King of Creation

The host of Yixiao Building was an old man dressed in green, with a medicinal aura permeating from him. He was obviously a subordinate or servant of the Shuili Hermit, but the faint aura of a Ninth Stage Establishment King he exuded secretly surprised Ye Zhen!

"Are you two... going to duel?" After stating their intentions, the host of Yixiao Building seemed visibly startled.

After all, the power disparity between Ye Zhen and Palace Master Chu Yang of the Green Sun Palace was considerable!

However, without waiting for Ye Zhen and Chu Yang to reply, the green-robed host formally asked Ye Zhen, "Are you sure you're not being coerced or forced to come to Yixiao Building for a match?"

This question was posed quite seriously, directed towards Ye Zhen.

"No!"

Ye Zhen shook his head, quite surprised. He hadn't expected the Shuili Dan King's considerations to be so thorough, with inquiries at multiple levels just to go to Yixiao Building.

Seeing Ye Zhen shake his head, the green-clothed host gave Ye Zhen a steady look, then turned to Palace Master Chu Yang of the Green Sun Palace, asking the same question.

However, his attitude was clearly perfunctory, going through the motions.

Obviously, he thought Chu Yang was definitely not someone who would be coerced.

"Alright, leave your basic information on these two jade talismans, and once guests from all sides finish placing their bets, you can start the fight!"

After saying this, the green-clothed host looked at Chu Yang, "However, as a rule, every martial artist who comes to Yixiao Building to duel has a message from the Hermit!"

"Leave a bit of room for maneuver, and you will find the world vast with limitless possibilities."

Ye Zhen could tell that, obviously, this message was directed at Palace Master Chu Yang of the Green Sun Palace.

"Thank you for the reminder. These are the stakes for our duel!" said Chu Yang, as he presented the Purple Flame Golden Lamp, while Ye Zhen took out the Ten-thousand-year Fire Jade.

After a brief record, the green-clothed host had them take back their items. This puzzled Ye Zhen, "Host, aren't you going to hold the stakes here?"

The green-clothed host looked at Ye Zhen arrogantly, "On Shuili Island, no one dares to cheat!"

"Please go to the Martial Arena and wait for a quarter of an hour!"

With the gesture of invitation from the green-clothed host, in the next moment, his unremarkable voice echoed throughout every bamboo building for fifty miles around!

"Chu Yang of the Green Sun Palace and Ye Zhen of the Sun and Moon Divine Sect will duel at Yixiao Building in a quarter of an hour! Chu Yang, with a cultivation of the Seventh Stage Establishment Realm, is the Palace Master of the Green Sun Palace, the foremost power in the True Spirit Domain.

Ye Zhen, with a peak cultivation of the Sixth Stage of the Vein Forging Realm, but with a record of killing a Fifth Stage Establishment King!" The green-clothed host gave a simple introduction, with Ye Zhen's battle record being proactively inquired about by the host.

"As usual, Shuili Island will act as the house, for everyone's amusement. We do not take a single cut, and all spirit crystals will be paid out according to the odds.

As for the odds, they will fluctuate based on the bet ratios on each side, and with betting time of a quarter of an hour, please hurry for your chance!"

As the voice of the green-clothed host fell, the martial artists observing from all sides suddenly buzzed like a boiling pot.

Many originally knew the power disparity between the two was vast, but hadn't expected it to be so great, nor had they thought that Ye Zhen, with only a peak Sixth Stage Vein Forging Realm cultivation, had a record of killing a Fifth Stage Establishment King.

The individuals able to be here were all top experts from various powerful groups, predominantly outstanding talents, so as the green-clothed host's words fell, no one immediately rushed to place bets.

Everyone was analyzing various possibilities based on the limited current information.

In a bamboo building directly south, a martial artist exuding an inherent noble air sat slumped in a bamboo chair, waving a folding fan, with three strong aura elders behind him, continuously observing Ye Zhen in the martial arena.

"Interesting, the second battle I've seen at Yixiao Building since coming to Shuili Island is already so intriguing; a duel between a Sixth Stage Vein Forging Realm and a Seventh Stage Establishment Realm — one with enough nerve and the other with enough audacity. Truly intriguing." Gai Li showed a peculiar smile.

"Great Prefecture Lord, this Palace Master Chu Yang of the Green Sun Palace is renowned in our Gai family's intelligence records, being the Palace Master of the foremost power in the True Spirit Domain, the Green Sun Palace. Although not the number one expert in the True Spirit Domain, his strength in the True Spirit Domain, considering those reclusive elders, could definitely rank in the top twenty." an elder behind Gai Li said.

Gai Li, the Great Prefecture Lord of the foremost martial noble family in the Outer Domain Dead Sea, the Gai family. While the Gai family's overall strength in the Outer Domain Dead Sea isn't the strongest due to being a familial force, individual prowess absolutely ranks high.

The Gai family's ancestor was one of the earliest Dao Realm experts in the Outer Domain Dead Sea.

"What about this Ye Zhen, does the family have any intelligence?" Gai Li asked.

"Temporarily none!" an elder behind responded.

Suddenly, one of the elders behind Gai Li, surnamed Wu, had a sudden shift in expression, "In a notice issued by the Heavenly Wing Island a few months ago, a newly recognized Fourth Saint, Sea Suppression Great Saint, was named Ye Zhen!"

Upon hearing this, Gai Li sneered suddenly, "Elder Wu, a martial artist at the Sixth Stage Vein Forging Realm being the Fourth Saint of the Heavenly Wing Island, is that even possible?

Are you out of your mind? Or are the Sky Wing Three Saints out of theirs?"

