《Grinding Cultivation Toward Martial Saint》 Chapter 1 - 1 Jiang Ning Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Jiang NingLuoshui County. Early morning. Shafts of dawn pierced through the clouds, shining upon the ancient city walls. Luoshui County, originally tranquil, had already become bustling; the expansive city avenues filled with cries of vendors on every corner, creating a noisy scene. In the east of Luoshui County, within a small courtyard enclosed by fences. Jiang Ning sat on a wooden chair facing the sun, elbows and knees bent, hands supporting his jaw as he quietly flipped through a book he was holding. "Mythical Era Record" This was a miscellaneous book that contained stories about gods. Before the Great Xia, the book recorded a world where gods and humans coexisted. Rivers had gods, mountains had gods¡ªgods were everywhere. Although it seemed like a far-fetched miscellaneous book, Jiang Ning was reading it with extreme seriousness, utterly engrossed. "Reading and Writing Experience Value +1" ... "Reading and Writing Experience Value +1" ... After a while, Jiang Ning turned to the last page, slowly shifting his gaze away as he completely closed the book. "After this reading session, Reading and Writing Experience Value has increased by a total of 8 points." The next moment. A panel appeared before him, a panel only he could see. "Name: Jiang Ning" "Source Energy: 13.5" "Skill: Reading and Writing (Perfection 968/1000) (Trait: None)" "I''m finally close to reaching the full value! I wonder what changes will occur when this Reading and Writing skill reaches perfection." Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning felt quite exhilarated. In recent days, he had browsed through all the books in his house, from ancient general histories to various canonical and essential writings, reading them all thoroughly. With these books, he had gradually progressed his skill from beginner to master, small success, and then to great success. With each breakthrough, he felt his mind become clearer, his thinking quicker, his hearing and sight sharper. As he knew, this was clearly the effect of divine enhancement. In Great Xia, among scholars, reading nourished the spirit! After this period of diligent reading, he had discovered the wonderful utility of his panel. This panel indeed possessed the power to transform decay into magic; as long as he focused on reading books, it allowed the Reading and Writing skill to continuously grow, once proven, proven forever. Now, any book he had read vividly recorded in his mind could be recalled at a mere thought. And now, he was only a little more than thirty Experience Points away from a breakthrough to Perfection in this skill. With his current efficiency, after reading a few more books, he could earn those thirty-plus Experience Points. With his current level of learning, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that participating in imperial examinations to achieve the rank of student or scholar would be effortless. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning''s heart filled with anticipation. The honors of the coming year could completely change his personal circumstances. "Toot toot!" "Toot toot!!" Just then, a soft, glutinous voice reached Jiang Ning''s ears. Hearing this sweet sound, Jiang Ning instantly snapped back to reality. Following the sound, he saw a little girl, carved from jade, with big eyes and two pigtails pointing skyward running wobbly towards him, her chubby cheeks particularly eye-catching. Seeing his five-year-old niece, Jiang Ning fully regained his senses. "Little Dumpling, slow down!" He couldn''t help but show a faint smile on his face. In this family, the closest to him was his five-year-old niece, Yuanyuan, nicknamed Little Dumpling. From the delicate and exquisite features of his niece, he could tell that she would surely be a beauty in the future and it was evident she had great genetics, her mother''s appearance was absolutely remarkable. "Little Dumpling, this is Guoguo''s book, take a look!" While speaking, Little Dumpling tried to lift her head to look at Jiang Ning. Even though Jiang Ning was just sitting on the chair, his height still required the five-year-old Little Dumpling to lift her head to see his face clearly. Jiang Ning grinned and took the book that Little Dumpling was struggling to hold, feeling delighted inside. For him, the type of book did not matter, as long as it was a book he hadn''t read before, it could increase his Reading and Writing Experience Value. With this new book, his Skill would definitely reach Great Success in the Experience Value by the end of the day. He took the book in his hand without looking at it closely, and immediately set it aside, then rubbed Yuanyuan''s little head. "Little Dumpling is wonderful!!" "Little Dumpling, you''re so pretty!" Little Dumpling was generous with her praise for Jiang Ning. Hearing this, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but chuckle inwardly, rubbing her tiny head saying, "What do you know about being pretty or not!" "Being pretty means being pretty, Little Dumpling is pretty, just like daddy!" The little one, Little Dumpling, retorted strongly. Hearing this sentence, Jiang Ning smiled noncommittally. Just then, a woman''s voice suddenly drifted from the nearby kitchen. "Time to eat!" The voice was direct and cold, devoid of much emotion, but inherently carried a gentle aura. Jiang Ning looked up and saw a woman about thirty, her demeanor and appearance like that of a ladies of high society, appearing at the kitchen doorway just as she caught Jiang Ning''s gaze. The remarkably beautiful woman glanced indifferently at him before withdrawing her gaze, seeming somewhat disdainful. Seeing this, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but give an embarrassed smile. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. How could he not know that his sister-in-law had some complaints about him living in his elder brother''s house for over a decade? After all, she and his brother had been married for over a decade, and by now they had a son and a daughter. Their elder son, Yiming, was already fourteen years old, studying literature and martial arts with great ambition. However, since he was young, he had been extensively educated and also trained in martial arts, which had not been cheap. Under these circumstances, his past self had been idle and unproductive for over a decade, and all expenses had been solely borne by his elder brother. And his brother was just a constable in Luoshui County with limited income; how could his sister-in-law not have complaints about him? Especially in recent times with the daily rising price of grain, for a household of five, finances were even tighter, and the complaints against him had increased. Thinking of this made him feel quite helpless. He was well aware that his sister-in-law wasn''t fond of him, and he completely understood; it was a natural human sentiment. He had always been leeching off his brother and sister-in-law''s family. Yet even now, he had no real solution; his former self had left no savings, and most of his time since his arrival two months ago had been spent recuperating, so even if he had wanted to move out, he was utterly incapable. "With the current situation in Luoshui County being anything but peaceful, I must inevitably continue leeching off my brother," Jiang Ning thought inwardly. He already had plans for the future in his heart. These days, thanks to his brother''s duty at the county government and his recent avid reading, he had gained an understanding of the changing dynamics of the world. The Great Xia Dynasty he now found himself in evidently mirrored the chaos of a dynasty''s final days. Even in this little Luoshui County, there were several forces surreptitiously agitating. As someone who specialized in history in his previous life, he was all too familiar with such situations. History always repeated itself, not with absolute similarity, but with unavoidable parallel trajectories. Thus, he was well aware that the Great Xia Dynasty, which had been established for over eight hundred years, amidst natural disasters, refugee crises, rampant rebellions, and outbreaks of bizarre cults, was clearly showing signs of imminent collapse. In the face of such circumstances, only power that belonged to oneself could offer survival in the turbulent final days of the dynasty. Otherwise, once the overwhelming tide of history arrived, with widespread chaos and strife, especially in a world where martial arts shone brightly and throve, where the weak could defy ten, the strong could form an army, and the mightiest could contend against nations. As ordinary citizens caught in such overwhelming historical currents, how could one survive? His elder brother was only a common constable in the county government, no different from a grain of sand in the historical tide. "I still need to rely on my brother''s power for a while, and as for my brother and his family, I can only repay them later!" Chapter 2 - 2 Break Limit Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Break Limit"Little Dumpling, let''s go!" Jiang Ning stood up, holding Little Dumpling Yuanyuan''s hand as he spoke. "Dum Dum, time to eat!!" Little Dumpling revealed a face full of joyful smiles. ... Upon entering the main hall, Jiang Ning saw that his sister-in-law, Liuu Wanwan, had already taken her seat. Despite her simple attire, there was an air of nobility about her, and her beauty and temperament were far from ordinary, truly top-notch. Even in her plain clothes, she caught the eye, not at all like a typical woman bound by daily chores. At that moment, the round wooden table in front of her had four bowls of thin porridge placed on it, at the center of the table, there was also a dish of pickles and freshly cooked greens still steaming from the pot. "Sister-in-law, where''s big brother?" Jiang Ning asked as he took his seat with Little Dumpling. He glanced at the bowl of porridge in front of him; today''s porridge seemed thinner than usual. A thought crossed his mind, but he said nothing, as he was well aware of the recent surge in grain prices and the limited food supplies at home. "Your brother is still at the government office; he said he''d come back for lunch!" Jiang Ning nodded, momentarily at a loss for words. A moment later, Jiang Ning had finished the thin porridge in his bowl. "Sister-in-law, I''m done eating!" he said as he got up. "Wait a moment!" Liuu Wanwan called out to Jiang Ning, who was about to leave. Seeing Jiang Ning''s puzzled look, Liuu Wanwan, as his sister-in-law, turned and picked up a gray shirt from behind her. "I''ve mended this shirt for you, go ahead and put it on!" "Later, bring out your dirty clothes, and I''ll wash them for you!" Jiang Ning paused for a breath before gracefully accepting the mended shirt from Liuu Wanwan''s hands. "Thank you, sister-in-law!" he slowly spoke. It wasn''t until Jiang Ning had left that a young boy walked out from the house. "Guoguo, come drink some porridge!" Yuanyuan, seeing the thirteen- or fourteen-year-old boy, patted the stool next to her, then shifted her upper body supported on the table. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ... After handing over his dirty clothes to his sister-in-law, and after finishing up, Jiang Ning returned to the courtyard. [Immortal Divine Ability Introduction] Looking at the book brought to him by Little Dumpling, his heart couldn''t help but heat up. With this book, it wouldn''t take long for his reading and writing Skills to make a breakthrough. Especially upon seeing the name of the book, his interest heightened even more. Having been in this world for almost two months, to this day he still didn''t know whether he had traveled through time or awakened some mystery from within the womb. He only knew that his predecessor and he shared the same name and surname, and even looked seventy to eighty percent similar, which was quite marvelous. So many days had passed now, and he no longer dwelled on it, having already accepted his current identity. Moreover, having absorbed the memories of his predecessor, he had acquired certain knowledge of this world. Before Great Xia, it was a world where immortals, deities, demons, and monsters coexisted. The concept of immortals and deities also existed in his previous life, so at this moment, he found this book particularly interesting. Jiang Ning slowly opened the [Immortal Divine Ability Introduction], concentrating as he carefully turned the pages. Silently, a prompt flashed before his eyes. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] ... [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] ... The risen sun gradually climbed higher, and the temperature had long since lost the cool of early morning, as the ground became scorching hot. Sitting under a grape trellis, Jiang Ning''s forehead began to show fine beads of sweat. At this moment, Jiang Ning remained completely indifferent, his entire spirit focused on the [Immortal Divine Ability Introduction] in front of him. After a long time, A whiff of smoke drifted to Jiang Ning''s nose, bringing him gradually back to his senses. [The experience of reading the books had increased his Literacy and Judgement Experience by 29 points.] He looked up at the sky and instantly saw the fierce sun hanging overhead. "It''s almost noon!" he murmured to himself. He then opened his own panel again. [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Perfection 997/1000)(Trait: None) "I''m only three points away from maxing out!" He was immediately invigorated by this thought, and his attention returned at once to the Immortal Divine Ability Introduction before him. At that moment, A burly middle-aged man, dressed in a black robe with a long saber slung across his waist, stepped into the courtyard. Seeing Jiang Ning hunched over his book, he couldn''t help but smile proudly. Especially when he saw the title of the book in Jiang Ning''s hands, his smile widened. "My little brother has finally grown up!" he muttered to himself. He then tiptoed toward the kitchen. "Madam!" he said, gazing tenderly at the busy woman. "Are you back?" "Mhm!" the middle-aged man replied softly. "Why have you been coming home later and later?" "Times are tough. Luoshui County is getting more and more uneasy, and the pressure on us is increasing!" said the middle-aged man. "I see! I hope nothing bad happens!" "I won''t let anything happen!" the middle-aged man reassured her, "Although your man isn''t much of a fighter, he can run faster than anyone when the situation turns sour!" "All you do is boast about yourself!" the woman lightly chuckled and then said, "Go wash up and take good care of Little Dumpling. Little Dumpling will cry if he wakes up and doesn''t see anyone!" "Alright!" the middle-aged man nodded. Before leaving the kitchen, he grinned again, "Madam, have you noticed? Ah Ning has really started to grow up these past few days!" Hearing this, Liuu Wanwan, busy with her tasks, stopped her hands. "Your affection for this younger brother of yours!" she shook her head, "You dote on him even more than your own son!" The middle-aged man knew very well the slight grievance in his wife''s heart. He walked up behind Liuu Wanwan and wrapped his arms around her waist, "I''ve made you suffer following me all these years!" The kitchen fell suddenly silent. A moment later, Liuu Wanwan patted the hands around her waist. "You stink, go take a shower!" "Roger that!" the middle-aged man laughed in response. ... Elsewhere. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] ... [Upon reading the book, the Literacy and Judgement Experience increased by 3 points.] Seeing this notification flash by, Jiang Ning''s eyes gleamed with intense joy. He immediately opened his own panel. [Skill]: Reading and Writing+(Perfection 1000/1000)(Trait: None) "It''s finally full!" he internally exclaimed. The next moment, He narrowed his eyes. Because, at that moment, his panel underwent a change he had never experienced before¡ªa plus sign appeared next to the Reading and Writing skill. Previously, whether it was becoming proficient or mastering, or progressing from small success to Great Success, it happened as the experience naturally filled up, leading to a breakthrough when it reached Perfection. This time was entirely different, although the experience needed for breaking through the level of Perfection was met, there was no breakthrough to the next level; just a plus sign appearing next to the Reading and Writing skill. Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning focused his thoughts on that plus sign. [Reading and Writing has reached Perfection, would you like to spend 10 Source Energy to "Break Limit" for Reading and Writing?] Chapter 3: Traits After Breaking Limits Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Traits After Breaking Limits``` [Reading and Writing has reached Perfection, would you like to spend 10 Source Energy Points to Break Limit on Reading and Writing?] The moment Jiang Ning saw this prompt, he instantly had an epiphany. "So that''s how it is!! The use of Source Energy Points lies here!" His mind completely understood at this moment. Previously, as the system interface appeared, the Source Energy column would increase by 0.1 to 0.3 points automatically with the passing of each day at midnight. He had tried various methods but had never figured out what effect the Source Energy Points on the panel actually had. Until this moment, he finally understood thoroughly. It turned out that when a Skill reached Perfection, to continue breaking through, one needed to consume Source Energy Points. After realizing this, Jiang Ning had no hesitation in his heart, and his mind instantly made a move. The Source Energy Points on the panel instantly decreased by 10 points, while the Reading and Writing Skill displayed on the panel began to change. Jiang Ning also instantly felt as though there was a clear spiritual force circulating in his brain, his inner heart as calm as an ancient well, with waves of clarity and emptiness. He couldn''t help but close his eyes and slightly feel the changes occurring within his body. After a short while, all the changes subsided to tranquility. Jiang Ning then opened his eyes, and the panel emerged before him. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 3.5 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (First Limit Broken 0/2000) (Trait: unforgettable) "Indeed so!!" he murmured to himself in his heart. This change was not beyond his expectations. Before this, he had noticed the two characters denoting ''trait.'' S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The trait column for the Reading and Writing Skill had always been empty from beginner level through each breakthrough. Upon reaching Perfection, he had a hunch that a trait might emerge after breaking through, and now his speculation had become reality, so he naturally wasn''t too surprised in his heart. [unforgettable]: For those with an exceptional memory, whatever they see, they cannot forget. Immediately, he quickly scanned the surroundings, and at this moment, not even one breath had passed. Then he closed his eyes, and in an instant, the scenery of the small courtyard he had just glanced over vividly appeared in his mind. Whether it was the flapping of a bee''s wings or the tumbling leaves floating in the air, all were vividly and clearly emerging in his mind. "Such an effect!!" Jiang Ning secretly gasped in amazement in his heart. This effect greatly exceeded his expectations. What he now possessed was not memorable text, but images, clear images with texture, lifelike, moving images. "Having the blessing of an unforgettable memory is also extremely beneficial for my practice of Martial Arts!!" Jiang Ning''s heart was immediately filled with excitement. In this world, taking the path of the scholarly Dao and participating in the imperial examination could lead one to rise from a simple village lad in the morning to a position in the imperial hall by evening, becoming a person above others. It was the same with Martial Arts. Taking the path of the military examinations could lead one to command millions of troops, to be ennobled as marquis or even king, and even to expand territory and crack open the earth. Furthermore, the path of Martial Arts allowed one to become an army by oneself, an adversary to nations, with mighty power all within oneself. And even achieve immortality! According to the books he had read over these days, the Great Xia successfully established their country because a Martial Saint emerged, an invincible Martial Saint. This Martial Saint had suppressed the fortune of Great Xia Country for eight hundred years. That is to say, that Martial Saint had lived from the beginning of Great Xia''s dynasty until now, a matter of myth, a legend. The current unrest within the Great Xia Dynasty, in Jiang Ning''s view, was also related to the Martial Saint not having made an appearance for several decades. ``` "Just because of that understanding, Jiang Ning had long made his plans¡ªhe wanted both scholarly pursuits and martial arts. "Children make choices, adults want it all. "He was determined to pursue both, focusing primarily on martial arts, with scholarship as a secondary support. "These two paths did not clash for him; rather, they complemented and enhanced each other. "First and foremost, for him at present, with the trait ''unforgettable'', excelling in the scholarly Dao and achieving official recognition through the examinations was nothing short of simple. "Without scholarship, not understanding this world in its entirety, how could he possibly secure a foothold in the turbulent times at the end of the Great Xia Dynasty? "Before reaching the pinnacle of Martial Arts, the importance of grasping every glance and movement around him was beyond doubt. "Furthermore, passing the civil service examination allowed one to worship at the Holy Temple and be infused with the vigorous righteous energy. "The Confucian vigorous righteous energy nourishes the Divine Soul and is the best path for cultivating the soul outside of the secret traditions of the Buddhist Dao. "All the officials at court have powerful divine souls, capable of rapid and complex thought, which is why they can firmly hold their place at court and strategize for the world. "And on the path of Martial Arts, one must focus on Body Refinement and also nourish the soul towards the latter stages. "The strengthening of the Divine Soul would greatly assist him in his future pursuit to become the highest in Martial Arts, transcending the ordinary and entering sainthood. "Another, even more important point, was that he had to continue grinding for experience points in Reading and Writing, which required perusing ancient books and texts; only through continuous reading could he grind for the experience points in this Skill. "Since the first Break Limit granted him the unforgettable trait, he believed that the Second Limit Breaking would inevitably grant him even more powerful traits. "The potent effects of traits were unquestionable! "Therefore, for him, gaining official recognition through the civil service examination was not only effortless but also brought multiple benefits in one stroke. "''Now, I just hope that my conjectures are correct and that Martial Arts Skills can also be grinded for Experience Value,'' Jiang Ning thought to himself, ''Previously, due to the injuries of my former body, I had to recuperate for over two months and couldn''t practice Martial Arts, which was the perfect opportunity to study and test the panel''s effects!'' "''Having achieved something in scholarship and successfully testing all the effects of the panel, it''s time to learn Martial Arts!'' "''With my unforgettable trait and the magical effects of the panel, once I start learning Martial Arts, my progress will surely be swift.'' "''I''ll first go and ask Big Brother to see if he, as a constable in the government office, has a suitable Martial Arts Skill for me to learn!'' While Jiang Ning''s thoughts were flowing, a robust voice came from the main house. "''Brother, come and eat lunch!'' "Hearing these words, Jiang Ning placed the ''Immortal Divine Ability Introduction'' on the chair, then stood up and walked toward the main house. "The moment he stepped into the main house, he saw his elder brother and sister-in-law, as well as his nephew Jiang Yiming and his niece Little Dumpling, who was none other than Jiang Yuanyuan. "''Big Brother, Sister-in-law!'' Jiang Ning called out. "''Sit!'' his elder brother Jiang Li said. "''Dudu, dudu! Sit next to Dumpling,'' Little Dumpling, who was vigorously leaning on the dining table, eagerly invited Jiang Ning. "After Jiang Ning took his seat, "Jiang Li, the elder brother, served some dishes and asked, ''I see you''ve been studying hard lately. Are you thinking of going through the official examination to attain a title?'' "''I''ve had some thoughts,'' Jiang Ning nodded, then shook his head again, ''But I want to learn Martial Arts even more!'' "''Martial Arts?'' Jiang Li looked at Jiang Ning in surprise, his gaze becoming serious, ''Do you really want to learn Martial Arts?'' "''Yes!!'' Jiang Ning nodded firmly. "''Have you really thought this through? Learning Martial Arts is very difficult, very arduous! Have you truly decided?'' Jiang Li continued. "Jiang Ning nodded again, ''I''ve thought it through!!'' "''Alright!'' Jiang Li nodded slowly, ready to speak, when his mouth suddenly twitched slightly. "Seeing this, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but look at his sister-in-law Liu Wanwan, noticing her subtle movements, he immediately understood that she was discreetly pulling at Jiang Li, seemingly aware of what Jiang Li was about to propose. "Jiang Li also gave Liu Wanwan a slight glare and then turned back to Jiang Ning. "''Alright, if that''s the case, then I will find you a good teacher later.''" Chapter 4 - 4 Changes Chapter 4: Chapter 4 ChangesA good teacher? Jiang Ning was slightly taken aback and immediately understood his elder brother Jiang Li''s intention. It was clearly a preparation for others to teach him martial arts. He also suddenly realized why Liuu Wanwan had just secretly stopped Brother Li. As it is known, the poor learn literature and the rich practice martial arts. Learning martial arts costs a lot of silver coins. Just the fee to pay the master was already an absurd amount, not to mention the subsequent consumption of medicinal materials, which was incalculable. And now, his elder brother''s family was already in straits, and he himself was penniless. If he were to learn martial arts, wouldn''t that mean continuing to leech off his elder brother and sister-in-law? And even more so than before! Understanding this, Jiang Ning hastily spoke up, "Brother, I just want you to teach me a couple of martial arts techniques. I don''t want to formally apprentice and add more burdens to you!" "You really are sensible now!" Brother Li looked at Jiang Ning with a face full of relief, then continued, "I know what you are worried about. Don''t worry about the mentorship fee. Your elder brother has extraordinary martial skills. Having been a constable for many years, I do have some savings." As he spoke those words, Jiang Ning saw Brother Li grimace slightly and also caught Liuu Wanwan''s small, secretive motion trying to stop him. "Brother! There''s really no need to find a mentor for me!" "What do you know?" Jiang Li glared at Jiang Ning and continued, "With my limited skills, I can''t even meet the Martial Arts Entry standard. How could I teach you without leading you astray?" "Haven''t you heard that a good teacher produces talented students? If you want to learn martial arts, you must find a true master to guide you in. This concerns your future achievements, and this is not where we should be thrifty!" "If you do succeed in martial arts in the future, come to the county government. I can get you a position as a constable. That way, you''ll have a secure future and be eligible to marry and have children." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing the words about marrying and having children, Jiang Ning suddenly felt a headache. He intended to speak but then saw Liuu Wanwan pulling Brother Li, walking towards the rear hall. "Never mind!" Seeing this, Jiang Ning sighed internally, "I''ll find another opportunity to talk to Brother Li." He quickly finished the food in front of him, stood up, and walked towards the inner hall, wondering about the condition of his elder brother and sister-in-law. For his elder brother and sister-in-law in this life, Jiang Ning felt deep gratitude from the bottom of his heart. His former self was indolent, yet they had done everything they could, exemplifying ultimate kindness and justice. Even with a lazy brother-in-law like his former self, his sister-in-law only mildly complained and never embarrassed him in person. When he arrived in this world, he was dispirited and seriously injured. It was his sister-in-law who had taken care of him all along, washing his clothes and cooking his meals. Thus, for his elder brother and sister-in-law in this life, Jiang Ning had only gratitude and not a trace of resentment in his heart. Approaching the rear hall, Jiang Ning heard his brother and sister-in-law''s low voices conversing. Curious, Jiang Ning walked a few more steps, their voices becoming clearer. "Jiang Li, have you really thought it through? Your brother Jiang Ning is now eighteen. Even if he has high aptitude, he''s nearly past the prime age to start learning martial arts. His future achievements will be limited!" "Wanwan, I know! But he''s my brother, my only blood brother. How could I not help him? An elder brother is like a father, and he''s the only brother I have!" "And what about Minger?" Anger saturated Liuu Wanwan''s voice, "You know how expensive it is to apprentice in martial arts! Minger is fourteen now, soon to be at the best age to start learning martial arts!" At this, Jiang Li was momentarily speechless, silent for a few moments before he spoke, "I can handle the money issue. Minger''s future must not be delayed, but the future of my blood brother must not be neglected either! Since he wants to pursue a path in martial arts, as his elder brother, I must support him." "I want to go back to my parents'' home! I miss my father, mother, and elder brother!" Liuu Wanwan suddenly blurted out. Silence, a sudden deathly silence followed. "Brother!" Jiang Ning called out, walking towards the hall, instantly breaking the silence inside. Suddenly, "Brother Li¡ª" "Brother Li¡ª" "Feng Tou has summoned us. We must gather at the government office before three quarters past noon!" The call came from outside, drawing nearer. "Wanwan, I''ve put you through so much!" Jiang Li''s voice came from inside the hall. The next moment, Bang¡ª The door in front of them burst open, and Jiang Li''s tall, robust figure appeared instantly before Jiang Ning. "Brother!" Jiang Ning spoke. Jiang Li patted his shoulder. "Don''t worry, I can handle all this! Don''t be angry at your sister-in-law." Leaving behind these last words, Jiang Li strode out in a burst, crossing two to three meters in the hall. He grabbed the standard long saber placed on the table with one hand, then stepped out and rushed straight from the main house. "Let''s go!" Jiang Li called out lightly, and his figure disappeared from Jiang Ning''s sight. "Sister-in-law!" Watching Liuu Wanwan come out from the back hall, Jiang Ning spoke softly. "I hope you can mature a bit more in the future, don''t let down your brother''s earnest efforts again!" Liuu Wanwan stared into Jiang Ning''s eyes with a very serious look and left these words before brushing past him. She arrived at the dining table and began cleaning up the bowls and chopsticks. ----------------- The moon shone brightly with sparse stars. The cold moonlight illuminated Luoshui County, as if draping the night of Luoshui County in a light veil. Under such bright moonlight, even as Jiang Ning sat in the courtyard, he could distinctly see the text in the book he was holding. Woof, woof, woof¡ª Suddenly, a few barks of a dog came from outside the courtyard. Then, a tall and burly man strode forward. "Brother Li!!!" Liuu Wanwan, standing at the courtyard entrance, saw his figure and joy appeared in her eyes. "Brother Li, what happened to you!" Liuu Wanwan instantly became anxious, her voice trembling. Trouble!!! The word sprang to mind for Jiang Ning as he read under the moonlight. He quickly closed the book and stood up, walking towards the courtyard entrance. The next moment. Jiang Ning saw the tall and imposing figure of Jiang Li approaching under the moonlight, with a resilient and vigorous stride. Then, his gaze was attracted to Jiang Li''s right hand, which was wrapped in white bandages. Did something really happen? A sinking feeling took hold of Jiang Ning. At that moment, Jiang Li also strode up to Liuu Wanwan. "Brother Li, what happened??" Liuu Wanwan, on the verge of tears and with a trembling voice, looked at Jiang Li. Jiang Li grinned, "It''s nothing, I was just involved in the suppression of the God Worship Sect this afternoon. There was a little accident, just a minor injury!" "Brother Li, you promised never to lie to me!" Liuu Wanwan looked like she wanted to touch Jiang Li''s right hand, yet feared she might hurt him. Upon hearing this, Jiang Li fell silent. After a few moments, he slowly said, "This afternoon''s suppression was fierce. I was lucky to escape with my life, but my right hand is ruined." "Ruined?" Liuu Wanwan murmured to herself, seemingly unable to believe her own ears. The next moment, she determinedly looked at Jiang Li, "Can it be healed? No matter the cost, I''ll bear it, I''ll even go plead to my father and brother!!!" Jiang Li shook his head slightly, "The tendons are torn, the bones shattered; it is beyond saving." He then laughed heartily again, "No worries, though my right hand is ruined, serving the County Lord in the fight against the God Worship Sect was part of my duty! I got injured on duty, so the County Lord will surely take good care of me! Although I may not end up rich, a normal life is still more than possible. Moreover, given this injury happened on duty, there''ll also be a pension. If the County Lord doesn''t handle this right, who else would be willing to risk their lives for him in the future?" Listening to this, Liuu Wanwan''s eyes welled up with tears, continually nodding, "Yes, yes, yes!" Jiang Li then smilingly pulled her into a hug with his left hand. Watching this scene, Jiang Ning suddenly felt a bit awkward. With Brother and Sister-in-law sharing such a moment, it wasn''t really appropriate for him to be there. At that moment. Jiang Li patted Liuu Wanwan''s back, and she gently stepped out from his embrace. "Younger brother, come with me!" Jiang Li spoke. Jiang Ning nodded. Chapter 5 - 5 Rebirth and Change Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Rebirth and ChangeUnder the grapevine in the small courtyard. "Big brother, is there really no way for your hand to recover?" Jiang Li shook his head slightly, "There is no way, the tendons are severed, bones shattered, my right arm is nearly pulverized. If it weren''t for the high-quality Healing Medicine and painkillers issued by the County Lord, I probably couldn''t be standing in front of you right now." With a smile, he shook his head, "Brother, you mentioned wanting to practice martial arts at noon, right?" "Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded. "It''s time to practice martial arts!" Jiang Li expressed with a deeply emotional countenance before continuing, "The world is becoming increasingly chaotic these days! The God Worship Sect''s influence is growing more rampant! And for the sake of creating Gods, they''re becoming more and more insane. If not because of the God Worship Sect, I wouldn''t have encountered such a disaster!" "The God Worship Sect?" Jiang Ning''s eyes sharpened, his mind instantly recalling the events from two months ago. Two months ago, he had transmigrated, arriving with severe injuries. After absorbing the memories of his predecessor, amidst his confusion, he heard the three words "God Worship Sect" and that sentence: Another with Innate Spiritual Wisdom found, seizing this soul will surely be rewarded by the Divine Envoy! Without a doubt, he was the one with Innate Spiritual Wisdom. His predecessor was attacked, and in his eyes, it was very likely due to being targeted by the God Worship Sect. Perhaps it was because of that accident that he awoke the wisdom from his previous life, or maybe it was this chance occurrence that led to his transmigration. As for the actual reason, he was not certain. But now, hearing "God Worship Sect" again, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but take it very seriously. To this day, he did not understand what being an Innate Spiritual Wisdom was, but he knew if his predecessor was targeted by the God Worship Sect for that reason, and if he were discovered, he could end up facing the same fate. "Brother, what''s the matter with you?" Seeing Jiang Ning''s somewhat distracted expression, Jiang Li showed concern. "It''s nothing, just suddenly remembered some things," Jiang Ning shook his head. Hearing this, Jiang Li smiled knowingly, "Don''t worry! I''ve already arranged for your martial arts training and found you a good teacher." "A good teacher?" Jiang Ning immediately shook his head, "Big brother, there''s no need for such trouble, becoming a disciple to learn martial arts is too expensive, we can''t afford it. You just need to teach me a few skills!" "Me, teach you martial arts?" Jiang Li shook his head vehemently, "No, that won''t do! Learning martial arts is no simple matter; one cannot teach or learn haphazardly. If something goes wrong, the regret will be too late." He continued, "Moreover, now that my right hand is disabled, how can I teach you wielding a sword with my left? The good teacher I''ve found for you is Wang Jin from the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Master Wang Jin is an acknowledged Martial Artist whose strength far exceeds mine, and with extensive teaching experience, he absolutely qualifies as a good teacher." "Canglang Martial Arts Hall? Wang Jin?" Jiang Ning was slightly surprised; these past days, he had been browsing various books and also inquiring his elder brother about many things, naturally, he had heard of the great reputation of Wang Jin of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. It was the Martial Arts Hall countless martial arts practitioners aspired to join. Passing the tests of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall to become a true disciple was, for ordinary people, nothing short of a meteoric rise, not merely because of the strength of the Martial Arts Hall, but more importantly because of the identity of Wang Jin. Then Jiang Ning shook his head, fully aware of how much silver it would require to be accepted as a disciple in the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Even though his elder brother was a constable, holding a government position as a servant of the court, and had some connections with Master Wang Jin of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall, there would be no exceptions. Immediately, Jiang Ning spoke, "Big brother, even if I truly sought a good teacher, it doesn''t have to be from the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. The tuition to become a disciple there is far too expensive!" "You don''t have to worry about that," Jiang Li said, "I''ve risked my life serving the government office and the County Lord. Now that I''m seriously injured, I will naturally receive a sum of pension from the government office." He then whispered to Jiang Ning, "Brother, don''t tell your sister-in-law about this. The county government will take a while to disburse the pension. I''ve temporarily borrowed some Silver Coins for your apprenticeship fee; if your sister-in-law finds out, she''ll scold me again." As he finished speaking, Jiang Li chuckled lightly, trying to appear relaxed. At that moment, Jiang Ning''s heart was filled with mixed emotions, a kind of familial affection he had never experienced in his previous life. Then, Jiang Li patted his shoulder, "It''s getting late, go to sleep. I''ve already paid the apprenticeship fee, so there''s no need for you to delay any further. The fee cannot be refunded, so tomorrow, just obediently accompany me to the Canglang Martial Arts Hall." Leaving that message, Jiang Li walked towards Liuu Wanwan, and the two returned to their house. ... The next morning, as the sun rose and the sky brightened, suddenly. Thump, thump, thump¡ª A series of knocks resounded at the door. "Brother Li, it''s Xu Yunfeng here to visit!" Xu Yunfeng? Hearing this name, Jiang Ning was momentarily surprised, then he instantly remembered. Previously, his elder brother had taken him to the government office archives, and he had seen the records there. Xu Yunfeng, this man grew up orphaned, had contended with stray dogs for food, and by hook or by crook, he made his way to the top, certainly not a kind-hearted sort. Most crucially, this man was an underling of Master Cao, Cao Bin, who was one of the local powerhouses of Linjiang County, a direct blood relative of the Cao family. The Cao family, as the local powerhouse, was at odds with the County Lord, the new power crossing the river, as Jiang Ning had noticed from one incident after another. It was not difficult to notice this; the covert struggles between the newcomers and entrenched local forces throughout the history of mankind were numerous and inherently fraught with conflict. If his elder brother were to take sides, he had always placed his trust in the County Lord, and Chief Feng above him was also part of the County Lord''s faction. At this moment, a judgment formed in Jiang Ning''s heart¡ªthe visitor meant no good! Thinking of this, he quickly rolled out of bed and prepared to head to the main hall to assess the situation. After arriving in the main hall, he saw his elder brother, Jiang Li, leading a man in a black robe and long tunic with an official saber slung at his waist into the main hall. As the two men sat down, Sister-in-law Liuu Wanwan poured them both a hot cup of tea. "Sister-in-law is very beautiful!!" Xu Yunfeng looked at Liuu Wanwan with a face full of admiration. Seeing this, Jiang Li''s eyebrows furrowed immediately, and then he slowly spoke up, "Brother Xu, why this sudden visit today, what brings you here?" Xu Yunfeng looked at Jiang Li and smiled slowly, "You and I are colleagues, and last night I heard Brother Li encountered danger and your right hand was crippled. Therefore, I made a special visit today, and also brought a bottle of healing medicine for pain relief. I hope Brother Li won''t refuse!" As he spoke, Xu Yunfeng took a porcelain medicine bottle from his waist and placed it in front of Jiang Li. Seeing this, Jiang Li''s slightly altered expression softened somewhat. "Thank you for your kindness, Brother Xu!" Upon seeing this, a slight smile appeared on Xu Yunfeng''s face, "I have another matter to discuss." "What is it?" Xu Yunfeng said, "Master Cao heard of your sudden misfortune and was deeply distressed. He wishes to invite Brother Li to a gathering at the Moon Pavilion tonight at 7 p.m." "Master Cao?" Jiang Li''s expression suddenly changed, and he said with some disbelief, "The arrest officer Cao Bin?" "Exactly that Lord Cao!" Xu Yunfeng confirmed. Having his information confirmed, Jiang Li''s expression turned even uglier. "Would Brother Li honor the invitation?" Xu Yunfeng asked slowly. Jiang Li pondered for a moment and then slowly nodded, "I shall certainly keep the appointment on time." "Good!" Xu Yunfeng immediately nodded in satisfaction, then glanced at Liuu Wanwan, "Remember to bring your sister-in-law too!" The moment these words came out, Jiang Li''s expression drastically changed again. He immediately took a deep breath, turned to Liuu Wanwan, and said, "Wanwan, go back to your room!" "Yes, Brother Li!" Liuu Wanwan nodded, a look of worry crossing her brow as she glanced at Jiang Li, then turned to leave the main hall. Once Liuu Wanwan was completely gone, Jiang Li''s gaze burned with anger as he growled lowly, "Xu Yunfeng, what do you mean by this?" "What do I mean?" Xu Yunfeng smiled slightly, "You shouldn''t ask me what I mean; you should ask what Master Cao means!!" Looking at the Jiang Li who seemed ready to pounce, Xu Yunfeng smiled again, "You should understand Master Cao''s intentions, I believe you''ve also heard the rumors in town!" Hearing this, Jiang Li''s face grew even grimmer, dark with anger. At that moment, Jiang Ning, listening to these words, immediately recalled the rumors about the arrest officer Cao Bin. According to the town gossip, Master Cao had a fondness for beauties, especially for other men''s wives. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Li''s face went through a range of changes, and his eyes seriously fixed on Xu Yunfeng, "In the county government, what counts as the Cao family? The County Lord is the sky over the county government and the sky over Linjiang County!" "Foolishly stubborn!!" Xu Yunfeng looked at Jiang Li with a disdainful eye, as if unworthy to associate with, "One Cao family may be inferior to the County Lord, but what if you add the Liu family and the Xie family to that?" Saying this, Xu Yunfeng stood up, "Linjiang County is like an iron barrel under the control of several major families, yet the God Worship Sect is growing increasingly rampant. If you were wise, you wouldn''t have ended up seriously injured like this! Think about it, in this campaign against the God Worship Sect, which arrest officers and government officials close to whom suffered casualties?" "What does the County Lord amount to? If you know what''s good for you, just endure a little humiliation, and you could be appreciated by Master Cao just like me!" "If you refuse, with your crippled arm, you won''t be able to continue as an arrest officer, and opposing the Cao family, you can only return home, becoming nothing more than an ordinary citizen!" "By that time, do you think I''ll still speak to you this amiably?" "Master Cao really can''t stop thinking about your sister-in-law!!" "If you agree, just like me, you''ll become one of Master Cao''s men, protected by him. With just over four months left until the year-end evaluation, you''ll certainly be unscathed by then, and there will still be a place for you in the county government! Your compensation for the injuries and fatalities will also be paid out as scheduled!" After saying this, Xu Yunfeng threw out two more sentences, "Brother Li has both a son and a daughter; you''re fortunate." "I hear Brother Li treats his younger brother exceedingly well, such deep fraternal love, it makes one envious," and with that last phrase, Xu Yunfeng''s gaze landed on Jiang Ning, his face carrying a smile. Watching Xu Yunfeng''s gaze, Jiang Ning felt as if he was looking at a ferocious beast picking its prey. The next moment, Xu Yunfeng withdrew his gaze, strode out of the house with a vigorous presence, and vanished from sight in the blink of an eye. Chapter 6 - 6 The Chicken-Killing Monkey-Warner Chapter 6: Chapter 6 The Chicken-Killing Monkey-WarnerIn the hall. Jiang Ning''s gaze fell on that once burly man, and he immediately saw his face turn ashen, his body slightly trembling, with beads of blood dripping from the long sleeve of his left hand. The entire main hall instantly fell into a profound silence. After a long while, "Big brother!" Jiang Ning couldn''t help but call out. At this moment, Jiang Li slowly regained his composure. "It''s nothing, don''t worry about me!" "Big brother, have you decided what to do?" Jiang Ning asked. Jiang Li spoke in a calm voice, "With such a cold-hearted act, I cannot believe the County Lord would allow Cao Bin to act so perversely." Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning shook his head secretly. Who can truly understand another''s heart? But based on what Xu Yunfeng had just said, it was clear that the County Lord and the powerful local families had entered a fierce struggle. If his big brother refused to comply, it wouldn''t be out of question for the major local families to make an example of him as a warning to others. After all, his big brother had been working in the government office for many years, gaining a modest reputation. However, he had always followed the County Lord''s orders above all else. Such a person was perfectly suitable to serve as a warning. Under the pressure of the local bigshots, the County Lord might well compromise. Even if he did not, being caught between two powerful forces, what chance of survival did he have, and what good end could there be? Thinking of this, Jiang Ning felt an even greater sense of crisis. He had not forgotten the look in Xu Yunfeng''s eyes as he left and the words he spoke, which clearly threatened his big brother using him and his nephew and niece. Perhaps one day, to force his big brother to comply, they wouldn''t hesitate to harm him and his nephew and niece. "We still have to rely on ourselves! Learning martial arts, now it seems, cannot be delayed any longer!" Jiang Ning said to himself. Immediately afterward, he thought of Wang Jin''s status as a member of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Based on what he knew and guessed, Wang Jin might have a blood relation with the Master Wang stationed in Luoshui County. Moreover, Wang Jin''s status was extremely high, undoubtedly a Martial Arts Entry level strongman, and he had gone a long way in the practice of martial arts. In a world where a martial arts strongman could be an army in himself, his fists were Wang Jin''s power. By becoming a disciple of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall, at least on the surface, Xu Yunfeng would have to be somewhat wary. More importantly, if he could pass the Canglang Martial Arts Hall''s assessment and become a true disciple of the Martial Arts Hall. In this world, the relationship between heaven, earth, ruling lord, kin and teacher¡ªmaster and disciple¡ªis like that of father and son. If he could become a direct disciple of the Martial Arts Hall, relying on Wang Jin''s influence, Xu Yunfeng wouldn''t dare to move against him, let alone lay hands on him. A disciple taught personally by such a strongman was something ordinary constables and their like couldn''t compare to. Thinking this, Jiang Ning nodded secretly, "Looking at it now, the Canglang Martial Arts Hall is indeed a good place! If the panel can provide me with Experience Value for cultivating Martial Arts Skills, give me some time, I will surely pass the Canglang Martial Arts Hall''s test, and become Wang Jin''s true disciple. Achieving this is no less than crossing social classes, akin to an ordinary citizen gaining the status and respect accorded to my big brother as an official." As his thoughts flowed, "Little brother, what are you thinking about?" Jiang Li''s voice suddenly interrupted Jiang Ning''s contemplation. Seeing this, Jiang Ning said, "I was thinking about what Xu Yunfeng said when he left; he was clearly using me and your children to force you to comply!" Jiang Li nodded immediately, "I''ve seen that too! He''s clever; you are all my weaknesses!" While talking, Jiang Ning still saw his left fist clenched tightly, the skin between the knuckles already stained red with fresh blood. Then, Jiang Li added, "I believe in the County Lord, he won''t neglect this!" Jiang Ning shook his head, "Big brother, it''s unwise to stake the life of the entire family on the whims of the County Lord!" When he heard this, Jiang Li gave a bitter smile, "But it''s the Cao family, the Liu family, and the Xie family, three colossally powerful clans. Besides relying on the County Lord, big brother truly has no other choice!" "I have a way!" Jiang Ning said. "What way?" Jiang Li''s eyes brightened immediately, looking at Jiang Ning with hope. Jiang Ning slowly spoke, "Wang Jin of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall is related by blood to Master Wang, the military commander in Luoshui County. If I can become a true disciple of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall, then I will have a master-disciple relationship with Wang Jin, akin to father and son. Such a connection should afford me Wang Jin''s protection, and since Wang Jin has blood ties with Master Wang, who wields military power, neither the County Lord nor the four big families would want to provoke the military commander." "Master Wang?" Jiang Li murmured, deep in thought. Having been in Luoshui County for so long, he naturally knew a good deal. Pondering for a moment, he then nodded, "If we could forge a connection with Master Wang, the Cao family might truly not dare to make a move! In Great Xia, a hundred people make a ''du,'' and the weakest among them are not inferior to me at my peak. There are no shortage of elite squads comprised of Martial Arts Entry level warriors!" "But..." He looked at Jiang Ning and continued to speak, "But little brother, how can you become a true disciple of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall? Wang Jin''s requirements are extremely high, extremely high indeed. To become a true disciple of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall, is to receive the true teachings of the Martial Arts Hall, surely becoming an Entry level martial artist!" Jiang Ning said, "Big brother needn''t worry about this, I have confidence in myself!" "Alright then," Jiang Li nodded. "It''s good for you to be confident, little brother. And it''s worth a try! Especially since you want to become a disciple of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall." "If it doesn''t work out, I''ll risk my life if I have to and ask Master Feng to intervene, to have the County Lord protect you both!" Jiang Li declared with determination in his eyes. Seeing the sincerity in Jiang Li''s eyes, Jiang Ning felt incredibly complex emotions. Human beings are not heartless like plants or trees. Over the past few months since he had arrived in this world, he had come to recognize his current life''s big brother and sister-in-law as his own. Although his sister-in-law had some minor complaints about him, for the past two months, all his laundry was washed by her, and she also repaired his worn clothes, never skimping on offering him the best food and drink. As for his big brother, there was nothing to complain about at all. The saying, "An elder brother is like a father," was perfectly exemplified in him. Just yesterday, because he had mentioned wanting to study martial arts, his big brother had borrowed a significant amount of silver coins to enable him to join the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Being human, how could he not be deeply moved by such familial affection? Now, faced with such a sudden crisis, how could he remain indifferent? "It''s time for me to repay my big brother and sister-in-law," Jiang Ning murmured to himself. ... After returning to his room. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 3.6 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (One-time Break Limit 47/2000) (Trait: Unforgettable) Looking at his status panel, Jiang Ning was flooded with thoughts. He had never expected to encounter such a crisis. He understood all too well the oppressive feeling of being targeted by the three major families of the Xie, Liu, and Cao. They practically owned half of Luoshui County! It wasn''t just the top families like the Xie, Liu, and Cao of Luoshui County; even Xu Yunfeng, a constable with martial arts achievements, represented a tremendous pressure to ordinary people. Having martial arts success, with strong Qi-Blood, one could fight against more than a dozen strong men barehanded, let alone with a weapon in hand. He had not forgotten the look Xu Yunfeng gave when he left; if he truly wished to force his big brother to comply, he would not have left without a word. To him, Xu Yunfeng was a significant potential threat! And this Xu Yunfeng was a martial artist, not yet at the entry level. If one reached the Martial Arts Entry level like Master Cao Bin. According to what his big brother had said, once someone reached Martial Arts Entry, they would achieve great success in Skin Training, making their skin as hard as copper, impervious to sword and spear, far beyond the capabilities of normal people to contend with. Therefore, Jiang Ning knew very well that in this world where martial arts thrived, and power was vested in individuals, every so-called crisis stemmed from one''s own lack of strength. If he were to reach Martial Arts Entry and become strong enough, what would Xu Yunfeng be? What would Cao Bin be? Even more so, like that Martial Saint of Great Xia, the entire world would amount to nothing. "Everything hinges on the trip to the Canglang Martial Arts Hall!" he thought. ... After midday. After lunch, Jiang Ning went out with his big brother. Walking on the street, both sides were now filled with various hawking voices and the smell of fireworks. Scallion pancakes~ Hot off the oven scallion pancakes~ Only fifteen coins each~~ S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Come and see, fine sesame oil for sale~ Sugar-coated hawthorns here~ ... Scallion pancakes for fifteen coins each? Jiang Ning couldn''t help but click his tongue slightly. He still remembered that according to the memories of the body he had inherited, scallion pancakes cost merely eight coins each, but now the price had doubled. "Peering through the straws, it''s clear that grain prices must have skyrocketed. Indeed, these are increasingly troubled times!" Chapter 7 - 7 God Worship Sect Chapter 7: Chapter 7 God Worship SectOn the street, Jiang Ning''s gaze suddenly stiffened as he looked ahead. Before them was a procession beating drums and gongs. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Big brother, what is this?" Jiang Ning''s eyes revealed confusion. Jiang Li took a quick glance and upon recognizing the familiar symbol, he immediately spoke, "This should be the followers of the God Worship Sect among the common people, going to the City God Temple to worship and pray for blessings from the God." Jiang Ning''s expression instantly showed surprise, "The God Worship Sect? Isn''t the God Worship Sect the target of eradication by the government office? Why would they go to the City God Temple to pray for blessings?" Jiang Li shook his head, "I''m not sure either. According to the higher-ups, the general idea is that ordinary followers need not be concerned; the task is to eradicate the followers of the God Worship Sect." Hearing this, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but shake his head silently. With such an approach, it was impossible to suppress the God Worship Sect, and this indulgent attitude would only make the God Worship Sect more rampant. He knew all too well the strong power of the sect. In previous lives, history had shown countless times the strength of the sect. Whether it was the Yellow Turban Rebellion that swept through the end of the Eastern Han or the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom movement at the end of the Qing Dynasty, both had demonstrated the terrifying power of the sect. Even in that advanced and technologically developed civilization, the same terrifyingly powerful world''s largest religious sect existed in the far West with countless zealots. In this world, where there might once have been gods and supernatural powers, any religious sect would become even more terrifying, gathering both hearts and power to a greater extent. Jiang Ning also didn''t believe that the three major families and the County Lord of Luoshui County were unaware of the dangers of indulging the God Worship Sect. At this moment, he was more certain than ever of his previous judgment and the information revealed by Xu Yunfeng''s words. Presently, Luoshui County was clearly in a struggle between outsiders and local snakes. And his elder brother, sister-in-law, and himself had all been entangled in this struggle. Given the County Lord''s emphasis on loyalty and righteousness, he dared not place any reliance on him; thus, he understood that if he wanted to extricate himself from this vortex, he must seek a third party. Master Wang, stationed outside of Luoshui County, was that third party, holding military power and providing him a foundation to observe from afar. Now if he wanted to use his influence to escape this vortex and save his elder brother''s family at the same time, then he could only rely on the relationship with Wang Jin from the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Both of them surnamed Wang, sharing a blood relation. As long as he passed the tests of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall and became a true disciple of the hall, then he would qualify to leverage this influence. "All I hope is that the panel is magical enough!" he murmured silently to himself. ... Soon after, the two of them brushed past the procession of God Worship Sect followers and then proceeded directly towards the Inner City along the wide avenue. An hour later, thanks to Jiang Li''s constable identity, they passed unimpeded through the wall separating the Outer City and Inner City and entered the Inner City of Luoshui County. In Luoshui County, there was a distinction between the Inner City and Outer City; the Outer City was generally inhabited by commoners such as peddlers and porters, where the public order was rather chaotic. The Inner City, on the other hand, was different. The five-zhang-tall walls of the Inner City separated it into two different worlds. Those living in the Inner City were either rich or noble, and thus public order was far superior to that of the Outer City. The Canglang Martial Arts Hall was located within the Inner City. Upon entering the Inner City, Jiang Ning felt as though he had arrived in a new world. The roads, connecting in all directions, were lined with tall, stout trees and contrasting flowerbeds. Even the air carried a light scent of flowers, with roads that were clean and wide enough to accommodate five carriages side by side. "To the Canglang Martial Arts Hall!" The two of them got into a carriage, and Jiang Li took out ten coins and spoke to the coachman. "Alright, sir!" the coachman bowed his head and nodded. The next moment, the carriage sped through the Inner City with them. After half an hour had passed, the carriage finally came to a slow stop in front of a large courtyard. Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Looking at the four large characters overhead and the size of the buildings in front, no one would doubt the strength of this Martial Arts Hall. The Inner City can indeed be described as a place where land is as valuable as gold. It had been so many years of struggle for Jiang Li without being able to lead his whole family into the Inner City, which spoke volumes about the outrageous prices here. The Canglang Martial Arts Hall itself seemed to cover a very large area, with just the walls in front of the hall alone spanning fifty to sixty meters. "Halt there!" As the two approached, they were stopped by two men standing on either side of the gate. "Please announce us, Jiang Li is here with his younger brother as promised for a visit!" Jiang Li greeted with a bow. The two men at the door took a closer look at Jiang Li, and even though they saw Jiang Li dressed in the uniform of a constable, their expressions remained indifferent, showing none of the usual fear civilians held upon seeing a constable. Then one of them turned and walked into the Martial Arts Hall. ... A short while later. The man who had gone inside quickly returned. "Master Wang said that only your brother may enter," he stated. Upon hearing this, Jiang Li nodded, "Understood!" Then he turned to Jiang Ning, "Little brother, I''ve already taken care of the apprenticeship fee for you in advance. After you go in, Master Wang will teach you martial arts, but to pass the challenges and become a true disciple of Canglang Martial Arts Hall, everything will still depend on you!" Jiang Ning nodded, "Don''t worry, big brother! I will definitely become a true disciple of the hall." Their conversation was clearly overheard by the two men guarding the gate. Listening to this, both men showed a slight disdain. Beyond that, they said nothing more. After all, they had seen too many ambitious young men filled with dreams entering Canglang Martial Arts Hall during their tenure as gatekeepers. Before entering the hall, wasn''t everyone full of confidence? Many were rich youths from the Inner City, even direct descendants from major families. It''s well known that the wealthy engage in martial arts, a pastime of the affluent. These youths had been nourished with precious herbs from young, their extraordinary talents predisposed them to advance further in the path of martial arts than ordinary people. But so far, only a few had really become disciples of Canglang Martial Arts Hall. It was difficult for rich youths and scions from major families to pass the tests and become disciples of Canglang Martial Arts Hall, let alone someone who at a glance appeared to be from an ordinary family. For ordinary families, just coming up with the apprenticeship fee was extremely difficult. After all, it was a hundred taels of silver, enough to sustain a well-off family for three to five years. And that was just the registration fee; practicing martial arts required much more money going forward. Not to mention others, just daily meat consumption was essential for practitioners to maintain their physical condition, without it, they would ruin their bodies through training. Thus, they held no high hopes for this somewhat frail-looking young man. "Come with me," said one of the burly men to Jiang Ning. Afterward. Watching as Jiang Ning''s figure disappeared through the side entrance of Canglang Martial Arts Hall, Jiang Li also left, reassured. Chapter 8 - 8 Five Animals Fist Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Five Animals FistStepping through the side door of the Martial Arts Hall, he arrived at the courtyard. Jiang Ning saw about ten shirtless men on the open ground, some of whom were practicing boxing while others were lifting rocks to train their strength. After sensing a newcomer had arrived at the Martial Arts Hall, they merely glanced at Jiang Ning briefly and then ignored him, continuing with their activities. That is!!! Jiang Ning''s gaze sharpened, instantly drawn by a scene in the front corner of the yard. In one corner of the front yard, there was a giant iron cage, and inside it, a splendidly patterned large tiger was slinking down to sleep. This splendidly patterned tiger was easily four meters long, exuding an immense aura of oppression. Its bulky limbs clearly showcased its terrifying explosive power. "Stop looking and keep following me!" the burly man said. Jiang Ning nodded and continued to follow behind him. Passing through the front yard, the two quickly arrived at the Martial Arts Hall''s backyard. Under the shade of a tree, a bearded elder leaned back in a wicker chair, fanning himself leisurely with a palm-leaf fan. This elder appeared to be over fifty years old, but his figure was far from the emaciation common in the elderly; instead, his limbs were much larger than average, his body covered in muscle. Next to him stood a tall, slender woman in a blue training outfit. The woman had her hair tied in a high ponytail, her brow filled with a spirited air, and her long swan neck was as white as snow, clearly indicating her extraordinary background. This is because usually, those who practice martial arts tend to have dark skin, unlike this woman''s snow-white complexion. "Are you Jiang Ning?" The elder opened his eyes and spoke to Jiang Ning. "Yes!" Jiang Ning bowed respectfully, "I''ve met Mr. Wang." "You seem to have manners, not bad!" The elder nodded slightly, looking at Jiang Ning with some satisfaction. "Come here!" the elder ordered. Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning approached the elder, who then stood up. A palm landed on Jiang Ning''s shoulder and vibrated slightly; instantly, Jiang Ning felt as if he had been struck by lightning, with the sensation spreading throughout his body. At that moment, his bones felt as if they had come apart. The elder''s hand quickly swept over his limbs, arms, chest, and back. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In just a few breaths, the examination was over, and the elder sat back down in his wicker chair. "Your physique is somewhat weak; your talent is neither good nor bad, but training in the initial stages should be fine!" said the elder. Hearing this evaluation, Jiang Ning was not surprised. What kind of person is suitable for practicing martial arts? One with large arms and a round waist, possessed of Innate Divine Strength. Or born with hard bones and a towering figure. And he didn''t match any of these descriptions. Yet he was not disappointed, for his reliance was not on Martial Arts talent but on that miraculous panel. Watching Jiang Ning maintain a serene expression, the elder nodded slightly, "A calm temperament, not shaken by praise or insult!" Then he asked, "Can you read?" Jiang Ning nodded, "I can read!" "Do you understand secret manuals?" the elder asked again. Jiang Ning nodded again, "I understand!" "Good, it''s rare to have someone who can understand secret manuals! In the practice of Martial Arts, if you can''t even understand the manuals and hardly know a few big characters, then what''s the point of all the practice!" The elder''s expression revealed some satisfaction, "Go study the manuals for a while, try to memorize the essentials of the boxing manual, and then come back to me!" "Thank you, Master!" Jiang Ning bowed respectfully. The elder waved his hand, "Calling me ''Master'' is premature; wait until you pass the assessment. Having just joined the Martial Arts Hall, at most, you''re an in-name Disciple. If you can''t pass the assessment in half a year, you''ll have to pack up and leave!" "By instructing and resolving doubts, leading me to the entrance of Martial Arts, you are my teacher in my heart! Moreover, an in-name Disciple is still a Disciple, and since I''m a Disciple, I should call you Master!" Jiang Ning spoke with great sincerity. "As you wish!" the elder said, waving his hand, and then turned to the woman in the tight-fitting blue training outfit beside him, "Li Qing, take him to my study and show him the ''Five Animals Fist''." "Yes!" The woman nodded, her gaze falling on Jiang Ning, "Follow me!" ... "My name is Li Qing, you can call me Senior Sister Li from now on!" As they left the backyard, the woman in the blue outfit said to Jiang Ning. "Nice to meet you, Senior Sister Li!" Jiang Ning smiled, "Senior Sister Li, my name is Jiang Ning!" Seeing this, the woman also slightly curled the corners of her mouth and smiled at Jiang Ning. With that smile, the two seemed to become more acquainted with one another. As she led the way, the woman said, "Brother Jiang, you came to Canglang Martial Arts Hall to pass Master Wang''s assessment and become a true Disciple of the Martial Arts Hall, right?" "Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded repeatedly, showing a friendly smile. ``` "Do you know how to become a true disciple of the Martial Arts Hall?" the woman asked, speaking as she walked. Jiang Ning followed, shaking his head slightly, "I don''t know, please enlighten me, Senior Sister Li!" "What you will learn shortly is the Five Animals Fist. To gain Elder Wang''s approval, you must within six months comprehend the finesse of any one animal form¡ªtiger, bear, ape, crane, or deer¡ªto the state of Great Success. Only then do you qualify to become a true disciple of the Martial Arts Hall!" the woman explained. "Senior Sister, is achieving Great Success difficult?" asked Jiang Ning. "Very difficult! Even for wealthy families or great clan scions, reaching Great Success within six months is very hard!" she continued, "The Five Animals Fist is a lower-level martial arts of graded quality. Breaking through to Great Success requires extremely high insight! It took me nearly five months to comprehend the deer form''s subtlety and achieved Great Success with it, and that was with my extraordinary relationship with Elder Wang and his frequent guidance. Without Elder Wang''s guidance, it will be several times harder for you." "Senior Sister is truly incredible!!" Jiang Ning praised without reservation. Hearing this, the woman couldn''t help but reveal a slight smile at the corners of her mouth, slightly proud. Even in the Inner City, becoming a disciple of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall was a matter worth mentioning. Ever since she became a true disciple of Master Wang, she felt a significant elevation in her status within her circle. After all, Master Wang''s strength was among the top in Luoshui County, not to mention the deeper identity he represented behind the scenes. But most people couldn''t even dream of joining Master Wang''s Martial Arts Hall. All this was due solely to factions; Master Wang''s background made him a representative of the Neutral Faction. She then spoke up, "Since you have called me Senior Sister, I will do my best to guide you for the next six months. As for how much you comprehend, that will depend on your own insight!" "Thank you, Senior Sister!" Jiang Ning thanked her earnestly. Of course, he wouldn''t decline a connection with Senior Sister Li. From the way Senior Sister Li was following Master Wang earlier, it was clear she was a core member of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. To his understanding, any core disciple who passed the test of the hall''s master wouldn''t take long to become a recognized Martial Artist. That is to say, this seemingly youthful and attractive girl could soon become a recognized Martial Artist and might already be one. Moreover, her appearance and demeanor showed she was not from an ordinary background, the close relationship with Master Wang also indicative of her extraordinary origins. Jiang Ning had even less reason to refuse. Seeing Jiang Ning''s expression, the woman nodded in satisfaction, and she advised, "Once you learn the Five Animals Fist, Brother Jiang, you must seriously ponder its true meaning. If you become a true disciple of the Martial Arts Hall like me, then you will be qualified to receive Elder Wang''s true teachings and understand why our Martial Arts Hall is named Canglang!" Jiang Ning immediately nodded his understanding in a solemn manner, "I understand, Senior Sister!" "Good," the woman nodded, pleased. ... In a little while, the two arrived at a secluded corner of the Martial Arts Hall and stopped in front of the study. "Wait for me outside!" the woman instructed. Jiang Ning nodded. The next moment. She pushed open the large doors to the study and stepped inside. Jiang Ning waited patiently outside, his heart filled with anticipation. The Martial Arts Skill was within reach! And it was a lower-level cultivation technique of graded quality, which, to his knowledge, not even his elder brother had mastered, showing just how precious such techniques were. At this moment, he understood why his elder brother insisted on him joining the Martial Arts Hall; the difference was too great. A lower-level cultivation technique of graded quality was merely a test of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall, and if one could pass the test, according to what his Senior Sister said, only then could one truly access the legacy of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. The very name "Canglang" undoubtedly represented the true tradition of the Martial Arts Hall. Jiang Ning aspired even more for it. In just over ten breaths'' time. Creak¡ª The door was pushed open again, and the woman reappeared before Jiang Ning. "This is the Five Animals Fist boxing manual!" The woman handed a slightly yellowed book to Jiang Ning, "Remember everything in this manual thoroughly over the next few days. If there''s anything you don''t understand, come find me. Once you have more or less memorized it, then find Elder Wang; he will personally demonstrate it for you!" After speaking, she emphasized again, "Remember, this boxing manual cannot be taken out of the Martial Arts Hall. Every day before you leave, you must return the manual to me." Jiang Ning took the boxing manual and felt reassured¡ªit wasn''t very thick. He then shook his head slightly, "Remembering the manual won''t take that long, just give me enough time to drink a cup of tea." "Enough time for a cup of tea?" The woman frowned slightly, full of disbelief as she looked at Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning smiled and then pointed to his temple, "Senior Sister Li, I have the natural ability of an unforgettable memory." "Alright then, I will wait here for you! If you truly succeed, I''ll take you to meet Elder Wang later, and you can start learning the fist today," she declared, crossing her arms and standing aside. With each breath she took, she exuded a serene and tranquil presence, like a deer resting in the woods. Jiang Ning wasted no further time. He opened the Five Animals Fist boxing manual and started reading it carefully from the first page. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] ... [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] ... Time passed slowly, and the small courtyard was enveloped in tranquility, broken only by the rustling noise of the wind blowing through the treetops. The woman stood beside Jiang Ning, her appearance serene and tranquil, emanating a natural and peaceful aura. ``` Chapter 9 - 9 The Unforgettable Effect Chapter 9: Chapter 9 The Unforgettable EffectAfter a long time had passed, as Jiang Ning turned to the last page, he had thoroughly read through the boxing manual of the Five Animals Fist. [This reading of the boxing manual has added a total of 10 experience points to your Literacy and Judgement.] Seeing this prompt, Jiang Ning felt a slight surprise in his heart; such a brief reading had yielded ten experience points, an efficiency that greatly exceeded his expectations. Immediately, he momentarily put the matter aside and closed his eyes gently. In his mind, page by page, everything recorded in the Five Animals Fist manual he had just read appeared instantly. At this moment, he also gained a general understanding of the Five Animals Fist. This was a lower-level martial arts manual that had entered the ranks, observing the natural world''s tiger, bear, ape, deer, and crane to create a form of boxing. The Tiger Form in Great Success had extremely strong explosive power, the Bear-shaped Fist in Great Success greatly increased strength, the Ape Form in Great Success made one''s movements agile, moving as one wished, the Crane Form in Great Success was extremely fast, the body was light, and a single energy boost could span a distance of ten feet. As for the Deer Form in Great Success, it was agile and light, able to leap over high walls in one bound, and also had a style of boxing that greatly strengthened one''s Essence Qi and regulated the body''s condition. Beside him was a woman with the surname Li. The manual not only contained records of breathing methods but also records of practice methods. Long-term practice of the Five Animals Fist could greatly enhance the Qi-Blood inside the body, filling the limbs and bones throughout the body, which was the foundation before entering the Martial Arts Entry. With this manual, if one cultivated all Five Animals together, the foundation of martial arts created would be extremely solid and rare, making it an extremely suitable cultivation technique to lay the foundation for martial arts. Besides being suitable for laying a foundation, the Tiger Form was for explosive power, and the Ape Form was for movement technique; even against enemies, it was not lacking at all. After fully understanding the Five Animals Fist, Jiang Ning''s approval of this boxing technique increased even more. For him now, this was indeed a very suitable boxing technique. At the same time, he also silently reflected on the importance of the previous two months of reading books at home. If he hadn''t read so many books and thus had a lot of knowledge about this world in his mind, how could he have understood the boxing manual? For ordinary people, even if they could understand the text, giving them a boxing manual would not allow them to learn or understand it; if they rashly tried to practice, they would inevitably practice incorrectly, ultimately damaging their bodies easily. This was also why learning martial arts often required someone to lead and teach personally. A boxing manual was the sublimation of countless realizations, containing the wisdom of the predecessors. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 3.6 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Once Break Limit 57/2000) (Trait: Unforgettable) Five Animals Fist (Uninitiated 0/10) Looking at the panel, the Five Animals Fist appeared on his panel, instantly settling his slightly anxious heart. The skill of Reading and Writing on the panel also increased by a full 10 experience points because he had carefully read through the Five Animals Fist boxing manual. Immediately afterwards, Jiang Ning opened his eyes, and the boxing manual in his hands had long been closed. "Sister, I''ve finished reading!" "Did you remember everything?" "Yes," Jiang Ning nodded. "Did you remember everything?!" The woman widened her eyes in disbelief as she looked at Jiang Ning. "I remembered everything!" Jiang Ning affirmed, "If sister doesn''t believe me, you can test me!" "Good!" The woman nodded, very much approving Jiang Ning''s suggestion. Then, she asked, "What is recorded on page eight?" Hearing this question, Jiang Ning immediately responded, "Tiger descending the mountain, energy and fierce eyes and claws appearing, strong tendons and bones..." Hearing Jiang Ning''s answer, the woman''s eyes widened even more, and then she asked, "What about the third line on page ten?" "Spreading wings and soaring to the sky, integrating form and spirit into one, originating from..." Jiang Ning spoke directly. The woman''s eyes gradually widened into circles as she looked at Jiang Ning. After a while, Jiang Ning spoke up, "Sister, do you have any more questions?" The woman shook her head, her face full of admiration as she looked at Jiang Ning, no longer the serious demeanor she had before, "Now I truly understand what ''unforgettable'' means! With your talent, you shouldn''t be learning martial arts but rather pursuing academic honors." Jiang Ning smiled and did not respond. Shortly after, the woman spoke again, "Let''s go! Now that you''ve memorized the essence of the boxing manual, follow me to find Elder Wang, who will demonstrate the Five Animals Fist for you to observe, making it easier for you to learn." "Thank you, Sister!" Jiang Ning bowed. ... The two returned to the backyard of the Martial Arts Hall. "Why are you back already?" the old man lying in the rattan chair opened his eyes and looked at the two as they stepped into the courtyard. The woman spoke, "Master, Jiang Ning has already memorized the essence of the boxing manual." "All of it?" The elder''s gaze sharpened, and his piercing eyes turned towards Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning bowed and said, "Master, I was born with an ''unforgettable'' memory, so I was able to remember the essence of the boxing manual after just one look." "I see!" The elder nodded, then stood up, "In that case, I''ll personally demonstrate the Five Animals Fist for you. Watch carefully, remember it well, and learn well!" "Yes, Master!" Jiang Ning responded. "Li Qing, go call the people practicing in the front courtyard here, let them watch it again!" the elder instructed. "Yes, Master!" The woman nodded. Her body moved swiftly, crossing the yard in just a few strides with a graceful momentum. Moments later, more than ten men crowded at the entrance of the backyard. "You all watch carefully as well, learn well! Mastering boxing can change your life! It allows you to control your own destiny!" the elder said. "The teacher is right!" Instantly, a man eagerly agreed. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The next moment, The elder took his stance. Suddenly, Roar¡ª A tiger''s roar burst forth from his mouth. In an instant, Jiang Ning seemed to see a ferocious tiger descending the mountain, the aura of the King of Ten Thousand Beasts as if it were physically present. Jiang Ning''s gaze sharpened, he watched every move of the elder with full concentration, not daring to be distracted in the slightest. The woman, too, watched every move of the elder with great seriousness. The perfectly mastered Five Animals Fist, even she gained new insights with each viewing. Tiger, bear, ape, crane, deer¡ªshe had not achieved perfection in these forms. Under the elder''s demonstration, first was the Tiger Form Boxing, followed by the Bear-shaped Fist. If the Tiger Form Boxing was filled with the explosive power of the King of Ten Thousand Beasts, then the Bear-shaped Fist gave one a sense of being rooted to the ground, a feeling of immense strength. By the time the Five Animals Fist demonstration was thoroughly completed, it had already been as long as it would take to drink a cup of tea. After the elder finished demonstrating, Jiang Ning immediately closed his eyes. At that moment, the scene he had just seen reappeared in his mind, like a recorded movie playing again. The men behind him quietly left the backyard at the elder''s gesture. A good while later, Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes. "How much did you retain?" the elder asked. "Teacher, I remembered all of it!" Jiang Ning replied. "Truly remembered all of it?" the elder asked again. Jiang Ning nodded affirmatively, "I remembered all of it." "Good, now perform it for me to see!" the elder said. "Yes!" Jiang Ning bowed respectfully. Chapter 10 - 10 Unexpected Gains Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Unexpected GainsJiang Ning positioned himself in the courtyard, instantly recalling the Five Animals Fist that Elder Wang had just practiced. In a flash, the scene vividly appeared before him as if Elder Wang was performing the boxing in front of him again. "The effect of ''unforgettable'' really aids my martial arts practice enormously!" Jiang Ning thought with joy. Then he began to practice the Five Animals Fist according to the memories in his mind. Every move was an imitation of the images in his mind, combined with the breathing methods recorded in the boxing manual. Elder Wang, watching Jiang Ning''s practice, kept nodding slightly. Even though Jiang Ning''s every move seemed incredibly naive in his eyes, almost like copying a cat after a tiger. It was still sufficient to satisfy him. For from Jiang Ning''s every move and the rhythm of his breathing, it was clear that Jiang Ning was on the right path. Even if his movements and postures were clumsy now, they were still on the right path. In Jiang Ning''s hands, it took a full thirty minutes before he officially completed practicing the Five Animals Fist. At that moment, his chest heaved like a bellows, and his entire body was drenched in sweat. The continuous half-hour of boxing had already pushed his body to its limits, and if not for his sheer willpower, he would have stopped much earlier. But he could faintly feel that although he was weak now, his body seemed to have grown stronger and his arms were filled with more power. [Experience Value for Five Animals Fist +1] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Uninitiated 1/10) When Jiang Ning saw this familiar prompt, a tired smile appeared on his face. "Excellent! Truly excellent!" Elder Wang repeatedly nodded in praise. Jiang Ning said breathlessly, "It''s all thanks to Master''s great teaching!" Elder Wang nodded slightly, "You have indeed remembered it all! It appears that you were not deceiving me earlier; you really do possess the talent of ''unforgettable''!" Then he added with a face full of emotion, "With your talent, you should go take the imperial examinations and pursue official status! That would truly be the most suitable and promising path for you." Jiang Ning responded, "Teacher, you also know the way the world is now. If one doesn''t have some martial skills, they wouldn''t be able to protect themselves in times of trouble!" Elder Wang, upon hearing this, nodded in agreement, "That''s true; learning some martial arts is indeed necessary in today''s world. Your thinking is definitely correct!" He then waved his hand, "Practicing the boxing in one go for the first time has consumed quite a bit of your bodily essence. Go down and rest well, and pick up a bowl of medicinal soup from the kitchen before you leave, and have lunch at the Martial Arts Hall tomorrow noon! Remember, excessive practice is as detrimental as insufficient practice, just like overly frequent revelry; too much diligence can harm the body''s essence." "Thank you, Teacher, for your instructions! Your disciple understands!" Jiang Ning bowed with a grateful look. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "No need to thank me! Having paid the tuition, I will take care of your meals for six months at noon, saving you the trouble of running back and forth and wasting time. As for the evening meals, take care of them at home after drinking the medicinal soup," Elder Wang waved his hand, "You may leave now! Don''t disturb my rest unless necessary!" "Yes!" Jiang Ning bowed and took his leave. After Jiang Ning had left the backyard, Elder Wang turned to the woman beside him, "Li Qing, what do you think of him?" "Not bad!" The woman nodded slightly, "He holds some promise." "Oh? Then I must observe!" Elder Wang laughed while reclining on a rattan chair. ... On the other side. As soon as Jiang Ning appeared in the front courtyard, a man approached him. The man wore a fine blue robe and a headpiece, carrying himself with a dignified bearing, clearly of wealthy or noble descent at a glance. "Are you the disciple who joined the Martial Arts Hall today?" the man in the blue robe asked, saluting Jiang Ning with his hand. "Yes!" Jiang Ning also saluted, "May I know who you are?" "Oh!" The man in the blue robe smiled slightly, then said, "My name is Zhou Xing, just call me Brother Zhou." Jiang Ning realized, "I''m Jiang Ning, it''s nice to meet you, Brother Zhou!" "So, it''s Junior Brother Jiang!" Zhou Xing in the blue robe smiled, "May I ask which family in the city does Junior Brother Jiang come from?" "I come from an ordinary family outside the city!" Jiang Ning replied truthfully. "From outside the city!" Upon hearing this, Zhou Xing did not show any signs of disdain but became even more enthusiastic, "Junior Brother Jiang coming from an ordinary family and managing to gather enough silver to join our Canglang Martial Arts Hall must have been through a lot, I truly admire that." As he spoke, he searched around his waist, and the next moment, he took out a brocade box from his bosom. "Since I''m a senior brother and it is our first meeting, and since Junior Brother has just started practicing martial arts, I will give you a piece of Wild Ginseng. In the days to come, we brothers should get to know each other better." Zhou Xing handed him a red rectangular brocade box that he had fetched from among his robes and presented it in front of Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning was immediately taken aback, staring at him in surprise. "Junior Brother Jiang, please accept this!" Zhou Xing said, smiling amicably. Then, he added, "Since it''s like this, thank you very much, Brother!" Jiang Ning spoke. "Being brothers, we''re like family. There''s no need for such formalities!" Zhou Xing waved dismissively, quite nonchalantly. He soon spoke again, "I won''t bother Junior Brother Jiang any longer. I''m off to visit Master Wang. Junior Brother, practice your boxing diligently. If one day you pass Master Wang''s test and become a true disciple of the Martial Arts Hall, I''ll treat you to drinks, and we won''t return until we''re drunk!" "Alright!" Jiang Ning replied. ... "Brother Zhou is really generous! To give away Wild Ginseng!" "Yes! Among the brothers in the Martial Arts Hall, Brother Zhou is the most righteous." "That''s right, he''s also warmly approachable for all of us, never looking down on disciples who come from outside the city!" ... After Zhou Xing had left, Jiang Ning began to understand as he heard the surrounding discussions. "This Zhou Xing really puts on a role of a righteous and generous person. In these times, he''s a clever man!" he muttered to himself. Then, opening the red brocade box in his hands, he immediately saw a ginseng about ten centimeters long lying in the box. "Indeed generous, a ginseng like this would cost between ten and twenty taels of silver!" Jiang Ning inwardly praised, "And I wonder from whence Brother Zhou hails." Immediately, he ripped off a few ginseng whiskers, about a tenth of the ginseng, and placed them into his mouth to slowly chew. He had just thoroughly practiced the Five Animals Fist with a breathing technique, and now his body was drained, completely drenched in sweat. However, as he swallowed the mashed-up ginseng whiskers, he immediately felt his body gradually regaining strength. "This really is good stuff! No wonder they say ''the poor cultivate literature, the rich practice martial arts!''" Jiang Ning then carefully placed the brocade box with the ginseng into his belt. Feeling his strength continuously restoring, Jiang Ning moved over to the ancient well and drank deeply of its cool water. ROAR¡ª Suddenly, a roaring sound erupted next to his ear like thunder. Jiang Ning looked up to see the King of Ten Thousand Beasts, which had been sleeping in an iron cage, now awake and growling fiercely at the people in the clearing. "Junior Brother Jiang, you see! This is the fierce tiger Master Wang personally captured. Observing this tiger over a long period will help you grasp both the spirit and form of Tiger Form Boxing. If you grasp its spirit, you can achieve Great Success in the boxing form. If you achieve Great Success within six months, it indicates sufficient comprehension and qualifies you to become a true disciple of the Martial Arts Hall and access its core teachings!" A female voice with a trace of ethereality sounded next to him. Without turning, Jiang Ning knew the speaker was the sister clothed in blue, named Li Qing, who had just spoken. He nodded, understanding. "Sister, does that mean that most people in the Martial Arts Hall specialize in Tiger Form Boxing?" "Exactly! Tiger Form Boxing is crucial for explosive power. It''s not only a fine practice method but also suitable for combat!" Li Qing affirmed Jiang Ning''s statement and continued, "That''s why I also recommend that you specialize in Tiger Form Boxing. Born neither rich nor noble, whether you can become a true disciple of the Martial Arts Hall can change your future fate!" As they conversed, Jiang Ning could feel his energy gradually restoring; within this short while, he had already recovered quite a lot. "This Wild Ginseng has incredible medicinal power!" Feeling the changes within, he inwardly marveled again. "Did you eat the Wild Ginseng Zhou Xing sent you?" Li Qing suddenly asked. "Yes! Sister, how did you know?" Jiang Ning inquired. "Your face is flushed, your heartbeat is faster, and there''s steam rising from your head, clearly the signs of consuming potent medicine." "Sister, there won''t be any problems, right?" "No worries. Zhou Xing''s family deals in herbs. They''re authentic Wild Ginseng. This kind of ginseng is very nourishing for someone untrained in martial arts like you. You need to practice your boxing to digest it! With the medicinal power of the ginseng, you can practice boxing without harming your body''s core essence." Li Qing explained. Hearing this, Jiang Ning was instantly reassured. "Sister, then I''ll go practice boxing to digest it!" Li Qing stepped back, clearing space. She added a caution, "Junior Brother Jiang, it''s best to only focus on Tiger Form Boxing. This way, you might grasp the spirit and form of the tiger within six months and achieve Great Success in Tiger Form Boxing." Chapter 11 - 11 Liver Experience Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Liver ExperienceUpon hearing Senior Sister Li''s words, Jiang Ning smiled and didn''t say much. He had already learned from the Five Animals Fist boxing manual that the only correct way to practice was to cultivate all five forms simultaneously, advancing as one. Because only by cultivating all five forms together can one rapidly condense Qi-Blood. When Qi-Blood is strong, flowing throughout the body, one can enter the ranks of Martial Arts, and only by doing so can one avoid hoarding the treasures of nature and wasting this foundational Martial Arts cultivation technique. Focusing on a single form indeed makes it easier to make progress in that particular form, but it doesn''t help much on the path of Martial Arts. Even if Tiger Form Boxing were cultivated to great success, and one could throw a punch with both spirit and form, harnessing the strength of the whole body to unleash power several times that of an ordinary person, what of it? If the physique is not trained and Qi-Blood is not strengthened, the body''s condition will ultimately not be much better than that of an ordinary person. In front of a Martial Artist whose Qi-Blood circulates through their limbs, so-called boxing skills are like child''s play. Absolute physical prowess can crush all skill. A Martial Artist with Qi-Blood flowing through their entire body can overpower others with sheer force. With a casual punch, they can kill an ordinary person. So how could Jiang Ning heed Li Qing''s words and forsake the essence for the trifles? With the panel, as long as he is diligent and grinds for experience, he can break through any bottleneck in Five Animals Fist without any issues. Each breakthrough in boxing enhances the effects of Qi-Blood condensation to a higher level. This is the root of his strength. Relying on the panel, why would he, like those others who, in order to pass the assessment and become true disciples of the Martial Arts Hall, waste time practicing a single type of boxing, a single type of form? Cultivating all five forms simultaneously, advancing in all five shapes, would allow him to quickly enhance his power. With increased strength, he could fearlessly face threats from people like Xu Yunfeng. Afterward, Standing in the front courtyard, Jiang Ning assumed a stance, adjusted his condition, ready to practice the Five Animals Fist, and grind for Experience Value to quickly reach the beginner level of the technique. At this moment, the men in the front yard saw Jiang Ning starting to practice boxing and all stopped their own training, watching with curious expressions. As Jiang Ning began to practice, someone immediately widened their eyes in shock. "Isn''t this guy the one who just joined the Martial Arts Hall at noon? Has he already memorized the essentials of the boxing manual?" "Don''t rush, just watch!" someone spoke, still insisting on their earlier view. The rest watched Jiang Ning''s practice intently. They had just watched Elder Wang practice boxing and had been quietly discussing Jiang Ning. Some of them remembered that Jiang Ning had just started at noon, and now, only in the afternoon, Elder Wang had personally demonstrated the Five Animals Fist, which made them curious. New disciples of the Martial Arts Hall only qualify for Elder Wang to personally show the Five Animals Fist when they have memorized the entire boxing manual. Now, as Jiang Ning moved through each posture and form, the onlookers gradually shifted from disbelief to belief. "Unbelievable, he has actually memorized the entire boxing manual in such a short time!" "Indeed, unbelievable. Moreover, his every move and rhythm of using breathing techniques perfectly match the records on the boxing manual. His talent is somewhat frightening!" "..." Hearing this, the burly men all voiced their astonishment. At this moment, the blue-clad Li Qing frowned slightly because Jiang Ning was clearly practicing the entire Five Animals Fist and not just the Tiger Form Boxing. After watching for the duration of a pot of tea, she gently shook her head. Starting to learn martial arts at approximately eighteen years old, he had already fallen behind others by more than three golden years. He still doesn''t grasp the opportunity! Possessing a decent exterior but failing to seize the chance to change his destiny. At this moment, her heart was filled with a tinge of disappointment towards Jiang Ning. Then she turned around and left. At the same time, some also noticed Li Qing''s expression. After all, a tall and slender woman of fine deportment in a Martial Arts Hall would naturally attract many gazes, and even inspire hidden affection. But they also knew that this woman''s status must be extremely illustrious, far above theirs, and not something they could touch, so no one harbored any thoughts of pursuit, merely sneaking glances from time to time. "Why is Senior Sister Li shaking her head?" someone whispered. "Can''t you tell? Senior Sister Li is somewhat disappointed in this junior brother!" someone else explained. "Why are you disappointed?" the person asked with a puzzled expression. "Have you not seen it yet? This newly initiated junior brother Jiang Ning, although talented, must certainly possess an exceptional memory. But it''s clear he can''t see himself clearly. He''s around seventeen or eighteen years old, already a few years behind the golden age to learn martial arts. Instead of focusing on Tiger Form Boxing, he''s practicing all five forms of the Five Animals Fist!" S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I understand now, no wonder Senior Sister Li is somewhat disappointed! Not knowing oneself only leads to wasting time and squandering the opportunity to change one''s destiny!" "That''s right!" someone nodded in agreement. "Just by looking at this new disciple''s attire, it''s obvious he comes from an ordinary family. For ordinary families outside the city, gathering enough silver to join a martial arts hall is not easy. Judging by the age at which he has started training, it''s clear that his family''s circumstances are average. The best age to learn martial arts is when the body is fully grown, around fifteen years old, and he''s obviously already seventeen or eighteen! Starting to learn martial arts at such an age, not realizing the chance he has to change his own destiny, is indeed not knowing how to seize opportunity!" "Yes!" someone agreed with a nod: "In half a year, if one grasps the essence and form of the fierce tiger and pushes Tiger Form Boxing to Great Success, they can become a true disciple of Canglang Martial Arts Hall. The identity of a disciple of Canglang Martial Arts Hall is very important to us, let alone to ordinary people. For them, it is an opportunity to leap across class barriers and change their own destiny." "..." After a short discussion, the crowd of men dispersed and no longer paid much attention to Jiang Ning. And at this moment. Jiang Ning, following the images etched in his mind and coordinating with his breathing technique, kept correcting his movements, yet he found the practice increasingly exhilarating. A warm current surged from within his abdomen to all parts of his body, preventing him from feeling drained at all. Instead, he felt more and more vigorous as if he had endless power. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] Having completed one round of practice and seeing the familiar prompt, a surge of excitement filled his heart. "Just practice eight more times, and my Five Animals Fist will reach the entry level!" He then took advantage of the remaining medicinal power within his body and continued to practice the boxing for the second time. ... Zhou Xing emerged from the backyard with a smile on his face as fresh as a spring breeze. His gaze swept over the people in the front yard and was instantly drawn to Jiang Ning, who was practicing his boxing. "This is..." He was taken aback, his eyes filled with a strange light. As a true disciple of the martial arts hall, already at the entry level of martial arts, he had brought his Five Animals Fist to true Great Success, especially Tiger Form Boxing, which he had understood the essence of, reaching the state of Perfection. Such a level of boxing skill was considered one of the best in the entire martial arts hall. A Perfection-level boxing skill not only requires a great insight but also an epiphanous moment. That''s why he immediately noticed the correctness of Jiang Ning''s Five Animals Fist. Every move, although somewhat unpolished, was exactly as recorded in the boxing manual, especially the rhythm of the breathing, which was flawlessly maintained. "Brother Jiang has such strong learning abilities!" He was inwardly shocked, "To achieve such a standard of boxing on the day of initiation, his memory and learning capabilities are surely too strong!" Seeing this, he was no longer in a hurry to leave and instead stopped to continue watching Jiang Ning practice. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] Seeing the prompt before him, Jiang Ning seized the moment and continued practicing the third round of boxing. And at this moment. Zhou Xing, after Jiang Ning had practiced the third round halfway, saw a burst of unusual light in his eyes. By comparing with the previous round from an observer''s perspective and from his own mastery of Five Animals Fist at Great Success, it was clear that Jiang Ning''s boxing had progressed slightly. The subtleties were more precise, the breathing technique flowed even better, and each move was quicker than before without compromising the accuracy. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] It wasn''t until the third round of boxing was finished that Jiang Ning began to feel a slight exhaustion. "Huuh¡ª¡ª" He then exhaled a breath of impure energy and abandoned the idea of practicing the fourth round. [This boxing session, Five Animals Fist has gained a total of three experience points.] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Uninitiated 4/10) "I need to practice Six more times to achieve initiation of Five Animals Fist!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Then he clenched his fists, immediately feeling the slightly tense muscles in his arms, a sensation of strength encompassing his entire body. "Indeed, this is true martial arts, just a few rounds of practice have brought me a significant improvement," he once again praised silently. "With this rate of improvement, I''ll definitely pass the test set by Wang Jin and become a true disciple of the martial arts hall! At that time, even if I were to stand upfront with Xu Yunfeng, he wouldn''t dare lay a hand on me!" "Even Cao Bin, unless he''s a fool, wouldn''t dare strike! In the power struggle between the dragon and the snake, no one would choose to push someone of the Neutral Faction, potentially equal to them, to the other side. Even just the possibility of that would keep anyone from taking the risk!" Thinking thus, Jiang Ning''s heart was filled with soaring spirits. Chapter 12 - 12 Qi-Blood Generation, Introduction to Boxing Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Qi-Blood Generation, Introduction to BoxingSlap! Slap! Slap! Off to the side, Zhou Xing clapped his hands together. "Brother Zhou!" Jiang Ning revealed a smile. Zhou Xing also wore a full smile, "Brother Jiang, your learning ability is strong. You''ve just started today and your Five Animals Fist already has the proper form." Jiang Ning smiled lightly, "Brother Zhou overpraises me. I was simply born with a strong memory, unforgettable. I''m just copying what I see, that''s all!" "So that''s it. Otherwise, it would be a bit too discouraging for me!" Zhou Xing nodded and smiled gently, Jiang Ning''s answer didn''t come as a surprise to him. To be able to perform such standard boxing techniques upon initiation required critical memory and learning imitation abilities. This had nothing to do with martial arts talent. No matter how high the martial arts talent or how strong the comprehension, one must first remember the techniques, movements, and the key points of breathing to display their gift and comprehension. Therefore, in his view, today''s performance from Jiang Ning only proved that his memory and learning abilities were extremely high, far above the average person, and didn''t prove anything else. Soon after, Zhou Xing spoke again, "However, even so, Brother Jiang''s talent is quite remarkable! At the very least, Brother Jiang''s starting point is much higher than most people!" Zhou Xing''s expression suddenly became a bit wistful, "I remember back when I started, I spent three whole days and nights just memorizing the essentials of the Five Animals Fist''s boxing manual. I''m truly a bit envious of Brother Jiang''s talent!" Jiang Ning just smiled. Zhou Xing continued, "The sky is getting late; I should be going now! Brother Jiang, don''t rush your boxing practice, take care not to neglect your body." Jiang Ning nodded, "Thank you, Brother Zhou, for your concern. I understand!" Before leaving, Zhou Xing mentioned one more thing, "Brother Jiang, are you satisfied with the effects of the Wild Ginseng?" "Satisfied!" Jiang Ning nodded. "Good to hear!" Zhou Xing smiled and then walked towards the exit of the Martial Arts Hall. ... Outside the Martial Arts Hall, a carriage had been waiting at the entrance for quite some time. "Young master, why did you spend so long in the Martial Arts Hall today?" a man dressed in black, with a long sword at his waist, spoke. Zhou Xing revealed his usual smile, "I saw a Disciple who recently joined the Martial Arts Hall and possesses remarkable talent, so I stayed a bit longer." "Does the young master intend to recruit him then?" the man in black asked. Zhou Xing shook his head, "While my family''s business does need skilled individuals, we also believe in quality over quantity. He can become a real disciple of the Martial Arts Hall first. It''s not so simple for one of common birth to reach the Martial Arts Entry level!" "Didn''t you say he has remarkable talent? Can''t he pass the test?" the man in black inquired. "Hard to say. Watching him practice just now, it was clear he relied on his exceptional memory, wanting to practice all five types of boxing simultaneously. If he does not realize the difficulty soon, there''s an over ninety-five percent chance that he''ll fail!" "In that case, why doesn''t the young master give him some guidance?" Zhou Xing shook his head, "Everyone has their own fate; there''s no need to interfere forcibly! That often leads to unnecessary troubles and resentment." ... In the Martial Arts Hall. Jiang Ning imitated the Resting Deer from the boxing manual, breathing in three short and one long breaths, quietly recovering his strength. After a moment, as the medicinal power of the Wild Ginseng continued to take effect, he felt his vitality and strength replenishing once again. He then resumed his boxing practice. With the panel, each complete round of boxing practice increased his Experience Value by one. And with ten Experience Points, the Five Animals Fist could reach initiation. This goal was laid out before him, and imminently achievable, filling Jiang Ning with motivation. