Chapter 11 - Dreamland Miracle
Nightfall.
Nie Qian knew that Nie Tian had suffered many hardships in the past few days and had urged him to go to sleep early, right after Nie Donghai had left the room.
Later in the quiet night, Nie Tian couldn’t sleep. He sat up on top of his bed and circulated his Lianqi technique, absorbing the world’s spirit qi to progress his cultivation level.
Thin strands of spirit qi from Nie Tian’s surroundings followed his breaths and were channeled into his Dantian’s spirit sea.
Nie Tian used his internal awareness and could clearly feel that the effect of the thin strands of Lianqi, after being absorbed into his Dantian, were largely different from the usual effect.
Before, when he had been cultivating his Lianqi technique, he would find that a large amount of the spirit qi would overflow and scatter to his flesh and limbs, instead of to his Dantian.
This time however, his flesh and vital organs seemed to directly suck in more than enough power, and they’d simultaneously not forcefully grab the world’s spirit qi.
With rapt attention, he watched the cultivation and could faintly hear what sounded like cheers coming from his flesh.
“So weird...”
In the midst of his bewildered state, his mental consciousness quietly shifted from his Dantian’s spirit sea to his inner flesh.
He percieved a strange aura that seemed as if it was coming from within his blood. It suddenly quietly twinkled.
In that moment, his soul seemed to suddenly be pulled into the middle of his blood, as his whole person became increasingly absent minded.
- Boom! -
After hearing a strange sounding rumble, Nie Tian, in the midst of cultivating, seemingly fell into an ancient setting of a dream world.
The unknown world was filled with flourishing, lush, old trees, huge summits that reached the highest cloud tops in the sky and a tremendously large void recess. It seemed almost illusionary, like a shadow, but at the same time very real.
The broad and vast world had a large number of giants carrying several hundred meters tall, pitch-black, gigantic trees. They strutted about with their heads held high, singing an ancient, desolate tone in unison.
Thousands of meters up on a mountain, an enormous serpent with silvery, gleaming scales was coiled around a tree. At first glance, it seemed as if the snake and mountain were one and the same.
The giant serpent faced towards the moonlit sky filled with stars while breathing. The specks of stars and moonlight poured down like running water and appeared to completely blend into the serpent.
The misty horizon contained a grand palace that towered through the clouds and attracted bright lightning.
From the depths of the earth came the sound of frantic and terrible snarling. The earth cracked from the roar, splitting at the seams to produce an endlessly deep ravine.
Sinister violet vapor mixed with malicious spirits spiraled upwards, rising from the deepest parts of the ravine.
Shadows of people from the distant horizon rushed into the sky. Those shadows possessed large grey wings that could, with a single flap, travel several hundred meters.
In Nie Tian’s dream, unfathomable scenes flashed by, one after another.
It was like Nie Tian had been brought into an ancient and mysterious world as a spectator, peeping at the world’s miracles.
- Hu, hu! -
[Note: This is supposed to be the sound of the howling wind]
An unknown amount of time pa.s.sed and Nie Tian violently gasped for breath, when he suddenly awakened from the dream world.
His entire body was soaked with sweat, and he was so exhausted that he couldn’t even move his fingers.
“What a magical dream! What a magical world!”
Looking at a candle flickering in the house, his eyes were gleaming like stars, while his face displayed an expression of incomparable longing.
During the entire night, he didn’t feel the slightest amount of sleepiness. He was completely engrossed in his previous dreamland and didn’t want to exit.
It wasn’t until the curtain of night retreated at the cry of the rooster, that he suddenly felt sleepy and proceded to fall into a deep sleep.
At dawn, Nie Donghai took the initiative to invite the elders of the Nie Family to the hall where official business was discussed. Under the presence of both the main family and the branch family, he declared that he didn’t have enough energy to continue and so, was stepping down from his position as head of the family.
“Brother, you can rest a.s.sured that the Nie Family, under my charge, will be restored to its former glory!” Nie Beichuan vowed.
“I believe you have the ability to do so,” Nie Donghai gently nodded. Soon after, under the gaze of all the gathered Nie Family members, he slowly walked out of the hall.
“Father...” Outside the hall, Nie Qian, who had been waiting here for a long time, hesitated.
She could see that when Nie Donghai left the hall, his eyes contained a deep sadness.
Nie Donghai had been tormented by a serious illness for many years and no longer had his former strength. Now that he had withdrawn from his position as head of the house, it was as if he’d abruptly aged many years. His entire being now appeared listless.
“I’m fine. You don’t need to worry.” Nie Donghai weakly smiled, “My heart is weary and after all these years, the family has long since lost patience with me. If I had continued to hold that position, it would’ve only brought us endless troubles. This way… it’s ok. In the future, I can focus all of my energy on Nie Tian.”
“My only wish is that, before I die, Nie Tian can earn the Lingyun Sect’s favor. Then he could join the Lingyun Sect and become even stronger.”
“That is my final hope and wish.”
