Three days later, Black Cloud City.
Nie Tian sat within the carriage and entered the city around the evening under An He’s lead.
The front curtain of the carriage had already been lifted, as the An Family’s An He would occasionally glance at Nie Tian after entering the city.
When they had left for the Green Illusion Realm trial, the curtain of the carriage had never been opened. During those three days, An He had practically ignored Nie Tian, as they had travelled in silence.
When they were returning, however, An He had taken the initiative to pull up the curtain. During the journey, he had always been gently talking to Nie Tian, carefully telling Nie Tian about the quarrels between Black Cloud City’s three clans.
Nie Tian could clearly feel that An He’s attitude towards him had undergone a fundamental change.
Via An He, Nie Tian found out that the Nie Family had started to have internal disputes during this recent period of time. The source of the dispute was the mine that was producing Fire Cloud Stone.
After Nie Beichuan’s confirmation, they knew that they would be unable to mine Fire Cloud Stone from that mine in the future.
And Nie Beichuan, who had just ascended to the position of clan master, was extremely panicked. He had interrogated all of the miners and found out that Nie Qian had taken Nie Tian into the mine. After that, he had pushed all of the responsibility on to Nie Qian.
During those few days, he couldn’t explain what had happened to the Lingyun Sect, and had deliberately made things difficult for Nie Qian.
He had unceasingly forced Nie Donghai to lead Nie Qian to the Lingyun Sect to admit and suffer the guilt of the mining incident.
In Nie Beichuan’s eyes, Nie Donghai’s days were already limited. He would rather sacrifice the father and daughter pair to calm the rage of the Lingyun Sect to obtain peace and security for the Nie Family.
His decision won the approval of many clan elders. Those clan elders were all standing beside him, censuring the father and daughter pair Nie Donghai and Nie Qian.
“Uncle An, after the mine had stopped producing Fire Cloud Stone, did the Lingyun Sect do anything?” Nie Tian inquired.
“It’s very strange.” As he urged on the carriage to slowly go towards the Nie Family, An He furrowed his brows and said, “According to what I know, it seemed like the Lingyun Sect hasn’t changed its position and still hasn’t held your Nie Family accountable.”
“Then why do they insist on forcing my grandfather and auntie to admit their guilt?” Nie Tian coldly asked.
“Because they’re afraid.” An He hesitated for a moment, then explained, “That mine was assigned to your Nie Family by the Lingyun Sect and your Nie Family was responsible for mining it. During these few years, the reason that your Nie Family obtained the approval of the Lingyun Sect was because you guys were helping them do work.”
“Now that an unforeseen accident has appeared in the mine, the Fire Cloud Stone, that was originally sufficient for ten years of mining, suddenly disappeared. The Lingyun Sect still hasn’t raised any difficult questions, but that second grandfather of yours has already started to panic.”
“He just obtained his position and changes have suddenly happened to the mine that the Nie Family relies on to survive. How could he not be afraid?”
Nie Tian snorted and said, “He’s not worthy to be my second grandfather!”
An He turned his head to look at Nie Tian, then muttered to himself for a bit. After that, he said, “During your grandfather’s prime years, he inflicted serious damage upon Nie Beichuan during their fight for the position of the clan master. After that incident, the two brothers have become estranged. Your grandfather controlled the Nie Family for many years and has also suppressed Nie Beichuan for many years. Now that your grandfather has finally lost his power, Nie Beichuan naturally won’t care about any feelings between the two of them.”
“There will definitely be one day when my grandfather can become the head of the Nie Family again!” Nie Tian let out a low shout.
An He indifferently laughed, and deeply looked at him. He said, “Perhaps so.”
If it was in the past, An He would perhaps ridicule him with a few words, and tell him that he didn’t understand the heights of the heavens and the depths of the earth.
But now, An He felt that it might not be impossible for Nie Tian to help Nie Donghai regain his former position if he continued to become more powerful.
Pan Tao and Jiang Lingzhu were two extremely important third generation disciples of the Ling Bao Court and Lingyun Sect. The power behind those two people would make An He fearful.
As long as Pan Tao and Jiang Lingzhu supported Nie Tian, Nie Tian would definitely gain benefits from it, as he followed the rise of Pan Tao and Jiang Lingzhu in the Ling Bao Court and the Lingyun Sect respectively.
“We’re here.”
After a long time, An He tugged the reins and stopped the carriage.
Nie Tian jumped down from the carriage and thanked An He respectfully. After that, he prompted, “Uncle An, then I’ll go back first?”
