Chapter 320 – Full of Sincerity
After a brief moment, Lu Piao’s 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 Ning’er blinked and asked Nie Li, “What did you say to Lu Piao?”
Nie Li couldn’t help showing an evil grin as he replied, “Nothing much.”
Xiao Ning’er pursed her lips. Nie Li probably gave Lu Piao some rotten idea. Otherwise, Lu Piao wouldn’t have been lectured so badly by Xiao Xue.
Nie Li and Xiao Ning’er conversed for a while, before a knocking sound came from the door to the courtyard.
“Xiao Yu’s probably returned.” 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, “You’re Nie Li?”
The youth’s eyes lit up as they swept over Xiao Ning’er, but he restrained himself.
“Indeed.” Nie Li looked at the other party. He had no idea why they’d come.
“My name is Long You, a member of the Dragonseal Family. Someone has requested me with receiving a calligraphy word from you,” Long You casually said. Although he claimed that he was requesting for a word, his tone didn’t contain any trace of request.
Long You’s Heavenly Star Realm aura made Nie Li feel a little pressured.
This Long You was probably one of Long Tianming’s 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.
“Aside 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!” Long You looked at Nie Li. From his point of view, Nie Li didn’t 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 Li’s conditions first if he’s willing to join.
“I’ve already announced that I’m not joining any families. Do forgive me. As for the words, I will write a few and have you bring them back.” Nie Li said as a trace of almost unnoticeable light flashed through his eyes.
Indeed, it was as he’d expected. Long Tianming would definitely send someone to get some words.
With Long Tianming’s character, of course he wouldn’t spend one hundred fifty thousand spiritual stones for Nie Li’s words. After all, one hundred fifty thousand spiritual stones wasn’t a small amount. Long Tianming’s manners were inferior to Yan Yang’s and Mingyue Wushuang’s.
He was trying to suppress others with power, and get Nie Li’s calligraphy for free. Long Tianming truly thought it out well. He didn’t have to pay a thing, but could still gain benefits nonetheless.
As for Nie Li, he’d always been wary of Long Tianming. Therefore, he wouldn’t 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.
“Please wait a moment. I’ll write some for the three of you to bring back.” Nie Li politely cupped his hands.
“Alright, we’ll wait for you here.” Long You nodded. As per Long Tianming’s 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 didn’t 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 Ning’er returned to his room.
Xiao Ning’er looked at Nie Li and asked, “Those three are trying to get your words for free, and just you’re going to give it to them?”
Xiao Ning’er felt a little resentful in her heart. Such things definitely wouldn’t 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.
“Power is stronger than man. Of course I have to give in. After all, there’s a Heavenly Star Realm expert among them!” 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 Ning’er 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 Ning’er’s eyes widened as she puzzled revealed in her eyes. Back at the gathering, Nie Li hadn’t used the slightest bit of Dao intent to write his words. But now, he was using Dao intent.
Since Xiao Ning’er was smart and intelligent, she had it all figured out with a thought. Nie Li was doing this on purpose.
“I 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 there’s a wide gap compared to the the Dao intent that that supreme expert has comprehended. Long Tianming wants some words from me for free? That’s where the saying of ‘convenient wouldn’t get you good goods’ come from!” Nie Li lightly smiled. Within this word, he’d concealed the Dao intent of the law of darkness and light. Therefore, this word naturally wouldn’t 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 ‘convenient wouldn’t get you good goods’, Xiao Ning’er couldn’t help covering her mouth with a chuckle. Nie Li really was a guy who wouldn’t 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 wouldn’t waste much time anyways!
Once he finished the “sword”, Nie Li pondered as he smiled. “This doesn’t seem to be filled with enough sincerity, since it’s only one word. I’ll give him two more!”
The “sword” included, Nie Li wrote a total of three words as he lightly smiled, “One word more than what I gave Yan Yang and Mingyue Wushuang. This time, they should definitely feel my sincerity.”
At Nie Li’s words, Xiao Ning’er couldn’t help smiling. Nie Li was simply too bad. Although she’d seen how cunning Nie Li could be, Xiao Ning’er 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. “I’m done!”
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 wasn’t anything terribly impressive. He couldn’t help furrowing his brows, as he wondered whether Nie Li was fooling them? However, he’d heard that ordinary people couldn’t 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 couldn’t comprehend the profound intent within these words? Long You stored the words in a little twitchy before glancing at Nie Li. “I’ve received the words, let’s go!”
He waved his hand and led the other two away from the courtyard.
Xiao Ning’er lightly frowned her brows. She noticed that that person didn’t have any manners. He took things from others without even leaving a “thank you”.
Nie Li, on the contrary, wasn’t too bothered about it, since the word that he’d 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.
“What matters would bring the Venerable to my door?” 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 Redsoul’s expression and attitude were very modest, like a spring breeze. He smiled and said, “I apologise for disturbing you outside of our lessons. I’ve been entrusted by a lord to ask you for some calligraphy. If you’re willing to give, I can give a hundred fifty thousand spiritual stones in exchange.”
“Venerable is too heavy with your words. A teacher is asking for something from a student. How could I ask for money in return? I’ll write several words for the Venerable. I wonder who wants them?” 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 “Lord”, this definitely wasn’t 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 wasn’t like he was going to lose any flesh in writing.
“This 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.” Venerable Redsoul said. Hierarch Skycloud had been a hermit for many years; therefore, newcomers shouldn’t know of him.
Nie Li’s heart couldn’t 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 didn’t contest for power. However, when the Divine Feathers Sect fell apart in his previous life, Hierarch Skycloud couldn’t reverse it. Furthermore, he’d already aged by then and his cultivation had slowly dropped.
However, Hierarch Skycloud was still an authoritative figure within the Divine Feathers Sect.
“Since that lord likes my words, of course I’ll do my best so that the Venerable will have something worth showing him.” Nie Li bowed slightly, then continued, “Since I don’t need very much time to write them, I’ll just gift them to the Venerable instead.”
Venerable Redsoul gave Nie Li a grateful look. “Many thanks. I’ll definitely pass them to Hierarch Skycloud and let him know of your meaning.” Venerable Redsoul was unable to reject Hierarch Skycloud’s request for Nie Li’s words. However, he couldn’t 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, “I will not take your words for nothing. With Hierarch Skycloud’s protection, you won’t have to worry about any family pressuring you while you remain within the Skysoul Institute!”
Hearing Venerable Redsoul’s words, Nie Li rejoiced in his heart. To him, this favor was worth more than one hundred fifty thousand spiritual stones.
“In that case, I have the Venerable to thank!”