Chapter 166 The time to make big money has come
Early the next morning, urged by Flender, the Shrek Team headed to the Great Spirit Arena.
Last night, after Ning Rongrong refined the Illusion Wisdom Skull, her spirit power level increased by one, reaching Spirit Ancestor Rank 46.
The Soul Bone Skill: Illusion Space of the Illusion Wisdom Skull had a decent effect; it could boost teammates' mental force by 20% and simultaneously establish a mental network, allowing them to communicate telepathically and not get lost in the illusion.
For enemies, it would create a bewildering effect, not only causing them to lose their sense of direction but also continuously weakening their mental force through the ongoing illusionary effects.
"Dean Flender, who are our opponents today?"
On the way, Ye Chen asked Flender.
"You brat, as the captain, you don't even care about this?"
Flender glared at Ye Chen, a bit speechless. Good heavens, you're the captain of the Shrek Team, aren't you? You don't even know which academy you're competing against today? Isn't that a bit much?
"Dean, aren't these trivial matters for you to handle? Besides, no one informed me. Did you make a fortune at the Great Spirit Arena yesterday and forget to draw lots?"
Ye Chen retorted without ceremony.
"This~, well~... Oh, Erlong went."
Flender was a bit embarrassed.
The truth was indeed so. Flender, who wasn't very wealthy, knew the strength of his Shrek Team. He went directly to the Great Spirit Arena's betting counter and put all his assets on the line, earning a good amount of gold coins. In his excitement, he forgot about drawing lots.
Fortunately, Flender didn't go to draw lots, but Liu Erlong did. After all, even if everyone at Shrek Academy forgot, the Great Spirit Arena staff would still come to notify them.
After the competition ended, Flender happily went to collect his money. When the Great Spirit Arena staff came to notify them, Liu Erlong, as the vice-dean of Shrek Academy and the leader of the Shrek Team, was also qualified to draw lots.
However, seeing that Flender was a bit carried away, Liu Erlong didn't inform him, planning to let Flender make a fool of himself today.
"Alright, our opponents today are Oakland Academy. The match is in the first group. The Oakland Team isn't strong, so there's no need to worry."
Liu Erlong said to everyone.
'Oakland Academy? No impression. Looks like a cannon fodder academy.'
Ye Chen thought to himself.
"Teacher Erlong, do you know about Canghui Academy's match today?"
To make money at the Great Spirit Arena, one could only bet on an upset. In this Soul Master Competition, the only teams capable of causing an upset were their own Shrek Academy and Canghui Academy.
If Canghui Academy faced a cannon fodder academy today, the odds wouldn't be great, and Ye Chen would only make a small profit. But if they faced one of the Elemental Academies, that would be the time to make a lot of money.
Ye Chen didn't believe that any of the Five Element Academy this year could withstand Canghui Academy's Seven-in-One Soul Skill Fusion Technique.
"I didn't pay attention to that."
Liu Erlong shook her head.
In Liu Erlong's opinion, this year's Soul Master Competition was much easier than when she was at Blue Tyrant Academy.
Previously, when participating in the Soul Master Competition, because the Blue Tyrant Academy team was not strong, Liu Erlong, as the dean, had to spend a lot of effort to investigate the opponents' intelligence for every match, striving for better results.
But now, opponent intelligence? What's that? Just sweep through them, and it's done!
Are you kidding? The Shrek Team had two Spirit Emperors of six rings. How could they possibly lose in a mere Soul Master Competition?
So, Liu Erlong, as the team leader, and Flender, as the dean, didn't bother to investigate the opponents' intelligence or pay much attention to other teams' situations.
...
When they arrived at the Great Spirit Arena, Ye Chen found that it was still early, with a good amount of time before the matches began. He immediately took his three female companions, changed their appearances, and headed to the betting counter.
Of course, everyone else, including Flender, also came. After all, who could refuse shiny little darlings?
At this moment, the day's schedule was already hanging on the wall at the betting counter.
'Hmm? Canghui Academy versus Elephant Armor Academy?'
Ye Chen raised an eyebrow, immediately becoming interested.
The Elephant Armor Academy members were all big oafs, with Diamond Mammoth as their main Spirit, and mental force was precisely their weak point. Facing Canghui Academy's Seven-in-One mental Soul Skill Fusion Technique, they were sure to fall.
'It seems I can make a lot of money today!'
Ye Chen's eyes immediately lit up.
It was a bit of a pity, though. Shrek's match was in the first group, and Canghui versus Elephant Armor was in the second group, with not much time in between.
