Ning Qi still had no clear concept of the Martial Saint Realm.
In all the countless scriptures, there were barely any records about Martial Saints. The tiny bits of fragmented information that existed were vague and uncertain, making it impossible for Ning Qi to estimate their true strength.
Unlike the Heaven-Man Realm.
Even though he had never seen the top three on the Heaven-Man Ranking, at least he had a general idea of their range.
After all, for most people, the Heaven-Man Realm had a ceiling.
With the three essences—vitality, spirit, and soul—fully refined, and some secret martial arts techniques mastered, no matter how heaven-defying one was, there was still a limit.
"To be safe, I should probably establish a firm footing within the Heaven-Man Realm before even thinking about taking on a Martial Saint."
Shaking his head, Ning Qi realized he might be thinking too far ahead.
At the very least, there was no need to worry too much about Martial Saints right now. Didn't Martial Saints from the Great Yan rarely show themselves, often only once in a century? As long as no Martial Saints appeared, with his current strength, he was practically invincible.
He continued to feel his body—after reaching the Core Realm, the feedback into his body once again pushed it to another level.
Ordinary Core Realm cultivators also experienced some physical enhancement at this stage, but theirs were mostly minimal—just enough to support their internal power. The bulk of their strength still came from qi force.
But Ning Qi was different.
The surging Qi Origin energy allowed his body to repeatedly break its limits, reaching an unbelievable degree. Even the Buddhist Vajras who specialized in refining vitality couldn't compare to him.
He casually clenched his fist. Even without channeling his qi, he felt like he could smash through a mountain.
The physical boost wasn't just an increase in strength.
It also meant a deeper foundation for the body and more abundant vitality.
Ning Qi could feel his lifespan increasing once again. It might've already surpassed a thousand years—and not just barely. This was a height even the Heaven-Man Realm struggled to reach.
The most direct benefit—
Was that his comprehension abilities had risen again, reaching the limit of what his current life force could support.
"This feeling... is f***ing amazing!"
Ning Qi exclaimed from the heart.
The boost in combat power was just a side effect. What truly fascinated him was the repeated evolution of his life itself. That sense of exhilaration and satisfaction was unmatched. ᚱãꞐꝊ𐌱ÊŠ
"Next, I'll focus on refining the 'Mind Tempering Method.' It's part of the All-Encompassing Secrets, and though I thought it was perfect before, I now feel there's still room for improvement. Only by gradually fusing the 'spirit' into the core can I truly control the power of heaven and earth."
His eyes were full of anticipation.
Even though he was already using various secret arts like Unity of Heaven and Man and the False Core Fusion Technique to peek into the power of the heavens, these were still intermediaries.
Only when he truly stepped into the Heaven-Man Realm would he directly touch the essence of the world's power. That would be the time to test some of his theories about the Martial Saint Realm. He already had some ideas—just needed to verify them.
"And there's the innate bloodline and Xiao Shi's inborn Sword Bone. Once I reach the Heaven-Man Realm, I might be able to explore deeper levels."
Ning Qi smiled faintly and slowly closed his eyes, continuing his enlightenment beside the Dao Comprehension Tea Tree.
...
Time passed quietly.
Luo Wentian had sent word from Daozhou—everything had gone smoothly, almost unbelievably so.
It was obvious.
Everyone from the Zhenwu Sect had severely underestimated the influence of a Heavenly Sword True Person.
This person likely had strength ranking in the top twenty of the Heaven-Man Ranking. What did that mean?
Even considering the hidden depths of the Daoist Sects, that was enough to place them among the top five, if not top three, publicly known Daoist experts.
After all, about thirty percent of the Heaven-Man Ranking's top twenty were occupied by the Great Yan's court. Once you divided the rest among other martial sects, how many spots could be left? The Daoist Sects openly only had two experts in the top twenty.
Under such circumstances—
One Heavenly Sword True Person held massive weight.
Even if his lifespan was running out, he still had several decades left. In that time, holding a top-tier Daoist Sect's position was not difficult.
Add in the full backing of the Zhenxuan Sect—
Zhenwu Sect had been directly promoted to the ninth Daoist Sect in the realm, entering the lineup of top-tier sects.
In fact, Luo Wentian mentioned that if not for Zhenwu's recent establishment and its still-developing foundation, they could've even moved up two more spots.
