An Understated Dominance Chapter 1301 to Chapter 2422 - English Version Translated by NAZMUL

English Version Translated by NAZMUL

An Understated Dominance is a Urban novel for men, telling a story of Dahlia Nicholson and Dustin Rhys had been married for three years. "An Understated Dominance" delves into themes of ambition, power and the price of success. The novel explores the complexities of relationships and so on.
 
Chapter 2225: Hundred Flowers Assassination

Upon hearing that they could win spirit stones, the surrounding martial artists became excited one after another.

If they were merely curious before, now they were genuinely thrilled.

After all, opportunities to obtain spirit stones were exceedingly rare. Being able to exchange items for them, and potentially doubling their chances, was an opportunity not to be missed.

They had no reason to pass it up.

Most importantly, just now, Dustin and his two companions had already won spirit stones. With such an example, any lingering doubts they had were dispelled.

So, when Abigail called out...

Some daring martial artists had already approached.

Although the reputation of the Witchcraft Sect wasn't great, the temptation of spirit stones was too strong to resist risking a try.

Moreover, this was Infernal Mountain; those from the Witchcraft Sect wouldn't dare to cause trouble over debts here.

"Can we also place bets?"

The first to approach were two young men in their twenties, with similar appearances, likely brothers.

They were not contestants but purely spectators who had come to watch the excitement.

Encountering such an interesting gambling opportunity, they couldn't help but be eager to try.

"Of course."

Abigail nodded with a smile. "Anyone who's interested can place bets. I just wonder what items you'll use as chips? I don't accept ordinary goods here."

The two men glanced at each other, nodded, and then each took out a fist-sized iron ball from their pockets.

The iron balls were pitch black all over and seemed plain at first glance, but those with keen eyesight would notice that...

There were many tiny holes on the surface of the iron balls, resembling pinholes.

These holes were densely packed and spread throughout the entire surface of the iron balls.

"What is this?" Abigail asked curiously.

"This is a specially made concealed weapon from our Tang Sect, the Hundred Flowers Assassination!"

The man on the left explained, "Don't be fooled by how ordinary this iron ball looks. As long as you press the switch and throw it out, two seconds later, the eight hundred and eighty-eight poison needles hidden inside the iron ball will burst out instantly, with considerable power!"

"Not only that!"

The man on the right added, "The poison needles in the Hundred Flowers Assassination can also break through protective true qi. If a martial artist below grandmaster level is hit by the poison needles, they will quickly lose their ability to move!"

"Hundred Flowers Assassination?" Abigail raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Indeed, it's a good treasure!"

The Tang Sect excelled in concealed weapons and poison-making, and the Hundred Flowers Assassination was one of the eight great concealed weapons of the Tang Sect, exerting significant influence in the martial world.

"I wonder, how many spirit stones can our Hundred Flowers Assassination exchange for?" the two men asked curiously.

"Although the Hundred Flowers Assassination is good, it's still a consumable item; once used, it's gone. How about this? One Hundred Flowers Assassination will be counted as three spirit stones for you. What do you think?" Abigail said.

"No problem!" The two men's faces lit up.

They had plenty of concealed weapons like the Hundred Flowers Assassination in their Tang Sect, it was just a matter of spending some time to make them. But spirit stones were extremely rare treasures, and they were in urgent need of them. There was no reason to refuse.

Two Hundred Flowers Assassinations for six spirit stones, and if they won another round, six would become twelve. That would be a huge profit for them.

With twelve spirit stones, one of them could break through.
 
Chapter 2226: Nine out of ten times, the house won

"I also want to place a bet! This is the Divine Power Pill refined by our Dan Ding Sect. After taking it, one's strength can be greatly increased in a short period. How many spirit stones is it worth?"

Another martial artist stepped forward, placing a bottle of pills on the table, his eyes burning with eagerness.

"Divine Power Pill? Not bad. How about I count it as four spirit stones for you?" Abigail said.

"Alright, that's settled!" The man's face lit up with joy.

For ordinary martial artists, the quality of Divine Power Pills fell between middle-grade and high-grade pills, difficult to obtain. But for the Dan Ding Sect, such items weren't considered precious.

Exchanging them for four spirit stones was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise.

"I also want to bet! This is the Scarlet Blood Sword from our Divine Weapon Sect. It's sharper and harder than the Profound Iron Sword, an extremely rare treasure!"

"And me too! This is the Secret Technique of Body Movement from our Sect. When executed, one becomes elusive like a ghost, greatly enhancing combat power!"

"This interesting gambling event can't be without our Di Zang Island! This is a specialty of our Di Zang Island, the Black Goldfish. Not only is it delicious, but after consuming it, it can also replenish qi, blood, and energy, definitely a superior delicacy!"

"..."

With Tang Sect disciples and Dan Ding Sect disciples taking the lead, many martial artists around also crowded in, expressing their desire to place bets.

For a while, the gambling table set up by Abigail was packed to the brim.

Naturally, Abigail welcomed all comers. Anyone with treasures could place bets.

Gambling was such that nine out of ten times, the house won. Because most people couldn't restrain their desires; once they became greedy, there was no end to it.

Winning one round made them want to win the next, and winning the second made them want to win the third.

Even if luck was on their side and they won several times in a row, there would inevitably come a loss.

And with one loss, they'd want to recoup their losses, which easily led to addiction. Ultimately, they would lose more and more until they lost everything, even accumulating a pile of debt.

Except for a few destined individuals, most gamblers met this fate.

Despite many people knowing that nine out of ten times they would lose, they still gambled because they harbored a sense of luck, believing themselves to be the unique lucky ones.

In theory, as long as Abigail's assets were substantial enough, she could completely harvest more than eighty percent of the gamblers present, thus making a fortune.

"Uncle, don't just stand there. There are too many people placing bets. Come over and help."

Abigail managed the betting martial artists while signaling for Dustin to help.

Her several enforcers were already in action, estimating values and collecting treasures, but manpower was somewhat insufficient.

"Little girl, you seem to have come prepared." Dustin couldn't help but sigh.

He underestimated Abigail's greedy nature. Even at a martial arts competition, she wouldn't let go of any opportunity to make money.

The gambling event set up today was obviously planned by Abigail long ago.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have brought over several crates of spirit stones.

Initially, he hadn't thought much about it, but now seeing so many martial artists taking the bait, he quickly realized.

Abigail was here to reap the profits!
 
Chapter 2227: Iron Mountain King

"Uncle, it's more fun to enjoy together than alone. I'm providing entertainment for everyone. After all, a little gambling adds to the enjoyment. Isn't it wonderful to gamble a few rounds while watching the competition?" Abigail explained while counting the treasures brought by the surrounding martial artists.

Though her words sounded beautiful, her greedy expression couldn't be concealed no matter what.

She was acting as the house, not doing charity. How could she be so enthusiastic about something without benefits?

"I'm worried you might have bad luck and lose all the crates of spirit stones you brought with you," Dustin reminded.

Most gambling houses use rules to gain a certain advantage, such as the banker having the edge over the players.

Though this advantage is small, as long as there are enough betting rounds and time, the house always wins.

So gambling houses are not afraid of you winning; they're afraid of you not coming.

But the gambling event Abigail set up today didn't take any advantage.

If someone had good insight and luck, it could lead to a winning streak.

At that point, with many martial artists betting around, just one or two victories would deplete all of Abigail's spirit stones.

In general, this was a very risky behavior.

There was a possibility of making a fortune, but there was also the risk of losing everything.

"Uncle, rest assured, I have a secret weapon. I won't lose money," Abigail winked and then whispered in Dustin's ear using telepathy.

Since she dared to open this gambling event, she naturally had confidence in winning. Letting luck determine her profits would be absurd.

She wouldn't engage in battles she wasn't sure of winning.

Dustin smiled and didn't say anything further, starting to help organize the betting martial artists.

Ten minutes later, the stage was cleared, and the second round of the competition officially began.

There were still eight stages, but different competitors faced off this time.

Once everything was ready, the martial artists began placing their bets on the competitors they favored to win.

"Bro, listen to me, number 10 is very powerful. Bet on number 10 directly!"

"Number 10 is just average; don't listen to him. In my opinion, number 14 is the real deal!"

"Stop arguing. Bet on number 36. He's my senior brother, and his strength has reached the pinnacle of the Innate realm. Among peers, he's unmatched and will definitely win!"

"..."

People pointed and discussed, expressing various opinions.

Some believed in number 10, some in number 14, and some in number 36 as the true master.

In short, everyone had their own views, and no one could persuade anyone else.

In the end, most people chose to believe in themselves, while a small number remained in a wait-and-see state.

"Sister, trust me this time. Bet on number 68. I'm sure that guy will win!" At this moment, Cassius pointed to a man on stage eight.

The man was burly, holding a mountain-opening axe, exuding a formidable aura.

"Really?" Lana squinted, observing carefully, showing some hesitation.

She didn't have many treasures on her, and losing another round would be very unpleasant.

"To be honest, the competitor on number 68 is famous in the martial world. He's known as Iron Mountain King!"
 
Chapter 2228: The opening house gains no advantage

Cassius began to explain in detail, "This person was born with divine strength and cultivates a body refining technique. His body is as tough as bronze and iron, impervious to swords and spears. Even if I were to go up against him, I might not necessarily win. Betting on him is like picking up money!"

"So powerful?" Lana's eyes lit up.

Today's matchup was in Group C, and Cassius was a participant in Group B, which meant he was considerably more powerful than the competitors in Group C.

The fact that the competitor on stage 68 could earn such high praise from Cassius indicated his extraordinary strength.

"Of course! Trust me, there's no problem this time!" Cassius slapped his chest.

"Alright! Then I'll bet on number 68!" Lana made up her mind, directly taking out her sword to place her bet. "Victory or defeat lies in this one move!"

"Bold move! You truly are my junior sister!" Cassius raised his thumb, then also lifted his sword and placed it on the table as a bet.

Both of their swords were made of profound iron, of excellent quality, worth five spirit stones each. If they guessed correctly, they could redeem all the things they had lost previously.

Of course, if they guessed wrong, it would be a total loss.

Watching the confident demeanor of the two, Willa shook her head, feeling somewhat helpless.

But she didn't try to dissuade them. Sometimes, no amount of advice is as effective as a lesson learned the hard way.

This time, Willa didn't place any bets herself.

Mainly because there were too many people, and she didn't like joining in the hustle and bustle.

