Chapter 763: Wager – Lin Langtian's Favor
"He's the Palace Master of the Earth Desolation Hall, Huang Kurong."
Beside Lin Langtian, Mu Honglian stared at the figure standing calmly in the sky, her tone grave.
The pressure from the black-robed man crushed down on every expert from both sides.
"Earth Desolation Hall… Huang Kurong?" Lin Langtian's eyes narrowed slightly.
So this was the man who had once led a group of experts in rebellion against the Heaven-Earth Sect.
Since the two factions had gone their separate ways, why stir up the Domain of Chaos now and force the sect into the open?
His thoughts flashed back to the faint, hidden injuries he had sensed in the Heaven-Earth Sect Master's body.
A guess surfaced in his mind.
Was Huang Kurong testing something… or someone?
"Junior Brother Huang, you finally decided to show yourself."
The Sect Master's voice drifted from the golden throne above, utterly calm.
Clearly, Huang Kurong's arrival had been expected.
Many listening cultivators felt a strange dissonance as the two men addressed each other as senior and junior brother.
The Heaven-Earth Continent's two bitter enemies had once been disciples of the same sect.
What had happened between them to turn brotherhood into open hostility?
Huang Kurong smiled faintly, his abyssal gaze fixed on the glowing figure atop the throne.
His brows twitched ever so slightly.
In the battle long ago, his senior brother had suffered a grievous injury—bad enough to force him into seclusion for years.
By all reason, now should have been his weakest moment.
Yet he dared to appear here openly?
Or… was the Heaven-Earth Sect Master now a hollow shell?
Light flickered in Huang Kurong's eyes. He lifted a hand.
The spiritual power of heaven and earth surged wildly around him.
Every head turned upward.
A mountain of swirling, multicolored light took form in the sky, coalescing from spiritual power so pure it seemed to pierce the soul.
It looked unremarkable at first glance, but its weight rivaled a thousand towering peaks.
Even a Ninth-Grade Sovereign would be crushed beneath it.
Because it was composed entirely of spiritual power refined to its purest essence.
Heaven and Earth Manifestation.
A technique only Earth Sovereigns could wield.
With a single gesture, they could mobilize the full might of heaven and earth.
"Senior Brother Qian, it's been a long time," Huang Kurong said softly. "Allow me to offer you a gift."
He flicked his sleeve.
The massive mountain of light plunged downward, casting a vast shadow across the Heaven-Earth Sect's ranks.
Testing whether Qian Tian was still injured was simple.
One move would be enough.
If his injuries truly were flaring now, the sect would fall with him—today.
That was why he had goaded the Domain of Chaos into provoking the sect in the first place: to force Qian Tian out of hiding.
Boom!
The shadow swept over the army.
Every Heaven-Earth expert's face went pale.
Under such a strike, they could not even run.
The gap between their level and that of an Earth Sovereign was simply too vast.
Countless eyes turned toward the golden throne.
Lin Langtian clenched his fists, staring hard.
If the Sect Master could not block this, he would not stand idle and wait to die.
Under the weight of the world's collective gaze, the golden-robed figure finally raised his head.
He seemed to draw in a quiet breath.
The air itself shuddered.
The mountain of spiritual power halted, then twisted as a golden streak of light swept around it.
An instant later, it shrank to a single gleaming stream and vanished—drawn straight into the Sect Master's mouth.
The sky fell silent.
Then the uproar began.
Gasps and shouts rippled across the battlefield.
No one had expected the Earth Desolation Hall Master's probing strike to be swallowed whole.
Lin Langtian's heart pounded.
The divide between an ordinary Sovereign and an Earth Sovereign was indeed like a chasm between worlds.
His hands tightened.
His desire to cross that gap burned fiercer than ever.
Huang Kurong's gaze hardened, his features tightening by the slightest margin.
He hadn't used his full strength—but he had seen what he needed to see.
