As the bell rang, signaling the start of the lesson, Shen Xiu strode confidently into the classroom. However, unlike her usual haughty demeanor, there was an unusual smile on her face.
"The three of you, return to your seats," she said kindly, her gaze settling on Nie Li, Wei Nan, and Lu Piao.
Today was different. VIPs had come to observe her lecture, so she wouldn’t dare antagonize the three troublemakers. Instead, she chose to keep things calm, her voice uncharacteristically measured. It was clear she was playing the part of the diligent teacher.
Once the room settled, she began her lecture, her tone professional yet still carrying her natural superiority. "Today, we’re going to discuss inscription patterns. Whether one is a Fighter or a Demon Spiritist, inscription patterns are essential tools for battle."
Her words piqued my interest. I had some prior knowledge of inscriptions from the Sacred family's texts, but Shen Xiu's lesson might provide additional insights.
"Inscription patterns," she continued, "are divided into two types: Enchanting Patterns and Battle Patterns."
"Enchantment Patterns, are inscribed on weapons or armor. These patterns can greatly enhance the combat abilities of the user, especially for Demon Spiritists. By channeling Soul Force into these items, one can unlock their full potential."
"As for Battle Patterns, they are inscribed onto scrolls. These scrolls, once activated, grant a temporary burst of fighting power—useful in high-stakes combat."
Hearing this explanation, I delved deeper into my own thoughts. Inscriptions are drawn with blood, infused with Soul Force, and imprinted into items or scrolls. A perfect tool for combat. With Battle Patterns, one could essentially carry a technique in their pocket, ready to unleash at a moment’s notice.
Shen Xiu’s lesson had taken a turn from her usual condescending lectures. Today, she was actually delivering valuable content, something that surprised not only me but also the rest of the students. Everyone was listening closely, far more attentive than usual.
I couldn’t help but compare this to my past life. Teachers back then had a tendency to behave in the same way. Normally, they would drone on about useless information, regurgitating the same tired lessons.
But when someone of importance came to observe, they'd suddenly transform, pretending to care about education and student engagement, all in the hopes of a promotion.
It was a farce I had witnessed time and time again. In truth, most teachers were just playing a game, putting on a show for the sake of career advancement.
The sad reality was that society didn’t value them. Their wages stagnated, the cost of living continued to rise, and eventually they were replaced.
In my previous world, teachers—except for the most specialized professors and researchers—were ultimately substituted by the supreme intelligence. A fact that, as a researcher myself, I had found rather amusing.
Looking back now, the plight of those teachers was almost laughable. They had become obsolete, repeating information that could be better delivered by machines. Society had deemed their skills no longer necessary; their value diminished to nothing more than what they could parrot from a textbook.
Shen Xiu continued, her voice carrying an air of pride as she delved deeper into the lecture. "Inscription patterns are profound and mysterious. They’ve existed since the time of the Snow Wind Empire and continue to evolve over the ages."
"But during the Age of Darkness, when the mainland was besieged by demon beasts, much of that knowledge was lost. Constant battles forced us to abandon the intricate arts, or worse, the wisdom was simply forgotten."
Listening, I couldn't help but reflect. Human greed has played its part, too, I thought. The elite hoarded their power, fearing their techniques would be used against them. They passed it down only within their bloodline. And when those descendants perished without sharing it, that knowledge disappeared. Even worse, if a practitioner passed down only fragments—say five out of seven components—the technique would become incomplete and ultimately useless.
Shen Xiu’s voice drew me back to the present. "Glory City has managed to retain only three types of magical inscriptions: the Snow Wind Patterns, Sacred Flaming Patterns, and War Prime Patterns. These inscriptions correspond to the attributes of Snow Wind, Fire, and Neutral."
With a subtle shift in her tone, she announced, "Today, we will focus on Enchantment Patterns."
Outside the classroom, three elderly men sat listening to the lecture with different degrees of interest.
"The depth of knowledge from the Sacred family is remarkable. Assigning her as the teacher was the right choice," one of the elderly men said with a satisfied smile. He was Ye Sheng, the vice principal of Holy Orchid Institute.
"Some of the students in this class show great promise. Whether it’s Ye Ziyun, Naraku, Shen Yue, or Xiao Ning’er, even some commoners have potential," commented another man, Lu Ye, a professor at the institute, sounding quite pleased.
Seated beside them was a gray-robed elder who emanated a quiet but overwhelming aura. Lu Ye didn’t know who this elder was but sensed his immense power, choosing to remain cautious in his words.
"What do you think?" Ye Sheng asked the gray-robed elder, looking for his opinion.
The elder merely grunted in acknowledgment, a non-committal response that still carried weight.
