Shengjiang Country was one of Xuan Ling Sect's many vassal countries. Jade Dragon City was the capital of Shengjiang Country. It was located at the intersection of the three river plains, where Changliu River, Meizhou River, and Huangdu River intersected.
Walking along Vermilion Bird Avenue in Jade Dragon City, Yi Tian surveyed his surroundings. This place was much livelier than Aodong Country. Yi Tian was currently dressed like an ordinary person, dressed like a pugilist.
Ever since he was inexplicably called out by the sect two days ago to complete a ten year long mission, Yi Tian's stomach was filled with anger. This defensive line was several times longer than the Eastern Sea Island Chain. Based on the coverage of a formation disk that spanned thirty to forty li, it would take at least eighty formation disks to complete the initial setup.
In the past, he had help from others. Moreover, the few points of the formation had already been surveyed. Now, Yi Tian had to complete it all by himself. He estimated that it would take at least a year and a half to survey all the points of the formation. Yi Tian took some time out to recall that he had not offended anyone recently. He felt helpless about being assigned to this task.
In a fit of anger, Yi Tian decided to go to Shengjiang Country to hand over Xie Chuanxiong's belongings to his family. Shengjiang Country was not far from the intersection of the two sects' territories anyway. Shengjiang Country was located at the westernmost point of the formation chain. Once he was done, he could start setting up the formation.
Yi Tian did not dare to enter Xuan Ling Sect's territory openly. The sect's overseer was also a Foundation Establishment cultivator. It was better to avoid unnecessary trouble. Five li outside of Jade Dragon City, Yi Tian took out the clothes he had prepared beforehand from his storage bag and changed out of his Chiyang School uniform. Then, he put on a bamboo hat and a scimitar. He blended into the crowd and slowly entered Jade Dragon City.
After asking around, Yi Tian finally found the Xie family's ancestral home in Jade Dragon City. It was located at the southernmost point of Vermilion Bird Avenue. When the Xie family was mentioned, the commoners were envious and disdainful at first. It was not good for them to ask about it, so they could only go to the Xie family first to take a look. Back then, Xie Chuanxiong's request was just a matter of convenience. That was because Yi Tian liked people in the martial arts world who kept their promises. He had been in the sect for a long time, and that had long been ingrained in his bones.
When he knocked on the door of the Xie family's house, he heard the old butler's scolding and the old woman's noise. Upon entering the door, Yi Tian was also dumbfounded. He had heard from the commoners of Vermillion Bird Street that the Xie Family was considered a wealthy family. More than a decade ago, the eldest young master of the Xie family had joined Xuan Ling Sect. Ever since then, the Xie family would always have a hand in whatever good things happened in Jade Dragon City. Even the King of Sheng Jiang Country, Feng Wanli, had issued a decree to betroth his youngest daughter to Xie Family's Second Young Master, Xie Chuanjie. The King had also sent a token, so that they could get married after they reached adulthood.
However, five years ago, news came from Xuan Ling Sect that Xie Chuanxiong had died in the Six Sects' secret realm trials. Since then, the status of the Xie Clan had plummeted. They no longer had any backing in the sect. The monarch of a mortal kingdom would not take a fancy to a down-and-out family. Thus, the matter of marriage was no longer brought up.
When the butler approached the Xie family's main hall, Yi Tian did not want to waste any more time. He immediately asked for Xie Chuanjie's whereabouts. There were some things that he had to discuss with him face to face, so he could also talk about Xie Chuanxiong's dying wish.
However, after waiting for nearly two hours, Xie Chuanjie still did not come out. After asking the butler, he received a startled reply. The butler had sent someone to call for Xie Chuanjie and told Yi Tian to wait for a while.
He had a maid pour him three cups of tea. After he was done, he heard someone coming back from the main door. Yi Tian glanced at the door. The person who came in was a young man in his twenties. His eyes were lifeless, and his skin was deathly pale. He looked exhausted. After the butler introduced him, Yi Tian realized that he was Xie Chuanjie. He turned around and sized him up. Indeed, he looked a little like Xie Chuanxiong.
When Xie Chuanjie heard that there was a guest in the house, he hurriedly rushed back. When he saw Yi Tian, he greeted him respectfully. When he heard that Yi Tian was his older brother's friend, he tearfully recounted to Yi Tian what had happened to the Xie family in the past few years.
Ever since Xie Chuanxiong had died in the secret realm, people from Xuan Ling Sect had come to greet them and even sent them some valuables. However, when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. Those who disliked the Xie family took the opportunity to hit them while they were down. Xie Chuanjie was young and insensible. He was cheated several times and sold off all of the Xie family's valuables.
Now, the only things left in the Xie family were the silk shop on Vermillion Bird Avenue and the ancestral home. Even the betrothal token bestowed by the king had been cheated away. Xie Chuanjie spent a lot of money but was unable to redeem it. When the Xie family saw Yi Tian, they felt that their savior had fallen from the sky. Since he was the young master's friend, he must be a disciple of a cultivator. At this time, the Xie family held on tightly to anything that had a glimmer of hope.
After introducing himself, Yi Tian did not beat around the bush and handed over the items in Xie Chuanxiong's interspatial pouch to Xie Chuanjie. Unexpectedly, Xie Chuanjie kept begging Yi Tian to help him take back a piece of collateral. Otherwise, the entire Xie family would be annihilated.
Originally, Yi Tian did not want to meddle in other people's business. He still had a mission to complete, and he was only here to take care of something. No matter how much the Xie family begged, Yi Tian did not want to interfere. If people knew that a Chiyang School disciple was messing around in Xuan Ling Sect's territory, would they let him off?
