Chapter 403: Gamble

The man in red walked through the parting crowd, his steps leisurely and his posture arrogant. A faint, disdainful, mocking smile played on his lips, as if he were an emperor looking down on all creation. His chest was slightly puffed out, and the Phoenix emblem on it glowed brightly, announcing his identity to everyone.

Which of the profound practitioners who had traveled from the Six Nations to witness the battle wasn't a proud, high-ranking individual? Yet, facing this disciple of the Divine Phoenix Sect, they felt an immense sense of oppression. While the Six Nations and the Divine Phoenix Empire were collectively known as the Seven Nations, even if the Six Nations united, they couldn't shake the Divine Phoenix Empire in the slightest. They offered substantial annual tributes to the Divine Phoenix Empire, never daring to cease. To put it bluntly, before the Divine Phoenix Empire, the Six Nations were akin to vassal states. Given the Divine Phoenix Empire's power, influential figures from both the political and profound realms in the Six Nations had to tread carefully when they arrived there.

And the Divine Phoenix Sect was the absolute hegemon of the Divine Phoenix Empire! In the eyes of profound practitioners across the continent, the Divine Phoenix Sect seemed to belong to an entirely different realm and world.

Thus, faced with the Divine Phoenix Sect disciple's brazen and grating mockery, these young, proud profound practitioners from the various nations were indignant but dared not speak. Their gazes at the Phoenix disciple held three parts anger and seven parts fear.

These gazes, like a tiger standing among sheep, made the Phoenix disciple even more arrogant and pleased. His voice grew harsher: "You children from the Six Nations, you'd best clear out of here early. The Black Moon Grand Hall isn't a place for low-class individuals like you. Piling up here will only defile this ground and pollute this air."

Yun Che's brows furrowed sharply. He had seen many arrogant people, but this was the first time he encountered someone so brazenly insulting, not only those present but all profound practitioners from the Six Nations, without any restraint. He wondered if this Phoenix disciple was inherently contemptuous or if all Phoenix disciples behaved this way in front of practitioners from other nations.

As soon as he spoke, the profound practitioners from the Six Nations present grew even more enraged. Finally, a young practitioner, seemingly under twenty, lost control and angrily retorted, "You... what are you so arrogant about! Every sect's disciples have strengths and weaknesses, even the Divine Phoenix Sect is no exception... Who knows what kind of person you are? Anyone can boast. If you have the ability... go ahead and activate the profound array for us to see!"

No sooner had he spoken than a shocked voice suddenly echoed from the back of the crowd: "I remember now! He's Feng Chaonan, the chief disciple under the Thirty-Ninth Elder of the Divine Phoenix Sect! I saw his name on the top hundred list of the Divine Phoenix Ranking Tournament two years ago!"

As this voice spread, the crowd erupted in an uproar. People's gazes towards the Phoenix disciple instantly changed, becoming even more fearful. The young practitioner who had just spoken turned deathly pale.

Not only a disciple of the Divine Phoenix Sect... but the chief disciple of an elder-level figure! And he ranked within the top hundred in the Divine Phoenix Ranking Tournament!

Feng Chaonan burst into wild laughter: "Hahahahaha! I didn't expect some of you profound practitioners from minor nations to know my great name, Feng Chaonan... Heh, didn't you want to see if I could activate the Black Moon Grand Hall's profound array? Well then, I'll open your eyes and let you see the difference between a disciple of my Divine Phoenix Sect and you trash from the minor nations!"

"Step aside!"

Feng Chaonan took three steps forward, stopping before a profound array. He struck a casual pose and said lazily, "You all better open your eyes wide and watch carefully."

As his voice faded, Phoenix flame rapidly ignited on his palm, then he fiercely slammed it into the profound array in front of him.

Instantly, all the Phoenix profound energy was completely absorbed by the array. In almost a flash, the red, orange, and yellow lights on the crystal pillar illuminated. The dazzling light continued to rise, swiftly lighting up green... but it didn't stop. Instead, it slowed down and continued upward. Finally, the azure light was barely illuminated. After lasting for about three breaths, all the lights gradually faded.

