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Gu Sanqi appraised the Martial Masters accompanying Xue Chen and burst into laughter. "I thought your Martial Masters had something extraordinary about them, but it seems they're quite ordinary! They might do well guarding a house, but to challenge me? That's practically a death wish!"

Xue Chen strode over to Yin Yusheng and Yin Qionger, tilting his head toward the Five Tigers. "Hear that? Mr. Gu doesn't think much of you. Aren't you eager to test his so-called immortal powers?"

The Five Tigers fixed their intense gazes on Gu Sanqi, their breaths heavy, resembling five bulls ready to charge. At Wuh Zhihao's command, they surged toward Gu Sanqi fearlessly.

"Take this!" Guo Tiehtou, the most impulsive of the group, struck first. He whipped out his short-handled meteor hammer and swung it down hard at Gu Sanqi's crown.

Gu Sanqi, unimpressed, decided to flaunt his mystical prowess. With one hand casually behind his back, he flicked his finger, aiming to deflect the incoming hammer.

"Clang!"

Metal clashed, sending Guo Tiehtou reeling backward, while Gu Sanqi himself staggered ever so slightly.

Inside, Gu Sanqi was taken aback. His flick not only failed to disarm Guo Tiehtou's hammer but also shattered the long fingernail on his index finger that he had cultivated for years. How could these seemingly ordinary Martial Masters inflict such damage with a single move? Even if it was just a fingernail, the feat was beyond belief!

Before Gu Sanqi could collect his thoughts, the remaining four tigers closed in, unleashing a coordinated assault with short knives, iron rulers, sleeve arrows, and arm shields, targeting him from every angle.

It dawned on Gu Sanqi that Guo Tiehtou's brash attack was merely a feint, a distraction to allow his comrades to close in for the kill.

Having lost the upper hand, Gu Sanqi, still a seasoned Qi Cultivator, shot into the air, escaping the Five Tigers' siege. He landed in the center of the courtyard, extricating himself from the relentless onslaught.

The Five Tigers were quick to react. Shea Daming crouched with his arm shield at the ready, and the others instantly leapt onto it, pursuing Gu Sanqi with the agility of fleas.

These Five Tigers were hardened veterans of the Border Military's Heavenly Treasure Battalion, seasoned by years of combat and honed to move as one. Now, armed with Xue Chen's ingeniously devised "Four-Protect-One" battle strategy, their prowess had multiplied exponentially.

Like persistent burrs, the Five Tigers clung to Gu Sanqi, their relentless barrage of attacks from all sides leaving him flustered and frustrated.

"Scram!"

No longer holding back, Gu Sanqi bellowed, his aura swelling and releasing a tidal wave of force that radiated outward from him.

Caught unawares, the Five Tigers were sent tumbling by the blast, which continued to churn, kicking up dust and shaking the foliage, startling the onlooking guests in the gallery.

"Bravo! Mr. Gu's power is truly formidable!" Soong Ziyang clapped and cheered loudly. Seizing the moment, he called out to the guests, "Ladies and gentlemen, the feast may be on hold, but why not place your bets? I'll act as the bookie. Let's wager on who will emerge victorious!"

Among the guests, there were eager gamblers who wasted no time in pulling out their silver and banknotes, crowding around Soong Ziyang to place their bets.

Xue Chen approached with his folding fan in hand. Noticing that Soong Ziyang and all the guests were betting on Gu Sanqi, with no one backing the Heavenly Treasure Five Tigers, the betting odds were at a standstill.

"I'll bet on the Martial Master of Yin Mansion!" Xue Chen declared, raising his fan high.

Soong Ziyang paused, then scoffed, "We're dealing with real gold and silver here. What can you, a mere son-in-law, possibly afford to wager?"

"Well, I don't actually have any money on me," Xue Chen chuckled. "But, I do have something you've been coveting, Young Master Song. How about betting on that?"

With that, Xue Chen gestured with his fan toward Yin Qionger, who stood not far off with her father.

"What?!" Soong Ziyang perked up, barely containing his glee, and pressed for confirmation, "Xue, are you really putting your wife on the line?!"

"Shh!" Xue Chen quickly silenced him with a finger to his lips. "I've already staked my life against that Gu fellow. If I lose, I'm a dead man. So, why not raise the stakes with you? If I lose and die, you, Soong Ziyang, will be the legitimate son-in-law of Yin Mansion. How does that sound?"

Laughter erupted from the guests, astonished that the scholarly-looking son-in-law of Yin Mansion was such a reckless gambler, betting first his life and now his wife. His audacity was truly astounding.

"Done!" Soong Ziyang, eager for the chance, agreed without a second thought. "But what would you have me wager against you?"

After a brief contemplation, Xue Chen held out his hand, "Five million taels of silver! My wife's grace, beauty, and virtue are all top-notch. Surely, that's not too much to ask?"

The guests gasped at the sum. Five million taels of silver was an astronomical amount, nearly enough to purchase half of Yunzhou City! Even the Yin Mansion, known as the wealthiest in Yunzhou, might not be able to produce such a vast sum on the spot.

"It's a deal!" Soong Ziyang confirmed without any hesitation, prompting another wave of gasps from the guests.

For Soong Ziyang, the idea of Gu Sanqi losing to a few lowly guard martial masters was laughable. He was certain of victory; what harm was there in making a promise he'd never have to fulfill?

To ensure he could claim Yin Qionger in the future, Soong Ziyang had a servant fetch paper and pen to draft a formal wager, which he and Xue Chen both stamped with their handprints. He then asked the guests to bear witness to the agreement.

Meanwhile, the excitement among the betting guests was palpable, matched only by the intensifying action on stage.

Earlier, seizing the chance when the Five Tigers' formation was broken, Gu Sanqi had attempted to counterattack. But the Five Tigers quickly regrouped and launched a fierce assault, once again matching Gu Sanqi blow for blow.

The Five Tigers fought with seamless coordination, their onslaught relentless as the surging waves of the sea, relentlessly bearing down on Gu Sanqi.

As the battle raged on, Gu Sanqi's alarm grew; these martial masters seemed to possess boundless stamina. Despite the prolonged fight, they showed no signs of fatigue. In contrast, he was beginning to feel the strain, his movements growing increasingly labored.

Gu Sanqi could never have guessed that within the Five Tigers coursed a strand of true essence from Xue Chen, a master of the Golden Core Stage. This not only fortified their bodies immensely but also provided them with an unending supply of energy and stamina.

In essence, Xue Chen's strategy was simple: he wanted the Five Tigers to use their "four protect one" formation and their tireless physical superiority to wear down Gu Sanqi until he was utterly spent.

The prowess and cunning of a Golden Core Stage cultivator are leagues beyond the reach of any minor Qi Refining Stage contender.

Moreover, Xue Chen had been a mere half-step from celestial ascension in his numerous past lives. Though his current cultivation had regressed to the Golden Core Stage, his spiritual resolve outshone that of the average master at this level.

Xue Chen resembled the sea: even when the tide recedes, it inevitably returns with the cycle of day and night.

In comparison, Gu Sanqi was akin to a tiny wine glass—its capacity finite even when filled to the brim, utterly incomparable to the boundless expanse of the ocean.