Charm Queen (2); Results of Research

"Oh, look! That's the so-called charm dust, right?" Hu Lana cried out in surprise. Not minding a few lecherous gazes brought upon by her own innate charm, she knelt down and rubbed her index against a small mound of magenta powder on the patch of bluish-green grass.

The hunt was on a trail for the Charm Queen. After so long, Hu Lana was most definitely excited about her progress. Sniffing the dust, her expression grew even more comfortable as her expectations for the spirit beast grew to a new height.

"You know, you really shouldn't be sniffing charm dust," Xie Xan sighed softly as Hu Lana stuck to his arms as if glued. Not even minding the mental fortitude of those around her, she groaned softly, "Well, don't I have my man to protect me?" She mewled further, "And I just like how good it feels~!"

*Smack*

A swift, biting slap on the back of her head shook her as she yelped.

"Focus," Ja Sun stated calmly, shrugging at Xie Xan's relieved nod since the man himself would never hurt Lana unless behind closed doors. His slap was also imbued with his mental energy that shook Hu Lana out of her frivolous moments. Scowling, she simply nodded, not offering any jest since she did go out of control when they were trying to look a spirit beast for her.

"Yeah... sorry about that," She mumbled.

Nodding, Ja Sun moved on. In fact, they didn't have to be on the lookout with Ah Yin's domain expanded already but why lower the quality of their own group and make them feel complacent, right? It's not like they were already the strongest. Ja Sun knew well how corruptive a complacent life can be and Hu Lana was already exhibiting signs of these flaws which Ja Sun began to correct with sharp and cutting slaps that shocked Ning Fengzhi's team.

Ja Sun had no qualms when it came to beating someone up. He'd deck his opponents regardless of their gender so seeing someone as seductive and naturally appealing as Hu Lana soon having a swollen cheek and head made others a bit fearful of Ja Sun, especially Lin Min, who had the taste of his ferociousness first hand during the competition.

But while they were on the move, they did enter into a convenient distraction against the green-patch panda which also entered into the scope of Ning Fengzhi's targets.

'I guess great minds cheat alike,' Ja Sun clicked his tongue inwardly.

This convenient hunt was the product of the Bone Douluo following them attracting the panda. This made sure of the fact that while the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan will help the Giant's Fortress, Ning Fengzhi didn't want to focus their entire strength just for the second party. In fact, Ning Fengzhi wished to make use of the Giant's Fortress's strength to make the hunt easier for his own team. After all, none other from his team needed a spirit ring so he wanted to get done with a few benefits.

Soon the group of 19 spirit masters reached a small pond surrounded by verdant trees as the air around them seem to have a light magenta pigment and an intoxicating scent continued to linger on. Without a word, everyone took out the masks Ning Fengzhi had already distributed so that none get affected by the charm abilities of the charm queen.

"Ohhh!" the voices of the group were muffled due to the mask. Lin Min seemed to be attracted to a magenta crystal placed over a red blooming flower as she questioned, "What is this?" While she looked relaxed, Lin Min already held her martial soul sword in her hand, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

"That's the Charm Queen's feces," Bibi Dong replied, causing Lin Min to hurriedly back away while clenching her sword a bit tighter.

*Chitter*

A soft chatter stopped the group in their tracks while Ah Yin stopped herself from lashing out instantly. She gave a nearby tree a sidelong glance and after many forms of investigation, the group determined that particular area to be where the Charm Queen resided.

*Krrk*

"Get ready, it is agitated enough," Lin Min whispered to Bibi Dong.

The tree in front of them had its trunk suddenly crackling apart.

*Boom*

Splinters shot towards the group, which they evaded and defended against rather easily. The section of the tree revealed a strange humanoid figure with dark green skin, a petite body, and the top side of its face covered with a magenta rose as its hands spread out with dark green drops seeping out of its body and attacking the group.

"Now, now, that's no way to charm your way to survival?" Hu Lana was the first to move. Their group usually had a one-on-one with the spirit beast they want to use for their breakthrough and Hu Lana certainly didn't want to feel left out. With two spirit bones already enhancing her body's durability and the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum pushing her physique to another level, Hu Lana certainly held her own even when compared to her group.

*Skreee*

The Charm Queen screeched. Its lips parted to reveal its purplish insides and a set of dark green jagged teeth!

