Inside Mingwu Pavilion.
The silence was so profound that one could hear a pin drop.
Three pairs of eyes were fixed on Ning Qi, filled with disbelief.
Luo Wentian finally understood why Xiong Shi had been so impetuous and why his Master hadn't moved his hand away sooner.
Junior Brother's Foundation had formed!
His breathing suddenly quickened.
"Junior Brother is only three years old!"
He was the True Martial Sect's Senior Brother, already subtly being groomed by Dragon Mountain Daoist as his successor. His wish was also to revitalize True Martial Sect. Now, upon learning that Ning Qi's Foundation had formed at the tender age of three, his shock was followed by immense joy!
Luo Wentian excitedly rubbed his hands together.
Xiong Shi subconsciously puffed out his chest and chuckled, "Now you know why I was in such a hurry, right?"
Both of them looked at Dragon Mountain Daoist.
"Master, there's no mistake, right...?"
Dragon Mountain Daoist ignored the two of them, only looking at Ning Qi with a benevolent expression.
"Little Nine, have you felt anything unusual recently?"
Ning Qi said,
"This Disciple feels as if his body has been itchy and numb these past few days, especially intensely late at night. This morning, it seemed like I had a greater connection with the world, but the feeling disappeared very quickly."
He temporarily concealed the matter of the Congenital Bone Tempering Skill, planning to tell Dragon Mountain Daoist privately at a suitable opportunity after starting martial arts training.
Dragon Mountain Daoist mildly reproached,
"Why didn't you tell Master about these things sooner?"
Then, his eyes filled with awe.
"An Innate Foundation, at Perfection, will indeed create a connection with the world. It will reactivate in the future to help you reach the Peak of the Martial Dao. I originally thought you would need to be six years old for your Foundation to form. I didn't expect it to be so fast. This Master misjudged you, Little Nine. You can begin practicing martial arts!"
Ning Qi was overjoyed. He respectfully bowed down:
"Please, Master, teach me!"
All his efforts, and the painstaking creation of a peerless secret art like the Congenital Bone Tempering Skill, were precisely to be able to start practicing martial arts early. Now, his goal was finally about to be achieved.
Dragon Mountain Daoist stroked his beard and laughed heartily. Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi also smiled with joy.
They saw the rising future of the True Martial Sect in Ning Qi.
"Find an opportunity to tell Qinghe and the others about this. As for everyone else, do not spread the word for now."
Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi both nodded respectfully.
"Little Nine, come with me."
Dragon Mountain Daoist was no longer in the mood to discuss matters with Luo Wentian. He only wanted to see Ning Qi's performance in the Martial Dao.
Luo Wentian and the other man also felt their hearts itching with anticipation.
They exchanged glances and followed.
Behind Mingwu Pavilion.
There was a medium-sized training ground, a place where Outer Sect Disciples and Inner Sect Disciples were not permitted to enter.
Dragon Mountain Daoist stood with his hands behind his back.
"Little Nine, are you fully familiar with the initial Realms of the Martial Dao?"
Ning Qi nodded:
"The beginning of the Martial Dao is the eight Body Tempering Realms: Refining Skin, Refining Flesh, Refining Tendons, Refining Bones, Refining Organs, Refining Marrow, Refining Blood, and Spirit Refining!"
"Once Refining Blood is complete, one can be free from all illnesses. If one then unifies with divine will, Inner Strength will naturally be generated, stepping into the Inner Yuan Realm."
Dragon Mountain Daoist's Daoist robe moved without wind, and a Grandmaster's Aura naturally emerged.
"The Martial Dao is difficult. Every step requires a solid Foundation. It is possible to stagnate in one Realm for decades. Although your talent is commendable, you must also be diligent and hardworking, otherwise, the Martial Dao will be difficult to achieve."
Ning Qi said with a firm expression,
"This Disciple will remember!"
Dragon Mountain Daoist smiled, feeling a little emotional. He recalled the scene when Ning Qi, only half a year old, asked him if the Martial Dao could grant eternal life. This Junior Disciple's mind was far more mature than ordinary people; he had probably resolved to climb to the Peak of the Martial Dao since then.
"The Body Tempering Realm is the beginning of the Martial Dao, and also its most important part. If the Foundation is laid well, one will advance bravely and diligently in the future. To temper the body, one needs Stance Cultivation!"
