Zhenwu Mountain.
Many disciples gathered, the atmosphere lively—it was the ceremony for Li Ling's official apprenticeship.
Li Ling knelt respectfully on the ground and kowtowed, then offered the tea of respect:
"Master, please have some tea!"
Upon learning he would be joining the Zhenwu Sect, he had been overwhelmed with joy. What he'd seen and heard recently made him truly admire Zhenwu Sect, especially the bonds between the core disciples.
Compared to that, his life in the palace had been quite lonely.
Most of those royal descendants who drew close to him only did so because of his father's status as the Northern Suppression King.
Daoist Longshan took a sip with a smile:
"Rise. From this day forward, you are the eleventh core disciple of Zhenwu Sect. Our sect has no strict rules—just live without shame in your heart. Always remember that."
He was in a good mood as well.
He had just taken in two exceptionally talented disciples in quick succession. It rekindled the passion he once had when teaching Ye Qinghe and the others.
"Disciple will remember this well!" Li Ling nodded with all his might.
Everyone laughed joyfully and offered their congratulations.
Li Ling bowed to his senior brothers and sisters. Ning Qi and the others smiled and gave him gifts.
Zhuang Chen was especially excited. He had always gotten along with Li Ling and never imagined they would become fellow disciples so quickly.
Life truly was full of wonders.
The Northern Suppression King smiled with relief as he witnessed it all.
He felt confident that he had made the right decision.
After seeing Li Ling's initiation ceremony, he left the mountain. Before leaving, he spoke with Daoist Longshan again regarding the exchange of sword techniques with the Heavenly Sword Immortal.
He also promised that only Li Ling would view the technique—he himself would not interfere.
In addition, he informed Daoist Longshan that he would arrange for several experts to remain near Zhenwu Sect.
If any help was needed, they could be contacted at any time. All resources for Li Ling's cultivation would also be prepared.
Daoist Longshan was deeply moved by this.
A few days later.
Daoist Longshan officially began teaching Li Ling the Zhenwu legacy.
He decided to start with the Bi'an Stance.
On the training grounds.
Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi observed from the side. Seeing this scene brought waves of emotion to both of them.
Six or seven years ago, Ning Qi had first stepped into martial cultivation.
Daoist Longshan had taught him the Bi'an Stance on this very field.
Now the scene repeated, though the disciple had changed.
Li Ling was a genius, but compared to a monster like Ning Qi, he still had a ways to go.
The two of them exchanged smiles, recalling their own clumsy beginnings.
They were a bit surprised that Daoist Longshan chose to teach the Bi'an Stance to Li Ling, but soon understood and accepted it.
Li Ling, on the other hand, was excited.
He had heard Zhuang Chen mention the Zhenwu Nine Stances and the great hopes tied to the Nine Martial Saints many times over the past few days.
He hadn't expected to be qualified to learn any of them—yet his master was teaching him now.
But his excitement soon turned to hesitation. He asked:
"Master, isn't Ninth Brother practicing the Bi'an Stance? If I train in it too…"
He felt a little uneasy. It was as if he were taking something that belonged to his Ninth Brother.
Though it was never officially stated that only one disciple could learn each stance, everyone had assumed so.
Daoist Longshan smiled:
"It's fine. Little Nine has his own path. If you don't understand something later on, you can ask him. His Bi'an Stance is more advanced than mine."
His decision to teach Li Ling the Bi'an Stance wasn't spontaneous—it was well thought out.
The Zhenwu Nine Stances were the foundation of the sect's legacy.
He had been deeply saddened by Qin Yun's departure, which left a void.
But the Divine Sword Elder's dying request for him to take in Zhuang Chen had helped him heal.
Now, he was ready to rebuild the Nine Stances.
Ning Qi practiced the Zhenwu Stance as the sect's protector.
That left the Bi'an Stance open.
Barring any surprises.
He didn't intend to take in any more disciples in the future.
Li Ling was stunned—he hadn't expected that Ninth Brother's understanding of the Bi'an Stance surpassed even their master's.
He had heard many tales of Ninth Brother's brilliance from Zhuang Chen, but this was still a shock.
"Come, let's continue training."
Daoist Longshan explained the essence of the Bi'an Stance.
Li Ling, the son of the Northern Suppression King, grasped it quickly and brought Daoist Longshan great joy as a teacher.
After a while.
He had Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi continue practicing with Li Ling, while he headed toward the Seeking Dao Courtyard.
In the Seeking Dao Courtyard.
Ning Qi was still studying the Thunderblade.
Now that the Northern Suppression King had left the mountain, he was much more relaxed.
