A Journey to High Heaven, Comprehending the Dao on a Rainy Night (Two-in-One)

True Martial Mountain.

A large number of disciples gathered, creating a lively atmosphere, to hold Li Ling's apprenticeship ceremony.

Li Ling knelt respectfully and kowtowed, then offered tea as a token of respect to his teacher.

"Master, please have some tea!"

Upon learning that he was about to join the True Martial Sect, he was overjoyed. What he had seen and heard recently made him very envious of the True Martial Sect, especially the camaraderie among the many True Disciple, which he greatly admired. In the past, he had been quite lonely in the Prince's Mansion.

Those members of the royal family were close to him mostly because of his status as the Prince of Zhenbei.

Daoist Longshan smiled and took a sip of tea:

"Rise. From this day forward, you are the eleventh True Disciple of the True Martial Sect. Our True Martial Sect has no rigid rules; we only ask that you act with a clear conscience. Remember this well."

He was in a good mood as well.

I recently took on two disciples with exceptional talent, and I feel that the same enthusiasm I had when I was teaching Ye Qinghe and others has returned.

"I will remember this!" Li Ling nodded vigorously.

Everyone laughed heartily and offered their congratulations.

Li Ling greeted his fellow disciples, and Ning Qi and the others smiled and presented their gifts. Zhuang Chen was very excited. He and Li Ling had always gotten along well, and he never expected that they would become fellow disciples in the blink of an eye. Life is so wonderful.

Upon seeing this, the Prince of Zhenbei smiled with satisfaction.

He felt he had made the right choice.

After witnessing Li Ling's apprenticeship ceremony, he went down the mountain and left. Before leaving, he went to talk to Daoist Longshan about exchanging Sword Dao with Heavenly Sword Real Person, and promised that only Li Ling would watch, and that he would never interfere.

In addition, he also informed Daoist Longshan that he would arrange for several experts to be stationed near the True Martial Sect, and that Li Ling could contact them if he needed any help. He also assured him that the resources Li Ling needed for cultivation would be prepared.

This left Daoist Longshan deeply moved.

A few days later.

Daoist Longshan officially began teaching Li Ling the True Martial Inheritance, and he planned to teach Li Ling the Bi'an Pile.

On the Martial Training Ground.

Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi watched, and were filled with emotion at the sight. Six or seven years ago, Ning Qi had just begun his journey into martial arts, and it was here that Daoist Longshan taught him the Bi'an Pile. Now the scene was repeating itself, but the person he was passing on his skills to had changed.

Li Ling is considered a genius, but he's far inferior to Ning Qi, who is a prodigy.

The two exchanged a smile, both recalling their embarrassing past.

They were somewhat surprised that the Daoist Longshan had taught Li Ling the Bi'an Pile, but they quickly understood.

Li Ling was somewhat excited.

He had heard Zhuang Chen mention the True Martial Nine Piles and the wonderful expectations of the Nine Celestial People Battle Martial Saints several times in the past few days. He originally thought that he might not have any hope of learning the True Martial Nine Piles, but he did not expect that his master would actually teach him.

But after the initial excitement, he still couldn't help but hesitate and ask:

"Master, isn't Ninth Brother practicing the Bi'an Pile? If I were to practice that Stake Skill again..."

He felt uneasy, as if he had taken something from his Ninth Senior Brother. Although it wasn't explicitly stated that the True Martial Nine Piles could only be used by one person per post, all the disciples felt the same way.

Daoist Longshan laughed and said:

"It's alright, Little Nine has his own path. If you encounter anything you don't understand about the Bi'an Pile in the future, you can ask him for guidance. Little Nine's Bi'an Pile is even more powerful than mine."

His decision to teach Li Ling the Bi'an Pile was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a carefully considered plan.

The True Martial Nine Piles are the foundation of the True Martial Inheritance. Qin Yun's departure originally caused him some heartache and was a blow to him in this regard. However, the Old Man Divine Sword entrusted him with the task of taking Zhuang Chen under his wing on his deathbed, which instead broke through his inner knot.

Since that's the case, let's gather nine more stakes.

Ning Qi is True Martial Guardian, and he practices the True Martial Stake, so this Bi'an Pile is naturally empty.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances.

He will not be able to take on any more apprentices after this.

