Chapter 5: The Grandmaster's Fatal Hubris
"Oh. So that's how it is." Bibi Dong's voice was strained. She instantly recognized the cold indifference in Qin Xuan's tone, a stark contrast to the warmth he usually showed her. "In that case, we won't disturb your cultivation. Xiao Gang, let's go."
She gave Yu Xiaogang a pointed, almost desperate look, stepping slightly in front of him. She used her body to clumsily—and obviously—block the view of the book in his hand. It was the book clearly marked Spirit Hall Top Secret.
She pushed Yu Xiaogang firmly, intending to leave immediately. This situation, which she had naively walked into, suddenly felt incredibly dangerous.
Qin Xuan remained perfectly calm on the surface, his face an expressionless mask, but a cold, malicious mischief brewed in his heart. He watched them turn, Bibi Dong's panic so palpable it was almost pathetic.
He called out, his voice smooth and unhurried, echoing slightly in the vast, silent library. "You're called Yu Xiaogang, right?"
The two stopped and turned around. Yu Xiaogang, noticeably, stood slightly behind Bibi Dong, as if letting her shield him from this unexpected confrontation.
"Yes," he replied, his voice flat. "May I ask what instructions Senior Qin Xuan has?"
Yu Xiaogang was only able to join Spirit Hall—let alone gain access to this high-level library—entirely through Bibi Dong's backdoor connection. His status was virtually nonexistent. He had to use a respectful address when facing Qin Xuan, the man known as Spirit Hall's 'Second Genius of the Younger Generation,' second only to the Holy Maiden herself.
However, perhaps because of Bibi Dong's protective presence, or perhaps due to his own ingrained arrogance from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Qin Xuan couldn't detect a single hint of genuine respect in his words. His expression was calm, his tone indifferent, as if addressing an equal, not a senior disciple of the Elder Palace.
Qin Xuan pursed his lips, a faint, humorless smile touching their corners. "It's not about instructions. It's just that I seemed to hear the Holy Maiden say... you would become a 'theoretical Grandmaster' in the future?"
He savored the title, dripping it with unspoken mockery. "Is that true or false?"
Before Yu Xiaogang could even form an answer, Bibi Dong stepped forward, her maternal, protective instincts flaring. She stood directly between the two men, like a hen protecting her chick. "Qin Xuan, what do you mean by that?" she demanded, her voice sharp and defensive.
She was desperately worried that Qin Xuan would trigger Yu Xiaogang's highly sensitive nerves. She knew how fragile his ego was, how deeply he was wounded by his mutated Spirit. She needed to protect his pitiful, almost nonexistent self-esteem.
In her panic to protect her lover's feelings, she momentarily forgot the real danger: the 'Spirit Hall Top Secret' book Yu Xiaogang was still holding in plain sight.
[Bibi Dong's favorability -10 (Disgust)]
Hearing the system prompt chime in his mind, Qin Xuan didn't care in the slightest. Favorability from a woman who had already given her heart to a waste of space was utterly worthless to him.
"Nothing," Qin Xuan said, shrugging lightly as he leaned back against a towering bookshelf. "I just wanted to ask this future theoretical Grandmaster a few simple questions. Surely he wouldn't mind?"
Although he had genuinely liked Bibi Dong in his previous life—and yes, he still coveted her perfect, mature body—Qin Xuan had absolutely no habit of being a bootlicker.
If Bibi Dong hadn't been entangled with Yu Xiaogang, he would have gladly put in the effort to win her over. He would have talked to her pleasantly, wooed her, and moved her with genuine emotion and a demonstration of his own worth.
But since Bibi Dong's heart was already given to this arrogant, useless man, there was absolutely no need to offer a warm face to a cold shoulder. He wouldn't waste his time or his dignity.
"Feel free to ask." Yu Xiaogang didn't know the depth of the predicament he was in. He stepped out from behind Bibi Dong, giving her a confident, reassuring look. He then looked directly at Qin Xuan, his chin held high, radiating an aura of absolute confidence.
