Blood-colored Thunder, Descending the Mountain

In the Dao-Seeking Courtyard.

Ning Qi was reviewing the two secret techniques he had just created.

The Enlightenment Tea Tree grew ever greener, remaining vibrant even amidst the heavy snow of winter. Ning Qi sat cross-legged beneath the tea tree, where he could more easily enter a state of enlightenment.

Strengths of heaven and earth swirled around Ning Qi, forming a barrier around him.

But an even more astonishing change occurred within Ning Qi's body.

The Sword Intent fluctuated in a special way, and the Yuan Pill within the body vibrated continuously. Strands of pure Gang Qi began to circulate along specific routes, and then merged with the Sword Intent in a peculiar way, ultimately giving birth to an incomparably sharp power, which was still being nurtured.

"This is the innate divine Sword Qi!" Feeling its power, which surpassed even the Heavenly Sword Technique, Ning Qi was overjoyed.

The key to this secret technique lies in cultivating Sword Qi.

It combines innate divine power with Sword Intent and Gang Qi to form an incomparably terrifying Sword Qi, capable of unleashing earth-shattering power.

According to Ning Qi's deduction, the innate divine Sword Qi he is currently cultivating is actually a castrated version, because the true innate divine Sword Qi does not require Gang Qi, but rather the power that is condensed from the power of heaven and earth.

Ning Qi sighed with emotion:

"In the scenes I observed before, those with Innate Sword Bone Tiansheng with the ability to absorb the power of heaven and earth. As a result, those with Innate Sword Bone at that time could control this powerful talent from birth. However, if later Innate Sword Bone want to awaken this talent, they probably have to advance to the Martial Saint themselves."

"However, that was before. With the secret technique I created, my Gang Qi is enough to replace the power of Martial Saint, only its power will be somewhat weaker."

"Even so, it should not be underestimated. My current Innate Divine Sword Qi is arguably my strongest attack! Even if I were to unleash the Heavenly Sword Technique at full power, it would not be enough."

A slight smile curved his lips; this time, the harvest was indeed substantial.

Even today.

Ning Qi's mastery of the Heavenly Sword Technique has actually gradually reached the point of winning by sheer quantity. It's just that the essence of power cannot be broken through, and the Sword Intent cannot be improved in a short period of time. If Ning Qi were to fully activate it now, he could condense more than a thousand Heavenly Swords to form the Thousand Star Sword Formation.

However, if one reaches the Perfection of the Celestial Person Realm, the return of ten thousand swords to their origin will not be a problem, and only then will there be an even greater breakthrough.

But now.

The power of the Innate Divine Sword Qi has surpassed that of the Thousand Star Sword Formation, becoming Ning Qi's strongest technique.

"Moreover, when I reach the Martial Saint realm and replace Gang Qi is a type of internal energy cultivation technique) with the power of Martial Saint, the true potential of this Innate Divine Sword Qi will be unlocked. It will be an unparalleled secret technique that shines even at the Martial Saint!"

Ning Qi once again marveled at the power of the Innate Sword Bone Innate Sword Bone, but unfortunately, it had been lost in this era.

He looked inward at himself, concealing the terrifying Sword Qi he had been cultivating within his body even deeper. This was his trump card, and he wouldn't use it lightly.

then.

He was testing another secret technique.

The Golden Eyes that pierce through illusions.

Its power is in no way inferior to the innate divine Sword Qi, but the use of this secret technique is not for killing.

"Like the Innate Divine Sword Qi, the Golden Eye of Illusion actually requires the power of Martial Saint to be fully activated. I'm just using my Gang Qi to activate it now, but it can still produce remarkable effects."

Ning Qi's mind stirred, and golden light instantly rose in his eyes, filling them with majesty.

Everything in his field of vision seemed to slow down. The snow was falling incredibly slowly, and the howling of the wind was drawn out in an odd way. He looked at the Enlightenment Tea Tree and saw the essence being nourished and transported within its roots. Looking at the power of heaven and earth, he could see magical veins spreading throughout the world.

"The so-called 'breaking through illusions' means dispelling falsehoods. With the Golden Eyes of 'Breaking Through Illusions,' most things in the world will no longer hold secrets from me. This is a perfect match for my comprehension and can help me better understand the Dao."

"Not only that, it is also extremely helpful in combat, allowing one to easily see through the enemy's strengths and weaknesses. The power of heaven and earth, as well as Sword Intent and saber intent, are all exposed before me. In fact... it may even have some effect on those at the Martial Saint."

Although Ning Qi had never seen Martial Saint, his intuition about this was very strong.

Mastering the two secret techniques further enhanced Ning Qi's strength, making him feel more at ease.

He looked up at the sky, suddenly feeling a bit curious.

"Use your discerning eyes to examine the Thunder's restricted area?"

He was immediately tempted, as he hadn't finished his cultivation practice for the day.

