Your Feelings for Senior Hu Liena Are Known Throughout Spirit Hall Academy!

Yan's mind was filled with the image of Hu Liena holding Li Zha's hand.

He hadn't heard a word the teacher said.

He turned and grabbed the shifty-looking student who had come with him and was standing not far behind him.

"Why?"

"Why wouldn't Nana let me call her Nana?!

Yet Nana let that brat call her Nana?!"

"Nana... she even took the initiative to touch that brat's hand!!"

"My innate soul power is rank 9! My Flame Lord martial soul is a top-tier ancient beast martial soul with dual fire-and-earth attributes!

How am I worse than that brat?! Does Nana like him?!"

The student being grabbed by the collar had gone pale, both feet dangling off the ground.

But he didn't dare answer right away!

Because he knew Yan very well!

If he told the truth, he would definitely get beaten senseless!

The kind that would leave him bedridden for half a month!

His eyes darted around rapidly before suddenly freezing.

He had it!

"Yan... Brother Yan! You're definitely no worse than that brat!

Besides, you and Senior have known each other for so long.

How could some brat possibly affect the feelings between you two!"

"You're right..."

Yan's voice was unusually calm.

Then, in the next instant, he exploded again.

"Then tell me! Why won't she let me call her Nana?! Why does she even let that brat touch her hand?!"

"Because... because she wants you to be jealous!"

The student was quick-witted and continued.

"Senior Hu Liena wants you to get jealous, Brother Yan! That's why she deliberately acted that way!"

"Usually, Senior Hu Liena treats people like us, whom she has no interest in at all, with the same cold indifference!

That's what not liking someone looks like! But you're different!

To make you jealous, Senior even endured the discomfort of someone else calling her Nana.

To make you jealous, she deliberately touched that brat's hand right in front of you!

Otherwise, why would she insist on doing it only when you were there!

Right, Brother Yan!

Think about it! When you weren't around, did you ever see Senior touch that brat's hand?

Did you ever hear that brat call Senior Nana?"

Yan's expression darkened.

He seemed to be genuinely thinking about it.

After a long while.

"That does seem to make some sense..."

"Indeed, I only saw Nana touch that brat's hand when I was there..."

Yan's eyes suddenly widened. "That means Nana really did it on purpose!"

"That's right! Brother Yan! You've been teammates for so long.

Your feelings for each other are known throughout Spirit Hall Academy!"

"Good, good! Fine!"

Yan pulled out two gold soul coins and stuffed them directly into the student's arms.

"Go buy yourself something good to eat!"

The student's eyes widened as he hurriedly thanked him. "Thank you, Brother Yan!"

Yan patted him on the shoulder.

"You're smart. Keep a closer eye on Nana from now on."

"If that brat dares to try anything funny, come tell me immediately."

"Understood, Brother Yan!" the student replied.

Yan straightened his clothes again.

There was even a faint smile on his face.

"Since Nana wants to see me get jealous, then I'll let her see more of it.

I'll make her understand just how much I like her!"

"But I can't really let that brat take advantage of her."

"I need to go take a look at the third floor!"

Yan strode toward the archives.

The student remained where he was, clutching the two gold soul coins as he let out a long sigh of relief.

At the other end of the corridor, several students who had been watching walked over.

They all gave him a thumbs-up.

"Brother, you're something else."

"You managed to talk your way out of that?"

"You had Yan completely convinced!"

The student put away the gold soul coins and gave an embarrassed smile.

"Ah, as long as I kept my life. I'll be going, I'll be going."

The others all nodded.

Watching the student leave with two gold soul coins, there wasn't the slightest trace of envy on their faces.

Because Yan's question had really been a deadly one!

Anyone with eyes could see that Hu Liena simply didn't like him!

And as for talent, Li Zha had been personally designated by the Pope as a future disciple.

Could his talent possibly be worse than Yan's?

It was just that no one dared say it!

Who would have thought that kid could resolve even such a deadly question?

All they could say was that he had earned those two gold soul coins!

Third floor of the archives.

Li Zha sat beside the innermost bookshelf.

