Chapter 258: Compensation
Ning Qi’s mind raced through many thoughts. Ziyang’s words once again awakened him. Although the plan for the Chu Kingdom Cultivation World had gone very smoothly this time, successfully taking the True Martial Realm coordinates into his hands, it was still not truly safe.
“To achieve a permanent solution, I must take the place of the Mountain Sea Realm!”
“However, the Spirit Realm War is not necessarily a bad thing for me. The two Spirit Realms battling it out will drag on for a long time, with many local battlefields among them. There might be opportunities for me to profit. When two tigers fight, one is bound to get hurt. Perhaps the True Martial Realm can even use this chance to rise rapidly!”
Ning Qi’s gaze flickered slightly, then he gratefully smiled at Ziyang:
“Thank you, Grand Elder, for your guidance. In this Profound True Secret Realm, I will definitely go all out and strive to step into the Void Dao Realm as soon as possible!”
Ziyang stroked his beard and laughed heartily:
“You are teachable, young one. Go on. Although the True Disciple rankings in the Sword Sect pose no difficulty for you now, cultivate diligently. There will be powerful opponents waiting for you later.”
Ning Qi respectfully acknowledged and then left.
……
The entire Boundless Sword Sect was already boiling over.
The events at Wind Thunder Peak spread at an extremely fast speed.
Ning Qi stormed up Wind Thunder Peak and easily suppressed the First True Disciple Ye Chen with a wave of his hand. He even directly confronted a Great Power for the sake of his followers.
Sword Sect Great Powers appeared one after another, and in the end, even the Sect Leader was alarmed.
Countless disciples were dumbfounded.
What followed was astonishment toward Ning Qi.
In just this short time, Ning Qi had grown to this extent. Although the True Disciple rankings had not yet been redefined, in everyone’s eyes, Ning Qi was already the well-deserved First True Disciple!
The many disciples not only marveled at Ning Qi’s terrifying strength but were also fanatical about how Ning Qi protected his junior brothers and junior sisters.
Whether it was confronting a Great Power for their sake or directly sharing the world baptism with his numerous followers, few True Disciples could do this. Especially after witnessing Qin Minghao go from the bottom of the True Disciples to stepping into the ranks of the Top Ten True Disciples in such a short time, this fanaticism was even more intense.
For a moment.
Ning Qi’s prestige soared. Many True Disciple disciples came to join him, wanting to follow Ning Qi.
Five Elements Peak.
Every day, True Disciple disciples came.
Ning Qi sat steadily in the Five Elements Palace, smiling as he watched everything.
When he had just established Five Elements Peak in the past, he would accept any True Disciple who was willing to follow him. But now, with his prestige established and his wings gradually growing, he naturally would not accept just anyone.
Qin Minghao guarded the front peak, screening them one by one.
Only True Disciples with powerful strength and good character were qualified to follow Ning Qi.
Even so, those coming to join were still endless.
However.
Not a single disciple ranked among the Top Ten True Disciples came.
This was normal.
The Top Ten True Disciples were all future Great Power seeds, with pride in their hearts. Even if they felt inferior to Ning Qi, Ye Chen, and the others, they would not easily submit. Previously, Tenth True Disciple He Tian followed Jiang Qingxue because she had shown him kindness, while Ninth True Disciple Wang Ye followed Ye Chen because his profound cultivation method was incomplete.
Inside the Five Elements Palace.
Ning Qi and Jiang Qingxue were tasting tea.
Jiang Qingxue was slightly restrained, completely without the cold demeanor she showed in front of other disciples:
“Senior Brother Ning, this tea is truly wonderful. It can actually allow one to enter the Enlightenment State. Qingxue hasn’t tasted such a marvelous spirit tea in a long time!”
Her words carried some flattery, but not entirely. The wonder of this Enlightenment Tea made her somewhat surprised, her eyes shining with unusual light. In her heart, she gained some understanding of Ning Qi’s foundation. This Immortal Seed seemed to have risen not long ago, but he likely had profound fortune and many precious items.