On the other hand, Zion, having just acquired several spirit stones, bet them all on number 36.

"Uncle, do you want to play a few more rounds?" Abigail turned to look at Dustin.

"What? You want to reap even more from me?" Dustin teased.

"Look at what you're saying. Am I that kind of person? I'm just looking out for you," Abigail blinked her eyes innocently, looking very sincere.

"Alright, I'll play a few more rounds. I want to see what kind of trick you have up your sleeve," Dustin chuckled, then took out all his spirit stones and placed them on number 36.

Number 36 was a man in a blue robe, tall and slender, with a thin face exuding a chilling aura all over his body.

The man in the blue robe wielded a long spear made entirely of profound iron, with the spearhead covered by a leather sheath.

Dustin bet on number 36 mainly because the opponent was indeed quite strong.

Being in the peak Innate realm, he was definitely one of the top contenders in Group C.

In fact, with the strength of the man in the blue robe, he could easily advance to Group B.

Staying in Group C now was a form of suppression against most martial artists because many in Group C were in the early and mid-Innate stages, with very few in the late Innate stage, let alone those in the formidable peak Innate stage.

"Alright, alright, the match is about to begin. Everyone, make your bets now and don't interfere once the match starts!" After all the competitors were on stage, Abigail shouted a few times, then decisively closed the betting.

To ensure fairness, once the match started, no one could place any more bets.

As for the final result, it would be entirely based on insight and luck.

Normally, the opening house gains no advantage.

Dustin was very curious about how Abigail could ensure that she always made a profit without losses.
 
Chapter 2229: The atmosphere at the scene became more and more intense

The second round of matches began quickly.

Eight arenas, eight matches happening simultaneously.

Compared to the spectator seats in other directions, the atmosphere on Abigail's side was undoubtedly much livelier.

In front of a large table, nearly a hundred people crowded around, with most of them placing bets.

As the matches began, the people below the stage were even more excited than the contestants on stage.

Cheers and shouts echoed continuously, one wave after another.

Every bettor cheered fervently for the player they had chosen, their voices hoarse with enthusiasm.

Because now, for them, it was not just about entertainment but about their own interests.

Winning meant the chance to earn a large amount of spiritual stones, while losing meant a significant loss.

Under such circumstances, they couldn't help but be excited.

As time passed, the atmosphere at the scene became more and more intense.

Among the eight arenas, two had already determined the outcome early.

The winners cheered jubilantly, ecstatic with excitement, while the losers were filled with regret and self-reproach.

Although they were in the same environment, the joy and sorrow among the crowd were different.

"Number 68! Attack, attack! Quick, attack! Don't give the opponent a chance to catch their breath!"

In the spectator seats, Cassius shouted excitedly, his face slightly flushed, his whole body full of passion.

"Come on, come on! Number 68, come on!"

Next to him, Lana seemed to be infected as well, her cheeks flushed, constantly waving her fists.

The two were focused on the contestant number 68 on Arena Eight.

This person was burly, wielding a mountain-opening axe, swinging it vigorously and unstoppably.

His opponent was a man in his thirties, wielding a big knife, fighting in a similarly fierce style.

Generally, warriors who use big knives have outstanding strength, and in the midst of fierce exchanges, few weapons can directly confront them.

However, the mountain-opening axe was an exception.

This type of weapon completely sacrificed agility for its renowned power and force. In a direct confrontation, it was unstoppable.

Unless someone had innate divine strength, few would use such a heavy weapon.

If the mountain-opening axe faced agile weapons primarily, it might not gain much advantage.

But ironically, the mountain-opening axe encountered a big knife, like two bulls locking horns, but one was slightly superior.

Moreover, contestant number 68 was stronger in both physique and strength than his opponent.

So, in the midst of the fight, he quickly gained the upper hand.

He relentlessly pursued his opponent with explosive chops.

The man with the knife was forced to retreat step by step, barely able to defend himself.

Finally, after enduring for a few minutes, the man, along with his knife, was knocked off the arena by contestant number 68.

In this match, contestant number 68 emerged victorious.

"Hahaha... We won! We won!"

Seeing contestant number 68 successfully win, Cassius jumped up in excitement, appearing exceptionally thrilled.

"Fantastic! This time, we've not only recovered our investment but also made a profit!" Lana was also thrilled.

The feeling of winning such a gamble was truly wonderful.

"How about that, Junior Sister? Didn't I tell you? Contestant number 68 would definitely win!" Cassius said with pride.

"You're indeed amazing, Senior Brother! You have a keen eye!" Lana gave him a thumbs up.

The slight cloud of doubt from before instantly vanished, replaced by anticipation for the next round of gambling.
 
Chapter 2230: Why spend money on something you can get for free

Gambling itself is easily addictive, especially after tasting some success; it becomes uncontrollable.

People without restraint can easily get deeply involved without realizing it.

"Congratulations on your successful victory. Here, these are the spiritual stones you've won," Abigail smiled, offering the stones warmly.

"I just bet with my Dark Iron Sword and won five spiritual stones, right? Can I redeem it now?" Lana asked.

"Of course, you can," Abigail nodded with a smile, then had someone bring Lana's Dark Iron Sword used for betting.

"Wait!"

Just as Lana was about to redeem the sword, Cassius raised his hand to stop her and said, "Junior Sister, why rush? The gambling has just begun. The real show is yet to come. If you redeem the sword now, you'll have less to bet with later, meaning fewer winnings. Just wait for a while. Let's earn enough spiritual stones first, and then redeem the sword."

"Well..." Lana hesitated.

"What's wrong? Don't you trust Senior Brother's judgment? Following me in betting is like picking money from the ground. As long as we win a few more rounds, we'll have enough spiritual stones for breakthrough!" Cassius confidently said.

"Okay! I'll listen to Senior Brother!" Lana smiled and finally dispelled the idea of redeeming the sword.

She now had ten spiritual stones in hand. If she redeemed the sword, she would only have five left.

In that case, even if she won, her profits would be halved.

So, she chose to wait a bit longer.

As long as she won three more rounds... no, two more rounds, she could redeem the sword.

Watching the two of them jubilantly, Abigail still wore a smile, fully embracing the principle of "the customer is god."

She had long experienced human greed.

For such enormous benefits obtained without effort, ordinary people couldn't resist sinking into it quickly.

She wasn't afraid of gamblers winning; she was afraid they would stop gambling.

As long as the gamblers continued, she was confident that they would eventually cough up everything they had won.

And they would pay a heavy price for it!

After a fierce battle, the second round of matches officially ended.

The contestant number 36, whom Dustin had bet on, unsurprisingly won effortlessly.

With sheer strength on display, even if the opponent used all their tricks, it was futile.

"Uncle, congratulations on winning another round," Abigail handed Dustin the won spiritual stones.

At this moment, most of the spiritual stones in her chest had been exchanged, some were won, and some were exchanged for various rare treasures.

Overall, she had incurred a small loss, but it was still within an acceptable range.

"If we start another round, your chest of spiritual stones might run out," Dustin reminded.

"No worries, I have several chests of spiritual stones as backup," Abigail smiled, not bothered.

For the Witchcraft Sect, spiritual stones were not scarce.

Because they had discovered a spiritual stone vein that could be mined for decades.

A few chests of spiritual stones were nothing to her, the wealthy Saintess of the Witchcraft Sect.

In fact, her main task for this trip was to purchase various rare items with spiritual stones.

But in her opinion, using only spiritual stones for exchange wasn't worth it.

On the contrary, opening a gambling arena was the best choice.

Not only could she collect rare treasures from various sects, but she could also save a lot of spiritual stones.

In simple terms, why spend money on something you can get for free?
 
Chapter 2231: The man in gray cloth

After the second round of matches, there was a mix of joy and sorrow at Abigail's gambling table.

Those who won were naturally ecstatic, feeling as if they had struck gold, while those who lost regretted deeply, filled with frustration.

"Damn it! I didn't expect that guy to be so useless. If only I had bet on number 36!"

"Who said it wasn't? Damn it! I lost a bottle of Transcendence Pill for nothing!"

"I'm the same. All the treasures I just acquired, all lost!"

"Hmph! I told you guys earlier to bet on number 36. Now look at the losses you've incurred!"

Amidst the cries of despair, a discordant voice suddenly rang out.

Several people turned to look, and it was a man in gray clothes speaking.

The man carried a long sword on his back, looking rather proud, and holding a handful of spiritual stones he had just won.

"Bro! Judging by your appearance, you must have won quite a lot, right?" someone asked cautiously.

"Not much, just a dozen or so. Mainly because I didn't have much capital. Otherwise, if I had gone all in, I would have made a fortune for sure!" the man in gray clothes said confidently.

As soon as these words were uttered, the eyes of the people around him lit up.

Winning a dozen or so spiritual stones in one match was an enormous temptation for them.

You see, the spiritual energy contained in these dozen or so spiritual stones would be enough for them to cultivate for several years.

"Bro, how can you be sure that number 36 will win?" the person asked again.

The situation on the arena was ever-changing. Unless there was an absolute power crush, no one could guarantee the final outcome.

"I may not have any other skills, but I have a good eye and broad knowledge," the man in gray clothes said proudly. "To be honest, I'm well aware of the reputation and potential of every warrior in the martial world. Who's strong, who has what specialties, who can win—I know it all very well. I'm not exaggerating when I say that today's gambling event was tailor-made for me."

At his words, the crowd immediately became excited.

"Damn! Bro, you're too awesome! It's like you're cheating!"

"Bro! I'm betting with you from now on. I hope you can lead me to fortune!"

"That's right! We're all betting with you!"

The crowd was enthusiastic, flocking around the man in gray clothes, flattering him excessively, treating him like a god of wealth.

There were many extraordinary people in the martial world. If the man in gray clothes could really judge the strength of every contestant, then today's gambling event would undoubtedly be in their favor.

If they seized the opportunity, they could also make a big profit.

Naturally, they were extremely excited.

"It's okay to bet with me, but I have to make it clear upfront: I can't guarantee a hundred percent win. If we lose, don't blame me," the man in gray clothes didn't overpromise.

"Of course! Since it's gambling, how can there be a hundred percent winning? We understand," someone said.

"Yeah, bro, if you can lead us to fortune, we'll be grateful. How could we blame you?"

"Bro! Just rest assured. If anyone dares to give you trouble today, they're picking a fight with me. I won't let them off!"

The people expressed their support one after another.

If the man in gray clothes had claimed a hundred percent win, they wouldn't have believed it. This made it seem more realistic.
 
