Breaking Through to the Fifth Realm

Ning Qi looked at the numerous Spirit Beast with extremely respectful expressions, paused for a moment, and then immediately helped the old black tortoise up:

"Why must you be like this, senior?"

The old tortoise stubbornly bowed to the very end:

"Palace Master, etiquette cannot be disregarded. Now that you have passed the assessment and become the head of the True Martial Palace, we must assist you in rebuilding the True Martial!"

His eyes held joy, but also a profound sense of awe.

He had considered that Ning Qi would pass the test and even obtain considerable authority, but he never expected that Ning Qi would completely control the True Martial Hall. He, the Inheritance of the True Martial Immortal Sect, had already sensed it the moment Ning Qi stepped out of the golden portal.

In an instant.

He was filled with mixed feelings and didn't know what to think. This had far exceeded his expectations. After all, at the beginning, he had only thought that Ning Qi could get something useful from the True Martial Inheritance to help the martial world overcome its current difficulties.

The other Spirit Beast were even more excited.

With Ning Qi becoming the new Master of the True Martial, it means that they will finally have the opportunity to leave and will no longer be confined to the True Martial Hall without freedom.

Seeing the old black tortoise's persistence, Ning Qi stopped insisting.

He smiled and addressed the many Spirit Beast:

"You may all leave now; we will let you out when the time is right."

He could see that none of these Spirit Beast were weak; they were all basically at the level of a fifth-realm Martial Saint, representing a powerful new force. Moreover, this was far from their limit; if the world advanced in the future, they would become even stronger.

The Spirit Beast respectfully said:

"I will obey the Lord's command!"

A moment later.

The area outside the hall fell silent, leaving only Ning Qi and Xuan Gui.

The old tortoise sighed:

"Heaven has ultimately shown mercy to the True Martial Sect. Unexpectedly, in such an unlikely situation, it has sent forth such a peerless genius as the Palace Master. How fortunate!"

Ning Qi simply smiled and waved his hand.

"It was just luck. I have something to ask Senior Xuan Gui."

The old tortoise's expression turned serious:

"Please speak, Your Highness."

Ning Qi said:

Where does the world's will reside in the martial arts realm?

He has now obtained the supreme method of the True Martial Ancestor. Although he has not yet fully improved to the point of being satisfied, since he has decided to take this path, he must understand it in advance.

The old tortoise didn't ask any further questions, but simply raised its head and pointed to the sky.

"High above the heavens?" Ning Qi was not surprised; on the contrary, he seemed to have expected it.

His repeated penetrations into the Thunder's paint area had already given him some indication; this was simply confirmation.

"Exactly! However, there is currently a Thunder Forbidden Zone blocking the way in the high heavens, which can only be passed by experts at the Divine Ability Realm level. It will take some time, until the World Will has fully recovered to its peak and the power of the Thunder Forbidden Zone has weakened, at which time several half-step Divine Ability Realm experts will jointly convene the Martial Saint Conference to awaken the World Will together."

Ning Qi's expression shifted slightly.

The old tortoise's words contained a great deal of information.

"Is it only those at the Divine Ability Realm who can traverse the Thunder Forbidden Zone?" Ning Qi pondered to himself.

His current combat strength is enough to fight against the Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint. If he were to advance further and reach the Fifth Realm Martial Saint, or even the Five Elements Perfection, then reaching the Divine Ability Power Realm would not be difficult. If that were the case, he would not need to wait until the power of the Thunder Forbidden Zone weakens before touching the world's will.

Although he had made up his mind, Ning Qi didn't say much, but just listened quietly.

The old tortoise continued to explain:

"Back when the Mountain and Sea Realm first invaded, the world's will revived. A few of us old folks were fortunate enough to retain a portion of the world's will's favor, allowing us to step into the half-step Divine Ability Realm. That is, we mastered a Divine Ability, but we did not open up our Dantian world, so we could not advance our spiritual power further."

