Nine months later.
In a quiet, secluded green bamboo courtyard.
Ning Fa sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, layers of silver ripples, heavy as water waves, swirling around him.
It made him feel as if he were at the bottom of a silver lake.
Occasionally, streaks of shimmering silver patterns flashed, looking quite mystical.
As Ning Fa shifted his Hand Seal.
The silver ripples around him were drawn into the Lingtai acupoint on the back of Ning Fa's body like a whale's inhalation.
Instantly, the Lingtai acupoint on his back shone astonishingly.
A silver nebula could be vaguely seen, expanding and contracting unstably, within which countless tiny silver Runes floated, like innumerable stars.
Eight silver light rays suddenly shot out from this silver nebula.
In an instant, they connected this nebula with eight other similar nebulae.
Although these nebulae were in different parts of his body, they now seemed to form a single entity.
After this nebula stabilized, the spiritual pressure emanating from Ning Fa's body immediately increased by a third.
At this moment, his cultivation realm had indeed reached Late Qi Condensation, fifth layer!
Ning Fa opened his eyes, and like electricity flashing in a vacant room, a bright silver light suddenly flashed within the room.
The arc of the smile on Ning Fa's lips grew wider and wider, then turned into hearty laughter.
It was not in vain that he had cultivated diligently for the past half year; he had finally advanced to the fifth layer of Qi Condensation.
For him, this was not a simple advancement of a minor realm.
His strength had greatly increased.
In these nine months, he had cultivated three more Lesser Thunder Sources.
Currently, besides the Main Thunder Source in his dantian, he already had eight Lesser Thunder Sources.
This had increased his magical power by more than half.
He estimated that his magical power should now far exceed that of ordinary Late Qi Condensation cultivators.
This was only one aspect.
In these nine months, he had not solely cultivated Lesser Thunder Sources.
His physical strength had also significantly improved.
After Ning Fa successfully refined the Nine Revolutions Purple Yuan Powder, with the aid of this medicine.
His cultivation of the body-refining chapter of the Ancient Source Thunder Scripture had indeed gone much smoother.
Otherwise, he would not have been able to complete the first stage of the body-refining chapter in such a short time, nor would he have been able to advance to the fifth layer of Qi Condensation.
Ning Fa's current physical strength was about six to seven hundred jin.
Even without using any magical power, a single punch would be unbearable for a low-level cultivator.
His physical defense had also greatly improved.
Ordinary weapons like swords and sabers could no longer injure him; at most, they would leave a white mark.
According to the introduction in the Ancient Source Thunder Scripture, once he mastered the first three layers of the cultivation technique.
His physical body alone would be able to withstand High-grade Magic Artifacts, and even Top-grade Magic Artifacts, he could resist for a while.
This would be comparable to those elite first-order late-stage demonic beasts with powerful physiques.
In addition to the Ancient Source Thunder Scripture, Ning Fa was also simultaneously cultivating the Moon God Art, a mysterious and unfathomable Soul Cultivation Technique.
He didn't know if it was because of his Five Elements Thunder Body.
He felt that his cultivation of this technique was very smooth. Although it couldn't be said to be rapid progress, he hadn't encountered any bottlenecks.
In just over half a year, he had already completed the first layer of the Moon God Art.
A few days ago, he had begun cultivating the second layer.
After completing the first layer of the cultivation technique, his spiritual sense had increased by more than half.
It had directly grown from the original ten-zhang range to sixteen zhang.
This already exceeded the spiritual sense strength expected of a normal Qi Refining cultivator.
And not only had the strength of his spiritual sense increased, but the quality of his spiritual sense had also greatly enhanced.
For example, the diffusion speed, penetration, and concealment of his spiritual sense had all significantly improved.
Although he hadn't comprehended the [Moon God Heart], Ning Fa was already very satisfied with such a massive improvement in his spiritual sense.
He could now be said to have comprehensive development in all aspects of spirit, energy, and mind... ah, no, it was spirit, energy, and mind.
"I wonder, if I were to spar with Uncle Lie again now, what would be the outcome?"
Ning Fa's lips curved into a smile.
He then took out a fiery red Sound Transmission Talisman and spoke a few words.
Instantly, the Sound Transmission Talisman turned into a ball of fire and vanished into the void.
Half a day later.
An open space at the edge of Small Bamboo Island.
Ning Fa and Ning Zonglie stood about ten feet apart.
"You brat, you actually advanced to the fifth level of Qi Condensation!?"
Ning Zonglie said with some shock.
Because, counting from the start, it had only taken Ning Fa about a year to break through from the fourth level of Qi Condensation to the fifth.
This was considered a rather fast breakthrough speed.
Especially since Ning Zonglie vaguely felt that Ning Fa's improvement was not as simple as just advancing one minor realm.
The aura Ning Fa exuded at this moment was so strong, it was as if he had broken through to Late Qi Condensation.
"Uncle Lie, you need to hurry up, otherwise you're likely to lose today."
Ning Fa said with a chuckle.
Ning Zonglie snorted, "I hope your skills are as tough as your mouth."
Although he didn't concede verbally, Ning Zonglie's eyes were filled with solemnity.
Over the past six months, Ning Fa had frequently challenged him to duels and sparring matches.
Ning Zonglie could clearly feel that Ning Fa's combat strength had been improving by leaps and bounds.
Every time they sparred after a period of time, Ning Zonglie felt as if Ning Fa had undergone a complete transformation.
From being able to win casually and without much effort at the beginning.
To later matches becoming increasingly strenuous and difficult.
Ning Fa's sharp lightning techniques made him feel a lingering fear.
In their most recent encounter, Ning Zonglie had to use all his trump cards, including some desperate secret arts, just to barely defeat Ning Fa.
Now that Ning Fa had broken through to the fifth level of Qi Condensation, his aura had greatly increased.
Ning Zonglie truly lacked the confidence to win this time.
At this moment, Ning Fa crossed his fists, and a surge of silver light erupted from his body.
A dazzling layer of silver light appeared on him, instantly transforming into a suit of silver-white lightning armor.
This lightning armor was exquisitely crafted, with faint silver Thunder Rune Patterns, and streaks of silver light flickered as if breathing.
Even more special were the seven fist-sized Silver Lightning Balls that circled this lightning armor.
These lightning balls moved at extreme speed, circling Ning Fa's body and leaving trails of silver afterimages. They had no fixed trajectory, making them dazzling and disorienting.
Yet, they never collided with each other.
The next moment, these lightning balls all slowed down, circling Ning Fa leisurely.
There was a mysterious rhythm between their stillness and movement, full of spiritual energy.
This was the offensive and defensive technique from the Ancient Source Thunder Scripture, [Primordial Thunder Armor].
Clad in this silver-white lightning armor, with the seven lightning balls circling him, Ning Fa looked not only handsome but also exuded an air of mysterious dominance.
He seemed like a king who controlled lightning.
Seeing Ning Fa use this move right from the start.
Ning Zonglie's mouth twitched slightly, and he cursed inwardly.
He had deeply understood the power of this move during this period.
"Come on, Uncle Lie, please don't hold back, lest you refuse to admit defeat later."
Ning Fa provocatively said with a laugh.
Ning Zonglie was furious, "Brat, you asked for this! Don't blame me if you cry later!"
Saying that, he pointed his furry black hand to the sky.
A streak of yellow spiritual light flashed, and a yellow seal, about a foot in size, appeared in the air.
This seal shone with dazzling yellow light, and a pattern of a mountain peak was clearly carved on its base.
A powerful spiritual pressure emanated from this seal, revealing it to be a High-grade Magic Artifact.