Shout-out to DC for contributing to my novel. Thanks a lot!!

***

 It was hard not to miss a line of well renowned female students of the Holy Orchid Institute standing on the training field in a straight line. On an entirely different note, Nik's stomach was slightly aching. He should not have drunk more than 8 vats of spicy wine after five plates of Glutton Foxes.

"Ugh... I can't... stand."

Much more obvious than Nik, Korra clutched her stomach and knelt with her shoulders slumped on the ground.

"Ugh..."

Shen Xiu puckered her lips in disgust and turned her face. Her groan was easily heard by Korra as the dark-skinned student slowly turned her face and spat out, "I'll let you... know that I am... Berserk... ugh"

Korra huffed as Nik recalled continuous warnings he gave Korra as she tried to match his own diet. Aside from Xiao NIng'er, who looked at Shen Xiu with slight hesitation and then gazed back at Nik, there was another pink-haired girl with an accessory-band on her head and tight robes that befitted training and seduction.

"Alright. Teacher Nik, you called us here, right? Now teach... me..."

The curvaceous lady leaned forward. Unlike Shen Xiu, this student from the genius class had no trouble in using her body to attract the attention of her suitors and it would be a lie if Nik wasn't giving his best to control his boner.

Aside from these four, Nik had also called a few other talents that had the potential to reach rank 30 but he still hadn't received any response from them. In fact, Nik also wanted to call on Ye Ziyun if it wasn't for the fact that she did not seem interested in Nik's technique— which was his leverage to invite the students.

"Huyan Lanrou..." Nik poked the pinkette's head and pushed her face up so that her large breasts wouldn't ask for Nik's attention to placate them with a massage.

"Stand in the line. You cam here to learn my technique, did you not?"

The girl pouted. She was from one of the seven middle-level aristocrats— The Huyan Family. As a daughter of the patriarch, she received nurturing that could easily outshine Shen Xiu's and Xiao Ning'er's. While the Wing Dragon Family was also one of the seven middle-level aristocrats, they have been on a decline for a mysterious cause.

As Shen Xiu, Xiao Ning'er, and Huyan Lanrou stood together and Korra groaned once again, Nik demonstrated a slightly more advanced version of fist technique that pulled on every inch of their muscles the way his foundational exercise did while also creating a barrage of strikes that acted as defense and offense.

His technique, of course, wasn't without any flaws. Even if the flaws weren't explicit, Nik knew that the inability to point out the flaws is not the same as the technique not hosting any flaws itself.

"Phew~ Say, Shen Xiu, since when did you fancy martial arts?"

"It is Teacher Shen Xiu to you."

Shen Xiu spat as the trio took their stances and Korra finally pulled her body up.

"Oh, come on. You just graduated from the academy and came back as a teacher. Admit it, you miss me."

Huyan Lanrou gave a toothy grin as Shen Xiu's expression grew gloomy.

"Shut it."

Shen Xiu snorted and started following Nik's movements. Huyan Lanrou chuckled at Shen Xiu's outburst, "Well, it isn't hard to understand that you will feel angry. Your elder brother will marry you out and gain wealth more than enough to cover the losses when your estate goes to your in-laws.

Of course, you wouldn't be trying to oppose his decisions, right? Isn't little Xiao working hard to get strong and get out of the marriage that your Sacred family forced her family into after pushing them into an irrecoverable debt?"

Xiao Ning'er froze with a terrible expression on her face and even Nik's pace slowed down. Understanding the somberness of the surrounding, Korra silently sprawled on the ground once again without exaggerating her groans.

"That does it, bitch!"

Flame blazed around Shen Xiu as a phantom tail formed behind her Shen Xiu kicked sideways, aiming her pointed shoe at Huyan Lanrou's face.

*Thuck*

It was quite easy for Nik to stop the fight that Huyan Lanrou was leading Shen Xiu to and Nik also had enough of it.

"Keep your family squabbles out of my classes," Nik caught Shen Xiu's calves and flung her away, making the flaming-haired beauty to yelp in surprise while Huyan Lanrou's eyes widened at Nik's display of his rough handling. Huyan Lanrou staggered as Nik made his way towards her and grasped both of her shoulders before bringing his face real close whilst keeping eye-contact the entire time. His rough breathing grazed her face while the sublime fragrance lingering around Nik burned Huyna Lanrou's body as Nik nailed her with his gaze, "Understood?"

Huyan Lanrou gulped for a moment before she frowned. The pink irises around her pupil glowed while her pupils also turned vertical.  For a moment, a short bout of dizziness struck Nik. But it was only that.

His gaze recovered and he focused on the heavily flushed Huyan Lanrou once again. This time, a short smile touched his lips.

"Grateful to have your understanding."

Then, leaving Huyan Lanrou's shoulders, Nik spun on his heels and walked towards Shen Xiu who was just getting up and pulled her up easily before matching her indignant gaze.

"I don't care why you came to me to learn this technique. But the fact remains that you were the once who came to me. There was no kindness and warmth in Nik's expression. Shen Xiu couldn't help but recall the fact that Nik was stroking her head warmly just a few hours ago! Biting her lips, she kept her indignant glare and refused to reply.

"Nice to have your understanding, too."

Nik let go of Shen Xiu and regrouped the girls around Korra.

He sat down and looked at the three girls standing in front of him.

"Look, you three emerge from strong families and I understand that your family may not look at other person's family kindly. Xiao Ning'er, Shen Xiu, and Huyan Lanrou. When you come here tomorrow, leave all your prestige and your family's honor into your dorm rooms.

If any of you would not come tomorrow, I would understand."

"Yes...  teacher Nik."

Xiao Ning'er was the first to speak up. She wanted to get strong but training alongside the woman she almost hated would take some time adjusting. Not to mention, her technicalities were flaring once again.

Xiao Ning'er bowed slightly towards Nik and turned around and made her way towards the exit of the institute. Korra then raised her head to see a pissed Shen Xiu and a heavily blushing Huyan Lanrou turning away simultaneously and making their way towards the exit.

She then looked at Nik and smiled wryly, "Teach, I would have left if it wasn't for the fact that I needed your support to even come back to the school."

"Yea, yea," Nik sighed and scooched closer to Korra. Holding her by the shoulders, Nik helped her sit up once again.

"Phew~"

Korra whistled in delight as she let out a soft burp, "Oh, it looks like my stomach hasn't given up after all!"

Nik chuckled and silently sat beside Korra.

"Hey, Teach."

"Hmm?"

Nik looked sideways as Korra's gaze trailed the back of Shen Xiu's receding figure, "Why are they even fighting? They got money and the looks. And now, they gonna get a rich and talented husband."

"Well," Nik opened up. He couldn't say that he wouldn't even let them reach that step out loud. So, he could only reply sagely, "Not everyone has your smarts, Korra."

"And looks, too."

Korra chuckled.

***

Huyan Lanrou

https://tales-of-demons-and-gods.fandom.com/wiki/Huyan_Lanruo#Flirtatious