Chapter 64: A High-Stakes Gamble Outside the Secret Realm

On Luoxue Mountain.

"The one-year term has arrived, and the exit will open soon. Which sect do you think has the greatest harvest this time?"

Outside the Secret Realm, the muscular elder Jia Wenchang looked at the team-leading elders of the other three sects with a chuckle.

No sooner had Jia Wenchang finished speaking than Song Qiuyue suddenly sneered, "I'm not sure which sect has the greatest harvest, but I can certainly guess which one has the least."

Jia Wenchang's gaze flickered, "Oh? Elder Song might as well enlighten us."

At the same time, Qing Feng and Yun Zhongque both looked toward Song Qiuyue; only Yan Qingxuan remained sitting cross-legged to the side, her eyes closed.

"Hmph, putting on an act." Song Qiuyue glanced at Yan Qingxuan, a flash of mockery crossing her face, "Need I say more? The Hehuan Sect has even sent out an old waste whose feet are already in the grave; one can see just how poor the quality of their Outer Sect Disciples is."

"For a team like that, it's already quite good if they can come out alive after entering the Secret Realm; you still expect them to have much of a harvest?"

As she spoke, she looked at Yan Qingxuan with a face full of mockery, "If it were me, I would be too embarrassed to lead such a team out."

Hearing Song Qiuyue's taunt, Yan Qingxuan, who had been sitting with her eyes closed, slowly opened them.

Looking at Song Qiuyue, she said indifferently, "You seem very confident in your Xuanqing Palace disciples?"

"Confidence is not the word, but at the very least, they are far stronger than your Hehuan Sect disciples," Song Qiuyue sneered.

Yan Qingxuan shook her head, "On the contrary, I feel that my Hehuan Sect disciples are more outstanding."

Song Qiuyue's expression flickered, "Is that so? Since you are so confident in your Hehuan Sect disciples, how about we make a bet?"

A bet?

Yan Qingxuan raised an eyebrow.

"What? Are you afraid?" Song Qiuyue mocked.

"It seems you were prepared for this." Yan Qingxuan gave Song Qiuyue a deep look, then smiled, "Since you want to bet, then let's have a bet."

"Speak, how do you want to bet?"

Seeing Yan Qingxuan agree, Song Qiuyue's eyes lit up, "We bet on the harvest of our two sects' disciples; whoever's side has the greater harvest wins."

"If you lose, give your Xuanming Lihuo Ring to me."

Hearing Song Qiuyue's words, before Yan Qingxuan could react, the eyelids of Jia Wenchang, Qing Feng, and Yun Zhongque couldn't help but twitch.

The Xuanming Lihuo Ring!

That was the signature Magic Treasure from when Yan Qingxuan made a name for herself in the Northern Territory back in the day!

It was very likely the most powerful Magic Treasure she possessed.

For this Song Qiuyue to open her mouth and demand the Xuanming Lihuo Ring—wasn't this stake a bit too high?

Compared to the three of them, including Jia Wenchang, Yan Qingxuan, the party involved, appeared much calmer.

Hearing the stake proposed by Song Qiuyue, she only gave a cold smile, "You want to bet on my Xuanming Lihuo Ring? Fine, what are you putting up to bet against me?"

"I'll bet with my Zixiao Jade Palace!"

Song Qiuyue waved her hand, and with a flash of purple light, an exquisite, palm-sized palace appeared before her.

Seeing this purple palace, Jia Wenchang, Qing Feng, and Yun Zhongque couldn't help but feel a flicker of greed in their hearts.

The Zixiao Jade Palace was a precious palace-type Magic Treasure.

Not only could it defend, attack, and serve as a dwelling, but it could also be used as a flight Magic Treasure; it was an extremely versatile item, and its value was at the top tier among treasures of the same level.

"Not enough."

Yet, facing this precious palace Magic Treasure, Yan Qingxuan shook her head with a calm expression.

Curiously, regarding Yan Qingxuan's reaction, the three of them—Jia Wenchang and the others—did not show the slightest surprise.

The Zixiao Jade Palace was precious.

But the Xuanming Lihuo Ring was even better.

The Xuanming Lihuo Ring was also a Magic Treasure capable of both attack and defense, and its power in both aspects exceeded that of the Zixiao Jade Palace.

Furthermore, the Xuanming Lihuo Ring could also be used as a flight Magic Treasure, and its speed was also superior to the Zixiao Jade Palace.

Except for not being able to be used as a dwelling, the Xuanming Lihuo Ring could be said to suppress the Zixiao Jade Palace in every aspect; it was a Magic Treasure more precious than the Zixiao Jade Palace.

