Douluo: The Blind Ascendant

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Bibi Dong observed Blue Silver Empress with a critical eye. "Her demeanor is calm and refined, her beauty is breathtaking, and her gentle, reserved eyes exude a comforting warmth," she thought to herself.

Meanwhile, Blue Silver Empress was also sizing up Bibi Dong. "This woman is radiant and dignified, with a natural grace and elegance in her every movement," she noted internally.

"She's a formidable opponent," both women thought simultaneously, feeling as though they were facing a rival.

Lin Yongming sensed the tension in the air. "Could Bibi Dong have seen through Blue Silver Empress's disguise? That shouldn't be possible!"

"Who is she?" Both women suddenly turned to Lin Yongming and asked in unison.

"Uh…" Lin Yongming was caught off guard by their synchronized questioning. "Let me introduce you."

"A'Yin, this is Bibi Dong, the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall. I've been working with her these past few days to investigate the Soul Sage matter."

"Holy Maiden, this is Blue Silver, my friend. She's a few years older than me, so I call her A'Yin."

Lin Yongming pointed to each of them as he made the introductions.

"I'm also a few years older than you. Why don't you call me Dong Jie (Sister Dong)?" Bibi Dong said with a playful wink.

"In your dreams! My blind little brother can't call you something like… Dong Jie? Xiao Ming, you keep calling her Holy Maiden," Blue Silver Empress interjected quickly.

"Hmph! Why can he only call you 'Jie'? I'm older than him!" Bibi Dong shot back.

"Oh, so you're older than him, huh? Well, I'm older than you too. Why don't you call me A'Yin Jie?" Blue Silver Empress retorted.

"Uh… You say you're older than me, but how old are you?" Bibi Dong asked, caught off guard.

"And how old are you?" Blue Silver Empress fired back.

Suddenly, the two women locked eyes, staring each other down.

"Ming'er, you're back! Don't just stand there, bring your friends inside," Yinglan said, stepping out of the courtyard to break the awkward tension.

"Okay, Mom, we're coming!" Lin Yongming replied, quickly moving to his mother's side.

"Hmph!" Bibi Dong snorted.

"Hmph!" Blue Silver Empress mirrored her.

They both followed Lin Yongming into the house.

"Auntie, hello! You look so young and beautiful," Bibi Dong greeted Yinglan warmly.

"Flatterer! Schemer!" Blue Silver Empress muttered under her breath.

"Oh, you're too kind! I'm practically an old woman now," Yinglan said with a laugh.

"Not at all, Auntie. You're radiant and youthful. You must take great care of yourself," Bibi Dong replied with a smile.

"You're making me blush! Come inside and sit down," Yinglan said, taking Bibi Dong's hand and leading her into the house.

As Bibi Dong entered, she glanced up at Blue Silver Empress.

"Flatterer!" Blue Silver Empress thought, noticing the hint of challenge in Bibi Dong's eyes. She quickly came up with a plan.

"Oh, Xiao Ming, and this little sister, you must be tired and hungry after your journey. Let me cook something for you."

"Little sister, are you hungry?" Blue Silver Empress said with exaggerated hospitality, grabbing Bibi Dong's hand.

"A'Yin, you know how to cook?" Lin Yongming asked, surprised.

"Shut up! Who said I can't cook?" Blue Silver Empress snapped back.

"Uh…" Lin Yongming rubbed his nose, unsure what had gotten into her.

"…"

Bibi Dong didn't know how to respond. If she replied, she'd be accepting the "little sister" label, so she chose to remain silent.

Fortunately, Yinglan stepped in. "A'Yin, we have guests. Let me handle the cooking."

"Right, right. Come inside, everyone. Make yourselves at home," Lin Yongming said, ushering everyone in.

As Bibi Dong and Blue Silver Empress continued to glare at each other, they followed Lin Yongming into the house.

"Have a seat. I'll get you some water," Lin Yongming said, pulling out chairs.

Bibi Dong and Blue Silver Empress sat on opposite sides of the room, their eyes never leaving each other.

Lin Yongming went into the kitchen, where Yinglan pulled him aside and whispered, "Ming'er, are they all from the Spirit Hall? That girl is quite pretty."

"Yes, the one you were talking to is Bibi Dong, the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall."

