Chapter 1260: Betting on Life

After fighting for over ten minutes, seeing that if it continued, this Hall Master Yue would likely die on the spot, Zhang Xuan reluctantly had the puppet stop.

"Hall Master Yue, you used a weapon, and I did too... It's fair and square. Now that you've lost, you should have nothing to say!"

Putting away the puppet and pinching Yue Yiquan's philtrum to wake him, Zhang Xuan looked over with utmost sincerity.

"Fair? Square?"

Yue Yiquan spat out more blood.

Over a hundred people ganging up on me—is that fair?

"If the hall master thinks it's unfair, I can fight you again without using my weapon. I've just fought four consecutive matches without rest, and although you've only fought one and have the advantage, I don't mind!"

Zhang Xuan said.

"Pfft!"

Yue Yiquan spat blood again.

He fought four matches without a scratch, while I'm nearly dead after one... I can't even move—how can I fight?

"Hall Master Yue isn't speaking—does that mean you tacitly agree? In that case, I'll reluctantly fight you one more time!"

Seeing the other man only spit blood without answering, Zhang Xuan shook his head, clenched his fist, and prepared to strike.

"I concede..."

Yue Yiquan hurriedly said.

He had no choice but to concede; in his current state, he couldn't fight. If he really continued as the other said, he might die here.

A dignified Half-Step Domain Realm expert, fighting a mere Nascent Soul intermediate-stage brat, and being forced to admit defeat... The more he thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt.

"It's all that fool Song Xuan..."

The angrier he got, the tighter he clenched his teeth.

If not for Song Xuan giving him wrong information, he wouldn't have been beaten like this. Before, only one person was crippled; now... even he was crippled!

"Good that you conceded..."

With his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan stood straight: "As the hall master of the Master Teacher Hall, instead of thinking about the revival of humanity, you only care about personal gain and engage in petty schemes... If I weren't strong enough today, I would not only be humiliated but also severely injured and unable to leave! I will report this to the Alliance, and they will decide how to handle it!"

If he had only used fine wine to attract enemies against me, that would have been tolerable—I would have just taught him a lesson and said nothing more.

The key point is, when sparring with me, he didn't suppress his cultivation and even used a weapon!

If I didn't have so many puppets, hadn't seen through his flaws, and hadn't taught the puppets the combined attack method... I might be the one lying severely injured today.

I didn't pursue the matter of Song Xuan too harshly, which was quite fair, yet he still wouldn't let it go. Just based on his tolerance, he is unworthy of being the hall master of the Master Teacher Hall."

"I..."

Hall Master Yue's face turned pale.

The other party was a specially appointed elder of the Alliance. With these words, his political career was basically over.

"Alright, everyone continue. I'll go rest..."

Knowing that continuing to stay would cause more displeasure after today's uproar, Zhang Xuan turned and walked out.

As soon as he left, two apprentices came up to lead the way.

Regardless of the conflict with Hall Master Yue, as a guest, the Qianchong Empire Master Teacher Hall had already prepared lodging.

Zhang Jiuxiao, Sun Qiang, and the others also followed closely.

They stayed in a separate courtyard. Returning to his room, Zhang Xuan flickered and entered the Thousand Ant Beehive.

Although the banquet was somewhat unpleasant, he had earned a full fifty high-grade essence spirit stones, which was quite a harvest. He could see if he could break through from the Nascent Soul peak to the Half-Step Nascent Departure realm!

With such strength, even without relying on puppets, he could probably fight Hall Master Yue if he caused trouble.

Sitting cross-legged, he flipped his wrist and took out all the high-grade essence spirit stones he had just obtained.

Opening all his acupoints, spiritual energy flowed into them, transforming into Heavenly Dao true qi and flowing slowly.

Boom!

After an unknown time, the Nascent Soul intermediate stage smoothly broke through.

Nascent Soul late stage!

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Just after reaching the late stage, as he prepared to charge to the peak, he saw that all fifty high-grade essence spirit stones had been consumed and turned to powder.

"As expected, as cultivation improves, the effect of high-grade essence spirit stones diminishes..."

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He had felt it when breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage: even high-grade essence spirit stones were gradually losing their efficacy. He had thought that so many stones would allow him to reach the Nascent Soul peak, but unfortunately, he only advanced one minor level before stopping.

It seemed that to break through quickly, he would need to find higher-grade spirit stones!

"Let's go out and take a look!"

With the spirit stones exhausted and unable to continue cultivating, Zhang Xuan had to exit the beehive and leave the room.

"Young master..."

Seeing him come out so soon, Sun Qiang and Zhang Jiuxiao greeted him.

"Jiuxiao, are you familiar with Qianchong City? Take me out for a stroll and see if I can find a place to exchange or earn high-grade essence spirit stones," Zhang Xuan said.

"I came to Qianchong City once three years ago, so I'm somewhat familiar... Master Zhang urgently needs spirit stones?" Zhang Jiuxiao was puzzled.

Hadn't he just earned dozens at the banquet?

