Wager

When the burly man stepped forward, several cries of alarm immediately rang out from the crowd.

"Why is it this jinx? What's he doing here?"

"This guy's here today too? Heh heh, now this will be entertaining."

Clearly, Xie Xun's reputation among the outer disciples was exceedingly prominent. The moment he reached Ye Xiu's table, someone respectfully stepped forward to block the others who wanted to approach.

"From the way the people around here talk, you seem to be quite someone."

Yet Ye Xiu's expression did not change in the slightest beneath the surrounding gazes of awe.

He gave a faint nod.

"Still, reputation from elsewhere is nothing but an empty name. It couldn't be easier for someone to rise to prominence."

"Spend ten thousand spirit stones, and I could become the number one outer disciple too."

At those words, the crowd erupted in an uproar.

"Is this kid insane? He actually dares to provoke Xie Xun like this?"

"Exactly! Who doesn't know that Xie Xun values his reputation above all else? He's actually suggesting it was bought?"

Under Ye Xiu's wildly arrogant questioning, the smile on Xie Xun's face darkened somewhat.

"You look down on every stray cat and dog, and you don't believe it even when I give you my background. Kid, you're this arrogant—do your elders know?"

He had already made up his mind. If not for the things Ye Xiu had displayed earlier that genuinely interested him—

If anyone else had spoken to him this way, Xie Xun would have thrown a punch long ago.

"My elders?"

Upon hearing that, Ye Xiu suddenly burst out laughing.

"Hahahaha..."

The crowd was left rather bewildered by the sudden laughter.

Xie Xun frowned as well. "What are you laughing at?"

"I'm laughing at how every stray cat and dog can bring up my elders. If that old man truly found out, heavenly punishment would probably descend at once."

"Kid, you should be grateful the sky-based satellites are undergoing maintenance these days. Otherwise, with what you just said, there's no way it would escape the ancestor's ears."

Ye Xiu's words were truly far too arrogant. Yet the more fearless he appeared, the more cautious Xie Xun became.

After all, there were many fools in this demonic sect, but not a single fool had lived to such an age.

The more overbearing Ye Xiu acted, compared to his utterly insignificant cultivation, the stranger it seemed.

"From what you say, sir's elder is already an ascendant powerhouse?"

Xie Xun clasped one fist in his other hand and gave a slight bow toward the sky.

Legend had it that great powers in the cultivation world could truly merge with heaven and earth, sensing it whenever others mentioned their names or titles.

If Ye Xiu had not lied, then the person behind him was at least a mighty expert of the Void Refinement Realm.

A cultivator at such a level would be a rarity like phoenix feathers and qilin horns—not merely in the He Ying Sect, but across the entire continent.

"What cultivation that old man possesses is not something you're qualified to know."

Seeing Xie Xun's attitude, Ye Xiu's tone finally eased somewhat.

"I know you're unconvinced. How about this? I won't use spiritual power. As long as you can take one move from me, I'll kowtow and admit my mistake to you today. How about it?"

At those words, the crowd erupted once more.

No joke—Ye Xiu's words were truly arrogance without bounds.

Dealing with that seventh-level Qi Condensation cultivator earlier was one thing. Ye Xiu himself was at the fifth level of Qi Condensation, so although there was a gap, it was still barely within an acceptable range.

But Xie Xun before him was one of the strongest figures in the entire outer sect.

He was also the cultivator with the greatest hope of advancing into the inner sect.

Even Fang Qiong, who had received Senior Brother Xu's help, had never dared to easily face his edge.

And against a cultivator who specialized in body refinement, Ye Xiu actually claimed he could settle things in one move without using spiritual power?

Xie Xun's face instantly darkened.

As a martial arts fanatic, he naturally took immense pride in his own strength. Within the same realm, he was confident that even among inner disciples, few could be his match.

Yet Ye Xiu had the audacity to claim that he could knock him down without using spiritual power?

What a joke.