Ning Qi chuckled lightly, neither confirming nor denying.
Jiang Qingxue stood up and curtsied gracefully:
“Qingxue came today to apologize to Senior Brother Ning. The matter with Jiang Xuan was Qingxue’s fault. Please forgive me, Senior Brother Ning.”
As her words fell.
A mass of yellow light flickered in her palm, then condensed into a earthy yellow small flag patterned with mountains, rivers, and hills. A trace of reluctance flashed in her eyes, then she said:
“This low-grade Spiritual Treasure is called the Thick Earth Trapping Formation Flag. It can both defend against enemies and trap them, containing the Myriad Rivers Earth Trap Great Formation inside. Even a cultivator at the limit of the Nascent Soul Realm cannot easily break free. Please accept it, Senior Brother Ning.”
Some surprise appeared in Ning Qi’s eyes.
This was undoubtedly a good treasure. Even among low-grade Spiritual Treasures, it was top-tier. For Jiang Qingxue to bring it out showed sufficient sincerity, perhaps even with some instruction from Jiang Baichuan.
Jiang Qingxue waved her hand again, and a bottle of pills shimmering with white jade light appeared. She continued:
“This is the Pure Heart Spirit Pill, which can resist inner demons and purify the state of mind. Please accept it, Senior Brother Ning. After entering the Profound True Secret Realm, please take care of me more, Senior Brother Ning. Qingxue is willing to follow only your lead!”
She bowed, her attitude extremely sincere.
Ning Qi gazed at her for a few breaths, then took both items, saying indifferently:
“Fine. We’re all Sword Sect disciples. No next time.”
Strictly speaking, planting disciples wasn’t anything shameful. Among the successive True Disciples of the Boundless Sword Sect, it was even extremely common. After all, the Sect Leader position generally emerged from the top-ranked True Disciples.
Like how Jiang Qingxue and Ye Chen had traitors in each other’s camps—it was something they all knew.
They just hadn’t expected Ning Qi to be such a prodigy.
He couldn’t be judged by common sense at all.
Jiang Qingxue’s expression relaxed:
“Thank you, Senior Brother Ning!”
She was a smart woman and knew that as long as Ning Qi was around, she would inevitably be overshadowed by him. Rather than being enemies, better to turn foes into friends. That way, in the Profound True Secret Realm later, he might even protect her.
After all, the pressure on her was far less than on Ye Chen. The previous generation’s Sect Leader came from the Jiang Family. Even if this generation’s Sect Leader position wasn’t in the Jiang Family, it wasn’t a big deal.
The two chatted casually.
Jiang Qingxue spoke of various insights, which actually benefited Ning Qi quite a bit. After all, he had only been reincarnated in the Mountain Sea Realm for a few decades, unlike heavenly prides like Jiang Qingxue who had walked step by step, experienced life and death, and left footprints all over the Northern Xuan Region.
Qin Minghao’s respectful voice sounded from outside the hall:
“Senior Brother Ning, Wang Ye requests an audience!”
Ning Qi’s brow twitched, while Jiang Qingxue looked surprised. After all, Wang Ye was Ye Chen’s follower.
Suddenly, she thought of something, and her pupils shrank.
Ning Qi said calmly:
“Let him in.”
Moments later.
The hall door slowly opened, and two figures appeared before Ning Qi and Jiang Qingxue. Seeing Jiang Qingxue there too, Wang Ye was visibly stunned, then returned to normal and respectfully cupped his fists:
“Wang Ye pays respects to Senior Brother Ning and Senior Sister Jiang!”
Ning Qi withdrew his gaze and casually sipped his tea:
“Ye Chen’s man dares to come to my Five Elements Peak? You’ve got some guts.”
