Every person has curiosity.
The imperial capital, as the most prosperous place in the Star Empire, has people’s curiosity especially strong. The illegitimate son Ye Chui and the snake-haired Yuren are about to conduct a martial trial. This matter has greatly aroused everyone’s curiosity. There are even quite a few people from out of town who came specifically to watch this competition. People’s curiosity is also reflected in gambling.
The martial trial is to be held the day after tomorrow, that is, on the third day. By the second day, the betting amounts at the major pools in the imperial capital had all exceeded records. The odds also began to change quietly under these circumstances.
The bookmakers need to maintain their profits. Most people favour the snake-haired Yuren, which makes those betting on the snake-haired Yuren exceptionally numerous. Those choosing to bet on Ye Chui are countable on one’s fingers. To maintain balance and attract more people to risk betting on Ye Chui, the original 1:3 odds were constantly increasing. By the evening of the second day, they had become 1:5. The snake-haired Yuren’s odds remained unchanged.
Changes in odds are rare in gambling, but since the odds were increasing rather than decreasing, those who had bet on Ye Chui were delighted to see it. Especially Ye Chui and his group. At the original three times odds, they could get 240,000 gold coins. Now, in the blink of an eye, it had become 400,000 gold coins. How could they not be surprised? How could they not be delighted?
By the morning of the third day, when the martial trial was about to begin, the odds changed one last time, becoming 1:6.5.
(At this point, betting had already stopped, and the odds would be completely fixed.)
That is to say, once Ye Chui takes down the snake-haired Yuren (which is a matter of course), Ye Chui and his group can obtain 520,000 gold coins in income. Subtracting the 80,000 gold coin stake, the net profit is 440,000 gold coins.
What kind of concept is 440,000 gold coins?
In a prosperous place like the imperial capital, the price of a luxurious mansion is only 20,000 to 30,000 gold coins. Although the Anduin family has fallen on hard times, it is still the empire’s fifth-ranked family. To support Ye Chui, the Anduin family had to mortgage properties to barely scrape together a total of 500,000 gold coins!
It can be said that possessing over 400,000 gold coins in assets is already enough to match those medium families among the empire’s upper echelons.
Incidentally, the Anduin family’s all-in bet of 500,000 gold coins will result in their income being 3.25 million gold coins. With over three million gold coins in assets, probably in the empire, apart from the golden snake Raen family, there will be no one more lavish than the Anduin family…
By the morning of the third day.
Ye Chui and his group put on their guild uniforms and were enjoying breakfast in the prince’s mansion’s dining hall. The maids and servants stood respectfully beside them with awe on their faces. Prince Geller, somewhat fatigued, came in from outside and sat beside Ye Chui and Debbie. The servants brought him a bowl of rice porridge. Prince Geller gently stirred it with a small spoon. Through his mouth, he brought a piece of good news.
“I have already investigated the matter of Xi Lesi. She is still alive.”
Hearing this information, Ye Chui and the others all showed joy on their faces.
“But she has been locked in the guild’s prison by the president of the Skeleton Walker Magic Guild. I heard that girl is a very beautiful young woman. She might suffer humiliation from the Skeleton Walker Magic Guild president…” Prince Geller continued.
“It will not happen.” Ye Chui shook his head calmly. “He has no life root.”
“Er…” Prince Geller was stunned. Only then did he remember what Ye Chui had mentioned. He nodded. “But she must have suffered some hardships. What I can confirm is that Xi Lesi is still alive. The Skeleton Walker Magic president is an extremely cruel person who very much enjoys torturing his captives.”
“After taking down that Yuren fellow, we will go find Xi Lesi.” Debbie followed up.
Prince Geller frowned. “Are you really not worried at all about the fight with Yuren?”
“Indeed a bit worried.” Ye Chui admitted. Debbie, Green, Guni, and Raisa all nodded one after another.