Even so, it was more than satisfying.
In his letter, Luo Wentian quietly shared that Daoist Longshan had been overjoyed—so much so that he had rarely shared a drink with him. Ning Qi couldn't help but smile.
He knew well what his master had long wished for.
This was only the beginning. Someday, Zhenwu Sect would become the number one Daoist Sect—or even the top martial sect in the world. It was just a matter of time.
Ning Qi was genuinely pleased.
Being ranked the ninth Daoist Sect wasn't just for show.
There were real benefits.
First—Daoist Scriptures.
As members of the top nine, Daoist sects would share some of their scriptures. While not the rarest secrets, the sheer volume alone would greatly enrich Zhenwu's collection.
Combined with the scriptures the Northern Suppression King had already transcribed and delivered, Ning Qi figured he wouldn't need to worry about study material for the entire Heaven-Man phase.
His scripture reading speed had also increased.
Partly due to his heightened comprehension, and partly because of his deeper foundation. For the more basic texts, he could now grasp the essence almost instantly and make them his own.
Secondly—exchange between top-tier Daoist sects.
Should trouble arise, others wouldn't stand by and watch. There was now a mutual-defense pact, which drastically increased Zhenwu's security.
Of course, the reason other Daoist sects welcomed Zhenwu's smooth entry into the top tier was precisely because of that: the sense of security brought by a Heavenly Sword True Person was overwhelming.
Even if it only served as a deterrent, it was still a massive win.
Ning Qi was fully aware of that.
But he didn't mind.
At this stage, it was an excellent deal for Zhenwu.
Beyond Luo Wentian's successful mission in Daozhou, Zhenwu Mountain was bustling as well. Under the joint efforts of Xiong Shi and the newly appointed elders, the mountain had transformed dramatically. Pavilions sprang up one after another, spreading all across the midsection of the mountain.
Disciples had begun redeeming martial techniques from the Scripture Pavilion and were training hard—ready to shine when the time came.
Meanwhile—
The news that Zhenwu would soon open its doors to new disciples had spread like wildfire.
Many eagerly awaited the day and had already arrived in Zhenwu City. Most were swordsmen or martial artists who aspired to the sword path.
The pull of the Zhenwu Sword Stele was simply too great.
Rumor had it that due to the sheer number of people attempting to comprehend it, the new sect leader Luo Wentian was considering setting limits on how long or how many could access the stele.
Under such conditions, joining Zhenwu was clearly the best path—everyone knew the saying: the closer to the source, the better the chance.
Xiong Shi and the others had mixed feelings.
More attention meant a higher chance of recruiting talent, but it also increased the risk of drawing in the wrong crowd—especially those who came for the sword stele or the martial techniques stored in the Scripture Pavilion.
They were already considering screening methods but still felt they weren't foolproof.
Once Ning Qi learned about it, ideas gradually began to form in his mind.
...
While Zhenwu was booming—
In Baizhou.
The region of the Great Yan closest to the Ten-Thousand Mountains.
Within its borders, mountains stretched endlessly. Most of the population lived off the land and were skilled hunters. The people were rugged, and martial artists were common.
At the peak of a perilous mountain stood several luxurious palaces.
This was one of the strongholds of the Demonic Sect.
Qin Yun and Ghostface were already waiting there.
Today was the day of negotiations with the Southern Alliance.
Of course, if things went south, it might break into full-blown war. That's why the demonic experts remained on high alert.
Ghostface secretly sent a voice transmission to Qin Yun, chuckling:
"Word is the Southern Alliance Saintess is a peerless beauty with extraordinary martial talent. And you're not bad-looking yourself. If you could win her over, your position as Holy Son would be guaranteed. Maybe even future Sect Master too!"
Qin Yun was speechless.
He realized this Deputy Sect Master really enjoyed matchmaking.
Previously, he had tried to get him to win over Lin Ruhua, daughter of the Deputy Sect Master Lin Xueshuang. Now he wanted him to go after the Southern Alliance Saintess.
Did he think Qin Yun was irresistible or something?
Speaking of Lin Ruhua, he got a little annoyed.
Only after digging deeper did he find out—
That lady was known for vanishing for months at a time, doing who-knew-what.
Rumors in the sect said she was off having romantic trysts. Someone even claimed to have seen her holding a mandarin-duck pendant, eyes filled with affection.
