Chapter 26: Entering the Imperial Palace (Seeking collections, recommendation tickets, monthly tickets!)
"Begonia has a name, life is endless!"
Ye Lingling's voice rang out clearly, and light purple Begonia Petals fell, enveloping Gu Xuan and the others.
Aside from Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, everyone else, including Gu Xuan, had varying degrees of burns. This was only because Qin Ming held back at the end; otherwise, with the power of his sixth Spirit Ability, it was entirely possible for him to directly burn these young Spirit Elders like Gu Xuan to death.
Qin Ming retracted his Spirit, looking at Gu Xuan and the others with satisfaction. Being able to make him use his full strength was enough to prove the extraordinary nature of these youngsters.
"Gu Xuan, Yu Tianheng, you can rest for half a day from this afternoon's practical combat class. I still have some matters to attend to." Qin Ming finished speaking to Gu Xuan and Yu Tianheng, comforted them, and then left directly.
With Ye Lingling's treatment, their burns quickly healed. They each took out their clothes, dressed neatly, and began to sit cross-legged to recover their spirit power.
Half an hour later, the group went to the cafeteria to eat together.
At the dinner table, Gu Xuan discussed with them how to more effectively defeat Qin Ming, but the final answer they reached was that it was impossible.
If they had all broken through to Spirit Ancestor by now, it might be different. But with only Spirit Elder level strength, Qin Ming's single burst of power would take them all out, giving them no chance to control Qin Ming; they would only be controlled by Qin Ming.
After eating, everyone returned to the villa to rest. The Spirit Battle this morning had left them all a bit tired.
Gu Xuan did not rest; this amount of training was just a trifle for him.
Gu Xuan went to Heaven Dou City and directly arrived at the Imperial Palace, holding a golden Crown Prince Token in his hand, and headed straight for the Crown Prince's Residence.
The current Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire is named Xue Qinghe, but this Xue Qinghe is not the real Xue Qinghe; the real Xue Qinghe probably died several years ago.
Aside from those truly in the know, perhaps only Gu Xuan knew that the current Xue Qinghe was impersonated by Qian Renxue, the granddaughter of the High Priest Qian Daoliu of the Spirit Hall's Hall of Elders.
Moreover, a few years ago, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's First Prince Xue Luochuan and Third Prince Xue Haicang both mysteriously died one after another, and only then did Emperor Xue Ye establish the second son, Xue Qinghe, as the Crown Prince.
Gu Xuan, who was clear about the timeline, knew very well that the current Qian Renxue had basically grasped most of the Heaven Dou Empire's secrets and forces.
In the original work, she was nine years older than Tang San, and Gu Xuan was one year older than Tang San, meaning Qian Renxue was eight years older than Gu Xuan. Gu Xuan's current true age is twelve, which means Qian Renxue is already twenty years old.
Although Qian Renxue's strength was not revealed in the original work during this period, she was at least Spirit Emperor level. Five or six years later, during the Spirit Hunting Operation, Qian Renxue even reached Spirit Saint level, approaching Spirit Douluo cultivation.
If it weren't for San Ge having the cheat of Xiao Wu's hundred-thousand-year spirit ring and the Immortal Grade Herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Tang San would definitely have been the one defeated during the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace Coup.
However, these things were not very important to Gu Xuan. He currently had no ability to protect the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. The only thing he could do was to try his best to gather resources to improve his own strength and that of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, to protect himself in future Spirit Hunting Operations, and even to inflict heavy damage on the Spirit Hall.
In fact, Spirit Hall isn't necessarily bad; on the contrary, it is currently the only major force that can still help commoner Spirit Masters and commoners. It's just that the current leader of Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong, is a lunatic.
High Priest Qian Daoliu, the Angel God's number one subordinate, was inactive, allowing Bibi Dong to ruin Spirit Hall, while Qian Daoliu, a person of immense strength, only wanted Qian Renxue to become a god.
It's not that Qian Daoliu was bad, but his inaction led to the intensification of continental unrest, and even allowed the lunatic Bibi Dong to slowly lead Spirit Hall astray.
As for Bibi Dong, Gu Xuan felt both pity and hatred. He pitied her for what she went through in the original work, being ruined by her teacher Qian Xunji, that inhuman scoundrel. And he hated her because this fellow was also a love-struck fool, and she couldn't distinguish between good and evil, wanting to destroy the entire World because of her own bad experiences.
Sometimes Gu Xuan would think, if he had Qian Daoliu's strength, he would definitely pin this lunatic Bibi Dong to the ground and thoroughly flog her. Even if he couldn't make her truly awaken, he would at least stop her crazy actions.
It's just that Qian Daoliu, though upright and honorable his entire life, had sand in his eyes in his old age, unable to see black from white.
Let's not dwell on it!
As for Qian Renxue, who was also Xue Qinghe, she had become Ning Fengzhi's Disciple a few years ago through Emperor Xue Ye's introduction. This discipleship involved the teacher-student etiquette, just like San Ge and Grandmaster.
However, Ning Fengzhi still didn't know that his beloved Disciple was a two-faced person, a major undercover agent.
