The council hall of the Pope's Palace.
There was no premium tea served as a courtesy. Bibi Dong sat quietly on the papal throne, her gaze calm and unreadable, waiting for the Temple Knights to bring Yu Xiaogang to her.
Half a quarter-hour later, as two rows of Temple Knights stood in perfect formation, the towering three-meter-high arched doors slowly opened.
A middle-aged man with a crew cut walked in unhurriedly.
Amidst the imposing presence of the Temple Knights, Yu Xiaogang appeared somewhat less ordinary.
Bibi Dong remained clad in her luxurious black and gold-trimmed robe, the Nine Purple Gold Crown resting on her head, her hand lightly gripping the papal scepter adorned with countless priceless gemstones—a symbol of the Pope's authority.
"What brings you here now, of all times?" Her gentle voice carried a warmth that could make one feel as if bathed in spring breeze, yet her tone held a distinct sense of detachment.
"Have you been... well?"
Yu Xiaogang trembled as he gazed at Bibi Dong on the papal throne, his expression filled with melancholy.
"What could possibly be wrong with standing above all others? As the Pope of the Spirit Hall, the foremost power on the Douluo Continent, do you think I could be anything but well?"
Bibi Dong didn't spare Yu Xiaogang a second glance, instead focusing on the gemstones of the scepter in her hand as she replied offhandedly.
Yu Xiaogang let out a long sigh. "Bibi Dong, I know the pain in your heart."
"We've long been severed—ever since the Heartbroken Acacia."
"You and I share no ties whatsoever," Bibi Dong said coldly. "Also, when addressing me, you will refer to me as 'Your Holiness.' Though I may lack talent, I am still a 99th-ranked Limit Douluo."
"Compared to a waste like you, I'd say I've achieved something."
"You—!" Yu Xiaogang's mind blanked for a moment. "You actually called me a waste?!"
This was something Yu Xiaogang had never anticipated. No matter how dissatisfied Bibi Dong had been with him in the past, she had never publicly humiliated him like this. This wasn't just humiliation—it was trampling on his dignity.
"Whether you're a waste or not, you know the answer yourself." Bibi Dong rested her cheek on her hand, her tone laced with impatience.
"All these years, even after I used the Spirit Hall to promote your so-called 'Ten Core Competitiveness Theories,' what achievements have you made?"
"Languishing for over a decade at the Notting Primary Spirit Master Academy, neither here nor there."
"To be honest, you're not even comparable to Tang Yuehua."
"At the very least, without relying on the Clear Sky Sect, she managed to establish herself firmly in the Heaven Dou Empire's capital. But you?"
"Bibi Dong, you've gone too far!" Yu Xiaogang's eyes bulged with fury. "The title of 'Grandmaster' wasn't bestowed by you—it was earned through my own efforts. You merely helped spread it a little."
"Besides, I am now a teacher at the academy. It's not as if I've achieved nothing!"
Yu Xiaogang's chest heaved violently, clearly provoked by Bibi Dong's words.
How could Tang Yuehua compare to him?
Tang Yuehua was merely fortunate to possess the Noble's Domain and relied on her ambiguous relationship with Emperor Xue Ye to secure her position in the Heaven Dou Empire.
He, Yu Xiaogang, had his own reputation too!
One of the Golden Iron Triangle—himself, Flender, and Liu Erlong—had forged a formidable reputation across the Douluo Continent.
With their Spirit Fusion Skill, they could even rival Soul Douluos and challenge Titled Douluos.
"Hah, weak and insecure!"
"Unable to discern when to advance or retreat, yet inexplicably consumed by pride."
"I truly wonder if I was blind back then to ever think you were remarkable."
Bibi Dong paused briefly before continuing,
"I loathed Qian Xunji, but he wasn't wrong about one thing—you are not someone to be relied upon. Not by me, back when I was naive and inexperienced, nor by your cousin Liu Erlong."
Watching Yu Xiaogang's rage, the veins in his eyes turning crimson, Bibi Dong found the whole affair rather dull.
