Martial Soul Research

Crack!

A crisp cracking sound came from Ji Boyan's fist.

Among their peers this year, Hu Liena was undoubtedly the most beautiful girl. In Ji Boyan's heart, she was a lofty goddess who must not be defiled.

Yet Meng Xuanji's filthy hand was now resting on Hu Liena's waist, his fingertips lightly brushing her lower abdomen and making her blush furiously.

To Ji Boyan, this desecration of his goddess was nothing less than the most shameless provocation!

"Meng Xuanji, take your filthy hands off her!"

Ji Boyan summoned his Evergreen Vine Martial Soul, and the glow of his first soul ring immediately lit up.

"First Soul Skill, Vine Net Binding!"

Seeing Ji Boyan make the first move, Hua Dan and Zi Lu also unleashed their first Soul Skills.

Hua Dan said, "Pure Heart Lotus, First Soul Skill, Azure Lotus Battle Robe."

A cyan blessing descended upon Zi Lu, transforming into a blue robe that fluttered in the wind.

Zi Lu said, "First Soul Skill, Savage Deer Charge!"

Zi Lu transformed into a sturdy, giant-antlered elk and charged at Meng Xuanji like a dump truck barreling forward at full speed.

"You made the first move."

After saying that, Meng Xuanji took half a step back.

"Miss, please do me a favor and teach them a lesson. I'll provide soul power and vision support from the rear. I'll leave the rest to you."

Hu Liena did not waste any time and immediately summoned her Martial Soul.

"Fine. Nine-Tailed Fox, possess me!"

One of the combat methods of Beast Martial Souls was possession. Nine illusory tails gradually grew behind Hu Liena, one of which had already solidified under the nourishment of soul power.

Once Hu Liena broke through to the Titled Douluo level, all nine tails behind her Martial Soul would fully manifest, unleashing the true power of the Nine-Tailed Fox.

"Hu Liena, get out of the way! Otherwise, I'll send you flying with him!" Zi Lu shouted.

"You think you're worthy?"

Hu Liena stretched out her palm.

"Violet Lightning!"

A dazzling bolt of violet lightning shot from Hu Liena's fingertips. Sustained by the combined soul power of Meng Xuanji and Hu Liena, it had already taken on the outline of a venomous snake, hissing sharply.

"Hiss!"

The lightning snake bit into Zi Lu's body, and a tingling current instantly swept through him.

The violent power of lightning erupted within Zi Lu's body, blasting him into a charred lump with a bang.

"Argh!"

Zi Lu collapsed before he could struggle much, and even the blue battle robe on his body shattered with a loud blast!

"What?!" Hua Dan's face filled with shock.

"What domineering lightning. Was that really her first Soul Skill?"

After Zi Lu was defeated, thick vines suddenly sprouted beneath Hu Liena's feet, forming a cage that trapped her tightly within.

Ji Boyan said, "Hu Liena, I do not wish to hurt you. I hope you'll surrender peacefully. This cage is made from my Evergreen Vine and conducts electricity. If you use your Soul Skills, you'll only hurt yourself. You'd best know when to retreat."

Faced with Ji Boyan's demand for surrender, Hu Liena merely gave a disdainful smile.

"Who told you that was my first Soul Skill?"

"Violet Thunder Flash."

Whoosh!

Hu Liena's body compressed into a streak of violet lightning, shooting out of the cage and racing toward Ji Boyan.

"Impossible! How could this happen?!"

Ji Boyan felt as though his worldview had been challenged.

Couldn't each soul ring only grant a Soul Master one Soul Skill? Why could Hu Liena have two?

Meng Xuanji, however, looked as though he had expected this all along.

"As expected of the Nine-Tailed Fox. In terms of combat ability, it surpasses the Enchanting Demon Fox by far more than just one level."

The Nine-Tailed Fox was a legendary divine beast. Nine tails meant nine lives, and every full-moon night, it would regrow all nine tails, making it exceedingly difficult to kill.

