Hu Liena's "Great Sumeru Hammer"

After leaving the Pope's Palace.

Lin Hai did not return to his quarters, instead heading straight for Little Fox's residence.

If he left without saying goodbye to her, then when he returned, his fate would probably be even worse than being hung from a tree and beaten.

Pushing open the door, he found Little Fox immersed in cultivation. In this life, Hu Liena's cultivation progress had clearly surpassed that of her previous life.

She was currently at a crucial point in her breakthrough. Barring any surprises, level thirty was within reach.

An eleven-year-old Soul Elder—at such a pace, even the people of Shrek in their previous lives had never reached it.

Thinking back to his previous life.

Without Immortal Herbs, most of the Seven Monsters might not have matched the cultivation speed of the Golden Generation.

Hu Liena advanced to Soul Ancestor at fifteen, while Xie Yue and Yan did so at sixteen.

In contrast, Dai Mubai was still hovering around level thirty-seven at fifteen.

Xiao Wu broke through to Soul Ancestor at fourteen without taking an Immortal Herb, though her cultivation speed during that period was also questionable.

Perhaps it was because she had finally settled down and focused on cultivation. After all, her foundation was still there.

As for Tang San's fake Innate Full Soul Power, his subsequent cultivation speed being completely on par with true Innate Full Soul Power was downright cheating.

Aside from those two anomalies, Tang San and Xiao Wu, the others would likely have needed to be at least sixteen before advancing to Soul Ancestor without Immortal Herbs.

Still, that was all in the past.

In this life, setting everyone else aside, the master and disciple trio from that same lineage, along with their "guardian," were the ones he truly needed to "look after."

Xue Beng's so-called redemption was so fake that Lin Hai nearly threw out his back laughing.

An Imperial Prince of a nation, infamous for his vile conduct—his despicable deeds were no fabrication.

At the center of a vortex of power, under the gaze of countless eyes, claiming that an act could fool the entire world was nothing more than a fool's dream.

Perhaps he had initially harbored some desire to hide his abilities and protect himself. But once "self-preservation" became a legitimate excuse for evil, all his baseness found an outlet—

"Everything I do is for survival."

He could even cloak his own evil deeds in the grand pretense of "enduring humiliation for the sake of the empire."

Just by looking at how he had allied himself with vile slave-traders like Prince Xue Xing, one could see his true nature clearly enough.

Still, such trash was not worth wasting much thought on.

He would find an opportunity to geld him with one slash. Then, he would use Cosmic Spirit Control to unleash a Great Pant-Tearing Technique. Lin Hai wanted to see whether he would still have the face to keep living.

If Lin Hai did it himself, Qian Renxue would at most fall under suspicion. Without evidence, nothing could be pinned on her anyway.

His thoughts ultimately remained fixed on Tang San and Yu Xiaogang.

While Tang Hao was away, he could send someone to assassinate Tang San as a test. It would be the perfect chance to see whether the Asura God was protecting him from behind the scenes, or whether that intangible Fortune was at work.

The Three Scum of Suotuo City would do nicely. They would leave no traces, but could those three useless fools beat Tang San?

As for Yu Xiaogang, there was no need to rush to kill him, but he absolutely could not be allowed an easy time.

For someone who prized his reputation, the best "hospitality" was to destroy both his body and his name.

While Lin Hai was still lost in thought, Hu Liena quietly broke through level thirty.

The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Lin Hai sitting at the table, deep in thought. He had not even noticed that she had finished cultivating.

Hu Liena gave a sly smile and silently slipped off the bed. Barefoot, her little jade-white feet made no sound as she crept behind Lin Hai step by step like a small beast waiting to pounce.

Holding her breath, she was just about to strike—

When suddenly, in a flash, the world spun around her!

"Ah!"

With a startled cry, she felt her body lose balance as the scenery before her abruptly flipped upside down.

Before she could react, she was firmly sprawled across Lin Hai's lap, the tip of her nose nearly brushing the cold floor.

Before she could struggle, a fiery, tingling numbness erupted across her backside—

Slap!

A crisp smack rang out, followed by his teasing voice.

"You're control-type, not agility attack-type. And you thought you could sneak up on me! How was my Fox-Locking Takedown?"

