Zhenwu Sect was changing with each passing day.
Almost every day brought a new transformation, both internally and externally.
With the news that Zhenwu Sect was about to open its gates and recruit disciples spreading throughout the Great Yan Dynasty, more and more people set off early, heading toward Zhenwu Sect.
Many who were nearby had already gathered in Zhenwu City.
Now, Zhenwu City was bustling with excitement.
And it was understandable.
At present, Zhenwu Sect truly had a profound foundation.
Two Heaven-Man Realm masters in one sect—Daoist Longshan was impressive enough. After all, he was a once-in-a-generation genius who had stepped into the Heaven-Man Realm before turning one hundred.
It was only a matter of time before he landed on the Heaven-Man Rankings.
And then there was the unfathomable Daoist Sword Master, who had just made a dazzling display in a fierce battle against the Thunderblade Master.
The Zhenwu Sword Monument alone was enough to attract a vast number of swordsmen eager to join Zhenwu Sect.
Not to mention—
Over the past few years, as Zhenwu disciples had begun to make names for themselves in the martial world, many people had already realized that the Zhenwu Sect had deep roots and countless secret techniques.
Some had even delved into ancient records.
They discovered that Zhenwu's lineage had existed for ages and had only recently been revitalized under Daoist Longshan's leadership, which made the upcoming disciple recruitment all the more anticipated.
Naturally, everyone in Zhenwu Sect welcomed this development.
Luo Wentian, on the other hand, was so busy he could barely think straight.
But before the recruitment could begin, he had another matter to attend to—traveling to Daozhou.
Now that he had just taken over as Sect Leader, he had enough standing to lead a team to Daozhou and engage with many top Daoist sects.
Especially True Profound Sect, which had repeatedly invested and shown goodwill toward Zhenwu.
Now that Zhenwu was gradually standing firm, it was only proper to reciprocate.
Mutual support was the key to long-term alliances.
This also laid a solid foundation for future rankings among the Daoist sects.
At least while Daoist Sword Master was still around, Zhenwu Sect had no trouble placing itself among the top Daoist sects in the world.
Luo Wentian led a group of outstanding disciples on this journey, and Daoist Longshan accompanied them to show the importance they placed on the visit. ŔАꞐȫᛒĚꞨ
"Xiao Jiu, while we're away, keep a close eye on matters within the sect," Daoist Longshan sent a voice transmission privately.
Of course, affairs on the surface didn't need Ning Qi to worry about.
His second senior brother Xiong Shi had now become the Discipline Elder. With Sect Leader Luo Wentian away, he was the highest authority present, and his experience was more than sufficient to handle most situations.
Ning Qi naturally nodded and reassured them.
He watched Luo Wentian and Daoist Longshan leave.
And once again, Ning Qi found himself "free."
After informing Luo Wentian of his true identity as the Daoist Sword Master, his daily life remained mostly unaffected.
He continued his daily cultivation and scripture study at the Seeking Dao Courtyard.
Although a new Scripture Pavilion had been built, it didn't interfere with his studies. Sometimes, he would go there late at night; other times, he would have the White Ape bring out the scriptures.
Now that Daoist Longshan had gone to Daozhou with Luo Wentian, Ning Qi had a new task.
Occasionally instructing Zhuang Chen and Li Ling.
For Ning Qi, it was no big deal.
Teaching one disciple or two made little difference.
Besides, both were exceptionally bright, and only needed slight guidance.
After revealing the truth to Luo Wentian, Ning Qi began to reveal more of his miraculous abilities to his fellow disciples.
It was a gradual process.
Aside from that, Ning Qi continued his steady cultivation.
It had been half a month since he took the ninth Blood Jade Pill.
He estimated that within a month, he would naturally step into the Origin Core Realm.
At that point, his strength would make a tremendous leap.
He looked inward.
The Jade Liquid Sea in his dantian had solidified to an unimaginable extent.
Even the occasional "wave" radiated immense power.
Suspended above the Jade Liquid Sea was the virtual Sword Core, like a blazing sun.
After Ning Qi optimized it, it now possessed some ability to refine true qi.
Such overwhelming qi force was unimaginable to most.
Compared to this, the average Jade Liquid Realm cultivator was like a firefly before the moon.
The supreme foundation Ning Qi had laid in his early years was finally beginning to show its results.
As he advanced further, his strength would only grow more exaggerated.
It was hard to imagine just how powerful he would become once he entered the Origin Core Realm.
