Yang Cheng’s wager was ten top-grade True Essence Pills.
Li Anle’s wager was a rare treasure-grade long spear.
It could be said that both wagers were of significant value.
“Ling Xiao, if you can’t come up with a decent wager, how about this?”
Yang Cheng looked at Ling Xiao with contempt and said, “If you lose, you’ll become our servant. If we tell you to go east, you go east; if we tell you to go west, you go west. How’s that?”
Ling Xiao smiled faintly and said, “Heh, with the wagers you two are offering, they’re not worthy of me betting my own fate. Unless you can offer over ten thousand top-grade True Essence Pills or a divine-grade treasure weapon, then I might consider it.”
He wasn’t afraid to bet, but in a wager like this, the value of the stakes should be comparable. Betting himself would be a bit beneath him.
“Hmph, if you don’t dare to bet, just say so. All this talk, as if you could actually come up with a decent wager.”
Li Anle snorted coldly.
Ling Xiao just smiled, said nothing, and with a wave of his hand, a thousand-year Golden Snow Lotus appeared in his grasp.
“Would this be enough for a wager?”
“A thousand-year Golden Snow Lotus!”
Before Yang Cheng or Li Anle could speak, Elder Bai stood up in shock and said, “Enough, absolutely enough. This thousand-year Golden Snow Lotus is slightly more valuable than both of their wagers combined.”
Hearing Elder Bai’s words, Yang Cheng and Li Anle’s faces turned sour.
They hadn’t expected Ling Xiao to possess such a treasure.
Ling Xiao thought to himself, *I’ve got plenty more treasures. Over this time, I’ve cultivated many herbs and demonic beasts in the Mountain River World. It’s just that I haven’t had the time or need to bring them out.*
Whether it’s herbs or beasts, the longer they grow, the more valuable they become—a fact well-known in the Mysterious Realm.
A thousand-year Golden Snow Lotus, matured just a year ago, is incredibly rare.
Now, Ling Xiao’s Mountain River Martial Soul had advanced to the ninth level, unlocking a new special ability—Mountain River Dominion.
This was the final special ability the Mountain River Martial Soul could grant him. According to the Mountain River Diagram, while the Martial Soul would continue to level up, it would only enhance the existing nine abilities, with no new ones added.
Ling Xiao studied the Mountain River Dominion ability closely. It essentially allowed him to control everything between heaven and earth.
However, at its current low level, it could only guide a portion of natural energy between heaven and earth to complement his True Essence for attacks.
Additionally, it could absorb natural forces to promote the growth of plants and animals in the Mountain River World.
This growth effect was far superior to before. One day of growth in the Mountain River World was equivalent to ten years in the outside world.
Take the Golden Snow Lotus, for example. A seedling only needed to grow for a hundred days in the Mountain River World to become a thousand-year Snow Lotus.
And this growth boost was temporary. As Ling Xiao’s strength and the Mountain River Martial Soul’s level increased, the effect would improve further.
The most remarkable aspect wasn’t even this. The true wonder was that animals or plants in the Mountain River World, once reaching maturity, would hardly age further.
No matter how much time passed, they remained the same.
This meant that if Ling Xiao cultivated a ten-thousand-year demonic beast, it was entirely possible.
Unfortunately, this ability couldn’t yet be applied to intelligent races like humans or the Blue-Eyed Clan. Otherwise, Ling Xiao could achieve a form of immortality.
Even so, cultivating a thousand-year Snow Lotus in just a hundred days was an absolute asset for Ling Xiao.
Why had he agreed to join the Medicine Hall and help Master Yang?
Aside from not wanting to offend Master Yang, this was the real reason.
“Good. Since you can offer this thousand-year Golden Snow Lotus, let’s set the challenge date.”
Though they were displeased, Yang Cheng and Li Anle were both covetous of the thousand-year Golden Snow Lotus. Winning it and having a pharmacist in the Medicine Hall refine it into a pill would be far superior to top-grade True Essence Pills.
So, naturally, they agreed to the challenge.
“How about this: I’ve just joined the Moonflower Sect and have some personal matters to handle, especially with the Medicine Hall, which I can’t delay. Give me one day, and we’ll have the public challenge the day after tomorrow. Sound good?”
Ling Xiao thought for a moment and said.
“What, you want to challenge both of them at once?”
Elder Bai was stunned and asked.
“Yes.”
Ling Xiao nodded.
Elder Bai frowned, thinking Ling Xiao was too arrogant. But since he had no close ties with Ling Xiao, he didn’t care much and said calmly, “Very well, the public challenge will be the day after tomorrow. I’ll send out the notice today.”
“Agreed!”
Yang Cheng and Li Anle also nodded.
Since Ling Xiao was foolish enough to challenge both of them in one day, they weren’t bothered.
“Good. The challenge will take place the morning after next at the outer sect challenge platform. If anyone fails to show by noon, it’ll be considered a forfeit, and the wagered items will go to the other party.”
Elder Bai reminded them.
“Understood!”
After settling the challenge details, the three returned to their respective residences.
Not long after Ling Xiao returned, Elder Bai announced his public challenge against Li Anle and Yang Cheng.
At the plaza, the announcement board displayed the details in black and white.
“Hahaha, this Ling Xiao is something else. Not only does he dare to challenge a Half-Step Master, but he’s taking on two at once. I’ve seen reckless people, but never this insane.”
A crowd gathered around the announcement board.
There were new outer sect disciples, but most were veteran ones.
No one believed Ling Xiao could win against two opponents. Many new outer sect disciples worried for him, feeling he was too impulsive.
Of course, some gloated, like Xu Ying.
The veteran outer sect disciples, meanwhile, were mostly looking forward to seeing Ling Xiao make a fool of himself.
“Second Imperial Brother, this Ling Xiao is truly overestimating himself. He only managed to fend off Li Anle that day because Li Anle underestimated him. Yang Cheng is ten times stronger than Li Anle, and he dares to challenge him? Is he mad?”
Standing before the announcement board, Zhao Ci said with a hint of exasperation.
This girl was kind-hearted, a rare trait for someone raised in the imperial family, so her feelings toward Ling Xiao were more of puzzlement.
“Maybe he’s actually confident. I, for one, think this Ling Xiao has some skill.”
Zhao Zhi smiled and said, “Besides, whether he succeeds or not, it’ll serve as a reference for us. We’ll have to challenge the top thirty eventually. Those benefits are too good to pass up.”
“Sigh!”
Zhao Ci sighed and turned to leave.
By the rules, all outer sect disciples could challenge the top thirty, but they only got one chance per month. If they failed, they’d have to wait a year to try again.
That’s why Zhao Zhi, though eager, hadn’t acted—he lacked absolute confidence.
Xu Ying was in the same boat.
