CHAPTER 1170: CHAPTER 1170: THE BATTLE BEGINS

Word spread quickly, and within less than half an hour, all the martial artists in the arena zone hall knew that Yan Jin had just ascended from the lower cabins to the middle cabins as a Divine Pill Master.

However, the name Yan Jin was still unfamiliar to everyone. Previously, they had never heard of this name, nor did they have any impression of it.

It’s important to note that the martial artists on this Void Divine Ship mostly came from the White Sand Divine Domain. If Yan Jin were famous in the White Sand Divine Domain, there was no way that none of them had any impression of him.

"We’ve been talking for a while, and we still don’t know who this Yan Jin really is!"

"Haha, no matter who he is, one thing for sure is that he’s got some screws loose. To challenge Lord Shen Jun in an arena duel and even place a bet of a hundred billion Divine Crystals—isn’t that just brainless? But then again, this person must be really rich to be able to put up a hundred billion Divine Crystals!"

"Divine Pill Master, huh! Isn’t it normal to be wealthy? Even those low-level Divine Alchemists are filthy rich. I know a Divine Pill Master who can only refine low-level basic elixirs and some simple low-grade elixirs, yet even I, a high-level True God, envy the speed at which they earn Divine Crystals."

The crowd was buzzing with discussions.

"Look quickly! The betting odds for the duel between Lord Shen Jun and that Yan Jin are out."

"Betting on Lord Shen Jun, it’s 1.1-to-1? Betting on that Yan Jin, it’s 10-to-1?"

The odds of 1.1-to-1 and 10-to-1 both include the original bet in the payoff.

These odds were set after careful consideration by the arena zone management.

"Isn’t Lord Shen Jun’s odds a bit too low?" someone frowned.

"What a joke, use your brains when you speak! Everyone knows that Lord Shen Jun is sure to win, so obviously they’ll bet on him. The arena zone management isn’t foolish, of course they wouldn’t raise the odds on Shen Jun," someone sneered.

"Whatever, even if the odds are low, I have to bet on Lord Shen Jun, it’s like receiving free Divine Crystals. Betting one billion can still earn ten million!" someone already headed towards the betting counter.

Almost no one believed Jing Yan could defeat Shen Jun. So, even though Jing Yan’s odds were extremely high and Shen Jun’s odds were extremely low, those martial artists still chose to bet on Shen Jun.

In front of the betting counter, the martial artists formed long queues.

Two days later!

"Manager, this isn’t working!" said one manager of the arena zone, struggling with the situation.

"Indeed, it’s not working. There are so pitifully few people betting on Yan Jin!" the arena zone manager also frowned.

"How about... we increase Yan Jin’s odds even more?" another manager suggested.

"Given the current situation, even if we raised Yan Jin’s odds to 20-to-1, I’m afraid not many would be willing to bet on him, and moreover, it would make more people lose complete confidence in Yan Jin," the manager shook his head.

"What should we do then? If things continue like this, with nearly three days left before the betting ends, in three more days, the amount of Divine Crystals bet on Lord Shen Jun might exceed five hundred billion!" the manager said worriedly.

If it continues like this, the arena zone will lose a lot of Divine Crystals! Losing money can’t be part of the business!

"It seems the only way is to stop accepting bets on Manager Shen Jun! Immediately issue an order that from now on, bets can only be placed on Yan Jin, not on Manager Shen Jun," the arena zone manager decided on the spot.

In just two days, the bet amount on Shen Jun had reached two hundred billion first-grade Divine Crystals, while the amount placed on Yan Jin was merely one billion first-grade Divine Crystals. Moreover, this one billion first-grade Divine Crystals was placed by one person. In other words, up until now, only one person had placed a bet on Yan Jin.

"Understood!" the manager responded to the order.

Swiftly, the betting counter stopped accepting bets on Shen Jun.

"What’s going on?"

"How can they do this? The betting isn’t over yet, why can’t we bet on Lord Shen Jun anymore?"

"This is unfair!"

"If they don’t give us an explanation, we won’t accept this!"

Many people were already protesting the halting of bets on Shen Jun at the betting counter. However, their protests were completely ineffective. The arena zone had no intention of explaining anything to them.

Just complaining a few words is one thing, but if they dare stir up trouble here, they better be ready for the official’s thunderous crackdown methods!

Jing Yan’s residence.

"Senior Yan Jin, just as you predicted. The odds on that old Shen Jun are very low, only 1.1. And yesterday, the arena zone stopped accepting bets on Shen Jun. Your odds, Senior Yan Jin, reached 10-to-1!" reported Gui Ben with an indignant expression upon his return from the arena zone hall.

"That’s to be expected," Jing Yan smiled.

"Senior Yan Jin, as per your instructions, I’ve placed ten billion first-grade Divine Crystals on you in my name," Gui Ben added.

"Hmm, at 10-to-1 odds, after the arena duel ends and I defeat Shen Jun, including the original capital, it will be a hundred billion first-grade Divine Crystals," Jing Yan nodded.

"Senior Yan Jin, if you are confident of victory, why not place more bets? If you bet a hundred billion Divine Crystals, then you could win a thousand billion first-grade Divine Crystals!" Gui Ben said excitedly.

"Haha, I don’t have a hundred billion Divine Crystals on me; those ten billion are my last liquid Divine Crystals," Jing Yan laughed. "Besides, if we really placed a hundred billion Divine Crystals, and then won a thousand billion, what do you think the people at the arena zone would do? I fear you would have difficulty withdrawing a thousand billion Divine Crystals, and your life might even be at risk."

Jing Yan thought the people at the arena would resort to other tactics for a thousand billion Divine Crystals. A thousand billion! It’s worth some underhanded tricks.

Hearing this, Gui Ben naturally understood as well.

Time passed for another two days.

On this day, Jing Yan and Gui Ben arrived at the arena zone hall. The trade district manager, Shen Jun, was there much earlier than the two of them and was chatting over tea with the arena zone manager.

"Manager, that Yan Jin has already arrived," the arena zone manager from outside reported to the manager.

Shen Jun and the arena zone manager exchanged glances, both revealing smiles in their eyes.

"Brother Shen, it seems it’s time for you to take action!" the arena zone manager said.

"Indeed!" Shen Jun squinted his eyes, "It’s time to move, just notify that Yan Jin to go up to the arena in thirty minutes!"

The manager acknowledged and, after seeing the nod from the arena zone manager, turned to notify Jing Yan to prepare to go up to the arena.

In the arena zone, an arena duel was held every day.

A large crowd of martial artists had already gathered around the arena early on.

The duel between Shen Jun and Jing Yan today undoubtedly attracted many more people than an ordinary arena battle.