Yu Xiaogang Becomes a Laughingstock! Bibi Dong is Pleased, Saint Son Banquet!

Listening to the clamor of discussion around him, Lin Qiu did not linger.

Although he enjoyed the feeling of being revered, he did not like being surrounded by a crowd like a monkey on display.

With a light tap of his toes, he became like a wisp of breeze, vanishing into the crowd in the blink of an eye and leaving only a lingering afterimage that drew another round of gasps from the people behind him.

Returning to a side hall of the Pope Palace.

Lin Qiu dismissed his attendants and sat alone in a large, ornate armchair.

In his mind, that familiar mechanical voice rang out right on cue.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the mission "Eliminate Demons and Defend the Dao."]

[Mission Evaluation: Publicly exposed the true face of a hypocrite, upheld the dignity of the righteous path (as defined by the system's Shrouding the Heavens standard), employed thunderous methods, and brought great satisfaction to the masses.]

[Reward Issued: Nine-Nether Ao Treasure Bone (External Soul Bone form).]

As the system's voice faded, a ball of light radiating a desolate, ancient, and infinitely malevolent aura appeared out of thin air before Lin Qiu.

The light dissipated, revealing a piece of crystalline bone.

This was not a standard leg or arm bone, but a segmented structure resembling a long whip, dark gold in its entirety.

Intricate and complex runes flowed across its surface; merely glancing at it made one feel as though their soul were being pulled into that profound darkness.

"This is... the tail bone of a Nine-Nether Ao?"

A sharp glint flickered in Lin Qiu's eyes.

In the original setting of the Douluo world, External Soul Bones were extremely precious, second only to hundred-thousand-year soul rings.

But in the system's assessment, this was not merely a soul bone; it was a treasure bone containing the primordial power of one of the Ten Primordial Evils, the Nine-Nether Ao.

"Fuse."

Lin Qiu focused his intent.

The dark golden bone instantly transformed into a streak of light, burrowing into the base of his spine.

BOOM!

An incomparably domineering force swept through his entire body.

Lin Qiu let out a muffled grunt as his robes billowed without wind, and a massive phantom of a ferocious beast manifested behind him.

The beast had a wolf's head and bull's horns, its body covered in scales, with nine tails behind it like nine vicious dragons, roaring hideously.

This was the Nine-Nether Ao!

A moment later, the phenomenon subsided.

Lin Qiu stood up and moved his mind.

SHING!

A dark golden bone tail, roughly two meters long, extended from behind him.

This bone tail was not fleshy like that of an ordinary soul beast; it was composed purely of bone and energy, its tip sharp as a spear and gleaming with a chilling light.

He gave it a light flick.

HISSS—

The air was torn asunder, emitting a piercing sonic boom.

The hard granite floor was like tofu before this bone tail, easily pierced to create a bottomless black hole with edges as smooth as a mirror.

"So strong."

Lin Qiu stroked the cold bone segments, his eyes filled with a smile.

"Not only is it peerlessly sharp, but it also comes with the Nine-Nether Ao's innate divine ability—the Nine-Nether Divine Light. Once struck, the soul trembles, and this treasure bone can continue to evolve as my cultivation level increases."

"With this item, even without using soul skills, an ordinary Soul Saint would struggle to withstand a single blow from me."

Meanwhile.

Within Martial Soul City, news of the "fake master" spread through the streets and alleys as if it had grown wings.

Yu Xiaogang's quote, "There are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters," had thoroughly become a joke.

A level 29 Soul Grand Master, swindling people with plagiarized theories, only to be slapped in the face publicly by the Holy Son of the Martial Soul Hall.

This was simply the best fodder for gossip after a meal.

Busy-bodies even vividly described the pathetic sight of Yu Xiaogang being sent flying by a single slap, spitting out broken teeth, drawing the scorn and contempt of the entire city's populace.

Yu Xiaogang's reputation in Martial Soul City was now completely ruined.

He was like a rat crossing the street, with everyone shouting for him to be beaten.

Pope Palace, Council Hall.

