Chapter 172: Now That's Just Despicable

If Jiang Changyue were truly his friend, Jiang Changkong definitely wouldn’t gamble.

But Jiang Changyue was his alternate identity—it was himself.

Now that someone was offering Star Stones, there was no reason not to accept them.

The area near the stone house was still some distance from where Star Demons at the late Star Spirit stage roamed.

Even if Star Demons really came, with his terrifying five senses, he could escape in advance without issue.

Not rushing to act, Heng Yongxing still needed to invite others.

Jiang Changkong also pretended to go out for a while. When he returned, he was covered in dust and dirt, with an additional trace of cold, yin energy on him.

“What happened to you?”

Heng Yongxing and the others were astonished. Seeing his disheveled appearance, they felt like laughing but didn’t dare.

“It’s nothing. I just tripped and fell into the Taiyin Cold Pool,” Jiang Changkong said calmly, circulating his Blazing Sun Star Power to disperse the cold, yin energy.

“Heh, got beaten up, didn’t you?” Li Changtian wore a gleeful expression.

“None of your damn business,” Jiang Changkong replied somewhat irritably.

But his demeanor, in their eyes, was clearly an attempt to cover up the truth.

He must have been beaten up. Serves you right, you fool, for not knowing better and daring to bet with the Moon Laurel Leaf.

“Failed?” Heng Yongxing was somewhat disappointed.

It seemed Jiang Changyue was still rational. Trying to win the Moon Laurel Leaf through gambling was not going to work.

“How could that be?”

Jiang Changkong snorted, a Lunar Yin Blade appearing in his hand, its hilt adorned with a Moon Laurel Leaf: “He gave me the blade first. If you win, you can take the leaf.”

Heng Yongxing: “…”

Li Changtian and Anding Bang were dumbfounded. He really gave it?

The three of them wore complex expressions, their eyes red with jealousy as they stared at him.

Why? Why was fate so unfair!

Such a prodigy, damn it, was actually so devoted to you?

First, he killed for you. Now, for you, he even took out his own treasure.

Why don’t I have a friend like that?

Seeing the three of them looking at him with murderous intent, Jiang Changkong frowned slightly: “Don’t tell me you don’t have the Star Stones?”

“Absolutely we do. At the latest, you’ll see them tonight,” Heng Yongxing took a deep breath and said, “My two friends will also be here soon.”

“President An, you have no objections?” Jiang Changkong then looked at Anding Bang.

“None. Whatever Young Master Heng says goes,” Anding Bang quickly replied. This was a great opportunity to latch onto a powerful ally.

Moreover, with two mid-Star Spirit helpers, victory was assured.

“What about Jiang Changyue? Why is there only the Lunar Yin Blade?” Heng Yongxing asked with a puzzled expression.

Jiang Changkong’s face paled slightly, but he forced himself to remain calm: “He won’t take action. He believes in me.”

Hearing his not-so-confident words, Anding Bang laughed, very happily.

Heng Yongxing’s face showed a hint of joy, which he quickly suppressed, adopting a solemn expression: “How can that be? In that case, wouldn’t I be taking advantage of you?”

Jiang Changkong suggested: “How about you don’t invite anyone else?”

“Ahem,” Heng Yongxing coughed lightly and turned his head away: “It’s not good to go back on what’s been decided. I’ve already notified them. How about you invite another mid-Star Spirit?”

Jiang Changkong scoffed inwardly. The people he knew in Pingan City, aside from them, were Tang Ruoxi.

Who could he invite?

He did know one early Star Spirit, An Yuanshan, but that guy was dead set on dragging him into the military.

“How about I make the first move? You all can continue waiting for your friends. That way, it won’t count as you taking advantage,” Jiang Changkong proposed.

“Alright,” Heng Yongxing agreed immediately.

Act first. There were only a few minutes left before the people he had invited would arrive. How many could Jiang Changkong kill in just these few minutes?

Moreover, killing Star Demons would tire him out. Starting now meant expending energy early.

After finalizing the agreement, they inspected each other’s Spatial Equipment to ensure no extra Star Stones were hidden. The research team also left their equipment behind to record everything.

Using the stone house as the boundary, no one was allowed to cross it. Jiang Changkong quickly departed.

He took the left side, while Anding Bang and the others went to the right.