“Just go.” An He slightly laughed and said, “Don’t be too worried. If Nie Beichuan coerces you too much, you can come to our An Family. Hehe, since my family’s little miss regards you as an important person, then you’re a guest of our An Family. You can come anytime you want. Nie Beichuan’s power may be enough turn the heavens in the Nie Family, but he’s just another commoner in the eyes of our An Family.”
“Many thanks to Uncle An, I understand now.” Nie Tian thanked him again.
An He nodded his head and indicated for him to return home. With a crack of his horsewhip, he urged the carriage to return back to the An Family.
Nie Tian took a deep breath and stabilised his state of mind, before finally walking towards the entrance of the Nie Family.
“Nie... Nie Tian?” At the entrance, when the Nie Family’s guard Jin Jiang saw him, he was suddenly startled.
Jin Jiang wasn’t a clansman of the Nie Family, but was just a normal guest of the Nie Family. However, his ability to gather information was very effective.
The time it took for Nie Tian to follow An He back to Black Cloud City from the lake using the carriage took an entire three days. However, the news about the astonishing events in the Green Illusion Realm had only taken one day to spread to Black Cloud City.
The clansmen of Black Cloud City’s three big clans had been all talking about the enormous changes in the Green Illusion Realm for the whole day.
Within the many trial takers of the Green Illusion Realm’s trial, Nie Tian was only an unremarkable person. Because of that, the information sent over by the four sects didn’t include Nie Tian.
On the contrary, the Yun Family was already in great sorrow after hearing about the extermination of the entire Grey Valley within the Green Illusion Realm.
When Jin Jiang had passed by the Yun Family, he had faintly heard the weeping sounds of Yuan Qiuying and he had learned that the Yun Family had already understood that Yun Song, whom they had placed high hopes upon, had died in the Green Illusion Realm.
Jin Jiang had heard that it wasn’t only the Grey Valley that had suffered an extermination, but the other three sects had also suffered many deaths.
In his opinion, Nie Tian, who was unluckily brought into the Green Illusion Realm by An Shiyi, had too little strength. His status wasn’t worth much either and he should’ve become cannon fodder in the Green Illusion Realm already.
He didn’t think that Nie Tian would actually manage to return alive, when even Yun Song died.
“What?” Nie Tian furrowed his brows.
After Jin Jiang quickly got over the shock, he awkwardly laughed, “I thought that you were like the Yun Family’s Yun Song and also died in the Green Illusion Realm. Nie Tian, your grandfather and aunt have been worrying about you after hearing about the enormous changes that suddenly occurred within the Green Illusion Realm. You should quickly go see them.”
He wasn’t a member of the Nie Family. Nie Tian’s life or death wouldn’t affect him.
“Black Cloud City already knows about the things that happened in the Green Illusion Realm?” Nie Tian was astonished.
“Naturally.” Jin Jiang nodded his head, “The spreading of information can be done via many ways, all of which are much faster than the speed you took to come back. You should quickly go; your grandfather has shut his door today and hasn’t come out at all. Your aunt seems to have already cried for an entire day. You should quickly go and let them feel relieved.”
“Many thanks to you.” Nie Tian hurriedly entered.
“Nie Tian!”
“No way? Nie Tian is still alive?”
“Yuan Feng and Yun Song have already died! He actually managed to return alive?”
“He truly has amazing luck!”
“…”
During his return, all of the Nie Family clansmen that saw Nie Tian felt extremely surprised. They felt that this was extremely unconceivable.
Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Nie Tian quickly walked towards the remote pavilion where his grandfather Nie Donghai lived.
“Grandfather, I’ve returned.” Before he reached the entrance, Nie Tian shouted out in a loud voice.
Within the room, Nie Donghai, who had all of his windows shut, suddenly became shocked.
He subconsciously rubbed away the tears that had appeared in the corners of his eyes and suddenly pushed the door open.
“Little Tian! Is it Little Tian? Did I just hear Little Tian’s voice?” Not far away, Nie Qian’s voice carried a sobbing tone, as she charged out from another small house.
“Grandfather, Auntie, I’m fine! I’ve safely returned from the Green Illusion Realm!” Nie Tian let out a great shout.
Once his voice echoed out, he saw Nie Donghai and Nie Qian charge towards him with a madly elated expression.
In the instant that he saw Nie Donghai and Nie Qian, he suddenly realised that these two people had already placed all of their hopes and love on him.
He was their everything!
……
Translator: Sseann
From XianXiaWorld