small bonus image for the previous chapter.
The healing session between Chan Wei and Xiao Ning'er ended quickly. Chan Wei then went to find Nie Li, who wasn't far away. He told him about the issue with the cultivation parchment he had found and brought him back to Xiao Ning'er. In his heart, Chan Wei decided to let Nie Li take some of the credit in Xiao Ning'er's mind as an expert, just as he would have in the original timeline.
Seeing a second boy approach, Xiao Ning'er remained still. She had already adjusted her clothes and was simply waiting for Chan Wei's return.
"Hello, classmate. My name is Nie Li, and my brother told me you needed me to take a look at your cultivation method," Nie Li introduced himself, extending a hand toward Ning'er.
Without much care, Xiao Ning'er tossed the parchment to Nie Li, now knowing that it was the cause of her previous condition.
As Nie Li examined the parchment, his expression became particularly serious. This momentarily distracted Xiao Ning'er, and she only reacted a moment later.
"The direct lineage of a great and powerful noble family practices such a low-level cultivation technique… No wonder Glory City was destroyed," Nie Li murmured softly.
"What did you just say?" Xiao Ning'er widened her eyes and looked at Nie Li. She had only caught a few of his whispered words, but she hadn't heard them clearly.
"Nothing," Nie Li chuckled faintly.
"This cultivation technique is too flawed. Practicing it damages the meridians. The reason for your Arctic Illness is largely due to this cultivation technique. Change this part from 'Psychic Spirit' to 'Celestial Psychic,' and replace this with 'Soul and Spirit Fusion'..." Nie Li continued speaking, modifying the soul force cultivation technique beyond recognition.
As Xiao Ning'er listened to Nie Li, she recalled what Chan Wei had said. The sections Nie Li was modifying were likely closer to the original than the version translated by her family elders.
Gradually, Xiao Ning'er realized that Nie Li's modifications were excellent. In fact, the changes made it far superior to its previous version.
Her eyes widened in astonishment, and an expression of disbelief filled them as she looked at Nie Li.
"Nie Li, can you repeat that? I need to memorize everything you just said!" Xiao Ning'er quickly demanded.
"Alright," Nie Li slowed down his speech, repeating the modifications to the cultivation technique. After forming her soul force, Xiao Ning'er had the ability to memorize everything perfectly without forgetting a single detail. Even though she could only understand some of the modifications, she still managed to commit everything Nie Li said to memory.
The more she reviewed it, the more she realized how much stronger the modified cultivation technique was compared to her previous one. Initially, Xiao Ning'er had looked at Nie Li with a hint of confusion, but soon, her gaze turned into one filled with admiration.
"I told you, Ning'er, Nie Li is incredibly powerful. As I was listening, I didn't sense any Yin energy gathering in the clearing, which already makes this technique better than the original," Chan Wei said, but he didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he turned to Nie Li and whispered in his ear.
"Brother, do you think you could do the same favor for her that you did for me? If she shows you a crystal?"
"I can, but for now, she can cultivate with this one in the meantime," Nie Li replied before turning to Xiao Ning'er. "Xiao Ning'er, if you're interested in a cultivation method that suits you even better, feel free to join us. I think Brother Chan Wei has quite the soft spot for you," he teased with a chuckle.
Seeing both of them turn red, Nie Li laughed and walked away, still amused.
"What did you ask him?" Xiao Ning'er asked, moving a little closer to Chan Wei, who was still blushing and trying to hide his embarrassment.
"Let's just say that Brother Nie Li has a special skill for determining the best cultivation technique for someone. That was the case for me, and I asked him to do you the same favor," he explained, turning his head slightly. His gaze softened with incomparable gentleness.
"I should get going. Tomorrow, I'll be returning to class," he added before waving goodbye.
Just before he turned away, he smiled at her and said, "Be careful, and remember, don't cultivate at night anymore. Goodnight, my goddess."
With that, he walked away, leaving Xiao Ning'er in a daze, while his own face burned from embarrassment.
The Next Morning
Before class, Chan Wei made his way to the library to retrieve the book on fire and lightning elements that Nie Li would use in class today to humiliate the teacher. Since it would bring shame to the Sacred Family, he couldn't afford to miss it.
