Chapter 282: Remove the 【Wu】?

With that, Zhang Qi moved his body and leapt onto the arena.

Hummm… hummm… hummm…

The next moment, the arena's defensive array activated.

Below the arena, many spectators had come to watch the spectacle—not because of He Pingsheng, but simply to gather near the arena.

Because duels happened here every day.

But calling it mere spectacle wasn't quite right.

Cultivators weren't this idle; they came here to broaden their horizons by observing others' battles.

Sometimes, watching enough could even benefit one's own combat prowess.

Besides these ordinary spectators, there were also members of the Free Immortal Sect.

He Pingsheng's gaze swept across and spotted Wuqiong Dao Ren, along with four or five other Foundation Establishment disciples clad in Free Immortal Sect robes.

On the square arena, fifty zhang wide and long, within the inverted array, Zhang Qi sneered at He Pingsheng: "Xu Kunlun, if you've got guts, get up here—don't dawdle!"

He Pingsheng smiled and said: "You set up this arena just to challenge me?"

"But why should I accept?"

"Why must I fight you just because you've set up a challenge?"

This question left Zhang Qi speechless.

He didn't know how to answer; after thinking, he said: "Xu Kunlun, you don't have to fight—but you must admit defeat, and never bother Qiao Shijie of our Free Immortal Sect again!"

"Or I won't let you off!"

He Pingsheng laughed: "Why should I admit defeat?"

"Huh?"

"This…"

On the stage, Zhang Qi scratched his head, truly at a loss for words.

"Hmph…" Below, Wuqiong sneered: "We're all cultivators of the cultivation world. My brother Zhang has challenged you—if you're a man, fight or don't fight, why all this hesitation?"

"Xu Kunlun, are you scared?"

"We're both at the eleventh layer—we're not taking advantage of you!"

"If you're too cowardly, we'll leave right now!"

Wuqiong spoke with finality.

After all, if He Pingsheng refused to step up, they couldn't force him.

Better to just leave.

If they left, the one on the defensive would be He Pingsheng—not the Free Immortal Sect.

He Pingsheng smiled: "I'll fight… but let me make something clear first."

"Qiao Shijie is my wife—you can't use her as a wager!"

"Choose another stake!"

Upon hearing He Pingsheng would step onto the arena, Wuqiong grinned and asked: "What do you want to wager?"

He Pingsheng rummaged through his person, then pulled out a deep red defensive magic treasure: the Fire Yuan Blood-Reflecting Armor.

"This item is called the Fire Yuan Blood-Reflecting Armor!"

He Pingsheng waved his hand, and the armor unfolded, hovering in midair: "It bears twelve layers of seals—it's a top-grade magic treasure!"

As soon as it appeared, the entire venue erupted.

"Holy shit…"

"A magic treasure!"

"Damn, this is my first time seeing a magic treasure!"

"And it's a twelve-layer top-grade magic treasure?"

"This…"

"Incredible!"

"And it's a defensive top-grade magic treasure!"

"This thing is priceless!"

"So precious!"

"I'd never earn enough spirit stones in my lifetime!"

"Be confident—you'd need ten lifetimes to afford even the sleeve of this divine armor!"

Magic treasures were typically obtained only after a Jin Dan cultivator spent a century refining one—and even then, it was usually only low- or mid-grade.

To refine a magic treasure to twelve-layer top-grade required at least a Nascent Soul realm.

That meant most Nascent Soul elders owned nothing better than top-grade magic treasures.

And crucially, He Pingsheng's treasure was defensive.

That made it even rarer.

Put simply—even Nascent Soul elders might not possess such a thing.

Seeing He Pingsheng's wager, Wuqiong Dao Ren's face turned green.

He regretted it deeply.

He regretted not bringing his own stake first—now the other side had presented theirs, and he was left utterly helpless.

He didn't even own a top-grade spirit artifact, let alone a magic treasure.

He wanted to spit blood!

What should he do?

Wuqiong froze.

He felt every humiliation of his life had surfaced today.

And worse—it was all before his goddess, Qiao Huizhu.

"Comrade Wuqiong…" He Pingsheng waved the Fire Yuan Blood-Reflecting Armor: "You don't even have a stake to offer?"

Shhh…

Every eye in the square turned toward Wuqiong Dao Ren.

Wuqiong Dao Ren's face turned bright red as he trembled: "Comrade Xu, you're joking—we're merely Foundation Establishment cultivators; how could we possibly possess a top-grade magic treasure?"

"You can afford such wealth, but this feels like bullying with power!"

"Oh oh oh!" He Pingsheng nodded: "So you don't have one… that's understandable."

"Then let me change the stake…"

He waved his hand, retracting the Fire Yuan Blood-Reflecting Armor, then casually pulled out a small green flying vessel: "This will do…"

Pong…

He Pingsheng's magic power surged again.

The vessel's seals unfolded layer by layer.

Eight layers total.

Top-grade spirit artifact: Lingkong Vessel.

"This is called the Lingkong Vessel," He Pingsheng said coolly. "It bears eight layers of seals—a top-grade spirit artifact."

"And it's a top-grade spirit artifact designed for travel—extremely valuable."

"Not only can it be used for travel, but when deployed, it also offers defensive capabilities."

This time, He Pingsheng didn't deliberately humiliate him.

He assumed that as the top disciple of Yu Shu Peak in the Free Immortal Sect, Wuqiong surely owned at least one top-grade spirit artifact.

He absolutely must have one.

But He Pingsheng was wrong.

Wuqiong Dao Ren truly didn't.

He had two high-grade spirit artifacts.

Watching what He Pingsheng produced, Wuqiong Dao Ren's face flushed red again.

Everyone stared at Wuqiong Dao Ren.

Wuqiong Dao Ren wanted to crawl into a crack in the ground.

He realized challenging He Pingsheng had been the worst decision of his life.

"Comrade Wuqiong?" He Pingsheng said: "You're a disciple of the Free Immortal Sect, the top disciple of Yu Shu Peak, and even at the False Core stage—surely you don't lack a top-grade spirit artifact?"

"Just drop the 【Wu】 from your title."

He Pingsheng retracted the top-grade spirit artifact: "I'm not refusing to fight you—it's you who can't even provide a stake!"

"Then I'm sorry."

"I'm leaving."

Leaving now would be fine.

It's not that I won't fight—it's that you can't afford to.

Even if Qiao Huizhu returned to the Free Immortal Sect, she'd face no criticism—instead, Wuqiong Dao Ren would become a laughingstock.