The words of Xiao Lǜ

The words of Xiao Lǜ

Qin Wentian spent the night at the bamboo lodge and set out early the next morning.

The second day of the Jun Lin Banquet was underway, and even before the break of dawn, countless figures swarmed the Chu Emperor District. The branch of Heaven's Wonder, known as Drunken Wonder, situated nearby was also teeming with people.

In the grand hall of Drunken Wonder, a massive square-shaped table, carved to resemble a dragon, took center stage. Despite its somewhat rustic appearance, it exuded an air of opulence. This was, after all, a gambling establishment.

Arranged on the dragon-shaped jade table were 18 positions, each marked with a name. These names belonged to the 18 contestants who had advanced to the second round of the Jun Lin Banquet. Next to the names, a board displayed the betting odds for each participant. The odds for securing a spot in the top nine, the top three, and the coveted top position were all clearly listed.

"The payout rate for Luo Qianqiu winning the championship is only 1:2. Heaven's Wonder clearly has high expectations for him. I wonder why they're putting so much emphasis on him," people whispered in speculation. Despite the low payout rate, many bet on Luo Qianqiu, believing he would clinch the top spot. After all, lower odds meant a higher probability of winning.

Others had a different perspective, suggesting that Heaven's Wonder deliberately set these odds to entice the majority into betting on Luo Qianqiu. If he didn't win, the biggest winner would be Heaven's Wonder.

At that moment, two impeccably dressed young men arrived at the dragon-shaped jade table. One of them carried a wine gourd filled with high-quality wine. A sense of reverence seemed to surround him, as even the crowd grew quieter in his presence. He was the third-ranked among the ten prodigies, Immortal Drunken Wine.

"The payout rate for this fellow is abysmal," Immortal Drunken Wine remarked with a smile, his gaze fixed on Qin Wentian's name.

On the betting board, it was clearly stated that the odds for Qin Wentian were as follows: 1:4 for a top-nine finish, 1:100 for a top-three finish, and an astonishing 1:400 if he managed to secure the championship.

"Should we place a bet?" The youth beside Immortal Drunken Wine asked.

"Bet on what?" Immortal Drunken Wine chuckled, taking a sip of his wine.

The exchange between the two drew intrigued expressions from the spectators. People were actually considering betting on Qin Wentian to secure a top-three finish or even win the championship of the Jun Lin Banquet. Had they lost their minds?

While some were cautiously betting on Qin Wentian securing a spot in the top nine, the odds of him reaching the top three or winning the championship were seen as a waste of Yuan Meteor Stones.

"What's your take on this?" The youth inquired, still amused.

"I have no idea. You should know that now I can't even afford to drink wine. All I have left are these two measly Yuan Meteor Stones. Alright, alright, I will bet them all. Hmm, I will bet on him obtaining the championship, I guess," Immortal Drunken Wine declared as he retrieved two 2nd-layer Yuan Meteor Stones and placed them on the column under Qin Wentian's name, signifying his bet on Qin Wentian winning the championship. Laughter erupted from the onlookers as they watched.

"Immortal Drunken Wine, are you sure you don't want to save these two Meteor Stones for some wine? They should be enough to keep you drinking for several months," someone chimed in, attempting to dissuade him. However, an employee of Drunken Wonder had already recorded his bet and handed him a token indicating what he had bet on. If he won, he could exchange this token for Yuan Meteor Stones at Heaven's Wonder.

"Alright then, let's do it this way. I'll bet 100 2nd-layered Yuan Meteor Stones on Qin Wentian winning the championship, another 100 on him securing a top-three position, and 100 more for him making it to the top nine," the youth beside Immortal Drunken Wine announced, laughing heartily. The crowd fell into a stunned silence.

Three hundred 2nd-layered Yuan Meteor Stones, all wagered on Qin Wentian. One hundred stones for each category.

"Aren't you afraid of losing it all?" Immortal Drunken Wine laughed.

"Why would I be? Even if he advances to the third round and secures a top-nine position, I'll make a profit of 100 Yuan Meteor Stones based on the 1:4 payout rate. If he makes it to the top three, I win two of my bets, totaling 10,100 stones. And if he truly wins the championship, I get everything. My earnings would then be..." The youth laughed even louder, sending shivers down the spines of those in the crowd.

On paper, it seemed perfect, but upon closer scrutiny, it was simply implausible. The likelihood of Qin Wentian reaching the top three was minuscule, which was why the payout rate was so high. It was inconceivable that all 300 of those 2nd-layered Yuan Meteor Stones would yield a profit. However, what was the status of this young man to be able to casually put up 300 stones?

"If it goes the way you predict, Heaven's Wonder will be in for a real shock," Immortal Drunken Wine laughed as he spoke. Meanwhile, the youth was already confirming his bet with a Drunken Wonder employee. It seemed that he was dead serious about betting 300 stones on Qin Wentian.

"Immortal Drunken Wine, your friend has quite the sense of humor," a voice chimed in. Immortal Drunken Wine turned to see Qiu Mo.

"Everyone has their own way of having fun. This is my friend's business, so there's no need for you to concern yourself with it," Immortal Drunken Wine replied nonchalantly.

"Your friend is indeed interesting," Qiu Mo chuckled. "These 300 Yuan Meteor Stones are likely to go down the drain."

Immortal Drunken Wine joined in the laughter, showing no intention of continuing the conversation with Qiu Mo. However, at that moment, a plump figure squeezed through the crowd. Holding over ten Yuan Meteor Stones in his hand, he declared decisively, "I'm betting!" as he placed portions of his stones on each of the three betting columns.

