Since Ning Qi learned about the cosmic anomaly from the depths of Yuan Tiansheng's bloodline vision, he had been extremely cautious. The fate of that silver giant ape constantly warned him.
Later, when he met Daoist Baishan, the three words "unspeakable" added another layer of dread in his heart.
Then came the experiment with the Blade Demon, which made him realize that there truly was a deadly poison hidden within the spiritual energy. This poison existed between illusion and reality, extremely peculiar, and contained some mysterious power beyond Ning Qi's comprehension. It once trapped him in a bottleneck of deduction until today, when he obtained the True Martial inheritance and finally resolved it.
But even so,
a wave of doubts still lingered in Ning Qi's mind.
What exactly was this poison? Where did it come from? Why did it suddenly merge with the world?
He eagerly awaited answers.
Hearing Ning Qi's questions, the hunched old man fell silent, his eyes complex.
"He wasn't wrong. It truly is 'unspeakable' because he cannot bear the backlash," the old man's aged voice slowly sounded as he stared at Ning Qi. "But I can."
Ning Qi immediately felt a wave of pressure.
A truth that required bearing backlash to speak of—no wonder Martial Sages avoided mentioning it. For a long time, there was no record of it at all.
He was silent, uncertain whether to continue questioning.
Clearly,
the price to pay was not small.
The hunched old man patted Ning Qi's shoulder and sighed with a smile:
"You are excellent—so excellent that I hardly dare believe it. How could such a rare flower be born in this world? Perhaps you are the variable, the change not among those old fellows but in you. So… you are worthy of me paying this price."
He had observed Ning Qi's trial the entire time.
His level of comprehension was simply absurd. Even now, he marveled in his long life, having never seen such a prodigy. He had encountered countless celestial beings and innate physiques, but none with comprehension like Ning Qi's.
The old man gazed up at the pavilion ceiling, as if trying to pierce the sky, his voice growing heavier:
"This is... Life Poison!"
Life Poison!
The name instantly jolted Ning Qi's spirit. Almost immediately, he noticed the old man's aura withering at an astonishing speed. Sparse hairs fell, and his already bent waist seemed to slump even further as if collapsing vertically.
His heart tightened. He hurriedly supported the old man, about to say something, but was waved off.
"Life Poison is the poison of lifespan. Once fused with spiritual energy, it becomes one and cannot be eradicated. This is a rule poison beyond the power of Martial Sages to resolve. Anyone who refines spiritual energy into their body gets invaded by Life Poison; their lifespan withers, and their soul vanishes."
Though the old man spoke calmly, his words struck like thunder.
Ripples surged in Ning Qi's heart.
The poison of lifespan—that described Life Poison's effect.
Rule poison—that described the essential nature of Life Poison's power.
Rules. This was a realm Ning Qi could not reach yet. Just these two words made his breath catch.
A strong vitality emanated from the hunched old man as he resisted an unknown backlash. His aura fluctuated wildly like a roller coaster. Ning Qi hurriedly asked:
"The ancient Martial Sages all suffered from Life Poison, so their lifespan withered and they could only cling to life by various means? Those infected with Life Poison are bound by the rules, unable to speak of it to others, or they will suffer retaliation from the poison?"
The old man nodded, his voice low:
"When Life Poison appeared, many saints perished, and the world mourned together. Fortunately, some brilliant talents found ways to alleviate it—like the secret technique I just gave you. It was perfected generation after generation. Though it cannot completely break Life Poison, it can reduce its impact, so that after ascending to Martial Sage, one's lifespan does not immediately run dry."
"However, Life Poison and spiritual energy are one, yin and yang. As your cultivation deepens, your lifespan will wither increasingly. Countless geniuses have drowned in regret here, unable to advance further."
Ning Qi instantly understood.
Those returning Ancient Saints were immensely powerful.
They were likely the brightest prodigies of their era, suppressing peers. But even so, under the oppression of Life Poison, they had to rely on various secret arts to survive to the present.
"In that case, the Ancient Saints' methods were likely aimed at minimizing Life Poison's influence. Otherwise, they would have perished long ago."
Many doubts were resolved one by one.
But new questions arose.
"Then shouldn't they have pooled everyone's wisdom to figure out a cure for Life Poison? Why cut off the Martial Sage path entirely and erase all related techniques?"
"And this Life Poison… where does it come from?"
Ning Qi threw out questions one after another.
He could not figure it out.
His heart was full of guesses, but they remained guesses.
The hunched old man's aura was extremely weak; he didn't answer but slowly closed his eyes. Ning Qi's heart tightened. He immediately understood that this Life Poison backlash was no joke. Even this profound old man could not ignore it. It was only because the old man's vitality was so intense that he could resist it. If it were Daoist Baishan, he would probably perish on the spot.
