Infinite Professions-Chapter 63 - 58: High-Stakes Gamble

A few days later, Wind Thunder Town, Wind Thunder Tavern.

"Have you heard?"

The classic opening line, followed by gossip and rumors around town.

"Heard what?"

"What else, of course, the challenge."

"The former Celestial Destiny Spirit Master, Chapter of Guardian Dongfang Bai, representing the Wind Thunder Kingdom, is challenging Master of Sand Beast Valley Li Qingshan. It’s said that the battle invitation has already been delivered to Sand Beast Valley, just waiting for Li Qingshan to respond."

"Wind Thunder Kingdom, Chapter of Guardian?"

"They finally came!"

"Finally someone can suppress Li Qingshan’s arrogance."

As the conversation continued, the atmosphere in the tavern became even more lively.

"The Wind Thunder Mountain Range is too small to support two kingdoms."

"That Li Qingshan is so domineering, and Sand Beast Valley is so massive. Wind Thunder Kingdom doesn’t tolerate him, and he doesn’t tolerate the Wind Thunder Kingdom either. A conflict between the two sides is inevitable!"

"We knew they would come, but we didn’t expect them to come so quickly, and using the method of a Spirit Control challenge. What if Li Qingshan refuses to accept?"

"A Spirit Control Master challenging another is a tradition on the Spirit Control Continent. If Li Qingshan doesn’t accept the challenge and refuses to compromise, insisting on holding the Wind Thunder Mountain Range, then the Wind Thunder Kingdom will have no choice but to go to war with him."

"Dongfang Bai proposed the Spirit Control challenge as a relatively peaceful way to resolve the ownership issue of the Wind Thunder Mountain Range. Even if Li Qingshan loses, he would only have to hand over the industries of Sand Beast Valley and could still safely retreat from Wind Thunder Mountain without being completely destroyed."

"Stop kidding, it’s not about whether they can kill Li Qingshan or not. Even if they could, the consequences would be hard to bear. The spirit beast armies in Sand Beast Valley, and the loyalist Spirit Control Masters among the common people won’t let it go easily."

"Currently, Li Qingshan’s reputation among the commoners is sky-high. If Sand Beast Valley, which has built plenty of relief warehouses and Spirit Control Master Academies, suddenly falls, it would definitely cause public discontent and affect the reconstruction and development of the Wind Thunder Kingdom."

"So, the Spirit Control challenge is the best solution. Neither side wants to see the Wind Thunder Mountain Range drown in blood, affecting their own future rule."

"Dongfang Bai thinks so, and so does Li Qingshan. It’s likely that news of Sand Beast Valley accepting the challenge will soon spread..."

In the tavern, at the tables, many analyzed the situation thoroughly and insightfully.

At that moment...

"Bang!"

The tavern doors burst open, and a person hastily entered, loudly announcing: "Sand Beast Valley accepted the challenge. Now, Sand Beast Valley’s spirit beast engineering team is building the arena. The final battle will take place on the large arena outside Sand Beast Valley in half a month."

"Accepted the challenge?"

Although expected, upon hearing this news, everyone was still taken aback.

"Not just accepted the challenge!"

The person drank a bowl of water: "It’s heard that Sand Beast Valley has even voluntarily raised the stakes."

"Stakes?"

"What stakes?"

Upon hearing this, some were puzzled while others frowned.

"It’s naturally the stakes of the Spirit Control challenge!"

"To prevent the losing side from reneging, Dongfang Bai proposed a wager where the loser pays the winner two billion crystal coins!"

"Two billion crystal coins?"

"My goodness, is the Wind Thunder Kingdom that wealthy?"

"It’s not that the Wind Thunder Kingdom is wealthy, but the Dongfang Clan is." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"As the second-largest noble family in the Earth Kingdom, next only to the Imperial Family, the Dongfang Clan has ancient heritage and deep roots. Every patriarch has been a Lord-level Spirit Master, capable of founding their own nation, though for various reasons, they’ve yet to separate from the Earth Kingdom."

