As Zheng Qiong produced the ring, gasps erupted from the surrounding crowd.
"It really was on her!"
"Master Lin is truly divine!"
"As expected of someone on par with Li Yusheng, his reputation is well-deserved!"
"Indeed, he lives up to his fame; there's no empty substance beneath the reputation!"
Almost everyone marveled at Lin Fan's performance, praising him repeatedly.
A few shrewd individuals, however, suspected he might be colluding with the Zheng family, staging an act. They reasoned that once everyone deemed him an enlightened master, his word would be law. If he declared Zheng Xingchao the true Son of Heaven, who would dare refute him?
"That doesn't count!"
Zheng Qiong, accustomed to a life of luxury and never having suffered such a setback, stood up indignantly. "I know! It's definitely because my expression was off, and you saw through my facade. It was my mistake. I'll give you the ring, but this doesn't prove you're truly capable."
As she spoke, she angrily handed the ring over.
"Xiao Qiong, no more nonsense!"
Zheng Xingchao's anger surged. Was this not ruining his plans? Didn't this daughter understand which was more important: a petty rivalry or the ancestral aspirations of the Zheng family?
Zeng Shu, noticing her husband's fury, quickly intervened, "Daughter, don't speak recklessly. Apologize to your father."
Lin Fan paid no mind to the proceedings. He accepted the ring from Zheng Qiong, who glared at him as if she wanted to kill him.
"Thank you."
Zheng Qiong was fuming. In her eyes, Lin Fan's attitude was like gloating over a victory.
"Dad, it really doesn't count!" she turned to the crowd. "Everyone, don't you think so? This test is invalid, right?"
Those who had initially believed in Lin Fan's mystical abilities now, prompted by her words, felt that she had indeed given away her weakness, allowing Lin Fan to exploit it. Consequently, the crowd remained silent.
Seeing Zheng Xingchao's face darken, some individuals stepped forward with insincere flattery towards Lin Fan, but most of the assembly stayed quiet.
"Xiao Qiong, what do you propose we do then?" Zheng Xingchao asked, suppressing his rage. He had already decided that after today, he would banish this foolish, short-sighted daughter to a remote branch company to fend for herself.
"I..." Zheng Qiong hesitated for a moment, then her eyes lit up. "I have an idea!"
She ran over to a thin, middle-aged man. "Uncle Luan, it's all up to you."
This Uncle Luan was named Luan Rui. Internally, Luan Rui cursed, "Why did your mother give birth to such a foolish child? If you want to die, fine, but why drag me into it?"
Luan Rui, with a wry smile, was pulled from his seat by Zheng Qiong.
"It's him."
"Tsk, old Luan is the leader of the gambling industry in the Philippines. His gambling skills are beyond masterful!"
"Luan Rui's billions were all won through gambling; he's definitely capable."
From the crowd's hushed discussions, Lin Fan learned that this gaunt middle-aged man was a gambling expert, likely one of the top international players.
"Patriarch Zheng." Luan Rui cupped his hands towards Zheng Xingchao, then looked up with a pleading expression.
Zheng Xingchao sighed, understanding dawning on him, and nodded. He decided to blame his scatterbrained daughter, acknowledging that it wasn't Luan Rui's fault.
Zheng Qiong, unaware that her so-called Uncle Luan now harbored extreme resentment towards her, was still trying to win him over. "Uncle Luan, please teach him a lesson for me~"
Luan Rui didn't even glance at her. Instead, he looked calmly at Lin Fan. "Master Lin, forgive my presumption, but may I request a duel?" Having been put on the spot, he knew refusal would only deepen suspicions among some. Thus, he had no choice but to play along.
"Gladly, gladly." Lin Fan cupped his hands with a humble smile.
Luan Rui's gaze fell on the Imperial Green ring on Lin Fan's hand. Unwilling to make a bet without stakes, he proposed, "How about this: if you win, I'll give you one million US dollars in chips."
"Uh... can that be exchanged for cash?" Lin Fan asked sheepishly. He wasn't interested in gambling; what use would chips be?
"Certainly." Luan Rui nodded, then continued, "I have a Three of Hearts playing card on me. If you can find it, you win. What do you say?" Luan Rui was confident in his masterful gambling skills and believed he could make the Three of Hearts appear wherever he desired, right before everyone's eyes.
Lin Fan scanned him with his Divine Eyes. "You have more than one Three of Hearts on you."
"You..." Luan Rui froze. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. As one of the top ten sleight-of-hand masters internationally, Luan Rui had never slacked in honing his skills, even after achieving fame. Of course, he had more than just one Three of Hearts on him!
The assembled guests held their breath, recognizing from Luan Rui's expression that Lin Fan was correct. The question now was, could Lin Fan find the card? Luan Rui's rise from destitution to a gambling magnate was no accident; his techniques were extraordinary.
"Heh heh, Master Lin." Luan Rui spread his arms and chuckled nonchalantly. "Can you tell me where my card is hidden?" Initially, he had intended to let Lin Fan win, but Lin Fan's impressive display had ignited his competitive spirit. He decided to put Lin Fan in his place first.
"Here on your wrists. Your left hand has the Ace of Spades, King of Diamonds, and Six of Clubs. Your right hand has the Jack of Clubs, Ten of Spades, and Three of Hearts." Lin Fan stood his ground, pointing to Luan Rui's outstretched arms, his voice clear.
Luan Rui's smile froze. His pupils contracted to pinpricks. He had seen through my hidden cards! After a brief moment of shock, Luan Rui's gaze turned sharp.
"Master Lin, are you quite sure you're correct?" Luan Rui's middle finger flicked with lightning speed, his arm following suit in a minuscule movement, too fast for most to notice.
"Don't move, don't move." Lin Fan could clearly see that the Three of Hearts on Luan Rui's right hand and the Ace of Spades on his left were actually moving on their own! If he hadn't witnessed it firsthand, Lin Fan might have thought he was hallucinating.
"Master Lin, what are you talking about?" Luan Rui's expression flickered, his tone betraying a hint of nervousness.
"So that's how it is." With intensified power from his Purple Extreme Spiritual Eyes, Lin Fan grasped the secret behind the playing cards' apparent "legs." He realized that Luan Rui had flicked the card into his sleeve with a subtle motion, likely near the upper forearm. Whether it was a secret technique or a skill honed through years of practice, he could meticulously control the muscles in his arm. Through an intricate process of constantly contracting and relaxing his arm muscles, and manipulating the tension and looseness of his skin, he could make the cards attached to his arm slide like ants carrying a load. Lin Fan marveled at the wonders of the world; gambling techniques could be this astonishing. No wonder nine out of ten gamblers lost!