Chapter 53: Damn Your Eighteen Generations of Ancestors! Rigged! It Must Be Rigged!

Qing Xi Fang's racetrack sits right beside the horse stable; by all accounts, this is one of the few gambling activities in Qing Xi Fang.

After all, cultivators can use spiritual power to manipulate various gambling devices; gambling among mortals is a joke in the eyes of cultivators.

Horse racing is different; its randomness is great, making it hard for cultivators to rig, which is why horse racing developed in Qing Xi Fang.

Unlike the ethereal venues depicted in the xianxia novels Wang Yulou read, Qing Xi Fang's racetrack possesses a raw, primal beauty.

To put it plainly, it's rustic.

It's rustic in both the aesthetic and the literal sense.

The rain from a few days ago turned this place into a mottled mud field; the edges of the mud field are enclosed by a path lined with thick stone railings, and inside those railings lies the racetrack.

There's a reason it's so rotten; horse racing happens only three times a month, and the Qing Cong horses are Minor Demon Realm beasts at the Qi Refining stage; when they run, their destructive power is immense.

No matter how well the venue is maintained, it's meaningless.

Finding a dirt platform with a good view, Wang Yuan gritted his teeth as he watched the Qing Cong horses poised and ready within the stone-railing enclosure of the racetrack.

"I bet three days; today's winner will be Hu Lu Gang!"

Hu Lu Gang is Wang Yuan's favorite horse, with strength around the peak of the Qi Refining stage; although it's a bit old, its strength is undeniable.

In the past two years, it claimed one-third of all first-place titles at the racetrack.

"Hu Lu Gang is old, and you've already been burning charcoal for two months; Wang Yuan, you can't hang yourself on one tree," Wang Yulou reminded him.

The three of them never bet silver or spirit stones; they bet on the task of stoking the fire for Hong Mei.

When Wang Yuan said three days, it meant that if he won, his fire-stoking schedule would be reduced by three days.

If he lost, he would have to burn charcoal for three more days.

"Don't listen to your brother, Wang Yuan; believe in yourself.

Which child cries every day? Which gambler loses every day?

Besides, three days is too little.

Aren't you a man? Come on, make it ten days at once; I believe you can win."

Zhong Ningyao, enjoying the spectacle and hoping for more trouble, urged Wang Yuan to raise the stakes further.

Wang Yuan wasn't truly foolish; he liked Lin Lin Lin Lin Shijie, but he was so fed up with burning charcoal he felt like vomiting.

"Just three days; give Hu Lu Gang one last chance.

Brother, which horse do you think will win?"

Wang Yulou, focused intently on studying the racetrack, was slightly distracted and answered instinctively.

"Hmm, this place is indeed quite empty... wait, you're asking which horse will win?"

"Yes, I'm betting on Hu Lu Gang again this time; what are you betting on?" Wang Yuan asked.

Wang Yulou looked at those horses and said calmly.

"I'm betting on Hu Lu Gang too; hmm, it should be him."

Wang Yuan was somewhat surprised, while Zhong Ningyao was puzzled—Wang Yulou seemed very certain.

Considering Wang Yulou's usual maturity and steadiness, she suddenly became interested in the reasoning behind his judgment.

"Why do you think the oldest one can win?"

It certainly wasn't because an old steed still dreams of running a thousand li; on the racetrack, if you can't run, you can't run.

Wang Yulou began to explain with a smile.

"First, Hu Lu Gang isn't the oldest; he's the second oldest.

Second, he just won first place last time; many people probably think he had an explosive performance and won't run well this time.

Wang Yuan, I don't mean to mock you; although it's regrettable, I understand the pain you felt for not choosing Hu Lu Gang last time."

Noticing the mask of pain on Wang Yuan's face nearby, Wang Yulou quickly tried to make amends.

This kid was just unlucky; after betting on Hu Lu Gang for a long time and losing repeatedly, he switched to another horse just once.

And that one time, Hu Lu Gang pulled off an upset to win first place; Wang Yuan's mindset nearly exploded—this is how gamblers are, repeatedly trampled by reality.

