Chapter 148: Secret Art Sublimation, Sword Dao’s Supreme Realm
That night.
Ning Qi did not head above the High Heavens, but instead went alone far from True Martial Mountain to a secluded mountain range.
Then, he attempted to use the Heavenly Thunder Method to summon Heavenly Thunder.
In an instant.
Streaks of purple thunder descended straight from the void, their power extremely condensed, indeed stronger than Heaven and Earth Power. Ning Qi followed his previous conception, dividing the summoned Power of Thunder into three parts.
One for Body Tempering, one for condensing Qi, one for Spirit Tempering.
The three advanced together, to condense the Three Flowers of Essence, Qi, and Spirit.
This was another marvelous application of the Heavenly Thunder Method.
Ning Qi sat cross-legged.
An hour later, he slowly stopped. At this moment, he could already feel his Essence, Qi, and Spirit reaching the limit. If he continued tempering, it would exceed the load and instead have a counterproductive effect.
Opening his eyes, joy appeared in them.
“This is twice as efficient as using Heaven and Earth Power to temper the Three Flowers!”
This showed.
His train of thought was correct; this method was feasible.
“If the summoned thunder is stronger, my efficiency in tempering the Three Flowers could be even higher.” Ning Qi couldn’t help looking up at the sky. In that Thunder Forbidden Zone, domineering and powerful thunder was countless. If he could use such thunder for tempering, efficiency could increase by two or three times without issue.
He pondered, already having a plan.
“During this time, go all out to fully sublimate the Unity of Heaven and Man Secret Technique, then every day head above the High Heavens for an hour of cultivation.”
Although Ning Qi wanted to go now, he ultimately felt it better to be prudent.
That Thunder Forbidden Zone was somewhat terrifying. Even summoning thunder from the edge position for tempering the Three Flowers required caution. It was not too late to go after full preparation; after all, it was only a few days’ wait.
Ten days later.
Ning Qi sat idly in the Seeker’s Courtyard. Winter had snow, but the Enlightenment Tea Tree remained lush and verdant, unaffected by seasonal climate. Tender leaves emerged from its top, condensing essence, more than last year. At this time, the Enlightenment Tea Tree was already taller than Ning Qi. Under the nourishment of the bodies of two Heavenly Human Realm Experts from Sword Asking Pavilion, it grew vigorously, drawing closer to Ning Qi’s vision of resting in its shade.
He liked to meditate quietly under the Enlightenment Tea Tree.
It vaguely allowed his thoughts to become more peaceful and serene.
At this moment.
Thousands of inspirations fused in his mind, and changes followed in his body.
The golden-glowing Core Elixir spun drippingly. The invisible Heavenly Human Bridge vibrated, causing his entire body to tremble, as if something was being activated—that was the formless and intangible ‘Bone Structure’, also the location of human potential and Treasure.
As his Divine Intent moved, his body likewise formed a connection with Heaven and Earth. The second invisible Heavenly Human Bridge was successfully built.
The two Heavenly Human Bridges vaguely resonated, their effects stacking to form a one-plus-one-greater-than-two result.
In an instant, wind and clouds shifted.
Ning Qi opened his eyes, with a joyful expression.
With a thought, streaks of Heaven and Earth Power immediately gathered. The Heaven and Earth Power he could originally resonate with already far exceeded ordinary Heavenly Human Realm Perfection, and now it was even more exaggerated, over three times greater.
If going all out, it would probably create a world-shaking spectacle in an instant.
Undoubtedly, his strength had risen greatly once more.
With this Secret Technique as foundation, the power of his other Secret Techniques also rose accordingly.
“This sublimated Secret Technique is no longer suitable to call Unity of Heaven and Man; calling it Heavenly Human Bridge Secret Technique is better.”
“This Heavenly Human Bridge Secret Technique can be taught to Master, surely greatly boosting his combat power, perhaps even reaching near Heavenly Human Ranking level.”
A smile appeared at Ning Qi’s lips.
Dragon Mountain Daoist had not stood still these years. Ning Qi had given him a copy of every Secret Technique he could learn. Unknowingly, Dragon Mountain Daoist’s strength had risen steadily, and now with this Heavenly Human Bridge, his strength could explosively grow.
“Heavenly Human Bridge Secret Technique is complete; it’s time to head to the High Heavens again.” Ning Qi’s gaze flickered.
That night.
Ning Qi silently ascended straight into the void.
His current strength was far greater than back in Jade Liquid Realm, his speed extremely fast. Heaven and Earth Power abundantly filled his body, consumed at extreme speed, but Ning Qi’s foundation was solid, not weakening at all. He still had vast Core Elixir Gang Qi unused, so he would not encounter danger.
His body gradually fell silent, only with biting Gale.
Vaguely, there was a sense of suppression.
Soon.
He sensed something and halted.
