Chapter 8

"Grandpa, I'm sorry."

After leaving the square and coming to a pavilion by a rockery, Nie Donghai stopped his steps, and Nie Tian apologized softly.

Nie Donghai turned around and, when Nie Tian approached, smiled and patted his head affectionately, saying, "It's okay. Grandpa is tired, and it's time to rest."

"Grandpa, if it weren't for my recklessness, you could still..." Nie Tian said softly.

"No." Nie Donghai knew what he was going to say, shook his head, and explained gently, "Even without this incident, I planned to step down. In recent years, my vision has been clouded by hatred, and I've spent too much energy seeking revenge. Unfortunately, the Nie family is not a powerful clan, and even with the clan's strength, I couldn't find that bastard."

Pausing for a moment, Nie Donghai sighed and added, "Perhaps, even if I found that guy, I couldn't do anything. I know how the Yun family treated your aunt, and they are right here in Heiyun City, but what can I do?"

"I'm old, and my body... is getting worse. Instead of wasting energy, I'd rather spend more time with you."

"Grandpa, I'll be more sensible in the future. I won't continue to fight with Nie Hong. When I become strong, I'll help my aunt get justice from the Yun family!" Nie Tian said with determination.

Nie Donghai smiled and nodded, looking at him deeply. His expression changed, and he said seriously, "Just now, you were about to give up, but why did you suddenly have the strength to turn the tables on Nie Hong?"

"I don't know either." Nie Tian was also puzzled, "Just when I thought I was done for, it seemed... a strong force surged from my entire body. When that force burst out, the electric sparks left by Nie Hong in my body were instantly neutralized, and I gained the strength to counterattack."

Nie Donghai was inwardly moved. He reached out and placed his hand on Nie Tian's waist, trying to sense something.

A faint thread of spiritual energy floated uncertainly within Nie Tian's body. After carefully sensing it, he found nothing.

But he unexpectedly discovered that, as Nie Tian said, the electric sparks that Nie Hong had gradually infiltrated had completely disappeared.

"Strange..." He withdrew his hand, puzzled, and asked, "Did you feel that force again later?"

"After the fight, I tried to sense it, but there was no trace of it." Nie Tian thought for a moment and added, "But I can be sure that the force is inside me. It just seems that I can't use it for now, and it only appears in the most dangerous moments."

Nie Donghai remained silent, his eyes thoughtful. After a while, he said slowly, "Don't talk about this to anyone else."

"Okay." Nie Tian nodded obediently.

"That's it. Go find your aunt. Remember, from tomorrow on, I won't be the head of the Nie family anymore. In the future... don't be too mischievous. If you have a conflict with the other children in the clan, don't be too harsh." Nie Donghai said earnestly.

"I understand." Nie Tian replied.

After that, Nie Donghai went into the Nie family's library, flipping through many obscure books about cultivation, trying to find the reason for Nie Tian's abnormal condition.

Unfortunately, after reading more than ten scriptures, he still had no clue.

That night, Nie Qian's maid, Han Yue, came in a panic, saying that Nie Tian had suddenly developed a high fever.

Nie Donghai hurriedly left the library and went to Nie Tian's room with Han Yue. As soon as he entered, he saw Nie Qian anxiously standing by Nie Tian's window, holding a cloth wrapped in ice and applying it to Nie Tian's forehead, hoping to help him reduce the fever.

"Father!"

As soon as she saw Nie Donghai enter, Nie Qian, like a drowning person seeing a boat, called out urgently, "I don't know what happened. After dinner, Xiaotian started to have a fever, and his body temperature is getting higher and higher. I'm so worried, I don't know what to do."

"Don't panic, let me take a look." Nie Donghai hurried forward and placed his rough hand on Nie Tian's chest.

"Too hot!" As soon as he touched Nie Tian's skin, Nie Donghai couldn't help but exclaim. His face suddenly became serious, and he said, "Something's not right. His body temperature is too high; this is not normal!"

