Saint.
In this world, that's not a casual title. Just like 'King' or 'Heavenly King,' these aren't just random labels—they symbolize real status in the martial world.
You can get someone's name wrong, but you never mess up their nickname.
King Gamble Charles Sterling was called 'King' even before reaching the innate level, because the martial world had already recognized his status in the gambling arena and believed he'd become an innate king as long as nothing unexpected happened. Before reaching the innate level, Mr. Goldwin was just the master of the Golden Pavilion and never called himself 'King.'
The Golden Blade King's signature move is called 'Heavenly King Ghost-Slay,' because the phenomenon he condensed is almost at the Heavenly King level, and that move itself has reached that tier. Meanwhile, Marvel Lady Chun Sanshiniang, also a peak king, doesn't get that kind of treatment—just look at the titles and you know who's higher.
Saint—this title is even grander, more solemn, and more cautious than King or Heavenly King. If someone is called 'Saint,' even if their overall fighting power varies, they've definitely surpassed normal limits in at least one aspect, with abilities close to the divine. A Sword Saint is a Sword Saint—even if Yan Taixu is weak and dying, the whole martial world respects him. That's the honor of the Saint title.
If Fiona Fang called herself the 'God of Gambling,' Jack Young would just laugh it off. But when she says she's the 'Gambling Saint,' people start to take her seriously.
Soon enough, this was proven true.
Thud, thud, thud—unhurried footsteps echoed as Sik Hollow advanced down the flagship's corridor. Sik Hollow wasn't a name many in the martial world had heard, but mention 'King Gamble' and everyone knew him years ago. After the 'Great Sand Pirate Era' began, Sik Hollow stopped going to casinos for some reason and followed Fiona Fang all the way to the South Wasteland, becoming the right-hand man of the second-generation Sand Pirate King, Jade Demoness.
No one knew why he chose to follow a young girl and willingly help her rampage across the South Wasteland. But a few people did know that Sik Hollow had one unbreakable habit: every day, at a fixed time, he would have a gambling match with Fiona Fang.
Just as Fiona Fang was puffing up her nose and calling herself the Gambling Saint, there was a loud clatter—the cabin door was pulled open and King Gamble Sik Hollow walked in, looking serious and solemn. He carried a tray with two bowls and a single egg. Even though Fiona Fang was standing in a comical, odd pose, Sik Hollow was completely unfazed, kneeling formally before her. He then nodded respectfully to Jack Young.
"I was just about to ask you to be our witness, sir."
Jack Young had no objection—he was curious to see what was going on between the two: "No need to call me 'sir.' King Gamble, please go ahead."
"The capable go first." Sky Hollow Sikong said lightly, then fell silent. His eyes focused on his nose, his nose on his heart, and a sharp glint brewed in his gaze. He seemed to transform back into the man who once swept through the Golden Hook Casino in Eight Directions City—every move radiated class and sincere devotion, as if what he was about to do was a sacred ritual.
He picked up two ordinary porcelain bowls, showing both sides to prove they were just regular bowls: "Porcelain bowls."
Next, he picked up the egg and presented it to Jack Young, explaining: "This is a Golden Jade Egg, a rare treasure occasionally found in ruins in the South Wasteland. There's gold inside the egg, jade hidden in the gold—the gold is like egg white, the jade is the yolk. It's extremely rare and worth a fortune."
Jack Young took the egg and examined it closely, his interest piqued. It really was unusual—the most amazing part was that the shell was genuine eggshell, not a fake. Saying it was worth a fortune might be an exaggeration, but this Golden Jade Egg was definitely valuable. That layer of eggshell made its price completely different from a regular gold-and-jade sculpture.
"No problem." After examining it, Jack Young returned the egg to King Gamble.
King Gamble placed the egg back on the tray, covered it with one bowl, then overturned the other bowl and set it beside the first. The two bowls sat side by side, looking perfectly ordinary—just like a street performance. But there was no flashy sleight of hand, and no room for tricks. King Gamble looked at Fiona Fang, eyes sharp as if facing a formidable foe: "Alright, the usual rules."
"The usual rules," Fiona Fang replied confidently, lifting her nose. "Do whatever you want—if I guess right, I win. If I don't, you win."
Jack Young understood now—their gambling match was actually this simple. But thinking back, King Gamble was always good at turning seemingly ordinary setups into a game. Orange segments, egg yolks—simple yet mysterious. Creating unbeatable legends out of the impossible, that's why he's King Gamble.
But gambling is just sleight of hand. Luck doesn't count—if you rely on luck in a casino, you might as well go ask the Flirting Scholar (Tang Bohu, a famous Chinese painter and jokester, often referenced in classic Chinese comedies) to paint nudes. This match is all about whether King Gamble's tricks are better, or if Fiona Fang's ability to catch him is stronger.
Jack Young didn't think it would be easy to catch King Gamble cheating. Skill is one thing, but his willingness to go all-in is even more important. When a Heavenly King master puts everything on the line, it means he's going all out.
Sure enough, King Gamble went all in.
His energy peaked in an instant. Even though his spirit had just been wounded by the Infinite Tempest Crystal, in that moment he still forced himself into his strongest state. His powerful spirit and surging true energy intertwined, forming a truly awe-inspiring composite.
A strange light flashed in Jack Young's eyes—his pupils showed three nested rings. He'd already refined his brow chakra into a divine wheel, which made his eyes 'divine eyes,' and now with three rings, his insight was terrifying. Through those divine eyes, King Gamble's ultimate move was laid bare. The ingenious joining, the clever spiritual manifestation—it all made Jack Young want to applaud.
Heavenly King Phenomenon!
This world's martial arts have their own unique power, different from other realms. The Heavenly King Phenomenon is the most valuable secret technique here, and King Gamble was showing its full force.
Jack Young had seen quite a few Heavenly King Phenomena before, but King Gamble's was different—each one is unique, but his was especially so. It was more hidden, more obscure, silent and invisible, with no flashy effects. King Gamble himself barely seemed to move. Without divine eyes, you'd never know he'd used his ultimate skill.
Even if you have superhuman perception, without deep spiritual cultivation, you'd only notice something slightly off. The wind paused, the sounds faded, everything seemed to wait for a brief moment, then resumed as if nothing happened. That strange feeling lasted just an instant, but in that fleeting moment, King Gamble had pulled off a feat that could be called swapping heaven and earth.
"Brilliant! Divine skill—there's no gambling technique in the world that tops this!" Jack Young couldn't help but clap in admiration. "What do you call this ultimate move, King Gamble?"
"I don't deserve such praise, sir." King Gamble let out a long breath—using this move was a heavy burden. "If I win, I'll give it a good name. But since I've never won, I won't embarrass myself. For now, it's just a nameless technique."