Chapter 6: Master, we really can't bet any more

Chapter 6: Master, you really can't bet any more...

"Come, come, come! The betting for the New Blood Tournament has opened!"

"Elder Chen Hai’s newly accepted top disciple—Zhuge Long. After only one month of cultivation, he reached the third level of Qi Refining. Now, a year later, he is already at the half-step Foundation Establishment stage."

"The personal disciple of the Peak Master of Nishang Peak—Zuo Fenghua. She has mastered the Nishang Sword Technique to perfection and is at the ninth level of Qi Refining. She is definitely a favorite to win!"

"The personal disciple of the Hall Master of Yunhai Hall—Xiao Yan. During his travels, he obtained the ancient 'Strange Fire' sword technique. Every time he absorbs a new type of strange fire, his strength rises to a new level. He reached the seventh level of Qi Refining in half a year, but he definitely has the strength to kill enemies above his rank!"

"The son of the Peak Master of Yunlong Peak—Nan Wen. His Thunder-Fire Sword Technique is nothing short of miraculous."

In Longquan Town, the center of the Longquan Sword Sect.

As the New Blood Tournament approached, major gambling houses began shouting to attract disciples of the Longquan Sword Sect to place their bets.

When you place a bet, these gambling houses will also sell you information about the contestants, making you feel more confident in your wager, or even making you feel like you are the one controlling the market.

Little do you know, the intelligence you possess is known to everyone else as well.

You think you are the market maker, but in reality, you are just a leek waiting to be harvested.

On this day, Xiao Mo walked into the largest casino in the Longquan Sword Sect.

The casino had a dedicated area for the upcoming New Blood Tournament.

The names of some contestants were written on signs hanging on the wall, with their odds listed below. These were updated every two hours to make it convenient for the disciples of the Longquan Sword Sect to place bets at any time.

Xiao Mo searched and searched, but he could not find the name he was looking for.

"Fellow Daoist, may I ask why the name I am looking for is not here?" Xiao Mo asked a staff member nearby.

"Oh, you must be a disciple who hasn't been in the sect for long, right? If the name you're looking for isn't on the wall, it means that person isn't a favorite to win," said the deacon, whose name was Xu Xin. "Which name are you looking for? I can check the records for you."

"Lingqian Peak—Jiang Qingyi," Xiao Mo said slowly.

"Lingqian Peak's Jiang Qingyi, let me see." Xu Xin took out a box and probed it with his divine sense.

"Found it."

Xu Xin pulled a plaque out of the box.

"Lingqian Peak's Jiang Qingyi, seventh level of Qi Refining. At first, she couldn't enter the path of cultivation for a long time, but she must have encountered some fortuitous opportunity later on, as she reached the seventh level of Qi Refining within this past year. Her strength is decent; she has a chance of making it into the top fifty, but as for winning the championship, she is still quite far off."

"What are the odds?" Xiao Mo asked indifferently.

"As for the odds, the odds for making the top fifty are one to two, top thirty-two are one to three, top sixteen are one to ten, top eight..."

"Just tell me the odds for winning the championship," Xiao Mo interrupted.

"Hahaha, Fellow Daoist, no one has bet on Jiang Qingyi to win.

Let me explain the rules of our casino to you.

We have several types of betting pools.

One of them is called the Championship Pool, where you only bet on the winner.

And you can only place bets before the New Blood Tournament begins.

If you bet on this Jiang Qingyi to win, and you are the only one who bets on her, we will deduct a one-percent fee, and all the spirit stones in the prize pool will be yours.

But Fellow Daoist, you must understand that our pool is very large. If you want to bet on such an underdog, you need to wager at least fifty high-grade spirit stones.

That is a lot, a very large sum of money.

I know you want to support your friend, but friendship is friendship, and money is money. No one wants to go against their own wallet.

Don't you agree, Fellow Daoist?"

Xiao Mo glanced at the deacon indifferently. Without wasting any more words, he tossed out a bag of high-grade spirit stones: "Fifty high-grade spirit stones in total. Bet it all on Jiang Qingyi to win."

When Xiao Mo returned to Lingqian Peak, it was already noon, and the fragrance of food was wafting from the courtyard.

As Xiao Mo walked into the courtyard, Jiang Qingyi happened to be coming out of the kitchen with the meal.

Ever since Jiang Qingyi arrived at Lingqian Peak, Xiao Mo's courtyard and rooms had been cleaned by her, and she had prepared all three meals a day.

At first, the food Jiang Qingyi cooked was indeed not very good.

But she learned quickly, and gradually, her culinary skills improved.

Nearly a year later, Jiang Qingyi's cooking was no longer inferior to the chefs in some of the restaurants in Longquan Town.

"Master, you're back! The food is just ready, please sit down and eat." Seeing her master return, Jiang Qingyi's eyes lit up.

"Good." Xiao Mo nodded and sat on a stone stool.

The ingredients used for the dishes on the table were naturally not ordinary food from the mortal world, but the flesh and blood of spirit beasts and vegetables rich in spiritual energy, which had many benefits for cultivation.

Jiang Qingyi finally brought out a plate of water spinach and served Xiao Mo a full bowl of rice.

The master and disciple sat facing each other, eating their meal.

Before long, a crow arrived at the peak of Lingqian Peak, calling out as it flew: "Elder Xiao, there is a letter for you."

With that, the crow dropped a letter from the air.

Xiao Mo caught it, opened it, read it, and then put it away.

"Master, what was in the letter?" Jiang Qingyi asked.

"Nothing much, just the receipt for my bet."

"A bet? A receipt?" Jiang Qingyi blinked, suddenly realizing, "Is it for the New Blood Tournament? It seems like a lot of people are betting lately. Who do you think will win, Master?"

Xiao Mo chuckled and looked at his disciple with a smile: "What do you think?"

"Eh?" Jiang Qingyi was stunned.

"No, no... Master, how could you bet on me? I can't do it..." Jiang Qingyi waved her hands hurriedly.

Although she would definitely perform well in this New Blood Tournament for her master's sake, she really had no confidence in winning the championship.

"You are my disciple; if I don't bet on you, who would I bet on?" Xiao Mo smiled.

"Then... how much did you bet, Master?" Jiang Qingyi looked at her master nervously.

"Not much." Xiao Mo picked up his rice bowl and took a bite.

"That's good."

"Just fifty high-grade spirit stones."

"Ah?" Jiang Qingyi was startled and stood up abruptly. "Master, your monthly salary is only twenty high-grade spirit stones..."

"That may be so." Xiao Mo looked at Jiang Qingyi with a smile. "But how can my disciple go without support?"

"But Master... this is just too much..." Jiang Qingyi was already showing some of the traits of a housekeeper.

"It's fine, it's fine." Xiao Mo gently patted her head. "In ten days, my salary for this month will come in, so we won't starve. But once the tournament starts, I'll have to go to other betting houses and wager half a month's salary to support my disciple."

"Master..." Jiang Qingyi's helpless voice echoed through the mountains. "You really can't bet any more..."