Li Ling was somewhat shocked. He hadn't expected his Ninth Senior Brother to be so powerful. He had heard Zhuang Chen mention some of his Ninth Senior Brother's amazing abilities these past few days, but he never imagined that his master had mastered the Bi'an Pile even more profoundly.

"Come on, let's keep practicing."

The Daoist Longshan explained the essence of the Bi'an Pile. Li Ling, as expected of the son of the Prince of Zhenbei, understood it immediately, allowing Li Ling to fully enjoy the pleasure of being a master.

A moment later.

He had Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi take Li Ling to practice together, while he himself headed towards the Dao-Seeking Courtyard.

Dao-Seeking Courtyard.

Ning Qi was still studying the Heavenly Thunder Blade. He had relaxed a lot since the King of Zhenbei came down the mountain and didn't need to be so vigilant. He would occasionally unleash his sword intent, wielding the Thunder Dragon Blade Qi and savoring its changes. He was waiting for a sufficiently violent thunderstorm, and if that didn't work, he planned to go to the high heavens to observe.

Of course, he values his life highly and would never go deep into the area.

As Daoist Longshan stepped into the Dao-Seeking Courtyard, he witnessed Ning Qi slash with his sword, a thunderous dragon roared, and then vanished into nothingness.

He was somewhat surprised.

If Ning Qi hadn't actually been standing there, he probably would have thought it was the Thunderclap Blade Master who had arrived.

It's astonishing that they learned all of each other's secret techniques after just one battle.

Ning Qi turned around and smiled:

"Master."

With a wave of his hand, the Heavenly Thunder Blade flew into the room. If it were anyone else, the Heavenly Thunder Blade would have been put away long ago, but he knew it was Daoist Longshan, who had just had a new insight, so he didn't stop.

He gestured for the Daoist Longshan to sit down, and then brewed tea.

The Daoist Longshan took a small sip of tea, feeling refreshed and clear-headed. His eyes lit up as he asked:

"This tea is quite good. Where did it come from?"

Ning Qi pointed to the Enlightenment Tea Tree beside him, which was already waist-high, and smiled:

"It's not due to the tea leaves. Every morning, the seedlings of this Enlightenment Tea Tree condense dew, which I had Tiansheng collect. If Master wakes up, I'll have Tiansheng send some to you in the future."

Looking at it, the Daoist Longshan couldn't help but sigh:

"You managed to bring back to life the dead seed that Wang Quan sent you. If he knew, he'd probably be so angry he'd come back to life."

The Demon Sect attacked not only the True Martial Sect, but also the rebuilt Wang Clan.

Several powerful cultivators at the Celestial Person Realm perished together, and Old Ancestor Wang disappeared without a trace; Daoist Longshan assumed he was dead.

Ning Qi smiled slightly.

"Master, is there something you need this time?" Daoist Longshan rarely bothers him unless he has something to do.

Daoist Longshan nodded and got down to business:

"It's the Prince of Zhenbei; he wants to make an exchange with Heavenly Sword Real Person."

He explained the demands and promises of the Prince of Zhenbei in detail.

Then he asked:

"Do you think this is feasible? If not, I will send a message to reject him."

Ning Qi fell into deep thought.

What Li Ling wanted to learn was the Heavenly Sword Technique, but he really couldn't learn it. It wasn't that Ning Qi looked down on him, but the Heavenly Sword Technique required mastering the secret technique of the Celestial Person and man, which was extremely difficult. In addition, it also required a high level of Gang Qi and Sword Intent. This was Peerless Secret Art that could defeat those in the Celestial Person Realm at the Gang Essence Realm stage.

But Ning Qi can make adjustments.

The key is to transform it into Sword Dao technique that only those at the Celestial Person Realm can use, and then teach Li Ling the Sword Intent.

The issue of Ning Qi being unable to teach is also easily resolved.

The Formless Divine Body can be used as a substitute.

Thinking about it that way...

Ning Qi thought it was feasible; it would simply require him to spend some time adjusting, creating some prerequisite Sword Dao techniques, and letting Li Ling follow along step by step so that he could eventually master a weakened version of the Heavenly Sword Technique at the Celestial Person Realm stage.

His interest wasn't because he coveted the Zhenbei King's Zhentian Fist.

