Beneath the Sky Screen.
At the Sacred Family.
Shen Yue had very successfully passed out from rage.
After all, just watching those maneuvers up there was enough to make him cough up blood with anger.
Nie Li truly was that cunning.
At the City Lord's Mansion.
Lu Piao gave him a thumbs-up. "Beautiful! After that combination of punches, Shen Yue's got yellow mud in his crotch-even if it isn't shit, everyone thinks it is."
Nie Li couldn't resist kicking his lounge chair. "We're eating fruit. Don't say something so disgusting."
Entirely unbothered, Lu Piao cracked open a durian and dug out a hefty spoonful of flesh.
On the Sky Screen.
Everyone applauded and cheered at Nie Li's words, so iron-willed and unyielding, refusing to bow to evil forces.
Xiao Ning'er thought, I never imagined Nie Li had such backbone. The Sacred Family is as despicable and shameless as ever. I can't submit to them either!
Just then, Du Ze, Lu Piao, and the others finally arrived.
"Nie Li, are you all right?"
The five of them hurried to surround Nie Li protectively.
Du Ze said, "Shen Yue, you've gone too far!"
Shen Yue couldn't explain himself even with a mouth. Although he had shouted about beating Nie Li to death, he really wouldn't dare kill someone in Glory City. At most, he had only wanted to give him a beating.
Now look what had happened-he was suddenly smeared with filth.
"I-I wasn't trying to do anything to him! He was still bouncing around just now!"
Lu Piao very successfully served as their mouthpiece, stepping forward twice. "Still bouncing around? You! Let us beat you up and see how you like it! You just told them to beat Nie Li to death. We all heard you!"
"I did say that, but-"
Before he could finish, Lu Piao cut him off.
"Shen Yue! You're pushing people too far!"
The people behind them thought even worse of Shen Yue.
"Shen Yue is actually this brazen!"
"The Sacred Family is despicable!"
Shen Yue knew he couldn't stay any longer. The longer he stayed, the greater everyone's misunderstanding would become.
He hurriedly withdrew with his lackeys.
"Nie Li, just you wait!"
Xiao Ning'er caught Nie Li's arm, her face full of concern. "Nie Li, where are you hurt?"
Nie Li said, "Uh, haha, it's nothing serious. Luckily, you all got here early."
He looked back at Ye Ziyun, who stood to one side.
"As long as you're all right."
The surrounding crowd, especially the men, instantly went from admiration to envy and jealousy.
"Wow, both goddesses are worried about Nie Li. If I could get that treatment, I'd gladly take a beating."
"I was actually feeling sorry for him just now. He stole both goddesses in one go. Why didn't he get beaten to death?"
"Hmph, that's because he has more backbone than you lot. Nie Li's pretty handsome, too."
Xiao Ning'er supported Nie Li by the arm, a gesture that was already quite intimate.
"Nie Li, let me help you to the classroom. I made you breakfast."
Nie Li stammered as he looked back. "Uh, well, Zi Yun..."
Ye Ziyun said, "Since it's settled, I should get going."
Du Ze and the others waved goodbye to her as well.
Meanwhile, in a corner, a red-haired boy a few years older than Nie Li and the others clenched his fists.
He was Shen Yue's elder brother, a young master of the Sacred Family's direct line: Shen Fei, the Playboy.
Beneath the Sky Screen.
At the Heavenly Marks Family.
"That boy... she's such a lovely girl. He doesn't have to hang himself from just one tree."
As a fellow woman, Xiao Yun could already tell that Xiao Ning'er's heart had long since settled entirely on Nie Li.
The girl treated her son so well. How awful it would be to let her down.
Unfortunately, her son on the Sky Screen had his heart set entirely on Ye Ziyun.
Still, that young girl was the City Lord's daughter, and she was quite lovely too.
Nie Ming chuckled. "Then bring them both home. Little Li is so popular with women, and he's so accomplished and promising himself. What's wrong with marrying a few more wives to carry on the family line?"
At the Sacred Family.
Shen Fei couldn't possibly have been angrier.
In his eyes, Xiao Ning'er was already tainted, so he had been trying to urge the Sacred Family to impose business sanctions on the Winged Dragon Family. He had never expected the Wind Snow Family to step in midway and lend the Winged Dragon Family support.
And the Winged Dragon Family had even taken the initiative to break off the engagement arranged in childhood. This was nothing short of a slap in the face to him, a young master of the Sacred Family's direct line!
At the City Lord's Mansion.
Nie Li was still a little embarrassed. Originally, his self on the Sky Screen had only regarded Xiao Ning'er as a good friend; his heart had still belonged to Ye Ziyun.
But now, Ye Ziyun was already growing closer to him, and was even, deliberately or otherwise, playing matchmaker between him and Xiao Ning'er.
Just... what was going on here?
Ye Ziyun's behavior was also called shipping-and she had personally put this couple together.
After being thoroughly steeped in Aunt Xue's storybooks, she genuinely found them delightful to ship.
On the Sky Screen.
Nie Li took the Space Ring off his hand. It had belonged to Xiao Ning'er in the first place, so this was the perfect chance to return it to its rightful owner.
Xiao Ning'er pushed it away. She certainly didn't want him returning something she had given him.
"You should keep using it, in case you need anything..."
Nie Li took her hand and placed the Space Ring in her palm. "I've already bought one."
"Oh. Are you still going to the classroom, then?"
Lu Piao was just about to say yes when Du Ze clapped a hand over his mouth.
"Oh, we don't need to attend classes lately. We've been busy cultivating all this time. Let's talk another day."
Seeing that they had no intention of returning to the classroom for lessons anytime soon, Xiao Ning'er couldn't help feeling disappointed.
After all, if they didn't return to the classroom, she would have fewer chances and less time to see him.
Another day passed.
Beside the farmland, Nie Li and the others ran to train their bodies, carrying bamboo baskets filled with stones on their backs.
He had always understood that demon spirit masters needed more than soul force. Even their bodies had to keep pace. If their soul force was too powerful and their bodies too weak, that wouldn't do either.
This was also why powerful demon spirit masters could absolutely pin warriors down and beat them in the later stages.
After all, in the later stages, warriors only tempered their bodies, while demon spirit masters could be said to cultivate both within and without, tempering their bodies while also cultivating soul force.
Of the group, Nie Li ran fastest, followed by Du Ze, while Lu Piao shouted from behind for them to wait for him.
Nie Li turned around and did two high knees. "Lu Piao, come on, show us that drive you had last time."
Lu Piao was already crawling along behind them. "I-I don't have two goddesses fighting over me. Of course I'm not as motivated as you guys."
Nie Li said, "Uh, hehe, cultivation really has been exhausting lately. Don't worry. For the training ahead, I'll definitely give you all a proper treat."
"Huh? Great, great, great!"
The moment Lu Piao heard there would be a treat, he sprang up excitedly, brimming with energy once more.
Beneath the Sky Screen.
Lu Ning, the head of the Lu family, covered his face. His son was as embarrassing to watch as ever.
Xiao Xue clenched her fists too. With her right here, he still wanted to go sampling elsewhere!
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