Chapter 44:  The Century Gamble, Under the Gaze of All!

Li Aotian’s life-and-death challenge, filled with madness and killing intent, was like a deep-water bomb. It exploded within the already restless lake that was the Qingyun Sect, setting off towering waves.

“He’s gone mad! Li Aotian has completely gone insane!”

“It’s the Life and Death Platform! That’s a duel where only one walks away alive!”

“This is going to be good! A cornered tiger, and a rising hero—these two are finally going to clash head-on!”

“You think Chu Feng will accept the challenge? He’s smart, sure, but his cultivation isn’t that high, right? Li Aotian’s at the peak of Qi Refining Seventh Level, and his Raging Thunder Sword Technique is terrifyingly fast!”

“Hard to say... Chu Feng never plays by the rules. What if he actually…”

From the servant disciples to the inner sect elites, even some elders who had been in seclusion were all alarmed.

The focus of everyone’s discussion centered on one question—

Would Chu Feng dare to accept?

At the headquarters of the Ascension Group, the atmosphere was more tense than ever before.

Those who had just joined the group, like Wang Teng and the others, were pale-faced and restless.

“President, what should we do now? Li Aotian’s gone rabid!”

Wang Teng said anxiously, “A life-and-death duel means no external help, no interference—it all depends on personal strength. You... you mustn’t act on impulse!”

“That’s right, President!”

Wu Hao was sweating profusely, “A wise man doesn’t stand beneath a crumbling wall! This is an open scheme—he’s trying to drag you into his strongest domain and use his one advantage against you! We can’t fall for it!”

Zhang Daniu even slammed his massive wolf-tooth mace onto the ground with a dull “thud,” roaring in his deep, muffled voice, “President, don’t go! Let me! I’ll go crush his head!”

Even the ever-calm Leng Yanran furrowed her brows, her cool, clear eyes filled with worry.

Only Elder Liu Changqing was stroking his beard, his eyes spinning with a calculating gleam, as if plotting something.

Chu Feng sat in the main seat, listening to everyone’s anxious pleas. Yet his expression remained calm and serene, that faint smile still lingering on his lips.

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he picked up a spiritual fruit from the table, took a slow bite, and then spoke unhurriedly.

“Tell me, why do you think Li Aotian did this?”

Everyone froze.

“He... he was cornered, so he wants revenge, right?” Zhang Daniu scratched his head.

“No.” Chu Feng shook his head. “Revenge is just the surface. The deeper reason he did this—is because he’s afraid.”

“Afraid?”

“That’s right.”

Chu Feng’s gaze turned sharp. “What he fears isn’t me as a person, but the ‘new model’ represented by our Ascension Group. He’s realized that within the ‘rules’ he’s familiar with, he’s already no match for us. So now, he can only resort to the oldest, most primitive ‘rule’—a life-and-death duel—to forcibly destroy the ‘core’ of our new model—me.”

“He wants to prove to the entire sect that all schemes, all business models, crumble before absolute personal strength. By doing that, he hopes to shatter the ‘values’ and ‘brand credibility’ our group just established.”

Chu Feng’s calm yet piercing analysis made everyone suddenly see the light.

So this wasn’t merely a personal feud—it was the ultimate clash between two ideologies: the old and the new!

“Then... then we really can’t accept this!”

Wu Hao blurted out, “If we lose, the entire Group will collapse!”

“Who said we’ll lose?”

Chu Feng countered with a single question.

The room fell into dead silence.

Everyone looked at Chu Feng with disbelief.

The President… what was his cultivation again?

It seemed… it seemed he was only at Qi Refining Fifth Level?

A cultivator at Qi Refining Fifth Level, challenging a genius at the peak of Qi Refining Seventh Level—on the Life and Death Platform?

Wasn’t that suicide?

“Hahahaha…”

Seeing their stunned faces, Chu Feng suddenly burst into laughter.

“Family members, your thinking is still trapped within limits!”

“Who told you that ‘personal strength’ only includes cultivation level and swordsmanship?”

“The mind is also part of strength! Information disparity is also part of strength! And even… money, is a part of strength!”

His eyes gleamed with the light of a hungry wolf.

“This duel, to me, is not a crisis. On the contrary, it’s an unprecedented, monumental business opportunity!”

“This is a ‘top-tier traffic event’ that has captured the attention of the entire Sect! If we don’t take this chance for a perfect round of ‘brand marketing’ and ‘product promotion’, then we’d be letting down the stage Li Aotian has so thoughtfully set up for us!”

Chu Feng stood up and began issuing commands.

“Wu Hao!”

“Here!”

“Immediately announce publicly that I, Chu Feng, will accept the challenge! Three days from now, on the Life and Death Platform—be there or be square!”

“Ah? President, please reconsider!”

“Execute the order.”

Chu Feng’s tone brooked no argument.

“Yes…”

Wu Hao could only respond with a bitter face.

“Elder Liu!”

“Here! What are your instructions, President?”

Liu Changqing’s spirit instantly lifted.

“You, using your position, go and apply to the Sect for permission to open an official ‘duel betting market’!”

“Betting market?!”

Liu Changqing’s eyes lit up in an instant.

“That’s right!”

Chu Feng smiled. “Let everyone bet on who will win between me and Li Aotian! I’m authorizing you to use all of the Group’s liquid assets to act as the bookmaker for this market!”

“You can set the odds yourselves. But I want Li Aotian’s winning odds to be extremely low—say, 1.1 to 1. As for my winning odds, set them high! Ten to one! No—make it twenty to one!”

“This… this…”

Liu Changqing was so excited that even his beard trembled. “President, you’re planning to use yourself as bait—to reel in all the spirit stones of the Sect!”

“This isn’t baiting,” Chu Feng corrected calmly. “It’s venture investment.”

“Cold CPO!”

“Here.”

Leng Yanran stepped forward.

“For the next three days, I need you to lead your Product R&D Department and work overtime to produce a batch of ‘secret weapons’ for me. I’ll give you the blueprints shortly.”

After speaking, Chu Feng pulled several sheets of paper from his robe, each covered in strange designs.

They depicted items resembling flash grenades and smoke bombs from his previous life, spiked caltrops with barbs, and even a complex, catapult-like contraption.

“Lastly—Wang Teng!”

“Your subordinate is here!”

Wang Teng knelt on one knee.

“You’re responsible for using the hype around this duel to heavily promote our Ascension Group’s corporate culture! Spread the message that our President is accepting this unfair challenge in order to defend the ideals of ‘teamwork and intelligence’!”

“I want everyone to know that in this duel, I represent the future, while Li Aotian represents the decaying past!”

One order after another was issued in an organized manner.

The massive machine that was the Ascension Group began operating efficiently once more.

The previous panic and unease vanished completely, replaced by a fervent, almost blind faith in their President.

Three days later.

Qingyun Sect, Life and Death Platform.

The place was already packed with people. Almost every member of the Sect who wasn’t in closed-door seclusion had come.

Under the gaze of the masses, Li Aotian appeared first, clad in white and wielding a long sword. His eyes were cold, his killing intent soaring to the heavens—like a war god who had never been defeated.

On the other side, Chu Feng stepped onto the platform amid the thunderous cries of “President, mighty as ever!” from the Ascension Group members.

He held no weapon—his hands were empty, and his face even carried a faint smile.

Clang—!

The Life and Death Bell tolled once more.

The duel—officially began!