Chapter 1771: The Gamble
The mass exchanged glance after hearing the prince’s challenge towards a mortal. Even though cultivators betted every day at the Stone Workshop, it was the first time seeing this great disparity between the two sides’ status.
“What kind of bet?” Li Qiye smiled. He had countless ways to kill the prince but this was the Stone Workshop. He wanted to make his treasure hunt even more entertaining.
“Because you can’t pay the price, I’ll trade for your arms. If you can get a Violet Force fetus from that dao material, it will be my loss and I’ll give you 1,000 Daoist Chaos Stones. If only a White Adornment fetus comes out, you need to cut off your arms.” The prince revealed a cruel smile.
The crowd realized that the prince wanted to kill this mortal and even torture him beforehand.
1,000 Daoist Chaos Stones wasn’t a small amount for Shen Xiaoshan’s group but it was nothing for the crown prince.
“Just 1,000 stones? You think too highly of yourself but very well, if you want to bet, I’ll lower myself to your level to have some fun, a pair of arms for a pair of arms, do you dare?”
“You’re nothing!” The cold prince snorted: “A peasant like you think your wretched arms are worth as much as mine?”
“Same to you.” Li Qiye didn’t get worked up and verbally slapped the prince’s face: “The Heavenly Phoenix Country is an insect in my eyes, letting a bottom-of-the-barrel dweller like you gamble with me is already pushing my magnanimous nature.”
“You!” No mortal has ever dared to humiliate him like this in front of a crowd. There was even a comment about his country!
The crowd was left speechless. This mortal was still as haughty as before; he might be the most arrogant mortal they have ever seen.
“Scram to the side if you don’t dare to do the bet, a coward like you isn’t qualified to stay in my sight.” Li Qiye nonchalantly added.
“Bang!” The furious prince placed a sword on top of the stage and said: “This is a Dao King-level sword, for your arms!”
This noble sword of his was very precious, made from a Violet Force fetus and blood metal. A Dao King cultivated it for a hundred years so it had both chaos and primal energies.
“Only a Dao King Violet Force weapon, your country is really too poor. You need to be more extravagant if you want to bet against my arms. I’m looking down on your miserly offer right now.” Li Qiye said without batting an eye.
The prince turned red with rage. He knew full well that this mortal was egging him on but he couldn’t let it go.
“Bang!” He slammed a spatial pouch on the table and uttered: “There are 10,000 Dao King Chaos Stones in this pouch, high-quality stuff and more than enough to buy your dog life? Do you dare now?”
A commotion broke out after seeing the prince’s big play. Shen Xiaoshan’s group was shocked. The crown prince of an imperial lineage was indeed different; their entire sect couldn’t come up with this amount.
A pair of arms from a mortal wasn’t worth this much chaos stones. The prince didn’t want to bet his own arms or back down from Li Qiye’s provocation. If he were to show weakness, people would mock him so he had no choice but to go all out.
“Still not enough, add another weapon, a Dao Sage one then I’ll do the bet.” Li Qiye answered without looking at him.
The prince’s face darkened as he slammed another shield on the table: “Fine! This Violet Force Dao Sage artifact is more than enough for your life!”
This particular shield was created by combining a Heavenly Turtle Shell and a Violet Force fetus, gestated by a Dao Sage for three hundred years. It was an incredible defensive tool.
In the beginning, these artifacts, after their creation, started from the bottom. As their master became stronger, they also became stronger. For example, if one reached the Dao King realm, their weapon would also increase in grade with energies from a Dao King.
Li Qiye grinned after glancing at the shield and said: “Alright, let’s do it.”
The fish has bitten the bait, it was time for him to play.
Shen Xiaoshan’s group was shocked to hear this. It wasn’t wise to do this bet against the crown prince.
“Let’s get started then, if this White Adornment material can produce a Violet Force fetus, anything higher than Violet Force, then you win. If it is only a White Adornment or Violet Force fetus, then you lose and will have to cut off your arms!” He smiled cruelly.
The initial bet was only for a Violet Force fetus inside that dao material. However, he suddenly changed his mind and was afraid that Li Qiye would be lucky enough to get one, hence the change in requirement.
“That’s fine, cut it now.” Li Qiye leisurely agreed.
The prince sneered: “Hah, do you have money to pay for the cutting fee? The masters from the Stone Workshop command a high price. But out of pity for a soon-to-be cripple, I can ask my old friend to do it for you for free.”
Having said that, the prince patted a young man next to him. This youth was very elegant and handsome with an aura of conceit.
“Li Langxuan!” Many cultivators here recognized him. Some even politely went up to greet him.
This was a genius of Pure Continent. His cultivation was great but the real reason for his fame was because of his other status as an appraiser.
He was the most brilliant appraiser in Pure with a greater understanding of dao materials and fetuses compared to his peers. Even some members of the last generation were inferior. Many sects invited him to be their appraiser but he had always refused them.
All the sects knew a simple logic. Having an excellent appraiser would save them a lot of resources while earning better dao materials. That’s why this job was very desirable in the thirteen continents.
Langxuan simply nodded as a greeting. He was arrogant indeed even though he could back it up.
He smiled freely after hearing the crown prince and said: “Your Highness, thank you. I will try my best and do it for free.”
“Just some cutting, what’s hard about it? Let me borrow a knife, I’ll do it myself.” Li Qiye told a nearby appraiser from the workshop.
The appraiser immediately lent Li Qiye his knife.
“Oh? You’re an appraiser too? A mortal appraiser, that’s quite rare. I’m afraid you haven’t even gotten the basics down yet.” The prince sneered at this sight.
“Your parents weren’t born yet when I played with dao materials.” Li Qiye casually retorted.
“You!” Losing these verbal exchanges was taking a toll on the prince.
“Whoosh! Xsh! Xsh!” Li Qiye’s speed was amazing as he cut through this dao material. His technique was sharp and masterful - virtually perfect.
In fact, he wasn’t lying earlier. When he gambled with these dao materials on the thirteen continent, Pure didn’t have a country named Heavenly Phoenix!