C2 Wager

The speaker was a dashing young man with a regal countenance and a nose like a gallbladder, his waist adorned with a splendid long sword. His elegant demeanor was somewhat marred by his triangular eyes, which lent him an air of cunning.

Despite his brazen behavior and impolite speech, no one dared to challenge him. This was because he had a powerful father—the City Lord of the God Burial City and the county magistrate appointed by the Emperor of the Great Cloud Empire himself.

The young man with the triangular eyes squinted, fixing his gaze on Young Master Hua like a serpent. "Huah Yunfei, what do you think of my proposal?"

Huah Yunfei knew that if he refused to surrender the Five Elements Spirit Stone, he would face severe consequences. At that moment, he had already learned about the feud between him and the magistrate's son.

Huah Yunfei, who had a penchant for gambling on stones, had been ensnared by the magistrate's son in a rigged betting scheme. Not only had he been swindled out of a fortune, but the schemer also coveted the Hua Family's Spirit Weapon Shop.

Though Huah Yunfei was known for his frivolous ways, he understood the importance of the Spirit Weapon Shop to his family's legacy and refused to sign away the shop. Thwarted, his adversary had him thrown into the Cloudy Mist Mountain and the dreaded Demon Wailing Cave, where he was attacked by a powerful demon and left for dead. Miraculously revived, he found himself with no memory of his past.

Unknown to all, the Huah Yunfei of that day had truly perished. The man before them now possessed a completely new soul, hence his amnesia. This soul once belonged to an elite member of Earth's Golden Army, who in his lifetime had discovered vast gold mines and a colossal oil field that was still operational. He had braved the dangers of nuclear radiation to locate high-purity uranium ore, a critical component for strategic weapons, all in the service of his nation's strength.

Upon his death, he inexplicably found himself in the Galaxy Realm. Now, he was Huah Yunfei, the esteemed young master of the Spirit Weapon Clan in the God Burial City.

Since fate had granted him a second chance, Huah Yunfei was determined not to squander its benevolence. He aspired to ensure that every being in this world would know that he, Huah Yunfei, had been here, had lived, and had striven with all his might.

Now that he was the master of this body, he resolved not to walk the same path of folly again.

"The disputes and debts of the past are known to the heavens, the earth, and to both of us. True justice resides in the hearts of people; there's no need for further words."

Huah Yunfei watched the county magistrate's third son with a smile, his speech imbued with an unusual air of confidence.

The third son regarded him with confusion, having never encountered a Huah Yunfei like this before.

"As for the Five Elements Spirit Stone, I'm not opposed to offering it to Third Young Master Liu." Huah Yunfei extended his folding fan and idly toyed with the Spirit Stone on the octagonal table.

"You're showing some sense. I won't exploit you. Just name your price in silver, and I, Liu Suichun, will honor it."

A mere few taels of silver for a premium Five Elements Spirit Stone?

Though silent, the onlookers formed a fresh opinion of Liu Suichun's brazenness. Some even bemoaned their misfortune of not having a more advantageous father.

Liu Suichun was well aware of his own shamelessness; he aimed to infuriate Huah Yunfei, hoping to see him lose his composure and lash out. That would give him the perfect excuse to have his father's men apprehend Huah Yunfei, shackle him, and throw him into the depths of prison.

Would he then have any reason to worry about securing the premium Five Elements Spirit Stone for himself?

What he failed to realize was that the Huah Yunfei he was attempting to manipulate harbored a soul that had lived for decades and weathered many hardships. His petty schemes were nothing but child's play to Huah Yunfei.

Huah Yunfei gently shook his fan, not the least bit angered by Liu Suichun's taunts. Instead, he let out a laugh.

"How could I possibly accept silver from Young Master Liu?"

"Then what do you propose...?"

"Are you not yet acquainted with my particular penchant?"

"Are you suggesting we gamble on stones?"

"As long as you're willing to gamble on stones with me, Young Master, and if you win, the Five Elements Spirit Stone is yours."

"And if I lose?"

"Should you lose, it simply means that you and the Spirit Stone were not meant to be, Young Master Liu. I won't ask for a penny from you."

"Are you certain?"

Liu Suichun scrutinized Huah Yunfei before him, suspecting that Yunfei was keen on befriending him.

"Absolutely."

