Chapter 135: The Troublesome Nature of Bai Feiyu

"Oh?" Xiao Ming showed a flicker of interest at these words, then asked, "What shall we wager?"

In Xiao Ming's eyes, his victory was already certain. Thus, standing from the perspective of a victor, he looked down at Bai Feiyu with a condescending gaze.

Bai Feiyu smiled faintly and replied, "How about this? You don't look like you have much money, and even if you had a little, it wouldn't be worth my interest. Let's make a bet: whoever loses must kneel on the ground and let out a dog's bark. How does that sound?"

Bai Feiyu appeared playful, as if he had seen right through Xiao Ming. Hearing this, Xiao Ming felt provoked; if he did not reclaim his dignity, others would likely say he was afraid of someone at the ninth level of the Haoqi Realm. Furthermore, Xiao Ming believed that Bai Feiyu was only doing this because he felt he was destined to lose. Since the entire crowd was betting against him, he assumed Xiao Ming would refuse the wager and wanted to use this to regain some face.

Xiao Ming nodded immediately and said, "You have successfully angered me. Very well, it's a bet! It's just a dog's bark, isn't it? As long as you can defeat me, I don't mind barking ten times!"

Bai Feiyu narrowed his eyes. "Is that a promise?"

Without further ado, Bai Feiyu took the first step, unleashing his Blazing Fist as he lunged toward Xiao Ming. Bai Feiyu had chosen to make this bet entirely because Xiao Ming had disregarded him so completely, treating him as nothing more than a stepping stone. This had truly infuriated him. Bai Feiyu was a man who never left a grudge unsettled; he was not magnanimous enough to swallow such humiliation. Since his opponent looked down on him, he would make him pay the price and show those who underestimated him because of his cultivation level what he was truly capable of.

Seeing Bai Feiyu attack, Xiao Ming sneered and struck back with a fist of his own. Although he didn't believe Bai Feiyu could stir up any real trouble, his own future was at stake, so he needed to put on a good performance to attract the attention of the influential figures present. The prospect of catching their eye was enough to make Xiao Ming feel excited.

Meanwhile, Bai Feiyu was still acting; he did not want anyone to discern his true cultivation level. Furthermore, he had been constantly suppressing himself, as the continuous accumulation of attributes had given him signs of breaking through to the Shackles Realm. However, now was not the time; he had to wait until the final match to breakthrough, or it would be detrimental to his earnings.

On Xiao Ming's side, only after the battle truly began did he start to take Bai Feiyu seriously. He finally realized that there was a reason Bai Feiyu had made it this far. Yet, compared to him, he was still too weak.

Xiao Ming sneered, "Kid, you're not bad. Being able to hold your own against me at the ninth level of the Haoqi Realm is quite an achievement. It’s a pity that your cultivation is your shortcoming. If you were at the Shackles Realm, I might have actually fallen to you today. Unfortunately, you were born at the wrong time. Though you've made a name for yourself this time, you will still end up beneath my feet!"

As he spoke, a golden radiance erupted from Xiao Ming's body. The next moment, a blood-bathed phoenix manifested around him. The phoenix flapped its wings, unleashing a powerful shockwave as it soared rapidly toward Bai Feiyu.

"Hmph!" Bai Feiyu snorted, shouting, "Yin-Yang Diagram!"

As his voice fell, a Yin-Yang Bagua diagram emerged beneath his feet. It grew rapidly, crackling with arcs of electricity as it spun, appearing as if it could trap everything in heaven and earth. The Yin-Yang Diagram surged upward, slamming violently into the blood-bathed phoenix. The phoenix let out a shrill cry, colliding with the diagram amidst a sea of flames.

"Boom!"

In an instant, both the Yin-Yang Bagua diagram and the blood-bathed phoenix vanished simultaneously. Bai Feiyu watched the scene with a cold expression. It was not that he couldn't defeat Xiao Ming; it was simply too early to settle things. If he finished him now, no one would place bets on his next opponent, or the stakes would be drastically reduced. Boss Bai would never allow such a thing. Previously, many had suspected him of acting, which had significantly lowered the betting pool. This time, he believed no one would doubt his performance.

Even if he won this match, he could still make a fortune in the next. Bai Feiyu’s plan was perfect: he would absorb the vast majority of the spirit stones from the crowd, return to the Guixu Sect, live a life of comfort, and help boost the cultivation of his brothers in the dormitory. They had followed him for so long, and he genuinely hoped they could advance further in the inner sect, or at the very least, stop running errands.

Seeing that Bai Feiyu could match him to this extent, even neutralizing his technique, left Xiao Ming greatly astonished. He had initially thought his opponent would be easy to handle, but this showed that Bai Feiyu was indeed no simple character.

"Not bad, truly not bad. I am honored to face a prodigy like you in this lifetime. However, your glory ends here." Xiao Ming took a deep breath, treating Bai Feiyu with much more gravity. His performance was truly brilliant, becoming the highlight of this sect tournament. Honestly speaking, Bai Feiyu was stronger than him; at the same age, Bai Feiyu would certainly have defeated him.

"What's happening up there? Is Xiao Ming a plant?"

"Is this Bai Feiyu really that strong? To fight to this level at the second level of the Shackles Realm—is he trying to defy the heavens?"

"This is getting interesting. Still, I think Xiao Ming will win; the gap in strength is just there."

Hearing the crowd discussing him and Bai Feiyu, Xiao Ming’s expression turned peculiar. Logically, being the center of attention should be something to be happy about, but the focus of their discussion was that he hadn't managed to finish off Bai Feiyu after such a long time.