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Chapter 171: Qian Jinjin's Big Gamble
Chapter 171: Qian Jinjin's Big Gamble
Qian Jinjin looked at the empty hall and then at Luo Yu’s gradually disappearing silhouette. After glancing at the storage ring containing 40.1 billion spirit stones in her hand, she showed a pleasant smile.
“If my guess is correct, Shi Haojun probably won’t come to claim the 40.1 billion spirit stones.”
“Not bad at all, we’ve accidentally swindled 40.1 billion!”
Hearing this, Qian Duoduo was shocked. “Miss, are you so sure that Shi Haojun won’t claim this amount? This is 40.1 billion spirit stones!”
Qian Jinjin’s smile didn’t waver as she replied, “A major demonic cultivator about to be heavily wanted, how could he enter the city openly?”
“Even if he wanted to demand it from us, he wouldn’t be able to.”
“This isn’t us defaulting on the debt—it’s just a situation out of our control.”
She shook the storage ring on her finger, her smile growing wider.
“Let’s go! Things are about to change here, so we need to hide for a while.”
“Keep an eye on the news here. If Living Wood is lost in Luo Yu’s hands, immediately stockpile war supplies. War is likely coming.”“The battlefield is the best place to make a fortune. We’re really lucky; we’ve just arrived, and we’re about to make another big profit.”
Hearing this, Qian Duoduo was shocked again. He couldn’t help but ask, “War is coming? How did you predict this? Do you have foresight?”
Qian Jinjin looked at him and smiled. “I’m only guessing; I might not be right. The emperor of the Great Yin Dynasty doesn’t have much time left.”
“You’ve studied history, so you should understand that eternal life is something every emperor pursues, at any cost.”
“Every emperor is extremely selfish. If Living Wood is lost and he can’t extend his life for another 500 years, what do you think the old emperor will do?”
“He’ll definitely wage war against the force that took Living Wood. And if he doesn’t know which force stole it, to find Living Wood, he might go so far as to slaughter a thousand innocents just to ensure he doesn’t miss the culprit. It’s entirely possible for him to bathe the entire region in blood.”
“Never underestimate the madness of a dying emperor. They’re capable of anything. When an emperor is enraged, a million corpses can fall. To find Living Wood, he will unleash indiscriminate attacks.”
“Moreover, the Great Yin Dynasty has always coveted the land of the Western Territory, wanting to annex this land, which has no ruling nation. If a key figure from the Great Yin Dynasty dies here, wouldn’t that serve as a perfect pretext to send troops?”
“Of course, this is just my guess. With these reasons alone, I can’t prove that the Great Yin Dynasty will definitely attack the Western Land's. My explanation might be a bit far-fetched.”
“I’m just placing a bet because I just got 40.1 billion for free. Even if I lose the bet, I won’t lose anything. But if I win, I’ll be one step closer to becoming the head of the family.”
Qian Jinjin’s lips curved into a confident smile. “I’ve made many big bets and never lost. Even the last gamble with the Insect Armor Master—I won that by relying on my sharp instincts.”
“Now, keep a close watch on Living Wood. If it’s lost, quickly stockpile war materials. We’ll be doing business with both the Western Land's and the Great Yin Dynasty.”
Qian Jinjin suddenly turned her gaze toward the direction of Black Moon City, her expression complex, as if she was thinking about something.
“The trouble brewing over there won’t be small either. Tonight is destined to be a sleepless one…”
---
After leaving the city gate, Luo Yu glanced behind him, snorted coldly, and then accelerated, flying toward the distance as fast as he could.
The Gu Kings behind him were shocked and hurriedly chased after him, closely following behind.
However, not all the Gu Kings left the city. Some of them had a flicker in their eyes, hesitating.
Luo Yu didn’t enter the city alone. He had brought several attendants with him.
His attendants hadn’t been taken out of the city—they were still inside.
Could it be that Luo Yu was acting as bait, deliberately luring the Gu Kings out of the city while his attendants took the chance to smuggle Living Wood out?
This possibility couldn’t be ruled out. When the first VIP room was shrouded in a black barrier, no one could see inside. Who knew who had Living Wood?
Knowing that he couldn’t escape with Living Wood surrounded by the Gu Kings, it made perfect sense for Luo Yu to secretly hand it over to someone else.
More than one person thought this. Many people at the moment had the same idea—this simple ruse of trickery couldn’t be ignored.
Many of the Gu Kings hesitated, unsure if Huo Mu was in Luo Yu’s hands or his attendants’. Who could be certain?
As Luo Yu flew further away, they knew that if they delayed any longer, they wouldn’t be able to catch up.
One impatient Gu King gritted his teeth and decided to kill all of Luo Yu’s attendants in the city. If Living Wood wasn’t found, he’d chase after Luo Yu immediately.
Although killing was forbidden in the city, he was a Gu King. A Gu King could instantly kill someone and flee the city—who could stop him?
Rules are always made for the weak. They couldn’t possibly restrain a strong person who could come and go as they pleased.
He didn’t hesitate any longer. His gaze sharpened, and he decisively struck, aiming a heavy palm at one of the attendants.
The attendant was horrified. He couldn’t afford to hide anymore and revealed his Gu King aura, immediately turning and fleeing, escaping the city in the blink of an eye.
Seeing this, instead of being alarmed, everyone’s eyes lit up.
It turned out to be a Gu King in disguise. Why would someone hide their cultivation if they didn’t have something to conceal? Living Wood must be on him!
The remaining Gu Kings showed expressions of joy, chasing after him outside the city in excitement.