"After that, we devised this plan. This time, by taking advantage of the Spirituality revival to bring the world's will back to its peak, we wanted to gain the world's will's blessing to break through to the Divine Ability Realm. In this way, we would have several Divine Ability Power Realm experts on our side, and the Martial Saint would all be blessed by the power of the world, while the invaders' highest level was only Martial Saint. Then we would have a chance to fight!"

Ning Qi nodded slowly.

This is indeed a path.

In some ways, this is the most suitable path they can choose.

It's even close to success.

However, now that Ning Qi is here, we will choose the method with a higher success rate.

"I see." Ning Qi then asked curiously, "Who are the half-step Divine Ability Realm cultivators in the martial arts world today?"

These people represent the pinnacle of combat power in the martial arts world, and he wanted to learn more about them.

The old tortoise thought for a moment and said:

"I'm one of them, that old guy Zhan Tian is one, Li Yanwu is one, and there are two other old guys, one is the Black Blood Devil Lord, and the other is the South Sea Divine Nun. These two are somewhat elusive; the former acts strangely, while the latter lives in seclusion in the deep sea and rarely shows herself."

Ning Qi remembered it.

Based on this calculation, his current combat strength is already among the top six in the world. It's hard to say exactly where he ranks, since he hasn't fought a life-or-death battle yet. However, he has great confidence in his Five Elements God Sword Qi and Five Elements Sword Formation.

He then asked a question that had always been a source of curiosity for him:

"The Martial Saint of the Martial World are merely at the Law Power Realm of the Spirit World, yet they can reincarnate multiple times with only this level of cultivation. Why is that?"

He had previously reviewed the descriptions of various realms in the True Martial Inheritance. In the Spirit Realm, only a True Lord at the Primordial Spirit Realm could separate their Primordial Spirit from their body and thus seize another's body for reincarnation. However, there had never been a case in the Martial Realm where someone at the Magic Law Power Realm could be reborn.

The old tortoise explained:

"It's still related to the awakening of the world's will back then. Later, some peculiar world power remained and merged with the Martial Saint, causing slight changes in their spiritual consciousness, allowing them to reincarnate. However, this process is not perfect."

"Firstly, it can only exist within the martial world; secondly, with each reincarnation, one awakens memories of the previous life. In reality, the two are already blurred. Ultimately, after multiple reincarnations, it's uncertain whether one is still the same person as before. These ancient saints of today all bear the names of their former selves, but they may not actually be the same people from before."

He sighed.

Ning Qi suddenly realized that True Lord in the Primordial Spirit Realm possessing another body is a complete possession, and there is absolutely no possibility of the object's consciousness influencing the subject. Compared to the other, the Primordial Spirit Realm is still superior. If it were Ning Qi, he would never want to be reincarnated like this. In the end, he wouldn't even be sure if he was still himself, so what's the point?

"Besides reincarnation, there are many other methods to avoid the world, such as freezing oneself in ice or passing on one's Inheritance."

Speaking of which...

The old tortoise paused slightly in its gaze:

"The requirements for the Bloodline Inheritance Method are very high, and it has different branches. The two most representative figures are Zhan Tian Martial Saint and Li Yanwu."

Ning Qi's spirits lifted; this actually involved the two existing half-step Divine Ability Realm cultivators. Then he heard the old Xuan Turtle continue:

"The Martial Saint is a tragic figure. At his peak, he was arguably the strongest in the martial world, but he was unwilling to reincarnate. At that time, after the saints made their plans, they needed a supervisor, so this responsibility fell on the shoulders of the Martial Saint."

"The current Martial Saint of Heaven Slaying has only inherited the title; he is not the original Martial Saint of Heaven Slaying. Back then, he chose the path of bloodline Inheritance, Inheritance on his power through his bloodline, while his own consciousness dissipated."

Ning Qi frowned and said:

"So, you're saying only the power Inheritance, not the Inheritance?"

