The next day, Bibi Dong received intelligence from a covert agent in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Information on anyone else might have been another matter, but Yu Xiaochuan was simply too famous within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
In less than a year, he had risen from rank half to rank nine.
Who could manage that?
Besides, Yu Xiaochuan awakening such a peculiar external beast Martial Soul as Caterpie was a rarity in itself.
"His father is a collateral-branch disciple of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon as his Martial Soul. His mother is a commoner Soul Master whose Martial Soul is the Jade Ruler. A Martial Soul mutation resulted in his awakening the external beast Martial Soul Caterpie."
"Innate rank-half Soul Power."
"Intelligent from childhood and exceptionally handsome. Before turning six, he proposed a Martial Soul theory: the higher the quality of the Martial Soul, the better one's looks, though the reverse does not necessarily hold true. A clever child."
"Xiaogang also wanted to take him as his stepson, but he refused."
"With the trash Martial Soul Caterpie, he defeated Yu Tianheng, the eldest grandson of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's clan leader, winning all three matches. Unable to advance beyond rank nine, he left to pursue his studies."
Bibi Dong read through the information on Yu Xiaochuan, which also included his portrait.
Through it, she gained an impression of Yu Xiaochuan.
He was a young, intelligent, good-looking child who was held back by his Martial Soul, and he was also very proud and stubborn.
Not only had he rejected Yu Xiaogang, he had even used the trash Martial Soul Caterpie to defeat the top-tier beast Martial Soul Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.
Indeed, there were no trash Martial Souls, only trash Soul Masters.
He was just like Xiaogang back then. She remembered how Xiaogang had joined Spirit Hall to seek a breakthrough, just as proud, just as stubborn, and just as unwilling to admit defeat.
Even with no hope of a breakthrough, he had still proven himself under the name of Grandmaster.
"Xiaogang wanted to take this child as his stepson?"
Bibi Dong stroked the documents as some ideas formed in her mind.
She happened to have no children at her side. If this child was willing, she would take him as her adopted son.
As for Qian Renxue?
Bibi Dong had never regarded her as her own child. If not for her wariness of Qian Xunji and Qian Daoliu, she would have strangled the child long ago.
Now that Qian Renxue was going undercover in the Heaven Dou Empire, it worked out perfectly. She would not have to see her in her daily life.
I wonder how it'll turn out? Joining Spirit Hall definitely won't be a problem. Spirit Hall has always kept its doors wide open. Even Tang San received several invitations.
I just don't know whether they'll approve my request to read Spirit Hall's book collection.
After leaving the Spirit Hall Branch, Yu Xiaochuan patiently waited for word from Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo.
Fortunately, he did not have to wait long.
After only a few days, Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo came to find Yu Xiaochuan and told him to get ready to leave.
"Xiaochuan, you're joining Spirit Hall?!"
When Yu Xiaogang learned from Yu Xiaochuan that he intended to join Spirit Hall, he immediately grew anxious.
Didn't he know exactly what kind of hellhole Spirit Hall was?
In any case, he could not let Yu Xiaochuan go there.
His experiences in Spirit Hall back then had left Yu Xiaogang deeply wary of it.
"Spirit Hall is no benevolent place. Xiaochuan, you absolutely mustn't go. Don't let its Soul Masters bewitch you!"
"Spirit Hall's Soul Masters look righteous on the surface, but they're hypocritical and ugly underneath. They've always liked carrying out shady dealings in the dark!"
"Grandmaster, I've already made up my mind to join Spirit Hall. I've finished reading your collection. Only Spirit Hall's books can meet my needs!"
"Whether it's to make a breakthrough or become a grandmaster of theory, Spirit Hall is the best choice."
"Xiaochuan, you still haven't given up on making a breakthrough?"
Only then did Yu Xiaogang realize that Yu Xiaochuan had not given up on advancing. Yu Xiaochuan wanted to join Spirit Hall to seek a breakthrough, exactly as he himself had done back then.
