"Fine, fine, fine."
Bibi Dong was nearly laughing out of anger because of Lin Feng. As the Pope, she couldn't believe he dared to sit there so calmly while speaking such infuriating words—words she didn't want to hear at all.
"How outrageous. Is this how you talk to the Pope?!"
So now she's trying to use her status to suppress me, huh? Lin Feng sighed.
He stood up and bowed:
"It was disrespectful of me, Lin Feng. I beg your pardon, Your Holiness.
But I still must say this—Yu Xiaogang is not as capable as he is reputed to be. His reputation is undeserved."
"You—!"
Bibi Dong forcibly suppressed her inner rage, her gaze fixed on Lin Feng like daggers.
"Then go ahead. Tell me—exactly what part of his theory is flawed?"
"First, point one: Innate soul power is proportional to the quality of one's martial soul.
If that were truly the case, then shouldn't all disciples of the Haotian Sect—who possess top-tier martial souls—have been born with full innate soul power?
Second, the Martial Soul Mimicry Theory. It claims plant-type martial souls can absorb beast-type soul rings, and vice versa. But soul masters have existed for tens of thousands of years—are we to believe that none of the early soul masters ever absorbed incompatible soul rings?
Are all tool martial souls supposed to have corresponding tool-type soul beasts? Can hammers and sticks grow sentience or something?
This is basic knowledge in the soul master world. It's just that absorbing rings of the same type improves soul compatibility and yields more suitable soul skills—that's why it became the norm.
This theory is like saying soul masters can become farmers. Sure, it's possible. But why bother?
And now the third point, regarding the soul—"
"Enough!!!"
Bibi Dong screamed like she'd gone mad. Her beautiful face had twisted with fury.
Bang!
With a burst of soul power, she grabbed Lin Feng by the collar and lifted him into the air, her pupils bloodshot, breathing heavily.
"You really think I won't kill you?"
Cough, cough "You won't. In fact, you can't.
The Grand Priest left a contingency on me. With your current Soul Douluo-level power, you're far from being able to break it."
Dangling midair, Lin Feng looked calmly into her eyes. But to Bibi Dong, that expression looked like mockery.
"Heh."
Bibi Dong frowned. If Lin Feng was telling the truth, then she really couldn't threaten his life. The power of a Titled Douluo was a whole different league.
Seeing the shifting emotions on her face, Lin Feng quickly offered her a way out:
"Your Holiness, the Spirit Hall needs my theories. And as the Pope, you need my research even more."
Bibi Dong stared deeply at him for a long moment, then finally released her grip, taking a deep breath.
Cough.
Lin Feng rubbed his sore neck and exhaled a long breath.
Looks like the erosion from the Rakshasa God's will hadn't taken full hold of her yet.
If it had been over a decade of psychological corrosion, once Yu Xiaogang became a true obsession, things might've ended very differently.
It's laughable, really. Bibi Dong, born with twin martial souls and full innate power, needed negative emotion activation to ascend to godhood.
At least Qian Xunji thought so—he sacrificed himself to set things in motion, helping two divine beings rise within the Spirit Hall. He was the true puppet master of the Douluo world. A mad genius—Qian Xunji.
Who knows what kind of smile the original novel described when Qian Xunji died at Bibi Dong's hands? Just imagining it is exhausting.
"You seem pretty proud of yourself," Bibi Dong said coldly, all trace of her earlier gentleness gone.
Lin Feng sighed internally. Didn't the illusion already wear off? She's fully in 'blackened' mode—three times the power, and three times the romantic obsession too.
"A bit, yeah."
Bibi Dong narrowed her eyes.
"I'm only nine years old and already achieving this much. Can't I be proud for a bit?"
Bibi Dong said nothing. Why did she always feel so powerless in front of this annoying brat?She couldn't act against him, and worse—he was right.
Massaging her aching temples, she finally remembered why she had come here in the first place.
She sat back at the table and gestured for Lin Feng to sit down again.
"You're clever. I do need something from you. I want you to add a new research topic to your studies—solve the problem of martial soul mutation failure preventing breakthroughs."
Lin Feng stared at her for a moment, then calmly replied:
"The one who understands their martial soul best is themselves.
You want me to solve a problem that even that so-called 'Master' couldn't? One, there's no theoretical base. Two, there's no subject to study. Three, there's no benefit for me.
I have no reason to waste effort on a thankless task."
Bibi Dong felt her chest tighten with frustration. She snapped:
"Then take it as a personal commission! Name your price!"
"Impossible. I have more important things to do. If you really want it, then wait.
Wait until my research is fully complete."
Bibi Dong snorted: "Who knows how long that will take? Even Yu Xiaogang needed more than ten years just to establish his theory of the ten martial soul competitiveness factors!"
Lin Feng chuckled:
"Your Holiness, please stop mentioning that failure in front of me. He spent over ten years just copying and summarizing old wisdom?
That's pathetic!
And don't compare me to him. That's insulting."
"Insolent!"
Bibi Dong's soul power erupted, flipping the entire table—and Lin Feng along with it.
Lin Feng stabilized himself midair:
"If you don't believe me, I can write down the original sources of his theories. Go verify it yourself in the Scripture Pavilion!"
"Silence!"
Bibi Dong's amethyst-like eyes were now tinged red, and a murderous aura radiated from her body.
The chilling, evil presence instantly filled the room.
Lin Feng gritted his teeth and met her gaze proudly, even though his legs had started trembling uncontrollably.
Bibi Dong was stunned. Even a wisp of Killing God Domain shouldn't be something a soul master at his level could endure.
Suppressing her rage, she was just about to speak—
BANG!
The doors to the room flew open.
A golden figure rushed toward Lin Feng.
Before she arrived, her voice was already ringing out.
"Let go of Xiao Feng!"
Feeling the rich, holy power from the girl charging in, Bibi Dong sneered:
"You care that much about him? Fine. Let's all suffer together—let's see how long you two can last here!"
As she spoke, she restrained Qian Renxue as she reached Lin Feng's side.
The Killing God Domain reappeared in full force. Under the weight of her murderous aura and soul power, Lin Feng and Qian Renxue both dropped to their knees.
Qian Renxue's face went pale, her beautiful eyes gleaming with defiance.
She said, one word at a time:
"If you hurt him, I'll have Grandfather strip you of your title as Pope!"
"Hehehe."
Bibi Dong laughed coldly: "You think he'd agree to that? Your Qian Clan owes me far more than this!"
Qian Renxue froze. What did she mean by that? What did the Qian Clan do to her?
Looking at the pair in front of her, a wicked idea suddenly sparked in Bibi Dong's heart.
Aren't you two so lovey-dovey? Then let me plant a wedge between you.