Ning Qi's eyes brightened slightly.
"A secret art of the Divine Sword Sect?"
Little Fatty nodded vigorously, like a chick pecking grain.
"That's right."
"Ning Qi, let me tell you—I have three hobbies."
"And those are?"
"First, practicing the sword. Second, eating. Third, sleeping."He patted his belly proudly. "Eating and sleeping are because of this secret art I cultivate."
Ning Qi's interest was instantly piqued.
He had noticed Zhuang Chen's astonishing appetite during the banquet, but had assumed it was simply his nature. Now, it seemed there was far more behind it.
"This secret art is called Dream Gluttony."
"A glutton devours heaven and earth, absorbs the essence of all things, and refines it within dreams…"
Zhuang Chen recited it carefully, his childish voice steady.
With each sentence, the surprise in Ning Qi's eyes deepened.
This Dream Gluttony was anything but ordinary.
It did not belong to the conventional paths of stance skills or strength techniques, yet it could enhance and accelerate them. Through consuming vast amounts of food—or even rarer treasures—one would absorb their essence and digest it during a unique sleeping state.
Cultivation speed would rise dramatically.
The creator of this art was undeniably a genius.
"This secret art helped me reach the Muscle Refining Realm so fast," Zhuang Chen said proudly."My Master said that if cultivated to a high level, one could even eat iron blocks or crystals, causing changes to both the physical body and inner strength. It's extremely powerful."
He hesitated, then added, "But right now, I can only eat normal food."
As if afraid Ning Qi would misunderstand, he hurriedly continued:
"And I'm the only one in the Divine Sword Sect who learned it. Even my Master hasn't!"
Then his expression suddenly turned uneasy.
"Ning Qi… I already told you the secret art. You won't refuse to teach me sword techniques, right?"
Only after speaking did he realize the weight of what he had done. Dream Gluttony was no ordinary technique.
Ning Qi returned to his senses and smiled faintly.
"Don't worry. Since I said I would teach you, I will."
Zhuang Chen relaxed at once, nodding repeatedly.
"I'll repeat it a few more times, so you don't forget."
"No need," Ning Qi said calmly. "I've memorized it."
Zhuang Chen scratched his head in disbelief.
"You're really smart… It took me a long time to remember all this."
Still, he didn't think much of it. He was convinced that even if Ning Qi remembered it, mastering Dream Gluttony would not be easy.
"Stand properly," Ning Qi said. "Show me your sword."
His tone was calm, yet carried an invisible authority.
Zhuang Chen subconsciously straightened his back. For a brief moment, he felt as if he were standing before his Master.
"Yes!"
He drew the wooden sword from his back and took a deep breath.
The moment he moved, his chubby figure became surprisingly agile. Sword light flashed as fallen leaves were swept into the air. Occasionally, a streak of light would cut something cleanly in half, displaying astonishing precision.
Light as a drifting leaf one moment, heavy as a mountain the next—his sword freely shifted between softness and dominance. Eventually, only the sound of the sword remained, the wielder almost forgotten.
Human and sword as one… and growing more proficient, Ning Qi thought.This Congenital Sword Bone is truly profound.
When Zhuang Chen finished, he glanced at Ning Qi nervously.
"Was… was something wrong?"
"It's passable," Ning Qi replied.
Then he said, "Watch closely."
With a casual wave of his hand, the wooden sword flew from Zhuang Chen's grasp and landed in Ning Qi's.
Ning Qi moved.
To Zhuang Chen, he vanished.
An ancient mountain seemed to descend, suppressing all directions. A divine elephant roared toward the heavens, and beyond it, a golden sun slowly rose.
Zhuang Chen stood frozen, his mind blank.
"What did you see?" Ning Qi asked.
Zhuang Chen swallowed hard."A mountain… a divine elephant… and the sun."
Ning Qi nodded slightly.
"Your comprehension is acceptable."
He swung the sword again.
Again and again, Ning Qi demonstrated. Each time, he asked, and Zhuang Chen answered honestly.
Finally, Ning Qi said, "Try it yourself."
When Zhuang Chen swung his sword this time, the difference was subtle—but unmistakable.
Ning Qi nodded inwardly.
This learning speed was terrifying. Aside from Yuan Tiansheng, he had never seen such talent.
After correcting him for a while, Ning Qi raised his hand.
"That's enough for today."
Zhuang Chen was drenched in sweat, his face pale, yet his eyes shone brightly.
"Ning Qi, I feel it! I really feel it!"
Ning Qi smiled faintly.
"Come here every noon. Half an hour each time. No other hours."
"Yes!" Zhuang Chen replied without hesitation.
Days passed swiftly.
Little Fatty practiced diligently. White Ape watched from the side. After a few small scuffles, one human and one ape unexpectedly became friends.
Meanwhile, Ning Qi immersed himself in studying Dream Gluttony.
The art was powerful—but flawed.
The absorbed energy could not be fully refined and was stored as fat, causing the body to grow increasingly corpulent.
"This is unacceptable," Ning Qi thought."I'll extract its essence and perfect it."
Seven days later, the Divine Sword Sect departed.
"Ning Qi… I have to go," Zhuang Chen said reluctantly.
"Cultivate well," Ning Qi replied.
"I'll surpass you in ten years!" Zhuang Chen shouted before running off.
Ning Qi watched his retreating figure and smiled.
That would not be easy.
Far from Zhenwu Mountain, Divine Sword Old Man stood in silence after watching his disciple demonstrate the sword.
"In just a few days… he has already touched Sword Intent?"
His gaze turned toward the distant mountain.
"Dragon Mountain… you truly accepted an extraordinary disciple."
And in his heart, envy and joy quietly intertwined.