I, Hu Liena, Known as Little Daji

Soul Power meditation training was extremely dull.

Ao Li'ao had asked around. Among their first-year students, being able to meditate continuously for an hour every night was already impressive.

He could currently only maintain it for fifty minutes, while three people in their dorm could meditate continuously for over an hour.

Other than Huxiao, who could last two hours.

The second was Xie Yue, who came from the countryside. Xie Yue's record was one hour and twenty minutes.

The third was a strange person with a small, thin frame who wore a black half-mask for long periods—Zhang Lianqing. Her meditation record was one hour and ten minutes.

"Ah, living in the same dorm as three freaks like you, I often feel like I don't fit in," Ao Li'ao lamented.

"No, there was only one freak in this dorm, and that was Huxiao. Haven't you noticed that he meditated for two hours in the morning and at noon as well?" Xie Yue chimed in when the subject turned to cultivation.

Seeing Xu Huxiao's cultivation talent made him feel immense pressure too.

"What? Huxiao meditated in the mornings and at noon too? I thought he was taking naps..." Ao Li'ao was speechless.

"Heh." Xie Yue did not want to talk to this innocent child.

"Cultivation is a kind of enjoyment. How could it be tiring?" Xu Huxiao asked in confusion.

"..."

"..."

As soon as Xu Huxiao said that, the dorm fell briefly silent.

"I can't take this anymore. Listen to that—did a human being really say that?"

"Freak." Even Zhang Lianqing, who was usually quiet, could not help cursing.

Faced with their complaints, Xu Huxiao did not bother arguing with these little brats. They had never experienced the terror of life-and-death situations, so naturally they could not understand how wonderful it felt to slowly grow stronger.

However, when he heard the usually taciturn Zhang Lianqing complain, Xu Huxiao gave her another look—not because he cared about her complaint.

But because...

This person was a girl!

On the first night after entering the dorm, Xu Huxiao had discovered that Zhang Lianqing was actually a girl disguised as a boy!

As for how he had discovered it, naturally, he had seen it with his own eyes.

No, that was not quite accurate. It was not that he had peeked and seen any physical characteristics. More precisely, it was information his Eye of Omniscience had revealed.

[Human]: Ye Lianqing

[Age]: Six

[Martial Soul]: Bamboo Leaf Green Snake

[Level]: 12

[Soul Skill]: One Yellow—Snake Concealment Sting

[Inner Monologue]: I used my family's unique disguise technique. No one should be able to see through my disguise as a boy, right? Grandpa, Father, I hope your spirits in heaven will bless Lianqing's successful revenge...

She had even changed her surname. It felt like there was some unspeakable story behind it.

It was not only the Inner Monologue that gave him this impression. There was also Zhang Lianqing's series of actions, which seemed rather unusual in a boys' dormitory.

For example, even in scorching weather, she wrapped herself up tightly and never went shirtless; her clothes and blankets always carried a faint fragrance; and he had heard that she never used the school's public restrooms.

Of course, those little details did not prove anything, since Xu Huxiao had a few of them himself.

Liking cleanliness and being slightly germophobic was perfectly normal.

However, combined with the phrase "disguised as a boy" from her Inner Monologue, those insignificant details became evidence.

Still, it did not matter even if she was a girl. They were all still young, after all.

"No, Huxiao, Xie Yue, tomorrow I want to get up early and run with you too. I can't let freaks like you work hard behind my back."

Ao Li'ao had just lain down when he immediately sat back up and spoke fiercely.

Ao Li'ao had been born with Rank 9 Soul Power. He had broken through Rank 10 three days ago and obtained his first Soul Ring. He was now Rank 12.

As for Xie Yue, Gale had taken him to obtain his first Soul Ring one week after school began. He was now Rank 13.

Xu Huxiao was now Rank 14. However, the total amount of Soul Power in his Rank 14 was not something those two could compare to—it was nearly the amount of Soul Power possessed by a Rank 30 Soul Elder.

"Suit yourself. What about Lianqing?" Xie Yue asked.

Xie Yue was the dorm leader and believed he had a responsibility to maintain the relationship between his roommates. He had long noticed that Zhang Lianqing was somewhat withdrawn, so he wanted to include her in everything.

"I... won't go. You guys go ahead." Being asked again left Zhang Lianqing somewhat at a loss. She was still not used to fitting into a group.

One week later.

Early in the morning, the red sun had only just appeared over the distant horizon, yet quite a few students were already exercising voluntarily on the Spirit Hall Academy field.

After finishing their run, Hu Liena and Bao Jingjing were stretching and resting beside the track. Although they were not in the same dorm, Yun Ji had brought them together.

A friend's friend naturally became a friend as well.

The two were chatting and laughing when a sleazy voice cut in.

"Well, if it isn't Jingjing. Come on, Xiao-ge is hungry. Take out your abalone and let your brothers play with it."

The one who arrived was Xiao Ji, with purple streaks in his hair, along with Xue Long, who was a head taller than him and both tall and muscular, as well as a group of ill-intentioned male upperclassmen.

Bao Jingjing stood up and pulled Hu Liena behind her. Watching them warily, she said, "Get lost. I don't know you."

"Don't know us? Play with us and you'll know us, right, brothers? Hahaha!"

Xiao Ji stepped forward and raised his hand to touch Bao Jingjing's face. But just as his hand approached, a hand shot out from behind Bao Jingjing and slapped away his grubby paw.

"We won't play with you. Get lost!"

Hu Liena had made the move. She raised her head and glared at the person before her with disgust.

