Two hundred thousand top-grade Spirit Stones, equivalent to two complete Spirit Veins.

Chen Qingyuan estimated that killing Yang Suirong wouldn’t be worth it; it would be more practical to exchange for some Spirit Stones.

Originally, this battle was just to determine a winner, but Yang Suirong’s ruthless attacks made it clear he intended to kill Chen Qingyuan. His murderous intent was undeniable.

With things having escalated to this point, Chen Qingyuan naturally wouldn’t show mercy and treated him in the same manner.

Fu Dongliu and the others could see that Yang Suirong had murderous intent, so they understood Chen Qingyuan’s actions. If it were them, they would also eliminate an enemy who harbored such intent without hesitation.

Yang Suirong took out an ancient mirror with the intent to kill, which wasn’t wrong in itself. His mistake was simply failing, and now he had to bear the consequences.

“Alright, I agree.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Chen Qingyuan lowered his head and met Fu Dongliu’s gaze.

Without hesitation, Fu Dongliu flipped his palm and took out a Xumi Ring, tossing it to Chen Qingyuan.

Swish!

The ring landed steadily in Chen Qingyuan’s hand. After checking, he confirmed the number of Spirit Stones inside.

Then, Chen Qingyuan no longer attacked the incapacitated Yang Suirong in front of him.

With a thought, he pulled out the Yulan Sword embedded in Yang Suirong’s chest.

With a “pfft” sound, the sword was drawn, and blood gushed out, instantly turning Yang Suirong into a bloodied figure.

Yang Suirong’s face turned deathly pale, looking as if he was on the brink of death.

“Swish”

The next moment, Yang Suirong lost control of his body and began to fall.

A Heaven’s Pride from the Western Border quickly stepped forward to support Yang Suirong, sealing his bleeding wound to prevent further deterioration.

“Give me all his belongings, and he can leave with his life.”

Although Chen Qingyuan had a bloody hole in his chest, it hadn’t hit anything vital. With one hand behind his back and the other holding his sword, he looked down from above, like an immortal descending to the mortal world.

The previous wager could not be changed.

Fu Dongliu’s expression was cold as he ordered, “Take all of Yang Suirong’s belongings and give them to him!”

The Heaven’s Pride from the Western Border pursed their lips tightly, their eyes unfriendly as they looked at Chen Qingyuan. However, they didn’t dare to defy Fu Dongliu’s order and obediently complied.

Moments later, all of Yang Suirong’s Xumi Rings and Heaven and Earth Bags fell into Chen Qingyuan’s hands, with the Law imprints on them already erased.

Additionally, the ancient mirror of notable origin also ended up in Chen Qingyuan’s possession.

Since a wager was made, it had to be honored.

“Take him to a safe place to heal.”

Fu Dongliu instructed someone, then sat back in his original seat, not intending to leave.

The show had just begun; how could Fu Dongliu leave early?

With the battle over, Zhangsun Fengye began to settle the bets.

After a while, the matter was considered settled.

Chen Qingyuan sat cross-legged to the side, swallowed a few top-grade pills, and closed his eyes to heal.

The Heaven’s Pride from various factions whispered among themselves, believing that Chen Qingyuan had now formed a grudge with the Western Border, which wouldn’t be easily resolved.

In the core area of the ancient star of Yanchang, the group at the forefront included Fu Dongliu, the leader of the Western Border, Wang Shutong, the Saintess of Pear Blossom Palace of the Southern Region, and various evildoers from the thirty-six sects of the Imperial Province.

The other Heaven’s Pride were positioned further back, watching from a distance, not daring to approach.

Daochen Buddha’s child stood by Chen Qingyuan’s side, protecting the Dao for him.

The scene was very quiet, with even the sound of a pin drop audible.

After two hours, the barrier around Chen Qingyuan shattered, and a gentle force spread out in all directions.

Whoosh—

Chen Qingyuan slowly opened his eyes, took a deep breath, and scanned the entire scene, calm and composed.

The wound on his chest had healed, and his depleted spiritual power had also recovered.

Changing into a clean, tidy white robe, he stood on a higher hill, indifferent to the gazes of his peers.

“Are you healed?”

Fu Dongliu, dressed in black with gold-embroidered hems, sat not far away, looking regal.

Is he going to make a move?

Everyone’s hearts tightened, as if they could already see the scene of Fu Dongliu and Chen Qingyuan fighting to the death, filled with anticipation.

“Yes.”

Chen Qingyuan, unafraid, met his gaze and answered softly.

“Are you still afraid to accept my challenge?”

Fu Dongliu got straight to the point, his eyes sharp as knives.

With these words, the entire scene fell silent.

Chen Qingyuan’s expression remained unchanged, silent.

After a while, an evildoer from the Western Border couldn’t help but break the tense atmosphere, cursing, “You only dare to bully those weaker than you, but you don’t have the guts to draw your sword against the strong. Someone like you dares to call yourself a Heaven’s Pride of this era?”

This remark sparked discussions among the crowd, and their gazes at Chen Qingyuan turned strange, with less reverence and more mocking curiosity.

If Chen Qingyuan truly didn’t dare to accept the challenge, he would be labeled as someone who bullies the weak and fears the strong, losing all respect among his peers, and becoming the subject of endless ridicule behind his back.

If Chen Qingyuan accepted the challenge, he would most likely be suppressed by Fu Dongliu, losing face, and even risking his life.

Chen Qingyuan never cared about mockery.

Was he really afraid to fight?

Chen Qingyuan loved wealth, but he was by no means a coward.

If he didn’t have the courage to fight his peers, he wouldn’t have chosen to participate in the Hundred Veins Banquet in the first place.

Not fighting wasn’t out of fear; it just wasn’t the right time yet.

The tallest tree in the forest is always the first to be blown down.

Patience and hiding one’s true strength were most important.

Chen Qingyuan always understood that an evildoer who hasn’t grown up is just an evildoer, not a powerful figure.

That’s why Chen Qingyuan never showed his full strength, at most only half of it.

Even when facing Yang Suirong, who used the ancient mirror, Chen Qingyuan hadn’t used more than half of his abilities.

People thought Chen Qingyuan’s displayed strength was already top-tier among his peers. Little did they know, he still had hidden cards, which he wouldn’t use unless absolutely necessary.

Let’s not forget, besides his Saint-grade Three-Dan Pill foundation, Chen Qingyuan also had a mysterious silver spear.

Many years ago, guided by the Red-Dressed Girl, Chen Qingyuan went to the death zone of the Northern Wilderness. There was a graveyard with a silver spear at the end.

After obtaining the silver spear, Chen Qingyuan only studied it in secret, never revealing it to the world.

Even his master, Yu Chenran, didn’t know about this.

Swordsmanship was never Chen Qingyuan’s strongest path.

But outsiders didn’t know this, thinking Chen Qingyuan’s strength had reached its peak, which is why they dared to be so arrogant.

If Chen Qingyuan’s displayed strength could crush all his peers, would anyone dare to mock him?

In the end, Chen Qingyuan hid too deeply, making everyone underestimate him.

“Maybe I misjudged you.”

Fu Dongliu shook his head slightly, indicating that considering Chen Qingyuan a strong opponent was a foolish decision.