The Emperor Team won, and the victory was not particularly difficult because Gu Xuan had shattered the equilibrium between the two sides, reversing the situation in an instant.
Every member of the Emperor Team was beaming with smiles. Bathed in the radiance of Ye Lingling's Nine-Hearted Begonia, their injuries were rapidly healing, and their moods were equally bright.
With this victory, they were now a Gold Spirit Fighter team. Each of them was a Gold Spirit Fighter Badge holder, which meant they had truly earned a place of standing in the Great Spirit Arena.
From now on, even if they did nothing else, the income from participating in an occasional duel would be enough for them to live extravagantly. Of course, they weren't the type to stop striving for progress, but it was undeniable that they now possessed that capability.
The spectators who supported and bet on the Emperor Team were now roaring at the top of their lungs. They had won big—completely and utterly won big!
Gu Xuan, Dugu Yan, and the others remained unaffected by the noise. They calmly left the Spirit Fighting Arena through the private passage and returned to the lounge in high spirits.
Qin Ming and Yu Feng were already waiting there. Yu Feng was also wearing an expression of pure excitement; as a member of the Emperor Team, the team points were calculated collectively. Even though he hadn't participated in this specific match, he was considered to have shared in the victory.
Qin Ming was also extremely happy. He had led the Emperor Team himself, and as their instructor, seeing his students achieve such accomplishments brought him great satisfaction.
Furthermore, his respect for this group of students had grown even more. Even at his alma mater, Shrek Academy, where the requirements were infamously strict, students only needed to obtain a Silver Spirit Fighter Badge to graduate. Moreover, that was only in the Suotuo City Great Spirit Arena, which wasn't in the same league as the one in Heaven Dou City.
Although Gu Xuan's addition was the reason the Emperor Team improved so rapidly, it was undeniable that they were a collective unit. Everyone played a vital role in securing the victory in team combat.
With a slight smile, Qin Ming spoke softly to the group. "I have seen all your hard work over the past month. Once you go to exchange your points later, you will all hold Gold Spirit Fighter Badges. Since you've worked hard for over a month, I can give you a week of vacation."
Upon hearing this, the smiles on everyone's faces—including Gu Xuan's—brightened significantly. While cultivation was arduous and required perseverance, the balance between work and rest was even more important.
"Teacher Qin, you are so cool!" Osler couldn't help but cheer.
Watching everyone's jubilant expressions, Qin Ming added. "However, after this one-week holiday, you won't have any more breaks until the end of the semester."
The smiles instantly vanished. No more holidays for the rest of the term? Although there was only a month and a half left in the semester, the prospect of having no more breaks made them feel a bit miserable.
Gu Xuan was indifferent. He smiled and said. "We still get the normal weekends off, so why are you all wearing such long faces?"
It would have been better if he hadn't spoken; as soon as he did, everyone looked at Gu Xuan with deep resentment.
Weekends off? Who was the one getting up at the crack of dawn to train every day? If you're up, how can we stay in bed without Teacher Qin judging us? How do you have the nerve to say such a thing?
Gu Xuan gave a sheepish laugh, ignoring their resentful glares. "Let's go. We'll exchange our points and then enjoy the final holiday of the semester."
With that, Gu Xuan walked out the door and headed toward the Great Spirit Arena's point exchange counter. He also wanted to see how much his bets had returned today. Now, even without relying on the private funds from Ning Rongrong, Ning Fengzhi, Gu Rong, Chen Xin, or Xue Qinghe, he was completely self-sufficient.
The rest of the Emperor Team followed Gu Xuan out of the lounge, leaving Qin Ming alone to shake his head with a bitter smile.
Exchanging points was a quick process; they only needed to present their Spirit Fighter Badges. The Great Spirit Arena had recorded every one of their duels, and since the Emperor Team was now a major money-maker for the arena, they received the best treatment.
In less than fifteen minutes, the group left the Great Spirit Arena together. To be honest, while today's combat wasn't extremely difficult, the drain on everyone was not small.
Yu Tianheng, in particular, was exhausted. He had spent the match pinning down Kuang Xi, a Rank 40 pseudo-Soul Ancestor, all by himself. If it weren't for the boost he received from the Whale Glue earlier, he might not have been able to withstand Kuang Xi's full-outburst.
Once outside the Great Spirit Arena, the group split into two paths. Yu Tianheng and the other boys agreed to head to the Doutian Manor; since they had plenty of spare cash now, they planned to enjoy themselves.
Gu Xuan didn't go with them. Instead, he took Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling to a high-end restaurant for a delicious meal, after which they headed to Xue Qinghe's forest garden together.
It was late afternoon, and the sunset was just beginning to appear—a rare and beautiful sight.
Truthfully, Gu Xuan didn't dare have any overt designs on Ye Lingling at this stage. Although the girl didn't seem to mind his presence, he was still pursuing Dugu Yan. To prevent any jealousy between the two, he didn't dare two-time them just yet.
In reality, based on his current relationship with Ye Lingling, while it wasn't as intimate as his bond with Dugu Yan, Gu Xuan felt that if he truly confessed to her, she might not refuse him.
This wasn't narcissism; it was confidence—the confidence of a powerhouse.
Gu Xuan truly didn't find getting along with girls difficult. As long as he didn't do anything to turn them off and remained attentive to details, he could easily win their favor. Of course, this was predicated on being handsome, young, wealthy, and talented.
In short, he was rich in both wealth and talent.
When they arrived at the forest garden, Xue Qinghe was absent once again. Gu Xuan didn't mind; he took Dugu Yan's fair hand and led them toward a gazebo to rest.
After sitting down, Gu Xuan brewed a cup of fruit tea for both Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, and they quietly enjoyed the fading glow of the sunset.
The reddish-yellow twilight hit their faces, making the scene feel warm and harmonious as Gu Xuan fantasized about his future happy life.
Suddenly, Ye Lingling felt discomfort in her stomach. She clutched her midsection as her face paled with pain. Dugu Yan and Gu Xuan naturally asked out of concern. "Lingling, what's wrong?"
Hearing their inquiry, Ye Lingling glanced at Gu Xuan. Her face turned slightly red with embarrassment, and she whispered something into Dugu Yan's ear.
Upon hearing it, Dugu Yan instantly understood why Ye Lingling's stomach suddenly hurt.
Dugu Yan looked at Gu Xuan, then back at Ye Lingling. She then said to Gu Xuan. "We won't be watching the play tonight. I'll take Lingling back first."
Gu Xuan felt helpless but knew that Ye Lingling's situation meant a certain "monthly visitor" had arrived. After all, he wasn't some naive kid who understood nothing.
Gu Xuan nodded sensibly and didn't ask further. "Then be careful on the road. I won't follow you."
Dugu Yan gave a knowing smile, helped Ye Lingling up, and slowly left the gazebo. Once outside the forest garden, they hailed a carriage to the nearest luxury hotel.
Gu Xuan was the only one left in the forest garden. He took out the three theater tickets he had prepared and shook them in front of his eyes. He hadn't expected that after preparing for so long, he would miss this "golden opportunity" today because of Ye Lingling's relative.
The more he thought about it, the more Gu Xuan felt it was a loss. While thinking about making Ye Lingling pay him back double in the future, he watched the infinite beauty of the setting sun.
(End of Chapter)
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