Chapter 146 Victory Will Belong to... (Part 1)
"Fatty, I'm giving you a chance to rephrase that!"
Ye Chen's face darkened, and he shot Ma Hongjun a 'death glare'.
"Sigh~, nobles are allowed to set fires, but commoners are not allowed to light lamps! When will ordinary people like us be able to stand tall!"
Ma Hongjun sighed deeply.
Ye Chen: "Scram~! Did I oppress you?"
Ye Chen had always acted honorably and openly in his life; he would never oppress others. Instead, he himself was often oppressed by Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong at night.
"Cough, cough, it was just a metaphor~."
Ma Hongjun said awkwardly.
"Fatty, look quickly, it seems to be from Blazing Academy, and there's a really beautiful Miss in there!"
Suddenly, the sharp-eyed Oscar spotted the Blazing Academy team following behind the Tianshui Academy team.
Needless to say, it was naturally Miss Huo Wu.
"Hmm, not bad, not bad, Little Ao, you have good taste. This Miss has big breasts and a perky butt, her figure is super great!"
Ma Hongjun stroked his chin, commenting on Miss Huo Wu in the distance.
'Tsk tsk, if it were a dual experience of ice and fire, that would be even more awesome!'
Ma Hongjun couldn't help but fantasize.
The dual experience of ice and fire naturally referred to Shui Binger and Huo Wu. Even without them releasing their Spirits, Ma Hongjun could feel the aura of ice and fire emanating from them.
...
All the teams that came to participate were dressed splendidly.
Adorned in beautiful team uniforms of gold, silver, red, white, and blue, with various decorations, patterns, and academy logos, the young Spirit Masters, one by one, walked into the Great Spirit Arena with their heads held high like heroes.
They exuded an air of heroic Spirit, looking down upon the world.
Before long, the Shrek people arrived at the Tiandou Great Spirit Arena's lounge, preparing to participate in the subsequent opening ceremony.
Due to the large number of participating teams, the entry and registration work could not be completed in a short time.
However, none of this concerned Ye Chen and the others; all these trivial matters were handled by Liu Erlong, their team leader.
Soon, the staff of the Competition entered the lounge area to organize the students who had already arrived to begin their entrance.
"Brother Chen, have we been ignored?"
Seeing that only their Shrek Team was left in the lounge, Ma Hongjun felt a bit angry.
He knew that many students had arrived after them, yet they were placed ahead of them when it was time to enter.
"Fatty, calm down. Generally speaking, the protagonists always appear last! Those who appear before are just supporting characters!"
Ye Chen said indifferently, subtly showing off. What was the point of entering first? Rather than standing out there, it was better to sit in the lounge!
"That's right, that's right~, Sister Xiao Wu wants to be the protagonist!"
Xiao Wu immediately chimed in from the side.
Just then, the Competition staff finally came in again, leading everyone to enter.
Although they were the last to enter the venue, the moment they stepped in, they were still awestruck by everything before their eyes.
Surrounding the huge and spacious square were countless shouting and cheering spectators. Directly in front of the central venue was a rostrum with a golden background, and behind the rostrum was the renovated VIP area.
The wide venue had a diameter of over 150 meters. The academies that had entered earlier were already arranged in neat formations in the center of the venue. As each academy entered, a dedicated master of ceremonies on the rostrum would introduce them.
"The last to enter is the Shrek Academy's participating team.
Shrek Academy, originally named Blue Tyrant Academy, was renamed Shrek a year ago. The Shrek Team has a total of ten students participating, and their registration slogan is: Victory will belong to Shrek!
What a stirring slogan! We hope they can perform outstandingly."
Passerby A: "A small Shrek Academy dares to clamor for victory? They won't be eliminated in the first round, will they?"
Passerby B: "Exactly, exactly! Go Tianshui Academy! Victory belongs to Tianshui Academy, and to Goddess Bing'er!"
These were Shui Binger's die-hard fans.
Passerby C: "Get lost, you idiot! Go Blazing Fire Academy! Victory belongs to Blazing Fire Academy, and to Goddess Huo Wu!"
These were Huo Wu's die-hard fans.
Passerby D: "Go Thunderclap Academy! Victory will belong to Brother Tianxin!"
Apparently, these were fan girls of Yu Tianxin of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
...
Ye Chen had to admit that the Soul Master Competition was indeed the biggest event on the entire Douluo Continent. The stands of the entire Tiandou Great Spirit Arena, which could accommodate 80,000 spectators, were now completely full.