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] After practicing another round, Jiang Ning rested briefly again, letting the remaining Medicinal Power gradually dissipate within his body. Once his strength and energy were restored, he began the next round of practice. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Pre-initiation 6/10) "Only four more rounds!" Seeing the Experience Value increasing on the panel, Jiang Ning grew more and more exhilarated. Jiang Ning then rested for an hour, and by now, the setting sun was gradually sinking. Under the afterglow of the sunset, he performed the entire Five Animals Fist sequence from beginning to end once more. Based on the memory in his mind, he kept adjusting his postures to align with Wang Jin''s demonstration as closely as possible. Gradually, Jiang Ning''s Boxing became faster, the fists he swung caused his sleeves to whip through the air, making a fierce, rustling sound. His Boxing grew smoother and more fluid as well. Until he retracted his fists. He let out a satisfying shout. In that instant. At the limit of exertion, he felt as if a surge of Qi Blood erupted in his chest; though on the verge of exhaustion, it was like being nourished by rain, regaining some strength instantly. ``` [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +4] ``` Four points of experience value? Jiang Ning was secretly astonished in his heart. Then, his attention was captured by the changes within his own body; at this moment, he felt a barely perceptible warm current emerging from his blood. "This is!!" He widened his eyes. Bathed in the last remnants of the sunset''s afterglow, Jiang Ning''s eyes shone brightly. He could distinctly feel the warm current meandering through his body, each area it passed feeling as comfortable as bathing in a hot spring. "Could this be the Qi Blood Power mentioned in the boxing manual?" he questioned inwardly. "According to the records in the boxing manual, producing the first strand of Qi Blood Power signifies touching the foundation of Martial Arts. Strengthening Qi-Blood and enabling it to reinforce the whole body is an essential requirement for entering the realm of Martial Arts." He closed his eyes and quietly savored the warm current flowing continuously throughout his body, invigorating him where it traveled. "This feeling! This sensation is too thrilling!" He couldn''t help but become somewhat obsessed. At this moment, he also began to understand why so many people in his previous life were addicted to fitness; the pleasure of bodily enhancement was truly captivating and intoxicating. This was the first time he truly felt the pleasure of practicing Martial Arts; this sensation of physical enhancement was far more noticeable than any fitness routine he had experienced in his previous life. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Beginner 0/100) Looking at his status panel, Jiang Ning wished he could practice the Boxing technique again to release the exhilaration in his heart, but he understood that his body couldn''t sustain another round of practice. Practice boxing, but with moderation! His body had already reached its limit. If not for the mouthful of blood that burst forth from his chest, he would already be facing a state of collapse. Jiang Ning took out a brocade box from his bosom and opened it for a glance. "I need to use it sparingly!" He immediately closed the brocade box again and placed it back at his waist. "Wealth for the literati and weapons for the brutes, ah!" At this moment, Jiang Ning deeply acknowledged this saying. Throughout the entire afternoon, he managed to practice the Five Animals Fist a total of seven times, all relying on that Wild Ginseng. He knew that if he ate another piece of Wild Ginseng, his physical and mental energies would be restored to their original state, allowing him to practice the Five Animals Fist one last time, bringing it to the beginner level. But he couldn''t bear to do it. Such consumption in a single afternoon meant that a whole piece of Wild Ginseng wouldn''t last him many days. After recovering a bit of his strength, Jiang Ning thought for a moment and then once again assumed the stance. This time, he was prepared to conduct an experiment. To see if practicing lazily could still increase his experience in the Five Animals Fist. The very next moment. He casually executed each move, breathing as usual without employing the breathing technique that complemented the Five Animals Fist. After a short while. A figure in blue sportswear emerged from the backyard. She spoke lightly, and her voice clearly reached the ears of everyone in the front yard. "The herbal medicine is ready, you can go to the backyard to collect it!!" Upon these words, everyone ceased their training activities. "Let''s go, let''s go!! Time to get the herbal medicine from the kitchen!!" someone excitedly said. After saying this, Li Qing looked towards Jiang Ning, who was still practicing. Seeing Jiang Ning''s loose stance and his erratic breathing rhythm, she couldn''t help but frown. "Brother Jiang, you should go to the kitchen to collect your medicine as well." "No rush, let me finish this set of Boxing!" Jiang Ning replied while continuing his practice. As he spoke, Jiang Ning''s punching speed increased, and his breathing became even more rapid. Seeing this, Li Qing''s brow furrowed even tighter. Weak movements, no discipline in breathing, it seemed no different from child''s play in her eyes. Watching a little longer, she shook her head lightly and turned to leave. Meanwhile, Jiang Ning sped up and finished practicing the Boxing technique. After finishing, he stood still and quietly waited for a few breaths, but no prompt to gain experience values appeared. "As expected, it doesn''t work!" He confirmed his suspicion. The next moment, Jiang Ning rushed towards the direction of the Martial Arts Hall''s kitchen at high speed. Having tasted the potent effects of the Wild Ginseng given to him by Zhou Xing, he prioritized the herbal medicine that Wang Jin had previously mentioned even more. Chapter 13: Xu Yunfeng on the Trail Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Xu Yunfeng on the TrailHe arrived at the back kitchen. On an octagonal table, the last bowl of steaming medicinal soup had already been prepared. A middle-aged auntie wearing an apron wiped her hands on it. "If you, young man, didn''t show up now, I would have had to drink this bowl of medicinal soup myself!" Jiang Ning grinned sheepishly, "Sorry! I was practicing my punches and couldn''t interrupt!!" "Don''t talk about that useless stuff, hurry up and drink this bowl of medicinal soup; if it gets cold, the medicinal effect won''t be as strong!" the auntie in the apron urged. Jiang Ning said no more and quickly picked up the last bowl of black medicinal soup from the table. Sniffing it at the tip of his nose, he was greeted with a not-so-pleasant scent. Immediately, he held his breath and gulped the soup down in large mouthfuls. Whoosh¡ª It wasn''t until the entire bowl of medicinal soup was in his stomach that he breathed out a long sigh. "I''m leaving, time to go home!" someone said, and one by one, they left the back kitchen yard... By this time, the sunset had completely sunk behind the mountains, twilight was deepening, and nightfall was beginning to descend. ... After leaving the Canglang Martial Arts Hall, Jiang Ning looked back at the hall behind him. The next moment, he strode toward the outside of the city, gradually losing the weakness he had felt just after his punching practice. "The Martial Arts Hall''s medicinal soup is indeed good, although it''s not as clearly effective as wild ginseng, drinking a bowl every day is rewarding!" Full of excitement, Jiang Ning walked on, when suddenly his expression changed, and his gaze abruptly sharpened. He saw Xu Yunfeng in his constable uniform at a corner of the street ahead, his right hand on his waist holding a standard long knife, looking at Jiang Ning with a faint smile, but seeming like a venomous snake. Observing Jiang Ning walking towards the outer city, Xu Yunfeng followed Jiang Ning closely at a measured distance. To the casual observer, the constable seemed to be simply on a routine patrol. It took Jiang Ning a full hour to walk from the Canglang Martial Arts Hall in the inner city to his residence in the outer city. He walked along the main roads of the city, avoiding all the less crowded alleyways. ... Outer city. Jiang Li sat in the courtyard, and the moment he saw Jiang Ning''s figure, a smile appeared on his face. The next moment. His expression suddenly turned cold, and his eyes became piercingly sharp. "Brother Li!" Xu Yunfeng looked at Jiang Li and smiled nonchalantly. "Xu Yunfeng, don''t push it too far!!!" "What do you mean by that, Brother Li?" Xu Yunfeng smiled again, "There''s been some chaos in the city lately, with frequent gang fights. I''ve just been escorting your younger brother home, Brother Li. Shouldn''t you be thankful instead of treating me like an enemy who killed your brother?" S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing this, Jiang Li''s eyes were filled with lethal intent. Unconcerned, Xu Yunfeng simply smiled again, "Brother Li, rest assured, from now on, whenever I encounter your younger brother, I will escort him all the way to prevent him from getting hurt by those reckless gang members!" Even if Jiang Li were slow-witted, he fully understood the implication behind Xu Yunfeng''s words. Watching Xu Yunfeng''s departing figure, Jiang Li couldn''t help but feel a sense of powerlessness. If it had been before, he would have dared to draw his knife against the brazen Xu Yunfeng. But now, with his right hand useless, most of his martial arts were gone, and how could he stand against Xu Yunfeng, who was about to advance in rank? And behind him, he not only had his younger brother but also his wife and children. A wave of powerlessness rose in his heart. Seeing Jiang Ning come home. "Little brother, are you alright? Xu Yunfeng didn''t do anything to you, did he?" Jiang Ning shook his head, "Big brother, I''m fine!" He then confidently spoke, "You don''t have to worry about me, big brother. Xu Yunfeng coming to our door today was just to pressure you into submission. He isn''t going to move against me easily now, and besides, now that I am a disciple of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall, he wouldn''t dare to provoke Wang Jin." He had figured this out as soon as he had seen Xu Yunfeng. So even though Xu Yunfeng had followed him all the way, he wasn''t flustered. Wang Jin of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall was no small figure in Luoshui County, and Jiang Ning had read records about him. With Wang Jin''s character, if a Martial Arts Hall disciple were senselessly killed on the streets, he would dare to storm into the government office and beat the responsible constable to death. After all, behind Wang Jin was the Master Wang from the army stationed outside the city. A figure with military power, entitled to watch from the sidelines¡ªwho would dare provoke him lightly? Therefore, Jiang Ning was very clear that Xu Yunfeng following him and appearing in front of his big brother was nothing more than pressuring him! However, being just an ordinary disciple of the Martial Arts Hall wasn''t enough to make Xu Yunfeng truly wary. If he could become a true disciple of Wang Jin, then he would truly have nothing to fear from Xu Yunfeng. To be a true disciple of Wang Jin meant even common arrest officers had to give him face, to give face to Wang Jin. At that time, he should really be temporarily safe. I must work even harder now! Jiang Ning''s determination was even more firm at this moment. Meanwhile. Hearing Jiang Ning''s analysis, Jiang Li also nodded somewhat reassuredly. "Ah Di sees things most clearly!" he exclaimed. Then Jiang Li''s face lit up with a smile, "Ah Di, come with me quickly, your sister-in-law has prepared a grand meal and is waiting for you!" Jiang Ning smiled and hurried to keep up with his elder brother''s pace. But at that moment, his heart wasn''t as light as he had shown. He knew that Xu Yunfeng wouldn''t forcefully make a move on him to press his elder brother unless he deliberately walked down an unpopulated alleyway. However, Jiang Ning hadn''t forgotten the words he had just said. "I will escort you wherever you go in the future to prevent those gangsters who can''t see clearly from harming you!" This undoubtedly contained another layer of threat. Xu Yunfeng wouldn''t make a move himself, but he might hire someone to do it. For example, the thugs from various gangs. At this time, Jiang Ning didn''t know if his elder brother had picked up on the underlying message in Xu Yunfeng''s words, but he decided not to point it out. Even if he did, it wouldn''t help, and it would only increase the worry and concern his elder brother had. He could only rely on himself to deal with such threats. As long as he became stronger, he would naturally handle these minor threats. After all, Xu Yunfeng was only a constable and not even in the martial ranks yet. How powerful could the hooligans he commanded be? When his own strength improved, he would naturally be fearless. ... Entering the hall. "Wow~ Wow!!" "Little Dumpling is back!!" "It''s finally time to eat!!!" "I''m starving flat like a bean bun!!!" Sitting on the stool, Little Dumpling happily dangled her short legs, her face beaming with joy. "Uncle!" the little boy beside her said in a nonchalant tone. This child was none other than Jiang Li''s eldest son, Jiang Yiming. "How''s your homework coming along, Jiang Yiming?" "You don''t need to worry about it, Uncle!" Jiang Yiming replied indifferently. "Don''t be rude to your uncle!! Do you remember what I told you before?" Liuu Wanwan gave Jiang Yiming a stern glance. Jiang Yiming involuntarily shrank his neck. "Sorry Uncle! I was thoughtless!" he said. Jiang Ning smiled, patting his head. "Uncle, me too!!!" Little Dumpling shook her short legs frantically. Seeing this, a smile spread over Jiang Ning''s face, and he obligingly patted her head too. "You both take your seats!" Liuu Wanwan said. She then lifted the inverted bowl covering the dishes, and suddenly, wisps of steam arose, filling the room with the delicious scent of food. "Wow! Wow!!!" "Look at all that meat!!!" Little Dumpling''s eyes sparkled as she gasped in amazement. Sensing the aroma of the food, gurgle¡ª Jiang Ning''s stomach also let out several hunger pangs. "It seems Ah Di is really hungry!" Jiang Li laughed heartily. Jiang Ning gave a shy smile. Having practiced boxing all afternoon, his stomach was indeed completely empty. "The two of you stop chatting and start eating!" Liuu Wanwan said. She then placed a bowl full of rice in front of Jiang Ning. "Thank you, sister-in-law!" Jiang Ning said genuinely. "Now that you''ve joined the Martial Arts Hall, make sure to train hard! Don''t let down the expectations your elder brother has for you," Liuu Wanwan filled Jiang Li''s bowl as she spoke. "Don''t worry, sister-in-law!" Jiang Ning assured her. "Thank you, wife!" Jiang Li took his bowl of rice and responded cheerfully. At the dining table, Jiang Li spoke up, "Ah Di, how did your martial arts training go today?" As he spoke, Jiang Li placed a large piece of marbled meat into Jiang Ning''s bowl. "Very well!" Jiang Ning nodded affirmatively. "It seems Ah Di has a natural talent for martial arts!" Jiang Li said, pleased. "Little Dumpling is so amazing!!" Little Dumpling clapped her hands enthusiastically. Even Jiang Yiming couldn''t help but to take another look at his thrifty Uncle Jiang Ning before burying his head and busily devouring his meal. Chapter 14 - 14 Test of Strength Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Test of StrengthMoonlight was cold and clear. Jiang Ning stood in the courtyard. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Entry level 0/100) He looked at his panel, lost in thought. "Just this afternoon while practicing boxing, I actually gained another four points of experience value! Looking at it this way, it''s not that practicing a boxing technique only gains one point of experience value, but as long as I practice diligently, the minimum gain is one point of experience value!" After thinking it over briefly, Jiang Ning felt this was quite reasonable. Common people often had moments of sudden comprehension in martial arts, and there were even sayings about drawing inferences about other cases from one instance. If every practice session could only add a maximum of one experience point, wouldn''t it be unreasonable to need to practice a common lower-level martial arts ten times just to reach entry level? That would indeed be too illogical! "This is more like it!!!" His heart was even more excited. With this panel, it meant that diligent efforts would be rewarded by the heavens; hard work would inevitably yield results. This was simply a direct path to the heavens. How could he not be excited? Immediately, "Hu¡ª¡ª" He exhaled a breath of impure energy and slowly suppressed the excitement in his heart. What changes would there be after entering the threshold of the Five Animals Fist? According to the boxing manual, cultivating the first thread of Qi-Blood indicated entry into the Five Animals Fist. At the entry level of Five Animals Fist, each practice session could temper the body and had the opportunity to cultivate Qi Blood Power. Let''s give it a try! Jiang Ning clenched his fists. The physical strength he had consumed during the afternoon''s practice had now fully recovered, thanks to the medicinal soup and a full meal, leaving him brimming with energy and full of power with no outlet. Now was the perfect state for practicing boxing. The next moment, Jiang Ning took up his stance and began to practice his boxing. On the steps, Jiang Li also sat quietly in a chair watching. Watching Jiang Ning''s every move in sync with the breathing techniques, he looked fierce and imposing. "Not bad! Really not bad!!" He nodded with satisfaction. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] At the moment this prompt appeared, Jiang Ning suddenly felt a warm current in his body. Wherever the warm current passed, it felt as if bathing in a warm spring, incredibly comforting. He could feel his physique growing stronger under the nourishment of this Qi Blood Power. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Entry level 1/100) In an instant, following the breakthrough in the Five Animals Fist to entry level, "I now have two threads of Qi-Blood!" Jiang Ning clenched his fists, feeling the two threads of Qi-Blood moving through his body as if under his command. When the Qi-Blood Power arrived at his right palm, with its empowerment, Jiang Ning could feel his right palm becoming even more powerful. This was the effect after entering the Five Animals Fist; one could mobilize the Qi-Blood Power in conjunction with the Five Animals Fist. Under these circumstances, when the Qi-Blood Power surged into his fist, activating the Tiger Form resulted in an extremely strong explosive power, and activating the Bear Form greatly increased strength, as if taking root in the ground. The Qi-Blood Power flowing into his feet, activating the Ape Form, made his movements agile and unrestricted, while activating the Crane Form significantly increased speed. The next moment, As the Qi-Blood fused, he activated the Tiger Form Boxing and threw a punch at the tree trunk in front of him, with an explosive force. Peng¡ª¡ª A muffled sound echoed, the small tree shook, and the leaves rustled loudly. "What is this!!!" Jiang Li, sitting in the chair, widened his eyes in shock at this scene. "Is this the power of Qi-Blood reinforcing the fist?" He could hardly believe it. When Jiang Ning withdrew his fist, the previously fragile-looking fist compared to the tree trunk was merely reddened, without any injury. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Indeed, only when one has mastered the power of Qi-Blood can they barely be considered a martial artist!" He murmured to himself, then walked towards a corner of the courtyard. There, two rows of stone locks laid, ranging from 50 catties, to 100, 150, up to 1000 catties. "I wonder if the afternoon of practicing boxing has increased my strength!" He came to the smallest stone lock. This was a fifty-catties stone lock. He lifted it with one hand with ease. "It definitely feels much easier, it seems that an afternoon of practicing boxing indeed increased my strength!" Jiang Ning put the fifty-catties stone lock back on the ground, then placed his right hand on a hundred-catties stone lock beside it. "I wonder if I can lift this hundred-catties stone lock." He murmured to himself. He had tried to lift this hundred-catties stone lock before, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t lift it completely. This was normal. Because, based on his understanding, it was rare for an adult male in his previous life to lift a 100-pound dumbbell with one hand. Moreover, in this life he was only eighteen years old, living in a feudal-like era where nutrition fell far short of that of normal men in his previous life. So it had felt quite normal to him before when he couldn''t lift a stone lock weighing 100 pounds with one hand. A flurry of thoughts flashed through Jiang Ning''s mind as he suddenly exerted force with his right hand. The 100-pound stone lock instantly left the ground, being lifted into the air by his single hand. "My strength has indeed grown!!" Jiang Ning attempted to weigh it with one hand several more times until he was almost exhausted before he finally put down the stone lock. "Lifting a 100-pound stone lock with one hand effortlessly, it seems my strength has improved by ten to twenty percent in just one afternoon, this effect is truly remarkable!!" "This is just a pure physical change, if coupled with the power of Qi-Blood, the increase in strength would be even more pronounced!" At this moment, Jiang Ning had a preliminary understanding of Martial Arts in this world, realizing that Martial Arts Skills were far more miraculous than any exercise methods from his previous life. On the other hand, Jiang Li''s eyes widened as he watched Jiang Ning''s actions. "Could my younger brother be a martial arts prodigy? Just an afternoon of practicing martial arts, and he has achieved such effects??" ... After the experiment was completed. Not wanting to miss the iron while it was hot, Jiang Ning continued to practice boxing. This time, it only took him a little over a quarter of an hour to complete the Five Animals Fist. [Five Animals Fist Experience +1] He felt his body again, and joy filled his heart. "According to the records of the boxing manual, one only has the chance to condense Qi-Blood after reaching the introductory level of Five Animals Fist, but it is only a possibility!" "Ordinary people practice a boxing form three or four times to often condense a strand of Qi-Blood, only those with high talent and comprehension can ensure nearly every time they practice a form, they are able to condense Qi-Blood." "I have now practiced the boxing twice and each time condensed Qi-Blood, does this mean I can achieve a one hundred percent success rate in condensing Qi-Blood?" Jiang Ning felt his own state and realized that the bowl of medicinal soup from the Martial Arts Hall and the hearty dinner could sustain him through practicing the boxing two more times. "Let''s give it a try!" he muttered to himself. Just then, Jiang Li''s voice resounded in his ear. "Little brother, have you condensed Qi-Blood?" Jiang Ning looked up to see Jiang Li rising to his feet with a shocked look in his eyes. "Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded, choosing to tell the truth. "Actually, it''s true!!" Jiang Li couldn''t help but stare wide-eyed at Jiang Ning as if he was seeing him for the first time. Seeing Jiang Li in such a state, Jiang Ning smiled, "Five Animals Fist is a lower-level martial art, as long as one masters the basics of the form, then condensing Qi-Blood naturally follows! I have a strong memory, I can remember the boxing manual after one look, I memorized the entire form just by watching Wang Jin, the owner of the hall, once, and one generous senior brother gave me a wild ginseng worth over ten taels when I reached the entrance level." "So, it seems that sending little brother to Canglang Martial Arts Hall to learn martial arts was indeed the right decision! Reaching the entrance level is equivalent to making back over ten taels of silver. Not bad at all!" Jiang Li laughed heartily. Jiang Ning too offered a slight smile, noncommittally. A wild ginseng worth over ten taels of silver was indeed an unexpected delight. Without the potent effect of the wild ginseng, he couldn''t have mastered the basics of the form in one day. ... That night. Jiang Ning practiced the boxing two more times, and although he didn''t get any unexpected delights, merely increasing his Five Animals Fist by two experience points, he did condense two more strands of Qi-Blood. Thus, the total amount of his Qi-Blood came to four strands. The combined power of these four strands of Qi-Blood became even more robust. It circulated throughout his body, continuously nurturing his physique. After practicing those two rounds of boxing, Jiang Ning could feel that his body could not continue any further. Realizing this condition, he didn''t force himself. Overdoing boxing could do harm to his body. He also asked Jiang Li about the doubts in his mind. That was the level of Xu Yunfeng''s strength. After listening to Jiang Li''s description, Jiang Ning had a rough idea of his brother''s peak strength and that of Xu Yunfeng. Before Jiang Li was injured, at his peak, his Qi-Blood power had already flowed through his limbs, and the cultivation technique he practiced was an extremely common lower-grade saber skill, primarily for killing enemies and secondarily for channeling Qi-Blood. However, Xu Yunfeng was different; he might have reached the limit of a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, with Qi-Blood flowing throughout his entire body. Comparing the two, Xu Yunfeng clearly outclassed Jiang Li. Understanding this, Jiang Ning also realized that he was far from Xu Yunfeng''s level. Their strengths were not at all on the same level. However, he wasn''t disheartened, nor was he overly fearful. With his rate of progress, as long as he had some time, he would eventually surpass Xu Yunfeng. Now that he had joined Canglang Martial Arts Hall, at least for the few months, a smart man like Xu Yunfeng wouldn''t dare nor would he make a move against him. But Jiang Ning also knew that someday he might get caught up in the conflicts and struggles between the two major factions. Xu Yunfeng, working for Cao Bin, might transform the previous threats into reality in order to pressure his older brother into submission. Before that, he must improve his boxing skills as quickly as possible. Once the boxing reached a great success, he could pass Wang Jin''s test and become a True Disciple of the Martial Arts Hall. As the saying goes, it is good to enjoy the shade when backed by a big tree, and becoming a True Disciple of Wang Jin, his status would be on par with that of ordinary officials and rich merchants. Under such circumstances, not even Xu Yunfeng would dare to touch him, let alone the factions that he could command. Chapter 15: Acquisition of Source Energy Points Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Acquisition of Source Energy PointsThe next morning. Name: Jiang Ning Source Energy: 3.9 Skill: Reading and Writing (Break Limit 1 time 69/2000) (Trait: Unforgettable) Five Animals Fist (Beginner 4/100) When he opened his panel, he was instantly stunned. "Did my Source Energy really increase by 0.3 in one day?" "This is the only time my Source Energy has increased by 0.3 in over two months!" "This proves my previous deduction was correct! The increase in Source Energy is related to the energy intake of the day!" "Yesterday I consumed one-tenth of a Wild Ginseng, as well as a bowl of medicinal soup from the Martial Arts Hall, along with meat and a large amount of rice. That''s why I was able to achieve an increase of 0.3 Source Energy in one day." He pondered thoughtfully, gradually understanding the logic behind the increase in Source Energy. "It seems in a few days I''ll need to find a way to make money! Without money or supplements like Wild Ginseng to support my strength training, the growth of Source Energy will slow down!" At this moment, he had a deeper understanding of the phrase "poverty hampers martial progress." Wealth was too important for his martial arts training! Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1 ... Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1 This practice session has added a total of 2 points to your Five Animals Fist Experience. Skill: Five Animals Fist (Beginner 6/100) "I''ve reached five percent of the journey from Beginner to Mastery in Five Animals Fist!" Jiang Ning clenched his fists again. Qi Blood Power circulated and surged into his right fist. "Having Qi-Blood running through one arm is considered small success of Qi Blood, and I''m still far from that!" A new idea suddenly emerged in his mind. I wonder what trait Five Animals Fist will produce when I Break Limit? At this thought, he shook his head slightly, "I''m getting ahead of myself! Martial Arts Skills also progress through beginner, mastery, small success, great success, and perfection. Only after reaching Perfection can one Break Limit. Given the current rate of earning Five Animals Fist experience, who knows how long it will take!" Then, Jiang Ning approached the stone lock again. He grabbed the hundred-pound stone lock with his right hand and lifted it off the ground with ease. "It''s even easier than last night; it appears my physique has grown stronger!" Feeling the change in strength, Jiang Ning was secretly thrilled. The feeling of constant improvement was somewhat addicting. He wished he could spend all twenty-four hours of the day practicing his fist and grinding for experience. "Don''t rush! Don''t rush!," he admonished himself, shaking his head, "Being impatient for quick results isn''t good! There''s a limit to what the body can endure! My rate of improvement is already far beyond that of an ordinary person, and besides, any bottlenecks are ineffective against me. That''s one of my biggest advantages!!" Elsewhere. Jiang Li, who had just stepped out of his room, saw Jiang Ning lifting the stone lock to test his strength. His eyes narrowed involuntarily, and a hint of surprise flashed through them. My younger brother''s strength seems to have improved again; it''s even more effortless than last night when he lifted this stone lock. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, Jiang Ning set down the hundred-pound stone lock and approached another one that weighed one hundred and fifty pounds. He exerted force with his right hand, and three corners of the stone lock left the ground instantly, but he was unable to lift the final corner. "It seems I still fall short of the strength needed for one hundred and fifty pounds. I should be between one hundred and ten to one hundred and twenty pounds. The growth of strength in the early stages is indeed rapid!" Jiang Ning shook his head slightly, giving up on the idea of continuing the strength test. Afterwards, as he rested and recovered his strength, he picked up the book from last night and slowly flipped through it. Literacy and Judgement Experience +1 ... Literacy and Judgement Experience +1 ... "Little brother, come and have your meal!" A voice called out, and Jiang Ning stopped flipping through his books, closing the one in his hands. [Reading and writing this time has increased your experience by 6 points.] [Skill]: Literacy and Judgement (Once Break Limit 75/2000) (Trait: Unforgettable) "It''s still the simplest to gain experience in Literacy and Judgement!" Jiang Ning deeply understood. ... Arriving in the main house, the steaming white porridge was already set out on the wooden table, with some minced meat floating in it. "Little brother, hurry up and eat! After eating, shall I take you to the Martial Arts Hall?" Jiang Li skillfully served a bowl of white porridge to his wife Liuu Wanwan, while speaking to Jiang Ning. "Are you coming with me to the hall today, big brother?" Jiang Ning asked, a bit surprised. "Mm-hmm!" Jiang Li nodded, "Yesterday, Xu Yunfeng followed you all the way back. I plan to start escorting you to and from the hall from today onwards. With me there, Xu Yunfeng wouldn''t dare to touch you!" "That won''t do!" Jiang Ning shook his head as he continued, "If big brother comes with me, it won''t be safe for sister-in-law and the two children at home." Jiang Li confidently said, "You don''t need to worry about this matter, little brother! I have already made arrangements. There will be sworn brothers from the government office patrolling this area." Liuu Wanwan also made a reasoned remark at this moment, "Little brother-in-law, don''t worry about us three. After all, your big brother is a man of the government office, with an official record. Xu Yunfeng is a smart man, and smart men wouldn''t do something as outrageous as forcibly entering the residence!" "Before the end-of-year assessment at the government office, there should be no accidents happening to us three, nor to your big brother. But you are different! You are susceptible to all sorts of mishaps on your daily route to and from the Martial Arts Hall!" Jiang Li then smiled and continued, "Your sister-in-law is right, and besides, whether or not you can become a disciple of the Martial Arts Hall is the most critical issue right now. Your achievements concern both your sister-in-law and me. Under such circumstances, how can we take your safety lightly?" Jiang Ning quietly listened to his brother and sister-in-law''s discourse, feeling deeply moved in his heart. How could he not understand that their words were certainly not made up on the spot? His brother and sister-in-law must have talked through the night to have such a conversation today. He shook his head firmly again, "Big brother and sister-in-law, do not worry. I plan to stay in the Martial Arts Hall from now on!" "Stay in the Martial Arts Hall?" Jiang Li suddenly looked up. Jiang Ning nodded, "Yes, I plan to ask Hall Master Wang Jin for something to do, and then I''ll stay at the Martial Arts Hall during this period." "Is that... feasible?" Jiang Li hesitated. Jiang Ning also shook his head, "I don''t know if it''s feasible, but I want to try!" "Alright then!," Jiang Li decisively nodded, "There''s no harm in trying. If you can stay at the Martial Arts Hall, it''ll definitely help with your martial arts training. It saves you running back and forth every day, and you''ll indeed be much safer. Later when we go to the Martial Arts Hall, I''ll take you one more time." "Okay!" Jiang Ning nodded, no longer objecting. ... A short while later. They finished breakfast. "Big brother, wait here a moment!" Before leaving, Jiang Ning returned to his room for a brief time, then emerged again in just a few breaths. "Little brother, what are you carrying there?" Jiang Li asked, noticing something bulging at Jiang Ning''s waist. Jiang Ning smiled, "Just a little something for self-defense!" As he spoke, he also patted the area around his waist. What he carried was not something else but the lime powder often seen in historical TV dramas. Though lime powder may seem like a trivial item, it was undeniably a great thing to have in close combat. He also carried a book on his person, which was to be used for accumulating Literacy and Judgement Experience during his spare time. ... Two hours later. The two arrived at the entrance of Canglang Martial Arts Hall. The journey was free of any incidents. "Go back!" Jiang Ning said. "Okay!" Jiang Li nodded before adding, "I will come by again in the afternoon." Jiang Ning smiled, "Don''t worry, big brother! I''ll make sure the hall master keeps me on." After saying this, he strode toward Canglang Martial Arts Hall''s entrance. Watching Jiang Ning vanish into the hall, Jiang Li also turned and left. Chapter 16 - 16 Look at Each Other with New Eyes Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Look at Each Other with New EyesMartial Arts Hall front courtyard. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] ... [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [This practice of Five Animals Fist, the total Experience Value increased by two points.] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Beginner 8/100) Dressed in a short robe, as Jiang Ning finished his boxing, a wisp of steam rose from his head. He clenched his fists, feeling the several strands of Qi Blood Power that had grown inside him again. The gloom in his heart cleared away, and the gradual increase in strength made his mood turn to relief. He approached the well in the front courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall. Glug¡ª Glug¡ª Jiang Ning gulped down several large mouthfuls of crisp well water before taking out a red rectangular brocade box from his bosom. Upon opening the red brocade box, he saw a piece of Wild Ginseng lying inside. Jiang Ning pinched off a small piece with his fingertips, about one-tenth of the whole ginseng. The moment that small piece of Wild Ginseng entered his stomach, he instantly felt it being digested and absorbed. The Medicinal Power released by the Wild Ginseng transported through the Qi Blood in his body, quickly reaching his limbs and bones. His body, which was somewhat weak and powerless from practicing Five Animals Fist twice, was now recovering at an exceedingly noticeable rate. "Brother Zhou Xing really has a generous spirit! This Wild Ginseng truly aids me a lot!" Jiang Ning quietly felt the changes in his body. Suddenly. "Master Wang is here!!!" someone cheered. Jiang Ning opened his eyes and immediately saw Wang Jin, dressed in a short robe, revealing his muscular arms, slowly emerging from the backyard. At that moment, as Wang Jin appeared, everyone stopped their actions and stood properly in their places. Wang Jin glanced at the spirited crowd and immediately nodded in satisfaction. "Spread out and practice your boxing! I will point out each of your issues one by one," Wang Jin slowly spoke, his voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone''s ears. "Thank you, Master Wang, for your guidance!" Someone spoke up to Wang Jin with a bow. The others also echoed with bows to Wang Jin. "Thank you, Master Wang, for your guidance!!" "Thank you, Master Wang, for your guidance!!!" "..." Seeing this, Jiang Ning also bowed with clasped hands. He then paused to think for a moment, his eyes flickering, before moving to a vacant spot. "Do not look around or whisper, show your full potential in your boxing!" Wang Jin walked slowly forward with his hands behind his back. People then began to demonstrate the Five Animals Fist they had been deeply studying. Wang Jin continued to walk forward, observing the boxing displayed by the crowd, his expression extremely calm. At this moment, Jiang Ning also started to practice Five Animals Fist with his full strength. He knew that this was an opportunity, a chance to show himself. Under normal circumstances, Canglang Martial Arts Hall would neither lack nor recruit people. Staying prolongedly in the Martial Arts Hall wasn''t that simple for him. So, he was very clear, only by showing himself, his Talent, his Value, could there be a possibility. As Jiang Ning practiced intensely, his movement and breathing rhythm also synchronized with what he remembered from Wang Jin''s practice of the Five Animals Fist the day before. Continuously refining the intricacies of his movements and adjusting the rhythm of his breathing, Jiang Ning''s performance became increasingly smooth, entering a unique state. At this moment, Wang Jin''s steps abruptly halted. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes as he looked at Jiang Ning. "Tiger Form Boxing reached the beginner level, is this... accomplished in one day? Early stage of Qi Blood?" Wang Jin''s steps barely paused for one breath, yet he continued moving forward, discreetly observing. Meanwhile, he also occasionally corrected the other men''s wrong postures and breathing rhythms. Only with Jiang Ning, he momentarily couldn''t find any noticeable mistakes, at most some negligible minor flaws. The more covertly he observed, the more surprised he felt. Suddenly, a flash of astonishment crossed his eyes. At this moment, every move Jiang Ning made was powerful and grounded, as if his feet took root in the ground. "Bear-shaped Fist also reached the beginner level?" Wang Jin inwardly gasped, and at that moment, he had completed making a round around everyone. "Continue practicing, don''t stop unless I say so!!" As soon as Wang Jin spoke, everyone''s hearts tightened, and they dared not slack off in the slightest. At this moment, Jiang Ning''s mind had already forgotten everything else, free of any distractions, focused solely on practicing boxing. Jiang Ning''s boxing became faster and smoother as he practiced. After finishing the Bear-shaped Fist, his body suddenly changed, and his breathing technique also changed. At this moment, his movements were as agile as an ape, darting and turning in the confined space. "Ape Form Boxing has also reached the introductory level!" Wang Jin''s eyes narrowed, thoughtful, "Could this guy have mastered all Five Animals Fist?" Thinking of this, Wang Jin felt a slight stir in his heart. It''s often said that a good master is hard to find, but so is a disciple who can inherit the mantle. In his heart, Jiang Ning had now caught his eye. Afterward, Wang Jin was in no hurry to leave, standing quietly in place, watching everyone practice boxing. As long as Wang Jin stood still, so did everyone else. Jiang Ning also shifted from Ape Form Boxing to Crane Form Boxing, changing his body shape and breathing technique again. He ended with Deer Form Boxing, his movements transitioning from vigorous to gentle and soothing, his breathing rhythm becoming very slow and prolonged. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +3] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Entry level 11/100) Seeing the panel before him, Jiang Ning felt thrilled. "I''ve made progress past one-tenth! With this efficiency, I can break through the Five Animals Fist in just three to five days!" On the other side. "This kid has truly reached the real entry level of Five Animals Fist and has begun to condense Qi-Blood!" Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Not bad! Really good!!" "He is much stronger than those kids who try to take shortcuts!!" "Five Animals Fist without all five animals is not true Five Animals Fist!" Wang Jin nodded slightly, satisfied after looking at Jiang Ning. Then, he approached everyone. "I will practice the boxing techniques again for you to observe today! Watch carefully, learn well!" "Yes! Thank you, Master Wang!" Everyone bowed in salute. The place then fell into complete silence within moments. Wang Jin then assumed a stance, practicing boxing slowly in front of everyone. His movements were not fast, in fact, they seemed somewhat slow to Jiang Ning, probably deliberately slowed down for everyone to observe. After thirty minutes. Jiang Ning watched intently, then closed his eyes. In his mind, the Five Animals Fist that Wang Jin had just practiced replayed once again. After a while, he opened his eyes and sighed inwardly. "The Five Animals Fist demonstrated by Wang Jin was meticulous, absolutely textbook standard." "Yet this standard version of Five Animals Fist is no longer of any help to me." By this time, Wang Jin had already left. The entire front courtyard also gradually became bustling. ... The entire morning, with the help of the dispersing medicinal power of the wild ginseng, Jiang Ning rested for a moment but continued practicing boxing, not wanting to waste any medicinal power. It''s known that a wild ginseng is worth more than ten taels of silver. With his understanding of current world prices, one tael of silver had a purchasing power similar to a thousand yuan from his previous life, which could support a poor family for an entire month. The value of a wild ginseng in this world could support a poor family of four for a whole year. How could he afford to waste it? If he lost the help of wild ginseng, his efficiency in gaining Five Animals Fist experience would diminish significantly, and his strength would improve much more slowly. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] ... [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] The entire morning, as he practiced the boxing techniques repeatedly, the experience value of Five Animals Fist continued to rise. Until before lunch at noon. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Entry level 14/100) At noon. After lunch. Thump, thump, thump ¡ª Jiang Ning knocked on the back door of Wang Jin''s residence. Chapter 17 - 17 A Brief Respite (PK for Follow-on Reading!!!) Chapter 17: Chapter 17 A Brief Respite (PK for Follow-on Reading!!!)"Come in!" Outside. An elder''s voice transmitted through the air. Jiang Ning also slowly pushed open the gate to the backyard. Just as the day before, he saw the roughly fifty-year-old Wang Jin comfortably lying in a rattan chair, basking in the sun, looking just like an ordinary, elderly farmer. Except Wang Jin''s side lacked Sister Li Qing from the day before, everything else seemed the same. "Master!" Jiang Ning bowed slightly in respect. "You''ve come to see me at this hour, is there anything you need?" Wang Jin spoke up. Jiang Ning replied with proper reverence, "I would like to reside at the Martial Arts Hall permanently and seek a job! I do not require wages!" "A job? Why?" Wang Jin asked with some curiosity. After contemplation for one breath, Jiang Ning answered, "There are people outside the Martial Arts Hall who want to harm me." "I see!" Wang Jin nodded his head and continued to speak, "In that case, you may stay! After your daily training, would you be willing to chop wood in the backyard?" "I am!" Jiang Ning nodded, a surge of joy filling his heart. "You won''t receive wages, but you will be provided food and lodging, is that acceptable?" Wang Jin asked further. "I am!" Jiang Ning nodded once more and with hands clasped, said, "Thank you so much for your great kindness, Master!!!" Wang Jin''s eyes narrowed slightly, revealing wrinkles, and the skin on his face became furrowed too; he then waved his hand, "Then, go on down!" He followed up with another piece of advice, "Train hard in martial arts. As long as you master the Five Animals Fist well, if anyone tries to harm you, simply fight them off with it! The true core of Five Animals Cultivation is the coordinated practice of all five animals. Once you reach a certain level of refinement, your strength will no doubt be formidable!" "Yes, disciple understands!" Jiang Ning bowed deeply. ... Exiting the backyard. A faint smile graced Jiang Ning''s face, and the anxiety in his heart subsided. Being able to live at the Martial Arts Hall meant his personal safety was temporarily worry-free. Canglang Martial Arts Hall, even in the whole of Luoshui County, was one of the safest places. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +2] After practicing the boxing technique, expending the energy recovered at noon, Jiang Ning directly took out that piece of Wild Ginseng. With time pressing, he naturally did not stint on consuming the Wild Ginseng. With every advancement in his boxing skills, and with every bit of Qi-Blood he condensed, his strength increased a fraction more. Another tenth of the total volume of Wild Ginseng was consumed. Jiang Ning then felt a surge of warmth course through his body, and with the support of the Medicinal Power, his heart''s beat felt more powerful and vigorous, with his energy gradually returning in full force. He also began to practice boxing directly in the front yard. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] ... [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] ... [After this session of Five Animals Fist training, the cumulative gain in Experience Value is 10 points.] Jiang Ning spent the entire afternoon practicing the boxing technique. In the middle, he also took a break to bid farewell to his elder brother, Jiang Li, and informed him that the Martial Arts Hall director had agreed to his prolonged stay. Upon his return, Jiang Ning continued his boxing training. Only when the sun set and the prepared medicinal soup at the Martial Arts Hall was ready did he finally stop. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Beginner 26/100) A quarter of the way there. Looking at the change on the panel, Jiang Ning was quite excited. With his Five Animals Fist reaching this stage, the overall strength of his Qi Blood Power also increased to about twenty strands. With twenty strands of Qi Blood Power converging in his right arm, Jiang Ning could feel the force he could exert becoming stronger. ... Arriving at the yard behind the kitchen. Jiang Ning picked up a bowl of medicinal soup. Gulp¡ª Gulp¡ª After a few big gulps, the bowl of medicinal soup was completely downed. As the soup entered his stomach and was quickly absorbed, his body began emanating warmth, and the fatigue in his limbs and bones gradually receded. As he closed his eyes to feel the changes in his body, a resounding voice rang out. "Who is Jiang Ning?" Jiang Ning opened his eyes to see that it was the robust cook in charge of the kitchen at the Martial Arts Hall. She was wearing an apron, her figure solid and comparable to a water barrel, her body covered in thick, muscular flesh, and at first glance, she appeared to weigh at least two hundred pounds, her stature naturally imposing a sense of oppression. She wiped the water stains on her apron, her eyes sweeping repeatedly through the crowd. "I am!" Jiang Ning hurriedly spoke up. "So it''s you, kid!" The sturdy cook gave Jiang Ning several looks up and down and clicked her tongue, "You''ve got a pretty face, but hardly any meat on your bones. Can you handle heavy work?" "I can!" Jiang Ning said confidently. "Alright then, follow me!" As the two left, they headed toward the small courtyard next door, with whispers from the crowd trailing behind them. "Do any of you know him? What does Aunt Sun want with him?" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Who knows, junior brother, why don''t you go ask Aunt Sun?" Hearing those three words, the person''s neck shrank slightly, and he quickly waved his hands, "Forget it!" ... Coming to the adjacent courtyard, Jiang Ning immediately saw rows of pig legs drying on the open ground, the grease dripping down from them due to being sunbaked all day, soaking the ground. Moreover, these pig legs had clearly been smoked, and even from several meters away, the fragrance of the meat could be smelled. "What extravagance, such extravagance!" Jiang Ning swallowed quietly, silently criticizing the Martial Arts Hall''s wasteful practices in his heart. Preserved and dried meat were commonplace in his previous life, merely a regular means of food storage. But in this world, where salt and iron were regulated, salt was a precious commodity, and ordinary households could hardly afford to waste a single grain. Not to mention meat, which ordinary families rarely got to enjoy throughout the year. For martial artists, salt and meat were essential for their diet. The way the Martial Arts Hall handled ingredients seemed to Jiang Ning like a sheer waste. "Hey, little guy, drooling over there, aren''t you?" Seeing Jiang Ning''s fixed gaze, the robust Aunt Sun chuckled, her cheek flesh trembling. Jiang Ning gave a sheepish smile and nodded slightly. "Do you want to eat?" Aunt Sun smiled. "I do!" Jiang Ning spoke sincerely. Hearing this, Aunt Sun seemed momentarily stunned, then shaking her head after coming back to her senses, "You''re quite straightforward, aren''t you?" Jiang Ning immediately flashed a sunny smile. "Just like him!" Looking at Jiang Ning''s smile, Aunt Sun seemed lost in thought once again. Pulling herself together, she said to Jiang Ning, "Little guy, come with me!" "Okay, Sister!" "What sister!" Aunt Sun''s cheeks flushed mysteriously, "I''m well past thirty, nearly forty. My last name is Sun, just call me Aunt Sun from now on!" "That doesn''t seem right," Jiang Ning shook his head, "Calling you ''Aunt'' isn''t suitable; Ms. Sun doesn''t look that old. How about I just call you Sister Sun?" "Suit yourself!" Aunt Sun said indifferently, but her eyebrows betrayed an unnatural smile. ... Aunt Sun led Jiang Ning to a cool shed in the corner of the yard. She pointed at the heap of wood piled up like a mountain under the shed. "As Director Wang ordered, the task of chopping wood from now on falls to you! No problems with that, right?" she said, gauging Jiang Ning''s slender frame. "No problem!" Jiang Ning kept nodding, eyeing the stack of wood in front of him. "Since there''s no problem, go on and work! I need to go prepare dinner," Aunt Sun instructed. "Alright, Sister Sun!" Jiang Ning responded. Approaching the chopping block, Jiang Ning picked up a forty-centimeter-thick log. "It''s heavy!" He looked at the robust log in his hand, somewhat surprised. "Such a weight, this log isn''t ordinary at all!" He felt a little astonished internally. He then placed the robust log on top of the chopping block. Looking around, he found only a firewood knife about fifty centimeters long with a thick spine. "It looks like there are no axes!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself, hefting the firewood knife, its weight obvious to be above five pounds. "It''s a labor-intensive job!" At this moment, Jiang Ning understood why Sister Sun had asked if he could handle the task. The robust and heavy logs, combined with the five-pound firewood knife, undoubtedly made for a daunting physical job. Chapter 18 - 18 Mastering New Skills (PK for Follow-on Reading!!!) Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Mastering New Skills (PK for Follow-on Reading!!!)Standing in front of the wooden stake. Jiang Ning''s right hand gripped the axe tightly, aiming at the log in front of him and striking it with force. Crack¡ª The sound of splintering wood echoed through the air. Involuntarily, Jiang Ning released the axe, shaking out his numb right hand. "Aunt Sun, can you handle it?" Aunt Sun poked her head out from the kitchen window. "Sister Sun, I''m fine!!" Jiang Ning smiled back at Aunt Sun. He rubbed his palms together and as blood circulation returned, the numbness in his hand greatly diminished. Immediately, he gripped the axe again, stepped on the log with one foot, and as his Qi-Blood circulated, his right hand forcefully pulled out the axe that was stuck in the log. The next moment, Jiang Ning, holding the axe, circulated his Qi-Blood into his right arm once again, then struck down ferociously at the log, which was already half-split. The axe fell. Crack¡ª The log split into two in an instant. "Not bad!" A calm voice came from behind without warning. Jiang Ning turned to look, then promptly put down the axe in his hand and bowed respectfully. "Master!!" "Don''t worry about me! Keep chopping the wood, chopping is also a form of training! The phrase ''Chopping Wood'' is actually a type of blade skill!" Wang Jin spoke slowly. When Jiang Ning heard these words, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he instantly understood why Wang Jin had given him the task of chopping wood. "It seems my performance this morning caught the eye of Wang Jin!" Jiang Ning suddenly understood the rationale. His enthusiasm was immediately rekindled. Having caught the eye of Wang Jin meant he temporarily didn''t need to worry about his personal safety. Especially now that he could stay at the Martial Arts Hall, he was even less worried. Afterward, Jiang Ning once again propped up a thick log, his Qi-Blood surging into his right arm. As the axe came down, Crack¡ª The log split into two once again. "The power of Qi-Blood is indeed mystical!" Jiang Ning marveled at the result of his strike. The very first chop had only managed to split the log halfway, as he had not unleashed his Qi-Blood. Now, with the explosion of Qi-Blood, he could cleanly split the log in two. This demonstrated the profound mystery of the power of Qi-Blood. Wang Jin stood watching for a moment and then, satisfied, he nodded and walked toward the back kitchen where Aunt Sun was. ... Arriving in the back kitchen, Wang Jin''s nose twitched slightly. "You''re quite kind to this lad, even adding earth ginseng to tonight''s meat soup." "Master Wang!" Aunt Sun immediately became a bit nervous as she spoke, then hesitantly continued, "Looking at this boy, I''m reminded of my own child. Had nothing happened, he would be about his age now!" Wang Jin fell silent upon hearing this. The kitchen was quiet for a few breaths, filled only with the crackling sound of burning wood. Then, Wang Jin broke the silence. "No harm, add more meat to the soup! I''m also quite fond of this lad!" Aunt Sun''s eyes lit up, "Does Master Wang mean this boy has the potential to inherit your mantle?" Wang Jin shook his head, "It''s too early to say that! Whether he can seize this opportunity depends on his perception. Without sufficient perception, even with my inheritance he won''t go far. However, for now, we can start his training!" "Understood!!" Aunt Sun appeared pleased, "The lad is very polite, I quite like him!" Wang Jin seemed to reflect on something, his expression softening, revealing a hint of a smile, "Indeed, he is very polite!" Meanwhile, As the two conversed, Jiang Ning stood in front of the chopping block, eyes wide open and filled with shock. [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Entry 1/100) "To gain a blade skill from chopping wood?" Jiang Ning was filled with astonishment. Immediately, his face showed a trace of joy. "Let''s try again!" With that thought, he positioned another log under the chopping block. As the Qi-Blood surged forth. Crack¡ª S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The log was split in two. [Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Beginner 2/100) "Indeed effective!" He couldn''t help feeling delighted, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. Immediately after, another log was placed upon the stump. Crack¡ª As the chopping blade fell, the log was divided again. [Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Beginner 3/100) "Not bad! Really not bad!" Looking at the changes on the panel, he was very satisfied. "With such a rapid increase in experience value, it''s much faster than the Five Animals Fist! It might even be simpler than gaining experience in Reading and Writing!" After finishing the trials, Jiang Ning''s motivation surged even more. "Log after log was continuously split open by his hands!" [Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [...] When Wang Jin came out of the kitchen, his attention was immediately captured by Jiang Ning. "Has this kid gone mad?" Wang Jin watched Jiang Ning with his mouth slightly open. At that moment, catching a glimpse of Wang Jin, Jiang Ning quickly put down the chopping blade and, still panting heavily, gave Wang Jin a respectful salute. "Master!!" Wang Jin waved his hand, "What''s all this about? Why are you chopping wood with such fervor?" With a serious expression, Jiang Ning replied, "Master has allowed me to stay at the Martial Arts Hall, protecting my safety! I have no way to repay you, except to work hard, to show my gratitude." Hearing this, Wang Jin showed a helpless expression, "There''s no need for this. You should work within limits! If you exhaust yourself too much, how will you be able to practice your fist techniques?" Jiang Ning shook his head, "Master, don''t worry. I have the wild ginseng from Brother Zhou to sustain me." "Eating wild ginseng to recover strength for chopping wood, you''re missing the point, lad!" Wang Jin laughed and cried at the same time as he looked at Jiang Ning. "Master has given me the gift of teaching as well as the protection of my well-being! I am so grateful that I can only express it this way! If I were to accept it without a second thought, I wouldn''t be at peace," said Jiang Ning earnestly. Wang Jin, wearing an expression of resignation, shook his head, "Alright then, have it your way! Chopping wood can also train your strength and familiarize you with the feel of the blade, eye to hand coordination, the basic skills of blade techniques! If your comprehension meets the standards, becoming my True Disciple, the basic skills of blade techniques are essential!" "Understood!" Jiang Ning''s face lit up with excitement. Seeing this, Wang Jin couldn''t help but smile. "Young people are straightforward, whatever is on their mind shows on their face! Not as composed and steady as this old man!" Then, Wang Jin secretly watched Jiang Ning for the duration of a cup of tea. "This kid values loyalty and duty!" Wang Jin nodded slightly, looking at Jiang Ning with a gradually softening gaze. "Now I just hope that this kid''s comprehension meets the mark! With his character, he could indeed look after me in my old age, and wouldn''t betray or dishonor his lineage! Thinking about it, he really is an impressive seedling! However, as to how he turns out, it''s up to him to strive for it! Without striving in Martial Arts, one''s achievements will be limited." ... [Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Beginner, 99/100) "Just a little more experience value and I can make a breakthrough!" Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning''s somewhat tired body suddenly vibrated, and he found some new strength. He straightened the log, his hand wielding the blade. Crack¡ª With a clear sound, the log split in two. [Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Master, 0/200) In an instant, the last bit of added experience value triggered a qualitative change from the quantitative shift, as the Chopping Wood Blade Skill broke through from Beginner to Master. Jiang Ning, holding the chopping blade, instantly felt a sense of familiarity. Instinctively, he knew how to exert force to maximize chopping power, as well as how to conserve energy most efficiently. His arm muscles also became tighter from the continuously growing experience value, and now with the breakthrough of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill, his arm muscles felt slightly warm and tensed even more. Jiang Ning put down the chopping blade and clenched his fist, feeling the change in his arm''s strength, and he nodded in satisfaction. "The breakthrough of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill is indeed cost-effective!" "The breakthrough to Master has an initial effect on me, and the upcoming breakthroughs to small success, Great Success, and Perfection will have even stronger effects!" "Moreover, there''s Break Limit!!!" His eyes sparkled with anticipation, thinking about the changes after breaking the limit, "The first Break Limit in Reading and Writing gave me the trait of ''unforgettable'', I wonder what trait the first Break Limit in Chopping Wood Blade Skill will give me?" "With my current efficiency, getting to Break Limit in Chopping Wood Blade Skill should not take too many days!" Chapter 19 - 19 Skill Breakthrough, Strength Enhancement Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Skill Breakthrough, Strength EnhancementStanding in front of the wooden post, Jiang Ning grasped the chopping blade once more, placing a thick log on top of the post. Just as he was about to cleave it, a loud voice suddenly rang in his ears. "Little one, dinner is ready, come and eat!" "Okay, Sister Sun!" Jiang Ning looked up and responded. In the kitchen, with a tray in hand, Aunt Sun couldn''t help but smile slightly. "This little one certainly has a sweet mouth! With that handsome face, he''ll surely have no trouble charming the girls in the future!" On the other side, Jiang Ning looked up and responded to Aunt Sun. He still gripped the chopping blade tightly. The next moment, his arm muscles burst forth. Whoosh¡ª The blade sliced through the air with a faint friction sound. Crack¡ª As the chopping blade fell, the thick log instantly made a splitting sound. Jiang Ning looked at the marks carved by the chopping blade before him, his eyes slightly narrowed. "It''s penetrated almost completely! Indeed, it''s different now!" A slow smile spread across his face, then with a forceful push of his palm, the hefty blade rested within the break of the wood. Crack crack¡ª The sound of the wood fibers tearing continuously came from the log. Finally, with the leverage of the heavy blade, the entire piece of wood split in two, presenting jagged, uneven tears at the bottom. [Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1] "My full-strength blow only penetrated halfway before, but now that the Chopping Wood Blade Skill has mastered, it can penetrate nearly completely. I''ve certainly become stronger!" Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction, pleased with such great progress in such a short period of time. Then he set aside the chopping blade and walked toward where Aunt Sun had gone. ... Entering the main hall. "Master!!" "Sit," Wang Jin stopped his actions and gestured to Jiang Ning. "Thank you, master!" Jiang Ning bowed respectfully. After Jiang Ning was seated, a bowl of meaty broth, rich with fragrance, was placed before him by Aunt Sun. "Thank you, Sister Sun!" Jiang Ning took the bowl and expressed his gratitude to Sister Sun. "Little one, eat up! You''ve worked so hard chopping wood just now, you must be hungry!" Jiang Ning nodded and smiled shyly. The next moment, a large gulp of broth slid down his throat, and a look of satisfaction appeared on Jiang Ning''s face: "Sister Sun''s cooking is really good!" Aunt Sun chuckled beside him. Wang Jin then spoke, "Eat quickly, and after eating, continue practicing! Today''s broth has specially added earth ginseng by Aunt Sun. Earth ginseng is a fine tonic, quite beneficial for your martial arts training." "Earth ginseng?" Jiang Ning''s eyes brightened. He was aware of this tonic, having read about medicinal herbs recently, so he knew the basics about them. Although not as valuable as wild ginseng, a whole, mature earth ginseng was worth starting from a tael of silver. A tael of silver had considerable purchasing power, roughly equivalent to a thousand dollars in his past life, enough to sustain a poor family of three or four for a month. "Being able to stay long-term at the Martial Arts Hall is indeed a good thing!" Jiang Ning thought to himself joyfully. He immediately looked up, "Thank you, Sister Sun!" Then, he turned to Wang Jin, rose, and bowed respectfully, "Thank you, teacher, for taking me in." Wang Jin nodded slightly, "Not giving you a salary, naturally I can''t skimp on food and drink." "Teacher jests!" Jiang Ning spoke earnestly, "In front of such a dinner prepared by teacher, what is salary worth? Teacher has shown me great kindness, a favor I will not forget in this lifetime! I will surely take care of teacher in his old age!!" In the hall at that moment, An elder, a youth, and a robust middle-aged woman. The elder was Wang Jin, the Canglang Martial Arts Hall Master, the youth was Jiang Ning from Luoshui County, and the middle-aged woman was Aunt Sun, the cook of Canglang Martial Arts Hall. At the dining table, there was a huge amount of meat served. Beside it, there was a basin of meat soup and a large bowl of rice, the rich aroma filling the entire hall. Looking at Jiang Ning''s serious expression and listening to his words, Wang Jin''s heart was suddenly moved. He remained silent for a few moments. He spoke calmly, "Eat while it''s hot! It''s not as good when it cools down, and the taste also deteriorates!" "Yes, Master!!" Jiang Ning respectfully replied. Then, the two silently ate their dinner, yet Wang Jin''s mind was filled with myriad thoughts. Caring for the aged! These four words deeply touched him. For martial artists who hadn''t reached the Inner Strength Realm, their progress began to slow after thirty, and they were only regressing and not advancing past forty; their Qi-Blood began to decline, internal injuries erupted, and after fifty, it was like the sun setting in the west, getting worse day by day. Over fifty now, he could feel his body, like a candle, gradually burning out with the passage of time. At this age, he no longer craved glory or advancements in Martial Arts, but only to pass on his knowledge and to have a peaceful old age. Jiang Ning''s words had undoubtedly struck the deepest chords of his heart. Although he had heard similar statements before, none had felt as genuine as this time. Silently sizing up Jiang Ning a few times, Wang Jin quietly withdrew his gaze. Wait and see! Elsewhere. After sitting down, Jiang Ning no longer held back at all. A large bowl of meat soup, a few mouthfuls, and he had guzzled it all. Then he entered a mode of devouring his food ferociously. He might restrain himself in front of others, but there was no need in front of Wang Jin. He was very aware of the temperament of a martial artist and understood some of Wang Jin''s style. Eating meat heartily and drinking heavily would only earn him more approval from Wang Jin. And although his appetite might seem troublesome in an ordinary family, where one person could eat several people''s portions, to Wang Jin such an appetite was trivial. Wang Jin, after all, owned such a large Martial Arts Hall in the valuable land of the Inner City of Luoshui County; his wealth was far beyond one''s imagination. His modest appetite was completely insignificant to someone as generous as Wang Jin. In a short while, Jiang Ning was fully satisfied. A warm current slowly spread into his limbs and bones, continuously replenishing the physical strength he had previously used up. "Go chop some wood to digest, then practice your punches!" Wang Jin glanced at Jiang Ning''s stomach and spoke. "Yes, Teacher!!" ... Returning to the small yard behind the kitchen. The sky had darkened, and a bright crescent moon emerged overhead. Jiang Ning walked to the pile of wood, grabbed the chopping blade, and placed a thick log on the stump. In the next moment. His right arm tensed, the muscles visibly tight. Whoosh¡ª The sound of the blade slicing the air abruptly rose. Followed by a "crack", the sound of the wood splitting. This one stroke cut into the wood significantly. Immediately, he grasped the handle of the chopping blade, his palm exerted force, and the texture of the muscles on his right arm fully revealed. Crack crack¡ª A series of wood fibers tearing apart resounded, and then he completely split it into two. [Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Master 2/200) "After mastering the Chopping Wood Blade Skill, cutting wood doesn''t require bursting Qi-Blood, making this work much easier!" Jiang Ning smiled, his mood exceptionally good. Because this meant that gaining experience in the Chopping Wood Blade Skill had become more straightforward; it now only required sheer physical strength. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 20 - 20 Swordsmanship, small success! Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Swordsmanship, small success!In the courtyard. Jiang Ning grabbed another thick log and placed it atop a stump. His hand rose, and the blade fell. Crack¡ª The axe made it nine-tenths of the way through the wood. With another exertion of strength from his arms, Jiang Ning finally split the heavy log in two. [Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1] Jiang Ning kicked the scattered pieces of wood to one side and once again picked up another thick log. "With my current efficiency, I should be able to max out these two hundred experience points tonight, right? The Chopping Wood Blade Skill at the small success level, that should be enough to let me split firewood with one cut, right?" Thinking this, the goal within reach spurred Jiang Ning''s hands to work with even more vigor. Compared to the Five Animals Fist, earning experience points with the Chopping Wood Blade Skill was undoubtedly much easier. Although the Chopping Wood Blade Skill was rubbish enough, its effect on enhancing his strength was far from that of the Five Animals Fist. But in the face of these swiftly gained experience points, the shortcomings of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill were completely acceptable. Jiang Ning held certain expectations for this blade skill. Because previously, the breakthrough in his Reading and Writing skill brought him a trait, the trait of unforgettable. Thus, Jiang Ning also looked forward to the breakthrough of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill. With such expectations, Jiang Ning held the axe and made one cut after another. [Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [...] [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Mastered 86/200) After glancing at his panel, Jiang Ning stopped to rest for a moment. During the rest, he picked up a book from nearby, the very book he carried with him when he went out today, its purpose to earn Literacy and Judgement Experience while he recovered his strength. This would not only increase his knowledge but also slowly strengthen his spirit, also known as spiritual power. At the same time, he was also looking forward to the next break limit of his Literacy and Judgement. According to his speculation, each subsequent break limit should bring a new trait. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [...] [Skill]: Reading and Writing (One Break Limit 93/2000) (Trait: Unforgettable) After taking a glance at his own panel, Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. Seeing himself slowly but surely improving gave him a bit of an obsession, particularly when the goal was tangible, and every bit of effort brought a harvest, bringing him one step closer to his goal. Ever since he learned that perfection followed by a break limit would bring traits, his expectations had only grown higher and stronger. Once he had rested enough, Jiang Ning continued his work of chopping wood. With each cut, every split piece of wood led him to feel an almost imperceptible change. His hand was steadier, his cuts more accurate, and his strength flowed more smoothly. When the bright moon hung high in the tree branches, Jiang Ning looked at his panel, filled with a suppressed excitement. [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Mastered 199/200) "Only one more experience point to go!" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He placed a heavy log on the stump and propped it upright. Then, he wielded the axe. Whoosh¡ª The sound of the blade''s edge rubbing against the air suddenly filled the air. Crack¡ª The heavy axe nearly split the whole log in one go, leaving only a little bit connected, undoubtedly signifying that the strength in his arms had grown slightly stronger than before. Though the increase was not evident, it could be clearly seen. After all, at this moment, having chopped nearly two hundred logs in a short time, his arms were somewhat fatigued, and the base of his thumb was numb from vibration, nowhere near the strength of his prime. Yet even under these circumstances, the cut he made was deeper than the previous ones, almost reaching ninety-five percent of the way through. Then, as he exerted force in his arms, the whole log was completely split in two. [Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1] At this moment, when the prompt appeared, quantitative change led to qualitative change, and the Chopping Wood Blade Skill on the panel shifted from mastered to small success. [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Small Success 0/500) At the same time, Jiang Ning''s mind rapidly flashed through the two hundred cuts he had just made. How to exert force with each cut, where to land each cut, were continually corrected in his mind. Finally, countless images fused into one¡ªa cut cleaving through the air, landing on the log. Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes, and it seemed as if a slash of light from that cut passed through them. ``` The next moment. With the woodcutting knife in hand, he struck down on the logs before him. Swoosh¡ª The knife sliced through the air, hitting the center of the log. Crack¡ª As the splitting sound echoed, the previously unyielding log was neatly cut in two by his single, swift stroke. [Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1] "It really is different now!" Jiang Ning said, gripping the woodcutting knife, he casually swung it a couple more times. He immediately picked up another log, propping it up, aiming for a dark grain running along the wood. Swoosh¡ª The knife came down again. Precisely landing on the dark line of the grain. Crack¡ª The log was once again split cleanly in half. [Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1] "The small success level of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill really is different! Not only is the force applied more brilliantly, but also the eyes and hands move in unison - without the slightest inaccuracy. With such efficiency, I will also improve more rapidly in leveling up the skill experience value." Jiang Ning immediately nodded in extreme satisfaction. Then, he glanced up at the bright moon hanging overhead. "It''s getting late!" he muttered, "I can practice the fist two more times before I have to go to sleep." Under the pale moonlight, Jiang Ning simply found a spacious spot on the spot and began practicing the Five Animals Fist. With threats from Xu Yunfeng, from Cao Bin, and possibly even from the God Worship Sect, Jiang Ning did not dare to slack off. Coming to the Martial Arts Hall had been possible only because his elder brother had taken on debts by selling his pots and pans, giving him this opportunity to leap into prominence. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] After practicing the fist twice, Jiang Ning''s skin turned slightly red, his sweat completely soaking through his short robe, and steam rose continuously from his head. "The Five Animals Fist really consumes a lot of stamina!" Jiang Ning shook his head helplessly. Having already felt somewhat fatigued and then practicing the Five Animals Fist twice more, even with the considerable energy intake in the evening and some precious earth ginseng, he still felt waves of weakness coursing through his body. He clenched his fists, feeling the Qi Blood Power flowing within him. Jiang Ning nodded slightly: "I''ve condensed two more strands of Qi Blood Power. The Five Animals Fist, used as a foundational, lower cultivation technique in martial arts, truly is incomparable to the Chopping Wood Blade Skill. Though the improvement is hard, the rewards are indeed worth the effort." [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Entry Level 28/100) After glancing at the progress of his Five Animals Fist, the interface disappeared from Jiang Ning''s sight. "I''ve surpassed one-quarter of the progress. With today''s efficiency, the Five Animals Fist might break through to mastery in three more days. By then, the Qi-Blood in my body will be even more abundant. However, the medicinal herbs will become a problem in three days!" Thinking of this, Jiang Ning suddenly felt a headache. The reason he had made such efficient progress today was largely due to the role played by the wild ginseng. The consumption of wild ginseng and the effect of its medicinal power allowed him to sustain practicing the Five Animals Fist time and again. Without the support of the wild ginseng, Jiang Ning felt that his frequency of practicing the fist would have to be halved, or even reduced to a third of today''s efficiency. This was not without reason. The strength, agility, and physique improvements brought by practicing the fist were extremely rapid, far surpassing the so-called fitness of his past life. Moreover, it could condense a unique power: Qi Blood Power. Such a dramatic method of improvement unavoidably put a huge strain on the body. Without the support of tonics, one could only control the frequency, like grinding a millstone, slowly improving the body. Only in this way could one avoid overtraining the body. Now facing such circumstances, how could Jiang Ning be content with slow physique improvements? The threat from Xu Yunfeng was imminent. Jiang Ning was acutely aware that Xu Yunfeng, in his eagerness to rise, to make achievements, and to join the colossal Cao family, would gradually lose his patience. Especially once his elder brother lost his clerical post, Xu Yunfeng''s considerations would decrease even further. Although normally, his elder brother would lose his clerical post only after failing an assessment at the year''s end. But with Cao Bin standing behind Xu Yunfeng, and the Cao family standing behind Cao Bin. The Cao family controlled the mining, water transport, and household registration of Luoshui County. As one of the local powerhouses of Luoshui County, their power was unimaginably vast. Once they began to maneuver, it would take only a few days to find reasons to dismiss his elder brother from his post and even thrown him into prison. So Jiang Ning did not know how much time he had left. Having been in this world for over two months, he had already grown to accept his elder brother and sister-in-law as his family. He was even more affectionate towards Little Dumpling. Even though he was now safe due to staying in the Canglang Martial Arts Hall, he could not stand by and watch as his family in this life faced great calamity. Therefore, he must expedite his progress. Only with the Boxing reaching great success could he pass Wang Jin''s assessments and become Wang Jin''s true disciple. Only then could he protect his elder brother''s family! ``` Chapter 21 - 21 Time Flies, Great Success in Swordsmanship! Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Time Flies, Great Success in Swordsmanship!Moonlight scattered down. "Where should I sleep tonight?" Jiang Ning felt somewhat dazed, momentarily lost in his thoughts. Suddenly. Tat tat tat¡ª Out of nowhere, a series of urgent footsteps sounded behind the wall. A sturdy figure emerged from behind the courtyard. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Sister Sun!" Jiang Ning called out. Aunt Sun glanced at Jiang Ning and immediately noticed the steam rising from his head and the sweat-soaked clothing clinging to his body. "Kid, you''re really pushing yourself too hard! You''re still practicing at this hour!" Her gaze softened. Jiang Ning smiled, "Since I''ve chosen to practice martial arts, hardships are expected. Being born into an ordinary family, the opportunity to learn martial arts is precious and must be seized." "No matter how hard you work, you still need to sleep! It''s midnight. If you don''t get a good night''s rest to rejuvenate, how will you continue to practice tomorrow?" Aunt Sun said somewhat angrily. "I do need to sleep!" Jiang Ning nodded. Seeing Jiang Ning nod, Aunt Sun''s expression softened. "Then come with me! I''ve already made up a bed for you. I saw you were studying so earnestly just now, I didn''t have the heart to disturb you," Aunt Sun said in a somewhat rambling manner. Listening to Aunt Sun''s words, a gentle smile appeared on Jiang Ning''s face. The two walked through the silent Martial Arts Hall, their feet treading on a path paved with blue bricks. The moonlight, clear as water, cast their elongated shadows on the ground, while the constant chorus of insects filled their ears. After crossing a courtyard and a few dozen meters of pathway, they came to another yard. "There''s plenty of vacant rooms in the Martial Arts Hall. This yard will be for you alone¡ªI''m just next door!" Aunt Sun stopped in the center of the yard and said. "Thank you so much, Sister Sun!" Jiang Ning pursed his lips and spoke earnestly. Aunt Sun couldn''t help but smile, "You''re already calling me Sister Sun, no thanks needed!" Then she added, "Right, I didn''t get a chance to dry your quilt, so you''ll have to make do for tonight. I will air it out for you every day." "It''s okay!" Jiang Ning''s face broke into a smile. "As long as I have a bed to sleep in, I''m fine. I didn''t come to the Martial Arts Hall to enjoy luxury!" "You''re such a sensible child," Aunt Sun said with a slight shake of her head, and then a hint of reminiscence shone in her eyes, "He was as sensible as you are when he was your age!" "Sister Sun, who is he that you mentioned?" Upon hearing this, Aunt Sun abruptly came back to reality, steadied herself and shook her head without replying. Instead, she changed the subject, "It''s very late, you should wash up and go to bed. I''m off to sleep as well!" Under the moonlight, Jiang Ning watched Aunt Sun''s figure slowly moving away. "It seems Sister Sun also has her own story!" Jiang Ning sighed softly to himself, then walked towards his room. Creak¡ª He pushed open the door. The entire room was in view. It wasn''t large, only about forty to fifty square meters, and it was simply furnished with only the basic tables, chairs, and a big bed made of rosewood against the corner of the wall. Yet, the dust-free furniture indicated that the person who cleaned the room did so with great care. On the bed, the bedding, neatly folded on the cool mat, unconsciously reminded Jiang Ning of his previous life. In his previous life, every time he returned from outside at the end of the year, his mother would have already made the bed, and the bedding would always carry the scent of sunshine. Instinctively, he heaved a soft sigh. Then he turned and left the room, retrieved two buckets of water from the front yard, gave himself a quick rinse, and wrung out his previously worn clothes, hanging them on the windowsill to dry. By mid-July, Luoshui County had entered the hottest time of the year. In this sweltering climate, any article of clothing could be dried by the warm night breeze in a single evening. ... The next day. The first thing he did upon waking was to open his panel. [Source Energy]: 4.4 "This time, I''ve gained 0.5 Source Energy Points." Jiang Ning stroked his chin thoughtfully, "It seems the increase in Source Energy is indeed related to my daily intake as I had predicted before. I ate Wild Ginseng twice yesterday, and both my lunch and dinner were more generous than usual, so the increase in Source Energy Points also broke the previous record, with a full 0.5 gain." He continued to muse, "Given yesterday''s efficiency, reaching ten Source Energy Points will take at least eleven more days. So, there''s no rush to gain Experience Value in the Chopping Wood Blade Skill! Before reaching ten Source Energy Points, I just need enough Experience Value to fully cultivate it." Afterward, he pushed open the door and stepped out of the room. ... At this time, even during the hottest days of the year, the breeze that blew in the early morning still carried a hint of coolness. The sky at dawn was tinged with streaks of red, clearly indicating that the fiery red sun would soon rise. Jiang Ning took a deep breath of fresh air. Sigh¡ª He then slowly exhaled the impure energy he had accumulated throughout the night. After a few cycles, he felt immensely relaxed in body and mind. "Such a morning is perfect for practicing boxing!" Jiang Ning smiled. He then assumed his stance and, after adjusting his breathing rhythm, began practicing his boxing. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +2] After practicing one set of the boxing form, nearly thirty minutes had passed. The sky, which had just been faintly lit, now hosted a warm red sun peeking out. At this moment, Jiang Ning''s body was thoroughly heated up. His skin was slightly reddened, steam rose from his head, and large beads of sweat began to drip down his cheeks. But his mind and body were extremely delighted. Practicing the boxing form once had added two experience points, equivalent to practicing twice. Such efficiency was naturally a marvelous surprise. After a short rest, he continued to practice his boxing. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Beginner 31/100) Looking at his own panel. Sigh¡ª Jiang Ning let out a long breath of impure energy from his belly. One-third of the way there! He was one step closer to a breakthrough in his boxing technique. Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. ... In the blink of an eye. Another two days had passed. During these days, Jiang Li personally visited the Martial Arts Hall again to bring Jiang Ning several changes of clothes. Seeing that Jiang Ning''s originally somewhat frail body had now become somewhat robust, Jiang Li left reassured. Jiang Ning had not relaxed at all these past few days, using almost all his time to maximum effect. Besides practicing boxing and chopping wood, which were physically demanding tasks, he read books. The thick book he brought from home was completely finished by him the previous night. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 5.4 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Break Limit 148/2000) (Trait: Unforgettable) Five Animals Fist (Beginner 88/100) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Great Success 109/1000) Three whole days had brought about some changes to Jiang Ning''s panel. His Source Energy Points had increased by 0.5 each day, reaching a tally of 5.4. His boxing skill had also made significant progress, with only 12 more experience points needed for a breakthrough. Among these, the most significant change was in his Chopping Wood Blade Skill. These past few days, he had worked it up to Great Success level. With the Chopping Wood Blade Skill at Great Success, Jiang Ning could clearly feel that his blade was faster and more accurate. He only needed to exert eighty percent of his previous effort to easily split a thick log in two. The burst of strength was twenty to thirty percent higher, the speed was a few notches faster; if this were a technique used against enemies, it could easily have an overwhelming effect. This was the transformation from small success to Great Success in the Chopping Wood Blade Skill, providing Jiang Ning with an all-around enhancement. Having experienced the change from small success to Great Success with the Chopping Wood Blade Skill, Jiang Ning was now even more eager for a breakthrough with the Five Animals Fist. Chapter 22 - 22 A Huge Opportunity! Chapter 22: Chapter 22 A Huge Opportunity!After closing the panel, Jiang Ning rose from his bed, put on his undergarment jacket, and then pushed open the room door. The dawn''s early light entered his vision, bringing with it a cool breeze tinged with the scent of flowers and grass, which Jiang Ning couldn''t help but deeply inhale several times. Hoo¡ª He then expelled all the impure energy that had accumulated in his abdomen overnight, instantly feeling a sense of lightness and pleasure throughout his body. Next, Jiang Ning went to a corner of the courtyard to wash up. The common people of this world typically did not have the habit of washing in the morning, but having lived in a civilized world in his previous life, Jiang Ning could not tolerate the taste in his mouth upon waking up. Now without proper conditions, he could only resort to methods he had read about in books from his former life. He took out willow twigs that had been soaked in water overnight, chewed them open with his teeth, and then used the soft, brush-like fibers to clean his teeth. As he was becoming more skilled, the willows he bit became increasingly useful. by the wall, Jiang Ning took crushed charcoal and rubbed it onto his teeth with his fingers, scrubbing them thoroughly before rinsing with water, after which he used the freshly bitten willow twig to clean his teeth once more. After cleaning up, Jiang Ning huffed a breath and immediately nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad at all!" He then washed his face before standing naturally in the courtyard with his elbows relaxed at his sides. Feeling the cool breeze mixed with the scent of flowers and grass against his face, Jiang Ning began to practice his boxing. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Entry 90/100) By the time he had finished practicing his boxing, the experience value of the Five Animals Fist had also reached 90 points. At the same time, two streaks of Qi Blood Power were condensed and integrated into his body. Hoo¡ª Hoo¡ª Jiang Ning took several breaths in quick succession, feeling his heart beating fiercely in his chest, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his face. "Being able to practice the boxing sequence twice in one go, my physical strength has indeed reached a new level." He clenched his fist again, feeling the freely circulating Qi Blood Power within his body. By now, the Qi Blood Power accumulated through his physical strength had reached more than a hundred strands, and when pooled together, they could travel through parts of his arm. Once the Qi Blood Power exploded, if channeled into his fists and arms, it could greatly increase the force he could muster in a short burst, and if channeled into his legs and feet, it could significantly boost his speed for a short duration. The power of Qi-Blood is the most potent source of strength for a martial artist. "I''ll go test my own strength later!" ... 8:00 a.m. After breakfast, Jiang Ning made his way to the front gate of the courtyard. Boom¡ª As he unlocked and pushed open the massive doors of the Martial Arts Hall, the friction between the door and the ground transmitted a slight vibration beneath his feet. "Brother Jiang is still as punctual as ever," commented a man donned in a white training outfit, gently waving a folding fan in his hand with a faint, playful smile on his lips. "Brother Cheng Ran!" Jiang Ning replied with a smile. Having arrived at the Canglang Martial Arts Hall more than two days earlier and consistently practicing in the front courtyard, he naturally got to know some people. Of all these, Brother Cheng Ran was who he got along with best. The others, who trained in the front courtyard, weren''t openly hostile towards him but they didn''t exactly welcome him either. After all, those who had the resources to join the Canglang Martial Arts Hall were mostly young people from the Inner City. They formed their own circle, familiar with each other. And the few young men from the Outer City were eagerly trying to integrate into the Inner City disciples'' circle. Making connections with the wealthy scions of the Inner City represented a network and resource. For Jiang Ning, naturally, he saw no point in engaging with them. But Cheng Ran was different; although he was from the Inner City, he was quite fond of making friends and there were no ordinary disciples in the entire Canglang Martial Arts Hall he didn''t know. He had taken the initiative to make friends during Jiang Ning''s previous days of training. Faced with such a goodwill gesture, Jiang Ning naturally had no reason to refuse. One more friend always meant one more opportunity. Why then would he refuse? ... Moments later, In the front courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall. "Silence!" Wang Jin came out from the back courtyard. His short jacket outlined his muscular frame, giving him an exaggerated, dragon-like appearance. Suddenly, There was complete silence. "Today, an opportunity is before you!" Upon hearing the word "opportunity," everyone''s eyes lit up. Wang Jin scanned the crowd, like a king of beasts surveying his territory, then he nodded in satisfaction. "Do you know what opportunity is?" "I know!" someone spoke up. "You do not know!" Wang Jin''s tone was even yet forceful. He continued, "Opportunity is what can change your fate, allow you to leap over the dragon gate, to step out of this world." At these words, everyone''s eyes shone even brighter with eagerness. Seeing the fervent gazes of the crowd, Wang Jin nodded with even greater satisfaction. He then said, "Are you aware of the recent upheavals in the world, with people''s hearts unsettled, and natural and man-made disasters occurring incessantly? How frequently have apparitions like the God Worship Sect surfaced?" "I know!" another voice chimed in. "As far as I''m aware, just last year in Zeshan State there was a mid-sized rebellion and five smaller ones. The purges were relentless, endless, and nearly ten varieties of cults worshipping the Evil God emerged." Wang Jin glanced at the speaker, then nodded slightly, "That''s right!" "Therefore, at the beginning of the year, the Emperor, together with the only Martial Saint of this era, issued an imperial edict. In every state, prefecture, and county throughout the realm, an Inspection Office must be established to patrol the Nine States and supervise the people." "The Inspection Office is led by the only Martial Saint of our time, who has the authority to execute first and report later, regarding any cult worshipping the Evil God or culprit causing public unrest, regardless of their origins or status¡ªeven if they are of noble birth!" "This edict will reach Luoshui County one month from now! By the end of the year, every state, prefecture, and county must have established their Inspection Offices." "The personnel of the Inspection Offices are currently being selected from various martial arts halls and factions in Luoshui County¡ªonly those of clear background and outstanding talent and strength." "This is a phenomenal opportunity for all of you! You must know that in martial arts cultivation, wealth, companions, methods, and location are indispensable for fierce and rapid progress!" "Be aware that the owner of the title ''Inspector'' is the only Martial Saint of our time, the Martial Saint who has dominated the world for over eight hundred years. Within the Inspection Office, cultivation techniques range from the foundational methods of building Qi-Blood for Martial Arts Entry all the way to the Supreme Secret Methods for masters seeking Blood Transmutation or Great Grandmasters cultivating their spirits." "All kinds of treasures and foundational martial arts methods are available!" "All this is completely beyond your reach here in Luoshui County." "Joining the Inspection Office can even grant you personal guidance from the Martial Saint himself!" At this last statement, the martial arts hall erupted. Countless people''s eyes blazed with intense desire. The words "Martial Saint." To anyone, they were as awe-inspiring as gods and immortals recorded in ancient texts. Centenarians might live to see five generations under one roof. But the Martial Saint¡ªwho dominated the world for eight hundred years¡ªthat''s something incomparably more formidable. Sweeping his gaze over the crowd once more, Wang Jin nodded with satisfaction. "Those who enter the Inspection Office must be under thirty, come from a family of good standing, and possess at least the strength of Martial Arts Entry." "Canglang Martial Arts Hall has been given five nomination quotas, four of which are already allocated for your three martial brothers and one martial sister!" "Now there''s one quota left for you to compete for." "In three months, whoever achieves Great Success in two of the Five Animals Fists and Qi Blood Perfection, completing the Martial Arts Entry criteria, will be accepted as my Direct Disciple along with your fellow martial brothers. The Disciple Acceptance Ceremony will be announced throughout Luoshui County, and you will, representing my face, Wang Jin, enter the Inspection Office." "Remember, the quota for entry is limited, and there will certainly be trials at the time of entering. You''ll need to compete with other powers! This is a chance to leap over the dragon gate! No one will give up on it!" "Entering the Inspection Office will inevitably involve extensive combat and struggle, which is a crisis for those not adept at fighting!" At this moment. Jiang Ning listened silently, his eyes burning with a fierce determination. Direct Disciple, entering the Inspection Office. This was a colossal opportunity. What does "Direct Disciple" mean? It refers to the transmission of the mantle, a status not just below that of a blood-related child, but often even above it. And the Inspection Office, with the authority to execute first and report later, from its description, it''s known to be an enforcement agency of extremely high status. If compared with government departments from history in previous lives, the power here is even greater and more profound than the infamous Jinyi Guard. The Jinyi Guard, the name alone would strike fear into the heart of anyone with a bit of knowledge about history. Not to mention that the Inspection Office holds a position even above that of the formidable Jinyi Guard, and the benefits it offers are far greater. As the saying goes, ''It''s good to shelter under a big tree.'' In this world of Great Xia, what bigger tree is there than that of the current only Martial Saint? That is an existence terrifying enough to suppress the fate of Great Xia for over eight hundred years, a power likened to a one-man nation. Once I can enter the Inspection Office, my status will be no longer what it is now. Even if my strength is inadequate, with the backing of the Inspection Office, I can face the local major families without fear. Supervising the world, patrolling the Nine States, the power to kill first and report later¡ªthat power is too great, immense!!! The cultivation manuals, divine weapons, and treasures¡ªthe benefits are also too great, immense!!! S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, Jiang Ning clenched his fists tightly. Within three months, I must reach Qi Blood Perfection and Martial Arts Entry. Only then can I become Wang Jin''s Direct Disciple and have the credentials to enter the Inspection Office. If I can''t get into the Inspection Office, even with Martial Arts Entry, I wouldn''t be afraid of Xu Yunfeng. However, behind Xu Yunfeng stands Cao Bin and the Cao family. In the face of the powerful Cao family, should conflict arise, Martial Arts Entry would at most allow me to protect myself. But to become Wang Jin''s Direct Disciple is another matter, enough to make him hesitate. Not to mention entering the Inspection Office. Chapter 23 - 23 Entering the Mansion 5th Candidate Spot Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Entering the Mansion 5th Candidate SpotCanglang Martial Arts Hall. Front courtyard. At this moment, following Wang Jin''s announcement, the crowd completely exploded into an uproar. "The Inspection Office is actually real. I heard my father talk about it before, but I never expected it to truly exist!" "The power of the Inspection Office is too great! It monitors all the citizens and patrols the land, has authority to execute first and report later. Once you join, don''t you immediately become a person above others?" "Of course! Once you join, you''ll definitely be an honored guest among various factions! Plus, joining the Inspection Office you can receive the Supreme Secret Method to achieve Great Success in Blood Refining and become a Great Grandmaster in nurturing the spirit. You could even receive guidance from that Martial Saint! The temptation is too much!" "What use is a big temptation? By the end of this year, every state and county must establish their own, and our teacher even said that only those who have achieved Great Success in Five Animals Fist and enter the ranks of Martial Arts within three months are qualified to join. Can you do it? Or can I?" "Yes! Our teacher tells us about this opportunity, probably just to motivate us to diligently practice martial arts and to give us hope." After much discussion, the crowd suddenly felt somewhat dejected. Suddenly. Someone spoke up: "I know someone who has hope?" "Who?" "Cheng Ran, Senior Brother!" At these words, the crowd turned their heads to look at Cheng Ran. At this moment, Cheng Ran wore a smile on his face, seemingly enjoying the attention from everyone. The person continued, "Senior Brother Cheng Ran''s Qi-Blood has already reached Perfection, and both crane and tiger stances have already reached small success! It''s not impossible for his boxing to breakthrough within three months, and entering Martial Arts is not difficult for Brother Cheng!" Hearing this, the crowd was even more astonished as they looked towards Cheng Ran with a smile. Just then. A man clad in a white, loose-fitting practice outfit, his black hair simply tied with a red band and bearing a commanding presence, stepped forward. "I am Xiao Peng, greetings to our teacher!" The man gave a slight bow to Wang Jin as a salute. "What is it?" Wang Jin asked. Xiao Peng cupped his hands and said, "Disciple has comprehended the essence and form of Tiger Form Boxing a week ago, reaching the realm of Great Success in Tiger Form Boxing. And my Qi-Blood has already achieved Great Success, on the verge of Perfection! Moreover, Ape Form Boxing has also reached the realm of small success." As he spoke, Xiao Peng had high spirits, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned. At this moment, his Qi-Blood was abundant, and his form suddenly exuded a faint aura, imposing a feeling of pressure on everyone around. "Good heavens! Senior Brother Xiao has reached this step without anyone noticing?" someone exclaimed. "Indeed! Senior Brother Xiao is truly one who doesn''t make a sound until he achieves an astonishing feat! He reached Great Success in Tiger Form Boxing a week ago yet was patient enough not to speak, waiting until today to reveal it!" "Tiger Form Boxing at Great Success, Ape Form Boxing at small success, and Qi-Blood at Great Success running through his limbs ¨C doesn''t this mean that the remaining spot is already locked down by Senior Brother Xiao Peng in advance?" "It seems so. Although Senior Brother Cheng has a chance, he is clearly a notch below. There is an insurmountable difference between Great Success and small success in boxing!" "That''s right! Senior Brother Xiao Peng was able to achieve Great Success in Tiger Form Boxing and small success in Ape Form Boxing within four months of joining the Martial Arts Hall. Given another three months, his Ape Form Boxing will surely reach Great Success. As for entering the ranks of Martial Arts, with the wealth of his father, Xiao Wanguan, piling up his status to enter Martial Arts would be easy!" At this moment, everyone''s gaze immediately shifted to Xiao Peng. Senior Brother Xiao Peng, basking in everyone''s attention, also had an air of proud excitement. Wang Jin glanced at Cheng Ran, then his gaze fell on Xiao Ran. "Tiger Form Boxing at Great Success, Ape Form Boxing at small success?" Facing Wang Jin''s gaze, Xiao Peng broke out in a slight sweat on his forehead, lowering his head and saying, "Yes!" "Perform it for me!" Wang Jin commanded. Hearing this, Xiao Peng felt as if he was granted amnesty. At this moment. Everyone''s gaze focused once again on Xiao Peng. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The next moment. Xiao Peng commenced, demonstrating his boxing techniques right in front of everyone. Every movement was fierce like that of a tiger, possessing great power. Finally, as Tiger Form Boxing concluded, and when he punched out... "Roar!" A tiger''s roar burst forth from within him. At this moment, everyone''s eyes widened in astonishment. "Qi-Blood surging, the sound of a tiger''s roar! Indeed, it is the Tiger Form Boxing of the Great Success realm!" Xiao Peng retracted his hand, his face a picture of calm and composed, seemingly oblivious to the astonishment of the crowd. He gave a fist-and-palm salute to Wang Jin, "Teacher, this disciple has finished the demonstration." "Practice the Ape Form Boxing as well!" Wang Jin commanded. "Yes!" Xiao Peng responded. Right after, the crowd watched as Xiao Peng demonstrated the Ape Form Boxing once more. It wasn''t until after Xiao Peng had finished that Wang Jin slightly nodded his head. "Good! The Tiger Form Boxing has indeed reached Great Success, and the Ape Form Boxing also shows promise, likely having already achieved small success." "It''s all thanks to the teacher''s discerning eyes!" Xiao Peng saluted and continued to speak, "Disciple achieved small success in the Ape Form Boxing a month ago, and I am confident that in the coming three months, I will definitely make a breakthrough to Great Success!" Wang Jin nodded, "Having confidence is a good thing!" He then looked at Xiao Peng, "Since you''ve been admitted for four months, and your Tiger Form Boxing has reached Great Success, you''ve passed my test successfully! From today on, you are my True Disciple!" "Greetings to Master!" Xiao Peng kneeled on one knee and performed a fist-and-palm salute! "Very well!" Wang Jin nodded again, "From today on, you will be exempt from all tuition fees, and you will be provided with three bowls of medicinal soup each day!" "Thank you, Master!" Xiao Peng saluted once more. Wang Jin nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over everyone, lingering on Jiang Ning for just a moment. What a pity, this young man has been unlucky! Even with talent, it is already too late! He then addressed the crowd, "You all should practice diligently, in three months, everyone still has a chance!" Then he looked at Xiao Peng, "Follow me." "Yes, Master!" Xiao Peng gave a salute and then stood up to follow Wang Jin. The others watched their departing figures, envy evident in their eyes. ... Standing at the back of the crowd, Jiang Ning clenched his fists. Within three months, I must achieve Martial Arts Entry to seize this enormous opportunity and join the Inspection Office. : Five Animals Fist (Entry Level 90/100) With the experience I have explored before, It takes one hundred experience points to advance from entry level to mastery. To go from mastery to small success requires two hundred experience points. From small success to Great Success requires five hundred experience points. At present, I am short of a total of seven hundred and ten experience points. Even if practicing the boxing once only earns a guaranteed single experience point, it will only take seven hundred and ten times. Now that I have the Wild Ginseng, a great tonic gifted by Brother Zhou Xing, I can practice the boxing more than twenty times a day, morning, noon, and evening. Let''s assume 25 times, which means, at this rate, in thirty days I could practice the Five Animals Fist to Great Success. However, a single Wild Ginseng won''t last many days, but even without the Wild Ginseng tonic, at most my practice sessions could halve. Yet even if halved, in at most two months, I can practice this boxing technique to Great Success. It is still not difficult! But, for me, the most difficult part is achieving Martial Arts Entry. Jiang Ning immediately frowned. For Martial Arts Entry, one''s Qi-Blood needs to flow throughout the entire body. He then tried to channel the Qi-Blood within his body into his right arm, frowning once more. "It''s only flowing through one third! It''s far too distant from Perfection!" "However, according to the boxing manual, when one reaches the entry level of the Five Animals Fist''s five forms, practicing the technique once can refine a strand of Qi-Blood." "But when the technique reaches mastery, practicing once can refine two strands of Qi-Blood." "At small success, three strands!" "At Great Success, five strands!" "I still have three months, there is time!" "So right now, grinding for experience is key." Chapter 24 - 24 Chapters of Mastering Boxing Chapter 24: 24 Chapters of Mastering Boxing[Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Introductory 90/100) Looking at his own panel. "I''m just ten Experience Points away from breaking through the introductory level and achieving mastery." "For me now, with the support of Wild Ginseng, an entire morning is enough to gain these ten points of experience!" With this thought, Jiang Ning also went to a nearby open space, slightly adjusted his state, and then began to practice boxing. