Xu Tian found himself sprinting through an otherworldly landscape, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and defiance. The sky above was torn asunder, filled with divine beasts and countless divinities, all intent on capturing him. "Why am I always running?" he thought frantically. "Is this never-ending chase my fate?" In his dream, he clutched a broken pearl tightly, its uneven surface pressing into his palm. "If lies are kind, then the truth must be cruel," he murmured to himself, feeling a self-mocking smile tug at his lips.

He stood his ground as the celestial forces closed in, feeling the immense power of the Dao surge within him. "They think they can capture me, but they don't understand," he thought, merging with the Dao in a final act of defiance. His presence flickered out of existence, leaving the pearl floating mid-air. The pearl emitted a piercing shriek, sending the immortals into a frenzy. Tears streamed down the leader's face as he cried out, "How can this be? A sliver of her soul still remained." Xu Tian felt a pang of sorrow, but also a grim satisfaction at the chaos he had sown.

Jolting awake, Xu Tian found himself drenched in sweat, his heart racing. "Another nightmare," he gasped, running a shaky hand through his hair. The vividness left him questioning his sanity. "Is this just a result of my injuries, or is there something more to these dreams?" It had been a week since he was severely beaten in a confrontation, his head bearing the brunt of the assault. The lingering pain was a cruel reminder of his current frailty. "What am I becoming? Am I losing my grip on reality?"

The physical pain was relentless, anchoring him to reality. "My body feels like it's been trampled by a thousand beasts," he thought, wincing as he shifted slightly on the bed. His head throbbed, a constant, unyielding reminder of the attack. "Why did this happen to me? I need to understand." The pain in his head was particularly severe, a relentless hammering that underscored his vulnerability. He clenched his teeth, trying to steady his breathing. "Focus, Xu Tian. You need to focus."

Drawing a deep breath, Xu Tian scanned his body with his spirit sense. "Alright, let's see how bad it is this time. Celestial Meridian... still absent. No surprise there," he thought bitterly, confirming the deep wound where it should have been. The emptiness was a void where his potential once resided. "How did I end up like this?"

Just as despair began to settle in, a spark within the wound caught his attention. "What's that?" he wondered, focusing his spirit sense. Nestled within the cracks of the wound was a broken pearl, the same one from his nightmare. His heart skipped a beat. "Could it be connected to the dreams?"

The thought of the pearl's significance tugged at his mind. "What are you, really? Why do you haunt my dreams?" he asked silently, feeling a mix of frustration and curiosity. His spirit sense continued to probe the wound, but exhaustion quickly set in, forcing him to stop. "I'm too weak," he realized, feeling a wave of helplessness wash over him. "But I can't give up. Not now."

His investigation was abruptly interrupted by the gentle sound of feet padding across the room. Xu Tian's mother entered, her face etched with worry and fatigue from many sleepless nights spent at his bedside. "Tian'er, how do you feel?" she asked, her voice a blend of relief and lingering anxiety. "She's been so worried about me," he realized, guilt gnawing at his heart. "I need to be stronger for her."

"I..." he began, searching for the right words. "I'm feeling a bit better, Mother. Don't worry." He tried to smile, but it felt forced. The mere sight of him awake seemed to lift a heavy weight off her shoulders, bringing a flicker of hope to her weary eyes. "She deserves more than a broken son," he thought.

They chatted briefly, his mother fussing over him, expressing her relief and concern through gentle touches and worried glances. "I was so worried," she confided, her voice cracking with emotion. "What would I do without you, Tian'er?"

"You don't need to worry about me, Mother," Xu Tian replied, trying to sound reassuring. "I'll be fine. I promise." He masked the turmoil that churned within him. "If she knew how broken I feel inside..."

When she finally left, her eyes still showed traces of worry. Xu Tian felt a pang of guilt. "I need to be stronger, for her sake. I can't keep causing her this pain." He sighed deeply, feeling the weight of her expectations. "I have to find a way to make things right."

Returning his focus to the pearl, Xu Tian sensed a wave of familiarity and sadness emanating from it. "Why does this feel so... personal?" he wondered, as he continued his examination. The energy radiating from the pearl was unlike anything he had ever encountered. "There's something more to you, isn't there?" Yet, as he probed further, his spiritual sense rapidly depleted, forcing him to stop. "Damn it, I'm running out of strength."

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Reflecting on his situation, Xu Tian couldn't help but feel a growing sense of frustration. "I've been reduced to this... a shadow of my former self. But I won't stay this way." The discovery of the pearl gave him a glimmer of hope. "Maybe there's a reason for all of this. Maybe the pearl chose me for a reason."

