Chapter 37: Silence Technique

Upon the martial arena.

Everyone's gaze was drawn to the battle between the two men.

At the Ninth Layer of the Inner Yuan Realm, the internal energy was extremely dense, capable of adhering to the physical body or weapons; the more powerful practitioners could even extend it for several feet, though it would immediately dissipate once it left the body.

One practiced the Heaven-Shaking Force, while the other practiced the Sea-Covering Force. The destructive power displayed in every movement was staggering.

Ning Qi watched intently.

However, a sense of strangeness gradually grew in his heart.

"Eldest Senior Brother and Fifth Senior Brother are very strong, their internal energy reaching nearly ten feet. But why do I feel as though I have the strength to fight them?"

He felt a slight urge to battle them to verify exactly how strong he had become, but he ultimately suppressed the thought.

Soon.

Jiang Baishan emerged victorious with a slight advantage.

The spectators were stirred into a frenzy of excitement.

Luo Wentian looked on with a face full of gratification

"Fifth Junior Brother, from this day forth, you are the second strongest expert of the Zhenwu Sect!"

Jiang Baishan waved his hands repeatedly in modesty

"If it weren't for the fact that Eldest Senior Brother, you, were distracted by the sect's miscellaneous affairs, I fear you would have broken through to the Gangyuan Realm long ago. I am ashamed, Junior Brother."

Luo Wentian laughed loudly

"Why must we be so formal with each other? If you are strong, then I, your Senior Brother, am strong!"

Everyone was moved.

Seeing his disciples so harmonious, Daoist Longshan also smiled with relief.

Next.

The true disciples engaged in mutual sparring. The remaining disciples watched with rapt attention, their motivation surging even higher.

They had witnessed the prowess of high-level layered internal force techniques. Within the Zhenwu Sect, as long as one made contributions, there was a chance to exchange them for such high-level techniques.

Looking at Luo Wentian, Ning Qi felt a wave of emotion. The Zhenwu Sect was one big family; in that case, what did it matter who was stronger or weaker? Whether he was currently stronger or weaker than his Eldest and Fifth Senior Brothers was simply not important. The trace of competitive desire he had previously held instantly vanished.

He suddenly felt that he had been somewhat naive before. Back when the Divine Sword Sect ascended the mountain, what would it have mattered if the little fatty had fought his way through the Zhenwu Sect without meeting a single match?

Quietly, he felt his state of mind become much more open and magnanimous.

This was something he had learned from his Eldest Senior Brother.

...

The Year-End Grand Competition concluded smoothly. The cohesion of the Zhenwu Sect was stronger than ever, and the disciples' passion for martial arts training reached new heights.

Winter passed, and spring arrived.

Outside the Seeking Dao Courtyard.

A few peach blossom trees had been added.

These were moved here by Ning Qi from Mount Zhenwu. He had always felt the courtyard was a bit monotonous at times; now, it looked much better. With the peach blossoms in full bloom, it possessed its own unique artistic conception, which helped soothe his mood.

Ning Qi was creating a technique.

After delivering a few secret manuals, the White Ape had gone off to play.

Ning Qi rarely visited the Scripture Pavilion these days. Since the Year-End Grand Competition, the disciples' enthusiasm for training had soared, and they frequently visited the pavilion to borrow books, making it a busy place.

Consequently, Ning Qi simply had the White Ape go to the Scripture Pavilion to fetch the books he wanted to read.

In the Seeking Dao Courtyard, ordinary disciples were strictly forbidden from approaching.

Ning Qi looked at the several martial arts manuals in his hands.

"Mystic Turtle Breath Technique."

"Withered Wood Breathing Method."

"Breath-Closing Art."

"..."

"These are all high-level martial arts for concealing one's aura. If practiced to a profound level, they are sufficient to make it impossible for ordinary people to discern one's true strength. They are essential tools for wandering the martial world."

Ning Qi's thoughts turned.

The aura surrounding his body began to change.

At times, his breath was long and slow, almost imperceptible; at other times, it withered like dead wood, appearing as a desolate abyss devoid of life; at other times, his aura vanished completely, making one feel as if they were looking at nothing at all...

Clearly, he had practiced these several techniques to an extremely formidable level.

