Chapter 68

With a faint sense of melancholy, Wei Changfeng returned to his dormitory. He needed to calm down and sort out his thoughts. Ouyang Feng's departure from Jingyun Martial Academy had deprived him of a solid backing and his position as the chief disciple. During this period, Wei Changfeng had been able to focus solely on practicing swordsmanship at Qingyuan Cottage, and this backing and position had played a significant role. Coupled with the reputation of being Dongfang Caibai's disciple, it had intimidated certain unsavory characters. Now, without this support, it was inevitable that some people would start to make moves. The previous trouble from Wang An's room was a perfect example. If Ouyang Feng hadn't anticipated it, he might have lost his life. Fortunately, without Ouyang Feng's protection, the head of the academy, Dongfang Zheng, had given him a guarantee, though it was limited to within the academy. This could help him avoid many troubles. For example, the Punishment Hall and Qingyun Hall; if a certain figure were to act, it would be too easy to deal with a low-ranking disciple like him. Dongfang Caibai couldn't always step in for him. Therefore, Dongfang Zheng's promise undoubtedly became a new talisman, a silver lining amidst the clouds! However, Wei Changfeng had never been one to entrust his fate to others. Ultimately, the only person he could truly rely on was himself! After clearing his thoughts, Wei Changfeng sat cross-legged on the bed, silently practicing the method of dividing the mind and transforming thoughts, while simultaneously activating the Qianyang True Method and the Taixu Heart Sutra. Gradually, he entered a state of complete absorption. The three dantians—the forehead, chest, and abdomen—cultivated together without interfering with each other. The faint, mist-like soul power, the nebula-like Taixu energy, and the furnace-like Qianyang true qi gradually derived, condensed, and refined, bit by bit increasing his cultivation. The bedroom was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard. Meanwhile, just a short distance from the academy dormitories, the Ruyi Gambling Hall was bustling with noise and excitement! Although the Ruyi Gambling Hall was not located in Jingyun City, its reputation was well-known. Due to its location, many traveling merchants, sailors, wandering martial artists, treasure hunters, and academy disciples often came to this large gambling hall to try their luck. Besides the common dice and pai gow gambling, the hall often set up betting based on various current events and competitions. For example, the battle for the Southern Pass between the Great Qin and the Great Chu half a month ago had a betting setup. Additionally, due to its proximity to Jingyun Martial Academy, the hall was influenced by the academy's dynamics, and there were many open and hidden betting pools, such as the top ten disciples of the upper academy. Jingyun Martial Academy, of course, could not be unaware of this, but due to certain unspeakable reasons, they always turned a blind eye. Today, above the largest betting table in the Ruyi Gambling Hall, two shiny black long plaques hung, dividing the table into two large sections with red lines. The sections contained chips with times and odds, which changed periodically. Around the betting table, a crowd of various gamblers gathered, including many lower academy disciples. They held small amounts of silver or small silver notes, either pondering silently or whispering to each other. "Today is the last day for placing bets, the match will start the day after tomorrow!" "The odds for Wei are rising, it looks like he's in deep trouble this time!" "I've already bet on Master Hao to win, with a half-hour resolution, I placed 150 taels of silver!" "Half an hour, you're really brave, isn't Wei that bad?" They were discussing the life-or-death match between Wei Changfeng and Hao Xiong the day after tomorrow. The origin of this betting pool was obvious! Although similar betting pools existed within the academy, they were mostly small-scale and couldn't compare to the Ruyi Gambling Hall, which had a guaranteed reputation. The lower academy disciple who placed 150 taels on Wei Changfeng losing in half an hour immediately drew the attention of many people, especially those who were just there for the excitement, hoping to get some inside information. "Senior, do you have such confidence?" "I heard that Wei Changfeng is learning swordsmanship from Master Dongfang..." "Ha, what can he learn in half a month? Will Master Dongfang fight for him?" "Half an hour is a bit risky, I'll bet on one hour!" As everyone was discussing, a tall man in a cloak entered the gambling hall. Such attire was common among martial artists and treasure hunters, so he didn't attract any attention. The tall man looked up and saw the two golden characters "Wei" and "Hao" on the black plaques above the central betting table. A strange light flashed in his eyes. He walked straight over and rudely pushed aside two people who were watching the table. They were about to curse but, seeing his attire