A Wager!

Although Laura, Jean, and Rue were mentally prepared, they were still profoundly shocked by Sophia's recounting of the events.

Sophia couldn't explain how they managed to get through the Gemini Chamber, but she mentioned that after passing it, she found Eddie severely injured. However, in the Cancer Chamber, not only did Eddie recover significantly, but he also ventured alone to the underwater Tide Crab Chamber, where he defeated a colossal millennial crab, securing the 'Tide Orb' from within it. She was amazed at how Eddie managed to drag the carcass of the millennial crab out of the water.

"Following the defeat of the millennial crab, we rested for about an hour before Eddie and I continued towards the fifth chamber of the Zodiac, the Leo Chamber..." Sophia shared, prompting Laura, Jean, and Rue to internally chastise Eddie for his recklessness in attempting to clear the chambers in one go. Couldn't he have exited to notify everyone before diving back into the challenge?

"Next time, I'm not bothering with him!" Jean huffed, raising her little fists as if she wished she could give Eddie a good thrashing.

"What did you say?" Eddie, who was untying the butterfly knot and unraveling bandages, didn't catch her words clearly.

"It's nothing!" Laura quickly responded.

"Sophia, keep going. What did you see in the Leo Chamber?" Rue encouraged Sophia to continue her story.

Sophia:

"The Leo Chamber... It's different from the Cancer Chamber, which is all marshes and lakes, with the Tide Crab Chamber underwater, where I couldn't be of any help. "

"But the Leo Chamber is on land, resembling a plain or grassland, somewhat like a canyon, with the chamber itself built atop a cliff. The grassland was home to many bronze-level lions and silver-level lionesses. "

"Eddie helped me eliminate the male lions and silver-level lionesses, leaving only about twenty bronze-level lionesses, which I found challenging to defeat."

" It must have taken us over two hours to clear them all and collect their magic crystals. "

"Afterward, when I went to support Eddie, I found he had already slain a huge Lion King and obtained a golden shield engraved with lion patterns and ancient text... "

"We were exhausted and rested in the Leo Chamber for quite a while before recovering. Eddie mentioned we couldn't tackle the Virgo Chamber but decided we should gather some intelligence anyway... "

"Unexpectedly, upon entering the Virgo Chamber, the portal vanished, and we found ourselves in a house in White-Stone City, with illusions of Mother Grace, me, and Little Frost speaking heart-wrenching words before attacking us. Eddie carried me as we tried to escape, but it was futile... "

"Most of Eddie's injuries were inflicted by the illusions of Mother Grace, me, and Little Frost. I was helpless..." 

Sophia narrated, tears falling from her eyes as she spoke.

Now, Laura, Jean, and Rue understood that the Virgo Chamber targeted the challenger's emotional vulnerabilities.

Who did Eddie care about the most?

Undoubtedly, his family.

His deepest concerns were for Mother Grace and his two sisters, so the illusions that appeared in the Virgo Chamber were of them. 

Even though Eddie was strong and knew the illusions were fake, he couldn't bring himself to harm them. 

Moreover, the illusions were powerful, and Eddie, while protecting Sophia and himself, inevitably suffered severe injuries.

They were fortunate to have survived until the portal reopened, or else Eddie and Sophia might not have made it.

Considering this, Laura and the others silently expressed their relief.

After a good night's sleep, Eddie's condition had dramatically improved by the evening. Except for his wounds, which hadn't fully healed, he was almost back to his usual self.

The four women couldn't believe their eyes.

Jean playfully punched Eddie, saying, "As the saying goes, 'Good men don't live long, bad ones live for a thousand years.' This guy is so bad, it'd be strange if something actually happened to him!" 

Despite her words, she secretly admired Eddie's extraordinary recovery abilities. 

Ordinary warriors would need at least half a month to recover from such severe injuries, but Eddie was almost fully recuperated after just one day of rest - even considering the healing factor, it was incredibly fast. 

Of course, she wasn't aware of Eddie's innate energy and the healing techniques he learned from the Great Vivien in the dream world.

With his natural robust physique already aiding his rapid recovery, Eddie was feeling almost entirely rejuvenated by the next day. "Aren't we supposed to be heading to the Elite School Tournament? Let's go!" Eddie wasn't one to lie around like an invalid. He decided to put the ordeal of the Virgo Chamber behind him for the time being.

He planned to bring Sophia along to the Elite School Tournament, believing it would not only serve as a great training opportunity but also allow her to showcase her prowess.

