Speaking up

Shen Xiu was about to die from the anger, but she couldn't flare up here. Turning to Lin Tian, she only replied in a bad mood, "What question do you have?!"

Lin Tian was a commoner student, having no background to speak of, so in the end he decided to support Nie Li in his rant against Shen Xiu. Nie Li would take the brunt of the hate from Shen Xiu anyway, while right now it was a perfect chance for Lin Tian to gain tremendous trust from Nie Li and the other commoner students.

Lin Tian looked at Shen Xiu, saying, "Teacher says that commoners are unable to rise above their status and become nobles, that they must succumb to their fate and cannot have great achievements, but wasn't the Legend rank Demon Spiritualist, Lord Ye Mo, also a commoner when he was still young?"

After listening to what Lin Tian said, the eyes of the commoners in the class all lit up, they were all aware of Lord Ye Mo's story, setting him as an example to follow, wanting to become a powerful existence. Except the words that Shen Xiu spoke of earlier on were simply too harsh, causing them to be depressed.

Nie Li's face also flashed with a pleasant surprise; he looked at Lin Tian.

Lin Tian had medium length natural black hair bound into a ponytail at the back. He wore worn-out clothing, his face had a slightly dark complexion and his skin very likely being damaged due to physical work in the sun. He was neither ugly nor beautiful, looking quite normal.

Recalling Nie Li's first life, Lin Tian was a commoner student with an Orange soul realm and a decent Fighter talent. He didn't interact with Nie Li much, so Nie Li couldn't tell whether he was good or bad, but Nie Li didn't have any bad impressions of him either.

At this moment Nie Li was glad that someone followed his example and mustered the courage to speak up to Shen Xiu. He smiled, appreciating the support, and then returned to glaring at Shen Xiu along with Lin Tian.

"You… In the hundreds of years of Glory City's history, Lord Ye Mo was the only one able to climb to the peak relying on his own ability!" Shen Xiu showed a moment of lag and quickly retaliated with her far-fetched reply.

"I understand. Teacher Shen Xiu, then I have another question. Wasn't the Sacred Family not even an Aristocratic family over three hundred years ago? Wasn't the founder of the great Sacred Family a commoner before he reached Gold rank and created the Sacred Family from scratch?" Lin Tian asked, blinking his eyes a few times at his hot but silly teacher. "Is Teacher Shen Xiu not aware of this as well?"

"This…" Shen Xiu felt speechless for a moment, before her face distorted in anger. Another lowborn student dares to make fun of her, treating her as if she was an ignorant fool!

Meanwhile the students smirked and chuckled, enjoying Shen Xiu's stupefied expression. The commoner students' faces also brightened up further as they thought - so even the Sacred Family was just a commoner family in the past? Not only Lord Ye Mo, but there were also many others? Doesn't that mean that commoners can in fact become nobles, and even as influential as those from the Sacred Family?

Nie Li chuckled at Shen Xiu's predicament and decided to add fuel to the fire: "Teacher Shen Xiu, didn't you say earlier that it's impossible for commoners to become nobles? Why are you self-contradicting yourself now? Lord Ye Mo and the Sacred Family founder are clear examples, no matter if it's noble, or commoner, the future's potential is infinite; nothing is difficult as long as one is willing to climb!"

At this moment Shen Xiu almost exploded. These two brats are just too spiteful, catching loopholes in her words and constantly attacking them, simply having no respect for their elders! She gazed coldly at Nie Li and Lin Tian; they dared to openly contradict her in front of all the people, she'll not let them have a good time in the coming future!

Shen Xiu sneered. "Smart mouths, you think that putting things this way could change the harsh reality? You only looked at these two people who succeeded, but didn't look at how many people failed. Even when Lord Ye Mo was younger, he was already tested to have amazing talent, having a Cyan soul realm. As for the founder of the Sacred Family, he also had a genius talent. You think success relies on luck alone?"

"Nie Li and Lin Tian, right? Since you two don't know when to come and leave. I'll see what kind of talent you have!"

Shen Xiu lowered her head and took a look at the parchment paper in her hands, after taking a glimpse of the content, she mockingly laughed. "Nie Li, Red soul realm, current's soul force of 5, strength of 21! With your talent you can only be a Bronze rank Fighter in your entire life. Wanting to become a Demon Spiritualist is simply impossible, you're even inferior compared to some of the commoners. No wonder you dared to speak up like this, you are just trying to hide your own low self-esteem!"

Shen Xiu laughed and then turned to Lin Tian. "As for you, you're not that different. Lin Tian, Orange soul realm, soul force of 18, strength of 30, a commoner. You are someone who can be considered lucky to become a Silver rank Demon Spiritualist as a middle-aged man. Useless trash belongs to the same pile afterall!"

