I am in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have a demonic beast clone!

Chapter 23 The Bet! Nangong Wan!

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Bet! Nangong Wan!

"Snapped!"

Fu Yunzi's palm struck the slovenly hand squarely.

Fuyunzi's smile froze instantly, as if he had put on a stiff mask, which then quickly collapsed into a genuine mournful expression, his voice trembling: "—Qiong——Senior Qiong?!"

Li Huayuan was also startled and turned his head sharply to look at the owner of the hand.

A disheveled old man with messy hair like a bird's nest, a stubble beard, a greasy and shiny Taoist robe with several crooked patches, was standing beside the two of them. He grinned at them with yellow teeth, his eyes full of mockery.

"Fellow Daoists, setting up a gambling den in this desolate wilderness is such an interesting affair, how could this old man be left out? Why don't you—let me join in and have some fun?"

Li Huayuan and Fuyunzi looked at each other, their faces showing embarrassment and difficulty.

The disheveled old man who suddenly appeared was none other than the Core Formation cultivator of the Hidden Moon Sect, known as "Old Monster Qiong"!

The Hidden Moon Sect is the most powerful of the seven sects in Yue Kingdom, and its disciples are elite. If you send the two families to compete with the Hidden Moon Sect, wouldn't it be obvious that they will lose?

"You flatter me, senior."

"6

Fu Yunzi forced out a smile that looked more like a grimace: "How could our two disciples, with their meager skills, compare to the esteemed disciples of the Hidden Moon Sect? It's a sure loss; there's no need to gamble, we'll simply admit defeat!"

"Yes, yes, senior is incredibly powerful, we are completely convinced." Li Huayuan also smiled obsequiously, secretly cursing this old monster for not playing by the rules and for coming here specifically to cause trouble.

"What? Did you think this old man would do such a despicable thing as bullying the weak and taking advantage of his power?"

Old Monster Qiong glared at them, then chuckled, his eyes gleaming with even more cunning: "Alright then, I won't take advantage of you. This bet is the combined scores of your Yellow Maple Valley and Qingxu Sect disciples, to be compared against my Hidden Moon Sect! How about that? Two against one, is that fair enough?"

Upon hearing this, Li Huayuan and Fuyunzi were both taken aback. They exchanged a glance and saw interest in each other's eyes.

They weren't confident in a one-on-one situation.

But what about two against one?

Both Huangfeng Valley and Qingxu Sect are major sects in Yue Kingdom, with many elite disciples. If the two sects join forces, how could they possibly be inferior to Yanyue Sect alone?

Fu Yunzi's eyes flickered slightly, and he immediately transmitted his voice to Li Huayuan: "Fellow Daoist Li, this is a golden opportunity! Two against one, our chances of victory are greatly increased! That Blood Thread Dragon's inner core—"

Li Huayuan's heart was also burning with passion.

The allure of the Bloodline Flood Dragon's inner core is simply too great; a two-against-one bet does indeed seem to offer a good chance of winning.

He hesitated for a moment, a resolute glint in his eyes, and said loudly, "Very well! Since Senior is in such a good mood, this junior will gladly oblige! As Senior says!"

Fu Yunzi immediately nodded: "This humble Taoist has no objection either."

"Haha, that's great!" Old Monster Qiong nodded in satisfaction, casually rummaging through his greasy storage bag and taking out three ordinary-looking, dark gray talismans.

On the talisman, several thin, hair-like, faintly silvery, needle-like shadows could be seen slowly swirling.

"These three invisible needle talismans are just little gadgets I crafted in my spare time years ago. Their power—well, it's passable. Would they meet your approval as a wager?"

"The Invisible Needle Talisman Treasure!" Li Huayuan and Fuyunzi gasped simultaneously, their eyes filled with shock.

This is the signature magic weapon of Old Monster Qiong. It is extremely difficult to refine and its power is unpredictable. It is known for breaking through all kinds of protective spiritual light and defensive magic artifacts. It has a notorious reputation in the cultivation world of Yue Kingdom!

Existing in the form of a talisman, its value is definitely no less than that of a level 5 demon beast's inner core or two pieces of iron essence!

"Senior—what a grand gesture!" Li Huayuan said in a deep voice, his mind now even more focused on the outcome of this bet.

"Then it's settled. Seven days from now, the forbidden area will be closed, and the spiritual herbs will be inventoried. Then we'll know the outcome." Old Monster Qiong chuckled and stretched out his dirty hand.

Li Huayuan and Fuyunzi exchanged a glance and extended their hands. The three of them gently tapped their palms together in the air, and the bet was officially established.

After agreeing to the bet, Old Monster Qiong swayed back to the Hidden Moon Sect, humming a little tune.

Li Huayuan turned around with a solemn expression and slowly walked to the group of Qi Refining disciples from Huangfeng Valley.

His gaze was like lightning, slowly sweeping over every young face. The casualness he had shown while chatting and laughing with Fuyunzi was completely gone, leaving only the majesty and oppression of a Core Formation cultivator.

"Did you all hear the bet I just made with Daoist Fuyunzi of the Qingxu Sect and Senior Qiong of the Yanyue Sect?" Li Huayuan's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. "This bet concerns my reputation, the prestige of my Huangfeng Valley, and even more so—your future!"

