Chapter 278 – Rank Change
Xiao Yu, who was walking in front of them, raised his head towards the fairy-like girl and was stunned. Even he couldn’t help sighing at such a beautiful girl who existed between Heaven and Earth. Suddenly, the girl opened her eyes. Those eyes of hers were like clear springs, piercing into others’ hearts.
The girl gave Xiao Yu a faint smile as she slowly walked down the stairs.
Her steps were light and graceful and her beautiful figure made people’s hearts beat wildly. Her clothes fluttered in the wind.
Everyone was staring at her, dumbfounded. Before her, the entire world seemed dull.
The girl walked past Xiao Yu and moved towards Nie Li and Lu Piao’s direction. Her clear eyes landed on Nie Li as she revealed a pure smile from the corner of her mouth and asked, “Nice to meet you, what’s your name? Do you know me?”
That piercing gaze seemed as though it could see through everything.
“I don’t,” Nie Li said as he shook his head. He remembered what his Master had once said, that he was the calamity of her life. Then, should he refrain from approaching her, to let her live her a peaceful life?
The girl looked at Nie Li in astonishment. Did he really not know her? Her brows were slightly knitted together. Although her cultivation wasn’t terribly high, she had walked the [Heaven’s Divination] path; therefore, she could calculate the destinies of those she met. However, Nie Li was the only exception. When she tried to calculate his destiny, all she saw was a muddled chaos.
Why did Nie Li’s gaze look as though he’d known her for a so long? That expression didn’t seem to be fake.
The girl vaguely sensed something strange, as though she’d seen Nie Li somewhere before.
She pursed her lips and smiled. “My name is Ying Yueru. What’s your name?”
Nie Li was slightly stunned. In his previous life, when he was cultivating with his Master in the valley of the Divine Feathers Sect, his Master never mentioned her name before. So, why did she take the initiative to tell a stranger her name in this life?
When they saw that the girl had taken the initiative to speak to Nie Li, the surrounding disciples all had jealousy written all over their faces. They’d already been paying attention to her for a long time, but no one dared to approach her. They only looked at her from afar. They never imagined that she would actually take the initiative to approach Nie Li.
After pondering for a brief moment, Nie Li answered honestly. “My name is Nie Li!”
“Nie Li, Nie Li…” Ying Yueru muttered with her brows slightly knitted and continued, “Why does that name seem so little familiar? It’s as though I’ve heard it somewhere before.”
Nie Li raised his head and stared at her. Where could his Master have heard his name from before?
“Nevermind, I can’t remember anymore.” Ying Yueru shook her head and smiled so sweetly that the bystanders were dazed just from looking at her.
Xiao Yu, who was scaling the hundred steps, turned back. When he saw that Nie Li and Ying Yueru were chatting happily, he slightly paused his steps, and hesitated on the spot before he turned around and walked towards Nie Li and Lu Piao’s direction.
“Nie Li, what’s going on? Do you know her?” Xiao Yu glanced at Ying Yueru with a wary expression as he transmitted his voice over to Nie Li, “People in the Divine Feathers Sect are complicated. The origins of this girl are unknown, so you have to be careful.”
At Xiao Yu’s words, Nie Li only smiled in reply. Although in this life, Ying Yueru didn’t know him, Nie Li was well aware of this person. Her heart was pure and kind and she was always the one willing to be hurt instead of hurting others.
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. She won’t be a threat to us.” Nie Li smiled as he transmitted his reply back Xiao Yu.
“You’ve only just met her, yet you’re certain that she doesn’t have any ill intentions?” Xiao Yu’s furrowed his brows as he spoke in an unhappy tone.
“Yes,” Nie Li honestly replied as he nodded.
When he saw that Nie Li’s eyes were glued to that girl, without knowing why, Xiao Yu felt frustration in his heart as he said in an infuriated tone, “Since you trust her so much, then it’s none of my business!”
Xiao Yu turned around, ignoring Nie Li, and continued moving upwards.
Looking at Xiao Yu’s figure, Nie Li was a little puzzled in his heart. What’s wrong with him?
Ying Yueru glanced at Xiao Yu as he turned to go, and revealed a meaningful smile on her face. Her eyes turned back to Nie Li as she pursed her lips and smiled, “It appears that your friend doesn’t welcome me. However, I’ve remembered your name, Nie Li. I believe that we’ll meet again before long!”
Ying Yueru had a light and calm smile on her face as she proceeded down the altar. That charming figure of hers attracted everyone’s gaze, fixing them onto herself.
That’s just how elegant she was!
The surrounding disciples all watched Ying Yueru leave before retracting their gazes and glared at Nie Li with enmity. Many of them had already taken notice of Ying Yueru, but they’d all sensed that her identity was definitely not simple. Those who were able to reach the one hundred thirty-somethingth step were not ordinary people!
Many of them couldn’t help feeling inferior whenever they looked at Ying Yueru, forget trying to hit on her. However, Nie Li had actually held a conversation with the goddess of their hearts; this made them deeply jealous.
Lu Piao looked at Nie Li and bitterly said, “Nie Li, it seems that you’ve become public enemy number one!”
