Zhenwu Martial Arena.
All the disciples gathered together, their eyes excitedly fixed on the two figures at the front—Daoist Longshan and Luo Wentian.
Today was an extremely important day for the Zhenwu Sect.
It marked inheritance and growth.
Daoist Longshan's white Daoist robe fluttered ethereally, his eyes full of emotion. As he looked back, it was as if he were seeing the road he had walked. After decades of development, the Zhenwu Sect had already become a top-tier sect famed across the world.
But more effort was still needed.
Within the Zhenwu inheritance were records of its past glory, even the appearance of Martial Saints—glory that once reached the pinnacle of heaven and earth.
He turned his gaze to his eldest disciple, growing solemn:
"Today, I officially pass the Zhenwu Sect into your hands. You must always remember your duty—to lead the Zhenwu Sect forward. Can you do that?"
Luo Wentian's body trembled.
He was thrilled, but also under immense pressure.
Daoist Longshan had spoken to him about becoming Sect Leader long ago. He had always feared he wouldn't live up to the task, but now he had made up his mind to give it everything—to fulfill his master's wish.
He had come to understand that his past worries weren't so important.
His cultivation at the White Mist Realm was barely sufficient to take the role of Sect Leader, and he would continue to improve. Breaking through to the Jade Essence Core Realm was only a matter of time. Ever since he cultivated the Dream-Sleep Technique, the progress speed of many core disciples had increased at a terrifying pace.
They had all come to realize just how monstrous the techniques Ning Qi gave them truly were—enough to shatter the usual pace of cultivation.
Besides, with Daoist Longshan and Divine Sword Elder as hidden power, there was nothing else he had to worry about.
Daoist Longshan had now broken through to the Heaven-Tier Realm and needed more time to cultivate. Though he would stay behind the scenes, he wasn't abandoning responsibility. If anything truly dire occurred, Daoist Longshan would not sit idly by.
Luo Wentian only needed to focus on managing the sect's development.
This was something he was good at. In fact, for the past ten years, even without the title, he had already fulfilled the role of Sect Leader.
That was exactly why Daoist Longshan chose him to succeed.
If Zhenwu Sect wanted to keep progressing, this was essential.
Luo Wentian took a deep breath, suppressing the many thoughts in his heart. Then he shouted solemnly:
"This disciple shall dedicate his life to fulfilling Master's trust!"
A glimmer of tears appeared in Daoist Longshan's eyes. He placed the Sect Leader's ceremonial crown on Luo Wentian's head and draped the robe over his shoulders, then proclaimed:
"From this day forth, Luo Wentian is the second-generation Sect Leader of the Zhenwu Sect! You must unite under his leadership to revitalize Zhenwu!"
All the disciples were stirred, bowing in unison and shouting:
"We greet the Sect Leader!"
"Unite as one, revitalize Zhenwu!"
Snowflakes drifted from the sky, but they could not douse the fiery passion of the Zhenwu disciples.
If one excluded the ancient history, the Zhenwu Sect was still a relatively young sect. The disciples looked out for themselves, but rarely had conflicts—most were willing to dedicate themselves, even sacrifice, for the sect. 𝐑ÂNǒ฿Ęs
Ning Qi watched the scene, feeling emotional.
He had been on the mountain for ten years, witnessing the first transition of Sect Leader in his sect. Perhaps this would happen many more times in the future, but this first time was the most significant to him—because it involved his master and his senior brother.
He was Zhenwu's Guardian, responsible for protecting its safety. His senior brother would lead its development. This was how it should be.
Every core disciple was genuinely joyful. No one thought Luo Wentian was unworthy. Besides him, no one in Zhenwu had more right to be Sect Leader.
In the distance.
Several notable figures from Qingzhou had been invited to witness the ceremony, including those sword cultivators who were meditating at the Zhenwu Sword Monument. They were deeply impressed by the unity of Zhenwu Sect, realizing they were witnessing the rise of a top-tier sect that could last a thousand years.
With this kind of cohesion, its rise was inevitable.
Some people started having ideas.
