On the colossal St. Ancestral Mountain range, sunlight shone through the gap between the mountains into the deep canyons. On the hillside beside the valley, some snow remained.
Even though it was already early summer, the snow had yet to melt. The cold here was exceptionally long, the roars of beasts occasionally audible.
On the surface of the valley stood a magnificent city.
The world outside of the St. Ancestral Mountains had been occupied by the beasts, the people living in the mountain range having not contacted the outside world for centuries.
The people who lived in the city remained unsure of the situation of the outside world. It was recorded that during the most glorious period of mankind, having thousands of Legend rank Fighters and Demon Spiritualists, the humans established many empires in the vast continent, but those empires had since been wiped out.
The city, due to being stealthily located geographically, was well preserved from the Age of Darkness. They would occasionally encounter attacks from powerful Snow Wind Beasts within the St. Ancestral Mountains; however, after going through numerous devastating conflicts, the city was rebuilt again and again.
These motley walls were an indomitable monument.
This city was called Glory City, and it was a symbol of hope for humanity.
Holy Orchid Institute, Fighter Apprentice class
Over thirty students were seated and awaiting their female teacher before she imparted her knowledge. The students were a bunch of Fighter Apprentices—Glory City's Holy Orchid Institute's students.
"I heard that the new teacher, Shen Xiu, is one of the Sacred Family's 3-star Silver rank Demon Spiritualists!"
A few students were discussing softly among themselves.
The attention of the students was focused on the teacher. She had a tall figure, wearing a lavender dress that wrapped tightly against her body, giving an emphasis of her perky chest. She had a pair of slender, white legs, and wore exquisite make-up that made her look beautiful and elegant. Her eyes were full of pride and arrogance. The Sacred Family was one of the three Major families of Glory City. Because she was of noble birth, and a 3-star Silver rank Demon Spiritualist, she naturally had the capital to be prideful.
As a 3-star Silver rank Demon Spiritualist, she wouldn't normally be a teacher. She only agreed because her nephew was in this class.
"Demon Spiritualists and Fighters have five different ranks, which are: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Black Gold and Legend rank. Each rank is then divided into five levels, from 1-star to 5-star.
"A Demon Spiritualist is above a Fighter. We are a truly noble existence. A Demon Spiritualist can form a soul realm within their dantian. They have the ability to integrate a captured demon into their soul realm and then merge with the demon in combat. This allows them to possess matchless strength, which is far above the strength Fighters could compete with." Shen Xiu raised her chin and spoke arrogantly, "Just like me, my demon is a Scarlet Flame Fox."
Suddenly, Shen Xiu's face and hands underwent drastic changes. Her facial shape became sharper, her teeth and nails also became sharper. Finally, a scarlet tail emerged from her back.
"After merging with a demon, I can control its strength as well as gain fire-type abilities. Among the demons, the Scarlet Flame Fox is a Gold rank beast. This means that the highest level I can reach is Gold rank Demon Spiritualist. Of course, after becoming a Gold rank Demon Spiritualist, I can replace it with a more powerful demon."
When it came to her cultivation, the pride on Shen Xiu's face became more evident.
Shen Xiu's words caused a group of students to be amazed. Gold rank Demon Spiritualists were existences beyond the reach for most of them.
As Shen Xiu continued lecturing on the stage, Nie Li was sitting in the back row. His mind was in a trance as his soul floated around.
After a while, Nie Li slowly opened his eyes. He couldn't help being confused by the scene in front of him.
"Where am I?" Nie Li quietly asked himself.
He was utterly shocked as he realized that his hands became smaller and his skin became a lot more tender.
Shen Xiu was on the stage, talking nonstop. Nie Li clearly remembered that this was the year he joined the institute. The teacher lecturing was a 3-star Silver rank Demon Spiritualist and was extremely arrogant. Because of her, Nie Li was unwilling to learn for quite some time.
I'm actually reborn? Nie Li was deeply shocked. He remembered being surrounded and attacked by the Sage Emperor and six Deity rank beasts and had died in the battle. It appeared that his soul was reborn to the time when he was thirteen.
Nie Li looked towards the side, and saw familiar faces: Lu Piao and Du Ze. These brothers that had shared life and death with him were alive, except their appearances were rather nascent.
And her, Nie Li looked towards the left. A few meters away from him, a beautiful flawless face came into his field of vision. Her name was Ye Ziyun. Although she looked about fourteen, she already looked slender and elegant with purple colored hair cascading to her waist. She had arched eyebrows, and an intelligent radiance was seen within her eyes. Deep dimples showed whenever she smiled.
Although she looked a little childish, Nie Li knew that once she grew a little more, she would be extremely beautiful and enchanting. Wearing a white silk dress gave her a kind of unspeakable elegance. In his previous life, Nie Li had a deep affection for her ever since he was a teen.
She's not dead!
Nie Li was extremely excited to the point that he almost choked.
I actually went back in time, is this real? Not a dream? Nie Li asked himself as he pinched himself hard. The clear pain told him that this wasn't a dream. Suddenly he thought of something.
The Temporal Demon Spirit Book. It must've been the Temporal Demon Spirit Book!
Nie Li lowered his head and immediately searched for it, but could not find the Temporal Demon Spirit Book.
Nie Li could not believe that his rebirth, this mysterious phenomenon that happened to him, was not related to the mysterious Temporal Demon Spirit Book!
The Temporal Demon Spirit Book's creator was not known. It's a highly mysterious book that Nie Li always kept with him. He clearly remembered, when he was fighting the Sage Emperor and the six Deity rank beasts, that his blood had thoroughly covered the book. It must have been the Temporal Demon Spirit Book that brought him back to when he was only thirteen.
