Seated next to
He stood a little taller than Nie Li, with thick brows and large eyes, though there was a trace of sinister arrogance between them.
Nie Li recognized him, of course. His name was
Perhaps fate had a strange sense of humor. In the previous life, Ye Ziyun had never become Shen Yue's wife — instead, she and Nie Li had shared something far more intimate.
Thinking about this, Nie Li couldn't help but smile to himself. But when he caught the exchanged glances between Ye Ziyun and Shen Yue, a dull headache crept in. The Ye Ziyun of this timeline still harbored some favorable feelings toward Shen Yue, and when she looked at Nie Li, he could detect a hint of disdain in her eyes. She clearly took him for some good-for-nothing playboy!
As Ye Ziyun's gaze settled on him, Nie Li felt his breath catch. That familiar smile brought a flood of memories from his previous life, and his nose stung with the threat of tears. He looked at her deeply, a faint smile forming on his lips, and silently thanked the Book of Time-Space Demon Spirit for bringing them together once more.
"What a strange person," Ye Ziyun murmured, sensing something odd in Nie Li's gaze. Those deep, unfathomable eyes shimmered like brilliant stars, tinged with a quiet sorrow. Confusion filled her heart — did she know Nie Li? Why was he looking at her like that?
Ye Ziyun had moth-brows and a graceful neck, white teeth and ruby lips, like a lotus blossom opening in still water — radiating an ineffable gentleness and charm. No wonder so many boys were captivated by her.
On the stage, Shen Xiu's stern gaze swept across Nie Li. Nothing escaped her eyes when it came to these thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds. After all, she was a Silver-rank Demon Spirit Master who had long reached the state of mind-body unity and mastery of the six senses. Her vision was so keen she could spot a mouse fleeing hundreds of meters away.
Ye Ziyun was of noble birth — the daughter of the City Lord and granddaughter of the legendary Demon Spirit Master Lord
Only a handful of people at Sheng Lan Academy knew Ye Ziyun's true identity. If Shen Yue could win her hand in marriage, it would greatly bolster the Sacred Family's influence in the City of Radiance. This was precisely why Shen Yue was enrolled in this beginner Warrior class, and why Shen Xiu had been assigned to teach it.
Shen Xiu reverted to her human form, crossing her arms over her chest. "For the next two years, all of you will be my students," she said coolly. "The headmaster may say that all students at Sheng Lan Academy are equal, but I must tell you a cruel truth — equality simply does not exist in this world!" Her sharp, cutting voice pierced through the room like a blade, stabbing at the hearts of every student below.
No one spoke. The entire class listened in silence.
"When you grow up and leave Sheng Lan Academy, you'll come to understand what I'm saying. Equality is nothing but a comforting lie adults tell you. You cannot live in a fairy tale forever!" Shen Xiu looked down at all the students from her elevated position. "The City of Radiance is the only city to survive the Dark Age. We are the last remnants of humanity. Within our walls exist two powerful professions — Warriors and Demon Spirit Masters. Demon Spirit Masters are the most noble among us. Out of thousands, even tens of thousands of Warriors, perhaps one might give rise to a powerful Demon Spirit Master. The entire City of Radiance has only a little over a hundred Demon Spirit Masters. They are the guardians of our city."
"Warriors and Demon Spirit Masters are divided into five ranks: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Black Gold, and Legendary. The higher the rank, the greater the power. A family that produces a Gold-rank Demon Spirit Master can become a noble house. One that produces a Black Gold-rank Demon Spirit Master becomes a great family. Only when three or more Black Gold-rank Demon Spirit Masters — or even a Legendary-rank — emerge from a lineage can it be called a supreme noble house. You thirty-six — some are commoners, some are from noble families. Though you all start from the same place here, your social standings are not the same. I expect every one of you to know your place and conduct yourselves accordingly. Commoners will always be commoners. It's virtually impossible for you to rise to nobility, so don't waste your time dreaming of climbing the social ladder. Even among the nobility, the hierarchy is rigid and absolute. There is no room for transgression."
Beneath Shen Xiu's piercing gaze, several plainly dressed students in the class lowered their heads. Meanwhile, Shen Yue and a few other noble-born students puffed out their chests, smug smiles playing on their lips. Only Nie Li, Ye Ziyun,
Nie Li glanced to the side.
Despite his humble beginnings, Du Ze had worked incredibly hard in the previous life. His talent was remarkable, and through sheer determination alone, he had risen to the rank of Gold-rank Demon Spirit Master. Without the vast resources of a powerful family backing him, without the finest natural gifts, he had climbed to that level entirely through his own effort. One could only imagine how much he had sacrificed.
On the eve of the City of Radiance's fall in his previous life, while the nobles scrambled to find ways to flee, it was Du Ze and the other commoners who fought for the city to the very end — and to their deaths.
Du Ze had been Nie Li's friend, and the friend he respected most!
Seeing the contempt on Shen Xiu's face, Nie Li felt a surge of genuine, heartfelt fury. Back when the City of Radiance was crumbling, the Sacred Family had been the very first to flee. That was why Nie Li harbored no goodwill toward anyone bearing that name — whether Shen Yue or Shen Xiu, neither of them was worth a damn. In the previous life, Shen Xiu had been viciously petty, and she had always rubbed Nie Li the wrong way.