First Meeting with Bibi Dong

Yu Xiaogang.

He came from an extraordinary background, the son of the clan leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, one of the Upper Three Sects.

But his martial soul had undergone a malignant mutation, leaving him with only level 0.5 Innate Soul Power. Most of the elders in his clan were arrogant and extreme by nature, so he endured endless ridicule in his youth. This shaped him into someone outwardly aloof but inwardly insecure.

His cultivation talent was average, his intelligence was average, and his character was average. His ambitions were lofty, but his temperament was weak.

He lacked great wisdom but possessed a few petty tricks. He knew how to make use of resources and, through an opportunity to visit Spirit Hall, became acquainted with Bibi Dong, then the Saintess.

He compiled and summarized all kinds of knowledge from Spirit Hall, then published it and earned the title of "Grandmaster," yet he still was not recognized by the world.

As for the series of incidents that later occurred with Liu Erlong, there was no need to consider them too deeply. By then, Yu Xiaogang was already different from the person Bibi Dong had once loved.

Su Cheng lightly tapped his fingers against the tabletop as he silently pondered.

He had to let Bibi Dong see Yu Xiaogang's former shadow in him, yet he could not let her see him as a second Yu Xiaogang. He had to strike the right balance.

That crazy woman Bibi Dong could be said to have lived her entire life for Yu Xiaogang. It was utterly absurd.

If he copied everything about him apart from his appearance, things would likely spiral out of control.

If that lunatic had a psychotic episode and decided his existence had sullied the uniqueness of her first love, then killed him for it, who could he complain to?

It would be enough to gain some trust and goodwill.

So where was the difference?

Yu Xiaogang was only aloof on the surface. His strength was false.

Otherwise, he would not have so easily given up on Bibi Dong, nor would he have directly abandoned Liu Erlong.

Likewise, he would not have shamelessly used the knowledge he had gained from his first love to package himself as a theoretical Grandmaster.

Nor would he have been so humble and submissive when facing his clan.

At his core, he was an extremely insecure person who had spent his life trying to prove himself.

Unfortunately, he had no real talent. The theories he published were copied, and the disciple he found was the Child of Destiny, completely contradicting his own words: "There are no waste martial souls, only waste soul masters."

Other than being skilled at winning over women, he was good for nothing.

Su Cheng was different.

Even without making a name for himself through theory, if not for his goal of destroying Spirit Hall, his current attainments in the Medical Dao would have made reaching the realm of Titled Douluo no difficult task, even with his pitiful level 0.5 Innate Soul Power.

"Sadly, Titled Douluo is as far as I can go." Su Cheng could not help sighing inwardly at the thought.

Human strength had its limits.

If possible, he too wanted to crush others with sheer power rather than resort to these schemes and calculations.

But over the years, his research into the Medical Dao had reached an unimaginable level. Instead, he had come to understand ever more clearly that the barrier of talent had already locked down his upper limit.

In this world, if one spoke only of martial strength, martial souls truly determined one's ceiling.

Unless he could be like Tang San, obtaining all kinds of cheat-level resources that could improve one's bloodline, with two gods backing him.

But that depended on opportunity. Clearly, Su Cheng would not gamble on luck.

After adjusting his mindset and emotions, Su Cheng quickly slipped into the persona he had prepared beforehand, one resembling Yu Xiaogang.

Not long after, a calm and imposing female voice sounded beyond the door. "Wait outside. Without my command, no one is to disturb us."

The towering arched doors opened, and a woman who left him utterly stunned walked in.

She was not tall. She wore a luxurious black robe embroidered with golden patterns, a Nine-Bend Purple Gold Crown on her head, and held the Pope's Staff in her hand.

Her skin was fair, and her features were nearly perfect. Calling her a goddess would not have been an exaggeration.

Especially the noble aura she exuded—it stirred an irresistible urge in others to fall to their knees in worship.

She was none other than Bibi Dong, the Current Pope.

Though she looked only around twenty, seemingly the same age as Su Cheng, she was actually nearing thirty.

Su Cheng set down his teacup, silently rose to his feet, and bowed slightly. "Greetings, Your Majesty the Pope."

Bibi Dong said nothing. She merely studied him in silence.

Though she did not want to admit it, she had truly struggled over whether to meet this person. Her feelings were complicated; she could not tell whether she felt anticipation or unease.

He looks alike, so much alike... she murmured inwardly.

He too came from an extraordinary background.

He too had level 0.5 Innate Soul Power, had been mocked by his peers, and was all alone.

He had even been called "Grandmaster" by the world, achieving through his exceptional intellect accomplishments that even Titled Douluo had to view with newfound respect.

And now that she saw him, he was equally aloof. Even before her, the Pope, he showed neither fear nor fawning.

After a moment, however, what left her lips was a mocking chuckle. "Princes and generals, are you born noble? Heh, what grand words. What grand ambition."

Bibi Dong had only instinctively wanted to jab at him.

In truth, she did not dislike those words at all.

That was precisely the difference between Spirit Hall and the nobles of the empires.

After all, even Bibi Dong, the Current Pope, had been born an orphan.

"I didn't say it. It was something I heard as a child," Su Cheng said calmly. "Of course, I thought it was well said, which is why I wrote it in my book."

Bibi Dong paused, feeling slightly uncomfortable, but she did not pursue the matter. Instead, she asked, "Your biological father was Edgeless Sword Su Shan, wasn't he?"

"Yes." Su Cheng was not surprised that this had been investigated. "The person who killed him was Qian Xunji, the Former Pope of Spirit Hall."

"Don't you want to avenge him?"

"Of course I do, but Qian Xunji is already dead."

Bibi Dong fell silent at that, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

"Would you be willing to join Spirit Hall?" Sensing that something was off with her own state, Bibi Dong simply extended an olive branch.

"Spirit Hall can give you the chance to prove yourself and reclaim everything you lost from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

As she said this, she instead broke free of that strange emotion from before. "You are remarkable. Your theories are pioneering, and countless people have benefited because of you."

Su Cheng smiled at her words and shook his head.

"There's nothing remarkable about it. It's merely the self-redemption of a waste cultivator.

"Your Majesty the Pope, your talent is exceptional. I envy you.

"If I could, I would rather have inherited the Edgeless Sword, but unfortunately, talent is simply something so unreasonable.

"Still, everyone has at least some other quality that can shine. There may be people talented in every field, but there are no absolute wastes. When left with no choice, one can always find other options and paths.

"But to me, it's worth nothing. My theories can help countless people, yet they cannot help me.

"On the contrary, the deeper my research goes, the more clearly I understand where my limits lie."

He spoke lightly, as though he truly did not regard all that praise as anything important.

A trace of confusion flashed through Bibi Dong's eyes.

This was not how it should be.

Why had he achieved such accomplishments—the accomplishments that person had dreamed of, accomplishments recognized by the entire world—yet looked down on the power of theory and did not think himself extraordinary?

Why would he say that?

What gave him the right to say that!