But Gu Xuan also couldn't just go and remind Ning Fengzhi, because he wouldn't be able to accept it right now. And even if he did remind Ning Fengzhi, at most it would just disrupt her plans, and he might not gain anything good from it.
It's better to just let it develop according to the original work. Gu Xuan would also be able to clearly know the continued development of the future timeline.
If the other party changed their plans, Gu Xuan would be completely blind, not knowing the future plot development, and his biggest advantage would be gone.
As for bringing the Sword and Bone Douluo to directly kill or butcher Qian Renxue, Gu Xuan dared not even think about it. The Sword and Bone Douluo certainly had the ability, but they did not have the ability to withstand Qian Daoliu's wrath.
Although Qian Daoliu allowed Bibi Dong to mess around in Spirit Hall, he also didn't leave his residence, giving these 'little weaklings' time to develop. So, it had both advantages and disadvantages.
Therefore, Gu Xuan simply didn't think about anything and allowed Qian Renxue to impersonate Xue Qinghe and develop within the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, while he himself tried his best to influence her.
Because of the relationship between Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe, Gu Xuan had also known Qian Renxue for a long time, and even affectionately called him Big Brother Xue.
And honestly, Qian Renxue, that woman, listened intently and showed no signs of being an imposter.
Sometimes Gu Xuan would deliberately try to expose her, such as going to the bathroom with her or doing other things that would directly reveal a man's true nature, but Xue Qinghe could always find a suitable excuse to deflect, and the key was that her excuses were incredibly logical.
One time Gu Xuan wanted to test if Qian Renxue could truly use her Spirit Bone abilities to perfectly disguise herself as a man, so since peeing with her didn't work, Gu Xuan tried to find ways to sleep with her, calling it 'strengthening brotherly affection.'
And because of this incident, Qian Renxue, who sometimes used to stay at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School to study for a week, never stayed overnight at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School again after Gu Xuan suggested 'strengthening brotherly affection' with her.
No matter how late it was, he could always find an excuse to leave.
Gu Xuan naturally enjoyed these things tirelessly. He wasn't afraid of angering Qian Renxue, because he found that Qian Renxue hadn't been angered, except for the first few times.
Later, this fellow seemed to have gotten used to Gu Xuan's impropriety. As long as Gu Xuan didn't succeed, she also found some enjoyment in it.
It was as if Gu Xuan was her only source of amusement under her hidden identity.
And there's one thing Gu Xuan had to say: the disguised Qian Renxue really looked like Xue Qinghe, even her chest was gone. Don't ask Gu Xuan how he knew; just know that he got kicked twice and was retaliated against by Qian Renxue for a period of time.
Later, Qian Renxue directly spread rumors that he had a 'male aversion,' which could be understood as being unable to have intimate contact with men. Moreover, he had dozens of women in his harem, but after so many years, not a single child was conceived. Gu Xuan came to see him this time also to bring him aphrodisiacs like Whale Glue and other high-end tonics.
After all, with dozens of women for so many years and no children, it naturally couldn't be the women's problem. Then there was only one problem: Xue Qinghe had a problem.
In fact, Xue Qinghe really did have a problem. He was a bottom, and you wanted him to be a top?
As for arranging a man to be a stud, that was even more impossible. The imperial family had a long-standing Bloodline. Qian Renxue could use Spirit Bone abilities to conceal herself, but other men did not have the imperial Bloodline.
PS: Typos will be corrected after publishing.Chapter 27: Xue Qinghe (Please collect, please recommend tickets, monthly tickets!)
Gu Xuan entered the Imperial Palace unimpeded and arrived at the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace.
At this moment, Xue Qinghe was reading in his study. Upon learning of Gu Xuan's arrival, he immediately put down his book and waited for Gu Xuan in the main hall.
Regardless of Qian Renxue's true feelings for Gu Xuan, on the surface, they were very close buddies, and this could not be faked in the eyes of others.
Even Ning Fengzhi and Sword Bone thought so, and only they themselves knew their true thoughts.
As soon as Gu Xuan arrived at the main hall, he saw Xue Qinghe looking eagerly, and a warm smile instantly appeared on Gu Xuan's face.
"Big Brother Xue, why are you still waiting here? Now that you are the Crown Prince, busy with official duties, I, your little brother, would be content just to catch a glimpse of you from afar. You make me feel deeply sinful."
"If those memorials aren't approved, wouldn't those people living in dire straits receive even less proper help?"
As Gu Xuan spoke, he walked up to Xue Qinghe and directly pulled him into a hug, patting his back affectionately.
Xue Qinghe couldn't dodge, his eyebrow twitched, and he helplessly patted Gu Xuan's back, saying softly, "Little Xuan, although the memorials need to be approved, there's no need to rush. You rarely visit, why didn't you notify me in advance? I could have made some arrangements for you."
Hearing this, Gu Xuan released Xue Qinghe. Taking advantage was enough; he couldn't cause resentment. Besides, the current Qian Renxue was indeed flat-chested, just like a man, which wasn't very interesting.