"Dongfang Bai, as the previous generation’s Celestial Destiny Spirit Master, is undoubtedly poised to become an Emperor-level Spirit Master, and already has the capital to leave the Earth Kingdom."

"This time, rebuilding the Wind Thunder Kingdom is the Dongfang Clan’s initial test, with the ultimate aim of establishing their own kingdom."

"Two billion crystal coins is just a drop in the bucket for a giant like the Dongfang Clan, but for Sand Beast Valley and Li Qingshan..."

"Though they control the trade of meat products around several dozen towns near the Wind Thunder Mountain Range, coming up with two billion crystal coins would still cost them immensely, possibly even needing to sell off industries."

"Dongfang Bai’s intentions are clear—betting everything with Sand Beast Valley, willing to hand over two billion crystal coins if he loses, and if he wins, Sand Beast Valley must sell off their industries and retreat from Wind Thunder Mountain Range."

"So that’s what it’s all about!"

After the explanation, everyone understood and turned back to the messenger: "How much did Sand Beast Valley raise the stakes to?"

The person gulped more water before stutteringly saying, "Three, three hundred billion!"

"How much!?"

The room exploded with astonishment as eyes widened in disbelief at the messenger.

"Three hundred billion?"

"Three hundred billion of what?"

"Where would Li Qingshan get so many crystal coins?"

"Isn’t it a bluff to intimidate the Dongfang Clan?"

"Are you sure it’s really three hundred billion crystal coins?"

"Is he really betting his life against the Dongfang Clan?"

Everyone stood up in shock, staring at the messenger.

"Yes, yes, three hundred billion crystal coins!"

The messenger caught his breath and continued: "Sand Beast Valley made it very clear—if they lose, they will give Dongfang Clan everything Li Qingshan owns, including Sand Beast Valley, Luo Family Castle, White Water Bay, all his industries, millions of spirit beasts in inventory, and even the secrets of cultivating spirit beasts and the secret recipe for spirit beast feed, all valued at three hundred billion crystal coins.

On the other hand, if Dongfang Bai loses, then he must compensate them with three hundred billion crystal coins. If crystal coins are insufficient, Sand Beast Valley will accept Spirit Control secret techniques, secret recipes for potions, and various spiritual objects as substitutes, but they must total three hundred billion crystal coins."

"This..."

Everyone exchanged glances, momentarily speechless.

To ordinary Spirit Control Masters, three hundred billion crystal coins is a figure they could never reach in a lifetime.

Though Dongfang Bai is not an ordinary Spirit Control Master, and the Dongfang Clan is no ordinary family, three hundred billion crystal coins is still a significant amount for them. While they could manage it, it would greatly deplete their resources.

With stakes this high, it might honestly be simpler to go to war. Three hundred billion crystal coins ranks among the highest in any nation’s war reparations historically, ensuring a place in the annals of history.

So...

"Li Qingshan is truly gambling his life with the Dongfang Clan!"

"Three hundred billion crystal coins, how could he even suggest it?"

"Even if he wins against Dongfang Bai, would this massive sum not burn a hole in his pocket?"

"Can a little Spirit-level Spirit Master truly hold on to such wealth?"

"Little Spirit-level Spirit Master—it’s clear from this gambit that he’s confident in facing Dongfang Bai and even defeating him."

"Dongfang Bai, though no longer possessing his Celestial Destiny, still has the contracted Earth Dragon Beast, an absolute Emperor Species. Even though Dark Demon King Beast has been sealed for decades, he’s surely a Spirit Level if not Lord-level."

"A Spirit-level Emperor Species, one that’s even had Celestial Destiny; coupled with Dongfang Clan’s various Spirit Control Secret Skills, he should even be able to face a Lord-level Spirit Master head-on, right?"

"If Li Qingshan can defeat him, then Sand Beast Valley really could swallow those three hundred billion crystal coins."

"It’s just uncertain if Dongfang Bai will accept the challenge..."

The conversation continued, with the focus gradually shifting.

At that moment...

"Bang!"

The doors flew open again, and a person declared loudly: "Accepted, accepted, Dongfang Bai accepted the challenge!"