Aside from that, Lu Piao didn’t understand how Nie Li was able to make such a beautiful goddess strike a conversation with him. Could it be that there’s some treasure concealed on Nie Li’s body that attracts goddesses?
“Don’t bother about them. There’s no need to be bothered by another’s gaze or mockery. You just need to worry about yourself, as you have to believe that those who’re more outstanding than you will never pay any attention to you,” Nie Li said as he moved higher on the flight of stairs.
Lu Piao pondered over Nie Li’s words for a brief moment and realised that it made more sense the more he thought about it. Why would Nie Li say such philosophical words? However, he still quickened his steps and continued up the stairs.
Xiao Yu held his breath as he moved to one hundred twentieth step. When he wanted to move higher, he found he was unable to accomplish it, no matter what. It seemed that his ability to communicate with Heaven and Earth was a little inferior to that girl’s. Although he was a little unresigned, he could only stop ascending.
Xiao Yu turned his head back and glanced at Nie Li and Lu Piao, feeling a little annoyed in his heart. Nie Li had just met that girl today and he was already trying to speak on her behalf. He couldn’t help snorting as he sat down cross-legged on the platform and began his cultivation.
Outside the Saint Soul Grounds
The crowd had already broken out in a commotion.
“How is that possible? Xiao Yu is actually ranked eleventh!”
“Is there some mistake in this?! A few of you go into the Saint Soul Grounds and take a look. This is basically impossible! Is Xiao Yu using some sort of underhand trick?” Hua Ling roared in anger. He never expected Xiao Yu’s ranking to soar all the way ahead of his own!
How did trash like Xiao Yu accomplish this?!
Hua Ling was extremely frustrated. He’d always had a vague fear of Xiao Yu; after all, Xiao Yu was a 7-grade Heaven Spiritual Root and who knew when that unimaginable talent of his would burst forth? Now, all of his fears had come true, agitating him to the point that he had the urge to kill someone.
At that moment, Yan Hao, who stood some distance away, saw Xiao Yu’s name on the Saint Soul Board and was utterly stunned. Xiao Yu’s name had become an unreachable existence. Even at his best, he’d only reached the one hundred and twenty-first ranking. Even then, he’d be easily been pulled down. But Xiao Yu managed to climb to the eleventh spot! That was a height that he’d never be able to reach!
From past records, those who’d entered the top twenty had all become powerful experts when they’d grown up, becoming existences who could control a region of the Divine Feathers Sect!
There was suddenly a wide gap between Xiao Yu and himself!
Yan Hao was a little dazed. In the past, he’d always thought of Xiao Yu as rubbish, a pretty boy with only good looks. Now, it turns out that Yan Hao himself was the real rubbish! How could he compete against Xiao Yu?
Suddenly, another voice sounded from the side.
“Look, two new guys have entered the Saint Soul Board!”
“Nie Li and Lu Piao? Those two seem to be from the Tiny World!”
Everyone’s gazes turned to the Saint Soul Board. Nie Li and Lu Piao’s rankings were constantly rising. Lu Piao’s name stopped when it reached the eighty-sixth spot, but Nie Li’s rank continued moving up.
“Good heavens! He managed to send Young Master Jin Yan down a rank!”
Everyone had their eyes glued to the Saint Soul Board as Nie Li’s rank stopped at sixteen.
Everyone held their breath as they watched those two names rise so high on the Saint Soul Board. Nie Li and Lu Piao were still newcomers from this year, unlike Long Yuyin and Jin Yan who had prominent families behind them. Yet they still managed to reach such heights; were they not going to give a chance to other people?
People from the Tiny World were simply too frightening!
One ranked eleventh and one was sixteenth. Not to mention that they’d just joined the board. If they were to continue their cultivation, who knew when they’ll be able to make great leaps forward? If they were able to step within the top ten, it’d be defying the heavens.
Top ten, just how many people have dreamed of that!
Furthermore, the rewards for being in the top ten was enough to make anyone drool over.
The experts who could be ranked in the top ten were all absolute, powerful geniuses. Once they made it into the top ten, they’d even attract the attention of the institute’s higher ups.
Jin Clan
Jin Yan was currently training as he’s practised his demon spirit battle techniques.
A servant hurried in. “Young Master, I have bad news.”
Jin Yan frowned his brows for a brief moment as he asked in a solemn voice, “What happened?”
“Young Master, someone has managed to get ahead of you on the Saint Soul Board and your rank has dropped to the twenty-fifth.”
“Get ahead of me? Who is it?” Jin Yan appeared to be very calm. After all, it was normal for rank changes to occur; therefore, he was just purely curious.
“One called Xiao Yu, ranked at eleventh and the other is Nie Li, ranked at sixteenth!” the servant reported.
“Nie Li?” Jin Yan furrowed his brows for a moment. He never expected that Nie Li, someone from the same class, would get ahead of him. He was fine with being ranked beneath Long Yuyin; after all, he was aware that he couldn’t compete with her and could only consider himself number two. But now, the fact that he’d been surpassed by Nie Li made him a little frustrated.
Jin Yan’s gaze went cold. He had to go to the Saint Soul Grounds to cultivate, no matter what. He has to step over Nie Li, and leave Nie Li beneath his own feet!