After hearing what Shen Xiu said, groups of commoner students began to feel sorry for Nie Li, as someone of nobility. Nie Li's talent could be considered the worst, they fear that it would be difficult to have any achievements in his life. As for Lin Tian, he couldn't achieve anything extraordinary either, being a Bronze rank Fighter for most of his life.

Ye Zi Yun looked at Nie Li and she sighed gently, although her impression for Nie Li wasn't good, but knowing his talent to be so terrible, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him in her heart.

Shen Yue, who was sitting next to Ye Ziyun, curled his lips in disdain. If he knew sooner of Nie Li's horrible talent, he wouldn't have considered Nie Li to be a threat, because Nie Li is simply not qualified! With his horrible talent, he could only live at the lowest level of Glory City. If it wasn't for Ye Ziyun, he wouldn't even come to this trash class, having the company of trash like Nie Li and Lin Tian!

Shen Xiu aggressively continued, "With such talent, you wouldn't even be able to get any attention in your families, yet you two act so rampant, rude to your elders?"

At this moment, what caused everyone to be surprised was that even though Nie Li and Lin Tian were being ridiculed by teacher Shen Xiu, there wasn't any shame shown on their faces, but on the contrary, their gazes were firmly locked on Shen Xiu.

Lin Tian's voice was cold and firm as he said, "Teacher Shen Xiu, even if those with lower talent experience bitter difficulties when cultivating, I believe that you're a failure as a teacher for talking down and stunting your students' goals and ambitions. No matter if it's high talent or low talent, we practitioners are already challenging the impossible, by going against the way of the heavens!"

Lin Tian's empty and cringe words couldn't help but to cause the students in the class to feel their blood surging; practicing already was going against the way of heavens, if one did not oppose the heavens, how could they talk about practice?

Nie Li looked at Lin Tian, feeling moved in his heart by his words. He didn't know Lin Tian well, but he seemed to be a quite hard working student in the first life. But despite Lin Tian's determination and hard work, with the poor cultivation techniques of Glory City there was little that a person like him could ever achieve with his innate talent, being viewed as trash by the likes of Shen Xiu.

Thinking about it, Nie Li felt a surge of anger arise in his heart. He firmly locked his gaze onto Shen Xiu and said, "Teacher Shen Xiu, you feel that a person's soul realm decides a person's future, right? With that despicable character of yours, you'll only defend the gifted and mock the mediocre. And yet, you still speak a bunch of principles. You're merely trying to cover your despicable character!"

Hearing Nie Li's words, Shen Xiu's body quivered with anger. She had never met these kinds of students, who actually dared to contradict her so badly, and Nie Li's words directly poked the hidden thoughts in her heart causing her to be enraged, she cursed uncontrollably, "Silence! Who do you think you are to actually dare to discredit your teacher!"

Nie Li curled his lips in disdain. "I feel ashamed having a teacher like you. I guarantee that in this class there would be a lot of commoners exceeding your imagination, having unimaginable achievements! Instead of coaching them patiently, you use harsh words to attack their self-confidence, you're not worthy to be a teacher! Although my talent is weak, so what? One day, I will become a Legend rank Demon Spiritualist like Lord Ye Mo and marry the most beautiful woman in Glory City!"

As he spoke, Nie Li's gaze fell on the far away sitting Ye Ziyun, eyes shining with resoluteness.

Seeing Nie Li looking towards herself, not knowing why, Ye Zi Yun suddenly felt her heart speed up, cheeks burning red. She never had the thought that Nie Li is actually so bold to say this kind of stuff in class, seeing Nie Li's gaze, his meaning is clear. Except in her heart, she doesn't have any feelings for Nie Li, after hearing Nie Li's speech she had an indescribable feeling within her.

Seeing Ye Ziyun's expression, Shen Yue's face colors turned dull. Although Nie Li and him aren't of the same standard, he still felt a bit threatened by Nie Li.

Lin Tian had a thought of saying the same thing and then looking at Xiao Ning Er, but he held himself down. It was way too creepy and weird!

"Hahaha! This is the funniest joke I've heard! A Red soul realm actually said that he wants to become a Legend rank Demon Spiritualist like Lord Ye Mo. Ridiculous!" Shen Xu mocked mercilessly. "Rather than being a smart mouth here, why not start learning seriously!"

Nie Li's words were powerful and resonating. "Teacher Shen Xiu, I know your heart is full of contempt, but one day I will shut your mouth with hard facts! Aptitude cannot determine a person's achievement, using weak to defeat the strong, to overcome the heavens! Like Classmate Lin Tian said, we practitioners are already challenging the impossible, by going against the way of the heavens!"

