Before she could even feel happy, another thought crossed Mu Lingyao's mind. "What difference does it make whether you go up the Tower of Stolen Gold or not? Don't tell me you really think you can reach the twenty-seventh layer."
"Nonsense! How would I know if I don't try?"
"If you don't go up, you might save some face. But if you go up and get ejected from the first layer, you'll be humiliated beyond belief."
"What, you don't have faith in this Great Lord of yours?"
To be honest, Mu Lingyao truly had no faith in Gu Qingfeng—not even a shred. If she had even a little bit of confidence, she wouldn't be forcing herself through this ordeal.
However, by now, Mu Lingyao clearly understood there was no other path to take. Trying was better than not trying. If they didn't try, they would definitely lose. If they tried, there might still be a sliver of hope to win. Even though that hope was exceedingly slim, what if this fellow really stumbled upon heaven-defying luck?
He had won eighteen hundred million in the gambling city by continuously betting on triples. Who dared say he absolutely couldn't reach the twenty-seventh layer?
Thinking of this, Mu Lingyao seemed to glimpse a faint ray of hope in the endless darkness.
Looking at Gu Qingfeng now—his indifferent, calm, and composed demeanor as if he didn't give a damn about the Tower of Stolen Gold's mere twenty-seven layers—in Mu Lingyao's eyes, perhaps this guy wasn't boasting. Maybe he really did have confidence?
With this thought, the hope in Mu Lingyao's heart began to burn like a small flame.
She turned and shouted at Xuan Yun and the others who were cheering, "Hey! Our Great Lord hasn't even entered the Tower of Stolen Gold yet. The outcome isn't decided. What are you all hollering about? Who knows who'll be the one kowtowing a million times in the end!"
"Oh?" Xuan Yun sneered. "You think he can reach the twenty-seventh layer of the Tower of Stolen Gold? What a joke!"
"Mu Lingyao, I advise you not to struggle pointlessly. If that nouveau riche gets eliminated on the first layer of the tower, you might not feel embarrassed, but we'd feel embarrassed for you! Huh? Hahahaha!" Liu Feng, Bai Yufei, and the others burst into laughter.
"Just you wait!" Mu Lingyao ignored Xuan Yun and his group. She said to Gu Qingfeng, "You go ahead and challenge the Tower of Stolen Gold boldly. Don't feel any psychological pressure. Just climb as many layers as you can—the higher, the better. Even if you get eliminated on the first layer, it doesn't matter. This young lady repeats: as long as I'm here, no one dares lay a finger on you today."
"Well now, that's good to hear. Don't worry, little sister. Just for those words of yours, this lord won't let you lose face."
Gu Qingfeng didn't say much more. He jumped down from the Nine-Headed Flame Cloud Crimson Blaze Tiger Grand Carriage and walked toward the Tower of Stolen Gold.
"Sister Huadie, Sister Ling'er, do you think he can really reach the twenty-seventh layer?" Although Mu Lingyao had just uttered those heroic words to Gu Qingfeng, they were only meant for his ears. In her heart, she was still a nervous wreck, utterly unsure.
She had no confidence, and neither did Huadiexianzi.
"If he says... he can," Qian Ling gazed at Gu Qingfeng walking toward the tower and said, "then perhaps he really can?"
"Ling'er, do you have faith in him?"
"I can't say for sure." Qian Ling truly couldn't say. She didn't know whether she should believe Gu Qingfeng's words. If she shouldn't believe him, back on Floating Sky Island, he had said he didn't put the Golden Crow Li Family in his eyes at all. And the facts proved he truly hadn't cared one bit about them.
But if she should believe him, many things this fellow said were too exaggerated and outrageous, making them simply unbelievable.
Huadiexianzi asked, "Ling'er, has he ever challenged the Tower of Stolen Gold before?"
"No. At least, not in all the years we've known him. This is also his first time coming to the Fengyue Small World. He probably never challenged the tower before."
Huadiexianzi furrowed her brows deeply, murmuring, "If he had challenged it before, there might still be hope. But he's never done it even once... This is just too..."
"Sister Huadie, Sister Yao'er, Sister Ling'er, don't worry too much. I have great faith in Little Drunkard!" Qianniao said. "Little Drunkard might not have challenged the Tower of Stolen Gold before, but he's very... peculiar. There's something you might not know."
"What is it?"
"Earlier, when the three of you were challenging the tower, Little Drunkard accurately predicted your final records."
Hearing this, Huadiexianzi, Mu Lingyao, and Qian Ling were all stunned, finding it hard to believe. "Qianniao, what did you say? He really accurately predicted our final records?"
"Yes! And at the time, you had just started the challenge and were only on the second layer. Little Drunkard said then that Sister Yao'er would be eliminated around the thirteenth layer. And Sister Yao'er really was eliminated on the thirteenth layer! He also said that if Sister Ling'er had good luck, she could reach the eighteenth layer. And Sister Ling'er really did reach the eighteenth layer! He also said Sister Huadie could ultimately reach the twenty-seventh layer. And Sister Huadie really reached the twenty-seventh layer!"
"This..." The three women exchanged glances, their expressions growing increasingly shocked, their eyes filled with disbelief. How could it be possible that while they were still on the second layer of the tower, that fellow could accurately predict their final results? It was simply impossible!
They didn't believe it! None of the three believed it. At the time, they themselves didn't know which layer they would ultimately reach. How could anyone else predict it? It was utterly fantastical.
"It's true! If you don't believe me, ask Ma Wangye!" Qianniao asked, "Ma Wangye, am I telling the truth?"
Ma Wangye replied honestly, "This... fair ladies, what Qianniao says is indeed the truth. While you were still on the second layer of the Tower of Stolen Gold, the Great Lord accurately predicted your final records without the slightest error. Although I still find it hard to believe even now, and I don't know how the Great Lord saw it... it... it is indeed true."
First, he had witnessed Gu Qingfeng win eighteen hundred million by continuously betting on triples in the gambling city.
Then, on Floating Sky Island, he had seen Gu Qingfeng intimidate four Great White Gold Immortals to death with a single shout.
Later, at Eight Treasures Manor, he had seen Gu Qingfeng extinguish Mu Lingyao's Innate Creation Violet Flame True Fire with a single spray of wine.
And just now, he had witnessed Gu Qingfeng accurately predict the tower records of Huadiexianzi and the other two.
Ma Wangye already revered Gu Qingfeng with utmost admiration. Without exaggeration, in his heart, Gu Qingfeng was a god-like, omnipotent Great Lord. He lifted his head, gazing at Gu Qingfeng who had already entered the Tower of Stolen Gold, his eyes filled with worship and reverence. "If the Great Lord says he can reach the twenty-seventh layer of the Tower of Stolen Gold, then he certainly can. If the Great Lord says he wants to win the prize for the tower's ninety-nine and eighty-first layer, then this humble servant firmly believes the Great Lord will ultimately ascend to the highest, ninety-ninth and eighty-first layer of the Tower of Stolen Gold!"