336: Chapter 336 Did the Dragon Emperor Give in?

Song Zhen scratched his head, his gaze wandering between several faces before he finally couldn't help but speak:

"Um... can you guys stop looking at me like that? It's kind of creepy."

Chu Chunqiu sighed and stepped forward, slapping him on the shoulder so hard that Song Zhen almost collapsed. "Alright, stop asking. You'll know when the time comes. Anyway, it's not a bad thing."

"Not a bad thing?" Song Zhen's eyes lit up. "So it's a good thing?"

"A good thing for you." Chu Chunqiu glanced at him sideways. "Don't you love gambling? Next, I'll let you gamble to your heart's content."

Song Zhen was stunned for a moment, then a look of wild joy appeared on his face. "Really?! Eldest Senior Brother, you're finally not stopping me?"

"I won't stop you." Chu Chunqiu took another swig of wine, his tone eerie. "But don't be too happy. If you lose this bet, you won't have a life to pay it back."

Song Zhen's smile froze.

Long Yun, listening from the side, was completely bewildered. She couldn't help but lean in and whisper into Pei Shuyun's ear, "Sister Shuyun, what on earth are they talking about? What Luck? What gambling?"

Pei Shuyun shook her head gently, her gaze falling on Li Shengyuan. Although there was confusion in her eyes, there was even more trust:

"Shengyuan has his own arrangements; we should just listen."

Long Yun nodded half-understandingly, her gaze toward Song Zhen filled with a strange curiosity.

Li Shengyuan stood up, hands behind his back, his gaze passing over the courtyard wall toward the increasingly boisterous Holy Dragon City in the distance.

"Over the next ten days, the city will become more and more lively. Various forces and those with ulterior motives won't be able to help but show themselves." His voice was calm. "Xiao Yun, spend the next few days accompanying Shuyun around the city. Watch the excitement, and watch the people."

Long Yun was startled. "Just watch?"

"Watching is enough." Li Shengyuan turned back, a smile in his eyes. "Sometimes, watching is more important than doing."

Pei Shuyun nodded thoughtfully.

Chu Chunqiu hung his wine gourd at his waist and stood up. The smell of alcohol all over him seemed to condense into Battle Intent. "What about me? What do I do?"

Li Shengyuan looked at his Eldest Senior Brother, the corners of his mouth curling slightly. "Eldest Senior Brother... you should drink what you need to drink and play what you need to play. But there's one thing."

"What?"

"You can drink wine, but don't get drunk. You can look at beauties, but don't fall in love." Li Shengyuan's smile deepened. "After all, if a fight really breaks out, I'm counting on you to smash people with that gourd."

Chu Chunqiu laughed loudly and patted his chest. "Don't worry! I won't mess things up!"

Amidst the laughter, Song Zhen scratched his head, looking at one person then the other, feeling as if everyone knew something except him.

But for some reason, his heart grew inexplicably excited.

The next day, atop the Holy Dragon Square, a massive temporary gambling platform stood tall. It was constructed entirely of Gold Crystal Jade, reflecting dazzling light under the sun.

Below the platform, a sea of people surged. Various Demon Kings, Cave Masters, and Elders gathered, but the atmosphere was strange and subtle.

This was no ordinary gamble; it was clearly a bloodless probe.

Horns blared, and nine plumes of colored smoke shot into the sky.

The Dragon Emperor, Long Qingcheng, appeared on the high platform. Today, she had changed into a dark gold Phoenix-patterned long dress, her majesty tinged with a bit of casualness.

She raised her jade-like hand slightly, and a fist-sized Dragon-patterned Gold Pearl floated in her palm:

"This is a 'Dragon Pearl' refined by Us using a drop of Our Natal Dragon Blood. Today, it shall be the prize. Whoever has the skill may take it."

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd below erupted.

A Dragon Pearl!

With this pearl, even a Second-Rank Demon King could save a vast amount of cultivation time, and might even achieve a Bloodline evolution!

"The rules of the gamble are simple." Long Qingcheng's gaze swept over the demons. "You may bet Spirit Stones, Magic Treasures, or territories. Whatever you bet, Our gambling table will match it. As for the gambler..."

She turned slightly, revealing Song Zhen behind her, who was nervously rubbing his hands. "This young brother will act as the dealer on Our behalf."

The demons' gazes simultaneously fell upon Song Zhen, filled with surprise, contempt, and mostly confusion.

A Human Race brat not even at the fourth rank—what right or ability did he have?

Song Zhen's legs trembled under their stares, but remembering Li Shengyuan's words to "lose with peace of mind," he steeled himself and took a step forward.

"This seat bets one hundred thousand Spirit Stones just to test the waters!" A Tiger Demon King was the first to throw out a bag of Spirit Stones, making the gambling table shake.

Song Zhen swallowed hard and pushed out an equal amount of chips.

The dice fell.

The Tiger Demon King won.

"Hahaha! That's it?" the Tiger Demon King laughed.

Song Zhen scratched his head with a smile and continued pushing chips.

In the second round, the Tiger Demon King won again.

In the third round, the Tiger Demon King won yet again... A commotion began in the crowd. Was this Human Race brat here just to give away money?

More Demon Kings couldn't hold back.

"This seat bets that Three-thousand-year Blood Ginseng!"

"This seat bets three Ore Veins from the West Ridge!"

"This seat bets..."

The chips piled higher and higher, and the bets became more and more outrageous.

Song Zhen refused no one, accepting every bet and losing every single time.

In just half an hour, he had "lost" countless priceless Spirit Stones, Magic Treasures, and Spirit Medicines.

The gambling funds came from Li Shengyuan and Long Qingcheng, and even Chu Chunqiu had emptied out some of his own savings.

The winners couldn't stop grinning, looking at Song Zhen as if he were a walking mountain of gold.

They all suspected the Dragon Emperor had softened but couldn't say it directly, so she just found some unlucky Human Race person to give out gifts.

Since that was the case, they had to make a huge killing!

At the edge of the crowd, Li Shengyuan stood with his hands behind his back, a mysterious smile on his lips.

He could already feel faint Luck continuously pouring into his body!