Lu Ye, sensing the elder's indifference, thought to himself, Who is this man? To treat the vice principal with such casualness, his status must be extraordinary. Perhaps even higher than the principal of Holy Orchid Institute.
Back in the classroom, the students were unaware of the silent observers outside. They were more focused on Shen Xiu’s unusually thorough lesson. For once, she was presenting real substance, and it didn’t go unnoticed. Even the least attentive students were paying close attention.
Shen Xiu, pleased with the attention she commanded, straightened herself, her confidence radiating. "Now, let’s talk about the Sacred Flaming Pattern. When it comes to research on Sacred Flaming Patterns, the Sacred family stands unrivaled."
"The Sacred Flaming Pattern has 66 foundation patterns. For instance," she gestured to the blackboard where she began drawing a series of intricate symbols: "This is the Scarlet Sunburst Pattern, created by the first-generation housemaster of the Sacred family. It’s made up of 36 foundation patterns, making it the most powerful and complex among the Bronze-level inscriptions."
The room filled with an air of anticipation as she added, "Next, we will break down these 36 foundation patterns."
Shen Xiu continued her lecture with an unbroken stream of explanations, detailing each of the patterns one by one. Most of the students remained captivated, but as usual, Nie Li stood out as the only one indifferent.
Being a former supreme cultivation expert with hundreds of years of experience and mastery in inscriptions, these elementary patterns were far beneath his notice. In fact, with his vast knowledge, he knew there were over 600 foundation patterns within the Sacred Flaming Pattern—not the mere 66 Shen Xiu claimed.
If it weren’t for Ye Ziyun, the true gem of the Holy Orchid Institute, and the upcoming duel in two months where he planned to prove himself, Nie Li wouldn’t have bothered attending Shen Xiu’s lectures at all. To him, her teachings were riddled with errors.
Her claim that the Scarlet Sunburst Pattern was the strongest of all Bronze-level inscriptions? Ludicrous. In his eyes, it was nothing more than glorified boasting about her family’s achievements.
Shen Xiu's gaze swept across the classroom, briefly landing on each student before settling on Nie Li. A flicker of disdain crossed her face. She hadn't forgotten how he had dared to contradict her before, looking down on her knowledge and even making a public bet. Though he ultimately lost that argument, the memory of him nearly making her appear foolish still stung. Now, seeing him lying down, clearly uninterested in her lesson, she frowned. Of course he wouldn’t understand the complexity of these inscriptions, she thought, and he’s trying to save face by pretending to be bored.
Meanwhile, outside the classroom, Ye Sheng, the vice principal, was growing dissatisfied. His gaze had caught sight of Nie Li. Everyone else was focused, paying attention to Shen Xiu’s words. Why was this boy, out of all the students, sleeping through the lesson?
His irritation grew—especially with the important guest seated beside him, observing the lecture. Nie Li’s behavior was a disgrace to the Holy Orchid Institute. However, when he glanced over at the gray-robed elder and saw that the man had no reaction, Ye Sheng let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Lu Ye, sitting nearby, couldn’t help but comment. "The Fighter Apprentice class always has its share of good and bad students. I’ll make sure to deal with this one later. Parents spend a fortune to send their children here, not to let them nap during lessons!"
Ye Sheng nodded in agreement, his thoughts aligning with Lu Ye’s frustration. The institution could ill afford students like Nie Li tarnishing its reputation.
"Nie Li!" Shen Xiu's sharp voice rang out, cutting through the classroom.
Nie Li, who had been dozing off peacefully after a long week of sheep hunting, groggily opened his eyes, clearly still half asleep. "Teacher, what’s the matter?" he asked, his tone calm and unfazed.
The noble children in the room stifled their laughter, relishing the thought of Nie Li getting into trouble. His relaxed attitude only made Shen Xiu more infuriated.
"You were actually sleeping in my class," she hissed, barely containing her irritation. "Do you think you already know all of this?"
"Yeah," Nie Li responded, his voice unbothered.
Shen Xiu nearly choked on her words. How could someone who had been asleep the entire lesson claim to know everything? Her eyes narrowed with cold contempt as she sneered, "Alright then. If you're so knowledgeable, why don’t you explain the inscription pattern on the board?"
Nie Li glanced up lazily at the pattern, speaking with indifferent ease. "Oh, that’s just a low-grade Sacred Flaming Pattern. It’s only got 38 foundation patterns in its structure, so its power is pretty weak. Barely a Bronze-level pattern at best. But if you're planning to use it to boil water, it should be good enough."
His casual remark sent the class into a fit of laughter. Yet even amidst the laughter, the students exchanged confused glances. Thirty-eight foundation patterns? Shen Xiu had just said there were 36. Was Nie Li just making things up?