He would occasionally unleash his blade aura, sending thunder-dragons howling through the air as he analyzed their changes.
He was waiting for a violent thunderstorm.
If one didn't come soon, he planned to go up into the high skies himself.
Of course, he cherished his life and wouldn't go too deep.
Daoist Longshan arrived just in time to see Ning Qi strike with his blade. A thunder-dragon roared, then vanished into the void.
He was amazed.
If Ning Qi hadn't been standing there in person, he would've thought Thunderblade Master had returned.
One battle was all it took for the technique to be learned—and even improved. It was simply astounding.
Ning Qi turned around with a smile:
"Master."
With a wave of his hand, the Thunderblade flew back into the room.
If anyone else had come, he would've hidden it already—but knowing it was Daoist Longshan, and having just made a new insight, he didn't stop.
He invited Daoist Longshan to sit and brewed some tea.
Daoist Longshan took a light sip and felt his mind clear and refreshed. His eyes lit up as he asked:
"This tea is quite good. Where is it from?"
Ning Qi pointed to the waist-high Enlightenment Tea Tree beside him and smiled:
"It's not the tea itself. Each morning, the dew condenses on the young leaves of the Enlightenment Tree. I had Tiansheng collect it. If you'd like, I can have him bring some to you." ŘάＮỐ𝐛Ê𐌔
Daoist Longshan looked over and couldn't help but marvel:
"Back then, Wang Quan brought what he thought was a dead seed—and you managed to grow it. If he knew, he might be furious enough to come back to life."
The Demonic Sect hadn't only attacked Zhenwu Sect—it had also targeted the rebuilt Wang Clan.
Several Celestial-level experts died, and the Wang Ancestor disappeared.
Daoist Longshan had assumed he was dead.
Ning Qi smiled faintly.
"Did you come for something, Master?"
Usually, Daoist Longshan didn't visit without reason.
Daoist Longshan nodded and explained:
"It's the Northern Suppression King. He hopes to make a trade with the Heavenly Sword Immortal."
He clearly relayed the king's request and promises.
Then asked:
"What do you think? If it's not feasible, I'll send a message to decline."
Ning Qi fell into thought.
Li Ling naturally wanted to learn the Heavenly Sword Technique.
But it wasn't something Li Ling could master.
Not that Ning Qi underestimated him—it was just that the technique required mastery of the unity between man and nature.
Even just that was incredibly hard.
Plus, it demanded a high level of inner energy and sword intent.
It was a peerless technique capable of challenging Celestial-level experts while still in the Grand Qi stage.
But Ning Qi could make adjustments.
He could modify it into a sword technique usable only after reaching the Celestial Realm.
The key was teaching Li Ling sword intent.
As for the inconvenience of Ning Qi teaching him directly—there was a solution.
He could use the Formless Qi Body as a substitute.
With that in mind.
Ning Qi found it entirely doable.
It would just take some time to tweak the technique and build a foundational path for Li Ling to follow.
Eventually, he could master a diluted version of the Heavenly Sword Technique at the Celestial level.
His motivation wasn't the Northern Suppression King's Suppressing Heaven Fist.
It was the king's influence.
Ning Qi thought—perhaps he could gain some information on the Martial Saint Realm through him.
The Northern Suppression King was the seventh-ranked expert on the Celestial List and might be at the peak of the Celestial Realm.
He was also a royal, and likely knew secrets about the Martial Saint level.
To Ning Qi, that was far more valuable than any legacy.
But it would depend on the king's willingness.
Ning Qi spoke slowly:
"Teaching Eleventh Brother the sword is no issue. He, Tenth Brother, and I are fellow disciples—once they're strong enough, I'll teach them both. But I hope the Northern Suppression King can provide some intel in return."
"Information about the Martial Saint Realm."
At those words.
Daoist Longshan's expression sharpened.
He immediately understood Ning Qi's thinking.
He was planning ahead.
Daoist Longshan nodded:
"No problem. I'll send word to the Northern Suppression King in a few days and let him know your condition. If he agrees, I'll inform you right away."
After all, the king had just left the mountain—it'd be suspicious to say the Heavenly Sword Immortal replied so soon. It wouldn't match his solitary persona.
He added:
"I'll also keep an eye out. If I have the chance, I'll ask a few old friends for you."
He hadn't focused much on the Martial Saint realm before.
It was too distant.
Just reaching the Celestial Realm often took a lifetime.
The Martial Saint Realm was a legend in every era.
But thinking about it now.
His disciple wasn't even ten yet and had already reached this level.
Perhaps within a decade, he really would touch that realm.