Rather, they were drawn to the power of the Prince of Zhenbei.

Ning Qi thought that perhaps he could get some information about the Martial Saint realm through the Prince of Zhenbei. The Prince of Zhenbei was the seventh strongest person on the Heavenly Celestial Person Ranking. He was probably already at the Perfection of the Celestial Person Realm, which was very close to the Martial Saint realm. Moreover, he was a member of the royal family and should know some secrets about the Martial Saint realm.

This is more worthwhile for him than any Inheritance.

But it also depends on whether the Prince of Zhenbei is willing.

Ning Qi said slowly:

"Teaching Little Eleven Sword Dao is naturally not a problem. Little Ten and Little Eleven are fellow disciples, and I will teach them when they reach the required level. However, I hope to obtain some information from the Prince of Zhenbei."

Information regarding the Martial Saint realm.

Upon hearing this...

The Daoist Longshan was greatly encouraged.

He instantly understood Ning Qi's thoughts; this was someone who had already begun to plan ahead.

He nodded and said:

"No problem. I'll send a message to the Prince of Zhenbei in a few days informing him of your conditions. If he agrees, I'll let you know immediately."

After all, the Prince of Zhenbei had just descended the mountain, so it would be rather strange for Heavenly Sword Real Person to agree now, as it doesn't fit Heavenly Sword Real Person's image of being a reclusive and solitary cultivator.

He then added:

"I'll keep an eye on it, and I'll ask some old friends for you when I have time."

He hadn't paid much attention to the Martial Saint realm in the past, after all, it was too difficult. The Celestial Person Realm alone required a lifetime of effort, while the Martial Saint realm was a legend in every era.

But think about it.

His disciple was not even ten years old and had already reached such a level. Perhaps in less than ten years, he could touch the realm of Martial Saint. It was only right to prepare in advance. He cursed himself for his negligence.

Ning Qi nodded with a smile.

The master and disciple chatted for a while longer before Ning Qi watched Daoist Longshan leave.

Time passed slowly.

Li Ling gradually integrated into the True Martial Sect. With the help of his fellow disciples, he also built a small courtyard around Zhuang Chen, which he named the Chijian Courtyard.

He already knew that Zhuang Chen possessed Innate Sword Bone, and while he was amazed, he also felt a great deal of pressure. However, this pressure quickly turned into motivation. Both of them loved swords, and by mutually reinforcing each other and engaging in healthy competition, they would progress even faster.

This is also the origin of the name "Obsessed Sword Academy". Li Ling knew that his talent in Sword Dao was not as good as Zhuang Chen's. If he wanted to keep up with Zhuang Chen, he had to work hard and be obsessed with the sword.

at the same time.

He also learned of the existence of the True Martial Peach Gathering, only regretting that he hadn't been able to become a disciple earlier this year.

He thought to himself that he would have to get some fun things from the Prince's Palace for the True Martial Peach Gathering next year.

Li Ling would occasionally ask Ning Qi for advice on the Bi'an Pile, and Ning Qi didn't hold back, allowing Li Ling to make extremely rapid progress in Stake Skill. This made Li Ling realize even more how extraordinary his ninth senior brother was.

The storm surrounding the great battle between Heavenly Sword Real Person and Thunderclap Blade Master gradually subsided.

The True Martial Sect was more lively than ever before.

The existence of the True Martial Sword Stele attracted many top swordsmen to come and comprehend the Sword Dao. Fortunately, they were all sensible and no disputes occurred. After a period of time, many True Disciple gradually relaxed and began to think about going down the mountain to train again.

Jiang Baishan was the most enthusiastic, which immediately drew teasing from many of his fellow disciples.

"Fifth brother, when Thunderclap Blade Master challenged Senior Heavenly Sword, a disciple told me that he saw you chatting and laughing intimately with a girl. That girl was dressed in white and was breathtakingly beautiful." Fourth disciple He Yan winked.

Li Ling chuckled:

"Fifth Senior Brother, could that be our future Fifth Senior Sister-in-law?"

The True Disciple burst into laughter.

Jiang Baishan blushed deeply and rolled his eyes at Li Ling:

"What do you three kids know? Go play somewhere else."

Seeing that everyone was still smiling, he decided to give up entirely.

