Xie Yue's Gaze...

After Zhou You and Yan left, two figures suddenly appeared not far from the arena. They were Hu Liena and her older brother, Xie Yue.

Hu Liena stared blankly at the two departing figures, a trace of lingering shock still on her face.

She murmured, "Yan actually lost..."

"And it was an unquestionable, crushing defeat!" Xie Yue looked grim as well.

Suddenly curious, Hu Liena asked, "Brother, how does he compare to you?"

Xie Yue was speechless for a moment. He glanced at Hu Liena, and only after making sure she was serious did he reply helplessly, "Nana, you should know I'm already level twenty-one..."

There was an entire major realm between him and Zhou You!

Xie Yue was only a little over eight years old, but he had already advanced to Soul Grandmaster. His cultivation speed was undeniably fast.

Many Soul Masters with insufficient talent remained stuck at this level for their entire lives.

Moreover, not only did he cultivate Soul Power quickly, but his combat ability was also strong enough to make him the best among his peers. He had defeated Yan in the arena more than once.

Without such a record, Yan would never have become his friend, much less willingly swallowed the grievance after being elbowed by him.

That guy respected no authority, only strength.

Although Zhou You had defeated Yan with ease, Xie Yue still did not believe Zhou You could beat him. After all, the gap in their levels was too great; in his view, there was no comparison.

Though he admitted he could not defeat Yan as easily as Zhou You had, he believed it was only because Zhou You's Soul Skill was rather unusual, and Yan had been completely suppressed in tactics and strategy.

Judging by Zhou You's style, he was clearly the type to fight with his brain. It was understandable that a brute like Yan, who knew only how to fight with his muscles, could not beat him.

Even so, Xie Yue could tell that Zhou You had probably held back, though there was no telling how much.

Xie Yue patiently explained his thoughts to Hu Liena. She knitted her delicate brows and could not help muttering, "Is Innate Full Soul Power really that impressive?"

Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan were among the most gifted students in the academy. Normally, admission to the Central Academy required passing through layer upon layer of selection at a junior Martial Soul academy, then passing a rigorous assessment before being recommended for admission.

Thus, generally speaking, the minimum requirement for admission was to be a Soul Grandmaster. Soul Masters at levels in the teens were actually quite rare here.

Hu Liena and the others had naturally been admitted as exceptions while still Soul Scholars because of their talent.

Leaving Yan aside, Ancient Martial Souls had always been extremely rare.

Hu Liena's Martial Soul was the Demon Fox. Besides the physical enhancement a normal Beast Martial Soul could provide, it also possessed a very rare Mental Attribute skill—Charm.

The Soul Master system on the Douluo Continent was still at a relatively primitive stage. Ordinary Soul Masters had no way to specifically cultivate their Mental Power and could only increase it passively by advancing in realm.

As a result, Hu Liena's Charm skill was practically unstoppable among those of the same level.

Even Yan, no matter how strong his Martial Soul and Soul Skills were, would be controlled by Hu Liena's Charm at the very start of an actual fight, then left at her mercy.

Xie Yue's Martial Soul was called the Moon Blade, and it was unusual as well. Though it was a single Martial Soul, it could be split into two weapons and used separately, making it more tactically flexible than an ordinary Tool Martial Soul.

Before Zhou You enrolled, the three of them had been the most gifted students at the Central Academy, so they were highly valued.

Just then, Hu Liena suddenly remembered something. "If I remember right, there's an assessment to gauge new students' abilities after they enroll, isn't there?"

Xie Yue turned to look at the thoughtful expression on Hu Liena's face and frowned. "What are you plotting?"

Hu Liena grinned. "In the near future, he'll be our classmate. Looking further ahead, he might even become our teammate. Brother, don't you think we should get to know him better?"

Xie Yue knew what she meant. The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament was a grand event held across the continent once every five years, jointly organized by the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, the Star Luo Imperial Family, and Spirit Hall.

It was not merely an entertainment event, but also a peacetime rehearsal for "war," a stage for the major powers to lock arms and test their strength against one another.

The various powers used the tournament to display their own strength and gather intelligence on their opponents. It was also a grand occasion for exchanges among Soul Masters, and held great significance.

If nothing unexpected happened, the most talented students in their cohort were highly likely to form a team and compete in the future.

Spirit Hall had already designated Xie Yue, Hu Liena, and Yan as core team members. Their talent and strength were a whole tier above Soul Masters of the same age.

Of course, Zhou You might now have to be added to that list.

"So?" Xie Yue had a bad feeling.

Hu Liena's eyes darted, and she smiled. "What do you think about me having a practice match with him during the assessment?"

"Not much of it," Xie Yue said irritably. "Have you forgotten? Only a Soul Grandmaster one year above him can be in charge of the first assessment. It won't be your turn."

"So that's why I have you, Brother~~" Hu Liena grabbed Xie Yue's arm and wheedled, leaving him at a loss.

"Why do you want to face him? He hasn't offended you, has he?"

Hu Liena's smile faded slightly, and she said seriously, "If he really is going to join us, then we have to find a way to make him submit, just like you did with Yan, Brother."

Xie Yue had originally been the leader of the trio. Hu Liena was his younger sister, so she was willing to take a position beneath him, while Yan could not beat him. As a result, Xie Yue's position as leader had always been secure.

But now Zhou You had become a wildcard.

Yan had already lost to him, and it looked like he had accepted his defeat wholeheartedly. That being the case, as Zhou You's cultivation improved, he was very likely to become a second power center within the team.

If it really came to that, the team would be hard to lead.

Hu Liena might look delicate, but she was fiercely competitive at heart. She could not tolerate any defeat, still less did she want a newcomer to challenge her brother's authority.

Though the possibility was slim, she still wanted to nip it in the bud!

"Why must you do this..." Xie Yue knew his sister's personality well and sighed helplessly. "If you fight him, it's hard to say who'll win."

"Brother, you know that being stronger doesn't always mean you'll win. Yan is stronger than me, but when has he ever beaten me?" Hu Liena's lips curled up slightly, and she looked rather proud.

"Among Soul Masters of the same level, no one can resist my Charm, and that newcomer will be no exception!"

Xie Yue did not doubt that.

To be honest, if he were not her older brother, whose affection for Hu Liena was purely familial, he might not necessarily be able to resist her Charm either. The skill really was a little unfair.

A high Soul Power Level alone was useless against Hu Liena's Charm. As long as one's Mental Power was judged to be lower than hers, one would be forcibly controlled.

But as her older brother, Xie Yue was unwilling to let his sister stand in front of him and clear obstacles from his path. That was a responsibility he should bear himself.

"All right, I understand what you're thinking. But if I have to rely on someone else even for this, how could that kid ever truly submit to me?"

"Brother, you mean...?"

Xie Yue's gaze sharpened, and an imposing presence surged from him, his edge fully bared. He stared in the direction Zhou You had left, a wicked smile appearing on his lips.

That familiar smile filled Hu Liena's heart with delight.

"I'll apply to Teacher Liu to take charge of his assessment myself. If Teacher Liu doesn't agree, I'll apply to Old Yang."

He spoke each word distinctly. "I'll defeat him with my own hands and make him submit to me wholeheartedly!"