An intangible sense of oppression filled the hall. Even Jiang Qingxue felt a bit startled. When Ning Qi smiled peacefully, he was like a spring breeze, just like a mortal without cultivation. But when he revealed even a hint, it was like a slumbering giant beast cracking open an eyelid.
Cold sweat broke out on Wang Ye in an instant. He dropped to one knee and said solemnly:
“Wang Ye has come to follow Senior Brother Ning. Please take me in, Senior Brother Ning!”
Jiang Qingxue’s eyes showed an “as expected” look, with some envy in her heart. Back then, she had gone to great lengths to get Tenth True Disciple He Tian under her wing. Now Wang Ye was delivering himself to the door. Ning Qi wasn’t too surprised; his expression remained calm.
“You’re Ye Chen’s man. Why follow me out of the blue?”
A flash of anger appeared in Wang Ye’s eyes.
This anger wasn’t directed at Ning Qi, but at Ye Chen and the Ye Family.
Ever since that day when Ye Chen was miserably defeated, the Ye Family people had somewhat vented their anger on him, feeling that he, the Ninth True Disciple, couldn’t even beat a Qin Minghao. Otherwise, how could Ye Chen lose face like that.
Originally, Wang Ye had treated these voices as mere wind past his ears.
But after Ye Chen reappeared, he surprisingly held the same view, treating him with extreme coldness. Not only that, he even threw to the back of his mind the matter of the subsequent cultivation method for the Three Heads Six Arms Soldier Fiend Body that he had promised earlier.
Later, he accidentally learned from a Ye Family disciple that the Ye Family didn’t even know where the complete Three Heads Six Arms Soldier Fiend Body was. Back then, Ye Chen only knew some vague clues.
Upon learning he had been deceived and his years of hope dashed, Wang Ye flew into a rage.
After injuring several Wind Thunder Peak disciples, he decided to defect to Ning Qi. After all, from Qin Minghao’s treatment, it was clear Ning Qi treated his junior brothers and sisters completely differently from Ye Chen.
Wang Ye slowly recounted these events one by one, finally taking a deep breath and saying:
“Please take me in, Senior Brother Ning!”
Calm now, he knew Ning Qi was probably his only way out. Otherwise, with Ye Chen’s strength and the Ye Family’s foundation, his future days would be tough.
The hall fell silent.
Jiang Qingxue suddenly understood, not surprised. She had competed with Ye Chen for years; this was exactly the kind of thing Ye Chen would do.
Ning Qi’s expression still showed no change:
“How do I know you’re not a spy sent by Ye Chen?”
Wang Ye’s heart sank:
“I can prove it to Senior Brother Ning!”
Before Ning Qi could speak, a thunderous roar came from outside Five Elements Peak:
“Wang Ye, get out here!”
It was Ye Chen.
After Wang Ye injured several Wind Thunder Peak disciples, someone immediately notified him. By the time he arrived in pursuit, he found Wang Ye had stepped onto Five Elements Peak. His rage surged exponentially. These days, Ning Qi’s prestige had risen so high, and his mood was just as bad.
Wang Ye’s face paled, then firmed with resolve.
Within the Sword Sect, Ye Chen absolutely wouldn’t dare kill him openly. At worst, he’d be humiliated, and he’d have to be extremely careful when going out later.
He took a deep breath, lowered his head in salute, and was about to go out when Ning Qi’s indifferent voice came from behind:
“How do you want to prove it to me?”
Wang Ye’s body stiffened. Hearing that “Wang Ye, get out here” in his ear, a fierce glint rose in his eyes:
“Senior Brother Ning, just hold off Ye Chen for me!”
A hint of amusement appeared in Ning Qi’s eyes, and he smiled:
“Good.”
A trace of sympathy flashed in Jiang Qingxue’s heart. This poor Ye Chen was probably going to get rubbed into the ground again today. At the same time, she felt fortunate she hadn’t been the one to stick her neck out.
Outside Five Elements Peak.