Better to prepare early—he silently berated himself for not thinking of it sooner.
Ning Qi smiled and nodded.
The two of them chatted for a bit longer before Ning Qi saw his master off.
…
Time passed slowly.
Li Ling gradually integrated into Zhenwu Sect.
With the help of his senior brothers, he built a small courtyard near Zhuang Chen and named it Sword Obsessed Courtyard.
He had learned that Zhuang Chen possessed the Innate Sword Bone.
He was awed—and deeply pressured.
But soon that pressure became motivation.
They both loved the sword.
They practiced together, challenged each other, and improved faster through healthy competition.
That was the origin of the courtyard's name.
Li Ling knew his sword talent couldn't match Zhuang Chen's.
If he wanted to keep up, he had to be obsessed—devoted to the sword, extreme in the sword.
At the same time.
He learned about the Zhenwu Peach Blossom Festival and regretted not joining the sect earlier.
He planned to bring some fun items from the palace for next year's event.
Li Ling occasionally asked Ning Qi about the Bi'an Stance.
Ning Qi never held back.
Thanks to that, Li Ling advanced rapidly in stance training and became even more aware of how extraordinary his Ninth Brother truly was.
The storm from the battle between the Heavenly Sword Immortal and Thunderblade Master slowly died down.
But Zhenwu Sect was livelier than ever.
The Zhenwu Sword Stele continued to attract top-tier swordsmen from all around.
Fortunately, everyone was well-mannered and caused no trouble.
Once the core disciples felt confident in the situation, they began thinking about going out for further training.
Jiang Baishan was the most eager—drawing many teasing comments from his fellow disciples.
"Fifth Brother, during the Heavenly Sword Elder's battle with Thunderblade Master, someone told me they saw you chatting intimately with a young lady. She was dressed in white and stunningly beautiful," Fourth Brother He Yan said with a mischievous look.
Li Ling giggled and added, "Fifth Brother, could that be our future Fifth Sister-in-law?"
All the core disciples burst into laughter.
Jiang Baishan blushed furiously and shot Li Ling a glare.
"You three little brats don't know anything. Go play somewhere else."
But seeing everyone still grinning, he gave up trying to hide it.
"So what if it's true! Her name is Lin Ruhua. We've gone through thick and thin together, and we have feelings for each other. Hmph, you bunch of single guys dare laugh at me?"
Ye Qinghe raised her delicate brows, tugged on Jiang Baishan's ear, and demanded to know who he was calling single, sending him into a frantic plea for mercy.
The others laughed even louder.
Eventually.
Luo Wentian waved his hand with a smile and then said seriously:
"Old Five, since you and Miss Lin already have an understanding, why not take this chance to bring her to meet our master and all of us? We'd like to get to know our future sister-in-law. You're already at the doorstep—don't leave her behind. Otherwise, she might think you're not serious."
"A partner must be chosen with a loyal heart. You mustn't be fickle or unfaithful!"
As he spoke, his tone turned stern.
He knew the story of how Jiang Baishan met Lin Ruhua—she had nearly cut off his arm at first. They truly were a pair of bickering lovers.
Jiang Baishan quickly defended himself:
"I definitely have no such thoughts. It's just that Ruhua might still have some reservations. I'll try to persuade her. I'll bring her back next year for the Zhenwu Peach Blossom Festival!"
He had a vague sense that Lin Ruhua's identity wasn't simple, but he believed that as long as they loved each other, they could overcome anything.
Everyone gave him a thumbs-up.
Ning Qi also smiled and said, "Good luck, Fifth Brother."
They watched as Jiang Baishan descended the mountain.
Soon after, a few more senior brothers left for training. The others remained on the mountain to cultivate.
Ning Qi's Seeking Dao Courtyard returned to its quiet state.
The white ape now often played with Zhuang Chen and Li Ling in his free time.
If Ye Qinghe was around, it became a trio plus one monkey, causing all kinds of trouble across Zhenwu Mountain and its surroundings.
Nearby spirit beasts suffered—especially the Iron-Arm Ape. The white ape often led the group to pester it, still holding a grudge from being bullied by it before.
Ning Qi found this arrangement amusing.
He cultivated in peace and quiet—quite enjoyable.
He had already consumed his fifth Blood Jade Pill, and his strength advanced further.
His Jade Elixir Sea would occasionally tremble, creating a mysterious sense of pressure.
He was about to turn ten.
At this rate, he'd reach the Core Formation Realm naturally by next spring.
Cultivation and breakthroughs were a matter of gradual accumulation. Everything was proceeding as expected—Ning Qi wasn't worried.