They had heard that after Luo Wentian took over as Sect Leader, Zhenwu would make big moves—perhaps expansion.
If they could join Zhenwu Sect now, it would be an incredible opportunity.
...
Mingwu Pavilion.
Only Luo Wentian, Daoist Longshan, and Ning Qi were present.
Luo Wentian felt a bit puzzled. Originally, he had wanted to discuss some of his plans with Daoist Longshan. Having just become Sect Leader, he was full of ambition, hoping to take bold steps while the spotlight was still on him. He hadn't expected Daoist Longshan to summon Ning Qi too.
It wasn't that he felt status had changed after becoming Sect Leader, but the fact that none of the other senior brothers were called—only Ning Qi—made him curious.
Daoist Longshan's first words left him stunned.
Daoist Longshan smiled and said:
"Xiao Jiu is the Zhenwu Sect's Guardian."
"Guardian?" Luo Wentian's eyes were full of questions.
Daoist Longshan began to explain.
"A Guardian is someone who safeguards the Zhenwu legacy. He's the only one qualified to cultivate our sect's supreme stance technique—the Zhenwu Stance. Only successive Sect Leaders may know the Guardian's identity. Remember this well: no matter who is Sect Leader, the Guardian stands above all. In critical times, the Guardian has the authority to remove the Sect Leader. The identity must never be revealed lightly."
He spoke half in jest, half seriously.
Daoist Longshan understood Luo Wentian's character well. But should a future Sect Leader lose their way, the Guardian would be the one to correct it, to steer the sect back on course.
He had summoned both Luo Wentian and Ning Qi today to lay all this on the table. Now that Luo Wentian was Sect Leader, he had the right to know. This had been discussed between Ning Qi and Daoist Longshan.
Luo Wentian's heart surged like a storm. Then he solemnly declared:
"This disciple understands!"
He looked at Ning Qi with awe.
In that moment, many things that hadn't made sense before suddenly clicked. The past favoritism toward Ning Qi wasn't merely bias—it was nurturing the Guardian.
The supreme stance technique—Zhenwu Stance!
He immediately understood why Daoist Longshan had Li Ling train in the Bian Stance—because Ning Qi was already beyond the scope of the "Zhenwu Nine."
He also understood why their master had told them not to fixate too much on Ning Qi's cultivation.
"Xiao Jiu, you really kept it hidden well." He gave a helpless smile, but more than that, he was thrilled.
He thought—with Xiao Jiu's talent, he would surely grow into a pillar of the sect. With someone like that guarding Zhenwu's legacy, its future was secure. As for the Guardian being above the Sect Leader—that didn't bother him. Like Daoist Longshan, he only wanted the Zhenwu Sect to flourish.
Luo Wentian continued:
"Xiao Jiu, if you need anything in the future, just tell your senior brother. The entire sect will back you—we'll make sure you become the pillar of Zhenwu!"
He felt that today's revelation of Ning Qi's identity was a signal that he should support Ning Qi unconditionally. All resources should be funneled toward him.
He didn't hesitate and pledged his support immediately.
He believed it was the right thing to do.
But as soon as he finished speaking.
Daoist Longshan and Ning Qi both laughed, especially Daoist Longshan, who looked at him like he was a silly child.
Luo Wentian was stunned.
He couldn't quite figure it out and asked hesitantly:
"Master… Did I say something wrong?"
Daoist Longshan laughed heartily:
"Xiao Jiu... He's already the pillar of our Zhenwu Sect!"
His laughter was full of emotion, joy, and a sense of relief.
All this time, he had been the only one who knew Ning Qi's identity. Now there was someone to share the burden, and he felt unspeakable happiness.
Luo Wentian was completely dumbfounded.
Countless thoughts surged through his mind, only to be dismissed one by one.
Daoist Longshan didn't keep him guessing. He smiled and said:
"Perhaps you're more familiar with his other identity."
Luo Wentian's breathing quickened, a wild guess forming. His eyes widened.
"Divine Sword Elder!"
When Daoist Longshan spoke those words, Luo Wentian was utterly shocked. He froze, his mind struck like thunder, spinning in chaos.
