A new wager

He had clones and could transform. He could simply send his clones to obtain it.

Even if they failed, it wouldn't matter. At worst, he would lose a few clones.

"I need to pick up the pace!" Gu Ping'an looked at the Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul in his palm.

He was missing an ultimate wood attribute to advance his martial soul's attribute evolution.

As for metal and water, once he refined the resources from the imperial treasury, his metal attribute should come infinitely close to the ultimate level.

He was still a little short on water-attribute resources. He could try Skywater Academy.

Things that could promote evolution-ultimate metal, water...

Hadn't Dugu Bo said Qian Renxue had prepared two exceptionally powerful metal- and water-attribute resources for him?

It wouldn't hurt to meet her.

"Senior Dugu, didn't you say Qian Renxue wanted to see me? Did she say where we should meet?"

"No." Dugu Bo's emerald-green eyes were fixed longingly on the soul bones in front of Gu Ping'an.

Seeing Dugu Bo's expression, Gu Ping'an waved his hand and put all seven soul bones into his storage soul tool.

His soul rings flashed, and Gu Ping'an created another six clones.

One clone headed for Skywater City, while the other five returned to the Star Dou Great Forest.

This time, the clone going to Skywater City would collect water-attribute cultivation resources, while those heading to the Star Dou Great Forest would search for ultimate wood-attribute soul beasts.

"Senior Dugu, aren't you returning to Heaven Dou City? Shall we go together?" Gu Ping'an turned his head to ask Dugu Bo.

"Sure!" Dugu Bo still looked stunned and yearning, clearly not yet recovered from the shock of seeing seven soul bones.

The two vanished on the spot.

Heaven Dou City, inside the Crown Prince's Palace.

"I heard you were looking for me?"

Gu Ping'an's voice suddenly rang out in the quiet palace.

"It's you!" Xue Qinghe-or rather, Qian Renxue-turned around and saw Gu Ping'an standing behind her.

Qian Renxue first glanced outside the hall. Only after confirming that no outsiders were nearby did she look back at Gu Ping'an.

"How did you get in? Was it the same method you used to sneak into the Breaking Clan?"

Curiosity appeared in Qian Renxue's eyes, and she turned an inquiring gaze toward a corner of the palace, where Ci Xue stood.

Under Qian Renxue's questioning gaze, Ci Xue shook his head slightly. He hadn't seen how Gu Ping'an had entered the Crown Prince's Palace either.

Qian Renxue's brows furrowed slightly, and her curiosity about Gu Ping'an deepened.

Not only could he slip into the Breaking Clan, but he could also sneak into the Crown Prince's Palace right under a Titled Douluo's nose.

Suppressing her doubts, Qian Renxue's eyes filled with stubborn resentment.

"I want to fight you with everything I've got."

"The stakes: if you lose, you submit to me!"

"Submit to you?" A mocking smile involuntarily curled Gu Ping'an's lips.

Was Qian Renxue telling some colossal joke?

Who didn't know how shamelessly Qian Renxue sold out her subordinates?

And she'd learned some bad tricks!

She hadn't even mentioned what she would give up if she lost.

"What if you lose?" Gu Ping'an studied Qian Renxue with interest, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

"I won't lose!" Qian Renxue declared confidently.

"..."

Gu Ping'an was instantly speechless.

So confident. Had she been this confident when Tang San beat her until her divine position shattered?

If she hadn't still held resources he needed, he would have kicked her already.

"You're a Soul King fighting a Soul Ancestor like me, yet you give up nothing if you lose? Do you think that's possible?

"If that's how it is, I don't think we have anything more to discuss."

Gu Ping'an made as if to leave.

"Wait!"

Qian Renxue hurriedly took out two sandalwood boxes and opened them.

One held a water-blue pearl shrouded in mist.

In the other lay something golden and crystal-like.

"I heard you're collecting metal- and water-attribute resources. I imagine these should suit your needs?"

Ultimate metal!

Ultimate water!

Gu Ping'an reached out to lightly examine them, then shook his head slightly.

"Not enough!"

"The stakes aren't equal. If I lose, I have to submit to you. If you lose, you only give up two resources. That's not enough."

Qian Renxue's brows drew together slightly. She, too, realized that the stakes were unequal and turned to Ci Xue.

Ci Xue's heart lurched, then excitement began to rise in him.

She was going to put him up as a wager, wasn't she?

