A Chance Encounter with Yu Xiaogang

A middle-aged man in an ornate bishop's robe, his belly nearly bursting the gold thread, lay sprawled on the ground like a lump of mud. It was Bishop Gustav.

His face was deathly pale, his fat quivered, and sweat mixed with grease on his forehead, glistening beneath the setting sun.

"E-Elder, spare me... I-I only diverted the funds temporarily, just to tide things over..."

Thousand Jun Douluo merely glanced at him before saying to Bibi Dong beside him, "The man has been captured, and the evidence is conclusive."

"Saintess, you completed your mission well."

Bibi Dong nodded. Looking at the bishop, whose face was streaked with tears and snot, a trace of disgust flashed through her eyes.

"Elder, shall we escort him back to headquarters immediately?"

"Mm. When I entered the city earlier, I heard that Yelin City will hold its annual Lantern Festival in two days. It is said to be quite lively."

"You young people rarely get the chance to come out. Why not stay and have a look? Relax a little."

"Huh?" Bibi Dong froze, then reflexively said, "But what about Teacher..."

"It is of no concern."

"I will personally send word to His Holiness the Pope and explain the situation. I alone am sufficient to escort the criminal."

"Travel around for a while. It will also benefit your state of mind."

Ling Yuan's eyes immediately lit up. She had long heard of Yelin City's famous Lantern Festival.

Bibi Dong hesitated, looking toward the lights gradually appearing outside the window. The bustle of the night market drifted faintly over, stirring something in her heart.

"Then... please inform Teacher, Elder. Ling Yuan and I will stay for two days and return after the festival."

"Mm."

Thousand Jun Douluo picked up the limp bishop as if lifting a fat goose awaiting slaughter, then turned into a streak of light and vanished.

Only Bibi Dong and Ling Yuan remained in the hall.

"Wonderful!" Ling Yuan beamed with a young girl's excitement. "I heard Yelin City's Lantern Festival has special soul-tool fireworks, and there are lantern riddles where you can win Soul Beast dolls!"

Bibi Dong smiled faintly as well. She walked to the window and gazed at the city, which was about to plunge into festive revelry.

"Then let's go."

"Alright."

The two left the branch hall one after the other and made their way to Yelin City's night market.

Bibi Dong stopped at a small stall selling exquisite accessories. Her gaze was drawn to a necklace set with a pale purple Star-Glitter Stone.

"Ling Yuan, do you think this looks nice?"

"It suits you very well."

Bibi Dong picked up the necklace and held it before her neck. Then she seemed to think of something, her cheeks flushing slightly as she softly asked, "Then... should we pick out a gift for Teacher too?"

"Didn't he celebrate my birthday for me last night..."

Ling Yuan's expression turned somewhat strange, but she still cooperatively looked over the stall.

Bibi Dong's gaze eventually settled on a pair of silver-white metal bracelets.

Their design was simple, with lifelike Angel Wings engraved across their surfaces.

"How about these?"

"Teacher has an Angel Martial Soul. These should suit him."

Ling Yuan rested her chin in her hand and agreed. "They look nice. Buy them."

Just as Bibi Dong paid for the bracelets and prepared to leave,

a fierce argument suddenly erupted nearby.

The two followed the sound and saw two men arguing until their faces were red.

A plainly dressed man looked indignant. "What is wrong with my Clematis Martial Soul?"

"It can bind and control people. How is it useless?"

The other man, dressed in fine clothes, sneered. "Clematis? Isn't that just some wildflower by the roadside? It is all soft and flimsy. What kind of attack power could it possibly have?"

The onlookers murmured among themselves, most siding with the well-dressed man. After all, Clematis really did not sound like a powerful Martial Soul.

Bibi Dong frowned and stepped forward. "You said his Martial Soul is useless?"

When the well-dressed man saw two young women of such exceptional bearing, his arrogance dimmed somewhat. Still, he held his chin high. "So what if I did?"

"What level is your Soul Power?"

"Level 22, Soul Grandmaster!" the man answered proudly.

Bibi Dong turned to the plainly dressed man. "And you?"

The man puffed out his chest. "Level 35, Soul Elder!"

