Nine Great Daoist Sons

"Surpassing the top tier?"

Ning Qi was somewhat stunned.

I'd heard the old tortoise mention before that the assessment was divided into four grades: A, B, C, and D, and three levels: upper, middle, and lower, for a total of twelve levels. And now, I've actually surpassed Grade A?

A slight smile curved his lips.

At least in this first round, no one could match his performance.

I'm afraid that previous test takers would not have been able to gain the upper hand at all, at most they could only last for a while, and it's even possible that the person who set up the test never thought that anyone could beat the other side, and the evaluation standard was simply based on how long they could last.

Ning Qi thought about it carefully and became more and more convinced that this was indeed the case.

To comprehend a celestial Law Technique in just a dozen breaths—who else but him could do that?

Unless it's some kind of ancient monster with extraordinary cultivation who has changed his appearance, there's a slight possibility.

However, immediately afterwards...

He stopped thinking about it and just wanted to get through it.

Now that we've passed the first hurdle, as long as the remaining two hurdles are rated well, we can pass the assessment smoothly.

He was somewhat expectant.

What kind of power would a celestial artifact possess?

While pondering.

The surrounding starry sky was gradually dimming. Ning Qi held his breath and focused his mind, activating his golden eyes, trying to glimpse the truth from this change, but unfortunately, that power was too advanced for him to touch.

In a short while.

Ning Qi has already appeared in another location.

Within the immortal mountain, there was an incomparably spacious training ground, bustling with activity. Excited gazes were all fixed on the High Platform suspended in the clouds, each High Platform bearing a phantom image, exactly nine in total.

"These are the marks left by the nine strongest True Martial Daoists of our True Martial True Martial throughout history, and they are the strongest in the Law Power Realm! If you can exchange even a single move with them, you can be proud of it!" Countless similar voices rang out.

Ning Qi saw it.

The ethereal and agile cultivators crowded the arena, looking up as the prodigies of the True Martial Sect stepped forward to challenge them.

Some of these people had just entered the Law Power Realm, while others had already reached the Perfection the Law Power Realm.

Once they step onto the High Platform, the illusory figure will activate and become an existence at the same level as them.

Ning Qi was somewhat amazed by the various methods employed.

Even disregarding the nine strongest Dao Sons, the prodigies who came to challenge him were all extremely powerful. At the same level of Law Power, they were much Martial Saint of the Martial World. He felt that even peerless geniuses like the Crimson Sun Martial Saint and the Purple Moon Martial Saint would probably only be considered average here.

In the blink of an eye.

Everything around him vanished as quickly as it appeared, and in the blink of an eye, the bustling crowd disappeared, leaving only Ning Qi standing there, a sense of desolation rising within him.

He immediately understood.

"This is a scene from the challenge by the disciples of the True Martial Sect back then."

He already understood the challenge of this second level.

"Second stage, begin!" The grand voice rang out again.

Ning Qi turned his gaze to the illusory figures on the nine High Platform, his eyes filled with caution.

It has to be said.

These Daoists are terrifyingly strong in combat at the same level, and some even have special physiques and various unique methods. Even he has to treat them with caution. Ning Qi never underestimates himself, but he is also never arrogant.

It's true that he has Max-Level Comprehension, but growing up in the martial arts world, his knowledge and foundation are insufficient, which is his biggest weakness. Compared with these Dao disciples who enjoy all the precious resources of the True Martial Sect, this is a disadvantage.

But he was fearless.

Stepping onto the High Platform amidst the clouds, this was the weakest of the nine Dao disciples.

The illusory figure opposite was activated, revealing a stunningly beautiful woman, her white palace dress flowing gracefully, her indifferent voice ringing out:

"Fourth-grade Law Power realm. You have ten breaths to adjust."

Her aura immediately changed, stabilizing at the same level as Ning Qi's. Ning Qi had already noticed this during his previous observations.

Ten breaths have passed.

The woman opposite him immediately vanished from her spot.

A surge of spiritual energy rushed in, transforming into a cold, moonlit Sword Qi. The Sword Qi aura was extremely powerful and could easily kill the Crimson Sun Martial Saint.

Ning Qi remained expressionless.

