Chapter 497: Ye Zhengqi's Admiration!

Chapter 497: Ye Zhengqi's Admiration!

The sky was clear and cloudless.

The scorching sunlight beat down, and the temperature rivaled the hottest days of the year.

Since June, the temperature had been steadily climbing.

Jiang Ning practiced the Deer Form Fist in the courtyard, his movements light and graceful.

His body seemed to dance like a deer leaping through the mountains.

At this moment, his mind was completely at peace, filled with tranquility.

Even though the sun was intense, he felt no heat.

This was the power of a calm mind.

The Deer Form Fist was the perfect technique for him to practice at this time, as it helped to nourish his body and strengthen his foundation.

His physical condition had yet to fully recover, and he was still weak, making it unsuitable for practicing more aggressive techniques.

【Wu Qin Quan Experience +1】

【Wu Qin Quan Experience +1】

【Wu Qin Quan Experience +1】

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Each movement was fluid and natural, his mind serene and empty, as he visualized himself as a graceful deer.

This state of mind was the essence of Wu Qin Quan.

It emphasized the spirit over the form, the intent over the shape.

It was far removed from the rigid and mechanical techniques of the past.

Suddenly.

Footsteps approached from outside the courtyard, growing louder until they stopped just outside the gate.

"It's Brother Bai!" Jiang Ning thought.

From the sound of the footsteps, he could tell it was Bai Luoyu.

He paused his practice.

Outside the gate.

Bai Luoyu stopped, composed himself, and knocked on the courtyard door.

Knock—

As soon as the first knock sounded, the gate swung open, revealing no one on the other side.

"Brother Bai!" Jiang Ning stepped out from a blind spot.

"Brother Jiang's strength is truly beyond measure!" Bai Luoyu exclaimed.

"Brother Bai, is there something you need?" Jiang Ning asked.

"Yes!" Bai Luoyu nodded.

He continued, "I just came from Lord Ye's residence. He asked me to find you."

"What does he want?" Jiang Ning asked, puzzled.

"Lord Ye wants us to visit the Marquis and persuade him regarding the Yellow Heaven Sect", Bai Luoyu explained.

"I see!" Jiang Ning nodded.

He turned to Lvyi in the courtyard. "Bring me a change of clothes!"

"Yes, Master!" Lvyi replied.

"Brother Jiang, take your time, I'm not in a hurry", Bai Luoyu smiled.

"Alright!" Jiang Ning nodded. "Brother Bai, please wait a moment."

A short while later.

Jiang Ning wore a dark robe, embroidered with a magnificent Emberfang Xiezhi in gold thread. The Xiezhi's four feet were surrounded by flames, and its eyes were set with Blood Jade. Under the sunlight, the Blood Jade glinted with a vibrant red light, as if the Xiezhi were about to come to life.

"Let's go!" Jiang Ning, dressed in his Inspector's uniform, said.

"Alright, let's head out!" Bai Luoyu nodded.

A short while later.

Ye Residence.

The mansion spanned over twenty acres.

In the bustling city of Guangning Prefecture, owning such a vast estate was a clear sign of immense wealth and status.

Guangning Prefecture's Inspector, Ye Zhengqi, was the owner of this mansion and one of the most influential figures in the city.

As the Inspector of the mansion, he was a Six Directions Grandmaster who had completed four blood transformations.

Whether in his official capacity or personal strength, he stood at the pinnacle of Guangning City.

Upon arriving at Ye Residence, Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu were led by a steward through the courtyard, corridors, and bridges until they reached a back garden, where they finally saw Ye Zhengqi.

Seeing Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu, Ye Zhengqi, who had been waiting in a pavilion, immediately stood to greet them.

"Inspector Jiang!" Ye Zhengqi greeted first.

"Greetings, Lord Ye!" Jiang Ning bowed.

"Greetings, Lord Ye!" Bai Luoyu also bowed.

"No need for such formality!" Ye Zhengqi waved it off, adding, "We are on the same level, so no need for such formalities in the future!"

Bai Luoyu felt a mix of admiration and envy at this.

He knew that Ye Zhengqi was usually very proud and would never rise to greet someone.

In Dongling City, Ye Zhengqi had never done so.

Today, however, was different.

Ye Zhengqi had chosen to stand and welcome them, rather than remain seated in the pavilion.

This change was clearly due to Jiang Ning's recent achievement.

No one had expected Jiang Ning to reach the Third Rank and become a Grandmaster so quickly.

Every time he thought about it, Bai Luoyu felt a mix of admiration and complex emotions.

He had watched Jiang Ning's strength lag behind his own, only to see him rapidly advance and join the ranks of the Third Rank Grandmasters.

