Massage

Nie Li instinctively rubbed the back of his head.

"I do know how, but the guiding technique requires massaging the bruised area."

What he meant was that it would be inappropriate for him to do it.

"I don't mind. Please, help me. I don't want to become a cripple."

Since Xiao Ning'er herself didn't mind, Nie Li naturally said nothing more. Protesting further would only make him seem as though he had something to hide.

Nie Li sat cross-legged and told her the treatment needed to be repeated every three days.

Xiao Ning'er sat down with her legs crossed.

The bruise on the top of her foot was already very dark.

Nie Li held the foot Xiao Ning'er extended toward him.

The touch against her foot made her eyes wander involuntarily.

Nie Li, however, wore a solemn expression. Blue light flared around two of his fingers, and he began pressing them against the top of her foot.

The intense pain immediately made Xiao Ning'er cry out.

"The first time will hurt a little. Bear with it."

Xiao Ning'er turned her head aside and murmured her assent.

Seeing that she was ready, Nie Li continued the massage.

Beneath the sky screen, everyone was dumbstruck.

Th-this massage scene was really... really...

At the Heavenly Marks Family.

Miao Ling wore a fond, knowing smile. It seemed her nephew could already find himself a wife. They looked so sweet together.

Xiao Yun said, "This boy, and this girl..."

Even if they were ordinary people, they had already lived a good portion of their lives. How could they not understand what was going on?

At the Sacred Family.

Shen Fei's face had darkened.

He had long been betrothed to Xiao Ning'er of the Winged Dragon Family, but what was this nonsense playing on the sky screen?

How dare Xiao Ning'er do something like this? It was an insult to him, Shen Fei, and a disgrace to the Sacred Family!

She actually dared?!

And that Nie Li! He was merely the son of a declining noble family. So what if he had been reborn?

Only a few days had passed. Even if Nie Li's words had affected the Sacred Family's standing in Glory City, they remained one of its immensely powerful premier families.

Defection?

What a joke. They hadn't done it yet, so what right did anyone have to accuse them of defecting?

Killing Nie Li would be no problem!

Shen Ming had even decided to find a Demon Spirit Master to finish Nie Li off.

Still, it seemed the Winged Dragon Family needed to be taught a lesson. Otherwise, where would the Sacred Family's dignity be?

At the Holy Orchid Academy.

Xiao Ning'er's normally cool face could not have been redder. She had already buried her head against Ye Ziyun's shoulder and refused to look up.

It was simply too embarrassing.

Ye Ziyun had never expected anything like this to happen between her friend and Nie Li.

Seeing Lu Piao and Du Ze sneakily giving him thumbs-up, Nie Li felt a headache coming on. He was only treating someone's illness!

The students outside were even hailing Nie Li as a role model for them all.

On the sky screen.

Nie Li had finished the treatment and told her it would still hurt a little afterward, but she would be fine as long as she rested properly.

Just as he was about to leave, Xiao Ning'er struggled with herself before calling him back and admitting that she had another bruise.

"Huh? Another one? Where?"

"It's... it's..."

Xiao Ning'er stammered, her gaze darting away.

Nie Li understood. It must be somewhere awkward.

"Uh, if it's inconvenient..."

Xiao Ning'er thought, If my illness goes untreated, my peers will leave me farther and farther behind.

She clenched her fists, but still made up her mind.

Judging by Nie Li's character and temperament, he seemed trustworthy.

She reached straight for the zipper of her clothes.

Beneath the sky screen, Xiao Ning'er grew even more frightened.

She swore she had never wanted to die so badly in her life. If she died, she wouldn't have to watch anymore.

On the sky screen.

Nie Li had not expected this turn of events either.

Xiao Ning'er took off her top, leaving only her underwear.

"This doesn't seem quite proper. Please don't misunderstand. I'm only helping treat your illness."

And that bruise was even darker than the one on her foot!

Nie Li was utterly stunned by Xiao Ning'er's willpower.

"You've endured so much all this time."

Xiao Ning'er said, "Thank you."

The even more intense pain made Xiao Ning'er scream again.

Beneath the sky screen, no one had expected this to happen.

The image of Xiao Ning'er taking off her clothes blurred completely, making it impossible to see.

At the Holy Orchid Institute, Xiao Ning'er's legs gave out, and she dropped to her knees.

Thank you! Thank you so much!

Ye Ziyun looked at Nie Li.

Nie Li's scalp prickled, and he hurried to explain, "Um, Zi Yun, I was only treating Ning'er's illness. Really!"

At the Winged Dragon Family, Xiao Yunfeng shot to his feet. His daughter had taken off her top right in front of a boy!

That damned extreme cold syndrome!

Still, still, thank goodness the illness could be cured. It would only take a month.

But his daughter seemed to have taken a liking to Nie Li.

That would be difficult to explain to the Sacred Family. If only he could find a way to break away from them.

Then there would be no need to heed the betrothal.

As Xiao Yunfeng pondered this, an invitation soon arrived.

The Wind Snow Family?

At the Sacred Family.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Shen Fei frantically smashed the precious furnishings in his room.

He had long regarded Xiao Ning'er as his plaything. How could he allow Nie Li to touch her?

That despicable pair deserved to die!

Shen Ming came over. "Young Master Shen Fei, why waste so much energy on a woman like her?"

Shen Fei's eyes remained bloodshot. "I want Nie Li dead!"

Shen Ming didn't know what to say either. A young master of the main family spent every day amid wine, women, and pleasure, and his cultivation couldn't even match that of the branch family members. He truly was a disgrace.

Forget it. There was no relying on someone who spent his days sprawled over women's bellies.

On the sky screen.

Massaging her with the guiding technique took effort on Nie Li's part as well.

He instructed her to come back to him for another massage in three days. Before she became a Bronze Demon Spirit Master, she absolutely must not cultivate soul force at night again. If she absorbed too much moonlight essence and could not harmonize it, the consequences would be severe.

Xiao Ning'er had already put her clothes back on.

"Mm, Nie Li, I heard you like Ye Ziyun?"

"Yes."

Xiao Ning'er's eyes widened slightly, then lowered in disappointment. "Really? Then does Ye Ziyun like you?"

Nie Li smiled and shook his head.

Xiao Ning'er smiled too. "So it's unrequited love."

"Ah, but she'll fall for me."

He took out the prescription he had written and handed it to Xiao Ning'er.

"Nie Li, thank you so much. If you ever need my help with anything, please come find me."

"Don't worry. I'm off."

Nie Li stretched a little and left.

Xiao Ning'er gazed in the direction Nie Li had gone. "Nie Li, just what kind of person are you?"

Below, quite a few of those who had lived long enough could tell that Xiao Ning'er had become interested in Nie Li.

Early in the morning.

In the Holy Orchid Institute's beginner fighter class.

Lu Piao complained, "It's Shen Xiu's class again today. We'll have to stand as punishment again, and all she talks about every day is that little bit of business between the nobles. In the end, we don't learn anything."