"The Holy Maiden?" Yinglan asked, confused.

"Uh… think of her as the equivalent of a princess in an empire," Lin Yongming explained.

"Oh! Did I offend her? Will she hold it against you?" Yinglan asked, suddenly worried.

"Don't worry, Mom. She's the Holy Maiden, but she's actually quite nice. It's fine," Lin Yongming reassured her with a smile.

"Are you sure?" Yinglan pressed.

"I'm sure," Lin Yongming said firmly.

"Good, good," Yinglan sighed in relief. "Now go and take care of your guests."

"Okay, Mom. Don't overthink it," Lin Yongming said before heading back to the main room.

It was no surprise that villagers felt uneasy around nobles and people in positions of power. This was a common mindset in the Douluo Continent, where people were taught from a young age to avoid provoking those with authority.

"Xiao Ming, let me help you," Blue Silver Empress said as Lin Yongming came out of the kitchen with bowls of water.

"Sure!"

Blue Silver Empress took a bowl and handed it to Bibi Dong. "Here, little sister, have some water."

"Can you stop calling me 'little sister'? You're not that much older than me. Call me Holy Maiden or Bibi Dong," Bibi Dong said, her face darkening.

"I'm quite a bit older. How old are you, anyway?" Blue Silver Empress asked, sitting across from her.

"I'm 12. And you?" Bibi Dong shot back after taking a sip of water.

"Well, isn't that a coincidence? I'm 14," Blue Silver Empress said with a triumphant smile.

"So what?"

"Xiao Ming, is she really 14?" Bibi Dong turned to Lin Yongming for confirmation.

"Yeah, I've known A'Yin since I was seven. She's definitely 14."

"By the way, why does it feel like there's some tension between you two?" Lin Yongming asked, handing water to Ye Ying and Fan He before joining them.

"See? I'm older than you," Blue Silver Empress said smugly, making Bibi Dong grit her teeth.

"So, you've been with Xiao Ming for almost two years now, huh? How shameless," Bibi Dong retorted.

"He's my little brother. There's nothing shameless about it. We even lived together in a hotel room in Suotuo City for a year," Blue Silver Empress added.

"A whole year, huh? How impressive. You're so young, yet you lack any sense of propriety. And don't forget, Xiao Ming is a genius with innate full soul power. Don't hold him back," Bibi Dong fired back.

"Innate full soul power? Big deal. What level are you? Have you broken through to Soul Elder yet?" Blue Silver Empress shot back.

"I'm already a Soul Ancestor. What about you?"

"Impressive for the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall. But guess what? I'm also a Soul Ancestor, and I'm at level 46," Blue Silver Empress replied.

"Hmph! You're two years older than me and only five levels ahead."

"Oh? Someone's only at level 41?"

Lin Yongming, realizing they weren't paying attention to him, sighed and walked away, leaving them to their staring contest.

"Brothers, what's going on with them?" Lin Yongming asked Ye Ying and Fan He.

"They're probably just playing around. We're not sure," Fan He replied.

"But is that girl from the Spirit Hall? A 14-year-old level 46 Soul Ancestor? That's monstrous," Fan He added.

"Yeah, she's very kind. She likes to travel through villages and treat people's injuries and illnesses. That's how I met her. She even helped me get my second and third spirit rings," Lin Yongming explained.

"Maybe the Holy Maiden has met a genius her own age, and they feel a sense of camaraderie," Ye Ying speculated.

"Maybe," Lin Yongming said, though he wasn't entirely convinced.

"Ming'er, we have guests?" Lin Yongming's father, Lin Chong, walked in and noticed the strangers in the house.

"Yes, Dad. They're from the Spirit Hall," Lin Yongming said, standing up.

"Uncle, hello!" Bibi Dong greeted politely.

"Hello! Make yourselves at home," Lin Chong said with a smile. "Ming'er, I'll go help your mom."

Soon, Yinglan and Lin Chong brought out the dishes and set them on the table.

"Dinner's ready. Just some simple home-cooked dishes. I hope you don't mind," Yinglan said.

"Not at all, Auntie. I could smell the delicious aroma from the kitchen," Bibi Dong said, complimenting her.

"You're too kind. Please, eat up. We've already eaten," Yinglan said before she and Lin Chong stepped out into the courtyard.