"So what if she is! Her name is Lin Ruhua, and we've almost crossed paths. We have feelings for each other. Hmph, you bunch of bachelors dare to laugh at me?"

Ye Qinghe raised her eyebrows, grabbed Jiang Baishan's ear and asked who was single, which immediately made Jiang Baishan beg for mercy.

Everyone laughed even more heartily.

In the end.

Luo Wentian smiled and waved his hand, then asked seriously:

"Fifth brother, now that you've made an engagement with Miss Lin, why not take this opportunity to introduce her to Master and us? We can get to know our future sister-in-law. If you don't bring her home when you're already at her doorstep, she might think you have other ideas."

"Your senior brother must remind you that once you've chosen your dao companion, you must be devoted to her and never abandon her after starting something!"

As he spoke, his voice became somewhat serious.

He knew about how Jiang Baishan and this girl, Lin Ruhua, met. At first, this girl almost chopped off Lao Wu's hand, but unexpectedly, they turned out to be enemies.

Jiang Baishan immediately protested his innocence:

"I absolutely have no other intentions. It's just that Ruhua might still have some concerns. I'll try my best to persuade her and bring her back next year to attend the True Martial Peach Gathering!"

He vaguely sensed that Lin Ruhua's identity was not simple, but he felt that as long as the two loved each other, they could overcome all difficulties.

Everyone immediately gave a thumbs up.

Ning Qi smiled and said, "Go, Fifth Senior Brother!"

I watched Jiang Baishan descend the mountain.

Afterwards, several fellow disciples went down the mountain to gain experience, while the rest remained on the mountain to cultivate.

Ning Qi's Dao-Seeking Courtyard returned to peace.

Now, when the White Ape is not cultivating, he often hangs out with Zhuang Chen and Li Ling. If Ye Qinghe is also there, it's a trio of three people and one ape, "running rampant" in True Martial Mountain and the surrounding area. The surrounding Mutant Beast suffer, such as the Iron-armed Ape. The White Ape would often lead a few people to plunder it. This little guy holds a grudge and still remembers being bullied by the Iron-armed Ape.

Ning Qi was delighted.

He finds joy in cultivating himself in solitude.

He has now swallowed the fifth Blood Jade Pill, further enhancing his strength. Even the occasional tremor of his Jade Liquid Sea sends a strange shiver through him.

He'll be ten years old soon.

At this rate, reaching the Yuan Pill Realm next spring is a natural progression.

Breaking through cultivation realms is a gradual process, and everything was as expected, so Ning Qi wasn't worried.

He was actually looking forward to the reply from the Prince of Zhenbei. A few days ago, Daoist Longshan had already sent a letter.

Ning Qi was studying the Heavenly Thunder Blade.

Before the reply from the Prince of Zhenbei arrived, the Thunderclap Secret Records sent by the Thunderclap Blade Master arrived first.

As expected of the Thunder Blade Master, who was once a top expert on the Celestial Person Ranking, the Thunder Blade Manual has its merits and has greatly benefited Ning Qi. He secretly compared it and felt that this Celestial Person Manual was stronger than the previous Dragon-Tiger-Eagle Manual.

Ning Qi combined this with his study of the Heavenly Thunder Blade.

After several days of hard work, he has gained a lot of insights and made remarkable progress in the Way of Thunder. Now, if his Gang Qi were to be converted into the attribute of thunder, it would be extremely fierce and powerful. However, he still needs an opportunity to fully understand the secret of how the Heavenly Thunder Blade draws in heavenly Heavenly Thunder.

We haven't been able to wait for a sufficiently strong thunderstorm.

Ning Qi plans to try his luck in Gaotian.

late at night.

Unbeknownst to anyone, Ning Qi concealed his aura and moved away from the True Martial Sect before ascending into the sky.

Even ordinary Celestial Person Realm experts don't fly particularly high.

But now.

Ning Qi is attempting to break through to the next level.

At first it was alright, but the higher you go, the greater the pressure becomes. Your Gang Qi is being consumed at an extremely rapid rate, as if it is being suppressed by some kind of will.

Ning Qi felt a chill run down his spine.

There is a long-standing belief in this world that the sky is flat and the earth is square.

He initially thought that perhaps the people of this world had not seen the truth.

