In order to get accurate insider information, Qi Ze, with a thickened skin, clung onto Yan Junyu, sending text messages whenever he could, more aggressively than when he had pursued the other man. On the third day of the competition, he made countless calls and finally managed to coax the busy Young Master Yan to a private room.
Yan Junyu replied with his usual aloof tone that he was busy, barely tolerating a few minutes of rambling, before finally seeming to be fed up and agreeing. But after hanging up the communicator, his cold and stern face gradually broke into a tender smile, surprising Wang Xuan.
"Coach, do you have an emergency?" he tentatively asked. "If you have an emergency, go take care of it. I'm fine here."
"Hmm, it's a bit urgent," Yan Junyu said seriously. He was eager to earn money for Qi Ze. If he'd said this two months ago, no one, including himself, would have believed it.
Rushing away from the mecha training field and changing into a crisp military uniform in his dormitory, Yan Junyu quickly rushed to the arena. However, as he approached the private room, he slowed his pace and composed himself. He casually pushed the door open and gave Qi Ze a slight nod.
Qi Ze had been waiting for a long time. Seeing the God of Wealth enter, he immediately beamed, "Young Master Yan, please take a seat. I ordered a bottle of red wine. I hope it suits your taste?" He pushed the decanted wine over and pointed to his wrist-mounted smart-brain. "I picked out several groups of popular contestants just now. Can you take a look?"
From the first word, Yan Junyu spoke in a perfect Jingdu accent. "Betting on popular contestants might be safe, but the returns are relatively lower."
Qi Ze immediately adopted a rustic accent. "Winning only a few thousand per match is indeed boring. But as a newcomer, I can only do that. It's not like you, betting on the underdogs every time and winning. In the Empire, there's probably no one with better judgment than you." He gave a light, but not too light, compliment. When he was still the extravagant Young Master of Supreme Divine Creation Sect, he had never neglected to please his father and the elders. He had always been indifferent to those who didn't matter to him, but for someone who could bring him huge benefits, he was willing to extend a spring-like warmth.
Who cared about a rejected confession? Love was just a seasoning; interests were eternal.
Yan Junyu looked at him with a half-smile. "I originally thought you were quite shy, but I didn't expect you to be like this in private." However, he wasn't the least bit surprised and naturally accepted Qi Ze's change. This man was a money-grubber, a silly rich kid who spent like water. The supposed quietness, introversion, timidity, and sensitivity were all deceptive masks.
This kind of temperament shouldn't appear in an orphan but rather, resembled a carefully cultivated Young Master from a prestigious clan. Remembering the stone tablet from the dream and the origins of the inscription, Yan Junyu couldn't help but suspect that Qi Ze had another identity.
Once his cultivation recovered, Qi Ze would inevitably spread the fame of Supreme Divine Creation Sect throughout the entire Galaxy. Why would he disguise himself forever? Besides, he had never been a low-key person. Initially, it was just to familiarize himself with the environment and quietly lay down roots. Now that his foundation was slightly solid, his original nature inevitably resurfaced.
He scratched his nose tip and said with a smile, "I'm a slow warmer. You'll understand after spending more time with me."
Would there be a long time for interaction? This sentence clearly pleased Yan Junyu. He withdrew his inquisitive gaze, grabbed the youth's slender wrist, and placed it on his knee. His fingertip tapped on the webpage. "These two groups can't be bet on. There might be a tie. These two groups have no suspense, and the odds are low. Investing too much money wouldn't make sense..."
Qi Ze couldn't help but lean over, his chin resting on Yan Junyu's arm, nodding continuously.
"Bet on these six groups. Focus on the second group. This match has the potential for an upset," Yan Junyu decided after careful deliberation. From his perspective, he could only see Qi Ze's fluffy hair, but the weight of his chin on his arm was so real. If it were someone else, he would have shaken them off long ago, but with Qi Ze, he unknowingly dropped all his defenses.
Qi Ze wouldn't harm him. He was absolutely sure of this.
