A Wager Over a Seventy-Thousand-Year Soul Bone

Bei Yuxuan looked at the two of them apologetically. "Brother Lu, Miss Tang, I'm sorry. You were both dragged into this because of me."

Lu Chen smiled. "It's nothing. Just a minor matter."

Just then, a steady voice, resonant as a great bell, rang out from the depths of the Soul Arena:

"Causing trouble in the Tianling Soul Arena—do you two think the Duke's Estate outranks His Majesty himself?

"Or do you think your skills surpass those of the consecrated elders?"

As the voice fell, a middle-aged man clad in black robes appeared in the arena out of thin air.

Soul power gathered beneath his feet as eight Soul Rings pulsed in orderly succession.

Though he was only a Soul Douluo, the "Soul Arena Manager" insignia engraved on the soul tool badge over his chest made Old Wang snort coldly.

He slowly withdrew his Martial Soul.

The Tianling Soul Arena had long since ceased to be private property from ten thousand years ago.

It had been acquired by the imperial family, and with the Tianhun Imperial Family backing it, no one dared to truly start a fight here.

"Your Excellencies, young masters, please calm down."

The Soul Arena manager spoke with calm composure, offering both sides a way out. "The Soul Arena's rules state that blood may only be spilled on the stage."

Luo Du took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the panic Lu Chen's aura had provoked.

With a cold laugh, he looked past the manager at Bei Yuxuan, deliberately stressing the word "friends."

"Bei Yuxuan, since you found these two 'friends,' do you dare gamble again? Or are you... scared?"

Then he glanced at Lu Chen and said mockingly, "Your friend's aura was quite intimidating just now. He nearly scared me to death."

As he spoke, he deliberately pulled a face, putting on an exaggerated expression of fear.

The mockery was unmistakable.

Lu Chen narrowed his eyes. Ignoring the taunt, he carefully studied Luo Du.

Watching the man's arrogant and overbearing manner, a strange feeling suddenly arose within him.

Luo Du seemed to be deliberately concealing something. Everything he did appeared intended to provoke Bei Yuxuan and force him into accepting the wager.

"Enough!"

Bei Yuxuan's face darkened to the extreme. Unable to contain his rage any longer, he glared at Luo Du. "How do you want to gamble?"

"Young Master, time is running out. We should go inside first."

Seeing that Bei Yuxuan had been overwhelmed by anger, Old Chen hurriedly tried to dissuade him.

At those words, Luo Du's eyes abruptly turned cold. He swept a venomous gaze toward Old Chen, a trace of savagery flashing through his eyes.

Seeing this, Lu Chen was completely certain.

Luo Du wanted something from Bei Yuxuan.

And Old Chen had evidently seen through it as well, which was why he had spoken up to warn him.

Lu Chen glanced at the three young people behind Luo Du, then looked to Bei Yuxuan with curiosity. "How did you usually gamble in the past?"

Bei Yuxuan froze for a moment before explaining in a low voice, "Each family sends three people for three matches: Soul Master, Great Soul Master, and Soul Elder. Best two out of three. The loser hands over the wagered item."

"Do all three people have to fight? Could one person fight consecutive matches?"

Bei Yuxuan's heart stirred. He instantly understood Lu Chen's meaning and nodded.

"Yes. Lower-level Soul Masters may challenge higher-level ones, but not the other way around."

The two exchanged a glance and silently understood each other.

Then Bei Yuxuan turned to Luo Du, his tone icy.

"You deliberately mocked me and pressed me step by step. Your goal was this Seventy-Thousand-Year Silver-armored Giant Bear left arm bone of mine, wasn't it?"

As his words fell, Bei Yuxuan spread open his palm.

A left arm bone appeared in his hand, giving off a dark black sheen with faint crimson glimmers. Its joints were thick and sturdy, like heavy armor.

The instant the Soul Bone appeared, the entire crowd sucked in a breath of cold air before erupting into an uproar!

"A Seventy-Thousand-Year Soul Bone! Are they insane? The Bei Yu Family is really going all out!"

"As expected of a top-tier Duke's Estate! That thing is practically a walking mountain of gold!"

A Seventy-Thousand-Year Soul Bone would fetch at least sixty million gold soul coins at auction.

And even then, it was usually something money could not buy!

Other than top-tier powers, ordinary people would never even have the chance to see one.

Even the Soul Arena manager's heart pounded violently when he saw the faintly reddened Soul Bone.

Luo Du's breathing immediately quickened, and greedy satisfaction flashed in his eyes as though his scheme had succeeded.

This Soul Bone was precisely the target his father had specifically ordered him to secure at all costs!

Even a Duke's Estate could not easily obtain a high-year Soul Bone.

Lu Chen raised a brow. He had not expected Luo Du's target to be a Soul Bone.

But on second thought, it made sense.

To Soul Masters, Soul Bones were the most alluring treasures after Soul Rings.

"Young Master, this Soul Bone was specially selected for you by the master..."

