"You…" Nan Yu pointed at Ye Futian, his face livid, never expecting to be insulted in front of everyone. He was, after all, still a member of the Nantian House and was of the Noble Plane. He never thought Ye Futian would have grown even more arrogant and contemptuous.
Nan Hao and Nan Feng eyed Ye Futian coldly, thinking that the Law Battle champion had indeed grown increasingly arrogant. He deliberately refrained from making a move against Ye Futian on the Holy Road, due to wanting to see where Ye Futian would end up with Hua Jieyu after they made it out of the Holy Road. Nan Yu had never expected him to defeat Zhuge Xing and crush Bai Ze, emerging as the ultimate dark horse by becoming the champion. Ye Futian then entered the Holy Zhi Palace and became a couple with Hua Jieyu. Furthermore, many who entered along with Ye Futian were by his side, even Xu Yue, who had defeated him.
Ye Futian spared a glance at Nan Yu and saw that the elders of Nantian House were there as well. However, he did not care about their presence and continued to eye Nan Yu sarcastically. Nan Yu was all high and mighty as he deemed others to be below him, and now Ye Futian thought it best to have Nan Yu taste his own medicine—humiliation and ridicule.
"Ye Futian, the Law Battle champion to enter the Holy Zhi Palace three years ago." Many turned their eyes to look at them, mainly Ye Futian. They were guessing if the incredibly handsome young man was Ye Futian or not. He was able to beat Bai Ze and Huang Jiuge three years ago, earning his place as the Law Battle champion. Three years had passed since, and he should have grown even stronger.
Many mighty ones who were browsing ritual implements far away came near them, and Ye Futian expectedly found many familiar faces among those people. There were Bing Yi and Chu Shang from the Mortal World, Yan Jiu and his entourage of Sword Saint Villa, and even Xie Ji from the Sacred Fire Sect. All of them had participated in the battle to enter the Holy Zhi Palace, and many came to the Alchemy Casino that day.
The air turned rather peculiar in an instant with their presence. Bing Yi, Xie Ji and Yan Jiu, after all, lost to Ye Futian once.
"The students of the Holy Zhi Palace are here." Many more came and laid eyes on Ye Futian's party. The eyes of the spectators all burned with brimming brilliance, speaking of their extraordinary bearing.
The Holy Zhi Palace was considered sacred ground in the Barren State. While many top forces did not participate in the examination battles of the palace, the students of the Holy Zhi Palace proved to be quite an attraction no matter where they went.
Ye Futian scanned the crowd and smirked before taking his steps forward again. Everyone around walked with them. The only reason the students of the Holy Zhi Palace are here is definitely because of the ritual implements and to get the prizes in the Alchemy Casino. These students need to do battle. With that said, will we all be getting to see the Holy Zhi Palace students fight? many wondered.
Ye Futian kept walking around for a bit before stopping somewhere. Ye Wuchen had his eyes on a short sword floating in the air before him. The weapon felt like a shadow, shimmering in and out of existence and emitting dazzling light. It was a ritual implement capable of containing a Life Spirit. Ye Wuchen's Life Spirit was none other than a small silver sword, and it was only natural for him to halt there.
"I want that sword. How do I go about with the gamble fights?" Ye Futian pointed at the sword and said. A group of people came by. They were all in golden attire, and the leader was an elder of immeasurable strength. His eyes turned to look in another corner, seeing a swordsman from the Sword Saint Villa standing right there, exuding terrifying will of sharpness all over.
"The Sword Saint Villa intended to take the sword as well. If you want to go on with the gamble fight, one of you needs to do battle with the one from the Sword Saint Villa. So, who is up for this?" the elder explained with a smile. A battle between the Holy Zhi Palace and the Sword Saint Villa would surely bring a crowd.
Ye Futian looked at the other party and came to suddenly realize what Zhong Li said. The rules of the gamble fights were set by the casino, and it was impossible for the house to lose. For instance, the battle between them and the Sword Saint Villa. Both sides needed to pledge something of equal value to the sword, which would then be measured by the house. What they both would offer would have to be something the casino would like more, which meant the value of whatever was offered needed to exceed the value of the sword. As such, if they were to reach an agreement with the Sword Saint Villa, the casino would still emerge as the winner, regardless of who won the battle. Furthermore, the battle between the Holy Zhi Palace students and the students of the Sword Saint Villa would surely attract attention.
Ye Futian cast his gaze at Yan Jiu and smirked. "You want to try again?"
Yan Jiu eyed Ye Futian with eyes as sharp as a sword. While Yan Jiu had improved a lot over the past three years, there was no way Ye Futian would have been sitting around doing nothing; Yan Jiu was not sure of his chances of winning.
"Both disciples of the Tingxue Swordsman and the Wuji Swordsman were unable to fight previously, how about…" The elder opened his mouth with a smile as he eyed on Xu Que and Yan Jiu. Ye Futian glanced at the elder. A cunning old fox indeed. If those two disciples of the great swordsmen were to fight here, it would surely cause quite a fuss.
"I'm fine with anything." Xu Que shrugged.
Yan Jiu eyed Xu Que. He looking for a sure-win in gamble fights like these, and there was no certainty he would emerge as victor if he was to be pitted against Xu Que.
"How about you pick between me, Xu Que, and Yu Sheng?" Ye Futian intervened. He did not bother asking about Yan Jiu's plane level. He resorted to make his own measurements with things.
As the heir of Sword Saint Villa, Yan Jiu's results from training for three years would be formidable. Ye Wuchen's chances would be slim if he were to fight, as Ye Wuchen's plane was definitely lower than Yan Jiu's.
