Chapter 283

He Pingsheng didn't want to fight on this arena.

It was simply boring.

Even if Zhang Qi or that False Core cultivator Wuqiong Daoist stepped up, he could kill them with a single strike.

But it was meaningless.

After all, Qiao Hui Zhu now cultivates in the Free and Easy Immortal Sect—he couldn't go too far, or his wife would suffer.

If he could avoid fighting, he'd avoid it.

That was He Pingsheng's principle.

As for showing off his treasure today,

he wasn't afraid.

I'm just a shopkeeper who sells elixirs; having some wealth is reasonable, isn't it?

Anyone with half a brain knows alchemists are filthy rich—how many of them are poor?

"Let's go…"

He Pingsheng waved his hand: "When Wuqiong Dao friend acquires a top-grade spiritual weapon, we'll fight then!"

Wuqiong Daoist, humiliated, wanted to tear He Pingsheng apart on the spot—how could he let him leave so easily?

Leave?

That's impossible.

Today, the Free and Easy Immortal Sect lost face—we must recover it.

"Xu Dao friend, wait…" Wuqiong Daoist stood up and said.

He Pingsheng, already turned and taken several steps, looked back: "What else?"

Everyone stared at Wuqiong Daoist.

Wuqiong Daoist chuckled and pulled out an item.

It was a bracelet—a string of bells.

"Xu Dao friend…" Wuqiong Daoist used magic power to expand the bells in his hand.

Seven layers of sealing runes appeared.

"I don't have a top-grade spiritual weapon, but this is a high-grade spiritual artifact!" Wuqiong said slowly: "It's a spiritual sense attack treasure—once activated, it silently disrupts the opponent's soul, extremely useful in battle!"

"Its rank is lower than your Lingkong Boat, but in value, it may surpass it!"

"I'll wager this item—will you accept?"

Wuqiong Daoist sneered.

This time, you can't refuse, can you?

Then, every eye turned to He Pingsheng.

"That's right…"

"This thing's value isn't less than the Lingkong Boat!"

"Spiritual sense attack treasures are extremely rare—highly valuable!"

"Exactly! If I had a spiritual sense attack treasure, I wouldn't trade it even for a top-grade spiritual weapon!"

The onlookers murmured, and soon all sided with Wuqiong Daoist.

He Pingsheng, however, smiled and pulled a small bell from his storage bag.

"Bang…"

The next moment, he expanded the bell again.

Eight layers of sealing runes emerged.

He smiled at Wuqiong Daoist: "I have spiritual sense attack treasures too…"

"I can't even use your thing!"

The subtext: I have better—would I even look at your trash?

"This…" The unexpected scene instantly crushed Wuqiong Daoist's rising pride.

"Sorry, still can't compete… I'm leaving…"

He Pingsheng put away the treasure and turned to leave.

"Xu Kunlun…" Behind him, Zhang Qi, who had already climbed onto the arena, roared: "I, Zhang Qi, am the one challenging you—not my senior! Why should my senior wager?"

"I'll wager with you!"

Swish…

Only then did everyone finally turn their gaze to Zhang Qi, who had been waiting on the arena all along.

Right—the match is with this one.

"What's your wager?" He Pingsheng asked.

Zhang Qi smiled: "Xu Kunlun, our Free and Easy Immortal Sect has a miraculous fruit tree called the Nanqi Tree—it bears Nanqi Fruit, which helps Foundation Establishment cultivators break through their bottlenecks!"

"Sister Qiao entered late, so she has no right to claim a Nanqi Fruit!"

"But I, last time, earned great merit for the sect and was rewarded with an Immortal Fruit Token—when the Nanqi Fruit ripens in thirty years, I can claim one with this token!"

"I'll wager this Immortal Fruit Token—how about it?"

Immortal Fruit Token?

He Pingsheng frowned slightly—it was genuinely useful.

He still hadn't obtained any heavenly treasure to break his bottleneck—who could guarantee he'd get one in the next thirty years?

Having this gave him extra security, didn't it?

Besides, if he couldn't use the fruit, Qiao Xiaoqiao could; at the very least, Old Cheng and Xiaohe could use it later.

It wouldn't be wasted.

"Fine!" He Pingsheng agreed decisively.

Next came the depositing of wagers.

For fairness, He Pingsheng's Lingkong Boat and Zhang Qi's Immortal Fruit Token were both handed to the City Lord's Office for safekeeping.

Whoever won would take both items.

"Gentlemen!" said a City Lord's guard: "Our office imposes no rules on the arena!"

"Once you step on, even if it turns to life or death, we won't interfere!"

"But one thing you must remember!"

"If your opponent yields, you must stop attacking!"

"All other rules are up to you both to decide!"

After speaking, the guard stepped aside.

"Good!" Wuqiong Daoist stepped forward again: "Xu Kunlun is kin to our Free and Easy Immortal Sect—so, to ensure fairness, neither of you may use any magic treasures, talismans, or elixirs!"

"Only fists, feet, and spells!"

"No objections?"

Wuqiong feared He Pingsheng might suddenly pull out a top-grade magic treasure—how could they compete then?

So he banned magic treasures and talismans—only spells and bare-handed combat allowed.

In short: no external aids.

"No problem!"

He Pingsheng smiled.

Zhang Qi smiled too: "No problem!"

Our Free and Easy Immortal Sect has countless spells—what's the issue?

Once on the arena, I'll make you spin in circles seeing my skills.

"Go!"

Wuqiong Daoist waved his hand and turned to walk away, seeking a chair to sit and watch closely.

But the moment he found a chair and was about to sit, a thunderous crash erupted behind him.

Wuqiong turned his head mechanically.

He saw his junior flung high into the air, then slammed onto the dome-shaped array's energy membrane, bounced off, and crashed to the ground with a thud.

On the arena, Zhang Qi lay sprawled like a dog eating mud, motionless—as if dead.

In contrast, He Pingsheng stood calmly at the arena's center.

"What…"

"What happened?"

Wuqiong was stunned.

In the blink of an eye, you're down?

How did you fall?

I didn't even see it!

"Who can tell me what just happened?"

Wuqiong stared blankly at his fellow sect disciples.

They all gaped, mouths agape, unable to close them.

The crowd fell utterly silent.