Chapter 932: Chapter 937

The man in his middle age fixed his gaze on Haylan, his expression bearing a cold stare accompanied by a smile that appeared friendly at first glance.

However, to Haylan, Jerome, and the others, that smile seemed as terrifying as a demon’s grin.

There was no doubt about the man’s ill intentions.

Who are you? Haylan inquired with a hint of caution in his voice.

Tm just an admirer, the man replied.

The middle–aged man flashed a twisted smile at Haylan. “Well, well, Mr. Jaber, let’s play a little game, shall we? I’m willing to bet that you won’t even come close to making it to the finals “And here’s the deal, if I emerge victorious, you’ll owe me a little favor, like helping me eliminate someone.

“But if, by some miracle, you manage to win, you get the pleasure of removing my head.

“How’s that for a thrilling wager? Are you gutsy enough to put it all on the line?”

As his words escaped his lips, the middle–aged man continued to stare at Haylan, his eyes brimming with an unsettling aura of murderous intent.

The flickering in his gaze sent a bone–chilling chill coursing through Jerome and Jerry, freezing them in their tracks.

Despite the absence of overtly menacing vibes, the middle–aged man’s choice of words alone sent a wave of unease surging through Jerome and Jerry, their hairs practically standing on end. It felt as though they were in the presence of a god of death.

Haylan stared back at the middle–aged man, undeterred. “And why should I engage in a bet with you? Or rather, what gives you the audacity to challenge me to one?”

The middle–aged man seemed to anticipate Haylan’s response, chuckling softly as he ran his fingers over a raw stone displayed on Haylan’s stall. “Well, perhaps I can’t claim authority in other matters, but when it comes to stone detecting, I can outshine you any day!

“If you lack the courage to bet against me, it can only mean you’re afraid of what I’m capable of Haylan’s voice remained remarkably composed as he retorted, “Nice try with the mind games, but you won’t get under my skin. Now, kindly show yourself out.”

The middle–aged man’s expression hardened, his gaze piercingly cold. “Let me make this clear one last time. If you don’t have the guts to bet with me, you’ll rue the day!”

Haylan’s resolve solidified, his unwavering attitude unyielding. “I won’t indulge in your foolish games. I’ve made my decision, and you can take your leave. End of story.”

Haylan couldn’t help but scoff at the audacity of the middle–aged man.

Who did this guy think he was?

He had no interest in being anyone’s doormat.

This despicable person wouldn’t even receive a sliver of a chance to challenge him.

Haylan had bigger aspirations and wouldn’t waste his time on such lowly people.

The middle–aged man’s anger flared as Haylan rejected him. His gaze turned even colder, emanating an unwavering intensity. “Haylan, how dare you refuse me?

“I don’t want to repeat myself.” Haylan stared into the middle–aged man’s eyes.

His gaze was firm and sharp.

With a firm resolve, the man warned, “Very well, Haylan. You will face the consequences for your actions today.”

After his final glare, he reached out to touch the stone in front of Haylan before abruptly turning away and departing.

Haylan glanced at the man’s retreating figure, choosing to disregard him.

It was clear that this person recognized Haylan and harbored a desire to challenge him through a bet.

If he won, it would be a great deal.

If he lost, he wouldn’t really lose anything.

Furthermore, he hadn’t even bothered to introduce himself, yet he expected to use Haylan as a mere stepping stone to advance his own ambitions.

This was ridiculous!

“Mr. Jaber, thank goodness you didn’t fall for his bet, Jerome chimed in. “That person is a Geoist Master.

“A Geoist Master? What the heck is that?” Haylan was utterly astonished.

Jerome eagerly provided an explanation, “Ah, my friend, a Geoist Master is also known as an Earth Master!

“These folks possess a mind–boggling ability to take regular ol‘ stones and transmute them into raw stones, which are like the ultimate gem nurseries. It’s like alchemy, turning worthless rocks into sparkling treasures!

“And guess what? These masters aren’t just creators of gems, they’re destroyers too!

“When a Geoist Master sets their eyes on a stone they fancy, there’s no stopping them. If anyone has the audacity to refuse, they unleash a wicked spell that transforms that raw stone, brimming with potential gems, into nothing more than useless scrap. Talk about a power move!”

“Wait!”

