Demon Art

Nie Li explained, "The Thunderfire Sacred Book was written in the script of the Wind Snow Empire era. If you know the Black Gold Empire's script, it becomes much easier."

Nie Li also volunteered that although her family had determined through testing that Ye Ziyun was suited to practicing wind snow cultivation techniques, they certainly hadn't tested the shape of her soul sea.

At first, Ye Ziyun was surprised that Nie Li knew this. Thinking that testing its shape would require some difficult procedure, she declined, only for Nie Li to say that all he needed was an unused soul crystal.

As Nie Li turned to leave, Ye Ziyun called him back.

Wei Nan said, "Wow, Ye Ziyun actually called out to Nie Li herself."

Lu Piao said, "Is this the legendary trick of letting someone go so you can reel them in?"

Their hearts were filled with admiration for Nie Li. His game was on a whole other level-he had Ye Ziyun wrapped around his finger.

Ye Ziyun knew that Nie Li was particularly accomplished in inscriptions, so she wanted to ask him for guidance.

She took two scrolls bearing inscriptions out of her Space Ring.

Ye Ziyun explained that both were Bronze inscription scrolls, but she had never been able to activate them.

Nie Li examined the first one. "Hmm, there is indeed something wrong with this one, but your father should have been able to spot it."

Ye Ziyun lowered her eyes, her gaze dimming a little. How could she bother her father over a single Bronze inscription when he was constantly handling the city's official business?

Only then did Nie Li remember. Right, Zi Yun's mother passed away, and her father is the city lord, busy with government affairs every day. Her grandfather, Ye Mo, is the city's only Legendary Demon Spirit Master, and he's always out exploring the Sacred Ancestor Mountain Range...

"How about this? Whenever you have a question from now on, you can come to me."

Nie Li began explaining. "This scroll bears a Bronze wind snow inscription, Wind and Snow Like Blades. Although there's nothing wrong with how it was drawn, it's actually an inferior scroll."

This inscription should have been drawn with the silvery-gray demon blood of an adult Wind Snow Spirit Insect, but this one had been drawn with the silvery-red demon blood of a larva.

The power in the blood wasn't strong enough, which was why the scroll couldn't be activated at all.

Understanding dawned on Ye Ziyun, and she asked about the other one.

Nie Li took a look. "Raging Wind and Sudden Snow? This was originally a Silver inscription."

He explained that after the Dark Age, much of the inscription had been lost. Although later generations had filled in the missing parts, structural problems remained, causing it to drop a rank. However, he could improve it.

Sitting down, he searched his clothes, only to realize he hadn't brought a pen.

When he asked Ye Ziyun, she took a Horn Pen from her Space Ring and handed it to him.

The instant their hands touched, Ye Ziyun's face flushed slightly, and she quickly withdrew her hand.

Behind the bookshelves, the expressions of those who had been watching the whole time grew more spectacular by the moment.

Lu Piao said, "Ye Ziyun actually blushed."

Nie Li, however, didn't seem to react at all. Instead, he held the pen and prepared to modify the inscription.

Behind him, Lu Piao looked ready to bury his face in his hands. "Oh! When borrowing a pen, you casually brush against her hand. The instant the girl shyly lowers her head, you immediately strike a thoughtful pose. Then, when she looks up, she sees a man absorbed in his work!"

He gave a thumbs-up. "Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant."

The others behind him nodded and murmured their agreement.

While they were talking, Nie Li had already finished drawing the complete version of Raging Wind and Sudden Snow.

Ye Ziyun looked at the new inscription, which was more than twice as complex as before, and put it back into her Space Ring.

"Thank you, Nie Li. I'll be going now. Don't forget, tomorrow... be there or be square."

Nie Li replied, "Be there or be square."

After Ye Ziyun left, Nie Li was still secretly delighted. It seemed their conversation had gone quite well.

Beneath the Sky Screen.

Nie Li looked at Ye Ziyun and brushed her hand.

"Huh?"

Ye Ziyun instinctively drew back a little.

Nie Li chuckled. How is she still just as adorable as before?

Ye Zong bristled, his beard twitching and his eyes bulging with anger.

What does this little brat think he's doing right in front of me?

Lu Piao nearly let out a cry of amazement, then hurriedly covered his mouth.

The city lord was still right here.

At the Heavenly Marks Family.

Nie Ming watched the Sky Screen and said, "Since our little Li came back, it seems quite a few girls have taken a liking to him. Why hasn't he brought one home?"

Xiao Yun rolled her eyes at him. "Little Li is only thirteen this year. Isn't it a little too early?"

On the Sky Screen.

Suddenly, a hand shot out from behind and clamped around Nie Li's neck.

It was Shen Yue!

Shen Yue stared at Nie Li, his face twisted. He couldn't accept that Ye Ziyun had spent so long talking to a good-for-nothing like Nie Li!

"What did Zi Yun say to you?!"

Shen Yue had seized the initiative, and Nie Li didn't stop moving until his body slammed into a bookshelf.

Naturally, once Du Ze and the others saw Shen Yue appear, they weren't going to stand by and do nothing.

However, Shen Yue's followers all blocked their path.

Every last one of them was Bronze rank.

Du Ze and the others had only been cultivating for a single day, so they couldn't break through.

Du Ze said, "Move aside."

"Don't worry, juniors. Our young master Shen Yue will go easy on him. At most, he'll accidentally send that kid flying."

Beneath the Sky Screen.

At the City Lord's Mansion.

Nie Li reclined in a lounge chair with a smile and turned his hand over to pick up a piece of fruit. "Hmph, Shen Yue is in for some rotten luck."

On the Sky Screen.

Shen Yue looked at Du Ze and the others, who were trying and failing to rush over, and sneered. "Hmph, a bunch of lowborn scum."

He turned back to Nie Li and tightened his grip. "Who do you think you are? I'm warning you, stay away from Zi Yun from now on! Otherwise, I'll make you pay!"

Nie Li placed his other hand directly on the arm Shen Yue was using to grip his neck. "Hmph, who did you say you'd make pay?"

Nie Li suddenly exerted force. Before Shen Yue could finish sneering, a sharp pain shot through his arm, making him instinctively scream.

"I'm a genius of the Sacred Family! Nie Li, how dare you-"

Before he could finish his threat, Nie Li saw that he still dared to yap like a dog and tightened his grip again.

Shen Yue screamed even louder.

He had been pampered since childhood. When had he ever suffered pain like this?

"You're swaggering around like a tyrant just because you're wearing the Sacred Family's shell. I'll throw your own words right back at you! Who do you think you are? Huh?"

After throwing the taunt back at him, Nie Li abruptly let go. Shen Yue staggered back several steps before coming to a stop.

His followers hurried over to ask how he was. After all, he was the powerful patron whose coattails they were clinging to.

Shen Yue clutched his still-aching wrist, unable to believe it. He was a genius of the Sacred Family, while Nie Li was nothing more than a worthless descendant of a declining family. How could Nie Li have left him in such a miserable state?

"What demon art did you use?"

"Demon art? A grand young master of the Sacred Family, yet your understanding of controlling power doesn't even measure up to a three-year-old's."

A diagram of the joints in an arm appeared on the Sky Screen.

"By concentrating soul force to attack the joints and pressure points, I can easily cripple someone, even with only thirty-two points of soul force!"