Chapter 33: A Great Dream of Nine Deaths, Advancement to Inner Origin |
Inside the Seeking Dao Courtyard.
Ning Qi was slowly practicing the Origin of All Phenomena Stance. Although his physical body was now flawless and had reached its limit, he still needed to stimulate it with “spirit” to continuously generate internal energy.
Like now.
The internal energy within Ning Qi’s body was no longer just faint wisps as before, but had gradually condensed into a mass. In just a few more days, it could fully condense into an Inner Origin "fruit," which would then nourish his body in return and drastically extend his lifespan.
In other words, he would truly advance to the Inner Origin Realm.
For Ning Qi, that day wasn’t far off—twenty days or so would be enough.
During this time, Ning Qi had gained a much deeper understanding of the nature of internal energy.
“Internal energy is formless and shapeless—it is a ‘void substance.’ Whether it’s the faint traces I sensed before or the now-formed mass, they are actually feedback from the body, not necessarily a real presence within.”
“But the cultivation of the Inner Origin Realm is about making the void real. Once reaching a high level in the Inner Origin Realm, internal energy becomes ‘semi-real.’ Besides strengthening the body, it can also be infused into fists, palms, and weapons to enhance power.”
Ning Qi lightly swung his fist, feeling his body gently “shedding” and “squeezing” out faint traces of internal energy.
A flash of insight sparked in his mind.
All the Fold Energy Techniques and various secret arts he had studied over the past days surfaced in his mind, and he found his answer to this question.
“Every fold of energy is essentially allowing internal energy and the body to merge again, thus generating stronger, more ‘real’ internal energy. After nine times, it will completely transform into Qi Origin!”
“This is why all Fold Energy Techniques under the heavens can be divided into two steps.”
“Step one, establish a connection between internal energy and the body, merge them again, and enhance the body’s strength. Step two, squeeze new internal energy from the strengthened body!”
“In other words, the body serves to both ‘enhance’ and ‘compress’ the internal energy in the process. The effectiveness of a Fold Energy Technique depends on whether the body can be pushed to the limit during this. Take the Ice Silkworm Force, for example—nine times breaking the cocoon to be reborn. It essentially means the body is pushed to the extreme nine times, even more so than the four high-level Fold Energy Techniques of my Zhenwu Sect.”
“But I don’t think this is the true limit!”
Ning Qi had completely forgotten he was practicing stance techniques; his entire being had entered a wonderful state of enlightenment.
A continuous stream of insight burst forth in Ning Qi’s mind like a spring.
“To truly reach the limit of the body each time in this process, the body must ‘die,’ and then be reborn. Not only does this squeeze out stronger internal energy, but it also allows the body to transform again—this is true rebirth!”
“However, physical death is dangerous. If not handled properly, one’s vitality could be completely cut off—actual death. So, a ‘false death’ can be used instead. Dying and living again nine times—thus reaching the true physical limit!”
A vague thunderclap echoed in his mind.
At some point, Ning Qi had stopped practicing stance techniques. He stood silently in the courtyard, eyes closed, like a sculpture.
Fine rain began to fall from the sky.
White Ape noticed and quickly stopped his Ape King Stance, fetched an oil-paper umbrella from the storage hut, and quietly walked to Ning Qi’s side to hold it up over him. The entire time, he moved as silently as possible, fearing he would disturb Ning Qi.
Reverence filled his eyes.
Only after living with Ning Qi did he realize how powerful he truly was—and how good he was to him. Though Ning Qi had never acknowledged him as a disciple, in White Ape’s heart, he had already regarded Ning Qi as his master.
Man and ape stood silently in the rain.
Until late into the night, when the rain stopped.
Ning Qi slowly opened his eyes, a genuine joy shining within them.
“Tiansheng, go rest.”
He spoke gently.
White Ape bowed respectfully and returned to his courtyard.
Ning Qi gazed at the faint drizzle in the sky and smiled.
He had read seventy-six Fold Energy Techniques, using the Origin of All Phenomena Stance as the foundation, drawing on the rebirth-from-cocoon essence of the Ice Silkworm Force, and comprehending the core of the Dream Devourer—he had reached an epiphany.
The Great Dream of Nine Deaths Force.
It was the fruit of Ning Qi’s recent cultivation, a Fold Energy Technique tailor-made for himself.
“In the midst of sleep and dreams, the body dies, and upon waking, it is reborn. Each Fold can reach the true limit. This is the Great Dream of Nine Deaths!”
“Each breakthrough can be replaced by a long sleep, eliminating all danger. The only requirement is to absorb enough energy before sleeping. Thankfully, I’ve optimized absorption, so my body’s transformation won’t make me a chubby like Zhuang Chen.”
