Chapter 43: Myriad Phenomena

Qin Yun's affairs caused quite a stir within the Zhenwu Sect, leaving the various true disciples feeling somewhat defeated.

Ning Qi gradually returned to his previous state of cultivation. However, while browsing through the classics left behind by Qin Yun, he could not help but think of this former Eighth Senior Brother, wondering what kind of scene they would encounter if they met again.

But time can smooth over everything.

The Zhenwu Sect gradually returned to its former glory.

Everyone was of one mind, preparing for the upcoming Celestial Ceremony.

Perhaps influenced by Qin Yun's incident, Daoist Longshan had entered seclusion; once he emerged, it would undoubtedly be the Celestial Realm!

Another year of peach blossoms in bloom.

This year, the peach blossoms outside the Seeking Dao Academy bloomed even more vividly and brightly.

Ye Qinghe picked some more to make peach blossom wine. She secretly resolved to succeed in brewing the wine this time; however, she did not make a grand announcement, deciding instead to work hard in silence to surprise everyone.

Ning Qi smiled inwardly.

The white ape had already told him. Ye Qinghe had secretly approached the white ape, using both threats and inducements to make the ape secretly brew a batch as well.

If she succeeded, she would use her own; if she failed, she would use the ape's.

Ning Qi brought out a rattan chair and lay beneath the peach blossom tree.

Leisurely and carefree.

He was now a little over six years old, but he looked no different from a young boy of about ten. Dressed in a Daoist robe with a calm gaze, he possessed an extraordinary aura of his own.

He was contemplating the method of "Transforming Force" within the Nine Deaths of the Great Dream.

"The so-called transformation of force is to allow the internal energy to attach different characteristics. Some characteristics do not require external aids, such as the Heaven-Shaking Force, Earth-Shaking Force, and Sea-Covering Force."

"But some characteristics do require external aids, such as the Ice Silkworm Force. It mentions that it is best to cultivate with extreme cold treasures to make the internal energy more powerful, but in reality, one can cultivate without them, though the potency will not be as great."

"What I pursue is not just a single characteristic, but something that encompasses all phenomena, much like the Myriad Manifestations Source Post of old."

Ning Qi was slowly realizing his own path.

Possessing max-level comprehension, he was destined to be different from ordinary people.

Melting ten thousand paths might help him achieve the supreme and allow his path to go further.

"During this time, I have read many internal energy cultivation methods—some from the Sutra Pavilion and some left by Eighth Senior Brother. The so-called characteristics of internal energy are essentially allowing the internal energy to form different trajectories within the human body, which can create various different characteristics."

"In that case, as long as I keep the trajectories indeterminate, I can switch between them freely at any time."

Ning Qi looked up as a peach blossom petal drifted down slowly.

He caught it casually and smiled.

He had observed the ninety-second method of transforming force, understood the essence of force transformation, and observed the myriad manifestations of heaven and earth, experimenting with various trajectories.

At this moment, he finally understood.

Within his body.

The incredibly dense internal energy rotated continuously, transforming into various special trajectories according to his thoughts.

As a bit of internal energy erupted from Ning Qi's palm, a fiery, parching heat surged forth; the originally bright peach blossom petal spontaneously ignited without any wind.

But that was not all.

The trajectory of the internal energy within his body changed; the original fiery heat vanished, replaced by extreme cold. A cracking sound followed as the burning petal was instantly frozen, turning into an ice sculpture, beautiful and exquisite.

With another thought from Ning Qi.

His fingers did not change, but a stream of internal energy emerged and vibrated minutely.

The ice sculpture turned into fine powder, crystalline like fine sand, falling through the gaps of Ning Qi's fingers.

Ning Qi's eyes shone with joy.

"Internal energy transforms freely, characteristics switch at will, encompassing all phenomena. This is the Myriad Manifestations Chapter of the Nine Deaths of the Great Dream, which is the force transformation method of the Nine Deaths of the Great Dream."

"My internal energy can be extremely hot or extremely cold, it can 'vibrate' or 'rotate,' and it can even carry baleful aura or poison. It can be soul-shaking like a divine tiger or an ancient eagle. Not only that, but characteristics can be stacked—having both extreme cold and vibration simultaneously."

This was Ning Qi's harvest during this period.

Achieving this was not easy. For others, once their internal energy trajectories transformed, they became fixed, whereas Ning Qi's were ever-changing. This placed extremely high demands on the physical body; only someone with Ning Qi's profound physical foundation could achieve this.

If it were anyone else, their physical body would likely collapse and result in death within minutes.

"However, for the Myriad Manifestations Chapter to truly encompass all phenomena, there is still a way to go."

It wasn't that Ning Qi's comprehension was insufficient, but rather that there were too few existing force transformation methods—only ninety-two. Ning Qi had used these as a foundation to create many types of internal energy characteristics himself, but it wasn't enough. In the future, if he collected new transformation methods, he could simply integrate them.

"With the Myriad Manifestations Chapter, my strength is even greater."

Internal energy with added characteristics possessed a potency that "Three-No" internal energy could not compare to.

For example, if Ning Qi struck with a palm now, he could freeze a person into an ice sculpture; previously, at most, he would have used force to beat them to death.

"Next is to focus entirely on breaking through to the Great Success of the Internal Essence. With the density of my internal energy, I will be able to extend my internal energy outside my body by then."

Ning Qi was quite looking forward to this.

The laser swords in the films and television works of his past life had always fascinated him, and the effect of extending internal energy outside the body was essentially equivalent to a laser sword, though it could not be fired away from the body.

With a goal in mind.

Ning Qi's motivation to cultivate became even stronger.

With the Nine Deaths of the Great Dream, his cultivation speed had always been fast.

In just a little over a year, he had already reached the fifth layer of Internal Essence, and was now nearing the Great Success of the sixth layer.

Inside the Seeking Dao Academy.

The peach blossoms were brilliant. With Ning Qi's perception, he could tell that more disciples had been visiting the Sutra Pavilion recently than before.

The news of Qin Yun's betrayal of the Zhenwu Sect had long since spread through the outer and inner sects. Some were angry, some were regretful, but some were also relieved, because without Qin Yun, it meant Daoist Longshan was highly likely to take on new disciples again, and some disciples wanted to seize this opportunity to soar to greatness.

Ning Qi did not see any issue with this; it was human nature.

People strive for higher positions.

He simply cultivated in silence.

During this time, perhaps because of Qin Yun's incident, his senior brothers and sisters had also been visiting much more frequently, showing great concern for Ning Qi.

They feared that one day Ning Qi might also develop an inner demon; they did not want to experience the same pain a second time.

Ning Qi was not impatient.

He gradually felt that pursuing longevity was not about turning oneself into a cold, emotionless cultivation machine. Previously, he might have felt the need for more solitude and more time for growth, but now he felt he should cherish the people before him.

When his senior brothers and sisters came, he would chat with them cheerfully; in reality, it didn't take up much time.

And so.

At the height of the peach blossoms' brilliance.

Ning Qi welcomed the opportunity for his fifth near-death experience.

His internal energy and physical body had already established a complete connection; he only needed the fifth near-death experience to ascend to the Sixth Layer Realm, at which point he could try the exhilaration of the "laser sword."

But just as he was preparing to go to the treasury to fetch some resources for the near-death experience.

Luo Wentian brought incredibly exciting news, causing Ning Qi to temporarily halt his steps.

The fifth disciple, Jiang Baishan, had broken through to the Astral Yuan Realm!