Seeking Dao Courtyard.
A light breeze swept through, carrying the strange fragrance of the Enlightenment Tea Tree, which made Ning Qi feel even more at ease. In the distance, the White Ape was diligently cultivating. Ever since his dazzling performance during the assessment, he had become even more dedicated.
Although cultivation wasn't meant to show off in front of others, appropriately displaying one's abilities did make it easier to stay motivated.
Ning Qi flipped through the tome in his hands.
He read quickly. He could tell at a glance whether something was useful to him. Only when he came across something particularly valuable would he pause slightly, but even so, it didn't take him much time.
From time to time, he waved his hand, and a new tome would float over.
In the distance stood a small mountain of books.
That was today's reading load for Ning Qi.
Once he finished reading, the White Ape would go to the Scripture Pavilion and bring him a new batch.
Ning Qi was completely absorbed.
"'Wandering Swordsman's Travel Notes'? This is an account from a Heaven-Man Realm swordsman from Wenjian Pavilion, detailing sixty years of travels across the Great Yan. Heading west into the desert, encountering a giant storm that blotted out the sky and devoured light and shadow—only then did he realize how insignificant he was before the power of heaven and earth..."
He carefully absorbed the details. As he read the vivid descriptions, it was as if he were there himself.
To those from Wenjian Pavilion, this might just be a unique experience of a senior; they wouldn't pay much attention to these kinds of records. At most, a few disciples would skim through them casually in their spare time.
Most of the books in this category were travelogues and autobiographies. Wenjian Pavilion didn't value them and sent the entire batch over without even making many copies.
But to Ning Qi, they were a great way to enrich his foundation and experience the world vicariously, yielding considerable benefits.
He extracted the essence from them, continuously drawing nourishment for his growth.
Nowadays, he only needed to spend a bit of time each day on Mind Tempering. In terms of cultivation, things were actually easier than when he broke through from Jade Elixir Realm to Origin Core Realm, leaving him with more time to comprehend the Dao and create techniques.
"Accounts from overseas..."
"Speculations on exotic beasts..."
One book after another flew past.
Suddenly.
Ning Qi's gaze froze on the one in his hand.
"Record of Rivers."
A flicker of interest appeared in his eyes.
Back when he entered the Sword Inheritance Tower, he had learned that the sword intent understood by Wenjian Pavilion's founder was named River Sword Intent. Later, he found out this astonishing genius even changed his own name to Wu Jianghe.
"This is his autobiography?"
Ning Qi opened the book.
Immediately, he knew his guess was correct.
His interest deepened.
As he flipped through page by page, he discovered the autobiography only recorded part of Wu Jianghe's life.
"It documents how he was ordinary when he first set foot on the Martial Path, then gradually rose as he formed his River Sword Intent. It mostly covers daily matters and some life reflections during that period. It feels a bit immature. As for insights on the sword path, there's barely any. No wonder Wenjian Pavilion tossed it into the forgotten pile."
Ning Qi figured that after so many years, people at Wenjian Pavilion might not even remember this autobiography existed.
"Still, you can tell Wu Jianghe was a late bloomer. Even though the daily records seem trivial, you can see he had some great habits. Wenjian Pavilion really has no eye for talent."
Ning Qi shook his head slightly.
Even if the book didn't contain much on sword comprehension, someone who took the time to study it carefully could still gain something from it. All the effort Wu Jianghe put into writing it was essentially wasted. It also reflected how Wenjian Pavilion had become increasingly impatient and shallow—sooner or later, they'd provoke some powerful force, even if not Zhenwu Sect.
He continued reading.
Suddenly, his gaze paused again.
He had turned to the final page.
"If someone reads this, regardless of whether you're from Wenjian Pavilion, it means fate has brought you here."
Ning Qi frowned slightly—not at the words, but because he sensed a faint ripple between the lines.
When he focused his full senses, that ripple became even clearer.
To his eyes, the Record of Rivers began to change.
He straightened up.
Threads of the world's energy gathered at his side. His Divine Intent surged so powerfully that even the White Ape turned its head in surprise.
Ning Qi's eyes grew brighter.
Qi Force gathered in his palm and turned into a ball of flame.
Then he enveloped the Record of Rivers with it.
In an instant.
The yellowed pages turned to ash, but amid the ashes, several silver-glowing pages appeared, making Ning Qi curl his lips into a slow smile.
He had been right!
