Half an hour later.
Elder Nian slowly woke. His eyes were unfocused; he seemed not yet to have recovered from the upheaval.
He instinctively tried to circulate his power, but found nothing. Not a trace of spiritual energy remained. An emptiness he had never known seized his heart, followed swiftly by fear.
A cultivator without power was a fish out of water, a bird with broken wings.
But Elder Nian was still Elder Nian. His resolve was extraordinary, and he soon steadied himself. As his vision cleared, he saw the white-robed figure again—the one responsible for it all.
Fortunately, deep down, he knew that no matter how recklessly that Zhou boy behaved, he would never harm him.
"Zhou boy, what—what did you do to this old man?"
Only then did the white-robed Daoist answer. "I merely shattered every meridian and bone in your body, put them back together, and sealed your power while I was at it. You won't be able to use it for a while."
Elder Nian's eyelid twitched. "A while? How long?"
The Daoist smiled. "That depends on your insight, Elder Nian. Two or three years if you're quick. If you're slow—well, that's harder to say."
"When the seal lifts and you can freely wield your power again, your Dao Embryo Dharma Aspect will be complete."
Elder Nian deflated. "You brat, are you taking revenge on this old man?"
"If you are, can't I just kowtow to the Dao Venerable and admit my fault?"
The Daoist laughed helplessly. "How could you say that, Elder Nian?"
Nian Wubei waved a hand. "Fine, brat—your cultivation's stronger. This old man admits defeat."
At that, you let your smile fade, solemnly straightened your robes, and bowed deeply to Elder Nian.
Behind you, Ying Yuan and Qing Yao hurriedly bowed as well.