"Fatty, I remember you only bet 5 stones yesterday. And today, despite raising the stakes slightly, you're roaring so confidently with your small bet," someone in the crowd jeered. Looking at Fatty's shameless expression, laughter rippled through the spectators. The Fatty, of course, was Fan Le. He grinned and seemed unfazed by the taunts, as his main goal was to earn more Yuan Meteor Stones. With a bit of luck, he hoped that Qin Wentian would give him the chance to witness a miracle.

"Fan Le, maybe you should save those few Yuan Meteor Stones for your own cultivation," Qiu Mo commented sarcastically.

Fatty nodded while flashing a mischievous grin at Qiu Mo. "I know you're just jealous of Qin Wentian. Back in the academy, you used Jiang Xiu to try to deal with him. But the outcome at the Jun Lin Banquet was clear to everyone; Jiang Xiu lost an arm to Qin Wentian. You should take credit for that, but it seems like you haven't woken up from your delusions yet. Do you want me to spill the beans about you secretly having a crush on Mo Qingcheng? Remember how she couldn't be bothered with you and actively approached Qin Wentian?"

The crowd grew increasingly fascinated upon hearing Fan Le's words. Qiu Mo's face turned extremely unpleasant, and he coldly snorted before leaving. After placing bets on Luo Qianqiu and Sikong Mingyue, he made his way out.

"Let's go; the Jun Lin Banquet should be starting soon." With their bets placed, the people at Drunken Wonder departed, ready for the Jun Lin Banquet to commence.

Chu Emperor District buzzed with activity as preparations for today's banquet had begun at the break of dawn. Nobles and important guests arrived one by one, taking their seats.

Chu Tianjiao made his grand entrance, settling into the Azure Dragon Jadeite Seat. The 18 contestants who had advanced to the next round stood on the nine towering platforms. Having participated in the Jun Lin Banquet year after year, they were well-versed in the rules.

Beside Chu Tianjiao, an elderly figure addressed the contestants, "Congratulations to all of you for making it to the second round of the Jun Lin Banquet. Although you're familiar with the rules, I, as an old man, must reiterate them. On these nine platforms, each contestant can choose to challenge any of the other 17. Those who lose in their first battle will become 'challengers' and will have the chance to challenge victors. If the challenger wins, their opponent is eliminated.

"Remember, first-round losers get one opportunity to challenge others. If they succeed, they stay on the platform but can only accept challenges from then on. Losing twice leads to elimination from the second round of the Jun Lin Banquet.

"Feel free to pick your opponents, but there's one more rule: if you win your first battle, you can't challenge the same opponent again in the second. These rules apply to the second round, and only the remaining nine contestants will advance to the third and final round."

The spectators fell silent, comprehending the heightened stakes of the second round compared to the first.

These rules were established to ensure fairness. Without them, contestants like Luo Qianqiu and Sikong Mingyue could single out a target, eliminating them immediately. This system allowed each participant an extra chance to secure victory.

Moreover, a 'challenger' could not be challenged again by the contestant who initially challenged them.

Naturally, if two formidable contestants conspired to target one person, that unfortunate individual could only lament their bad luck. But such occurrences were exceedingly rare. Most powerful contestants would rather remain on their platforms than engage in such underhanded tactics.

Each of the nine towering platforms hosted two contestants. On the ninth platform stood Qin Wentian and 7th Night.

The audience pondered: during the Jun Lin Banquet, Chu and Snowcloud cultivators competed. Although there had been conflicts in the past, would Snowcloud's cultivators unite to suppress those from Chu in this venue, considering it was hosted in the Chu Country?

Upon the fourth platform, Orchon's intense gaze locked onto Qin Wentian. His simmering hatred for Qin Wentian had been festering for quite some time. Now that Qin Wentian had made it to the second round, Orchon's opportunity to confront him had finally arrived.

Yet, Qin Wentian's strength had greatly evolved since their last encounter. Orchon had seen how he defeated Jiang Xiu, and it was clear that underestimating Qin Wentian was a grave mistake. Orchon had to exercise caution when facing him.

"Qin Yao, would you like to join me here?" A voice emerged from the seats near the Chu Emperor's throne. Xiao Lǜ's eyes were fixed on Qin Yao as he extended the invitation.

"No, thank you," Qin Yao replied, her expression turning somewhat unpleasant.

Xiao Lǜ chuckled but persisted in his offer. At that moment, Sikong Mingyue, standing on the first towering platform, turned to face the other contestants, his robes billowing in the breeze. His eyes gleamed brightly as he observed the figures on the other platforms.

"I've heard of Miss Qin's illustrious brother, Wentian. Meeting him in person today must be my good fortune. I wonder if any elite from our Snowcloud Country would be interested in challenging him, allowing me to witness his brilliance," Sikong Mingyue's measured voice concealed a touch of arrogance.

As his words hung in the air, the crowd grew puzzled. While Sikong Mingyue's words seemed polite on the surface, the hidden meaning was profoundly disrespectful. It was clear that he couldn't be bothered to personally engage with Qin Wentian.

What was the motive behind Sikong Mingyue's comment? Did Xiao Lǜ's earlier words to Qin Yao hold a hidden message? Why did Sikong Mingyue want to confront Qin Wentian?

Sikong Mingyue seemed eager to "deal with" Qin Wentian but was unwilling to act himself, his pride seemingly too great. In Snowcloud, only he possessed the qualifications to share the same title as Xiao Lǜ – being one of the Duo Prides.

The bond between Xiao Lǜ and Sikong Mingyue was extraordinarily deep, akin to that of blood brothers.