Chapter 143: Gambling is risky
In that instant, there suddenly came a chaotic sound of footsteps from behind the stairs, accompanied by a few fragments of voices.
"We've arrived."
"This is the top floor?"
The woman who was dealing with human sacrifices heard the commotion and raised her head directly.
Oh no!
Uh-oh!
Qiao Wan and Fang Lingqing had a sudden thought in their minds at the same time.
It was too late to run. They both drew their swords while keeping an eye on the porcelain woman in front of them; they also glanced from the corner of their eyes at the stairs behind them.
Qiao Wan was shocked: Are there other people in this tower?
At the same time, a few familiar figures turned out from the stairs behind them.
Fang Lingqing fixed his gaze: "Elder martial sister...?"
"Taoist Friend Xie!"
In a group of two, there was a handsome man and a beautiful woman. They were Xie Xingzhi and Bai Shanhu. However, both of them looked a bit disheveled, with injuries and bloodstains on their clothes.
Following behind them were several disciples who seemed devastated and beaten up.
When they first met, both groups were confused.
Bai Shanhu's face changed slightly. "Little Fang?"
Yu Xingzhi became delighted. "Xie Xingzhi and Bai Shanhu! How did they end up here?!" With Bai Shanhu and Xie Xingzhi present, it meant that they might be able to escape!
But before they could exchange more words, a woman with colorful clothes put down her knife and wore a gentle smile on her face. Her vivid red lips moved as she spoke.
Qiao Wan and Fang Lingqing were both shocked. "The colorful lady can speak!"
"Dear taoist friends, I believe this is your first time visiting the Ghost Market," she said.
Wang Ruyi caught a glimpse and Yu Xingzhi's muscles tensed up.
The woman smiled kindly, as if she didn't notice the nervousness of Qiao Wan and the others. "After running for so long, you must be tired," she said.
She gently pointed to another small table not far away. "Why don't you sit down and have a cup of tea? Take a rest, how about that?"
Everyone present, including Qiao Wan and Xie Xingzhi, remained still.
"It's okay if you don't want tea," the woman said with a cool smile. "How about a little bet, taoist friend? Can you save the people behind me? Can you get out of this Buddha tower?"
Save them?!
As the woman raised her hand, the walls of the Buddha statue behind her began to rumble and rotate, revealing several bloody iron cages. Inside were some people, locked up like pigs, dogs, cows, and sheep. The iron cages were covered in Buddha images, with dark stains resembling dried blood.
Fang Lingqing's eyes widened in surprise: "Senior Brother!"
Shockingly, Meng Canglang was locked inside an iron cage!
However, the young man was in a terrible state, covered in blood, with his head hanging low in the cage, making it difficult to see his face.
In front of the iron cage, there was a burning incense stick, about seven inches tall.
Perhaps hearing the commotion from this side, Meng Canglang inside the iron cage blinked his eyes slightly and opened them, catching a glimpse of Fang Lingqing and Qiao Wan, as well as Bai Shanhu and Xie Xingzhi behind them, causing him to pause for a moment.
"Little Fang?"
Qiao Wan was just as shocked as Fang Lingqing when she saw Meng Canglang inside the iron cage.
It seemed that Meng Canglang's right leg was also broken, with his white bone protruding through the flesh, causing him to sit stiffly. His face was pale as paper, completely lacking the elegance he had shown with the Canglang Sword, but his sitting posture remained dignified and polite.
Fang Lingqing's lips trembled, his face turning ashen, and his throat rolled.
"The rules of the gamble are very simple." The porcelain woman smiled and pointed to the surface of the small table.
On the table, there was a roulette wheel embedded. It looked a bit like the roulette wheel Qiao Wan had seen in a casino before, but instead of numbers, it had patterns. Most of the patterns were different lengths of incense sticks, with black and white colors. There were also several Buddha statues with different hand gestures mixed in between.
Some Buddha statues were holding a finger, while others were holding an entire hand. The woman picked up a round crystal ball near the roulette wheel and said, "Taoist friend, you are responsible for throwing this crystal ball. Wherever the crystal ball lands, that's where it counts."
The woman rolled up her sleeves and toyed with the roulette wheel, pointing to one of the patterns, saying, "If the crystal ball lands on this pattern, I will release a sacrifice."
This pattern was a small seated Buddha with no possessions, making a hand gesture and wearing a gentle smile. Qiao Wan's gaze slightly intensified.
The woman with the porcelain said, "If the crystal ball lands on this pattern..." She was referring to a Buddha statue holding a finger.