"He must not have listened to anything Teacher said!" one noble student scoffed. "To claim the Scarlet Sunburst Pattern has 38 foundation patterns when Teacher Shen Xiu clearly said it only has 36! And boiling water? Does he think he's funny?"
Shen Xiu’s face flushed with anger, her hands trembling as she struggled to maintain control. As a proud member of the Sacred family, she couldn’t tolerate anyone—least of all Nie Li—mocking their most cherished inscription pattern.
Outside the classroom, Lu Ye chuckled. "This kid’s got guts, claiming there are 38 foundation patterns in the Scarlet Sunburst when everyone knows there are only 36!"
However, his laughter quickly died when he noticed that neither the vice principal, Ye Sheng, nor the gray-robed elder were amused. Both men remained quiet, their expressions thoughtful.
“What’s so funny?” Ye Sheng said at last, his voice calm but stern. “The Scarlet Sunburst is indeed composed of 38 foundation patterns.”
Lu Ye froze in surprise. Thirty-eight patterns? He had always believed there were 36.
Ye Sheng continued, "At our level, with a deeper understanding of inscriptions, we can see that two of the patterns in the Scarlet Sunburst are actually compound patterns made from four base patterns, not two."
Lu Ye’s face flushed with embarrassment as he realized that Nie Li had been right all along. How did this boy know something that only higher-stage experts like the vice principal and this mysterious elder could discern? Was he just guessing?
Even Ye Sheng and the gray-robed elder, both possessing high cultivation and in-depth knowledge of inscription patterns, were shocked. For someone at Nie Li’s age and level to have such insight was highly unusual.
The Scarlet Sunburst, after all, was not considered a high-quality pattern to them—it was barely functional in actual battle.
Meanwhile, Shen Xiu, seething with rage, couldn’t hold back any longer. "Nie Li, how dare you insult the Sacred family's inscription pattern in front of the entire class!" Her face darkened as her fury boiled over.
The gray-robed elder’s eyes gleamed with interest, but he said nothing, observing the situation in silence.
Nie Li ignored the mocking students as they chuckled at his apparent audacity. His sleepy demeanor shifted into something sharper, more composed, as he rested his chin on his hand and continued with a measured tone.
"Hmm," he began, "this inscription pattern can actually be found in the seventh volume of the Book of Divine Lightning Fire."
The classroom fell silent, and curious eyes turned toward him.
"The original name of this pattern was Lightning Flame Burst Pattern, consisting of 60 foundation patterns," Nie Li explained. "But someone clearly altered it—split it apart, simplified it—and turned it into this... nondescript Scarlet Sunburst Pattern. It’s no wonder it’s lost its combat effectiveness; useful now only for Sacred Flame practitioners as a study tool."
The students exchanged confused glances. Book of Divine Lightning Fire? Nie Li spoke as if this book were common knowledge, but no one had ever heard of it.
“That’s nonsense!” Shen Xiu barked, her fury escalating. “There is no such book in existence!”
Nie Li dares to imply that the Sacred family’s prized inscription was a stolen, inferior version? Shen Xiu’s eyes blazed with indignation. She had never heard of any Book of Divine Lightning Fire, let alone its seventh volume. He’s lying to humiliate me again!
Amused by her reaction, Nie Li chuckled lightly. "Oh, Teacher Shen Xiu, I didn’t realize you were so well-read that you could declare with certainty the non-existence of a book simply because you haven’t seen it. Does that mean you’ve personally read all the books in the Holy Orchid Institute’s library?"
The class grew even quieter, tension simmering in the air.
Suddenly, a commoner student in the back of the room raised his hand timidly. "I-I think I’ve borrowed that book before," he stammered, his voice trembling. "The Book of Divine Lightning Fire... it’s one of the books I checked out, but I couldn’t understand any of it." He pulled a worn copy from his bag and nervously flipped through its pages. “I forgot to return it.”
Shen Xiu’s face twisted in shock. The book... actually exists? The mention of it from a random commoner student sent ripples of disbelief through the room. Even Vice Principal Ye Sheng and Professor Lu Ye exchanged incredulous glances.
The book was indeed a copied version—translated from ancient texts left behind by the Snow Wind Empire. While the first volume had been deciphered, the remaining volumes were written in an obscure language that few, if any, could comprehend. Only a handful of scholars were proficient in translating such ancient languages.
But Nie Li? Nie Li had an advantage none of them could comprehend. Through countless lifetimes of experience, his proficiency extended across seven languages.
After reaching the Legend rank in his previous life and his time in the Temporal Demon Spirit Book—where he read hundreds of thousands of books across millennia—such obscure texts posed no challenge to him.
