Chapter 10: Hope For Revival
As Dragon Mountain Daoist slowly explained, countless spiritual insights instantly surged in Ning Qi’s mind. One thought leading to a hundred realizations was nothing more than this. Not only that, the insights he had pondered on his own earlier also merged into it at this moment.
Only after coming into contact with the Martial Way did he realize exactly what it was, and the difficulty within was far simpler compared to creating it out of thin air.
But this was only for Ning Qi.
For example, Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi at this moment had looks of astonishment and reverence in their eyes.
They mainly practiced one stance, and had some involvement with the others, but were far from as proficient as in their main stance technique. Only a top-tier master like Dragon Mountain Daoist, who was close to the Heavenly Human Realm, could oversee from a high vantage and demonstrate the essence of the other stance techniques.
“Master is not far from the Heavenly Human Realm.”
Both disciples felt adoration in their hearts.
Dragon Mountain Daoist slowly stopped his steps and rarely said seriously:
“Ning Qi, did you understand?”
Ning Qi respectfully nodded:
“Disciple understands.”
Dragon Mountain Daoist remained expressionless and stepped to the side.
“You try it.”
Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi exchanged a glance, both seeing the playful smile in each other’s eyes. Back when they first came into contact with the stance technique, they were also full of confidence, feeling like they had completely understood it.
But stance techniques specialized in curing the arrogance of prodigies.
Even a low-grade stance technique required coordination with a breathing technique, with subtle intricacies in every move and form. Simply imitating the actions had no effect at all, let alone a superior stance technique like the True Martial Nine Stances, which even required gradually comprehending the stance technique’s divine intent.
Back then, which of them fellow disciples hadn’t had their arrogance polished by Master in this way? Even the most prodigious Qin Yun had only performed a bit better.
They knew that this was their Master wanting to temper their little Junior Brother’s temperament, to make him understand that practicing martial arts was not an easy matter.
“Although Little Junior Brother has always been clever, in front of a superior stance technique, he still has to bow.”
There was a good show to watch.
Ning Qi naturally did not know that Dragon Mountain Daoist had this intention.
He recalled in his mind Dragon Mountain Daoist’s every action from before, and his comprehension deepened by another level.
“Please give pointers, Master.”
As Ning Qi’s words fell, he spread his legs apart, and his aura changed.
Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi had not yet noticed, but Dragon Mountain Daoist’s eyes were already shaken, somewhat astonished and uncertain.
“This is… rising momentum?!”
He had deliberately not mentioned this key point earlier, but he hadn’t expected Ning Qi to comprehend it on his own?
Before he could think further.
Ning Qi had already begun to move.
He exhaled with a shout, his expression solemn, starting from the first form ‘Bi An Sitting on the Mountain’. Although there was still some stiffness, there was not the slightest error, from outside to inside, all of it.
Bi An resembled a tiger, but was even more majestic and fierce.
At this moment, Ning Qi was like a young Bi An, roaming freely.
After the training ground, the sound of wind stirred by fists and feet faintly rose. White mist began to rise from Ning Qi’s body—that was sweat evaporating. His skin flushed red like a big shrimp, the exposed skin membrane bulging and pulsing, clearly beginning to temper.
This was the first hurdle, Skin Refining.
Dragon Mountain Daoist had not yet explained how to use the stance technique to temper the various parts of the body, but Ning Qi had already comprehended it on his own.
He knew that the first hurdle was Skin Refining, so he mobilized the ‘qi’ brought by the stance technique to surge back and forth between the skin membranes. For him, this was very simple, because the Innate Fetal Breathing Technique and Innate Bone Nourishing Technique before had experience in circulating ‘qi’.
Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi widened their eyes, their faces full of shock.
Originally, the two had been holding their arms, preparing to watch Little Junior Brother’s ‘good show’.
But they hadn’t expected.
It really was a good show!
The two were dumbfounded.
To complete the stance technique perfectly after just a few rounds, and then begin Skin Refining—what kind of prodigy was this!
