As Dragon Mountain Daoist slowly explained, countless flashes of insight instantly surged into Ning Qi's mind; a hundred insights in a single thought were nothing more than this. Not only that, but some flashes of insight he had pondered on his own previously also integrated into it at this moment.
Only after encountering the Martial Dao did he truly understand what it entailed. The difficulty was far, far simpler compared to creating it from scratch.
But this was only true for Ning Qi.
For instance, Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi, at this moment, had expressions of awe and reverence in their eyes.
They primarily cultivated one Stance, and dabbled in the other Stances, but they were by no means as proficient as they were in their main Stance. Only top experts like Dragon Mountain Daoist, who were close to the Celestial Realm, could provide such an overarching view and demonstrate the essence of the other Stances.
"Master is probably not far from the Celestial Realm."
Both disciples felt immense admiration in their hearts.
Dragon Mountain Daoist slowly stopped, and with rare solemnity, said:
"Ning Qi, did you understand?"
Ning Qi respectfully nodded:
"Your disciple understands."
Dragon Mountain Daoist was expressionless, standing to the side.
"You try."
Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi exchanged glances, both seeing a playful smile in the other's eyes. They recalled how confident they had been when they first encountered the Stances, feeling they had completely understood them.
But the Stances were specifically designed to cure the arrogance of a Genius.
Even a lower-grade Stance required coordination with breathing techniques, with every move and every form having subtle intricacies. Merely imitating the movements perfectly had no effect whatsoever, not to mention a superior-grade Stance like the True Martial Nine Stances, which even required gradually comprehending the Stance's Divine Intent.
They remembered how they, as fellow Senior Brothers, had all had their arrogance tempered by Master in this way. Even the most Genius Qin Yun had only performed slightly better.
They knew that their Master wanted to temper Junior Brother's Heart-Nature, to make him understand that practicing martial arts was not an easy task.
"Although Junior Brother has always been intelligent, he must still bend the knee before a superior-grade Stance."
There was a good show to watch.
Ning Qi naturally didn't know that Dragon Mountain Daoist had this intention.
He recalled every action of Dragon Mountain Daoist from before, and his comprehension deepened by another fraction.
"Please guide me, Master."
As Ning Qi's voice fell, he spread his legs, and his Aura changed.
Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi hadn't noticed yet, but Dragon Mountain Daoist's eyes had already widened in surprise and uncertainty.
"This is… the starting posture?!"
He had intentionally not mentioned this crucial point just now, but he hadn't expected Ning Qi to grasp it on his own?
Before he could think further.
Ning Qi had already begun to move.
He exhaled, his expression solemn, starting with the first form, 'Bixi Sitting on the Mountain.' Although there was still some stiffness, there were absolutely no errors, from the outside to the inside, it was all perfect.
Bixi resembled a tiger, but was more majestic and fierce.
At this moment, Ning Qi was like a young Bixi, moving with great power.
Behind the training ground, the faint sound of wind stirred by his fists and feet began to rise. White Mist was already steaming from Ning Qi's body, caused by the evaporation of sweat. His skin was flushed red, like a large shrimp, and the exposed skin bulged and rippled, clearly indicating that Body Tempering had begun.
This was the first stage, Tempering the Skin.
Dragon Mountain Daoist had not yet begun to explain how to use the Stance to temper various parts of the body, but Ning Qi had already grasped it on his own.
He knew that the first stage was Tempering the Skin, so he mobilized the 'Qi' brought by the Stance to surge back and forth between his skin membranes. For him, this was very simple, because he had prior experience with circulating 'Qi' from the Innate Fetal Breathing Skill and the Congenital Bone Tempering Skill.
Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi's eyes widened, their faces filled with shock.
Originally, the two of them had their arms crossed, ready to watch Junior Brother's 'good show.'
But they hadn't expected.
It truly was a good show!
Both of them were dumbfounded.
To be able to perfectly execute the Stance in just a few repetitions and then begin Tempering the Skin—what kind of Prodigy was this?!
They recalled their own experiences back then… forget it, best not to speak of it.