Once again, it was time for Shen Xiu's lesson. However, Nie Li, Du Ze, and Lu Piao found her classes completely useless and boring. They were surprised to see Chan Wei attending class today, considering he usually spent his time cultivating quietly in his room or studying in the library—except for Nie Li, who already knew the reason.
Every day, Shen Xiu simply stood on stage, babbling away. As usual, Nie Li, Du Ze, Lu Piao, and Chan Wei stood at the back of the class.
Class was about to begin, and the students gathered in small groups, chatting amongst themselves. Despite Ye Ziyun's high status, she didn't put up many barriers between herself and the other students. She quickly became friends with many of the girls in the class.
Meanwhile, Shen Yue sat proudly in a corner. With his status, he couldn't be bothered to interact with the other students. If it weren't for Ye Ziyun being in this class, he wouldn't have attended in the first place.
During the upcoming test in two months, both he and Ye Ziyun were certain to enter the Junior Demon Spiritist class. Shen Yue glanced at Nie Li standing at the back of the classroom, a mocking smile stretching across his face.
"Reaching 1-star Bronze rank in two months? If trash like you can accomplish that, then the sun will rise in the west!" he muttered sarcastically.
However, his expression stiffened slightly when his gaze met Chan Wei's. Unable to hold the stare, Shen Yue quickly looked away, his face paling slightly.
At the back of the class, Nie Li, Du Ze, Lu Piao, and Chan Wei continued chatting amongst themselves. Additionally, a few commoner students who had built good relationships with Nie Li's group joined them. Since Nie Li had so many ideas, he often helped them train, gradually earning the role of their leader within this small group.
Even Du Ze, who had the most prestige among the commoner students, was willing to listen to what Nie Li had to say. Meanwhile, Chan Wei had drawn the group's interest as well. With his cyan soul realm and commoner background, many students were intrigued by him. They had noticed that, unlike his short temper during the first class, he was actually very easy to talk to, with an extremely gentle temperament.
In just a few days, Nie Li had led all three of them to earn nearly thirty thousand Demon Spirit Coins. Du Ze had never imagined he could earn such a sum of money. He trusted and admired Nie Li completely, believing him to be incredibly capable. Additionally, Chan Wei's unique ability to refine demon spirits with ease added another layer of fascination for the group.
"Nie Li, what's our next step?" Du Ze asked. After all, Nie Li had previously mentioned that they wouldn't continue hunting horned sheep. What were they planning to do now?
"You'll find out after school!" Nie Li replied with a mysterious smile. He had everything planned. The first step was to purchase soul crystals to test their talent properties and immediately begin their training. Nie Li still had his bet with Shen Xiu—he needed to become a 1-star Bronze Demon Spiritualist in two months!
Putting aside his training for the moment, Nie Li turned his gaze toward Ye Ziyun, who was sitting with a group of girls, chatting happily. How could he get closer to Ye Ziyun? How could he make her fall for him?
Just as Nie Li was lost in thought, Xiao Ning'er, who had been sitting in the front row, suddenly stood up and walked straight toward their group—specifically toward Chan Wei.
Xiao Ning'er was the only girl in the class who could rival Ye Ziyun in both beauty and talent.
Every movement and action from either of them would attract everyone's attention in the classroom. Ye Ziyun had a gentle nature. She never looked down on others and wasn't arrogant, which made many commoner girls eager to befriend her.
On the other hand, Xiao Ning'er had a cold and distant personality, making her an ice-cold beauty. Even other girls found it difficult to approach her, let alone the boys.
Had Chan Wei somehow provoked Xiao Ning'er?
"Chan Wei is dead!" Some of the noble students whispered among themselves, chuckling. For Xiao Ning'er to take the initiative to approach Chan Wei, it could only mean one thing—trouble. There was no way an ice-cold beauty like her would have any sort of relationship with Chan Wei, right?
However, a few nobles thought differently. Chan Wei wasn't that bad—after all, his potential was immense, and his future was promising.
Still, many found it hard to believe. If such a thing were to happen, it would truly be as if the sun had risen from the west.
Xiao Ning'er's cultivation was about to reach the 1-star Bronze rank. Chan Wei wasn't far off either, so if a conflict broke out, the winner wouldn't be clear.
Several noble students got into position, ready to step in and impress the class goddess.
