Sun Xing's complexion was ashen, looking as though he had just endured a great bereavement.
At that moment, an eerie stillness hung in the air.
Sun Xing's wizened face was plastered with an incredulous expression. As a martial artist who had attained profound internal strength, he'd been vanquished by a mere teenager?
In the past, Sun Xing would surely have scoffed at such a notion, but now, the harsh reality stared him right in the face.
He could palpably sense that had the other party not held back, he might well have met his end.
Mo Jingfeng and Mo Qinglian were likewise left agape, mouths hanging open in astonishment. Gazing at the teenager's placid countenance, they couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath.
It was simply beyond belief, as if they'd been plunged into a dreamscape.
Elder Sun had actually lost?
Especially Mo Jingfeng, who had initially deemed this teenager insufferably arrogant. But now, it seemed he'd underestimated the world.
Who could have fathomed that a callow youth could harbor such staggering power?
"Mr. Qin, I've been dreadfully remiss and disrespectful. Please do pardon me!" When Mo Jingfeng snapped back to reality, he promptly bowed in deference, his visage awash with awe.
Someone of this ilk possessed the might to dictate the fates of ordinary mortals. Even a titan like him in Linhai felt impotent in the face of such puissance.
Mo Qinglian's expression was a complex tapestry. She hadn't anticipated that her erstwhile venerated master would prove so feeble. She couldn't help but marvel further at her grandfather's perspicacity in discerning talent.
Since even Sun Xing had been bested, this Mr. Qin's strength was doubtless on a par with Chen Fuyun's.
No wonder he dared to be so audacious and shrugged off Chen Fuyun's challenge as if it were a trifle.
"It's of no consequence!"
Qin Xuan smiled enigmatically. The surroundings were as tranquil as a millpond, betraying not a hint of the godlike potency he'd just unleashed.
This tableau left the onlookers even more flabbergasted.
When he moved, he was as tempestuous as thunder; when he was stationary, he was as serene as still water. Unless he flexed his power, who could divine that beneath this youthful exterior lurked a fearsome force capable of razing an entire province?
"Senior, I was foolhardy before. Fortunately, you were magnanimous and spared my life." Sun Xing, who had regained his senses, was effusively grateful. "Should there ever come a time when you have need of my services, Mr. Sun Xing will not balk at laying down his life for you!"
Qin Xuan offered a faint smile and, with an elegant swirl, turned his back.
His original aim had merely been to cast an eye over Mo Jingfeng. Although a bit of a kerfuffle had ensued, it scarcely ruffled his feathers.
Mo Qinglian hastened to say, "Dad, Master, I'll trail after Mr. Qin!"
Mo Jingfeng nodded pensively, a wistful glimmer in his eyes. He enjoined, "Should Mr. Qin have any requisites, you must exert yourself to the fullest to fulfill them!"
After uttering these words, Mo Jingfeng sensed something amiss. He hesitated, on the verge of speaking further, yet thought better of it. In the end, he simply exhaled a resigned sigh.
If Mo Qinglian could truly curry the favor of this Mr. Qin, perhaps it would be her good fortune and a boon for the Mo family as well.
Once Mo Qinglian had departed, Mo Yunyi also took his leave. Only Sun Xing remained, his features etched with bitterness.
He donned a fresh set of garments and then rejoined Mo Jingfeng.
"Second Master, I've let you down this day! This Mr. Qin's strength is truly staggering and unexpected." Sun Xing shook his head in disbelief and exclaimed with amazement. "Who could have envisioned that such a formidable dragon would emerge in Linhai? He's so young. Perchance in the future, he might even ascend to the rarified realm of a grandmaster."
A martial arts grandmaster, with internal force transmuted into gang qi!
Even across the vast expanse of China, grandmasters were as scarce as hen's teeth, veritable prodigies.
Mo Jingfeng peered at the gently undulating seawater, a tinge of melancholy flitting across his eyes. He smiled ruefully and said, "Elder Sun, the fault lies not with you. It is I who erred."
"I, Mo Jingfeng, prided myself on my acumen in sizing up people, yet I never foresaw that today I'd be hoodwinked and fail to recognize true talent!"
A plaintive sigh gradually dissipated in the sea breeze.
On the second deck of the cruise ship, it was ablaze with light.
There was a veritable parade of socialites and noblewomen, their perfumes intermingling to form a fragrant haze, and urbane young men chatting and chuckling amicably.
"Mr. Qin, the Jing Hao cruise ship is a five-decked behemoth. The second deck is dedicated to banquets, where you can relish a cornucopia of delicacies and fine wines from the four corners of the globe." Mo Qinglian trotted alongside Qin Xuan, whispering an introduction. "Should you take an interest, Mr. Qin, the third deck beckons. There, you'll find a smorgasbord of entertainment facilities, as well as a casino that can hold its own against those in South Australia."
"Casino?" Qin Xuan perked up slightly and felt a flicker of interest.
In his former life, he'd been something of a gambling aficionado. After graduating from university, he'd often whiled away hours in casinos strewn across China. Of course, for him now, he'd long outgrown that phase. The primary reason was that his coffers were running on empty.
Although he had several properties in Jing Shui, the first influx of funds had yet to materialize.
If he had ample finances, he could journey to some of China's medicine cities to procure spiritual herbs for alchemy.
He'd been harboring this notion for a while, but just hadn't set it in motion.
Noticing Qin Xuan's interest, Mo Qinglian chirped, "I'll escort you there, Mr. Qin!"
She led the way, her svelte figure swaying with a beguiling grace, drawing the eyes of many. She was like a scintillating jewel, commanding attention.