"I'll pick Yu Sheng," Yan Jiu said as he pointed his finger at Yu Sheng. He lost to Ye Futian back then, and Yu Sheng lost to Xu Que. Yu Sheng's combat capacity was utterly terrifying, but Xu Que had been able to fight Yu Sheng and win by combining his speed with sword techniques. Yan Jiu's sword attacks were as fast as lightning, and he deemed himself of being able to accomplish what Xu Que did back then.
"Deal." Ye Futian smriked. Yu Sheng glanced at Yan Jiu plainly, his eyes colored with a tinge of ridicule.
"The sword was something forged by a sage; a high-class sage ritual implement. What do you offer as a bet." The elder looked at Ye Futian's party.
"The guqin score of Liu Kuangsheng, the Nine-fingered Guqin Devil: Mesmerize," Ye Futian said.
"That will do." The elder nodded with a smile. The Nine-fingered Guqin Devil was a senior from the previous generation. His song, Mesmerize, was notorious in all of Barren State as many top-class figures fell under the song. It was deemed a worthy bet, and it seemed that Ye Futian was incredibly confident about the battle.
"Please, if you would." The elder led the way. Ye Futian and his party moved and everyone around them began to move in the same direction.
Someone beside the elder asked the elder, "How about we make a bet on the fight?"
"That is a given." The elder's eyes sparkled. There was no way that there would be no bets with one such battle.
"The odds?"
"Two to one if Yu Sheng wins, one to two if Yan Jiu wins," the elder said with a smile.
"Wha…" The pupils of the eyes of everyone around dilated. You have that much faith in Yu Sheng?
Yan Jiu was famous, and that was further compounded by the fact that while Yu Sheng was formidable, he had lost to Xu Que. Such odds would have had most betting on Yan Jiu. If Yu Sheng lost, they would have lost a big one.
"Relax." The elder then left with a smile on his face. He deemed that there was no way that Yu Sheng would lose. The odds he put were simply to have people bet on Yan Jiu.
As the game was set, many in the Alchemy Casino bet on Yan Jiu in a crazed rush. Yan Jiu was a top-class genius and the heir of the Sword Saint Villa. While he did lose to Ye Futian, Ye Futian's emergence as number one in the battles meant that there was nothing surprising about Yan Jiu's loss. While Yu Sheng was indeed formidable, he ended up losing to Xu Que. As such, the odds of both people should have been even. However, since the odds were set in such an imbalanced manner, most would have bet on Yan Jiu.
Of course, there were still quite a number of people who refrained from betting. The casino was clever, and they deemed it wise to be on their guard. There were definitely reasons for them to place so much faith on Yu Sheng.
The Alchemy Casino had specialized platforms for holding gamble fights. Both Yu Sheng and Yan Jiu stepped on to the platform and found themselves surrounded by countless people. There were many who were unable to personally witness the fight for entry into the Holy Zhi Palace, and it was only natural they were now excited to witness Yu Sheng, who was already studying in the palace, fight Yan Jiu.
"Those scum from the Alchemy Casino." The members of Sword Saint Villa looked livid hearing about the odds. Are they trying to insult the Sword Saint Villa? One to two and two to one; the difference was four times. Yan Jiu knew of the odds. He stood covered with intense sword aura on the platform, sporting very cold looks.
"Please," the person hosting the fight said. The sword aura covering Yan Jiu burst, covering the entire platform in his sword might. As a superior noble, he was far stronger than he used to be. Incredibly dazzling swords were conjured in the air, and each and every one shone with golden light. Their collective weight seemed comparable to mountains as they floated above Yu Sheng's head. It was as if they were going to fall on him.
"Such strength." Many of the spectators were excited. While it was common for sages to fight in the casino, fights between top-class geniuses were rare instead.
The fearsome sparkle of swords flashed in Yan Jiu eyes as he pointed his finger. Nine tremendously heavy swords felt straight down at Yu Sheng.
Yu Sheng looked up. Layers of light burst from his body shortly after, as if piercing through his body. He stomped on the ground and his body rumbled in response. Gloomy and Ruinous Star Acupoints opened, drawing out terrifying power from his body, as if dark golden storms whipped about.
Boom. A heavy sword was seen coming for Yu Sheng. He took the sword with both his hands. Many trembled at the sight as the heavy sword got closer and closer but was surprisingly stopped by Yu Sheng's hands. He held his ground as the clothes on his body burst from terrifying sword aura. A tremendously stout bronze-colored body was seen, brimming with intense power. Many saw Yu Sheng simply pick up the sword and fling it away, hitting the other eight swords falling onto him.
"Wha…" Many witnessed the scene in shock, and those who bet on Yan Jiu began to have a bad feeling about things.
Rumbling sounds of explosions sounded out as the heavy swords were destroyed one after another. Flashes of swords shot out from Yan Jiu's eyes, and beams of dark and light swords zipped through the air. Yu Sheng's stout body was, however, covered in dark golden demonic armor. The swords tore through his armor, yet his physical body was like armor as well, as it went on to withstand the onslaught from the swords without budging.
Yan Jiu's Swords of Light and Darkness were tremendously fast and ferocious. While their damage potential was not as strong as the heavy swords', their sharpness was such that they were still capable of cutting down foes with one slash. However, they failed to pierce through Yu Sheng's defenses and physical body.
Yan Jiu's eyes continued to glare at Yu Sheng. He did not expect Yu Sheng to have grown so much over the past three years!