The white ape had always believed he was nothing more than an ordinary beast.
But Ning Qi once told him something different.
The reason he had never transformed into an exotic beast was not because he lacked talent—it was because the Bloodline within him was far too powerful, so powerful that it was extremely difficult to awaken.
Since hearing those words, the white ape had longed for the day his Bloodline would finally awaken.
Recently, the True Martial Sect had been under constant threat. Enemies lurked in the shadows, and tension hung over the mountain gates.
The white ape saw everything.
He worried deeply.
Yet there was nothing he could do.
Although his cultivation speed was astonishing, he was still only in the Body Tempering Realm. In matters of life and death for the sect, he could do little more than assist with patrols.
But now…
Everything had changed.
He had finally found a path to strength.
Once his Bloodline awakened, his power would soar. And with the martial arts Ning Qi had taught him, his growth would far surpass that of ordinary exotic beasts.
The white ape immediately bowed deeply.
"Please teach me, Master!"
From the bottom of his heart, he admired Ning Qi.
If Ning Qi had never brought him back, he would still be wandering the mountains as a slightly clever ape, nothing more.
Ning Qi smiled faintly.
Then he began to explain.
"The so-called Ape King True Body begins with the heart. Visualize the Ape King, temper the body, and condense divine intent…"
The white ape sat cross-legged on the ground.
As Ning Qi spoke slowly, the ape listened with absolute concentration.
It felt as though a door to a brand-new world was gradually opening.
The mysteries connecting mind and body unfolded before him one by one.
At some point, Ning Qi had already stopped speaking.
But the white ape did not notice.
He remained seated with closed eyes, completely immersed in the technique.
Only after a long time did he slowly awaken.
When he opened his eyes again, they were filled with reverence.
To him, Ning Qi was almost like a heavenly deity.
"Disciple thanks Master for bestowing this method!"
Ning Qi simply nodded.
"With your aptitude, if you cultivate diligently, you should see results within two months."
With his hands behind his back, he turned and left.
Ning Qi was only seven years old.
The posture of a small boy walking with hands behind his back looked somewhat amusing.
But in the white ape's heart, he was unfathomable.
The ape had only one wish.
One day, he wanted Ning Qi to truly recognize him and accept him as a formal disciple.
Others in the sect did not understand Ning Qi's terrifying talent.
But the white ape had spent day and night beside him.
He knew.
For someone as extraordinary as his master, becoming an inner disciple would require far more effort.
Otherwise—even if Ning Qi agreed—he himself would feel ashamed.
"I will definitely work harder!"
The white ape's gaze became firm.
Ning Qi's Experiment
After teaching the technique, Ning Qi continued his own research.
Although the Ape King True Body was created for the white ape, Ning Qi himself could also use it.
He constantly compared the differences between their physical bodies.
Once the principles were understood, applying them to himself was easy.
While steadily advancing toward the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering, Ning Qi continued accumulating knowledge.
Creating martial arts had become a daily routine for him.
Over time, the number of techniques and secret arts he had created had grown so vast that even he could not remember them all.
Some were stored in the Scripture Pavilion.
Others remained unrecorded.
One night, deep in the mountain forest, Ning Qi stood silently.
His perception expanded to the extreme.
After confirming no one was nearby, he moved.
His originally small body began to swell.
Like an inflated balloon, his height rapidly increased past two meters…
Three meters…
Until finally stopping at over three meters tall.
He looked like a small giant.
If not for the special material of his Daoist robe, it would have already torn apart.
But Ning Qi paid no attention to that.
He was feeling the strength flowing through his body.
He casually lifted enormous rocks and hurled them aside.
Boom!
Cracks formed in the mountainside.
With a single motion he uprooted massive trees.
The raw sensation of such overwhelming power almost made him roar toward the sky.
But he restrained himself.
Although this forest was some distance from the sect, making too much noise might attract attention.
A strange gleam appeared in Ning Qi's eyes.
"Five times stronger…"
Even he was slightly surprised.
His original body was already extremely powerful.
Now, under the Ape King True Body state, his physical strength had increased fivefold.
A single punch could probably shatter a White Mist Realm expert.
This was the result of his recent research.
He had modified the original technique, combining it with his Transfiguration Skill to make a more refined version suited to himself.
After experimenting for a while, he slowly returned to his normal form.
"It's a pity…"
"This technique only strengthens the physical body."
"If my inner strength also increased fivefold, perhaps I could even fight a Yuandan Realm expert."
Still, this gave him a direction for future improvement.
One day, if the technique reached the level of Dharma Heaven and Earth, it would become a true divine ability.
Ning Qi couldn't help but feel excited.
In the myths of his previous life, immortals revealed gigantic Dharma bodies during battle.
Perhaps someday…
He could achieve the same.
For now, the white ape remained his best research subject.
Once the ape cultivated the technique and his Bloodline responded, new transformations might occur.
Half a Month Later
But the white ape's progress far exceeded expectations.
Snow covered the mountains.
Early in the morning, the white ape waited outside Ning Qi's room.
The moment Ning Qi opened the door, he bowed excitedly.
"Master! Disciple has mastered the Ape King True Body!"
Ning Qi was surprised.
Half a month earlier than expected.
This meant the ape had worked incredibly hard.
"Come. Show me."