Huah Yunfei answered confidently, yet inwardly he mused, "Last time, I didn't know how you tricked me into the stone gambling trap. Today, I've proven that I can assess the quality of the Spirit Stone by the luster within the raw stone. If you, the third young master, are planning to deceive me again, it won't be so easy."

"Very well, let's proceed with the stone gamble."

Liu Suichun's face beamed with a smile, but his thoughts were less cheerful: "I managed to swindle you out of every coin and leave you destitute once before; today, I'll play you for all you're worth again!"

Thereafter, Great Boss Wu and the others bore witness as they established the rules for the wager.

The rules were straightforward: each participant would select a raw stone, which the master artisan from the Endless Depository would then cut open for all to see. Great Boss Wu would appraise their value, and the one with the more valuable stone would be declared the winner.

As the gamble commenced, Liu Suichun turned to his attendant and said, "Uncle Liang, I entrust this important task of stone betting to you. Here are 100,000 gold notes. Feel free to pick any stone you fancy from the Endless Depository for our guests to appraise."

Uncle Liang, brimming with pride, retorted, "What treasures could the Endless Depository possibly hold? I have a raw stone right here that will guarantee your victory, Young Master. Others might as well prepare to hand over their Five Elements Spirit Stone."

With that, he produced a raw stone from his sleeve.

The stone was the size of a walnut, its surface gleaming with silver light, adorned with intricate golden patterns.

The interplay of gold and silver was mesmerizing, the stone's skin alone captivating onlookers.

Upon seeing the stone, the crowd couldn't help but gasp in amazement, "This is... Gold and Silver!"

"This Gold and Silver Stone Skin is known for easily yielding Gold Spirit Stones. Moreover, even the lowest grade produced is of high quality. This will be quite the contest."

Hua An couldn't resist pulling on Huah Yunfei's sleeve and whispering urgently, "Young Master, Uncle Liang is incredibly shrewd. He was the one who assisted Liu Suichun in winning all nine stone gambling matches, defeating you. You're no match for him."

Huah Yunfei remained silent, simply patting Hua An on the shoulder to calm him.

Just then, Liu Suichun, with a chuckle, prodded, "Huah Yunfei, we've made our raw stone selection. When will yours be ready?"

"Kindly give me a moment, Young Master Liu."

With that, he entered the hall brimming with raw stones to start his inspection.

The onlookers eagerly followed Huah Yunfei into the hall.

Unbeknownst to them, from behind a window on the third floor of the Endless Depository, two strikingly handsome "young men" were observing the scene below.

The "young man" on the left spoke, his cheeks revealing a charming set of dimples, "Young Master, I believe that Huah fellow simply stumbled upon good fortune; he can't even discern a counterfeit raw stone. Winning is out of the question for him."

No sooner had he finished his sentence than he received a swift knock on the head from his companion.

The other, wearing a low-slung bamboo hat that concealed most of his face, exuded an enigmatic allure with just the visible half, leaving an unforgettable impression.

He was intently watching Huah Yunfei in the crowd, remarking, "Don't underestimate the talents of this world just because you hail from a prestigious sect and have a rudimentary understanding of stone appraisal. Young Master Hua is not as straightforward as you might think."

As his words faded, Huah Yunfei had already selected a raw stone and passed it to Great Boss Wu.

The stone was palm-sized, unassuming, and pitch-black.

Liu Suichun, observing Huah Yunfei's choice, became even more convinced that the Five Elements Spirit Stone was being handed over to him on a silver platter, and he couldn't help but smile and commend Huah Yunfei for his discerning eye.

Great Boss Wu examined the two raw stones in silence, his gaze shifting to Huah Yunfei. With his expertise, he could immediately discern that Uncle Liang's raw stone was a counterfeit.

As raw stones became instruments of gambling, many resorted to crafting fakes to secure victory. These forgeries typically involved encasing a high-quality Spirit Stone within a fabricated stone skin. Out of ten genuine raw stones, perhaps one might contain a Spirit Stone, and of a thousand Spirit Stones, it's rare to find one of superior quality. However, with the fakes, any desired Spirit Stone could be guaranteed, ensuring victory in any stone gambling match.

Back then, Huah Yunfei was unaware of the deceit and suffered a crushing defeat. But today was a different story.

