Fantasy: Starting with a bowl, you can exchange it for endless cultivation.

The next morning.

Jiuwan City then became lively.

Many external forces and independent practitioners.

They gathered here.

I want to see if what was rumored yesterday will happen today.

Today, Yuan Geng of the Golden Palace will forcefully challenge Gu Chen.

They refused to pay the 30,000 yuan challenge fee set by Gu Chen.

On the Night Watch side, and outside Gu Chen's mansion.

It was guarded by many outsiders and independent cultivators who wanted to watch the spectacle.

The same was true outside the inn where the Jin Yao Palace group was staying.

In the inn.

Looking at the crowd of onlookers outside.

Yuan Geng was very satisfied.

This is exactly the kind of publicity effect he wants.

This puts Gu Chen in a passive position, forcing him to accept the challenge whether he wants to or not.

"It's time," Yuan Geng said, looking at a disciple who was monitoring Gu Chen's movements outside. "Where is Gu Chen now?"

"Senior brother, Gu Chen has been staying in his residence and hasn't come out. He seems to be refining pills," replied the Golden Radiance Palace disciple who was responsible for monitoring the outside world.

"Trying to evade him like this? How laughable." Yuan Geng sneered. "Let's head to his residence now."

"Yes, Senior Brother." The group of Jin Yao Palace disciples were excited and followed Yuan Geng out of the inn.

They headed towards Gu Chen's residence.

They are about to witness their senior brother defeat Gu Chen.

It's absurd that someone at the mid-stage of the True Essence Realm is worthy of ranking 247th on the Prodigy Ranking.

Fortunately, their senior brother immediately exposed this ridiculous scam.

This caused Gu Chen and the Supervisory Bureau to lose face completely.

Here at Gu Chen Mansion.

Cheng Mengling arrived with a group of Cheng family guards to keep watch over the surroundings.

He guarded the ancient dust and refined elixirs.

Today's situation is special.

Yuan Geng from Jin Yao Palace might challenge Gu Chen. If the two sides don't control themselves well, a conflict could easily break out.

She should bring over the experts from the Cheng family first.

Although the powerful members of the Cheng family might not even be able to defeat the weakest disciple of the Golden Palace.

But at least you should have the right attitude.

Gu Chen also noticed the crowds of people who had come to watch the commotion outside the mansion.

He didn't drive them away.

It is good if many people give their testimonies today.

If Yuan Geng doesn't take his rules seriously.

He was determined to challenge him.

He suppressed Yuan Geng and seized his resources, and no one dared to say anything.

After all, it was Yuan Geng who made the first move.

Attacking officials of the Divine Dynasty's Night Watch is a grave crime!

Gu Chen continued his daily alchemy practice at a leisurely pace.

Wei Zhong tended the fire for him.

At this moment, Liang Xiaoyun and Lin Fei from the Night Watch also arrived with a group of experts from the Night Watch.

They had received word that Yuan Geng had led a group of Jin Yao Palace disciples out of the inn.

They were heading towards Gu Chen's residence.

They arrived first with their men.

If a conflict breaks out later, they also have manpower on their side.

soon.

Yuan Geng then led a group of Jin Yao Palace disciples to Gu Chen's residence.

"Gu Chen, I am Yuan Geng from the Golden Palace, ranked 250th on the Prodigy Ranking. I have come to challenge you today." Yuan Geng called out to Gu Chen from outside his residence.

The crowd around looked excitedly into the mansion.

Now Yuan Geng has already issued a challenge.

But he only called it a challenge and didn't mention the 30,000 taels of silver.

They wanted to see how Gu Chen would respond.

At this moment, Gu Chen...

Just finished refining a batch of pills.

He took out the ten pills he had obtained and handed them to Cheng Mengling, who was standing to the side.

Then, addressing the doorway, he said, "Anyone who wants to challenge me is welcome. However, you must first pay a challenge fee of 30,000 taels of silver. Otherwise, this challenge will only benefit you. If you win, you can take my place. If I win, I will get no benefit at all. Why should I waste my time fighting you?"

Upon hearing this...

Yuan Geng and his entourage, who were outside the mansion, headed towards the mansion gate.

The Cheng family guards at the gate tried to stop them.

Gu Chen waved his hand and said, "Let them in."

Only then did the Cheng family guards allow everyone to enter.

Gu Chen's mansion was very large.

There is a large square in the mansion.

It can accommodate thousands of people.

They saw Yuan Geng leading his men inside.

The outsiders and independent cultivators who had been watching from all around also followed them in.

Soon, hundreds of people gathered in the square of Gu Chen's mansion.

Yuan Geng came in.

He looked at Gu Chen and said, "The rules of the Prodigy Ranking are generally accepted: those ranked lower challenge those ranked higher, and those ranked higher must accept the challenge. Gu Chen, as a prodigy on the ranking, you actually want to use this to charge other challengers fees and make money. Do you have any sense of responsibility and courage as a strong person?"

