Hu Liena

Thirteen-year-old Hu Liena could be said to be the most eye-catching genius in all of Martial Soul Hall.

In the six years from awakening her soul power at age seven to turning thirteen, Hu Liena had risen all the way from level eight Innate Soul Power to level thirty-five. If nothing unexpected happened, she could reach Soul Ancestor within the next couple of days.

A Soul Ancestor at fifteen—no one would have dared imagine it. However, Hu Liena had also heard that Heaven Dou Empire's Heaven Dou Royal Academy had recruited two Soul Ancestors in their early teens. Martial Soul Hall had sent people to investigate this matter as well.

The information they received confirmed that the two Soul Ancestors were real, and both were younger than Hu Liena. It was said that the two had even fought the Heaven Dou Royal Battle Team, but the specific details were unknown. That day, a massive explosion had occurred at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, and all information afterward had been cut off.

Fortunately, Martial Soul Hall supposedly had other undercover contacts in the Heaven Dou Empire. The news they received was even more shocking: after sparring with Dugu Bo, the two eleven-year-old Soul Ancestors had earned Dugu Bo's emphatic approval.

This made the people of Martial Soul Hall feel a sense of crisis. Of course, most still believed in the geniuses they had watched grow up.

That was the Spirit Hall Golden Generation, said to be capable of suppressing an entire generation—Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan!

Hu Liena's response to this was that she believed in the other side's strength and soul power, but she also believed that her own side would be stronger!

Not to mention that she and Xie Yue possessed a Martial Soul Fusion where one plus one was far greater than two. When the time came to clash, it would truly be like Chen Rui eating Sichuan pepper.

But confidence was confidence; Hu Liena still had to work hard. She did not want to disappoint her teacher's expectations, and she also wanted to prove Martial Soul Hall's strength to the world!

Thus, Hu Liena's diligence caused the people of Martial Soul Hall to stop spreading those rumors.

That day, Hu Liena was once again training alone at the training grounds.

Hu Liena's neat golden short hair swayed with her movements, fluttering as though brushed by a gentle breeze.

Her delicate yet valiant face was filled with determination.

Hu Liena wore a pink cropped tank top that would not hinder her movements, along with a pair of pink hot pants.

Her jade-like, slender legs were so flawless that they could make a certain seaweed-haired person shout "W" for an entire year.

The sweat she shed while exercising only further accentuated that beauty.

"Huff! Huff! Huff!"

After finishing her run, Hu Liena rested with one hand braced on her knee, her body bent halfway over.

Yet after a brief rest restored some of her strength, she began running again.

Hu Liena was the only person on the Sports Field, her solitary figure cultivating alone. Yet she did not feel lonely at all; instead, she was brimming with confidence.

Time always passed quickly when one was doing something they enjoyed, so after her stamina gave out, Hu Liena rested as well.

On a day with the sun high overhead, after drenching the Sports Field in sweat and exhausting all her strength, hiding in a cool shaded spot, listening to the rustling sounds around her, leaning back comfortably in a chair while drinking water—what a wonderful thing that was.

"Guess who I am?"

A pair of cool, soft little hands covered Hu Liena's eyes. Darkness enveloped her vision, but Hu Liena was not flustered, because she knew who it was.

"Ah, Xiao Mei?"

"Wrong!"

"Then Li Li?"

"Still wrong!"

"Then you must be Jo..."

"Geez, Sister Na Na, you clearly knew it was me already, yet you were still teasing me."

The owner of the hands appeared before Hu Liena with a slightly aggrieved expression.

"Alright, alright, Shu Hua. I knew it was you. Stop looking so wronged. Why did you think to come see Sister Na Na today?"

Hu Liena looked at the girl before her. She had long, beautiful black hair and was adorably pretty even without any makeup. Even Martial Soul Hall Academy's standard uniform could not conceal her natural beauty.

Hu Liena wrapped one arm around her and comforted her gently.

The girl was a younger schoolmate Hu Liena knew. Hu Liena usually cared for her as though she were her own little sister, while the girl treated Hu Liena like an actual older sister.

The two thus shared a sisterly bond stronger than family.

However, Hu Liena had always been rather curious about the girl's name. Still, there were quite a few names made up of four characters.

"Um, Sister Na Na, I got another perfect score at the academy today!"

As if performing a magic trick, Shu Hua pulled out Martial Soul Hall Academy examination papers from behind her back.

The score of 100 was clearly written on them. And there was more than one paper, demonstrating Shu Hua's formidable academic foundation.

Seeing Shu Hua's expression practically screaming, Praise me, praise me, Hu Liena smiled happily and said, "Wonderful. How about Sister Na Na treats you to something delicious tonight?"

Hu Liena knew the girl was a little glutton, so she deliberately used food as a reward.

"Nope!"

Shu Hua bounced in front of Hu Liena and crossed her hands into an X, expressing her objection.

"Hm?"

Hu Liena was puzzled.

"I already made plans with my brother today. He's going to celebrate for me himself. So, Sister Na Na, do you want to come too?"

Shu Hua took little steps back and forth in front of Hu Liena while raising a slender index finger and lightly waving it as she spoke.

"Shu Hua's Brother?"

Hu Liena remembered as well. Shu Hua had mentioned that she had an older brother who had always taken care of her.

Come to think of it, Hu Liena seemed to have seen him before. He had occasionally come to pick Shu Hua up from school, or during bad weather such as rain or snow.

However, Hu Liena had never paid much attention to him. She only vaguely remembered that he was quite handsome, and nothing else.

Still, seeing how happy Shu Hua was, Hu Liena decided to agree.

"Sure. Shu Hua, you're always praising how delicious your brother's cooking is. Let Sister Na Na taste his skills today too. Tonight, then."

Hu Liena simply went along with Shu Hua's words.

"Yay! That's great!"

Shu Hua hopped around like an adorable little rabbit, but quickly sat back down beside Hu Liena.

"Oh? You're eating something good without inviting me, Na Na?"

The speaker was Yan. His fiery red hair shooting straight into the sky made it obvious that he was the airheaded half of the "airheaded and unhappy" pair.

"Nothing."

Na Na's attitude toward Yan could not exactly be called friendly, but it was at least harmonious.

"Come on, Na Na. At worst, I'll treat you and this little beauty!"

Yan looked at Hu Liena with a fawning expression.

"It's nothing. I'm just having something to eat with Shu Hua. You don't even know Shu Hua, so why would you come?"

Hu Liena did not want Yan ruining Shu Hua's mood later.

"Don't be like that, Na Na! Na Na..."

Bang!

A chop landed on Yan's head, immediately raising a lump.

Yan was struck to the ground by that familiar sensation.

"Hm? Brother!"

No longer bothered by Yan's pestering, Hu Liena turned around and saw that it was her own brother, Xie Yue. That made sense.

Yan harassed Hu Liena, Xie Yue dealt with Yan—the loop was complete.

"Senior Xie Yue!"

Shu Hua greeted Xie Yue as well, but Xie Yue merely nodded indifferently.

"How about it, Sister Na Na? Senior Xie Yue, would you like to come too? Brother said he prepared quite a lot of food anyway. The more people, the livelier. Want to join us?"

Shu Hua seemed to think of something and said it to Hu Liena.

"I'll go, I'll go, I'll go!"

Before Hu Liena could think of how to ask the two of them, Yan had already agreed. Seeing how close Shu Hua and Hu Liena were, Xie Yue was willing to go as well.