Chapter 5: Innate Bone-nurturing Technique
In his previous life, Ning Qi suffered from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and died in despair.
In this life, he was thrust into crisis right from birth, and upon learning that he had already endured suffering across Hundred Lifetimes, this gave him an obsession with staying alive.
He loathed death.
He wanted to live, to achieve Longevity and Immortality.
As Ning Qi’s words fell, Dragon Mountain Daoist was slightly stunned, while Jiang Baishan was even more astonished.
Dragon Mountain Daoist furrowed his brows slightly. He had wanted to rebuke Ning Qi for being overly ambitious, but after seeing the astonishing longing in the eyes of this half-year-old infant, he fell somewhat silent and swallowed the reprimand that had reached his lips.
Jiang Baishan said:
“Little Nine, there is no Longevity Technique in this world…”
But before he could finish, Dragon Mountain Daoist waved his hand to interrupt.
His expression was extremely solemn as he gazed fixedly at Ning Qi.
Ning Qi showed no sign of retreat whatsoever. This was his goal, and it would never change.
A long time passed.
Dragon Mountain Daoist gazed at Ning Qi and slowly said:
“The beginning of the Martial Way: Skin Refining, Muscle Refining, Tendon Refining, Bone Refining, Organ Refining, Marrow Refining, Blood Refining, Spirit Refining—these are the Eight Body Tempering Realms. If achieved to Body Tempering Perfection, without flaw or deficiency, then one’s qi and blood will not cease, free from all illnesses. At this realm, lifespan reaches the mortal limit of two Jiazi.”
Ning Qi’s eyes brightened, but he remained unmoved.
Two Jiazi was too little.
“Body Tempering Perfection, comprehending Inner Strength, leads to the Inner Yuan Realm. With Inner Yuan added to the body, every gesture wields immense power, lifespan two hundred years!”
Ning Qi remained unmoved.
Two hundred years was still not enough.
Dragon Mountain Daoist withdrew his gaze and turned toward the myriad green mountains beyond Mingwu Pavilion.
“Nine Stacks Inner Strength forming Gang leads to the Gang Yuan Realm. Gang Yuan bursts forth from the body, its power unmatched, lifespan four hundred years!”
“Gang Yuan undergoes the three realms of White Mist, Jade Liquid, and Core Elixir, with Divine Intent greatly enhanced, allowing resonance with Heaven and Earth, achieving Unity of Heaven and Man. Cleaving rivers and shattering mountains becomes commonplace—this is the Heavenly Human Realm, lifespan eight hundred years!”
At this point.
A faint, imperceptible yearning appeared in Dragon Mountain Daoist’s words as well.
He was only half a step from the Heavenly Human Realm, but that half-step was as difficult as ascending to heaven. All below Heavenly Human were ants. Fortunately, his aptitude was unparalleled, and he would surely reach it in a few years. Otherwise, he would not have obtained the True Martial Inheritance back then.
Eight hundred years!
In his previous life’s legends, there was a long-lived figure named Peng Zu who lived eight hundred years. With such an enduring lifespan, one could watch dozens of mortal generations pass—indistinguishable from immortals to mortals.
Ning Qi gained a deeper understanding of the wonders of this world.
He felt a slight anticipation but still slowly shook his head.
Eight hundred years was long, but compared to Longevity and Immortality, it was merely the time to close one’s eyes and sleep.
“Master, are there even longer-lived beings above Heavenly Human?”
Jiang Baishan held his breath listening to the master-disciple conversation, feeling that this ninth junior brother was truly extraordinary. The Heavenly Human Realm was already the world’s supreme expert level, enough for countless people to exhaust their lives pursuing, yet he was still not satisfied?
The astonishment in his eyes grew even stronger.
Perhaps this was not the ravings of a child. A person’s achievements were inseparably linked to their aspirations. At the very least, he had never considered such a question. Thinking this way, he actually felt a trace of respect for this little junior brother.
Dragon Mountain Daoist answered a different question:
“What do you think of these green mountains?”
Ning Qi followed his gaze. The continuous mountains were majestic and grand, making one feel insignificant. He subconsciously remarked:
“Born of heaven and earth, unmoving for ten thousand years.”
Dragon Mountain Daoist spoke earnestly:
“Unmoving for ten thousand years does not mean they cannot be moved. Even mountains are this way, with no day of eternal existence—how much more so for humans? How could one achieve Longevity and Immortality?”
“A person’s life is not about how long they live, but what they accomplish.”
Having great aspirations was good, but he worried his disciple might harbor vain and ethereal obsessions, leading him astray.
