Nie Li spent two days teaching Ziyun the sword. He taught her the basics and was surprised by her talent; she was even more gifted in swordsmanship than he was. It took her only two days to grasp the fundamentals. He taught her the Ice Sword Arts, which complemented her abilities very well. Nie Li was sure that one day she could stand at the pinnacle of swordsmanship, and perhaps he wouldn't be so lonely at the top.
He then told Ziyun that he wanted to visit Ning'er in the Heavenly Sacred Border, as well as retrieve the Thunder God Sword. He knew that only such a sword would allow him to reach the peak of swordsmanship, and it was strong enough to withstand his Yang Fire coating. Ziyun insisted on accompanying him, and although Ye Zong initially refused, the determination in her eyes made him reconsider. Finally, he agreed, and Nie Li promised to protect her. In fact, there was nothing in Glory City that could threaten him now. Even Ziyun was close to reaching the Black Gold rank. If the City Lord knew this, he wouldn't be so worried; in fact, he might have proclaimed her as his heir. But one must remember that the modified cultivation techniques could even escape the senses of the Sage Emperor, so no one could detect their levels unless they wished it.
On the morning they set off, Nie Li transformed into his Fanged Panda form, summoned his wings, and carried Ziyun in a princess-style embrace. He decided that this was the fastest way to travel. With his current strength, he could fly at the speed of sound, so it took them only half an hour to reach their destination. They found Ning'er sitting in meditation, and they quickly found spots to meditate as well, revolving their cultivation techniques. Ancestor Ye Yan, noticing them, was particularly drawn to Ziyun since she was a descendant of his family. He wanted to offer her advice, but seeing the speed at which she gathered energy, he decided against it. Nie Li sensed Ye Yan nearby and succeeded in convincing him to follow them, promising that one day he would help him resurrect and recover his strength, and even more.
Ancestor Ye Yan readily agreed and told Nie Li that he was connected to the sword, guiding him to where it lay, along with the two girls.
Ye Yan warned him, "Boy, I know your knowledge surpasses even mine, and your strength is unfathomable, but I think it will be difficult to subdue the sword, even for you."
Nie Li smirked and, without saying a word, slowly approached the sword. "Ning'er, Ziyun, be ready to absorb the energy," he instructed. Though they didn't understand why he said this, they obeyed.
As Nie Li approached the sword, unfazed by the numerous illusions, countless demon spirits tried to attack his spirit sea. But he remained calm. The robust Fanged Panda stood guard within his spirit sea, devouring the spirits one by one. Initially, Nie Li intended to diffuse the energy to help the two girls break through to the Black Gold level. Then, a brilliant idea struck him. He took out the Demon Spirit Pot, fused with the Fanged Panda, and forcefully destroyed each demon spirit, converting them into pure energy. The pot purified this energy, which he then absorbed and shared with the girls.
Hundreds of demon spirits were devoured. As a result, new demon marks formed within Nie Li's body, and he consolidated at 7,000 dragon marks at the three-star Black Gold level. Meanwhile, the two girls reached the peak of the first-star Black Gold level. When Nie Li finally grasped the sword, he could feel that it had acknowledged him. After achieving his goal, he led the girls out.
To celebrate, they went on a date, and Nie Li wanted to shop for materials to construct a puppet body for Ancestor Ye Yan. He explained to Ye Yan that the body would be temporary, and when he became strong enough, he would give him a new, more powerful one. Ancestor Ye Yan had no choice but to accept.
During the date, Nie Li encountered his friends Du Ze, Lu Piao, and the others. To his surprise, Du Ze had also broken through to the Black Gold level, apparently very suited to the spear. This affinity not only enhanced his combat ability but also accelerated his cultivation. The others were not far behind, having chosen weapons that suited them well and were gradually mastering their respective skills. Nie Li continued to provide guidance whenever possible, and everyone was improving.
As they walked back to the City Lord's Mansion, cutting through wheat fields, Nie Li suddenly stopped and alerted his friends to raise their guard. Shadows appeared in the trees—50 masked masters. Nie Li quickly assessed that all of them were above the Gold rank, and three were at the Black Gold rank. He also sensed a familiar aura.
"Well, if it isn't Elder Shen Ming. Quite the party you've brought," Nie Li remarked.
Shen Ming, sweating under his mask, cursed inwardly. How could this kid guess his identity? He replied, "Who is this Shen Ming? We are from the Dark Guild, and we've come to avenge our fallen comrades."
Nie Li, unfazed, continued, "Since you won't admit it, that's fine. I'll just take you to the City Lord, where you'll confess everything."
He turned to his friends. "You can kill everyone except for these three," he said, pointing to Shen Ming and two others, one of whom he suspected was a high-ranking figure in the Dark Guild. His experience and insight were so terrifying that such disguises were meaningless before him.
Du Ze, Ning'er, and Ziyun engaged the three Black Gold demon spiritualists, while Lu Piao, Wei Nan, Zhu Xiangjun, and Zhang Ming each took on ten enemies. With ten more opponents left, Nie Li had no choice but to join the fray. He quickly dispatched them with his sword, then watched as his friends fought. Though hesitant and awkward at first, they grew more confident after their first kills and soon dominated their opponents, aided by superior demon spirits, stronger bodies, and weapons.
Du Ze was the first to finish, easily knocking out his opponent, a two-star Black Gold rank demon spiritualist. Nie Li told him to get used to killing by dispatching some Gold ranks, and Du Ze went to assist his friends. Soon, all of Nie Li's friends had won their fights without sustaining serious injuries. Nie Li then turned to Shen Ming and said, "If you want to defeat us, you'll need to bring 500 Legend ranks." With that, he knocked Shen Ming out and took him prisoner.
Back at the City Lord's Mansion, Nie Li requested an audience with Ye Zong. "City Lord, we have evidence that the Sacred Family has colluded with the Dark Guild and betrayed the city."
Ye Zong shot up from his seat. "Brat, are you sure of what you're saying? You can't spout such accusations carelessly."
Nie Li replied calmly, "I have proof." He presented the unconscious Shen Ming and his accomplices. "These men tried to assassinate us and admitted to being part of the Dark Guild."
Ye Zong was furious, veins bulging on his forehead. "If I don't annihilate these vermin and uproot that traitorous family, I'll write my name backwards!"
"City Lord, calm down," Nie Li advised. "Things aren't as simple as they seem. The Sacred Family has survived for so long; their waters run deep. Besides, they have the Dark Guild's backing. We need to be strategic. When we're strong enough, we'll destroy them both. For now, keep Shen Ming and the others hidden. I can't guarantee there aren't spies in the City Lord's Manor."
Though still furious, Ye Zong knew Nie Li's advice was sound. Nie Li continued, "What you should focus on now is strengthening yourself. Here's a technique stronger than your current one—the Ice Titan Technique. I guarantee you'll reach Legend rank in a month."
Ye Zong accepted the technique, though he didn't think much of it at the moment. He was more concerned about dealing with the Sacred Family.
"Leave them to me," Nie Li said confidently. "I'll eliminate them within a year."
Ye Zong, dumbfounded by Nie Li's bold claims, dismissed him with a wave, thinking the boy was spouting nonsense again. Nie Li, smirking, left the room without saying more