"As for the third point... the two new horses are favorites, so they probably won't win.

That leaves choosing between Hu Lu Gang and those other championship favorites; since I want Wang Yuan to win, I chose Hu Lu Gang."

Just as the three were chatting, a familiar voice reached them.

"Isn't this Wang Yulou? Your analysis is quite interesting, very logical; want to buy some tickets from me?"

The speaker was Old Ghost, who was currently selling horse racing tickets to cultivators nearby watching the race.

Qing Xi Fang has several gambling houses for horse racing; Old Ghost is one of them, and the one with the least regard for propriety.

That's why his odds are higher; otherwise, no one would be willing to bet with him.

"Senior Old Ghost, the purple sable you sold me last time has turned into a giant purple-furred rat; the bigger I raise it, the bigger it gets; what breed is it exactly?"

Zhong Ningyao looked at Old Ghost and asked in an unfriendly tone.

Exposed so bluntly by Zhong Ningyao, Old Ghost smiled awkwardly.

He wanted to leave, but since the crowd here hadn't placed their bets yet, he couldn't bring himself to depart just then.

"What purple-furred rat? It's a purple sable!

It grew too big because this giant purple sable is simply big.

As for why you think it's a purple-furred rat, it's because giant purple sables are too rare!"

In terms of being a scoundrel, Old Ghost is on par with Gao Jian.

Only Zhong Ningyao knew he was no ordinary person; as Qing Xi Fang's largest underground information dealer, she still gave him some face.

"Compensate me with three bottles of Beast Blood-Qi Pills, and we'll call it even; how does that sound, Senior Old Ghost?"

Purple-furred rat it is; after raising it for so long, there's some affection, so Zhong Ningyao just wanted to recover some losses now.

A purple sable has the chance to enter the Minor Demon Realm as a spiritual pet; a purple-furred rat, however, has shallow talent and will at best remain a minor demon in this lifetime.

Considering the differences involved, Zhong Ningyao did not think asking for three bottles of Beast-Grade Blood-Qi Pills was an excessive request.

"At most three pills!"

Wang Yulou immediately stood in solemn respect.

Three bottles cut down to three pills—could it be... could this old ghost be a Wang Shi undercover agent?

One bottle contains ten pills; Lin Lin Lin Lin Shijie Ningyao asked for three bottles, thirty pills, yet the old ghost only intended to give three.

Haggling straight down to one-tenth of the price; he truly understands the Wang Shi family rules.

"Impossible; at least one bottle!"

Zhong Ningyao believed she was in the right, so naturally she refused to let the matter drop.

That old ghost's arrogant face flashed a sinister smile as he decisively stated.

"Deal!"

Saying this, that dog-like creature pulled a bottle of Beast-Grade Blood-Qi Pills from his storage bag and tossed it to Ningyao.

Good heavens; Lin Lin Lin Lin Shijie Ningyao was so angry her mammary glands were about to form nodules.

She was not even twenty years old!

One could only say that an entity like the old ghost, capable of sliding smoothly through the gray areas, was also a hundred percent beast.

Two quarters of an hour later, just as the cultivators watching the horse race were about to grow impatient.

The race organizer, a high-grade Qi Condensation elder from the Yang Shi, a Foundation Establishment immortal clan, stepped forward.

He channeled his spiritual power and asked in a loud voice.

"Have all fellow Daoists placed their bets?"

Horse racing serves the horse-betting; naturally, it must wait until the cultivators have finished placing their bets before starting.

"Hurry up; I have other matters!"

"Old Yang, you really know how to drag things out."

"Start! Start!"

That Yang Shi cultivator, hearing everyone's words, did not hesitate; immediately, he stepped onto a shield and flew into the mid-air.

He raised his hand, and the cultivators leading the horses instantly held their breath.

"Start!"

With his single command, the horses, including the Gourd Vat, launched with a spring-like start, accelerating wildly.

Ten horses galloping certainly could not match the momentum of ten thousand horses galloping, but the green-gray horses participating in the race were at least at the high-grade Mixed-Demon Beast level, possessing a world of difference from ordinary horses.