"If everyone sets rules on the Prodigy Ranking, and those with lower rankings have to pay huge challenge fees to challenge those with higher rankings, wouldn't the Prodigy Ranking be in chaos? If others can't afford the money, they won't be able to challenge, and those with higher rankings will never be surpassed."

"I don't care what rules you all agree on," Gu Chen said disdainfully. "But here, my rules are the rules. If you want to challenge someone, I don't care whether they accept your challenge fee or not. Here, if you want to challenge me, you have to pay a challenge fee of 30,000 taels of silver first."

"Are you really going to defy the world and act like such a despicable person?!" Yuan Geng coldly shouted, "Look at this, everyone! This is how the Night Watch officials behave. How is such behavior any different from those petty people who only care about small gains and have no sense of righteousness? How can such a person be qualified to be on the list of the most outstanding talents?"

"Yeah, if you're capable, then accept the challenge. If you're not, then don't just occupy the position without contributing anything and put yourself behind others in the rankings." Some people in the crowd started to discuss among themselves.

Gu Chen narrowed his eyes and looked at Yuan Geng.

The method was good; the intention was to provoke him into making a move through insults and provocations, which would then naturally constitute a challenge.

No need to pay the 30,000 taels challenge fee.

If I don't take action, he will continue to insult and belittle me, calling me a petty person who acts like a villain and lacks the responsibility of a strong person.

"Watch your mouth. This is the first time. If you can't pay, get out of here. If you spout any more nonsense, I'll cripple you," Gu Chen said coldly.

"You dare to boast about crippling me? You're just talking big. Don't you know you'll regret it? I'm right here today. Try crippling me and see what happens." Yuan Geng said disdainfully, "If you don't have the strength or the courage to accept the challenge, just say so. If you're afraid of losing, just hand over your ranking to avoid making a fool of yourself."

"What do you mean by your rules being the rules? You want to be special, so why do you accept only what others don't?" Yuan Geng sneered. "I bet there's something fishy about the Censorate ranking you at 247. They must have bribed them to get this empty title. Now that someone comes to challenge you, you're showing your true colors, which is why you don't dare accept challenges."

"Yes, he must have bribed the Surveillance Department. It's truly shameless. As an official of the Night Watch, doing this is a disgrace to the Night Watch. If you dare not accept challenges from others in the future, go tell the Surveillance Department to stop putting you on the list of prodigies. It's embarrassing. Those who know understand that this is the list of prodigies, but those who don't will think it's a list of cowards!" A disciple from the Golden Palace chimed in.

Gu Chen looked at the group of people from the Golden Palace: "You guys are quite adept at courting death."

It seems unlikely that he can now achieve his goal of getting Yuan Geng to take action against him.

Yuan Geng probably knew this too.

If he attacks me first.

This could easily constitute the crime of unauthorized attack on officials of the Divine Dynasty.

In the end, he himself became the target of criticism.

The best option was for him to provoke and insult me, forcing me to take direct action against him.

This way, he can fight directly against himself and achieve his goal.

"Gu Chen, do you dare to accept the challenge or not? If you don't, just admit defeat and say you're inferior to me, then we'll leave immediately." Yuan Geng said, "A real man should act decisively, not act like a woman, all fussy and indecisive."

Yuan Geng's words.

This immediately drew laughter from the surrounding powerful figures.

Many members of the Nine Bays City Night Watch glared angrily at the group.

How dare they insult their director like that?

That's really damn good.

But they were no match for these people.

This group of people came from Jin Yao Palace.

Most of them were at the True Essence Realm or the Fifth Innate Realm, and Yuan Geng was even a master at the mid-stage of the Breaking Aperture Realm.

The outsiders who came to watch the spectacle, including various powerful figures and independent cultivators, were mostly at the True Essence Realm or the fifth level of the Innate Realm.

Only beings of this caliber would pay such close attention to information on the Prodigy Ranking.

They wanted to teach these people a lesson on behalf of their director, Gu Chen, but they couldn't.

Gu Chen wanted to charge a challenge fee.

They are not good at judging right and wrong.

No one had ever done this before.

After all, there had never been a special case like their Director Gu Chen before.

The level of skill is not high, but the ranking is very high.

This will attract many challengers.

If you don't set rules.

If anyone can challenge you, then you don't need to cultivate every day; you can just deal with other people's challenges all day long.

Who would do something so thankless and exhausting?

Therefore, special cases should be handled in a special way.

People like Yuan Geng want to take on the challenge but don't want to pay the challenge fee.

They wanted to insult and provoke them in this way, forcing their director to fight back.

The process was naturally unpleasant.

"You're asking for it!" Gu Chen looked at Yuan Geng coldly and said, "I can accept your challenge without charging a fee, but it has to be a life-or-death battle. Neither side can admit defeat until they are both dead."

"Dare you or not!" Gu Chen sneered.