Why did he need more?

"Yes," Zhang Xuan nodded without explaining.

If he told him that the spirit stones earned at the banquet were already used up, he might be scared to death on the spot.

"How many do you need?" Zhang Jiuxiao asked.

"The more the better... Preferably around three hundred," Zhang Xuan estimated.

Based on his current consumption of spirit stones, reaching the Nascent Soul peak would require at least over a hundred. As for the Witch Soul, which was only at Saint Domain Second Layer, advancing it to the Nascent Soul peak would probably need close to two hundred!

"Three hundred?"

Zhang Jiuxiao's mouth twitched: "Such a large amount... even in Qianchong City, it's hard to find..."

Although the Qianchong Empire had spirit mines, high-grade essence spirit stones weren't cabbages to be had everywhere. Only extremely powerful forces could produce three hundred.

"There are probably three places that can produce that many at once: first, the Master Teacher Hall, which is here; second, the Qianchong imperial family; third, the underground black market I mentioned earlier!"

After a pause, Zhang Jiuxiao said.

"The Master Teacher Hall has them?" Zhang Xuan was startled, then nodded.

That made sense. Those genius master teachers could each casually take out ten or twenty; it shouldn't be hard for the Master Teacher Hall to produce three hundred.

"Maybe... I should go beat up Hall Master Yue again and make him hand over spirit stones?"

Chin in hand, Zhang Xuan pondered.

"Better not. I just beat him up; if I do it again, word will get out and ruin my reputation!"

After a moment, he shook his head.

Having just beaten him so badly, charging over to demand spirit stones... if outsiders heard, he wouldn't be able to continue as a master teacher.

No matter what, he was a man of face, status, and integrity. If he did that, what difference would there be between him and a street thug?

"Not from the Master Teacher Hall. As for the Qianchong imperial family... I have no connections with them. It's too late to build relationships now!"

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Xuan asked: "Where is this black market you mentioned? If I don't have items to exchange, how can I earn spirit stones?"

"The black market is outside Qianchong City!"

Zhang Jiuxiao said: "If you don't have items to exchange, the fastest way to earn is... gambling!"

"Gambling?"

"Yes, betting on life!" Zhang Jiuxiao nodded: "It's the most profitable method."

"In the black market, there's a 'Life-and-Death Arena.' To earn money, you can go up and fight. Win one match, get one high-grade spirit stone; win two in a row, get two; three in a row, three... and so on. Of course, arena fighting is just small change, a way to earn some extra cash. If you win ten consecutive matches, you're crowned 'Ten-Time Champion' and get the chance to compete against previous Ten-Time Champions. At that point, many wealthy people place bets. If you bet correctly... you could earn a lot at once!"

"To be honest, becoming a Ten-Time Champion basically means being invincible at the same level. Although the matches attract a lot of attention and earn many spirit stones, one wrong move can lead to death. Every year, countless experts are beaten to death on the arena. That's why this Life-and-Death Arena is also called the life-betting arena—betting your life for money!"

"Oh!" Zhang Xuan nodded, his eyes growing brighter.

At the same level, he was absolutely invincible. If he participated in the Ten-Time Champion competition, wouldn't he make a killing?

"Master Zhang, your strength at the same level is indeed terrifying, but... I still think you'd better not go," Zhang Jiuxiao said, seeing his expression and hurriedly shaking his head.

"Why?" Zhang Xuan asked curiously.

The other party should be well aware of his strength, yet he still advised against it. Could it be that in this arena, there were opponents at the same level even stronger than him?

"In the Life-and-Death Arena, except for not allowing powerful weapons, there are basically no rules. Poison, hidden weapons, schemes—all kinds of tricks are used. Not to mention master teachers, even war masters entering might not last until the tenth match!"

Zhang Jiuxiao smiled bitterly: "I was curious once and went, but... I lost at the fifth match!"

Master teachers, mindful of their status, wouldn't use many tactics in battle, unlike those who engage in life-and-death duels daily and use any means to kill.

"You couldn't even make it to the sixth match?"

"Yes. The Ten-Time Champions of the Life-and-Death Arena fight ten consecutive matches without leaving the stage. Your opponents, though random, generally get stronger. Some excel in physical strength, some in soul power, and some have bizarre tricks that are hard to guard against. I lost because after five consecutive matches, I was exhausted, and a guy took advantage of me!"

Zhang Jiuxiao said.

"Take me to see it!"

Zhang Xuan said.

Fighting consecutively, each opponent having undergone life-and-death trials, was indeed a mental and physical ordeal.

But... for him, it really wasn't a big deal.

"Master Zhang really wants to go?"

Seeing that despite all his explanations, the other was still insistent, Zhang Jiuxiao shook his head helplessly: "If there's real danger, it's best to concede immediately..."

"Don't worry!"

Zhang Xuan's eyes flashed.

If it was really as the other said, that fighting consecutive matches could earn spirit stones...

He should be able to earn so much that this so-called black market would go bankrupt!

Just thinking about it was exciting!