Chu Yuan let out a sneer but didn't bother to refute Hu Yilianruo's words.
His tone and demeanor clearly showed his attitude.
Nie Li showed no reaction; neither Hu Yilianruo's praise nor Chu Yuan's disdain could stir any emotion in his heart.
Having been reborn, Nie Li no longer regarded small figures like Chu Yuan as worthy of his attention.
Chu Yuan didn't have the qualifications to speak with him!
"Chu Yuan, what kind of attitude is this?" Hu Yilianruo frowned slightly.
"I'm laughing because I can't imagine what kind of nonsense this kid is feeding you. You actually think he's a genius! With a red soul realm, what's he going to achieve in this lifetime? This kind of trash, is he even fit to be in our company?" Chu Yuan sneered, having a good relationship with Shen Yue's brother, Shen Fei.
Naturally, he found Nie Li bothersome as well.
"You're going too far!" Ye Ziyun frowned deeply, standing up for Nie Li.
Though Nie Li was a bit annoying, she couldn't deny he had true talent.
It was just that Nie Li kept a low profile, so many people were unaware of his abilities!
Nie Li's gaze turned sharp as he glanced at Chu Yuan, wearing a cold smile.
He didn't mind Chu Yuan, hence he didn't bother to address him, but it didn't mean he would tolerate a clown jumping around in front of him for long.
"Chu Yuan, your talent isn't that impressive either. You're three years older than Nie Li, yet you're still only at Bronze three-star. You have the nerve to judge others?" Hu Yanruolan giggled.
Many of the peers from noble families were already advancing to Silver, but Chu Yuan was still stuck at Bronze three-star stage.
Hearing Hu Yanruolan's words, Chu Yuan looked visibly embarrassed.
Among his peers, his talent wasn't the worst, but he was indeed the least hardworking, often indulging in worldly pleasures and neglecting his cultivation, leaving him at a mere Bronze three-star.
"So what? I'm at least a yellow soul realm. As long as I put in a bit of effort, breaking through to Silver won't be hard. But him, I bet he won't even reach Bronze one-star his entire life!" Chu Yuan ruthlessly mocked Nie Li.
Since Nie Li hadn't spoken up, he must be scared—guys like him could only deceive others with a handsome face and fancy words.
There was no substance to him!
A red soul realm is just useless trash!
Nie Li's sharp gaze fell on Chu Yuan, and with a cold smile, he said, "I challenge you right now. If you lose, you'll crawl on the ground like a dog for three laps. How about it?"
Hearing Nie Li's words, Ye Ziyun immediately tugged at him nervously.
What was Nie Li doing, challenging Chu Yuan? Nie Li's current cultivation hadn't even reached Bronze one-star, while Chu Yuan was already at Bronze three-star! Such a difference was like a vast chasm, impossible to bridge.
Seeing Ye Ziyun's worried expression, Nie Li felt a warmth in his heart.
Ye Ziyun truly cared about him.
On the other hand, Hu Yilianruo, after a brief surprise, gave Nie Li a meaningful glance.
Nie Li didn't seem like the type to act recklessly.
Chu Yuan was stunned for a moment before bursting into wild laughter.
"Did I hear that right? You're challenging me? Haha, that's the funniest joke I've ever heard. A Bronze one-star challenging me? Know your place!"
"Nie Li, don't be impulsive," Ye Ziyun thought Nie Li's challenge was a rash decision made out of anger.
"Even without using my soul force, just with my physical strength, I can beat you into the ground!" Chu Yuan laughed arrogantly.
With just his physical might, he already had Bronze one-star strength.
"Kid, if you're scared, you can take it back right now!"
Nie Li flexed his fingers, the joints cracking loudly.
He looked coldly at Chu Yuan.
"If people like you are constantly jumping around in front of me, I'd be too busy! Since you lack vision, I'll have to teach you a lesson. Some people you simply can't afford to offend!" As he spoke, Nie Li's gaze swept over Shen Yue and others.
Chu Yuan's face turned dark as he glared menacingly at Nie Li.
"You're asking for this!"
Chen Linjian was also stirred.
Even though Nie Li was knowledgeable, his cultivation hadn't reached Bronze one-star.
How could he defeat Chu Yuan? As Chu Yuan had said, even without using his soul force, he could easily crush Nie Li!
However, Nie Li didn't seem like a reckless person, which stirred Chen Linjian's curiosity.
He signaled others to step back and give space for the two.
"Don't worry, as your man, if I can't handle this little scene, I might as well bash my head and die!" Seeing Ye Ziyun's anxious expression, Nie Li whispered with a smile.
"You..."
Ye Ziyun's cheeks flushed with anger.
Nie Li was simply too irritating.
Her concern was merely that of a friend, yet his slick tongue made her secretly annoyed.