Such a personal experience left him with a deep sense of awe.

"Please, sit down", Ye Zhengqi said.

"Thank you, Lord Ye", Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu replied.

After they were seated, Ye Zhengqi looked at Jiang Ning.

"Inspector Jiang, has your body not fully recovered from its weakness?"

"Not quite yet", Jiang Ning replied, understanding Ye Zhengqi's concern.

"It's been over ten days. Inspector Jiang hasn't replenished his body's deficiencies?" Ye Zhengqi asked, puzzled.

Then, as if remembering something, he continued before Jiang Ning could respond.

"Ah, I see!"

"Inspector Jiang chose not to consolidate his strength and rapidly advanced to the Third Rank, completing a blood transformation."

"Given the lack of a solid foundation, it's natural that it would take longer to recover from the physical toll of the transformation."

"It's understandable that you haven't fully recovered yet."

Ye Zhengqi nodded, showing his understanding.

From the moment he saw Jiang Ning, he could sense that his body was still in a weakened state, similar to the last time they met.

This state was easily detectable by a Six Directions Grandmaster who had completed four blood transformations.

Jiang Ning smiled helplessly.

He knew Ye Zhengqi had misunderstood.

Ye Zhengqi thought he was still recovering from his first blood transformation, but in reality, he had already completed his second blood transformation.

Moreover, he now held the key to his third blood transformation, which was not far off.

In terms of blood transformation progress, he was closing the gap with Ye Zhengqi.

However, he saw no need to explain this to Ye Zhengqi.

He simply smiled again.

"Lord Ye is correct."

At this, Ye Zhengqi seemed to recall something and added, "If you need any resources, feel free to ask. I have some potent restorative medicines at home."

"I don't need any", Jiang Ning shook his head. "I sold some items at the Ten Thousand Blossoms Tower's summer auction recently."

"Alright", Ye Zhengqi nodded. "Let's get to the main topic, then."

He looked at Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu. "You two must have noticed the sudden increase in Yellow Heaven Sect followers in Guangning Prefecture?"

"I have", Bai Luoyu nodded.

"I've seen some", Jiang Ning said. "Is it because the Marquis has some dealings with the Yellow Heaven Sect?"

"Exactly", Ye Zhengqi looked at Jiang Ning and nodded.

A maid brought tea for the three of them.

"Have some tea first!" Ye Zhengqi gestured.

Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu accepted the tea and thanked him.

Ye Zhengqi continued, "You know, Guangning Prefecture hasn't seen a drop of rain for the past few months. The prolonged drought has severely affected the harvest."

"If there's no heavy rain by July, there will be a famine this year."

"Therefore, the Marquis has reached a verbal agreement with a Heavenly King of the Yellow Heaven Sect, allowing the sect's followers to freely spread their teachings in Guangning Prefecture and act as they see fit."

"The Heavenly King of the Yellow Heaven Sect will come to Guangning City to conduct a rain-summoning ritual, praying for a rain sufficient to relieve the drought."

Hearing Ye Zhengqi's words, Jiang Ning immediately understood what he had witnessed the day before.

The rapid spread of the Yellow Heaven Sect in the city was authorized by Shen Wenyuan.

The current Guangning Prefecture was no longer under the control of the Prefect.

Shen Wenyuan, not only the Fourth Rank Inspector of Guangning Prefecture, was also a Second Rank Grandmaster and had been bestowed the title of Marquis by the imperial court.

Even Xichuan County, where the Shen family resided, was granted to Shen Wenyuan.

With such titles, even the previous Prefect of Guangning Prefecture had to temporarily step back.

A thought flashed through his mind.

"What does Inspector Ye mean by summoning me and Brother Bai?" he asked, his face showing hesitation.

"Both of you will accompany me to meet the Marquis. Based on my investigation, the Yellow Heaven Sect has ulterior motives. Allowing them to spread their teachings and gain followers in Guangning City is like inviting a wolf into the fold."

"I understand!" Jiang Ning nodded.

Though he had some thoughts, he didn't intend to voice them.

If Ye Zhengqi knew about it, how could Shen Wenyuan not?

Shen Wenyuan must have his reasons for doing so.

After all, Shen Wenyuan wasn't foolish.

A moment later.

Jiang Ning spoke up again.

"Inspector Ye, I have a couple of questions I'd like to ask."

"Go ahead!" Ye Zhengqi replied straightforwardly.

"Master of the Heavenly Realm, one who comprehends the true essence of heaven and earth, should possess extraordinary abilities. Why haven't I sensed any of that?" Jiang Ning asked, voicing his confusion.