"Stay back everyone," Hu Lana winked and while a few wanted to speak, from Ning Fengzhi's group of course, since the current hunt needed to be more efficient and quick to completely catch all the targets, their words were left stuck in their throats as a crimson mist began to escape Hu Lana's body.

A purple spirit ring eerily floated beside her.

Her fourth spirit skill— Chaos Fog.

This skill was similar to Ja Sun's True Fantasy Domain as it suppressed the senses of those within the area of fog.

The Charm Queen wasn't strong in an orthodox sense and while a few may find it troubling to deal with it, Hu Lana was simply the bane of all charm-type control opponents. If she didn't control her charm, her oozing sexuality would conquer those in her realm even without a fight. This, in fact, is where a true charm-type spirit master's true ability laid in and this was enhanced several folds after she attained her realm of self. Even women like Bibi Dong and Ah Yin weren't completely immune to Hu Lana's charm!

*Krrrrr*

The Charm Queen clattered, waving their arm in an erratic manner in hopes of attacking Hu Lana only for the sharp edge of a dagger to stab right into the nape of its neck from behind.

Dark green blood flowed out instantly and Hu Lana whispered, "I'm ready."

"Are you sure you don't want to go with the cooperative method? The Charm Queen would have helped you not only with control of spirit energy but also increase the effectiveness of the skills you gain from it."

Ja Sun appeared next to Hu Lana, completely unaffected by the fog. As for Ja Sun outside? A Yin-Yang True Illusion. After all, Ja Sun cannot form sentient clones just yet but with his mental energy keeping a track of his surroundings, he could effectively control the illusion as if it was the real Ja Sun until someone physically touches that form.

"I don't like that risk. I'm not you, after all... I don't want someone who may just turn on me the next day. Not after having Yue'er..."

"Man, I didn't know having children would make you that much of a..."

"Coward?" Lana mocked.

"Passive. But it made Xan more aggressive so this just may be dependent on individuals."

"Yeah, let's see what will become of you," Lana scoffed.

"I don't know... maybe I will retire. Form a band with my eleven children..."

"Excuse me?!" Hu Lana shuddered.

"I said, a Band. It's a form of group where individuals use one particular instrument to create a rocking symphony that not only touches one's soul but also one's body."

"No, back up! Eleven?" Hu Lana chuckled, "Are you stupid? Yin would probably tap out after her first!"

"Ten for Bibi Dong then," Ja Sun shrugged. Should others hear his words, he would become single in a matter of seconds.

"Yeah, you're stupid."

"Am I? You're the one wasting precious time when we could be forming your spirit soul... so... I don't know. Look into a mirror?" Ja Sun shrugged and Hu Lana grumbled.

"Fine, fine, do it. You're lucky I'm not going to tell Yin and Sister Dong how clueless you are when it comes to planning your future."

Hu Lana hurriedly sat next to the dying Charm Queen while Ja Sun walked up and breathed slightly, "All the best. And remember, keeping the secret of eleven children isn't close enough when compared to keeping a secret about Spirit Souls."

"Got it... and thanks."

"Nah, no worries."

Ja Sun smiled and tapped Hu Lana's forehead. His divine mental energy flooded the region silently and took a hold of Charm Queen's body, suppressing her worsening injuries as well as the formation of her spirit ring.

Ja Sun's constant study into Soul Origin was already proving fruitful. Unlike last time where he had to entice the spirit beasts to commit suicide and then accept their all, he was much more independent now. As it turns out— Spirit Souls are a form of soul origin given a greater shape and refinement.

How can a spirit soul still grow? By absorbing the spirit energy from spirit rings.

Now, why can spirit soul do that in the first place?

Because they are alive despite their condition. Their soul origin is intact. This also gave Ja Sun the reason why only 1% of the cultivation can be absorbed by spirit souls.

During the death of the spirit beasts, their soul origin in itself transforms for the most part— turning into a spirit ring. At least, 99% of it is. The remaining 1% is actually the imprint of the spirit beast that returns to the nature. A spirit soul that happens to be soul origin given form cannot absorb spirit rings to directly cultivate their soul origin itself. Only that remaining 1% of it is absorbed. Humans are similar in this manner. They cannot absorb the spirit ring to directly cultivate their soul origin. But they can absorb the spirit ring indirectly to slowly grow their soul origin as a reverse feedback.