"It must be Nie Hong's fault. Nie Hong has reached the sixth level of Qi Cultivation, and his spiritual energy can overflow, yet he still shamelessly bullied Xiaotian! It must be the residual electric force in Xiaotian's body causing this. Uncle Nie even blamed Xiaotian, forcing Father to step down as the head of the family. I'll go and settle accounts with them right now!" Nie Qian said angrily, ready to confront Nie Beichuan.

"Stay here!" Nie Donghai shouted.

"Father! They bullied Xiaotian and hurt you, causing your cultivation to regress! For years, they have been forcing you, not respecting you as the head of the family, and acting recklessly. Now, they are even using a child to force you to step down. It's too much, I can't stand it!" Nie Qian shouted.

"Xiaotian's high fever is our most pressing concern right now!" Nie Donghai glared at her and said, "Put everything else aside. Go find the best doctors in Heiyun City immediately. I want them to bring Xiaotian's fever down quickly. I can feel that his body temperature is still rising!"

"What? His body temperature is still rising?" Nie Qian panicked and gave up on confronting Nie Beichuan. She said, "I'll go right away!"

With that, she rushed out of the Nie family residence, anxious and worried.

An hour later, three renowned doctors from Heiyun City gathered by Nie Tian's side.

The three doctors used various methods, such as herbal decoctions, acupuncture, and cold compresses, to try to bring down Nie Tian's fever quickly.

But by the middle of the night, Nie Tian's fever still hadn't subsided.

The three doctors had tried every method, but Nie Tian seemed unresponsive, and his high body temperature showed no signs of decreasing.

"Worthless! You can't even treat a simple fever, and you call yourselves renowned doctors!" Nie Donghai panted and shouted in anger.

The three doctors, meek and submissive, dared not argue and left the Nie family residence in shame.

The next afternoon.

Nie Donghai and Nie Qian, with bloodshot eyes, watched another doctor from Heiyun City, carrying a medical kit, leave Nie Tian's room helplessly.

Nie Donghai, who hadn't slept all night, touched Nie Tian's forehead with a pained heart and found that his body temperature was still dangerously high.

"Spread the word. Whether from Heiyun City or elsewhere, any doctor who can bring down Nie Tian's fever will be richly rewarded!" Nie Donghai shouted.

"Understood!"

Another day passed.

All the renowned doctors from Heiyun City and surrounding cities came, each using their own methods, hoping to bring down Nie Tian's fever and earn Nie Donghai's generous reward.

However, by that night, Nie Tian's fever still hadn't subsided.

Nie Beichuan and other clan elders, upon learning of Nie Tian's sudden illness, also came to visit. They did not press the issue of Nie Donghai stepping down as the head of the family at this time.

As night fell.

Nie Donghai and Nie Qian watched Nie Tian, who was flushed and burning with fever, with despair on their faces.

Nie Qian sobbed, muttering intermittently, "My poor little sister, if she knew I didn't take good care of Xiaotian, she wouldn't rest in peace. Xiaotian is only ten years old. If anything happens to him, I don't want to live either. Anyway, those people in the clan don't want us to be happy. We might as well die together..."

"Shut up!" Nie Donghai shouted angrily, "If you say one more word of bad luck, I'll slap your mouth!"

"Father, then think of a way!" Nie Qian shouted.

"I am thinking!" Nie Donghai's face was grim, "Over the years, I have been devoted to Lingyun Sect. Now that I'm old and planning to step down, perhaps the old immortals of Lingyun Sect will consider my face and help Nie Tian!"

"Prepare yourself. We'll take Nie Tian to Lingyun Sect, and I'll kneel at the sect's gate and beg them to help!"

"Good! I'll arrange it right away!" Nie Qian's eyes lit up with renewed hope.

She knew very well that the high-level cultivators of Lingyun Sect possessed great powers. If those powerful cultivators were willing to expend their energy to help, Nie Tian might still have a chance.

"Head of the family! Head of the family! Another doctor has come, and he says he can save Xiaotian!"

Just as Nie Donghai and his daughter were about to set off for Lingyun Sect, the maid Han Yue burst in, shouting loudly.

...