There were plenty of boys who admired Xiao Ning'er. After all, she was a stunning beauty, not inferior to Ye Ziyun in the slightest.
Today, Xiao Ning'er deliberately wore a checkered lace dress. Her long black hair cascaded down her back, and a delicate bracelet adorned her white jade-like wrist, making her extraordinarily charming.
Normally, Xiao Ning'er wore a tight-fitting training outfit for convenience during her cultivation sessions. The fitted attire enhanced her beauty, giving it a unique elegance.
However, today, she had clearly dressed meticulously, appearing even more breathtaking than usual.
It made it even harder for others to look away after catching a glimpse of her.
For Xiao Ning'er, this was the first time she had gone out of her way to dress up.
Nie Li, Du Ze, and Lu Piao were engaged in conversation, while Chan Wei had already focused his full attention on Xiao Ning'er as she reached their table.
There was a unique aura around her as she walked forward.
Seeing her approach, Du Ze and Lu Piao nervously stood up from their seats, while Nie Li watched the scene unfold with a subtle smirk.
Normally, Xiao Ning'er's cold and indifferent attitude made others avoid her.
The two were worried for Chan Wei.
Xiao Ning'er glanced at Nie Li, who remained casually seated, occasionally shifting his gaze toward Ye Ziyun.
Luckily for her, Chan Wei was looking at her with a calm, affectionate expression that made her heart flutter.
In Xiao Ning'er's mind, Nie Li was a mysterious and powerful individual. But what made her proud was that in this class, aside from Chan Wei, she was the only one who knew Nie Li's true capabilities.
The students who mocked Nie Li were simply ignorant!
Standing beside Chan Wei's table, she silently observed Nie Li as he continued to chat and laugh, as if nothing unusual was happening.
Meanwhile, several noble students continued whispering amongst themselves.
"What do you think Xiao Ning'er is going to do to Nie Li?"
"Nie Li's soul force is only at 5. He'll probably be expelled from the class!"
"But won't Chan Wei step in to defend Nie Li?"
"Haha! That Nie Li doesn't know his place. After offending Teacher Shen Xiu, now he's going to provoke Xiao Ning'er as well? His life is about to get miserable!"
Even Du Ze and Lu Piao were nervously watching Xiao Ning'er. They couldn't understand why a proud girl like Xiao Ning'er was suddenly walking toward them.
The two of them started cursing Nie Li to death in their hearts. Nie Li had gotten into trouble again! If Xiao Ning'er wanted to beat up Nie Li, they would naturally step in to help. But even if all three of them worked together, they wouldn't be able to match Xiao Ning'er's soul force.
However, they glanced at Chan Wei. It was true that their comrade had already reached the 3-star Bronze rank. Xiao Ning'er was about to reach 1-star Bronze, becoming a true Demon Spiritualist!
At that moment, even Ye Ziyun and Shen Yue turned their attention toward Nie Li. Ye Ziyun was puzzled. She didn't know what Nie Li had done to provoke Xiao Ning'er.
Had Nie Li done something to her? A troublemaker like Nie Li truly deserved a lesson! She lifted her head and asked,
"Is something wrong? My brother is right in front of you," he said with a smile.
At the moment, Nie Li wasn't sure how to address Xiao Ning'er. He started thinking about what had happened yesterday. His brother had now gained Xiao Ning'er's favor, but he still felt a little uncomfortable inside.
After interacting with Xiao Ning'er, Nie Li realized she wasn't the cold and distant girl everyone imagined. Deep down, she was actually a gentle and kind girl. But he quickly pushed that thought aside—his brother liked her, and he himself liked Ziyun.
Xiao Ning'er moved her right hand slightly.
"I just wanted to thank you," she said before finally turning to Chan Wei, smiling as she met his gaze.
She took out a paper bag from her interspatial ring and gently said,
"This is breakfast that I prepared. I didn't know what you liked to eat, so I made a few different sets."
Xiao Ning'er softly placed the paper bag on the table.
What?! What was happening?!
The entire class fell into complete silence.
If a needle were to drop, it would have been clearly heard.
Everyone thought they must have misheard what Xiao Ning'er had just said.
Du Ze and Lu Piao dropped their jaws, staring blankly at the scene before them. With their mouths wide open, one could practically fit an egg inside. They couldn't believe what they were seeing.