"Accordingly, I will cut off one of their fingers." The porcelain woman said, "Of course, if taoist friend wishes to suffer in place of their companions, I have no objections."
"Do you see the incense in front of them?" The porcelain woman asked, "That incense is seven inches long."
The woman continued to play with the roulette in front of her. "If the crystal ball rolls onto the white incense that is one inch long, I will add one inch of incense for them. This incense represents the time you fight for your companions. If the crystal ball rolls onto the black incense that is one inch long, I will cut off an inch of their clothes."
"If taoist friend is lucky enough to complete twelve hours, then I will set them free."
"But if taoist friend's luck is not good and the incense in front of their companions is completely cut, then I will personally sacrifice them here as an offering to the Bodhisattva." The woman looked towards the long table not far away, stained with traces of blood.
"Life and death are beyond our control, it is up to the Bodhisattvas in the heavens." The porcelain woman smiled and said, "Would any of you taoist friends like to gamble with me?"
"Here are two dice, whoever among you rolls the highest number will come forward and gamble with me."
"Well, taoist friends, will you gamble or not?"
Yu Xingzhi coldly replied, "Why should we gamble with you?"
Just then, Qiao Wan suddenly spoke up, "I will gamble with you."
Yu Xingzhi couldn't believe it and said, wide-eyed, "You really want to gamble with her?!"
It was clear that this gamble was not in their favor!
Qiao Wan stayed silent.
Feeling blatantly ignored, Yu Xingzhi's face showed a hint of embarrassment, and he coldly laughed, "If you want to find trouble for yourselves, that's your business. I won't accompany you."
Qiao Wan looked at Yu Xingzhi and understood his concerns.
In this unfamiliar place, joining the game without caution and following someone else's rules was indeed risky, but it could also be their opportunity.
Qiao Wan pursed her lips, knowing in her heart that they no longer had a chance.
She turned to consult Fang Lingqing and Wang Ruyi, asking them, "Little Fang, Ruyi, what do you think?"
Fang Lingqing's gaze was almost glued to Meng Canglang. After a while, he nodded.
"Have you all made up your minds, my friends?" The woman smiled and extended her hand, pointing to the incense in front of Meng Canglang. "Time is ticking."
Qiao Wan followed Fang Lingqing's gaze and her eyes met Meng Canglang's.
In the silence, the young man's eyes were clear and determined as he silently nodded towards them.
Qiao Wan instantly understood Meng Canglang's intentions.
They were choosing to entrust their lives to them.
At the same time, Fang Lingqing and Wang Ruyi's voices echoed in their ears.
"I bet."
"I bet too."
Bai Shanhu tightened her grip on her hand and took a step forward, her brows furrowed. "We bet as well."
Yu Xingzhi's face immediately changed.
They were a group of lunatics!
Qiao Wan couldn't help but lower her head under the roof, going along with the majority even if she didn't like it. They were all in the same situation, that was a fact.
The woman's lips curved into a smile. "Then let's begin."
...
With a dull thud, the dice landed on the table.
Fang Lingqing: Five.
Wang Ruyi: Eight.
Yu Xingzhi: Six.
Xie Xingzhi: Six.
Bai Shanhu: Nine.
...
Qiao Wan took a step forward, tightly gripping two dice in her hands. They felt cool and a bit rough to the touch, made of something unknown.
Qiao Wan: Twelve.
Two dice showed a glaring six, instantly catching her eye.
Qiao Wan froze.
No... This can't be, right?
The porcelain woman smiled innocently. "Congratulations, taoist friend. Shall we begin? Why don't we start with that armless Confucian cultivator?"
Qiao Wan's gaze fell upon the row of numbers on the roulette wheel, her heart pounding and her palms slightly sweaty.
Qiao Wan knew very well how dark her own skin was. In her previous life, she was a shy college student who always got low grades. She never had any luck with anything, even when she tried her luck with random draws, she always got the lowest rank, R. But she never doubted her pure African bloodline.
As Qiao Wan took a step forward, Fang Lingqing suddenly spoke from behind.
"Lu... Lu Cixian?"
Qiao Wan turned around.
Fang Lingqing clenched his teeth slightly. "Don't be afraid, just go ahead."
Yu Xingzhi chuckled coldly.
Fang Lingqing took a deep breath and continued, "No matter the outcome, we won't blame you. And Meng senior won't blame you either."
He looked toward Meng Canglang.
"Meng senior won't blame you either."
Wang Ruyi quickly blinked and added, "Lu Cixian, don't worry. If anything happens to them, I can always beg Boss Yan. He has buried plenty of dead people, so a few more won't make any difference."
