Chapter 11

That night.

Nie Qian knew that Nie Tian had suffered a lot over the past two days, so she instructed him to rest early and left after Nie Donghai.

In the quiet of the night, Nie Tian found it hard to fall asleep. He sat up on the bed, began to practice the Qi Cultivation Technique, and absorbed the spiritual energy from the heavens and earth for cultivation.

With each breath, a thin thread of the sparse spiritual energy was drawn into his dantian, the spiritual sea.

When Nie Tian inspected his consciousness, he could clearly feel that the threads of spiritual energy, once absorbed into the dantian, were very different from before.

In the past, when he practiced the Qi Cultivation Technique, he found that most of the spiritual energy was not directed into the dantian but dispersed into his flesh and bones.

This time, his flesh and organs seemed to have absorbed enough strength and did not forcibly seize the spiritual energy absorbed through the Qi Cultivation Technique.

When he focused on his cultivation, he could vaguely hear the cheers of his flesh and blood.

"How strange..."

In a daze, his consciousness quietly shifted from the dantian to his flesh and blood.

In his perception, a faint glow seemed to suddenly sprout from his blood, flickering quietly.

At that moment, his soul seemed to be suddenly pulled into his blood, making him feel even more dazed.

"Boom!"

After a strange rumble, Nie Tian, who was in the midst of cultivation, seemed to fall into an ancient dream!

In an unknown world with lush ancient trees and towering peaks piercing the clouds, a huge shadow of a demon appeared in the depths of the void.

On the vast and boundless land, groups of giants carried hundreds of meters long black logs, walking with their heads held high, singing ancient and melancholic tunes.

A mountain thousands of meters high was coiled by a giant snake with shimmering silver scales. At first glance, the giant snake and the mountain seemed to be one.

The giant snake breathed in and out, and the starlight and moonlight poured down like a stream, seemingly all merging into the snake's body.

In the sky, shrouded in clouds and mist, there was a magnificent palace speeding through lightning and thunder.

From the depths of the earth, came the sounds of fierce and terrifying roars. With the roars, the earth cracked, forming deep and bottomless ravines.

Blackish-purple smoke, mixed with ghosts and spirits, rose from the depths of the ravines.

Figures emerged from the horizon, soaring into the sky. These figures had huge gray wings, and with a single flap, they could flash across hundreds of miles.

One by one, incredible scenes flashed in Nie Tian's dream.

Nie Tian seemed to be transported to an ancient and mysterious world, observing the wonders of the universe as a bystander.

"Whoosh!"

After an unknown amount of time, Nie Tian panted heavily and suddenly woke up from his dream.

He was drenched in sweat, feeling extremely exhausted, and even his fingers seemed unable to move.

"What a magical dream! What a magical world!"

Looking at the flickering candlelight in the room, his eyes shone like stars, and his face was filled with an excited and hopeful expression.

The long night passed without any drowsiness, and he seemed to be completely immersed in the previous dream, unwilling to come out of it.

It wasn't until the night faded and the rooster crowed that he suddenly felt drowsy and fell into a deep sleep.

Early in the morning, Nie Donghai voluntarily invited the elders of the Nie family to the family's council hall. In front of the direct and collateral elders of the Nie family, he announced that due to his declining energy, he was stepping down from the position of family head.

"Brother, you can rest assured. Under my leadership, the Nie family will surely regain its former glory!" Nie Beichuan said confidently.

"I believe you have the ability." Nie Donghai nodded lightly and then, under the watchful eyes of the Nie family elders, slowly walked out of the council hall.

"Father..." Outside the hall, Nie Qian, who had been waiting for a long time, hesitated to speak.

She could see that when Nie Donghai left the hall, his eyes were filled with deep reluctance.

Nie Donghai had been tormented by illness for many years, and he no longer had the former vigor. Now, stepping down from the position of family head, he seemed to have suddenly aged a few years, and his entire person appeared somewhat listless.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." Nie Donghai forced a smile. "My heart is tired, and the elders have long lost their patience. If I continue to hold onto that position, it will only bring us more trouble. This is for the best. In the future, I can focus all my energy on Nie Tian."

"I only hope that before I die, Nie Tian can gain the favor of the Lingyun Sect and be able to cultivate there."

"That is my last hope and desire in my remaining life."

Inside the hall, the noise continued. Many of the Nie family elders congratulated Nie Beichuan.

