The Salted Fish Dao Ancestor Runs the House

Inside Purple Firmament Palace, the atmosphere had become bizarre beyond measure.

On one side was the scene projected onto the crystal screen: by the East Sea, murderous aura soared into the heavens as hundreds of millions of immortals and demons faced off, a life-or-death battle that could erupt at any moment hanging in the air.

On the other side, inside Purple Firmament Palace, a certain salted fish Dao Ancestor had his legs crossed, cracking sunflower seeds and drinking Happy Water while commenting on the screen. He had even opened betting odds!

"Place your bets, place your bets! How many bells will it take Eastern Emperor Taiyi to take down King Father of the East? One bell or less pays 1.1 to 1, three bells pays 3 to 1, ten bells pays 10 to 1! Last more than ten bells and it pays 100 to 1! No changes after bets are placed! Spiritual treasures, merit, or even installment payments through labor to pay off debt are all accepted!" Xiao Kuang shouted with tremendous enthusiasm, utterly unaware that he was turning a conflict on the scale of a calamity into Primordial Chaos's first public gambling event.

Queen Mother of the West was completely speechless. Looking at the animated Xiao Kuang, then at the screen where Di Jun Tai Yi wore livid expressions and King Father of the East put on a brave front despite his fear, she felt the world spin around her. Seek help from the Dao Ancestor? Right now, she wished she had never come to Purple Firmament Palace!

Wangshu crushed her second pair of glow sticks. The chill around her had grown so dense it seemed ready to drip with water. She began seriously considering whether she should return to the Taiyin Star's core and continue sleeping. Even being disturbed by that "hey, hey" noise would be better than staying here and watching the Heavenly Dao's representative push Primordial Chaos into an even more unpredictable abyss.

Yet Xiao Kuang's gambling table unexpectedly drew some "customers."

"Dao Ancestor! I'm betting that Eastern Emperor Taiyi will end the battle within three bells! I'm staking this Houtian Spiritual Treasure-grade flying sword!" A voice rang out. It was Sect Master Tongtian! He had returned after leaving, apparently drawn back by the "liveliness" here. The moment he saw a gambling table, he was immediately interested.

"Good! I'll bet on one bell! Here is a bottle of Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir!" Laozi actually joined in as well, expressionlessly tossing out a jade bottle.

"Hmph, I'll bet on ten bells! Though King Father of the East is trash, Penglai's formation might hold for a while!" Primordial Lord of Heaven also placed his bet coldly, as though trying to prove his judgment.

"I bet on lasting more than ten bells! One hundred to one! I'll stake this string of Prayer Beads!" Daoist Jieyin's eyes gleamed, seeing this as a perfect chance for the Western Teachings to escape poverty and become rich. Zhunti hurriedly echoed, "Senior Brother, brilliant insight! I'll also bet on lasting more than ten bells!"

Empress Nuwa covered her face, truly unable to watch any longer, but she still secretly tossed out a piece of Spirit Embroidery and bet that Taiyi would finish the battle in five bells.

Even Old Ancestor Minghe, who was being forced to dance in the backyard, struggled to shout, "Dao Ancestor! I bet on Taiyi in one bell! I'll use my wages for cleaning the toilets as collateral!"

For a time, Purple Firmament Palace seemed to have become Primordial Chaos's greatest casino. A group of Quasi-Saints and mighty cultivators gathered around the crystal screen to place bets and argue over odds and decisive factors, temporarily forgetting that outside was a life-or-death battle capable of triggering a calamity.

Watching these top powers of Primordial Chaos crowd around Xiao Kuang like street gamblers placing their wagers, Queen Mother of the West felt that the extent to which Primordial Chaos was doomed had deepened by another hundred thousand layers.

"Alright, alright! Bets are closed, bets are closed! Big bettors, support us with your money; small bettors, support us with your presence! Action! Fight, fight!" Xiao Kuang slapped the table and excitedly pointed at the screen.

As though it had heard his command, the great battle above the East Sea finally erupted on the screen!

Eastern Emperor Taiyi struck first. With a thunderous boom, the Chaos Bell shook all the heavens and space-time. Its magnificent toll carried the power to pulverize all things as it crashed directly toward Penglai Immortal Island's protective formation!

King Father of the East's expression changed drastically. He poured all his strength into the Pure Yang Laws and Penglai's grand formation to resist. Radiance blazed in all directions, yet it swayed violently beneath the Chaos Bell's toll, clearly at a disadvantage!

"Nice! A red start for the house! Taiyi, you've got this!" Xiao Kuang cheered as though his team had scored the first goal in a match.

Di Jun simultaneously brought forth the River Diagram and Luo Script. The power of the celestial stars was drawn forth, transforming into endless pillars of starlight that rained down upon the Immortal Court camp! Hundreds of millions of demon gods roared as they launched their charge!

The rogue immortals of the Immortal Court also displayed their divine abilities. The light of treasures and supernatural techniques illuminated the East Sea as they crashed brutally into the Demon Race army!

In an instant, laws shattered, space collapsed, and blood flowed into rivers above the East Sea! Even through the crystal screen, the tragic killing aura made everyone within Purple Firmament Palace feel their hearts tremble.

