Odds of entering the top 16: 1 to 5.
Odds of entering the top 8: 1 to 10.
Odds of ranking fourth: 1 to 20.
Odds of ranking third: 1 to 30.
Odds of ranking second: 1 to 50.
Odds of ranking first: 1 to 100.
"Damn, these odds..."
These odds are set based on their performance during this period. He was previously ranked in the second tier and has stayed at the base without guild activities, so the bookies still consider him in the second tier.
Considering there are forty people in the first tier, it's very difficult for someone from the second tier to make it into the top 16, so these odds are no surprise.
Not just him, the odds for most newcomers in the second tier are similarly high.
Looking at these extremely high odds, Su Yu scratched his head, feeling a temptation to bet on himself to win.
Just making it to the top 16 offers odds of 1 to 5. Betting three to five taels of gold and striving to reach the top 16 would yield more than twenty taels of gold, which is more lucrative than making it to the top four.
"I can give it a try."
The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. He was really short of money right now.
However, he couldn't place a bet on himself; the bookies wouldn't accept a contestant betting on themselves to win, only on others to win.
He immediately contacted Gu Zhiqiu:
"Brother Gu, I need a favor."
"Go ahead."
"Someone in the city's channel is taking bets for this small exam. I can't bet on myself, can you place a bet for me?"
"You want to bet on yourself to win? For which rank?"
"Hmm, top 8, 3 taels of gold."
"Top 8? Are you confident?"
"I'm somewhat confident."
Just kidding, with a somewhat accomplished state in Sword Qi Thunder Sound Swordsmanship, getting into the top 8 shouldn't be a big problem.
The reason he didn't aim for the top 4 is mainly due to his Flying Sword Magical Treasures not being good enough and his Dao level not being high.
No matter how exquisite his Swordsmanship is, it can't withstand an opponent with several powerful Magical Treasures bombarding without reason.
Such people are everywhere in the first tier.
Moreover, he remembered that there were a few in the first tier with high innate attributes despite their common backgrounds, and there seemed to be a few with special constitutions and bloodlines. Even if the quality wasn't very high, it was still an extra advantage, especially since bloodlines are quite formidable when everyone's cultivation isn't high and Magical Treasures are inadequate.
At this point, Gu Zhiqiu seemed to consider for a moment and asked:
"Brother Su, how sure are you?"
"Why, do you want to place a bet too?"
"Hehe, I'm dead broke too, looking to earn something."
"I have some confidence, but can't guarantee it. After all, the opponents are random; if I randomly face a seed player from the first tier, I'm done. It's up to you."
"Alright, I'll also put in one gold."
"I can't guarantee anything, you know."
"Who can guarantee such things, but since you're betting, you must have some confidence, I trust you."
"Alright then."
Su Yu turned off the communication, went to the commercial district, and found a commerce association to sell the Seal of Mountains and Rivers for 3 gold.
This cumbersome Magical Treasure was useless in the PK arena, selling it wouldn't affect his combat power.
Then he met up with Gu Zhiqiu and handed 3 taels of gold to him.
Gu Zhiqiu took the money and went to place the bet at the Thousand Feather Commerce Association.
Indeed, for such large-scale betting, only the Thousand Feather Guild could organize it.
"Whether we'll feast or go hungry depends on this."
Su Yu rubbed his hands, feeling a bit nervous.
However, this nervousness gradually subsided as the small exam was about to begin.
The two of them went together to the guild's arena, glanced at the crowd outside, and entered the arena through the back door after making half a circle.
At the back door stood over a dozen newcomer supervisors, Fu Ping among them, who waved him over upon seeing him enter.
"Register first and get a badge."
Gu Zhiqiu was managed by a different newcomer supervisor and had already separated.
After registration, he was number 68, and Fu Ping said quietly to him:
"Perform well and try to make it to the top 32, there are benefits."
"Prizes?"
"No." Fu Ping lowered his voice: "The guild pays great attention to newcomers. Every year there are guild high-level officials watching the small and big exams. If you perform well and catch the eye of someone important, you will be recruited with generous terms."
"Is that so? I'll try my best."
"Good luck!"
Fu Ping patted his shoulder, signaling him to enter the arena.
Following the crowd, he entered the arena, passed through an arched gate with a thin light screen, and arrived in a huge space.