The profound array spun rapidly, then slowly coalesced into the shape of a teleportation gate. The gate's color was azure, and Feng Chaonan's body was also covered in an azure glow, signifying that only he could enter this azure teleportation gate.

Green signified qualification to enter the Black Moon Grand Hall, and that color meant the individual was an undeniable genius in the eyes of the Black Moon Merchant Guild! Feng Chaonan not only qualified to enter the Black Moon Grand Hall but achieved azure, which was above green. This rating indicated that, by the Black Moon Merchant Guild's standards, he was a genius among geniuses! All the surrounding profound practitioners from the Six Nations were utterly stunned, their faces flushed crimson.

Feng Chaonan withdrew his hand, a flicker of smugness in his eyes, but his demeanor was nonchalant. He said casually, "Hmm, just a casual try, but it's passable. You trash from the minor nations, do you know what azure signifies? Tsk tsk, never mind, because let alone the third and fourth floors of the Black Moon Merchant Guild, it's a pipe dream for you to enter even the most basic first and second floors in this lifetime. You'd better scram quickly, don't block the way here and make a spectacle of yourselves."

Having said that, he cast a contemptuous glance at the red-faced profound practitioners from the Six Nations, burst into a roar of laughter, and walked towards the teleportation gate. Just as his front foot was about to step inside, a profoundly disdainful voice suddenly came from behind him, from within the crowd: "I thought a chief disciple of an elder from the Divine Phoenix Sect would have some significant ability. Turns out, he's nothing special. His arrogance, however, seems to exceed his power by tens of thousands of times."

As this voice emerged, the crowd instantly erupted in an uproar, turning to look at the speaker. Feng Chaonan stopped, slowly turned around, and his gaze landed on Yun Che. After casually probing Yun Che's profound energy, an expression of extreme disdain appeared on his face: "Was that you who just spoke?"

It was indeed Yun Che who had spoken. Yun Che was not someone who liked to cause trouble, but he was even less someone who would silently endure mockery. Feng Chaonan's words had ridiculed all profound practitioners from the Six Nations, including Yun Che himself... but that was secondary. What Yun Che absolutely couldn't tolerate was someone more arrogant than him in his presence!

For instance, Feng Xichen.

Feng Chaonan's aura was naturally imposing, but how could Yun Che be affected by it? He sneered, "That's right, it was me."

"Hahahahahaha!" Feng Chaonan burst into loud, wild laughter, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world: "I thought it was some important figure, but it turns out to be just trash from a minor nation... Oh no, not even trash, a mere nobody. Your profound cultivation is only at the pathetic Earth Profound Realm. In my eyes, you're a complete waste, yet you dare to speak so arrogantly to me? Your audacity is truly not small."

He squinted his eyes, smiling as he extended a single finger: "Do you believe I could kill you with just one finger? It's a pity this is Black Moon Grand Hall territory, so private duels are forbidden. I always have to show face to the Black Moon Grand Hall. Otherwise, based on those few laughable words you said to me, you'd already be a corpse! After dying by my hand, even if you were a prince or even a crown prince from any nation, I guarantee your emperor would dutifully send someone to collect your body, and wouldn't dare utter another peep."

Among the young profound practitioners present, there were countless individuals with higher profound energy than Yun Che. When Yun Che suddenly spoke, they were initially surprised, thinking someone had appeared who could humble this Phoenix disciple. However, upon learning that Yun Che's profound energy was only at the Earth Profound Realm, they were all extremely disappointed, even wondering if he was insane. Only at the Earth Profound Realm, yet daring to challenge a top disciple of the Divine Phoenix Sect.

"However, if you kneel down now and kowtow three times, then call me 'Grandpa' three times, I might consider sparing your life and letting you leave Divine Phoenix City safely. After all, I couldn't bear to lay a hand on my own grandson, hahahaha," Feng Chaonan said with contempt and arrogance.

