"Thanks so much, big sis!"
Seeing that he could team up with Hu Liena and the others, Sun Sheng hurriedly put on an act to express his gratitude.
He held her small hand and acted spoiled, taking advantage of her a little along the way.
Though Hu Liena was usually known for her alluring charm, she was actually a self-respecting woman.
Aside from her brother, this was the very first time she had ever held hands with a male since she was born.
Even though Sun Sheng was only twelve years old and just a little brother to her.
It still made her feel a bit shy and rather embarrassed.
Perhaps it was because Sun Sheng was simply too handsome.
Xie Yue was completely dumbfounded as he watched this scene play out before him.
His little sister actually didn't reject this brat.
If it had been anyone else, they probably would have already been slapped to death by his sister.
It was bizarre!
Truly bizarre!
When Yan saw this, he was consumed by envy, jealousy, and hatred.
He had known Hu Liena for several years now, and had even pursued her for just as long.
Yet he still hadn't managed to hold her little hand.
He never expected that today, this brat would actually pull it off.
It was utterly infuriating.
Ding! Hu Liena conquest mission progress: 10%.
Sun Sheng was also surprised that Hu Liena hadn't resisted, feeling a secret thrill in his heart.
Just as he was soaking in the warmth radiating from her hand, the system's prompt echoed in his mind.
10%?
So fast!
Could Hu Liena have actually fallen for me?
It seemed there was real potential here.
"Big sis, your hand is so warm. Can I hold it the whole time?" Sun Sheng asked with a cheeky smile.
Truth be told, when he smiled like that, he really did look completely harmless.
"Mm!"
Without even thinking, Hu Liena nodded in response, looking a bit shy.
Good grief!
What on earth was going on here?
How could his little sister agree to such an outrageous request?
This didn't make any sense.
Could it be that there was something mysterious about this brat that had captivated his little sister?
As for Yan, he had already sunk into a state of extreme resentment, grinding his teeth in fury and wishing he could tear Sun Sheng to shreds.
This brat was getting more and more pushy.
Ding! Hu Liena conquest mission progress: 20%.
Seeing the progress double, Sun Sheng had already figured out the method for rapidly conquering Hu Liena.
That was to use both soft and hard tactics.
He would start with the soft approach, follow up with the hard one, and ultimately secure total victory.
"Brat, come over to big brother's side. Big brother's hand is very warm, too."
Yan simply couldn't bear to watch any longer and walked straight over.
"No way, big brother is too fierce."
Feigning fear, Sun Sheng gripped Hu Liena's small hand even tighter.
"Brother Yan, don't scare the little brother."
Seeing this, Hu Liena shielded Sun Sheng behind her, just like a mother hen protecting her chicks.
This left Yan burning with suppressed anger.
You little bastard, keep playing your games.
Just wait until we get into the Star Dou Great Forest, and let's see how you act then.
There was nothing Yan could do, so he could only walk over to Xie Yue's side and seethe in his own anger.
Watching from the sidelines, Sun Sheng sneered inwardly.
As if you could ever win over Hu Liena, keep dreaming.
Hu Liena was his, and no one was going to take her away.
"Alright, it's getting late. We should get moving."
Xie Yue had no idea what was going through Hu Liena's head, or why she insisted on protecting this brat.
Regardless of the reason, as long as it didn't delay the mission they had come here for, it was fine.
"Let's go, little brother. We're heading into the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt a Soul Beast, and big sis will definitely help you pick out a suitable one."
Hu Liena flashed Sun Sheng an alluring smile, then pulled him along as she entered the Star Dou Great Forest.
Seeing her alluring expression, Sun Sheng's little heart raced wildly.
He loved it!
He loved it!
He truly loved it!
"Xie Yue, what's up with little sister Liena today? Why is she so partial to this brat?"
"Could the brat have pulled some kind of trick on her?"
Watching Sun Sheng's infatuated expression, Yan grew angrier by the second and complained right into Xie Yue's ear.