Adding the time needed to queue for cashing out and placing new bets, it was clear that they couldn't focus on both matches.
Betting on their own team's match, or betting on the Canghui Team's match, which one should it be? Of course, it had to be the Canghui Team's match! Because that way, they could earn more.
"Today, we're betting on the Canghui Team to win!"
Ye Chen said to everyone.
"Mm."
Everyone except Flender nodded.
"Uh, what's wrong with you, kid? Aren't you betting on our own team?"
Flender pushed up his glasses, asking Ye Chen in confusion. Their own team was sure to win, so why not bet on them?
"Dean, didn't they say that participants can't bet on matches their own team is involved in?"
With many eyes and ears around, Ye Chen naturally didn't tell Flender about Canghui Academy having a Soul Skill Fusion Technique as their trump card.
"The competition rules state that participants cannot bet to prevent participating students from deliberately throwing matches for profit. However, if you bet on your own team to win, that's allowed. It's only forbidden to bet on the opponent to win."
"Oh, so that's how it is!"
Ye Chen suddenly understood. Indeed, prohibiting participants from betting was to avoid match-fixing. If they bet on their own side to win, there would be no such suspicion.
"Dean Flender, if you want to make a lot of money and trust me, bet on the Canghui Team to win. Hmm, if there's enough time, you can bet on our own team first, and then bet on Canghui."
Flender definitely didn't have as much money as he did. If he only queued once, betting on two matches in a row should still be possible.
"Oh? Is there some inside information?"
Flender immediately whispered to Ye Chen.
If anyone else said that Canghui Academy could win against Elephant Armor Academy, Flender would definitely not believe it. Although Elephant Armor Academy was at the bottom among the Five Element Academy, it wasn't a team like Canghui, which was a perennial cannon fodder, that could defeat them.
But coming from Ye Chen's mouth, Flender still chose to believe him.
"There is, but I can't say it now. Otherwise, if it gets out, we won't make big money."
If Canghui Academy's trump card were exposed, many people would definitely follow suit and bet, and then the odds would decrease. Ye Chen wouldn't do something that harms himself to benefit others.
As for the other Shrek members also placing bets, that was fine. Anyway, they didn't have much gold coin in their pockets, the odds wouldn't drop significantly, and earning a little less wasn't a big deal.
Chapter 167: The Grand Debut of Xiangjia Academy
"Alright, I'll trust you this once!"
After some thought, Flender chose to believe Ye Chen. After all, Ye Chen was one of their own; there was no benefit in deceiving him, and he wouldn't intentionally harm him.
All members of the Shrek Team were present this time. Ma Hongjun, Oscar, Tai Long, and others were conscripted by Ye Chen. With ten people, they only queued twice, and Ye Chen had placed all eighteen million gold coins from his pocket.
Although Elephant Armor Academy lost to Blazing Academy yesterday, Elephant Armor Academy's reputation was still quite strong. Coupled with their opponent being the minor Canghui Academy, many people placed bets, and the odds were high.
It wasn't time for the betting to close yet, but Canghui Academy's temporary odds had already reached 1 to 6.2.
This was after Ye Chen had placed eighteen million gold coins, which caused Canghui Academy's odds to drop significantly.
Moreover, Ye Chen believed that by the time the betting closed, these odds should be even higher, as there were certainly still people who favored Elephant Armor Academy and wanted to place bets.
Calculating based on the odds, Ye Chen found that the amount wagered on the Elephant Armor Team alone exceeded a small target by more than just a little.
Don't underestimate the large amount of gold coins in a small target. The Soul Master Competition, as a grand event that occurs once every five years on the Douluo Continent, can be said to have received widespread attention from all nobles and wealthy people on the continent. Coupled with the concentration of wealth on the continent, the betting market was naturally not small.
It's not hard to understand, after all, in Ye Chen's previous World, even without extraordinary powers, a single World Cup football match could attract widespread attention, let alone the Soul Master Competition on the Douluo Continent.
...
Today's match was against the unremarkable Auckland Academy, and the Auckland Team didn't even have a four-ring Spirit Ancestor. Naturally, Ye Chen had no interest in participating.
Only Tai Long, Jiang Zhu, Jing Ling, Huang Yuan, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and Ning Rongrong appeared, with Ning Rongrong even disguised as a three-ring Spirit Elder.
Even so, Ma Hongjun and Oscar, these two four-ring Spirit Ancestors, still amazed the audience.