He paused, then his voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable promise: "All the disciples who helped me win this time will be richly rewarded! Spirit stones, pills, magic weapons, cultivation techniques—as long as you make contributions, I will not be stingy! And those who contribute the most and whose merits are most outstanding—"

His gaze swept over the disciples below, who had momentarily held their breath, and he said, word by word, "Those who successfully establish their foundation may be accepted into my tutelage and become my personal disciples!"

"Whoosh—!"

Upon hearing this, the disciples below stirred up a commotion, their faces filled with excitement, exhilaration, and disbelief!

Become a direct disciple of a Core Formation cultivator!

What does this mean?

This means that after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, you will have a solid backer; it means that you will have a master to guide you on your cultivation path; and it means that you can obtain resources and status far exceeding those of ordinary inner disciples!

This is an incredible opportunity to rise to the top!

Even Zhou Ding's calm heart was stirred.

He was all alone, with no background or backing. If he could truly become a disciple of a Core Formation cultivator, it would indeed save him a lot of trouble and bring him more convenience.

Moreover, based on the original novel, this Uncle-Master Li Huayuan has a decent personality. He is quite protective of his disciples and rarely interferes harshly, making him a good candidate for a master.

Han Li later became his disciple and lived a very comfortable life.

This temptation is indeed quite strong.

A glint flashed in Zhou Ding's eyes as he began to seriously consider the possibility of "appropriate behavior" in the forbidden area.

Just as the disciples of Huangfeng Valley were excited and discussing Li Huayuan's promise, a melodious and pleasant sound, like heavenly music, suddenly came from the distant horizon.

Following the sound, everyone looked and saw a huge, magnificent, snow-white flying ship slowly approaching, parting the clouds.

The flying boat is exquisitely carved and painted, with huge silver crescent moon patterns painted on both sides of the boat, which shine brightly in the sunlight.

On the boat, gauze curtains fluttered and beaded curtains swayed, revealing the figures of many graceful and charming women, who seemed to float like fairies accompanied by the sounds of silk and bamboo music.

"We've arrived at the Hidden Moon Sect," someone said in a low voice, their tone complex.

The airship landed silently on an open space not far away.

The cabin door opened, and the first person to step out was a stunningly beautiful young woman dressed in a light purple palace gown, with her hair styled in a high bun, her skin as white as snow, and her features exquisite.

She looked to be no more than twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a slender and graceful figure. Every move she made exuded a mature and charming allure. Her eyes were captivating and mesmerizing, causing many young disciples with weak willpower to blush and their hearts to race.

"Uncle Qiong, Senior Brother Li, Senior Brother Fuyunzi, Ni Chang greets you." The young woman in palace attire walked lightly to the three of them, gave them a graceful bow, and spoke in a clear and melodious voice, like pearls falling onto a jade plate.

"Nephew Ni Chang, no need for such formalities." Old Monster Qiong waved his hand casually. "Did you bring everyone?"

"Reporting to Martial Uncle, all twenty-three Qi Refining stage disciples have been brought here and are awaiting your instructions." Fairy Ni Chang gestured to the side.

Only then did everyone realize that there were indeed more than twenty young cultivators in the Hidden Moon Sect's group, both men and women, but women clearly made up the majority.

These female disciples were all outstanding in appearance and had different temperaments. Some were as aloof as the moon, some as beautiful as flowers, some as gentle as water, and some as lively and agile. When they stood together, they were like a picture of a hundred flowers blooming. Many hot-blooded male disciples from Huangfeng Valley and Qingxu Sect were dumbfounded and infatuated, almost forgetting where they were.

However, Zhou Ding's gaze did not linger too long on these beautiful female disciples of the Hidden Moon Sect.

His gaze swept quickly across the Hidden Moon Sect's group, finally settling on a green-skirted girl standing at the edge of the group who looked very young, about fourteen or fifteen years old.

The girl's appearance was pure and unparalleled, like a secluded orchid in a valley, untouched by worldly dust.

Her large, bright eyes were clear and innocent, revealing a naive curiosity. The corners of her mouth were naturally upturned, carrying a pure and innocent smile that made people feel good at first sight. It was as if they saw the most lively deer in the mountains and the purest spirit in the forest.

But in Zhou Ding's mind, alarm bells rang instantly!

"Just as in the original story—the Hidden Moon Sect has sent out a trump card like Nangong Wan!" Zhou Ding thought with a chill.

This seemingly harmless and innocent girl in a green dress is actually Nangong Wan, a Core Formation Elder of the Hidden Moon Sect!

She cultivates the Pure Maiden Reincarnation Technique, a profound and mysterious technique. Every so often, her cultivation level will drop like a cycle of reincarnation, forcing her to start cultivating from a lower realm again.

This time, Nangong Wan is in this "reincarnation" stage, and her cultivation level has temporarily dropped to the Qi Refining stage, allowing her to blend into the disciple ranks.

However, she is still a Core Formation cultivator in essence. Her spiritual sense, experience, and even control over magic weapons are far superior to those of Qi Refining disciples. At critical moments, she can even forcefully use magic weapons that can only be controlled by Core Formation cultivators!

With such a "nuclear weapon"-like presence mixed in with a group of Qi Refining disciples, it's no wonder that Old Monster Qiong was so confident in the bet and dared to put up three Invisible Needle Talisman Treasures as the stake!

Zhou Ding remained vigilant, memorizing Nangong Wan's appearance. He warned himself that if he encountered this woman or a disciple of the Hidden Moon Sect in the forbidden area, he must be extremely careful, avoid them if possible, and never engage in conflict lightly.