Now that Ja Sun knew all this by understanding his experiences until now, he found himself more than capable of directly extracting the soul origin of the spirit beast.

This technique was derived from the Rakshasa Soul Devouring Technique. That technique is comprised of two parts— extraction and absorption.

Such a method, though innovative, was also crude in Ja Sun's eyes. After all, absorbing untreated soul origin is definitely harmful but the creator of the technique seemed radical and irrational in their approach and didn't care for this. So, Ja Sun proposed to add another aspect to the technique— refinement.

This aspect was inspired by his knowledge of Spirit Souls.

Of course, this was a long shot and all Ja Sun could develop till now by combining all his knowledge was a makeshift method of extracting a soul origin. Now the Spirit Soul wouldn't prove any problem for it no longer had any choice as Ja Sun treated the soul origin and began to form the spirit soul. The formation of the spirit soul attracted Ja Sun and he watched attentively, not willing to miss out on any detail.

On the other hand, the mist formed by Hu Lana's body began to dissipate but what entered the view of the group wasn't the formation of the spirit soul.

It was the plain sight of Hu Lana sitting beside the Charm Queen's corpse and absorbing a black spirit ring.

Ja Sun felt in control by simply using the illusion technique of his skull bone. After breaking into the ranks above 100000 years, his skull bone's potency was off the charts! Not to mention the Nightmare's Fantasy enhancing his control over such abilities.

Ja Sun could definitely understand Hu Lana's worries.

She wasn't lucky to have met the suicidal Bright Goddess Butterfly or the newborn Nightmare's Fantasy as they both soon fell directly under Ja Sun's control. The Charm Queen had a streak for life and this species is known not only to be more intellectual but also ruthless. The chances of this spirit beast accepting the fate of becoming a spirit soul were highly unlikely unless Ja Sun used the innate control of his Three-eyed Silver Lion which he cannot in front of others. Even if he does use the illusion technique to hide himself, the effect of the control cannot be hidden.

The spirit soul was soon formed and the completion of mental energy began. The will of the Charm Queen was removed so there was no mental backlash but a pure comparison of mental fortitude. After all, that's all a spirit soul needs. Everything else, be it the spirit energy or the physique can be enhanced directly through the spirit soul.

And as Hu Lana's sixth spirit ring slowly came to existence...

Ja Sun's eyes widened.

An unexpected reaction.

He now realized that he had underplayed his mental energy severely.

Yes, with the aspect of death, his mental energy hit harder than it peers but...

With the equivalent life aspect, Ja Sun's ability to 'create' will was not known to him until now...

Until Hu Lana's dead spirit soul suddenly sucked on the life-giving teats of his mental energy and formed a new will. A naive one. The kind that immediately stuck to the only thing it knew and was attached to on a more spiritual level— Hu Lana.

'Well... I didn't know we could do things this way. Fucking convenient...' Ja Sun chuckled internally. But he was happy in a way. After all, Hu Lana is now burdened with not only one baby...

But two...

And the younger of the two will constantly distract her since it will be within her mind, constantly demanding her attention and care.

He knows it. But with Bright Goddess Butterfly acting as the elder sibling, he didn't have to place his attention on the Nightmare's Fantasy at the time.

When Ja Sun returned and replaced his illusion, Hu Lana's sixth spirit ring was fully formed, too.

However, aside from reaching rank 61, she didn't have any other achievement since the spirit soul was truly weak.

While Hu Lana was surprised by this turn of events, she soon discussed it with Ja Sun and only calmed down after thoroughly examining the spirit soul within her. Sure, the charm queen looked cute now and all that but what mattered to Ja Sun and Hu Lana was its potential.

For the moment, Charm Queen only had three spirit rings to provide of which, one of them was already Hu Lana's sixth spirit ring but the situation can always change and now, Hu Lana needed to prioritize on turning her spirit soul from a 10000 variant to a 100000 one before breaking into rank 71.

That's the best approach to compensate for her current lack of flair and Hu Lana had no excuses now. After all, what she was asked to do was simple— mooch off as much energy as possible from every kill committed in the hunt.

Ja Sun provided his service of illusion... almost making Lana roll her eyes as she realized that this is how Ja Sun has been feeding his own spirit souls, too.

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A/N: Think of Charm Queen as a more simpler and forest nymph mutation of Rosemon from Digimon

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Shoutout to Andrew Jahn~!

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