After all, it was relatively rare for an academy team to have two four-ring Spirit Ancestors. In terms of apparent strength, only the Five Element Academy had an edge over Shrek Academy.
"Sister, look at that red-haired Fatty from Shrek Academy, his Spirit is a Fire Phoenix~"
In the stands, Shui Yueer of the Tianshui Team said to her sister, Shui Binger.
"Uh, Yue'er, what does that have to do with me?"
Shui Binger said with a bewildered expression.
"How can it be unrelated? Sister, aren't both your and that Fatty's Spirits phoenixes? It's just a pity, the Spirit is good, but the person looks a bit unappealing. Otherwise, Sister, you might not be unable to consider him."
Shui Yueer carefully scrutinized Ma Hongjun on the stage and said with a look of regret.
"Shui Yueer! That's enough!"
Black lines appeared on Shui Binger's forehead.
However, Shui Yueer's words were not wrong. Ma Hongjun's obese figure and vulgar aura were enough to send shivers down one's spine just thinking about them.
"Why are you being so fierce~? Sister, you're not young anymore, you can start thinking about finding me a brother-in-law."
Shui Yueer pouted.
Shui Binger: "..."
Even if this old lady were to find a man, she wouldn't find one this fat!
...
Although the Shrek Team did not deploy its true main force in this match, it was still not something the minor Auckland Team could defeat.
Of course, to maintain a low-key strategy, Ning Rongrong, the support, was clearly holding back. For example, Tai Long needed strength, speed, and defense attributes, but she insisted on applying her third Spirit Ability, spirit power Amplification, to Tai Long.
Another example was Jiang Zhu, the healer, who was just going through the motions the entire time, and Ma Hongjun didn't go all out, only using his first and second Spirit Abilities.
So, the Shrek Team didn't leave a great impression on the audience. Although they had two four-ring Spirit Ancestors, facing the seven well-coordinated Spirit Elders of the Auckland Team, they actually fought to a standstill. It was only after about ten minutes into the match that they relied on their higher spirit power level to defeat the Auckland Team one by one.
Of course, some discerning audience members saw through the trick, but most of the audience's eyesight wasn't that good, and they felt that the Shrek Team's strength was rather weak.
It must be said that everyone suffered considerable losses in order to make money with Ye Chen, but compared to the glittering little darlings, these losses were negligible.
"Brother, I want to play too~!"
Watching her companions return victorious, Xiao Wu said to Ye Chen with a hint of resentment.
The Soft Bones Rabbit was a violent rabbit. Even though Xiao Wu had transformed into a Moon Rabbit, it still couldn't change her violent nature, which was ingrained in her bones. With the Soul Master Competition being such a lively event, not being able to participate immediately made Xiao Wu extremely eager.
"Hehe, against those minor academies, you shouldn't go on stage. Give Tai Long and the others a chance to perform."
"Then when will you let me go on stage~?"
Grabbing one of Ye Chen's arms, Xiao Wu began to shake it vigorously.
"Alright, when we face the Five Element Academy, I'll let you go on stage, but your spirit power level can only be displayed as a level 41 Spirit Ancestor at most."
"Mm-hmm."
Immediately, Xiao Wu nodded like a chick pecking at rice.
Ye Chen was not at all surprised that his team won today's match. What he looked forward to most was the upcoming match where Canghui Academy would challenge Elephant Armor Academy.
'I just wonder if Hu Yan Zhen will be angered to death?'
Glancing at Hu Yan Zhen, who was sitting in the first row of the VIP seats, Ye Chen thought to himself.
Yesterday, Elephant Armor Academy lost to Blazing Academy, and Hu Yan Zhen was very displeased, but this was expected. After all, Blazing Academy's ranking was already above Elephant Armor Academy, so losing was not shameful.
But if they lost to the minor Canghui Academy, then Elephant Armor Academy would be greatly humiliated.
Others wouldn't care whether Canghui Academy had Spirit Fusion Abilities or not; in any case, Elephant Armor Academy lost.
Moreover, Elephant Armor Academy was very likely to be the only one among the Five Element Academy to lose to Canghui Academy, which would solidify Elephant Armor Academy's position as the perennial bottom-dweller among the Five Element Academy.
After all, with precautions, the probability of the Five Element Academy team overturning was not high.
...
Time gradually passed, and soon it was time for today's second set of matches.
On the Fourth Soul Combat Arena, accompanied by flashing lights, the Elephant Armor Academy team made a grand entrance!
Indeed, it was grand, as the participating students of Elephant Armor Academy were all quite large, each one a muscular giant.
