Chapter 2: Star Dou Forest, the Temptation of the Goddess Hu Liena

Chapter 2: The Star Dou Great Forest, the Temptation of the Goddess Hu Liena!

Bang!

Ugh!

At that moment, Hu Liena, who had been resting with her eyes closed nearby, heard the sounds of a fight in the distance.

“Hm?”

She opened her beautiful eyes and immediately saw a massive staff crashing down with tremendous force.

“Second Soul Skill: Ridge of Stone!”

With a thunderous boom, the entire jungle of the Star Dou Great Forest trembled. Some avian soul beasts were startled and took flight, while the earth itself quaked and rumbled. A surging wave of soul power swept out in all directions.

Hu Liena furrowed her slender brows and walked toward the commotion.

Meanwhile, Xu Yan was wielding the golden hoop staff, enlarging or shrinking it at will. As for Yan, he had been smashed into the ground by a single blow, with only his head left above the surface. He stared in terror as Xu Yan approached.

Xu Yan pointed one end of his staff at Yan’s head and said, “A fifty-second level Assault System Soul King—so this is all you amount to.”

“What do you want?” Yan’s mind was still reeling. He couldn’t understand how Xu Yan, who appeared to be only a twenty-fifth level Grand Soul Master, could be so formidable.

And why did he have seven golden soul rings?

Yan had no idea these were million-year soul rings, since the caterpillar Skydream Iceworm had not yet appeared. There was no way he could know the true nature of such soul rings, much less that a million-year soul ring would be platinum in color.

Despite his years of cultivation as a soul master, Yan had never seen anything like these seven golden soul rings. It was completely beyond his comprehension.

Of course, the system had explained that his soul ring configuration could range from one to nine, or even ninety-nine, with any color combination he desired. The optimal soul ring configuration meant nothing to him!

Xu Yan grinned, thinking, “Whatever color soul ring you want, I have them all!”

But really, the number of soul rings was just for show—useful for intimidation but not much else. As the system had indicated, the practical effect wasn’t significant. Ultimately, all explanations lay with the system!

“What do I want? Of course, I want to get rid of you, you damned pest!”

With that, Xu Yan raised his golden hoop staff like a golf club, aiming squarely at Yan’s head.

“Stop!”

At that moment, Hu Liena stepped forward. She looked at Xu Yan in disbelief, certain that no matter how he tried, he couldn’t possibly defeat Yan.

Who was Yan? One of the youngest recipients of the Purple Record Medal in the Spirit Hall, one of its three prodigies, mentioned by the Pope alongside Xie Yue and herself as the Golden Generation of Spirit Hall.

Xu Yan, by contrast, was only a twenty-fifth level Grand Soul Master, and his martial spirit seemed to be that staff in his hand.

Suddenly, she remembered that Xu Yan’s martial spirit used to be a scythe.

Xu Yan noticed Hu Liena approaching with elegant, queenly grace, her cool demeanor exuding a regal air. He hurriedly bowed.

Hu Liena, at this moment, displayed no trace of seductive charm, but rather a cold and unapproachable beauty. Her long golden hair, fair and delicate features, and small, rosy lips were enticing, even when she was icy and distant.

“Xu Yan, what are you doing?” Hu Liena asked him.

“Your Highness, he bullied me and tried to send me away. He intended to plot something against you,” Xu Yan replied calmly.

Hu Liena hesitated for a moment at his words, glancing at the somewhat disheveled Yan.

Yan quickly shook his head beneath her frosty gaze. “Nana, don’t listen to him. I never thought that, nor did I say anything of the sort.”

Hu Liena looked away from Yan. She knew in her heart of his constant suppression and exclusion of Xu Yan. She had always turned a blind eye, but never expected Xu Yan to finally explode, leaving Yan in such a sorry state—proof that he had been hiding his true strength all along.

She didn’t know much about his background, only that he had joined Spirit Hall just to survive, and by luck had ended up by her side.

“That’s enough, Yan. Xu Yan is one of my people. This is my final warning: if you bully him again, don’t blame me for not helping you.” Hu Liena’s voice was cold.

She turned to Xu Yan and said, “This place isn’t safe. Let’s go somewhere else. Follow me.”

“Yes,” Xu Yan replied at once.

After Hu Liena departed, Xu Yan leaned down and patted Yan’s head as if he were a dog. “All the ways you’ve bullied and humiliated me before, you’ll pay back in full. I’ll never tolerate your insults and bullying again. I spared your life so I can properly humiliate and torment you in the future. Whenever I’m unhappy, I’ll come beat you up.”

After saying this, Xu Yan looked at him with a sinister smile, even slapping his face a few times before straightening up and leaving.

Xu Yan knew Yan could free himself, so he didn’t bother to pull him out.

Staring at Xu Yan’s departing figure, Yan seethed with rage. He never imagined that the lowly servant he used to crush at will would one day trample him into the dirt.

He was consumed with resentment.

“Xu Yan, just wait. I will kill you!”

Yan’s eyes blazed with venom. With a violent motion, he burst free from the ground. But as soon as he emerged, he clutched his chest and coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood—obviously suffering from serious internal injuries.

Hu Liena walked ahead, with Xu Yan quietly following behind. As she felt him wordlessly trailing her, Hu Liena maintained a calm expression, regarding the boy as a silent attendant, always by her side.

Xu Yan, on the other hand, was still savoring the satisfaction of his earlier beating of Yan. Though, truth be told, it hadn’t quite been enough. Next time, when they were alone, he’d make sure to give Yan another thrashing—otherwise, he just couldn’t let it go.

Hu Liena was pondering the fact that Xu Yan had truly been concealing his strength. He’d been by her side for many years, always reserved and quiet, obediently doing whatever was asked of him—a model of honesty.

How had he suddenly found the courage to beat Yan so thoroughly today?

She stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Xu Yan.

Xu Yan, lost in thought, noticed her sudden halt and the weight of her scrutinizing gaze.

Faced with her beautiful eyes and exquisitely refined features, he feigned humility and lowered his head.

“Xu Yan, raise your head and look at me,” Hu Liena said calmly.

Xu Yan slowly lifted his gaze to hers. “Your Highness, is something the matter?”

“Today, you dared to strike at Yan. In the future, would you dare to do the same to me?”

Hu Liena’s face was filled with suspicion as she questioned him.

Xu Yan met her eyes seriously and replied, “No matter how strong I become, I will always be yours, Your Highness. No matter who I strike down, it will never be you.”

Of course, that was just for show. Xu Yan thought to himself, “Just try pushing me—whoever you are, you’ll get an even harder hit!”

At his words, fox-like ears sprouted atop Hu Liena’s head, and a fluffy, red-glowing tail unfurled from her hips, her allure intensifying.

“Oh? Is that so?”

(End of chapter)