While Ning Jing and Wen Fen were enjoying their stay in Shanghai, Ning Qi didn't waste his time as he had previously before his little adventurous trip. He started practicing the divine technique with his gun in the evenings.
He also sparred with the disciples every morning. He used to call his parents every three or four days, but after he got the system, he only called them once in the past 10 or so days.
His mother couldn't help but call him and tell him to come for some time. Ning Qi quickly agreed as he wanted to see them and decided to go home after Thursday, along with Ning Jing. Thursday is the day the pills will 'spawn', which are in full demand for these disciples' growth now.
"Hm! System... Any suggestions on the second level of Divine technique?" Ning Qi asked, as he already understood the theory part from his 'library'. He just wanted to know if he could obtain any tricks from the system, which would reduce the amount of time required to train in it.
"Ding! The system suggests the host practice it when both the host's mind and body are in full health. No other 'tricks' were available that the host thought of regarding this technique. The system requests the host to put sufficient effort into your cultivation." The system busted the final hope of Ning Qi.
"Hm! I have to rotate my spiritual energy through nine paths in different patterns before being able to compress that spiritual energy for the second mark. Then I have to form the 'mark' with nine different patterns on my wrist to host that compressed spiritual energy. And Lastly, I have to send that 'Lava'... I mean, the compressed spiritual energy into that 'Moulder'...Sorry, that mark was to finish the process for one time, and I have to repeat this total of nine times to be able to reach the second level of divine strengthening technique, is that it?" Ning Qi asked the system, according to what he theoretically understood about this process.
He needs to first compress the spiritual energy nine times, then forms the mark using nine different patterns before 'combining them' and that too he has to do nine times.
"Ding! The process explained by the host is right! And the host needs to be prepared for the intense pain nine times before reaching the second level. That is the reason the system suggests the host be in good health in both ways before attempting the process." The system was explained to Ning Qi again, and just the thought of that pain sent Ning Qi's body shivering uncontrollably.
"Alright! How long will it take to compress the spiritual energy to my level through the nine paths? Give me an estimate." Ning Qi asked as he remembered the system telling him that it would take around a month to reach the second level of the technique before.
"Ding! The system estimates that the host needs at least 15 days before being able to compress and get used to those paths for the first time. Then Host needs another 5 days before being able to familiarize himself with the patterns for the divine marking. Then the host can complete the first tempering, and the remaining eight temperings can be repeated pretty easily, as long as the host can bear the pain. So, the system estimates a month for the host to reach the second level of divine technique. system explained, finally making Ning Qi grit his teeth and start making spiritual energy go through the different nine meridians accordingly.
He decided to prove the system's estimation of time is wrong and started working on the divine technique without even bothering about what was happening outside the world.
It's actually not just for proving the system wrong... Ning Qi just wants to become strong, as he feels there is malice everywhere, and if he is weak, he doesn't know when he and his sect will be suddenly in complete danger, after seeing the red blood sect. Even though he consoled himself that the Main Red Blood Sect would need some time to be able to track him down.
But he understood that all his predictions are just like balloons, which can be swayed to any side they want and can also burst whenever there is a small obstacle that obstructs them. Just like the Heavenly Wolf Sect, which can directly report if Chen Feiyu gets interrogated or from the arena death matches event, the Red Blood Sect has the chance to track the sects nearby and also many more faults that they left behind.
Ning Qi doesn't want to take a chance on such things, even though he appears casual on the outside.
Three days passed, and Ning Qi was immersed in the cultivation technique. He did prove that system wrong in her prediction, as he was already familiar with three paths and just needed six more to complete the first half of the process. According to the new prediction, Ning Qi just needs nine days to complete the first half of the process, plus five for the second half and extras depending on the pain tolerance of Ning Qi. But to reach that, he had to pay something, as he didn't even eat a single thing or even drink water. He slowly opened his eyes, feeling extreme hunger and thirst, as the system's notification came.
"Ding! The pill treasury has spawned five Qi-refining pills, which are already in the sect treasury. Please check the host."
"Sect master! Here, slowly drink this water first and then eat this food. I just bought this egg fried rice from the nearby restaurant, it isn't either cold or hot." Shen Yue said as she saw Ning Qi opening his eyes.
They have been a bit worried in the past three days, as they saw their sect master immersed in cultivation for the first time, and he didn't open his eyes for the whole time. They know that with the cultivation of Ning Qi, it isn't a big deal to eat or drink for three days... but Shen Yue diligently arranged food and water almost every time, and she even started cultivating right beside Ning Qi.
Nangong Xu and Kang Xuan didn't say anything, but they also put a lot of their effort into cultivation. Especially Nangong Xu, unknown to Ning Qi, also started practicing the divine strengthening technique the day after he saw Ning Qi putting effort into cultivation. He doesn't know why, but he felt that Ning Qi was trying to increase his strength, so that became his motivation.
"Oh! Thanks, Yue. Go and call your senior brother and junior brother here." Ning Qi is touched a bit by this girl's caring attitude, even though she has a kind, mischievous, and fiery side.
"Alright, sect master!" Shen Yue said as she hopped away, as she saw Ning Qi is okay.
Ning Qi then saw his mobile, which had many missed calls from all his friends and family. He saw Ning Jing's messages, demanding to meet him, and she even called his mobile 10 times.
He decided to deal with the distribution of the pills first before dealing with that, as today is the day he promised to go home.
Soon, three of them came and looked at Ning Qi expectantly but didn't say anything.
"Stop looking like that! Take these and go train properly. I'm going to my home town for the next few days, and I won't be coming back to the sect till next Monday. So, I hope that all of you put the effort into your cultivation, and you Nangong should better breakthrough before I come back." Ning Qi said as he handed them the pills, with three to Nangong Xu and one each for Shen Yue and Kang Xuan.
"I will duly cultivate according to the sect master's instructions." Kang Xuan said while Shen Yue nodded her head as though the chicken was pecking rice. Ning Qi simply rolled his eyes at these two, one just follows whatever he says, and the other is always reluctant to cultivate. But unknown to Ning Qi, Kang Xuan also decided to put a strong effort into cultivation, as he wanted to reduce the amount of cultivation from 24 days to 18 days to be able to reach the next level. To do that, he has put more effort and more time into his cultivation sessions, which he decided to do already.
Even though he is indebted to Ning Qi, he doesn't want to be left behind, by Nangong Xu, at least in the cultivation, not bothering about the abnormal thought process of this senior brother in the sparring sessions. First, he wanted to keep up with his senior brother, then, he decided to put some effort into battle techniques to be able to compete with him. Unknown to himself, his passion for cultivation, which initially was just a debt to clear and a way to earn money, started changing to something more worthy.
Similar thoughts are going through Shen Yue's head, but she didn't express anything on the outside, simply looking at Ning Qi with her eyes blinking.
"Sect master! With these three pills, I will be able to reach the Qi refining realm 5 in three days, possibly by the night of Saturday." Nangong Xu said as he decided to reach the Qi refining realm 5 by then with all his effort.
"Alright then! Now go and cultivate. I will see you guys later, and I also have something to discuss with you all on Monday." Ning Qi then shooed them away, and they looked at him as though asking for some clues regarding the matter that Ning Qi wanted to discuss with them.
Ning Qi simply ignored them and started eating the food brought by Shen Yue. He needs to stay at his home till Saturday before coming back to Gulin again, as on Saturday evening he had agreed to go on a trek with Li Ping.