Zhu Guangbo finished speaking, and the team members were preparing to go down and get ready for the competition.

"Hold on a second."

It was at this moment that Ye Fei stopped the team members.

"I hope everyone won’t let down Old Zhu’s painstaking efforts. I believe that this year, you’ll definitely take home the championship that belongs to you!"

Following Ye Fei’s speech, Zhao Wenming and others burst into another round of wild laughter.

"Where did this bumpkin pop out from? He believes, his belief is worth jack shit!"

"Haha, quite the grand speech there. I wonder if he’s been in some pyramid scheme before, he’s got quite the brainwashing technique."

Zhu Guangbo was furious, pointing at the few of them, "Shut up! Do not be disrespectful to Mr. Ye! Do you have any idea who he is... he is Mu..."

Zhu Guangbo was cut off before he could finish, as Ye Fei held out a hand to stop him.

He didn’t really want to use his status to pressure people, it’s best to teach them a lesson with real skill.

Seeing that Zhu Guangbo showed such respect to this young man in his early twenties, Zhao Wenming and the rest were taken aback.

But they soon resumed their previous scornful attitude.

"I don’t care about some Mr. Ye or Mr. Hua, what does it have to do with me? Anyway, you’re bound to be the loser this year! Those are my words, Zhao Wenming is laying it down right here."

"Oh? Are you that certain?" Ye Fei asked with a smile.

"Nonsense! What, you dare to bet with me?" Zhao Wenming said with a sneer, full of confidence.

"Sure! I was indeed thinking along those lines," Ye Fei was not one to back down. "Say it, what do you want to bet on?"

Zhao Wenming looked Ye Fei up and down, "Looking at your poor outfit, you must also be a poor sap, so let’s not bet too much. How about ten billion? If Old Zhu takes home the championship, you get ten billion; if he doesn’t, you hand over ten billion. How’s that?"

Zhao Wenming was betting with Ye Fei, but his eyes were on Zhu Guangbo.

Because in his opinion, there was no way this poor kid could come up with ten billion.

Just as Zhu Guangbo was about to say something, Ye Fei raised his hand and stopped him.

"Ten billion is so boring. How about we make it a bigger bet, shall we?"

"Sure, I’d love to!" Zhao Wenming’s eyes lit up.

"Say it, how much?"

Ye Fei touched his chin, "Betting money is no fun, how about we bet on face instead?"

"Bet on face? What kind of face?"

Ye Fei explained, "If I lose, Old Zhu will, in front of tens of thousands of people by the Cang River, bare his body and slap himself one hundred times. If you three lose, no need for so many, just twenty slaps each will do."

"What?!"

As Ye Fei finished speaking, not only were Zhao Wenming and his two companions shocked, so was Zhu Guangbo, dumbfounded on the spot.

Ye Fei laughed, "What’s with the daze? If you’re scared to bet, just say so."

Zhao Wenming stared at Zhu Guangbo with a stunned face, "Can this kid make decisions for you?"

Zhu Guangbo did not dare say he couldn’t, gritted his teeth, and stomped his foot, "Of course!"

Zhao Wenming and the others were even more surprised. They exchanged glances, murmured to one another in a huddle, and finally made a decision.

"Alright! A gentleman’s word, swift as a horse can’t chase it back! I’ll take this bet with you!"

The three of them were convinced that they could not possibly lose this time.

A team that drank weak water and turned into soft-shelled shrimps, how could they possibly win against their strong team.

Oh, Old Zhu, slapping your face naked in front of tens of thousands of people.

This time you’ll lose face all the way home.

From now on, you’ll have no place on Canglang Continent.

Your turf, we’ll gladly take it off your hands.

Ha ha ha ha!

"Since the bet is set, none of us can back out now, right?" Ye Fei confirmed once again.

Zhao Wenming shouted, "Anyone who backs out is a bastard!"

"Alright!"

Ye Fei said ’alright,’ then turned and went back to the dragon boat team members.

"For your boss’s dignity, and for yourselves. Give it your all."

The crowd looked at Ye Fei as if he’d just given the team members a pep talk.

Little did they know, he had already transformed a stream of True Qi in his body into dozens of strands, injecting them into the bodies of the team members.

The weak water they had mistakenly consumed earlier was completely neutralized by this True Qi.

Not only that, but this True Qi would remain in their Dantian for the next few hours, providing them with a continuous stream of strength.

As the opening ceremony approached, more and more people gathered by the river.

The spectacle in the VIP seats was ready to burst forth, but the real showdown had already started backstage.

According to the original lineup of the opening ceremony, Xiao Tingting was to be the final act, taking the stage last.

But the assistant director suddenly informed that Xiao Tingting’s performance had been moved up.

The final act had been changed to another foreign singer.

Meiqi was furious at this and went to the assistant director to argue her case.

"Why! The performance order is already specified in the contract, why are you changing performers at the last minute? I do not agree! Do you realize how much this affects our company and Tingting personally?"

The assistant director, with his legs crossed, listened to Meiqi’s complaints with a look of disdain.

"So what if you don’t agree? So what if it affects you? Minor stars have to make way for the major ones; that’s the rule! You’ve been in the industry for so many years, don’t tell me you don’t even understand that?"

Meiqi argued her case, "Rules are rules! The contract is clear in black and white! You can’t just change it on a whim!"

The assistant director scoffed, pouting, "I’m the assistant director; I’m the boss here, and I can change it however I want!"

"Upset? Sue me if you dare! Unless Jiang Haitao himself speaks out to keep your headlining spot, no one else’s word will make any difference!"

"Really, a local up-and-comer daring to demand the spotlight over an international superstar. Way over your head!"

The foreign superstar could understand the Daxia language and, after listening to the assistant director, even cursed in broken Daxia, "Stupid thing."

The international star’s agent also looked on with various expressions of disdain.

Meiqi had the capability, but faced with such shameless bullying, she was also powerless.

Just as she was about to give up and leave, Jiang Haitao suddenly appeared and blocked her way.

"I’d like to see who dares to touch the finale of Hao Ming Music Studio!"