Bring Me Proof That Yu Xiaogang Isn't a Loser

Deng Tianxin froze.

He slowly lifted his head and met Bibi Dong's gaze. The alarm bells in his mind suddenly began ringing wildly.

Wait, what had he just said?

"Do you think you're that lovesick Bibi Dong?"

Wait, this woman was Bibi Dong?!

No wonder she had such a huge God of Love Fragment in her body. As expected of you, Bibi Dong.

Deng Tianxin grumbled inwardly, then coughed a few times. "Sorry to bother you. I just remembered that the village chief's pig is about to give birth, so I'd better make myself scarce."

As soon as he finished speaking, Deng Tianxin turned around, ready to hightail it out of there.

But before his short legs could take a second step, a slender hand, firm as an iron clamp, settled on top of his head.

Bibi Dong held his head down with one hand, a springlike smile on her face, but her eyes were as cold as a thousand-year-old pool.

"The village chief's pig is about to give birth?" Bibi Dong's voice was impossibly gentle. "You little brat, do you think your big sister will believe that?"

With Bibi Dong holding his head down, Deng Tianxin's legs pedaled uselessly in place for a while. When he realized he wasn't moving an inch, he finally gave up struggling in despair.

He slowly turned his head and forced a smile uglier than a cry. "Th-then what excuse do you think would be more believable, Big Sister? I'll make one up on the spot."

Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow, watching him with interest.

"Oh, Big Sister, look!" Deng Tianxin suddenly widened his eyes and pointed at the sky behind her. "There's a flying divine pig!"

Bibi Dong stared at him expressionlessly without even turning her head.

"Fine." Deng Tianxin's head drooped. He'd given up completely. "Big Sister, could you hit me a little more gently? The spot you hit earlier still hurts."

Bibi Dong stared at Deng Tianxin for a long while, then suddenly burst out laughing.

This little brat was scared out of his wits, yet he just couldn't stop running his mouth.

Bibi Dong let go of Deng Tianxin's head and crouched in front of him, asking with interest, "I'm curious, though. Why did you call me lovesick?"

She and Yu Xiaogang had gotten together a few months ago, and plenty of people knew about it. She wasn't surprised that Deng Tianxin had heard.

What she was curious about was why Deng Tianxin had called her lovesick.

The moment Bibi Dong asked, Deng Tianxin froze.

He looked at Bibi Dong crouching in front of him. She was smiling, and her tone was gentle enough. It seemed as though she really was just curious and had asked offhand.

But he could tell she genuinely wanted to know the answer.

That was a problem.

Deng Tianxin rapidly weighed his options.

Should he just say, "Because one day you'll ruin your life for a man and drag Spirit Hall down with you"?

If he said that, it wouldn't just be a matter of getting his bottom spanked. He'd probably be killed on the spot to keep him quiet.

But if he brushed her off, someone as sharp as Bibi Dong probably wouldn't let it go.

Deng Tianxin cleared his throat. "I heard you like a loser who's still only level 29, even now."

"Who are you calling a loser?"

Bibi Dong's smile didn't change, but Deng Tianxin clearly felt the hand resting on his shoulder tighten.

"I'm just stating the facts." Deng Tianxin shrugged, looking as though he didn't fear death. "Yu Xiaogang, born into the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. His Martial Soul mutated into Luo Sanpao, and he'll never break through level 30 in his entire life. What else would you call him but a loser? Everyone calls him the disgrace of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. I didn't come up with that nickname."

Feeling the fragment inside Bibi Dong grow more and more active, Deng Tianxin couldn't help feeling pleased.

Bibi Dong's gaze turned completely cold.

If she'd only been testing him and acting out of curiosity before, now he'd truly hit a sore spot.

The name Yu Xiaogang touched the softest part of her heart—and the one place she wouldn't allow anyone else to touch.

"He's not a loser," Bibi Dong said, each word deliberate. Her voice was quiet, but her conviction left no room for doubt.

"Oh?" Deng Tianxin raised an eyebrow, disbelief written all over his little face. "Then show me some proof. If you say he's not a loser, you must have a reason, right?"

Bibi Dong fell silent for a moment.

Seeing this, Deng Tianxin silently gave himself a pat on the back.

Bibi Dong began to think, searching for proof that Yu Xiaogang wasn't a loser.

As far as she could remember, Yu Xiaogang had nothing much to show for himself.

Bibi Dong remained silent for a long time.

Deng Tianxin didn't hurry her. He just tilted his head and watched her, his little face wearing an expression that said, See? I was right.

"He..." Bibi Dong finally began, her voice lower than before. It sounded as though she was trying to convince Deng Tianxin, or perhaps herself. "He has a real talent for researching Martial Soul Theory."

"Like what?" Deng Tianxin pressed.

Bibi Dong fell silent again.

Truth be told, she really couldn't think of a specific example.

Yu Xiaogang often told her he was researching Martial Soul Theory and how important his discoveries were. Whenever they met, he'd ramble on and on about it.

But when she tried to think of a research achievement he could actually show off, she was at a loss for words.

Had he published any papers?

Apparently not.

Had anyone recognized his theories?

It seemed not.

Had he won any awards for Martial Soul research?

Not a single one.

The only thing she could think of was the time he'd analyzed a child's Martial Soul traits at an Awakening ceremony in some city. The local Spirit Hall official in charge had told him he'd made an insightful observation.

But when it came down to it, that was just a polite remark. Even she found it embarrassing to use as proof.

"He came up with the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul theory." After thinking for a long time, Bibi Dong finally managed to say that much.

"What's that?" Deng Tianxin blinked.

He was a little surprised. He hadn't expected the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul theory to appear this early.

"It's..." Bibi Dong paused, realizing she didn't really know what the Ten Core Competencies actually were.

Yu Xiaogang had indeed mentioned the theory to her, but at the time she'd been busy cultivating and hadn't listened to his detailed explanation. She'd just given him a few offhand responses.

"You don't know, do you?" Deng Tianxin said helplessly.

Bibi Dong's expression froze.

Deng Tianxin sighed, then reached out with his little hand and patted Bibi Dong, acting like a world-weary old man. "Big Sister, look. You can't even say what he's good at, yet you're defending him. In plain terms, you don't even understand what he's capable of."

Bibi Dong opened her mouth to argue, but found she had nothing to say.

It reminded her of something.

A while ago, Yu Xiaogang had said he wanted to meet her teacher. He claimed he'd prepared thorough research materials and hoped to obtain Spirit Hall's resources and recognition.

She'd agreed to arrange it for him, but when she asked what his research was about, he'd only said he'd explain once he met His Holiness the Pope.