Qian Tian hadn't shown so much as a flicker of unstable power.
He had devoured the attack without the slightest sign of strain.
"So his injuries haven't flared yet," Huang Kurong thought grimly. "If they did, I could kill him here, devour his manifestation, and push my own toward the upper Earth Sovereign realm.
"With that, ruling the entire Heaven-Earth Continent would be within reach."
His eyes glinted coldly.
His information had been flawless.
By all calculations, this should be when Qian Tian's hidden wounds erupted.
Yet his power remained unchanged—unchallenged.
"Junior Brother Huang seems eager to test himself against me," Qian Tian's voice rolled out, threading through the sky. "Do you wish to finish our fight from last time?"
"Hehe, I only wanted to see how far you've advanced, Senior Brother."
Huang Kurong smiled faintly and swept his sleeve, turning his gaze to the vast armies below.
"But for a war of this scale, someone of your level stepping in would be… a bit much.
"The Earth Desolation Hall has close ties to the Domain of Chaos. If you try to crush them with brute force, we won't stand by in silence."
"Oh? So you still intend to cross blades with my Heaven-Earth Sect," Qian Tian said coolly.
There was no hint of fear in his tone.
Huang Kurong only smiled.
"Let's not pretend otherwise. You and I both understand the situation perfectly.
"If you move, so will I. Whatever our past, I won't hesitate to block you—and then you'll still be unable to interfere.
"And frankly, I'd be more than happy to watch you and the Domain of Chaos tear each other apart."
Golden light rippled faintly around Qian Tian's throne.
"Enough games. Say what you want."
"As straightforward as ever, Senior Brother," Huang Kurong replied. "But I'm not the one in charge here. The Domain of Chaos will name the terms."
At his words, the Blazing Fist Gate Master stepped forward with an easy smile and cupped his hands.
"Given the situation," he said, "neither side truly wishes for a full-scale slaughter—but we also can't let the Heaven-Earth Sect leave empty-handed.
"So, my Domain of Chaos is willing to propose a wager instead.
"That way, we avoid needless casualties while still deciding a victor.
"The loser will compensate the winner with one million drops of Sovereign Spirit Liquid and a thousand cities.
"What does Sect Master Qian think?"
"One million Sovereign Spirit Liquid… and a thousand cities?"
The crowd erupted again.
Even the three elders' eyes flickered.
The sect could afford such a price—but it was far from trivial.
And a thousand cities… their combined value was beyond staggering.
Lin Langtian's eyes narrowed.
Even after stripping Ten Thousand Demons Gate bare, he had only gained the equivalent of less than two hundred thousand drops of Sovereign Spirit Liquid.
Now the Domain of Chaos wanted to stake a full million on a single bet.
Their courage was not lacking.
The three elders looked to Qian Tian in silent question.
"What are the terms?" the Sect Master asked after a pause, his tone unruffled.
"Simple," the Blazing Fist Gate Master replied with a smile. "Three matches.
"One at the elder level.
"One at the king level.
"And one at the commander level.
"Each side sends a representative for each rank. Whichever side wins more matches wins the wager."
"Why bother with the formality?" the Grand Elder said, smiling faintly. "Let the three of you come at once; the three of us will meet you.
"Or are you that lacking in confidence?"
"Hehe, that would be too dull," the Blazing Fist Gate Master said lightly. "A stage like this should give the juniors their chance as well."
The Grand Elder frowned, then turned his eyes toward the throne.
The proposed format added new variables.
Golden light pulsed faintly around Qian Tian.
From within it, his gaze swept across the ranks of Heaven-Earth Sect experts, weighing, measuring.
After a moment, his voice emerged, level as ever.
"Very well. The Heaven-Earth Sect accepts your wager."
"As expected of Sect Master Qian," the Blazing Fist Gate Master said, smiling in admiration.
"Send out your three," Qian Tian said. "Let's see what you've brought."
