Ping Mountain is a square-shaped mountain, known as such because it looks like a screen from all directions.

The Dragon and Tiger Rankings are at the top of Ping Mountain, and viewed from above, Ping Mountain resembles a natural giant battle platform, with battles occurring on its summit continuously.

Some have also said that Ping Mountain is actually Flat Mountain, named because its summit is flat as if it has been artificially leveled.

Chen Guan didn't know which rumor was true, nor was he in the mood to care, so he ascended using the path on the right.

In ancient times, Ping Mountain had two paths: one led to the Dragon List, the other to the Tiger List. Taking the right path led to the Tiger List, while the left path led to the Dragon List.

Both lists are on Ping Mountain, yet strangely, those ascending from the left cannot see the Tiger List, and those ascending from the right cannot see the Dragon List.

Despite being on the same mountain top, the Dragon and Tiger Rankings seem to exist in separate worlds, without affecting each other.

Yet, when viewed from above, the summit of Ping Mountain reveals a pattern similar to nine square grids, with mountain walls separating them.

Each side has three grids, representing the Pet List, Human List, and Tiger List (Dragon List) respectively. The middle grid is where both paths lead to, the location of the Dragon and Tiger Rankings, requiring participants to register here.

The very center grid is shrouded in mist all day long, revealing nothing within, and no one has ever set foot into this central area, as if it doesn't exist.

Many have sought this mysterious area on the summit but, regardless of their methods, they always end up at either the Dragon List or Tiger List regions, unable to find the central area.

Upon ascending the right path, approaching the summit, you could see a natural stone arch at the end of the path, resembling a giant tiger lying on the ridge, or a gateway leading to the Tiger List area.

Cultivators above level 20 are halted by a peculiar wind at the arch, unable to pass through no matter the effort.

After Chen Guan passed through the arch, he saw a Tiger Head Stele standing on the summit, with three vertical columns of names. Each column holds a hundred names, and strangely, the names carved into the stele occasionally change.

Sometimes positions shift, or some names disappear, while others appear without prior notice.

Chen Guan glanced at the Human List, and for a battle fanatic like Jiang Qiemo, he would definitely challenge the Human List, fighting with sheer personal capability. The top name was Chun Mantang, the second was Jiang Qiemo, and the third was Mung Cai.

"Chun Mantang… Mung Cai… Could these be the ones who have conflicts with Jiang Qiemo?" Chen Guan wasn't surprised by their names, as the Dragon Tiger List names were personally chosen by the participants, allowing for any desired name.

Chen Guan reached the Tiger Head Stele, where three stone platforms were positioned.

The platforms represented the Pet List, Human List, and Tiger List. By writing your name with your own blood on them, you effectively registered for the duels.

Chen Guan pierced his finger, writing the two characters "Dao Friend" in blood on each platform.

With Dao, one could connect with friends across the world, Chen Guan thought the characters symbolized kindness and good fortune, carrying a very positive meaning.

Watching the blood characters fade on the stone platform, Chen Guan noticed three portals appearing on the mountain wall behind the Tiger Head Stele.

The three portals corresponded to the Pet List, Human List, and Tiger List. Chen Guan, having studied the materials, knew the middle portal represented the Human List, allowing entrance to the Human List Arena.

Chen Guan followed the crowd into the middle portal, arriving at an enormous square battle arena carved from surrounding mountain walls, cascading downward in layers, with a square battling platform in the center. At that moment, people were fighting on the platform.

Chen Guan scanned his surroundings, surprised by the number of people present, far more than he had expected. This vast arena could accommodate over a hundred thousand spectators, and it was packed to capacity.

Soon, Chen Guan realized that the attendees were not merely there for entertainment; many held items resembling lottery tickets.

Chen Guan's eyes lit up instantly: "Are wagers being held here?"

This discovery invigorated Chen Guan.

He abandoned the idea of finding Jiang Qiemo immediately, quickly exiting the Human List Arena, and visiting the Pet List and Tiger List Arenas, finding the same scenario at each: everywhere were gamblers clutching bet slips, fervently shouting while watching the battles.

This was nothing like the sacred place Chen Guan imagined, akin to Hua Mountain's sword conference; it was in fact more like a racetrack.

The atmosphere was so intense it seemed the true protagonists were not the fighters and pets but the frenzied gamblers.

"Fantastic… Truly fantastic…" Chen Guan realized that the best way to earn money was not through fighting for some worthless reward.

This gambling setup was his true money-making tool. Even without other considerations, using his talent to influence the Pet List battles, he could thwart cheaters and secure winnings.

"This… This is akin to a bank without locks…" Chen Guan observed the enthusiastic gamblers, imagining a shower of bills descending from the sky.

Chen Guan first investigated the betting situation without recklessly placing bets.

Initially, Chen Guan assumed those running the betting on Ping Mountain would be from the Zhang Family.

Only to find, once he inquired, that the largest bookmaker wasn't from the Zhang Family but a man named Duan Yinde, seemingly unrelated to the Zhang Family.

Local veteran gamblers mentioned that Duan Yinde had signed a contract with the Zhang Family, leasing Ping Mountain, making the Dragon Tiger List's betting and shops all Duan Yinde's enterprises.

Duan Yinde was not his real name but was originally known as Duan Youde, though over time he came to be called Duan Yinde for unknown reasons.

"Wait a minute… Duan Youde… His surname is Duan…" Chen Guan recalled how Duan Shulin often mentioned how the Duan Family was involved in pet arena businesses.

"Could this Duan Youde belong to the same family as Duan Shulin?" Chen Guan thought to himself.

Duan Yinde had operated on Ping Mountain for years, earning trust, yet winning against the bookmaker was as hard as pulling teeth, generally only allowing for small wins and seldom big money.

Duan Yinde's gambles had low odds, but the winnings were trustworthy when won.

The variety of games was abundant, akin to horse betting: picking long shots could win grand prizes.

Naturally, the prizes accumulated from other gamblers' stakes, ensuring that Duan Yinde profited regardless of whether more or less.

Besides Duan Yinde, there were other covert private gambling rings, which offered freer betting styles, though winning big truly depended on these small private games.

However, even when winning, collecting winnings, or even retrieving the original bet, remained uncertain.

Chen Guan found it easy to earn minor winnings but discreetly securing large profits proved challenging.

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