In contrast, the seven members of the Canghui Academy team, whose Spirits were all gem-type, were not as burly and robust. They looked almost like seven burly men bullying seven children.
"Hmph hmph~, Canghui Academy? I advise you to surrender early, lest you lose too badly later!"
As soon as they entered the arena, before the match even truly began, Hu Yeli mocked the members of Canghui Academy.
Chapter 168 Cang Hui vs Xiang Jia
On the surface, the Elephant Armor Team had three Spirit Ancestors (4 Rings), while Canghui Academy only had its captain as a Spirit Ancestor (4 Rings). It was practically a crushing defeat in the making.
Moreover, all the participants from the Elephant Armor Academy team came from the Elephant Armored Academy, one of the Lower Four Sects.
Although the Elephant Armored Academy couldn't compare to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan or the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and certainly not to the once prestigious Clear Sky Sect, it was still a formidable power on the continent. Facing the unremarkable Canghui Academy, Hu Yeli and the others were naturally full of arrogance.
Upon being mocked, the seven members of Canghui Academy all felt a surge of anger.
"No need to be angry. As soon as the match starts, we'll go all out and show the Elephant Armor Academy our true strength!"
Shen Xinshui, the captain, said to the other six.
"Mm."
The six didn't say much, all nodding their heads. This grudge was temporarily noted; those big guys would have a show to watch later!
"Preliminary round two, group two, Canghui Academy versus Elephant Armor Academy. The match will officially begin in one minute."
With the referee's command, all fourteen participants from both teams released their Spirits.
On the Elephant Armor Team's side, it was a uniform Diamond Mammoth Spirit, while Canghui Academy's side had a uniform Gem Spirit.
"Haha~, are you guys from Canghui Academy really that pathetic? There's even one who can't even achieve the optimal spirit ring configuration?"
Suddenly, Hu Yeli seemed to discover a new continent, looking at the single white spirit ring among the many yellow and purple ones of the Canghui Team, and mocked them again.
'Damn it, don't get too cocky~!'
Among the Canghui Team, Liu Haosi, who possessed the white spirit ring, felt as if he had taken critical damage and immediately developed a deep hatred for Hu Yeli.
You don't hit someone in the face, and you don't expose someone's shortcomings. This white spirit ring was Liu Haosi's long-standing scar, and now it had been brazenly revealed in front of so many spectators in the Great Spirit Arena. How could he not resent it?
A minute passed quickly, and the match officially began.
"First Spirit Ability, Copper Wall, Iron Barrier!"
The seven members of the Elephant Armor Team shouted in unison, activating their first Spirit Ability. Then, following the same old routine as yesterday, they began to form a line, advancing steadily towards the seven members of the Canghui Team with an unstoppable momentum.
Hu Yeli felt that his team's tactics were actually good; it was just that they had encountered the incredibly explosive little girls from Blazing Fire Academy yesterday, which led to the Elephant Armor Team's defeat.
But today they were up against a cannon fodder academy like Canghui, and the Gem Spirit clearly lacked explosive power. This round was definitely a sure win!
Facing the steadily advancing Elephant Armor Team, whose momentum was growing stronger, Canghui Academy showed no signs of backing down.
As the seven members of the Canghui Team shifted their positions, they quickly adjusted their formation.
With Captain Shen Xinshui at the center, the other six members of the Canghui Team formed a hexagonal formation.
Subsequently, the seven members of the Canghui Team spread out their Gem Spirits. Zhang Jingyang and the other six all activated their third Spirit Ability, while Captain Shen Xinshui activated his fourth Spirit Ability.
Suddenly, seven streaks of colorful light shot up into the sky almost simultaneously, converging instantly into a massive rainbow pillar of light, centered around Shen Xinshui's Spirit.
The dazzling rainbow pillar of light pierced through the air, extending over thirty meters, completely enveloping the seven individuals in their formation.
'It's here, this is the Seven-in-One Soul Skill Fusion Technique!'
In the stands, Ye Chen nodded to himself.
Don't underestimate this as just a Spirit Fusion Skill; it's more than a notch below a Spirit Fusion Skill. However, with seven people, its power should definitely not be inferior to a two-person Spirit Fusion Skill, and this Spirit Fusion Skill also targets the mental attribute, which is a weakness for most Spirit Masters.
Although he had eliminated Shi Nian yesterday, Canghui Academy could be considered his potential enemy, but the seven members of the Canghui Team were currently helping him earn money, so Ye Chen naturally became more and more satisfied as he watched.