Xiao Ning'er was one of the two goddesses of their class.
Even compared to the beauties of the entire school, she would undoubtedly rank at the top. Her beauty and usual cold, distant demeanor made her seem untouchable.
But today… what were they witnessing?
Xiao Ning'er had actually prepared breakfast for Chan Wei—and even made multiple sets.
Was the sun rising from the west?! Was this real?!
Almost everyone felt as if they had been struck by lightning. They stood there, completely dumbfounded.
Some of the students had actually anticipated something like this, but many of the girls who had been secretly attracted to Chan Wei felt disappointed—someone had beaten them to him.
"I must be dreaming. I need to wake up!" a student muttered.
"This doesn't make any sense!" Some noble children groaned in their hearts.
They still didn't understand what had happened. They couldn't believe the way Xiao Ning'er was dressed today, nor the gentleness she displayed.
Originally, they had thought that their goddess, Ning'er, was going to cause trouble for Nie Li.
Never in their wildest imagination did they expect her to thank Nie Li, and then personally offer breakfast to Chan Wei!
If Xiao Ning'er had given them breakfast, even if it were just scraps, they would have found it delicious!
Xiao Ning'er rarely had many friends. She had ignored every boy who approached her—except for that trash, Nie Li. However, even in their hearts, they couldn't criticize Chan Wei for anything other than his status.
Because his talent and charisma were undeniable, even to them.
For her to completely disregard status and serve breakfast to Chan Wei meant that, to her, him being a commoner didn't matter at all.
Xiao Ning'er didn't think much about it. She only wanted to express her gratitude to Nie Li, but more importantly, she wanted to thank Chan Wei for helping her and for returning his feelings.
She didn't care about what others thought of her.
After all, she had always been a lone wolf.
In this world, she alone knew Nie Li's talent, and she alone knew about Chan Wei's status as a Demon Spiritualist! At this moment, even Ye Ziyun and Shen Yue were stunned in their seats. They couldn't believe what they had just witnessed. What had happened was simply unbelievable!
"How is this possible?" Shen Yue's face darkened. "How could a proud girl like Xiao Ning'er even consider trash like Chan Wei?" However, he recalled that chilling sensation, and even though Chan Wei hadn't looked at him, he took the initiative to avert his gaze.
At this moment, Ye Ziyun felt deeply curious about Nie Li. She and Xiao Ning'er had been close friends when they were younger. However, due to the decline of Xiao Ning'er's family, their two families had stopped interacting. Since then, Ye Ziyun had never made another true friend. She sometimes reminisced about the playful moments she had shared with Xiao Ning'er. When she found out that Xiao Ning'er had enrolled in Holy Orchid Institute, Ye Ziyun had asked her father to ensure that she could attend as well.
Because of Xiao Ning'er, Ye Ziyun had started to notice Nie Li. What was the reason Xiao Ning'er had thanked Nie Li? Why had she sought out Chan Wei?
"Can I sit and eat with you?" Xiao Ning'er asked as she noticed the empty seat beside Chan Wei. He immediately shifted to make room for her, and she sat down right next to him. Xiao Ning'er then took out breakfast. Inside were all kinds of pastries. Seeing these pastries, the other students suddenly felt their appetites awaken. The aroma filled every corner of the classroom.
"Nie Li, Du Ze, Lu Piao, you should eat too!" Xiao Ning'er said, looking toward the back. They couldn't help but feel flattered when she called their names. The ice-cold goddess Ning'er wasn't as hard to approach as others had said.
"Then we're benefiting thanks to Brother Chan Wei!" Lu Piao laughed as he grabbed one of the pastries and started eating.
With his mouth full, he mumbled, "Delicious!"
Seeing Lu Piao's actions, Du Ze was somewhat speechless. Xiao Ning'er couldn't help but smile. Her smile was both charming and mesmerizing, making the entire class freeze. They had rarely seen Xiao Ning'er smile before.
Their whole world seemed to collapse in front of them, and even Chan Wei couldn't take his eyes off this wonderful sight until Ning'er handed him a pastry.
Nie Li had shared life and death with Ye Ziyun in his past life and had been through too much. Therefore, the relationship between him and Xiao Ning'er was purely that of friends, and he was happy to have found a new brother in this life.