Gazing at the overflowing items, Fang Yuan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, suppressing the urge to pack up and run away.
He shamelessly sidled up to Meng Ke'er and said affectionately, "Darling, do you have anything valuable on you?"
Hearing the word "darling," Meng Ke'er's heart pounded, and she took off her storage ring, handing it to Fang Yuan. "Just, just these."
Fang Yuan eagerly took a look and was immediately speechless. Inside were only a few hundred high-grade spirit stones, some spirit artifacts, talismans, a dozen bottles of pills, and clothes.
"Are you that poor?"
Meng Ke'er remained silent, feeling a bit guilty that she hadn't managed to save more.
"Never mind, never mind, I'll go find Master Min Hong."
Upon hearing this, Meng Ke'er grew anxious and immediately grabbed Fang Yuan's clothes. "Don't go, take this sword."
Fang Yuan was slightly startled. This was an immortal weapon! If converted into contribution points, it would be a hundred thousand.
However, Fang Yuan did not take it. This was Meng Ke'er's life-saving weapon; how could he gamble with it?
"Keep it. I might not necessarily lose."
After saying that, Fang Yuan shouted loudly at the crowd, "Quick, place your bets! This is an opportunity not to be missed, it won't come again! 1 to 10 odds! Whether you can reach the peak of your life depends on today!"
The disciples of the three sects looked at each other. Someone took out a bag of spirit stones and placed it on the right side of the table, saying uneasily, "You wouldn't go back on your word if you lose, would you?"
"Isn't that an insult? Go ask around Hua Xia Sect! Am I, Fang Yuan, that kind of person who reneges? I'm the most honest person in the entire Hua Xia Sect, alright!"
Many players' mouths twitched slightly, suppressing the urge to beat him up.
"Then I'm relieved. I'll bet on the right side, one thousand high-grade spirit stones."
"I don't have spirit stones, I'll bet two magical treasures on the right side."
"I'll join in the fun too. Thirty thousand high-grade spirit stones, betting on Nameless to win."
Lin Ting chuckled as he threw a bag of spirit stones to the right side, looking determined to win.
"I'm betting on Chu Huaian to win, fifty thousand high-grade spirit stones." Liu Meiqing also took out her storage ring and placed it on the right side.
Before long, among the disciples of the three major sects, except for a very small number who bet on Chu Huaian, all the rest bet on Nameless to win.
This made Fang Yuan extremely happy.
To win even more, he ran in front of Jing Yuan and the other two, grinning, "Three seniors, would you like to place a bet?"
Jing Yuan glanced at him sideways, "Do you have money to pay?"
"Hey, don't look down on me! Tell me, how much are you betting?!"
"A spirit vein." Jing Yuan said faintly.
"A, a, a spirit vein??" Fang Yuan's eyes widened, and he unconsciously swallowed his saliva.
"Yes, a spirit vein. Do you accept?" Jing Yuan repeated.
"Accept! I'll take this big order!"
"Which side are you betting on?!"
"The left side, Chu Huaian to win."
"Uh... sorry to bother you." Fang Yuan gave an awkward smile.
He slipped away.
...
In the center of the battlefield, divine lightning raged, and chaotic energy permeated the surroundings. The void continuously shattered and closed.
Within a hundred miles, the laws were chaotic: sometimes heavy rain, sometimes scorching sun, and stars rotating in reverse.
Dong—
A thunderous sound echoed across the sky, and two figures emerged from the void.
Chu Huaian was bleeding from all seven orifices, his white hair wildly fluttering in the strong wind, and half of the lightning spirit-transformed wings behind him were gone.
"His divine soul is shattering."
Jing Yuan and the others saw Chu Huaian's state and felt a sudden pang in their hearts.
In contrast, Nameless's black robe was tattered, one arm was severed, and wisps of lightning power still lingered on his body.
Both suffered heavy losses!
Jing Yuan and the others wanted to rush forward but were interrupted by a commanding shout.
"Don't come over!"
Chu Huaian straightened his body, his gaze like a torch fixed on Nameless. "Do you regret it?"
Nameless's face showed a complex expression. He silently shook his head, then said, "This old man does not regret destroying Xuantian Sect, but regrets not eliminating you four years ago. It is truly a pity."
Chu Huaian scoffed, no longer hesitating. He raised the Emperor Weapon in his hand and said with endless hatred, "This sword, for the six thousand one hundred thirty-eight people of Xuantian Sect, demands your life!"