"Ooh, you've got some strength. It doesn't matter if you won't play with us. Xue Long, tell them what we're here for," Xiao Ji ordered, his crooked smile disappearing.

Xue Long crossed his arms over his chest. Soul Power surged from him as his body rapidly swelled and grew taller, his skin turned gray-white and keratinous, his pupils became dark yellow beast eyes, and a rhinoceros horn grew from his forehead.

Dragon Horn Rhinoceros, Martial Soul Possession!

Two yellow Soul Rings rose and fell around Xue Long. After one week, he had officially advanced to a two-ring Soul Grandmaster!

Opening with his Martial Soul immediately gave Xue Long an imposing presence. He said, "From today onward, all the cleaning duties for our group of brothers will be handled by you. And every month, you will hand over ten Gold Soul Coins. If you can't do it, don't even think about attending class today. Do you understand?"

"Let me tell you something else. Although Spirit Hall Academy is strictly managed, it has always encouraged conflicts within the academy. The strong are respected here."

"Do you remember the academy motto? 'Equality for everyone is the greatest inequality.'"

"So, you have no choice."

After saying that, the students behind Xiao Ji surrounded Hu Liena and Bao Jingjing.

Clearly, they were not joking around.

"You! You people! You're bullies!" Bao Jingjing said, clenching her fists.

"Huxiao will teach you a lesson!"

Xiao Ji curled his lips into a smile. "Say whatever you want. In the Soul Master world, fists are the only hard truth. Brothers, take them to the south side of the academy and watch over them while they clean."

"Hehe, I've been waiting for that blond brat Xu Huxiao to come."

After saying that, four upperclassmen stepped forward, preparing to make their move.

"Get lost!"

Hu Liena took a step forward. Her first Soul Ring lit up, and with a wave of her hand, she sent an arc-shaped pink light wave toward the four upperclassmen.

Red-Tailed Sky Fox, first Soul Skill, Charm Light Wave!

Hu Liena had already completed Martial Soul Possession. A fiery red fox tail swayed behind her, her figure grew slightly taller, and a pair of fox ears adorably emerged from the top of her head.

Her Charm Light Wave was a semi-area-control Soul Skill, one she had only recently acquired.

Normally, group control skills for a Control-Type Soul Master only appeared after Rank 50.

However, that kind of group control was a powerful instantaneous control skill with a very wide range.

Hu Liena's Charm Light Wave was merely a pink light wave she could release with a wave of her hand. It had only a one-second stun effect, reached only three meters in front of her, and could be dodged.

Its effect was far inferior to that of a true group control Soul Skill.

Even so, for a Control-Type Soul Master, it could still be considered an exceptional Soul Skill.

The four upperclassmen stepping forward had clearly not expected two lowerclassmen to resist. Thus, caught unprepared, all of them were struck by the pink light wave.

They were all stunned for one second.

"Jingjing, go first! Find Huxiao and my brother. I'll hold them back!"

Within that second, Hu Liena pushed Bao Jingjing out of their encirclement. Then, as they came to their senses, her first yellow Soul Ring lit up again.

Charm Light Wave!

Seizing the moment before they had fully recovered, another arc-shaped pink light wave struck them, stunning the four upperclassmen for another second.

In those two short seconds, Bao Jingjing had already escaped the encirclement. Knowing Hu Liena had fought hard to create this opportunity, she did not say anything more and started running off the field.

However, Xiao Ji had brought eight people in total, including Xue Long.

Four had been stunned. Xiao Ji and Xue Long stood behind the four who had been struck, while the other three were outside the range, so none of them had been affected by the charm.

Seeing Bao Jingjing trying to run, Xiao Ji immediately ordered the remaining three to stop her.

Seeing that Bao Jingjing had not escaped successfully, Hu Liena felt helpless. Using Charm Light Wave twice in a row had already consumed half her Soul Power. Her remaining Soul Power was only enough to release two more light waves.

But every second she could delay them was another second gained. Bao Jingjing and she had not come to the field alone—Orleans and Yun Ji had gone to buy breakfast.

If they could hold on for one more second, perhaps the two would return. As long as Orleans arrived, they would not have to fear these people.

Because Orleans was not only the big sister of their dorm, but also the big sister of the entire first year.

She had great influence.

With that thought in mind, as the previous second of stun ended, Hu Liena accurately released another Charm Light Wave, stunning the four again.

After using her first Soul Skill three times consecutively, Hu Liena's face had turned somewhat pale, and beads of sweat emerged on her forehead.

Gale, watching this scene from the field stands, revealed a look of surprise.

Chained control!

This little girl named Hu Liena had mastered the chained-control technique of a Control-Type Soul Master after only a little over a week!

That was rare. To achieve chained control with Soul Skills that had such short control durations required an extremely precise grasp of timing.

Gale had not expected to see it in a first-year student. His surprise became delight, and he prepared to leave the stands and stop the conflict.

Although the academy tacitly permitted such conflicts, giving exceptional care to talented students was also something the academy had always required.

If he had not seen this chained-control technique from the girl today, Gale would not have intervened.

This was Spirit Hall Academy.

Yet just as Gale prepared to descend the stands, he had only taken two steps down when he stopped again.

Because another change had appeared in the conflict on the field below.

Seeing that eye-catching head of blond hair, Gale narrowed his eyes and muttered:

"Good kid, saving a beauty like a hero too. Looks like I won't need to step in. Perfect—I can watch a good show. I'll go down and give them a lesson after it's over."