Chapter 285 – A Chicken Feather for an Authoritative Token
This youth, Hu Yong, was Long Yuyin’s fiancé.
Hu Yong took a step forward as he grabbed Nie Li by the collar. “Nie Li, you actually dared hurt Long Yuyin! You must be tired of living!”
Nie Li snorted as he eyed Hu Yong and his lackeys. “You’re all from the Dragonseal Family?”
Hu Yong furiously glared at Nie Li. “Today, I’ll have you die in full aware. My name is Hu Yong, Long Yuyin’s fiancé!” His heart was burning in a raging fire from Nie Li’s unafraid countenance.
Lu Piao looked at Hu Yong’s crotch and gave three short laughs. “Long Yuyin’s fiancé? The one who was rumored to have been laid to waste by her? I never thought you’d actually stick your head out for her. Threatening us is useless. Don’t think that we’re unaware of the Skysoul Institute’s rules. I’d really admire you if you actually had the guts to take action right here, right now.”
Hu Yong was shamed into anger as he continued to clutch Nie Li’s collar, looking ferocious, and said, “Don’t think that I’m afraid to touch you guys!”
Nie Li casually looked at him. “Then, I dare you to!”
Right now, Hu Yong was extremely furious. Before coming here, he’d gathered so many Heavenly Fate Realm experts so that Nie Li wouldn’t have a chance at retaliating. If only the Skysoul Institute’s damned rule that he couldn’t take any action within the school grounds didn’t exist!
Hu Yong released his grip and looked at Nie Li as a chilling light flashed through his eyes. “Don’t think that because of the institute’s rules that I won’t be able to do anything to you. Trying to mess with me? You’re still too tender! Hu Tian, take the three of them to a secluded place and have a good chat with them!”
“Yes!” Hu Tian revealed a merciless smile at the corner of his mouth as he said, “Three Young Masters, shall we go?”
Although Hu Yong and co. were unable to kill the three of them without having the Skysoul Institute pursue the matter, teaching them a lesson is still possible.
The aura of the nine Heavenly Fate Realm experts utterly suppressed Nie Li and Lu Piao, rendering them unable to retaliate as they tried to herd the three of them into a secluded corner. On the contrary, Xiao Yu wasn’t affected by them at all. He was only a step away from being a 4-fate Heavenly Fate Realm expert. However, he didn’t make any movements as he tried to think of a countermeasure for the situation. Even if he were to take action, it’d definitely be impossible for him to take on so many Heavenly Fate Realm experts.
He never imagined that Hu Yong would actually use such a method to scrape back some face.
“Hoo, it seems that you’re just playing some kiddy games.” Nie Li glanced at Hu Yong in disdain, “Just like kids fighting, you punch me and I punch you. How childish!”
Hu Yong was ready to explode at Nie Li’s disdainful expression. He snorted, “You’re just being stubborn now that your back’s against a wall!”
Nie Li crossed his arms as he smiled in disdain at Hu Yong. “Do you really think that I can’t take you all on today? For the likes of you, I don’t even need to take action myself!”
“The three of you haven’t even to reached the Heavenly Fate Realm. If I can’t take care of you today, then I’ll start writing my name backwards!” Hu Yong furiously snorted. He already knew that he himself was very arrogant, but he never thought that Nie Li would actually be more arrogant than him. Faced with so many enemies, he still dared to say such words. “Take the three of them away!”
The moment Hu Yong’s words landed, a deep and aged voice sounded from behind. “Young Master Hu, I’m afraid that you can’t take the three of them with you!”
Hu Yong furiously snorted. “Today, I will take the three of them! Who dares to hinder me?”
He turned around to see just who would be bold enough to help the three of them! However, when he turned around, he couldn’t help being dazed at the sighted before him.
Two silhouettes approached them slowly, both of which Hu Yong recognised. One person was named Nanmen Tianhai; the other was Huang Yu. Both Elder-rank figures, higher-ups of the Skysoul Institute. Even the higher-ups of the Hu Clan treated them with respect. Furthermore, Hu Yong was currently a disciple of the Skysoul Institute and subject to the institute’s restrictions!
“Young Master Hu, I’m afraid that in this Skysoul Institute, you cannot act as you wish. These three are from the talented generation of our Skysoul Institute. No one is allowed to take any action against them. Even if they are in the wrong, the institute will oversee the punishment.” Huang Yu looked at Hu Yong as he said in a solemn voice, “Young Master Hu is also a disciple of the Skysoul Institute. Regardless of now or in the future, those who dare to violate the rules of the Skysoul Institute cannot fault us for giving out punishment!”
In his heart, Hu Yong was extremely dejected. Only now did he understand that he’d fallen into Nie Li’s trap.
With Nanmen Tianhai and Huang Yu present, he definitely won’t be able to do anything to Nie Li today. Furthermore, these two elders now had their eye on him; from now on, he could only dream of taking action. He furiously glared at Nie Li and his party.
Lu Piao laughed as he looked at Hu Yong. “Earlier on, Young Master Hu mentioned that if he couldn’t take us out, he’d start writing his name backwards!”
“You guys better watch out. I definitely won’t let you guys off! Especially once you’ve reached the Heavenly Fate Realm, don’t even think about stepping out of the Skysoul Institute. Otherwise, you’ll die every time you go out!” Hu Yong furiously rebuked, then swept a glance at his nine Heavenly Fate Realm underlings, and ordered, “Let’s go!”
The Hu group afforded Nie Li and co. one more furious glare before turning and leaving after their master.
