Su Yu was grinning from ear to ear, already planning for the future after winning his bet.
The other factions, however, were all downcast and lamenting their losses.
First up was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect...
Ning Fengzhi looked as if he'd swallowed a fly.
As an Angel Investor, he'd never imagined he could misread the situation this badly.
As a businessman who had weathered countless hardships over the years, Ning Fengzhi had long since developed a keen eye.
Before placing his bet, Ning Fengzhi had been absolutely certain Zhongli Wu would win.
But who could have expected the ending to take such a dramatic turn?
Qian Xunji had borrowed the Angel Holy Sword and defeated Zhongli Wu with a single strike, forcing him to surrender.
If Zhongli Wu hadn't surrendered quickly,
he would likely have died right there.
Ning Fengzhi was deeply puzzled by the use of a borrowed divine weapon.
Were the rules of the Arena Tournament really that lax?
Qian Xunji could borrow a weapon whenever he wanted.
No one stopped him at all.
At the Great Soul Arenas, such a thing would never be allowed.
Unless Qian Xunji had brought the divine weapon with him from the start,
borrowing a sword midway through the match counted as outside interference.
Ning Fengzhi had originally hoped this bet would help him break through level 80.
Instead, he'd picked up a rock only to drop it on his own foot.
Not only had he failed, he'd even lost a level of Soul Power.
It would take Ning Fengzhi at least a year to cultivate that lost level back.
And he'd have to spend quite a few resources along the way.
Just thinking about it made his teeth ache.
Of course, he wasn't the one who'd suffered the greatest loss this time.
The biggest losers were Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo.
For Ning Fengzhi, regaining that lost level of Soul Power wouldn't be particularly difficult.
After all, he was only a Soul Saint.
But Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo were out of luck.
Everyone knew that for a Titled Douluo, gaining even a single level of Soul Power was as difficult as climbing to heaven.
This time, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo had each lost a level of Soul Power. To get it back,
they would either need several years or some extraordinary stroke of fortune.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had taken a huge loss.
"Damn it!"
"I have reason to suspect that the one pulling the strings behind the Arena Tournament deliberately made sure Qian Xunji won."
Sword Douluo looked thoroughly displeased.
Qian Xunji's trick of borrowing a divine weapon midway through the match had been outrageously underhanded.
Sword Douluo guessed that too many people had bet on Zhongli Wu to win.
That was why the one pulling the strings behind the Arena Tournament had wanted Qian Xunji to win.
Otherwise, borrowing a divine weapon midway would never have been allowed.
Ning Fengzhi nodded.
That sounded reasonable to him too.
Once you stepped into the world of gambling, it was as deep as the sea.
The house always opened a betting pool to make a profit.
If anyone could beat the house, how would that be any different from doing charity?
The greatest allure of gambling was its unpredictability.
When you were brimming with confidence, the outcome often took a sudden turn.
The reason was obvious: the house had to control the odds.
Why had the one pulling the strings behind the Arena Tournament opened betting to them?
Wasn't it to squeeze profit out of them?
Otherwise, why go to all that trouble?
Did they really think someone in this world would kindly hand out free benefits?
"Looks like next time we bet, we should do the opposite."
"The less likely someone is to win, the more likely they are to win."
Ning Fengzhi summed up the lesson he'd learned.
This failure hadn't discouraged him at all.
Instead, he was only more determined to try again.
If he bet two levels of Soul Power next time, he could win back everything he'd lost in one go.
"Fengzhi, don't get carried away!"
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo saw that Ning Fengzhi looked ready to chase his losses, and hurriedly tried to talk him down.
At that moment, Ning Fengzhi looked no different from those gamblers who'd lost their heads after losing too much.
What did he mean, they should bet the opposite way?
And he was planning to double his stake next time, too.
None of that sounded like something a reasonable, intelligent person would say.
"Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, don't worry."
"I'm not getting carried away..."
"I've just figured out how gambling works."
Ning Fengzhi smiled calmly.
His voice was full of confidence.
He, Ning Fengzhi, was known as the Angel Investor.
Misreading the situation this time had only been a minor slipup.
Next time, he'd definitely wipe away this disgrace.
"Father, what are you talking about?"
Just then, a lively, mischievous voice interrupted Ning Fengzhi's bold declarations.
Hearing that familiar voice,
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo brightened. They forgot all about Ning Fengzhi and hurried over to the speaker.
"Rongrong, you're finally back."
"Did you have a hard time out there?"
"I told you to stay in the sect, but your father just wouldn't listen."
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo approached Ning Rongrong with indulgent smiles.
The two doted on Ning Rongrong far more than her own father did.
"Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone, I came back because the academy disbanded."
Ning Rongrong's face was full of worry.
If not for Spirit Hall, she wouldn't have been left with nowhere to study.
She'd been planning to win Tang San over while she was still at Shrek Academy.
But Spirit Hall's arrival had shattered her beautiful fantasy.
"Rongrong, who upset you?"
"Tell us, and we'll stand up for you."
Seeing Ning Rongrong unhappy, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo immediately offered to back her up.
Ning Rongrong explained the whole story from beginning to end.
When they learned that Spirit Hall was the reason she was upset,
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo's expressions turned bitter.
In the past, if Spirit Hall had upset Ning Rongrong, they would certainly have found a way to make trouble for Spirit Hall.
But now, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo didn't dare.
The reason, of course, was the god Qian Daoliu.
Spirit Hall now had a god watching over it.
Anyone who provoked them would be digging their own grave.
If Qian Daoliu so much as lost his temper, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might follow in the Clear Sky Sect's footsteps.
On top of that, Qian Xunji had come back to life.
Spirit Hall now had another Titled Douluo in its ranks.
If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect opposed Spirit Hall, it would be like an egg smashing against a rock.
In short, Spirit Hall had walked away from both Arena Tournaments with a huge haul.
"Rongrong, from now on, you mustn't act recklessly or be disrespectful about anything involving Spirit Hall."
Ning Fengzhi sternly warned Ning Rongrong.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect wasn't strong enough right now to risk drawing Spirit Hall's attention.
Otherwise, the entire sect could face annihilation.
"I understand, Dad."
Ning Rongrong hunched her shoulders and didn't dare argue.
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo comforted Ning Rongrong.
"From now on, aside from Spirit Hall, whoever dares bully you, we'll beat them up."
As one of the Upper Three Sects, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had few factions to fear.
The two were certainly in a position to say that!
Hearing this, Ning Rongrong immediately broke into a smile!
"Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone, you're the best."
"Ah..."
"Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, you've spoiled Rongrong rotten."
Ning Fengzhi sighed helplessly.
He was pleased that Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo loved Ning Rongrong like their own granddaughter.
But he also worried that they'd spoil her so much she'd become unruly and think she could do anything.
It was one thing for Ning Rongrong to run wild within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
But with that personality, she might suffer a great deal once she was out in the world.