Hu Liena held him by the wrist, making him feel thoroughly uncomfortable. He struggled twice, but couldn't break free.
Hu Liena was already a level-25 Soul Grandmaster.
Her Soul Power was nothing like that of a beginner who had only just awakened his Martial Soul.
Once they entered the hall, Hu Liena let go.
She casually snatched the book from Ling Xiao's hands.
She waved it in her hand and raised an eyebrow at Ling Xiao.
"Senior Sister, give me back the book."
"Nope!"
Hu Liena took a step back and hid the book behind her, smiling like a little fox.
"Call me 'dear Senior Sister,' and I'll give it back."
Ling Xiao: "..."
He was an adult inside.
Getting him to act cute and call a ten-year-old girl "dear Senior Sister" was even harder than making him fight a Titled Douluo one-on-one.
He furrowed his brows, stepped forward, and reached for the book.
"Senior Sister, quit messing around."
"Aw, you can't catch me~"
Hu Liena darted aside, easily dodging his hand.
She was the Saintess, carefully trained by the Spirit Hall. Her footwork was beyond anything a beginner like Ling Xiao could match.
After a few rounds, Ling Xiao still hadn't managed to get the book.
Instead, Hu Liena circled behind him and reached out to pinch his cheek.
The soft, squishy feel made Hu Liena's eyes light up.
"Wow! Little Junior Brother, your cheek is so soft!"
"You look so cold, so how come your face is this fun to squish?"
Ling Xiao froze. An intense wave of mortification swept over him.
In two lifetimes, when had anyone ever pinched his cheek and teased him like this?
He abruptly slapped Hu Liena's hand away and backed up two steps.
At last, his composure cracked, and a flush spread over his face.
Not from embarrassment, but anger!
"Hu Liena!"
He stopped even calling her Senior Sister.
"Don't push it."
"Ooh, is Little Junior Brother angry?"
Hu Liena wasn't scared at all. She only laughed harder.
"You're still so cute when you're angry."
"What? Don't like it? Then come beat me!"
As she spoke, Soul Power surged around her.
A pink glow spread from her body as the Demon Fox Martial Soul quietly activated.
Two fluffy fox ears sprouted from the top of her head, and a bushy tail swished behind her.
First Soul Skill: Charm, activated without a sound.
Ling Xiao's vision blurred.
His mental faculties were disrupted, and his movements slowed.
By the time he came to his senses, Hu Liena was already right in front of him.
She pressed a hand to his shoulder and gave him a gentle push, pinning him to the chair behind him.
"Well? Little Junior Brother, do you give in?"
Hu Liena bent toward him, bringing her face close as she smiled at him.
Her fox tail gently brushed the back of his hand.
"Call me 'dear Senior Sister,' and I'll let you go. I'll never tease you again, okay?"
Gritting his teeth, Ling Xiao desperately urged the Soul Power inside him to break free.
But against such an overwhelming difference in rank, it was useless.
The moment the Soul Power he summoned began to stir, Hu Liena's easily suppressed it.
Just like that, a ten-year-old girl had him pinned firmly to a chair, unable to move.
In the end, Ling Xiao simply shut his eyes.
He wouldn't look at her or say a word.
He was determined not to give in.
Hu Liena teased him for a while.
Then she decided that was probably enough. If she kept going, she really would make her little Junior Brother angry.
She released him and withdrew her Martial Soul.
Setting the book on the table, she said with a smile,
"Okay, okay, I'll stop teasing you."
"Little Junior Brother, you really can't take a joke."
With that, she skipped out of Qinghui Hall and headed back to Lanyue Hall.
At last, silence returned to the hall.
Ling Xiao sat in the chair, his face dark as the bottom of a pot.
In two lifetimes, he had never felt so aggrieved.
He couldn't exactly throw a tantrum like a six-year-old and roll around on the floor over Hu Liena.
After thinking it over, he decided the only person who could rein in this Senior Sister was his master, Bibi Dong.
Ling Xiao took a deep breath and straightened his robe.
He rose, walked out of Qinghui Hall, and headed straight for Bibi Dong's main hall.
Inside, Bibi Dong was reviewing reports submitted by the Elder Hall.
When she saw Ling Xiao enter, she looked a little surprised, set down her pen, and asked gently,
"Ling Xiao? What's wrong?"
"Didn't I tell you to go back and rest? Is there something about your living quarters you're unhappy with?"
Ling Xiao walked to the center of the hall and bowed.
He lifted his head, his voice carrying a hint of grievance.
"Master, I'm here to complain."
Bibi Dong was taken aback, then couldn't help laughing.
"Complain? Who are you complaining about?"
"I'm complaining about Senior Sister Hu Liena."
Ling Xiao spoke with a perfectly serious expression.
"Master had only just left when Senior Sister snatched my book and pinched my cheek."
"She even used her higher cultivation to suppress me with her Martial Soul and pin me to a chair. She bullied me."
"I beg you, Master, please keep Senior Sister in line."
His eyes held frustration and displeasure.
Bibi Dong found his expression both amusing and helpless.
She'd known it. Hu Liena had made all the right promises to her.
But the moment she turned away, the girl would disobey.
"All right, I understand."
Bibi Dong instructed the attendant beside her,
"Go and call the Saintess over."
The attendant hurried off.
Before long, Hu Liena came skipping in.
As soon as she entered the main hall, she spotted Ling Xiao standing to one side.
Then she saw Bibi Dong's darkening expression.
Her heart gave a little jolt.
Well, well. Little Junior Brother had actually gone and tattled!
Hu Liena immediately wiped the smile from her face.
She lowered her head, obediently walked to the center of the hall, and said softly,
"Master, you wanted to see me?"
"Hu Liena, what did I tell you before?"
Bibi Dong's voice turned stern, carrying the authority of the Supreme Pontiff.
"I told you to take good care of your junior brother. Is this what you call taking care of him?"
"Teasing him and using your cultivation to bully him?"
Hu Liena bowed her head until it was nearly buried against her chest.
She snuck a glare at Ling Xiao, then quickly lowered her eyes again and admitted,
"Master, I was wrong."
"I shouldn't have bullied Little Junior Brother. I won't do it again."
"Good. As long as you know you were wrong."
Seeing her like this, Bibi Dong couldn't bring herself to scold her too harshly. She said sternly,
"Apologize to your junior brother."
"If you bully him again, I'll send you to the Discipline Hall to reflect. Understand?"
"Yes, Master."
Hu Liena replied, then turned around.
"Little Junior Brother, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have teased you or bullied you."
Ling Xiao gave a slight nod but said nothing.
Only then did Bibi Dong wave them away.
"All right, you can both go."
"Nana, remember what you said. If there's a next time, I won't let you off lightly."
"Yes, Master."
The two bowed together and took their leave, walking out of the main hall.
The moment they stepped through the main hall's entrance,
the obedient, apologetic look vanished from Hu Liena's face.
She turned around and stuck her tongue out at Ling Xiao.
Pouting, she muttered,
"Honestly, Little Junior Brother! How dare you go to Master and complain about me!"
Ling Xiao looked up at her, his expression calm.
"You were the one in the wrong, Senior Sister. I only told the truth."
"Fine. You win."
She leaned close to Ling Xiao and lowered her voice.
"Don't think I'm scared of you just because you ran to Master to complain. Just you wait."
With that, she turned and swished her ponytail as she headed toward Lanyue Hall.
Before leaving, she didn't forget to shake a fist at Ling Xiao.
Ling Xiao stood where he was, watching her walk away.
He rubbed the space between his brows, his head aching.
He'd figured it out.
Hu Liena was the kind of girl who knew she was wrong and never changed.
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