Chapter 127: I'll Bet!

"Master Song, this matter was initiated by your provocations in the first place; what else do you have to say for yourself now?"

"The North-South Tournament has its own rules. You have been defeated, and now you must accept the sanctions imposed by Miss Liu."

"Your Song family entirely deserves this!"

A group of family heads gathered together, forming a formidable force in the business world. Standing firmly on Liu Qingxue's side, they castigated Song Guodong one after another.

Hearing this, Song Guodong’s expression darkened. He had not expected that, far from avenging his son, he would instead become the target of universal condemnation. He shifted his gaze toward the members of the Situ family. It was the Situ family who had goaded him into seeking revenge, pushing him to step out as the spearhead. Now that he had been defeated, the Situ family could not simply stand by and watch him perish.

At this moment, Situ Wudi kept his eyes tightly shut, seemingly resting. He was an elderly man radiating immense authority, his facial features sharp and distinct. Even with his eyes closed, everyone present could sense an indescribable, terrifying aura emanating from him. He had been in seclusion for many years; had it not been for this year’s North-South Tournament, he likely would not have emerged. Until now, people had only known that Situ Wudi was still alive, and the rumors of his death had been entirely baseless. It was whispered that he had gone into seclusion all those years ago to attempt a breakthrough to the realm of a Martial Saint.

After all these years, now that he had emerged, had he truly attained the rank of a Martial Saint? No one could fathom his true strength. It was precisely this uncertainty, coupled with his mystery and power, that made him all the more dangerous.

"Liu Qingxue, you have already defeated the Song family. What more do you want from them?"

At this moment, Situ Wuhen spoke up on behalf of his older brother, Situ Wudi. As the head of the Situ branch in Tianmen City, he was effectively in the same boat as Song Guodong.

"Master Situ, this is a grievance between the Song family and myself; it has nothing to do with your Situ family." Liu Qingxue remained poised and unyielding, not backing down even in the face of Situ Wuhen. "I do not wish to be overbearing, but I insist that the Song family relocate out of Jiangnan and never appear in Tianmen City again."

"Relocate out of Jiangnan?" Song Guodong’s face turned grim. His entire business empire was based in Tianmen City, and his connections were rooted throughout Jiangnan Province. To force him to leave would mean starting his life over from scratch. How could he possibly be willing to accept that?

However, the rules of the North-South Tournament were clear: since the Song family had chosen to challenge, they had to bear the consequences of their defeat. Song Guodong could refuse Liu Qingxue’s terms, but that would require him to send another expert onto the stage to fight until a victory was secured. Only the winner had the right to dictate the allocation of interests.

But Song Guodong had no more experts left. The young man with internal energy who had just fought was already the pinnacle of the Song family’s strength; the remaining subordinates were mere weaklings who stood no chance against Liu Qingxue. Sending them onto the stage would only result in a humiliating defeat.

"The Situ family will take this fight on behalf of the Song family," Situ Wuhen declared. With a slight wave of his hand, a middle-aged man stepped out from behind him and instantly flashed onto the stage.

"A Transformation-realm Master?" Liu Qingxue frowned. Sensing the opponent's formidable aura, a look of gravity crossed her eyes. The strength of this middle-aged man was significantly greater than that of the previous youth. Below the rank of a Grandmaster, all are but ants. No matter how talented Liu Qingxue was, as long as she had not reached the Grandmaster realm, she could not hope to compete with a true Transformation-realm Master.

She felt the weight of the situation. She knew she could not defeat him, yet the Qingxue Group had no other experts to call upon. She prepared to face him regardless.

In the spectator stands, Long Tianjiao leaned toward Chu Tian, her tone laced with worry. "Xiao Tian, won't Big Sister be in danger?" Since that night at the underground palace, she had broken through to the Transformation-realm herself. Her body was full of power, and she had long been itching to fight a peer to hone her martial path. Had it not been for Chu Tian’s desire to keep their identities hidden, she would have already leaped onto the stage; how could she sit by while her senior sister was being provoked?

"Wait a moment. It is not yet our turn to act," Chu Tian said, shaking his head slightly. His gaze was fixed on an elderly man in the crowd. The man stood up and walked slowly toward the ring.

"Miss Liu, I am willing to fight on your behalf." The man was Su Dingguo. He had been keeping a low profile while sitting with the Wei family. But as the Qingxue Group was repeatedly provoked, he could no longer remain silent. Whether out of reverence for Chu Tian or his friendship with the Wei family, under a nod from Wei Yuansheng, he chose to step forward.

"Master Su, thank you!" Liu Qingxue said with genuine gratitude. She was not arrogant; she knew that no matter her talent, she could not defeat a Transformation-realm Master. Only with Su Dingguo, who was also of that rank, would she have a fighting chance. Such a match was no longer just about personal honor; it had to be handled with extreme caution.

"Master Song, if you wish to avenge your son, you must put up a sufficient stake," Liu Qingxue said, her tone resolute. "Whoever loses must withdraw from Jiangnan Province forever."

"Very well. But if you lose, you must hand over the formula for the Qingxue Spirit Liquid." Song Guodong agreed instantly. Although he regretted that he could not kill her personally on stage, the bet was too tempting. The sales of the Qingxue Spirit Liquid were explosive, causing a frenzy in Tianmen City. Once promoted across Jiangnan or even the entirety of China, the profits would be astronomical. If he could seize control of the formula through this match, it would be a windfall. Even if not for the sake of revenge for Song Tao, he would have targeted the liquid regardless.

"Agreed!" Liu Qingxue accepted the bet publicly. She then stepped down from the stage, leaving it to Su Dingguo and the Situ family’s expert. The opponent was a middle-aged man named Situ Wugou, a contemporary of Situ Wuhen.

"Today is a grand occasion for the North-South Tournament. You have repeatedly provoked the Qingxue Group—what is your true purpose?" Su Dingguo stood on the stage, not yet moving to attack.

"Hmph, the original intent of this tournament is to resolve conflicts between major powers and divide interests," the man replied. "The Song family has a blood feud with the Qingxue Group over a son’s life. Does the Situ family not have its own grievances with them as well?"