Chapter 2232: The third round of betting

"Friends, the third round of competition is about to start, please be prepared in advance."

At this moment, Abigail's voice suddenly rang out.

After the second round of betting, more martial artists were drawn in.

Many were initially just watching, but as they observed, they found it interesting and decided to join in.

Several gamblers had just won spiritual stones, which made those who hadn't participated before quite envious.

The ways to acquire spiritual stones are very few.

Now that the opportunity was right in front of them, most people couldn't resist.

Therefore, more and more gamblers joined the betting.

The rare treasures Abigail obtained were steadily increasing, while the spiritual stones in her box were decreasing.

Of course, she didn't care about that; as long as people were willing to place bets, it was fine.

"The contestants are on stage, and the third round of competition is about to start. Please place your bets quickly; there will be no more opportunities once the time is up!" Abigail continued her announcements.

To avoid missing the chance, nearly half of the people chose to trust their instincts and judgments, betting on contestants they believed had a high chance of winning.

The other half were either hesitating or focusing on the man in gray.

"Big Brother, the competition is about to start. Who should we bet on?"

A crowd gathered around the man in gray, their faces full of anticipation.

For them, each round was a gamble: losing was painful, but winning was a big score.

"I have a lot of faith in Contestant 33, so I'm betting on him!"

The man in gray scanned each arena with his eyes, and his gaze finally settled on Contestant 33 in Arena 2.

Contestant 33 was a man dressed in white, holding a long whip.

The man was thin and unremarkable, without any notable features.

If there was anything special about him, it was the long whip he held, which seemed somewhat unusual.

"Contestant 33?"

The crowd followed his gaze and examined the contestant carefully, appearing somewhat hesitant.

They didn't know Contestant 33 at all.

What was his skill level? What were his special moves? They were completely clueless.

It was quite risky for them to bet without reservation on a martial artist they knew nothing about.

"Big Brother, what's so special about Contestant 33? Can you tell us?" someone tentatively asked.

"What? You don't trust my judgment?"

The man in gray raised an eyebrow and said coldly, "If you don't trust me, forget it. Pretend I didn't say anything. Bet as you wish. I'm still betting on Contestant 33."

After saying this, the man in gray, without any hesitation, placed all his spiritual stones on his chosen contestant.

Seeing this, the crowd exchanged glances, finding themselves in a tough spot.

The man in gray was so decisive that he must have had a lot of confidence, but the fact that he said nothing left them uncertain.

"Everyone! Ten seconds left! Place your final bets now or it's too late!" Abigail's voice rang out once more.

As the time ran out, the crowd couldn't hold back any longer and rushed to place their bets.

Some took a big risk and bet everything; others played it safe and bet only half; while some chose to continue observing and wait for the outcome.

After ten seconds, the betting window closed, and the third round of competition officially began!
 
Chapter 2233: Contestant 33

"Senior brother, is it reliable for us to bet on Contestant 33 following that person's advice?"

In the crowd, Lana couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

She originally intended to bet along with Cassius, but to her surprise, Cassius believed the man in gray and chose to bet on Contestant 33.

She didn't have much trust in this unfamiliar character, so even with Cassius's assurance, she only bet half her spiritual stones to avoid any unexpected losses.

"Junior sister, rest assured. I have carefully researched Contestant 33, and he is indeed very strong, with a high chance of winning. Betting on him is not an issue," Cassius said confidently.

He wasn't blindly following; after listening to the man in gray's boasting, he observed the situation for himself.

Though Contestant 33 seemed unremarkable, someone who could wield a black iron whip was no ordinary person.

The whip is an uncommon weapon and extremely difficult to master.

Even getting started is hard, and becoming proficient requires several times the effort of the average person.

On the other hand, if mastered, it can unleash far more power than ordinary weapons.

The whip's flexibility allows it to adapt to various situations and attack unpredictably.

If Contestant 33 could use the black iron whip in combat, he was likely not just a showy figurehead. Coupled with the man in gray's confidence, Cassius decided to take a chance.

Of course, like Lana, he only bet half his spiritual stones.

This way, even if he bet wrong, he wouldn't lose everything.

"Brother Dustin, which contestant did you bet on this time?" Zion suddenly turned to ask Dustin.

"Contestant 33," Dustin replied honestly.

"I'm with you," Zion smiled and turned to Willa. "And you, Miss Willa?"

"The same," Willa responded succinctly.

"What? You all bet on Contestant 33? Is he really that impressive?" Lana was surprised.

Her focus had been on Cassius, and she was unaware that her friends had all bet on Contestant 33.

"If so many people are betting on him, he should be reliable. If I lose, I won't be the only one," Zion shrugged nonchalantly.

"Is that your reason for betting on Contestant 33?" Lana was exasperated, then turned to her sister. "Sis, what about you?"

"My intuition tells me that Contestant 33 will win," Willa said seriously.

Lana's face twitched, momentarily speechless.

"Brother Dustin, why did you bet on Contestant 33?" Cassius asked curiously.

"The man in gray seemed to have good judgment, so I followed his lead," Dustin explained.

"Did you bet everything?" Cassius pressed.

"Yes, I bet it all," Dustin nodded.

"You're really brave!" Cassius gave him a thumbs up.

Although he believed Contestant 33 would win, he wasn't completely certain, so he only bet half his spiritual stones. He didn't expect Dustin to be so decisive, staking everything.

Time passed little by little.

The battles in the eight arenas were intense, with several contestants already emerging victorious.

However, most people's attention was focused on Contestant 33.

Since they all bet on him, they naturally hoped he would win.

Contestant 33 did prove to be impressive, wielding the black iron whip with great agility and precision.
 
Chapter 2234: Don't get too greedy

As Contestant 33 wielded his weapon, he exhibited incredible strength and precision, making it nearly impossible to stop him. Despite his opponent's considerable abilities, the opponent was forced back repeatedly, unable to get close to Contestant 33.

In just a few minutes, the opponent was struck over a dozen times, leaving him covered in whip marks and blood.

After gritting his teeth and holding on for another two minutes, the opponent was finally struck by Contestant 33's whip and fell out of the arena.

Witnessing this scene, the crowd at the betting table erupted in cheers, with many jumping up in excitement.

"Hahaha! We won! Contestant 33 won!"

"Good, good! This is fantastic! I finally bet correctly this time!"

"Damn! If I had known, I would have bet everything! I only won a small amount—it's not worth it!"

The victory of Contestant 33 left most of the gamblers present in high spirits and elation.

Some felt regret for betting too little, as they could have won more.

Especially when they received their spiritual stones, they regretted their cautiousness, which halved their winnings and left them feeling a little disappointed.

"Big brother, you're amazing! You said Contestant 33 would win, and he did! You're our lucky star!"

"That's right! From now on, whoever you bet on, I will too. Anyone who questions you will get a slap from me!"

Contestant 33's victory not only brought profits to most of the gamblers but also elevated the reputation of the man in gray to new heights.

Numerous people surrounded the man in gray, showering him with praise and compliments, treating him like a lucky charm.

Predicting the outcomes of two matches in a row was no coincidence.

Without genuine ability, he couldn't have achieved that.

"Sure enough, Contestant 33 won!"

Lana exclaimed with excitement, "That guy is incredible! He just took one look and knew who would win and lose—he's practically a god!"

"This person is amazing! From now on, we should follow his bets—he must be right!" Cassius's eyes lit up with excitement.

Having only bet half his spiritual stones earlier, he felt some regret, but now he was ready to go all in.

"That makes sense; that guy is knowledgeable and has a keen eye, far more skilled than we are," Lana agreed enthusiastically.

"Just earning some spiritual stones is fine; don't get too greedy."

At this point, Dustin suddenly spoke, "Gambling is dangerous when greed takes over. Knowing when to stop is a wise choice."

"Brother Dustin, you're wrong. This is our chance to get rich; we must seize it and make as much as we can. If we miss this opportunity, we'll regret it for life!" Cassius said enthusiastically.

"That's right! Why stop when there's a chance to earn spiritual stones? Only a fool would stop," Lana chimed in.

Clearly, the two of them were caught up in the thrill.

Winning two matches in a row had boosted their confidence immensely. Coupled with the allure of high profits, they naturally couldn't give up.

As the saying goes, opportunity knocks but once.

Miss it, and it's gone.

Seeing their stubbornness, Dustin only shook his head and said no more.

He had given his advice, but the outcome was beyond his control.

One thing he could be sure of was that if they continued gambling, they would eventually lose everything.
 
Chapter 2235: Fourth round began

After the third round ended, the fourth round began quickly.

A growing crowd surrounded Abigail, including many martial artists who had previously been watching from afar and now joined in.

Some joined to see the spectacle, while others were envious.

As many people had made a profit in spiritual stones, word spread, and more martial artists joined the betting.

Abigail's first box of spiritual stones had been completely used up, and her second and third boxes were brought out.

Seeing the full boxes of spiritual stones, the martial artists around her were wide-eyed and excited.

Human desire knows no bounds. Even though some had already won a considerable amount of spiritual stones, they wanted more.

Such treasures, which could directly enhance their strength, were undoubtedly a great temptation.

"Big brother, what do you think? Who should we bet on this time?"

As the contestants took the stage, all the gamblers focused their attention on the man in gray.

After the previous two rounds, they had developed a great deal of trust in the man in gray, considering him a good luck charm.

As long as the man in gray was willing to bet, they would follow suit.

"Let me take a look..."

The man in gray scanned each arena, and his gaze finally settled on Arena 8. He pointed and said, "Bet on Contestant 95!"

"Contestant 95?"

The crowd followed his gaze and saw that Contestant 95 was a thin, short man.

Standing at 1.6 meters tall, he appeared frail and was even limping.

He held an iron cane, and his limp made him seem far from an impressive fighter.

"Yes, Contestant 95!"

The man in gray didn't hesitate; he placed all his spiritual stones on Contestant 95.

Seeing this, the crowd was secretly shocked.

Was he too confident? He bet everything without a second thought; his courage was truly admirable.

"If big brother believes in Contestant 95, then I'll bet on 95!"

"Right! Me too!"

"Follow big brother for a share of the profits! What are you waiting for? Bet on 95!"

The group around the man in gray followed his lead and placed their bets.

Opportunities come and go; hesitating won't get you far.

With the man in gray leading, most people present bet on Contestant 95, including Cassius, Lana, and Zion.

Of course, some more cautious and rational people chose to hold back and observe.