Ye Chen looked grimly at Five Elements Peak ahead, about to continue cursing, when his pupils shrank. He saw Wang Ye standing beside that nightmare-like figure.
The anger in his heart exploded. His knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists.
The many Wind Thunder Peak disciples behind him began jeering:
“Wang Ye, shameless traitor!”
“Senior Brother Ye has been so kind to you, yet you don’t repay it. What a villain!”
“I even called you brother before. It’s my shame. Pfft!”
“Hurry up and kneel and apologize to Senior Brother Ye!”
Relying on Ye Chen’s backing, they cursed at Wang Ye, this Ninth True Disciple. After all, Wang Ye had once been the number two figure on Wind Thunder Peak. Now kicking him while he was down perhaps carried a sense of superiority in dragging him completely under.
Wang Ye’s gaze grew increasingly fierce. Suddenly, he grinned, revealing white teeth, and charged ferociously at the Wind Thunder Peak disciples.
In a breath, a hundred-zhang giant with three heads and six arms appeared in the void, gripping ferocious weapons, fiend aura astonishing, its roar echoing through the heavens:
“To hell with your kindness! Get lost!!”
This roar vented all the pent-up frustration of years acting like a dog.
Wang Ye was ferocious, his aura soaring like a rainbow, like a tiger entering a flock of sheep. The Wind Thunder Peak disciples’ expressions changed. Ye Chen sneered, about to act to suppress him, when a casual voice froze him in place:
“Try making a move?”
Ye Chen slowly turned his neck, teeth nearly grinding to bits:
“Ning Qi! My Wind Thunder Peak’s internal affairs are none of your business?!”
Ning Qi’s expression unchanged:
“From now on, Wang Ye is a man of my Five Elements Peak.”
Wang Ye laughed to the heavens and charged wildly. One punch shattered the void, sending a True Disciple flying back with a collapsed chest cavity. He wouldn’t die, but heavy injury was inevitable. This was Sword Sect rules: disciples could fight, could draw blood, but not kill or cripple cultivation.
Ye Chen’s eyes bloodshot, he finally couldn’t hold back and acted.
But immediately, streams of five-colored Sword Qi surrounded him completely. Ning Qi didn’t bother suppressing him directly, just letting Ye Chen watch like this.
Jiang Qingxue inwardly clicked her tongue, a trace of reverence rising toward Ning Qi. This was even more tormenting for Ye Chen than direct suppression, watching helplessly, the feeling of powerlessness enough to devour everything.
Ye Chen roared shrilly, charging at his surroundings with all his might, but it was futile.
Before Ning Qi, he couldn’t break free at all.
Wang Ye laughed madly, as if venting all his years of frustration. He powerfully suppressed the many Wind Thunder Peak True Disciples, roaring:
“I’ve long been displeased with you bunch of trash!”
If not for the Three Heads Six Arms Soldier Fiend Body, why would he associate with these people.
He was after all the Ninth True Disciple. Except for the few ahead, the rest only qualified to be easily suppressed by him. The few True Disciples who had shouted loudly earlier all suffered, receiving special treatment, their spirit bones broken one by one, Nascent Souls smashed dizzy.
This brutal scene made onlookers secretly shudder.
Only until not a single Wind Thunder Peak disciple remained intact did Wang Ye stop. He exhaled long, feeling utterly comfortable. He returned to normal size and respectfully landed before Ning Qi:
“Senior Brother Ning, this is my sincerity!”
Ning Qi chuckled lightly and nodded.
Ye Chen’s ghostly eyes glared at the two:
“Good! Very good! Ning Qi, you’re great!”
Ning Qi shot him a glance like a Divine Sword piercing the air, and Ye Chen’s breath hitched.
“Scram!” A single indifferent word expressed Ning Qi’s attitude.
Looking at that calm figure from start to finish, the crowd felt utmost reverence.
Ye Chen gritted his teeth, waved his hand, and led his numerous injured Wind Thunder Peak disciples away in disarray.
