SoulLand:Ascending to Godhood through Science

*"This is going to be tough."* 

You Chen sighed inwardly. 

Compared to Tang San's task, which only required a crowd of a hundred spectators to complete, the difficulty of this mission had skyrocketed exponentially. 

He had his theories about it. 

Half a year ago, he had already triggered a mission involving Bibi Dong. However, the difficulty back then was nowhere near as high. Naturally, the rewards for completing it were also much lower. 

Reflecting on the "Ultimate Reward" included in Yu Xiaogang's task from before, You Chen began to analyze the situation. 

*"Yu Xiaogang lacks the potential for growth. His strength and status don't inherently rise with time. When the mission was triggered, he was at his peak—enjoying a honeymoon period with Bibi Dong, the Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall. Aside from not encountering Tang San, this was the pinnacle of his life. His destiny value must have been near its zenith at that point."* 

On the other hand, Bibi Dong would only truly ascend to the level of a world boss after falling into madness and undergoing her divine trials. Until she officially became the Emperor of the Spirit Empire and inherited the Rakshasa God's position, her destiny value had not yet reached its absolute peak—or so he thought. 

But destiny value wasn't directly linked to strength; the relationship was merely indirect. Based on the timeline and the fluctuations in mission rewards, the moment she began her divine trials likely marked the peak of her destiny value. 

As for Tang San, even as the world's protagonist, there were still many uncertainties before his potential fully blossomed. For example, if You Chen didn't prioritize his survival or personal benefits, it wouldn't be impossible to go for a mutual elimination with Tang San. However, that wasn't an option he would consider. Even if Spirit Hall were to fall, his survival would remain his top priority. 

After a thorough analysis, the logic fell into place. 

The system wasn't particularly intelligent in certain aspects. It could even mess up timelines and glitch out, spawning duplicate versions of himself and parallel mission lines. 

From the system's perspective, You Chen should have completed Bibi Dong's first mission long ago. 

In reality, however, he hadn't finished her mission, let alone claimed its "first blood." 

Now that Bibi Dong's destiny value had reached its peak, her power as a Titled Douluo in her thirties was near perfection. The combination of her strength and destiny value created a compounding effect, drastically increasing both the difficulty and the rewards of the mission. 

If Tang San were allowed to grow further, the rewards for his "first blood" mission might skyrocket even more. 

By then, the rewards would no longer be high-potential techniques like the **Godly Elephant Suppressing Prison Technique**, but items that could immediately deliver overwhelming power. 

Yet, speculation was still just speculation. At this stage, there was no going back to redo past decisions. 

As for Bibi Dong's mission... waiting for her strength to rise further would only make the compounding difficulty even more outrageous. If this were a fanfiction story, he'd likely have to wait until the grand finale to have a shot at completing it. 

His attention shifted back to the current mission. 

The progress bar for "Humiliation Level 1" was still at zero. 

From the mission description, it was clear that Bibi Dong herself had to feel shame for progress to be made. Public gossip about her wouldn't affect the mission conditions—it had to involve a "preliminary task" directly linked to her. 

This meant... 

*"To complete this mission, I'll inevitably have to face Bibi Dong directly, with a high likelihood of clashing with her."* 

A cold sweat dripped down You Chen's forehead, but his eyes burned with fiery resolve, and a smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. 

Amidst his fear and anxiety, the thought of humiliating and enraging the crazed Bibi Dong filled him with irrepressible excitement. 

*"The ideal scenario would be completing all the mission conditions before she confronts me. Of course, that depends on luck. If things go south... I'll need to be prepared for at least one encounter with her."* 

He licked his lips. A plan to provoke Bibi Dong began to form in his mind. 

--- 

Three days later, in the Pope's Palace, Bibi Dong was still immersed in handling official affairs. 

Though she felt the masked assassin needed to be dealt with as soon as possible, she had no intention of personally stepping in. 

As the Pope of Spirit Hall, it would be beneath her dignity to concern herself with a mere Contra-level assassin. Doing so would only elevate her opponent's significance. 

Besides, while the past six months of work hadn't entirely piled up for her to handle after her seclusion, the important matters she personally oversaw were still considerable. Even just reviewing these documents accumulated over six months was no small feat. 

In her mind, with the eight Titled Douluo of the Elder Hall on the case—powerful enough to rival even the Offering Hall—it was only a matter of time before they apprehended the assassin. 

If everything required her direct involvement, her subordinates would have no room to demonstrate their capabilities. 

Moreover, she had already offered a soul bone as a reward. If she still had to step in personally, it would appear as though she had no intention of keeping her promise, merely baiting the elders into working while withholding the prize. 

This would sow doubt among her subordinates, making them reluctant to exert themselves in the future. Even Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo would likely harbor resentment. 

As valuable assets to her, losing them over such trivial matters wasn't worth it. 

*Bang!* 

As Bibi Dong was engrossed in her work, a panicked aide barged in. 

Unlike the male aide who typically assisted her with public affairs, this female aide, Bai Sha, was someone Bibi Dong had specifically chosen to handle private matters she didn't want others to know about. 

These included Hu Liena, You Chen, and Yu Xiaogang... 

"What's the matter, Bai Sha? Why are you so flustered? Haven't I told you to always remain composed?" 

