Chapter 329: A Trillion-Dollar Gamble

Chapter 329: A Trillion-Dollar Gamble

Under the officiant's guidance, the vintage and intricate wedding ceremony lasted nearly an hour.

On the stage, the newlywed couple, Lu Yunhai and his bride, dressed in festive wedding attire, had mixed feelings in their hearts.

Three years ago, Yunhai had been heartbroken over a breakup. Now, he was happily celebrating his wedding, having found happiness. Back then, he had vowed that his ex-girlfriend would regret their split. Today, she hadn't shown up, and Lu Yunhai no longer cared.

Finally, the banquet began, and the guests toasted and chatted merrily.

As the best man, Ji Xinghuo had to follow the newlyweds and toast each table of guests, a custom that had remained unchanged for hundreds of years.

At the very first table, they encountered an old acquaintance.

"Director Yang," Ji Xinghuo greeted him proactively.

Seated at this table were some of the Fang family's investment partners, including Yang Tianqing, the director of the Qishan Wutong Archery Club.

Ji Xinghuo had a deep impression of Yang Tianqing. He was the first superpower he had met after becoming an extraordinary himself. Yang Tianqing had presented him with the championship trophy at the She Ye Cup competition and had even offered to recommend him to join the club.

Back then, Yang Tianqing had seemed incredibly powerful, but now, he appeared to be just an ordinary superpower.

Of course, Ji Xinghuo did not look down on him.

"Mr. Ji," Yang Tianqing said happily, standing up. "It's been a long time. I never expected that the next time we met, Mr. Ji would already be a world-renowned figure. Our archery club has also benefited from your fame, as we've been receiving an increasing number of applicants."

His words were filled with emotion, having followed Ji Xinghuo's journey to fame.

Now, standing before Ji Xinghuo, he could only look up to him.

"I'll catch up with Director Yang some other time," Ji Xinghuo said, not wanting to dwell on the topic.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Yang Tianqing, everyone turned their attention back to the newlyweds for the toasts.

The toasting ceremony took over an hour to complete.

Ideally, the three best men were supposed to take turns drinking, but Ji Xinghuo couldn't refuse the enthusiastic guests, and so he drank at every table.

However, this amount of alcohol was like water to him, and he didn't feel drunk at all.

"Finally, it's over!"

Upon returning to the table with his classmates, Wu Qifeng's face was flushed.

His alcohol tolerance was average, and although he remained sober, drinking so much in a short span had made him feel uncomfortable.

After the toasts, the best men had little else to do, and the wedding was drawing to a close. Some guests had already left.

Ji Xinghuo also felt that it was about time to leave, so he said to Zhao Manying beside him, "Let's go see Yunhai soon and then head out."

"No gate-crashing the bridal chamber?" one of his classmates asked.

"What era are you from? Who does that nowadays?" Wu Qifeng narrowed his eyes. "That's an outdated tradition that should have been discarded long ago. There isn't even a schedule for that today."

The classmate muttered, "It would be fun..."

Ji Xinghuo also felt that it was inappropriate, and just as he was about to speak, he suddenly looked up at the sky.

Zhao Manying tilted her head up as well.

The banquet was held in the grand hall of the mansion, half indoors and half in the outdoor courtyard. The weather today was excellent, with clear skies. Noticing the actions of Ji Xinghuo and Zhao Manying, their classmates also looked up but didn't see anything.

Suddenly, a cyan sword light cut through the sky, its grandeur akin to a green rainbow descending from the heavens, headed straight for the hotel.

The sword light tore through the air, creating a sonic boom.

Boom...

The guests were startled by the loud noise and finally noticed the anomaly in the sky. Ordinary people were stunned and didn't react for a moment.

However, the extraordinary individuals present were filled with shock and fled instinctively.

The next second, as the countless sword lights were about to slash down, they suddenly converged and vanished without a trace.

Then, a figure descended into the courtyard. This person wore an ancient-style robe, carried twin swords on his back, and had wide sleeves and a high bun. His eyebrows were like stars, and his eyes were sharp, giving him a memorable appearance akin to the male lead in a mythical martial arts drama.

"The Thousand Illusion Sword Hero!"

"A Sovereign!"

The surrounding guests immediately recognized the person's identity and exclaimed in surprise and delight.

This was a Sovereign!

Fang Yanbin, who was in the crowd, was overjoyed. The fact that a Sovereign had come to the Fang family's wedding was a huge honor.

He was about to welcome the Sovereign as the host when Li Xuan ignored him and merely nodded slightly to the others. With a detached expression, he strode towards Ji Xinghuo, his figure flickering twice as if he had teleported, and stopped in front of Ji Xinghuo.

The classmates beside them were startled.

This Sovereign clearly didn't come with good intentions, and recalling that Ji Xinghuo had insulted him online just yesterday, they wondered if he was here for revenge.

