Chapter 872: The Bet

"Daoist Gu, what do you think of this battle?" Tu Gang, unembarrassed by being ignored, looked at Gu Qianxun and asked with a smile.

"In terms of surface strength, Poison Dragon naturally has the advantage. However, there are too many factors that can influence the outcome. Li Feiyu is not without a chance of winning," Gu Qianxun said slowly.

"Hearing that, do you mean you think Li Feiyu might pull off a major upset?" Tu Gang's smile grew wider.

Gu Qianxun gave a faint smile, appearing noncommittal.

"Daoist Gu has always had a sharp eye, especially in predicting outcomes, and never misses. But this time, I beg to differ. How about a bet?" Tu Gang's eyes sparkled as he spoke slowly.

"What does Daoist Tu wish to wager?" Gu Qianxun asked with a slight curl of her lips, a hint of a smile playing on her face.

At these words, the purple-robed woman beside her showed an expression of disbelief, while others nearby also looked slightly moved.

"A few years ago, I happened to come across a Earth-grade Black-scaled Tortoise shell. Would Daoist Gu find it of interest?" Tu Gang said unhurriedly.

"It seems Daoist Tu came prepared. An Earth-grade Black-scaled Tortoise shell is indeed a rare treasure, and I do need it. Tell me, what do you have your eye on from me?" Gu Qianxun's calm eyes rippled slightly as she spoke.

"I heard you have a Phoenix Blood Jade in your possession. Have you used it yet?" Tu Gang licked his lips and said.

"So that's why you suddenly came to watch this match today. You were planning to use it to get your hands on my Phoenix Blood Jade. You're in luck; I still have it," Gu Qianxun said, smoothing the hair at her temples.

"Does Daoist Gu dare to take this bet?" Tu Gang's eyes gleamed as he spoke deliberately.

"Since Daoist Tu has put it that way, I naturally won't spoil your fun. Fine, I'll take the bet," Gu Qianxun nodded calmly.

"Good, it's settled then!" A flash of joy crossed Tu Gang's eyes.

"Sister, are you really confident?" the purple-robed woman murmured.

Gu Qianxun said nothing, but a faint smile again appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Looking at the smile on Gu Qianxun's face, Tu Gang felt a nagging unease, but since the bet was made, he didn't dwell on it. After all, Poison Dragon had long been famous in this arena, while Li Feiyu lagged far behind in both reputation and physical cultivation.

"Daoist Sun, are you interested in joining in?" Tu Gang turned to Sun Binghe on the other side and asked.

"Not interested." Sun Binghe exuded an icy aura, and his words were as cold as ice.

Tu Gang smiled, unconcerned, and turned his gaze to the arena.

On the arena, Han Li stared fixedly at Poison Dragon ahead, unaware that his life-and-death duel had become someone else's bet.

Poison Dragon stood with arms crossed, expressionlessly watching Han Li, his gaze icy as if looking at a dead man.

At the one-horned giant's command, Han Li's pupils contracted sharply. With a flicker, he shot forward like lightning, closing in on Poison Dragon's side in an instant, and punched toward his ribs, launching the first attack.

His strength was far inferior to Poison Dragon's; if he let his opponent seize the initiative, he would have no way to turn the tide.

Poison Dragon seemed utterly unfazed by Han Li's preemptive strike. He spread his arms wide.

Boom! The air around him instantly twisted, rippling with transparent waves, as a vast, ocean-deep aura erupted from his body.

His killing intent merged with this immense aura, forming a tangible pressure that bore down in all directions.

Before his fist could even touch Poison Dragon, Han Li felt as if struck by a heavy blow. A massive hammer seemed to slam into his mind, his face paled, and his fist could no longer strike. He involuntarily stumbled back several steps.

Poison Dragon grinned, and then with a loud crash, a large crater exploded in the arena floor, sending碎石 flying in all directions.

In the next instant, Poison Dragon's massive form vanished from where he stood, and a black leg materialized before Han Li, sweeping horizontally.

A piercing shriek rang out!

Where the black leg passed, faint ripples visible to the naked eye appeared in the void as it kicked fiercely toward Han Li's head.

Before the leg even reached him, the sharp wind nearly cut the skin on his face.

At this critical moment of life and death, Han Li's full strength was on display. All forty-three apertures on his body lit up, especially the seven on his legs, which blazed brightly. He stomped hard on the ground.

With another crash, the ground beneath his feet also formed a large crater, and he shot backward like a black shadow, dodging Poison Dragon's sweeping kick.

A flicker of surprise crossed Poison Dragon's face, and he shifted his stance.

With another thunderous boom, his body also turned into a black shadow, chasing after Han Li.

Their speeds were similar. Elsewhere, Han Li might have escaped, but here on the arena, space was limited. Soon, they reached the edge of the arena with no way forward.

