The World Devouring System

Caelum's brow arched. "Oh? What do you propose?"

"Simple. The yearly under-20 martial arts tournament will take place in approximately six months. Until then, I won't lay my hands on Mira. Both of us will compete in the tournament, and whoever places higher in the final standings gets Mira."

Boros tried to put on a sincere expression, adding, "But… this bet is a little unfair to me, since I can take Mira whenever I want. She belongs to me right now anyway. So if you lose after accepting this bet, you'll have to give me 100 grade-1 spirit stones. What do you say?"

Caelum felt an urge to laugh at Boros' amateurish attempt at acting. It was clear Boros thought him a fool. While the difference in strength between two cultivators who trained for 100 years and 104 years might be negligible under similar talent and luck, the same couldn't be said for someone who cultivated for six months compared to nearly four years. The gap would be vast—it was just simple math.

The warden sent Caelum a mental transmission in a grave tone. "Young Master, you must not accept this bet. Your chances of winning are slim to none. Boros was already at the first stage of the Qi Condensation realm during the last tournament. Reaching Qi Condensation in six months is an impossibly difficult task!"

It seemed the warden favored Caelum over Boros, or perhaps he saw an opportunity to curry favor with the Patriarch's son. Either way, the warning was clear.

Boros appeared to sense the silent exchange, and his eyes narrowed briefly at the warden before turning back to Caelum.

"What's the matter, Brother Caelum? Don't tell me our valiant Patriarch has birthed a cowardly son. It's just a small bet."

Caelum was momentarily dumbfounded. He felt that Boros was confusing arrogance with confidence, and stupidity with cowardice. However, Caelum didn't dwell on the warden's earlier warning. The system had demanded that he reach Qi Condensation within the first year, and Caelum already planned to exceed that timeline. With the functionalities the system offered, taking on Boros in six months didn't seem like an impossible task.

The issue wasn't Caelum's ability to win—it was his lack of interest in Mira as a prize. The only thing that piqued his curiosity was her apparent connection to the Heaven-Chosen in the opposite cell. Feigning seriousness, Caelum spoke, "I don't think Mira's life is something for us to wager on—it's not like she's a piece of property. Hmm… What do you think, Miss Mira? Do you want my help? If you request it, then I don't mind taking on this bet. If I win, I'll simply let you go free."

After posing his question, Caelum deliberately shifted his stance to block Mira's view of the Heaven-Chosen. He then fixed his gaze on her, waiting for her response.

Both Mira and Boros were visibly surprised by his words.

Boros laughed aloud, his tone tinged with amusement. "Is this your way of winning her favor, perhaps? Now I'm much more inclined to believe what you said about my way of picking up girls being outdated. It seems there's much for me to learn from you, Brother Caelum!"

Turning to Mira, he added, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and accept. You won't get another opportunity like this."

Mira hesitated. She wanted to consult her 'friend,' but Caelum's positioning made it impossible. Still, she only thought it a coincidence and didn't think that he had caught on to their connection. Under such circumstances, Mira made her own decision.

Mira's thoughts mirrored those of the warden. She believed there was no way Caelum could win the bet. Still, she harbored a somewhat positive impression of him—partly because he had tried to help her, and partly because she found him undeniably attractive, though she was only faintly aware of this bias influencing her impression. Being born with good looks was like having a cheat code for life.

"Sorry for rejecting your kind intentions," she said to Caelum, "but I don't need or want you to accept this bet for my sake."

Caelum smiled with faint amusement. Her words had given him just a little more insight into the situation.

Boros, on the other hand, was visibly upset. That had been his chance to easily swindle some spirit stones from Caelum. A hundred grade-1 spirit stones wasn't a trivial amount for him, but he felt confident that Caelum could produce them, thanks to who his parents were.

Quickly recovering, Boros thought of another approach. Addressing Mira, he clicked his tongue. "Tch. You've wasted a golden opportunity." Then, turning to Caelum, his tone shifted.

"There's no need to call off the bet just yet, is there? We can adjust the terms. Same as before: if I win, you give me a hundred grade-1 spirit stones. But if you win, I'll give you a thousand grade-1 spirit stones! A ten-to-one ratio—fair, considering I'm the clear favorite in this fight."

Caelum appeared to consider the offer deeply, his expression a perfect mask of deliberation. After a moment, he shook his head with a feigned look of regret. "Sorry, but a one-to-ten ratio just isn't enticing enough. You've already won this tournament once, haven't you? That makes you more than just the clear favorite—it makes this wager heavily skewed in your favor. I'll accept your bet if you agree to give me ten thousand grade-1 spirit stones if I win."

Boros frowned at Caelum's counteroffer. Both Mira and the warden were equally dumbfounded. They had each tried in their own way to dissuade Caelum from accepting the bet, but it seemed their efforts were in vain. To them, the specific terms didn't matter. Whether the reward was a thousand or ten thousand spirit stones, it was irrelevant if Caelum couldn't win in the first place. Yet, neither of them attempted to argue further.

'Does he actually think he has a chance against me?' Boros thought, his mind racing. The family's rules forbade the use of external artifacts in the tournament. Even if Caelum somehow convinced his parents to buy him a powerful artifact, he wouldn't be allowed to use it. Not even the Patriarch could bend the rules freely.

With that realization, Boros' irritation melted away, replaced by smug confidence. There was no way he could produce ten thousand grade-1 spirit stones if he lost. His own parents were not geniuses by any stretch - being average cultivators within the family, they lacked that kind of wealth, and he certainly didn't possess it himself. But none of that mattered to him—he was convinced he wouldn't lose.

With a confident smile, Boros said, "Alright! I accept this bet!"