56: Chapter 56 Two Million Yuan Crystals!

"Ancestor Zhou Tong, you dared to scheme against my Disciple without cause. Do you know your crime?!"

In the courtyard of the Zhou Family, upon hearing the words of the mysterious expert who had suddenly descended, Ancestor Zhou Tong was slightly stunned. A flicker of confusion and astonishment crossed his face, before he cupped his hands and said with cautious bewilderment, "Senior, please forgive me. This Junior is dull-witted and truly does not know who the Disciple you speak of is?!"

"This Junior has always kept to himself and never deliberately schemed against others. I ask that Senior please enlighten me!"

"Hehe!"

Chen An suddenly gave a faint smile and looked at Ancestor Zhou Tong, saying, "It seems you really are stubborn to the end!"

"Fine, I will give you a hint: the wager!"

The wager?!

Hearing this mysterious expert utter these two words, Ancestor Zhou Tong's expression changed drastically, and his mind was violently shaken.

He immediately thought of the wager he had made with County Magistrate Zhang Xuanming today on the County Exam arena, using the duel between the two students as the basis.

Could this mysterious expert be an elder of County Magistrate Zhang Xuanming?!

Did he discover that I coveted the Heaven-Grade Martial Technique Fragment in County Magistrate Zhang Xuanming's possession and came specifically to hold me accountable?

But as soon as this thought emerged, Ancestor Zhou Tong immediately dismissed it in his heart.

In that wager with County Magistrate Zhang Xuanming, he had not only failed to lay a finger on the Heaven-Grade Martial Technique Fragment, but had instead lost an earth-grade breakthrough pill. He was the one who had suffered a loss and been defeated; the other party had no reason to come and cause trouble for him.

Following that, the figures of two young students appeared in his mind.

Liu Qingyun and Chen An!

However, he quickly ruled out Liu Qingyun.

If Liu Qingyun were truly the Disciple of this expert who was suspected to be beyond the Grandmaster Realm, not only would he not have lost to Chen An, but even if he had truly lost, the other party would never have just watched as his own Disciple had his Dantian shattered by a single palm strike, destroying his life's cultivation. He would never have come so calmly to settle scores after the fact.

In an instant, an incredible thought exploded in Ancestor Zhou Tong's mind.

So, it was him... Chen An!!!

That County Academy student who, according to rumors, only possessed Mid-grade Martial Bone, had a cultivation of only Condensing Qi Stage 6, looked completely ordinary, and came from a humble background—could he actually be the Disciple of this unfathomably powerful expert before him who was suspected to be beyond the Grandmaster Realm?!

Ancestor Zhou Tong trembled all over, his pupils shrinking sharply. With a face full of disbelief, he glanced cautiously at the mysterious expert before him, lowered his head, and cupped his hands, saying, "Se... Senior's Disciple, could it be... Chen An from the County Academy?!"

Chen An did not answer, but just looked at Ancestor Zhou Tong with a slightly playful smile.

"Hiss!!"

After confirming that Chen An was indeed the Disciple of this mysterious expert, Ancestor Zhou Tong could not help but gasp.

At the same time, a layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on his back and forehead.

He had never imagined that a County Academy student who appeared to have mediocre Aptitude, was completely ordinary, and only had a cultivation of Condensing Qi Stage 6, would actually have a mysterious expert as a Revered Master behind him.

Thinking that he had not only placed a wager on the duel between Chen An and Liu Qingyun, but after losing, had also sent a message to Zhou Shuyan, who was about to duel Chen An, telling Zhou Shuyan to teach Chen An a good lesson, Ancestor Zhou Tong felt panicked and fearful, his scalp tingling.

This expert before him must have known about his message to Zhou Shuyan to teach Chen An a lesson, and that was why he had come to find him.

"Senior, please forgive me!"

Taking a deep breath, Ancestor Zhou Tong barely managed to suppress the panic in his heart. He bowed deeply to Chen An with cupped hands and said, "It was this Junior who was blind and did not realize that young friend Chen An was Senior's Disciple. It was this Junior's foolish ignorance that led me to rashly make a wager, and I even privately instructed a younger member of my clan to target young friend Chen An. It was truly a grave sin."

