Tales of Demons and Gods

“I’m going to continue practicing!” Xiao Ning’er coldly stated as she stared at Nie Li with her bright, clear eyes.

Xiao Ning’er didn’t like being disrupted by others. She had an expression that ‘pushed people thousands of miles away’ on her face, and because she rarely associated with the students in class, especially the boys, the friendless her seemed somewhat eccentric.

“I will leave, immediately!” Nie Li said as he faintly smiled. He checked her out from top to bottom.

Xiao Ning’er’s brows wrinkled.

Isn’t the way Nie Li is looking at me a bit too rude? she thought. She couldn’t help feeling somewhat angry. There were lots of boys chasing after her in the Holy Orchid Institute, but Xiao Ning’er had always ignored them. She only wants to focus on her training. Therefore, Nie Li’s actions right now was no different from the other boys in the institute. It was simply hateful!

“Are you still not leaving?” Xiao Ning’er wasn’t happy by her tone. Nie Li had been disrupting her for quite some time now.

Nie Li’s gaze landed on Xiao Ning’er’s legs. She wasn’t wearing any shoes, and he could see a pair of creamy slender legs illuminated by the moonlight, which were slightly red.

He said, “When night falls, don’t both of your legs feel as if they’re being burned by fire?”

After hearing what Nie Li just said, Xiao Ning’er was slightly stunned and soon answered, “How did you know?”

Due to the burning heat, when training at night, Xiao Ning’er usually wouldn’t wear shoes.

“Of course I know,” Nie Li smiled, “Not only this, I know even more. Not only do both of your legs feel as if they were being burned by fire, your body would be extremely cold. Every night at midnight it would feel as if it was hailing on your body. It would be terribly painful. Even training your soul force wouldn’t be possible, would it?”

Xiao Ning’er was shocked by Nie Li’s words. She had been enduring the pain alone and did not tell anyone about this, not even her family members. How did Nie Li know about it?

Seeing the expression on Xiao Ning’er’s face, Nie Li knew that he had guessed correctly. So Xiao Ning’er’s previous life’s illness was the Arctic Disease. By training at night, it would often lead to chilled air entering the body, blocking the veins. The Arctic Disease would, in light cases, cause the person to get seriously ill, and in serious cases, it would cause the body to explode. So Xiao Ning’er from his previous life was already very lucky to be bedridden for only two years.

“In addition to these symptoms, your body should be bruised in certain areas. Those bruises should be extremely painful and not only do they not dissipate, they should also be spreading around the body, ” Nie Li said confidently, “You haven’t stepped into 1-star Bronze rank yet, but once you do, in the best case scenario, you will get seriously ill and your cultivation will be greatly reduced. In the worst case scenario, you will die.”

After hearing Nie Li’s words, Xiao Ning’er was momentarily dazed. Both of her fists were clenched tightly, and her eyes reddened. How could this be? Even though she’s very strong, after hearing the news, she couldn’t endure the blow.Nie Li could tell what her illness was with one glance. What he said shouldn’t be wrong.

Ever since she was young, her family had been wanting for her to marry into the Sacred Family, by marrying Shen Fei. As she grew up, Xiao Ning’er gradually learned what kind of person Shen Fei was. Because she didn’t want to get married to that playboy, she started practicing very hard with hopes of getting rid of this cruel fate. Unfortunately, the heavens didn’t seem to want to let her do so, since she who would soon reach 1-star Bronze rank, suddenly got to hear such news.

Seeing the usually strong Xiao Ning’er in this state, Nie Li couldn’t help pitying her.

“Nie Li, since you know what kind of illness I have, you should know how to treat it, right?” asked Xiao Ning’er. Frightened by what Nie Li said, she unknowingly dropped her strong guard that she had up against him and pleaded, “Can you help me?”

She was, after all, only a thirteen year old girl.