"Big Brother, with those words, my trip wasn't in vain. I'm already content," Gu Xuan replied with a satisfied look.
Rolling his eyes at Gu Xuan, Xue Qinghe said, "Alright, let's go to the study and sit for a bit. You can also have some tea to quench your thirst."
"Hehe..." Gu Xuan chuckled and replied, "Big Brother really understands me; I'm just thirsty."
Then Xue Qinghe led Gu Xuan to the study. Gu Xuan was also familiar with the way, as it wasn't his first time there.
On the way, Xue Qinghe suddenly asked, "You've been enrolled for two days and only just came to see me. Is it because the younger sisters at the academy have made you forget to return home?"
After asking, Gu Xuan had a look as if he had eaten shit. He knew that Ning Fengzhi must have written to Xue Qinghe after he left. It was just that Gu Xuan had been genuinely busy these past two days and had forgotten... But Gu Xuan's skin was thicker than a city wall's corner, so how could this question stump him?
So Gu Xuan's expression immediately changed, as if he had already stood on the moral high ground, and he said indignantly, "Big Brother... how can you still talk about me? My letter and Uncle Ning's letter traveled together. I've been here for two days, and you haven't come to see me, your little brother. I was waiting anxiously, only to wait for nothing, and I still have to come find you."
Gu Xuan's appearance made Xue Qinghe inwardly wonder if he had really made a mistake.
Then Gu Xuan added, "Seriously, are you really that busy?"
"Cough, cough, cough!" Xue Qinghe coughed twice and pushed down Gu Xuan's pointing hand.
Xue Qinghe pondered for a moment, because she knew that if she argued with Gu Xuan about this, even with her wisdom as the Crown Prince of the Empire, she would not be his match. This kid was too good at finding loopholes and acting like a spoiled brat.
So, in the end, Xue Qinghe replied lightly, "Hmm... I have indeed been a bit busy these past two days."
"Hmph! I forgive you. Who told you to be my good Big Brother!" Gu Xuan feigned a childish demeanor.
If an outsider were to see this, they would naturally notice that the current Gu Xuan no longer possessed his previous composure and wisdom. He was completely like a little brat, and this was something Gu Xuan had discovered after years of continuous exploration: only this appearance allowed him to bicker with Qian Renxue the most, and she wouldn't get angry or annoyed by his actions.
In fact, for example, in the darkness unknown to everyone, two big rough men were secretly watching Qian Renxue and Gu Xuan, stifling their laughter.
"Snake Lance, what do you think is so charming about this little guy? Besides him, the Young Lord has never indulged anyone else so much," a plump, round black-robed figure transmitted his voice to the thin black-robed figure beside him.
"You ask me? For so many years, hasn't the Young Lord always been like this with this kid?" the thin black-robed figure replied.
Don't let their current appearance as two little mice hiding in the dark deceive you; their identities were terrifying. They were Spirit Hall Elders, with spirit power levels of ninety-three and ninety-two, respectively.
The thin one was Snake Lance Douluo, with the Spirit: Snake Lance, and spirit power of ninety-three.
And the chubby, round one was called Porcupinefish Douluo, with the Spirit: Porcupinefish, and spirit power of ninety-two.
Hearing this, Porcupinefish replied, "Alas, speaking of which, every time this kid comes, the Young Lord is happy for a while. Although this kid is only twelve, could the Young Lord actually have feelings for him?"
Snake Lance heard this, stroked his chin in thought, and then replied, "You never know. My wife is ten years younger than me. Back then, I never thought of marrying her; I just raised her like a younger sister. But later, when I wanted to find a woman to marry, I realized that she had unknowingly filled my heart. The feeling she gave me was something no other woman could provide."
At this point, Snake Lance emphasized, "I'm not saying this to imply I'm an old ox eating young grass, but to express that age sometimes doesn't mean everything. Looking at the Young Lord and this kid, I can't help but think of my wife and me in our youth."
Hearing Snake Lance's analysis, Porcupinefish also nodded thoughtfully, then replied, "It's just that this kid still doesn't know the Young Lord is a girl. I really can't imagine how this plot will develop in the future."
Snake Lance also replied helplessly, "Alas, let nature take its course. However, this kid's background is good. If he can unite with the Young Lord, then Spirit Hall and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School will be in-laws. With the support of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, the Young Lord's plan can proceed more smoothly."
Porcupinefish couldn't help but hit Snake Lance and replied, "What are you thinking? The Young Lord's identity right now is Xue Qinghe. If the Young Lord is exposed in the future, wouldn't this kid be furious? He's called 'Big Brother' for so many years, and it turns out to be a woman."
Snake Lance shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "What do you know? With the Young Lord's beauty and talent, this frivolous brat will definitely be eager to throw himself at her!"
Hearing this, Porcupinefish remembered his Young Lord's peerless figure, a perfect Fusion of that woman's and that man's genes, and nodded gravely.
"That makes sense!"
...Qian Renxue and Gu Xuan naturally couldn't hear the two gossiping fellows' secret voice transmissions. At this moment, Gu Xuan had already followed Qian Renxue to the study.
