Love-Struck Fool

Lin Fan paused, then smiled. "Old village chief, that's a pretty direct question."

"But I'm still not sure exactly what you mean."

Qian Daoliu thought for a moment. "I mean solving the problem at its root. If we kill them, Tang San can't be born. And even if he is born, we can find him when the story begins and kill him then. Wouldn't that save Spirit Hall?"

Lin Fan smiled and shook his head. "Old village chief, that's a classic Grandfather Paradox."

"A what?" Qian Daoliu frowned.

"It means that even if you went back in time and killed the protagonist's ancestors, the future might not change the way you expect. The unexpected would still happen," Lin Fan explained.

"Besides, Tang Chen wouldn't be easy to kill. He's a Peerless Douluo known as invincible on land, on par with Qian Daoliu. It would probably take Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi joining forces to stand a chance."

Lin Fan continued, "And say Qian Daoliu held Tang Chen off while the rest of Spirit Hall wiped out the Clear Sky Sect. It still wouldn't help. Tang San himself is a Son of Fortune, favored by the will of the world. Kill his ancestors, and you might just bring about an even more ridiculous twist."

"So my answer to your question, old village chief, is that it wouldn't work. Even if you killed Tang San, he wouldn't necessarily be the only one who could destroy Spirit Hall. It could be someone called Ah San, Lin San, or even some random person on the street."

"Spirit Hall didn't lose to one person. It lost to an entire era."

"And I told you the ending not long ago. Even if Tang San gets killed, he comes back to life, grows even stronger, and turns the tables."

Golden Crocodile Douluo snorted beside them. "So according to you, Spirit Hall is doomed either way? Kill him or don't kill him, it makes no difference?"

Lin Fan heard the hostility in his voice and was baffled. "Sir, don't get worked up. I'm talking about the plot of a novel, not something that actually happened."

"There's no point arguing over it. The author wrote the novel, so whoever the author wants to win, wins."

"The author?" Qian Daoliu seized on the word. "This author you mentioned... who is he?"

Lin Fan sighed. "Who else? The author is the person who wrote the novel Douluo Continent."

At the same time, Lin Fan found himself wondering, Why are the people in this village so interested in Spirit Hall? They even want to save it. They heard one story and started acting like they're part of Spirit Hall.

Man, this village must be short on entertainment. They've gotten so invested in a story.

Lin Fan couldn't see it, but as soon as he finished speaking, everyone frowned.

Qian Daoliu felt a tightness in his chest, as though something were lodged there.

He took a deep breath and asked, "This author—does he know everything about Douluo Continent?"

"Of course," Lin Fan replied without thinking. "He wrote everything in Douluo Continent. How could he not know?"

"So don't take it so seriously, old village chief. Everything in the novel is made up by the author. Besides, he didn't stop at one book. He wrote a second, third, and fourth book set after Spirit Hall had been gone for ten thousand years..."

"They just got worse and worse. The first one's still the classic."

When he finished, the others in the room exchanged looks.

After a moment, Bibi Dong chimed in. "But what if... Douluo Continent really exists?"

Lin Fan laughed. "Dong'er, you make it sound real. If Douluo Continent were real, wouldn't that mean I'd crossed into another world?"

"And if I really had crossed over, I'd be the most miserable traveler there ever was. Just look at me—I fell so hard I went blind."

Qian Xunji glanced at Bibi Dong, signaling her not to ask any more questions.

Bibi Dong understood and gave a smile. "You're right. I just got caught up in the story and started wondering aloud."

Lin Fan smiled. "I know. I'm just passing the time too."

"All right, young man. Your story was fascinating, but you should rest for now. I have things to attend to." Qian Daoliu stood up.

"Sure. Go ahead," Lin Fan said with a nod.

Before leaving, Qian Xunji said, "Dong'er, Lin Fan can't see. Stay here and keep looking after him."

"Yes, teacher."

Then everyone except Bibi Dong went out.

Lin Fan took a sip of water. "Dong'er, was the old village chief a soldier? He still has such a commanding voice at his age."

Bibi Dong was quiet for a moment. "Yes. The village has only kept getting better because of him."

Lin Fan grew curious again. "Dong'er, what skill are you learning from the village chief?"