Don't think that 80,000 people isn't a lot; in reality, it was an endless sea of dense, packed heads.
Of course, Ye Chen felt that compared to the Olympics in his previous life, the Olympics attracted more attention?
Well, it was just that the Douluo Continent's media wasn't great. Otherwise, if a team like Tianshui Academy were to debut, they would definitely gain countless fans.
In addition to the spectator stands, the Great Spirit Arena also had VIP seats.
Those sitting in the VIP seats naturally didn't need to buy tickets; they were all high-ranking nobles and high-level Spirit Masters officially invited.
In the first row of the VIP section, there were only three seats. The person in the center wore a gold and red robe and a golden diamond crown. His face was like an ancient moon, and although he appeared somewhat old, sitting there, he gave a sense of being the origin point, as if everything around him revolved around him.
Needless to say, this was Emperor Xue Ye, after all, this was Heaven Dou City, the home ground of the Heaven Dou Empire. Even if Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong came, she would have to sit to the side.
To Emperor Xue Ye's left sat an elder even older than him, entirely covered in a large red robe, wearing a five-pointed platinum crown on his head. His eyes were slightly closed, as if he were asleep. His shoulders were narrow, and his slender body was like a javelin.
The highest ruler of Spirit Hall on the surface was undoubtedly Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong. Below Bibi Dong, there were four Great Bishops, whose status was symbolized by a five-pointed platinum crown. This person before them was undoubtedly Platinum Bishop Salas of the Heaven Dou Spirit Hall.
Since Salas represented Spirit Hall, he was also qualified to sit in the first row.
To the right of Emperor Xue Ye was Ye Chen's father-in-law, Ning Fengzhi.
Ning Fengzhi wore a white robe today and a Seven Treasure Violet Gold Crown symbolizing his status. As one of the Sect Masters of the Upper Three Sects among the Seven Great Sects, he was fully qualified to sit in this position.
After exchanging greetings with Ning Fengzhi through their eyes, Ye Chen noticed a handsome young man in the second row of the VIP seats, whose gaze was fixed on him.
'Blond young man? This should be Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, right?'
Looking at this unfamiliar blond young man, Ye Chen raised an eyebrow.
Those who could sit in the second row of the VIP section were all of no simple background; they were either great nobles or experts above the Spirit Douluo level. This young man was, in all likelihood, Qian Renxue disguised as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.Chapter 147 Victory Will Belong to... (Part 2)
Meeting Qian Renxue's scrutinizing gaze, Ye Chen felt his scalp tingle.
He hadn't forgotten that the last time in the Star Dou Great Forest, he had taken advantage of her!
He had been anxious for quite some time, but after realizing no Spirit Hall expert came looking for him, Ye Chen knew he was 100% safe.
Indeed, with Angel Miss's 'Phoenix Overlord' personality, she would rise from wherever she fell. If someone took advantage of her, she definitely wouldn't 'call her parents'.
Understanding this, Ye Chen's playful mood surged. Using the effect of the disguise necklace, his head transformed into a ferocious demon, and his tongue stretched out over twenty centimeters long.
"Agh—!!!"
In the VIP section, Qian Renxue, who was observing Ye Chen, was immediately startled.
Fortunately, she was someone who had experienced grand occasions. Although she was startled, she didn't show much on her face.
Ye Chen's disguise vanished in an instant. Before Qian Renxue could look closely, he returned to his 'somewhat plain and unremarkable' appearance.
'Damn it, this little scoundrel is so mischievous!'
Touching her rapidly pounding chest, Qian Renxue thought resentfully.
"Brother, what's wrong?"
Seeing Ye Chen's sudden transformation, Xiao Wu poked her head over and asked curiously.
"Nothing, just saw an acquaintance and gave him a scare."
I just wonder if Angel Miss was scared? I hope she doesn't have nightmares tonight.
"Brother, you're so naughty~!"
Ye Chen: "???"
"But I love it~!"
Ye Chen: "!!!"
Does the little rabbit seem a bit off?
Just then, the emcee on the side of the VIP platform announced loudly: "Next, we invite His Majesty, the Heaven Dou Empire Emperor, to declare the opening of this competition."
Emperor Xue Ye slowly rose amidst thunderous applause, raising his right hand and gently waving to the audience and the participating Spirit Masters below. The applause quickly died down, and the vast square became silent.
A deep and resonant voice, amplified by a spirit tool, spread throughout the venue: "I, Xue Ye, Emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, on behalf of the Heaven Dou Empire and as the host of this competition, declare the Pan-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Competition now open."
