In the embrace of the early morning sun disciples leisurely moved about the courtyards and pathways of the Golden Gamble Sect. Wu Jilong was one of them, he strolled along the golden brick pathways of the faction accompanied by the soft song of bells. True to its name nearly everything in the Golden Gamble faction was well… golden.

Off in the distance from the plaza of the faction a single sight drew Wu Jilong’s intrigue. Hundreds of solid cubes revolved in the air and fell. From afar Wu Jilong could tell they were dice but that was not what interested him. No matter what number was rolled on the dice they always totaled 888, the sheer absurdity of such an occurrence was shocking.

Qi was used to move the dice but only partially. Luck decided which numbers would be rolled. Wu Jilong’s face was tranquil as he watched the dice rise and fall like waves in the ocean.

“Amazing isn’t it?” an ancient voice asked. The voices owner was nowhere to be seen.

“When the outcome is certain it ceases to be a gamble instead becoming fraud,” Wu Jilong said.

Next to Wu Jilong a golden radiance formed the figure of an old man, his robe was white with golden swirls which spun each time the dice in the air spun. “The Golden Fraud Faction doesn’t have the same ring to it unfortunately.” Ignoring the old man’s words Wu Jilong analyzed the dice carefully.  

“These dice are influenced by your cultivation technique. The small amount of Qi is not actually meant to roll the dice but instead steal luck from the heavens themselves!” Though Wu Jilong looked down upon the majority of cultivators he respected the man who created a cultivation technique to steal from the heavens. The thought of stealing from the heavens rested somewhere between insanity and brilliance.

Ma Lin said that the Golden Gamble Faction was the weakest faction in the Sect of Five Corners yet Wu Jilong couldn’t help but feel this was untrue. In competitions with the other factions when a disciple of the Golden Gamble Faction won it was dismissed as them simply being lucky, but creating luck was what the disciples of the Golden Gamble Faction cultivated in.

“What a sharp young man. If I had taken offense to you analyzing my methods of cultivation what would you have done?”

“The head of the Golden Gamble Faction would not be so low as to attack a member of his young disciples would he?” Wu Jilong asked.

In front of the faction head Wu Jilong showed no weakness. though he was still outclassed by him. In his entire life Wu Jilong had never bowed to anyone. If one doubts and regrets their decisions was there ever a point to making the choice in the first place?

“Boy what is your name?”

“Wu Jilong.”

“Wu Jilong, what do you hope to gain from the Sect of Five Corners and my Golden Gamble Faction?”

“In three years I will enter the Black Dragon Run and take the rewards for first place.”

“That is an extremely arduous path to take. The top geniuses in the younger generation from all three continents will take place in the Black Dragon Run. Hoping to be first is fine but achieving it is another story.”

Wu Jilong remained indifferent. “Removing an obstacle from a path is far easier than deciding upon a path.” After hearing Wu Jilong’s answer the old man felt content, his figure abruptly disappeared from Wu Jilong.

After analyzing the mystery of the dice Wu Jilong grew bored, he turned and walked towards the center of the Golden Gamble Faction to find something to eat. Before he could reach the diner however he stumbled upon a girl sitting under the shade of an aged tree. A ripe red apple was pressed against her apple red lips, not far from the girl was an easel. Behind the easel sat an arrogant looking youth completely immersed in painting.

Each brush stroke gracefully flowed into the next one forming a mesmerizing dance upon the easels surface. On the canvas hundreds of colors joined to form a picture even more breathtaking than the actual scene of the girl before him. Twenty cultivators watched the man painting from afar not daring to approach because the young man was none other than Tan Fang.

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The girl sitting under the tree was his fiancee Su Ruiqi! Within the new generation of disciples Su Ruiqi is without a doubt the most talented and possibly one of the most talented disciples to ever enter the Sect of Five Corners. She came from an extremely powerful family and had great favor with the elders of the Golden Gamble Faction, upsetting her was the same as signing your own death warrant within the faction.

Tan Fang was just about to stand up and walk over to Su Ruiqi when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

“How beautiful!” Wu Jilong exclaimed. On canvas Su Ruiqi was painted with the apple pressed to her lips but in the painting she gazed off into the distance with a faint smile on her delicate lips. Tan Fang’s masterful use of shadows served to enhance the realism of Su Ruiqi’s painted figure.

Each detail of her being was carefully depicted. The tightness of her silver robe as it hugged her bountiful curves and its ruffles as it bunched in other areas, her black hair neatly fastened with a golden bow, even the small black beauty mark under her lilac left eye received attention.

“Who is that guy?”

“He dares to flirt with Su Ruiqi in front of Tan Fang?”

“Tan Fang is the disciple of Mo Bang who would offended him?”

Voices rang out from the crowd of disciples but the loudest voice of all of them was Tan Fang’s. “Wu Jilong! You are courting death! To flirt with my future wife in front of me, you are truly shameless!” His nasally voice echoed throughout the buildings of the outer faction drawing more attention.

Soon an even larger crowd gathered waiting for the impending fight to start, Tan Fang’s aura became violent as he made no attempts to hide his hatred for Wu Jilong. Only two days have passed since they first met but Tan Fang already hated Wu Jilong down to his bones.

While Tan Fang readied for a battle Wu Jilong continued to appreciate the work of art before him, he did not hear the words Tan Fang said nor did he care. At this moment in the entire world nothing mattered to Wu Jilong more than the beauty of the painting. Seeing this, the veins on Tan Fang’s forehead became completely visible. Tan Fang gritted his teeth like a beast and pointed at Wu Jilong.

“You dare to ignore me Wu Jilong? You actually dare? Today I wi…”

Wu Jilong turned to look at the ruddy faced youth. “Have we ever met before?”

“Y-y-ou are simply too shameless! Just two days ago we met for the first time. I am the disciple of Mo Bang. You don’t dare say that you don't remember me do you?”

“What is your name?” Wu Jilong said in a voice so cold it could freeze fire.

“Tan Fang.”

Wu Jilong nodded silently. “Tan Fang your talent in painting far surpasses your talent in cultivation. Instead of wasting your time cultivating you should pursue art.” His words were meant as a compliment but only Wu Jilong would know that.

“What right do you have to judge the talent of my future husband?” This time it was Su Ruiqi that spoke up. She moved gracefully and soon appeared next to Tan Fang.

“I offered him advice out of respect for his talent as an artist. Once Tan Fang forms his Tsunami Grade Aura Sea his advancement in cultivation will come to an end.”

Su Ruiqi scowled. “Such arrogance,” she said. “You speak as though you can see into the future. Wu Jilong let us gamble!” Su Ruiqi gestured and a gray medicinal pill appeared. “This is an Aura Sea Formation Pill, Tan Fang take this! If Tan Fang forms an Aura Sea of the Tsunami Grade I Su Ruiqi will cripple my own cultivation, however, if Tan Fang forms an Aura Sea of any other grade you must cripple your cultivation. Do you accept this gamble?”

“No. I could not care less about your cultivation. What I want is that painting. If I win the gamble I am taking the painting, if I lose I Wu Jilong will cripple my cultivation. Su Ruiqi do you accept this gamble?”

“I do!”