After going through so many false-deaths, Ning Qi was already familiar with the process. Now, he could even enter the 'Silent State' with his eyes closed.
His breathing slowed until it was imperceptible.
Eventually, it disappeared entirely.
Ning Qi's incredibly powerful physical body became quiet and desolate.
…
Unexpectedly.
When Ning Qi woke up, it hadn't just been half a month like the previous two times—it had been twenty days.
"Looks like the Perfection in Inner Origin Realm really is a bit different."
Ning Qi's eyes gleamed with divine light.
He felt better than ever—his essence and energy were abundant, and his body felt completely at ease.
After eight consecutive false-deaths, Ning Qi's physical body was now nine times stronger than when he had achieved Perfect Body Tempering!
That was absolutely outrageous.
One had to understand that Ning Qi had already built an unparalleled foundation. Now, having multiplied that by nine, it was hard for ordinary people to even imagine how strong his body had become. It wasn't just about raw power—it was comprehensive strength, a deeply rooted foundation.
"Maybe, I can even match the physical body of a Heaven-Man Realm expert who specializes in cultivating the Flower of Essence. I wonder whether that Wang Clan Patriarch's body is stronger or weaker than mine."
The details of the battle between the Wang Clan Patriarch and Daoist Longshan had spread throughout Qingzhou, so Ning Qi naturally knew about it too. The Wang Clan Patriarch had reversed his own decline, turning decay into miracle, earning endless praise.
Ning Qi thought that perhaps he could now achieve the same.
If he didn't suppress it, the vibrant vitality within his body could outshine the entire Zhenwu Mountain.
Of course.
Even if his body could rival the Wang Clan Patriarch's, it didn't mean he could fight on equal footing. The patriarch's powerful body was merely the vessel—his true strength came from the power of Heaven and Earth.
"Besides that, there's my lifespan. I feel like mine may be twice that of a typical Inner Origin Realm martial artist!"
"My comprehension has improved again!"
Ning Qi moved his body slightly. A radiant sheen covered his physique. He calmed his heart and began to focus on understanding the most important breakthrough from this round. 𝑅𝘈ℕo͍ＢĚș
Perfection in Inner Origin Realm—its biggest change was naturally in Internal Energy.
For ordinary martial artists who reached this stage, their Internal Energy would be nearly solid, capable of extending outside the body for nearly ten zhang. Once it underwent one final transformation into True Qi, it could become completely tangible—able to kill from a distance.
But Ning Qi had already been able to extend his Internal Energy for ten zhang back when he was at the Eighth Fold Realm.
And now…
Ning Qi stood in the courtyard and lightly pointed.
An invisible thread-like strand of Internal Energy shot out. Thirty zhang away, a peach tree branch silently slid off. The cut was incredibly smooth. With just a thought from Ning Qi, the branch floated back, slowly spinning until it landed gently in his hand.
A smile formed on Ning Qi's lips.
"If I remember correctly, Fifth Senior Brother's True Qi could only shoot thirty zhang. Beyond that, its power would drastically weaken."
"But now, my Internal Energy can extend thirty zhang, and is even more effective than the point-of-no-return nature of True Qi. Moreover, if I want, I can now project Internal Energy outside my body too!"
Ning Qi flicked his finger. Strands of sword and blade qi flew into the air.
They could practically match the effects of True Qi, and even surpass it in power. Ning Qi's Origin of All Phenomena chapter gave his projected Internal Energy all kinds of mystical properties.
It was terrifying.
"Too bad it hasn't fully transformed in essence yet, otherwise I wouldn't need to spend so much energy."
Ning Qi shook his head with a smile. Even though his Internal Energy was overwhelmingly abundant, he couldn't afford to waste it like this for long. He was only able to project it so freely by forcefully stacking massive amounts of energy—like fighting while a fire hose wildly sprayed Internal Energy nonstop.
Only Ning Qi could withstand such consumption.
