The Wager

The four pavilion masters turned toward the voice. The speaker was Shen Yuan.

The pavilion masters froze for a moment, then erupted into wild laughter. In that instant, the entire Ghost Market seemed to transform into the Nether Ghost Domain. The walking corpses roaming the streets and the ghosts and monsters peddling their wares at stalls all joined in that frenzied laughter.

The Treasure Pavilion Master's flesh-mountain body trembled. Every laugh sent the fat all over his body surging like waves as he asked Shen Yuan:

"Do you know what the Ghost Market is?"

"In the previous Qi Tide Era, countless people flocked into the Ghost Market, hoping to find their own opportunities within it.

Some succeeded, ascending to the Void Refinement Realm in the future and becoming True Lords renowned across a region. Yet even more people lost everything in the Ghost Market, and some even became servants of the Ghost Market themselves.

The foundation of the Ghost Market lies in two words: ghost and market."

"Since you have already guessed that the Ghost Market's foundation is trade, that is the market. But do you know what the ghosts within the Ghost Market are?"

The Arts Pavilion Master's voice was soft and feminine, his drawn-out tone steeped in eerie strangeness.

"Ghosts are everything within the Ghost Market! We live forever, undying and imperishable!

Even during the era of depleted spiritual energy, feared by countless powerhouses, the Ghost Market merely lay dormant. Once the Spirit Tide arrived, the Ghost Market would descend upon the world anew and watch seas turn to mulberry fields."

The aged Divination Pavilion Master chuckled softly.

"Everything in the Ghost Market is part of the ghosts. The moment the Ghost Market appears before you, everything has already been decided.

All you can do is either become a member of the Ghost Market and remain here forever, or offer us something we desire in exchange. If you are lucky, it may even bring you greater returns. This is your only choice."

The Gambling Pavilion Master said in a seductive manner:

"The Ghost Market never forces a sale, nor does it ever harm its customers.

But if a customer enters the Ghost Market and refuses to make a trade, that will displease the Ghost Market!

Only when you offer something we desire for trade will we accept it. Otherwise, if you fail to complete a trade for too long, the Ghost Market will swallow you whole."

Shen Yuan gazed calmly at the four pavilion masters before him.

Clearly, the four pavilion masters were only part of the Ghost Market and could not truly control it.

Yet, after occupying lofty positions for thousands of years, they had successfully found a loophole in the Ghost Market's trading rules.

Those who entered the Ghost Market had to complete a trade, or they would be assimilated by it. Likewise, if they traded using personal possessions such as their lifespan or organs, they would also be assimilated and become one of the ghosts.

The four pavilion masters controlled the Ghost Market and used this rule to manipulate its trades. Anyone who entered the Ghost Market had to offer something that caught their eye, otherwise they would refuse the transaction.

Once a trade was rejected and could not be completed, assimilation by the Ghost Market was the only outcome. It could be said to be an almost certain death trap.

They greedily manipulated the rules to conduct trades. Occasionally, they selected one or two lucky souls and gave them some reward, but most of the time, they were the winners in these transactions.

And now, after the Spirit Tide's return, they had all set their sights on Shen Yuan, the first person to enter the four pavilions. They wished to contend for the secrets he carried.

In their eyes, Shen Yuan was already a lamb awaiting slaughter, utterly incapable of posing any threat.

Feeling the greedy gazes around him, Shen Yuan's lips curled into a faint smile.

"So this is the so-called Ghost Market?"

"A place where demons and ghosts run rampant. Nothing more than that."

The Treasure Pavilion Master did not care in the slightest about Shen Yuan's appraisal. Patting his enormous belly, he laughed.

"You are not the first person to say that, nor will you be the last."

"During the previous Qi Tide Era, those who said such things either became a heap of yellow earth long ago, or became part of the Ghost Market.

Which one do you think you will become?"

Shen Yuan swept his gaze over the greedy eyes around him without answering. Instead, he walked toward the monstrous building in the Ghost Market that seemed poised to devour anyone who approached.

The Gambling Pavilion.

The Maine Coon followed closely behind Shen Yuan with Bai Xue.

"I heard Zhi say that the Gambling Pavilion of the Ghost Market can gamble on anything in the world. I would like to see exactly how this gambling works."

The four pavilion masters first froze, then all turned their gazes toward the Gambling Pavilion Master.

The Gambling Pavilion Master smiled sweetly.

"Gambling can naturally be part of a trade as well, but this guest must offer an item that satisfies us."

Shen Yuan's expression remained unchanged.

"I know very well what you want. I can meet all your conditions."

"If that is so, then it could not be better."

With graceful steps, the Gambling Pavilion Master was about to lead Shen Yuan into the Gambling Pavilion when she saw his gaze settle upon the other three pavilion masters.

"The opponents in this wager will not be the Gambling Pavilion Master alone, but all four pavilion masters present."

As soon as he said this, everyone looked at Shen Yuan as though he were insane.

"You wish to set a wager against the four of us?" the Treasure Pavilion Master demanded.

"Very good. It has been a long time since I have seen such an arrogant young man." The Divination Pavilion Master's face was full of smiles, and the way he looked at Bai Xue made it seem as though he had already regarded her as something in his pocket.

The Arts Pavilion Master revealed a sinister smile and praised, "An interesting idea."

The next moment, the Gambling Pavilion began to expand without end, swallowing everyone present like a vicious ghost.

Within the magnificent hall, Shen Yuan sat before an enormous round table, while the other four pavilion masters took their respective seats.

Before the Gambling Pavilion Master, seated at the head of the table, countless chips appeared. They were marked with life, fate, longevity, wealth, soul, and secret. Upon the densely packed chips seemed to be twisted, struggling faces.

"Since our guest has already placed his wager, please choose the method for this gamble."

Seated at the head of the table, the Gambling Pavilion Master gently swayed the smoking pipe in her hand. She did not even mention what reward Shen Yuan could receive should he win.

In their eyes, there was no need to consider the possibility of Shen Yuan winning. This was a wager he was destined to lose.

"Too boring."

Shen Yuan's voice was calm.

"So-called gambling skills are merely trivial arts for idle mortals. I would rather see something more novel.

Since each of you pavilion masters has your own specialty, why not compete in those fields of expertise?"

Interest appeared on the Treasure Pavilion Master's face.

"Fields of expertise? What sort of contest is that?"

Shen Yuan lightly tapped the tabletop with his index finger and said casually:

"After entering the Ghost Market, I heard Zhi say that the Treasure Pavilion contains every rare treasure and exotic marvel from the previous Qi Tide Era. Since that is the case, why not compare the treasures in our hands, Treasure Pavilion Master?"

The Treasure Pavilion Master's expression stiffened. Before he could respond, Shen Yuan met the Arts Pavilion Master's gaze.

"I have heard that the Arts Pavilion encompasses divine abilities and spells from across the world. I wish to compare the strength of our divine abilities. Does the Arts Pavilion Master dare accept?"

Finally, Shen Yuan's gaze fell upon the Divination Pavilion Master, who wore a bamboo hat and resembled a withered old man.

"The Divination Pavilion Master has achieved considerable attainments in the arts of fate. It is said that, for a sufficient price, you can know anything. Can you calculate my origins?"

Third update—please keep reading.