Chapter 74: Do You Dare to Make a Bet with Me?

"Steward Sun, hello!"

When the silver‑haired elder came over, Pan Wenbo first politely greeted him, then raised his hand and pointed at Li Mu.

"I can be certain!"

"The piece in this kid's hand worth fifty thousand sect contribution points is mine, if Steward Sun doesn't believe!"

"You may very well verify the owner of this Jade Slip; whether my words are true or false will be known with a test!"

At hearing this, the auction hall instantly erupted with a series of murmurs.

These sect jade slips are all imprinted with the owner's spiritual seal, so a genuine check would be as easy as a palm turn.

And the nearby Qian Wenyi clearly also realized this.

Startled, he instantly wanted to stand up, but Li Mu's glance stopped him.

The silver‑haired elder naturally watched this scene, walked straight to Li Mu's front, and said in a deep voice.

"Please let me see the Jade Slip, so I can verify it!"

"Otherwise, I can only handle it officially!"

The silver‑haired elder's sharp eyes stared intently at Li Mu.

If Li Mu refused to hand over the Jade Slip for inspection, he would have to be forcibly taken to the Law Enforcement Hall for them to deal with.

Li Mu shrugged, and directly handed the sect jade slip in his hand to the silver‑haired elder.

Seeing this, Pan Wenbo's face openly displayed a smug, petty triumph smile.

What a demeanor!

What a look!

It plainly showed he was determined to completely take Li Mu down!

As if in the next second, he could see Li Mu being forcibly taken to the Law Enforcement Hall by the silver‑haired elder.

But before Pan Wenbo could laugh any longer, the silver‑haired elder not only refrained from ordering his guards to act, but instead handed the sect jade slip back into Li Mu's hands.

"Sorry!"

"I have just finished confirming; this sect jade slip is indeed his without doubt!"

"How could that be?"

"This sect jade slip is clearly mine!"

"How could it possibly be his?"

"This sect jade slip must have been tampered with by this kid!"

"Right!"

"Exactly!"

"Steward Sun, this kid is wickedly cunning; you mustn't be duped by his petty tricks!"

Hearing that, Pan Wenbo's eyes widened into perfect circles, just as he was about to speak further.

But then the silver‑haired elder abruptly shifted his tone, sounding a bit unfriendly, and said.

"It's just that, my young friend, the sect jade slip in your hand seems insufficient to pay for this Thunder Tiger inner pill!"

"Know that, in the Cangbaoge auction hall, reckless bidding and disrupting order will also be severely punished!"

At hearing this, the smile that had just vanished returned to Pan Wenbo's face, and he laughed triumphantly.

"Hahaha…"

"I told you so!"

"He's just a mere Named Disciple; how could he possibly have fifty thousand sect contribution points on him?"

"Steward Sun, the matter is clear now, right?"

"This kid is simply here to cause trouble!"

"According to auction rules, anyone who maliciously bids and disrupts the auction will be forever barred from stepping into Cangbaoge even a single step!"

By the end, Pan Wenbo's gaze toward Li Mu flashed with a hint of exhilaration and malice.

Although he didn't understand why Li Mu didn't have his own sect jade slip in hand.

Thus he missed the great chance to eliminate Li Mu and expel him from the Ziyang Sect.

However…

All this trouble wasn't entirely fruitless.

At least he confirmed that Li Mu is all show and no substance, just pretending to be a big spender at the auction.

According to auction rules, items subjected to malicious bidding will be re‑auctioned.

Thus, relying on his reputation as a quasi‑Alchemist, as long as Li Mu doesn't cause trouble, he can definitely acquire this Thunder Tiger inner pill at the lowest cost!

As for Li Mu?

Just a mere hopping‑clown!

Awaiting him is not only eternal exclusion from Cangbaoge, but also a harsh reckoning later.

In short!

It is Pan Wenbo who is the biggest winner of this auction!

Thinking of this.

Pan Wenbo then sat on the chair in a victorious, flamboyant manner, his tone full of condescension and contempt.

"Hmph!"

"Just a destitute, lowly pauper, you can't even pee on yourself!"

"What right do you have to contest this Thunder Tiger inner pill with me?"