But for him—
The most efficient combat style was still wielding a thirty-zhang-long 'giant blade of Internal Energy' to kill enemies. If Ning Qi was on a battlefield, he could mow down enemies like grass.
"With all my techniques unleashed, could I fight someone at the Core Formation Realm?"
He wasn't overestimating himself. This conclusion came after fighting multiple Qi Origin Realm experts. He had actually made a rather conservative estimate. The Ape King True Form and Unity of Heaven and Man secret arts he recently grasped could greatly amplify his combat power.
Ning Qi was in a great mood.
Without realizing it, he had reached such a level that he could now be considered a true expert in the world.
Still, he needed to continue consolidating.
Combat power was only to protect his path—his cultivation realm was the true foundation.
"Next up, I'll fully prepare for the final false-death. Once the Great Dream of Nine Deaths Force reaches Perfection, I'll naturally advance to the Qi Origin Realm!"
Ning Qi was full of anticipation.
Ordinary Qi Origin Realm martial artists could live four hundred years. He would only be stronger.
There was still a long time until autumn and winter. He felt confident that he could break through before his Master came out of seclusion.
…
Time passed gently. Summer was in full bloom.
Ning Qi's cultivation continued to advance steadily. For him, the Qi Origin Realm had no bottlenecks—once he accumulated enough, the breakthrough would happen naturally.
And the Zhenwu Sect was also receiving good news one after another.
True Disciples were breaking through in succession.
Thanks to Ning Qi's Dreamsleep Art and Dreamsleep Pill, nearly all the True Disciples in the Inner Origin Realm broke through one minor realm. The initial effects were the strongest after all—especially Ye Qinghe, who used it to reach Perfection in the Inner Origin Realm. Unfortunately, she still needed more time to settle her foundation and couldn't yet push into the Qi Origin Realm in one go.
Fortunately—
First Disciple Luo Wentian and Second Disciple Xiong Shi didn't disappoint.
With the help of the Condensed Qi Pill, plus their solid foundation built on the Fold Energy Technique, they broke through smoothly without any issues.
Luo Wentian broke through to the Qi Origin Realm first.
Ten days later—
Xiong Shi followed closely behind and stepped into the Qi Origin Realm.
In an instant—
The Zhenwu Sect was jubilant.
Now, in addition to Daoist Longshan—the unparalleled Heaven-Man Realm expert—the Zhenwu Sect had three Qi Origin Realm experts. Even though all three were in the White Mist Realm, it was already impressive enough. They could hold their ground at the Heaven-Man Ceremony.
Coincidentally, the three of them had each trained in one of the Heaven-Shaking Force, Earth-Shaking Force, or Sea-Overturning Force, allowing them to perform a combined attack technique. They were beginning to resemble the legendary 'Nine Heaven-Man Martial Saints'.
For a sect that had only been founded for a few decades, such growth was astonishing.
It was clear—
Once all these True Disciples fully matured, the Zhenwu Sect would undoubtedly become a giant power.
Later, Jiang Baishan, Luo Wentian, and Xiong Shi—now all in the Qi Origin Realm—sparred several times. The battles dazzled the watching disciples of the Zhenwu Sect, who were filled with admiration.
As expected, Jiang Baishan remained the strongest.
After all, he had been the first to enter the White Mist Realm and had the highest talent.
Ning Qi felt the joy and celebration of his sect, and couldn't help but be in high spirits himself. His cultivation became even more fluid.
However—
He still devoted most of his focus to his own pursuits.
Reading scriptures, cultivating, creating techniques, planting trees, refining pills, teaching the White Ape...
Ning Qi was content and at ease.
Though the Heaven-Man Ceremony was a major event for the Zhenwu Sect and one Ning Qi took seriously, he knew there would be many such events in the years to come. He needed to maintain a peaceful heart amid the noise—and get used to it early.
In any case, Ning Qi was doing what needed to be done.
And when it came time to contribute—he would never back down.