There were not many people on the third floor.

There were also fewer books on the shelves.

But every single one was very thick.

The edges of the pages bore quite a few special markings as well.

Hu Liena sat beside him, taking a copy of Detailed Explanation of Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast Danger Zones.

After flipping through a few pages, she turned to look at Li Zha.

"Little Brother Li Zha."

"Did you come here to learn about the habits of ten-thousand-year soul beasts in advance?"

"Mm," Li Zha nodded dismissively.

He couldn't exactly tell her that he wanted a ten-thousand-year soul beast as his first soul ring.

Even Ghost Douluo had been startled by it.

He had even used a soul skill to test him because of it.

Though he had also given Li Zha a little guidance at the same time.

He had let him experience the aura of a ten-thousand-year soul ring in advance.

But if he told Hu Liena about this idea of his...

Wouldn't Hu Liena's reaction be even greater?

Hu Liena moved a little closer to Li Zha.

"When I first came to Spirit Hall Academy, I was the same way. I was so curious about ten-thousand-year soul beasts."

"I..."

Hu Liena chattered on endlessly.

Li Zha nodded from time to time.

Yet he hadn't taken in a single word she said.

In his previous life, he had already grown used to reading novels even with someone constantly talking nearby during class.

That was right, it was a skill honed by teachers in the classroom.

Who would have thought that this talent would come in handy here as well?

After an unknown amount of time.

Li Zha's hand suddenly paused as he turned a page.

Looking at the contents, he muttered softly.

"Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast..."

Hu Liena carefully leaned closer.

The page depicted a soul beast covered in black-and-red armor.

It was enormous.

Its four limbs were thick and sturdy.

A short horn grew from the top of its head.

A detailed description was written beneath the illustration.

The Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast was a dual fire-and-earth attribute soul beast.

Once fully grown, it weighed over eight thousand jin!

Its armor could absorb earthfire to temper itself. It possessed immense strength, and its attacks carried scorching impacts.

Ten-thousand-year Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beasts excelled at charging, trampling, tail-whipping, and explosive bursts of power.

Li Zha's eyes flickered slightly.

"And most of them are around ten thousand years old..."

"Eight thousand jin is enough, too.

Tempered by earthfire, and it can also infuse fire..."

"Very good. It can be a candidate for my first soul ring!"

He briefly noted the page number before continuing to flip forward.

However, Li Zha, immersed in the ocean of soul beast knowledge, failed to notice at all.

At that moment.

The expression on Hu Liena's face beside him had changed.

She stiffly turned her head and stared at Li Zha's profile.

"Y-you... what did you just say?"

Li Zha didn't look up and merely nodded again. "Mm..."

Hu Liena's eyes widened.

She grabbed his wrist tightly!

"Stop saying mm! Did you just say it could be a candidate for your first soul ring?!"

Li Zha stopped turning the pages.

"Huh?"

Once he came back to himself.

He remembered.

He had apparently gotten too excited just now.

And accidentally muttered it aloud.

Looking at the pretty face close before him.

Li Zha scratched his head.

"Since you heard it, then yes. I'm planning to choose the Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast as a candidate for my first soul ring."

Hu Liena moved even closer.

Her eyes widened!

"That's a ten-thousand-year soul beast!! Although higher soul ring age limits are better!

You have to consider your body's limits! Haven't you learned about soul rings yet?"

"You can ask me first. I can teach you!"

Li Zha shook his head. "I understand. I just didn't want to say it because I knew you'd react like this. Explaining it is troublesome."

Hu Liena wanted to keep persuading him.

Then the door to the third floor was suddenly pushed open.

Yan strode inside.

"Liena! I understand what you mean now! So you actually have feelings for me..."

Before he could finish, he froze completely.

He saw it very clearly!

In a deserted corner, Hu Liena was tightly holding Li Zha's hand.

And this time, she was using both hands!

The two of them were sitting very close together!

Hu Liena's whole body was even leaning toward Li Zha.

The smile vanished from Yan's face instantly.

"No!! Are you really here to study soul beast knowledge?!

What exactly are you doing on the third floor?!"