After seeing all these familiar faces, Nie Li drifted into his distant memory.
He remembered when Glory City was under the assault of the Snow Wind beasts. Glory City's guardian, Lord Ye Mo, who was a Legend rank Demon Spiritualist, died in the battle with the beasts among hundreds of thousands of people. Only a few thousand survived and fled to the desert, east of the St. Ancestral Mountain range. During the escape, one survivor after another died in the desert. One day, they were surrounded by the beasts in the desert. Later that night, Nie Li and Ye Ziyun sought the comfort of each other's soul.
That night, Nie Li had finally embraced the goddess in his heart with his arms.
Under the night sky, the silver moonlight became a hazy veil. Ye Ziyun's exquisite physique, with her crystal clear skin that looked as though she was molded from a jade sculpture. They embraced each other with a mad passion.
If it wasn't for the destruction of Glory City, and for the dreadful escape, he could never have gotten the favor of Ye Ziyun. He had ridiculously low talent and was from a declining family.
After that night, they encountered another group of beasts and in order to protect him, Ye Ziyun died by the hands of one of the beasts. Nie Li could never forget that moment.
After he experienced the life threatening attacks, Nie Li survived and walked out of the Endless Desert.
Although his talent was low, his survival instincts allowed Nie Li to travel throughout the Divine Continent. He came across many people who were fighting the beasts. He also came across many mysterious things, and of course that Temporal Demon Spirit Book. If it wasn't for the book, Nie Li wouldn't have been able to come back.
That mysterious Temporal Demon Spirit Book had actually brought him back through time!
He was brought back to a time preceding Glory City's destruction. Before his parents, family and brothers death in the battle. Before Ye Ziyun's death in the escape.
Since I'm back, the heavens have given me another chance. I will not let the destruction of Glory City happen again! Nie Lie gritted his teeth. He firmly made his decision.
He vaguely remembered having just enrolled into the institute this year, putting him at the age of thirteen. Nie Li wanted to laugh happily. I'm back, how nice!
Sage Emperor, the next time we meet, I'll slaughter you, and avenge my previous life!
If it wasn't for the destruction of Glory City, he and Ye Ziyun would have been from two different worlds. It wouldn't be possible for them to be together. Ye Ziyun was the daughter of Glory City's City Lord, not to mention that her grandfather is the Legend rank Demon Spiritualist Ye Mo. Nie Li was from a family who was powerless and was declining. Both of them, in the midst of escape, built up deep feelings for each other.
Moreover, Ye Ziyun's grandfather was a Legendary Demon Spiritualist, Lord Ye Mo!
When Ye Ziyun entered the school, no one in class knew her identity. Nie Li only found out about her identity later.
Within Glory City were three Major families. The Divine Family, the Sacred Family, and the Snow Wind Family. They represented the supreme power of Glory City, the pinnacle of the noble families. The City Lord was usually chosen from one of these three families. After the three Major families were the seven Noble families and after them were the twelve Aristocratic families.
Nie Li belonged to the Heavenly Marks Family, which stood at last place of the Aristocratic families. Although they had a little status, there was an astronomical difference in status when compared to the three Major families and the seven Noble families.
With Nie Li's background, wanting to be with Ye Ziyun was simply impossible.
But, with a firmness that flashed across Nie Li's eyes—since he was reborn, was any of this an issue? Although his foundation was currently poor, with the vast knowledge from his previous life, improving his talent wasn't impossible.
"Nie Li, what are you smiling at?" Lu Piao asked, looking puzzled at Nie Li. He was wondering if he was crazy, since he was giggling by himself for quite some time and was even staring at Ye Ziyun with a lecherous look.
"Just being happy! I'm happy to see you, good brother!" Nie Li stated as he excitedly hugged Lu Piao. It's a habit from his previous life.
After being ridiculously hugged by Nie Li, Lu Piao muttered angrily, "Oi, Nie Li! Who's your good brother, you gaylord?! Quickly, release me!"
Lu Piao struggled. They've just started school not long ago. They were only acquainted for only a few days. They were not close enough for this level of intimacy.
Nie Li didn't loosen his hug. He looked at Lu Piao seriously and chuckled "No matter what you're thinking, in my heart, you're always my good brother!"
Naturally Nie Li couldn't tell Lu Piao the life and death adventures from his previous life.
Looking at Nie Li's gaze, Lu Piao was stunned and couldn't help saying, "Weirdo!"
However, no matter what, the words Nie Li said previously, made him feel moved.
Lu Piao looked at Nie Lie and said, "I know you're one of the nobility in Glory City, but let me warn you: Do not have any ideas for that girl. Her identity is extremely mysterious. I heard that when she joined the institute the principal personally arranged her dorm.
Nie Li slightly grinned, Lu Piao still didn't know Ye Ziyun's identity which he already knew.
"She's my woman!" Nie Li declared, looking at the beautiful long haired girl not far away. His heart was exceptionally firm as he thought of that night's passion. Nie Li couldn't help feeling hot in his heart.
Nie Li suddenly remembered, he and Ye Ziyun were still only thirteen!
Ziyun, when will you grow up to become that beautiful, enchanting woman? I shall protect you and we will grow up together!
Not far away, Ye Ziyun felt something. She turned her head and looked towards Nie Li. She gently wrinkled her brows, and thought that Nie Li must be a playful noble. Since the start of class, he has been brazenly looking at her. If he dared provoke her, she'd not let him off easy.
Ye Ziyun didn't want to make use of her status to make friends, but that didn't mean that she'd submit to humiliation when being bullied.