Without a sound, Ning Qi took off. He was extremely fast and easily reached the high sky. In the distance, the Thunder Forbidden Zone was still roaring and rolling, like thunder dragons fighting and battling within it.

Ning Qi's eyes flashed with golden light as he looked towards the Thunder's restricted area.

The roaring lightning seemed to slow down. Ning Qi's gaze traversed space, looking deeper into the forbidden zone. Purple-black lightning, black lightning, black-red lightning, blood-red lightning...

Countless terrifying bolts of lightning filled the area, and the mere aura emanating from it was enough to make Ning Qi's soul tremble.

He wanted to look deeper, but a blood-red light shot into the sky, carrying terrifying power, as if it were chasing after his gaze. He cried out in alarm and quickly dispersed his Golden Eyes of Truth, still feeling somewhat apprehensive.

"That crimson lightning was truly terrifying; it not only annihilated the physical body but could also obliterate the Divine Intent!"

But Ning Qi couldn't help but feel curious again.

"I wonder if there are any other, even more terrifying lightning bolts after that crimson lightning, or... something else entirely?"

He sighed. There were truly many secrets in this world, but unfortunately, he was not strong enough to explore them in depth.

Adjusting his state of mind, Ning Qi cleared his mind of distractions and began cultivating.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Strengthening ourselves is still more important.

Now, all he needs to do is wait for news from Luo Wentian. Once there is even the slightest trace of the Blood King Gu, he will immediately descend the mountain.

Time passed slowly.

Ning Qi didn't have to wait long.

This day.

Luo Wentian set foot in the Dao-Seeking Courtyard.

"Little Nine, I've gathered the intelligence. There are indeed several places suspected of being where the Southern Frontier Alliance cultivates Blood King Gu, but they are all very well hidden, with only scattered clues. Moreover, it cannot be ruled out that they are ambushes deliberately set up by the Southern Frontier. The imperial court has suffered losses in this regard before."

"Maybe... we shouldn't go down the mountain."

He seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

On one hand, he hoped that Ning Qi could nip the threat of the Martial Saint from the Southern Frontier and the Demon Sect in the bud. On the other hand, he did not want Ning Qi to fall into a dangerous situation. Whether it was out of the perspective of a senior brother's care for his junior brother or the perspective of Ning Qi being the future of the True Martial Sect, he did not want it to be like this.

Therefore, he has been struggling with this for the past few days.

But there was no other way; running away wouldn't solve the problem, so he ultimately decided to give the choice to Ning Qi.

Ning Qi took the file and smiled reassuringly:

"Senior Brother, do not worry. I have made further progress these days, and I believe that even if a true Martial Saint comes, I will be able to escape with my life."

Upon hearing this...

Luo Wentian felt slightly relieved, knowing that his ninth junior brother never spoke nonsense, and might even have been conservative in his words, but he still earnestly gave him his advice:

"Little Nine, promise your senior brother that if things go well this time you go down the mountain, you will do your best to eliminate any threats. But if things don't go well, your priority should be self-preservation. The Demon Sect and the Southern Border have deep foundations. Although no Martial Saint has emerged yet, they may still have some Martial Saint- level resources. Be careful and don't underestimate them."

Ning Qi nodded solemnly and smiled:

"Don't worry, Senior Brother, my goal is immortality; I won't die easily."

Ning Qi would never underestimate the Demon Sect, which had been entangled with the Great Flame Dynasty for so long. And the Southern Frontier, which had been able to gain a foothold in such a treacherous place as the Ten Thousand Mountains, must have its own strengths. They are all formidable forces.

Hearing Ning Qi's half-joking words, Luo Wentian couldn't help but smile knowingly.

He naturally knew that Ning Qi had expressed his desire for immortality to his master when he was only half a year old that year. Daoist Longshan had mentioned this matter to his other disciples several times in private, and his words were full of admiration.

One should have ambition to learn martial arts.

As for how lofty one's ambitions may be, that's not the issue; all that matters is that one is taking steady, down-to-earth steps.

These years.

Ning Qi lived a secluded life at the Dao-Seeking Courtyard, putting his aspirations into practice. Although the others didn't say it, they all deeply admired Ning Qi, a quality they could not match.

Luo Wentian seemed to remember something and said again:

"There's one more thing. A few days ago, Daoist Baishan of the Zhenxuan Sect reached the Celestial Person Realm and plans to hold the Celestial Person Ceremony in six months. He specifically wrote to invite Master to attend, and also mentioned you, Junior Brother, hoping you could also go."

The True Mystery Sect now has a very good relationship with the True Martial Sect. When the Daoist Longshan was holding the Celestial Person Ceremony, True Person Baihe came in person. Later, when the top Daoist sects were ranked, the True Mystery Sect also contributed a lot. Even when the Wuxiang Sect sent spies, the True Mystery Sect put pressure on them.

Now that a new Celestial Person has been born into the True Mystery Sect, it is only right and proper to congratulate and cheer them on.