"Xiao Jiu is... that Divine Sword Elder? H-how is that possible?!"
Luo Wentian could hardly believe it.
If someone else had said it, he might have dismissed it as nonsense on the spot. But this was coming from his most respected master—and Ning Qi stood nearby, smiling silently.
He tried to digest the shocking truth.
This was by far the biggest bombshell since taking over as Sect Leader. Everything else now seemed trivial.
Daoist Longshan and Ning Qi simply smiled, waiting for him to process and accept it.
A long while later.
Luo Wentian finally came back to his senses.
He gave a wry smile and shook his head:
"Xiao Jiu, you nearly scared the soul out of your senior brother!"
To be honest.
Everyone had privately speculated about Ning Qi's cultivation, thinking that after seven years, maybe he had reached Late Inner Essence—at most, Peak Inner Essence. Even that was already a wildly generous guess.
Ye Qinghe had once suggested Ning Qi might already be in the White Mist Realm, but everyone thought that was too much.
Seven years to reach Qi Refining? Even Martial Saints throughout history didn't progress that fast.
But today.
After hearing with his own ears that Ning Qi's other identity was Divine Sword Elder, Luo Wentian's worldview was shaken. It was too astounding.
In seven years, Ning Qi had achieved what might take peerless geniuses centuries.
Just thinking about the terrifying gap in time made it hard to breathe.
At this moment, many of the doubts he'd once had were all answered.
Ning Qi looked slightly apologetic:
"Senior Brother... I didn't mean to keep it from you…"
Before he could finish.
Luo Wentian interrupted him, his eyes sincere:
"Xiao Jiu, I understand completely. It was the right choice. In fact, I think... you and Master shouldn't have told me even now!"
His expression turned serious.
Once the shock faded, concern immediately took its place. Such terrifying talent—if known by the wrong people—could bring calamity. They would stop at nothing to eliminate Ning Qi. That would endanger not just Ning Qi, but the future of the entire Zhenwu Sect.
Daoist Longshan waved it off:
"No worries. Only you and I know. Just keep it strictly secret. Now that you're Sect Leader, you had to be told—otherwise, if something happened to me, you and Xiao Jiu wouldn't be able to coordinate."
Ning Qi also smiled and nodded:
"That's right. Senior Brother, there's no need to worry."
This was the result of discussions between him and Daoist Longshan.
Some things were never meant to be hidden forever. Luo Wentian's character was beyond doubt, and more importantly, Ning Qi's strength had steadily grown.
Aside from a few rare individuals, no one could threaten him anymore.
Luo Wentian exhaled deeply, still processing the shocking news, though a rising excitement was beginning to bloom in his heart.
Having such a monstrous junior brother—it was thrilling just thinking about it!
Zhenwu Guardian. Divine Sword Elder!
With both identities resting on Ning Qi, he fully understood what that meant.
A grin spread across his face.
Recently, though Zhenwu Sect had been basking in glory and renown, there had still been some sour murmurs.
Most of the skepticism centered around Divine Sword Elder's lifespan.
After his battle with the Thunderblade Master, many had sensed Divine Sword Elder was old and dying, and might not last more than a few decades.
If Divine Sword Elder passed, and only Daoist Longshan remained, Zhenwu Sect's prestige would plummet.
But now he knew—Divine Sword Elder was his very own junior brother.
To h**l with "not much time left." His junior brother was a blazing sun just beginning to rise!
Luo Wentian's confidence grew stronger than ever.
"Master, Xiao Jiu, I want to expand Zhenwu Sect and carry out some reforms."
Daoist Longshan and Ning Qi exchanged smiles.
"You are the Sect Leader. Whatever you want to do—just do it. I and your Ninth Junior Brother will support you," Daoist Longshan said.
Ning Qi added,
"Senior Brother, I've created a number of martial techniques in my spare time. They're all placed in the Scripture Pavilion. You can use them to strengthen our disciples. If you run into any difficulties, just let me know anytime."