"Ji Xinghuo," Li Xuan's gaze swept over the crowd and landed on Zhao Manying, a faint smile appearing on his face. "The Sword Immortal is also here."

"What's the matter?" Ji Xinghuo asked calmly.

"I have something to discuss with you," Li Xuan said. "You blocked my number, so I had no choice but to come and find you in person."

Hearing his words, the crowd looked at Ji Xinghuo in disbelief. He had even blocked a Sovereign's number and made him come in person!

"Welcome, welcome!" Fang Yanbin quickly replied with excitement, "It is our honor to have the Thousand Illusion Sword Hero grace our wedding with his presence!"

"Thank you." Li Xuan smiled broadly.

Fang Yanbin came forward to invite Li Xuan to the seat of honor, but Li Xuan didn't budge. He looked at Wu Qifeng, who was sitting next to Ji Xinghuo, his intentions clear.

Wu Qifeng felt immense pressure and quickly got up to offer his seat.

"Thanks." Li Xuan patted Wu Qifeng's shoulder lightly and sat down next to Ji Xinghuo as if it were the most natural thing to do. Fang Yanbin immediately instructed the waiters to replace the cutlery and bring a new table of dishes.

Seeing this, the guests who had intended to leave decided to stay.

Who didn't know about the feud between Li Xuan and Ji Xinghuo? Ever since yesterday, the whole incident had been trending online, causing a huge stir.

This drama was far more exciting than the wedding itself.

The banquet continued.

However, most people had no appetite for the food, and though it seemed lively, everyone's attention was focused on Ji Xinghuo and Li Xuan.

Ji Xinghuo completely ignored Li Xuan, and Li Xuan didn't touch his food either. Instead, he struck up a conversation with Ji Xinghuo's classmates.

As a pop idol and one of the top internet celebrities globally, he had countless fans. Even though there were many haters online, when faced with the idol in person, even those who weren't his fans would become respectful.

After a brief chat, Li Xuan easily blended in with the group, leaving a friendly impression on the classmates.

A curious female classmate asked, "Sword Hero Li, do you have a conflict with Xinghuo?"

This was a question that countless people wanted to ask.

Before yesterday, Ji Xinghuo and Li Xuan had never crossed paths. Suddenly, Ji Xinghuo started insulting Li Xuan on social media, and the two were even planning a live duel, as if they had a deep-rooted enmity. It left everyone puzzled.

"No," Li Xuan smiled, "Xinghuo and I are friends who became close after a fight."

Of course, he wouldn't reveal that he had tried to piggyback on Ji Xinghuo's popularity, only to be seen through and turned on by the latter.

After his attempt to smear Ji Xinghuo backfired yesterday, Li Xuan realized that Ji Xinghuo had the backing of the authorities, and he had bitten off more than he could chew. The online public opinion was also turning against him, so he discussed with his team through the night and decided to swallow his pride and ease the tension.

"Hmph..." Ji Xinghuo coldly snorted, "We haven't even fought yet, so how can we be considered friends?"

Li Xuan's eyes showed a hint of embarrassment.

This was the first time he had been publicly humiliated like this.

Li Xuan felt annoyed, but he forced a smile and said, "Not yet, but we will be in the future."

"After the fight, I expect you'll become my enemy, so we definitely can't be friends," Ji Xinghuo didn't give him an inch. As far as he was concerned, his impression of Li Xuan was extremely negative, and they could never be friends.

"It's good to have confidence, but don't be blindly arrogant." Li Xuan's smile faded, "I hope you've learned your lesson this time."

"I'd like to,"

Ji Xinghuo hooked a finger at him, "Make an offer that satisfies me, and I'll consider giving you a chance to be friends."

Li Xuan looked around and remained silent.

"Don't tell me you spent the whole night preparing to meet me, and you still haven't thought of an offer?" Ji Xinghuo scoffed.

"Alright." Li Xuan had, of course, already considered his offer, and he said in a deep voice, "All the earnings from the live stream, plus an additional 1000 billion yuan in cash, equivalent to your exotic species, will be the stakes for this duel."

"Whoa..."

The guests sitting nearby heard this and couldn't help but gasp.

1000 billion yuan!

Plus the earnings from the live stream, which people online had already estimated to be at least 300 billion. If it all went to Ji Xinghuo, it would amount to 1300 billion!

This enormous sum of money would be enough to make the national rich list!

And it was all in cash! Ji Xinghuo smiled. Compared to the previous offer, Li Xuan had directly increased it by 500 billion, almost doubling it. It seemed like the other party was truly desperate.

Li Xuan had publicly revealed the Star-Extinction species to put pressure on Ji Xinghuo.

