Chapter 18: Long In The Cage
True Martial Mountain is located at the border between Qingzhou and Yunzhou, like a sharp sword thrusting straight into the clouds.
Back then, after Dragon Mountain Daoist chose this place to rebuild True Martial Sect, he even cleared the mountain thoroughly. Although some wild beasts remained, they posed no great threat and could serve as a means for the disciples under the sect to gain experience.
But today, Ning Qi was heading to the mountain range even more peripheral to True Martial Mountain, where it was somewhat more dangerous.
In this world, there are powerful beasts known as exotic beasts, among which the strongest can even rival Heavenly Human Experts, capable of moving mountains and summoning rain, and can be called Beast Kings.
Although outside True Martial Mountain there were none so exaggerated, for insurance, it was still better to have a master accompanying him.
The two leaped through the mountain forest.
A strange light appeared in Ye Qinghe’s eyes.
She only felt that her little junior brother had swift and elegant movement technique, unexpectedly able to keep up with her completely, and without losing any grace. Although it was partly because she hadn’t gone all out, this was still astonishing enough.
“Little Nine, Master the old senior must have given you special training again!” Ye Qinghe pouted.
Ning Qi smiled faintly:
“I created it myself. If you want to learn, I can teach you.”
Ye Qinghe chuckled, taking it as Ning Qi joking.
The two stopped at the edge of a cliff.
The cliff was bottomlessly deep, with clouds and mist rising, sunlight piercing through, shimmering with rainbow colors.
Ning Qi’s eyes lit up. Under Ye Qinghe’s astonished gaze, he slowly sat cross-legged, then gazed at the rolling and unfolding clouds, entering a trance.
“Clouds have no form, no shape, gathering with the wind, dispersing with the wind…”
Ye Qinghe watched from the side, puzzled in her heart. She imitated Ning Qi’s posture to gaze at the clouds in a trance, but no matter what, she felt they were just ordinary clouds and mist—beautiful, but nothing more.
She wanted to ask, but was afraid of disturbing Ning Qi.
A long time passed.
Ning Qi’s body shook, and he slowly stood up, a spiritual insight seeming to flicker in his eyes.
Ye Qinghe hurriedly asked:
“Little Nine, what are you doing?”
“Watching the clouds.”
“The clouds at the cliff edge of True Martial Mountain are much more beautiful than these. Why come here to look?”
“There are similarities, and differences.”
“How do I see them all as just clouds? What’s different?”
“Your comprehension is not enough.”
Ye Qinghe was instantly exasperated.
Sometimes her little junior brother really knew how to annoy people, but there was no way to refute it.
Watching Ning Qi leave into the distance, she hurriedly caught up.
But soon, she saw Ning Qi sit down again in front of a strange rock.
The stone was several people tall and seemed to take a humanoid shape.
“What is this now?” She smiled bitterly in her heart.
Moments later, Ning Qi stood up again, with even more spiritual insight in his mind.
This time, Ye Qinghe didn’t ask anymore. Her little junior brother had always been unique.
She just chatted idly with Ning Qi about other things.
Next.
Ning Qi would occasionally stop to observe something.
Sometimes the clouds between cliffs, sometimes strangely shaped rocks, sometimes dew on roots and stems, sometimes the wind among the mountains, even a single leaf, a clod of mud…
Things that seemed utterly ordinary to Ye Qinghe, Ning Qi would stop to look at, even sitting cross-legged in a trance.
This left her only able to press her forehead and smile bitterly.
Couldn’t understand it—the world of a prodigy was simply incomprehensible.
She knew Ning Qi definitely wasn’t doing something meaningless.
And indeed, Ning Qi had gained much.
Long confined in a cage, now returned to nature.
The things here were not much different from those on True Martial Mountain, but the key lay in the state of mind. The change in environment gave Ning Qi different sensations.
He felt coming out this time was right.
That supreme stance technique was almost fully formed in his mind.
“Little Nine, how about we go see something a bit more interesting?”
After Ning Qi came back to his senses, Ye Qinghe asked softly.