The old tortoise nodded:

"That's right, every generation of Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint is like this. Just now I said that the Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint is a tragic figure, or more accurately, the entire Heaven-Slaying lineage is tragic."

"How could someone bear the life-threatening poison and Inheritance such a powerful force without any side effects? The Zhan Tian lineage is passed down through a single successor, who can walk among mortals as Martial Saint, but the price is that they bring misfortune to heaven, Tiansheng, and themselves. Every Zhan Tian successor will die on the day of their birth, be born blind, and then be left all alone."

There was respect in his eyes.

The success of the Pact of the Saints was largely due to the efforts of the Zhan Tian lineage, who resolved many of the obstacles along the way.

Ning Qi also sighed, this lineage had indeed paid a heavy price for the fate of the martial world.

"Besides the bloodline Inheritance method of the Zhan Tian lineage, there is Li Yanwu. Compared to the Zhan Tian Martial Saint who only Inheritance power but Inheritance memories, Li Yanwu retains his self-awareness. He firmly believes that preserving himself is the most important thing."

"As for the method, it involves selecting the person with the most compatible bloodline from among generations of descendants, transferring all of one's cultivation and consciousness to them, and changing their physical body to withstand the corrosive effects of the life-destroying poison. He also possessed the power of Martial Saint and later even founded the Great Flame Dynasty."

"His original name wasn't this. I guess it's because the body he's been given this time is Li Yanwu, the Great General of the Great Flame Dynasty, and he changed his name to Li Yanwu for some reason."

The old tortoise recounted these secrets of the martial arts world, known to very few.

Ning Qi was somewhat surprised.

However, there was no evaluation of whether Zhan Tian Martial Saint or Great Flame Martial Saint's choice was right or wrong.

These people are all outstanding individuals. If they could ascend to the Spirit Realm, they would surely become powerful figures. Now, their potential has been unleashed to an unlimited extent. If they can emerge victorious, they may very well become giants in the future.

The old black tortoise's eyes were deep, as if recalling the past, and it sighed:

"That era was indeed magnificent, with many outstanding talents emerging, and everyone united in their efforts for the future of the martial arts world. But after so long, it remains to be seen how many people can still maintain their original aspirations."

Ning Qi was shocked:

You mean...?

"That's right. Someone may have already betrayed us, wanting to sell out the martial world in exchange for a chance to survive. Therefore... Palace Master, you must keep a low profile in the future. Even if you have already achieved great strength, it's best not to reveal it." The old Xuan Turtle's expression was earnest. After so much buildup, he finally spoke his mind.

Ning Qi nodded solemnly:

"I see."

He recalled the matter of the Gu God. Someone was clearly using the Gu God as an experiment, testing something, which also had the shadow of the bloodline Inheritance method.

Two names involuntarily popped into Ning Qi's mind: the Great Flame Martial Saint and the Heaven-Slaying Martial Saint.

He thought the old tortoise was right.

If you eventually reach the fifth level of Martial Saint, don't reveal it rashly; quietly accumulating strength is the key.

After a conversation, Ning Qi gained a thorough understanding of the current situation in the martial arts world.

He also became completely clear about his next goal.

Break through to the fifth realm as soon as possible!

Perfecting the world is my method, and it would be best to cross the Thunder Forbidden Zone before the Martial Saint Tournament begins.

He felt an even greater sense of urgency after learning that there might be a traitor within the martial arts world.

"Fortunately, now that I have the True Martial Hall, my speed in breaking through to the fifth realm of Martial Saint will be greatly increased. I no longer need to go to the high heavens. The True Martial Hall's power is sufficient to provide strong strength to temper my spiritual energy, and it also accelerates the process tenfold."

This thought came to mind.

Ning Qi couldn't resist the urge to start cultivating immediately.

"Senior Xuan Turtle, how about coming back to True Martial Mountain with me?"

The old tortoise laughed:

"This old man will naturally follow the Palace Master; wherever the Palace Master is, I will be there."

