Douluo Dalu 1: The Tang Family Rebel

That morning, as always, Yun Chuan got up on time, washed up, dressed, and casually had breakfast. Then, he headed alone toward his usual training spot. By now, he no longer needed the Pope to carry him there, and the place wasn't too far from Spirit City anyway—it didn't take much effort to run there.

Soon, Yun Chuan left the city and arrived at the familiar dirt road where he usually trained. To his surprise, two figures—a woman and a girl—were waiting for him quietly at the starting point.

Yun Chuan slowed his pace in confusion. When he reached the Pope's side, he glanced at the timid-looking girl holding the Pope's hand and couldn't help but ask, "Mom, who is she?"

The girl appeared to be around ten years old, probably four or five years older than Yun Chuan. Her shoulder-length orange hair framed a delicate face with slightly narrow, alluring eyes that seemed to emit a natural charm, as if they were constantly casting spells on people.

Though still young, the girl's beauty was evident. Despite the faint baby fat on her face, her exquisitely sculpted features and captivating eyes hinted at a future enchantress who could mesmerize all who beheld her.

"This is Hu Liena. She's a new disciple I've taken in," the Pope replied with a gentle smile, affectionately stroking Hu Liena's orange hair. "From now on, Hu Liena will join you for morning training. Yun Chuan, as the older brother, you'd better not bully her."

Ah, I see.

Yun Chuan nodded, quickly grasping the Pope's intentions.

She's probably worried that I'll get bored during training, so she brought a girl to keep me company. After all, as they say, 'a man and a woman working together makes things less tiresome.' Normally, boys tend to show off in front of girls, unconsciously putting forth their best effort. Having a girl around during training is bound to boost his motivation.

[T/N: Bro is thinking too much]

More importantly, having a beautiful girl nearby during the dull grind of training makes the experience much more pleasant, even if he can't touch her—just looking at her is a treat.

At that moment, Yun Chuan felt utterly at a loss for words.

From a young age, she's showered me with meticulous care, fulfilling my every wish. And now, she's afraid I'll get bored during training, so she's possibly even gifting me a future fiancée?

Where else in the world could I find a mother this wonderful?

Yun Chuan was so moved he almost wanted to cry.

He thought to himself, The luckiest thing that ever happened to me was being brought to Spirit Hall. Otherwise, I'd probably still be playing in the mud with a bunch of snot-nosed kids back in Saint Soul Village.

"Sure enough… Being handsome really does have its perks!" Yun Chuan secretly rejoiced, grateful that he had maxed out his charm attribute. Without it, there was no way he would've gained the Pope's favor so quickly and thoroughly.

Charm at max level wasn't just about being attractive. When a talent attribute reaches its peak, it transcends into something akin to a fundamental law of nature.

Yun Chuan's charm wasn't the superficial kind that enchanted people. It was an innate allure, like the instinctive human fondness for beautiful things. It was only natural to be drawn to beauty.

This level of charm didn't mean every woman would fall head over heels for him at first sight. However, anyone meeting him for the first time, unless they harbored inherent hostility or animosity, would instinctively develop a favorable impression of him. If he chose to actively build on that initial goodwill, deepening the relationship would be effortless. That's precisely how he had gradually won over Bibi Dong.

Now, it seemed that Hu Liena, meeting him for the first time, was beginning to tread the same path. Her cheeks turned a deep shade of red, and those naturally enchanting eyes now looked shy and flustered. She sneaked a glance at Yun Chuan, only to quickly look away again, as if afraid that lingering too long would make her lose composure entirely.

"Hello, my name's Yun Chuan." Yun Chuan introduced himself with a soft smile on his fair, delicate face, radiating a glow that seemed to brighten the surroundings.

"H-hello, I… I'm Hu Liena…" The girl stammered, nervously clutching the hem of her dress, too shy to meet his gaze. Despite being five years older, she appeared unusually timid.

Seeing that the two had introduced themselves, the Pope nodded in satisfaction. "Now that you've gotten to know each other, Yun Chuan, take Liena with you and complete today's training. From now on, she'll join you for morning exercises."

"Got it, leave it to me!" Yun Chuan puffed out his little chest and promised confidently. His mischievous, childlike bravado drew a chuckle from both the Pope and Hu Liena.

"Alright then, I'll leave Liena in your care." The Pope smiled, gently pushing Hu Liena toward Yun Chuan.

At eleven years old, Hu Liena stood a head taller than six-year-old Yun Chuan. Standing side by side, she looked more like his elder sister. Yet, this 'elder sister' seemed utterly bashful and delicate in front of her 'younger brother.'

Yun Chuan donned a few hundred-pound weighted vest from his soul tool, then turned to the girl beside him, who wore no such equipment, and asked curiously, "Mom, doesn't Liena need weights?"

"No, she's different from you. Weighted training is too early for her," Bibi Dong replied, shaking her head. Not everyone could carry several hundred pounds of weight and run long distances like Yun Chuan at the age of six.

Hu Liena's circumstances were distinct from Yun Chuan's. Her primary focus was still on cultivating soul power, while physical training was merely supplementary. Following Yun Chuan for a short jog in the morning was mainly meant to foster camaraderie. The rest of her time was dedicated to studying soul master knowledge and cultivating soul power, as the age of eleven was a golden period for rapid soul power advancement.

At eleven years old, Hu Liena's innate soul power was only level nine, and her spirit was a fox. Though her talent wasn't particularly outstanding, she had diligently cultivated her soul power to level twenty-five over the past five years. It was precisely her perseverance that caught the Pope's attention and earned her the position of disciple.

After all, there were plenty of children with better innate talent, but Bibi Dong had chosen her for a reason.