Although she felt Ning Qi was comprehending something, she was also somewhat worried if her little junior brother had stayed alone too long and developed some issue.
Ning Qi came back to his senses and, seeing Ye Qinghe bored half to death, smiled:
“Sure!”
Moments later.
Pushing aside the bushes, two pairs of eyes peeked slyly. What they saw were two black snakes entwined crazily—not fighting, but even more intense.
Ye Qinghe had black lines all over her forehead.
“Little Nine, you find this interesting?”
“Of course it’s interesting. The origin of life lies right here.”
Ning Qi said solemnly, staring intently, entering a trance once more.
Ye Qinghe was helpless.
But it was still more interesting than watching rocks and such. She muttered occasionally, as if remotely controlling the two snakes from afar.
Moments later, Ning Qi left contentedly, and the two slipped away silently.
Then.
Ning Qi seemed to have a vendetta against beasts.
Ye Qinghe led him shuttling through the mountain forest.
Constantly observing various fierce beasts and even exotic beasts up close.
Tiger roaring in the mountain forest.
Eagle striking a rabbit.
Ants relocating their nest.
Wolf pack encircling a hunt.
…
All such things, Ning Qi watched with great enthusiasm.
Of course, watching so up close inevitably led to mishaps.
For instance, they once encountered a blood-horned wolf exotic beast with the strength to combat an Inner Yuan Realm martial artist. If Ning Qi had met it alone, he would probably have had to temporarily withdraw his sharpness.
They also encountered a few slightly weaker exotic beasts.
Fortunately, there was Ye Qinghe.
She easily suppressed them.
Ye Qinghe was mentally exhausted, but seeing the smile rippling on Ning Qi’s little face, her resentment vanished. She just roughly rubbed Ning Qi’s cheeks, nearly kissing him—actually, she had kissed him when he was a baby, but after Ning Qi gained mobility, he firmly refused.
This made Ye Qinghe sigh inwardly.
Her little junior brother had grown up so fast.
Unknowingly.
The sun was already setting in the sky.
Ning Qi looked up, full of vigor.
In contrast, Ye Qinghe looked utterly drained.
It was just too boring!
If not for a sip of wine to sustain her, she might have already collapsed.
Ning Qi smiled:
“Senior Sister, let’s head back.”
Today’s goal was achieved, with huge gains.
He was confident that within three days, this supreme stance technique would be complete.
He just needed to sort it out after returning home.
“Seems like in the future, when there’s a chance, I should go out more to see the natural world of heaven and earth, to see the vast mortal dust.”
Ye Qinghe’s eyes lit up. She flipped up and pulled Ning Qi along.
Ning Qi couldn’t help shaking his head with a smile, casually painting her a pie in the sky.
“Senior Sister, rest assured. Once your junior brother becomes invincible in the world, I’ll gather the world’s finest wine for you!”
Ye Qinghe laughed delightedly:
“Then Senior Sister will hold you to that!”
Immediately.
She paused slightly, her mouth curving up gradually, eyes sparkling.
“The world’s number one senior sister can wait, but how about giving Senior Sister a gourd of monkey wine first.”
Ning Qi also perceived the disturbance ahead.
That distinctive howl unmistakably indicated the identity of the newcomer—gibbon.
The gibbon had flexible arms, and the monkey wine it brewed had a unique flavor. At the thought, Ye Qinghe’s mouth glistened.
The two stopped.
Both stunned.
Pushing aside the dense forest leaves, instead of the expected gibbon, a snow-white ape appeared all over. That white ape was only a head taller than Ning Qi, with long arms. Upon seeing the two, a human-like panic appeared in its eyes.
Astonishment appeared in Ning Qi’s eyes.
Next.
Several black-furred gibbons charged out of the dense forest, their gazes fierce. They bared their teeth repeatedly at the white ape. Upon seeing Ning Qi and the other, they showed no restraint, snarling with fully exposed ferocity.
Ye Qinghe crossed her arms, withdrawing her gaze from the white ape, lazily looking at Ning Qi:
“Little Nine, Senior Sister is tired. How about you go teach these little monkeys a lesson?”
