Night fell.
The moon was bright but stars were few, the cold wind whistled, and heavy snow fell gently.
Around Zhenwu Mountain, disciples continuously patrolled to prevent anyone from sneaking down the mountain at night.
The Zhenwu Sect had never hosted so many outsiders overnight—especially with so many Qi Origin Realm experts among them. Although all the Core Formation Realm powerhouses had left, there were still quite a few in the White Mist Realm and Jade Liquid Realm. This kept Luo Wentian and the others on high alert, worried that someone might cause trouble during the night.
Fortunately.
These people were behaving for now, each staying in their guest quarters without wandering around.
Ning Qi sat upright in the Scripture Pavilion, his body merging with the heavens and earth, silently circulating the Heaven-Man Unity Secret Art. Under the boost of powerful Qi, his perception had expanded to the limit. With so many disciples patrolling, if anything happened, he could sense it immediately and rush over.
He was still thinking about what happened during the day.
That Wang Clan Patriarch had revealed the Martial Saint Token despite the risk of offending everyone—he was clearly not insane.
"There's only one possibility. The Great Yan imperial court must have promised him something irresistible."
"Either it's a longevity treasure that can extend his life, or a way to let the Wang Clan produce another Heaven-Man Realm expert."
Ning Qi leaned toward the latter.
Previously, even when his Master attacked the Wang Clan's gates, the old patriarch had held back. But now, he risked offending so many people—it was obvious the Wang Clan had found a future path forward.
If the Wang Clan did birth another Heaven-Man Realm powerhouse, their family could thrive for hundreds of years more. With the court's backing, they could even relocate to Yanzhou and follow a development path totally different from the usual martial sects. Offending these sect powerhouses wouldn't matter then.
The only thing Ning Qi couldn't understand was how the Wang Clan had formed ties with the Great Yan imperial court. If they'd had that connection all along, why wait until now to use it?
Unable to figure it out, Ning Qi gave up thinking about it.
He simply made a mental note of the Wang Clan Patriarch.
"If something happens to Master, I'll never let you off."
Ning Qi slowly exhaled, dispelling the distracting thoughts.
Thinking too much right now was useless—he could only wait.
The only thing he could do was make sure nothing went wrong in the Zhenwu Sect.
And, keep training hard.
He began circulating the Heaven-Earth Grinding Qi Refinement Method he had just created earlier that day.
In an instant.
The not-so-dense power of heaven and earth gathered constantly around Ning Qi, forming a massive rotating millstone that enveloped him. A faint rumble could be heard.
Next.
The vast Qi inside Ning Qi's body began to circulate. The White Mist Qi surged into the grinding wheel, and the rumble—audible only to Ning Qi—grew even louder.
Rumble rumble!
The grinding wheel spun, and the surging White Mist Qi became a bit purer than before.
Ning Qi gradually calmed down. The effect of the Heaven-Earth Grinding Qi Refinement Method was better than he had expected. That finally put him in a better mood. ȓàΝ∅ВƐＳ
…
The next day.
The guests awoke, slowly coming to terms with the reality.
What's done is done.
All they could do now was hope it would all end smoothly.
They realized that this might have always been part of the demon-hunting plan. Even if the Wang Clan Patriarch hadn't shown up, someone else from the imperial court might have come with the Martial Saint Token anyway. Still, that didn't earn him or the Wang Clan any sympathy.
If you're going to stick your neck out, you better be ready for it.
Especially those factions whose Core Formation Realm members had been taken away—their fury had not cooled in the slightest.
After a night's sleep, their anger only grew.
And so.
This scene unfolded.
"Wang Qingshan, I've long heard your Iron Fist is unmatched. Today, I, Wang Buer of the Evernight Blade Sect, would like a spar."
A swordsman from the Evernight Blade Sect challenged coldly.
Everyone had been staying on Zhenwu Mountain these few days to exchange martial arts. So what if I challenge you? Sounds perfectly reasonable, right?
With the crowd watching.
The Qi Origin Realm expert from the Wang Clan turned as red as pig's liver. Refusing would look bad. Accepting would also look bad. In the end, he gritted his teeth and stepped up.