Perhaps the Emperor's prestige was greater, as the applause once again thundered, and cheers rose and fell.
"Here, I hope all Spirit Masters participating in this competition can fully display their strength, achieve good results, and be the pride of the Heaven Dou Empire.
For the glory of the Empire, show your brilliance! Victory will surely belong to the Heaven Dou Empire!"
Hmm, Emperor Xue Ye used the Shrek Team's slogan and even made an 'Oli Gei' gesture at the end.
After Emperor Xue Ye returned to his seat, the emcee's voice rang out again: "Next, we invite School Master Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, Mr. Ning Fengzhi, to give a speech for this competition."
As Ning Fengzhi rose, applause erupted once more.
It can be said that among the major forces on the continent, besides the Spirit Hall, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School had the strongest appeal to talented Spirit Masters.
Because the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is a Sect force primarily composed of support system Spirit Masters. Most of the Ning family disciples possess the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Spirit. These super-rich, weak support Spirit Masters lack a sense of security, and to avoid being coveted by outsiders, they naturally strongly recruit talented Spirit Masters from the continent.
Whether considering resources, treatment, or safety, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was a very good choice.
After all, joining the Two Great Empires might mean going to the battlefield one day, whereas the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, which values harmony and wealth, generally would not actively engage in conflict. Sect disciples only needed to guard their Sect.
Ning Fengzhi smiled slightly, pressing his hands down: "I am very pleased to be invited as a guest for the opening of this competition.
As the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, I have witnessed too many Spirit Masters' growth journeys.
As the most noble profession on the continent, the development of every Spirit Master requires numerous trials.
But what I want to say is, a sharp sword comes from grinding, and plum blossoms smell sweet from bitter cold. All those participating in this Soul Master Competition are undoubtedly the elites of the younger generation.
Just as His Majesty just said, I hope you can bring glory to your respective academies, and also bring glory to the Empire!
Victory will surely belong to the Empire~!"
At the end, Ning Fengzhi, like Emperor Xue Ye, also made an 'Oli Gei' gesture.
"Sect Master Ning, you are the most powerful support system Spirit Master on the continent. On behalf of the audience watching this competition, I would like to ask you, which of the twenty-eight teams participating in the Heaven Dou City preliminary qualifiers do you favor?"
The emcee, holding a 'microphone', flattered Ning Fengzhi.
"Please excuse me for keeping you in suspense, but I can assure you that in this Soul Master Competition, victory will absolutely belong to the Empire!"
Ning Fengzhi said with a smile.
He knew about Ye Chen's situation; his spirit power level was as high as a Six-Ring Spirit Emperor, and with Ye Chen's disgusting Spirit Abilities, wouldn't the championship battle be easy?
Unless Spirit Hall produced a Spirit Saint under 25 years old, Heaven Dou would definitely win this year's championship.
Hearing Ning Fengzhi say this, whether Ning Fengzhi was confident or just bluffing, Emperor Xue Ye was very happy.
Platinum Bishop Salas, however, looked at Ning Fengzhi with some surprise, wondering where Ning Fengzhi's confidence came from.
'The Heaven Dou Empire doesn't even have a Spirit King, and they still want to win the championship? Hmph, victory will surely belong to Spirit Hall!'
Scanning the teams from the various Spirit Master academies, Salas did not find any Five-Ring Soul King, and immediately thought disdainfully.
After all, this year was different from before. His own Spirit Hall Team had the Golden Generation, with three Spirit Kings whose spirit power levels had reached Five-Ring.
Three Spirit Kings, plus four Spirit Ancestors—with such a lineup, for just a Soul Master Competition, Salas really couldn't imagine his Spirit Hall having any chance of losing.
Moreover, it was rumored that Supreme Pontiff's disciple Hu Liena, and her brother Xie Yue, could even activate a Spirit Fusion Skill! This made losing even more impossible.
Actually, what Salas didn't know was that, due to the disguise necklace, among the many contestants below the stage, two Six-Ring Spirit Emperors were hidden!
However, at this time, Ye Chen and Xiao Wu's displayed aura was only that of a Level 41 Spirit Ancestor, not particularly noticeable among the contestants.
Qian Renxue, sitting in the second row of the VIP section, knew that her cheap teacher Ning Fengzhi was likely referring to Shrek Academy.
Qian Renxue was aware that she had been defeated by Ye Chen in the Star Dou Great Forest. Although underestimating him was a factor, given Ye Chen's powerful Spirit Abilities, even if she hadn't underestimated him, she still would have been very likely to lose.
