chapter 20 Shocking reversal ===

The surrounding area was filled with sounds of disapproval. If Verdantius Liu were to refuse, he would be drowned in countless spits. "I can agree to your proposal to gamble with you, but the stakes are a bit problematic." Verdantius Liu revealed a playful smile. Gold coins were of little use to him now; he needed spirit stones to accelerate his cultivation. Once his meridians were repaired, he could break through Innate Realm. "Let me hear your suggestion; I can make adjustments." Althaeus Wan needed Verdantius Liu to participate. As for the amount of the bet, he did not care. The Wan family had mountains of gold coins. "Change the gold coins to spirit stones. According to market prices, ten thousand gold coins for one spirit stone. With ten million gold coins, exchange it for a hundred spirit stones." As soon as the words were spoken, everyone stared at Verdantius Liu as if he were a fool. "Brother, what do you need spirit stones for? You can't cultivate anyway." After saying this, Ivydan Song realized he had misspoken and promptly slapped himself on the face. In public, it was improper to expose others' shortcomings, and physically hitting someone should avoid the face. Verdantius Liu didn't mind, as Ivydan Song was the kind of carefree and lively character. "Why do you need spirit stones?" Althaeus Wan furrowed his brows. The Imperial College only provided him with five spirit stones for cultivation each month. In a little over a year, he had accumulated around thirty stones, far from a hundred. "Can't you provide them?" A sarcastic voice. If you couldn't provide spirit stones, you didn't have the qualifications to gamble. The situation suddenly reversed, and the initiative fell back into Verdantius Liu's hands. "I agree to gamble with you. First, you need to provide the stakes I want." Back and forth, Althaeus Wan's gambling coercion forced Verdantius Liu to agree. By proposing spirit stones as the bet, it was clever. It forced Althaeus Wan to decide whether to gamble or not. "Worthless, is there a need to create such absurd reasons for refusing to gamble? If you're afraid, just say it directly." Oakenhart Tian sneered, provoking many to agree. Sarcasm rained down on Verdantius Liu. "Brother Althaeus, luckily, I still have some spirit stones on me. You can use them first, and after the competition is over, you can return them." Leafaris Xue took off a storage pouch from his waist, emptied it on the table, and dropped seventy or eighty spirit stones. Together with the thirty-odd on Althaeus Wan, it exceeded a hundred. A hundred spirit stones piled up on the table, releasing a shocking spiritual aura. Those sitting around felt a refreshing sensation, and a hundred stones exceeded the monthly allowance for even a prominent family. "Can we start now?" Not a moment longer to wait. Once this match is over, this waste will be completely out of Canglan City. With his reputation and prestige, the probability of winning Valerrie Xu is quite high. "Let's begin!" Impatience evident in Verdantius Liu's tone, he waved his hand. He also wanted to end the Hundred Demon Meeting soon and use the spirit stones for cultivation. Two demon beasts, the Iron Centipede and the Blood-striped lion, crouched on the stage. Two beast tamers guarded them, and the beast battle was about to begin. "Brother Liu, please go first!" Allowing Verdantius Liu to make the first choice garnered cheers. Althaeus Wan's status was extremely high, and the difference between him and Verdantius Liu was like heaven and earth. One was a prodigy, akin to the bright moon in the sky; the other was a well-known waste in Canglan City, like an ant crawling on the ground. "I'm not used to it. Why don't you choose first?" Just like in the previous three gambles, Verdantius Liu handed over the chance to choose. This time, he won the respect of many by allowing Althaeus Wan to choose first. Losing this round, though a defeat, would still be an honorable one. "Well, I won't be polite then. I'll bet on the Blood-striped lion." Althaeus Wan made his choice without hesitation, selecting the Blood-striped lion to win. Verdantius Liu had no choice left. The Iron Centipede excelled in defense, while the Blood-striped lion excelled in offense – a clash of spear and shield. "Brother, are you confident? I want to earn some pocket money." Shoving Verdantius Liu slightly, Ivydan Song seemed eager to join the gamble. Verdantius Liu gave him a disdainful look, and Ivydan Song got his answer. He wanted to bet with Verdantius Liu, but it didn't seem like a good idea. Instead, he quickly ran out. "Take out all the gold coins you have on you." After a quick search, more than a million gold coins were collected from Ivydan Song and his family, a considerable amount. The more than one million gold coins collected were all bet on the Iron Centipede to win. The odds were three to one, and if they won, they would get three million gold coins. The fierce battle in the beast arena quickly commenced. The two monstrous beasts were both of the power type; the Blood-striped lion was slightly larger, while the Iron Centipede sported dozens of legs and a mouth capable of spewing highly corrosive venom, coupled with its tough iron armor, making it impervious to conventional weapons. The Blood-striped lion emitted white mist from its mouth. Its four legs were as thick as adult thighs, powerful and sturdy, making a dull thudding sound as it trampled the blue stone ground. The beast tamer blew the whistle in his mouth, and the two monstrous beasts roared, lunging towards each other. In an instant! Various sounds of tearing and impacts echoed, creating a strong wave of momentum surging in all directions. The brutal and bloody battle between the monstrous beasts unfolded. At the first clash, the arena was stained with blood, and the Blood-striped lion had a gash on its abdomen inflicted by the Iron Centipede. Everyone held their breath, and with each collision, the ground shook. Some timid individuals chose to close their eyes, unable to witness the brutality unfolding. Ivydan Song stared fixedly at the Iron