Even the gray-robed elder sitting beside Ye Sheng, someone of immense knowledge, found himself surprised by Nie Li’s revelation. He had never come across this Book of Divine Lightning Fire either.
"Vice Principal Ye Sheng," the gray-robed elder spoke, his voice authoritative, "send someone to the library to retrieve this Book of Divine Lightning Fire for confirmation."
"Yes, elder!" Ye Sheng nodded and immediately glanced at Lu Ye, who quickly rose from his seat and hurried out of the room without hesitation, not daring to delay.
Every eye in the classroom fixated on the Book of Divine Lightning Fire. Even the most learned students from the three major families had never heard of this book, much less encountered it. The obscure tome had been buried in the depths of the Holy Orchid Institute's library, tucked away behind more commonly referenced volumes.
In Glory City, only three types of inscription patterns were widely recognized and practiced: Snow Wind, Sacred Flame, and War Prime. These inscription patterns were considered the most complete and were part of the foundation of the city's inscription knowledge.
The Lightning Fire patterns, however, had been lost since the Age of Darkness, with only a few surviving texts—like the Book of Divine Lightning Fire—scattered across ancient libraries. But since the book was untranslated, most students who encountered it quickly gave up, unable to decipher its complex language.
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"Let's take a look at volume seven," Nie Li instructed calmly.
The commoner student immediately began flipping through the hefty, ancient tome. It was hundreds of pages thick, filled with intricate illustrations, mysterious texts, and diagrams of Lightning Fire inscription patterns.
After the first volume, no translations had been made, leaving the rest of the book indecipherable to most.
As the student reached volume seven, he quickly realized it contained over a hundred inscription patterns. He began scanning through the diagrams, searching for one that resembled the Scarlet Sunburst pattern displayed on the board.
Shen Xiu's face darkened further, her voice cold and venomous. "This book was likely found by chance in some dusty corner of the library, and you don't even know what it contains. Yet you dare claim that the Scarlet Sunburst originated from it? You insult the ancestors of the Sacred family! If you can't prove your claim, I’ll see to it that you’re brought before the Saint Judgement Hall for defiling my family’s honor!"
Nie Li merely chuckled, unbothered by her threats. "Teacher Shen Xiu, there’s no need to be so hasty. This book is from the Snow Wind Empire, which existed thousands of years ago. Its creation predates the founding of the Sacred family by quite a margin, wouldn’t you agree?"
Shen Xiu stiffened but begrudgingly nodded. "Correct," she replied, unable to argue with the historical fact.
"Then it’s quite simple." Nie Li turned to the commoner student. "Turn thirty pages back from where you are now. The sixth diagram on page thirty—compare it with the Scarlet Sunburst inscription."
The entire room held its breath, Shen Xiu included, her heart sinking as she watched. If Nie Li uncovered the truth, it would bring a scandal of catastrophic proportions to the Sacred family. The family had long claimed that the Scarlet Sunburst and 16 other patterns were the creations of their first-generation housemaster. These inscriptions had bolstered their reputation, cementing their prestige in Glory City. But if it were revealed that these patterns had been plagiarized from an ancient text, their credibility would crumble.
Seeing the unease on Shen Xiu’s face, Nie Li's smile deepened. The Sacred family's fame was largely built on their supposed mastery of the Sacred Flame inscription patterns, which past housemasters claimed to have self-created. This so-called extraordinary talent was said to be the reason Glory City had been saved in times of distress. But Nie Li knew better—he knew the Sacred family was nothing more than a group of hypocrites.
In Nie Li's previous life, during the fall of Glory City, all families had fought desperately for survival.
But the Sacred family, that was tasked with guarding the west gate, had shirked their responsibility. Instead of defending the city, they retreated to preserve their own strength, leaving the gate unprotected. And this cowardice allowed the Snow Wind demon beasts to breach the walls, leading to a massacre that left Glory City in ruins.
Nie Li still remembered the carnage and devastation caused by those demonic beasts. He and the others had been forced to flee, abandoning their home.
After his rebirth, Nie Li harbored no respect or sympathy for the Sacred family.
In this life, I will see this hypocritical family removed from Glory City, Nie Li vowed silently. To bring them down, I must first reveal their true nature to the world!
"Page thirty, sixth diagram?" The commoner student muttered, quickly following Nie Li's instruction. As he turned to the page, his eyes widened, and the surrounding students let out collective gasps of astonishment.
The Lightning Fire inscription pattern was clearly composed of two parts, with one part almost identical to the Scarlet Sunburst pattern displayed on the board. Yet, the Scarlet Sunburst was far simpler, as though it had been split in half.
Nie Li had been right.