Luo Wentian couldn't help sighing:
"So all those were created by you, Little Brother. Back when you gave us the Dream-Sleep Technique, we suspected something, but Master always said he acquired them in his early years. We didn't think too hard about it... But now that I think about it, there were way too many loopholes. How could new techniques keep showing up every few months?"
He laughed.
Daoist Longshan and Ning Qi laughed too.
Before, with their identities concealed, doing anything always came with complications. Now that everything was out in the open, it was much smoother.
Ning Qi said:
"There's a lot more now. For the Body Tempering Realm, I've added several superior stance techniques. I've also optimized the Zhenwu Nine Stances—nearly at the level of supreme stance arts, but with the same cultivation difficulty.
I've also created force-stacking techniques, True Qi techniques, offensive martial arts, and secret techniques. You can distribute them as you see fit."
Luo Wentian's heart surged with excitement.
"Good! With your support, if I can't make something of this, I'd be ashamed to face either of you!"
He rolled up his sleeves, eager to get started.
The next day.
Luo Wentian summoned all the disciples and announced a series of reforms.
First.
All the current core disciples were promoted to Elders or Elder Candidates. Among the ten current core disciples, except for the three youngest, the rest had all reached the White Mist Realm.
Upon reaching White Mist Realm, one could become an Elder. The younger three would serve as Elder Candidates.
Based on each person's character, he established various halls: Discipline Hall, Martial Transmission Hall, Herb Garden Hall, External Affairs Hall, and more.
For example, Xiong Shi—known for his iron will—was made head of the Discipline Hall.
Though Zhenwu Sect was united and rarely had conflicts, with expansion on the horizon, there was no guarantee no "rotten apples" would sneak in.
In addition, becoming an Elder allowed disciples to take in students—but it wasn't mandatory.
Second.
Inner and outer disciples were reclassified based on age and cultivation level.
Those with exhausted potential were removed from the disciple roster and given responsibilities in internal affairs—running halls or managing sect-owned businesses.
But their upward mobility wasn't cut off. They could still earn martial techniques and resources through contribution points.
The young or highly talented disciples would focus on cultivation while being assigned outside missions—letting them both temper themselves and serve the sect.
This would form a healthy cycle.
At the same time.
Luo Wentian refined the rules for advancing from Outer Sect to Inner Sect.
It would no longer be based on cultivation alone—conduct and contributions to the sect also mattered.
As for core disciples.
This would change as well. Previously, all core disciples were direct disciples of Daoist Longshan. Anyone he accepted became a core disciple.
Luo Wentian felt this approach dampened motivation.
So he initiated reform.
The number of core disciples would no longer be capped.
One could advance from Inner Sect through merit and cultivation, or be directly promoted based on extraordinary talent.
However, the standards would be extremely strict.
Especially for the Zhenwu Nine Stances and the inheritance that followed, Luo Wentian planned to only pass them to nine people.
Only the best of the core disciples would be eligible.
...
One by one, the reforms were announced. Everyone was shocked.
Those with ambition had stars in their eyes, visibly thrilled.
These were indeed big moves.
And one had to admit—after this round of restructuring, the vitality of Zhenwu Sect surged.
Its organizational structure became more refined, allowing it to unleash even greater potential.
Ning Qi listened, full of emotion.
He felt his Senior Brother was a born Sect Leader.
So many matters, all managed in perfect order.
Luo Wentian looked around at everyone and said:
"As Zhenwu flourishes, we'll continue to adjust the sect's structure. If you have any suggestions, feel free to offer them."
"And finally, two more things."
"First—I've had everyone's recent contributions tallied. Based on that, each of you will be allowed to enter the Scripture Pavilion once to exchange for supreme techniques!"
"Second—three months from now, Zhenwu Sect will officially open its gates and begin recruiting disciples!"
Everyone was in an uproar.
"We thank the Sect Leader!"
Daoist Longshan looked pleased.
Now, Zhenwu Sect was beginning to resemble a true top-tier sect.
He hadn't chosen the wrong person.
News of Zhenwu's big moves quickly spread throughout Qingzhou, then rapidly to other regions.
