Chapter 58: One Hundred Million Each

The attendants of the Youhan Sect contributed only one million Origin Stones per year. Of course, attendants like Ning Yan, who belonged to a larger refining branch, could generally share in some benefits and receive ten million Origin Stones per year. However, since the attendants were all Earth Soul Immortals, their own cultivation consumed most of their wealth.

As a result, Ning Yan’s identity card now only had one hundred million Origin Stone points, equivalent to one hundred million Origin Stones in value. Zhan Yi and Wei Yue each had about forty million Origin Stone points on their identity cards.

When the three heard Fire Lord’s wager, they were instantly unable to speak, falling into a state of confusion and unable to utter a word for a long time.

For a one-star Human Soul Immortal-level refining task worth one billion, even if Tongzhou Hall completed it, the Refining Academy would only award them one billion points, which was equivalent to one billion Origin Stones. Therefore, if Fire Lord won this wager, in addition to giving Tongzhou Hall one billion in task points, he would also gain three billion Origin Stones for himself. If he lost, he would have to pay three billion Origin Stones.

“Well, my three attendants, do you accept this wager?” Fire Lord asked with a faint smile, looking at the stunned trio.

Ning Yan, Zhan Yi, and Wei Yue still did not respond.

Fire Lord smiled at them.

“Fire Lord, do you have three billion Origin Stones?” Ning Yan suddenly called out.

Zhan Yi and Wei Yue also quickly regained their composure and shouted together, “That’s right! Do you have three billion Origin Stones? If not, aren’t you trying to deceive us?”

Fire Lord pursed his lips and nodded. “My three, I indeed do not have three billion Origin Stones.”

“Hahaha! So you’re really trying to intimidate us, thinking you can deceive us like this?” Upon hearing Fire Lord’s words, Ning Yan laughed flirtatiously, believing that by guessing his intentions, she had outwitted him.

Zhan Yi and Wei Yue immediately showed disdainful looks, staring at Fire Lord with disgust.

“However, I can swear to you that if I lose in ten years and cannot provide three billion Origin Stones, you may do whatever you want to me,” Fire Lord said calmly.

Silence!

Seeing Fire Lord make such a vow, Ning Yan, Zhan Yi, and Wei Yue grew anxious. They all realized that Fire Lord was confident that Tongzhou Hall could complete the refining task. Immediately, they began to ponder.

“Ten years, one billion pieces of first-star Soul Immortal-level crafting tasks—that’s one hundred million pieces per year, or over 270,000 pieces per day.”
“Even the most powerful Ancestral Fire Hall, with millions of disciples, would find it extremely difficult to craft over 270,000 first-star Soul Immortal-level immortal artifacts in a day.”
“As for this Tongzhou Hall, it’s just joined the Crafting Institute. How many disciples do they have? And why should they be able to craft over 270,000 pieces in a day?”
“It seems the Fire Lord is deliberately trying to scare us three to get out of this predicament.”
Quickly, the three deduced that the Fire Lord was trying to intimidate them on purpose.
“Fire Lord, don’t think you can scare us,” Zhan Yi said with a proud smile.
“Fire Lord, trying to play tricks in front of us? Don’t even think about it,” Wei Yue sneered.
Ning Yan stared intently at the Fire Lord.
The Fire Lord calmly said again, “Do you dare accept this bet?”
His repeated urging scared the three so much that they couldn’t say a word, staring blankly at him, unable to make up their minds. With their wealth, they certainly didn’t have the means to pay, which was why they hesitated.
“Fire Lord, wait a moment. I’ll go discuss this with the head of the Ancestral Fire Hall. I must win these one billion pieces,” Ning Yan said angrily, her face turning red.
Seeing Ning Yan’s determination, Zhan Yi and Wei Yue also resolved to go ahead. They took out their communication cards, intending to consult the heads of the Jinghua Hall and Xinfu Hall before deciding whether to take the bet.
If all three hall heads agreed and pooled their entire forces, they could surely gather one billion Origin Stones.
Yue Zi’en watched the tension between the four, wanting to intervene but feeling he couldn’t interfere. He could only look around, pretending not to hear anything.
By now, Hua Hai had finally woken up. He quickly got up and stood beside the Fire Lord, his expression uneasy as he watched Ning Yan, Zhan Yi, and Wei Yue. He was afraid that if they agreed to the Fire Lord’s bet, Tongzhou Hall would fail to complete its crafting tasks and go bankrupt, leaving him, as an attendant, with no future prospects.
After a while, Ning Yan smiled happily and turned to look at Zhan Yi and Wei Yue. Soon, they too wore excited expressions.
All three had found sponsors.
“Fire Lord, our hall head agrees. He’s willing to provide one billion Origin Stones to bet against you,” Ning Yan said cheerfully, puffing out her chest proudly.
“Fire Lord, our Jinghua Hall also agrees.”
“Fire Lord, our Xinfu Hall also agrees.”

