16 1-star Bronze rank!

Fifth day of Lin Tian's reincarnation.

Xiao Ning Er left abruptly in the morning without them setting up anything, so Lin Tian decided to attend the classes of the Fighter Apprentice Class today. At least, he planned to show up before the classes start and then disappear before the first lesson.

Seeing that Shen Xiu apparently didn't care at all about him skipping classes, Lin Tian felt relieved in his heart.

That morning Lin Tian was once again treated to breakfast by Xiao Ning Er, sweetening up his day from the start.

The group of Lin Tian, Nie Li, Lu Piao, Du Ze and Xiao Ning Er chatter together.

"Ning Er, you should skip classes today. Let's do something more important," Lin Tian told Xiao Ning Er with a smile.

Lin Tian, naturally, meant cultivation, but seeing Xiao Ning Er nod timidly while blushing in response, Lu Piao clearly interpreted it differently, his face turning red.

"Something more important?" Lu Piao asked, looking at Lin Tian with a lewd smile.

"Dual-cultivation," Lin Tian explained.

"Dual-cultivation?" Lu Piao parroted and swallowed hard, staring at Lin Tian.

'You'll make them misunderstand!' Xiao Ning Er looked at Lin Tian with a panicked expression; subconsciously, she transmitted her voice over to Lin Tian.

Lin Tian chuckled. Looking at Lu Piao, he explained, "Yeah, dual-cultivation between a man and a woman. It's not suitable for you guys."

He then stood up and took Xiao Ning Er's hand. "Ning Er, let's go."

At this moment, Xiao Ning Er's face was nearly boiling hot. Nibbling on her lips, she looked at Nie Li, Lu Piao and Du Ze and said, "It's a misunderstanding!"

"Let's go Ning Er, no need to be shy," Lin Tian said as he started pulling on Xiao Ning Er's hand.

Xiao Ning Er helplessly looked toward the trio of guys as she was being pulled away by Lin Tian. Seeing their expressions, she felt depressed.

Ye Ziyun, at the front of the classroom, couldn't help but be stunned by Xiao Ning Er's puzzling behavior. She just couldn't imagine how a prideful girl like Xiao Ning Er who didn't care about making friends, even with her, could possibly fall in love like this and act so strangely. Just what was so special about this Lin Tian?

Seeing Ye Ziyun look toward their direction, Nie Li couldn't help but look toward her. Thinking of Lin Tian hooking up with the ice goddess Xiao Ning Er, Nie Li felt that he had to make some progress with Ye Ziyun as well. 'Ziyun. How do I get close to Ziyun?'

'This person is still staring at me…' Noticing Nie Li staring at her again with such an affectionate look, Ye Ziyun calmly retracted her gaze, and curiously traced Xiao Ning Er and Lin Tian's leaving figures with the corner of her eye.

Xiao Ning Er and Lin Tian soon left the classroom and Lin Tian let go of his hand.

"Xiao Ning Er. Lin. Tian." A cold voice stopped Lin Tian in his tracks inside the corridor, while he also heard the sounds of heels clicking against the floor.

Lin Tian and Xiao Ning Er turned around only to see Shen Xiu glaring at them from a distance.

"So *it is* you, Lin Tian," Shen Xiu spat out, walking forward with the click of her heels. "And you as well, Xiao Ning Er. Care to explain where you two are going at this time? The class is about to start."

Xiao Ning Er lowered her head, her expression riddled with shame and fear.

Lin Tian felt bothered by how Xiao Ning Er's felt, but inwardly he only smiled. "So it's our beautiful and charming Teacher Shen Xiu! Good morning to you."

Shen Xiu looked somewhat amused. She said, "Lin Tian, is it that you have no need for my lessons, seeing how you are not very interested in attending these last few days?"

"Well… yes," Lin Tian said honestly. Inwardly, he could feel Xiao Ning Er's chuckles through his soul seal.

Shen Xiu's left eye twitched. She stared down at Lin Tina coldly and asked, "So you already know all that stuff?"

After thinking for a moment, Lin Tian said, "I know what I need to know. Now I need to focus on training. Teacher Shen Xiu, I'm just a commoner. You don't need to waste your time on me."

'This woman is extremely arrogant, just let her hear what she wants to hear for now,' Lin Tian thought.

Shen Xiu stared at Lin Tian for a while and scoffed. She then turned toward Xiao Ning Er. With a shrill voice, she said, "And you, Xiao Ning Er. I hope you didn't forget that you're engaged to my nephew Shen Fei, seeing how you seem to be playing with another man behind Shen Fei's back. Now you're even doing it in public, with an uneducated simpleton out of anyone. Do you think I wouldn't notice? You're simply spitting on Shen Fei's reputation!"

Shen Xiu crossed both her arms below her chest, looking at Xiao Ning Er with a sharp glare.

Upon hearing Shen Xiu's harsh words, Xiao Ning Er simply felt overcome with rage to the point that tears almost formed in her eyes. At this moment she was also too scared to speak up, as then she might only bring trouble to Lin Tian.

'Ning Er, don't worry about it. It's only words, they mean nothing,' Lin Tian transmitted. 'We'll deal with the Sacred Family and your engagement soon.'

Xiao Ning Er looked toward Lin Tian, only to see him sending her a reassuring look full of confidence and affection.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Shen Xiu then asked Xiao Ning Er, seeing how the two teens seemed to be using some sort of non-verbal language, looking at each other.