He felt that perhaps he would be peerless even among Heaven-Man Realm cultivators.
But beyond the cultivation breakthrough, he looked forward to one more thing.
The Enlightenment Tea Tree.
The Blood Jade Pill's essence had been fully absorbed, and its effect was remarkable.
The Enlightenment Tea Tree had now grown waist-high, taking shape.
Tender buds had begun to sprout along its branches and leaves.
Ning Qi estimated that before the Zhenwu Peach Blossom Festival this year, he would be able to harvest a small amount of Enlightenment Tea Leaves.
While the Enlightenment Tea Leaves might not be particularly useful for him, for others they were undoubtedly treasures.
For Ning Qi, the real joy came from the process of planting and harvesting.
Watching the Enlightenment Tea Tree grow day by day had helped him accumulate much inner strength.
It deepened his understanding of the Dao of Life—something scripture reading alone could never provide.
...
While Zhenwu Sect grew stronger day by day—
Meanwhile, in the Blood Demon Pool, a forbidden area of the Demonic Sect, ripples had begun to stir.
Powerful figures stood vigil outside the Blood Demon Pool, waiting.
The one at the forefront, a silver-haired elder, had deep, expectant eyes.
Moments later—
The elder's body trembled slightly, his gaze fixed ahead:
"He's coming out!"
Everyone looked toward the source of his gaze.
They saw a white-haired figure step out from the forbidden zone.
He had just broken through to the Heaven-Man Realm, but his suppression of its aura was still clumsy.
Everyone could clearly feel the shockwaves of heaven and earth energy.
Though the white-haired figure appeared young, all could sense an aura of withering age.
Qin Yun stepped out of the Blood Demon Pool, feeling momentarily disoriented, as if he had been away for ages.
He looked at the gathered Demonic Sect elites, his eyes finally resting on the silver-haired elder at the front.
He respectfully greeted, "Greetings, Grand Elder and fellow elders!"
The Grand Elder of the Demonic Sect looked at Qin Yun with a penetrating gaze, scanning him up and down before finally smiling in approval:
"Though you relied on the Secret Art of Grieving White Hair, it still took courage to reach the Heaven-Man Realm inside the Blood Demon Pool. That shows great compatibility with the pool. Qin Yun, you shall be a candidate for our sect's Saint Son!"
As his words fell, the crowd stirred.
One elder hesitantly advised, "Grand Elder, the title of Saint Son must be considered carefully."
The reason lay in Qin Yun's method of breakthrough.
They weren't fools—they could all feel that Qin Yun's vitality was barely half of a normal Heaven-Man Realm cultivator.
Qin Yun was around thirty years old now.
Had he reached this level through normal cultivation, no one would object.
In fact, he'd be hailed as the most talented martial sage in history, unmatched in potential.
But unfortunately—
Qin Yun hadn't used normal cultivation.
He'd entered the Blood Demon Pool and used the Secret Art of Grieving White Hair to burn nearly all his lifespan, barely surviving multiple brushes with death, causing a major stir that drew all this attention.
Realistically speaking—
Qin Yun now was effectively over four hundred years old.
In such circumstances, many naturally couldn't accept him.
Yet Qin Yun remained calm.
He had volunteered to enter the Blood Demon Pool to buy Zhenwu Sect three more years.
He had resolved to either ascend to the Heaven-Man Realm and gain greater influence—or die trying.
To his surprise, he had actually succeeded, thanks in part to a mental demon secret art he had acquired years ago.
Having faced life and death, he had grown detached from many things.
"I wonder how Master and the others are doing after all this time…"
That thought crossed Qin Yun's mind.
He bowed deeply to the Grand Elder and said:
"Many thanks for your favor, Grand Elder. Qin Yun reached the Heaven-Man Realm through unorthodox means and still needs time to stabilize. I am unworthy of the Saint Son title for now—please reconsider."
The Grand Elder gave Qin Yun a long look before finally saying:
"In that case, Qin Yun shall be one of the three Saint Son candidates. If he earns merit for our sect in the future, he will officially assume the title. Does anyone object?"
His eagle-like gaze swept the room, filled with pressure and authority.
Everyone replied in unison, "Yes, Grand Elder!"
Having three Saint Son candidates was within acceptable limits.
Seeing this, the Grand Elder felt a twinge of disappointment.
Over hundreds and thousands of years, many in the Demonic Sect had forgotten their original ideals, forming cliques and seeking personal gain.