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] After one round of boxing, he took out a brocade box from his bosom. Upon opening the brocade box, the originally whole Wild Ginseng was only one-third left. Jiang Ning slightly pondered for a moment, then directly tore off half of the Wild Ginseng from the box and slowly chewed it in his mouth. Afterward, his throat slightly moved. The thoroughly chewed Wild Ginseng entered his stomach. It only took a moment before he felt his physical strength rapidly recover, his entire skin turned red, his blood flowed faster, and his heartbeat became even more powerful. The medicinal effect of the Wild Ginseng had begun taking effect inside his body. With his physical strength quickly restoring, Jiang Ning no longer wasted the medicinal power within his body. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +2] ... Supported by the medicinal power of the Wild Ginseng, each time he finished practicing the Five Animals Fist, Jiang Ning only needed a moment to restore his strength before he could continue practicing without worrying about his body''s depletion. His efficiency in practicing boxing had also increased significantly compared to before. Initially, it took him half an hour to complete one round of the Five Animals Fist, but now, within an hour and including the two to three minutes of recovery in between, he could essentially manage it three times. With such medicinal support, the efficiency of gaining Five Animals Fist experience value also increased. ... When the sun rose high, [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] Jiang Ning glanced at his panel. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Introductory 99/100) sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On the panel, the accumulated experience value of the Five Animals Fist had already reached 99 points, and now with this additional point, It suddenly broke past 100. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Master 0/200) With the breakthrough in the realm of Five Animals Fist, Jiang Ning had also closed his eyes. Suddenly, numerous insights about the Five Animals Fist flashed through his mind. The dozens or hundreds of memories of the boxing techniques rapidly passed through his mind, like the fast-moving scenes at life''s end. After a few breaths, The numerous images flashing in his mind blended together and finally became one. At this moment, Jiang Ning also felt as if there was a slight electric current passing between his muscles, making his entire body tingle. When he opened his eyes, a bright gleam flashed through them. Immediately, He began practicing boxing again in the same spot. Each move, compared to before, had subtle changes. These indescribable and vague changes made his punch delivery and stretching of limbs more natural and effortless, including his breathing rhythm as well, everything seemingly became an instinctive operation of the body. After one round, Jiang Ning closed his eyes on the spot, his chest rose and fell slightly, with each exhale and inhale, his breath was prolonged. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] This prompt appeared before his eyes, which he ignored. Because his attention was completely focused inside. He could vividly feel that, as he finished practicing the boxing, the Qi Blood Power inside his body efficiently condensed two strands of Qi Blood Power in one round of boxing. "Master level Five Animals Fist, practicing one round can condense two strands of Qi Blood Power, that''s twice the efficiency of before. With this, the growth of my physical strength and Qi Blood will be much faster!" "Getting closer to meeting the conditions Wang Jin demanded, and achieving Martial Arts Entry even faster!" Jiang Ning felt the changes within his body and was quite invigorated. The faster the Qi-Blood accumulated, the quicker he could achieve full circulation throughout the body and reach Perfection. In doing so, he would have more time to complete the Martial Arts Entry. Inspection Office, I must get in!!! Jiang Ning clenched his fists. He knew that this place could change his destiny. For him, as long as he had enough time and resources, he was confident in fearing nothing. And in the entire Great Xia Country, the Inspection Office was one of the two biggest trees. The Emperor and the Martial Saint. The might of the Martial Saint was no less than that of the Emperor. As the saying goes, it''s good to enjoy the shade under a big tree. Joining the Inspection Office meant he could lean on one of the two biggest trees and have time to grow gradually. Moreover, the Inspection Office also had plenty of resources for his growth. ... Then, Jiang Ning clenched his fist again, feeling the full Qi-Blood in his right arm. I wonder how strong I am now? Jiang Ning was curious, and his gaze fell on the stone lock beside the wall in the front courtyard. Let''s test my strength now. According to what Wang Jin said, joining the Inspection Office inevitably involved fighting and combat. If my strength increases by a bit, then my combat power is stronger by a bit. Immediately he approached the stone lock. "Brother Jiang, are you coming to test your strength again?" Cheng Ran, seeing Jiang Ning coming towards the stone lock, walked over. Jiang Ning turned around, "Brother Cheng Ran, not practicing your boxing? Why are you paying attention to me! Could it be that you''re disheartened by Xiao Peng?" "Ah!" Cheng Ran sighed slightly, "That Xiao Peng has hidden his abilities too deeply! His Tiger Form Boxing has achieved Great Success, and his Ape Form Boxing Small Success, he is far ahead of me!" Jiang Ning comforted him, "Why the hurry, Brother Cheng Ran, there are still three months left! Mastery of boxing is about understanding and opportunity! Who knows, maybe an opportunity will arise one day, and Brother Cheng Ran will suddenly achieve Great Success in both Tiger and Crane Boxing!" "Before the dust settles, anything is possible!" "Not to mention that Brother Cheng Ran has already achieved Perfection in Qi-Blood, much further ahead of Xiao Peng in this respect!" While talking, Jiang Ning took off his shirt, his physique was noticeably stronger than before, already showing many muscles, unlike his previous untrained skinny self. At that moment, hearing Jiang Ning saying this, Cheng Ran couldn''t help but laugh. "Still, Brother Jiang knows how to comfort people! I feel much better now!" "Also true, the universe is not settled yet, you and I are both dark horses!!!" Just then. Cheng Ran''s face suddenly showed a smile. "Brother Jiang''s talent is indeed extraordinary, he already possesses more strength than the average person." Under the exertion from Jiang Ning''s right arm, the stone lock marked a hundred catties instantly rose off the ground. He lifted the stone lock in his hands, weighing it a bit, and could clearly feel that his strength had increased a lot. This hundred-catty stone lock was no strain at all for him. Looking at Jiang Ning, his face not red, his heart not racing, his demeanor was relaxed. Cheng Ran praised again, "Brother Jiang''s strength is extraordinary!" Jiang Ning smiled, "Practicing boxing for a few days, there should be some progress!" He then put down the stone lock. "Brother Jiang, would you like to try the stone lock weighing a hundred and fifty catties?" Cheng Ran spoke again. Jiang Ning nodded, "Naturally, I want to give it a try!" As the words fell, he moved his steps and came before the stone lock weighing a hundred and fifty catties. For an untrained ordinary person, a hundred and fifty catties is a significant challenge. For him previously, it was an impossible task. After all, he was rather frail before, one might say he had the strength of a chicken and couldn''t lift a hundred catties off the ground, let alone one hundred fifty. Chapter 25 - 25 Seeking Advice Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Seeking AdviceStanding in front of a 150-pound stone lock, Jiang Ning exhaled lightly and adjusted his state. Jiang Ning''s palm firmly gripped the handle of the stone lock, and as he exerted force, the muscles in his right arm bulged conspicuously, their sinews becoming distinctly visible. The stone lock also lifted off the ground abruptly with the explosive release of his strength. Seeing this, Cheng Ran''s eyes flashed with an unusual expression. "I remember Brother Jiang has only been practicing martial arts for four days, right? His physique has actually enhanced to this degree already, he can lift a 150-pound stone lock, that''s remarkable!" Jiang Ning slowly set the stone lock down before he spoke, "Brother Cheng is too kind with his words! Even a common farmer could lift a 200-pound stone lock, what I''m doing is nothing special!" "This is different!" Cheng Ran said quite seriously, shaking his head, "Brother Jiang is lean and fragile, clearly someone unaccustomed to hard labor, and now, at most having practiced martial arts for four days, his physique and strength have increased so much that he can lift a 150-pound stone lock, which shows that Brother Jiang''s martial arts talent is truly outstanding!" Cheng Ran continued to speak, shaking his head and wearing a reflective expression. Then, he asked, "Brother Jiang, you must have mastered the basics of the Five Animals Fist a few days ago, right?" Jiang Ning nodded, not denying it, "Brother Cheng is indeed perceptive!" Cheng Ran smiled, "Of course! But this is also easy to see! Since Brother Jiang can lift a 150-pound stone lock, his Qi-Blood must have already been condensed. Once one can condense Qi-Blood, mastering boxing is only natural!" At this point, Cheng Ran''s face showed a look of regret. "Brother Jiang has just begun and in a few days, you''ve already managed to practice all five stances of the Five Animals Fist, reaching a level that others would achieve over a much longer period. Speaking of it, Brother Jiang''s martial arts talent is truly exceptional, surpassing even me and Xiao Peng." "What a pity you started learning martial arts so late! If Brother Jiang had started practicing one or two years earlier, by now, you might already have become a True Disciple of our teacher and have reached Martial Arts Entry, naturally joining the Inspection Office, completing the leap from fish to dragon. Then, Xiao Peng wouldn''t have the chance to be so arrogant, would he?" As he spoke, Cheng Ran shook his head even more. Jiang Ning smiled and said nothing. The 150-pound stone lock in his hand was also set down. After this test with the stone lock, he had a rough idea of his current strength. Probably around one hundred seventy to eighty pounds. Lifting a 150-pound stone lock did not place much of a burden on him. He felt he still had some force left, not much, but an additional thirty pounds wouldn''t be difficult to exert if he forced himself! "Practicing boxing for a few days has greatly enhanced my physique. The martial arts of this world are indeed miraculous!" Jiang Ning was very satisfied in his heart, "Now that I''ve mastered the Five Animals Fist to a high level, practicing the boxing once can condense two strands of Qi-Blood, doubling the efficiency compared to before!" "The speed of body tempering will also greatly increase! With three more months to go, perhaps there''s enough time. After all, if my boxing makes another breakthrough, reaching the state of small success, my efficiency in condensing Qi-Blood will be further improved." At this moment, Cheng Ran was as if invigorated. "Brother Jiang, I cannot waste away here, I must achieve great success in boxing, I want to become a Direct Disciple of Teacher Wang Jin, I want to defeat Xiao Peng and become a member of the Inspection Office. If I can''t do it, I''ll only have to go back and inherit the family''s thousand acres of fertile land!" Inherit a thousand acres of fertile land! Jiang Ning: "..." Rich landowner!! Just a thousand acres of fertile land alone is worth more than ten thousand taels of silver!! And the ''thousand'' he mentioned might not even be merely a thousand acres. Rich landlord!! Jiang Ning mentally scoffed. ... After lunch. Jiang Ning practiced the Five Animals Fist once more, then ate the last of the wild ginseng. Afterward, he didn''t waste any more time and focused entirely on practicing his boxing. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +2] [...] An entire afternoon had passed, and he had practiced the boxing technique ten times, with each session condensing two strands of Qi Blood Power within his body. During these ten sessions of boxing, there were two instances where the prompt for an increase of two in Five Animals Fist Experience Value appeared. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Master 13/200) Everyone had already left to collect their medicinal soup, and Jiang Ning was also breathing heavily. After closing the panel, he clenched his fists again, feeling the surge of vitality and Qi Blood Power coursing directly into his right arm. The next moment. "Qi Blood Power can now flow through half of my right arm. At his prime, my brother''s Qi Blood strength could flow through all four limbs, which means that my current Qi Blood strength is roughly one-eighth of my brother''s at his peak." Feeling the changes within his body, Jiang Ning nodded contentedly. "With the rate of growth like this, it won''t take many days for my strength to catch up with my brother! This panel is truly miraculous! If I could break through to the next level of Five Animals Fist, reaching the small success threshold, the total amount of Qi Blood Power condensed with each practice would inevitably increase." "Unfortunately!" Jiang Ning shook his head slightly, letting out a soft sigh. "Now that the wild ginseng is completely used up, without such medicinal help in the future, even with the substantial meals provided by the Martial Arts Hall to supplement nutrition, I''ll have to halve the frequency of practicing Five Animals Fist." With that thought, Jiang Ning furrowed his brows. A wild ginseng is worth a dozen or twenty taels of silver. How could he, currently in the Martial Arts Hall, come up with so much silver? Ten taels of silver, that''s equivalent to the living expenses of an ordinary family for three to four months. Its purchasing power is roughly equivalent to about ten thousand yuan in my previous life. Yet I could absorb a wild ginseng in just three or four days. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning immediately felt a headache coming on. He patted his head, let''s forget about these worries for now, especially since I can''t carelessly go out without self-protection! Even if I did go out, I don''t have a way to make money, and I might run into Xu Yunfeng. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. An accidental injury could delay my boxing practice progress. It''s better to lay low for now, to improve my strength a bit more. There''s no immediate danger to my brother, so no need to take any risks. I''ll just take my time! After clearing his thoughts, Jiang Ning headed straight toward the back kitchen. The daily bowl of medicinal soup provided by the Martial Arts Hall has had a decent effect after my few days of experiments! It allows me to practice the boxing techniques once or twice more without putting too much strain on my body. Why not continue to show my skills to Wang Jin and see if I can get even more benefits? As Jiang Ning walked toward the back kitchen, he fell into deep thought. ... The Martial Arts Hall at night was silent and desolate. The cold moonlight poured down from above, making the patterns on the ground distinctly visible in the bright light. "Master!" Jiang Ning bowed respectfully. Wang Jin nodded, "You said you wanted to ask me about the insights into boxing techniques?" "Yes!" Jiang Ning bowed, then continued, "Disciple wishes to understand what Tiger Form Boxing means by ''strength within softness, softness within strength.'' What Bear-shaped Fist means by ''stability with nimbleness within.'' What Monkey Fist means by ''swift, agile, and unpredictable movements.'' What Deer Fist means by ''combining motion and stillness, with stillness in motion and motion in stillness.'' What Crane Form Boxing means by ''soaring into the clouds, where movements follow the heart''s desire.''" Wang Jin looked at Jiang Ning with a somewhat surprised expression. "What you''re asking about is something that can be achieved with a small success in Five Animals Fist. For you, that''s too far ahead. Wait until the day when your Five Animals Fist reaches the master level, when boxing techniques and breathing have become instinctual for the body, then come and ask me!" Chapter 26: Wang Jin’s Shock and Benefits! Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Wang Jin''s Shock and Benefits!Standing under the moonlight. "Master, I have mastered the Five Animals Fist," Jiang Ning claimed truthfully. "Mastered?" Wang Jin''s eyes suddenly widened, becoming round. "Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded. "You say you have mastered it? Perform the Five Animals Fist for me!" Wang Jin''s demeanor then turned very serious. "Yes!" Jiang Ning responded. The next moment. Hoping to showcase my achievements, I could gain more recognition and support from Wang Jin. I also desired guidance from Wang Jin, hoping for the changes I anticipated. This thought briefly flashed through Jiang Ning''s mind. Under the envelopment of the moonlight, he assumed his stance and began demonstrating the Five Animals Fist in front of Wang Jin. At this moment, with Jiang Ning''s mastery level of the Five Animals Fist, his every move and technique lost all previously seen stiffness. It was as though his breathing and boxing techniques had already fused into his bones, becoming his bodily instincts, making everything appear seamless. Witnessing this scene, Wang Jin''s eyes grew wider under the moonlight, swelling as big as cowbells. Incredible! Incredible!! His heart churned with shock and awe. "How many days has it been! This young man''s Five Animals Fist has reached the level of mastery?" "Is there truly such a martial arts genius in this world?" "With such strong learning capabilities and a body that perfectly matches the Five Animals Fist, he managed to integrate this technique into his bones in just a few days, turning the rhythm of his breathing and each movement into his bodily instincts?" "Such exaggerated talent, if his comprehension is sufficient, he could certainly inherit my teachings!" "Now I don''t know what his level of comprehension is; without exceptional comprehension, even a Middle Grade martial arts skill wouldn''t shine in his hands!" "Moreover, the disciple I want should have extremely high comprehension, able to practice the Middle Grade Martial Arts Skill to perfection, potentially learning another Middle Grade Martial Arts Skill combining both water and fire, power accumulation, which could be a Superior Martial Arts Skill!" "However, it''s such a pity, a real pity!!" At this moment, Wang Jin''s look at Jiang Ning turned to one of regret. "He started learning martial arts too late! Three months, no matter how excellent his fortune, he couldn''t meet the requirements to enter the Inspection Office!" "If he had started learning martial arts two years earlier, he could have seized this opportunity to leap through the dragon''s gate!" "Once he had seized this opportunity, his future fate would be completely different! No longer confined to this small world, no longer limited to tiny Luoshui County!" "This young man is really unfortunate!!!" The more he thought, the more Wang Jin felt a deep sense of regret. Not to mention future progress, at least Jiang Ning was the fastest progressing beginner he had ever seen. He had just started but had already reached the level of mastery in the Five Animals Cultivation. Yet, he was unconnected to the Inspection Office. The Inspection Office, being a newly established imperial department with the Martial Saint personally presiding, was a tremendous opportunity for anyone who could join. Especially for someone like Jiang Ning from a common family background, it was an opportunity to drastically alter his destiny. Wang Jin''s thoughts slowly returned, and he continued observing Jiang Ning practicing his boxing seriously. "This young man is indeed outstanding, but missing this opportunity, his ultimate achievements are ultimately limited!" "But that''s also good, if he succeeds in martial arts and passes my test, becoming my Closed-door Disciple is also an acceptable outcome!" "This young man appears to be loyal and righteous, not the kind who would betray his master! Missing the chance to join the Inspection Office indeed makes him more suitable to look after me in my old age!" "Otherwise, joining the Inspection Office, although it''s a great opportunity for him, the responsibilities of the Inspection Office are substantial, likely not peaceful, and he may end up killed in action unexpectedly!" Once clarified, Wang Jin no longer dwelled on it, quietly observing as Jiang Ning finished displaying the Five Animals Fist. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Skill]:Five Animals Fist (Mastered 14/200) Once finished, two more strands of Qi-Blood increased in Jiang Ning''s body, and atop his head, wisps of steam rose. "Not bad! Really not bad!" Wang Jin nodded slightly, his eyes showing admiration. "It''s because of the Master''s excellent instruction!" Jiang Ning bowed. Wang Jin chuckled, "You don''t need to say that! I haven''t particularly instructed you, only taught you the Five Animals Fist and demonstrated it a few times. Reaching this step mostly relied on your diligence and talent!" As he finished speaking, Wang Jin continued, "Starting from tomorrow, go to the kitchen three times a day to collect a bowl of medicinal soup! Later, go find Aunt Sun and tell her about this!" Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning''s heart filled with joy. Demonstrating his progress before Wang Jin indeed was the correct approach. Without showcasing his talent, how could he gain Wang Jin''s attention? How could he obtain this benefit? Earlier in the day, Xiao Peng became Wang Jin''s True Disciple and his greatest advantage was being able to fetch a bowl of medicinal soup from the kitchen three times a day. Now, Jiang Ning had also gained this benefit, indicating that Wang Jin valued him even more. At this moment, Jiang Ning made no effort to hide his happiness. "Yes!" Jiang Ning bowed in respect, "Thank you, master!!" Wang Jin nodded with a smile, his gaze on Jiang Ning becoming more pleasant, "You just wanted to ask me about the essentials of achieving small success with the Five Animals Fist, correct?" "Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded, then bowed, "Please enlighten me, Master!" Wang Jin nodded, then took off his short coat, wearing only a pair of grey shorts that barely reached his knees, revealing his muscular physique. "The Tiger Form Boxing contains softness within its strength, and what is meant by having strength within softness. The Bear-shaped Fist''s stability includes nimbleness. The agility and flexibility of the Ape Form Boxing, the body''s unpredictable transformations. The Deer Form Boxing''s integration of motion and stillness, having stillness within motion and motion within stillness. The Crane Form Boxing''s soaring into the clouds, the ability to move at will is related to your control over your body and your understanding of power." "To achieve these, it''s very hard to express in words! Just like you still breathe even in your sleep!" Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning appeared thoughtful. Wang Jin continued, "I will demonstrate a round of boxing for you, showing you what the small success level of the Five Animals Fist looks like, observe the shifting patterns of my muscles closely." "Thank you, Master!" Jiang Ning thanked with a bow. "Watch closely!" Wang Jin exclaimed lightly. Without any movement of his feet, his body suddenly shot backwards, instantly reaching an open space three meters away from Jiang Ning. The next moment. His arms moved, beginning to demonstrate the Five Animals Fist. Jiang Ning instantly focused all his attention on Wang Jin''s movements, especially the shifting patterns of his muscles. The transformation of muscle patterns contained the circulation of power. As Wang Jin''s boxing progressed, Jiang Ning also reflected. The Tiger Form Boxing in Wang Jin''s hands was not like the textbook standard he had demonstrated before. Sometimes the movements were slow, like a slowly approaching tiger. Sometimes there was a sudden burst, like a tiger rushing down the mountain, bursting with fearsome momentum. "Strength within softness, softness within strength? Such a notion indeed shares the marvels of Tai Chi from my previous life¡ªthe integration of motion and stillness, the combination of strength and softness!" This made him think of punching, withdrawing a fist, only to swing it out ferociously. He also thought of a spring, the harder it''s pressed, the stronger the burst. So, softness serves to gather strength, firmness to burst. With this thought, Jiang Ning continued to meticulously memorize the movement of Wang Jin''s muscle patterns. Time slowly passed. In Wang Jin''s current demonstration. The Five Animals Fist appeared completely different from what he had seen earlier. In his hands, each move of the boxing seemed to be brimming with life. The strength within the softness of the Tiger Form Boxing, and the softness within its strength. The Bear-shaped Fist''s stability included nimbleness. The agility and flexibility of the Ape Form Boxing, the body''s transformations unpredictable. The Deer Form Boxing''s integration of motion and stillness, having stillness within motion and motion within stillness. The Crane Form Boxing''s soaring into the clouds, the ability to move as the mind wills. All these forms of boxing were displayed by him. After a round of boxing demonstration, Wang Jin slowly exhaled a breath from his abdomen, then looked at Jiang Ning calmly, his face not flushed and his heart not racing. By now, Jiang Ning had already closed his eyes. In his mind, the scenes of Wang Jin demonstrating the Five Animals Fist continuously replayed. Each move, each action, the subtle changes in muscle patterns were all vivid in his sight. After a good while, equivalent to the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes. "How do you feel?" Wang Jin asked. "I''ll give it a try!" Jiang Ning said. Chapter 27 - 27 Ferocious Tiger Energy Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Ferocious Tiger EnergyUnder the moonlight, Jiang Ning began to practice his boxing. This time, his pace was quite slow, far from the usual speed of practicing the Five Animals Fist. But Wang Jin looked at this scene with a slight surprise. Because Jiang Ning''s muscle texture was changing, as if imitating the power that had just flowed through his own body. One should know that such power could only be utilized at will once the Five Animals Fist had reached Perfection, and it was a force with extremely destructive potential upon contact. In some cases, Martial Arts Grade did not represent the actual combat power. A Martial Artist who reached Great Success in Qi-Blood, with channels opened in all limbs, once mastered the power through a Cultivation Technique, could, with its domineering presence, stand toe-to-toe with a beginner-level Martial Artist for several exchanges without falling short. And should one achieve Qi Blood Perfection, with channels opened throughout the body, once they mastered this power, they could dominate a beginner-level Martial Artist in combat. Moreover, some beings with exceptional Talent, such as those with Innate Divine Strength, could achieve a thousand-jin force upon reaching Qi Blood Perfection, equivalent to twice the power of a normal Martial Artist of the same level ¨C such gifted individuals could also chase down those who had just entered the Martial Arts Grade in combat. The principle of "sheer force overpowering myriad techniques" was nothing out of the ordinary. The emergence of power could be mastered by any Lower Cultivation Technique that reached Perfection. This was also the basis of grading Lower Techniques. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And the Five Animals Fist, once all five forms reached Perfection, could give birth to Tiger Power, White Ape Power, Wild Bear Power, Grey Crane Power, and Spirit Deer Power. Among these, Tiger Power was the strongest; once physical contact was made and it was infused into the opponent''s body, their muscles, bones, and flesh would all shatter. This was why he had specifically captured a ferocious tiger and placed it in an iron cage for all the Disciples to observe, hoping that someone with an exceptionally high level of perception could grasp the Tiger Form Boxing''s Perfection in a sudden flash of insight¡ªif the boxing reached Perfection, the Tiger Energy would be achieved. There was a clear distinction between Martial Artists who had mastered such power and those who had not. He had just relied on the various powers of the Five Animals in his physical circulation to drive changes in his muscle patterns, allowing him to demonstrate the essence of small success in boxing. As for whether Jiang Ning could have an epiphany, he did not hold much expectation. If the Five Animals Fist could be so easily broken through, then his Martial Arts Hall wouldn''t have produced only a few True Disciples in two to three years. The vast majority of apprentices who joined the Martial Arts Hall typically left after their six-month term expired, packing their beds and leaving. At this moment, while Wang Jin was deep in thought, Jiang Ning finished a round of boxing. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] "How did it go?" Wang Jin came back to reality and asked. "I have gained a bit of insight!" Jiang Ning replied, "I want to try again!" With those words, he took a deep breath and began to practice his boxing again. This time, instead of recalling the images in his mind, he boxed according to his own understanding. After letting go, and based on the insights from the previous round of boxing, Jiang Ning felt it was different. As if reaching into the profound, he seemed to grasp some inspiration about being firm yet flexible, flexible yet firm. His power flowed freely, and the explosive force following the buildup in his Tiger Form Boxing gave him a thrill of power pouring out uncontrollably. After thirty minutes, Jiang Ning finished his boxing. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +2] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Master 17/200) Looking at the prompt before him, "It seems my perception can only be considered mediocre at best; at most, I''ve grasped some superficial aspects of the essence of small success!" At this moment, Jiang Ning was very aware that although practicing this round of boxing had earned him two experience points at once, It did not mean that he had comprehended the essence of small success in the Five Animals Fist. In his estimates, if he truly comprehended the essence of the Five Animals Fist, he would be able to achieve both hardness within softness and softness within hardness in the Tiger Form Boxing, as well as stability combined with agility in the Bear-shaped Fist. He would also be capable of swift and unpredictable movements in the Ape Form Boxing, a seamless blend of motion and stillness in the Deer Form Boxing, with stillness within motion and motion within stillness, along with the soaring and free-spirited nature of the Crane Form Boxing, following the heart''s intent. Achieving these five points would probably mean that with each practice of the martial arts, Experience Value would surge by 185 points, and the Five Animals Fist would immediately reach small success. Instead of the mere two points of Experience Value currently added. "However, thinking about these, I might be a bit greedy!" Jiang Ning self-deprecatingly remarked in his heart. His mood shifted to joy; even this kind of progress was good! It verified his previous guess, having Wang Jin guide him in the Five Animals Fist ¨C if he could grasp even a bit of fur regarding the small success level of the Five Animals Fist, then it would definitely help increase the efficiency of his cultivation of Experience Value. He clenched his fists, feeling quite exhilarated. Although it merely allowed him to add an additional point of Experience Value to this round of boxing technique. But having confirmed his speculation, it undoubtedly paved a road for him, a road to cultivating Experience Value more efficiently. Just now, he felt that as long as he could find and determine it, before the Five Animals Fist reached small success, the efficiency of cultivating Experience Value would double. And if he could gain further insights into other boxing movements, the efficiency of obtaining Experience Value could increase even more. Simultaneously, Wang Jin also gave a slight nod of approval. He soon opened his mouth to speak, "I see you''ve gained some insights?" Jiang Ning nodded, "A little." Wang Jin said, "Actually, the best way to progress in the Five Animals Fist is to closely observe the movements and demeanor of the tiger, bear, ape, crane, and deer, even when they fight, as this boxing art is derived from the actions and expressions of these five animals." "Eight days from now, the old tiger in the courtyard will be released to fight with someone. You can go and observe carefully at that time. This will be greatly beneficial to you as you step into Great Success and even Perfection with your Tiger Form Boxing in the future." Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning''s eyes immediately brightened. Not to mention anything else, as long as he grasped the form and spirit of the Tiger Form Boxing, the efficiency at which he cultivated Experience Value for the Five Animals Fist would increase significantly, not only until it reached small success. Before reaching Great Success, he would be able to gain a multiple of the Experience Value with each practice of the boxing technique. If he achieved this, then before the Five Animals Fist reached Great Success, every practice of the boxing technique would add two points of Experience Value, effectively doubling the efficiency. Even though acquiring Experience Value didn''t lead to an increase in the efficiency of condensing Qi-Blood. Just like the round of boxing he had just practiced¡ªalthough it added two points of Experience Value at once, the Qi Blood Power didn''t double, it remained as before, only condensing two strands of Qi Blood Power. But that was okay because if the efficiency of his boxing Experience Value cultivation was faster than his breakthroughs would be quicker. After all, for him, there was no such thing as a bottleneck; as long as Experience Value was cultivated to the full, he could naturally break through. An Entry Level Five Animals Fist could condense a strand of Qi-Blood, while a Mastered level of the Five Animals Fist could condense two strands of Qi-Blood with just one practice, effectively doubling the efficiency. It goes without saying that after reaching small success, the efficiency of condensing Qi-Blood using the Five Animals Fist would be even greater. And as for Great Success, that would similarly increase the efficiency of condensing Qi-Blood. The efficiency of condensing Qi-Blood in the Great Success level of the Five Animals Fist would surely far surpass the present. In this manner, the possibility of him joining the Inspection Office within three months would increase significantly. Jiang Ning was quite invigorated in his heart. Seeing the expression on Jiang Ning''s face, Wang Jin nodded with satisfaction. "Good! To make bold and rapid progress in Martial Arts, one must have confidence and vitality!" Jiang Ning returned to his senses and gave a bow with clasped hands. "Disciple thanks Teacher for the guidance!" Wang Jin said with a chuckle, "Skip all the formalities! Just concentrate on practicing your boxing. Achieving a state of Great Success soon would be the best response! At that time, you and I will have a true teacher-disciple connection. Although you may miss the best opportunity to join the Inspection Office due to your misfortune, if you can pass my test, I will impart all my life''s expertise to you, and your future achievements might even surpass mine." Jiang Ning smiled and neither agreed nor disagreed. Chapter 28: Wang Jin’s Study Room Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Wang Jin''s Study RoomJiang Ning didn''t believe that Wang Jin could meet the conditions to enter the Inspection Office within three months. He understood very well, which was quite normal. After all, his training in martial arts had been too brief. What could he achieve in just three months? Judging by the challenge for Wang Jin''s true disciples, achieving great success with any stance of the Five Element Fist within six months was sufficient to become his true disciple. This showed how difficult training in martial arts was. His elder brother had trained for many years and had only managed to achieve great Qi-Blood and coordination in his limbs. And to meet the requirements for joining the Inspection Office, one needed to reach the Martial Arts Entry, and be under thirty years old. In Luoshui County, anyone who could achieve this was either a martial arts genius or wealthy and noble, using money to mold themselves into a martial artist. Jiang Ning displayed a smile on his face, his expression brimming with confidence, "Master, don''t worry! It won''t be long before I master the Five Animals Fist!" "Good! That''s the confidence you should have!" Wang Jin praised again. He then slightly looked up at the moon, "It''s getting late! I, an old man, shall not trouble you, the young, further! I need to go rest! You shouldn''t practice your fist anymore tonight, you went a bit too far just now. Go back to your room and rest well, conserve your energy and continue tomorrow!" Jiang Ning nodded, "Disciple understands!" Then Jiang Ning spoke again, "Disciple has an impolite request to discuss with Master." "Stop beating around the bush, just say it!" Wang Jin said. "Disciple wishes to borrow books from Master''s study. It''s still early until midnight; I could read for a while. Plus, normally when I recover my physical strength and rest during spare time, reading can help me gain more knowledge," Jiang Ning said. "You are this diligent?" Wang Jin was a bit stunned, his original intention was for Jiang Ning to rest early that night. But to his surprise, Jiang Ning was thinking of utilizing the early hours to borrow and read books. Jiang Ning scratched his head, "As a child from a poor family, I must strive hard! How else can I change my fate? And teacher, you know that my reason for asking to stay in the Martial Arts Hall long-term is because there are people outside who mean me harm! Next spring, I hope to participate in the imperial examination, gain scholarly honor, and thus gain real peace." "Scholarly honor is needed for peace?" Wang Jin asked, surprised, "Is the pressure from becoming an official?" Jiang Ning replied, "It''s not truly being an official, but it''s akin to it." "I see!" Wang Jin nodded slightly, but did not delve further. Then he said, "For you to have such aspirations is commendable. It is crucial to excel in both literary and martial arts! A true strong man is never just invincible in strength or intelligence alone, but in both. A true martial arts master is never illiterate." Jiang Ning nodded in agreement, "I fully agree with the Master!" Wang Jin nodded again, "With such aspirations, how could I not support you! From now on, feel free to enter my study, and later you can get a key from Aunt Sun!" "Thank you, Master!" Jiang Ning said gravely, bowing in respect. ... Thud, thud, thud¡ª A knocking sound arose. "Coming! Coming!" The sound echoed, followed by a series of heavy footsteps drawing nearer to Jiang Ning''s ears. Creeeak¡ª As the courtyard door opened, it revealed the slightly burly figure of Aunt Sun. "I knew it was you, youngster!" Aunt Sun spoke. Jiang Ning also showed a smile, "Sister Sun, sorry to disturb you so late!" "Hey! What disturbance! I haven''t even gone to bed yet," Aunt Sun waved her hand and then spoke again, "You''re not practicing at this hour and suddenly coming to see me, what''s the matter?" Jiang Ning said, "Today I overexerted my body and don''t have any wild ginseng to replenish my exhausted energy, so I can''t train anymore! Hence, I just spoke to the Master and asked if I could borrow some books from the library, and after he agreed, he asked me to get the keys from Sister Sun!" "That''s so!" Aunt Sun nodded in realization. "Wait here! I''ll get you the keys to the library!" "Uh-huh!" Jiang Ning nodded repeatedly. It was only a short moment. Aunt Sun came rushing over to Jiang Ning. "Here are the keys! Don''t lose them!" "Don''t worry, Sister!" Jiang Ning smiled, taking the keys from Aunt Sun. Then he spoke again, "By the way, Sister." "What is it?" Jiang Ning said, "The Master just mentioned that starting tomorrow, I can have a bowl of medicinal soup morning, noon, and night." "Not bad, young one! I didn''t expect Master Wang to hold you in such high regard, even elevating your status to that of a true disciple! Even Xiao Peng, who became a true disciple today, gets no more!" Aunt Sun exclaimed happily, giving Jiang Ning a hearty slap on the back. Then she continued, "I just heard you don''t have wild ginseng to sustain your training, and I was worried you might overtrain and harm your body! After all, you''re one of the hardest working kids I''ve seen training here at the martial arts hall over the years." Jiang Ning just smiled, not speaking. He had heard praises of his diligence many times before. But when there was a clear pathway, every effort yielded returns, he could see his progress bit by bit, and feel his body growing stronger¡ªwho wouldn''t be diligent? People tend to lack diligence because they see no returns¡ªefforts made without reward. Especially when stuck at a bottleneck, struggling for a week, a month, a year, and still unable to make progress¡ªwho could continue persevering? ... After saying goodbye to Aunt Sun, Jiang Ning quickly headed toward the library. The collection of books at Wang Jin''s Martial Arts Hall was surely more extensive than his own home, potentially even including secret martial arts skills. Now, due to his recent performance, his status in the eyes of Wang Jin had improved, granting him access to the library, something he greatly anticipated. When he arrived at the library door. He unlocked it, then stepped inside. After lighting the candlestick, the whole layout of the library came into view. On three sides of the library, there were large bookcases, each neatly lined with books. Holding the books, Jiang Ning approached the bookcase on the right which contained medical books and pharmacology. As the saying goes, medicine and martial arts are inseparable. Martial arts involve understanding the mysteries of the human body. Those who pioneered martial arts skills had to be extremely knowledgeable and deeply understand the human anatomy. The same goes for medicinal herbs. The path of martial arts is closely linked to various herbs, inseparable. Without the aid of medicines, a person''s martial arts achievements would inevitably be greatly limited, and their progress significantly slowed. It is well-known that the best age to start martial arts is fifteen when bones and bodies are mature, and up to about thirty-five is the golden age¡ªwhen improvements are the largest and fastest. From around forty, martial artists would gradually decline, and their Qi-blood would continuously weaken. At that time, it''s not only difficult to advance in martial arts skills, but even maintaining strength would be challenging. Unless one practices martial arts to a high level, strengthening the organs with inner strength and prolonging bodily functions, then a longer golden age could be possible for advancing in martial arts. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With these thoughts flickering through his mind, Jiang Ning''s gaze swiftly scanned the names on the books as he moved forward slowly. Chapter 29 - 29 Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill Fragmented Pages Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill Fragmented PagesIn the study. Jiang Ning slowly walked along the bookshelf placed on the floor, his gaze swiftly sweeping over the titles of the books on the shelves. One row, two rows, three rows. After he had looked through the three rows of bookshelves, he had a general understanding of the collection in Wang Jin''s study. Among these three rows of bookshelves, there were books on governance, worldly affairs, various scriptures and examinations, medical and herbal studies, and a row dedicated to books on Martial Arts. He had briefly glanced at those books on Martial Arts; most were subpar Martial Arts Skill books, with only the top shelf holding a few books on Lower Martial Arts Skills. He had just briefly pulled one out and glanced through it, knowing that studying them would indeed be somewhat helpful. However, Jiang Ning knew his own way of cultivation; he should specialize rather than be greedy. For him, biting off more than he could chew was not an option. In his hands, any Cultivation Technique could reach the Realm of Perfection, and it was only after Breaking Limits that the miraculous and mystifying aspects appeared. Not only would the effects be greatly enhanced, but they would also acquire certain extraordinary traits. Like the Reading and Writing Skill, breaking its limits not only made his thoughts move faster and increased his spiritual power but most importantly, granted him the unforgettable trait. This trait was also of great help to him. Thus, he would not forsake the Experience Value of the Reading and Writing Skill, and practicing this Skill didn''t conflict at all with his Martial Arts practice. After all, a person''s physical endurance is limited! If one practices excessively, no amount of tonic medicine will prevent a collapse. Moreover, reading enlightens the mind and clarifies reason. But most importantly, it clarifies the Divine Soul. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Divine refers to Essence, Qi, and Spirit, which also includes spiritual power and the Divine Soul. Thoroughly studying scriptures and increasing knowledge can enhance spiritual power and strengthen the Divine Soul; these are the rules of this world. Scholars of the Daoist path, whose Yin Gods can leave their bodies to wander the world, can travel from Kunlun in the morning to Mount Chang at dusk. They can even use their Divine Souls to manipulate the forces of nature, and their strength should not be underestimated. This is also what the court officials rely on. At the same time, many books mention the importance of the Divine, which is an essential path for those pursuing advanced levels of Martial Arts. However, very few Martial Arts Strongmen choose this path to strengthen their Divine Souls because academic achievement requires extremely high talent and decades of diligent study. Jiang Ning knew that if it weren''t for his powerful abilities, he wouldn''t be able to manage both literature and Martial Arts. Now that he could study literature, he would not give it up. As long as he kept breaking the limits of the Reading and Writing Skill, he would eventually reach the Realm of the Yin God, which would greatly aid his growth in Martial Arts. But for him, his time and energy in a day were limited; specializing in one or two Cultivation Techniques and Skills was his best choice. Only in this way could he maximize the Experience Value, perfect his Skills quickly, and then Break Limits. Every time a Cultivation Technique broke its limits, it brought significant changes, and traits were what Jiang Ning particularly valued. Various thoughts fluttered through his mind, and suddenly, his gaze sharpened. "Luoshui County Intelligence Compilation" "Great Xia Rebellion Summary" He also spotted an exceptionally eye-catching torn page next to these two volumes. In the next moment, He strode in three steps and reached the desk, his gaze directly landing on the torn page; his intuition told him this page was extraordinary. "Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill" Seeing the five characters on the torn page, his gaze swiftly moved down. On the page, there were only a few hundred characters. But Jiang Ning spent the time it takes to drink a cup of tea just reading those few hundred characters. After a long while. He sighed¡ª He exhaled lightly and set down the torn page in his hand. A golden core swallowed into his belly, my fate controlled by no one but myself! "What lofty intentions! Such a profound Inner Strength Method!" "Unfortunately!" "Unfortunately, it''s just a torn page." Jiang Ning silently shook his head. Having read the torn page, he understood just how exceptional the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill was. According to his knowledge, in the Martial Arts system, there were realms involving skin, flesh, tendons, bones, and Inner Strength fostering the inner organs to produce Inner Breath. And the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, it was an Inner Strength Method originating from the Daoist sects. If practiced long term, this method could prolong one''s life and slow aging. If successful, it could even generate Inner Breath, providing enduring strength that continued incessantly. If this skill reached Perfection, it would culminate in forming an inner core in the body''s Dantian, achieving the stated goal of a golden core swallowed into the belly, my fate controlled by no one but myself. Later, one could absorb the spiritual mechanism of Heaven and Earth, completing the transformation from physical body to Inner Strength in just a few months. This was a practice method from certain branches of the Daoist sects, cultivating disposition before life. "Unfortunately, the information recorded here only covers the breathing techniques, which can barely be considered introductory level. No wonder Wang Jin carelessly left this torn page on the table." After memorizing the text on the torn page, Jiang Ning replaced it on Wang Jin''s desk. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Not Initiated 0/100) "One hundred points?" Staring at his panel, Jiang Ning''s gaze suddenly sharpened. Just for an initiation, it required a hundred Experience Value points¡ªwas this Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill really so extraordinary? His eyes showed a hint of surprise at this moment. It must be due to being a high-level cultivation technique; thus, I must not overlook this method. With the panel in place, perhaps the torn page wouldn''t hinder advancing this cultivation technique. After briefly pondering, Jiang Ning felt this speculation might very well be true. Break Limit¡ªthat effect of breaking norms, creating something from nothing. Not to mention the effect of completing the torn page. The two compared, the difficulty of completing the torn page was not on the same level. Wang Jin, in his pursuit of extending his life and maintaining his physical functions, had located this torn page, which indicated that somewhere in the world, a complete record of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill existed. However, Break Limit was different; it shattered common cognition. Immediately, his gaze returned to the two scrolls in front of him. He picked up one of the scrolls and scanned it. [Xia Rebellion Summary] Xia Calendar 839 year, early January, rebellion erupted in Boshan County, insurgents breached the county town, sweeping through three counties, later suppressed by the belatedly arriving Xuan Armor Army. Xia Calendar 839 year, early January, Baishan Village was annihilated by the insurgents, sweeping through two towns, later dispersed by the stationed army from Shishan County. Xia Calendar 839 year, mid-January... ... Jiang Ning read line by line, growing increasingly astonished as he read. Because the records here included several uprisings that occurred in Zeshan State. Zeshan State, rich in water and mountains, thus named. After a long while, having finished the scroll, Jiang Ning slowly withdrew his gaze, his mind suddenly clear as to why Great Xia had the Martial Saint establish the Inspection Office. Just last year, Zeshan State alone had witnessed a total of six uprisings, both large and small. And that was just the occurrences within one state of Zeshan, while Great Xia contained Nine States, with Zeshan''s frequency of rebellion ranking towards the middle-lower end. One could only imagine how many uprisings occurred throughout the entirety of Great Xia last year. Chapter 30 - 30 This is a struggle between the world and the royal family Chapter 30: Chapter 30 This is a struggle between the world and the royal familyThe scroll also articulated the views of a certain person. Behind these rebellions there always lurked the traces of Sectors and noble families, and in addition to rebellion, various churches worshipping the Evil God sprung up like bamboo after a rain, with most also having the backing of certain powers. The reason behind this was that the invincible Martial Saint had not shown himself for thirty years. Some speculated that the time of the Martial Saint was over, and that he had passed away, which caused the whole of Great Xia to enter a shaky era, with all parties secretly harboring disloyal thoughts. That person even proposed a view that once it was confirmed the Martial Saint had passed away, the world might return to the age of numerous warlords vying for power. Therefore, the root of these rebellions was the struggle for military power. It caused the current court to be drained and exhausted, unable to suppress the uprisings in time, and without triggering the ordinance that would release military power, allowing various stationed armies and regional forces to take advantage and expand their troops. It also allowed noble families and Sects to recruit disciples and members at will. Relaxing military restrictions meant that the forces could have enough power to suppress local rebellions and lewd shrines to the Evil God. When Jiang Ning reached this point, he fully understood. Why just last year alone Great Xia had so many rebellions. It was clearly a worldwide opposition to the royal family, not just opposition to the court. The court is the political power formed by multiple forces. Released military power represented the interests of everyone except the royal family. Whether ambitious or not, all forces wanted to grow stronger, aiming to conspire for greater gains or to back a stronger side and hold out for a better offer. Jiang Ning also understood why the Inspection Office was able to be formed so quickly with the force of a thunderbolt and why the Martial Saint was stationed there. Forcing the royal family to release military power was clearly an open conspiracy. The conspiracy forcing the royal family to release military power was such that if the military power was not released, the rebellions would not stop, nor would the shrines to the Evil God, and the court''s power would be insufficient to suppress these rebellions, inevitably shaking the foundation of Great Xia and entering a turbulent era. This kind of struggle against the overall situation in the world could not establish the Inspection Office without the personal presence of the Martial Saint. And once the Inspection Office was truly established, it would also be involved in this great world trend. At this moment, Jiang Ning thought about many things. He pondered for dozens of breaths. Sigh¡ª Only then did Jiang Ning resume his breathing. "Do I even have a choice?" "The chaotic times I predicted are not oncoming; they have already arrived! If I do not join the Inspection Office, which faction could I join?" "The Inspection Office is, at least, a temporary refuge, and if I have some time, I will be able to establish myself in Luoshui County with Martial Arts." "Joining the Inspection Office is the only way to give me that time." "And it is also only the Inspection Office that can provide me with the fundamental methods for advancing in Martial Arts." "A lean camel is bigger than a horse; the Inspection Office is still the biggest tree in this world as it stands, and will not fall in a short time, just as Great Xia which has stood for over eight hundred years, will not collapse so easily!" In the midst of contemplation, Jiang Ning made his decision completely. He then put down this scroll and picked up another one that recorded information on Luoshui County. Having found himself in Luoshui County, he could not ignore a scroll that contained intelligence on it. With just a cursory glance at the scroll, Jiang Ning had understood. Both scrolls were most likely sent by Master Wang from the stationed troops outside the city. The intelligence records were so abundant and detailed; who else but Master Wang, who led the stationed troops outside the city, could send such detailed intelligence to Wang Jin? In Luoshui County, everyone knew that Wang Jin and Master Wang were blood relatives; it was no secret. Master Wang was very likely Wang Jin''s own brother. The reason why Master Wang could sit back and watch the power struggle in Luoshui County was not simply because he commanded the hundred elite stationed troops outside the city, but also because he also directed the county''s city guards. With a hundred elite troops plus more than five hundred city guards, his power in Luoshui County was not any weaker than the County Lord''s and the three major families leading the local snakes. The County Lord commanded the County Magistrate, the chief clerks, and had comprehensive control over military and civil affairs within Luoshui County, managing over seven hundred constables, arrest officers, government officials, and so on. Among them, as far as Jiang Ning knew, the decisive factor was the County Lord himself, something his elder brother had vaguely discovered. Outside these two powers were the local influences headed by the three major families: Cao, Liu, and Xie. This force was intricately complicated, and Jiang Ning''s understanding of it was limited¡ªhe knew only that no one in Luoshui County could escape the influence of these three major families. Subsequently, Jiang Ning meticulously reviewed the dossier concerning Luoshui County. The dossier was quite thick and felt heavy in his hands. ... In the blink of an eye. The curved moon hanging high in the night sky gradually descended toward the east. [This reading session has increased your Literacy and Judgement Experience by 48 points.] [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Break Limit once 196/2000) (Trait: unforgettable) Jiang Ning turned to the last page of the dossier and slowly withdrew his gaze, only to see this prompt before his eyes. "Approximately three 2-hours sessions, an increase of 48 Experience Points. Tonight''s reading yielded a higher efficiency in gaining Experience Points. There must be a pattern to this, though it''s not easy to decipher." The thought flickered in Jiang Ning''s mind before shaking his head. He then closed the dossier and placed it back in its original spot. "This dossier contains such detailed records of the various forces and experts of Luoshui County. It indeed seems to be sent by Master Wang. If not for someone of his status, how many people could secretly investigate Luoshui County so thoroughly?" "Even Xu Yunfeng is listed within! It''s somewhat surprising that he is just one step away from Martial Arts Entry." Jiang Ning''s eyes unfocused as he fell into contemplation. "According to the dossier, the various powers have long been aware of the setup of the Inspection Office." "But, of course, even Wang Jin knows; the major interconnected powers must have known well in advance." "The end of the dossier also advises Wang Jin to actively cooperate with the establishment of the Inspection Office. Though it poses dangers, it also holds opportunities." "It says that the Inspection Office likely represents the will of the Martial Saint. The Martial Saint hasn''t shown himself in thirty years, but it''s highly probable that he''s still alive, and he may appear before long." Thinking this, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but mutter to himself. If that''s indeed the case, joining the Inspection Office is actually a good choice. For me, the advantages clearly outweigh the disadvantages. He immediately thought of two people mentioned in the dossier. Jiang Ning stroked his forehead as he sank into deep thought. "Cao Bin... Xu Yunfeng..." "Why is Xu Yunfeng targeting my elder brother so vehemently? There must be a matter of interest involved! But what interest could it be? Is my brother''s existence, a mere constable yet to reach Martial Arts Entry, really that influential to the County Lord?" "Could it be that Cao Bin is acting on his personal desires, choosing my brother?" "And is Xu Yunfeng''s diligent effort rooted in the soon-to-be-established Inspection Office?" "If that''s the case, this matter might be resolved more easily, merely facing the pressure from Cao Bin and Xu Yunfeng." After mulling it over for a while, Jiang Ning regained his composure and shook his head. Forget it! Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There are too few clues; it''s useless to consider this matter further! My priority now is to achieve Martial Arts Entry within three months, so I can join the Inspection Office. The Inspection Office, stationed by the only Martial Saint in Great Xia, represents the biggest backing under the heavens if he is still alive. Since the Martial Saint personally oversees it, the importance of the Inspection Office is self-evident. Joining the Inspection Office would be like a fish leaping over the dragon gate; it''s an opportunity I must seize! Not only will my status rise, but access to cultivation techniques, secret techniques, and precious medicines will surely be plentiful. As for Sects, which one could possibly surpass the Great Xia Court in heritage? With the position in the Inspection Office, all crises will naturally dissolve. With the resources of the Inspection Office, I can continue to grow. This is a chance to reap multiple benefits. Chapter 31 - 31 First Attempt at Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill Chapter 31: Chapter 31 First Attempt at Inner Elixir Cultivation SkillIn the study. Jiang Ning came to the side of the bookcase again, took out two books related to the imperial examination, and picked up a book about the basics of Martial Arts that he had just seen. His knowledge of the basics of Martial Arts was still severely lacking. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as in the case of Martial Arts Nine Grade, what exactly was Martial Arts Nine Grade? How big was the gap between him and the Martial Saint? Why was the Martial Saint so formidable, leaving behind countless legends over hundreds of years? He was not very clear about all of this. Moreover, he still had plans for next year''s imperial examination. With a title added to his name, he could receive the protection of the Great Xia Court. Having a title would make it easier to be reused in the Inspection Office, an official institution. After all, the authority of the Inspection Office was to supervise the citizens, pursue the God Worship Sect, and have the power to execute before reporting in stirring and instigating rebellions. These were not matters that could be resolved by mere fighting and killing. Thus, naturally, people with both literary and martial talents would be reused above. "Moreover, with titles, I can enter the County City Temple to worship, receive a baptism of literary aura to strengthen my Divine Soul and enhance my spiritual power, which is also of great help to my Martial Arts path." Jiang Ning held those three books in his hand, then walked out of the study. "It''s already midnight, huh!" He looked up at the bright moonlight overhead and muttered to himself. "It''s time to go back to sleep!" ... The next morning. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 6.0 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (Break Limit once 196/2000) (Trait: unforgettable) Five Animals Fist (Master 17/200) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Great Success 109/1000) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Not started 0/100) Opening the panel, Jiang Ning saw that the Source Energy Points had changed again. "The Source Energy increased by 0.6 yesterday, which undoubtedly confirms my previous hypothesis." Remembering how he had eaten one-third of the Wild Ginseng yesterday, he once again affirmed his previous judgment. The increase in Source Energy Points was related to the energy he consumed. The more energy consumed, and the higher its quality, the more apparent the increase in Source Energy Points became. Just as when he first arrived in this world and spent two months at home recuperating, he mainly had a simple diet before he could eat meat, so the daily increase in Source Energy Points fluctuated between 0.1 and 0.2. In most cases, it was an increase of 0.1 Source Energy Point. Only on days when the meals improved, and he could eat meat, did the increase become 0.2 Source Energy Points. At that time, he had this hypothesis, but due to insufficient sample size, he was not yet certain. Now, with the increase in martial practice, food intake, improvement in meals, and medicinal supplements like Wild Ginseng, apart from the first day of martial practice where he gained only 0.3 Source Energy Points, the subsequent days saw an increase of 0.5 points each. And yesterday, his intake increased again. He ate an amount of Wild Ginseng that would have lasted him one and a half days before, thus his acquisition of Source Energy Points broke new ground, creating a new high. An increase of 0.6 in a day! "Unfortunately, starting today, without the supplement of Wild Ginseng, the speed of gaining Source Energy Points will begin to slow down! If the increase continues at 0.6 points, another week would allow my Source Energy Points to accumulate over 10 points." "10 Source Energy Points would allow me to Break Limit on the Chopping Wood Blade Skill!" "Breaking the Blade Skill''s Limit, the added trait will undoubtedly enhance my combat power! Joining the Inspection Office, as Wang Jin said, will involve tests and skirmishes. Not only is the Martial Arts Entry important, but combat power is also undeniably crucial." Jiang Ning fully understood the entrance test for the Inspection Office. After all, considering its powers, the Inspection Office was clearly a violent institution! Thus, it was very normal to have fighting and testing for entry! Merely being at the Martial Arts Entry level couldn''t represent one''s outstanding combat strength! Some at the Martial Arts Entry level existed merely by practicing all day long, spending their whole lives without ever fighting. This was not very rare. How could such people qualify to join the Inspection Office? And how could they be competent? ... After washing up. Jiang Ning sat quietly in the courtyard, waiting for the rising sun. This was because the time for practicing the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill was during the early sunrise and until it fully rose. According to the records in that damaged page, before one could begin with the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, it could only be practiced specifically at this time and by following the Breathing and Exhaling Method mentioned in the records. At this time, as the early sun rises, there would be a certain energy extremely active within the world, fiery yet gentle, and only during this time could this energy be cultivated into the belly to refine the internal organs. Once the sun completely rose, that energy would instantly become terrifyingly intense, and any bit inhaled would cause the internal organs to burn. Only when the cultivation technique progressed further could one try absorbing this natural energy from sunrise to 5:00-7:00. And to reach Perfection in the cultivation technique and meld the inner core, one must absorb midday''s earthly energies, thus embodying "refining the Golden Core with alchemical fire." When Jiang Ning saw these explanations initially, it felt like a mystic Immortal cultivation technique. But recalling various miscellaneous records seen before, in the Ancient Times, Immortals and Great Demons abounded. Great Xia was the first dynasty after the end of the Ancient Times. Thinking of this made Jiang Ning feel even more that there were countless secrets in this world. Just then. Golden light bathed a myriad of clouds, and the distant skies were shrouded in colorful auspicious clouds. Jiang Ning instantly focused, looking up, his eyes firmly fixed on the bright, fiery sun that had just appeared. He then began to practice the Breathing and Exhaling Method described in the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. With each breath, Jiang Ning felt a stream of warmth enter his belly through his nostrils. The warmth integrated within his organs, making his entire body feel as though it was soaking in a hot spring. "Is it because I possess such high natural talent, or is it the merit of the panel, that I caught this subtle energy on my first attempt at practicing the Breathing and Exhaling Method?" This fleeting thought passed through Jiang Ning''s mind. He then slowly exhaled the stale energy that had passed through his organs. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill experience +1] He then practiced the Breathing and Exhaling Method again, intently watching the continually rising bright sun and inhaled. In a moment, he felt another stream of warmth flow into his belly along with the inhaled Pure Qi. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill experience +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill experience +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill experience +2] [...] From its initial rise to full ascension, the sun took only a mere forty seconds. In the last two seconds before the sun was fully risen, Jiang Ning stopped practicing the Breathing and Exhaling Method of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. At this moment, Jiang Ning felt as if his internal organs were immersed in a hot spring, the warmth spreading from his organs to his whole body, and his Qi-Blood also circulated spontaneously within him. At this moment, his body temperature was much higher than that of an ordinary person, his skin somewhat hot. Jiang Ning closed his eyes to quietly feel the changes in his body. After tens of breaths, his body returned to normal. He then slowly opened his eyes. Chapter 32 - 32 Get Double Experience Value Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Get Double Experience ValueIn the courtyard, bathed in the rising morning sun. Whew¡ª Upon exhaling a breath of impure energy from his belly, Jiang Ning got up. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Instantly, he felt incredibly light all over, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his five viscera and six bowels. Skill: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (not yet started 13/100) "Progress has surpassed one-tenth, another eight days and I should be able to begin, then I''ll know if this cultivation technique can still be broken through!" Just at that moment. Gurgle¡ª A sudden sharp pain came from his stomach. "Not good!" Jiang Ning''s face changed, and he turned and hurried straight to the outhouse. After a cup of tea''s time. Jiang Ning returned to the small courtyard, his feet slightly unsteady. At this moment, however, his face was brimming with smiles. That had been a detoxification of the visceral organs, which undoubtedly indicated that the Inner Elixir Cultivation was effective. "No wonder the torn page of the Inner Elixir Cultivation was found on Wang Jin''s desk, at his age, he really does need this kind of health cultivation technique to regulate his body and maintain his physical functions longer, preventing a decline in condition." Afterward, Jiang Ning rested for a moment then headed toward the kitchen courtyard. He had spent the entire day yesterday practicing boxing and reading files and naturally did not have time to chop wood. Today, he needed to catch up. Shortly after, he arrived at the backyard of the kitchen. In his hands now, the originally heavy logs only required him to exert seventy to eighty percent of his strength to easily split them in one chop. Compared to the very beginning when splitting a log in one chop required full exertion of Qi Blood Power, it was a difference between heaven and earth. As his chopping blade fell continuously, the hefty logs cracked and split in two. He then set them up again and split each in half once more. Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1 Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1 Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1 In just a few breaths, a thick log had been divided into four pieces of wood, and Jiang Ning had successfully gained three experience points. Skill: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Great Success 112/1000) "So easy!!" Looking at the three points of experience increasing rapidly on his panel, he inwardly exclaimed, "If gaining experience for other skills were this simple, that would be great!" He soon laughed at the thought he had unconsciously entertained. Shaking his head, he continued to chop wood. Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1 Chopping Wood Blade Skill Experience Value +1 ... Much later. Jiang Ning stopped his hand and checked his panel. Skill: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Great Success 633/1000) "So fast!" He flicked his chopping blade away. Thud¡ª The sound of the blade embedding into wood resonated from under his feet. That''s enough for today! If I come to chop wood and work tomorrow, my Chopping Wood Blade Skill should be able to break through. Jiang Ning dusted off his hands and walked toward the kitchen. By now, the aroma of breakfast had reached his nose. "Sister Sun!" At the sound of Jiang Ning''s voice, Aunt Sun poked her head out. "Hey! You, young man, show up right on time! My steamed buns are just about done!!" Jiang Ning pointed to his nose, "Sister, it''s not that I''m timely, it''s that your cooking is so good that I already smelled the aroma!" "Look at you, always buttering people up!" Aunt Sun said with a hearty laugh. Entering the kitchen, the steam from the steamer had already filled the room. Watching Aunt Sun still busying herself with the fire. Jiang Ning, with his left hand, opened the top of the steamer, and with his right hand, he grabbed for the big, fluffy meat-stuffed buns inside. "Ouch! Hot!!!" He kept shaking his hands, grimacing, the true nature of a youth sneaking a taste. Seeing this, Aunt Sun''s face broke into a wide grin. "You''re too impatient, little guy. How could it not be hot?" Jiang Ning held his belly, "Sister Sun, I''m just really hungry!" "Here you go!" Aunt Sun got up and opened the steamer at the back of the stove, "These two baskets of meat buns have been steamed already and aren''t as hot. You eat these first! I''ll deliver the rest to Master Wang in a bit." Jiang Ning grinned, "Sister Sun, you''re the best!!!" He then grabbed a big meat bun and stuffed it into his mouth, gobbling it down quickly, and with a gulp, the meat bun went into his stomach. With the meat bun in his belly, he squinted his eyes, a look of enjoyment spreading across his face. "Sister Sun, your cooking skills are truly amazing. The skin is so thin yet there''s so much meat, and it''s delicious, too!" "Eat up! And make sure to drink this herbal decoction when you''re done!" Aunt Sun said, then went to fetch a clay pot from which steam was still steadily rising. Gurgling¡ª With Aunt Sun pouring out the herbal medicine that had been well-simmered, a thick fragrance of herbs spread throughout the kitchen. Seeing this, Jiang Ning quickly polished off the meat-stuffed buns in front of him. In just a few bites, another meat bun vanished into his belly. With Wang Jin''s support, Jiang Ning wasn''t afraid of eating too much, he was just afraid he couldn''t eat enough. Now, the more he ate, the more his body could endure longer periods of boxing practice, and the faster the Experience Value of the Five Animals Fist would increase. Moreover, the Source Energy Points on the display panel would grow at an even faster rate. In the blink of an eye, A whole tray of ten palm-sized meat buns had gone into his belly. Jiang Ning patted his stomach, a contented smile appearing on his face. Then he picked up a still-hot bowl of the herbal decoction. "Take it slow, little guy! It''s too hot, let it cool down a bit," Aunt Sun advised, watching him sip the hot medicine with a pinched expression. "No worries! It''s not that hot," Jiang Ning replied with a smile as he continued to sip from the bowl. A dozen breaths later, Jiang Ning put down the porcelain bowl, his forehead was covered in sweat. "Sister Sun, I''m off to practice my boxing!" Watching Jiang Ning hurry off, Aunt Sun couldn''t help but shake her head slightly: "This kid really pushes himself too hard, he can take so much. It kind of breaks my heart." ... Arriving at the front courtyard, the sun had already risen. But it was not yet 8:00 a.m., and the doors to the Martial Arts Hall would not open until then. Jiang Ning took this opportunity, with a full stomach and the medicine downed, to start practicing his boxing. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] After one round, his brow furrowed slightly. "Just a little more, I haven''t found the feeling from last night!" After a brief adjustment, he practiced boxing again. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +2] As the round of boxing ended and the prompt appeared before him, a smile instantly lit up Jiang Ning''s face. "That''s more like it! Grasping both the hard within the soft and the soft within the hard¡ªpracticing a round of boxing now doubles the Experience Value I get." He clenched his fists, feeling the flow of Qi-Blood in his body. "Unfortunately, with the Boxing Experience Value at plus two, practicing Five Animals Fist at Mastery level only condenses two strands of Qi-Blood, not four." "If it could double, I would achieve small success in Qi-Blood in just two days and unblock an arm." All day long, Jiang Ning spent practicing boxing and reading books intensively. Now, each time he practiced boxing, he could gain two points of Experience Value¡ªhis efficiency had doubled. Privately laboring over these skills and feeling his own gradual improvement, Jiang Ning couldn''t be happier. He knew that, with such a panel, this was a once-in-a-million chance that he had to seize. Chapter 33 - 33 Liver Meridian Experience, Saber Technique nearing Perfection! Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Liver Meridian Experience, Saber Technique nearing Perfection!Night had fallen. Returning to his small courtyard, Jiang Ning opened his panel. Skill: Reading and Writing (Break Limit once 238/2000) (Trait: Unforgettable) Five Animals Fist (Master 52/200) "Literacy and Judgement Experience increased by 42 points!" "I practiced the Five Animals Fist eighteen times today, apart from the first time which added one experience point, the subsequent seventeen practices each added two points of experience, totaling an increase of 35 points for the day, not bad at all!" Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. Although he had lost the assistance of Wild Ginseng today, reducing the number of times he could maximally practice his boxing by about ten times, the understanding he had gained from the Tiger Form Boxing''s blend of hardness within softness, and softness within hardness, meant that with each practice of the boxing technique, the Five Animals Fist would gain two experience points. Thus, the speed of his skill experience growth did not diminish but instead increased, boosting the efficiency unexpectedly. With such efficiency, he was quite content. By his calculation, at this rate, he wouldn''t need a week for his Five Animals Fist to Break Limit through the realm of small success. By then, given his current progress, the Qi-Blood he had accumulated would be sufficient to reach the small success realm and flow through an arm with ease, and the efficiency of condensing Qi-Blood would increase once more. ... The next day, as soon as Jiang Ning woke up, the first thing he did was to open his panel. Source Energy: 6.4 "As expected, the acquisition points have lessened! Yesterday, it increased by 0.6 Source Energy, but today only 0.4." "It seems that supplements like Wild Ginseng really are a big help to me." Thinking this, Jiang Ning slightly shook his head: "Forget it, I''ll put it off for now! A piece of Wild Ginseng is worth more than ten taels of silver, where am I going to find so much silver now! Plus, I haven''t seen my fellow disciple Zhou Xing these past few days, so I don''t even know the exact value of a piece of Wild Ginseng." At this moment, when Jiang Ning thought of Zhou Xing, another figure came to mind, the Sister Li Qing he had seen on his first day at the martial arts hall. "I haven''t seen Sister Li Qing these past few days either, I wonder what she''s been up to?" ... In a blink of an eye, another day had passed. Yesterday was an ordinary day for Jiang Ning. He took advantage of the morning sunrise, seizing the time to practice the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill and performed the Big Sun Breathing Technique facing the rising sun. After a session of breathing exercises, the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill gained another 12 points of experience, one point less than the day before. Jiang Ning suspected it was because he had absorbed less of the heavenly and earthly energy. Other than that, his entire day was spent practicing boxing, reading, and gaining experience by chopping wood. It was mundane, but Jiang Ning never tired of it. Watching each point of experience on his skill meter inch closer to his goals filled him with satisfaction, especially feeling the Qi-Blood condensing with each practice of the boxing technique, making his body stronger and bringing him mental and physical pleasure. Thus, his experience in these two skills had grown considerably by the end of the day. Skill: Reading and Writing (Break Limit once 322/2000) Five Animals Fist (Master 90/200) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Not Yet Entered 25/100) In one day''s time, Reading and Writing had gone from 238 points to 322 points, totaling an 84-point increase in experience. The Five Animals Fist had also increased from 52 points to 90 points, almost reaching halfway to the realm of small success. "Yesterday I added 38 points of experience to my boxing technique. At this rate, it will take another three days. Three days from now, my boxing will be able to reach the realm of small success, and my Qi-Blood will be more than sufficient to flow through an entire arm, achieving the realm of Qi-Blood small success!!" "The efficiency is really impressive! It was the right move asking Wang Jin for the essence of reaching the Five Animals Fist small success!" "If I hadn''t grasped the essence of Tiger Form Boxing, the blend of softness and strength, how could I have such efficiency?" Jiang Ning''s fighting spirit soared instantly. After getting up and finishing his morning routine, he sat cross-legged in the courtyard, quietly waiting for the big sun to rise. For the day, it was only during the short twenty breaths of time that he could use the breathing and exhaling method from the Inner Elixir Cultivation to gain experience with the cultivation technique. Naturally, he wouldn''t waste the opportunity each day brought. Moments later, as the sun rose, Jiang Ning promptly began the breathing and exhaling method of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +2 Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +2 [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] ... Task completed. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation (Uninitiated 40/100) "Almost over half now!" Jiang Ning glanced at his panel and hurriedly went towards the outhouse. Since the first day, after completing his morning breathing and exhaling exercises, he always went to the outhouse. Jiang Ning felt this was detoxification. These past few days, every day he felt his internal organs becoming lighter and his energy levels more abundant, which greatly aided his boxing practice. His physical strength seemed to recover even faster too! Clearly, the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, even though not yet mastered, was already having an effect on him. After leaving the outhouse, he took a short rest and then headed straight for the small courtyard of the kitchen. Yesterday, he spent the entire day practicing his boxing and reading, and didn''t split any firewood; naturally, he couldn''t be lazy today. "Moreover, today is the moment my Chopping Wood Blade Skill achieves Perfection!" [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Great Success 633/1000) Seeing the progress of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill on the panel, Jiang Ning''s steps quickened. He originally planned to grind the Chopping Wood Blade Skill to Perfection in one go yesterday. But at that time, Aunt Sun told him that because he had been working too hard, there was too much chopped firewood, and they couldn''t use it all at once! He was told to come back and chop wood the next day. It was precisely for this reason he waited until today to prepare to grind his skill in the Chopping Wood Blade Skill to Perfection. A moment later. Jiang Ning arrived at the back courtyard of the kitchen. By this time, the morning sun had already risen. In the blistering heat of mid-July, with the big sun shining upon the world, Jiang Ning could feel the breeze starting to carry the heat. "This damn weather, hasn''t there been a drop of rain in two months?" Jiang Ning''s tone was somewhat doubtful as he murmuted, then recalled briefly. "It has been two months!" "Looking at this situation, this year''s crop yield probably won''t be good!" "Forget it! What''s that got to do with me?" Jiang Ning shook his head, casting out the miscellaneous thoughts from his mind. Then he grabbed the axe that was a full five pounds in weight. "I''d better just focus on grinding my experience value!" As the thought passed through his mind, the axe in his hand also fell. Whoosh¡ª The sound of the axe blade cutting air. Thud¡ª The axe fell, and the thick log standing on the stump split in two. [Chopping Wood Blade Skill EXP +1] "Heh, it''s really gotten simpler!" ... After a while. Jiang Ning wiped the sweat dripping from his forehead. Even with his current physical strength, chopping several hundred logs continuously still inevitably made him feel fatigued. [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Great Success 990/1000) "Only ten logs left!" Looking at the progress display on the panel, his body, which was originally somewhat weary, was instantly filled with energy again. [Chopping Wood Blade Skill EXP +1] [Chopping Wood Blade Skill EXP +1] [...] In front of his current efficiency, in the blink of an eye, ten experience points were acquired. [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Great Success 999/1000) When the prompt for the last point of experience value increase appeared before him. The panel, in this section, suddenly underwent a change. Chapter 34 - 34 Saber Technique Perfection, Five Animals Fist small success! Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Saber Technique Perfection, Five Animals Fist small success!Skill: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Perfection 0/1000) When this skill progressed from Great Success to Perfection, In that instant, Jiang Ning felt a difference. His mind was still flooded with countless images as before, Each image that flashed by represented every single chop he had made during this period of time. Countless angles, countless overlaps of light and shadow, ultimately filtering out the dross and preserving the essence. At the same time, Jiang Ning also felt a tingling sensation in his arms, as if millions of ants were crawling all over them. A few breaths later, All the changes had vanished. Jiang Ning clenched the chopping blade in his hand, a trace of a smile appearing on his face. "So this is the Chopping Wood Blade Skill at the Perfection level?" "To think it has such an effect, it''s just a blade in my hand, yet it makes me feel an extension of my flesh and blood! I can manipulate it as if it were my own arm!" He swung the chopping blade casually a couple of times. Whoosh¡ª Whoosh¡ª The sound of the blade cleaving the air appeared, and once again, a faint smile emerged on Jiang Ning''s face. Swinging the blade seemed to be about thirty percent faster. And moreover! Jiang Ning swung again, bringing the blade down. Thud¡ª With the chopping blade coming down, the sturdy round log lying slanted on the wooden stake was suddenly chopped in half. "Plus, the force of my swing has also increased by about two to three tenths! This improvement is really good!!" He held the chopping blade in his hand and nodded in satisfaction. "If I had a real blade right now, my combat power would at least increase by several folds!" At this moment, Jiang Ning felt somewhat elated. He even wanted to go right away and have a big fight with Xu Yunfeng, to directly chop him down with one swing of the blade. "No rush! No rush!!" Whoosh¡ª Jiang Ning took a deep breath, and his turbulent heart gradually returned to calm. My Qi-Blood strength is far too inferior compared to his, give me some more time! He tightened his grip on the chopping blade. Then he opened his panel to take another look. Skill: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Perfection 0/1000) Just a thousand Experience Value away from breaking the limit of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill! That''s not difficult for me! If necessary, I can grind out that thousand points of experience in a day. What a pity! Source Energy Points are limiting my performance! Source Energy: 6.8 Looking at the Source Energy Points on the panel, he felt some regret in his heart. "To break past ten Source Energy Points, with my current daily increase of 0.4, I''ll need about eight more days! That way, grinding experience for the Chopping Wood Blade Skill is not a problem! But if I go out, I should consider getting a blade for self-defense!" "For me right now, having a blade in hand and not having one are worlds apart!" "After all, an inch longer, an inch stronger, how can the flesh and blood contend against steel blades?" Jiang Ning contemplated in his heart and added this matter to his schedule. ... In the blink of an eye, four days later. A round of boxing practice was completed. Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1 Skill: Five Animals Fist (small success 17/500) Jiang Ning looked at the prompt in front of him and shook his head slightly. "Only when form and spirit are united, can one greatly succeed in boxing! It seems utterly impossible for me to achieve this with my understanding!" After trying for more than a day, Jiang Ning was also ready to give up. To give up on figuring out the essence of attaining great success in Five Animals Fist by himself. A few days ago, because he consulted with Wang Jin, he grasped the essence of Tiger Form Boxing at small success, affording his subsequent days of boxing practice a significant boost in gaining Experience Value. Every time he practiced the boxing, he could gain two points of Experience Value. Just for that reason, he was able to bring this boxing technique to small success in just a few days. Then, Jiang Ning clenched his fists again. The Qi-Blood surged within his body, instantly flowing through one arm, and there was still some left over. "Now that my Qi-Blood is considered a small success," he thought, "after reaching small success with the Five Animals Fist, I can now condense three strands of Qi Blood Power with each round of practice. With this efficiency, I believe it won''t be long before my Qi-Blood reaches Great Success, and even Perfection!" "However, the day when the Inspection Office opens its doors isn''t far off. Qi Blood Perfection isn''t much to boast about¡ªI still need to enter Martial Arts Entry and perform well in real combat to join this exceptional organization." I cannot slack off! He promptly opened his panel to take a look. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 8.4 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Break Limit once 416/2000) (Trait: Unforgettable) Five Animals Fist (Small Success 17/500) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Perfection 1000/1000) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Beginner 91/100) "I have four more days before I can accumulate enough Source Energy Points to Break Limit the Chopping Wood Blade Skill." "As for the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, I should reach the beginner level tomorrow. This is a method of Inner Strength that normally Martial Artists at the Martial Arts Fifth Grade would pursue. I''m curious about the effects after entering the beginner level of Inner Elixir Cultivation." He then closed the panel. ... In the afternoon. After one round of practicing the boxing technique. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Small Success 18/500) Feeling the growth of his Qi-Blood and physical strength, Jiang Ning felt somewhat pleased and went to the side to pick up a bucket of icy well water and poured it over his head. "Refreshing!!" He shook his hair, and water droplets immediately splashed in all directions. "Brother Jiang, you''ve splashed water on me!" Hearing the voice from behind, Jiang Ning turned around to see that it was indeed Cheng Ran, the only disciple in the front courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall who had made friends with him. These days, after arriving at the Martial Arts Hall, every day he had been grinding for experience and practicing. Having obtained Wang Jin''s permission to stay at the Martial Arts Hall permanently. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning had not even set foot outside the Martial Arts Hall''s gate, thus he hadn''t participated in any of the social activities like dinners and drinking with the other disciples. As a result, he naturally didn''t have much conversation with the other disciples. Especially since Jiang Ning was so diligent in practicing his boxing, he had even less time to intersect with them, and nobody had the spare time to go out of their way to cause him trouble. Seeing Cheng Ran walk over, Jiang Ning smiled and continued to shake his head lightly, with water droplets from his hair flying onto the mud around him, which were quickly evaporated by the heat of the scorched ground. "Brother Cheng, you came over here yourself, you can''t blame me for that!" Cheng Ran said, "Heh, isn''t it just a joke with Brother Jiang?" As he spoke, he tossed the bucket down into the well. "This damned weather, it''s getting hotter and hotter!" Cheng Ran spoke up. Jiang Ning looked up at the sky, which was clear and boundless. He nodded in agreement, "It seems like it hasn''t rained for over two months now!" "That''s right!" Cheng Ran confirmed. At that moment, the wooden bucket he had thrown into the well was already full of water, and with a few pulls, he lifted the bucket filled with cool well water. "Awesome!!!" he exclaimed. Then, he continued to complain to Jiang Ning, "Brother Jiang, did you know that it''s the time for the harvest this July? A couple of days ago when I went on inspection, a whole bunch of tenants were wailing miserably in front of me! I couldn''t bear it and waivered their taxes for half a year, and when I returned, my father beat me fiercely!" As he said this, Cheng Ran seemed to recall the painful lesson he''d learned that day, slightly baring his teeth. "Brother Cheng has a kind heart indeed!" Jiang Ning sincerely said. Hearing this praise, Cheng Ran''s face showed a bit of pride. Then he put on an air of being unmoved by honor or disgrace, "Let''s not talk about that! Brother Jiang, do you know about the big event happening at the Martial Arts Hall in a few days?" "What big event?" Jiang Ning was a little curious. "Have you seen that tiger in the cage?" Cheng Ran said. Jiang Ning nodded. Cheng Ran pointed towards the left side of the courtyard. "In six days, that fierce tiger will be released and placed in that yard!" "At that time, the true disciples of the Martial Arts Hall will go down to the arena for us to watch the tiger fight up close, which will be of great help to us in breaking through to the Great Success Realm of Tiger Form Boxing!" "I''ve heard that recently, Sister Li Qing has been in seclusion at home, preparing for her final sprint to Martial Arts Entry, and she will probably take the field that day!" At this point, Cheng Ran''s face showed a trace of excitement. Chapter 35 - 35 Qi Blood Perfection Strength Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Qi Blood Perfection StrengthLi Qing? Jiang Ning was surprised. It turned out that Senior Sister Li Qing was making a sprint for Martial Arts Entry. No wonder he hadn''t seen her these days. He didn''t expect that Senior Sister Li Qing, who looked so young, was about to reach the strength required for Martial Arts Entry. It seemed that Senior Sister Li Qing was one of the designated candidates to be a Direct Disciple of Wang Jin. "What is Brother Jiang thinking about?" Cheng Ran''s voice arose beside Jiang Ning''s ear, and he suddenly came back to his senses. Then, Jiang Ning smiled, "I was just wondering what kind of divine might this fierce tiger will have five days from now? With a body length of four meters, I suspect a single paw strike could produce the strength of a thousand jin, right?" "Yes!" Cheng Ran nodded, "Even more than that! This is why only those senior brothers who have reached Martial Arts Entry are qualified to fight against this fierce tiger! If we encountered it in the wild, all we could do is roar to die a bit more gloriously!" Hearing this, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but smile slightly. Then, Cheng Ran''s face lit up with excitement. "Five Animals Fist originates from the tiger, bear, monkey, crane, and deer! Five days from now, by observing the fierce tiger''s divine might and posture, I might be able to grasp the essence and spirit of Tiger Form Boxing. Only when form and spirit are united can one reach the realm of Great Success in boxing!" "It''s just a pity that our strength is too weak to enter the fray! If we could fight with the fierce tiger ourselves, perhaps we could seize that fleeting opportunity to push Tiger Form Boxing towards Perfection!" "Once it reaches Perfection, condensing the fierce tiger''s vigor allows one to unleash strength far beyond one''s limits, comparable to some Middle Grade Martial Arts Skills!" At that moment, A man dressed in a white training suit with an imposing aura approached¡ªthis man was Xiao Peng. He was the absolute core figure of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall''s front yard. In everyone''s hearts here, Xiao Peng was the most likely to join the Inspection Office in three months and achieve the monumental leap from fish to dragon. Before possessing an unparalleled strength, the importance of power was indubitable. Not to mention, the Inspection Office not only had authority but also Martial Arts Skills and precious medicinal herbs. Such an opportunity was immense for anyone. As long as one could join, the path of Martial Arts would surely extend much farther. Thus, Xiao Peng''s every move naturally drew everyone''s attention. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Watching Xiao Peng approach, all eyes converged on him. "What is Senior Brother Xiao Peng off to do?" "I have no idea!" "..." Several people discussed in low voices not far away. Xiao Peng passed by Jiang Ning and arrived in front of Cheng Ran, his lips slightly curving, "Brother Cheng, in the entire Martial Arts Hall, only you are on par with me. How about sparring with me?" Looking at Xiao Peng at this moment, Cheng Ran coldly said, "Alright, if you wish to fight, then as you desire!" The two men walked past Jiang Ning and headed to an open area. Meanwhile, The crowd watching this scene suddenly felt some excitement. "What do you think, who will win between Brothers Cheng Ran and Xiao Peng?" "I think Xiao Peng will win. Senior Brother Xiao Peng has achieved Great Success in Tiger Form Boxing, with strong explosive power, and small success in Monkey Form Boxing makes him as agile as a monkey, surely his strength is formidable!" "I have a different view!" someone retorted, "Senior Brother Xiao Peng might have the upper hand in boxing, but Brother Cheng is at Qi Blood Perfection! Qi Blood Perfection courses through the body, with a strength of five hundred jin!" "With one punch, the small success of Tiger Form Boxing is enough for Brother Cheng to unleash a strength of over two thousand jin. The so-called ''overwhelming power with strength'' naturally gives Brother Cheng an advantage!" "Yet Senior Brother Xiao Peng is just at Great Success in Qi Blood, with a strength of over three hundred jin. Even if he has a higher realm in boxing, there is a big difference in their strength!" At this moment, in the front yard of the Martial Arts Hall, Jiang Ning listened to the discussions nearby, secretly clicking his tongue in amazement. Brother Cheng at Qi Blood Perfection could punch with a force of over two thousand jin, which completely surpassed the limit of people from his previous life. He still remembered a set of data. In his previous life, a boxing champion could punch with a force of at most one thousand six hundred jin. Yet Brother Cheng, who appeared not very robust, could punch with a force of over two thousand jin. "Is this the charm of Martial Arts? How terrifying must the strength of the legendary Great Xia Martial Saint be?" Jiang Ning couldn''t help but yearn. At this moment, Xiao Peng and Cheng Ran had also suddenly clashed. With one movement, Cheng Ran moved like a crane soaring into the sky, sweeping towards Xiao Peng. "Good timing!" Xiao Peng exclaimed aloud. He sank his stance, his feet arching slightly as his sharp claws were firmly rooted to the ground. The next moment, Cheng Ran, coming in swiftly like a tiger descending the mountain, lunged straight at Xiao Peng. And Xiao Peng, crouching slightly low, seemed poised like the king of beasts ready to strike. As their Qi-Blood surged, Roar¡ª Xiao Peng let out a roar akin to a fierce tiger, and his crouched form suddenly burst forth. Both parties went all out as soon as they made their moves. At this moment, facing Cheng Ran, whose Qi-Blood Perfection gave him superior strength and physique, Xiao Peng chose not confrontation rather than retreat, meeting force with force. Facing Cheng Ran''s strongest blow head-on. Bang¡ª A muffled sound resounded as both their figures were propelled backward simultaneously. Xiao Peng was pushed back more than two zhang, while Cheng Ran only retreated one and a half zhang. However, a look of surprise flitted across Cheng Ran''s eyes at this moment. That he hadn''t gained much advantage in a direct clash was far beyond his expectations. All knew that reaching the level where Qi-Blood flowed through the entire body started at a baseline of five hundred catties of strength. Those with Innate Divine Strength could even wield seven to eight hundred catties of force. Cheng Ran''s Qi-Blood, slightly inferior to his, was at Great Success, extending only through his limbs, and his strength was fundamentally above three hundred catties. Such a vast disparity in strength, yet so little difference in a head-on clash, could only mean one possibility. Cheng Ran then spoke, "Senior Brother Xiao seems to be not far from the level where Qi-Blood circulates through the entire body!" Xiao Peng''s lips curled into a smile, "I now possess a strength of over four hundred catties. I''m not far from Qi-Blood Perfection, and full-body circulation. Brother Cheng, do you still wish to fight?" "Of course, I want to fight!" Cheng Ran declared with a light shout. His figure moved again, instantly closing the distance to Xiao Peng. Then, the two were locked in combat, their punches and kicks colliding to stir up clouds of dust, with the friction against the air from their sleeves generating the roaring sound of breaking wind. Not far away, Jiang Ning watched this scene, a flicker of uncommon light in his eyes. "Qi-Blood Perfection, full-body circulation, strength reaching five hundred catties, each movement capable of bursting forth with a thousand catties of strength, but it doesn''t seem all that formidable?" After reaching small success with his Qi-Blood, Jiang Ning had tested his own strength again. He could lift a two hundred catties stone lock with one arm, but two hundred and fifty catties were still a bit of a strain. This means his strength was close to two hundred and fifty catties. Although only half the strength of those whose Qi-Blood Perfection circulated through their entire body. This number might seem small, not too exaggerated, but as far as he knew, the peak records maintained by people in his previous life were only around lifting three hundred catties with one hand. This meant that his current ability to lift a stone lock of over two hundred catties with one hand could already be considered very high by contemporary standards. In the previous life, even a professional athlete would have a hard time achieving this. After all, that record was set by one in a hundred million with Innate excellency, plus they underwent professional and diabolical training, squeezing out the body''s potential, to reach such a human peak record. At this moment, Jiang Ning felt that if he were to spar with Cheng Ran or Xiao Peng, he would be able to hold his own for a few exchanges. Because, in his view, if Cheng Ran was indeed stronger in terms of strength, at least twice his, his agility was lacking, and his movements not swift enough. While Xiao Peng had quick movements, his limbs as nimble as a monkey, his strength was significantly weaker, and his footwork was clearly full of holes, extremely rough. "No wonder Wang Jin once said, ''Only cultivating all Five Animals guarantees the true path.''" "My boxing is at small success, my Qi-Blood at small success, already nearing half the strength of Brother Cheng''s Qi-Blood Perfection and full-body circulation. This is clearly the result of the Bear-shaped Fist. Moreover, the Five Animals Cultivation not only has explosive power and fast speed but also features exceptionally nimble footwork without flaws, deserving to be called a five-sided Cultivation Technique. Indeed, it is an excellent foundational Martial Arts Skill." "Looking at it now, it seems I might have underestimated my own strength!" Watching the two in combat, this thought flashed through Jiang Ning''s mind. Chapter 36 - 36 Jiang Ning Lends a Hand Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Jiang Ning Lends a Hand``` ROAR¡ª¡ª A roar, beast-like, suddenly erupted on the battlefield. Jiang Ning immediately saw Xiao Peng move within an arm''s reach of Cheng Ran, and as he bellowed, his right foot stomped fiercely onto the ground. THUD¡ª¡ª The flagstone beneath his foot instantly cracked, and the reaction force of his stomp propelled him violently straight into Cheng Ran''s embrace. Confronted with this impact, Cheng Ran was sent flying like a mad bull had gored him, his body tracing a parabola in the air, heading towards the wall near Jiang Ning. At that moment, Jiang Ning had no time for surprise. If Cheng Ran were to truly collide with the wall after Xiao Peng''s strike, he would inevitably be bedridden for at least ten days to half a month, or even longer. Cheng Ran was not only the closest friend to Jiang Ning in the entire Canglang Martial Arts Hall but also his best friend, so naturally, Jiang Ning could not stand by and watch Cheng Ran slam into the wall and sustain serious injuries. The next moment. Jiang Ning leaped like a White Ape pouncing, and moved directly into the path of the flying Cheng Ran. He then reached out with his right hand to grab Cheng Ran''s waistband, sunk his stance, and gathered strength from the soles of his feet as his entire body''s power united as one. The trajectory of Cheng Ran''s flight instantly changed direction as Jiang Ning pulled him down from the air. Jiang Ning''s palm then moved to Cheng Ran''s back, pushing upwards with force, like a Wild Bear lifting the heavens. A breath later. Cheng Ran fell to the ground with a thud, stirring up a circle of dust. At this moment, the onlookers in the distance had already been stunned by the earlier fight. "Brother Xiao Peng is indeed formidable, his ''Blindman Leaning on a Tree'' move was executed to perfection, unexpectedly securing the advantage with a single strike." "No wonder he is Brother Xiao Peng! Despite being at a disadvantage in Qi-Blood, he managed to turn weakness into strength, truly deserving of being Master Wang''s True Disciple!" "Indeed! To achieve such a feat, Brother Xiao Peng must have mastered or at least reached small success in the Bear-shaped Fist, right?" "It must be so, as we heard from the conversation just now between Brother Xiao Peng and Brother Cheng. Brother Xiao Peng''s strength exceeds four hundred pounds, and although Brother Cheng''s Qi Blood Perfection circulates throughout his body, he falls short by about a hundred pounds in strength, which must be the result of Brother Xiao Peng''s progress in the Bear-shaped Fist." "Looking at it this way, Brother Xiao Peng''s comprehension is truly exceptional!" "Who could disagree! Within four months of joining, at least one boxing technique reached Great Success, another small success, and another mastered or small success, this efficiency certainly stands unrivaled here, doesn''t it?" "Not necessarily, oh! Don''t forget about Jiang Ning, who reportedly reached the Martial Arts Entry level with five postures on the second day after joining, with budding Qi-Blood. And now." As that person spoke, their gaze also fell on Jiang Ning, who at this moment had just helped Cheng Ran up from the ground. The person continued: "Seeing how Jiang Ning stepped in to help just now, it''s clear that his progress in the Five Animals Fist must be significant! These past days, it''s also obvious that Master Wang values him more than us." "..." The crowd kept talking, endlessly debating about the recent commotion. Meanwhile. Xiao Peng was also somewhat surprised as he looked at Jiang Ning. Then, the corner of his mouth curved into a slight smile. "Such an impressive display of Power Manipulation, I had indeed underestimated this Junior Brother before!" Afterward, he turned to look at the crowd behind him. "Does anyone among the Junior Brothers know this Junior Brother''s full name, and which family he belongs to?" Xiao Peng asked, pointing at Jiang Ning. "I know!" Someone chimed in. "Junior Brother Qian, please tell us!" Xiao Peng said. That person continued: "That Junior Brother is named Jiang Ning, from a common household in the outer city!" "So he''s from a common household and has come this far, indeed not bad!" Xiao Peng nodded slightly, expressing his approval of Jiang Ning. At that moment, he had felt a slight threat emanating from Jiang Ning, a threat concerning their entry into the Inspection Office in three months. ``` ``` But when he learned that Jiang Ning came from a common family outside the city, that thread of threat instantly dissipated. Three months, no matter how exceptional his comprehension and how naturally he mastered boxing after his first attempt, or how readily he learned everything. What if he made an entry in one day? To say nothing of one day of entry, even if boxing achieved great success within a month, in Xiao Peng''s eyes, Jiang Ning still posed no threat to him at all. Because Jiang Ning came from a common family outside the city, how could that kind of background afford the consumption of Qi Blood Perfection coursing throughout the body? He himself had reached this point by consuming a Blood Storage Pill every three days and never being short of various medicinal aids. Even so, it took him nearly a year to achieve Qi Blood Great Success and circulation through his limbs, at the cost of how much wealth? Poverty breeds literature; wealth breeds martial arts. The golden age for practicing martial arts is roughly twenty years. