An incense stick later, Dragon Mountain Daoist departed—his mood thoroughly complicated.
There was joy, and there was frustration.
The joy was obvious. His youngest disciple truly possessed a natural Martial Body. No matter what he explained, Ning Qi grasped it instantly, extrapolating freely and even producing insights that surprised Dragon Mountain Daoist himself.
To take in such a disciple was a blessing any cultivator would celebrate.
Yet the frustration stemmed from the same source.
A disciple who was too monstrous placed immense pressure on the master. In just this short time, Dragon Mountain Daoist already felt as though his decades of accumulated understanding were being rapidly squeezed dry.
If this continued… what if one day Ning Qi asked something he could not answer?
Wouldn't his dignity as a master be completely shattered?
At that thought, Dragon Mountain Daoist decisively chose retreat.
"Master, you haven't taught me the other Stances yet."
Ning Qi's voice came from behind, sincere and eager. What Dragon Mountain Daoist did not know was that Ning Qi had already restrained himself considerably. Had he not done so, the shock would have been far worse.
If any other disciple had spoken those words, Dragon Mountain Daoist would have immediately rebuked them with 'grasp all, lose all'.
But hearing it from Ning Qi—
His scalp tingled.
Teach more?
If he taught any more, his Dao Heart might collapse on the spot!
"Let your Senior Brother and Second Senior Brother teach you."
Leaving those words behind, Dragon Mountain Daoist vanished in a flash, fleeing with remarkable decisiveness.
Watching his master's somewhat flustered retreat, Ning Qi shook his head helplessly.
"Am I… really that frightening?"
He had underestimated the impact of displaying true comprehension in the Martial Dao. Though he had shown unusual intelligence for years, this was the first time he had revealed such terrifying learning speed in cultivation itself.
Perhaps he should have restrained himself a little more.
Just then, he turned toward Luo Wentian and Bear Stone, smiling innocently.
"Senior Brother… Second Senior Brother…"
Both men shuddered.
They exchanged glances and spoke simultaneously.
"You go first?"
"You're the Senior Brother—you go."
"You're younger, you go."
"That's nonsense. Master went first just now—are you saying you're older than Master?"
Watching the two argue like startled chickens, Ning Qi rubbed his forehead.
"Stop arguing. Teach together."
The two froze.
"…Can that work?"
"It can," Ning Qi replied calmly. "I can keep up."
His eyes shone brightly. Time was precious, and he had no intention of wasting it.
After his initial exposure to the Martial Dao—especially after pushing the Bixi Stance to a profound level—countless insights had already taken shape within him.
"…Then let's try."
After a moment of hesitation, the two began demonstrating and explaining together.
Another incense stick passed.
Luo Wentian and Bear Stone stood frozen, staring at Ning Qi's departing figure, their minds in complete disarray.
"Did you just teach the Qiuniu Stance?"
"Nonsense. I was teaching the Baxia Stance."
"…Then Ning Qi learned both?"
"And not slowly, either."
Silence fell.
Then—
"He's not human."
Luo Wentian sighed bitterly.
Bear Stone nodded in complete agreement.
Compared to Ning Qi, their years of hard practice suddenly felt meaningless. For the first time, they truly understood how ordinary cultivators felt when standing before geniuses like themselves.
Only now did they realize—this was what true despair looked like.
"…Still," Luo Wentian said after a long pause, "this is a good thing."
Despite the blow to their confidence, relief rose in their hearts.
Meanwhile, Ning Qi walked away in high spirits.
Today had been immensely rewarding.
Master had taught him the Bixi Stance.Senior Brother had taught the Qiuniu Stance.Second Senior Brother had taught the Baxia Stance.
Three of the True Martial Nine Stances were now in his grasp.
"Six remain: Chaofeng, Pulao, Fuxi, Chiwen, Suanni, and Yazi."
Ning Qi chuckled softly.
"They only taught me the Stances they specialize in, claiming they feared leading me astray."
That was certainly one reason.
But he strongly suspected another: they did not wish to suffer further psychological damage—and perhaps wanted to generously share that experience with the remaining Senior Brothers and Sisters.
Ning Qi could only shrug.
He had already restrained himself as much as possible.
Returning to his residence, peace finally enveloped him.
He began with the Bixi Stance.
Before he even moved, a fierce aura surged forth—like a young divine beast crouching within a human shell.
Bixi Divine Will!
And not merely that.
As Ning Qi practiced repeatedly, the small courtyard seemed to echo with the roar of an ancient beast. The Bixi Divine Will rapidly climbed to Perfection, the highest realm attainable by the Stance.
Had Dragon Mountain Daoist witnessed this, he would have undoubtedly labeled Ning Qi a monster without hesitation.
Sweat evaporated into mist. His skin flushed crimson, muscles rippling beneath the surface as if living creatures were crawling within.
Skin Tempering had already begun in earnest.
The eight Body Tempering Realms were notoriously difficult, each divided into multiple minor stages. Some cultivators spent years stuck at a single level.
Yet Ning Qi felt—
He might reach Ox Skin in mere days.
"…Martial arts seem rather simple."
He paused, genuinely puzzled.
After switching to the Qiuniu Stance, Divine Will manifested again—quickly reaching Perfection.
Then came Baxia.
Only when a sharp sting rose from deep within his body did Ning Qi finally stop, immediately immersing himself in a medicinal bath.
Lying in the steaming water, he examined his newly toughened skin, joy filling his heart.
"The Martial Dao is simpler than I imagined."
A clear path unfolded before him.
Celestial Realm.Martial Saint.Longevity beyond mortal limits.
With time on his side, even immortality no longer felt unreachable.
As for revenge?
Once strength was sufficient—
It would be trivial.