After the battles in the Taurus, Cancer, and Leo Chambers, Eddie felt Sophia had made significant progress, undergoing a transformation. Coupled with the mental and emotional trials in the Gemini and Virgo Chambers, Sophia was undoubtedly set to make a splash at the tournament. As for himself, unless he encountered particularly arrogant opponents, Eddie preferred not to engage, finding it pointless to squabble with lesser foes... However, should he cross paths with individuals like the young sect master of the Mystical Sect or the Prince of Zijin, Eddie wouldn't mind stepping in to teach them a lesson and curb their arrogance.

A sect master thinks he's all that?

A prince believes he's unbeatable?

With a tsunami of jealousy surging within, Eddie cared little for who the opponent was; anyone eyeing Jean as a romantic rival was going down!

Although Jean wasn't officially his yet, Eddie had already marked her as his own. The idea that someone else might covet her was simply unacceptable – to the death, if necessary. Eddie firmly believed he wasn't the type to nobly step aside for a fair competition when it came to love... Let others play the fool; the woman he adored was his to claim exclusively!

Attending the Elite School Tournament, Eddie was primarily motivated by the desire to confront his rivals, with perhaps a small part of him looking forward to the spectacle.

As for the championship rewards, Eddie hardly thought they could compare to the treasures from clearing the Zodiac Chambers.

"Are you sure you're okay now?" Laura was astounded by Eddie's remarkable resilience, likening him to an indestructible roach. Eddie grinned mischievously, whispering into Laura's ear:

"I'm fine, even ready for our wedding night tonight!"

"Looking for a beating!" Laura's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she playfully rebuked him, reaching to pinch his cheek.

Suddenly, recalling his certain "bad part," her body involuntarily softened, her hand trembling and failing to pinch him. Instead, Eddie's large hand caught hers. Laura felt a warmth spreading from his hand, a peculiar sensation that was both distressing and comforting, making her shiver and quickly withdraw her hand: "Don't hold my hand!"

Having successfully flirted, Eddie immediately put on his innocent face: "Who dares to mess with my city master, I'll fight them with my life!"

"Discussing what exactly? Is this something you should be commenting on?" Captain Gold sharply rebuked.

"No, we were just…" Several Silver Guards flinched in fear.

"Erase memories!" Suddenly, Captain Gold produced a crystal rod engraved with special runes from his chest, lifting it high into the air. In an instant, a light far more intense than a thousand suns engulfed the entire area outside the Zodiac Chambers, submerging it in a sea of radiance. Ten seconds later, the rod in Captain Gold's hand disappeared along with the light.

All the Silver Guards lay on the ground.

Captain Gold went around kicking them awake, shouting, "What are you doing? Sleeping on duty?"

Terrified, the guards quickly got up, their faces a picture of confusion, having no idea how they ended up asleep on duty. They didn't dare to ask further and quickly lined up diligently to continue guarding the entrance to the Zodiac Chambers.

Still unconvinced, Captain Gold scrutinized each guard's eyes, fearing the memory wipe wasn't thorough enough.

At the Windbell Inn, Yehken, Hessian, and the Ly brothers were pacing anxiously outside.

Going inside wouldn't help.

But staying outside without any news made them restless.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Vivien and Jean emerged. Seeing Yehken and others approach, Vivien quickly reassured them, "Don't worry, Eddie is alright now, but it will take some time for him to fully recover. We'll rush to the Elite School Tournament as soon as possible. Besides Granny Wendy, the headmaster, and the vice headmaster, don't disclose Eddie's challenge to anyone. The fewer people know, the better.

If you can find Inan, ask her to come here quickly. She seems to be skilled in healing and could be very helpful for Eddie's recovery."

"Understood," Yehken responded, visibly relieved.

As long as Eddie was safe, everything else was secondary.

Hessian was even more relieved, realizing Sophia's account was true. Eddie had indeed ventured from the Gemini Chamber all the way to the Virgo Chamber.

The severe injuries Eddie sustained were a testament to the challenges he faced. But Hessian believed in Eddie's extraordinary capabilities; such injuries were likely inconsequential to him. He decided to wait for good news.

Yehken and Hessian exchanged looks and quickly departed.

The Ly brothers, more courteous, bowed to Vivien and Jean before leaving, their gesture implicitly entrusting Eddie's care to them.

Returning inside, Vivien made a surprising decision, "Rue, you take care of Sophia. The three of us will bandage his wounds together… "

"His internal injuries are almost healed thanks to his innate foundation, but the external wounds are problematic and must be cleaned and bandaged immediately. Laura, Jean, let's not hesitate any longer. "

"Put aside your reservations; we all know what's at stake. Let's get to work!"

