Hu Liena's Provocation

After Gui Mei and Yue Guan left with the Pope's Edict, the hall fell silent.

Su Chen was just about to head back to sleep when a series of footsteps echoed from outside the door.

Bibi Dong lifted her gaze.

"Enter."

A young girl walked into the hall.

The girl was in her early teens, tall and slender, with a look of unconcealed defiance on her face. She first bowed to Bibi Dong, then fixed her eyes on Su Chen.

"Teacher."

Bibi Dong gave a faint nod.

"Nana, it's so late. Is something the matter?"

Hu Liena pursed her lips.

"Disciple heard that Teacher has taken a personal disciple and even conferred the title of Holy Son."

"And so?"

"Disciple wishes to see him."

Su Chen sat in his chair, looking up to size her up.

Hu Liena.

The core of the Spirit Hall's Golden Generation, the future Saintess of the Spirit Hall, naturally gifted in charm and mental attacks.

This senior sister before him was clearly not very happy.

Hu Liena looked at Su Chen.

"You are Su Chen?"

"You are Hu Liena?"

"You know me?"

"Teacher mentioned you."

Bibi Dong's eyebrows twitched slightly.

She certainly hadn't mentioned her.

Su Chen added casually.

"I could tell from your expression. Aside from Teacher's personal disciple, no one else would dare run straight to the Papal Hall to cause trouble for the Holy Son."

Hu Liena's face stiffened.

"Who is here to cause you trouble?"

"Then why are you here?"

"I just wanted to see what kind of ability someone who could make Teacher break precedent to confer the title of Holy Son actually has."

Su Chen stood up.

"Are you done looking?"

Hu Liena frowned.

"Not yet."

"Then keep looking."

This nonchalant attitude made Hu Liena feel even more uncomfortable.

Among the younger generation of the Spirit Hall, no one dared to speak to her like this.

Xie Yue always yielded to her, and Yan was practically desperate to bring her every good thing he found. Even some deacons and bishops were always respectful when they saw her.

Yet this six-year-old child before her seemed to not take her seriously at all.

Hu Liena suppressed her emotions.

"Teacher, I would like to spar with the Holy Son."

Bibi Dong did not agree immediately.

"You are older than Su Chen and have higher soul power. A spar has no meaning."

"Disciple will suppress her soul power and refrain from using soul skills; we will only compare mental control."

Hearing this, Su Chen became interested.

"You specialize in mental control?"

Hu Liena lifted her chin.

"My martial soul is the Demon Fox. Charm isn't just about making people dazed; it can also disrupt the flow of soul power and affect judgment. If he can't even withstand this level of interference, the position of Holy Son might not be so secure."

If Yue Guan were here to hear this, he would likely be pinching his fingers and scolding her for not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth.

Su Chen, however, was not angry.

"Very well."

Bibi Dong looked at Su Chen.

"Are you sure?"

"Since Senior Sister wants to try, then let's try. We can't have people thinking the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall only knows how to write a few essays."

Hu Liena's eyes flickered.

The words sounded calm, yet they carried an uncomfortable level of confidence.

Bibi Dong remained silent for a moment.

"Stop at the limit."

"Disciple understands."

"Understood."

Hu Liena stepped back a few paces, her soul power slowly emerging.

Two soul rings lit up beneath her feet.

A faint pink glow spread from her eyes, and a relaxing aura filled the air.

"Su Chen, look at me."

Her voice was light and soft.

If it were an ordinary soul master, they would likely have subconsciously looked up at her request.

Su Chen did indeed look up.

Hu Liena felt a surge of joy.

Charm did not rely solely on soul power to suppress others; it used gaze, voice, and emotion as a guide to invade the mind while the opponent's focus was relaxed.

The more confident a person was, the easier it was to fall for it.

"Don't be nervous, I won't hurt you."

"You just arrived at the Papal Hall, you must not be used to it yet, right?"

"Teacher is usually very strict, but she actually cares about you a lot."

"You just need to relax and listen to me."

Sentence after sentence.

Hu Liena's eyes glowed with a pink halo.

Su Chen stood in place, neither activating his martial soul nor mobilizing his soul power.

Bibi Dong frowned slightly.

Hu Liena's charm was no longer just a simple first soul skill.

This child had high talent in mental control; even many Soul Elders had suffered at her hands.

Su Chen looked into those eyes, but in his mind, another image emerged.

Hu Liena's mental power was like thin threads, first using her voice to stir emotions, then using her gaze to lock onto his mind, and finally slipping in when a gap appeared in his consciousness.

The method was not complex.

The key was that human thoughts were too cluttered.

As long as there was fear, desire, or attachment in one's heart, the charm could slip through the cracks.

And for those who practiced, the state of mind was paramount.

If the heart was not calm, the intent was unstable.

If the intent was unstable, the soul power would scatter.

Su Chen closed his eyes.

[Ding!]

[Observed the method of Demon Fox Charm, gained insight into the patterns of mental fluctuations.]

[Combined with the meditative essence of the Supreme Guidance Art, enlightenment achieved.]

[Self-created mental technique: Clear Mind Soul-Calming Mantra.]

A set of incantations flooded his mind.

Clearing the mind was not about being heartless.

Calming the soul was not about forceful suppression.

It was about anchoring one's own thoughts first, then observing external intentions. No matter how many temptations came from the outside, there would always be a clarity within the heart.

Seeing Su Chen close his eyes, Hu Liena felt relieved.

"He's already under."

Just as she prepared to withdraw her soul power, Su Chen suddenly opened his eyes.

Those eyes were very calm.

There was no confusion, no struggle, and not a hint of the dazed look that followed being charmed.

Hu Liena was stunned.

"You..."

Su Chen let out a breath.

"Senior Sister, this trick works quite well on ordinary people."

"But you were telling me to relax while desperately trying to drill into my brain—who would believe that?"

Hu Liena's face flushed.

"You weren't affected?"

"Almost."

"Almost?"

"Almost because your mental power isn't enough."

Hu Liena bit her lip.

"Don't be stubborn."

Pink soul power surged out once more.

This time, Hu Liena did not speak, her eyes locked firmly onto Su Chen.

Her second soul ring flashed.

Demon Fox Charm!

A mental shockwave headed straight for Su Chen's sea of consciousness.

Bibi Dong raised her hand, preparing to intervene.

But Su Chen spoke first.

"The clear mind is like water, the spirit and soul are self-enlightened."

As the words fell, no soul power erupted from Su Chen.

Yet, Hu Liena's charm power collided with an invisible barrier the moment it approached.

The pink light dissipated.

Hu Liena groaned, her face turning pale.

"Impossible..."

Her second soul skill had actually been blocked by a single sentence?

Su Chen looked at Hu Liena.

"Your charm uses mental power to pull others into your rhythm."

"Then let me try."

A sudden sense of unease rose in Hu Liena's heart.

The next moment, a surge of mental power erupted from Su Chen.

It had no color and no soul rings.

But the moment that power appeared, Hu Liena felt her mind go blank.

The Su Chen before her still looked like a six-year-old child, but in her mental perception, he felt like an endless, boundless sea.

Her own mental power rushed in, unable to stir up even a single ripple.

She wanted to withdraw her soul skill.

But she found that her mental power felt as if it were being held down by a hand, unable to move.

"Senior Sister, charm isn't about making people lose their minds."

Su Chen's voice entered her consciousness.

"True mental control requires one to control oneself first."