Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 335 - 335 0258 Not Completely Taken Out_2

Chapter 335: Chapter 0258: Not Completely Taken Out_2 Chapter 335: Chapter 0258: Not Completely Taken Out_2 In a moment, hundreds of spectators present at the scene started chanting for various reasons. The more they shouted, the louder and more in sync the voices became. Such momentum can easily influence people and steer the direction of events towards the masses.

For reasons unknown, Chengzhang, who should have stepped forward at this time, remained silent. He stood by the pit, indifferently looking at Qi Tian and the Deer Beast, without uttering any words to stop Qi Tian’s assault.

No one lifted a finger to pull Qi Tian from this predicament— like roasting him over fire. Seeing Chengzhang staying quiet, the spectators outside the arena became more and more excited. They were keen to see how Qi Tian planned to break through this predicament.

Just then, Qi Tian raised both his hands, gesturing for silence. The spectators stopped shouting, turning all their gazes on him, waiting for his next move.

Qi Tian spoke in a loud voice, “Thank you all for your support. Today, I’m going to show you all how to tame a foundation establishment stage monster. You are fortunate to witness how a foundation establishment stage Deer Beast is tamed. Let me tell you, I’m quite gifted in taming such monsters. No matter how fierce a monster is, once it’s frightened it will naturally surrender. How long do you think it will take for me to tame this Deer Beast?”

As Qi Tian spoke, he slowly approached the Deer Beast. He had already made up his mind. If he got to the Deer Beast’s side and the arena staff didn’t stop him, he would genuinely make the Deer Beast his pet. At that time, if the arena wanted to contest the situation, he could give back the live Deer Beast. If they turned a blind eye, he would sell the Deer Beast. A foundation establishment stage monster, moreover one that was alive, would surely fetch considerable spirit stones, enough to bribe the Bearded Man for several days.

Just as Qi Tian was about to get to the Deer Beast, Chengzhang finally couldn’t hold back anymore and shouted out loud, “Zhang Liming, stop! You’ve already won this duel, there’s no need to mistreat the Deer Beast anymore.”

Qi Tian immediately halted, bowing gently towards Chengzhang outside the arena and replied, “Your wish is my command.” Soon after, Qi Tian stepped back, distancing himself from the Deer Beast. After retreating a few steps, he leapt upward, touched the pit’s wall twice with his feet, and jumped out of the pit.

“Official Cheng, was I up to your expectations?” Qi Tian asked with a smile.

Chengzhang nodded in satisfaction. Initially, he had assumed Qi Tian to be an ordinary person at the foundation establishment stage, considering his young age. Yet, Qi Tian had managed to challenge a Deer Beast at the third level of the foundation establishment stage. Though the Deer Beast was one of the weaker beasts at its level, it was, nonetheless, not something an ordinary foundation establishment stage cultivator could handle.

“Zhang Liming, prepare yourself well – today you have successfully passed the interview. Come back tomorrow, I will arrange for a few strong opponents for you. I hope you won’t disappoint us then.”

“Thank you for your guidance, I’m going now to claim my prize,” responded Qi Tian.

Chengzhang waved his hand, allowing Qi Tian to leave.

Qi Tian arrived at the betting station, recovered his original five spirit stones, and received three additional spirit stones as his prize. Furthermore, there was a reward of three more spirit stones for his performance. After that, he left the arena.

He stopped by the commercial street to buy sufficient monster meat, spirit vegetables and spiritual grain, and then once again delivered them to the Silver Top Tent to hand them over to the Bearded Man.

The bearded man didn’t expect Qi Tian to prepare everything so quickly. Not only did he not utter a word of praise, he even let out a cold smirk.

As Qi Tian had already got a sense of the bearded man’s temperament, he spoke up before the bearded man could. “Xu, this is my limit. If you want to squeeze more out of me, you might as well let the Ape King kill me. When I’m dead, I’d like to see how your purse will stay as fat as it is now.”

“What do you mean?” The bearded man’s expression changed.

Qi Tian gave a salute to the bearded man, saying, “Well, some things are obvious when spoken out. Don’t you think so, Xu? I don’t know why you despise me so much that you won’t give me a single penny, just forcing me to fork out my own cash to buy twenty spirit stones of supplies. Twenty stones a day already overburdens me, don’t be insatiable.”

The bearded man snorted, realizing that if he continued to squeeze Qi Tian, it could backfire. What if Qi Tian refused to buy things for him? What could he do? Invite the Ape King Sun Xiaotian to deal with Qi Tian? That’s ridiculous! How many people could force the half-step Golden Core, even if Sun Xiaotian was unwilling? Besides, even if he could, was he certain that Sun Xiaotian wouldn’t get curious and look into the matter more closely? If Sun Xiaotian knew that Qi Tian could get twenty spirit stones a day and found Qi Tian useful, what then?

“Fine, Qi Tian, you have a point. But remember, starting from tomorrow, twenty spirit stones a day, not a stone less. Among them, give me ten as before, and the rest, just give me in raw stones.” The bearded man chose to take a small step back.

Qi Tian nodded, not saying anything else. He didn’t know Sun Xiaotian at all and had no idea how far Sun Xiaotian would tolerate his resistance. He would rather spend his time cultivating and building his strength than risk his life to test Sun Xiaotian’s boundaries.

Qi Tian returned to his rented inn and resumed his day-to-day routine. However, he himself now participated in the battle arena instead of watching others, then used the spirit stones he earned to deliver to the bearded man, and at night, he did closed-door cultivation.

Days passed quickly, and in about ten days, under pressure, Qi Tian practiced hard every night. His cultivation level improved every day and he was on the verge of a breakthrough to the third level of Foundation Establishment.

During this time, Qi Tian made a name for himself in the arena. First, the duel organizers arranged Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators and beasts to fight him one-on-one. They then increased it to one-on-two, one-on-three, and eventually to one against five. However, Qi Tian always managed to win, though it was much harder when it got to one-on-five.

While outsiders considered these victories his limit, they didn’t realize Qi Tian had been hiding his real cultivation stage and power. He didn’t resort to the Heavenly Dao Engine, nor did he bring out his full strength.

Qi Tian merely wanted a believable source for his spirit stones and didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention.

Using this method, he managed to earn a little over twenty spirit stones every day. Except for the twenty used for Sun Xiaotian, he used the remaining to exchange for the spirit stones he got in Wanjie City.

However, as time went on, Qi Tian found it increasingly difficult to earn spirit stones this way. The spirit stones he earned from the arena comprised two parts: a fixed income from participation, and betting winnings. The former was non-negotiable: three matches a day totalled nine spirit stones. The gap between this and twenty stones had to be filled by the latter.

In the past, fewer people bet on Qi Tian, so the odds for him were high. But as his reputation increased and more people betted on him, the odds for Qi Tian lowered, which irked him immensely. Before, a bet of five stones could earn three, now it was hard to earn even two. In many instances, the winnings were as measly as one or half a stone.