Chapter 12

"Grandpa, Mr. Hua left a pill, saying that... it can let you live ten more years." Nie Tian handed the dark green pill to Nie Donghai.

"Ah!" Nie Qian immediately became excited and hurriedly turned around, trying to chase after Hua Mu to thank him.

But Hua Mu had already disappeared.

"A pill that can let me live ten more years!" Nie Donghai was also invigorated. He took the pill from Nie Tian, deeply inhaling the rich medicinal aroma. "If it's true, the value of this single pill far exceeds the reward we paid him!"

"Why would Mr. Hua do a losing business? Who is he?" Nie Qian asked, both surprised and delighted.

"He said..." Nie Tian hesitated for a moment, weaving a kind lie, "He said we have a connection."

"A connection?" Nie Donghai frowned slightly. "I find it strange. You stay here; I'll go into the city to find him. No matter what, I must thank him in person. He has been too kind to us."

With that, Nie Donghai took the pill and left first.

Unfortunately, he searched for two days in Heiyun City but found no trace of Hua Mu. Hua Mu had come quietly and disappeared just as suddenly.

With growing doubts, Nie Donghai observed for a few days and found that Nie Tian no longer had sudden fevers. He then believed that Hua Mu had no ill intentions.

He also believed that the pill Hua Mu left was not meant to harm him.

So, he took the strange pill, which he couldn't name, and immediately felt his energy and spirit improve significantly.

For a while after, whenever Nie Tian practiced the Qi Cultivation Technique, he clearly felt that the天地灵气 (heavenly and earthly qi) absorbed into his body did not continue to dissipate into his flesh and limbs.

It seemed that his strong body had already absorbed enough power and no longer needed additional growth nutrients.

Three months later, Nie Tian's long-stagnant cultivation level finally broke through, advancing from the third level of Qi Cultivation to the fourth level.

And at this time, Nie Tian was about to turn eleven.

To avoid making his grandfather difficult, these days, Nie Tian no longer went to the square early in the morning to practice, nor did he cause any trouble.

Most of the time, he practiced hard in his room, occasionally walking around Heiyun City with his aunt, Nie Qian.

One morning, while practicing, he suddenly heard a loud commotion from the square.

The commotion grew louder, distracting him from his practice. He finally couldn't bear it and walked towards the square.

As he approached, he saw that many of the Nie family elders had gathered in the square. Each elder was flushed with excitement, as if it were a holiday.

Wu Tao, who was responsible for teaching the Nie family children, also had a genuine smile on his face, repeatedly saying, "Nie Xian successfully broke through to the ninth level of Qi Cultivation!"

"Fourteen years old! Ninth level of Qi Cultivation!" Nie Tian was also invigorated, secretly happy for Nie Xian.

He wasn't close to Nie Xian, but many times when he fought with Nie Hong and Nie Yuan, Nie Xian had spoken up for fairness, unlike other Nie family members who only protected Nie Hong and Nie Yuan.

Because of this, although he wasn't close to Nie Xian, he had a good impression of him.

Now, seeing Nie Xian successfully reach the ninth level of Qi Cultivation at fourteen, he was genuinely happy for him.

He knew very well that among all the young men of the Nie family, those who could enter the ninth level of Qi Cultivation by fifteen and go to Lingyun Sect for cultivation were all outstanding elites.

Nie Hong's two older brothers, Nie Han and Nie Tai, had shown extraordinary talent from a young age and had great gains at the lottery conference.

However, Nie Tai, even after turning fifteen, did not reach the ninth level of Qi Cultivation and was thus rejected by Lingyun Sect.

Only his older brother, Nie Han, successfully broke through to the ninth level at fifteen and became a disciple of Lingyun Sect.

Rumors had it that Nie Han, who had been at Lingyun Sect for a few years, was doing well, and some people at Lingyun Sect were very optimistic about him.

Nie Beichuan could gain the support of many elders in the Nie family and naturally take the position of family head, not only because Nie Donghai's cultivation level had regressed due to injury, but also because of Nie Han.

"Good! Very good!" Nie Beichuan stood in the crowd, looking at Nie Xian with an appreciative gaze, and said loudly, "I said that since I took this position, I would be responsible for the family and revitalize the Nie family! Nie Xian's successful breakthrough and becoming a disciple of Lingyun Sect is a sign of the prosperity of our Nie family!"

"Haha, all thanks to the family head's blessings!"

"Brother, as soon as you took the position, Nie Xian broke through to the ninth level of Qi Cultivation. This clearly shows that you are bringing prosperity to our Nie family!"

"With you in charge, the Nie family will surely rise to new heights and surpass the Yun and An families in the near future!"

"..."

Many members of the Nie family congratulated him with smiles, as if Nie Xian's breakthrough to the ninth level of Qi Cultivation was indeed due to Nie Beichuan's efforts.