Ning Qi chuckled softly.
He stretched lazily, quite satisfied.
Now he only had to wait until he fully entered the Inner Origin stage. Then, he could test the might of the Great Dream of Nine Deaths during the second and third folds.
Across the world, completing the Inner Origin Realm in twenty years already marked someone as a prodigy—but Ning Qi felt he’d be much faster.
“Strictly speaking, though, the Great Dream of Nine Deaths Force is still missing its second half.”
“Once the Inner Origin Realm is perfected and reaches a ‘semi-real’ state, internal energy can carry attributes. Like the Ice Silkworm Force—it condenses ice silkworm internal energy, gathers in the palm, and can freeze one’s bones. It’s powerful and also tied to the future Qi Origin cultivation method.”
“But no rush for now. Perfecting the Inner Origin Realm will take at least a year—I’ll think on it more.”
Ning Qi set the thought aside.
He would continue to work toward this path.
…
Autumn faded, cold winds grew harsher.
Zhenwu Mountain became chillier. The chaos caused by Divine Sword Sect’s visit slowly subsided. That day when Ning Qi easily subdued Chubby Zhuang Chen had sparked significant attention within the Zhenwu Sect. Many people, for the first time, got a clear sense of the Ninth True Disciple’s talent.
Some curious disciples would take the excuse of borrowing books from the Scripture Pavilion just to get a closer look at Ning Qi.
However—
Ning Qi had always been mysterious and rarely interacted with other disciples, so the excitement eventually died down. The Scripture Pavilion gradually quieted.
After all, most disciples still focused on improving their own cultivation.
But Third Senior Sister Ye Qinghe and Fifth Senior Brother Jiang Baishan both stopped by to check on Ning Qi. After teasing White Ape for a while, Ye Qinghe brought Ning Qi some news.
Ye Qinghe told Ning Qi—
Qin Yun, after leaving Divine Sword Sect, had been ordered by Daoist Longshan to go on a training journey.
Ning Qi merely sighed.
Qin Yun hadn’t visited the Seeking Dao Courtyard for a long time.
He could only feel helpless about it.
Ning Qi still remembered how Qin Yun once told him he wanted to become the world’s number one and restore Zhenwu Sect’s place as the top Daoist sect.
But now—
The Seeking Dao Courtyard was undisturbed. Even White Ape wasn’t around. Aside from diligently practicing stance techniques, he occasionally played with younger disciples or wandered with Ye Qinghe. White Ape’s status in Zhenwu Sect was actually quite decent.
Ning Qi sat cross-legged on his bed, a rare occurrence.
With his palms upward and a solemn yet expectant expression—
Inside him—
Shocking changes were taking place.
His powerful physical foundation generated an immense volume of internal energy—at least ten times more than the average person.
And now—
The internal energy birthed from his body was about to fully condense into “fruit.”
Ning Qi could feel that his Dantian was seemingly filled with an invisible substance, taking on a chaotic, primal form.
“Condense!”
In that very instant—
The final trace of “sweet dew” was squeezed out of his body. Internal energy fully condensed into a fruit. Ning Qi felt a tremor of spirit—his entire state ascended.
Within his Dantian, internal energy could now be drawn at will. When gathered into his right arm, it felt like it could blast apart a mountain—an illusion brought on by a massive power boost.
With internal energy empowering his body, he could now unleash strength far beyond the body alone.
Ning Qi now was terrifyingly strong.
His physical body already far surpassed others’. With the addition of such vast internal energy, he had surpassed even his past self. Though he had just broken through to Inner Origin, even ordinary Sixth- or Seventh-Fold practitioners might not be his match.
But what thrilled Ning Qi most—
Was the sublimation of his body in the unseen.
After condensing the fruit of internal energy, his lifespan increased again—now reaching two hundred years.
And Ning Qi was only five years old. That meant he could live another one hundred ninety-five years, maybe more. His body was too powerful—perhaps he’d reach a realm never seen before, and his lifespan would far exceed the norm.
At this moment—
He was full of energy, his body in a state of ease.
Ning Qi felt his thoughts moving faster, his occasional flashes of insight sharper than ever.
“So this is the Inner Origin Realm? Truly marvelous.”
Ning Qi smiled faintly.
Cultivation really was a fascinating thing. The feeling of climbing to the peak step by step enchanted him. Now, he was one step closer to immortality.
After a moment of immersion—
Ning Qi began practicing the Great Dream of Nine Deaths Force.
He immediately entered a cultivation state and quickly found the rhythm. For others, this would take considerable time.
Ning Qi guided the internal energy fruit to form a deeper connection with his body.