Ning Qi fell slightly silent, hearing the admonition in Dragon Mountain Daoist’s words.
For an ordinary person, such extraordinary thoughts would indeed be daring, but he possessed Max Level Comprehension, so Longevity and Immortality was no delusion.
Ning Qi respectfully kowtowed and solemnly said:
“Please guide me, Master!”
Dragon Mountain Daoist helped Ning Qi up and lightly sighed:
“Foolish child.”
At merely half a year old, with such intellect, he could not be judged by ordinary standards.
His voice was distant as he said:
“Above Heavenly Human is named Martial Saint. If a Martial Saint emerges, they are invincible in the world. As for lifespan, it is said Martial Saints can live several thousand years, but no one has ever seen one. Some say they have perhaps broken the world’s limits and gone to another realm.”
“As for above Martial Saint, even as your master, I do not know. Perhaps those at the higher peaks of the Martial Way can achieve ten thousand years of immortality. All is unknown; only those who reach Martial Saint will know.”
“If you aspire to Longevity, ascending to the highest peak of the Martial Way might let you see a different scenery.”
Dragon Mountain Daoist decided to guide him; this might not be a bad thing.
He smiled at Ning Qi before him.
Ning Qi’s eyes brightened.
Martial Saint, invincible in the world, living thousands of years?
Though far from what he expected, it was not bad. Once he achieved Martial Saint in the future, he would naturally have more time to pursue the true path to Longevity.
One must eat rice one bite at a time.
Achieving it all at once was unrealistic.
“First set a small goal: become a Martial Saint!”
Ning Qi resolved inwardly.
If it turned out the Martial Way could not grant Longevity, he would switch paths.
By then, with his life’s essence elevated, his comprehension would surely be even stronger. Standing at a high point with deep Foundation, forging a new path would be simpler than now, far better than blindly searching for some Longevity Technique like chasing an ox horn.
After hearing Dragon Mountain Daoist’s words today, Ning Qi felt his goal had become much clearer. He thanked him again:
“Thank you, Master, for resolving my confusion.”
Seeing Ning Qi’s Essence, Qi, Spirit brimming with vitality, Jiang Baishan feared he might suffer a blow in the future and could not help reminding him:
“Little Nine, what if there is truly no Longevity Technique in this world?”
Ning Qi smiled faintly.
He bowed respectfully to Dragon Mountain Daoist and Jiang Baishan, then swung his arms and departed.
Only his voice echoed in the pavilion.
“If there is no path to Longevity, I will forge one.”
Within Mingwu Pavilion.
Condensing Spirit Incense swirled and rose, a profound silence.
Dragon Mountain Daoist and his disciple exchanged a glance, both seeing the astonishment in each other’s eyes.
This child was extraordinary.
…
After that conversation with Dragon Mountain Daoist, the True Disciples of True Martial Sect were surprised to find that the precocious ninth junior brother no longer pestered them with questions about the Martial Way. Instead, he pondered things alone.
“Little Nine, the things you wanted are here. Remember to take them on time yourself.”
Luo Wentian called out into Ning Qi’s courtyard, then shook his head and left.
Ning Qi was very independent. Except for things he could not do due to his small body requiring assistance, he handled everything else himself.
After learning last time that Ning Qi’s Bone Structure was accelerating in formation, Dragon Mountain Daoist began supplementing him with medicines, mostly those that solidified the foundation and nurtured Yuan.
Ning Qi used this opportunity to obtain some other Medicinal Herbs.
As for their purpose, it was naturally for his plan.
At this moment, inside the room.
Ning Qi consumed the medicinal paste he had formulated himself, then sat cross-legged on the bed like a little adult, closing his eyes tightly.
Within his body.
Innate Qi circulated in a specific pattern. With each cycle, some Innate Qi dissipated, as if scattering into his limbs and bones. Immediately after, Ning Qi sensed a tingling sensation rising deep within his body, far more intense than before!
Ning Qi was delighted instead of alarmed.
“It worked!”
He had discerned the essence of Bone Structure, using Innate Qi as the foundation and his self-created Ning Family Medical Book as aid, finally fully comprehending the bone-nourishing technique.
“This technique shall be named Innate Bone Nourishing Technique!”
This was Ning Qi’s harvest over this period.
After his conversation with Dragon Mountain Daoist, he knew Bone Structure was formless, so he had been experimenting on how to actively stimulate Innate Qi to accelerate its growth. This was surely much faster than the previous passive acceleration.
And now, success at last!
“With Innate Bone Nourishing Technique, I can actively nourish my Bone Structure. The speed of its formation can accelerate several times over!”
Anticipation filled Ning Qi’s eyes.
