The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

Jiang Xuan understood. It seemed that Yue Zhongtian was probably a student of Yanxia Academy, and judging from his appearance, he should be a prominent figure in the academy, otherwise he wouldn't be so arrogant.

Yue Zhongtian naturally noticed Jiang Xuan's gaze, and even more so the avoidance reaction of his companion beside him.

This did not make him restrain himself; on the contrary, it seemed to have aroused his competitive spirit. He raised an eyebrow and took the initiative to walk towards Jiang Xuan's direction.

Standing three feet away from Jiang Xuan, Yue Zhongtian looked Jiang Xuan up and down with an arrogant and condescending attitude, a cold smile on his lips, and said loudly.

"So you're Jiang Xuan? Many people say you're not someone to mess with, and warn me to be careful if I run into you. However, I, Yue Zhongtian, have never been afraid of anyone!"

These words are a blatant provocation!

His companions beside him immediately showed helplessness and a hint of anxiety on their faces, cursing inwardly.

"That foul-mouthed bastard! His unruly nature has acted up again!"

They knew that Yue Zhongtian was just like that. Relying on his extraordinary talent, he was always arrogant and reckless, causing countless troubles within Yanxia Academy. However, his talent was indeed amazing. At just over sixteen years old, he had already reached the Earthly Gang Realm. Although he was not as outstanding as Xue Shaolin, he was still amazing, and the academy was very tolerant of him.

But they never expected that this guy would be so arrogant as to provoke Jiang Xuan, this wicked star!

Jiang Xuan looked at the self-important young man in front of him, his face expressionless, not even a flicker of emotion in his eyes, completely ignoring him.

This complete disregard made the proud Yue Zhongtian feel even worse than being scolded. His anger flared up instantly, making him even more disdainful and pushing his luck.

He took a step forward, almost touching Jiang Xuan, and asked in a condescending tone.

"Jiang Xuan, do you want to know my opinion of you?"

Jiang Xuan finally raised his eyelids, glanced at him, and spoke in a flat tone without the slightest ripple.

"Do not want to."

Yue Zhongtian was taken aback by this straightforward answer, then became furious and sneered.

"You don't want to hear it, but I'll say it anyway! In my opinion, you are a despicable person. For a little money, you actually promoted the merchant guild in such a solemn occasion as the provincial examination. You have utterly corrupted the integrity and character of us cultivators! You are utterly contemptible!"

He paused, seemingly feeling that simply scolding wasn't enough, and deliberately raised his voice to ensure that many people around could hear him.

"Moreover, your behavior affects more than just yourself! If everyone acted like you, wouldn't this provincial examination become a marketplace for street vendors to hawk their wares? What kind of order would that be!"

Jiang Xuan finally showed a reaction on his face after hearing his righteous and stern accusations.

He frowned slightly, as if somewhat impatient, and directly interrupted Yue Zhongtian's rambling, asking a question.

"After saying all that, what exactly are you trying to say?"

The cultivators who had been watching the commotion nearby were all taken aback when they heard Jiang Xuan's calm yet slightly cold question.

"That arrogant and ignorant Yue Zhongtian is probably really going to anger Jiang Xuan..."

Seeing that Jiang Xuan had spoken up, Yue Zhongtian thought he had gained the upper hand and a smug smile appeared on his face as he raised his head and spoke.

"Easy! How about we make a bet?"

"bet?"

Jiang Xuan raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Not bad!"

Yue Zhongtian's voice was loud and clear, filled with confidence.

"Let's bet on our upcoming duel! I bet you can't possibly knock me out of the ring in one move, just like you did with that trash Tan Long! If you can't do that, then you lose!"

Upon hearing this, not only was Jiang Xuan stunned, but all the cultivators around who were listening intently, including Yue Zhongtian's own companions, were all dumbfounded, thinking they had misheard!

This bet... is too absurd! Who makes a bet that the other cannot defeat them in one move? This is clearly taking advantage of Jiang Xuan's momentum in the first match to play a trick of feigning weakness and making things difficult for him!
While seemingly placing himself in a weak position, he actually set a condition that was almost impossible to fulfill! After all, Yue Zhongtian was a genuine Earthly Realm cultivator; no matter what, he couldn't possibly be unable to withstand even a single move, let alone be directly knocked off the stage!

Jiang Xuan looked at Yue Zhongtian. He had originally thought that this guy was just arrogant and might actually have some reliance on something. He didn't expect him to propose such an absurd and ridiculous betting condition. A sense of disappointment flashed through his heart.

