Chapter 51: Screw Your Eighteen Generations of Ancestors! It's Rigged! Definitely Rigged! |
The racetrack in Clear Stream Market was located right next to the stables. All things considered, this was one of the few gambling activities available in the market.
After all, cultivators could use spiritual energy to manipulate various gambling devices, making mortal gambling a complete joke in their eyes.
Horse racing was different. It carried a high degree of randomness that made it difficult for cultivators to rig. Consequently, the sport managed to thrive in Clear Stream Market.
Unlike the ethereal, immortal settings Yulou had read about in xianxia novels, the Clear Stream Market racetrack possessed a raw, untamed beauty.
In layman's terms, it was rustic.
Rustic in an aesthetic sense, and literally covered in dirt.
The rain from a few days prior had turned the area into a mottled expanse of mud. The muddy grounds were bordered by thick stone fences, and inside those fences lay the racing track.
There was a reason for its terrible condition. Races were only held three times a month, and the Green-Steed Horses were Qi Induction realm miscellaneous demons. They were highly destructive when they ran.
No matter how well the grounds were maintained, they would just be ruined again.
"I'll bet three days that today's first place goes to Gourd Vat!"
Gourd Vat was Yu'an's favorite horse. It possessed strength around the peak of Qi Induction, and while it was getting a bit old, its power was undeniable.
Over the past two years, it had taken first place in a third of the races on this track.
"Gourd Vat is old now, and you've already been burning charcoal for two months, Yu'an. You can't keep hanging yourself on a single tree," Yulou reminded him.
The three of them never bet silver or spirit stones. They bet on the task of tending the fire for Hongmei.
The three days Yu'an mentioned meant that if he won, his fire-tending shifts would be reduced by three days.
If he lost, he would have to tend the fire for another three days.
"Don't listen to your brother, Yu'an. You have to believe in yourself.
"What child cries every day, and what gambler loses every day?
"Besides, three days is far too little.
"Aren't you a man? Come on, bet ten days at once. I believe you can win."
Zhong Ningyao loved watching a good spectacle and urged Yu'an to raise the stakes.
Yu'an wasn't completely stupid. He liked his senior martial sister, but he was sick and tired of tending the fire.
"Just three days. I'll give Gourd Vat one last chance.
"Brother, which horse do you think will win?"
Yulou, who had been intently studying the racetrack, was a bit distracted and answered absentmindedly.
"Hmm, it is indeed quite empty here... Wait, you're asking which horse will win?"
"Right, I'm betting on Gourd Vat again. What are you betting on?" Yu'an asked.
Yulou looked at the horses and calmly replied.
"I'll also bet on Gourd Vat. Yes, it should be the one."
Yu'an was pleasantly surprised, while Zhong Ningyao was puzzled—Yulou seemed very certain.
Considering Yulou's usual mature and steady demeanor, she suddenly grew interested in his judgment reasoning.
"Why do you think the oldest horse can win?"
It certainly wasn't because an old steed still aspired to gallop a thousand miles. On the racetrack, if you couldn't outrun the rest, you simply couldn't.
Yulou smiled and began to explain.
"First, Gourd Vat isn't the oldest; it's the second oldest.
"Second, it just took first place last time. Many people probably think it had its explosive moment and won't be able to win this time.
"Yu'an, I don't mean to laugh at you. Though it is regrettable, I understand the pain you felt when you didn't pick Gourd Vat last time."
Noticing Yu'an beside him putting on a mask of sheer pain, Yulou hurriedly tried to smooth things over.
This kid had terrible luck. After consistently betting on Gourd Vat and losing until he was exasperated, he tried switching to another horse just once.
Of course, during that exact race, Gourd Vat pulled off a major upset and took first place. Yu'an's mentality practically imploded—that was the life of a gambler, repeatedly ravaged by reality.
"As for the third reason... the two new horses are crowd favorites, so they most likely won't win.
"That leaves choosing between Gourd Vat and those few other favorites. I want Yu'an to win, so I chose Gourd Vat."
While the few of them were chatting, a voice they were all familiar with rang out.
"If it isn't Yulou. Your analysis is quite interesting and logical. Want to buy a few tickets from me?"
The speaker was Lao Gui. He was currently selling horse racing tickets to the cultivators gathered nearby to watch the race.
There were several betting syndicates in Clear Stream Market, and Lao Gui ran one of them. He was also the most ruthless of the bunch.
