Running Away with Hu Liena?

Inside Zhou Chen's tent at the campsite.

As a cautious (afraid-of-dying) person, Zhou Chen would absolutely never fall asleep while spending the night in dangerous wilderness.

At that moment, he sat cross-legged on a bamboo mat, palms and soles facing heaven. He circulated the route of the Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic within his body, slowly restoring the Central Wu Earth Apricot Yellow Qi that had been nearly exhausted.

Suddenly, a breeze swept in through the tent entrance. Sensing something was wrong, Zhou Chen immediately opened his eyes. Two beams of golden light shot from them, instantly illuminating the entire tent.

Light arose in the empty chamber—one of the highest realms pursued by martial artists in low-martial worlds. But for Zhou Chen, a cultivator, this was merely the beginning.

"Who is it? Come out."

Zhou Chen spoke calmly on the surface, though inwardly he felt a little uneasy.

The moment that breeze passed by, he knew someone had entered—and that person was invisible.

Breaking in this late at night? The visitor clearly meant no good!

"Hehe, quite alert."

A crisp laugh rang out. The next moment, a blonde girl with a perfect figure, who looked to be in her teens, slowly appeared in the corner of the tent.

She wore a golden dress beneath a snow-white cloak, with the emblem of Spirit Hall pinned to her chest. Most importantly, she was stunningly beautiful, making Zhou Chen's heart skip a beat as a devoted admirer of pretty faces.

However, when Zhou Chen spotted the Spirit Hall emblem on her chest, he froze.

As expected, the commotion that day had been too great. It had still drawn the attention of Spirit Hall.

He just did not know whether this beautiful young lady had come to recruit him or kill him.

Suppressing the urge to flirt with her, Zhou Chen raised an eyebrow and said, "You're from Spirit Hall? May I ask this young lady's name...?"

"Hu Liena."

"Spirit Hall Saintess, Hu Liena?"

Zhou Chen was instantly stunned.

Although he had liked this devoted woman with a tragic ending in the original plot back when he was on Earth, he had never expected her to appear before him so soon.

"As expected of the heir to a reclusive family. You actually know my identity." Hu Liena spoke flatly.

Hearing this, Zhou Chen was startled.

What reclusive family? He had clearly made that up to fool Yu Xiaogang! How did Spirit Hall know?

Could it be that scumbag Yu Xiaogang had sold him out?

Seeing Zhou Chen's uncertain expression, Hu Liena smiled lightly. "Don't be afraid, little friend. I just overheard their conversation."

"Damn it..."

Zhou Chen cursed inwardly, but he put on an innocent smile. "Of course I'm not afraid when such a beautiful young lady comes looking for me at night."

"Hehe, you really know how to talk."

Being praised for her beauty instantly delighted Hu Liena. The charm she unintentionally exuded made Zhou Chen feel a little dizzy.

But he was not the kind of simp who could not walk straight upon seeing a pretty young lady!

Steadying himself, Zhou Chen continued, "Miss, what brings you to see me so late at night?"

"There is something. My teacher sent me to recruit you and persuade you to join Spirit Hall."

As she got to the point, Hu Liena immediately became serious.

Upon hearing that, Zhou Chen inwardly said, As expected.

Zhou Chen had already run countless simulations regarding Spirit Hall's possible moves. In the end, he had decided:

If Spirit Hall came to recruit him, he would agree immediately, lest he invite a deadly disaster!

Thus, Zhou Chen did not hesitate and said sincerely, "I'll join. Spirit Hall is exactly the place I've always admired most."

Yet upon hearing Zhou Chen's words, Hu Liena slowly shook her head. The look in her eyes as she watched him suddenly became somewhat dim.

Seeing Hu Liena like this, Zhou Chen's heart skipped a beat. He knew things had gone wrong.

Sure enough, Hu Liena sighed and slowly said, "I can't accept you. Spirit Hall can't accept you either."

"Why?"

Zhou Chen was somewhat bewildered. His carefully written script had not included a scene like this!

With talent as exceptional as his, why would Spirit Hall refuse him?

"Because you belong to a reclusive family. And from what I overheard in their conversation, your family seems to have established an open faction as well, intending to return to the chaos of competing for dominance on the continent."

At this point, Hu Liena's tone became extremely slow. "I cannot betray my teacher by allowing someone with ulterior motives to join Spirit Hall."

Hearing this, Zhou Chen understood.

No major faction would recruit people casually, even if they were highly talented. After all, what if they recruited someone from an enemy force? Wouldn't that be asking for trouble?

The larger the faction, the more cautious it was when recruiting people. They would certainly scrutinize one's identity. Commoners with clean backgrounds were more welcomed by major factions. If someone came from an aristocratic family, Spirit Hall would basically never want them.

After all, if they recruited a child of an aristocratic family, that person would definitely strive for their own family's interests and could turn traitor at any time.

What was more, the reclusive family behind Zhou Chen supposedly wanted to reenter the world and take part in the struggle for dominance across the continent. To Spirit Hall, which sought to unify the Douluo Continent, that made them enemies outright!

But the problem was... this whole reclusive family story had been made up by Zhou Chen himself!

It was all fake! Hu Liena had simply taken it seriously!

Tears instantly streamed down Zhou Chen's face.

The next second, Zhou Chen suddenly felt a chill in his heart!

Because if Spirit Hall would not recruit him, then they would certainly eliminate him.

Should he strike first?

Sure enough, Hu Liena looked at him with pity and continued, "Before I came, an Elder told me that if you could not join Spirit Hall, I was to send a signal. He would rush over immediately, cripple your Soul Power, and make you an ordinary person."

Zhou Chen's body instantly tensed, ready to act at any moment.

What nonsense about crippling his Soul Power? That was absolutely just something adults said to fool children.

If you did not pull out the roots, they would grow back with the spring breeze! Once that Elder arrived, he definitely would not rest until Zhou Chen was dead!

Noticing Zhou Chen's small movements, Hu Liena sighed. "I know your strength. Your First Spirit Ability has power comparable to that of a Soul King. But you just used a spirit ability, so your consumption must be great. And can you use it again so soon?"

Indeed, Zhou Chen had only recovered thirty percent of his strength, and he could not use a spirit ability again for the rest of the day.

Even so, he still had methods to kill Hu Liena before Spirit Hall's experts arrived!

Unfortunately, Hu Liena's next words shattered that fantasy. "I've already broken through Rank 30. It is unlikely that you can kill me in one blow. Most importantly, Chrysanthemum Elder is a Titled Douluo. He is less than ten li from here. Once he sees my signal, he can arrive within a minute. You absolutely cannot escape."

"Chrysanthemum Douluo... Yue Guan."

Zhou Chen said bitterly.

"That's right, him. You really do know quite a lot, little friend."

Seeing Zhou Chen's somewhat despairing expression, pity filled Hu Liena's eyes. A girl's innate maternal instinct involuntarily surged within her.

After a long silence, her gaze suddenly became resolute.

"I can't let you join Spirit Hall, because I can't betray my teacher! But I don't want to harm you either..."

Hu Liena lowered her voice solemnly. "Right now, the entire outskirts of the Soul Hunting Forest are surrounded by Spirit Hall's Enforcement Team. Even if I let you run, you cannot escape on your own. So..."

At this point, struggle flashed through Hu Liena's beautiful eyes. In the end, she made up her mind!

"I know a gap in the Enforcement Team's defenses. I will personally take you and help you escape."

Hearing this, Zhou Chen was instantly dumbfounded.

Hu Liena... was she planning to elope with him?