Chapter 26: A Father and Son's Conversation (Part 2)
Nie Haotian was a cultivation genius. He had five Dantians, a Marquis Clan's Top-Grade Bloodline, and his talent was second only to his father at his peak!
Six years ago, he successfully broke through to the Peak of the Qi Sea Seventh Layer Armor Realm, becoming the clan's number one expert. He then took over as Clan Leader, becoming the youngest person with true power among Luoshui City's Four Great Families!
'Nie Haotian might be a stranger, but when it came to Nie Chao and Nie Yu, Nie Yun was quite familiar. If he thought about it, Nie Chao and Nie Yu were Nie Haotian's own nephews! And Nie Haotian's son, Nie Qiang, was the leading figure of the new generation. At only eighteen, he had already reached the Mid-Stage of the Qi Sea Fifth Layer Body Emergence Realm!'
'If this was really the person who persecuted our branch of the family, then everything would make sense. There would be no more questions!'
'After all, even before he became the Clan Leader, he held immense power. Framing my father wouldn't have been difficult!'
"...What did you say?"
Turning around, Nie Xiaotian looked at his son, his fists clenched, as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard.
"Dad, is someone trying to harm our branch of the family? Is it Nie Haotian?"
Without giving his father a chance to explain, Nie Yun took a few steps forward and asked in a tone that brooked no argument.
"What nonsense are you spouting? Why would the Clan Leader possibly persecute our branch?" Nie Xiaotian fell silent for a gloomy moment before looking up to speak.
"There's no need to hide it from me anymore. Was your so-called 'Entering the Demon Realm' his doing? And my brother's petrified legs—does that have anything to do with him?" Seeing his father's prolonged hesitation, Nie Yun was all but certain of the truth.
"I..."
"I know you're afraid I'll seek revenge from the Clan Leader if I find out. Don't worry, I won't be that reckless!" As Nie Yun spoke, he instantly unleashed the full power of the Early Stage of the Qi Sea's Fourth Layer, the True Qi Realm!
"This is... the Early-Stage True Qi Realm? You... weren't you just at the Early Stage of the Third Layer of Qi Nourishing Realm before? What's going on?"
Nie Xiaotian jumped in shock as he felt the aura radiating from his son.
'Although I've pretended to be indifferent, I've always paid close attention to my son's cultivation level. Before Nie Chao knocked him unconscious the other day, he was only at the Early Stage of the Qi Sea's Third Layer, the Qi Nourishing Realm. How has he suddenly jumped an entire layer to the Early Stage of the Fourth Layer in just a few days?'
'Advancing through each layer of the Qi Sea is incredibly difficult. Even going from the early stage to the mid stage requires a long period of relentless effort. To jump an entire layer in a few days... even I, whose talent was once considered the best in Luoshui City, wasn't this monstrous!'
"Dad, listen to this cultivation method and tell me what grade you think it is!" Seeing his father still reeling from the shock of his suddenly revealed aura, Nie Yun decided to strike while the iron was hot and began reciting a cultivation technique.
At first, when Nie Xiaotian heard his son reciting a cultivation technique, he didn't pay it much mind. After all, he had taught his son everything he knew. But after a moment, his expression changed drastically.
'Although I've never heard of this cultivation technique, based on my own cultivation experience, its grade is higher than anything I've ever encountered in my life! Even the clan's highest-grade cultivation technique, the [Primordial Yang Heart Technique], is like the difference between heaven and earth compared to this. It isn't even worthy of carrying its shoes!'
"This... What is this cultivation technique?"
Finally, Nie Xiaotian asked, his voice trembling.
"Dad, this is called the [Spirit Rhinoceros Body Refining Technique]. It's a Demon Race body cultivation method. It has no grade, but it's comparable to a Royal Family's Top-Grade Cultivation Technique!" Nie Yun had already planned to teach his father this cultivation technique, so he didn't hide anything and spoke openly.
