Chapter 5: Innate Bone-Nurturing Technique

In his past life, Ning Qi suffered from ALS and died in despair.

In this life, he was born into a perilous situation, and upon learning that he had already endured a hundred lifetimes of suffering, he developed an obsession with living.

He loathed death.

He wanted to live; he wanted immortality.

As Ning Qi’s voice faded, Daoist Longshan was slightly stunned, and Jiang Baishan was even more astonished.

Daoist Longshan frowned. He had intended to rebuke Ning Qi for being overly ambitious, but upon seeing the astonishing longing in the eyes of the half-year-old infant, he fell silent, swallowing the reprimand that had been on the tip of his tongue.

Jiang Baishan said

"Little Nine, how could there be a path to immortality in this world..."

But before he could finish, Daoist Longshan waved his hand to interrupt him.

His expression was incredibly solemn as he stared at Ning Qi.

Ning Qi did not retreat in the slightest; this was his goal, and it would never change.

After a long while.

Daoist Longshan gazed at Ning Qi and spoke slowly

"The beginning of the Martial Dao is refining the skin, flesh, tendons, bones, organs, marrow, blood, and spirit. These are the eight realms of Body Tempering. If one achieves perfection, flawless and complete, one’s blood and energy will never cease, and a hundred illnesses will not arise. At this level, one’s lifespan reaches the limit of a mortal: two cycles of sixty years."

Ning Qi’s eyes were bright, but he remained unmoved.

One hundred and twenty years was too little.

"Once Body Tempering is complete and one realizes internal energy, one enters the Internal Origin Realm. With internal energy, every movement carries immense power, and one lives for two hundred years!"

Ning Qi remained unmoved.

Two hundred years was not enough.

Daoist Longshan withdrew his gaze and turned toward the thousands of green mountains outside the Mingwu Pavilion.

"When internal energy is stacked nine times to form 'Gang,' it is the Gang Origin Realm. The Gang energy can break through the body with peerless power, granting a lifespan of four hundred years!"

"The Gang Origin passes through the White Mist, Jade Liquid, and Origin Pellet realms. As one’s divine intent grows, one can resonate with heaven and earth, reaching the realm of Heaven-Man Unity. Splitting rivers and breaking mountains becomes an easy task. This is the Heaven-Man Realm, with a lifespan of eight hundred years!"

As he said this, there was a trace of imperceptible yearning in Daoist Longshan’s voice.

He was only half a step away from the Heaven-Man Realm, but that half-step was as difficult as ascending to heaven. Below the Heaven-Man realm, all are ants. Fortunately, his talent was peerless, and he would surely reach it in a few years; otherwise, he would not have obtained the True Martial inheritance back then.

Eight hundred years!

Legend had it that a long-lived man named Peng Zu lived for eight hundred years. If one had such a long lifespan, one could sit and watch dozens of generations of mortals pass by. To a mortal, how would that be any different from a god?

Ning Qi gained a deeper understanding of the wonders of this world.

He felt a slight sense of anticipation, but he still shook his head slowly.

Eight hundred years was long, but compared to eternal immortality, it was nothing more than the time it takes to close one’s eyes for a nap.

"Master, is there anyone who lives longer than those in the Heaven-Man Realm?"

Jiang Baishan held his breath, listening to the conversation between his master and his junior brother. He felt that his Ninth Junior Brother was truly extraordinary. The Heaven-Man Realm was already the pinnacle of the world, something countless people spent their entire lives pursuing, yet he was still not satisfied?

The astonishment in his eyes deepened.

Perhaps this was not the raving of a child. A person’s achievements were inextricably linked to their ambitions. At the very least, he had never thought of such a question. Thinking this way, he actually felt a trace of respect for his little junior brother.

Daoist Longshan answered with a question

"How do you view these green mountains?"

Ning Qi followed his gaze. The rolling green mountains were majestic and vast, making one feel small. He subconsciously sighed

"Born of heaven and earth, unmoved for ten thousand years."

Daoist Longshan said earnestly

"Unmoved for ten thousand years does not mean they cannot be moved. Even the green mountains are like this, with no day of eternal existence, so how much more so for humans? How can one be immortal?"

"A person’s life does not lie in how long they live, but in what they have done."

Having great ambition was a good thing, but he worried that his disciple had ethereal, unrealistic thoughts and would go down the wrong path.

Ning Qi was slightly silent, hearing Daoist Longshan’s warning.

