Zu An waved his hands and addressed the crowd. "I’m sure that you all saw how reluctant I was to make a move earlier. But he insisted that I fight him one-on-one, so I had to oblige. Who could have known that this fellow was all talk, and was actually so weak?”

The crowd of gamblers looked at Zu An with conflicted expressions. 

You’re so good with your mouth that no one is a match for you when it comes to arguing.

At first, they couldn’t fathom how this wastrel had managed to win the fancy of the Chu First Miss. No matter how hard they tried, they could find no way in which they were personally inferior to him. They honestly felt that she should have chosen them instead.

However, it was finally dawning on them that there was one thing in which Zu An was clearly superior—the thickness of his skin.

Seeing how incensed the onlookers had become, Zu An considered saying a few more words to agitate them further and squeeze some extra Rage points from them. However, he decided that slow and steady growth was the optimal strategy. There was no point in squeezing these people dry right away.

He addressed Plum Blossom Seven. “I have a feeling that my luck will be good today. Come, let’s begin.”

“Of course! Young master Zu, this way please!” Plum Blossom Seven’s heart blossomed with happiness. 

I feared Brother Thirteen’s interference had messed things up. But this fellow is insisting on barging right through hell’s gates! Well, since he’s already gotten this far, I’d be letting him down if I didn’t squeeze at least a hundred thousand silver taels out of him! 

The one thing that concerned him was any possible interference from the Chu First Miss. He would have to find an opportunity to lure her away, or else she would surely stop her husband from racking up a huge debt.

The casino patrons watched intently as Plum Blossom Seven led Zu An to a gambling table. After the earlier spectacle, they were all curious to see what would happen next. They crowded around the table to watch the show.

Zu An examined the gambling table before him with keen interest. The only gambling dens he’d seen in his previous life were in dramas and movies—this was the first time he was seeing one up close.

It appeared different from what he’d envisioned. Betting ‘big’ and ‘small’ were just two of the ways to play—there were many other bets that players could place as well. 

Even though Zu An had never played this before, the way the table was laid out made the rules pretty self-explanatory. It didn’t take him long to figure out what was going on.

There were three dice in total. If the result ranged between 4 to 10, it would be considered ‘small’. Between 11 to 17, it would be considered ‘big’. For these two options, the payout was 1:1.

It was also possible to bet that all three numbers on the dice would be the same—the payout rate for this was 1:24.

For players looking for a riskier bet, they could go further and bet on the specific number that the dice would show if they were the same, such as all of the dice showing ones, or all showing twos. The payout for that was a massive 1:150!

Alternatively, one could bet on the sum of the numbers of the three dice. Betting on the sum being ‘4’ or ‘17’ had a possible payout of 1:50. If one chose ‘5’ or ‘16’, the payout was 1:18. The easier it was for the sum to be reached, the lower the payout would be.

“Young master Zu, would you like to bet on ‘big’ or ‘small’?” Plum Blossom Seven asked with a bright smile. In his mind, he was concocting the perfect scenario to ensure that Zu An walked out of the casino in heavy debt.

Zu An shot a glance at Plum Blossom Seven. “Are you planning on allowing me to win a few rounds first so that I don’t get scared off?”

Plum Blossom Seven was shaken. How did he know? 

The astonishment in his eyes vanished so swiftly that it seemed merely an illusion, and he laughed smoothly. “Young master Zu, you’re making fun of me. How can any of us possibly interfere with the outcome? The only thing that is at play on this gambling table is luck.” 

Still feeling a little uneasy, Zu An dragged Chu Chuyan over to his side. “Is that so? I should warn you beforehand that my honey is a fifth rank cultivator. If you get caught trying to pull any tricks in front of her, you shouldn’t complain if your hands get sliced off,” he threatened Plum Blossom Seven.

Chu Chuyan shot a sharp glare at Zu An, dissatisfied with the intimate way he had addressed her. Of course, there was no way that she could reveal the true nature of their relationship in front of so many witnesses.

