Chapter 235 - 233: The Genius Weighed Down by Gambling Debt

"Luo Tian, don’t you dare look down on me!"

A baleful aura erupted from Xiao Feng.

He had never been so humiliated by a peer.

"I know what you did on the Gambling Platform. You defeated Cao San, who was called the strongest at the Peak of the Fourth Layer, and Sun Hongshi, who was at the Spirit Sea Realm Fifth Layer. You even took two moves from Qi Nan! But the opponents you beat were all losers I’ve defeated as well."

Xiao Feng barked.

He had come out of seclusion eight days ago. After learning of Luo Tian’s record on the Gambling Platform, he went and defeated every single one of Luo Tian’s previous opponents. He had even beaten Sun Hongshi of the Spirit Sea Realm Fifth Layer in just ten moves!

After that, he was just waiting to challenge Luo Tian.

But a few days later, Qi Nan returned and said Luo Tian was dead.

Xiao Feng had planned to challenge Qi Nan, also with a two-move agreement, but then Qi Nan died too.

"Oh?"

Luo Tian actually didn’t know about any of this.

’I didn’t expect Xiao Feng to be so dominant. He even defeated the senior disciple Sun Hongshi.’

He carefully sensed Xiao Feng’s Cultivation. His aura was steady and his foundation solid; he wasn’t far from the Peak of Spirit Sea Realm Fifth Layer.

It seemed he had indeed underestimated the former number one on the Chilong Dynasty’s Human List.

Xiao Feng saw that Luo Tian didn’t look very willing.

So he said, "If you win, I’ll pay you one thousand Spiritual Essence Coins!"

"And if I win, the money I owe you... could you... forgive the debt?" Xiao Feng said, his expression a little unnatural, even a bit sheepish.

The truth was, he was also very poor.

In order to pay off his debts, Xiao Feng had sold almost everything he owned.

"Those stakes are too unfair."

Luo Tian shook his head.

"I might agree for two thousand, though," Luo Tian added, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards.

Luo Tian was more than happy to have a fight if he could earn that many Spiritual Essence Coins.

"Two thousand?"

Xiao Feng hesitated for a moment, but his expression quickly turned resolute.

’Ever since joining the Sect, I’ve focused wholeheartedly on my Cultivation and my strength has improved immensely!’

’I, Xiao Feng, fear no one among my peers!’

’Within half a year, I will definitely break into the Upper Sect! A mere Luo Tian is nothing but a stepping stone for me!’

"Fine, two thousand it is!"

Xiao Feng instantly agreed.

The two of them immediately left the Cultivation Tower.

"No need to go to the Gambling Platform. We can settle it right here in this open space," Luo Tian said.

"Fine!"

Xiao Feng didn’t care either.

No Martial Arts Arena, no gathering crowd.

The duel between Luo Tian and Xiao Feng began!

"Rakshasa Palm!"

Xiao Feng struck without warning. The True Qi of a Spirit Sea Realm Fifth Layer cultivator erupted from him, and a monstrous, baleful aura surged from his body.

FWOOSH!

A massive, sinister black palm appeared, radiating an overwhelmingly tyrannical and baleful aura as it blasted forward.

"I really did underestimate you," Luo Tian said calmly.

At that moment, Xiao Feng’s strength was at least three times greater than that of the Eighth Prince, the second-ranked on the Human List.

The disciples passing by were instantly alarmed.

"What a powerful Attack! There’s a good show over there!"

The Lower Sect Area was rather chaotic, so fights could break out anywhere. The disciples were already used to it.

"Isn’t that Xiao Feng? The number one on the Chilong Dynasty’s Human List! His strength has already become so terrifying!"

"And his opponent is Luo Tian! Isn’t Luo Tian dead?"

The duel between Xiao Feng and Luo Tian instantly attracted everyone’s attention.

Both were famous figures in the Lower Sect Area. Even before joining the Sect, Xiao Feng’s name was renowned throughout the Eastern Domain.

Luo Tian, on the other hand, was even more monstrously bizarre. His talent was astonishingly powerful, and he had even "died and come back to life."

"Xiao Feng will definitely win this duel. A few days ago, he defeated Sun Hongshi in just ten moves. His strength is absolutely terrifying!" one of the senior disciples analyzed.

BOOM!

The sinister black giant palm, radiating a monstrous baleful aura, descended in an instant.