Contestant 95 did seem less capable—a frail, limping man had trouble walking, let alone competing in the arena.

"Place your bets quickly; the betting window is closing."

Abigail urged, prompting those who hadn't made up their minds to decide quickly.

Three minutes later, the fourth round officially began.

Due to the betting situation, most of the audience's attention was focused on Arena 8.

Arena 8 featured a match between Contestant 95 and Contestant 24.

While Contestant 95 appeared frail, Contestant 24 was quite the opposite—burly and muscular, he looked very strong.

His wrist was thicker than Contestant 95's thigh.

The two standing together looked like a child and an adult.
 
Chapter 2236: An overwhelmingly easy victory

The stark difference in physical size led some people to doubt Contestant 95's chances.

Even those who had bet along with the man in gray were anxious and uncertain about the outcome.

"Hey, kid! I suggest you concede defeat now. With your tiny arms and legs, all I have to do is nudge you, and you'll break a bone."

Contestant 24 crossed his arms and eyed Contestant 95 up and down with a look of disdain.

A thin, limping man who dared to compete in the arena seemed utterly delusional.

"Even though you're tall and strong, it doesn't mean you can beat me," Contestant 95 said calmly.

"Beat you?"

Contestant 24 laughed, mocking him. "Kid, do you even know what you're saying? I could crush you with one hand!"

"Is that so? You're welcome to try."

Contestant 95 remained unfazed, looking up at Contestant 24 with a steady gaze, showing no hint of fear.

He may be small in stature, but his aura was formidable.

"Fine, it seems you need a lesson today to understand my power!"

Contestant 24 sneered, slowly drawing his long blade from his belt.

Contestant 95 remained composed, leaning on his cane and standing quietly in place.

"What are you waiting for? Draw your weapon!"

Contestant 24 held his blade horizontally, exuding a menacing aura.

"I don't need a weapon to deal with you."

Contestant 95 spoke softly yet dominantly.

"Hmm?"

Contestant 24's expression darkened, and his eyes turned fierce. "Kid! You're asking for it!"

Feeling slighted, Contestant 24 wasted no time, charging forward with his blade.

There were no elaborate moves or feints. Contestant 24 gripped his sword with both hands and aimed a heavy strike at Contestant 95's shoulder.

The strike was straightforward and brutal, aiming to inflict maximum damage.

Contestant 95 had two options: either confront the attack or dodge.

Given the stark size difference, confronting Contestant 24 head-on wasn't wise.

However, dodging would allow Contestant 24 to press the attack, quickening the pace and gaining the upper hand.

From Contestant 24's perspective, no matter what Contestant 95 chose, the result would be defeat.

"Hmph!"

Facing the incoming strike, Contestant 95 neither dodged nor flinched. Instead, he raised his cane and pointed it at Contestant 24 from a distance.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Three poison darts shot out from the cane, targeting three vital points on Contestant 24's body.

"Mm?"

Contestant 24's pupils constricted, and he immediately retracted his attack to defend himself.

"Clang!"

The first poison dart was deflected by his sword.

However, the force of the impact made Contestant 24 shudder, and his arm went numb.

"Clang!"

The second poison dart followed swiftly, striking his sword and causing it to fly out of his grasp.

Simultaneously, the third poison dart shot forward, and with Contestant 24's defenses wide open, it hit him square in the chest.

"Ah~!"

Contestant 24 screamed as he was flung several meters back and landed heavily on the ground, paralyzed and unable to move.

The crowd was stunned, momentarily unable to process what had just happened.

No one had expected the match to end so quickly. Contestant 95 had only made one move, and the burly Contestant 24 was left lying on the ground.
It was an overwhelmingly easy victory!
 
Chapter 2237: A real-life god of wealth

"Y-you… you actually used poison?!"

Contestant 24 gritted his teeth, his face full of anger and dissatisfaction.

He tried to struggle to his feet but found he couldn't summon any strength, not even enough to move his fingers.

"In arena combat, it is acceptable to use poison and hidden weapons, as it adheres to the competition's rules," Contestant 95 said calmly. "Moreover, I didn't aim to kill you. I merely paralyzed your body. If I truly wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead."

"You—!"

Contestant 24 was rendered speechless.

As much as he didn't want to admit it, he had indeed lost.

The competition rules allowed the use of poison, and his opponent had attacked him head-on, not through stealth.

His failure to defend himself was his own weakness.

"Contestant 95 wins!"

Seeing Contestant 24 immobilized, the judge decisively announced the match's outcome.

Thunderous applause erupted.

"Hahaha… we won, we won again!"

"Defeated in one move, Contestant 95 is truly impressive!"

"If anyone's impressive, it's our big brother! Whoever he says will win, wins! Amazing!"

The crowd around the betting table cheered excitedly.

Everyone who had bet on Contestant 95 reaped a great reward.

Initially, they had been somewhat skeptical of the gray-clad man's predictions, but now they placed their unconditional trust and admiration in him.
He was no longer just their leader; he was their god!

A real-life god of wealth!

"Great! We've struck it rich again!" Lana's face lit up with joy.

"See? Trusting your senior brother was the right choice! Following that man’s predictions is the way to riches! We must seize this opportunity for immense wealth!" Cassius's face was full of pride.

"We've already won enough; it's time to stop." Willa suddenly interjected.

Her instincts warned her that continuing to bet might lead to losses.

"Sister, don't rush! The betting has just begun, and with a god of wealth guiding us, we'll surely earn more riches!" Cassius shrugged off her concerns.

"Exactly, sis! This is a rare opportunity to earn spirit stones; we can't miss out!" Lana chimed in, full of excitement.

"Don't be too greedy with this kind of betting, or you'll regret it," Willa furrowed her brow slightly.

The two of them had already won a considerable amount of spirit stones; if fully absorbed, it could allow them to break through their current levels.

"Sister, you're being too cautious. They say the bold grow rich, while the timid go hungry. With all these spirit stones coming our way, we'd be fools not to take advantage," Cassius said.

"Sis, stop worrying so much. Today, we have a benefactor to help us, so we will definitely make a lot of money."

Lana tugged on her sister's arm and laughed, "How about this: I'll promise you that we'll stop after earning 300 spirit stones. No more greed!"

"Alright, alright. Since you insist on betting, there's nothing more I can say. Whether it's joy or sorrow, you two must decide for yourselves." Willa shook her head, falling silent.
 
Chapter 2238: Contestant 13

She knew in her heart that both Lana and Cassius were already deep in the heat of the moment. Getting them to stop betting now would obviously be unrealistic.

Of course, the main reason for this was that she still harbored a trace of hope.

What if they truly had a stroke of good fortune? What if they could keep winning?

If she stopped them from betting, wouldn’t that be cutting off their source of income?

Taking this into account, she did not continue trying to persuade them.

Ten minutes later, the fourth round of the competition officially ended.

Most of the people who had placed bets won spirit stones.

As a result, more and more spectators began to gather around the gambling table, ready to join in the excitement and try their luck.

The temptation of spirit stones was simply too great, and given the number of winners, everyone wanted to get a share.

Seeing more and more gamblers gathering around, Abigail couldn’t help but smile broadly.

Even though the second box of spirit stones was nearly depleted, she didn’t panic at all.

On the contrary, she hoped these people would bet more, because soon, she would get back all the spirit stones she gave out.

As the fifth round was about to begin, the scene was once again bustling with excitement.

The gamblers around the betting table were especially eager and expectant.

Almost everyone’s attention was focused on the man in gray.

Leading the gamblers to three consecutive wins had established the gray-clothed man’s almost godlike status.

No matter who the man in gray bet on, even if it was a weak player, the others would follow suit without hesitation.

“Big brother, who are we betting on this round?”

The gamblers surrounded the gray-clothed man like stars around the moon, their eyes shining with anticipation.

The gray-clothed man looked left and right, studying for a moment before suddenly pointing to Arena No. 1.

“Bet on contestant number 13!” the gray-clothed man declared.

Everyone turned their attention and their spirits lifted.

Contestant 13 was a man holding a silver spear.

The man had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, a handsome face, and an imposing demeanor. Simply standing there gave off a powerful aura.

“Contestant 13 looks familiar. Isn’t he a disciple of World Martial Arts Society?”

“That’s right! He is indeed one of World Martial Arts Society’s top ten, Jace!”

“What? One of World Martial Arts Society’s top ten? Shouldn’t he be in Group B? Why is he in Group C?”

“It seems Jace intentionally hid his skills during registration, so he was placed in Group C. But with Jace’s abilities, he can easily dominate Group C; there are few who can withstand him.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Place your bets!”

Hearing Jace’s name, everyone became excited and rushed to bet on contestant 13.

On one hand, this was the answer provided by the man in gray, and on the other, they believed in Jace’s abilities.

With both conditions met, they naturally had no doubts.

They bet all the spirit stones and rare treasures they had without holding anything back.

Seeing this scene, Abigail’s lips curled into a smile, but it quickly disappeared.

The time had come to reel them in…
 
Chapter 2239: Opportunity knocks but once

"Bet, bet, bet! Quickly bet! Listen to me, bet everything on Jace, number 13!"

"Brothers, the time to get rich is here, don't miss out if you walk by!"

"Can anyone lend me some treasures? If I win spirit stones, I promise to pay back the principal plus interest!"

The gamblers shouted and pushed forward one after another, betting everything of value.

The atmosphere at the scene became extremely lively.

To the gamblers, this round was an easy win, so they bet as much as they could.

"Hey, hey, hey... clear the way! We were here first, let us place our bets first!"

As more gamblers gathered, the scene became somewhat chaotic.

Cassius and Lana were taken by surprise at how quickly the crowd had grown, and the area in front of the gambling table was now packed with people. They had no choice but to push their way through.

As the saying goes, "Opportunity knocks but once." With only a few minutes left before the fifth round began, if they couldn't place their bets and the betting window closed early, it would be a major loss for them.

At this point, they couldn't be concerned about their image or dignity; they began squeezing their way forward.

"Everyone, please don't rush. Form a line and take your turn one by one."

"There is plenty of time, everyone will get a chance. I promise you all can place your bets."

"Hey, you in the purple clothes, why are you sitting on someone's shoulders? Get down now!"

Abigail stood at the gambling table, constantly calming the crowd and maintaining order.

She hadn't anticipated that the situation would become so chaotic.

Hundreds of people had gathered around the gambling table, shoulder to shoulder.

The small gambling table was surrounded to the point that no one could move.