"A Royal Family's Top-Grade Cultivation Technique..." Hearing its grade, Nie Xiaotian nearly fainted.
Cultivation techniques were divided into five grades: Royal, King, Marquis, Noble, and Mortal. The clan's highest-grade technique, the Primordial Yang Heart Technique, was merely a Noble Low Grade. His son had just mentioned a Royal Family's Top-Grade Cultivation Technique, which was a full seven levels higher!
"That's right, it's a Royal Family's Top-Grade Cultivation Technique!" Nie Yun knew he had to use strong medicine to get his father to talk, so he nodded.
"Even the Divine Wind Empire might not have a Royal Family's Technique... How... how did you come to know such a powerful cultivation technique?"
Even after his son's confirmation, Nie Xiaotian still found it hard to believe.
"Dad, actually, I've been hiding something from you. I found a master out in the world, and this cultivation technique is what he taught me!"
Nie Yun broke into a cold sweat, once again bringing up his non-existent master.
"You found a master, and he taught you a Royal Family's Top-Grade Cultivation Technique?" Although Nie Xiaotian had seemed indifferent to worldly affairs these past years, he knew that an expert who could casually hand out such a technique was likely standing at the very peak of this world. His lips trembled. "For such a senior to take you as his disciple is a blessing. You must never tell anyone else about this cultivation technique—not even me! If you were to anger him, it wouldn't just be our family; the entirety of Luoshui City would face a catastrophe..."
'Cultivation techniques are incredibly important. People who possess profound techniques all cherish them like hidden treasures. My son, not knowing any better, actually recited such a precious cultivation technique to me. What if his master found out? Wouldn't that lead to disaster?'
"Er, don't worry, Dad. I've already spoken to my master. He gave me permission to teach you this cultivation technique. But you can't teach it to anyone else!"
Nie Yun couldn't very well admit that *he* was the "master," so he simply made something up.
'Anyway, since I'm both the master and the disciple, if I teach it to my father, saying the master taught it to him isn't really a lie... right?'
"Your master is willing to pass on a Royal Family's Top-Grade Cultivation Technique... to me?" Nie Xiaotian found it hard to believe.
'This is a Royal Family's Top-Grade Cultivation Technique, a supreme technique that might not even exist in the entire Divine Wind Empire, and he's just casually passing it on to me...' As for not being able to teach it to others, that thought hadn't even crossed Nie Xiaotian's mind.
'Who wouldn't hide away such a supreme cultivation technique after obtaining it? To teach it to others—isn't that just insane?'
"That's right. I told my master that your Qi Sea was damaged, Dad. That's when he told me about this cultivation technique, which can be practiced without a Qi Sea. As for me, my master has already taught me an even more profound technique!"
Nie Yun knew his goal was to convince his father that he not only had a powerful master but a very generous one, so he stated directly.
"That's good!" Nie Xiaotian nodded, letting out a sigh of relief.
"Dad, since you know I have a powerful master now, can you finally tell me what happened?" Nie Yun returned to the main topic.
"Let's just forget it! No matter how powerful your master is, he can't stay by your side forever. Let's talk about this again when you have sufficient strength of your own!" After a moment of hesitation, Nie Xiaotian still shook his head.
"..." Nie Yun hadn't expected his father to remain tight-lipped after all that talking. He shook his head helplessly. "Fine, then. I'll teach you the complete [Spirit Rhinoceros Body Refining Technique] right now. Cultivate it well. As long as you can recover your strength, then we—father and son, our branch of the family—will have nothing to fear!"
"Recover my strength? I'm just a cripple now!" Thinking of his shattered Qi Sea and how all his power had flowed away, Nie Xiaotian sighed and shook his head, an expression of indescribable desolation on his face.
Seeing his father's state, Nie Yun stared directly into his eyes and suddenly gave a faint smile. "What if I told you I have a way to restore your damaged Qi Sea?"
Those words struck like a thunderclap! Nie Xiaotian's mind went blank, and he froze on the spot.