The very next day, with his plans carefully laid out, Song Qing set off towards the designated forest, accompanied by Senior Dugu Bo.
The journey was swift, thanks to Dugu Bo's flight capabilities. As they approached the edge of the forest, Song Qing instructed the older Douluo to remain a good distance away.
"Senior Dugu Bo," Song Qing said, his verdant eyes serious, "please stay a bit afar. Only come when you see the signal. It will be a large pillar of dark, abyssal aura."
Dugu Bo raised a curious eyebrow. "Dark aura? What in the world are you planning, little brat?"
Song Qing smiled mysteriously. "I simply want to check something, Senior. Please do not interfere, even if you sense that Liu Erlong is utilizing her martial spirit. I need to see how things unfold."
Dugu Bo's confusion deepened. 'What is this little brat up to now?' he wondered, but he had learned to trust Song Qing's often unconventional methods. He slowly nodded his head in agreement.
"Alright, little brat," Dugu Bo grumbled good-naturedly. "But I'll be keeping a close eye on the situation. If things get too dangerous, I might just have to step in, signal or no signal."
Song Qing chuckled softly. "I understand, Senior. But please, try to hold back unless absolutely necessary."
With that, Song Qing entered the dense forest, leaving Dugu Bo to hover discreetly in the sky above the treeline. The air within the forest was still and carried the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves. Song Qing moved with a quiet grace, his senses alert.
Soon, he reached a clearing dominated by a large, tranquil lake. Nestled near the water's edge was a simple but well-maintained cabin. This was where Liu Erlong resided, seeking solace and attempting to control the turbulent emotions that plagued her.
As Song Qing approached the cabin, he saw her. Liu Erlong was indeed a beautiful woman, appearing to be in her early thirties. Her figure was charmingly developed, with a natural elegance in her posture. Her black hair was pulled back in a simple style, revealing delicate facial features that seemed almost painted onto her skin. Her large black eyes, though currently holding a somewhat lifeless quality, still possessed an underlying spark of spirit.
Song Qing wasn't particularly surprised by her beauty. Having been in close proximity to exceptional beauties like Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong, he had developed a considerable resistance to mere physical attractiveness. He appreciated it, of course, but it no longer held the power to easily charm him.
Meanwhile, Liu Erlong, who had been sitting on the porch of her cabin, her gaze fixed on the still surface of the lake, was slightly taken aback by the arrival of her unexpected visitor. The individual who had come to meet her was undeniably handsome, with striking blue hair that seemed to catch the sunlight filtering through the trees and deep emerald eyes that held an intriguing intensity.
'He is quite good-looking,' Liu Erlong thought absently. However, she felt no flicker of attraction whatsoever. Her heart, even after twenty long years, still belonged solely to Yu Xiaogang. The pain of his abrupt departure on their wedding night was a wound that had never fully healed.
At that moment, Song Qing reached the porch and offered a polite bow. "Madam Liu Erlong," he said, his voice calm and respectful. "My name is Song Qing. I am the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall and a disciple of the Pope, Bibi Dong."
Liu Erlong's seemingly lifeless black eyes snapped to attention, widening in shock and disbelief as she heard those words. Her entire demeanor shifted, becoming instantly defensive.
'The Spirit Hall? Bibi Dong's disciple?' she thought, her mind reeling. She knew the history between her beloved Xiaogang and the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall, the woman who had eventually become the Pope.
She rose from her chair, her gaze sharp and wary as she looked around the clearing, as if expecting an ambush. "Why are you here?" she asked, her voice cool and cautious. "Why does the Spirit Hall's Holy Son and Bibi Dong's disciple want to meet with me?"
In response to her palpable vigilance, Song Qing remained calm and collected. He gestured towards the table on the porch, where a teapot and cups were already laid out. He poured himself a cup and took a slow sip, the warm liquid soothing his throat.
"I am merely here to talk, Madam Liu Erlong," he said, his voice even and reassuring.
Liu Erlong's wariness didn't diminish. "Talk about what?" she asked, her black eyes still fixed on him, scrutinizing his every move.
Song Qing placed the teacup back on the table, his verdant eyes meeting hers directly. "Tell me, Madam Liu Erlong," he began, his voice taking on a slightly sharper edge, "do you still miss that husband of yours? The one who so gallantly betrayed you on the most important day of your life? Is that why you still struggle with this… urge to kill?" He paused, letting his words sink in. "How utterly foolish."
Liu Erlong's fists clenched tightly at her sides, her knuckles turning white. The calm facade she had maintained for so long began to crack, and a powerful aura, the unmistakable pressure of a Soul Douluo, erupted from her, attempting to suppress Song Qing. The air around them crackled with barely contained energy.
However, Song Qing remained unfazed, his posture relaxed, his verdant eyes holding a steady gaze. He continued to speak, his voice cutting through her oppressive aura.