Ning Qi's eyes were exceptionally bright.
There was no surprise at all.
During these three years, although he couldn't practice martial arts, he had considered whether he could create a path of Martial Dao that no one had walked before. But in the end, he gave up. It wasn't that it couldn't be done, but because it would take too long, making it not worth the effort.
However, even so, he had several ideas.
Using Stance Cultivation for Body Tempering was one of them.
"Among all Stance Cultivation, there are three grades: superior, middle, and inferior. The higher the grade, the more solid the Foundation laid."
"And my True Martial Sect has nine superior Stance Cultivation techniques!"
"These are the True Martial Nine Stances!"
Speaking of this.
A hint of pride flashed in Dragon Mountain Daoist's eyes. Luo Wentian and Xiong Shi also involuntarily puffed out their chests. Others might not know the True Martial Sect's heritage, only they, the True Disciples, were aware.
"The Dragon has nine sons, each different."
"The True Martial Nine Stances correspond to the Dragon's nine sons: Qiuniu, Yazi, Chaofeng, Pulao, Suanni, Baxia, Bixi, Fuxi, and Chiwen."
"Your eight Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters have already chosen eight of these Stances. Little Nine, you can cultivate the Bixi Stance."
He had a look of gratification on his face.
The reason he took nine True Disciples was for these True Martial Nine Stances.
For each Disciple he took, he would see which Stance Cultivation suited that Disciple. Of course, some Disciples were suitable for multiple Stance Cultivation techniques, such as Qin Yun and Ning Qi, but he made sure they chose non-overlapping Stance Cultivation techniques.
Ning Qi asked,
"May I ask Master, what is the significance of these True Martial Nine Stances?"
Dragon Mountain Daoist's voice carried a hint of longing:
"There is no superiority or inferiority among the True Martial Nine Stances. Legend has it that in the prosperous era of the True Martial Sect, those who excelled in cultivating the True Martial Nine Stances were known as the True Martial Nine Sons. If all the True Martial Nine Sons reached the Heavenly Realm, they could fight a Martial Saint!"
Ning Qi's breathing slightly hitched.
He now knew what a Martial Saint was: an invincible powerhouse who suppressed an era. Unless another Martial Saint was born in the same era, it would be difficult to find an opponent.
And the former True Martial Nine Sons could actually fight a Martial Saint.
What a powerful method that was.
Didn't that mean the True Martial Sect had Martial Saint-level combat power in every generation?
It was hard to imagine how such a powerful True Martial Sect had declined and headed towards extinction.
However, Ning Qi guessed that to fight a Martial Saint, the True Martial Nine Stances might only be the Foundation; there should be even more profound secret techniques.
No wonder when he was carried up the mountain by his Master, Eighth Senior Brother had loudly proclaimed that the True Martial Nine Sons were finally complete.
Ning Qi smiled and said solemnly,
"Please, Master, impart the Bixi Stance to me!"
"Good, watch carefully."
After Dragon Mountain Daoist finished speaking, his expression became serious.
He stood with his legs apart, and his Aura suddenly changed, like a fierce tiger in the mountains—no, a hundred times more terrifying than a fierce tiger!
Then he moved, his movements slow.
But there was a profound rhythm within them.
"Stance Cultivation can be active or still. The outer form is secondary; the spirit is within. Breathing and exhalation, grasping its divine will..."
"Visualize Bixi, exhale like thunder..."
Dragon Mountain Daoist's voice was steady, speaking slowly.
He demonstrated the Moves while explaining various points to note.
An ordinary person would be dazzled by it.
Superior Stance Cultivation naturally lays a good Foundation, but it is also very difficult to Master.
Ning Qi watched intently, feeling as if the world was peeling away before his eyes.
Dragon Mountain Daoist's every Move was reflected in his pupils. He directly saw through the superficial to the essence: the movements driving the skin to creeping, the Qi surging from changes in breathing rhythm, the Bixi divine will originating from the heart... As Dragon Mountain Daoist demonstrated, the various profound aspects of the Bixi Stance were already revealed before Ning Qi's eyes.
"This superior Stance Cultivation seems quite simple?" Ning Qi thought.