"I'm not sure either. Maybe this brat has some unique qualities."
Xie Yue patted his shoulder with a helpless smile and followed closely behind.
"No way, I have to find a way to finish this brat off. Little sister Liena can only be mine."
The more Yan thought about it, the more unreconciled he felt, and a murderous intent bloomed in his heart.
"Little brother, how about this century-old Soul Beast? It's so fluffy and cute."
Not long after entering the outer perimeter of the Star Dou Great Forest, the four of them encountered a large, three-hundred-year-old white rabbit. Hu Liena immediately captured it.
"No good, it's too weak."
Sun Sheng shook his head and refused without a moment's hesitation.
What he wanted was a five-thousand-year Soul Beast, so how could he possibly lower his standards for a mere century-old one?
"What about that chicken? It's over five hundred years old."
After releasing the white rabbit, Hu Liena soon captured a brightly colored, iridescent rooster.
"Still no good, it's too weak."
Sun Sheng shook his head and refused once again.
Hu Liena actually seemed quite patient; even though her good intentions had been turned down twice in a row, she still maintained her composure.
This made Xie Yue, who knew Hu Liena extremely well, find the situation increasingly strange.
Knowing his little sister's temper, let alone twice.
If you rejected her the first time, there wouldn't even be a second.
Could his little sister really have fallen under this brat's spell?
But that was impossible.
How much capability could a level-twenty soul master possibly have?
How could he possibly bewitch a level-forty-eight Soul Ancestor?
It was completely out of the question.
He figured he had to be a bit careful just in case.
Hu Liena's repetitive, abnormal behavior forced Xie Yue to raise his guard to the maximum and remain on high alert.
It never hurts to be safe.
"Little brother, look, how about that large snake? That's a mandala snake over seven hundred years old with extremely potent venom. It would be most suitable to reinforce your staff, and it might even yield miraculous results."
As the four of them approached the inner perimeter of the Star Dou Great Forest, a pitch-green, seven-meter-long snake blocked their path.
Seeing the mandala snake, Sun Sheng froze slightly.
For an ordinary weapon-type soul master, this seven-hundred-year-old mandala snake was indeed an exceptional choice.
After all, the mandala snake's venom was extremely powerful, possessing not only paralyzing effects but also causing severe damage to the nervous system. It was one of the most terrifying existences among venom-attribute Soul Beasts.
Moreover, the soul skill granted by a soul ring was closely tied to the characteristics of the Soul Beast during its lifetime.
After absorbing the soul ring, one would, to a large extent, inherit the venomous traits of the mandala snake.
Regardless of what kind of weapon-type martial soul it was attached to, it provided a quite decent enhancement.
What a pity, though.
This mandala snake's age was simply too low. If it had crossed the thousand-year mark, he might have considered it.
"Big sis, this big snake is too ugly. I don't like it. Let's look for a different Soul Beast." Sun Sheng said with a hint of regret.
No way!
Damn it!
I really want to punch you to death.
Who the hell do you think you are, being so damn picky?
Hearing Sun Sheng's words, a towering rage ignited in Yan's heart.
Even Xie Yue, whose temper was normally quite steady, furrowed his brows tightly at this moment.
This brat was simply too high-maintenance.
Of course, Hu Liena was also a bit displeased.
This was already the third time her good intentions had been rejected.
"Little sis, these Soul Beasts genuinely don't suit my staff."
"Once I run into one that's a proper fit, you can help me catch it, okay?"
Catching sight of Hu Liena's expression, Sun Sheng switched his acting back on, taking her small hand and showering her with spoiled pleas.
Watching this, Xie Yue and Yan both felt a wave of nausea.
Truth be told, when a handsome young hunk acted spoiled like that, it really was lethal.
Seeing this, Hu Liena's heart instantly melted. She smiled bitterly and said, "Alright."
Watching this scene, Yan clenched his fists so tightly that his entire body trembled with rage.
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