The door creaked open gently as Bao-er, his young maid, entered carrying a small vial. "Big Brother Xu, your mother sold her jewelry to buy this," she said softly, her eyes wide with a mix of concern and hope as she handed the medicinal pill to him. "Her dedication... it's overwhelming," he thought, feeling a deep sense of gratitude mixed with sorrow.

"Mother sold her jewelry? For this?" Xu Tian thought, feeling a deep sense of gratitude mixed with sorrow. Despite his mother's sacrifices, he knew the pill would not aid his cultivation but might expedite his physical recovery. "Thank you, Bao-er," he said, trying to mask the heaviness in his heart. "I need to make them proud."

"Big Brother Xu, are you going to be alright?" Bao-er asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"I'll be fine, Bao-er. Don't worry about me," Xu Tian replied, offering her a reassuring smile. "You've done more than enough already." "How can I make them understand that I'll be okay?" he wondered, wishing he could alleviate their worries.

Bao-er left with a solemn nod, the dedication in her every gesture clear. "She's just a child, yet she cares so much for me," he thought, feeling a rush of gratitude. "I can't let her down." He watched her leave, feeling the weight of their expectations on his shoulders.

Turning his attention to the pill, Xu Tian examined it closely. "How I wish I knew more about alchemy. Then maybe I could make my own pills and not be such a burden." The thought of his mother's sacrifices only strengthened his resolve. "I need to find a way to repay them." He placed the pill on his bedside table, determined to find a way to make it count.

As if sensing his thoughts, the broken pearl suddenly reacted to his spiritual sense. A sharp, excruciating pain lanced through his body, forcing him to grit his teeth. "What's happening?" When the pain finally subsided, he realized the pearl had imparted a wealth of alchemical knowledge directly into his mind. "This... this is incredible."

Stupefied yet ecstatic, Xu Tian marveled at the intricate details and complex processes now embedded in his consciousness. The broken pearl, a relic of his nightmares, was transforming into a priceless treasure, a beacon of hope in his dark world. "Could this be my chance?" His mind raced with possibilities. "Could this knowledge truly restore me?"

Driven by newfound hope, he called out for Bao-er and instructed her to purchase specific ingredients. "If the pearl's information is accurate, I might no longer be a cripple," he thought, his heart pounding with renewed determination. "Please let this work." He watched Bao-er leave, feeling a surge of anticipation.

Reflecting on these incredible turn of events, Xu Tian could scarcely believe the pearl's significance. Once a cryptic object tied to his suffering, it now held the key to his potential recovery. "I can't afford to waste this chance." He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "This is my path to redemption."

Bao-er returned quickly, her dedication clear in the hurried manner of her actions. She handed Xu Tian the requested ingredients, her eyes shining with a mix of hope and loyalty. "Thank you, Bao-er," he said, taking the ingredients with a nod of gratitude. "You're a lifesaver."

Xu Tian set to work immediately, carefully preparing the ingredients under the guidance of the detailed instructions imparted by the pearl. "Every step matters. I can't make a single mistake," he told himself, his spirit sense guiding him through the complex alchemical process. "Focus, Xu Tian. Just like in the dream."

As he combined the ingredients with precision, excitement mingled with anxiety. "This is my first real step towards reclaiming my strength," he thought, feeling a mixture of emotions surge within him. "I can do this. I have to."

Finally, the medicinal liquid was ready. Xu Tian stared at it, a sense of accomplishment flooding over him. "The pearl's knowledge is truly invaluable. This is my chance." He felt a renewed sense of purpose. "I won't let this opportunity slip away."

Xu Tian drank the medicinal liquid, feeling its potent properties spread throughout his body. "It's working... I can feel it," he marveled, using his spirit sense to guide its healing energies to target his injuries. The relief was instant, his wounds beginning to heal at an accelerated rate. "Finally, there's hope."

He lay back, allowing the medicine to work its magic, and for the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of peace. "Maybe there's hope for me after all." The gnawing fears and doubts were momentarily replaced by a soothing calm. "I can see a future again."

Xu Tian looked at himself in the mirror. The face staring back at him was not of a crippled youth, but of a determined, resilient young man. Steeled by the knowledge imparted by the pearl and driven by a renewed sense of purpose, he vowed to rise above his past. "I've come too far to give up now."

"I will no longer be a crippled, bullied youth," he declared to his reflection. "With the pearl's knowledge, I have hope. I am determined to seize this second chance." His eyes gleamed with determination. "This is the beginning of my journey."