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Without a substantial family fortune, the martial path is ultimately limited. Three months to achieve Qi Blood Perfection, full circulation throughout the body, and attain Martial Arts Entry. He silently shook his head. "I''m overthinking!" "It''s only Cheng Ran who poses a threat to my spot in the Inspection Office. Having just sparred with him, I could tell that his skin membrane is clearly different from mine. It will be effortless for him to develop a skin membrane and reach Martial Arts Entry in three months!" "As for achieving great success in boxing, it might just be an opportunity for him as well. I must not underestimate him!" "Three months is not a long time; I need to make the most of it too!" "I must reach Qi Blood Perfection as soon as possible. Once the Qi Blood is perfected and the skin membrane is developed, it will be just like completing a water channel." "Developing the skin membrane is equivalent to reaching Martial Arts Entry." "If by then he meets the same requirements as me, it''s likely that combat prowess will become the test! The Inspection Office will surely prefer martial artists who excel in combat. I can''t neglect my actual combat training during this time." Xiao Peng stood in place, pondering deeply with a contemplative expression flashing in his eyes. On the other side. Cheng Ran got up from the ground. "Brother Cheng, are you all right?" Jiang Ning bent down to support him. "Cough cough¡ª" Cheng Ran coughed lightly, and immediately more blood spurted from his mouth. He waved his hand, signaling that he didn''t need Jiang Ning''s support. "I''m fine! My skin membrane is nearly formed, greatly improving my resistance to blows. It''s just a minor injury!" "Does this mean that Brother Cheng is not far from Martial Arts Entry?" A look of surprise appeared on Jiang Ning''s face. Cheng Ran nodded, "Indeed, not far. I will definitely reach Martial Arts Entry within a month!" Then he took a few deep breaths and slowly exhaled, calming the surging Qi-Blood within his body. "Thank you for just now, Brother Jiang!" Cheng Ran bowed with clasped hands toward Jiang Ning, earnest in his expression. "There''s no need for that, Brother Cheng!" Jiang Ning quickly grabbed Cheng Ran''s arms with both hands. In an instant. Jiang Ning felt the strength contained in Cheng Ran''s arms, and involuntarily, a force burst from his own arms to counter it. But just as quickly, the force dissipated, and Cheng Ran stood up, looking at Jiang Ning with a complex expression, deeply shocked in his heart. Just then, as his body was pulled by Jiang Ning''s strength, what was initially headed towards the wall fell downwards instead. As his body fell, he felt an unyielding, mountain-like force through his arm that Jiang Ning was holding, a force that was not weaker than his own and demanded attention. Thanks to Jiang Ning''s assistance and the supporting strength, he had avoided more severe injuries. The force displayed by Jiang Ning when he acted was surprising, prompting this test. After the test, he clearly felt the approximate strength of Jiang Ning. Over two hundred catties! ``` Chapter 37: Cheng Ran Startled Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Cheng Ran Startled His strength of over two hundred catties was not a terrifying figure in Cheng Ran¡¯s eyes. After all, since he achieved Qi Blood Perfection and had his energy flow throughout his body, his single arm strength had already surpassed five hundred catties, which was more than double what Jiang Ning had at present. But a strength of over two hundred catties on someone who had just recently started practicing Martial Arts was truly shocking to Cheng Ran. With such a growth rate, it wouldn¡¯t take long for Jiang Ning to catch up to him. Although actual growth couldn¡¯t be calculated like this. The further one progressed in increasing strength, the more difficult it became. This was why even though he had achieved Qi Blood Perfection and his energy flowed throughout his body, he could only exceed five hundred catties. However, a strength of over two hundred catties also allowed him to roughly estimate the level of Jiang Ning¡¯s Qi-Blood. His Qi-Blood was at least above small success, perhaps even reaching the point of being able to channel through both arms. Moreover, given his relationship with Jiang Ning, he knew quite well that the only supplements Jiang Ning took were the wild ginseng Zhou Xing gave him and the medicinal broth provided by the Martial Arts Hall. Apart from that, there was nothing else. Under such ordinary Martial Arts conditions, yet being able to enhance his strength to this extent, Cheng Ran believed there was only one possibility. Jiang Ning¡¯s Martial Arts talent was extraordinary; he had managed to refine a substantial amount of Qi Blood Power solely relying on the foundational Martial Arts technique of Five Animals Fist. And the progress of Jiang Ning¡¯s Boxing must be extremely rapid, likely mastering it, or even achieving small success. Thinking of this, waves of emotions surged in Cheng Ran¡¯s heart. Having personally experienced these changes coming from Jiang Ning, he understood Jiang Ning better than anyone else present. He had never imagined that a friend he made by chance could possess such an exaggerated Martial Arts talent. Such a talent was unparalleled, exceptionally rare even throughout the entirety of Luoshui County. At that moment. Cheng Ran pondered briefly in his mind, then chose to keep quiet about it. He then smiled and bowed again, ¡°Thank you, Brother Jiang, for stepping in!¡± ¡°You have already thanked me!¡± Jiang Ning replied with a smile. Cheng Ran smiled, ¡°As the saying goes, injuries to muscles and bones take a hundred days to heal. At this critical juncture, if the muscles and bones were injured, Brother Jiang saved me from a long bedridden recovery. A mere thank you is hardly enough to express my gratitude.¡± ¡°How about this!¡± Cheng Ran spoke, and after fumbling in his chest for a moment, took out a silver note, ¡°Brother Jiang, this is the only fifty taels of silver I have on me. Although it¡¯s not much, it¡¯s a token of my appreciation, please accept it.¡± Upon seeing this, Jiang Ning looked at Cheng Ran with some surprise. Then a faint smile appeared on his face, ¡°Brother Cheng is so generous; I certainly won¡¯t refuse! Just don¡¯t secretly regret it later!¡± Cheng Ran immediately laughed heartily, ¡°I love how Brother Jiang is straightforward and decisive!¡± While speaking, Cheng Ran stuffed the silver note into Jiang Ning¡¯s hand, ¡°What I, Cheng Ran, give away is sincerely meant; there¡¯s no reason for regret!¡± ¡°And even though I am not from a very wealthy family, for my good friend, I can certainly afford this amount. Not to mention, Brother Jiang stepped in to help, saving me from physical injury and the pain and suffering of bed rest!¡± ¡°In that light, what is a mere fifty taels of silver? Refusing to accept it would be underestimating me!¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°In that case, I will not decline disrespectfully!¡± Immediately, he tucked the fifty taels silver note into his pouch. At that moment, others watching from a distance. Admiration appeared in their eyes, particularly the sons of reputable families from the outer city, whose envy was even more pronounced. ¡°Handing out fifty silver taels just like that, Cheng Ran really is generous!¡± ¡°Indeed, Cheng Ran is the only son in his family. Not only do they own thousands of acres of fertile land, but they also have a tavern. Brother Cheng naturally has considerable wealth. Otherwise, how could Brother Cheng achieve Qi Blood Perfection and reach the level of thorough Qi-Blood circulation? The amount of silver spent on this is by no means small.¡± ¡°Jiang Ning is really lucky to be on good terms with Brother Cheng and to be favored by him.¡± ¡°Being favored by Brother Cheng is also his own merit. He saved Brother Cheng from a severe injury that could have affected his bones and muscles. With only about three months left until the Inspection Office in Luoshui County is established, if Brother Cheng wants to compete for a position there, the few days he needs to recover are far more important to him than fifty silver taels.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Being able to enter the Inspection Office is like a fish leaping through the dragon¡¯s gate for us people in Luoshui County; it could completely change our futures.¡± ¡°¡­¡± On the other side, Jiang Ning naturally accepted the fifty silver notes. He would not bother with the pretense of repeatedly declining the offer. Right now, fifty silver taels were of great help to him while being something trivial for Cheng Ran. He was especially in need of resources now. Without resources, the journey of martial arts greatly affects progression and efficiency. Ever since he lost the aid of wild ginseng, the number of times he could practice boxing each day had decreased, and similarly, his daily income of Source Energy Points had also decreased. With these fifty silver taels, he could return to his previous efficiency level. As such, his progress in boxing and the speed at which he accumulated Qi-Blood would also increase. This would greatly increase the possibility of him joining the Inspection Office in three months. He had long been determined to join the Inspection Office, But whether he could actually succeed, he did not know. After all, the time left for him was short; three months was too brief. In three months, he had to achieve Great Success in Qi-Blood, enter the ranks of martial artists, and pass the deployment test for entry into the Office. For the first item, he now had some confidence, and it posed no major problem. However, for the second item, Martial Arts Entry, he had no idea. In the journey of martial arts, despite achieving Qi Blood Perfection and connecting through the body, he was still considered an ordinary person who had not yet broken the human body¡¯s limits. Only by entering the ranks of martial artists could one truly step onto the path of martial arts. As he knew, to enter the Ninth Grade, one must circulate Qi-Blood throughout the body, aided by secret techniques and external objects, refining both internally and externally, to develop a layer of membrane under the skin that connects to the muscles. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Once the skin membrane is initially formed, and the body is seamless, it is like the thin membrane beneath a cowhide, continuously connected to the entire body¡¯s muscles. Achieving this step marks the entry into the ranks of martial artists, the refining skin martial artist, also known as a Ninth Grade Martial Artist. Upon initially reaching the Ninth Grade, the transformation in strength is not obvious; it merely enhances the Qi-Blood strength, physical strength, and slightly increases resistance to physical blows, but this enhancement in resistance is still not very effective against weapons. However, once one progresses to the next step at this level, reaching a small success in Skin Training, where the skin membrane becomes as hard as stone ¨C the Stone Skin level ¨C it becomes completely different. Not only does it become difficult for ordinary weapons to cause much harm to martial artists at this level, but their resistance to physical blows also significantly increases. Moreover, both Qi-Blood and strength will further enhance. Such a warrior, if armored and holding a sharp weapon, forming an army, will become a nightmare on the battlefield, where ten can break through a common army of a thousand, and a hundred can break through a common army of ten thousand. If one reaches Great Success in Skin Training at this level, the transformation will proceed further. The skin membrane, connected to the muscles, will match the toughness of bronze, and ordinary swords and daggers will hardly cause harm. Achieving Great Success in Skin Training, even if clad only in simple clothing, is equivalent to wearing armor. This is the strength of an Entry-Level martial artist. Chapter 38 - 38 A Golden Core swallowed into the abdomen, my life is controlled by me, not by fate! Chapter 38: Chapter 38 A Golden Core swallowed into the abdomen, my life is controlled by me, not by fate! Jiang Ning understood the extraordinary nature of entry-level martial artists all too well, the less certainty he felt in his heart. Having achieved great success in Skin Training was like being clad in bronze armor. Facing martial artists below the entry level, just in terms of defensive power alone, the difference was like that between adults and children. Not to mention the difference in strength and qi-blood between them, the difference was a qualitative change. Therefore, advancing from Qi-Blood Perfection to Martial Arts Entry was not a simple journey. It required time to forge, secret techniques, and resources. And now, he neither knew any Skin Training secret techniques nor did he know what external aids were needed. This sort of information about martial arts inheritance wasn¡¯t something he could understand at his current level. To any power, this kind of fundamental human secret technique would not be casually disseminated¡ªeven if it was just the Martial Arts Ninth Grade Skin Training technique. So at this moment, he didn¡¯t have much confidence. Of course, if one had money, it would naturally not be difficult to buy such information and secret techniques. Nor was it an unspeakable secret. But Jiang Ning knew that he didn¡¯t need to follow this path to obtain the Skin Training secret techniques. All he had to do was to meet Wang Jin¡¯s assessment requirements like Xiao Peng. That is, to achieve great success in any one of the Five Animals Fist techniques within six months of joining the martial arts hall, and he would become Wang Jin¡¯s true disciple. A true disciple was a real disciple of the martial arts hall and also genuinely qualified to call Wang Jin ¡°Master.¡± By that time, he would naturally be able to access Wang Jin¡¯s legacy and possess the refining skin secret technique. As of now, at best, he could be considered an outer disciple or, to put it another way, a nominal disciple. If he didn¡¯t meet the standard within six months and failed Wang Jin¡¯s test, then he could only roll up his bedding and leave. At this moment. Seeing Jiang Ning accept the silver note he had gifted, Cheng Ran also smiled and patted Jiang Ning¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Brother Jiang, that¡¯s the spirit!!¡± Immediately. ¡°Cough cough¡ª¡± His laughter causing his internal organs to shake, he couldn¡¯t help but cough repeatedly, coughing up strands of blood. ¡°Brother Cheng, are you okay!¡± Seeing this, Jiang Ning quickly supported his somewhat shaking form. After a few moments, Cheng Ran suppressed the urge to cough and then waved his hand, ¡°Brother Jiang, help me rest for a bit, I need to recover slowly!¡± On the other side. Xiao Peng, watching Cheng Ran being supported by Jiang Ning, couldn¡¯t help but shake his head slightly. It was somewhat a pity! Saved by this youngster halfway, otherwise, if that blow of mine had hit Cheng Ran against the wall, with muscles and bones injured and organs displaced, it wouldn¡¯t have been just a day or two¡¯s delay. In that case, the most threatening Cheng Ran would no longer be much of a threat. What a pity, truly a pity!! Xiao Peng slowly retracted his gaze. At this time, surrounded by the compliments of those around him, the corners of his mouth couldn¡¯t help but curl up slightly, unable to contain his inner delight. ¡­ In Jiang Ning¡¯s courtyard. Cheng Ran slowly sat down on a small wooden stool. ¡°Ptooey¡ª¡± He spat out the blood clots from his mouth, ¡°This damned Xiao Peng really hits hard.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning also sat down beside him, ¡°Brother Cheng, how do you feel now?¡± ¡°Much better,¡± Cheng Ran nodded, ¡°Fortunately, my initial success in Skin Training took effect, now only my organs are a bit shaken, the injury isn¡¯t too severe. I¡¯ll probably recover in a couple of days, or even faster with good healing medicine.¡± After speaking, Cheng Ran turned to look at Jiang Ning, ¡°Brother Jiang, you can now exert a force of over two hundred catties, right?¡± ¡°Brother Cheng¡¯s probing is unstoppable!¡± Jiang Ning smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t take offense, Brother Jiang! I am truly shocked and incredulous, so I tested you a bit,¡± Cheng Ran expressed an apologetic look. ¡°It¡¯s fine! But please, Brother Cheng, don¡¯t spread this around,¡± Jiang Ning said. Cheng Ran nodded, ¡°Of course! With Xiao Peng¡¯s nature of playing dirty, if he knew Brother Jiang has come this far in such a short time, he might very well play some tricks in the dark.¡± ¡°Speaking of that kid Xiao Peng, I am not reconciled!¡± At this moment, anger flashed across Cheng Ran¡¯s face. ¡°Brother Cheng, you¡¯re lacking real combat experience! In terms of true strength, you¡¯re actually superior to Xiao Peng.¡± Cheng Ran nodded in agreement, ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m lacking real combat experience! In the future, I need to improve in this aspect. I won¡¯t let go of the resentment in my heart until I regain the ground I lost today!¡± Then he turned to Jiang Ning, ¡°Brother Jiang, if you have time later, why not spar with me regularly to increase your combat experience?¡± Jiang Ning pondered for a moment, then nodded, ¡°That is possible, as I¡¯ve never fought with someone before and am also lacking real combat experience!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Cheng Ran nodded repeatedly, ¡°Master Wang once said that martial arts are meant for vanquishing enemies, and one cannot reach the peak through practice alone. Although we can¡¯t fight enemies, sparring can still increase our combat experience, and if we have the chance to join the Inspection Office, combat experience will be even more important.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning also nodded in agreement, ¡°Then, once Brother Cheng has healed, we¡¯ll spar!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make it a promise!¡± Cheng Ran extended his right palm. Jiang Ning understood and extended his right palm to high-five. Afterwards, Cheng Ran rested for several ¡°hours¡±, and once his breath had stabilized, Jiang Ning sent him out of the door of the Martial Arts Hall. ¡°Brother Jiang, don¡¯t worry! I will definitely try my best to investigate the matter you entrusted to me these past couple of days!¡± Cheng Ran said. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it in your hands then, Brother Cheng!¡± Jiang Ning replied with a bow as he saw him off. He then scanned over the stalls in front of the Martial Arts Hall but didn¡¯t notice anything out of the ordinary. ¡­ The next day. In the early morning, Jiang Ning was sitting cross-legged in the courtyard, quietly waiting for the sunrise from afar while feeling the fresh breeze on his face. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Uninitiated 91/100) He was now only nine experience points away from entering the threshold of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. Jiang Ning was very much looking forward to initiating the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. The mere requirement of one hundred experience points for initiation indicated the uncommon grade of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. As far as he knew, martial arts skills were divided into Lower, Middle, and Superior grades. Above the Superior grade, there were even higher levels of skills. Based on the changes in experience value, Jiang Ning had two guesses: one was that the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill was a Middle Grade skill, surpassing the Lower Grade skills. This was because his Five Animals Fist was a Lower Grade technique, requiring only ten experience points for initiation. Therefore, it would be natural for a Middle Grade skill to demand exponentially more experience points for initiation than a Lower Grade skill. The second guess was that the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill ranked above Superior skills and was a mysterious technique. Only a qualitative difference could lead to a qualitative change in the experience points needed for a breakthrough. And this guess was not just based on the hundred-point gap required for initiation of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, which was ten times more than needed for initiating the Five Animals Fist. A more significant reason was the concept and intent of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. Inner Elixir Cultivation was an Inner Strength Method. Inner Strength cultivation of the organs and entrails was a path taken by Fifth Grade martial artists. Such internal cultivation methods were bound to be extremely scarce, and it was highly likely that their grade would not be low. Moreover, the intent of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill was awe-inspiring to Jiang Ning, more resembling the mythical Immortal paths of his previous life rather than martial arts. It involved swallowing the essence of the Great Sun to strengthen the organs and entrails, and when the skill was perfected, it required drawing the Fire of the Great Sun into one¡¯s body at noon, with the body as a furnace, refining the Golden Core. Swallowing a Golden Core into the stomach would mean one¡¯s fate was no longer determined by heaven. Such an intent surely deserved to rank above the Upper Grade Martial Arts Methods. Of course, this was still just his speculation. Apart from these factors fueling his anticipation, another crucial factor made him quite eager. That was the single page he had obtained, which only recorded the initiation method of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill and left out further methods. When it came to the Perfect Method, it only briefly mentioned it. Meaning, normally with that single page, he could at most initiate the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, and it was impossible to reach the Perfect Realm described within. It was impossible to realize a state where swallowing a Golden Core would mean his fate was his own. What Jiang Ning was looking forward to was, by virtue of the panel¡¯s magic, even with just a fragment, he could painstakingly accumulate experience and break through the realm of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill to achieve perfection. To reach the state where swallowing a Golden Core meant his fate was his own. Chapter 39 - 39 Introduction to Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, Enhancement of Visceral Functions! Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Introduction to Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, Enhancement of Visceral Functions! A moment later. A streak of rosy dawn rose from the horizon, instantly illuminating the entire land. Jiang Ning immediately began to execute the Breathing and Exhaling Method of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. He had already become extremely proficient in this Breathing and Exhaling Method. With each inhale and exhale, a certain energy was drawn into his abdomen, and his organs seemed to soak in a hot spring, teeming with life and vigor. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [¡­..] In the blink of an eye, before the sun had fully risen, Jiang Ning had almost filled up the experience of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Pre-entry 99/100) The next moment, another prompt appeared in front of him. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] With the infusion of this point of experience, in an instant, the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill achieved a breakthrough. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Entry 0/1000) Thump! Thump!! Thump!!! His normally steady heart suddenly began to pound violently, and through the transmission of his body, Jiang Ning could clearly feel the strong and powerful beating of his heart. At this time, Jiang Ning¡¯s breathing also became rapid and heavy, his body flushed red. Huff¡ª Huff¡ª Hot air spewed from his nostrils. He could feel his heart pumping like a blood pump at this moment, a large volume of blood gushing out, racing toward his organs and limbs, body temperature frighteningly high. Jiang Ning sat cross-legged with closed eyes, simply feeling the changes in his body, feeling what kind of effect the entry into Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill would bring. After a long time. A breeze blew by. Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes, by then his body had returned to calm, and his body temperature had dropped back to normal. Huh¡ª He suddenly opened his mouth and expelled the impure energy from his belly. Instantly, the fallen leaves within a yard¡¯s distance in front of him seemed to be lifted by a gust of wind, rolling along the ground, surging toward the distance. With just this attempt, Jiang Ning knew that the functionality of his organs had indeed vastly improved from before, significantly strengthened. Such strong lung capacity was something he could not achieve before cultivating this Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. From the glimpse of one spot, it was evident that the lungs had strengthened so much, naturally, the other organs would be the same. ¡°Not bad!¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly, his face showing satisfaction. ¡°Having strong organ functions, without considering other effects, just the enhancement of physical strength alone can give me an advantage in a martial artist¡¯s fight.¡± ¡°After all, once full power bursts forth, how long can an ordinary Qi-Blood martial artist maintain their peak state?¡± ¡°My strong physical strength means I have endurance, an innate advantage.¡± ¡°Moreover, the increase in organ functions brings me even more hidden benefits.¡± ¡°Physical recovery will be faster, digestive function will also be enhanced, and my absorption of food will be stronger.¡± ¡°Even because of the enhanced function of the organs, various soups and wild medicinal herbs will also have a stronger effect on me.¡± Feeling the strengthened organs inside his body, with the sensation of ease in the breathing and exhalation, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart was all the more content. ¡°The Inner Strength Method is to be practiced after the strengthening of skin, flesh, tendons, and bones, followed by the strengthening of the five viscera and six organs.¡± ¡°Now that I have started early and achieved a small success, I can feel such a significant effect, no wonder according to Wang Jin¡¯s hidden texts, many geniuses from great forces choose to cultivate both internally and externally.¡± ¡°Thus, before the physical body is sufficiently strong, the pace of inner cultivation might be slower.¡± ¡°But, if there is indeed success, it will be mutually beneficial. In particular, cultivating both internally and externally greatly reduces the long-term damage of outer refining to the body, allowing one to maintain a longer period of optimal cultivation time.¡± ¡°However, according to the records in the book, it is extremely difficult to reach the level of condensing Inner Breath without achieving a certain level of external refining; I wonder if it will be different for me.¡± Jiang Ning sat cross-legged on the ground, stroking his chin in thought. : Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Entry level 0/1000) ¡°From entry to mastery, it still requires the normal ten times Experience Value. It seems this Cultivation Technique is indeed extraordinary, far surpassing the Five Animals Fist.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know if I can continue to grind for experience without the subsequent cultivation methods of Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill!¡± Thinking of this, Jiang Ning looked up at the newly risen morning sun. According to the fragment, after entering the threshold of Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, one could preliminarily breathe in the essence qi of the heaven and earth from sunrise until 6:15 a.m. Now that the great sun was just rising, it was only about 6:15 a.m., still within the timeframe suitable for breathing and exhaling. I might as well give it a try! As the thought occurred, Jiang Ning gently inhaled and exhaled, slowly adjusting his state. He did not dare to be careless at this moment. He had a conjecture about what the breathing and exhaling method of Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill might involve; probably it was the Great Sun Essence Qi mentioned in the ancient texts. The reason why one could only breathe in the refined qi of the Great Sun only shortly after its rise, before entering the threshold, is because at that moment, the Great Sun Essence Qi is at its mildest. Once the Great Sun rises, the Great Sun Essence Qi would gradually become more violent. Before the viscera have grown strong, if one were to consume too much of this uncontrollable Great Sun Essence Qi, it could cause the organs to burn. After adjusting, Jiang Ning gazed at the rising sun and began the breathing and exhaling method of Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. With each breath, strands of scorching qi surged into his nostrils, as if drawing in some kind of essence qi. As his breathing and exhaling continued, the scorching qi that entered his nostrils became even more intense. It¡¯s happening fast! Jiang Ning thought to himself. Suddenly, A terrifyingly hot breath surged into his nostrils and moved swiftly down through his nasal passages towards his abdomen like a flame serpent. At this moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s face showed pain, the irritation in his nostrils even causing tears to secrete from his eyes. Boom¡ª The fiery serpent of the Five Elements entered the abdomen and exploded within his body. Now Jiang Ning didn¡¯t feel the comfort as if he were soaking in a hot spring, but rather like he was scorched by the searing heat of a sea of fire. He felt as if his five viscera and six organs were surrounded by flames, a terrible wave of heat sweeping through them. ¡°Not good! There should be some guiding method for the next step; I am missing the guidance method right now, which is causing the scorching essence qi to run wild in my organs.¡± Feeling the changes in his organs, Jiang Ning immediately realized something was wrong. Just then, the once violent qi that was like a fierce beast suddenly seemed to be soothed by an invisible force, calming from its restlessness to tranquility. As this change occurred, Jiang Ning immediately felt the scorching sensation in his organs subside significantly, no longer that uncomfortable. Time passed, breath by breath, as the now placid scorching essence qi slowly flowed among his organs. Some time passed. It wasn¡¯t until this notification appeared that Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes. : Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Entry level 1/1000) S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That was close!¡± He breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. ¡°Luckily, the panel really came through. Even without the crucial subsequent methods, it still lets me grind for experience. With this, inner strengthening is hopeful!¡± ¡°According to the fragment, if the organs are further strengthened and the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill breaks through to another level, combined with strong spiritual power, one can control some organ functions and unleash the hidden strength of the body at critical moments.¡± ¡°Such requirements are truly worthy of the Daoist ways. Daoists are adept at Inner Strength Methods and meditation that strengthens the spirit. If I can meet their standards, this method can definitely be my trump card!¡± Chapter 40 - 40 Current Situation Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Current Situation At that moment, Jiang Ning roughly understood what kind of power was being referred to in the fragmentary pages of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill about the eruption of hidden strength. The human body, with its five organs and six viscera, inherently contains many secrets. In his previous life, he had heard of a mother who, upon seeing her son pinned under a car, had an explosive release of potential, enabling her to lift the car and save her son. Such examples are countless. If the potential of the human body can be unleashed, it can exhibit far greater strength than usual. These hidden powers, like adrenaline, are concealed within the five organs and six viscera. Therefore, Jiang Ning was well aware that if he could achieve this, it would definitely add a powerful weapon to his arsenal. ¡°However, to fill these thousand experience points is not an overnight feat!¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself as he looked at the progress of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill on the panel. Then, after a brief rest, feeling no anomalies between the organs, he continued, taking advantage of the time before 5 a.m. and before 7 a.m. Facing the newly risen sun, he practiced the Breathing and Exhaling Method recorded in the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [¡­] Until it was almost 7 a.m., he finally stopped such act. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Beginner 6/1000) ¡­ That night, Jiang Ning took out two silver ingots from his bosom, his expression complex. This was a ten-tael silver ingot, totaling twenty taels. These twenty silver taels were personally handed to him by a former constable colleague entrusted by his elder brother, Jiang Li, at the doorway of the Martial Arts Hall during the afternoon. Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes revealed some guilt. ¡°Twenty silver taels! I wonder where elder brother borrowed them from this time!¡± He shook his head, his expression somewhat wistful. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on this!¡± ¡°The priority now is to enhance my strength. Only by improving my strength can I change my own fate, as well as the fate of elder brother¡¯s family!¡± ¡°Once I enter the Inspection Office as a confirmed Martial Artist, I will bring elder brother¡¯s family to live in the Inner City!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll repay elder brother and sister-in-law¡¯s kindness in days to come!¡± Jiang Ning made a resolute decision in his heart. He then put the twenty silver taels into his pouch and continued grinding his Boxing Skill experience. ¡­ The day after, At 8:00 a.m., after the Martial Arts Hall opened, Cheng Ran entered the Martial Arts Hall and immediately left the front courtyard with Jiang Ning, heading toward the small courtyard where Jiang Ning lived. Upon entering the small courtyard, Jiang Ning finally spoke. ¡°Brother Cheng, how did it go?¡± Cheng Ran nodded, ¡°You guessed right. There really were two people watching the entrance of the Martial Arts Hall. They are members of the Green Snake Gang.¡± ¡°Green Snake Gang?¡± Cheng Ran nodded, ¡°Luoshui County has three major gangs, the Green Snake Gang, the Black Tiger Gang, and the Bamboo Gang. Behind each of these gangs stand certain families, among which the Green Snake Gang is involved in grain transportation and human trafficking, backed by the Cao family.¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, not feeling surprised at all. Cheng Ran looked at Jiang Ning, ¡°Regarding the other matter that Brother Jiang entrusted to me, I have also cleared it up.¡± ¡°In recent days, when the government office took the initiative to clamp down on the God Worship Sect, they actually suffered a setback, leading to the Sect growing even more influential in the Outer City.¡± ¡°However, your elder brother and his wife are still safe and sound. The patrol strength around their home has greatly increased during this period, with constables passing by every now and then, so there hasn¡¯t been any unrest!¡± Hearing that his elder brother and sister-in-law were still very peaceful up to now, Jiang Ning instantly breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Cheng Ran continued looking at Jiang Ning, ¡°As for Xu Yunfeng, whom Brother Jiang asked me to investigate, there are also some results! Xu Yunfeng himself has not made a move, but his last record of action was when he single-handedly captured a fugitive criminal who was not weak in strength, a martial artist who had achieved Great Success in Qi-Blood and had successfully connected it through his limbs.¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°So it seems that Xu Yunfeng is probably also a martial artist about to enter the Martial Arts Entry, close to achieving Qi Blood Perfection like Brother Cheng?¡± Cheng Ran nodded slightly, ¡°Probably so! He is a man of Cao Bin and stands behind the Cao family. If he achieves Martial Arts Entry, his position and status in the government office will surely be promoted. As they say, civilians should not contend with officials, and it¡¯s really bad luck for Brother Jiang to be targeted by him.¡± Jiang Ning said helplessly, ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do about it!¡± ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s nothing to be done!¡± Cheng Ran agreed with a nod, ¡°Cao Bin suddenly took a fancy to your sister-in-law, and it¡¯s truly an undeserved disaster!¡± He then continued, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I, Cheng Ran, have little influence and cannot ask my father to intervene and persuade Cao Bin to spare your sister-in-law.¡± ¡°I appreciate Brother Cheng¡¯s kindness!¡± said Jiang Ning, bowing in thanks. Yet in his heart, he shook his head secretly. He had analyzed this matter numerous times, and regardless of Cao Bin¡¯s personal desires, it was not that simple. Most likely, it still involved the conflict between County Lord, the dragon crossing the river, and the local snakes. His elder brother and sister-in-law being caught up in this whirlpool might partially be due to Cao Bin¡¯s personal needs, but it mostly stemmed from the struggle between these two forces. Since his own elder brother had been chosen as a pawn and involved in this contest, it was unthinkable for Cheng Ran to get his father to intervene, and even if his father did intervene, the Cao family would not just let it go. ¡°We must rely on ourselves!¡± ¡°Becoming Wang Jin¡¯s True Disciple would alleviate the initial crisis.¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Joining the Inspection Office, and having the backing of this major institution, would be the only way to completely untangle this situation.¡± Jiang Ning muttered silently to himself. Cheng Ran at this moment said, ¡°Regarding the other task that Brother Jiang entrusted to me, finding suitable medicinal herbs for cultivation. I checked and found that ten-year-old Wild Ginseng is most suitable, offering the best value for money for Brother Jiang!¡± ¡°Wild Ginseng of ten years old is being sold on the market for fifteen silver taels a piece, but Brother Jiang would be better off going to Brother Zhou Xing.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard previously that disciples of our Martial Arts Hall, who buy ten-year-old Wild Ginseng from Brother Zhou Xing, pay only ten silver taels, which is about five taels cheaper than the market price.¡± ¡°Brother Zhou Xing¡¯s family is one of the largest medicinal herb merchants in Luoshui County, and the ten taels is probably also their cost price, which is quite a good deal.¡± ¡°This afternoon, when the fierce tiger emerges from its cage, Brother Zhou Xing will most likely come to the Martial Arts Hall, and then Brother Jiang can go to purchase Wild Ginseng from Brother Zhou Xing.¡± After carefully listening to all this, Jiang Ning bowed again, ¡°Brother Cheng, you¡¯ve troubled yourself these past few days!¡± Cheng Ran laughed heartily, ¡°Brother Jiang, you are too courteous. If it hadn¡¯t been for your help a few days ago, I wouldn¡¯t be able to stand here today talking to you!¡± ¡°And my chances of getting a slot in the Inspection Office would be even slimmer! Brother Jiang, you truly did me a huge favor, allowing me to still compete with Xiao Peng for a spot in the Office.¡± Seeing Cheng Ran speak with such vigor, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but express his curiosity, ¡°Brother Cheng, you¡¯re looking energetic. Has your injury healed?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Cheng Ran smiled and nodded, ¡°My father heard that I wanted to join the Inspection Office, knowing it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so he spent a great deal of money to buy a Big Restoration Pill. In just one day, my injuries were healed, and my Qi-Blood grew significantly stronger!¡± As he spoke, Cheng Ran clenched his fists, ¡°If I have a chance, I must get back at what happened a few days ago and let Xiao Peng taste the pain of injury.¡± ¡°Brother Cheng has great spirit!¡± Jiang Ning praised. Cheng Ran chuckled, ¡°In any case, I can¡¯t stand that Xiao Peng. He¡¯s too cunning, keeping that trick hidden and nearly making me suffer a miserable defeat!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity!¡± Looking at Jiang Ning, Cheng Ran soon showed a look of regret, ¡°Brother Jiang, your talent in boxing is the best I¡¯ve ever seen. Achieving so much in just a few days, if you could have started martial arts a year and a half earlier, the spot wouldn¡¯t have gone to Xiao Peng. But then, it wouldn¡¯t have gone to me either, which turns out to be to my advantage!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head and smiled, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to regret! Who can say for sure about the future? Just being able to learn martial arts is already an escape from a common man¡¯s fate. I¡¯m very satisfied with this, and whatever steps I can take in the future will still depend on myself.¡± ¡°Brother Jiang is truly open-minded! I admire you!¡± said Cheng Ran, bowing with his fists clenched, then patting his chest, ¡°Brother Jiang, rest assured, with me here, it won¡¯t be so easy for that Xiao Peng kid to get the spot in the Office. I¡¯ll certainly compete with him for it!¡± Jiang Ning smiled and said nothing more. Regarding the matter of competing for a spot in the Inspection Office, he had never mentioned it to anyone, and he wasn¡¯t about to start now. Chapter 41 - 41 Sparring! First Stop! Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Sparring! First Stop! Canglang Martial Arts Hall. 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. The sky was clear, cloudless. The sun had already risen, making the courtyard intensely hot. ¡°Brother Jiang, how about a friendly sparring?¡± Cheng Ran suddenly spoke, his eyes gleaming as he looked at Jiang Ning. Ever since Jiang Ning had lent him a hand two days ago, feeling the explosive power in Jiang Ning¡¯s arms, Cheng Ran had been unable to calm his mind. From that moment, he became very curious about the current strength of Jiang Ning. He had suggested a sparring session with Jiang Ning in the future. His purpose for suggesting the sparring was merely to satisfy his curiosity about Jiang Ning¡¯s strength. Not, as he had previously stated, for the two to spar to gain combat experience. In his view, true combat experience could be gained only from an opponent of similar strength, not from a lopsided spar. He had reached Qi-Blood Perfection, with energy flowing through his entire body, and his single arm¡¯s strength had long surpassed five hundred taels, more than double what he felt from Jiang Ning¡¯s strength. Such a huge difference in strength, like that between an adult and a child in a direct fight, was not even on the same level. In his eyes, such an immense difference in strength could hardly contribute to any combat experience. The proposal to spar was merely to satisfy the curiosity in his heart. Curious about Jiang Ning¡¯s actual strength and the level of his boxing skills. In the courtyard. Facing Cheng Ran¡¯s proposal, Jiang Ning thought briefly before nodding in agreement. ¡°Alright!¡± He agreed to Cheng Ran¡¯s proposal for a simple reason. Xu Yunfeng had reached Qi-Blood Perfection, with energy flowing through his entire body. He was the most direct threat to him at the moment and also the most likely person to make a move against him. And Cheng Ran had also reached Qi-Blood Perfection, with energy circulating throughout his body. In Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes, their theoretical strengths were on par. By sparring with Cheng Ran, he could roughly gauge Xu Yunfeng¡¯s strength. As for the information revealed during the fight. Jiang Ning did not care at all. Laying low was not his priority at the moment. In this world, where is the prodigy whose talent is so terrifying that he should not be allowed to survive? Properly displaying one¡¯s talent had more advantages than disadvantages. As long as it did not exceed public understanding, it could be demonized. A moment later. Crackling¡ª Cheng Ran stretched out his entire body. ¡°Brother Jiang,¡± Crackling¡ª He stretched out his entire body again. ¡°Brother Jiang, you make the first move! I will control my own strength,¡± Cheng Ran said, asserting his identity. ¡°Then be careful, Brother Cheng.¡± Jiang Ning spoke. The next moment. His form shifted, and he suddenly burst forth, his Qi-Blood surging through his right arm, instantly transforming him into a tiger pouncing down a mountain. The short distance of less than two fathoms was closed in just a few steps. ¡°Good coming!¡± Watching Jiang Ning¡¯s open right hand, resembling a tiger¡¯s paw reaching out, Cheng Ran¡¯s eyes sharpened. He immediately shifted his right foot, sinking his body. Facing Jiang Ning¡¯s palm strike, he didn¡¯t plan to dodge at all. In his eyes, it was unnecessary, and he couldn¡¯t afford to lose face. Cheng Ran clenched his fist and unleashed half of his strength. Bang¡ª When the fist met the palm, a dull sound echoed. The powerful force erupted, making Cheng Ran involuntarily step back half a step, then his body instantly stabilized in place, still holding back some of his strength. Such powerful explosive power!!! Cheng Ran was astonished, and his look towards Jiang Ning drastically changed. After the exchange, having felt Jiang Ning¡¯s strength firsthand. Only then could he truly determine Jiang Ning¡¯s real power. Tiger Form Boxing had clearly reached small success! ¡°This palm strike carried the force of a fierce tiger descending the mountain, unleashing a thousand catties of strength.¡± ¡°I had underestimated him before!¡± In his heart, Cheng Ran felt a touch of sourness, such talents in boxing were beyond anything he had ever heard or seen. Had he not witnessed it with his own eyes, he would not have believed it. A newcomer at the Martial Arts Hall who had been training for just over ten days, practicing the Five Animals Fist simultaneously, had already achieved small success. That was what he admired and was most shocked by. Such boxing talent amazed him to no end. How great it would be if I had such boxing talent! Realizing Jiang Ning¡¯s boxing talent, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a myriad of emotions. ¡°No wonder these days, our teacher has taken extra care of Brother Jiang.¡± ¡°Not only allowing him to stay long-term at the Martial Arts Hall, but also providing the treatment of a True Disciple, with three bowls of medicinal soup provided daily.¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°With such talent, who as a Disciple could not be moved?¡± Cheng Ran also understood that the reason why Jiang Ning had progressed so rapidly and achieved so much was probably also due to Wang Jin giving Jiang Ning some extra help. However, even though he understood this, he had no thoughts of unfairness. Because to him, this seemed normal. Not only Wang Jin but he would have done the same. Good masters are hard to find, but Disciples who can inherit the mantle with excellent talent and character are even harder to find. Now that he fully realized Jiang Ning¡¯s martial arts achievements, he had only one thought in his heart. He could only be a friend, not a foe! Even if Jiang Ning had no opportunity to join the Inspection Office, where he could go in the future was unknown to him. But he knew that with such talent, even with a humble background, anything was possible in the future. Perhaps one day, he might become well-known throughout Guangning Prefecture. Immediately, Cheng Ran¡¯s face revealed a genuine smile. ¡°Exploding with the strength of a thousand catties in an instant, Brother Jiang has good talent!¡± Jiang Ning stopped his retreating figure, shook his hands, and even under the surge of Qi-Blood, such an intense collision still caused some pain in his right palm. But the pain not only didn¡¯t make him think of retreating, it stirred a sense of fiery blood within him. ¡°Brother Cheng, let¡¯s go again!¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes burned with fervor. ¡°Alright!¡± Cheng Ran replied readily. In the next moment. Both of them moved. Instantly entering within arm¡¯s reach of each other. Boom¡ª Boom¡ª Boom¡ª Both fists continually collided, fist to flesh, unleashing the wildest fight. ¡°This is the fight among men!¡± As they separated, Cheng Ran grinned. Jiang Ning also wore a smile, and in his line of sight, a notification that only he could see appeared. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] It turns out that fighting could also increase boxing experience. At that moment, Jiang Ning instantly understood. Immediately, his gaze towards Cheng Ran was filled even more with fighting spirit. ¡°Again!!¡± With a clear shout, Jiang Ning moved, striking like a White Ape. ¡°Alright!¡± Cheng Ran responded. Facing Jiang Ning rushing straight at him, he directly unleashed fifty percent of his strength. As his fingers spread, they seemed like a tiger¡¯s paw striking forward. In the next moment. Cheng Ran¡¯s expression changed. Because Jiang Ning¡¯s movement suddenly shifted from extremely fast to extremely slow, then agilely, like an ape, his palm struck towards the opening. Thud, thud, thud¡ª Cheng Ran stepped back three steps, his face turning slightly red. A breath later, he spoke, ¡°Is this the dynamic change of the Deer Form Boxing?¡± ¡°Yes! Please enlighten me, Brother Cheng!¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°Again!¡± After regaining his composure, Cheng Ran¡¯s eyes also blazed with the will to fight, unwilling to concede. Chapter 42 - 42 Jiang Ning’s Strength Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Jiang Ning¡¯s Strength Afterward, The two engaged in battle once more. However, the more Cheng Ran fought, the more alarmed he became. It was because Jiang Ning¡¯s movements were just too nimble, his strikes unpredictable. Especially the changes between motion and stillness, his form, and fist force shifting unexpectedly left and right, seemingly lacking any force or momentum; it made it extremely difficult for him. He couldn¡¯t completely predict Jiang Ning¡¯s movements. ¡°So this is the power of cultivating Five Forces together? The effect of skill is so profound?¡± After being hit in the chest by Jiang Ning again, this thought involuntarily emerged in Cheng Ran¡¯s mind. At this moment, his expression towards Jiang Ning changed repeatedly. He knew, if it weren¡¯t for his perfected Qi-Blood permeating his body, making his resilience far beyond ordinary, these few hits alone would have been enough to incapacitate him. At this time, after this initial battle, Jiang Ning also had some realizations. Why Wang Jin had mentioned to him numerous times that Five Animals Fist should cultivate Five Forces together. When cultivating Five Forces together¡ªforce, explosive power, movement technique, and speed are all outstanding, truly without any shortcoming. Though Cheng Ran¡¯s strength was formidable and his Qi Blood flowed unobstructedly throughout his body, his single arm could lift over a thousand pounds, and each of his movements could easily unleash force more than a thousand pounds. Yet, if Jiang Ning didn¡¯t opt for a direct confrontation, Cheng Ran¡¯s full force strikes could hardly hit him. After achieving a small success in Ape Form Fist, his movement technique could be considered to have reached a refined level. Even when fighting Cheng Ran up close, he could make him miss by a hair, vastly¡ªexploiting that gap when the old force had dissipated and the new had not yet arisen. Thus, at this moment, he noticed that although Cheng Ran¡¯s explosive power matched his own, he was completely overwhelmed by him. ¡°Brother Cheng, please don¡¯t hold back!¡± Jiang Ning spoke earnestly. Seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s serious demeanor, Cheng Ran slowly nodded, ¡°Very well, be careful, Brother Jiang!¡± As his words fell, Cheng Ran¡¯s figure moved again, with a difference like that between heaven and earth. With his Qi-Blood flowing unobstructedly and unleashing his full strength, his speed suddenly increased by fifty percent. His figure flickered, closing the distance to within an arm¡¯s reach of Jiang Ning. Cheng Ran¡¯s arms suddenly waved like the wind, a strong oppressive force pressing straight toward Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning¡¯s Qi-Blood also coursed freely, fighting while retreating. At that moment, Jiang Ning understood what it meant to ¡®overwhelm ten times with one force¡¯. While Cheng Ran¡¯s single-arm force exceeded a thousand pounds, double his own, Under such circumstances, he found that even though he could exploit the gap when Cheng Ran¡¯s old force had dissipated and the new had not yet arisen, he only needed to deal with sixty or seventy percent of Cheng Ran¡¯s strength. However, during their clash, Cheng Ran¡¯s force still exceeded his own by several levels. He still couldn¡¯t withstand it directly. Every collision caused Jiang Ning¡¯s arm to ache and go numb, forcing him to constantly retreat. Under Cheng Ran¡¯s full-force outbreak, the pressuring force was tremendous. He simply couldn¡¯t muster his full power, and the force exerted in haste merely caused Cheng Ran¡¯s arm to sway slightly, dissipating everything. Pushed back to the corner, Jiang Ning leapt, appearing instantly on top of the surrounding wall like a nimble White Ape. ¡°Brother Cheng is indeed formidable, I am no match!¡± Standing on the wall, Jiang Ning bowed. Panting¡ª Panting¡ª At that moment Cheng Ran halted his furious assault, gasping for breath. Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words, he couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly inside. To forcibly overpower others by bursting with full strength to this extent was embarrassing to speak of. It seemed like his victory, but in reality, it was a thorough defeat. But at this moment, he realized even more acutely that Jiang Ning¡¯s natural talent in martial arts and boxing were far above his own. Then, he felt a secret sense of relief. ¡°Fortunately!¡± ¡°Fortunately, there are only about three months left until the Inspection Office opens.¡± ¡°If Brother Jiang had a year and a half, Xiao Peng and I might as well not compete and just give up.¡± ¡°Now, with only three months left, even if Brother Jiang¡¯s talent in boxing and comprehension are astounding, and his Boxing has reached Great Success or even Perfection, mastering Power.¡± ¡°However, his Qi-Blood is unlikely to reach the level of Perfection, let alone beginner Refining Skin to integrate fully.¡± ¡°These achievements require persistent effort like grinding water.¡± Thinking of this, Cheng Ran felt extremely relieved. Relieved that there were only just about three months left until the Inspection Office opened. Competing against Xiao Peng, whose Qi-Blood and boxing skills were almost the same, he still had confidence. But having seen Jiang Ning¡¯s strength today, competing with him when their Qi-Blood was almost the same left him with no confidence at all. Subsequently. Cheng Ran steadied his rapid breathing, looked up at Jiang Ning on the surrounding wall, and couldn¡¯t help but show a hint of admiration in his eyes. ¡°Brother Jiang has great stamina, to remain so composed after such intense fighting.¡± Jiang Ning leaped down from the wall with a smile and landed in front of Cheng Ran. ¡°Brother Cheng, such an offensive would naturally consume a lot of energy, unlike me. My primary approach is mobile fighting, so my energy consumption is naturally less.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Cheng Ran nodded, agreeing with the explanation. But in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart, he knew differently. His consumption wasn¡¯t as great as Cheng Ran¡¯s, because his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill had reached beginner level. His internal organs were tempered, possessing functions that surpassed ordinary people. Therefore, this level of engagement couldn¡¯t make him feel the fatigue of exhaustion. At this moment, he saw the prompt that had appeared before him and felt pleasantly surprised. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (small success 50/500) A few minutes of engagement had increased my Five Animals Fist Experience Value by two points. Fighting indeed was another way to increase the experience value of boxing. But, my Qi-Blood hasn¡¯t increased! Jiang Ning then closed the panel. At that time, Cheng Ran¡¯s breathing had also slowly returned to normal. He looked at Jiang Ning, ¡°Brother Jiang¡¯s comprehensive realm in boxing is even above Xiao Peng. Engaging with Brother Jiang truly was a wise choice, and I feel I have gained a lot!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Jiang Ning said with a nod and a smile. A moment later. Watching Cheng Ran¡¯s departing figure, Jiang Ning also fell into brief contemplation. If I used a saber, relying on my advantages in movement technique and Saber Technique, I wonder if I could surpass Brother Cheng. After briefly recalling the fight once more, Jiang Ning slightly nodded. It should be possible! Holding a sharp blade, the advantage of movement technique and Skill is greater than that of strength. No matter how strong the force is, as long as it hasn¡¯t reached Martial Arts Entry, it is still just flesh and blood. A saber strike would still cause blood to splatter five steps. But what if Brother Cheng were replaced with Xu Yunfeng? Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes flickered, pondering. Brother Cheng had already achieved Qi Blood Perfection, integrating it throughout his body, with unilateral strength over five hundred taels, nearing Martial Arts Entry. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Yunfeng also achieved Qi Blood Perfection, integrated throughout his body. But undoubtedly, Xu Yunfeng must be more formidable than Brother Cheng. After all, Xu Yunfeng, being a constable of Luoshui County, must have experienced numerous combats, rich in battle experience. Unlike Brother Cheng, Brother Cheng and I are like flowers raised in a greenhouse. With equal strength, facing life and death combat against Xu Yunfeng, there is no doubt that we would lose. I think I could probably surpass Brother Cheng with a saber. Jiang Ning remembered that every time he had seen Xu Yunfeng, he never parted from his saber, always gripping the handle at his waist. He then slightly shook his head, ¡°I might not yet be a match for Xu Yunfeng!¡± ¡°I still need some time,¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. Chapter 43 - 43 Mr. Zhang Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Mr. Zhang After summarizing the experience from his recent fight, Jiang Ning continued to practice boxing in his own courtyard. Since he took up residence at the martial arts hall and got his own small courtyard, he spent most of his time practicing boxing there. Especially after he achieved proficiency in boxing, he hardly ever went to the front courtyard of the martial arts hall. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The difference between mastery and the entry-level of the Five Animals Fist wasn¡¯t easy to detect for the average disciple. But once the boxing reached a small success, each move was filled with fluidity, especially since his Qi-Blood became increasingly robust, making it easier to sense the powerful Qi-Blood while practicing. Under such circumstances, disciples with decent strength like Xiao Peng could sense something was different. He didn¡¯t want to reveal his progress to the likes of Xiao Peng too soon, as that would only invite trouble. Cheng Ran was different, though; after these days of interaction, he had developed a certain trust in Cheng Ran, knowing he was a decent person and worth befriending. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] After completing a round of boxing, Jiang Ning opened his panel to take a look. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 9.2 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (One-time Break Limit 568/2000) (Trait: Unforgettable) Five Animals Fist (Small Success 50/500) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Perfection 1000/1000) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Entry-Level 18/1000) He had made a lot of progress today. His Qi-Blood Power was now more than enough to flow through one arm, and he was more than halfway to extending it through the second arm. The refining of Qi-Blood also brought about an increase in strength and physical constitution. After entering the beginning levels, the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill could only absorb the Great Sun Essence Qi from sunrise until the eighth quarter of the 5:00-7:00 period. Thus today, he gained only 12 points of experience value from the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, although it was not as much as the growth in experience value from the Qi during the first day¡¯s absorption. Yet, he felt his progress was quite noticeable. Absorbing the more potent Sun Flower Realm Essence Qi had a more pronounced effect on enhancing the functions of his internal organs, making them stronger and his stamina considerably more durable. Every day, Jiang Ning could feel himself improving. Unlike others, whose pace of progress slowed or even stalled at later stages, his speed of improvement never diminished, whether in the early or later phases. He consistently took one steady step at a time, forging ahead. ¡°Two more days, and in two days, the energy I have accumulated will allow me to Break Limit my Chopping Wood Blade Skill!¡± ¡°Increasing the trait of the saber technique should help my strength! With that, my strength will advance further.¡± ¡°In addition, my accumulation in Reading and Writing has now passed one-quarter of the way! I cannot overlook the new trait that this skill will grant, as well as the strengthening of my spiritual power.¡± Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning muttered to himself. ¡°If I could get another dose of valuable medicinal materials like Wild Ginseng, my progression speed would accelerate even more!¡± At this thought, Jiang Ning was filled with anticipation. Today, Zhou Xing was sure to make an appearance. Once he met Zhou Xing, he could buy Wild Ginseng, which was highly beneficial to him. A strand of ten-year-old Wild Ginseng, which would cost about fifteen silver taels outside, could be bought from Zhou Xing for just ten silver taels. Given such a low price and high cost-effectiveness, he naturally chose to buy Wild Ginseng from Zhou Xing. Although it seemed like he would owe a favor, Jiang Ning considered, what¡¯s a favor compared to immediate benefits? Securing current advantages was what truly mattered. Capitalizing on every opportunity, ensuring rapid self-growth, maintaining sufficient self-protection ability. The ability to protect oneself and those you care about is the ultimate truth. He had gained a profound understanding of the saying ¡°Pride comes before a fall¡± from his previous life! Afterward. Jiang Ning continued to repeatedly practice the Five Animals Fist in the courtyard. Each round of practice increased his experience by one point, and the Five Animals Fist at the small success level allowed him to solidify three strands of Qi-Blood within his body. Now, with the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill allowing his internal organs to be enhanced, Jiang Ning could distinctly feel his body becoming able to support more rounds of boxing practice per day. Stronger organ function meant more stamina and faster recovery. Also, his appetite had increased significantly. For a martial artist, a good appetite was a positive sign. Only with a good appetite, with eating a lot, could one intake enough energy for personal growth. Last night at dinner with Wang Jin, Jiang Ning noticed that Wang Jin had already observed his unusual appetite, yet Wang Jin didn¡¯t say much at the time, simply encouraging him to eat freely and heartily without restraint. ¡­ At lunchtime. Everyone gathered around a table, which was a long rectangle, with people seated on either side, and Wang Jin sat squarely at the end of the table. On the table, there were several big white steamed buns, vegetables, and each person had a bowl of fatty pork in front of them; this was the daily lunch provided by the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. The buns were plentiful, the vegetables were plentiful, but each person only had the one bowl of meat before them, ensuring that the disciples received their daily intake of meat and oil. Only by doing so one could avoid training to the point of exhaustion. After practicing boxing all morning, everyone was ravenously hungry. Once at the table, they all grabbed the food and wolfed it down. At the head of the table, Wang Jin sipped his after-meal tea, settling his stomach. He looked at everyone devouring their meal calmly, but from time to time he nodded slightly, his face showing satisfaction. Suddenly, A disciple hurriedly entered the hall from outside. He came before Wang Jin, bowed with hands clasped in front. ¡°Hall Master, there¡¯s a visitor outside asking to see you, he says his name is Shen Congyun.¡± ¡°Shen Congyun?¡± Wang Jin¡¯s expression turned to surprise as he swiftly stood up. The chair behind him shifted backward with a ¡°bang bang¡± sound. This commotion suddenly drew everyone¡¯s gaze, naturally including Jiang Ning¡¯s. Shen Congyun? Hearing these three words, Jiang Ning was also slightly surprised. Shen Congyun was the Vice Building Owner of the Wanhua Building stationed in Luoshui County, both formally and informally. Although he was the Vice Building Owner, the Wanhua Building was a super force that spread throughout the Nine States of Great Xia, with a Wanhua Building in almost every state city, prefecture city, and county city. The business of Wanhua Building was simple, catering to those who practiced martial arts. It included martial arts cultivation techniques, secret manuals, precious medicines, divine weapons, body-protecting armor, and various kinds of intelligence information could also be bought at Wanhua Building. As long as one had enough silver, one could buy most of the materials needed for martial arts cultivation at Wanhua Building. From the inconsequential secret manuals to the foundational methods that could lead to becoming a Grandmaster or Great Grandmaster. As long as one had money, everything could be bought at Wanhua Building. Such a colossal power, even if Shen Congyun was only the vice manager of a branch in Luoshui County, his status there was very high; in the eyes of all manner of local dignitaries, he was indeed a personage. Both the Luoshui County Lord, an official of Seventh Grade, and the local three major families of Cao, Liu, and Xie had to give him some face. And the reason why Wanhua Building could be established in every state, prefecture, and county was because they always adhered to a neutral commercial stance, preferring harmony to profit, never intervening in any struggles between powers. Only absolute neutrality could earn the trust of all factions. In Great Xia, no matter how strong the power, who could be stronger than the Great Xia Court? ¡°Strange, why would Shen Congyun come to visit my teacher?¡± Cheng Ran, sitting next to Jiang Ning, opened his mouth with a puzzled expression. ¡°Brother Jiang, do you know?¡± He then turned his head to ask Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning shook his head slightly: ¡°How would I know?¡± ¡°Could it be because of that matter?¡± Cheng Ran said thoughtfully. ¡°What matter?¡± Jiang Ning asked. Cheng Ran explained: ¡°I heard that recently, because the Inspection Office is about to be established, many forces within the county are investing in those who might enter the office. After all, Brother Jiang knows, once we successfully enter the office, with the backing of Martial Saint guarding the Inspection Office and holding the power to execute first and report later, life and death in hand, it¡¯s akin to a fish leaping through the dragon gate.¡± ¡°Investing before entering the office to enhance martial arts strength is like sending charcoal in the snow, it¡¯s a favor; many people are happy to make such investments.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded in agreement. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a smart investment with a high cost-performance ratio.¡± Cheng Ran continued: ¡°However, what¡¯s strange is, with Shen Congyun¡¯s status as the Vice Building Owner of Wanhua Building, even if Wanhua Building were to invest, why would he need to take the field personally?¡± ¡°And as far as I know, Wanhua Building doesn¡¯t easily invest in geniuses; they only invest in true martial arts talents.¡± ¡°An Inspection Office in a county isn¡¯t worth Wanhua Building¡¯s major efforts to invest, nor is it worth Shen Congyun, such a major figure, to make an appearance. Wanhua Building wouldn¡¯t likely care for such a minor return, even if successful.¡± ¡­ On the other side. Wang Jin came out from the hall. Shen Congyun. Thinking of this person, Wang Jin couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of excitement. Having been stuck at the Peak of Seventh Grade for many years, with Shen Congyun¡¯s help, he finally saw the opportunity to advance further. He couldn¡¯t help but quicken his pace, swiftly crossing through Qianyuan to the entrance of the Martial Arts Hall. Stepping over the threshold, Wang Jin saw the middle-aged man outside dressed in a gray robe, with a scholarly appearance and slightly graying temples. ¡°Mr. Shen!¡± Wang Jin walked toward Shen Congyun while clasping his hands. ¡°Brother Wang!¡± The middle-aged man, who appeared to be in his forties, also showed a genial smile, greeting Wang Jin with raised hands. ¡°Mr. Shen¡¯s sudden visit, why didn¡¯t you give a heads-up? I haven¡¯t prepared wine and meat to welcome you!¡± Shen Congyun revealed a smile: ¡°My sudden visit is indeed presumptuous.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being too formal. Since we call each other brothers, my home is your home, feel free to come whenever you want.¡± Hearing this, Shen Congyun¡¯s face lit up with a smile: ¡°Brother Wang, won¡¯t you invite me in to sit?¡± ¡°Please, please, please enter!¡± Wang Jin gestured with his hand and then the two men walked shoulder to shoulder into the Martial Arts Hall. Chapter 44 - 44 The So-Called Supreme Art Chapter 44: Chapter 44 The So-Called Supreme Art Canglang Martial Arts Hall. ¡°Mr. Shen, what brings you here today?¡± ¡°How does Elder Wang feel about the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill after testing it personally?¡± Shen Congyun asked with a smile. ¡°So that¡¯s why you came, Mr. Shen!¡± ¡°What else?¡± Shen Congyun replied with a slight smile, continuing, ¡°Or did Brother Wang think I came to invest in the disciples of your martial arts hall? At Wanhua Building, our investments are always choosey, never excessive, seeking only that which is fated¡ªonce we see something that catches our eye, we invest.¡± Wang Jin nodded, ¡°That¡¯s true, the so-called geniuses of ordinary circumstances could hardly catch Mr. Shen and Wanhua Building¡¯s discerning eyes.¡± Shen Congyun simply smiled noncommittally. Indeed, Wanhua Building makes investments and forges relationships with genuine martial arts talents. The reason Wanhua Building could expand so greatly was its gift of recognizing talents, betting on prodigies before their rise, making investments. Providing timely help wins true friendships. With such relationships spread all over the world and across various powers, how could Wanhua Building not grow large? His previous befriending of Wang Jin was also due to this factor. As the two talked, they continued walking toward the back courtyard of the martial arts hall. Wang Jin said, ¡°Just now, Mr. Shen mentioned the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill is indeed miraculous; truly a legitimate Inner Strength Method from Daoist teachings. I feel much rejuvenated and see potential for further improvement.¡± Shen Congyun glanced sidelong at Wang Jin, remotely sensing his breathing rhythm and the beating of his heart. ¡°So, Brother Wang had successfully cultivated the torn page I gave you?¡± Wang Jin nodded, his eyes sparkling, ¡°I did, I officially began a few days ago! Now I feel much rejuvenated, as though I¡¯ve grown five to ten years younger.¡± ¡°Brother Wang indeed possesses remarkable talent!¡± Shen Congyun praised. ¡°What¡¯s remarkable?¡± Wang Jin shook his head, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the box of secret medicine you gave me, I would never have sensed the so-called Essence Qi of the universe, let alone begin its cultivation.¡± Shen Congyun shook his head with a smile, ¡°Even with that box of secret medicine, ordinary people still wouldn¡¯t be able to sense the Sun Essence. Brother Wang¡¯s innate spiritual wisdom is truly extraordinary.¡± ¡°For someone to begin cultivation within just two months with the secret medicine represents Brother Wang¡¯s exceptional nature. It¡¯s no wonder Brother Wang could reach the peak of Martial Arts Seventh Grade in this small town.¡± As he spoke, Shen Congyun appeared quite emotional. At that moment, Wang Jin looked puzzled, ¡°I¡¯ve heard Mr. Shen mention spiritual wisdom many times, saying I have innate spiritual wisdom. What exactly is this wisdom?¡± Shen Congyun replied with a smile, ¡°Brother Wang may not know, during the Ancient Era, in the Immortal God Era, only those with innate spiritual wisdom could cultivate the immortal pathway. If successfully cultivated, one could stand shoulder to shoulder with the gods, unbound and free, achieving great liberty and vast freedom.¡± ¡°Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill is an ultimate skill derived from the ancient immortal method; only those with innate spiritual wisdom can perceive the Essence Qi of the Great Sun using my secret medicine and cultivate this skill.¡± At that moment, Wang Jin looked shocked. ¡°Did Mr. Shen just say, the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill is a superior martial art? An ultimate skill ranked even above superior martial arts?¡± Shen Congyun smiled, ¡°Indeed, the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill is an ultimate skill ranked above the superior ones. Moreover, it is extremely mysterious and exquisite even among these ultimate skills.¡± ¡°What price would Mr. Shen demand to teach me this Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill?¡± Wang Jin asked, his eyes immediately revealing a longing look. As a martial artist, who wouldn¡¯t desire a powerful martial arts skill? Not to mention, Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill is an ultimate skill that strengthens the internal organs and provides solid help, enhancing bodily functions and prolonging life. In this way, he would have an opportunity to advance further, stepping into the ranks of Martial Arts Sixth Grade. ¡°Easy to say!¡± Shen Congyun continued with a smile, ¡°We call each other brothers, and I see great talent in Brother Wang, naturally, I am willing to invest in you. Thus, if Brother Wang wishes to learn this Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, it certainly won¡¯t be difficult.¡± ¡°Only¡­¡± Wang Jin immediately took over the topic, ¡°Only what?¡± Shen Congyun continued, ¡°Only, be mentally prepared, this Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill is incomplete. I myself have not been able to cultivate it to the level of Perfection; I only have the technique up to the Great Success Realm.¡± ¡°What level can it be cultivated to?¡± Wang Jin quickly asked, as this technique concerned his ability to recover bodily functions and pursue the path of Martial Arts Sixth Grade, he naturally cared deeply about it. Shen Congyun replied, ¡°I have cultivated the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill only to the level of the Great Success Realm; it lacks the crucial Perfect Method. However, even the Great Success level of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill is comparable to superior martial arts, so if Brother Wang¡¯s ability reaches the level of Great Success, achieving the Five Internal Organs Thunder Sound and Inner Breath Like Gang, it also means reaching the Great Success Realm of Internal Strength, and you could step into the ranks of Martial Arts Fourth Grade.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Jin breathed a sigh of relief, his face breaking into a smile. ¡°That¡¯s enough! Even as an incomplete method, if it¡¯s comparable to superior martial arts, and I can cultivate it to the Great Success Realm of Internal Strength with the Five Internal Organs Thunder Sound and Inner Breath Like Gang, isn¡¯t that more than enough? A martial arts strongman with Fifth Grade Internal Strength¡¯s Great Success is no more than this.¡± Shen Congyun sighed slightly with a look full of deep regret, ¡°True, but the most core, most essence part of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill is the Perfect Realm.¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Attracting the Fire of the Great Sun at Noon into the body, the body like a furnace, internally refining the Golden Core.¡± ¡°Once the Golden Core is formed, it symbolizes the legend: swallowing a Golden Core into one¡¯s belly, my destiny becomes independent of heaven¡¯s will.¡± ¡°In this way, it is truly an ultimate skill, at least securing a lifespan of over a hundred years, and the Inner Breath would undergo a qualitative change.¡± On hearing this, Wang Jin¡¯s eyes also brightened; such a powerful Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill shattered his understanding. Immediately, his expression dimmed slightly. Because the core of this technique was missing, even the Vice Building Owner of Wanhua Building, Shen Congyun, couldn¡¯t find this missing core method¡ªwhat chance did he have? At this moment, Shen Congyun and Wang Jin walked side by side, and Shen was very satisfied with Wang Jin. Wang Jin, an unexpectedly discovered talent with innate spiritual wisdom, led Shen to probe and, after validating Wang Jin¡¯s entry into Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, he became thoroughly determined to invest in and support Wang Jin. Wanhua Building¡¯s ability to expand throughout the Nine States of Great Xia in any county was due to its vast and deep connections. Whenever they discover invest-worthy talents, they often support them when they are weak or resolve their difficulties when they face hardships. As the saying goes, many add flowers to brocade, but few send charcoal in snowy weather. Such investments, once the supported talents grow, result in enormous gains. The gratitude of a strong person is immeasurably valuable. And Wang Jin was a talent valued by Shen Congyun. Talents, even if they are older, remain talents. Chapter 45 - 45 Grandmaster Opportunity (Request for Monthly Tickets!!!) Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Grandmaster Opportunity (Request for Monthly Tickets!!!) In the eyes of Shen Congyun, surveying the entirety of Luoshui County, while Wang Jin was not the strongest, there were a few who surpassed him. But Wang Jin was indeed a true Martial Arts prodigy. In such a small place as Luoshui County, having reached the peak of Martial Arts Seventh Grade and being just a step away from the Sixth Rank was undoubtedly a sign of genius. What was more critical was that Wang Jin possessed Innate Spiritual Wisdom, and was of the same kind as him. Possessing such distinctiveness was the real reason Shen Congyun valued Wang Jin. In his eyes, what did it matter if Wang Jin was over fifty, or if his bodily functions were declining, or if his breakthrough seemed hopeless now? Being of the same kind, those with Innate Spiritual Wisdom, that was enough! In just two months, having successfully mastered the basics of Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill represented that Wang Jin was immensely talented and worthy of his esteem. Mastering the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill would only restore his bodily functions. Thus, there was hope for Wang Jin to break through to Martial Arts Sixth Grade. He also possessed the subsequent methods of cultivating the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, sufficient for Wang Jin to practice until reaching Inner Strength Great Success and attaining the level of Inner Breath Like Gang. With the talent of a Heavenly Person like Wang Jin, even through the persistent effort akin to water grinding, he could attract the Sun Essence and cultivate up to the Five Internal Organs Thunder Sound and reach the realm of Inner Breath Like Gang, and Inner Strength Great Success. Once Wang Jin¡¯s physical capabilities were restored, breaking through to Martial Arts Sixth Grade was a natural progression. Once one in the Sixth Rank achieved Bone Forging Great Success and Inner Strength Great Success, they could skip the Fifth Grade Inner Strength and directly enter the ranks of Martial Arts Fourth Grade. Such a Martial Arts expert was a top-notch entity throughout all of Great Xia. If by chance he advanced further, attaining a seat among the Grandmasters of Great Xia wasn¡¯t impossible. Although that chance was merely one in ten thousand, for Shen Congyun, that was enough. In his eyes, at the very least, Wang Jin was capable of achieving Martial Arts Sixth Grade. Moreover, a Sixth Grade Martial Artist proficient in both internal and external aspects, his combat power was not inferior to some Martial Arts Fifth Grade experts. Additionally, Wang Jin had a twenty to thirty percent chance of entering Martial Arts Fourth Grade, such an expert was top-notch throughout all of Great Xia. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Becoming a Grandmaster also had an extremely slight one in ten thousand chance. If Wang Jin could secure a position as a Grandmaster, then he would truly have struck it big. The favor of a Grandmaster was priceless. Although this possibility was but a slim chance, in the eyes of the world, having the potential to achieve Grandmaster status was enough to be regarded as a Heavenly Person. The majesty of a Grandmaster, one who could equal tens of thousands of troops and preserve a top-tier sect for a hundred years of prosperity. These were his reasons for befriending and investing in Wang Jin. It was also the reason for his special visit today. While the two conversed, they had reached the backyard of the Martial Arts Hall where Wang Jin¡¯s residence was located. ¡­ On the other side, Jiang Ning and his companions had also finished their meal. Led by Cheng Ran, they strolled around the front courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall before returning to Jiang Ning¡¯s residence. ¡°What a pity, we didn¡¯t get to see Shen Congyun¡¯s true face,¡± Cheng Ran said, sitting in front of Jiang Ning, his face showing regret. Jiang Ning said, ¡°The Building Owner and Shen must have gone to the backyard. If Brother Cheng really admires him, perhaps find a reason to take a look.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not exactly admiration!¡± Cheng Ran chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Wanhua Building occasionally invests in Martial Arts prodigies. Anyone favored and invested in by Wanhua Building will go much further on the Martial Arts path.¡± ¡°After all, Wanhua Building has countless divine skills and potent elixirs, and numerous powerful affiliates. Compared with Wanhua Building¡¯s resources, my family and a beggar are no different.¡± ¡°If Shen Congyun took notice of me and I received Wanhua Building¡¯s investment and mentorship, then I would truly skyrocket!¡± ¡°Surpassing and thrashing Xiao Peng would be a piece of cake!¡± ¡°No, I should say he wouldn¡¯t even catch my eye anymore, we wouldn¡¯t be on the same level, and hereafter he could only gaze at my back.¡± Saying this, Cheng Ran shook his head. ¡°But never mind! Wanhua Building only invests in true Martial Arts prodigies. Those they invest in often boast exceptional perceptiveness and roots. Such prodigies usually don¡¯t need a year to go from Martial Arts Entry to achieving Martial Arts Entry Grade.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they have much interest in me, so I can only fantasize about it.¡± Cheng Ran said this as he shook his head and sighed, convincing himself to accept reality. At this moment, Jiang Ning felt slightly moved when he heard Cheng Ran¡¯s words. As Cheng Ran mentioned, obtaining investment and cultivation from Wanhua Building would indeed be a great help. Especially during an early weak phase, the effect was more pronounced. It was like sending charcoal in snowy weather. However, he only pondered the idea for a brief moment before dismissing the stirring thoughts. Wanhua Building was something he was not very familiar with. And he knew even less about Shen Congyun¡¯s character and personality. Moreover, since Shen Congyun arrived at the Martial Arts Hall, he went straight to the backyard with Wang Jin, evidently having other important matters, not coming for the so-called investment. Thinking of these, Jiang Ning silently shook his head. ¡­ [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] After practicing the punches under the midday sun, Jiang Ning¡¯s body was already drenched with sweat. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Small Success 51/500) ¡°No unexpected gains!¡± Looking at the prompt in front of him, which still showed an increase of one experience value for Five Animals Fist, Jiang Ning silently shook his head. After sparring with Cheng Ran in the morning, he felt a small advancement in his Five Animals Fist Skill, but constant practice and validation did not change the acquisition of experience value. ¡°Great Success, indeed isn¡¯t so simple!¡± Jiang Ning mused and shook his head. He then clenched his fists again, feeling that there was still some residual strength remaining in his body. ¡°After entering the beginner level of Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, my physical strength has greatly increased, and the number of times I can practice boxing daily has increased significantly.¡± ¡°Just this morning alone, I practiced my punches seven times.¡± ¡°After continuously practicing three more rounds of boxing after lunch, I can still feel that I have some strength left.¡± ¡°After my organs were strengthened, the difference is indeed profound.¡± ¡°If I could have some Wild Ginseng to enhance my vitality, my efficiency in practicing the punches could improve even more.¡± ¡°If later I can observe the Fierce Tiger Fist and grasp the essence and form of a real tiger, understanding the key points of Great Success in Fierce Tiger Fist would be even better.¡± ¡°Before my Five Animals Fist reaches Great Success, the experience value gained from each round of practice can still be doubled.¡± ¡°With this, my strength will definitely increase rapidly.¡± The next moment. His Qi-Blood surged within his body, instantly passing through his right arm and half of his left arm. ¡°Not much further from having both arms penetrated!¡± ¡°With my increased Qi-Blood, my strength should now exceed 250 pounds.¡± Afterwards. Jiang Ning rested for a moment, ready to continue practicing when. ¡°Brother Jiang! Brother Jiang!!¡± Cheng Ran burst in hurriedly. Jiang Ning, who had just started his fist motion, let it drop. ¡°Brother Cheng rushing over hastily like this, has something happened in the front courtyard?¡± Cheng Ran stopped in his tracks: ¡°Brother Jiang, didn¡¯t you hear the commotion from the front courtyard? Sister Li Qing just returned; she has successfully entered the ranks of Martial Arts, and Second Brother Zhao Hu is here too. His Tiger Form Boxing has reached Perfection, mastering the power of the fierce tiger.¡± ¡°Perfection?¡± Jiang Ning showed surprise. Cheng Ran nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Perfection. Brother Zhao said he wants to demonstrate the Tiger Form Boxing at the Perfection level, Brother Jiang, shouldn¡¯t you hurry to the front courtyard to observe?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jiang Ning immediately dismissed the idea of continuing his training, curious about the Tiger Form Boxing at the Perfection level. Chapter 46 - 46 Confrontation (PK for follow-up reads!!) Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Confrontation (PK for follow-up reads!!) In front of the Martial Arts Hall. Jiang Ning and Cheng Ran had just appeared when they instantly spotted the tall figure of Li Qing, her hair tied in a ponytail, revealing her slender, swan-like neck. In the entire Canglang Martial Arts Hall, among all the disciples, there was only one female disciple, Li Qing. At this moment, she stood out like a crane amidst a flock of chickens, especially since she was quite tall, in Jiang Ning¡¯s estimation at least 1.7 meters. She was only half a head shorter than him. The reason why Canglang Martial Arts Hall had only one female student wasn¡¯t hard to understand. Practicing boxing could damage the skin on the hands and lead to the formation of calluses. This was a drawback that most women found difficult to tolerate. And since every entry-level disciple at the Canglang Martial Arts Hall could only learn the Five Animals Fist, naturally, not many women were willing to join the hall. No woman wanted to see her soft, delicate hands become rough and covered in calluses. The majority of women who practiced martial arts mainly focused on leg techniques and weapons techniques, which were very elegant and did not damage their physique. The love for beauty, regardless of the world, was something women always found unavoidable. As to why Li Qing¡¯s hands remained so fair and free of calluses even after practicing boxing, Jiang Ning didn¡¯t know the reason, but he guessed that she must use some precious secret medicine to take care of her hands every day. The front courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall seemed to have gone through a bit of a commotion. A stocky man had attracted the attention of all the disciples in the front courtyard. With his outward appearance, he looked extraordinarily robust, especially his arms, which were incredibly unique, with his left arm hanging down to his knees even when relaxed. Such an arm span indicated extraordinary bone structure, marking him as a natural-born martial arts genius well suited for boxing practice. A longer reach meant greater strength. His extended reach gave him a significant advantage in boxing techniques. The man patted Xiao Peng on the shoulder and said, ¡°Junior Brother Xiao, not bad at all, truly worthy of being the true disciple Master has accepted today. Junior Brother Xiao has a really high aptitude, mastering the essence of Great Success Tiger Form Boxing at such a young age. I believe that one day Junior Brother Xiao will surely catch up to me.¡± Elated, Xiao Peng responded, ¡°Thank you for the encouragement, Brother Zhao. Experiencing Brother Zhao¡¯s fierce tiger strength has been very beneficial to me, and once my boxing skills are accomplished, I will not forget the guidance Brother Zhao offered today.¡± Observing Xiao Peng and Zhao Hu at the center of attention, Cheng Ran couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit envious. He muttered under his breath, ¡°This Xiao Peng really knows how to show off, taking advantage of my absence to curry favor with Senior Brother Zhao and get him to offer guidance.¡± ¡°Brother Zhao has reached Perfection in Tiger Form Boxing, with his fierce tiger strength under perfect control. His guidance will certainly lead to insights for Xiao Peng, and thus the gap between us is widened.¡± ¡°Damn it! Competing for the last spot in the Inspection Office just got even harder!¡± Jiang Ning, standing nearby, patted Cheng Ran on the shoulder, ¡°Brother Cheng, keep it up. I believe you can surpass Xiao Peng.¡± Cheng Ran clenched his fist, ¡°I will definitely surpass him.¡± ¡­ Outside the Martial Arts Hall. Clip-clop, clip-clop¡ª A black carriage approached from afar and gradually slowed as it neared the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Whoa¡ª Under the gaze of two disciples at the gate, the carriage came to a stop at the entrance of the hall. The next moment. The coachman, engaging his core, sprung up from the coach like a shrimp and landed on the ground. He pulled back the curtain, ¡°Master, we¡¯ve arrived at the Canglang Martial Arts Hall.¡± Following that, the front of the coach dipped slightly as a middle-aged man, around fifty with a goatee, bent over and stepped out from the carriage. In front of the watchful eyes of the gatekeeping disciples, he approached them. ¡°Would you be so kind as to announce my arrival? Supervisor Liu Zhixiang from the Sihe Chamber of Commerce has come to visit.¡± Sihe Chamber of Commerce? The two disciples exchanged a glance, and one of them, facing the fifty-year-old Liu Zhixiang with the goatee, spoke with respectful expression. ¡°Supervisor Liu, please wait a moment, I will go inform our martial arts school master right away.¡± After this disciple rushed towards the interior of the martial arts school, Tap tap tap¡ª The sound of a galloping carriage came from around the corner of the distant street. The approaching carriage inevitably drew the attention of several onlookers. After about a dozen breaths, Hush¡ª As the coachman pulled the reins, a whole carriage came to a stop in front of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Following that, The carriage curtain was swept aside, and a man dressed in a black brocade robe with a hair coronet stepped down from the carriage. A hulking man followed right behind him. ¡°Supervisor Liu, your Sihe Chamber of Commerce has crossed the line!¡± the man in the black brocade robe said calmly. With his goatee, Supervisor Liu glanced at the man in the black brocade robe and then the muscle-bound, tower-like man behind him. A hint of a smile appeared on Supervisor Liu¡¯s lips, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Nephew Zhou? Got a big appetite? Since when is Wang Jin¡¯s Canglang Martial Arts Hall your territory, Zhou Xing?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough that you¡¯ve taken in Zhang Tiesheng? Or do you also plan to swallow up all the talented disciples of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall in one fell swoop?¡± Faced with Supervisor Liu¡¯s interrogation, Zhou Xing chuckled. ¡°Reach too far, and you might just get chopped!¡± With those words, Zhou Xing brushed past Supervisor Liu, with the towering figure of Zhang Tiesheng following close behind him. Watching Zhou Xing¡¯s retreating back as he brushed past, Supervisor Liu¡¯s face alternated between shades of green and white, turning extremely unsightly. Chided by a junior ¨C even if not witnessed by many others here, it was still a huge blow to his pride. Zhou Xing! Humph! Let¡¯s see if you can keep up this arrogance later on! Thinking of the influential people tied to the interests of the Sihe Chamber of Commerce, Supervisor Liu felt extremely confident. Now he was actually hoping that Zhou Xing would dare to cause trouble, so he could take the opportunity to teach this junior a lesson. At the entrance of the martial arts school, The gatekeeping disciple who was left behind saw Zhou Xing¡¯s arrival and immediately bowed his head in respect. ¡°Brother Zhou, greetings!¡± He then turned and greeted Zhang Tiesheng who followed, ¡°Senior Brother Zhang, greetings!¡± Zhou Xing patted the gatekeeping disciple on the shoulder, ¡°Keep up the good work, and I hope one day you¡¯ll become my true junior brother!¡± ¡°Yes, Brother Zhou!¡± the gatekeeping disciple responded with excitement, afterward staring at Zhou Xing¡¯s back with fists clenched. ¡­ Elsewhere, Inside the martial arts school, Zhao Hu swept a glance across the crowd, his gaze lingering briefly on Li Qing, with an inadvertent flash of admiration in his eyes. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Fellow junior brothers, as I just mentioned, I¡¯ll demonstrate the fierce power of Tiger Form for you. Please follow me.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone¡¯s faces lit up with excitement as they followed. ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out too!¡± Cheng Ran said. Jiang Ning nodded in agreement. At this moment, Zhao Hu¡¯s gaze casually swept over Li Qing and saw her trailing behind the crowd, but also following along. He instantly felt a surge of joy. Gaining the attention of a beautiful woman was somewhat pleasing to him. As a martial artist, he was full of vigor, and being at a youthful age where one¡¯s interest in romance blossoms, he naturally had feelings for Li Qing. Chapter 47 - 47 Li Qings Perspective Change (PK for followers!!) Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Li Qing¡¯s Perspective Change (PK for followers!!) In the Martial Arts Hall. ¡°Watch closely, junior brothers!¡± Zhao Hu approached the wooden dummy, which was a human-shaped stake wrapped in thick cowhide. With such protection, one could strike the dummy without injuring the hands. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He then placed his palm on the human-shaped wooden dummy. Next, his palm trembled ever so slightly. Boom¡ª The wooden stake exploded instantly, the cowhide that enveloped it scattering like torn cloth, and many wooden splinters burst from the once-smooth surface of the stake. ¡°How impressive!¡± ¡°Brother Zhao is so impressive!¡± Listening to the complimentary remarks of several people around him, Zhao Hu¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile as he continued to enlighten the crowd. ¡°This is the power of Tiger Form Boxing when it reaches Perfection¡ªthe ferocious Tiger¡¯s Strength. It is extremely fierce, with great explosive power, so all junior brothers must diligently practice your boxing and strive to achieve Perfection in Tiger Form Boxing as soon as possible.¡± While speaking, his gaze swept past the juniors behind him, searching for that familiar figure. In the next moment, his gaze suddenly sharpened. For he saw a fair figure engaged in lively conversation with a man, her face even bearing a hint of a smile. ¡­ ¡°Brother Jiang, you¡¯ve changed so much in just a few days?¡± Li Qing remarked, her face showing her astonishment. Li Qing still vividly remembered when Jiang Ning, although handsome in a way that matched her aesthetic, had just joined the Martial Arts Hall. He was too thin and frail, with an air of sickness about him and not much muscle to speak of. Today, however, she saw a dramatic transformation. The muscles on his arms were clearly defined, full of sleek lines. Even through his thin short jacket, she could discern the substantial changes in Jiang Ning¡¯s physique. Instead of the weak frame of before, his body was now filled with muscles. This muscle was not like that of some other disciples who had become bulky, but was filled with a sense of symmetry, beauty, and strong explosive power. Just the external changes alone allowed Li Qing to see the great progress Jiang Ning had made, far beyond what she had imagined. Hearing Li Qing¡¯s exclamation, Jiang Ning smiled. ¡°Constant practice day and night has finally led to some progress!¡± ¡°How has your boxing technique progressed, Brother Jiang?¡± Li Qing asked, finding Jiang Ning¡¯s countenance more and more pleasing to the eye, which brightened her mood. To her, many of the other disciples in the Martial Arts Hall had developed bulky limbs and excessive muscles, each resembling gorillas, which made her frown. Though there were a few who seemed normal, none of their appearances stirred any interest in her. Only this disciple, who had joined the hall a few days ago, impressed her. Although he had been thin, his clear eyes and handsome features made him quite pleasant to look at. And because he caught her eye, she had offered to give him some guidance back then. ¡°Quite good!¡± Jiang Ning nodded confidently in response to Li Qing¡¯s inquiry. ¡°Brother Jiang seems very confident! Later, your senior sister will test you to see how well you¡¯ve learned the Five Animals Fist,¡± Li Qing said with a smile, her face relaxed. Just then. Jiang Ning sensed something and looked up to see Li Hu¡¯s eyes blazing with intensity in their direction. Not good! Beauty is truly a disaster, as the ancients never lied!! Realizing this, Jiang Ning knew trouble was brewing. He had caught Li Hu¡¯s attention. At that moment, Cheng Ran chirped cheerfully, ¡°Senior Sister Li, congratulations on attaining Entry into Martial Arts!¡± Li Qing also smiled toward Cheng Ran, who was standing beside Jiang Ning: ¡°I remember you liked calling me ¡®junior sister¡¯ before; why are you suddenly so respectful today?¡± Cheng Ran grinned widely, ¡°Now that Senior Sister Li has attained Entry into Martial Arts, how dare I? I don¡¯t want to become Senior Sister¡¯s punching bag.¡± ¡°Brother Cheng is wise indeed. I¡¯ve felt the itch for a good bout these past few days and just wanted to find someone for practice!¡± Li Qing¡¯s lips twisted in a jesting smile. ¡°Let¡¯s not and say we did!¡± Cheng Ran waved his hands dismissively, shaking his head vehemently, ¡°My Qi-Blood may be complete, but I have yet to reach Entry, and my boxing skills are not on par with Senior Sister Li. Sparring with Senior Sister is just asking for a beating!¡± ¡°Let me practice and exchange insights on martial arts with Brother Jiang for another ten days to half a month. Once my boxing skills have improved, I¡¯ll come to Senior Sister for advice!¡± Brother Jiang as a sparring partner? Li Qing¡¯s face registered shock as she stared blankly at Jiang Ning beside her. At Cheng Ran¡¯s words, Li Qing quickly caught the implication in his speech. Brother Jiang? Sparring for ten days to half a month? How can this be? How is Brother Jiang qualified to spar with Cheng Ran? Their strengths are as different as an adult¡¯s from a child¡¯s; how could he possibly be qualified to spar? Is Cheng Ran just toying with me? Li Qing felt a surge of astonishment in her heart as her suspicious gaze fell on Jiang Ning. ¡°Brother Jiang, Cheng Ran must be joking, right?¡± Jiang Ning offered a slight smile: ¡°Sister Li is indeed perceptive; she saw right through us.¡± ¡°Of course, Brother Cheng is joking. I have only been studying boxing for less than half a month, how could I possibly exchange martial arts knowledge with Brother Cheng? He just took some time to show me a few moves!¡± ¡°Brother Cheng, am I right?¡± Seeing the look Jiang Ning gave him, Cheng Ran immediately understood what Jiang Ning meant. He nodded repeatedly: ¡°Brother Jiang is absolutely right!¡± Watching the exchange between the two men, Li Qing was originally skeptical, but now she began to believe them. She wasn¡¯t foolish, how could she not have noticed the looks they were exchanging? Thinking of Cheng Ran¡¯s recent declaration, she couldn¡¯t help but think of some legends of the current era. In Guangning Academy, there was a student who was called the reincarnation of a divine being, born with an immensely powerful divine soul and extraordinary martial arts talent, mastering difficult techniques in seven days and entering the rank of Martial Arts Entry in three months. At just twenty-three, he had made it on the Hidden Dragon List, with the demeanor of a young grandmaster. Everyone called this person a potential Great Grandmaster. In Vajra Temple, there was a young monk said to have been born with intrinsic wisdom, naturally grasping Buddhist principles, and having unparalleled enlightenment since ancient times, having comprehended a Buddhist divine skill just from the scriptures. Yuxu Temple also had a reincarnated Daoist. ¡­ Thinking of these contemporary legends, Li Qing couldn¡¯t help but laugh to herself. ¡°I¡¯m thinking too much. Even if Brother Jiang really were qualified to exchange blows and share boxing knowledge with Cheng Ran, it¡¯s impossible for him to be compared with those legendary figures.¡± ¡°If what Cheng Ran said was true, and Brother Jiang is qualified to exchange martial arts and share boxing experiences with him¡­¡± ¡°That would indicate that Brother Jiang¡¯s comprehension is astounding, and his realm in the Five Animals Fist boxing techniques should be no less than Cheng Ran¡¯s. Only this would qualify him to exchange and discuss boxing experiences with Cheng Ran.¡± Considering this possibility, Li Qing was even more shocked. She still remembered when Jiang Ning first joined as a disciple, his ambitions were high. Unlike ordinary Martial Arts Hall disciples who would pick one or two of the Five Animals Fist techniques to practice, he was studying all five postures simultaneously. ¡°Now it seems, if my analysis is correct, Brother Jiang is indeed confident!¡± ¡°No wonder I just heard that Brother Jiang has received our teacher¡¯s permission allowing him to stay permanently at the Martial Arts Hall for his safety.¡± ¡°It¡¯s clear that the teacher also knows of his exceptional talent, thus he looks at Brother Jiang differently and provides extra care!¡± At this moment, Li Qing felt she had understood it all! Just then, a loud shout suddenly came from not far away. ¡°Cheng Ran, fight me!!