Zhou An was so furious that his expression turned unsightly as though he had just eaten a fly. Suddenly, he seemed to have recalled something and abruptly rose to his feet. He looked at Duan Ling Tian and asked in a low voice, "Do you dare to bet with me again?"
"Again?" Duan Ling Tian was startled. Then, he asked, "What do you want to bet?"
Meanwhile, the people from the VIP seats looked at Zhou An in unison, wondering what Zhou An wanted to bet with the primitive Celestial Alchemist from the Flying Dragon Sect.
Behind the curtain, the Third Prince laughed. "It looks like the Vice Sect Leader of the Poison King Sect is unwilling to admit defeat." No one could hear any sound from behind the curtain. The curtain was designed in a way that no noises from inside could be heard whereas the sounds from outside could be heard by the people inside.
"I'm curious what he wants to bet at this moment," Qin Yu said.
A knowing look flashed in King Qin's eyes, and he said, "At this moment, what else can he bet on apart from whether Duan Ling Tian, the ace of Nine Specters County, will show up?" It was as though he could read Zhou An's thoughts.
"Bet on whether Duan Ling Tian will show up?" Qin Yu was startled.
Upon hearing King Qin's words, the Third Prince narrowed his eyes and said with a smile, "If I'm not mistaken, he'll definitely bet that Duan Ling Tian won't show up. After all, it's already the eleventh hour, and yet, Duan Ling Tian's still not here. It's highly likely that he's not going to show up."
"Zhou An is too shameless!" Qin Yu said indignantly. Although he wished Duan Ling Tian would not show up, he still thought Zhou An was shameless. He continued to say, "Even if he wants to make that bet, will the primitive Celestial Alchemist from the Flying Dragon Sect agree to it? He'd only agree to that bet if he has lost his mind."
Duan Ling Tian would have been rendered speechless if he were to hear Qin Yu's words. What did Qin Yu mean by saying he must have lost his mind if he agreed to the bet? Was Qin Yu cursing him?
"It's just as you said… Unless the primitive Celestial Alchemist has lost his mind, he definitely won't agree to that bet," the Third Prince said with a chuckle.
Meanwhile, at the VIP seats outside the curtain, Zhou An said, "Let's bet if Duan Ling Tian will show up for the Martial Competition of 16 Counties!"
As soon as Zhou An finished speaking, everyone fell silent.
Many of the VIPs shook their heads. "What kind of bet is this?"
"Unless Vice Sect Leader Zhou bets that Duan Ling Tian will show up, is there even anyone who would bet with him?"
"You think he's going to bet that Duan Ling Tian's going to show up?" Someone scoffed.
As the VIPs discussed among themselves, they looked at Zhou An curiously as well. They wondered if he was going to bet that Duan Ling Tian would show up at the Martial Competition of 16 Counties? Even the people from the Flying Dragon Sect were looking at Zhou An as well.
Faced with the burning gaze from the crowd, Zhou An did not seem embarrassed. He said, "I'll bet 100,000 prominent Celestial Stones that Duan Ling Tian, the ace of Nine Specters County, won't show up."
Upon hearing Zhou An's words, everyone felt that he was shameless.
Nevertheless, Zhou An continued to say without an ounce of shame, "Naturally, since the probability of me winning is higher, you'll only have to pay 50,000 prominent Celestial Stones if you lose."
Upon hearing this, Huang Guang Ji, the Vice Sect Leader of Flying Dragon Sect, could not help but say contemptuously, "Shameless! Zhou An, you're extremely shameless!"
Most people from the Flying Dragon Sect began to chide Zhou An as well. All of them felt he was being shameless as well.
"Shameless! He's too shameless!"
"Only people from the Poison King Sect would come up with such a bet!"
"It's likely that Duan Ling Tian won't show up since it's so late now. What does it matter if Zhou An pays 100,000 prominent Celestial Stones? Even if he pays 200,000 Celestial Stones, Revered Elder Tian Ling would still lose the 50,000 prominent Celestial Stones since Duan Ling Tian probably isn't going to show up!"