Shen Xiu’s fists clenched in fury, her expression growing colder. Nie Li was openly undermining the credibility of her Sacred family.
"So what if the first-generation housemaster of my Sacred family was inspired by the Book of Divine Lightning Fire?" Shen Xiu retorted, her voice sharp.
Nie Li chuckled, unfazed by her attempt at deflection. "Teacher Shen Xiu, it seems you're unfamiliar with the Demon Spiritist code of conduct. Would you like me to enlighten you?"
Shen Xiu's eyes narrowed, but she remained silent as Nie Li continued, addressing the room. "The Demon Spiritist Code of Conduct has been in place for over three thousand years, a standard for every Demon Spiritualist to follow. Article 161 states: 'If one borrows or copies inscription patterns from another, they must acknowledge the source and may not claim the work as their own.' This is a fundamental ethic among Demon Spiritualists."
Shen Xiu trembled with fury. Nie Li’s words struck at the heart of her family’s pride, accusing them of violating the core ethics of their profession. But despite her outrage, she couldn't deny the validity of his claim.
"If the Sacred family's first-generation housemaster had simply studied the Lightning Fire inscriptions to create his own patterns, that would be one thing," Nie Li pressed on, "But what he did was far from that. He took half of the pattern and passed it off as his own creation. Isn't that a bit too absurd? Or perhaps there were some unspeakable difficulties that forced him to resort to such actions?"
Nie Li's sharp words cut right into the Sacred family's vulnerabilities, yet he maintained the facade of an innocent, curious student. His composed demeanor only heightened Shen Xiu's inability to lash out in anger.
The class buzzed with whispered discussions as students exchanged incredulous glances.
"So, the first-generation housemaster of the Sacred family was actually that kind of person?"
"I always heard he was a gold-rank Demon Spiritualist but a true master when it came to inscriptions, creating all the Sacred Flame patterns himself. Were the Sacred Flame inscriptions always theirs?"
"Who would've thought the Scarlet Sunburst was copied from an ancient book?"
"I’ve looked into the Snow Wind inscriptions. They, too, were borrowed from ancient texts, but at least they acknowledged their sources. They never claimed they were self-created."
"This is the core ethic of Demon Spiritualists! Any noble spiritualist would follow the same principle!"
Doubts began creeping into the students' minds, their admiration for the Sacred family’s so-called genius tainted by Nie Li's revelation. Could the renowned master of inscription patterns they had all revered truly have been a mere plagiarist?
As I listened to the murmurs swirling around me, I remained silent. Should I step in to refute Nie Li's claims? The truth was, I had known for some time that the Sacred family had taken credit for these inscriptions, passing them off as their own. But frankly, I didn’t care. The reputation of the Sacred family held no importance for me.
At most, this scandal might affect the sales of the Sacred family gear I had planned. But that was unlikely to be a real concern—most people wouldn't pay much attention to a minor scandal like this as long as the price and quality remained appealing.
Besides, the Scarlet Sunburst inscription pattern wasn’t as terrible as Nie Li made it out to be. Sure, it couldn’t compare to the higher-ranked inscriptions, but for Bronze-rank Demon Spiritualists, it still had its merits in combat.
However, not everyone shared my indifference. One of the Sacred family noble students, Shen Yue, with his deep pride in his family, could no longer contain himself.
His face darkened as he stood from his seat and angrily retorted, “Nie Li, my Sacred family has been passed down for over three hundred years. We are one of the three major families in Glory City! Someone like you, from an ordinary noble family, has no right to criticize us! The Scarlet Sunburst is an original creation, documented in the first housemaster's notes. It wasn’t even announced publicly until we, the younger generation, discovered it while organizing his records. Naturally, we believed it was his creation and handed it over to the patriarch.”
Listening to Shen Yue, I nodded slightly. Even if what he said was probably fabricated, it at least shifted the blame onto youthful ignorance. After all, how could a bunch of teenagers know the true origin of the pattern? Even the current patriarch might not know the full story. Did it really matter if the first housemaster copied the pattern?
Nie Li, however, coldly laughed in his heart. Typical Sacred family nonsense, he thought. When they can’t explain their own flaws, they deflect and blame others. It was clear to him that Shen Yue’s excuse was nothing more than a smokescreen to absolve the family of responsibility. Nie Li’s disdain for Shen Yue was palpable; this was just another Sacred family member trying to protect their name through lies.
Shen Yue had emphasized the words “major family” while making sure to highlight that Nie Li was merely from an ordinary noble family. The underlying threat was obvious: if Nie Li continued pushing, the Sacred family, with all its power and influence, would not take it lightly.