¡± The shout, like a thunderclap exploding, all of a sudden resounded throughout the entire Martial Arts Hall¡¯s front courtyard. Everyone¡¯s gaze was instantly drawn to its source. In an instant, everyone saw Zhao Hu¡¯s figure leap forward like a White Ape striking, covering over twenty meters in three bounds and abruptly landing in front of Jiang Ning and Cheng Ran. An oppressive and savage aura immediately rushed towards Jiang Ning and Cheng Ran, like a tiger descending the mountain. Jiang Ning looked stunned. Cheng Ran? Not me? At this moment, Cheng Ran was also staring at Zhao Hu with a look of surprise, his expression full of confusion. ¡°Brother Zhao, what do you mean?¡± Cheng Ran spoke up, his face slightly cold. ¡°What do I mean?¡± Zhao Hu¡¯s eyes bore into Cheng Ran fiercely: ¡°You know what I mean!¡± Just as tensions were escalating, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± A pleasant voice came from the entrance of the Martial Arts Hall. Hearing this voice, everyone immediately turned around. ¡°It¡¯s Brother Zhou Xing!¡± ¡°Greetings to Brother Zhou Xing!¡± ¡°Brother Zhou Xing has arrived!¡± ¡°And Brother Zhang Tiesheng!¡± ¡°Both Brother Zhou Xing and Brother Zhang Tiesheng have come!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 48 - 48 Martial Arts Resources Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Martial Arts Resources Martial Arts Hall front courtyard. As Zhou Xing and Zhang Tiesheng, who resembled an iron tower, entered the front courtyard, everyone started greeting them. Hearing the voices behind him, Zhao Hu turned his head and immediately saw Zhou Xing and Zhang Tiesheng. At this moment, Zhou Xing also looked towards Cheng Ran and Zhao Hu, smiling as he directly walked towards them. ¡°All the junior brothers are here! It seems I am the late one! What¡¯s going on? Why did I hear that Junior Brother Zhao wants to spar with Junior Brother Cheng?¡± He then looked at Li Qing, who was like a spot of red among a sea of green, ¡°Sister Li is also here! Has Sister Li officially entered the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade?¡± ¡°Brother Zhou!¡± Zhao Hu spoke up. Li Qing also said, ¡°It went smoothly, I officially entered the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade yesterday.¡± ¡°Congratulations!¡± Zhou Xing said with a smile. Then his gaze lingered between Cheng Ran and Zhao Hu. ¡°I had just stepped through the gates of the Martial Arts Hall when I faintly heard the words between the two junior brothers. Is Junior Brother Zhao intending to exchange martial skills with Junior Brother Cheng?¡± Zhao Hu spoke up, ¡°Hmph! I¡¯ve disliked Cheng Ran for a long time! I just don¡¯t know if he dares to accept the challenge.¡± Cheng Ran looked helpless and turned his gaze towards Zhou Xing. Zhou Xing couldn¡¯t help but smile, then he said, ¡°Junior Brother Zhao asking Junior Brother Cheng to spar with you is a bit like bullying!¡± ¡°Junior Brother Cheng has been in the Martial Arts Hall for less than half a year, while Junior Brother Zhao has reached the condition of small success in Martial Arts Nine Grade, and moreover, has mastered the powerful force of Tiger Form Boxing. How do you expect Junior Brother Cheng to compete?¡± At this moment, Li Qing also realized something, and she wasn¡¯t foolish, knowing full well that Zhao Hu had always had intentions towards her. She looked at Zhao Hu with a somewhat disgusted gaze. ¡°Brother Zhao, this is a bit too much!¡± ¡°Too much?¡± Zhao Hu¡¯s eyes blazed angrily as he glared fiercely at Cheng Ran, ¡°Good! Cheng Ran, I¡¯ll remember you!¡± Seeing this scene, Cheng Ran¡¯s face showed a hint of helplessness. Jiang Ning was also inwardly clicking his tongue. ¡°Beauty is a disaster, the ancients truly did not deceive me!¡± ¡°Luckily it¡¯s Senior Brother Cheng who was targeted, not me!¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning had already secretly resolved to keep his distance from women. Especially women like Li Qing who had both beauty and grace. At this time. Watching Zhao Hu leave, Zhou Xing smiled at Cheng Ran. ¡°All¡¯s well now, Junior Brother Cheng!¡± Cheng Ran bowed, ¡°Thank you, Brother Zhou, for helping me out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡± Zhou Xing said with a smile, ¡°Zhao Hu is stubborn and sticks to his own unreasonable beliefs. In the future, Junior Brother Cheng, you need to be more careful!¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Cheng Ran bowed again. Zhou Xing smiled in response. As for Zhao Hu, Zhou Xing had already tried to court him in private; failing to do so, Zhou Xing naturally chose to stand with Cheng Ran today. In his view, Cheng Ran had a good family background and decent martial arts talent. His chances of competing with Xiao Peng for a spot in the Inspection Office were not slim; the odds were about fifty-fifty. Thus, he naturally did not intend to stop trying to court Cheng Ran. Getting into the Inspection Office, as he saw it, was most importantly about power; the power of the Inspection Office was too great. Overseeing and inspecting the whole land, from royal nobles to commoners, all could be executed first and reported later. How could he not understand how vast such power was. For the Zhou family to flourish and rise up to be like the prestigious families of Cao, Liu, and Xie, or even surpass them and rule as the emperor of Luoshui County, the key lay in the Inspection Office. During this particular period in Great Xia, it created unusual imperial institutions. Thus, he planned to befriend every person who might enter the Inspection Office. But courting Zhao Hu was truly beyond his abilities; Zhao Hu came from the lower class and inherently harbored great animosity towards him and people like Cheng Ran from influential families. Zhou Xing also drew several invitations from his breast pocket. ¡°Brother Cheng, in three days, will you be willing to come to the Fenghua Building?¡± ¡°This is?¡± Cheng Ran asked, looking hesitant. Zhou Xing smiled, ¡°Three months from now, the Inspection Office will be established, and I have high hopes for Brother Cheng. I¡¯d like to become colleagues with Brother Cheng! Inside are the terms I¡¯ve offered; please take a look!¡± Cheng Ran responded with a knowing smile, ¡°Brother Zhou, please allow me some time to think it over!¡± ¡°No rush! No rush!¡± Zhou Xing said, shaking his head with a smile, ¡°You have three days to consider!¡± He then turned to Li Qing and pulled out an invitation from his robe, ¡°Sister Li¡¯s family is quite wealthy, and although she might not be interested in the terms I¡¯ve proposed, I still wish to advance and retreat together with Sister Li.¡± Li Qing took the invitation, glanced at it quickly, and then closed it. ¡°I appreciate your kindness, Brother Zhou! As fellow disciples, we should indeed advance and retreat together!¡± Hearing this, Cheng Ran understood Li Qing¡¯s intention and subsequently chuckled. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Sister Li¡¯s words are enough for me!¡± Then, Zhou Xing spoke up, ¡°Junior brothers and sisters, I have other matters to attend to, shall I take my leave?¡± ¡°Brother, please take care,¡± Cheng Ran said. Li Qing also nodded. At that moment, Jiang Ning stepped forward with a fist salute, ¡°Brother Zhou, please stay a moment.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Zhou Xing stopped in his tracks. Jiang Ning said, ¡°I would like to purchase some wild ginseng from Brother Zhou to replenish my body¡¯s consumption.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s what it is!¡± Zhou Xing replied with a smile, ¡°Normally, I sell ten-year-old ginseng for ten taels of silver each to other juniors. May I know your budget, Brother Jiang?¡± Jiang Ning pulled out the silver note from his robe and the two twenty-tael silver ingots sent by Jiang Li, ¡°Brother Zhou, here are fifty taels in a silver note and twenty taels of silver. I¡¯d like to exchange all these for wild ginseng.¡± Zhou Xing took the silver note and without even checking, he pocketed it directly, appearing quite straightforward. ¡°Since Brother Jiang asked, naturally I cannot sell it to you for ten taels each. I¡¯ll have my servant bring over ten roots of ginseng later, the extra three are a token of my affection.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Brother Zhou!¡± Jiang Ning said, bowing in gratitude. Zhou Xing grinned, ¡°Since we are fellow disciples, and I being your senior, it is natural to look after my juniors. To say thanks among us seems a bit formal.¡± After saying this, he gave Jiang Ning another glance and contemplated briefly in his mind, then he decided against investing in Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning had made an impression on him from the first day they met, surprising him neither too little nor too much. So since then, he remembered Jiang Ning and his name. But for him, it was merely a surprise. At that time, Jiang Ning¡¯s performance had seemed merely memorable. Now, in his view, Jiang Ning had practiced martial arts for too short a period, his abilities were limited, and he had completely no connection with the upcoming establishment of the Inspection Office. He missed out on this opportunity to rise dramatically in status and wield great authority. Jiang Ning, despite having some talent, seemed to have limited future achievements. So, although he was somewhat favorable, a simple friendship sufficed!Update by n0vgo. co Currently, Jiang Ning wasn¡¯t worth the significant investment. After all, his family, although wealthy, also had large expenses, and to invest in attracting people he valued required a great amount of wealth and resources. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If he didn¡¯t make a substantial bet, how could he gain influence? Once the investment succeeded and the invested person seized the opportunity of the Inspection Office to soar to great heights, the Zhou family¡¯s own fortunes would rise as well. The favor of martial arts strongmen and authoritative figures wasn¡¯t something that could be measured with mere money. Investing in one¡¯s weaker moments could yield exceptionally rich rewards if successful. Even if they didn¡¯t soar to great heights, being alongside him as a member of the Inspection Office, his own promotions would ensure reliable people around him. Thus, he naturally didn¡¯t want to waste wealth and resources on someone with no potential. In his view, opportunities in a person¡¯s life are limited; once missed, they are truly gone, and their future fate will be decidedly different. Luck and opportunity are also parts of strength, and Zhou Xing strongly agreed with this saying. After making his decision, he waved his hand and then turned to leave. Seeing this, Li Qing also spoke, ¡°You two juniors talk, I¡¯ll go and see Master.¡± ¡°Senior Sister, please take care!¡± said Cheng Ran. Jiang Ning also spoke, ¡°Senior Sister Li, please take care!¡± Chapter 49: The Appearance of Mr. Zhang the VIP Chapter 49: Chapter 49: The Appearance of Mr. Zhang the VIP The two left, and Cheng Ran couldn¡¯t help but softly cluck his tongue. ¡°Brother Zhou really knows how to win people over, offering little favors and kindnesses!¡± Jiang Ning smiled noncommittally. Zhou Xing was a clever man, full of ideas, which he had noticed as well. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But he didn¡¯t dislike Zhou Xing. Why dislike someone who let him buy Wild Ginseng for less than the lowest market price and even got three extra pieces for free, effectively earning him dozens of taels of silver for nothing? Cheng Ran then spoke, holding the invitation in his hand, glanced at it, and passed it to Jiang Ning. ¡°Brother Jiang, take a look, Zhou Xing sure is bold.¡± Jiang Ning took the invitation and opened it, his gaze landing on its contents. He read it over, clicking his tongue in amazement. The invitation contained a series of polite phrases from Zhou Xing, then mentioned his belief in Cheng Ran¡¯s potential to join the Inspection Office, and expressed a desire to invest in Cheng Ran in exchange for a favor. It also detailed Zhou Xing¡¯s conditions. A thousand taels of silver, ten boxes of High Grade Refining Skin Ointment, and three hundred-year-old wild earth ginseng plants. These investments did not impose any undue conditions on Cheng Ran, merely exchanging them for a favor, a favor with a future full of uncertainties. Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes moved down. In three days, at 8:00 p.m. at Fenghua Building, we await the pleasurable company of Brother Cheng at the banquet. ¡°How do you feel about it, Brother Jiang?¡± Cheng Ran asked. Jiang Ning replied, ¡°It¡¯s very generous. Just for an unsure favor and an uncertain future, Brother Zhou is willing to give so much.¡± As for why Zhou Xing was so generous, Jiang Ning¡¯s mind was clear as a mirror. The Inspection Office personnel had the privilege to execute before reporting, which meant vast power. Cheng Ran, having attained Martial Arts Entry at his age, who could guess where he would be in ten, twenty years once he joined the Inspection Office? Once he stepped into Martial Arts Eighth Grade and received promotions, that favor would be worth a fortune, far exceeding the two or three thousand taels of silver invested. Cheng Ran said, ¡°It does look very generous, and it¡¯s not bad for me! But my Cheng family¡¯s wealth is nothing compared to Brother Zhou¡¯s, yet I¡¯m not the kind of person who is swayed by money.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry. Besides Brother Zhou, there must be others in Luoshui County who value me, Cheng Ran!¡± As he spoke, a confident expression appeared on Cheng Ran¡¯s face. Jiang Ning returned the invitation to Cheng Ran and then spoke, ¡°Brother Cheng, good mettle.¡± Cheng Ran laughed, ¡°One should shop around when making a deal; what more when it¡¯s about the spot I¡¯m contesting against Xiao Peng for, where I have at least a fifty percent chance of winning. Naturally, I have this confidence.¡± He then looked at Jiang Ning, his expression slightly annoyed, ¡°Speaking of which, Zhou Xing is also blind, Brother Jiang, with your high Martial Arts Talent and currently in need of resources, how could he not think to send an invitation to you?¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°Brother Cheng, don¡¯t make fun of me! Brother Zhou clearly recognizes the importance of the Inspection Office.¡± As they spoke, he pointed towards Zhou Xing, who was talking with Xiao Peng in the distance. ¡°That¡¯s true!¡± Cheng Ran sighed slightly, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that Brother Jiang started learning martial arts a year and a half too late to have any connection with the Inspection Office!¡± ¡°The Inspection Office, once joined, means having the backing of Great Xia, an official status, the power to execute before reporting, and to possess life-and-death authority, alongside a smoother path in Martial Arts advancement, never lacking methods and resources for progressing in Martial Arts.¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly in agreement, ¡°Indeed!¡± He felt regretful for not being valued by Zhou Xing. All he lacked now was time and resources. Zhou Xing¡¯s esteem and investment would undoubtedly resolve his currently acute resource scarcity. With the materials worth thousands of taels of silver mentioned in the invitation, not only could his Boxing improve faster, but he could also farm more resources daily, and gain more Source Energy Points every day. By now, his Chopping Wood Blade Skill had already reached Perfection, and he had long since filled the 1000 Experience Value needed to Break Limit. It was only the lack of Source Energy Points that was limiting his ability to Break the Limit with his Chopping Wood Blade Skill, and the acquisition of these points was directly linked to his daily energy intake. On the day he had acquired the most Source Energy Points, he had gained 0.6 points in one day, which was because he had consumed a thirty percent share of Wild Ginseng. For him now, if the resources were sufficient, it was possible to exceed 1 Source Energy Point in a day within a reasonable range of absorbing treasured medicines. Now, the daily increment of Source Energy Points was only 0.4, which starkly showed the gap between the two. With sufficient resources and enough energy intake, the harvest of Source Eergy Points in one day could equal two days. ¡­ Martial Arts Hall¡¯s backyard. Li Qing passed by a disciple who was guarding the entrance of the Martial Arts Hall. Then, she approached Wang Jin. ¡°Greetings, Master!¡± She bowed respectfully to Wang Jin. ¡°Greetings, Building Owner Shen!¡± She also bowed respectfully to Building Owner Shen. At this moment, Li Qing was somewhat uneasy. Ever since she had seen Shen Congyun, her heart was filled with nervousness. She was well aware of Shen Congyun¡¯s identity. Almost everyone in Luoshui County who held some status and came from a good background had a certain understanding of Shen Congyun. He was the deputy owner of Wanhua Building stationed in Luoshui County, and Wanhua Building was a superpower spread across the Nine States of Great Xia. Thus, to the whole of Luoshui County, Shen Congyun was truly a significant figure. Although there was a main building owner above this deputy building owner and another deputy building owner of the same rank as him, given Shen Congyun¡¯s status, who in the entire Luoshui County would not show him some courtesy? Li Qing was also very familiar with Wanhua Building¡¯s occasional investment in martial arts talents. Any martial arts prodigy, once favored and invested in by a wealthy and powerful organization like Wanhua Building, had a chance to change their fate radically. Even she, whose family background was not inferior to Zhou Xing¡¯s, would transform dramatically if Wanhua Building took notice of her; her future would be completely different. At that time, her future would no longer be confined to the small expanse of Luoshui County, but she would have the opportunity to become a dazzling martial arts prodigy in Guangning Prefecture. It was this understanding that made her so nervous. She both hoped to be favored by Shen Congyun and knew that she probably did not deserve his attention. ¡°Qi-Blood full, with a skin-muscle layer already formed, this girl is impressive!¡± Shen Congyun commented, looking at Li Qing. Hearing these words of praise, Li Qing¡¯s emotions inevitably surged, filled with anticipation and nervousness. ¡°Building Owner Shen has discerning eyes; you see through the martial arts realm of your juniors at a glance.¡± Hearing this, Shen Congyun just gave Li Qing a slight smile. Seeing that smile, Li Qing suddenly understood. A sense of poignant disappointment suddenly arose in her heart. ¡°Li Qing, has everyone arrived?¡± Wang Jin asked at that moment. Li Qing suddenly snapped out of her despondent thoughts and respectfully said to Wang Jin, ¡°All brothers and disciples are here!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Wang Jin gave a slight nod. Then he turned to Shen Congyun and said, ¡°Mr. Shen, would you be interested in coming out to see some of my unworthy disciples?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Congyun couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Brother Wang, are you still trying to get me to set eyes on them?¡± Wang Jin chuckled, ¡°It seems nothing can be hidden from Mr. Shen!¡± Shen Congyun¡¯s face showed a smile, ¡°Since Brother Wang has asked, I must give this face. Having nothing else to do, let¡¯s go have a look!¡± ¡°Mr. Shen, please!¡± Wang Jin gestured with his hand. ¡°Please!¡± Chapter 50 - 50 Offering Help in the Hour of Need Chapter 50: Chapter 50 Offering Help in the Hour of Need Canglang Martial Arts Hall. At this time, the front courtyard had already gathered many disciples. It also included five True Disciples who truly had a master-apprentice relationship with Master Wang. The True Disciples of the Martial Arts Hall had a genuine master-apprentice relationship with Master Wang. In Great Xia, the relationship between master and disciple was hardly inferior to that of father and son. As the saying goes, ¡°One day as a master is a lifetime as a father.¡± Today marked a grand occasion that had recently approached for the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. The fierce tiger that Master Wang had caught from the mountains and had been raising for several days was about to be released from its cage. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This was an opportunity for all disciples to watch their senior brothers fight the mighty tiger up close and to observe the majestic might of the king of beasts. The Tiger Form Boxing, one of the Five Animals Fist, originated from the tiger, so closely observing a tiger in combat was an opportunity for any disciple practicing the Tiger Form Boxing. If one could grasp this opportunity and comprehend some essence of the tiger¡¯s spirit, their boxing could achieve a breakthrough. Achieving Great Success in any boxing method of the Five Animals Fist would qualify one to become a True Disciple of Master Wang. For many who entered the Martial Arts Hall, becoming a disciple of Master Wang was an opportunity to change their destiny. If their boxing could advance further and achieve Perfection, harnessing the explosive Power of the mighty tiger. Then their combat power would undergo a qualitative change, and it would be of great assistance to those entering the lower ranks of the Martial Arts. Perfection in lower-level martial arts, even among the ranks of Ninth Grade Martial Artists, was achievable by only half of them. In the martial arts prosperous Great Xia, wealth and status had to be upheld by martial force. Ordinary affluent youth had no real status before a Martial Artist of the Martial Arts Nine Grade. Becoming a disciple of Master Wang, they had a tenfold probability of reaching Martial Arts Entry. This could mean a change in status even for the children of the affluent. If they could advance further in this lifetime and become an Eighth Grade Martial Artist, they would be considered distinguished figures throughout Luoshui County. The position of an Eighth Grade Martial Artist was far superior to that of the common wealthy or noble families. This was why, although the Canglang Martial Arts Hall had not been open for long and the fees were extremely high, many wealthy and noble individuals still came to the hall to become disciples. However, most could not persevere. Including now, there were still Outer Disciples who could not endure the hardships of martial arts training and left after a certain period. In the Martial Arts Hall, less than half could persist for six months. Not to mention meeting Master Wang¡¯s criteria and achieving Great Success in any boxing technique. At this moment. In the front courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall. Liu Zhixiang, with a goatee, stepped into the gate of the Martial Arts Hall with an attendant. Just moments before, he had received Master Wang¡¯s permission to enter. Crossing the gate of the Martial Arts Hall, his gaze swept across the people in the front yard and immediately met Zhou Xing¡¯s eyes. ¡°Nephew Zhou, it¡¯s been a while. Are you well?¡± Liu Zhixiang¡¯s lips moved slightly, and as he locked eyes with Zhou Xing, a kindly smile appeared on his face. Although his voice was not loud, who was Zhou Xing? He was nominally the senior brother of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall, already a Martial Artist with entry-level skills, small success in Skin Training, and skin tough as stone of Ninth Grade. Moreover, he had achieved Great Success in four stances of the Five Animals Fist, and Tiger Form Boxing to the point of understanding its true meaning, reaching Perfection, and mastering the tiger¡¯s Power. Such a figure, even in Luoshui County, stood out among the younger generation. With such martial prowess and exceptional senses, he could naturally hear Liu Zhixiang¡¯s words. At this moment, hearing Liu Zhixiang¡¯s words. Zhou Xing¡¯s originally smiling face suddenly darkened. ¡°Such arrogance. It seems that the matter is not just baseless rumors. The business of Sihe Chamber of Commerce must indeed be involved with the Liu family of the three great houses!¡± He immediately suppressed the emotions that were bubbling up inside him. Then, after patting Xiao Peng, who was in front of him, and offering some words of encouragement, he made his way to the backyard to pay his respects to Wang Jin. Zhou Xing knew that if the Zhou family were to rise, Wang Jin was one key factor. Wang Jin was his mentor, a father figure to him. Behind Wang Jin stood Master Wang from Luoshui County¡¯s stationed military, a significant figure. That was precisely the reason he, despite having better options, chose to join Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Secondly, he knew that he also needed to rely on himself. The Inspection Office, in his eyes, was an opportunity ¨C a chance to stir the pot and possibly change the current situation in Luoshui County. Military strength, though vital, paled in comparison to influence and power. By joining the Inspection Office, he could leverage its influence and seize power for himself. As the saying goes, commoners should not contend with officials; no matter how prosperous the Zhou family might be, they were still just commoners. Only by leaning on the Great Xia Court, like a towering tree, could one hold power. And it was this reasoning that drove him to start investing in people close to him, to recruit talents, looking to carve out a niche within the Inspection Office. Only then could the Zhou family have the chance to rise again under his leadership, to become an equal among the three great families of Luoshui County, or even the sole Zhou family in Luoshui County. These thoughts flashed through his mind as Zhou Xing walked steadily towards the Martial Arts Hall¡¯s backyard. He knew that currently, he did not have the grounds to fall out with Liu Zhixiang because the latter represented the Sihe Chamber of Commerce, which potentially represented the Liu family¡¯s interests among the three great families. Elsewhere. Liu Zhixiang, sporting a goatee, watched Zhou Xing¡¯s departing figure with regret before becoming somewhat wary, his gaze towards Zhou Xing sharp as a knife. ¡°I underestimated this lad! With such blatant provocation from me, yet he acted as if he saw nothing; it seems he will not be easy to deal with!¡± As he contemplated this, he also considered the information he had about Zhou Xing. Zhou Xing was called the Zhou family¡¯s prodigy. His talent in Martial Arts was exceptional, a youth of just over twenty.Upd@te by n0vgo .c0 He had reached Martial Arts Nine Grade and achieved small success in Skin Training. His talent in Boxing was extremely high, having achieved Perfection, possessing the ferocious power of Tiger Form Boxing. Liu Zhixiang secretly regretted his position a bit. ¡°I should not offend Zhou Xing too deeply; I need to find an opportunity to ease tensions!¡± ¡°However, I must also carry out the mission assigned from above!¡± ¡°The Inspection Office concerns the future of Great Xia, a heavy bet placed jointly by His Majesty above and the world-overpowering Martial Saint to pull Great Xia back from the brink!¡± ¡°After its establishment, the Inspection Office will inevitably stir up the world¡¯s situation, and the eligible individuals for the Inspection Office must be taken seriously!¡± ¡°As they say, ¡®circumstance makes the hero.¡¯ For those talents, one must make a good relationship!¡± ¡°A timely aid in their moment of need will harvest goodwill!¡± ¡°Such investments are indeed the way of commerce.¡± With these thoughts in his mind, Liu Zhixiang¡¯s gaze swiftly scanned the bustling courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall. Before coming here, the chairman had given him a dossier on the Canglang Martial Arts Hall, listing disciples with the potential to join the Inspection Office. His task, as a manager representing the Sihe Chamber of Commerce, was to personally make investments in the people listed in the dossier. To offer help when it was most needed. With their current strength, a small investment could win goodwill and bring relationships closer. If any of these individuals rose to prominence, becoming major figures in Luoshui County, that goodwill could be worth a fortune. This was the way of commerce for the Sihe Chamber of Commerce. To grow stronger in business, if there wasn¡¯t a powerful figure or a few high-ranking Martial Artists backing it, how could it possibly thrive? It would be like battling a pack of wolves who eat their prey whole. The danger of such dealings was by no means less than that of sword and shadow on the battlefield. It was the peril of killing someone unseen! Chapter 51 - 51 Sihe Chamber of Commerce Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Sihe Chamber of Commerce Liu Zhixiang quickly located several names on the list. Cheng Ran, an ordinary disciple from Canglang Martial Arts Hall. He had achieved Qi Blood Perfection, with strength coursing through his entire body. At the fastest, within a month, at the slowest, within two months, Cheng Ran would have mastered Refining Skin, with his skin membrane continuously connected throughout his body, entering the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade. Entering into Martial Arts rank was the basic condition for joining the Inspection Office. Canglang Martial Arts Hall had five spots, and the Sihe Chamber of Commerce also knew that Cheng Ran was likely to obtain one of those spots. Moreover, his family was very wealthy, able to support his journey further in Martial Arts. ¡­ Xiao Peng, a True Disciple of Canglang Martial Arts Hall. He also had a considerable chance to compete with Cheng Ran for that spot. The advantage Xiao Peng had in the eyes of the Sihe Chamber of Commerce was that his skills were more outstanding, and he had become a True Disciple of Wang Jin. Being half a year younger than Cheng Ran, this signified that Xiao Peng¡¯s talent might be more exceptional than Cheng Ran¡¯s. As for the other four True Disciples of Canglang Martial Arts Hall, they had already secured their spots to compete for entry into the Inspection Office. ¡­ Zhou Xing and Zhang Tiesheng, in Liu Zhixiang¡¯s view, completely lacked investment opportunities. Because the Zhou family to which Zhou Xing belonged was not much inferior to the Sihe Chamber of Commerce in terms of property and influence. And Zhang Tiesheng had been recruited by Zhou Xing, becoming Zhou Xing¡¯s guest and was essentially part of the Zhou family. ¡­ The remaining two True Disciples were Li Qing and Zhao Hu. In the eyes of the Sihe Chamber of Commerce, Li Qing also had little chance. After all, the Li family was equally well-off, existing on the same level as the Sihe Chamber of Commerce. How could they make a benevolent gesture in time of snow? ¡­ Therefore, out of the entire Canglang Martial Arts Hall, the Sihe Chamber of Commerce saw only three people truly worth fighting for. Cheng Ran, Xiao Peng, and Zhao Hu. Zhao Hu came from an external sect, with a poor family background but extraordinary bones and quite high martial arts talent. In terms of talent, he was not much inferior to Zhou Xing. The only thing he lacked was resources. People like Zhao Hu were the talent that the Sihe Chamber of Commerce valued most. Liu Zhixiang first approached Cheng Ran. After introducing himself and stating his purpose, he handed over an invitation. Then, he headed toward his second target, where Xiao Peng was located. ¡­ In the front courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall. Cheng Ran¡¯s lips curved into a small smile as he spoke to Jiang Ning, ¡°Brother Jiang, you see? I told you, there are definitely people out there who see potential in me, Cheng Ran!¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°Then to whom does Brother Cheng lean more towards?¡± Cheng Ran replied, ¡°If we¡¯re talking about the closeness of our relationship, surely I¡¯m closer to Brother Zhou Xing, as we¡¯re fellow disciples! But at this time, it¡¯s not about the relationship, it¡¯s about who offers me more benefits!¡± ¡°If the Sihe Chamber of Commerce offers a larger investment, and the terms are equally generous, then naturally I would prefer to accept their investment.¡± ¡°Otherwise, I would accept the investment from Brother Zhou Xing.¡± As they spoke, Cheng Ran looked at the two invitations in his hand, then at Jiang Ning, and said, ¡°Then again, Brother Jiang, you need this investment even more than I do!¡± Faced with Cheng Ran¡¯s words, Jiang Ning smiled. He knew that even without any investment, it would not affect the upper limit of his future achievements. Still, he couldn¡¯t help feeling somewhat regretful. Because he was indeed lacking resources now! With enough resources, his strength would improve much faster, and he would enter the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade earlier. The Inspection Office, in his view, was of great significance. Inspecting the Nine States, supervising the world, executing first before reporting. This was like a towering tree. When you¡¯re out and about, you have to talk about background, you have to talk about connections. Unless you become a person like the Martial Saint, who could stand against a country and suppress the entire world on his own, you can ignore all of this. These thoughts flashed rapidly through Jiang Ning¡¯s mind, and he then shook his head calmly. ¡°My Qi-Blood is just barely at small success, how could I earn the regard of Brother Zhou Xing and the Sihe Chamber of Commerce?¡± Cheng Ran closed the invitation that Liu Zhixiang had just handed him; he had some thoughts in his heart, and some hesitations. Through the battle earlier in the morning, he knew that Jiang Ning had far more talent than he had previously thought. In terms of boxing skills, Jiang Ning was clearly superior to himself. The only thing lacking was the accumulation of Qi-Blood, and this accumulation could be greatly accelerated with resources. Even with resources, in his view, it was still too late for Jiang Ning to pose a threat to his own competition for the spot in the Inspection Office. But as the saying goes, it¡¯s not the possibility of a thousand that one fears, but the possibility of that one in a thousand. He was somewhat afraid of a miracle coming from Jiang Ning. The next moment. His eyes became resolute. ¡°Brother Jiang, how about you accompany me to the Sihe Chamber of Commerce¡¯s banquet tomorrow night?¡± ¡°I know Brother Jiang needs this investment more than I do, even without this investment, I have resources from my father.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s different for Brother Jiang, with your ordinary family background and late start in learning Martial Arts, this investment is crucial.¡± ¡°The invitation from the Sihe Chamber of Commerce is to discuss investment, and I would like to invite Brother Jiang to join me. At the banquet, I will recommend Brother Jiang, and strive for the Sihe Chamber of Commerce to invest in you. Since they value me, naturally they will consider my suggestion.¡± After listening to what Cheng Ran had to say, Jiang Ning looked serious. ¡°Brother Cheng is so willing to assist me, aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll threaten your spot? Our Martial Arts Hall has four confirmed spots, and now there¡¯s only one spot yet to be decided.¡± Cheng Ran laughed slyly, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve thought about this! But in my heart, not only is Brother Jiang my fellow disciple and brother, but also a good friend whom I, Cheng Ran, acknowledge! Since Brother Jiang is a good friend of mine, naturally I should strive for benefits for my friend.¡± Cheng Ran smiled again, ¡°Moreover, Xiao Peng is also my competitor! It¡¯s uncertain whether I can compete successfully against Xiao Peng, and if Brother Jiang can join in, it would be better for you to snatch this spot for the Inspection Office instead of letting Xiao Peng have it.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning felt touched. He pondered for only a moment, then gave his thanks with a cupped-fist salute. ¡°Since Brother Cheng has said so, I will follow Brother Cheng¡¯s arrangement! One day, I will surely remember the favor of Brother Cheng¡¯s patronage!¡± He also wanted to strive for this investment because Jiang Ning knew he was in great need of resources and wealth. To advance in Martial Arts, he needed wealth. The Energy Points on his panel also required wealth. With sufficient wealth and resources, his strength would grow faster, and he would soon have the ability to protect himself. He would also be able to secure safety for his elder brother and sister-in-law, as well as his nephews and nieces sooner, and repay his brother and sister-in-law for their care. So he wanted to seize this opportunity. At worst, it would just be a fruitless trip. But if he could actually receive investment from the Sihe Chamber of Commerce, it would be a resource worth thousands of taels of silver. That would be an extraordinary fortune and of great help to his current situation. Going with Cheng Ran, he wasn¡¯t worried about any threats from Xu Yunfeng. Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s agreement, Cheng Ran was quite happy, patting Jiang Ning solidly on the shoulder. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Good! That¡¯s the spirit, Brother Jiang! Frankly, without any fuss, it¡¯s a pleasure to be with you!!¡± Chapter 52: The Arrival of Wang Jin and Shen Congyun Chapter 52: Chapter 52: The Arrival of Wang Jin and Shen Congyun Martial Arts Hall¡¯s front courtyard. With the arrival of Wang Jin and Shen Congyun, the originally noisy courtyard suddenly fell silent. ¡°Master Wang!¡± ¡°Greetings, Master Wang!!¡± ¡°Greetings, Master!!¡± ¡°¡­¡± A chorus of voices rose in the courtyard. Behind the crowd, Jiang Ning and Cheng Ran also cast their gazes over. ¡°The teacher is out!¡± Cheng Ran was somewhat excited, ¡°The teacher has appeared, so we¡¯ll soon be able to closely observe the fierce battle of the tiger; whether my Tiger Form Boxing can achieve great success, today is an extremely crucial opportunity!!!¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to Shen Congyun standing beside Wang Jin. Jiang Ning asked, ¡°Is that the Building Owner Shen, Shen Congyun, mentioned earlier by Brother Cheng?¡± In Shen Congyun, Jiang Ning saw the aura of a great master. Refined, approachable. Especially the aura, filled with mystery. Not like a Martial Arts expert, but rather like a Confucian scholar with the elegance of poetry and literature in his belly. Following Jiang Ning¡¯s words, Cheng Ran¡¯s gaze also fell upon Shen Congyun. He nodded excitedly, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the great figure, Vice Building Owner of Wanhua Building, Shen Congyun! If I could be regarded highly by this eminent personage, that would be incredible! I¡¯d really be advancing by leaps and bounds, changing my destiny!!!¡± Hearing Cheng Ran¡¯s words, Jiang Ning clicked his tongue slightly. Advancing by leaps and bounds! Changing destiny! Could merely being esteemed by Shen Congyun truly have such an effect? To understand that, one must know that Cheng Ran¡¯s family had vast fertile lands spanning a thousand acres in this era, a true household of wealth. The resources required for progressing in Martial Arts, Cheng Ran did not lack. Jiang Ning also knew that if not for Cheng Ran¡¯s affluent family, Cheng Ran would not have reached this point! At this age, yet he had already achieved Qi Blood Perfection, penetrating throughout his body, and was about to rank among Martial Arts Ninth Grade in strength. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This had a great deal to do with the resources his family provided for him. The poor resort to literature, the rich take up arms. To rapidly progress in Martial Arts, one needs an abundance of precious medicinal herbs, various medicinal soups, Nourishing Essence Pills, Qi Replenishing and Boosting Pills, Blood Nourishing and Bone Strengthening Pills¡­ This entire series of items, all of them were about burning through cash. Cheng Ran, who was in such a favorable situation, claimed that being esteemed by Shen Congyun could be described as changing his destiny. Could being esteemed by the prestigious Shen Congyun truly have such an exaggerated effect? Jiang Ning had some doubts in his heart. At this time. Wang Jin came to the courtyard, looking at the full yard of disciples, he felt somewhat satisfied in his heart. The prosperity of the Martial Arts Hall made him feel that he had face. ¡°Mr. Shen, these are my unworthy disciples, what do you think?¡± Wang Jin addressed Shen Congyun by his side. ¡°Not bad!¡± Shen Congyun spoke and nodded slightly. In the midst of speaking, his gaze casually swept over the crowd. He fully understood Wang Jin¡¯s intention. Wang Jin had just suggested that he come out to take a look because, frankly, Wan Jin was not content and wanted him to assess the situation. To see if there was any disciple in the Martial Arts Hall who could catch his eye, and thus secure investment from Wanhua Building. Out of consideration for Wang Jin, he was also willing to come out to take a look, to help Wang Jin assess the situation. This, in his view, also reflected favorably on Wang Jin¡¯s character. While maintaining a good relationship with him and in a Martial Arts world so vast, without the need yet to rely on disciples for retirement, Wang Jin still thought of his own disciples. Striving for that slim chance of fortune on behalf of his disciples. This alone was enough to show that Wang Jin was a man of good character. This point also made Shen Congyun feel even better. Whether it¡¯s about investment or making friends, no one wants to deal with someone of poor character. But at this moment, deep down, Shen Congyun held no expectations for Wang Jin¡¯s disciples. Martial arts prodigies that Wanhua Building deemed noteworthy must possess the potential to become first-class experts! That is to say, they must cross over into Inner Strength, entering the realm of Martial Arts Fourth Grade. Only with this potential would they be deemed worthy of Wanhua Building¡¯s regard and investment. As for the martial arts prodigies who could become Grandmasters, they were a stroke of fortune that was sought after but rarely found. Every strong individual in history who had achieved Grandmaster status had a confluence of talent, background, opportunity, and fate. Even the one at the top of Guangning Prefecture¡¯s Hidden Dragon List was merely lauded by the world as having a chance to achieve Grandmaster status in the future. In the remote Luoshui County, discovering someone like Wang Jin, who had the potential to blossom into greatness and possibly glimpse the realm of Grandmaster, was already a great satisfaction to him. He no longer harbored any expectations for further discoveries. So at this moment, looking at the crowd in front of the martial arts hall, Shen Congyun was somewhat indifferent. At the same time. The moment Zhou Xing saw Shen Congyun appear, he was astonished; Shen Congyun¡¯s arrival was completely unexpected. The next moment. His astonished heart turned to ecstasy. He, too, had long wished to meet with the master of the Wanhua Building. He was confident in his own talent and thought perhaps Wanhua Building might take notice of him, thereby creating an opportunity for him. But before this, he had tried every trick in the book to no avail, unable to meet any of the three masters. Even his father had extended invitations to these three masters but to no response, as if dropping a stone into the sea. He knew that his family, the Zhou family, seemed to have a significant status. But this status was only within the small confines of Luoshui County. Not to mention that within Luoshui County, there were many other families more prosperous and powerful than the Zhou family. In Great Xia, families like his Zhou family weren¡¯t even near the threshold of being considered a noble family. Even the three great families, Cao, Liu, and Xie, had not touched the threshold of ¡®noble family.¡¯ Therefore, Zhou Xing understood that without fate, he would have no chance to meet the masters of Wanhua Building personally. With meeting them so difficult, how could he talk about being taken notice by Wanhua Building? So he had long put this thought to the back of his mind. But now, witnessing Shen Congyun with his own eyes, Building Owner Shen from the portraits. A sliver of hope in Zhou Xing¡¯s heart rose once again. If he could receive investment from Wanhua Building, if Wanhua Building took notice of him. Then the possibility of the Zhou family growing to rival the Cao, Liu, and Xie families would greatly increase. In Great Xia, if one¡¯s martial arts skills were strong enough, one could do anything. Not to mention others, if he were strong enough to become a martial arts examinee, gaining an official rank, the Zhou family would immediately become bustling, and he, Zhou Xing, would also bring glory to his family¡¯s name. A martial arts examinee was a symbol of strength and status. But to become one, one must qualify for the martial arts examination before the age of thirty. Once past thirty, no matter how strong, that path would be closed off. Even though, in his view, Great Xia was now in a state of turmoil, very unstable. But if he could become a martial arts examinee, that would be a tremendous stroke of good fortune. An emaciated camel is still bigger than a horse; ultimately, this world still belonged to the Great Xia Dynasty. At this moment, Zhou Xing also knew that his opportunity lay right now, in this moment with Shen Congyun. If he could attract Shen Congyun¡¯s notice, then all of these imagined prospects could become possible. His future world would then be vastly broader, leading the Zhou family to another level, with the chance to be ranked among the noble and powerful families. Only then could he fulfill the wishes in his heart, achieve his ambitions. All of these thoughts made it hard for Shen Congyun to remain calm at the moment, his fists involuntarily clenched. ¡°Later, I must go down and perform well.¡± Zhou Xing firmed up his resolve in his heart. Chapter 53 - 53 Building Owner Shen’s Surprise Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Building Owner Shen¡¯s Surprise Martial Arts Hall front courtyard. Shen Congyun glanced indifferently over the crowd. With his current level in martial arts, he could understand the basis of these newcomers with just one glance. As his gaze swept over them, he shook his head inwardly. They were all mediocre, not even comparable to that little girl. However, when his gaze landed on Zhou Xing, his eyes suddenly rippled. ¡°Refining Skin achieved, comparable to grinding stone, reaching this step at his age is quite impressive, truly a genius.¡± Then his nose twitched slightly. Even from several yards away, he could distinctly identify the scent emanating from the people. ¡°The smell of medicine is extremely strong, it¡¯s already deep into the bones, it looks like a good family background!¡± ¡°In that case, it can only be considered average!¡± Having made a judgment, Shen Congyun slightly shook his head. ¡°Mr. Shen, have you discovered something?¡± Wang Jin noticed the slight change in Shen Congyun and couldn¡¯t help but speak up. Shen Congyun smiled wryly at this and shook his head. ¡°What could I have discovered!¡± He then added, ¡°Brother Wang, didn¡¯t you say that today there is a grand event at the Martial Arts Hall? Isn¡¯t it starting yet?¡± Hearing Shen Congyun¡¯s words, Wang Jin felt somewhat disappointed. Seeing the looks in the eyes of the disciples in front of him, some seemed to understand this was a pivotal moment of fate, their eyes shimmering with hope. Wang Jin sighed inwardly. As a mentor and disciple, I have sought all the opportunities I could for you. If Mr. Shen doesn¡¯t approve of you, there is nothing this old man can do! After a moment of emotion, Wang Jin steadied his mind and then looked toward the disciples in front. ¡°Let¡¯s have a few, carry this cage into the courtyard on the west side.¡± ¡°Teacher, I¡¯ll do it!¡± Someone immediately spoke up. ¡°Teacher, I will too!¡± ¡°I will too!!!¡± People spoke up one after another. Especially those who were aware of Shen Congyun¡¯s identity, they were even more eager to show themselves. The next moment. A few people immediately came in front of the tiger¡¯s cage. As they bent down to exert force. With the combined strength of several people, the iron cage containing a four-meter-long fierce tiger was lifted off the ground. Such activity also instantly awakened the previously sleeping fierce tiger. It opened its eyes and looked around. Roar¡ª With a roar, the entire Martial Arts Hall front courtyard became silent. ¡°Is this the King of Hundred Beasts?¡± someone inquired with a pale face. At this moment, no one answered. ¡°What a strong oppressive feeling!¡± Jiang Ning watched the fierce tiger with the character ¡®King¡¯ on its forehead, clicking his tongue in amazement. ¡°Indeed very powerful!¡± Cheng Ran also nodded in agreement, then continued, ¡°That roar just now made my heart stop beating for a beat, such a strong sense of oppression!¡± ¡°But I actually want to go up even more later!¡± ¡°Only by facing this fierce tiger can I directly experience its oppressive force and personally fight with it; only then can I possibly take my Fierce Tiger Fist to the Great Success Realm!¡± ¡°And!¡± As he said these words, Cheng Ran¡¯s gaze quietly fell in the direction of Shen Congyun, instantly meeting Shen Congyun¡¯s eyes. Cheng Ran immediately felt a surge of excitement and his face was filled with confidence. ¡°Moreover, by showcasing myself, there¡¯s the possibility that Building Owner Shen may value me!¡± He then nudged Jiang Ning on the arm. ¡°Come on, Brother Jiang, let¡¯s move a bit closer! Let Building Owner Shen see me more clearly!¡± Cheng Ran was secretly excited. At the same time, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze was wandering, lost in thought. ¡°As Cheng Ran said, gaining favor from this prominent figure and investment from Wanhua Building could change my destiny!¡± ¡°This is an opportunity for me!¡± ¡°Even though I have those few pieces of wild ginseng, I still lack resources to advance my martial arts.¡± ¡°Moreover, if I gain favor and investment from Shen Congyun, I can have the protection of Wanhua Building¡¯s influence, allowing me to practice martial arts smoothly and prepare to join the Inspection Office!¡± The more Jiang Ning thought about it, the more he felt this was something he must try. There was no harm in failure. Once he succeeded, there would be tremendous benefits! Comparable to the benefits of entering the so-called Inspection Office. ¡°I must seriously think this through and see if there¡¯s any way to make Building Owner Shen recognize my potential, so that he¡¯ll value me!¡± ¡°However, with my current insufficient strength and my mediocre boxing skills, it¡¯s difficult to gain Shen Congyun¡¯s favor.¡± The more Jiang Ning thought about it, the more troubled he felt. The trouble of having no starting point. Although he was confident that with his miraculous skills, he would have a place in the world in the future, he really couldn¡¯t think of an aspect from which to start to gain the favor of this great figure, Shen Congyun. Then, with Cheng Ran¡¯s touch, Jiang Ning came back to his senses. ¡°Brother Jiang, shall we go?¡± Cheng Ran spoke again. ¡°Alright!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, his gaze also looking over. At the same time. Shen Congyun¡¯s gaze also fell on Jiang Ning and Cheng Ran. He was first attracted by Cheng Ran¡¯s robust Qi-Blood. Qi-Blood in great success, nearing realm entry! Then, he silently shook his head. Mediocrity! Shen Congyun immediately judged Cheng Ran in his heart. His perspective, naturally, was different from ordinary people. The next moment. His gaze then fell on Jiang Ning beside Cheng Ran. Commonplace! He made this judgment again in his heart. Suddenly, his pupils constricted. No!!! With a long breath, his breathing even. Shen Congyun listened intently again. Thump¡ª Thump¡ª Thump¡ª In Shen Congyun¡¯s ears, Jiang Ning¡¯s powerful heartbeats were clearly audible. Slow yet powerful beats! This is¡­ an initial sign of refined internal organs! A thought suddenly appeared in his mind. Thinking of that thought, he couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly. Could I possibly be crazy? Otherwise, why would I have such a thought? Shen Congyun silently shook his head. Yet, at this moment, his heart seemed possessed by that thought, slowing his steps. ¡°Mr. Shen, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Wang Jin noticed the change in Shen Congyun at that moment. At that moment, Shen Congyun turned a deaf ear. His eyes were already closed. In his concentrated state, any change around him, including the trace of the wind blowing the leaves, including the trace of ants crawling underfoot, was reflected in his mind. Then, Shen Congyun¡¯s heart suddenly shook. The aura of Sun Essence! This young man still had traces of Sun Essence on him!! A torrential storm surged in Shen Congyun¡¯s heart. The presence of Sun Essence on Jiang Ning strongly corroborated his previous guess. This young man had practiced the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, which was of the same origin as the Inner Strength Method he practiced, and also of the same origin as Wang Jin¡¯s Inner Strength Method. That¡¯s why there were traces of Sun Essence on this young man. And, according to the rhythm of Jiang Ning¡¯s breathing and heartbeats, he concluded that Jiang Ning¡¯s achievements in Inner Elixir Cultivation were substantial, obviously reaching the entry realm, matching the achievements of Wang Jin, who was at Martial Arts Seventh Grade. Only with such achievements could the internal organs be refined to this extent, far stronger than ordinary martial artists, Thoughts flowing, Shen Congyun opened his eyes, his gaze as tranquil as an ancient well, his expression revealing not a trace of his thoughts. ¡°Mr. Shen, what was that just now?¡± Wang Jin looked puzzled. Shen Congyun slowly shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 54: On Par with Immortals Chapter 54: Chapter 54: On Par with Immortals Martial Arts Hall¡¯s front courtyard. Shen Congyun regarded Jiang Ning with an outward semblance of calm, yet his heart was anything but at peace. Two months ago, he had handed over the introduction to the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill to Wang Jin, and yet now he sensed the aura of Sun Essence in a third person, aside from Wang Jin. The remnants of information from breathing in and absorbing Sun Essence were a distinctive trait of practicing the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. Thus, he naturally understood that the young man had also practiced the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill and achieved considerable success. Just like Wang Jin, who had successfully cultivated the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill to the introductory level. Realizing this, Shen Congyun¡¯s heart kicked up a storm. The turmoil wasn¡¯t due to Wang Jin spreading the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. But because the prerequisites of cultivating the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill were far from simple¡ªonly those with Innate Spiritual Wisdom, in conjunction with his secret medicine, could sense the Sun Essence emitted during the sunrise. Only by sensing this energy could one breathe in and refine Sun Essence, thus enabling the cultivation of this superior martial arts skill. He was well aware that the amount of secret medicine he had provided Wang Jin had not been plentiful, and based on Wang Jin¡¯s cultivation progress, it wouldn¡¯t suffice for two people to reach the introductory level of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. That left only one possibility. That the young man before him did not need the secret medicine he supplied to sense the Sun Essence during the sunrise. Such an overwhelmingly exceptional talent was what truly shocked him. Only those with top-tier Innate Spiritual Wisdom could possibly do this. If this kind of talent were in the Ancient Era, in his view, there was hope of becoming an existence on par with Immortals. Once again, Shen Congyun¡¯s gaze stealthily fell upon Jiang Ning as he silently mused to himself. ¡°There are no such coincidences in the world; this kid either stole Wang Jin¡¯s Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill or received a private transmission from him.¡± ¡°No matter what the reason, it is not important now.¡± ¡°I have only given the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill to Wang Jin for two months, yet this kid has managed to cultivate it to the introductory level without the aid of the secret medicine.¡± ¡°This is sufficient proof of his extremely high aptitude for understanding and his status as a top-tier individual with Innate Spiritual Wisdom!¡± ¡°With the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, he will inevitably cultivate it to the Great Success Realm and achieve the state of ¡®Five Internal Organs Thunder Sound, Inner Breath Like Gang.¡¯¡± ¡°He is also still young, and with his talent coupled with my assistance, this kid is bound to enter into the Fifth Grade ranks, and the potential to achieve the Fourth Grade is not low! His chance of holding a position among Grandmasters is higher than mine, higher than Wang Jin¡¯s!¡± ¡°Such a person with Innate Spiritual Wisdom, who is more suitable for the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill than Wang Jin, I cannot miss out!¡± ¡°However, it¡¯s a pity! This child is a top-tier individual with Innate Spiritual Wisdom, and his natural gift in the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill is incredibly high, but this exceptional skill is precisely lacking the Perfect Method!¡± ¡°This is truly a pity!!¡± ¡°If we had the Perfect Method, even if I couldn¡¯t cultivate it to Perfection, based on this kid¡¯s current performance.¡± ¡°Being able to sense Sun Essence without secret medicine, cultivating the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill to the introductory level, and at most only taking two months.¡± ¡°In the future, it¡¯s not impossible for him to cultivate the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill¡¯s Perfect Method and achieve the recorded state ¡®body like a furnace, condensing a Golden Core.¡¯¡± Shen Congyun inwardly sighed, having already made a decision. He would invest his quota in Jiang Ning. He believed that Jiang Ning¡¯s performance in the future could bring him sufficient returns, enough benefits. However, before that, he still had to go back and thoroughly investigate¡ªjust how long had Jiang Ning been practicing martial arts? ¡°What exactly is his Martial Arts talent?¡± Only then could he decide on how big a stake to place on Jiang Ning! Afterward, Shen Congyun, harboring a hope for even more discoveries, scrutinized the entire scene earnestly. A short time later. When Wang Jin saw Shen Congyun retract his gaze, he spoke up. ¡°Mr. Shen, what do you think of these disciples of mine?¡± Shen Congyun nodded slightly, ¡°Not bad at all!!¡± Seeing Shen Congyun¡¯s indifferent expression, Wang Jin¡¯s heart suddenly filled with disappointment. How could he not understand that Shen Congyun¡¯s ¡°not bad¡± also meant he did not regard the person as a talent worth noticing? ¡°Well, then!¡± Wang Jin sighed inwardly, ¡°I¡¯ve tried my best to seize the opportunity. Success or failure is up to fate! The prodigies favored by Wanhua Building aren¡¯t so easy to find.¡± ¡­ Elsewhere. Moon Pavilion. Inside a third-floor private room. Xu Yunfeng stood before a middle-aged man with a square face, bushy eyebrows, and an imposing demeanor. He bowed slightly, hanging his head low, showing submission to the middle-aged man who was over thirty. Thump¡ª Thump¡ª Thump¡ª The square-faced middle-aged man gently tapped the square table with his index finger, producing a heart-stirring sound in the quiet room. Feeling the oppressive atmosphere, Xu Yunfeng bent even lower, his expression filled with tension. ¡°Still no progress?¡± the square-faced middle-aged man asked in a deep voice. ¡°Mr. Cao, not yet!¡± Xu Yunfeng replied with his head bowed. Mr. Cao, the one Xu Yunfeng addressed, now picked up the teacup in front of him; the lid grazed the rim, making a faint scraping sound, and some of the brimming hot tea spilled over. He softly blew on the steaming tea, dispersing the two floating tea leaves and revealing the clear water beneath. At this moment, the entire private room was eerily quiet, with only the middle-aged man¡¯s blowing audible. Xu Yunfeng grew even tenser. ¡°Give me an explanation!¡± Mr. Cao broke the silence of the room, then he gently sipped the scalding tea. Xu Yunfeng immediately began, ¡°Mr. Cao, Jiang Li¡¯s biggest vulnerability is his younger brother, Jiang Ning. I originally planned to target Jiang Ning, cut off his fingers, and force Jiang Li to submit. But since that day, he has sent Jiang Ning to train at the Canglang Martial Arts Hall!¡± ¡°Canglang Martial Arts Hall?¡± Mr. Cao set down the teacup he was holding. Clang¡ª The teacup collided with the square table, ringing out crisply. ¡°Is it Wang Jin¡¯s Canglang Martial Arts Hall?¡± Mr. Cao asked again. ¡°Yes!¡± Xu Yunfeng lowered his head further, ¡°It¡¯s indeed Wang Jin¡¯s Canglang Martial Arts Hall! Since Jiang Ning started training under Wang Jin, he went home only once. Since that day, he has not stepped out of the Martial Arts Hall at all! He must have gained permission from Wang Jin to reside there long-term.¡± ¡°Wang Jin!!¡± Cao Bin tapped the square table lightly with his finger. Thump¡ª Thump¡ª Thump¡ª ¡­ A series of tapping resonated off the surface of the square table. The entire private room went silent once again. After a moment, Cao Bin spoke, ¡°Wang Jin should not be provoked head-on.¡± ¡°Should we then abandon moving against Jiang Li¡¯s children, or only for the time being?¡± Xu Yunfeng asked cautiously? Cao Bin shook his head slightly, ¡°Can¡¯t give up. My older brother wants to force the County Lord to take a stand, or to come forward himself. Jiang Li is a good target, and since my brother entrusted this matter to me, I must see it through!¡± ¡°So, what should your subordinate do?¡± Xu Yunfeng asked for instructions. Thump thump thump¡ª Cao Bin¡¯s middle finger tapped the table surface lightly, as if deep in thought. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 55 - 55 Harvest Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Harvest Moon Pavilion. Three-story private room. Cao Bin pondered for a moment before speaking, ¡°This matter must be resolved quickly! Once that official arrives, the Inspection Office will be as the sky pressing down on Luoshui County, and we must not act rashly for the time being!¡± ¡°Falsely accuse Jiang Li and then imprison his entire family in the dungeon!¡± Xu Yunfeng immediately bowed his head in respect. ¡°Yes!¡± Then he asked, ¡°What charges should your subordinate arrange?¡± ¡°Do you still need me to teach you this?¡± Cao Bin lifted his head, his gaze calmly upon Xu Yunfeng, ¡°You know of the God Worship Sect, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Your subordinate understands!¡± Xu Yunfeng bowed again, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Cao, for the guidance!¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Cao Bin uttered softly, then waved his hand, ¡°Go and arrange it! Remember to act quickly, I want results within a week!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xu Yunfeng replied once more, then raised his head, ¡°Mr. Cao, what about Jiang Ning? He is Wang Jin¡¯s disciple, should arrangements be made for him as well?¡± ¡°Make arrangements!¡± Cao Bin spoke without hesitation, ¡°This person has only just joined Canglang Martial Arts Hall for a few days, he hardly counts as Wang Jin¡¯s disciple! I will personally lead a team to apprehend him, and I believe Wang Jin is a man who understands when to advance or retreat, who grasps the bigger picture!¡± ¡°Remove the weeds by their roots!!¡± ¡°Besides, this person has been able to stay at the Martial Arts Hall for so long, his martial arts talent must be rather good or Wang Jin would not have taken such care of him! Such a person cannot be spared!!¡± ¡°Yes, your subordinate understands!¡± Xu Yunfeng lowered his head to bow, then slowly exited the private room. ¡­ Canglang Martial Arts Hall. In a corner of the Martial Arts Hall¡¯s courtyard, there was a huge iron cage made of fine iron. The iron cage covered about an acre of land. The iron cage was completely enclosed by fine iron that crisscrossed overhead and around the sides. The widest gap between the iron bars was barely 7 inches, just enough for a person to pass through. Outside the iron cage, several tall stands had been set up. At this moment. On the stands, Wang Jin and Shen Congyun stood together. The rest of the stands were occupied by the true disciples of the Martial Arts Hall, as well as Liu Zhixiang from the Sihe Chamber of Commerce. ¡°Begin!¡± Wang Jin said. ¡­ Time passed. In the evening, the setting sun reluctantly dipped behind the mountain tops, and night was about to fall. ¡°Ptui!¡± In Jiang Ning¡¯s courtyard, Cheng Ran spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva along with some remnants of the medicinal soup he had just drunk. ¡°That beast is really ferocious!¡± Cheng Ran grimaced, clearly pulling at his wound. Jiang Ning handed him a bowl of clear water, ¡°Brother Cheng, you¡¯re pushing yourself too hard! You¡¯re fighting with a ferocious tiger while your injuries haven¡¯t even healed!¡± Cheng Ran took the bowl of water Jiang Ning offered and gulped it down, then wiped the corner of his mouth. ¡°There¡¯s no choice but to push! My boxing has fallen behind Xiao Peng. If I don¡¯t face the tiger and battle it up close to grasp its spirit and form, my Tiger Form Boxing will hardly achieve great success, let alone meet Master Wang¡¯s condition to master two forms of boxing.¡± ¡°Moreover, Building Owner Shen was present, and it was a chance to show off myself, possibly gaining the favor of that venerable figure!¡± ¡°Though the chance is small, if I can achieve two objectives in one stroke, I naturally have to give it my all.¡± ¡°I admire you!¡± Jiang Ning bowed in respect. At this moment, he had a deeper understanding of what Cheng Ran had said before about the path of martial arts: to make achievements, a martial artist must compete. Cheng Ran had undergone such a drastic change from a nonchalant attitude in just a few days. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, one reason was the appearance of Xiao Peng, giving him a competitor. The second reason was the arrival of opportunity. The Inspection Office, the newly established power structure in Great Xia, allowed Cheng Ran to see a different future, a path to leap from being a fish into becoming a dragon. The appearance of Shen Congyun also filled Cheng Ran with even more motivation. As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Jiang Ning continued to ask, ¡°Did Brother Cheng reap any benefits?¡± Cheng Ran shook his head, then nodded slightly, ¡°A little, but not much! I need to go back and organize my thoughts properly.¡± Then he continued, ¡°Please bother Brother Jiang for another bowl of water!¡± Jiang Ning smiled as he took the bowl from Cheng Ran¡¯s hand, refilled it with fresh water from the tank, and handed it back to Cheng Ran. After drinking the bowl of water in one gulp, Cheng Ran finally stood up. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, I should be going back!¡± Jiang Ning also stood up, ¡°Let me see Brother Cheng off!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Cheng Ran nodded, and then added, ¡°I will come to pick up Brother Jiang for the banquet at the Sihe Chamber of Commerce tomorrow night, but I won¡¯t come to the Martial Arts Hall during the day. I need to ponder over today¡¯s battle with that beast and see if I can catch that fleeting spark of insight to elevate my Tiger Form Boxing to Great Success.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Jiang Ning nodded and then, clasping his hands, said, ¡°Thank you, Brother Cheng.¡± Cheng Ran smiled in response. The two then walked out of the Martial Arts Hall. ¡­ After seeing Cheng Ran off, Jiang Ning returned to his courtyard within the Martial Arts Hall. Entering his room, he saw ten brocade boxes placed on the table. Within these ten brocade boxes were ten wild ginseng roots. In the afternoon, Zhou Xing had arranged for someone to deliver the ten wild ginseng roots to the Martial Arts Hall. Jiang Ning had also successfully obtained the nourishing medicinal herbs he had been longing for. ¡°Ten wild ginseng roots should be enough for me for some time!¡± He opened a brocade box and gazed at the wild ginseng lying within, his eyes revealing a delighted light. Ever since he ran out of wild ginseng for nourishment, his daily practice of boxing had decreased by nearly thirty percent. This not only slowed the speed at which he fermented liver to generate Experience Value, but the rate at which he accumulated Qi-Blood had declined as well. Likewise, the rate at which he acquired Energy Points also decreased considerably. On the day he consumed the most, eating a third of a wild ginseng root, his Energy Points increased by 0.6. Later, without the supplement of wild ginseng, even though the soups provided by the Martial Arts Hall increased to three bowls a day and he had meat with every meal, his daily Energy Points growth was only 0.4. ¡°It¡¯s different now! With these ten wild ginseng roots, it will be completely different in the short term! My rate of improvement will inevitably be faster!¡± After that, Jiang Ning took out a brocade box with wild ginseng and walked out to the small courtyard. ¡­ Under the enveloping sunset. Jiang Ning stood still on the spot, not moving an inch. In his mind, he replayed the scenes of everyone fighting the fierce tiger from the afternoon. That afternoon. Besides Cheng Ran, Li Qing, Zhou Xing, Zhao Hu, and Zhang Tiesheng, these four True Disciples took turns battling with the tiger. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning had watched the entire battle; it was his first time witnessing a fierce tiger fighting humans. With his ¡°unforgettable¡± trait, the battle from that afternoon was etched into his mind as vividly as a movie scene. The tiger was the best teacher for Tiger Form Boxing. From the battles that afternoon, Jiang Ning learned a great deal. At this moment, he continued to deepen his understanding of the tiger¡¯s spirit and form. Only by mastering both spirit and form could he elevate the Tiger Form of the Five Animals Fist to Great Success. Once he achieved Great Success in the spirit and form of one boxing style, each time Jiang Ning practiced the Five Animals Fist, he would gain at least two Experience Value Points. This was an effect he had already tested out. Chapter 56 - 56 Great Success, qualitative change! Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Great Success, qualitative change! In the Martial Arts Hall. Jiang Ning opened his eyes from meditation. At this moment, his mind was filled with the image of the tiger from that afternoon. Then, he took a stance and began to practice his boxing directly. After fifteen minutes. Jiang Ning pulled back his boxing stance. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (small success 52/500) He glanced at the panel for just a moment and continued to practice boxing. The recent verification with his boxing practice had not been without gains, but these were insufficient for a qualitative change in his Tiger Form Boxing. However, Jiang Ning knew he had taken one more step towards achieving the union of spirit and form. Taking advantage of his good state, he continued practicing boxing while replaying the tiger¡¯s pounce and the majestic aura of the tiger as the King of Hundred Beasts in his mind. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] Three times in a row, the Experience Value still maintained the efficiency of increasing by one point with each round of boxing. But as he practiced the boxing over and over, his eyes shone more brightly, even radiating light as night fell. Hoo¡ª Hoo¡ª Jiang Ning breathed heavily, his chest starting to heave. Even though he had achieved the entry level of Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill and his internal organs had been tempered, practicing four consecutive rounds of boxing without rest had caused him to feel slightly fatigued. ¡°I need to use the Wild Ginseng!¡± he thought. Rising to his mind, Jiang Ning picked up the brocade box containing Wild Ginseng placed to one side. Upon opening the red brocade box, a piece of Wild Ginseng, estimated to be ten years old, lay on the orange-yellow cloth. [Source Energy]: 9.2 He glanced again at his panel, noting that he was only 0.8 points away from the target of 10 Source Energy Points. According to the efficiency of the past few days, he would need two full days for these 0.8 points. But now, he didn¡¯t want to wait. Having made up his mind, he decided not to be as stingy as before, using only one-tenth of the Wild Ginseng at a time. After briefly pondering, he split the ginseng in half and placed one half in his mouth. As Jiang Ning chewed in his mouth, a sweet and warm flow followed down into his stomach. Soon, he felt his body, like parched land meeting sweet rain, rapidly regaining vitality. The weariness disappeared swiftly, the heartbeat in his chest became more powerful, and the blood flowed faster within his body. ¡°Taking half at once, the effect is so strong! No wonder it¡¯s worth more than a dozen taels of silver,¡± Jiang Ning exclaimed, clenching his fist to feel the changes within. Moments later. He felt his body temperature rise, brimming with energy that had no outlet, and his state had been restored from its previous low to its peak. Now powered by the medicine¡¯s effect, he resumed practice. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] ¡­ Round after round of practice, and round after round of validating his insights. In the short recovery intervals, he repeatedly visualized the scenes of his senior brothers and sisters fighting the tiger that afternoon. The jade rabbit hung high in the branches. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +2] When this prompt appeared, Jiang Ning stopped practicing and smiled. He didn¡¯t know how many rounds of boxing he had practiced from evening until now. But seeing the change in the prompts, he knew his hard work and lack of sleep were worth it! ¡°Awesome!!¡± Jiang Ning grinned, showing his pearly white teeth. The changes in the Experience Value gained from practicing boxing represented that he had mastered the spirit and form of the fierce tiger, and his Tiger Form Boxing had indeed reached Great Success. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Henceforth, as long as he consolidated his current understanding, before Five Animals Fist broke through to Great Success, he would gain at least two points of Experience Value each time he practiced the boxing technique. Additionally, his level of Great Success in Tiger Form Boxing qualified him to become Wang Jin¡¯s True Disciple. True Disciple¡ªthat was a real master-disciple relationship. Given Wang Jin¡¯s identity and strength, this would bring him a huge increase in status. At this moment, Jiang Ning truly felt that his situation was beginning to improve, and the gloom that had clouded his heart started to dissipate, with a smile inevitably spreading across his face. Afterward, he picked up the already-prepared refreshing well water beside him and gulped it down in one go. ¡°Solidify the understanding!!¡± ¡°Continue practicing!!¡± His eyes burned with fiery passion, filled with soaring fighting spirit. While he was sweating profusely, Aunt Sun also came to the yard gate to check several times. Each time, she couldn¡¯t help shaking her head. ¡°This kid is pushing himself too hard!¡± ¡°Not even eating dinner to practice martial arts!¡± ¡°I have to keep reheating his food over and over again!¡± ¡­ The jade rabbit hung high overhead. The moonlight draped over the earth like a gossamer veil, and Luoshui County was enveloped in tranquility. Only the occasional bark of a dog from afar could be heard. And¡ª Clang¡ª Clang¡ª Clang¡ª ¡°Midnight has struck, be careful with the candles!¡± Hearing the familiar voice of the night watchman, Jiang Ning¡¯s boxing movements also came to a halt just in time. ¡°It¡¯s already eleven o¡¯clock at night!¡± he murmured to himself, coming back to his senses. Gurgle¡ª As he returned to the present, his stomach rumbled thunderously with hunger. ¡°I¡¯m so hungry!!¡± Jiang Ning rubbed his belly, his face showing a hint of misery. ¡°Tsk tsk! You finally realized you¡¯re hungry, huh!!¡± ¡°Sister Sun, you¡¯re here too?¡± Jiang Ning looked in the direction of the voice and immediately saw Aunt Sun appearing at the yard gate. ¡°How can I not be? I¡¯ve been reheating food for four or five ¡®shichen¡¯! I thought you were made of iron and didn¡¯t get hungry,¡± Aunt Sun said, sounding annoyed. ¡°Thank you, Sister, I knew Sister Sun was a beauty with a kind heart!!¡± Jiang Ning chuckled. ¡°Stop your sweet talk, come with me!¡± ¡°Okay, Sister!¡± Jiang Ning hurriedly followed her. At the same time, he also opened his panel to take a look. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (small success 78/500) Tonight, I¡¯ve increased my Experience Value by a total of 23 points with Five Animals Fist, quite an impressive efficiency!! Jiang Ning thought to himself, feeling extremely pleased. Before, after a whole day of laborious practice, he could increase the Experience Value of Five Animals Fist by less than 20 points. Tonight, in just one night, from dusk to the small hours, he had increased by 23 points of Experience Value, already exceeding the amount he could increase in a single day. ¡°With the support of a major tonic like Wild Ginseng, the effect of my boxing practice is indeed completely different!¡± ¡°And tonight, it¡¯s also because more than half the times I practiced boxing, the Experience Value increased by only one point.¡± ¡°Tomorrow, every time I practice the boxing technique, I will increase two points of Experience Value, three threads of Qi-Blood, and my efficiency will inevitably be higher!¡± Envisioning this, Jiang Ning was secretly excited. ¡°Kid, what are you thinking about?¡± Aunt Sun turned around and saw Jiang Ning looking distracted. Jiang Ning immediately came back to reality and smiled at Aunt Sun. ¡°Just thinking about the insights from practicing boxing just now!¡± ¡°Tsk tsk! Kid, you¡¯re really pushing yourself too hard! Still thinking about practicing boxing with your stomach growling like that!¡± Aunt Sun clucked. Jiang Ning smiled and said no more. Chapter 57 - 57 Saber Technique Break Limit, new trait! (Requesting monthly votes!!!) Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Saber Technique Break Limit, new trait! (Requesting monthly votes!!!) A moment later. Inside the Martial Arts Hall¡¯s kitchen. ¡°All right, hurry up and eat! I want to clean up the kitchen after you¡¯re done!¡± Aunt Sun placed the continuously heated food on the stove. A bowl of steaming steamed fatty meat, along with a bowl of fried eggs and a steamer of buns, next to which was a pot of rice. Looking at the steaming delicious food in front of him, Jiang Ning felt even hungrier. ¡°Thank you, sis! I¡¯m starting to eat!!¡± ¡°Go ahead!¡± Aunt Sun smiled. Then, Jiang Ning began to wolf down his food. Now, with some achievements in martial arts, Jiang Ning also found his appetite growing day by day. Now he had to eat at least three to four times the amount of food he ate before, an astonishingly large amount. Now he could swallow a bun in one bite. A bowl of rice was also shoveled into his belly in a few big bites. In less than a tea time. All the food prepared by Aunt Sun was swept clean by Jiang Ning, all entering his stomach. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Comfortable!¡± Jiang Ning lazily touched his belly. ¡°Okay, you little rascal, don¡¯t get in the way here, go back and rest!¡± Aunt Sun waved her hand outward. Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°Hard work, big sis!¡± ¡°Go back to sleep!¡± Aunt Sun waved her hand again. After going back, Jiang Ning practiced his boxing twice and successfully gained 4 Experience Points, then he went to sleep. Before sleeping, he looked at his panel. [Source Energy]: 9.2 ¡°Only 0.8 left, I hope when I wake up tomorrow, my Source Energy Points will have exceeded 10.¡± With that thought, Jiang Ning slowly fell asleep. ¡­ The next day. Dawn was breaking. Jiang Ning had already woken up. Crack¡ª He got out of bed and stretched his limbs, causing a ¡°crack¡± sound from all over his body. ¡°Comfortable!!¡± In his monologue, he also opened his panel to take a look. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 10.1 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Break Limit 568/2000) (Trait: Unforgettable) Five Animals Fist (Small Success 82/500) Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (Perfection 1000/1000) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Beginner 28/1000) Seeing the panel for a moment, his gaze also sharpened. ¡°Ten point one, I knew absorbing half a wild ginseng yesterday was enough to increase my Source Energy Points by over 0.8.¡± ¡°This is indeed not much different from my previous calculations; fully absorbing a ten-year-old wild ginseng can give me about 0.9 to 1.1 Source Energy Points!¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s face also showed an expression of ¡®just as expected¡¯. Then his gaze fell back on the panel, on the plus sign after the Chopping Wood Blade Skill. ¡°Chopping Wood Blade Skill, finally I can Break Limit, I wonder what trait it can bring me?¡± While silently musing in his heart, his thoughts also slightly moved. His mind fell on the plus sign after the Chopping Wood Blade Skill. In an instant. Source Energy Points decreased like flowing water, and in the blink of an eye, they returned to 0.1. Then, Jiang Ning felt countless sharp flashes of light emerging in his mind. He immediately closed his eyes, his consciousness appearing within his mind. Numerous flashes of light passed by, bringing an intense, icy chill as they tore through the sky. These falling beams of light consisted only of simple chopping motions, but they indeed contained a strange beauty, making Jiang Ning somewhat mesmerized. At the same time, he could feel as though millions of ants were crawling on his arms, with waves of itchy and tingling sensations emanating from deep within his skin and flesh. After several dozen breaths, all the changes had vanished. Jiang Ning opened his eyes. [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Break Limit 1783/2000) (Trait: Touch and Understand) [Touch and Understand (Saber)]: Possesses profound insight into saber techniques, improving efficiency in practicing saber-related cultivation techniques, and making it easier to comprehend their profundities. ¡°Touch and Understand?¡± ¡°In that case, it seems to suggest that my talent for saber techniques is heightened.¡± Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning whispered to himself, his expression contemplative. Once again glancing at his panel, his eyes settled on the ¡°Touch and Understand¡± trait. His mind involuntarily flicked back to the countless beams of light that had just appeared in his thoughts. ¡°It seems I really need to find a saber and learn a saber technique!¡± ¡°With a saber in hand, my combat ability is quite different compared to being unarmed.¡± ¡°If I have a decent saber technique in hand, it probably won¡¯t take long for me to chop down Xu Yunfeng!¡± Immediately, Jiang Ning became thoughtful again. ¡°I remember Wang Jin once said that the name of Canglang Martial Arts Hall comes from a saber technique! That¡¯s also why he had me chop wood to become familiar with the feel of a saber!¡± ¡°It seems now, both the saber and the saber technique expectations must rely on Wang Jin!¡± ¡°Fortunately, last night I achieved great success in one of the five stances of the Five Animals Fist, the Tiger Form Boxing, fulfilling the requirements to become Wang Jin¡¯s True Disciple.¡± Thinking this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but smack his lips. ¡°A six-month verification period, and I hardly spent more than a dozen days, not even half a month to achieve this!¡± ¡°This panel¡¯s effect is really powerful!¡± ¡°However, with such an exaggerated pace of progress, should I reveal it to Wang Jin today?¡± ¡°To let him know I¡¯ve reached the Great Success Realm in Tiger Form Boxing, and have passed his six-month verification, qualifying to become his True Disciple?¡± Shortly after, Jiang Ning only pondered for a moment before making a decision. That was to reveal it to Wang Jin and let Wang Jin know about his progress in boxing. Thus, he could gain further attention from Wang Jin. ¡°Wang Jin is trustworthy, and at his age, his desires must also be simple.¡± ¡°That is to find a decent successor and to have disciples who can care for him in his old age!¡± ¡°I can achieve all these!¡± ¡°The higher the talents I show now, the more attention I will get from him! Thus, facing the pressure from Xu Yunfeng and the pressure from the Cao family from Cao Bin¡¯s side, I will also be more confident.¡± ¡°Furthermore, based on my observations and interactions in these days, Wang Jin¡¯s character is indeed commendable!¡± Amid these reflections, Jiang Ning ultimately made his decision. He planned to find Wang Jin shortly and inform him about his current progress in boxing. To thus become Wang Jin¡¯s True Disciple, a disciple in the truest sense. He clenched his fists again, and his arm muscles suddenly bulged like powerful dragons, filled with a sense of strength. Merely clenching his fists, Jiang Ning clearly felt his strength enhancement following the breakthrough of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill. ¡°With the breakthrough of the saber technique, I can feel my arm¡¯s strength increasing again, and now one arm should exceed the force of three hundred taels!¡± This guess arose in his mind. ¡°If I were to spar with Cheng Ran today, I should be much more at ease than yesterday!¡± ¡°If I had a saber in hand, relying on my post-break limit Chopping Wood Blade Skill, facing Brother Cheng Ran, I should be able to determine the winner and even life and death with a single slash!¡± After feeling the changes in his body following the breakthrough of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill, Jiang Ning finally pushed open the door and stepped out of the house. Chapter 58: Great Increase in Strength Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Great Increase in Strength Martial Arts Hall. Jiang Ning¡¯s yard. After he finished washing up, he looked up at the sky above. It was still early, with a clear stretch of time before sunrise. Then, he stepped out of his courtyard and headed to the front yard of the Martial Arts Hall. At the moment, it was not yet so. The sky had just brightened. The entire front yard of the Martial Arts Hall was eerily quiet. The whole Martial Arts Hall was also very silent; he could only hear some noises coming from the direction of the back kitchen made by Aunt Sun. Afterward, he went to a corner of the front yard, where the stone locks were stacked. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On normal days, these stone locks were where all the Martial Arts Hall disciples practiced their strength and tested their power. He had come here precisely to test his current strength. Only by knowing his own strength would he have a rough idea of his confidence. Standing in front of a three-hundred-catty stone lock. The middle of the stone lock was connected by a piece of fine iron as thick as an arm, its hammered marks and patterns extremely clear¡ªJiang Ning knew with just one glance that this was fine iron that had been forged dozens of times. Only fine iron that had been forged dozens of times would possess the sufficient hardness and toughness to withstand a stone lock weighing more than three hundred catties. Then, Jiang Ning¡¯s lower body sank slightly, and his right hand gripped the fine iron as thick as an arm on the stone lock. In the next moment, as he exerted force, the fine iron, weighing a full three hundred catties, was instantly lifted by him, completely off the ground. Feeling that his right hand still had some strength left, Jiang Ning murmured to himself, ¡°As I thought, my one-arm strength has indeed surpassed three hundred catties.¡± Immediately after, he thought back to his past life. According to his knowledge, the recorded human limit in his past life was lifting a barbell of more than three hundred catties with one hand. In other words, he had now caught up with the peak of humanity in his past life in terms of strength. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning was astounded. Just over ten days of practicing martial arts and he had caught up with humanity¡¯s peak from his past life¡ªthis made him all the more aware of how mystical the martial arts of this world actually were. It was an extraordinary path. Afterward, he slowly set down the stone lock and also lifted the three hundred-catty stone lock with his left hand. Gritting his teeth, his left hand also struggled to lift the three hundred-catty stone lock. ¡°My left arm also has a strength of three hundred catties,¡± he said to himself. Then he moved in front of a four hundred-catty stone lock. ¡°Let me try and see if my right hand can lift it.¡± With this thought, Jiang Ning sank his body once more, his right hand gripping the stout fine iron. As he exerted his strength, the four hundred-catty stone lock suddenly moved but did not leave the ground yet. He clenched his teeth again and exerted his strength once more. The four hundred-catty stone lock suddenly rose off the ground slightly and rubbed against the ground, moving left and right in his hands. ¡°It won¡¯t work!!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head and slowly withdrew his strength. Boom¡ª The stone lock fell to the ground, making a dull sound. By now, Jiang Ning had understood his current strength. The Break Limit of his Saber Technique had once again slightly strengthened the power of his arms. His right arm had a force of over three hundred catties, about three hundred and fifty catties. His left arm reached three hundred catties. Even though his Qi-Blood was only at small success on the martial arts path, he was clearly about to catch up with Xiao Peng, who had Qi Blood Great Success. ¡°Normally, those with Qi Blood Perfection start with a strength of five hundred catties, still quite ahead of me.¡± ¡°But if I had a saber in hand, this difference of more than a hundred catties of strength wouldn¡¯t be so pronounced!¡± ¡°Now give me a saber; with my Break Limit level of Chopping Wood Blade Skill, the bursting strength should be no less than those with a strength of five hundred catties.¡± ¡°I wonder if I can match Xu Yunfeng?¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself, a thoughtful expression on his face. He pondered for a moment. He slowly shook his head, ¡°No rush. Now that my Fierce Tiger Fist is at Great Success, and with the replenishing Wild Ginseng in hand, give me a few more days and I will be able to bring my Five Animals Fist to the Great Success progress.¡± ¡°By then, my Qi-Blood should be able to reach Great Success, flowing through my limbs.¡± ¡°My strength will further increase, not the slightest bit inferior to a common martial artist with Qi Blood Perfection.¡± ¡°If I can find another saber technique, and if I encounter Xu Yunfeng again, I don¡¯t believe I can¡¯t chop him to death!¡± With these thoughts in mind, Jiang Ning returned to his small courtyard at the Martial Arts Hall. Afterwards, he continued practicing boxing in the courtyard before sunrise. One sequence of the boxing technique completed. [Five Animals Fist EXP +2] He proceeded to the second sequence. [Five Animals Fist EXP +2] After completing two sequences of the boxing technique. Jiang Ning successfully gained 4 points of Five Animals Fist experience and six strands of Qi-Blood. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (small success 86/500) By this time, the sky was already brightly lit, and the horizon was tinged with red glows. This heralded the imminent rise of the Great Sun. Seeing this, he also stopped the idea of continuing to practice boxing. Because every day from sunrise to 5:40 a.m. was the key time for him to breathe in and out the Great Sun Essence Qi and increase his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill experience. Once it was past 5:40 a.m. and entered 7 a.m., the Sun Essence Qi would become much more intense, which was beyond the capacity of his current level of Inner Elixir Cultivation Technique to handle. Although the incomplete manual did not record the subsequent techniques, he deduced that to achieve the desired effect to refine the organs and increase the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill experience, it would require breathing in and out the Great Sun Essence Qi of the next two hours. Just like after he started practicing, he had tried it. The two minutes when the Great Sun rose did not affect his internal organs, and the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill experience no longer increased. A short while later. The Great Sun rose, and the sky was full of red glows. The warm sunlight of sunrise also fell on Jiang Ning¡¯s body. He continued quietly waiting for the complete rise of the Great Sun because his Inner Elixir Cultivation had already started and his internal organs had been initially refined. Breathing the mild Great Sun Essence Qi at sunrise no longer increased his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill experience. After a few dozen breaths. The Great Sun had fully risen. Jiang Ning began using the breathing technique of the Inner Elixir Cultivation in the presence of the Great Sun. With each breath he took, he suddenly felt as if a fiery serpent surged into his nostrils and burrowed towards his internal organs. Facing this situation, he remained utterly calm, for he had enough experience now. After the scorching Qi that had entered the internal organs was fully digested. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] Then he continued to breathe in and out the Sun Essence. At the same time. On a tall building in the distance. Shen Congyun, dressed in a blue robe, his gaze piercing miles to land on Jiang Ning. ¡°This¡­ this is impossible!!¡± His mouth agape, his face no longer keeping the calm of before, but showing a full face of shock. ¡°How is this possible?¡± Shen Congyun muttered to himself again, ¡°Without a subsequent guidance technique, he dares to breathe in and out the Sun Flower Realm Qi? Does he not know how to write the word ¡®death¡¯?¡± At this moment, Shen Congyun had his doubts about life. The Inner Elixir Cultivation, he knew it more than well. It was a remarkable cultivation technique he had stumbled upon by chance. Though it was one missing the complete perfection, a remarkable cultivation technique is still remarkable; even achieving only Great Success, it was not inferior to any superior martial arts. Chapter 59: Officially Becoming a Disciple Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Officially Becoming a Disciple On a high-rise in the distance. Shen Congyun was looking at Jiang Ning facing the Great Sun, breathing in and out as he cultivated. He was extremely astonished, he knew very well that the cultivation method of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill past the beginner stage didn¡¯t include any guidance, breathing in the essence of the Sun Essence without it would be like inviting a fierce dragon made of fire into one¡¯s body, and all organs would be burned away. The pain of such an ordeal was unbearable for most people. Yet at this moment, he could clearly see that Jiang Ning, remarkably, was able to breathe in and out the Sun Essence without the help of any secret medicine, and even started practicing the Breathing and Exhaling Method directly after sunrise. He began to breathe in and out the Sun Essence. This completely shattered his understanding. ¡°Could it be¡­ that this young man has a perfect method to cultivate the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill? And not just relying on the incomplete scroll he got from Wang Jin to merely get started?¡± As the possibility occurred to him, he shook his head. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be possible! The Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill is an ultimate technique, not some common Martial Arts Skill that you can find anywhere on the streets! Besides, how could such a coincidence occur!!¡± Shen Congyun shook his head again, dismissing the thought. Afterward, his gaze continued to fall on Jiang Ning from kilometers away, as he continued to observe Jiang Ning¡¯s every move. Thirty minutes later. He nodded to himself: ¡°The young man is indeed practicing the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, no doubt about it! As for the rest, we¡¯ll have to wait for the investigation report on this person before making any judgments!¡± Murmuring his thoughts into the air, Shen Congyun¡¯s silhouette also disappeared from atop the high-rise. ¡­ Inside the Martial Arts Hall. As they neared the time of 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., Jiang Ning, too, stopped Breathing and Releasing the Essence of the Great Sun. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Beginner 32/1000) ¡°I¡¯ve gained 14 Experience Value points; at this rate, it will take over two months to progress to the next Realm of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill!¡± ¡°Such a difficult way to grind for experience, I wonder just how high level this Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill is.¡± Jiang Ning silently mused to himself, looking at his status panel. Then, he got up and headed towards the kitchen. Preparing to have breakfast, then to meet Wang Jin. He had already decided just earlier that today he would confess to Wang Jin, confess that among his Five Animals Fist skills, Tiger Form Boxing had reached the Great Success Realm. He had met the requirement to become Wang Jin¡¯s True Disciple. ¡­ In front of the courtyard door in the back of the Martial Arts Hall. Thump, thump, thump¡ª Jiang Ning, carrying a tray of food, knocked on the courtyard¡¯s large gate. ¡°Come in!¡± Wang Jin¡¯s voice came from within the courtyard. Jiang Ning then pushed open the courtyard gate with one hand. Creeak¡ª The gate, pushed open, emitted a sharp noise. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Why is it you?¡± Wang Jin, dressed in a loose short jacket, was sitting in the yard, as if meditating in reflection. He looked surprised at the sight of Jiang Ning. Because breakfast was usually personally delivered by Aunt Sun, but today, Jiang Ning was the one bringing it to him. Jiang Ning said, ¡°I have something to discuss with Master, so I took the liberty of bringing Master¡¯s breakfast as well.¡± Wang Jin stood up and pointed to a stone table in the pavilion nearby. Jiang Ning took the hint and placed the tray on the stone table in the pavilion. ¡°Have you had your breakfast yet?¡± Wang Jin asked as he washed his hands by the side and turned his head towards Jiang Ning. ¡°I¡¯ve just eaten!¡± replied Jiang Ning. Wang Jin by this time had also finished washing his hands. He casually shook off the droplets and then took his seat. ¡°Have a seat yourself!¡± he said, pointing to a stone bench next to the stone table. Once Jiang Ning was seated, Wang Jin then asked, ¡°You said you had something to discuss with me just now. What brings you to me today?¡± While speaking, he grabbed a chicken leg and took big bites. ¡°Disciple¡¯s Tiger Form Boxing has achieved great success!¡± Jiang Ning stood up and bowed with clasped hands. This statement, akin to a thunderclap on a clear day, took everyone by surprise. ¡°What??¡± Wang Jin¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment, his mouth slightly agape as he looked at Jiang Ning, even forgetting to chew the chicken leg in his mouth. This scene froze for a breath¡¯s time before Wang Jin regained his senses, slowly chewing the chicken in his mouth and swallowing it down. ¡°You kid, don¡¯t pull my leg this early in the morning!¡± Wang Jin said skeptically, looking at Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning bowed with clasped hands, ¡°How dare your disciple jest with Master?¡± ¡°Perform your boxing for me to see!¡± Wang Jin said. ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning bowed with clasped hands. He moved to the side of the pavilion, taking his stance. At this moment, Wang Jin, seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s confident and unhurried demeanor, couldn¡¯t help but feel uncertain. ¡°Has this kid actually achieved great success in Tiger Form Boxing? It shouldn¡¯t be possible, right?¡± ¡°He has been practising boxing for barely half a month, for one of the five forms, the tiger form, to reach the realm of great success, could I have stumbled upon such a gem?¡± The next moment. As Jiang Ning practiced his boxing, Wang Jin¡¯s expression immediately turned extremely serious. For Jiang Ning was performing the Tiger Form Boxing, with muscles bulging, embodying a sense of power. Each move was full of momentum, especially when the force was unleashed, it was as if he transformed into a ferocious and enraged tiger. ¡°A perfect fusion of spirit and form! It really is Tiger Form Boxing at the realm of great success,¡± Wang Jin murmured to himself, with a strong look of shock passing through his eyes. After thirty minutes. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +2] Jiang Ning finished his routine, turning to Wang Jin with clasped hands: ¡°Master, your disciple has finished the demonstration.¡± ¡°Not bad!¡± Wang Jin nodded slightly, picking up one peanut after another and tossing them into his mouth, then took a sip of his drink, feigning nonchalance, ¡°You passed my test in less than half a month, not bad comprehension!¡± He then added, ¡°Was it from observing a fierce tiger in battle yesterday that you grasped the essence and form of the Tiger Form Boxing?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°Master has discerning eyes, you saw it right away!¡± Wang Jin revealed a smile, ¡°Your sudden achievement of great success in Tiger Form Boxing at this time, I knew without guessing it was due to your observation of the tiger¡¯s combat yesterday!¡± Wang Jin then showed a hint of admiration, ¡°In this regard, you have had much better conditions than your previous senior disciples! None of your senior brothers had the opportunity to personally observe a fierce tiger fight.¡± Jiang Ning bowed with clasped hands, ¡°This is all thanks to Master¡¯s grace, I heard the fierce tiger was personally captured by Master in the mountains.¡± ¡°Correct!¡± Wang Jin nodded slightly. ¡°Master is truly brave!¡± Jiang Ning flattered. Hearing this, Wang Jin couldn¡¯t help but let his smile show. He then said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve passed my test, go pour a cup of tea for me from my room!¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Jiang Ning, excited and with understanding, responded immediately. In just a moment, he came out with a cup of tea. Kneeling on one knee in front of Wang Jin, Jiang Ning presented the cup of tea to him. ¡°Master, please have some tea!¡± Looking at Jiang Ning before him, Wang Jin couldn¡¯t help but smile broadly. ¡°Good!¡± ¡°Good!!¡± ¡°Good!!!¡± He said ¡®good¡¯ three times, took the cup of tea from Jiang Ning¡¯s hand, and drank it in one gulp. ¡°Disciple, rise,¡± Wang Jin said, looking at Jiang Ning before him with a satisfied expression in his eyes. Less than half a month and Tiger Form Boxing had achieved great success, a disciple with such exceptional insight was something he had never considered before. Now with such unexpected joy, how could he not be satisfied? ¡°Yes, Master!!¡± Hearing the kind voice, Jiang Ning also stood up. ¡°Sit and talk!¡± Wang Jin gestured to the seat in front of him. ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Wang Jin smiled, ¡°No need to be so formal, just be relaxed in front of your teacher.¡± Chapter 60: Receiving the Inheritance, Middle-class Martial Arts! (PK for more follows!!) Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Receiving the Inheritance, Middle-class Martial Arts! (PK for more follows!!) Martial Arts Hall backyard. Wang Jin put a few peanuts into his mouth before he finally looked at Jiang Ning and spoke, ¡°Do you remember what I once told you about why Canglang Martial Arts Hall is called Canglang Martial Arts Hall?¡± ¡°I remember!¡± Jiang Ning nodded his head. Wang Jin nodded and continued, ¡°The name of the Martial Arts Hall is related to a saber technique, a Middle-class Martial Arts saber technique! Whether one can learn this saber technique depends mostly on comprehension, which is also why I set up the test.¡± ¡°If you cannot achieve Great Success in any stance of the Five Animals Fist, then such comprehension doesn¡¯t even qualify to learn my saber technique!¡± Upon hearing this, a look of joy appeared on Jiang Ning¡¯s face. ¡°Does Master mean to teach me that saber technique?¡± Wang Jin shook his head, ¡°You are not yet qualified to learn that saber technique.¡± ¡°Not qualified?¡± Jiang Ning looked stunned. Wang Jin stood up and said, ¡°Follow me!¡± Jiang Ning quickly followed him. Entering Wang Jin¡¯s bedroom, he took an old, somewhat yellowed ancient text from a hidden compartment in the wall and handed it to Jiang Ning. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Just have a look for yourself!¡± Jiang Ning took the yellowed ancient text and looked down. He saw a few large characters on the blue cover. [Canglang Blade Skill] ¡°Just flip through and you¡¯ll understand!¡± Wang Jin¡¯s voice echoed in Jiang Ning¡¯s ear. Jiang Ning slowly flipped through the ancient text of the Martial Arts Skill. Time quietly slipped by. Wang Jin quietly waited for Jiang Ning to finish reading. Watching Jiang Ning reading intently, Wang Jin mumbled to himself, ¡°I believe that after this boy finishes this Middle-class Martial Arts, his motivation to practice boxing will be even stronger!¡± ¡°Middle-class Martial Arts, across the whole Luoshui County, there are hardly a few!¡± ¡°This attraction, I don¡¯t believe this boy wouldn¡¯t want to have the qualification to learn this saber technique.¡± ¡°Without mastering Power, if the Qi-Blood is not strong enough, one is not qualified to learn this saber technique!¡± ¡°I also don¡¯t know if, based on his comprehension, he can bring this saber technique to the realm of Perfection.¡± ¡°If he can achieve what I couldn¡¯t in the future, then I can tell him the clues to the Sweeping Fire Saber Skill. If he can obtain the Sweeping Fire Saber Skill and combine it with the Canglang Blade Skill, that will be a truly perfect superior martial arts!!¡± Meanwhile, as Wang Jin was deep in thought, Jiang Ning was constantly flipping through the [Canglang Blade Skill], this Middle-class Martial Arts text. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [¡­] After a long while, Jiang Ning flipped to the last page of the Canglang Blade Skill. [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Break Limit 654/2000) (Trait: Unforgettable) He closed the ancient text that recorded the Canglang Blade Skill and then slowly closed his eyes, assimilating the memory of this saber technique in his mind. According to the records of the saber technique ancient text, the Canglang Blade Skill is a Middle-class Martial Arts. This saber technique is inspired by the endless torrents of mighty rivers. To enter into the saber technique, one needs to master a Power known as Nine Layers of Strength. The Nine Layers of Strength and the Power mastered after achieving Perfection in the Five Animals Fist are of the same nature. This means that the effect brought about merely by entering this saber technique is equivalent to the effect that can be achieved by reaching Perfection in the Five Animals Fist. And according to the records in the Canglang Blade Skill, the Nine Layers of Strength is an extremely powerful force. Once the saber technique reaches Perfection, each saber strike is stronger than the last, each strike surpassing the previous, with the Nine Layers of Strength exploding forth, one strike carrying the attacking power of nine strikes. It¡¯s simply awe-inspiring, unmatched at the same Realm, with no one able to withstand a single strike. After reviewing the records of the Canglang Saber Skill, Jiang Ning also understood why Wang Jin had said he wasn¡¯t yet qualified to learn this cultivation technique. Because the entrance to the Canglang Saber Skill was no less difficult than achieving Qi Blood Perfection in the Five Animals Fist; in fact, it was even more difficult. Only upon achieving Qi Blood Perfection in the Five Animals Fist could one master power. And this middle-grade martial arts of Canglang Saber Skill required mastery of the first layer of power, known as Nine Layers of Strength, just to get started. Such was the height of its difficulty. Moreover, according to what Jiang Ning knew, A martial artist of the ninth grade who could master power was among the elite, and their combat power would far surpass that of other martial artists at the same level who had not mastered power. Power was extremely profound; if one mastered power, the efficiency of skin training after achieving Qi Blood Perfection was several times higher than that of others. This included those progressing to the eighth, seventh, and sixth ranks, all of which required power. Without mastering power, even if one possessed the fundamental method for advancement, promotion would be difficult. And the deeper the layer of power trained in higher-level martial arts, the more evident the effect on the advancement of martial arts grades. A few breaths later, he finally opened his eyes and uttered softly, ¡°No wonder Master said I am not yet qualified to learn this technique!¡± ¡°Do you understand now?