Chapter 192: Chapter 50 Han Qianye
In a spacious private room of the black market, a middle-aged man with a dignified brow sat quietly, his eyes closed in meditation.
By his side was an extremely beautiful young woman. If Zhang Xuan had been there, he would have recognized her as the daughter of Sun Chengyou, the wandering cultivator they had met in Baiyan City, Sun Lianxiang.
She was the newly wedded queen of King Ping Yuan.
Only someone of her esteemed status could audaciously draw out two million Origin Currency to save her father.
“The person who intends to compete with the old master, do we still not know who it is?”
Sun Lianxiang slightly furrowed her brows.
Three days ago, the black market had announced that someone wished to compete with His Highness. As for who it specifically was, they did not say. They had thought it would be known in a couple of days since there were only a handful in the whole Han Yuan City whose cultivation reached such a realm, but despite extensive inquiries, the identity of this master remained a mystery… It was as if this expert had appeared out of thin air.
“Replying to Your Highness, not yet… Moreover, even the odds have not been announced!”
A subordinate dressed in black bowed with his hands cupped.
Sun Lianxiang displayed her displeasure, “What is Fu Yingying playing at? Does she no longer wish to compete?”
The King was obsessed with martial arts, and in his quest for a breakthrough, he constantly sought challengers. It would be truly unfortunate if the opportunity slipped away because the other party got cold feet.
“Look quickly, the list of competitors has just appeared…”
Just then, someone outside the room shouted.
“Go see who it is!”
Relieved, Sun Lianxiang hurriedly instructed. The black-clad subordinate left the room and soon returned, bowing with his hands cupped, “Reporting to Your Highness, the one competing with His Highness is… Elder Ling Buyang from Heaven Mandate Hall!”
Startled for a moment, Sun Lianxiang shook her head, “His strength is not weak, but he is greedy and lecherous, and a cowardly person. Competing against him, can he really help His Highness achieve a breakthrough?”
A breakthrough through a life-and-death fight is a very dangerous affair. If the opponent is too strong, one could be killed before reaching the threshold; if too weak, they wouldn’t be able to push one to their full potential.
Ling Buyang was not weak, but unfortunately, he lacked the intensity needed to push His Highness to unleash his ultimate combat strength.
“Such high-level warriors all cherish their reputation, and it’s hard for them to make a move. This guy probably also hopes to use this opportunity for a breakthrough…”
Sighing, Sun Lianxiang took out a stack of Origin Notes and passed them over, saying, “Well then, since we are here, let His Highness have his bout, just to warm up. As for us, we did not come here for nothing. These five million Origin Currency, bet on His Highness winning big!”
“Yes!” The black-clad subordinate nodded and walked out. Shortly, he returned with a peculiar look on his face, “Your Highness, the odds for His Highness and that Elder Ling have just been released. The discrepancy is too vast; I didn’t dare to bet rashly and have come to discuss it with Your Highness…”
Sun Lianxiang hummed lightly, “High odds? Isn’t that quite normal? His Highness has been battling on the frontier for years, unmatched in strength. How could a cowardly elder possibly compete…”
The subordinate awkwardly interjected, “Not that… it’s not that His Highness has low odds, but the odds for His Highness to win are actually quite high, having reached as much as 3.5 times! While the opponent is only at 1.3 times!”
“What?”
Sun Lianxiang’s face showed disbelief.
In this sort of black market competition, the higher the odds, the less favorable the view of the competitor’s chances, similar to the odds of China’s men’s soccer team beating Brazil being 501…
Although 3.5 times isn’t extremely high, it clearly reflects the attitude of the black market.
Ling Buyang… beating His Highness? Was that a joke?
“Your Highness, shall we still place our bet?” the black-clad subordinate asked.
Sun Lianxiang frowned, “Ling Buyang suddenly having such high odds, has he achieved any remarkable feats lately?”
There couldn’t be such a sudden increase in odds without corresponding strength. It was utterly unreasonable.
“I’m not entirely sure, but… there is a fat man who claims to be well-informed. He was just explaining to someone else. Should I invite him over?” the subordinate hesitated.
“Fat man?”
Sun Lianxiang paused for a moment, then nodded, “Alright, let him come! I want to see why Fu Yingying holds Ling Buyang in such high regard.”
It wasn’t long before the fat man entered, bowing with his hands cupped, “Idle man Sun Qiang, at your service, Your Highness and Queen!”
“You said you have information about Elder Ling Buyang?” Sun Lianxiang looked over.
“Yes…”
The one named Sun Qiang slightly smiled, his eyes narrowing into slits, “This information is absolutely true and could greatly assist His Highness and Your Highness!”
“Speak, as long as the information is true, you won’t lack for rewards!”
Sun Lianxiang gestured with her hand.
“This…”
Sun Qiang, somewhat embarrassed, “My lady, to be frank, my intelligence sells for a marked price, twenty thousand Origin Currency per item!”
“Twenty thousand Origin Currency? Are you simply trying to extort us? Do you believe I would have you arrested right now?” the black-clad subordinate raised an eyebrow.
Twenty thousand Origin Currency for just a piece of information, which wasn’t even exclusive, was indeed a bit preposterous.
“I dare not!” Sun Qiang took a step back, inadvertently revealing his level of cultivation.
The meditating King Ping Yuan glanced over and said, “Give it to him!”
“Yes!” Sun Lianxiang nodded and signaled. The black-clad servant immediately took out twenty thousand Origin Currency and handed it over.
Sun Qiang, with a delighted face, counted the money to make sure the amount was correct, then started smiling, “Just today, Li Yue’an ambushed Elder Feng Zhaoting and easily killed him!”