Such strong power, participating in the Soul Master Competition, wasn't that bullying children?
After thinking for a moment, Qian Renxue decided to take some time to approach Ye Chen in her capacity as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.Chapter 148 shouldn't be too much, right?
After Ning Fengzhi returned to his seat, the master of ceremonies spoke again, "It's a pity we couldn't get School Master Ning to reveal which team he favors, but I believe victory will surely belong to the Heaven Dou Empire!
Next, please welcome the Hall Master of the Heaven Dou City Spirit Temple, Platinum Bishop Salas of the Spirit Hall, to conduct the draw for the first round of the preliminaries.
After the draw, the Royal Fight Team will compete against their opponent drawn in the first round. This will also be the only match today."
Tian Dou Royal Academy is different from other advanced Spirit Master academies. Other Spirit Master academies only have one team participating in the Soul Master Competition, but Tian Dou Royal Academy has two teams, divided into a main team and a deputy team.
The main team has the qualification to advance directly to the finals, while the deputy team can only fight their way up through the preliminaries.
Moreover, because students with high spirit power levels all went to the Huangdou main team, the strength of the Royal Fight Team was truly mediocre. In any case, Ye Chen didn't find any Spirit Ancestor (4 Rings) among the Royal Fight Team.
Subsequently, Platinum Bishop Salas slowly stood up and, led by a maid, walked to the master of ceremonies to begin the draw.
Each draw made by Salas was announced by the master of ceremonies.
"First round of preliminaries, Auckland Academy vs. Blazing Fire Academy."
"..."
"First round of preliminaries, Tian Dou Royal Academy vs. Tianshui Academy."
"..."
"First round of preliminaries, Canghui Academy vs. Shrek Academy."
When Ye Chen heard that Canghui Academy was facing Shrek Academy, he immediately froze, not expecting such good luck; he would be in action in the first round.
After all, Canghui Academy's Seven-in-One Soul Skill Fusion Technique still had some substance.
Unlike the original story, the Tian Dou Royal Academy's deputy team did not face Shrek Academy. Instead, they faced a seeded team in the preliminaries, Tianshui Academy.
There are only five qualification spots for the preliminaries. According to previous years, these five spots were basically monopolized by Tianshui Academy, Shenfeng Academy, Thunderclap Academy, Blazing Academy, and Elephant Armor Academy, with few exceptions.
The Royal Fight Team against the Tianshui Team, needless to say, would definitely only result in a loss.
After the draw concluded, Salas's gaze swept across the entire venue, and he said indifferently, "This draw is absolutely fair. I swear by the honor of the Spirit Hall.
At the same time, I hereby announce that any participating students from the Spirit Master academies present who can reach the final competition will be exceptionally permitted by the Spirit Hall to directly join the Spirit Temple."
Salas completely disregarded Emperor Xue Ye's face beside him, openly showing his intentions to recruit talent.
The Heaven Dou Empire has a vast territory, and the number of children awakening Spirits each year is not small.
Genius with innate full spirit power are very rare. In the past hundred years, only a dozen or so have been recorded, but with such a large base, there are still quite a few geniuses with innate level 9 spirit power.
A genius with innate level 9 spirit power, if properly nurtured, has a very high chance of becoming a Titled Douluo in the future.
Logically speaking, a vast Heaven Dou Empire should have many Titled Douluo level masters, but the reality is not so.
Apart from Dugu Bo, who is a registered guest elder, the Heaven Dou official side doesn't even have a single Titled Douluo openly.
The reason is none other than that most of these geniuses were recruited by the Spirit Hall.
Hmm, or perhaps the geniuses with the potential to become Titled Douluo were assassinated by the Spirit Hall in advance? That's not entirely impossible either.
Watching Salas so brazenly recruit talent on his own territory, Emperor Xue Ye's face visibly darkened. Ning Fengzhi gently shook his head at him, and only then did Emperor Xue Ye's expression soften slightly.
However, this made Emperor Xue Ye even more determined to oppose the Spirit Hall.
"The draw is complete. Next, the first match of the first round of preliminaries will take place, with Tian Dou Royal Academy facing Tianshui Academy. All participating academies please exit the arena. The two academies competing shortly please prepare.
The match will officially begin in half an hour!"
Perhaps sensing that his boss, Emperor Xue Ye, was a bit displeased, the master of ceremonies, being a perceptive person, quickly changed the topic.
"Brother Chen, who do you think will win this match?"
As they were exiting, Ma Hongjun asked Ye Chen.
