Chapter 15: Protecting The Daoist
After obtaining the True Martial Inheritance all these years, he had also tried during that time, but no matter how he racked his brains, it was all in vain. He thought that perhaps after promoting to Heavenly Human, there might be a sliver of hope, but it was most likely to end without result. Maybe only a Martial Saint could achieve it.
But he hadn’t expected it.
After he went into closed-door cultivation for a month, this True Martial Stance actually appeared before him in this way.
When he saw Ning Qi practicing this stance technique earlier, Dragon Mountain Daoist’s first reaction was that a Peerless Expert left behind by the True Martial Sect had arrived, which led to his previous questioning.
But now he knew that it was actually created by his little disciple himself.
He looked at the secret manual in his hand.
Gradually immersing himself in it.
“So that’s how it is!”
“Wonderful!”
“A stroke of genius!”
He sat on the stone bench nearby, occasionally slapping his leg.
Doing the questions with the answers was indeed fast.
After all, he was a top-tier expert of the Core Elixir Realm, and he was extremely familiar with the True Martial Nine Stances. He had even attempted to deduce them multiple times before, with a few vague directions. Now seeing this stance technique secret manual, he could naturally immediately see the ingenuity within it.
Such ingenious ideas left him in awe.
Finally.
Dragon Mountain Daoist let out a long sigh and closed the secret manual. His gaze turned slightly complex as he looked at Ning Qi.
Originally, he thought that if Ning Qi followed his plan, there was a great probability of achieving Martial Saint in the future.
But now he felt.
Ning Qi becoming a Martial Saint in the future was already a done deal, and even stepping beyond Martial Saint wouldn’t be unusual.
Such comprehension was simply too heaven-defying!
He could no longer speculate on Ning Qi’s upper limit.
At this moment.
Dragon Mountain Daoist recalled the day Ning Qi asked about longevity.
A phrase suddenly surged into his mind.
How could a sparrow know the ambition of a swan?
He couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
“As Master said, this stance technique should be named True Martial Stance?”
Ning Qi’s curious inquiry pulled Dragon Mountain Daoist’s thoughts back.
He smiled and patted the stone bench beside him. After Ning Qi sat down, he continued:
“Little Nine, do you still remember Master telling you that the stance techniques of the world are divided into upper, middle, and lower three grades?”
“Disciple remembers.”
“But now Master tells you that besides these upper, middle, and lower three grades of stance techniques, there is actually another extremely rare type that is unknown to most, called Peerless Stance Technique!”
“Looking across the world, the forces possessing Peerless Stance Techniques can be counted on one hand. At least, as far as Master knows, there are only two places that definitely have them: the Great Yan imperial family has one, and the Demonic Sect has one. The others, like Great Awakening Temple, Sword Asking Pavilion, and such sects, have at most Half-step Peerless.”
Hearing Dragon Mountain Daoist begin to speak of the secrets between the world’s powers, Ning Qi’s eyes lit up at once.
“And our True Martial Sect also had one Peerless Stance Technique in its former heyday.”
Seeing Ning Qi’s bright eyes, a smile appeared on Dragon Mountain Daoist’s face:
“That’s right, it’s the True Martial Stance!”
“The True Martial Nine Stances that Master taught you all were actually derived from the True Martial Stance. This is the general outline, and it is also peerless. Practitioners can forge a Peerless Foundation, with greater hope of reaching the pinnacle of Martial Saint. Unfortunately, when Master obtained the True Martial Inheritance back then, there were only the True Martial Nine Stances, without the general outline, which he has always regretted.”
“But unexpectedly, you comprehended it.”
“Perhaps, this is Heaven’s Will.”
Dragon Mountain Daoist smiled and stroked Ning Qi’s head.
“Master, do you mean that the True Dragon Stance I created is the True Martial Stance?”
“That’s right. The True Martial Inheritance has a description: the True Martial Stance can obtain True Dragon Divine Intent. The stance technique you created may not be completely identical to the True Martial Stance, but it is absolutely not much different. However, since this stance technique was created by you, it will henceforth be called the True Dragon Stance.”
