Chapter 51 – Hu Liena

Lin Jie drew his dagger and calmly ended the fallen spirit beast's life. A black Spirit Ring slowly rose from its corpse.

Hu Liena, now seeing that the beast had truly died, staggered over to Lin Jie, her steps unsteady.

He wiped the blood from his blade and sheathed it at his waist. This dagger was one of his favorite tools—he'd bought it years ago for a few dozen gold coins. He still didn't know what kind of metal it was forged from, but its edge was incredibly sharp.

"Um… thank you for saving my life. I'm Hu Liena. May I ask your name?" she said softly, her expression pale but composed.

Lin Jie had already sensed her approaching. Hearing her name confirmed his suspicion—this was indeed Hu Liena, the future Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall. But what puzzled him was: how could a personal disciple of that person be out here in the inner region of the Sunset Forest… alone?

His gaze became thoughtful as he studied her more closely.

She wore a fitted yellow combat uniform that hugged her curves, emphasizing her stunning figure. Her short golden hair barely reached her ears, and her slender neck had the graceful elegance of a swan. Her features were exquisite: almond-shaped, crystal-clear eyes full of charm and intelligence, a delicate jawline, and an air of natural nobility. Her beauty was so striking it bordered on surreal.

However, her appearance was marred slightly by the blood staining her chest.

Turning away, Lin Jie answered calmly, "No need to thank me. Just call me Lin Jie. You're injured. Are you alright?"

Hu Liena gently pressed her hand to the wound. A trickle of blood escaped between her fingers, but she shook her head. "It's nothing serious. Just a minor injury. I'll be fine in a bit."

Lin Jie glanced around the battlefield. The corpse's blood and the commotion were sure to attract other spirit beasts soon.

After a short pause, he spoke again, voice low but firm. "The smell of blood and the noise will draw nearby spirit beasts soon. We need to move. You can either go alone or come with me."

Hu Liena looked at him with her clear eyes, thinking carefully. He was mysterious—and strong. That weapon he'd used earlier had been terrifyingly powerful. If he meant her harm, there'd be no need to save her. That much was obvious.

After a moment's hesitation, she nodded. "I'll go with you."

Lin Jie returned the nod, then glanced once more at the blood on her chest. "Are you sure you don't want to treat your wound first?"

"No need. Let's go."

With nothing more to say, the two of them began making their way out of the forest at speed. Lin Jie kept checking on her discreetly. Strangely, the bleeding on her chest had already stopped, and her complexion was no longer pale—it was slowly returning to a healthy flush.

She must have used some internal healing technique, he thought. Maybe she didn't really need me after all… she probably could've handled that beast herself if things dragged on.

A few kilometers later, Lin Jie confirmed there were no threats nearby and found a suitable resting spot. They paused under a large tree. Lin Jie leaned casually against the trunk while Hu Liena sat directly beside him—less than a meter away. At this range, she wouldn't have had time to react if he decided to attack. But of course, Lin Jie had no such intentions.

He cast a quick glance at her chest. The wound had fully healed, and her skin looked flawless. Even her aura had stabilized.

Sensing his gaze, Hu Liena turned her head and said sincerely, "Thank you again, Lin Jie."

Lin Jie looked back and replied in a low voice, "That's the third time you've thanked me. But…" His eyes flicked toward her chest. "Even without me, you probably had a way to deal with that beast."

Hu Liena smiled, tilting her head ever so slightly. "Perhaps. Perhaps not."

As they rested, night began to fall. The forest around them dimmed, shadows creeping in.

Lin Jie stood and said, "It's getting dark. I suggest we find a safe place to rest for the night. We can continue on tomorrow. What do you think?"

Hu Liena looked up at the dusky sky. Night in Sunset Forest was far more dangerous than day. After a brief moment of thought, she nodded. "Alright. Let's stick together for now."

Not long after, they found a small, secluded cave that offered good protection. They decided to spend the night there.

After settling in, Lin Jie told her to wait while he went out to find food. He returned soon with several fat river fish in hand.

Inside the cave, Lin Jie squatted by a fire, roasting the fish while Hu Liena sat nearby, resting her cheek against her palm and quietly watching him. Her expression suggested she had something to say but hadn't worked up the courage.

Noticing her stare, Lin Jie raised an eyebrow. "If you keep looking at me like that, I might think you've fallen for me."

Hu Liena chuckled. "You are handsome, I won't deny that. But we've just met. Don't flatter yourself."

Smirking, Lin Jie flipped one of the fish and pulled a small jar of spices from his soul tool ring, sprinkling it evenly across the sizzling meat. Soon, a mouthwatering aroma filled the cave.

He broke the silence. "You're from Spirit Hall, aren't you?"

Hu Liena froze. She hadn't revealed that. How did he know?

Surprised, she asked cautiously, "How did you know?"

"You told me your name," Lin Jie said simply. "Hu Liena—Golden Generation of Spirit Hall. Exceptional strength, top-tier talent. Kind of hard not to know."

Her guard lowered slightly. "Then what about you? Which sect or academy are you from?"

"I'm from a small academy. You've probably never heard of it—Shrek Academy."

Hu Liena furrowed her brow. "Shrek Academy?" The name rang no bells. But if it had produced someone like Lin Jie, it couldn't be ordinary.

Lin Jie finished cooking and handed her one of the fish. She took it without hesitation and immediately began eating.

He gave her a sideways glance. "You're not worried I poisoned it?"

She took another bite and spoke through a mouthful. "If you wanted to hurt me, you wouldn't have saved me earlier."

Lin Jie chuckled and dug into his own meal. The fish was juicy and perfectly cooked.

As they ate, Hu Liena kept glancing at him as if wanting to ask something but holding back.

Noticing this, Lin Jie wiped his hands and pulled a small object from his soul tool ring—a Soul Power Grenade. He held it out toward her.

"You want to ask about this, don't you?"

Her eyes lit up. That was it—the strange item he'd used earlier to defeat the ten-thousand-year spirit beast.

"Yes, that's it, but…"

Before she could finish, Lin Jie tossed the grenade to her. "Here. It's yours. Catch."

She reached out and caught it. Turning it over in her hand, she stared at the intricate little orb in awe.

This was the exact weapon that had defeated a high-level spirit beast in moments.

She couldn't have imagined it'd be given to her so casually.