Ning Qi set aside his stray thoughts as gentle streams of Qi Force flowed into the White Ape's body. The previously unconscious White Ape slowly awakened, first startled, then sheepishly scratching his head in apology:
"Forgive me, Teacher. I was trying to stabilize my mind, but the bloodline fluctuations were too intense—it overwhelmed me."
Ning Qi waved dismissively:
"First, carefully check if there are any abnormalities in your body."
The White Ape focused inward, his eyes lighting up with surprise:
"Aside from some mental fatigue, everything seems fine. In fact, I feel my bloodline development has slightly improved!"
Relieved, Ning Qi smiled:
"Tell me about your experience during the bloodline resonance."
After some thought, the White Ape replied:
"At first, there was numbness—as if my bones were dissolving. Then I fell into a dazed state... I faintly heard roaring sounds..."
As he recounted, Ning Qi nodded slightly, thinking:
*It seems Tiansheng could vaguely sense what I saw in the bloodline depths. The roaring must have been from that silver giant ape. Normally, when his bloodline develops sufficiently, he might witness that vision himself.*
Seeing the White Ape standing respectfully, Ning Qi said:
"Let's go. The Year-End Competition is about to begin."
The White Ape eagerly nodded, excitement gleaming in his eyes.
Naturally mischievous, he had befriended many Zhenwu Sect disciples. Watching familiar faces compete was an opportunity he wouldn't miss—had his current strength not been overwhelming, he'd have joined himself.
As they approached the martial arena, the lively atmosphere was palpable from afar. Their arrival caused a stir, drawing curious gazes.
To new disciples, Ning Qi remained an enigmatic figure—rarely seen, yet rumors painted the Ninth Elder as a peerless genius, with the White Ape as living proof. Many still vividly recalled the White Ape's awe-inspiring display of his Ape King True Form during the sect entrance exams.
Yet before Ning Qi, the White Ape was the picture of reverence.
Under the crowd's watchful eyes, Ning Qi took his seat among the sect leadership.
"Xiao Jiu, Tiansheng, you're late," Ye Qinghe teased, winking mischievously. With Daoist Longshan absent, she openly sipped from her gourd, drawing an amused shake of the head from Luo Wentian.
Even as an elder, their Third Senior Sister remained delightfully irreverent.
Ning Qi greeted his fellow elders:
"Minor delays. How far along are we?"
Fourth Senior Brother He Yan answered:
"The top ten have been decided. The seedlings selected through your methods surpass our generation. Don't let Third Senior Sister's casual demeanor fool you—she's repeatedly praised one youngster. It seems she might finally take a disciple."
Ning Qi couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of the free-spirited Ye Qinghe as a teacher.
Noticing their amusement, Ye Qinghe glared:
"That little Yu Xuan girl is destined to be mine—no poaching!"
Ning Qi's gaze fell upon a graceful purple-clad girl—Ouyang Yu Xuan, who had performed exceptionally during admissions. The image of this refined child apprenticed to a drunken master almost made him pity her, recalling how Ye Qinghe had tricked him into drinking as a child.
Ye Qinghe snorted:
"Laugh now! Just wait until I train her to dominate the third-generation disciples!"
Their mirth deepened even as nostalgia surfaced—how swiftly time had passed, transforming them from disciples to mentors.
Meanwhile, the competitions continued fervently.
This grand event had dual brackets: veteran disciples (divided into outer and inner sect tournaments) and the three hundred new seedlings, whose matches carried greater significance—determining their starting positions, with the top three earning direct promotion to core discipleship.
The rewards were unprecedentedly generous, reflecting the Zhenwu Sect's current prosperity. From martial arts manuals to rare treasures—even including Ning Qi's prized Zhenwu Peaches and a portion of Enlightenment Tea—every prize ignited the disciples' fervor.
Though the matches seemed child's play to Ning Qi's eyes, they represented the sect's future—a future where breakthroughs that once took decades now required mere months, thanks to his revolutionary training methods.
*Will future generations, benefiting from these innovations, dismiss my three-year achievement as unremarkable?* Ning Qi smiled wryly at the thought. Legends inevitably fade with time.
As the veteran disciples' matches concluded, the spotlight shifted to the new seedlings' top three:
Lu Mang—a robust boy from the prestigious Gaoyang Lu ClanOuyang Yu Xuan—Ye Qinghe's chosen prodigy from the Ouyang FamilyGou Dan—the dark horse: a tenacious orphan
The crowd buzzed with surprise at Gou Dan's placement. Unlike his privileged peers, his success stemmed purely from relentless effort—a fact Ning Qi had noted during his nightly solitary training sessions.
*Talent sets the floor, but perseverance determines the ceiling,* Ning Qi mused, his philosophy having evolved since his early fixation on innate aptitude.
When Luo Wentian invited elders to select disciples, the outcomes unfolded predictably—until the unthinkable happened.
"Gou Dan," Luo Wentian's voice carried across the hushed arena, "Would you become my disciple?"
The collective gasp could've stirred leaves from trees. Gou Dan stood petrified, his wildest dream materializing beyond hope. Trembling, he prostrated: "G-Gou Dan accepts!"
As Luo Wentian raised him up, he declared: "A disciple of the sect leader deserves a proper name. Henceforth, you shall be Luo Nian Chu—'Remembering Origins.' May you never forget your path."
Tears streamed down the newly-christened Luo Nian Chu's face as he reverently repeated his name, swearing inwardly to honor this gift.
Amidst the congratulations, the White Ape watched wistfully, yearning for the day he might properly call Ning Qi "Master"—a fleeting glance at his teacher before quickly bowing his head, silently renewing his resolve.
Ning Qi, sensing this, smiled knowingly.