Poison Dragon let out a low roar, his body suddenly grew half a head taller, and seventy-one aperture stars appeared all over him, mainly on his chest, abdomen, and right leg.

The apertures on his right leg were densely packed, thirty or forty in number. With a blur, they transformed into seven or eight leg shadows, stamping down fiercely at Han Li.

The void exploded with a piercing shriek, and the entire arena seemed to tremble slightly under the force of Poison Dragon's kick.

But Han Li showed no panic. He shifted his footing, his body swaying left and right like willow catkins in a gale, somehow slipping through the seven or eight leg shadows.

Poison Dragon's pupils contracted, his eyes filled with shock.

"Oh? What kind of movement technique is that?" In the distance, Gu Qianxun also showed surprise at the sight.

The purple-robed woman's lips moved, a complex expression on her face.

"The intelligence was wrong. This kid actually has forty-three apertures. Could he have taken something that damages his vitality for this match?" Tu Gang muttered to himself, stroking his chin.

The others also had varied expressions—some surprised, some frowning.

On the arena.

Although Han Li had cleverly evaded Poison Dragon's attack using the Featherflight Ascension Art, the power of that strike was too great, and he still suffered from the residual force, his face turning pale.

He narrowed his eyes but did not retreat. Instead, he suddenly thrust two fingers toward Poison Dragon's heart.

A flash of light on his fingers, which turned jade-white, emitting a sharp whistling sound, extremely fierce.

Poison Dragon's surprise vanished in an instant. He let out a long roar, raised his hand like a tiger's claw, and swiftly slammed it down toward Han Li's arm.

The air crackled and popped like a thunderclap.

Although he had no apertures on his hand, this strike was still extremely powerful. If it connected, Han Li's arm would likely be shattered.

But at that moment, Han Li's fingers suddenly changed direction, from upward to downward, stabbing at Poison Dragon's lower abdomen.

The sudden change caught Poison Dragon off guard, and he couldn't block in time. He let out a low shout, and the aperture stars on his body brightened, forming a crystalline film over his entire body—the True Extremity Membrane—blocking Han Li's fingers.

With a crisp tearing sound!

Han Li's two fingers actually pierced through the True Extremity Membrane, driving straight toward Poison Dragon's dantian.

Poison Dragon's expression finally changed. He stomped his right foot on the ground.

With a thunderous roar!

The entire arena shook violently. The ground beneath Han Li suddenly turned into a spring, erupting with a tremendous force that bounced his body upward, halting his thrusting fingers.

A flash of anger and frustration crossed Han Li's eyes. This series of dodges and attacks, though seemingly simple, had been his full effort, yet Poison Dragon had easily countered them.

He had already anticipated the gap in strength between them, but the reality was even greater than he had imagined.

Having launched Han Li into the air with one stomp, Poison Dragon immediately spun around and swept out a kick.

A thunderous force surged like a tidal wave, the air exploding and churning into furious waves, as if about to be torn apart.

Midair with no leverage to dodge, Han Li could only let out a low roar, all his apertures blazing with light, and punched out with both fists.

With a deafening bang!

An unimaginably violent force surged from the opposite side, even greater than the power of Chen Yang's arm back then.

Han Li's arms ached sharply, and his whole body flew sideways like a sandbag, crashing heavily onto the ground.

Another loud crash, and a large crater formed in the ground, with碎石 flying everywhere.

"Heh, the gap is really too big. Looks like I've won this bet." In front of the exchange hall, Tu Gang's eyes lit up at the sight, and he laughed heartily.

"It's still too early to declare victory or defeat," Gu Qianxun said calmly, her expression unchanged.

"Then let's wait and see. I'd like to see what miracle could happen," Tu Gang said, glancing at Gu Qianxun.

In the crater, Han Li's head was dizzy, blood streaming from his mouth, eyes, and nose, and his arms ached as if torn apart.

He shook his head violently, forced himself to stay alert, and leaped out of the pit.

But as soon as he looked up, Poison Dragon was already upon him like lightning, sweeping another kick toward his chest.

Fortunately, he was now on the ground. He stomped hard, using the Featherflight Ascension Art, and shot backward like a willow catkin, narrowly dodging the kick.

Poison Dragon sneered, spun again, and changed his kick into a thrust, like a spear, stabbing swiftly at Han Li's chest.

The dozens of apertures on his leg blazed, each spewing out a surge of power, rushing forward like a breaking waterfall or raging waves.

Han Li, already at his limit, felt a chill in his eyes. A crystalline sword shadow flickered at his brow, ready to unleash his divine sense sword technique for a final fight.

But at that moment, his gaze flickered, and the crystalline sword shadow at his brow suddenly vanished. He tapped the ground repeatedly, sidestepping to dodge.

At the same time, he swung his arm, and a crystalline glow appeared in his palm.