บท 2: Punished Standing

"Although you might have heard the principal mention that Holy Institute's students are all considered equal here, I have to let you know the ugly truth today. In this world, equality does not exist!"

Shen Xiu's words were like daggers that stabbed into the hearts of the students as she explained about the Fighter and Demon Spiritualist classes, as well as the different cultivation ranks in Glory City. She went on to clarify the distinction between commoners and aristocratic families, with a voice filled with undisguised contempt.

"A commoner will always remain a commoner. The advantages given to a noble will always far exceed those of regular people, so if you're a dog, stop dreaming of ever becoming a dragon!" he said as she turned her scornful gaze towards the section of the class with more students who were dressed in simple clothing.

As an uneasy tension began to spread through the classroom, Xiao Ning'Er sneaked a look at the faces of her classmates around her. The other commoners other than Du Ze were looking downwards in embarrassment, whilst Du Ze silently clenched his fists with a stubborn look on his face as he glared at Shen Xiu.

Many of the nobles could be seen to sit up a little straighter and puff out their chests with arrogant pride, particularly Shen Yue of the Sacred Family, who nodded enthusiastically to Shen Xiu's words while muttering under his breath, "It's good that Teacher is telling them this hard reality early on in their cultivation journeys. They'll never match up to someone like me!"

Only Ye Ziyun, Lu Piao and Nie Li did not show a visible response to Shen Xiu's provocative words. But as she looked closer, she could see both Ye Ziyun and Nie Li's foreheads slightly crease into barely perceptible frowns. After a moment, she saw Nie Li's expression change to a relaxed smile, but she saw a cold gleam in his eyes which she had come to know to mean that he was ready for a confrontation.

In her past lifetime, this would usually be the time when she would start feeling sorry for his opponent but this time, her whole body tensed up as she wondered how he would respond. 'What kind of person will Nie Li be without his seemingly omnipotent knowledge and capabilities? Would he still protect his friends with the same fierce selflessness? And would he even be able to fight back without all the advantages of his past life?'

As she suspected, Nie Li spoke up, "Teacher Shen Xiu, I have a question."

Shen Xiu was still in the middle of her dramatic speech and was very annoyed by the rude interruption. She coldly snorted, "What is it?"

"Just now Teacher Shen Xiu said that Glory City is the only one that survived the Age of Darkness, and that we are the only surviving humans. What proof do you have, since no one has traveled out of the St. Ancestral Mountains to verify this? Couldn't there be a chance that there are multiple cities just like Glory City who managed to defend themselves and continue surviving?" Nie Li asked.

Shen Xiu was stunned for a moment and at a loss for words. She finally responded with a sharp edge in her tone, "So what? Are you able to prove that we are not the last surviving humans?"

"Proof?" Nie Li asked as he faintly smiled.

"I don't have any proof. I just feel like it's presumptuous and arrogant to think that we're the only city with enough strength to survive. Let me tell you a story...there was once a frog at the bottom of a well. Since birth, this frog has only been able to see a small part of the sky, and believes that the sky is only as big as the hole at the top of the well. But is this the truth? Those who know better will think the frog is ignorant. So if those in our city have never even left this region, how do we really know what exists outside?"

Listening to what Nie Li said, the students in the class began to stifle chuckles because he was clearly indirectly calling Teacher Shen Xiu a frog at the bottom of the well. Whether they agreed with him or not, at least today's class was going to be far more exciting than the usual fare.

As Shen Xiu stood there fuming and trying to formulate a response, Nie Li continued, "Teacher Shen Xiu, I have another question."

She almost died from the anger bubbling up within her and replied with her teeth clenched together, "What other question could you possibly have?"

"Just now, Teacher told us that a commoner will always remain a commoner, never able to reach for more. My question is...didn't the Legend rank Demon Spiritualist, Ye Mo, start out as a commoner? Is Teacher not aware of this?" Nie Li asked with a sarcastic tone.

Caught off guard, Shen Xiu stuttered for a moment, "You...you...in the last hundreds of years of Glory City, Lord Ye Mo is the only one who was able to climb to the peak by relying on his own ability."

Nie Li continued pressing her, "But didn't Teacher say that it is impossible and that a commoner should not even bother trying? Are you trying to tarnish the example that Lord Ye Mo set for us?"

