Under the night sky.
The Yu King Bead emitted a gentle, pearly white glow, with faint strands of strange energy radiating from within.
The Blade Demon sensed some special fluctuations inside, and his heart trembled. He immediately understood that the fluctuations he had sensed a few days ago were not false—they likely originated here. His anticipation grew as he relaxed the defenses of his body.
Ning Qi manipulated a bit of the power of Heaven and Earth to converge.
In an instant.
The Yu King Bead's light burst forth brilliantly. Strange spiritual essences were drawn out from the bead, unstable as if about to vanish in the next moment.
Ning Qi did not hesitate. The power of Heaven and Earth, which he had prepared for a long time, immediately enveloped the spiritual essences, resonating and rotating at a special frequency.
After only a few breaths.
The original power of Heaven and Earth and the strands of strange spiritual essence completely disappeared, replaced by a new type of power.
"This is spiritual energy!"
Ning Qi's eyes shone with amazement.
Though it wasn't the first time he had synthesized spiritual energy, seeing it again was still incredible. Compared to the power of Heaven and Earth, this energy carried far more vitality, as if all things in the world were born from it. The strength difference might not be huge, but the power of Heaven and Earth without spiritual opportunity lacked many changes—somewhat stagnant, already sealed at an upper limit.
The Blade Demon, sensing the appearance of spiritual energy, was even more moved.
His body trembled slightly, excitement apparent. Ning Qi had already explained the steps in advance, but feeling the presence of spiritual energy now still brought tears to his eyes. The path he had long pursued was finally taking shape.
"Blade Demon, prepare to absorb the spiritual energy. If anything feels wrong, immediately expel it—no hesitation allowed!"
Ning Qi's voice was very serious.
They were crossing the river by feeling the stones.
The tragic fate of the silver giant ape seen earlier in the bloodline of Yuan Tiansheng had left him wary. Now, though the Blade Demon bore the risk, Ning Qi also needed to be extremely cautious. Therefore, he only condensed a very fine thread of spiritual energy at once, so if anything terrible happened, it could be controlled.
The Blade Demon responded passionately:
"Heavenly Sword, just do as you wish!"
With that, he began to operate the secret method Ning Qi had taught him before—the Three Blossoms Converge technique, forming a special shape. Ning Qi no longer hesitated, took a deep breath, and infused the synthesized spiritual energy inside.
The Blade Demon instinctively let out a low roar, excitement in his voice.
Although the spiritual energy was little, it was qualitatively different from the power of Heaven and Earth. As he began to refine it, he immediately sensed the difference.
Ning Qi's eyes gleamed golden as he observed the trajectory of this thread of spiritual energy, analyzing its many changes.
According to his observation,
The spiritual energy passed through the "Three Blossoms Funnel," filtering out some impurities, then smoothly entered the Blade Demon's body without obstruction—far smoother than when absorbing the power of Heaven and Earth before.
He recorded all the changes carefully in his mind, and countless inspirations surged forth.
Practice leads to true knowledge.
Ten thousand deductions could not compare to one practice. Many of Ning Qi's previous ideas kept refining themselves.
"The filtration effect of the Three Blossoms, though optimized several times, is still not perfect. Perhaps a few more layers could be added?"
"After the spiritual energy enters the body, it seems to form a strange entanglement with the flesh. Could this be the direction of advancement after the Martial Sage Realm? From the Blade Demon's physical changes, it seems the five viscera react most strongly!"
Ning Qi's enlightenment grew.
"Three Blossoms Converge, Five Qi Return to Origin."
"The Heaven-Man Realm cultivates the Three Blossoms, could the Martial Sage Realm cultivate the Five Qi? And do the Five Qi correspond to the five viscera?"
He carefully observed, gaining more than he had expected.
However, this time was not about breaking through the Martial Sage Realm but about observing the reaction of the spiritual energy after refining and integrating into the body.
Soon,
The spiritual energy transformed into a strange spiritual force through layers of refinement. This was the method Ning Qi deduced by referencing the power of the Yu King Bead, equally effective. As the new powerful force appeared in the body, the Blade Demon was stunned. He felt the essence of this thread of power was terrifyingly profound, stirring a strong desire within him.