Luo Tian activated his Celestial Furnace Treasure Body. A jade-like cyan luster appeared on the surface of his skin as his frame swelled slightly. Then, neither slowly nor hastily, he threw out a palm strike.

In terms of sheer presence, Luo Tian’s Attack looked very ordinary, as if he hadn’t even used any True Qi.

Some people even guessed that Xiao Feng’s palm strike might severely injure Luo Tian and end the fight right there.

CRACK!

The two palms collided. Compared to Xiao Feng’s Rakshasa Palm, Luo Tian’s strike seemed utterly minuscule.

But in the next moment, it was the ferocious and mighty Rakshasa Palm that was pierced and annihilated by Luo Tian’s single strike!

This scene stunned many of the onlookers.

They couldn’t understand how Luo Tian’s ordinary-looking palm strike could possess such power.

"Use your full strength, or you won’t get another chance!" Luo Tian said.

Xiao Feng’s expression froze. The casual way Luo Tian had neutralized his Rakshasa Palm had dealt him a considerable shock.

’As expected, Luo Tian has improved a lot. This won’t be an easy fight.’

"Rakshasa Chain Palm!"

Xiao Feng thrust both palms forward. His Palm Technique was even more ferocious, his strikes continuous and unending, emitting an exceptionally violent and baleful aura.

In the air, countless sinister black Palm Lights shot through space. From a distance, it looked as if the sharp claws of nearly a hundred Fierce Ghosts were lunging forward.

"What an incredible Palm Technique! Even as a senior disciple at the Peak of Spirit Sea Realm Fifth Layer, I feel a sense of pressure!"

"It really is incredible. Luo Tian will definitely draw his sword this time. His Swordsmanship is his greatest strength!" the surrounding disciples commented.

But Luo Tian didn’t draw his sword. He circulated his True Qi, forming a crystalline yellow membrane of energy that enveloped his palms.

WHAP! POW!

Luo Tian threw a palm strike, shattering one of Xiao Feng’s palm attacks.

Immediately after, Luo Tian struck again.

POW! POW! POW! POW!

Luo Tian struck out in rapid succession, each palm accurately hitting Xiao Feng’s attacks with a distinct rhythm.

It was as if this wasn’t a battle, but Luo Tian and Xiao Feng were... high-fiving!

A continuous stream of high-fives!

This scene shocked the bystanders, and gasps could be heard continuously.

’Isn’t this supposed to be an intense fight? How did it turn into a high-five competition?’

Even Xiao Feng never expected that his ultimate move would end up like this.

’How can he be this strong?’

Xiao Feng was utterly astonished.

"Any other ultimate moves?" Luo Tian asked with a smile after shattering all of Xiao Feng’s attacks.

After reaching the Perfection of the first layer of the Celestial Furnace Treasure Body, Luo Tian’s power and Defense had reached a terrifying level.

Right now, Luo Tian was simply using Xiao Feng for practice.

"Rakshasa Seal!"

Xiao Feng bellowed. Unholy black patterns appeared on his skin, and a monstrous, baleful aura erupted from him, making him look like a Demon Monarch descending upon the world.

Luo Tian had seen Xiao Feng’s Secret Technique before. Once activated, it provided a massive boost to his strength.

POW!

The palm strike Xiao Feng launched was also imprinted with the unholy black patterns. It radiated a vast Demon Power and baleful aura that cast the entire area into dimness.

"This move isn’t half-bad."

Luo Tian executed his Guiyuan Hand and met it head-on.

KABOOM!

A black and yellow radiance bloomed, and the explosive shockwave swept across the surroundings.

Relying on his powerful physical Defense, Luo Tian ignored the aftershock of the explosion and rapidly closed in on Xiao Feng.

At close range, the powerful perceptive ability of his Spiritual Sense, combined with his Celestial Furnace Treasure Body, allowed him to instantly and completely suppress Xiao Feng.

Even after playing his trump card, Xiao Feng couldn’t turn the tables.

POW!

At a certain moment, Luo Tian shattered Xiao Feng’s attack and sent him flying several dozen feet with a single palm strike.

The battle was over.

From start to finish, Luo Tian had suppressed Xiao Feng without even using his sword.

"I’ve lost!"

Xiao Feng said, his spirit completely broken.

This defeat was a huge blow to him.

Before this, he had almost never experienced such a feeling against a peer.

"Don’t be discouraged. In life, who has a perfectly smooth journey without any failures?"

