"Did you see that fight? It was truly spectacular!"
"Bai Ningbing suffered her first defeat, and Yan Tu didn't win easily either."
"I spent twenty Yuan Stones and felt a twinge of regret at first. But after watching, I immediately felt it was money well spent."
The battle between Bai Ningbing and Yan Tu was like a boulder hurled into a lake, sending ripples throughout Merchant City.
Every street and alley buzzed with discussion of the fight.
"Age brings wisdom — in the end, it was Lord Yan Tu who prevailed."
"But Bai Ningbing's defeat was a glorious one. To have fought to that level, her future knows no bounds!"
"What a shame I didn't get to see it."
"Bai Ningbing lost her Life Gu and sustained injuries, but Ice Crystal Gu are easy to replenish. It won't have too great an impact on her strength."
"I'm really looking forward to the match between
"Absolutely — it's going to be a clash of titans!"
The battle between
But Bai Ningbing had disappeared.
After that battle, she hadn't returned to Nanqiu Court.
"Could something have happened to her?" Shang Xinci voiced her concern.
"Relax. I know her. She carries herself with immense pride, yet suffered a crushing defeat. Let her be alone for now." Fang Yuan reassured Shang Xinci in turn.
Though Bai Ningbing was a woman, she had the heart of a man.
All men were like lions and wolves — when wounded, they would retreat to a solitary corner and silently lick their wounds.
Women, however, were different. When slighted, they always had someone to pour their hearts out to. They craved protection and comfort.
Shang Xinci nodded, her beautiful eyes gentle as water, as she looked at Fang Yuan with concern. "Could you skip the fight? That Ju Kaibei — he's a figure of equal renown to Yan Tu. Sister Bai Ning has already lost, and she lost her Ice Crystal Gu. Ju Kaibei is a force-path Gu Master, and if you, Brother Hei Tu, were to lose your Full Effort Gu…"
Bai Ningbing had lost her Ice Crystal Gu but could replace it. If Fang Yuan lost his Full Effort Gu, there would be no way to compensate.
Fang Yuan smiled faintly. "Precisely because of that, I cannot afford to lose. All right — for the next few days, I'll be in secluded refinement. Go on back first."
Fang Yuan had long since gathered intelligence on Ju Kaibei's strength. After Bai Ningbing and Yan Tu's battle, he had obtained even more data to work with.
Ju Kaibei was a Fourth Transformation Initial Stage Gu Master, evenly matched with Yan Tu. Fang Yuan estimated that with his current means, his chances of defeating Ju Kaibei were only thirty percent.
Thirty percent. It didn't seem like much. But considering the gap of an entire major realm between them, thirty percent was already quite respectable.
"If the Gu refinement succeeds and I have that Gu to aid me, my odds of winning will rise to sixty percent! I just hope the refinement works."
Fang Yuan retreated into the secret chamber and began refining Gu.
…
First Inner City.
In the study, soft light glowed.
Shang Yanfei gazed quietly at the scene before him. A cloud of colorful smoke hovered in midair, the wisps rolling and churning to recreate the battle between Bai Ningbing and Yan Tu.
Shang Yanfei watched the fight from beginning to end before finally withdrawing the colored smoke.
Bai Ningbing had lost.
She had lost her Life Gu and sustained injuries.
According to intelligence gathered by the Wind-Rain Tower, Bai Ningbing was currently recovering under the care of the Bare-handed Doctor.
This way, she who had schemed against his second son had received her punishment and lesson.
Shang Yanfei closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.
Now that Bai Ningbing had been defeated — having failed the test — her talent and aptitude had nonetheless been universally recognized. Given time, she would surely surpass Yan Tu and achieve great things.
This was what it meant to be a genius.
Shang Yanfei was a man who loved and cherished talent.
Seeing Bai Ningbing's performance only deepened his desire to recruit her on behalf of Shang Xinci.
"After Bai Ningbing, it will be Fang Zheng's turn. I wonder what kind of surprise he'll bring me. However, I hear that he seems to possess a Heavenly Origin Treasure Lotus…"
The Heavenly Origin Treasure Lotus — even the Living Treasure Hall of Merchant City kept two specimens, along with one Heavenly Origin Treasure Lord Lotus.
But extracting these treasure lotuses required an even greater price.
The Living Treasure Hall stood guard over them, and even Shang Yanfei, as patriarch of the family, had to abide by the rules set down by their ancestors.
"Fang Zheng is a force-path Gu Master. Even with a Heavenly Origin Treasure Lotus, he cannot leverage its true value. It would be better to give it to Xinci."
Shang Yanfei pondered for a moment, then straightened in his seat and sent out a paper crane message.