After a fierce bout.
The Wang Clan fighter lost by a few moves.
The Evernight Blade Sect man didn't mock him, just gave a cold snort. But that snort felt even more humiliating to Wang Qingshan. Before he could respond, another voice rang out:
"I would also like to challenge a disciple of the Wang Clan."
The Wang Clan disciples looked around, seeing all the people with arms crossed watching them. Their faces turned pale.
The Wang Clan had enraged everyone. Although no one dared go for the kill, venting a little frustration through spars was perfectly acceptable.
Luo Wentian watched from a distance without interfering—only stepping in if things got too heated.
It wasn't like they were only picking on the Wang Clan. Everyone was fighting each other too. Just that the Wang Clan was challenged a bit more often.
Exchanging martial arts without fighting? That'd just be empty showboating.
…
In the Seeking Dao Courtyard.
Ning Qi listened to Zhuang Chen animatedly describing how miserable the Wang Clan disciples looked and couldn't help smiling.
Zhuang Chen chuckled.
"Ning Qi, you didn't see the scene. Hah! The Wang brats were all black-and-blue, and by the end they didn't even dare accept challenges. Total cowards. It was hilarious!"
He laughed uproariously, taking glee in their misfortune.
If his Senior Brother Dong He hadn't stopped him, he would've gone up and challenged one himself to vent for his Master.
"If I had gone up, I'd have beaten that guy into a pig's head for sure."
Ning Qi just shook his head slightly.
This was as far as anyone could go. Like this, the Wang Clan Patriarch couldn't really retaliate later. But if someone from the Wang Clan died, that'd be a whole different story.
Just like when Daoist Longshan attacked Zhenwu Mountain trying to seize the Zhenwu Inheritance—only then was Ning Qi justified to kill him. Otherwise, the Great Yan Dynasty would never allow random bloodshed. The current order still needed to be respected.
"Get some rest today. We'll continue tomorrow," Ning Qi said calmly.
He had originally planned to find an excuse to keep Zhuang Chen around for a few more days after the Heaven-Man Ceremony, to study the secrets of his Innate Sword Bone. But now with everything that happened, he didn't need an excuse anymore.
Zhuang Chen looked bitter.
"Ning Qi, how many more times?"
"No more than three," Ning Qi said with confidence.
"Bring it on!" Zhuang Chen braced himself like a martyr.
Ning Qi didn't hold back. His palm pressed down on Zhuang Chen's shoulder, and powerful Qi surged in.
In an instant.
The Seeking Dao Courtyard echoed with the sharp gasp of Zhuang Chen sucking in cold air.
…
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
Within Zhenwu City, suspicion was beginning to rise.
Normally, once the Heaven-Man Ceremony ended, the strong would disperse, spreading news of what they saw. Many had stayed in Zhenwu City just to get that firsthand information.
But now.
Two days had passed since Daoist Longshan's Heaven-Man Ceremony, and not a single person had come down the mountain.
Someone bravely approached the foot of the mountain to take a look, and the word was that many experts were staying behind on Zhenwu Mountain for martial exchanges and wouldn't descend for now.
"But even if they're exchanging martial arts, wouldn't some people still come down?"
"And… they never said how long the exchange would last."
"Zhenwu Mountain is under lockdown. Even the disciples who used to relay messages haven't come down!"
The situation felt off.
Whispers and speculation began to spread.
Curious martial artists wondered what had happened. Some, more cautious by nature, quietly slipped away—they sensed danger.
In a private room of a tavern.
A white-haired young man couldn't help looking toward Zhenwu Mountain, murmuring to himself:
"Could it be… something's happened on Zhenwu Mountain?"
A strange tension rose in his chest. He had originally planned to leave, but now chose to stay a few more days.
Back on Zhenwu Mountain.
Luo Wentian and the others were also aware of the rumors and watchful gazes from below. They knew they couldn't keep the secret forever. But every extra day they could buy shortened the reaction time of the Demonic Sect.
"It's already been two days. We should be fine."
Everyone still on the mountain let out a silent breath of relief.
