Chapter 87: The Center of Attention
During the following three days, Nie Tian showed Pan Tao around Black Cloud City.
After Nie Donghai decided for Nie Tian to join the Cloudsoaring sect, Pan Tao’s father, Pan Bai, had returned with An Rong to the An clan for a temporary visit.
Meanwhile, Li Fan and Jiang Lingzhu stayed in the Nie clan to wait for Nie Tian to get ready to leave for the Cloudsoaring sect.
Although three days was a short period of time, the efficiency of the Nie clan elders was extremely amazing.
The next day, Nie Yaozu the other elders and declared that Nie Beichuan’s position as clanmaster would be removed due to his dereliction of duty with regards to the mining accident.
On that afternoon, under Li Fan’s observance, the Nie clan elders elected Nie Donghai to be their clanmaster again.
On the other hand, Nie Beichuan and Nie Nanshan spent the three days mostly in their rooms, totally dispirited and no longer daring to interfere with clan affairs.
Li Fan was like a giant mountain weighing down on the two brothers. As long as he was still in the Nie clan, they could only follow his words obediently without the slightest thoughts of revolting.
The Nie clan members who had treated Nie Donghai and Nie Qian coldly in the past, started to fight for their favor once again. At the same time, Nie Donghai moved back into the big mansion which represented the clanmaster’s status.
Pan Tao knew that he wouldn’t be able to turn Nie Tian’s decision around. Therefore, after touring in Black Cloud City for several days with him, he went back to the An clan to prepare for his return with his father to the Spiritual Treasure sect.
This morning, just as the first cracks of light emerged, Nie Tian went to the square where the clan members trained.
On the square, many Nie clan youngsters were sitting cross-legged with their hands on their knees, breathing the spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth. Others were moving their fists and bodies as they practiced spiritual techniques.
Nie Hong and Nie Yuan were also sitting there, cultivating quietly.
However, unlike before, the other Nie clan youngsters now intentionally kept their distance from these two, and chose other spots to cultivate at.
If it were three days ago, wherever they went, the other youngsters would automatically gather around them, attempting to gain their favor.
Nie Tian had never come back to the square again since he had injured Nie Hong.
Now that he suddenly appeared, many of the cultivating Nie clan youths were shocked, and gazed towards him with a mixture of surprise, envy, and respect.
“All of you, go back to your cultivation!” Wu Tao shouted with his low-pitched voice.
The agitated youngsters gradually quieted down after hearing his rebuke.
However, their eyes were still locked onto Nie Tian, who walked towards Wu Tao.
In merely three days, Nie Tian’s name had spread to every corner of Black Cloud City.
Even in the nearby Dim Star City, Frost Stone City, and Bone Shatter City, many people were talking about him.
Because of him, Pan Bai from the Spiritual Treasure sect had personally come to the Nie clan; because of him, the Cloudsoaring sect had broken a rule that had stood for decades, and took him in before he had reached the ninth level of Qi Refining.
To every one of the Nie clan youngsters in the square, Nie Tian was a legend.
They couldn’t understand how Nie Tian, who, a year ago, used to train with them on the same square and fight with Nie Hong and Nie Yuan all the time, could improve so drastically, and attain such a miraculous success in such a short time.
Nie Tian bowed respectfully towards Wu Tao. “Mr. Wu, thank you for taking care of me all these years. I will soon be going to the Cloudsoaring sect, and I have specially come today to say goodbye to you.”
When his grandfather and aunt were being forced by Nie Beichuan and his allies to go to the Cloudsoaring sect to admit their guilt, the entire Nie clan had intentionally hid it from him.
Only Wu Tao had taken a great risk and secretly informed him.
Furthermore, when he previously trained on the square, Wu Tao had also treated him well, unlike the other clan members who had treated him coldly because his grandfather had lost his power within the clan.
Therefore, he was there to express his gratitude towards him before he left the Nie clan.
“Oh, there’s no need.” Wu Tao hurriedly went forward to help him up.
After that, Wu Tao looked deeply into his eyes, smiled broadly, and said, “I always knew that you were different, even though I couldn’t figure out what exactly it was. I always felt that you would be taken in by the Cloudsoaring sect, just like Nie Xian.” With these words, he paused for a moment before continuing, “But I underestimated you…”
Both of them were children of the Nie clan, and both were regarded highly by Wu Tao. Nie Xian had been formally accepted by the Cloudsoaring sect after he stepped into the ninth level of Qi Refining.
However, Nie Tian was different.
Not only had Pan Bai from the Spiritual Treasure sect come for him, but the Cloudsoaring sect even broke a rule that had been enforced for decades for him.
Wu Tao also knew that Nie Tian was actually the reason why the Cloudsoaring sect was willing to drop the matter of the collapsed mine, and why Nie Beichuan was removed from his position, allowing Nie Donghai to regain his former position as clanmaster.
Because of Nie Tian, the whole situation of the Nie clan had been turned around!
The shocking potential that he had exhibited and the changes he had caused far exceeded Nie Xian.
“Perhaps something happened in the Green Illusion dimension…” Wu Tao speculated inwardly, his heart filled with mixed feelings.
Nie You, who had her hair wrapped up in a braid on top of her head, curiously looked at him and asked with a naive voice. “Elder Brother Tian, what stage are you at now?”
The innocent Nie You had always stood by Nie Tian, and had accused Nie Hong and Nie Yuan for being shameless every time they battled Nie Tian.
“The eighth level of Qi Refining,” replied Nie Tian, smiling.
