "If you are willing, I do not mind competing with you."
There were Nine Ranks of Pills, from First Grade to Ninth Grade, and each rank was further divided into four levels: low, intermediate, high, and perfect. Yang Heng pursued Dual Cultivation of Alchemy and Martial Arts. Not only was his martial arts level outstanding, but his alchemy level had already reached First Grade Intermediate at such a young age. For others, First Grade Intermediate was indeed something that could be brought out with pride. But to Yang Chen, in his previous life, even a First Grade Intermediate Alchemist did not qualify to be his Pill Apprentice.
Upon hearing Yang Chen's invitation to gamble, Yang Heng immediately grinned. "Are you sure? Do not cry after you lose."
"Young Master, we..." Gu Mingyue was beside herself with anxiety, yet she did not know how to handle the matter.
Yang Chen waved a hand and said unhurriedly, "A competition alone is meaningless. It is nothing more than a clash of tempers. Since we are competing, we should add some stakes. Otherwise, I find this competition rather dull. If we are going to compete, let's make it big. Add a wager—that would make it interesting."
Yang Heng seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world. "Hahaha, a gambling match? What, Yang Chen? Last time you competed with the Wang family, you did not gamble away your sister's entire fortune? What, have you come to your senses this time and decided to gamble away every last bit of your sister's property?"
"I am only asking whether you dare to gamble." Yang Chen's expression darkened, as if he had truly been enraged. "If you do not dare, then there is no point in this competition at all."
Seeing Yang Chen's "furious" appearance, Yang Heng clicked his tongue. "How much do you want to wager?"
"Three hundred spirit stones!" Yang Chen answered without a moment's thought.
"Three hundred spirit stones..." Upon hearing that number, Gu Mingyue's face instantly turned deathly pale.
The last time Yang Chen had gambled against the Wang family, he had also wagered three hundred in one breath. As a result, he had instantly lost more than half of Yang Caidie's fortune. If he lost again this time, then all the wealth Yang Caidie had painstakingly accumulated at such a young age would be completely gambled away by Yang Chen.
Yang Heng was indeed startled by the number Yang Chen named, because three hundred spirit stones truly was no small sum.
Spirit stones were the universal currency of trade across the entire continent. They could be used for cultivation and all manner of other needs.
For Yang Heng, taking out three hundred spirit stones was practically like taking his life.
But when he thought of Yang Chen's alchemy level, a savage smile immediately appeared on his face. He sneered, "What is there to fear? Three hundred spirit stones—I am only afraid you will gamble away your sister's entire fortune. When the time comes, even the only sister who dotes on you may leave you behind."
Three hundred spirit stones was indeed no small amount, but how could he possibly lose against Yang Chen?
"Hmph, my affairs are none of your concern. Since we are gambling, hurry up and set the rules." Yang Chen smiled faintly.
How could Yang Heng know that the Yang Chen before him was no longer the Yang Chen of the past?
What he feared was not that Yang Heng would gamble. What he feared was that Yang Heng would not.
Three hundred spirit stones.
Whatever the "Yang Chen" who hanged himself had lost, he would earn it all back today.
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