If it were an ordinary person, they would indeed not dare to have such extraordinary thoughts, but he possessed max-level comprehension; eternal immortality was not a delusion.

Ning Qi kowtowed respectfully and said solemnly

"Please, Master, guide me!"

Daoist Longshan helped Ning Qi up and sighed lightly

"Foolish child."

To have such a mind at only half a year old—he could not be judged by the standards of ordinary people.

His voice sounded distant

"Above the Heaven-Man Realm is the Martial Saint. If a Martial Saint appears, they are invincible in the world. As for their lifespan, it is said that a Martial Saint can live for thousands of years, but no one has ever seen one. Some say they may have already broken the world’s limits and gone to other realms."

"As for what is above the Martial Saint, even I do not know. Perhaps those at the higher peaks of the Martial Dao can live for ten thousand years. Everything is an unknown; only those who reach the Martial Saint level would know."

"If you have the ambition for immortality, reaching the highest peak of the Martial Dao might allow you to see a different landscape."

Daoist Longshan decided to guide him; this might not be a bad thing.

He looked at Ning Qi before him with a smile.

Ning Qi’s eyes were bright.

A Martial Saint is invincible in the world and can live for thousands of years?

Although it was far from his expectations, it was not bad. Once he achieved the Martial Saint level in the future, he would naturally have more time to pursue the true path to immortality.

One must eat a meal one bite at a time.

Achieving everything in one step was unrealistic.

"Set a small goal first: become a Martial Saint!"

Ning Qi made a secret resolution.

If it was determined then that the Martial Dao could not lead to immortality, he would change paths.

By then, the essence of his life would have been elevated, his comprehension would inevitably be stronger, and standing at a high point with a deep foundation, opening a new path would be much simpler. It was far better than fumbling around now looking for some path to immortality.

Having heard Daoist Longshan’s words today, Ning Qi felt his goal was much clearer. He thanked him again

"Thank you, Master, for clearing my doubts."

Seeing Ning Qi’s vibrant spirit, Jiang Baishan was afraid he would be discouraged in the future and couldn't help but remind him

"Little Nine, perhaps there is no path to immortality in this world at all?"

Ning Qi smiled slightly.

He bowed respectfully to Daoist Longshan and Jiang Baishan, then swung his arms and left.

Only his voice remained, echoing in the pavilion.

"If there is no path to immortality, I will walk one out myself."

Inside the Mingwu Pavilion.

The scent of meditation incense swirled upward in the silence.

Daoist Longshan and his disciple looked at each other, both seeing the astonishment in the other’s eyes.

This child is extraordinary.

...

Since that day’s conversation with Daoist Longshan, the several direct disciples of the True Martial Sect were surprised to find that their precocious Ninth Junior Brother no longer pestered them with questions about the Martial Dao, but instead spent his time alone, pondering something.

"Little Nine, the things you wanted are here. Remember to take them on time."

Luo Wentian shouted toward Ning Qi’s courtyard before shaking his head and leaving.

Ning Qi was very independent. Except for things he couldn't do because his body was too small, he did everything himself.

After learning that Ning Qi’s bones were beginning to form at an accelerated rate, Daoist Longshan began to let Ning Qi take medicinal supplements, mostly to strengthen his foundation.

Ning Qi used this as an excuse to get his hands on other medicinal herbs.

As for their purpose, it was naturally for his own plans.

Inside the room at this moment.

Ning Qi finished the medicinal soup he had concocted, then sat cross-legged on the bed like a little adult, closing his eyes tightly.

Inside his body.

The innate energy was circulating according to a specific pattern. With each cycle, the innate energy dissipated slightly, as if dispersing into his limbs and bones. Immediately after, Ning Qi felt a tingling sensation rising from deep within his body, much more intense than in previous days!

Ning Qi was not alarmed but delighted.

"It’s done!"

He had insight into the essence of his bones and, using innate energy as a base and the Ning Family Medical Book he had created as a supplement, he had finally fully grasped the technique of nourishing bones.

"This technique shall be called the Innate Bone-Nourishing Art!"

This was the harvest of Ning Qi’s efforts during this period.

After his conversation with Daoist Longshan, he knew that his bones were intangible, so he had been experimenting with how to actively drive his innate energy to accelerate their growth. This was bound to be much faster than the passive acceleration from before.

And now, it was finally a success!

"With the Innate Bone-Nourishing Art, I can actively nourish my bones, and the speed at which they form can be accelerated several times over!"

Ning Qi’s eyes were full of anticipation.

(End of chapter)