Others might not know, thinking Ying Chen’s words were deliberate boasting or exaggeration, but He Chongxu understood perfectly.
Ying Chen had no intention of boasting, nor was he exaggerating in the slightest!
Cultivation was precisely this kind of money-burning endeavor!
Especially as one’s cultivation realm increased, the more money it consumed.
It might cost no more than a billion to cultivate from a novice to the sixth realm of sorcery.
For those with better talent, it could even be less.
But from the sixth realm onwards, the cost to ascend each level instantly became an astronomical figure!
Talent, at this point, couldn't be said to be useless, but its effect was no longer as significant.
Take He Chongxu himself, he was considered among the exceptionally gifted.
Yet, it took him over ten years to ascend from the sixth to the seventh realm.
The resources and money spent during these ten-plus years were immeasurable, likely not less than five or six billion.
And this was with the help of his martial uncle, obtaining some resources cheaply.
Without his martial uncle’s assistance, this figure might have doubled!
If ascending to the seventh realm was this difficult, one could imagine the challenge of reaching the eighth.
As for ascending to the ninth or tenth realm, He Chongxu didn't even dare to think about it.
Two hundred billion was truly not enough.
The price of a suitable top-grade magical artifact could reach this figure alone!
Ying Chen wasn't deliberately crying poverty or boasting; he was genuinely poor!
What He Chongxu didn't know was that he had underestimated Ying Chen.
Ying Chen wasn't merely facing the problem of upgrading from the eighth to the ninth, or the ninth to the tenth realm. Ying Chen was facing the issue of a future drastic environmental shift!
Ying Chen wished he could instantly possess trillions upon trillions, to buy all the magical artifacts, heavenly treasures, and blessed lands that might reappear with the resurgence of spiritual energy in the future!
Then Ying Chen could become Earth's foremost estate owner, selling all sorts of "agricultural and sideline products" and cultivation venues to the outside world!
Most importantly, when encountering enemies, Ying Chen wouldn't even need to act personally; a mere snap of his fingers would suffice.
Magical artifacts would rise into the air like dense formations of fighter jets, annihilating all enemies!
Imagining that scene was exciting, imagining that scene was beautiful!
Thus, with this beautiful fantasy in mind, Ying Chen turned his gaze towards Li Fengcheng.
And for some reason, Li Fengcheng instinctively shivered.
He had a feeling of being targeted by a demon.
"You said you weren't convinced just now?"
Ying Chen asked Li Fengcheng.
Li Fengcheng had just received two slaps, his face still aching. How dare he speak of being unconvinced?
So he remained silent, lowering his head and pretending not to hear.
"Looking at you, you're still not convinced." Ying Chen instantly understood.
"No, I… I am convinced…"
Li Fengcheng, thinking Ying Chen wanted to pick another fight and beat him, quickly forced himself to speak, enduring the pain in his cheek from opening his mouth.
"No, how can you be convinced? You, Li Fengcheng, represent Hong Kong's face, Hong Kong's dignity! If you are convinced, where does Hong Kong's face go? Where does Hong Kong's dignity go?"
Ying Chen said earnestly.
"Not only can you not be convinced, but you, you, and you all cannot be convinced!"
Ying Chen pointed to Huo Sheng, He Chongxu, and the other guests present.
Seeing Ying Chen's actions, everyone was stunned.
What play was Ying Chen putting on now?
He had just forced everyone to "be convinced," and now he was forcing them to "be unconvinced"?
It was as if they were filming a movie, and everyone's actions depended entirely on the director, Ying Chen's, arrangement!
"Uh, Mr. Ying, may I be convinced?" At this moment, Liao Yifan stepped forward, asking respectfully and fawningly.
Ying Chen glanced at Liao Yifan: "You may be convinced."
"That's good, that's good." Liao Yifan's heart, which had been in his throat, settled back into place.
He didn't want to end up like his father!
"What exactly do you mean? Don't think that just because we are at your mercy, you can toy with us and mock us as you please! At worst, we die. What is there to fear!"
At this moment, Li Fengcheng could no longer hold back and said sternly.
At the same time, a hint of resolve appeared in his eyes, as if he was prepared to be killed by Ying Chen.
Unexpectedly, instead of getting angry, Ying Chen was delighted: "Yes, yes, yes, that's the attitude!"
"It's right not to be convinced!"
"Since you're not convinced, can we then logically discuss the gambling agreement?"
"Gambling agreement? What gambling agreement?" Li Fengcheng asked, stunned.
"Didn't you all want to challenge me to a bet just now? I didn't give you the qualification then, but now I do! You can officially challenge me!"
"For the sake of your Hong Kong's dignity, for the sake of your Hong Kong's face, issue me the ultimate invitation!"
"Let's bet—five hundred billion!"
Huala!
As soon as Ying Chen uttered these words, the entire venue erupted in an uproar.
Setting aside the reason for Ying Chen’s U-turn, the gambling amount of five hundred billion he proposed was enough to shock everyone!
Was Ying Chen truly not considering money as money?
To know that the tenth richest person on the Hong Kong Rich List only had that much!
And that included the value of assets like stocks, not just pure cash.
If it were just cash, even the top five couldn't come up with five hundred billion!
Ying Chen, on the other hand, started with five hundred billion.
It was like a toad yawning – such a big mouth!
Just when everyone thought Li Fengcheng would absolutely not agree, to their surprise, Li Fengcheng's eyes flashed, and he decisively said, "Agreed!"
"A mere five hundred billion, I, Li Fengcheng, can afford it!"
"Moreover, I believe Huo Sheng and the others will not stand idly by, as this concerns the dignity of all Hong Kong people!"
Faced with Li Fengcheng's words, the crowd fell silent.
It was clear that if this gambling agreement was established, they truly could not remain uninvolved.
"Then count me in." Huo Sheng stepped forward to declare his position. "However, a bet must be fair. Since we are putting up five hundred billion, Mr. Ying naturally cannot only take two hundred billion. How will Mr. Ying settle the remaining money?"
Ying Chen seemed to have anticipated this question and replied unhurriedly, "I will use something as collateral."
"What thing?" everyone asked curiously.
They couldn't imagine what could be collateralized for three hundred billion.
Even an antique wouldn't suffice, right?
There were no antiques in this world worth that much.
Unless the Imperial Seal of Heaven reappeared.
"The complete raw materials, formula, and technical property rights of the Mirage Realm!"
Shua!
Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions changed.
They hadn't expected Ying Chen to offer this!
Although companies like Baoshu and others had offered ten billion for the Mirage Realm, everyone knew in their hearts that it was merely a cooperation price.
There would be profit-sharing in the future.
To buy it out completely, and give no share to Min Ziqiong or Ying Chen from future production and sales, the price would have to be at least tripled or quintupled.
Therefore, if Ying Chen truly used the complete intellectual property rights of the Mirage Realm as collateral, it could indeed be worth three hundred billion!
Li Fengcheng and Huo Sheng exchanged glances; they were both tempted!
As old foxes seasoned in the business world, how could they not see the immense profit contained within?
It wasn't just the commercial value generated by the Mirage Realm, but also the associated human connections, resources, and added effects that would arise from monopolizing the life sciences market!
Those were priceless!
"Good! We agree to this bet!"
Huo Sheng and Li Fengcheng said in unison.