Returning After Leaving

Shen Xiu swayed her ample hips and snorted as she brushed past Xian Wu and left the classroom.

She deliberately kept her distance from Xian Wu, her face full of disgust and contempt.

Shen Xiu's biggest worry was that the ragged cloak on that commoner might brush against her beautiful, expensive dress as she passed.

During class, she had looked up the records of that yellow-haired boy and that commoner in the black cloak.

One was a good-for-nothing with a Soul Force of only 5, and the other was trash with a Soul Force of just 1. And they dared to talk back to her? Ridiculous.

Trash like them could only bark like dogs. They'd never amount to anything in their lives.

That student named Nie Li had such terrible talent, yet he still dared to bet her that he could become a Bronze Spirit Master in two months.

What a joke. He was all mouth and no substance.

In her eyes, making a bet they couldn't possibly win was nothing more than a ploy to attract attention and show off.

Once the noble young masters and ladies in class rose to prominence, perhaps they'd remember them and grant them some minor post, ensuring they could live comfortably for the rest of their lives.

They'd certainly planned it all out. Hmph. The day they left Sacred Orchid Academy would be the day they met their doom.

Did they really think the Sacred Family was so easy to offend?

She couldn't touch those two students yet, since they were still under Sacred Orchid Academy's jurisdiction.

For now, she'd let little Yue teach them a lesson. She'd settle her own score with them later.

Hmph!

Shen Xiu put her hands on her hips and swayed out through the corridor, leaving behind a lingering, cloying scent.

With the instructor present, Shen Yue couldn't make a move.

He might end up earning his aunt a reputation for encouraging one student to beat up another.

Now that Aunt Shen Xiu had left, Shen Yue clenched his fists, ready to act.

"Zi Yun, would you let me through? I have something to take care of," Shen Yue said gently.

He could have gone past the other female student. He chose to pass by Ye Ziyun only because he wanted to interact with her more.

Ye Ziyun didn't think much of Shen Yue, but she didn't dislike him as much as she did Nie Li and Xian Wu.

She smiled faintly, stood up, and moved aside.

Shen Yue longed to put an arm around Ye Ziyun's slender waist and pull her into his embrace, to lavish her with affection.

Unfortunately, he couldn't force himself on her. She was the daughter of the City Lord of City of Brilliance, with a status equivalent to a princess during the Sacred Empire's reign.

If he so much as made an improper move and Ye Ziyun complained to her father, he wouldn't be able to keep his head on his shoulders. He might even be torn limb from limb.

"Thank you, Zi Yun," Shen Yue said with a dazzling smile.

Ye Ziyun wasn't affected by Shen Yue's charms at all.

The scheming girl at the next desk, however, clasped her face dreamily, captivated by Shen Yue's looks. She looked as if his smile had sent her into ecstasy.

Shen Yue strode toward the back of the classroom, his footsteps thudding. Halfway there, he stopped.

Xian Wu, Nie Li, Lu Piao, Du Ze, Wei Nan, Zhang Ming, and Zhu Jun Xiang had gathered in a group, discussing something.

Shen Yue clenched his fists. His Soul Force was as high as 78, but if he had to take on all seven of them alone, his chances of winning were slim. He was far more likely to get beaten up.

I'll let you off for now.

Shen Yue turned around, deciding to recruit a few upperclassmen who were Bronze Warriors over the next few days.

Warriors needed a great deal of resources to cultivate, and pledging themselves to a family was their best option.

As a direct descendant of one of the Three Peak Families, all he had to do was say the word. Those Bronze Warriors would be falling over themselves to become his followers.

Seeing Shen Yue turn back after only a few steps, Ye Ziyun had barely settled into her seat before she stood up again to let him pass.

"Shen Yue, what did you go to take care of? Why are you back so soon?" Ye Ziyun asked curiously.

Could he have been too embarrassed to fart in his seat, so he'd gone into the aisle to do it instead?

If Shen Yue had known that was what Ye Ziyun was thinking, he probably would have banged his head against the wall.

Shen Yue gave an awkward smile and explained, "It wasn't that urgent. I can take care of it later, after I've planned things out."

Back at his seat, Shen Yue's hatred for Xian Wu and the others grew even stronger.

They'd made him look so awkward in front of Zi Yun. You commoners, just you wait.

At the back of the classroom.

Lu Piao was enthusiastically telling Xian Wu all about how Nie Li had kept up his glorious verbal assault on Shen Xiu after Xian Wu left.

After hearing Lu Piao's account, Xian Wu said worriedly, "Become a Bronze Spirit Master in two months? Isn't that a bit too difficult, Nie Li? If you lose the bet, your future will be over."

Nie Li didn't think much of it. Who was he? He was a peerless badass who could take on the Sacred Emperor and six others by himself.

"It's fine. I have my own way," Nie Li said confidently, waving a hand.

"After class, I'm going to buy a few things. Who wants to come with me?" Nie Li asked, looking around at the six of them.

"I'll go!" Xian Wu was the first to raise his hand. "I don't have any money, but I'm good at hard work," he added.

Nie Li nodded. Money or effort, either was fine. The most important thing was not to freeload.

Du Ze and Lu Piao raised their hands too.

Seeing that their biggest source of funding was coming along, Nie Li stopped inviting people.

He said to Zhu Jun Xiang and the other two, "You're free to do your own thing for now. Wait for our good news."

He planned to hunt horned sheep in the Trial Grounds. If too many people came along, the cost of buying equipment would go up.

At the start, Lu Piao's two thousand Demon Spirit Coins were their only funds, so they had to budget carefully.

"Then after class, should we eat first or shop first?" Xian Wu asked. "Food is essential. You can't go a meal without eating."

"Shop first!" Nie Li said firmly. "We can grab something quick on Academy Street."

"Got it." Xian Wu nodded.

He'd been watching Nie Li since his rebirth. Though Nie Li could be arrogant, flashy, and over-the-top, he was still a decent person.

You could tell from the fact that he hadn't brought along only Lu Piao, his walking moneybag.

Nie Li could have left behind some unnecessary burdens to make faster progress at the start.

From Nie Li's point of view, no one but Lu Piao could help him much. After all, none of these guys were even run-of-the-mill Bronze Warriors.

One thing puzzled Xian Wu: had no one else noticed how much Nie Li had changed?

Maybe everyone thought Nie Li had been hiding his strength all along...

Just as Nie Li was about to tell them they could break up, Zhu Jun Xiang suddenly spoke.

"Nie Li, you're so knowledgeable. You even know about the Poisonous Forest and the Northern Heaven Snowfield. Could you take a look at my big brother's illness?"

"Your big brother?" Nie Li glanced around, unsure who Zhu Jun Xiang meant.

Xian Wu took off his black mask and pointed to his bruised face. "Me! Zhu Jun Xiang means me!"