Chapter 34: Half-Step Heaven-Man |
This time, Daoist Longshan had gained greatly.
Sharing the secrets of the Heaven-Man Realm with the Divine Sword Elder wasn’t just helping the elder—it was mutual benefit.
Although the Divine Sword Elder’s talent couldn’t match Daoist Longshan’s, he was still a Sword Dao expert at the Core Formation Realm. At times, his flashes of insight gave Daoist Longshan plenty of inspiration.
During this seclusion,
he had finished digesting the insights gained over this period.
Daoist Longshan now exuded a more ethereal aura.
Just by standing there, he radiated a unique pressure—this was the state of one who had merged with the heavens and earth. At this point, he could truly be called a half-step Heaven-Man, a fundamental leap from his previous perfected Core Formation state.
Beside him, Luo Wentian's eyes were full of reverence and admiration. He was the earliest disciple to follow Daoist Longshan, even before the sect had been rebuilt.
He could clearly sense the change in his master.
“Master, have you…” Luo Wentian asked cautiously.
Daoist Longshan smiled:
“Soon. Within a year at the earliest, three years at most, I will surely break through to the Heaven-Man Realm!”
It sounded like a long time, but in reality, it showed absolute confidence.
Looking across the land, how many people dared say such words before even entering the Heaven-Man Realm? Even if it truly took three more years, Daoist Longshan was far from a hundred years old. With such talent, he could proudly stand above all in the Great Yan Dynasty.
Luo Wentian was overjoyed:
“Congratulations, Master! Then this disciple should start preparing for the Heaven-Man Ceremony in advance!”
As per tradition, whenever a new Heaven-Man Realm expert emerged in the Great Yan Dynasty, a Heaven-Man Ceremony would be held. This was an excellent opportunity to bolster Zhenwu Sect’s reputation, possibly even allowing them to break out of Qingzhou and gain fame across the dynasty.
Throughout the Great Yan Dynasty,
Heaven-Man Realm experts were rare peerless beings, honored by countless people.
Daoist Longshan composed himself and waved his hand slightly:
“Has anything important happened in the sect recently?”
Luo Wentian thought for a moment and said:
“Everything within the sect is as usual, except that Eighth Senior Brother has been away on training and hasn’t returned—it’s been quite a while.”
Daoist Longshan frowned slightly:
“Forget it. Looks like Little Eight still hasn’t resolved his obsession. Seems he won’t be back for the New Year—let him be. Once he figures it out, he’ll naturally return.”
Luo Wentian fell silent for a moment, then added:
“Right, over a month ago, Little Nine came looking for you. Not sure if it was for something important.”
Daoist Longshan froze.
His youngest disciple Ning Qi was the one he was proudest of—and the one who gave him the least trouble.
Other than personally instructing him when he first stepped onto the Martial Path, he rarely had to worry. Ning Qi usually wouldn’t seek him out, and all he needed to do was provide the appropriate resources.
Suddenly,
Daoist Longshan thought of something.
His eyes lit up.
“No way? Little Nine is only five years old… even if he reached the Spirit Refinement Realm earlier, breaking through the bottleneck of a flawless body and birthing internal energy isn’t so easy…”
At this thought,
Daoist Longshan could no longer sit still.
He wanted to go to the Seeking Dao Courtyard to verify if things were as he suspected.
But just as he got up,
he looked outside the pavilion, his gaze flickering slightly, then sat back down.
“Wentian, you may leave.”
Luo Wentian was a bit puzzled, since he had only just arrived and still had matters to report.
But he had always respected his master.
He bowed and strode off.
Just as he stepped outside the pavilion, Luo Wentian saw Ning Qi. He smiled and said:
“Little Nine, you came at the right time—Master has come out of seclusion. We were just talking about you.”
Ning Qi nodded with a smile.
Watching Ning Qi’s back, Luo Wentian suddenly realized—
“Did Master sense Little Nine’s arrival and have me leave on purpose?”
The thought crossed his mind, though he felt no resentment—only a bit of curiosity about what Master wanted to discuss with Little Nine alone.
Then he shook his head with a laugh. This wasn’t something he should be worrying about.
“If Master really breaks through to the Heaven-Man Realm in the next year or two, the Heaven-Man Ceremony must be held. The disciples will need to improve their strength beforehand, so as not to diminish Master’s prestige.”
“Perhaps at the end of the year, the sect can hold a grand tournament. Second Senior Brother and Third Senior Sister could give guidance to the inner and outer disciples?”
Various thoughts stirred in his mind as his figure gradually faded into the distance.
Meanwhile, inside Mingwu Pavilion—
After Ning Qi respectfully saluted, Daoist Longshan's eyes locked onto him, carefully sensing. Repressing his excitement, he asked:
“Little Nine, did you break through?”
Ning Qi was slightly taken aback, then nodded.
“I broke through to the Inner Origin Realm a few days ago. I had planned to report to Master, but you were in seclusion.”
Upon receiving Ning Qi’s confirmation,
Daoist Longshan stood frozen on the spot.
Suspecting something was one thing—facing the truth was another.
The impact was entirely different.
“Heavens above… Little Nine is only five years old…”
He started martial arts at age three, and by five, he had broken through to the Inner Origin Realm.
What kind of peerless genius was this!
Daoist Longshan had estimated Ning Qi might reach the Inner Origin Realm after turning six. Even that would have been freakishly talented. But he never imagined Ning Qi would be even more monstrous—just one year earlier represented a talent gap that logic couldn’t explain.
At this moment,
Daoist Longshan felt a twinge of regret. He should have stopped Ning Qi from acting during the Divine Sword Sect’s visit. So what if he had lost a bit of face?
Thankfully, Ning Qi hadn’t revealed a high Body Tempering Realm level that day. Likely, only the Divine Sword Elder had noticed anything, and Daoist Longshan still trusted the elder’s character.
“Little Nine, from now on, you must never display your cultivation in front of outsiders. Even if you do, avoid revealing your age—unless the day comes when you reach the Heaven-Man Realm.”
Daoist Longshan solemnly instructed.
It was necessary to stay vigilant.
Someone like Qin Yun or Zhuang Chen wouldn’t usually be targeted unless there was deep hatred. But Ning Qi’s talent was too terrifying—if others found out, even without a grudge, they might want to eliminate him early.
Only upon reaching the Heaven-Man Realm could one have true self-protection.
But in another year or two, Daoist Longshan figured he himself would reach Heaven-Man. By then, protecting Ning Qi on Zhenwu Mountain would no longer be an issue.
Still, he gave this warning as an added safeguard—to prepare for any possibility.
Ning Qi nodded seriously.
He could feel his master’s care and concern.
“Master, you once said there was something important to tell me after I broke through to Inner Origin. May I ask what it is?”
Ning Qi asked.
He already had some guesses in his heart.
Sure enough—
Daoist Longshan’s expression stiffened. He let out a long, heavy sigh, seeming somewhat hesitant, but finally said slowly:
“It’s about your background.”