and build, swallowed their words. The gambling hall was a mix of all sorts of people, and it was better not to start conflicts over trivial matters. The cloaked man, now in a good position, focused on the right side of the table. The right side was for betting on Wei Changfeng's victory, with chips arranged according to different odds. The cloaked man hesitated for a moment, then took out five silver notes and placed them on the table. "Betting on Wei Changfeng, half-hour victory!" The house dealer took the silver notes, his face changing. "500 taels, betting on Wei Changfeng to win in half an hour?" The dealer's voice was loud, and the surrounding discussions immediately stopped. All eyes were on the cloaked man, filled with surprise, disbelief, and amusement. Someone was betting 500 taels on Wei Changfeng to win in half an hour, was he too rich? The cloaked man, seemingly unaware of the strange looks, asked in a deep voice, "Is there a problem?" The dealer composed himself and smiled, "500 taels from the Sihai Money House, no problem, place the chips!" Five of the largest chips were pushed to the cloaked man by the house staff. The odds were 27 to 1, meaning if Wei Changfeng really won in half an hour, the cloaked man would win 13,500 taels! In the gambling hall, there were always gamblers who bet small to win big, but it was unbelievable that someone would place such a high bet on such a long shot. Was this person crazy or foolish, just giving money to the house? Who among the academy disciples didn't know that Hao Xiong was far superior to Wei Changfeng in strength and skills, and that there was no way Wei could win in half an hour? Unless Wei had taken some divine elixir and surpassed Hao in a month. So everyone watched the cloaked man take the chips and leave the gambling hall, mocking him. Only the dealer remained calm, quickly adjusting the odds for Wei Changfeng's half-hour victory. The cloaked man walked out of the gambling hall, quickly crossing the bustling streets and turning into a nearby alley. After confirming he wasn't being followed, he removed the cloak and threw it away, revealing his true identity. It was Tieyi! ... Although there was a small disturbance, the Ruyi Gambling Hall quickly returned to its usual noise. The gamblers who had finished betting left, and new ones continued to pour in, contributing large sums of money to the house. At this moment, none of the gamblers in the hall knew that one of the key figures in the largest bet, Hao Xiong, was sitting in a private room of the tavern across the street. At the entrance of the private room on the third floor, two warriors guarded to prevent any disturbances. Inside, besides Hao Xiong, there was another guest, Wang Hongyan, a direct descendant of the Wang family! "Senior Hao, are you satisfied with this pair of Iron Eagle Gauntlets?" Hao Xiong looked at the black gauntlets with arm guards on his hands, a smile appearing on his rugged face. "Thank you, Young Master Wang. With these gauntlets, my strength will increase by at least 20%!" These unique weapons were undoubtedly crafted by a master. The inner lining of animal skin was soft and comfortable, and the outer black iron plates were hard and thick. By pressing the mechanism at the finger joints, three sharp steel claws could be extended from each hand. He had tested them and found it easy to cut through a ten-tael silver ingot. Since Hao Xiong was most skilled in the Golden Bell Cover and Iron Sand Palm, these Iron Eagle Gauntlets would greatly enhance his abilities. Even if Wei Changfeng switched to a long weapon, he would not fear! "I'm glad you're satisfied..." Wang Hongyan said through gritted teeth, "I don't require you to kill Wei Changfeng in a specific time, just make sure he doesn't die too easily, and don't let this bastard off easily!" Hao Xiong narrowed his eyes and said, "No problem, I will definitely make Young Master Wang satisfied!" He couldn't help but laugh inwardly, never expecting that a gambling match would bring him so many additional benefits. Besides the arrogant upper academy disciples, even disciples from prestigious families were involved. Wei Changfeng, so many people want you dead, you can't help but die! "That's best!" Wang Hongyan seemed to see Wei Changfeng lying on the stage, bleeding and screaming, and a sinister, satisfied smile appeared on his face. "Wei Changfeng, your time is up!" There were only two days left until the lower academy competition. What was originally a routine academy event had been stirred up by the life-or-death match between Wei Changfeng and Hao Xiong, creating countless undercurrents and disturbances. Inside and outside the academy, many people were eagerly waiting for the lower academy competition! ... On New Year's Day, I wish everyone a happy new year and all the best! Here is the first update of the day, and I will return to the regular two updates tomorrow. I won't take a break during the holiday and will continue to bring you more exciting stories! Mobile users can visit http://m.piaotia.net

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