Hmm, for the sake of those glittering little darlings, if Canghui Academy didn't come seeking revenge in the future, then Ye Chen wouldn't bother to trouble Canghui Academy either.
"Brother Chen, is this the Seven-in-One Soul Skill Fusion Technique you mentioned?"
Ma Hongjun, beside him, whispered to Ye Chen.
"That's right. Unless it's a mental-type Five-Ring Spirit King, it's basically impossible to resist."
"Tsk tsk~, it seems those big guys from Elephant Armor Academy are going to stumble again today~"
Ma Hongjun said gloatingly. As one of the Elemental Academies, Elephant Armor Academy had lost two consecutive matches right after appearing. He imagined their expressions must be quite spectacular.
At this moment, Hu Yan Zhen, in the VIP section, looked at the rainbow pillar of light on the stage and had a bad premonition.
'Could it be that we're going to overturn again today?'
Hu Yan Zhen's eyelids twitched as he couldn't help but think to himself.
"Sect Master Hu Yan, it seems your Elephant Armor Team might be in trouble."
Suddenly, Ning Fengzhi, beside him, said to Hu Yan Zhen.
The observant Ning Fengzhi had already discerned the Spirit Abilities activated by the seven members of the Canghui Team earlier, and there was an inexplicable connection between them.
To say that Canghui Academy didn't have other Spirit Elders with optimal spirit ring configurations, Ning Fengzhi would definitely not believe it.
Although Canghui Academy had been rather mediocre in the past, it was still a high-level Spirit Master Academy with numerous students. Allowing a student who couldn't even achieve the optimal spirit ring configuration to participate definitely wasn't as simple as it seemed on the surface; they surely had an unknown trump card.
Thus, Ning Fengzhi thought of Spirit Fusion Skills and Spirit Fusion Techniques.
However, given the rarity of Spirit Fusion Skills, especially with seven people, he basically ruled out Spirit Fusion Skills. Then, it was most likely a seven-person Spirit Fusion Technique.
"School Master Ning, it's still too early to say that."
Although he had a bad premonition, Hu Yan Zhen still stubbornly refused to admit it.
"Hehe~"
Ning Fengzhi chuckled and said nothing more.
'A mere Elephant Armored Academy. If it weren't for you, old fellow, being a running dog for the Spirit Hall, this lord wouldn't even bother to look at you!'
Ning Fengzhi thought to himself.
Don't be fooled by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School being a Sect primarily composed of support system Spirit Masters; there were quite a few experts within the Sect.
Besides the Sword and Bone Douluo, there were also more than a dozen Eight-Ring Soul Douluo, over eighty Soul Sage (7 Rings), and thousands of Sect disciples. The Elephant Armored Academy was still far behind.
...
On the arena, looking at the rainbow pillar of light soaring into the sky, the seven members of the Elephant Armor Team were stunned, somewhat at a loss.
However, the Canghui Team didn't give the Elephant Armor Team time to figure things out. The pillar of light, formed by the rainbow glow, instantly spread out.
In a moment, the rainbow pillar of light had permeated the entire arena, directly enveloping the seven members of the Elephant Armor Team.
Various precious lights burst forth from within the rainbow pillar of light. The dazzling light appeared to have no offensive power, but the audience in the stands were already completely captivated by it, because it was simply too spectacular.
"Not good~! Everyone close your eyes!"
Seeing the rainbow pillar of light envelop his side, Hu Yeli secretly thought, 'This is bad.'
Chapter 169 Huge Bills
However, how could the Seven-in-One Soul Skill Fusion Technique be resisted by simply closing one's eyes? It was simply wishful thinking!
"Idiots, does closing your eyes help? Elephant Armor Academy? Heh~, taste the Seven Asura Illusion Realm!"
Shen Xinshui's voice echoed from within the colorful mist.
As soon as he finished speaking, all seven members of the Elephant Armor Team fell into the illusion.
At this moment, the dazzling colorful light pillar had completely enveloped the entire Number Four Douhun Stage, and the hazy, colorful precious light prevented all the spectators in the Great Spirit Arena from seeing the situation on the stage.
...
Not long after, the colorful light pillar dissipated, revealing the unharmed Canghui Team and the Elephant Armor Team, who were lying on the ground unconscious.
Given that the Elephant Armor Team was backed by the Elephant Armored Academy, the seven members of the Canghui Team did not dare to kill them. They merely knocked them out, not turning them into idiots.
After all, the small Canghui Academy could not withstand the Elephant Armored Academy's retaliation.