"Is there going to be an upset in the second group?" Qi Ze was a little doubtful. "One contestant in the second group is Han Xingjie, a mid-five-level Earth-type ability user. The other is Wen Qing, a mid-four-level Water-type ability user. Earth suppresses Water, and they differ by a large realm. Besides, Wen Qing has lost several matches, his state has plummeted to the bottom. How could he possibly win over Han Xingjie? Coach Yan, you better not trick me. All this principal is borrowed from others, with very high interest."
"Don't worry, I won't trick you. The loss is on me if we lose," Yan Junyu patiently explained. "Wen Qing has average talent, but he has a strong and determined character. After losing several matches, he has advanced. He's now at the early five-level. Since Water-type ability users have strong self-healing abilities and expend less mental power when controlling elements, others can only persist in battles for at most four hours, while they can extend it to six hours. They are best suited for attrition warfare. Han Xingjie doesn't know about Wen Qing's advancement yet. Once on stage, he will definitely adopt a strategy of quick attacks, which consumes a considerable amount of mental power. However, Wen Qing can fight steadily. As long as he survives for half an hour without falling, the rest of the battle will be his forte. According to my estimation, the possibility of an upset is sixty percent. It's worth betting on."
In less than half a minute, Qi Ze had invested all his funds in the second group. He was born with a love for adventure and would dare to bet big as long as the profit was substantial. With odds of 1:79, and continuously rising, he could starve for a few days if he lost. But if he won, he could scoop up several hundred million. Why not take the gamble?
After placing the bet, he said slowly, "Sixty percent is actually still quite low. I thought with Coach Yan's personality, the success rate should be higher. By the way, how did you know that Wen Qing advanced? Insider information?"
Yan Junyu was taken aback, realizing his change. He had always acted with integrity, never making a move without a high degree of certainty. But this time, every time he deliberated on how to place the bet, as long as the odds were higher and the winning chance was over fifty percent, he would make the choice without hesitation. A voice in his head told him: It's not a big deal to lose; people must dare to take risks.
What happened to the stable Yan Junyu of the past? His mind was in turmoil, but he didn't reveal a trace of it on his face. He explained, "No insider information. I can sense an ability user's level. Wen Qing's aura is clearly different from yesterday. The water elements around him are very active."
"You can see elements?" Qi Ze was surprised. He had thought only he could see them. Of course, he didn't see them with his eyes, but rather used his divine sense. The spirit eyes could only see the spiritual energy attached to the surface of a human body or objects. He was now too low level, and it was at least seven to eight hundred meters from the arena, far beyond his scanning range. Thus, he didn't know anything about Wen Qing's advancement.
"It's not seeing, but by feeling," Yan Junyu replied. At this point, he was stunned again, with fleeting flashes of colorful and dazzling scenes passing through his mind. What were they? Element particles? He silently shook his head, suppressing this absurd idea.
"Your perception is very impressive," Qi Ze glanced at Yan Junyu in surprise. He must have vaguely touched the threshold of divine sense. He couldn't help feeling sorry for Yan Junyu. If he were born on Qianyuan Continent and obtained a suitable cultivation method, he could definitely become a great leader in his own right.
The two of them settled their bets and then calmly sat down to watch the match. When it was Han Xingjie and Wen Qing's turn, the odds had already climbed to 1:88. Apart from the first match with Ouyang Ye, this was perhaps the most unpopular match. Wen Qing's performance was indeed very weak, almost being dominated by Han Xingjie. It wasn't long before he was covered in wounds, struggling to defend.
Qi Ze nervously stared at the holographic screen, holding a glass of red wine at an angle but not drinking it, almost spilling it over.
Yan Junyu held his wrist, leveling the wine glass, and slowly led it to his mouth, watching him gulp a mouthful. A hint of a smile couldn't help but spread across the corner of his mouth. He liked staying by Qi Ze's side, as it made him feel very relaxed and at ease. He also enjoyed secretly observing the other's every move, adding to his amusement.
Qi Ze pursed his lips and shook his head. "Being beaten into such a sorry state right from the start, the chances of an upset are very slim!"