Jiang Changkong stepped into the overgrown weeds, his gaze sharp as lightning, searching for Star Demons.

There were plenty of Star Demons here, so Jiang Changkong resorted to his old method.

Since there were no late-stage or peak Star Spirits nearby, this method could be used without issue.

Kill the Star Demons, let the blood flow.

Immediately, he activated the Spirit Control Art, spreading Invisible Star Power to push the blood mist outward.

The blood mist drifted swiftly, aided by the Spirit Control Art.

Heng Yongxing and the others could catch a faint whiff of the bloody scent but paid it no mind.

A few minutes later, the two mid-stage Star Spirits he had invited arrived. One of them, Jiang Changkong recognized—An Lin, who had reached the mid-stage limit.

Besides them, the familiar face of An Yuanshan also appeared.

Sauntering over to Jiang Changkong’s vicinity, An Yuanshan chuckled, “Changkong, need any help?”

“No need,” Jiang Changkong flatly refused.

“You, so young, yet already acting recklessly.”

An Yuanshan stood to the side, chattering incessantly, “You’re clearly giving away benefits for free, and dragging your friends down with you.”

“Just shut up. I’m busy.”

Jiang Changkong replied coldly. Dozens of Star Demon corpses already lay around him, their thick blood mist drifting through the air.

“Hey, I’m just concerned about you. Killing them one or a few at a time like this—how long will it take?

Anding Bang’s side is something else. The entire Martial Arts Association is mobilized, and they take down at least dozens at once, not to mention the two Star Spirits.”

An Yuanshan didn’t stop, continuing his lecture.

Jiang Changkong ignored him, using the Spirit Control Art to vibrate and disperse the blood mist.

“You…”

Rumble—

As soon as An Yuanshan finished speaking, the ground shook violently, dust flew, and Star Power surged in all directions.

The earth cracked, weeds turned to dust, and Star Demons roared as they charged forward.

“Have you gone mad?”

An Yuanshan’s expression changed. He finally realized what this guy was planning—luring a horde of Star Demons.

He knew a bit about Jiang Changkong’s strength. If it were just some Star Vaults or early-stage Star Spirits, they wouldn’t pose much of a challenge.

But what if mid-stage, late-stage, or even peak Star Spirits were drawn in?

Moreover, even if late-stage or peak Star Demons didn’t appear, if he exhausted himself and got surrounded by the horde, he’d be doomed.

Star Demons charged from all directions, raising clouds of dust and creating such a commotion that even Heng Yongxing’s side could see it clearly.

Jiang Changkong paid no attention to An Yuanshan. Blazing Sun Star Power surged into the sky, condensing into a golden sun.

Like a great sun, it illuminated the surrounding space, its scorching heat causing the blood mist below to evaporate.

Roar!

As the terrifying heat emerged, the charging Star Demons, unaccustomed to it, instinctively stirred their Star Power to resist the blazing sun.

“Blazing Sun Blade.”

Jiang Changkong uttered calmly as the flames trembled, releasing countless golden rays.

The golden light pierced through the Void, transforming into blade after blade of energy. The approaching Star Demons were directly split in half, some even minced into pieces.

An Yuanshan was startled and quickly retreated, afraid of coming into contact with the golden light.

Roar!

One Star Demon after another howled in agony and despair. The bloody scent grew thicker, attracting even more Star Demons.

Jiang Changkong stood with his hands behind his back, Star Power surging skyward, continuously pouring into the blazing sun as it released blade after blade of fiery energy.

Where the sunlight passed, there were only blade rays!

The scent of blood drifted, causing Anding Bang and the others, who were clearing Star Demons, to be momentarily stunned—because the Star Demons in their area had fled!

All of them were drawn by the bloodlust, charging toward Jiang Changkong’s direction.

“Damn, that’s sneaky. With the Star Demons gone, what are we supposed to kill?”

“Let’s go ask him.”

“We can’t cross boundaries during the competition.”

Everyone: “…”

What a cunning mind. So this was the shameless scheme all along—no wonder he dared to make a bet.

An Lin said calmly, “Don’t worry. He can’t kill that many alone, and besides, there are too many Star Demons here. He won’t be able to lure them all away.”

Hearing this, everyone felt reassured. However, even if he couldn’t lure them all away, it would still cause trouble for them.

If they wanted to find Star Demons now, they would have to venture even farther ahead.