Your Love Is Far Too Cheap

"I understand," Qian Daoliu nodded. "You yourself are currently in the golden stage of improving your strength, so you naturally cannot let this delay your own cultivation."

In fact, if Su Cheng hadn't been unable to return to Sea God Island, he might not have made this decision.

Although Qian Daoliu himself was not particularly selfish and had no ill intentions, the Spirit Hall was, after all, his obsession, and Bibi Dong was the future hope of the Spirit Hall. Therefore, her upbringing could not be entirely entrusted to an outsider, much less to a successor of another force.

He looked at Su Cheng and said bluntly, "Cheng Xue, what Qian Xunji did today may leave a shadow in Bibi Dong's heart. Fortunately, it did not cause any irreparable serious consequences. I hope you can help to persuade her. You may not know that Bibi Dong has the talent of Twin Martial Souls, which is why Qian Xunji made such a big mistake."

Upon hearing this, Su Cheng hesitated.

He did indeed intend to train Bibi Dong, so that she could later become his help in returning to Sea God Island.

But having come this far, he has actually done more than enough.

He saved Bibi Dong twice, so it wouldn't be unreasonable for him to have a chance to act in return in the future.

The fact that Qian Xunji, an elder who was of great importance to her, made such a move was enough to make her mature quickly.

Now, there's no need for her to step in any further. Just stay behind the scenes and offer some guidance to prevent her from going astray.

Because of the influence of the Simulated World on reality, he didn't want to have too much contact with Bibi Dong.

Seeing his silence, Qian Daoliu continued to persuade him, "Don't worry, it's just training together. You can set your own schedule, so it won't take up too much of your energy. Bibi Dong and many elders from the Spirit Hall can provide guidance. As a token of our gratitude, all the resources in the Spirit Hall will be available to you. If you need any help, feel free to ask at any time."

Seeing that the other party had already said so, Su Cheng could not refuse any longer and could only nod and agree to the matter.

At the same time, he secretly resolved to return to Sea God Island within ten years.

The reason for limiting it to this time period is that he spent more than ten years with Bo Saixi when he was on Sea God Island.

As long as it doesn't exceed this time limit, there shouldn't be any major problems.

Furthermore, since he had been concealing his appearance and name, even if Bibi Dong could remember some fragments, it wouldn't have much of an impact.

"Okay, senior, I can give it a try."

The following morning, Su Cheng took the initiative to walk towards the Pope's Palace.

Bibi Dong ultimately decided to stay in the Spirit Hall.

Qian Daoliu had already spoken to her and mentioned the general arrangements for her future cultivation.

Su Cheng then prepared to first assess the other party's mental state and what specific changes had occurred after yesterday's events.

He was still fiddling with an Elder Token in his hand.

This was given to him by Qian Daoliu, representing his status as Honorary Elder of Spirit City. The sect leaders of the Upper Three Sects the Douluo Continent also have one.

Although Su Cheng didn't care about such things, having them would make traveling on the mainland much more convenient in the future.

When Su Cheng arrived Pope's Palace, he found that the other party was already waiting for him near the square in front of the palace.

Bibi Dong didn't change her clothes today; she was still dressed in the same simple Saintess attire as before. Her demeanor seemed somewhat different, and her complexion was a little dull, as if she hadn't had much rest.

Looking at it from afar, Su Cheng couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

It must be said that, regardless of Bibi Dong's youth or her appearance in another world, no matter what their personalities or flaws were, their physical appearance was indeed impeccable.

She wasn't tall, a bit shorter than Qian Renxue, but that didn't detract from her overall appearance at all; it seemed that this figure best suited her perfectly.

Her taut waist, rounded hips, and long legs create a harmonious and not at all weak figure, while her perfect upper body curves exude an amazing charm at all times.

She seemed to notice Su Cheng's arrival as well, her eyes flickered slightly, and she took the initiative to greet him.

Even without deliberately swaying her body while walking, she still exudes a captivating charm.

Moreover, Bibi Dong doesn't yet possess the imposing aura of Pope; instead, her beauty shines through even more.

Beyond the curve of her chest, her Swan -like white neck framed exquisite and deep features sculpted like stone. Her dark eyes were clear and bright, sparkling and translucent, and beneath her high, straight nose, her soft, red lips were alluring and captivating.

Even without her status, she was still one of the most beautiful women in the world.