Just as Prince Geller wanted to comfort them, Ye Chui followed up by saying: “I wonder if we can collect our betting income. Prince Geller, I will have to trouble your black armour guards to collect the debts. Oh, right, the Anduin family’s gambling debts will also rely on you.”
Debbie nodded um um in agreement.
Getting rich depends on this.
Prince Geller: “…”
In the midst of speaking, Ye Chui and the others had already finished breakfast. They left the table satisfied. Prince Geller arranged a team of black armour guards to escort Ye Chui and them to the martial venue. Prince Geller himself needed to go to the Red Fort later. He was a member of the imperial council and would accompany the old emperor to watch the martial arts.
“The venue for the martial trial is the Dragon’s Lair. That is a very famous place in the Star Empire.” As they were leaving, Prince Geller said with a smile. “Ordinary people rarely have the chance to go there.”
“Dragon’s Lair?” Ye Chui felt somewhat unfamiliar with this name.
Debbie explained: “The Dragon’s Lair is a black mountain on the north side of the imperial capital. This mountain is said to have been a giant dragon’s lair in the era of the gods. Because it was often scorched by the flames spat by the giant dragons, the stones on the mountain are black and as hard as iron. Back when the Star Empire had not yet been established, this place was the capital of another country. They called their imperial capital Dragon’s Lair City precisely because of that Dragon’s Lair.”
Raisa also had some understanding of the Dragon’s Lair. When they left the prince’s mansion and took the carriage to the destination, Raisa continued to explain:
“After the era of the gods, the giant dragons went extinct, but the Dragon’s Lair has some peculiarities. People have discovered some petrified dragon eggs inside it. Strange things often happen there. That is because the dead giant dragons have undying dragon souls that wreak havoc wantonly. Even the empire before the Star Empire would execute war captives in the Dragon’s Lair to sacrifice and nurture the dragon souls inside.
Later, the founding emperor of the Star Empire invited a great magic tutor from the Magic Union to help suppress the dragon souls and built the massive Dragon Soul Array. The Dragon Soul Array controlled the dragon souls inside. The Dragon’s Lair thus became the safest place in the Star Empire. Some important national affairs are also conducted in the Dragon’s Lair.
During a certain period in history, when the Star Empire was invaded by other countries, the Dragon’s Lair was still the royal family’s final refuge.”
“Dragon souls?” Ye Chui had only now learned that the Star Empire had such a place. He immediately felt it very interesting. Dragon Treasure currently had no physical body. He existed in his magic guide book in the state of a dragon soul… He needed to devour magic cores to enhance his power. Who knew if he could devour dragon souls?
“Dragon souls need sacrifices to nurture them. Since the founding of the Star Empire, that cruel sacrificial ritual is no longer performed, so over the past thousand years, the dragon souls have greatly weakened. But that place is still a very terrifying location.” Debbie continued. “It seems Little Fatty and Little Seven think highly of you, arranging your martial trial with Yuren there.”
As she spoke, Debbie pulled open the carriage window to look outside. Immediately after, the little girl hurriedly closed the carriage window again and let out an “ah” of exclamation.
“What is it?” Ye Chui hurriedly asked.
“So many people outside. It feels like we are on a parade.” Debbie said with puffed cheeks.
In fact, from the moment the carriage left the prince’s mansion, the streets on both sides were packed with people. The empire did not ban gambling. Almost everyone liked to use their spare money to gamble. The martial trial between Ye Chui and Yuren was a bet that stirred everyone’s nerves. Naturally, everyone paid utmost attention to this matter.
Ye Chui also glanced outside and saw the crowds on both sides of the street. A helpless smile appeared on his face. He could not help but think, who knows how many of these people had bet on him?
“My lords, the Dragon’s Lair has arrived.” After the carriage had travelled for about half an hour, the coachman poked his head in respectfully and said.
…
The Dragon’s Lair was a black low mountain. The mountain was barren of grass. The rocks were covered with a layer of black substance like glass, hard as iron. At the halfway point of the Dragon’s Lair, there was a flat area artificially carved out. Several black fortress towers were built there. Around it were several magic platforms with blue electric lights constantly flashing on them. That was the Dragon Soul Array.