“Hahaha! Luo Yu thought he was being clever, thinking I wouldn’t believe Living Wood could be on a Marrow Cleansing Gu cultivator? How naive! When it comes to treasures like Living Wood, it’s better to kill a thousand than to miss one. How could such a trick work on me?”
“Those fools were tricked by Luo Yu. Only a few of us were smart enough. No wonder Living Wood is destined to be ours! Hahaha…”
“Hurry! Don’t let him get away! He’s only a mid-level Gu King, and if we work together, we can kill him quickly. Then we’ll split Living Wood among us!”
"Exactly as intended..."
The group of Gu Kings laughed heartily, full of pride, as they chased out of the city.
They believed themselves to be wise, but were they truly wise?
…
At this moment, in a certain simple, rundown house.
Two young men, dressed in luxurious robes, stood at the center of the hall. Between them was a strange tree shaped like a person. If it wasn't a living tree, then what was it?
"Brother Nine, Uncle Emperor repeatedly warned us not to open the Insect-Rearing Bag."
"The Insect Bag is specially made to effectively prevent the scent of a peak-grade spiritual herb from leaking out."
The younger of the two, Luo Ye, hesitated with a nervous expression as he gazed at the living tree on the ground, his face full of tension and a hint of cowardice in his eyes.
Luo Zheng cast a disdainful glance at him and said with scorn, "What are you afraid of? We are princes! How can you achieve great things with such a timid heart?"
"Rest assured, I have already set up an isolation formation around the house, which is more than enough to block the scent of the peak-grade spiritual herb from escaping."
After saying that, Luo Zheng boldly walked over, casually snapped off two pieces of bark from the living tree, and threw one piece toward Luo Ye.
Luo Ye was startled and clumsily caught it, his hands trembling as he held the bark from the living tree.
With fear in his eyes and a trembling voice, he said, "What are you doing? How could you tear off the bark? Are you really planning to steal from under emperor's own noses?"
Seeing Luo Ye so terrified, Luo Zheng looked impatient.
"Hmph! Look how scared you are! You're truly a coward!"
"Fortune favors the bold, while the timid starve! This is something that can increase one's lifespan by 500 years—aren’t you tempted?"
"Such a heaven-defying treasure is right in front of us. Anyone who isn't moved by it is a fool!"
"Don't worry. We are noble princes. Tearing off a piece of bark is hardly a crime punishable by death!"
"And as long as it's not punishable by death, we stand to gain."
"Extending our lifespan by 500 years—no matter what punishment we face, it's worth it!"
"If we can cover this up, great. If not, so what? There's nothing to fear. Those who achieve great things don't hesitate or second-guess themselves."
As soon as he finished speaking, Luo Zheng boldly threw the piece of bark into his mouth without a trace of guilt for his misdeed.
Luo Ye looked at Luo Zheng, then at the bark in his hand. He hesitated, his heart pounding with nerves.
By nature, he was timid and fearful, never daring to commit theft. But this was a treasure that could extend his lifespan by 500 years—a temptation too great to resist. Even the most cowardly person would find themselves emboldened in the face of such a treasure.
In the end, Luo Ye couldn't overcome the greed in his heart. With a determined look, he closed his eyes, gathered his courage, and swallowed the bark in one gulp.
Luo Zheng nodded in satisfaction. As long as he dragged Luo Ye down with him, things would be much easier. After all, Luo Ye was the Empress's youngest son, so if he was involved, they wouldn't face too severe a punishment.
He quickly put the living tree, now missing three pieces of bark, back into the Insect Rearing Bag. He then carefully placed the bag at his waist, patting it gently as if it were a treasure, a satisfied smile on his face.
What he didn’t realize was that someone in the distance had quietly observed the entire scene, watching him commit this act of theft.
"Just as I thought, the living tree is indeed here."
Seeing the living tree, Long Xuan’s pupils contracted, and his heartbeat quickened with joy.
"Don't make a fuss!"
Long Xuan patted the Insect Rearing Bag that was wriggling. Inside, the little rabbit had started acting up again.
As soon as it sensed the scent of the peak-grade spiritual herb, the rabbit began thrashing about, causing the Insect Rearing Bag to shift into various shapes.
It was unclear why the peak-grade spiritual herb had such a strong allure for the rabbit. Whenever it caught sight of it, it couldn’t move and would go into a frenzy, urging Long Xuan to snatch the herb as quickly as possible.
To be fair, this rabbit loved hanging around the fire dragon fruit tree and the divine dragon wood.
Not to mention, as a clever creature, it had dug several tunnels beneath its favorite spiritual trees, creating multiple escape routes.
It was unclear what it found so attractive about the peak-grade and earth-grade spiritual herb. Could it be that it wanted them for refining pills? It spent all its time refining pills and had practically refined itself into a fool.
Long Xuan had been here for some time, but the Origin Realm couldn't be activated instantly; it required some preparation time.
He and his five clones worked together to activate the Origin Realm, amplifying its power to an unknown level, perfectly overlapping the illusory world with the real world in this area.
Naturally, the Origin Realm wouldn't affect the two Spiritual Sea Realm experts guarding the door.
However, with the illusory world and the real world perfectly superimposed, even if they weren't caught in the illusion, they wouldn’t notice any changes in the surroundings.
As for the two Marrow Cleansing stage princes inside the house, they had no chance of escaping the effects of the Origin Realm.
Their consciousnesses were immediately pulled into the Origin Realm, leaving their bodies frozen in place. Since the scenery around them hadn’t changed instantly, the two had no idea they were already caught in the illusion.