Meanwhile
In Qiukui Town, Yu Xiaogang paced nervously.
His plan was about to succeed.
He knew Bibi Dong's rebellion was triggered by Qian Xuanji's oppressive control. As long as she eloped with him, she would be marked a traitor—cutting off her way back. Then she would be his, entirely.
She would protect him during their travels. Her powerful talent would make her a Titled Douluo before long, and then she could help him break through to new heights. Her exceptional body could even birth a gifted child for him. Someday, with her strength, he would return in glory to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and reclaim everything he had lost.
The thought filled him with glee.
Suddenly, a furious voice sounded from outside the town, transmitted directly to his ear through sound compression:
"Yu Xiaogang, get out here!"
The voice made his body tremble uncontrollably. His legs weakened.
He knew that voice. It was Qian Xuanji.
He had only considered the benefits of his plan—never the consequences.
Now, at the brink of success, Qian Xuanji had arrived. That meant Bibi Dong had been caught.
Qian Xuanji was the Pope—and a Titled Douluo. What should he do?
Panic seized him. His lower body felt warm. He looked down and saw that his pants were soaked—he had wet himself from fear. The smell was unmistakable.
"What are you waiting for? You have ten minutes to crawl out here." The voice rang again, filled with murderous intent.
Yu Xiaogang's legs gave out. "Y-Yes, Your Holiness," he stammered, dragging himself toward the town's edge.
On the way, he desperately brainstormed how to survive.
Eloping with the Saintess was a serious crime. Qian Xuanji would surely kill him.
Maybe he could invoke the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan for protection? No—that wouldn't work. He had already been expelled.
Then… blame everything on Bibi Dong. Yes—she was the foolish one who suggested eloping, not him.
Yes, it was all her fault.
Finally, he reached the woods outside the town, where he saw Qian Xuanji holding Bibi Dong, her mouth gagged.
"You even pissed your pants?" Qian Xuanji sneered. "I can't imagine what this piece of trash has that makes you care about him."
Yu Xiaogang's face flushed with shame.
Qian Xuanji released an overwhelming wave of spirit power. Under the crushing pressure, Yu Xiaogang collapsed to his knees.
"Speak. Why did the Saintess try to elope with you? I want an explanation."
Yu Xiaogang trembled and stammered, "I-It was her idea! The Saintess wanted to leave Spirit Hall with me. It had nothing to do with me!"
Bibi Dong's eyes filled with tears.
"Did you hear that, Dong'er?" Qian Xuanji said coldly. "Yu Xiaogang claims it was your idea."
Gagged, Bibi Dong couldn't speak. She could only look at Yu Xiaogang in heartbreak.
Yu Xiaogang met her eyes, then looked away guiltily, thinking: Dong'er, I'm sorry. But I want to live. If we both survive this, I'll explain. After all, I'm the only man in this world who truly cares for you.
Qian Xuanji said, "You've spent all this time brainwashing the Saintess, filling her head with ideas harmful to Spirit Hall, even secretly confessing your feelings. Did you think I wouldn't notice?"
"You approached Dong'er to exploit her talent, hoping to use Spirit Hall to solve your mutated spirit problem. When that failed, you tried to take her and fulfill your own ulterior motives."
A more powerful surge of spirit power swept forth, crushing Yu Xiaogang's body with immense pressure.
It's over, I'm done for! Yu Xiaogang thought in despair. He hadn't expected Qian Xuanji to see through all his plans.
The pressure from the soul power came fast and disappeared just as quickly.
Qian Xuanji withdrew the suppression and asked coldly, "Tell me, do you truly love the Saintess?"
Yu Xiaogang fell silent. All his scheming had been seen through by Qian Xuanji, and it was clear that there was no way he would be spared. Since he was doomed anyway, he might as well die leaving behind the image of a lovesick man. If Bibi Dong mourned him, perhaps she would come to hate Qian Xuanji, and the two would fight each other to death.
