Saint Orchid Academy.
An elderly man with white hair looked at the enchanting figure of Xiao Ning'er before him.
This elder was Ye Sheng, the Vice President of Saint Orchid Academy.
"Xiao Ning'er, are you sure you want to enter the Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm?" Ye Sheng furrowed his brow slightly.
"Do you realize that entering the Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm carries certain risks? Throughout the history of our academy, several students who entered the realm faced significant issues with their souls."
"Vice President, do I have the qualifications to enter the Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm?" Xiao Ning'er looked up at Ye Sheng with a hint of determination in her eyes.
"Of course, your talent is indeed sufficient. Entering the Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm before advancing to Silver rank will have immense benefits!" Ye Sheng nodded.
It had been many years since he had seen a student with such outstanding talent.
"I am certain I want to enter the Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm!" Xiao Ning'er nodded heavily, her eyes filled with an unprecedented resolve.
"What about your father? Does he agree with your decision?"
"Yes!" Xiao Ning'er nodded, though in truth, she had come without informing her family.
"Very well, in that case, I will support you!" Ye Sheng nodded and, along with several instructors beside him, led Xiao Ning'er toward a grand building at the back of Saint Orchid Academy.
The instructors exchanged glances, secretly admiring Xiao Ning'er’s courage.
It took great guts to venture into the Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm, a mysterious place accessible only to the most talented disciples of Saint Orchid Academy.
Many talented individuals who entered had faced serious issues with their soul force, and some returned with nothing to show for their effort.
Only a few had successfully passed through the realm, but those who did gained incredibly powerful inheritances, becoming super strong figures, at least Black Gold demon spirit masters.
Ye Mo even reached the heights of a legendary demon spirit master.
The Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm was legendary.
Once a person passed its trials, they would become a renowned genius in all of Glory City, a genius protected by the City Lord's Mansion.
The mansion would ensure the safety of such a genius, allowing them to cultivate without disturbance and granting many privileges.
The reason Glory City stood firm against the threat of demon beasts was closely tied to the emergence of many geniuses.
It was these talents that ensured the safety of the city, which is why the protection offered to geniuses was so comprehensive and meticulous.
Following Ye Sheng and the other instructors, Xiao Ning'er walked toward the magnificent building in the distance.
She lowered her head, her thoughts drifting, wondering how Nie Li was doing.
"I will keep chasing your footsteps and stand shoulder to shoulder with you in battle. One day, you will notice me!" Xiao Ning'er silently thought, a blush creeping onto her face as she recalled the moments she shared with Nie Li.
Unbeknownst to her, his image had become indelible in her heart.
The reason Xiao Ning'er worked so hard was partly to gain Nie Li's attention.
Lifting her head, she strode forward with determination.
Days later, in the North Battle Arena of Glory City.
The North Battle Arena covered a vast area of several thousand meters, surrounded by high stands that could accommodate tens of thousands of spectators.
Here, various competitions were held often.
Due to the martial atmosphere in Glory City, many residents came to watch the fights, and many would participate in wagers on the battles.
At this moment, members of various families had already taken their seats throughout the arena.
The Heavenly Mark Family sat in one corner of the north, not far from the Divine Sacred Family.
In the past, no one would have paid any attention to such a declining family as the Heavenly Mark Family.
But now, not a single family could overlook them.
Adding to the envy and jealousy, Yang Xin from the Alchemists' Guild had also come, along with three elders from the guild, all of whom sat beside the members of the Heavenly Mark Family, chatting and laughing, igniting jealousy and resentment in their hearts.
Someone as significant as Yang Xin and the guild elders would usually not pay any attention to the likes of them.
Yet, here they were, treating the Heavenly Mark Family with unexpected courtesy.
"Nephew Nie Li, what kind of pot do you have? You almost got Sister Yang killed! How are you going to make it up to her?" Yang Xin teased, casting a flirtatious glance at Nie Li.
In reality, the situation had not been severe at all; the would-be assassins were easily dealt with by her guards, leaving her with no real danger.
However, she exaggerated the situation in front of Nie Li.
Nie Li understood Yang Xin's intentions, yet he smiled and replied, "This matter, I owe Sister Yang a favor."
"That’s good to know!" Yang Xin responded with a bright smile, stretching her graceful waist slightly.
"When is this genius battle going to start? I'm getting a bit bored. Are you going to compete, Nephew Nie Li? If so, I certainly have to place some bets!"
Nearby, the young men from other families gazed wide-eyed at the alluring Yang Xin, swallowing hard as they couldn’t take their eyes off her.
Some even found themselves lost in thought.
Though Yang Xin was stunningly beautiful, due to her status, not a single bold soul dared to approach her.
After all, she could very well influence the fate of an entire family with just one word.
Who would be foolish enough to provoke her?
Yang Xin, seemingly accustomed to those heated gazes, ignored them and instead focused her attention on Nie Li.
Just as Nie Li was chatting with Yang Xin, a few individuals from the Divine Sacred Family approached, led by Shen Ming, the family’s deacon.
"Manager Yang, long time no see! I didn't expect you to be interested in the battles of various families," Shen Ming said with a smile, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes.
It was unexpected that the Heavenly Mark Family was capable of drawing the Alchemists' Guild’s manager and three elders.
Although the Divine Sacred Family was one of the Three Peaks Families, they held great apprehension toward the vast power of the Alchemists' Guild.
Not to mention, the Divine Sacred Family needed to purchase a significant amount of medicinal pills from the guild each year, and if the guild were to reduce their supply, the Divine Sacred Family would struggle.
"I'm not too interested in this genius battle; I just came to watch my Nephew Nie Li," Yang Xin smiled.
"I might place a few bets too. I heard this year, the Divine Sacred Family is in charge?"
"Indeed, it's our turn this year," Shen Ming replied, his expression stiffening slightly.
Who didn’t know that the Alchemists' Guild was incredibly wealthy? Even the Divine Sacred Family couldn't easily afford to play around.
"I'm just playing casually, only putting stakes on my Nephew Nie Li. There's no need for you to be concerned, Deacon Shen, haha!" Yang Xin replied lightly.
Nie Li turned to look at Shen Ming, his gaze landing on Shen Fei standing beside him.
He noticed the venomous glare in Shen Fei's eyes trained on him.
Shen Fei was filled with a burning hatred for Nie Li.
If it weren’t for the backing of Yang Xin, he would have charged over to give Nie Li a beating.
"Haha, Young Master Shen, long time no see!" Nie Li cheerfully said, ignoring Shen Fei’s resentful stare as if completely unaware of their past grievances.
(End of Chapter)