“Did you think it through carefully? Our families are still in the hands of the Nether Master,” said Nie Li as he rolled his eyes at Lu Piao.

“Alright, then. Honestly, I was just joking.” Lu Piao said dejectedly. Xiao Yu seems to be perpetually plagued with things to worry about. Picking up girls was fine, but why pick up a girl who was already taken? Not to mention that this love rival seems to have quite a background.

Nie Li looked at Yan Hao as he shrugged, “No matter how you try to convince us, you still can’t touch us inside the Skysoul Institute. Save your pitiful tricks!”

“Unable to touch you?” Yan Hao coldly laughed and continued, “Then you’re underestimating me too much!”

Huang Ying angrily glared at Yan Hao as she reprimanded, “Yan Hao, if you dare do anything to big brother Xiao Yu’s friends, I definitely won’t forgive you!”

Yan Hao coldly eyed Huang Ying. ‘Damn bitch, if your father wasn’t an elder, who’d be bothered about you? For looks like yours, I can have as many as I want!’ However, Yan Hao didn’t dare say such words aloud.

“Is that Xiao Yu kid such a coward that he’s hiding and sends the two of you to stand guard here?” Yan Hao coldly chuckled.

“Who says that I’m hiding?” Just as Yan Hao’s words left his mouth, Xiao Yu’s voice came from outside the room. His figure appeared and he looked very elegant in his white clothes. His cheeks were fair and a heroic aura emitted from the center of his brows. His gaze was sharp and piercing. In an instant, he made Yan Hao seem inferior.

Although Yan Hao could be considered handsome, compared to Xiao Yu, he was far more inferior. Indeed, it was impossible to compare the two. Just trying to size up could make him die from excess anger.

At the sight of Xiao Yu, Huang Ying’s face turned slightly red as she looked at him with a star-filled gaze and shyly said, “Big brother Xiao Yu, you’re back!”

“Yeah,” Xiao Yu calmly replied to Huang Ying. He didn’t seem to care that much about Huang Ying as he walked towards Nie Li and Lu Piao.

“After so many years, you still haven’t made any progress and still stuck in the Earth Fate Realm. How laughable,” Yan Hao sneered.

Xiao Yu swept his gaze over Yan Hao and Huang Ying. “This is private property. Could you please leave?”

Yan Hao eyed Huang Ying, who stood next to him, as he said, “Ying’er, don’t you get it? Even Xiao Yu doesn’t welcome you here!”

Huang Ying’s eyes were fixed on Xiao Yu’s face, unmoving. She appeared to be infatuated with him. She loved the way Xiao Yu was, despite the fact that he was a little cold. It carried a unique charm.

Yan Hao was extremely furious. He couldn’t figure out in what way he was incomparable to Xiao Yu, aside from the fact that Xiao Yu’s looks were slightly better. Are all women infatuated with pretty boys?

Suddenly, two girls walked in. One wore a white dress and had a graceful figure. The other one had a tall and curvy figure.

“Big brother Xiao Yu, you’re back...” When the girl in white looked at Xiao Yu, a faint pink swept across her face.

The girl with the tall figure gave Xiao Yu a flirty and coquettish glance.

The girl in white pursed her lips as she smiled. “Big brother Xiao Yu, I’ve gotten some herbs. They have strong effects that could greatly enhance one’s cultivation!”

At the appearance of the two girls, Huang Ying’s face turned black. These girls, why are they everywhere?!

As for Yan Hao, he nearly exploded from all the pent-up anger. This pretty boy Xiao Yu is just too popular. The two girls who’d just come in and Huang Ying all have backgrounds behind them. Therefore, he could only swallow back his anger.

Xiao Yu appeared to have a headache.

At the sight of this, Nie Li patted Lu Piao’s shoulder and laughed, “Lu Piao, let’s return to our room. This is none of our business.”