"Enough, Nie Li!!" She spat out his name with vicious venom. "You keep twisting and turning what I say, and it's obvious that all you're trying to do is to create trouble. You have been completely rude and disruptive to this class, and I have half a mind to ask the principal to remove you from this school as someone who is too proud and unruly to learn. It would be of no loss to Glory City anyway with your pathetic red soul realm. You will always remain weak and useless." She lingered on the word useless.

Nie Li stopped his witty banter and visibly began to tremble with rage. It was the first time that Shen Xiu had managed to truly unsettle him as she touched one of the most sensitive insecurities in his heart. Xiao Ning'Er saw his loss of control and was about to step in to help him when she heard him speak in a voice filled with cold fury.

"I am ashamed to have a teacher like you. I believe that in this class there will many commoners that completely exceed your expectations. Although my starting point is weak, so what? One day, I aspire to be as strong as Lord Ye Mo, and I will show you that it is not a coincidence that a commoner managed to reach Legend rank."

He paused for a few long moments.

"Teacher Shen Xiu, how about making a bet with me?"

"What bet?" Shen Xiu sneered.

"We'll bet that in the coming test in two months time, I will be able to reach Bronze rank. If I fail to do so, I will leave the institute, but if I reach Bronze rank, you will resign. Do you dare take this bet with me?" Nie Li declared unyieldingly, looking at Shen Xiu.

She picked up a piece of parchment from her desk and looked at it. "Nie Li, red soul realm, soul force 5, strength 21. When Lord Ye Mo was tested as child, he had a cyan soul realm with tremendous potential. What makes you think that you have any chance at succeeding?" A soft ripple of laughter filled with disdain spread across the section of the class with the most noble students. "I accept your bet. But for your constant rudeness, you will stand at the back of the classroom for the next two months and listen to the lectures from there."

"Since Teacher has agreed to the bet, don't regret it later," said Nie Li as he strolled to the back of the class. As he walked behind, he could hear mocking whispers deliberately said loud enough for him to hear it.

"What an arrogant person. The future Legend rank Demon Spiritualist got punished to stand."

"There's no way he'll raise his soul force from 5 to 100 in two months. What a foolish bet."

"Serves him right, in two months, we'll no longer be seeing him in class and good riddance!"

Du Ze was silent for a moment. He gritted his teeth and then rose up and went to stand beside Nie Li. Nie Li was punished for helping the commoners speak up, so he felt a sense of loyalty to stand with him.

Seeing that Du Ze stood beside Nie Li, Shen Xiu retorted, "Since you like standing so much, you can stand together with hi...." As her voice tailed off, Lu Piao and three other commoner students stood up from their seats and went to stand behind as well.

Xiao Ning'Er felt a lump in her throat as she observed Nie Li's courage in facing Shen Xiu and refusing to be bullied, or to let others around him to be unfairly intimidated. She felt a intense sense of pride in him that he would go so far without any proper basis strength or knowledge. As foolish as the bet was, he was the same Nie Li that she remembered and cared for.

She slowly stood up and walked to the back of the classroom, hearing loud, audible gasps of astonishment from those around her. It was a long walk because she was seated right on the front row. Nobody could quite believe their eyes as they saw this beautiful girl that they had known to be completely cold, aloof and anti-social make her way next to Nie Li's group.

'What is she doing? I can't understand it. She's from one of the seven noble families, the Winged Dragon Family, which is currently subordinate to the Sacred Family. This doesn't make sense at all.'

Shen Xiu's mouth dropped open for a long time, "Xiao Ning'Er, what is the meaning of this? What are you doing?"

Xiao Ning'Er replied matter-of-factly, "I believe that what Nie Li said just now has merit and that he has been unfairly treated. Even more so, he is from a noble family but yet chooses to defend the commoners at great personal cost. I'm sorry Teacher but today I choose to stand on my principles even if it means I'll have to stand here for the next two months!"

The boys standing next to her looked at her in shock and astonishment as this seemed completely out of character for this unreachable beauty they had never been able to befriend. They looked at Nie Li with raised eyebrows, as though asking him if it was something he'd know about but looking just as confused as them, he shrugged his shoulders in response.

Shen Xiu was speechless and unable to fully accept what was happening, finally ending with one word before walking stiffly out of the room without even properly dismissing the class, "Fine."

As the students packed their bags and headed out of the room, Xiao Ning'Er caught sight of Ye Ziyun looking at her with a puzzled and thoughtful expression.

'It's OK, she'll know more soon when I reconcile with her,' Xiao Ning'Er thought as she left the classroom. She had a spring in her step as the image of being close friends with Ye Ziyun again went through her mind.