Ning Qi recalled the unorthodox old Bai Shan priest from Baishan, his gaze filled with surprise:

"That old Daoist priest actually reached the Celestial Person Realm?"

The last time they met was several years ago, when the old Daoist from Bai Shan kept trying to persuade Ning Qi to go to Daozhou with him, intending to plunder other Daoist sects.

Ning Qi had previously sensed that this Daoist Baishan was no ordinary person, but he spoke with a rather arrogant tone, often boasting that after reaching the Celestial Person Realm, he would make rapid progress and even reach the Martial Saint.

Now that I've truly stepped into the Celestial Person Realm, perhaps I can see for myself whether it's real.

"Let's talk about it when we get back from the mountain. If conditions permit, perhaps we can make a trip there," Ning Qi said after thinking for a moment. He was indeed quite interested in the various Daoist sects in Daozhou.

Luo Wentian nodded as well.

Anyway, the Celestial Person Ceremony isn't going to be held immediately, so there's still time to decide when the time comes.

He gave some more instructions on how to get down the mountain, and then strode away.

The next day.

After arranging everything for Yuan Tiansheng, Ning Qi announced his seclusion and then quietly left the mountain.

The heavy snow has subsided, but it remains an extremely threatening weather event for ordinary people.

As Ning Qi traveled from True Martial City, Ning Qi clearly saw that the situation in the cities along the way was getting worse and worse. The common people were struggling to survive, and frozen corpses were often found lying by the roadside or in the wilderness. Ning Qi could only sigh. Occasionally, he would do his best to help some people, but it was always just a drop in the ocean.

The Great Flame Dynasty ruled for two thousand years. Even the most Sagacity royal family would become corrupt after such a long period of Inheritance, and some accumulated problems would become increasingly serious.

Furthermore, the Southern Frontier and the Demon Sect joined forces to launch an attack.

In fact, the foundation of the Great Flame Dynasty is already showing signs of weakening.

The resentment in the hearts of many ordinary people gradually accumulated to a certain limit, waiting for the right moment to erupt.

certainly.

In this world where martial arts reign supreme, ordinary people can't accomplish anything significant; ultimately, they need martial arts sects to push them forward from behind the scenes.

Ning Qi continued on his journey.

We settled in Heishicheng, Shizhou.

The first piece of intelligence provided by Luo Wentian was from this place, or more precisely, from the Blackrock Mountains outside Blackrock City. Some intelligence indicated that the corpses of some powerful martial artists were transported here and then disappeared.

There may be a blood pool in the Blackrock Mountains where the Blood King Gu is cultivated.

Ning Qi sat in the inn, savoring the delicious food, enjoying a unique experience.

He rarely comes down from the mountain, and he doesn't demand too much of himself. Although he has important business to attend to on this trip, he has to take it one step at a time and not rush things.

Observing the myriad aspects of life is also a form of spiritual practice, especially for someone like Ning Qi who spends many years practicing in the mountains.

The Wind Sensing Technique had already been operating silently. Although he was in the inn, Ning Qi had already identified several suspicious individuals from the intelligence reports. He was looking for an opportunity to quietly enter the Black Stone Mountains to avoid alerting them.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud made Ning Qi raise an eyebrow.

It turned out that two people had gotten into a fight in the inn.

One was a swordsman, the other a knife-wielder.

The swordsman's face was flushed, and his eyes blazed with fury.

"You dare to underestimate Master Heavenly Sword Real Person? The Blade Demon has only been defeated for a short time, and you, a mere clown, dare to question him?"

Seeing the many eyes on him, the swordsman felt somewhat awkward and coldly snorted:

"I naturally admire Heavenly Sword Real Person, but what I just said was that Heavenly Sword Real Person might not be a match for Elder Tingfeng. Is that considered underestimating him? Hmph! No matter how strong Heavenly Sword Real Person, what does it have to do with a piece of trash like you who hasn't even mastered the basics of Swordsmanship?"

The two kept shouting at each other, and then they started fighting.

Ning Qi couldn't help but chuckle.

One of them was his fan, and a die-hard one at that, willing to risk his life for him. Along the way, he had heard many discussions about Heavenly Sword Real Person, but this was the first time he had seen someone like this.

Seeing that the swordsman was gradually losing ground and even in danger of losing his life, Ning Qi silently pointed his finger, and a wisp of extremely fine Sword Intent attached itself to the swordsman's sword. Meeting is fate, and this Sword Intent will be able to help him on his Sword Dao in the future.

In an instant, the swordsman displayed incredible power, as if divinely aided.

However, the swordsman did not take the knife-wielder's life. Instead, he reiterated the many deeds of the Heavenly Sword Real Person, which drew cheers from many.

Ning Qi found this feeling somewhat strange.

He shook his head slightly, paid no further attention to what happened, and stepped out. He had stayed long enough and knew what he wanted to know, so he headed towards the Black Stone Mountains.