After all, he came from Earth in his previous life and knew the concepts of planets and the universe.

But now it seems...

Perhaps I'm being too simplistic; there are indeed powerful martial artists in this world whose abilities defy common sense, and some of my perceptions might be correct.

He focused his mind and concentrated on looking upwards. The surroundings became increasingly empty, with only the biting Gale.

I don't know how much time will pass.

The Heavenly Thunder Blade on his back suddenly stirred, bursting forth with a rich purple aura.

He stared intently for a moment, and his heart skipped a beat.

High in the sky, a blinding bolt of lightning, like a thunder dragon descending to earth, rushed towards him. Its power was extremely terrifying, no less than a single strike from the Thunderclap Blade Master.

A blue light appeared on Ning Qi's body, and the Azure Profound Body Protection Technique was activated instinctively, blocking the lightning strike.

Using the light of the thunder, Ning Qi looked into the distance and was somewhat horrified.

Looking further upwards, one could see terrifying bolts of lightning churning within, like a deathly realm that forbade any living being to pass through.

"The rumors are true, there really is a forbidden zone of thunder high in the sky!"

Before Ning Qi react, an even more terrifying bolt of lightning shot out, purplish-black in color, several times stronger than the previous one. Ning Qi was horrified and activated the Azure Profound Body Protection Technique with all his might, barely managing to block the lightning.

Without the slightest hesitation.

Ning Qi burst into extreme speed and swooped downwards.

The lightning high in the sky had no discernible pattern. If he continued to stay there, the Heavenly Thunder Blade would attract even more terrifying lightning, and he would likely perish.

"This is definitely not a field I can enter right now!"

Ning Qi only breathed a sigh of relief after he could no longer sense any more lightning fluctuations, and the invisible sense of crisis completely dissipated.

A wry smile appeared on his face.

Perhaps it was because he had been having a smooth journey all along, and the ease with which he suppressed the Thunder Blade Master, that he had become a little arrogant. Now he has come to his senses and realized that he still needs to grow and that there are some places that he cannot yet set foot in.

Ning Qi gazed intently at the sky.

He had a gut feeling that there was a great secret there, but the Thunder Forbidden Zone was too terrifying, and he suspected that even Martial Saint might not be able to break in.

Taking a deep breath, without the slightest hesitation, Ning Qi continued his downward dive.

Even if there are secrets, they are not something I can touch right now; it's best to stay away.

Return via the same route.

Ning Qi landed on a mountaintop.

He felt a little regretful.

This trip to the heavens failed to fully comprehend the mysteries of the Heavenly Thunder Blade; we can only wait for a thunderstorm.

He was thinking of returning to True Martial Mountain.

Yet, I felt something in my heart.

Ning Qi looked up at the sky and saw that layers of clouds were gathering in the dark night sky, and waves were brewing. A moment later, there was a loud thunderclap that shook the heavens and the earth, followed by a torrential downpour.

He felt something was off.

"Could it be due to my previous act of probing the heavens?"

But then he felt it didn't seem right.

In a way, this can be considered a stroke of good luck after a period of hardship.

The situation took an unexpected turn, and Ning Qi put aside his distracting thoughts.

He sat cross-legged in the void atop the mountain, the Heavenly Thunder Blade resting on his lap. He closed his eyes and began to seriously contemplate the matter. This was a rare opportunity, and he had to seize it.

Roar!

A blinding bolt of lightning ripped through the night sky and struck the mountaintop, instantly shattering boulders and causing the mountain to tremble.

Then another equally blinding bolt of lightning struck Ning Qi.

But compared to the thunder Ning Qi had experienced high in the sky, it was much "milder".

A blue light emanated from his body, easily blocking the lightning, leaving only wisps of lightning flickering on his skin.

The Heavenly Thunder Blade on his leg trembled continuously, emanating a unique power fluctuation.

Bolts of lightning were drawn in, but Ning Qi didn't deliberately guide them; he simply let them bombard him. He could withstand this level of impact, not because he had masochistic tendencies, but because this allowed him to more directly experience the changes in the Heavenly Thunder Blade.

In Ning Qi's mind, inspiration flowed like a waterfall.

Recent insights have been constantly emerging.

