Chapter 45: The First Encounter Between Xiaogang and Bibi Dong
"But since you used sheer effort to overcome the slow cultivation caused by your low innate soul power, and achieved such impressive results," Bibi Dong asked, "why would you want to jump into the lake?"
The young flat-headed man looked weary and forlorn. "Even though I've worked two hundred times harder than others to reach my current level, the ceiling still remains. Three years ago, I reached level twenty-nine. Since then, no matter how I train, I can't break through that barrier. My sect decided I was a waste who would never reach level thirty. They grew impatient with me, called me an embarrassment, and cast me out. Along the way, I was deceived and robbed of my savings. Homeless and broken, I wandered here to Coconut City."
He gazed wistfully at the rippling surface of the lake, his meaning clear: after enduring so much pain and humiliation, he had decided to end it all.
Listening to his miserable story, Bibi Dong felt a wave of compassion.
A man with only 0.5 levels of innate soul power had worked tirelessly to become a rank twenty-nine Grandmaster, yet his own sect labeled him garbage. How blind they were! His determination should have been praised, not scorned.
"No," she said softly, "you shouldn't give up. If you die now, you'll never prove them wrong. The only way to escape the title of 'waste' is to live—to find a way to surpass your limits. Show those who mocked you what you're truly capable of."
"But…" he murmured, silent again.
"Maybe I can help you," Bibi Dong said. A flicker of resolve shone in her eyes—she wanted to save this stranger.
"Really?" His body trembled slightly, but then he shook his head and refused with a sigh. "Forget it. My problem isn't something ordinary people can solve. I'll face it myself."
"I mean it," Bibi Dong said earnestly. "My name is Bibi Dong. I'm the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall. Perhaps Spirit Hall can find a way to help you surpass your bottleneck."
At those words, the man's eyes flashed with sudden brilliance.
"Thank you…" he said hoarsely. A fleeting spark of gratitude softened his tired, sorrow-lined face. "You're the first person in this world who's ever been kind to me."
Bibi Dong felt a warm sense of accomplishment. Smiling, she said, "I've told you who I am. Now it's your turn—what's your name?"
"My name is Yu Xiaogang."
The name stunned Bibi Dong. The story he had told matched one she'd heard before.
Yu Xiaogang—famous throughout the inner circles of the soul master world. The son of Yu Yuanzhen, patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Born with boundless potential, yet when his martial spirit awakened, it mutated into a pig. His first ability… was to fart. The shame of an entire Upper Sect.
She remembered scoffing when her teacher, Qian Xunji, had first told her his story.
Now, thinking of that, guilt welled within her.
Xiaogang saw her expression and his eyes dimmed. "Ah, I suppose you've heard of me. You must think I'm trash, too."
"No!" Bibi Dong blurted. "Yu Xiaogang, if you were truly trash, you'd have given up long ago. But you didn't. Tell me—how many people born with only 0.5 levels of soul power could ever reach level twenty-nine? Before today, I didn't understand you; yes, I laughed at your story. But meeting you in person… I see now how wrong I was. I'm sorry, Yu Xiaogang. I'm truly sorry."
When she admitted to once mocking him, a flicker of resentment flashed through Xiaogang's heart. Yet on his face, he wore a mask of serenity. "It's alright," he said calmly. "The world has always judged me that way. You were only influenced by their shallow vision."
At that moment, Yu Xiaogang's expression radiated a strange aura of wisdom—so radiant that Bibi Dong almost couldn't bear to look straight at him.
"I've heard your martial spirit is an external one," Bibi Dong said curiously. "May I see it?"
"Luo Sanpao," Yu Xiaogang called.
With a snort and a puff of air, a plump violet pig appeared, squealing in protest.
Bibi Dong's eyes widened instantly at the sight of the odd creature. Yu Xiaogang felt sure she was suppressing laughter, but he maintained his composure. With his hands behind his back, he said solemnly, "This is my spirit, Luo Sanpao. I know he's ugly. I know he's weak. But I've never hated him. He's part of me—my partner in battle. The moment he awakened, I swore that one day, he and I would stand atop this world together."
Luo Sanpao, listening to this speech, couldn't help glancing sideways at him with miserable indignation—its small piggy eyes clearly skeptical.
But what Yu Xiaogang didn't expect was for Bibi Dong to step forward and scoop the chubby creature into her arms. "He's so cute!" she said sincerely, rubbing her cheek against its snout.
Yu Xiaogang's eyebrow twitched. Cute? Are you blind? It's a pig that doesn't even look properly like a pig! he thought.
Still, seeing her smile so fondly at his spirit, he quickly changed his mind. Perhaps this is an opportunity, he mused inwardly. If she likes Luo Sanpao that much, I can use it to draw her closer…
"By the way," he asked casually, "I'm curious—what's your martial spirit?"
"You don't know?" Bibi Dong asked with a trace of unease, immediately tensing. She didn't like to talk about it.
"I've spent nearly all my time training," Yu Xiaogang said evenly, his hands clasped behind his back again. "I'm not well informed. This is the first I've heard that Spirit Hall even had a 'Holy Maiden.'"
Hearing that, Bibi Dong looked down at the pig in her arms. If even he could boldly accept his spirit's flaws, why was she still afraid of her own? In that moment, Yu Xiaogang's image in her heart grew taller, nobler, almost heroic.
"My martial spirit is the Death Spider Emperor," she admitted softly. "When it possesses me, I look… monstrous. I'd rather not show it."
Yu Xiaogang looked at her, his voice full of genuine admiration—or so it seemed. "No. You're far too beautiful for that. No matter what spirit you possess, nothing could ever make you look ugly."
A faint blush colored Bibi Dong's cheeks.
(END CHAPTER)
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