Meeting Yu Xiaogang?

About three more hours passed.

Gui Mei opened his eyes.

Perhaps the Immortal Herb had suited him less well than Yue Guan's had. His Soul Power had risen by only one level, leaving him just short of level 95.

But Gui Mei was satisfied. His Yin Cold Power had increased by thirty percent, and his movements had grown even more mysterious and unpredictable.

For a Titled Douluo, those gains meant a real boost in strength.

Yue Guan briefly filled Gui Mei in, then the three of them headed outside.

Bibi Dong and the other two had spent almost a full day inside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

"This place is extremely important," Bibi Dong said. "Leave four people to guard it. The other two will come into the city with us."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

As the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, Heaven Dou City ranked alongside Spirit City and Star Luo City as one of the three largest cities on the continent.

The streets bustled as Bibi Dong's group made their way to Spirit Hall near the city center.

Spirit Hall's buildings followed a strict hierarchy. At the top stood Spirit Hall Headquarters in Spirit City, followed by the Spirit Hall Palaces in the two imperial capitals, then Main Halls, Branch Halls, and Sub-Halls.

A palace of the second rank was headed by a Soul Douluo-level Platinum Bishop, assisted by two Soul Saint-level Vice Bishops and several Soul Emperor-level Deacons.

"Salas pays his respects to Your Highness and the two elders." Salas knelt on one knee with the two Vice Bishops.

Bibi Dong took the Platinum Bishop's seat, with Yue Guan and Gui Mei standing on either side of her.

"Salas, I know of you. Your Martial Soul is unusual, and the Pope thinks highly of you," Bibi Dong said calmly, her voice carrying authority.

Bibi Dong was still young, but she had grown up at Qian Xunji's side. His influence and that of those around him had taught her to project authority when the occasion called for it.

"Thank you, Your Highness. Forgive me for not welcoming you upon your arrival," Salas said respectfully. "Do you have orders for me?"

Bibi Dong wasted no time. "First, you have one day to find a Treasure Pouch in this city that can hold living things and keep plants fresh."

"Second, find out whether Thunder Douluo's second son is with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan or somewhere else."

"As you command. I'll send people to investigate at once," Salas replied.

Then he asked curiously, "Your Highness, by Thunder Douluo's second son, do you mean Yu Xiaogang? The good-for-nothing who was expelled from the clan recently?"

Bibi Dong's interest stirred. "Expelled from the clan? How did that happen? Tell me."

"It's no secret in Heaven Dou City," Salas said. "After Thunder Douluo devoted considerable effort to raising him, Yu Xiaogang finally reached level ten in Soul Power not long ago and obtained a soul ring."

"Thunder Douluo thought the soul ring might overcome the shortcomings of his Martial Soul. Instead, his Martial Soul has to eat carrots before he can use a soul skill."

"And that isn't even the worst of it. The soul skill has no offensive power at all. It just disgusts people with a stench like shit."

Yue Guan and Gui Mei raised their eyebrows, but both held back.

Bibi Dong could not. She burst out laughing. "It's exactly what Lin Fan said!"

Salas did not dare look up. "Naturally, the clan's younger members couldn't stand it. They jointly petitioned Thunder Douluo to expel Yu Xiaogang."

"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is built on passing down its Martial Soul. Thunder Douluo had already given Yu Xiaogang a chance for his second son's sake. Otherwise, with an Innate Soul Power of just 0.5, he could never have become a Soul Master at his age."

"As clan leader, Thunder Douluo could hardly save face by keeping him, either. This time, he had no reason to let Yu Xiaogang stay. He agreed to the petition and forbade Yu Xiaogang from ever traveling the continent as a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan again."

"When Heaven Dou City's nobles heard, Yu Xiaogang became the butt of their dinner-table jokes."

Suppressing another laugh, Bibi Dong asked, "So where is Yu Xiaogang now?"

"He happens to be in Heaven Dou City these past two days, Your Highness. I hear he wants to study at the Royal Academy, but they keep turning him away. He may still be at the gates."

Bibi Dong stood. "All right. Send someone to look into the Treasure Pouch immediately."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Let's go." Bibi Dong left the hall, with Yue Guan and Gui Mei close behind.

Once they were outside, Yue Guan lowered his voice. "Your Highness, don't tell me you want to meet Yu Xiaogang right now."

"Remember Lin Fan's prophecy—and His Holiness the Pope's warning."

"I haven't forgotten." Bibi Dong smiled. "But since we're in Heaven Dou City, I want to see just how useless Yu Xiaogang is—the man my future self somehow falls for!"

Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged a helpless look.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy stood on the eastern side of Heaven Dou City, occupying a vast tract of land. Its walls rose high, and two rows of stone pillars stood before its gates, each carved with the Heaven Dou Empire's crest.

A great plaque hung above the main entrance. The six Chinese characters for "Heaven Dou Royal Academy" were written in bold strokes, said to be the founding emperor's own calligraphy.

Bibi Dong and her companions stopped a short distance across from the Academy gates.

At the entrance, an Academy guard shoved a young man clutching a book. He wore a gray cloth robe faded from repeated washing.

"I'm not even asking to enroll," the young man pleaded. "I only want to enter the Library Pavilion and study the theories of Soul Masters from across the world."

"Once I've learned enough to put together a theory of my own and share it with everyone, Soul Masters everywhere will benefit."

A middle-aged teacher spoke up. "Yu Xiaogang, this is the third day. Stop pestering us. Only children of the nobility may enter the Royal Academy. Those are the rules, and I can't let you in."

"If you weren't Thunder Douluo's son, I'd have had the guards drive you off long ago."

One of the guards at the gate jeered, "You're sixteen and only at level eleven in Soul Power, yet you think you'll become a master of theory? Dream on!"

"Hah! Exactly..."

"I heard using his Martial Soul's soul skill is like making a cesspit explode! Hahaha..."

Yu Xiaogang gripped his book tightly, his face darkening. "Three days. Fine. You'll regret the decision you made today."

"I, Yu Xiaogang, won't set foot in this Royal Academy!"

Yue Guan glanced at him. "Your Highness, that must be Yu Xiaogang. He looks ordinary enough."

"Your Highness..."

When Bibi Dong did not answer, Yue Guan and Gui Mei both turned toward her.

Bibi Dong stared at Yu Xiaogang in a daze. She stood motionless, watching him seethe with indignation.

Meanwhile, at Lin Fan's residence...

"Huh? Why did one of the red threads turn black?" Lin Fan said in surprise. Through his murky vision, he could see a relatively thick thread that had changed from red to black.

"It's giving off an ominous black aura. I don't like it. How do I change it back?"

Lin Fan reached out a finger. A translucent finger appeared in his field of vision and flicked the thread, scattering the Black Aura. The thread turned red again.

"Wait. Why am I dizzy?" Lin Fan's vision swam. A moment later, he coughed up a great mouthful of blood.

Before losing consciousness, Lin Fan muttered, "What the hell was that...?"

Blue Silver had just entered the room to bring Lin Fan his meal. She saw what had happened.

"Lin Fan!" she cried.