Zu An’s ploy worked, however, and Plum Blossom Seven’s smile froze in place. “Young master Zu, please be assured. We at the Silverhook Casino are proud of our reputation. There’s no way we would resort to underhanded tricks. Do you see the inscriptions on our dice shakers? These are artifacts inscribed by a runemaster in the capital. It can isolate a cultivator’s ki, preventing them from reading the outcome within.”

The other gamblers clicked their tongues in annoyance. They knew full well that there were no casinos that didn’t resort to underhanded tricks. While it was true that the inscriptions on the dice shakers prevented cultivators from reading or interfering with the outcome, these runes didn’t impede any physical interference. It was likely that there were mechanisms under the table that could change the numbers at the last moment.

Of course, those crowded around were united in their desire to see the smug Zu An lose it all, so none warned him of this possibility. They were just here to enjoy the show.

Plum Blossom Seven, however, knew better than to underestimate the keen sight of a fifth rank cultivator. He knew that she could uncover any tricks he played, which left him feeling a little stifled. This was a hitch in his plan for sure, but it was not the end.

At the very least, he was confident he could make Zu An lose his entire fortune even without resorting to trickery.

“Young master Zu, how much are you planning to bet?”

Zu An secretly took out the Fortune Pill and swallowed it, then declared, “I dislike dragging things out, so it goes without saying that I’m going all in!”

“All in?” Plum Blossom Seven was stunned.

“You operate a casino but you don’t know what ‘all in’ means?” Zu An rolled his eyes in disdain. “Going all in means to bet everything!”

Like hell I wouldn’t know what ‘all in’ means! Plum Blossom Seven’s smile faltered for a moment. He suppressed his overflowing rage and said, “Young master Zu sure is a straightforward man.”

He signaled the dealer with his eyes. With Zu An going all in right from the first round, they had to be cautious, to avoid scaring him off right away.

The dealer received Plum Blossom Seven’s signal. He raised the dice shakers and shook them for a while before finally slamming them down on the table. “Place your bets!”

Zu An took out a wad of banknotes and waved them at Plum Blossom Seven. “Plum Blossom Thirteen was kind enough to gift these to me. I wonder how much you’re going to give me this time around.”

Plum Blossom Seven’s face twitched. He had already heard about what happened to Plum Blossom Thirteen. You tricked Brother Thirteen and made use of the academy’s teacher to get your way. How can you be so shameless as to claim that it was a gift?!

You have successfully trolled Plum Blossom Seven for 155 Rage points!

No matter. This is a good opportunity for me. Plum Blossom Thirteen is nothing more than an oaf; he thinks that the world revolves around him just because his cultivation is higher. Over the years, the sect master has placed high expectations on him because of that. Today, I shall prove to the sect master that brains are more important than brawn!

The smile on Plum Blossom Seven’s face widened further. “Young master Zu, are you going to bet on ‘big’ or ‘small’?”

Zu An scanned the table leisurely. He had a sense of what Plum Blossom Seven had in mind. It was unlikely that he would rig the first round, since he did not want to scare Zu An off. So, regardless of whether he bet on ‘big’ or ‘small’, he would have a fair chance of winning.

But then, why would Zu An even be interested in a mere 1:1 payout?

He confidently placed all his banknotes—worth a thousand silver taels—on ‘17’, saying, “We should go big or go home. That’s how I like to roll!”

A slight furrow formed on Chu Chuyan’s forehead as Zu An placed his bet without batting an eyelid. Even if she was no gambler, she knew full well that betting on a single number was much riskier than just betting on ‘big’ or ‘small’, especially on a number like ‘17’. The payout for that was 1:50!

With such a high payout, the most likely outcome of betting a silver tael was to lose that silver tael!

Chu Chuyan was about to advise Zu An against it, but hesitated. Even if he lost, it wouldn’t be so bad. At the very least, he would give up, and she would be able to get him away. She didn’t like the smell of this place.

“Open it! Open it!”

The spectators began cheering loudly for the dealer to reveal the number. They shared the same thoughts as Chu Chuyan, and they were eager to see how the showoff would react after losing a thousand silver taels in an instant.

It would be best if the Chu First Miss could see her husband’s true colors, and realize that he was a wastrel who couldn’t be reformed. Perhaps, in her moment of disappointment, they might just stand a chance with her.

