Chapter 35: Blood Rain Pavilion

Ning Qi's eyes shook.

Five years ago, when he transmigrated, he immediately faced a life-threatening crisis. Had it not been for his awakened Max-Level Comprehension, allowing him to hold on until Daoist Longshan arrived, he would likely have perished once again.

Although he could perceive certain things back then, his understanding was ultimately incomplete; he did not know the full context of what had happened.

"You are not an orphan picked up from the mountains and fields. Your parents were Ning Ye and Jiang Xuemei of the Snow Plum Villa. They were murdered by villains, and I rescued you from the sea of flames."

Daoist Longshan spoke slowly. When he had brought Ning Qi back originally, he had claimed to the outside world that he was an orphan found in the wilderness.

Seeing Ning Qi's serious expression—which lacked excessive shock—he finally felt the weight of a long-held doubt lift from his heart.

"Xiao Jiu, you truly are born with innate knowledge."

He let out a long sigh.

Back then, he had wondered why, when he reached the sea of flames, the sound of an infant crying seemed to be an intentional act to attract his attention.

Now it seemed that was indeed the case. His disciple was born with natural wisdom, capable of discerning good from evil; his instinctive will to survive had allowed him to wait for him.

Ning Qi remained silent, effectively accepting the truth.

He trusted Daoist Longshan enough.

"Master, I want to know—who exactly were the people who murdered my parents?"

Back then, he only knew of a certain 'Lord Feng,' but he knew nothing of his specific background or the reasons behind the massacre of the Snow Plum Villa.

Daoist Longshan fell into his memories.

"Five years ago, I had received an invitation from your parents to celebrate your birthday and discuss important matters. I did not expect that by the time I arrived, no one was left alive in the Snow Plum Villa, and the killers had already fled. Fortunately, your innate Qi was dense enough to protect you for so long."

"Over these years, I have been investigating in secret, and I have finally uncovered some clues."

"The killers from back then may be related to the Blood Rain Pavilion that has risen in recent years, but the investigation is ongoing. I do not yet know if others were involved, nor do I know why the Snow Plum Villa was exterminated; I only suspect it may have to do with the important matters your father mentioned."

His eyes held a trace of wariness.

Ning Qi’s gaze also tightened slightly.

He had heard his senior brothers and sisters mention the Blood Rain Pavilion during their travels. It was an extremely powerful assassin organization, home to the four great gold-medal assassins known as 'Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Lightning.' All were in the Gangyuan Realm, and rumors even suggested that the four of them had once successfully escaped from a Heaven-Human Realm expert. Their reputation was unparalleled.

"Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Lightning? Lord Feng?"

Ning Qi pondered inwardly.

Seeing that Ning Qi remained silent, Daoist Longshan stroked the top of his head to comfort him.

"Qi'er, the reason I am telling you this today is simply because you have the right to know. But remember, you must not let hatred blind your eyes or allow obsessions to take root. With your talent, if you cultivate diligently under my guidance for twenty years, taking revenge in the future will be easy."

"Rest assured, I will assist you when the time comes!"

His concern and affection were palpable.

In truth, Daoist Longshan had hesitated for a long time. He had originally intended to tell Ning Qi this slowly once he reached adulthood.

However, as Ning Qi's performance became increasingly monstrous and his mental maturity far surpassed that of ordinary people, Daoist Longshan set a new goal: to reveal the truth once Ning Qi reached the Inner Yuan Realm.

He suspected that Ning Qi was born with innate knowledge and might have sensed something even while in his swaddling clothes. Rather than keeping it a secret, it was better to be open and honest; this would prevent Ning Qi from bottling it up inside, which might lead to obsession and the birth of an inner demon.

In the path of martial arts, if an inner demon arises and cannot be removed, one is rendered almost useless.

Ning Qi bowed respectfully.

"Master, your disciple understands."

"I will not forget the grudge of my family's extermination, but I will not act impulsively. Once I have achieved sufficient strength in the future, I will surely destroy those killers," Ning Qi said firmly.