Hearing Yan Qingxuan's words, Song Qiuyue pondered for a moment, then took out a Jade Slip, "This is a high-level Spirit Tool Blueprint I obtained by chance, named the Dragon Chant Ancient Bell."

"How about adding this?"

"Still not enough." Yan Qingxuan continued to shake her head.

"What if I add this incomplete Second-tier Ancient Pill Formula?" Song Qiuyue took out another ancient-looking Jade Slip, covered in fine cracks and filled with the traces of time.

"The value of an Ancient Pill Formula is reflected more in the pharmacology it contains; for an Alchemist, it possesses extremely high research value."

"This Ancient Pill Formula is sixty percent complete; you should be very clear about its value."

"Agreed!"

Yan Qingxuan nodded.

"Since that is the case, it is settled: if you win, the Zixiao Jade Palace, the Dragon Chant Ancient Bell Blueprint, and the Ancient Pill Formula all belong to you."

"If I win, your Xuanming Lihuo Ring will be mine."

After Song Qiuyue finished speaking, as if afraid Yan Qingxuan would go back on her word, she didn't wait for a response and looked at Jia Wenchang and Qing Feng, "Would the two of you act as witnesses?"

Jia Wenchang and Qing Feng looked at Song Qiuyue with envy and nodded.

They didn't think much of the Hehuan Sect disciples either, and in their view, the probability of Song Qiuyue winning was extremely high.

That was the Xuanming Lihuo Ring.

A powerful Magic Treasure that could make their combat strength soar instantly!

They were currently very annoyed that they had let Song Qiuyue get there first; why hadn't they thought of this themselves just now?

Yan Qingxuan naturally saw through Song Qiuyue's intentions.

These people looked down on Wang Jianqiang, but she felt that Wang Jianqiang was very likely to become a dark horse, capable of increasing the upper limit of the Hehuan Sect disciples.

She smiled indifferently, "Let it be settled this way."

……

One hour later.

The space above Luoxue Mountain suddenly began to fluctuate.

Yan Qingxuan and the others shifted their expressions and looked up.

"The exit is about to open." Song Qiuyue glanced at Yan Qingxuan, a cold sneer flashing across her face.

Jia Wenchang, Qingfeng, and Yun Zhongque also looked up.

Under the gaze of the five, the space became increasingly distorted, and finally, a deep Space Channel slowly took shape.

"Is it coming out?"

Seeing the exit fully revealed, the five pairs of eyes were fixed tightly upon it.

One minute.

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

……

Half an hour later.

"What is going on? Why has no one come out yet?" Qingfeng's expression was grave. "In the past, as soon as the Secret Realm exit appeared, Disciples would be teleported out."

Yun Zhongque pondered for a moment. "Could it be that they were delayed by something and haven't reached the entrance yet?"

"How is that possible? It would be plausible for one or two people to be delayed, but do you believe it yourself if everyone was delayed?" Song Qiuyue sneered.

"Could an accident have happened?" Jia Wenchang frowned and said.

"The Secret Realm exit will remain open for two hours; let's wait and see."

Yan Qingxuan looked at the entrance, her slender brows slightly furrowed.

As the five finished speaking and waited, another half hour passed.

The Secret Realm exit suddenly trembled, and then, a disheveled figure stumbled out from the exit.

Ye Lingyun!

Seeing the person who appeared, the expressions of the five shifted.

"Ye Lingyun, what happened inside the Secret Realm?"

"The Secret Realm exit has been open for so long, why are you the only one who came out?"

Song Qiuyue, Jia Wenchang, and Qingfeng looked at Ye Lingyun simultaneously.

Upon hearing this, Ye Lingyun looked at Yan Qingxuan and Yun Zhongque.

Yan Qingxuan frowned and remained silent, while Yun Zhongque spoke up, "Speak."

Ye Lingyun took a deep breath and recounted the events in the Secret Realm.

From Mu Lingxi inciting the hatred of the Disciples of Xuanqing Palace and Zhengyang Sect, leading the two sects to join forces to encircle and suppress the Hehuan Sect, to the Three Great Factions slaughtering the Hehuan Sect in the canyon.

He spoke in great detail.

However, his story was nine parts true and one part false, painting his own image as incredibly noble.

For instance, when the Zhengyang Sect and Xuanqing Palace were hunting down the Hehuan Sect Disciples, he claimed to have intervened many times at the most critical moments, risking his life to save his fellow sect members.

Or, for example, after using his trump card to single-handedly shatter the Barrier set up by the three sects, he claimed that despite having the chance to leave immediately, he chose to stay behind to live and die with his trapped fellow sect members.

It was only after all his fellow sect members had fallen that he broke out with immense grief and successfully left the Secret Realm.