In the dueling arena, Ning Xuan was being pushed back relentlessly.

Smiles bloomed on the faces of most onlookers.

"Haha, serves you right for showing off! How’s that slap in the face feel?!"

"Are you even worthy? Hahaha, this damn fool thought he was someone special? I’m dying of laughter!"

"He Ang’s secret technique has improved again. This is getting a bit tricky!"

"I hope my next opponent isn’t him!"

It wasn’t just the spectators who were relishing his misfortune; even the ever-confident Law Enforcement Officers felt a shiver run down their spines. He Ang’s strength and methods were truly breathtaking!

"Estate Master Qian, please get my Divine Crystals ready."

"Mine too!"

Even the other members of the Ten Elders began to speak to Estate Master Qian, as the outcome seemed certain.

But just at that moment, someone did the exact opposite.

"Excuse me, is it still possible to place a bet now?"

The voice was Zang Peng’s. Upon hearing this, everyone stared at him as if he were an idiot. Many of them wanted to ask, Are you blind? Can’t you see Ning Xuan is about to be defeated?

He Zhi mocked from the side, "Estate Master Qian, what are you daydreaming about? Someone is offering you more Divine Crystals, and you’re not happy? Hurry and agree. Every little bit helps, right? You can recover some of your losses."

Before Estate Master Qian could respond, Zang Peng had already turned on He Zhi. "Knowing how strong your grandson is, you only bet ten million Divine Crystals. You really are stingy!"

That expression made He Zhi lose his composure. "Estate Master Qian, are you taking bets or not? I’m adding thirty million Divine Crystals!"

Just as Estate Master Qian was about to speak, Zang Peng’s mocking voice rang out once more. "Thirty million? Even I can come up with that much. As one of the Ten Elders, are you that poor?"

He Zhi was so furious that he blurted out, "How should I bet then? You tell me!"

"Bet your family fortune, of course," Zang Peng said lightly.

He Zhi’s pupils shrank.

Those on good terms with him immediately tried to dissuade him. "Old He, don’t fall for it! He’s definitely doing this on purpose!"

"That’s right, don’t be fooled!"

Their warnings, however, had the opposite effect, only strengthening He Zhi’s resolve. "What, do you think He Ang is going to lose?" he asked, his tone unfriendly.

"That’s not what we mean."

"Yeah, Old He, you’ve misunderstood."

Ignoring them, He Zhi asked Estate Master Qian again, "Do you dare accept?"

Though the question was for Estate Master Qian, He Zhi’s gaze drifted toward the Dali Realm Lord. Everyone knew that at the Sihai Estate, the Realm Lord was the true decision-maker.

Immediately, Estate Master Qian gave an affirmative reply. "We can!"

He Zhi laughed heartily. "Hahaha, Estate Master Qian, you truly have courage!"

He was now thoroughly pleased. If He Ang won, he would earn billions in assets. Could there be a more perfect outcome? The elated He Zhi completely failed to notice how suddenly Zang Peng had appeared and even more suddenly disappeared. He had never actually increased his bet.

Just then, a wave of shock swept through the crowd.

"What?!"

"How could this happen?!"

"Is this even possible?!"

One incredulous cry after another reached He Zhi’s ears.

Has Ang Ang performed another spectacular feat? What a bunch of country bumpkins who’ve never seen anything!

He Zhi stood up, smiling as he scanned the crowd. He gestured for quiet and began to speak with a grin, "Haha, this is just a routine display. You all don’t need to—"

But before he could finish, his voice died in his throat. The smile vanished from his face, replaced by an ashen pallor. He stared blankly at the dueling arena, his eyes filled with utter disbelief.

He Ang had lost.

And he had lost utterly.

Judging by his state, never mind making the top ten, it was questionable whether he would even survive.

"Ang Ang, what happened to you?!"

With a flash, He Zhi shot down into the arena, appearing beside He Ang. On the ground, He Ang looked up at him and tried to speak, but all that came out was a mouthful of bloody foam.

"You little beast, you deserve to die!" Enraged, He Zhi unleashed a fearsome beast from within himself that shot toward Ning Xuan, intent on devouring him.

Ning Xuan stood his ground, unmoving. He wasn’t paralyzed by fear; his eyes were filled with mockery and amusement.

BANG!

Naturally, He Zhi’s attack failed, for the Dali Realm Lord had appeared to block it, shielding Ning Xuan.

"Old He, you’ve crossed the line!" the Dali Realm Lord’s voice was icy cold, even though he was inwardly beaming with joy.

"Old He, this is a selection tournament! We’re not allowed to enter the arena!"

"That’s right, Old He. You don’t want the He Family to become a laughingstock, do you?"

The two other elders allied with the Dali Realm Lord also spoke up, pressuring He Zhi.

He Zhi opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing, as he knew he was in the wrong. Persisting would only put him at a greater disadvantage.

"He’s not going to last much longer," Ning Xuan commented. "You’d better find a way to save him."

Ning Xuan’s words brought He Zhi back to his senses. He fed He Ang an elixir, then lifted him and left the area with the greatest possible speed. Before he vanished, he sent a voice transmission to Ning Xuan with a harsh threat, "You little beast, I will make you suffer a fate where death would be a mercy!"

The Realm Lord patted Ning Xuan on the shoulder and also left the dueling arena.

At that moment, Ning Xuan once again became the center of attention. He had just defeated He Ang—the same He Ang who had immediately used a secret technique and still lost! This time, there was no doubt He Ang had gone all out and hadn’t been bribed. After all, He Zhi had staked his entire family fortune on the match!

"It’s over!"

"Everything’s gone! I’ve lost everything!"

"I’m in massive debt!"

In the spectator stands, countless people slumped in their seats, their faces ashen. They had bet everything, and time and again, Ning Xuan had plunged them into an even deeper Abyss.

And as for Ning Xuan, he was now on the cusp of the top ten.

"Ahem. The selection tournament will continue," the Dali Realm Lord announced, forcibly suppressing his glee after receiving a report from the estate.

Now that a super dark horse like Ning Xuan had emerged, the crowd had little interest in the other matches. Only Zang Peng’s match still made people’s eyes light up, as he too had distinguished himself with another victory.

Soon, this round of duels ended. Only eighteen contestants remained.

Both Ning Xuan and Zang Peng needed only one more victory to enter the top ten. However, some people did not want them to succeed.

One of the Ten Elders spoke up, "All eighteen remaining contestants are top-notch experts. It’s a pity that any of them have to be eliminated. It would be so much better if we could get the number down to sixteen. That way, the winners would advance directly into the top eight."

The Dali Realm Lord’s eyebrow shot up. This is clearly aimed at Ning Xuan and Zang Peng.

Just as he was about to respond, Ning Xuan’s voice rang out. "I agree. Zhang Yang is extremely strong. His match was right after mine, so he’s had plenty of time to rest. Why not have him go up and fight a match first?"