Bibi Dong froze. Then she remembered that, before meeting Lin Fan, she had just returned from the Star Dou Great Forest with her sixth soul ring. "Hunting."

"Hunting! I didn't expect that. Your voice is so gentle and lively—I never imagined you'd hunt," Lin Fan said in surprise.

"It's nothing. Actually, can I ask you something in private?" Bibi Dong asked softly.

"Of course, Dong'er." Lin Fan smiled.

"You don't have to be so formal. Just call me Dong'er."

"All right, Dong'er. Ask away."

Bibi Dong sounded a little embarrassed. "Earlier, you said Bibi Dong would fall in love with someone. When does she meet him?"

"You mean when Bibi Dong meets Yu Xiaogang?" Lin Fan asked.

"Yes." Bibi Dong nodded.

Lin Fan thought carefully before answering. "The novel doesn't give an exact time. By the start of the story, Bibi Dong is already the Pope of Spirit Hall. How they met and fell in love is mostly glossed over in flashbacks."

"But based on those flashbacks, it should be when she's a teenager, around seventeen or eighteen. Maybe sixteen. Somewhere around that age."

"Then it won't be long," Bibi Dong murmured.

"What was that? What won't be long?" Lin Fan paused.

"Oh, nothing. I mean, why would the Saintess of Spirit Hall fall for a good-for-nothing who can't cultivate?" Bibi Dong genuinely couldn't understand it.

Lin Fan set down his cup and thought it over. "Dong'er, I argued with people on forums about that question at least ten times back in the day."

"Forums?" Bibi Dong asked, puzzled.

"Places where people discuss things over the internet," Lin Fan explained, then returned to the point. "How do I put this? Bibi Dong back then wasn't the cold Pope she later became. She was just a girl of sixteen or seventeen. She was incredibly talented and had a lofty position, but there were hardly any people around her she could speak honestly with."

"As for Yu Xiaogang, because his Martial Soul was useless, he devoted himself to studying Soul Masters. When they met, he already knew quite a bit. He had a stubborn streak too. He knew what everyone thought of him, but he refused to accept his fate."

"For Bibi Dong, who'd never had to worry about cultivation, that contrast was irresistible."

Bibi Dong listened quietly, her eyelashes trembling.

"When you get down to it, she was starved for love," Lin Fan said with a sigh. "She didn't lack Soul Power, status, or resources. She lacked someone who would see her as an ordinary girl. Yu Xiaogang was that person."

"See her as an ordinary girl..." Bibi Dong repeated softly.

"Exactly." Lin Fan nodded. "That's why Bibi Dong's story is so tragic. She wasn't born a villain. She was driven to become one. Readers hate her, but they feel for her too."

Lin Fan smiled. "Anyway, enough of that. Dong'er, what made you ask?"

Bibi Dong took a quiet breath and returned to her usual lively tone. "I was just curious. I'm a girl too, after all. I wanted to hear what you thought about that kind of love."

"Oh?" Lin Fan drew the word out teasingly. "Looking for advice, Dong'er? What, do you have someone you like?"

Bibi Dong blushed. "I do not. Stop making things up."

"Okay, okay, you don't." Lin Fan laughed. "But seriously, Dong'er, you're pretty and kind. When you do fall for someone, make sure you look closely before you give him your heart. Don't be like that Bibi Dong."

"Don't be like Bibi Dong?" Bibi Dong froze again. "Why not?"

"Because Bibi Dong lets love override her judgment," Lin Fan replied.

"What does that mean?" Bibi Dong asked.

Lin Fan explained with a smile. "It means that once she falls for someone, love becomes her whole world. All she can think about is him. Reason, judgment, boundaries—she throws them all away."

"That's part of why Spirit Hall falls: Bibi Dong lets love override her judgment."

"She's usually so shrewd, but the moment the man she loves is involved, she loses her head."

"At the end, when Yu Xiaogang's disciple Tang San is about to kill her, she's still thinking about Yu Xiaogang. And by then, Yu Xiaogang is with his own cousin."

"So, put simply, love makes her lose her mind."

Bibi Dong grew angry. "You're the one who's lost his mind!"

"Dong'er, I meant Bibi Dong, not you," Lin Fan explained, but Bibi Dong had already run out.

Lin Fan sighed. "Why does this village feel so strange? Everyone here gets worked up so easily."