CHAPTER 12: SACRED FAMILY TROUBLES

The new semester came. There was a handful of people in the freshman genius class. Some are from the previous testing. These were the students that has to repeat the semester. It seems they never attended classes. And have to attend now or get kicked out. If the person get kicked out, high position in the government is no longer available to them. So their parents are forcing them now. Most are spoiled nobles.

When Kwangsoo entered the class, he saw Nie Li and his group the front corner side of the classroom. Ning'er was on his right and it looked like he is saving a seat on his left side for someone. He was sure it's for Ziyun.

He didn't care. But he got the gazes of everyone. He was the strongest in class from the exams. Everyone was cautious with him. Nie Li was glaring at him. To him he is an unknown and potential danger. Since he couldn't remember his name anywhere in the past. He also warned his group of friends leaving Kwangsoo isolated.

"So Nie Li is nothing more than a bully also. He's no better than the sacred family or that sage emperor. Well, whatever... For being like that to me... hehehe. Gloves are coming off then. F*ck the plot. I'm taking everything then." (Kwangsoo)

He made his way all the way to the opposite back corner of class... Later Shen Yue came, he got a smirk from Nie Li and his gang. But Shen Yue remembered that their cultivations are much higher than his plus is still humiliated and also have his engagement cancelled. He hated Nie Li with all his might.

Kwangsoo felt a little sorry for what he did to the kid, but too late to back off now. He now see how humans of this world to what they truly are. Now that Nie Li and his gang became strong, they started to flaunt their strength around and bully the bullies that once torment them. To him, they are no different from the people they once hated. Even when they know that the other party got punishment much worst than death.

Nie Li keep making remarks and jokes about Shen Yue that made everyone laugh out loid except for Ning'er and Kwangsoo.

"Nie Li! I will never forget this humiliation! The sacred family will harbor this grudge until your death!" Shen Yue shouted out loud and stormed out the classroom.

"Hah! Who is afraid of your family! Sacred family is nothing more than a bunch of bastards that needed to be weeded out!" (Nie Li)

"Don't you think you did too much! I understand that he and his brother were scum before, but to what happened to them.... I kinda feel sorry for them." (Ning'er)

"Don't waste your breath on him Ning'er! Since he became strong, him and his gang became like the people they once hate. That includes all of you here. Laughing at someone's misfortune while saying this was karma. Aren't you afraid that karma will bite on to you as well... Pathetic humph." (Kwangsoo)

Some wanted to retort but remembered that he is the strongest one here. Ning'er have her head down in shame. Nie Li on the other hand said something.

"And what do you know? Most of our family got suppressed by the sacred family because we were born low nobles and commoners. You grew up as a noble. Being spoiled by the family and never even seen our hardship." (Nie Li)

"I don't care what you think of me. Commoners or nobles. Everyone has the right to be treated as humans. I grew up without parents and have my childhood taken from me. I have to grow up quickly and mentally. Surviving was my only mentality in the past and it still is. You let your anger cloud your decisions. To me, it could mean life and death.... So tell me Nie Li, how was I spoiled when there is no one to spoil me. My income came from my achievements in alchemy and the patents i receive from my invention. I only became a noble when my uncle found that I have their bloodline recently, I didn't even know I was a noble until a few years ago.... So do you want to know the really what pisses me off. Ever since I known you, you never even tried to befriend me unless it was a deal or something favorable to you. You even sullied my name to your friends that I don't even know. To you, I'm the bad guy like Shen Yue. Even when I tried to befriend you before, you turn your face away from me. Now I don't even want to know you anymore, cause to me. You and your group are no different that the bullies you once hate. There I said my piece." (Kwangsoo)

The class got quiet. The classmates of the previous year look at Nie Li's group with disgust. Ning'er started to think differently towards Nie Li. She feels grateful to him but what Kwangsoo said was right. Her feelings of love for Nie Li disappears. She finally understands that it was nothing more than a childhood crush and a thankful feeling for he have changed her fate.

Nie Li cannot retort on what Kwangsoo said. He was just lost for words. He did feel he didn't give Kwangsoo the benefit of a doubt and alienated him from the group. His friends also felt shame and bowed their heads. They are now doubting Nie Li's words. Nie Li has been warning them to stay away from Kwangsoo all this time without knowing anything. They are grateful to Nie Li in getting them stronger so they decided to follow Nie Li despite what just transpired.

Nie Li feel humiliated and was angry at Kwangsoo for turning all his friends minds and started to doubt him. But also humbled. He just need to control his emotions and be the kind of person that the group will look up to in the end. So he took his pride away and apologized.