"Royal Fight Team and Tianshui, do you even need to guess? As long as Tianshui doesn't throw the match, Huangdou will definitely only lose."
In Ye Chen's opinion, let alone the Royal Fight Team, even the Huangdou main team led by Yu Tianheng might not be able to defeat the Tianshui Team.
After all, the Tianshui Team has a Spirit Fusion Skill: Ice and Snow Falling as their trump card.
Shui Binger and Xue Wu are both Spirit Ancestor (4 Rings). The Ice and Snow Falling they activate definitely possesses the combat power of a Five-Ring Soul King. Against the Huangdou main team, it's really hard to say who would win or lose.
"Brother Chen, don't lie to me~, otherwise I'll suffer heavy losses."
Ma Hongjun said with a serious expression.
"What, you want to place a bet?"
Betting is common in Spirit Duels at the Great Spirit Arena, and even more so in the Soul Master Competition, which receives a lot of attention. Betting, of course, exists, and the amount of money wagered will definitely be much higher than usual.
"Of course! You know, my expenses are quite high, so I need to find some income, don't I? Since Tianshui Academy is sure to win, I naturally want to participate.
By the way, Brother Chen, do you want to place a bet too?"
Ma Hongjun, who was short on gold coins, was very willing to do a business where he was sure to make a profit.
"The Great Spirit Arena isn't stupid; they won't just hand you money! The Tianshui Team's strength far surpasses the Royal Fight Team, so the odds will probably be low. You won't earn much."
"Even a mosquito's leg is still meat! Brother Chen, you might not care, but I do! Little Ao, let's go, I'll take you to make money!"
Saying that, Ma Hongjun was about to drag Oscar to where the Great Spirit Arena was taking bets.
"Fatty, who are you calling 'bro'?! I'm older than you, you know!"
Oscar rolled his eyes. In terms of age, he was two years older than Ma Hongjun!
"Little Ao, don't mind those details, let's go, let's make some money!"
Ma Hongjun waved his slightly plump hand and immediately dragged Oscar away.
Meanwhile, Ye Chen began to ponder. Ma Hongjun's previous suggestion had opened up a new line of thought for him.
He hadn't made money at the Great Spirit Arena before because he was afraid that if he made too much, he wouldn't be able to get away.
Another reason was that even if he could make money, he wouldn't make much, as there were few people participating in the betting, and the total amount of money wagered wouldn't be very high.
If it was just about making a little money, then Ye Chen's motivation was somewhat lacking.
But times were different now. His spirit power level had advanced to a Six-Ring Spirit Emperor, his strength was fearless against a Soul Sage, and with his father-in-law as a backer, he wasn't afraid of people seeking revenge if he made too much money.
And it just so happened to be the Soul Master Competition, with so many people paying attention. He figured the total amount of money wagered would also be very high. He could not only make quick money but also make big money!
'The Great Spirit Arena makes so much money. I'm just aiming for a few small targets, that shouldn't be too much, right?'
Rubbing his chin, Ye Chen thought to himself.
With his foresight and powerful mental force, Ye Chen could basically determine the outcome of the battles between the teams.
Plus, his Shrek Academy had a mediocre track record in the past. Against those seeded teams, the odds of winning should be very high. At that time, he would definitely make a fortune.
Although he wasn't short on money, he wouldn't refuse more shiny little darlings, would he?Chapter 149 Opening Betting
After some thought, Ye Chen decided to go to the betting counter to familiarize himself with the rules for opening bets at the Tiandou Great Spirit Arena.
"Xiao Wu, you guys go to the stands first, I have something to take care of."
Ye Chen said to Xiao Wu and the others.
"Brother Chen, what are you going to do?"
Xiao Wu asked, a little confused.
"It's not easy to make a living these days, so your Brother Chen naturally has to earn money. Otherwise, how would I support you all?"
Ye Chen said indifferently.
"Uh, Brother Chen, doesn't your money just fall from the sky? Why do you have to earn it now?"
Xiao Wu looked surprised. Since when did Ye Chen have to earn money? Didn't he just get it by lying down?
Over the years, Xiao Wu had never seen Ye Chen earn money, but his gold coins were always inexhaustible.
Ye Chen: "..."
"Alright, I'm not going to joke around with you anymore. I'll come find you later."
Afterward, Ye Chen went to the restroom and, using a disguise necklace, changed his appearance from a handsome young man to a fierce-looking middle-aged man with a scar, who was a Level 63 Spirit Emperor.
...
Arriving at the betting counter of the Tiandou Great Spirit Arena, Ye Chen found that there were three betting windows.
