Huge Bet

At that moment, the match between Jiang Mingxuan and Jiang Tingyi began.

The moment they stepped up, both unleashed the strength of the Ninth Layer of the Qi-Attraction Realm and entered a fierce clash.

Jiang Mingxuan used a Yellow-Tier Low-Grade fist technique, while Jiang Tingyi used a Yellow-Tier Low-Grade finger technique.

For the first ten exchanges, neither side gained the upper hand, but after ten moves, the balance gradually began to tilt.

Their cultivation levels were evenly matched, but Jiang Tingyi's greater mastery of her martial technique gradually allowed her to seize the advantage.

Watching from outside the arena, Xu Yin's tightly suspended heart finally began to settle. As long as Jiang Tingyi could defeat Jiang Mingxuan, she could find a way to prevent Jiang Minghao and Su Chen from proceeding with the second match.

But just as Xu Yin secretly breathed a sigh of relief, the situation in the arena suddenly took an unexpected turn.

Jiang Mingxuan, who had been on the verge of defeat, parried one of Jiang Tingyi's attacks and used the momentum to retreat to the edge of the arena. Then, with a sharp clang, he suddenly drew a longsword from his waist!

An uproar broke out!

The spectators outside the arena cried out in surprise. "Young Master Mingxuan is switching to a sword technique?"

"He only brought it out when he was about to lose. Could it be his trump card, hidden at the bottom of the chest?"

Xu Yin could not help frowning. "Isn't this inappropriate of Mingxuan?"

Jiang Shan smiled. "What is wrong with changing techniques during a match? No one ever said a martial artist had to use one martial technique from beginning to end."

Indeed, no one had said that. But they had begun with a fist technique against a finger technique, both unarmed martial techniques, and now he had suddenly pulled out a sword midway through. Was that not unfair?

After all, everyone knew that for a Qi-Attraction Realm martial artist, weapons such as longswords possessed tremendous killing power.

Xu Yin dearly wanted to curse, but she ultimately held it in. Still, a trace of concern could not help appearing in her gaze as she looked toward the arena.

Then again, even if Jiang Mingxuan had switched from a fist technique to a sword technique, as long as his sword technique was also Yellow-Tier Low-Grade, Jiang Tingyi's chances of winning would still not be low.

After all, Jiang Tingyi had trained this Yellow-Tier Low-Grade finger technique to the point of blazing perfection, and ordinary Yellow-Tier Low-Grade martial techniques would find it difficult to contend against it.

But just as Xu Yin thought this, something even more unexpected happened.

After drawing his longsword, Jiang Mingxuan immediately unleashed a Yellow Grade Middle Tier sword technique!

Azure Wood Swordsmanship!

The instant Jiang Mingxuan displayed this swordsmanship, Xu Yin's expression changed!

Jiang Shan had actually passed down the Yellow Grade Middle Tier sword technique, Azure Wood Swordsmanship, to Jiang Mingxuan!

"Young Master Mingxuan is incredible! At only twenty years old, he has already mastered a Yellow Grade Middle Tier sword technique!"

"It seems Young Master Mingxuan is about to turn defeat into victory in this match."

"That's right. Although Miss Tingyi's finger technique is indeed highly refined, the advantage of a Yellow Grade Middle Tier martial technique is simply too great."

Xu Yin's face turned livid. Jiang Mingxuan had hidden himself deeply indeed, only bringing out this trump card at the very last moment.

At the same time, Xu Yin finally understood that Jiang Shan and Jiang He had been scheming against her from the very beginning. By sending Jiang Mingxuan to fight Jiang Tingyi, they had possessed a one-hundred-percent chance of victory from the start.

As for the upcoming match between Jiang Minghao and Su Chen, it was merely an extra garnish, a convenient way to humiliate Xu Yin's maternal family.

In the arena.

Jiang Tingyi struggled to hold on for a moment.