The hub of the Dragon Soul Array was located in a dark black tower: the central hub tower.
On one side of this flat ground was a mountain wall full of dark caves. That mountain wall had once been the giant dragons’ lair, densely packed like a black honeycomb.
Below the mountain wall was a high stone platform. Exquisite seats were already placed there, seats exclusive to the empire’s emperor and imperial council members. Several maids and attendants were now tidying up there.
At this moment, inside the central hub tower, a stern-faced man wearing a suit of armour stood by the tower’s window looking down. This young man Ye Chui had met once before. He was precisely the empire’s Third Prince, the cold prince. He was responsible for the guards in the Red Fort. The Dragon’s Lair’s Dragon Soul Array was also under his control.
Standing by the tower’s window, the Third Prince could see the figures of some nobles and wealthy people. They were the ones permitted to come to the Dragon’s Lair to watch the martial trial. Of course, more people were blocked below the Dragon’s Lair. Only a few could obtain such qualification.
On that only twisting and steep mountain road, the figures of Ye Chui and his group had already appeared. They were slowly climbing towards the Dragon’s Lair.
“Hmph!”
Looking at Ye Chui and his group, the Third Prince snorted coldly. Suddenly, he waved his hand towards several magic guide books beside him: “Activate the Dragon Soul Array! Unleash [Dragon Might Strike] on Ye Chui and his group!”
[Dragon Might Strike] was the attack where the Dragon Soul Array stimulated the dragon souls to make the dragon souls emit [Dragon Might]!
“What? Third Prince Your Highness, this, how can this be?” A magic tutor responsible for operating the dragon soul control hub looked shocked.
The Third Prince looked over coldly: “Do as I say!”
“Third Prince…”
“Do not make me say it a second time!”
“…Yes!”
The Third Prince had the reputation of being cold and decisive. Although his subordinates were somewhat puzzled and doubtful about his order, they did not dare to question it too much. They quickly activated the Dragon Soul Array according to the Third Prince’s order, set the target as Ye Chui and his group, and unleashed [Dragon Might Strike]!
“Roar—”
A faint dragon roar echoed in the dark Dragon’s Lair.
A trace of cold smile appeared at the Third Prince’s mouth.
Ye Chui wanted to complete the martial trial and defeat the snake-haired Yuren. First, he had to deal with the dragon souls. Arranging his martial trial in the Dragon’s Lair was the result of the imperial council’s several lords striving for it. The purpose was naturally to use the dragon souls to influence Ye Chui.
Under [Dragon Might Strike], it was enough to crush all the willpower of any resolute person!
This martial trial was not fair from the very beginning.
Even before the martial trial began, actions against Ye Chui had already started!
…
“Roar—”
The dragon roar resounding through the sky suddenly rang out. Ye Chui and his group, walking on the mountain path, simultaneously felt a terrifying suppressive force descend upon them. Green nearly fell from the steep mountain path. Luckily, Guni hurriedly reached out to support him.
Ye Chui looked up at the sky. In the cloudless clear sky, the vague shadow of a giant dragon circling appeared faintly. It was constantly roaring downwards, and its target was directly aimed at Ye Chui and the others.
“This is the [Dragon Might Strike] stimulated through the Dragon Soul Array!” Debbie clearly knew what this was. Her little face was somewhat pale, and her body leaned against Ye Chui’s. “These people are too shameless. So they arranged the martial trial in the Dragon’s Lair for this reason! They plan to use [Dragon Might Strike] to deal with us and affect you, Ye Chui!”
“Indeed very shameless. But they think this knock-off [Dragon Might] can affect me? Do they not know that I use the real [Dragon Might]?”
Ye Chui said with some anger contained in his voice. He summoned his magic guide book and called forth the black gold flame dragon!
“Dragon Treasure, roar a couple of times. Let it see what authentic [Dragon Might] is like!”
