Spirit City.
On a bustling, lively street.
Liu Erlong, who had already been in Spirit City for several days, had learned from the local residents that Yu Xiaogang did indeed once live in Spirit City.
Everyone knew that Yu Xiaogang had hooked up with their Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden, Bibi Dong.
And for the sake of being with Yu Xiaogang, Bibi Dong had actually threatened Pope Qian Xunji with death.
That was nothing short of betrayal!
Even so, His Holiness the Pope, kind-hearted as he was, didn't choose to kill the former Holy Maiden Bibi Dong.
He merely abolished her cultivation, stripped her of the spirit bones he had once granted her, and allowed her to be with that Yu Xiaogang.
But three years ago, that former Holy Maiden returned to Spirit City in an utterly miserable and pathetic state, full of grief and regret.
She cried her heart out at the gates of Spirit City, admitting her mistakes and begging for forgiveness, hoping to return to Spirit Hall.
From what she said, after going back to Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan with Yu Xiaogang, she didn't find happiness.
Instead, she suffered immense pain and torment.
In the end, she had to flee from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan at the risk of her life, crossing mountains and rivers to return to Spirit City.
Unfortunately, Spirit Hall would never forgive a traitor like Bibi Dong.
In the end, she had no choice but to leave and disappear without a trace.
After confirming that Yu Xiaogang did live in Spirit City…
And that the Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall had truly fallen for him, willing to lose her cultivation and even a leg just to be with him…
But then suffered so much pain in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan that she risked her life to flee…
Liu Erlong's idealized image of the man she loved completely shattered.
That melancholic, compassionate scholar who supposedly cared for the world… fell apart in an instant.
After all, Qian Xunji had already pointed out that Yu Xiaogang's theories were either plagiarized nonsense or deadly mistakes.
And now, combined with everything she'd seen and heard in Spirit City…
Yu Xiaogang's hypocrisy, shamelessness, and cold-heartedness had all been laid bare.
'So everything Second Brother Yu Xiaogang showed me… was all just an act!'
Liu Erlong walked along the street in a daze, full of sorrow and heartbreak.
Next to her, seeing his beloved Third Sister so devastated, Flender felt deeply distressed and all the more resentful toward Yu Xiaogang.
'Yu Xiaogang! I can't believe you're this kind of person!'
'You may be loyal, but you already had a wife.'
'Couldn't you have told us?!'
'If you had, maybe Third Sister wouldn't have fallen for you!'
In Spirit City, Liu Erlong remained in sorrow for several days before finally pulling herself together. She planned to leave with Flender.
'If Yu Xiaogang is really that kind of man, then he's not worthy of my love!'
As for Flender, the dependable Big Brother beside her…
Although Liu Erlong was well aware of his feelings, she still couldn't bring herself to accept him.
She didn't think she was overly focused on looks…
But every time she saw Flender's shoehorn-shaped face and that hooked nose, she just couldn't develop feelings.
Then, just as she and Flender were about to leave Spirit City…
Liu Erlong suddenly spotted something.
Outside Spirit City, in a large open area between the dense forest and the city wall, was a stretch of land surrounded by bamboo fencing.
It was neatly divided into experimental plots.
Many of the fields grew different types of crops.
At the front, wooden signs were posted.
They read: "With compost, without compost", "Standard planting", "Crop rotation", "Intercropping", "Mixed planting", and so on.
This sparked deep curiosity in Liu Erlong.
She brought Flender over to take a closer look.
Naturally, this agricultural experiment zone—personally prioritized by Qian Xunji—was heavily guarded.
Red-robed Archbishops and black-robed Bishops took shifts keeping watch.
There were also patrols by the Holy Royal Guards of the Pope's Palace to ensure no humans or birds could disturb the fields.
"Excuse me, what's going on with these fields?"
Liu Erlong approached a red-robed Archbishop sitting under a parasol and pointed to the experimental area, curious.
Seeing that Liu Erlong didn't seem to know about the fields, the red-robed Archbishop assumed she was an outsider.
Stroking his long beard, he smiled warmly, eager to spread word of His Holiness the Pope's greatness.
"This is an experimental planting zone. His Holiness the Pope established it to improve agriculture and benefit the common people."
With a smile, the Archbishop explained the purpose of the experiment fields to Liu Erlong and Flender while praising Qian Xunji's wisdom, compassion, and sense of duty.
He also spoke about the many ways Spirit Hall had helped and improved the lives of ordinary villagers over the years.
Originally, Liu Erlong had disliked Qian Xunji because of how he ridiculed Yu Xiaogang back in Balak Kingdom.
But now, hearing how Qian Xunji had been working to help ordinary people…
Liu Erlong was filled with guilt and remorse.
'How could I have cursed His Holiness like that?'
Yu Xiaogang claimed he was researching martial soul theory for the benefit of common soul masters.
But his so-called "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls" and "Soul Ring Absorption Limits" were either basic knowledge found in other books, or dangerous, life-threatening nonsense.
He only ever talked about helping people—he never truly acted on it.
In contrast, the Pope was genuinely and practically working to help the masses.
And he had already achieved such remarkable results.
'If the one truly working for the benefit of the people is His Holiness, then what's wrong with criticizing that hypocrite Yu Xiaogang?!'
She remembered her mother, who had raised her alone.
A weak woman struggling to farm and grow crops alone… barely able to feed them.
Yet most of her harvest was still taken by greedy nobles.
'If Spirit Hall had helped back then, taught her how to farm properly, and restricted the nobles…'
'Maybe Mother wouldn't have died!'
Liu Erlong was filled with grief.
That was why she had admired Yu Xiaogang so much—he seemed to care for the common people.
But now she realized it had all been fake!
Finding out that Qian Xunji was actually far more compassionate, noble, and people-oriented than Yu Xiaogang…
Liu Erlong felt a rising curiosity, and even admiration and reverence, for the Pope.
It was like looking up at a towering mountain.
"Big Brother Flender, I want to stay in Spirit City for a while longer."
Curious about everything the red-robed Archbishop said Qian Xunji had arranged for the people,
Liu Erlong decided to stay and see it for herself.
Meanwhile, Flender had no idea someone was already about to steal his girl.
As the classic hopeless simp who would probably help his goddess push her wedding carriage even if she married someone else…
Flender was, of course, fully supportive of whatever Liu Erlong wanted.
"As long as you're happy, we can go wherever you like!"