Zhan Yi and Wei Yue also shouted excitedly, as if they could already see Fire Lord losing the bet in ten years, with not a single Origin Stone on him.
As soon as the three of them stopped speaking, ten people suddenly appeared in the first-floor hall—none other than the ten elders of the Vessel Hall.
The ten of them were smiling.
“We’ve all heard about the bet between your four halls. It’s a great bet, and we’re all looking forward to the outcome in ten years. How about this? Since you’ve made a bet, let’s sign it in our Vessel Hall, with all of us as witnesses,” Hua Cheng’an stepped forward and said with a smile.
Since all four agreed, a neutral witness was certainly needed.
Fire Lord, Ning Yan, Zhan Yi, and Wei Yue, representing the four halls, signed the bet in the first-floor hall.
Naturally, the one billion one-star Human Soul Immortal-level refining tasks now all belonged to the Tongzhou Hall.
After the bet was signed…
“Fire Lord, you’ll need to find a way to dig up Origin Stone deposits within ten years. Thirty billion—quite a large amount,” Ning Yan said brightly, staring at Fire Lord to see if he would look embarrassed.
“Fire Lord, one billion… Whether I can advance my cultivation depends on whether you can provide one billion Origin Stones so I can buy Earth-Compliant Pills,” Zhan Yi laughed loudly.
“Fire Lord, you’re the best person in the Youhan Sect. Whenever I need Origin Stones, you show up right away,” Wei Yue also teased him.
Facing their mockery, Fire Lord shrugged and said with a smile, “See you in ten years, all of you.”
Still as relaxed and confident as ever.
Then, Fire Lord looked at Hua Hai, who was still trembling beside him, and said with a smile, “Hua Hai, the task is taken care of. Let’s return to the Tongzhou Hall.”
Hua Hai mumbled in confusion and then followed Fire Lord out of the Vessel Hall.
As Ning Yan watched Fire Lord leave, she felt a hint of reluctance—as if arguing with Fire Lord was also a kind of joy.
Zhan Yi and Wei Yue watched Fire Lord go, their eyes flashing with malice.
※※※
In the air on the way back to the Tongzhou Hall, inside the Starship, Hua Hai kept staring at Fire Lord, wanting to speak but not knowing what to say.
Suddenly, Fire Lord opened his eyes, looked at Hua Hai, and said with a smile, “Hua Hai, your communication card should allow you to contact your third uncle, right?”
Hua Hai nodded, not understanding Fire Lord’s intention.
Fire Lord continued, “Hua Hai, get in touch with your third uncle and tell him that when the bet is won, each of the ten elders will give you one hundred million Origin Stones.”
Hua Hai immediately collapsed in the Starship, convulsing again.

Fire Lord immediately kicked him, waking Hua Hai up.
Hua Hai cleared his throat, widened his eyes, and asked loudly, “Fire Lord, are you crazy? Giving one hundred million Origin Stones to each person means a total of one billion Origin Stones. I think ten million Origin Stones per person would already be enough as compensation for those ten people, and they would accept it gladly.”
Fire Lord kicked him again. Seeing Hua Hai quickly dodge, he shouted, “Hua Hai, you fool! Can’t you be more magnanimous? If it weren’t for those ten witnesses this time, even if we win in ten years, it would be hard to get three billion Origin Stones. Besides, this is just a bait. Once they accept it, those ten will surely help Tongzhou Hall greatly in the future.”
For Fire Lord, Origin Stones meant nothing; he only cared about the value they could bring to him.
Hua Hai was stunned for a moment before asking doubtfully, “Fire Lord, may I ask another bold question? Can Tongzhou Hall really produce one billion star-level Immortal Soul Immortal artifacts within ten years?”
Obviously, Hua Hai still didn’t know about the Array Pre-setting Method, so he naturally didn’t understand Tongzhou Hall’s crafting efficiency.
The reason Fire Lord took on all the star-level Immortal Soul Immortal artifact crafting tasks in front of everyone was to help Tongzhou Hall quickly gain prominence within the Yinhan Sect after completing them.
Think about it—those one billion star-level Immortal Soul Immortal artifacts used to require all 988 crafting branches of the Crafting Institute working together at full capacity to complete. Now, just one branch of Tongzhou Hall can finish them all. The impact of this would surely make Tongzhou Hall famous quickly.
“Whether it succeeds or not, there’s only ten years. If you go into seclusion for a while, the time will be up. Don’t overthink it. Just wait and see the results in ten years,” Fire Lord said calmly, seemingly unfazed.
Hua Hai blinked repeatedly, still unable to believe it, but he didn’t dare argue anymore.
※※※
On the top floor of the Artifact Hall, Hua Cheng’an and the other ten elders sat together again.
Suddenly, Hua Cheng’an’s expression tightened, and he took out his communication card.
“Ah!” Hua Cheng’an stood up abruptly, then stared at the other nine elders in surprise and said, “Gentlemen, that Fire Lord has asked Hua Hai to convey a message: if the bet succeeds, he will give each of us one hundred million Origin Stones.”
Ah!
The nine elders also stood up abruptly, their faces filled with shock.
“This boy will surely become someone great in the future!”
Unconsciously, all ten elders had the same thought.