Chapter 126: Playful Fighting?

Everyone's eyes fell on the bracelet, and they all drew in a sharp breath.

"It's actually an Ice Jade Bracelet!"

"What a treasure!"

The Ice Jade Bracelet was crafted from Thousand-Year Frost Jade, but the forging technique had been lost during the Dark Ages. Very few Ice Jade Bracelets remained in existence. The bracelet offered tremendous benefits for cultivation—it could greatly prevent deviations during training and effectively nourish one's Soul Sea.

Upon seeing the Ice Jade Bracelet, Nie Li's eyes lit up. For Ye Ziyun, who had merged with the Ice Snow Empress, this bracelet was practically invaluable.

"Brother Ye Han, I can't accept such a gift," Ye Ziyun said, shaking her head.

Ye Han's expression froze on the spot, his hand holding the Ice Jade Bracelet extended awkwardly—neither able to push it forward nor pull it back.

Everyone noticed the subtle tension between Ye Han and Ye Ziyun.

Just then, Nie Li suddenly spoke up, breaking the awkward silence. He reached out and took the Ice Jade Bracelet straight from Ye Han's hand, laughing cheerfully. "What a precious gift—how embarrassing! I'll accept it on behalf of my Ziyun then. Thank you, Big Brother Ye Han!"

Ye Han felt his hand go empty—the Ice Jade Bracelet was already gone. Nie Li's hand was impossibly fast; he practically snatched it! Ye Han's eyebrow twitched involuntarily. Big Brother Ye Han? Who was this guy to call him that? My Ziyun? Who says she's yours? This guy Nie Li was absolutely shameless!

"And this is...?" Ye Han looked toward Nie Li, who stood nearby.

"He's my friend!" Ye Ziyun was so exasperated she wanted to stomp her feet. Nie Li was far too good at butting in and acting overly familiar. She hadn't even agreed to accept the Ice Jade Bracelet, yet Nie Li had gone ahead and accepted it for her. Honestly!

Nie Li couldn't care less about any of that. Why push away such an incredible bargain? Although he didn't know much about Ye Han's character, since the guy was giving it away for free, why not take it? As for favors—favors were something you owed friends, not strangers. Why would he care about a stranger?

From the subtle shift in attitudes between Ye Han and Ye Ziyun, Nie Li could already guess the nature of their relationship. It seemed Ye Han had been persistently courting Ye Ziyun's favor, while she had consistently rebuffed him.

Could it be that this kid had his sights set on Ye Ziyun? If so, Ye Han was going to die a miserable death!

Having lived for so many years, Nie Li was practically a walking encyclopedia of human nature. Ye Han was extraordinarily talented, remarkably handsome, refined in manner, and impeccable in etiquette—he truly seemed like a perfect person. But being too perfect was itself a problem.

In Nie Li's eyes, a scion of a noble family who was genuine—someone like Chen Linjian—now that was the real deal.

A thought flashed through Nie Li's mind. He'd heard that Ye Zong intended for Ye Han to succeed him as City Lord. The way Ye Han presented himself so perfectly was likely paving the way for that goal. After all, Ye Han wasn't a true member of the Wind Snow Family. To genuinely succeed as City Lord, he'd need the approval of the Wind Snow Family's elders. The elders would never agree to an outsider taking the position—but if Ye Han married Ye Ziyun, that would change everything.

He wasn't sure if his guess was entirely correct, but he was probably at least seventy or eighty percent right.

After hearing Ye Ziyun's words, Ye Han's heart sank slightly. His gaze swept over Nie Li with a trace of coldness.

Nie Li keenly detected the hostility in Ye Han's eyes. His soul perception had always been his greatest asset, and nothing Ye Han did could escape his notice. Tsk tsk—no matter how well you hid your true feelings, cracks would eventually show. If you want to play, then I'll play along.

"Nie Li, I have to admit—you've completely won me over today!" Chen Linjian gave Nie Li a thumbs up from beside him.

This kid Nie Li was no joke. He'd walked in flanked by two beautiful young women—one he'd practically snatched from Shen Fei's grasp, the other he'd more or less poached right under Ye Han's nose. And on top of that, even knowing Nie Li already had two women, Huyan Lanruo still kept throwing herself at him. The guy really hogged all the good things.

Nearby, Shen Fei had veins practically bulging on his forehead. Xiao Ning'er standing behind Nie Li was an eyesore no matter how he looked at it.

"Nie Li, what are you even doing in a place like this?" Shen Fei snorted coldly. "I bet you've never been to a gathering like this before. Look at those clothes of yours—you look like some country bumpkin."

A few young nobles nearby let out snickering laughter.

Nie Li glanced over at Ye Zong in the distance and fell into brief contemplation. The Sacred Family was a cancer festering within the City of Radiance. If they were left unchecked, once the Beast Tide arrived or the Dark Guild launched another assault, it would be too late. He had to find a way to make the Wind Snow Family fully commit to eliminating the Sacred Family.

Looks like I'll have to play the villain again and stir up conflict between the Sacred Family and the Wind Snow Family, Nie Li thought to himself. Since his rebirth, his cultivation hadn't yet reached the point where he could crush everything before him. But some things simply couldn't wait any longer.

"I was wondering what that stench was—it's Young Master Shen! What, didn't last time teach you a painful enough lesson? You want to go again?" Nie Li raised an eyebrow, his gaze turning razor-sharp in an instant. His right hand suddenly drew the Celestial Thunder Sword, and he slashed downward. The table beside them shattered with a thunderous crash, leaving a six- or seven-meter-long gash in the ground. "If you've got the guts, step up and talk to my Celestial Thunder Sword!"