In the center was a battle arena enveloped by a transparent spherical barrier, an inverted mountain peak on the square. Surrounding it were audience seats suspended in mid-air, densely arranged like a keyboard, stretching far back.
The seats were stacked in more than a dozen layers, with over ten thousand on each layer, allowing the arena to accommodate tens of thousands to watch at the same time.
With just one glance, Su Yu knew that the transparent spherical barrier contained an independent space cut by a large formation. From the outside, the ring appeared to have a diameter of only about a hundred meters, but the interior was an independent space with a diameter of no less than ten thousand meters, enough to accommodate a battle between Loose Immortal-level experts inside.
Looking around again, he didn't see the guild's high-level officials, they must not have arrived yet.
As time went on, people gradually entered the venue, and the seats slowly filled up.
"So many people."
Gu Zhiqiu had also arrived, clicking his tongue and saying:
"As far as I know, today's ticket price is one tael of silver each. Just with ten thousand spectators, there's an income of 100 gold; but now more than twenty thousand have already entered, and it won't be a problem to fill up to thirty or forty thousand as time goes on. The ticket income alone will be three to four hundred gold, more than enough to cover all rewards."
"They really know how to generate income."
The two chatted while waiting, and at 9 o'clock, a man and a woman host appeared on stage to announce the start of the small exam.
Su Yu glanced at the surrounding waiting hall, over two to nearly three hundred fellow newcomers were participating in this small exam, their expressions varied but all confident.
Obviously, after three months of training and improvement, everyone's strength had significantly increased.
Infusing Mana into his eyes, his pupils shone as he scanned the crowd, his mouth slightly opened involuntarily:
"Gosh."
The newcomers' Basic Qi Refining Heart Skill levels all reached over thirty layers, more than half surpassed forty layers, there were even over ten above fifty layers, and two had reached sixty layers.
"That's insane!"
Below forty layers might be manageable, but the Qi Refining Heart Skill levels of fifty or sixty, how many resources were burned for that?
Not worried about premature growth are they?
Su Yu felt a pang of sourness.
Real sourness.
At that moment, the person on stage had finished explaining the rules and making the opening speech, loudly announcing:
"The first small exam for newcomers of the year at Thousand Feather Guild officially begins!"
Immediately after, the central formation began to change, splitting the enormous arena into more smaller arena spaces, and Su Yu heard the transmission countdown in his ear.
When the ten-second countdown ended, an invisible force wrapped him in light and sent him into one of the small grids of the arena.
Though it seemed like a small grid, it was actually an arena space with a diameter exceeding a thousand meters.
At the other end of the arena, a kilometer away from him, stood a figure that soared towards him after a three-second countdown.
Su Yu, with a thought, activated his protective Qi shield, and as the figure flew towards him, his sword fingers pointed, and the Ice Soul Sword shot up, instantly clinging and circling around the opponent's Defense Treasure Light.
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-504
...
Six damage numbers popped up in succession, causing the Magical Treasure Defense Treasure Light to twist sharply, almost collapsing.
"Whoa!"
A burst of three thousand damage surprised Li Tong, who immediately took out a mirror inscribed with spiritual patterns, aimed it at Su Yu, and immobilized him with an invisible force.
He then summoned a small mountain and threw it, quickly enlarging it to over ten meters and smashing it down.
He followed up by pulling out a red banner and waving it, causing flames to surge and coalesce into Fireballs that rained down like meteors.
"Boom!"
Su Yu was directly struck by the small mountain, and then hit by 20 to 30 Fireballs the size of heads in a row, causing the protective Qi shield to distort violently.
Before the wave ended, Su Yu had broken free from immobilization, soaring into the sky. With a left-hand gesture downwards, blue light filled the air, gathering water to quickly form a vortex over ten meters in diameter, blocking the Fireballs.
With his right hand, two fingers extended forward, the previously uncontrolled falling Ice Soul Sword shot up again.
Left hand pressed down:
"Purple Essence Qi Strength!"
Mana condensed into a mighty hand, sweeping horizontally.
"Bang!"
-5280
Li Tong's Defense Treasure Light shattered on the spot. The Ice Soul Sword light flew around him in a circle, and an invisible force field suddenly appeared to protect him and transport him away.
"Su Yu wins!"