"Cheng Xue, you've arrived." Upon arriving, Bibi Dong seemed to have calmed down from yesterday's events, and all her emotions were deeply suppressed. Apart from looking slightly haggard, there were not many other signs of distress.

She bowed slightly and said gratefully, "Thank you for saving me yesterday."

Su Cheng did not refuse and accepted her bow without hesitation, then said, "Has the High Priest already told you?"

"He already told me that he wants me to cultivate with you from now on." Bibi Dong nodded slightly, a blush rising on her face as she spoke.

Yesterday, Qian Daoliu also talked to her about many other things, but those things were not suitable to be said to Su Cheng Chengming.

Su Cheng didn't notice the change in her expression for a moment, and turned around to say, "Let's go to the Library Pavilion first today, and talk on the way."

Bibi Dong naturally wouldn't refuse, and the two of them immediately headed towards the Library Pavilion.

"Bibi Dong, you must remember the helplessness you felt in that desperate situation yesterday, and then bravely face your own shortcomings. If you want to control your own destiny, you will only have the opportunity if you are strong enough. The weak have no voice."

As Su Cheng walked, he said earnestly, "I can protect you not because I'm in the right, but because I'm strong enough. In this world, reason doesn't work, and people like the High Priest are ultimately a minority. What I said yesterday wasn't false either; I'm confident I can get out unscathed even if I pay a price."

"Do the weak have no voice..." Bibi Dong followed beside him, repeating in a low voice, "I understand."

"On Sea God Island, where I was born, every Soul Master must undergo the Sea God Trial at the age of eighteen. If they fail, they will be expelled from Sea God Island. Therefore, although Sea God Island has existed for tens of thousands of years since its appearance, the population on the island has never exceeded ten thousand. Those who pass the trial are not allowed to leave Sea God Island for life."

"For life, you're not allowed to leave Sea God Island?" Bibi Dong was somewhat surprised.

She was also present when Su Cheng first arrived at the Spirit Hall and talked with Qian Daoliu. She overheard some news, but knew very little. She never expected that the rules of Sea God Island would be so strict.

"Hmm." Su Cheng replied casually, "The rewards for passing the Sea God Trial are substantial. You have to pay for what you want to gain, which is fair."

He glanced at Bibi Dong and said, "No one can please everyone. Rules are made by the strong. If you're not happy about it, then be the one who makes the rules."

Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong fell silent.

As they spoke, the two quickly arrived at the entrance of the Library Pavilion.

To Su Cheng's surprise, Yu Xiaogang was also looking in this direction.

It's likely that the events at the Pope's Palace yesterday alarmed many people, which piqued his curiosity, so he wanted to learn more from Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong also saw Yu Xiaogang not far away, and her heart was immediately stirred. She couldn't help but think of the scenes that had happened yesterday, and the words she had said to Qian Xunji in a moment of impulse.

My feelings became somewhat complicated, and I subconsciously lowered my head slightly, avoiding the other person's gaze.

Su Cheng seemed to sense something, glanced at Bibi Dong beside him, and began to ponder in his heart.

Actually, if she were to start dating again now, it probably wouldn't have much of an impact.

With the unexpected factor of Qian Xunji eliminated, Bibi Dong's own temperament has also begun to change, and she has matured a lot. Everything is under control.

If you insist on breaking them up, it might backfire.

Bibi Dong is inherently extreme and stubborn, and this is difficult to change. Sometimes, it may be better to guide than to block.

The key is to control her and prevent her from becoming crazy and foolish because of her feelings, turning her into an extreme love-obsessed person like before.

Thinking of this, Su Cheng took the initiative to say, "If you really like that Yu Xiaogang, it's not impossible."

Bibi Dong was taken aback by these words, and then wanted to speak up in defense, but he continued, "But I still hold the same view. You shouldn't be focusing your energy on romance right now, nor should you let such things interfere with your cultivation. As for cultivation, that person's abilities are limited and he can't help you. As long as you don't get too deeply involved and don't let it affect your cultivation, there's nothing wrong with being in a relationship."

However, even though that's what he said, Su Cheng also understood that feelings are sometimes not Bibi Dong can easily control.

The core issue is not the depth of the other party's feelings for Yu Xiaogang, but that Bibi Dong herself was too stupid.

But if you want to cure stupidity, there is actually a very good way—read more books.