¡± Wang Jin spoke, ¡°Nine Layers of Strength is a form of power more profound than that of the Wild Tiger, White Ape, or Wild Bear! If you haven¡¯t even grasped the power like that of the Wild Tiger, haven¡¯t personally felt the mysteries of power, unable to touch and understand it, how can you possibly make an entry into this middle-class martial arts of the Canglang Saber Skill?¡± ¡°Disciple understands!¡± Jiang Ning continued, ¡°Disciple will diligently practice boxing and strive to soon master the perfected Five Animals Fist.¡± Wang Jin nodded, then added, ¡°Do you have thoughts of joining the Inspection Office?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning declared. ¡°Good!¡± Wang Jin nodded again, ¡°Then you better practice hard. Although joining the Inspection Office seems a slim hope for you, after all, entering the martial arts grade is a hard requirement, and there are only about two and a half months left until the Inspection Office officially opens.¡± ¡°But if your progress in the Five Animals Fist is fast enough, and you soon reach the perfected state and master the Five Beasts Force¡ª¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s not impossible!¡± ¡°If you achieve perfection in the Five Animals Fist, mastering the Five Beasts Force, developing a tough skin that connects throughout your body, entering the martial arts grade at that stage will be extremely efficient!¡± ¡°When that time comes, if you can reach the perfection of the Five Animals Fist, as your teacher, I will also exert my efforts to assist you, giving you a chance to change your fate!¡± Jiang Ning bowed, ¡°Thank you, Master!!¡± Wang Jin waved his hand, ¡°Go now! Focus on your practice!!¡± After leaving Wang Jin¡¯s room, Jiang Ning opened his panel. [Skill]: Canglang Saber Skill (Not Entered 0/10) ¡°Just as I thought!¡± Seeing the Canglang Saber Skill on the panel, Jiang Ning slightly nodded, murmuring to himself, ¡°Ten experience points, the same as required for the Five Animals Fist. It seems that whether it¡¯s lower-level or middle-class martial arts, the experience needed for breakthroughs in realms is the same!¡± ¡°Looking at it this way, the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill undoubtedly surpasses the boundaries of middle-class martial arts. I wonder if it¡¯s superior-grade martial arts, or even higher?¡± Then, he closed his eyes again, instantly reviewing the memory from just before. Instantly, the several thousand characters recorded in the Canglang Saber Skill, along with countless patterns, vividly surfaced in his mind. Not a single detail was forgotten or blurred. ¡°The trait of unforgettable, it truly offers tremendous help to me.¡± ¡°I wonder if, with the effect of the panel, I can enter this saber technique early and thus master the Nine Layers of Strength!¡± As Jiang Ning walked towards his own courtyard, he sank into deep thought. Stepping out from the backyard where Wang Jin was located, he suddenly halted. ¡°I don¡¯t have a saber, how can I practice the Canglang Saber Skill?¡± He looked back once more at Wang Jin¡¯s backyard. Should I ask for a saber? He hesitated for just one breath. Yes! There¡¯s no loss if I don¡¯t get one! It¡¯s a huge gain if I do! With that, Jiang Ning turned around and went back. Chapter 61: The Effect of Middle Grade Martial Arts (PK for More Follow-up Reads!) Chapter 61: Chapter 61: The Effect of Middle Grade Martial Arts (PK for More Follow-up Reads!) Backyard. Wang Jin had just stepped out of his own room, ready to continue enjoying his breakfast, when he saw Jiang Ning returning with hurried steps. He looked surprised, ¡°Why have you come back, boy?¡± Jiang Ning bowed with hands held in front and said, ¡°Disciple wishes to request a saber, to carry day and night, in order to become familiar with the feel of the blade.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Jin suddenly remembered Jiang Ning¡¯s process of learning the Five Animals Fist. After looking at the boxing manual once, he could remember it all, and after watching Wang Jin practice once, he could imitate the movements¡ªhis rehearsal of the boxing technique was quite impressive. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°You sly one, I understand what you¡¯re getting at!¡± ¡°Well then!¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t let you try, you¡¯ll never be satisfied! It¡¯s good to become familiar with the feel of the blade!¡± Wang Jin returned to his room. Jiang Ning stood in the courtyard, suddenly feeling a bit excited. He clearly understood the meaning behind Wang Jin¡¯s words. Although Wang Jin had seen that he wanted to try practicing the Canglang Blade Skill, he had also implicitly approved of his actions of practicing the Blade Skill. A moment later. Wang Jin re-emerged from his room, holding a saber, its handle as black as ink. He then threw the long saber to Jiang Ning across the space, who hurriedly caught it. ¡°This saber is known as the Ebony Blade. Both the handle and the sheath are made from ebony, and the blade itself is made from steel forged a hundred times, weighing fifteen pounds, and is worth a hundred taels of silver!¡± Wang Jin declared. Jiang Ning gripped the ebony blade in his hand and slowly unsheathed it. A streak of cold light instantly reflected in his eyes. Like a mirror, the blade shone with a dazzling brightness under the sunlight. Ssshh¡ª Jiang Ning flicked the handle, and the long saber slipped back into the sheath. He then bowed respectfully, ¡°Thank you, Master, for the generous gift of the saber!¡± Wang Jin said, ¡°Since you want to try, then go back and have a good attempt! I know you, kid. If you don¡¯t try, you¡¯ll never be content!¡± ¡°It is Master who truly understands me!¡± Jiang Ning chuckled. ¡°Alright, go back!¡± Wang Jin waved his hand, ¡°After you try, you¡¯ll understand that it¡¯s impossible for you at this stage!¡± ¡°Later on, focus on practicing your boxing. As for this blade, just get used to it in your spare time!¡± Jiang Ning bowed again, ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± ¡­ After returning to his own yard. There was still well over half an hour left before 8:00 a.m., the time when the Martial Arts Hall opened. Jiang Ning slowly drew out the ebony saber in his hands, revealing the full vista of the shimmering blade. The blade was two feet and seven inches long, weighing fifteen pounds. Holding it in his hand, Jiang Ning could feel its substantial heft. Even though, with his current strength of over three hundred pounds in one arm, a fifteen-pound blade neither felt heavy nor light, but just right for him. ¡°A hundred taels of silver, that¡¯s not cheap at all!¡± As he regarded the ebony blade in his hands, Jiang Ning silently marveled. A hundred taels of silver was the equivalent of a decade¡¯s worth of living expenses for a typical family of three. Grasping the pitch-black handle, Jiang Ning casually swung it a couple of times. He immediately felt as if the saber in his hand merged harmoniously with his own being, as if they were blood of the same vein. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He swung it horizontally through the air once more. Ssshh¡ª A flicker of cold light passed through the sky, and a falling leaf was instantly split in two by the stroke. ¡°This feeling¡­ is amazing!¡± Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but feel captivated. Holding the long saber, he felt his confidence swell. Even if Xu Yunfeng appeared before him at that moment, he dared to confront him head-on. Holding the long saber and standing in the courtyard, Jiang Ning slowly closed his eyes. In his mind, the Canglang Blade Skill he had carefully reviewed appeared vividly. After a few breaths. Jiang Ning suddenly opened his eyes¡ªhe had completed mentally rehearsing the skill, and the practice of the Canglang Blade Skill was clearly presented in his mind. The next moment. He began to execute the moves of the Canglang Blade Skill from memory, one by one. Swoosh¡ª Swoosh¡ª Swoosh¡ª The saber frictioned against the air, producing whistles. Holding the saber, he executed the Canglang Blade Skill. At this moment, the weapon in his hand did not feel foreign to him at all, but rather intimately familiar. It was as if he had spent countless years with it; he understood it completely. Also, he was able to perform the Canglang Blade Skill flawlessly. The gleam of the saber flashed across the yard, splitting the air with every strike. At this point, he seemed like a master deeply versed in the way of the saber for many years! He brandished the saber with ease and satisfaction, without the slightest feeling of awkwardness. Simultaneously, Jiang Ning also felt it. As he practiced the Canglang Blade Skill, an invisible force circulated within him, as if pulling at something. After completing the set of moves. [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] Sigh¡ª Jiang Ning exhaled a breath of impure energy, his face slightly flushed, his body warmed, with a fine sweat covering his forehead. He clenched his fist, feeling an almost imperceptible sensation within his body. ¡°Could this be the birthing process of strength?¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself, contemplatively. [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (Unattained 1/10) He glanced at the panel again, his eyes suddenly brightening. ¡°It really works! With this miraculous panel, I can indeed master this middle-grade Martial Arts Skill.¡± Seeing the change on the panel, he was bursting with motivation. To attain mastery is to grasp the powerful Nine Layers of Strength. This meant that, upon entry to the Canglang Blade Skill, the might it unleashes could rival that of the Perfection-level Five Animals Fist, or even surpass it. After all, the power condensed from middle-grade martial arts like the Nine Layers of Strength would be superior to that from the Tiger Strength of lower-level martial arts. ¡°Perhaps only when the Five Animals Fist in all its forms is perfected, condensing the Five Beasts Force, can it be comparable to the entry-level Nine Layers of Strength!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. He felt his body¡¯s changes and brightened even more. Because he discovered that practicing the saber seemed to consume less physical strength than practicing the Five Animals Fist. ¡°Let¡¯s practice the saber technique again!¡± The thought arose, and Jiang Ning practiced the Canglang Blade Skill once more. The Canglang Blade Skill, inspired by the relentless waves. When attacking with this skill, each strike is faster and stronger than the last, an unending onslaught giving no respite. If defending, the gleam of the saber transforms into an impenetrable curtain of water, allowing no entrance. On his second round of practice, Jiang Ning felt a deeper understanding of the Canglang Blade Skill. He also felt even more distinctly the invisible force circulating within his body. [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (Unattained 2/10) Observing the changes on the panel, he felt his body¡¯s changes once more. Jiang Ning was convinced without a doubt. Although the Canglang Blade Skill is a middle-grade Martial Arts Skill, the physical effort required to practice it was less pronounced than that for practicing the Five Animals Fist. This meant that he would accumulate experience value for the Canglang Blade Skill faster than for the Five Animals Fist. The doubts in his mind were fleeting, for he understood it almost instantly. Because every time the Five Animals Fist is practiced, it touches upon the foundation of the human body. Practicing the Five Animals Fist condenses Qi Blood Power and strengthens the physique. The physique is the foundation of strength. The Five Animals Fist is equivalent to the fundamental technique before entering the ranks of Martial Arts. Naturally, the expenditure is significant. While the Canglang Blade Skill is also a middle-grade Martial Arts Skill, it leans more towards being a Skill. Therefore, in his view, it is reasonable that it consumes less physical energy. In Jiang Ning¡¯s opinion, if one had to choose between the two, then even though the Five Animals Fist is a lower-level Martial Arts Skill, its importance far exceeds that of the Canglang Blade Skill. Without a strong physique and Qi-Blood, all techniques are like castles in the air, collapsing at the slightest touch. ¡°I must not neglect my Canglang Blade Skill, after all, it is a middle-grade Martial Arts Skill, and any achievement in it will surely make my strength soar!¡± ¡°But I also can¡¯t let my Five Animals Fist fall behind. Strengthening my Qi-Blood is the foundation of the human body, and a necessary condition for entry into the Martial Arts.¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself, well aware of the weight of each. Chapter 62: Introduction to Knife Techniques, Mastering Power! Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Introduction to Knife Techniques, Mastering Power! In the Martial Arts Hall. After Jiang Ning finished practicing the blade skill, he went to the front courtyard to remove the door bolt and opened the gates of the Martial Arts Hall. Then, he returned to his own small courtyard to continue his blade practice. Given that he could accumulate Experience Value for the Canglang Blade Skill, a Middle Grade martial art, and it was so simple, he was determined to achieve an initial mastery of the Canglang Blade Skill and personally experience the mysteries of Power. Experience the mysterious essence of this Middle Grade martial art that emphasized offensive tactics. As the sun rose higher, and the temperature climbed, Jiang Ning practiced the Canglang Blade Skill over and over again in a torrent of sweat. [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [¡­] [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (not mastered 9/10) After glancing at the panel, Jiang Ning drank a big bowl of well water in one gulp and then took out the leftover wild ginseng from yesterday and chewed it in his mouth. As the wild ginseng entered his stomach and was digested, he instantly felt the fatigue in his body dissipating continuously, and his energy gradually became abundant. After resting under the shade of a tree for the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Jiang Ning stood up to prepare for the final push to mastery. He wielded the blade again, and the light from the blade flickered. One round of the blade skill was completed. [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] As this prompt appeared before him. [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (mastered 0/100) The Canglang Blade Skill was officially mastered. The next moment. Jiang Ning closed his eyes, and at this moment in his mind, countless flashes of blade light passed by. Countless scenes of drawing the blade, swinging the blade, and retracting the blade played over and over in his mind. Each movement, each posture, emerged in his mind from all angles. Ephiphanies about the Canglang Blade Skill also arose one after another in his mind. At the same time, the intangible force that had flowed within him while practicing the blade began to condense. It transformed rapidly from almost imperceptible to tangibly substantial. Moments later. He opened his eyes, and in them seemed to shimmer countless blade lights. In an instant, these blade lights merged into one and then disappeared. Clang¡ª Jiang Ning drew his blade forth, holding the long blade in his hand, which trembled lightly and hummed continuously. At this moment, he could clearly feel the Power circulating in his body, majestic and vast, as if carrying the force of a mountain¡¯s roar and a tsunami¡¯s surge. The long blade in his hands also trembled continuously under the flow of his Power. ¡°Is this the so-called Nine Layers of Strength?¡± Feeling the power contained in the Strength within his body, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but become infatuated. ¡°What a powerful sensation!¡± Afterward, his gaze fell upon the wooden dummy in front of him. The wooden dummy in front of him was made of hundred-year-old ironwood. This type of wood was known for its hardness, comparable to refined iron, and when wrapped in cowhide, it made for an extremely durable humanoid wooden dummy suitable for disciples in the Martial Arts Hall to practice with. He had also targeted the wooden dummy for his fist practice before, striking at will. For several days, this wooden dummy had stood as if untouched, without any damage. The next moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s long blade in his hand swung down, his Qi-Blood ran through his right arm, and his Power suddenly exploded. Boom! The tendons and bones in his right arm resonated, and the Nine Layers of Strength surged along his arm into the long blade in his hand. Swoosh! The long blade cut through the air, parting it abruptly as if it were waves. The moment the blade¡¯s edge touched the wooden dummy before him. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Boom!!! The hard wooden stake wrapped in cowhide suddenly burst open, and the cowhide covering it shattered like torn fabric, scattering in all directions. ¡°That strong?¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s mouth was slightly agape as he looked at the half-destroyed wooden stake. One must know that he had tested this stake many times before. Even when he punched with all his might, unleashing the explosive power of a thousand catties, the stake hadn¡¯t sustained the slightest damage. But now, a single slash had not only split it nearly in half. The power unleashed had caused the stake to burst apart, with most of the cowhide wrapping falling to the ground like torn rags. ¡°Truly worthy of the Middle Grade martial arts, truly more powerful than Zhao Hu¡¯s Mighty Tiger Strength¡ªthe Nine Layers of Strength!¡± Immediately. Jiang Ning¡¯s right arm flexed, preparing to pull out the long saber. However, just as he exerted force. ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± He couldn¡¯t help but suck in a breath of cold air. Because at that moment, throbbing pain surged through his right arm. Attracted by the sharp pain in his right arm, his gaze also fell upon it. Suddenly seeing streams of blood seeping from his right arm, which had been tanned to the color of wheat by nearly half a month of sun exposure. ¡°I¡¯ve been careless!¡± Seeing this, Jiang Ning immediately realized that unleashing the Nine Layers of Strength was too much for his current physique to handle. The muscles, skin, and blood vessels couldn¡¯t bear the immense power under full exertion. That was what had caused the current situation. ¡°It seems that for me right now, unleashing the Nine Layers of Strength is to kill a thousand enemies, but harm myself by eight hundred.¡± ¡°Nevertheless, the Nine Layers of Strength is indeed formidable, truly the power derived from Middle Grade martial arts!¡± ¡°Far stronger than the Mighty Tiger Strength Zhao Hu displayed yesterday, it can be said they¡¯re not even on the same level!¡± ¡°Now, just the burst of the First Layer of Strength can bring forth several times my current strength; a single slash can decide the fate of the heavens and earth!¡± ¡°It does serve as a trump card!¡± ¡°Just the First Layer of Strength provides such a tremendous boost. If the Canglang Blade Skill were to break through and master the Dual Strength, I wonder how exaggerated the power would be?¡± ¡°But can my current physique withstand the outburst of Dual Strength?¡± As his thoughts flowed. Jiang Ning¡¯s right hand loosened, and his left hand grasped the saber handle. As he applied force with his left hand, the long saber was smoothly pulled out. After that, he looked at the blade of the dark wood long saber and saw not a single notch. ¡°Not bad!¡± He immediately nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Truly worthy of being called ¡®a hundred times forged¡¯ fine steel, truly worthy of being a weapon valued at a hundred taels, it¡¯s indeed durable and well-crafted!¡± Sheathing his saber. Jiang Ning massaged his right arm as the Qi-Blood circulated within his body, slowly soothing the tearing wound. With the nourishment of the Qi-Blood, it took only a short while before he felt much of the pain dissipate. His slightly swollen right arm also returned to normal, and the bruising was successfully dispersed. ¡°The power of Qi-Blood is indeed mysterious and magical!¡± Feeling much of the tearing in his right arm healed and the pain significantly reduced, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but marvel. Afterward. He continued practicing with his saber. Having personally experienced the power of the Nine Layers of Strength, he decided to continue practicing the saber. To him, mastering the Canglang Blade Skill was his current top priority. Just the explosive power of the First Layer of the Nine Layers of Strength allowed him to unleash a force far beyond what his physique could bear. If the saber skill was mastered, it would mean unleashing Dual Strength, with the power folding over once more. Though he was aware that even the outburst of a single layer of strength was hard for his physique to endure. For instance, just now, the first layer of the Nine Layers of Strength unleashed, and his right arm couldn¡¯t handle such overwhelming power, causing his muscles to tear. If Dual Strength were to erupt, the physical burden would at least double, and the consequences would be imaginable. But he also knew that once the Canglang Blade Skill broke through to mastery. Having the bottom card of a Dual Strength outburst in hand, the next time he encountered Xu Yunfeng, if necessary, he would have the ability to strike a deadly blow. This was his lifesaving trump card, his real ace in the hole! No one would expect that he, with less than a month of martial arts training, possessed such terrifying explosive power. So in Jiang Ning¡¯s view, given that his current crisis had not abated, it was necessary to add this trump card. Such a card could remain unused, but it was essential to have it! Prepare for the worst! Moreover, gaining experience value for practicing the Canglang Blade Skill was not difficult, much simpler than the Five Animals Fist. Therefore, he naturally set this saber skill as his current primary goal. Chapter 63: Soaring Swordsmanship Experience Value! Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Soaring Swordsmanship Experience Value! This day, Jiang Ning did nothing but practice the saber. On his way, Wang Jin also paid a visit. Seeing Jiang Ning practicing the saber, he shook his head and left. He believed Jiang Ning, who was still practicing into the afternoon, was fixating too narrowly on a particular point and had entered a misconception. Middle Grade Martial Arts might be good, but in Wang Jin¡¯s view, such profound martial arts were far beyond Jiang Ning¡¯s current grasp. Spending time on it was ultimately futile and a waste of time. Even being unforgettable and having extraordinary understanding wouldn¡¯t help. To begin with the Canglang Blade Skill, not only did one need a strong foundation and an early comprehension of the profound ways of power, but also a robust physique and an extremely high understanding. Mastering power and manipulating it at will was a matter of martial arts skills, and even many experts of the Martial Arts Ninth Grade had not mastered such profound power. Many people failed to grasp power due to insufficient understanding, resulting in them never advancing beyond the Martial Arts Ninth Grade and the Great Success of Skin Training, even if they lacked no martial arts resources. Because to advance to the Martial Arts Eighth Grade and internally refine muscles, increasing strength substantially, one had to master power. Not to mention bypassing the simpler way of condensing power in lower-level martial arts and directly mastering the more challenging condensing of powerful strength in Middle Grade martial arts. In Wang Jin¡¯s view, Jiang Ning had trained for too little time and was far from reaching that stage. But he did not plan to enlighten Jiang Ning. He thought it was normal for young people to be ambitious and proud, especially the talented ones. He had been similar to the current Jiang Ning when he was young. So he knew very well that without crashing into the proverbial south wall, one would not turn back. Preaching thousands of times is less effective than teaching through experience. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He also had some experience in teaching disciples. Adapting teaching methods to students¡¯ abilities was his philosophy and purpose. Thus, Wang Jin merely glanced twice and chose to leave. Jiang Ning, however, did not notice this at all. Because he was furiously practicing the saber. Without strength and trump cards, he did not feel secure. Upon another breakthrough in the Canglang Blade Skill, his skill in the saber technique would be enhanced, and most crucially, he would truly be able to master and unleash two-layered power. Afterward, as Jiang Ning was recovering his strength, he would open the books he carried with him and grind experience in the Skill of Reading and Writing. As for Wild Ginseng, he was neither frugal nor stingy. Wild Ginseng was a cultivation resource, and its true value laid in entering his body and being absorbed by him, thereby being utilized fully. In just one day, during his frenzied saber practice, he had consumed half a root each in the morning and at noon out of the initial ten roots, leaving only eight and a half by evening. That is to say, in just one day, a ten-year-old Wild Ginseng root worth about thirteen to fifteen taels of silver was completely used up. That was the equivalent of a year¡¯s worth of food expenses for three average families. At this moment, the phrase ¡°poor in literature, rich in martial arts¡± was vividly demonstrated. But though the expenditure was heavy, the gains were also tremendous. Supported by the medicinal effects of Wild Ginseng, he practiced the saber technique almost obsessively for an entire day. And the growth in his saber technique experience value did not belittle his efforts. [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (Entry 43/100) With the Canglang Blade Skill experience value approaching half, at this rate, he could break through this Middle Grade Cultivation Technique to mastery tomorrow, thereby being able to unleash two-layered power. In two days¡¯ time, to advance from not having entered gate to mastery in Middle Grade martial arts would be a feat that could astonish anyone. Possessing such a trump card, upon meeting Xu Yunfeng again, Jiang Ning would also have the confidence to cleave him with a single blow. Even in Jiang Ning¡¯s view, he might be able to create even more astonishing feats. After all, in terms of the explosive power at the martial arts level, one plus one is indeed greater than one. Just as in his previous life, an ordinary person could lift a hundred-pound barbell with one arm. And the extreme record created by a human is merely lifting over three hundred pounds with one arm. But if the two were to fight barehanded, the difference would be one against ten. ¡­ At dusk. Sigh¡ª A carriage stopped in front of the martial arts hall. ¡°Elder Zheng, wait for a moment, I¡¯ll go in to fetch a Brother!¡± Cheng Ran¡¯s voice came from inside the carriage. He then swept the carriage curtain aside and leaped down. Moments later. ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± Cheng Ran rushed into Jiang Ning¡¯s courtyard and shouted loudly. ¡°Brother Cheng!¡± Jiang Ning pushed the door open and stepped out, looking refreshed. He had just finished practicing with the saber and, feeling exhausted, he had taken the opportunity to bathe. He hadn¡¯t forgotten about the banquet that evening. Seeing Jiang Ning, Cheng Ran smiled, ¡°It seems Brother Jiang is well prepared!¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°Since I am attending the banquet with Brother Cheng, I can¡¯t possibly do it smelling of sweat.¡± ¡°Shall we set off now?¡± Cheng Ran asked. ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Jiang Ning spoke and went back into his house. When he reappeared, he was carrying a black wooden saber. Seeing the entirely black scabbard and handle in Jiang Ning¡¯s hands, Cheng Ran immediately showed a look of surprise. ¡°Where did Brother Jiang get this saber?¡± Jiang Ning replied, ¡°I asked Master Wang, I¡¯m taking it with me for self-defense.¡± Upon hearing this, Cheng Ran instantly understood. He couldn¡¯t help but grin, ¡°Brother Jiang is being overly cautious! With me by your side, even if we encounter Xu Yunfeng, he wouldn¡¯t dare act recklessly!¡± ¡°I have a master with me, not to mention he¡¯s just a mere constable, at most at the level of Qi Blood Perfection, his strength might not even match mine!¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust Brother Cheng, but having a weapon in hand always makes me feel more secure.¡± ¡°Suit yourself!¡± Cheng Ran said nonchalantly. Suddenly, Cheng Ran seemed to remember something and couldn¡¯t help but glance at the long saber in Jiang Ning¡¯s hand. ¡°Brother Jiang, may I take a look at the saber?¡± ¡°Brother, just take it!¡± Jiang Ning tossed the black wooden saber towards Cheng Ran. Cheng Ran quickly raised his hand to catch it. Clang¡ª He held the handle with his right hand and drew the saber from its sheath, the blade¡¯s cold light reflected in his pupils, filled with a chilling aura. ¡°This is a fine saber!¡± Cheng Ran praised, ¡°Looking at the pattern, it should have been forged from nearly a hundred times hammered fine iron.¡± Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°Brother is right, Master Wang said the same!¡± Buzz¡ª Cheng Ran sheathed the saber, and the blade and scabbard immediately rubbed together, producing a clear and melodious saber sound. As he handed the long saber back to Jiang Ning, Cheng Ran couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about a few days ago. A few days earlier, Xiao Peng had shown off the blade Master Wang had given him for practicing saber skills in front of everyone. Previously, he had glimpsed it from afar, and in his memory, that saber looked exactly like the one Jiang Ning now held. Thinking this, Cheng Ran couldn¡¯t help but entertain a ludicrous thought. Could it be that Brother Jiang has already become a true disciple of Teacher Wang Jin? This¡­this can¡¯t be possible, right? The next moment, Cheng Ran smirked at himself. I¡¯m thinking too much! Brother Jiang has only been practicing martial arts for a short while; how could he have already passed Master Wang¡¯s test and become his true disciple? But it¡¯s true that Brother Jiang caught Master Wang¡¯s eye, which is why he was bestowed a saber for protection. After all, Master Wang couldn¡¯t be unaware of the difficulties Brother Jiang currently faces. Luckily, my aunt married into the Xie family, having the support of Xie family, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t dare befriend Brother Jiang. I wonder if Brother Jiang can get through this difficult time. Forget it! I don¡¯t care anymore! Chapter 64: When One is Unimportant, Their Words Carry Little Weight Chapter 64: Chapter 64: When One is Unimportant, Their Words Carry Little Weight In front of the Martial Arts Hall. Two people walked out of the main entrance of the Martial Arts Hall and climbed into the carriage that had been waiting at the door for a long time. At the same time. Two men, who had been staking out outside the Martial Arts Hall for several days, exchanged a glance when they saw Jiang Ning appear. One of them said excitedly, ¡°We¡¯ve finally caught this kid leaving! Should I inform Mr. Xu?¡± ¡°Go ahead! I¡¯ll keep waiting here at the entrance,¡± the other man replied. The two speakers both had a small green snake tattooed on their arms. Anyone from Luoshui County with any insight knew a green tattoo on the arm meant they were members of the infamous Green Snake Gang. ¡­ Moon Pavilion. Cheng Ran, Jiang Ning, and the Elder Zheng mentioned by Cheng Ran appeared at the entrance of the Moon Pavilion. This was the venue where Supervisor Liu from the Sihe Chamber of Commerce had invited Cheng Ran to a banquet. At that moment, a man about thirty immediately came forward upon seeing Cheng Ran. He approached Cheng Ran, bowing slightly with cupped hands, ¡°Is this Mr. Cheng?¡± Cheng Ran nodded, ¡°Indeed, it is I!¡± ¡°Mr. Cheng, please follow me. My master has been waiting in the private room on the second floor for quite some time!¡± The middle-aged man bowed slightly as a sign of respect. ¡°Lead the way,¡± Cheng Ran gestured with his hand. ¡°Yes!¡± the middle-aged man bowed again slightly. During the conversation, his gaze lingered on Jiang Ning for a fleeting moment before swiftly shifting away. He thought for a moment and realized he had no memory of anyone named Jiang Ning and decided not to dwell on it. Thud, thud, thud¡ª The three of them ascended the stairs towards the second floor. ¡­ A moment later. The middle-aged man led Cheng Ran to a private room on the second floor. Knock, knock, knock¡ª He knocked on the door of the private room. ¡°Master, Mr. Cheng has arrived.¡± As the words fell, a rush of footsteps was heard. In less than two breaths of time. The door abruptly opened. Standing before Jiang Ning and Cheng Ran was none other than Liu Zhixiang, who had visited Canglang Martial Arts Hall the day before. His chin sported his characteristic goatee, and his beard was gray, indicating his advanced age as the tips of his hair were turning white. At that moment, Liu Zhixiang¡¯s gaze fell on Cheng Ran with a delighted expression. ¡°Mr. Cheng, please come in quickly. I have been waiting for you for quite some time!¡± he hurriedly stepped aside, gesturing with his hand for Cheng Ran to enter. Cheng Ran smiled, ¡°Manager Liu, I¡¯ve brought my junior brother with me to the banquet, is that alright?¡± Upon hearing this, Liu Zhixiang¡¯s gaze immediately shifted to Jiang Ning. He only pondered for a moment before recognizing Jiang Ning¡¯s background. Being one of the managers of the Sihe Chamber of Commerce, how could he not know the person the Cao family¡¯s third young master wanted to deal with? He shook his head repeatedly, ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no issue! Mr. Cheng¡¯s presence at the banquet already does me great honor, and I welcome anyone you bring.¡± Hearing this, Cheng Ran smiled again and turned to Jiang Ning. ¡°Brother Jiang, let¡¯s go!¡± With that, he stepped over the threshold of the private room. At the same time. Liu Zhixiang also said to the middle-aged man who had led the way, ¡°Order them to serve the dishes quickly.¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡­ Inside the private room. Once Cheng Ran and Jiang Ning were seated, Liu Zhixiang then took his seat. As he sat down, his eyes inevitably lingered on the ebony longsword at Jiang Ning¡¯s feet. Now, the ebony longsword was placed by Jiang Ning¡¯s side, leaning against the leg of the dining table. He poured Cheng Ran a cup of wine. ¡°Mr. Cheng, please have some wine first; the dishes will be served shortly.¡± Then, he filled the glass of an elder named Elder Zheng who was sitting beside Cheng Ran. ¡°Elder Zheng, please try this, it is the finest wine from Moon Pavilion!¡± During the conversation, Liu Zhixiang was quite respectful. Because he knew well who Elder Zheng was, who was accompanying Cheng Ran. He was a formidable figure who had single-handedly killed three mid-level Martial Artists years ago. This man was also the stable foundation upon which the Cheng family¡¯s business stood. However, he did not know the exact background of this person, but he knew this fierce man was very powerful. Cheng Ran¡¯s father had a great favor from this man, thereby earning his repayment. Elder Zheng slightly shook his head, ¡°Just give me a pot of wine, I don¡¯t need anything else!¡± ¡­ After dealing with Elder Zheng, Liu Zhixiang hesitated slightly, still, he filled a cup of wine and pushed it towards Jiang Ning. ¡°Please, young brother!¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Jiang Ning expressed his gratitude. Seeing this, Cheng Ran spoke up, ¡°Manager Liu, let¡¯s be straightforward! I don¡¯t like to beat around the bush!¡± ¡°Fair enough!¡± Liu Zhixiang immediately took out a folded piece of white paper from his chest, placing it in front of Cheng Ran, ¡°Mr. Cheng is aware, so I won¡¯t say much more. These are the terms offered by the Sihe Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Cheng, please have a look, and if there are any issues, we can discuss further.¡± Cheng Ran opened the white paper placed in front of Jiang Ning by Liu Zhixiang, then handed it to Jiang Ning after a glance. Jiang Ning also looked at it briefly and compared it silently with the list of goods he had seen in the invitation from Zhou Xing the day before, shaking his head secretly. The terms offered by the Sihe Chamber of Commerce were not as good as those offered by Zhou Xing, roughly only seventy to eighty percent of Zhou Xing¡¯s offer. At this moment, Cheng Ran also spoke, ¡°These terms are not as good as those of my Brother Zhou!¡± A smile appeared on Liu Zhixiang¡¯s face, ¡°If you are unsatisfied with the terms, we can discuss further!¡± Cheng Ran shook his head slowly and spoke, ¡°I don¡¯t need to discuss the terms; I can accept the conditions offered by the Sihe Chamber of Commerce!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Liu Zhixiang¡¯s expression became serious, then he showed a look of joy. Cheng Ran said, ¡°However, I have an additional condition.¡± ¡°Please speak, Mr. Cheng!¡± Liu Zhixiang responded. Cheng Ran raised his hand to direct Liu Zhixiang¡¯s attention towards Jiang Ning, ¡°This is my junior brother, Jiang Ning, and also my best friend! His Martial Arts Talent is even greater than mine!¡± Liu Zhixiang¡¯s gaze fell on Jiang Ning, his face showing a look of surprise upon hearing this. Cheng Ran continued, ¡°My extra condition is simple. The Sihe Chamber of Commerce should draft another list, the same terms as those given to me and give it to my junior brother. If so, I will agree to all the terms proposed by the Sihe Chamber of Commerce!¡± Jiang Ning also stood up and said, ¡°If the Sihe Chamber of Commerce is willing to trust me, I, Jiang Ning, will not disappoint you. There will be a return one day, and I also owe Manager Liu a favor!¡± A favor! Hearing these two words, Liu Zhixiang felt somewhat amused inside. Being targeted by the third young master of the Cao family, what future is there? The so-called favor is nothing but drawing a cake to satisfy hunger. Having been in business for so many years, how could he believe such pie-in-the-sky promises by Jiang Ning. But despite all these thoughts, he kept them hidden in his heart. Immediately after, a troubled expression appeared on Liu Zhixiang¡¯s face. ¡°Mr. Cheng, I¡¯m not the sole decision-maker here!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± Cheng Ran stared intensely at Liu Zhixiang. ¡°I certainly believe Mr. Cheng¡¯s words!¡± Liu Zhixiang spoke, his gaze shifting between Jiang Ning and Cheng Ran, ¡°I also believe this young brother Jiang Ning¡¯s exceptional Martial Arts Talent, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have become Mr. Cheng¡¯s friend.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Alas¡ª¡± Liu Zhixiang sighed deeply, ¡°but I am merely a manager at the Sihe Chamber of Commerce, my position is modest and my words carry little weight, I really am not the final say in this matter!!¡± ¡°Please forgive me, Mr. Cheng!¡± Hearing such a clear denial, Cheng Ran grew grim, his expression turning difficult. ¡°Manager Liu, you say you are modest and insignificant within the Sihe Chamber of Commerce, speaking in such a manner, do you take me, Cheng Ran, for a three-year-old child?¡± Cheng Ran stifled his anger, Liu Zhixiang¡¯s words in his view were indeed treating him as if he were a na?ve child. A manager in a Chamber of Commerce, how could he be modest and insignificant? Such a minor investment, he himself had the authority to make decisions. This made him feel utterly humiliated in front of Jiang Ning. The next moment, Cheng Ran stood up and flicked his sleeves. ¡°Brother Jiang, let¡¯s go!¡± Jiang Ning internally sighed and grabbed the knife lying beside him. Chapter 65 - 65 Ambush on the Way Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Ambush on the Way Moon Pavilion. In the private room on the second floor. Liu Zhixiang saw Cheng Ran leaving with a face full of anger and swept his sleeves as he left, prompting Liu himself to rise to his feet. ¡°Mr. Cheng, since you¡¯ve made up your mind, I won¡¯t say any more! But I must warn you,¡± he said, ¡°this young man by your side is Jiang Li¡¯s brother, and Jiang Li, a mere disabled constable, has caught the attention of Cao Bin.¡± ¡°Do you think he could have any future or prospects?¡± ¡°His future is already sealed. If you continue to associate with him, your Cheng family will inevitably become involved.¡± ¡°Your aunt may be married into the Xie family, but she¡¯s just a concubine, the fourth wife in the branch house, and can¡¯t protect you completely.¡± Hearing these words, Cheng Ran paused slightly as he crossed the threshold, then continued to step out of the private room. A short time later. The middle-aged man who had just entered the room behind several servers carrying dishes, paused in surprise as he stepped into the room. ¡°Sir, where is Mr. Cheng of the Cheng family?¡± ¡°He left!¡± ¡°How did he leave? Didn¡¯t you propose a second option, sir?¡± Liu Zhixiang shook his head: ¡°No need!¡± ¡°Sir, what¡¯s going on?¡± Liu Zhixiang scoffed: ¡°That Cheng family eldest son is an idiot, coming to me for an investment, an investment in someone Cao Bin wants to deal with.¡± ¡°Have I gone mad? Isn¡¯t that just openly provoking the Cao family¡¯s third young master of the main house, Cao Bin? What makes that kid deserve to have me offend Cao Bin for him?¡± ¡°Just because Cheng Ran says his Martial Arts talent is higher? Or is it because of the so-called ¡®personal favor¡¯ that the kid talks about?¡± ¡°What a joke!!¡± ¡°So what if his Martial Arts talent is higher than Cheng Ran¡¯s? With the third young master of the Cao family on his case, how many days does he have left to live?¡± ¡°Do you mean to say that he can achieve a Martial Arts Entry within just a few months of training, and seize the opportunity two months from now to join the Inspection Office?¡± The middle-aged man said, ¡°Sir, does that mean this matter is settled?¡± ¡°It¡¯s settled!¡± Liu Zhixiang said: ¡°Since this Cheng family eldest son refuses, let¡¯s engage more with Xiao Peng in the future! Invest more in Xiao Peng, his talent and comprehension exceed this Cheng family eldest son. Given sufficient resources, the gap in Qi-Blood and progress in Martial Arts can ultimately be closed.¡± ¡°As long as Xiao Peng¡¯s progress in Martial Arts catches up with that of this Cheng family eldest son, then what right does he have to compete with Xiao Peng?¡± ¡°Good that he refused, rejected our Sihe Chamber of Commerce, then I will increase my investment in Xiao Peng, and in time, Cheng Ran will surely regret today¡¯s choice.¡± ¡­ Outside Moon Pavilion. ¡°Brother Jiang, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Cheng Ran apologized, his face full of remorse. ¡°What are you saying, Brother Cheng?¡± Jiang Ning spoke, ¡°You¡¯ve already done your best to help me today! How could I not be grateful?¡± Cheng Ran said, ¡°To speak frankly, I was na?ve! How could the Sihe Chamber of Commerce risk offending the Cao family to invest in you? It was lack of consideration on my part that caused you humiliation.¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°What humiliation is there in being rejected? Isn¡¯t that quite normal?¡± Then Jiang Ning continued, ¡°Speaking of which, Brother Cheng, you really should consider it, getting too close to me could indeed provoke the displeasure of the Cao family¡¯s third young master of the main house, Cao Bin! It¡¯s best not to associate too closely with me.¡± ¡°What sort of talk is that, Brother Jiang?¡± Cheng Ran¡¯s face showed anger, ¡°In friendship, I, Cheng Ran, never weigh the pros and cons. If I find someone agreeable and sincere, I am willing to deepen the friendship!¡± ¡°Why should you care about a man like Cao Bin?¡± ¡°With Brother Jiang¡¯s talent, it won¡¯t be long before your Five Animals Fist reaches Great Success. On that day, you will pass Master Wang¡¯s assessment with ease and become a true disciple of his.¡± ¡°With Master Wang¡¯s status, once you become his true disciple, Cao Bin wouldn¡¯t dare touch you unless he goes mad.¡± ¡°With Brother Jiang¡¯s Martial Arts talent, this is almost a certainty!¡± Seeing the resolute expression on Cheng Ran¡¯s face, Jiang Ning felt touched. He then bowed respectfully, ¡°Thank you for today, Brother Cheng.¡± Meanwhile. A figure appeared in the distance, a man clad in a black soap robe with a long saber slung across his waist. It was Xu Yunfeng. By his side followed a man whose arm was tattooed with a small green snake. ¡°Mr. Xu, according to notifications from the brothers, Jiang Ning has just entered the Moon Pavilion.¡± ¡°No need to say more, I¡¯ve already seen him!¡± Xu Yunfeng smiled slightly, his gaze turning toward the entrance of the Moon Pavilion. The sight of Xu Yunfeng¡¯s slight smile sent a shiver through the legs of that member of the Green Snake Gang. In carrying out affairs for the Green Snake Gang, he had naturally witnessed Mr. Xu¡¯s methods of smiling like a knife hidden behind one¡¯s back. Elsewhere. Jiang Ning suddenly felt a jolt in his heart, immediately feeling as though he was being targeted by a venomous snake. Following this sense, he saw Xu Yunfeng at the end of the street corner. It was him! Xu Yunfeng!! Jiang Ning¡¯s expression became slightly tense. Seeing Xu Yunfeng again did not surprise him, as he had long been prepared for this moment. If there were members of the Green Snake Gang squatting at the doors of the Martial Arts Hall, then how could Xu Yunfeng be unaware the moment he stepped out? He touched the pouch on his waist with his right hand, wherein lay the lime commonly seen in past wuxia television dramas. Such an item was an extremely practical tool for fighting, and he had naturally prepared it well in advance. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Feeling the bag of lime still there, he also gripped the ebony saber in his hands. His confidence immediately surged within his heart. ¡°Brother Jiang, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Noticing the sudden change in Jiang Ning¡¯s expression, Cheng Ran couldn¡¯t help but speak. As he spoke, his gaze followed Jiang Ning¡¯s to look forward. In an instant, he too saw Xu Yunfeng at the distant street corner, dressed in the uniform of a government office constable. Before Jiang Ning could even speak, Cheng Ran said, ¡°So, it¡¯s that lackey of Cao Bin who has come!¡± Then he patted Jiang Ning¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Brother doesn¡¯t have to worry, I have long been prepared for this! I¡¯ll escort Brother Jiang back to the Martial Arts Hall, and I don¡¯t believe he¡¯d dare follow Brother Jiang inside, would he?¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning somewhat wanted to refuse Cheng Ran¡¯s kind offer, because he also wanted to test his current strength to see if he could indeed kill Xu Yunfeng with a single saber strike. But as soon as this thought flashed through his mind, he temporarily abandoned it. There was no need! It wasn¡¯t worth it! Although he was very confident that he could use the mid-grade martial arts of the Canglang Blade Skill to overcome the stronger opponent, and that his explosive Nine Layers Strength could kill Xu Yunfeng with one strike. But with a choice at hand, why take the risk if he wasn¡¯t absolutely certain? Given his rate of growth, in another ten days or half a month, he could be ten out of ten certain of killing Xu Yunfeng. Why take the risk today? Thinking this, Jiang Ning said, ¡°Then, many thanks to Brother Cheng.¡± Cheng Ran laughed, ¡°Let¡¯s go! Get on the carriage!¡± ¡­ Clop, clop, clop¡ª Under the moonlight, enveloped by the dark night. A carriage sped through the broad streets of the Inner City in Luoshui County, rushing quickly toward the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Suddenly. ¡°Halt, who goes there!¡± A man dressed in a black government robe, wielding a regulation saber, stood in front of the carriage. The saber in his hand flickered slightly, and its cold light reflected the moonlight into the eyes of the horses. Sensing the killing intent ahead, the horses pulling the carriage suddenly raised their front hooves high. The coachman hurriedly pulled on the reins. Whoa¡ª In the panic of the horses, the carriage came to an abrupt stop. Chapter 66 - 66 should be able to kill him. Chapter 66: Chapter 66 should be able to kill him. Inner City streets. Xu Yunfeng intercepted the carriage, holding a long saber in his hand. His gaze slightly focused as he looked ahead, his tone steady, ¡°I am Xu Yunfeng, constable of the government office, carrying out Master Cao¡¯s orders in the search for a fugitive! Please dismount and submit to inspection!¡± Inside the carriage, upon hearing these words, Cheng Ran was the first to rise. He patted Jiang Ning¡¯s shoulder and then pulled aside the carriage curtain and stepped out. ¡°Xu Yunfeng, have you lost your mind?¡± Cheng Ran spoke, ¡°How dare a mere constable like you stop my carriage?¡± At this moment, Xu Yunfeng¡¯s eyes still fixed on the interior of the carriage, as if he could see through the thick curtains and the carriage walls. Then, his gaze finally landed on Cheng Ran. ¡°So it¡¯s Master Cheng!¡± ¡°You know it¡¯s me and you still dare to stop me?¡± Xu Yunfeng bowed slightly, ¡°Apologies, I am carrying out duties for the government office! Following Master Cao¡¯s orders to search for a fugitive for the safety of everyone in Luoshui County, I must adhere to my responsibilities.¡± ¡°I suspect there is a fugitive hiding inside Master Cheng¡¯s carriage!¡± ¡°Please be cooperative, Master Cheng, and allow me to conduct a search.¡± Cheng Ran¡¯s face turned to anger, ¡°With just your status as a constable, you dare to oppose me? Master Cao would be more suitable!¡± As he spoke, Cheng Ran slowly donned a pair of black gloves. Seeing Cheng Ran¡¯s actions, Xu Yunfeng smiled. ¡°Master Cheng, your Qi Blood is perfect, and you are indeed on the verge of Martial Arts Entry, which is commendable. But please be aware of your limits, and do not approach.¡± During this exchange, Xu Yunfeng, with a saber in hand, took a step forward. Qi-Blood instantly coursed through his body, and the blade in his hand trembled slightly. Suddenly, from inside the carriage, a voice rang out. ¡°Martial Arts Entry! He¡¯s a capable fighter!¡± ¡°Young master, step back! You¡¯re no match for him!¡± As those words fell, Elder Zheng also pushed aside the carriage curtain and appeared beside Cheng Ran. Upon hearing Elder Zheng¡¯s words, Cheng Ran¡¯s gaze turned gravely serious as he looked towards Xu Yunfeng. Martial Arts Entry! These four words caused a tidal wave of shock in his heart. Although there¡¯s only a step between Entry and non-Entry, and the apparent strength difference might seem small, a skin membrane as tough as ox leather does not bring a qualitative change in strength. As for raising one¡¯s Qi-Blood by one or two levels, and strength by a mere hundred pounds or so, that is not regarded as a significant difference. But when these factors are combined, the increase in strength is substantial. Martial Arts Entry, compared to Qi Blood Perfection, may not guarantee victory in a life-and-death fight, but it certainly gives one more than a 90% chance of winning. At this moment, Jiang Ning also heard Elder Zheng¡¯s evaluation. Martial Arts Entry, so Xu Yunfeng was indeed no ordinary man. Then, he clenched his fists, as Qi-Blood swiftly coursed through one arm. As for the other, it was 90% there, almost reaching full circulatory connection in both arms. At this time, a tremendous Power surged within him. Led by this Power, his Qi-Blood roared tumultuously. Like a volcano on the verge of eruption. ¡°My single arm can deliver a force of around 350 pounds. With the Chopping Wood Blade Skill Break Limit enhancing it, plus the sudden burst of Nine Layers of Strength, I should be able to split Xu Yunfeng in half with a surprise attack, right?¡± He recalled the awe of that strike from the day, Muttering to himself, ¡°I should be able to, right? After all, someone at the initial stage of Martial Arts Entry hasn¡¯t undergone a qualitative change and is still of mortal flesh!¡± He then gripped the long saber tighter, holding the blade in his hand, a sense of security washed over him. Meanwhile, Xu Yunfeng saw the appearance of Elder Zheng, his eyes narrowed, and the hand holding the saber clenched even tighter, his veins bulging visibly. Under the bright moonlight, Elder Zheng, who had just emerged from the carriage, also noticed this scene. His palm pressed down on Cheng Ran¡¯s shoulder, ever so slightly exerting force. Instantly, Cheng Ran felt as if a great mountain were pressing down upon his body. ¡°Elder Zheng!¡± Cheng Ran turned around. At this moment, Xu Yunfeng also spoke, ¡°Elder Zheng, I respect your deep loyalty and righteousness, and I do not wish to clash with you! You may take your young master away, I shall not stand in your way.¡± ¡°That is not possible!¡± Cheng Ran addressed the old man beside him, ¡°Elder Zheng, since I¡¯ve taken Brother Jiang out, I must ensure Brother Jiang returns safely.¡± At this point, Elder Zheng did not speak but instead fixed a weighty gaze upon Xu Yunfeng. Seeing this, Xu Yunfeng could not help but smirk viciously, ¡°Elder Zheng, it¡¯s been years since that battle. You, better than anyone, know how much of your peak strength you still retain at your age!¡± ¡°I must take away Jiang Ning, who is hidden inside the carriage; this is the task Mr. Cao gave me. Even if it costs me my life, I must do it!¡± ¡°You are only trying to repay the Cheng family for their kindness, putting your life on the line for a stranger. Is it worth it?¡± Hearing Xu Yunfeng¡¯s words, Elder Zheng¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Elder Zheng!!!¡± Cheng Ran called out again. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sigh¡ª Elder Zheng slowly exhaled the impure energy within him, seemingly having made a decision. His hand on Cheng Ran¡¯s shoulder exerted even more force, his fingers like eagle claws, firmly locking onto Cheng Ran¡¯s shoulder blade. Consequently, the carriage sank slightly, making the horse that was pulling it let out a long neigh, which spread through several streets in the night within the Inner City. Elder Zheng¡¯s voice whispered in Cheng Ran¡¯s ear, ¡°Young Master, I apologize! The fists fear the vigor of the young!! If it were two years ago, I¡¯d be willing to aid the young master, but over these two years, my bodily functions have declined year after year!¡± Elder Zheng¡¯s speaking voice was low, but Jiang Ning was no more than two feet away from them. At such a short distance, how could he not hear! ¡°Indeed! In the end, one can only rely on oneself!!¡± Jiang Ning smirked to himself. Immediately, he gripped the long blade in his hand and rose. Silently, he mused again, ¡°Currently, my single arm possesses a strength of roughly 350 pounds. Having attained a small success in the Five Animals Fist, my speed is no less than Cheng Ran¡¯s, and I¡¯m even more agile. With a movement technique considered nearly perfect and skills that would be formidable even amongst those at the Martial Arts Entry level, my strength is unparalleled!¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯ve broken the limit with the Chopping Wood Blade Skill, my explosive power is 80 to 90 percent higher than an ordinary person¡¯s, and my blade speed is also 80 to 90 percent faster. Despite the risk of tearing my muscles from the strain of Nine Layers of Strength, I should be able to unleash three strikes at my limit. I refuse to believe that I can¡¯t kill Xu Yunfeng with three chops!!¡± Thinking of this, and recalling how smug Xu Yunfeng had repeatedly seemed, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t suppress the surge of resentment in his heart. ¡°So frustrating!¡± ¡°Today, I shall cut you down!!¡± ¡°I refuse to believe that Master Wang won¡¯t protect me after such a feat!¡± He raised his hand to sweep aside the curtain and stepped out. At this moment, Elder Zheng, witnessing Jiang Ning exit the carriage, couldn¡¯t help but show a trace of surprise in his eyes. ¡°This young man actually has a murderous aura! Does he really intend to kill that constable who has already reached the Martial Arts Entry level?¡± On the other side. Xu Yunfeng also saw Jiang Ning emerge from the carriage, his mouth curling into a smile. If he could bring Jiang Ning back today, that would be considered a merit in Mr. Cao¡¯s eyes. After discussing with Mr. Cao yesterday, he set the plan in motion today. All the fabricated evidence had been completed today, framing Jiang Li as colluding with the Evil God Church! According to the false charges and evidence created half a month ago, it was Jiang Li who leaked the information during that annihilation campaign. Today, by conveniently taking Jiang Ning away, he could further coerce Jiang Li into admitting his guilt, speeding up the settlement of the case. Taking Jiang Ning tonight would mean capturing the entire Jiang family and bringing them to justice tomorrow. Moreover, abducting Jiang Ning midway was far simpler than demanding him from the Canglang Martial Arts Hall! Thus, in Xu Yunfeng¡¯s view, if he could take Jiang Ning away tonight, it would certainly be a great accomplishment. He would also gain more recognition from both Cao Bin and the Cao family. Even with Elder Zheng, a Martial Arts Nine Grade, blocking his way, he had made up his mind to take Jiang Ning. This achievement would earn Cao Bin¡¯s nod of approval and grant him the qualifications to join the Inspection Office. That was Xu Yunfeng¡¯s most genuine objective. Chapter 67 - 67 Deterrent Force Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Deterrent Force On the streets of the Inner City. Watching Jiang Ning emerge from the carriage, Xu Yunfeng smiled, ¡°Good, it seems you also don¡¯t want to make it difficult for your friend!¡± At this moment, Cheng Ran also hurriedly grabbed Jiang Ning¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Brother Jiang, you mustn¡¯t!¡± He looked into Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes, shaking his head repeatedly. Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°How can my affairs drag down Brother Cheng!¡± While speaking, Jiang Ning pried Cheng Ran¡¯s fingers apart, then leapt from the carriage and landed on the ground. At this time, the brightly lit Inner City streets were nearly deserted. Jiang Ning landed on the ground, his blackwood saber slanted across his waist, his right hand firmly gripping the blackwood hilt, veins bulging. Such an obvious move naturally caught Xu Yunfeng¡¯s attention. His gaze couldn¡¯t help but fall on the saber at Jiang Ning¡¯s waist. ¡°How audacious, barely half a month into learning Martial Arts and you dare draw a blade against me! Even your elder brother Jiang Li wouldn¡¯t have the guts to do this now!¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning saw Xu Yunfeng¡¯s attention was attracted by the stance of his right hand holding the blade. He was about to speak to divert his attention, his left hand also firmly clutching a bag of quicklime powder. Regardless of whether this surprise attack would be effective or not, he was going to try and give himself the greatest advantage possible. Just at that moment. A deep and resounding voice came from a corner in the distance. ¡°You¡¯re quite bold too, to dare lay a hand on an apprentice of mine?¡± Hearing this voice, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze froze. Cheng Ran¡¯s face showed joy, ¡°It¡¯s Master Wang!¡± Xu Yunfeng¡¯s body, on the other hand, shook violently, his eyes revealing a surge of fear. ¡°How did he get here?!¡± At that moment, everyone¡¯s gaze turned towards the source of the voice. They saw a figure emerging from the distant street corner. Not particularly tall, but a burly figure. This person was Wang Jin, who had rushed over from Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Witnessing the scene unfolding from afar, Wang Jin¡¯s expression also grew cold. How could he not be angry when his disciple, who had just been accepted today, was being intercepted and attacked halfway? If anything truly happened to Jiang Ning, and word got out, his reputation in Luoshui County would be utterly ruined. His most valued disciple, just accepted during the day, and in trouble by night. The thought of the ridicule he would face from his peers if this incident spread was unbearable. Immediately, Wang Jin felt somewhat relieved. Thankfully, Mr. Shen sent someone to inform me; otherwise, I would have had no idea that Jiang Ning was ambushed by men sent by the Cao family. If I hadn¡¯t arrived tonight, who knows what end Jiang Ning would have met!? If he had been crippled, no matter how heaven-defying his Martial Arts talent and flair, it would be difficult for him to achieve great success in this life! That would have been such a pity! Under several pairs of eyes, Wang Jin moved like a White Ape bounding through the forest, in a few bounds he was between Jiang Ning and Xu Yunfeng. ¡°Is it you who wanted to make a move on my disciple, Wang Jin?¡± Hearing this interrogation, as if it were right beside his ear, Xu Yunfeng¡¯s body trembled slightly, and he quickly bowed in respect. ¡°I have seen Elder Wang,¡± he said. ¡°Speak!¡± Wang Jin said. Once more, Xu Yunfeng bowed, ¡°I was acting under the orders of Master Cao, to arrest Jiang Ning.¡± ¡°Arrest my disciple?¡± Wang Jin suddenly bellowed, ¡°Get lost!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xu Yunfeng bowed again, then turned and left without any hesitation. The retreating figure showed not a hint of reluctance, nor did he utter another word. Clearly, he had acknowledged his inferiority! ¡°Stop!¡± Wang Jin was taken aback, then spoke again. Xu Yunfeng immediately halted, turned, and bowed to Elder Wang, ¡°Does Elder Wang have any further instructions?¡± Seeing Xu Yunfeng behave this way, Wang Jin could not help but laugh with anger, ¡°You move against my disciple and think you can just leave?¡± Xu Yunfeng spoke respectfully, ¡°I understand!¡± The next moment. Swish¡ª His hand flashed with the gleam of the blade as the long sword left its sheath. Immediately, he turned the tip of the sword toward his own abdomen and stabbed. ¡°Chi¡ª¡± Suddenly, a sound of a blade entering flesh and separating blood from the body was heard. ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Xu Yunfeng, enduring the severe pain, bared his teeth and managed to say, ¡°I am but a mere constable of the county government. If Mr. Wang were to personally take action against someone like me, it would dirty his hands.¡± ¡°It would also spread a bad reputation for Mr. Wang, of bullying the weak.¡± ¡°This stab, I ask for Mr. Wang¡¯s forgiveness for my error today.¡± Xu Yunfeng lowered his head, admitting his mistake to Wang Jin. Drip-drip¡ª Drip-drip¡ª Bright red blood gathered at the end of the icy blade, then dropped to the ground one drip at a time. Silence lasted less than two breaths. ¡°Get lost!!¡± Wang Jin finally spoke. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Wang, for your mercy!¡± Xu Yunfeng bowed in thanks, despite his severe pain. Then he pulled out the blade. Chi¡ª In the instant before his blood was about to spurt out, he pressed his left hand against his belly. Soon after, he limped quickly out of sight of the group. Watching this scene unfold, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart tightened. He gained a new understanding of Xu Yunfeng. Such a person was ruthless! Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Being ruthless to others was one thing, but being ruthless to oneself was the true definition of ruthlessness. ¡°But¡­ it sure feels good to have backing!¡± Jiang Ning smiled. At the same time, he had a new appreciation for the status of a Martial Arts Strongman. Even a ruthless person like Xu Yunfeng showed immediate submission upon Wang Jin¡¯s arrival. When he realized that Wang Jin had the intention of teaching him a lesson, he did not hesitate to self-harm with his sword, blocking Wang Jin¡¯s reason to act. This showed how oppressive the presence of a Martial Arts Strongman like Wang Jin was to Xu Yunfeng¡¯s psyche. ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± He bowed to Wang Jin, who stood before him. Cheng Ran quickly jumped down from the carriage. ¡°Greetings to Master Wang!¡± Wang Jin turned to look at the two of them. ¡°Don¡¯t linger outside, hurry back!¡± ¡°Yes, Master Wang!¡± Cheng Ran bowed, ¡°I will take Brother Jiang back to the Martial Arts Hall at once!¡± Wang Jin nodded and gave Jiang Ning another look. ¡°Remember this day. Fists are the ultimate truth! Train hard in Martial Arts, and once you achieve Great Success, those insignificant scoundrels won¡¯t dare to fart in your presence!¡± After saying this, Wang Jin¡¯s figure leaped up and quickly disappeared from their sight, clearly not wishing to accompany Jiang Ning and Cheng Ran. ¡°Teacher truly comes and goes like the wind,¡± Cheng Ran exclaimed with admiration. Jiang Ning at this moment also exhaled the impure energy within him and nodded slowly. Holding the ebony long sword in his hand, he mused to himself, ¡°The appearance of Wang Jin, I wonder if it¡¯s Xu Yunfeng¡¯s luck or mine!¡± ¡°Either way!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to fight for my life today, luckily. Give me a few more days, and I could rise up strong to kill even if Xu Yunfeng has entered Martial Arts Entry.¡± He murmured to himself, then took another glance in the direction Xu Yunfeng had vanished, ensuring there was no movement. The Power brewing inside him only then gradually dissipated, and the veins that had bulged on the back of his hand returned to normal. Seeing Jiang Ning turn back, Cheng Ran said, ¡°Brother Jiang had such a severe killing intent just now! It even scared me stiff!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning forced a smile, ¡°When push comes to shove, one can¡¯t just offer their necks for the noose or surrender without a fight! You have to struggle!¡± At this moment, Cheng Ran¡¯s expression suddenly turned somber, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brother Jiang!¡± Hearing the words ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jiang Ning also immediately understood Cheng Ran¡¯s meaning. He quickly shook his head, ¡°I know Brother Cheng has done his best! Nobody expected that Xu Yunfeng would have reached Martial Arts Entry!¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault!¡± Cheng Ran blamed himself, then added, ¡°Brother Jiang, you¡¯ll need to be more cautious from now on. Try not to step out of the Martial Arts Hall too often. Xu Yunfeng is a tough nut to crack, you¡¯re not his match yet!¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. ¡°Get on the carriage, Brother. I¡¯ll take you back to the Martial Arts Hall!¡± Chapter 68 - 68 Breakthrough in Sword Technique, Double Power! Chapter 68: Chapter 68 Breakthrough in Sword Technique, Double Power! The carriage continued on its way toward the Martial Arts Hall. Before long, the carriage arrived in front of the Martial Arts Hall without incident. Standing atop the carriage, Cheng Ran watched as Jiang Ning approached the gate of the Martial Arts Hall. Suddenly, Cheng Ran spoke up again. ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± Hearing the call, Jiang Ning turned around. Cheng Ran spoke again, ¡°It¡¯s all Brother¡¯s fault today! Without Master Wang¡¯s intervention, Brother would truly have been inexcusable!¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°It¡¯s fine, Brother should head back soon! There¡¯s no need to mention it anymore.¡± Having said that, he crossed over the threshold of the Martial Arts Hall, disappearing from Jiang Ning¡¯s line of sight. Watching Jiang Ning leave, Cheng Ran said to the coachman, ¡°Home!¡± After issuing this order, he turned and got into the carriage. ¡°Go¡ª¡± Under the coachman¡¯s control, the carriage began moving again, heading toward Cheng Mansion. Inside the carriage. Cheng Ran looked at Elder Zheng beside him. ¡°Sigh¡ª¡± He sighed softly. ¡°Young master, are you blaming me?¡± Elder Zheng asked. Cheng Ran shook his head, ¡°How could I have the right to blame Elder Zheng? I was too complacent! Taking Jiang Ning out almost harmed him!¡± Elder Zheng looked at Cheng Ran and explained, ¡°Young master, it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t want to obey your order! But Xu Yunfeng is not someone we can afford to offend! He is working for Cao Bin, and with such strength, he will soon enter the Inspection Office.¡± ¡°Young master also knows how powerful the authority of the Inspection Office is! It¡¯s better not to offend someone like Xu Yunfeng if we can avoid it!¡± ¡°Moreover, although I have achieved Great Success at Martial Arts Ninth Grade, my strength has declined with age, and my Qi-Blood has waned. Truly fighting might not guarantee victory over him!¡± ¡°After all, the young have the advantage with strength! Whether in stamina or bodily functions, I just can¡¯t keep up with the younger generation!¡± Cheng Ran spoke, ¡°Elder Zheng, I understand all of this. At the end of the day, the blame is mine! Today I almost caused harm to Brother Jiang, and it leaves me feeling uneasy!¡± After expressing this sentiment, he sighed deeply again. ¡­ Elsewhere. In the Martial Arts Hall. ¡°Back already?¡± Wang Jin stood in the front courtyard and called out. ¡°Master!!¡± Jiang Ning greeted with a salute. ¡°Close the gate and come with me!¡± Wang Jin walked back toward the yard where he lived, with his hands behind his back. ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Jiang Ning replied, turning around and walking back to the gate of the Martial Arts Hall. Boom¡ª As he pushed the gates, they slowly closed. After securing the gate, he made his way to the backyard, where Wang Jin resided. Arriving at the Martial Arts Hall¡¯s backyard. Wang Jin was already sitting in a bamboo chair woven from bamboo strips. He gestured to the empty bamboo chair in front of him, ¡°Sit down and talk!¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± After Jiang Ning had taken a seat. Wang Jin then asked, ¡°How are your thoughts after tonight¡¯s events?¡± ¡°Master¡¯s might is peerless!!¡± Jiang Ning said. Wang Jin couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to flatter your teacher!¡± Jiang Ning thought for a moment before replying, ¡°The truth lies within the range of a fist.¡± Hearing this, Wang Jin looked at Jiang Ning in surprise. ¡°Not bad, lad, for having such an awareness!¡± ¡°The fist is the truth, as for the rest, it¡¯s all nonsense!¡± ¡°As long as you are strong enough, even if you surpass your master in power, the Cao, Liu, and Xie families would have to bow before you.¡± ¡°Your family¡¯s issues are nothing compared to that!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°I understand, Master. I will work doubly hard in practicing my boxing!¡± Wang Jin showed a relieved expression, ¡°Good! Don¡¯t go out these next few days. It¡¯s lucky I arrived in time tonight. If that constable had captured you and you¡¯d been thrown into the county jail, it wouldn¡¯t be so easy for me to bail you out!¡± ¡°After all, in this county, although my power is not bad, I am not invincible!¡± ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± Jiang Ning expressed his gratitude again. Wang Jin waved his hand dismissively, ¡°All that talk is useless! I opened this school and took in disciples so that the stronger my disciples are, the more proud I can be! You practice your boxing well and make me proud. That¡¯s the best repayment!¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Jiang Ning saluted. ¡­ Leaving Wang Jin¡¯s courtyard and returning to his own residence, Jiang Ning was deep in thought all the way home. Strange! Why did Xu Yunfeng, who didn¡¯t dare to make a move before, dare to act against me tonight? Could something have happened? Did someone give Xu Yunfeng the confidence to not fear Master Wang? That¡¯s not right either! If Xu Yunfeng wasn¡¯t afraid of Master Wang, he wouldn¡¯t have behaved like that just now, right? Standing in his own courtyard, Jiang Ning shook his head slightly to clear his mind after a lot of thinking. Forget it! Unless I can catch Xu Yunfeng and press him for answers, there¡¯s no point in making wild guesses without any evidence. [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (basic proficiency 43/100) Glancing at his status panel, Jiang Ning muttered to himself. If my blade skill could break through and reach mastery, I should be able to kill Xu Yunfeng with one strike, shouldn¡¯t I? He then steadied his mind. Shua¡ª¡ª The long blade left its sheath, reflecting beams of cold light on the blade¡¯s surface under the pale moonlight. ¡°Meet the enemy head-on and counteract their moves!¡± ¡°Enhancing my strength is my top priority right now.¡± ¡°As long as I am strong enough, there¡¯s nothing to fear.¡± Shua¡ª¡ª Shua¡ª¡ª Shua¡ª¡ª The long blade cut through the air, raising gusts of wind that churned the fallen leaves and dust on the ground, scattering them all around. [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [¡­] Experience value also rose steadily as he practiced the blade skill and insights into the skill flowed into Jiang Ning¡¯s mind. In such focused training, Jiang Ning even felt that he might achieve this level of skill even without relying on the magical effect of the panel. ¡­ The next day at noon. Shua¡ª¡ª With a slash of the blade, the wind whirled and threw up clouds of dust in all directions. [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] As this notification appeared in front of Jiang Ning, the panel also changed. [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (mastery 0/200) At this moment, the Canglang Blade Skill formally broke through from basic proficiency to mastery. At this moment, Jiang Ning stood still like a statue, his eyes slightly closed His arms¡¯ muscles popped out, twisting like dragons. After a long time. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He opened his eyes, holding the blade in his right hand, he made a light swing. Shua¡ª¡ª A slash through the air revealed a streak of sudden cold light as the blade edge seemed to tear apart the sky itself. ¡°The blade is faster!¡± He waved the long blade in his hand a few more times at random. Humm humm humm¡ª¡ª As the power flowed, the long blade in his hand vibrated slightly. At the same time, a massive force gathered inside him, ready to burst forth at any moment. He could distinctly feel that once this power was released, it would be like floodgates opening, capable of summoning a tremendous force. After feeling the power within him for a moment, Jiang Ning thought to himself. ¡°With mastery of the blade skill, I¡¯ve naturally grasped the two-layered power!¡± ¡°Once the two-layered powers erupt, my one strike could unleash more than twice the might of the previous single-layered power!¡± ¡°However, my physical body can¡¯t withstand such an overwhelmingly powerful force. Even the eruption of the first layer tore my muscles and caused my blood vessels to burst, so I can¡¯t use the doubled power of the two-layered force unless it¡¯s a life-or-death situation!¡± Chapter 69: Changes in Chapter 69 Panel Chapter 69: Changes in Chapter 69 Panel [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 2.0 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Unlock Limit once 654/2000) (Trait: Unforgettable) Five Animals Fist (Small Success 88/500) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Unlock Limit once 1783/2000) (Trait: Touch and Understand) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Beginner 32/1000) Canglang Blade Skill (Master 0/200) Jiang Ning looked at the changes on his panel. In one day, the Source Energy had increased from 0.1 to 2, a growth of 1.9. This rate of increase was almost what he previously took nearly five days to achieve, and before he started learning martial arts, it was nearly half a month¡¯s worth of such an increase. And the price he paid was that he consumed one and a half roots of Wild Ginseng just yesterday. If we go by market value, it¡¯s equivalent to consuming nearly twenty taels of silver in one day. Aside from this, the biggest change was his Canglang Blade Skill. In just one day, this blade skill went from not even a beginner to a master. Such efficiency, if known to his teacher, could scare one to death. If the world knew, they would be shocked to an unbelievable extent, seeing him as a freak of nature. Regarding this, Jiang Ning had no intention of telling anyone, including Wang Jin. Outstanding talent could bring attention and nurturing. But such efficiency couldn¡¯t simply be explained by the word ¡®talent¡¯. At least, that¡¯s how Jiang Ning saw it. He believed that revealing this could perhaps bring some advantages, but the potential disadvantages were great and could attract trouble. Wang Jin¡¯s attention to him was already enough. He can¡¯t let him treat him as his own son. He had to keep some techniques to himself. And mastering Canglang Blade Skill was the hidden ace up his sleeve, the method currently kept secret. If he were to use this method, it would be a matter of life and death. If he had previously been confident in his ability to kill an enemy of Martial Arts Entry level with a single layer of power, Now Jiang Ning had absolute confidence. If he were to unleash a full-powered strike with a two-layered power overlay, a true hit would surely kill Xu Yunfeng with a single strike. In this moment, feeling the abundant power in his body like the sea, Jiang Ning¡¯s confidence greatly increased. After a brief rest, he began to practice fist techniques. From yesterday afternoon until this moment, aside from practicing blade techniques, that¡¯s all he did. Even after the sunrise, he hadn¡¯t practiced breathing in the Great Sun Essence Qi to increase the experience value for the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. Now, with the Canglang Blade Skill reaching mastery, he could finally focus on the Five Animals Fist. Because continuing to break through with the Canglang Blade Skill would bring him little benefit. The crowning feature of this blade skill is its Nine Layers of Strength, with each breakthrough in the blade skill realm unleashing more layers of power. Achieving perfection in the blade skill, each strike unwinds, unleashing nine-fold power, the might of a single blow exceeding the combined effect of nine. That is the most formidable aspect of this blade skill. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But now his physique is too weak, even unleashing a single layer of power from just entering the Canglang Blade Skill tears his muscles and bursts his veins. One can imagine the burden a two-layered power explosion would have on him. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, with his current physique, even if he disregarded the consequences, he could at most unleash the might of a two-layered power. Any higher, and his arm might explode before he could even strike. So in the short term, continuing to grind experience for the Canglang Blade Skill was meaningless to him. Shifting focus to grinding the Five Animals Fist experience was the correct choice. Strengthening Qi-Blood, building up the body, this is the foundation, and a prerequisite of Martial Arts Entry level. Nine Layers of Strength, more like a skill, was the fundamental amplifier of his strength. Only with a stronger physical foundation, then unleashing the Nine Layers of Strength could he generate even more formidable combat power. Once his physique was robust to a certain level, it could support him recklessly unleashing the formidable might of the Nine Layers of Strength. Moreover, to truly unravel the current predicament, in Jiang Ning¡¯s view, he ultimately needed a powerful backer, a sturdy tree to shelter him from the wind and rain. A rise in status was needed to truly escape this plight. Otherwise, even if he achieved the Martial Arts Entry rank soon, what of it? Killing Xu Yunfeng, then Cao Bin would follow; killing Cao Bin would draw the enmity of the entire Cao family, and even lead to being hunted by the whole Great Xia, living in constant fear. Killing them was endless, slaying the young brought the old, slaying the big brought the elderly¡ªhis enemies were innumerable, with not a single day of peace. This was not what he sought. With this miraculous panel at his disposal, he needed a great tree to lean on for shade, a tree that could offer him ample and safe time. In his view, only the Inspection Office, this power institution akin to the Jinyi Guard from his previous life, or even surpassing them, would do. Joining the Inspection Office meant holding power in his hands. Relying on the Inspection Office meant relying on the Martial Saint and the Great Xia Court, this was influence, and also a massive background. A background that could truly keep him safe. To enter, he had then less than three months to prepare himself. In this time, he first had to condense his Qi-Blood to reach the Perfection level, flowing through his whole body. Next, he had to cultivate his skin membrane to connect throughout his body, and enter the Ninth Grade of Martial Arts. Only then would he qualify to become a member of this highest-status power institution, the Inspection Office. Entering this institution, in Jiang Ning¡¯s view, would resolve his predicament. ¡°But¡­¡± Thinking of Xu Yunfeng, Jiang Ning clenched his fists, ¡°But I will not let off those who shouldn¡¯t be let off.¡± ¡­ Wanhua Building. This building was the most lavish with materials in Luoshui County, dazzling with lights every evening and also the tallest structure in the county. Standing on the rooftop of Wanhua Building, one could overlook the entirety of Luoshui County. At the moment, in a top-level loft. There was a man and a woman. The man appeared to be in his forties with slightly graying temples. This person was Shen Congyun, the Vice Building Owner of Wanhua Building in Luoshui County. In front of him stood a woman around twenty-eight years of age. ¡°Reporting to the Building Owner, this is the information your subordinate has gathered,¡± the woman said, her head slightly bowed, presenting the yellow-tied bundle of information to Shen Congyun. ¡°Call me Vice Building Owner!¡± Shen Congyun took the scrolls the woman held out in front of him and spoke indifferently. ¡°Yes, Shen¡­ Vice Building Owner,¡± the woman said with a somewhat stiff tone. ¡°Remember next time and don¡¯t make the mistake again!¡± Shen Congyun, while untying the yellow ribbons from the scrolls, said with a lowered gaze. ¡°Yes, Shen¡­ Vice Building Owner!¡± the woman replied, then asked, ¡°Shall your subordinate take her leave now?¡± ¡°Leave,¡± Shen Congyun uttered, still looking down. As the woman left, the loft was left with only Shen Congyun alone. Shen Congyun opened the scroll, his eyes fixing on it as he slowly read. After a while, Only then did his gaze lift from the bottom. ¡°I¡¯ve actually miscalculated. This young man has only been practicing martial arts for about ten days, not several months!¡± ¡°That is to say, this young man had, at most, used little more than ten days to cultivate Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill to the threshold of entry. Without external aids, just how high is this young man¡¯s talent?!!¡± With this thought, a trace of shock passed through Shen Congyun¡¯s eyes. Then he continued muttering to himself, ¡°Such outstanding Innate Spiritual Wisdom, if placed in Ancient Times, that would be an incredible figure indeed!¡± ¡°However, if the information above about him is true, coming from an ordinary background, yet reaching a small success in Qi-Blood after just over ten days learning martial arts.¡± ¡°Such prominent martial arts talent, even in this era, combined with the subsequent practice of Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, this young man is certainly Grandmaster material!¡± ¡°This is a prospect worth my attention even more than Wang Jin! After all, he is much younger than Wang Jin, with far greater potential for the future!¡± Chapter 70 - 1: The Soaring Source Energy Points Chapter 70: Chapter 1: The Soaring Source Energy Points Wanhua Building. In the midst of Shen Congyun¡¯s contemplation. Tap tap tap¡ª The sound of footsteps echoed on the wooden floors of the loft, ringing in Shen Congyun¡¯s ears. Hearing this noise, he immediately snapped out of his thoughts. The next moment. A woman in her thirties appeared in front of Shen Congyun. She was dressed in a cyan robe, moving gracefully, her expression exuding an aristocratic demeanor. ¡°Qingyi!¡± Shen Congyun greeted her with a smile. Upon hearing this nickname, the woman in the cyan dress, with an aura of graceful opulence, smiled at Shen Congyun. ¡°Congyun, I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve been frequently investigating someone these past two days, have you discovered some promising talent?¡± Shen Congyun smiled, ¡°Why? Is Sister Qingyi also interested?¡± The woman, showing her noble demeanor, said, ¡°I know you always have high standards; I¡¯m naturally curious about anyone you deem to have potential.¡± Shen Congyun laughed. This Vice Building Owner named Qingyi had suddenly visited, and then brought up the topic so directly; he certainly knew what the intentions of this Vice Building Owner of Wanhua Building were. Perhaps having heard the news from below, she, like him, wanted to do a good deed, a timely act of kindness. The next moment. He tossed over the scroll containing all the reports gathered by his subordinates these past few days about Jiang Ning. ¡°Since Sister Qingyi is curious, take a look for yourself!¡± Facing the incoming paper scroll, the Vice Building Owner named Qingyi flicked her long sleeve, and the flying scroll landed securely in her hand. She immediately opened the scroll to inspect it. She had some understanding of Shen Congyun¡¯s frequent actions. Thus, her purpose for visiting Shen Congyun today was simple, to probe Shen Congyun¡¯s opinion and see if he had discovered a martial genius worthy of investment. Having worked with Shen Congyun for many years, she believed she understood his vision and character well. Shen Congyun was highly selective; during the years he spent in Luoshui County, not a single individual had met his exacting standards. Meanwhile, she herself had made connections and investments in two talents who had caught her eye, which showcased just how high Shen Congyun¡¯s standards were. Her visit today was driven by curiosity, keen to see who could meet Shen Congyun¡¯s standards. Another factor was her desire to see if this individual truly had exceptional martial prowess; if so, she would try to seize the opportunity to form an early relationship. In doing so, if the martial talent reached fruition, she could then naturally invite them to become a Guest Elder at Wanhua Building, a significant accomplishment for her. With this in mind, Qingyi¡¯s gaze landed on the paper scroll recording information about Jiang Ning. A moment later. Is this it? She thought internally and shook her head discreetly. Then, looking up at Shen Congyun, she asked, ¡°Is this young man named Jiang Ning the martial prodigy you value, Brother Congyun?¡± Seeing Qingyi¡¯s reaction, Shen Congyun smiled, ¡°Any thoughts? I wonder what Sister Qingyi thinks of him?¡± Qingyi responded with a slight shake of her head, ¡°I don¡¯t see anything extraordinary! According to the report, just an ordinary young man.¡± Shen Congyun said, ¡°I have seen him, and his Qi-Blood has already reached small success!¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s decent!¡± Qingyi nodded. In her eyes, practicing martial arts for over ten days and achieving small success in Qi-Blood was indeed decent. But only just decent, not enough to earn her higher praise. Accumulating Qi-Blood, for those with real power and advantage, was not worth mentioning. At Wanhua Building, there were major medicines for enhancing Qi-Blood, which, when refined with a martial arts technique, could drastically increase Qi-Blood in just a few days. If one was willing to spend enough resources, reaching Qi-Blood Perfection within a month was not difficult. It¡¯s just that few people actually did this. Because these powerful medicines were priced in gold, consuming vast fortunes that few could afford. Seeing Qingyi¡¯s reaction, Shen Congyun only smiled and said no more. ¡­ In the blink of an eye, two days later. In the afternoon. Jiang Ning was sweating profusely practicing his boxing under the scorching sun in the courtyard. Despite the still intense heat, he was thoroughly enjoying himself. He relished the process of steadily growing stronger, the ongoing increase of his skill Experience Value. Seeing the visible progress toward his goals kept him highly motivated. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +2] After completing a series of boxing movements, Jiang Ning prepared to take a break. He moved to a slightly cooler spot under the eaves, guzzled a large bowl of water, and then casually checked his panel. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 5.8 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (Break Limit 697/2000) (Trait: unforgettable) Five Animals Fist (Small Success 252/500) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Break Limit 2000/2000) (Trait: touch and understand) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Beginner 58/1000) Canglang Blade Skill (Master 0/200) Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. In just two days, with the aid of such tonic herbs as Wild Ginseng, his progress had been remarkably evident. Source Energy Points increased from 2 to 5.8, a growth of 3.8 in two days, an efficiency of growth starkly different than before, extremely apparent. With such progress, the consumption was also huge; each day, he had to consume one and a half wild ginsengs, half in the morning, half in the afternoon, and half at night. Only this could support his relentlessly trained physique, ensuring he didn¡¯t exhaust himself unknowingly. But the effects of such diligence were not limited to the rapid increase in Source Energy Points¡ªthe most significant change was the increased frequency of practising boxing. Each day, bolstered by the medicinal effects of wild ginseng, he could practice the Boxing Skill over forty times. And each time he practiced the skill, he would gain two points of Five Animals Fist experience and condense three strands of Qi-Blood. Aside from these two significant changes, the experience values for the skills Reading and Writing, and Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill also saw growth. The experience value for Chopping Wood Blade Skill reached its maximum once again, allowing for a Second Limit Breaking, yet although the accumulation speed of Source Energy Points was fast, it still fell far short of the requirements needed for a second limit break of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill. As for how many Source Energy Points were needed to allow a Second Limit Breaking for the Chopping Wood Blade Skill to transform the decay into something miraculous, Jiang Ning also didn¡¯t know. But he did know it would definitely be more than what was needed for the first limit break. As for the last item on the panel, a record of the Canglang Blade Skill, a Middle-class Martial Art, he hadn¡¯t practised it once these past two days. Because there was no need. Even if the Canglang Blade Skill were to break through to small success realm, it would not have a significant impact on his strength. The stacking of multiple power bursts would overwhelm his body first. Thus, continuing to practice this saber technique would only waste his time. His current priority was to accumulate Qi-Blood and enhance his physique to quickly enter the Martial Arts Nine Grade ranks. The next moment, he clenched his fist. Boom¡ªthundered through him, Qi-Blood surged within him, instantly flowing through his arms, and then his right leg was almost fully connected. Feeling the changes in his body, Jiang Ning felt somewhat exhilarated. ¡°With this efficiency, in a few days, my Qi-Blood will reach a Great Success, flowing through my limbs! With this, my physique will surely further strengthen!¡± He then glanced at the Skill section on the panel again. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (small success 252/500) Experience Value more than halfway! ¡°With my current efficiency, it will take at most four more days to push Five Animals Fist to Great Success.¡± ¡°By then, my Qi-Blood should also be able to reach Great Success Realm.¡± He immediately picked up the cloth sack he had placed aside, and upon opening it, it was filled with wild ginseng. After a quick scan, ¡°Only four and a half left!¡± ¡°I have to use up one and a half each day; such consumption is really extravagant!!¡± Jiang Ning slightly clicked his tongue, feeling a bit pained. Calculated at market value, wild ginseng worth more than a hundred taels of silver, consumed substantially in just a few days. ¡°To train in martial arts effectively indeed costs money!¡± he couldn¡¯t help but sigh lightly, then carefully re-packed the remaining few wild ginseng. Immediately, he muttered to himself: ¡°In a few days, I¡¯ll have to figure out a way to get money again! Without money and medicinal supplements, the efficiency of training is too low!!¡± Then, after resting for a moment, he continued practicing boxing. ¡­ Elsewhere. Canglang Martial Arts Hall entrance. A carriage stopped abruptly. Then, Cheng Ran leaped from the carriage and rushed into the Martial Arts Hall without even looking back. Anxiety was evident on his face as he muttered, ¡°Brother Jiang is in trouble now!¡± ¡°He must escape the county town as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Otherwise, if Cao Bin and his men capture him, all is lost!¡± ¡°Hoping it¡¯s not too late!¡± Thinking of when the information reached his hands, Cao Bin was already mobilizing, he silently prayed. The next moment, his figure swift as the wind, he sped through the front yard of the Martial Arts Hall, heading straight for Jiang Ning¡¯s courtyard. ¡­ Canglang Martial Arts Hall entrance. There¡¯s a tea pavilion, a noodle shop, and a food stall. At this moment, it was the afternoon, people sat in groups of threes and twos. Drinking cold tea, eating melon seeds and snacks, each idly chattering. Suddenly, sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Someone¡¯s face showed a look of shock, ¡°Look!!¡± ¡°What could shock Brother Wang so much?¡± someone beside him joked. Then, following the gaze of the shocked person, he also showed an expression of shock on his face: ¡°That¡¯s¡­ the county government constables.¡± At that moment, at the end of the street, Two squads of sword-wielding constables suddenly appeared; there were more than twenty of them, each dressed in deep black soap robes, with long swords slung across their waists, flashing a sharp light. Their eyes all showed a fierce aura, their strides firm and powerful, clearly experienced in combat. Among them, two people at the forefront wore uniforms different from the twenty behind them. They wore uniforms primarily black with red accents, the fabric looked much smoother and finer, clearly much higher grade, signifying their status and rank above those County Government Constables. ¡°These government office constables are out to arrest someone! What an impressive formation, deploying two arrest officers and twenty constables!¡± spoke a well-informed person acquainted withCounty government workings. ¡°Who knows?¡± someone shook their head and continued, ¡°Just follow them to find out! Such a grand formation is rare indeed!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± another person nodded in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s quite rare for two Martial Arts Nine Grade arrest officers to go out together!¡± Chapter 71 - 2 The Disciple of the Martial Arts Grandmaster? The Shock in Wang Jin’s Heart! Chapter 71: Chapter 2 The Disciple of the Martial Arts Grandmaster? The Shock in Wang Jin¡¯s Heart! At the entrance of Canglang Martial Arts Hall. As the crowd buzzed with discussions, Cao Bin led his constables straight toward the gates of Canglang Martial Arts Hall, with Xu Yunfeng closely following behind him. At the same time, Another arrest officer beside Cao Bin glanced apprehensively at the gate of Canglang Martial Arts Hall. He quickly whispered to Cao Bin, ¡°Brother Cao, we agreed on this! I came only to show some presence!¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Cao Bin responded in a low voice, then continued, ¡°Brother Wang, rest assured! The person I¡¯m capturing is just an ordinary disciple who recently joined the hall. The evidence against him is irrefutable, and his crimes are heinous. I believe Wang Jin wouldn¡¯t harbor a criminal.¡± Beside Cao Bin, Wang Desheng shook his head silently. What irrefutable evidence, what heinous crimes. It¡¯s just that you coveted someone else¡¯s wife. Speaking of which, Jiang Li really is pitiable. Having married a beautiful wife, he suddenly encountered this disaster. Wang Desheng did not agree with Cao Bin and only dealt with him superficially when necessary, never going beyond courteous appeasement. Relying on his excellent martial skills, his Ninth Grade Martial Arts Mastery, and his official position, he managed to live rather comfortably. But today, with Cao Bin coming to him, he found it difficult to be overly resistant. After all, standing behind Cao Bin was the enormous Cao family. Out of respect for the Cao family and Cao Bin¡¯s elder brother, he felt compelled to give Cao Bin some face. Moments later, The group stopped in front of the gate of Canglang Martial Arts Hall. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± The two disciples guarding the gate of the Martial Arts Hall looked nervously at the group before them. ¡°Catching someone!¡± Cao Bin stated coldly. ¡­ At the same time, Inside the hall. ¡°Brother Jiang, there¡¯s no time for explanations. You only need to know that Cao Bin is on his way to arrest you. If you want to survive, you must escape the city as soon as possible. Once you are out of Dongling County, you will be safe.¡± Cheng Ran urgently tugged on Jiang Ning¡¯s arm, hurrying him along as he rushed out these words. Cao Bin? Hearing this, Jiang Ning was shocked, and while being dragged by Cheng Ran, he didn¡¯t stop moving, and they appeared in the front courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall. ¡°Brother Cheng, what exactly is going on?¡± Jiang Ning asked, catching up with Cheng Ran¡¯s pace. At that moment, Cheng Ran abruptly stopped. ¡°It¡¯s too late!¡± His gaze fixed on the gate of the Martial Arts Hall, his tone filled with resignation. Meanwhile, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze also shifted there, suddenly spotting a group of constables, dressed in black robes and wearing long sabers at their waists, appearing at the gate. He also saw Xu Yunfeng among the crowd. In front of Xu Yunfeng were two imposing figures, dressed in uniforms primarily of red and black fabric. Jiang Ning recognized at a glance that these were arrest officers, a rank above the constables. Because he had seen this uniform before¡ªChief Feng, the superior officer of his elder brother, had visited their home several times, always dressed in the official attire of an arrest officer. Thus, it wasn¡¯t hard for him to recognize that these were two arrest officers personally leading the team. As arrest officers, ranking Ninth Grade with official credentials, they naturally commanded respect. Furthermore, as each arrest officer was an adept Ninth Grade Martial Artist, they were eminent figures even in a county town. Wherever they went, they were addressed respectfully as ¡°Sire.¡± Given the information revealed by Cheng Ran¡¯s words, it was not difficult to perceive that one of the arrest officers was indeed Cao Bin, the key instigator. Coming to the hall was likely to arrest him. ¡°Trouble indeed!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. At the same time, Xu Yunfeng also spotted Jiang Ning¡¯s figure in the front courtyard and whispered in Cao Bin¡¯s ear. A moment later, Cao Bin¡¯s gaze fell on Jiang Ning, their eyes meeting in midair. Then he slightly smirked, ¡°You ask whom I¡¯m capturing?¡± Cao Bin seemed to answer the Martial Arts Hall¡¯s gatekeeping disciples, but also addressed the crowd around, ¡°Arrest Jiang Ning for investigation! Jiang Ning¡¯s elder brother, Jiang Li, is involved with the Evil God Sect, and that¡¯s a capital crime!¡± ¡°So, anyone related to Jiang Li must be brought back to the county government for questioning!¡± ¡°Is this explanation clear enough?¡± Cao Bin said, his gaze piercing as he looked at the two gatekeeping disciples blocking the path. Confronted with Cao Bin¡¯s stare, the two disciples guarding the gate of the Martial Arts Hall instantly retreated half a step in fear and made way. ¡°We¡­ we understand!¡± one of the disciples said, his legs trembling. At the same time, Jiang Ning gripped the long saber in his hand and thought to himself, ¡°Real trouble indeed!¡± ¡°Their patience is so low; it¡¯s been less than half a month, and they have already impatiently resorted to unjust means, framing my elder brother!¡± ¡°Now, the only choice is to fight!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see if I can carve out a path, escape the county, and lie low for a year or so to seek revenge for my elder brother and his family!¡± Holding tightly to his long saber, his gaze swiftly scanned the surroundings to find an appropriate escape route. He had foreseen this scene in his mind. And it wasn¡¯t impossible for him to achieve it. For as he knew, despite the existence of those at the Early Stage of Martial Arts, very few spent considerable time on movement techniques. In the early stages of Martial Arts, devoting time to movement techniques was too wasteful. Only those in dire need of combat dabbled slightly in it. Spending time to enhance Qi-Blood, delve into Martial Arts, and master power were far more meaningful than focusing on movement techniques in the early stages. Just like his elder brother, if he had reached Qi Blood Perfection and entered the ranks of Martial Arts sooner, he would have had the credentials to become a government arrest officer and officially rank as a Ninth Grade official. Then everything would have been different. If an adept Ninth Grade Martial Artist achieved Martial Arts Skill Perfection and mastered power, that would open the doors to Martial Arts Eighth Grade. The possibilities were endless. Compared to such advantages, achieving Perfection in movement, moving like the wind, offered no change in social status or position. Thus, as Jiang Ning knew, very few dabbled extensively in movement techniques in the early stages. And this was his advantage. Five Animals Fist was not only effective in strengthening Qi-Blood, but also enhanced speed and agility in movement techniques. Furthermore, his internal organs had been tempered now, his physical strength enduring and far surpassing that of ordinary Martial Artists. Under prolonged pursuit, even skilled practitioners at the Martial Arts Ninth Grade would find it difficult to keep up with him. Moreover, his strength had also improved significantly, and through rigorous practice of boxing, his force had reached four hundred catties, nearly matching that of Xiao Peng. According to what he knew, even for those who had entered Martial Arts, achieving Refining Skin Mastery, their force would hardly surpass a thousand catties. At this level, the strong had ultimate defensive power, while the increase in force and Qi-Blood was merely ancillary. The two arresting officers probably had only about twice his force; he was not that intimidated. Facing them head-on, with his mastery of Canglang Blade Skill and the ability to stack up two-layered power bursts, he could also contend. If the opponents were careless for a moment, even without bursting his power, with such force he could injure an expert of Martial Arts Ninth Grade and Refining Skin Mastery with a single blade. Not to mention when he was merely trying to escape! All this considered, in Jiang Ning¡¯s view, things were already different from before! Even with two Martial Arts Ninth Grade arrest officers leading the team, he had the right to fight desperately. Escaping the county city, Five Animals Fist was particularly suited for the mountainous and forest wilderness; he would be like a tiger entering the mountains, able to preserve his life. At this moment, numerous thoughts quickly flashed through Jiang Ning¡¯s mind. He gripped the long blade tightly in his hand, as power circulated and brewed within his body. His gaze involuntarily changed slightly. On the other side. Cao Bin waved his hand, ¡°Take Jiang Ning away!¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Cao!¡± Xu Yunfeng bowed his head, intending to lead the men behind him forward into the Martial Arts Hall¡¯s front yard to capture and take Jiang Ning away. Just then. ¡°Who dares!¡± A thunderous shout resonated, echoing like a thunderclap through the Martial Arts Hall. Following the sound, everyone¡¯s gaze suddenly turned towards the direction of the rear yard. They saw a figure leaping over the wall, moving as agile as an ape or crane, clearly integrating the true essence of Five Animals Fist into each movement. The next moment. The figure landed securely in front of Jiang Ning. His stance was imposing, like a mountain. Seeing this figure¡¯s back, Jiang Ning¡¯s hand holding the blade slightly relaxed, returning his protruding veins to normal. He had been waiting, waiting for Wang Jin¡¯s stance. With such an incident happening at the entrance of the Martial Arts Hall, Jiang Ning didn¡¯t believe that Wang Jin residing in the rear yard would remain undisturbed. If he chose not to appear, it meant that Wang Jin was wary of the Cao family and did not want to confront them head-on. Under that circumstance, he would have only one choice, to escape regardless of everything. As for vengeance and hatred, they could wait to be settled later when he achieved Great Success in Martial Arts, when he could dominate Luoshui County, even Dongling County and Guangning Prefecture, and completely obliterate the Cao family. Now, since Wang Jin chose to appear, it indicated that Wang Jin was willing to protect him and even confront the Cao family head on, hence he could still wait and see. Immediately, a thought flickered in Jiang Ning¡¯s mind, and he made a decision. A decision that would add weight to his standing in Wang Jin¡¯s eyes. Immediately. ¡°Greetings to Master!¡± he said respectfully, his palm shortly making contact with Wang Jin¡¯s shoulder. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In an instant. A Nine Layers of Strength surged within his body, flowing through his palm into Wang Jin¡¯s right arm. ¡°This is!!!¡± Wang Jin sensed the immense, ocean-like force flowing into his right arm, his heart suddenly surging with a tremendous shock. ¡°Nine Layers of Strength!¡± ¡°This is the Nine Layers of Strength forged from entering Canglang Blade Skill!!!¡± At that moment, Wang Jin was certain. Because he was too familiar with the Nine Layers of Strength. He had practiced Canglang Blade Skill for nearly twenty years, and in recent years, this Middle-Grade Martial Arts had reached brilliance in his hands, capable of bursting five layers of accumulated strength. Thus, he was more than familiar with the force of Nine Layers of Strength! Having been intimately familiar with this force for nearly twenty years, how could he not recognize it? Thinking of this, he couldn¡¯t help but inhale a breath of cold air. This young man, Jiang Ning, though not yet entering Martial Arts and his Five Animals Fist not yet reaching Perfection, had a deep comprehension of the profound mysteries of strength. He had directly forged the formidable Nine Layers of Strength. I was wrong! I had judged erroneously before! This young man did not possess outstanding Boxing talent! It was his Saber Skill talent that was truly exceptional!! He was inherently a Saber kind, naturally suited for blades!!! No wonder I saw him still practicing with the blade that afternoon, he had indeed achieved something significant. Now, in just three days, he had mastered entry into Canglang Blade Skill and successfully forged the Nine Layers of Strength. Terrifying! This Saber Skill talent was terrifying!!! At this moment, the more Wang Jin thought, although his expression remained unchanged, his heart was increasingly shocked. Immediately afterwards, he took a deep breath to suppress the shock in his heart, and his conviction grew stronger. Even if it meant breaking with the Cao family, I must protect this young man¡¯s life! Such a raw gem, once it matures, will enable me to make a name for myself across Guangning Prefecture, even across all of Great Xia using his reputation. Perhaps I can cultivate a disciple who will become a Martial Arts Grandmaster! Realizing this, Wang Jin was incredibly excited. Grandmaster! That was an existence he could not reach. That was an existence who could enter a battlefield alone and decapitate enemy generals. Even if he couldn¡¯t reach that level, if his disciple could, it would thrill him beyond measure. Which master in the world does not wish for their disciple to surpass them, transform into a dragon, ascend to the skies, and become renowned across the world! This disciple¡­ I must protect!!! Wang Jin once again solidified his inner conviction. Chapter 72 - 3 Seventh Grade Peak, the Pillar of the Cao Family! Chapter 72: Chapter 3 Seventh Grade Peak, the Pillar of the Cao Family! At the entrance of the Martial Arts Hall. Seeing Wang Jin¡¯s arrival, Cao Bin was not surprised at all. It would have been strange if Wang Jin had not shown himself after he had set foot into his territory. This scene had been anticipated by him. Afterward, he respectfully addressed Wang Jin, ¡°Mr. Wang, Jiang Ning¡¯s elder brother is a major fugitive accused by the court, secretly in communication with the God Worship Sect. It led to the failed encirclement against the God Worship Sect half a month ago, with great loss of soldiers and generals. This person is related by blood to Jiang Li, and I must arrest him!