Many were thrilled upon hearing Zhenwu would open its gates.
Aspiring young men set out immediately, traveling across great distances to reach Zhenwu.
Even some Origin Force Realm experts were tempted.
They knew joining halfway would be harder—with stricter requirements and limited access to the core—but it was still far better than being unaffiliated.
With Luo Wentian's wave of reforms,
Zhenwu Sect burst with renewed life.
Each day brought changes to Zhenwu Mountain.
The last time there was this much activity was during Daoist Longshan's Heaven-Tier Ascension Ceremony.
But this time—it was even greater.
Many buildings were repurposed and reassigned.
For example, a new Scripture Pavilion was built to store common Daoist texts and less precious martial arts.
The old Scripture Pavilion near the Seeking Dao Courtyard now held the rarest techniques and secrets, as well as the Daoist texts Ning Qi needed.
Now that it was known that Ning Qi was Divine Sword Elder,
Everyone felt much more at ease about that pavilion.
Zhenwu Sect was thriving.
And Ning Qi felt genuine happiness.
On an emotional level, watching his sect grow stronger each day gave him heartfelt satisfaction.
On a practical level, a stronger Zhenwu meant more powerful disciples who could help him gather precious resources.
A sect was a massive organization—not just a one-way teaching endeavor.
Once disciples matured, they had to give back to the sect.
Rare fruits, strange flowers, rare manuals, secret techniques, Daoist classics…
These things didn't fall from the sky.
They were collected by disciples, then traded with the sect for techniques and suitable resources.
That's why Ning Qi believed the contribution system Luo Wentian refined was extremely beneficial.
Of course.
This wasn't Luo Wentian's effort alone.
Back during the first two Zhenwu Peach Blossom Festivals, the senior disciples had already begun discussing ways to refine these details.
Many suggestions had originally come from Ning Qi himself.
Now, they were simply being implemented by Luo Wentian.
As the new Sect Leader, taking bold action naturally boosted his authority.
If Luo Wentian had any weakness right now,
It was his cultivation.
He had only broken into White Mist Realm two years ago.
At the old pace, reaching Jade Essence Realm would've taken ten to twenty years.
Even with the help of Ning Qi's techniques and pills, breaking through in just two years wasn't realistic.
After all, even Ning Qi had taken a full year to go from White Mist to Jade Essence.
But Ning Qi had a solution.
He gave Luo Wentian a few trump cards.
For instance, he created a technique that could temporarily attach True Qi—allowing Luo Wentian to unleash shocking power in a pinch.
It could even pass as the real thing.
He only needed one such moment to shut down any doubts about his strength.
In a few more years, when his cultivation genuinely reached Jade Essence or Core Realm, he wouldn't need such tricks anymore.
It couldn't be helped.
Even with Ning Qi's methods to accelerate cultivation, no one could leap through several stages in a year or two and reach Heaven-Tier.
That defied the natural order of martial cultivation.
Even Ning Qi had to advance step by step through the Origin Force Realm.
Still, thanks to Ning Qi's techniques,
Luo Wentian and the others were already cultivating faster than ever.
For instance, the seventh disciple Song Cheng and the sixth disciple Sun Chuanhai had already reached the White Mist Realm in their early thirties—faster than even Daoist Longshan in the past.
If they hadn't blurred their true ages to avoid notice, they would've drawn massive attention already.
"To break through faster than this with normal cultivation is impossible. You'd need either a great opportunity—like consuming heavenly treasures—or sacrifice your foundation and burn your lifespan. But that's not worth it."
Ning Qi shook his head.
Neither he nor his senior brothers needed such things.
Burning lifespan to speed up cultivation was completely counterproductive.
He cultivated in pursuit of longevity and carefree freedom.
Now that everything was going well, steady progress was enough.
"When I reach Heaven-Tier or Martial Saint Realm, I'll reorganize the martial path again. That should allow for another leap in cultivation speed."
As for now.
Ning Qi needed to focus more on himself.
He closed his eyes.
And swallowed the ninth Blood Jade Pill.
The moment of breakthrough to Core Realm drew ever closer.