"Only an idiot would agree to such a bet!"
Even the members of the Poison King Sect felt that their vice sect leader was being shameless as well. However, how could they agree with outsiders and condemn their vice sect leader? Therefore, many of them looked at the people from the Flying Dragon Sect and retorted, twisting facts to suit them.
"What do you mean by shameless? If you daren't agree to the bet, then, just refuse it. It's not like we're holding a knife to your neck and forcing you to agree to the bet!"
"That's right! Just refuse if you don't dare!"
"The members of the Flying Dragon Sect are just cowards!"
When the people from the other factions heard the Poison King Sect's members' words, not only did they think Zhou An was shameless, but they thought the entire Poison King Sect was shameless.
"Shameless!"
"This is too shameless!"
Meanwhile, behind the curtain, Qin Yu felt indignant on the Flying Dragon Sect's behalf. "The members of the Poison King Sect are too shameless!"
The Third Prince shook his head and said, "There are many shameless people in the world. In fact, this is nothing. We all know Zhou An's shameless. No one would agree to this bet."
At the same time, the master of ceremony for the Martial Competition of 16 Counties hovered in the air as he looked at the area where the people from Nine Specters County were seated. He looked at Tian Ji Yu, the County Governor of Nine Specters County, and asked categorically, "County Governor Tian, is the participant you selected showing up or not?"
"Sir, I hope that you'll wait a little longer..." Tian Ji Yu said stiffly. Although he was also of the opinion that Duan Ling Tian would not be showing up, he still subconsciously held onto the hope that Duan Ling Tian would show up. For this reason, he tried his best to stall for time, hoping Duan Ling Tian would show up.
As soon as Tian Ji Yu finished speaking, most of the spectators began to discuss among themselves. Most of them did not think Duan Ling Tian would show up.
"Wait? What's the point of waiting?"
Someone scoffed. "Duan Ling Tian's the supposed ace of Nine Specters County. If he was going to show up, he would've been here by now."
"It's just a waste of everyone's time to wait for him. He's definitely not going to show up."
Meanwhile, the master of ceremony frowned slightly when he heard Tian Ji Yu's words. After a moment, he took out a Communication Celestial Talisman and infused his Celestial Origin Energy into it, sending it into the area behind the curtain. He was asking for the opinion of the Third Prince who was in charge of the Martial Competition of 16 Counties.
When the Third Prince received the Communication Celestial Talisman, he looked at King Qin who was next to him and asked, "Big brother, do you think that we should wait?"
"Let's wait for an hour. After all, he's a peerless genius. It's rare for our region to have such a person," King Qin said with a gleam in his eyes.
The Third Prince nodded and sent his reply to the master of ceremony
When the master of ceremony received the Third Prince's reply, he announced, "King Qin has decided to wait for another hour for Duan Ling Tian to show up since he appreciates a peerless genius such as Duan Ling Tian. If he doesn't show up after an hour, Chu Yan from the Soaring Wind County would be declared the winner of the Martial Competition of the 16 Counties!"
Although the crowd felt that it was a waste of time to wait for an hour, none of them dared to object. After all, this was King Qin's wish. To all those under the rule of King Qin's Mansion, King Qin's words were absolute since he stood at the peak.
"Thank you, King Qin." Tian Ji Yu bowed toward the area hidden behind a curtain and thanked King Qin. However, inwardly, he became even more anxious. In fact, he felt somewhat regretful trying to stall for time for Duan Ling Tian. After all, just as the others said, it was highly unlikely that Duan Ling Tian would show up.
"Lord County Governor, is it necessary to wait? Duan Ling Tian is certainly not coming..." Pang Bing, the inner-estate elder, said.
Even the inner-estate, Zheng Qiu, who had been supporting Duan Ling Tian remained silent. After all, he did not think Duan Ling Tian would show up as well. He thought to himself, 'Something must have happened to Duan Ling Tian. Otherwise, with his personality, there's no way he wouldn't show up!"