Retake *Discontinued*

Chapter Two: Simply a Frog

As Nie Tai watched Shen Xiu, her mind wandered. She barely noticed Shen Yue and Nie Li glaring at each other; dragging her mind back the present, she observed the noble boy: he had an arrogant expression that was framed by navy blue bangs with the rest of his hair tied back in a small ponytail. Nie Tai guessed than Shen Yue caught Nie Li staring at Ye Ziyun.

Ye Ziyun was Nie Li's first love in the other life even though Shen Yue and Ye Ziyun were to be wed. When the demon horde came and the Sacred Family retreated, Ye Ziyun denied Shen Yue and, instead, grew extremely close with Nie Li; eventually, the two fell in love before she was killed. Ye Ziyun was watching the two with an exasperated eye. She hated attracting attention and thought that Nie Li was just playing around. When seeing her annoyance, Nie Li did not grow angry, but a sad look appeared in his eyes.

Nie Tai let herself be lost in her thoughts again. She reminisces of her time in Glory City, of her friends, and of how she could prevent the destruction of her family. She had lost count how many years that it had been since she last set eyes on a Tiny World inhabitant, much less a citizen from Glory City. She let her aquamarine eyes settle on Du Ze and observed how he diligently listened to Shen Xiu babble on. Her joy at his well being turned to sorrow as she thought of how she lost him.

"Du Ze, I would have gladly died with you. We were about to go to my patriarch for you to ask my hand in marriage, why did you make me leave?" Her aquamarine eyes hardened with anger as she turned her gaze towards the teacher, "If it were not for the Sacred Family, the despicable cowards that they are, then you would have lived..."

Shen Xiu noticed a slight killing intent, but it disappeared as soon as she tried to pinpoint the origin. Thinking that she had simply imagined it, Shen Xiu glanced between Nie Li and Shen Yu; she had noticed how Nie Li took a liking to Ye Ziyun, but the purple-haired girl was far out of his league. Not only was Ye Ziyun incredible talented, she was the daughter of the City Lord and the granddaughter of the only Legend-Rank Demon-Spiritist in Glory City. Shen Xiu had made sure to make Shen Yue sit next to her, making him more likely to gain her affections. If the two would marry, it would drastically raise the power of the Sacred Family.

Reverting back to human form, Shen Xiu said, "Over the next two years, you are all to be my students. While the school mentioned that all of the students are equal," she paused and arrogance dripped from her condescending tone, "I have to let you all know the horrid truth: equality does not exist!"

With a sharp tongue, the woman continued despite causing worry to take root in the stomachs of the listeners, "When you are all aged and wise, you will agree with me. Equality is a lie that adults say to pacify you all and living in a fantasy is no longer an option," she paused in her lecture again to glare at the commoners in the room, inciting Nie Tai's rage when the woman looked at Du Ze, "As the only city to persist through the Age of Darkness, we of Glory City are the only surviving humans with Fighters and Demon-Spiritists as the best of us. With each rank gained, more power is made available. If a Gold-Rank Demon-Spiritist is produced, a family can become an Aristocratic family; if a Black-Gold Demon-Spiritist is produced, a family can become a Noble family; if one Legend-Rank or three Black-Gold Demon-Spiritists are produced, then a family can become a Major Family. Currently, there are thirty-six people present: some are commoners, some are nobles, and some are aristocratic. Even though you all may start at the same place, you do not have the same identities. I pray that you all have good self-awareness. Commoners will always be commoners. It is impossible for any of you to become an Aristocratic family, so do not even dare to dream of rising to the level of a Noble. There is an uncompromising, unsurpassable difference that can never be overcome."

After finished with her horrid speech, Shen Xiu's unwarranted prejudice bled into her gaze as she looked at each and every commoner caused each of them to bow their heads in shame. Nie Tai watched with horror dancing in her eyes as Du Zeーsomeone who was strong and unyielding, someone who was proud and loyal, someone who earned their power through hard work and tearsーbow his head in shame.

Gritting her teeth, her hand instantly shot into the air at the same time as her brother's. In unison, the twins shouted, "Teacher, I have a question!"

Blinking in surprise, Shen Xiu gestured for Nie Li to speak. Nodding, Nie Li stood and asked, "Teacher, you said that Glory City is the only settlement for humans, and that we were the only ones to live through the Age of Darkness; however, how can you know this? Do you have any evidence to support this claim? Have you ever been to the Endless Desert, the Toxic Forest, the Blood Moon March, the Spirit gulf, the Heavenly Luster Mountain, or the Northern Snow? Have you ever even left the Saint Ancestral Mountains?"

Slightly overwhelmed by the number of questions, Shen Xiu answered slowly, "I have never left Glory City; as such, I have not gone to any of those places."

Smiling amicably, Nie Li chuckled, "Since you have never been to those places, how can you be sure that we are the only survivors?"

His question rang through the classroom. The commoners raised their head thinking that if she was wrong about people living elsewhere, perhaps, she was wrong about other things.

Nie Tai silently laughed at Shen Xiu's expression: angry and annoyed. The haughty woman couldn't believe that a student, not even of Bronze-Rank, was such a nuisance. Frowning, the woman asked, "Then surely you must have some evidence that we are not the only survivors?"

Grinning viscously, filling Shen Xiu with apprehension, Nie Li answered, "Evidence? Let me tell you a story, Teacher. There was once a frog at the bottom of a well and, having been there since birth, it believed the sky that it viewed from the well was the whole sky. For one to say that what they see is the entirety of it, is what another would call viewing it from the bottom of a well."

Chuckles rang throughout the classroom, particularly from the commoners, as Shen Xiu reddened with anger. She, apparently, did not like being compared with a frog. Seeing Shen Xiu fumble over her retort, Ye Ziyun laughed; hearing this, Nie Li turned to the girl and winked at her. Ye Ziyun quickly looked away with a red face. Nie Tai raised an eyebrow at Lu Piao's praising of Nie Li.

Seeing that Shen Xiu was about to move on, Nie Tai raised her hand and spoke in a calm, clear voice, "Teacher, have you forgot about my question?"

"What questions could you possibly have?!" Snapped the woman.

Reacting to the woman's obvious hostility, Nie Tai smiled. She said, "Teacher, earlier you proclaimed that 'commoners will always remain commoners' and that none should 'not even dare dream of rising to the level of a Noble.' I was wondering if you were unaware that Lord Ye Mo, the only Legend-Rank Demon-Spiritist currently within Glory City, was a commoner when he was young?" Shen Xiu's face paled progressively as Nie Tai spoke. The commoners watched with gratitude and pride as Nie Tai continued with feigned confusion, "Could it be possible that Teacher is unaware of this?"

*Edited*

Heyo! Thank you all so much for reading! I hope that you've enjoyed the chapter.