C4 ​!

"Elder Chen, what are your thoughts on those techniques?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Chen Ping looked at Su Yinjian and exclaimed, "Incredible! Master, your skills are truly remarkable."

Su Yinjian offered a smile and pressed on, "Elder Chen, it seems you're on the verge of a breakthrough, aren't you?"

Chen Ping met Su Yinjian's satisfied gaze, aware that his inner Genuine Qi showed no signs of a breakthrough. He nodded emphatically, "Master, your perceptiveness is astounding."

Su Yinjian gestured dismissively and went on, "There are some tricks to mastering those techniques. Let me show you how."

"Thank you, Master."

Pleased, Su Yinjian nodded and began his instruction.

In essence, it was all about sharing experience and techniques.

A quarter of an hour later, Su Yinjian had finished imparting his knowledge. He then advised, "Elder Chen, I've told you all you need to know. Go back and practice with the others. I suggest adding some wagers to spur on the disciples' enthusiasm. The future strength of our sect hinges on your ability to motivate them."

Chen Ping was momentarily taken aback by these words, then a surge of excitement washed over him.

The Sect Master was entrusting him with such a formidable task.

With newfound clarity, Chen Ping's demeanor turned grave and earnest. He nodded vigorously, "Sect Master, I understand. Rest assured, I will not disappoint you."

Su Yinjian nodded, satisfied, "Good. Now go, and remember—the larger the wager, the greater the benefit to your cultivation."

Chen Ping nodded, only half understanding.

"Off you go."

Leaving the hall, Chen Ping's face was etched with excitement.

The Sect Master has been so good to me!

As the king treats his loyal subject, so shall I repay him in kind.

With this thought, he immediately took out his communication jade and began to send a message: "Liu Bin, come to my mountain. We're playing mahjong."

"Who else is coming? Don't worry about that, just bring yourself. And don't forget your Nine Yang Heaven Destroying Needle and your homebrewed wine."

"Why bring them? Don't ask so many questions, just bring them."

"Not bringing them? Are you afraid I'll steal them?"

"Fine, if you're that scared, leave them behind. But you won't beat me at mahjong anyway, so you might as well not come."

"Then come and try. No bluffing—if you win, my Nine Ring Mountain-Splitting Blade is yours."

"When have I ever lied to you? It's your choice."

With the arrangements made, he quickly sent another message: "Old Song, hurry over. We're gathering for mahjong..."

...

Before long, four people were ready at Chen Ping's place.

"Gentlemen, simply playing is dull. I'm wagering my Nine Ring Mountain-Splitting Blade. Whoever wins takes it."

The others were momentarily taken aback but quickly agreed, nodding in unison. Liu Bin declared, "Alright. Since Brother Chen is feeling so generous, we'll gladly accept the challenge."

The others nodded in agreement.

An hour later, Chen Ping laid down his cards, victorious. He had played well, with the others just shy of winning.

Without delay, Chen Ping initiated the second round.

This time, however, Chen Ping lost, and the Nine Ring Mountain-Splitting Blade passed into Liu Bin's eager hands.

Liu Bin, elated, stood up to leave, but the other three were not ready to let him go so easily.

"You think you can just walk away after winning?"

"Liu Bin, seriously, are you a dog? Run off with your tail between your legs after a win? Where's your honor?"

"Pull out your knife, let's keep going."

...

The crowd was buzzing, and Liu Bin, unable to save face, sat back down.

Chen Ping then spoke up, "Folks, it's not fair for me to only use my Nine Ring Mountain Splitter. How about everyone puts something on the line? One item per round, winner takes all."

The group mulled it over and agreed, though none of them brought out anything particularly valuable.

They were, after all, elders, sly as foxes.

Chen Ping didn't comment and the game resumed.

Round after round, Chen Ping played it smart. He didn't win outright but ensured that everyone had their moments of gain.

The others grew increasingly confident. The stakes escalated, round after round...

By the final round, Chen Ping decided it was time to go big. He wagered over ten items at once, even his most treasured possessions.

"This last round, I'm betting all this. Are you in or out?"

Seeing Chen Ping's reddened eyes, the others exchanged knowing glances. They realized he was desperate.

After a brief contemplation, they all recognized Chen Ping's dire losses, especially in the last few rounds—he hadn't won a single one.

Remembering Chen Ping's lack of composure, they breathed a sigh of relief, yet their eyes betrayed a mix of wariness and thrill.

