Lin Qingyuan remained silent.

He looked at the "worried" expression on Yun Wan'er's face and smiled indulgently. Well, his junior sister was the most soft-hearted, even towards Shen Zhaozhao who had slandered her.

"good."

Lin Qingyuan quietly agreed to Yun Wan'er's request and walked straight to Shen Zhaozhao, who was arguing with Danxiu. Without saying a word, he took out a talisman that was shimmering with blue light from his pocket.

This talisman is a "challenge talisman" used exclusively in the preliminary rounds of the newcomer competition. The rules are simple and brutal—those who are afflicted with the talisman must either immediately go to the designated arena to fight, or be judged to have lost without a fight.

"Smack."

Lin Qingyuan flicked his wrist, and the cyan talisman landed precisely in front of Shen Zhaozhao, flashing with light: "Forgive me."

"Lin Qingyuan!"

However, before Shen Zhaozhao could speak, Pei Lang's roar erupted instantly.

He rushed forward and stood directly between Lin Qingyuan and Shen Zhaozhao, baring his teeth at the former: "I used to think you were a decent gentleman, but it turns out you're just a bully who picks on the weak and fears the strong?!"

"If you've got the guts, come at me! What's so great about catching a Foundation Establishment Stage 2 cultivator?! You think you're so tough?!"

Lin Qingyuan merely glanced silently at the furious Pei Lang, his face devoid of any extra expression: "Junior Brother Pei, if you disapprove of my actions, let's meet on the semi-final stage."

After saying that, he turned to leave, but at that moment, Shen Zhaozhao, who had been silent all along, moved.

She slowly and deliberately ripped the challenge talisman stuck to her chest with a "rip," and then, under the watchful eyes of Pei Lang, Lin Qingyuan, and the other "patients" lying on the ground, she very meticulously shifted her buttocks a couple of times on the ground.

They moved precisely to the spot where Lin Qingyuan had just been standing.

Then, Shen Zhaozhao took a deep breath, her face instantly switching to the "painful loss of a treasure, bitter and resentful" expression she had when facing Danxiu earlier. She raised one paw tremblingly and pointed precisely at Lin Qingyuan, who was about to leave.

"You...you just now..." Shen Zhaozhao's voice was weak, but carried an undeniable accusation, "You walked with the wind and tore my sword tassel, causing its spiritual energy to become disordered and its quality to plummet! This was a gift from my sect leader before his passing! One price, 800!"

Lin Qingyuan: "..."

Pei Lang: "..."

Danxiu: "?"

Wait, big socks? Didn't you even bother to change the wording?!

Lin Qingyuan's usually stern face twitched slightly, a rare occurrence.

He glanced silently at Yun Wan'er, who was looking at him with "worry" on the stage, and finally sighed helplessly, almost inaudibly.

Consider it a loss to avert disaster and put Junior Sister Wan'er at ease.

He deftly pulled a heavy little cloth bag from his storage bag, and without even looking at it, handed it directly to Shen Zhaozhao: "Fine, I can't let you come for nothing."

The voice was calm, yet carried a certainty and an almost pitying tone, as if the 800 spirit stones were a consolation prize paid in advance, a reward that Shen Zhaozhao was destined to lose.

Shen Zhaozhao didn't stand on ceremony at all, snatched the spirit stone bag, weighed it between her fingers, and found it to be quite heavy.

A sly glint flashed in her almond-shaped eyes, and the next second, Shen Zhaozhao nimbly grabbed Pei Lang, who was still breathing on Lin Qingyuan.

"Pei Lang, go, isn't there a betting area in front of the Azure Cloud Ranking? Put all 800 spirit stones on my win."

"ah?"

Pei Lang was stunned by this sudden request. He looked down at the spirit stone bag in his hand, his mind buzzing. "No... are you... serious?"

He subconsciously turned his head to look at Lin Qingyuan—a sixth-level Foundation Establishment cultivator and a legitimate direct disciple of the Pill Pavilion of the Tianyan Sect.

Let's look back at Shen Zhaozhao—a sword cultivator at the second level of Foundation Establishment, so poor that he has to resort to staged accidents to expand his business.

Pei Lang: "..."

Shen Zhaozhao, are you awake yet?

That's the sixth level of Foundation Establishment!

What will you use to win?

Seemingly sensing Pei Lang's confusion, Shen Zhaozhao winked at him quickly, a meaningful smile curving her lips: "Go ahead and do it."

"Also, don't say I don't take care of you. If you have any spare money, why not bet it on me? I'll help you get rich."

Pei Lang: "..."

Ancestors!

Are you trying to ruin my underwear?

Shen Zhaozhao didn't try to suppress her words, and the surrounding cultivators who were listening to the gossip instantly erupted in an uproar.

"Pfft—! Did I hear that right?! She bet on herself to win?"

"Hahaha! This is insane! This guy is absolutely obsessed with spirit stones!"

"A second-level Foundation Establishment cultivator fighting a sixth-level Foundation Establishment cultivator? Where does she get her confidence?"

"Oh my! Thanks to her reminder! The way to make money has come to us! Let's go! Let's bet on Senior Brother Lin to win, it's a sure thing!"

One of the cultivators slapped his thigh, his eyes shining: "That's right! Quickly bet on Senior Brother Lin! Only a fool wouldn't take these spirit stones that are delivered to his doorstep!"

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Sister Shen. I'll give you a spirit stone to buy candy when I win, hahaha!"

This group of cultivators had originally just been watching the excitement, but now they were all acting like they'd been injected with adrenaline, pulling out the spirit stones they'd been saving for who knows how long and rushing towards the betting points next to the Azure Cloud Ranking.

Standing in the eye of the storm, Lin Qingyuan looked at Shen Zhaozhao's confident demeanor and a genuine look of surprise finally crossed his eyes.

He frowned slightly, unable to understand where Shen Zhaozhao's confidence came from.

Back in the Tianyan Sect, she only had eyes for Gu Xuanchen. Not only did her cultivation stagnate, but her techniques were also mediocre, and her sword moves were mostly just for show.

Even if she had some extraordinary encounter after her defection, how much better could it be in just over a month?

The gap between the second and sixth levels of Foundation Establishment is four minor realms. In the face of absolute power suppression, the advantages of sword cultivators are nothing but fleeting clouds.

He simply couldn't see any chance that the person in front of him had of winning.

Beside the Lingbi Stone on the Qingyun Ranking, the temporary betting area was bustling with activity.

The odds for each match were scrolling in real time on the screen, and Shen Zhaozhao's data for Lin Qingyuan's match was particularly eye-catching.

Lin Qingyuan (Tianyan Sect Pill Pavilion, Foundation Establishment Level 6) wins: Odds 1:1.05

Shen Zhaozhao (??? Foundation Establishment Level 2) wins: Odds 1:10

The odds of ten times the stake were like a giant banner of mockery, crushing the clear-sighted winner.

What's the difference between that and throwing money into water and hearing a splash?

"..."

Pei Lang listened to the sarcastic remarks filled with slander, and then glanced at Yun Wan'er's smug look on the high platform, as if she had everything under control. Damn it!

When has he, the mighty young tyrant of the Crimson Cloud Sect, ever lost in terms of imposing manner?!

It's just a spirit stone, isn't it?

I've got plenty!

If Shen Zhaozhao loses, I'll just make up the 800 spirit stones for her myself!

Consider it a purchase to feel good, and to support this friend who shares my hatred and is furiously criticizing Yun Wan'er, that black-hearted lotus!