Shen Fei

If Chen Linjian had been greedy for treasure and continued to explore the depths of the labyrinth, their situation would have been extremely dangerous.

Fortunately, Chen Linjian was a decisive person.

The group returned to the giant stone fortress. When Hu Yan Lanruo saw Nie Li return, she was overjoyed, tears streaming down her face.

"Nie Li, you're back, that's wonderful!" Hu Yan Lanruo threw herself forward and hugged Nie Li tightly, her ample bosom pressing firmly against his chest.

"Thank you for risking your life to save me, otherwise I might have ended up in the belly of a Green Arm Giant Ape!" Hu Yan Lanruo's cheeks flushed as she gazed at Nie Li with affectionate eyes.

"You're going to strangle me, let go!"

Nie Li smacked his forehead. Hu Yan Lanruo was being too presumptuous. The reason he stayed behind to cover their retreat was so that Ye Ziyun could escape safely, not for her!

Seeing Nie Li's troubled expression, Ye Ziyun couldn't help but smile. For a great beauty like Hu Yan Lanruo to actively pursue Nie Li and still be rejected, Nie Li must have a screw loose. However, seeing Hu Yan Lanruo hugging Nie Li so tightly made her heart ache slightly, and she let out a soft hum.

"It's people from the Dark Guild!" One of Chen Linjian's subordinates gasped in shock.

Chen Linjian looked towards the dense forest outside the stone fortress. Several figures in black robes appeared within their sight. His expression changed slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "Follow me, this way!"

Chen Linjian led everyone into the dense forest behind the stone fortress.

"Be careful, don't leave any traces!"

Under the threat of the Dark Guild, everyone ran wildly, their movements swift. They knew how tragic the consequences would be if they were caught by those Dark Guild members.

Nie Li glanced back, lost in thought. Although it was only a brief encounter, Nie Li had already memorized the aura of the leader. That leader must have also seen his face. Even after returning to the City of Brilliance, he would have to be extremely cautious, or he might be targeted if recognized.

Besides the Sacred Family, there was also the Dark Guild, which constantly threatened the City of Brilliance. Nie Li felt a strong sense of urgency. He had to quickly increase his strength, otherwise, when the crisis arrived, he wouldn't even have the power to protect himself.

With the Shadow Spirit Lamp, he had to quickly cultivate to Silver Rank. Fusing with the Shadow Spirit Lamp would give him the capital to save his life for a short period!

Silver Rank might be difficult for ordinary people to achieve, but for Nie Li, it wasn't particularly difficult.

By the time Nie Li and the others returned to the City of Brilliance, the Dark Guild members had not managed to catch them, and everyone's hanging hearts finally relaxed.

News of Chen Linjian and the others' return quickly spread throughout the City of Brilliance. Even more astonishing was the harvest of Chen Linjian and his group; many of the treasures were incredibly valuable. A grand auction was held, and many of the items Chen Linjian had acquired were sold at sky-high prices.

The entire City of Brilliance was invigorated, and many people began forming groups to head to the Ancient Orchid City Ruins, hoping to find something else.

These disturbances had nothing to do with Nie Li. Nie Li had obtained the Shadow Spirit Lamp he had always dreamed of, and unexpectedly acquired a fragment of the Book of the Temporal Demonic Spirit. This trip's harvest far exceeded his expectations.

At the same time, a piece of news plunged Nie Li into deep thought. It was said that before Chen Linjian and the others returned to the City of Brilliance, Shen Yue had already returned, and no one else had accompanied him!

This was quite strange!

With Shen Yue's strength alone, it was impossible for him to traverse so many dangerous areas and return to the City of Brilliance!

Thinking of the group of Dark Guild members they had discovered in the Ancient Orchid City Ruins earlier, Nie Li's heart tightened. He suddenly thought of a possibility: perhaps there were some unspeakable secrets between the Sacred Family and the Dark Guild. He should have realized this long ago!

The various signs from the Sacred Family in his previous life, their betrayal of the City of Brilliance, all indicated that they had long since stopped considering the protection of the City of Brilliance as their duty. Therefore, it was highly likely that they had already colluded with the Dark Guild.

In his previous life, Nie Li didn't have a deep understanding of the Dark Guild. It was said that the Dark Guild had established a base in the Sacred Ancestor Mountain Range, a very hidden and safe place!

Perhaps in his previous life, the Sacred Family's betrayal of the City of Brilliance was to defect to the Dark Guild, otherwise, where else could they go?

Damn it! Why didn't I think of this until now!

Nie Li clenched his fists tightly, veins bulging on his arms. It was from that day that he watched his clansmen die under the claws of demon beasts, followed the refugees of the City of Brilliance into the Endless Desert, watched Ye Ziyun die before his eyes, and drifted like rootless duckweed on the Sacred Spirit Continent.

A sharp glint flashed in Nie Li's eyes. Both the Sacred Family and the Dark Guild must be destroyed!

If you find this book to your liking, remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.

In the library of the Sacred Spirit Academy.

After returning, Nie Li, along with Du Ze, Lu Piao, and the others, once again devoted himself to cultivation.

After his return, Nie Li's cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds every day. The fragment of the Book of the Temporal Demonic Spirit also continued to exert its effect, constantly stirring Nie Li's Soul Sea.

As the Soul Sea churned, his Soul Power also grew stronger bit by bit.