The Wu-surnamed elder's expression turned somewhat awkward, "Subordinate is merely speculating. A martial artist with a Sixth Stage Vein Forging Realm, but a record of killing a Fifth Stage Establishment King and the courage to challenge a Seventh Stage Establishment King, is certainly not an ordinary person!"

Gai Li waved dismissively, "You're right, just on this courage alone, he indeed isn't an average person. Most would not dare to fight, so for him to dare, he must have something to rely upon!"

"But Great Prefecture Lord, this situation is somewhat odd, should we place a bet?" the Wu-surnamed elder inquired.

"Bet, why not!"

"Does that mean you're betting on this Ye Zhen, Great Prefecture Lord?"

Slouching, Gai Li simply waved it off, "Bet on Ye Zhen? Even if I'm foolish, I wouldn't go against spirit crystals, would I? Chu Yang has a winning chance of 70 to 80 percent, where else can you find such an easy way to earn spirit crystals?"

"Bet on Zhe Yang, bet one hundred thousand high-grade spirit crystals!" said Gai Li.

"Okay, I will take care of it right away!"

A similar scene also happened in a bamboo tower in the northwest corner.

The protagonist of this bamboo tower is a handsome man dressed in plain white, who is being served by several beauties, drinking chilled fine wine, eating peeled fruits fed by a delicate hand, and occasionally running his tongue over the soft, pale hand feeding him, to the delight of the maids behind him.

This is Leng Kang, the Young Palace Master of Xuanshui Palace from the Outer Domain Dead Sea. Though called Young Palace Master, he is definitely over fifty years old, only referred to as Young Palace Master because the Old Palace Master is still alive.

Nevertheless, despite his age, he is still charming, laughing constantly with the few beautiful female martial artists around him.

"Young Palace Master, this is today's first duel, should we bet or not?"

"Bet, why not bet when there's spirit crystal to be picked?" Leng Kang said.

"Young Palace Master's intention is to bet on Zhe Yang, but I think that Ye Zhen is not simple..."

Before the female martial artist behind him finished speaking, Leng Kang sneered, "Just a poser! Every year, there are numerous martial artists trying to make a name here using this method!

Moreover, even if he has some abilities, with cultivation at the Sixth Stage of Vein Forging Realm, a slight touch from a Seventh Stage Establishment King would kill him. Betting on him would be a waste of spirit crystals."

"Go bet on Zhe Yang. Although the odds are low, at least there's a 1.1-to-1 payout. At least that's some return. Here, bet all the spirit crystals in this storage ring!" Leng Kang casually tossed a storage ring.

....

"Sect Master, who should we bet on?" In another bamboo tower, the elder of the current largest sect in Mystic Light Realm, the Sky Sun Sect, bowed and asked their Sect Master Xiahou Shan.

"Zhe Yang!"

"I met Zhe Yang once fourteen years ago. Although we didn't fight, I saw him fight with others. He's cunning and unpredictable, with many tricks up his sleeve. For a Sixth Stage Vein Forging Realm nobody to think they can defeat him, it's too difficult!"

"Sect Master, some time ago, the fourth Great Saint from Heavenly Wing Island, known as the Sea Suppression Great Saint, seemed to be named Ye Zhen! Could he be the same person?"

"No! Absolutely not!"

Xiahou Shan shook his head confidently, "The Sky Wing Three Saints would have to be blind to make a Sixth Stage Vein Forging Realm martial artist their brother; wouldn't that be handing their weakness over to their foes?

In the future, if someone wants to deal with Heavenly Wing Island, they would just take out the Sea Suppression Great Saint."

"However, seeing this Ye guy's calm demeanor, it seems he's not here to die!"

"Go, bet one hundred thousand high-grade spirit crystals on Zhe Yang, and bet ten thousand high-grade spirit crystals on Ye Zhen, let's see how it turns out!" Xiahou Shan said.

"Sect Master, the potential gains from this situation might..."

"Gains are not important, what's important is this fight. Look at this kid's confident demeanor! I've never seen a Sixth Stage Vein Forging Realm martial artist so composed in front of a Seventh Stage Establishment King!

Add fifty thousand high-grade spirit crystals to the bet on Ye Zhen!"

"Yes!"

.....

A similar scene continuously played out in all directions.

The odds condensed with spiritual power above the Yixiao Building slowly changed!

Initially, the odds were still 1.7 for Ye Zhen and 1.7 for Zhe Yang, still somewhat acceptable.

Gradually, Ye Zhen's odds soared to 1.8, 1.9, while Zhe Yang's odds plummeted to 1.1, indicating that most people favored Zhe Yang.

"Damn, these odds are really ugly!" Ye Zhen cursed.

"Haha, this shows that experts from various quarters have a favorable view of this palace's strength! Ye Zhen, to prevent the pain of losing the ten-thousand-year Fire Jade, why don't you bet a bit too, hmm, bet on me to win!

The 1.1-to-1 odds are low but a sure win. I've bet a whopping ten million mid-grade spirit crystals!" Zhe Yang said confidently as he waited for the battle to begin.

"Can you bet on yourself?"

"Of course!"

The next moment, Ye Zhen's figure flickered, flying toward the green-clothed host, casually slapping down a storage ring and saying, "I bet on myself winning!"

"Oh, okay!"

The green-clothed host numbly accepted Ye Zhen's storage ring, glanced at it, and suddenly looked surprised, "Bet so much?"

Ye Zhen chuckled, "If people die, birds ascend to heaven. If I die, all these things will be cheap for others anyway, might as well bet everything!"

"Uh... alright!"

The next moment, the martial artists who had just placed bets simultaneously froze in shock! (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qingdian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets, your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users please read on m.qidian.com.)