Fortunately, he had not forgotten Ning Qi's earlier instructions.
Calming his mind, the Blade Demon began controlling the spiritual force to disperse throughout his body. Ning Qi's All-Seeing Golden Eyes operated at their limit, ready to observe whether the five viscera were the best repository for the spiritual force. Another location he was examining was the dantian, but this experiment showed him the uniqueness of the five viscera.
Then suddenly,
An anomaly occurred.
Ning Qi vaguely sensed a thread of strange power burst out from the spiritual force and entered the Blade Demon's body. The Blade Demon, originally in excellent condition, suddenly trembled violently. He widened his eyes, his pupils showing visible ferocity and pain.
"Ho!!"
A beast-like low roar erupted.
Like a jade stone suddenly losing its luster, the Blade Demon's already aged face instantly became deeply wrinkled—unbelievably old. His hair lost all shine like withered leaves, and his pupils turned cloudy visibly to the naked eye.
Ning Qi shuddered. The tragic end of the silver giant ape immediately flashed before his mind.
"Blade Demon, quickly reverse the secret method!"
Ning Qi shouted urgently, simultaneously controlling the spiritual force from the Yu King Bead to surge into the Blade Demon's body to help cleanse the previously integrated spiritual force.
The Blade Demon, half-conscious, was awakened by the shout and grit his teeth to reverse the secret method.
With Ning Qi's assistance, the spiritual force originally integrated inside was instantly expelled.
Ning Qi also sensed the obscure strange power suddenly vanish, as if it had never existed. At the same time, the Blade Demon's condition greatly improved. His pupils returned to their original deep black, and the vitality in his body reversed.
In the back mountain,
Silence reigned.
Only the Blade Demon's heavy breathing remained.
Terror was evident in his black pupils. Even though he was mentally prepared for death and the destruction of his Dao, facing such an unknown and dreadful force still caused suffocation.
If Ning Qi had not prepared various contingency plans in advance, the Blade Demon's fate would have been miserable.
"What... exactly was it? What was inside the spiritual energy?" the Blade Demon's hoarse voice sounded.
He looked up at Ning Qi, desperate for answers.
Ning Qi's gaze was solemn.
He slowly shook his head.
Everything was unknown.
The only thing certain now was that a harmful substance existed within the spiritual energy. His perception would not be wrong. This was the source of all problems. Ning Qi took a deep breath and asked:
"How do you feel now?"
The Blade Demon introspected fully, sensing deeply. After a moment, he said in a low voice:
"My lifespan has shortened somewhat. Also, the vitality within me has greatly weakened."
He was still shaken. If not for Ning Qi's last-minute help with the reversal method, he would likely have died and lost his Dao.
Ning Qi nodded slightly:
"It seems... the harmful substance inside the spiritual energy greatly reduces one's lifespan. If integrated into the body, there's a risk of lifespan exhaustion leading to death!"
The Blade Demon fell silent, his voice rough:
"If that's the case, does that mean the Martial Sage path is a dead end? Without absorbing spiritual energy, one cannot reach the Martial Sage Realm; but absorbing it exhausts one's lifespan. Neither way works!"
He felt despair, but then his eyes suddenly brightened:
"No! If that's true, how did the Ancient Saints advance? There must be a way!"
Ning Qi fell into deep thought, many ideas rising.
After a moment, he spoke:
"There are several possibilities. Either the Ancient Saints mastered a method to remove this harmful substance, filtering it out before absorbing spiritual energy—then naturally no problem."
"Or, the Martial Sages temporarily suppress the backlash of this harmful substance. After entering the Martial Sage Realm, their lifespan increases, enabling them to forcibly resist this backlash."
"I lean toward the latter."
Ning Qi's gaze rippled with emotion.
From previous conversations with Daoist Baishan, he had already understood some things. Now, this was confirmation.
If the Ancient Saints had found a solution, the world would not be as it is now.
The Blade Demon became silent immediately.
Did this mean the Ancient Saints merely endured the backlash through sheer will?
