Chapter 246

Chapter 246: Trap! Trap! Trap!

Green Sparrow Palace was unusually lively, a rare sight.

Normally, the palace was peaceful, especially at night, silent and still.

But ever since Zhang Yang and Bing Yuyan arrived, it had occasionally been filled with Bing Yuyan’s angry roars.

By now, the people of Green Sparrow Palace had grown accustomed to it.

Even the little girls led by Little Sparrow would sometimes sneak outside to watch.

Whenever they saw Bing Yuyan leave in high spirits, they would chatter excitedly, wondering if Zhang Yang had been bullied.

In reality, Zhang Yang had only used one simple trick to calm Bing Yuyan’s anger.

That trick was:

"Here’s the Holy Bone Dan Stone for you."

Then, this beautiful woman promptly forgot about being taken advantage of and left joyfully.

The Divine Palace was a vast, boundless artifact, capable of isolating itself from outside prying eyes and eavesdropping. It also possessed formidable defensive power.

Inside, they had no fear that the Green Sparrow Palace would cause trouble.

Within the Divine Palace, Yilie sat at the head position.

Lined up below him on both sides stood fifty or so individuals. Among them were warriors of both Great Boundless and Small Boundless realms.

On the left side, three middle-aged men stood prominently.

They had been carefully selected by Yilie to prepare for the upcoming gamble against Zhang Yang.

Their names were Ding Yilong, Xin Yichen, and Yao Yizun.

"You three understand the significance of this gamble, don’t you? Do I need to elaborate?" Yilie’s voice carried an imposing presence, like a deity seated in the clouds.

The three men immediately knelt in unison and replied, "We will not disappoint the elder’s expectations!"

Yilie nodded slightly. "Very well. Go and cultivate. If you succeed tomorrow, I will promote you to the Small Boundless realm."

"Thank you, Elder!"

The three bowed deeply and withdrew to a room adjacent to the Divine Palace to begin training.

Yilie then turned his gaze to the remaining individuals. "Tomorrow’s battle may have unforeseen events, though the chances are slim. Regardless, you must be fully prepared. When employing the forbidden laws together, do not be careless."

The group knelt on one knee, responding loudly in assurance.

Sitting alone, Yilie felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

He loved this feeling, having everyone beneath his feet.

As long as he obtained the Great Path Sacred Fruit, he could achieve true supremacy.

With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the crowd.

As the others withdrew, Yilie murmured to himself,

"Although a single Great Path Sacred Fruit can make me a saint, progressing further within the saint realm will be challenging. It is said that the fruit contains the profound mysteries of the Great Path itself. If I can enter the saint realm while still possessing it, I can study its mysteries with the power of a saint, laying the foundation for even greater advancements.

Therefore, I must obtain more Great Path Sacred Fruits. At the very least, I can use them to trade for other holy treasures."

He flipped his wrist, revealing the Holy Bone Dan Stone, gently feeling its surface. A smirk crossed his lips as he whispered,

"The Holy Bone Dan Stone is the foundation of my path in the saint realm. How could I possibly trade it? Zhang Yang, you really are naive."

He put away the Holy Bone Dan Stone and retrieved a crystal-like branch about the length of his arm, the Crystal Saint Wood.

"The Crystal Saint Wood has countless remarkable uses. Years ago, I paid a great price to obtain it, intending to use it for something else… but for the sake of the Great Path Sacred Fruit, I’ll use it on you, Zhang Yang."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"Suppressing your realm while making you believe you still have a chance to turn the tables and continue raising the stakes—that is the true art of running a gambling den. Even in suppressing your realm, the choice must be precise."

As he examined the Crystal Saint Wood, he pondered for a moment before channeling his energy into it.

Zhang Yang was also deep in thought.

The Absolute Holy Forbidden Law in his dantian had already been broken and no longer affected him.

Now, the question was—how should he pretend that he was still under its influence?

Should he use seventy percent of his strength? Fifty percent? Or even less?

It was a difficult decision.

After careful consideration, he decided to limit himself to using half of his strength at Touching Heaven Realm, Level Four.

Once he made up his mind, he resumed cultivation. Before dawn, he adjusted his breathing, ensuring he was in top condition.

As the first light of dawn broke, he freshened up and prepared to eat.

Just then, Bing Yuyan swaggered over again.

Seeing the barely concealed excitement in her eyes, Zhang Yang could tell that this woman had spent the entire night fantasizing about the glorious future awaiting her with the Great Path Sacred Fruit and Holy Bone Dan Stone in hand.

This adorable woman simply couldn’t keep a secret.