Looking into the distance, Thunder Dragons rolled and roared. This time without bringing the Heavenly Thunder Saber, the thunder was not summoned over, but he could clearly see some thunder aimlessly striking everywhere, some of which even made him somewhat apprehensive.
“However, being careful is no problem.”
Strength different, State of Mind also different.
Reaching the High Heavens Thunder Forbidden Zone again, Ning Qi found himself no longer so powerless before it, involuntarily stirring curiosity once more:
“What lies beyond the Thunder Forbidden Zone? Could it be another world?”
But with his current strength, crossing the Thunder Forbidden Zone was unrealistic.
Ning Qi estimated that after stepping into Martial Saint Realm, perhaps there would be hope.
By this reasoning.
Even ordinary Martial Saints probably could not traverse this forbidden zone.
Shaking his head, Ning Qi cleared stray thoughts; he had not forgotten the purpose of this trip.
Calming his mind.
He began operating the Heavenly Thunder Method.
In an instant, the distant Thunder Forbidden Zone sensed it, and a purple-black thunderbolt sped over. Ning Qi’s eyes flashed; Heaven and Earth Power turned into a sky-covering Giant Palm to capture it, then divided into three to begin tempering the Three Flowers.
His body trembled fiercely, vaguely feeling it had reached the limit. Summoning stronger thunder would probably have a counterproductive effect.
Ning Qi closed his eyes and sat cross-legged in the void.
He occasionally summoned thunder, but sometimes accidentally summoned too strong a bolt, which he could only shatter and destroy. Though there were some hiccups, overall it was under control.
Another hour later.
Ning Qi opened his eyes and stopped cultivating.
“Compared to summoning ordinary Heavenly Thunder, this efficiency is indeed over twice as high. This way, the time to condense my Three Flowers is greatly reduced. Not only that, this is not the limit. During my Three Flowers Perfection process, my strength will progressively enhance, allowing me to withstand even more powerful thunder, thereby shortening the time to Perfection. This is a positive cycle.”
Ning Qi smiled.
Though there were slight uncontrollable factors, overall no problem.
This also meant.
From now on, this place would become one of his ‘Training Grounds’, spending an hour cultivating here every day.
At this point.
Heavenly Human Realm cultivation was on the right track. From now on, he just needed to progress step by step with effort. The remaining time could be used to explore the Martial Saint path. He was now ever closer to Martial Saint Realm; it was time to make preparations in advance.
“Start with Tian Sheng and Little Ten.”
Ning Qi’s gaze flickered.
This was a conception from long ago. The legendary Heavenly Beasts were suspected to be existences on par with Martial Saints. The White Ape’s bloodline was special; if researched clearly, perhaps it could lead to analogous insights.
Meanwhile, Ning Qi considered Zhuang Chen’s Innate Sword Bone somewhat similar to ‘Heavenly Beast Bloodline’ among humans, perfect for comparison together.
…
Ning Qi immersed himself in Enlightenment and cultivation.
Yet the world continued to boil.
The storms stirred by Blade Demon were finally ushering in the ultimate peak battle. How this half-year storm would conclude was unclear to anyone, but at this moment, countless gazes uniformly fell upon True Martial Mountain.
Who was stronger, Blade Demon or Heavenly Sword True Person?
This question lingered in everyone’s minds.
Especially for Swordsmen and Swordsmen, they were even more excited.
If the previous battle between Heavenly Sword True Person and Thunderous Blade Venerable was merely a milestone in the blade-sword contention, then now the battle between Blade Demon and Heavenly Sword True Person was the true ultimate peak battle!
It nearly represented the strongest among Swordsmen and Swordsmen.
Though compared to Blade Demon, Heavenly Sword True Person was far inferior in both battle record and ranking, Blade Demon’s personal admission of previously visiting True Martial Mountain and then retreating was enough to prove Heavenly Sword True Person’s worth. Moreover, even Sun Chasing Sword King had expressed recognition of Heavenly Sword True Person.
This made everyone even more anticipatory of the upcoming battle.
Winds and clouds gathered.
Martial Artists gathered in True Martial City.
Among them were no lack of Heavenly Human Ranking Experts who had been defeated by Blade Demon back then. Some wanted to personally witness this final battle, to see Blade Demon’s limit, like Divine Wind Saber Master, who arrived early. He firmly believed Blade Demon would win, as that was a once-in-millennia Blade Dao prodigy, about to step into Blade Dao Supreme Realm.
There were also Canghai Sword Sect, Sun Chasing Sword King, and many other Peerless Experts, all gathered here.
Their arrival.
Naturally had pros and cons.
The pros were obvious: so many Experts inevitably sparked curiosity about True Martial Sword Stele and Myriad Dao Tower. With Sword Intents interacting, Ning Qi greatly benefited. In a short time, his own Sword Dao advanced a step further, which was extremely rare.
The cons were that these Peerless Experts each had distinct personalities, easily sparking conflicts, and Luo Wentian and others had no qualification to stop them, only able to barely persuade.
Fortunately.