"There was a secret hidden in the Record of Rivers. To uncover it wasn't easy. Ordinary Heaven-Man Realm cultivators probably couldn't do it. Only those at the peak of the Heaven-Man Realm might stand a chance—maybe even Gu Changhe would fall short. And even if he noticed something in that final sentence, he wouldn't have the patience to read such a boring book."
Perhaps some Wenjian Pavilion disciples had flipped through it, but they weren't qualified to see its true form.
By a twist of fate, it ended up in Ning Qi's hands.
He shook the silver pages and looked at them with anticipation.
The very first line made his spirit tremble.
"Regret! Regret! Regret! If I could borrow another thousand years from the heavens, why would I fear not becoming a Martial Saint?"
A powerful wave of frustration and unwillingness spilled out.
Even peak Heaven-Man Realm experts could only live for eight hundred years.
"There is no longer any Martial Saint method in the world. For us to recreate it by our own strength—how difficult is that? It's no different from retracing the ancient paths of our forebears."
"But generation after generation of our ancestors paved the way, spending tens of thousands of years to forge the Martial Saint Realm. How can we expect to do it in just a few centuries? Only the most monstrous talents in all eternity could have even a sliver of hope."
"I studied the Martial Saint Realm for five hundred years before I gained any insight."
"I leave this page behind as reference for those who come after me."
"Remember—if the world is still ruled by the Great Yan, keep this page secret. Do not study it with others. Be extremely cautious of the Martial Saints of the Great Yan!!!"
Ning Qi read the message left behind.
His heart was far from calm.
He had only been hoping to find some vague descriptions of the Martial Saint Realm among Wenjian Pavilion's many records. He didn't expect to uncover such shocking information.
He couldn't help but recall the intel he had received from the Northern Suppression King.
"There's no longer a Martial Saint method? If Wu Jianghe warned like this, then could it really have been erased by the Martial Saints of Great Yan? Is someone trying to prevent new Martial Saints from appearing?"
"Don't study it with others—because if a Martial Saint of Great Yan finds out, they'll kill you preemptively?"
"Then why not just kill all those at peak Heaven-Man Realm? Wouldn't that eliminate the risk completely? Could it be they fear drawing too much attention and causing chaos?"
Ning Qi's gaze grew deep.
A single thought brought countless possibilities to mind.
Back then, he and Daoist Longshan had doubted that the Martial Saints of Great Yan were the ones who erased the method—but now, Wu Jianghe's hidden message made him uncertain again.
"This definitely suggests there's an invisible hand pulling the strings."
"I used to think that once I reached Heaven-Man Realm, I could begin resolving the Demonic Sect and Southern Alliance issues. But now it seems Heaven-Man Realm won't be enough. I'll need to go even further—to peak Heaven-Man, maybe even step into the Martial Saint Realm!"
Ning Qi had already started seeing the Martial Saints of Great Yan as hypothetical enemies.
Right now, his strength was already formidable. When he killed Heartseeker Sword, he didn't even use twenty percent of his power. Based on that, he felt that no one in the Heaven-Man Realm could match him anymore—he might be called invincible within the realm.
Once he reached Heaven-Man Realm, he believed he could face off against a Martial Saint.
But that was only his assumption.
He had no idea how strong a Martial Saint really was.
And the Martial Saints of Great Yan had lived for so long, they were probably no ordinary Martial Saints.
Since that was the case, he couldn't reveal himself until he had absolute power.
Ning Qi took a deep breath.
He understood one thing—
The unknown is the most terrifying.
"The most important task now is to figure out just how powerful a Martial Saint is. In this vast world, there must be some traces left behind. No matter how much has been erased, it can't all be gone. Only by understanding their strength can I compare it to myself and have real confidence."
"If I really can't figure it out, then I'll just cultivate until I become a Martial Saint myself! When that day comes, who cares about the Martial Saints of Great Yan? Who cares about the Demonic Sect or the Southern Alliance? Or any monster or ghost? I'll crush them all!"
Ning Qi rarely showed such ruthlessness. Maybe it was because the information had stirred up some agitation in him.
He took a deep breath, adjusting his emotions.
"But there's no need to get too anxious. Eight or nine out of the top ten on the Heaven-Man Ranking are already peak Heaven-Man Realm, plus a few hidden old monsters who are still alive. That suggests the situation might not be that dire."
Ning Qi continued reading.
After Wu Jianghe's warning came his true insights into the Martial Saint Realm.
As the founder of Wenjian Pavilion and a once-in-a-generation genius, Wu Jianghe had naturally made progress after five centuries of study.
