After a brief moment, Lu Piaoâs mournful wails and shrieks sounded from the room, followed by the sounds of Xiao Xue scolding Lu Piao for being indecent. This was then followed by a series of beatings before things finally settled down.
It was the sound of pure misery.
Xiao Ningâer blinked and asked Nie Li, âWhat did you say to Lu Piao?â
Nie Li couldnât help showing an evil grin as he replied, âNothing much.â
Xiao Ningâer pursed her lips. Nie Li probably gave Lu Piao some rotten idea. Otherwise, Lu Piao wouldnât have been lectured so badly by Xiao Xue.
Nie Li and Xiao Ningâer conversed for a while, before a knocking sound came from the door to the courtyard.
âXiao Yuâs probably returned.â Nie Li smiled as he walked over to the door. Upon opening it, he saw three people standing there, accompanied by a surge of powerful aura that came crashing in.
The three people looked to be in their twenties, with cultivations above the Heavenly Fate Realm. The one leading them had probably reached the Heavenly Star Realm, as Nie Li could sense the aura with sharp killing intent.
The youth looked at Nie Li as he said in a solemn voice, âYouâre Nie Li?â
The youthâs eyes lit up as they swept over Xiao Ningâer, but he restrained himself.
âIndeed.â Nie Li looked at the other party. He had no idea why theyâd come.
âMy name is Long You, a member of the Dragonseal Family. Someone has requested me with receiving a calligraphy word from you,â Long You casually said. Although he claimed that he was requesting for a word, his tone didnât contain any trace of request.
Long Youâs Heavenly Star Realm aura made Nie Li feel a little pressured.
This Long You was probably one of Long Tianmingâs men. On one hand, they were here to get a word, on the other, they also wanted to give Nie Li a setback and prevent him from becoming too arrogant for his decent talent.
âAside from asking for a word, my Young Master is also interested in you, and invites you to join the Celestial Dragon Guards of the Dragonseal Family!â Long You looked at Nie Li. From his point of view, Nie Li didnât have the qualifications to join the Celestial Dragon Guards at all. He had no idea why the Young Master had told him to agree to any of Nie Liâs conditions first if heâs willing to join.
âIâve already announced that Iâm not joining any families. Do forgive me. As for the words, I will write a few and have you bring them back.â Nie Li said as a trace of almost unnoticeable light flashed through his eyes.
Indeed, it was as heâd expected. Long Tianming would definitely send someone to get some words.
With Long Tianmingâs character, of course he wouldnât spend one hundred fifty thousand spiritual stones for Nie Liâs words. After all, one hundred fifty thousand spiritual stones wasnât a small amount. Long Tianmingâs manners were inferior to Yan Yangâs and Mingyue Wushuangâs.
He was trying to suppress others with power, and get Nie Liâs calligraphy for free. Long Tianming truly thought it out well. He didnât have to pay a thing, but could still gain benefits nonetheless.
As for Nie Li, heâd always been wary of Long Tianming. Therefore, he wouldnât let Long Tianming get his hands on a word so easily!
Long You originally thought that Nie Li would decline. After all, it was rumored that his words sold for an expensive price. However, when Nie Li easily gave in, his expression slightly settled down. It seemed like this Nie Li was rather tactful and knew when to give in.
âPlease wait a moment. Iâll write some for the three of you to bring back.â Nie Li politely cupped his hands.
âAlright, weâll wait for you here.â Long You nodded. As per Long Tianmingâs orders, as long as Nie Li agreed to one of the requests, then there was no need to make things difficult for him. Although it was possible that Nie Li could become a competitor, as long as Nie Li willingly gave in, Long Tianming didnât have any plans to make things difficult for him. For the time being.
After all, there was nothing he could do to Nie Li within the Skysoul Institute.
Nie Li and Xiao Ningâer returned to his room.
Xiao Ningâer looked at Nie Li and asked, âThose three are trying to get your words for free, and just youâre going to give it to them?â
Xiao Ningâer felt a little resentful in her heart. Such things definitely wouldnât happen in the Heavenly Note Sect. She felt those three were being quite hateful, trying to get something for free and while acting like it was only natural.
âPower is stronger than man. Of course I have to give in. After all, thereâs a Heavenly Star Realm expert among them!â Nie Li lightly smiled as he walked to the desk. He opened a white sheet of paper, and raised the brush as he concentrated his eyes.
When Xiao Ningâer looked at Nie Li, it looked as though his body had ignited, as if he was filled with a scorching aura. Furthermore, within this aura, were trace amounts of the Law Energy of Darkness and Light.
That Dao intent converged onto the tip of the brush as Nie Li gently lowered it and began writing.
Xiao Ningâerâs eyes widened as she puzzled revealed in her eyes. Back at the gathering, Nie Li hadnât used the slightest bit of Dao intent to write his words. But now, he was using Dao intent.
Since Xiao Ningâer was smart and intelligent, she had it all figured out with a thought. Nie Li was doing this on purpose.
âI have comprehended the Law of Darkness and Light from the tiny World and realised that within them, there was a mysterious Dao intent. Darkness is cold and light is warm. Naturally, this is the Dao intent that I have comprehended, so thereâs a wide gap compared to the the Dao intent that that supreme expert has comprehended. Long Tianming wants some words from me for free? Thatâs where the saying of âconvenient wouldnât get you good goodsâ come from!â Nie Li lightly smiled. Within this word, heâd concealed the Dao intent of the law of darkness and light. Therefore, this word naturally wouldnât contain the Dao intent of that supreme being.
