Reputation Precedes, Trouble Arrives

While grumbling in his heart, he followed the maid to the residence Bibi Dong had arranged for him.

Compared to the Worship Hall, the architecture of the Pope Hall was relatively more luxurious, and the decorations and furnishings had all been renovated—though he wondered if this was the handiwork of Qian Xunji.

His own quarters were still some distance away from Bibi Dong's, separated by an entire garden.

He had heard from the maid that she had lived there back when she was still the Saintess.

Thinking about it, that mysterious secret room seemed to be located there as well.

Looking at the magnificent bed in the room, Lin Beiya knew that he would be living here for a long time to come.

He didn't really have an adjustment period; having grown up in an orphanage, Lin Beiya wasn't picky about where he lived. It was just a place to stay.

If nothing went wrong, from the moment Bibi Dong announced him as her disciple, he would be stepping fully into the spotlight.

Not only would the members of Martial Soul Hall be watching, but the top powers on the continent would also turn their attention toward him. Once fame arrived, trouble would surely follow; wanting to continue accumulating strength in obscurity as he had before was no longer realistic.

What he had to do was crush his peers with absolute strength to maintain his utility in Bibi Dong's eyes. At the same time, he needed to strike hard when dealing with trouble, so that others with ulterior motives—those who wanted to step on him to climb higher—would be afraid to act.

The desire to reach the Soul Elder realm grew even stronger in his heart. After all, the Aries Gold Cloth was in the hands of the Little Angel thousands of miles away, and he did not want to recall it unless absolutely necessary.

As for the Taurus Gold Cloth, while it was fierce and sturdy, it suffered from a persistent lack of agility. It was necessary to supplement it with other cloths to enhance his combat effectiveness.

Just like that, Lin Beiya spent his first night after joining the Pope Hall in cultivation.

Bibi Dong's actions were far faster than he had imagined—perhaps she trusted his strength, or perhaps she simply didn't care whether he lived or died.

On the second day, before the doors of the reception hall had even been repaired, Bibi Dong announced the news of taking Lin Beiya as her disciple to the outside world.

The storm centered on the Pope Hall instantly swept through the entire Martial Soul City, and Lin Beiya's name officially entered the public eye.

Through various inquiries, Lin Beiya's soul power cultivation and the general situation of his martial soul were publicized by his academy classmates. Although Lin Beiya rarely made a move in the academy, there was still some information known to others.

Innate Full Soul Power, Sacred Armor martial soul, defeating a senior student on his first day of enrollment, and remaining undefeated in the Elite Class soul battles.

At the same time, news that the east wall of the reception hall had been smashed by his test strikes was also spread by the guards.

For a time, the news that Lin Beiya was invincible among his peers spread like wildfire, earning him a wave of reputation, while Bibi Dong, as his teacher, gained the reputation of having a discerning eye for talent.

Corresponding to his fame, trouble arrived one after another, just as Lin Beiya had expected.

On this day, just as Lin Beiya arrived at the academy, his path was blocked by a burly youth with a broad back and thick waist.

"Lin Beiya? I heard you're quite the fighter? Want to spar with me?"

"I am Xiong Chumo, grandson of Demon Bear Douluo, a level 32 Battle Soul Elder, and I challenge you."

His large, plate-like face was filled with defiance. This so-called grandson of Demon Bear Douluo was clearly drawn by Lin Beiya's reputation.

A crowd of onlookers had already gathered, mostly students from various grades of the academy, all curious to see if the so-called invincible Lin Beiya of the academy was a match for this person.

Shi Nuo, who had just emerged from the dormitory, noticed the commotion at the gate and hurried over. Upon discovering that his good brother was confronting someone, he immediately pushed through the crowd to reach Lin Beiya's side.

"Xiong Chumo, have you no shame? You graduated from the academy two years ago and have already joined a higher-level academy, yet you come here to challenge Beiya?"

Shi Nuo didn't know where he had learned about Xiong Chumo, but he exposed the other's identity in one sentence.

"Cut the crap. Isn't he called the academy's invincible? A higher-level Soul Master Academy is still an academy. Do you dare to accept the challenge or not? I want to test this kid's mettle for the Pope."

"You..."

Shi Nuo wanted to retort, but Lin Beiya pressed a hand on his shoulder.

For this kind of second-generation official who had to keep his backer on his lips whenever he went out, Lin Beiya didn't take him seriously at all.

From the fearful gazes the surrounding students cast at Xiong Chumo, Lin Beiya knew this guy hadn't done much good when he was in the primary academy.

"Fine, see you at the training ground."

"Got guts."

Seeing that Lin Beiya had actually accepted the challenge, a sinister grin appeared on Xiong Chumo's ugly face. His talent wasn't bad, and with a five-year age gap between him and Lin Beiya, he didn't believe for a second that he would lose.

Once he defeated Lin Beiya, all the halos surrounding the boy would be snatched away, and Xiong Chumo would become famous overnight. This was the real reason he had come to challenge Lin Beiya.

Shi Nuo looked at Lin Beiya with concern. If the challenger had been limited to the primary Spirit Academy, he wouldn't be worried at all, but this shameless brat was a higher-level student who had graduated two and a half years ago. Although he had confidence in his good brother, he still felt a bit uneasy.

"Don't worry, when have you ever seen me fight a battle I wasn't sure of?"

"Yeah, Beiya, teach him a good lesson later."

"That's for sure. One punch to open the way, so a hundred punches don't follow. If I want to stop those monkeys, the chicken right in front of me is the perfect example."

"Pfft."

Hearing Lin Beiya compare Xiong Chumo to a little chick, the tension in Shi Nuo's heart dissipated instantly. At the same time, he felt a surge of excitement—he would finally get to see his good brother go all out.

If Lin Beiya knew what the fatty was thinking, he would definitely sneer. Go all out? Against him?

Lin Beiya closed his eyes tightly and slowly followed the crowd to the training ground.

Upon hearing the news, the area was already packed with onlookers, and even many faculty members had arrived to watch the soul battle between the two.

Among them, the principal of the primary Soul Master Academy was watching the two below with a worried expression. One was the grandson of a Titled Douluo, and the other was the disciple of the new Pope and a strong contender for the title of Saint. He wouldn't have an easy time if either of them got hurt.

"Keep your eyes sharp later. If the situation looks bad, stop them immediately."

"Understood, Principal."

On the arena stage, Xiong Chumo stood opposite Lin Beiya, his face full of confusion as he watched the other man's tightly closed eyes.

"Are you planning to give up?"

"To deal with you, there is no need to use my eyes."

"Oh, and if you get hurt, you won't go running home crying to your daddy and mommy, will you?"

The corners of Lin Beiya's mouth curled into an arc; although he did not fear Demon Bear Douluo, that man was a nuisance after all, so it was better to take some precautions in advance.

"Huh?"

Xiong Chumo was almost laughed to the point of anger. It was one thing for this arrogant brat to want to fight him with his eyes closed, but he actually dared to try and defeat him while worrying that he would go home to find his elders.

"Rest assured, if I lose, it's because I'm unskilled, and I will never go find my grandfather to help me settle the score."

"Likewise, if I hurt you, don't you go complaining to the Pope either."

Having achieved his goal, the smile on Lin Beiya's face deepened, and he nodded quickly:

"That goes without saying. Make your move; don't say I didn't give you a chance."

The sneer on Xiong Chumo's face slowly solidified. He had never seen such a pretentious brat; it was enough to infuriate anyone. He decided in his heart that he must make this kid pay, and if he didn't leave him bedridden for two or three months, he would consider it his own loss.