Chapter 18 The Kind-Hearted Hu Liena
Inside the camp, within Zhou Chen's tent.
As a cautious (fearful of death) person, Zhou Chen would absolutely not fall asleep while spending the night in the danger-filled wilderness.
At this moment, he was sitting cross-legged on a bamboo mat with his five centers facing heaven. He was circulating the path of the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon within his body, slowly recovering the Central Wu Earth Apricot Yellow Qi that had been almost completely exhausted.
Suddenly, a breeze blew past the entrance of the tent. Zhou Chen, sensing something was amiss, immediately opened his eyes; two beams of golden light shot out from them, instantly illuminating the entire tent.
Generating lightning in an empty chamber was already one of the supreme realms pursued by martial artists in low martial planes, but for Zhou Chen, who cultivated immortality, this was just the beginning.
"Who is it? Come out."
Zhou Chen spoke with outward calm, though he felt somewhat hollow inside.
As soon as that breeze blew past just now, he knew someone had entered, and it was an invisible person at that.
To break in so late at night, the comer clearly bore ill intent!
"Hehe, so alert."
Clear laughter rang out. In the next moment, in the corner of the tent, a blonde young lady with a perfect figure who appeared to be in her teens slowly appeared.
The young lady wore a golden dress with a pure white cloak over it, and she wore the emblem of the Spirit Hall on her chest. Most critically, she was very good-looking, which instantly made the heart of Zhou Chen, who was obsessed with good looks, skip a beat.
However, when Zhou Chen's gaze swept over the Spirit Hall emblem on her chest, he instantly froze.
Sure enough, the commotion that day was too great and had still attracted people from the Spirit Hall.
He just did not know if this blonde young lady was here to recruit him or to kill him.
Suppressing the desire to flirt with the young lady, Zhou Chen raised his eyebrows and said, "From the Spirit Hall? I wonder what the young lady's fragrant name is..."
"Hu Liena."
"The Spirit Hall Saintess, Hu Liena?"
Zhou Chen was instantly stunned.
Although he had liked this infatuated woman who met a tragic ending in the original plot very much when he was on Earth, he had not expected her to appear before him so soon.
"As expected of the heir to a hidden family, you actually know my identity," Hu Liena said indifferently.
Hearing these words, Zhou Chen was startled.
What hidden family? He had clearly made that up to trick Yu Xiaogang! How did the Spirit Hall know?
Could it be that the scumbag Yu Xiaogang had betrayed him?
Seeing Zhou Chen's expression of shock and uncertainty, Hu Liena chuckled lightly. "Do not be afraid, little friend. I just eavesdropped on their conversation."
"Damn it..."
Zhou Chen cursed inwardly, but a look of innocent purity appeared on his small face. "With such a beautiful young lady coming to find me at night, of course I am not afraid."
"Hehe, you really know how to speak."
Being praised for her beauty, Hu Liena instantly became happy. The charm she unintentionally radiated made Zhou Chen feel somewhat dizzy.
However, he was certainly not the sort of sycophant who became unable to walk upon seeing a beautiful young lady!
Composing himself, Zhou Chen continued to ask, "Young lady, is there something you need from me by coming so late?"
"There is something. Teacher sent me here because she wanted me to recruit you and persuade you to join the Spirit Hall."
Speaking of official business, Hu Liena instantly became serious.
Hearing this, Zhou Chen said to himself, "As expected."
Regarding the possible actions of the Spirit Hall, Zhou Chen had long since performed countless deductions and finally decided:
If the Spirit Hall came to recruit him, he would accept immediately to avoid the calamity of being killed!
Thus, without a second word, Zhou Chen said sincerely, "I will join. The Spirit Hall is what I yearn for the most."
However, hearing Zhou Chen's words, Hu Liena slowly shook her head. Her look towards Zhou Chen also suddenly became somewhat gloomy.
Seeing Hu Liena like this, Zhou Chen's heart skipped a beat, knowing that things had gone wrong.
