Nightfall descended once again. The Mountain Gate of the Lichen Sect was situated high above the ground, untouched by the common dust. As a result, the starlight and moonlight were exceptionally pure and clear, especially as the night deepened. The night sky was akin to black silk studded with pearls and jade, stretching out into the infinite distance, utterly intoxicating.

An hour before the scheduled time, Yu Ci arrived at Touching Sky Peak to familiarize himself with the surroundings. Even now, he did not understand why Zhang Yan would cast aside his dignity and challenge him to a duel, but since things had come to this point, he understood the principle of knowing oneself and one's enemy to be invincible in battle. His cultivation level was at a disadvantage, so early preparation became increasingly important.

Unlike the hustle and bustle of the day, there were few people on Touching Sky Peak at night. Occasionally, he encountered several people who had specifically come to watch the duel.

News of Zhang Yan, disregarding his dignity to duel with an Outer Disciple who came to the Sect's Mountain Gate for cultivation, had spread throughout the Sect's Mountain Gate after two days, but it was far from reaching the so-called "deserted streets" level of excitement.

Generally speaking, the cultivators of the Sect's Mountain Gate, especially those of the Empirical Department, led very regular lives. Apart from those who were in long-term seclusive cultivation, people spent their days studying the essence of methods and honing their combat skills. At night, they would meditate and absorb spiritual energy to enhance their cultivation level.

Therefore, when the night deepened, the Countless Method Sanctuary would be quiet. Perhaps the duel itself was intriguing, but those devoted to cultivation understood the difficulty of cultivation. The vast majority could suppress their curiosity and stick to their own study plans.

Zhang Yan had probably taken this into consideration when setting the duel at night.

After pacing back and forth near the agreed location on the cliff wall, Yu Ci had a general understanding of the terrain. Of course, the duel had no designated battlefield. Every corner of Touching Sky Peak could be a battlefield. However, Yu Ci did not believe that he could entangle Zhang Yan to that extent, nor did he have such a plan.

"The odds of winning aren't great."

Whether it was Li You or Meng Wei, or even Hong Qianqiu, whom he had only recently met, they all told him frankly that Zhang Yan might no longer be the "Piercing Sun Flying Rainbow" who had single-handedly entered the North Wilderness at the age of forty-two and beheaded a sect leader. However, his decades of foundation were still there, and years of wasting time had not completely destroyed his exceptional Sword Way accomplishments. In addition, with the Golden Elixir suppressing the Nature-Connecting Cultivation Level, under normal circumstances, Yu Ci's chances of winning were almost nil.

Yet, to admit defeat without a real fight, that was not in Yu Ci's style.

In fact, Yu Ci had a vague plan in mind, but due to his lack of a clear understanding of Zhang Yan, it was difficult to put into action for the time being. Perhaps, he would have to wait until the duel began to make a decision.

Making several leaps on the cliff wall, Yu Ci decided to look in another direction. However, after only a few miles, his gaze was drawn to an object: at the intersection of moonlight and the cliff shadow, a figure was suspended, half lying, half sitting on a protruding stone beam. The entire upper body was hidden in the shadow, with only the legs dangling in the air, swinging back and forth in boredom.

Yu Ci was about to pass by when he felt a sudden urge to look closer. He tilted his body slightly and caught a glimpse of the person's face. "Senior Brother Zhang?"

Upon hearing the greeting, the man stood up in surprise and looked in his direction. Their eyes met, and for a moment, both were speechless. How could they encounter each other here and now, on the eve of their duel?

As for Zhang Yan, Yu Ci had only met him once, but his impression of him was profound.

The impression Zhang Yan gave was that of a "disheveled" man. There were many disheveled cultivators, Hong Qianqiu was an example. But Zhang Yan was clearly different. In both of Yu Ci's encounters with him, he was always wearing a black Taoist robe, which seemed to never have been changed. The front was torn open, revealing a messy inner garment. His face was also covered with stubble. While this gave Hong Qianqiu a rugged and heroic look, on Zhang Yan, words like "down-and-out" and "decadent" seemed to be tailored for him.

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The reason for this impression, Yu Ci thought, might be because Senior Brother Zhang was rather delicate, with fair skin, but with an unhealthy pale blue hue. Moreover, Senior Brother's eyes were too gloomy, deeply sunken, always giving the impression of being half-dead.

"Good day, Senior Brother Zhang."

Yu Ci composed himself and bowed respectfully. Zhang Yan, on the other hand, seemed a bit distracted. He paused before nodding in response:

"Oh, Junior Brother Yu is here."

"Senior Brother Zhang, you're here quite early. Shall we start now?"

"Let's stick to the agreement." Zhang Yan reclined back into the shadow of the cliff wall, speaking languidly.