Bibi Dong paused her work, casting an annoyed glance at the aide. 

Despite her tone, such personal admonishment was a rare form of intimacy from Bibi Dong. 

Bai Sha, trembling under her gaze, immediately knelt down and stammered, "Your Holiness, the masked assassin... he... he has revealed his face!" 

"Oh?" 

Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow in interest. 

"So, it seems he isn't just some nameless figure. Tell me, who is he, and why would he expose his identity now?" 

Bai Sha's body trembled, her teeth chattering uncontrollably. 

"Speak." 

Unable to defy Bibi Dong's command, Bai Sha finally blurted out, "It's... it's Yu Xiaogang! The assassin is Yu Xiaogang!" 

The air in the Pope's Palace froze. 

This revelation set off a chain of events that would soon shake all of Spirit Hall to its core.

"Xiao Gang, is it really you?"

At first, when Bibi Dong heard that the masked assassin's true face was Yu Xiaogang, she was furious. With just a bit of logical deduction, it was clear that this was impossible. Yu Xiaogang was a weakling, utterly incapable of reaching Contra-level strength. Moreover, she had kept tabs on Yu Xiaogang over the years; he was still in Notting City. There was no way the masked assassin could be him—this had to be someone impersonating him! 

But after hearing the details of the assassin's public speech, Bibi Dong's expression shifted. Her anger gave way to melancholy, a deep sadness filling her eyes. 

Initially, she had dismissed it as someone using Yu Xiaogang's name to smear her reputation. But the speech's specific content struck a nerve, as though she could vividly imagine Yu Xiaogang pointing a finger at her and accusing her to her face. 

After all, she knew deep down that she had trampled on Yu Xiaogang's pride, no matter the circumstances involving Qian Xunji. That was an undeniable fact. 

Their separation had been brutal and without explanation. She hadn't told Yu Xiaogang the truth, leaving him to nurse his resentment toward her—a hatred that seemed only natural. 

She was also fully aware of Yu Xiaogang's decline over the years. She had seen it with her own eyes, and it pained her deeply. 

So, even if Yu Xiaogang blamed her for his failure to achieve greatness, Bibi Dong bore no grudge against him. Instead, she felt an overwhelming sense of regret and guilt. 

*"Xiao Gang, if not for me, perhaps you truly could have broken through your innate limitations, become a Titled Douluo, and earned the title of the greatest theorist in spirit master history. Are you using the masked assassin's voice to hold me accountable, to vent your grievances? If so, what else can I do but accept it?"* 

Bibi Dong sighed in her heart. 

As for how Yu Xiaogang might have eluded her surveillance and managed to contact such a powerful assassin… 

*"After all, he's my Xiao Gang-gege. It wouldn't be surprising if he had that kind of ability."* 

In another world, it might seem utterly absurd for a character equivalent to a final boss to entertain such thoughts. But this was the *Romance Brain Continent,* and Bibi Dong was its most infamous romance-obsessed figure. It made perfect sense in this context. 

Then came the mention of "pregnant belly." 

"Could it be… Xiao Gang already knows about my child and is accusing me for it?"* 

If Yu Xiaogang had managed to establish contact with the masked assassin, uncovering some intelligence—or even fabricating conclusions based on conjecture—didn't seem implausible. 

Bibi Dong conveniently ignored the self-contradictions in her own reasoning. 

Rather than question Yu Xiaogang, she turned her suspicions toward certain individuals within Spirit Hall. 

Her sharp gaze grew colder as she analyzed the situation. 

The only person who definitively knew about her connection with Qian Renxue was Qian Daoliu. Others within the Offering Hall might have speculated based on Qian Renxue's awkward habit of addressing her as "sister," but very few would be absolutely certain. 

Apart from them… Bibi Dong quickly landed on one person who was most likely to deduce her relationship with Qian Renxue and have the means to inform Yu Xiaogang. 

"You Chen! He's also in Notting City!"

You Chen had anticipated that mentioning "pregnant belly" and hinting at Bibi Dong having a child with the previous Pope, Qian Xunji, would likely lead her to associate it with him. 

Yet, after much consideration, he decided to go ahead with this script. 

Why? 

Because it would generate the biggest buzz! 

Without the "pregnant belly" detail, the story would merely be about a forbidden romance between a teacher and student, coupled with a scion's betrayal within a major faction. 

Even with the keyword "master's task," the cultural literacy of the Douluo Continent's population wouldn't allow most people to grasp the deeper implications. 

But the phrase "pregnant belly" added vivid imagery to the tale. It painted a grotesque, sensational picture that people could instantly visualize! 

Humans were inherently drawn to the strange and the absurd. 

A mere celebrity scandal might create temporary waves, but when the "celebrity" in question held immense power, the invisible hand of authority would eventually suppress its spread. 

Only by transforming the incident into a cultural phenomenon—a viral meme, or even a proverb—could it truly take root and propagate across the continent. 

And only then would You Chen have a shot at completing "Humiliation Level 3." 

For a first-blood mission like this, perfection was the only option. 

If he couldn't achieve that, he'd rather abandon it and wait for the next opportunity. 

After all, the extraordinary rewards for this type of mission were only available during the first attempt! 

"And now… though it's slightly ahead of schedule, it's time for my clone to leave Notting City."

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