Fortunately, the crowd was following the rules and not taking advantage of the chaos with petty theft.

Otherwise, she would have had to make an example out of someone to establish authority.

Of course, she was unaware that the fearsome reputation of the Witchcraft Sect in the martial arts world had already cast a shadow over the gamblers.

Anyone who dared to play tricks in front of the Witchcraft Sect was simply asking for trouble.

Everyone knew that among the three major sects in the martial arts world, the most intimidating was the Witchcraft Sect.

Once you crossed someone from the Witchcraft Sect, you wouldn't even know how you died.

Five minutes later, the fifth round of the competition officially began.

Most gamblers had placed their bets, and only a few had yet to do so.

To accommodate them, Abigail even delayed the closing of the betting window by two minutes to gather more bets.

"Brother Dustin, why aren't you betting? This is a great opportunity to earn spirit stones."

Back at his seat, Cassius saw that Dustin was still sitting still and couldn't help but find it strange.

"Small gambling is entertaining, big gambling is harmful. Gambling should be for fun; if you take it too seriously, you lose sight of the enjoyment." Dustin said with a faint smile.

"Brother Dustin, your approach is a bit too laid back. Without competing, life lacks excitement. People should live boldly and seek thrills from time to time, otherwise life would be too dull." Cassius laughed.

"Exactly, to pass up such an easy opportunity for free money, I don't understand what you're thinking." Lana shook her head, looking at Dustin as if he were foolish.

In response, Dustin simply smiled without saying a word.
 
Chapter 2240: Know when to stop

"Easy money? Humph... Don't get too excited. Whether contestant 13 will win this match is still unknown." Willa interjected at the right time, throwing a bucket of cold water on the conversation.

Like Dustin, she also had not placed a bet just now.

On the one hand, there were too many people, and she didn't feel like squeezing through the crowd; on the other hand, she felt something was off.

Everything was just going too smoothly.

Under normal circumstances, the betting house, when faced with such a series of losses, would typically choose to cut their losses as soon as possible and minimize their losses.

However, the Witchcraft Sect did nothing and remained very enthusiastic.

They even offered lending services to some gamblers.

Don't have treasures or spirit stones? No problem, they would lend them to you.

This unusual behavior made her suspicious.

After all, the Witchcraft Sect was not a charity, so how could they be handing out spirit stones for free?

"Sister, everyone can see Jace's strength. Even if I were to fight Jace, I might not be able to win, let alone a nobody. From what I've seen, Jace could win in less than ten moves," Cassius said confidently.

"Sister, you're just too paranoid. Everyone's betting on Jace, which proves that Jace is strong enough and has a high chance of winning. Do you think all of us are wrong, and only you are right?" Lana said dismissively.

"I never said Jace isn't strong, but there are always people stronger, and until the fight is truly over, no one can guarantee Jace will win 100%." Willa replied.

"Don't worry, sister, there won't be any problems this time. Look at us, we've been following him and winning for several rounds now," Lana tried to comfort her.

"I'm just reminding you to know when to stop," Willa said somewhat helplessly.

"Sister, we'll stop after this round, one more win and we'll call it a day." Cassius said enthusiastically.

"Hope you can keep winning," Willa shook her head and didn't say more.

The two people beside her were completely infatuated with betting, and no amount of persuasion would help.

At the same time, in Arena No. 1.

Jace was ready, setting up his stance, facing off against a man wielding a longsword.

The man was of average height, with an ordinary appearance, and didn't seem particularly notable, but his eyes occasionally flashed with a cold gleam.
"Who are you? State your name."

Jace pointed his long spear diagonally, exuding an imposing aura.

"Northern Border, Declan."

The man spoke calmly, without any visible emotional fluctuations.

"Northern Border's Declan? Never heard of you."

Jace sneered arrogantly, "You are not my opponent. Admit defeat now, otherwise, if we fight, you might end up with broken limbs."

"Is that so? Then it depends on whether you have the skill." Declan remained unfazed.

"I'm giving you a chance. Don't be ungrateful, or once I start, you might end up either dead or crippled!" Jace squinted slightly.

"Heh... Then let me see what you've got," Declan smiled coldly and slowly unsheathed his sword.

"Hmph! Stubborn fool! Don't blame me for being too ruthless!"

Jace grew irritated and without wasting words, charged forward with his spear.

The speed of his attack was astonishingly fast, like a dragon emerging from the sea, displaying incredible momentum.
 
Chapter 2241: Spirit Snake Emerges

As Jace's spear thrust directly at Declan, Declan only smiled slightly, and then with a swift movement, thrust his sword forward to meet the attack.

"Clang!"

The tip of the sword and the tip of the spear met precisely, creating a shockwave of energy that rippled outward like a wave, causing the clothing of both men to billow and their hair to stand on end.

Both men stood firm, beginning to grapple with one another, neither giving an inch.

Jace gripped his spear with both hands, and his internal energy surged continuously, trying to use his strong power to push Declan back.

However, oddly enough, no matter how much force or internal energy he applied, Declan did not budge an inch.

The spear and the sword remained locked together, pushing against each other.

Due to the intense pressure and collision of energy, the air began to emit a series of explosive sounds, and both the spear and sword began to bend.

"Mm?"

Jace furrowed his brows, showing a hint of surprise in his eyes.

He was one of World Martial Arts Society's top ten geniuses, a highly regarded talent, and in Group C, he should have been facing far lesser opponents.

But to his surprise, the unassuming Declan could grapple with him evenly without falling behind, which seemed unusual.

"Dragon Tail Sweep!"

Seeing that he wasn't gaining an advantage in their struggle, Jace gave his spear a shake, breaking free from the sword's tip, and then suddenly swept his spear horizontally toward Declan's waist.

As they say, "the longer the weapon, the stronger the attack." The advantage of a spear was its wide range of attack.

Before the sword could strike, the spear could attack the target first.

Jace had decided that if he couldn't win through sheer strength, he would use his superb spear techniques and extensive combat experience to defeat his opponent.

"Whoosh!"

As the sweeping spear approached, Declan suddenly leaned back vertically, like a falling door, narrowly avoiding the attack.

"Spirit Snake Emerges!"

With one missed attack, Jace thrust his spear directly at Declan's chest.

The timing of this attack was perfect, just as Declan was about to touch the ground.

For a regular martial artist, they would not have been able to react in time.

But Declan seemed to have anticipated the move; as Jace thrust his spear, Declan slammed one hand on the ground, propelling himself upward in a spinning motion.

"Clang!"

Jace's spear struck the ground, creating a small hole, while Declan, now standing back up, stepped on the spear's shaft and lunged forward.

The sword in his hand aimed directly at Jace's throat.

Jace's eyelids twitched, and he immediately retreated two steps, raising his spear to block Declan's strike.

Although he blocked the attack, due to the sudden retreat, Jace was shaken by Declan's sword and stumbled back a few steps.

This scene left the onlookers shocked and nervous.

"What on earth? Jace was forced to retreat?"

"That can't be right? He's just a nobody. Can Jace really lose? I placed a heavy bet!"

"Everyone, don't worry. The match has just begun. Jace hasn't unleashed his full power yet. I believe in the end, Jace will definitely win."

"Yes, that's right. The big brother's prediction has never been wrong. Everyone, stay calm and just watch the match."

"…"
 
Chapter 2242: The Thunder Spear Technique

Jace's performance made the gamblers who had placed their bets anxious.

Their eyes were glued to the fight, filled with trepidation.

In their eyes, given Jace's skill, he should have easily won.

But after exchanging a few moves with Declan, Jace seemed to be losing ground.

What was going on?

"Senior brother, there isn't going to be an upset in this match, right?" Lana asked nervously from the audience.

She had just bet all her spirit stones, and a win would yield a big profit, but losing would mean losing everything.

"Don't worry, it's just a minor hiccup. It won't change the overall outcome," Cassius remained confident.

Everyone can make mistakes sometimes, right?

Jace had likely been a bit overconfident earlier, but if he gets serious, defeating Declan shouldn't be a problem.

Meanwhile, in Arena No. 1.

Jace's expression grew increasingly serious.

At first, he had underestimated Declan, but after the earlier exchange, he realized his opponent's skill was nearly equal to his.

If he didn't give his all, he might not win.

"I must admit, you're strong, much stronger than I expected."

Jace slowly assumed an attack stance, his eyes sharpening. "I underestimated you earlier and nearly let you take advantage, but that won't happen again. From now on, I'll use my best technique to end this fight!"

"Is that so? I'll be waiting to see," Declan smiled slightly.

"First Form of the Thunder Spear Technique: Spring Thunder Blast!"

Jace shouted, his spear suddenly pulling back to gather strength, then thrusting forward explosively.

"Boom!"

At the moment the spear thrust forward, a sound like thunder echoed.

A dazzling white flash suddenly burst forth, charging forward like a dragon with terrifying momentum, sweeping toward Declan.

"What a domineering spear technique! As expected from one of the top ten geniuses of World Martial Arts Society!"

"The Thunder Spear Technique is known for its strength and ferocity. Once it's unleashed, its momentum is unstoppable. Seeing it today, it truly lives up to its reputation!"

"To be defeated by Jace's Thunder Spear Technique, Declan should be proud!"

"..."

The audience buzzed in amazement at the power Jace unleashed.

Especially the gamblers who had placed bets—they were brimming with excitement.

With the Thunder Spear Technique in play, Jace was bound to win.

"The Thunder Spear Technique is not much," Declan faced the incoming spear thrust calmly, showing no sign of panic; instead, his mouth curved into a slight smirk.

Then, Declan tapped his toe, and he darted forward like lightning. His sword also slashed out in one fluid motion, at a speed that was almost incomprehensible.

The audience couldn't follow Declan's sword movements, just seeing a blur before them.

When the scene settled again, Jace and Declan had already crossed each other.

They stood back to back, a few meters apart.

Jace furrowed his brows, his expression grave. His grip on his spear was trembling slightly.

In contrast, Declan remained calm and collected. His sword was dripping with blood, "drip, drip."

As the audience was left in confusion, Jace suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, then his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.

The audience was left utterly dumbfounded!
 
Chapter 2243: A tremendous profit

Watching Jace suddenly collapse, everyone was stunned.

Their jaws dropped in disbelief.

No one had expected Jace, one of the top ten geniuses of the World Martial Arts Society, to lose, and lose to a complete nobody.

By Jace's standards, he should have easily dominated Group C, but how had he been defeated so quickly?