Zhang Yan's voice was peculiar, devoid of any vital essence, like the moan of a gravely ill person. Upon hearing this, Yu Ci furrowed his brows, particularly since the man before him was his upcoming opponent in a wagered duel, which only added to his annoyance.

Is this Zhang Yan's attitude towards the duel?

Yu Ci cracked a smile. He could accept defeat, but losing to such a person was a bitter pill to swallow. He stood still, staring at Zhang Yan's face half-hidden in the shadows, recalling the information he had received from Li You and the others.

In his time, Zhang Yan was a prominent figure within the Sect's Mountain Gate. He ascended to the Golden Elixir Stage at the age of forty-two. While not the most gifted, he was a rising star within the Sect's Mountain Gate. His fame was cemented in the battle of North Wilderness. However, for some inexplicable reason, he developed a gambling addiction at the peak of his career, indulging in it to the point of no return. His transgressions due to gambling led him to spend two-thirds of the year in solitary reflection.

Yet, the more he was reprimanded, the more he doubled down. Over the decades, his Cultivation Level remained stagnant, and the vigor and sharpness he had when he ascended to the Golden Elixir Stage were completely lost in this prolonged gamble.

It was this man who had inexplicably sought him out for a duel. Yu Ci's thoughts became clearer, and after some consideration, he decided to approach him.

"I'll sit for a while," Yu Ci said, grinning as he found a spot beside Zhang Yan, no more than a few feet away.

Zhang Yan looked at him curiously, sizing up this rather unique junior brother. In fact, Yu Ci's name was already quite well-known, even to a gambling addict like him. He had heard the name on occasion.

He knew that this young man, only in his mid-twenties, had already accomplished several remarkable feats. The power reshuffling in Sheer Cliff City, the downfall of Blood Monk Tu Ling's conspiracy, all had this young man's fingerprints. His achievements were even greater than Zhang Yan's in his prime. Moreover, his character was quite extraordinary, which explained why he had so many supporters despite being new to the Sect. His popularity was indeed enviable.

Well, these matters were no longer his concern. All he had to do was to accept the outcome of the gamble and follow the other's intentions.

At this moment, Yu Ci struck up a conversation with him. "Senior Brother Zhang."

"Hmm?"

"There's something I've been wanting to ask you. Can Senior Brother Zhang enlighten me?"

"Let's discuss it after the duel. Now is the time to conserve energy," Zhang Yan said casually. He then closed his eyes again, as if those few words had exhausted all his strength.

However, Yu Ci did not shy away from difficulty, and continued to ask, "I've heard of Senior Brother's preferences. If I may be so bold, I think, given your temperament, Senior Brother, instead of spending time dueling with others and visiting the Sword Garden, why not find someone to gamble with for hundreds or thousands of rounds? Why bother with such concerns?"

This remark was somewhat impolite, but Zhang Yan, being self-aware, did not get angry. He just chuckled twice, "I'm strapped for cash, what can I do?"

"Eh? Does Senior Brother intend to win the Token and then exchange it for gambling funds?"

Yu Ci suddenly remembered that the gambler before him had once set an impressive record. Sect's Mountain Gate had specifically issued an edict to cut off all cultivation resource benefits for Zhang Yan, including Elixirs and Pills, Magical Instruments, cultivation sites, etc., so as not to let him win Elixirs and Pills, Magical Instruments, and then bet them away.

Such targeted measures were said to be unprecedented since the establishment of the sect. This edict pushed Zhang Yan onto a dead end. To survive at Sect's Mountain Gate, he had to earn and fight for his own expenses. If he continued to gamble, he would surely suffer.

Yet, he still did not quit gambling. Now, he was just living off some Merit Points news in the One Mind Hall. The Merit Points and rewards he received were quickly squandered. When no one in the sect was willing to gamble with him, he would travel thousands of miles to North Wilderness, lose everything, and then run back to find work.

With a gambling addiction to this extent, he was probably the first person in the history of the Lichen Sect.

Generally speaking, people thought that the edict was a sign that the elders of the Sect had run out of patience with Zhang Yan, but Yu Ci felt that rather than the elders of Sect's Mountain Gate disliking him, they still held illusions about him. They hoped that through this move, they could force him to quit gambling and return to the right path.

But now it seemed that all these methods and thoughts were in vain.

Yu Ci was not a sentimental person. With the upcoming battle, he did not lament over such "regrettable and pitiful" matters. Instead, a vague idea in his mind suddenly became clear.

He suddenly smiled, staring at Zhang Yan's face, his eyes shining like stars:

"Perhaps Senior Brother Zhang doesn't know, but actually, I also like to gamble."

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