Moving into the City Lord's Mansion

"Kid, let me tell you this: even if you really were Zi Yun's husband in your previous life, I still won't acknowledge it now!"

Ye Zong had never imagined that Nie Li would set his sights on his Zi Yun when she was only thirteen!

"Wow, so Ye Ziyun is the City Lord's daughter."

Lu Piao and the others were each more astonished than the last.

They had all known that Ye Ziyun's background was extraordinary. When she enrolled at the Holy Orchid Institute, the Vice Dean had personally arranged her dormitory, but they had never imagined she was actually the City Lord's daughter.

And Nie Li was far too bold, actually calling the City Lord "Father-in-law" right to his face.

"Nie Li! What are you saying?"

Ye Ziyun had never expected Nie Li to dare say something like that in front of everyone. Her cheeks flared crimson, and she stamped her foot.

Looking at Nie Li's smug face, Ye Zong opened and clenched his fist several times. He really wanted to punch him a couple of times or give him a few kicks in the rear.

"Enough. We'll discuss that later. As the things shown up there said, did you really return after being reborn?"

"I don't know what those things up there actually are either, but I really did return after being reborn."

"What proof do you have?"

"The fact that I can reach Bronze within two months. Even Lord Ye Mo couldn't do that."

Ye Zong's mouth twitched. Forget his father-ever since Glory City was founded, no one had dared make such a claim.

"Then I can give you something else. For example, Zi Yun showed me in our previous life that she has a birthmark on her..."

Before he could finish, Ye Ziyun slapped her palm over Nie Li's mouth.

She could no longer care about the poise supposedly expected of the City Lord's Mansion's young lady. Did he think he could just blurt out anything?

There were so many people here, for goodness' sake!

Xiao Ning'er's expression grew increasingly downcast. Had their relationship already been that close in their previous life?

Lu Piao and the others gaped, their expressions exaggerated. What a juicy revelation!

Ye Zong hurriedly pinned his right hand down with his left. He was genuinely afraid he would lose control and slap Nie Li to death.

Ye Xiu wiped away his sweat as well. Had this kid really lived an entire lifetime? How could he dare blurt out absolutely anything?

"Ahem, Father-in-law, don't get worked up. I wanted to ask about my parents."

"Gongliang Shu personally took two Black Gold Demon Spirit Masters, three Black Gold Martial Artists, and eleven Gold Demon Spirit Masters to the Heavenly Marks Family. Not only that, we've also sent other personnel to protect your friends' families."

Delighted, Du Ze and the others all thanked Ye Zong.

"Thank you, Lord City Lord!"

"Gongliang Shu? Then there won't be any problems. That Black Gold Demon Spirit Master's combat strength ranks among the top ten in the City Lord's Mansion. Thank you, Father-in-law."

"You know Gongliang Shu?"

"Of course I do. In my previous life, I personally witnessed the fall of many powerful experts. Lord Gongliang Shu was one of them, as were Lord Ye Zong and Lord Ye Xiu. Even summoning the Wind Snow Spirit God couldn't turn the tide of defeat."

Ye Zong reflected that Nie Li even knew Gongliang Shu was at Black Gold Rank and that his combat strength ranked among the top ten in the City Lord's Mansion. He actually knew about the Wind Snow Spirit God, too!

That was the Wind Snow Family's greatest trump card.

And why did this kid keep calling him "Father-in-law"?

"If nothing unexpected happens and, as you said, the Sacred Family ultimately chooses to betray Glory City, you won't be safe either. Stay in the City Lord's Mansion for now so we can protect you more easily. The same goes for all of you."

Since Nie Li valued them, Ye Zong certainly wouldn't mind having a few more people in the City Lord's Mansion.

Xiao Ning'er was also asked to stay, at Nie Li and Ye Ziyun's joint request.

As for Xiao Yunfeng? He had already been invited to the City Lord's Mansion, and once he learned what his daughter wanted, he naturally agreed.

She had brighter prospects staying by Nie Li's side than by his.

Inside a courtyard.

Nie Li and the other boys were still sharing a courtyard.

The City Lord's Mansion had beautiful scenery and occupied a vast area.

Xiao Ning'er, meanwhile, was staying with Ye Ziyun.

The eight of them sat together in a pavilion.

Ye Xiu was now guarding Nie Li personally.

"Right, I bought a few Primary Soul Crystals to test your constitutions."

Nie Li took out six Soul Crystals and placed them on the round table in the pavilion.

Du Ze asked in confusion, "Nie Li, didn't we already get tested during the entrance assessment?"

"Ha, my test is different from theirs. Soul Crystals that have been used repeatedly for testing are no good anymore. Only unused Soul Crystals are sensitive enough to detect plenty of other things."

Lu Piao stared at the six Soul Crystals with wide eyes. "Other things? What things?"

"The shape of your Soul Sea, and its attribute!"

Those two things left everyone else completely bewildered.

Didn't Soul Seas only have colors?

What did he mean by shapes and attributes?

Ye Xiu silently committed this to memory. In all his decades of life, this was the first time he had heard that Soul Seas had shapes and attributes, or that Soul Crystals could test them!

"Here, one for each of you."

Wei Nan and the others felt rather overwhelmed by the generosity. After all, each of these cost a thousand Demon Spirit Coins.

Still, they accepted them after Nie Li repeatedly insisted.

"Du Ze, you go first."

Holding the Soul Crystal, Du Ze silently circulated his soul force.

His soul force was fifty-two.

But Nie Li was looking at his Soul Sea.

"Oh, a Thunder-Fire Element, with a heavenly kirin thundercloud shape."

Everyone immediately asked about it. After all, none of them understood.

"In this world, low initial soul force has never made anyone worthless. It only means their starting points are different. The people who divided Soul Seas into different grades were nothing more than a bunch of amateurs. As long as you cultivate a suitable technique, even breaking through to become a Legendary Demon Spirit Master won't be a problem. Du Ze is suited to Thunder-Fire Element cultivation techniques, and the demon spirit he should merge with is a Heavenly Kirin Beast."

Amateurs?

The person who had originally established that standard had been a Legendary Demon Spirit Master!

And why did becoming a Legendary Demon Spirit Master sound as easy as buying a cabbage by the roadside when Nie Li said it?

Du Ze's heart surged with emotion. He already trusted Nie Li, let alone a Nie Li who had lived an entire lifetime before.

"No wonder. In your previous life, Du Ze, you were naturally talented and worked very hard, so you advanced faster than Lu Piao and I did. You eventually became a Gold Demon Spirit Master at a very young age and led the Du Clan into the ranks of Glory City's twenty great families. But you cultivated the sacred fire inscription, so Gold Demon Spirit Master was as far as you could go."

Du Ze had been that impressive?

Du Ze clenched his fists. Whether in his previous life or this one, he really had managed to revitalize his family!

"But now that I'm here, I have over sixty Thunder-Fire Element cultivation techniques. I guarantee you'll become a Legendary Demon Spirit Master."

Nie Li smiled, then took out the Heavenly Kirin Art for him.

Then he began reciting its formula.

"Embrace the origin and hold fast to oneness; kindle the heavenly kirin's flame..."

Du Ze began silently reciting it as well, and then the soul force within him began to grow!

This technique was truly incredible!

Du Ze immediately cupped his fist toward Nie Li. "Nie Li, words of thanks can't repay such a great kindness. If you ever need me, I'll brave mountains of blades and seas of fire without so much as furrowing my brow!"

Nie Li patted his shoulder. "It's only a cultivation technique. We're brothers, after all."