Ning Qi read on, his eyes flashing with light.
"Peak Heaven-Man Realm is when the three flowers of essence, energy, and spirit are complete. Wu Jianghe believed the key to becoming a Martial Saint lies in refining the world's power for one's own use!"
"Heaven-Man Realm cultivators are powerful because they can resonate with the world's energy—but Wu Jianghe thought that's like operating through a veil. Like using a gun to smash someone in the head? It works, but it doesn't tap into the weapon's true power."
"If you could instead refine that power into your body and transform it into something like Qi Force, that would be truly utilizing it—like firing the gun instead of using it as a club."
Ning Qi's mind raced with ideas.
Back when he inherited Qingfeng Sword Saint's legacy from Zhuang Chen, there was a note:
'Absorb the power of heaven and earth for personal use.'
Even then, Ning Qi had many theories about how to ascend to the Martial Saint Realm.
Now, Wu Jianghe's deductions confirmed his path.
It had to be the right one—though filled with difficulties.
"But to refine the power of heaven and earth into something as controllable as Qi Force isn't easy. Wu Jianghe spent five hundred years and only made some initial progress. He suspected it was linked to the three flowers and made several attempts—but all failed."
"Still, his experiences are extremely valuable. They can help avoid countless detours. Presumably, the human ancestors built the Martial Saint Realm the same way—generation after generation passing the torch."
"Unfortunately, things are even harder now. Someone seems to be manipulating everything behind the scenes, stopping Martial Saints from appearing."
An ordinary person—even a once-in-a-millennium genius—would despair.
But Ning Qi had already calmed down.
With his freakish perception and understanding, he had confidence.
Give him time, even a short time—he could reach the Martial Saint Realm as easily as reaching into a bag.
What took Wu Jianghe hundreds of years, he might accomplish in just a few months.
Ning Qi carefully stored away the silver pages.
This was one of the few records that accurately described the Martial Saint Realm. When he reached that stage, they would aid him greatly.
He exhaled lightly.
He didn't plan to continue reading other texts for now. He needed a moment to let it all sink in.
He closed his eyes to rest, his mind glowing with sparks of inspiration as he pondered a recent idea.
How could he make Qi Force persist even after leaving the body? That way, he could give it to his fellow disciples as a hidden trump card to protect themselves.
This was a spark of inspiration he got from some texts from Wuxiang Sect and Wenjian Pavilion.
To others, creating a technique was a nightmare—agonizing and slow.
But to Ning Qi, it was joy.
This was how he relaxed—by creating techniques.
…
Time passed slowly.
Zhenwu Mountain grew increasingly lively. With the fame of the Zhenwu Sword Stele and Myriad Dao Tower rising across the world, many martial artists came in admiration. It even sparked a surge in martial enthusiasm across Qingzhou.
At the center of it all—
Was Zhenwu City and its surroundings.
Many martial artists had settled in Zhenwu City, causing the region's average strength to skyrocket. The city expanded again and was gradually becoming another martial hub in Qingzhou, rivaling even the provincial capital.
It was easy to foresee—
As long as the Zhenwu Sword Stele and Myriad Dao Tower remained—
Zhenwu City surpassing Qingzhou City was only a matter of time.
Naturally, everyone in Zhenwu Sect was delighted.
After all, the Great Yan court had already ceded Zhenwu City to the sect. This would become a major pillar of Zhenwu Sect's foundation.
Inside the city—
The streets bustled with activity.
Zhenwu disciples, under the lead of Guardians and Elders, were stationed across the city to prevent conflicts. With so many martial artists around, disputes were inevitable—but thanks to the fame of Daoist Tianjian, most people behaved themselves.
Jiang Baishan gave a slight cough and said to Song Cheng beside him:
"Seventh Junior Brother, you take them ahead. I've got something to take care of."
Song Cheng blinked, then grinned and winked knowingly at Jiang Baishan.
"Leave it to me. Fifth Senior Brother, take your time—no rush."
Jiang Baishan rolled his eyes at him, then vanished into the distance with a few light steps.
Song Cheng chuckled. He knew exactly what Jiang Baishan was up to.
He led the disciples off on patrol, feeling quite cheerful. What he looked forward to most lately—
Was the upcoming Zhenwu Peach Blossom Festival.
"Just five more days until the festival. Xiao Jiu said the Enlightenment Tea Tree has fully matured this year. We're in for a treat!" he thought happily.