Blue Silver Empress handed out bowls and chopsticks. "Come on, eat before it gets cold."

"Thank you!" Ye Ying and Fan He said politely.

"A'Yin, sit down and eat with us," Lin Yongming said to Blue Silver Empress.

"Holy Maiden, brothers, please eat. You still have a long journey ahead," Lin Yongming added.

"I told you, you don't have to call me Holy Maiden in informal settings. Just call me Bibi Dong, or Dong Jie if you prefer," Bibi Dong said, glancing at Blue Silver Empress, who was sitting next to Lin Yongming.

"Okay, Bibi Dong. Let's eat," Lin Yongming said, feeling a bit helpless.

"Here, Xiao Ming, you must not have eaten well these past few days. Look at you, you've lost weight. Have some meat," Blue Silver Empress said, serving Lin Yongming.

"A'Yin, I can serve myself," Lin Yongming said.

"Exactly. Xiao Ming has hands. He can serve himself," Bibi Dong chimed in.

"What's it to you? Xiao Ming's eyes aren't the best. I'm just helping him," Blue Silver Empress said, her tone challenging.

"Xiao Ming, let me serve you too," Bibi Dong said, determined not to be outdone.

"Hey, guests shouldn't serve the host. Just eat your own food," Blue Silver Empress interrupted.

"You!" Bibi Dong fumed, stuffing her mouth with rice. "I'll eat you out of house and home!"

"Don't be shy. Eat up," Lin Yongming said, feeling exasperated.

"Can't a guy just eat in peace?" he thought to himself.

Ye Ying and Fan He ate in silence, not daring to get involved.

Blue Silver Empress, meanwhile, didn't eat much herself. Instead, she kept serving Lin Yongming, much to Bibi Dong's annoyance.

Finally, the meal ended, and the atmosphere lightened a bit.

Bibi Dong and her companions stayed for a while longer, but by nine o'clock, it was time to leave.

"I should get going. Xiao Ming, remember to come to Spirit City in three years," Bibi Dong said as she prepared to leave. "And don't get distracted. Focus on your training!"

"Uh… are you sure you don't want to stay a bit longer?" Lin Yongming asked.

"No, I have things to attend to. I'll visit again sometime," Bibi Dong said with a sigh.

"Alright, take care," Blue Silver Empress said with a smile.

Lin Yongming walked Bibi Dong and her companions to the village entrance.

"Well, I'll be off now," Bibi Dong said as they reached the carriage.

"Okay, be safe," Lin Yongming said.

Bibi Dong turned to leave but stopped when Lin Yongming called out to her.

"Bibi Dong, wait!"

"What is it?" Bibi Dong asked, a small smile flickering across her face before she hid it.

"Uh… I have something for you. I hope it's useful," Lin Yongming said, pulling out the Soul-Severing Grass Wang Ming had given him.

"What's this?" Bibi Dong asked, looking at the plant in the glass vial.

"It's called Soul-Severing Grass. If your opponent touches it, they'll lose their spirit power for about an hour," Lin Yongming explained.

"You should keep it," Bibi Dong said, declining the offer.

"I don't need it. But I think you might find it useful," Lin Yongming insisted.

"Take it. Consider it a thank-you for helping me deal with Kuanghu," Lin Yongming said, handing it to her.

"You're making it sound so formal. As a member of the Spirit Hall, helping you is my duty. But since you insist, I'll accept it as a token of our friendship," Bibi Dong said, taking the vial and glancing triumphantly at Blue Silver Empress.

"Why is Xiao Ming giving her such a precious item?" Blue Silver Empress wondered silently.

"That works," Lin Yongming said with a nod.

"I should really get going. It's late."

"Alright."

Bibi Dong climbed into the carriage, and Fan He drove off into the night, with Ye Ying riding alongside.

Though it was dark, the moonlight illuminated the pale road, making it stand out against the surrounding grass.

Lin Yongming had given Bibi Dong the Soul-Severing Grass because he felt she might need it more than he did. After all, he didn't know when that incident might occur, and he wanted to be prepared.

"A'Yin, let's head back," Lin Yongming said, turning to Blue Silver Empress.

Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 135 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 160 power stones I will publish the next chapter.