Upon hearing Su Yi's words, Situ Gong's eyes narrowed slightly, and his cold and bloodthirsty aura became even more intense.
Li Gui, the blue-clothed youth, trembled all over, unable to suppress the surging fear within him.
The imposing presence of a Transcendent Martial Ancestor was undoubtedly terrifying, making him feel the urge to flee.
The man in the golden robe beside him felt the same way, his brows furrowed with fear and unease.
Lotus, the young girl, pursed her lips and remained relatively calm. Her beautiful eyes gazed at Su Yi with great curiosity, wondering who this youth in the green robe was, daring to confront the Blood Butcher, Situ Gong.
The atmosphere in the hall grew oppressive and stifling.
After a moment of silence, Situ Gong suddenly burst into laughter. His gaze became profound as he said, "To be honest, I have also come for the fortune on your body, but unlike others, I want to make a bet with you."
Su Yi took a sip of wine, put away the gourd, and showed interest as he asked, "What kind of bet?"
Situ Gong replied, "Among the friends who came with me this time, there are four of us. Each of them has emerged from a sea of corpses and blood, just like me. However, like me, they have been trapped in the bottleneck of the Inextinguishable Realm for years, unable to make a breakthrough."
As he spoke, he sighed, and a trace of imperceptible melancholy appeared in his eyes.
The Inextinguishable Realm was the realm of the Transcendent Martial Ancestors, the stage of plucking feathers and washing the marrow, transforming one's body and cultivating the innate Qi. It was just one step away from the realm of Land Immortals, but that one step seemed like an insurmountable chasm.
Especially in the secular world, those who could break through this barrier and step onto the path of the Primordial Dao were extremely rare.
Some had encountered great adventures, while others had exceptional fortunes.
Out of those who had achieved the status of a Land Immortal through their arduous cultivation, not even one in a hundred had done so.
Situ Gong straightened his body abruptly, and his chilling aura became even more intimidating as he stared at Su Yi and said, "In our view, the fortune on your body holds the hope of assisting us in breaking through the bottleneck."
"Therefore, we want to make a bet with you, to determine the winner through a duel."
"If we lose, each of us will contribute ten pieces of fourth-grade spiritual stones to you."
"But if you lose, you will hand over the fortune on your body. How about it?"
After speaking, he looked silently at Su Yi.
Witnessing this, Wenzhongyuan, the old man in the magnificent robe, couldn't help but be dumbfounded. Five Transcendent Martial Ancestors were coming to deal with a young man!?
Wasn't this too much of a bullying act?
If he hadn't heard it with his own ears, he wouldn't have believed that such impolite words would come from the mouth of someone like Situ Gong, the Blood Butcher.
Li Gui, the blue-clothed youth, and the man in the golden robe were also shocked.
Ten pieces of fourth-grade spiritual stones!
Wasn't that equivalent to a thousand pieces of third-grade spiritual stones?
For a Martial Master, third-grade spiritual stones were already considered precious.
Fourth-grade spiritual stones were even rarer. It was said that even Transcendent Martial Ancestors were reluctant to waste them and would keep them as treasures, only using them at crucial moments of breakthrough in their cultivation.
But now, in this gambling match, each Transcendent Martial Ancestor would contribute ten pieces of fourth-grade spiritual stones as the stakes.
Altogether, there would be fifty pieces in total!
This has completely exceeded Li Gui and the others' expectations. It was as if beggars had heard of ten thousand taels of gold, something they had never seen before, so they couldn't imagine its astonishing value.
But Li Gui and the others realized that being targeted by someone like Situ Gong, this green-robed youth's fortune was bound to be extraordinary!
For a moment, their gaze towards Su Yi changed, and cold sweat ran down their spines.
Previously, they had only regarded him as a young man who could be criticized and despised at will.
Who would have thought that such a young man would be qualified to gamble with Situ Gong, one of the Ten Great Martial Ancestors?
It was terrifying!
Just thinking about the words they had spoken earlier made Li Gui and the others feel frightened and regretful.
The only thing that put them at ease was that Su Yi seemed to be in trouble now and didn't have time to bother with small fry like them...
As for Lotus, deep worry filled her brow, accompanied by a hint of anger.
She couldn't understand why Situ Gong, the renowned Transcendent Martial Ancestor, was so shameless. This wasn't a gambling match at all; it was clearly an attempt to steal something!
But she saw Su Yi sneer and say, "Five Transcendent Martial Ancestors acting together and still wanting to gamble. Aren't you too timid?"
His voice carried undisguised sarcasm.
Situ Gong remained calm and indifferent as he said, "Young Master Su easily killed characters like the Fire Dome King with a sword. He is already beyond the reach of any grandmaster in the world. It is only reasonable for us to be cautious."
Killing the Fire Dome King with a sword!?
Wenzhongyuan and Li Gui were both stunned, stupefied and unable to find words to say.
Su Yi said, "Although you disguise it as a gambling match, you are ultimately here to steal. If the stakes are merely those few spiritual stones, then there's no need for a bet."
Situ Gong frowned and asked, "Then what does Young Master Su want to gamble?"
"Life," Su Yi replied without hesitation. "If I lose, I'll submit to any punishment, but if you lose, I'll determine your life and death."
A casual sentence made the atmosphere in the hall suddenly become oppressively stifling.
Wenzhongyuan and the others were so nervous that they almost suffocated, their faces filled with astonishment. They couldn't believe that Su Yi, such a young man, could be so domineering!