The white ape hesitated slightly.
Previously, Ning Qi had told him not to reveal his martial arts to others.
But Ning Qi smiled.
"It's fine. If someone approaches, I'll know."
The ape nodded.
Then he activated the technique.
In an instant—
His body expanded.
Two meters.
Three meters.
Nearly two zhang tall.
Even larger than Ning Qi's transformation.
His white fur gleamed brilliantly, and his muscles bulged with terrifying power.
Even more striking—
His pupils now carried a faint golden glow.
The white ape trembled with excitement, almost roaring.
But he held himself back.
Ning Qi observed him carefully.
"Heavenly Born, how do you feel?"
The ape's deep voice echoed.
"Master… I've never felt stronger. It's like a mysterious power is awakening inside me."
Ning Qi's gaze lingered on the golden pupils.
"So the Bloodline really awakened…"
The rapid strengthening of the body had forced the Bloodline to surface.
But he still didn't know what kind of Bloodline it was.
"Can you maintain this form easily?"
The white ape scratched his head.
"Yes. Unless I'm fighting intensely, I can stay like this almost indefinitely."
Ning Qi raised his brows.
That was different from him.
Maintaining the form consumed energy even for Ning Qi.
But the ape seemed perfectly comfortable.
"Interesting…"
The Bloodline had merged with the technique.
For the ape, this state had become his natural form.
Strength Test
"Come," Ning Qi said calmly."Let me see your strength."
The white ape didn't hesitate.
Even the slightest doubt would be disrespectful to his master.
He took a deep breath.
His arm swelled with terrifying force.
Then he struck downward.
The power of thirty thousand jin crashed down like a falling mountain.
Yet Ning Qi remained calm.
His left hand stayed behind his back.
With only his right hand—
He raised his palm.
And stopped the attack.
Effortlessly.
The visual contrast was shocking.
The giant ape's massive palm was held easily in the hand of a small child.
The white ape froze in disbelief.
Only now did he realize just how terrifying his master truly was.
Ning Qi withdrew his hand and nodded.
"Thirty thousand jin of strength. Not bad."
"If you reach Body Tempering perfection and continue developing your Bloodline, you might reach eighty or ninety thousand jin."
For comparison—
Ning Qi's own foundation allowed one hundred thousand jin with a single arm, without using any martial arts.
The white ape returned to normal form.
Then he scratched his head awkwardly.
"I feel great… but I'm also very hungry."
Ning Qi nodded.
"Bloodline awakening consumes enormous energy."
"I'll ask your senior brothers to prepare more food and medicinal resources."
He looked again at the golden pupils.
The ape had mentioned something interesting earlier.
When he focused his gaze, moving objects seemed to slow down slightly.
A talent ability.
And once fully awakened…
It would likely become extremely powerful.
But deeper research required far stronger cultivation.
Perhaps even the Gang Yuan Realm might not be enough.
For now, Ning Qi suppressed the thought.
Rapid Growth
In the following days, the white ape's strength improved almost daily.
His cultivation surged forward.
Within a few days, he broke through from Organ Refining Perfection into Marrow Refining.
The awakened Bloodline acted like divine assistance.
If this continued, he might reach Body Tempering Perfection within a year.
Even now, using Ape King True Body, he could defeat most martial artists in the same realm.
Soon, Luo Wentian and the other true disciples arrived after hearing the news.
They were stunned.
"What Bloodline is this?"
"No known ape-type exotic beast matches it."
They compared ancient records:
Sky-Reaching Ape.Iron Arm Ape.White Giant Ape.Silver-Eared Ape.
None matched Yuan Tiansheng's current form.
Ye Qinghe sighed.
"There are countless exotic beast bloodlines in the world."
"Perhaps Heavenly Born is something rare."
"We'll have to wait for Master to come out of seclusion."
Everyone looked at the giant ape in amazement.
The once weak monkey who couldn't defeat a long-armed ape…
Now possessed terrifying power.
In their eyes, Yuan Tiansheng would one day become a pillar of the True Martial Sect.
Ning Qi simply smiled quietly.
At last, the ape could display his power openly.
As long as no one discovered the secret of Standing Meditation cultivation, everything was fine.
But once he entered the Inner Yuan or Gang Yuan realms…
Greater caution would be necessary.
The white ape understood this as well.
Despite his mischievous nature, he knew what truly mattered.
The End of the Year
Time passed quickly.
News of Yuan Tiansheng's Bloodline awakening spread throughout the sect.
Excitement eventually faded, and life returned to normal.
The white ape began sparring regularly with disciples to gain combat experience.
His strength continued growing.
So did Ning Qi's.
By studying the changes in the Ape King True Body, Ning Qi refined the technique even further.
Soon—
The year came to an end.
The True Martial Sect Year-End Competition was unusually quiet.
Recent conflicts had left everyone cautious.
Even after the competition ended, disciples remained vigilant.
Ye Qinghe sighed softly.
"Master has been in seclusion for almost a year…"
"I wonder if his mental state has been affected."
But suddenly—
Ning Qi turned his head toward the back mountain.
Moments later, Jiang Baishan did the same.
Then the other true disciples.
They all sensed it.
A powerful fluctuation.
Ning Qi's eyes brightened with surprise.
"Could it be…"
"Master is about to break through?"