All these years, after obtaining the True Martial Inheritance, Dragon Mountain Daoist had tried countless times.
Again and again.
Yet no matter how deeply he pondered, no matter how many paths he explored, the result was always the same—nothing.
At one point, he had even believed that perhaps only after stepping into the Heavenly Human Realm would there be a slim chance of success. But even then, it was most likely futile.
Perhaps only a Martial Saint could truly comprehend it.
And yet—
After just one month of seclusion, the Zhenwu Pile appeared before him in such an unbelievable way.
When Dragon Mountain Daoist first witnessed Ning Qi cultivating that stance, his initial thought had been that some peerless expert left behind by the ancient True Martial Sect had descended upon Zhenwu Mountain. That was why he had asked those urgent questions earlier.
But now, the truth was laid bare.
This stake art had been created by Ning Qi himself.
Dragon Mountain Daoist lowered his gaze to the Secret Manual in his hand.
Gradually, he became completely immersed in it.
"So that's how it is…"
"Marvelous!"
"Truly marvelous!"
He sat down on a stone stool nearby, unable to contain himself, occasionally slapping his thigh in excitement.
Having answers while solving a problem was always fast.
As a top expert of the Core Formation Realm, and someone extremely familiar with the True Martial Nine Stances, Dragon Mountain Daoist could immediately see the depth of this stake art. He had once attempted similar deductions himself and had only grasped vague directions.
Now, with the completed structure laid before him, the brilliance was unmistakable.
Those ingenious connections and transformations left him utterly amazed.
Finally, he let out a long sigh and closed the Secret Manual.
His gaze turned toward Ning Qi, complicated and profound.
Originally, he had believed that if Ning Qi followed the path he had planned, there was a very high chance he would become a Martial Saint in the future.
But now—
He felt that Ning Qi becoming a Martial Saint was no longer a question of possibility, but one of certainty.
And even stepping beyond the Martial Saint realm… might not be impossible.
Such comprehension ability was simply too heaven-defying.
Dragon Mountain Daoist could no longer guess where Ning Qi's limits lay.
At this moment, he suddenly recalled the day Ning Qi had asked him about longevity.
A phrase surfaced in his mind without warning.
How can a sparrow know the ambition of a swan?
He smiled bitterly.
"Master," Ning Qi asked curiously, pulling him back from his thoughts, "should this stance be called the Zhenwu Pile?"
Dragon Mountain Daoist smiled, then patted the stone stool beside him.
After Ning Qi sat down, he said slowly,
"Little Nine, do you remember Master once telling you that the world's stances are divided into three tiers—Upper, Middle, and Lower?"
"Yes, Disciple remembers."
"But today, Master will tell you this—above those three tiers, there exists an extremely rare type of stance, unknown to most people."
"It is called a Peerless Stance."
Ning Qi's eyes brightened immediately.
"Looking across the world, the number of forces that possess a true Peerless Stance can be counted on one hand. As far as Master knows, the Great Yan Imperial Family has one, and the Demonic Sect has one. As for places like the Great Enlightenment Temple or Wenjian Pavilion, what they possess can at best be called Half-Step Peerless."
Dragon Mountain Daoist paused briefly, then smiled.
"And in its heyday, our True Martial Sect also possessed one."
Ning Qi's eyes lit up.
"It was the Zhenwu Pile," Dragon Mountain Daoist confirmed.
"The True Martial Nine Stances you learned are derived from it. They are fragments, outlines, but even so, they are already extraordinary. The complete Zhenwu Pile forges a Peerless Foundation, greatly increasing the chance of stepping into the Martial Saint realm."
He sighed softly.
"It's a pity that when Master obtained the True Martial Inheritance back then, only the Nine Stances remained. The general outline was missing. That regret stayed with me for decades."
"And yet… you comprehended it."
"Perhaps," he said gently, "this truly is fate."
Dragon Mountain Daoist reached out and stroked Ning Qi's head.
"Master, does that mean the True Dragon Pile I created is the Zhenwu Pile?" Ning Qi asked.
"That's right. The inheritance described that the Zhenwu Pile could obtain the True Dragon's divine intent. Even if your version isn't completely identical, it's certainly very close."
He smiled.
"However, since this stance was created by you, calling it the True Dragon Pile is perfectly reasonable. In fact, Master thinks that name suits it even better."
Ning Qi smiled as well, then shook his head.
"Since it was known as the Zhenwu Pile in ancient times, then it should remain the Zhenwu Pile. Master, please keep it safe. If there are suitable Junior Brothers or Sisters in the future, you can pass it on."
Dragon Mountain Daoist laughed heartily.
He understood Ning Qi's intention.
The name didn't matter—but the meaning did.
He did not accept the Secret Manual. Instead, he said calmly,
"The Zhenwu Pile can only be practiced by your disciples and grand-disciples."
Ning Qi was startled.
"Why?"
Dragon Mountain Daoist's gaze grew distant.
"Do you remember Master once saying that the True Martial Nine Sons could rival a Martial Saint?"
"Yes."
"In the ancient True Martial Sect, besides the Nine Sons, there was another existence—the Zhenwu Guardian."
"The Guardian protects the Dao."
"Not a person. Not a sect leader."
"But the inheritance itself."
"The Guardian cultivates the Zhenwu Pile. Only one Guardian exists in each generation, and they are almost always Martial Saints."
Ning Qi was stunned.
"Then… didn't the ancient True Martial Sect have two Martial Saint-level forces?"
"That's correct."
"Then how did such a powerful sect fall?"
Dragon Mountain Daoist shook his head.
"No one knows. Perhaps internal strife. Perhaps an unforeseen catastrophe. The inheritance Master received did not record the truth."
Then his expression slowly became solemn.
"Ning Qi," he said seriously, "are you willing to become this generation's Guardian of the True Martial Sect?"
Anticipation flickered in his eyes.
Ning Qi understood immediately.
He stood up, expression resolute.
"Disciple is willing."
Dragon Mountain Daoist had saved him, protected him, taught him, and given him a home. His Senior Brothers and Sisters treated him with endless kindness.
Even without this title, Ning Qi would never abandon the True Martial Sect.
Now, it was simply an official role.
Dragon Mountain Daoist laughed loudly.
"Good. Very good!"
"Keep the Secret Manual yourself. If, in the future, you encounter a suitable Guardian candidate, pass it on. As for everyone else—do not speak of it."
"Yes, Disciple will remember."
Master and disciple exchanged smiles.