Xiao Ning’er had a strong personality and rarely asked others for help. Nie Li, after listening to her pleas, suddenly felt his heart soften. He was silent, only for a moment, before he said, “This illness can be treated. You can look it up in the Holy Orchid Institute’s library. The illness is called: Arctic Disease.”

“Really?” replied Xiao Ning’er. Her hopes were raised, “How can it be treated?”

“The Daoyin technique must be used to massage the affected areas, to dissipate the bruise. Medicine made from combining Golden Striped Grass with Imperial Sky Grass must be consumed daily, with your situation, for roughly a month or so. In the best case scenario, ten days could be enough for you to be fully recovered from the illness,” Nie Li said. This was indeed the method to treat Arctic Disease.

“Daoyin technique?” repeated Xiao Ning’er. She knitted her brows. She’s a member of a Noble family, but she had never heard of any Daoyin technique before.

“In addition to these treatment methods, you must also make sure to not train your soul force at night in the future,” Nie Li said as he stretched his hand out towards Xiao Ning’er. He followed up with, “Take out your cultivation technique, and let me have a look at it.”

Xiao Ning looked up at Nie Li. If a stranger were to ask her to take out her cultivation technique, she’d feel that they’re simply trying to swindle her. But she, after seeing Nie Li’s expression, couldn’t help feeling a sense of trust towards him in her heart. Nie Li had told her so much already, so she had decided to place her complete trust in him. She retrieved her cultivation technique from her interspatial ring and handed it to him. It was a piece of slightly aged parchment paper, with a bunch of densely packed words written on it.

As Nie Li received the parchment paper from Xiao Ning’er, he accidentally touched the back of her jade white, creamy hands, but Nie Li didn’t mind. Instead, he was carefully reading the paper.

After her hands were touched by Nie Li, Xiao Ning’er quickly withdrew her hands and felt her heart flutter. Her mood was in a mess. She thought, what if Nie Li was trying to blackmail her? And what if he had impure thoughts about her?

When she raised her head, however, she saw that Nie Li hadn’t even noticed her reaction when their hands touched, and felt relieved. Nie Li’s expression, when he looked at the parchment paper, was especially serious. This caused Xiao Ning’er to be a little absent-minded. She reacted only a moment later. She lowered her head and began to think about something.

“A huge and powerful noble family’s direct bloodline actually practices this kind of low-grade cultivation technique. It’s no wonder Glory City was destroyed…” Nie Li quietly murmured.

“What did you just say?” Xiao Ning’er widened her eyes and looked at Nie Li. She only heard some of the words Nie Li murmured, but she couldn’t hear it clearly.

“Nothing,” Nie Li faintly laughed, “This cultivation technique is too poor. it’ll damage the meridian as one practices it. The reason behind your Arctic Disease can be largely attributed to this cultivation technique. Change this part from ‘psychic mind’ to ‘heavenly psychic’ and change this to ‘soul and spirit merge’…” Nie Li continued to talk, altering the soul force cultivation technique beyond recognition.

Xiao Ning’er, while listening to Nie Li as he altered her soul force cultivation technique, felt somewhat unconvinced. This cultivation technique was passed down by her ancestors. It was ranked six in the family’s collection of cultivation techniques. How could it be altered on a whim by Nie Li? Regardless, Xiao Ning’er still listened to Nie Li’s words. She was, after all, a practitioner of this cultivation technique, so she had some experience on some matters regarding it. Gradually, Xiao Ning’er realised that the modifications Nie Li did to it were reasonable. In fact, the modifications made it much better than the original.

Xiao Ning’er’s eyes widened and an incredible look was in them as she stared at Nie Li.

“Nie Li, can you repeat it again? I need to remember what you just said!” Xiao Ning’er said quickly.

“Okay,” Nie Li slowed his speech, repeating the modification for the cultivation technique. After training her soul force, Xiao Ning’er got the ability to memorize anything without forgetting it. Even though she could only comprehend some of the modifications, she still managed to memorize what Nie Li said. The more she looked at it, the more she realised how much more powerful the cultivation technique that was modified by Nie Li was.