Indeed, as Xue'er had said, different perspectives yield different conclusions.
Was this the so-called "Those closely involved cannot see as clearly as those outside"? Apparently, it was Ning Rongrong who had told her that.
Just what had she seen in Yu Xiaogang back then to swear she'd marry no one else?
That Yu Xiaogang was overflowing with talent, divinely gifted, a reincarnation of the Star of Literature?
Pure nonsense.
"Enough."
Bibi Dong collected her thoughts, casting aside the tangled mess of memories. The past was not worth dwelling on—after that incident, she and he were strangers.
"Speak. What brings you here? Surely not idle chatter?"
"I..." Yu Xiaogang snapped back to reality at Bibi Dong's words. He pressed a hand to his chest, suppressing his anger before speaking after a moment. "Your Holiness, I've come to ask for a favor."
"Oh? Do tell."
Bibi Dong shifted her wrist from her cheek, a trace of curiosity flashing across her face.
"Your Holiness, I wish to know how you overcame the challenges of dual Spirit Masters back then." Yu Xiaogang's tone was subdued, perhaps because this concerned his disciple, and he dared not reveal too much.
"You're asking for Tang San's sake, aren't you?"
Bibi Dong had thoroughly investigated Yu Xiaogang's affairs.
Tang San was a disciple of the Clear Sky Sect, the son of Tang Hao, and a twin-spirited, innate full Spirit Power possessor.
"You—how did you know?!" Yu Xiaogang's face paled.
He had rushed here without rest, hoping to extract the secrets of dual Spirit Masters before Bibi Dong caught wind of it. Yet, he had been a step too slow.
"How I know is none of your concern. The point is, you're too late." Bibi Dong chuckled coldly. "Yu Xiaogang, what you're asking involves the Spirit Hall's classified secrets."
"As the Pope of the Spirit Hall, why should I divulge the secrets of dual Spirit Masters to you?"
"Because you're shameless?"
"Here's a proposal—trade the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's Dragonization Secret Technique and the Clear Sky Sect's Great Sumeru Hammer's Ring Explosion Secret Technique in exchange, and I'll tell you the cultivation method for dual Spirit Masters."
"I am the only Spirit Master in history to have cultivated twin spirits to the level of a Limit Douluo. Surely this method is no less valuable than the secret techniques of the Three Great Clans, no?"
"That's impossible!" Yu Xiaogang's face turned ashen.
"Why not?" Bibi Dong's voice was icy.
"You, Yu Xiaogang, are the son of the Thunderclap Douluo, and Tang San is the son of the Clear Sky Douluo."
"If you truly value your disciple Tang San so much, then offer something of equal worth in exchange."
"Or did you not know?" Bibi Dong countered. "Back then, the Thunderclap Douluo paid a steep price just to get you access to the Spirit Hall's archives."
"Did you think a single sentence from you would be enough to freeload the cultivation methods painstakingly compiled over generations by countless predecessors of the Spirit Hall?"
"Just like how you plagiarized the Spirit Hall's theoretical knowledge?"
"Yu Xiaogang, there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world."
"You—Bibi Dong!" Yu Xiaogang's eyes burned with fury, his rage reaching its peak, especially with Bibi Dong repeatedly accusing him of plagiarism, which only stoked his anger further.
But this was the Spirit Hall, and he was the one seeking a favor. He had no choice but to suppress his rage.
"Damnable Spirit Hall, to have turned Bibi Dong into this."
"Truly, the Spirit Hall is evil by nature."
"Once Tang San grows stronger, the Spirit Hall will be crushed to dust!"
Yu Xiaogang gnashed his teeth, but reason forced him to swallow his fury.
He took a deep breath. "Bibi Dong, after all these years of shared feelings, can't they compare to a mere secret technique?"
"Besides, you're the Pope. The Spirit Hall's secrets are yours to command, aren't they?"
"Since the Spirit Hall is the sacred land for Spirit Masters, shouldn't it contribute to the advancement of Spirit Masters?"
"Your Holiness, I hope you will not bring ruin to the reputation the Spirit Hall has built over the years."