Chapter 116 The Duel

Xu Jingming, Grand Lord Freya, and the unfamiliar Third Realm expert—the aura of the three of them was so vast that the Xu family members nearby were nervous and uneasy.

"You are Freya?" Xu Jingming asked.

"Yes," Grand Lord Freya said with a smile.

Xu Jingming understood and nodded amiably.

When he received the *Heart Calamity Spear Compendium*, Xu Jingming also learned of that bet.

The bet was made by two Supreme existences. Supreme existences possessed boundless power; they overlooked all of time and space. When they had conflicts and disagreements, they made this bet.

According to the bet, the two Supreme existences each selected a successor and allowed the successor to study the inheritance for one Abyss epoch before engaging in a battle.

The outcome of the battle between the successors would determine the final result.

The lives of two Third Realm experts were a minor matter, but the bet between the Supreme existences was a major event.

To ensure the bet proceeded normally, the two Supreme existences each sent a follower to supervise the entire process.

"The names of the two witnesses are recorded in detail in the bet. The Supreme existence of the Heart Realm sent a follower named Freya," Xu Jingming thought to himself. "She should be supervising the entire process to ensure that I am not affected in any way before the battle."

Grand Lord Freya introduced with a smile, "This person beside me is the opponent you will soon face—Traveler Chi Jue!"

Traveler Chi Jue's entire body was like red jade as he observed Xu Jingming. He then said, "Wu Ming, I have received the Supreme inheritance in the abyss for one Abyss epoch. I hope you won't disappoint me in this battle."

"He has already studied it for an Abyss epoch?" Xu Jingming was surprised.

He had only received the inheritance recently!

Grand Lord Freya said from the side, "Wu Ming, you two come from different timelines in different time and space. He obtained the Supreme inheritance very early and has already studied it for one Abyss epoch. After meeting you, he will go to the battlefield… You will also go there after one Abyss epoch, but you two will arrive at the battlefield at the same time."

Xu Jingming understood.

"For Lord Chi Jue, a battle will begin shortly. For you, there is still nearly one Abyss epoch," Grand Lord Freya said. "The bet will definitely ensure that you have the same amount of time to study."

"Wu Ming, between you and me…" Traveler Chi Jue looked at Xu Jingming and said calmly, "Only one can survive."

"The victor lives, and the loser dies. That is the rule of the bet," Xu Jingming nodded.

If he lost, it would also mean that the Supreme existence behind him had lost!

The fact that only one of them could live forced both Xu Jingming and Traveler Chi Jue to give it their all.

"It seems your relatives are learning about the bet for the first time." Traveler Chi Jue glanced at Xu Jingming's relatives, who were in shock. When Traveler Chi Jue spoke, he deliberately allowed the surrounding creatures to hear.

He was also deliberately affecting the state of mind of Xu Jingming's relatives.

"They would have found out sooner or later." Xu Jingming didn't mind. He had to tell his family about the bet sooner or later.

Traveler Chi Jue swept his gaze across the entire time and space. "There isn't a single impressive person in your time and space. You have to far surpass this group of Third Realm experts; otherwise, you will definitely lose when you fight me."

With that, Traveler Chi Jue forcibly tore through time and space and left.

Grand Lord Freya had come this time to protect Xu Jingming.

"What he said is true." Grand Lord Freya looked at Xu Jingming. "The 36 Third Realm experts in your time and space are now far inferior to him. To defeat him, you must first be truly invincible in this time and space. You must go all out in this bet."

"Since it concerns life and death, how could I be negligent?" Xu Jingming said with a slight smile.

Grand Lord Freya nodded and left across time and space without a sound.

Xu Jingming turned his head and saw the concerned gazes of his parents, wife, and other family members. They had been immersed in the joy of being revived and in the joy of Xu Jingming becoming a Third Realm expert. Now, they knew that Xu Jingming was involved in a bet between Supreme existences.

…

"No wonder his evolutionary path is so smooth." The Lord of Klenore watched from afar. The arrival of Grand Lord Freya and Traveler Chi Jue had caused too much commotion. The Third Realm experts in this time and space were very concerned and learned about the bet. "With a Supreme existence secretly guiding him, he will naturally advance by leaps and bounds. However, the greater the benefits, the greater the price. Hmph… He and that Traveler Chi Jue will definitely have one of them die after one Abyss epoch."

The Lord of Klenore was proud in his heart. Traveler Chi Jue's arrival was too unscrupulous; he didn't think much of the Third Realm experts in this time and space, saying things like, 'There isn't a single impressive person in your time and space.' This made the Lord of Klenore instinctively dislike him.

Therefore, he didn't like either Wu Ming or Traveler Chi Jue. He would be delighted no matter who died.

…

"This Wu Ming actually has such a calamity?" Lord Sea Rain revealed a smile, feeling quite delighted. Wu Ming knew of her feud with the Streampond Star family, but he still wanted to protect them. As a fellow Third Realm expert, she couldn't stop him, but she was still displeased.

Now that she knew about the bet, Lord Sea Rain was in a good mood and was happy to watch the show.

"The evolutionary path still requires one to walk step by step. Those who take shortcuts like this have to pay the price," Lord Sea Rain thought. "This Wu Ming might be completely dead after one Abyss epoch."

******

Inside the old house.

Xu Jingming's family gathered together, with all kinds of delicacies and fine wines filling the table. With Xu Jingming's current abilities, he could instantly teleport all kinds of delicacies and fine wines from all over this time and space.

"Jingming, this bet…" Xu's father, Xu's mother, Li Miaomiao, Xu Lixing, and the others all looked at Xu Jingming, not in the mood to enjoy the food at all.

"This bet is real."

