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Chapter 1192: Stakes of the Gamble
The entire place broke out into an uproar when those words were spoken.
The Golden Crow Crown Prince was so arrogant because he was at the master rank; furthermore, he was the Fiend Emperor’s successor. He had every right to be arrogant.
What qualifications did this human Zu An have to be so arrogant? Apart from being a bit taller and more handsome than average, or being good at pleasing women, what else did he have? His cultivation only seemed to be around the ninth rank. There was one massive cultivation rank difference between him and the Golden Crow Crown Prince, at the very least.
The Golden Crow Crown Prince was known to be a stunning genius. He had already dominated all other experts among his peers many years before, becoming unmatched at the same level. He had even often won against cultivators who were a level or two stronger than himself. Now, he was facing someone whose cultivation was lower than his own! Only a brutal end awaited his opponent.
Elders White and Blue both shook their heads inwardly. They thought to themselves, This youngster really cares too much about face; he’s just too hot-blooded.
The Golden Crow Crown Prince’s proposal to fight at the same level was to his benefit. He might even have had a chance of living in that kind of situation.
And yet, this kid insisted on trying to impress, feigning greater ability than he had. He actually refused such a favorable condition!
Why would the clan leader end up liking such a fool?
But Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen had different ideas. Both of them nodded inwardly. Those who were truly strong needed to have that kind of unyielding nature. The opponent was only a single cultivation rank higher; it wasn’t enough to warrant despair. If he agreed to that kind of condition, it would easily tarnish his conviction to triumph over all, and there would be cracks in his future cultivation.
But the Golden Crow Crown Prince’s strength was no trifling matter, and Zu An had been injured not too long ago. If they really fought, it might be dangerous…
…
The Golden Crow Crown Prince roared with laughter, his voice echoing through the hall. The faces of those with lower cultivation immediately turned deathly pale. He said, “Very good. This crown prince has never before met someone so arrogant.” He was already looking at Zu An as if he were looking at a corpse. “But a duel alone is a bit pointless. How about this? Let’s make things a bit more interesting with a wager. If you lose, have those two keep me company tonight.”
He could tell that even though their relationship seemed to be close, they probably hadn’t reached that step yet. Their interaction had already made him utterly furious. He decided that not only did he have to dominate this man, he had to subdue all of the women who liked him. He was going to seize them right before the man’s eyes and completely shatter his will.
That is the consequence of opposing this crown prince.
Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen’s faces were completely dark. This damn birdman…
Yu Yanluo’s expression was also strange. She was the only one who knew about the two’s status. She thought, If these two really were Ah Zu’s women, wouldn’t that make him unstoppable in this entire world?
Those present all thought that Zu An would refuse. After all, there was just too much at stake. How could any man be willing to wager his own women?
But Zu An agreed, saying, “Sure. But since it’s a wager, we have to make things even. How will you compensate me if you lose?”
Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen shot Zu An an angry look. They had still been worried about him just then, but this guy had instead sold them out the next second?
You have successfully trolled Yun Jianyue for +222 +222 +222…
You have successfully trolled Yan Xuehen for +222 +222 +222…
Are we your women? You’re even willing to put us up as stakes in a gamble?
Besides, what if you really do lose?!
Yu Yanluo instead smiled inwardly. She had known Zu An for some time and knew that this fellow was mischievous. Even if he lost, the Golden Crow Crown Prince couldn’t do a thing to the two grandmasters. Zu An himself had nothing to lose!
The Golden Crow Crown Prince replied proudly, “There’s absolutely no chance of that!”
Zu An retorted coldly, “If it’s a wager, then how can there only be winning and no losing? How about this? If you lose, just give me your crown princess.”
“Outrageous!” The golden-armored warriors standing behind the crown prince all glared furiously at Zu An when they heard that.
Elders White and Blue were horrified. This man dared to speak such disgraceful words? If such words reached the Fiend Emperor’s ears, not even the Medusa Empress could protect him!
“You’re courting death!” The Golden Crow Crown Prince erupted in fury. His figure flickered, and he charged straight at Zu An.
You have successfully trolled Golden Crow Crown Prince for +566 +566 +566…
Zu An used a wave of gentle force to push Yu Yanluo over to Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen’s side to prevent her from getting caught up in the battle.
Yun Jianyue caught her. Her expression was incredibly strange as she asked, “If that damn brat wants that fella’s crown princess, why isn’t he betting you? Why is he putting the two of us up as stake instead?”
Yu Yanluo explained in Zu An’s place, “It is precisely because you two have nothing to do with him that he said that! If he really loses, you two do not need to do anything anyway.”
Yan Xuehen was embarrassed and annoyed, saying, “I just feel as if we are suffering some kind of a loss here.”
Yun Jianyue gave Yu Yanluo a sidelong glance. This woman had just had a physical relationship with Zu An not too long before, and now she was making it sound as if they were all their own people, treating her and Yan Xuehen like outsiders. Even though that wasn’t entirely wrong, it still made her feel a bit unhappy.