The Blazing Fist Gate Master opened his mouth, but before he could speak, the Dragon Might Cult Master stepped forward.
"Dragon Might Sovereign," he said calmly. "I'll face your elder-level expert."
The other two Domain of Chaos leaders did not object in the slightest, clearly having anticipated this.
Their expressions carried quiet confidence in the Dragon Might Sovereign's strength.
Lin Langtian's eyes flashed.
He silently raised his estimation of this man.
Once the elder combatant had stepped out, the Blazing Fist Gate Master waved his hand again.
The sea of chaos-aligned cultivators parted.
A towering, black-armored figure walked calmly into view.
Killing intent rolled from him like a tide.
He wore ink-dark heavy armor from head to toe, his form like that of a living siege engine.
Faint ancient runes flickered along the plates, tracing patterns across the metal.
Gasps of recognition swept the crowd.
"That's… Crimson Slaughter King of Blood Frenzy Sect. He's alive?" Mu Honglian exclaimed.
"Crimson Slaughter King?" Lin Langtian repeated, surprised.
"He's a king-level expert from Blood Frenzy Sect," she said quickly. "When we destroyed that sect, we thought every last powerhouse had fallen. I never imagined he survived."
Lin Langtian's gaze hardened.
The sheer ferocity radiating from the Crimson Slaughter King felt like it had been honed over endless battles.
"I wonder who they'll send as their commander," he murmured.
Compared to the first two matches, this was the one that concerned him the most—because it lay within his reach.
Though he was still a newcomer with little seniority, this was the Great Thousand World.
Here, strength alone determined worth.
With the reputation he had built in such a short time, if the Sect Master paid any attention at all to internal affairs, he would know that only one commander in the Heaven-Earth Sect was truly qualified for this match.
"Chaos will choose their strongest," Mu Honglian said quietly. "And they have three contenders.
"Xu Lie of Blazing Fist Gate.
"Liu Xuanjian of Dragon Might Cult.
"And Song Zang of Black Demon Sect.
"Liu Xuanjian is the most famous. Xu Lie is the most brutal and ruthless. Song Zang is… the most low-key."
Lin Langtian mulled over the names, then focused on the Blazing Fist Gate Master once more.
The man swept his sleeve.
A ripple spread through the chaos-aligned ranks, and three figures rose.
Liu Xuanjian stood among them, flanked by a bald, crimson-robed hulk on one side and a quiet man in black on the other, his eyes closed.
Xu Lie of Blazing Fist Gate.
Liu Xuanjian of Dragon Might Cult.
Song Zang of Black Demon Sect.
At the Blazing Fist Gate Master's gesture, the three traded glances.
Xu Lie and Liu Xuanjian both clicked their tongues and stepped back at the same time, leaving Song Zang to stand alone at the front.
The choice sent a murmur rippling through both armies.
Clearly, the Domain of Chaos had placed their faith in Song Zang.
"Hehe, Sect Master Qian, we've made our selections," the Blazing Fist Gate Master said with a smile. "Which three will you send?"
Thousands of eyes turned to the golden throne.
Qian Tian sat there like a mountain of light, his voice as steady as ever.
"Grand Elder."
Among the three elders, the Grand Elder inclined his head, unsurprised.
He met the Dragon Might Sovereign's gaze.
Choosing the Grand Elder made the Heaven-Earth Sect's intent clear—they were taking no chances.
"Lance King."
The Sect Master's voice sounded again.
No one was shocked this time either.
Among the Nine Kings, Lance King was the strongest.
Even Calamity King fell slightly short.
After naming the king-level representative, Qian Tian paused.
One finger tapped lightly on the armrest of his throne.
Then his gaze shifted.
He let it pass over the gathered commanders one by one, weighing and discarding.
Finally, it came to rest on a single figure, sitting with eyes closed in quiet focus.
"Silver Mist Palace—Lin Langtian."
(END CHAPTER)