Wasn't that just my Xiao Gang?
Bibi Dong immediately bristled.
In truth, she knew all about Yu Xiaogang's cowardice, incompetence, selfishness, and hypocrisy. Otherwise, Yu Xiaogang wouldn't have hesitated, made excuses, and dodged the issue back then—he simply hadn't dared to elope with her.
Did Bibi Dong still love Yu Xiaogang now?
Perhaps not.
Maybe she just hadn't been able to move on from the shadow of the past and needed some spiritual comfort.
Maybe she didn't love Yu Xiaogang himself, but the carefree, beautiful days they'd spent together in their youth.
Still, perhaps even Bibi Dong herself couldn't make sense of it.
Enough digression. Back to the matter at hand.
"I disagree," Bibi Dong said.
"Your Holiness, I haven't even explained my solution yet. How can you disagree already?"
"Does it involve someone you care about? Or something you care about?"
"Or did I say something wrong that displeased you?"
Qian Renyu looked at Bibi Dong.
In truth, he understood. His example involving Yu Xiaogang had probably struck a tender nerve.
In a sense, Bibi Dong really was a pitiable person.
But was she really blameless for what had happened back then?
Spirit Hall had raised her to adulthood and spared no resources in training her. She didn't have to show gratitude, but she couldn't turn around and throw herself into the arms of Yu Xiaogang, a member of a hostile faction.
If she'd fallen for a talented young man, a refined gentleman, that might have been somewhat understandable. But she'd chosen a good-for-nothing with an Innate Soul Power of only 0.5 and a lifetime cultivation level that wouldn't exceed rank twenty-nine. Never mind Qian Xunji—who would have agreed to that?
But now that Bibi Dong sat in the position of Spirit Hall's pope, she had to stand on Spirit Hall's side.
That was the most basic principle.
It was also Qian Renyu's bottom line.
"That's not it," Bibi Dong said coldly.
"It's just that distributing subsidies to Soul Masters is one of Spirit Hall's most important ways of winning people over. So I suggest that Young Master Qian give up on changing that policy."
"Isn't the point of giving subsidies to Soul Masters simply to help those at the bottom live and cultivate better?"
"Why turn such a good deed into a way of buying people's loyalty?"
"Does Your Holiness really think Spirit Hall is so narrow-minded?"
Qian Renyu looked at Bibi Dong with an earnest expression.
"I..."
Seeing how sincere he looked, Bibi Dong was at a loss for words.
Golden Crocodile Douluo, seated beside Qian Renyu, was delighted to see Bibi Dong at a disadvantage. He felt as if two doors had swung wide open in his heart.
Then he turned to look at Qian Daoliu, who happened to turn and look back at him. The two old men met each other's eyes and smiled. They said nothing, yet somehow seemed to have said a great deal.
The other worshippers smiled knowingly at the sight.
Everything was understood without a word.
The Worship Hall and the Pope Palace had never gotten along. Both sides had often tripped each other up behind the scenes, and undermining one another was commonplace. The worshippers were certainly pleased to see Bibi Dong at a disadvantage today.
To be honest, if the Worship Hall and the Pope Palace hadn't been so at odds in the original timeline, and had joined forces and stood as one, they might not have lost.
Even if they had, they certainly wouldn't have lost so badly.
The angel had fallen, the divine position had shattered, and a legacy of ten thousand years had been destroyed in an instant. It was tragic just to think about.
More tragic still, after generations of effort, everything had fallen into the hands of shameless villains. A reputation built over ten thousand years had, after death, turned its bearers into rats in the street.
"Then I ask Your Holiness to hear my proposed solution first, and decide whether you agree afterward," Qian Renyu said. Seeing that Bibi Dong didn't respond, he continued:
"The first thing we should do is set an age limit for those who receive Spirit Hall's subsidies."
"A Soul Master receives one Gold Soul Coin per month, and must be under thirty years old."
"A Soul Grandmaster receives three Gold Soul Coins per month, and must be..."
Ah, how old was Master Yu Xiaogang this year? He should be in his forties, nearly fifty, right?
Then...
"Those applying for subsidies as Soul Grandmasters must be under forty."
"However, Soul Masters who join Spirit Hall will not be subject to this restriction."
"Does anyone have a different opinion?" Qian Renyu asked, looking around at the people gathered there.
Bibi Dong certainly had a different opinion. Wouldn't this restriction shut Yu Xiaogang out?
But after the lesson she'd learned last time, she held her tongue and turned her gaze toward Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan.
Feeling the pope's gaze, Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan naturally understood what she meant and prepared to speak.
But just as he was about to open his mouth, he noticed Golden Crocodile Douluo looking at him with a kindly smile. He immediately backed down.
Seeing Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan's reaction, Bibi Dong silently cursed him as useless.
Then she turned her gaze toward Ghost Douluo Gui Mei.
Ghost Douluo Gui Mei was staring down at his hands, counting his fingers, as though watching his nose, his nose watching his mouth, and his mouth watching his heart. He didn't even look at Bibi Dong.
Well, if Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan was backing down, did Ghost Douluo Gui Mei think he was any braver?
Seeing this, Bibi Dong silently cursed them both. Useless, both of them.
Just then, Spirit Kite Douluo stood up.
When Bibi Dong saw Spirit Kite Douluo rise, her heart leapt with joy. After all, Spirit Kite Douluo had only been able to break through to become a Titled Douluo so quickly thanks to her help.
Men really were unreliable.
"Then may I ask, Young Master, what should we do about subsidies for those who idle about and those who are hostile toward Spirit Hall?" Spirit Kite Douluo asked.
No, really? That was all she wanted to ask? Bibi Dong couldn't understand.
"We can only have the local Spirit Halls investigate. They can determine who supports Spirit Hall, who is hostile toward us, and which Soul Masters have poor character. Then we can assess them and distribute the subsidies accordingly."
"There are simply too many people. For now, this is the only way we can handle it." With that, Qian Renyu looked at Spirit Kite Douluo.
Spirit Kite Douluo seemed thoughtful. She nodded slightly, then sat back down.
"Why not just stop giving them subsidies altogether? Wouldn't that solve it?" another elder asked.
"That won't work." This time, it wasn't Qian Renyu who spoke, but Bibi Dong. "Give someone a little, and they'll be grateful; give them too much, and they'll turn against you."
Before you continue