Chapter 39
Just then, Lu Lingxuan of Spirit Sword Manor came over.
He wore his sect's white uniform patterned with red swords and held a bright-red Spirit Sword. With his delicate features, he stood out in the crowd.
He had come for Ye Qingyao. Last time in the Illusory Forest, her graceful beauty had drawn him in, and the moment he saw her, he could not help following her over. But when the Little Glutinous Rice Ball in her arms pointed a tiny finger at Ye Qinghui's name, and Ye Qingyao and Ye Qingchuan respectively put down 1,000 and 30,000 Superior Spirit Stones on him, Lu Lingxuan's curious gaze shifted to the baby girl.
The Little Glutinous Rice Ball had soft, rosy skin, round eyes, and fluttering lashes like little butterflies. A cinnabar mole between her brows made her whole face especially lively and adorable.
As if possessed, he pulled 50,000 Superior Spirit Stones from his Heaven-and-Earth Ring. "I'm betting on Ye Qinghui too."
Kindhearted Ye Qingyao had thought it was a shame no one had bet on First Senior Brother. He had lost the battle for morale before the competition even began, so if Junior Sister wanted to bet on him, she would too. But when she saw someone beside her following suit with such a large wager, she could not help offering a gentle warning. "Fellow cultivator, we bet on Ye Qinghui because we're his junior sister and brother. You really don't have to follow us."
What a kind heroine. No wonder so many supporting male characters liked her in the original book.
"It's fine, Junior Sister Ye. Spirit Sword Manor isn't short of money. Ye Qinghui is only one of my picks." As he spoke, the lavish Lu Lingxuan brought out another 100,000 Superior Spirit Stones, placing 50,000 on the tournament favorite Shen Xingyan and 50,000 on himself.
After that move, the look in Ye Zhenzhen's eyes grew a little more fervent.
As expected of the young master of Spirit Sword Manor, the richest outfit in the Cultivation World. He really knows his money. He bet on a long shot like Ye Qinghui for the high odds, but also on Shen Xingyan, who has a good chance of winning. He knows how to balance risk and reward so he comes out ahead either way. I've learned a new trick today~
What should I do? I want to be friends with a rich man like him even more now.
She stretched out a chubby little hand and gave Lu Lingxuan a thumbs-up. He looked stunned at first, then quickly understood. Feeling as though he had found a kindred spirit, he smiled at the Little Glutinous Rice Ball.
Their eyes met, and each recognized someone who knew how to make money.
At the betting tables, people wagered not only on the eventual Tournament Champion of the Immortal Sects Grand Tournament but also on the outcome of every match. The place rang with voices and bustled with excitement.
The first match pitted Nanfeng Jin, heir to the Nanfeng cultivator clan, against the Rogue Cultivator Li Huaiyi. As Nanfeng's much-watched young master, Nanfeng Jin was renowned throughout the Cultivation World for his nimble, exquisite Nanfeng Sword Technique. Li Huaiyi, meanwhile, was the tournament's dark horse, having stumbled into the elimination rounds on sheer luck.
Most people bet on Nanfeng Jin, figuring proven skill was the safer choice.
Ye Zhenzhen, however, reached out a little hand and pointed at Li Huaiyi. [Bet on him. Put everything you have left on him.]
Ye Qingchuan rummaged through his Heaven-and-Earth Bag, then hesitantly bet the 2,000 Superior Spirit Stones he had left from selling grilled fish on Li Huaiyi. Seeing this, Lu Lingxuan placed 5,000 Superior Spirit Stones on him as well.
Once the duel began, Nanfeng Jin held the upper hand, pressing Li Huaiyi relentlessly with swift sword strikes. Just as Li Huaiyi seemed unable to hold out and victory was within Nanfeng Jin's grasp, a flock of Spirit Birds suddenly flew in front of him, completely blocking his view. Li Huaiyi seized the opening and won with a single strike, knocking Nanfeng Jin's sword to the ground.
It happened almost exactly as it had in the original book.
Ye Zhenzhen could not help marveling, [Luck is a kind of strength too.]
And so Ye Qingchuan's 2,000 Superior Spirit Stones became 10,000, while Lu Lingxuan's 5,000 became 25,000. They had both multiplied their stones fivefold.
"These Spirit Stones came way too easily." Ye Qingchuan's Auspicious Phoenix Eyes curved with his smile, making his bright face even more striking. "I almost don't want to sell grilled fish tonight."
"This little girl must be some kind of fairy child. She actually picked the winner." Lu Lingxuan could not resist reaching out to pinch her peach-soft cheek. The Little Glutinous Rice Ball really was impossible not to love.
Over the next few matches, the two of them followed Ye Zhenzhen's picks again, multiplying their Spirit Stones more than tenfold.
Winning without lifting a finger felt wonderful. Looking at the exquisitely pretty Little Glutinous Rice Ball, they found her more delightful and adorable the longer they watched her.
By the fifth match, it was Lu Lingxuan's turn to compete. Nervously, he watched to see whose name Ye Zhenzhen's little hand would point to. When she pointed at him without hesitation and had Ye Qingchuan bet 10,000 Superior Spirit Stones on him, he felt certain he would win. He put 20,000 on himself, then flew onto the arena stage with an easy swagger.
His fighting spirit soared like a rainbow, as though the gods themselves were helping him. He won without breaking a sweat and advanced to the final eight.
After stepping down, he gazed at Ye Zhenzhen in Ye Qingyao's arms with shining eyes and could not resist taking her for a cuddle. She was so light and soft that he did not want to let go.
When he saw the Little Glutinous Rice Ball staring without blinking at the 100,000 Superior Spirit Stones he had just won, her little hands reaching for them, he understood at once. He gave her 50,000. "Little Zhenzhen, Senior Brother Lu is sharing these Spirit Stones with you. You must make sure I win my next match too."
[Okay, okay.] At the sight of so many Spirit Stones, Ye Zhenzhen babbled happily and accepted them without further protest. She had Ye Qingchuan hold on to them for now; she would need them for more bets.
[Lu Lingxuan is pretty perceptive. I helped him make money, and he knew to give me a share.] Ye Zhenzhen grinned with smug delight, a little proud of herself. [Since he's a decent guy, I can keep helping him rake it in.]
First Senior Brother had not even competed yet, and they had already turned 2,000 Superior Spirit Stones into more than 100,000. Even getting something for nothing could not feel better than this.
At last, it was Ye Qinghui's turn.
His opponent was Lei Jiajia, a disciple of Heavenly Thunder Pavilion, one of the Five Great Sects. She was the pavilion's most outstanding disciple in decades, possessing a supreme-grade Thunder Spiritual Root and a near-miraculous mastery of lightning. She was also among the favorites to win the tournament.