Nie Li’s memories of his past life flared up. Shen Yue had always been a cowardly bully. Before Shen Yue could marry Ye Ziyun, the war broke out, and Shen Yue was one of the first to flee. In this lifetime, he no longer posed any real threat to Ye Ziyun’s future, but hearing his words again still stirred Nie Li’s dissatisfaction. Arrogant as always, Nie Li mused.
But Nie Li was not easily intimidated. He stood up, his voice steady yet piercing. “Shen Yue, are you suggesting the Sacred family is threatening me? I’d like to believe that such a prestigious family would honor the safety of a mere student like myself. After all, if something were to happen to me, I doubt the Sacred family could easily wipe that stain from their name.”
Nie Li smirked to himself, thinking, If anything happens to me after today’s events, and given how the Sacred family publicly threatened me, wouldn’t it only confirm their villainy? Everyone would know they targeted a student to protect their lies.
At this point, Shen Xiu and Shen Yue, both were on the verge of spitting blood, their family's prestige crumbling before their eyes. But despite their fury, neither could refute Nie Li’s claims.
Outside the classroom, Lu Ye hurriedly approached the gray-robed elder and the vice principal, Ye Sheng, handing the Book of Divine Lightning Fire to the elder. Ye Sheng, ever attentive, watched the elder’s face closely, gauging his reaction.
The gray-robed elder turned to page 30, diagram six.
His expression darkened as he compared the Lightning Fire Inscription Pattern in the book with the Sacred family’s so-called original Scarlet Sunburst Inscription Pattern.
The resemblance was undeniable. A heavy silence hung in the air, and the elder’s face grew stern. Yet, he chose not to speak.
Ye Sheng’s thoughts mirrored the gravity of the situation. This truly is a scandal, he mused. It implicated not just the Sacred family but the upper echelons of Glory City’s nobility. Out of prudence, he kept his thoughts to himself.
The gray-robed elder continued studying the book. The ancient text was complex, its language foreign to most. Even he recognized only fragments of the script.
Yet, Nie Li—a mere student—had not only understood the contents but had the knowledge to expose the Sacred family’s deceit.
After a long pause, the elder broke the silence. "This student, Nie Li, how is his innate talent?"
Ye Sheng glanced at Lu Ye for an answer. Such an obscure student wouldn’t be on the vice principal’s radar.
Lu Ye quickly responded, "I looked into it. He has a red soul realm."
The gray-robed elder sighed, shaking his head. "Such a pity. With such profound knowledge, this child could have a bright future. Yet, his talent is so lacking. Still, we should not waste his potential. Lu Sheng, arrange for him to become a library clerk."
"Yes!" Lu Sheng replied immediately, nodding in agreement. Although Nie Li’s cultivation talent was meager, his intellect was exceptional.
Working in the library would allow Nie Li to continue his studies, explore ancient texts like the Book of Divine Lightning Fire, and perhaps even translate valuable knowledge for the benefit of Glory City.
In Glory City, the focus was always on cultivation, leaving little time for scholars to delve into ancient research. Few dedicated their lives to studying such arcane knowledge.
The gray-robed elder’s decision was not only an acknowledgment of Nie Li’s intellect but also a subtle way to protect him. As a library clerk working within the Holy Orchid Institute, the Sacred family would find it much more difficult to suppress or harm him without consequences.
The elder’s silent approval sealed Nie Li’s protection within the walls of the academy, ensuring that his daring exposé would not result in retribution—at least, not easily.
But would Nie Li truly fear the Sacred family’s attempts to suppress him? If he did, he would never have dared to provoke them so openly.
In his past life, he might have been terrified—desperately trying to avoid their wrath. But in this life, with his memories and experiences, that fear had vanished. Now, he harbored a deep resentment for the Sacred family, an unrelenting grudge that festered in his heart.
He intended to repay them for every grievance tenfold. If the Sacred family didn’t act against him immediately, he had every intention of troubling them first.
As I watched from my seat, a quiet laugh escaped me. The Sacred family, always so arrogant, now squirming under the pressure of a single student who didn’t fear them—it was satisfying.
Let them fight, I thought, detached from the whole affair. The Sacred family could weaken itself through this confrontation with Nie Li, and that would suit me just fine. It didn’t matter which side came out on top.
For me, only one thing mattered—reaching Legend rank. Once I did, the support of the Sacred family would be irrelevant. Their influence, their power—all of it would be beneath me.
These children’s squabbles are a waste of time. I had research to begin and more important matters to attend to.
Nie Li had exposed the plagiarism of the Sacred Family’s inscriptions. However, I couldn’t just sit idly by and watch him destroy everything my family stood for.
This is it, my time to shine! Rising from my chair, I pointed at Nie Li and shouted, “This is slander! The Sacred Family are not thieves who steal inscriptions!”