In the end, it was all that guy Zu An’s fault for being the main culprit. She gritted her teeth and remarked, “Hmph, once I heal up again, I’m going to make sure that guy gets a good beating!”
Yan Xuehen nodded in deep sympathy, adding, “Sounds good!”
But their attention was quickly drawn toward the battle. Not wanting the battle’s blast waves to ruin the meeting hall, or perhaps even injure the city’s commoners, Zu An and the Golden Crow Crown Prince had begun flying toward the mountains on the city’s outskirts while fighting.
The others quickly followed. However, they were injured and weak, so they were far from being able to catch up to the two fighters.
The combatants flew toward a mountain peak before confronting each other.
The Golden Crow Crown Prince was large and tall. His eyes released powerful ferocious intent. He was like a demon lord as he stood atop the mountain peak. Even those far away could feel the powerful pressure emanating from his figure. He remarked, “You haven’t reached the master rank, and yet you could fly this quickly?”
Zu An replied with a chuckle, “What’s wrong? Scared?”
“How funny. Why would this crown prince feel fear?” the Golden Crow Crown Prince retorted. He said angrily, “For our Golden Crow Royal Family, that bit of speed is no different from an ant’s.”
You have successfully trolled the Golden Crow Crown Prince for +277 +277 +277…
He instantly rushed forward as soon as he spoke. Among the fiend races, the fastest technique was the Golden Peng King Race’s ‘Invincible Heavenly Peng’.
The technique was known by the saying: ‘When a Great Peng rises with the wind, ninety thousand li will be traversed in an instant!’
Meanwhile, the Golden Crow Royal Family’s ‘Golden Crow Radiant Flow’ was comparable to the Heavenly Peng technique!
The prince’s entire figure turned into a streak of golden light, rushing into the sky. His golden claw seemed to even shatter the space surrounding him.
“Fast!” Zu An exclaimed in shock. Fortunately, he had fought against countless powerful individuals over the past two years. Forget about a grandmaster like Yan Xuehen, he had even fought against an earth immortal like the emperor, and other such terrifying existences in the secret dungeons.
Many such things had already turned into combat ‘genes’ for him. His heart was as clear as a mirror. He smashed outward with a fist,  perfectly intercepting his opponent’s attack trajectory that couldn't even be seen with the naked eye.
Boooooom!
The sound was like thunder from a clear sky. A visible ripple of ki spread in all directions. The trees on the mountain summit were instantly blown to pieces, and countless boulders tumbled down from the mountaintop.
The disturbance left countless Snake race clansmen trembling in fear, thinking that a natural disaster was happening.
Fortunately, Yu Yanluo had arranged for her subordinates to evacuate them ahead of time; otherwise, they might have gotten themselves hurt trying to watch the liveliness.
“Huh?” the Golden Crow Crown Prince exclaimed in surprise. Why was a trifling ninth rank able to receive his attack? Forget about his ridiculously dense ki, his attack shouldn’t have been something that could be received by someone without a master rank’s condensed soul.
No wonder he dares to challenge this crown prince!
But he wasn’t worried at all. After all, he had seen many geniuses with different abilities. However, they had all suffered crushing defeats in the end.
His expression became even more vicious. He rushed out again, his body seemingly turning into golden flames. It was so dazzling no one dared to look directly at him.
Zu An’s fighting spirit grew stronger and stronger, and he swung his fist upward to meet the crown prince.
The energy that exploded outward on contact was like a roaring tsunami! Wherever it passed, everything in its wake was crushed. Let alone the trees on the mountaintop, even the boulders were smashed into powder.
…
The others arrived at the foot of a nearby mountain just then. Little White and Little Blue both cried out in alarm. “He can actually fight against the Golden Crow Crown Prince on the same level?!”
Then, they both looked at Yu Yanluo, thinking, No wonder the clan leader chose him! This man had something special about him after all.
Elders White and Blue instead stroked their beards and explained, “He is at the ninth rank, yet he can display strength comparable to the master rank. This is probably some kind of secret method, which inevitably cannot be sustained for a long time. The Golden Crow Royal Family’s bodies are incredibly tough; how can that be something a human can match? He is unlikely to last for half a stick of incense’s worth of time before he suffers defeat.”
When she heard their discussions belittling her lover, Yu Yanluo said coldly, “Ah Zu’s body is harder than anyone else’s; he can outlast anyone. I fear that you will be disappointed.”
Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue’s expressions were strange. They thought back to the memory of Zu An treating Yu Yanluo. Is this woman trying to show off in front of us?
Suddenly, a cry of alarm rang out. The Golden Crow Crown Prince saw that his attacks were ineffective and felt as if he were losing face. As such, he switched from claws to an arm blade. With a swing of his arm, a forty-meter long blade of golden brilliance slammed down toward Zu An.
The blade’s sheer power made the entire world seem to lose color. It was as if the mountain peak itself would be hacked through! Before such a massive blade, Zu An’s figure just looked completely insignificant.
Now, even Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue were growing nervous. They knew this was precisely the move the Fiend Emperor had used to kill countless experts during the great war between the human and fiend races!