Bibi Dong sat high upon the Pope's throne, scepter in hand, listening to the report from Gui Mei below.

"You mean to say that Qiu'er not only exposed that Yu Xiaogang but also gained the adoration of all the city's commoners?"

A look of extreme satisfaction appeared on Bibi Dong's majestic and beautiful face.

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Gui Mei said respectfully, "His Highness the Holy Son acted with decisiveness and sound logic, both upholding the reputation of Martial Soul Hall and punishing the petty scoundrel. Even now, the commoners in the city are singing praises of the Holy Son's brilliance and might."

"Good, he is worthy of being the child I raised."

Bibi Dong chuckled, her eyes filled with pride.

As for Yu Xiaogang, she might still harbor a trace of complex, lingering affection for him, but compared to Lin Qiu, whom she regarded as her own flesh and blood in this life, that old sentiment was utterly insignificant.

Especially after learning that Yu Xiaogang had actually swindled commoners for money, the last shred of her rose-tinted view of him shattered completely.

How could she have been so blind as to fall for a man of such inferior character back then?

"Qiu'er is growing older now, and his strength is peerless among his peers; it is time for him to formally step onto the stage."

Bibi Dong stood up, her scepter striking the floor with a crisp, resounding thud.

A magnificent aura rippled throughout the hall.

"Pass down the order."

"In half a month, This Seat will hold a twelfth birthday banquet for Qiu'er, and at the same time, formally invest him as the Holy Son of our Martial Soul Hall, announcing it to the entire world!"

"Elder Chrysanthemum, Elder Ghost."

"Your subordinates are here." Two figures appeared instantly in the center of the hall.

"The two of you shall depart immediately. Take my Pope's Order and invite the royal families of the two great empires, Heaven Dou and Star Luo, as well as the Upper Three Sects, the Lower Four Sects, and all other major powers to attend the ceremony."

Bibi Dong narrowed her beautiful eyes, a flash of world-dominating arrogance crossing her gaze.

"This time, I want the entire continent to know just how brilliant and talented the son of Bibi Dong is!"

"Understood!"

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo acknowledged the order, their figures flashing and vanishing from the hall like two streaks of light.

Once the news broke, the whole world was shocked.

Although Martial Soul Hall had been powerful for years, it had always acted with relative restraint, and Pope Bibi Dong herself rarely appeared in public.

To think they would now hold such a grand banquet for an adopted son, even inviting the top powers of the entire continent?

Who exactly was this so-called Holy Son?

For a time, the entire Douluo Continent was in an uproar.

Major powers speculated one after another whether there was some deeper meaning behind this move by Martial Soul Hall. Was it a show of force? Or an attempt to win over allies?

But regardless, since the Pope had spoken, who dared not show respect?

Countless carriages and spirit beast mounts began to converge on Martial Soul City from all corners of the continent.

Even those old monsters who usually lived in seclusion became deeply interested in this suddenly emerged "Holy Son."

It was said that the Pope would make a personal appearance at the banquet.

That gimmick alone was enough to make countless spirit masters flock to the city.

Meanwhile, in a dilapidated farmhouse outside Martial Soul City.

A middle-aged man with a bloated face and missing teeth was curled up in a pile of straw, gnawing on half a piece of hardened black flour bun.

It was none other than Yu Xiaogang.

Listening to the spirit masters passing by outside excitedly discussing the upcoming grand feast and the glory of the "Holy Son," the resentment in his eyes nearly overflowed.

"A banquet... the Pope herself will attend..."

Yu Xiaogang gripped the bun so tightly that his fingernails sank into the dough.

"Bibi Dong... you are going to announce that little beast to the whole world?"

"I refuse to accept this! I am not reconciled!"

He slammed the bun onto the ground, his eyes bloodshot like a gambler who had lost his entire stake.

"Since you are holding a banquet, and since you will be there..."

"Then I will go to the banquet and find you!"

"I don't believe that in front of the whole world, in front of your old lover, you won't give me an explanation!"

"As long as I see you, I will have a chance to turn things around!"