What Hu Yong meant was once Nie Li and his group finally reached the Heavenly Fate Realm and headed outside the institute grounds to explore, that was when he’d attack the three of them. But by then, Nie Li would’ve already placed his first Fate soul into the Soul Hall. When that time came, what would there be for him to be afraid of? Nie Li lightly smiled. He couldn’t think of a time when he’d actually been afraid of anyone!
The best Hu Yong could do was to hinder their cultivation a little by trying to obstruct Nie Li from breaking through to the Heavenly Star Realm. Even still, that Hu Yong was thinking too highly of himself.
Hu Yong and his group arrived looking awe-inspiring, but left with their tails between their legs. Hu Yong himself was extremely disheartened. Long Yuyin had been bullied and when he came to stand up for her, he ended up getting ash smeared on his own nose instead.
But because the two Elders of the Skysoul Institute were present, his party could only leave in a dejected fashion.
Nanmen Tianhai and Huang Yu retracted their gazes from Hu Yong. Nanmen Tianhai wore a stern face as he said, “You three, too. In the institute, cultivation comes before everything else. Running around, attracting trouble, how inappropriate! If there’s a next time, then we’ll expel you from the Skysoul Institute!”
Lu Piao immediately cried out in grievance, as he thought that this Elder was unable to distinguish between right and wrong. “But Lord Elder, we didn’t start it! They started it!”
Nanmen Tianhai coldly snorted as his strict gaze swept over the three of them. “A housefly will never bite a seamless egg! If you guys don’t attract trouble, how could trouble look for you?”
Huang Yu, who stood to the side, gently smiled at the three of them and said, “The three of you are rather decent talents, with unmeasurable prospects. Therefore, keeping a low-profile is a must. The Dragonseal Family, the Gu Clan isn’t a group you guys should easily offend. It’s best to endure for the future. Not enduring a small matter will spoil the bigger plans!”
Nie Li and Xiao Yu exchanged glances. The two of them were intelligent people. One Elder had an angelic face, while the other one had a devilish face; their meaning was crystal clear. These elders had come to tell them not to pick up any more trouble with people like Long Yuyin and Hu Yong.
In fact, while Nie Li was cultivating inside the Saint Soul Grounds, he’d already had an inkling of how dazzling his performance would be on the Saint Soul Board. Since he’d proved himself a lot stronger than Long Yuyin, there was no reason that the higher-ups of the Skysoul Institute wouldn’t know about it. Since that was the case, he’d teach Long Yuyin a lesson. The Skysoul Institute’s higher-ups would still think of methods to overlook this. After all, talents were extremely important to the Skysoul Institute!
Indeed, the two Elders had appeared after Hu Yong. Although the Elders were subordinate to the Grand Elder, they were still authoritative figures of the Divine Feathers Sect.
Nie Li said in a tone neither servile nor overbearing, “Thanks for the two Elders’ teachings. We will not take any initiatives to provoke trouble. However, if some people are being rude and unreasonable and insist on find trouble with us, then we can’t blindly endure. Otherwise, they’ll ask for a mile once you give them the inch!”
Nanmen Tianhai and Huang Yu exchanged glances and both bitterly smiled in their hearts. Indeed, geniuses all had their own temperaments. Nie Li’s words were neither soft nor hard. He was implying that if Long Yuyin or Hu Yong came looking for trouble again, he’d still fight back.
Xiao Yu nodded and said, “If some people are being overbearing and unreasonable, we have the right to protect ourselves. Take today for example. Hu Yong and his group wanted to take us to a secluded place to ‘take care of us’. If it weren’t for the two Elders, who knows what the outcome might’ve been? How can we endure such behaviour?”
Nanmen Tianhai said in a solemn voice, “If someone wants to cause trouble for you, we’ll naturally help you resolve it. However, all of you have boundless prospects, I suggest that you don’t waste your strength on internal fights. We, the Divine Feathers Sect still have many other enemies. You, the geniuses of the Divine Feathers Sect, should be united!”
Nie Li was waiting for those words from Nanmen Tianhai.
Nie Li smiled. “Since Elder is willing to help us stand up for ourselves, then of course, it’d be better. We couldn’t be bothered to waste our time with those senseless people!”
Nanmen Tianhai snorted, “That depends on your performances!”
The two Elders turned around and left.
Nie Li watched them go before he turned and lightly smiled at Xiao Yu and Lu Piao and said, “Let’s go back. After our lessons are complete, we’ll head for the second testing ground! With those two Elders watching us, there shouldn’t be anyone who dares to touch us in the testing grounds. Otherwise, those two Elders would be going back on their word!”
Xiao Yu couldn’t help smiling at Nie Li’s words. Nie Li really was taking a chicken feather for an authoritative token1.
Just outside the Saint Soul Grounds, Nanmen Tianhai and Huang Yu paused their steps.
Nanmen Tianhai bitterly smiled as he asked Huang Yu, “Old Yu, have we fallen for that kid’s trap?”
Huang Yu spread his hands out and said, “It seems to be the case. We definitely fell for that kid’s trap. With his eye-catching performance in the Saint Soul Grounds, it’d definitely attract the attention of those higher ups within the Skysoul Institute. That’s why they didn’t show any fear when facing Hu Yong.”
Nanmen Tianhai dispiritedly responded, “I’ve seen the forms that Xiao Yu filled out for them. They’re still only fourteen. After this year, they’ll be fifteen at most, and yet, they’re already so cunning. Long Yuyin and Jin Yan were the most outstanding among the younger generation; but compared to him, they’re indeed a little inferior.”
1. Chinese idiom. Assuming unwarranted authority on slim pretext.