Nie Li's eyebrow twitched. His gaze unconsciously shifted toward Ye Ziyun and his friends. As expected, all of them were giving him strange looks.
This made Nie Li feel annoyed. 'I only wanted to talk to him about a certain thing. Why does that damn sissy have to make everything weird?' With his eyebrows twitching, Nie Li definitely didn't see the need for Xue Hui to set up a nice-looking table, two chairs, tea, and sweets in the middle of a field.
He wanted to yell in frustration and just turn his back and forget about the talk, but he held himself back. He was far too curious about Xue Hui to miss this chance.
"Here, Nie Li, sit over here. I made this cake for this occasion. Come have a bite with me," Xue Hui said invitingly, looking very charming as he tapped the empty chair beside him.
'Fat chance! I'm not a sissy!' Nie Li yelled in his mind. He could feel bile rising to his throat.
A noticeable vein bulged on Nie Li's forehead. He was one hundred percent sure that Xue Hui was fucking with him.
The entire setup didn't look like two men who were about to discuss anything important. It looked more like a romantic date than anything else.
And judging by the suggestive gazes and suppressed snickers people were directing at them, they were thinking the exact same thing he was.
Nie Li's entire body shook in frustration, something Xue Hui noticed.
"You want to talk? Then let's talk. I've been running around since yesterday, taking care of things, so don't blame me if I want to rest my feet," Xue Hui said matter-of-factly as he poured himself and Nie Li a cup of tea. Steam billowed from the cups as a cold breeze swept through the field. "Here, have something to drink."
Nie Li's eyes narrowed as he watched the amber-tinted liquid fill both cups. Steam curled upward from them as a fragrant aroma tickled his nose.
Xue Hui pushed one of the cups in his direction as he sat comfortably in his chair, waiting for Nie Li to join him.
Nie Li let out a sigh, having given up. He walked over to grab the empty chair, placing it a short distance away from Xue Hui.
As soon as he did, an awkward silence settled between them. His thumb traced the rim of the cup as a thoughtful expression dawned on him.
As the one who had initiated the conversation, Nie Li should have been the one to begin, but he somehow felt lost now that the two of them were actually about to have this talk.
Xue Hui saw this and sighed, putting his empty cup down. Because of the silence, the teacup hitting the saucer made a loud, crisp sound, causing Nie Li to snap out of his thoughts.
"Tell me, Nie Li, what does it feel like to be inside the space of a Temporal Demon Spirit Book?"
Nie Li's entire body stiffened, his gaze shooting upward to meet Xue Hui's. Chills ran down his spine as he felt Xue Hui's piercing gaze, as though it could see straight through him.
While Nie Li was already aware of the fact that Xue Hui was someone similar to him in some ways, someone who possessed profound knowledge about the worlds around them, he was still completely caught off guard by the fact that Xue Hui knew things about him on such a personal level.
"Why do you look so taken aback? I figured it out the moment you returned to your younger body. You didn't really make an effort to hide it in the first place. How else was I supposed to explain the fact that you went from a very normal brat who was fooling around in class to someone reciting the Mantra of Emperor Kongming? From that alone, I could conclude that there were only a few possibilities for you to have that kind of knowledge at your current age, and there aren't really that many Time and Space treasures out there that could make it possible."
Xue Hui said, stifling a laugh that threatened to escape his lips as he saw Nie Li's utterly dumbfounded reaction.
"Maybe next time you argue with anyone, try not to sound older than your current appearance," he added.
"Fuck!" Nie Li cursed under his breath as he drank his tea to wet his lips. Frustration washed over him. Being called out for his carelessness certainly didn't feel good at all.
"If you knew, then you knew. That doesn't change a goddamned thing. I don't know about you, Xue Hui, but I'm preparing to face the Sage Emperor in the future. As long as the Sage Emperor exists, Glory City will never be truly safe."
Nie Li's expression darkened, his tone turning serious. It was clear that he didn't want to joke around with Xue Hui.
This made Xue Hui raise an eyebrow as he stopped mid-sip and placed his cup down. He then lifted his head to gaze at the night sky.
"You really did meet the Sage Emperor, huh? I've heard a lot about him from someone I know, but I've never seen him in person."
Nie Li's expression morphed from cold to confused, finding Xue Hui's words a little odd.
"How come? I had the impression that you were just like me, someone who escaped the demon beast horde's attack, traversed the outside world, became a powerful expert, and died at the hands of a supreme being like the Sage Emperor. How come you never encountered that person?"
His words made Xue Hui blink repeatedly, a thoughtful expression washing over him.
"So that's how it went for you in your previous life, huh?" Xue Hui said, as if finally understanding Nie Li's past.
Nie Li threw his arm into the air in exasperation as he realized he had just blurted out the details of his past life to Xue Hui just like that.
Xue Hui saw this and chuckled, making Nie Li feel even more like a fool.
"Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to laugh at you. I just find both of our experiences quite fascinating, that's all."
Xue Hui's laughter gradually faded, a bitter smile appearing on his face.
"Okay, maybe I'm a little upset and jealous that my experience before returning is lackluster compared to yours."
As he said that, Xue Hui turned his gaze toward the top of the wall, where Chen Linlin was standing. A nostalgic look appeared on his face as he looked at her.
From where he sat, he could see Chen Linlin and Xiao Ning'er waving their hands at him as they noticed he was looking at them.