At this time, queues had already formed in front of these three windows, clearly, these were all people coming to place bets.
Looking at the crowd queuing up, Ye Chen nodded with satisfaction. These were all excellent leeks. Whether he could rake in a few small goals of gold coins in the Soul Master Competition depended on how vigorously these leeks grew.
Although he had never placed a bet himself, Ye Chen had naturally heard about the rules for betting at the Great Spirit Arena.
Generally speaking, betting was divided into two types.
The first type was a betting method with fixed odds.
The odds for the second type were not fixed and would change with the total amount of money bet by both sides. When the betting closed, the final odds would be determined based on the funds bet by both sides, and the Great Spirit Arena would take 5% of the total as profit, guaranteeing a win.
For example, in a soul battle, if the total amount bet by both sides reached one million gold coins, the Great Spirit Arena would take a 5% commission, which is fifty thousand gold coins. The remaining nine hundred and fifty thousand gold coins would be distributed according to the proportion of the original bet amount of the winning side.
Among these, the first type of fixed-odds betting method, opened by the Tiandou Great Spirit Arena, could potentially result in a loss.
For example, if the Royal Fight Team was up against the Tianshui Team, the odds for the Royal Fight Team were 1 to 10, while the odds for the Tianshui Team were 1 to 1.1.
If you bet on the Royal Fight Team to win, one gold coin could turn into 10 gold coins. If you bet on the Tianshui Team to win, one gold coin would turn into 1.1 gold coins, meaning a profit of 1 silver coin.
Don't think that the 10 to 1 odds are low; if too many people bet on it, the Tiandou Great Spirit Arena might not be able to afford the payout.
In previous Soul Master Competitions, the Great Spirit Arena used the second method for opening bets, and this time was no exception.
Subsequently, Ye Chen cashed out a good amount of gold coins from the System Shop and exchanged them for gold coin cards at the Great Spirit Arena. Including some he already had, he gathered a total of five million.
He thought that these five million gold coins should turn into several small goals after the preliminary rounds ended, right?
Arriving at the betting window, he found a queue and joined it. It wasn't long before it was Ye Chen's turn.
"Sir, which side are you betting on?"
Since there was only one betting counter today, the Miss directly asked.
"Five million, all on the Tianshui Team."
Saying that, Ye Chen took out a stack of gold coin cards from his spirit tool and slapped them on the counter.
These gold coin cards, totaling five million gold coins, were not in even denominations; they were all 100,000 each.
"I'm sorry, esteemed customer, the Great Spirit Arena has a rule that each customer can only bet a maximum of one million gold coins per single wager."
The Miss was clearly shocked, not expecting this fierce, scarred middle-aged man to actually be able to produce five million gold coins, which was quite unexpected. However, she quickly recovered and explained to Ye Chen.
"There's a betting limit?"
Ye Chen raised his eyebrows, not expecting such a rule.
However, this rule, in fact, was almost as good as none, right? Just get more people to place bets, and it would be fine?
Of course, for Ye Chen, this was also a bit of a hassle.
It was fine in the early stages, when he didn't have much capital; he could just change his appearance and go a few times.
But once he had enough capital and wanted to go all-in, it would be more troublesome. After all, with many people betting, each time he queued up would take a lot of time.
"Alright then, I'll bet one million on the Tianshui Team to win."
Ye Chen said to the Miss.
"Okay, please wait a moment~"
Soon, Ye Chen had one million less in gold coin cards in his pocket and one more betting slip.
Before the competition started, the betting counter would close, and the odds for both sides would be calculated. After the competition ended, as long as he won the bet, he could collect his money with the slip.
Hmm, at that time, it would be based on the slip, not the person, which would reduce Ye Chen's trouble.
After repeating the process four more times with the disguise necklace, Ye Chen finally completed his betting for the day.
Just as he finished his fifth bet, the competition was about to begin, and the betting counter had already closed.
'This is a bit troublesome. I only bet five times, and the counter is already closed. If I had more capital this time, I definitely wouldn't have made it in time.'
Ye Chen thought to himself. He felt that he should find a way, otherwise, the efficiency of earning money would be a bit slow.
...
Arriving at the stands of the Great Spirit Arena, Ye Chen found Xiao Wu and the others.
"Brother Chen, I heard you went to place a bet too?"
Ma Hongjun immediately stepped forward and asked as soon as he saw Ye Chen return.
"Mm."
Ye Chen nodded.
"Brother Chen, Fatty and I both bet five hundred gold coins. How much did you bet?"