Nie Li scoffed, clearly relishing the chance to humiliate the Sacred Family again. “Naraku, it seems you're too stupid to grasp the truth. Let me make it simple for you.”
“The Book of Divine Lightning Fire predates your Sacred Family’s so-called original inscriptions. Even Teacher Shen Xiu doesn’t dare deny this fact. The patterns are identical, and that is undeniable proof of your family’s plagiarism! Your first housemaster’s reputation as a 'great creator' is nothing but a sham!”
“The Scarlet Sunburst Inscription Pattern is nearly identical, yes, but it’s not a direct copy! It’s no different from any other case where ancient knowledge is rediscovered.” I said.
I glanced at Shen Yue, then back to Nie Li. “Didn’t you hear what my friend Shen Yue said? This was all a misunderstanding—a mistake made by the youths of the Sacred Family, acting out of ignorance. The first housemaster has long since passed. When we discovered the inscription, we couldn’t verify its origin. So, yes, we presented it as his creation. There was no malicious intent. You should watch your words before accusing us of being thieves.”
Nie Li’s eyes darkened. “That’s a pathetic excuse for taking credit for someone else’s work and violating the Demon Spiritist code.”
“Mistake or not, the Sacred Family has profited off someone else’s creation. You call that a misunderstanding? I call it greed.”
His words cut deep, but I refused to back down. “You act as if you’re the sole arbiter of truth, Nie Li, but you know nothing of the sacrifices my family has made for Glory City. You’re blinded by your self-righteousness!”
Nie Li sneered. “Sacrifices? Don’t make me laugh. Your family’s ‘sacrifices’ are built on lies and stolen glory. That’s the truth. And whether you admit it or not, everyone will see it for what it is.”
The tension in the room was palpable. Students murmured among themselves, unsure of who to side with.
I had no more to say regarding the plagiarism accusations, so I swiftly moved on to the next point.
“You claim that the Scarlet Sunburst Inscription Pattern is just a cheap copy, barely strong enough to boil water. Yes, it’s simpler than the one from the Book of Divine Lightning Fire, but its practicality is what makes it valuable." I paused, letting my words sink in. "The inscriptions from the Book of Divine Lightning Fire are far too complex. Even if someone attempted to imprint them into an item, the power they would produce wouldn’t surpass that of the Scarlet Sunburst. Do you know why? Because in Glory City, not a single inscription master is capable of successfully replicating the intricacies of those ancient patterns."
I let out a sharp breath, keeping my eyes locked on Nie Li as I continued, “So tell me, what use is a set of inscriptions no one can replicate? What good are those patterns if they cannot be wielded for protection? The Book of Divine Lightning Fire may hold ancient knowledge, but its inscriptions are utterly useless in the context of our city. Meanwhile, the Sacred Family’s inscriptions—though simple by comparison—have saved countless lives. For the last hundred years, these very inscriptions have strengthened our defenses and ensured the peace of Glory City.”
Nie Li’s eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a smirk. "So, you admit it then? The Sacred Family took what they couldn’t replicate and made a simpler, weaker version, passing it off as their own. That doesn’t change the fact that the original power behind the inscriptions was lost because of your family’s limitations. You're praising mediocrity, Naraku. You’ve admitted that the Sacred Family couldn’t even understand the true depth of what they stole."
I remained calm despite his provocations. "I’m not praising mediocrity. I’m defending what works. You can worship your unattainable ideals, Nie Li, but we live in a real world with real threats. And in that world, practicality and survival matter more than some unreachable, theoretical perfection."
Nie Li said. "Practicality? Survival? The Sacred Family clings to those words to excuse their greed. But I’ll show everyone that we don’t have to settle for less. We can aim higher. We will aim higher."
I scoffed. Reaching into my space ring, I pulled out a sword engraved with the Scarlet Sunburst Inscription, and the room fell into a stunned silence. Every eye was on me, especially Nie Li. The nobles exchanged uneasy glances.
"Student Naraku," one of them muttered, "Nie Li might have insulted your family, but isn’t it too much to kill him here?"
I smirked and pointed the sword directly at Nie Li. "This sword is engraved with the very Scarlet Sunburst Inscription you claim is worthless. If its power is only enough to boil water, then you have nothing to fear, right? Why don’t you show everyone if you can block one of my strikes?"
Nie Li’s confident expression faltered for a split second. Though he knew his own strength, he also knew that I had the advantage in soul force. If I struck with the sword’s inscription power, he could be injured.
"What's wrong, Nie Li? Didn’t you just say you aim higher? Don't worry; it’s just a sparring match. I don’t plan to kill you."
The room hung in suspense as I waited for Nie Li to respond. His silence was telling.