"Teacher Shen Xiu, no need to use such harsh words. Me and Ning Er are only friends," Lin Tian told Shen Xiu and then looked toward Xiao Ning Er. "Right?"

"En. Lin Tian and I are friends. Shen Xiu, you should mind your own business!" Xiao Ning Er answered, giving Shen Xiu a cold look.

"Hn." Shen Xiu snorted. "I hope that's the case. Why are you two sneaking out of the classroom together anyway? Are my classes so boring?"

'Yes!' Lin Tian felt like saying, but his voice only resounded in his own head. After thinking for a moment, he transmitted, 'Just say that you would rather practice.'

"I would rather cultivate. Can't I?" Xiao Ning Er then said, feeling a renewed surge of confidence. As a member of a Noble family, it isn't actually a problem for her to skip any lessons he wishes.

Shen Xiu only snorted. After glaring at the two of them, she then turned around and walked off, her heels making clicking sounds as she gracefully alternated her long and sexy legs.

Lin Tian let out a small breath of relief upon seeing Shen Xiu leave and let them go. If Shen Xiu decided to make trouble for him and threaten him with expulsion due to absence, then it would be a little annoying.

'I will enjoy re-educating this arrogant woman when my cultivation base is higher…' Lin Tian silently thought as he watched Shen Xiu's leaving back figure.

'Such a hateful woman!' Xiao Ning Er transmitted to Lin Tian.

Lin Tian slightly smiled and looked at Xiao Ning Er. 'Yeah, but do you know what? Shen Xiu is vicious, but she's mostly doing everything for her family. She's very loyal to the Sacred Family and she even acts like a shrew just to help Shen Yue hook up with Ye Ziyun or to defend that trash Shen Fei's reputation. The world is never only white and black.'

Xiao Ning Er looked at Lin Tian puzzledly. She didn't consider such a perspective before.

"Let's go," Lin Tian lightly said as he resumed walking down the corridor.

"En."

…

Even though Xiao Ning Er joined him this time, Lin Tian didn't change his routine and began his training day with a strength building workout.

The training field was mostly empty at this moment, so Lin Tian took this chance to instruct Xiao Ning Er in physical training and showed her a variety of functional exercises, formulated into a balanced full body workout.

The physical body training methods of Glory City were simply too all over the place and too strong-headed. That being said, Xiao Ning Er greatly benefitted from Lin Tian's guidance on physical training. At the same time, because of Lin Tian's very detailed explanations, their training took nearly three whole hours.

When Lin Tian and Xiao Ning Er washed themselves from sweat, ate something and then rented a room in the Library, it was already after 11 am.

From that point onwards, Lin Tian and Xiao Ning Er closed themselves inside a reading room and practiced until afternoon without any distractions.

Lin Tian's cultivation was lagging behind, so he requested Xiao Ning Er to help him catch up first; he also wanted to reach 1-star Bronze rank as soon as possible.

In around five hours of continuous assisted-cultivation, Lin Tian's soul force had finally reached 100.

Boom!

1-star Bronze rank!

At that moment Lin Tian heard a booming sound in his head. Ripples were set off in his soul realm and faint roars of a dragon could be heard, at the same time something inside his soul realm got stronger.

Lin Tian became incredibly excited. With the seed in his soul realm becoming stronger, it might mean that it can absorb the dangerous energies of the Power of Law. If his guess is right then from now on he might be able to practice with a higher energy than soul force - with the Power of Law!

"Congratulations!" Xiao Ning Er said with a smile. Given that a few days ago Lin Tian's soul force was only at 18, his cultivation has increased greatly.

"Thanks." Lin Tian's expression returned to normal as he looked at Xiao Ning Er. "Ning Er, thank you for your help. You should probably return home now or your father will be worried."

"En." Xiao Ning Er nodded and her eyes slightly dimmed.

"It would be best if we could dual-cultivate later, but let's take a break and get normal sleep tonight. It's best that we sleep as much as possible for our physical recovery," Lin Tian said.

Xiao Ning Er nodded and then stood up. She brushed off her clothes and prepared to leave, though Lin Tian could feel the reluctance in her eyes.

"You're leaving just like that?" Lin Tian asked, taking a step toward Xiao Ning Er.

Xiao Ning Er raised her eyebrows at Lin Tian, unsure what he was talking about.

Lin Tian smiled and leaned over, kissing Xiao Ning Er on her cheek. He said, "See you later."

Immediately, Xiao Ning Er's face turned bright red in embarrassment, looking extremely charming. She then placed her hand on the door frame, hesitating for a moment.

"You can come back to the library after you report back at home. We can then resume practicing until evening," Lin Tian then said.

"Yes! Then I'll see you later." Xiao Ning Er finally left, wearing a bright smile.

Lin Tian couldn't help feeling warmth in his heart as he watched Xiao Ning Er leave. He thought, 'Such a gentle and loving girl. She doesn't deserve the treatment that Nie Li gave her…'

He sighed and reflected upon himself, 'After my soul merged, I really became more emotional. It's a huge weakness, but somehow I don't feel regret. I still have my ambitions, but I don't want to lose my human emotions and desires in my pursuit this time around, as it would be quite sad. What matters most in life in the end is to live according to one's true feelings and emotions; living by other's views is just too sad.'

'Damn you, Ancestral Master Serenity Peak, it seems your plan succeeded…' Lin Tian cursed inwardly, yet he wore a small smile on his face.

Lin Tian felt that it was very likely the arrangement of the Heavenly Dao to manipulate Hei Feng, but at this moment he didn't care anymore, because he fully accepted his new persona.