"Hmph!" With a fierce shout from Song Mingqin, the sword qi within the sword qi space began to compress, and then exploded.
Anthony, caught completely off guard, was sent flying backward by the blast.
"So terrifying!" Anthony looked at the wounds inflicted by Song Mingqin on his body with disbelief. When he looked up again, Song Mingqin had vanished from his original position.
Before Anthony could react, Song Mingqin had already appeared beside him, his crimson sword held at Anthony's throat.
"Clap—clap—clap—"
Anthony began to applaud Song Mingqin. Song Mingqin then spoke to Ye Bufan, "I truly didn't expect that the Kyushu land would be so full of prodigies. Someone at the early Core Formation stage was actually able to defeat me, who is at the middle Core Formation stage. Truly impressive. The ancient civilization is indeed worthy of its name."
Song Mingqin let out a slight sigh of relief and smiled gently at Anthony, saying, "It was my good fortune to encounter a noble benefactor. The insights I gained in the Way of the Sword helped me immensely."
Ye Bufan knew that the noble benefactor Song Mingqin spoke of was actually his master, Lin Xiaoyao.
"This round, Song Mingqin wins!" Anthony announced to the crowd below.
"Mr. Johnson, thank you for the spirit stones." Ye Bufan used his absorption palm technique to draw Johnson's spirit stones towards himself. Johnson instinctively reached out to grab them, but it was ultimately in vain.
"What? Mr. Johnson, are you planning to go back on your word?" Ye Bufan retorted.
"Ye Bufan, I challenge you!" Johnson shouted at Ye Bufan.
Immediately, Johnson rushed onto the fighting stage. Ye Bufan looked at Johnson and said, "I accept your challenge."
With that, Ye Bufan also appeared on the fighting stage. Johnson looked at Ye Bufan and said, "I'll bet another thirty spirit stones that you'll lose to me."
"Wait a moment, I'm also placing a bet. I bet Ye Bufan will lose too," Noda called out from behind. Following suit, cultivators from Pudí and Luorìgé also joined in, betting on Johnson to win.
"I bet Ye Bufan will win," Song Mingqin declared, then picked up his crimson sword and continued, "The stake for this bet is this crimson sword that has been with me for hundreds of years."
"I also bet Ye Bufan will win," Qu Fei announced, "I'm willing to use my Natal Artifact as the stake."
As Qu Fei and Song Mingqin produced their Natal Artifacts, the cultivators from overseas were stunned. None of them had expected Song Mingqin and Qu Fei to bet so heavily.
"Old man, I believe Ye Bufan will win. My Natal Artifact, this whisk, will also be the stake," Bai Zizhen stated.
Bai Zizhen glanced at Song Mingqin, and a barely perceptible smile suddenly appeared in both their eyes.
In fact, Song Mingqin had previously transmitted a message to Bai Zizhen, informing him that Ye Bufan had reached the late Core Formation stage. Thus, the two hatched a plan and decided to use their Natal Artifacts as stakes.
This way, the overseas cultivators would also have to put up items of equivalent value, which was Song Mingqin's plan.
Song Mingqin and the others believed that their opponents would likely also offer their Natal Artifacts, or items of equivalent value, as stakes, thus incurring substantial losses for them.
"Are you guys crazy?" Yan Yuzhu walked forward, looking at Bai Zizhen, Song Mingqin, and Qu Fei.
Seeing this, Song Mingqin could only transmit a message to Yan Yuzhu, explaining their plan. This made Yan Yuzhu suddenly understand.
However, just as Yan Yuzhu was about to offer her Bright Pearl as a stake, she was stopped by Song Mingqin. If everyone offered their Natal Artifacts as stakes, their opponents would become suspicious, and the plan might fail.
"I'll wager thirty spirit stones," Yan Yuzhu announced.
"Splendid, truly splendid." Johnson looked at Song Mingqin and the others for presenting their Natal Artifacts and couldn't help but mock Ye Bufan, saying, "The cultivators of your Kyushu land truly support you, even bringing out their Natal Artifacts."
Ye Bufan smiled slightly and replied, "Then I must live up to their trust even more. How about this: have one more person from your side step forward, and I'll fight both of you. If you lose, your stakes will be doubled."
"Ye Bufan! Are you insane?" Yan Yuzhu's expression changed, and she began to feign anger with Ye Bufan.
Ye Bufan didn't turn his head. At this moment, Noda excitedly shouted, "A man of his word keeps his promises. You must take responsibility for what you say."
"I naturally take responsibility for myself," Ye Bufan replied.
"Ye Bufan, don't be impulsive!" Bai Zizhen also pretended to look at Ye Bufan with displeasure, "We know you're talented and powerful, but fighting two is simply fantastical. Don't let down our trust."
"Bai Zizhen, the bets are placed. It's too late to say anything now," Noda interjected.
With that, Noda leaped forward and stood in front of Ye Bufan, smiling sinisterly with Johnson.
"Mr. Johnson, wait a moment. We can't hold back anymore. We need to let this brat know the consequences of his arrogance. It would be best if we could extinguish the brilliance of such a genius from Kyushu right here," Noda said.
Johnson nodded, looked at Ye Bufan, and said, "Kid, are you still coming? If not, we'll count it as your loss."
"I'm coming, how could I not?" Ye Bufan glanced at Johnson, then swept his gaze over Noda again.
"How about this, since I'm already fighting two, I'll wager a spirit ore the size of a fist. Otherwise, it's too unfair to myself," Ye Bufan stated. "This spirit ore, I obtained it by chance when I entered the Taiyi Divine Sect's secret realm. Today, I'll use it as the stake."
Upon seeing the spirit ore, Johnson's eyes were filled with greed.
"Mr. Johnson, I hope you can also produce something of equivalent value," Ye Bufan added.
"Alright!" Johnson and Noda exchanged a look, and then Johnson took out a broken object from his pocket.
"Hmm?" As Johnson produced the item, the broken sword within Ye Bufan's spatial jade pendant reacted.
"This fragment of meteor iron should be a piece left behind by a Heavenly Rank or even an Immortal Artifact. Its value should be comparable to the spirit ore you have," Johnson explained.
Ye Bufan appeared calm on the surface, but a storm was raging within his heart. Could this fragment be part of the broken sword?
"No problem!" Ye Bufan replied, strongly suppressing his excitement.
"Then, since that's the case, shall we begin?" Johnson inquired.
Seeing this, Ye Bufan shook his head.
"No! Mr. Noda hasn't produced an item of equivalent value yet," Ye Bufan told Johnson.