Chapter 38: Zhenwu Second

Ning Qi obtained some auxiliary medicines from Daoist Longshan. After half a month of effort, he finally practiced the Bone-Shifting Technique to the highest realm he had envisioned.

From then on.

His ability to disguise himself became far more versatile; he could easily switch between the appearances of the young, old, middle-aged, and elderly, and even his body type followed suit. Thanks to his powerful physical body, Ning Qi could shrink to half his current height or expand to over two meters.

As his physical body grew even stronger in the future, he would be able to achieve even more.

However.

The Bone-Shifting Technique was merely for occasional use.

The Silent Decree was undoubtedly far more useful.

In his ordinary time, Ning Qi maintained his aura at the intensity of the Tendon-Refining Realm. Occasionally, a sliver of it would leak, but it could basically only be detected by those possessing sensory-type martial arts.

Whether a martial artist is strong or weak is ultimately only known through combat.

Vitality and aura intensity could only serve as references.

With these two martial arts, Ning Qi undoubtedly felt much more at ease.

He continued to practice his cultivation step by step.

Although his senior brothers and sisters occasionally returned from their travels to speak of the prosperity and excitement below the mountain, making Ning Qi feel a slight longing, he was able to endure the loneliness.

Of course, most importantly, Ning Qi could feel his own growth every single day.

The joy of cultivation was immense.

This lessened his desire for the outside world.

The peach blossoms outside the Daoist Academy bloomed increasingly vibrant and radiant.

Once, even the boisterous Second Senior Brother, Xiong Shi, could not help but praise them, saying that the feng shui here was nurturing, and even the peach blossoms were better than anywhere else on Mount Zhenwu.

Ye Qinghe even gleefully picked some to take back, saying she wanted to make peach blossom wine.

Ning Qi smiled faintly.

He felt that Third Senior Sister would surely fail.

Ye Qinghe loved drinking, but she was terrible at brewing. Once, she had the White Ape teach her how to brew monkey wine, but the result was incredibly sour and stinky, leaving the White Ape shaking its head in dismay.

This time.

Seeing that Ye Qinghe wanted to make peach blossom wine, the White Ape hurriedly brewed a batch for itself to avoid suffering the same fate.

They did not know.

Ning Qi had specifically researched cultivation techniques; this batch of peach trees would become increasingly full of vitality, growing stronger year by year. Perhaps one day, they might even bear spiritual fruits.

As the peach blossoms gradually withered.

Peaches appeared upon the branches, looking exceptionally pleasing to the eye.

Ning Qi picked a peach and took a bite.

The juice flowed, and it was exceptionally sweet.

He had the White Ape deliver some to his Master and all his senior brothers and sisters.

He received much praise.

Ning Qi's state of mind became increasingly peaceful.

Daoist Longshan also discovered with surprise that he could no longer see through his young disciple, which left him feeling deeply moved.

As for Ning Qi.

He had already entered his second state of simulated death.

Having experienced the first time, he was well-practiced this time. After preparing resources and instructing the White Ape, he locked himself in his room and entered the state of silence.

The White Ape had also begun the Tendon-Refining stage; its movements were incredibly agile as it practiced the Ape King Stance, making constant progress.

This time, it did not panic, but merely waited silently for Ning Qi to wake.

Ten days later.

Ning Qi awoke.

His eyes held a few more degrees of tranquility. He realized that the changes in his mental state recently might be related to the two instances of simulated death, but he was not alarmed; instead, he quite liked his current state.

"Promoted to the Triple-Layer Realm, Internal Essence achieved!"

"My physical body has doubled in strength. In other words, it is exactly three times what it was at the perfection of the Body Tempering Realm. I feel... as if my lifespan has increased again?"

Ning Qi's eyes brightened slightly.

This was an unexpected joy.

He had never heard of such changes occurring during the breakthroughs of the Internal Essence Realm. He speculated that it might be related to the way his physical body reached its limit and was reborn through desolation each time.