Was it that Jace was overrated, or was Declan just too formidable?

"We're finished! Completely finished!"

"Damn it! What the hell is Jace doing? Why couldn't he even beat a nobody? He's a complete waste!"

"What top ten genius? He's just a piece of trash!"

"Jace! Damn you! You've ruined me this time!"

"We lost! We lost it all! My spirit stones!"

"…"

After a moment of silence, the entire crowd erupted in cries of despair and curses.

Jace's defeat cost the gamblers dearly.

All the spirit stones they'd won earlier, with interest, were all lost.

Some had even borrowed money, thinking they could strike it big, only to lose everything in the end.

"How could this happen? How could this happen?!"

Lana's wide eyes reflected disbelief.

She had just bet her entire fortune, and she couldn't believe the outcome.

"No… impossible! This was supposed to be a sure win; how could Jace lose?!"

Cassius was stunned, his face pale, his hands trembling.

In the earlier matches, he had been cautious and hadn't bet too much, unsure of a guaranteed win.

But this round with Jace, he was confident and bet all his spirit stones, only to be gravely disappointed.

For a moment, he couldn't accept the outcome.

"Senior brother, you said it was a sure win! What do we do now?" Lana was completely disheartened.

As they say, the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment.

Jace's defeat had her crashing down from heaven.

"I..." Cassius was at a loss for words.

What could he do?

The loss was already suffered, and they would have to accept it. Were they supposed to demand their spirit stones back from the Witchcraft Sect?

Who would have the guts to challenge the dangerous Sect?

Instead of winning back spirit stones, they might end up losing their lives.

"Number 54, Declan, wins!"

Seeing that Jace was no longer able to continue, the referee swiftly announced the match's result.

Instantly, the entire arena erupted in anger and curses.

As the victim, Jace's entire lineage was verbally thrashed.

Even the reputation of World Martial Arts Society took a hit.

After all, Jace was one of their top ten geniuses, yet he lost to a nobody. It was quite the embarrassment.

"Such a pity, you were so close, just a little bit more and you would have won."

Abigail shook her head, feigning regret, but inside she was overjoyed.

This match not only recovered her initial costs but also cleared out the wallets of most gamblers.

It was a tremendous profit.

"Big brother! You said we'd win! How did it turn out like this?" someone asked the gray-robed man.
 
Chapter 2244: A preplan gambling trap

"That's right, big brother! I just bet all my possessions, and now I've lost everything. What should I do?"

"It's all your fault! If it weren't for your reckless commands, how could we have lost so badly?"

"That's right! You must compensate us for our losses today!"

The gamblers became increasingly agitated and began pointing fingers at the man in gray, questioning him.

"Blame me? Did I tell you to bet everything?"

The man in gray angrily said, "When you win, you're all smiles, but when you lose, you blame me? Where's the logic in that? Moreover, I never promised you would win; it was your own greed that made you follow my bets. Do you think you're the only ones who lost? I lost everything too!"

As soon as he said this, the voices of doubt around them quieted down.

Though they couldn't accept it, the man in gray was indeed correct.

He didn't force them; they chose to follow his bets themselves, so they couldn't blame anyone else for their losses.

"Damn it! A bunch of ungrateful wretches, I'm done playing with you!"

The man in gray shouted and left in a huff.

The gamblers looked at each other, sighing and lamenting.

But no one noticed that as the man in gray was leaving, he exchanged a glance with Declan in the ring.

"So that's it. What a clever tactic."

DUstin muttered to himself, a smile on his lips.

Previously, he couldn't quite understand what kind of scheme Abigail had that could guarantee her profit.

But after what had just happened, he finally realized.

It turned out that Abigail had planned everything well in advance.

In other words, even before the gambling match began, Abigail had already set everything up.

First, she planted some of her own people among the C Group participants.

These people intentionally concealed their abilities, waiting for the right moment to act on orders.

Then, she created a guiding light figure, namely the man in gray from earlier.

Through a series of consecutive victories, she built up the man in gray's reputation and authority while attracting gamblers to blindly follow him.

Once the man in gray's popularity and credibility were high enough, she could begin closing the net.

In simple terms, the so-called gambling match was a carefully designed trap from start to finish.

Whether it was the man in gray or Declan, who had just won, they were all Abigail's people.

Whether they win or lose was entirely under Abigail's control.

This is why Abigail had nothing to fear, as she never worried about gamblers winning.

As long as she controlled the outcome of one match, she could reclaim everything she lost plus interest.

In essence, all the gamblers present were like crops waiting to be harvested by her.

When to act depended entirely on her preference.

"One loss means nothing. Come on, everyone, keep betting. You'll win back eventually."

Abigail called out, continuing to attract business for herself.

There were many spectators watching today, and even if she harvested one group of gamblers, there would always be another.

Additionally, many gamblers have a competitive mindset and, if they lose, will try to win back their money.

Although they may be broke, they can still borrow, so they are still valuable for harvesting.

"Senior sister, you must still have some spirit stones, right? Lend me some, and I'll pay you back as soon as I win!"

At this moment, Cassius suddenly turned to look at Willa beside him, his eyes full of eagerness.

It was clear that he was already hooked.
 
Chapter 2245: The odds are against you

Looking at Cassius's intense gaze, Willa couldn't help but frown, "Junior Brother Cassius, you should stop now. If you continue gambling, you'll just get in deeper and deeper."

Once gamblers get addicted, they never know when to stop; they want to gamble when they win and keep going when they lose.

Until they've lost everything and are on the wrong path.

Cassius now seemed to be showing signs of addiction, and if he wasn't stopped in time, it could lead to a major disaster.

"Senior Sister, let me gamble one more time, just one last time. If I win this time, I'll stop immediately!" Cassius vowed.

"Sister, I'm the same. I've already lost my sword, so I need to win it back." Lana chimed in.

Both of them stared directly at Willa, their eyes full of hope.

"Have you thought about what would happen if you lose?" Willa asked them.

"I won't, I won't. This time I'll be careful and cautious, only betting when I'm sure, and I won't lose!" Cassius promised.

"Yes, yes! We were led astray earlier; if we had just trusted ourselves, we would have won!" Lana said.

"Don't you understand yet? The odds are against you; if you continue gambling, the outcome will not be good!" Willa said sternly.

"Senior Sister! Let us try one more time; if we can win back our money, we swear to stop gambling forever!" Cassius raised three fingers.

"Sister, you have so many spirit stones; lend us some, and we'll pay you back if we win." Lana supported him.

"How can you two be so stubborn? Even now, you still don't realize?" Willa scolded.

"Senior Sister, we've won so many times before; you've seen it all. We just hit a bit of bad luck earlier. If you lend us some spirit stones, we will definitely win back our losses!" Cassius remained stubborn.

"Sister! I just want to get my sword back; can you give us a chance?" Lana pleaded.

"I'll redeem your swords for you, but lending you spirit stones to gamble is absolutely out of the question!" Willa said firmly.

Upon hearing this, Cassius and Lana exchanged glances, speechless.

They knew Willa's character well, and she had made it clear that lending spirit stones was not going to happen.

But they had just lost so much, and it was hard to let go without trying to win back what they lost.

They still believed there was a chance to win back the spirit stones.

Unfortunately, they had already run out of betting money.

Willa paid no attention to their distressed expressions and walked over to the gambling table to redeem their swords.

"These are your swords; you are not allowed to gamble anymore!"

Willa threw the redeemed swords to Cassius and Lana.

"Sigh..."

Looking at the swords they had lost and regained, Cassius and Lana were not as happy as they should have been; instead, they felt a sense of melancholy and regret.

Although the swords had been redeemed, the lost spirit stones could never be regained, which was heartbreaking to think about.

"Don't be downcast; your senior sister is right. If you keep gambling, you'll only get in deeper." Zion suddenly spoke up.
 
Chapter 2246: The cycle started again

"You've won so many spirit stones, so of course you can stop. We haven't gained anything at all," Lana said irritably.

"Mr. Zion can win because he knows when to stop, but what about you two? You win once, then want to win a second and third time. How can you not lose? In the end, it's your own greed, driven by money!" Willa scolded.

Cassius and Lana exchanged glances and wisely chose to remain silent.

Abigail's gambling operation continued. With her enthusiastic calls, more new gamblers joined in.

And so, the cycle started again.

As before, Abigail would let the gamblers win a few rounds at first, giving them a taste of success and gradually getting them addicted. Then, by manipulating the results of the matches, she would take everything back in one go.

Only a small portion of gamblers could make any significant winnings, while the majority ended up as the harvested victims.

However, gamblers all have a sense of luck; one failure doesn't kill their desire, and they keep coming back for more.

They always think of themselves as part of that small lucky group.

So, the more they gamble, the more they lose; the more they lose, the more they gamble, until they are entirely trapped in the gamble.

Abigail took advantage of the gamblers' mindset, allowing her to remain calm and collected.

Because she understood that addicted gamblers never know when to stop.

And greedy people often lose the most in the end.

Time passed quickly.

When the sun set, the first day's ring matches finally came to an end.

Among the Group C participants, several potential geniuses emerged.

Once the matches ended, these potential geniuses were targeted by various major sects.

There were all kinds of tactics to recruit them, including offering attractive deals, making promises, and offering generous bribes.

For disciples from major sects, the roots of their sects were strong, so they were not easily swayed.

However, for talented individuals from smaller sects, the situation was different.

Major sects offered better prospects and more resources, so it was easy to sway them with the right offer.

Of course, Abigail, representing the Witchcraft Sect, did not compete with other sects for talent.

She had her eyes on various rare treasures and elixirs.

After a day of gambling, she harvested multiple groups of gamblers, earning a fortune and enjoying the bounty.

"Alright, alright, esteemed heroes! Today's matches have concluded, and the betting is closed. We'll continue tomorrow. Remember, prepare more rare treasures; the more you bet, the more you can earn!"

As Abigail called out, she ordered her subordinates to secure the valuable items.

Although she had spent a box of spirit stones, the treasures she gained were worth ten times that amount.

After securing the valuables, Abigail warmly invited Dustin and his companions to dinner.

After making such a significant profit today, it was only right to celebrate.
 
Chapter 2247: Let's drink

Night had fallen, and inside the Restaurant at the foot of Infernal Mountain, Abigail, flush with wealth, reserved the entire second floor for a celebratory feast.

Of course, the only invitees were Dustin and his group.

After all, the method of harvesting rare treasures and precious items through exploiting gamblers wasn't exactly honorable.