The reason she was so easily fooled was mainly because she was uneducated.

Bibi Dong hesitated for a moment, but in the end she didn't say anything more and silently followed him into the Library Pavilion.

Su Cheng was already very familiar with the Spirit Hall's Library Pavilion. Although the layout was slightly different now, it was still largely the same. He had a deep impression of the placement of all kinds of books here.

While selecting suitable learning materials for Bibi Dong, Su Cheng said, "Your talent far surpasses that of ordinary people. I've heard from the High Priest that you possess the talent of Twin Martial Souls. In terms of cultivation aptitude, you are far superior to me, so I think that before you reach the Titled Douluo realm, you don't really need to learn too much or too many different things. I hope you will lay a solid foundation first."

As he spoke, he placed books such as "Fundamentals of Spirit Ring Theory," "Classification of Beast and Tool Martial Souls," "Compendium of Spirit Beast Attributes," and "Speculations on the Nature of Soul Master's Soul Power" on the table one by one. Among them were even books unrelated to cultivation, such as "Ideological Differences Between Classes," "The Irrationality of the Noble System," and "Bestiality and Rationality."

Fortunately, this is the Spirit Hall; otherwise, those books would never have been available on the market.

But he didn't know that Bibi Dong seemed somewhat distracted at this moment.

"You need to read all these books during your free time outside of your practice within a week, and understand and digest them. I will check them later."

Su Cheng pushed more than twenty books in front of Bibi Dong and emphasized, "When you read them, try to have your own understanding and don't accept everything in the book. Of course, you don't have to force yourself to do this. Your knowledge is too shallow now. It will be different when you read more in the future."

Seeing that Bibi Dong seemed a little dazed, Su Cheng assumed she was questioning his teaching methods, so he took the initiative to explain, "Don't worry, reading more books will benefit you beyond your imagination, making your future cultivation twice as effective. You may not understand it yet, but believe me, you will understand after some time."

Bibi Dong then came to her senses and gently stroked the stacks of books in front of her with her slender fingers.

Having spent so long in the Spirit Hall, she had indeed rarely perused the various documents in the Library Pavilion.

She had absolutely no recollection of the names of these books.

When Qian Xunji taught her before, he directly told her how to absorb Soul Power, how to exercise her body, and what kind of Soul Beast to choose, never letting her spend any effort on her own.

Bibi Dong turned to look at Su Cheng and suddenly asked, "Cheng Xue, what do you think of the other people?"

"How do you view other people? What do you mean by that?" Su Cheng looked up in surprise, somewhat puzzled by her question.

"Hmm..." Bibi Dong carefully chose her words and said slowly, "I feel that you seem to disdain many people and many things, so I want to know who you approve of. And what are your standards for judging people?"

Su Cheng blinked, not understanding why Bibi Dong suddenly brought this up, but still said, "Senior Qian Daoliu is someone I acknowledge, and I respect him very much."

"The High Priest is very powerful, so it's normal for you to respect him. But what about the others?"

"You're mistaken. I respect the High Priest not because of his strength," Su Cheng said with a smile, speaking earnestly.

"You said before that there was no one I looked up to, but that's not true. When I judge a person, it has nothing to do with their talent or ability. I only care about a person's character and qualities, and whether they have enough willpower to follow their own path."

"I look down on Yu Xiaogang not because he lacks talent, but because he cannot face his own shortcomings, yet he is still ambitious and self-righteous, always wanting to take shortcuts."

"I look down on Qian Xunji because his methods are too low-level, and his actions are not commensurate with his status and background. However, he impressed me yesterday; at least he was able to face defeat head-on."

Bibi Dong watched him quietly, waiting for him to continue, only to find that he abruptly stopped there.

"..." Seeing this, Bibi Dong gritted her teeth inwardly and could only ask softly, "Then what about me? How do you view me?"

"You?" Su Cheng was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then hesitated before saying, "You're fine."

He didn't want to further strain their relationship.

But he couldn't bring himself to praise Bibi Dong his conscience.

"..."

However, seeing his reaction, Bibi Dong was not stupid and immediately guessed what was going on, her heart sinking slightly.

She pursed her lips, turned back and whispered, "Just say what you want to say. I was too naive in the past, but you have to tell me what I did wrong so I can make changes."

Su Cheng was immediately shocked, feeling that the girl beside him had really changed a lot, and what she had just said was completely beyond his expectations.

