Chapter 104 Core
Without a deafening roar, a smooth, half-foot-deep cut was left on the surface of the boulder. Then, the entire boulder silently slid along the cut and collapsed with a crash.
"Such powerful cutting force and stealth..." Hu Liena's eyes gleamed with admiration.
She then tried to control three clones simultaneously in coordinated attacks. The three clones moved with perfect harmony, seemingly possessing independent consciousness yet completely under her control.
"Within this domain, I am the master. Combined with the penetrating and suggestive abilities of the Bewitching Fox Eyes..."
Hu Liena slowly clenched her fist, her pink-gold eyes flashing with unprecedented confidence and ambition.
"Teacher... Nana, I won't let you down."
Just as she was familiarizing herself with her new power, a majestic and familiar voice resounded directly in her mind:
[Nana, come to the Pope's Palace.]
It was Bibi Dong.
Hu Liena's expression turned solemn. She immediately withdrew her domain and clones, and the nine fox tail phantoms slowly returned to her body. Only her eyes, which had transformed into pink-gold vertical pupils, could not immediately return to their original state.
She tidied her appearance, her figure flashing as she swiftly sped towards the Papal Palace.
She knew that her appearance on the list would cause a significant stir. And her teacher would undoubtedly have important instructions.
—The reactions from all sides of the continent were intense.
Heaven Dou Empire, Imperial Palace.
Emperor Xue Ye's face was ashen, his fingers white as he gripped the intelligence scroll tightly.
"Hu Liena... the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall... of all times, she's on the list..."
His voice was hoarse, filled with suppressed anger and deep worry.
"Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox... Asura Phantom Domain... Bewitching Fox Eyes... Fine, fine, the Spirit Hall! Do they think their claws aren't sharp enough?!"
The Prime Minister trembled as he said, "Your Majesty, Hu Liena's rewards are almost entirely focused on manipulation, infiltration, intelligence gathering, and battlefield control... This is practically tailor-made for the Spirit Hall's expansionist ambitions!"
"Especially that Bewitching Fox Eye; if she were to personally infiltrate the upper echelons of our Heavenly Dou..."
"Shut up!" Emperor Xue Ye roared, his chest heaving.
He knew all too well.
The Spirit Hall had always coveted the two great empires, but due to various checks and balances and the inherent strength of the two empires themselves, they hadn't fully broken ties.
Now that Hu Liena possessed such abilities, the Spirit Hall's capabilities in intelligence warfare, psychological warfare, and even decapitation strikes would experience a qualitative leap!
Even more terrifying was that Hu Liena was Bibi Dong's personal disciple, one of the future heirs to the Pope! Her advancement was almost equivalent to the advancement of the Spirit Hall's future leader!
"Issue the order!" Emperor Xue Ye forced himself to calm down.
"Within and outside the palace, all guards, maids, and officials will undergo a 'loyalty test' led by a Spiritual Soul Saint within three days! Those suspected will be isolated and investigated!"
"Within Heaven Dou City, increase patrols and activate all anti-invisibility and anti-reconnaissance soul guidance devices! Report any suspicious spiritual energy fluctuations immediately!"
"The terms of the alliance with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan can be further conceded! Tell Sect Master Ning and Clan Chief Yu that the Empire's sincerity is boundless!"
"We need their strength, and even more so, their wisdom to deal with this…invisible threat!"
Star Luo Empire, Dai Tianfeng's study.
Dai Tianfeng's expression was even more somber than that of Emperor Xue Ye.
Because the relationship between the Star Luo Empire and the Spirit Hall was far more tense than that of the Heaven Dou Empire.
The Star Luo royal family, Dai, and the Zhu family had been linked by marriage for generations, forming the Netherworld White Tiger Martial Soul Fusion Technique, which was originally a trump card to counter the Spirit Hall's top combat power.
However, Hu Liena's "Bewitching Fox Eyes" and domain-level charm might undermine the stability of this marriage alliance from within!
"Where is Zhu Zhuyun now?" Dai Tianfeng asked in a deep voice.
The Imperial Guard Commander immediately replied, "Your Majesty, the Crown Princess is currently in seclusion in the Netherworld Cat Clan's secret realm, attempting to break through to the Soul Emperor realm."
"Send more manpower—no, dispatch two Soul Douluos trained by the royal family whose martial souls are resistant to mental influences—to 'protect' her! Remember, protect, not monitor!"
"Her attitude must be respectful, but she must ensure the Crown Princess's safety and…mental clarity."
Dai Tianfeng's tone was chilling. "Furthermore, send a message to Davis, instructing him to end his border patrol and return to the capital immediately! Reduce his outings in the near future, especially avoiding contact with any 'envoys' or 'friends' who might be from the Spirit Hall!"
"Also, secretly investigate all families and chambers of commerce in the capital that have business dealings or personnel exchanges with the Spirit Hall, especially those families with outstanding young men of marriageable age… Hu Liena's allure is most potent against young people."
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Ning Fengzhi sighed deeply and rubbed his temples.
"The Spirit Hall... as expected, they made it onto the list first. And with such a troublesome reward."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin, holding the Seven Kill Sword, said coldly, "Bewitching Fox Eyes, seeing through illusions and disguises... Feng Zhi, our disguise and concealment plan may need adjustment."
Bone Douluo Gu Rong was even more direct: "Should we find an opportunity to..."
He made a throat-slitting gesture.
Ning Feng Zhi shook his head: "No. Not to mention that she is currently in the core of Spirit City, and the guards around her must be extremely strong. Just the fact that she has just made it onto the list, and everyone is watching, if something happens to her now, the Spirit Hall will definitely go crazy, and the continent will immediately be in chaos."
"Moreover... the entity behind this list may not be happy to see those on the list being so easily killed."
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Yu Luo Mian solemnly summoned the clan elders.
"The Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall has been listed, gaining the ability specializing in control and infiltration... My Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan members are upright in nature, and their mental strength is not their forte, making them extremely vulnerable to such abilities."
"Order: All core members of the clan must begin practicing the 'Concentration Technique' immediately, for no less than two hours daily."
"All members going out for training must travel in groups of three or more, and each group must have at least one member whose spirit possesses mental resistance or a penetrating spirit skill."
"The conditions for the alliance with the Heaven Dou Royal Family can be lowered by another ten percent. Furthermore... try to contact the Clear Sky Sect and express goodwill. Although what happened back then... the situation on the continent has changed drastically; having another ally is always beneficial."
Clear Sky Sect, secret chamber.
Tang Xiao and the five elders faced each other in silence.
"Strengthen the 'Mind-Cleansing and Spirit-Tranquilizing' rune array within the sect's protective formation. When sending disciples out of the mountains, prioritize those with unwavering willpower and martial souls resistant to charm."
"Also... keep an eye on a young man named Tang San. If he encounters difficulties, offer appropriate assistance without revealing the sect's identity."
Blazing Fire Academy, Earth Fire Melting Heart Secret Realm.
Huo Wu sat cross-legged beside the lava pool, surrounded by faint crimson-gold flames.
She looked at Hu Liena's information on the sky, a fierce competitive glint flashing in her fiery eyes.
A smug smile curved her lips.
(End of Chapter)