But in the end, she could not withstand the power of a Yellow Grade Middle Tier sword technique and was declared defeated.

"I lost!"

Jiang Tingyi forced out those words with extreme reluctance. Her little face was drawn tight, filled with both anger and unwillingness. Once she finished speaking, she quickly walked out of the arena.

"Mother!"

The moment she returned to Xu Yin's side, Jiang Tingyi lost control and burst into tears.

Xu Yin patted Jiang Tingyi's back painfully. "Stop crying. Mother knows you did your best."

Jiang Tingyi raised her tear-streaked little face and choked out, "But our Lesser Origin Pills..."

How could Xu Yin not feel miserable as well? She sighed. "This time, our skills fell short. Let us take this loss as a lesson."

It was easy enough to say, but how could reality be so simple? The ten Lesser Origin Pills they received every month had barely been enough for the mother and daughter to cultivate. If that number suddenly dropped to two, it would be nowhere near enough.

Moreover, Jiang Tingyi was currently at the golden age for cultivation, at a stage where her cultivation was growing rapidly. This was precisely when she needed a great amount of cultivation resources.

Even if Xu Yin stopped cultivating herself and gave both Lesser Origin Pills to Jiang Tingyi, it would still be far from enough for Jiang Tingyi.

There was a great possibility that Jiang Tingyi, such a cultivation genius, would see her martial path stagnate from this point onward due to a lack of resources.

At the thought of this, Xu Yin felt as though her heart were being twisted by a knife.

It was precisely at that moment.

A calm voice suddenly rang out. "Why must Little Aunt be upset? Hasn't the competition ended yet?"

"Xiao Chen?"

Xu Yin froze for a moment before she came back to herself.

She had nearly forgotten that there was still the match between Jiang Minghao and Su Chen.

"Xiao Chen, are you really going to fight Jiang Minghao?" Xu Yin asked hesitantly.

"Don't worry. I'll win the Lesser Origin Pills back for you," Su Chen said.

He said it as lightly as if he were merely talking about eating and drinking, leaving both Xu Yin and Jiang Tingyi stunned.

After saying that, Su Chen strode toward the arena without looking back.

By the time Xu Yin came to her senses and wanted to call Su Chen back, he was already standing inside the arena.

"Heh, your courage is commendable!" Jiang Minghao leisurely walked into the arena from the opposite side.

"I truly admire you. You clearly know you'll lose, yet you still came here to throw your life away." Jiang Minghao clicked his tongue, his face full of cold mockery.

After all, he was only a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old youth. His emotions were written all over his face, far less steady than those of his elders.

Su Chen glanced at him. "Cut the nonsense. Bring out all your strength at once. I don't want to waste time."

Jiang Minghao's expression stiffened, and anger rose within him. "What kind of attitude is that? I could beat you flat with one hand. Do you believe that?"

"No." Su Chen gave only two words.

"You really won't shed tears until you see the coffin!" Jiang Minghao snorted. "Since you're so confident, how about we make a bet?"

Su Chen said calmly, "What are we betting on?"

"If you lose, you'll kneel and call me Grandpa. Do you dare?" Jiang Minghao did not bother concealing his provocation.

He had been certain Su Chen would refuse.

That way, he could mock Su Chen for being as timid as a mouse.

Yet unexpectedly, Su Chen chuckled. "Why wouldn't I dare?"

"However, since it is a wager, both sides should have conditions, shouldn't they?" Su Chen said.

Jiang Minghao snorted. "Of course! If I lose, I'll kneel and call you Grandpa too."

Jiang Minghao did not believe he could lose at all, so he spoke with exceptional ease.

Su Chen shook his head. "I have no interest in taking in a bargain grandson."

Jiang Minghao was stunned. "Then what do you want?"

"If you lose, then starting this month, all the Lesser Origin Pills allocated each month to the first branch and the third branch will belong to the second branch!" Su Chen stared into Jiang Minghao's eyes and spoke each word with deliberate force.