Xu Jingming said with a smile, "The evolutionary path is difficult, and it's too difficult to become a Third Realm expert. I was able to break through so smoothly because I received an opportunity bestowed by a Supreme existence. Without the opportunity bestowed by a Supreme existence, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to break through in my entire life, and our family would have a hard time reuniting."

By relying on himself, Xu Jingming was confident of becoming invincible at the half-step Third Realm.

But from half-step Third Realm invincible to Third Realm, it was a chasm! Without the Supreme inheritance, Xu Jingming asked himself—even if he worked hard his entire life, his hope of becoming a Third Realm expert would be very slim.

"I have received too much, so it is right to bear a bet," Xu Jingming said. "Countless half-step Third Realm experts yearn for this inheritance but cannot obtain it."

"A bet where the winner lives and the loser dies?" Li Miaomiao asked.

"A 50% survival rate is not bad," Xu Jingming said with a smile.

Li Miaomiao's eyes were a little red.

She felt that she had been protected by her husband her entire life. She was already very satisfied and felt very happy to have lived a happy life for 100,000 years. Now that she could be revived as a high-dimensional lifeform and reunite with her many family members, she felt endless joy… But her husband was facing a calamity, and she wanted to help, but she couldn't.

"One Abyss epoch is very long," Xu Jingming said. "The history of many low-dimensional lifeform races is less than one Abyss epoch. Moreover, I also have a chance of winning this battle."

"Let's drink first." Xu Hong raised his glass.

…

After Xu Jingming became a Third Realm expert, Third Realm existences visited him one after another.

On this day, Firefeather Monarch and Emperor Dragon Island Lord's master, Water Cloud, visited together. The three Third Realm existences sat down separately.

"Wu Ming," Firefeather Monarch said, "You obtained the *Eight Directions Diagram* that I created when you were a low-dimensional lifeform, and you also came to Firefeather City to learn a few inheritances. You and I are indeed very fated."

"I am who I am today thanks to Firefeather Monarch." Xu Jingming nodded; he and Firefeather Monarch were indeed deeply involved.

"This bet involves the Supreme existences high above; we can't help. But I can promise you… If you lose the bet, I will help protect your family and race," Firefeather Monarch promised.

For a Third Realm existence, protecting some creatures was very easy.

Xu Jingming was overjoyed to hear this. "Thank you, Firefeather Monarch."

"Wu Ming, protecting your relatives and race is a small matter; I can also help," Lord Water Cloud said. "But you need to pay attention to the 'mind and will' problem of your relatives early on. A weak mind is easily corrupted and distorted in the face of the long river of time."

Lord Water Cloud had also experienced this and was forced to let his closest relatives fall into complete slumber.

"I know." Xu Jingming frowned. "Unless one's mind and will reach the Third Realm level, it will not be able to withstand the long river of time after all."

"The stronger the mind and will, the longer it can last. If one's mind and will can match the half-step Third Realm, they can stay awake for hundreds of Abyss epochs," Lord Water Cloud said. "Being able to stay awake for so long is enough."

Firefeather Monarch said from the side, "That's right, Wu Ming, your relatives' minds and wills are too weak. If you don't nurture them well, I'm afraid they won't be able to last even one Abyss epoch."

"I also have some experience in this area, you can learn from it," Lord Water Cloud said.

"Thank you, Brother Water Cloud," Xu Jingming said gratefully.

"Seeing you is like seeing myself back then," Lord Water Cloud said with emotion. "I started from a low-dimensional lifeform and eventually became a Third Realm expert. After reviving my close relatives, they were very happy to enjoy their life as high-dimensional lifeforms. I spent countless efforts on their mind and will problems, but now I can only let them all fall asleep."

Xu Jingming nodded. "Is there no way to completely solve the problem of mind corruption?"

"Of course there is a way," Firefeather Monarch said.

Xu Jingming listened carefully.

"If one's mind and will is comparable to the Third Realm, they will naturally have no fear of time," Firefeather Monarch said.

"Letting their minds and wills be comparable to the Third Realm? That can't be done," Lord Water Cloud shook his head.

"If we rely on external help, we can't do it. We can't change their minds and wills with external force," Firefeather Monarch said. "But… Supreme existences might be able to do it."

Lord Water Cloud nodded. "Supreme existences might be able to do it. But from the information I've gathered… Supreme existences have never helped solve 'mind corruption.' I've encountered so many Third Realm existences in the spacetime arena, but I haven't heard of it."

Firefeather Monarch looked at Xu Jingming. "So, find a way to improve your family members themselves!"

Xu Jingming was thoughtful, and then asked, "Lord Water Cloud, you just said that you encountered many Third Realm experts in the spacetime arena?"

"Oh, that's a game of countless time and space. Drunken Weng is very powerful in the spacetime arena, and he became a follower of the Supreme existence because of it," Lord Water Cloud began to explain in detail. After all, Xu Jingming was a newly advanced Third Realm expert, and there was too much he didn't know.

In the years after Xu Jingming's breakthrough, 19 Third Realm experts visited, which broadened Xu Jingming's horizons and allowed him to learn some secrets of the Third Realm level.

What surprised Xu Jingming the most was that when Drunken Weng visited, he actually chatted happily with his grandfather, 'Old Master Xu.' Drunken Weng invited Old Master Xu to his place.

"Grandson, Senior Drunken Weng invited me, so I'll go over first?" Old Master Xu said.

"Alright, thank you, Drunken Weng." Xu Jingming agreed.

It was hard to say whether he could survive the future bet. It would be good if his grandfather could get closer to Drunken Weng. After all, among the 36 Third Realm experts in this time and space, the most special one was Drunken Weng! Drunken Weng was also a follower of the Supreme existence!

"If I lose in the future, perhaps my grandfather's relationship with Drunken Weng can help my family," Xu Jingming thought.