Listening to Nie Beichuan's triumphant laughter and the flattering words of the elders, Nie Qian became increasingly restless and muttered, "Before Father was injured, those elders treated him the same way they treat Uncle now. Times have changed, and now that Father has stepped down, no one has even come to comfort him."

"Life is like this. I have long seen through it. When you are successful, everyone is close to you. Once you lose your power, you are immediately deserted and avoided by everyone." Nie Donghai shook his head in disappointment. "Let's go. Ignore them and go see Nie Tian."

"I hope Nie Tian can make us proud!" Nie Qian said bitterly.

She knew very well that Nie Donghai had now placed all his hopes on Nie Tian.

If Nie Tian could show extraordinary talent in cultivation, Nie Donghai's heart might be rekindled with hope. Even if he himself could no longer make progress in cultivation, as long as he saw Nie Tian grow stronger day by day, he could persist and live well.

Nie Tian was now his entire spiritual pillar.

When Nie Donghai and Nie Qian came to Nie Tian's side, they found him snoring loudly, still in a deep sleep.

"He has suffered a lot these past few days. This child... has had a hard time. Let's wait for him to wake up." Nie Donghai gazed deeply at Nie Tian and said softly.

"Okay." Nie Qian said, her heart aching.

As the night grew darker, Doctor Hua Mu, who had left the previous day, came as agreed.

"Mr. Hua, the bathtub and hot water are ready. Please continue to use your skills to help this child eliminate the root of his illness." Nie Donghai said respectfully.

"Of course." Hua Mu nodded slightly. "You can all go out. There's no need to wake him up."

Nie Donghai and Nie Qian left as instructed, just like the previous day, waiting outside the room.

After they left, Hua Mu, just like the previous day, took out the bottles and jars from his small medicine box and poured them into the hot water in the bathtub.

After everything was ready, he carefully picked up the sleeping Nie Tian and gently placed him in the bathtub.

The hot water in the bathtub, once Nie Tian was immersed, instantly reached its boiling point and suddenly boiled.

Nie Tian, like a cooked shrimp, turned bright red and involuntarily moaned in pain.

Strangely, he did not have a fever today, but once he entered the bathtub, he still fell into a coma.

Hua Mu released a faint light barrier, isolating his voice, and his eyes flickered with green ghostly flames as he quietly watched Nie Tian.

When the murky medicinal water in the bathtub became clear again, Hua Mu returned to normal, the light barrier in the room disappeared, and Nie Tian slowly woke up.

"Thank you, Mr. Hua." Nie Tian opened his eyes and immediately felt full of energy, with no trace of fatigue.

Hua Mu nodded. "I'll come again tomorrow." With that, he picked up his medicine box and, without acknowledging Nie Donghai and Nie Qian's sincere thanks, left the Nie family.

In the following days, every night when Nie Tian practiced, he would mysteriously fall into a dream, observing all sorts of incredible miracles in an unknown world.

Each time he woke up from the dream, he was exhausted and often fell asleep again at dawn.

Hua Mu would come every night on time, using strange medicinal water to make Nie Tian suffer unbearably.

On the last day.

Nie Tian, his body bright red, jumped out of the clear water in the bathtub and respectfully thanked Hua Mu.

Hua Mu's expression was indifferent, and he seemed to ask casually, "Have you been dreaming every day recently?"

"How did you know?" Nie Tian was surprised.

"I know the reason for your sudden strange illness." Hua Mu pondered for a moment and deliberately lowered his voice. "Don't tell anyone about this, not even your grandfather or your aunt."

"Why?" Nie Tian was puzzled.

"Don't ask why. If you promise me, I will give you a pill. This pill can extend your grandfather's life by ten years." Hua Mu said seriously.

"Okay!" Nie Tian agreed with surprise and joy.

Without needing anyone to say more, he could see from Nie Donghai's condition that his time was limited.

Nie Donghai's deteriorating health had always been a thorn in his heart, and he had secretly vowed that once he became strong, his first task would be to find good medicine for Nie Donghai.

"That pill cannot heal your grandfather's serious injuries; it can only extend his life. You must understand this." Hua Mu explained.

"I understand." Nie Tian took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and said firmly, "Ten years! I will do my utmost to help him escape his suffering within ten years!"

"You have such determination, which is good." Hua Mu reached out and lightly patted his shoulder, saying meaningfully, "We will meet again."

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