After drinking a cup of tea, Gu Xuan finally revealed his purpose, taking out the gifts Ning Fengzhi had carefully selected.
A Thousand-Year Whale Glue, a Thousand-Year Tiger Penis, Ox Penis, and two Ten-Thousand-Year Sheep Kidneys. These were all from Spirit Beasts. In the outside world, any one of them could excite men who were not very capable in that regard.
But when Xue Qinghe saw these things, her eyebrow couldn't help but twitch again. She felt an urge to reveal that she was actually a woman.
However, helplessly, Xue Qinghe forced a smile and bitterness onto her face, directly putting these into her spirit tool, out of sight, out of mind.
Xue Qinghe said, "You're thoughtful, but I understand my own situation. It's really not that I'm incapable in that regard; it's probably a genetic issue."
Gu Xuan smiled upon hearing this and replied, "Big Brother, it's just the two of us here, it doesn't matter. I won't laugh at you. It's just a pity for my sisters-in-law, who have been with you for so many years, just to conceive a Dragon seed and soar to success. Alas... let's not talk about it."
As he spoke, Gu Xuan feigned a sigh, secretly observing Qian Renxue's expression, but what he received was a kick directly to his butt.
"Big Brother, I was wrong, I won't say any more," Gu Xuan immediately begged for mercy.
Xue Qinghe retracted her foot and then said indifferently, "Speak, what business do you have this time?"
Hearing this, Gu Xuan's smile grew even wider, almost uncontrollable, but he still said, "Big Brother, I truly came to see you, nothing else."
Xue Qinghe lightly raised one finger, followed by a second, and counted inwardly, "One... Two..."
Gu Xuan stopped smiling, grabbed her finger and said, "Hey, hey, hey... Big Brother, I suddenly remembered, there's indeed a small matter that needs your help."
Xue Qinghe calmly pulled her fingers from Gu Xuan's hand and said placidly, "I knew you, kid, only come when you need something. Speak!"
PS: Typos will be corrected after publishingChapter 28: Great Spirit Arena (Please collect, recommend tickets, and monthly passes!)
Gu Xuan stopped wasting time, took a sip of tea, and said directly, "Big Brother, this matter is simple for you. I've come to enroll, and I want to borrow something from you."
Hearing this, Xue Qinghe rolled her eyes at Gu Xuan and said, "Borrow something? You are the esteemed Young Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, what could you possibly lack?"
Gu Xuan chuckled and replied, "Of course there is."
Xue Qinghe didn't refuse and said, "Tell me, what kind of trickery are you up to?"
Hearing these words, anyone who wasn't as close to her as Gu Xuan would absolutely not believe that she was capable of saying them.
However, Gu Xuan was used to joking around with her, so she didn't use the formal facade she employed in front of others when interacting with him.
"It's nothing major. Don't you have a garden estate in the east of the city? I want to take my teammates there to play for a while," Gu Xuan said softly.
Hearing this, Xue Qinghe's brow furrowed slightly, but seeing Gu Xuan's expectant look, she finally nodded helplessly.
"You brat, you know that place is my private residence, right? It's fine for you to go; no one will stop you with the token I gave you. But why do you want to take your classmates there?" Xue Qinghe still couldn't help but ask for the reason.
Gu Xuan chuckled and replied, "Big Brother, that place of yours is arguably the most beautiful environment in the entire Heaven Dou City. We've been training too hard recently, so I wanted to take them to relax."
After speaking, Gu Xuan added, "But don't worry, it's just the Royal Fighting Team, eight people including me. We won't damage anything inside."
Hearing this, Xue Qinghe nodded and then said, "You brat, you're not completely stupid; you still know to ask for my opinion. I agree, but try to go sparingly. I don't like too many people there."
In fact, Gu Xuan was quite surprised that Xue Qinghe agreed to this, because Gu Xuan could roughly guess that this was the place where Xue Qinghe shed her disguise and appeared as Qian Renxue.
Gu Xuan had been to Qian Renxue's forest garden many times, but he had never seen an outsider there. Only Ning Fengzhi occasionally visited.
Qian Renxue agreeing to let Gu Xuan bring people there truly surprised him.
However, he was even more delighted, because the environment there was truly excellent, offering everything one could wish for—it was definitely a dating Holy Land.
Gu Xuan planned that when everyone was tired someday, he would take Dugu Yan to play there. The beautiful scenery combined with the handsome and charming Gu Xuan—how could Dugu Yan not be moved?
Gu Xuan nodded happily upon hearing this, immediately went to Xue Qinghe's side, and started massaging his shoulders and pounding his legs, though he was stopped when he tried to pound the legs.
"I knew you were buttering me up for a reason. Are you done? If so, get lost. I still have government affairs to handle," Xue Qinghe said faintly, taking a sip of tea.
"How could I be done? Since I came all this way, I must stay and eat with you," Gu Xuan said with a smile.
"It's still a long time until dinner. All you do every day is play and eat. If Teacher knew that you were neglecting your proper duties all day, do you think he would be angry?" Xue Qinghe glanced at Gu Xuan and said flatly.