¡± ¡°Please grant me this convenience, Mr. Wang!¡± As he spoke his final words, Cao Bin slightly bowed, showing his respect for Wang Jin. ¡°Scram!!!¡± Wang Jin bellowed. Suddenly, Cao Bin¡¯s face turned shades of green and white, becoming extremely ugly. He had never expected that his lowered stance and submissive tone would be met with such a disdainful attitude from Wang Jin. This made Cao Bin, who was usually haughty, feel his cheeks burn with embarrassment, especially with so many spectators inside and outside the hall, which made him even angrier. ¡­ At this moment, Outside the Martial Arts Hall, a group of people gathered nearby, sporting expressions of watching a drama unfold. ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t expect Cao Bin, an arrest officer from the Cao family, to be scolded like that by Master Wang.¡± ¡°Master Wang is quite domineering, shielding his own like that. I almost want my unworthy child to join the Canglang Martial Arts Hall.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking the same; for such protection, the hundred tael entry fee is worth it!¡± ¡°Yes! However, Wang Jin is just a mere Martial Arts Hall master. How does he dare to speak like that to Master Cao, who is an official government functionary, and furthermore, Cao Bin is the eldest legitimate son of the Cao family!¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to fear for Wang Jin? I heard his martial arts skills are extraordinary, a Seventh Grade expert.¡± ¡°Seventh Grade, that high?¡± ¡°Absolutely, in his youth, Wang Jin was renowned in several surrounding counties as the ¡®Five Animals Demonic Expert¡¯, mastering Five Animals Fist to Perfection, unbeatable by ordinary people. His fame was established in a battle of Eighth Grade Great Success, where he fought one against three Eighth Grade warriors¡ªall slain!¡± ¡°That¡¯s incredible! I had no idea! If I¡¯d known earlier, I¡¯d have sent my son to join the Canglang Martial Arts Hall!¡± ¡°Plus, Wang Jin¡¯s confidence isn¡¯t just in his skills!¡± ¡°Oh, do share more insider info!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the army commander outside the city, Master Wang, is Wang Jin¡¯s younger brother, his own blood brother!¡± ¡°Hisss!!! No wonder then, no wonder Wang Jin dares to disrespect Master Cao like that.¡± ¡­ sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing the discussions behind him, Cao Bin felt extremely embarrassed. The next moment, His face darkened abruptly: ¡°Wang Jin! I respected you as an elder, gave you face, yet you harbor a court criminal. Are you plotting rebellion?¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Jin¡¯s eyes flashed angrily. Boom¡ª The floor beneath him exploded suddenly, and he swiftly moved like a shadow, causing a gust of wind. Seeing this, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes sharpened in awe. Such speed¡­ so fast!!! From Wang Jin to the Martial Arts Hall entrance was about a distance of ten zhang. But in a burst from Wang Jin, in roughly the span of one third of a breath, about one second, he crossed that ten zhang. Just from this initial estimate in his mind, Jiang Ning recognized Wang Jin¡¯s frightening speed. He reached over thirty meters per second. Put another way, that¡¯s around one hundred twenty kilometers an hour. What kind of concept is that? That¡¯s equivalent to the speed of a car traveling on a highway in his previous life. Such velocity, merely from impact, would be a terrifying force. Not to mention the combination of skillful power deployment. And this was just his starting burst speed; peak speed could only be imagined! In comparison, at this moment, Jiang Ning had a new understanding of Wang Jin¡¯s strength. Considering this terrifying explosive power, one could only imagine how robust his muscles and flesh were. In combat, strong warriors are constantly changing direction; his body could endure such explosive forces without harm. In Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes, this was not something an ordinary human body could achieve. This body, perhaps in his former world, might even withstand light firearms with sheer physical resistance. And, from what he knew, Wang Jin was only ranked Seventh Grade in Martial Arts and was old and frail at that. What about those above Seventh Grade¡ªthe Sixth Grade, the Fifth Grade, the Grandmasters? And that Martial Saint, capable of conquering nations? At this moment, numerous thoughts swarmed Jiang Ning¡¯s mind. Meanwhile, Wang Jin seemed to transform into an enraged warrior; his eyes as large as brass bells, and his movements resembled a tiger descending a mountain, his presence terrifying. Cao Bin was merely startled by his aura, and in that brief moment of stun, Wang Jin had already halved the distance. By the time Cao Bin retreated two steps, Wang Jin was already before him. Next, In Cao Bin¡¯s shocked gaze, he barely managed to raise his hands to defend, but Wang Jin¡¯s feet were fast, his hands even faster. As his hands just reached chest height, Wang Jin¡¯s right hand, transformed into an eagle¡¯s claw, had already locked onto his neck, fingers hooked tightly around his throat, lifting him directly. Feeling the strength contained in those five fingers, Cao Bin had no doubts that Wang Jin could crush his throat instantly, killing him on the spot. With his life in another¡¯s hands, fear inevitably showed in his eyes. He dared not make any further moves. At the same time, Clang¡ª Clang¡ª Clang¡ª The constables couldn¡¯t help but draw their swords from their sheaths, vehemently watching Wang Jin. At this time, Wang Jin¡¯s gaze swept over the surrounding crowd, like the king of beasts surveying the forest. Chapter 73 - 3 Seventh Grade Peak, Pillar of the Cao Family!_2 Chapter 73: Chapter 3 Seventh Grade Peak, Pillar of the Cao Family!_2 At three feet away from Cao Bin, another arrest officer, Wang Desheng, exchanged a glance with Wang Jin. He quickly stepped back and said, ¡°If you hit Cao Bin, you can¡¯t hit me! I¡¯m just here to cheer.¡± Seeing this, the others, even though they had knives in hand and outnumbered him, felt a flicker of fear as Wang Jin¡¯s gaze swept over them. Particularly after Wang Desheng¡¯s statement, some of them instinctively took a small step back, falling half a step behind the rest. Wang Jin smiled and turned his attention back to Cao Bin, who was grimacing in pain. ¡°Who gave you the guts to slander me?¡± The next moment. Without waiting for the red-faced Cao Bin to respond, Wang Jin continued, ¡°If you want to catch someone on my turf, you¡¯re not qualified, let Cao Rong come!¡± Outside the martial arts hall, the onlookers began to murmur among themselves. ¡°Wang Jin truly has a domineering presence! He turns hostile in an instant without any regard for the Cao family¡¯s face.¡± ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s the fierce Wang Jin known as the ¡®Five Beasts Old Devil.¡¯ They say his temperament was fiery and vehement against evil when he was younger! He¡¯s mellowed a lot over the years! Now, with his Martial Arts Seventh Grade strength, he naturally has the confidence to turn hostile.¡± ¡°Yes! Looking all over Luoshui County, there are hardly a few who can confidently defeat the ¡®Five Beasts Old Devil,¡¯ possibly just Cao Rong who is mentioned by the ¡®Old Devil.¡¯¡± ¡°Cao Rong? Such a trivial matter surely isn¡¯t worth Cao Rong¡¯s personal attention, right?¡± someone exclaimed, ¡°After all, he¡¯s a respected figure in Luoshui County, credited greatly with the status the Cao family enjoys today.¡± ¡°A few years ago, Cao Rong took the martial arts examination in Dongling City right before turning thirty, which marked the rise of the Cao family, positioning them to potentially lead among the three major families¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± While the crowd outside the martial arts hall was abuzz with discussions, Wang Jin, standing at the entrance, wasn¡¯t focused on Cao Bin but looked solemnly into the distance. On a high tower a kilometer away, a man dressed in black with his hair tied up was drawing a bow, the arrow¡¯s Cold Light glowing as he locked onto Wang Jin. The moment Wang Jin saw this figure, he knew who it was. It was Cao Rong, the very Cao Rong he had just mentioned! Immediately, Wang Jin felt a sinking feeling inside. ¡°This is going to be trouble!¡± The moment he saw Cao Rong appear, he knew this matter had become complicated. He was not afraid of anyone else from the Cao family, except for Cao Rong. Because several years ago, when Cao Rong became a Military Scholar, he was on the same level, both possessing Seventh Grade strength. Several years had passed since then, and even if Cao Rong hadn¡¯t reached the Sixth Rank, he was undoubtedly no weaker than him. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Most likely, he also had achieved Refining Muscle Mastery, able to unleash ninety percent of his power with each movement. Furthermore, being more than ten years younger than him, youth represented capital and confidence on the path of Martial Arts. Youth fears the strong. Once one ages, bodily functions decline, Qi-Blood weakens, making extraordinary strengths difficult to advance, and possibly even degenerate. Cao Rong was now thirty-five, possibly at the peak physical condition for most Martial Artists. While he was over fifty, already showing signs of decline. Immediately, Wang Jin comforted himself inwardly. Luckily! Luckily, he had recently started the Inner Elixir Cultivation Health Care Technique, refining his organs and enhancing their function. Currently, he felt his physical condition and organ function were akin to someone aged between forty to forty-five. He might still be able to contend with Cao Rong! Then, he recalled the force transmitted to his shoulder just now from Jiang Ning, mighty like a tsunami through the Nine Layers of Strength. Thinking of this, he reaffirmed his inner decision. Even if it meant turning against the Cao family, he had to protect Jiang Ning. With such talent, Jiang Ning was worth such a sacrifice. ¡­.. ¡°Wang Jin, let my younger brother go!¡± Atop the high tower, Cao Rong spoke, his voice thundering in all directions, also clearly reaching the ears of everyone inside the martial arts hall. Hearing this sound like rolling thunder, the crowd looked up, immediately spotting Cao Rong standing firm on the tower, drawing his bow. ¡°It¡¯s him! Cao Rong!!!¡± someone exclaimed in shock. Hearing this name, the crowd gathered outside Canglang Martial Arts Hall quickly dispersed, retreating to the surroundings. Seeing this scene, they knew that intense conflict might erupt here shortly. Two of Luoshui County¡¯s top experts were about to engage in fierce battle. This kind of top-level combat was something the residents of the Inner City had heard of, aware that the aftermath could be deadly. In such powerful confrontations, even a mere stone splintered from the center could possess the force to crush a commoner¡¯s skull. At this moment. Wang Jin heard Cao Rong¡¯s words and laughed heartily. ¡°As you wish!¡± He then raised his hand and threw, the mighty Cao Bin being tossed out like a little chick, shooting straight towards a stone pillar outside the martial arts hall. Boom¡ª The pillar collapsed instantly, and Cao Bin¡¯s momentum did not stop, his body scraping against the ground, tiles flying and shattering. From atop the tower, Cao Rong watched this scene, his gaze cold as a blade. ¡°Wang Jin, you¡¯re courting death!¡± He shouted softly. Bang¡ª The bowstring vibrated, and the arrow broke through the air in an instant. In that moment, white traces appeared at the tail of the arrow. Seeing this, Jiang Ning¡¯s expression became extremely grave. This was¡­ a sonic boom! The white trace from the arrow clearly indicated a sonic boom. This meant the arrow had exceeded a speed of three hundred sixty meters per second as soon as it was released! Seeing this, Jiang Ning gained a deeper understanding of the terror posed by Martial Arts Strongmen. Such an arrow didn¡¯t even need to strike a vital point. Within a hundred paces, its power was probably no different than a sniper rifle from his previous life. Then, the trail of white caused by the arrow¡¯s flight disappeared halfway through its path. One breath later, the arrow had already reached in front of Wang Jin. Seeing the arrow heading straight for him, Wang Jin shook his head, moved his feet, and easily dodged the arrow, then stood behind a stone pillar. Wang Jin then laughed loudly, ¡°Cao Rong, if you want to avenge your younger brother, then come down and fight! Who are you trying to scare with that thing?¡± At this point, Cao Rong also put down the strong bow in his hand and leaped from the tower with one hand. His figure then swiftly closed in on Wang Jin like the wind. Upon reaching a distance of three hundred meters, he drew the bow again, the arrow tip flashing with cold light, firmly targeting Wang Jin behind the pillar. Being targeted by this arrow, Wang Jin felt like he was facing a great enemy. A kilometer away, he was fearless of Cao Rong¡¯s arrows. After all, at such a distance, it took one breath for the arrow to reach him. Moreover, by the time the arrow was halfway, its force had greatly diminished, the sound trailing behind it. But now the distance was entirely different. At a distance of three hundred meters, once the string was released, the sound would come after, but the arrow would arrive first. The arrow led, and the whistling sound followed. Moreover, at a distance of three hundred meters, the speed was terrifyingly fast; it would take less than a third of a breath for the arrow tip to reach him. With Cao Rong¡¯s strength, and his mastery of archery, he could unleash an impact far beyond that of Cao Rong himself. At such a distance, Cao Rong¡¯s shot was something he dared not receive directly. Archery experts were the most dreaded existence. Once they took advantage of the terrain and atmosphere, they could turn the tide from a position of weakness. This was what Wang Jin feared the most. Cao Rong was a Military Scholar of Great Xia; anyone who passed the martial arts examination and gained fame was an archery expert. In the martial arts examination, archery was an essential subject. The next moment. Wang Jin¡¯s eyes firmly fixed on the arrow rushing toward him. Boom¡ª As the arrow hit the pillar, it abruptly exploded, and then the fine iron arrow still continued relentless toward Wang Jin. Wang Jin¡¯s figure suddenly moved, barely avoiding this extremely lethal arrow. The arrow grazed Wang Jin¡¯s cheek, instantly causing several strands of his hair to float down, despite his Refining Skin Mastery, his skin as tough as bronze. The airwave carried by the arrow scraped against his skin, making it painfully sting. ¡°Archery is indeed terrifying!¡± ¡°The pressure it places on me under the open sky is so intense,¡± thought Wang Jin. Immediately, his eyes condensed again as he saw Cao Rong¡¯s charging figure, quick as a blur. The bowstring was again fully drawn. This arrow¡¯s target was no longer Wang Jin, but instead firmly locked on Jiang Ning. This was naturally known to Cao Rong. He also knew that Wang Jin, despite the risk of falling out with the Cao family, stood up because of Jiang Ning. At this moment, Cao Rong didn¡¯t ponder why Jiang Ning was worth Wang Jin¡¯s actions. He only knew that since Wang Jin valued Jiang Ning so much, if he found it difficult to deal with the agile Wang Jin, then he would target the person Wang Jin was compelled to save. That person was Jiang Ning. Chapter 74 - 4 Cao Rong’s Apprehension! Chapter 74: Chapter 4 Cao Rong¡¯s Apprehension! Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Wang Jin saw Cao Rong in the distance, his bowstring fully drawn. ¡°Not good!¡± He felt a thud in his heart. The next moment, Wang Jin¡¯s figure suddenly burst forth, covering a distance of three zhang in one step. Swoosh¡ª A constable¡¯s long saber was instantaneously snatched from his hand by Wang Jin. At this moment, Cao Rong¡¯s bowstring was released again. Thud¡ª The arrow cleaved through the wind and waves, trailing a long white tail, heading straight for the facade of Jiang Ning. Now, at a distance of less than two hundred meters, it would only take about one quarter of a breath for Cao Rong¡¯s arrow to reach the facade of Jiang Ning at such a blistering speed. At this moment, Jiang Ning had no time to think too much, his Qi-Blood instantly permeated his legs, and all the muscles and bones in his body erupted with full force. Even his internal organs were fully functioning, bursting with potential, providing him with overloaded support. ¡°Faster!¡± ¡°Even faster!!¡± Noticing the arrow heading straight for him, this was the only thought in Jiang Ning¡¯s mind. Facing this arrow from Cao Rong, he could only do his best to dodge. He had no right to block it directly. This type of arrow, capable of creating a sonic boom, would tear flesh and scatter blood even with a mere graze, let alone a direct hit. On the other side, After Wang Jin had snatched the saber, his body seemed to lack any inertia, instantly changing direction, the long saber in hand as he leaped. His gaze was firmly fixed on the arrow that tore through the air. Suddenly, Five Layers of power overlaid. Hum¡ª With the immense power bolstering it, the blade vibrated ceaselessly. ¡°Break¡ª¡± Wang Jin burst into a shout, and the long saber in his hand chopped directly at the incoming arrowhead. At that moment, the air currents were parted by Wang Jin like flowing water. Then, the moment the blade met the arrowhead. Boom¡ª A roaring sound echoed in mid-air. Under the impact of the arrow, Wang Jin¡¯s figure was blasted in the opposite direction from which the arrow came. At this moment, the long saber in his hand was already ruined, twisted out of the shape of a saber. Wang Jin¡¯s right arm hidden beneath his robes was also trembling slightly. ¡°The power of a single arrow, truly fearsome indeed. No wonder he is the Cao family¡¯s prodigious talent! He has already stepped into the Martial Arts Seventh Grade, a strongman at the Refining Muscle stage!¡± Wang Jin felt a bit shocked in his heart. At this time, his arm felt somewhat powerless, and his tiger¡¯s mouth was numb. He could feel that, facing arrows of this intensity, he could at most directly block two or three more. If it were a normal situation, facing Cao Rong¡¯s archery, he could simply dodge without blocking, primarily focusing on dodging. He could even use the technique of using power to lead, applying the principle of using four ounces to redirect a thousand pounds. But now it was impossible because Cao Rong had already seen through him. Jiang Ning was his vulnerability; as long as Cao Rong aimed at Jiang Ning, he had to block directly. Wang Jin gave a somewhat grim and bitter smile in his heart. He hadn¡¯t felt this kind of frustration in a long time. He wished he could directly rush over and let Cao Rong witness his true strength. The Canglang Blade Skill, when fully mastered, could let him stack five layers of power in an eruption, which in Wang Jin¡¯s eyes was enough to dominate peers of his level. If he got close, just one explosive strike would determine the victor. But at this moment, Wang Jin could only think about it in his mind. Unless he no longer cared about Jiang Ning¡¯s life and death, he could not rush out of the Martial Arts Hall¡¯s gate. On the other side, Cao Rong smiled, ¡°As expected, that minor character Jiang Ning is your old man¡¯s Achilles¡¯ heel! I didn¡¯t expect it! You, old man, place such importance on this child that you¡¯d go so far as to turn against my Cao family.¡± His gaze suddenly intensified, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, no matter the reason, this boy cannot be left alive!¡± Following that, Cao Rong once again drew his bowstring taut, the arrow firmly fixed on Jiang Ning with a confident look on his face. Archery strongmen, their favorite scenario is precisely this one. Having someone the adversary must save means the adversary can neither close the distance nor choose to dodge, forced to confront head-on. Under such circumstances, not to mention Wang Jin was merely another Seventh Grade Mastery Martial Arts strongman like him. Even facing a Martial Arts Sixth Grade strongman, he dared to engage in battle. With a vulnerability present, a high-skilled archer like him was inherently in an invincible position, able to exploit the vulnerability to strike aggressively or retreat and attack the vulnerability, making it impossible for the opponent to pursue. This was an overwhelming advantage. Just at this moment, Suddenly, a strong sense of palpitation engulfed Cao Rong, and he could feel that he was currently in a situation where pulling one hair could move the whole body. If he dared to let go, he would unleash a force powerful enough to crush him. The next moment, Cao Rong turned his gaze toward a direction on the street below. ¡°Shen Congyun!¡± his pupils contracted. Then he saw a woman in green clothing beside Shen Congyun, his pupils tightened again: ¡°Lin Qingyi!¡± ¡°Why did the two deputy masters of Wanhua Building suddenly appear, and why was Shen Congyun¡¯s aura locked onto me?¡± Cao Rong¡¯s gaze once again fell on Shen Congyun, settling on the green leaf between his fingers. He saw that the green leaf was enveloped by a white mist, causing his pupils to contract once again. ¡°Inner Breath!¡± ¡°This is¡­ Inner Breath!!!¡± At that moment, Cao Rong felt an overwhelming sense of alarm. As the chosen son of the Cao family who had left Luoshui County to participate in the Martial Examinations at Dongling City, he naturally recognized that the green leaf Shen Congyun was pinching was filled with Inner Breath. The Inner Breath cultivated by Shen Congyun. Once Inner Breath adhered to a leaf, even an ordinary fluttering leaf could shatter stone and sever metal. Moreover, it could change direction in midair, striking invisibly. How could he not know now that he was clearly targeted by Shen Congyun¡¯s aura? If he dared to release this arrow, it would trigger a chain reaction, causing the leaf in Shen Congyun¡¯s hand to shoot straight at his face. Normally, Inner Breath symbolizes the realm of Martial Arts Fifth Grade. He knew that as soon as Shen Congyun made a move, just with the Inner Breath wrapped around that leaf, he would either be gravely injured or killed. And this represented Shen Congyun¡¯s intention, a warning to him. At the same time. Seeing Cao Rong look his way, Shen Congyun revealed a slight smile. His lips moved slightly, and although the sound did not seem to travel through the air, it immediately rang in Cao Rong¡¯s ears. ¡°Cao Rong, how about you do me a favor? How about sparing that young man¡¯s life?¡± Upon hearing this, Cao Rong¡¯s mind whirled with thoughts. He then slowly relaxed the string he had been pulling back and completely stopped. ¡°Since Building Owner Shen has spoken, I should indeed give him this respect!¡± Cao Rong laughed. He hung his bow and arrow on his back and then jumped down from the rooftop, walking towards Shen Congyun. On the other side. Lin Qingyi frowned as she watched Shen Congyun. ¡°Have you thought this through? By suddenly stepping into the conflict of Luoshui County, you are violating a major taboo of the building owner, and you will be punished.¡± Shen Congyun smiled lightly: ¡°Sister Qingyi, since I have chosen to step in, I have naturally thought through the consequences.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand!¡± Lin Qingyi shook her head: ¡°How could such a young newcomer, who hasn¡¯t even made his mark in Martial Arts, be worth your intervention.¡± Shen Congyun shook his head with a smile: ¡°What¡¯s there to understand or not understand? I just found the lad likable and pitiful, so I decided to help him out.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem like that kind of person to me!¡± Lin Qingyi shook her head, but she did not continue to question. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She had worked with Shen Congyun for many years and knew some aspects of his temperament and character well. Pressing him on matters he chose to keep quiet was meaningless. Yet at this moment, her heart was filled with intense curiosity about Jiang Ning. It was this curiosity that had made her follow Shen Congyun out of Wanhua Building just now. She really wanted to see what was different about Jiang Ning that prompted Shen Congyun to break the building¡¯s rules and step in to extricate Jiang Ning from his predicament. The potential repercussions were severe, and she knew without asking that Shen Congyun would certainly face punishment from the building owner afterward. On the other side. Cao Rong¡¯s thoughts were complex and full of doubts. The sudden appearance of Shen Congyun and Lin Qingyi, two building masters of Wanhua Building, was completely unexpected. Especially Shen Congyun¡¯s intentions, which he could not comprehend. Wanhua Building¡¯s eternal neutrality was the root of its expansion across the Thirty-Six Prefectures of the Great Xia. Shen Congyun¡¯s actions today were a clear violation of the rules set by Wanhua Building. He could not understand this at all. Especially because Shen Congyun had acted for such a nondescript youth, someone whom he saw as very unremarkable. This made him even more baffled! He then thought of Wang Jin¡¯s performance today. ¡°Could it be that this young man is actually an undiscovered prodigy?¡± A moment later. Cao Rong appeared in front of Shen Congyun. ¡°Building Owner Shen! Master Lin!¡± Cao Rong greeted with a bow. Shen Congyun showed a smile: ¡°I must thank Brother Cao for giving me some face.¡± Cao Rong immediately laughed, as though the earlier tense situation had never existed. He then said: ¡°Since Mr. Shen has spoken, how could I not show respect? But I am curious, Mr. Shen, did you speak up because of the person I was targeting?¡± Shen Congyun nodded slightly: ¡°Yes, him!¡± ¡°I see!¡± Cao Rong showed a sudden realization. ¡°Would Brother Cao join me?¡± Shen Congyun asked. ¡°Together!¡± Cao Rong nodded. Then Cao Rong added: ¡°I am curious, Mr. Shen, what is your relationship with that young man that you would go so far as to stand up for him?¡± Shen Congyun laughed lightly, clearly understanding the real intent behind Cao Rong¡¯s words. He then spoke: ¡°What relationship? I just find the lad likable, that¡¯s all!¡± ¡°Admirable!¡± Cao Rong exclaimed: ¡°Mr. Shen is indeed a man of character!¡± Then Cao Rong sighed lightly and continued: ¡°I was born into the Cao family, nurtured by the clan, but also burdened by familial responsibilities, unable to act as freely as Mr. Shen.¡± Shen Congyun laughed again and said no more. At this moment, Lin Qingyi, the other deputy master of Wanhua Building, quietly followed beside Shen Congyun, silent like a spectator. Then the three walked along the quiet streets, heading directly towards the location of Canglang Martial Arts Hall. The brief conflict had caused the nearby streets to be deserted for a short time, as everyone had already hidden inside their houses to avoid the aftermath. Now, as the commotion outside had subsided, they dared to stealthily peek outside through the cracks of doors and windows. Chapter 75 - 5 All Because of Jiang Ning Chapter 75: Chapter 5 All Because of Jiang Ning In front of the Martial Arts Hall¡¯s main gate. Cao Bin lay on the ground, his fate between life and death unknown. Wang Desheng, the arrest officer who had accompanied him, shrunk against the Martial Arts Hall¡¯s surrounding wall, silent, striving to make his presence as inconspicuous as possible. At this moment, Wang Jin remained as if facing a formidable enemy, not daring to be the slightest bit negligent. Cao Rong suddenly ceased his actions, leaving Wang Jin utterly perplexed. But right now there wasn¡¯t time to think too much, Wang Jin quickly signaled Jiang Ning with his eyes. Jiang Ning instantly understood, and with a swift movement, he arrived behind the compound wall. Based on the location from where Cao Rong had just appeared, his current spot would be within Cao Rong¡¯s field of vision. Unless Cao Rong climbed over the Martial Arts Hall¡¯s wall, there was absolutely no possibility of him discovering Jiang Ning. Hiding behind the wall, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but clench his fists, feeling an extraordinary sense of frustration. He had been mysteriously transported to this world, and just as mysteriously got caught up as an innocent bystander. These days, the Cao family had been oppressing him step by step, leaving him barely able to catch his breath. The oppression forced him to practice his boxing and Martial Arts night and day, all for the capacity to protect himself, to stand tall and proud. As his strength improved, he had thought the day when he could stand up for himself was not far off. Give it some more time, to enter the ranks of Martial Arts, to hold the ceremony to become a disciple, to become a Direct Disciple of Wang Jin. At that time, he felt he would truly be able to escape this suffocating predicament. However, with Cao Rong¡¯s appearance, Jiang Ning realized it wouldn¡¯t be that simple. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Having come this far, the Cao family would not sit idly by and watch his growth. If they understood him as Wang Jin did, doubtless the Cao family would stop at nothing to eliminate him. Unless there was some kind of accident. From today¡¯s actions of the Cao family, he had already seen their true colors. Cao Bin had come to the Martial Arts Hall to capture him, and without thinking, Jiang Ning knew they could no longer wait. Regardless of the reason, it was without question they were unwilling to wait any longer! Thus, they resorted to extreme measures, framing the incident on his older brother Jiang Li, which led to Cao Bin¡¯s move to capture him today. In that moment, Jiang Ning also understood why Xu Yunfeng had dared to strike against him two nights ago. Thinking of these things, Jiang Ning¡¯s fists clenched even tighter. From today¡¯s events, he had realized all the more keenly the powerlessness of ordinary people, the vital importance of having strength in one¡¯s hands. Without sufficient strength and status, sometimes you can¡¯t even live in peace! These days, even though he had the strength to kill Xu Yunfeng, he had restrained himself. Two days ago, when Xu Yunfeng wounded himself and fled, at that moment he could have quietly followed and killed him. But he did not do so. He was holding back. Because he did not want to escalate the situation. All of this was because he was not alone in this world; he also had his older brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family. In his previous life, he had been alone; this life, feeling the presence of family, he did not wish to bring harm to his brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family. Moreover, this life¡¯s name and likeness were nine parts similar to those of his previous life. Whether it was a parallel universe, or awakening the wisdom from his past life. He had already embraced this life¡¯s older brother and sister-in-law. To escalate the conflict, to become enemies with the Cao family, could even potentially set off a chain reaction, becoming enemies with the three major families of Luoshui County. Even if he could escape Luoshui County, relying on his own miraculous abilities, he was confident that in a few years, he could come back and exact his revenge on them one by one. But to what end? His brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family would all be needlessly sacrificed for his own actions. Big Brother Jiang Li would die, sister-in-law Liuu Wanwan would die, and not to mention his niece Little Dumpling and nephew Jiang Yiming¡ªthere would be absolutely no room for recourse. At that time, for having done such a deed, he knew without thinking that he would inevitably become a wanted criminal in Great Xia. He would have embarked upon a path with no guarantees for tomorrow, a path filled with endless bloodshed. That was why he had been patient, waiting until his strength was sufficient and his status high enough. By then, the Cao family would naturally give up using Jiang Li as a pawn in their struggle against the County Lord. Even if his identity as Wang Jin wasn¡¯t enough, once he joined the Inspection Office and had the support of this towering entity. Coupled with the fact that his conflict with the Cao family had not intensified, it would be enough to extricate his brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family from this vortex and fend for themselves. He would also be able to use the position and wealth he had fought for to repay the kindness his brother and sister-in-law had shown him. Afterward, he would be able to slowly grow and increase his own strength. As for the future, once he had power in his hands, he would no longer need to be concerned about all this. But the events of today had informed Jiang Ning that it was already too late! Without needing to think, he knew that since Cao Bin had personally come to catch him, other people would definitely be trying to catch his brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family. Right now, his brother and sister-in-law might already be on their way to prison, or possibly already trapped behind bars. And for himself, if it hadn¡¯t been for Wang Jin¡¯s prior attention, with Wang Jin standing in front of him, He might have also found himself on the path of a fugitive. Even now, despite Wang Jin¡¯s consideration, Jiang Ning knew he himself was not safe. It would even be more accurate to say he was in extreme danger. Cao Rong was a being countless times more powerful than Cao Bin. Now that he was targeted by Cao Rong, especially as Cao Rong was a Martial Arts Seventh Grade strongman skilled in archery, it was incredibly terrifying. In Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes, a martial arts strongman proficient in archery could amplify their effectiveness several times over if they had the geographical advantage. No different from a sniper from his previous life! And now, he was targeted by such a frightening individual. Moreover, Cao Rong possessed scholarly honors, having joined and successfully secured the title of Military Scholar in the Child Test of Dongling City at the age of thirty. As far as Jiang Ning knew, this man held a position in Dongling City. Right at this moment, he had never craved power and status more desperately than now. If he had enough strength, in this world where great power belonged to the individual, he could act arbitrarily. Just like the legendary Great Xia Martial Saint, the only Martial Saint of his time. When it came to status, that Martial Saint¡¯s status was far above that of the current emperor. This was a universally known fact, a matter disclosed publicly. This is a world where great power belongs to the individual. So at this moment, Jiang Ning had an immense longing for power. With strength, he would not be limited by his current predicament. Moreover, if he had enough status, he would also not be limited by his current predicament. Status and hierarchy are an unchanging truth through the ages. They are also the essence of society. If he had become a True Disciple of Wang Jin much earlier and taken him as his mentor, How could he have found himself in this situation today? How could he have been drawn into this whirlpool? Regardless of the power struggle between the three great families and the County Lord, his different status would have prevented him from being pulled into this vortex. And if he joined the Inspection Office soon after, with the backing of the Great Xia Court, leaning on that towering giant. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, he would also be immune from his current predicament. But as it stood, it seemed as though everything might be too late. ¡­ Time passed, breath by breath. Suddenly. Tap tap tap¡ª Footsteps falling upon stone tiles entered Wang Jin¡¯s ears. Outside the Martial Arts Hall, three figures emerged from a clean and flat alley. These three were none other than Cao Rong, Shen Congyun, and Lin Qingyi. Upon seeing these three, Wang Desheng outside the Martial Arts Hall first appeared startled, then spoke. ¡°Lord Cao!¡± ¡°Building Owner Shen!¡± ¡°Master Lin!¡± Hearing the words ¡°Lord Cao,¡± Wang Jin¡¯s heart instantly tightened, and his muscles braced for battle at a moment¡¯s notice. However, the next moment, when he heard the titles ¡°Building Owner Shen¡± and ¡°Master Lin,¡± his expression suddenly paused, and his tense body relaxed. In Luoshui County, who else could be addressed as Building Owner Shen and Master Lin? Only Wanhua Building¡¯s two deputy owners, Shen Congyun and Lin Qingyi, were entitled to such honorifics. Just then. Shen Congyun¡¯s voice rang out in Wang Jin¡¯s ears. ¡°Brother Wang, I¡¯m here; bring Jiang Ning out!¡± Hearing this, Wang Jin¡¯s face showed astonishment. Hearing the name Jiang Ning from Shen Congyun¡¯s mouth greatly surprised him. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, and he recalled the recent meeting between Shen Congyun and the disciples of the Martial Arts Hall. Then he considered the current situation where Shen Congyun and Cao Rong had come together, and how Cao Rong had suddenly ceased hostilities. Wang Jin¡¯s mind suddenly came to a realization. ¡°So it was Mr. Shen¡¯s intervention that made Cao Rong cease his actions!¡± As this thought arose, he suddenly felt something was amiss. According to Wanhua Building¡¯s rules, Shen Congyun, as the deputy owner of Luoshui County¡¯s Wanhua Building, was not allowed to enter the fray of the major powers¡¯ disputes. Such an action was contrary to the rules of Wanhua Building. Thinking of this, Wang Jin was immediately filled with doubts. He glanced again at Jiang Ning. Then, he silently shook his head in his heart. Forget it! I can¡¯t be bothered to think anymore! For now, it seems to be a good thing! The next moment. Wang Jin spoke, ¡°Jiang Ning, come with me! Building Owner Shen is here; he¡¯s likely to help you!¡± With those words, the disciples hiding in the Martial Arts Hall were suddenly shocked as they looked at Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning himself was also full of surprise. Shen Congyun had come? And he was here to help him? How could that be possible? Wang Jin¡¯s words were far beyond his expectations. He had never spoken a word with such a high-status individual as Shen Congyun before. He had only met Shen Congyun once a few days ago, and since then, he had not seen him again. Let alone any actual interaction. Moreover, as he understood, Wanhua Building never interfered in any local power struggles. If what Wang Jin said was true, that Shen Congyun had come to help him, it undoubtedly meant that Shen Congyun was willing to break Wanhua Building¡¯s rules on his behalf. But why? Jiang Ning was utterly bewildered at this moment. But remembering the sudden shift in the situation, with Cao Rong holding all the advantages but then suddenly stopping, taking on a calm demeanor, it seemed impossible that no unexpected events or intervention from powerful third-party figures had occurred in between. Considering this, it appeared to align with what Wang Jin was saying now. In Luoshui County, only a handful of people had the power to make Cao Rong back down. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, Shen Congyun might well have such influence to be one of them. With this doubt in mind, Jiang Ning followed Wang Jin¡¯s steps, heading outside the Martial Arts Hall. ¡­ Outside the Martial Arts Hall. Shen Congyun and the other two approached Cao Bin. Upon seeing Cao Rong¡¯s arrival, Cao Bin no longer feigned death and opened his eyes. Cao Rong looked at the wounds on his younger brother Cao Bin¡¯s body, his eyebrows slightly knitting. Wang Jin¡¯s strength had greatly surprised him. At that moment, Shen Congyun squatted down in front of Cao Bin. He placed his hand on Cao Bin and suddenly Cao Bin¡¯s face turned to shock, his eyes widening as he stared at Shen Congyun. ¡°Shen¡­ Building Owner Shen, is this¡­ Inner Breath¡­?!¡± Shen Congyun nodded slightly. A few breaths later, Cao Bin¡¯s complexion looked much better. Shen Congyun reached into his bosom and handed a small white jade porcelain bottle to Cao Bin. ¡°Take one and swallow it; these pills can help accelerate the healing of your wounds.¡± Cao Bin looked at the small white bottle passed to him by Shen Congyun, observing the label on the bottle¡¯s surface. [The Edge of Life and Death] Seeing this label, he was even more astonished. These words, ¡°The Edge of Life and Death, Flesh and Bone,¡± conveyed the potency of the pills. Cao Bin quickly poured out a pill and swallowed it, his complexion instantly filling with color. ¡°Thank you, Building Owner Shen, for your great kindness!¡± Cao Bin struggled to stand and then spoke. Shen Congyun smiled. At this moment, Cao Rong, witnessing the scene, understood something clearer. Just how much Shen Congyun valued Jiang Ning. ¡°Sigh¡ª¡± ¡°It is what it is!¡± In his heart, he sighed, having made his decision. Chapter 76 - 6 Give Some Respect Chapter 76: Chapter 6 Give Some Respect Canglang Martial Arts Hall entrance. Jiang Ning and Wang Jin walked out of the great gate of the Martial Arts Hall and saw Shen Congyun, Cao Rong, and Lin Qingyi appearing at the site. Wang Jin first gave Cao Rong a grave look and then greeted Shen Congyun and Lin Qingyi. Jiang Ning also saluted the two. At that moment, Shen Congyun¡¯s gaze swept over Jiang Ning before nodding toward Wang Jin. Lin Qingyi, however, was different, her gaze firmly fixed on Jiang Ning, scrutinizing him from head to toe. ¡°He¡¯s certainly not bad-looking!¡± ¡°But Shen Congyun isn¡¯t me, his preferences are very normal, so he wouldn¡¯t actively enter the fray and risk punishment just for this.¡± ¡°But he doesn¡¯t seem to have anything special either?¡± ¡°Starting martial arts at this age, too late! He has but small success in Qi-Blood and is still far from joining the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade.¡± ¡°With such performance, why would Shen Congyun value him so highly?¡± At this very moment, Lin Qingyi was filled with incomprehensible doubt in her heart. After seeing Jiang Ning with her own eyes, she still couldn¡¯t understand why Shen Congyun would do such a thing. On the other side. Shen Congyun, with a placid face, spoke to Cao Rong: ¡°Brother Cao, since everyone is present today, why not give me some face and let the matter drop? How about sparing this youngster?¡± Upon hearing this, Cao Rong looked deeply at Jiang Ning. Then he smiled, ¡°Since Mr. Shen has spoken, I will definitely have my third brother investigate thoroughly when I return.¡± ¡°This youngster is associated with Mr. Shen, so I don¡¯t believe his elder brother would be the type to collude with the God Worship Sect. It must be a mistake in the investigation, the wrong person was apprehended!¡± ¡°Right? Third brother!¡± Cao Rong said the last part as he turned his head to speak to Cao Bin beside him. At this moment, Cao Bin, having his injuries internally combed by Shen Congyun¡¯s Inner Breath and after consuming a healing elixir, was in much better shape. He nodded continuously after hearing his eldest brother¡¯s words. ¡°What my brother said is true, it must be negligence in the investigation by our subordinates. I¡¯ve always known Jiang Li as a man of honesty and integrity; it¡¯s not possible for him to be that sort of person.¡± Then he patted his chest, saying to Shen Congyun, ¡°Building Owner Shen, rest assured, I will go back and release them immediately, and ensure a thorough investigation to bring justice to Jiang Li.¡± ¡°After the investigation is complete, if a mistake was made, I will personally visit to apologize.¡± Watching Cao Rong and Cao Bin¡¯s commitments, Shen Congyun nodded slightly. ¡°With your few words, I am relieved!¡± Then he turned to Jiang Ning with a smile, ¡°Will you come with me?¡± Hearing that, Jiang Ning quickly followed his steps. At that time, Cao Rong watched the retreating figures, his eyes subtly shifting. The next moment, he turned to Cao Bin and said, ¡°Clean up, and let¡¯s return.¡± ¡°Yes, big brother!¡± Cao Bin responded with a respectful demeanor. Afterward, Cao Rong turned to Wang Jin, ¡°Master Wang, my apologies for today¡¯s offense!¡± He bowed slightly toward Wang Jin and then turned to leave. Cao Bin hurriedly arranged for Xu Yunfeng to take everyone back and then quickly followed Cao Rong. ¡­ After leaving Canglang Martial Arts Hall by some distance, Cao Bin began, ¡°Big brother, are we really going to release Jiang Li and his family?¡± ¡°Release them!¡± Cao Rong said coldly, ¡°Shen Congyun has spoken, and we can¡¯t disregard his face!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Cao Bin hesitated, then said, ¡°But isn¡¯t Wanhua Building not allowed to get involved in local power struggles? As a Vice Building Owner here, Shen Congyun¡¯s actions today will surely be punished by Wanhua Building¡¯s headquarters, are we really going to let it go?¡± Cao Rong abruptly stopped, his gaze as cold as ice fixing on Cao Bin. ¡°I said release them! Do you not understand!!¡± Feeling Cao Rong¡¯s gaze, Cao Bin shuddered and cowered. ¡°Yes, big brother!¡± ¡­ On the other side. Shen Congyun led Jiang Ning to an empty lakeside. With a gesture from Shen Congyun¡¯s gaze, Lin Qingyi stood in the distance, seemingly admiring the lake¡¯s scenery but was actually giving the two enough space for a conversation. ¡°Do you know why I¡¯m helping you?¡± Shen Congyun stood by the lake, presenting his back to Jiang Ning. ¡°I do not know!¡± Jiang Ning replied, then respectfully saluted, ¡°But no matter the reason, the junior still has to thank the senior for today¡¯s great favor!¡± After speaking, Jiang Ning gave Shen Congyun a respectful bow. Shen Congyun turned around and slightly nodded. Then he asked, ¡°You¡¯ve cultivated the Inner Elixir Cultivation Technique, haven¡¯t you?¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning was taken aback for a moment, then quickly regained composure and nodded to Shen Congyun. ¡°Senior is correct, I cultivated the Inner Elixir Cultivation Technique a few days ago.¡± ¡°Have you reached the entry level yet?¡± Shen Congyun inquired further. Jiang Ning nodded again, ¡°I have entered.¡± ¡°How long did it take you to reach the entry level?¡± Shen Congyun asked once more. Upon hearing several consecutive questions from Shen Congyun, Jiang Ning suddenly realized something. After pondering for less than one breath in his heart, he made such a decision to reveal the truth. Afterward, he honestly said, ¡°Roughly a week¡¯s time.¡± A week? Upon hearing this response, Shen Congyun¡¯s pupils suddenly constricted, his eyes revealing an incredulous look. The next moment, his expression concealed itself, and he regained his composure. ¡°A week¡¯s time is not bad,¡± Shen Congyun nodded slightly, then he continued, ¡°Do you know why I would help you?¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°I have some guesses, but I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re correct. It¡¯s probably related to the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill that Senior just mentioned.¡± Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Shen Congyun¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re not stupid.¡± Afterward, Shen Congyun continued, ¡°The Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill was something I presented to Wang Jin two months ago. Wang Jin is one of the few with Innate Spiritual Wisdom, especially suited to practice the profound Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill.¡± At this point, Shen Congyun¡¯s gaze fixed on Jiang Ning. ¡°I did not expect that by some fortuitous encounter, I would discover your existence, another with Innate Spiritual Wisdom.¡± Jiang Ning, feeling further shocked upon hearing Shen Congyun¡¯s words. A profound skill? The Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill is actually a profound skill? And what exactly is someone with Innate Spiritual Wisdom? He suddenly remembered his predecessor, besieged by followers of the God Worship Sect during his final moments, where the term ¡®Innate Spiritual Wisdom¡¯ cropped up in conversation. At this moment. Shen Congyun, observing Jiang Ning¡¯s contemplative gaze, smiled slightly. ¡°I can see you have many questions in your heart. Ask anything you wish.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning came back to his senses. ¡°Senior, is the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill truly a profound skill?¡± Shen Congyun nodded slightly, ¡°Correct, it is indeed a profound skill. It is a skill transformed from the cultivation techniques of Immortals from Ancient Times. To learn this profound skill, the necessary condition is that only those with Innate Spiritual Wisdom can master it.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded. Some understanding dawned in his heart. So that¡¯s how it is! So the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill is a profound skill, no wonder the Experience Value required to elevate my realm is ten times that of other skills. Looking at it this way, the Experience Value needed to break through a profound skill will increase substantially. Afterward, he asked, ¡°Senior, what exactly is someone with Innate Spiritual Wisdom?¡± Shen Congyun said, ¡°You can consider it a type of talent, an innate talent. During Ancient Times, only those with Innate Spiritual Wisdom could embark on the path of becoming an Immortal. ¡°Because the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill comes from a special source, only those with Innate Spiritual Wisdom can learn it.¡± ¡°That is also the reason I lend you a hand.¡± ¡°Your talent in Martial Arts is not bad; you might be quite pleased with yourself for achieving small success in Qi-Blood in half a month locally, but throughout the entirety of Great Xia, it¡¯s only considered decent!¡± ¡°What makes you most special is your extremely high Spiritual Wisdom, allowing you to enter the threshold of Inner Elixir Cultivation in just one week.¡± ¡°I see potential in your future, hence I offer my assistance.¡± Jiang Ning bowed with his hands clasped, ¡°Thank you for the clarification, Junior understands.¡± Shen Congyun said, ¡°Today I help you, not without seeking something in return.¡± ¡°Senior, please speak; whatever Junior can do, I¡¯ll not shirk,¡± Jiang Ning said. Shen Congyun laughed, ¡°What I seek is a favor from you, you owe me a favor.¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning said, ¡°Senior¡¯s great kindness today, not just one favor, even ten favors, or more, is a blessing for me.¡± Shen Congyun said, ¡°I only need one favor, a favor from you in the future.¡± He then continued, ¡°You are even more suited to practice the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill than I am, or than Wang Jin is. With your high Spiritual Wisdom, this cultivation technique will assuredly reach Great Success in your hands. Perhaps there will come a day when I need to ask something of you! I hope you¡¯ll still remember the words we spoke today.¡± Jiang Ning clasped his hands and said, ¡°When the day comes that Senior has any needs, just speak up, and Junior will give it my all.¡± Shen Congyun heard this and smiled. Then he took out several golden sheets from his bosom. ¡°The following cultivation methods for the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill are recorded here, but only those that break through to Great Success.¡± ¡°As for the Perfect Method of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, I do not possess it.¡± ¡°However, even the Great Success of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill will be enough for you to achieve the level of Inner Strength Great Success, Five Internal Organs Thunder Sound, Inner Breath Like Gang in the future.¡± ¡°Having access to methods of stepping into the Fifth Grade in advance, refining your internal organs, mastering Inner Breath will expand the upper limit of your future prospects.¡± ¡°I hope you will not let down my expectations.¡± Looking at the golden sheets handed to him, Jiang Ning blinked in surprise, then took the sheets that recorded the subsequent cultivation methods of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. ¡°Senior rest assured, Junior will try twice as hard.¡± Shen Congyun said, ¡°Take them back, commit them to memory and understanding; after memorizing everything, come to Wanhua Building to find me. You must come by tomorrow at the latest, as there are some matters and things I need to explain to you.¡± ¡°Remember! You must come as soon as possible; if you¡¯re late, you might not see me, and for a very long time in the future, you won¡¯t be able to see me.¡± Jiang Ning carefully tucked away the golden sheets of Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill close to himself. ¡°Senior rest assured, Junior will memorize everything promptly.¡± Shen Congyun then added, ¡°From today, you can walk out without worries; you need not concern yourself with the Cao family anymore. Since I have spoken today, Cao Rong will give me this much face.¡± Jiang Ning bowed again, ¡°For today¡¯s matters, thank you, Senior. I also convey my elder brother¡¯s thanks to you.¡± Shen Congyun smiled, then turned and left. Then, his voice echoed once more in Jiang Ning¡¯s ears. ¡°Remember, commit the subsequent cultivation methods of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill to memory, then come to Wanhua Building to find me as soon as possible!¡± Seeing this, surprise appeared in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. This is¡­ the Sound Transmission into Secret Skill? No wonder Senior Shen, such a distinguished person, could so confidently claim that the Cao family would give him this much face. Chapter 77 - 7 The Dust Settles Chapter 77: Chapter 7 The Dust Settles By the lake. Watching Shen Congyun and Lin Qingyi depart, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze returned to the few golden papers in his hand. The continuation of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill? This should also be helpful to me. Shortly after. He meticulously read through the golden papers detailing the continuation of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [¡­] In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he had finished reading the contents of the few golden papers. With his unforgettable memory, the contents were deeply etched into his mind like carvings. ¡°After entering the gate, you still need to breathe and release the Essence Qi of the Great Sun to temper your organs, but the Sun¡¯s Essence Qi after sunrise is wildly intense, difficult for ordinary people to withstand. Indeed, there is a guiding method,¡± Jiang Ning mumbled to himself. He felt somewhat excited. With a guiding method, from now on, the efficiency of his daily breathing and releasing the Great Sun Essence Qi to temper his organs would greatly increase. As a result, the efficiency of gaining experience would also increase, and the time for further breakthroughs in the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill would be shortened due to the enhanced rate of gaining experience. This would undoubtedly make the speed of his strength increase faster. You should know, the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill is an exceptional skill, a supreme skill for tempering the organs. Normally, Inner Strength is a realm only reached at the Martial Arts Fifth Grade. In this realm, tempering the organs and being fearless in prolonged battles, one has enduring strength and can condense Inner Breath to strike enemies from a distance. The powerful ones can condense Inner Breath as solid as steel, capable of breaking through a thousand armors with a single sword. Although this supreme skill lacks the Perfect Method, based on Jiang Ning¡¯s reading, if he could only break through the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill to Great Success. He would be able to reach the level of organ thunder sound and Inner Breath Like Gang. At this moment. After finishing reading, Jiang Ning also realized why Shen Congyun had helped him. Because his Inner Elixir Cultivation had reached the introductory level. A supreme skill, breaking through the entrance in such a short time, in Jiang Ning¡¯s view, should be the reason Shen Congyun helped him. Perhaps in Shen Congyun¡¯s eyes, his Inner Elixir Cultivation might successfully break through to Great Success in the future, allowing him to easily step beyond the ranks of the Martial Arts Fifth Grade and enter the Fourth Grade realm. This potential future made Shen Congyun willing to help him at this moment. But even now, with some speculation in his mind, Jiang Ning was still immensely grateful for Shen Congyun¡¯s assistance today. If Shen Congyun hadn¡¯t made a move to help him, today he would have had a difficult time resolving the situation. His elder brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family would likely have died with grievances. Even if he could take revenge in the future, he could at best only soothe the thorn in his heart. With Shen Congyun¡¯s intervention, based on what Cao Rong said just now, his elder brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family should be safe. Thinking about everything that happened today, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but clench his fists. ¡°Without sufficient power, one is like duckweed in the wind, unable to control one¡¯s own life!¡± he sighed inwardly. ¡°Fortunately, Building Owner Shen, such a great figure intervened!¡± Thinking of this, he felt even more fortunate. The next moment. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He grasped the few golden papers detailing the continuation of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill in his hand. ¡°This Cultivation Technique cannot be underestimated, I can¡¯t fall behind!¡± ¡°If in the future I can reach the small success realm, I will condense my Inner Breath ahead of time, and if it¡¯s a Great Success, the Inner Breath will be as solid as Gang, possessing terrifying invincibility.¡± ¡°Then, perhaps I only need to step into the Martial Arts Eighth Grade to have the strength to slay Cao Rong.¡± ¡°And I won¡¯t ever feel powerless like today again!!¡± ¡°The feeling of powerlessness when life and fate are controlled by others!!¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. His gaze fell on the panel. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation (Entry 31/1000) And with the miraculous nature of my panel, even though I lacked the methods after entry, I was still able to accumulate experience for this skill. Now even though I lack the Perfect Method of Inner Elixir Cultivation, maybe with the magic of my panel, I could still achieve breaking through to Perfection of this supreme skill. If I could truly achieve Perfection, then perhaps I would possess incredible might! After all, it is a supreme skill!!! Thinking of this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but yearn. ¡­ Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Watching the appearance of Jiang Ning. Everyone looked at Jiang Ning with envious eyes. ¡°Such good fortune, to be favored by Building Owner Shen!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Several people whispered among themselves. Cheng Ran also looked at Jiang Ning with envious eyes. Then, he approached Jiang Ning. ¡°Brother Jiang, Master Wang said to find him in the backyard when you return.¡± Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°Brother Cheng, thank you just now!¡± Seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s earnest gaze, Cheng Ran thumped Jiang Ning¡¯s chest. ¡°Brother Jiang, you¡¯re too polite. I was still a bit late in informing. Fortunately, Master Wang stepped forward.¡± ¡°And¡­Building Owner Shen also stepped forward to help Brother Jiang!¡± Jiang Ning, upon hearing this, nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes! I¡¯m really indebted to Master and Building Owner Shen for their help, otherwise, I really wouldn¡¯t know what to do!¡± He sighed, then said, ¡°Brother Cheng, I¡¯ll go find Master Wang now!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Cheng Ran nodded. ¡­ Martial Arts Hall¡¯s backyard. ¡°Master!¡± Wang Jin looked at Jiang Ning and nodded slightly, ¡°What are your thoughts today?¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°Without strength, one can only be at the mercy of others!¡± Wang Jin nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right, without strength, one can only be at the mercy of others.¡± At this point, Wang Jin sighed again. ¡°You don¡¯t know, Cao Rong is such a proud person, with official honors and Martial Arts Seventh Grade, and has achieved great success in Refining Muscle. In Luoshui County, his strength is among the top five. He even disdains an old man like me.¡± ¡°But as soon as Building Owner Shen appeared, Cao Rong immediately bowed his head.¡± ¡°That is the status brought by power.¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°Disciple understands, I will double my efforts from now on.¡± Wang Jin smiled, ¡°No need to double your efforts, you are already working hard enough! But remember, there is no end to Martial Arts, even the Martial Saint, who is atop everyone¡¯s head, has not reached the end of Martial Arts.¡± ¡°I hope you can always maintain your original intention, be brave and make vigorous progress, and not become complacent and arrogant when you achieve a certain level of success in the future.¡± Jiang Ning bowed, ¡°Disciple will surely keep Master¡¯s teachings in mind.¡± Hearing this, Wang Jin nodded again slightly. Then he added, ¡°Shen Congyun, as the Vice Building Owner of the Wanhua Building here, is not supposed to engage in local power struggles according to the rules of the Wanhua Building. Today he broke the rules for you; you should remember his favor.¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°Disciple understands! I¡¯m not ungrateful.¡± Wang Jin continued, ¡°But today, Building Owner Shen was willing to risk breaking the rules of the Wanhua Building to help you. This shows his high regard for you, and you must seize this opportunity.¡± ¡°In a lifetime, such great opportunities are rare. Once missed, it¡¯s truly missed, and the regret is irreparable.¡± ¡°Seizing this opportunity is extremely important for you.¡± Jiang Ning nodded again, ¡°Disciple understands! I will definitely remember Master¡¯s teachings.¡± Wang Jin looked at the Jiang Ning before him, nodding with satisfaction. Then, he hesitated and then asked, ¡°Do you know why Building Owner Shen suddenly helped you?¡± Hearing this, sensing Wang Jin¡¯s curiosity, Jiang Ning smiled. Then he said, ¡°Because of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill.¡± Before Jiang Ning could say more, Wang Jin suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill?¡± Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°Yes, because Building Owner Shen saw that I had entered the gateway of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, so he was willing to help me.¡± At this moment, Wang Jin also fully understood. ¡°So that¡¯s why, because of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. Now I understand!¡± He slowly nodded and looked at Jiang Ning again, ¡°A few days ago, you entered the study and must have seen the pages of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill on my desk.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning nodded again, then said, ¡°Disciple secretly practiced this technique. Please punish me, Master!¡± Looking at the bowing Jiang Ning, Wang Jin laughed, ¡°What¡¯s there to punish? What¡¯s the harm in that? It¡¯s a good thing! I also received this special Inner Strength Method from Building Owner Shen because I possess Innate Spiritual Wisdom.¡± ¡°Now you have caught his eye also for this reason.¡± ¡°This really is quite a destiny!¡± Wang Jin looked at Jiang Ning, increasingly pleased. Being valued by Shen Congyun, Jiang Ning¡¯s Martial Arts talent naturally goes without saying, and furthermore, they are of the same kind¡ªthose with Innate Spiritual Wisdom. Having received Shen Congyun¡¯s help now, one could imagine his future achievements would certainly not be low. Then he thought of the scene that had just happened. He had felt the Nine Layers of Strength in Jiang Ning¡¯s body. Thinking this, Wang Jin suddenly spoke. ¡°That¡¯s right, if I didn¡¯t feel wrong just now, you have mastered the Power of the Nine Layers of Strength!¡± Jiang Ning, hearing this, candidly said, ¡°Yes, not long ago, I entered the gateway of the Canglang Blade Skill, mastering the Nine Layers of Strength.¡± Hearing the affirmative answer from Jiang Ning, Wang Jin¡¯s eyes flashed with enlightenment. Even though he had just known about it, hearing those words still made him feel somewhat shocked. He had only shown this secret Martial Arts manuscript to Jiang Ning a few days ago, and now his disciple had mastered the Saber Technique and condensed Power. Thinking of these days Jiang Ning¡¯s conduct and the various events of today, Wang Jin felt more than ever that he had found a treasure. He had actually received such a disciple who could inherit his mantle and make it flourish. Then, Wang Jin said, ¡°Let me feel the Nine Layers of Strength you mastered again.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning placed his palm on Wang Jin¡¯s right arm, a stream of Power through contact between their bodies flowed into Wang Jin¡¯s body. At that moment, Wang Jin felt the enormous power contained in this Power. Indeed it was the Nine Layers of Strength! A surge stirred in Wang Jin¡¯s heart, wildly fluctuating. After a moment, he settled his spirit, looking at the steadfast-standing Jiang Ning before him, his eyes showing a trace of emotion. ¡°Master, what¡¯s wrong?¡± sensing Wang Jin¡¯s emotions, Jiang Ning asked. Wang Jin shook his head, ¡°Nothing! I¡¯ve told you before that if you mastered Power, I would help you. Come see me tomorrow, I will prepare something for you today.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± Jiang Ning, delighted, bowed in salute. Wang Jin then said, ¡°Your strength needs further enhancement. You can¡¯t rely entirely on Building Owner Shen. He broke the rules of the Wanhua Building to help you, and it may not be long before he faces some changes.¡± ¡°Once there are changes, the Cao family may also change their minds, especially after today¡¯s confrontation.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning was thoroughly serious. ¡°Disciple understands!¡± Wang Jin smiled, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so serious; it¡¯s just a possibility after all!¡± Then he waved his hand towards Jiang Ning, ¡°Alright, you can go now! Go about your business!¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Jiang Ning bowed in salute, ready to leave the backyard. ¡°Oh yes!¡± Wang Jin called out again, ¡°You can go home today! With Shen Congyun speaking up, your elder brother and his family should all be released.¡± Jiang Ning nodded, exiting from Wang Jin¡¯s backyard. Chapter 78 - 8 Receiving Benefits Chapter 78: Chapter 8 Receiving Benefits In the courtyard. Jiang Ning stood under the tree, lost in thought. The sudden turn of events today had greatly exceeded his expectations. Whether it was Cao Bin¡¯s sudden arrest, Cao Rong¡¯s intervention, or Shen Congyun¡¯s arrival, all were beyond his anticipation. After a long while. Having reviewed all that had happened, Jiang Ning shook his head to himself. ¡°At its root, it¡¯s because I am too weak! And without power or influence!¡± ¡°Luckily, I¡¯ve caught the attention of a great figure like Shen Congyun.¡± ¡°However, what Wang Jin pointed out is correct! Relying on others is not a sustainable solution. I must become stronger myself.¡± ¡°Moreover, what Wang Jin said makes sense. Shen Congyun¡¯s intervention disrupted the rules of the Wanhua Building.¡± ¡°If he were to be punished by the headquarters of the Wanhua Building, without his influence, the Cao family might not act as obediently as they did today.¡± Subsequently. He clenched his fist again and felt his state as the Qi-Blood circulated within him. ¡°To take control of my future and prevent situations like today from recurring, I must strengthen my own power as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I hope the help Wang Jin will provide tomorrow will be substantial.¡± He then thought of Shen Congyun¡¯s departing words. He was instructed to memorize the continuation techniques of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill thoroughly and hurry to the Wanhua Building. ¡°Hopefully, Shen Congyun can also offer me some assistance,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡­ In the blink of an eye. Night had fallen. With the few golden sheets in hand, the ones detailing the continuation techniques of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, Jiang Ning went to the Wanhua Building to hand them to Shen Congyun. After a long while. Upon leaving the Wanhua Building, Jiang Ning headed directly toward the outer city. ¡­ In the outer city. Jiang Ning walked down the familiar road. Around a corner, he saw the house he had lived in for more than a decade and Jiang Li, who was eagerly waiting at the entrance of the small yard enclosed by hedges. As soon as Jiang Li saw Jiang Ning, Jiang Ning saw him as well. Immediately, a smile appeared on Jiang Li¡¯s face. ¡°Big brother!¡± Jiang Ning called out as he approached. Jiang Li hurried over several steps and patted Jiang Ning¡¯s shoulder with a heavy hand. ¡°Good lad, your body has grown much stronger, practicing martial arts really does have its benefits!¡± Jiang Ning grinned: ¡°Big brother, you¡¯re alright!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Jiang Li shook his head: ¡°What could be wrong! Your sister-in-law and I were just taken to the county government and were promptly released.¡± ¡°And Little Dumpling and Yiming?¡± Jiang Ning asked. Jiang Li replied with a smile: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything¡¯s fine! We owe it to our younger brother for moving such an influential figure to speak on our behalf.¡± ¡°You know about it, big brother?¡± Jiang Ning asked. ¡°I¡¯ve got the gist of it!¡± Jiang Li nodded: ¡°With Building Owner Shen speaking up, this matter has passed.¡± ¡°It should be passed,¡± Jiang Ning then added, ¡°I¡¯ll go see Little Dumpling and Yiming.¡± The two entered the courtyard. ¡°Sister-in-law!¡± Jiang Ning addressed Liuu Wanwan. Liuu Wanwan looked at Jiang Ning with complex eyes, then gracefully curtsied: ¡°Jiang Ning, thank you!!¡± ¡°Sister-in-law, no need for such formalities!¡± Jiang Ning quickly replied. Liuu Wanwan shook her head: ¡°I¡¯m your sister-in-law, but I¡¯m also the mother of Little Dumpling and Minger! If not for you today, whether it¡¯s Little Dumpling and Minger or your brother and I, we would have all died with grievances or even suffered humiliation!¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± As she expressed her gratitude, Liuu Wanwan curtsied once again. ¡°Sister-in-law, we¡¯re family; there¡¯s no need for such courtesies!¡± Liuu Wanwan then softened her tone with a smile: ¡°How about having dinner first? The meal¡¯s already been warmed up.¡± ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯d like to see Little Dumpling and Yiming first!¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°Alright!¡± she nodded. Subsequently, Jiang Ning went inside. ¡°Uncle!¡± Upon seeing Jiang Ning, Jiang Yiming quickly put down his book and stood up from his chair. Jiang Ning walked over and saw it was a book essential for the imperial examinations. Then he ruffled Jiang Yiming¡¯s hair: ¡°Study hard and strive to earn a title someday.¡± Jiang Yiming nodded fervently: ¡°Uncle, rest assured, I will study diligently. Today, if I had been titled, we might not have been nearly sent to prison.¡± ¡°We are safe and back home today, all thanks to uncle!¡± After speaking, Jiang Yiming bowed deeply to Jiang Ning. ¡°You little rascal!¡± Jiang Ning laughed, playfully ruffling his hair again. Then he said, ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Little Dumpling.¡± Jiang Yiming responded, ¡°Sister was frightened all day and just fell asleep; do you want me to wake her?¡± Jiang Ning shook his head: ¡°No need, I¡¯ll just take a look.¡± Afterward, Jiang Ning entered the room and saw Little Dumpling sound asleep on the bed, drooling at the corner of her mouth. Looking at the scene before him, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but smile. His elder brother¡¯s whole family was safe and sound. He then let out a sigh of relief in his heart. Coming out of the room. He had dinner and drinks with Jiang Li in the courtyard. As the moon rose high. ¡°Big brother, I should head back now,¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°Alright,¡± Jiang Li nodded, ¡°Be careful on your way back.¡± ¡­ Stepping out of that familiar small courtyard, Jiang Ning looked back one last time, then turned and left. He knew that the peace at this moment was merely due to Shen Congyun¡¯s deterrence. And last night at the meeting in Wanhua Building with Shen Congyun, he learned something from Shen Congyun¡¯s words. In the next two days, Shen Congyun might leave Luoshui County. Although Shen Congyun did not explicitly state the reason, he could roughly guess some of it. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Because Shen Congyun had broken the rules of Wanhua Building. For such a large force, rules and regulations must be strict. Even though Shen Congyun was a big shot in Luoshui County, within the expanse of the Wanhua Building across the Thirty-Six Prefectures of Nine Provinces, he was just ordinary. Knowing that Shen Congyun might be leaving, Jiang Ning knew that to achieve true safety, he ultimately had to rely on himself. Relying on others was never a solution for the long term. If Shen Congyun were to leave, it would be difficult for him to return in a short time. At that time, without his deterrence, he didn¡¯t know whether the Cao family would betray their word. And he did not dare to bet. Because he couldn¡¯t afford to lose. ¡­ The next day. He awoke from the bed. [name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 6.8 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Break Limit once 732/2000) (trait: unforgettable) Five Animals Fist (small success 268/500) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Break Limit once 2000/2000) (trait: touch and understand) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (beginner 58/1000) Canglang Blade Skill (Master 0/200) Due to the incident yesterday, it delayed him quite a bit. He barely increased his Source Energy, much less than the previous few days. The experience gained for the boxing technique was not great either, as it was also delayed. Afterward. He walked out of the room. Jiang Ning washed up and began practicing his boxing. [Five Animals Fist experience +2] [Five Animals Fist experience +2] [Five Animals Fist experience +2] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (small success 274/500) After practicing the boxing technique three times in a row, the experience value of the Five Animals Fist increased by six points, and the power of his Qi-Blood increased by nine strands. At this moment, the eastern sky was already dyed red by the morning glow, the half-sky turned red. Watching the great sun about to rise, Jiang Ning felt somewhat excited. He had seen Shen Congyun last night, and had received benefits from him. That was five bottles of Protective Organ Pills and Shen Congyun¡¯s subsequent arrangements. According to Shen Congyun, once he reached Qi Blood Perfection, he could go to Master Lin, Lin Qingyi. The Vice Building Owner had details of Shen Congyun¡¯s arrangements for him. And the five bottles of Protective Organ Pills had been handed to him that very night. According to Shen Congyun, by taking one pill each morning before breathing in and releasing the Sun Essence Qi, the pills could protect the internal organs, reducing the pain caused by the burning of the Sun Essence Qi. They could also increase the efficiency of breathing in and releasing Sun Essence Qi, and improve the efficiency of practicing the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. These five bottles of Protective Organ Pills would last him about half a year. They were extremely important supporting items. Now, he also mastered the missing technique of guiding in the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill previously. With both adding together, Jiang Ning was filled with anticipation. With the addition of these two, how much would the efficiency of practicing the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill increase? After learning of its ranking yesterday, he valued this technique extremely highly. This cultivation technique was a superior martial arts above all superior martial arts. He had only heard snippets about such supreme skills before. Every supreme skill was extremely powerful, with the capacity to reach the pinnacle. If the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill was to break through, it would undoubtedly provide a tremendous boost to his strength. Strength was the cornerstone of his existence. Now that he possessed this miraculous panel, as long as he worked hard, any cultivation technique could break through to Perfection, and even exceed limits to reach an incredible level. Just like his Chopping Wood Blade Skill, which seemed like a simple farmer¡¯s technique, but after breaking limits, it not only brought him unbelievable traits but also endowed him with a formidable explosive power. Therefore, for the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, labeled as a supreme skill, he looked forward immensely to the breakthrough of this technique. Every breakthrough would bring a significant enhancement to his strength. That¡¯s exactly why he was so expectant at this moment. Waiting for the support of the Protective Organ Pills and the assistance of the guiding technique, to see how efficient his Breathing and Releasing the Essence of the Great Sun would be. How fast would he earn experience! Experience earned faster meant shorter time to the next breakthrough for his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. After a short while. The blazing great sun slowly rose from the east. Jiang Ning sat cross-legged in the courtyard, swallowing a Protective Organ Pill in advance. Immediately, he felt a refreshing coolness enter his internal organs with the pill, causing an involuntary shudder. In this state, he quietly awaited the full rise of the great sun. After the beginner level of Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, one could only breathe in and refine the internal organs with the Great Sun Essence Qi after sunrise, increasing the experience for this skill. So only after the full rise of the great sun, after sunrise, would be the perfect opportunity for him to breathe in and release the Great Sun Essence Qi. Afterward. In just about a minute. The great sun was fully risen. Jiang Ning faced the east, his eyes fixed on the newly-risen great sun, and then started the Breathing and Releasing technique recorded in the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. The next moment. Jiang Ning felt a sensation like a fiery serpent, a searing heat coursing through his nostrils and into his internal organs. Chapter 79 - 9: Triple the Efficiency of Experience Value Growth Chapter 79: Chapter 9: Triple the Efficiency of Experience Value Growth During the moment Jiang Ning was breathing and releasing the Essence of the Great Sun. On a high-rise building in the distance. The figure of a man had already appeared. This person was Shen Congyun, who had extended his help to Jiang Ning the previous day. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He stood atop the high-rise building, quietly looking towards the direction of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Watching the Sun Essence descend upon the small courtyard where Jiang Ning was located. Shen Congyun nodded with satisfaction. ¡°This lad has really started to breathe and draw in the Sun Essence. With the guiding method plus the Protective Organ Pill I gave him, I wonder how much his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill can improve in half a year, reaching the next level,¡± murmured Shen Congyun. Then, he couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡°I¡¯m probably overthinking it. To move on to the next level of the Inner Elixir Cultivation, one needs to refine the organs to the point where they can be wielded at will!¡± ¡°To be able to control the functions of the organs, actively unleashing the body¡¯s hidden abilities, isn¡¯t something that can be achieved so easily.¡± ¡°It took me a good three and a half years to reach that level back in the day.¡± ¡°Even if this kid has a greater talent in this aspect than me, a stronger intellect, and my assistance, it will still take at least a year.¡± On the other side. In Jiang Ning¡¯s experience, as the Great Sun Essence Qi entered his body, he immediately felt a cool sensation surging within his organs. Under this force, the previous burning sensation in the organs was no more. And, as he drew upon the guiding method, the originally violent Qi began to become much more subdued. After a moment. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] Seeing this prompt, a joy rose in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart. ¡°With the guiding method and the support of the Protective Organ Pill, the efficiency has indeed increased a lot.¡± ¡°About three times the previous rate!!¡± Afterwards, he seized the moment of the early rising Great Sun to continue practicing the breathing skill, gradually accumulating Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill experience. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [¡­] Until the Great Sun rose slowly. Jiang Ning glanced at the Sun Corona in the courtyard. Only at 7 a.m. did he stop breathing and releasing the Great Sun Essence Qi. [This practice session, a total increase of 39 points in Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill experience] For after 7 a.m., the Great Sun would become more terrifying. His current progress in cultivation wasn¡¯t enough to boost the organs to withstand the tempering of the Great Sun Essence Qi after that time. Only if his cultivation could progress further, breaking through to the mastery level of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, would this become possible. Afterwards, Jiang Ning opened his panel to take a look. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Beginner 97/1000) Seeing the change in experience on the panel, there was an additional surge of joy in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart. ¡°The efficiency has indeed improved by about three times.¡± ¡°With today¡¯s rate of efficiency, as long as the weather continues to be sunny every day, and there is a sunrise.¡± ¡°Then in about a month, my Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill will break through to the next level.¡± Thinking of this, Jiang Ning became even more exhilarated. Entering the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill had given him enduring strength. After reaching mastery, as long as he could perceive his spiritual power, he could control the organs to momentarily unleash the body¡¯s potential. Body potential is a truly miraculous force. Like the resurgence of light before death. Like the astonishing potential unleashed in a life and death situation, achieving tasks normally impossible, surpassing all usual limits. All these are the hidden potentials within the body. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, the adrenaline mentioned in his previous life was one form of this body potential. If he could make a breakthrough in his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, then he would be able to freely control the outburst of potential. This would undoubtedly greatly increase his strength, adding a powerful tactic to his combat arsenal. He anticipated such a potent effect immensely. ¡­ ¡°Master!¡± In the back courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall, Jiang Ning respectfully greeted Wang Jin. ¡°Whew¡ª¡± Wang Jin sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, exhaling a breath of impure energy and slowly opening his eyes. Seeing Jiang Ning, a smile appeared on his face. ¡°Did you just practice breathing and drawing in the Sun Essence?¡± asked Wang Jin. ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. ¡°How did it feel?¡± asked Wang Jin. Jiang Ning said, ¡°Last night, I went to the Wanhua Building, and Building Owner Shen gave me a Protective Organ Pill; today, it felt very efficient. I can clearly feel that the functions of my organs have been strengthened!¡± ¡°Not bad!¡± Wang Jin showed a smile, then a hint of envy appeared in his eyes: ¡°You lad, you¡¯re doing well on your path. You¡¯ve just started learning Martial Arts and already encountered such a benefactor as Building Owner Shen.¡± ¡°Now that you¡¯re already practicing internal cultivation so early, cultivating both internally and externally, your bodily functions will greatly surpass the average person at their peak. Your future achievements are destined to surpass those of your old master.¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°As a disciple who has inherited my master¡¯s legacy, it¡¯s only right that I outshine my master. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t I bring shame to my master¡¯s name and let others say that my master¡¯s teaching was ineffective?¡± Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words, Wang Jin couldn¡¯t help but smile: ¡°You lad! You have a way with words! But, I like what you said, to surpass the master!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Every teacher hopes to see the day their disciple surpasses them!¡± Afterward, Wang Jin got up from his cushion. ¡°Come with me! I know what you¡¯re here for so early in the morning.¡± At his words, Jiang Ning quickly followed. In his heart, he was filled with anticipation. Because Wang Jin had said yesterday that he needed to prepare and told me to come find him today. He would help me. And before that, Wang Jin had also made a promise to me. He promised that once I mastered Power, he would help me, help me try to seize the opportunity to join the Inspection Office¡ªa chance to leap over the dragon¡¯s gate. After yesterday¡¯s incident, my determination only solidified. That is to join the Inspection Office. If I could join the Inspection Office and rely on such a big tree for backing, what happened yesterday would not have been possible. In my view, without power or influence, and without formidable strength that others dare not provoke, naturally, one cannot control their own fate. Now that I am weak, I need to rely on a big tree to shelter from wind and rain. To give me enough time to grow. With enough time, based on my own ¡°panel,¡± I am confident that I can achieve what the legendary Martial Saint had¡ªinvincibility in the world. Then, naturally, no one can threaten me again. ¡­ Entering the room of Wang Jin. We came to a wooden table. ¡°Open it up and take a look!¡± Wang Jin said, pointing to two boxes on the table. ¡°Master, what¡¯s inside?¡± Jiang Ning asked, a look of confusion on his face, with a vague guess in his heart. Wang Jin said, ¡°You¡¯ll know once you open them.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning no longer hesitated and immediately prepared to open the two boxes in front of him. As the first box opened, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. He saw piles of Wild Ginseng inside. Wang Jin said, ¡°This is the ten-year supply of Wild Ginseng I bought from the Zhou family drugstore yesterday. The Zhou family drugstore is run by your senior brother Zhou Xing. For you right now, a ten-year supply of Wild Ginseng is just the right thing!¡± ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± Jiang Ning bowed. Wang Jin smiled and continued, ¡°There¡¯s another box.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning had even higher expectations. One box was full of the nourishing Wild Ginseng that Wang Jin had prepared for me. With this support from Wang Jin, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about nourishing medicines for a long while. This way, I could increase my strength at the fastest pace until I had enough power to protect myself. Then. When Jiang Ning opened the second box. ¡°This is¡­¡± Looking at the bottles and jars inside the box, Jiang Ning was puzzled. Wang Jin said, ¡°These are all Qi Blood Pills. Take one in the morning and one in the evening, then practice your punches to absorb the pill¡¯s efficacy, which will strengthen your Qi Blood Power.¡± ¡°Two Qi Blood Pills, depending on individual physical constitutions, have different absorption effects and thus provide varying levels of Qi Blood Power.¡± ¡°For you, one Qi Blood Pill can provide about five strands of Qi-Blood, so two should increase your Qi-Blood by about ten strands every day.¡± ¡°While it¡¯s not a lot, it¡¯s also not a little.¡± ¡°At this rate, in about a month, the Qi-Blood from the pills can lead to an additional surge of power through one arm.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes brightened. In about a month, the additional Qi-Blood could result in a surge through one arm. That meant, if one was a rich man¡¯s son, able to consume Qi Blood Pills daily to condense their Qi-Blood and strengthen their physique, One month would be enough to achieve a small success of Qi-Blood. Four months, and you could achieve Great Success. In one year, you could attain Qi Blood Perfection and power through the entire body. However, Jiang Ning then silently shook his head. Such expenditure, ordinary wealthy families couldn¡¯t afford. From what I knew before, one bottle of Qi Blood Pill was about five silver taels. Two pills a day meant ten silver taels a day, three hundred silver a month, and three thousand silver a year. Thinking this, Jiang Ning was astounded. This consumption is really extravagant¡ªalmost enough to eat through senior brother Cheng Ran¡¯s entire fortune in a year. And this is only for Qi Blood Perfection, not yet even entering the realm of Martial Arts. What about after? Truly, the poor cultivate literature while the rich cultivate martial arts! He sighed to himself. Then Jiang Ning spoke up. ¡°Master, as I know, a Qi Blood Pill isn¡¯t cheap, is it?¡± Wang Jin said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that! As your teacher, without children or family all these years, I do have some savings. This kind of expenditure is nothing.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning felt somewhat touched, then spoke earnestly. ¡°Since Master has neither children nor family, from now on, let your disciple provide for Master¡¯s old age. I will definitely not disappoint you!¡± Jiang Ning said seriously. ¡°Good!¡± Wang Jin, looking at Jiang Ning with a face full of satisfaction, said, ¡°You really are thoughtful!¡± ¡­ After leaving the Martial Arts Hall¡¯s backyard and returning to my residence, I took out a Qi Blood Pill the size of a pigeon egg, full of excitement. ¡°This one pill is worth several silver taels! Practicing martial arts is truly a costly affair.¡± With that sentiment, I placed the Qi Blood Pill in my mouth. With a slight movement of my throat, The large, mixed-shape Qi Blood Pill fell into my stomach. Moments later, I felt my Qi-Blood boiling inside, and my body temperature gradually rising. ¡°Pump it up!¡± I was in high spirits, starting to practice my punches right away, increasing my Qi Blood Power. Physique, after all, is the foundation of strength. Chapter 80 - 10 Breakthrough, Boxing Great Success! Chapter 80: Chapter 10 Breakthrough, Boxing Great Success! The following day. Jiang Ning got up and took a look at his own panel. [Source Energy]: 9.3 ¡°Yesterday was 6.8, today is 9.3.¡± ¡°A daily increase of 2.5 points, not bad, really not bad!¡± Looking at the changes in the panel, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart was filled with great joy. In the past few days, even with the brief ample supply of Wild Ginseng, his Source Energy Points grew at a rate of about two points per day. But yesterday, as he absorbed an additional two Qi Blood Pills. It brought him over twenty strands of Qi Blood Power boost, which was the equivalent of practicing his boxing skill seven or eight more times each day. Even for his current high efficiency in condensing Qi Blood Power, this was a significant improvement, increasing the speed at which he accumulated Qi Blood Power by an additional twenty percent. At the same time, it also brought him an extra boost to his Source Energy Points. The energy he consumed yesterday resulted in an increase of 2.5 Source Energy Points in one day. [Skill]: Reading and Writing (one-time Break Limit 756/2000) (Trait: Unforgettable) Five Animals Fist (small success 356/500) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (one-time Break Limit 2000/2000) (Trait: Touch and Understand) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Beginner 97/1000) Canglang Blade Skill (Master 0/200) He took another look at his personal panel. In one day, his progress had already become very apparent. The Five Animals Fist had gained 82 Experience Value since yesterday, bringing it to a total of 356 points, close to the required 500 points. ¡°In two more days, my Five Animals Fist will be able to enter the Great Success Realm,¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. After that, he washed up and continued to practice boxing in the courtyard. During the arduous process of practicing boxing, he could distinctly feel his own Qi-Blood strengthening and his strength constantly increasing. Especially the two Qi Blood Pills from the day before had given him quite the pleasant surprise. The two Qi Blood Pills together brought him a total of fifty strands of Qi Blood Power. The actual effect greatly exceeded what Wang Jin said about two Qi Blood Pills increasing about twenty strands of Qi Blood Power. The difference between the two was a matter of multiples. Regarding this, Jiang Ning also had some guesses. The enhancement of the internal organ functions might also lead to better absorption of the medicine¡¯s effects. ¡­ In the blink of an eye, two days later. At 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., Jiang Ning stopped his breathing exercise and opened his personal panel. [Source Energy]: 19.3 [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (small success 496/500) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Beginner 188/1000) S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡­ ¡°Just two more rounds of boxing and my Five Animals Fist will break through to the Great Success Realm.¡± ¡°Almost there! I¡¯m about to break through!¡± A hint of excitement shone in his eyes. Then, he got up to practice boxing. In the courtyard, each movement was full of vigor, and his shifting figure occasionally stirred up bursts of wind noise. Sometimes he was as agile as a White Ape, and sometimes as light as a bell deer. The fallen leaves on the ground were also swept up by his wind-like movements. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +2] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +2] The moment the prompts appeared, Jiang Ning saw a sudden change on the panel. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Great Success 0/1000) The next instant, He felt a flood of insights emerge in his mind about the Five Animals Fist. At the same time, all the scenes of his boxing practice over these days flashed through his mind. Time seemed to go by in an instant, yet also felt like it had been ages. When Jiang Ning opened his eyes, a bright gleam flashed through his gaze. ¡°Finally, Great Success!¡± After that, he moved his body, instantly becoming a blur as he dashed out. In the forty-square-meter small courtyard, his shifting and turning did not feel restricted at all. He moved like the wind across the courtyard, stirring up a violent breeze. His maneuvers seemed to lack inertia and kinetic energy, unpredictably moving left and right, up and down, challenging to catch. A moment later, Jiang Ning suddenly stopped, shifting from motion to stillness, his face faintly displaying a hint of excitement. ¡°The Great Success of Five Animals Fist not only greatly improved my explosive power, but also my speed and movement techniques have greatly enhanced, moving like the wind, transitioning between motion and stillness at will.¡± ¡°Such movement techniques are enough to deal with ordinary Ninth Grade Martial Artists.¡± A look of confidence flashed in his eyes. This kind of movement technique, not to say that it could handle experienced hands like Cao Bin who had been specializing in Martial Arts Ninth Grade for many years, but at least it gave him some means to protect himself against him. If he was determined to escape, coupled with his stamina, he was confident he had a fair chance to escape unscathed. Immediately afterward, he thought of Cao Rong a few days ago. With an arm lift and a shot, the arrow pierced through the air, causing a sonic boom, with a speed that had already surpassed the speed of sound¡¯s propagation. Thinking of Cao Rong, the complacency in his heart vanished without a trace. ¡°My strength is nowhere near enough, I need to enter the Martial Arts Entry rank as soon as possible!¡± ¡°According to what Wang Jin said yesterday, Shen Congyun will return to the headquarters in Guangning Prefecture early tomorrow morning to accept punishment for breaking the rules of Wanhua Building.¡± Knowing this, a strong sense of crisis filled his heart. Once Shen Congyun leaves Luoshui County, the deterrent effect on the Cao family will be greatly reduced. He dared not take anything lightly. Next, he walked out of his small courtyard and came to the stone locks in the front yard of the Martial Arts Hall. Standing before a 400 catty stone lock, he then placed his left hand on the ice-cold fine iron of the stone lock. ¡°Rise!¡± he silently shouted in his heart, his muscles tensely contracting and exerting force. The next moment, the 400-catty stone lock lifted off the ground and hung entirely in the air. A smile appeared on Jiang Ning¡¯s face, ¡°Even the strength of my left arm reaches 400 catties!¡± Boom¡ª As he set the stone lock back to the ground, a dull sound resounded from beneath it. ¡°My left arm holds 400 catties of strength; I wonder if my right arm could handle the 500 catty stone lock.¡± With this thought in mind, he approached the 500-catty stone lock, gripped it tightly with his right hand, and exerted all his strength, his face instantly turning red. After a single breath, he released all the strength from his body, exhaling the impure energy from his abdomen and shook his head slightly. ¡°Still a bit too far off!¡± ¡°Sure enough, reaching a strength of 500 catties isn¡¯t so simple.¡± ¡°However, it is normal, after all, my Qi Blood Power hasn¡¯t even reached Perfection, nor has it fully penetrated through my limbs!¡± ¡°The only reason I possess 400 catties of strength is because my Bear-shaped Fist has reached Great Success, and my saber technique has had multiple Break Limit breakthroughs.¡± He clenched his fist, and his strength along with Qi Blood Power surged, instantly channeling through both arms. ¡°Continue practicing boxing, now that I have Wang Jin¡¯s resource support, I must seize the opportunity to achieve Qi Blood Perfection as soon as possible, and then promptly join the ranks of Martial Arts Ninth Grade.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t reach Ninth Grade, after all, the difference is too great, and there is no qualification to pass the Inspection Office¡¯s assessment and join it.¡± ¡­ Cao Mansion. ¡°Big brother, do you have to leave now?¡± Cao Bin followed behind Cao Rong. Cao Rong had a strong bow on his back and a quiver at his waist housing seven arrows. His steps were steady, appearing unhurried, but his speed was exceptionally fast, as his stride spanned more than a meter with each step. Cao Rong said, ¡°Sudden military orders from above, I must return quickly for my duty! The Black Wind Army has recently crossed into Dongling County. I need to return to participate in their extermination.¡± ¡°The Black Wind Army has actually reached Dongling County?¡± Cao Bin¡¯s face showed surprise. ¡°Yes, so later, command the caravan to rest for the time being and send more guards to the iron mine at Tieling Mountain,¡± Cao Rong instructed. ¡°Yes, big brother!¡± Cao Bin quickly kept up with Cao Rong¡¯s pace, responding. Cao Rong then reached the stables, patting his mount. ¡°Neigh¡ª¡± The precious horse stood two meters tall, its coat slick and shiny, exceptionally robust. Anyone knowledgeable about horses would recognize this as a genuinely fine horse. The precious horse nuzzled Cao Rong¡¯s head, after which Cao Rong mounted. Seeing this, Cao Bin hastily spoke up, ¡°Big brother, what about Jiang Ning? I heard Shen Congyun is about to depart for Guangning Prefecture headquarters to accept punishment.¡± ¡°Once he goes, we don¡¯t know how long he will be back.¡± ¡°Should I still go and apologize to that kid?¡± Cao Rong pondered for a moment, then spoke, ¡°That¡¯s for you to decide!¡± Cao Bin said, ¡°With Shen Congyun gone, who knows when he¡¯ll return! Why should the Cao family bow and apologize to such a commoner? I don¡¯t want to go.¡± Cao Rong nodded, ¡°It¡¯s okay not to go! Since Wanhua Building headquarters intends to punish Shen Congyun, Shen Congyun won¡¯t have the chance to return to Luoshui County anytime soon.¡± ¡°After another year or so, I should be able to step into the ranks of Martial Arts Sixth Grade.¡± Upon hearing this news, Cao Bin¡¯s expression lit up with great joy. ¡°Big brother, are you about to make a breakthrough?¡± Cao Rong said, ¡°Soon! If fast, half a year, and at slowest, one or two years, I must reach the Sixth Rank. At that time, my position will be elevated.¡± Hearing Cao Rong¡¯s words, Cao Bin¡¯s expression became overjoyed, his confidence growing. ¡°Since big brother is this close, then there¡¯s no need to apologize.¡± ¡°You decide!¡± Cao Rong spoke as he prepared to spur his horse, but then seemed to think of something else. He then glanced at Cao Bin, ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t go too far, don¡¯t create deep enmity. That kid is so valued by Wang Jin that he doesn¡¯t hesitate to tear our faces, there must be something special about him.¡± ¡°Also being so favored by Shen Congyun, willing to risk a terrible outcome to interfere, this indicates something.¡± ¡°That kid has something extraordinary about him.¡± Cao Bin said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, big brother! I understand!¡± Cao Rong looked at him once again, then patted the horse¡¯s back. ¡°Giddy up¡ª¡± With his command, the horse beneath him caught his intention, galloping out of the yard. Then the sound of the horse¡¯s hooves echoed through the streets of Luoshui County in the early morning, rushing down the wide avenue of the Inner City towards the city gate. Cao Bin watched Cao Rong¡¯s departing figure, and a sigh of relief escaped him. In the Cao family, although Cao Rong was not the Family Head, his words carried more weight than even the Family Head¡¯s. The status the Cao family enjoyed today, a key factor was due to Cao Rong¡¯s strength and status. He had taken the Cao family to a new level. Therefore, Cao Bin always had an inherent fear of Cao Rong. Then, Cao Bin¡¯s eyes gleamed with joy. ¡°Big brother is about to advance further, Shen Congyun will soon leave, what do I have to worry about?¡± Cao Bin felt a temptation stirring inside him. But remembering Cao Rong¡¯s departing words, he immediately shook his head. ¡°No! Big brother is right; it¡¯s better not to offend that kid!¡± ¡°To earn Shen Congyun and old Wang Jin¡¯s esteem, the kid¡¯s martial arts talent must be very high.¡± He then suppressed the eager thoughts in his heart. Chapter 81 - 11 Visit Chapter 81: Chapter 11 Visit Outer city. Noon. ¡°Little brother, why did you come back today?¡± Seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s figure at the courtyard gate, Jiang Li¡¯s face showed surprise. ¡°I was a bit worried, so I came back to check!¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about!¡± Jiang Li grinned and said, ¡°These days have been very good, and Xu Yunfeng even came by yesterday to say that the case has made new progress, and that it has nothing to do with me anymore.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded slightly. The case being settled means that the matter is over. Thinking of this, he secretly felt grateful to Shen Congyun. If not for Shen Congyun stepping in, how could the Cao family end up like this? Just then. ¡°Dudu!¡± A milky voice came from the main house¡¯s doorway. ¡°Little Dumpling!¡± A smile immediately appeared on Jiang Ning¡¯s face. Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s call, Little Dumpling immediately opened his arms and toddled towards Jiang Ning: ¡°Dudu hug!¡± Jiang Ning squatted down and grabbed Little Dumpling who pounced over. ¡°Dudu, Dumpling missed you so much!¡± Little Dumpling¡¯s face was full of joy, and he rubbed his chubby cheek against Jiang Ning¡¯s chin. Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but laugh: ¡°I missed Little Dumpling too, so here I am.¡± ¡°Yay!!¡± Jiang Li, looking at the scene before him, also wore a full smile. ¡°Little brother, are you eating at home for lunch? Or going back to the Martial Arts Hall?¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat at home!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Jiang Li nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll go ask your sister-in-law to make you an extra meal and slaughter that old hen!¡± ¡°No!¡± Jiang Ning quickly intervened, ¡°Just eat something simple, I¡¯ve been eating too much meat and fish every day at the Martial Arts Hall and I¡¯m tired of it! Plus, Little Dumpling and Yiming are both growing, if we kill the old hen, what will they have for eggs?¡± Jiang Li said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that! According to a colleague I met yesterday, my compensation will be coming soon, then naturally, there will be money!¡± Little Doudou, with his cheek against Jiang Ning¡¯s shoulder, also spoke up: ¡°Dudu, Doudou wants to eat chicken leg!¡± ¡°You!¡± Jiang Ning scraped her nose. Jiang Li also turned and walked towards the kitchen. ¡­ Two hours later. ¡°Little brother, chicken soup is coming!¡± Jiang Li, carrying the chicken soup, walked briskly towards Jiang Ning. ¡°I got it!¡± Jiang Ning quickly got up and hurried to Jiang Li¡¯s side, taking the bowl full of chicken soup from him. Then he said, ¡°Big brother, if it¡¯s inconvenient for you, don¡¯t do this sort of task! Go sit down first, I¡¯ll help Sister-in-law with the dishes.¡± Jiang Li grinned, ¡°What¡¯s so inconvenient about carrying a bowl of chicken soup!¡± During the conversation, he obediently sat down on a stool. At this moment, Jiang Ning also placed the bowl of chicken soup on the dining table. ¡°Whoosh whoosh¡ª¡± Then he quickly blew on his fingers scorched red, and rubbed his fingers on his body. The pain in his scorched fingers eased a lot. ¡°Dudu, let me blow on you too!¡± Little Dumpling, seeing this, spoke while swinging his legs back and forth on the stool. Jiang Li also showed a smile: ¡°You lad, your fist training is not yet proficient! You haven¡¯t developed thick calluses on your hands.¡± Jiang Ning also smiled: ¡°Big brother, I¡¯ll go continue with the dishes, you tell Little Dumpling to be careful not to fall off.¡± ¡°Dudu, don¡¯t worry! Dumpling is not that clumsy!¡± Little Dumpling sniffed and huffed. ¡­ Moments later. ¡°We can start eating now!¡± Wanwan set down the last bowl of dishes and then said, ¡°Would you like some wine?¡± Hearing that, Jiang Li¡¯s eyes lit up: ¡°Wife, do we still have wine at home?¡± Wanwan said, ¡°Seeing that Ning came back, I just went to Sister Ge¡¯s house next door to get some wine.¡± Jiang Li, hearing this, looked at Jiang Ning: ¡°Little brother, fancy a drink?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Jiang Ning said. Jiang Li, delighted, hurriedly looked at Wanwan: ¡°Please bring the wine, wife!¡± Wanwan gave Jiang Li a glance and turned to walk outside. At this moment. Jiang Li, with a face full of joy, spoke: ¡°Little brother is truly my lucky star! It¡¯s been a long time since I had any liquor, these days I¡¯ve been really craving it! Today, thanks to little brother¡¯s presence, I can finally satisfy my craving.¡± ¡°Daddy, drink a little less later.¡± Little Dumpling spoke in a milky voice. ¡°Alright! Listening to Little Dumpling.¡± Jiang Li chuckled happily. Seeing this, Little Dumpling joyfully shook her little short legs. Jiang Ning sat on the side: ¡°Is it because big brother had no money to buy alcohol?¡± Scratching his head, Jiang Li spoke with an embarrassed face: ¡°That¡¯s part of it, but mainly it¡¯s because your sister-in-law puts a tight reign on the purse, she won¡¯t give me coppers to buy alcohol.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning also understood. Previously, big brother had borrowed one hundred taels of silver from himself to join Canglang Martial Arts Hall, and then somehow came up with twenty taels to pass on to him. Now, without any salary and previously targeted by Cao Bin, the compensation had not been issued, so naturally, the household was strapped. Thinking about this, Jiang Ning sighed silently in his heart. For big brother¡¯s sake, he also needed to find a way to get some money fast. Just then. ¡°Brother Li¡ª¡± ¡°Brother Li¡ª¡± Several calls came from outside the house. ¡°It¡¯s Yang Zong!¡± Jiang Li seemed slightly stunned, then got up: ¡°Little brother, you sit here, I¡¯ll go out and see.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come with big brother!¡± Jiang Ning said, also getting up. The two walked out of the house, and immediately saw two people standing at the courtyard gate. Among them, one person had a youthful face, appearing to be not more than twenty, dressed in constable¡¯s attire, with a long saber hanging at his waist. The other person was much older, with wrinkles already forming on his face, about forty or so years old, dressed in an arrest officer¡¯s uniform, similarly with a long saber hanging at his waist. ¡°Chief Feng!