It was only because his payout multipliers were slightly higher that anyone was willing to place bets with him.
"Senior Lao Gui, that purple sable you sold me last time has now turned into a giant purple-haired rat. It keeps growing bigger and bigger. Just what breed is it exactly?"
Zhong Ningyao glared at Lao Gui, asking in an unfriendly tone.
Being exposed like this by Zhong Ningyao, Lao Gui offered an awkward smile.
He wanted to leave, but since the crowd here hadn't placed their bets yet, he was reluctant to step away.
"What giant purple-haired rat? It's a purple sable!
"It's grown so large because giant purple sables are just naturally large.
"As for why you think it's a purple rat, that's because giant purple sables are incredibly rare!"
When it came to being an absolute scoundrel, Lao Gui and Gao Jian were practically neck and neck.
Zhong Ningyao knew he wasn't a simple character. He was the biggest underground information broker in Clear Stream Market, so she still gave him some face.
"If you compensate me with three bottles of beast vitality pills, we'll call it even. What do you say, Senior Lao Gui?"
So what if it was a purple-haired rat? She had raised it for so long that she had developed feelings for it. Right now, Zhong Ningyao just wanted to recoup some of her losses.
A purple sable had the potential to enter the Small Demon Realm as a spirit pet. But a purple-haired rat? Its talent was shallow, and it would only ever be a miscellaneous demon at best in this lifetime.
Considering the difference between the two, Zhong Ningyao didn't think asking for three bottles of beast vitality pills was an unreasonable demand.
"Three pills, at most!"
Yulou was instantly filled with profound respect.
Haggling three bottles down to three pills... Could Lao Gui be an undercover agent for the Wang Clan?
There were ten pills in a bottle. Senior Martial Sister Ningyao had asked for three bottles—thirty pills—yet Lao Gui only planned to give three.
Slicing the price straight down to a tenth... He certainly understood the Wang Clan's family rules.
"Impossible, at least one bottle!"
Zhong Ningyao knew she was in the right, so naturally, she wouldn't back down.
Lao Gui's punchable face curved into a wicked smile, and he declared decisively.
"Deal!"
With that, the old bastard took a bottle of beast vitality pills from his storage bag and tossed it to Ningyao.
Good heavens, Senior Martial Sister Ningyao was so furious she almost developed breast nodules.
She wasn't even twenty years old yet!
It could only be said that a scoundrel like Lao Gui, who could navigate gray areas so smoothly, was an absolute piece of work.
Two quarters of an hour later, the cultivators waiting to watch the race were growing impatient.
The race organizer, a high-tier Qi Refining elder from the Yang Clan, a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan, finally stepped forward.
He channeled his spiritual energy and asked loudly.
"Have all Fellow Daoists placed your bets?"
Horse racing was merely a service for horse betting; naturally, the race would only start once all the cultivators had placed their bets.
"Hurry up, I have things to do!"
"Old Yang, you guys sure know how to drag things out."
"Start! Start!"
Hearing the crowd's complaints, the Yang Clan cultivator didn't dawdle. He immediately stepped onto a shield and flew into mid-air.
He raised his hand, and the cultivators leading the horses immediately held their breath.
"Begin!"
With his command, all the horses, including Gourd Vat, launched forward in a burst of speed, accelerating madly.
Ten horses galloping naturally couldn't compare to the momentum of ten thousand horses galloping, but the Green-Steed Horses participating in the race were at least at the high-tier of the miscellaneous demon level. They were worlds apart from mortal horses.
Their tall bodies seemed to harbor infinite strength. As they ran, their hooves struck the ground, causing it to tremble violently.
On both sides of the stone-fenced track, large amounts of mud were kicked up and sent flying. This was one of the reasons the racetrack had turned into a muddy expanse.
The ground was muddy, but it didn't affect the horses' speed.
In just a few breaths, these horses were racing with the feel of supercars, making even Yulou's blood pump with excitement.
During the first lap, Gourd Vat ran in the middle of the pack, keeping a low profile and not showing off. It truly didn't look like a champion.
But during the third lap, the two lead horses collided while turning a corner, resulting in a gruesome crash.
As the second oldest horse on the track, Gourd Vat had abundant racing experience.
Facing the obstacle on the ground, it leaped nimbly, jumping nearly ten meters into the air and flying straight over the two fallen horses.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
"It's over, it's all over! My spirit stones!"