Gu Xuan waved his hand carelessly and replied, "Sigh, you have no idea what I went through today."
Xue Qinghe became interested and said, "Oh? With your strength, what kind of difficulty could possibly stop you?"
Gu Xuan replied, looking helpless, "You know Teacher Qin, right?"
Xue Qinghe nodded: "Naturally, I know him. He is the youngest Heaven Dou-level teacher at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy and a Genius with the greatest potential to reach the Titled Douluo rank in the future."
"See? Even you say that. This morning, he personally came down to spar with us. I only just joined the Royal Fighting Team two days ago! He, a Spirit Emperor, beat up a bunch of little Spirit Elders like us as if we were chicks. My hair was almost burned off!" Gu Xuan narrated his morning experience with indignation.
Hearing this, Xue Qinghe laughed unkindly, "Haha, it seems Teacher Qin really emphasizes your practical combat training."
Gu Xuan curled his lip and said, "He certainly emphasizes it. If he didn't emphasize it, how could he be so ruthless?"
... After the matter was settled, Gu Xuan started chatting casually with Xue Qinghe to deepen the friendship between them.
Gu Xuan and Xue Qinghe ate dinner together. After dinner, Gu Xuan left because he had training the next day.
Xue Qinghe watched Gu Xuan's departing back. Her originally gentle smile gradually faded, and she returned to the study with indifferent eyes to continue working.
His affairs were busy all day, and only Gu Xuan could make him willing to delay some time just to spend it with him.
Not only did Snake Lance and Porcupinefish fail to understand, but sometimes Gu Xuan couldn't guess the true thoughts of Xue Qinghe—no, Qian Renxue.
As for matters of love and romance, Gu Xuan didn't think that Qian Renxue, a mature beauty of twenty, would take a liking to him, a twelve-year-old kid. Besides, when they first met, Gu Xuan was less than nine years old.
No matter how love-obsessed Qian Renxue was in the original work, she wouldn't fall for a little kid, would she?
Although Gu Xuan was quite mature now, he had always acted like a younger brother—a genuine younger brother—in front of her.
However, Gu Xuan didn't really care what Qian Renxue thought of him; as long as she didn't reject him, that was enough. This way, there was still room for maneuver and utilization in the future.
Gu Xuan, having left the Imperial Palace, went straight to the most luxurious grand hotel in Heaven Dou City. He ordered many rare delicacies, packed them up, and then returned to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
By the time Gu Xuan returned, it was already night, around nine o'clock. Gu Xuan went straight to the living room, took out the food from his spirit tool, and invited everyone to eat a late-night snack.
Everyone was gluttonous. After enjoying a wonderful meal, they returned to the Mimicry Cultivation Ground to Cultivate. Gu Xuan had motivated them over the past two days, and they all wanted to quickly strengthen their physique and spirit power so that they could absorb a higher-level spirit ring for their fourth spirit ring.
Gu Xuan also told them the true purpose of Whale Gel. Although they were all somewhat incredulous, they still had their Families spend a fortune to purchase it for them.
However, the elders of their Families looked at them differently. If Gu Xuan hadn't emphasized that the key information could not yet be announced, they would have been eager to grab their ears and explain.
Early the next morning, everyone got up and followed Gu Xuan's training regimen. After training, they ate breakfast, followed by practical combat training.
Because the morning was dedicated to practical combat training, they went straight to the Great Spirit Arena in the afternoon.
Although the curriculum was set for theory in the morning and practical combat in the afternoon, that was for the ordinary members of the Royal Fighting Team, meaning the Second Squad.
For them, the First Squad, it was only like that for the initial few months; afterward, they essentially planned their own schedules.
And this was Gu Xuan's first time visiting the Great Spirit Arena. Although the former Gu Xuan often came to Heaven Dou City, he had never visited it once.
Although the Great Spirit Arena was a place that greatly trained Spirit Masters, Gu Xuan had the resources of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the support of his grandfather, Gu Rong, a Titled Douluo, so the education he received was top-notch.
Furthermore, Gu Xuan himself was sufficiently diligent and self-disciplined, so his achievements far surpassed those of Spirit Masters at the same level.
Entering the Great Spirit Arena, they were greeted by a sea of people. This was the largest Great Spirit Arena in the entire Heaven Dou Empire, large enough to accommodate 80,000 people at once.
The preliminary rounds of the All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament for Tang San's cohort in the original work were held here, which shows how terrifying its scale was.
The daily turnover and profits here were figures ordinary people couldn't imagine in a lifetime.
P.S. Typos will be corrected after posting.
I'm quite busy today, so there's only one chapter. I'll make up for it later.Chapter 29: Blazing Team (Seeking collection, recommendation votes, monthly passes!)
It was already afternoon, and the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena was packed with people. Spirit Battles were fiercely underway on the Main Spirit Battle Arena and the remaining twenty Spirit Battle Arenas. Countless bettors were shouting frantically at the top of their lungs, as if the people fighting the Spirit Battles were themselves.