Within their tall bodies seemed to hide infinite power; once they ran, they pounded the ground until it trembled uncontrollably.

On both sides of the track enclosed by stone railings, large amounts of ground soil were shaken into the air; this was one of the reasons the racetrack turned into a muddy mess.

Though the ground was muddy, it did not affect the speed of the racing horses.

Within a few breaths, these horses ran with the sensation of a supercar, making Wang Yulou feel somewhat exhilarated.

In the first lap, the Gourd Vat ran in the middle of the pack, neither showing off nor hiding its light, appearing to truly lack the look of a champion.

But by the third lap, the two horses at the very front collided while turning, falling in a horrifying state.

As the second-oldest racehorse, the Gourd Vat possessed rich racing experience.

Facing the obstacles on the ground, it flexibly leaped, jumping nearly ten meters, flying directly over the two fallen horses.

"Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn!"

"It's over, all over; my spirit stones!"

"I curse your eighteen generations of ancestors! Rigged! It must be rigged!"

The happier Wang Yuan laughed, the more painful those gamblers who had definitely lost became.

After breaking free this time, the Gourd Vat quickly shook off the horses behind it by dozens of meters.

Maintaining the advantage of leading the pack, it easily claimed first place.

Yes, it was terribly old, no longer young.

Yes, it was not the fastest runner.

But what of it? The veteran's experience was far too sufficient.

The Gourd Vat's victory once again verified those five words: __Is a fool!

No need to be fast, no need to be strong; as long as one performs steadily, opponents will naturally provide opportunities; victory is simply this easy.

"Brother, the Gourd Vat won again, the Gourd Vat won again, hahaha."

Wang Yuan pulled Wang Yulou, looking as happy as a sixteen-year-old child.

"Hmm, you two return first; I will go meet this senior from the Yang family."

Wang Yulou remained very calm; although the Gourd Vat's victory was somewhat unexpected to him—he actually guessed correctly.

But horse racing, after all; winning and losing, any result is normal.

"What do you want with him?"

Both Zhong Ningyao and Wang Yuan were very confused.

The Yang Shi, as a Foundation Establishment immortal clan, was famous for taming spiritual beasts and mounts; could Wang Yulou intend to buy a spiritual beast or mount?

"Look, the horse race is held once every ten days; each time at least several hundred cultivators watch, and at times up to a thousand.

These cultivators are potential customers for the Hundred Treasures Pavilion; I wish to cooperate with the Yang Shi, asking them to help promote the Hundred Treasures Pavilion at the horse races."

After watching today's horse race, Wang Yulou thought of many things; the race itself had numerous directions for further development.

But he currently only planned to launch an advertisement; the rest could wait until there was an opportunity later.

Based on the fundamental rule that power resides in the individual, many characteristics of the Cultivation World are completely different from the Mortal World where he lived in his previous life; one must first test the waters and cannot rashly advance.

Bidding farewell to Wang Yuan and Ningyao, Wang Yulou found the Yang family cultivator who was treating the fallen racehorse.

"Esteemed senior, this junior is Wang Yulou of the Wang Shi of Anbei, and I wish to discuss business with you."

Wang Yulou's words were polite and measured; the Yang family's Qi Condensation cultivator paused his wound-treating actions and looked up in confusion.

"The Wang Shi of Anbei? Discussing business with me?"

He naturally knew the name of the Wang Shi of Anbei; the Yang family and the Wang Shi still had quite a bit of business dealings.

It was just that seeing Wang Yulou so young, he was still somewhat surprised.

Seeing that this esteemed senior was willing to listen, Wang Yulou was overjoyed and quickly introduced his plan to use the horse racing competition to promote the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

"This... it can be done, but we have never handled such things before."

The Yang family's Qi Condensation cultivator hesitated.

"We are all doing this for the first time; let us explore slowly. I will pay with Spirit Stones; you need only help with the promotion."

"By the way, I do not yet know your name."

"Yang Qi. Little Daoist friend, just call me Yang Qi. Wait until I have healed this horse, and then let us discuss the details of our cooperation."