After a brief daze, Hu Liena finally came to her senses—she had actually been knocked down by this little bastard, and even... even had her butt spanked!

How could this be?! Ever since she could remember, among her peers, Nana had always been the one teaching others a lesson!

Huh? Wait... the one who spanked her was Lin Hai?

The Lin Hai she had flirted with countless times, openly and secretly, only for him to remain like a block of wood?

In an instant, her cheeks flushed crimson.

What... what did this mean? Had that wooden head finally gotten a clue today? Or... had he gotten his head caught in a door?

The moment the thought arose, her heartbeat fell into chaos.

Slap!

Another utterly merciless smack landed.

Smiling broadly, Lin Hai looked down at her sprawled on the floor. "Little Fox, why have you gone mute? Don't tell me... getting spanked has given you a taste for it?"

"Ah! You, you! You hit me just because I didn't say anything?!"

Humiliated and angry, Hu Liena blurted out:

"If... if you've got the guts, hit me one more time!"

Slap!

"I've always had guts. You should know that very well," he replied casually.

"Hmph! If you really have guts, then... then hit me three more times!"

She nearly shouted it in a fit of pique, carrying a trace of anticipation so subtle that even she did not understand it.

This damned, poison-laced invitation...

Lin Hai's fingertips hung suspended in midair.

Moonlight flowed over the girl's taut spine, turning the hem of her nightgown into translucent butterfly wings.

The blush on her pretty face trembled with every breath, like red plum blossoms suddenly blooming in snow.

Slap! Slap! Slap!

Three palm strikes cracked through the air, yet the instant they touched her skin, they transformed into warm currents. Hu Liena's entire body went limp and numb, a whimper like that of a young beast slipping from her throat.

Lin Hai withdrew his hand in satisfaction, his tone lighthearted.

"Three is perfect. Now that's the right rhythm. Nana, you really are a 'genius'..."

He drew out the final two words, laden with meaning.

Hu Liena's expression shifted unpredictably, shame and indignation entwining with a certain secret satisfaction before turning into a resentful murmur.

"I'm a genius, and you still hit me?"

Lin Hai reached out and helped her up, then smoothly settled her properly onto his lap. One arm lightly encircled her slender waist as he argued with a perfectly straight face.

"You don't understand. As they say, beneath the rod... Anyway, true geniuses are all beaten into greatness! But only the butt can be hit, never the head."

Hu Liena raised her little face, her eyes still innocent, as if filled with unclouded purity.

"Mhm, don't hit it. Hands... are for holding."

Before she had even finished speaking, she very naturally took Lin Hai's hand.

Lin Hai's heart skipped a beat. Where was this plot even going...? Was I turning the tables on her, or had she quietly seized the initiative again?

Before he could sort out his thoughts, everything before his eyes suddenly went dark!

Thud!

"Ow—!"

"Fu—ck—!"

Two cries of pain rang out almost simultaneously. Both of them saw stars and were completely stunned.

Hu Liena had unleashed a Lethal Headbutt containing the essence of the Earth-Tier Meditation Method.

It struck dead center against Lin Hai's nose bridge, which had been reinforced by both the Mysterious Town Golden Body and the Heaven-Tier Meditation Method!

Clutching his nose as the agonizing sourness shot straight to the crown of his head, Lin Hai's tears streamed wildly as he howled inwardly.

Careless! I had just underestimated the teacher, and now I'd underestimated Little Fox too. This master and disciple pair are damn crafty!

One had calculated his intentions to perfection, enjoyed a foot massage, and still wanted to bind him with a Death Spider Web.

The other held his hand and softly said, "Hands are for holding," while apparently deciding that hammers were for heads?!

Hu Liena likewise clutched her dazed forehead, her Sea of Consciousness completely blank. How had her carefully planned grand revenge ended so miserably?

She had thought that once this charged blow landed, Lin Hai would surely tilt backward forty-five degrees before bouncing ninety degrees back.

She had even planned the next move—once his head bounced back, she would take the opportunity to hug him, then "reluctantly" kiss him.

It would count as consolation. A perfect finale.

And yet... she was the one who had suffered a crushing defeat?! This guy's nose... was tougher than Yan's red hair?!