So You're Yu Xiaogang?

Bibi Dong shuddered and snapped out of her daze.

She took half a step back.

"No!"

What happened to me just now? Why did seeing Yu Xiaogang suddenly leave me dazed?

I didn't do anything.

She looked at Yu Xiaogang. He was as ordinary as anyone in the crowd.

She was the Pope of Spirit Hall's disciple, Spirit Hall's Saintess. What outstanding Soul Master disciples hadn't she seen?

But the moment she saw Yu Xiaogang, something seemed to stir in her heart. For no reason, she found him pleasant to look at. For no reason, she cared.

Before she could even think, Who is he? she was already feeling something.

She even felt a pang of sympathy for his current plight.

This wasn't normal.

Bibi Dong stood there, a chill running down her back.

She asked quickly, "When you saw him just now, did you feel anything unusual?"

Yue Guan shook his head. "No. Just an ordinary Soul Master. Low Soul Power, no threat."

Gui Mei said, "Neither did I."

Yue Guan asked with concern, "You went blank for a moment. I called out to you, but you didn't answer. What happened?"

Thinking back on Bibi Dong's behavior and her question now, Yue Guan sensed something was wrong.

Bibi Dong said coldly, under her breath, "The pull of fate!"

She remembered what Lin Fan had said. Even though she knew what would happen in the future, even though she knew nothing about this man, even though all she felt toward him now was wariness and revulsion...

Once the threads of fate were joined, they would pull at her whether she wanted them to or not.

"What?" Yue Guan hadn't quite heard her.

Bibi Dong replied, "Remember what Lin Fan said?"

"Lin Fan said threads of fate could affect one another. I believe him now."

Yue Guan said, "Saintess, you mean seeing Yu Xiaogang affected you and made you lose focus just now?"

Gui Mei said grimly, "Saintess, I'll kill him right now."

Bibi Dong clenched her fists. Lin Fan had told her this was how her future self met Yu Xiaogang.

Then she fell in love with him, gave up everything for him, and was finally torn away from him by Qian Xunji, setting her on a path of no return.

"Let's go back!"

Bibi Dong would not let that happen now.

Whatever that feeling was, she would not let the future repeat itself.

Yue Guan and Gui Mei were taken aback. They turned to follow Bibi Dong, but after only a few steps, she stopped.

Bibi Dong stopped in her tracks. "No... Leaving now doesn't sit right with me. This feeling is making me miserable!"

Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged another startled look.

Then Bibi Dong turned and headed toward Yu Xiaogang.

"Wait, what's the Saintess doing?" Yue Guan scratched his head.

Gui Mei shook his head and followed her.

Yu Xiaogang was about to leave when Bibi Dong blocked his way.

She asked coldly, "So you're Yu Xiaogang?"

Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up at the sight of the beautiful young woman before him. She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen!

He gave what he thought was a polite reply. "I am. May I ask who—"

"Good!" Bibi Dong swung the fist she had been clenching all this time.

Before Yu Xiaogang could finish, his vision blurred and a fist slammed into his face.

Bang!

He staggered back two steps and fell. The scrolls in his hands flew out and scattered across the ground.

"You... you hit me?"

"You bet I did!" Bibi Dong went at him with fists and feet. "Yue Guan, Gui Mei, help me beat him up. Just don't kill him!"

"As you command!"

A few minutes later, Yu Xiaogang lay on the ground, bruised and swollen, unable to move. He looked like a well-fed pig.

Bibi Dong stretched. "Much better. Don't let me see you again. Every time I do, I'll beat you up!"

After giving Yu Xiaogang a beating, Bibi Dong felt at peace. The tightness in her chest was gone.

"Let's go." Bibi Dong turned and walked away.

Yue Guan and Gui Mei followed, both wearing complicated expressions.

Curled up on the ground, Yu Xiaogang watched them leave and wailed, "Who was that woman? Why did she hit me...?"

Yue Guan followed behind Bibi Dong. After holding it in for a while, he finally spoke. "Your Highness."

"Hmm?"

"You... hit him pretty hard."

"What, do you feel sorry for him?"

"I wouldn't dare." Yue Guan waved his hands hurriedly. "It's just that the way you fought didn't look like a Soul Master. It looked like a street brawl."

Bibi Dong glanced at him. "Didn't it feel good?"

Gui Mei replied, "It did..."

Bibi Dong went on, "Besides, even if Thunder Douluo finds out we beat him up like that, he won't say anything. If we'd killed him in front of all those people, that would be another matter."

Yue Guan said, "I understand that, but why did you suddenly attack him, Saintess?"

Bibi Dong answered slowly, "I did mean to leave at first, but something weighed on my chest. Beating him up made me feel better. Now, when I picture his face, all I see is a bruised and swollen good-for-nothing."

She paused, her tone growing colder. "From now on, every time I see him, I'll beat him up."

Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged a look and silently mourned Yu Xiaogang for a moment.

When the three returned to the temple, Salas was waiting for them.

Salas said respectfully, "Your Highness, I've found out what you asked me to."

Bibi Dong asked, "Who has it?"

Salas replied, "The Treasure Gathering Pavilion. They happen to be holding an auction at eight tonight, and the pouch you mentioned is among the lots. It's called the Wishful Treasure Pouch, and the starting bid is ten thousand Gold Soul Coins."

Bibi Dong paused, then smiled. "A Soul Tool that can hold living creatures and keep plants fresh, with a starting bid of only ten thousand? That's cheaper than I expected."

Salas bowed. "Your Highness, while the Wishful Treasure Pouch has unusual functions, it has significant limitations. Its interior is small, less than a cubic meter, and can only hold little things. That's why it isn't expensive."

Yue Guan said, "Your Highness, it will be enough. A hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins should secure it."

Bibi Dong nodded. "All right. We'll use that."

Salas reminded them, "Saintess, Elder, the final lot tonight is a thousand-year Soul Bone. Should I prepare more funds?"

"A thousand-year Soul Bone." Bibi Dong's voice turned cool. "What faction would turn down another one? I'll leave the funds for bidding on it to you."

Salas brightened. "Yes. I'll make the preparations right away."

After dinner, Bibi Dong led the group to the Treasure Gathering Pavilion.

"Bishop Salas of Spirit Hall has arrived! Private room three!" The attendant announced their arrival, and someone immediately came to receive them.

"This way, honored guests!"

Salas naturally deferred to Bibi Dong, inviting her to go first.

They arrived at a luxurious private room on the auction house's second floor. Beyond its glass window stood the auction stage.

Bibi Dong sat down on the sofa and couldn't help asking, "Salas, why does Spirit Hall only have private room three?"

Salas explained, "Your Highness, this is Heaven Dou City. Private room zero belongs to the imperial family, room one to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and room two to the Great Soul Arena."

Bibi Dong nodded. That made sense.