"The Azure Profound Treasure Armor's strong defense stems from its special material, and similarly, the Heavenly Thunder Blade's ability to draw in lightning is also due to its material. This is especially noticeable during thunderstorms, and even more so when activated by the power of lightning..."

"The material of the Heavenly Thunder Blade changes upon encountering lightning, forming tiny 'units,' which can also be considered a 'mysterious Formation.' Moreover, these units can interact with each other; this is the essence of its ability to attract lightning..."

"If I could simulate this 'unit' with my Gang Qi, I could achieve the same effect, or even go further, by attracting, amplifying, and manipulating lightning... This power can be applied to many areas: martial arts, body tempering, Formation, weapon crafting, alchemy..."

Ning Qi continuously sensed the changes in the Heavenly Thunder Blade and the incoming lightning.

at the same time.

The Jade Liquid Sea trembled, and streams of Gang Qi flowed and converged. Ning Qi used his physical body as a testing ground to replicate the unique characteristics of the Heavenly Thunder Blade.

He had a premonition that this time the gains would be great, and the secret techniques he created could benefit all aspects of life.

I don't know how much time has passed.

Boom!

Another bolt of lightning struck.

Ning Qi opened his eyes, a look of joy on his face.

He forcibly suppressed the effects of the Heavenly Thunder Blade with his Gang Qi, meaning that the Heavenly Thunder just now was simulated and drawn in by his Gang Qi.

It's done!

All that's left is optimization.

"This method can summon thunder from the heavens, so let's call it the Heavenly Thunder Method."

The Heavenly Thunder Technique can be applied in many areas.

Ning Qi was eager to try.

He stood up, suspended in mid-air, his Gang Qi circulating, holding the Heavenly Thunder Blade. His Gang Qi and the Heavenly Thunder Blade vibrated at a special frequency, drawing in a vast amount of lightning, far more terrifying than before. This time, Ning Qi consciously controlled it, so the lightning wouldn't strike him; instead, it was transformed into controllable lightning power in mid-air.

Ning Qi his sword.

The Thunder Dragon Blade Qi roared out, and a mountain was reduced to dust under the combined effect of the thunder and the blade qi.

The noise was somewhat terrifying even under the thunder in the night sky.

Ning Qi was very satisfied.

This is merely the application of the Heavenly Thunder Technique in martial arts.

His efforts were not in vain.

Ning Qi sheathed the Heavenly Thunder Blade, sensed something, glanced into the distance, raised an eyebrow, and then silently fled.

A moment later.

Two figures flew through the air and landed on the mountain peak where Ning Qi had just stood. Upon closer inspection, they were actually twin sisters carrying long spears. Both had round faces and delicate features, and looked very young, but their cultivation at the Celestial Person Realm revealed that their true age was not that young.

now.

The two men stared in astonishment at the mountains reduced to dust, remaining silent for a long time.

"If I didn't know that the Thunderclap Blade Master couldn't possibly be here, I would have truly believed that this was the work of the Thunderclap Blade Master," the elder sister whispered.

The younger sister shook her head:

"No, this nameless expert is far stronger than Thunderclap Blade Master!"

The older sister exclaimed in amazement:

"But there is no other peerless expert on the Celestial Person Ranking who is proficient in both the Way of Thunder and the Way of the Blade."

"The world is vast, and countless powerful figures lurk within. I never expected that my sister and I would encounter them. I don't know whether to call our luck good or bad."

My sister said again:

"Luckily, that powerful figure has already left, otherwise it would have been bad if we had angered him. We shouldn't have come in the first place; it's all your fault for being too curious, sister. Don't forget the purpose of our trip."

The older sister stuck out her tongue:

"I originally thought it was just lightning striking, but who knew it was actually a powerful expert practicing his sword here."

"Let's go. Our curiosity has been satisfied. Let's get to True Martial Mountain as soon as possible. The Prince attaches great importance to True Martial Mountain and has entrusted us sisters with the task of escorting a top-level secret letter. I wonder what's written inside; it looks quite thick."

The younger sister immediately scolded her sternly:

"Stop! That's a dangerous idea!"

The older sister quickly said:

"I'm just curious. The prince has been so kind to us, how could I possibly do something reckless?"

The younger sister's expression softened slightly, and she fell silent.

The two soared through the air towards True Martial Mountain.