Stay Away From Her

Across from him, Hu Liena was clearly the victim, yet there wasn't a trace of resentment in the gaze she directed at Mu Qian.

Instead... there was a hint of something rather peculiar in the air.

Of course, Mu Qian didn't notice this, otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to resist teasing her.

Back when he watched the anime in his past life, he felt this girl had a bit of a masochistic streak and a tendency toward being submissive.

She was a fan of good looks, but she also worshipped the strong.

Especially... a powerhouse like Mu Qian, who possessed an angelically handsome face.

Naturally, there was nothing wrong with that; after all, in this world where the weak are prey to the strong, one must have power to possess everything.

"Respected guest, the actual owner of this shop is a high-ranking member of the Worship Hall. I humbly ask you to show mercy and not cause injury within these walls."

At this moment, Huang Shulang, having regained his composure, hurriedly acted as a peacemaker, even bringing up his backers.

Although there was a faint hint of a threat, Mu Qian didn't care; besides, he had intended to let them go anyway.

"As long as they don't provoke me again, I naturally won't make things difficult for them." Mu Qian waved his hand, releasing his control over the trio's souls.

"You!" With his body back under his own control, Yan instinctively wanted to step forward. Having been humiliated so thoroughly, he felt he had to regain his dignity.

"Enough!" Xie Yue hurriedly reached out to block his path.

"Is the embarrassment not enough for you?"

As the leader of the Golden Generation trio, although Xie Yue usually treated Yan like a brother, he could still step up and act like a leader when it mattered most.

"Many thanks to this young brother for showing mercy." Xie Yue bowed and spoke to Mu Qian.

He was a reasonable man, and the feeling of powerlessness he experienced while controlled—as if his soul were on the verge of shattering—had filled him with deep fear.

Mu Qian waved his hand. "It's nothing. I don't offend those who don't offend me, especially when it comes to those around me."

"There is no deep-seated hatred between us, so I naturally won't go too far."

Hu Liena's eyes sparkled with a strange light, and a subtle ripple stirred in her heart.

He's so handsome, and he looks even younger than me, yet he already possesses such formidable strength... It must be wonderful to be the woman by his side, right?

Thinking of this, Hu Liena looked at Zhu Zhuqing, who was standing beside Mu Qian, and couldn't help but compare them in secret.

Xie Yue turned his gaze to the attendant serving them. "This is thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins. We'll take the item."

After speaking, he took the object handed over by the attendant and nodded to Mu Qian. "Farewell."

Mu Qian nodded in response, glancing at the object in their hands.

It was a black object emitting a foul, fishy odor, as if it had been coated in some kind of gelatinous substance.

But the surface wasn't the main point; what truly caught Mu Qian's attention was what was hidden inside.

It's actually a tail External Soul Bone produced by a top-tier fox-type soul beast!

So, that's how Hu Liena's External Soul Bone was obtained. Thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins—that was a real steal.

Mu Qian thought to himself, feeling a bit helpless.

The item had already been bought, so even if he wanted to make a move, he had no chance. Looking at how they didn't hesitate, they must have already discovered what was hidden inside.

It could be considered a missed opportunity, neither too big nor too small.

Seeing his sister acting like a lovesick fool, Xie Yue rubbed his temples in frustration and grabbed her arm to drag her away.

If they didn't leave now, he was afraid his sister would end up throwing herself at the guy.

"No, I still can't swallow this. I can't just let this humiliation slide."

After leaving the shop, Yan said indignantly, his eyes flashing with undisguised anger.

"How exactly do you plan to regain your dignity?" Xie Yue asked helplessly.

"We three are the pride of the younger generation of the Martial Soul Hall, known as the Golden Generation. Being insta-killed by a boy younger than us is one thing, but do you really want to bring more people to beat him up?"

"It's already embarrassing enough!"

"Besides, judging by his age, he must be a newcomer here for the academy enrollment. Perhaps he will be our junior soon."

"The ghostly methods he has already displayed are enough to attract the attention of the higher-ups, or even the Pope herself. He might even become the Saint Son of this generation."

"You should calm your restless heart and focus on your cultivation."

Xie Yue advised, though he didn't know if his brother would listen.

Regardless, Hu Liena had certainly taken it to heart...

A junior coming for enrollment, huh?

Could I... ask the teacher to let me be an examiner for the new student assessments?

On the third floor of the shop, Mu Qian watched the trio's retreating figures, lost in thought.

If the owner behind this shop was someone ranked within the Worship Hall, it was impossible for them not to have sensed the aura of the External Soul Bone inside.

If he wasn't mistaken, this had been left there on purpose, and it wasn't out of the kindness of their hearts to wait for a fated person.

But isn't the Worship Hall always at odds with the Pope Palace?

How could they deliberately accommodate the Pope's disciple, Hu Liena, who might even become the next Pope?

Mu Qian couldn't quite figure out the reason behind this.

"They're already gone..." Zhu Zhuqing looked at him faintly, her tone carrying a hint of jealousy.

A chill ran down Mu Qian's back; even when facing the dual pressure of an 80,000-year Earth King and an elder at the Soul Saint level, he hadn't felt such a sense of crisis.

Helpless, he hurriedly began to explain: "Zhuqing, I was just guessing their identities. If nothing goes wrong, they should be students from the Martial Soul Hall Academy, which means they will be our seniors in the future."

Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing felt inexplicably nervous, as if something precious was about to be stolen away.

The young girl couldn't help but tighten her grip on Mu Qian's arm: "Promise me, stay away from that vixen in the future..."

"Why?" Mu Qian was stunned for a moment, not reacting immediately.

"No reason, just stay away from her..." It was truly difficult for her, given her cold personality, to say such words.

Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but roll her eyes, feeling that Mu Qian was truly a blockhead.

In fact, that was exactly the case.

Although Mu Qian had read the original work and was very familiar with everyone's personality, he had never experienced these things himself, and he was a complete novice when it came to relationships.

As for his time in the Far North...

Don't even mention it; Snow Maiden was even more wooden than he was.

"Alright Zhuqing, I promise you. Let's see if there is anything here that can help us first," Mu Qian said, going along with her words.

With the External Soul Bone that Hu Liena and her group obtained serving as a precedent, he was even more interested in the items here.

Moreover, according to what Huang Shulang just said, this place was opened by the higher-ups of the Worship Hall; no wonder it felt mysterious everywhere.

"Respected guests, the rules on the third floor are different from those below. I do not have the authority to introduce them to you; the value of the items is entirely up to your own judgment." Huang Shulang's tone became increasingly respectful.

The scene from just a moment ago had not escaped his eyes. He recognized those three people—they were the peerless prodigies hailed as the Martial Soul Hall Golden Generation!