Situ Gong fell silent.
This matter was not something he alone could decide.
"Gambling with him is fine," a voice suddenly came from the distant night. "I've said it before, there's no need for all this trouble. Just take action directly."
Along with the voice, an elderly man with sparse white hair walked in. He wore a yellow robe, his eyes were clouded, and he held a cane in his hand.
As he arrived, the air suddenly became scorching, as if a blazing furnace was refining the world. The terrifying and overbearing aura made this yellow-robed old man extremely formidable.
Flaming Sun True Immortal!
Almost at a glance, Wenzhongyuan recognized the identity of the yellow-robed old man.
He was an elderly Transcendent Martial Ancestor who had gained fame decades ago. He had served as a governor in one region and had also fought on the battlefield, his reputation was well-known!
Su Yi continued to sit there, only giving a glance at the yellow-robed old man before retracting his gaze.
He didn't know the other party's identity, nor did he care to ask.
But based on the words the old man said, Su Yi had already passed a death sentence in his heart.
"Situ Brother also doesn't want to resort to killing and plundering treasures, which is why we have taken this compromise. However, it's clear that this young friend Su Yi doesn't see it that way. Since he has declared to gamble with his life, then let's gamble," another voice sounded.
Following that, a stunning woman in colorful clothes walked in. Her appearance was beautiful, but the traces of wind and frost at the corners of her eyebrows couldn't be concealed.
Her eyes were icy, exuding a chilling electric light. As soon as she entered, she looked at Su Yi and her voice carried a hint of pity, "I just hope that young friend won't regret it."
Madam Tonghua!
Wenzhongyuan's heart clenched violently, his face completely changed. She was an evil sect female overlord who had shaken the world thirty years ago, causing countless martial artists to tremble at the mere mention of her name.
In fact, whether it was Flaming Sun True Immortal, Madam Tonghua, or Blood Slaughter Situ Gong, they had rarely appeared in recent years, as if they had retreated from the world.
The rumors about them may not be known to the younger generation, but how could Wenzhongyuan not know?
A faint curve appeared on Su Yi's lips as he said, "There are still two more, let them come out too."
A faint sword chant resounded in the night outside Yuntao Pavilion.
Vaguely visible, a tall and thin man in white stood in the distance, his palm and fingers caressing the sword as he murmured softly, "Those like us have long ceased to fear life and death. Gambling with our lives... what does it matter?"
Wenzhongyuan looked over and felt that the tall and thin man in white was like a sword. Standing in the night, he exuded a sharpness that seemed capable of piercing through the sky. His heart couldn't help but tremble. Who was this Transcendent Martial Ancestor?
Just as the voice of the tall and thin man in white fell, a rough and bold laughter boomed through the heavens and the earth.
"Come, let's have a battle!"
The voice was like thunder, shaking the window frames of the pavilion, and the tiles rattled.
Li Gui and the others, three men and one woman, felt their eardrums ache, their blood boiling, and stars dancing before their eyes. They were all astounded.
Upon closer inspection, in the darkness, there was another man wearing an iron crown, dressed in a red Daoist robe, and surrounded by purple qi.
His eyes were like a pair of burning torches, captivating and soul-stirring.
Cloud Province's Purple Mountain Guest, Mo Qingcang!
Wenzhongyuan recognized him at a glance, his eyes widening in astonishment. This was a madman whose reputation was not inferior to Situ Gong. He was known for his bloodlust and overwhelming ferocity.
Many years ago, his reputation could be compared to the Vice Sect Master of the Yin Sha Sect, Hua Liuye!
At this point, all five Transcendent Martial Ancestors had appeared, both inside and outside Yuntao Pavilion.
Seeing this, Su Yi stood up and put away his rattan chair. "Let's go, let's go outside for a battle. Let's not involve these innocent people."
He walked calmly and composedly towards the outside of Yuntao Pavilion.
Situ Gong and the others exchanged glances and followed him.
As for Wenzhongyuan, Li Gui, and Xiaohu, they were completely ignored by these Transcendent Martial Ancestors inside the main hall.
They were merely insignificant figures, who would care about them?
Being ignored was undoubtedly a blow to their self-esteem, but at this moment, Wenzhongyuan and the others felt extremely fortunate.
Being ignored was much better than being implicated!
However, when they thought back to the beginning when Su Yi had warned them that this place was too dangerous and asked them to leave, and they had not only refused but also ridiculed and criticized him, they felt regret and bitterness in their hearts.
Who could have expected such a terrifying situation in this desolate wilderness?
The night was deep, and a bright moon hung high in the sky, casting a clear and bright light.
The area near Yuntao Pavilion was silent, not even the slightest sound of insects could be heard. A sense of oppressive heaviness permeated the silence.
Su Yi stood in an open space, not far away were Situ Gong, Flaming Sun True Immortal, Madam Tonghua, Mo Qingcang, and the tall and thin man in white.
The five Transcendent Martial Ancestors stood at the pinnacle of the current era, their individual presence powerful enough to make any grandmaster despair.
But Su Yi did not belong to their ranks.
"Master Su, gambling with your life is unpredictable. Are you... determined to persist like this?" Situ Gong sighed deeply, his gaze complicated.
Looking at the fearless and composed demeanor of this young man in green, it stirred a hint of admiration in his heart, but also a sense of embarrassment.
Such a young man, such spirit, was truly rare to come by!