"This Junior is willing to personally go to young friend Chen An's residence tomorrow to apologize, carrying a bundle of thorns on my back. I ask that Senior please raise your hand high and show mercy, forgiving this Junior for this mistake!"

"Heh, you think you can just pay a visit to apologize and let this matter pass?!" Listening to Ancestor Zhou Tong's pleas for mercy, Chen An looked at him with a mocking smile.

"Then... I do not know what Senior desires? This Junior is willing to do everything in my power to make amends. As long as Senior speaks, my Zhou Family will not have a single word of refusal!" Ancestor Zhou Tong's heart tightened, his back stiffened, and his tone became increasingly humble and fearful.

He knew that this expert before him could crush the Zhou Family with a single thought, plunging the Zhou Family into an irredeemable abyss; he had absolutely no qualifications to bargain.

Chen An tilted his head and glanced at Ancestor Zhou Tong, then said as if casually, "I will not make things difficult for you!"

"Since you made things difficult for my Disciple because of that wager, I will fine you double the wager in yuan crystals. Do you accept this punishment?!"

Hearing the words of the mysterious expert before him, Ancestor Zhou Tong could not help but feel his heart skip a beat.

Previously, what he had lost to County Magistrate Zhang Xuanming was an earth-grade breakthrough pill, which had a market value of fully over one million yuan crystals.

Double the wager would be a full two million yuan crystals!

Even though the Zhou Family had a Legacy spanning hundreds of years and had been rooted in Wurong County for many years with a considerable foundation, an amount of two million yuan crystals was still enough to severely wound the Zhou Family's vitality.

Moreover, he had already spent over one million yuan crystals to buy that earth-grade breakthrough pill; adding it all up, he would lose a full three million yuan crystals.

Ancestor Zhou Tong felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if his flesh were being cut.

But Ancestor Zhou Tong also knew that no matter how reluctant or heartbroken he was, he understood that he had absolutely no room to bargain.

The expert before him had unfathomable cultivation, suspected to be beyond the Grandmaster Realm, and could overturn the Zhou Family's centuries-old foundation with a wave of his hand.

Now that the other party was only fining him money and had not annihilated his clan, it was already a tremendous act of mercy.

If he dared to have a single word of refusal or a shred of dissatisfaction, and angered this supreme expert, the Zhou Family would meet with disaster in an instant.

Weighing the pros and cons, Ancestor Zhou Tong could only suppress the heartache and reluctance in his heart. He bowed his head, his tone respectful and fearful, not daring to show the slightest disobedience:

"Thank you, Senior, for your magnanimity. This Junior accepts the punishment!"

"However, this Junior's family cannot produce that many yuan crystals all at once. I ask that Senior give this Junior some time to gather them. Before tomorrow night, this Junior will definitely have the double-wager amount of yuan crystals ready in full and deliver them to young friend Chen An's residence!"

"Very well!"

Chen An glanced at Ancestor Zhou Tong, who was heartbroken and reluctant yet looked determined, and a flicker of a smile flashed in the depths of his eyes.

If it wasn't for the fact that the Zhou Family's reputation in Wurong County wasn't too bad, this old fellow...

This time, it wouldn't be as simple as just hitting him for some money.

While two million yuan crystals were enough to severely wound the Zhou Family, it wouldn't be enough to completely empty the Zhou Family's coffers.

Furthermore, with Ancestor Zhou Tong, a Innate Realm Martial Artist, present, it would be enough to protect the Zhou Family's fundamentals so they would not decline because of this.

"However, there is no need to deliver them to Chen An's house. Tomorrow night, I will come by again, and you can just hand them to me then!" Chen An paused and added.

"Yes, Senior!"

Ancestor Zhou Tong's eyes flashed, and he respectfully cupped his hands and said, "Then this Junior will prepare it tomorrow and await Senior's arrival tomorrow night!"

Chen An did not say more, just nodded slightly, then stood up, glanced at Ancestor Zhou Tong, and then his figure flashed, disappearing into the night wind...