Yet under Xiao Kuang's lead, this group of unscrupulous mighty cultivators had their attention completely off track.

"One second! Two seconds! Three seconds! The bell is still ringing! The formation hasn't broken! Tongtian, your three-bell bet is looking shaky!" Xiao Kuang held an hourglass of unknown origin as he kept time.

"Tch, King Father of the East's turtle shell is pretty tough!" Tongtian curled his lip. "Senior Brother, don't rush. It's only the first bell!" Primordial Lord of Heaven remained calm. "Hold on! Hold on! For this monk's hundred-to-one payout!" Daoist Jieyin and Zhunti secretly encouraged King Father of the East, though King Father of the East could not hear them at all.

Queen Mother of the West watched rogue immortals constantly being blasted to death by pillars of starlight, demon gods being torn apart by immortal arts, while screams and explosions rang without end. She closed her eyes in pain. Were these living beings merely chips on a gambling table in the eyes of these mighty cultivators and the Dao Ancestor?

Wangshu also furrowed her brows, a trace of pity flashing through her cold eyes. Though indifferent by nature, she could not bear to witness such pointless slaughter.

"Wow! Look! King Father of the East spat blood! The formation cracked! Taiyi is awesome! The second bell isn't even over yet!" Xiao Kuang only grew more excited.

Sure enough, on the screen, Eastern Emperor Taiyi snorted coldly, and the Chaos Bell shook once more, its power increasing further! Penglai Immortal Island's protective formation finally could no longer bear the burden. It let out a mournful cry before shattering with a thunderous crash!

King Father of the East was struck as though by a devastating blow. He violently spat out a mouthful of golden blood, and his aura instantly withered.

"It's over! King Father of the East is done for! Brothers who bet on one and three bells, get ready to collect! Those who bet on ten bells or more are going to lose even their underwear!" Xiao Kuang loudly declared.

Di Jun's eyes flashed with cold light. The River Diagram and Luo Script locked onto King Father of the East, ready to suppress and kill him completely! Taiyi's Chaos Bell also rose once again!

Queen Mother of the West suddenly opened her eyes, unable to bear watching any longer.

At that critical moment—

"Wait!" Xiao Kuang suddenly shouted, slapping his thigh. "I almost forgot! The house hasn't taken its cut yet!"

He abruptly mobilized his Heavenly Dao Authority and transmitted his voice across space. His voice instantly resounded throughout the East Sea battlefield, drowning out every shout, scream, and explosion:

"Ahem! Um... everyone fighting, pause for a moment! I, the CEO of Primordial Gambling Company Limited and Dao Ancestor of Purple Firmament Palace, now announce the temporary freezing of the betting table! All combatants must immediately put down their weapons and rest where they are for ten minutes! Wait for me to calculate the wagers and collect the commission! Those who disobey will be deemed to be provoking the house, and they will bear the consequences!"

Boom!

Across the entire East Sea battlefield, whether it was the killing-intent-filled Demon Race army, the desperate rogue immortals of the Immortal Court, Di Jun Tai Yi who were about to deliver the killing blow, or King Father of the East who had closed his eyes to await death, all froze in place as though they had been struck by a immobilization spell!

Di Jun: "???" Taiyi: "???" King Father of the East: "???" Hundreds of millions of immortals and demons: "???"

E-Everyone was dumbfounded!

At the crucial moment when they were fighting to the death and a calamity was imminent... they had been called to pause? And the reason was actually... that the house needed to take its cut?!

Never since the opening of Primordial Chaos had anything so absurd ever happened!

Di Jun trembled with rage. Solar True Fire spilled from him uncontrollably, burning the surrounding space into distortion. Taiyi hugged the Chaos Bell, his hands trembling as he did not know whether he should keep ringing it or obey the order.

King Father of the East had escaped death by a hair. He stood there with a baffled expression, completely unable to understand what was happening.

Inside Purple Firmament Palace, Queen Mother of the West and Wangshu had also completely turned to stone.

Could... it really be done like this?

Only Xiao Kuang looked with satisfaction at the battlefield that had instantly become a "frozen frame." He nodded, then pulled out a small abacus, which was also a spiritual treasure, and began calculating with loud clacks:

"Hmm, how many bet on one bell, how many on three, how many on ten... the house takes five percent... Tch, it looks like I'm not making much. Should I raise the commission rate? Or add a 'bloody intensity surcharge'?"

Heavenly Dao (convulsing more intensely in its sleep): ...Detected proxy using a calamity to open betting... and forcibly interrupting the calamity's progress to 'take a cut'... moral value has fallen below the critical threshold... logic module continuously burning... attempting restart... restart failed... recommendation... format... all... hard drives... zzzz...

Above the East Sea, the wind roared, the sea howled, and hundreds of millions of immortals and demons remained silent.

Only the crisp clacking of Xiao Kuang's abacus, carried through Heavenly Dao Authority, clearly reached the ears of every dumbfounded living being.

Clack, clack.

As though calculating just how absurd this Primordial Chaos could still become.

(There were quite a few people urging updates today, so here's an extra chapter.)