But even so, this conversation cost a heavy toll.
After a moment,
the hunched old man slowly opened his eyes, a trace of lingering fear in them, then weakly said:
"I know you have many questions, but this old man can only say so much today. If I say more, I'm afraid you'll be here to collect my remains."
Ning Qi was silent at once.
He respectfully saluted the old man.
The old man waved his hand:
"When you step into Martial Sage, come see me again. I will tell you everything."
Ning Qi understood this was because he had not yet been infected by Life Poison's aura. The old man said the backlash had to be borne; once he became a Martial Sage, that would no longer be necessary.
"Thank you, senior!" Ning Qi saluted again.
Today's True Martial Hall visit had been very fruitful.
Not only did he obtain Martial Sage methods and a secret technique to alleviate Life Poison, but he also gained a clearer understanding of Life Poison—at least he was no longer a blind man in the dark.
"Rule poison, existing between illusion and reality, poisoning the world with such a grand scheme!" he whispered in his heart.
"With the secret method and your innate talent and comprehension, when the spiritual opportunity awakening comes, you will surely seize the moment to step into Martial Sage. Then come see me again." The old man sighed lightly, "Don't overthink it. When the time comes, everything will be clear. Work hard."
His gaze towards Ning Qi carried a kind of expectation.
Ning Qi nodded earnestly.
"I will."
"As for these scriptures, you can take them all with you for now. Store them in your bead."
He stretched out his hand and pointed; a surge of spiritual energy immediately flowed into the Yu King Bead. Ning Qi was surprised to find the bead's space expanded a hundredfold, easily accommodating a small mountain.
The old man laughed:
"I'm not that capable. I just helped restore the bead's original ability. The material of this bead is indeed good."
Ning Qi suddenly realized.
He had almost been stunned just now. With a wave of the hand, such a miracle was created. The old man's strength was beyond imagination.
"Thank you, senior."
Ning Qi expressed his gratitude, then activated the Yu King Bead. The vast sea of scriptures flew out like snowflakes, rustling magnificently.
A slight smile tugged at his mouth.
This haul was truly great, greatly enriching the foundation of the True Martial Sect. With this complete inheritance, no sect in the world could compare to the True Martial Sect's depth. Many scriptures would also benefit Ning Qi.
After a while,
the Sutra Pavilion was empty.
The hunched old man laughed:
"Good boy, really picking every last bit."
Ning Qi smiled, making no retort.
He had passed the trial by his own ability, so of course he took everything.
The old man shook his head, laughing.
"Go."
A vortex appeared in the void.
Ning Qi nodded, glanced once more at the old man, feeling inexplicably warm at the hope and encouragement in his eyes, then stepped out.
Watching Ning Qi's retreating figure vanish,
the hunched old man's eyes grew distant:
"Having stayed here so many years, seen so many interesting fellows, I've really gotten used to it. If I could, I wouldn't want to move. I just don't know if this little fellow named Ning Qi… can make it."
"True Martial… True Martial…"
…
Black Sand Sea.
As time passed, more and more powerful warriors arrived, making this place livelier.
But at this moment,
the atmosphere was somewhat noisy.
One after another, warriors watched the misty area ahead with suspicion. Just now, the mist violently churned as if boiling. Those who just entered were all thrown out, falling miserably into the sea.
This puzzled everyone.
Previously, even those who couldn't get through the mist only stumbled out confused from other directions, never like this.
Someone dared to try entering again.
But found
the mist had become like a bronze wall, impenetrable.
Below the sea and all around, not a single gap.
This sudden change caused an uproar.
"How could it suddenly be like this? Could the True Martial Hall be going into hiding again?" Everyone became nervous. It was so rare to find an ancient relic, a chance right before their eyes, and now it might disappear empty-handed. How could they accept that?
"Maybe not hiding, but for some other reason!"
Eyes flickered.
"Perhaps someone has already obtained the True Martial Hall inheritance!"
This immediately alerted everyone.
Glances became strange. Whispered voices emerged from unknown sources, voicing everyone's thoughts:
"If I'm not mistaken, those who entered the True Martial Sect haven't come out yet."
This statement was vague, but it led people to think: Could it be that the True Martial Sect obtained the inheritance, causing this upheaval?
Some clever people realized that whoever spoke was obviously ill-intentioned, trying to stir trouble.
Clearly,
many were unwilling to return empty-handed.
Eyes flickered, all staring at the mist ahead.
One by one, martial masters sensed their surroundings carefully to avoid any unseen threats.