It's best to keep a low profile whenever possible.

"Old man, I'm in a great mood today. Let's drink until we're drunk!"

Abigail poured wine and clinked glasses with Dustin before downing the drink in one go.

Dustin smiled and took a small sip from his cup.

"Come, everyone, eat and drink to your heart's content. Don't be shy," Abigail said, greeting Willa and the others warmly after finishing her drink.

"Looking at Miss Abigail's radiant face, you must have made quite a profit today, right?" Zion asked with a smile.

"Not much, just a little," Abigail replied modestly.

"Miss Abigail's luck must be quite good to manage such a successful sweep at just the right moments," Willa remarked meaningfully.

"It has nothing to do with luck. My sweep is all thanks to my intelligence."

Abigail tapped her temple with her index finger and openly admitted, "Honestly, I placed many skilled individuals among the Group C participants. As long as they have the opportunity to take the stage, I can control the outcomes. Whoever I want to win, wins; whoever I want to lose, loses. It's thanks to this that I remain undefeated."

Upon hearing this, Willa was slightly taken aback.

Throughout the day, she had sensed some hints of manipulation but wasn't entirely sure.

However, she never expected Abigail to openly admit it so confidently, without any attempt at concealment.

This left her wondering if she had misheard.

Not only her, but Cassius and Lana were also astonished, their faces expressing disbelief.

They had been kept in the dark, thinking wins and losses were all based on skill and luck.

But Abigail's words just shattered their illusions.

"Miss Abigail... are you saying that all the gambling matches today were your setup?" Cassius tentatively asked.

"Not all of them. I only controlled the outcomes in critical matches, but that alone is enough to dominate the arena," Abigail replied seriously.

"You... you... isn't that cheating?!" Lana stood up in a fit of anger.

After all, she was one of the victims.

"Cheating? I don't see it that way. I'm just using my intelligence to make money. What's wrong with that?"

Abigail chuckled, "Moreover, if those gamblers weren't greedy, they wouldn't end up as harvested crops. I remember your sister made quite a bit of spirit stones. If you had listened to her advice, you'd already be big winners."
 
Chapter 2248: Abigail's offer

Lana wanted to say more, but Willa interrupted her, "Miss Abigail is right. Greed leads to ruin, and there’s no good outcome from excessive greed. If you knew when to stop, you wouldn’t have lost everything. Miss Abigail taught you two a lesson today; you should thank her."

"See? Your sister is understanding."

Abigail smiled, "I'm treating you two with honesty because you’re friends of the old man. Otherwise, I wouldn't have told you any of this."

Cassius and Lana exchanged a glance, both feeling a bit helpless.

Despite their frustration, they knew they had to accept their losses.

It was their lack of insight and excessive greed that got them into trouble. Had they realized sooner, the outcome might have been different.

"Oh, by the way, all of you are in Group B, right?" Abigail suddenly asked.

"Yes, that's right. Why?" Cassius nodded.

"Group B is great. Perfect timing, we could collaborate."

Abigail smiled and took out several bags of spirit stones, placing them on the table, "I'll be hosting matches over the next few days, but I'm short on actors. If you can join my team, I will reward you handsomely. These spirit stones are a deposit, and there will be more to come once the work is done."

"Well..."

The group exchanged glances, surprised by Abigail's offer.

"This is match-fixing, isn't it? We are disciples of major sects; how can we do such a thing?" Lana frowned and immediately declined.

"That's right, Miss Abigail. If we're found to be match-fixing, it would tarnish not only our reputations but also our sects'. We can't afford that," Cassius shook his head.

"If you think these spirit stones are not enough, we can negotiate further," Abigail said with a smile.

Hearing this, Cassius hesitated for a moment, tempted.

Given his abilities, this martial arts competition was mostly for show, with little chance of achieving a high ranking.

So the wins and losses weren't crucial to him.

If he could earn a large sum of spirit stones through one or two matches, it might be a worthwhile opportunity.

However, with both opportunity and risk involved, as a disciple of the Sword Sect, it was a bit awkward for him to consider.

"Miss Abigail, we appreciate your kind offer, but as disciples of the Sword Sect, we cannot engage in anything that would damage the sect's reputation. So, we must decline," Willa refused again.

While spirit stones were important, one could not compromise personal principles for them.

"That's fine, that's fine. If you don't agree, so be it. Business doesn't always go as planned, but if you ever change your mind, feel free to reach out. There's still time," Abigail smiled, not pushing the matter.

As they continued speaking, a loud shout suddenly erupted from outside the restaurant.

"Witch! Come out and face death!"

The shout boomed like thunder.

Abigail's smile faded slightly, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.
 
Chapter 2249: Trouble in restaurant

"Witch! I know you are in there, come out quickly and face death!"

A loud shout echoed through the restaurant, causing the tea water to ripple gently.

Cassius and the others instinctively turned their gaze towards Abigail.

Here, the only person who could be called Witch was probably the person in front of them.

The question was, who would dare to be so bold? How dare they openly challenge the saintess of the Witchcraft Sect?

"Everyone, please go ahead and eat, I'll go outside to handle this."

Abigail smiled slightly, took a napkin to wipe her mouth, then stood up gracefully and slowly walked downstairs.

Cassius and the others exchanged glances and all went to the window to observe the situation outside.

Outside the restaurant, a brawny man with twenty or thirty people behind him was shouting incessantly.

These people were holding long swords and looked fierce, as if they were ready to kill.

"Huh! Isn't that...?"

Lana raised her eyebrows and quickly recognized the brawny man.

She had seen him before at a martial arts competition, but couldn't remember his name at the moment.

"The young master of Blizzard Mountain Villa, Mac!" Cassius chimed in.

"That's right! That's him!"

Lana nodded repeatedly: "This guy caused trouble at the martial arts competition before and ended up being struck into a pig head by Karson's lightning technique. Unexpectedly, he recovered so quickly, he sure is tough."

"Mac is capable, but he lacks brains."

Zion unfolded his fan and said slowly: "Before on Infernal Mountain, Karson essentially saved his life, but now he's here seeking his own death."

"People like him who haven't experienced the harsh realities of life have no idea how terrifying the Witchcraft Sect is." Willa shook her head.

She shared the same opinion as Zion; Mac bringing his people to cause trouble was purely a suicide mission.

"Blizzard Mountain Villa is a major sect, and Mac brought so many people. I'm worried Sister Abigail might be outnumbered," Lana looked around.

The twenty or thirty people Mac brought were all capable fighters.

Though Abigail was the saintess of the Witchcraft Sect, she was just one person.

"Junior sister, you may not know this, but while ordinary experts might fear being outnumbered, people from the Witchcraft Sect never worry about this. Think about it carefully, what is the Witchcraft Sect known for?" Cassius said meaningfully.

"Witchcraft and poison?" Lana quickly responded.

"Exactly!"

Cassius nodded: "I won't talk about witchcraft, which is too arcane for us to understand, but just the poison alone is enough to strike fear in the hearts of top martial artists! So, even though Blizzard Mountain Villa has many people, if it comes to a fight, Abigail only needs to use a little poison to take them all down."

"Is poison really that powerful?" Lana was somewhat skeptical.

"Not just powerful—it's almost supernatural!"

Cassius said with lingering fear: "Do you know how many martial artists have died because of poison? This eerie, invisible threat has become the nightmare of countless fighters!"
 
Chapter 2250: A bunch of rotten fish and stinking shrimp

The Witchcraft Sect has made many enemies, yet no sect dares to challenge them directly because the terror of the sect's poison runs deep!

Without a serious grudge, even we from the Sword Sect are unwilling to become enemies with the Witchcraft Sect!

The Witchcraft Sect not only excels at fighting against many with few, but their methods are also unpredictable. If you provoke a disciple of the Witchcraft Sect, you wouldn't even know how you died.

"If that's the case, won't Mac and his people be in trouble?"

Lana raised her eyebrows. "Are they really that foolish? Do they know the Witchcraft Sect is not to be trifled with, yet they're asking for a beating?"

"We'll know what's going on when we look down there." Cassius did not say much more and looked out the window.

At this moment, the entrance of the restaurant.

Abigail walked out alone.

"Witch! You are indeed here!"

Mac pointed his long knife, his face full of anger.

"It seems you didn't learn your lesson from this morning, daring to swagger in front of me. Do you really not fear death?" Abigail smiled, though her eyes were cold.

"Hmph! Who will live and who will die isn't certain yet!"

Mac shouted aggressively, "I'll be honest with you, the people behind me are all martial arts experts hired for a lot of money. No matter how strong you are, you can't possibly take them all on!"

"Experts?"

Abigail glanced around, and scoffed, "A bunch of rotten fish and stinking shrimp dare to call themselves experts? What a joke!"

"How dare you!"

"Outrageous!"

"Preposterous!"

Abigail's words immediately angered everyone present.

The martial artists erupted in anger, their righteous indignation clear.

They were all respected figures in the martial arts world, invited to deal with the witch to eliminate harm for the people.

Who would have thought this witch would be so arrogant, completely disregarding them?

"Witch! Don't get too cocky! We've come prepared today. No matter how skilled you are, you won't cause any big trouble!" Mac shouted angrily.

"Oh, really? Then come on, let's see how many lives you have, daring to act wild in front of me?"

Abigail beckoned with her finger, her gaze dismissive.

"Brother Mac! Just a little girl, there's no need for all the elders to get involved. We, the potter brothers, are enough to capture her alive!"

At this moment, a pair of twin brothers stepped forward, volunteering to take on the challenge.

"I hear the two of you have experimented with poison for many years, and have developed an immunity to all poisons?" Mac asked tentatively.

"That's right!"

The twins nodded simultaneously. "We brothers aren't good at much, but in poison use, we are top-notch. Handling this Witch is perfect for us!"

"Excellent, excellent! Then I'll leave it to the two of you to capture this Witch!" Mac's face lit up with joy.

The most feared aspect of the Witchcraft Sect is its poisons.

Fortunately, the potter brothers are immune to all poisons, so they are not afraid. They are the perfect match for the Witch of the Witchcraft Sect!
 
Chapter 2251: Potter brothers

"Brother Mac, rest assured. We will deliver as promised since you hired us, the potter brothers, to resolve your troubles."

"That's right. Just sit back and relax while we, the potter brothers, take care of this Witch!"

The twins spoke confidently, certain of their victory.

"Witch! Did you hear that? If you know what's good for you, surrender immediately! Otherwise, today will be your day of death!" Mac shouted.