After seeing True Martial Sword Stele, these Peerless Experts all fell silent, filled with awe, and gradually became low-key.
Originally, some had dismissed Blade Demon choosing Heavenly Sword True Person as his final opponent, but now they were convinced.
Even though True Martial Sword Stele showed no fluctuation, just comprehending the vast and majestic Sword Intent within left them inferior. Short-term comprehension yielded gains, and they immensely admired Heavenly Sword True Person’s magnanimity. If it were them, they could not make their own Sword Intent publicly available for others to comprehend.
Sun Chasing Sword King looked at the Sword Stele, gaze amazed:
“I am inferior.”
He had known from his disciples’ and grand-disciples’ descriptions that True Martial Sword Stele was no simple matter, but seeing it personally now, he realized its prowess exceeded his imagination.
“Could it be… Heavenly Sword True Person has already reached Sword Dao Supreme Realm?” His gaze shook, immensely expectant. If he could witness such Sword Dao, it would truly be death without regrets!
He slowly descended the mountain, quietly awaiting Blade Demon’s arrival. He hoped to learn some of the truths he sought from this battle.
Those around, hearing Sun Chasing Sword King admit inferiority, were even more shocked.
“This is the battle between the top Swordsman and top Swordsman!”
“That scene will surely be earth-shattering. I’ve prepared to record every detail of this battle, to pass down as my Li clan’s heirloom!”
“Missing this battle, who knows when the next”
Time slowly passed.
No one knew when Blade Demon would come, but in his battle with Sun Chasing Sword King, Blade Demon had personally stated he would battle Heavenly Sword True Person, so he surely would not break his word.
True Martial City was fiery hot.
Every day there were all sorts of discussions about this battle.
True Martial Sect disciples were excited and expectant, yet also slightly anxious. True Martial City expanded outward again, but still could not accommodate so many Martial Artists. Some simply built wooden huts in nearby mountains to live, with figures everywhere across the hills and dales. The Exotic Beasts in the surrounding mountain ranges truly suffered.
This was the most influential battle in nearly a century.
Ning Qi was also somewhat affected—not by an unsettled Mind, but by so many people gathered in True Martial City, which made him uneasy, to the point he couldn’t go to the High Heavens to cultivate.
“This guy, dawdling around; hurry up and come already.” Ning Qi couldn’t help muttering a complaint.
Zhuang Chen nearby heard and curiously asked:
“What’s hurrying to come? Ninth Senior Brother, who are you waiting for?”
Ning Qi chuckled.
“No one. How’s your progress with the Innate Sword Body Secret Technique lately?”
Zhuang Chen hurriedly said:
“Already approaching Major Accomplishment! This Secret Technique is truly extremely powerful; paired with my Innate Sword Bone, it’s like adding wings to a tiger!”
Adoration was in his eyes. Regarding the Innate Sword Body Secret Technique, only he knew it was created by Ning Qi himself. The more he cultivated, the more he felt its profundity and vastness, and the more he revered Ning Qi.
Zhuang Chen was perhaps the one among the Senior Brothers, besides Luo Wentian, who most deeply appreciated Ning Qi’s prodigy.
Ning Qi smiled slyly:
“Want to learn an even more powerful Sword Dao Secret Technique?”
His words carried a hint of temptation.
Zhuang Chen’s eyes lit up, but he felt somewhat uneasy, recalling the “refreshing” experience of cooperating with Ning Qi to create the Innate Sword Body back then. Ning Qi did not urge; like Jiang Taigong fishing—the willing bites. Sure enough, merely moments later, Zhuang Chen couldn’t hold back.
He gritted his teeth:
“Senior Brother, tell me, what do I need to do?”
The White Ape nearby showed a look of shared suffering.
Ning Qi chuckled and waved, a manual he had just written yesterday immediately landing in Zhuang Chen’s hands.
“Master this Secret Technique well, until I call you.”
These past days, he had been pondering how to further explore the White Ape bloodline and Innate Sword Bone. After stepping into Heavenly Human Realm, he could resonate with vast Heaven and Earth Power, but could not condense it into his own body, let alone drill into the White Ape or Zhuang Chen.
The greatest advantage of Heavenly Human Realm was powerful Divine Intent, far surpassing before.
Thus, he took a different path.
Inspired by resonating with Heaven and Earth Power, he used resonance to explore bloodlines, which required their cooperation.
This Secret Technique would put Zhuang Chen’s Innate Sword Bone into an activated state, allowing external resonance, making it easier for Ning Qi to explore.
The previous two days.
The same Secret Technique had been given to the White Ape.
Zhuang Chen took the manual, eyes sparkling. He nodded vigorously:
“Senior Brother, I will definitely work hard and strive to master it soon!”
Ning Qi smiled and nodded.
Suddenly, his expression shifted, looking toward the horizon.
A slight smile curved his lips.
It seemed his earlier muttering had worked; the one who should come had finally arrived.