Qian Xuanji, even if I die, I won't let you have peace. Bibi Dong, become my blade of vengeance!
With that thought, a surge of courage and malice welled up in Yu Xiaogang. He nodded resolutely and said with a face full of affection, "Your Holiness, my feelings for Dong'er are witnessed by heaven and all living beings."
Qian Xuanji snapped, "Yu Xiaogang, aren't you afraid that I'll kill you?"
"Even if you kill me, it won't change my love for Dong'er," Yu Xiaogang said defiantly.
"Fine. You say you love Dong'er, but if you're lying and merely using her, I'll kill you. If you confess your true intentions for approaching her, I might let you live," Qian Xuanji said.
Yu Xiaogang now realized Qian Xuanji still cared deeply for Bibi Dong. After all, a twin martial soul was not something even the powerful Spirit Hall could easily discard. In this situation, Yu Xiaogang figured that to survive, he had to double down on his love for Bibi Dong rather than tell the truth. Only by leveraging her could he hope to strike at Qian Xuanji's weak spot and gain a sliver of life.
"Then I would rather die than betray my love for Dong'er," Yu Xiaogang declared. He looked at Bibi Dong with passionate eyes.
Bibi Dong returned his gaze tenderly, and seeing her again fall for him, Yu Xiaogang turned his head slightly and smirked with satisfaction.
"Hahaha," Qian Xuanji laughed. "A true man indeed. So it seems your love is quite deep."
Yu Xiaogang was stunned. What's going on? Is Qian Xuanji acknowledging our relationship?
"Then, are you willing to give up everything for Dong'er?" Qian Xuanji asked suddenly.
"Yes. Even my life," Yu Xiaogang answered firmly.
"Good. You came to Spirit Hall to find a way to fix the malignant mutation of your martial soul, right?" Qian Xuanji continued.
Yu Xiaogang maintained his act. "But from the moment I met Dong'er, I knew that my goal had changed. All I longed for was her love."
Qian Xuanji ignored his emotional words and pulled out a golden fruit from his soul tool. "Just because you couldn't find a solution, doesn't mean Spirit Hall doesn't have one."
Yu Xiaogang didn't know what the fruit was, but his martial soul reacted for the first time, surging with desire.
Golden Holy Dragon! This had been his lifelong dream. With this fruit, he could evolve his martial soul and rid himself of the shame of being labeled trash. He would have a bright future ahead.
"This is the Golden Dragon Essence Fruit. When consumed by dragon-type martial souls, it will promote evolution. I imagine it will help your pig martial soul become a true dragon," Qian Xuanji explained, playing with the golden fruit in his hand.
"Your Holiness..." Yu Xiaogang stared longingly at the fruit. If he had the power, he would have immediately summoned Luo Sanpao and blown Qian Xuanji away to steal it.
"You said you'd give up everything for Dong'er. Now you have a choice: this fruit or Dong'er," Qian Xuanji said coldly. "Choose the fruit, and it proves you were lying all along. I will give it to you, but you will never appear before Dong'er again."
"If you choose Dong'er, I will allow you two to be together. But you will never get another chance at this divine treasure. There is only one in all of Spirit Hall. Now, Yu Xiaogang, choose."
Can I say I want both? Yu Xiaogang cursed silently. Damn it! If I had known such a treasure existed, I wouldn't have exposed myself so early. I should've stayed loyal for a few more years and used Bibi Dong to get it. Then elope after I got the fruit—that would be a true win-win. I'd win twice!
Now, Yu Xiaogang faced a real dilemma. He knew what he wanted most, but...
He hesitated and looked at Qian Xuanji.
"I swear on my martial soul," Qian Xuanji said. "Whatever you choose, I'll keep my promise and let you live."
Yu Xiaogang first looked at Bibi Dong. Choosing her meant having a talented partner who would become a powerhouse in just a few decades—his soul power battery, and an excellent mother for strong offspring.
