I run a casino in the immortal realm.

"Bang bang bang".

The sound wasn't loud, but it seemed particularly jarring in the quiet night.

Zheng Yifei's heart raced. He had just observed that there was no one around when he fought those three people. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to kill them. At most, he would have handed over all the spirit stones he had and won them back tomorrow.

He calmed his breathing, held the Vajra Talisman in his left hand, and silently walked behind the door, peeking out through the crack.

Standing outside the door was Zhang Biao, the hunter from next door, holding a jar of wine in his hand, grinning at the crack in the door.

Zheng Yifei frowned, put away the talisman, and unlatched the door.

"Brother Zhang, why aren't you resting so late?"

Zheng Yifei's face immediately changed to a gentle smile, as if the ruthless killer from just now was not him at all.

Zhang Biao did not enter the room immediately, but instead looked Zheng Yifei up and down a few times, his eyes filled with undisguised awe and fanaticism.

"Brother, stop pretending with me."

Zhang Biao lowered his voice and chuckled, "I could see everything clearly from the rooftop where that commotion was going on at the alley entrance just now."

"Good heavens! Three bastards from the Iron Fist Sect, including a seventh-level Qi Refining old smoker, and you killed them all in one fell swoop, not even leaving a complete corpse! You're not here to make a living, you're a reincarnation of a killing god!"

Zheng Yifei's heart sank slightly, but his face remained calm: "Brother Zhang is joking. I was just lucky. I only managed to get away with it because I had a few life-saving talismans. They underestimated me, and that's how I managed to get away with it."

"Brother, talismans are inanimate, but people are alive. Your killing methods are so clean and efficient; you could never have honed them in less than ten or eight years of licking blood from the edge of a knife!"

Zhang Biao gave a thumbs up: "Brother, I'm at the seventh level of Qi Refining, and I've been living on the edge of death for years, but I still can't be as clean and efficient as you. I misjudged you yesterday; I thought you were just a weak, unassuming cultivator. I never expected you to be such a ruthless character!"

As he spoke, Zhang Biao squeezed into the courtyard and slammed a wine jar and a bag of demon beast meat onto the stone table: "Come on, brother specially brought his treasured wine today to toast your amazing skills!"

Zheng Yifei did not stop him and walked to the stone table to sit down.

He knew that Zhang Biao's visit tonight was definitely not just for a few compliments.

Sure enough, after three bowls of wine, Zhang Biao changed the subject and got to the point.

"Brother Zheng, since you are so capable, I won't hold back anymore."

Zhang Biao leaned closer, his eyes gleaming with excitement: "I've been hunting on the outskirts of Black Wind Ridge for years, and I only earn my money through hard work."

But a few days ago, I discovered traces of a severely injured second-tier demonic beast, the "Ice Armor Python," by a frozen pool deep within Black Wind Ridge!

Upon hearing the words "second-tier demonic beast," Zheng Yifei raised an eyebrow slightly.

Second-tier demonic beasts are equivalent to Foundation Establishment stage cultivators in humans; they are treasures from head to toe.

"That beast just shed its skin and was injured; its strength is less than one-tenth of what it used to be. If we can capture it, its scales and demon core alone could fetch at least five hundred low-grade spirit stones at the Wanbao Pavilion!"

Zhang Biao became more and more excited as he spoke, spitting as he spoke: "I can't eat by myself. I was worried about who to cooperate with, but after seeing your skills today, I feel like I've found my backbone!"

Let's join forces and pull off a heist. After it's done, we'll split the spirit stones 50/50, how about that?

Two hundred spirit stones per person, enough for you to live comfortably in Sujiafang City for several years!

Zhang Biao looked at Zheng Yifei with anticipation, waiting for him to agree immediately.

However, Zheng Yifei simply picked up the wine bowl, took a small sip, and his eyes were as calm as a stagnant pool.

Five hundred spirit stones?

Zheng Yifei sneered inwardly.

For ordinary, low-level cultivators, five hundred spirit stones is indeed a huge sum of money that would make someone risk their life.

But in Zheng Yifei's eyes, the former gambling king, is this considered big money?

Today at the Datong Casino, he won over four hundred spirit stones in just a few hours without losing a single drop of sweat.

Go deep into Black Wind Ridge to fight a second-tier demon beast equivalent to the Foundation Establishment stage?

And then there's the prospect of spending ten to fifteen days in the deep mountains and forests, enduring wind and rain.

A slight misstep could turn you into monster excrement, and you might even have to guard against your teammates stabbing you in the back.

This kind of high-risk, low-return "business" is something Zheng Yifei wouldn't even consider.

"Brother Zhang, I appreciate your kindness."

Zheng Yifei put down his wine bowl and politely declined, saying, "But as I just said, I was able to kill those three people entirely because of the talisman's sneak attack."

With my meager cultivation at the fourth level of Qi Refining, if I were to venture deep into Black Wind Ridge, let alone second-tier demonic beasts, even a random first-tier demonic wolf could tear me apart.

I came to Suzhou just to find a stable job, to make a living. I really can't do any strenuous work.

Zhang Biao was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting Zheng Yifei to refuse so decisively.

"Brother, fortune favors the bold! Hundreds of spirit stones, aren't you tempted?"

Zhang Biao offered some reluctant advice.

"What use are spirit stones if you're dead?"

Zheng Yifei smiled and personally poured Zhang Biao a full bowl of wine: "Brother Zhang, this is a toast to you. In the future, I will have to rely on your help in Wutong Lane."

As for hunting, brother, you should find someone else to do it, lest I become a hindrance to you.

Having said all that, Zhang Biao, being a seasoned veteran, naturally understood Zheng Yifei's resolute stance.

He sighed regretfully, picked up his wine bowl, and drank it all in one gulp: "Alas, everyone has their own ambitions, and I won't force you. But since you killed someone from the Iron Fist Sect today, you'd better be careful when you go out in the future. The Iron Fist Sect will definitely investigate."

"Thank you for the reminder, brother. I will be careful."

"Brother, could you teach me your killing skills? I've never seen them before, and they seem much more effective than magic."

Zhang Biao made another request, clearly showing his interest in Zheng Yifei's fighting skills.

Zheng Yifei didn't refuse: "No problem, I'll teach you when you have some free time."

The two chatted for a few more minutes, and when Zhang Biao realized he couldn't win them over, he got up to take his leave.

After seeing Zhang Biao off, Zheng Yifei returned to the courtyard and checked the spirit stone consumption of the array plate.

He sat by the Spirit Spring Well, looking up at the cold moon in the night sky, his mind already starting to plan for tomorrow.

The Iron Fist Sect's ambush was just a minor incident and could not stop him at all.

Tomorrow, he plans to go to a different casino, increase his bets, and buy back the superior-grade Spirit Gathering Array.

Improving one's cultivation level and increasing one's strength is of paramount importance.

You also need to buy some spells. Your attack and defense methods are too limited. You rely entirely on talismans and your own fighting skills. You should learn some spells.

For example, the fireball spell just now burned three people to ashes without leaving a trace.

Sword control allows for long-range attacks.