Chapter 281 - Where to Lash?

The surrounding Heavenly Energy was completely affected by Nie Li and revolved around him in a profound way.

Long Yuyin suddenly sensed something as she opened her eyes and looked at Nie Li in puzzlement. She felt that the surrounding Heavenly Energy was in a chaotic state. Just what was Nie Li doing?

As that happened, Xiao Yu and the rest couldn’t help directing their eyes towards Nie Li.

Nie Li was submerged in a profound state. He seemed to have become one with his surroundings, so much that even his aura could no longer be sensed.

“Just what’s going on?” Long Yuyin frowned as a trace of concern flashed over her beautiful face. She could sense that, at that moment, there was something strange about Nie Li.

Nie Li carefully sensed his surroundings.

Although there were still vicious thoughts inside of him, no one could hope to match him, especially with his comprehension towards Heavenly Energy. Nie Li opened his eyes as a peculiar flash of divine light crossed his eyes. He raised his head to look at Long Yuyin and continued to harmonise with the surrounding Heavenly Energy as he stepped forward.

*Omm!*

A surge of majestic energy spread throughout the surroundings, emerging from the soles of Nie Li’s feet.

Outside the Saint Soul Grounds, everyone stared at the Saint Soul Board and were discussing amongst themselves.

“Long Yuyin is probably the most outstanding genius in her year. The rest are so far below her!”

“Yeah! It’s simply incredible that she’s already ranked ninth on the Saint Soul Board with her current strength!!”

“That Nie Li actually dared to challenge Long Yuyin! He’s far too ignorant!”

As they discussed, changes occurred on the Saint Soul Board, yet again. Nie Li’s name went from sixteenth to fifteenth. Although he’d only moved up by one rank, it immediately triggered an uproar from the crowd.

“That kid actually climbed up another rank?”

The competition within the top twenty ranks was extremely intense. Just trying to make a single step forward was already an extremely difficult task. Nie Li had actually managed to ascend to the fifteenth position in just one day.

Everyone exchanged glances and fell silent.

Regardless of whether Nie Li won or lost today, he was still an unreachable existence for all of them. What rights did they have to comment on Nie Li?

Before the crowd settled down, Nie Li’s ranking changed again, going from fifteenth to fourteenth.

In an instant, everyone was dumbfounded as they stared at the Saint Soul Board, feeling as though they were beginning to suffocate. The entire area was so silent that even a pin’s drop could be heard.

Just what exactly was going on? In just a short interval, Nie Li’s ranking had moved up by a total of two. Could Nie Li really surpass Long Yuyin today? From the crowd’s point of view, that was simply impossible. However, at that moment, they weren’t so sure anymore and wondered if, maybe, a miracle would happen.

Previously, they thought that Nie Li’s challenge of Long Yuyin was simply an arrogant and egotistical move; but in such a short amount of time, Nie Li’s ranking had moved forward by two. This fact made everyone shut their mouths.

At the very least, Nie Li was getting closer and closer to Long Yuyin!

Just how did Nie Li accomplish this miracle? Everyone couldn’t help holding their breaths!

At a corner of the plaza was a chair, upon which sat a beautiful girl with an ashen complex and white clothes. She raised her head and looked at the Saint Soul Board as a youth quietly stood beside her. The two of them were Gu Lan and Gu Bei.

“I never imagined that Nie Li’s talent would be so frightening. It’s his first day in the Saint Soul Grounds and he already ranks fourteenth. That talent of his isn’t any inferior compared to Long Yuyin’s. When Long Yuyin entered the Saint Soul Grounds for the first time, her rank was also roughly around there,” Gu Lan muttered as she stared at the Saint Soul Board.

Although this white clothed girl sat on a wheelchair with an ashen complexion and appeared very weak, she was still so beautiful that it was suffocating. Several people who stood far away looked at her with stunned and breathtaken eyes. However, after seeing the Gu Clan’s amethyst and gold crest on Gu Lan’s sleeve, they immediately moved away. The Gu Clan wasn’t someone they could afford to offend.

Gu Bei gazed off into the distance as he said, “Among all those I have met, Brother Nie Li is the only one I couldn’t see through. I can sense that he’s still concealing many of his talents and abilities.”

That mysterious youth’s figure had flashed across Gu Lan’s mind. Indeed, she’d felt that Nie Li was still concealing many things up his sleeve. Suddenly, Gu Lan saw several people among the crowd. After a moment of silence, she said, “Little brother, let’s return home!”

“Are we not staying to see the results?” Gu Bei asked Gu Lan in puzzlement. After all, he was still filled with expectations towards Nie Li’s challenge of Long Yuyin.

Gu Lan shook her head as she looked into the distance and said, “They’ve also come.”

Gu Bei followed Gu Lan’s line of sight into the distance, whereupon a figure entered into his vision. He was a youth who wore silk clothes and a crown on his head. It was Gu Heng, the first successor in line to the Gu Clan. Gu Heng’s talent was similar to Gu Lan’s before she fell ill; he was a formidable opponent of Gu Lan’s. Several youths followed behind Gu Heng, all members of the Gu Clan.

Gu Bei’s eyes flashed a chilling trace as he said, “Sister, I’ll take you back!”