Then he looked at the fruit. Choosing it meant evolving into a top-tier genius, erasing his trash reputation, and securing a place among the continent's strongest.
What a tough question. Who are you kidding? I'm Yu Xiaogang, a man of steel. How could I live off a woman?
Though he had decided in his heart, Yu Xiaogang still said emotionally to Bibi Dong, "Dong'er, my love for you is eternal. But I long to become stronger, so I can stand beside you as your equal."
Then, turning away from her gaze, he declared, "I choose the Golden Dragon Essence Fruit."
"Haha! Made your choice, now shut up," Qian Xuanji sneered.
"Your Holiness…" Yu Xiaogang said hungrily, staring at the fruit.
"Here. I keep my word." Qian Xuanji tossed it to him.
Yu Xiaogang reverently caught the fruit. Every cell in his body screamed in anticipation.
Eat it. Evolve into a dragon!
With trembling hands, Yu Xiaogang prepared to devour the fruit—but suddenly, a massive pressure slammed him to the ground. The fruit rolled away.
Damn it! I'm about to evolve, and this bastard Qian Xuanji is trying to go back on his word!
The suppression lifted. Gasping for air, Yu Xiaogang scrambled to grab the fruit.
Qian Xuanji's voice rang out again. "Do not consume that fruit in front of me. Watching you evolve into a Golden Holy Dragon would make me want to cripple you."
"Your Holiness, you—" Yu Xiaogang looked up in rage.
"I gave it to you. And I promised to let you live. But that doesn't mean I won't cripple you," Qian Xuanji warned coldly.
No! I finally got a chance to evolve, and you want to ruin it?
"Get out of my sensing range with that treasure, or I'll cripple you anyway," Qian Xuanji ordered.
"Okay, okay! I'm leaving!" Yu Xiaogang replied quickly, then got up and left.
But another wave of pressure hit him. "I said roll!"
Humiliated, Yu Xiaogang curled into a ball and rolled away. Behind him, Qian Xuanji's mocking voice and Bibi Dong's silence followed.
"Hahaha! Dong'er, this is the man you're so attached to? He says he chose power to be worthy of you. Do you believe that?"
Damn you, Qian Xuanji! You just wait! Yu Xiaogang screamed inwardly as he rolled away.
Once out of sight, he stumbled to his feet and kept moving.
Clutching the fruit, he dared not consume it just yet. He feared Qian Xuanji would strike at the critical moment.
I need a safe place to absorb this!
After a long run, panting and exhausted, he found a secluded cave.
"Here it is," he muttered.
He pulled out the fruit and examined it. It glowed golden, with a faint dragon shadow inside.
"Hahahaha!" Yu Xiaogang laughed wildly, tears streaming down his face. "Golden Holy Dragon… finally, I've waited so long. From tonight on, my martial soul will no longer be the trashy Luo Sanpao—but the Golden Holy Dragon. I will no longer be mocked!"
He turned toward the direction he'd come from with a venomous look.
"Qian Xuanji, you think giving me this fruit will make me give up on Dong'er? Make her give up on me? Dream on!"
"No one understands Dong'er like I do. And Dong'er knows that only I truly love her. Our temporary separation will only deepen our bond."
"When I evolve into the Golden Holy Dragon, when I've grown strong, I'll storm Spirit Hall and take Dong'er back!"
He imagined summoning the Golden Dragon, slaying enemies at every step, shaking Spirit Hall to its core, and rescuing Bibi Dong from their clutches—becoming a hero famed across the land.
Yes. Choosing the fruit hadn't made him give up on Bibi Dong. On the contrary, with the evolved martial soul, he would need her more than ever to bear children with his superior bloodline. She was already his—how could he let Spirit Hall defile his woman?
Just as he prepared to swallow the fruit, a sharp elbow smashed into his gut and sent him flying. The fruit slipped from his grasp—into another's hand.
"Whew, just in time. Almost let you get rid of your loser status," the newcomer said.