Seeing Vivien carrying Eddie to the bathroom, Laura bit her lip and followed.

Jean hesitated, pacing back and forth, but eventually, spurred by Rue, she joined in the effort.

Despite their preparedness, the three women were still profoundly shaken by Sophia's recounting.

Sophia couldn't explain how they had passed the Gemini Chamber, but she recounted how Eddie had been gravely injured afterward.

 In the Cancer Chamber, not only did Eddie recover significantly, but he also single-handedly ventured into the lair of the Tide Crab within the Cancer Chamber, slaying a millennia-old giant crab and acquiring the 'Tide Pearl' from its body.

Jean, Laura, and Rue were all inwardly critical of Eddie's recklessness in attempting to clear the chambers in one go. Couldn't he have exited to inform everyone before diving back in?

"Next time, we're not dealing with him!" Jean grumbled, ready to punch Eddie into the clouds for flirting with Laura right in front of her.

Rue swiftly played peacemaker, urging them on, "Let's get going; we're already late for the Elite School Tournament. We've probably missed the opening ceremony!"

In fact, Eddie and Sophia had not only missed the opening ceremony but also forfeited their first match by being absent.

This meant they had already lost a match without fighting.

Now, to re-qualify, Eddie and Sophia had to win at least two out of three matches in the secondary elimination rounds. 

The old fox leading the team wasn't worried about Eddie's ability to re-qualify; it was more about saving face since his students had essentially fled from competition.

Thankfully, Ivy Tech College's record was historically poor, so their forfeit didn't raise many eyebrows.

The Elite School Tournament this year wasn't held in the Great Summer Kingdom but was hosted by the Tianluo Kingdom on Champion Island.

Upon finally reaching Champion Island, surrounded by the sea and coral reefs, it was nearly dawn. 

They rested in a warrior's inn until mid-morning before waking to eat. News from Yehken and Hessian brought a mix of good and bad news.

The good news was that, in their absence, Yehken and his team had impressively won the team match.

The bad news was Eddie's continued absence from the secondary elimination rounds, leading to another forfeit.

Due to Eddie's unprecedented forfeits, now, probably more than half of the elite students on Champion Island were familiar with the name of Ivy Tech College. Many even nicknamed Eddie "Coward," an unwelcome moniker.

"Not showing off, they think I'm a good guy." Eddie, not one to take things lying down and lacking the magnanimity to laugh it off, was already plotting how to dominate the afternoon matches. 

As for Sophia, feeling guilty for bringing shame to Ivy Tech College, was ready to follow Eddie's lead, preferring to forfeit rather than compete without him.

"Can't use Gray Wolf since he's not a contract beast for the competition, planning to scare your opponents to death with the Blood Queen?" Jean stretched lazily after her beauty sleep.

"Ah, right," Eddie realized he had no suitable beasts to reveal to the public.

With the Blood Queen, Shadow Bully, Thorn Witch, and the Metal Beast, none were suitable to be displayed publicly. As for Little Wenli, she was definitely a secret not to be disclosed.

Eddie found himself in a dilemma. The Five Elements Golden Mice lacked combat ability, and the Phantom of Smoky Flames wouldn't obey his commands. What was he to do? Surely not buy some low-tier battle beast off the street?

Why bother with a low-tier beast? Suddenly, Eddie slapped his forehead, remembering he still had an egg of the Grim Reaper Mantis, a golden-level creature.

When Eddie presented the egg of the Grim Reaper Mantis, everyone was astonished. Hatching it now, would that be in time?

Even if it hatched successfully, what use would a tiny Grim Reaper Mantis have?

"We still have two hours, right? A quick nurture might just make it work!" Eddie's statement floored Yehken, Hessian, and even his sisters, who usually had faith in him.

"Two hours to raise it? If you manage that, I'll take your surname!" Jean laughed heartily at the idea.

"Bet on it, I support you!" Laura vigorously cheered for Eddie, unbothered by the outcome of the wager, enjoying the spectacle and encouragement without any cost.

"If you lose, you... you streak!" Jean initially thought to say Eddie would take her surname if he lost, reconsidered to avoid making it a serious commitment, and thus switched to demanding Eddie streak if he lost. This was a nod to a previous instance when Eddie teased her, now turning the tables to avenge that past jest.

"Underestimating me, huh?" Eddie carried an air of confidence as if to say, 'If I say it can be done, it will be done.'

"Can you really raise a battle beast in two hours?" Seeing his confident demeanor, the crowd started to waver, wondering if the notoriously unpredictable Eddie might indeed pull off such a feat.