"Screw your eighteen generations of ancestors! It's rigged! Definitely rigged!"
The happier Yu'an laughed, the more agonizing it was for those doomed gamblers.
After escaping the pile-up, Gourd Vat quickly left the other horses dozens of meters behind.
It maintained its leading advantage and easily took first place.
True, it was getting on in years and was no longer young.
True, it wasn't the fastest runner.
But so what? A veteran's experience was invaluable.
Gourd Vat's victory once again verified that well-known phrase: __ is an idiot!
It didn't need to be fast, and it didn't need to be strong. As long as it performed steadily, its opponents would naturally present opportunities. Victory was just that simple.
"Brother, Gourd Vat won again! Gourd Vat won again, hahahaha!"
Yu'an pulled at Yulou, as happy as a sixteen-year-old kid.
"Yes, you guys go back first. I'm going to meet with this senior from the Yang Clan."
Yulou remained perfectly composed, although Gourd Vat's victory had somewhat exceeded his expectations—he had actually guessed right.
But this was horse racing; winning and losing were part of the game. Any result was normal.
"What are you looking for him for?"
Zhong Ningyao and Yu'an were both puzzled.
As a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan, the Yang Clan was famous for taming spirit beasts and mounts. Did Yulou want to buy a spirit beast or a mount?
"Look, horse races are held three times a month, and every time, there are at least several hundred cultivators watching. When it's busy, there can be over a thousand.
"These cultivators are potential customers for the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. I want to partner with the Yang Clan and have them help promote the Hundred Treasures Pavilion during the races."
After watching today's race, Yulou had thought of many things. The competition itself had many directions for further development.
However, for now, he only planned to run some advertisements. He would consider the rest when the opportunity arose in the future.
Under the fundamental rule where supreme power belonged to the individual, many characteristics of the cultivation world were completely different from the mundane world of his past life. He had to test the waters first and couldn't advance rashly.
After bidding farewell to Yu'an and Ningyao, Yulou found the Yang Clan cultivator who was currently healing the fallen horses.
"Senior, this junior is Yulou of the Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom. I would like to discuss some business with you."
Yulou spoke with proper courtesy and restraint. The Yang Clan Qi Refining cultivator stopped his healing actions and looked up in confusion.
"The Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom? Discuss business with me?"
He naturally knew of the Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom's reputation. The Yang Clan and the Wang Clan actually had quite a few business dealings.
However, seeing how young Yulou was, he was still somewhat surprised.
Seeing that this senior was interested in hearing more, Yulou was delighted. He quickly outlined his plan to use the horse races to promote the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
"This could work, but we've never done anything like this before."
The Yang Clan Qi Refining cultivator hesitated.
"It's everyone's first time. We can figure it out slowly. I'll pay the spirit stones, and you just need to help with the promotion.
"By the way, I still don't know your name."
"Yang Qi. Little Fellow Daoist, you can just call me Yang Qi. Wait until I finish healing this horse, and then we can discuss the details of our cooperation."
Yulou immediately felt a surge of profound respect.
Haggling three bottles down to three pills... Could this Lao Gui be an undercover mole for the Wang Clan?
One bottle contained ten pills. Ningyao Shijie wanted three bottles, totaling thirty pills, and Lao Gui only intended to give her three.
He had directly slashed the amount to a tenth. He certainly understood the Wang Clan's family rules.
"Impossible. At least one bottle!"
Zhong Ningyao believed she was in the right, so she naturally refused to back down.
A wicked smile flashed across Lao Gui's highly punchable face as he declared decisively.
"Deal!"
With that, the old dog pulled a bottle of beast vitality pills from his storage bag and tossed it to Ningyao.
Good heavens, Ningyao Shijie was so furious she almost developed breast nodules.
She wasn't even twenty years old yet!
One could only say that operators like Lao Gui, who smoothly navigated the gray areas, were complete and utter bastards.
Thirty minutes later, just as the cultivators watching the horse race were starting to grow impatient...
The organizer of the race, a high-tier Qi Refining clan elder from the Foundation Establishment Yang Clan, stepped forward.
He channeled his spiritual energy and asked loudly,
"Have all Fellow Daoists placed your bets?"
The races were held for the sake of betting, so naturally, they had to wait for the cultivators to finish placing their wagers before starting.
"Hurry up, I have things to do!"
"Old Yang, you guys sure know how to drag things out."
"Start! Start!"