"It wasn't exactly a novel experience for you to be betrayed by your dear lover Yu Xiaogang, was it, Madam Liu Erlong?" Song Qing said, his tone laced with a hint of mockery. "After all, didn't that same man also betray his previous lover, Bibi Dong? You should have recognized his true character then, upon realizing just how cruel that man could be, leaving behind a woman who was willing to forsake the Spirit Hall, to abandon all the cultivation and power it had given her, to even ruin her own extraordinary talent… all for him."
Song Qing leaned forward slightly, his gaze intense. "And yet, even after all that, Yu Xiaogang was still willing to walk away from such a woman."
At that moment, a flicker of defensiveness flashed in Liu Erlong's black eyes. "That's not fair," she retorted, her voice tight with emotion. "Xiaogang already told me about that incident. It wasn't his fault. The Pope at that time, who was Bibi Dong's teacher, was the one who had him expelled. He had no choice."
Song Qing nodded slowly, feigning understanding. "Yes, Madam Liu Erlong, I am aware of that version of events. But let me ask you a question. Ever since you first met Yu Xiaogang… just what has he told you about his previous lover? About Bibi Dong?"
He didn't wait for her to answer, cutting her off with a knowing look. "No, don't bother reciting his words. You already know the answer. You just need to contemplate it quietly."
Liu Erlong's expression hardened. She did know. Yu Xiaogang had indeed spoken quite badly about Bibi Dong over the years. Calling her a power-hungry bitch, a cruel and ruthless woman – those were some of the milder curses he would often spew when he was drunk or feeling particularly bitter.
However, despite those words, despite the passage of time, Liu Erlong's deep-seated affection for Yu Xiaogang remained stubbornly intact.
In fact, Song Qing's words seemed to have the opposite effect he intended, causing Liu Erlong's vigilance and suspicion towards him to intensify even further.
"Why are you telling me all this?" she demanded, her voice laced with anger. Abruptly, she unleashed the full power of her Fire Dragon martial spirit. Crimson flames erupted around her, and her soul power, the formidable energy of a level 81 Soul Douluo, surged outwards. She was furious that Song Qing had dared to speak ill of her beloved Xiaogang, and she intended to teach this arrogant young man a painful lesson.
Song Qing merely smiled calmly as he watched the fiery manifestation of her martial spirit. This was precisely the reaction he had been hoping to provoke.
Quietly, almost casually, he unleashed his own martial spirit – the Abyssal Demonic Dragon God Emperor. A wave of oppressive darkness emanated from his body, and the air around him grew heavy and still. The aura was ancient, powerful, and utterly terrifying.
And as soon as his spirit fully manifested, Song Qing focused his will, utilizing the innate power of his spirit's passive ability – the Emperor of All Beasts. An invisible wave of pure bloodline pressure slammed into Liu Erlong's Fire Dragon.
Liu Erlong's eyes widened in utter shock. She felt as if an invisible force had just crushed her spirit. The vibrant flames of her Fire Dragon flickered violently, its power inexplicably reduced by at least half!
Not only that, but she also realized with growing horror that several of her soul skills, abilities she relied on in battle, had been inexplicably sealed, refusing to activate. However, despite the shocking reduction in her spirit's power, the sheer pressure of her Soul Douluo cultivation still bore down on Song Qing, a tangible weight in the air.
This caused Song Qing to sigh aloud, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "Trying to use merely the superiority of my spirit to suppress a Soul Douluo directly was indeed wishful thinking on my part," he murmured, more to himself than to Liu Erlong.
'Still,' he thought, a flicker of satisfaction in his verdant eyes, 'it is good that I was able to try out the suppression effect on someone who possesses a Dragon-type spirit. This has given me a much better understanding of how it will likely work against other Dragon-type spirit beasts in the future.'
~~
"Madam Liu Erlong," Song Qing said calmly, his voice cutting through the lingering tension in the air, "I would advise you to calm down and not flare your soul power so foolishly."
He paused, his verdant eyes meeting her fiery gaze without flinching. "Since I have already revealed my identity, you should know that I do not travel alone. I am always accompanied by Titled Douluo guards. Before you could even launch a proper attack, you would be subdued. And well," he added with a slight shrug, "what happens after that would be entirely out of my hands."
Those words, spoken with quiet confidence, seemed to pierce through Liu Erlong's anger. She knew, deep down, that what he said was likely true. The Spirit Hall would never allow their Holy Son to travel without significant protection.
With a heavy sigh, the crimson flames surrounding her Fire Dragon spirit receded, and the oppressive pressure of her soul power dissipated. She slowly lowered herself back into her chair, her black eyes still narrowed in suspicion and anger as she glared at Song Qing.
"Just what do you want to talk to me about?" she asked, her voice tight with barely suppressed fury.
Song Qing calmly poured himself another cup of tea, taking a slow, deliberate sip before answering. "Naturally, Madam Liu Erlong," he said, his voice smooth, "I wish to further enlighten you on the other hypocritical and selfish deeds perpetrated by your dear lover, Yu Xiaogang."