“Ahhh?!” Nie You exclaimed.
A lot of the other youngsters also seemed astonished after hearing his answer.
They could still remember that Nie Tian was at the third level of Qi Refining when he fought with Nie Hong last time.
It had only been a year, but Nie Tian had already exceeded everyone’s expectations and reached the eighth level. Such a rapid advancement was simply unimaginable.
“Elder Brother Tian, you’re so awesome!” Nie You’s face was full of admiration. “No wonder the Cloudsoaring sect would make an exception for you.”
A lot of young girls and boys of the Nie clan cast amazed looks at him, as they chatted and sighed in admiration.
“From the third to the eighth level in a year… This kind of progress is way too terrifying.”
“Well, it seems that there is a reason why the Cloudsoaring sect made an exception for him.”
“It might be that they value his potential.”
Only Nie Yuan and Nie Hong were still sitting off in the distance, looking rather grim.
They didn’t say a word, assuming that Nie Tian had come especially to humiliate them.
Sure enough, Nie Tian began to walk slowly towards them after thanking Wu Tao.
All of a sudden, everyone in the square fell into silence.
The expressions on their faces seemed as if they were expecting a good show.
Both Nie Hong and Nie Yuan lowered their heads and gritted their teeth, not daring to meet Nie Tian’s gaze.
Since their fathers had already warned them against starting conflicts with Nie Tian, then no matter how Nie Tian insulted them, they could only bear it; they absolutely weren’t allowed to resist.
Nie Tian was obviously different from the other disciples that had been admitted by the Cloudsoaring sect.
Nie Tian’s success was already immutable.
Nowadays, not a single person in the entire Nie clan would dare to mess with Nie Tian, not to mention those two youngsters.
After all, if they were to be admitted by the Cloudsoaring sect in the future, and Nie Tian were to target them after they joined the sect, their life would be miserable.
For sake of their own future, they could only endure whatever was coming.
Therefore, they had already prepared themselves for Nie Tian to come over and humiliate them.
Meanwhile…
On top of the high pavilion that represented the status of clanmaster, Nie Donghai and Li Fan, who had been conversing, suddenly stopped.
They were leaning against the stone balcony, overlooking the square underneath, before their attention was caught by Nie Tian.
“Hmm…”
They saw Nie Tian arriving in front of Nie Hong and Nie Yuan.
After a moment of hesitation, Nie Tian said, “The conflicts between our grandfathers have nothing to do with us. Although we’ve been battling over the years, I’ve never considered you two as my enemies.
“I’ll continue my cultivation in the Cloudsoaring sect. I hope, however, that our matches won’t stop because of that, and that they won’t be limited to within the Nie clan.
“I hope that I’ll soon see the both of you in the Cloudsoaring sect. By that time, I’ll accept your challenges at any time.
“Thanks for honing me for all these years. Because of you, I strove to get stronger, and eventually earned the chance to enter the Cloudsoaring sect.
“I hope the two of you can also become disciples of the Cloudsoaring sect.
“By that time, we will fight in the Cloudsoaring sect, instead of the Nie clan.”
What he said was true. He had never hated Nie Hong or Nie Yuan. They were also only eleven, the same age as Nie Tian, and they actually hadn’t been tainted by the despicable minds of Nie Beichuan and Nie Nanshan yet.
Without the countless battles they had fought against each other, Nie Tian wouldn’t have been able to improve unceasingly, and he wouldn’t have been sharpened into a treasured blade that emanated brilliant light.
All of the people who were watching, waiting for Nie Tian to humiliate Nie Hong and Nie Yuan, let out exclamations of surprise. “Huh?!”
Wu Tao also looked greatly surprised.
Even Li Fan and Nie Donghai, who were high up on the balcony, appreciated Nie Tian’s behavior with surprised expressions on their faces.
Nie Hong and Nie Yuan, who had planned for the worst-case scenario, raised their heads to stare blankly at Nie Tian, flabbergasted by his words.
They didn’t see the least bit of a sneer in Nie Tian’s eyes, or the intent to inflict humiliation that they thought to be there. All they saw was sincerity.
A moment later, Nie Hong snapped out of his daze, as the issues that had been weighing on his mind were instantly lifted. He waved his clenched fist towards Nie Tian and said, “You’ll see! I’ll definitely make it into the Cloudsoaring sect. By that time, I’ll defeat you, and let you know that I’m not a bit weaker than you!”
“So will I!” Nie Yuan said loudly.
With a grin, Nie Tian nodded. “Good. I’ll wait for you in the Cloudsoaring sect!”
“Just wait for us!”
Then, Nie Hong said in a low voice, “Congratulations…”
Nie Tian put on a heartfealt smile.
On the stone pavilion, Li Fan turned to Nie Donghai and said, “You taught him well.”
“Yes, all the things that I have done over the years finally paid off.” Nie Donghai no longer hid his feelings and his face was filled with pride.
Li Fan nodded slowly, and spoke while seemingly thinking to himself, “I wonder what happened to him in the Green Illusion dimension. But from the look of it, what he got from the Green Illusion dimension was way more than just the progress in cultivation. It seems his mind and the way he handles issues also transcended… That kind of growth is even more precious compared to the growth in cultivation.”
Nie Donghai laughed gently, feeling as if the pressure that he had endured for many years had been completely been lifted today. Now, he felt incomparably light.
Face solemn, Li Fan said with a serious tone, “From now on, the Nie clan will sorrow as he sorrows, decline as he declines. It will rejoice as he rejoices, and soar as he soars.”