Oscar asked with curiosity.
Although five hundred gold coins wasn't a lot, for Oscar and Ma Hongjun, who hadn't joined any faction, it wasn't a small sum either.
Oscar was better off, he could sell Sausage and had some income, but Ma Hongjun was all outgoing and no incoming.
Ye Chen didn't speak, he just raised his right hand, spreading his five fingers.
"Five thousand?" Oscar guessed.
Ye Chen shook his head.
"Fifty thousand?" Oscar's eyes widened.
He continued to shake his head.
"Could it be five million?"
Ma Hongjun exclaimed in a low voice, looking incredulous.
"Mm."
Ye Chen nodded.
And then there was no 'then'. Ma Hongjun and Oscar were so shocked that they became withdrawn.
"Brother Chen, in the future, when you bet, can I join you?"
After recovering, the clever Oscar immediately said.
"That's right, Brother Chen, take us with you~"
Ma Hongjun also spoke up.
"Are you sure?"
Ye Chen raised his eyebrows.
"Absolutely, positively, and definitely sure!"
The two nodded seriously. They highly trusted Ye Chen's judgment, and given that Ye Chen's betting capital was much larger than theirs, he definitely wouldn't trick them.
"Okay."
Ye Chen agreed. Bringing the two of them along to bet wouldn't affect his own money-makingChapter 150 The toad wants to eat swan meat!
At this moment, the Great Spirit Arena had already undergone a transformation.
In just that short half an hour, the already prepared Douhun Stage had been erected.
The Douhun Stage was ten meters high, circular, and had a diameter of over thirty meters, making its area quite vast.
Of course, the Great Spirit Arena did not have only one Douhun Stage; when the preliminary rounds truly began tomorrow, five Douhun Stages would be set up simultaneously to prevent the preliminary rounds from taking too long.
Twenty-eight teams would undergo twenty-seven rounds of preliminary matches, and each team would need to face twenty-seven opponents, meaning every team would compete against all other teams.
Winning a match earned one point, while losing earned no points. After the preliminary rounds, the top five teams in points would advance to the promotion rounds.
Entering the promotion rounds meant entering the final championship. The promotion rounds would not eliminate teams; they were merely to roughly rank the teams in terms of strength, preventing powerful teams from meeting too early, and making the final championship more exciting.
Soon, after the announcer loudly declared the names and Spirits of both teams' members, accompanied by flashing lights, the competing members of the Royal Fight Team and Tianshui Team made their grand entrance.
The Royal Fight Team looked quite impressive. The word Heaven Dou was embroidered on the left chest of their light gold uniforms, and on their backs were seven silver stars, representing the Heaven Dou Empire.
Each of them looked heroic and spirited, appearing to be in their twenties. Under the illumination of the Spirit-guided lights, even though it was daytime, they seemed to emit dazzling brilliance, like golden miniature suns, attracting the audience's attention.
However, compared to the Tianshui Team, the Royal Fight Team was undoubtedly a step below.
The Tianshui Team was composed entirely of beautiful Misses with alluring figures and fair, long legs, wearing ice-blue crystal stockings, which added to their charm.
Coupled with their light blue mini-skirt uniforms and high heels, they undoubtedly hit the 'G-spot' of countless spectators, and cheers echoed throughout the Great Spirit Arena.
Ma Hongjun, watching the seven Misses of the Tianshui Team enter from the stands, immediately widened his eyes.
Even Ye Chen, who was beside him, felt his LSP soul stirring, and he couldn't help but scrutinize them carefully.
Suddenly, Ye Chen, who was admiring the Misses' figures, felt a sharp pain in his waist.
"Hiss~"
Ye Chen gasped, turned his head, and saw Xiao Wu pinching the soft flesh on his waist, her beautiful eyes glaring at him.
"Xiao Wu, what's wrong?"
Although caught red-handed by Xiao Wu, Ye Chen was slightly embarrassed, but his skin was thick enough, and he immediately feigned an innocent look.
"Hmph~, your eyeballs are about to pop out~"
Clearly, the little rabbit was a bit jealous.
"Nonsense, don't talk rubbish. Your brother is an old cadre who can withstand tests!"
Ye Chen said with a pure expression.
Xiao Wu: "..."
"If you keep looking around, wait until we deal with you when we get back!"
Xiao Wu said 'fiercely'.
Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong, who were beside them, also nodded in agreement.
After being 'warned' by Xiao Wu, Ye Chen put away his LSP soul and began to watch the match seriously.
On the Douhun Stage, the overall strength gap between the Royal Fight Team and the Tianshui Team was very obvious.