His all-seeing eyes had already discerned the truth; this woman possessed a special constitution that allowed her to transform into moonlight and move invisibly.

Faced with the incoming Sword Qi, Ning Qi unleashed his surging spiritual power. The woman opposite him seemed somewhat surprised, as this spiritual power was clearly much more abundant than hers.

Ning Qi clenched his fist and shattered the Sword Qi.

But the woman suddenly appeared on the other side, and the moonlight Sword Qi attacked again.

Ning Qi was forced into a defensive posture, his body shimmering with a bluish light as he resisted the elusive Sword Qi.

He raised an eyebrow, and flashes of inspiration began to rise in his mind.

"Using spatial fluctuations for travel, I see."

A smile played on his lips as he inwardly marveled. This woman was only at the Law Power Realm; her physique was undoubtedly not yet fully developed. Once she reached a higher realm, she might be able to merge with space itself, becoming terrifyingly powerful.

The next moment.

A woman in a palace dress appeared above Ning Qi's head, and Sword Qi descended from the sky.

Ning Qi, however, was prepared.

He pointed his left fist to the sky and his right fist to the ground.

The fist imprint merged with the profound suppression, locking the void and shattering the Sword Qi. At the same time, it stagnated the slight spatial fluctuations, making it much harder for the woman to move around. Although her speed was still extremely fast, she had nowhere to hide under Ning Qi's discerning golden eyes.

Without that signboard, the woman's threat to Ning Qi was greatly reduced.

Spiritual energy converges and transforms into a celestial sword, an advanced technique of the Heavenly Sword Art, whose power is equally formidable.

The woman was pierced through the chest in astonishment. She slowly dissipated, transforming back into a phantom image and sitting gracefully on the other side of the High Platform.

"That's really impressive," Ning Qi exclaimed.

This woman's ability to travel is extraordinary, something unseen in the martial arts world. Compared to her, those Martial Saint are far inferior. Of the Martial Saint he knows, only the Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint is slightly higher in realm and can defeat her. The other five-realm Martial Saint would also be defeated by her.

"The spirit realm is vast and full of wonders. It seems that only a special physique like Xiao Shi's Innate Sword Bone can make him a dominant force."

Ning Qi looked at the remaining eight High Platform, and he suspected that these eight Daoists all possessed extraordinary physiques.

He calmed his breathing slightly, then stepped onto the second High Platform.

A long-dormant fighting spirit rekindled in his eyes.

These nine Daoists made him realize his shortcomings. The previous battle had also brought him considerable gains, giving him a deeper understanding of the mysteries of spatial fluctuations. Although he still couldn't traverse space invisibly like that woman, it greatly increased his speed, especially after merging with Sword Qi, which made his Sword Qi appear and disappear unpredictably.

This made Ning Qi even more eager to obtain the True Martial Inheritance after passing the assessment.

What he lacks is foundation. If he could obtain the foundation of the behemoth immortal sect in the spirit realm and have some time to digest it, he would easily suppress these so-called strongest Dao disciples.

On the second High Platform stood a young man with red hair and beard.

As before, his realm remained stable at the level of a fourth-realm Martial Saint.

Then, with a deafening roar, boundless crimson flames shot into the sky.

"This person's constitution is related to fire! What terrifying flames!" Ning Qi exclaimed.

He grew stronger through battle, constantly comprehending the crimson flames, and his Bing Fire Sword Qi also made great progress.

at last.

Ning Qi used the Ren Water Divine Sword Qi to decapitate the red-haired youth amidst his astonished gaze.

Ning Qi's fighting spirit was even stronger.

The pursuit of immortality involves battling against heaven, earth, and man—a source of endless joy.

Since I began practicing cultivation.

Few can match him with such intensity.

But now, there are a full nine.

His mind was flooded with inspiration like a tsunami, his thoughts were more active than ever before.

Ning Qi climbed one High Platform after another.

One formidable opponent after another emerged.

The various mysterious methods and special physical characteristics broadened his horizons.

Some can create three clones with the same strength as their main body; some can transform into lightning, each time; some can condense spiritual Sword Qi, the sharpness of which even Ning Qi greatly fears...