But as someone who had been through it, and had spent all these years troubled by what had happened in Spirit Hall, how could he let Yu Xiaochuan follow in his disastrous footsteps?
"According to my research, Xiaochuan, you can no longer advance. Your Caterpie is only a trash Martial Soul. Its potential is already exhausted, and rank nine is its limit. Even joining Spirit Hall won't help!"
"Bullshit! Yu Xiaogang, you only reached that conclusion because you're trash! You're stuck at rank twenty-nine and can't break through yourself. What gives you the right to think I can't break through?!"
Hearing Yu Xiaogang say that, Yu Xiaochuan no longer even called him Grandmaster.
Hmph, Yu Xiaogang is nothing but a mediocre teacher.
If he had not wanted Caterpie to evolve into Rayquaza, Yu Xiaochuan could have had Caterpie evolve right then and dazzled Yu Xiaogang with it.
But he would never gamble with his own future.
"Come on, Yu Xiaogang! Let's fight! Let's see who's really trash!"
"You said it yourself: there are no trash Martial Souls, only trash Soul Masters. I have a rank-nine Caterpie, and you have a rank-twenty-nine Luo Sanpao. Let's fight. Whoever loses is trash. Do you dare accept?!"
Yu Xiaochuan challenged Yu Xiaogang.
"Well, sigh... very well. Let me show you the gap between us."
Yu Xiaogang also knew he had misspoken. How could he tell a child like Xiaochuan that his potential was exhausted and rank nine was his limit?
He himself had refused to accept such a thing back then. Only now that he was older had he gradually come to recognize the truth. Something like that was simply too cruel for a child.
Thus, Yu Xiaogang did not take Yu Xiaochuan's insults too seriously, but he accepted his challenge.
At rank twenty-nine against rank nine, there was absolutely no reason he would lose.
He only hoped that defeating Yu Xiaochuan would make him face reality and abandon joining Spirit Hall.
"Xiaochuan, if you lose, you must not join Spirit Hall, and you must acknowledge me as your stepfather. I'll teach you well and make you a grandmaster of theory renowned across the continent."
"Hmph! Say that after you win. If I win, I won't ask for anything either. We'll simply sever all ties. Yu Xiaogang, the favor I owe you for lending me your books will be wiped clean."
Yu Xiaochuan had known Yu Xiaogang had not abandoned his scheming ambitions.
Still trying to be my father? Dream on!
No wonder he got so worked up when he heard I wanted to join Spirit Hall. So he's afraid I'll run off and he won't get his stepson.
A dog really can't stop eating shit.
"Fine, I agree."
Yu Xiaogang agreed immediately.
In his eyes, his victory was assured anyway.
Against anyone else, it might have been hard to say, but against Yu Xiaochuan, Yu Xiaogang was indeed certain of victory.
He and Yu Xiaochuan both had innate rank-half Soul Power and external beast Martial Souls, but his Martial Soul was Luo Sanpao.
A dog!
And Yu Xiaochuan's Martial Soul, Caterpie, was only a worm.
Even if both were trash Martial Souls, Yu Xiaochuan's was the more worthless one.
Besides, there was a twenty-rank gap between them.
Rank twenty-nine against rank nine-there was absolutely no reason he would lose.
"Oh dear, no, you mustn't! You two belong to the same clan. Why go this far?!"
"Grandmaster Xiaogang, since Xiaochuan has made this decision, you ought to respect the child. Six isn't that young anymore. He can make his own decisions."
Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo tried to dissuade them from the side.
Of course, he was actually speaking up for Yu Xiaochuan and taking his side. If Yu Xiaochuan really lost, wouldn't his own good fortune vanish?
His promotion and pay raise were riding on this!
Besides, in his view, the gap between rank nine and rank twenty-nine was simply too great. There was absolutely no reason Yu Xiaochuan would win.
Yu Xiaochuan's gaze was resolute, his words ringing firm. "Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo, there's no need to say any more. My mind is made up. Yu Xiaogang, let's begin!"