Furthermore, nine-tailed foxes were naturally skilled at learning and imitation. From birth, they possessed exceptionally high spiritual awareness and mental power. The greatest advantage of the Nine-Tailed Fox Martial Soul was that its Soul Master could imitate the skills of other soul beasts with compatible attributes according to their own soul power attributes.

And the Jade-faced Thunder Fox, also a fox, was undoubtedly her finest textbook.

What Ji Boyan faced was not Hu Liena, who had merely obtained one ability from the Jade-faced Thunder Fox, but a Nine-Tailed Fox whose abilities were nearly identical to those of the Jade-faced Thunder Fox.

In Meng Xuanji's eyes, the outcome was already beyond doubt.

Crackle!

Smack!

"Ugh, ah!"

Hu Liena punched Ji Boyan flying, then pinned him to the floor and gave him a brutal beating! Crackling lightning electrocuted Ji Boyan until he lost consciousness; even begging for mercy had become an impossible luxury.

"That's for bullying Meng Xuanji."

"That's for looking down on him."

"That's for provoking me."

"Let's see if I don't beat you crippled!"

Hu Liena vented her anger fiercely on Ji Boyan. After rising to her feet, she turned her gaze toward Hua Dan nearby.

Hua Dan was an auxiliary-type Soul Master. She had no chance of winning against Hu Liena.

"Since you're a girl, I won't hit you if you apologize to Meng Xuanji now. Otherwise, I'm a girl too, so don't blame me for showing no mercy."

"I-I'll apologize. I'm sorry."

A wise man did not fight when the odds were against him. Ji Boyan and Zi Lu, who had been so arrogant moments ago, were lying on the ground. Hua Dan no longer had the courage to keep fighting.

"Mm, then let's leave it at that."

Meng Xuanji patted Hu Liena's shoulder from behind.

"Thanks, Miss. From now on, I'll have to rely on you to protect me."

Hu Liena withdrew her Martial Soul. With Meng Xuanji's help, she had not consumed much soul power and still had the strength to fight.

"Then behave yourself from now on. Don't hug and grope me in front of so many people. If you want to hug me, find somewhere without anyone around. Otherwise, I won't help you anymore."

Hu Liena was still upset that Meng Xuanji had wrapped an arm around her waist without considering her feelings.

It made her feel as though she had become Meng Xuanji's toy, someone he could touch whenever he wanted.

"Yes, yes, I'll be more careful next time."

Meng Xuanji said he would be careful, but in truth, he was constantly calculating his affection level with Hu Liena.

She was bound to resist at first, but as long as time wore that resistance down and Hu Liena grew accustomed to his actions, he would no longer need to hold back when fooling around with her later.

Even if he casually rubbed her slender waist once or twice, she probably would not say anything.

After all, everything was difficult at the beginning. Even the best feelings had to be nurtured.

He would just treat it like playing a story-driven game.

"Also, your name is Hua Dan, right?" Meng Xuanji suddenly turned to look at Hua Dan.

"Your Martial Soul is rather unusual. It seems to be some kind of purification-type Martial Soul. I'm very interested in researching your Martial Soul. If you wish to pursue the path of Martial Soul mutation, you may come find me at the library. I wouldn't mind helping you study it."

"You're completely blinded by lust! Why do you talk like that whenever you meet another girl? She was just insulting you!"

Hu Liena was clearly displeased. She puffed out her cheeks to show her dissatisfaction.

"How could that be? I simply enjoy research. It's my hobby. Don't worry, at the moment, you're absolutely my number one. You and I are the best of friends."

"Why 'at the moment'?" Hu Liena caught a small detail in Meng Xuanji's words.

"Come on, I'm going to marry a wife someday. You won't want to marry me later, so of course you can't be number one forever," Meng Xuanji said jokingly.

"You! Get lost!"