"Do you deserve it!"

Li Mu's smile deepened, his hand rubbing the sect's Jade Slip as he looked at Pan Wenbo and said lightly, "You say I have no right to contest this Thunder Tiger Internal Elixir with you, right?"

"Yes!"

Pan Wenbo proudly nodded, making it obvious he was set on taking Li Mu down.

Li Mu nodded and looked at the gray‑haired elder beside him: "You say I disrupted the auction order, bid recklessly, right?"

The gray‑haired elder said nothing, but the two guards behind him stepped to Li Mu's sides, one on each side.

It was a clear stance: if Li Mu still didn't leave, they would forcibly escort him out.

"Fine!"

Li Mu nodded, then his gaze calmly turned to Pan Wenbo as he said lightly.

"Since you are convinced I can't afford this Thunder Tiger Internal Elixir and think my action breaks the auction rules."

"Then do you dare make a bet with me?"

Hearing Li Mu's words, Pan Wenbo's smile suddenly stiffened.

He immediately replied with disdain, "A bet?"

"Fine!"

"There's nothing I wouldn't bet on!"

"Tell me, what do you want to bet on?"

Hearing that, Li Mu's mouth curved into an intriguing smile: "If I can afford this Thunder Tiger Internal Elixir, you will bow three times for me."

"If I can't afford it, then I will bow three times for you."

"Do you dare accept!"

Pan Wenbo sneered after hearing that, "Hmph!"

"Since you're so eager to disgrace yourself, I don't mind satisfying you!"

Saying that, Pan Wenbo's mouth twitched upward, his eyes on Li Mu filled with amusement and mockery.

In his view!

He had already driven Li Mu into a dead end!

The only choice left for him was one!

That is, pull out his Jade Slip worth fifty thousand.

This way he wouldn't have to wait for Steward Sun to ruin his cultivation and expel him forever from the Ziyang Sect!

As for whether Li Mu actually has fifty thousand sect contribution points?

In Pan Wenbo's eyes, that was simply impossible!

Before this, Steward Sun had already inspected Li Mu's Jade Slip, so he had no reason to worry about that.

Therefore, in Pan Wenbo's view, Li Mu making this bet was merely self‑disgrace.

He originally regretted being unable to act against Li Mu at the auction, and was pondering taking revenge later!

Unexpectedly!

Li Mu actually was foolish enough to voluntarily present this once‑in‑a‑millennium opportunity, stretching his face forward, letting himself be hit?

Ridiculous!

Absolutely ridiculous!

When Li Mu voluntarily proposed this bet to Pan Wenbo, it also caused a huge uproar in the auction hall.

These Inner Peak disciples were only twenty‑one, two years old, at the height of youthful vigor!

Moreover, the bet involved Pan Wenbo and a Named Disciple, which made them all cheer from the side.

"Hahaha……"

"Don't worry!"

"With this bet, we can all bear witness for you."

"Yeah!"

"Junior brother, if you still have any hidden cards left, pull them out now!"

"If you don't, soon you'll only be kneeling to bow to Pan Shao."

"Right!"

"You better hurry up!"

Beside them, Qian Wenyi saw this and his face turned pale, thinking silently that something was wrong.

Others may not know Li Mu's background, but could Qian Wenyi be unaware?

His older brother was just a grassroots cultivator who had come up from the mortal world and become a half‑way monk!

Even the furnace he used to refine pills was homemade!

The two knives in his hand were also sourced from his side at that time.

So, where does Li Mu have a treasure worth fifty thousand sect contribution points?

As for the Jade Slip they just seized, it indeed contained fifty thousand sect contribution points, but it was stolen money!

Pan Wenbo not only wasn't afraid, he actually hoped you would bring it out!

So, no matter what Qian Wenyi thought, his older brother truly forced himself into a dead end!

Yet, while Qian Wenyi was like an ant on a hot pan, frantic, and Pan Wenbo sat grandly, waiting for Li Mu to come bow,

including the Inner Peak disciples watching the spectacle.

Li Mu smiled faintly.

Immediately, he pulled a Demon Crystal that was entirely black‑red and radiating strong energy from his chest and held it high, speaking calmly.

