CHAPTER 572: CHAPTER 572: HEAVENLY BET

Under the starry sky, the fierce wind howled with sand, and from above, this area looked like the gaping maw of an ancient beast.

The camp stretched on, yet each campsite was spread out, with strong guards patrolling around each area.

Qin Yi circled above each tent.

Here, surprisingly, were Qi Refiners from Wolf Country, the Southern Country... seven or eight countries in total.

What on earth are Nan ZaiXu and his companions planning?

These countries’ Qi Refiners once collaborated to invade Longxia, ultimately suffering a crushing defeat and fleeing. To this day, they still harbor hatred against Longxia’s Qi Refiners.

Nan ZaiXu, Mo Buwen, Flower Demon, none of them are fools but are rather deep and cunning. So why would they place themselves in danger? Because he just discovered there are some powerful presences in the camps from other countries, not weaker than Nan ZaiXu and the others.

If Qi Refiners from these countries joined forces, Longxia’s Qi Refiners would be at a disadvantage. It’s impossible for Mo Buwen and the others not to know this, but they still come courting danger, there must be a massive allure driving them to take the risk.

But, what is this allure that Qin Yi doesn’t understand just yet?

In the southeast direction of the basin, several tents were linked, forming a large camp.

Inside one of them, a light was on. The tent’s interior was lavishly furnished, even the floor was carpeted, with all the furniture just like a wilderness hotel.

In front of the table, Xiahou Jun was sipping wine while polishing a gleaming longsword with a white cloth.

"Viewing the sword by lamp’s light while inebriated, it’s not as exhilarating as admiring a beauty under the lamp."

A faint voice suddenly spoke behind Xiahou Jun. His face changed dramatically as he turned swiftly, thrusting out his sword instinctively.

But his sword’s momentum halted as his icy longsword was caught by two slender fingers, unable to move.

"Qin Yi?" Xiahou Jun was stunned at the sight of the golden mask on the other’s face, then he beamed with surprise.

Qin Yi removed the mask, smiling subtly: "Your vigilance needs some improvement."

Xiahou Jun grimaced. It wasn’t his vigilance that needed improving but Qin Yi’s cultivation and methods that were beyond comprehension.

Qin Yi released his fingers and sat down across from Xiahou Jun, taking a glass and pouring himself some red wine, sipping it: "The wine’s good."

"A gift from Nan ZaiXu. There’s another bottle there. If you like it, take it all."

Qin Yi chuckled: "You’re daring to drink what Nan ZaiXu sent you? Not afraid of poison?"

"No, he needs my help right now, so he wouldn’t harm me for now. Besides, if it were poisoned, you drank it too, didn’t you?"

Qin Yi put down his glass, looking at Xiahou Jun: "What is the gathering of Qi Refiners from multiple countries all about?"

"A gamble."

"Hmm?" Qin Yi raised his brows in surprise.

Xiahou Jun said in a deep voice: "I just figured it out too. They’ve gathered here to gamble. Since those who came are prodigies from each country, they’ve named it Heaven’s Gamble."

"What is Heaven’s Gamble?" Qin Yi asked curiously.

Xiahou Jun explained: "To put it simply, Qi Refiners from various countries gather, bringing things with them — century-old herbs, weapons that cut through iron like mud, cultivation technique secret manuals, women, and so forth. If you fancy something someone has, you can send someone to challenge them."

"If you win the challenge, the thing you fancy is yours. If you lose, they will choose one item from your belongings."

Qin Yi frowned slightly: "So, Nan ZaiXu and his people are enlisting you to gamble for him?"

Xiahou Jun nodded: "That’s exactly it. This kind of gambling has been going on for over ten years now."

"The forces behind Nan ZaiXu and the others are immeasurable, and their family typically has plenty of strong practitioners. Why recruit you all?"

Xiahou Jun said: "Because there’s an age limit. Since it’s Heaven’s Gamble, participants must be prodigies, not exceeding thirty-five years old."

Qin Yi nodded slightly, "I see." But then he frowned: "Weapons and herbs I understand, but women... using people as stakes is truly the conduct of beasts."

"That’s also what angers me. I’ve seen that those women were picked from across the nation, each one with exceptional beauty, and they are all just eighteen."

"Are those women here?" Qin Yi asked.

Xiahou Jun nodded: "I’ve seen them, a total of ten, all here."

"Are they willing?" Qin Yi asked.

Xiahou Jun gave Qin Yi a strange look.

Qin Yi chuckled and shook his head: "Seems I asked a stupid question."

"Those girls are carefully selected, then trained to be used as commodities in this gamble."

Qin Yi’s eyes gradually turned cold: "Indeed, they’re all beasts in human skin. Is there anything in this world more terrifying than the human heart?"

Xiahou Jun slammed the table angrily: "You’re right, these people don’t deserve to be called human. There was already one gamble today, and as a gesture of goodwill, Mo Buwen gave a girl to the Wolf Country’s young top strongman Lang Hun. That beast, on the spot..."

Qin Yi narrowed his eyes: "What happened on the spot?"

"The girl was violated by Lang Hun on the spot and eventually thrown to his subordinates..." Xiahou Jun couldn’t continue.

Qin Yi was silent; even without Xiahou Jun speaking, he could imagine. His gaze turned icy.

"Lang Hun reciprocated by gifting Mo Buwen a girl from the Wolf Country. By evening, I saw that girl’s battered corpse being carried out of Mo Buwen’s tent, that beast is a sadist."

Qin Yi’s eyes were cold as he said in a deep voice: "These people from the hidden family, with immense power, naturally won’t care about ordinary people’s lives."

"Everyone is born human, all have parents, what gives them the right to disregard others’ lives?" Xiahou Jun was full of indignation.

Qin Yi spoke indifferently: "Power and influence, they distort one’s humanity."

"Qin Yi, what do you plan to do?" Xiahou Jun asked.

Qin Yi was silent for a moment, then looked up at Xiahou Jun. An inexplicable shiver ran through Xiahou Jun, as if an ancient fierce beast had awakened, bringing a storm of blood and devastation.

"This time, we’re going to play big."

Xiahou Jun asked curiously: "What do you mean by big?"

Qin Yi’s eyes were cold, and he sneered: "Don’t they love to gamble? Don’t they love to control others’ lives? This time I’ll have them wager their lives, gamble whether they can walk out of here alive."

Xiahou Jun looked puzzled at Qin Yi, having no idea what he planned to do.

"Whatever you’re up to, you have my full support."

A glint of cold light flashed in Qin Yi’s eyes: "This time, I want these prodigies from each country to stay here permanently."

A chill ran through Xiahou Jun, finally understanding what Qin Yi intended to do. It was too insane.

"You mean to kill them all?"

Qin Yi tightly pressed his lips together with a bloodthirsty air, and nodded indifferently.