As expected, Hu Liena sighed and spoke slowly, "I cannot accept your joining. The Spirit Hall will not accept it either."
"Why?"
Zhou Chen was somewhat dazed; there was no such plot in the script he had arranged! How could the Spirit Hall not accept a person with such outstanding talent as him joining?
"Because you are a member of a hidden family. Moreover, according to the conversation I eavesdropped on, your family seems to have established a force on the surface and wants to rejoin the chaos of contending for hegemony over the continent."
Speaking up to this point, Hu Liena's tone became extremely slow. "I cannot let down my teacher by allowing someone with ulterior motives to join the Spirit Hall."
Hearing these words, Zhou Chen understood.
No major force would recruit people arbitrarily, even if that person was very talented. After all, if they recruited someone from a hostile force, would they not be asking for trouble?
The larger the force, the more cautious they are when recruiting; they will inevitably conduct identity verifications. Innocent commoner children are more welcomed by major forces; if it is a disciple of a noble family, the Spirit Hall would basically find it impossible to want them.
After all, if they recruited a disciple of a noble family, he would definitely strive for his own family's interests and could become a traitor at any time.
Moreover, the hidden family behind Zhou Chen actually wants to re-enter the world and participate in the struggle for hegemony over the continent; for the Spirit Hall, which wants to unify the Douluo Continent, this is fundamentally an enemy!
But the problem is... these things about the hidden family were all made up by Zhou Chen himself!
They are all fake! Yet Hu Liena took it for real!
Zhou Chen instantly streamed tears down his face.
In the next second, Zhou Chen suddenly felt a chill in his heart!
Because if the Spirit Hall did not recruit him, they would definitely stifle him.
Should he make the first move?
As expected, Hu Liena looked at him with unbearable eyes and continued, "Before coming here, the Elder told me that if you could not join the Spirit Hall, I should send a signal. He will arrive immediately to cripple your soul power and let you be an ordinary person."
Zhou Chen's body instantly tensed up, ready to strike.
What bullshit about crippling soul power; that was definitely words to coax a child.
When cutting weeds, one must remove the roots, or they will grow again with the spring breeze! When that Elder comes, he will definitely not rest until he kills him!
Seeing Zhou Chen's small movements, Hu Liena sighed and said, "I know your strength; your first soul skill possesses power comparable to a Soul King powerhouse. But you just used your soul skill, so the consumption must be great, and furthermore, can you use it again within a short time?"
Indeed, Zhou Chen had currently only recovered thirty percent of his strength, and he could not use the soul skill again within a day.
However, even so, he had the means to eliminate Hu Liena before the Spirit Hall powerhouse arrived!
Unfortunately, in the next second, Hu Liena's words shattered his fantasy. "I have already broken through level thirty; you are unlikely to kill me in an instant. Most critically, Elder Ju is a Title Douluo. He is currently less than ten miles from here. As long as he sees my signal, he can arrive within a minute; you absolutely cannot escape."
"Ju Douluo... Yue Guan."
Zhou Chen spoke bitterly.
"Correct, it is him. Little friend knows quite a lot."
Seeing Zhou Chen's somewhat despairing expression, a look of reluctance appeared in Hu Liena's eyes, and a girl's natural maternal instinct could not help but well up in her heart.
After remaining silent for a long time, her gaze suddenly became determined.
"I cannot let you join the Spirit Hall because I cannot let down my teacher! But I also do not want to harm you..."
Hu Liena whispered in a heavy tone, "Right now, the entire periphery of the Hunting Soul Forest is surrounded by the Spirit Hall's Enforcement Corps. Even if I let you flee, you cannot escape on your own. Therefore..."
Speaking to this point, a trace of struggle flashed through Hu Liena's beautiful eyes, but eventually, she made up her mind!
"I know the loopholes in the Enforcement Corps' defense; I will personally lead you away to escape."
Hearing these words, Zhou Chen was instantly dumbfounded.
Hu Liena... what kind of operation is this?
(End of this chapter)
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