With Dragon Mountain Daoist's assistance, Ning Qi gathered several auxiliary medicinal ingredients. After half a month of refinement, he finally cultivated the Transfiguration Skill to the highest realm he had envisioned.
From that point onward, his ability to disguise reached a completely new level.
Age, appearance, and physique were no longer fixed. He could shift effortlessly between youth, middle age, and old age. With his powerful Physical Body as a foundation, he could even compress himself to half his height—or expand beyond two meters.
And this was not the limit.
As his Physical Body continued to strengthen in the future, the Transfiguration Skill would only grow more terrifying.
That said, it was ultimately a method for occasional use.
Compared to it, the Quietude Art was far more practical.
On ordinary days, Ning Qi maintained the aura of a Refining Tendons Realm cultivator. Occasionally, he would allow a trace of fluctuation to leak out, but unless someone cultivated specialized sensory techniques, it would be impossible to detect anything unusual.
After all, a martial artist's true strength was only revealed in battle.
Vitality and aura were, at best, references.
With these two arts in hand, Ning Qi felt genuinely at ease.
His cultivation returned to a steady rhythm.
From time to time, his Senior Brothers and Sisters returned from their tempering journeys, speaking of the liveliness and prosperity of the world beyond the mountain. Ning Qi felt a faint yearning—but he endured it easily.
More importantly, he could feel himself growing stronger every single day.
The joy of cultivation was tangible.
Compared to that, the outside world felt far less urgent.
Outside the Seeking Dao Courtyard, the peach blossoms bloomed more brilliantly with each passing day.
Even Second Senior Brother Bear Stone—normally rough and indifferent—couldn't help but comment that the feng shui here was excellent, claiming even the peach blossoms looked better than those elsewhere on Zhenwu Mountain.
Ye Qinghe went a step further, plucking several branches and declaring she would brew peach blossom wine.
Ning Qi merely smiled.
He was fairly certain Third Senior Sister would fail.
She loved drinking, but her brewing skills were disastrous. Once, she had begged White Ape to teach her how to make monkey wine—only to produce something so sour and foul-smelling that even White Ape shook his head repeatedly.
This time, the moment White Ape heard of her plan, he quietly brewed a batch himself, just in case.
None of them knew—
Ning Qi had deliberately adjusted the cultivation techniques of these peach trees. With time, they would grow stronger year by year. If fate allowed, they might even bear spiritual fruits one day.
After the blossoms faded, plump peaches slowly formed on the branches, glowing with vitality.
Ning Qi picked one and took a bite.
Sweet juice filled his mouth, fragrant and refreshing.
He had White Ape distribute some to his Master and all his Senior Brothers and Sisters.
Praise poured in endlessly.
Ning Qi's state of mind grew even calmer.
Even Dragon Mountain Daoist was quietly astonished. He could no longer see through this Junior Disciple at all, which left him sighing deeply.
As for Ning Qi himself—
He had already entered his second feigned death.
Having experienced the first, this time was familiar. After making preparations and giving White Ape instructions, he sealed himself in his room and entered a state of profound quietude.
White Ape had now stepped into the Refining Tendons Realm as well. His movements were agile and vigorous as he practiced the Ape King Stance daily.
This time, he waited calmly.
Ten days later, Ning Qi awakened.
His eyes were clearer, carrying a deeper tranquility than before.
He sensed that his recent changes in temperament were likely connected to the feigned deaths. Rather than alarmed, he found himself pleased.
"Third Multiplied Realm… Inner Yuan Realm, Minor Accomplishment."
"My Physical Body has doubled again. Compared to my Body Tempering Realm Perfection, it's now nearly three times stronger."
He paused, frowning slightly.
"And my lifespan… it feels like it's increased again."
This was unexpected.
He had never heard of Inner Yuan Realm breakthroughs extending lifespan so clearly. He suspected it was linked to his Physical Body repeatedly reaching its limit, then regenerating after dormancy.
The sensation wasn't false.
His clarity of mind had increased as well.
A genuine benefit.
"Next is my Inner Strength."
Ning Qi circulated it internally, his expression sharpening.
"As expected—it's reached a semi-solid state."
This was a condition normally achieved only at Inner Yuan Realm Great Accomplishment. His own felt even more refined.
At this stage, most martial artists would begin cultivating Transforming Force, granting their Inner Strength unique characteristics.
"Ice, fire, poison, malice… tremor."
He shook his head.
"These are not what I want."
During this time, Ning Qi had also contemplated the latter stages of the Great Dream Nine Deaths Art. His direction was now unmistakably clear.
If he was going to cultivate—
He would cultivate the strongest.
Transforming Force was not merely an Inner Yuan Realm technique. It would determine the foundation of Gang Yuan Strength in the future.
"There's no rush."
"I'm not in battle. I can wait."
Even without Transforming Force, his strength was already absurd.
A terrifying Physical Body. Vast, solidified Inner Strength. Countless martial arts cultivated to extraordinary realms.
If earlier he had felt uncertain—
Now, Luo Wentian and Jiang Baishan were no longer his equals.
This was not arrogance.
With this trajectory, he might one day lift millions of jin with a single arm—an existence no one dared imagine.
Yet none within the sect realized it.
The Ninth True Disciple had already, without sound or spectacle, become Zhenwu's second strongest.
"As for the Gang Yuan Realm…"
He frowned slightly.
The three stages—White Mist, Jade Liquid, Core Formation—were worlds apart.
The only Gang Yuan experts he had seen were his Master and the Divine Sword Old Man. Both were Core Formation. The gap was too vast.
For now, there was no point dwelling on it.
He would know when the time came.
…
Summer arrived quietly.
One afternoon, Ye Qinghe discovered that all her sealed peach blossom wine had leaked, turning completely sour. She was devastated, loudly lamenting that heaven was jealous of her talent.
At that moment, White Ape calmly produced his own batch.
After tasting it, Ye Qinghe's eyes lit up.
She immediately dragged Yuan Tiansheng around the mountain, forcing every Senior Brother and Sister to taste it—shamelessly claiming she and White Ape had brewed it together.
Everyone praised it enthusiastically, smiling knowingly.
Her vanity was thoroughly satisfied.
"Hm… I'll save this jar for Eighth Junior Brother."
Perhaps her words carried weight.
A few days later—
Qin Yun returned to the mountain.