What he valued wasn't Qin Yun's cultivation but his affinity with the Blood Demon Pool.
With that affinity, if Qin Yun reached peak Heaven-Man Realm, he might even use the Blood Demon Pool to forcibly ascend to Martial Saint.
If someone like that couldn't become a Saint Son directly, then something was seriously wrong.
The Grand Elder snorted coldly and left with a wave of his sleeve.
The others lowered their heads to respectfully see him off.
Moments later, someone stepped forward and said courteously:
"Saint Son Qin, please follow me."
Qin Yun nodded silently and walked away.
After more than a year in the Blood Demon Pool, he was eager to learn what had happened in the outside world, especially concerning Zhenwu Sect.
Though the masked Vice Sect Leader once said they'd destroy Zhenwu in three years, who knew if plans had changed?
According to theory, entering the Blood Demon Pool should instill acceptance of the Demonic Sect's true principles.
But perhaps due to the mental demon secret art he acquired in his youth, Qin Yun hadn't been affected.
Others didn't know this.
As they watched Qin Yun walk away, their expressions varied.
Some were already preparing to place their bets on him early.
Though Qin Yun's foundation was shallow, he now had the Grand Elder's backing—he might really succeed.
Others looked grim.
Qin Yun's sudden rise had turned two Saint Son candidates into three—adding another powerful rival.
...
Qin Yun sat in his study.
Stacks of scrolls lay on the desk.
Now one of the three Saint Son candidates, his status far exceeded that of a mere Protector.
At his command, all information was delivered to him.
He browsed through major events from the past year.
Taking notes on anything that might relate to him.
Finally, he turned to the last bundle—it contained intelligence on Zhenwu Sect.
His heart trembled slightly as he gently opened it.
One piece of information after another flooded his vision.
Moments later—
Qin Yun felt a mix of emotions.
"Master… took in two more disciples?"
He looked at the intel.
The tenth personal disciple, Zhuang Chen, former disciple of the Sword Sage Elder and ex-Sect Master of Divine Sword Sect.
The eleventh personal disciple, Li Ling, the youngest son of the Northern Suppression King.
For a moment—
He wasn't even sure how he felt, and in the end, it all turned into a silent self-mockery:
"So even Xiao Jiu… is a senior brother now."
He thought back to when Ning Qi had just been brought up the mountain by Daoist Longshan. Back then, he had just become a senior brother himself and had felt a genuine sense of excitement—but things had changed since then.
He didn't blame anyone else. Everything was his own fault.
He took a deep breath.
Qin Yun continued reading through the intel.
"The Heaven-Man Rankings have been updated. Daoist Sword Master is now ranked thirty-six."
"Thunderblade Master issued a challenge, but was crushed by Daoist Sword Master, who later established the Zhenwu Sword Monument. Rumor has it Daoist Sword Master has the strength of the top twenty in the Heaven-Man Rankings?"
"Senior Brother has taken over as Sect Leader?"
…
Line after line of intel passed before his eyes, making his eyelids twitch.
Finally, he let out a long breath, dispelling much of his earlier worry.
After more than a year, hearing about Zhenwu Sect again, things were going far better than he had imagined.
Daoist Sword Master's unexpected strength meant the Demonic Sect wouldn't dare make a move on Zhenwu so casually.
Not to mention, the Northern Suppression King now stood faintly behind Zhenwu Sect.
Still, he felt a slight sense of loss.
Watching Zhenwu Sect grow step by step, while he was no longer part of it.
His brows lifted, and his expression turned cold in an instant.
Just then, the door creaked open and Ghostmask stepped in.
Qin Yun rose and respectfully greeted:
"Greetings, Vice Sect Leader Ghostmask!"
Ghostmask waved his hand, his laugh low and deep:
"You're now a candidate for Saint Son. No need to greet me like before."
Qin Yun remained calm inside, but his face turned serious:
"Etiquette must never be neglected. If not for the Vice Sect Leader's guidance, Qin Yun wouldn't have this opportunity today. Even if I become Saint Son, I will always remember your kindness."
Ghostmask chuckled, a trace of satisfaction in his eyes. He glanced at the scrolls on the desk and casually asked:
"Reading intel on Zhenwu Sect?"
Qin Yun's heart tensed slightly, but he replied naturally:
"Yes. During my year in the Blood Demon Pool, I never forgot your instructions."
