No more, no less: five hundred thousand gold coins. One round to decide the winner.
It was a public declaration: I... Wan Butong, am going to fleece you today.
"That works too. One round to settle it."
Under countless shocked gazes, Liu Wuxie tossed out his card, betting on the Rhinoceros Beast to win.
"He's mad. He's an absolute madman."
"I think he's just trash. It's not his gold anyway. The Rhinoceros Beast has less than a ten percent chance of winning."
"Just enjoy the show. Five hundred thousand gold coins-let's see how the Xu Household pays up once he loses it all."
"..."
No one thought Liu Wuxie could win. They watched him like a clown, waiting for him to make a fool of himself. Xu Lingxue sighed helplessly; it was already too late to stop him.
"Awooo..."
The Extreme Wind Leopard let out a piercing howl. The beast fight had begun. It lunged forward like a gust of wind, appeared behind the Rhinoceros Beast, and opened its jaws to bite down viciously.
Rip, rip...
Blood sprayed as the Extreme Wind Leopard tore away a bowl-sized chunk of flesh. The scene was gruesome.
The Rhinoceros Beast was slow and could not dodge in time. In just one exchange, several wounds appeared on its body, its blood staining the arena red. The scene was utterly brutal.
Many women turned their heads away, unable to bear watching any longer. Venturing into the mountains for training was more than ten times crueler than this.
A faint smile appeared on Liu Wuxie's lips. His lips moved slightly as he turned True Qi into sound, compressing his voice into a fine thread that traveled outward like a wisp of gas. This required exceptionally powerful soul techniques.
The Rhinoceros Beast swayed on its feet. Under the Extreme Wind Leopard's frenzied attacks, it was covered in wounds and could barely stand. A voice inexplicably entered its mind, and a trace of bewilderment appeared in its eyes.
Stimulated by the blood, the Extreme Wind Leopard grew even fiercer. Terrifying Yao Qi spread throughout the beast arena.
There were at least ten thousand people in the surrounding stands, and ninety percent had bet on the Extreme Wind Leopard. There were also plenty hoping for an upset; ten-to-one odds were extremely tempting.
"Young Master Liu, my apologies. I'll gladly accept these five hundred thousand gold coins."
The Rhinoceros Beast's death was only a matter of time. It would die within one more exchange at most.
"The outcome hasn't been decided. Isn't it a little early to say that, Young Master Wan?"
Liu Wuxie lifted his fragrant tea and took a light sip, perfectly at ease. He paid little attention to the changes in the beast arena, spending more time chatting with the little fatty instead.
"You really won't shed tears until you see the coffin. I'll let you die a quick death."
Wan Butong's face was vicious. Lei Tao had slapped him repeatedly earlier, and he had yet to find an outlet for his pent-up resentment. He wished he could trample Liu Wuxie beneath his feet and grind him into the dirt.
A thunderous rumbling came from the arena. The Rhinoceros Beast's hooves scraped against the ground. It licked the torn wound on its right leg, let out a roar of grief and fury, and charged at the Extreme Wind Leopard.
It was seeking its own death. Relying on its formidable defenses, the Rhinoceros Beast could have survived a little longer. Charging straight ahead would only make it die faster.
The Extreme Wind Leopard sprang up, tracing a graceful arc through the air. It opened its bloody maw and lunged for the Rhinoceros Beast's neck. If that bite landed, the Rhinoceros Beast would undoubtedly die.
The two Demon Beasts drew closer and closer. In the flash of a spark, the Rhinoceros Beast suddenly made an unbelievable move: it abruptly crouched, and the Extreme Wind Leopard flew just over its head.
At that very moment, the Rhinoceros Beast's hind legs snapped upward. The Extreme Wind Leopard lost its balance as the rear hooves struck it squarely in the chest, drawing a shrill scream. That blow carried at least a thousand jin of force.
The bizarre sight sent a shudder through Wan Butong. He sprang to his feet, his face filled with disbelief.