Gu Xuan and the others followed Qin Ming to the Royal Fighting Team's lounge. For Genius Spirit Master teams like theirs, who frequently came here for Spirit Battles, the Great Spirit Arena always prepared dedicated lounges.
Every member of the Royal Fighting Team now possessed a Silver Spirit Battle Badge, making them an extremely powerful team.
The Great Spirit Arena's ranking system starts with the Iron Spirit Battle Badge, followed by the Bronze Spirit Battle Badge, then the third Rank, Silver, followed by Gold, Purple Gold, Sapphire, and Ruby—seven Ranks in total.
The Royal Fighting Team was currently at the third Rank, and having all members possess Silver Spirit Battle Badges was rare for their age. Therefore, every one of their Spirit Battles was a major highlight, earning the Great Spirit Arena a significant amount of gold coin, and securing a considerable income for themselves.
Upon entering the lounge, Qin Ming immediately registered them for a Team Spirit Battle. The best way to hone their teamwork was through combat, so Qin Ming didn't give Gu Xuan time to practice, instead making them integrate during the fight itself.
Losing is not scary; what is scary is being unable to accept loss.
Qin Ming recognized Gu Xuan's innate talent, so he wanted to use this method to make Gu Xuan lose once, allowing him to better temper himself.
Of course, this was Qin Ming's idea. Gu Xuan himself didn't care, as he was too familiar with his own team. Honestly, having them cooperate in a team fight was no problem for Gu Xuan.
Furthermore, Gu Xuan had discussed the operation of their second Spirit Ability with Shi Mo and Shi Gao that morning. After Gu Xuan told them his ideas, both of them felt it was feasible.
Although doing so would geometrically increase the required control over their Spirit Abilities, if they could achieve the level Gu Xuan described, it would definitely count as powerful combat strength integrating both offense and defense.
Most importantly, Gu Xuan directly gave them the Cultivation method for Heart Separation Control.
Although this method was not a secret among many major powers, only the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School possessed the most complete Cultivation method for Heart Separation Control, as it was a skill every Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Spirit Master needed to Cultivate.
Shi Mo and Shi Gao were naturally grateful for Gu Xuan's selflessness and generosity. Already impressed by Gu Xuan's strength, they now respected him even more.
After registering the team, Qin Ming also helped Gu Xuan register for a Spirit Battle Badge. He used his real name, and since it was his first time registering, his Spirit Battle Badge Rank was the lowest Iron Spirit Battle Badge.
However, he registered directly with the Royal Fighting Team, so it didn't matter that he had an Iron Spirit Battle Badge, because the team's Rank was consistent with the highest badge Rank among its members.
Therefore, even if all of them held Iron Spirit Battle Badges, as long as there was one person with a Silver Spirit Battle Badge in the team, their team would be a Silver Spirit Battle Team.
After Qin Ming finished everything, he returned with the opponent's information.
After handing the information to everyone, Qin Ming remained silent, watching from the side and observing everyone's reactions.
Looking at the opponent's information, everyone began to analyze it. The opponent was also a Silver Spirit Battle Team, and having achieved seven consecutive victories, they were a very powerful team.
Their average age was in the teens, and all possessed fire-attribute Spirits. However, when Gu Xuan saw their information, his expression changed, because the opponent was none other than the dark horse team from the original work's All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament: the Blazing Team from Blazing Academy.
Their captain was Huo Wu, and the vice-captain was Huo Wushuang. They were biological siblings and both extraordinarily gifted Geniuses.
In the original work, Huo Wu was only eighteen when she appeared, and her spirit power had already reached Rank 43. Huo Wushuang was twenty years old with Rank 42 spirit power. Both possessed good talent.
Generally speaking, those who can Breakthrough to Spirit Ancestor around the age of twenty and Spirit Emperor around the age of thirty are Geniuses who have the potential to challenge the Titled Douluo Realm in the future; even the weakest among them can attempt to reach Spirit Douluo.
Don't assume that only Titled Douluo are the most formidable. Although this is true, most Titled Douluo live in seclusion. Spirit Douluo are the main high-level figures traveling the Continent, and even the total number of Spirit Douluo in the entire Spirit Master's world is only a few hundred. Therefore, having the potential and talent to challenge the Spirit Douluo Realm is already considered a rare talent.
Gu Xuan and his team's opponent was the Blazing Team from the original work. There were still three years until the next All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament. They were currently all high-Rank Spirit Elders, and since they came from the same academy, this was definitely going to be a tough fight.
After seeing the information, Gu Xuan immediately began assigning the starting lineup. It was simple: everyone except Oscar would participate.
Oscar was naturally dissatisfied with this arrangement. After all, he was unhappy about missing out on a chance to show off.
However, Gu Xuan didn't exclude him because the boy was too mischievous; this was the result Gu Xuan derived after reviewing the Blazing Team's information. Therefore, even if Oscar was unhappy, he didn't say much.
After all, they had already experienced so many Spirit Battle matches before Gu Xuan arrived, so they naturally knew that the best lineup was required to achieve the best results.
The seven members of the Blazing Team were the same people who appeared in the All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament in the original work, except their spirit power Ranks were not yet that high.