Yan Junyu smiled without a word, only looking at the time. After half an hour, Wen Qing hadn't fallen, but Han Xingjie's ability was almost exhausted. His attacks were noticeably weakened, his speed slowed, and he appeared to be out of steam. Ten minutes later, Wen Qing suddenly started to counterattack, shooting wave after wave of water arrows toward the opposite side. Han Xingjie, however, didn't even have the strength to raise a soil shield. The battle situation was completely reversed. Wen Qing steadily fought, while Han Xingjie kept retreating.
The audience only then realized that although Wen Qing was a bit battered, he could dodge Han Xingjie's fatal attacks each time. On the other hand, Han Xingjie became increasingly anxious as the time dragged on, using more big moves. By the end, he was almost completely exhausted and couldn't initiate any effective attacks.
One went for a quick attack, the other for a slow grind; one had high energy consumption and slow recovery, the other had low energy consumption and fast recovery. The outcome was obvious. At the fifty-minute mark, Wen Qing used a water tornado to knock Han Xingjie off the arena, and he himself knelt halfway on the ground, taking deep breaths. It was an extremely arduous battle of attrition.
Silence followed for a few seconds before thundering cheers broke out. Of course, there were also many curses of anger and frustration mixed in. Qi Ze put down his wine glass and raised his hands to applaud. His applause was slow and his movements elegant, but his eyes sparkled with bright light.
The youth's pretense of being reserved and calm was very adorable, making Yan Junyu quietly break into a smile.
After the morning matches ended, Qi Ze calculated the earnings, his heart couldn't help but skip a beat. He squinted his eyes in a smile and transferred seventy percent of it to Yan Junyu's account, expressing that their cooperation was very pleasant. He hoped Coach Yan would continue to work hard and not give up this excellent opportunity to make money.
"I know you have money, but it's all your family's money. If you weren't Young Master Yan, who would bother with you? People should remember to leave themselves a way out. As the saying goes, 'You only regret the lack of books when you need them, and the lack of money at the end of the month.' These are all wise sayings. Perhaps one day you'll fall on hard times and have to rely on this money to make a comeback?" Qi Ze spoke with a feeling, his tone wistful.
He was in dire straits now. The taste of being short of money to the point of hunger was indescribable.
Yan Junyu was holding back laughter in his heart, but his expression was especially serious. He said sternly, "Knowing that you don't have enough money at the end of the month, why don't you save a little? How about this: you give me another ten thousand star coins, and I'll save it for you. You can come back to me when you need it urgently."
Qi Ze frowned and considered for a long time. He reluctantly said, "It's possible, but you have to write me a receipt."
Yan Junyu, "..."
With no other choice, he wrote a receipt and then dug two ten-thousand-star-coin bills out of the billionaire's hands. With this money, even if the match ended, he wouldn't have to worry about Qi Ze leaving him behind and ignoring him anymore. Although he hadn't spent much time with the youth, Yan Junyu subconsciously knew that using people and throwing them away once they were used was this person's style. Yet, even with such a callous attitude, he couldn't stir up any resentment in Yan Junyuâ-
When Qi Ze returned to the apartment, Ouyang Ye had just finished soaking in the nutritional solution. He had competed in consecutive matches, consuming a lot of energy and sustaining some injuries. If he didn't quickly recover, he might not hold out until the end. It was the same for the other contestants. When not in a match, they would soak in the recovery cabins as much as possible to recuperate.
Unlike before, Qi Ze didn't immediately dive into the pile of materials to treasure hunt. Instead, he held a few red balls and stared at them in a daze. Ouyang Ye recognized those balls as the silk spun by the Level Six Frenzied Beast Ghost-Faced Spider. It was very strong and fire-resistant. A single spider silk could withstand several hundred pounds of tension. It was often mixed into building materials or metals to make fireproof barriers.
Because of this, these small balls of silk were not cheap. The mere handful in Young Master Qi's hands was worth several hundred thousand.
Ouyang Ye was about to walk over to take a look when the doorbell rang. Opening it, he found a delivery truck, several robots unloading boxes of goods, then taking out a form for the buyer to sign for receipt.
