Chapter 293: Heavenly Dao Game

“Pah!”

The white-robed young master almost went crazy with anger. He finally realized that these two were in cahoots!

“You... how can you possibly do this in the Alchemist Association...”

“What about us?” Xu Xiaoshou looked puzzled. “We’re just chatting. Why are you interfering? This has nothing to do with you, so just leave.”

The white-robed young master felt a surge of stifled frustration. If he just left like that, wouldn't he lose face?

“What’s your name? I demand a duel!” he declared, holding his sword with a serious expression.

“A duel?” Xu Xiaoshou raised an eyebrow. “Don't tell me you're still hoping to win me and then win over the beauty?”

The white-robed young master was speechless once more. This guy... How did he know what I was thinking again!

“I...”

“'I' what, 'I' what! No need to explain,” Xu Xiaoshou said, waving a hand. “As the saying goes, explaining is concealing, and concealing is admitting.”

A choked sound escaped the white-robed young master as his chest heaved, as if he was choking on his own blood.

Xu Xiaoshou was startled. “No way, are you already about to spit blood?”

If he hadn't said anything, it might have been fine. But as soon as he spoke, the young master, whose face was already flushed crimson, choked.

“Pah!”

No blood came out, but the air was filled with spittle.

“Eww.” Xu Xiaoshou looked disgusted, quickly shielded his junior sister, and pulled her back a few steps.

“Don’t you dare run, you brat! Duel me!” the white-robed young master roared, feeling utterly humiliated, his sword pointing at the sky.

“How childish...” Xu Xiaoshou sighed. “Who duels these days? If you want to fight, let’s go to the life-and-death arena. Are you in?”

The white-robed young master was dumbfounded. That... direct? Surely not!

He faltered slightly, but the few people in the hall had gathered around, and their number suddenly seemed quite considerable. Under such scrutiny, what hot-blooded youth could hold back?

“Wait!” Xu Xiaoshou, once again cutting him off before he could speak, said cautiously, “Think carefully, don't be impulsive. Impulse is the devil!”

The white-robed man finally calmed down a fraction, only to hear Xu Xiaoshou continue, “You can't beat me. There's no need to throw your life away for such a baseless reason.”

Pah! This time, there was indeed a trace of blood in the spittle the white-robed man exhaled.

“I, a dignified peak Spirit Cultivator, can't beat you?”

“I...”

“Wait!”

Cursed, Passive Value, 1.

Xu Xiaoshou was baffled. He gestured to the side, indicating that this time, it wasn't him who spoke.

The white-robed man turned his head, wondering if he hadn't checked the almanac before leaving home, or why this encounter was so utterly agonizing.

The speaker was clearly an Old Tower guard who knew the white-robed man. He cupped his fist at the white-robed man. “Young Master Fu, this is the Alchemist Association. Please don't cause any trouble here.”

After speaking, he looked at Xu Xiaoshou, stepped forward quietly, and whispered, “Young master, please let Young Master Fu say a few words. He's about to collapse.”

Xu Xiaoshou was speechless. Young Master Fu? He faintly felt that this surname sounded familiar. Fu Yinhong?

Thinking of the female deputy commander of the Imperial Guard he had seen that day behind the Golden Merchant Guild, Xu Xiaoshou's expression grew strange. No way, the world can't be this small, can it? Could it be that the Fu surname is a noble surname in Tiansang City?

He pulled the guard closer and whispered, “What's the City Lord's surname?”

A sympathetic look flashed across the guard's face. He could tell at a glance that this was an outsider. No local would dare speak to the Young Master like that.

“His surname is Fu. This is the Eldest Young Master, Fu Xing!”

Xu Xiaoshou's heart sank, his legs went weak, and he was filled with regret. Fu Xing... The Eldest Young Master of the City Lord's Estate? So, the Fu Yinhong he saw that day could actually be this guy's sister? They're all from the City Lord's Estate? How could he be so 'fortunate'? He just came down the mountain, and every random person he met was someone influential? Or rather, does Tiansang City only house such important figures?