"Preliminary Round Two, Canghui Academy versus Elephant Armor Academy, Canghui Team wins!"
As soon as the match concluded, the referee immediately declared the Canghui Team victorious.
"Canghui Team!"
"Canghui Team!"
"Canghui Team!"
Instantly, countless spectators in the arena cheered.
"What was that colorful light pillar just now? A Spirit Fusion Skill?"
"You're talking nonsense! Spirit Fusion Skills are rare enough, how could there be a seven-person Spirit Fusion Skill?!"
"That's right, this isn't a seven-person Spirit Fusion Skill, it should be a seven-person Soul Skill Fusion Technique."
"Tsk tsk~, even if it's a seven-person Soul Skill Fusion Technique, its power is not inferior to a two-person Spirit Fusion Skill."
Some knowledgeable spectators began to discuss amongst themselves.
It could be said that once the Seven-in-One Soul Skill Fusion Technique was unleashed, the Canghui Team became the most dazzling presence in the Great Spirit Arena!
"Let's go, time to collect our money!"
In the stands, Ye Chen waved his hand, leading his companions happily to the Great Spirit Arena's betting counter to collect their winnings.
...
At the counter, Ye Chen was stunned to see that Canghui Academy's odds had reached 1 to 7.9.
He had bet eighteen million gold coins, and at odds of 1 to 7.9, that would be over one hundred and forty million gold coins. Even with the Great Spirit Arena's five percent commission, it would still be over one hundred and thirty-five million gold coins.
Would the Great Spirit Arena truly hand over so many gold coins honestly?
Even if he disguised his appearance and collected it multiple times, it might not necessarily work.
After all, each betting slip in Ye Chen's hand was for one million, meaning each collection would amount to seven million nine hundred thousand gold coins, and there were eighteen such instances. This amount seemed a bit large.
Money moves hearts, and this wasn't just a saying. So many gold coins could tempt not only ordinary people but even a Titled Douluo.
After some thought, Ye Chen didn't go directly to collect the money. Ma Hongjun and the others, whose betting slips were for smaller amounts, could cash them in directly.
Afterward, Ye Chen headed to the entrance of the VIP section passage within the Great Spirit Arena.
The VIP section and the regular spectator stands were not connected, having a dedicated passage.
Ye Chen's purpose in coming here was to ask his father-in-law, Ning Fengzhi, to come along.
The Douhun Stage might swindle ordinary people's money, but they would certainly not dare to swindle the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's money.
Arriving at the VIP passage entrance, Ye Chen had originally planned to wait for Ning Fengzhi here, but he didn't expect to see many Spirit Masters dressed as guards at the entrance, including Wang Lin, whom he had seen before.
Indeed, VIPs brought guards, but the number of VIP seats was limited. If a guard's status and strength were insufficient, they naturally wouldn't be qualified to sit, so they all gathered outside the entrance.
As soon as Ye Chen saw Wang Lin, he immediately walked over.
"Oh? Young Master Chen?"
As soon as Ye Chen arrived, Wang Lin immediately noticed him.
"Old Wang, I have an urgent matter to discuss with Uncle Ning. Please go in and inform him."
Ye Chen didn't stand on ceremony and directly stated his purpose.
'Old Wang? I'm only 26! I'm not old at all, alright?!'
Wang Lin grumbled inwardly, but of course, he didn't say it aloud.
"Alright."
Wang Lin nodded. He knew that Ye Chen was his Sect Master's future son-in-law, so he naturally didn't refuse such a small request.
...
Soon, in the VIP section, Wang Lin whispered something into Ning Fengzhi's ear.
"Your Majesty, I have an urgent matter to attend to, so I shall take my leave for now."
Ning Fengzhi nodded slightly and said to Emperor Xue Ye beside him.
"No problem, School Master Ning, please proceed."
Emperor Xue Ye nodded.
Afterward, Ning Fengzhi directly left the VIP section with Gu Rong.
A moment later, at the passage entrance, Ye Chen saw Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong emerge.
"Uncle Ning, Grandpa Gu."
"Hmm, what do you want from me, kid?"
Ning Fengzhi was a little curious.
"Hehe, I need your help with something."
Ye Chen said somewhat shyly, but with his father-in-law, there was no need to be too polite.
"What is it?"
Ye Chen didn't speak, directly handing a betting slip to Ning Fengzhi.
"Hmm? The match between Canghui Academy and Elephant Armor Academy?"
