Chapter 412: Small Matters

This sudden outburst of anger wasn't genuinely because he looked down on Shi Chun. Someone of Shi Chun's caliber was truly beneath his notice; if the Miao family hadn't been interested in Shi Chun, he wouldn't even have been worthy of remembering his name.

This wasn't arrogance, but simply the truth and reality of the situation.

What was his status? He was the grandson of the Right Vice Marquis of Southern Jambudvipa. It didn't matter whether he himself was renowned, capable, or ranked highly among the Gong family's third generation; what mattered was that he was the grandson of the third most powerful figure in Jambudvipa.

What did being the third most powerful figure in Jambudvipa signify?

Comparing them to the Heavenly Empress, those seated on the thrones of the Four Great Continents only nominally acknowledged the woman on the imperial throne as their Empress. In the eyes of those few Holy Kings, they were no worse than the Empress, on the same level as the one on the throne, and they too could potentially sit on the imperial throne.

The grandson of the third most powerful figure in Jambudvipa, one of the Four Great Continents—putting aside any real influence this grandson might have, in terms of status, what could Shi Chun possibly compare to?

The two parties were simply not on the same level; one could even say they weren't from the same world. One was high above, like residing in a heavenly palace, while the other was as lowly as an ant crawling on the ground. Under normal circumstances, Shi Chun wouldn't even register in Gong Shaoci's eyes. Was there any need for him to care?

But at this moment, he genuinely felt a strong aversion to the name 'Shi Chun'. What a joke! With such immense profits at stake, to treat an ant like him as a crucial weighting factor—had their brains been addled, or had they taken the wrong medicine?

Previously, he hadn't taken this gambling game seriously. There truly wasn't much his family deemed worthy of attention among the affairs their juniors were involved in; for example, his desire to marry Miao Dingyi's daughter was something his family was very interested in and encouraged.

So, for him, this gambling game was just a diversion. If he made money, great; if not, he wouldn't care much. Others had simply handed him this opportunity to earn money.

He was given dry shares; normally, he didn't have to do anything nor invest any money. It was essentially free money.

His proportion of unfunded shares, compared to others, was among the largest.

He hadn't lobbied for this; it was simply the rule of the game.

For someone like Young Master Nan, who set up the scheme, allowing certain local figures, like landlords, a larger share meant that figures from other regions wouldn't say much. This was an unwritten rule. After all, the affair was taking place on their territory; if anything went wrong, it would be difficult for people from other places to intervene, and local figures would have to step in and handle it.

To put it plainly, if the local strongmen were in place, then no one would be foolish enough to cause trouble where the scheme was being run. This was the simplest rule.

Normally, nothing would go wrong, but the current situation was clearly abnormal.

If the whole thing collapsed, and the sum of money wasn't extraordinarily large, he wouldn't really be implicated. There were many participants like him, some even with higher status, so it wouldn't be easy to uncover everything. Someone would naturally be made a scapegoat and take the blame, for example, Young Master Nan, right there.

But if things got too big, and Young Master Nan alone couldn't cover it, did they really think everyone in the world was a fool, unaware that Gong Shaoci was involved?

Just moments ago, while Gong Shaoci was receiving Lan Qiaoyan and her mother, a trusted subordinate delivered a message, saying that his grandfather had actually taken notice of the situation here. He had simply sent someone to ask, "Can he afford to lose?"

His grandfather's attention, coupled with learning that the Sky-Refining Sect's betting pool hadn't stopped, immediately panicked him, leading to this scene.

As for Young Master Nan, just as he had said earlier, he indeed had high hopes for Shi Chun and genuinely believed Shi Chun was intelligent. He trusted that even without explicit words, Shi Chun would know what he needed.

Some things were better left unsaid. Speaking them aloud would be asking someone to risk their life. How could he say it?

If he went to great lengths to get Shi Chun involved, could Shi Chun still be unaware of his intentions?

Everything was understood without words. Everyone cooperated, and afterwards, they would all be happy together.

So, he was also gambling. With the betting pool reaching this level, he knew very well: the crazier the bets, either they'd make a fortune, or they'd lose so much even their ancestors wouldn't acknowledge them.

He also understood the mindset of those waiting to collect their shares.

Those people were unhappy if they didn't get their share of benefits—essentially offending others. They had no ability to offer significant help, but they certainly had the capacity to cause major trouble. And once there was risk, they wanted absolutely no part of it.

To put it plainly, they only wanted benefits, not trouble.

If something truly significant happened, did they really think those people could resolve any major issues? The ones who could handle major issues were their elders behind them. And those elders wouldn't easily stir up major trouble just for the sake of their juniors; at most, they would help their own juniors distance themselves from the situation.

Therefore, Young Master Nan was under immense pressure. He was well aware that in the eyes of some, he, Young Master Nan, might be a big shot, but to someone of Gong Shaoci's status, he was merely a shop assistant. His ancestors' glory was long a thing of the past.

So his pressure was immense. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was gambling with his life.

Besides wanting to make a big gamble, there were also issues of reputation. If you couldn't afford to play, why open a betting pool? You could adjust the odds, but what was closing the pool all about? But some people weren't reasonable.

Being lectured with a finger jabbing his chest, before he could properly explain himself, a group of people suddenly descended from the sky.

About ten people landed and all scrutinized Young Master Nan. Some looked hostile, while others were coldly indifferent. In any case, not a single one showed any sign of happiness. These were the people who had decided yesterday to halt the betting pool concerning the Sky-Refining Sect.