The Extreme Wind Leopard slammed into the ground and howled in agony. The Rhinoceros Beast wheeled around sharply and leaped with all four hooves, making the entire arena shake violently. A beast tamer immediately rushed forward to stop it.
It was already too late. The Rhinoceros Beast's massive body landed on the Extreme Wind Leopard, leaving chunks of flesh scattered across the ground. The Extreme Wind Leopard died without even having time to scream.
"Hiss..."
Sharp intakes of breath sounded from every direction. How could this happen? The Extreme Wind Leopard had lost, defeated by a Rhinoceros Beast that was poor at attacking. It was utterly inconceivable. Nothing like this had happened in the beast arena's hundred years of operation.
"Bizarre. This is too bizarre. The Extreme Wind Leopard's reflexes are far better than the Rhinoceros Beast's. How did it do that?"
The crowd erupted. The Rhinoceros Beast's dazzling sequence of movements had exceeded the capabilities of a first-tier Demon Beast. Had a god possessed it?
Wan Butong sank limply into his chair. The Extreme Wind Leopard's defeat meant he had lost five hundred thousand gold coins.
"Thank you for your generosity, Brother Wan. I'll gladly accept the five hundred thousand."
Someone soon brought over a new card worth five hundred thousand. On an occasion like this, the Wan Household did not dare cheat, unless they no longer wanted a foothold in Canglan City.
"Brother Liu, what wonderful luck. I'm truly impressed. Do you dare wager on another round?"
Wan Butong's eyes were bloodshot, the very picture of a gambler. Having lost his gold, he desperately wanted to win it back. The household head had provided these coins; he could not afford to lose them.
Everyone who had mocked Liu Wuxie looked awful. They wished they could slap themselves. They had called him trash, but they themselves were the biggest trash of all.
"I'd be happy to oblige!"
Liu Wuxie spoke mildly, without a trace of emotion. Only with a large amount of gold could he purchase Spirit Stones and set up a Spirit Gathering Formation to accelerate his breakthroughs.
A trace of shock appeared in Xu Lingxue's beautiful eyes. Was it really luck?
The second round soon began. Driven by the beast tamers, two Demon Beasts entered the arena: a One-Horned Python and a Blazing Flame Eagle. Both were extremely aggressive Demon Beasts. The Wan Household had expended considerable manpower and resources to capture the Blazing Flame Eagle.
"Brother Rongzhe, this boy is no ordinary fellow!"
The Tian Household head lowered his voice. The first match had been far too strange. Even Spirit Cleansing Realm cultivators like them had not figured out how the Extreme Wind Leopard had lost.
"He was just lucky."
Wan Rongzhe did not particularly care. Let him win one round first. There were ten beast fights in all; only at the end would they know who the biggest winner was.
Betting opened again, and the martial artists who had come from all over placed their wagers. The odds were fairly close this round; either side could win.
"Young Master Liu, you place your bet first this time."
Wan Butong made an inviting gesture, letting Liu Wuxie bet first. The beast tamer in the arena made a strange gesture with the fingers of his right hand. No one outside the Wan Household's highest ranks recognized it, but it did not escape Liu Wuxie's eyes.
"That's not my habit. Please go first, Brother Wan."
As soon as he spoke, countless people around him felt the urge to strangle him. Choosing first gave him every advantage. Why hand that advantage to someone else for nothing? Where did this brat get his confidence?
"Brother, you really are my brother. Win another round, and I'll acknowledge you as my big brother."
Song Ling leaned over the table, admiration all over his face, leaving the Song Household disciples utterly speechless. Liu Wuxie was notorious trash; everyone in Canglan City took a detour whenever they saw him.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony. One million gold coins on the One-Horned Python."
An enormous wager-a truly enormous wager, throwing away a fortune in a single toss. What did one million gold coins represent? It equaled three months of profit from the Xu Household's five weapons workshops.
The beast fight soon began. The One-Horned Python was ten meters long. Its enormous tail swept across the arena, sending a foul stench in every direction. Xu Lingxue took out a scented handkerchief and covered her nose.