"Alright then, there are a few things I don't understand, and I hope you can help me with them."

After thinking for a moment, he didn't stand on ceremony and asked directly.

"What is your stance on this matter that makes you think of leaving the Spirit Hall for Yu Xiaogang?"

"Qian Xunji's handling of the situation was indeed problematic, but he was right about one thing: the existence of the Spirit Hall played an indispensable role in your achievements today."

"I have heard that the mainland is different from our Sea God Island. It is ruled by Two Empires, numerous kingdoms, and a large number of nobles, and the status of commoners is not high."

"You yourself come from a commoner background. Without the Spirit Hall, you probably wouldn't even have had the chance to awaken your Martial Soul. No, let alone awaken your Martial Soul, even survival would have been a problem. Whatever the Spirit Hall's ultimate purpose in training you, they were kind to you."

"Even Yu Xiaogang still has lingering feelings for the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan that expelled him from the family. Why would you so resolutely abandon the Spirit Hall that raised you for someone you've only known for a short time?"

"Is it for your so-called love? How many men have you met since you were a child? You're so infatuated with Yu Xiaogang, whom you just met. Your love is too cheap."

"..." Bibi Dong turned to look at Su Cheng, her eyelids trembling slightly, "Cheap..."

"This is just my opinion, and it may be a bit biased." Su Cheng originally wanted to say something more, but seeing her like this, he didn't want to provoke her any further.

So he said calmly, "If you think I'm wrong, you can give me your reasons for refuting me and tell me why you did this."

"I...I just don't want to be tied down..." Bibi Dong's voice was slightly hoarse, and then she said weakly in a low voice, "I don't love Yu Xiaogang."

Upon hearing this, Su Cheng raised his eyebrows beneath the mask, his tone carrying a hint of solemnity.

"You don't need to hide this from me. I'm not like Qian Xunji. There's no conflict of interest between us, and I won't bind you."

"You cultivate for yourself, not for me. If there's any progress in your relationship with Yu Xiaogang, it's best not to hide it; it's pointless."

"To be honest, I don't think that being in a romantic relationship with him will benefit your spiritual practice. But I've also realized that even if you try to stop it, it will probably only make things worse. So you might as well let things take their course."

"You don't need to worry about the High Priest. As long as you don't leave the Spirit Hall because of this, I will mediate, and I don't think he will say much."

"As for whether you are bound by this, as I said before, there is little in this world that comes without effort; if you gain something, you must give something in return."

"I told you that day that your teacher would not allow you to escape his control. So why do you think that Qian Xunji would be so selfless as to let you go to another place with Soul Master from another family so easily?"

"If you don't want to put in the effort, then become strong enough to ignore the rules."

"Bibi Dong, don't forget the helplessness you felt yesterday."

"...I understand." Bibi Dong lowered her eyes, her fists clenched gently behind her back, and she swallowed back the words she originally wanted to say.

Su Cheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this.

As long as the other party is aware of the situation, everything is under control.

I'm afraid that some unexpected situation might occur, which would seriously disrupt my plans.

Actually, he had already held back some of what he said earlier.

Just because Bibi Dong dared to say those things to Qian Xunji, she can be labeled as naive and foolish.

"So, all I need to do now is read these books? Are there any other requirements?"

After sorting out her thoughts, Bibi Dong finally focused her attention on the book in front of her.

"That's how it is for now." Su Cheng nodded. "Don't worry, this won't delay your cultivation efficiency. This is just the first step. Besides, your future success in cultivation will also greatly benefit me."

Bibi Dong was somewhat puzzled, "It would also be of great benefit to you?"

"That's right." Now that the topic was brought up, Su Cheng decided to be frank and say, "I can tell that you're not a bad person at heart. From the strength I've shown, you should also be able to see how capable I am. For a long time to come, I will wholeheartedly help you improve, but when you have achieved success in your cultivation, I hope you can help me once, as a way of repaying me."

"You need my help?" Bibi Dong looked surprised.

She had already witnessed the opponent's true strength yesterday.

It should be noted that Su Cheng is not even nineteen years old yet, but he is already comparable to Titled Douluo. At this rate, it is not impossible for him to cultivate to the level ninety-nine Peerless Douluo in his lifetime.

Bibi Dong was well aware of her own talent and the power of Twin Martial Souls, but she did not believe that she would have a chance to surpass her opponent in the future.