He set the teacup down with a soft clink. "Let's begin with his most lauded achievement, shall we? The 'Ten Core Competitiveness Theory.'"
Song Qing leaned forward slightly, his verdant eyes holding a sharp glint. "Did you know, Madam Liu Erlong, that this groundbreaking theory, the one that has earned your beloved such widespread acclaim and the title of the 'greatest theoretical spirit master in the entire world,' was actually stolen?"
Liu Erlong's eyes widened in disbelief. "Stolen? What are you talking about?"
"Precisely that," Song Qing replied, his voice laced with disdain. "It was pilfered, word for word, from the ancient records of the Spirit Hall. Records that were generously provided to him by my teacher, Bibi Dong, during their… ill-fated relationship."
He scoffed softly. "The irony is almost comical. This arrogant man, who parades around as the pinnacle of theoretical knowledge, couldn't even come up with his own original ideas. If he was truly such a great theoretical master, shouldn't he have been able to resolve the issues with his own… rather pathetic variant spirit? A spirit that is a supposed variant of the mighty Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, yet all it can manage is to… fart. How utterly ridiculous."
The more Song Qing spoke, the more his words seemed to chip away at the carefully constructed image Liu Erlong held of Yu Xiaogang. It wasn't just the content of his words, but the undeniable conviction in his voice, the certainty with which he spoke, that was so unsettling.
'Stolen?' Liu Erlong thought, her mind reeling. 'Xiaogang always spoke of his theory with such passion, such conviction. Could it really be…?' Doubt, a seed she had long tried to suppress, began to sprout in the fertile ground of Song Qing's accusations.
"That's a lie!" Liu Erlong finally burst out, her voice trembling slightly despite her attempt to sound forceful. "Xiaogang… Xiaogang would never do something like that!" But even as she spoke the words, a flicker of uncertainty crossed her face. She remembered the countless hours Yu Xiaogang had spent poring over books, but now, Song Qing's words cast a shadow of doubt over those memories.
Song Qing simply raised an eyebrow, a look of pity in his verdant eyes. "Is that so, Madam Liu Erlong? Then perhaps you can explain how he managed to come up with such detailed and specific information that was, at the time, exclusive to the inner sanctums of the Spirit Hall?"
He paused, letting his question hang in the air. "As for how I know his theory is a blatant act of plagiarism… it's quite simple, really. He was only able to copy a portion of those ancient texts."
Song Qing leaned forward again, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Apparently, according to his 'Ten Core Competitiveness Theory,' a Soul Master absorbing their first soul ring can only safely absorb a soul ring from a spirit beast with a maximum age of 423 years."
Liu Erlong frowned, her initial defensiveness momentarily forgotten as she tried to understand his point. "Yes," she said slowly, "what's wrong with that? It's a widely accepted principle throughout the continent."
Song Qing rolled his eyes, his gaze filled with a mixture of exasperation and pity as he looked at this woman who was still so stubbornly clinging to her illusions about that worthless man.
"Widely accepted by fools, perhaps," Song Qing retorted, his voice sharp. With a deliberate flourish, he raised his right hand, and his first soul ring, a deep, swirling black, materialized around his wrist. The aura it exuded was ancient and powerful.
"This," Song Qing said, his verdant eyes gleaming with a hint of triumph, "is the first soul ring of my Abyssal Demonic Dragon God Emperor. It came from a spirit beast that was at least 1500 years of age."
Liu Erlong's black eyes widened in utter astonishment as she stared at the impossibly dark soul ring. A 1500-year soul ring for a first soul ring? That was unheard of! It completely defied everything she had been taught, everything that Yu Xiaogang had preached.
Song Qing continued, pressing his advantage. "There are no such arbitrary limits, Madam Liu Erlong, for the soul rings an individual can absorb, whether it's their first, second, third, or any subsequent ring. It all depends on the power of their physique and their ability to handle the immense strain that comes from absorbing the raw power contained within a soul ring."
He gestured towards himself. "Moreover, that physical power and the ability of the physique can be improved through various means – through the consumption of potent herbs, rigorous training, or even through the absorption of appropriate soul rings or spirit bones. This ridiculous limit that your precious Yu Xiaogang has set on each soul ring is nothing more than a joke, a reflection of his own limitations!"
Song Qing paused, letting his words sink in. "This is what I learned from the ancient texts of the Spirit Hall, Madam Liu Erlong. And frankly, it makes a great deal more sense than anything your 'greatest theoretical spirit master' has ever come up with."
He looked directly into her stunned black eyes, his verdant gaze unwavering. "Does it make a little more sense to you now?"
At those words, Liu Erlong felt as though the very foundations of her world had crumbled beneath her feet. Everything she had believed about Yu Xiaogang, about spirit master cultivation, about the very principles she had based her life on, suddenly seemed like a carefully constructed lie. It was as if she had been living in a world of shadows, and Song Qing's words had just dragged her, blinking and disoriented, into the harsh light of truth.