"Fine," I said, scoffing at his lack of response. "Since you're too scared, I’ll demonstrate its power anyway."
I leapt down from my seat and strode to the center of the stage where the teacher stood, watching with a raised eyebrow but making no move to intervene.
Turning toward the teacher's desk, I ignited the sword with the Scarlet Sunburst Inscription. Flames engulfed the blade as I swung it swiftly.
The strike was clean, the sword slicing through the desk like a hot knife through butter. The middle section of the desk scorched and crumbled as the fire consumed it. The force of the sword art then struck the board behind the desk, leaving a deep, fiery gash on the wall.
The students gasped in shock, some leaning forward to get a better view. Even the nobles, who often looked down on anything, were visibly impressed.
"This, is the power of my Sacred Family's Scarlet Sunburst Water-Boiling inscription." I said as laughter erupted from the noble students.
Satisfied, I calmly returned to my seat, my point made.
After the lesson, Shen Xiu lacked the composure to continue and hastily dismissed the class. Her family's reputation was destroyed, and even her desk was sliced in half. The tension in the room was palpable, and her priority now was to minimize the damage. Better to end this quickly and hope the students won’t gossip too much, she thought, though deep down, she knew it was already too late.
The events of the day spread like wildfire from one group to another.
In the aftermath, the Sacred family’s reputation took a considerable blow.
The usually untouchable Sacred family had been publicly exposed for violating the code of conduct that all demon spiritists held sacred, something no amount of influence or wealth could erase. To insult the demon spiritist’s code was to invite disdain from all demon spirits in Glory City.
While the Sacred family now viewed Nie Li as a thorn in their side, they were powerless to take direct action against him. The situation was delicate; if anything happened to Nie Li now, the entire city would suspect the Sacred family. They couldn’t risk such a blatant move, not when the truth had already spread far and wide.
Vice-Principal’s Office
"Vice-Principal Ye Sheng, this student Nie Li has no respect for his elders and has repeatedly caused trouble. He openly contradicts and insults his teacher in class. I request your approval to expel him from school!" Shen Xiu's voice trembled with emotion, tears brimming in her eyes.
Ye Sheng, however, was not so easily swayed. He knew that, despite Shen Xiu's claims, Nie Li's profound knowledge was undeniable. Even if Nie Li never became a powerful demon spiritist, his intellect alone could lead him to a high position or the mentorship of a powerful figure. Furthermore, the gray-robed elder's appreciation of Nie Li and the offer of a library clerk position confirmed his potential. Expelling such a student was out of the question.
Still, Shen Xiu belonged to the Sacred family, and Ye Sheng had to navigate the situation carefully. With a smile, he responded, "I will consider the matter. Expelling a student would have significant consequences."
"Vice-Principal Ye Sheng, there's nothing to consider!" Shen Xiu snapped, her anger flaring. "I demand Nie Li's immediate expulsion, or I refuse to teach the class!"
Ye Sheng’s eyes flashed briefly, irritation rising. Shen Xiu had no sense of restraint, but he maintained his calm demeanor. "In that case, how about I transfer you to another class?"
Shen Xiu hesitated. She had expected Ye Sheng to give more deference to the Sacred family, but his words made it clear that he intended to protect Nie Li. If she was transferred, she'd lose any opportunity to trouble the boy further. Silently cursing Ye Sheng, she swallowed her frustration and softened her tone. "No need for that. Let's forget today's matter. However, two months from now, there's the apprentice fighter test and a duel. Nie Li personally made a bet with a student from the Sacred family. If he loses, he will be expelled. You wouldn’t interfere with a student’s bet, right? Besides, Nie Li has always been at the bottom of the class. According to the Holy Orchid Institute’s rules, students ranked in the bottom three are subject to expulsion."
"And who will he face in this duel?" Ye Sheng asked.
"One of our most talented students, Naraku," Shen Xiu replied smugly.
"Alright, no problem," Ye Sheng laughed, dismissing the situation.
Shen Xiu huffed, turning sharply as she made her way to the door.
As she left, a chill flashed in Ye Sheng’s eyes. Shen Xiu's arrogance, bolstered by her Sacred family connections, was grating. Nevertheless, he was confident that, despite Nie Li's current poor standings, his intellect would keep him from the bottom three.
But Nie Li's decision to make a bet with Naraku, one of the Sacred family's most promising students, raised concerns.
Ye Sheng leaned back in his chair, contemplating. Naraku was at the peak of bronze rank, a talented cultivator. Even Ye Sheng wasn’t sure how Nie Li could bridge such a cultivation gap. Yet, if Nie Li lost and was expelled, the gray-robed elder would likely step in to recruit him anyway.