Strictly speaking, these nine Daoists are all invincible among their peers, with little difference in strength, but the strength of the Daoists increases as they progress.

At first, he was relatively relaxed.

However, for the later ones, even Ning Qi had to go to great lengths.

Ning Qi was merely a mortal, and what he could rely on was the solid foundation he had built up, which made his Law Power stand out among all others, even far surpassing those Dao disciples. In addition, he possessed an extraordinary comprehension, which made his secret techniques no less impressive than the special physiques of these Dao disciples. Moreover, he could continue to grow in battle.

It's no exaggeration to say that after several battles, Ning Qi's strength has become even greater than before.

"Buzz!"

A Sword Qi aura pierced through the spatial fluctuations and severed the head of the bald youth opposite.

This was the Dao Child of the eighth High Platform, with unparalleled defense. He withstood many of Ning Qi's Sword Qi without injury, but in the end, Ning Qi used his immense spiritual power to wear him down and kill him.

"It's really hard," Ning Qi exclaimed.

He learned a lot from this Daoist. The unbreakable golden light further enhanced his Azure Profound Body Protection Technique, greatly increasing its defensive power and enabling it to launch a fierce counterattack. This move had previously made him somewhat hesitant.

He took a deep breath.

Look towards the last High Platform.

This eighth Dao Child had almost exhausted all his methods, and now, there was still the strongest Dao Child.

"My performance in this round shouldn't be as amazing as in the first round, but if I can pass through the nine Daoists, getting a top-tier rating shouldn't be difficult."

Ning Qi has a very clear understanding of himself.

The first challenge was an "inhuman" performance, setting a precedent. It's unlikely that anyone else could achieve such a feat. As for the second challenge, although he prides himself on his performance, there are indeed a few people in the vast spirit world who can do the same.

For the same reason, Ning Qi suffered because he was born into the martial arts world. If he had been born into the True Martial as well, and had such comprehension, he would probably have been easily killed even if all nine Daoist disciples attacked him at once.

Take a step forward.

Ning Qi appeared on the ninth platform.

"I didn't expect the examiners this time to be so strong, it's truly rare." The first sentence stunned Ning Qi.

The illusory figure shifted, and a short, youthful-looking girl appeared, smiling at Ning Qi.

"Are you alive?" Ning Qi asked instinctively.

The girl, who looked like a minor, frowned upon hearing Ning Qi's words.

"You're ignorant. At my peak, I was at the Dao Integration Realm. Although I've perished, what's so difficult about leaving a trace? It seems you're of humble origins, little fellow. Perhaps you're from some small world?"

Her tone was somewhat condescending.

Ning Qi somewhat surprised, then nodded. This Dao Integration Realm was far too powerful. Even after death, such a spiritually intelligent mark could still be left behind. In a sense, this could be considered "immortality".

The girl's eyes widened:

"To be able to defeat those eight guys despite coming from a minor world, you're quite something. What a pity, if you had come from the Spirit Realm, your achievements would have been even greater."

Ning Qi remained silent.

It's not a big problem for him.

We can make up for it later; it's just a matter of time.

The girl gave a soft hum:

"Don't think I'll go easy on you; the True Martial Hall assessment allows for absolutely no sham answers."

Ning Qi said solemnly:

"Bring it on."

The words had barely left his mouth.

The girl opposite him with the youthful face changed her expression instantly. Her playful smile turned into indifference, and the next moment, a strong sense of oppression came down, as if boundless Law Power filled the world, making Ning Qi's eyes widen involuntarily.

That Law Power was even several times stronger than his.

"What kind of special constitution is this?" Ning Qi felt unprecedented pressure.

As if sensing Ning Qi's thoughts, the girl's indifferent voice rang out:

"I possess the Immortal Essence Body, and my Law Power is a hundred times greater than that of others of the same level."

With such vast magical Law Power, even the most ordinary immortal techniques would be transformed into something miraculous in her hands. Not to mention, the opponent certainly knew far more than just those simplest techniques.

Boom!

A giant golden palm struck down, its power terrifying beyond belief.

Ning Qi also unleashed his Law Power, sending a celestial sword soaring into the sky, but it was shattered by a single slap.