But in the end, he felt even more pressure himself, worrying that someone would intercept and take away the exotic species. That's why he had come in person to make the offer.

"Not enough."

Ji Xinghuo remained unmoved, "Go back and consider it some more."

The classmates sitting nearby were stunned, their eyes wide. Ji Xinghuo had actually rejected an offer of over 1000 billion yuan.

Everyone's hearts skipped a beat as they turned to look at Ji Xinghuo.

Ji Xinghuo still didn't react.

"120 billion plus the livestream earnings. That's my final offer." Li Xuan's voice resonated loudly in the pin-drop silence of the grand hall. "If you don't agree, I'll withdraw the duel invitation right now, and we'll go our separate ways."

Ji Xinghuo looked at Li Xuan, guessing his negotiation strategy.

Complete publicity!

Regardless of whether he agreed or not, Li Xuan would gain maximum exposure and spark heated discussions online.

Furthermore, Li Xuan's bold offer today clearly indicated that he was much more confident than yesterday, believing that he could emerge victorious. With such confidence, no matter how high the bid was, even if it exceeded the value of the "Absolute Hit," he wouldn't suffer any losses.

Zhao Manying gently squeezed Ji Xinghuo's hand under the table.

He glanced at Zhao Manying, and she, too, had realized why Li Xuan dared to make such an offer, thinking that he should refuse.

Ji Xinghuo suddenly asked, "In reality or the spiritual realm?"

This was a crucial question. A duel in the spiritual realm would allow them to fight without holding back and ensure no fatalities. However, a confrontation in the real world could result in severe injuries or even death, especially at the Celestial King level.

The laws of the Asia-Pacific Community only permitted duels in the spiritual realm.

If they wanted to duel in reality, they would have to arrange it abroad.

"Of course, in the spiritual realm." Li Xuan immediately replied, "It's more convenient to arrange the livestream in the country, and we can use any of the Super League venues with an audience. Ticket sales alone will bring in a substantial profit."

He didn't mention the safety of the spiritual realm.

Ji Xinghuo smiled, "I request a duel in reality. If you agree, we can sign the contract right now."

As expected, a hesitant look appeared on Li Xuan's face.

"No." After a few seconds of consideration, he said, "I have no grudge against you, so there's no need for a life-or-death duel. A battle in the spiritual realm will save us a lot of trouble."

"It's not a problem at all. We just need to fly out of the country, and a slight reduction in ticket sales won't matter." Ji Xinghuo saw through Li Xuan's hesitation. "If you insist on the spiritual realm, then the price will have to go up."

Li Xuan's biggest weakness was his fear of death.

He wasn't an alien from the Star Realm who had faced life-and-death crises and possessed the fearless courage to fight desperately.

Li Xuan closed his eyes.

The surrounding guests dared not breathe, afraid of disturbing the Heavenly King's thoughts. This concerned a bet worth over a hundred billion yuan, and they were more nervous than the parties involved.

A full minute passed before Li Xuan finally opened his eyes and said, "150 billion!"

He had increased his bid by another 30 billion and insisted on a duel in the spiritual realm.

Ji Xinghuo nodded, "Let's sign the contract."

"Wow..."

A chorus of exclamations filled the grand hall as the guests witnessed the birth of a duel wager worth over 150 billion yuan, their hearts pounding with excitement. Someone quickly snapped a picture of the scene, while others rushed to spread the news online.

Zhao Manying held Ji Xinghuo's hand, her face etched with concern, "Xinghuo?"

"It's fine."

Ji Xinghuo remained calm and composed.

Whether it was in reality or the spiritual realm, and regardless of Li Xuan's backup plans, he was confident in defeating him.

Even if he took a step back and lost, it would only mean the loss of a Star-Extinction species.

Li Xuan's team quickly drafted the contract and sent it to Ji Xinghuo.

Ji Xinghuo carefully reviewed the contract but didn't sign it immediately. Instead, he asked Zhao Manying's team to examine it before submitting it to the National Notary Office in Chang'an for inspection.

This process would take some time.

The anxious wait for the audit results during those few minutes felt like hours to everyone present.

Finally, Ji Xinghuo received a response from the notary office, confirming that the contract was legally valid.

Zhao Manying also nodded slightly, indicating that there were no trap clauses.

Under the watchful eyes of the guests, Ji Xinghuo appended his electronic signature to the contract, agreeing to a duel on October 1st of this year in the spiritual realm. The contract immediately took effect.

"Good luck."

Li Xuan stood up, a slight curve forming at the corners of his mouth as he looked at Ji Xinghuo. Without sparing another glance at anyone else, he transformed into a streak of green sword light and shot into the sky, vanishing from sight in the blink of an eye.

At the same time, the contract they signed spread like wildfire online, causing a global sensation.

The next chapter will be released at noon tomorrow.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end