As he grumbled to himself, Lin Beiya followed the maid to the lodgings Bibi Dong had arranged for him.
Compared with the Worship Hall, Pope Hall was more luxurious, and its furnishings and decorations had all been refurbished. He had no idea whether that had been Qian Xunji's doing.
His lodgings were some distance from Bibi Dong's, with an entire garden between them.
The maid told him that Bibi Dong had lived there ever since she was the Saintess.
Thinking it over, that mysterious secret chamber seemed to be located there as well.
Looking at the lavish bed in his room, Lin Beiya knew he would be living here for quite some time.
He didn't need to adjust to the new place. He had lived in an orphanage for years and wasn't picky about where he stayed. It was just somewhere to rest his head.
If nothing unexpected happened, once Bibi Dong announced that she had taken him as her disciple, he would be thrust into the limelight for good.
Not only would people from Spirit Hall be watching him, but the continent's top powers would also turn their attention his way. Once he was famous, trouble was sure to follow. There was no way he could keep a low profile and quietly build up his strength like before.
He needed to crush his peers with overwhelming strength and maintain his value to Bibi Dong. At the same time, whenever trouble came, he would have to hit hard. Only then could he make anyone with ulterior motives, anyone hoping to step on him to climb higher, think twice.
His desire to reach Soul Elder grew stronger. After all, the Aries Gold Cloth was in Little Angel's hands, a thousand miles away. He didn't want to recall it unless absolutely necessary.
The Taurus Gold Cloth was fierce and sturdy, but its lack of agility remained a weakness. It was essential to make up for that by adding other Sacred Cloths to bolster his fighting strength.
And so, Lin Beiya spent his first night after joining Pope Hall cultivating.
Bibi Dong acted much faster than he had imagined. Perhaps she trusted his strength, or perhaps she simply didn't care whether he lived or died.
On the very next day, before the Reception Hall's doors had even been repaired, Bibi Dong publicly announced that she had taken Lin Beiya as her disciple.
The storm erupted around Pope Hall and swept across Spirit City in an instant. Lin Beiya's name had officially entered the public eye.
After some digging, students from the academy also revealed details about Lin Beiya's Soul Power and Martial Soul. Though he rarely fought at the academy, people still knew a thing or two about him.
Innate Full Soul Power, a Sacred Armor Martial Soul, a victory over an upperclassman on his very first day, and an undefeated record in Soul Fighting among the academy's Elite Class.
At the same time, the guards spread word that he had smashed the Reception Hall's east wall while testing out a move.
Before long, word that Lin Beiya was invincible among his peers had spread far and wide, giving his reputation a massive boost. His teacher, Bibi Dong, also earned a reputation for having a keen eye.
But just as Lin Beiya had expected, trouble soon came knocking.
That day, just as Lin Beiya arrived at the academy, a burly young man with the build of a bear blocked his way.
"Lin Beiya? I hear you're good in a fight. How about sparring with me?"
"I'm Xiong Chumo, grandson of Demon Bear Douluo, and a level 32 Battle Soul Elder. I challenge you."
His broad, plate-like face was full of defiance. This so-called grandson of Demon Bear Douluo had clearly come because of Lin Beiya's growing fame.
Quite a few onlookers had already stopped to watch, most of them students from different grades. They were all curious whether Lin Beiya, the academy's self-proclaimed undefeated fighter, could beat this guy.
Shi Nuo had just come out of the dormitory when he noticed the commotion at the gate. He hurried over, spotted his good friend facing off against someone, and immediately pushed through the crowd to Lin Beiya's side.
"Xiong Chumo, have you no shame? You graduated from the academy two years ago and have already joined an Advanced Soul Master Academy. And now you're here to challenge Bei Ya?"
Shi Nuo had no idea where he'd gotten the information about Xiong Chumo, but he immediately exposed the other man's identity.
"Enough talk. Isn't he supposed to be undefeated at the academy? An Advanced Soul Master Academy is still an academy, so does he dare accept my challenge or not? I'm going to help the Pope test what this kid's made of."
"You..."
Shi Nuo was about to argue, but Lin Beiya pressed a hand to his shoulder and stopped him.
Lin Beiya didn't take the likes of this second-generation rich kid, who couldn't go anywhere without flaunting his connections, seriously at all.
Seeing the fearful looks the students were giving Xiong Chumo, Lin Beiya knew the guy must have thrown his weight around plenty back when he attended the Primary Academy.
"Sure. I'll see you at the Training Ground."
"Now that's the spirit."
When Lin Beiya really accepted the challenge, a cruel grin spread across Xiong Chumo's ugly face. He had decent talent and was five years older than Lin Beiya. He couldn't imagine losing to him.
And once he defeated Lin Beiya, he would take all the glory for himself. Xiong Chumo would become famous overnight. That was the real reason he had come to challenge Lin Beiya.
Shi Nuo looked at Lin Beiya worriedly. If the challenger had been from the Primary Spirit Academy, he wouldn't have worried at all. But this shameless bastard had spent two and a half years at an Advanced Soul Master Academy since graduating. Shi Nuo trusted his good friend, but he still couldn't help feeling uneasy.
"Don't worry. When have you ever seen me fight a battle I wasn't sure I could win?"
"Right, Bei Ya. Give him a good beating."
"Of course. One punch to open the gate saves you a hundred more. If we want those monkeys to stay back, this chicken right in front of us is the perfect place to start."
"Pfft."
Hearing Lin Beiya compare Xiong Chumo to a little chicken, Shi Nuo's nerves immediately eased. He was also secretly thrilled. At last, he would get to see his good friend go all out.
If Lin Beiya had known what the fatso was thinking, he would have scoffed. Go all out? Against him?
Lin Beiya kept his eyes shut and slowly followed the crowd into the Training Ground.
Word had spread, and onlookers had already packed the place. Quite a few staff members had come as well, eager to watch the two Soul Fight.
The principal of the Junior Soul Master Academy watched the two men below with a worried expression. One was the grandson of a Titled Douluo, and the other was a disciple of the New Pope and a strong contender for Holy Son. He'd be in trouble either way if one of them got hurt.
"Keep your wits about you. If anything looks wrong, stop them immediately."
"Understood, Principal."
On the arena, Xiong Chumo stood opposite Lin Beiya and stared at his closed eyes, his face full of confusion.
"Are you giving up already?"
"I don't need my eyes to deal with you."
"By the way, if you get hurt, you're not going to go home crying to your parents, are you?"
A faint smile tugged at Lin Beiya's lips. He wasn't afraid of Demon Bear Douluo, but the man was still trouble. It was best to give him a warning in advance.
"Huh?"
Xiong Chumo was almost too angry to laugh. Closing his eyes to fight him was one thing, but this arrogant brat was actually trying to beat him and warning him not to go running to his grandfather afterward.
"Don't worry. If I lose, I'll admit I'm a loser. I definitely won't ask my grandfather to help me save face."
"Likewise, if you get hurt, don't go whining to the Pope."
Having achieved his aim, Lin Beiya's smile widened, and he quickly nodded.
"Of course. Make your move. Don't say I didn't give you a chance."
The cruel grin on Xiong Chumo's face slowly froze. He had never met such an insufferably cocky brat. It was enough to make his blood boil. He decided he would teach the kid a lesson and leave him bedridden for two or three months—or else he'd be the loser.
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