Once that bond was complete, he could start using his body to absorb the internal energy and transform it into something even more powerful.
“But this bonding process is purely a slow, grinding task. Even prodigies need a year or two.”
“Thankfully, the Great Dream of Nine Deaths Force I created can greatly shorten this process. Two or three months will do.”
Ning Qi smiled confidently.
He slowly ended his practice, deciding to go find his master.
Previously, Daoist Longshan had said that if Ning Qi broke through to Inner Origin, he should come to him—there was something important he had to say. That’s why Ning Qi never hid his cultivation progress from Daoist Longshan—there was no need.
Ning Qi rose and activated the Phantom Dragon Step he created. Internal energy silently merged in, and his speed soared. In mere moments, he had already grasped the use of internal energy across various martial arts.
By analogy, the martial arts he created easily adapted to his cultivation.
Still, he could create more powerful martial arts in the future.
One, to enrich his foundation as a Guardian of the Dao. Two, to contribute to Daoist Longshan and the Scripture Pavilion. Many of the Pavilion’s techniques now came from Ning Qi. Sometimes, when bored, he would secretly observe Zhenwu disciples and create suitable martial arts for them.
Walking with his hands behind his back, Ning Qi’s figure had an indescribable grace.
But at the Mingwu Pavilion—
He found the building tightly closed.
Ning Qi froze in place.
Behind him came the voice of Senior Brother Luo Wentian:
“Little Nine, bad timing. Master just entered seclusion yesterday. I meant to have Tiansheng inform you, but didn’t get the chance. Were you looking for him? Let me help you instead!”
Looking at Senior Brother’s concerned expression, Ning Qi smiled:
“It’s nothing urgent. Since Master is in seclusion, I’ll come back when he’s done.”
He thought about it but didn’t mention his Inner Origin breakthrough.
Though Senior Brother was kind, the fewer complications the better.
After a brief chat, Ning Qi left.
Watching Ning Qi’s back, Luo Wentian showed a bit of confusion.
Compared to two months ago, something about Ning Qi seemed different—but he couldn’t quite pinpoint what.
Eventually, he shook his head and dismissed the absurd thought that had surfaced in his mind.
“How could that be? Little Junior Brother is only five.”
He shook his head with a laugh, bowed toward the closed Mingwu Pavilion, then strode off. Since Daoist Longshan was in seclusion, he had to handle more Zhenwu Sect affairs.
Now almost fifty, Luo Wentian had reached Inner Origin Ninth Fold. That was decent by worldly standards—but still not among the very best. Part of the reason was being burdened with sect duties, but even among the Nine Sons of Zhenwu, his talent wasn’t the top tier.
Take Fifth Disciple Jiang Baishan, for example—he had now overtaken him and was also at Inner Origin Ninth Fold, with a chance of becoming the first among the Nine Sons to reach Qi Origin.
Luo Wentian didn’t mind.
He simply felt gratified.
If his junior brothers and sisters had outstanding talent and made great progress, he had no problem sacrificing some cultivation time to support them.
…
With Daoist Longshan in seclusion, Ning Qi didn’t dwell on it.
He continued training step by step.
Reading scriptures in the Pavilion, cultivating the Nine Deaths Great Dream Force in the Seeking Dao Courtyard—his days were rich and fulfilling.
During this time—
Ning Qi had tried to use internal energy to explore White Ape’s bloodline and physique, but ultimately failed.
The internal energy was still too “illusory.”
Perhaps only after reaching Qi Origin would he be able to use it to explore White Ape’s body and uncover its mysteries.
Just like Zhuang Chen’s innate Sword Bone, Ning Qi was equally curious about White Ape’s constitution.
After days of practicing the Ape King Stance, Ning Qi found no extraordinary traits in White Ape.
This meant two possibilities:
Either White Ape’s Heavenly Beast bloodline was too weak to activate, unable to make him an exotic beast and amplify his strength—
Or the bloodline was too strong, and too difficult to awaken.
Ning Qi leaned toward the latter.
He didn’t believe a few Vermillion Fruits alone could make White Ape so clever. He had even asked White Ape—before eating the fruit, his intelligence already surpassed normal beasts.
Ning Qi could only suppress his curiosity.
He’d explore it once he became stronger.
Time passed quietly.
In the blink of an eye, the year’s end approached.
Ning Qi’s cultivation progressed smoothly.
He had now fully bonded his internal energy with his body. The next step was for the body to “die” and undergo transformation.
Using the Great Dream of Nine Deaths method, this required entering a brief sleep.
Ning Qi was about to try it for the first time, unsure how long he’d sleep.
Just as he hesitated—
White Ape brought news.
Daoist Longshan had emerged from seclusion.