He pushed his glasses up his nose, adopting the air of a profound scholar about to lecture a student.
In terms of cultivation talent, he, Yu Xiaogang, might not be much. But in terms of pure, unrivaled theory? He truly, truly feared no one.
"A simple one to start," Qin Xuan said, his voice flat. "I just heard you talking about me. How much do you really know about my Spirit?"
Yu Xiaogang briefly sorted his thoughts, a smug smile already forming. He began to recite as if reading from a textbook, his voice projecting clearly. "You, Qin Xuan. Your Spirit is the Changming Sword. It is a top-tier Tool Spirit. Because an ancient Vermillion Bird is sealed within your Spirit, when you broke through to Spirit King at the age of 18, you broke the Douluo Continent's unwritten rule of one master per person per lifetime."
He continued, gaining momentum, "You were exceptionally accepted as a disciple by Qian Jun and Jiang Mo, two 96th-level Peak Douluo of the Elder Palace."
"Impressive. You've read the public files," Qin Xuan said, his tone still utterly flat, offering no praise. "What about the other High Priests of the Elder Palace? Tell me about them."
Yu Xiaogang spoke eloquently, his face glowing with unusual confidence, relishing the chance to show off his memory. "Naturally. The Elder Palace is led by the High Priest, Qian Daoliu. His Spirit is the Seraphim. He is a 99th-level Limit Douluo, the strongest person in Spirit Hall."
[Inorin's Note: A Level 99 Titled Douluo is referred to as a Limit Douluo, the absolute peak of power just one step below becoming a god.]
"The Second Priest is Gold Crocodile Douluo, a Level 98 Peak Douluo. His Spirit is the Golden Crocodile King."
"The Third Priest is the Green Luan Douluo, a Level 97 Peak Douluo. Her Spirit is the Azure Luan."
"The Fourth Priest is the Blazing Lion Douluo, a Level 97 Peak Douluo. His Spirit is the Blazing Lion."
"The Fifth Priest is the Light Crossbow Douluo, a Level 96 Peak Douluo. His Spirit is the Light Crossbow Divine Bow."
He paused, then pointedly looked at Qin Xuan. "The last two are your teachers, the Sixth and Seventh Priests. They are biological brothers, Qian Jun and Jiang Mo. Their Spirit is the Coiling Dragon Rod, which has an ancient evil-breaking dragon sealed within. The two brothers working together far surpass ordinary Peak Douluo; it is said even the High Priest Qian Daoliu cannot easily defeat their joint forces."
He finished with a flourish, looking at Qin Xuan smugly. "I think the reason they accepted you as a disciple is precisely because your Spirit is similar to theirs, with an ancient mythical beast, the Vermillion Bird, sealed inside."
Is that all? Yu Xiaogang thought to himself, brimming with self-satisfaction. You want to stump me, the Grandmaster, with such basic information?
Everything he had just recited, of course, was told to him in confidence by Bibi Dong.
Bibi Dong, meanwhile, was filled with a chilling, dawning horror.
Although she was often ignorant of human relations and had a mind clouded by love—a result of being overly protected and sheltered by Qian Xunji—it didn't mean she was foolish.
On the contrary, she was incredibly smart. She was just knowingly doing what she shouldn't, blinded by her affection.
She remembered her teacher, Qian Xunji, telling her these things. He had explicitly warned her that the Seven Great Priests of the Elder Palace were the true foundation of Spirit Hall. Information about them was the highest-level secret and must never be leaked to anyone.
And now, Xiao Gang had just recited the entire list, including their levels and Spirits, to an outsider... no, worse... to Qin Xuan, a disciple of those very Priests.
Now—
[Bibi Dong's favorability -10 (Disgust deepened)]
She's finally realizing it, Qin Xuan noted, hearing the prompt. She's realizing her lover is a moron who can't keep a secret.
Qin Xuan leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, as if sharing a secret. "Very good, Grandmaster. Truly impressive. But you missed one. What about the Supreme Pontiff? Tell me about His Excellency's Spirit."