Jerome’s face twisted in concern as he urgently pointed out the stones that had fallen victim to the middle–aged man’s touch. “Mr. Jaber, check it out! Have these raw stones been turned into worthless junk?”

When the middle–aged man left just now, his hand had touched this place.

Jerome suspected that the middle–aged man’s actions held a deeper purpose.

Haylan glanced downward, his eyes narrowing with an icy glare.

Amongst the raw stones one that had emerald in it.

However, after being touched by the middle–aged man, the gem raw stone became an ordinary stone without any spiritual energy.

But after the middle–aged man’s wretched touch, that jewel now sat lifeless, stripped of its spiritual energy like a common pebble.

“Nicely done!” Haylan thought.

Meanwhile, a surge of anger ignited within his heart.

He held no personal grudge against that middle–aged man, but the audacity and shamelessness of his actions had caused undue suffering.

“Mr. Jaber, how did our precious raw stones fare?” Jerome hurriedly inquired.

In a deep, commanding voice, Haylan responded, “One of them has been obliterated!”

Jerome and Jerry’s faces contorted in alarm upon hearing the revelation. “So, what’s the plan now?”

Selecting three raw stones that had emeralds in them was crucial for progressing in the competition.

The situation looked grim. They only had three precious raw stones having emeralds in them, and one of them was ruined, their chances of victory seemed utterly shattered.

But lo and behold, the voice of the host boomed across the venue, signaling the start of the second round. “Alright, folks, take your seats and brace yourselves for the thrill!”

The host announced, “In just 10 short minutes, we shall unveil 10 raw stones. Let the treasure hunt commence!”

The air crackled with anticipation as treasure appraisers, armed with magnifying glasses, eagerly scoured the raw stones.

Hickman and Huke fixed their gazes on the stones before them, their expressions were serious as they made their calculated assessments.

n a state of sheer panic, Jerome turned to Haylan, his voice trembling. “Mr. Jaber, we gotta come up with a game plan. pronto!”

Jerry chimed in as well, exclaiming, “Mr. Jaber, what’s our move?”

Both Jerome and Jerry were seasoned individuals who had seen the world, typically maintaining a composed and collected demeanor.

However, upon learning of the destruction of a precious raw stone, anxiety surged within them.

Despite their desperate state, they couldn’t conjure up a solution, placing their hopes solely on Haylan.

Haylan, still the epitome of calmness, directed their attention to the Jerome and Jerry promptly took action, meticulously arranging the stones.

“Mr. Jaber, do we have three raw stones that have emeralds in them?” Jerome inquired.

Haylan shook his head and delivered the sobering truth, “In this batch, only two raw stones have emeralds in them. The rest are mere rubbish.”

Hearing this revelation, Jerome and Jerry’s expressions morphed into masks of despair.

Their gazes shifted towards the middle–aged man in the distance, eyes brimming with intense hatred.

“Damn! If I get my hands on that despicable Geoist Master, he’ll beg for a swift demise!” Jerry seethed, his teeth grinding in sheer fury.

The hefty price they had paid for their entry into the Gemstone Identification Competition weighed heavily on their minds.

Now, with their painstaking efforts seemingly dashed to naught, a surge of anger coursed through Jerry’s veins, prompting him to consider resorting to violence.

The Geoist Master, a middle–aged man, cast a disdainful smile their way, his eyes brimming with provocation.

“Son of a bitch!”

Jerry erupted, swiftly snatching a wooden stick from the stall, poised to pounce on the Geoist Master.

“Stop, Jerry. It’s useless.”

Jerome intervened just in the nick of time, restraining Jerry and offering a comforting pat on his shoulder. “Our foremost priority is safeguarding our chances to advance.

“Otherwise, we’d be squandering our hard–earned registration fees.”

Anxiety tinged Jerry’s eyes with a reddish hue as he implored, Jerome, what’s the plan? Where can we unearth another raw stone with emerald?”

Jerome’s countenance soured, his gaze locking onto Haylan. “Mr. Jaber, enlighten us. What course of action should we pursue?”

Haylan, still exhibiting unflappable composure, revealed his plan. “Maybe we can’t find a raw stone that has emerald in it may prove futile, but we can make one.

With that, Haylan commenced a sequence of intricate hand seals, rhythmically striking one of the raw stones.