Without spiritual power, there was no cultivator. If a cultivator did not use spiritual power, how were they any different from ordinary mortals?

"If you can truly produce talismans at the inner sect's Golden Core level, then I, Xie, will concede today!"

Xie Xun's face was grim, but Ye Xiu burst into laughter.

"Talismans? What's the point of something that takes forever to activate?"

As he spoke, he raised his hand and aimed the gun in it at Xie Xun.

"The magic treasure I use is far beyond comparison with talismans."

There it was. This magic treasure truly was his trump card.

The crowd's expressions turned solemn at once.

There was no shortage of capable people in the tavern. They naturally recognized that the magic treasure in Ye Xiu's hand was what had allowed him to finish that disciple in a single strike earlier.

But everything had happened too quickly, so many had not seen the changes clearly.

Now that Ye Xiu dared to make another move, they naturally intended to examine it closely and see exactly what it could do.

If possible, it would be even better to find its weakness, making it easier to seize later.

Xie Xun's eyes gleamed with excitement as well.

He had come forward precisely because he wanted to probe the depths of this thing.

To be honest, based on the power it had displayed earlier, Xie Xun thought highly of its potential.

Leaving everything else aside, its ability to unleash power with virtually no preparation and instantly kill a seventh-level Qi Condensation disciple would make it an unquestionable trump card in the advancement competition.

His cultivation realm might have been second to none in the outer sect.

But the advancement competition was by no means a one-on-one duel in an arena.

With the available spots tightly limited, who knew how many people might join hands to deal with him?

If he could obtain it, wouldn't that predicament be solved as easily as a knife through butter...

At that thought, Xie Xun's greed for the gun in Ye Xiu's hand deepened further.

"However, since it's a wager, both sides should at least put something on the line, shouldn't they?"

"You're wagering that you'll kowtow and admit your mistake. I don't really need that, so how about this?"

"If I fail to take this move, not only will I kowtow and apologize to you, you may take anything on me that catches your eye."

"On top of that, I'll give you an additional thousand spirit stones!"

Only then did Ye Xiu look at Xie Xun with interest.

"You seem very confident?"

"Although this young master won't lose, you can still tell me what you want if you win."

He had taken the bait.

Seeing Ye Xiu's confident expression, Xie Xun rejoiced inwardly.

"Very simple. If I win, give me that magic treasure in your hand. How about it?"

Xie Xun said.

"You want my gun?"

Ye Xiu paused at those words, then his brows knitted tightly.

"No. This is a magic treasure refined by my master. Though there are quite a few of them, every one is limited. It might even be a semi-finished product..."

Before he could finish, Xie Xun cut him off with a look of disdain.

"What, didn't you just say you wouldn't lose?"

"So after all that, you're just trash relying on a magic treasure."

"Relying on these magic treasures, and you don't even have this much courage? Heh..."

As Xie Xun spoke, he rose to leave. He did not finish his words, but the scorn on his face was utterly undisguised.

Seeing this, the crowd began jeering along with him.

"You bragged for so long, but in the end, you're just a coward."

"You stirred up trouble, yet you don't dare to see it through. Nothing but trash."

"Let's go, let's go. I can't believe we wasted our time on such trash."

The crowd's taunts seemed to provoke Ye Xiu. His face turned pale, then flushed red.

At last, unable to endure any longer, Ye Xiu slammed his palm down on the table.

"Stop right there!"

Ye Xiu shouted at Xie Xun.

"If you don't dare wager, then don't waste everyone's time."

"Just a brat relying on his family elders."

Suppressing the wild joy in his heart, Xie Xun turned around, his face still wearing the same disdainful expression.

"Who are you calling afraid to wager?"

Xie Xun's words seemed to become the final straw that broke the camel's back.

Ye Xiu's face reddened completely as he glared viciously at Xie Xun.

"Don't say this young master didn't give you a chance. You can prepare however you like. Once you're ready, I'll fire one shot!"

Then, as if still uneasy, he added another sentence.

"Don't forget the wager!"