The afterglow of the setting sun bathed Spirit City, casting a warm golden sheen over the magnificent city.
Lin Ze'an carried several bottles of Soul Power tempering medicine Yue Guan had given him as he slowly made his way back to his little courtyard.
He had spent the past few days hunting Soul Rings with his master and hadn't been able to get a good rest while they were out. At last, he could go home and sleep soundly.
A short while later, Lin Ze'an stopped in front of the gate to his courtyard.
He glanced at the plaque hanging above it and thought for a moment. Then he walked over to the neighboring courtyard and gently knocked on the door. "Is Senior here?"
But even after waiting for a long while, there was only silence inside. No one answered.
He knocked again, a little harder. "Senior? Are you there?"
Still, no one answered.
Lin Ze'an tilted his head slightly, puzzled.
The Spirit Hall Academy should have let out by this time, shouldn't it?
"Did he go out?" he murmured. He knocked a few more times, and after confirming that no one was home, he turned and headed back to his own courtyard with a helpless sigh.
He could deal with the plaque tomorrow. At worst, he'd ask his master for help. He was too tired to do anything today.
Just as Lin Ze'an was about to open the door, a surprised voice came from behind him. "You're back, junior."
At the sound, Lin Ze'an instinctively turned around.
A familiar figure was walking toward him from a short distance away. It was Yan, whom he had met twice before.
But two other people were with him, a man and a woman, both striking in bearing and looks.
They were Hu Liena and Xie Yue.
Lin Ze'an politely nodded to the three of them. "I'm Lin Ze'an. The people with Senior Yan must be Senior Hu Liena and Senior Xie Yue, right? I've heard a lot about you."
Yan stepped forward and patted Lin Ze'an on the shoulder. "Ha ha, junior, you're finally back. Nana's been wanting to meet you for ages."
"Huh?" Lin Ze'an blinked, a little confused. "Is something the matter?"
Standing beside Yan, Hu Liena narrowed her enchanting eyes slightly. "Junior, what's your Martial Soul? I'm curious."
As she looked at Lin Ze'an, her beautiful eyes seemed to make anyone want to answer honestly.
But the next instant, everything changed!
Hu Liena stood opposite Lin Ze'an, her gorgeous face—so alluring, lazy, and haughty—suddenly contorting.
"Ah!!!" A piercing cry of pain burst from her lips.
Hu Liena's body jerked. It was as if all the strength had been drained from her. Her knees buckled, and she fell straight to the ground.
"Nana!!"
Xie Yue and Yan's expressions changed instantly!
Xie Yue reached out and caught Hu Liena as she began to crumple. "Nana! What's wrong?!"
Yan's face had gone deathly pale. He hurriedly crouched beside her. "Nana? Nana? Wake up! Don't scare me! What happened?"
It all happened so suddenly that Lin Ze'an, standing nearby, was left completely stunned.
He stared wide-eyed at the unexpected scene, his little face full of shock and disbelief.
Just then, an absurd thought flashed through Lin Ze'an's mind, one that fit the situation all too well.
She wasn't injured or fighting, yet she'd suddenly ended up like this... Could Hu Liena have used her charm on him?
At the thought, Lin Ze'an's mouth twitched. His eyes filled with exasperation.
His Martial Soul was Mo Ruier. With Hu Liena's current level, her mental power couldn't possibly overpower him completely. Mo Ruier would undoubtedly reflect it back and make it rebound on her.
Besides, he had already obtained his Second Soul Ring. Even without using a Soul Skill, his resistance to abnormal effects had increased substantially. How could she possibly control him?
Watching Hu Liena curled up on the ground while Xie Yue and Yan stood by, anxious and at a loss, Lin Ze'an furrowed his brow and weighed things for a moment.
She was Bibi Dong's disciple, after all... Forget it. He'd better not make trouble for his master.
He could tell that Hu Liena meant him no harm. She'd only been curious, and this had served as a lesson.
He sighed and walked over, stopping beside Xie Yue and Yan. "Seniors, Senior Yan's courtyard is right next door. Let's take Senior Hu there first."
"I can handle her condition."
Xie Yue paused, surprise flashing in his eyes as he looked at Lin Ze'an in confusion.
What could a six-year-old child possibly do to help a Soul Master far above him in level?
But Yan leaned toward Xie Yue and quietly said, "Let's listen to him. He's Elder Chrysanthemum's disciple. There's no reason for him to play tricks on us."
Inside Yan's room, Hu Liena was gently settled onto the bed. Beads of sweat covered her pale cheeks.
Xie Yue and Yan stood tensely beside the bed, their eyes fixed on Hu Liena.
Just then, Lin Ze'an slowly raised his little hand. An emerald-green glow gradually bloomed in his palm.
It wasn't dazzling. It was like the soft, warm sunlight of an early spring morning.
"What is this?" Surprise flashed in Xie Yue and Yan's eyes.
On the bed, Hu Liena's brows, which had been tightly knit beneath the light, gradually relaxed.
The warmth also brought a hint of color back to her pale lips.
A short while later—
Hu Liena slowly came to, gazing dazedly at the three people beside the bed.
"I... What...?"
She slowly moved her eyes, her vision gradually coming into focus, until at last it settled on Lin Ze'an, standing beside the bed.
Xie Yue and Yan immediately crowded around her.
"Nana! You're awake?"
Hu Liena blinked. Her gaze moved from Xie Yue to Yan, then to Lin Ze'an, standing off to one side.
"I..." She started to speak, but suddenly seemed to remember something. Her body stiffened slightly, and her gaze returned to Lin Ze'an.
She'd just suffered a backlash from mental power, hadn't she? Could this junior have had a treasure from Elder Chrysanthemum that let him resist her charm?
Seeing Hu Liena awake, Lin Ze'an breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at her. "Senior, are you feeling any better?"
Since he didn't bring it up himself, Hu Liena fell silent for a moment, then nodded gently. "...Yes, much better. Thank you, junior."
Xie Yue and Yan, however, were both baffled. A six-year-old child, no matter how talented, could at most have Innate Full Soul Power, right?
Even if he was a healing-type Soul Master, how could he so easily heal Nana, who was over twenty levels above him, without even summoning his Martial Soul?
In the end, Yan was the first to break the awkward silence in the room.
He scratched his head and chuckled. "Junior, what was that ability you used just now?"
"When that green light shines on you, it feels really warm. My whole body feels much more relaxed."
Before you continue