"Young Master Qi, did you buy all of these?" Ouyang Ye roughly estimated. With so many things, it was worth at least a few tens of millions. Young Master Qi's spending was much more impressive than his alchemy skills.
Qi Ze stuffed the spider silk into his pocket and then went out to inspect the goods, nodding. "I bought them." The Black Eye Galaxy was indeed a magical place. Although the spiritual energy contained too many impurities, its concentration was higher than that of a Golden Immortal's cave. This resulted in the nurturing of many exotic treasures, such as various frenzied beasts, various mutated plants, various spirit stones, and spirit gold. If it were not for this, the ability users, who possessed spirit roots but lacked cultivation methods, wouldn't have awakened their powers right from birth. Moreover, they would understand how to use them without being taught.
He had the robots move the goods into the warehouse and settled the final payment. Staring at the meager balance in his account, his expression was somewhat conflicted. He raised his fist and knocked his forehead, silently calculating how he could earn more money. Selling antiques was slow to recoup funds, and he couldn't afford to wait.
"Out of money?" Ouyang Ye could tell what was happening just by looking at his expression.
"At any time, I'm in a state of being short of money. Don't ask," Qi Ze closed the door and lowered his voice. "I have a way to make money. Are you interested?"
Ouyang Ye felt a chill down his spine. "Tell me what you want me to do first."
"If you win this afternoon, your opponent tomorrow will be Ouyang Duanhua. Currently, everyone is paying attention to your confrontation, and many predictions have been made. You're evenly matched, both are favorites to win the championship. But if you suddenly suffered serious injuries, who would the predictions favor?"
"Of course him."
"If everyone disapproved of you, would your odds rise?"
"Definitely." Ouyang Ye understood now. He said anxiously, "Young Master Qi, you can't be serious about making me deliberately get injured, then guide public opinion, stir up the odds, and reap huge profits, right? I'm not even sure if I can beat Ouyang Duanhua without getting injured. Aren't you afraid of losing your pants!"
"Do you understand the concept of pretending to be injured? Since I helped you register for the competition, I never planned for you to lose." Qi Ze walked to the basement and threw all the spider silk he had bought into a container engraved with a spirit gathering array, soaking it in energy solution, and then added several root stems of mutated plants, slowly stirring with a stick. A few minutes later, the silk ball gradually unraveled, turning into a stream of flowing red threads. The energy solution was scorched by the high temperature emitted by the spider silk, bubbling. It was about to boil.
"My opponent this afternoon is Chen Huan, a peak five-level Gold-type ability user. It's hard to deal with him. I don't even have a surefire way to win. How could I possibly control the injuries? If pretending to be injured means deliberately taking a hit, one wrong move could get me killed. Young Master Qi, I really can't do this request. Please spare me?" Ouyang Ye felt a bitter taste in his heart.
Qi Ze, however, laughed carelessly. "Don't act cute with me. I don't fall for it. Who said deliberately taking a hit would get you killed? I'll make you a Dharma robe. Wear it, and you won't get hurt. Unless you encounter a level-seven or higher ability user."
"What is a Dharma robe?" Ouyang Ye's eyes flickered.
"It's what you call a protective suit."
"But the organizers have rules. You can't wear protective gear onto the stage."
"To ordinary people, it's just a body-hugging undergarment. Nothing special. I looked it over. You only know how to attack and don't understand defense at all. When you meet a contestant like Ouyang Duanhua, who is well-rounded in both attack and defense, you're done for. With this suit, you can do whatever you want on the stage. No attacks can stop you. Of course, when you need to get hurt, you have to symbolically suffer some injuries. Don't arouse suspicion." Qi Ze put down the stick and earnestly instructed, "Perform well in the match this afternoon. You must break a few ribs. But don't lose, win a hard-fought victory. Remember, the harder the better."
Ouyang Ye nodded with difficulty, thinking to himself that Young Master Qi would really do anything for money.