For a woman as beautiful as her, being married before was hardly a dealbreaker.

Even Plum Blossom Seven couldn’t contain his glee. He laughed boisterously. “Young master Zu, you’re still too young. You should go slow and steady to make big money. Why don’t you allow our casino to lend you some money so that you can earn more? Don’t worry, since you’re part of the Chu clan, we won’t even charge you any interest!”

That was how they had managed to lure Zu An into losing a thousand silver taels the last time. Back then, he had been cautious, gambling tael by tael. But now, just a few days later, he had somehow gotten so full of himself that he could throw away a thousand silver taels without even batting an eyelid!

Gosh, he’s like a chicken who has somehow transformed into a phoenix. Is mooching off women really that lucrative?

Maybe I’ve been going about it the wrong way thus far.

While Plum Blossom Seven was engrossed in his thoughts, he suddenly sensed something amiss. Around him, the casino had, at some point, turned deathly silent. The surrounding gamblers were all looking at him, their faces hard to read. Their expressions seemed to carry a tinge of… pity?

A fearsome premonition struck Plum Blossom Seven’s heart, and he hurriedly turned to take a look at the game table. The dice shaker had been removed, and the three dice proudly displayed the numbers ‘6’, ‘6’, and ‘5’, which added up nicely to 17!

Plum Blossom Seven felt his mind explode there and then. He stared blankly as he struggled to come to terms with what had just happened.

With a 1:50 payout, their casino had just lost 50,000 silver taels!

Bloody hell, 50,000 silver taels!

Plum Blossom Seven felt his vision blacking out just thinking about that humongous sum. It was equivalent to half a month of profits for their casino!

He shot a ferocious glare at his disciple, wondering if Zu An had somehow bought the man off. However, he quickly dismissed the possibility. He had investigated the backgrounds of his disciples carefully before taking them in, and he was certain that they were all trustworthy.

Could Zu An have just been lucky?

Zu An waved leisurely at him, an insufferable smile on his face. “Hahaha, you brothers sure are kind to me. It wasn’t so long ago that Plum Blossom Thirteen generously gifted me eight hundred silver taels, and now, you’re giving another fifty thousand. Hahahaha! Time to pay up.”

Plum Blossom Seven nearly spurted blood. Like hell I’m giving you money!

You have successfully trolled Plum Blossom Seven for 543 Rage points!

Just a moment ago, he’d belittled Plum Blossom Thirteen for falling prey to Zu An so easily. Who would have thought that a worse fate awaited him? 

No, wait a moment. His tone… Doesn’t that mean that… 

“Young master Zu, are you leaving now?” Plum Blossom Seven asked anxiously.

“What else would I do?” Zu An replied with a smile. “I’ve already won fifty thousand silver taels. Why would I need to continue gambling here?”

He was truly impressed with the effects of the Fortune Pill. To be honest, he hadn’t been confident about his chances at all, but things really worked out in his favor, just as the pill had promised.

Plum Blossom Seven flew into a panic. If he allowed Zu An to walk away with fifty thousand silver taels just like that, the sect master would surely skin him alive!

“Young master Zu, please wait a moment!” Plum Blossom Seven rushed to block Zu An’s way. His henchmen stepped in to surround Zu An, weapons in hand.

Zu An’s face darkened. “What’s wrong? You’re not allowing me to leave with the money I’ve earned? Is this how your casino operates?”

As he said this, he slyly snuck behind Chu Chuyan and pushed her forward gently. “Honey, these people are out to cheat us!”

Chu Chuyan was uncomfortable enduring such physical contact with another man, but it wasn’t the right occasion to berate him. Once again, she could only channel her anger toward Plum Blossom Seven and his cronies. “Are you intending to make a move on us?”

The other gamblers joined in the protest. 

While they couldn’t stand how a toad like Zu An had managed to latch itself onto a swan like Chu Chuyan, they couldn’t allow the casino to default on its obligation to pay a fellow gambler his winnings. If they let it happen to Zu An, it could very well happen to them some other day too.