Ghostmask stared at him for a moment, then suddenly laughed out loud:
"The sect has made a new decision. Our stance toward Zhenwu Sect is about to change."
Before Qin Yun could speak—
Ghostmask continued on his own:
"You're now one of the three Saint Son candidates. But whether you can shed that 'candidate' title is a whole different matter. Your main competition comes from two sides—Ye Kuang from Xiang Tianxing's faction, and Wei Lei from the Second Elder's faction."
"Even though you've gained the Grand Elder's favor, your foundation is shallow. If you want to climb higher, you'll have to prove yourself."
"First, Zhenwu Sect. If you can convince them to join our holy cause, that would be a major achievement. The sect values Daoist Sword Master and the Zhenwu Sword Monument very highly."
As he spoke—
Ghostmask patted Qin Yun's shoulder. Qin Yun's eyes flickered, then he nodded slightly and said, "I'll try my best."
But in his heart, he knew this was absolutely impossible.
He knew his master too well—he would never submit to the Demonic Sect.
Ghostmask went on:
"Second, you need to win over the neutral faction led by Lin Xueshuang. You should know her daughter, Lin Ruhua. If you can win her heart, gaining Lin Xueshuang's support won't be difficult. I've spoken with her a few times, and she's tacitly agreed. The rest is up to you."
Qin Yun was momentarily stunned, then nodded:
"I'll give it a try."
Ghostmask continued:
"Also, just keep making yourself visible and useful. Your foundation's thin, so you need to work harder than the others."
"Thank you for the guidance, Vice Sect Leader!" Qin Yun said gratefully.
If possible, of course he wanted to become the Demonic Sect's Saint Son. That would give him access to more resources—and maybe even a shot at becoming a legendary Martial Saint.
Right now, aside from wishing the best for Zhenwu Sect, his biggest goal was to grow stronger.
He had always been driven to excel—otherwise, he wouldn't have gambled away his lifespan in the Blood Demon Pool.
"Right, there's something coming up. You should come with me to handle it," Ghostmask said, eyes turning cold. "Previously, the Southern Alliance attacked us for no reason. But after seeing our sect's true strength and suffering a brutal counterattack, they finally sent word asking to talk."
He briefly explained the context and added:
"Something about this feels off. We fought tooth and nail with the Southern Alliance, but looking back now, it seems like someone set us up. We need to get to the bottom of this at the peace talks. It might be their stupidity, but we shouldn't let someone else profit for free."
Qin Yun slowly nodded and said:
"The Southern Alliance Saintess? I'd like to see her for myself."
…
Ning Qi still didn't know that impersonating Elder Wang and wiping out the Southern Alliance's base in Qingzhou had triggered a bloody war between two major factions—
And now, they were actually about to sit down for peace talks.
But he had more important things to handle at the moment.
Half a month ago—
He had taken the tenth Blood Jade Pill.
Now—
He had finally reached his limit.
Rumble!
A faint booming sound echoed from within Ning Qi's body. If he hadn't used the Silent Heart Technique to mask it, even the slightest leak of his aura would've stunned everyone around.
Ning Qi looked inward.
His Jade Liquid Sea seemed endless, filling his dantian with a profound, bottomless depth. Even a random ripple carried immense power.
Ning Qi felt—
That his current strength definitely placed him at the tail end of the top ten on the Heaven-Man Rankings.
The buildup of quantity had also raised his strength by a lot.
Now, he was about to undergo a qualitative change.
Inside the Seeking Dao Courtyard, only Ning Qi was present.
He sat cross-legged, with the young buds from the Enlightenment Tea Tree releasing a faint fragrance, bringing calm to his heart.
"Transform."
With a single thought, everything flowed naturally.
In his dantian—
The suspended "sun" shattered and fell, its true qi returning to the sea.
Then, the entire Jade Liquid Sea began to churn. A massive vortex formed at its center, pulling all the qi and jade fluid into motion.
Rumble!
The internal rumbling grew louder.
Ning Qi sat cross-legged with closed eyes, his expression calm—but inside, dramatic changes were underway.
The once-dense and refined jade liquid began to thicken rapidly, shifting from a clear liquid into something more like thick paste.
Ning Qi's physical potential was being activated. His vibrant vitality merged into the mix, birthing a mysterious new power.
At some unknown moment—
A pill-like object appeared in the center of the Jade Liquid Sea.
The moment this Origin Core embryo emerged, Ning Qi's spirit was jolted—his entire body felt clear and refreshed.
