Chapter 19 – Bibi Dong
With the aid of the Whale Rubber, Lin Beiya's physical training became even more intense and focused. To him, this was an opportunity to push his body to new limits.
But in Qian Renxue's eyes, it was completely backwards.
After all—wasn't a soul master's strength supposed to come from soul power and soul skills? Why waste so much effort sweating over the body?
That day, she stood in the garden watching Lin Beiya repeatedly perform frog jumps with his eyes shut tight, his movements steady and deliberate. Finally, she couldn't hold back her curiosity any longer.
"Beiya, why do you keep doing these pointless exercises?"
"Pointless? That's only because you haven't realized the benefits of a strong body yet."
"Benefits? In a real fight between high-level soul masters, a strong body can't block an opponent's soul skills anyway, right?"
Qian Renxue pouted slightly, clearly unconvinced. In her view, physical strength only mattered in the lower ranks—once a soul master reached higher levels, sheer soul power and technique decided everything.
Lin Beiya quietly rolled his eyes.
He was speechless toward this "little angel" who was born with innate 20-rank soul power yet still only had two yellow soul rings.
"Let me ask you something," he began casually. "Do you remember the age limits for the first two soul rings?"
"Of course! The first one's around 420 years, and the second about 760 years," she answered proudly, as if reciting a prize answer from a textbook.
Lin Beiya nodded slightly, his tone calm.
"Then tell me—can an auxiliary-type soul master safely absorb a soul ring that's exactly at those limits?"
Without thinking, Qian Renxue shook her head.
"Of course not. Auxiliary-type soul masters have weaker physiques. It's safer to choose something a little below the limit…"
She suddenly paused mid-sentence. Her golden eyes widened slightly as she realized what he was implying.
"Wait… you're strengthening your body so you can absorb rings at the limit?"
"Not just that," Lin Beiya replied lightly. "I plan to go beyond the limit for my second soul ring."
"You're insane!"
Qian Renxue's eyes widened in disbelief. Her expression screamed You're out of your mind!
Lin Beiya only chuckled.
"You said it yourself—auxiliary soul masters pick weaker soul rings because their bodies can't handle more. But if my physique surpasses that of the record-holder who absorbed a 760-year ring… then why shouldn't I be able to absorb something stronger?"
He paused, then added with a smirk,
"Besides, when my Gold Saint Cloth activates, it enhances my physical strength by nearly ten percent. That alone raises my limit."
Qian Renxue bit her lip. Part of her wanted to scold him for being reckless—but another part admitted he made sense.
"You've… studied this more than I expected," she murmured. "I never thought about it that way before."
"Xiaoxue, you're someone born with innate 20-rank soul power, a talent unmatched in the world. You shouldn't limit yourself by comparing yourself to ordinary soul masters."
"I… I guess you're right," she said softly, her cheeks turning faintly pink as she lowered her head.
Seeing her shy reaction, Lin Beiya's mischievous hand moved almost on instinct—reaching out to ruffle her silky golden hair.
"Don't worry, Xiaoxue. When you absorb your next soul ring, wear the Gold Saint Cloth too. As long as it's within ten percent beyond the normal limit, it'll be perfectly safe."
"Mm… I understand," she nodded earnestly. "From now on, I'll train my body with you too."
Lin Beiya couldn't help but grin—the student was finally enlightened.
From that day onward, every evening after class, Qian Renxue joined Lin Beiya in his physical training routine. The once-pristine little angel now followed behind him, covered in sweat yet shining with determination.
And every time Lin Beiya saw her working so hard, he couldn't help but smile to himself.
"A teachable girl indeed."
When Qian Daoliu passed by the training grounds one afternoon, he couldn't help but shake his head as he watched Lin Beiya and Qian Renxue working up a sweat. He thought about stopping them, yet hesitated— their enthusiasm for cultivation was genuine, and he didn't want to dampen it.
After some indirect questioning, he finally learned the reason behind their strange new training method—Lin Beiya's idea.
Though skeptical, a spark of curiosity rose in his heart. If Lin Beiya could truly attach a soul ring beyond the theoretical limit, then perhaps this "unorthodox" training approach wasn't foolish after all. At the very least, it would serve as a good test case for his own theories.
---
Half a month passed quietly.
By now, Lin Beiya could clearly feel the changes in his body—his physique had strengthened significantly. Part of it was thanks to the Whale Rubber, but much of it came from his relentless effort.
His five senses had also improved steadily, save for his eyesight, and he was more than satisfied with his current progress.
That morning, just as he was about to begin another training session with the little angel, Qian Renxue stopped him with a bright smile.
"Beiya, Grandpa gave me the day off today! Let's go out and walk around Spirit City!"
"..."
The word "no" hovered on his lips, but when he saw the hopeful look in her eyes and that faintly pitiful expression, all resistance melted away. With a resigned sigh, he nodded.
And so, the two set off together toward the city gates. As they walked past the grand Hall of the Pope, Lin Beiya's gaze lingered on the towering golden structure, his expression thoughtful.
He had been in Spirit Hall for quite some time now, yet he had never once seen Qian Xunji, the current Pope. By reason, no matter how busy a man was, he should still spare time to visit his own daughter.
Sensing his curiosity, Qian Renxue spoke softly.
"My father and grandfather… their relationship is rather strained. He hasn't been to the Douluo Hall in a long time. Whenever I miss him, I go to the Pope's Palace to find him."
"I see," Lin Beiya murmured, understanding dawning in his eyes.
It wasn't too surprising, he thought.
After all, given what Qian Xunji had done, it was no wonder Qian Daoliu despised him.
"I've tried to mediate between them," Qian Renxue sighed. "But nothing seems to work."
"Don't worry," Lin Beiya replied calmly. "No matter how bad things get, a rift between father and son won't last forever.
Time will heal it."
"Mm… I hope so, too," she said with a faint smile.
---
As they continued chatting, the grand gates of Spirit Hall came into view.
Just then, an unexpected figure caught Lin Beiya's attention.
A woman shrouded in a flowing black cloak slowly approached the gates, showing the guards a token before entering.
Her entire body was concealed, her face hidden beneath the hood's shadow.
Even so, Lin Beiya instantly felt an overwhelming aura of killing intent radiating from her. And from the strands of violet hair that escaped the hood, he knew immediately who she was.
He glanced sideways. Qian Renxue had gone completely still.
The light in her golden eyes trembled; the joy from moments earlier vanished. Her small hands clenched into tight fists, trembling slightly from the force.
As the cloaked woman drew nearer, Lin Beiya finally saw her face clearly beneath the hood.
It was a face of breathtaking beauty— the kind that could make any woman jealous and any man lose composure. But what truly stood out were her eyes—deep, pure amethyst pupils that reflected no warmth.
They were like still, bottomless pools of violet shadow, absorbing all light, all life, all feeling. When her gaze swept past, it was as if a wave of icy wind brushed the soul—sharp, cold, and utterly devoid of mercy.
Bibi Dong.
The future Pope of Spirit Hall.
Her eyes flicked toward the two young figures ahead. When her gaze landed on Qian Renxue, that mask of indifference cracked for a mere heartbeat—revealing a flash of hatred and disgust.
But just as quickly, her expression returned to calm perfection, as though nothing had ever happened. Without a word, she continued forward, intending to simply pass them by.
Yet Qian Renxue could not let that happen.
As Bibi Dong brushed past her shoulder, the little angel suddenly turned around, her voice trembling but filled with longing.
"M–Mother… I…"
The words caught in her throat, soft yet desperate— a single cry echoing through the cold marble of Spirit Hall.
—
End of Chapter