What he was looking forward to was a reply from the Northern Suppression King.
Just a few days ago, Daoist Longshan had sent the letter.
…
Ning Qi continued studying the Thunderblade.
Before the king's reply arrived, the Thunderblade Secrets from Thunderblade Master had already been delivered.
As expected from a former Celestial List expert, the Thunderblade Secrets were quite valuable.
Ning Qi gained much from them. He compared it secretly and found it even more refined than the Dragon-Tiger-Eagle Secrets.
He integrated it with his Thunderblade study.
After several days of effort, his insights had grown substantially, especially in the Dao of Thunder.
His inner energy, when infused with thunder, became especially fierce and explosive.
However, he was still missing a key moment to fully grasp the Thunderblade's secret of summoning heavenly lightning.
He still hadn't encountered a sufficiently violent thunderstorm.
So Ning Qi planned to try his luck in the high skies.
Late at night.
With no one noticing, Ning Qi restrained his aura and left Zhenwu Sect, ascending into the heavens.
Typically, even Celestial-level cultivators wouldn't fly too high.
But now.
Ning Qi was attempting to go even higher.
At first, it was manageable. But the higher he went, the greater the pressure.
His inner energy was being consumed at an alarming rate, as if being suppressed by some immense will.
Ning Qi's heart tightened.
There was a saying in this world: the heavens are round, and the earth is square.
He had always assumed this worldview was flawed—perhaps people here hadn't glimpsed the true nature of the world.
After all, he came from Blue Star in his previous life. He knew about planets and the universe.
But now.
Maybe he had underestimated things.
This world had incomprehensibly powerful cultivators.
Perhaps the common understanding wasn't wrong after all.
He calmed his mind and focused on ascending.
It became increasingly empty around him, the only sound being the howling winds of inner energy.
He didn't know how long had passed.
Suddenly, the Thunderblade on his back began to stir, radiating intense violet light.
He focused—and his heart skipped a beat.
High above, a blinding bolt of lightning—like a thunder dragon descending—rushed toward him.
Its might was terrifying, not inferior to Thunderblade Master's full-powered strike.
A green glow appeared around Ning Qi's body. The Azure Profound Bodyguard Technique activated instinctively, blocking the bolt.
Under the illumination of the lightning, Ning Qi looked upward and was stunned.
He saw even more terrifying bolts swirling in the skies above.
It looked like a domain of death, where no living being was allowed to pass.
"The rumors are true. There really is a lightning-forbidden zone above the high heavens!"
Before he could react, an even more terrifying bolt struck—black mixed with purple, several times stronger than the last.
Ning Qi was shocked. He fully activated the Azure Profound Bodyguard Technique and barely managed to withstand it.
Without a moment's hesitation.
He exploded into motion, diving downward.
There was no rhyme or reason to the lightning in the high skies.
If he stayed longer, the Thunderblade might attract an even stronger bolt—and that would be the end of him.
"This is definitely not a place I can set foot in right now!"
Only when he no longer sensed any trace of lightning did he breathe a sigh of relief.
That oppressive sense of danger finally dissipated.
A wry smile appeared on his face.
Maybe he had gotten a bit arrogant.
Everything had gone smoothly so far—especially after easily suppressing Thunderblade Master.
But now, he had sobered up.
He realized he still had much to grow, and there were places he simply couldn't enter yet.
Ning Qi gazed deeply into the heavens.
He had a gut feeling that great secrets lay there.
But the lightning zone was far too terrifying.
He suspected even a Martial Saint might not be able to get through.
Taking a deep breath, without hesitation, he resumed his descent.
No matter what secrets lay up there, they were beyond him for now.
Best to stay far away.
Retracing his path.
Ning Qi landed on a mountaintop.
He felt a bit disappointed.
His trip to the high heavens hadn't led to fully understanding the Thunderblade's secrets.
He'd have to wait for a thunderstorm.
Just as he was about to return to Zhenwu Mountain.
He felt a shift in the air.
Looking up, he saw storm clouds gathering above the night sky.
Waves of energy churned.
Moments later, thunder rumbled through the heavens—followed by a torrential downpour.
Something about it felt strange.
"Could it have been triggered by my ascent just now?"
But he didn't think so.
Still, it felt like a blessing in disguise.
A twist of fate.
Ning Qi pushed aside his thoughts.
He sat cross-legged in the air atop the mountaintop, placing the Thunderblade across his lap.
He closed his eyes and focused—this was an opportunity he couldn't waste.
Boom!