After his last conversation with Daoist Longshan, Ning Qi had intended to pay more attention to concealing his aura. After his senior brothers and sisters had vaguely sensed something peculiar about him this time, his resolve to create a powerful breath-concealing technique was further strengthened.

"These breathing methods are all quite good, but they all have flaws. Once they are activated, others indeed cannot see your depth, but one glance is enough to realize you are not simple."

For example, with the Mystic Turtle Breath Technique, the breath becomes long and slow upon activation. As long as you do not circulate your energy or actively display your strength, ordinary people indeed cannot see your power, but the characteristics of breath-concealment are equally obvious. Others will naturally know you are deliberately hiding yourself.

The other breath-concealing arts were similar.

This did not meet Ning Qi's expectations.

He needed something where others could not detect his vitality at all, perhaps even reaching a level of disguise that could pass for reality.

"Perhaps... I can draw inspiration from the pseudo-death state of the Great Dream Nine Deaths Technique."

A flash of inspiration struck Ning Qi's mind.

The essences of the various breath-concealing techniques flowed through his mind.

Soon.

A martial art took shape. For Ning Qi, the difficulty of creating such a technique focused on skill was far lower than creating a cultivation method.

The Silence Decree.

Where the physical body falls into stillness, and vitality becomes tranquil.

As Ning Qi circulated the newly created technique, the vitality within his body immediately dropped, quickly reaching a level of vitality similar to that of an ordinary Tendon-Refining Realm practitioner.

A smile played at the corners of his mouth.

Then, he reversed the technique's circulation. His vitality surged at a visible rate, instantly reaching a level that surpassed both Luo Wentian and Jiang Baishan!

"The Silence Decree I created can not only conceal my vitality but can also mimic higher realms. However, I have only seen the Master and the Old Man of the Divine Sword among the Gangyuan Realm experts, so the mimicry might not be perfect. Even so, it should be enough to fool ordinary people."

Ning Qi was in a good mood.

He was confident that if he circulated the Silence Decree, even Daoist Longshan would not be able to see through him.

Even during combat, as long as he did not go all out, he would not expose his true realm.

However, he had yet to see the Heaven-Man Realm.

He wondered what the so-called "Heaven-Man Resonance" of that realm was actually about. Perhaps the Silence Decree could not fool a Heaven-Man, but he could slowly refine it once he encountered such experts in the future.

For now, it was sufficient.

"Besides breath-concealment, I also need a technique for transforming the body."

Ning Qi thought to himself that his current body was too young and possessed too many distinct features. If the day ever came when he truly needed to take action, it would be best not to expose his identity.

He kept Daoist Longshan's instructions from that day in his heart.

Two days later.

Looking at the pile of external hardening techniques and bone-shrinking arts in his hands, Ning Qi's wish was granted.

The Form-Shifting Bone-Transforming Technique.

It could change one's appearance and one's physical shape.

Ning Qi's expertise in medicine played a significant role in this. As his martial Dao progressed to the Inner Yuan Realm and he birthed internal energy, his medical skills became even more profound. His control over acupuncture was more subtle, and the Form-Shifting Bone-Transforming Technique was merely one manifestation of this.

Ning Qi activated the Form-Shifting Bone-Transforming Technique.

His originally jade-like face began to turn unfamiliar at a visible speed, his features becoming plain and unremarkable. Then, the sound of bones cracking continuously rang out as his body began to grow taller. In the blink of an eye, he had become similar to a youth of fifteen or sixteen.

The originally bright and intelligent little Taoist boy had instantly transformed into an ordinary, mediocre youth.

Ning Qi nodded in satisfaction.

"Not bad, but this is not the limit of the Form-Shifting Bone-Transforming Technique."

"This type of technique ultimately requires certain medicinal substances to reach perfection. At that time, the effects of both disguise and shape-shifting will be even better."

This was different from the various techniques he had previously created. For instance, with the Iron Cloth Shirt, even if Ning Qi could instantly comprehend its subtleties, he still had to practice it step by step, because the essence of such a technique was the tempering of the physical body, not just relying on comprehension.

However.

Ning Qi's physical body was very strong, so he would spend much less time practicing it than an average person.