As he wrote those supreme words with his Dao intent, his mind is required to enter a miraculous realm!
When she heard Nie Li say that there was âconvenient wouldnât get you good goodsâ, Xiao Ningâer couldnât help covering her mouth with a chuckle. Nie Li really was a guy who wouldnât accept the short end of the stick when he got it. No wonder he was so straightforward in agreeing to write some words for those people! Writing a few words wouldnât waste much time anyways!
Once he finished the âswordâ, Nie Li pondered as he smiled. âThis doesnât seem to be filled with enough sincerity, since itâs only one word. Iâll give him two more!â
The âswordâ included, Nie Li wrote a total of three words as he lightly smiled, âOne word more than what I gave Yan Yang and Mingyue Wushuang. This time, they should definitely feel my sincerity.â
At Nie Liâs words, Xiao Ningâer couldnât help smiling. Nie Li was simply too bad. Although sheâd seen how cunning Nie Li could be, Xiao Ningâer still felt that Nie Li was the most trustworthy person. All of his cunningness was used on his enemies. When he was with his friends, Nie Li gave them his complete trust and treated them with sincerity.
Nie Li took the words with him as he walked to the entrance and passed them to Long You. âIâm done!â
Long You took the words from Nie Li and concentrated his attention on them. He sensed an indistinct trace of Dao intent from them, but there wasnât anything terribly impressive. He couldnât help furrowing his brows, as he wondered whether Nie Li was fooling them? However, heâd heard that ordinary people couldnât sense the dao intent hidden within his words. This fact was already widely known throughout the sect.
Long You was a little unconvinced in his heart. After all, he was a Heavenly Star Realm expert and an elite of the Celestial Dragon Guards. Could it be that even he couldnât comprehend the profound intent within these words? Long You stored the words in a little twitchy before glancing at Nie Li. âIâve received the words, letâs go!â
He waved his hand and led the other two away from the courtyard.
Xiao Ningâer lightly frowned her brows. She noticed that that person didnât have any manners. He took things from others without even leaving a âthank youâ.
Nie Li, on the contrary, wasnât too bothered about it, since the word that heâd given them was a fake.
Not long after Long You left, someone else knocked on the door. When Nie Li opened it, he saw Venerable Redsoul.
âWhat matters would bring the Venerable to my door?â Nie Li asked in a respectful tone. He was still very polite; after all, Venerable Redsoul was his teacher, even if it was only in name.
Venerable Redsoulâs expression and attitude were very modest, like a spring breeze. He smiled and said, âI apologise for disturbing you outside of our lessons. Iâve been entrusted by a lord to ask you for some calligraphy. If youâre willing to give, I can give a hundred fifty thousand spiritual stones in exchange.â
âVenerable is too heavy with your words. A teacher is asking for something from a student. How could I ask for money in return? Iâll write several words for the Venerable. I wonder who wants them?â Nie Li was very polite as he spoke.
Venerable Redsoul was a teacher of the Skysoul Institute. He had many students in the Divine Feathers Sect, so of course he also had a large network of connections. For Venerable Redsoul to address someone as âLordâ, this definitely wasnât a common person. Since such an opportunity had presented itself at his door, how could Nie Li miss it? It was just a few words anyways, and it wasnât like he was going to lose any flesh in writing.
âThis Lord has always hidden himself, even if I mention him, you might not know who he is. The outside world knows him as Hierarch Skycloud.â Venerable Redsoul said. Hierarch Skycloud had been a hermit for many years; therefore, newcomers shouldnât know of him.
Nie Liâs heart couldnât help to jump. Hierarch Skycloud was one of the five major figures of the Divine Feathers Sect! How could Nie Li not know of such a powerful figure? Hierarch Skycloud was the only one among the five major figures who didnât contest for power. However, when the Divine Feathers Sect fell apart in his previous life, Hierarch Skycloud couldnât reverse it. Furthermore, heâd already aged by then and his cultivation had slowly dropped.
However, Hierarch Skycloud was still an authoritative figure within the Divine Feathers Sect.
âSince that lord likes my words, of course Iâll do my best so that the Venerable will have something worth showing him.â Nie Li bowed slightly, then continued, âSince I donât need very much time to write them, Iâll just gift them to the Venerable instead.â
Venerable Redsoul gave Nie Li a grateful look. âMany thanks. Iâll definitely pass them to Hierarch Skycloud and let him know of your meaning.â Venerable Redsoul was unable to reject Hierarch Skycloudâs request for Nie Liâs words. However, he couldnât bear pulling his face down to ask one of his students and giving nothing in return. His only option was to raise one hundred fifty thousand spiritual stones to buy the calligraphy words from Nie Li. However, he never expected Nie Li to be so straightforward and gift them instead.
Venerable Redsoul pondered for briefly, then said, âI will not take your words for nothing. With Hierarch Skycloudâs protection, you wonât have to worry about any family pressuring you while you remain within the Skysoul Institute!â
Hearing Venerable Redsoulâs words, Nie Li rejoiced in his heart. To him, this favor was worth more than one hundred fifty thousand spiritual stones.
âIn that case, I have the Venerable to thank!â