Hu Liena and Gui Mei looked toward the arena at the sound of that.
Seeing that Yue Guan's spiritual power had been rebuffed, Gui Mei didn't dare probe any further.
He suggested, "Nana, since this place is so strange, why don't we leave as soon as possible?"
Yue Guan nodded in agreement.
A master far more powerful than him had appeared here. Something was definitely wrong.
Hu Liena took out Star Feather and held it in her hand, sensing the mysterious power it radiated.
Her gaze fixed gravely on the Silver-Haired Man seated on the cushion at the center of the arena. She studied his handsome face, her throat bobbing as she said:
"Grandpa Chrysanthemum, Grandpa Ghost, perhaps this Senior doesn't mean us any harm."
"Let's go over and take a look. We can ask what Star Feather and the Star Official Challenge are, too."
As she spoke, Hu Liena strode toward the arena.
Yue Guan glanced at Gui Mei, still shaken. After hesitating for a moment, they followed her.
On the cushion, Lin Feng peered through a narrow slit between his eyelids. Seeing the three approach, he straightened up.
Before long, Hu Liena, Yue Guan, and Gui Mei stood before him.
Hu Liena held the golden Star Feather in her hand. She glanced at Yue Guan and Gui Mei, who were on guard, then nodded.
She bowed slightly and said respectfully:
"I am Hu Liena. I pay my respects to Senior!"
Lin Feng slowly opened his eyes. The moment he got a clear look at Hu Liena, he was genuinely dazzled.
Inwardly, he compared her to the actresses he'd seen on the silver screen in his previous life and realized she completely outclassed them.
His expression remained calm, his gaze as placid as an ancient well. He said evenly:
"Hu Liena, congratulations on becoming one of the three lucky ones chosen today!"
"Unaffiliated personnel, leave the arena at once. You can begin the Star Official Challenge!"
Yue Guan and Gui Mei stood on either side of Hu Liena. Neither had any intention of leaving the arena.
As if! Leave the Spirit Hall's Saintess alone with a stranger? Absolutely not.
If anything happened to Hu Liena, Pope Bibi Dong would never forgive them.
From start to finish, Hu Liena stared straight at the Silver-Haired Man's face.
Even as the Spirit Hall's Saintess, she had seen countless talented people.
Yet this Silver-Haired Man, who looked about her age, still left her dazzled.
Never mind that he had easily rebuffed the spiritual power of Chrysanthemum Douluo, whose Soul Power was at level 95—his strength was unfathomable.
That peerlessly beautiful face alone was enough to captivate her for a moment.
Beautiful women attracted handsome men, and handsome men attracted beautiful women. It was an instinctive part of human nature.
After briefly losing herself, Hu Liena's cheeks flushed faintly. Awkwardly, she tucked her hair behind her ear.
She composed herself and asked:
"May I ask, Senior, if you could explain what the Star Official Challenge is?"
"And why did you send this Star Feather to me?"
Lin Feng noticed Hu Liena staring at him in a daze.
That's right. You can't resist me.
His expression remained serene and calm, as if Mount Tai could collapse before him without making him so much as blink.
He slowly explained:
"The Star Feather's owner is a lucky one I randomly selected from the billions of living beings on Douluo Continent."
"I appear in a different place every day. Those chosen by Star Feather can find me and take the Star Official Challenge."
"The Star Official Challenge covers a wide range of things. Once you accept and complete a challenge, you can receive all kinds of rewards."
"How generous the reward is depends mainly on your own fortune."
"Of course, you can also forfeit your chance. Star Feather will disappear automatically at midnight."
Hu Liena listened, dumbfounded. Reason told her not to trust him too easily.
But when she looked at that flawless face, she nodded and said:
"I understand, Senior. What should I do now to accept the Star Official Challenge?"
Yue Guan hurriedly stopped her. "Nana, you mustn't!"
"This man appeared in these remote mountains, and we don't know who he is. Be careful—it could be a trap!"
Gui Mei also urged her, "That's right, Nana."
"Our purpose in coming here is to go to the Capital of Slaughter."
"Do you want to defy the Pope's orders?"
Hu Liena hesitated at that.
Lin Feng explained:
"Accepting the Star Official Challenge won't take much time."
"And the final reward might be a Spirit Bone, a Soul Ring, or all kinds of rare treasures."
"Opportunities like this don't come twice."
"Hu Liena, think carefully."