The captain, Huo Wu, was currently only fifteen years old, with Rank 37 spirit power. Spirit: Fire Shadow, control system.
The vice-captain, Huo Wushuang, was sixteen years old, Rank 37. Spirit: Monoceros Fiery Dragon, attack system.
Team member Huo Lie, Rank 35. Spirit: Fire Crane, agility-attack system.
Huo Jun, Rank 35. Spirit: Fire Crane, agility-attack system.
Huo Yu, Rank 34. Spirit: Mars, support system.
Huo Yun, Rank 34. Spirit: Mars, support system.
Huo Chui, Rank 34. Spirit: Fire Leopard, attack system.
This was the information on the members of the Blazing Team, which also included descriptions of their Spirit Abilities. However, the information provided was noted as not being absolute, as the opponent might be hiding something, and thus should only be used as a reference.
Gu Xuan arranged the tactics based on this information. No one else objected, although Oscar was somewhat indignant, he didn't say anything.
Gu Xuan patted Oscar on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, you'll have a chance to play later."
Oscar sighed helplessly and replied, "Fine, but you guys better win."
Gu Xuan smiled slightly and replied, "Don't worry, I'm here."
Oscar did not refute Gu Xuan's words. Compared to the others, although Gu Xuan's spirit power was currently the lowest among them, his combat strength was the highest, and Oscar couldn't argue with that.
At this moment, the loudspeaker in the room announced: "The next team match will be the Royal Fighting Team versus the Blazing Team. Please have Spirit Masters from both sides proceed to the Waiting Area to prepare for the match."
Hearing the announcement, Gu Xuan took the lead: "Brothers, although this is my first time participating in a Team Spirit Battle with you, I believe our coordination can be the best. Let's go!"
Everyone replied, "Let's go!"
Subsequently, the group left the room and arrived at the Waiting Area.
P.S. Typos will be corrected after posting.Chapter 30: Royal Fighting Team VS Blazing Academy (Seeking collection, seeking recommendation and monthly votes!)
Arriving at the Preparation Area, the host's voice sounded again: "Please allow both teams to enter."
Huo Wu and Huo Wushuang of the Blazing Academy walked at the very front, followed by their five teammates, all entering with high Spirits.
For the Royal Fighting Team, Gu Xuan walked at the very front, followed by Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan. Although Gu Xuan had only just joined the Royal Fighting Team a few days ago, he already subtly displayed the demeanor of a Captain, something even Yu Tianheng, the Official Captain, had to concede.
The members of both teams entered, arriving at the central Spirit Battle Arena, confronting each other from a distance of thirty meters.
As soon as the two teams stepped onto the stage, the audience below began to cheer. Some shouted for the Royal Fighting Team, and others supported the Blazing Academy. Clearly, both teams had won the support of many spectators.
The host spoke again at this moment: "Hello everyone, I am today's host, Ruiqi. These two teams today are both Genius teams from the Great Spirit Arena. Their average age is under twenty, which means this is destined to be a fierce Dragon vs. Tiger battle."
"Following the old rules, let's first look at the Spirit Master lineup and positioning of both sides."
As Ruiqi spoke, the member data for the two teams was displayed on the massive spirit tool panel behind him.
"The Blazing Academy primarily uses the Fire Element and is known for its attack. The Vice Captain, Huo Wushuang, a fire-type attack system Spirit Master, cannot be underestimated."
"The Captain of the Blazing Academy, Huo Wu, is a control system Spirit Elder with spirit power reaching Rank thirty-seven. Her Spirit is the extremely unique fire-attribute Spirit, Fire Shadow."
"Vice Captain Huo Wushuang's spirit power also reaches Rank thirty-seven. He is an attack system Battle Spirit Elder, and his Spirit is the powerful fire-attribute Spirit, Horned Blazing Dragon."
"Teammate Huo Lie..."
"Under the leadership of their Official Captain and Vice Captain, the Blazing Academy has achieved an excellent seven-game winning streak. I wonder if they can continue their streak?"
"The formation of the Royal Fighting Team also remains unchanged, still primarily an attack-focused formation, although there seem to have been some changes to the Royal Fighting Team's members."
As Ruiqi spoke, he deliberately turned around and glanced at the panel. Although he already knew the data of both teams in advance, he wanted to build up the atmosphere, and using these small details was certainly understandable.
"The spirit power Rank of the Royal Fighting Team's Captain, Yu Tianheng, and Vice Captain, Dugu Yan, are both Rank thirty-seven. The strength of the two teams' members is fundamentally balanced, creating great suspense as to which side will win this battle."
"However, it is worth noting that the Royal Fighting Team's new member, Gu Xuan, is only Rank thirty-three, yet his position is at the very front of the team. Let's wait and see how he performs."
After the host finished the introduction, he gave the audience time to react, and then continued: "Both teams, prepare. You have one minute to release your Spirits!"
As the words fell, the members of the Blazing Academy immediately activated their Spirits. They all possessed fire-attribute Spirits, and the moment they activated them, the surrounding temperature rose significantly. Even Gu Xuan could feel the heat.