"Why so much talk? If you want to fight, let's fight. I'm in a hurry to get back upstairs and finish my meal." Abigail grew impatient.

"Arrogant!"

"Watch how we, the potter brothers, deal with you!"

The twins were instantly provoked and, without further ado, charged at her with their weapons.

The weapons they wielded were quite unique: one held a judge's pen, and the other held an abacus sword.

The abacus sword unleashed a barrage of abacus beads like hidden weapons, raining down upon Abigail.

Simultaneously, the judge's pen lunged forward like a spear, aiming directly at her.

The twins worked seamlessly together, hiding their killing intent.

First, they aimed to distract her with the onslaught of abacus beads and then deliver a deadly blow with the judge's pen.

Against an ordinary martial artist, this would have been a successful attack.

But who was Abigail?

As the saintess of the Witchcraft Sect and the second strongest on the Heavenly Prodigy List, she paid no heed to the Potter brothers' attack.

"Trivial tricks."

Abigail scoffed coldly, and with a wave of her hand, a powerful gust of energy erupted like a tidal wave, deflecting all the incoming abacus beads.

In an instant, the area sounded as if hail was falling, the beads clattering against the ground.

"Die!"

Seeing Abigail momentarily distracted, the older Potter brother lunged forward with his judge's pen, aiming for her chest.

Abigail remained expressionless and simply extended two fingers, effortlessly catching the pen.

The older Potter brother's pupils constricted, his face showing shock.

He hadn't expected their well-trained killing move to be easily countered.

"Is this your level of strength?" Abigail looked at them with a look of disdain.

"Witch! You've fallen for our trap!"

The older Potter brother suddenly grinned viciously and quickly pressed the hidden switch on the judge's pen.

"Whoosh!"

The next moment, a cold ice needle shot out from the pen's tip.

The cold ice needle was one of the top ten hidden weapons, designed to penetrate protective energy shields and had a strong freezing effect.

If struck by the cold ice needle in a vital area, even the most skilled martial artist would be doomed.

The cold ice needle was the Potter brothers' secret move for self-preservation, rarely used unless absolutely necessary.

The older Potter brother, feeling threatened with death, chose to use their killing move directly.

At such close range, it was impossible for Abigail to dodge.

"Hmph! Now let's see how you escape death!"

Just as the Potter brothers thought victory was assured, Abigail suddenly opened her mouth and bit down on the cold ice needle.
 
Chapter 2252: Four Tigers of East Mountain

"What? How is that possible?!"

The Potter brothers' expressions changed drastically. Before they could react, Abigail took a deep breath and suddenly spat out the cold ice needle.

"Whoosh!"

The cold ice needle shot back, directly piercing the older Potter brother's throat.

"Ugh..."

The older Potter brother froze in place, staring in disbelief.

In the next second, his body rapidly froze. In just a few breaths, he had completely turned into an ice sculpture.

Then he fell backwards, shattering into pieces with a loud crash.

He died without leaving a whole body.

"Brother!"

Seeing his older brother's shattered remains, the younger Potter brother was both shocked and enraged.

They had come fully prepared, but their sneak attack failed, and instead, the older Potter brother was killed.

"You dare kill my brother? I'll fight you to the death!"

The younger Potter brother's eyes widened in rage as he swung the abacus sword, releasing all the abacus beads in a barrage, raining down upon Abigail.

Abigail stood motionless and simply raised her hand, swinging her sleeve forcefully.

"Boom~!"

A burst of powerful energy erupted, carrying immense force, blowing all the abacus beads back.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang..."

A series of explosions sounded as the abacus beads shot back like bullets, penetrating the younger Potter brother's body, turning him into a human sieve.

The younger Potter brother spat blood and collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

From start to finish, the exchange lasted only three moves.

"Dead... Dead?"

Looking at the two incomplete bodies on the ground, the crowd was dumbfounded.

They had thought the Saintess of the Witchcraft Sect was only powerful with poison, and that the poison-immune Potter brothers would be her nemesis.

But within moments, the Potter brothers were dead, with no chance to resist.

The gap in strength was evident.

"Potter brothers? Pfft! They were just two worthless trash!" Mac spat on the ground, expressing his disdain.

He had expected the two to be experts, but they couldn't even withstand three moves against the Saintess. What a letdown.

"Who else wants to come up and die?"

Abigail stood quietly, her gaze terrifyingly cold.

In the past, she would have started a slaughter without hesitation.

But since this was Infernal Mountain, and she had plans for the coming days, she didn't want to kill too many and affect her business.

Although she had a merciful heart, others were not necessarily inclined to give up.

"Let the Four Tigers of East Mountain take you on!"

At this moment, four people emerged from behind Mac.

The four men varied in height and build, presenting a somewhat imposing appearance as they stood together.

"Four Tigers of East Mountain? Never heard of you."

Abigail sneered, "From where I stand, you'd better all come at me together. Stop wasting time, I'm in a hurry."
 
Chapter 2253: Enough talk

"Witch! Don't be so arrogant! To underestimate us, the Four Tigers of East Mountain, today will be the day of your death!"

"Hmph! We, the Four Tigers of East Mountain, have roamed the martial world for years and have seen all kinds of storms! You, a mere Witch, dare to speak so boldly before us? You really don't know your place!"

"Bow down and submit immediately if you know what's good for you, otherwise—we will kill you!"

Abigail's disdainful words immediately angered the Four Tigers of East Mountain.

They were filled with indignation, shouting and clamoring.

The Witchcraft Sect saintess's reputation was indeed fearsome, but they were hardened fighters, having lived through life-and-death battles and thus were fearless.

Of course, their main confidence came from Abigail's youth.

At just eighteen or nineteen years old, no matter how long she had trained, her skills couldn't be too profound.

Moreover, Abigail was alone, without any protectors by her side.

Meanwhile, they had a group of valiant fighters backing them.

No matter how skilled she was, it would be difficult to fight off so many.

"So noisy!"

Abigail furrowed her brow slightly, growing impatient. "It seems you won't understand fear until you see some blood."

"Enough talk! Today, let the four of us take on this Witch!"

The Four Tigers of East Mountain exchanged glances and, without further words, drew their weapons and charged at her.

The four men moved quickly, forming the Crane Formation as they attacked.

In the Crane Formation, two men moved forward and two stayed behind, spreading out in a figure-eight formation, mimicking a flying crane.

The formation could be used both offensively and defensively, advancing and retreating unpredictably.

The four could easily shift positions, catching their enemy off guard and securing victory.

Especially when fighting many against one, the Crane Formation could be deadly.

"As the saying goes, a true expert shows their skill at once. No wonder they are the Four Tigers of East Mountain; their strength is much greater than the Potter brothers!"

"Yes! The Four Tigers of East Mountain are well-respected in the region. With the four working together, taking on one witch should be more than manageable!"

"This witch is too young after all, daring to fight alone without any protectors by her side. Today will be her death day!"

Watching the fierce charge of the Four Tigers of East Mountain, the experts behind Mac discussed the situation.

Clearly, compared to the new Witchcraft Sect Saintess Abigail, they placed more faith in the Four Tigers of East Mountain.

"Hungry tiger pounce!"

"Tiger roar in the mountains!"

"Majestic tiger!"

"Dragon and tiger fight!"

Surrounding Abigail, the Four Tigers of East Mountain launched their attacks simultaneously from all directions.

Some used swords, others used knives, some wielded hidden weapons, and some used poison.

Their attacks came in a variety of forms, dizzying the eyes.

"Foolish!"

Seeing their attacks, Abigail coldly scoffed, and with a single motion, she struck out with her palm.

"Boom!"

Her palm wind roared out like thunder.

Carrying tremendous force, it pressed down on the Four Tigers of East Mountain.
 
Chapter 2254: Defeated with one move

The Four Tigers of East Mountain felt their bodies suddenly weigh down, their movements slowing instantaneously.

In the next moment, a palm wind like a landslide and tsunami smashed into them.

The four men let out screams, struck as if by lightning, and were flung more than ten meters away. They crashed heavily to the ground, coughing up blood.

With just one move, the Four Tigers of East Mountain were defeated.

The onlookers were astonished, their mouths agape in disbelief.

"How... how is this possible? The Four Tigers of East Mountain were defeated?"

"Defeated with one move... just how strong is this Saintess?!"

The crowd exchanged glances, utterly shocked.

Earlier, Abigail had easily defeated the Potter brothers, which they could understand since the brothers' primary strength was their immunity to poison, not their combat prowess.

But the Four Tigers of East Mountain were the opposite. Their individual skills were formidable, and when they joined forces, they were nearly invincible, facing few challenges.

However, these skilled fighters were severely injured, coughing up blood, within just one attack. It was terrifying.

"Witch! You... you crippled our cultivation?!"

The Four Tigers of East Mountain lay on the ground, both shocked and fearful, unable to stand.

"So what if I crippled your cultivation? I showed you mercy by not taking your lives," Abigail responded coldly.

"You..."

The Four Tigers of East Mountain were so enraged they coughed up blood again.

Initially, they had hoped to take this opportunity to earn some money and gain some renown, but instead, they ended up losing everything.

"Now, it's your turn!"

Abigail scanned the group of people led by Mac with a cold gaze.

Her piercing eyes made many of them twitch involuntarily, and they felt a sudden wave of unease.

They weren't fools. If Abigail could defeat the Four Tigers of East Mountain in one move, her strength was undoubtedly extraordinary.

While they were excellent at bullying the weak, taking on a top-tier expert was like hitting a stone with an egg.

"Saintess! I underestimated you before. However, you want to take on this group of heroes behind me alone? That's just delusional!"

"Now, let me show you what it means to have strength in numbers!"

"All the heroes, follow me and slay the Witch!"

Mac raised his long knife and shouted loudly, exuding confidence.

"Slay the Witch! Slay the Witch!"

The group behind him seemed to catch his enthusiasm and raised their weapons, cheering.

"Attack!"

Mac swung his long knife forward, leading several masters from Snowstorm Manor in a charge.

At this point, he didn't care about chivalrous codes. All he wanted was to avenge his father and regain his honor; he would stop at nothing.

"Attack!"

The other skilled fighters followed behind Mac, shouting as they charged.

The saying goes, "You take someone's money and work for them." They had been paid, so they couldn't back out now. Even if it was just for show, they had to follow through.

Otherwise, how could they maintain their reputation in the martial world in the future?
 

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