Chapter 76 A Game Of Cat And Mouse (Part One)


    Leo was already angry about waiting for so long and strode over to Zen demanding, "Zen, you


    promised to fight with me in the battle ring today. Why are youte? If you back out of this battle ring


    challenge, I will let you off, but only if you kneel before me, and call me your superior three times. Then,


    you will withdraw from the Cloud Sect and hide at home like the coward you are!"


    With an innocent look, Zen blinked and casually stated, "Well, I agreed to fight with you in the battle


    ring today. But, whether it is noon or midnight, today hasn''t passed. So tell me, did I promise you an


    exact time?"


    questioned Zen. All Zen''s flippant response did enrage Leo further, and he snapped back, "How


    cunning of you speaking such nonsense. Well, whatever you say now though will be of no use within


    the battle ring."


    "Before we set foot in the battle ring, I have a request to make," stated Zen curtly.


    "What''s your request? What do you want me to do? I am going to tell you that we are keeping the


    Cloud Sect rules! The winner doesn''t assume any responsibility for the opponent''s death or impairment


    during a fight!" stated Leo bored. Since he nned to take Zen''s life, he couldn''t make a promise to go


    easy on him anyway.


    Zen shook his head, frowning, and said, "No, opponents are supposed to beat each other mercilessly


    in the ring; I know the rules quite clearly. I think fights pure and straightforward like that are very boring.


    I was wondering if we could bet on something, and the winner of the fight will win the bet!"


    The request left Leo somewhat shocked. He hadn''t thought Zen would ask for such a thing. After the


    initial surprise wore off, Leo wondered what Zen was up to, and thought the oue was inevitable.


    That was, Zen would die in the ring at Leo''s hands if and when he got Zen into the ring! Leo decided he


    would grant Zen''s request, if for no other reason than to get this fight underway.


    Leo couldn''t believe Zen was so bold as to ce a bet.


    He had no idea where Zen''s confidence stemmed from. ''He doesn''t think he actually has a chance of


    winning, does he? Considering the fact that he is at the organ refining level, and I am half-step into the


    nature level, does he really think he stands a chance of beating me? That''s a riot!'' Leo deemed.


    "Haha, ce a bet? Sure, sure, that''s a great idea! Tell you what, we''ll bet on whatever you choose!"


    responded Leo chuckling.


    "Okay, I''ll wager a hundred cubic crystals, and you put up a top-grade mysterious weapon for your


    stake. My one hundred cubic crystals will be yours if you win, but if you lose, your top-grade mysterious


    weapon will be mine!" dered Zen grinning happily.


    "One hundred cubic crystals?" repeated Leo stunned for a second time by Zen. Being born into an


    ordinary, low-ie family, Leo understood the value of cubic crystals. He wasn''t supported by a big


    and powerful family like others. Although he had put his strength to use, earning numerous points over


    the years, he had spent them as quickly on useful pills and in honing his refinement skills. In fact, to


    refine oneself as a warrior took a great deal of money.


    A bet of one hundred cubic crystal pieces was nothing to a noble n disciple, but, for a disciple like


    Leo, it was a vast sum of money.


    Leo would happily ce this wager with Zen, but he didn''t have a top-grade mysterious weapon to bet


    with...


    "You son of a bitch! You know I don''t have a top-grade mysterious weapon! But you want me to put one


    up to ce a bet with you? I think you are trying to get out of our fight!" used Leo furiously.


    There was a look of regret on Zen''s face. He sighed as he stated, "If there is no weapon, I don''t think


    there is a reason to fight. It would just be a waste of my energy to battle you. Since you can''t bet such a


    weapon, why should I fight with you?"


    "Why - you?!" Leo''s face became redder the more enraged he got. "Apparently, you''re looking for


    excuses to back out of our duel. I think you are full of hot air! In fact, I bet you don''t even have a


    hundred cubic crystals!"


    As Leo finished using, pieces of cubic crystals slipped out of Zen''s hands, cascading through his


    fingers, jingling loudly. Every piece of cubic crystals glittered translucently in the sunlight, sparkling


    more each time the light hit one.


    Cubic crystal was a hard currency. Outer disciples at Drizzle Peak were mostly born into ordinary,


    humble families. The glittering stack of cubic crystals was approximately one hundred pieces. For the


    outer disciples present, it represented an enormous amount of money.


    "Now, I have shown you numerous cubic crystals, and when you produce a top-grade mysterious


    weapon, I will step into the battle ring. If you can''t do that, then, we won''t fight. I honestly don''t want to


    waste my energy," said Zen, as he stood in front of his stack of cubic crystals andughed.


    Gazing at the stack of cubic crystals, Leo suppressed his anger and thought. From his view, a fight in


    the battle ring should be simple. But, with Zen''s dawdling, it was bingplicated and dyed.


    Suddenly, Thomas said in a bored tone, "Leo, just bet a top-grade mysterious weapon like he wants,


    unless you are afraid you might lose?"


    "I would, except, I don''t have a top-grade mysterious weapon!" replied Leo glumly.


    "Well, you don''t have one, but, can''t you borrow one? I can''t believe no one you know at Drizzle Peak


    has a top-grade mysterious weapon," reminded Thomas.


    "Hey, you''re right!" shouted Leo while looking around. Atst, his eyes found who he was looking for,


    over in a corner, and he called out, "Anthony, if memory serves, you have a top-grade mysterious


    weapon, right?"


    Anthony He not only had a top-grade mysterious weapon. He wasn''t weak either. He smiled broadly


    and replied, "Yes, Leo. I do have a top-grade mysterious weapon. So what?"


    "Lend it to me for a short time. I''ll give it back soon!" stated Leo as though borrowing a mysterious


    weapon from Anthony He was a piece of cake.


    Unexpectedly, Anthony He shook his head responding, "No!"


    "What? Are you afraid this guy will beat me?" asked Leo furiously that someone would turn him down.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Anthony shook his head again. "No, I''m sure you won''t lose. But, why should I lend it to you?"


    "You..." It dawned on Leo what Anthony was hinting at, and he shut up, sighing as he rolled his eyes,


    and said, "Well, half the cubic crystals will be yours if I beat him, okay? Does that sound good? Now,


    will you agree to lend me your top-grade mysterious weapon?"


    Only after Leo offered half of his winnings did Anthony smile in satisfaction and say, "You should''ve


    said that earlier. Here, catch, Leo!"


    As he exchanged banter, Anthony took a saber off his waist and tossed it casually at Leo, as though it


    was anything but a top-grade mysterious weapon.


    As the saber flew towards him, Leo reached out and caught it. Deep down, he believed Anthony was


    the sort who would do anything as long as it benefited him. The double-edged sword made a "shiiiiiing,"


    sound of metal rubbing against the casing as Leo unsheathed it. The three-foot sword was bathed in a


    purple light. As soon as the sword was unsheathed, Leo said, "Zen, does this meet your requirements?


    It is a first level, top-grade weapon, known as the Purple Blue Sword."