Xue Hui waved back before turning his attention back to Nie Li.
Nie Li's brow rose. He leaned forward, looking very intrigued. "What do you mean by that? Are you saying that you didn't make it to the Draconic Ruins Realm?" Nie Li asked curiously.
Xue Hui snorted in a self-deprecating manner. "Forget about the Draconic Ruins Realm. I didn't even make it through the gates of the Divine family mansion before the demon beasts ripped me apart."
His words were like a bomb exploding in Nie Li's mind, making his eyes widen and his jaw drop as he stared at Xue Hui in stunned disbelief.
Xue Hui's answer left him more at a loss than ever before.
One should remember that the only reason Nie Li was able to return to his younger self was with the help of the Temporal Demon Spirit Book, something he had accidentally stumbled upon during his time traversing the outside world.
You could say that if Nie Li had never left Glory City, he wouldn't have been able to enter the space within the Temporal Demon Spirit Book, learn various cultivation techniques, inscription patterns, and alchemy. He wouldn't have been able to step into the Draconic Ruins Realm, become a supreme expert, and, more importantly, be sent back to his younger past.
Everything started when he left Glory City. So, hearing that Xue Hui didn't even have the chance to step outside the city in his previous life, yet still became someone whom even Nie Li considered a formidable expert, was utterly baffling to him.
"H-how!?" For the first time ever, Nie Li was utterly dumbfounded.
"With the help of this." Xue Hui didn't try to hide it. As he moved his hand and adjusted the sleeve of his robe, he allowed Nie Li to see the scroll-shaped birthmark on his chest. "This is actually a unique inheritance, limited to my lineage."
Nie Li's eyes remained fixed on the scroll-shaped birthmark. It certainly had a unique shape, but no matter how intensely he examined it, he couldn't sense anything special about it.
"This birthmark has the ability to archive the life experiences of those who carry this mark. Upon their death, their souls are sent to a mysterious realm, where they are asked to record everything they have learned throughout their lives. From the most basic knowledge to the most powerful techniques, everything is recorded and preserved within that mysterious space until a chosen someone is sent there to learn all that knowledge."
Nie Li was speechless, looking utterly stunned as his mind struggled to comprehend everything Xue Hui had revealed to him.
The meaning behind Xue Hui's words was profound and overwhelming. If Xue Hui was the one chosen to inherit all that accumulated knowledge, then no one could know the true extent of Xue Hui's knowledge.
Nie Li only had the Temporal Demon Spirit Book to learn from, and he had already achieved what many would consider impossible. Now, imagining a person who possessed hundreds of such books, Nie Li couldn't even comprehend what that would mean for a person.
"Screech!"
As the two of them talked, the ear-piercing screech of the Metallic Bird caught everyone's attention. Their hearts pounded as the meaning of those cries was clear to anyone.
"THE DEMON BEAST HORDES ARE APPROACHING! EVERYONE OUTSIDE THE WALLS, RETURN IMMEDIATELY!" Ye Zong's loud call prompted all the fighters to run back toward the city wall. Dust billowed under their feet as they hurried inside.
Xue Hui stood up from his chair, his playful expression gone, replaced by a sharp look.
"It seems our talk is concluded for now. Nie Li, go, return to the wall. I'll leave everyone in your care." As Xue Hui said those words, his body ascended into the air.
"Be careful out there, Xue Hui!" Nie Li said in a concerned manner.
Unlike him and the rest of the experts, Xue Hui would have to fly toward the demon beast horde and intercept the Silao Grande in order to face the gigantic demon beast by himself.
Xue Hui needed to keep the gigantic beast at a safe distance away from the city, both to ensure that Glory City and its people remained outside the Silao Grande's attack range while keeping it in the vicinity of St. Ancestral Mountain to make sure the Essence Blood Tempering Array could reach it and properly refine its essence blood.
Xue Hui nodded before a blinding light burst forth, making Nie Li shield his eyes. When he looked again, Xue Hui was holding his white halberd, with the twelve Origin Spheres floating around him, acting like tame beasts waiting for his command. His hair and robe fluttered in the wind, giving him an imposing and majestic air.
Xue Hui then turned toward the wall, where Chen Linlin, Xiao Ning'er, Chen Zhenlong, and everyone important to him were looking at him with eyes filled with worry and uncertainty.
Seeing this, Xue Hui raised his halberd into the air, attracting everyone's attention.
He drew in a deep breath before bellowing at the top of his lungs, addressing everyone.
"EXPERTS OF GLORY CITY! OUR ENEMIES HAVE MADE THEIR INTENTIONS CLEAR. THEY SEND THEIR ARMY, DEMANDING BLOOD! SO, I'M ASKING YOU, MY FELLOW PROTECTORS OF GLORY CITY, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO GIVE THEM?"
His voice echoed everywhere, making everyone on the wall raise their weapons and roar as they answered him.
"THEIR OWN BLOOD!"
The combined shout of everyone was enough to shake the city wall as the air seemed to tremble with their battle cry. Seeing this, a toothy grin stretched across Xue Hui's lips.
"Yeah, that's right. Paint the land with their blood."
With the morale of everyone bolstered, Xue Hui then turned his back to the city wall. The air around him contracted before exploding as he shot toward the approaching demon beast horde at blinding speed, leaving a streak of light in his wake.
End of Chapter 121
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