Seeing that Jiang Xuan remained silent, Yue Zhongtian assumed that he was afraid, and felt even more smug. He then pretended to be magnanimous and changed his words.

"What? You're too scared? If you think one move is too difficult, ten moves or less will do! The prize is ten thousand gold coins! Do you dare to accept?"

Upon hearing this, everyone around felt that Yue Zhongtian's words were a blatant insult and a scheme, and they all assumed that Jiang Xuan would definitely refuse firmly.

However, to everyone's surprise, after a brief silence, Jiang Xuan's face showed no anger, but instead slowly curled into a meaningful smile.

He looked at the smug Yue Zhongtian and asked in a relaxed tone.

"Ten thousand gold coins? Are you... ready?"

When Yue Zhongtian saw that Jiang Xuan had actually agreed, he was first stunned, then filled with immense joy and excitement! He had already planned it out; whether it was one move or ten moves, with his strength and prepared trump cards, he was absolutely confident that he could withstand it!
If I win the bet, I'll not only earn 10,000 gold coins for free, but I'll also greatly dampen Jiang Xuan's arrogance, reduce the impact of his first match, and showcase my own strength! It's a win-win situation!
He suppressed his excitement and patted his chest to assure her.

"The gold coins are already prepared! Let's see if you have the ability to take them!"

Jiang Xuan nodded, his smile unchanged, but what he said made Yue Zhongtian's smug expression freeze instantly.

"I accept the bet. However, the conditions don't need to be changed; one move... is enough."

After saying that, Jiang Xuan stopped looking at Yue Zhongtian's incredibly interesting expression, turned around and walked towards the other side of the assessment area, as if he had only agreed to a trivial matter.

Yue Zhongtian stood frozen, watching Jiang Xuan's tall, imposing figure, exuding an inexplicable sense of oppression, gradually disappear into the distance. Jiang Xuan had agreed to his most demanding conditions; he should have felt exhilarated and confident of victory. But for some reason, hearing that calm "one move is enough," and watching that back turn and leave without a backward glance, a deep unease and an extremely bad premonition, like a cold, venomous snake, suddenly coiled around his heart, sending a chill down his spine.

Yue Zhongtian stood there, stunned, watching Jiang Xuan's tall and handsome back as he turned and left without looking back. The smugness and excitement on his face receded like the tide, replaced by a violent change in color, alternating between green and white.

The joy he felt from his successful scheme was now largely dispelled by Jiang Xuan's chillingly calm "one move is enough" and the invisible pressure he felt as he left. A chill uncontrollably crept into his heart.

The cultivators who had witnessed the scene were gradually coming to their senses.

Someone chuckled softly.

"This Yue Zhongtian, who usually seems arrogant, is actually quite cunning! What do you mean by 'no scruples'? He's clearly putting on an act, deliberately using that absurd bet to put Jiang Xuan in a difficult position!"

"Yes, whether Jiang Xuan agrees or not, Yue Zhongtian is in an invincible position. If he agrees, he only needs to withstand one move to win and get 10,000 gold coins for free, greatly suppressing Jiang Xuan's arrogance; if he doesn't agree, he can still mock Jiang Xuan for being cowardly, which will also embarrass Jiang Xuan. What a clever plan!"

"But... why did Jiang Xuan agree to that? And why the most demanding one-move agreement at that? Didn't he realize it was a trap?"

"Perhaps... he really is confident?"

"Hold on? What a joke! You may not know, but although Yue Zhongtian is arrogant and annoying, his strength is indeed not weak. In particular, the [Soaring Cloud Light Technique] he cultivates is a secret technique that is extremely good at dodging and turning, and deflecting force. It is said that when cultivated to a high level, his figure is as changeable as cloud light, and is difficult to grasp. It is best suited to deal with this kind of explosive strong attack!"

Want to knock him out of the ring in one move? That's as difficult as climbing to the heavens!

"So that's how it is! No wonder he dared to make such a bet! How insidious!"

"Jiang Xuan is probably going to suffer a setback this time! Ten thousand gold coins is a small matter, the real issue is his reputation..."

Those who knew Yue Zhongtian's background all felt that Jiang Xuan had overestimated himself this time and was likely to suffer a great loss due to Yue Zhongtian's insidious scheme.

Even Wen Mingxiu, Qi Yunxiao, and the others looked at each other in disbelief, their eyes filled with suspicion.

Although they didn't believe Yue Zhongtian could truly defeat Jiang Xuan in the assessment, they thought the possibility of Jiang Xuan breaking through the [Tengnuo Yunguang Technique], which excels in dodging and deflecting force, and knocking Yue Zhongtian out of the arena in one move was extremely slim.

