The group moved to a different private room. The manager of the Maple Leaf Inn was quite discerning, and delicious food and fine wine were quickly brought out. The group ate and drank to their hearts' content.
However, Qin Ning, Lu Xuan, Zhang Xiaoshuai, and Xun Yu still harbored a sense of awe from beginning to end.
The Crown Prince of the Imperial Capital, no less, kept addressing Qin Ning as "Brother Qin." If they were to do something to anger Qin Ning, wouldn't it be a matter of life and death?
Even if they were disciples of the Heavenly God Academy, what then?
After leaving the Heavenly God Academy, they would still have to work in the Northern Ming Empire. Offending Qin Ning was tantamount to offending the Crown Prince. What good future would they have then?
"Why are you all looking at me like that?"
Qin Ning couldn't help but chuckle as he saw the bewildered expressions on their faces.
"Brother Qin, why... is the Crown Prince so polite to you?" Zhang Xiaoshuai couldn't resist asking.
"Well..."
Qin Ning smiled and said, "I helped his father with something, so his father thanked me, which made him feel he should also treat me carefully..."
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions on everyone's faces became even stranger.
Helped the Emperor with something?
These words were spoken so casually, but how many favored sons of heaven and powerful experts were there in the entire Northern Ming Empire?
What kind of matter would require the Emperor, no less, to need help? Even the power of the imperial family couldn't accomplish it, yet Qin Ning could?
"Admirable, admirable!"
Zhang Xiaoshuai laughed heartily and said, "I never expected that in our shared living quarters, there's such a hidden genius! Hehe, from now on, I, Zhang Xiaoshuai, will follow you!"
"Hehe, that's right, I, Lu Xuan, will also follow you!"
The two laughed heartily as they looked at Qin Ning.
The group chatted for a while, then went their separate ways.
There was nothing much to do these past few days, so Qin Ning simply stayed at the Maple Leaf Inn, usually cultivating with Ling Xiaofei and occasionally urging Xiao Qing.
This little Azure Ox also had potential, but it was just lazy.
One day, Qin Ning sat in his room. Inside his body, at the location of the three gates, three Spirit Seas were slowly circulating, drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
Gradually, these three Spirit Seas corresponded to the Open Gate, Rest Gate, and Injury Gate. Each Spirit Sea contained nine smaller Spirit Seas circulating within.
At this moment, Qin Ning swallowed a spiritual pill, gradually immersing himself in cultivation.
At the position of the fourth gate, the Injury Gate, blood vessels were constantly circulating, gradually revealing a small Spirit Sea.
Afterward, that small Spirit Sea condensed into a perfect Spirit Sea, settling into the position of the Injury Gate.
Within his five internal organs, the Spirit Sea rotated ceaselessly.
Only then did Qin Ning let out a sigh of relief and stand up.
Fourth-level Spirit Sea Realm!
He clenched his fists, and a surge of spiritual energy burst forth.
The nine-level Spirit Sea, at the position of the nine gates in the body, had opened nine great Spirit Seas, storing spiritual energy. Each step was extremely important.
For Qin Ning, he knew by heart the issues to avoid when condensing each Spirit Sea, so naturally, the difficulty would not be too high.
"Brother Qin Ning, you've broken through again?"
At this moment, Ling Xiaofei was holding two large pears, munching on them as she spoke.
"That's still not comparable to you. Opening nine gates, directly condensing nine streams of Spirit Sea, reaching the ninth-level Spirit Sea Realm so quickly!"
Qin Ning rubbed Ling Xiaofei’s head and said with a smile, “During this time, I won’t be here. You must cultivate diligently. The latter part of the Nine Nether Art is divided into nine layers. If you cultivate to the ninth layer, reaching the Soul Transformation Realm will be no problem!”
“Soul Transformation Realm…”
Xiaofei nodded, half understanding, half not.
“At that time, you can begin cultivating the upper part. Only then will you truly be a peak powerhouse of the continent!”
“I don’t want to be a powerhouse!”
Xiaofei shook her head. “I just want Brother Qin Ning to be with me!”