Sun Lianxiang and King Ping Yuan, Han Qianye, were both stunned.
Elder Feng Zhaoting was extremely renowned, and he had backing from an organization. He died just like that?
The black-clad servant spoke up, “What does their fight have to do with Ling Buyang?”
Sun Qiang replied, “Li Yue’an was killed by Elder Ling Buyang. It’s precisely for this reason that the black market gave him such low odds!”
“Feng Zhaoting and I are equal in strength, and with the Thousand Threads fragments of the heavens, he controls many puppets, which would have given me a headache if I had encountered him. Li Yue’an managing to kill him implies that he must have already broken through to the Dharma Form Realm!”
Qian Ye’s face was solemn as he said, “Ling Buyang was able to kill him too. Could he have broken through as well?”
Feng Zhaoting’s strength was already formidable. Coupled with his control over puppets through Thousand Threads, even those in the Dharma Form Realm had difficulty contending with him. Yet, Li Yue’an was able to slay him, a feat not to be underestimated.
And in slaying him, Ling Buyang might be even stronger than myself.
Sun Lianxiang frowned, “Could it be that Li Yue’an and Feng Zhaoting fought and Li Yue’an was gravely injured, allowing Ling Buyang to take advantage with a sneak attack?”
Qian Ye shook his head, “That’s possible, but the black market definitely has its basis for setting the odds; they wouldn’t act without sufficient evidence. It seems this Ling Buyang’s strength isn’t as simple as the legends suggest…”
Concern showed on Sun Lianxiang’s face as she asked, “Shall we still compete then?”
Qian Ye chuckled lightly, “Compete, why not? He may be strong, but I am not weak either. Besides, I have a trump card; overcoming him won’t be that easy…”
Before he had finished speaking, two middle-aged men entered, both of whom were very unfamiliar in appearance.
The subordinate in black frowned, “Who are these people, daring to barge into the Prince’s private room?”
“It’s me!”
The leading middle-aged man declared in a calm voice.
Qian Ye’s face tensed, and he quickly stood up, “I’ve seen…”
“Enough!”
The middle-aged man waved his hand and turned to say, “Give it to him!”
“Yes!” The subordinate behind him immediately handed over a package, which Qian Ye opened with curiosity, only to find it was a suit of armor.
“This is… Han Ming Armor?”
Qian Ye was stunned.
The visitor was none other than the Qingtian Emperor of the Han Yuan Dynasty, Han Qianchou, and Eunuch Li.
“Yes, put it on before the match!”
Han Qianchou gestured with his hand.
“Does brother know something?” Qian Ye looked puzzled.
The Han Ming Armor, being the personal armor of his brother, ranked among the top in the entire Han Yuan Dynasty. To have him wear it for just a match showed how much he feared the opponent!
“Brother?”
Upon hearing this title, everyone in the room changed their expression.
Across the entire realm, there was likely only one person who could be addressed this way by King Ping Yuan.
“Hmm!”
Han Qianchou glanced at Sun Qiang, waved his hand, and knowing the matter to be discussed was likely sensitive, Sun Qiang bowed and turned to leave.
After he was gone, Han Qianchou said, “Feng Zhaoting teamed up with Li Yue’an to ambush Ling Buyang, who easily killed them and additionally slew 34 puppets, 11 of whom had reached the Half-Spiritual Perception realm!”
Before this information had not been confirmed, it was merely speculation. But now, it had been thoroughly investigated, and even the bodies had been found.
“This…”
Qian Ye’s pupils suddenly dilated.
Handling one Feng Zhaoting combined with the puppets was tough enough, let alone Li Yue’an as well!
This meant that Ling Buyang’s strength was far more terrifying than imagined.
No wonder his elder brother personally delivered the armor.
“Wear the armor and try to press Ling Buyang as much as possible to see if he can use the Mo Blade Martial Skill. I suspect he has been switched…”
Han Qianchou’s eyes were deep with thought.
Noticing the anomaly with Ling Buyang, he had ordered his men to investigate Ling’s experiences in Baiyan City. To his surprise, the more he uncovered, the stranger it seemed.
Xu Hong was dead, the head of the Liu Clan had been murdered… Out of nowhere, this genius named Zhang Xuan emerged, only to vanish without a trace.
And then… upon returning to Han Yuan City, Ling Buyang began acting contrary to his usual behavior, killing Feng Yizhou followed by Feng Zhaoting and Li Yue’an—everything about it was suspicious.
“Yes!”
Qian Ye nodded.
After the brothers finished, silence fell once again in the room.
The subordinate in black hesitated before looking at Sun Lianxiang again, “Your Majesty, the wager… shall we still place it?”
Sun Lianxiang was uncertain how to reply when Han Qianchou suddenly spoke, “Of course, Li Daban, place a bet of 10 million on Qian Ye to win!”
Qian Ye showed an awkward expression, “Does elder brother have that much confidence that I can win?”
Han Qianchou shook his head, “With the Han Ming Armor protecting you, I think it will be hard even to break your defense. You just need to focus on using its power to break through. Defeating the opponent is just a matter of time!”
Qian Ye nodded, “Yes!”
Hearing the top expert of Han Yuan City speak thus, Sun Lianxiang’s eyes sparkled as she hurriedly said, “Go bet five million on His Highness to win!”
The subordinate in black nodded, “Yes!”
“If this Ling Buyang turns out to be Zhang Xuan, then things could get really interesting…”
Recalling the intelligence received before entering the black market, Qian Ye’s gaze flickered, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.