Upon entering the third deck, Mo Qinglian promptly exchanged ten million in chips and proffered them to Qin Xuan.
"Mr. Qin, my father was rather gauche earlier. Consider this as a mea culpa on his behalf." Mo Qinglian murmured sotto voce.
Qin Xuan smiled and accepted the offering with aplomb.
Ten million was but a trifle to him.
He nonchalantly picked up a few chips and surveyed the scene. Soon, he alighted on a table.
"Big, ten million!"
Qin Xuan intoned softly and deposited all the chips on the gambling table.
The bystanders were dumbstruck and gaped at the sudden apparition of Qin Xuan. They couldn't resist a snicker.
"Whose pampered young master is this? Everyone who's bet on 'big' today has been cleaned out!"
"Tsk-tsk, ten million in one fell swoop. Got money to burn, do you?"
Some of the onlookers regarded Qin Xuan with derision. Most of them were youthful, none older than thirty. They were the scions and nephews of the cruise ship's power brokers.
They typically lived large, but ten million was still no small sum for them.
After all, the more capable among them were merely lending a hand in managing the family business, a far cry from the real heavyweights.
Qin Xuan smiled inscrutably. Soon, the croupier set the dice in motion. When the dice came to rest, everyone held their breath.
"Small! Small! Small..."
The sotto voce pleas grew louder and more frantic. The young masters and misses had their faces flushed crimson, awaiting the outcome.
"Five, five, six! Big!"
When the croupier lifted the dice cup, everyone was poleaxed.
"Damn it!"
"Is it real or fake?"
A group of young masters and gentlemen instantly flushed with embarrassment. Especially those who'd sneered at Qin Xuan before, their eyes blazed with impotent rage.
Qin Xuan flashed a faint smile and pocketed the twenty million in chips.
Mo Qinglian's eyes widened in astonishment and she stared at Qin Xuan as if he were an alien. She whispered, "Mr. Qin, are you also a dab hand at gambling?"
"I wouldn't claim to be an expert." Qin Xuan shook his head. It was just the simplest knack of discerning things by listening to the wind. For him, it was as easy as falling off a log.
He sauntered over to another gambling table with a faint smile. After a few rounds, the ten million in his hands had ballooned to fifty million.
It hadn't been long, and Mo Qinglian was left gaping like a fish out of water.
Even some people in the casino had caught wind of Qin Xuan and started tagging along with his bets.
Gradually, Qin Xuan's interest waned and he was on the verge of making his exit.
Suddenly, a startled cry pierced the air.
"Qin Xuan?"
Qin Xuan was mildly startled and turned his head to look. He was also somewhat taken aback.
The figures not far away were equally stunned, especially Lu Yunfan and Wang Xiao, whose expressions were as if they'd seen a zombie.
Damn it! How could this pauper be here?
Lu Yunfan seethed inwardly, and his face darkened like a thundercloud.
Xiao Wu was even more astonished. Her eyes alighted on Mo Qinglian, and a glimmer of realization dawned in her eyes.
She'd met Mo Qinglian at the Ju Yun Xuan before.
"The one from the Xiao family..." Mo Qinglian also furrowed her brows slightly, looking a bit surprised.
"What are you doing here?" Qin Xuan smiled and made his way towards Xiao Wu.
He didn't even deign to look at Lu Yunfan and Wang Xiao, as if they were invisible specks of dust.
This cavalier attitude of ignoring them made Lu Yunfan's anger boil over.
"I'm..." Xiao Wu was just about to speak when she was rudely interrupted by Lu Yunfan's words.
"Qin Xuan, how could you be here?" Lu Yunfan spat out coldly. "Did you sneak in here?"
Sneak in?
Before Qin Xuan could even register the comment, Mo Qinglian's expression had hardened like ice.
"Is the person I, Mo Qinglian, invited considered to be sneaking in?" Mo Qinglian strode forward purposefully, a glimmer of hauteur flashing in her eyes. She said coldly, "You're Lu Yunfan from the Lu family, right?"
These words made Lu Yunfan and Wang Xiao's expressions shift subtly.
Lu Yunfan looked up at Mo Qinglian. Seeing her statuesque and voluptuous figure and her beauty that could rival Xiao Wu's, he couldn't help but feel a tremor run through his body and a flicker of desire kindle within him.
"Who are you?" Lu Yunfan snapped out of his daze and his eyes brightened marginally.
He quickly glanced back and forth between Qin Xuan and Mo Qinglian, and a glimmer of jealousy flickered deep in his eyes.
This pauper could not only win Xiao Wu's favor but also had a connection with other beautiful women. What made him so special?
"Mo family, Mo Qinglian!"
These five words hit Lu Yunfan like a sledgehammer, making him dizzy and his face turn pale. He looked at Mo Qinglian in disbelief, his heart in turmoil.
The Mo family, Mo Qinglian?
The Mo family in Linhai?
Lu Yunfan sucked in a cold breath. He couldn't imagine how Qin Xuan could be involved with Mo Qinglian.
No wonder this guy could board the Jing Hao cruise ship!
"So, it's Miss Mo." Lu Yunfan forced a smile onto his pale face.
"Humph! Mr. Qin is my esteemed guest. If you dare to molest him, even Lu Changgeng won't be able to protect you!" Mo Qinglian glared at Lu Yunfan coldly. Her words made Lu Yunfan feel a tremble of fear in his heart.
Qin Xuan was actually the esteemed guest of the Mo family's princess?
At this time, a figure suddenly emerged in front of Qin Xuan in the casino.
"I'm the manager here. We'd like to ask if this gentleman would be interested in participating in a 'true gambling game'?"