Plenty of dead people?
Qiao Wan sensed something was not right in Wang Ruyi's words, but it wasn't the time to ask questions. Qiao Wan could only hold back her curiosity and thank Fang Lingqing and Wang Ruyi .
Her gaze couldn't help but land on Meng Canglang and his followers, who were tied up and looking pale. They nervously nodded at Qiao Wan.
Meng Canglang's eyes showed a hint of encouragement.
No matter who it was, carrying the burden of many lives would weigh heavily on one's heart. This trust placed on Qiao Wan was too heavy, but she was the one who had given her all.
Qiao Wan closed her eyes, feeling uncertain.
When people are uncertain, they often seek help from gods and Buddhas. And Qiao Wan was no exception, but considering the evil deity in this temple, she hesitated. The dignified face of Venerable One Miaofa immediately came to her mind.
Qiao Wan: ...
In that case, I can only ask for the senior's blessing.
Qiao Wan quietly bowed to Miaofa, who was far away in the Great Hall of Light. She took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and picked up the crystal ball next to her.
The porcelain woman smiled and said, "Please, taoist friend, start spinning the beads."
The crystal ball rolled on the turntable, moving so fast that it seemed like a blur.
Fang Lingqing couldn't help swallowing nervously. Even though he was cursing in his mind, he couldn't resist glancing at the roulette table when the gambling began.
Xie Xingzhi frowned, unsure if Lu Cixian would win the bet. He didn't have much confidence in his heart.
The crystal ball continued rolling.
A white two-inch incense thread.
Fingers.
A black three-inch incense thread.
A seated Buddha.
A black five-inch incense thread.
...
"Dong."
The ball landed steadily in one of the compartments.
This is...
Wang Ruyi couldn't help widening her eyes.
"A black three-inch incense thread," said the woman with a smile.
After speaking, she picked up the scissors.
Immediately, half of the seven-inch incense thread in front of Meng Canglang was cut off.
The young man sat upright, covered in bloodstains, with a calm expression on his face.
Qiao Wan's face remained unchanged as she said, "Continue."
A loud bang was heard.
The porcelain woman said, "Buddha statue, fingers."
She picked up a knife and walked up to Meng Canglang.
"Give me your hand," she said.
Meng Canglang's expression didn't change as he calmly extended his intact arm.
Qiao Wan and Bai Shanhu spoke simultaneously, "Wait."
Bai Shanhu looked coldly at the porcelain woman, "Didn't you just say you could take the pain for him?"
Meng Canglang finally spoke with a slightly uncomfortable tone, "In gambling, there are wins and losses, gains and losses. Elder martial sister doesn't need to worry about me."
Bai Shanhu's beautiful face showed a hint of arrogance, her brows furrowing, "You are a sword cultivator, and I am a magic cultivator. Swordsman's hands must remain uninjured, but I can afford to lose a finger."
Before she finished speaking, a loud crash suddenly rang in her ears!
Wang Ruyi exclaimed, "Lu Cixian?!"
Yu Xingzhi, who was closest to Wang Ruyi, was taken aback and turned to look towards the sound.
Qiao Wan saw Lu Cixian standing expressionless in front of a long table, holding a knife in his right hand. The bloody half of a severed finger on the chopping board caught her attention. The boy's left hand, missing half of his pinky finger, was dripping blood from the cut, which fell onto the tiled floor with a drip-drip sound.
Qiao Wan seemed unaware and unaffected by the shocked gazes of others. She lifted her head and said in a hoarse voice, "Continue."
No one needed to cut off their hand. After all, this was her minor finger. If it was damaged, she could just switch back to the major finger and continue.
Wang Ruyi's body swayed and suddenly fell to the side of Yu Xingzhi.
The face, which could give nightmares to children, caught Yu Xingzhi's eye unexpectedly. His heart skipped a beat, and he immediately furrowed his brow and angrily said, "Lady, have some self-control!"
Wang Ruyi reached out and supported Yu Xingzhi's arm, stuttering, "Help me, my...my legs feel a bit weak, and I'm scared."
Fang Lingqing was momentarily speechless. He pondered for a while and finally faced the boy's cold and empty face. It condensed into just one sentence.
Lu Cixian, he's really a tough guy. If Lu Cixian wasn't a tough guy... then Fang Lingqing's eggs would be like two quail eggs.
The woman picked up a hammer and smashed the small finger on the table, crushing the bone into pieces. She put it together with the other offerings in another plate.
Qiao Wan watched the whole process without even raising an eyebrow.
The porcelain woman smiled and said, "Let the gamble continue."
