Grandmother rarely spoke of Grandfather, and this was one of the few times Lin Xiao Tian saw sadness on her face.
The next day, the old woman brought Lin Xiao Tian to the Lin family's ancestral hall. The heads of the Lin family's branches, along with their future successors, also attended the worship.
The entire ritual was solemn. After the worship concluded, the old woman pulled Lin Xiao Tian aside.
"Xiao Tian, do you know why I objected to you going to the Death Desert?" the old woman looked into Lin Xiao Tian's eyes.
"I know, because Grandfather died in the desert," Lin Xiao Tian hid nothing from the old woman.
The old woman was not surprised. Instead, she praised Lin Xiao Tian for inquiring about it. The matters within the Lin family, especially the deaths of that group of people back then, were strictly kept secret by the old woman. That Lin Xiao Tian could find out that the old man had an accident in the Death Desert showed his meticulousness and resourcefulness.
"But I'm not stopping you from going to the Death Desert solely because of that. After all, the danger level of the Death Desert is even less than Black Mountain," the old woman continued.
Lin Xiao Tian frowned, "Then why, Grandmother, are you not letting me go?"
The old woman looked at Lin Xiao Tian, her gaze becoming serious.
"Do you know how your grandfather and the others died?"
"They were murdered!"
The old woman's eyes filled with intense hatred.
"They weren't killed by creatures in the Death Desert, but by people, and even by those close to them!"
The old woman's words greatly surprised Lin Xiao Tian.
But looking at the old woman's eyes, Lin Xiao Tian knew that the identity of the person who killed his grandfather must be extraordinary.
"Grandmother, who exactly is this person?"
"It's someone from the family you are about to cooperate with."
"The Wang family?"
Lin Xiao Tian was stunned.
However, Lin Xiao Tian suddenly thought of a problem. According to the rules among hidden families, such a crime as murdering the head of a clan was unforgivable.
If it was confirmed that a certain family had committed such an act, they would inevitably be besieged by other families.
Yet, the Wang family today was not only fine but had grown even stronger, clearly not appearing to have suffered any punishment.
"Grandmother, how are you so sure it was the Wang family?" Lin Xiao Tian felt that the only explanation for the Lin family not taking action was that they had no evidence whatsoever.
Indeed, hearing Lin Xiao Tian's question, the old woman shook her head helplessly.
For the first time in her life, Lin Xiao Tian saw the old woman appear so helpless.
"Do you believe me? I saw all of this in my dreams."
"In your dreams?" Lin Xiao Tian was taken aback.
Could things seen in dreams be trusted?
But upon further thought, the old woman's intense hatred for the Wang family couldn't possibly stem from just a dream.
Moreover, according to Wang Xiang, his grandfather was also a cultivator back then. A Qi Refining stage cultivator already possessed nascent magical power. If combined with certain special cultivation techniques, it was not impossible to send dreams.
"It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?"
"Because of a dream, I've hated the Wang family for so many years."
The old woman stared directly into Lin Xiao Tian's eyes.
Lin Xiao Tian shook his head, "I don't think so, Grandmother. I believe you."
The old woman smiled with relief, "Alas! My good grandson, it wasn't in vain that I doted on you."
"However, Grandmother isn't senile, and I wouldn't just believe things from a dream, but..."
"But, if what was said in the dream came true in reality, that's a different matter."
The old woman said, looking very seriously into Lin Xiao Tian's eyes.
"Your grandfather, to prove himself, told me many things from our real life in the dream. For example, he mentioned a place in the garden where he had previously scribbled, a specific page in a book in the study where he had made a special mark, and many other things..."
"These were things I couldn't possibly have known or imagined. If I had imagined all of this, wouldn't it be too bizarre? For me to imagine things I had no knowledge of, and then for those things to be confirmed in reality?"
"There's only one answer!"
"It wasn't a dream!"
Lin Xiao Tian also confirmed his own thoughts after listening.
It was clearly a method of sending dreams. Ordinary people might find it inconceivable, but to Lin Xiao Tian, it wasn't strange at all.
Seeing no doubt in Lin Xiao Tian's expression, the old woman felt greatly relieved. These matters were too supernatural, and she had worried that Lin Xiao Tian wouldn't believe her.
It seemed she had underestimated Lin Xiao Tian.
Someone who could achieve so much must not be an ordinary person.
"Grandmother, what did Grandfather tell you in the dream?" Lin Xiao Tian continued to ask.
"Your grandfather showed me the process of his own demise," the old woman said, taking a deep breath.
"At that time, your grandfather was lured into a cave by the head of the Wang family. There were three people in the cave. They were very powerful and easily subdued your grandfather, and then..."
The old woman's eyes immediately welled up with tears.
Lin Xiao Tian did not rush her but waited beside her.
After a while, the old woman calmed down a bit and continued:
"One of the three people, with red hair, used some method to drain all of your grandfather's blood."
"Then they... they started eating people..."
The old woman couldn't continue. Even after so many years, recalling the event was still unbearable for her.
Lin Xiao Tian recalled that when the exploration team returned previously, one person had also inexplicably had their blood drained. At the time, he had thought it was the work of a demonic beast. Looking at it now, it was very likely a human act.
"Grandmother, do you know their background?" Lin Xiao Tian asked tentatively.
"No, but they were brought there by that scoundrel from the Wang family. It's definitely related to the Wang family."
Lin Xiao Tian nodded, then looked at the old woman and continued, "Do you remember what they looked like?"
"Of course, I remember. I'd never forget them even if I turned to ashes."
"Good!"
Lin Xiao Tian said, then waved his right hand in front of the old woman's eyes.
The next moment, a projection appeared before the two of them.
"Grandmother, try to recall the scenes you saw before, the more carefully the better," Lin Xiao Tian said.
The old woman was bewildered by the projection Lin Xiao Tian had suddenly conjured. She remembered that there shouldn't be a projection here, and Lin Xiao Tian's recent actions were also strange.
But Lin Xiao Tian was her grandson, so she chose to trust him.
She began to recall earnestly, and the next moment, the projection showed a scene.
Lin Xiao Tian tapped on the projection, and the image instantly became clearer.
In the image, a red-haired old man appeared, covered in blood, his eyes filled with madness.
"Ahhhh..." the old woman cried out in shock.
This was the scene from her mind, why was it appearing here?
Moreover, this image was much clearer than what she remembered.
Looking at Lin Xiao Tian, he appeared calm.
The old woman was stunned, "Xiao Tian, did you do this?"