“Speaking of which, Master actually feels that the name True Dragon Stance is even more fitting. Just as the Bi An Stance can obtain Bi An Divine Intent, since it obtains True Dragon Divine Intent, it should naturally be called True Dragon Stance.”
Dragon Mountain Daoist respected Ning Qi very much.
He chuckled, in a very good mood.
Ning Qi also smiled. He had resolved the question in his heart and now knew that there was indeed a more powerful stance technique above the True Martial Nine Stances. It was just a pity that his master didn’t have it, so he couldn’t compare them.
Hearing Dragon Mountain Daoist’s words, Ning Qi shook his head:
“Since it was anciently called True Martial Stance, then from now on it is True Martial Stance. Master, you keep it well. In the future, if there are suitable junior brothers or junior sisters, you can pass it to them.”
As for those senior brothers and senior sisters, they had all already stepped into the Inner Yuan Realm and couldn’t retrain.
Ning Qi didn’t care what this stance technique was called; it was a small matter.
Dragon Mountain Daoist looked at Ning Qi and laughed heartily.
The name was indeed a small matter, but from it he saw Ning Qi’s mind.
He didn’t take the secret manual, but only said:
“This True Martial Stance can only be passed to your disciples and grand-disciples to practice.”
Ning Qi said in surprise:
“Why?”
Dragon Mountain Daoist’s gaze was distant:
“Do you still remember Master saying that the True Martial Nine Sons could rival a Martial Saint?”
“Disciple remembers.”
“Actually, in the former True Martial Sect, besides the True Martial Nine Sons, there was an even more powerful secret existence: the True Martial Protector of the Way! Protector of the Way, Protector of the Way—not to escort any one person, but to protect the True Martial Inheritance!”
“The Protector of the Way practices the True Martial Stance. Although the Peerless Stance Technique is powerful, its requirements are also high. Each generation has only one, almost always a Martial Saint!”
Ning Qi was somewhat surprised.
“So that means, in the True Martial Sect’s heyday, weren’t there two Martial Saint-level combat powers?”
“That’s right!”
“Such a powerful True Martial Sect, how did it vanish into the river of history?”
Ning Qi was somewhat puzzled. He now knew that achieving Martial Saint was not easy. Looking through ancient history, some eras even had only one Martial Saint suppressing the world. Even in eras when the Martial Way flourished, there probably wouldn’t exceed the fingers on two hands.
Logically speaking, with such foundation, the True Martial Sect should have continued indefinitely, right?
Dragon Mountain Daoist shook his head slightly:
“Perhaps internal strife, perhaps some accident—the truth is already unknown to anyone. The inheritance Master obtained back then made no mention of it.”
Ning Qi suppressed his inner guesses, then heard Dragon Mountain Daoist’s expression gradually turn solemn:
“Ning Qi, are you willing to be this generation’s Protector of the Way for the True Martial Sect?”
There was some expectation in Dragon Mountain Daoist’s eyes.
Originally without the True Martial Stance, he had naturally never thought of the Protector of the Way matter. But now, was there anyone more suitable than Ning Qi?
As long as Ning Qi grew up, the True Martial Sect would have no worries for a generation.
At this moment, Ning Qi immediately understood why Dragon Mountain Daoist said the True Martial Stance could only be practiced by later disciples and grand-disciples.
He had already had this idea.
Ning Qi didn’t hesitate.
He stood up, his expression solemn.
“Disciple is willing!”
One must be grateful. Dragon Mountain Daoist had saved his life, protected him thoroughly, and taught him meticulously. All the senior brothers and senior sisters doted on him immensely. Even without being some Protector of the Way, he absolutely wouldn’t stand by if something happened to the True Martial Sect.
This wasn’t a conflicting matter to begin with; now it just had a more legitimate identity.
Dragon Mountain Daoist laughed loudly.
“Good! Very good!”
“Little Nine, keep this secret manual yourself. If in the future you meet a suitable candidate for Protector of the Way, pass it to him. As for the others, no need to tell them.”
“Yes, disciple will remember.”
Master and disciple smiled at each other.
