Chapter 199: Chapter 132: Sword Intent Enhancement, Hanging on the City Gate
True Martial Sect has sealed the mountain, and the Sword Tablet is temporarily closed to outsiders.
With this batch of swordsmen descending the mountain, the news quickly spread throughout True Martial City.
Instantly.
The crowd was in uproar.
Many swordsmen waiting in line at True Martial City became anxious.
"I came from a great distance, waited here for a month, and now you’re telling me it’s closed?" someone expressed resentment.
But the swordsmen who had just descended the mountain were even more frustrated.
"I almost grasped an unparalleled sword technique, just a little more insight and I would’ve gained something; don’t tell me I’m worse off than you?"
"Well, then when will it reopen?"
"Who knows? Sect Leader Luo said there would be a thorough search for infiltrators to prevent outsiders from mixing in. It makes sense, True Martial Sect has just risen to prominence and attracted attention, so caution is necessary. We all owe something to True Martial Sect and naturally shouldn’t cause trouble now."
"Right, we must not be ungrateful. The real culprits are those vile infiltrators; if I knew who they were, they’d deserve a thousand cuts!"
The swordsmen lamented endlessly, full of resentment, but most of their anger was directed at the infiltrators.
However.
Some experienced and wise individuals deduced part of the situation from the minor hints.
"I’ve heard that during the previous assessment, infiltrators from the Formless Sect and Inquiring Sword Pavilion entered True Martial Sect. Formless Sect has apologized, but Inquiring Sword Pavilion remains silent. Could it be that the interrogations target infiltrators from Inquiring Sword Pavilion?"
"Quite likely, even if the entire matter isn’t related to Inquiring Sword Pavilion, they can’t be extricated from it."
They gathered in True Martial City, consistently discussing the matter.
They harbored some hope that perhaps True Martial Sect could resolve this matter and reopen the Sword Tablet in three or four days?
But unfortunately.
They were destined to be disappointed.
Time gently passed.
One day.
Three days.
Seven days.
...
True Martial Sect showed no sign of reopening its mountain gate.
The swordsmen grew increasingly anxious.
Contrarily.
True Martial Mountain remained serene and tranquil.
Three hundred seedlings had just joined the sect and needed martial path enlightenment. These individuals are the future of True Martial Sect and thus must not be neglected. Though stance skills could be altered later, the initial foundation must be solid.
Skill-Transferring Elder Sun Chuanhai couldn’t handle it alone.
Several elders jointly took responsibility for this.
According to the seedlings’ performance, they practiced different stance skills, which would eventually distinguish them based on talent and diligence.
Li Ling and Zhuang Chen both diligently set an exemplary example; Zhuang Chen was already twelve or thirteen, but Li Ling was only slightly older than the newly admitted seedlings. Both of them possessed extraordinary talent, coupled with the White Ape, serving as excellent models for the seedlings.
The sixteen newly joined guardians were also granted different martial arts, striving in cultivation, with each increasing their belonging to True Martial Sect.
Based on their personalities and preferences, they were divided into different areas.
As True Martial Sect sealed the mountain for now, they weren’t required to descend it; they mostly digested the new martial arts.
True Martial Sect rarely experienced such tranquility.
Since the world gradually descended into chaos, True Martial Sect’s rise meant such peaceful times were rare.
Ning Qi naturally cultivated in the Seeking Tao Institute, as nothing was more important to him than pursuing the Path of Longevity. The Inquiring Sword Pavilion matter was just a minor episode on his cultivation path, leaving the details to Luo Wentian; he, as the Path Guardian, only needed to act at the appropriate moment.
Every day, he refined the spirit, slow and steady, slowly establishing a peculiar connection with the Primordial Core.
This step was actually extremely difficult.
Many martial artists of the Primordial Core Realm failed to achieve it even after four hundred years.
But for Ning Qi, it was a natural progression.
He was too familiar with the Celestial Human Realm.
Immediately upon entering the White Mist Realm, he created numerous celestial secret techniques, especially the Unity of Heaven and Man, which allowed him to preemptively access the mysteries of the Power of Heaven and Earth. Thus, breaking through the major bottleneck of the Celestial Human Realm was even easier for him than entering the Primordial Core Realm from the Jade Liquid Realm.
He could feel his progress every day.
Cultivation was tedious for others, but for him, it contained endless joy.
Ning Qi was reading Taoist Scriptures sent by the Formless Sect.
The Formless Sect dared not skimp, sending valued rare classical editions.
"Everything is formless and shapeless, capable of mutual transformation? This concept is interesting."
Ning Qi smiled slightly, with spiritual light emerging in his mind.
Why did he enjoy reading Taoist Scriptures?
He read not for the ambiguous Taoist texts, but for the insights from predecessors regarding heaven and earth; perhaps someone’s insight was limited and biased, but by comprehensively grasping the essence, he wouldn’t be hindered. The predecessors’ occasional ingenious ideas often brought enlightenment.
Ascension Ladder, Heart Inquiry Platform, and some martial arts secret techniques he created all had traces of these insights.
It wasn’t just Taoist Scriptures; Buddhist Scriptures, miscellaneous studies, books authored by martial arts strong persons, even a mountain woodsman’s decades of wood-chopping experience, could inspire Ning Qi.
This was the path he aimed to traverse.
"If, in the future, I can create a supreme method capable of encompassing the wisdom of all beings, what kind of scene would that be?"
Ning Qi was somewhat longing.
It was a concept he had been pondering more frequently lately, although his current realm wasn’t sufficient, it didn’t hinder him from preparing theories and ideas in advance.