The Jade Liquid Sea spun faster and faster.
The thickened qi was drawn into the core embryo.
The sea rapidly shrank at a terrifying pace.
Meanwhile, the Origin Core embryo became visibly rounder and more perfect—immense power gathering inside it, ready to erupt at any moment.
The most crucial step had been completed.
Everything had happened naturally, without a single obstacle—unlike others who struggled through breakthroughs. Ning Qi's foundation was just too solid.
…
Time passed slowly.
When the last drop of jade liquid entered the Origin Core, his entire dantian became "empty," unbelievably clean compared to before.
But Ning Qi felt an unprecedented surge of strength.
The Origin Core Realm—achieved!
He looked inside and saw an ordinary-looking Origin Core spinning slowly.
It looked no different from that of other cultivators—
But once Ning Qi activated it, the core shone with golden light, and terrifying power burst forth in an instant.
"A golden-glowing Origin Core. No ancient text has ever recorded this."
Ning Qi was inwardly amazed. Just like his White Mist Marsh and Jade Liquid Sea, this was another unprecedented breakthrough.
Clearly, he was now forging a path in martial arts that no one had ever taken before—a leap beyond the limits.
He stood up and casually clenched his fist—he could feel his terrifying strength.
True qi condensed into core form—it was another complete transformation.
Ning Qi slowly threw a punch, and the immense force made the surrounding space feel frozen.
Even the wind paused.
The swaying peach trees stilled.
It was as if everything had been put on pause.
This was the Heaven-Suppressing Fist, the Northern Suppression King's ultimate technique.
After observing it, Ning Qi had easily learned it and even improved it—enhancing its suppressive force to the point of freezing the void itself.
Even an ordinary Heaven-Man Realm expert would be completely immobilized under such pressure.
He compared it to that day when the Northern Suppression King casually slaughtered four Demonic Sect Heaven-Man cultivators and severely injured Elder Wang with one punch.
Determination filled Ning Qi's eyes.
"I can do the same. Even more easily. Not even Elder Wang in his Azure Profound Armor could take my punch."
He smiled.
At ease.
Among the top ten Heaven-Man powerhouses, he had only seen the Northern Suppression King. So he used him as a benchmark.
Ning Qi believed that if he went all out now, he could easily defeat the Northern Suppression King.
"Perhaps… my combat power has already reached the peak of the Heaven-Man Realm. I wonder if even the top three on the rankings can match me?"
Ning Qi was eager to find out.
He wasn't being arrogant—
This feeling of power was very real. If anything, he was still underestimating himself.
"Now, maybe only a Martial Saint could threaten me."
Without realizing it—
Ning Qi had already reached the peak of the world, with only a handful who could stand beside him.
And now, he was only just over ten years old.
Though he looked like a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy, that didn't change the fact that he had been practicing martial arts for less than eight years.
His sense of security grew immensely.
"But I can't let my guard down yet. I'm not truly invincible—not yet. The Martial Saints of the Great Yan are still stronger than me, and who knows if the Blood King Gu of the Southern Alliance can produce someone at the Martial Saint level. And then there's the Demonic Sect…"
"And the secrets of the Martial Saint Realm—I'll have to face them sooner or later."
"I still have to keep working hard. Only by advancing to the Heaven-Man Realm can I have real confidence."
Ning Qi was planning his next steps.
The Heaven-Man Realm wasn't difficult for him. The various secret arts he had created before—especially the "Unity of Man and Heaven" technique—had already given him a deep understanding of the power of heaven and earth.
He had even developed the follow-up technique, "Myriad Phenomena Secrets."
Next—
Was the divine-fusion of the Origin Core, to resonate with the forces of heaven and earth.
The only obstacle was that Ning Qi's Origin Core was too powerful.
To fuse his "spirit" into it would require more time to further strengthen the "spirit."
As for resonating with the forces of heaven and earth—
For Ning Qi, it was like returning home.
Unfamiliarity was no issue whatsoever.
By this calculation—
Ning Qi estimated that the time he needed to break through to the Heaven-Man Realm might be even shorter than the time it had taken him to go from the Jade Liquid Realm to the Origin Core Realm.
This was the benefit of building a strong foundation earlier on.
"Maybe I can really step into the Heaven-Man Realm before the end of this year!"
Ning Qi was a little excited.
"I wonder… once I reach the Heaven-Man Realm, could I battle a legendary Martial Saint?"