Ning Fengzhi was a little surprised. He hadn't expected Ye Chen to be so bold. If Canghui Academy hadn't had the Soul Skill Fusion Technique as a trump card, who would have thought the Canghui Team would defeat the Elephant Armor Team?
And Ye Chen actually dared to bet one million gold coins. Wasn't he afraid of losing it all?
"Hehe~, I bet quite a lot. I'm afraid the Great Spirit Arena might just swindle my money."
"That shouldn't be the case, should it? It's only one million, after all. It's not that much~"
Although one million gold coins was a significant sum, it shouldn't be much for the Great Spirit Arena, right?
Besides, Ning Fengzhi also understood how the Great Spirit Arena operated its betting, with profits coming from a fixed percentage commission. No matter how much Ye Chen bet, the Great Spirit Arena wouldn't lose money; in fact, the more that was bet, the more commission they earned.
"Uncle Ning, you might not know, but the odds for the Canghui Team reached 1 to 7.9 when betting closed."
"1 to 7.9? Hmm, then you've struck gold, kid!"
A smile appeared on Ning Fengzhi's face. Ye Chen bet one million, and according to the odds, excluding the principal and commission, he would profit over six million.
"Uncle Ning, I have eighteen such slips."
"What? Eighteen slips?"
Upon hearing this, Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong immediately widened their eyes and exchanged glances.
Good heavens, playing for such high stakes. No wonder he was worried about the Great Spirit Arena swindling him.
This was over one hundred million gold coins, which was a huge sum even for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
"I must say, you're quite something, kid."
After regaining his composure, Ning Fengzhi gave Ye Chen a meaningful look.
Ye Chen daring to bet so much definitely meant he knew in advance that Canghui Academy had the Soul Skill Fusion Technique as a trump card; otherwise, he certainly wouldn't have played like this.
It was also fortunate that the Great Spirit Arena profited from commissions on bets, so these many gold coins weren't earned from the Great Spirit Arena itself. Otherwise, even if they gave face to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School this time, there definitely wouldn't be a next time.
Chapter 170 A small goal achieved!
Subsequently, Ye Chen, Ning Fengzhi, and Gu Rong arrived at the Great Spirit Arena's betting office.
Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong were public figures with high recognition, so the attendant at the entrance of the betting office naturally recognized them at a glance.
"Greetings, School Master Ning and Bone Douluo!"
Immediately, the attendant stepped forward and greeted the two.
"This Seat is looking for your manager."
Seeing the large crowd, Ning Fengzhi had no intention of queuing obediently and decided to call for their head directly.
"Yes, School Master Ning, Bone Douluo, please follow me to the VIP room to wait."
The attendant bowed slightly and said to Ning Fengzhi.
"Mm."
Nodding, the three followed the attendant to the VIP room.
Not long after the three were seated in the VIP room, Ye Chen saw a chubby middle-aged man push open the VIP room door and walk in.
"Greetings, School Master Ning, Bone Douluo, and this Young Master.
I am Qian Laifu, the manager of the Great Spirit Arena's betting office. May I ask what School Master Ning has commanded me to do?"
As soon as Qian Laifu entered, he immediately saluted the three with a very respectful posture.
'Laifu? Is it the Laifu that Changwei beat?'
Ye Chen thought to himself.
Upon hearing this, Ning Fengzhi did not speak, merely gesturing to Ye Chen.
"Manager Qian, I placed quite a few bets at your office before. For convenience, I asked Uncle Ning to come with me."
Saying this, Ye Chen handed the eighteen betting slips, each for one million, to Qian Laifu.
Qian Duoduo took the betting slips and immediately began to examine them.
Goodness, they were all for one million, and they were all placed on Canghui Academy, the big dark horse.
Canghui Academy had just caused an upset, and Qian Laifu, as the manager of the betting office, naturally understood Canghui Academy's odds. He knew that what he held in his hand were not just eighteen slips, but over one hundred million gold coins!
Seeing so many betting slips, Qian Laifu also realized why Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong had come.
One must know, this was a huge sum of over one hundred million gold coins. Under such enormous profit, it was understandable that Ye Chen would worry the Great Spirit Arena might do something out of line.
Of course, a buyer who could place a single bet of eighteen million gold coins definitely belonged to someone with a deep background, and the Great Spirit Arena might not dare to pull any tricks.
The most important point was that the gold coins won from betting did not come from the Great Spirit Arena itself, but from those wealthy people who placed bets. Their Great Spirit Arena was merely an intermediary.