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the white-robed man and, feigning ignorance, asked, “Is your surname Fu?”

“No, my surname is not Fu!”

The Eldest Young Master Fu Xing was clearly determined to duel Xu Xiaoshou. He knew that if his identity was exposed, this person might not dare to fight him. But... if it was always like this, he couldn't keep taking out his frustrations on the Imperial Guard!

“You want to duel me?” Xu Xiaoshou asked.

“Exactly.”

“In that case, can I set the rules?”

Xu Xiaoshou knew he couldn't avoid this. If he didn't settle this guy, it would likely lead to a whole host of problems later. As for that Fu Yinhong matter, just striking that Imperial Guard shouldn't be a major crime, right?

Fu Xing was stunned. This guy... he seemed to know his identity, yet he still dared to accept the duel? He began to see Xu Xiaoshou in a new light. Glancing at Mu Zixi, Fu Xing raised his chin. “You may.”

“Good.” Xu Xiaoshou immediately clapped his hands. “I have a fight here that’s entirely decided by the Heavenly Dao—one where life and death are destined, and wealth and honor are granted by Heaven. Do you dare accept it?”

“What’s there to be afraid of!”

“What if you lose?”

Fu Xing scoffed. “Me? Lose?”

“Yes!”

“Hahaha!” Fu Xing burst out laughing. “If I lose, you can do whatever you want with me!”

“'Do whatever I want with you?' Then wouldn’t I become your master?” At his words, everyone watching changed their expressions. Xu Xiaoshou secretly thought 'this is bad,' and quickly added, “Your status is too noble; this is inappropriate. If you lose, just call me 'Big Brother,' no need to call me 'master!'”

Fu Xing sneered. This guy really dreams big, doesn't he? This kind of match, whose outcome is decided by the Heavenly Dao, hasn't even started, and you can already predict the future? You think you can win?

“In that case, let’s begin!” Xu Xiaoshou said vaguely.

“Wait!” Fu Xing had clearly been played before and was extremely cautious now, immediately spotting the loophole in Xu Xiaoshou's words. “You haven’t said what happens if you lose.”

Xu Xiaoshou was surprised. This guy actually grew a brain?

“If I lose...” He hesitated for a moment, ultimately not daring to offer himself as collateral. “If I lose, I’ll give you what you want most.”

“Oh?” Fu Xing was curious. “Do you know what I want most?”

“Here.” Xu Xiaoshou directly pushed Mu Zixi forward. “Don't you want this?”

Mu Zixi was utterly bewildered. She realized that every time she watched Xu Xiaoshou, she somehow inexplicably got dragged into the conflict. What was going on?

Cursed, Passive Value, 1, 1, 1, 1...

Surprise flickered in Fu Xing's eyes, but agreeing like that would be too frivolous! Yet, not agreeing felt wrong...

“Stop pretending.” Xu Xiaoshou directly burst his bubble. “Shall we begin?”

Fu Xing's face flushed. He no longer mentioned the wager and said, “Tell me the rules!”

Xu Xiaoshou nodded, his demeanor firm, and began pacing with his hands clasped behind his back.

“This is a very simple Heavenly Dao game. What we’re gambling on is luck and destiny. I don’t think it’s ever appeared in this world before. It goes like this: you fully open your palm, five fingers extended, representing Heavenly Fate. At this point, to defy Heavenly Fate, I can only extend two fingers, symbolizing ‘My destiny is mine, not Heaven’s,’ and ‘Never surrender!’ And at this point, to break the situation again, you must roll up the Heavenly Dao...”

“Punch?” Fu Xing blurted out.

“Exactly! Only by striking with a heavy punch can one smash those who defy Heaven. After all, under the Heavenly Dao, no living being may rebel against...” Mid-sentence, Xu Xiaoshou suddenly realized something was wrong and stopped abruptly. He looked up and saw Young Master Fu's face, which had turned as dark as if stained with ink, and was instantly surprised.

“You know this game?”