Xiao Ning’er’s gaze towards Nie Li initially had a hint of confusion in it, but it was soon turned into one filled with admiration.

How much knowledge regarding soul force must one have in order to change this high-ranked soul force cultivation technique to such an extent? Even Black Gold rank Demon Spiritualists wouldn’t necessarily be able to do such a thing. Could Nie Li’s understanding of cultivation have long surpassed a Black Gold rank Demon Spiritualist’s, even reaching towards the Legend rank Demon Spiritualist’s realm?

Treating it as a treasure, Xiao Ning’er deeply memorized all the modifications that Nie Li did to her cultivation technique in her heart. She couldn’t tell what her feelings towards Nie Li were: awe, worship?

Nie Li’s age was the same as hers, but Xiao Ning’er realised that there was a wide gap between them. It was ridiculous that she used to think that Nie Li was the ‘tail of the class’. She realised just how ignorant Teacher Shen Xiu and the other students were as they ridiculed Nie Li. She was completely convinced that what Nie Li previously said in class about becoming a powerful Legend rank Demon Spiritualist was all true!

Ever since she was young, no matter if it’s talent or intelligence, Xiao Ning’er had far surpassed her peers. This was the first time she looked up to someone her own age.

Nie Li had said before that he would marry the most beautiful girl in Glory City. When she thought of that, Xiao Ning’er’s thoughts got messy. She speechlessly lowered her head. All of a sudden, a figure appeared in her mind. It was Ye Ziyun. Although Xiao Ning’er was confident in her looks, she had to admit that she might not necessarily be able to compete with Ye Ziyun.

“What are you thinking about?” Nie Li asked, looking towards Xiao Ning’er. He was puzzled since her expression was a bit strange.

“No, Nothing….” Xiao Ning’er quickly shook her head, expelling all the thoughts she had in her head and asked, “Nie Li, do you know the Daoyin technique?”

“Of course I do,” Nie Li nodded his head and continued, “But the Daoyin technique requires direct contact with the bruised area. It wouldn’t seem appropriate if I were to be the one doing it.”

Xiao Ning’er looked up at Nie Li’s chiseled cheeks. He had sharp eyebrows, and deep lights flashed in his black pupils. He had a bit of a handsomeness aura around him, which was slowly merging with the image she had in her heart.

She lowered her head and said, “I don’t mind. Weren’t you just treating me? I don’t want to turn into a useless person.”

That last sentence Xiao Ning’er said was to comfort herself.

In front of Nie Li, Xiao Ning’er dropped the cold guard she had up against him.

“Uh……” Nie Li went silent for a moment.

‘Even if she’s a girl and doesn’t mind, if I were to refuse I’ll be too petty.’

His heart already had Ye Ziyun. He only had a small impression towards Xiao Ning’er. He did not think much about it and said, “Okay then, I’ll help you with the Daoyin technique to treat your illness once every three days. Do what I just told you when you go back. Eat those herbs and you will be fine.”

“En,” replied Xiao Ning’er, nodding in silence.

“Where’s your bruised area?” Nie Li asked.

Xiao Ning’er’s cold cheeks slightly blushed and pointed to the back of her foot.

“There’s one here.”

Nie Li lowered his head to look at it. He saw a patch of deep purple on the top of one of Xiao Ning’er’s silky white feet. The bruise was already this serious.

“So serious,” said Nie Li. He frowned and continued. “Luckily it’s only on the foot, otherwise it would be a little troublesome elsewhere. It’s a lot more convenient, since it’s at the top of the foot. I will be done soon.”

Nie Li crouched down, and sat on the grass patch.

“En,” said Xiao Ning’er, nodding her head. She didn’t say that that’s the only bruised area. When she placed her foot on Nie Li’s legs, a light flashed across her eyes. She seemed to be thinking of something.