"Fifty thousand contribution points!"
Before Lin Xuan could finish, Hu Yuanhua interrupted him, his expression cold as he laid down the bet.
This was no small wager. Even as a ranked disciple, offering this amount stung a bit. But to get Lin Xuan to accept the challenge, it was nothing.
Lin Xuan's immense potential was well-known throughout Flowing Cloud Sect. Rumors even whispered he was the sect's number one genius. It was foreseeable that he would steadily become a true disciple and easily reach the top echelons of the sect's leadership. Given his cultivation speed, this might happen in just a few years, perhaps even sooner.
That was precisely why Hu Yuanhua had come to challenge him. Lin Xuan's talent was astonishing; his future as a martial arts powerhouse in the Crimson Sun Domain was inevitable. But if someone as brilliant as Lin Xuan were to lose to him, that defeat would become a stain on Lin Xuan's record. When others spoke of Lin Xuan, they wouldn't forget to mention him.
For Hu Yuanhua, it was the opposite—a significant gain. By leveraging Lin Xuan, he could spread his own fame. The higher Lin Xuan's future achievements, the wider his reputation would travel. Along the way, he could reap more benefits and advance further on his martial path. That was his plan.
Admittedly, a Condensation Realm ranked disciple challenging an ordinary inner disciple like Lin Xuan seemed like bullying the weak—unfair. But given Lin Xuan's track record, where even Li Quan, a top inner elite, was instantly defeated by him, who could still treat Lin Xuan as an ordinary inner disciple? When he defeated Lin Xuan, others would think of the dazzling, near-sect-top genius Lin Xuan falling to him. Lin Xuan's fame would plummet, while he would rise by stepping on him—not an inner elite bullying an ordinary disciple.
Because Lin Xuan's brilliance was so overwhelming, it overshadowed his original status. All the geniuses in the sect were suffocated under his pressure and longed for his defeat. By doing this, Hu Yuanhua aligned with the will of most disciples. No one would gossip; instead, countless would applaud.
Thinking this, Hu Yuanhua looked at Lin Xuan with anticipation, hoping he would agree immediately.
But unfortunately, Lin Xuan wasn't that naive. Having lived a past life, his cunning rivaled that of old foxes. Upon hearing this, Lin Xuan furrowed his brow. Now that it suited his intentions, he didn't reply right away.
"So a ranked expert really came to challenge me? And he's putting up fifty thousand contribution points as a bet? How interesting!" Lin Xuan stared at Hu Yuanhua, his eyes flickering. If he couldn't see the trick by now, he'd have wasted decades of living.
Then, glancing sidelong at the crowd of disciples in the square below, he noticed many expressions of schadenfreude. Suddenly, Lin Xuan understood. So that was it. Hu Yuanhua wanted to step on him and use his current fame to rise. A clever plan! He was indeed dazzling now, secretly attracting envy and hatred. But not just anyone could come and step on him!
A cold glint flashed deep in Lin Xuan's eyes. Since they dared to scheme against him, they shouldn't blame him for being ruthless. Yet his face remained calm as he shook his head and said, "Senior Brother Hu, you're a ranked expert. Offering fifty thousand contribution points is too cheap, isn't it? And I'm taking a huge risk here. How about this—final offer, eighty thousand contribution points!"
As his words fell, the arena fell silent. Everyone was stunned, staring at Lin Xuan in disbelief. Had they heard that right? Lin Xuan was asking for eighty thousand contribution points as a bet? Fifty thousand was already beyond their imagination, the highest bet ever in the dueling arena. And Lin Xuan wanted eighty thousand? Was he crazy for money? Who would agree to that?
Many disciples thought Lin Xuan had lost his mind. Eighty thousand contribution points was a huge sum even for a ranked expert, let alone inner elites or ordinary disciples. With such a big mouth, wasn't he worried about the consequences of losing? As an ordinary inner disciple, even with his extraordinary talent, he couldn't possibly afford it. Or did he think he could definitely win and defeat a ranked expert like Hu Yuanhua?
The disciples were deeply shaken and puzzled. On the stage, Lin Xuan remained unmoved. He was confident Hu Yuanhua would agree—if his guess was right.
Sure enough, after a moment of hesitation and struggle, Hu Yuanhua nodded firmly: "Fine! I accept! Since you dare to set such a high bet, Senior Brother is even more curious about your strength." With that, his expression turned cold.
These eighty thousand contribution points were almost all his current savings. If he lost, he'd have to leave Flowing Cloud Sect for months, taking on dangerous missions and hunting beasts to maintain his cultivation. But if he won, he'd not only avoid loss but gain eighty thousand points. More importantly, by leveraging Lin Xuan's fame, he could advance further, reaping many future benefits. After weighing it, he made his choice. He didn't believe that as a peak Condensation Realm ranked expert who had instantly killed other peak Condensation Realm fighters, he couldn't defeat a mere ordinary inner disciple who had joined less than two months ago.
The disciples below were stunned again. They couldn't believe Hu Yuanhua had actually agreed to such an outrageous bet. Then, snapping back to reality, they grew even more eager. With eighty thousand contribution points on the line, this match would be even more exciting—unmissable!
On the stage, Lin Xuan's lips curled into a slight smile, but the coldness in his eyes deepened. He looked at the referee nearby.
The referee, seeing this, stepped solemnly to the center of the stage and announced loudly, "The duel begins!" Then he turned and quickly left, jumping off the stage. Lin Xuan, though a new disciple, was at least at peak Condensation Realm. Hu Yuanhua was a ranked expert who could instantly kill ordinary peak Condensation Realm fighters. Such a clash would produce powerful shockwaves. Even as a peak Condensation Realm cultivator himself, he might not withstand them. Better to stay far away to avoid being caught in the crossfire—it would be a huge loss to get severely injured before even witnessing a great battle.
The disciples, seeing the referee's move, immediately understood. They all quickly retreated, stopping only when they were outside the square. The few stewards around the stage also changed expressions, smiling wryly. They hadn't expected that before the battle between two junior disciples even began, it would cause such a stir. Then they too stored their tables, chairs, and books into their storage rings and followed the disciples out of the square.