Wuxia: Starting Off With 60 Years of Inner Strength

Soul Hook Gambling House!

At Jiang Ran's cry of "Release him!", the entire gambling house fell silent.

All the 'ghosts' stared at the uninvited guest before them.

Then, several voices echoed from different corners:

"The Soul Hook Gambling House..."

"...only cares for winning and losing..."

"...the winner is king..."

"...the loser forfeits their soul..."

Jiang Ran's eyes narrowed slightly. He reached for his saber, and just then, a CLICK was heard.

A wooden plank at Luo Qingyi's feet suddenly swung open, revealing extremely sharp spikes below.

If he fell, he would surely be impaled on those spikes and die.

At the same time, six figures in white surrounded Luo Qingyi. They wore hats with white cloth hanging down from the brims, each painted with the pips of a die. They brandished iron hooks, whips, and steel pitchforks.

They gestured theatrically, tracing paths over his body with their weapons.

Just then, the 'Evil Ghost' with a 'die' painted on his head spoke:

"I've made it very clear. This is my territory—the Rotten Gambler's.

"If you want anything here, there's only one way to get it: gamble!

"If you can beat me, you can take whatever you want. I won't stop you...

"Otherwise... You said to stop the smoke and mirrors, so fine, I'll tell you the truth. There's a mechanism in this gambling house. If you dare move even an inch, it will be triggered, and this living person behind me will fall into the trap and become a real ghost!"

"Are you threatening me?"

Jiang Ran's eyes narrowed.

Luo Qingyi shouted loudly:

"My lord, pay me no mind! These people are just putting on a show. Just kill them all!"

The Rotten Gambler chuckled softly.

"I know you have something valuable on you.

"It's called the Jiaowei zither.

"This man's life seems to be quite important to you.

"So, I propose a wager.

"If you win, you can take this man with you.

"If you lose, I won't take your life... I only ask that you leave the Jiaowei behind."

"Is that so?"

Jiang Ran raised an eyebrow, then suddenly smiled. "Fine. It's been a while since I've touched this sort of thing, and seeing it today really makes my hands itch. Go on, what's the game?"

"The guest decides. Since I was the one who proposed the wager, it's only natural that you choose the game."

"Let's keep it simple, then. I'm in a hurry. We'll play high or low. One die each, one roll to decide it all. Highest number wins."

"Good!"

The 'Evil Ghost' opposite him laughed heartily.

He casually picked up a dice cup and a single die from the table. With a sweep of his other hand, he slammed down on the remaining dice, crushing them to powder.

With a flick of his wrist, he pushed the dice cup and die over to Jiang Ran.

"Check them yourself. I don't want you crying foul after you lose."

Jiang Ran didn't refuse. He picked up the die, examined it closely, tossed it in his palm a few times, and finally gave a slight nod.

"No problems."

"I never expected the renowned Young Hero Jiang to also be a man of the gambling arts."

The Rotten Gambler was a little surprised. Jiang Ran's method of inspection seemed simple, but he could tell this was the work of an expert.

The Rotten Gambler's words startled Ruan Yuqing, and she couldn't help but glance at Jiang Ran.

With his refined and handsome features, he didn't look like a gambling man at all.

Jiang Ran saw the look in her eyes and knew what she was thinking. He couldn't help but smile.

"Don't judge a book by its cover. A handsome face doesn't always belong to a perfect gentleman."

As he spoke casually, the Scripture of Creation and True Heart began to circulate rapidly within him.

'Gambling with this Rotten Gambler is just a stalling tactic.'

'He didn't believe for a second that this man would actually release his hostage, even if he lost.'

'From the moment the trap was sprung, Jiang Ran had already started calculating how to save him.'

'The first threat to Luo Qingyi is the trap at his feet. That part isn't too difficult.'

'After that are the six thugs with the dice pips on their faces.'

'Their weapons are all pointed at Luo Qingyi, but he's wearing a suit of treasured armor. If they just aimed for his body, things would be much simpler.'

'The real worry is them slitting his throat or lopping off his head...'

'So, when he makes his move, his first priority has to be preventing Luo Qingyi from falling into the trap.'

'And in that same instant, he has to kill at least three of the 'dice' freaks.'

'To accomplish that, the best method isn't his saber.'

'It's the Cold Moon Nail from the Cold Moon Skill.'

'Condensing a Cold Moon Nail isn't difficult; the hard part is striking in a way that guarantees a one-hit kill.'

'Although Jiang Ran had obtained Yin Yue's years of experience in using the Cold Moon Nail, his own previous accuracy when throwing things made him hesitant to act rashly.'

'On a normal day, it might be fine, but now, the slightest mistake could have disastrous consequences. A single misstep, and Luo Qingyi would lose his life.'

'He couldn't afford to be anything but cautious.'

'This single round of win-or-lose was the perfect opportunity to find the right angle for a fatal strike.'

As this thought crossed his mind, the Rotten Gambler asked:

"Since you're done checking, who goes first?"

He stared at Jiang Ran, his eyes burning with a fierce desire to win.

Jiang Ran smiled.

"The guest follows the host's lead."

"I can't be bothered to take it back. You go first."

The Rotten Gambler waved his hand dismissively.

Jiang Ran didn't refuse. He picked up the dice cup and blew into it.

The next moment, with a flick of his wrist and a SHUFFLE, the die dropped into the cup.

Jiang Ran shook the cup up and down with one hand, the die clattering violently inside.

Ruan Yuqing forced herself to look away from the weapons in the six dice freaks' hands. Her gaze was fixed on the Rotten Gambler, ready to strike the moment Jiang Ran gave the slightest signal.