Although he did not know by how much his lifespan had increased, his intuitive feeling could not be wrong, and his mental acuity had clearly seen an increase.

This was a good thing.

Following this trend, perhaps when he reached the perfection of the Internal Essence Realm, he might obtain a lifespan comparable to that of the Astral Essence Realm.

"Aside from the physical body and lifespan, there is the change in internal strength. Unsurprisingly, my internal strength has become 'semi-solid.' This is a state usually only reached after the great achievement of Internal Essence, and it is likely even superior to mine."

"An ordinary martial artist, upon reaching such a level of great achievement, can practice the 'Method of Transforming Strength' within the Layered Strength Technique, allowing them to attach various powerful attributes to their internal strength."

Ning Qi pondered.

As he circulated the internal strength within his body, he could clearly feel that it was no longer as "illusory" as before; it had begun to possess a "solid" presence, its power greatly increased, and its enhancement of the physical body even stronger.

"There are many attributes for internal strength. For example, the Ice Silkworm Strength can produce extremely cold internal strength. There are other techniques that allow internal strength to carry fire, poison, baleful aura, and so on. Some special Layered Strength techniques even require corresponding resources to succeed."

"But there are other attributes as well, such as the Earth-Shaking Strength, which gives the internal strength a 'shocking' attribute, allowing a single palm strike to shake a person's internal organs directly."

"But none of these are what I want."

Lately, besides practicing the Layered Strength Technique, Ning Qi had also been considering the second half of the Great Dream Nine Deaths Strength—the Transforming Strength Method—and he now had some ideas.

He was ambitious and felt that ordinary attributes would not satisfy him.

If he was to practice, he would practice the strongest.

Transforming strength was not only a way to increase the combat power of an Internal Essence Realm martial artist, but it also involved the subsequent cultivation of Astral Essence.

"I will wait a bit longer. There is no rush. I can transform my strength later. Regardless, I am not fighting anyone right now, so there is no hurry."

Ning Qi made up his mind.

Even if he didn't transform his strength, it wouldn't hinder his continued cultivation and advancement in realms.

He felt his current strength was not weak.

With a powerful physical body, vast and solid internal strength, and many martial arts easily practiced to extremely high levels, his combat power was somewhat exaggerated.

"If there were any uncertainties before, now, the Eldest Senior Brother and the Fifth Senior Brother should no longer be my match."

Ning Qi was not arrogant.

His physical body was too strong; following this trend, he might one day be able to lift a million catties with a wave of his arm—a height no one dared to dream of.

No one knew that this Ninth True Disciple had already silently become the second strongest person in the Zhenwu Sect.

"As for the Astral Essence Realm, I wonder if I can win a fight."

The three stages of the Astral Essence Realm—White Mist, Jade Liquid, and Primordial Core—each had massive gaps between them.

The only two Astral Essence Realm experts Ning Qi had seen up close were the Old Man of the Divine Sword and his own Master. However, both were in the Primordial Core Realm; the gap was too large, and he did not believe he could compare to them just yet.

However, Ning Qi did not waste time on this.

If he encountered them in the future, he would naturally find out.

...

Summer gradually arrived.

One afternoon, Ye Qinghe discovered to her horror that all her sealed peach blossom wine had leaked, turning into a batch of sour water. This left her extremely frustrated, lamenting that heaven was jealous of talent and that her brewing skills could not be realized.

Fortunately, the White Ape timely produced its own batch of peach blossom wine.

After tasting it, Ye Qinghe's eyes lit up, and she beamed with joy.

She dragged Yuan Tiansheng to let all the fellow disciples taste the wine one by one, claiming without a hint of shame that she and the White Ape had brewed it together. Everyone praised it, while they secretly laughed to themselves.

This greatly satisfied her vanity.

"Hmm... I'll save this jar for the Eighth Junior Brother to taste."

Perhaps Ye Qinghe's words held some magic.

A few days later.

The eighth disciple, Qin Yun, truly returned to the mountain.

(End of Chapter)