"Add to that, the Demon Crystal of the black‑scaled demon python."

"Is that enough?"

As soon as the Black‑scaled Demon Python Demon Crystal appeared, a roar of uproar rose instantly in the auction hall!

When everyone present looked at the Black‑scaled Demon Python Demon Crystal in Li Mu's hand—its whole body sparkling like a ruby and its energy aura fierce—their eyes were filled with a burning hue.

"Based on the energy fluctuations of this Demon Crystal, this Black‑scaled Demon Python was definitely a Demon General before it died—extremely rare!"

"Indeed!"

"Unless you try your luck at the auction."

"Even if you go out of your way to buy it normally, it's hard to get your hands on."

"The energy of this Black‑scaled Demon Python Demon Crystal is immensely abundant and its vitality is very high!"

"Clearly it was just freshly hunted; where on earth did this kid get it?"

Demon‑beast Demon Crystals are generally better the fresher they are.

If left for a long time, the energy stored inside the Demon Crystal will continuously dissipate as time passes!

Especially for Demon General‑level Demon Crystals, this is even more true!

A freshly slashed Demon General‑level Demon Crystal versus one that has been stored for over a year can differ in price by more than double!

Looking at the Black‑scaled Demon Python Demon Crystal Li Mu produced, it is clearly a rare item of perfect quality!

If sold on the open market, it would certainly be snapped up in a bidding frenzy.

For a moment, everyone eyeing Li Mu's Black‑scaled Demon Python Demon Crystal felt an intense greed, as if they wanted to claim it as their own.

Li Mu flicked the Demon Crystal in his hand and said calmly, "In my sect's Jade Slip, I only have fifteen thousand contribution points."

"And although this Black‑scaled Demon Python Demon Crystal in my hand is only a second‑rank Demon General, if it were sold at the auction…"

"Just in terms of quality, it would be worth at least fifteen thousand sect contribution points."

"Am I wrong?"

"Hmph…"

Pan Wenbo sneered with a cold hum and said in a low voice, "Even adding the two together, it's only thirty thousand contribution points, still far from fifty thousand."

"Is that so?"

"One Demon Crystal isn't enough; we need to add a Black‑scaled Demon Python's inner elixir as well."

"I ask you, is this enough!"

As he spoke, another Black‑scaled Demon Python inner elixir appeared in Li Mu's hand!

The Black‑scaled Demon Python's Demon Crystal and inner elixir.

They were placed there, shining brightly before everyone in the hall, leaving the crowd stunned into silence!

Although this Black‑scaled Demon Python's inner elixir is not as precious as the Thunder Tiger's inner elixir, it is still a second‑rank Demon General's inner elixir!

Moreover, judging by the freshness and luster of the Black‑scaled Demon Python's inner elixir, it is clearly among the finest of its kind!

If you add it up, buying the Thunder Tiger's inner elixir would be more than enough.

Facing the shocked, astonished gazes of everyone present, Li Mu's smile remained unchanged: "Is the Black‑scaled Demon Python's inner elixir and Demon Crystal enough?"

"If it's not enough?"

"What about adding this Heavenly Treasure and the Crimson Flame Giant Tiger's Demon Crystal—does that make enough?"

Having said that.

Li Mu's hand again produced a Vermilion Cloud Purple Grass and a Crimson Flame Giant Tiger Demon Crystal!

"..."

When these two treasures appeared, the huge auction hall suddenly shifted from the previous uproar and admiration.

In a hall of nearly a thousand people, the silence now felt like a heavy snowfall.

Countless inner peak disciples, some gaping, some with complex expressions, some unable to accept, stared at the neatly arranged Demon General‑level Demon Crystals, inner elixirs, and Heavenly Treasures before Li Mu.

Each one truly felt it from the bottom of their hearts.

Numbed…

This time, it's truly completely numb!

Who knows what background this Named Disciple actually has?

Is he a lone individual who single‑handedly swept an entire Demon General's territory?

If not…

Then how does he have so many Demon General‑level Demon Crystals, inner elixirs, and a top‑grade Heavenly Treasure like Vermilion Cloud Purple Grass in his hands!