Back then, when it was them… never mind, better not to say it.
Compared to Ning Qi, they felt their own genius was worthless.
If not for knowing their Master’s character, they would even suspect if Master had given Little Junior Brother some special training in advance.
The two stole glances at Dragon Mountain Daoist.
Dragon Mountain Daoist’s face was still expressionless, but Luo Wentian, who knew him well, knew that Master’s heart was probably not calm either—hadn’t those whiskers trembled slightly?
In fact.
Dragon Mountain Daoist’s heart was indeed not calm.
He himself was a prodigy, and the disciples he took were also prodigies. Having lived over eighty years, what kind of prodigies had he not seen?
But one as exaggerated as Ning Qi was a first.
Just by watching him demonstrate the stance technique a few times, he had fully grasped all the key hurdles and essentials, even using several points he had deliberately not pointed out. Now he had even begun Skin Refining as if comprehending it on his own.
What was this if not a prodigy?
A thought suddenly rose in Dragon Mountain Daoist’s mind: if this little disciple of his had obtained the True Martial Inheritance back then, he would probably have reached the Heavenly Human Realm eighty years ago, or even… had a chance to reach the Martial Saint Realm!
An intense heat surged in his heart.
He hadn’t expected that this little disciple he had taken in by chance back then would bring him such a big surprise.
The three master and disciples were all shocked.
But Ning Qi was completely immersed in his own world.
Every time he completed the Bi An Stance, there was gain. Countless spiritual insights flashed in his mind, making him unable to stop. Practicing it himself was far more profound than just observing before.
“This is the world of the Martial Way, tempering the skin membrane?”
He could feel the changes in his body.
At the same time, he marveled at the wisdom of his predecessors. Generations of effort finally summed up such a martial method, elevating human strength to an inconceivable realm. If it were him, it would probably take several years to create such a martial way.
It was better to stand on the shoulders of predecessors; no need to waste time in such places.
Having comprehended it, he knew that to make his body keep up, he also needed to practice.
Fortunately, the foundation laid by the Innate Bone Nourishing Technique was extremely solid.
The first round was still somewhat stiff.
The second round was already extremely proficient.
The third round was already flowing like clouds and water.
After two more rounds, he had even begun to touch the Bi An Divine Intent.
The three of Dragon Mountain Daoist had completely fallen silent, their breathing subconsciously slowing, stunned like wooden chickens.
Ning Qi practiced freely and happily, but still sensibly stopped.
He was afraid his performance would scare Master and the two Senior Brothers. He felt that if he practiced a few more rounds, comprehending the Bi An Divine Intent would not be a problem, but it was better to practice privately. Although he didn’t know others’ progress, he was very confident in himself.
“Master.”
Ning Qi stopped and respectfully awaited pointers.
Dragon Mountain Daoist’s body shook, and a smile slowly squeezed onto his face:
“Not bad, a bit stronger than your several useless Senior Brothers and Senior Sister.”
Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi staggered, shamefully covering their faces.
They truly could not bear these words.
Dragon Mountain Daoist intended to pick some faults, but upon reflection, he couldn’t find any issues at all, and his teeth ached involuntarily. Having a disciple who was too much of a prodigy wasn’t good either.
He could only start from Ning Qi’s knowledge blind spots.
“Um… In the future, practice the stance technique diligently and begin Body Tempering. Right, after Body Tempering, coordinate with medicinal baths to accelerate body metamorphosis. Persist diligently every day, but don’t overexert, lest you overdraw your Origin.”
“Disciple will remember.”
Ning Qi respectfully saluted.
Dragon Mountain Daoist slowly nodded, already beginning to anticipate in his heart how long it would take his little disciple to complete Body Tempering.
Perhaps there was hope within five years!
Ning Qi would only be eight then.
An eight-year-old in the Inner Yuan Realm—just thinking about it made Dragon Mountain Daoist feel somewhat dreamlike. Ordinary people only began Body Tempering at eight.
True Martial Sect, revival was hopeful!