Nie Xian, the main character, was naturally surrounded by congratulations, but he remained calm, only politely thanking everyone without showing particular excitement.

"Nie Xian, your branch is a collateral line of the Nie family. But because of your efforts, from now on, your mother and sister will be moved into the Nie family mansion. You just need to focus on your cultivation at Lingyun Sect, and I will take care of the other matters," Nie Beichuan said, trying to win people's hearts.

Nie Xian only had a mother and a sister. As a collateral line and women and children, they originally had no right to live in the Nie family mansion.

"Thank you, family head," Nie Xian said softly.

"You're welcome; this is what you deserve," Nie Beichuan smiled. "I have already informed Lingyun Sect about your breakthrough to the ninth level. This afternoon, your older brother Nie Han will come with people from Lingyun Sect to take you there. Once you're at Lingyun Sect, just follow Nie Han; he has everything arranged."

"I understand," Nie Xian nodded.

In a corner of the square, Nie Tian stood alone, watching Nie Xian, who was surrounded by people, and Nie Beichuan, who was full of confidence.

"Ninth level of Qi Cultivation! One day, I will also be taken to the mountain by Lingyun Sect!" Nie Tian resolved.

"Why did you come out?" Nie Qian quietly approached and said softly, "This has nothing to do with you. If you want to enter Lingyun Sect, you must work twice as hard. You're almost eleven, and although you've made a breakthrough recently, you're still only at the fourth level. You can't waste too much time on unrelated matters."

"Aunt, I will catch up," Nie Tian said confidently.

"It's good to have confidence," Nie Qian smiled. "You're a bit distracted. The Nie family will be very busy today, and we, who are not favored, shouldn't stay at home and be a nuisance. Let's go for a walk in the city."

"Okay," Nie Tian said obediently.

Then, he followed Nie Qian out of the Nie family compound, had lunch at a restaurant in Heiyun City, and in the afternoon, accompanied Nie Qian to the largest jewelry store in the city to pick out some jewelry.

"Hey, isn't that the Nie family's eldest daughter who was divorced by my family's Zhiguo?"

Just as Nie Tian and Nie Qian were leaving the jewelry store, a sharp and malicious female voice suddenly rang out inappropriately.

Nie Tian敏锐地察觉到，听到那个声音时，他大姨聂茜的身体突然颤抖了起来。

顺着声音望去，他发现一男一女带着一个和他差不多大的男孩正缓缓走来，显然也打算去珠宝店选购饰品。

那男子一身白衣，面如温玉，显得颇为潇洒英俊。

女子秀发盘起，穿着剪裁合体的绿色套裙，貌美如花，看起来也是雍容不凡。

这对夫妇牵着的男孩，似乎集合了父母双方的优点，小小年纪就生得俊美出众。

男子看到聂茜时，目显愧色，拉着女子欲走。

“急什么？”女子不满地瞪了他一眼，道：“怎么了？难道现在还余情未了？”

“别胡说。”男子急忙辩解。

“谅你也不敢！”女子哼了一声，又将视线放在聂茜身上，“噗哧”一笑后，说道：“聂家大小姐，我听说你父亲连家主之位都丢了，你怎么还有余钱逛灵宝阁？呵呵，挑了什么昂贵的珠宝啊，能否给小妹我瞧瞧？”

“大姨，他们就是？”聂天暗怒道。

他现在不小了，即使聂东海和聂茜从未说过，但他从其他族人的口中，也都听到了很多关于他大姨聂茜的风言风语，知晓了事情的来龙去脉。

云家和聂家、安家一样，也是黑云城的大家族，以前云家和聂家的关系还不错。

就是因为如此，两个家族为了共同的利益联姻了，让聂茜和云家的云志国结为夫妇。

然而好景不长，云志国在外游历的时候，遇到了袁秋莹。

袁秋莹乃是寒石城袁家家主的女儿，袁家乃寒石城最强大的家族，实力要比聂家强大的多。

在袁秋莹的主动求爱，还有云家的暗中推动之下，最终袁秋莹成为了云志国的妻子。

而云志国的原配聂茜，则是被云家找了个莫须有的理由，给无情的休掉。

此乃聂家的奇耻大辱，聂东海为了此事，一怒之下闯入了云家，结果却被云家和袁家的强者联手重伤，从此一蹶不振。

云家和袁家，背后都有强大的炼气士势力撑腰，即使是凌云宗，也不愿意为了聂家大动干戈，最后只能不了了之。

成功将聂茜挤走的袁秋莹，对云志国和她的那段往事，始终耿耿于怀，每一次遇到聂茜，都是百般嘲讽，从没有过一句好话。

“不要理他们，我们走。”聂茜抓住聂天的手臂，扯着他，就要避开袁秋莹。

“我不走！”聂天如铁枪一般杵在原地。

...

PS: Tomorrow afternoon, I'll be doing an online Q&A session on Baidu Tieba. If you're interested, you can follow it, and you can ask me any questions~~

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