Ning Qi smiled to comfort him:
"You don't need to be discouraged. This time was not without gain. At least I discovered the existence of this poisonous substance. Just because the Ancient Saints couldn't do it doesn't mean I can't."
His tone was calm but filled with great confidence.
This was not just a gain; it was enormous!
For Ning Qi, the problem was never difficulty but lack of a target.
Now that he could trace the path of this poisonous substance, all that remained was to experiment more and gradually find a method to remove it. He was confident in this.
The Blade Demon was stunned, then smiled.
He always forgot just how formidable Ning Qi was. Even the Ancient Saints, powerful as they were, had only trained longer. But in terms of innate talent and comprehension, no one could compare to this terrifying man before him.
"Good! Whatever you think, I will cooperate fully!" The Blade Demon stood tall, his raised right arm like a blade.
Ning Qi waved his hand with a smile:
"For now, your priority is to recuperate your body. Since this poisonous substance consumes lifespan and vitality, I must prepare some life-extension treasures and techniques."
Coincidentally,
Thanks to the previous incident with Qin Yun, the Zhenwu Sect had been collecting life-extension treasures in full force, with some success. Ning Qi had also been pondering the creation of life-extension secret arts during his free time, now laying the foundation.
The Blade Demon nodded.
He had once scorned life-extension treasures, since as a peak Heaven-Man Realm cultivator, living without a future path was meaningless. But now, since hope existed, he no longer rejected them.
The two stood side by side beneath the night sky, exchanging many insights about refining spiritual energy.
Ning Qi's mind was increasingly illuminated, many ideas born.
Time passed.
After the Blade Demon recovered to his peak state, Ning Qi conducted another experiment with him. This time, he was better prepared and had a clearer perception of the poisonous substance within the spiritual energy and spiritual force. Moreover, with precautions, the Blade Demon suffered less backlash.
This excited Ning Qi.
The direction was correct; now it was about constant effort.
Only a few more trials were needed to grasp the essence of this poisonous substance and its form within the spiritual energy. Then Ning Qi would surely deduce a secret method to filter it out.
Beyond that,
There was an additional benefit.
Ning Qi's control over spiritual force was visibly growing, invisibly strengthening his own power. At this rate, it wouldn't be long before even Daoist Baishan would not be his match.
Thus, at least before the spiritual opportunity awakening, Ning Qi would remain among the strongest.
As for after the awakening, if Ning Qi wished to maintain his top combat strength, he would need to deepen his foundation during this time to soar after the awakening—and he was now working toward that.
Everyone on Zhenwu Mountain secretly encouraged him.
Meanwhile, many eyes across the world focused on Liang Prefecture.
The Barbarian Emperor led the barbarian horde to trample Liang Prefecture, making ruthless threats.
Yet the Great Yan Martial Sage had not appeared.
Everyone thought that if not for fearing even the slightest possibility of the Great Yan Martial Sage's appearance, Liang Prefecture would have fallen long ago. But even so, the Barbarian Emperor's patience was thinning day by day. Perhaps soon, he would tear apart the Great Yan territory completely.
Countless people watched and waited.
This was a signal.
If the Great Yan Dynasty truly revealed weakness, one after another wolves would come. Many already knew the great era was coming and were unwilling to become stepping stones. They wanted to achieve great deeds in the upcoming era.
...
Yan Prefecture.
The imperial capital, Tai'an.
Anxiety had spread through this place of prosperity. Even the wealthy knew of the northern border defeat.
Urgent dispatches kept arriving.
Noble ministers were drenched in sweat.
The reigning emperor was furious but helpless.
Some hoped General Yanwu would personally lead troops to resist the Northern Barbarians, but consensus was not reached. Many felt that even General Yanwu could not match the revived Barbarian Emperor. The only hope rested on the Great Yan Martial Sage.
Deep within the imperial palace.
The Martial Sage Ancestral Temple.
Rows of figures knelt on the ground. If outsiders saw this, they would be shocked.
All of these people were the top of the Great Yan—The Great Yan Emperor, General Yanwu, the oldest clan elder—all kneeling.
"Ancestor, Great Yan is in peril!"
