(Strongly recommended—don't forget to vote if you have any recommendations!) "Never at gamble! Never again! Do you really think I'd fall for the same trick twice?" Master Li shook his head vigorously, as if a drum were being beaten, and firmly declined. "Never at gamble? Then Master Li's taste must be truly exceptional—so high, in fact, that even the inner essence of the Blood-Line Serpent Dragon fails to impress him?" The Taoist looked utterly astonished and incredulous. Yet, from Han Li's perspective, the scene felt entirely false. "The inner essence of the Blood-Line Serpent Dragon!" Upon hearing the name, Master Li's demeanor suddenly shifted dramatically—his voice now trembling slightly. "Indeed! It's said that Master Li once stayed for thirty years on the perilous shores of the蟠Dragon River in Yuanwu Kingdom, solely in pursuit of this very essence, yet ultimately had to leave without securing it. That's why I've personally invested heavily to secure it especially for you!" The Taoist spoke calmly and composedly, now exuding a confident, assured air, as though he had already won the game. "Impossible!" How easy it is to catch such a blood-line dragon-jelly—let alone preserve its inner essence! Are you not just making up stories to mock me? Li Shizhu, having regained composure, now expressed doubt. "I am a Buddhist monk; I never utter falsehoods. You may look at this yourself." The Taoist, unwilling to elaborate further, merely flicked his hand, and before Li Shizhu's eyes appeared a perfectly round, translucent sphere streaked with blood—so vivid that the elder's eyes sparkled with wonder, as though he would have reached out to seize it instantly. "Should your silver-armored cloud serpent ingest this pill and meditate for twenty to thirty years, it will surely advance from mid-stage to late-stage foundation. With further cultivation of over a hundred years, it may well reach the stage of condensation—quite possible." The Taoist's words were full of persuasive appeal. Upon hearing this, Li Shizhu snorted, maintaining a stern expression as though unmoved, yet the flickering glances revealed the stirring within his heart. "Such a rare bet, Master, and yet you hesitate for half an hour—do you truly have no confidence in the strength of your esteemed disciples from Huang Feng Valley?" The Taoist sighed, employing a persuasive tactic. "Our disciples from Huang Feng Valley haven't even reached the level where you, from Qing Xiu Sect, can offer criticism." Li Shizhu, slightly displeased, glanced at the group behind the Taoist and immediately gained a clear sense of the Qing Xiu Sect disciples' capabilities. They appeared to be roughly on par with those of Huang Feng Valley. "Very well, I accept the bet!" After some thought, Li Shizhu concluded that the outcome would likely be evenly split between the two parties. Driven further by his intense desire for the inner elixir, he finally agreed. Yet, to remain cautious, he casually asked, "By the way, which of your treasures are you particularly hoping to secure?" "Ah, I have no interest in any of your other treasures," the Taoist replied with a smile. "All I ask is that, after I win this bet, you will refine two more pieces of iron essence for me—of the same size—over the next twenty years." Master Li's renowned purity of fire energy is well known among the Seven Sects—this must surely be nothing but a minor matter!" The Taoist narrowed his eyes, smiled warmly, yet his tone subtly carried a hint of cunning. "Shall I need two more blocks of the same iron essence?" Master Li's face grew pale, and he nearly leapt up immediately. "Old Cow, are you planning to make me your laborer?" "By no means! As long as we win, you won't have to endure this. That's the inner essence of a fifth-tier beast—equivalent to our initial stage of Consolidation, absolutely worth the price!" The Taoist nodded and paced with a composed air. Master Li's expression remained uncertain, and after a while, he finally slowly extended one hand, asking coldly. "Still following the previous rules? First, the quantity of medicinal herbs collected; second, their quality; and finally, the number of those who emerge alive from the sealed grounds!" "Of course—everything remains unchanged!" "The Daoist was delighted and quickly extended his own hand, eager to meet the other's palm in a firm clash, thus officially establishing the bet." A crisp "crack!" echoed. The Daoist had indeed made contact—yet his expression betrayed no joy; instead, he looked utterly crestfallen. He had struck not against the hand extended by Master Li, but against a suddenly appearing, muddy hand that materialized mysteriously between them. This hand, thick with grease and grime, seemed untouched by washing for a long time. The disciples from both factions, who had been closely observing the dialogue between the Master and his senior, were left speechless by this eerie scene. "Master Qiong!" both the Daoist and Master Li cried out, their faces pale. "What master? I most certainly don't claim that title. I'm no different from you—both of us are at the Juandan stage, merely having reached it a few years earlier!" A lazy voice rose between them, and gradually, a strangely dressed figure began to take form. He wore a blue robe with several puddles of butter stains, had a short haircut of just a few inches, and carried a faded green cloth satchel at his waist—seeming like a man of great neatness. Yet his face was greasy, with a large, dark patch that made it difficult to see his true features. "Several years? It should be several centuries!" Upon seeing the visitor clearly, Li Shizhu and the Daoist exchanged a moment of quiet苦笑, expressing only a deep sense of relief and respect, without any hint of hesitation or disrespect. This strange man not only appeared remarkably aged—his foot had even stepped into the Yuan'ing stage—but his original, intangible elusiveness technique had gained widespread acclaim throughout the immortal cultivation world, known even by the various sects of neighboring nations. Possibly due to the approaching end of his life span, which had prevented him from fully entering the Yuan'ing stage, his temperament had grown increasingly eccentric over the past century, often delighting in teasing cultivators at the Ji Dan stage. Nearly all the senior cultivators among the seven major sects had been left embarrassed and at a loss by his antics. Yet these disciples, who had always been treated as revered masters within the temple, found themselves completely at a loss in the face of him. In terms of magical prowess, he was unparalleled among the post-Condensation-stage cultivators; in terms of background and influence, he hailed from the Yanyue Sect—the strongest among the Seven Great Sects. Even if one summoned the Yuan-Ying-stage elders of our own sect to reprimand him, most of them already knew him well, and even those who didn’t were unwilling to take on the trouble of a mere minor matter. As a result, in the upper echelons of the cultivation world, he had become a true "tyrant" and "difficult-to-please" figure—so much so that anyone encountering him now simply hoped for the best, praying that he would be in a good mood; otherwise, a good deal of minor annoyance and discomfort was certain. How could Li Master and the Daoist not have been utterly stunned and filled with anxiety upon his sudden arrival? They had personally suffered at his hands! "If this is a bet, won't it seem rather dull with just you two? Then let me, this old man, be the only one to join in!" "The Master seemed in a good mood, yet he said something that left both of them groaning. "Master, please don't be so kind—how could our disciples possibly compare with the outstanding students of Yan Yue Sect? We're certainly destined to lose without a contest. We'll just have to bow and concede!" The Taoist forced a smile, speaking with a polite, humble tone. "These three intangible needle talismans were merely crafted for fun during my leisure hours. After all, I have no descendants to speak of, so I'll wager them this time!" With a gesture, the elder displayed three talismans illustrated with seven-colored needles, then folded them back with a flick of his hand. Li Zushi and the Daoist were visibly stunned, exchanging glances that revealed a clear undercurrent of greed in each other's eyes.