He sat on the side, watching Young Master Qi cook the spider silk, take out a machine, and start weaving. He kept chattering, "Just now that was reeling the silk. Now this is weaving. Weaving is divided into raw weaving and cooked weaving. Due to the rush, I can only do raw weaving for you. Weave while infusing spirit. At the end, give me a bowl of your blood for the ritual. This Dharma robe is considered completed. But since I used the silk of the Level Six Ghost-Faced Spider, it can currently only withstand attacks from level-six ability users. In the future, if we add some higher-level silk, the defensive power will increase."
The youth's hands flew, and a bright red silk quickly took shape under the sound of the machine's operation. Occasionally, he would adjust the warp and weft of the silk thread, weaving extremely complex patterns. The patterns glowed with red light, then disappeared. Looking closely again, the red silk was still red silk, nothing special.
But Ouyang Ye clearly felt the temperature in the room rising in successive waves, almost to the point of roasting a person dry. Luckily, he was a Fire-type ability user, barely able to withstand it.
An hour later, Qi Ze finally finished weaving the cloth, throwing it into the smelting furnace to forge it. At the same time, he poured a bowl of Ouyang Ye's blood. The temperature inside the furnace suddenly soared, melting even the strongest alloys, but the cloth made of spider silk remained unscathed and appeared even more glossy and smooth.
It seemed to have turned into another material.
Ouyang Ye watched with intense interest, pacing back and forth in front of the furnace, repeatedly asking, "When will it be ready? The cloth is woven, but it still needs to be cut and sewn into a garment, right? It's become so tough, what tool can cut it?"
Qi Ze silently took out a simple-looking pair of scissors, cutting the freshly made cloth into a template. He stitched the pieces together. For disciples of Supreme Divine Creation Sect, sewing, weaving, tanning, carving, and even stitching shoes were all basic skills. Spirit weapons and Dharmic artifacts didn't fall from the sky or just pop out of the furnace. With materials, they had to be made. Even a Grandmaster in the Soul Formation stage had to process materials by hand from time to time.
Ouyang Ye was dumbfounded, saying vaguely, "Young Master Qi, is there anything you can't do? You're too damn capable!"
Qi Ze ignored him and quickly stitched together a close-fitting undergarment, laying it flat on the workbench. It looked quite neat and beautiful.
"Hey, wait. Young Master Qi, you forgot to take my measurements. What if I can't wear it?" Ouyang Ye slapped his forehead.
"Just put it on, don't be so fussy. Dripping your blood on it, it becomes your property. It will automatically adjust the size based on your body shape," Qi Ze pierced Young Master Ouyang's fingertip with scissors, smeared it haphazardly on the clothes. A layer of red light rapidly flashed, then quickly converged as if it were an illusion.
Ouyang Ye froze for a moment before impatiently taking off his training uniform, putting on the undergarment, picking up his sword, and rushing into the basement training ground, sparring with the coach robot. Originally, he would still protect his vital spots a little, but now he fully exposed his body, fighting to the utmost. At first glance, it seemed as if he had all sorts of vulnerabilities, but regardless of how the opponent attacked, he remained unscathed. Only a few holes were torn in the training uniform.
Qi Ze didn't have time to watch. After warning him not to miss the match, he returned to the living room to prepare to sway public opinion. He had been in the Black Eye Galaxy for more than two years and knew that it was an era of very advanced information technology. No matter what happened in any corner of the world, as long as it was on the Star Network, it would immediately spread throughout the world.
However, a person with little influence could hardly stir up big waves on their own. He had to find someone to cooperate with.
"Is Coach Yan there?" He tentatively sent a message to Yan Junyu.
A quick reply came back. "What, you don't have money for nutritional solution?" Soon after, ten thousand star coins were transferred over.
Qi Ze, "...I want to ask you for a favor."
The video call's notification sounded immediately, and Yan Junyu's tall and upright figure appeared on the holographic screen. He was wearing military pants, without a belt, clasped at the hip, revealing beautiful muscle lines, a lean waist, and eight neatly arranged abs. The visual impact was very shocking. His upper body was completely bare and covered in fine beads of sweat, indicating he had just undergone intense exercise. He raised a bottle of pure water and poured it over his already wet hair. The intense masculinity hit Qi Ze with ten thousand points of damage.
Qi Ze was suddenly stunned, his cheeks rapidly flushing red.