With his Max-Level Comprehension, there was no need to rush.

Now that he knew his target, he was even less likely to be impatient.

"Blood Rain Pavilion..."

He slowly chewed on the name in his mind.

Daoist Longshan stroked his beard with satisfaction.

"That is good. Since you have now stepped into the Inner Yuan Realm, if you need anything in the future, tell me directly. As for now, let me tell you more about the cultivation of the Inner Yuan Realm..."

Ning Qi sat cross-legged opposite Daoist Longshan with a smile, appearing to listen intently.

As Daoist Longshan spoke, Ning Qi would occasionally offer different insights, each time leaving the old man speechless. Daoist Longshan felt both amazement and gratification; he realized that there was less and less he could teach Ning Qi. Perhaps the only thing he could do was provide Ning Qi with a good environment.

After a long time, watching Ning Qi walk away with his hands behind his back like a little adult, Daoist Longshan stroked his beard contentedly.

"To have such a disciple, what more could I ask for?"

***

Ning Qi sat with his eyes closed within the Seeking Dao Courtyard.

The conversation with Daoist Longshan had been immensely beneficial.

Learning that the killers were from the Blood Rain Pavilion did not make him anxious; instead, it gave him a sense of stability. At least now he had a target, unlike before when he only had a vague hypothesis.

"Forget reaching the Heaven-Human Realm; as long as I reach the Yuan Dan Realm, I should be able to easily wipe out the Blood Rain Pavilion."

Ning Qi had never fought with his full strength, but his combat power relative to his peers was actually quite exaggerated. Fighting across realms was not difficult for him. One day, when he stepped into the Gangyuan Realm, he would most likely be able to contend with a Heaven-Human Realm expert.

Without dwelling on this for too long, Ning Qi began to inspect his internal state.

"The internal strength and the physical body have already established a complete connection. Based on Master's experience, the initial transformation of the physical body won't take too long. I can still make it before the New Year."

Without hesitation, Ning Qi began to consume nourishment.

Exotic beast meat, three-leaf lingzhi, century-old ginseng, blood-qi fruits... many highly restorative substances were consumed by Ning Qi. He did not eat quickly, but he was steady. Before long, all the prepared items were devoured.

He felt a slight fullness in his stomach.

Ning Qi had already instructed the White Ape to guard him.

Within the Zhenwu Sect, it was also very safe.

With the door locked, Ning Qi slowly lay down.

His aura began to decline at a visible rate. His face turned pale, then ashen; his originally lustrous skin became dull and withered. In just a short moment, Ning Qi slowly became like a corpse.

He had begun his first physical "death."

Only by obtaining rebirth amidst desolation could the physical body achieve an ultimate transformation.

It was extremely dangerous, but Ning Qi had the Great Dream Nine Deaths Strength to protect his path.

At this moment, the various restorative substances he had consumed began to take effect, transforming into the deepest parts of his physical body in a miraculous way.

A wondrous change was occurring within Ning Qi's body.

Outside the room, the White Ape sensed something. His eyes were filled with worry, but he suppressed the urge to rush in and check.

Ning Qi had instructed him that he was going into seclusion and asked the White Ape to guard him.

The White Ape made up his mind not to go anywhere for the next few days, waiting only for Ning Qi to wake.

Time passed slowly.

The festive atmosphere on Mount Zhenwu grew heavier as the New Year approached. Especially after Luo Wentian proposed the Zhenwu New Year Grand Competition, the disciples were eager to test their skills.

In contrast, the Seeking Dao Courtyard seemed somewhat desolate.

The White Ape listened to the movements outside the room every day.

But there was not a single trace of aura inside, as if the room were empty. This made him extremely anxious, yet he did not dare disobey Ning Qi.

Fortunately, this anxiety did not last long.

Seven days later, a familiar aura reappeared within the room.

The White Ape was overjoyed.