The leading man in plain white robes had an ordinary appearance but an unusual demeanor. His face showed no normal human emotional expression; his facial micro-expressions seemed to have lost their human warmth. One could tell at a glance that he came from a wealthy background.

He was also the one who had previously made a bet with Young Master Nan.

In front of this person, Gong Shaoci suppressed his anger. Although he said nothing, his subtle movements already conveyed respect.

Just as Young Master Nan was about to cup his hands in greeting, the plain-robed man, who was staring at him, spoke first: "Young Master Nan, after one night, why do you look so haggard?"

Gong Shaoci knew why everyone had come, but he still couldn't resist pointing at Young Master Nan's nose again: "Last night, everyone told him to halt the Sky-Refining Sect's betting pool, but he's held out until now without stopping it! And he even said he believes Shi Chun knows what he needs..."

Someone among the newcomers couldn't help but curse: "Nan Wuyu, are you out of your mind? If you want to screw us all over, just say so..."

"A minor matter," the plain-robed man said, raising a hand to stop him. He walked up to Young Master Nan: "Since you decided to shoulder this yourself, there's no need to look so haggard. I hear your ancestor was a broad-minded and robust man; you should learn from him. However..."

He raised a hand and placed it on Young Master Nan's shoulder: "Those who open betting pools are best advised to watch others gamble. If you don't know your limits and join the table yourself, then you're gambling with your life. After all, your ancestor has been gone too long; you won't be able to bear the consequences. Just close the pool, what do you say?"

"Brother Qian is right," Young Master Nan replied with an immediate, smiling assent. He then turned to his own people and shouted, "Halt the Sky-Refining Sect's betting pool!"

Things had already come to this. It was difficult to escape now. Although he still wanted to keep gambling, in this situation and at this moment, he dared not disobey.

The plain-robed man then turned his head to look at where the life-bound lotus lamps floated on the island. He casually patted Young Master Nan's shoulder: "Just waiting around is boring. Set up a table; let's play a few rounds."

Young Master Nan immediately turned, extended a hand in invitation, and accompanied him into the boat tower, while calling out, "Set up the card tables!"

As a result, the group who had come to condemn him all fell silent. Gong Shaoci also stopped speaking. But clearly, no one was particularly happy. Their gazes at Young Master Nan were distant, and the jovial enthusiasm they'd shown when first setting up the scheme for profit was gone.

After the plain-robed leader took his seat, Gong Shaoci leaned in and whispered a few words into his ear.

"Haha, don't talk about having guests to entertain," the plain-robed man chuckled, "it's just Miao Dingyi's daughter, isn't it? Go on, go on, get it done quickly. We're waiting for the wedding wine." He patted Gong Shaoci's arm and gave him a push, signaling him to hurry.

Amidst everyone's laughter and teasing, Gong Shaoci bowed apologetically and withdrew first.

Those on the ship had their way of waiting; those on the shore had theirs.

Xiang Lan'er and Feng Chi had already left. They were waiting on the beach, feeling somewhat anxious and uneasy. Especially Feng Chi, who had also staked her life on this!

Mu Lanqing, still in her cultivation state, also appeared in her usual snow-white robes. Her beautiful appearance, combining freshness with elegance, drew many glances.

She was actually someone who preferred not to show her face in public, especially after her embarrassment at the Heavenly Rain Meteorite Assembly. Even within the Xiuyuan Sect, she was quite a recluse.

Duan Xiangmei, on the other hand, had hardly returned to rest. Day after day, she had been anxiously waiting outside. She looked somewhat gaunt from the constant strain, perpetually worried about Wu Jinliang's safety. She couldn't rest peacefully even if she wanted to; all she could do was wait.

Bai Shuchuan and others from Jiyun Mountain also appeared gathered around their Uncle Qiao Wugong. They had come with a task personally assigned by the Grand Elder. If they weren't sure the task was completed, how could they go back?

Ao Hongyou, the Sect Master of Myriad Herbs Hall, also led his people in waiting.

The Sect Master of Vermilion Bird Pavilion, accompanied by his entourage, stroked his beard, quietly awaiting.

The uncontrolled areas of the beach were teeming with people. Many, many people had come to Lihuo Island to watch the spectacle, their eyes fixed on the activity at the peak of Qiyun Valley.

There was a bustle of activity on the mountaintop. Everyone knew that preparations were underway for the opening of the Divine Fire Domain.

The various artifact-refining sects gathered in Qiyun Valley were also watching the mountaintop. Not every sect was qualified to ascend to the peak, for example, Yan Qufeng's group from the Hundred Refinements Sect.

The Hundred Refinements Sect group looked unhappy. Their sect's lotus lamp indicated nearly half their members had been lost, and they didn't know what had happened.

Luo Wan, Tong Mingshan's master, was heavy-hearted. He knew he had been brought here by the sect primarily because of Tong Mingshan. Unfortunately, Tong Mingshan hadn't been discerning, but that wouldn't prevent him from talking to Tong Mingshan later to understand the situation. From the Ming Mountain Sect's life-bound lotus lamp, it appeared their strength was still intact...

In the vicinity of the Divine Fire Domain's exit, many people were looking around on the mountain. And quite a few were constantly searching and checking the surroundings.

The fact that Shi Chun's group possessed a secret Divine Fire technique was no longer a secret; it was common knowledge. Many sects had ideas about it.

However, despite searching everywhere, Shi Chun's group was nowhere to be seen. So everyone was very puzzled. Could Shi Chun's group really avoid exiting?

Impossible. So everyone wanted to know what would ultimately happen.