Three days later, after using a considerable amount of Purple Mist Grass and elixirs, Nie Li's cultivation finally broke through to the Bronze 2-star realm.

If he could improve to Bronze 3-star in the test two months later and show his prowess, then Nie Li and the others would gain the attention of the academy's higher-ups and be cultivated as geniuses. Both the dean of the Sacred Spirit Academy and the high-ranking officials of the City of Brilliance placed great importance on martial arts geniuses. Once Nie Li was recognized as a martial arts genius, even the Sacred Family could not easily touch him!

There was still a long time until the test two months later, and Nie Li had enough time!

Besides Nie Li, Du Ze and Lu Piao's cultivation also advanced rapidly.

Now, Shen Yue, who was in the same class, was no longer taken seriously by Nie Li. As time went by, Shen Yue would find that the gap between him and Nie Li would only grow wider, eventually becoming insurmountable.

At this moment, a piece of news spread like wildfire throughout the campus.

"Did you know? Miss Hu Yan Lanruo visits the beginner Martial Artist class every day to find Nie Li!"

"Did you know? Miss Hu Yan Lanruo publicly announced that she was going to pursue Nie Li, and then got into an argument with Miss Xiao Ninger, almost getting into a fight with her."

"Did you know? Miss Hu Yan Lanruo and Miss Xiao Ninger are fighting over a man! That man is said to be a student from the beginner Martial Artist class!"

The news became more and more exaggerated, and it was unclear which part was true.

The entire Sacred Spirit Academy was buzzing with gossip. After all, two girls fighting over one boy was relatively rare. And most importantly, both Hu Yan Lanruo and Xiao Ninger were considered top beauties in the Sacred Spirit Academy. It would have been understandable if such excellent girls liked a student from the genius class, but the fact that they both liked a student from the beginner Martial Artist class was truly astonishing.

Recently, Nie Li had indeed been in the spotlight. First, he had disgraced the Sacred Family, then provoked a tutor, followed by news that the Sacred Family wanted to eliminate Nie Li, and then the ambiguous relationships with the two beautiful ladies. He had practically become a prominent figure on campus.

Hu Yan Lanruo had visited the Sacred Spirit Academy library several times, but Nie Li had dodged her. It was said that after school every day, Hu Yan Lanruo would wait at the school gate, determined to see Nie Li.

"Nie Li, you climb over the wall to enter and leave the academy every day. If the school enforcement team catches you, you'll be in big trouble!" Lu Piao said to Nie Li with a smile.

Nie Li wore a pained expression. "If we go out the main gate, we'll run into that crazy woman. It's too much trouble!"

"Nie Li, tell us honestly, how did you provoke Miss Hu Yan Lanruo!" Lu Piao felt nothing but envy, jealousy, and hatred towards Nie Li. To be pursued by a beauty like Hu Yan Lanruo, and yet Nie Li remained indifferent – he didn't know what to say. If it were Lu Piao, he wouldn't wait for Hu Yan Lanruo to pursue him; he'd probably throw himself at her. Setting aside Hu Yan Lanruo's beauty and allure, just those two heavy mounds on her chest – how satisfying would it be to touch them! If Nie Li hadn't told them he liked Ye Ziyun, they would have almost thought he liked men!

"How did I provoke her? This woman is completely unreasonable!" Nie Li forced a bitter smile.

"No choice, looks like we'll have to climb over the wall with you every day from now on!" Du Ze shrugged and smiled faintly. He wasn't very interested in gossip; he only wanted to focus on cultivating and changing his family's fate. Nie Li had given him such an opportunity, and he would follow Nie Li for the rest of his life!

Just then, several people wearing badges shouted from a distance, "Hey, which class are you students from? What are you doing? Stop right there!"

Nie Li and the others exchanged glances. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh! The six figures leaped and bounded, clearing the Sacred Spirit Academy's wall and fleeing at top speed.

Inside the Sacred Spirit Academy's genius class, several students gathered.

"Haha, Shen Fei, I heard your fiancée almost got into a fight with Hu Yan Lanruo over some guy. Is that true?" A heroic, tall, sixteen or seventeen-year-old young man walked over, teasing with a smile.

The Sacred Spirit Academy's genius class was divided into several factions, and their relationships weren't exactly harmonious. This boy was named Ye Hong, Ye Ziyun's cousin. He held considerable prestige within the genius class, and a group of people followed him. He and Shen Fei weren't on good terms usually.

Hearing Ye Hong's words, Shen Fei clenched his fists tightly, almost digging his fingernails into his palm until it bled. He didn't know the truth of the matter, but regardless, such rumors circulating throughout Sacred Spirit Academy made Shen Fei the most humiliated!

"I heard from my sister that the girl doesn't like you. Since that's the case, why force her? Just let her go, lest she one day gives you a very, very green hat!" Ye Hong laughed. As Ye Ziyun's cousin, he had heard a little about Xiao Ninger's situation. Under Ye Ziyun's influence, he constantly clashed with Shen Fei in class.

Although Shen Fei was frustrated by why Ye Hong always picked on him, he couldn't do anything about it. Ye Hong's status weighed him down heavily. Even if he was angry, he tried his best to avoid direct conflict with Ye Hong.

On this matter, Shen Fei could no longer tolerate it. He snorted angrily, "The woman I, Shen Fei, claim, no one can snatch away. If I can't have her, no one else will even think about it!"