Catching Great Boss Wu's meaningful glance, Huah Yunfei grasped his intent but simply responded with a carefree smile, "Great Boss Wu, please proceed with the stone cutting."

The "youth" upstairs on the left side scoffed, "Go ahead, cut it. You'll be crying soon enough..." His words were cut short by a stern look from his companion, prompting him to stick out his tongue and quickly cover his mouth.

This time, Great Boss Wu took the task of cutting the stone upon himself. He started with a raw stone the size of a walnut, adorned with gold and silver patterns. As his blade barely grazed the stone's surface, a dazzling white light burst forth, filled with an intense, piercing energy.

"Indeed, it's a premium gold Spirit Stone. Miss, do you still believe Young Master Huah stands a chance?" taunted the dimpled "youth" upstairs.

The figure beneath the bamboo hat, referred to as "Young Master," seemed to ignore the misnomer. Instead, he shot back at the dimpled youth, "What Young Master Huah! Watch your tongue, or you'll have to watch your hide."

By then, Huah Yunfei's raw stone had been fully sliced open, revealing a silver sphere, radiant as freshly fallen snow, cradled in Great Boss Wu's hand.

"A top-grade gold Spirit Stone, valued at eighteen thousand taels of snowflake silver."

"Shall we continue the contest?" Liu Suichun asked with a smile, turning to Huah Yunfei, skeptical that he could produce a Five Elements Spirit Stone.

"Please allow me the honor of conceding, Young Master Liu," Huah Yunfei said with a toothy smile.

"You lack gratitude," Liu Suichun said dismissively, no longer bothering to look at Huah Yunfei.

Great Boss Wu took the palm-sized, dark stone from Huah Yunfei and began to cut along its edge. The exposed cross-section remained pitch black. The onlookers sneered at Huah Yunfei, but nobody noticed Great Boss Wu's hand tremble slightly as he wielded the cutting knife.

It wasn't until Great Boss Wu had fully split the stone that everyone noticed something amiss. Between his fingers was a semi-transparent black crystal, within which golden serpents of light flickered and vanished.

"Eh? Is that a mid-grade Thunder Spirit Stone? Young Master Huah truly has some skill. I just wonder if he's capable of assisting with the Young Master's important endeavor," the dimple-cheeked youth upstairs said, his expression one of astonishment.

Spiritual Energy in the Galaxy Realm is based on the five elements, with wind, thunder, yin, yang, and poison ranking above them. While the five elements interact with each other through creation and destruction, these higher elements completely dominate any single element.

Thus, even a low-grade Thunder Spirit Stone is valued as highly as a top-grade single-element Spirit Stone. Huah Yunfei's mid-grade Thunder Spirit Stone, of course, could not match a top-grade one.

Downstairs, Great Boss Wu had already declared the outcome: "One mid-grade Thunder Spirit Stone, valued at ten thousand taels of gold. Young Master Huah Yunfei wins the stone gamble. Congratulations."

Huah Yunfei, with a flick of his fan and a smile, responded, "My thanks to you as well. Since I've won, how about I entrust that Five Elements Spirit Stone to Great Boss Wu for the auction in three days' time?"

Great Boss Wu beamed with delight, "Haha, splendid indeed!"

The rare auction of a Five Elements Spirit Stone would certainly bring in a hefty sum, with the entrance fee alone fetching several tens of thousands of taels of silver.

After finalizing the arrangements with Great Boss Wu, Huah Yunfei gracefully approached Liu Suichun, fan in hand, "I'm grateful, Young Master Liu. It appears that today, the Five Elements Spirit Stone and you were not meant to be. If you're still interested, perhaps you'll consider attending the auction in three days?"

"What are you?"

Before Liu Suichun could utter a word, Uncle Liang charged at Huah Yunfei like a rabid dog.

But his tirade was cut short as Liu Suichun's swift slap sent him flying, blood spewing from his mouth and a scatter of broken yellow teeth littering the ground.

"Not bad at all."

Liu Suichun stared at Huah Yunfei, seemingly lost in thought, before uttering those three words. He then turned on his heel and strode out of the Endless Depository, not sparing Uncle Liang a single glance. His profound disappointment in today's events was palpable.

Picking himself up off the floor, Uncle Liang cast a venomous look at Huah Yunfei and hurriedly followed after Liu Suichun.