The fame of the Heavenly Sword True Person was just as overwhelming.
Some said that the Heavenly Sword True Person was a bona fide Heaven-Man Ranking expert, even stronger than the Green Ox Bladesman and General Shenyu. With a single Heavenly Sword, he had gravely injured that old demon, while the Green Ox Bladesman and General Shenyu had to fight together for a long time.
The contrast was rather stark.
Many believed that when the Heaven-Man Ranking was next updated, the Heavenly Sword True Person might make the list.
The only flaw was that there were too few records of the Heavenly Sword True Person making a move.
However, those were just people who didn't know the truth.
They didn't realize that Ning Qi's sword had taken advantage of Lin the Old Demon's carelessness. Nor did they know that Ning Qi could only unleash one such sword—any further combat would at best put him at the entry level of the Heaven-Man Realm.
But the Green Ox Bladesman and General Shenyu were not about to step forward to clarify things.
…
Mingwu Pavilion.
Only Ning Qi and Daoist Longshan were seated across from each other.
Daoist Longshan's aura had stabilized somewhat. With the Millennium Sunfire Jade gifted by Lord Xiaoyao, his recovery was much faster. But after careful adjustment, he discovered that his injuries were more severe than expected—there were lingering traces of blade qi left by Lin the Old Demon rampaging within.
Even with the Millennium Sunfire Jade, he'd likely need more than half a year to heal.
He had gained a deeper understanding of Lin the Old Demon's strength, and was even more astonished by his disciple's power. That old demon had been gravely injured in a single sword strike—he himself was clearly far inferior.
Now—
Ning Qi was without question the strongest in Zhenwu Sect!
More importantly, only Daoist Longshan knew that his disciple was still just at the Qi Origin Realm. To match a Heaven-Man with such a realm—throughout ancient history, only a handful could ever achieve it.
Normally, beneath the Heaven-Man Realm, all were ants.
Only peerless prodigies could defy that rule.
That was also one of the reasons Daoist Longshan fabricated the identity of a reclusive 'elder' to cover Ning Qi's true background.
Daoist Longshan chuckled and said:
"Little Nine, this name of yours—Heavenly Sword True Person—is far more famous than your Master now."
Ning Qi replied helplessly:
"Master, please don't tease me. That Heavenly Sword True Person title is just an empty name. Besides, being too much in the spotlight isn't a good thing."
There was worry in his eyes.
This time, after the destruction of the Demonic Sect's branch, Zhenwu Sect's reputation had soared—but it was bound to provoke resentment from the Demonic Sect, a colossal force that could contend with the Great Yan Dynasty. Though they had always been on the losing side, Zhenwu Sect wasn't strong enough to resist them. ꭆᴀŊŐ₿ΕṦ
For now, General Shenyu had drawn most of the heat, but there was no guarantee the Demonic Sect wouldn't strike suddenly to vent their rage.
Even a small possibility was enough for Ning Qi to take it seriously.
Ning Qi knew his own limits. That single sword might rival Heaven-Man Ranking strength, but under normal conditions, he was only around the same level as his Master.
Daoist Longshan's expression turned solemn, and he nodded slowly:
"I know what you're worried about, but you don't need to worry too much."
Ning Qi paused:
"Master, do you know something?"
Daoist Longshan continued:
"A few days ago, General Shenyu was ambushed by the Demonic Sect and lightly injured. These people from the Demonic Sect are indeed vengeful, but they've also angered the court. The court has now dispatched powerful cultivators to the regions near sects that participated in the anti-demon operation."
"Especially around our Zhenwu Sect and the rebuilt Wang Clan—Heaven-Man Realm experts are lying in wait. If the Demonic Sect comes, it'll be like catching a turtle in a jar."
"Word from the Wang Clan says there have already been signs of demonic activity recently. Though the Demonic Sect hasn't acted yet, it seems they've noticed something and are being cautious. So for now, our Zhenwu Sect is relatively safe."
"After all, we were drawn into this operation involuntarily. The Demonic Sect won't spare too much effort on us. If they want revenge, it'll mainly be against the Great Yan court."
Ning Qi let out a breath of relief.
But he didn't completely relax.
Relying on others had never been his style. Who knew whether those Heaven-Man Realm experts would slack off or suddenly pull out?
In the end, strength had to come from himself.
He already had an idea.
That was why he came to Daoist Longshan.
"Master, I need some of the congratulatory gifts you received at your Heaven-Man Ceremony." Ning Qi grinned.
Daoist Longshan smiled and pointed at him:
"Take whatever you want from the treasure vault. Just don't take the Millennium Sunfire Jade—I need that to recover."