Old Chen hurriedly tried to stop him, but Bei Yuxuan raised a hand and cut him off before he could finish.

"I know."

He stared fixedly at Luo Du. "This wager is still too small. Since we're gambling, let's make it bigger!"

With that, he took a black card from his storage soul tool ring.

Its edges were inlaid with gold, while the words "Soul Coin Savings" were engraved in its center.

"There are five million gold soul coins in here. I earned them over the past five years."

"Five million gold soul coins!"

Tang Ya swallowed. "I'd heard that Young Master Bei Yu was a business genius, but I never believed it. So it was true!"

Ordinary people would struggle to earn that much money over dozens of lifetimes.

"Good! You've got guts!"

Luo Du grinned and also pulled out several items from his ring.

A six-thousand-year Spirit Cat Right Arm Bone, a sixth-grade defensive soul tool, a sixth-grade close-combat soul tool, and more.

These were all items Bei Yuxuan had lost to him yesterday.

Finally, he took out a pitch-black right leg bone with faint afterimages flickering across its surface.

"A Seventy-Thousand-Year Shadow Ghost Leopard right leg bone, plus three million gold soul coins on this card. That should be enough to match your wager."

"Hiss!"

The crowd once again sucked in a breath of cold air.

"Another Seventy-Thousand-Year Soul Bone!"

"Is this the foundation of top-tier nobles? Terrifying!"

Bei Yuxuan's expression grew even darker. "As expected, that bastard came here for this Soul Bone.

"Maybe he started laying the groundwork from the moment I entered Heavenly Spirit City."

Bei Yuxuan was no fool. Looking back on the events of the past two days, he immediately sensed that something was wrong.

He knew that he was impulsive by nature, especially when it came to losing to the Luo Family.

After suffering defeat yesterday, he had gone out early this morning to find fighters, wanting to win back the wager.

And then he happened to run into Lu Chen...

Luo Du must have long since stationed people near the Soul Arena to keep watch over his movements.

After sorting through his thoughts, Bei Yuxuan's anger burned even hotter. He looked at Lu Chen and gritted his teeth.

"Brother Lu, as long as you help me win this wager, all the spoils will be yours!"

At those words, even Lu Chen's breathing quickened slightly.

When he had encouraged Bei Yuxuan to gamble, he had only wanted to earn a few more gold soul coins.

He had never imagined their stakes would include Soul Bones, with a total value nearing one hundred million!

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Lu Chen smiled faintly. "No need. I only want that Seventy-Thousand-Year Soul Bone."

According to the agreement, the benefits he would receive already far exceeded sixty percent.

"Hmph. You? Aren't you afraid the wind will knock you off your feet?"

Luo Du snorted disdainfully and casually handed the Soul Bones and other items over to the Soul Arena manager.

Then he gave Lu Chen a vicious grin and made a throat-slitting gesture. "I hope you can hold out a little longer later."

With that, he led his people into the Soul Arena first.

Although Lu Chen's aura had frightened him earlier.

The soul power fluctuations inside Lu Chen's body were only around level ten.

A newly advanced trash Soul Master facing an experienced level-nineteen Soul Master would be utterly crushed.

"As expected, everyone in the Bei Yu Family is an idiot, letting an outsider manipulate them.

"That Seventy-Thousand-Year Soul Bone is mine for the taking!"

Luo Du smiled confidently. Everything was under his control.

Lu Chen licked his lips as he watched their departing figures.

A trace of madness flashed in his eyes. "I can't wait any longer."

Seeing that both groups had gone inside, the surrounding crowd immediately grew excited.

"A wager worth tens of millions! You don't see that more than a few times a year!"

"Quit dawdling and buy tickets! I want front-row seats!"

The area outside descended into complete madness. With such enormous stakes, everyone wanted to join in on the spectacle.

The Soul Arena manager's smile nearly reached his ears. He hurriedly called over several more staff members to check tickets.

Then he cheerfully headed inside himself.

At the same time!

In a corner by the street outside the Soul Arena.

An elderly man in a large cloak, with an exceptionally burly build, quietly watched everything unfold.

Two women and one man stood behind him.

One of the girls was breathtakingly beautiful, yet carried a rationality and intelligence beyond her years.

"Sect Master, should we go in and take a look at such a huge wager?"

One of the boys, whose legs were especially long, could not help asking, his tone full of excitement.

"We should indeed go in and take a look."

The old man's shifty eyes remained fixed on the Soul Bone in the manager's hands, a trace of greed flashing in his gaze.

"Sect Master, the Soul Arena belongs to the royal family and values its reputation above all else. You mustn't act recklessly."

The beautiful girl looked somewhat helpless as she reminded him.

"Ahem, I know."

The old man looked slightly embarrassed. He coughed to cover it up, then said, "Come on, let's go in.

"That little fellow's body is extremely strange. His blood and vitality are exceptionally vigorous—perhaps he has a Body Martial Soul!"