A blinding bolt split the night sky and struck the mountaintop, shattering rocks and shaking the mountain.
Then another bolt fell—hitting Ning Qi directly.
But compared to the ones he had faced in the high heavens, this was much gentler.
A green glow appeared around his body, easily blocking it.
Only faint traces of lightning flickered across his skin.
The Thunderblade on his lap trembled, emitting waves of unique energy.
Bolt after bolt of lightning was drawn to it.
Ning Qi didn't guide them.
He simply let them strike his body.
He could easily endure it.
Not because he was a masochist—this was the most direct way to observe the Thunderblade's changes.
In his mind, inspiration poured forth like a waterfall.
His recent insights surged to the surface.
"The Azure Profound Armor's strength comes from its unique material. Likewise, the Thunderblade's ability to channel lightning also stems from its composition. It becomes more reactive during storms, and responds even more when infused with thunder energy..."
"The material of the Thunderblade changes under lightning—forming tiny 'units' that can be seen as special formations. These units interact with each other. That's the core of its ability to draw lightning..."
"If I can simulate these 'units' with inner energy, I could replicate the same effect—or even go further. Draw lightning, amplify it, control it… This kind of power could be applied in many fields: martial arts, body forging, formations, weapon crafting, alchemy…"
Ning Qi continued observing the Thunderblade and the lightning that struck it.
Meanwhile.
His Jade Elixir Sea pulsed.
Inner energy flowed and gathered.
Ning Qi used his body as a testing ground—trying to replicate the Thunderblade's special traits.
He had a feeling this would be a huge breakthrough.
The secret technique he would develop might benefit many disciplines.
He didn't know how much time had passed.
Boom!
Another bolt struck.
Ning Qi opened his eyes, joy lighting up his face.
He had suppressed the Thunderblade's power with his own inner energy—meaning this bolt had been attracted by him, not the blade.
Success!
Now all that was left was to refine and optimize.
"This technique can summon lightning from the heavens—let's call it the Heavenly Thunder Method."
The Heavenly Thunder Method could be used in many ways.
Ning Qi was excited.
He stood up in the air.
Inner energy surged.
With the Thunderblade in hand, both he and the blade resonated at a specific frequency.
A massive wave of lightning was drawn down—much stronger than before.
This time, Ning Qi consciously controlled it.
The lightning didn't strike him—it was transformed midair into controllable thunder energy.
Ning Qi swung his blade.
A thunder-dragon blade aura roared forth.
A nearby mountain crumbled under the combined force of blade and lightning.
Even beneath the thunder-filled night sky, it was a terrifying sight.
Ning Qi was very satisfied.
And this was just the martial application of the Heavenly Thunder Method.
His efforts had not been in vain.
Ning Qi put away the Thunderblade.
He sensed something.
Looking into the distance, his brow twitched.
Then, silently, he vanished from the mountaintop.
Moments later.
Two figures flew through the sky and landed on the mountaintop where Ning Qi had just been standing.
Looking closely, they turned out to be a pair of twin sisters, each carrying a long spear on her back.
Both had round faces and delicate features, appearing very young, but their Celestial-level cultivation revealed that their actual age was far from youthful.
At this moment.
Their faces were filled with astonishment as they stared at the mountain that had just been reduced to dust, remaining silent for a long time.
"If I didn't know Thunderblade Master couldn't possibly be here, I would've thought this was his doing," the elder sister whispered.
The younger sister shook her head:
"No, this nameless expert is far stronger than Thunderblade Master!"
The elder sister marveled:
"But there's no one else on the Celestial List who specializes in both thunder and blade techniques."
"The world is vast—there are countless hidden experts. Who would've thought we'd run into one? I don't know whether to call our luck good or bad."
The younger sister added:
"Thankfully, that expert already left. If we had provoked him, it could've gone badly. We shouldn't have come here in the first place—this is all your fault for being too curious. Don't forget the purpose of our trip."
The elder sister stuck out her tongue:
"I just thought it was thunder falling from the sky. How was I supposed to know it was an expert practicing blade techniques?"
"Let's go. My curiosity is satisfied. We'd better get to Zhenwu Mountain quickly. His Highness takes Zhenwu Mountain very seriously and specially tasked us with delivering this top-level secret letter. I have no idea what's written in it—it looks pretty thick."
The younger sister immediately scolded sternly:
"Stop right there! That kind of thinking is dangerous!"
The elder sister quickly replied:
"I'm just curious. His Highness has shown us great kindness—I would never do anything reckless."
The younger sister's expression softened, and she said nothing more.
The two soared through the sky, heading straight for Zhenwu Mountain.