"Alright, I'm in."

"Me too. At our age, we've got to live a little."

"And I'm in as well. Don't let my age fool you—I'm still in the game!"

As they pledged their stakes, Chen Ping, eyes blazing, demanded, "Get lost. Liu Bin, bring out your Nine Yang Heaven Destroying Needle.

And Old Song, your Thunderous Fist Glove, and Old Zhang, your Nine Heaven Divine Fruit—out with them."

The three exchanged glances, took a deep breath, and nodded in agreement, "Fine!"

The tension-filled mahjong game resumed.

It was a lengthy round, with high stakes, and everyone played with utmost caution.

Two hours later, it ended with Chen Ping victorious.

He swiftly collected all the items and stood up, "Gentlemen, it's late. We'll play another time."

The three tried to block his exit, but Chen Ping was unfazed. "Can't handle a loss?"

"No, let's have another round."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm not done yet. One more round."

"Buzz off. Playing with you three is a waste of time. I'll find others to play with."

With that, he bolted.

The three looked at each other, then, as if coming to their senses, made their own excuses.

"Ah, I should be off too. It's been ages since I've seen the old sect master. Time for a visit."

"I haven't been to Spiritual Vulture Peak in a while. I'll head over."

"Feeling sleepy all of a sudden? It's still early. No, I need to see Old Wang for some medicine."

...

And so, that night, the Spirit Sword Sect was swept up in a whirlwind of gambling.

Gambling wasn't unheard of in the Immortal World, but let's be real—it was mostly just predictable contests of strength, with the outcomes usually clear as day. Not exactly thrilling.

But Mahjong and Fighting Landlord? Now those were a different story. They took things to a whole new level. Everyone thought they had a shot at winning.

The Spirit Sword Sect was ablaze with light all night long.

Every so often, you could hear calls of "eight bamboos" or "two circles" echoing through the air.

Amidst the clamor, Su Yinjian drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

Come morning, Su Yinjian took a stroll around the sect and noticed Mahjong fever had caught on—nearly everyone was playing.

Three days on, the sect was practically consumed by Mahjong, Fighting Landlord, and the like.

Fights broke out among those who couldn't handle their losses.

It wasn't until a particular voice reached his ears that Su Yinjian could truly unwind.

[Disciples have forsaken their training for gambling, earning 500 points of Ignorance. Current Ignorance Points: -300.]

At the sound of that voice, Su Yinjian breathed a real sigh of relief.

Then, the Third Elder's anxious voice pierced the calm.

"Sect Master, there's chaos in the sect. The techniques you've shared haven't led to any breakthroughs, but they've sparked numerous brawls, and now there have been fatalities!"

The voice brought an odd sense of comfort to Su Yinjian.

Before he could respond, the Third Elder spoke up again.

"Sect Master, the elders are assembled in the Cloud Palace Hall. Please, hurry over."

With that, the connection was severed.

Su Yinjian felt a twinge of irritation. He honestly didn't have a good explanation.

Letting them descend the mountain to relax made sense, and calling it a lesson from the immortals was plausible, especially since there were breakthroughs.

But this time, he was at a loss for words.

Then again, he couldn't just avoid the issue. Whether he faced it head-on or tried to dodge it, the outcome would be the same. Better to confront it directly. Besides, if gambling was off the table, he could always come up with some other distraction that they'd be less likely to resist.

Before long, Su Yinjian took his seat in the grand hall.

Without delay, the Third Elder Miao Moyi spoke up. "Sect Master, how exactly do we resolve the technique you've taught? The disciples are hopelessly addicted. They're neglecting their cultivation, and some are even risking their lives."

Su Yinjian gave her a look of disappointment. "Elder Miao, you haven't grasped it yet?"

Miao Moyi shook her head. Su Yinjian then turned to the bald Great Elder, Luo Zhu. "And what about you, Great Elder?"

The Great Elder just kept shaking his head.

Su Yinjian let out a sigh. "Has anyone had any insights?"

He had it all planned out. If no one spoke up, he'd play the enigmatic card, urging them to meditate on it for another day or two. Then he'd dismiss the matter, claiming that some secrets of heaven simply can't be revealed.

But, unexpectedly, someone did speak up.

Chen Ping, unable to contain his excitement, blurted out, "Sect Master, I've had a breakthrough!"