Centipede. "Attack! Quick, attack and kill the Blood-striped lion!" Bloodstains covered the Iron Centipede's back, marks left by the claws of the Blood-striped lion. Although blood was dripping, it did not breach the defense. However, it angered the Iron Centipede, which bared its fangs and lunged forward. Only two people in the entire arena remained calm. One was Verdantius Liu, and the other was Althaeus Wan. Boom! Seizing an opportunity, the Blood-striped lion viciously stepped on the Iron Centipede's back, biting off a large piece of its scales. Blood spurted out, and the Iron Centipede emitted a pitiful scream. Terrified, the Iron Centipede retreated, unwilling to face the Blood-striped lion. With scales torn open, the subsequent battle became even more unfavorable for the Iron Centipede. The Blood-striped lion pressed on, gradually gaining the upper hand. Both being peak first-tier monstrous beasts, the Blood-striped lion's speed and strength far exceeded those of the Iron Centipede. This battle seemed to have little suspense. "Brother, think of a solution quickly!" Ivydan Song anxiously grabbed Verdantius Liu's arm, urging him to come up with a plan. "Look at your lack of composure." Verdantius Liu cast a disdainful glance at him, then sat down obediently, continuing to watch. The Blood-striped lion, dominating its opponent, suddenly leaped into the air. Its terrifying jaws released a monstrous aura, like an ancient giant beast. This was a monstrous creature on the verge of awakening to the second tier. Compared to the Blood-striped lion, the Iron Centipede's size was on a completely different level, now shrinking to the edge of the arena. The outcome hinged on this moment! At this moment, Verdantius Liu's lips moved slightly. If anyone could hear, they would realize it was not the human language but rather a peculiar combination of symbols forming a straight line, rushing towards the arena. The Iron Centipede, with a low level of intelligence, had lost its combat capability. After the strange symbols entered its body, its eyes revealed a hint of crimson. Monstrous language! Very few people on the Jinmu continent understood the monstrous language. Verdantius Liu had learned it from the Master of the Beast Mastery Sect, never expecting it would come in handy. Every monstrous beast had its weaknesses, and these symbols could also stimulate their potential. The Blood-striped lion approached, already forcing the Iron Centipede to the brink. The massive demonic body pressed down from mid-air, seizing the final opportunity, and the Iron Centipede lost its chance. The disciples of the Wan family began to celebrate, having lost 1.5 million gold coins, they won this round. It was enough to make Xu family's son-in-law roll out of Canglan City from now on. Many people looked at Verdantius Liu with expressions of schadenfreude. Losing the Xu family as a reliance, this waste wouldn't live until tomorrow. The situation was extremely precarious, and Ivydan Song's eyes were about to pop out, hoping for a miracle. Althaeus Wan and Leafaris Xue chatted amiably, the battle on the stage couldn't attract their interest. As advanced beings in the First Heaven, the combat between first-tier demonic beasts was like children playing house to them. "Is the battle about to end?" This time, many people chose to join Verdantius Liu, betting on the Iron Centipede to win. With the reversal in the previous two rounds, Verdantius Liu gained a lot of popularity. Under countless gazes, the iron claws of the Blood-striped lion were about to land on the body of the Iron Centipede. And at that moment, the body of the Iron Centipede suddenly contracted into a ball, rolling on the ground, making a thunderous sound. The Blood-striped lion missed its pounce, and several pieces of the blue stones on the edge of the stage were shattered by the impact. "How is this possible!" Althaeus Wan's eyes narrowed, well aware of the Iron Centipede's combat power. It was certain to lose, even if Verdantius Liu chose the Blood-striped lion. He had a way to make the Blood-striped lion lose the match. The unfolding scene left him puzzled. The Iron Centipede seemed to have changed, but he couldn't pinpoint what had changed. The Iron Centipede hadn't died yet, stimulating the Blood-striped lion. It emitted a fierce roar, causing discomfort to countless spectators' eardrums. The resulting monstrous aura swept the entire arena. With rapid movements, it lunged downward, intending to crush the Iron Centipede beneath its body. Just in time, the Iron Centipede coiled into a ball, creating a whizzing rotation. Its speed was astonishing, like a shooting star, disappearing in an instant. Crack! The iron ball forcefully collided with the right front hoof of the Blood-striped lion, producing a crisp sound. The Blood-striped lion's right front hoof was broken, and its body wavered. Althaeus Wan took a sharp breath. The sudden turn of events caught him off guard. The Iron Centipede had become formidable. What kind of attack was this, turning into a ball that seemed impenetrable? The Blood-striped lion howled in pain, limping as it charged towards the Iron Centipede. A long trail of blood marked its path on the ground. Leafaris Xue's eyes narrowed, shifting her gaze towards Verdantius Liu. Not receiving the answer she sought, Verdantius Liu remained as if meditating, unaware of the events in the beast arena. The Iron Centipede continued its collisions. Every charge towards the Blood-striped lion left a wound, causing the Blood-striped lion's combat power to steadily decline. "It's impossible, absolutely impossible! How could the Blood-striped lion lose?" Althaeus Wan's eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn't afford to lose. One hundred spirit stones were beyond his means, even though he was a student of the Imperial College, receiving only five spirit stones per month. Ten million gold coins - the Wan family might not recover from this for ten years. His eyes gleamed with a hint of coldness. Performing a mysterious gesture with his right hand, the beast tamer below received instructions. A peculiar red pill flew into the air.