The surrounding practitioners looked at Yun Che with pity. No power, yet he dared to act so boldly. Was the Divine Phoenix Sect's might so easily challenged? They could already foresee his tragic fate.

"Kowtow?" Yun Che's lips curved, his face devoid of fear; instead, he smiled faintly: "That seems like a good idea. Feng Chaonan, how about we make a bet? I'm quite interested in this Black Moon Grand Hall, and today, I'm here precisely to see it. If I can't reach the third or fourth floor like you, then forget kowtowing—my life is yours to dispose of as you please. But if I can make the crystal pillar's light go beyond azure, then... you'll obediently kneel before me, kowtow three times, and call me 'Grandpa' three times. Do you dare take this bet?"

As soon as Yun Che spoke, everyone was astonished. The Black Fiend Nation practitioner who had been repelled by the profound array earlier shouted a warning: "Are you insane! Quickly retract what you just said! Forget azure, even reaching green is harder than ascending to heaven! I'm at the early Sky Profound Realm, and I only managed yellow. You, an Earth Profound practitioner, are simply... simply asking for humiliation."

"Never mind, Senior Brother Yin, ignore him. He must be crazy." His fellow sect member quickly chimed in, fearing that Feng Chaonan's wrath would be incurred upon them.

"You? Bet with me? Beyond azure?" Feng Chaonan's eye twitched, his face contorted, and then he burst into hysterical laughter, bending over backward, gasping for breath: "Haha... haha... hahahaha... This is absolutely the biggest joke I've ever heard in my life... An Earth Profound Realm waste... actually dreaming of producing beyond azure... and betting with me... Hahaha... hahahaha..."

The surrounding practitioners' gazes at Yun Che now resembled those directed at a complete idiot. Yun Che coolly watched Feng Chaonan's wild laughter. After the latter finally managed to stop laughing, Yun Che calmly stated, "Do you dare or not? If you don't, that's fine; I'll let you off the hook. My time is precious, and I don't want to waste too much of it on an arrogant piece of trash."

Feng Chaonan's wild laughter ceased, his face instantly turning grim: "You say I don't dare? Heh... A foolish waste, nearing death yet ignorant of your own limitations. You're not qualified to bet with me. However, I'm suddenly in a very good mood today, so I'll humor you. If you can achieve beyond azure, forget three kowtows and three 'Grandpas'; even ten thousand kowtows and ten thousand 'Grandpas' would be fine. Come on, show me quickly, let me witness how you can produce beyond azure... Hahahahaha..."

"Very good." Yun Che nodded. He suddenly looked up, towards a distant point far above: "Since this bet has been made, and on the Black Moon Grand Hall's territory no less, how about we have the senior observing from the seventh floor act as a witness?"

On the seventh floor of the Black Moon Merchant Guild, an old man in purple robes stood by the window, motionless like a statue, silently observing the plaza below for a long time. When Yun Che's voice echoed up, the old man's body subtly trembled, and a look of shock appeared on his face. He carefully scrutinized Yun Che's gaze and realized the young man was looking directly at his exact location, without the slightest deviation!

He could actually detect me? A wave of shock and disbelief washed over the purple-robed old man's mind.

The Black Moon Merchant Guild's seventh floor was a full five hundred zhang above ground level, and the horizontal distance from the plaza's crystal platform to the Black Moon main hall was also several hundred zhang. Additionally, the guild's panoramic windows were sealed with incredibly expensive special materials, allowing a clear view from the inside but making it impossible to see even a trace inside from the outside. Furthermore, the purple-robed old man's profound energy was extraordinarily powerful; even a King-level practitioner within a hundred zhang would struggle to detect his aura.

...But this Yun Che, whose profound energy aura was clearly only at the Earth Profound Realm, could actually sense my presence?! And he knew I had been watching them!

In truth, it naturally wasn't Yun Che who had detected the purple-robed old man watching from the seventh floor, but Jasmine.