Ning Qi smiled.

He didn't waste any time.

It then soared into the sky.

At this moment, the enormous Xuan Turtle still floats above the sea, resembling a floating island, with White Mist rising from it and a celestial palace appearing and disappearing.

Ning Qi smiled slightly and then reached out his hand to beckon.

The next moment.

He vaguely heard a rumbling sound, and the magnificent and majestic celestial palace transformed into a stream of light and entered Ning Qi's body. Ning Qi sensed it carefully and found that he could summon the True Martial Palace at will by exhaling his spiritual power, and he could also make the True Martial Palace turn into vacuum particles, into which he would enter.

The old tortoise no longer carried the True Martial Hall on its back, leaving its back completely empty and bare, which it found rather unusual.

As spiritual energy flowed, the enormous black tortoise vanished, and a hunchbacked old man appeared in mid-air. This was the true form of the old black tortoise; the one that Ning Qi had met earlier was merely a spiritual avatar.

The two exchanged a smile and then headed towards True Martial Mountain.

True Martial Mountain.

Ning Qi, Luo Wentian, and Daoist Longshan briefly discussed the True Martial Inheritance lineage. Upon learning that the True Martial Sect's origins were so astonishing, both of them were shocked, and then their blood boiled with excitement. They eagerly anticipated the day when the True Martial Sect could become the True Martial Sect.

After handing over some useful Inheritance to Luo Wentian True Martial settling the old Xuan Turtle and the group of Spirit Beast, Ning Qi plunged into the True Martial Hall.

He couldn't wait to start cultivating.

Inner Temple.

With time flowing at ten times the normal speed, Ning Qi felt that everything in the outside world was extremely slow.

With a thought, several treasures rich in earth energy floated beside him, while the power of the True Martial Hall surged forth, instantly transforming into a giant millstone that enveloped Ning Qi.

Rumble!

A faint rumbling sound continued to erupt, and Ning Qi felt an unparalleled sense of exhilaration.

The power of the True Martial Hall is even more domineering than the thunder in the heavens, allowing his spiritual energy to be refined much faster. Coupled with ten times the time acceleration, the feeling of cultivating is simply like taking off!

"Awesome!" That was the only thought in Ning Qi's mind.

He felt as if he had received timely rain after a long drought, and he cultivated with exceptional enthusiasm.

in vivo.

The spleen was glowing, and the earth element was gradually gathering within it, at a much faster pace than before.

Nothing happened.

There were only a few rumors circulating that the saints would redistribute the world, but nothing else of great importance. However, Ning Qi's reputation soared after Ning Qi and Zhan Tian Martial Saint were evenly matched, and the world was still discussing it.

Ning Qi didn't care about any of that.

His days are always packed with activities.

He spent several hours accelerating his cultivation in the True Martial Hall until his body reached its limit. He also devoted himself to comprehending the "World is Me" method, perfecting it step by step and trying to resolve its shortcomings.

The extra time was spent inside the True Martial Hall, constantly digesting the vast True Martial Inheritance.

Fortunately, after reaching the Martial Saint, his Divine Intent transformed into spiritual consciousness; otherwise, relying solely on his naked eyes to observe would have taken an unknown amount of time.

Ning Qi's foundation is growing at a visible rate.

His strength is also increasing day by day, with amazing progress every single day.

A month has passed in the blink of an eye.

This day.

Ning Qi sat upright in the inner hall of the True Martial Hall, suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes filled with joy and a sense of ease that everything was under his control.

"The essence of earth, condense!"

In an instant.

The spleen shone brightly, a rich, earthy yellow light emanating from it, and streams of Spiritual Qi surged from the surrounding area, which Ning Qi then refined into spiritual power.

Everything happened so naturally.

Unlike the day of Spirituality's revival, when he took a shortcut, this time Ning Qi broke through the realm step by step, without any surprises.

Fifth Realm Martial Saint, successfully broke through!