Seeing that Yi Tian kept refusing, Xie Chuanjie could not do anything. He was afraid that if he provoked Yi Tian, he would end up with nothing. Just as they were talking, a few people appeared at the door. They said that they were from Gao Sheng Gambling House and were urging Xie Chuanjie to repay his debt. Xie Chuanjie braced himself and argued with the other party. Then, the two sides escalated into a quarrel.
After asking the housekeeper, Yi Tian found out that these people were from Gao Sheng Gambling House on Vermillion Bird Avenue. They came to the Xie family for the token bestowed by the king. It was originally a pair of jade tokens. Previously, Xie Chuanjie was deceived and took out a piece of jade as collateral in exchange for thirty thousand taels of silver. When he raised enough money to redeem it, he had to pay sixty thousand taels of silver. If he did not have that much money, he would have to follow the gambling house's rules.
Hearing this, Yi Tian did not think much of it. In any case, he had already handed the token over to Xie Chuanjie. It was just a few letters and a few thousand taels of silver. This Xie Chuanxiong also knew that if he left the cultivation item to the family, it would only lead to a disaster. It was better to use real money.
When the people from Gao Sheng Gambling House saw that Xie Chuanjie could not take out the money, they urged him to use the other jade token to repay the debt. But Xie Chuanjie refused. If he gave it all away, then the Xie family would not be far from death. If the royal gift was used as collateral, then where would the Wang family put their face?
But if he did not take it out, then the Xie family would not be able to pass the current crisis. Xie Chuanjie cursed for a while but had no choice but to go to the study to retrieve the jade token.
When the debt collectors saw Xie Chuanjie take out a large red brocade box, they beamed with joy. When they opened it, they saw that it was a piece of white jade with the symbol of the Sheng Jiang Royal Family carved on it. Just as they were about to take the brocade box, they suddenly saw a knife placed horizontally on the brocade box. It was Yi Tian who was at the side holding the knife and stopping them. They only heard Yi Tian shout: "It is natural to repay debts, but you want to kill people by taking away the royal gift."
Xie Chuanjie, who was at the side, seemed to have found his backbone. He ran up and said directly: "Brother Yi, please help us resolve the Xie family's crisis."
Originally Yi Tian did not intend to help, but when the brocade box was opened, the jade token inside attracted Yi Tian's attention. The jade token emitted a trace of pure Wood Spirit Qi, Yi Tian could feel it from afar. So he took the opportunity to see what was so mysterious about this thing.
When the debt collectors saw this, they also shouted, saying that if Xie Chuanjie could not afford it, then he should come to Gao Sheng Gambling House tonight to settle the matter. According to the rules of Gao Sheng Gambling House, four taels to a thousand catties to repay the gambling debt.
Xie Chuanjie frowned and looked at Yi Tian, then he clenched his teeth and nodded in agreement. After sending the debt collectors off, Yi Tian sat down and asked about the rules of four taels to a thousand catties to a thousand catties.
Xie Chuanjie explained slowly: "Four taels to a thousand catties to a thousand catties means that you have to bring a thousand taels of silver to the gambling table to play dice. You have to bet everything on every round and after winning seven rounds, you will have sixty-four thousand taels of silver to pay off your debt."
After hearing this, Yi Tian was enlightened. It was like luring the enemy into a trap. It would be difficult for an ordinary person to even win three rounds, let alone seven. However, this matter wasn't difficult for Yi Tian. After all, this was his specialty. Looking at Xie Chuanjie's hopeful expression, he comforted him and said, "Tonight, I'll go with you. I'll definitely get the jade plate back for you."
Gao Sheng Gambling House was usually full of guests at night, but tonight it was even livelier. In the afternoon, the gambling house's boss spread the news that the Xie family's second young master would be coming to the gambling house to win back the royal gift that was mortgaged to the gambling house.
The news spread quickly and every reputable person in Jade Dragon City had already reserved a seat. The gambling house even started to list the odds of how many rounds Xie Chuanjie would be able to win. When Yi Tian and Xie Chuanjie arrived, they saw that the gambling house was ablaze with lights and everyone's mood was lifted.
When they reached the entrance, Xie Chuanjie looked at his odds. From the fourth round onwards, it was one to five and after that, it doubled for every round. After looking at the odds, Yi Tian pursed his lips. 'This boss is so stupid, he's obviously giving the gambling house away.'
There were some numbers behind the odds and it was obvious that most people were betting on the first three numbers. There were about ten thousand taels of silver on the right side and only a handful of people were betting on the next four numbers. No one believed that Xie Chuanjie would be able to make a comeback.
Xie Chuanjie looked ashamed when he saw the odds. Suddenly, he heard Yi Tian's voice. "Bet everything you have on winning seven rounds and take down Gao Sheng Gambling House."
Xie Chuanjie looked at Yi Tian in disbelief. When he saw the latter nod at him, Xie Chuanjie steeled his heart and bet all the banknotes worth about fifty thousand taels of silver on 'seven', provoking a round of mockery from the crowd.
After the announcement, people came out from the back of the gambling house one after another. They were the bosses behind Gao Sheng Gambling House and after some small talk, they took their seats.
Yi Tian and Xie Chuanjie also casually sat on the opposite side of the gambling table. When the dice player from the opposite side came up, the entire casino quieted down. With the start of the game, the game was ready to begin. Before the dice player could touch the dice cup, a clear female voice was heard from the entrance. "I'm betting that Xie Chuanjie will win back the royal jade token."
Everyone turned to the source of the voice and saw Third Princess Feng Nuai walking in with a few guards. She took out a stack of banknotes worth a thousand taels and bet them all on 'seven'. The face of the boss of Gao Sheng Gambling House twitched for a moment before returning to normal. He even asked the staff at the betting booth to calculate the odds. A moment later, he saw a total of ten thousand taels of silver on the back of 'seven'.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
