Chu Feng: This Hurt More Than Rubbing Salt into a Wound

"Master, I never imagined you had made such a great sacrifice for me."

Xiao Chen spoke with tears brimming in his eyes.

??

Chu Feng was full of question marks. Hadn't he just made up an excuse to brush Xiao Chen off?

How had he made another sacrifice for him?

Still, the kid was so moved that Chu Feng, as his master, naturally had to put on a show.

"Think nothing of it. Just take first place in this competition, and you will have brought me honor."

"I will definitely take first place."

Xiao Chen spoke with a resolute expression.

"Good."

As he spoke, Chu Feng unconsciously quickened his pace. He now possessed cultivation, so naturally he walked several times faster than before.

A journey that would originally have taken half an hour brought the two of them to the outer sect competition venue-the Dao-Seeking Academy's plaza-in less than a moment.

By now, the place was already a sea of people.

Everyone was talking about who would claim first place in the competition.

Neither Chu Feng nor Xiao Chen paid the discussions any mind.

Suddenly, a booming voice rang out from the crowd.

"Betting on the competition is open! Lin Qingyu of the Sword Dao Institute pays 1.1 to one, Jin Gang of the Body Cultivation Institute pays 1.5 to one, Mo Qingwu of the Dharma Cultivation Institute pays two to one..."

The voice instantly drew countless gazes.

A large number of people crowded around, shouting, "I'm betting on Lin Qingyu!"

"I'm betting on Mo Qingwu!"

"..."

Chu Feng and Xiao Chen had originally had no interest in betting.

Then they heard someone shout, "You even put odds on Xiao Chen? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Brother, Xiao Chen is famous at our Dao-Seeking Academy, after all. Doesn't he deserve odds too? A thousand to one-that's a pretty high payout."

"You're obviously humiliating Xiao Chen!"

Hearing the discussion, Chu Feng suddenly stopped.

Xiao Chen thought his master had been angered by what those fellows were saying.

"Master, don't be angry. After the competition, those fellows will surely regret today's odds."

Chu Feng smiled. "Then how do you plan to make them regret it?"

"By taking first place and slapping their faces until they swell, of course!"

Xiao Chen spoke confidently. As long as he took first place, today's odds would become a joke.

That would be the strongest counterattack.

"Not enough!"

Chu Feng's expression turned exceptionally serious.

Xiao Chen asked, "Master, what should I do, then?"

"What do you think those fellows taking bets here care about most?" Chu Feng asked.

"Spirit stones."

Xiao Chen paused, then continued, "The one taking bets is named Cao Youqian. He's the direct grandson of the Pill Dao Institute's head, and all he has going for him is his Half-Step True Fate Realm cultivation.

"But in truth, he's a good-for-nothing. He can't refine pills, and he doesn't know the first thing about spells or beast taming.

"Yet he loves making spirit stones. Wherever there are spirit stones to be made, that kid will be there.

"You could say he's the richest fellow in the entire outer academy of the Dao-Seeking Academy."

"I didn't expect the kid to be such a talent."

The corners of Chu Feng's mouth rose slightly as he spoke. "What would you say a man who loves money cares about most?"

"Money, of course."

Xiao Chen blurted it out without even thinking.

"Then what comes next is simple."

Chu Feng said, "Bet everything you own on yourself taking first place. That should make the fellow bleed heavily. When the time comes, not only will you slap his face hard,

"but you'll also leave him bankrupt. That hurts more than rubbing salt into a wound."

Hiss...

Xiao Chen sucked in a breath of cold air. He had never imagined that his master, who usually looked harmless to humans and animals alike, could be so scheming.

Still, he agreed with his master.

Those fellows had climbed up his nose and onto his face. If he didn't teach them a harsh lesson, wouldn't they turn the heavens upside down?

"I know what to do, Master."

"Go on."

Chu Feng spoke with a smile.

As Xiao Chen came into view,

another burst of exclamations erupted from the crowd.

"Xiao Chen's here."

"How does that trash still dare show his face at the competition?"

"Don't you know? I heard the Miscellaneous Dao Institute is taking part this time too, to compete for its cultivation resources."

"So if Xiao Chen gets knocked out in the first round, won't the Miscellaneous Dao Institute have no cultivation resources from now on?"

"That's right. I just wonder which lucky person will face Xiao Chen in the first round."

At first, everyone thought the aloof Xiao Chen would speak up in retaliation.

To their surprise, Xiao Chen ignored their discussion entirely and walked straight to the betting table.

Everyone turned curious gazes toward him.

When Cao Youqian saw Xiao Chen appear, he smiled and asked, "Senior Brother Xiao, who would you like to bet on?"

Xiao Chen said, "I'm betting on myself to take first place."

The moment he said it, the entire place fell silent.

Everyone stared at Xiao Chen in astonishment.

Pfft...

Someone in the crowd, no one knew who, was the first to laugh.

Immediately afterward, a roar of laughter broke out across an area dozens of meters around.

"Hahaha..."

Even Cao Youqian, sitting at the table, couldn't help laughing. "Haha... Senior Brother Xiao, don't joke with me."

Xiao Chen asked, "What, am I not allowed to bet on myself?"

"You are, of course you are."

Cao Youqian naturally wouldn't refuse someone delivering money to him.

"How much do you intend to bet, Senior Brother?"

Xiao Chen slowly took his storage bag from his waist and opened it.

With a clatter,

a pile of spirit stones and several True Fate Realm demonic cores fell in front of the betting table.

"Count them and see if they come to ten thousand spirit stones. Return the excess to me."

Cao Youqian hadn't expected trash like Xiao Chen to be able to produce so much.

He had the lackey beside him count the items.

A moment later, he returned one demonic core and said, "Senior Brother Xiao, without this core, it comes to exactly ten thousand spirit stones. Are you sure you want to bet it all on yourself taking first place?"

"What, you don't dare take the bet?"

Xiao Chen asked in return.

"I dare, why wouldn't I? I'm just afraid you'll regret it later, Senior Brother Xiao."

Cao Youqian thought, I wonder who gave you the courage to bet on yourself to win.

Never mind that you're a cripple now-even if you still had your cultivation, you wouldn't be a match for Senior Brother Lin.

He had heard that Senior Brother Lin Qingyu had already comprehended fifty percent sword intent, and that this competition was a mere formality.

After the competition, the head of the Sword Dao Institute would take him as a nominal disciple. Once he comprehended sword intent, he could become a personal disciple.

It could be said that Lin Qingyu was the predetermined winner of the competition.

After all, even at his peak, Xiao Chen had comprehended only thirty percent sword intent. If they really fought, he truly wouldn't be Lin Qingyu's match.

Xiao Chen said, "I, Xiao Chen, have never regretted anything I've done in my life."

"Straightforward as ever, Senior Brother Xiao!"

Cao Youqian then recorded Xiao Chen's wager, the person he had bet on, and the payout on a jade slip.

"Senior Brother Xiao, please keep your jade slip safe."

Xiao Chen swept his divine sense over it and, after confirming that it was correct, grabbed the jade slip, turned, and walked away...