Chapter 12: Chu Feng — This Hurts More Than Salt on a Wound

Chapter 12: Chu Feng — This Hurts More Than Salt on a Wound "Master, I didn’t expect you’d sacrifice so much for me." Xiao Chen said with tears welling in his eyes. ??? Chu Feng was filled with question marks. 'I just made up an excuse to brush him off. Since when did it become a grand sacrifice?' But seeing Xiao Chen so moved, as a master, he naturally had to maintain appearances. "You don’t need to think too much. As long as you take first place in this tournament, that alone will bring glory to me." "I will definitely take first place!" Xiao Chen said with unwavering confidence. "Good." Chu Feng subconsciously quickened his pace. Now that he had actual cultivation, his walking speed was several times faster than before. What would’ve taken half an hour on foot, the two of them reached in less than a few minutes—arriving at the main plaza of Wendao Academy, the venue for the outer sect tournament. By now, the area was already packed with people. Everyone was discussing who would be the top contender in this tournament. Chu Feng and Xiao Chen didn’t care much for the chatter. Suddenly, a loud voice rang out from the crowd. "Betting for the tournament has begun! Sword Institute’s Lin Qingyu, odds 1.1! Body Cultivation Institute’s Jin Gang, odds 1.5! Spell Institute’s Mo Qingwu, odds 2..." The announcement instantly drew everyone’s attention. People rushed forward, shouting loudly: "I’m betting on Lin Qingyu!" "Put me down for Mo Qingwu!" "..." Chu Feng and Xiao Chen had no interest in gambling—until they heard someone yell: "Wait, you actually listed odds for Xiao Chen? What’s the meaning of that?" "Brother, Xiao Chen is still a well-known figure in Wendao Academy. He qualifies for the list. His odds are 1 to 1000. Not bad, huh?" "You guys are straight-up mocking him!" Hearing that, Chu Feng suddenly paused in his steps. Xiao Chen thought his master was angered by their ridicule. "Master, don’t be upset. After this tournament, those guys will regret today’s betting odds." Chu Feng smiled. "And how exactly are you going to make them regret it?" "By taking first place, of course—and slapping all their faces!" Xiao Chen said confidently. If he took first, the odds would become a joke. That would be the best form of revenge. "Not enough." Chu Feng’s expression suddenly turned serious. Xiao Chen asked, "Then what should I do, Master?" Chu Feng countered, "These people are running a betting pool. What do they care about the most?" "Spirit stones." Xiao Chen paused, then added, "The one running the pool is named Cao Youqian, grandson of the Alchemy Institute’s head. He’s got half a step into True Fate, but he’s a useless dandy. Failed at alchemy, failed at spell cultivation, beast taming—he’s hopeless. But he’s obsessed with money. Wherever there’s profit, he’s there. He’s said to be the richest guy in Wendao Academy’s outer sect." "Didn’t expect the kid to have some talent after all," Chu Feng chuckled, a smile creeping onto his face. "So tell me, what does a money-lover fear the most?" "Of course, losing money." Xiao Chen answered without hesitation. "Then it’s simple." Chu Feng said, "Bet everything you have on yourself to win the tournament. When you take first place, not only will you slap their faces hard—you’ll also bleed that guy dry. That kind of pain... is worse than salt in an open wound." Hiss... Xiao Chen sucked in a sharp breath. He never expected his seemingly harmless master to be this... ruthless. But he wholeheartedly agreed with the strategy. Those guys had already stepped on his face. If he didn’t fight back hard, they’d think they could trample over him forever. "I know what I need to do now." "Go on, then," Chu Feng said with a smile. As Xiao Chen stepped into the crowd’s view— A wave of exclamations immediately broke out. "Xiao Chen is here!" "Why is that useless guy even showing up at the tournament?" "You don’t know? I heard the Miscellaneous Dao Institute is being forced to participate in this tournament to fight for their cultivation resources." "So if Xiao Chen gets eliminated in the first round, wouldn’t that mean their institute loses everything?" "Exactly. I wonder which lucky guy will get to face him in round one." At first, everyone thought that the once-prideful Xiao Chen would lash out at the jeers and mockery. But to their surprise, Xiao Chen ignored all the chatter and walked straight to the betting table. The crowd’s eyes followed him curiously. Cao Youqian, seated behind the table, smiled and asked, "Senior Brother Xiao, who are you betting on?" Xiao Chen replied calmly, "I’m betting on myself to win first place in the tournament." The plaza went dead silent. Everyone stared at Xiao Chen in disbelief. Pfft... Someone in the crowd couldn’t help but laugh first. Then laughter erupted in all directions within a dozen meters. "Hahaha..." Even Cao Youqian couldn’t hold it in, roaring with laughter. "Hahaha... Senior Brother Xiao, you’ve got to stop joking like that." Xiao Chen asked, "Why? I can’t place a bet on myself?" "Of course you can," Cao Youqian said with a grin. He would never turn away someone so eager to throw money away. "And how much would Senior Brother like to wager?" Xiao Chen slowly removed his storage pouch and opened it with a flick. Clatter— A pile of spirit stones and several True Fate beast cores spilled out across the table. "Count it. See if it totals ten thousand spirit stones. If there’s any extra, return it." Cao Youqian hadn’t expected this ‘waste’ to be carrying so much. He quickly had one of his lackeys start counting. Moments later, they returned one beast core and said, "Senior Brother Xiao, excluding this one, the total value is exactly ten thousand spirit stones. Are you sure you want to place it all on yourself to win first?" "What, you scared to take the bet?" Xiao Chen asked calmly. "Scared? No way. I just don’t want you regretting it later, Senior Brother Xiao." Cao Youqian sneered inwardly, 'Who gave this guy the courage to bet on himself? He’s a cripple! Even at his peak, he wouldn’t be a match for Senior Brother Lin.' He’d heard that Lin Qingyu had already grasped fifty percent sword intent. This tournament was practically a formality. Once it was over, Lin would be taken in as a registered disciple by the Sword Institute’s head. After mastering sword intent, he’d become a true personal disciple. Lin Qingyu was the unofficially decided champion. Back at his best, Xiao Chen had only comprehended thirty percent sword intent. Even then, he wouldn’t have been Lin’s equal in a true fight. Xiao Chen replied, "I, Xiao Chen, have never once regretted my choices." "Straightforward! I like that!" Cao Youqian engraved the bet on a jade slip, noting the amount, the wager, and the payout odds. "Please keep your slip safe, Senior Brother Xiao." Xiao Chen scanned it with his spiritual sense to confirm it was correct. Then he grabbed the jade slip and turned to leave without saying another word... ==================================================================================== Get access to 20 chapters in advance and enjoy 2 daily updates by supporting the series. Available on Patreon: /Alex_Cruise or Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/anish_44