Chapter 321 - Counterfeit

Within the grounds of the Divine Feathers Sect, as long as Nie Li had Hierarch Skycloud backing him, then he’d definitely be eased of many troubles.

It wasn’t that Hierarch Skycloud had a supreme position; it was his identity that was too special. No family was willing to offend such an expert.

In his previous life, Nie Li had heard that Hierarch Skycloud was fond of protecting geniuses who didn’t join the various families. Nie Li’s Master, Ying Yueru, had also been secretly protected by Hierarch Skycloud. Therefore, no one dared to touch her. It was only one hundred years later, when Hierarch Skycloud had aged and the internal conflict within the Divine Feathers Sect became more intense, that Ying Yueru’s troubles started to come.

“Please, wait for a moment, Venerable. I’ll go and write some words.”

When Nie Li returned to his room, he appeared to be even more serious compared to the first time, as he wrote five words. The Dao intent contained in these five words was even more profound than in the ones he gave Yan Yang and Mingyue Wushuang.

After writing them, Nie Li passed them to Venerable Redsoul.

“Thank you for this.” Venerable Redsoul lightly smiled.

“Venerable is being too polite!” Nie Li smiled as he replied respectfully.

After Venerable Redsoul, several other people came for his words. Of course Nie Li didn’t reject them. He wrote his calligraphy with varying degrees of seriousness, all depending on the impressions these people had given him in his previous life. Some were legitimate, while others were just ordinary calligraphy.

Dragonseal Family

Long Tianming’s study room.

Long Tianming slowly opened the scroll and saw three words, and felt satisfied. That kid, Nie Li, was quite tactful. He’d given Yan Yang and Mingyue Wushuang two words, and gave him three.

His gaze fell onto the center of the paper where a vigorous and powerful “sword” was projected on his pupils.

The shape of this word was the exact same one that he’d seen earlier.

Yan Yang and Mingyue Wushuang could see the profundity contained within this “sword”, but he wasn’t able to do so. This fact made Long Tianming extremely unhappy. Could it be that his talent was that much more inferior than Yan Yang’s and Mingyue Wushuang’s?

Or could it be that he just wasn’t concentrating enough earlier?

Long Tianming focused his attention as he looked at that “sword” as he tried to sense the Dao intent within. Suddenly, it appeared to him, the warmth of light and chill of darkness. Even though it was just for a moment, it was captured by him.

Indeed, it was easy for him to sense the Dao intent within the “sword”. It seemed that he wasn’t that much inferior to Yan Yang and Mingyue Wushuang after all. He couldn’t sense it earlier just because he did not concentrate! Long Tianming lightly smiled as he continued to sense it. However, to his realisation, the “sword” in his hands only contained a trace of Dao intent. With just that much Dao alone, Yan Yang and Mingyue Wushuang shouldn’t have been so stirred, right?

Could it be that he’d only sensed a portion of the sword intent? There was more profundity concealed in the “sword”?

Long Tianming continued sensing as he tried to fumble the profundity of the “sword”. However, he quickly realised that aside from that trace of Dao intent, he couldn’t sense anymore.

This was impossible!

Could he really be that much inferior to Yan Yang and Mingyue Wushuang?

He constantly tried, but wasn’t able to succeed.

A thought crossed Long Tianming’s mind that extremely enraged him. Maybe Nie Li had done something to this word. But even still, this word looked exactly the same; it didn’t look like there was anything wrong with it. Furthermore, he’d obviously sensed the Dao intent just now. However, it was only for a moment and he couldn’t feel it anymore.

Time passed. One hour, two hours...

No matter how Long Tianming tried, he still couldn’t sense the profundity contained within.

Damn it!

Long Tianming tightly clenched his fists and pounded them on the table surface. A sense of defeat surged up, the sense of inferiority to Yan Yang and Mingyue Wushuang. He was the number one genius of the Dragonseal Family and he’d always been proud of it. He’d always viewed Yan Yang as one of his opponents.

However, unable to comprehend any Dao intent made him felt defeated.

“Did that kid do something to it?” Long Tianming’s brows were knitted tightly, since he couldn’t confirm it.

The three words Nie Li had written all looked powerful, and don’t look to be something done half-heartedly. Instead, it seemed as though Nie Li was trying to curry Long Tianming’s favour. Nie Li was a newcomer. By right, he shouldn’t dare offend Long Tianming. Therefore, Long Tianming concluded that there shouldn’t be a problem with these three words.

That left Long Tianming with only one answer: he was unable to sense the Dao intent contained within.

As for asking others to confirm, Long Tianming definitely wouldn’t. He was a proud and aloof character; he’d never be willing to admit to others that he was inferior to Yan Yang and Mingyue Wushuang.

Long Tianming’s mood grew fidgety before he finally threw the paper aside. “Bastard, there’s no Dao intent in these words!”