The Blazing Academy immediately formed a fiery red scene. They all possessed the optimal spirit ring configuration of two yellow and one purple. Flames surged around them, looking as if they could instantly burn their enemies to death.
"Brothers, activate your Spirits!" Gu Xuan roared, experiencing what Dai Mubai felt in the original work.
As his voice faded, three spirit rings—two yellow and one purple—rose from his body. Although he was only Rank thirty-three, his Aura was able to stand equally against Huo Wushuang, perhaps even surpassing him.
Huo Wushuang stared at Gu Xuan in astonishment. He hadn't expected a Rank thirty-three Spirit Elder to exert such immense pressure on him.
Originally, he thought Yu Tianheng was his greatest rival, but after sensing Gu Xuan's Aura, he no longer dared to look down upon this Rank thirty-three Spirit Elder.
Having come from an academy himself, he naturally understood that Gu Xuan being able to stand in the front row, and subtly possessing a leadership role that even Yu Tianheng, the Captain, lacked, meant that this person definitely possessed extraordinary qualities.
Yu Tianheng stepped forward, standing in line with Gu Xuan. Lightning crackled around his body, and three spirit rings—two yellow and one purple—rose up. With his Spirit attached, he also looked full of high Spirits.
Behind the two of them were Shi Mo and Shi Gao. This was Gu Xuan's arrangement: placing the two defense system Spirit Masters in the second line, rather than having them hold the defense at the front, which was naturally due to the nature of their Spirit Abilities.
Further back were Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling. Dugu Yan stood in front of Ye Lingling, her straight, slender legs transforming into a long, emerald green snake tail that swayed, adding a unique charm to her entire presence.
Yu Feng directly ascended into the air, confronting the opponent's two agility-attack system Spirit Masters from afar. Even facing two people alone, he showed no sign of nervousness, because in Gu Xuan's plan, his only task was to contain the two of them.
Both sides had released their Spirits, and the host Ruiqi's voice rang out: "The match... begins!"
As the host's voice fell, the first two spirit rings on Gu Xuan's body lit up, and Yu Tianheng also released his First Spirit Ability.
At the same time, the first two spirit rings on Dugu Yan's body also lit up. Red and blue mist instantly erupted, and everyone in the Royal Fighting Team received the enhancement from her two Spirit Abilities.
"Battle!"
Gu Xuan roared, and his entire body shot toward the Blazing Academy's formation like an arrow leaving a bow, closely followed by Yu Tianheng.
The members of the Blazing Academy had naturally studied their data. The moment Dugu Yan released the poisonous mist, they immediately erupted in scorching flames, incinerating all the toxic mist that was enveloping them. Although the smell of burnt mist lingered in the air, its effectiveness was less than ten percent.
Gu Xuan was not worried about this point, because they had already received the enhancement, and that was enough.
Huo Wushuang and Huo Chui both used their respective enhancement Spirit Abilities and engaged Gu Xuan and Yu Tianheng, who had charged forward.
Huo Wushuang's Spirit is the Horned Blazing Dragon, Rank thirty-seven. Huo Chui's Spirit is the Fire Leopard, Rank thirty-five.
Therefore, Huo Wushuang naturally chose Yu Tianheng, while Huo Chui met Gu Xuan.
Huo Lie and Huo Jun both possess the Fire Crane Spirit, Rank thirty-five spirit power. After using scorching flames to burn away the mist that Dugu Yan had infiltrated them with, the two flew directly towards Yu Feng high in the sky.
The Royal Fighting Team's formation below still had toxic mist, but the air did not. Therefore, they planned to eliminate Yu Feng first, secure the initial advantage, and then support their teammates to lay the foundation for ultimate victory.
Meanwhile, Huo Yun and Huo Yu, the two fire-attribute support system Spirit Masters, released various support Spirit Abilities, enhancing Huo Wushuang, Huo Chui, Huo Lie, and Huo Jun respectively.
Huo Wu, as a control system Spirit Master, made no move. Her gaze was fixed on the battlefield so that she could provide support or control at the first opportunity.
Gu Xuan and Yu Tianheng were the first to clash with the opponents. Both Yu Tianheng and Huo Wushuang were Rank thirty-seven, and their strengths were comparable, so they remained evenly matched from the start of the engagement.
But Huo Chui, who faced Gu Xuan, was different. Although his spirit power reached Rank thirty-five, two full Ranks higher than Gu Xuan, his heart was greatly shaken after engaging Gu Xuan.
Even with the assistance of his side's support system Spirit Masters, he was suppressed by Gu Xuan in both strength and attack right from the start. This left him feeling extremely aggrieved and his face burning with embarrassment.
Considering his opponent was only a Rank thirty-three Spirit Elder, how could he, a Rank thirty-five, be suppressed by a Rank thirty-three?
Furthermore, the most important thing was that he had no room to counterattack. Gu Xuan immediately launched a powerful offense, forcing him only to defend; he couldn't even manage a counter-strike.
He felt that he was not facing a Rank thirty-three Spirit Elder, but a powerhouse on the same level as his own Captain.
PS: Typos will be corrected after initial posting