Inside the hall, numerous members of the Nie Family clamored to congratulate Nie Beichuan.
Listening to Nie Beichuan’s gleeful laughter and the flattery of the family members, Nie Qian grew increasingly upset, as she quietly muttered, “Before Father was injured, those family members, one by one, gave face and now they treat Uncle exactly the same. Things change as time pa.s.ses. Now that Father has walked out, not one person has come to comfort you.”
“Life is just this way. I understood this a long time ago. When one is powerful, people will naturally get closer to you. Once you lose your power, people will almost immediately desert you and distance themselves.” Nie Donghai frustratedly shook his head, “Come on, forget about them. Let’s go see that kid, Nie Tian.”
“I hope that Nie Tian can one day argue for us!” Nie Qian bitterly said.
She understood clearly that Nie Donghai had already put all of his hopes onto Nie Tian.
If Nie Tian was able to practice in a way that displayed extraordinary skill, Nie Donghai’s heart perhaps could even regain hope. Even though Nie Tian found it difficult to be successful in cultivation, as long as he became stronger every day, Nie Donghai might also perservere and properly keep on living.
Nie Tian, was now Nie Donghai’s spiritual support.
When Nie Donghai and Nie Qian arrived at Nie Tian’s side, they discovered that Nie Tian was snoring loud enough to shake the skies. He was still fast asleep.
“He has suffered great hardships these past few days. This child... it hasn’t been easy for him. We’ll wait for him to wake up,” Nie Donghai said softly, while he attentively observed Nie Tian.
“En,” Nie Qian said, as her heart was aching.
The night sky gradually darkened. Hua Mu, the doctor who’d left yesterday, had come back in accordance to the contract.
“Mr. Hua, the barrel and hot water are ready. I invite Mr. Hua to continue to help root out this child’s illness.” Nie Donghai respectfully said.
“Of course.” Hua Mu nodded, “You guys leave. There’s no need to wake him up.”
Nie Donghai and Nie Qian walked away and like yesterday, quietly waited outside the house.
Once they left, Hua Mu also like yesterday, took small bottles out of his medicine chest, before he poured the contents into the barrel full of hot water.
Once everything was in place, he again carefully picked the sleeping Nie Tian up and gently placed him into the barrel.
Once the hot water inside the barrel soaked Nie Tian, it again reached its boiling point and began to boil.
Nie Tian turned red from head to toe, like a cooked prawn, and began to howl in pain.
Unusually, today Nie Tian didn’t have a fever, but he still lost consciousness as he entered the barrel.
Hua Mu released a faint curtain of light, cutting the sound off. His eyes flashed green like a wildfire, while he quietly watched Nie Tian.
Once the murky water inside the barrel became clear, Hua Mu returned to normal. The light covering the house disappeared and Nie Tian slowly woke up.
“Thank you, Mr. Hua.” Nie Tian opened his eyes and immediately felt his whole body br.i.m.m.i.n.g with strength, as not a single trace of fatigue was left.
Hua Mu nodded his head, “I’ll be back tomorrow.” He picked up his medicine chest and, without paying attention to Nie Donghai’s and Nie Qian’s thanks, left the Nie House.
In the following few days, Nie Tian cultivated every night, and always fell into the mysterious dreamland. In that unknown land, Nie Tian would spy on all kinds of unimaginable miracles.
Everytime he woke up from the dreamland, he would be deadly tired. Only at dawn, would he fall asleep once more.
And every evening, Hua Mu arrived to make an odd concoction of medicine that caused Nie Tian to wish for death.
The last day.
While his body was still entirely red, Nie Tian jumped out of the barrel of clear water and respectfully thanked Hua Mu.
Hua Mu looked apathetic and instead asked casually, “Recently, have you been dreaming every night?”
“How did you know?” Nie Tian exclaimed.
“I know the origin of your mysterious illness.” Hua Mu pondered for a moment and lowered his voice, “Do not speak of this matter to anyone. Not even your grandfather and aunt.”
“Why?” Nie Tian asked puzzled.
“Do not ask why. As long as you promise me, I’ll give you a pellet of medicine. This medicine can allow your grandfather to live for another ten years,” Hua Mu said with a serious expression.
Surprised, Nie Tian eagerly promised, “Okay!”
Hua Mu didn’t need to say anymore, for Nie Tian could see from Nie Donghai’s state that Nie Donghai’s time was limited.
Nie Donghai’s steadily deteriorating health had always been his heart’s demon. Nie Tian had already secretly vowed that once he became strong enough, that the first thing he would do, was to help Nie Donghai search for a cure.
“This medicine cannot heal your grandfather’s injury. You have to understand that it can only prolong his life,” Hua Mu explained.
“I understand.” Nie Tian took a deep breath, clenched his fist and solemnly vowed, “Ten years! Within a decade, I’ll spare no effort in helping him escape from his suffering!”
“You have such a resolve... Very good.” Hua Mu stretched his hand out and gently clapped Nie Tian on his shoulder, while he meaningfully said, “We’ll meet again.”