"Yes, it is necessary." Su Cheng nodded firmly. "But you will definitely not lose out in this deal. You will not be in any danger. And I'm not bragging, but with my guidance, your cultivation progress will far exceed your expectations."

"A deal?" Bibi Dong paused for a moment, then nodded slightly and said, "Okay."

As the two were cultivating, half a year passed quickly.

During this period, Su Cheng did not teach Bibi Dong any cultivation-related techniques. Instead, he constantly found various materials for Bibi Dong to study and assigned her tasks, checking on her every week.

This kind of learning is not simply reading or memorizing, but rather understanding and digesting the material.

Considering Bibi Dong's intelligence, her weekly study load is actually quite heavy. After completing all this material, coupled with her own Soul Power cultivation, she will have almost no free time each day.

This will undoubtedly significantly reduce her personal time.

In the past six months, Su Cheng had never seen Bibi Dong go on a date with Yu Xiaogang, and the fact that she never complained at all shocked him.

But the benefits of reading are undoubtedly enormous.

Bibi Dong's nature is extreme, and coupled with her empty mind and lack of knowledge, she is so prone to going to extremes.

After six months of study, she has undergone a transformation both inside and out.

Although she is still some distance from maturity, her temperament has become noticeably calmer.

Su Cheng has accumulated a wealth of knowledge, and he can easily tell what level Bibi Dong is at now.

From a purely theoretical standpoint, her professionalism already surpasses that of Yu Xiaogang.

Despite Yu Xiaogang's early exposure to theoretical studies due to his Martial Soul, the difference in their learning conditions was enormous.

First of all, the forces behind them are on completely different levels.

Although the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is one of the Upper Three Sects, it has extremely limited and incomplete information. It was only after arriving in Spirit City that Yu Xiaogang truly came into contact with advanced knowledge.

In other words, the actual time he spent studying was only these few years.

In contrast, Bibi Dong, although she only studied for half a year, read books that were all carefully selected by Su Cheng, containing very few errors and requiring no cross-referencing with various materials, which greatly improved her learning efficiency.

In this way, it is only natural for them to surpass each other in terms of knowledge accumulation.

After checking last week's homework, Su Cheng and Bibi Dong walked in the forest behind Pope Mountain.

Bibi Dong has changed considerably compared to six months ago, and she now exudes a faint air of authority.

Even though she was only temporarily acting Pope and didn't have much real power, her status was still there, and even the elders at the Titled Douluo level had to maintain respect for her.

Occasionally, he attends events as the face of the Pope's Palace, and he is always a powerful representative directly facing various forces, so his rapid growth is inevitable.

Moreover, the books Su Cheng chose for her were not only about cultivation, but also helpful for her daily conduct and dealings with others.

"What brings you to come out for a walk with me today?"

Bibi Dong remained composed, speaking softly without revealing much emotion on her face.

When talking to Su Cheng, she was no longer as passive as before.

"You're too tense right now. It wouldn't hurt to relax a little sometimes," Su Cheng said casually, not taking her attitude to heart.

"It's rare for you to have such thoughts. I thought you treated me like I was made of iron." Bibi Dong snorted lightly, revealing a hint of dissatisfaction in her words.

"Is that so?" Su Cheng asked in surprise. "I thought you thought this amount of learning was just right."

Bibi Dong rolled her eyes but didn't argue. She simply said, "What books are we supposed to read this week? You haven't given me yet."

"No more reading. You're free to do whatever you want today. Starting tomorrow, we'll be using a different method of cultivation."

"Free to arrange as you please?" Bibi Dong was taken aback.

She had already gotten used to the schedule she had been following for the past six months. Apart from a few official duties, her time was almost entirely filled with reading and self-cultivation.

Hearing Su Cheng say this so suddenly, he seemed a little taken aback for a moment.

"You've read enough books. You may not have a good idea of it yourself, but I do," Su Cheng said with a smile. "I've already informed the High Priest that starting tomorrow, we'll leave Spirit City and travel across the continent for a while."

At this point, he jokingly teased, "You can take advantage of today to catch up with Yu Xiaogang, because you probably won't be able to see each other again for a long time to come."

After spending six months together, the two had developed a very natural relationship, and they often joked and laughed like friends.

Unexpectedly, Bibi Dong's expression suddenly turned cold, and she said indifferently, "Don't make such jokes."