The Blazing Flame Eagle swooped down, its sharp beak pecking toward the One-Horned Python's head. Its wings blotted out the sky and sun, whipping up a gale that swept countless stones off the ground and hurled them against the surrounding walls with a series of bangs.
"Judging by this, the Blazing Flame Eagle has a very good chance of winning. Why did Wan Butong pass it over and choose the One-Horned Python instead?"
Many people were puzzled. The Blazing Flame Eagle's wings had been restrained, preventing it from flying high, but it retained its ability to swoop at low altitude. With its innate advantage, its chances of victory were extremely high.
Wan Butong's decision to pass over the Blazing Flame Eagle and choose the One-Horned Python surprised many people.
In their first exchange, the two Demon Beasts collided violently, sending flesh and blood flying. They abruptly separated, leaving a large pool of blood on the ground, all of it flowing from the One-Horned Python.
The Blazing Flame Eagle beat its wings and skimmed low through the air, charging at the One-Horned Python with its sharp, swordlike beak.
"Brother Wan, why didn't you choose the Blazing Flame Eagle?"
Tian Yequan finally asked. The Blazing Flame Eagle's combat strength was far greater than the One-Horned Python's. Within three exchanges, the One-Horned Python would surely lose.
"Just enjoy the show!"
Wan Butong revealed an inscrutable smile. Everything was going according to his plan. Today, he would make that piece of trash lose so much that he would leave the beast arena stripped naked.
A fierce roar thundered through the arena. A bolt of lightning suddenly shot from the horn atop the One-Horned Python's head. This was a Demon Beast that had awakened an attribute, making it more than ten times stronger than an ordinary Demon Beast.
"This is... an attribute Demon Beast!"
The crowd erupted. Demon Beasts capable of awakening an attribute were exceedingly rare. The Wan Household had actually sent an attribute Demon Beast into the arena to fight. They were insane.
"No wonder Wan Butong let Liu Wuxie choose first. Any normal person would have chosen the Blazing Flame Eagle, while he must have known long ago that the One-Horned Python had awakened an attribute."
A match like this was far too unfair to Liu Wuxie. The Wan Household kept detailed records of its Demon Beasts, and Wan Butong had already read about each beast's specific combat strength.
Lightning flashed, forming an arc that struck the Blazing Flame Eagle. A strong burnt smell rose from its feathers. It staggered and fell onto the arena floor, barely clinging to life.
The One-Horned Python unleashed lightning, its scarlet eyes releasing towering Yao Qi. Its bucket-thick body slithered toward the Blazing Flame Eagle, and it opened its bloody maw, preparing to swallow the entire eagle.
"Get up! Hurry and get up!"
The martial artists who had bet on the Blazing Flame Eagle shouted, urging it to get up quickly and keep fighting.
Those who had bet on the One-Horned Python laughed wildly with excitement. The scene split into two extremes.
"Once you lose this round, don't gamble again."
Xu Lingxue finally spoke, telling Liu Wuxie not to continue gambling. The Xu Household could still afford to lose five hundred thousand gold coins.
"You're certain I'm the one who'll lose?"
Looking utterly harmless, Liu Wuxie studied Xu Lingxue. Under his unwavering stare, a trace of embarrassed anger flashed across her cheeks. She turned away, unwilling to pay him any attention.
The One-Horned Python drew closer and closer to the Blazing Flame Eagle. The second beast fight was nearing its end.
"Congratulations on your opening victory, Brother Wan."
Tian Yequan raised his wine cup. All three laughed, celebrating ahead of time.
"Look at the Blazing Flame Eagle!"
A sudden cry interrupted everyone's thoughts. The Blazing Flame Eagle abruptly stood, roaring flames blazing over its body. At the final critical moment, it had awakened its own attribute: the power of fire.
Wan Butong had just raised his wine cup when he shuddered in fright. The cup clattered to the ground as he stared fixedly at the arena.