(Jian POV)
A week has passed since Nie Li came back. Something interesting happened in the Nexus. One of the women in the Village is pregnant. Her child will be the first natural born living being in the Nexus.
I was wondering why the demon beasts and livestock weren't reproducing. Turns out, it's because the Nexus doesn't have a Law that governs souls. Without it, no new soul can come into existence. I was lucky I manage to comprehend the Law of Soul or the people living in the Nexus might think the place is cursed or something.
Aside from that, nothing else interesting happened so I've just been watching Nie Li. He's still going on like he was supposed to but I can tell that he notices the differences between the Glory City now and the Glory City of his past. The most obvious is the higher level of pills, inscriptions and the fact that Ziyun's mom is still alive.
After hunting with his friends, he'll go into the city asking people seemingly random questions but I can tell he's trying to find out why this Glory City is different. He manages to find out that I'm the cause of all the changes since I didn't bother to hide my current persona.
Right now I'm currently sitting on a chair with a table and another chair in an open field waiting for Nie Li. If I guess right, he'll be heading this way after his team stop to take a rest from hunting. This place should be the place where Nie Li is supposed to meet Ning'er but since she is not sick and is not forced to do anything by her family, she's not here. If I'm wrong, I can just attract his attention making him head this way.
Sure enough, after Nie Li walked around for awhile he finally sees and hides in a nearby bush to observe me. His hiding skills are good but without soul force, he can't do anything more complex than hiding his aura and slowing down his breathing.
"If you need something you should come out and say it instead of hiding," I call out to Nie Li.
Since he knows that he has been found, he didn't bother to continue to hide.
"Hahaha, sorry if I disturb you elder but I was just curious why someone is out here so late at night." Nie Li said sounding like a kid who just been caught doing something bad. If I didn't know who he is, I'll probably just think he's just a random kid from the way he acts.
"I'm here because I'm waiting for you Nie Li. Come, have a seat." I gestured to the chair across from me.
"Eh? Waiting for me?" Nie Li said still acting like an innocent kid. Though I can see he's more on guard now.
"Yes, I have a few things I like to talk to you about."
"Does Senior need anything from me?" Nie Li
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"You do not have to pretend with me Nie Li. I know you are not the boy you pretend to be." I said in a serious voice.
"What do you mean?" Nie Li said still trying to act confused and scared. Not that he needed much acting on being scared part. He just got back to a time where he still has everything he wanted and is weak. He's probably scared of what he would lose if someone really figures out who he is or confused him for someone who steals bodies like the Demon Lord.
"Sit," I said in a more commanding tone. This time, I didn't wait for him. Instead, I use my soul force to drag him toward me and make him sit in the chair. I took out the two Demon Spirit Pages that I have and put it on the table. When Nie Li sees the pages, he dropped his act.
"Who are you!" Nie Li asks seriously this time.
"I'm Long Jian, people here call me Master Long. You can say I'm a fellow time traveler." I answer casually. I'm already going to lie to him. Might as well try to see if I can gain the favor of this realm's chosen.
"W-what?" Nie Li is surprised at the sudden information.
"Don't look so shocked. You ripped a hole through space and time with an artifact. Did you really think that you are the only one that used it to come back in time?"
"I-I…" Nie Li doesn't know what to say after hearing that he unintentionally brought people into the past.
"Do you know how many people made it back?" Nie Li finally asks after gathering himself.
"Only you and me. I have enough power to notice the rip first and close it before anyone else can use it. Otherwise, the guy that was fighting you would've followed you since he has part of the artifact that you used." I told him while thinking 'Of course no one else follows you back. The only reason you can come back was because the realm is actively helping you.'
No matter how powerful the Temporal Demon Book is, it's a broken artifact. If the realm resists it, no one can use it to travel through time unless they are more powerful than the realm itself. For that, you need to at least reach the Supreme Realm. Not to mention all the time and space material you'll need and how much of the Law of Time-Space you need to understand just to safely travel back one day. This is one of the reasons experts don't use time travel.
I can see Nie Li face turn pale at the thought of the Sage-Emperor following him through time. He returns to being serious in less than a second. I'm surprised I even got a reaction from him considering how old he is mentally.
Nie Li sigh, "It doesn't matter what reason you have, you helped me by closing the rift. For that thank you. Is there anything I can do in return?" Nie Li said with a small hint of respect. He's still wary of me but he probably won't try to antagonize me if he ever gets the chance.
"No. There isn't anything the current you can do or have that I'm interested in." I slide the two Temporal Demon Pages to him. I don't really need them or the book. If I ever need something like the book, I can just create my own with my understanding of Time-Space. "They are useless to me, but you might be able to find a use for them."
Nie Li stared at the two pages with greed. "Thank you, Master Long," He said with a little bit of excitement.
"They are not free but since you don't have anything I need, you are going to owe me a favor," I told Nie Li as I stand up, make him stand up and put the chairs and the table away.
"Of course. If you ever need my help. I'll do what I can." Nie Li said with some resolve.
"And one more thing. You should know that I took three students while I'm here. If I ever find out that you brought them to harm…" I use the power of my Laws especially the power of Primordial Chaos to put pressure on Nie Li. "You won't have to worry about the sage emperor anymore because you'll have to deal with me!"
I leave without bothering to wait for his reply.