By all accounts, Yue Zhongtian has a much better chance of winning this bet.

The battle in the arena was still raging, but the news of Jiang Xuan and Yue Zhongtian's bet spread like wildfire throughout the entire arena, causing an uproar among the spectators!
"What? He defeated Yue Zhongtian in a single move? Jiang Xuan is too arrogant!"

"I've witnessed Yue Zhongtian's [Cloud-Shifting Technique] before. It's as slippery as an eel; even a mid-stage Earthly Realm cultivator would have a hard time encountering him!"

"I think Jiang Xuan got a little cocky after winning the first match! He's probably going to lose this time!"

"Could it be that their skill is exceptional and their courage is boundless?"

"What nonsense about high skill! He's clearly just a show-off who overestimates his abilities!"

Almost no one believed Jiang Xuan could fulfill the bet. They all thought he was either foolishly falling into a trap or overconfident and about to pay the price for his arrogance.

Even prominent figures like Liu Wujun and Wei Lingzhen on the white jade platform exchanged bewildered glances, speechless upon hearing the contents of the bet. Wei Lingzhen shook her head and chuckled.

"This bet... is truly absurd."

Liu Wujun snorted coldly, offering no comment, but his eyes revealed a hint of disapproval.

They all felt that Jiang Xuan's actions were somewhat frivolous and impulsive.

However, Jiang Xuan, who was at the center of the storm, seemed completely unaffected, calmly watching the battle unfold. His face showed no sign of tension or regret, and he was entirely unaffected by the outside discussions and the betting incident.

How could he not see through Yue Zhongtian's little scheme? The other party must be relying on that secret technique that excels at dodging, and has full confidence in avoiding or neutralizing his first attack, which is why he dared to propose such an absurd bet.

But what Yue Zhongtian didn't know was that Jiang Xuan dared to agree because he had absolute confidence! In the face of an ancient offensive technique like the [Nine Shaking Heavens Collapse Dao], so-called exquisite movement techniques might not be effective against absolute power and specific moves!
……

Time flew by amidst the fierce battle, and soon the duels of the first three groups of cultivators came to an end, leaving some happy and others sad.

When the staff in charge of scheduling announced the entry of the fourth batch of cultivators, almost simultaneously all eyes in the audience of nearly 100,000 people focused on the 49th arena! Everyone wanted to witness firsthand how this dramatic and controversial bet would ultimately end.

Jiang Xuan and Yue Zhongtian stepped onto stage number 49 almost simultaneously.

After a brief adjustment, Yue Zhongtian seemed to have suppressed his unease and regained his confident and ambitious demeanor.

He looked at Jiang Xuan, who was calm on the other side, and a provocative smile appeared on his lips as he lowered his voice.

"Jiang Xuan, it's not too late to regret it now. Just admit defeat and offer up 10,000 gold coins, and you might save face."

Jiang Xuan raised his eyes, glanced at him indifferently, and spoke in a calm tone.

"You're the one who should be worried. If you're still standing on the stage after one move, I'll give you the ten thousand gold coins with both hands. If you lose... it won't just be a matter of losing money; I hope you can bear the taste of losing face."

Yue Zhongtian's face darkened at Jiang Xuan's words, and he let out a cold snort.

"You're just being glib! We'll see how you get out of this mess later!"

Without another word, he took a deep breath, and his inner energy surged to its limit! A powerful aura erupted from his body, enveloping him in a dazzling golden light. Its might swept outwards, causing the air around the arena to emit a low, mournful sound! His cultivation at the Earthly Realm was on full display!

In contrast, Jiang Xuan remained calm and composed, not even taking out his signature broadsword, simply standing there empty-handed.

A faint azure spiritual energy lingered around him, his aura as solid and unwavering as a mountain, like a boulder amidst raging waves.

"clang--!"

The bell that signaled the start of the duel finally rang!
The instant the bell rang, Yue Zhongtian let out a long howl, and his figure soared into the air like a ghost! His figure became blurred in the air, creating many afterimages, like misty clouds and shimmering light and shadow intertwined, dazzling the eyes and making it difficult to pinpoint his true form!
It is precisely this unique skill that he relies on—the [Soaring Cloud Light Technique]!
Even more astonishingly, Yue Zhongtian closed his eyes at this moment, relying entirely on his powerful soul perception to capture every subtle change in the energy on the arena! This made his movements even more unpredictable, as if he had merged with his surroundings, seemingly without a single flaw! (End of Chapter)