"May I ask Young Master's name? Please rest assured, these slips were issued by my Great Spirit Arena, and we will naturally honor them down to the last coin."
Not to mention that Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong were sitting beside Ye Chen, even if the two were not present, Qian Laifu would certainly have said the same thing.
After all, even if they wanted to embezzle this huge sum, they couldn't pull any tricks within their own Great Spirit Arena!
Well, at least they would have to wait until Ye Chen left before doing anything.
"Ye Chen."
"Young Master Chen, I will have someone cash them out for you right away!"
"Mm, then thank you, Manager Qian."
"Young Master Chen, you're too kind. My Great Spirit Arena warmly welcomes all distinguished guests who come to place bets at the office."
What Qian Laifu said was true, after all, the more people who placed bets, the more substantial the Great Spirit Arena's commission would be.
For example, this time, although Ye Chen earned a lot, the Great Spirit Arena also earned over seven million gold coins from him through commissions, which was not a small sum.
Subsequently, Qian Laifu turned and left the VIP room to retrieve the gold coin cards for Ye Chen.
"Uncle Ning, can we discuss something?"
After Qian Laifu left, Ye Chen said to Ning Fengzhi.
"Oh?"
"The Soul Master Competition has just begun, and I plan to make a good fortune. However, as you know, when betting, a single person can only bet one million at a time, which is inefficient. How about you send a few subordinates to help me?"
In fact, Ye Chen had this idea as soon as he learned that there was a limit to single bets.
Each time he came to bet and collect money, he had to change his appearance to avoid attracting attention, which was quite troublesome.
If Ning Fengzhi could send people to assist, it would not only improve efficiency but also allow him to leverage the prestige of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, preventing the Great Spirit Arena from having any crooked ideas.
"Alright, I'll send a few disciples to be your subordinates tomorrow."
Ning Fengzhi agreed. After all, Ye Chen was his future son-in-law, and this was not a big deal.
"Hehe, then thank you. If I earn a lot, I will send you some good gifts then!"
If he earned a lot from the Soul Master Competition at the Great Spirit Arena this time, it wouldn't be impossible to send Ning Fengzhi some gifts.
Of course, the prerequisite was that he had to earn a lot.
After all, the amount of money in each betting pool was not infinite. If Ye Chen earned too much, those wealthy people who lost money might be reluctant to bet again.
Moreover, even if he managed to win every time, some betting pools with very low odds still carried the risk of losing money.
'Good gifts?'
Ning Fengzhi raised his eyebrows, thinking of the three Immortal Herbs Ye Chen had given him before.
Immediately, the father-in-law looked at his son-in-law, becoming more and more satisfied.
Not long after, Qian Laifu came in with a large stack of gold coin cards.
"Young Master Chen, these are gold coin cards that can be cashed for one hundred thirty-five million ninety thousand."
Saying this, Qian Laifu handed all the gold coin cards in his hand to Ye Chen.
After deducting the commission, Ye Chen's eighteen slips amounted to exactly one hundred thirty-five million ninety thousand gold coins.
"Thank you, Manager Qian."
Taking the gold coin cards and examining them, Ye Chen nodded with satisfaction.
In just a few days, the initial capital of several million had swelled to over one hundred thirty-five million. Ye Chen couldn't help but sigh that earning gold coins was too easy.
One small goal, achieved! So satisfying ~.
...
"Brother Chen, did you get the gold coins?"
In the stands of the Great Spirit Arena, Ma Hongjun asked the newly returned Ye Chen with an excited expression.
"Fatty, what are you doing? Let's be clear, I won't share it with you."
Ye Chen immediately became wary.
After the Soul Master Competition ended, his demand for gold coins was not small.
Zhu Zhuqing had a Netherworld Swift Cat Left Leg Bone, Ning Rongrong had an Illusion Wisdom Skull, and the Mind Condensing Wisdom Skull, the championship prize of the finals, all needed to be upgraded to one hundred thousand year levels.
Just for upgrading the Spirit Bones' years, it would require over two hundred million gold coins.
Even though he now received over six hundred million gold coins annually from his 'dear son', his life was actually quite tight.
Hmm, no one would believe that if he said it out loud!
"Brother Chen, where are you going with this? Am I, Fatty, that kind of person? I just want to see over one hundred million gold coins."
Ma Hongjun had seen gold coins before, but he had never seen over one hundred million gold coins.
"See what?! Don't you know not to flaunt your wealth?"
Ye Chen rolled his eyes. He was not a high-profile person; making a fortune in silence was enough, and he certainly couldn't go around shouting about it.