The cooperation was finalized, and a time was agreed upon for the upcoming battle. Afterward, Yu Yuanzhen led Yu Xiaogang and the others out of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Yu Xiaogang would not be participating in the battle. After all, it would take place against Ten Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, and even if he only watched from the sidelines, Yu Yuanzhen and the others were worried that something might happen to him.
Although Yu Xiaogang felt a little disappointed, he didn't insist on staying.
The group soon returned to the town where they had been resting.
After escorting Yu Xiaogang back safely, Yu Yuanzhen instructed Lin Lang to remain behind and continue protecting him. He then departed with the Grand Elder and headed back into the Star Dou Great Forest.
Watching his father and the Grand Elder disappear into the distance, Yu Xiaogang silently wished them success in their hunt.
Meanwhile, after learning that Yu Xiaogang had successfully obtained his fourth spirit ring and returned safely, Bibi Dong wasted no time in coming to see him.
"What Spirit Ability did you obtain? How old is your fourth spirit ring? What's your current spirit power level?"
The moment they met, she fired off three questions in rapid succession.
On her way over, she had wanted to ask Yu Xiaogang about his objective during this trip. However, he had remained tight-lipped the entire time, and she felt too embarrassed to question anyone else. As a result, her curiosity had only continued to grow while he was away.
Now that he had finally returned, she could no longer hold back and blurted out every question that had been on her mind.
Besides satisfying her curiosity, Bibi Dong also wanted to understand his new Spirit Ability so she could figure out how to defeat him in the future.
"I, Bibi Dong, will never admit defeat!"
"Slow down. Let's go through everything one step at a time."
Seeing her so impatient, Yu Xiaogang couldn't help but smile.
He knew Bibi Dong's competitive nature better than anyone.
Before he arrived at Spirit City, she had been known for slacking off in her training. Even though Supreme Pontiff Qian Xunji had reprimanded her countless times, she had never truly changed.
However, after witnessing Yu Xiaogang's rapid rise in strength, she began training with unprecedented dedication.
Whenever she considered new spirit rings, she always looked for abilities that could cover her weaknesses against him.
There had even been one occasion when Qian Xunji's subordinates returned with intelligence on several Spirit Beasts. After glancing through the report, Bibi Dong's very first question was:
"Can the Spirit Ability from this Spirit Beast help me defeat Yu Xiaogang?"
The question left Qian Xunji speechless for quite some time.
Even so, he was pleased with the rivalry between the two. More than once, he remarked that bringing Yu Xiaogang to Spirit City had been an excellent decision.
Without him, Qian Xunji might never have discovered this determined and unyielding side of his disciple.
Because of Bibi Dong's relentless drive to surpass Yu Xiaogang, Qian Xunji had no objections to letting the two continue interacting.
Using the son of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's leader as a whetstone for his disciple was, in his eyes, a perfect arrangement.
Returning to the present...
Seeing Bibi Dong staring at him expectantly, Yu Xiaogang decided not to keep her guessing. Since the information would become public sooner or later, there was no reason to hide it.
"My fourth spirit ring came from a twenty-thousand-year Radiant Evernight Beast. Its Spirit Ability is the beast's signature technique—Light-Dark Conversion."
"With this ability, I can freely convert my Light Attribute into a Dark Attribute."
"Heh... one Spirit with two completely opposite attributes. From now on, it won't be so easy for anyone to counter me."
A smug smile spread across Yu Xiaogang's face.
Of course, Yu Xiaogang didn't reveal everything.
He deliberately concealed part of the truth. For example, although his fourth spirit ring was actually over thirty thousand years old, he only told Bibi Dong that it was twenty thousand years old.
There was another secret as well.
Like his previous spirit rings, this one also granted him a 100% Light Attribute enhancement as a passive effect.
However, that wasn't the most remarkable part.
The true strength of Light-Dark Conversion was that when he switched from the Light Attribute to the Dark Attribute, the 100% Light Attribute enhancement would also transform into a 100% Dark Attribute enhancement.
In other words, Yu Xiaogang could perform a perfect attribute conversion without losing any of his power.
"Light-Dark Conversion? You can actually switch your Light Attribute into a Dark Attribute? That's even possible?"
Bibi Dong's eyes widened in disbelief.
For a Spirit Master with only a single martial spirit, such an ability represented a tremendous leap in strength.
After thinking about it for a moment, she immediately realized how troublesome Yu Xiaogang would become in the future.
"If I want to defeat him... will I have no choice but to cultivate my second martial spirit?"
The thought made her hesitate.
Although possessing twin martial spirits gave her an enormous advantage, Bibi Dong had always believed she was no weaker than anyone else.
She wanted to surpass everyone using only her first martial spirit.
If she defeated Yu Xiaogang by relying on her second martial spirit, it would feel less like a true victory and more like winning through a natural advantage.
"There's nothing I can do," Yu Xiaogang said with a shrug. "How many Spirit Beasts in the entire Douluo Continent can freely change their attributes? There are only a handful, and one of them just happened to perfectly match my abilities."
"I can only say... I was lucky."
Then he smiled proudly.
"As for my current spirit power... I'm already at Level 42."
"You'll have to work very hard if you want to catch up."
His eyebrows lifted as he looked at Bibi Dong with a teasing grin.
Not long ago, he had been ten levels behind her.
Now, he had not only caught up but surpassed a genius born with Full Innate Soul Power.
It was an achievement almost unheard of in the history of Douluo Continent.
"Level... forty-two..."
Bibi Dong lowered her head.
Looking at Yu Xiaogang's triumphant smile, she couldn't help but feel discouraged.
With his astonishing cultivation speed and relentless dedication, could she really catch up to him again?
Or had the gap between them become permanent?
The more she thought about it, the dimmer her eyes became.
Subconsciously, she looked up at Yu Xiaogang.
Part of her hoped he would comfort her.
Perhaps he would show concern...
Or maybe offer a few encouraging words.
Instead, the first thing she saw was the infuriating grin plastered across his face.
He looked as though he had been waiting for this exact moment.
That smug smile made her fist itch.
Just how twisted is this guy?!
"What kind of expression is that?!" Bibi Dong shouted.
Yu Xiaogang burst into laughter.
"I've been waiting to see this expression for a long time!"
"That disappointed look on your face after I've finally surpassed you!"
"Hahaha!"
Fortunately, Bibi Dong wasn't lying face-down on the ground. Otherwise, Yu Xiaogang might have been tempted to recreate a certain famous scene.
Seeing his unbearably arrogant attitude, Bibi Dong was so angry that she almost laughed instead.
I actually thought he'd comfort me...
What was I even thinking?
She had completely fooled herself.
"Damn you, Yu Xiaogang!"
"Just you wait! One day I'll defeat you!"
Bibi Dong clenched her fists tightly, silently swearing that she would surpass him.
The fighting spirit she had nearly lost returned instantly, fueled entirely by her anger.
________________________________________
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