For the first time, Ning Qi experienced the feelings of his former opponents; he realized how frustrating it was to be overpowered by force.

His eyelids twitched, but his gaze toward the youthful-looking girl grew increasingly fervent. At that moment, he thought that if he could study this girl's immortal essence body, understand its principles, and create a secret technique to deduce the immortal essence body, his strength would be immeasurably greater.

Rumble!

One after another, giant palms slammed down.

Ning Qi could only dodge, but fortunately, he had gained some understanding of the mysteries of space from the woman on the first Dao Platform. Now, after several battles, he had already grasped some of the essence of merging with the void.

The girl with the youthful face looked somewhat surprised:

"You've actually mastered the mysteries of the Moon Shadow Spirit Body; you are indeed extraordinary. However, you should know that this move is even less likely to be effective against me."

The immense Law Power pressed down, and the surrounding void instantly froze. This move was exactly the same as the one Ning Qi had used to deal with the woman in the palace dress.

Ning Qi was helpless.

They could only keep pushing their Sword Qi to clash.

His various secret techniques are exquisite and unparalleled, which is his advantage, but his opponent's Law Power is too terrifying. Every time they clash, he needs to expend more Law Power to resist.

The two were locked in a stalemate, but the girl on the other side was clearly much more relaxed.

If this trend continues...

Ning Qi has exhausted his Law Power and is destined to lose.

Once he had this thought, he had no more hesitation.

"Although it's still somewhat imperfect, we can only give it a try."

The next moment.

Ning Qi's body surface condensed with a blue light as he focused on defense, while an astonishing sharpness was gathering on his body surface.

"Gengjin Divine Sword Qi!"

"Jia Wood Divine Sword Qi!"

"Ren Water Divine Sword Qi!"

"Bing Fire Sword Qi!"

Four sword Sword Qi, each with distinct characteristics but equally unparalleled sharpness, coalesced and floated around Ning Qi's side. Then, he silently uttered in his heart:

"Wu Earth Divine Sword Qi!"

Another earth-yellow Sword Qi condensed, as heavy as a mountain, yet extremely sharp.

However, upon closer inspection, it becomes apparent that this Sword Qi is somewhat inferior to the other four. The fundamental reason for this is that Ning Qi is currently only a fourth-realm Martial Saint, and he still has earth energy left to condense.

but.

It's barely usable.

"Five Elements God Sword Qi, gather!" Ning Qi shouted, unleashing all the Law Power within his body.

Five-colored Sword Qi soared into the Sword Formation and then transformed into a sword array that enveloped the youthful-looking girl. Everything happened in the blink of an eye. By the time the youthful-looking girl reacted, the void around her had already been locked by the Five Elements Sword Formation.

This is the Sword Formation that Ning Qi comprehended from the True Martial Sword.

His strongest killing move is the Five Elements God Sword Qi combined with the Five Elements Sword Formation. However, his Five Elements are not yet Perfection, and his power has not reached its limit. Moreover, the Wu Earth Divine Sword Qi has some flaws.

But for now, we have no choice but to give it a try.

Buzz!

A continuous buzzing sound rang out, and streams of five-colored Sword Qi rained down. Each Sword Qi energy was as powerful as a primordial divine Sword Qi, and it was also a convergence of the five elements.

The young girl with the youthful face looked extremely solemn.

Her Law Power was immense; terrifying fist imprints shot into the sky, boundless Law Power erupted, and endless booming sounds rang out continuously.

Ning Qi's face was slightly pale.

He could feel his Law Power being consumed at an extremely rapid rate, but the girl inside must be suffering as well.

now.

It's just a test of endurance.

I don't know how much time has passed.

Ning Qi felt as if he were almost completely exhausted when the roaring sound finally stopped.

The Five Elements Sword Formation dissipated.

The youthful-looking girl stared in surprise at her own illusory body, then pouted and said:

"You win. If my true form were still here, it wouldn't be so easy."

She let out a haughty cry, and then completely vanished into a motionless phantom.

However, it was clear that there was a deep sense of astonishment in her eyes, as if she hadn't expected to lose.

Ning Qi's expression was slightly complicated. After standing there for a moment, he heard a loud voice rang out:

"Second stage passed, evaluation for A."