Hearing the crowd's urging, the Yang Clan cultivator didn't dally. He immediately stepped onto a shield and flew into midair.
He raised his hand, and the cultivators leading the horses instantly held their breath.
"Start!"
Following his command, all the horses, including Gourd Vat, launched off the starting line like rockets, accelerating madly.
Ten horses galloping certainly couldn't compare to the aura of ten thousand, but the Green-Steed Horses participating in the race were at least high-tier miscellaneous demons. They were a world apart from mortal horses.
Their tall, sturdy bodies seemed to harbor limitless power. As they ran, their hooves slammed into the ground, causing it to tremble ceaselessly.
On both sides of the stone-fenced track, massive amounts of dirt were kicked into the air. This was one of the reasons the racetrack always turned into a muddy mess.
The ground conditions were terrible, but it didn't affect the speed of the racing horses.
In just a few breaths, these horses gave off the impression of speeding supercars. Watching them even made Yulou's blood boil with excitement.
During the first lap, Gourd Vat ran in the middle of the pack, keeping a low profile. It truly didn't look like a champion.
But during the third lap, the two lead horses collided while making a turn, resulting in a disastrous pileup.
As the second-oldest horse in the race, Gourd Vat had abundant racing experience.
Faced with the obstacle on the ground, it leaped nimbly, jumping a full ten meters and flying directly over the two fallen horses.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
"It's over, it's all over! My spirit stones!"
"Screw your eighteen generations of ancestors! It's rigged! Definitely rigged!"
As happily as Yu'an laughed, that was exactly how agonized the doomed gamblers felt.
After breaking free from the pack, Gourd Vat quickly left the other horses dozens of meters behind.
Maintaining its commanding lead, it easily clinched first place.
Yes, it was terribly old and no longer young.
Yes, it wasn't the fastest runner.
But so what? A veteran's experience was more than enough.
Gourd Vat's victory once again proved those words: __ is a dumbass!
You didn't need to be fast, and you didn't need to be strong. As long as you performed steadily, your opponents would naturally hand you the opportunity. Victory was just that simple.
"Brother, Gourd Vat won again! Gourd Vat won again, hahaha!"
Yu'an tugged at Yulou, cheering like a joyful sixteen-year-old kid.
"Yeah. You guys head back first. I'm going to meet with this senior from the Yang Clan."
Yulou remained perfectly calm. Gourd Vat's victory was a bit unexpected—he had actually guessed right purely by luck.
But it was horse racing; winning and losing were par for the course, and any result was normal.
"Why are you looking for him?"
Zhong Ningyao and Yu'an were both puzzled.
As a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan, the Yang Clan was famous for taming spirit beasts and mounts. Could it be that Yulou wanted to buy a spirit beast or a mount?
"Think about it. A horse race is held once every ten days, and at least several hundred cultivators watch it every time. When it's crowded, there can be over a thousand.
These cultivators are all potential customers for the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. I want to cooperate with the Yang Clan and have them help advertise the Hundred Treasures Pavilion during the races."
After watching today's horse race, Yulou had thought of many things. The competition itself had several aspects that could be further developed.
But for now, he only intended to run some ads. He would discuss the other ideas when the opportunity arose in the future.
In a world where mighty power belonged to individuals, many characteristics of the cultivation world were completely different from the mortal world he had lived in during his previous life. He always had to test the waters first and couldn't advance rashly.
Bidding farewell to Yu'an and Ningyao, Yulou sought out the Yang Clan cultivator, who was currently treating the fallen racing horses.
"Senior, this junior is Yulou from the Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom. I would like to discuss some business with you."
Yulou's words were polite and measured. The Qi Refining cultivator from the Yang Clan paused his healing and looked up in confusion.
"The Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom? Discuss business with me?"
He naturally knew the reputation of the Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom. The Yang Clan had quite a few business dealings with them.
However, seeing how young Yulou was, he was still somewhat surprised.
Seeing that this senior was willing to hear him out, Yulou was overjoyed and quickly introduced his plan to use the races to advertise the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
"This is certainly possible, but we've never done anything like this before."
The Yang Clan Qi Refining cultivator hesitated.
"It's everyone's first time. We can figure it out slowly. I will pay spirit stones, and you just need to help advertise.
By the way, I still don't know your name."
"Yang Qi. Little Daoist friend, you can just call me Yang Qi. Wait until I finish healing this horse, and then we can discuss the details of our cooperation."