The sword rose.
The firmament cracked, and chaotic divine lightning, like thousands of purple pythons, tore through the clouds. All the mountains below collapsed with a roar.
Sword energy and divine lightning intertwined, transforming into a lightning dragon that fiercely struck down.
Facing such a powerful sword strike, Nameless unleashed all his cultivation, using the power of laws as a guide to manifest a colossal sky python that ascended against the heavens.
Lightning dragon versus giant python.
Boom—
A white flash streaked by, and the world instantly dimmed.
Everyone instinctively closed their eyes.
When the surroundings returned to calm, everyone finally opened their eyes.
What met their eyes was a scene of ruins. A sword mark had cleaved a neat abyss from which magma continuously erupted.
In the very center, two figures stood opposite each other.
A gentle breeze swept by, and Nameless's body turned into wisps of gray smoke, dissipating between heaven and earth, his divine soul extinguished.
"We won!"
"Xian Ge won!"
The players cheered, rushing collectively towards Chu Huaian.
However, when they saw Chu Huaian's true appearance, they instantly quieted down.
Chu Huaian was bleeding from all seven orifices, and his divine soul was like a candle in the wind, capable of extinguishing at any moment.
"Leave here!"
Jing Yuan and the others flashed in front of Chu Huaian, their eyes vigilantly watching the Lian Shi Sect members.
Yun Xiang pushed through the crowd, wanting to take Chu Huaian away immediately, but at this moment, the players were even more anxious than her.
Luo Xi embraced Chu Huaian's body and, under the cover of the players, quickly crushed a teleportation talisman.
The Lian Shi Sect Leader's eyes were filled with doubt and surprise as he watched them all withdraw from Lian Shi Sect territory.
"Sect Master, now is the best time to eliminate Hua Xia Sect! Why not ally with Limitless Sect..." An elder spoke, his face showing anxiety, offering a suggestion.
If this group from Hua Xia Sect were not eliminated, Lian Shi Sect would sooner or later be destroyed by them.
"It can't be destroyed..." The Lian Shi Sect Leader murmured, then turned around dejectedly, leading everyone back into the sect.
"Issue an order: from now on, if any disciples encounter disciples of Hua Xia Sect, they are to keep their distance as much as possible and must not provoke trouble with them. Anyone who disobeys will be expelled from the sect!"
...
On the other side, everyone rushed back to Hua Xia Sect.
Gongdi Xiao Wang led dozens of players to build a simple thatched hut in the back mountain and placed Chu Huaian on the bed.
"Luo Xi..." Chu Huaian's eyes were hazy, and blood continuously seeped from the corners of his mouth.
"I'm here." Luo Xi sat by the bed, reaching out to gently wipe away the blood from Chu Huaian's mouth.
"The sect is entrusted to you now. Watch over them... especially Fang Yuan and the others..."
"Okay..." Luo Xi nodded slightly.
"Let everyone go out first." Chu Huaian waved his hand at the crowd.
"I'll stay and take care of you." Yun Xiang, her eyes tearful, squatted beside Chu Huaian and said softly.
"I'm fine. Your presence here will only hinder my recovery."
"Then you must get well soon..."
"Mm..."
Soon, everyone exited the thatched hut.
As soon as the crowd left, Chu Huaian took out the leaf from his storage ring, placed it on his chest, and then fell into a deep sleep.
...
As soon as the players left the back mountain, they saw Fang Yuan sneaking around, trying to escape.
"Fang Yuan! Stop right there!"
Sun Yiyi's angry roar instantly startled everyone.
"Damn it!" Fang Yuan shrieked and took off running.
But he hadn't run more than a few steps before his body was restrained, and a group of players surrounded him.
"Hand over the goods!" Sun Yiyi grunted twice.
"Easy, easy. First, release me, one by one." Fang Yuan gave an awkward smile.
Fang Yuan had thought he would make a huge profit this time, but after tallying the bets, he realized it wasn't enough to pay out!
Except for Luo Xi and a few others who didn't participate, almost all the players had bet everything they had.
The other sect disciples who participated in the betting, their total wagers only covered two-thirds of the payout.
For the remaining portion, Fang Yuan scrounged and patched together funds to barely make up the difference.
"It's over! I'm completely broke now!" Fang Yuan wanted to cry but had no tears, kneeling in the center of the ruins and howling at the sky.
Back to square one, life is unlivable now!