Hu Liena: Can Men Charm Others Too?

"Bibi Dong, you already noticed?"

"It was a little earlier than expected, but it didn't make much difference."

"I'll keep pretending for a few more days. If she doesn't ask, I won't tell."

Thinking back to the commotion caused by attaching the soul ring earlier, Xiao Xuan understood and smiled knowingly.

Given Bibi Dong's strength, it really wasn't surprising that she had noticed something unusual about the soul ring's age.

He hadn't planned to hide it for long anyway.

It was simply an "Easter egg" that would be revealed sooner or later.

After giving it some thought, he temporarily put it out of his mind.

He briefly greeted Chrysanthemum Douluo, who had stayed behind, and bid him farewell.

Then, carefully supported by Hu Liena, Xiao Xuan left the estate and returned to his residence.

Before long, she had settled him onto the bed.

He truly hadn't expected that, despite her young age and her usual cold, haughty demeanor, the little girl would be so meticulous and serious when caring for someone.

Her technique was a little unpracticed, though, and she occasionally hurt him.

"Lie still! Don't move around!"

"Didn't Master say you shouldn't even think about cultivating these next few days?"

"Behave yourself. I'll bring you food later."

"I'll have Auntie make you some nourishing food to help you recover."

Hu Liena puffed out her cheeks and glared at Xiao Xuan, who was trying to move around.

Then she headed straight outside.

Xiao Xuan was left with a strange expression as memories of last time resurfaced in his mind.

Nourishing food?

It couldn't be leeks or pork kidneys again, could it?

His whole body was in agony right now, and he could barely move his hands or feet.

If he ate too much of that stuff, it would be very hard to deal with, okay?!

Of course, it was only a passing thought.

As the most powerful organization on the entire continent, Spirit Hall naturally had support- and healing-type soul masters, as well as all sorts of secret formulas and medicines.

Under Hu Liena's care and with the resources Bibi Dong had provided, Xiao Xuan recovered within just a few days.

"To be safe, I should stabilize things a little more."

"I'll wait until I'm proficient with Sky Dragon's new skill before hunting for more soul rings."

"Let's see... Skill Replication, if you can't beat them, join them?"

"By touching the opponent's body, I can replicate the last skill they used?"

"And there's a chance it will gain an extreme inverse attribute?"

"The first part is easy enough to understand. It's basically like Kakashi's Sharingan."

"But what exactly does an extreme inverse attribute mean?"

Xiao Xuan examined it carefully, a faint guess forming in his heart.

On the surface, this skill resembled a slime's ability to undergo special mimicry.

Although it wasn't a skill Sky Dragon should have possessed in the first place, it was obvious that the system-granted abilities were still related to its background and such.

Speaking of extensions of Sky Dragon, who could forget its first appearance alongside that facial-expression Master and the slime? (This is a Yu-Gi-Oh! reference and does not affect reading.)

"If I can't understand it, I'll just test it directly."

"Could an extreme inverse attribute mean something like Water Release turning into Fire Release, or Yin Release turning into Yang Release?"

Without dwelling on it, Xiao Xuan went straight to find Hu Liena.

As it happened, the little girl was standing in the training ground, grinding her skill proficiency.

After he explained the situation, the two of them began working together on the spot.

"Copying soul skills? There's actually an ability like that?"

"Then let's try them one by one, starting with the first soul skill."

"First up, Fox Charm Sorcery."

"It's a control-type skill. Through mist and seduction, it temporarily disrupts the enemy's thoughts."

"It can delay them, or even restrain them."

"When I helped you hunt your first soul ring, I used this move to keep that Mandala Snake from moving."

"Come on, let's see if you can replicate it."

As Hu Liena spoke, she blinked her eyes at Xiao Xuan.

Though it was merely a casual gesture, it carried a youthful, alluring charm.

It made his heart race and his head grow dizzy.

Wasn't this test a little too early for someone who looked like a child?

"No, it's the soul skill!"

"This girl was born with natural charm. She could even conceal her skill."

"If she hadn't explained it herself just now..."

"It really would have been... hard to notice!"

After standing dazed for only a brief moment, Xiao Xuan suddenly shook his head.

He came back to his senses and was not affected by the charm.

But in actual combat—

Even a momentary lapse would have been enough to cost him his life.

Perhaps Hu Liena was weaker in direct offense.

But her charm-type control skill perfectly compensated for that weakness.

Unless one was a Soul Master with an absurdly tough turtle-shell defense, if they stood still—

No matter how strong they were, wouldn't it still be white blade in, red blade out?

"Ahem, where are you touching?"

"Hurry up and let go. There are other people around!"

Just as Xiao Xuan was thinking, Hu Liena's voice suddenly interrupted him.

He looked over in confusion, only then realizing something was wrong.

Though he had regained his senses instantly, his muscle memory had been unbelievably quick.

Originally, he had planned to wait until she finished casting before reaching out to touch her body.

Yet while he had been dazed, he had already touched her on instinct.

"What a pity, why was it her waist?"

"Oh, no, I should say it was fortunate I touched here."

"If it had been somewhere else, there'd be no way to explain it!"

After confirming that his palm was not on a particularly sensitive area, Xiao Xuan did not immediately let go, instead slowly circulating his own Soul Power.

He activated Sky Dragon's second skill, which he had just obtained.

Skill Replication!

At once, a strange scene appeared in his mind.

Like a revolving lantern, it flashed through the principles behind Hu Liena's skill.

There were countless types of soul skills.

But most of them followed roughly similar basic rules.

After gaining a general understanding, Xiao Xuan quickly learned it successfully.

Only after confirming that it was complete did he slowly withdraw his hand, feeling a faint lingering aftertaste.

"Replicate! Fox Charm Sorcery!"

Xiao Xuan muttered as he directly activated the copied skill.

In an instant, he felt the Soul Power around his body surge.

It suddenly transformed into a faint pink mist.

Accompanied by an unusual fragrance, it enveloped the little fox before him.

"Xiao Xuan... handsome..."

"I, I... young boy, cute..."

"Ah! How did this happen?!"

Hu Liena's pupils slightly unfocused, and her expression grew somewhat dazed.

The next moment, however, she suddenly snapped back to her senses.

Her face flushed crimson, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief and astonishment.

As a beautiful girl born with a seductive physique, she had actually been controlled in turn by a little man?

Terrifying! Could men be seductive too?!

Remembering what she had just muttered aloud, Hu Liena's little face tightened slightly as she studied Xiao Xuan's expression.

Seeing him tilt his head, a trace of strangeness in his smile, her slightly tipsy face turned thoroughly red, and she hurriedly looked away.

Xiao Xuan doesn't... think I'm some lovesick woman, does he?

"So this kind of replication is consumable?"

"Once the Soul Skill I just obtained is used, the imprint disappears."

"Although I still remember the principle, I can't keep using it."

"In other words, I have to make contact again to obtain other skills."

"There's no cooldown, but the Soul Power consumption is really not small—nearly doubled."

"I suppose the higher-level the replicated ability is, the more easily it'll drain me dry."

"Sister Nana, let's try your second Soul Skill next."