As he spoke—
He gave Ning Qi an apologetic glance.
"Little Nine, earlier I promised I'd help you destroy the Blood Rain Pavilion after the Heaven-Man Ceremony. I'm afraid that will have to be postponed."
Now, not only was Daoist Longshan injured and in need of healing to avoid permanent damage, but Zhenwu Sect was also under close scrutiny. If the two of them went out and the Demonic Sect attacked, it would be a disaster.
Ning Qi nodded. He had never been in a rush—revenge could wait a year or two. It gave him more time to grow stronger.
"Master, just focus on healing. Don't worry about the rest. We'll deal with the Blood Rain Pavilion once you've recovered."
Thinking of his Master's injuries, Ning Qi's gaze flickered slightly.
The Wang Clan was rebuilding, but they were in a similar situation to Zhenwu Sect—watched by the Demonic Sect and with Heaven-Man experts from the court nearby. Now wasn't the right time to make a move, and his strength wasn't a sure thing yet either.
"I'll let you live a little longer."
Ning Qi bowed and took his leave.
Daoist Longshan looked at his back and smiled with satisfaction.
…
A short while later.
Ning Qi returned from the Zhenwu Treasure Vault, loaded with goods.
He had taken nearly all the valuable congratulatory gifts.
A Luminous Pearl from the Sea-Overturning Gang, a Relic Pill from the Ascetic Sect, a Bright Fruit from the Evernight Blade Sect, an Enlightenment Tea Tree Seed from the Wang Clan Patriarch, and most importantly—the Beast Core of the Flying Thunder Tiger King.
Under normal circumstances, Ning Qi would've left some behind as future rewards for disciples.
But now that the Demonic Sect was lurking—
He needed to boost his strength as quickly as possible. Using them himself had the highest value and was most beneficial for Zhenwu Sect.
Inside the Seeking Dao Courtyard.
Ning Qi examined the treasures in front of him.
Contemplating how to use them.
"The Bright Fruit… could be used to enhance the medicinal properties of the Zhenwu Peach Tree, but only if I can develop a matching cultivation method based on the Bright Fruit. That wouldn't be hard for me, but it'll take time. And even if I enhance the tree, it won't raise my strength."
Ning Qi immediately ruled out researching the Bright Fruit. It would benefit Zhenwu Sect in the future, but that could wait.
"The Enlightenment Tea Tree Seed is the same."
He stared at the mostly inactive seed and curled his lip. That Wang Clan Patriarch clearly wasn't that generous. Who knew how many failed attempts he made before giving it as a gift.
"I'll experiment with it later."
"As for the Luminous Pearl and Relic Pill… maybe I could use them together. Grind the Luminous Pearl into powder and see if it can be combined with the Relic Pill to make a cultivation-boosting elixir."
"Still, that wouldn't rapidly raise my strength either."
Ning Qi placed them in the second tier of priority. If he could refine the elixir, it might help boost his strength.
But for now, what he needed most was powerful external force.
His eyes landed on the final item.
The Beast King's Core.
He slowly opened the jade box, and the core of the Flying Thunder Tiger, glowing with lightning, floated up. A faint roar of a tiger echoed out—it was ferocious, and most importantly, surrounded by the power of heaven and earth.
Expectation lit up Ning Qi's eyes.
Back at the Heaven-Man Ceremony, when the Green Ox Bladesman revealed this core, he had sensed that ambient heaven and earth energy. Right away, an idea came to mind.
And now, seeing it up close, he could clearly feel the power stored inside the core.
That idea in his mind only grew more certain.
"Maybe… I can use the Beast King's Core as the foundation to refine a 'False Core.' That way, I could use the 'False Core' to replace my internal core and link with the heavens and earth. I might be able to replicate the Heaven-Man Realm's resonance effect!"
Ning Qi's current weakness—after casting Heavenly Sword, he couldn't sustain such power.
But the problem wasn't the technique—it was that Ning Qi had to use over 80% of his Qi just to unleash one strike. If he wanted to keep firing Heavenly Sword, he'd either need to increase his internal Qi, which wasn't a short-term goal—
So he chose another path.
Boost the strength of heaven and earth resonance.
With the Heaven-Man Unity Secret Art, he had reached his current limit. But if his 'False Core' succeeded, the heaven and earth force he could command would increase dramatically.
By then, not only would the Heavenly Sword technique last longer, but its power would also improve significantly.
He would truly possess Heaven-Man Ranking-level combat power.
Even if temporary, it would be enough to get through the current crisis.
"Feasible!"
A flash of inspiration surged in Ning Qi's mind, and he immediately prioritized researching the method of creating a 'False Core.'