Luo Tian consoled him upon seeing how crushed he was.

’If Xiao Feng gets depressed and does something rash, my Spiritual Essence Coins will be gone for good.’

"I, Xiao Feng, admit my defeat in this bet!"

Xiao Feng took out a Golden Box from his Storage Ring. It was filled with Spiritual Essence Coins, totaling two thousand four hundred.

"What about the other two thousand?" Luo Tian asked.

"...I’ll owe you for now!"

Xiao Feng said through gritted teeth.

Two thousand four hundred Spiritual Essence Coins, plus the one thousand six hundred he had already paid back, meant four thousand Spiritual Essence Coins was Xiao Feng’s limit.

He was in no position to produce another two thousand Spiritual Essence Coins in a short period of time.

"Remember to pay it back soon. Also, you should gamble less in the future."

Luo Tian took the two thousand four hundred Spiritual Essence Coins and left.

Xiao Feng’s expression was grim. In the Chilong Dynasty, he was a genius whose name was famous throughout the Eastern Domain, the center of attention, with a future of limitless glory.

But ever since coming to the Yunxiao Sect, it seemed he was always burdened by gambling debts, constantly worrying about how to repay them.

’I have to quit gambling!’

Xiao Feng warned himself inwardly.

Just then, the Eighth Prince happened to pass by and saw Xiao Feng and... Luo Tian!

"Luo Tian, you’re not dead?"

The Eighth Prince was utterly astonished, his face a mask of horror.

Luo Tian couldn’t be bothered to answer. It was the first question almost everyone he met asked him.

"How could you not be dead?!"

The Eighth Prince was on the verge of a breakdown.

He had held a banquet to celebrate Luo Tian’s death and had been happy for days.

And over the incident with Luo Tian, both Qi Nan and Steward Lu had been sentenced to death.

But as it turned out... Luo Tian wasn’t dead at all!

The Eighth Prince had never felt so frustrated in his life. He had the illusion that no matter what he did, he could never get rid of Luo Tian.

"Eighth Prince, you seem so keen on me being dead. Could it be that you were also involved in Qi Nan’s plan?" Luo Tian said mockingly.

"What nonsense are you spouting? I didn’t know Qi Nan at all."

The Eighth Prince’s face went pale with fright.

Both Qi Nan and Steward Lu were sentenced to death over this matter.

Although the Eighth Prince truly hadn’t been involved, the Law Enforcement Elder hadn’t even investigated before directly convicting Qi Nan and Steward Lu, so the Eighth Prince was genuinely terrified.

Once Luo Tian had left, the Eighth Prince’s expression instantly turned venomous.

’Dammit! Qi Nan and Steward Lu died for nothing!’

Just a few days ago, he had sent a message to Prince Zheng explaining the situation. When Prince Zheng learned that Luo Tian was dead, he had been overjoyed.

The Eighth Prince immediately returned to his residence and sent out two more letters: one to Prince Zheng and the other to Qi Nan’s father.

...

「Lower Sect Disciples’ Residential Area.」

After returning to his residence, Luo Tian smiled. "These two thousand four hundred Spiritual Essence Coins came right on time."

While cultivating in the Cultivation Tower, Luo Tian’s Guiyuan True Skill had already reached the Perfection of the Fourth-Layer, but he didn’t have the subsequent parts.

Under these circumstances, Luo Tian’s future cultivation speed was bound to decrease.

His only option was to use the Celestial Book to continue the Inference and perfect the technique.

"Celestial Book, how many pages are needed to perform an Inference on the Fifth-Layer?"

Luo Tian’s consciousness entered the Celestial Book World and asked.

"Twenty pages!"

The words materialized on the Celestial Book.

’The Fifth-Layer alone costs twenty pages. If I try to infer several more layers, the cost will probably be even greater!’

’It’s a shame I didn’t get the later layers of the Guiyuan Technique when I left the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion. Otherwise, I could have greatly reduced the cost!’

Luo Tian sighed.

Having no other choice, he could only use his Spiritual Essence Coins to charge the Celestial Book with twenty pages, which consumed a total of eight hundred Spiritual Essence Coins.

"Perform Inference!"

Luo Tian commanded softly.

Immediately, the Energy of twenty pages in the Celestial Book instantly dimmed.

Information about the Fifth-Layer of the Guiyuan True Skill flooded into Luo Tian’s mind!