Chapter 168: The Extraordinary Person

Fang Jingbao clutched his wound tightly. After a few breaths, he finally caught his breath, endured the excruciating pain, tore off a piece of his undergarment, and used both his hands and mouth to wrap the wound.

Fang Jingbao stood up with difficulty. His face was pale, and blood was still dripping from his hands...

Fang Jingbao stuffed the Jade Thumb Ring from the table and his own severed finger into his pocket. He glanced at Wei Yutian, then swayed and stumbled as he walked out...

The crowd stood on the second-floor corridor, watching Fang Jingbao's back disappear at the entrance of the first-floor Main Hall of the casino.

Someone in the crowd sighed endlessly...

When everyone turned back, Wei Yutian had already left, though no one knew when. Inside the Xin Zi Room, only a few attendants were cleaning up, and the bloodstains on the table had already been wiped clean...

Wei Yutian's somber face flashed through Duan Rong's mind. He thought to himself: This man has quite a bit of method and discretion in his dealings; no wonder he can make a living in the pugilistic world and build up family businesses like Weiyang Workshop and Chunming Pavilion.

Duan Rong did not know at this time that for an outsider like Wei Yutian to build such a family business in Xiangu County, besides what he had said, the more important factor was that his martial arts cultivation had already reached the True Qi Realm.

There were not many people in Xiangu County who were Martial Artists of the True Qi Realm!

The disturbance dissipated just like that, and the crowd dispersed. Duan Rong, Ximen Kankan, and Jiang Qingyu were also preparing to return to the Geng-character Room private box when, suddenly, a sarcastic voice rang out behind them.

"Oh... isn't this Brother Qingyu? Don't you think we are fated? We ran into each other at Huaying Pavilion yesterday? And today we bumped into each other again at Weiyang Workshop? Would you say we are enemies meeting on a narrow path, or that we have a deep predestined affinity?"

As soon as Jiang Qingyu heard that voice, he knew who was speaking. An expression of extreme disgust instantly appeared on his fair face. He turned around and saw Luo Zhoucheng standing by the railing at the entrance of the Xin Zi Room private box, followed by two Personal Attendants.

Luo Zhoucheng had a long face and a sallow complexion, and his features gave one a very uncoordinated feeling. At this moment, he put on a self-righteous, annoying look, which made Jiang Qingyu feel like vomiting.

Yet, this ugly wretch had recently been pestering Miss Lan Ying. Although Miss Lan Ying was unwilling to pay him any mind, she could not stop him from constantly throwing silver at Huaying Pavilion. After all, Huaying Pavilion was a den of pleasure and a place of fame and fortune; those with money were the masters.

This Luo Zhoucheng's father, Luo Yuxi, opened a fur shop and two clothing stores in Xiangu County and was also a wealthy man, so this wretch naturally did not lack silver to spend.

Since he was willing to spend silver, Lan Ying had to accompany him whether she was willing or not, but recently, this wretch had even started to get handsy with Miss Lan Ying.

Jiang Qingyu had heard of this occasionally and was furious because of it, so he had started a fight with Luo Zhoucheng inside Huaying Pavilion. However, Huaying Pavilion had experts stationed there every day, and as soon as the two started fighting, they were stopped.

Although they did not end up fighting, the grudge was nonetheless formed.

Moreover, fighting over romantic jealousy was always the easiest way to cause trouble.

Jiang Qingyu snorted coldly through his nose and mocked: "I wondered who it was. So it's Long-Face Luo. You should cover your face when you go out; it's broad daylight, and you're out here disgusting people!"

"You..." Luo Zhoucheng was just about to flare up, but he suppressed his anger and smiled: "This is a casino, let's not just use our mouths. If you have the guts, let's settle it at the card table? Do you dare?"

"Am I afraid of you?"

"Then let's go, Gui Zi Room private box!"

Jiang Qingyu's anger surged, and being provoked by Luo Zhoucheng, he took Jiang Rong and headed to the Gui Zi Room private box.

Duan Rong looked at Jiang Qingyu's state with some worry, but Ximen Kankan had already grabbed his forearm and said: "Don't always think about joining other people's games. We haven't determined who is better yet, have we?"

Ximen Kankan clearly viewed winning or losing at the gambling table as far more important than martial arts. When sparring, he didn't care at all if he lost a move or two, but if he lost at the casino, it would simply be the death of him.