In the tense atmosphere,
the mist suddenly halted as if a giant opened its mouth and spat out something foreign.
A figure tumbled out.
"True Martial Sect's people! I remember him!" someone shouted.
He was a young third-generation disciple of the True Martial Sect.
He had failed the trial, looking frustrated and lost. But then his heart tightened. Instinctively, he looked around and saw warships everywhere, the sea heavily congested. Above the horizon, powerful figures floated and sank.
Those blazing gazes were full of aggression and hostility.
He gulped hard.
The pressure was overwhelming.
The disciple tightly gripped his sword. Though his body trembled, his gaze grew firm.
He could not disgrace the True Martial Sect's dignity.
The crowd's expressions varied as they waited.
Then,
the mist violently rippled again.
One after another, figures were spat out.
"All True Martial Sect disciples! Except Daoist Longshan and a young disciple, none are missing." The crowd's eyes burned brighter.
This phenomenon made it hard not to associate the relic's changes with the True Martial Sect's entry.
Ye Qinghe took a deep breath.
She exchanged a glance with He Yan. Seeing neither Ning Qi nor Daoist Longshan present, their hearts tightened.
However,
she remained composed, ignoring many gazes, and led her disciples to ride the waves, heading toward the agreed Jade Snake Island.
But things obviously would not go so smoothly.
Faint auras began to lock onto them. Someone laughed:
"This young lady…"
"The third disciple of Daoist Longshan!" The woman raised her brow, heroic and spirited, causing many to look on with surprise.
"Miss Ye, greetings. May I ask something?"
Ye Qinghe looked at the person's emanating Heaven-Man aura, suppressing her inner agitation:
"Please speak."
"May I ask what happened inside the True Martial Hall? Why can no one enter suddenly?"
Ye Qinghe clearly felt the temperature of the surrounding gazes rise instantly. With her intelligence, she easily guessed their thoughts. The problem was, they didn't know either.
Ye Qinghe answered neither humbly nor arrogantly:
"We just came out and noticed the mist's change. We indeed entered the True Martial Hall, but like those before us, we failed the trial."
She spoke truthfully.
They had entered the trial beneath the Heaven-Man Realm, testing comprehension and combat power. The difficulty was terrifying.
Eyes flashed among the crowd.
Someone sneered sarcastically:
"Lying! If your True Martial Sect hadn't gotten the inheritance, how could the True Martial Hall mist suddenly change so drastically? Friends, the True Martial Hall just wants to monopolize the inheritance!"
Ye Qinghe and He Yan were angry and surprised. They looked around but found no trace of the speaker.
The voice was elusive, voicing many people's thoughts:
"In my opinion, since the True Martial inheritance is open to the world, it should be shared with everyone. That's the most beneficial choice for the martial world, right?"
Just as the Heaven-Man Realm warrior who had been speaking was about to continue, his expression suddenly changed.
A sharp sword light shot out from the mist.
It pierced a small man on the side of a warship. Though a trace of arrogance remained on his mouth, his eyes were filled with unbelievable fear.
The sarcastic voice abruptly ended.
The crowd's hearts skipped a beat, all looking toward the mist.
A figure with a crane-like immortal aura stepped out. If it wasn't Daoist Longshan, then who else?
The True Martial Sect members rejoiced and rushed forward. Daoist Longshan calmly surveyed everyone:
"Don't say our True Martial Sect didn't get the inheritance. Even if we did, it is our sect's fate. Do you want to snatch it?"
He felt some regret inside.
Though he barely passed the Yin Yang Fist trial, the Four Symbols Palm was too difficult. He only managed to comprehend half before time ran out. He had passed several combat trials and received some rewards, filling in many gaps in his True Martial inheritance.
But he was not entirely disappointed.
As long as Ning Qi was there, hope remained.
For now, he had to deal with the current trouble first.
The Heaven-Man Realm warrior who had spoken before suddenly felt a chill down his neck.
Before Daoist Longshan appeared, he still had some confidence. But now that Daoist Longshan was here, he dared not act rashly. He still remembered how the Daoist suppressed two Heaven-Man List experts alone.
"Daoist Longshan, your words are wrong. If I obtained such inheritance, I would surely share it to benefit the world," a purple-robed swordsman said with a smile.
Daoist Longshan shook his head, sighing:
"Elder Purple Sword, if I'm not mistaken, you have visited the True Martial Sword Stele more than once. Now you repay the True Martial Sect's kindness with resentment?"
Some glanced at the Purple Sword Elder with disdain.
They thought it undeserved.