"I-I am sorry Kwangsoo. Sorry everyone. I guess I need some time reflecting in my self. I promise to change from now on. But my hatred to the sacred family still remains." (Nie Li)

"Whatever... Like I said, I don't care anymore. You had your chance." (Kwangsoo)

The class became silent after that. Nie Li's group also gave Nie Li their understanding.

"Well, what's done is done... At least now we can reflect on ourselves more. We brothers will always have each other's back. Even if the decisions are the wrong one" (Lu Piao)

"Like I said before, anything you need me for Nie Li. I will always have your back." (Du Ze)

"Thanks guys! Your the best!" (Nie Li)

Ning'er just smiled at them. She just think Nie Li as a friend instead of a love interest.

Then a few moments later Ye Ziyun entered the classroom. Nie Li quickly waved at her.

"Ziyun over hear! I saved you a seat!" (Nie Li)

Ye Ziyun saw Nie Li next to Ning'er. She thinks he is just another Casanova like Shen Fei. She remembered the story of Kwangsoo's sister. She doesn't want to be a wife of a person who has multiple woman.

"Humph!" she shrugged Nie Li aside. She started to look around the classroom. She found Kwangsoo and excitedly screamed.

"Cousin! your here!" (Ye Ziyun)

She ran to the back and sat beside Kwangsoo.

"Huh? Cousin?" (Nie Li)

Everyone else was also stump.

"Cousin? What the hell are you talking about?" (Kwangsoo)

"Hehehe, well father said to treat you like my cousin. It's okay. I feel like you are like my brother Han'er." (Ye Ziyun)

"Well, whatever.. And don't compare me with that siscon brother of yours. And I also have to remind you that I'm already taken." (Kwangsoo)

"Grrr, who wants you anyway. hehehe." (Ye Ziyun)

While this conversation was going on, Nie Li started to feel jealous. His hatred towards Kwangsoo increased.

"Trying to steal my girl now. I'll get you back one day." (Lu Piao)

Then the teacher arrived in class. After making the attendance, the teacher was surprised that Shen Yue wasn't in the class. Then a student summarized at what happened earlier and shake his head.

"This Nie Li really has a death wish isn't he." (teacher)

At lunch, Ziyun dragged Kwangsoo to have lunch with her. She was using him so that the other boys including Nie Li. wouldn't bother her during lunch. She was threw dealing with boys confession and feeling bad when she rejects them. Kwangsoo just sighed the whole time. But luckily ate good food that Ziyun's chef made. So it's a win-win deal. He also treated her like a little sister always patting her head when she accomplish anything.

"I'm not a little kid you know!" (Ziyun)

"Yes you are" (Kwangsoo)

"Then what about you!" (Ziyun)

"Mentally older than you. hahaha!" (Kwangsoo)

This situation always happen as months flew by. He also readjusted Ye Ziyun's cultivation. The one that Nie Li given her was powerful but was lacking. He gave her a better one which steadily increase her intake and stabilization of soul force.

"Wow cousin! Your like Nie Li. You know everything." (Ziyun)

"Not everything, just got lucky that I found some ancient cultivation in one of the ancient books. It was the deal that Nie Li and I have. It's to learn ancient writing. But its all thanks to the scrolls that my patents left behind." (Kwangsoo)

Nie Li was always a few yards of hearing distance from them hiding. He started stalking them since his jealousy was uncontrollable. He was also surprised that he had more knowledge of the 9 revolving ice phoenix cultivation than he has. Kwangsoo have the more advance copy of it that made the cultivation more superior.

While Kwangsoo was walking with Ziyun to get back to class, he felt Nie Li's presence a few yards away from behind him.

"Hahaha, Nie Li became a stalker. Well this is a good time as any then. Time for payback." (Kwangsoo)

Kwangsoo willed his inventory to steal all the treasures Nie Li had on him. It included Nie Li's storage rings and the heavenly marks family treasured hand blades. And in the storage rings are vast amounts of demon coins and pills. It also have the nightmare demon pot and all the extra demon cores. It also have a few god rank demon spirits.

This all happened in a vast of a few seconds. Nie Li didn't even notice it was missing since all his attention was on Ziyun and Kwangsoo.

When they returned to class, Nie Li sat down with uneasy feeling that he lost something but cant think of what it is. Then the teacher said to pass down their final homework before summer begins. When Nie Li tried to grab his homework from his storage ring, he was shocked to find his ring is gone. He started to pat his clothes and found a lot of his things are gone even his mother's necklace. He stand up in panic.