The Heavenly Masters he had seen, whether it was Ye Zhengqi or Xiao Qiushui, had different insights into the true essence of heaven and earth due to their different methods.

For instance, Ye Zhengqi used a single sword strike to seal Li Sishang and then used a skill akin to teleportation to leave the Moonlight Sword Palace.

And Shen Wenyuan, who had completed four blood transformations representing the four seasons, had advanced to the Second Rank Grandmaster.

At the blood pool in Basha County, Shen Wenyuan's Martial Arts true essence erupted during Celestial Noon, summoning a thunderstorm that purified the blood pool.

Now, having completed his Second Blood Transformation, Jiang Ning could only sense the continuous transformation of his body, or the evolution of his life force, but not any other significant powers or the true essence of heaven and earth like Shen Wenyuan's four seasons.

"What blood transformation method are you currently practicing?" Ye Zhengqi asked upon hearing Jiang Ning's confusion.

"True Spirit Nine Sheddings!" Jiang Ning replied.

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhengqi's expression froze for a moment.

The True Spirit Nine Sheddings and the Seven Stars Destiny blood transformation methods were not something he had handled, but rather chosen by Shen Wenyuan for Jiang Ning. Therefore, he had been unaware of it until now.

After a moment, Ye Zhengqi exclaimed, "I am in awe!"

"Inspector Jiang has lofty ambitions, something I can't match!" he sighed.

He considered himself a prodigy, but even with such confidence, he dared not choose a method requiring more than six blood transformations.

At this level, the choice was more important than effort.

One wrong choice could halt a practitioner at the Third Rank, preventing them from ever reaching the Second Rank Grandmaster, let alone advancing further.

Six blood transformations were already a high achievement among Third Rank Grandmasters.

Each additional blood transformation increased the difficulty exponentially, requiring unimaginable physical strength and endurance to withstand the damage to the body during the blood transformation process.

Even he lacked the confidence to attempt seven or eight blood transformations.

As for nine blood transformations, he had never even considered it.

Those who could achieve nine blood transformations were legendary figures in history.

Thus, hearing about Jiang Ning's choice, he felt a profound sense of admiration.

After a moment, Ye Zhengqi composed himself and suppressed his emotions.

"I cannot answer Inspector Jiang's question, as I know little about the True Spirit Nine Sheddings method."

"However, to my knowledge, those who practice this method do not gain additional abilities or insights into the true essence of heaven and earth."

"The True Spirit Nine Sheddings is likely an internal method, rather than an external one."

"It focuses on self-transformation and inner development. You should reflect on whether this is true for you."

Hearing Ye Zhengqi's words, Jiang Ning fell into deep thought and slowly nodded.

The True Spirit Nine Sheddings, as Ye Zhengqi had said, was indeed an internal method, focusing on self-transformation and the cultivation of inner strength.

He recalled the records in the True Spirit Nine Sheddings.

To master this method, one must cultivate the mindset of invincibility, a belief in oneself that is unshakeable.

One must genuinely believe in and trust oneself, nurturing an indomitable will.

Only then could one follow the path of the True Spirit Nine Sheddings.

With Ye Zhengqi's reminder, Jiang Ning suddenly understood.

The belief in invincibility was about delving into one's inner self and uncovering the roots of one's true spirit.

This was a method that sought internal transformation, rather than external reliance.

Unlike Shen Wenyuan's method of the four seasons, which required transformation in specific environments to gain corresponding insights into the true essence of heaven and earth.

Or like Li Sishang, a Grandmaster of the Four Symbols, who required transformation in environments representing earth, wind, water, and fire.

Or like Ye Zhengqi, a Grandmaster of the Six Directions, who needed transformation in the four cardinal directions and above and below to gain corresponding true essence seeds.

These methods clearly relied more on external factors.

Though not as dependent on the external environment as ancient immortal practices, they still showed a degree of reliance.

The True Spirit Nine Sheddings, however, was different.

It focused more on internal cultivation, the transformation of the mind and spirit.

He now had a deeper understanding.

After a long while.

Ye Zhengqi saw Jiang Ning come back to his senses and spoke again.

"Inspector Jiang, have you understood?"

"I have understood some of it!" Jiang Ning nodded.

Ye Zhengqi also nodded, saying, "Since Inspector Jiang has such lofty ambitions and has chosen the path of the True Spirit Nine Sheddings, it would be beneficial to visit the capital. There, you can meet Grandmasters who practice similar methods, and they might offer you some guidance."

Jiang Ning bowed. "Thank you, Inspector Ye, for your guidance."

Ye Zhengqi waved his hand and stood up.

"Let's go. I'll take you to the Marquis's residence!" (End of Chapter)

Chapter end