All seven members of the Royal Fight Team were Spirit Elders with three spirit rings, while the Tianshui Team, excluding Captain Shui Binger, had two Spirit Ancestors with four spirit rings, and the other four members also had spirit power levels above 35.
No matter how one looked at it, the Royal Fight Team had no chance of winning.
"Preliminary Round One, Match One, officially begins."
At the referee's signal, this match, which marked the official start of the first preliminary round of this All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament, began.
Similar to the rules of ordinary Spirit duels in the Great Spirit Arena, the Soul Master Competition also allowed one minute for both sides to activate their Spirits.
Instantly, on the Douhun Stage, yellow and purple spirit rings bloomed.
When he saw that there were three Spirit Ancestors in the Tianshui Team, the captain of the Royal Fight Team immediately understood that his team was off to a bad start.
Indeed, their opponent was Tianshui Academy from the Elemental Academy, the famous Tianshui Team. It would be an absolute shock if they didn't have members at the Spirit Ancestor level.
However, surrendering immediately was impossible.
After all, this was the first match of this Soul Master Competition, and as the deputy team of the Tian Dou Royal Academy, how humiliating would it be to surrender directly?
Moreover, Emperor Xue Ye and the three academy deans were still watching from the VIP box!
If they did something like that, they would definitely face severe consequences later.
One minute passed quickly. Just as the seven contestants of the Royal Fight Team were preparing to struggle a bit to make their defeat more graceful, the Tianshui Team erupted.
Don't be fooled by the Tianshui Team members, who were all delicate Misses; when these Misses took action, they showed no mercy at all.
"First Spirit Ability, Ice Seal."
Tianshui Team Captain Shui Binger immediately launched an instant group control.
Instantly, a cold icy aura surged forth, and four members of the Royal Fight Team, including their captain, were directly frozen into solid ice.
And then there was no 'then'. The strength of the Royal Fight Team was already far weaker than the Tianshui Team, and now with four members restricted, under the Tianshui Team's tacit cooperation, they were all eliminated by the delicate Misses in less than half a minute.
"Tsk~, weaklings!"
Watching the Royal Fight Team get instantly defeated and eliminated, Ye Chen curled his lips. The strength of this Royal Fight Team was simply disgraceful!
He estimated that among the twenty-eight teams in the preliminary rounds, the Royal Fight Team, bearing the Tian Dou Royal Academy's signboard, was probably at the bottom in terms of strength, not even as good as Canghui Academy.
'Indeed, the nobles of Heaven Dou are all corrupt!'
The students of Tian Dou Royal Academy were all children of Heaven Dou Empire nobles. Excluding the direct descendants of powerful Spirit Master families, they were practically useless, no wonder the Heaven Dou Empire was constantly suppressed by the Star Luo Empire.
If it weren't for Spirit Hall checking Star Luo's ambition to annex Heaven Dou, and Heaven Dou having the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School as an ally, Heaven Dou would have probably been doomed long ago.
"My goddess Bing'er is so strong!"
Suddenly, Ma Hongjun, who was beside him, said dazedly.
"Fatty, when did Shui Binger become your goddess?"
Oscar was a bit confused.
"Just now."
"Tch~, a toad trying to eat swan meat!"
Oscar sneered and pouted.
"Little Ao, that's not right of you. Look, Shui Binger's Spirit is the Ice Phoenix, and my Spirit is the Fire Phoenix. Isn't that a perfect match?"
Ma Hongjun said righteously.
"Go to hell! Don't even look at what you're like!"
Oscar didn't give Ma Hongjun any face and directly debunked him.
'Another simp has been born on the Douluo Continent!'
Ye Chen thought to himself as he looked at Ma Hongjun.
On the Douluo Continent, there were countless simps. As the saying goes, 'Simp, simp, simp until the end, you'll have nothing.' Ma Hongjun would probably be no exception.
However, there were also examples of 'simping until the end, having everything,' such as the great simp Feng Xiaotian, who was a typical example.
But not every simp was as outstanding as Feng Xiaotian.
With a mutated Spirit that granted innate full spirit power, coupled with his self-discipline and excellent character, this kind of simp made Miss Huo Wu unable to resist him. It was normal for Feng Xiaotian to succeed in the end.
"Xiao Wu, Zhuqing, Rongrong, you guys go back first. I'm going to collect my winnings at the betting stall."
After telling the three of them, Ye Chen went to the restroom, changed his appearance, and then headed to the betting stall at the Great Spirit Arena.