The news of Nie Li challenging Long Yuyin had spread rapidly. Gu Heng was one of the few whose interest had been piqued by it. Long Yuyin was, without a doubt, one of the most talented among the younger generations of the Dragonseal Family. Someone who was able to challenge Long Yuyin, and at the same time, have no background worth mentioning, was definitely someone Gu Heng would consider as a worthy adversary.

Gu Heng swept his gaze through the crowd and noticed Gu Lan and Gu Bei leaving. The corner of his mouth twitched with an almost unnoticeable chill as he walked towards them, smiling as he said, “Well, if isn’t it little cousin Gu Lan and little cousin Gu Bei. The two of you also came to watch the fun?”

Gu Bei stared at him, then laughed and said, “Yeah, I never expected elder cousin Gu Heng to be here too. I heard that something interesting was happening here; so my elder sister and I came to take a look.”

Gu Lan remained silent with her head lowered, her jade white hands tightly gripping the chair’s armrest, in silence.

Gu Heng glanced at Gu Lan and the corner of his mouth twitched in a mocking smile. A brief moment later, he covered it with a pitiful look as he said, “Little cousin Gu Lan’s illness still hasn’t been cured? Such a pity, originally with little cousin Gu Lan’s talent, you could’ve definitely reached the top of our Gu Clan! Gu Bei, now that your sister has become a cripple, you have to take good care of her!”

Gu Lan’s eyes flashed with a hint of rage, but it was quickly concealed. In the past, she had been a dazzling genius who didn’t tolerate even a single grain of sand on her pride. But ever since she fell ill, she’d learned to endure.

Gu Bei sighed. “Many thanks to elder cousin Gu Heng for your concern. My sister’s illness has been ever the same, without the slightest improvement. Therefore, I brought her out to relieve her boredom.”

Although he was also furious at Gu Heng for insulting his sister and calling her a cripple, he still swallowed it down.

Gu Heng swept a glance at Gu Lan as she kept her head down without saying a thing. Indeed, since this girl had become crippled, she no longer had any fighting spirit.

“Since the two of you have come, there’s no harm in leaving after watching the show!” Gu Heng smiled outwardly as he said, “I heard that a talented youth is challenging Long Yuyin. This has piqued my interest!”

Gu Bei considered for a moment before nodding, “If that’s the cause of all this, then thanks for elder cousin Gu Heng’s good intentions. We’ll leave after this show!”

Although Gu Lan’s meridians were congested and she’d become crippled, back when their parents were still alive, they still held quite a bit of prestige. Several Elders of the Gu Clan had taken good care of Gu Lan and Gu Bei since then; therefore, although Gu Heng was being very thorny with his words, he still refrained from doing anything to Gu Lan and Gu Bei.

The handful of them stood there, each watching the Saint Soul Board with different thoughts.

Aside from the Gu Clan, the Dragonseal Family and the Ashen Flames Family all had representatives standing outside the Saint Soul Grounds, watching.

This was Nie Li’s first time entering the Saint Soul Grounds and he’d already achieved the fourteenth rank on the Saint Soul Board. That was already sufficient to prove his talent. If only they could recruit such a talent, it’d definitely prove a great benefit towards their family.

Inside the Saint Soul Grounds

Nie Li had no idea how massive of a ripple he’d caused as he continued to sense the Heavenly Energy and communicated with Heaven and Earth.

As time passed, he could feel the first chapter of the [Heavenly God] cultivation technique flowing more and more smoothly. Indeed, in order to unleash the true might of the [Heavenly God] cultivation technique, he had to come to the Draconic Ruins Realm to cultivate.

He’d already ascended one hundred twenty-five steps. Long Yuyin watched as Nie Li approached closer and closer and felt a pressuring urgency for the first time in her life. This was his first day and Nie Li had already reached the one hundred twenty-fifth step. Compared to her own results upon first entering the Saint Soul Grounds, it was already quite an achievement.

Ever since she was young, she’d always been telling herself to become the strongest among her age group. Even if they were men, she still wanted to step them beneath her feet.

Long Yuyin’s expression was chilly as she watched Nie Li. Since her birth, Nie Li was the most powerful opponent she’d ever encountered!

However, she would never admit defeat. She was Long Yuyin from the Dragonseal Family! She definitely wouldn’t admit defeat to anyone in her age group.

Nie Li stopped at the one hundred twenty-fifth step, raised his head, and looking at Long Yuyin.

“I heard that on your first day in the Saint Soul Grounds, you reached where I am now. It seems that your talent is only so-so. One hundred twenty-five steps. Isn’t that easy to reach?!” Nie Li didn’t mind provoking Long Yuyin a little.

Long Yuyin’s face turned ashen green as a cracking sound came from her fists. She angrily glared at Nie Li, “Just because you’ve reached the one hundred twenty-five step doesn’t mean that you can win against me today. If you’re unable to surpass me, then you can wait and eat three lashes from me!”

“You don’t have to be concerned about that; you should worry about yourself instead. I’m still thinking about where I should aim those three lashes. Someone as beautiful as you, what a waste! However, towards a beautiful girl with a venomous heart, I will never be lenient!” Nie Li’s gaze fell on Long Yuyin’s face, chest, waist and various other areas of her body as he revealed a cold and evil smile.