He had only shaken the dice with Duan Rong once just now; he would absolutely not let Duan Rong leave until they had completely determined who was better.

Duan Rong had no choice and was pushed and pulled by Ximen Kankan back to the Geng-character Room private box.

Meanwhile, Jiang Qingyu took his Personal Attendant Jiang Rong into the Gui Zi Room private box.

As soon as Jiang Qingyu entered the private box, he noticed a burly middle-aged man already sitting inside.

Jiang Qingyu did not recognize this person.

"This is Mr. Tang. He is not from Xiangu County; he came here to purchase some furs. Originally, the two of us were going to play Pushing Pai Gow together, but since you've come too, let's do it together." Luo Zhoucheng glanced at Jiang Qingyu and said in a gloomy tone.

Jiang Qingyu swept his gaze over the faces of Luo Zhoucheng and the burly middle-aged man. He had already entered and could not show fear at this moment, so he said: "Pushing Pai Gow, that's fine."

"However, I have an additional condition. Today, whoever among us loses all the silver notes on their person, from this day forward, shall not harass Miss Lan Ying again. How about that?" Luo Zhoucheng said.

"That's what you said!" Jiang Qingyu's eyes turned fierce.

Inside the Geng-character Room private box, Duan Rong and Ximen Kankan shook the dice three more times. When the third result was revealed, Ximen Kankan's eyes instantly dimmed, his shoulders slumped, and his whole person suddenly became like a deflated ball.

Although Duan Rong's movements were very awkward—shaking the dice as if he were having a seizure—as long as he could sweep the board, did it matter whether his movements were graceful or not?

Ximen Kankan stood up and walked toward the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To the privy," Ximen Kankan said. "To strengthen my luck!"

After Ximen Kankan returned from strengthening his luck, he lost three more rounds in a row.

It wasn't that Duan Rong couldn't let Ximen Kankan win a round, but if he wanted to end Ximen Kankan's pestering as soon as possible, he couldn't let him win.

Only by losing to the end could he make him completely give up.

If he let him win occasionally, this wretch might drag him into gambling until dawn.

Later on, Ximen Kankan even started to imitate Duan Rong's style, shaking the dice in jerky motions as if he were having a seizure.

Duan Rong shook them that way because he could see the pips inside the dice cup; Ximen Kankan learning the empty form was naturally useless, which just made Duan Rong laugh...

Ximen Kankan was not just depressed now; his heart was bleeding...

Losing, constantly losing...

As the two played, half an hour passed. Duan Rong's heart stirred; the Spirit Tool of the Jade Thumb Ring he had just devoured had been fully digested.

Mastery of Qingcha Sleight of Hand, Mastery of Hundred-Change Thousand Arts, and Mastery of Disguise Technique—these three exotic arts, as if a ghost had possessed him, instantly became a part of Duan Rong's Divine Soul and mind.

Holding the dice cup, Duan Rong felt different instantly. The previous awkwardness had completely vanished. At this moment, holding the dice cup in his palm was like a child holding a toy that had accompanied him for many years, the one he was most familiar with.

Duan Rong was very clear in his heart at this moment: he could shake out whatever pips he wanted.

With the Mastery-level Hundred-Change Thousand Arts, combined with the penetration of his Divine Sense, that feeling was hard to describe; it was as if the dice inside the cup were in communion with his mind.

Next, Ximen Kankan noticed that Duan Rong's posture for shaking the dice had changed. He would lightly shake the cup and open it; that crisp and casual manner made Ximen Kankan look sideways for a moment.

After a few such rounds, Ximen Kankan asked: "How come your method of shaking the dice has changed?"

Duan Rong smiled and said: "Hmm... I've mastered a new method."

"Mastered... a new method?" Ximen Kankan looked at Duan Rong in surprise.

He suddenly understood. When Duan Rong practiced blade techniques, he could improve just by thinking about it, and he could progress by taking a nap; this dice-shaking was the same—he improved as he shook them.

No wonder he could draw Spring Palace Paintings so well?

This person is simply a natural-born monster!

Ximen Kankan was by now completely in awe of Duan Rong; first because of the Spring Palace Painting, and second because of his gambling skills. In his eyes, Duan Rong was truly a first-rate, marvelous person.

(End of chapter)