The crowd immediately erupted. A level 22 Soul Grandmaster was mocking a level 35 Soul Elder as useless? That was a resounding slap to the face.

The well-dressed man's face shifted between green and white, but he stubbornly said, "What is the use of high Soul Power? A trash Martial Soul is destined to go nowhere."

"That is not necessarily true."

At that moment, a somewhat deep voice came from behind the crowd.

The crowd parted, revealing a young man in his early twenties slowly stepping forward. He wore a gray robe, held a thick book in his hands, and had his hair combed impeccably.

"There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters."

"A Martial Soul is merely the starting point. A Soul Master's wisdom, diligence, and development of their Martial Soul are what truly determine their limits."

"Though Clematis is not an assault-type Martial Soul, its binding traits could shine if paired with poison-attribute soul rings or developed along an extreme control path."

The well-dressed man was left speechless by his string of theories. He stiffened his neck, threw out a "What is so great about that?" and slunk into the crowd.

The plainly dressed man gratefully cupped his fists toward the gray-robed youth.

Bibi Dong also broke into a radiant smile and nodded in agreement. "You are right. As long as one studies and works hard, any Martial Soul has limitless potential."

Yu Xiaogang's gaze fell upon Bibi Dong's face.

The young girl's lively, spirited smile and clear, resolute eyes were completely unlike the numb or worldly faces around her. She was like a ray of light shining into his slightly gloomy heart, which had been darkened by the rejection of his theories.

His heart skipped a beat, and he asked gently, "May I ask this young lady's name?"

"I am Yu Xiaogang. I have done some research into Martial Soul theory. Seeing that your insights are extraordinary today, I wonder if you might..."

"Disciple, so you were here."

At that moment, a long, powerful arm reached out from the side and wrapped around Bibi Dong's shoulders, drawing her closer.

Bibi Dong's body stiffened slightly. She turned her head and met a pair of deep, smiling eyes.

"T-Teacher?"

Yu Xiaogang's words were abruptly cut off as he looked toward the newcomer.

It was a blond man in luxurious casual attire, with an extraordinary presence. His handsome features were almost dazzling, and a faint smile rested on his lips.

Yet when those eyes turned toward him, they carried an oppressive force from on high.

Yu Xiaogang's breath caught. Every theoretical argument he had prepared lodged in his throat. He instinctively avoided the other man's gaze, overwhelmed by a sense of inferiority and pressure.

"Dong'er, who is this?"

Bibi Dong was still dizzy from Teacher's sudden appearance and his arm around her shoulders.

"N-No one I know. We just happened upon an injustice, and exchanged a few words..."

"Mm."

"Do not casually speak with strange men of unknown origins in the future. The world is complicated."

"I understand, Teacher."

Bibi Dong nodded obediently. The faint goodwill born from their shared theoretical understanding was instantly scattered by the tension and shyness brought on by Teacher's sudden arrival.

Only then did Qian Xunji turn his gaze back to Yu Xiaogang and smile faintly. "This... theorist, thank you for speaking up just now."

With that, he kept an arm around Bibi Dong, gestured to the dumbfounded Ling Yuan beside them, and turned to leave.

Yu Xiaogang opened his mouth, but the words, "I am Yu Xiaogang of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan," never came out.

The other man had not even given him the chance to introduce himself. That effortless disregard and crushing aura turned all his hopes of establishing an "equal academic exchange" into a joke.

He stood where he was, watching the blond man protectively lead the young girl away into the scattered lantern light. The book in his hands suddenly seemed unbearably heavy.

The three arrived by the river. Bibi Dong hung her head, twisting the corner of her clothes around her fingers. "Teacher, I'm sorry... I should not have taken Ling Yuan out to have fun without permission and delayed our duties..."

Though Ling Yuan was also nervous, loyalty prevailed. "Your Holiness the Pope, it was this subordinate who encouraged the Saintess. If anyone is to be punished, punish me!"

After speaking, she immediately lowered her head, not daring to look at Qian Xunji's expression at all.

Based on what she knew of the Pope, a glacial, crushing pressure should have descended next.

The expected cold rebuke never came.

"When did I ever say I was going to punish you?"