Perhaps letting Chu Yuan teach him a lesson wasn't such a bad idea.
Seeing Ye Ziyun's embarrassed look, Hu Yilianruo gave Nie Li a playful glance.
Nie Li was clearly not clueless about winning girls' favor.
But from the start, he had been indifferent towards her.
Surely, he couldn't think she wasn't attractive enough! Hu Yilianruo felt that with her charms, captivating a young boy like Nie Li should be a piece of cake.
Her interest in Nie Li only grew.
The crowd stepped back, leaving two open spaces for Nie Li and Chu Yuan.
Shen Yue, watching the scene unfold, had icy gleams in his eyes.
If Nie Li dared to challenge Chu Yuan, it was as good as seeking his own destruction.
He had chatted with Chu Yuan a few times; if given a chance, Chu Yuan would definitely go all out against Nie Li! However, Nie Li's confident demeanor made Shen Yue faintly uneasy.
Could Chu Yuan lose? Impossible, Chu Yuan's soul force was at Bronze three-star!
Even though Nie Li's soul force was only 88 and his power around 50, he had a deep understanding of soul force and strength.
Nie Li's Soul Realm started to activate, reinforcing his body.
His muscles slowly swelled and quivered.
Although his musculature wasn't strikingly pronounced, it was packed with explosive strength.
"I'll let you have three moves, lest you say I'm bullying you!" Chu Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, looking down on Nie Li with a hint of contempt.
"Alright!" Nie Li suddenly bolted towards Chu Yuan, launching an elbow strike at Chu Yuan's abdomen.
"This child's play of yours, you think it's a real fight?" Chu Yuan mocked, laughing.
As Nie Li's elbow approached, he stepped back, keeping a comfortable distance.
To Chu Yuan, Nie Li's elbow strike wasn't even close, yet Nie Li formed a cold smile on his lips.
Chu Yuan was overconfident! Nie Li suddenly shifted his stance, transforming the elbow to a punch, which slammed into Chu Yuan's abdomen with a thud.
Despite Chu Yuan's noble background, his steps were unsteady, lacking real combat experience.
His strength had reached Bronze one-star likely due to consuming numerous pills.
With simple combat tricks, Chu Yuan was caught off guard.
People of this level are easy to toy with!
So many backup plans I prepared ended up unnecessary!
When the punch landed on Chu Yuan's abdomen, Nie Li’s arm muscles bunched and tightened, signaling the terrifying force behind the punch.
The smug expression on Chu Yuan's face froze instantly.
Clutching his stomach, he curled like a shrimp, falling to the ground with a thud, his body convulsing and retching as if his stomach would spill out.
Seeing this, the bystanders gaped in shock.
Chu Yuan, a Bronze three-star demon spirit master, even in terms of physical strength alone, possessed a Bronze one-star level.
Yet, he was floored by a single punch from Nie Li?
Was Chu Yuan's underestimation to blame for Nie Li's surprise attack?
"No way, even in terms of physical strength, Nie Li's punch shouldn't have harmed Chu Yuan. The difference is too vast. But what's going on? How did Chu Yuan end up floored with that punch?"
At this moment, everyone realized that Nie Li had likely hidden his true strength; Nie Li's physical abilities were at least on a Bronze one-star level!
What they didn't know was that Nie Li hadn't reached the Bronze one-star stage, but his control over power was beyond ordinary understanding.
When he delivered the punch, all his power concentrated in his fist, targeting the most vulnerable spot on Chu Yuan's waist, sparing him from permanent damage was already merciful.
In power handling, Nie Li was a master.
Even against foes of Bronze five-star or even Silver level, a targeted punch like that could send them sprawling!
Those who only knew brute force were no different from cavemen in Nie Li's eyes.
Ye Ziyun's clear eyes were filled with shock.
Nie Li floored Chu Yuan with one punch, stirring waves in the girl's heart that were beyond measure.
Nie Li wasn't even at Bronze one-star; how had he done it? Ye Ziyun realized she had underestimated Nie Li's abilities all along.
Hu Yilianruo, finding Nie Li increasingly intriguing, gazed at him with keen interest.
"Interesting," Chen Linjian remarked, observing Nie Li with genuine curiosity.
On the ground, Chu Yuan writhed for a long time without being able to rise.
As a noble young lord, he'd never been beaten this badly; he had thought his strength elevated him above Nie Li, warranting disdain.
He even said he'd give Nie Li three moves, never expecting to be down on the ground after just one.
His stomach churned with turmoil, a pain beyond imagine.
Were it not for his endurance, he might have fainted by now.
"There's still two moves left after this one," Nie Li said evenly, looking innocently at Chu Yuan.
Hearing Nie Li, Chu Yuan, strong-arming through pain to stand, felt a wave of dizziness and darkness threaten to overtake him.
To want two more after such a battering—did Nie Li have no compassion at all?