Long Tianming simmered in his rage for a while before the anger within his heart slowly subsided, seated.

A brief moment, Long Tianming picked up the paper and concentrated all of his attention in sensing the Dao intent.

Skycloud Hall

Hierarch Skycloud had received the words and began comprehending one of the Dao intent. A moment later, a deep light flashed though his eyes.

Hierarch Skycloud sighed as he said, “I never expected that only a few simple words could be so filled with the understandings of the Heaven and Earth Dao. Although he might not have been the one to invent these words, it is already quite impressive that he can write them so completely at such a young age. To write these words and the Dao intent of their structures, he’d have to comprehend the Dao intent himself!”

This child’s talent was absolutely extraordinary. In the future, he might grow into an enormous figure.

Even Hierarch Skycloud wasn’t confident that he could write these words so completely.

“The new class of genius from the Tiny World, interesting,” Hierarch Skycloud mumbled as the corner of his mouth revealed a trace of smile. “The Tiny World is indeed a place where geniuses are born. I wonder what kind of person this child will grow up to be?”

Inside Nie Li’s room, Yu Yan woke up from her cultivation.

Only after a period when no one came knocking for calligraphy did Nie Li place the Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting on the table.

Yu Yan greeted Ning’er. When she saw Nie Li opening the Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting, she flew over and asked, “Nie Li, what’s this?”

Yu Yan looked at the Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting and felt astonished at the endless of time-space she sensed from it.

“This item is called the Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting. It has many mysteries concealed within. Ning’er, Big Sister Yu Yan, please protect me. If someone comes in, just tell them that I’m not here. I want to break the seal inscription patterns on the Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting!” said Nie Li.

Ning’er looked at Nie Li in shock. She never expected that the Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting that Gu Bei had bought would be in Nie Li’s hands. Even that higher-up who’d sold it was unable to decipher its uses. Could Nie Li really able to decipher it? Despite her doubts, she still chose to believe in him.

“Alright, I understand. I’ll guard the outside, and Big Sister Yu Yan can remain inside!” Ning’er nodded. Nie Li was probably worried that someone might interrupt him; therefore, he’d waited until no one was looking for him before starting to decipher the Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting.

Ning’er and Yu Yan prepared to protect Nie Li, one by the door and one the other in the courtyard.

Nie Li started by using the demonic blood of Dragon Bloodline demon spirit to lay down an extremely organised inscription pattern array. Upon activation, it would immediately isolate him from the outside world.

Nie Li approached the Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting, stared at it, and sensed its aura. He examined the sealing inscription patterns on it. The outer layer was a Myriad Spiritual Lock. This Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting seemed to have been locked with a sturdy wall; those on the outside wouldn’t able to sense anything on the inside.

He had to deconstruct that firm wall piece by piece to decipher the real usage of the Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting.

Just as Nie Li was about to use his intent to examine the Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting, his attention was drawn to a separately concealed intent within the painting. This intent should be left behind by that expert. After analysing its strength, Nie Li concluded that it should be from a Martial Ancestor Realm expert.

Nie Li retracted his intent as he bitterly smiled, “No wonder. A higher-up from a major sect would never sell such a valuable treasure for only a hundred thousand spiritual stones with no strings attached. Even if this treasure doesn’t have any actual uses, he’d still find a way to keep it for himself.”

It’s extremely difficult for a Martial Ancestor Realm expert to raise their cultivation. After encountering an ancient treasure that might help him accomplish that, how could he give it up so easily?

“He probably left his intent here so that he’d be able to track this Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting whenever he wants. He’s probably waiting for someone to decipher it before he snatches it back.” Nie Li’s expression deepened. If it’d been anyone else, they’d definitely be tricked. However, it was a pity that this expert had encountered Nie Li!

Nie Li’s perceptions were still extremely keen; that’s how he sensed the presence of that intent.

That higher-up probably sold the Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting at the auction because there were many people present. There should be at least be one person who knew what this object was. If anyone bought it for a huge sum of money, it was likely that they knew something about the painting’s true uses.

The other party was a Martial Ancestor Realm expert. That meant that Nie Li couldn’t get rid of that intent for the time being; the moment he did, the opponent would definitely sense it and track down the painting’s location immediately. With Nie Li and Gu Bei’s strength at their current stage, it was absolutely impossible for them to fend off a Martial Ancestor Realm expert.

Then, what should they do?

Nie Li stroked his chin as he pondered.

Suddenly, in a flash of light, an idea came to Nie Li!

“I’ve written calligraphy, then I’ll make another painting!” Nie Li brought out a piece of paper and cut it to the size of Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting. He quickly started working on it, and made the outside look exactly the same as the original scroll. After the outside was completed, he began working on the landscape itself. Soon, another Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting appeared before him.

After the painting was finished, Nie Li used demonic blood to lay the inscription pattern seal array. The blood formed into inscription patterns and concealed themselves in the fake Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Paintings.

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