Nie Li enunciated powerfully. "Without a continuously fighting heart, without the courage to turn the impossible possible, even possessing extraordinary talent would be useless. Since I, Nie Li, was born in this world, I shall challenge the impossible! Teacher Shen Xiu, how about having a bet with me?"

Shen Xiu sneered and opened her mouth to respond.

Lin Tian's expression turned grave. Being already prepared for it, he bowed down toward Shen Xiu and stated loudly, "Teacher Shen Xiu, I beg forgiveness for Classmate Nie Li's rashness and arrogant words!" He then turned to Nie Li and nagged, "Nie Li, please think of the time and place to challenge a teacher! Doing it in front of students is pointless."

Right now Nie Li wanted to challenge Shen Xiu to a bet, betting that he would reach 1-star Bronze rank in a test in two months. As a result Shen Xiu would have to resign from the Institute, but Lin Tian didn't want the bet to take place.

There was no point in pissing off Shen Xiu and gaining even more attention from the Sacred Family from the start without any benefits. Having Shen Xiu quit the school because of Nie Li's bet wouldn't allow Lin Tian to gain anything and would only make Nie Li become admired by the commoners.

Lin Tian only hoped that Nie Li would understand that he couldn't do much damage to Shen Xiu's reputation by challenging her now anyway.

If in the end Lin Tian wanted to steal Nie Li's spotlight and make a bet with Shen Xiu, then there would be a perfect chance for it in about a week from now.

Nie Li felt touched in his heart by Lin Tian's concern, but he felt that Lin Tian was unnecessarily trying to protect him; he was not a kid and he knew what he was doing. He sent a short grateful smile toward Lin Tian and then looked back toward Shen Xiu, "I still stand by my words. Teacher Shen Xiu, do you dare to make a bet with me?"

"What bet?" Shen Xiu asked with a scoff.

"Since you believe that the soul realm grade is everything, then we'll bet that on the year-end test in two months' time I will be able to reach Bronze rank. If I fail to do so, I will resign from the school. If I reach Bronze rank, then you will resign, how about it?" Nie Li said unyieldingly, looking at Shen Xiu.

Listening to what Nie Li said, everyone was taken aback by it. They were all surprised that Nie Li actually proposed this kind of bet with teacher Shen Xiu. Although they were hoping that Nie Lie could win, they felt that there's no way that Nie Lie would win.

'Well, I tried,' Lin Tian thought to himself speechlessly.

"Hahaha, funny enough to actually say that you'll reach Bronze rank in two months. You really think you can raise your soul force from 5 to 100 in two months?" Shen Xiu's face was full of contempt, has Nie Li gone crazy?

"I only ask one question, do you dare or not?" Nie Li asked instead.

"That being the case, why would I not dare! I do not believe an egotistical brat like you could achieve anything! Who do you think you are to be boasting around!" Shen Xiu angrily snorted. "Such rudeness to your teacher, for the next two months, you will stand at the back of the classroom to listen to the class!"

"Since teacher Shen Xiu agreed to the bet, don't regret it later on!"Nie Li looked contemptuously at Shen Xiu and then turned back, walking to the back of the classroom.

Shen Xiu is known to be unreasonable. If Nie Li didn't do what she says, then he could get expelled from the Holy Orchid Institute. Although Nie Li didn't need the Institute's teachings, after he was expelled from the Institute he would lose his chances of seeing Ye Ziyun or the rights to visit the Heavenly Sacred Border.

"I'll regret? What a joke! Don't come crying to me later on!" Shen Xiu laughed.

Seeing Nie Li standing at the back, a few Noble kids started mockingly whispered.

"Future Legend rank Demon Spiritualist got punished standing!"

"Tsk tsk, so he's afraid of withdrawal from school!"

"Wasn't he so arrogant just a while ago?"

"Two months to raise his soul force from 5 to 100, what a joke!"

Shen Xiu sneered, so what if Nie Li is boasting a round, doesn't she still have the saying in the classroom? She naturally didn't bother with what Nie Li said - two months to raise the soul force from 5 to 100? Shen Xiu thought of it as a joke, this kind of stuff will absolutely not happen! She only looked forward to Nie Li's withdrawal from school!

She turned to Lin Tian, dismissing him with a wave of her hand as if he was a fly. "Lin Tian, since you know your wrongs, you can sit!"

Lin Tian sighed inwardly. He felt sick to his stomach by acting like a spoiled eight year old brat and Nie Li's best friend and supporter, but he knew that it was the best course of action for him. This way he can easily get into Nie Li's inner circle with almost no downsides.

Without hesitation, Lin Tian walked to the back of the classroom and soon stood next to Nie Li.