His voice seemed to hold a bewitching power as it reached Hu Liena's ears.
She drew a deep breath, looked at Yue Guan and Gui Mei, and said firmly:
"Grandpa Chrysanthemum, Grandpa Ghost!"
"Why don't you two wait below? Once I've finished the Star Official Challenge, we can go to the Capital of Slaughter together."
"Nana, you're being foolish."
Yue Guan said frantically, "I've never heard of any Star Official Challenge on Douluo Continent!"
"And it can reward you with Spirit Bones? Soul Rings? Rare treasures?"
"Anyone who heard that would laugh their heads off!"
"Nana, let's get out of here. Listen to me!"
Gui Mei stood silently, but his solemn expression made it clear that he sided with Yue Guan.
Seeing Hu Liena caught in a difficult position, Lin Feng snorted.
"On my turf, you two don't get to throw your weight around!"
In the next instant, an invisible, mysterious energy enveloped Yue Guan and Gui Mei, hurling them outside the arena.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. They could hardly have looked more wretched.
Hu Liena watched this happen, then looked back at the Silver-Haired Man before her.
The reverence in her gaze turned to panic. She knew Yue Guan and Gui Mei's strength all too well.
Seeing them suppressed so effortlessly, she hurriedly bowed and pleaded:
"Please don't make things difficult for Grandpa Chrysanthemum and Grandpa Ghost, Senior!"
"I'll accept the Star Official Challenge right now. I will!"
Lin Feng nodded in satisfaction. "Just inject your Soul Power into Star Feather."
Hu Liena glanced worriedly at Yue Guan and Gui Mei below the arena. They had recovered enough to struggle to their feet, though they still looked wretched.
With no choice, she nodded and injected her Soul Power into the Star Feather in her hand.
Star Feather shone with dazzling golden light and rose into the air.
The golden light formed two words: "Attack."
Lin Feng said, "Hu Liena, the Star Official Challenge has begun."
"Now unleash your strongest attack and strike Star Feather."
"The more damage you deal, the more generous your reward will be."
Hu Liena listened, fixed her gaze on the golden feather floating in the air, nodded, and took out a Blood-Colored Dagger.
She sprang upward and struck Star Feather hard with a vicious move.
Star Feather glittered with golden light and sent Hu Liena flying. She landed beside Yue Guan and Gui Mei, clutching her chest, her face pale.
On the cushion at the center of the arena, a string of red text appeared in Lin Feng's mind:
[Character: Hu Liena] [Attack Damage: 5300] [Rating: D-] [Reward: Random Soul Ring lifespan increased by two thousand years]
Lin Feng wasn't surprised by the damage Hu Liena had dealt.
Her Martial Soul was the Demon Fox, and all her Soul Rings were related to charm. Her single-target attack ability was weak, but she could perform a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with Xie Yue.
He looked down at Hu Liena and said calmly, "Hu Liena, that attack dealt 5300 damage and earned a D- rating. Come up and claim your reward."
Below the arena, Hu Liena clutched her chest, her face slightly pale.
She hadn't expected her full-strength attack against Star Feather to be reflected back at her in its entirety.
At that moment, she looked toward the Silver-Haired Man seated on the cushion at the center of the arena, suspicion in her eyes.
After hearing him speak of damage, ratings, and rewards, she became hesitant.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei struggled over to Hu Liena, their faces grim.
Yue Guan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said coldly:
"Nana, don't let him fool you again!"
"Hurry and leave. Old Ghost and I will stay behind to hold him off!"
"Go! Hurry!"
The next moment, nine powerful Soul Rings rose beneath each of them.
Looking at how weak the two men were, Hu Liena shook her head again and again.
"No, Grandpa Chrysanthemum, Grandpa Ghost. I'm not leaving!"
That man on the arena had easily suppressed and injured Yue Guan and Gui Mei.
It proved his strength was far beyond theirs.
Faced with such a terrifying expert, if he truly meant them harm, no one here would get away.
Even if Yue Guan and Gui Mei stayed to fight for their lives and managed to hold him off,
Hu Liena would never allow the two grandfathers who had doted on her since childhood to put themselves in danger.
"Grandpa Chrysanthemum, Grandpa Ghost, don't worry."
"I'll be fine. I believe Senior doesn't mean us any harm."
Hu Liena stepped resolutely onto the arena.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei were frantic and tried to follow her.
Before you continue