"Where is it?!" (Nie Li)

He looked all around his area then started to run out of class to backtrack to where he's been. His ring has everything he needed, money, pills to the nightmare demon pot. It also has the rings of the dark guild he stole from the dead bodies he killed. So he was panicking big time.

In class, his friends were a little worried about him. While Kwangsoo was laughing in the inside. Also the sacred family competition is tomorrow. He made sure he attends it to see how Nie Li fare now that Shen Hong was hosting it instead of Shen Ming. He plans to further implicate Nie Li for the sacred family theft. He was done being nice to Nie Li.

The next day, Kwangsoo attended the genius competition with his adoptive father Chen Zhenlong and now brother Chen Lian Jian. They saw all the participants listing and saw Nie Li's name on it as 10 to 1 odds.

"Hey uncle! Bro! Put everything down on Nie Li's name. We can make a killing." (Kwangsoo)

"You sure? Nie Li is good and all but he is still a bronze rank." (Chen Lian Jian)

"Trust me, he is not bronze rank. I know for sure he has the strength to compete with a gold rank, or even a 1 star black gold rank." (Kwangsoo)

This gave a shock to both father and son duo.

"Hahha! To think we have another genius hiding in plain site. Well who cares about a little demon coins anyway. Let's just put a hundred thousand then." (Zhenlong)

They sat down on the right corner side of the VIP sittings. Then the alchemy association director Yang Xin came and had a special seat in the middle of the VIP area. She wear revealing clothes that oogled most men in the audience. She saw Kwangsoo and waved at him and he waved back. Shen Hong, since he was the host greeted Yang Xin and sat a few yards away from her. Shen Fei was beside his father with anger in his eyes. He was the butt of all jokes and he knows Nie Li has something to do with it. Shen Hong also is waiting for him. He instructed his son to show mercy and ahem... accidentally kill him during the match.

When Nie Li came in, he had bags under his eyes. He looked all night for his ring but nothing to show for. He had to exchange pill recipes to Yang Xin for a storage ring full of demon coins, so he can bet on himself in todays match.

"You!!!" (Shen Fei)

"Hahaha, little Shen Fei. Long time long see" (Nie Li)

Since he saw Yang Xin is watching, he controlled his anger and was about to walk away when Nie Li said.

"Haha, young master Shen Fei is very nice. Ning'er talked a lot about you. That you are generous and honorable. She is growing stronger everyday and is now silver rank. Ive helped massaged her..." (Nie Li)

Nie Li didn't finished while Shen Fei was pulling out a punch.

"I'll kill you!" (Shen Fei)

Yang Xin moved in front of Nie Li while Shen Hong stopped Shen Fei's punch.

"Not here son, do it at the match. Shen Fei nodded and walked away but Nie Li again opened his mouth.

Hey! This tournament will be meaningless without profit. I won't enter it, unless we wager on it.

"And how much can a child wager?" (Shen Hong)

"50 million demon coins!" (Nie Li)

"Fine 50 million demon coins on the first round, then we'll see if you could go on afterwards and we'll increase the bet." (Shen Hong)

Since Nie Li only has a few hundred million in his ring. He didn't do the same as the original like how he three 50 million to the crowd.

"I will cover for him if he has not enough demon coins." (Yang Xin)

Both sides agreed. Since the declaration was loud enough to be heard by the divine family.

"Maybe we should up our wages!" (Chen Lian Jian)

"Agreed" (Kwangsoo)

"Already ahead of you!" (Zhenlong)

Chen Zhenlong ordered his servants to up the bet to a million demon coins for each one of them.

Since the bet is huge. The sacred family receptionist reported to Shen Hong about the bets increasing. The family was in financial crisis and all available emergency wealth are already im the treasury.

"Patriarch, I don't know if the budget we are allowed to spend for the event can cover the cost if we loose. So do we accept the bet?" (receptionist)

"Yeah, we have more than enough in the treasury to cover it. Just accept it. I'm pretty sure my son will win anyways." (Shen Hong)

Nie Hai the heavenly marks patriarch and Nie En the enforcement elder who came with Nie Li was sweating bullets. They were ordered to bet millions of demon coins on Nie Li by Nie Li. So they did. But the opponent look like a gold rank opponent

Shen Hong also gave Shen Fei demonic strengthening pills.

"I want no mistakes!" (Shen Hong)

"Yes Father!" (Shen Fei)

So both fighters both came down the arena. Kwangsoo made an old sacred family token appear on the ground near the seat of Nie Li. Shen Hong saw the token and quickly grab it and returned to his seat.

"So, he does have something to do with the theft. I think the money he wager right now is our very own money....(grrripp) Damn you Nie Li!!! My sacred family will end you and your family soon!" (Shen Hong)