"Please save Great Yan, Ancestor!"
Sorrowful cries echoed through the temple, bringing tears to listeners. The pressure from the Barbarian Emperor had left everyone helpless. Though Great Yan was deeply rooted, no one could resist the Barbarian Emperor. The army suffered heavy losses daily; soon, they would become nothing but scraps under the Northern Barbarians' iron hooves.
They had sent envoys to seek aid from Zhenxuan Mountain but were told that True Immortal of Zhenxuan had already descended for a journey, utterly helpless.
If the Great Yan Martial Sage did not appear soon,
The fall of Great Yan would be near!
"Ancestor, if you hear the call of your unfilial descendants, please come save Great Yan!" The Great Yan Emperor cried out prostrate.
Everyone instinctively called out.
But an old voice froze them all in place:
"Li Yanwu, come in."
After stunned silence, excitement and joy erupted.
"The Ancestor has responded!"
The voice was from the Great Yan Martial Sage.
Then, the long-closed door deep inside the temple suddenly burst open, pitch black as if an unknown beast devouring all.
All eyes turned to General Yanwu.
He took a deep breath, slowly stood, and walked toward the dark entrance. Once his figure disappeared inside, the door closed heavily. The sound of the thick wooden door trembled everyone's hearts, eyes flickering.
Inside the darkness, light gradually appeared before Li Yanwu.
His emotions were complex as he moved forward.
Soon, the scene became clear.
Not as mysterious as imagined, only a simple stone bed. An old man sat cross-legged on it, nearing the end of his life. The old man raised his head slightly, his voice full of weariness and deathly silence:
"You have come."
Seeing the old man's face somewhat similar to his own, Li Yanwu's heart trembled. He bowed quickly:
"Li Yanwu pays respects to Ancestor."
The old man slowly nodded. His eyes shone like bright lamps in the darkness, as if all surrounding light came from his pupils.
He asked: "Are you ready?"
Li Yanwu's body shivered. His mouth stammered, thousands of thoughts racing through his mind, but he nodded resolutely:
"Li Yanwu is willing to give everything for Great Yan!"
The old man's gaze dimmed slightly:
"You are a good child. So was your father."
"I once promised your father that after using his body, I would not use yours. But now my body has problems, and I must break that promise."
Li Yanwu suddenly looked up and carefully studied that familiar face, a face that had appeared countless times in his dreams but was always out of reach.
He took a deep breath:
"Ancestor, I understand. If you need my body, then come."
The old man sighed lightly, reached out his withered right hand, and brushed Li Yanwu's head like dry wood:
"If you have anything you want to do, tell me."
Li Yanwu's eyes shone brightly:
"Ancestor, I only hope you will let Great Yan last forever!"
The old man smiled:
"Good."
Li Yanwu slowly approached. His footsteps paused slightly, and he softly said:
"Ancestor, I have a small request."
"Speak."
"May I... embrace my father?" His voice trembled slightly, barely noticeable.
The old man sighed lightly, said nothing, and slowly stretched out both hands.
Li Yanwu closed his eyes and hugged tightly.
He seemed to recall all his childhood memories: his father carrying him on horseback in the courtyard, accompanying him in martial arts practice... Then those images shattered abruptly. A hand silently reached out, and Li Yanwu's consciousness slowly fell into darkness, only scattered murmurs remaining:
"Father... I... have come to accompany you..."
Sounds of writhing and tearing emerged from the darkness.
No one knew how long passed.
Then all ceased.
Outside the Martial Sage Ancestral Temple, the important figures were anxious and restless. They vaguely knew why Li Yanwu had been summoned but did not know if it had gone well.
Finally,
The heavy door sounds echoed again.
All eyes instinctively turned, seeing a familiar figure step out.
Li Yanwu.
But everyone's spirits jolted. They knew the appearance was Li Yanwu, but he was definitely not Li Yanwu.
"Respect to the Ancestor!" Heads bowed, eyes unwilling to meet his.
He surveyed the world with a commanding gaze, his voice full of pressure and vigor:
"From today on, I am the Great Yan Martial Sage, Li Yanwu!"