Compared to Ning Qi, they felt like they were nothing close to a Genius.
If they didn't understand their Master's character, they might even have suspected that their Master had given Junior Brother special private lessons beforehand.
The two of them secretly glanced at Dragon Mountain Daoist.
Dragon Mountain Daoist's face remained expressionless, but Luo Wentian, who knew him well, knew that his Master's heart was probably not calm either; hadn't they seen his beard trembling slightly?
In fact.
Dragon Mountain Daoist's heart was indeed not calm.
He himself was a Genius, and the disciples he took were also Geniuses. Moreover, having lived for over eighty years, what kind of Genius hadn't he seen?
But someone as exaggerated as Ning Qi, this was the first time.
Just by watching him demonstrate the Stance a few times, Ning Qi had already thoroughly understood all the crucial points and even utilized several areas that he had intentionally not pointed out. Now, he was even beginning to Temper the Skin as if by instinct.
What else could this be but a Prodigy?
A thought suddenly arose in Dragon Mountain Daoist's mind: if his Junior Brother had received the True Martial Legacy back then, he would probably have already reached the Celestial Realm eighty years ago, and perhaps even… there was a possibility of reaching the Martial Saint Realm!
An immense fervor suddenly surged within his heart.
He hadn't expected that this Junior Brother, whom he had taken in through a twist of Destiny years ago, would bring him such a huge surprise.
The Master and the two disciples were all stunned.
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But Ning Qi was completely immersed in his own world.
Each time he practiced the Bixi Stance, he gained something. Countless flashes of insight appeared in his mind, making him unable to stop. His personal practice was far more profound than his previous observations and comprehension.
"This is the Martial Dao world, Tempering the Skin?"
He could feel the changes within his body.
At the same time, he marveled at the wisdom of his predecessors. Generations of effort, finally culminating in such a Martial Dao method, capable of elevating human strength to an incredible Realm. If it were up to him, it would probably take several years to create such a Martial Dao.
It was better to stand on the shoulders of predecessors; there was no need to waste time on such matters.
Even after comprehending, the body still needed practice to keep up.
Fortunately, the Foundation laid by the Congenital Bone Tempering Skill was also incredibly solid.
The first repetition was still a bit stiff.
The second repetition was already incredibly fluid.
The third repetition was already smooth and flowing.
After two more repetitions, he even began to touch upon the Bixi Divine Intent.
Dragon Mountain Daoist and the two disciples were completely silent, their breathing unconsciously slowing, standing dumbfounded.
Ning Qi felt exhilarated but still wisely stopped.
He was afraid that his performance would scare his Master and two Senior Brothers. He felt that if he practiced a few more times, comprehending the Bixi Divine Intent wouldn't be a problem, but it would be better to practice in private. Although he didn't know the progress of others, he was very confident in himself.
"Master."
Ning Qi stopped, respectfully awaiting guidance.
Dragon Mountain Daoist's body trembled, and a slow smile spread across his face:
"Well done. You are indeed stronger than your few good-for-nothing Senior Brothers and Senior Sister."
Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi stumbled, covering their faces in shame.
These words were truly too much to bear.
Dragon Mountain Daoist intended to pick out a few flaws, but upon reflection, he couldn't find a single one. His teeth ached; having such a Prodigy for a disciple wasn't always good.
He could only start from Ning Qi's blind spots in knowledge.
"Hmm… from now on, practice the Stances well and begin Body Tempering. Oh, right, after Body Tempering, you need to use medicinal baths, which can accelerate the body's transformation. You must diligently persevere every day, but also do not overexert yourself, lest you deplete your Origin."
"Your disciple will remember."
Ning Qi respectfully bowed.
Dragon Mountain Daoist slowly nodded, his heart already looking forward to how long it would take his Junior Brother to complete Body Tempering.
Perhaps there was hope within five years!
Ning Qi would only be eight years old then.
An eight-year-old Inner Yuan Realm cultivator—just thinking about it made Dragon Mountain Daoist feel somewhat dreamlike. Ordinary people only began Body Tempering at eight years old.
The True Martial Sect, there is hope for its revitalization!