"Xiao Gang, ignore him! We're leaving!" Bibi Dong knew that if Yu Xiaogang continued, it would be disastrous. This was a trap! She grabbed Yu Xiaogang's wrist, yanking him toward the door.
Yu Xiaogang, however, smiled and resisted her pull, planting his feet. He knew Qin Xuan also liked Bibi Dong. He thought this was all just a pathetic attempt by Qin Xuan to use theory—his domain—to test him and embarrass him in front of her.
Unfortunately, Qin Xuan, you miscalculated. Yu Xiaogang might be a 'billion' times inferior to Qin Xuan in spirit power.
But in theory—he was invincible.
One day, he would prove to the entire world that he, Yu Xiaogang, was not a good-for-nothing.
"It's alright, Bibi Dong." He patted her hand condescendingly, as if calming a fussy child. "Since he wants to ask, I can tell him. Otherwise… I'm afraid he'll never give up."
He looked back at Qin Xuan, his chest puffed out. "Supreme Pontiff Your Excellency's Spirit is no secret in Spirit Hall. He is the High Priest's son, so his Spirit is naturally the Seraphim."
Speaking of this, Yu Xiaogang's eyes instinctively glanced down at the very secret book in his hand, and he decided to add one more piece of information to utterly crush his rival.
"At the same time," he added, his voice filled with pride at his obscure knowledge, "I also know that Spirit Hall possesses six inherited Spirit Bones, called the Seraphim Set. Each piece has a lifespan of 99,999 years and can only be absorbed by someone who possesses the Seraphim Spirit and has obtained the Spirit Bone's recognition."
He looked directly at Qin Xuan, delivering the final, fatal piece of information. "It is said that when all six Spirit Bones are recognized and absorbed, one can break through the final limit and become a god at Level 100."
"Supreme Pontiff Your Excellency had already cultivated to Titled Douluo at 50 years old. He then continued to break through. I speculate that he has already fused at least one piece of the Seraphim Set Spirit Bone, otherwise it would be impossible…"
As Yu Xiaogang spoke, he became somewhat carried away, lost in his own theoretical brilliance.
He was absolutely confident that Qin Xuan would not know these 'theories.'
A powerful sense of superiority arose spontaneously in his heart.
So what if your talent is stronger than mine?
So what if you have innate full spirit power?
So what if you have a top-tier attack system Tool Spirit?
Can your theoretical knowledge compare to this Grandmaster's?
Above were Yu Xiaogang's triumphant thoughts at that moment.
Bibi Dong's heart, however, chilled by more than half. She felt her blood run cold, and her legs threatened to give out. If these words—this exact speculation about the Seraphim Set, a secret known only to the Supreme Pontiff and the High Priest—reached her teacher, it would bring a fatal, unstoppable disaster upon Yu Xiaogang.
"Clap... clap... clap..."
A slow, measured applause cut through the heavy silence of the library.
Qin Xuan clapped his hands, his face smiling, but his eyes were as cold as ice. "As expected of the future theoretical Grandmaster. Truly, as expected."
He pushed himself off the bookshelf and took a slow step toward them. "You even know Spirit Hall's most core secrets. In fact, you understand them much more clearly than I, a mere disciple of a High Priest."
"…" Yu Xiaogang's face was full of question marks. The triumphant, smug look vanished, replaced by confusion. For a moment, he didn't know what Qin Xuan was up to. The praise felt wrong. It felt like a trap closing. An ominous premonition involuntarily arose in his heart.
"Qin Xuan, what exactly do you want?" Bibi Dong's voice was trembling. She knew. She knew in that instant that she had given Qin Xuan all the leverage he needed.
But she couldn't understand why. Why had someone who used to be so 'kind' and 'gentle'—someone who always looked at her with warmth—suddenly changed overnight?
He had become a complete stranger to her.
He was making her feel genuine... fear.
[Inorin Note:
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