With the speed of Core Formation and Heaven-Man Realm experts, they should almost be there by now. The battle might've even already begun.
…
Seeking Dao Courtyard.
Ning Qi slowly withdrew his hand from Zhuang Chen's shoulder. Zhuang Chen's sharp gasp still echoed, and he asked weakly:
"Ning Qi… tomorrow, it'll finally be over, right? You said no more than three days…"
He trailed off.
Smart enough to shut up.
Because he noticed Ning Qi didn't say anything after finishing the check. Instead, he closed his eyes. His demeanor had completely changed, clearly entering a deep state of thought.
"Could it be… he's done it?"
Zhuang Chen's eyes lit up with excitement. After all this suffering, he might finally get to learn the sword technique Ning Qi had promised!
For a moment.
Zhuang Chen didn't even dare speak.
Ning Qi was indeed comprehending the Dao.
At that moment.
Inspiration kept flashing through his mind.
After days of investigation, he now understood the strange fluctuations within Zhuang Chen's body like the back of his hand—at least the surface level ones, not involving the core essence.
"The so-called Innate Sword Bone is actually the unique fluctuation in the bones, which can resonate with the meridians, Qi, blood, even internal organs—or rather, the entire body—thus amplifying swordsmanship."
"Whether it's comprehending or wielding the sword, even the sword's power is far above average."
"I've read that those with the Innate Sword Bone experience a breakthrough after reaching the Heaven-Man Realm. In truth, that's when the Sword Bone gets activated. So perhaps, it can be triggered earlier. Even if not as strong as at Heaven-Man Realm, it's still better than now."
…
"How to activate it? How to let normal people gain the same effect as the Innate Sword Bone? The key lies in that unique fluctuation."
"The fluctuation… I need to simulate those complex waves… find the unified pattern within… and integrate them…"
…
Ideas kept emerging in Ning Qi's mind.
Having previously developed the Ape King True Form, this wasn't difficult for him. After all, both involved awakening a special physique—one for a Heavenly Beast bloodline, the other for the Innate Sword Bone.
Time passed.
Stars and moon shone brightly in the night sky. Zhuang Chen, after checking in with his Senior Brothers, sneaked back to the Seeking Dao Courtyard.
He was restless, but seeing Ning Qi still meditating, he didn't dare interrupt.
Finally.
Just as Zhuang Chen was about to fall asleep, Ning Qi slowly opened his eyes.
Success!
"Simulating the unique fluctuations of the Innate Sword Bone, then fusing it with numerous sword techniques to one day reach that same height—let's call it the Innate Sword Body."
A smile appeared on Ning Qi's face.
With the Ape King True Form under his belt, creating this Innate Sword Body Secret Art had been easier.
This secret art was powerful—no weaker than the Ape King True Form. In some aspects, even stronger.
"Though it can't boost sword comprehension, it can enhance sword combat. If I enter the Innate Sword Body state and use the Heavenly Sword Technique while merged with Heaven and Man—it'll be my strongest sword strike yet!"
But Ning Qi still had regrets—the art hadn't reached the ultimate height he'd hoped for.
The name "Innate Sword Body" carried all his expectations.
If one day it could even boost sword comprehension, it would be truly heaven-defying—maybe even allow people to cultivate their own 'Innate Sword Bone.' But Ning Qi guessed that would require understanding the true essence of the real Sword Bone.
"Ning Qi… how is it?"
Zhuang Chen stared eagerly. After being teased with the promise of a chicken leg for days, he was finally about to bite into it—he couldn't hold back his excitement.
Ning Qi kept his promise.
"Come on. I'll teach you."
Moments later.
Seeing Zhuang Chen dumbfounded, Ning Qi smiled faintly.
Anyone else would've found it nearly impossible to comprehend this secret art. But Zhuang Chen had the Innate Sword Bone—his body already had the right fluctuations, making the art much easier to grasp.
Watching Zhuang Chen frown in deep thought, Ning Qi looked up at the night sky, his thoughts drifting far away:
"It's been two or three days… I wonder if everything's going smoothly on Master's end."