Volume 1, Chapter 113 – The Betting Board

“City Lord, the third-round bout is about to start. If we change people now, I’m afraid it’ll be hard to explain to the Sky Thunder Hall.” The middle-aged man at his side spoke with some worry.

“You need not trouble yourself over this. I will take care of it shortly,” Gu Rentong said with a wave of his hand.

“Chu Chen, who is Chu Chen?”

Just as Gu Rentong finished speaking, a summons sounded from beyond the low peak, and a young Sky Thunder Hall disciple in blue walked up onto the mountain.

Chu Chen did not answer. He looked toward Gu Rentong.

“Miss Shi, wait a moment.”

Gu Rentong said quietly, then went to meet the disciple. After murmuring a few words to him, he beckoned to Shi Lan and Chu Chen.

Shi Lan and Chu Chen followed Gu Rentong and the Sky Thunder Hall disciple to a huge arena nearly a hundred zhang long and wide and almost two zhang tall.

The arena had been cast entirely from black iron, with formation patterns carved all over it. After a brief sweep of her gaze, Shi Lan could see that some of them were reinforcing formations.

Thousands of spectators crowded around the platform, the roar of voices boiling up and turning the place into a din.

One spot in the crowd was particularly eye-catching: a square high platform ringed so tightly by people that not even water could trickle through.

Everyone there clutched spirit crystals in their hands, faces flushed with excitement. A row of names hung above the platform. Chu Chen’s name was prominently at the front, with the words “odds two to one” written beneath it. Beside Chu Chen’s name was another: “Yuan Guanhai.”

It was obviously the board for a betting game where wagers could be placed openly.

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The name Yuan Guanhai rang a faint bell for Shi Lan. The dossier listed him as at peak Innate Realm Eighth Layer, which posed no real threat to her.

A strongly built young man stood alone on the arena.

He wore loose black clothes, his eyes sharp like an eagle’s. Even the baggy garments could not conceal the powerful lines of muscle beneath. His whole body exuded a strong, aggressive aura.

The Sky Thunder Hall disciple led Gu Rentong and Shi Lan over to a middle-aged man in purple. Bowing, he said,

“Elder Xin, City Lord Gu Rentong of Gufeng City would like to change the participant for the martial gathering.”

“Change the participant?” Elder Xin looked at Gu Rentong in puzzlement.

“I am Gu Rentong. I would like this Miss Shi Lan to take Chu Chen’s place in the third-round bout,” Gu Rentong said with a cupped-fist salute.

“Changing people at the last minute? Do you have proof? Did you bring the recommendation letter?” Elder Xin glanced at Shi Lan and frowned slightly.

Gu Rentong held the letter in both hands and passed it to Elder Xin.

“Wait here.” Elder Xin opened the letter, glanced at the seals on the last page, then leapt into the air and dropped down into the crowd.

Half a quarter of an hour later, Elder Xin came back. His tone was a little stern as he said, “You can change the participant, but you must obtain the other side’s consent. And this time is an exception. There will be no next time.”

“Many thanks.” Gu Rentong cupped his hands and led Shi Lan toward the edge of the arena.

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Chu Chen raised an eyebrow, folded his arms, and silently stepped aside. He did not much care why Gu Rentong was switching him out at the last moment. He was happy to be idle instead of fighting to the death on the stage and possibly walking away with hidden injuries.

He knew his own limits. With his newly gained Innate Realm Eighth Layer cultivation, reaching the third round was already his limit. Even if he scraped through by luck, there was no way he would reach the final round. Having someone else take over now spared him a great deal of pointless effort.

Besides, he really did want to see what this Miss Shi Lan, whom the City Lord had suddenly brought, was capable of.

Elder Xin had already leapt onto the arena ahead of them and moved to the young man’s side, whispering a few words to him.

The black-clad man’s eyes flickered. He gave Shi Lan a once-over, a wicked smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, and he nodded.

Elder Xin turned and beckoned to Shi Lan.

“Miss Shi Lan, I leave it in your hands,” Gu Rentong said solemnly.

Shi Lan nodded, took a step, and leapt up onto the arena. Even without Gu Rentong saying so, she would have gone all out. The benefits if she succeeded were no small matter.

As soon as she stepped up, murmurs rippled through the onlookers.

“Why did they suddenly change people?”

“Wasn’t Gufeng City’s side supposed to send Chu Chen this round? I put fifty spirit crystals on him to win!”

“This girl is really pretty,” a young man dressed like a scholar said, a little dazed.

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“Pretty is useless. Her cultivation is only Innate Realm Seventh Layer. How is she supposed to fight that Yuan Guanhai?!”

“That woman is replacing Chu Chen? Do the spirit crystals we just bet still count then?”

“The betting board’s been reset! Anyone who just bet on Chu Chen can take their spirit crystals back now!”

At those words, many people surged toward the high platform to retrieve their spirit crystals.

Chu Chen’s name was taken down, and Shi Lan’s freshly added name was hung beside Yuan Guanhai’s.

Most people placed their bets again, stacking their spirit crystals under Yuan Guanhai’s name.

Yuan Guanhai’s odds dropped all the way to even, while Shi Lan’s climbed to nine to one.

“I’m betting on Miss Shi Lan, one thousand five hundred… twenty-three spirit crystals!” The scholar-looking young man’s face flushed red. In a rush of heat, he yanked the pack off his back, rummaged a dozen more pieces from his person, and shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Are you insane?!”

“You’re throwing your spirit crystals into the water!”

Several friends at his side hurried to talk him down.

As the scholar cooled down, he felt a stab of pain as well. He glanced reflexively at the arena and was just about to pull his pack back when his eyes met Shi Lan’s gaze. His mind went hot again, and he slammed the half-lifted pack down hard.

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“Place the bet!”

……

Seeing the “nine to one” floating beneath her name, Shi Lan felt the urge to bet herself.

Unfortunately, she had not brought any spirit crystals. Judging from Gu Rentong’s empty sleeves, he did not look like he was carrying many either, so she could only let this windfall opportunity slip by.

Shi Lan shook her head slightly, gathered her thoughts, and shifted her gaze to her opponent, Yuan Guanhai.

Yuan Guanhai gave her a small smile and licked the corner of his mouth. With a mocking lift of his brows, his gaze roamed up and down her body with shameless boldness.

Shi Lan’s expression turned cold. Her face impassive, she flexed her fingers a few times.

Elder Xin pretended not to see Yuan Guanhai’s behavior and began reciting the bout rules in a rote tone.

“Whoever falls off the arena loses. Whoever cannot get up after falling loses. Whoever causes another’s death also loses.” After speaking, Elder Xin looked toward Shi Lan with a hint of a reminder. “If you feel you are outmatched, admit defeat and I will step in to stop the match.”

Lost in thoughts of what shape she was going to beat Yuan Guanhai into, Shi Lan did not notice that Gu Rentong, standing at the side of the arena, had casually walked over to the betting platform.

Seeing that Shi Lan had no intention of looking back, Gu Rentong swiftly pulled two half-foot-long transparent slips that glowed faintly purple from his sleeve and tossed them onto the betting board.

“Twenty thousand spirit crystals on Shi Lan to win.”