Lu Piao gave a glance with full of meaning at the scene and looked at Xiao Yu one more time. He couldn’t help sighing in his heart. Xiao Yu really was good looking. However, he never expected him to be so popular with the ladies. Yan Hao, who stood to the side, nearly exploded from all the anger that he had nowhere to vent. Therefore, it’d be better if they didn’t intrude on this lively situation.

When he saw that Nie Li and Lu Piao were leaving, Xiao Yu immediately said, “Wait!”

“What is it?” Nie Li asked as he looked at Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu felt gloomy in his heart as Nie Li and Lu Piao wasn’t loyal and wanted to escape from the situation.

“I’ve already completed your registrations. You guys can go and pay respects to your teachers tomorrow! These are your identity plates!” Xiao Yu passed two silver plates to Nie Li.

“Alright.” Nie Li took the plates from Xiao Yu, waved, and said, “Thanks!”

The two of them then turned around and went back to their room.

Xiao Yu was left alone to face the three girls and one furious guy. He was in a pit of despair. He’d just returned home and trouble was already here.

Just as Nie Li returned to his room and was preparing to begin his cultivation, Jindan woke up from its slumber. When it saw the spiritual stone on the table, it flapped its wings nonstop as it tried to jump up. But no matter how hard it tried, it was simply too fat!

Looking at Jindan’s yearning expression, Nie Li asked as he pointed to the spiritual stone left over on the table, “You want to eat this?”

Jindan immediately nodded it’s head with excitement written all over its face.

The Heavenly Energy in the spiritual stone had already been fully absorbed by Nie Li. There wasn’t any use for it now, as it should’ve been no different from an ordinary stone. Nie Li took the leftover spiritual stone and tossed it at Jindan. Jindan caught the stone in its mouth and began to crunch on it with an absolutely horrifying sound.

Although the Heavenly Energy inside the spiritual stone had already been absorbed dry, the stone itself was extremely tough and solid, just like an artifact, extremely hard to cut. To Jindan, however, it was like eating stir-fried beans, as the creature crunched and swallowed it down.

After it finished eating, Jindan looked at Nie Li again.

“I don’t have anymore with me!” Nie Li said as he spread his hands out. Jindan, this little guy, actually eats even stones......

In Draconic Ruins Realm, things like the spiritual stones were extremely important; therefore, he had to find some method of getting more of them. Otherwise, there would never be enough to use. However, for the time being, Nie Li still didn’t have a better idea. Although he had some treasures on him, there was no way for him to use them.

The day gradually darkened and the moonlight streamed into Nie Li’s room, laying a silvery veil over the scene.

*Thud!* *Thud!* *Thud!*

Heavy knocks came from the door.

Nie Li gave the door a glance. “Come in!”

Xiao Yu walked in wearing a white slender robe. Under the reflection of the moonlight, he looked like a floating deity. Nie Li couldn’t help staring at him. No wonder those three girls were crazy over him; Xiao Yu looked so beautiful that even women would be jealous of him!

“What can I do for you?” Nie Li asked as he looked at Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu sat on a nearby seat as he apologised, “Sorry about that, to have troubled you guys!”

“It really wasn’t much trouble.” Nie Li smiled.

All of a sudden, Xiao Yu could no longer hold back his question and asked, “Since the Spiritual Root test, I’ve been wanting to ask you a question. Do you know how to get my cultivation to break through?”

“Of course.” Nodded Nie Li.

Xiao Yu’s eyes lit up as he looked at Nie Li, full of hope. “You really know of a way?”

Nie Li looked at Xiao Yu and said, “You’re cultivating the [Myriad Dragonroars] cultivation technique, right?”

“That’s right. You can tell?” Xiao Yu said as his body trembled. This [Myriad Dragonroars] cultivation technique was given to him by his foster father, and was an extremely mysterious cultivation technique. He never imagined that Nie Li would actually know of it.

“The [Myriad Dragonroars] cultivation technique that you’re using isn’t complete. That’s why you’re hitting a barrier when you try to break from the Earth Fate Realm to Heavenly Fate Realm,” said Nie Li.

