After her initial outburst of rage over Liu Erlong's words, Bibi Dong forced herself to calm down, her icy demeanor returning as she anxiously awaited the broadcast's response.
Finally, the broadcast delivered its verdict.
As a line of crimson text appeared before everyone's eyes, a cold, emotionless voice echoed in their ears:
[Notice: Bibi Dong's answer—"Yu Xiaogang's most important person is Bibi Dong"—is incorrect!]
[Punishment: The seventh spirit ring of her second martial spirit will be stripped!]
[Notice: Liu Erlong's answer—"Yu Xiaogang's most important person is Liu Erlong"—is incorrect!]
[Punishment: A loss of three levels of spirit power!]
Hearing this, Bibi Dong's expression changed drastically.
Her punishment was to lose the seventh spirit ring of her second martial spirit!
This was the very spirit ring she had painstakingly obtained not long ago by hunting a rare hundred-thousand-year Soft Bone Rabbit in the Star Dou Forest. The idea that this irreplaceable spirit ring would be taken from her was terrifying.
However, before Bibi Dong could fully process this, an invisible force suddenly descended upon her.
In an instant, she felt a sharp pain course through her body as her second martial spirit, the Soul-Devouring Spider Emperor, manifested behind her.
Simultaneously, seven spirit rings—six black and one red—rose from beneath her feet, circling her body.
"No!!"
As the spirit rings appeared, the invisible force targeted the seventh one. Despite Bibi Dong's fury and desperation, the red, hundred-thousand-year-old spirit ring was forcibly pulled from her, transforming into a streak of crimson light that shot out of the Pope's Palace and vanished.
"Your Holiness, are you alright?"
Following the broadcast's announcement of the punishment, Ghost Douluo Gui Mei, who had been stationed in a specially repurposed library nearby, hurried to the entrance of Bibi Dong's study, flanked by a team of support-type spirit masters ready to assist.
"I'm fine…"
Though Bibi Dong seethed with anger at the loss of such a precious spirit ring, she managed to suppress her emotions, responding coldly to Gui Mei and the others outside her door.
"Since Your Holiness is unharmed, we'll take our leave."
Relieved to hear that Bibi Dong was okay, Gui Mei prepared to return to the hall where he and other scholars had been discussing the broadcast's question and its possible answers.
But just as she sent Gui Mei and his group away, a red message popped up in front of Bibi Dong's eyes, indicating someone had tagged her:
[Liu Erlong (smug): Haha! Bibi Dong, your punishment was to lose the seventh spirit ring of your second martial spirit. That must've been at least a fifty-thousand-year spirit ring, right? Since your punishment was so severe, it's clear that even if Yu Xiaogang's most important person isn't me, I must be the one he loves the most!]
Bibi Dong's expression froze upon reading Liu Erlong's words.
She suddenly remembered that the broadcast had mentioned earlier how the severity of the punishment was directly proportional to the distance between the incorrect answer and the correct one.
Though both she and Liu Erlong had answered incorrectly, her punishment had been far more severe.
Could it be that, in Yu Xiaogang's heart, she did matter far less than Liu Erlong?
For a moment, Bibi Dong's heart filled with sorrow.
She had sacrificed so much for Yu Xiaogang, even going as far as to give up her future.
But to think that in his heart, she ranked below Liu Erlong, a woman who had hardly done anything for him at all?
All the pain she had endured for Yu Xiaogang... all the years she had spent loving him...
Was it all a mistake?
Bibi Dong's heart grew colder and colder as she became overwhelmed by doubt and grief.
She suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to find Yu Xiaogang and demand an answer.
In his heart, what did she mean to him?
Had she ever truly mattered to him at all?
Back then, he had claimed to love her, but the moment she had to say some harsh words, he had left without a second thought, never once considering that she might have been in trouble.
And later, barely a year had passed before he had become entangled with Liu Erlong.
Was his love for her ever real?
The more Bibi Dong dwelled on it, the more sorrowful she felt.
The more she began to suspect that everything had been a lie and that Yu Xiaogang had merely been using her all along.
But as these thoughts consumed her, an instinctual need to protect herself from complete emotional collapse kicked in, forcing her to stop thinking any further.
Driven by this primal urge, Bibi Dong began to convince herself that she was overthinking it.
But now, the seeds of doubt had been sown, and Bibi Dong's feelings for Yu Xiaogang had already begun to fade. What remained was a stubborn obsession.
At this moment, all Bibi Dong wanted was the truth.
If Yu Xiaogang's feelings were genuine, she would spare his life.
But if they weren't, Bibi Dong would not hesitate to destroy everyone connected to him.
[Bibi Dong (coldly): We both got the answer wrong, which means neither of us is the most important person to him. What makes you so sure that you're the one he loves most?]
Despite her fading feelings and the repeated blows to her emotions, Bibi Dong refused to lose to Liu Erlong in front of the countless people watching the broadcast.
[Liu Erlong (smug): Because the question asked about who was most important, not specifically who he loves most. It could be referring to family too. Yu Xiaogang's parents are probably the most important to him, and then us. But since my punishment was so much lighter than yours, it's clear that he loves me the most!]
So Yu Xiaogang's parents were the most important to him?
Seeing Liu Erlong's words, many people began to consider this possibility, given that both Bibi Dong's and Liu Erlong's answers had been declared wrong.
But remembering the severity of Bibi Dong's punishment, many hesitated.
Unfortunately, this answer was also incorrect.
[Notice: The host's answer—"Yu Xiaogang's most important people are his parents"—is incorrect!]
In Windmill Village, after the broadcast rejected both Bibi Dong and Liu Erlong's answers, Lin Yu quickly guessed that Yu Xiaogang's parents were the most important people to him. But this too was wrong, much to his frustration.
Just who was the most important person in Yu Xiaogang's heart?
Not his two beloved women, not his parents...
Who could it be? Surely, it wasn't his disciple Tang San?
Wait! Tang San!
Suddenly, as if a light bulb had gone off in his head, Lin Yu sat bolt upright in bed, his eyes wide with realization.
He might have just figured out the correct answer!
Note: If you are interested you can read up to chapter 60 at patreon.com/MythMosaic.
Please use the direct link, as searching for my page doesn't seem to work for some reason.