Yu Xiaogang's Embarrassing Entrance

Marble flooring made sense, but Black Iron Stone, Diamond, Black Tortoise Steel... Were those really materials for building a house? Tai Tan swallowed his questions and dutifully wrote down Huang Tieyi's requirements.

"Young Master Huang, it'll take us a long time to prepare these materials. The construction period will be rather long. Would that be acceptable?" Tai Tan asked softly after recording everything.

"Of course. Prepare everything according to my requirements..." Huang Tieyi took another stack of drawings from his Space Ring. "Once you understand my plans, you'll see what the materials are for. Keep them safe. If anyone else builds a house similar or identical to mine, I guarantee the Strength Clan will exist only in history books."

"Rest assured, Young Master Huang. I promise I won't leak a thing," Tai Tan said respectfully. The young man before him was around his son's age, yet just as strong as he was. Tai Tan did not dare offend him.

"Good. Let's sign the contract, then. I'll pay half up front," Huang Tieyi said with a satisfied nod.

Tai Tan's wife stepped forward and worked out the costs. They agreed on a delivery date and signed the contract, and Huang Tieyi paid half the price: 3,000 Gold Soul Coins.

Huang Tieyi took a copy of the contract, then went next door to the property agency to collect the purchase agreement and land deed.

"Dad, that Young Master Huang is so arrogant!" Tai Nuo said indignantly.

"Shut up. Even without his background, his talent and strength give him every right to act that way. And he's Spirit Hall's youngest elder." Tai Tan glared at Tai Nuo. "Study his plans and requirements properly. Building the house well is what matters. This is a major project. If we do a good job, the whole clan could start taking large contracts from Spirit Hall.

"I hear the Pope is getting married. A lot of elders will move out of Spirit Hall to avoid any awkwardness. This is a huge opportunity."

On the fifth and highest floor of the Library Pavilion, Bibi Dong sat at a desk reading about Ring Fusion.

"Ring Fusion can do more than strengthen a Soul Beast's spiritual power and produce a more powerful spiritual impact. It can also increase a Soul Ring's age, even push it all the way into the next tier. And as the ages of the Soul Rings rise together, their Soul Skills can undergo a qualitative change..." Bibi Dong read intently.

When she finished, she released her Martial Soul, the Death Spider Emperor, and carefully sensed the state of the Soul Power within her. The moment she released it, her pink hair turned purple. She immediately withdrew her Martial Soul, and her hair turned pink again.

"Looks like the Martial Soul Poison in my body has grown worse..." Bibi Dong propped up her head and thought for a moment. "A Yi said to take specialized problems to a specialist. Dugu Bo happens to be in Spirit City. I'll go ask him..."

Bibi Dong hurried downstairs. Just as she was about to leave through the ground-floor entrance, she collided with a young man sporting a short, flat haircut.

"I'm sorry. I was in a hurry..." Bibi Dong said, her voice full of apology.

"It's quite all right. My name is Yu Xiaogang. May I ask yours, miss?" the young man asked with modest courtesy.

"Hello, Yu Xiaogang. I'm Bibi Dong," she replied evenly.

"Bibi Dong, are you in such a hurry because of a cultivation problem?" Yu Xiaogang asked with confidence. "Perhaps I can help."

"Help me? What makes you qualified?" Bibi Dong took one look at his conceited expression and felt an instinctive dislike. Her voice turned cold.

"I've studied Martial Souls extensively. My research has led me to formulate ten major theories," Yu Xiaogang said, his face brimming with pride.

"Oh? What are they?" Bibi Dong asked curiously.

"My research shows that a Soul Master's First Soul Ring can be no older than 432 years..." Bibi Dong cut him off before he could finish his first theory.

"Stop. The 432-year limit for a Soul Master's First Soul Ring is on the sixth shelf of the third bookcase on the left side of the Library Pavilion's first floor." Bibi Dong looked at him with open contempt. "Besides, 432 years is merely the age Spirit Hall determined to have the highest safety margin after years of research. It isn't an absolute limit.

"Don't parade Spirit Hall's compiled research in front of me, Spirit Hall's Saintess. Are you implying I don't read?"

"I'm not! I really did reach that conclusion myself. I have others, too. There are no useless Martial Souls in the world, only useless Soul Masters..." Yu Xiaogang began.

"Stop. There's a serious problem with that claim. In theory, everyone has a Martial Soul. Some have awakened theirs, and some haven't. If two people have the same Martial Soul and the one who awakened it is stronger, does that mean the other person is useless?" Bibi Dong demanded.

"How could that be possible? Wouldn't Soul Masters be everywhere across Douluo Continent?" Yu Xiaogang challenged her, disbelief written all over his face.

"If you don't believe me, go to the innermost bookcase on the right side of the first floor. There's a book on the top shelf that clearly explains the theory that everyone has a Martial Soul..." Bibi Dong pushed past Yu Xiaogang in disgust and left the Library Pavilion.

Yu Xiaogang stared after her, utterly crestfallen. "Why wasn't it like the dream? Why was it different...?"

Still dazed, Yu Xiaogang walked to the back of the first floor. On the bookcase to the right, he found the book Bibi Dong had mentioned—Everyone Has a Martial Soul. He took it down and began turning its pages, but his mind was elsewhere. He kept wondering why the Bibi Dong in his dream had admired and liked him, while the real Bibi Dong had looked at him with such disgust.

Yu Xiaogang was still flipping through the book and failed to notice a chubby young man creeping up behind him. By the time he reacted, someone had grabbed him by the collar and slammed him to the floor.

Qian Hongliu rained down fists on Yu Xiaogang like a violent storm. "That's for deliberately bumping into Dongdong! That's for pestering her! That's for showing off in front of her..."

"Ow! Ow! Please stop hitting me! I'm Yu Xiaogang! I'm from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan..." Yu Xiaogang could not fight back against Qian Hongliu's punches. All he could do was beg for mercy. Only when he revealed his background did Qian Hongliu stop.

Qian Hongliu looked at Yu Xiaogang's bruised, swollen face. "You're from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?"

"Yes, I'm from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan..." Before Yu Xiaogang could finish identifying himself, Qian Hongliu punched him square in the eye.