But the Purple Sword Elder remained calm and composed:
"True. I just think, since the True Martial Sect opened the True Martial Sword Stele to the world, having now gained the inheritance, it should continue this fine tradition. I was deeply influenced by the sword stele, hence this thought. Daoist, please don't blame me."
He bowed deeply.
In many hearts rose two words:
Shameless!
But most remained silent. They needed someone to take the lead and offer a seemingly reasonable excuse.
The law does not punish the masses.
Today, everyone would deal with this matter together. Later, if the Heavenly Sword True Immortal wanted to investigate, there would be no way. Could they really track down and kill them one by one?
The True Martial Sect members glared at the Purple Sword Elder.
Daoist Longshan glanced at him and then said coldly:
"Too bad, I failed the trial and did not get the True Martial inheritance. Disappointed."
"How do you explain the mist's change then? How could the world have such a coincidence?"
"I don't know."
Daoist Longshan led his disciples to step through the void, intending to leave.
But auras locked onto them, murky and unclear.
Some hesitated.
Daoist Longshan knew he couldn't wait any longer. The more he appeared weak, the more others would think the True Martial Sect was easy to bully.
"Daoist Longshan, your words are untrue…" the Purple Sword Elder kept babbling, but Daoist Longshan had already acted.
Boom!
The Bridge of Heaven activated, surging Heaven and Earth power gathered. Two fist imprints transformed yin and yang, giving birth to profound mysteries as they suppressed the Purple Sword Elder.
The Purple Sword Elder was terrified. He had heard that Daoist Longshan once suppressed the Black Sand Blade Demon and White Brow Elder alone, which he thought exaggerated.
But now, it seemed he had underestimated him.
He hastily unleashed his sword. Sword energy like a rainbow, purple aura swirling, full of sharpness and strangeness. A clear dividing line appeared on the sea, extending far. Several warships were neatly sliced in half, and warriors leapt hurriedly into the sea.
But the rainbow sword energy could not stop the two fist imprints.
This was the yin-yang change Daoist Longshan understood from Yin Yang Fist, integrating its essence into his path.
The two fist imprints pulled at each other, twisting the sword energy.
Under the Purple Sword Elder's horrified gaze,
the fist imprints suppressed him.
The sea surface collapsed.
He was blasted back, vomiting blood. This expert, ranked even higher than the Black Sand Blade Demon and White Brow Elder, was no match before Daoist Longshan and clearly far inferior.
The scene instantly fell silent.
The previous frenzy cooled.
Some blinded by greed slowly regained clarity.
Daoist Longshan's strength made many reconsider.
The Purple Sword Elder returned coughing blood, his expression unsettled. Looking at the calm Daoist Longshan, he inexplicably felt a trace of fear. This Daoist was truly unfathomable.
"Daoist, I apologize for today's offenses." He humbly yielded and retreated with a clasped fist.
This man was a rare shameless strong warrior who valued no one's life but his own. If things were impossible, he wouldn't persist. Now injured, fighting for the inheritance was futile. So he gave up to see what would happen next.
The Purple Sword Elder's retreat changed many expressions.
The Black Sand Blade Demon and White Brow Elder who had been observing also calmed their Origin Cores. Eyes gradually cooled. Daoist Longshan's thunderous strike had greatly deterred the group.
Daoist Longshan breathed easier.
He was about to leave with his excited disciples.
But from the distant horizon, ripples appeared again, and a powerful swordsman arrived.
"It's Luofu Sword Master! Rumor has it he has a grudge against the True Martial Sect. When the Heavenly Sword True Immortal appeared before, he was severely humiliated." Someone recognized the newcomer.
Luofu Sword Master's face twitched slightly. Those rumors were his heartache. He hadn't appeared for years and didn't expect the world to remember so well.
He coldly looked at the True Martial Sect's Daoist:
"If I'm not mistaken, the technique you just used was Yin Yang Fist."
"Many here probably know this is the comprehension trial. Judging by how you used it, you must have mastered it and passed the trial. How can you still say you didn't get the inheritance?"
Luofu Sword Master exposed the truth bluntly.
Everyone's eyes changed again.
Originally, lacking solid proof that the True Martial Sect obtained the inheritance, and seeing Daoist Longshan's strength, they planned to give up. Now, their thoughts stirred once more.
"Maybe… Daoist Longshan can give us an explanation." Luofu Sword Master held his sword across his chest, smirking mockingly.
Daoist Longshan's gaze turned cold:
"Who do you think you are? Do I need to explain myself to you?"
Luofu Sword Master's expression changed.
Just as he was about to speak, a faint voice came from afar:
"He's not qualified. Then maybe this saint can explain to you?"