So... was he supposed to steal someone else's love?
But ten days ago, when they met briefly, Lin Ruhua gave him a scornful look that still puzzled him.
Even if she wasn't interested, was that kind of glare really necessary?
Shaking off the thoughts, Qin Yun got down to business:
"Please don't joke, Deputy Sect Master. The Southern Alliance Saintess is their future pillar. There's no way she'd marry an outsider."
"Today's meeting is about finding the mastermind behind this. Otherwise, if we and the Southern Alliance keep fighting, it'll only benefit someone else."
Ghostface's eyes grew cold as he sneered:
"The Southern Alliance thinks they've been secretive, but we found out about the Blood King Gu. If we did, others can too."
Qin Yun's eyes narrowed:
"You think... it's the Great Yan court?"
Just then—
They all turned toward the distant sky.
A massive flying centipede raced toward them at a speed surpassing most Heaven-Man cultivators.
Several powerful auras stood atop it.
Leading the group was a veiled woman with a slender waist and cold, indifferent eyes.
Behind her were Granny Snake and two other elders.
Qin Yun squinted—he could sense a faint trace of danger from the Saintess.
As the flying centipede landed on the peak, Ghostface's eyes lit up and he strode forward with a laugh:
"I've long heard the Southern Alliance Saintess is a once-in-a-millennium genius. Seeing you today proves the rumors true."
The Saintess's eyes briefly lingered on Qin Yun's white hair with a trace of surprise before turning to Ghostface:
"Nanfeng is not worthy of such praise, Deputy Sect Master. Your sect is just as full of talent. No wonder you've kept up with the Great Yan for centuries."
The two exchanged compliments.
There was no visible tension.
But behind them, both sides' experts wore grim expressions.
Everyone knew it was just a facade—if no agreement was reached, a fight could break out at any moment.
"Please." Ghostface smiled.
The Southern Alliance Saintess entered the hall without a change in expression.
"Such courage."
When Ghostface praised her, she replied coolly:
"I came today only to resolve the conflict between the Southern Alliance and the Demonic Sect. Let's get to the point."
"It's the Holy Sect," Ghostface corrected.
She didn't respond, clearly unwilling to waste time on that.
Qin Yun stepped forward and calmly said:
"If you came to resolve things, then surely you bring sincerity. In the past six months, your alliance has launched multiple attacks against our Holy Sect. Seven small strongholds and two branches were hit, killing two Heaven-Man elders and injuring four. Many other Qi Origin and Inner Origin cultivators were killed or wounded. How do you plan to compensate us?"
As his words fell—
The Demonic Sect members radiated killing intent.
But the Saintess remained unfazed.
Granny Snake sneered:
"You think your sect was the only one who suffered? We lost four Heaven-Man elders and three injured. Our fallen Qi Origin warriors outnumber yours. How do you plan to compensate us?"
The conflict had escalated out of control. That was the reason both sides were finally sitting down to talk—continued fighting benefited no one.
Qin Yun was about to speak—
But Ghostface frowned and said:
"Wait. When did our Holy Sect kill four of your Heaven-Man elders? Weren't there only two?"
The Saintess's eyes gleamed:
"You're denying the destruction of our stronghold in Qingzhou? Both the Fat and Thin Elders, along with dozens of Qi Origin cultivators, were massacred—bodies gone without a trace. You mean to say your sect didn't do that?"
Granny Snake's eyes narrowed.
They had already suspected this before arriving. Now, seeing the Demonic Sect's reaction, the truth seemed obvious.
Still, they couldn't back down now.
Ghostface stood up and declared firmly:
"Our Holy Sect acts with honor. We won't accept false accusations."
The Saintess said nothing.
Granny Snake, catching the cue, touched the blue serpent around her neck.
Moments later, she unleashed a green poisonous mist.
Coldly, she said:
"Dare you say this isn't your elder's signature technique? The Qingzhou stronghold was destroyed by this very power!"
The Demonic Sect members were stunned.
They knew this technique—it was Elder Wang's signature move.
And yet this old woman had used it?
Ghostface's expression darkened.
"This is indeed one of our elders' unique skills, but—"
He looked at the Saintess, exhaled slowly, and said:
"He's already dead."
A heavy silence fell over the hall.
Everyone there was sharp.
They immediately understood what this meant.
They'd all been used—like pawns in someone else's game.