He was willing. More than willing!

Guilt stirred in his heart as he began hoping Qian Renxue would lose.

"A soul bone! I'll add an Eighty-Thousand-Year Torso Bone."

Gu Ping'an still shook his head.

In the past, he might have accepted the wager.

Now, a mere eighty-thousand-year bone wasn't worthy of him.

"Gu Ping'an, do you understand what a soul bone is? An Eighty-Thousand-Year Torso Bone already rivals an ordinary Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone."

A trace of displeasure flashed in Qian Renxue's eyes. She felt Gu Ping'an was being far too greedy.

"I don't need soul bones. Or rather, you can't provide the soul bones I need."

She couldn't provide them?

Qian Renxue circled Gu Ping'an, studying him.

His claim that she couldn't provide them inevitably brought the Angel Inheritance Soul Bones to mind.

If he meant divine inheritance soul bones, then she really couldn't provide them.

"Then what do you need?" Qian Renxue asked.

"Me?" Gu Ping'an lowered his head in thought.

She didn't have many of the things he needed.

When wagering with her, he couldn't focus on what he needed. He could only consider what she had.

"Do you have an external soul bone?" Gu Ping'an asked tentatively.

"No!" Qian Renxue frowned and slowly shook her head.

"Do you have wood-attribute resources as powerful as these?" Gu Ping'an pointed at the two sandalwood boxes.

"I'd have to return to Spirit Hall, and even then, there might not be any."

"..."

So it really did come down to whatever she had!

Gu Ping'an's frown deepened. The mighty Spirit Hall couldn't even offer a suitable wager.

"Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo."

After going around in circles, Gu Ping'an realized that Spirit Hall's most valuable assets were still its collection of Titled Douluos.

"Them..." Qian Renxue's gaze flickered, as though she couldn't quite make up her mind.

"But... your stake isn't enough!"

Did that mean she really would wager them?

Just what he'd expect from a cold-hearted ruler.

Gu Ping'an had originally thought that, after the great purge of Heaven Dou and the Star Luo Empire, he could leave their administration to Qian Renxue.

Now, that clearly wouldn't work.

She had far too few principles.

There was nothing in her eyes but naked self-interest.

As long as the benefits were sufficient, she would sell anything.

Still, he didn't agree with Qian Renxue's claim that his stake wasn't enough.

Wasn't that saying he was worth less than Tang San?

He'd almost forgotten. In the original story, Qian Renxue seemed to have fallen in love with Tang San. That was why she'd gone easy on him several times.

It looked like he really needed to make this wager and teach her a lesson she'd remember.

"I have a cockscomb phoenix sunflower, an immortal herb that can increase soul power and affinity with the fire attribute. It can also improve talent to a certain extent.

"If a Soul King eats it, it should increase their soul power by two or three levels!

"I'll also add a cultivation method that should increase your cultivation speed."

"A cultivation method? Like the one She Long had last time?" At the mention of a cultivation method, Qian Renxue immediately thought of the Basic Cultivation Method She Long had shown her.

She was cultivating with it now. It was ten to twenty percent faster than the Meditation Method.

He really did show it to Qian Renxue! Gu Ping'an's eyes flickered, but he didn't dwell on it.

She Long had only just begun following him back then. Gu Ping'an understood that he still felt attached to his former allegiances.

"It's better than that one. It should increase your cultivation progress by roughly fifty percent."

"Fifty percent?" Joy suddenly shone in Qian Renxue's golden eyes, as though they had been lit from within.

Her position as the Heaven Dou Crown Prince had kept a firm drag on her cultivation progress. A cultivation method that could accelerate it struck her right in the heart.

"Fine. The wager is settled!"

"When the time comes, I need both Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo present. They must swear by their martial souls and the Angel God that, if you lose, they'll follow me."

"Agreed!"

After they settled on a location for their duel, Gu Ping'an silently left the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.

"Qian Renxue, oh, Qian Renxue! Spirit Hall is truly fortunate to have an heir like you!"

"I wonder how Gui Mei and Yue Guan will feel when they learn they've become the stakes in a wager."

In an excellent mood, Gu Ping'an planned to absorb the Head Soul Bone he had taken from Xiong Jun's den once he returned.

As for Gui Mei and Yue Guan, they had toiled for Spirit Hall for years without even getting a single soul bone.

And now they had been put up as stakes.

Winning them over probably wouldn't be difficult.