“Aren’t you looking for your parents?”
“I am!”
“Then you must become strong!” Qin Ning sighed and said, “Brother Qin Ning also needs to find my own father and mother. Therefore, this time, Brother Qin Ning must also become stronger!”
Ling Xiaofei nodded slightly.
“Xiao Qing, come with me!”
Qin Ning looked at Xiao Qing and said, “I’ll take you into Mount Ming. When you arrive, just come find me, understand?”
“Moo…”
Hearing Qin Ning’s words, Xiao Qing nodded slightly, rubbing against Qin Ning’s clothes.
“You lazy ox, don’t cultivate properly. You’re an ox, yet you act cute all day long!”
Qin Ning scolded irritably.
But Xiao Qing paid no attention.
Ten days passed in a flash. One day, Qin Ning arrived at the Heavenly God Academy.
At this moment, on the inner courtyard’s martial arts field, a group of people walked back and forth, silently waiting.
“Qin Ning!”
Zhang Xiaoshuai, Lu Xuan, Xun Yu, and Qin Hai had already arrived.
“It seems everyone has put in a lot of effort these past few days!”
Seeing them, Qin Ning nodded slightly.
“How is Big Brother?”
“He’s been able to get out of bed these past few days, but his cultivation realm hasn’t fully recovered. He’s still a bit weak…”
“It’s fine!”
Qin Ning nodded and said, “By the time we return, Big Brother will be much better.”
As a Ninth World Great Emperor, if Qin Ning didn’t even have this much confidence, he would have wasted nine lives and nine tribulations!
“This trial will probably eliminate some inner courtyard disciples. I heard that this time we’re going into Mount Ming, into a place the academy has never explored before!”
Lu Xuan said with a hint of worry, “I heard only a few elders from the academy went to check it out. There are no second-rank spirit beasts, but there must be dangers within. I don’t know how the academy arranged this.”
“What’s there to worry about?”
Zhang Xiaoshuai laughed heartily. “Isn’t Brother Qin here? If the few of us form a group, what’s there to fear?”
“Alright!”
Qin Ning said with a smile, “We’ll form a small group and help each other if we encounter any trouble.”
“Okay!”
“Mm!”
While the group was chatting, someone slowly approached, attracting the gaze of many disciples standing around.
“Young Master!”
Today, Ye Yuanjuan wore a light blue long dress, her noble and pure aura impossible to conceal.
Though still in her adolescence, she already possessed a delicate charm, clearly showing glimpses of a future beauty.
With Ye Yuanjuan’s appearance, she truly had the qualifications to become an unparalleled beauty in the Northern Ming Imperial Capital.
“It seems your cultivation realm has improved?”
“Yes, I’ve reached the sixth layer!” Ye Yuanjuan nodded slightly.
Hearing this, the group was suddenly dumbfounded.
As expected of an imperial physique, her cultivation speed was truly too fast.
“It’s still a bit slow…”
As soon as Qin Ning said this, Lu Xuan and Zhang Xiaoshuai were completely speechless.
And he called that slow?
After not seeing her for a few days, Ye Yuanjuan had reached the sixth layer of the Spirit Sea Realm. In the Heavenly God Academy’s inner courtyard, this speed was definitely at the peak of talent.
“I will try harder!”
Qin Ning nodded slightly, not saying much more.
Perhaps in the eyes of Zhang Xiaoshuai and Lu Xuan, Ye Yuanyuan's speed was indeed very fast.
But in Qin Ning's opinion, it was a bit slow.
Each time her cultivation realm advanced, the Nine Revolutions Luminous Body would also improve significantly, preparing for each transformation.
Coupled with the fact that Ye Yuanyuan cultivated the Nine Revolutions Jade Body Art, a spirit art that perfectly complemented her luminous body.
Therefore, Ye Yuanyuan's progress should not have been at this speed.
Dong...
Just then, a series of thunderous "dong dong" sounds suddenly echoed across the inner courtyard plaza.
At the front of the plaza, several figures stood majestically in mid-air, looking down at everyone.