“Then the Amethyst Bamboo that you were talking about earlier on...”

Nie Li laughed. “Obviously just something to bluff that Hua Ling.”

Xiao Yu also couldn’t help laughing too. Nie Li was simply too wicked, tricking Hua Ling like that. That Hua Ling would probably be feeling unease when he get back.

When Xiao Yu smiled, he appeared to be very reserved. His smooth and round lips had an unspeakable taste to them. Nie Li was stunned as he stared at him. If this kid, Xiao Yu, was a girl, he’d probably charm countless men.

Sensing something, Xiao Yu’s ears turned slightly red as he awkwardly said, “Then, I won’t be able to make a breakthrough at all?”

“A breakthrough isn’t impossible, there’s a method that could help you achieve it. However, I have to conduct an acupuncture on you to link your Jian Jing and Feng Men acupuncture points. That way, you’ll be able to make your breakthrough,” said Nie Li. Part of the benefits of this acupuncture method was to help one guide their Soul Force or Heavenly Energy to heal internal injuries.

Xiao Yu appeared to be a little hesitant. “Does it really work?”

“Of course. My acupuncture skills are absolutely accurate. With a few needles, I can guarantee a breakthrough to the Heavenly Fate Realm,” Nie Li said with confidence. Although, of course, the fact that Xiao Yu was already on the verge of breaking through was the biggest factor. Nie Li was just giving Xiao Yu a hand.

Xiao Yu struggled for a long while within his heart. Finally he nodded. “Alright, then. Let’s try this acupuncture!”

Even until now, despite the fact that he’d already exhausted all other methods, he was still unable to reach the Heavenly Fate Realm. Naturally, he wouldn’t pass up such an opportunity.

Xiao Yu slowly slipped off his shirt until it hung from his elbows [1. For those of you who’re having a hard time imagining it, traditional Chinese-style clothes are bathrobe-like jackets and tied with a sash. Xiao Yu only slipped the “jacket” off his shoulders, but hasn’t taken his arms out of the sleeves.] His shoulders were revealed halfway, like an embarrassed girl. He looked extremely awkward.

“You can just take off your shirt. We’re both guys. What’s there to be embarrassed about?” Nie Li couldn’t help saying after seeing how sissy Xiao Yu was.

“There’s no need,” Xiao Yu said as his entire face flushed red.

Nie Li shrugged. Since Xiao Yu was so unwilling, then he’ll just let it be. Nie Li lowered his head to examine Xiao Yu’s shoulders. Both of his shoulders were smooth and round with soft skin. His collarbone was exquisite like a jade sculpture, beautiful to the point that even a woman was incomparable.

Nie Li had a weird expression as he examined Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu’s skin was a little too well-maintained, even smoother than a girl’s. Nie Li couldn’t help wanting to touch him, but when he reminded himself that Xiao Yu was a guy, he immediately banished the thought.

He took a fine needle and placed it in Xiao Yu’s Jian Jing [2. Literally “shoulder well”. The shallow dip between the shoulder and the neck.] acupuncture point.

Xiao Yu groaned. He didn’t know why, but when Nie Li’s needle pierced his skin, an intolerable itch ran through his entire body and a soury-numb feeling coursed through his meridians. However, his heart trembled as he felt the aura in his Soul Realm becoming agitated, totally different from when he was cultivating.

It’s effective!

Xiao Yu’s heart was extremely excited.

After Nie Li placed the first needle, he followed up with a second one at Xiao Yu’s Feng Men [3. Literally “wind door”. These are two matching points on either side of the spine, between the shoulder blades.] acupuncture point.

The jade white skin near his Feng Men acupuncture point instantly turned a pale red.

“How’re you feeling?” Nie Li asked as he looked at Xiao Yu.

“I can feel it,” Xiao Yu said excitedly. The Heavenly Energy in his Soul Realm surged rapidly as it coursed in his meridians and through his entire body.