His expression turned serious. "From now on, you need to act low-key. Do not let any happiness or excitement show in your eyes. Instead, you must look worried. If something goes wrong and we don’t get the Holy Bone Dan Stone, don’t blame me."

"I know, I know. Don’t worry." Bing Yuyan confidently patted her chest.

Zhang Yang narrowed his eyes. Was she doing that on purpose?

Soon, Little Sparrow brought breakfast.

Bing Yuyan, with no sense of restraint, unapologetically devoured most of it, using her hands without a trace of decorum.

"Image! Image!" Zhang Yang exclaimed. "Where is your goddess-like aura?"

Bing Yuyan scoffed. "Why should I pretend in front of you? That would be exhausting."

Zhang Yang was speechless.

This woman was becoming increasingly casual.

Yet, he had witnessed her acting skills firsthand.

When they stepped out of the small courtyard, the silly, spoiled, fierce woman disappeared.

In her place stood a proud goddess—her posture graceful, her expression haughty.

But if one looked closely, there was also a faint sorrow in her eyes, as if something weighed on her heart. Occasionally, her brows furrowed ever so slightly, evoking an air of infinite melancholy.

Such a performance…

If he weren’t already aware of the truth, Zhang Yang himself wouldn’t have noticed the act.

He strongly suspected that this woman was deliberately playing cute whenever she was alone with him.

After all, she had already obtained the Great Path Sacred Fruit, and the Holy Bone Dan Stone had been promised to her.

Still, beneath her flawless facade, he caught glimpses of genuine excitement flickering in her eyes.

And in that moment, Zhang Yang understood—

This was the real ‘proud’ goddess.

By now, the people of Green Sparrow Palace had already heard of the gamble.

Many had come out early, eager to witness the event.

A group of lively ladies gathered, yet there was no air of arrogance—only heroic spirit, like female knights wandering the world.

Among them, Feng Daoer and Shuang Jianer stood waiting.

On the opposite side, Yilie led a group out of the Divine Palace.

Both sides met in the middle.

Zhang Yang spoke first. “Third Elder, I encountered an urgent matter last night that requires my immediate attention. I propose postponing today’s bet. What do you think?”

He had thought about this beforehand.

During his self-examination yesterday, he had noticed certain problems that he had been unable to resolve.

Yilie’s smile remained, but the intensity in her eyes sharpened. “What matter could be more important than wagering the Holy Bone Dan Stone and the Great Path Sacred Fruit? I disagree.”

Zhang Yang hesitated for a moment before responding, “Then fine, I won’t fight.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, silence fell over the scene.

Both sides were taken aback.

The women from Green Sparrow Palace found it rather strange.

The people from Moonview Tower were equally puzzled.

Only Yilie remained calm. A faint smile played on her lips as she said, “Mighty Battle God, you must consider your reputation. You represent the Vast Forest, and since you haven’t fully earned the recognition of the Southern Region, backing down like this may not be in your best interest.”

“Sorry.” Zhang Yang’s tone was cold. “I genuinely have an urgent matter. If you refuse to postpone, then so be it.”

With that, he turned to leave.

After taking only a couple of steps, Yilie’s voice rang out.

“I wager two Holy Bone Dan Stones for one Great Path Sacred Fruit.”

Zhang Yang’s heart raced, but his expression remained neutral. With his back still turned, he responded indifferently, “I have already decided.”

He still chose not to fight.

This caused an uproar.

Some from Moonview Tower mocked him outright, while others resorted to jeering and cursing.

The women from Green Sparrow Palace weren’t shy either, firing back with sharp retorts.

In an instant, the confrontation turned into a full-blown verbal battle.

Only Bing Yuyan remained silent, breathing a little heavily as she cursed inwardly.

“Wretched man! Stop acting so tough. Two Holy Bone Dan Stones are enough. If you push too far and Yilie backs out, leaving me empty-handed, I will definitely settle the score with you! Of course… if you manage to get more Holy Bone Dan Stones, I might let you hit me a few more times… Ugh! What am I even thinking?!”

Her thoughts were running wild.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yang remained firm and continued walking away.

Yilie watched his retreating figure. Just as he was about to reach the women from Green Sparrow Palace, she called out again.

“Three Holy Bone Dan Stones!”

Zhang Yang paused.

The verbal battle came to an abrupt halt, and all eyes shifted toward him.

He smacked his lips and turned back, his gaze locking onto Yilie.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Bing Yuyan.

This beautiful woman had remarkably expressive eyes. It was as if she could read his thoughts, silently urging him to accept the bet. Perhaps even hinting that she wouldn’t mind letting him hit her a few more times.

It almost made it seem like he truly enjoyed hitting her.

Suppressing a chuckle, he said, “Alright, let’s fight!”