Release Day

Just as the guards were about to drag Yu Xiaogang away, the leaders of the assembled factions filed out, with Bibi Dong at their head.

Even Qian Xunji had joined them at some point and now stood beside Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong had intended to lead everyone to the Titled Douluo coronation ceremony first, but the moment she stepped outside, she heard Yu Xiaogang screaming like a pig at slaughter.

Everyone around her was at least a Soul Douluo. How could they fail to recognize his voice? Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Luomian knew it especially well.

"Brother, why does that sound so much like Xiao Gang?"

"It does sound a little like him, but surely it can't be. How would he get here? Even if he wanted to find me, he should have gone back to the clan, not come to Spirit Hall."

"Brother, do you remember what happened back then? What if Xiao Gang came because of His Holiness the Pope..."

"Ahem!" Yu Yuanzhen cut him off, warning him not to continue their private exchange. Bibi Dong was right in front of them, and even as a Soul Douluo, he could not be sure she wouldn't intercept it.

Of course he knew what Yu Luomian meant: Yu Xiaogang's romance with Bibi Dong all those years ago...

Fortunately, they had parted ways in time. Otherwise, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan might have faced utter ruin.

Back then, he had hardly cared. He had even regretted that Xiao Gang hadn't managed to bring Bibi Dong into the clan.

But now that he knew Spirit Hall's true strength, he was grateful they had separated when they did.

As for Bibi Dong, the moment she heard Yu Xiaogang's scream, she wanted to take another route. She couldn't help it; looking at him made her sick.

But they had already chosen this way. She could hardly turn everyone around the moment they stepped outside and take the back door instead. So she steeled herself and walked toward the screams.

She was also curious what Qian Xunji was up to this time.

The others were astonished by what they heard. Who dared call Bibi Dong by name during a meeting this important? Did he have a death wish?

"Quick, quick! His Holiness the Pope is coming out! Drag him away!" The captain of the guards kept glancing back at Bibi Dong and the figures approaching behind her, urging his men to hurry.

"Damn it! You bastard! A mere Soul Grandmaster dares make trouble here?" One guard struck Yu Xiaogang on the neck, knocking him unconscious, and moved to drag him away.

"Wait!" A commanding woman's voice, touched with an ethereal quality, rang out across the surrounding hundred meters.

At her voice, the anxious guards dared not take Yu Xiaogang any farther. They all dropped to one knee to greet her.

"Your Holiness!" they called in unison.

"Rise. What happened here? Why all the shouting?"

The captain hurried to his feet but remained bowed. "Your Holiness, this man claimed to have been invited, but he had no invitation and tried to force his way in. We stopped him. I was about to have him taken away so he would not offend Your Holiness's eyes."

Behind Bibi Dong, the others marveled at the nerve of some people. A mere Soul Grandmaster wanted to get into a meeting this important? He had even tried to force his way in? Did he have no idea who he was?

Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Luomian's expressions darkened. The man really was Yu Xiaogang!

How dare that bastard do this?!

Brother, let's pretend we didn't see him for now. We can get him out afterward, take him back to the clan, and confine him there until he learns his lesson.

Yu Yuanzhen nodded and looked away from Yu Xiaogang, who lay on the ground like a dead dog. Even so, he kept a discreet eye on Bibi Dong's reaction, wanting to see how she felt about his son now.

"Is that true?" Bibi Dong asked.

"Yes! He even tried to make a wager with me. He said that if he produced an invitation, I'd have to kneel and kowtow in apology. If he couldn't, I could do whatever I wanted with him. He thought the wager would scare me off, but I followed the rules."

Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Luomian's faces grew uglier still. They wished they could shut out both sight and sound.

Before Bibi Dong could speak, Qian Xunji asked, "Is that true?"

"I would not dare lie to the Eighth Worshipper."

Qian Xunji nodded, then pointed at Yu Xiaogang from a distance. The unconscious man soon woke.

Yu Xiaogang shook his head, held it with one hand, and pushed himself up from the ground.

"What happened to me?"

He looked up. Bibi Dong, the woman he had longed for day and night, stood before him.

She was more mature now, more elegant, more commanding. So beautiful.

"Dong'er," Yu Xiaogang called tentatively.

Hearing him address her with such intimacy made Bibi Dong look as though she had swallowed something foul.

The guard beside him was so startled that he slapped Yu Xiaogang across the face.

"Shut your mouth!" the guard roared.

"Dong'er, it's me! Xiao Gang! I came to the meeting at your invitation, but these damned guards stopped me from going in!"

Bibi Dong replied coolly:

"Not every invitation was issued by me personally. I don't know whether you were invited."

Qian Xunji spoke up as well. "Yu Xiaogang, where is your invitation? If you had one, how could they stop you?"

Yu Xiaogang ignored Qian Xunji. He stood there, stunned by Bibi Dong's indifferent reply.

Wasn't it Dong'er who invited me herself? Did one of her subordinates invite me because of my reputation?

No! Impossible! For something this important, Dong'er must have invited me personally! I just look a little worse for wear right now, and it's embarrassing her. Yes, that's it!

Yu Xiaogang realized how disheveled he looked. Calling her by such an intimate name in front of so many people had embarrassed her too.

Right. I need to take this slowly. I can't expect everything at once. If I have to, I'll win Dong'er over again. She must still have feelings for me.

Yu Xiaogang straightened his clothes, put his hands behind his back, and assumed the bearing of a master.

"My apologies, Your Holiness. I overstepped just now. But I truly was invited here. My invitation must have fallen out somewhere, which led to this misunderstanding. Please forgive me, and have someone check whether I was invited."

Irritated at being ignored, Qian Xunji said:

"Yu Xiaogang, whether you were invited can wait. The guard told us you made a wager with him. Is that true?"

Yu Xiaogang's expression changed. He was embarrassed, but with the guard standing right there, he did not dare deny it and risk making another scene. After a moment's hesitation, he admitted it.

As long as he could prove he had been invited, it was only a wager. What was the big deal? Surely Dong'er wouldn't make an issue of it and humiliate him for the sake of a few lousy guards?

They should count themselves lucky if he let them off afterward. He only hoped they had enough sense not to keep pressing the matter.

And this elder, whoever he was, was none too bright either. How dare he bring it up?

I'll make sure to have a word with Dong'er later and get her to make trouble for him. He'll regret what he just said!

"Yes, Elder, but it was only a joke between me and the guards. None of us took it seriously."

Qian Xunji turned to the guards. "Were you joking?"

The guards exchanged uncertain looks, unsure how to answer.

The captain remembered the private message he had heard earlier. He steeled himself and dropped to one knee.

"Eighth Worshipper, this man was outrageously arrogant! It was no joke! I lost my temper and broke the rules by accepting his wager. Please punish me!"

"What exactly were the terms?"

"If he produced an invitation, I would kowtow and apologize. If he couldn't, he would kneel and bark like a dog."

Qian Xunji turned back to Yu Xiaogang and asked:

"Is what he said true?"