¡± On recognizing their faces, Jiang Li briskly walked over. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal!¡± the leading Chief Feng said. At the moment, Jiang Ning was sizing up the two people, and then he noticed that Chief Feng¡¯s gaze shifted from Jiang Li and settled onto him. The moment Chief Feng saw Jiang Ning, a gleam flashed in his eyes. ¡°Jiang Li, this must be your younger brother!¡± Jiang Li smacked his head, ¡°My bad, I forgot to introduce him to Chief Feng.¡± Then he raised his hand towards Jiang Ning, ¡°Chief Feng is right, this is indeed my younger brother, Jiang Ning.¡± Then he again raised his hand towards Chief Feng, saying to Jiang Ning, ¡°Younger brother, this is Chief Feng, who is also my superior.¡± Jiang Ning bowed, ¡°I¡¯ve met Lord Feng!¡± Chief Feng quickly waved his hands, ¡°That¡¯s not acceptable! That¡¯s not acceptable!! I¡¯m merely making a living at the government office, how could I deserve such a grand title from you, young brother?¡± ¡°Young brother is highly regarded by Building Owner Shen, you will surely rise high in the future. The small Luoshui County cannot confine a hidden dragon like you.¡± ¡°I really can¡¯t assume the title of ¡®lord¡¯, it makes me ashamed.¡± As Chief Feng spoke these words, Jiang Li looked at Chief Feng in astonishment, then glanced at Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning: ¡°¡­¡± Then, seeing that everyone suddenly fell silent, Jiang Li hastily spoke, ¡°Chief Feng, it just happens to be mealtime, why don¡¯t you join us?¡± Hearing this, Chief Feng smiled, ¡°It appears that Brother Li¡¯s family dines quite late, had I known earlier, I would have come later, so as not to disturb Brother Li and young brother Jiang Ning¡¯s lunch.¡± Jiang Li shook his head repeatedly, ¡°It¡¯s no disturbance, no disturbance! It¡¯s just a matter of adding a pair of chopsticks, how could it be a bother.¡± Then Jiang Li said somewhat uncomfortably, ¡°Chief Feng, just like before, it¡¯s better to call me Jiang Li!¡± Chief Feng chuckled, ¡°Having worked under me for many years, always calling you by your name feels a bit too impersonal, calling you Brother Li sounds better, it shows we are closer.¡± ¡°In that case, if anyone dares to look down on you, Brother Li, because of your injuries, I also can stand up for you.¡± Jiang Li said, ¡°Thanks for your care, Chief Feng.¡± Chief Feng laughed, ¡°It¡¯s what I should do!¡± Then he added, ¡°As for dining, there¡¯s no need, I have already eaten before coming here today. I came to find you because there¡¯s a matter!¡± ¡°Being able to meet young brother Jiang Ning today is quite fateful.¡± While saying this, Chief Feng¡¯s gaze fell on Jiang Ning again, his face showing goodwill. Jiang Li glanced at Jiang Ning and Chief Feng and then said, ¡°Since Chief Feng has already had lunch, let¡¯s have a drink instead! My wife happens to have brewed some wine today, we can eat and chat later.¡± ¡°That sounds good!¡± Chief Feng agreed. Shortly after, the group of four entered the main house. After sitting down. Liuu Wanwan placed the drinks on the table and then picked up Little Dumpling. ¡°You eat, I¡¯ll take Little Dumpling inside.¡± She then said, ¡°Minger, help yourself to some dishes!¡± At that moment, Little Dumpling looked at the chicken leg in the bowl, pouted, and tears twinkled in his eyes. Jiang Ning said, ¡°Sister-in-law needn¡¯t do this, sit down and eat together!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Li immediately glanced at Chief Feng. Having worked under Chief Feng for many years, Jiang Li knew of Chief Feng¡¯s habit; he always disliked dining with women and was deeply traditional in his views on gender. The last time Chief Feng dined at their home, Liuu Wanwan, knowing about this, chose to step away from the table. Today, as Jiang Ning spoke, a fleeting displeasure crossed Chief Feng¡¯s face. Then he immediately smiled, ¡°Young brother Jiang Ning is right, let¡¯s eat together! The little one is nearly crying for food.¡± ¡°And sister-in-law, please sit and eat too!¡± ¡°At home, there are no such formalities, just be comfortable!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Li was astonished. He had thought that Chief Feng would show displeasure, but unexpectedly, his expression changed in an instant, and he even endorsed what his younger brother had said. ¡°This¡­ my younger brother has a lot of weight!¡± Jiang Li thought secretly. He now understood that Chief Feng¡¯s behavior was all because of his younger brother. Otherwise, relying on himself, a semi-disabled person, why would Chief Feng talk so kindly with him, and today even affectionately calling him Brother. You see, even after many years of service under Chief Feng, even with accomplishments, Chief Feng had never shown the kindness he did today. Let alone calling him brother. Moreover, after he was injured, Chief Feng had ignored him during this period as if the incident did not exist. The due compensation was also not issued promptly. A few days ago, when his family was arrested, Chief Feng did not show up. But seeing him today was completely different. ¡°My younger brother has grown up, he can provide for the family now! I can finally rest assured!¡± Jiang Li felt relieved. At that moment. Liuu Wanwan looked towards Jiang Li. Jiang Li smiled reassuringly at Liuu Wanwan. ¡°Madam, please sit down and eat together!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Liuu Wanwan nodded. Then she placed Little Dumpling on a stool and sat down beside him. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Afterward. Jiang Ning placed the big chicken leg from his bowl into Little Dumpling¡¯s bowl. ¡°Thank you, Doudou!¡± Little Dumpling immediately giggled, showing her white teeth. Then she also energetically grabbed a chicken leg, her trembling little hand showed she was using all her strength. ¡°Doudou, have one too!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jiang Ning reached out his bowl, caught the chicken leg Little Dumpling had picked up, then smiled and ruffled her head. Looking at the scene at the table. Both Liuu Wanwan and Jiang Li showed genuinely happy smiles. Chief Feng also laughed heartily. Chapter 82 - 12 Shen Congyun’s Departure Chapter 82: Chapter 12 Shen Congyun¡¯s Departure At the dinner table. Following Chief Feng, Yang Zong poured wine for everyone. Then, Chief Feng spoke up, ¡°Brother Li, the main reason I¡¯m visiting today is about the compensation money.¡± Compensation money? Upon hearing these three words, Jiang Li¡¯s expression sharpened. At this moment, Chief Feng fumbled around his clothes and then took out a silver note from his breast pocket. ... He continued to address Jiang Li, ¡°Brother Li, this is the compensation money issued from above.¡± ¡°You were injured in the line of duty, and you rightfully deserve this one hundred taels of compensation money.¡± ¡°I apologize for only being able to deliver it to you today!¡± Jiang Li hurriedly took the silver note from Chief Feng¡¯s hand, his face lighting up with joy. ¡°Chief Feng, you¡¯re being too serious. I¡¯m already very content to receive these one hundred taels of compensation money!¡± After that, Jiang Li raised his wine cup. ¡°Chief Feng, here¡¯s a toast to you! I thank you for today; this compensation money resolves my urgent need!¡± Chief Feng also raised his wine cup for a light clink, then took a small sip of wine, his eyebrows immediately furrowing slightly. At this time, Jiang Li gulped down his drink, and as the liquid went down his throat, it settled in his belly. He let out a small ¡°tsk¡± with satisfaction, and then heaved a long sigh. ¡°Refreshing!¡± The next moment. He noticed that the amount of wine in Chief Feng¡¯s cup had barely decreased. ¡°Chief Feng, could it be that this wine is not to your taste?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay!¡± Chief Feng replied noncommittally. Then, he poured himself another full cup of wine. He then lifted his cup towards Jiang Ning, ¡°Young Master Jiang Ning, I¡¯m very sorry for not taking good care of your elder brother and allowing him to be injured in the line of duty.¡± ¡°This cup is my apology.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drink up, you¡¯re free to do as you like!¡± With these words spoken. He tilted his head back and drank, his throat moving slowly as the wine entered his belly. Two breaths later. ¡°Tsk¡ª¡± His face looked a bit displeased as he made a sound. Meanwhile, Jiang Ning also took a gentle sip. Then, he shook his head secretly. Indeed, the wine was rather poor! No wonder Chief Feng showed such an unpleasing expression. Having an arrest officer of such high status and power drink such wine is really asking too much of him! It seems Shen Congyun¡¯s influence is greater than I initially thought. If not for Shen Congyun, with his status as an arrest officer, a Ninth Grade martial official of Great Xia, how could he act like this towards me today? At this moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s mind was clear as a mirror. He knew that all of this was due to Shen Congyun¡¯s influence. On the other side. Jiang Li spoke up, ¡°Chief Feng is overemphasizing. It¡¯s due to this subordinate¡¯s lack of skill that I was injured.¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning put down his wine cup and slowly said, ¡°In fact, this matter is not related to Chief Feng. The root cause of my elder brother¡¯s injury lies elsewhere.¡± Chief Feng¡¯s heart relaxed, ¡°Young Master Jiang Ning is indeed worthy of being someone valued by Building Owner Shen, seeing through the essence of things. With Building Owner Shen¡¯s support, you will surely rise like a hidden dragon from the depths, soaring to new heights.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Li on the side smiled broadly. In his eyes, someone praising Jiang Ning was even more pleasing than praising him. An elder brother is like a father, and as an elder brother, one of his greatest wishes is to see his younger brother succeed. Although his wish has not been completely realized, it was almost a sure thing. After all, Jiang Ning had captured the attention of such an important figure as Building Owner Shen. In all the years in Luoshui County, this was unprecedented. He also understood that Chief Feng was giving him face today, all because of his younger brother, Jiang Ning. ¡­ Half an hour after the wine. Chief Feng left with Yang Zong. Jiang Ning and his brother went to the door to see them off. After watching Chief Feng and Yang Zong disappear, Jiang Li grinned. ¡°Little brother, I¡¯m basking in your glory today! That¡¯s why such good fortune has come!¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°I¡¯m merely benefitting from the glow of Building Owner Shen Congyun.¡± Jiang Li grinned, ¡°That¡¯s not the way to look at it! Being noticed by such an important figure as Building Owner Shen is a result of your own efforts and determination!¡± ¡°There are so many talented youths in the vast Luoshui County, why haven¡¯t they been noticed by such an important figure?¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°It¡¯s just luck, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°How can there be so much luck!¡± Jiang Li said. He then carefully took out the silver note that Chief Feng had given him. ¡°The compensation money has finally arrived!¡± Jiang Ning asked, ¡°What are you planning to do with this compensation money, elder brother?¡± Jiang Li pondered for a moment, ¡°Chief Feng just mentioned there is no hurry to repay the debt. I plan to buy a few new clothes for your sister-in-law later; she has had a tough time recently.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll give fifty taels of silver to you, little brother.¡± ¡°For martial arts training, you can¡¯t do without silver to buy medicinal supplements and meat, otherwise, it will wear down your body.¡± Jiang Ning immediately shook his head, ¡°Elder brother, there¡¯s no need to worry about me. Now that I have been noticed by Building Owner Shen, and considering what kind of person he is, do you think I would still lack such a small amount of money?¡± ¡°That¡¯s also true!¡± Jiang Li realized after hearing this and then cheerfully said, ¡°I underestimated you, little brother! With Shen Congyun¡¯s status as the owner of Wanhua Building, you certainly wouldn¡¯t lack such a small amount of money anymore!¡± ¡­ Elsewhere. After Chief Feng and Yang Zong turned the corner and disappeared. ¡°Ptui, ptui, ptui!!!¡± Chief Feng spat out the bitter taste. ¡°Chief Feng, what¡¯s wrong.¡± Yang Zong hurriedly supported him. ¡°This wine is too awful to drink, such low quality!¡± Chief Feng complained. ¡°Then why did Chief Feng drink so much?¡± Yang Zong asked. After Chief Feng spat out the bitter taste in his mouth and straightened his back, he answered, ¡°No choice! Jiang Ning was also there.¡± ¡°If someone like him can be noticed by Shen Congyun, as long as there are no mishaps, in the future, he will inevitably be a person of great importance. Someone far above me.¡± ¡°So even today, when I encountered him, I had to show him some respect, no matter what.¡± Upon hearing these words, Yang Zong clicked his tongue slightly. ¡°Chief Feng, is this¡­ really necessary?¡± Chief Feng said, ¡°How is it not necessary! What kind of person is Shen Congyun? Anyone he takes notice of must be extraordinary!¡± ¡°You know, he has been in Luoshui County for several years now, and during these years, not a single genius in the county has caught his eye.¡± ¡°And Jiang Ning is the first one.¡± ¡°To think that Shen Congyun valued him so much that he didn¡¯t hesitate to break the rules of the Wanhua Building to help him, it¡¯s obvious how much he regards him.¡± ¡°Now that this young man has received Shen Congyun¡¯s help, it¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that he can at least reach Martial Arts Eighth Grade, or even Seventh Grade, or perhaps even a higher level.¡± Upon hearing this, Yang Zong¡¯s mouth gaped slightly. ¡°Is it¡­ is it that exaggerated?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± Chief Feng continued, ¡°I ignored Jiang Li before, but today I must show a lot more initiative to apologize and make amends, lest such a talent holds a grudge against me.¡± ¡­ After lunch. Jiang Ning chose not to return to the Martial Arts Hall and continued to practice his punches in the yard surrounded by a hedge. He did this because he planned to go to the city gate tonight to see off Shen Congyun. According to his knowledge, Shen Congyun would leave Luoshui County from the east gate tonight and head to the prefecture city of Guangning Prefecture. And the east gate was right in the direction he was now in. That¡¯s why he took the time to visit his relatives on the way back. ¡­ In the blink of an eye, night fell. The cool moonlight cascaded down. Jiang Ning stood alone at the city gate, waiting quietly. As a person came into Jiang Ning¡¯s sight, his gaze slightly sharpened. A moment later. ¡°I pay my respects to Master!¡± Jiang Ning said respectfully. Wang Jin smiled, ¡°Good lad, you came silently, too.¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°Building Owner Shen has helped me so much. Knowing that he is leaving, how could I not come to see him off? This is the least I can do now!¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare that you have this thoughtfulness!¡± Wang Jin¡¯s gaze softened as he looked at Jiang Ning. At that moment. The two of them suddenly saw a luxurious carriage appear at the end of the street. The carriage moved along the road at a pace neither fast nor slow. ¡°It¡¯s a carriage from Wanhua Building!¡± Wang Jin¡¯s eyes sharpened, and he continued, ¡°Building Owner Shen must be inside.¡± ¡­ Elsewhere. In the inn next to the street. Cao Bin stood by the window, silently observing the street below. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In just a few days, his injuries seemed to have disappeared completely. ¡°The information was correct indeed. Tonight, Shen Congyun will be leaving Luoshui County.¡± At the same time. From the buildings on both sides of the street, pairs of eyes were secretly watching the carriage. A major figure like Shen Congyun could influence the entire Luoshui County with his every move. Especially since a few days ago, he took the initiative to step in and stop the conflict between the Cao family and Wang Jin, attracting the attention of the entire county. ¡­ After a short while. The carriage arrived at the city gate. The curtains were drawn, and Jiang Ning immediately saw an extremely beautiful and noble visage. ¡°I pay my respects to Master Lin!¡± Jiang Ning greeted respectfully. Lin Qingyi looked at Jiang Ning and nodded slightly. Wang Jin also spoke up to greet her, ¡°So it¡¯s Master Lin. Here I thought Brother Shen had arrived!¡± Lin Qingyi said, ¡°You¡¯re right. Shen Congyun is here.¡± As her words fell, the curtain in front of the carriage was drawn back. Soon after, the figure of Shen Congyun appeared before them. ¡°Why have you two come!¡± Shen Congyun expressed mild surprise from atop the carriage. Lin Qingyi also jumped out of the carriage soon after. Jiang Ning bowed with his fists, ¡°Senior Shen has shown me great kindness and even broke the rules of Wanhua Building because of me and must go to the Wanhua Building headquarters in Guangning Prefecture to receive punishment.¡± ¡°I am powerless to do anything for Senior Shen, now I can only come here to send him off a part of the way to express my gratitude.¡± Lin Qingyi gave Jiang Ning a glance and smiled gently, ¡°You¡¯re quite decent, young man.¡± Shen Congyun also smiled, ¡°It¡¯s good that you have this intention! Grow up quickly, and let them see that my judgement, Shen Congyun, wasn¡¯t wrong ¨C that¡¯s the best help you could give me.¡± Jiang Ning nodded firmly, ¡°Junior understands! I will not disappoint your expectations, Senior.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Shen Congyun nodded with satisfaction, ¡°As for this trip, you don¡¯t need to worry, nor feel guilty! Going to the prefecture city, I won¡¯t receive any punishment.¡± ¡°I just will not be able to return to Luoshui County for a short while!¡± ¡°Without my deterrence, you must be more careful of the Cao family! Pay more attention!¡± Hearing this, Wang Jin boldly said, ¡°Brother Shen, you needn¡¯t worry. With me here, the Cao family won¡¯t dare be too presumptuous!¡± Shen Congyun nodded, ¡°That may be true! Before me, Cao Rong had already left Luoshui County, headed to Dongling City to join his legion. Now that the Cao family lacks the strength of Cao Rong, Brother Wang indeed has the stature to say such a thing.¡± ¡°However, Brother Wang must be particularly careful about Cao Rong. This man already has a formidable reputation, and from what I know, if nothing goes awry, he would be able to step into the Sixth Rank very soon.¡± ¡°Once he steps into the Sixth Rank, in Luoshui County, he will be an existence comparable to that of the County Lord.¡± ¡°Cao Rong can reach the Sixth Rank?¡± Wang Jin¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Shen Congyun nodded, ¡°Yes! It should be within one or two years! Once he reaches the Sixth Rank, it won¡¯t be long before he doesn¡¯t see even me in his sights.¡± ¡°No wonder he was so arrogant facing me! He indeed had the capital to be arrogant!¡± Wang Jin nodded and said, ¡°A Sixth Rank expert, if he becomes one, he would be the first in Luoshui County in over a decade.¡± Shen Congyun then turned to Jiang Ning. ¡°Even with your master here, you must not be complacent. No one can be by your side for a lifetime; in the end, the only thing you can rely on is yourself! You must understand, strength is the foundation of everything!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°Senior, rest assured! Junior understands!¡± Shen Congyun nodded again, and then he said, ¡°After you achieve Qi Blood Perfection, go find Lin Qingyi; I¡¯ve left a gift for you. If possible, it would be best for you to join the Inspection Office, if not this year, then find a way next year.¡± ¡°Joining the Inspection Office is one of the best paths for you, and it¡¯s also the best place for your cultivation.¡± ¡°Compared to the resources of the Inspection Office, the Sects within Guangning Prefecture are nothing.¡± ¡°Moreover, with the opening of the Office, there will inevitably be many opportunities, and if you can seize those opportunities, it will be very important for your future.¡± Afterwards, Shen Congyun finished giving his advice and then turned to board the carriage. ¡°In the future, I hope to hear good news about you!¡± Shen Congyun stood on the carriage, turned his head to speak to Jiang Ning one more time, then entered the carriage. ¡°Drive¡ª¡± At Shen Congyun¡¯s signal, the coachman cracked his whip. The next moment. The carriage immediately moved, kicking up some dust on the road, and carried Shen Congyun towards the outskirts of the city. Chapter 83 - 13 Second Limit Breaking, New Trait Chapter 83: Chapter 13 Second Limit Breaking, New Trait At the gates of Luoshui County. In the night. The carriage carrying Shen Congyun gradually disappeared from the view of several onlookers. Lin Qingyi then withdrew her gaze and glanced indifferently at Jiang Ning. ¡°Shen Congyun has entrusted you to me, if you have any issues in the future, you can come find me at Wanhua Building,¡± she said. ¡°But let me tell you in advance, I won¡¯t help you like Shen Congyun did! I will only help within reasonable limits, you will have to rely on yourself for the most part.¡± ... ¡°I understand,¡± Jiang Ning responded, ¡°Thank you, senior!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me senior, it sounds terrible!¡± Lin Qingyi said. ¡°Thank you, Sister Lin!¡± Jiang Ning said with a smile. ¡°You really know how to take advantage of the situation!¡± Lin Qingyi said indifferently, then she turned and left. After turning around, a smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of her mouth. Being called sister by someone valued by Shen Congyun made her feel pleasantly pleased. It was completely different from the feeling other people gave her. Being valued by Shen Congyun, in her eyes, was someone worthy of her interaction. Especially since Jiang Ning¡¯s appearance was in line with her aesthetic preferences, she found him very easy on the eyes and comforting. Plus, Jiang Ning¡¯s age, eighteen years old. It¡¯s not only men who forever love eighteen-year-old girls. Women are the same! At that moment, Watching Lin Qingyi¡¯s retreating figure, something stirred in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart. Not refusing! That meant he tacitly agreed! Being able to call her sister was indeed a good thing! At least he could use it to his advantage! ¡­ At that moment, In a tavern by the street, Cao Bin slowly shifted his gaze away from the direction of the city gate. ¡°So it was indeed Shen Congyun in that carriage! He has really left!¡± he murmured. ¡°His departure does put my mind at ease much!¡± ¡°Cultivating both internally and externally, reaching Martial Arts Seventh Grade and already condensing inner breath, is truly terrifying!¡± ¡°But if my elder brother can reach Sixth Rank, it won¡¯t take long before we don¡¯t need to fear him.¡± Meanwhile, Even at night, the buildings on either side of the street were bustling with activity. Multiple figures dashed through the night, spreading this news in every direction. ¡­ After returning to the Martial Arts Hall, Jiang Ning started to practice his boxing again. Shen Congyun¡¯s departure rendered him restless. Although the Cao family had bowed their heads in front of Shen Congyun previously, now, nobody knew what the Cao family was thinking. After all, the previous conflict was so significant. The Cao family were not necessarily benevolent people. Fortunately! Cao Rong also left! Jiang Ning thought to himself. [Experience Value of Five Animals Fist +1] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Great Success 27/1000) After a round of practicing the boxing technique, the experience of the Five Animals Fist increased by one point. ¡°One round of technique, one point of experience value, four strands of Qi-Blood.¡± Jiang Ning clenched his fists, his Qi-Blood surged within him, rushing to all his limbs, and he instantly felt a powerful force filling his body. ¡°I had previously miscalculated the total amount of Qi-Blood needed for the lower limbs, which is much more than the upper limbs,¡± ¡°But with my current efficiency, my boxing technique could reach Perfection within a month, and I would accumulate four thousand strands of Qi-Blood, including the extra effects from the Qi Blood Pill, which should be enough to achieve complete Qi Blood Perfection.¡± He continued practicing his punches. Every increase in Qi-Blood and every enhancement in strength gradually fortified his confidence. Before going to sleep, he checked his stats panel once more. [Source Energy Points]: 19.3 [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (First Limit Breaking 2000/2000) (Trait: Touch and Understand) ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯ll reach 20 points. I wonder if 20 points will be enough for the second Limit Breaking of the blade technique.¡± Holding this thought, he slowly entered a deep sleep, letting his body recover over the night. ¡­ The next day, bright and early, As dawn was just breaking, Jiang Ning had already opened his eyes and got out of bed. Crackling- As he turned over and stretched, his body emitted crisp cracking sounds. ¡°Refreshing¡ª¡± he sighed deeply, then immediately looked at his stats panel. [Source Energy]: 21.9 [Skill]: ¡­ Chopping Wood Blade Skill + (First Limit Breaking 2000/2000) (Trait: Touch and Understand) ¡°Huh?¡± The moment he saw the stats panel, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes sharply focused. ¡°Can it really be done, the second Limit Breaking at 20 points?¡± His face then showed a highly surprised expression. He hadn¡¯t been hopeful when he first opened the stats panel. 20 Source Energy Points were extremely simple for him now, Needing only eight to nine days. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So, he thought the requirements for the second Limit Breaking of the skill would be greater. Possibly ten times that of the first, as the decimal system was a logical setup. But at this moment, seeing the bright plus sign behind Chopping Wood Blade Skill on the panel, he knew he had guessed wrong. The Source Energy Points required for the second Limit Breaking of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill wasn¡¯t as high as he had envisioned. Only 20 points were needed. The consumption of 20 Source Energy Points could enable the second Limit Breaking of his Chopping Wood Blade Skill. Thinking of this, his heart filled with anticipation. New traits, especially those of the blade skill, would inevitably bring him new changes and enhancements. His strength was bound to increase again. Subsequently, His gaze landed on the plus sign behind Chopping Wood Blade Skill on the panel, his thought shifting slightly once more. The Source Energy Points on the panel suddenly began to plummet. As the Source Energy Points decreased, he suddenly felt his brain entering an extraordinary state unlike any mortal. In his mind, he wielded a saber, chopping down stroke by stroke, regardless of whether it was spring or the scorching summer, always chopping down with his blade. This single stroke was repeated tens of thousands of times. With each stroke chopped, he gained new insights, new insights about the Chopping Wood Blade Skill. The speed of his blade strikes also became faster, resembling a fleeting white rainbow in the air. In this state, time seemed not to exist at all. Simultaneously, Jiang Ning also felt his arms turn tingly and itchy, as if thousands of ants were crawling inside his arms, and it felt as though electric currents were surging through them. He had no idea how much time had passed. He finally opened his eyes. In an instant! A flash of saber light seemed to pass through his eyes. [Source Energy]: 1.9 [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Second Limit Breaking 1967/3000) (Traits: Touch and Understand, Quick as Lightning) [Quick as Lightning]: As if aided by a god, the blade is drawn incredibly fast, far surpassing ordinary people. ¡°Quick as Lightning, huh?¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. He then grabbed the long saber that lay next to his bed and with a swift movement, took three steps to reach the courtyard. Swoosh¡ª He drew his saber, and a cold light suddenly appeared, the long saber already unsheathed. The next moment, saber light suddenly flickered in the courtyard, countless overlapping shadows of the blade filled the area within ten feet around Jiang Ning, omnipresent! The surrounding air surged, and the fallen leaves and twigs on the ground tumbled around. The saber in his hand also danced faster, the flashing saber light turning into a curtain of blades, impenetrable like a curtain of water. After a long while. Swoosh¡ª Jiang Ning sheathed his saber, and the flashing saber light around him simultaneously dispersed. [Canglang Blade Skill Experience +1] Excitement instantly appeared on Jiang Ning¡¯s face. ¡°This saber is so fast! Nearly fifty percent faster than before.¡± At this moment, his heart was immensely excited. The saber speed was fifty percent faster, which was an astonishing concept. If the strength of two people were equal, being ten percent faster with the saber equates to a ninety percent chance of victory. Being fifty percent faster, in actual combat that is a vast difference, completely incomparable levels, like the difference between an adult and a child. When facing an opponent, if the opponent¡¯s blade just reached the midpoint, his saber could already reach any vital point on the opponent¡¯s body. That one-third distance difference, was the difference between life and death. With equal strength, this speed of his saber could easily enable him to strike first even though he strikes later, unless he was overly careless, otherwise his chance of winning was absolute. ¡°I wonder what my strength is now!¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself, ¡°If I use the Chopping Wood Blade Skill with fifty percent increased speed and the explosive power from the Second Limit Breaking of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill, I should be able to kill Xu Yunfeng without using the Nine Layers of Strength, right?¡± ¡°After all, my strength has also been enhanced, and the gap between us isn¡¯t that big anymore!¡± Thinking of this, Jiang Ning, under the dawn light, came to the front yard of the Martial Arts Hall. He stood in front of the five-hundred-pound stone lock. His right hand grabbed the fine iron in the middle of the stone lock, then he exerted force with his right arm. Distinct muscle lines suddenly appeared on his bare right arm. These bulging muscles appeared like coiling dragons, filled with a sense of power. The next moment, the stone lock slowly lifted into the air, and Jiang Ning¡¯s lower body slightly sank as he stabilized his form. ¡°Indeed, I can!¡± Excitement filled his eyes, and he persisted for nearly ten breaths before he slowly lowered the stone lock. Boom¡ª Upon landing, even though he lowered it gently, the stone lock still emitted a dull sound, and the soil of the ground also sprang up to the sides. ¡°Whew¡ª¡± Jiang Ning slowly exhaled the impure energy he had accumulated in his abdomen, his expression excited. ¡°My right arm¡¯s strength has already surpassed five hundred pounds, this kind of strength can now compete with those who have reached Qi Blood Perfection.¡± ¡°Even the strength of ordinary Martial Arts Ninth Grade is merely between seven hundred to one thousand pounds in a single arm, the gap between them and me has further narrowed!¡± Then, he shook his right arm, his body sank, and his left hand grasped the stone lock again. ¡°Up¡ª¡± He uttered softly, energy sinking to his Dantian, and exerted strength with his left arm. Then, the stone lock lifted off the ground again. After holding for two breaths, Boom¡ª he put down the stone lock, and it heavily landed. ¡°Five hundred pounds, my left arm also possesses five hundred pounds of strength!¡± Excitement grew in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart. Even though Qi-Blood hadn¡¯t been perfected, both arms having five hundred pounds of strength, that force even those with Innate Divine Strength and exceptional talent barely possess. Feeling such obvious progress, Jiang Ning¡¯s motivation surged. Then, his gaze fell again on his own panel. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 1.9 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (First Limit Breaking 903/2000) (Trait: Unforgettable) Five Animals Fist (Great Success 35/1000) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Second Limit Breaking 1967/3000) (Traits: Touch and Understand, Quick as Lightning) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Beginner 188/1000) Canglang Blade Skill (Master 1/200) ¡°Only 1.9 Source Energy left, need to keep accumulating.¡± ¡°Reading and Writing Experience is about to reach half, with my current rate of accumulating Source Energy Points, just needing another 20 points, will only take another eight days.¡± ¡°I need to read more books during this time, to increase the Literacy and Judgement Experience.¡± ¡°At the same time, Boxing and Inner Elixir Cultivation should also not be neglected.¡± ¡°As for the Canglang Blade Skill, there¡¯s no rush now! My body is still inadequate, Martial Arts Entry, after succeeding in Refining Skin, then consider enhancing this blade technique.¡± Then, his gaze settled on the Chopping Wood Blade Skill. ¡°Experience 1967, only 1033 points left to be full, during this time, I also need to fill up the experience of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill, better even to accumulate a bit more.¡± ¡°For me right now, chopping is utterly simple, hardly any effort needed.¡± ¡°Each chop increases experience by one point, yet it accumulates quickly!¡± After setting the plan for the future, Jiang Ning continued to practice boxing. Practicing boxing while waiting for the sunrise. Now with Wang Jin¡¯s support and help, he could freely use powerful medicine to nourish himself without worrying about it for a short while. Chapter 84 - 14 Qi-Blood Great Success, Penetrating the Four Limbs! Chapter 84: Chapter 14 Qi-Blood Great Success, Penetrating the Four Limbs! Time flew by. In the blink of an eye. Three days later. Boom Boom Boom¡ª Jiang Ning stood in his own courtyard. One punch after another, like a violent storm, slammed into the wooden posts, indulging in the release of his own inner strength. ... At that moment. Wang Jin in the backyard of the Martial Arts Hall heard the sound of the pounding from Jiang Ning¡¯s direction, and his eyes suddenly narrowed. ¡°The direction of this pounding on the wooden post¡­ it¡¯s Jiang Ning¡¯s yard!¡± ¡°There¡¯s something odd about this sound!¡± He moved and jumped out of his backyard. Within a few breaths, he appeared outside the gate of Jiang Ning¡¯s yard. He glanced at the locked courtyard gate, then his figure leaped up and landed on the surrounding wall. Looking down from above, he could see the whole view of Jiang Ning¡¯s courtyard. At this moment, Jiang Ning was dressed in a short robe, his bare arms sweeping through the air like the wind, creating countless afterimages hammering on the wooden stake wrapped in cowhide. With each swing, his arm muscles surged like dragons, elongating with a sense of powerful lines. The visual impact alone revealed the immense power contained in each punch. At this point, every punch Jiang Ning threw landed on the cowhide-wrapped post, producing a thunderous dull sound. The post, deep in the ground, swayed continuously under his relentless punches. Hearing the sound of Jiang Ning¡¯s punches on the post up close, Wang Jin¡¯s pupils suddenly contracted. How could this kid¡¯s punching power be so swift and so strong? These sounds! This activity! Each punch contained a force of at least 1500 pounds! Something was not right! It really wasn¡¯t right!! What level had his Qi Blood Power reached? Could it be that his Qi Blood has reached Great Success, permeating his limbs, or Qi Blood Perfection, pervading his entire body? Thinking about this possibility, Wang Jin secretly shook his head. This¡­ shouldn¡¯t be possible! After a long time. Jiang Ning stopped punching and stood, sweat dripping down his cheeks. ¡°Refreshing!¡± He clenched his fist, feeling the ample Qi Blood circulating through his limbs, continuously nourishing his body. In this state, even as time passed, his physical condition wouldn¡¯t decline but would improve even further. This was the mysterious aspect of Qi Blood Power. ¡°Finally, Qi Blood has reached Great Success, permeating my limbs!¡± he thought excitedly. Just then. ¡°Cough cough¡ª¡± Two soft coughs sounded behind Jiang Ning. ¡°Master!¡± He quickly turned around and respectfully greeted Wang Jin seeing him. ¡°This boxing¡­ you¡¯ve done well!¡± Wang Jin nodded. Jiang Ning said, ¡°Thank you for the praise, Master!¡± Wang Jin smiled, observing Jiang Ning with a look of wanting to say more. ¡°Master, feel free to speak your mind!¡± said Jiang Ning. Wang Jin then spoke, ¡°The force of your punches just now was very fierce and impactful; I¡¯m curious to what extent has your Qi Blood strengthened?¡± ¡°Qi Blood has reached Great Success, permeating my limbs!¡± Jiang Ning said without hesitation. ¡°Qi Blood reached Great Success?¡± Wang Jin¡¯s eyes suddenly narrowed, revealing a surprised expression, ¡°You¡¯re not lying to me?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s indeed Qi Blood Great Success!¡± Jiang Ning affirmed. Seeing the certainty in Jiang Ning¡¯s demeanor, Wang Jin couldn¡¯t remain calm inside. This kid has been practicing boxing for how long and has already reached Qi Blood Great Success? This seems a bit too monstrous! He hasn¡¯t even been practicing boxing for a month, right? To have reached this stage in such a short time, did Shen Congyun give him some kind of miraculous medicine? How else could his Qi Blood strength increase so quickly! It must be! Otherwise, this talent is too frightening! In the many years in Luoshui County, there had never been such a monster. Wang Jin then feigned calmness and nodded. ¡°Not bad! If you maintain this pace, you have a chance to enter the Inspection Office. Do you have this intention?¡± Jiang Ning responded, ¡°Disciple has such intentions.¡± Wang Jin said, ¡°Since you have this intention, you must train even harder! As for everything you need for your martial arts training at the moment, leave it to me!!¡± Hearing these words from Wang Jin, Jiang Ning was visibly moved. Then he bowed respectfully, ¡°Thank you, Master! I will never forget Master¡¯s kindness in my whole life!!¡± Wang Jin waved his hand, an indifferent expression on his face, ¡°It¡¯s nothing! Since I am your master, of course, I must take responsibility for you!¡± Then Wang Jin added, ¡°Enough about that, you keep on practicing your boxing. I also need to adjust my state, getting ready to practice Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill!¡± ¡°Master, take care!¡± Jiang Ning saw him off all the way, then opened the courtyard gate. Watching Wang Jin¡¯s distant figure, he felt deeply grateful in his heart. Then, he returned to his own yard to continue practicing boxing. Although he now had reached Qi Blood Great Success, and his strength had scaled up, It was still not enough! Not enough to let him move unchallenged in Luoshui County, fearing no one. He still needed to continue practicing boxing with perseverance! ¡­ In the blink of an eye. Again, ten days had passed. [name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 34.8 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (first limit break 1977/2000) (trait: unforgettable) Five Animals Fist (small success 529/1000) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (second limit breaking 3000/3000) (traits: touch and understand, saber like a swift wind) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (beginner 758/1000) Canglang Blade Skill (master 1/200) Looking at his own panel, Jiang Ning murmured, ¡°The Source Energy Points have broken past the thirty point mark. Yet, there¡¯s no prompt for a possible limit break for the Chopping Wood Blade Skill. It seems that the Source Energy Points required for the third limit breaking of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill isn¡¯t just thirty. It¡¯s more.¡± Afterward, he glanced toward the Reading and Writing category. ¡°The experience value for Reading and Writing is also nearly full! This skill is so much harder to accumulate experience in compared to the Chopping Wood Blade Skill! I hope that after the second limit breaking, it will grant me a good trait.¡± Subsequently, Jiang Ning also temporarily stopped practicing boxing. Instead, he flipped through the books in his hands, quietly waiting for the sunrise. [Reading and Writing Experience +1] [Reading and Writing Experience +1] [Reading and Writing Experience +1] [¡­] As time passed, the experience value of the Reading and Writing skill continued to grow. In the blink of an eye. The sun slowly rose. [Reading and Writing Experience +1] When this prompt appeared, Jiang Ning also stopped the act of reading. [This session of reading has increased the Reading and Writing Experience by a total of 18 points.] [Skill]: Reading and Writing (first limit break 1995/2000) (trait: unforgettable) ¡°Only 5 points to go. No need to rush at this moment!¡± ¡°Prioritizing the absorption of Sun Essence is more important!¡± ¡°After all, every day there¡¯s only so much chance to increase the experience for the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill!¡± Following that, Jiang Ning faced the slowly rising sun to the east, and sat down slowly waiting for the sunrise to end. As the sun rose, Jiang Ning immediately began to absorb the Sun Essence. Even in this world, he had noticed that as winter approached, sunrise came earlier. Like now, in mid-August, the sunrise was around 5:45 a.m. Compared to before, the earlier sunrise allowed him to practice the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill for a longer duration. He could absorb the essence of the sunrise for over two hours, gaining more experience. He didn¡¯t know exactly why this was, nor did he want to ponder such inscrutable matters. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He only knew it was a good thing, a beneficial good thing. The longer the absorption time, the quicker the progress of his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. The sooner the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill broke through to the next level, the faster his strength would rise. Keep in mind, the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill was an exceptional technique that also involved the internal strengthening of organs. Advancing through each realm of this martial study meant a qualitative change to his strength. Especially going forward, each realm advance of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill would bring noticeably greater enhancements. Breaking through to mastery was not only a significant rise in bodily function and prolonged stamina but also led to the spontaneous eruption of hidden potentials and displaying extraordinary strength. Breaking through to small success meant condensing the Inner Breath, becoming invincible and unbreakable. It even enabled him to kill enemies from a distance, achieving the level where falling leaves and flying flowers could all be used to kill the enemy. Breaking through to great success meant the organs were condensed into an extraordinarily strong state, typically characterized by the ability to emit a thunderous roar from the organs. The transformation in strength was even more evident, with Inner Breath condensed into Gang, resulting in astonishing destructive power. There were records of such strong individuals who, in a single burst of Inner Breath, could break through the armor of a thousand elite warriors with one sword strike, akin to demons and gods on Earth. Under the might of that one sword strike, the entire battlefield would turn into a purgatory of Shura, with flesh flying everywhere, corpses spread all over, and blood flowing into rivers. Not to mention above great success, the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill also had the level of Perfection. Although he didn¡¯t fully understand the profundity concerning the state of Perfection, he knew it represented a qualitative change, as well as the core source of the technique¡¯s grade. Because all transformations of this technique were concentrated in the final step of Perfection. Swallowing a Golden Core into the belly, my fate is mine to command. This step taken was in alignment with the intent of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. The enhancement in strength must be unparalleled. Hence, for the breakthroughs of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, Jiang Ning placed immense importance. Although he did not have the Perfect Method for the breakthrough of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, relying on the miraculous panel, just by fully gaining experience, he could immediately breakthrough to the realm of Perfection. And currently, this technique was not too far from the next realm. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (beginner 758/1000) He looked at the panel again. The Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill was only the last 242 experience points away from the next stage. Given his current rate of acquisition, with the subsequent methods taught to him by Shen Congyun and the assistance of the Protective Organ Pill, it was triple what it had been before. Give him another week, and this technique could break through to the next level. Following that. Watching the sun that kept rising, Jiang Ning calculated the time again. ¡°About a month has passed since Wang Jin announced the matter of the Inspection Office!¡± ¡°Carefully calculating, there¡¯s only about two more months left for the opening of the Luoshui County Inspection Office!¡± ¡°I need to catch up with the time!¡± He sensed the Qi-Blood within his body again. After so many days of hard practice in boxing, the Qi-Blood in his body was no longer the same as before. Qi-Blood great success, running through the limbs, and now he was taking a further step toward Qi Blood Perfection. He could distinctly feel that it would only be a few days before reaching Qi Blood Perfection. ¡°After Qi Blood Perfection, I need to consider Refining Skin. After Refining Skin, I will be able to step into the ranks of Ninth Grade martial artists. Being in Luoshui County, I also have the initial strength to protect myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s coming soon! Really soon!¡± Jiang Ning silently said. Chapter 85 - 15 New Trait, the Effect is Astounding! Chapter 85: Chapter 15 New Trait, the Effect is Astounding! Martial Arts Hall. Jiang Ning sat cross-legged in the courtyard, quietly waiting for the sunrise in the east. At this moment, however, his mind had wandered to the heavens. According to his understanding, the strength hierarchy of martial artists in Luoshui County was not considered high. Martial Arts Ninth Grade was regarded as skilled, and across the whole of Luoshui County, they were truly the backbone of strength. The county government arrest officers, hall masters of the three major gangs¡ªall were skilled at Martial Arts Ninth Grade. ... With such strength, one could have a good life no matter which power they chose to serve. They were truly above the common folk. Fully capable of transcending social classes, they were superior to ordinary people. If one were to serve the court, it was very easy to land a minor official position. Just like those arrest officers, all with official titles, holding authentic Ninth Grade government positions. Although these were tiny official ranks, for ordinary people, they represented a significant social leap, a defiant change of fate. As for Martial Arts Eighth Grade, looking across the entire Luoshui County, they were each figures of great importance, each controlling some vital resource within the county town. Like the leaders of the three great gangs in Luoshui County, their strength was well-known¡ªthey were at Martial Arts Eighth Grade, skillful in Power Training, their physical strength exceeding a thousand pounds. Martial Arts Eighth Grade, as Jiang Ning knew, involved channeling power to temper the muscles all over the body, increasing muscle density and quantity, thereby greatly enhancing one¡¯s own strength. The outstanding ones at this realm could, with a single arm swing, effortlessly exert force above two thousand pounds, and those with innate exceptional talent or Innate Divine Strength could even exert force above three thousand pounds. The increase in strength at this realm was quite apparent and even several realms higher didn¡¯t offer any increase in strength as remarkable as this one, unless one reached a realm above Inner Strength. Therefore, the Martial Arts Eighth Grade realm was also known as the Divine Power Realm. The top powerhouses in the Divine Power Realm could be viewed as overlords of Luoshui County. Even snakes like the three big families had to treat these characters with due respect. Above the Eighth Rank Martial Artists was the Martial Arts Seventh Grade. These included the likes of Wang Jin and Cao Rong. As well as the County Magistrate who managed all the constables, the Commander of the city gate office, the Commander of the army stationed outside the city, Master Wang, and the pillars of the three major families, all these were at Martial Arts Seventh Grade. As for the higher Martial Arts Sixth Grade. Looking across the entire Luoshui County, not a single one was openly known. Therefore, Jiang Ning was crystal clear. As long as he stepped into Martial Arts Ninth Grade, with all his methods enhanced, he would truly have the strength to protect himself throughout the whole Luoshui County. And he would also qualify to join the Inspection Office. Joining the Inspection Office would beckon a true change. Without absolute unbeatable strength, the importance of power and influence is beyond question. At this thought, Jiang Ning was filled with motivation. The next moment, The Great Sun rose completely. Jiang Ning immediately entered a state of tranquil mind, facing the Great Sun and began practicing the breathing and releasing techniques. Under his breathing, Streams of invisible Sun Essence Qi continuously flowed into his internal organs from his nostrils. Then, under the tempering of the Sun Essence Qi, he could distinctly feel his internal organs strengthening and increasing slowly. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [¡­] Time slowly passed, and the experience of his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill on his display was also continually rising. In a blink of an eye, more than two hours had passed. 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. was approaching. Jiang Ning immediately stopped his breathing exercises. As he opened his eyes, [This session of Breathing and Releasing the Essence of the Great Sun, Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill experience increased by a total of 44 points.] [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Beginner 802/1000) ¡°44 points, one more point than yesterday.¡± ¡°It seems, at this current level, the earlier the sunrise, the longer I can practice the breathing technique, and the more experience I can gain.¡± ¡°With today¡¯s efficiency, I¡¯ll be able to break through in another five days.¡± ¡°Hopefully, it won¡¯t suddenly start raining in the next few days!¡± No sooner had this thought emerged in Jiang Ning¡¯s mind than he shook his head, feeling a bit guilty. Never mind! Let there be several downpours! The entirety of Luoshui County had not seen rain for three months now; it seemed like heaven was unwilling to grant the people a way to live! Fortunately, located beside the Luoshui River, they could still drink water and irrigate the fields. Other areas must be suffering much more than Luoshui County. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning sighed inwardly. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. These days he occasionally went back to visit his elder brother¡¯s family, and walking through the outer city, he could clearly notice an increase in beggars. From their behavior and dress, one could tell they were once just ordinary impoverished civilians. They begged with evident shame and embarrassment. Among them, there were those dragging children, kneeling and begging on the ground. In such circumstances, he also encountered several worship activities of the God Worship Sect. They worshiped heaven, praying for rain! Hence, the number of members in the God Worship Sect was also growing by the day. ¡°A natural disaster, a sign of a nation¡¯s doom!¡± ¡°In such an environment, I must grow stronger more quickly.¡± Jiang Ning shook his head. Then he refocused his mind and picked up the book that he had placed aside. [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1995/2000) (trait: unforgettable) ¡°Just five more experience points! Let¡¯s muster the energy to fill up this experience!¡± With this thought in mind, he began to read the book. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [¡­] Experience was increasing bit by bit, getting ever closer to 2000 points. After a moment, [This session of reading, Literacy and Judgement Experience increased by a total of 5 points.] [Skill]: Reading and Writing + (Second Limit Breaking 2000/2000) (trait: unforgettable) ¡°At last, it¡¯s full!¡± He glanced again at the Source Energy Points. [Source Energy]: 34.8 ¡°Everything is ready now, I hope the breakthrough in ¡®Reading and Writing¡¯ will bring me some decent help!¡± The next moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s thoughts moved. The Source Energy Points on the panel instantly diminished like flowing water. At the same time, He suddenly felt a jolt in his brain, as if a drop of ice water had fallen into his mind. In an instant, His mind entered a state of emptiness, devoid of joy or sorrow. Under this condition, there seemed to be an abnormal twitch between his eyebrows, as if something was about to emerge. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He whispered to himself. Suddenly, A strand of his consciousness sank, and an image instantly appeared in his mind ¨C a human body diagram. He saw the organs, the flow of blood, the six hundred and thirty-nine muscles, and the two hundred and six bones. ¡°This is¡­ my body!¡± ¡°I can actually perform inner vision on myself!¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. Inner vision is an ability that one can have only when one¡¯s spiritual power has grown to a certain extent. This ability is extremely useful for any martial artist. Having mastered the technique of inner vision, one would progress much faster on the path of martial arts than the average person. Whether it¡¯s Martial Arts Ninth Grade¡¯s skin training, refining the epidermis and dermis, or Martial Arts Eighth Grade¡¯s power training, refining muscle fibers. With the skill of inner vision, one can refine themselves with much greater precision, unlike the blind leading the blind; naturally, this would greatly improve the efficiency of the refining process. Generally speaking, unless one is a being with extraordinary talents, born with extremely strong spiritual power, achieving inner vision is not easy. The strength of spiritual power depends more on innate talent. As for acquired development, Jiang Ning knew that this world did not have a systematic technique to strengthen the spirit. Although the Buddhist Dao and Confucian methods also have techniques for nourishing the spirit, they are related to their respective scriptures and do not significantly enhance spiritual power. Without high innate understanding and at least five to ten years of effort, the effects are not outstanding. Aside from these two, there¡¯s the Confucian way, where reading and understanding books can also gradually strengthen spiritual power, but the efficiency is very low. Then there is the scholarly Dao, where one takes the imperial examinations, succeeds, and worships in the Holy Temple to receive the infusion of righteous qi, which can nourish the divine soul and strengthen spiritual power. This, too, is difficult. How many can stand out after ten years of hard study? The path of martial arts is already arduous, to add onto that the study of poetry and literature to pass the exams. Remember, a person only has twelve 2-hour periods in a day. Subtract the time for three meals a day, sleep, and there¡¯s not much left. Dividing the remaining time between the scholarly and martial paths only compounds the difficulty. Furthermore, each person¡¯s talents are different, and excelling in an area they are not proficient in only makes achievements harder to attain. ¡°The imperial examination is so crucial, it¡¯s so helpful to the path of martial arts, it¡¯s no wonder that it must be monopolized by powerful families and the nobility!¡± Thinking of this, Jiang Ning shook his head inwardly. It might not be so easy to obtain some scholarly honor in the future. ¡°Hoping joining the Inspection Office will help me out!¡± He thought to himself. A moment later, Jiang Ning opened his eyes and immediately opened the panel. [Skill]: Literacy and Judgement (Second Limit Breaking 0/3000) (Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) [Extraordinary Five Senses]: A feather cannot be added, a fly cannot land. A feather cannot be added, a fly cannot land. Seeing this phrase, his gaze sharpened, and he murmured to himself, ¡°Isn¡¯t this what I read from Grandmaster Wang Zongyue in ¡®Tai Chi Boxing Theory¡¯ in my previous life?¡± ¡°The meaning of this phrase is that at the highest realm of Tai Chi Boxing, one¡¯s bodily senses are extremely sensitive, such that even the light touch of a feather or the presence of a fly can be immediately sensed and reacted to.¡± Jiang Ning contemplated. What are the five senses? They are sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. When unified, they are collectively known as the five senses. With this thought, He opened his eyes wide and looked around. Instantly, he noticed his sight had undergone an earth-shattering change. Even an ant searching for food in the corner of a wall was detectable by him. Even a caterpillar nibbling on leaves was instantly caught by his eyes. ¡°This kind of vision! So exaggerated!!¡± Jiang Ning was inwardly astonished. This feeling, compared to before, was like a person with 500-degree nearsightedness suddenly wearing a pair of glasses ¨C the difference was astounding! Then, He closed his eyes slightly and listened intently with his ears. In an instant, all sorts of sounds entered his ears. The footsteps of passersby outside the Martial Arts Hall, the buzzing wings of bees, the sound of leaves and twigs falling¡­ Sounds from all directions entered his ears, and he could precisely tell where each sound originated. He took a slight breath through his nose. The scents of earth, fresh grass, and even his own sweat were distinctly discernible. The next moment, ¡°Cough, cough,¡± He opened his eyes and coughed lightly. Looking down at himself, he murmured, ¡°I need to take a bath later!¡± Then, his expression turned to one of great joy. ¡°A feather cannot be added, a fly cannot land.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just the description of my sense of touch.¡± At that moment, the muscles in his arm trembled slightly, and a fly that had just landed was immediately flicked away. ¡°Extraordinary Five Senses!¡± ¡°What a trait!¡± ¡°Worth it!!¡± Chapter 86 - 16 Significant Advancement in Boxing, Qi Blood Perfection is Imminent! Chapter 86: Chapter 16 Significant Advancement in Boxing, Qi Blood Perfection is Imminent! Outside Dongling City. By the Si River. ¡°Why would you let me go, Cao Rong?¡± a man with a full beard and rough features showed a puzzled expression. Cao Rong said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that although your name, Tian Buyi, carries ¡®injustice,¡¯ you are actually known for your sense of loyalty and you take promises very seriously!¡± Upon hearing these praising words from Cao Rong, the bearded man immediately responded with pride, ¡°Of course, I, Tian Buyi, value nothing more than loyalty when mixing in the martial world. I always keep my word and never go back on my promises.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Cao Rong said, ¡°Today, I spare your life, and you owe me a favor! Is that fair?¡± ... Tian Buyi replied, ¡°Absolutely fair!¡± Cao Rong continued, ¡°I need you to do something for me, using this favor.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Tian Buyi patted his chest vigorously, ¡°You spared me, and you have my gratitude! Whatever you ask, if it¡¯s within my power, I¡¯ll risk my life to accomplish it.¡± Cao Rong nodded, ¡°I want you to kill someone.¡± ¡°Who?¡± asked Tian Buyi. ¡°See for yourself!¡± A roll of white paper slid from Cao Rong¡¯s sleeve and was thrown to the bearded man named Tian Buyi. Tian Buyi hurriedly caught the rolled white paper and then unfolded it. A few breaths later, he had finished look through it. He nodded, ¡°Simple, to kill a greenhorn whose Martial Arts practice hasn¡¯t even reached any official grade, I could knock him out with a stone!¡± Cao Rong said, ¡°Complete this task, and you¡¯ll be free of the debt you owe me, and we¡¯ll have no more involvement with each other.¡± Tian Buyi smiled, revealing his yellow teeth, ¡°I understand, Lord Cao is rising in the ranks and naturally doesn¡¯t want to get entangled with a great bandit like me.¡± He patted his chest again, ¡°Rest assured, Lord Cao! I will take care of this, and afterward, I will never contact you again.¡± Cao Rong instructed, ¡°Remember, don¡¯t make it too obvious! Stir up some trouble along the way, and then flee to Luoshui County to finish off this person.¡± Tian Buyi chuckled, ¡°Understood! Rest easy, Lord Cao, I¡¯ve done this sort of thing a few times before! Such a young whelp, and Lord Cao has sought me out, which means Lord Cao doesn¡¯t want the Cao family to be linked to this at all!¡± After saying these words, Tian Buyi leaped toward the torrential river waters. Splash¡ª With a splash, Tian Buyi dived into the waves and vanished into the turbulent Si River in an instant. Cao Rong stood quietly by the bank of the Si River, watching the surface of the river where Tian Buyi had disappeared, musing. ¡°Jiang Ning! You have caught the eye of Shen Congyun! And my Cao family has made an enemy of you!¡± ¡°In that case, I cannot let you live!¡± ¡°I have no desire to gamble on your future! To bet on your mercy and magnanimity!¡± ¡°May you be born into a better life in your next incarnation!¡± Then, Cao Rong turned and walked away. Tian Buyi, the bandit of the riverways. An Eighth Grade expert! In his eyes, enough to strangle Jiang Ning in the cradle. Moreover, by using Tian Buyi, as long as he does a clean job, no one would be able to guess it was he who ordered it. In this way, even if Shen Congyun were to return one day, he couldn¡¯t be blamed. Being valued by Shen Congyun, regardless of the reason, he preferred not to gamble on that future. What¡¯s more, even if something were to happen with this matter in the future, it would be years away. A few years later, if he truly stood against Shen Congyun, he would no longer be afraid! ¡­ Three days later. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Great Success 551/1000) After completing a set of boxing. Jiang Ning exhaled a breath of impure energy softly. Then he picked up a large bowl beside him. Glug glug¡ª As he swallowed, a bowl of sweet and refreshing well water entered his stomach. The heat on his body was immediately relieved a great deal. He then perceived the Qi Blood Power surging within him and thought to himself. ¡°I will reach Qi Blood Perfection in just a day or two!¡± ¡°Faster if today, slower by tomorrow.¡± Just then. ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± A voice suddenly came from the entrance, startling him. Jiang Ning turned around, the visitor was Cheng Ran. He immediately showed a smile, ¡°Long time no see, Brother Cheng.¡± Cheng Ran shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t call me ¡®brother,¡¯ nowadays, you should call me ¡®disciple.¡¯¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jiang Ning looked puzzled. Cheng Ran gave a wry smile, ¡°Brother Jiang, how much longer do you intend to keep it from me? Master Wang has already taken you as a True Disciple, now I am at best a nominal disciple.¡± ¡°Mastering boxing is really hard!!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning understood immediately. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A few days before, Wang Jin had spoken to him about delaying the announcement to the Martial Arts Hall disciples about taking him as an apprentice. The purpose was to avoid attracting too much attention to Jiang Ning. After all, it¡¯s the outstanding tree that is torn down by the wind. Attracting too much attention can lead to unnecessary trouble and is not always a good thing. When he heard this, Jiang Ning agreed. He was past the age for showing off. Now he just wished to practice his Martial Arts diligently, accumulating strength bit by bit. There was no unnecessary boasting he wished to engage in. Now that Cheng Ran displayed such an expression, it indicated that he already knew about Wang Jin taking him in as a True Disciple. Afterward, Jiang Ning still asked, ¡°Brother Cheng, how did you find out?¡± Cheng Ran said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about how I found out. And don¡¯t call me ¡®Brother¡¯ anymore, I¡¯m not worthy of it now.¡± ¡°Then¡­ then I¡¯ll call you ¡®Brother Cheng¡¯!¡± said Jiang Ning. Hearing this, Cheng Ran hesitated slightly before slowly nodding, ¡°That¡­ that works!¡± After that, he also breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. To be honest, he had been called ¡®junior brother¡¯ by Jiang Ning for over a month, and now suddenly being called that himself, it was somewhat hard for him to accept. Now Jiang Ning¡¯s way of addressing him had eased a lot of pressure in his heart. Subsequently, Cheng Ran said, ¡°Master Wang has just announced it, officially taking you as his True Disciple. From now on, we nominal disciples, upon seeing you, must address you as ¡®Brother¡¯!¡± Then, Cheng Ran sighed, ¡°It¡¯s really unbelievable when you think about it. You¡¯ve only started for so short a time, yet you managed to get ahead of me, becoming the first of Master Wang¡¯s True Disciples.¡± ¡°No wonder a few days ago, such an important figure as Shen Congyun took a fancy to you at first sight, and then even stepped in himself, rescuing you from the Cao family¡¯s hands.¡± Faced with Cheng Ran¡¯s exclamation, Jiang Ning could only smile. At this moment, Cheng Ran¡¯s gaze fell on the stone table in the courtyard beside them. ¡°This knife¡­ Brother Jiang must have had it for a while, it must be that Master Wang had taken you as his True Disciple long before this,¡± he speculated. ¡°And then delayed telling us for so many days.¡± Jiang Ning nodded upon hearing this, without denying, ¡°Brother Cheng¡¯s observation is indeed thorough; it is indeed as you said.¡± Cheng Ran couldn¡¯t help but give a wry smile at this, ¡°The gap between people is truly vast! After seeing you, Brother Jiang, I understand what talent is! It suddenly made me feel like all the hard work in martial arts seems meaningless.¡± ¡°With Brother Jiang¡¯s kind of talent, even a lifetime wouldn¡¯t be enough for me to catch up.¡± ¡°And not only do you have high talent, Brother Jiang, but you¡¯re also so determined, so hardworking!¡± As he spoke, Cheng Ran couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit downhearted. Seeing this, Jiang Ning patted Cheng Ran on the shoulder with a smile. ¡°Brother Cheng, you shouldn¡¯t set your gaze on others. In this world, there are mountains beyond mountains, people beyond people. Comparing oneself with others, who can truly surpass everything?¡± Cheng Ran said, ¡°The Martial Saint can!¡± Jiang Ning smiled noncommittally and did not argue with the statement. Then he said, ¡°What¡¯s most important is to focus on oneself, set oneself as the goal. As long as you keep surpassing yourself, breaking your own limits! Someday, perhaps you will encounter an unexpected reward!¡± ¡°Moreover, Brother Cheng, you have a wide network of information. I believe you can also see that the world is becoming increasingly chaotic!¡± ¡°In these troubled times, power is most important!¡± ¡°Wealth is but an external possession!¡± Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words, Cheng Ran looked somewhat dazed, lost in thought. After a long while, he clasped his hands together and bowed to Jiang Ning. ¡°Brother Jiang, your words are truly enlightening!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Brother Jiang! Setting oneself as the goal and surpassing oneself is the proper way.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve also heard these words from a Grandmaster before.¡± ¡°That Grandmaster said that it was by setting himself as the goal and surpassing himself step by step, breaking limits.¡± ¡°When he looked back, he found that all those peerless geniuses who had competed with him had been left far behind.¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°That¡¯s the idea! As long as you can keep surpassing yourself and keep improving, one day you will achieve rewards.¡± Cheng Ran said, ¡°And you¡¯re right, Brother Jiang, the world is getting more and more chaotic!¡± ¡°Not long ago, there was a rebellion in Baishan County, and after the rebellion was quelled, the Black Wind Army that had wandered into Baishan County is now heard to have moved into our Dongling County¡¯s territory.¡± ¡°In this world, indeed we need strength.¡± After speaking, Cheng Ran once again bowed in thanks to Jiang Ning. As he bowed, a piece of white paper slipped from his sleeve and fluttered down at Jiang Ning¡¯s feet. Jiang Ning bent down to pick it up, ¡°Brother Cheng, hold onto this!¡± Just then, he glanced over it unintentionally. ¡°This is¡­¡± He looked slightly startled, then quickly scanned the document attentively. Then he looked at Cheng Ran, ¡°Brother Cheng, was this prepared for me?¡± Upon hearing this, Cheng Ran took the piece of white paper from Jiang Ning¡¯s hand and gave a wry smile. ¡°It was originally prepared for you, Brother Jiang. It¡¯s an investment that I convinced my father to agree to, an investment in you, in exchange for a favor and also as an apology for having put you in danger earlier.¡± ¡°But it seems there¡¯s no need for it now!¡± ¡°Brother Jiang was already valued by Building Owner Shen, my little family fortune would hardly catch your eye.¡± Having said that. Rip¡ª Cheng Ran tore the piece of white paper in his hand to shreds. Seeing this, Jiang Ning¡¯s mouth opened slightly, about to speak. But then he sighed inwardly, muttering to himself, ¡°Forget it!¡± ¡°Building Owner Shen has done so much for me and even told me to find Lin Qingyi after I achieve Qi Blood Perfection.¡± ¡°That should count as an investment from Shen Congyun. Since I¡¯ve accepted it, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to accept Cheng Ran¡¯s as well.¡± ¡°And besides¡­ it¡¯s hard to say whether Cheng Ran is sincere, or just putting on an act!¡± With that thought, Jiang Ning decided to hold his tongue. After tearing the piece of white paper, Cheng Ran tucked the shreds into his pocket. Then he said, ¡°Brother Jiang, would you like to go to the front courtyard and greet the other disciples? They all want to meet you!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°That sounds good!¡± Chapter 87 - 17 Display of Sanctity Before Others Chapter 87: Chapter 17 Display of Sanctity Before Others Martial Arts Hall¡¯s front courtyard. At the moment when Jiang Ning and Cheng Ran appeared, someone immediately noticed the two figures. ¡°Brother Jiang is here!¡± As soon as these words fell, ... everyone turned their heads to look in the direction of Jiang Ning. Then they gathered around. ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± ¡°Greetings to Brother Jiang!!¡± ¡°Greetings to Brother Jiang!!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Watching the flattery from the crowd before him, Jiang Ning said, ¡°My fellow disciples are too courteous!¡± At this moment, he could not help feeling secretly pleased inside. No wonder so many people enjoyed showing off in public and reveling in adulation; it indeed felt exhilarating! At that moment, Jiang Ning felt as though he had grown several years younger inside, and a smile couldn¡¯t help but appear on his face. Just then, someone in the crowd spoke up, ¡°Brother Jiang, you have cultivated all Five Animals, yet you have become a True Disciple of Master Wang so quickly. Your talent and comprehension must be exceptionally high, and surely your boxing skill is exquisite. Could you perhaps demonstrate some boxing for us to provide guidance!¡± ¡°Master Wang only gives us guidance once a day, and our comprehension is mediocre. We truly feel that it¡¯s not enough!¡± With these words, everyone nodded and complained. ¡°Yes, Brother Jiang! Master Wang only provides guidance once a day! We are eager to learn boxing and martial arts but are limited by our talents and don¡¯t know where to begin.¡± ¡°Exactly! Exactly! Those of us who stay are not afraid of hardship; we all want to learn boxing to change our lives and possess power, to control our destinies.¡± ¡°Brother Jiang, we dare not ask for too much, we just hope that when Brother Jiang practises boxing, you could allow us to watch and learn!¡± Upon hearing this, someone immediately agreed, saying, ¡°This disciple is right; we¡¯d be very satisfied just to have a chance to watch!¡± At this point, Cheng Ran also whispered, ¡°Brother Jiang, among the disciples here, some come from outside the city, sacrificing everything to learn boxing ¨C it¡¯s certainly not easy! And others come from within the Inner City, with decent family backgrounds! If possible, Brother Jiang, it could help to do them a favor, and it might be beneficial for your future as well.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning also inwardly contemplated. Cheng Ran did make sense. More friends meant more paths. Even if I might not need them, if one day I should leave Luoshui County, my elder brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family will still need to live in Luoshui County. If I can leave behind some connections, it might be somewhat helpful for my elder brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family. With this thought in mind, Jiang Ning then spoke, ¡°Since all my fellow disciples are saying this, it would be too unkind of me not to agree.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone was immediately overjoyed. Most of them had watched Jiang Ning join the Martial Arts Hall and had seen how he had reached this point. Thus, they had no doubt in Jiang Ning¡¯s talent. That was someone who had inspired the respected Building Owner Shen to break Wanhua Building¡¯s rule just to help. He also made Master Wang willing to fall out with the Cao family to save him. From that day on, they knew Jiang Ning¡¯s talent far surpassed their imagination. So today, they all came forward to forge closer relationships. In their view, being permitted by Jiang Ning to observe would certainly bring them immense benefits. Cultivating all Five Animals to become a True Disciple suggested maybe all five forms of the boxing skill had reached Great Success. The boxing skill of Great Success, with perfect form and spirit, and astounding power. In just over a month of learning boxing, achieving Great Success in all five forms seemed to them nothing short of a miracle. After all, they, as martial arts practitioners, knew best just how challenging Five Animals Fist was. At this time, Jiang Ning said, ¡°Watch carefully, my fellow disciples!¡± As his words ended, Jiang Ning began demonstrating his boxing techniques. As soon as Fierce Tiger Fist was performed, it carried the momentum of a fierce tiger. The punching wind rose up, making a howling sound as if a tiger was roaring in the woods. When Wild Bear Fist was performed, it carried great strength and heaviness. With each step he took, it felt as if there were a dragon turning over beneath the earth. White Ape Fist was then performed, with agile movements and swift speed like the wind. ¡°¡­ ¡°What a fierce boxing technique!¡± ¡°What a powerful boxing technique!¡± ¡°What a quick speed!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The crowd watched Jiang Ning¡¯s boxing demonstration, their eyes filled with admiration and continuous exclamations of astonishment. Cheng Ran also looked on with a face full of amazement. Brother Jiang truly deserved the attention of such a major figure as Building Owner Shen; his talent was indeed terrifying! All Five Animals cultivated to the point of seeming Great Success. Over a month, to break through from the beginning to Great Success in all five boxing techniques was monstrous!! My father really was foolish!! If he had agreed two days before Building Owner Shen took action, then my Cheng family would have owed Jiang Ning a favor, and our future would have been soaring. To speak of investing in Jiang Ning as a mistake is to have harmed me! Because Jiang Ning and I were in equal competition ¨C the Martial Arts Hall only had one remaining spot to join the Inspection Office. I already had to compete with Xiao Peng, and investing in Jiang Ning would be like adding another competitor against me. But now, it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s just a competition at all! With such talent as Brother Jiang¡¯s, how could I possibly be qualified to compete with him. Seeing the scene before him, Cheng Ran was filled with emotion. After one round of boxing technique, Jiang Ning stood with fists retracted. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Great Success 552/1000) At this moment, the crowd began whispering among themselves. ¡°Truly at the level of Great Success, Brother Jiang¡¯s talent is really frightening!¡± ¡°Yes! All five forms of boxing have reached Great Success, it¡¯s monstrous!!¡± ¡°No wonder he is valued by such an important person as Shen Congyun!!!¡± ¡°The title of brother is truly deserved! If we¡¯re talking about talent in our Martial Arts Hall, Brother Jiang is surely number one!¡± ¡°That is for sure! Just one month of learning boxing and to have come this far ¨C who could compare? Being valued by Building Owner Shen, this is the first time in all these years for Luoshui County!¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no comparison!¡± ¡°¡­¡± At this time, Jiang Ning¡¯s senses were so acute; even though these people tried to lower their voices, he heard every word clearly. Chapter 88 - 17 Showing Holiness in Front of Others_2 Chapter 88: Chapter 17 Showing Holiness in Front of Others_2 Afterward, he smiled and said, ¡°Have all the junior brothers seen clearly? Have you had any insights?¡± ¡°Thank you, Brother Jiang, for demonstrating the boxing skill! I have gained something!¡± someone spoke up. The others also chimed in, ¡°Gained something, thank you, Brother Jiang!¡± ¡°Great gains, not less instructive than Master Wang¡¯s guidance, thank you, Brother Jiang!¡± ¡°Thank Brother Jiang!!!¡± ... ¡°¡­¡± Elsewhere. The two disciples guarding the entrance also turned their heads to look at the front yard of the Martial Arts Hall. ¡°He¡¯s truly a freak!¡± ¡°Yes! Brother Jiang is really a freak!¡± Another added, ¡°I still remember the day Brother Jiang joined the Martial Arts Hall; his elder brother personally escorted him to the entrance.¡± ¡°I remember too, but at that time, we both dismissed what Brother Jiang said.¡± ¡°Yes! Now that I think about it, we were truly ignorant!¡± ¡°To be fair, it wasn¡¯t our fault! Who would have thought that Brother Jiang had such immense talent!¡± ¡°Indeed! It¡¯s just that Brother Jiang¡¯s talent is too exceptional. To have such a boxing realm after only a month of practice, you would hardly find a few comparable in the entire county!¡± ¡°That¡¯s for sure! Few and far between!¡± ¡°¡­¡± In the front yard of the Martial Arts Hall. After exchanging a few simple pleasantries. Jiang Ning then devoted himself to practicing boxing without distraction. As for how much insight the onlookers gained, that was none of his concern. Allowing them to observe him practice was already a significant help to them. After all, the spirit and form he displayed while practicing boxing were indistinguishable from those Master Wang showed them in person. This kind of help could be considered immense. It was as if Master Wang himself was constantly practicing in front of them. How much they could comprehend was then up to their own fate. In the process of Jiang Ning¡¯s diligent practice of the boxing skill, his Five Animal Fist experience value also steadily increased. With every repetition of the boxing skill, he would gain an experience point, and he progressed closer to Perfection. Simultaneously, he condensed four strands of Qi Blood Power with each practice, thereby inching closer to substantial Qi Blood Perfection. Throughout the repetitive process of practicing boxing, Jiang Ning¡¯s strength was steadily increasing. His physique grew stronger under the nourishment of Qi-Blood, and his physical power continued to rise. During these days, Jiang Ning already felt a significant increase in his strength, far surpassing the previous five hundred catties with one arm. But as to how much power he actually possessed, he had no idea. Because in the Martial Arts Hall, the heaviest stone lock was only five hundred catties. A five hundred catty stone lock was already quite substantial. Beyond that, using a boulder as a weight, the sheer size was a considerable issue on its own. Only using fine iron, and repeatedly forged fine iron at that, could such an implement for testing greater physical strength be made. But fine iron was too valuable, primarily used to forge sharp weapons. Who would be willing to squander six or seven hundred catties of fine iron to create a tool for testing strength? Therefore, at this point, Jiang Ning did not know exactly how many catties his strength amounted to. He only knew that his current strength far exceeded five hundred catties and was no longer on the same level as before. ¡­ The next day. Jiang Ning continued to practice boxing in the front yard of the Martial Arts Hall. After Master Wang announced him as the sixth True Disciple the day before, every disciple¡¯s attitude towards him shifted dramatically once again. Especially after witnessing Jiang Ning demonstrate the Great Success Boxing Skill of the Five Animals Fist, they were all extremely thrilled. One round of the boxing skill concluded. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Great Success 583/1000) With an additional experience point, several strands of Qi-Blood were condensed once again. Jiang Ning then took out half a piece of wild ginseng from his bosom and popped it into his mouth. As he slowly chewed, the remnants of the wild ginseng mixed with his saliva entered his belly. Under the powerful digestive forces in his stomach, the medicinal effects of the ginseng quickly took hold, and streams of warmth were born in his stomach, surging toward his internal organs and limbs. ¡°Brother Jiang, this is some medicinal wine prepared by my father, quite pleasant to the taste. Brother Jiang might as well give it a try,¡± a disciple hurriedly approached during a break in Jiang Ning¡¯s boxing practice. Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning opened his eyes, glanced over, and then shook his head, ¡°Since it was prepared by your father and is useful for your martial arts practice, I¡¯ll pass!¡± The martial arts hall disciple quickly said, ¡°Brother Jiang, you can¡¯t say that! Brother Jiang is willing to let us watch your boxing technique, which is equivalent to Master Wang teaching us night and day. How profound is this kindness?¡± ¡°This is no less than the grace of Master Wang¡¯s teaching!¡± ¡°I, Zheng Yongtao, am not an ingrate!¡± ¡°Please accept this small token of my appreciation, Brother Jiang, otherwise I won¡¯t be able to watch your quintessence of boxing with a clear conscience.¡± At these words, another person stepped forward. ¡°Junior Brother Zheng is right! Despite our previous disdain and neglect, Brother Jiang held no grudges and is now so generous, allowing us to freely watch the subtleties of the Great Success Boxing Skill.¡± ¡°Such magnanimity truly makes us feel ashamed!¡± ¡°Furthermore, the help Brother Jiang has given us¡ªpreviously, even with a private teacher hired for a hundred taels of silver a month, we couldn¡¯t achieve such effective results. How can we accept this with peace of mind?¡± With these words, everyone began to speak up. ¡°The two brothers are right!¡± ¡°Yes! With Brother Jiang¡¯s open heart and magnanimity, how could we comfortably enjoy these benefits!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! What the junior brother said is true!!¡± ¡°¡­¡± For a moment, there was a tumult of voices. After witnessing his practice yesterday, they knew this was an incredibly rare opportunity. As long as Jiang Ning was willing to practice his boxing in front of them and demonstrate the subtleties of the Great Success Boxing Skill, it would greatly aid their own training. Just as Zheng Yongtao had just said, it was as if Master Wang himself was personally demonstrating the boxing skills to them. And it was a multitude of repetitions throughout the day. Therefore, they had discussed among themselves and planned this gesture today. After all, there¡¯s a saying. He who takes the piper¡¯s money calls the tune! Giving Jiang Ning some external items to build rapport and mend the previous rift was a surefire deal. Moreover, with a contribution, equivalent to paying for lessons, they could make this arrangement more stable. Looking at the compliments from these people and watching them bring out gifts as a token of their appreciation. Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but smile, his mind as clear as a mirror. He could naturally discern some of their underlying thoughts. Not to mention others, he had heard their low discussions from a distance crystal clear. After all, his hearing was terrifyingly keen now; hushed conversations were no different from speaking directly into his ear if he chose to eavesdrop. ¡°But this is actually a good thing! It¡¯s no expense to myself, and yet I get some nice benefits for nothing,¡± Jiang Ning mused internally. Afterward. He spoke up, ¡°Very well! Since all the junior brothers insist, I will accept your generosity!¡± Having said that, everyone¡¯s faces lit up with joy, and they presented their carefully prepared gifts, which included wild tonics, meticulously brewed medicinal wines, and pills to strengthen the foundation and enhance Qi-Blood. At this moment, as the people saw Jiang Ning accepting their gifts. A person who appeared to be the leader of this initiative stepped forward and saluted Jiang Ning, ¡°Brother Jiang, I¡¯ve reserved a private room at the Flower Building in advance, and I¡¯d like to invite you to a banquet tonight!¡± At the words ¡®Flower Building,¡¯ Jiang Ning knew this was a place of entertainment in Luoshui County. He immediately shook his head, ¡°Let¡¯s forego the banquet! I still have to practice boxing and can¡¯t let down Master Wang¡¯s expectations!¡± He knew he wasn¡¯t yet entitled to enjoy. Let alone entering the Ninth Grade of Martial Arts, as even his Qi-Blood had yet to achieve Perfection, he had no right to indulge. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words, the man showed a look of admiration. ¡°No wonder, Brother Jiang, you¡¯ve achieved such success after just over a month of practicing martial arts.¡± ¡°I greatly admire your self-discipline.¡± After some brief pleasantries. Everyone ceased to disturb him any further. Jiang Ning took a couple more sips of the medicinal wine and resumed his boxing practice. He could feel that he was very close to achieving Qi Blood Perfection. Chapter 89 - 18 Qi Blood Perfection Chapter 89: Chapter 18 Qi Blood Perfection Night. All disciples had returned to their homes, and the gates of the Martial Arts Hall were closed. Jiang Ning continued to practice his boxing alone in the courtyard. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] ... [¡­] As time passed slowly, with each completion of the boxing routine, the experience value of the Five Animals Fist would increase by one point. The Qi-Blood refining effects of the Five Animals Fist at Great Success surpassed those at small success. Completing a round of the routine would achieve the optimal effect theorized, condensing four strands of Qi Blood Power. With the growth of Qi Blood Power, he felt he was getting closer and closer to Qi Blood Perfection. When the jade rabbit hung high above. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Great Success 592/1000) Once the prompt appeared again. Another strand of Qi Blood Power took shape. As this strand of Qi Blood Power was born and merged into the whole. In an instant. Boom¡ª Jiang Ning heard a roaring within his body. The Qi Blood Power in his body suddenly surged, violently rushing toward his limbs. Jiang Ning clenched his fists, and the rampant Qi Blood Power was instantly under his control. Subsequently, the Qi Blood Power spread through his limbs and body, leaving no dead angle. ¡°Qi Blood Perfection!!¡± A delighted smile appeared on Jiang Ning¡¯s face. At this moment, he felt that there was a qualitative change from before, as the Qi Blood Power filled and connected throughout his body. It seemed as though his physical strength was inexhaustible. With a swing of his arm, he could induce the flow of Qi Blood throughout his body. ¡°So strong!!¡± Feeling the change within, Jiang Ning sighed again. He could feel that with Qi Blood Perfection and the Qi Blood Power threading through his limbs, the strength of his explosive force had also increased. Previously, when Qi Blood flowed through his limbs, the limbs were independent bodies. Each move, each punch and kick could only fully unleash the Qi Blood Power of one limb. Now, as Qi Blood flows through the whole body, each punch and kick can not only fully unleash the Qi Blood Power of one limb but also draw upon part of the body¡¯s overall Qi Blood Power. He could feel that there was a great difference from the moment before Qi Blood Perfection. He raised his hand and swung his arm through the air. Snap¡ª ¡°Compared to before, I can explode with an additional thirty percent of strength.¡± After a quick test, Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Then, he approached the wooden stake wrapped in cowhide. He clenched his five fingers, and the muscles in his arm bulged instantly as Qi Blood threaded through his body. The next moment. ¡°Break¡ª¡± He shouted in his mind. Instantly, his bodily strength was fully mobilized. This punch, utilizing the explosive technique of the Fierce Tiger Fist, unleashed his full strength. As he swung his fist, Jiang Ning could clearly feel the sensation of the air, like flowing water, wrapping around his arm. Bang¡ª The moment his fist touched the wooden stake. There was a sudden explosion. The wooden stake, wrapped in thick cowhide, immediately broke apart. The shattered hide and wood chips flew in all directions, scattering against the wall behind him. ¡°So strong!!!¡± Staring at the scene before him, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes widened like copper bells. Astonishment filled his heart. Astonished by the explosive force he had unleashed. As far as he knew, only those with the explosive power of Martial Arts Nine Grade could smash the wooden stakes of the Martial Arts Hall with one punch. This meant that his explosive strength was now equivalent to a normal Martial Arts Nine Grade. And he had not yet added the Power of the Nine Layers of Strength to his attack. This was merely his normal level of explosive power. He drew back his fist and stood upright, his eyes sparkling. ¡°It seems, my normal level of explosive strength is now on par with Martial Arts Nine Grade!¡± ¡°Apart from the gap in my skin¡¯s defensive power, I should be comparable to a normal Ninth Grade Martial Artist.¡± ¡°This is just my bare-handed strength; if I were to wield a saber, I could deliver even faster and more fierce explosive force.¡± ¡°If I add the First Layer of the Nine Layers of Strength, my might will increase again!¡± ¡°If I add the Second Layer of the Nine Layers of Strength, what terrifying explosive force would that be?¡± Thinking this, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart was filled with longing. These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Then he collected his thoughts and refocused his gaze. Looking at the broken wooden stake before him. He clenched his fist again. He punched out, stacking one layer of strength. With this punch, Jiang Ning could feel the might was stronger and the speed faster! He could clearly feel the air being compressed by his fist, flowing through the spaces between his fingers, along his arm. Bang¡ª With one punch down, the stake¡¯s splinters scattered, completely wrecked, leaving the remaining stick of wood unrecognizable as the previously intact wooden stake. On the other side. Wang Jin¡¯s figure had just appeared on top of the surrounding wall. Witnessing this scene, his mouth opened slightly, his eyes revealing disbelief. To blast the wooden stake into such a state indicated that Jiang Ning now possessed the strength of Martial Arts Nine Grade. And from this scene, it felt to him not as if it were at the bottom of the Martial Arts Nine Grade but rather of a certain standard. Among all the disciples in the Martial Arts Hall, in Wang Jin¡¯s view, only a few, like Zhou Xing and Zhao Hu, who had been in the Ninth Grade for a longer time, could explode with greater strength than this. As for the female disciple Li Qing, who had achieved success in Refining Skin and entered Martial Arts Ninth Grade more than half a month ago, In Wang Jin¡¯s view, she probably wasn¡¯t as strong as Jiang Ning at this moment. Immediately, Wang Jin¡¯s eyes narrowed. He muttered to himself, ¡°Such explosive power, could it be that this kid unleashed the nine layers of strength?¡± ¡°It must be! Unleashing nine layers of strength, that would be reasonable!!¡± ¡°Otherwise, that would be too monstrous!¡± With this thought, Wang Jin suddenly felt much more at ease. He took another glance and then slipped away without a sound. He had rushed here the moment he heard a booming explosion coming from Jiang Ning¡¯s courtyard. Now that he knew the reason, he didn¡¯t want to be discovered by Jiang Ning. Otherwise, having Jiang Ning see his startled expression would be somewhat embarrassing. The next moment. Wang Jin moved, as light as a deer, and vanished from the top of the wall in an instant. It wasn¡¯t until after Wang Jin had left. That Jiang Ning turned his head to look in the direction where Wang Jin had been. Then he smiled, ¡°After my five senses have enhanced, it truly is a great help! Even Wang Jin, a Martial Arts Seventh Grade powerhouse approaching me could be detected, making it too difficult for someone to launch a surprise attack on me in the future!¡± He joyfully thought about this point, his heart filled with excitement. The proverb goes that open spears are easy to dodge, but secret arrows are hard to defend against. When walking outside, the most frightening thing is being ambushed! No matter how good your martial arts are, an ambush can tip you into a ditch. After all, it¡¯s hard for an ordinary person to remain vigilant at all times. But now, with that trait, the extraordinary senses trait. It would be very hard for anyone to ambush him when he was out in the world. Whether it¡¯s a hidden arrow or something slipped into his drink. It would be hard to leave no trace, and with the enhancement of his five senses, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to detect. Not to say that he could avoid all the ambushes in the world, but at least he could avoid over ninety percent of them, if not more. How could he not be pleased with this thought? Afterwards. His attention finally returned to his own arm. He clenched his fist, feeling that his right arm still hurt a bit. Feeling this change, far from disappointment, his face showed a faint smile. He still remembered the consequences the last time he unleashed the first layer of the nine layers of strength. At that time, wielding a saber with the first layer of strength, his right arm¡¯s muscles tore and blood vessels burst, with blood seeping through the skin¡ªtruly a gruesome sight. Now that he tried the burst of the first layer of the nine layers of strength again, his right arm looked unharmed, with no abnormalities, feeling just a bit of pain. This meant that his body, after being strengthened over this period, was barely able to withstand the burst of the first layer of strength. This was good news! It proved he could now use the first layer of strength as a regular technique rather than a once-in-a-while ace in the hole. ¡°Now facing Xu Yunfeng, I should have a ninety-nine percent chance of winning, right?¡± Jiang Ning murmured. He then raised his head to look at the bright moon overhead. The bright moon hung high, almost at a right angle to him. ¡°Forget it! It¡¯s so late, I won¡¯t practice boxing anymore!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait until tomorrow! If everything goes well tomorrow, my Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill should also break through!¡± [Source Energy]: 25.1 [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (971/1000) ¡­ The next morning. Jiang Ning got up and stepped onto the field, first stretching lazily to loosen his limbs, then glanced at his panel. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy Points]: 27.8 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (First Limit Breaking 98/3000) (Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (Great Success 592/1000) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Second Limit Breaking 3000/3000) (Trait: Touch and Understand, Saber like Fast Wind) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Beginner 971/1000) Canglang Blade Skill (Master 1/200) ¡°Looks like those bizarre gifts from the Martial Arts Hall disciples yesterday turned out to be useful, allowing me to reach a new high of 2.7 Source Energy Points yesterday.¡± ¡°If my body hadn¡¯t reached its limit in absorbing the effects of those medicines, I could have gained even more!¡± After that, he murmured to himself: ¡°The Source Energy Points are nearly 30 points again, I wonder how many points will be needed for the third Limit Breaking of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill.¡± ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s fifty points or a hundred.¡± ¡°Nevermind, I won¡¯t think about that now! At my current rate, if it¡¯s fifty points, then I¡¯ll have enough in ten days! And if it¡¯s a hundred, it¡¯s just another ten to twenty days more, which is no big deal!¡± Then, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze fell on the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill category. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Beginner 971/1000) ¡°Just twenty-nine experience points short, and judging by today¡¯s clear skies, although it¡¯s still hard on the common folk, it won¡¯t delay the opportunity for me to break through my Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill.¡± ¡°If the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill can break through and reach the level of mastery, I¡¯ll be able to control a new method, actively unleashing the potential inside my body, and that will certainly be a huge help to my strength!¡± ¡°Moreover, the enhancement of my internal organ functions will also allow me to maintain full-power bursts for longer periods, which is a great help too!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. He had been looking forward to the breakthrough of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill for a long time. Whether it was the active effects of stimulating the body¡¯s potential or the passive increase in the functions of the internal organs, sustaining the endurance of full-power bursts were all massive helps to his strength. The active effect, unleashing potential, was undoubtedly significant. The passive effect was equally notable. It must be known that although a Martial Artist at the Ninth Grade had astonishing burst power, a full-power burst was also astonishingly draining. There was little difference compared to an average person. A usual Martial Artist at the Ninth Grade could maintain peak performance for about twenty to thirty breaths, which was considered a decent endurance. Then their condition would decline, and the force they could exert would weaken. This was not much different from ordinary people. Therefore, normal martial artists usually only used sixty to seventy percent of their strength when sparring. In this way, the physical exertion and recovery stayed within a reasonably balanced range, allowing for longer fights. Earlier, Jiang Ning had roughly tested it. When his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill had just started, his endurance was three to five times that of typical martial artists. Meaning he could sustain full-power bursts for nearly a hundred breaths. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now, with the growth of his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill experience and his daily inhalation of the sun¡¯s essence qi to temper his organs, this duration has already increased significantly¡ªhe could already sustain it for about half the time it takes to steep a pot of tea. Just the advantage in physical strength alone put him far ahead of a regular martial artist. If he were to break through another Realm, it would undoubtedly bring even greater changes. Chapter 90 - 19 Breakthrough in Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill Chapter 90: Chapter 19 Breakthrough in Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill Canglang Martial Arts Hall. After Jiang Ning had washed up, he took the opportunity before sunrise. He continued to practice boxing in the courtyard. Although his Qi-Blood had reached Perfection, achieving a level that permeated his entire body, it did not mean that the growth of Qi Blood Power was meaningless. On the contrary, it was of great significance. ... The path of Martial Arts, Qi Blood Power permeates everything. As far as he knew, even the legendary Grandmasters needed the support of Qi-Blood for their strength. If they reached old age and their bodily functions declined, Qi-Blood would become exhausted. Their strength would also gradually decrease, far less than during their peak. This state could not be reversed. As the end approached, the condition would only get worse, and the strength displayed would only decrease. Just like Wang Jin. At only fifty, the strength he could display was already not as great as during his peak. Of course, as he had just begun practicing the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, his bodily functions were also enhancing, recovering, so his condition might improve slightly. So, as for whether Wang Jin could display his peak strength now, Jiang Ning did not know. But he knew. No matter what Inner Strength Method was practiced, no matter how much the bodily functions were enhanced, as life span increased and time passed, there would inevitably come a moment when one reached the peak, then the decline would continuously progress. Unless one were an Immortal with endless lifespan and immortality. But the so-called Immortals were merely beings of legend. [Five Animals Fist EXP +1] [Five Animals Fist EXP +1] [Five Animals Fist EXP +1] [¡­] Repeating the boxing routine over and over, his experience continuously increased and his Qi Blood Power also kept growing. Jiang Ning could feel that each time he practiced the technique, he gained some new insights into the Five Animals Fist. Although these insights were few, small amounts accumulated into a lot, shades built a tower, drops formed a river; eventually, he would reach the threshold of a qualitative change. Moreover, as his Qi Blood Power grew and merged, Jiang Ning could feel the Qi Blood Power within him continually growing, becoming increasingly abundant. Suddenly. The sky was brightly lit. The morning glow painted half of the sky red. Then, a fiery red Great Sun slowly rose from the east. Under the sunlight of the Great Sun, Jiang Ning, in the courtyard, was drenched in sweat, each move vigorous and forceful. His sweat had already soaked the ground, leaving a noticeably darker patch. Although practicing boxing was exhausting, seeing his boxing experience increase, seeing his strength improve bit by bit, Jiang Ning nevertheless tirelessly enjoyed it. Seeing his own improvement, every effort transforming into visible progress, gave him immense positive feedback. It was for this reason that he could practice Martial Arts day after day, month after month, enhancing his strength. [Five Animals Fist EXP +1] Another round of boxing concluded. Jiang Ning slowly withdrew his fists. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Great Success 657/1000) He sat down on the ground. Feeling the cool morning breeze brushing against his face, passing over his body, quickly evaporating his sweat, he suddenly felt waves of coolness, his previously hot heart gradually calming. Then, Jiang Ning took out a Protective Organ Pill. One Protective Organ Pill a day allowed him to ingest Sun Essence Qi more efficiently and also accelerated the accumulation of Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill experience. With the Protective Organ Pill swallowed, a wave of coolness surged into his organs. After a moment, once the Protective Organ Pill had fully taken effect, he then faced the slowly rising Great Sun and began the Breathing and Releasing the Essence of the Great Sun. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [¡­] Continuously breathing in and out, each streak of Great Sun Essence Qi that he refined, through the tempering of the Great Sun Essence Qi, he could feel his organs growing stronger. The stronger his organs, the less susceptible he was to internal injuries. And as the functions of his organs enhanced, even ordinary poisons entering his body could hardly harm him. And his stamina was extended, allowing him to maintain peak moments of explosion for longer. Little by little, his experience increased, and the thousand points needed for a breakthrough in the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill came closer. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Entry 999/1000) He glanced at the panel. ¡°Just one more point to go,¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Then, he continued to face the Great Sun, operating the Breathing Technique. Under his guidance, he could see a streak of cloud-like red slowly condensing in the void. Within this cloud-like redness, there was also a hint of golden aura. Then, as he breathed in, this streak of aura entered through his nostrils. The Great Sun Essence Qi entered his organs from his nostrils, guided by the pulling technique, and gradually tempered by the effect of the Protective Organ Pill. After a moment. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] When this prompt appeared, the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill on the panel changed. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 0/2000) Slowly progressing from entry level to mastery. Suddenly. Jiang Ning felt as if his organs were in a furnace, the endless Fire of the Great Sun burning, tempering. Intense pain surged directly into his heart. He instantly felt an extremely intense pain. In this situation, beads of sweat the size of soybeans appeared on his forehead, continuously sliding down his cheeks and pooling at his jaw. Then, they dripped from his jaw onto the ground. Under the excruciating pain, his eyebrows also locked tightly together. His mouth corners also twitched slightly. Pain! Immense pain! It originated from deep within his organs. It was much more painful than when in his previous life he had swallowed a mouthful of freshly boiled rice, which burnt his heart and lungs. And the pain was continuous. But Jiang Ning dared not make any sudden movements, afraid that any misstep during this process would lead to an accident. He could only clench his teeth and stand still, enduring the severe pain. Allowing the beads of sweat to continuously slide down his cheeks and drip from his jaw to the ground. In the blink of an eye. The ground where he was sitting was dotted with his sweat. In such agony, Jiang Ning felt as if time was stretching on endlessly, moving much too slowly! He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. Suddenly, the tidal wave of pain swiftly receded and disappeared in an instant. Jiang Ning¡¯s tightly furrowed brows also slowly relaxed, and his clenched teeth completely loosened. Sigh¡ª S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He took a long breath, then weakly lay on his back in the courtyard. Allowing the morning sun to shine on his body, letting the gentle breeze brush over him. At the same time. He felt as if his internal organs were soaked in a hot spring, feeling warm all over, extremely comfortable. With this state, his nearly exhausted body was quickly recovering. Jiang Ning closed his eyes, quietly feeling the changes in his body. In less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea. He slapped the ground with one hand and instantly sprang into the air. Then, already adjusted his posture in mid-air, he stood in the original spot. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 0/2000) After glancing at his own panel, Jiang Ning immediately closed it. Then he took a deep breath. Sigh¡ª As he slowly exhaled, he felt immensely comfortable all over. He clenched his fist again and felt an incredible sense of fullness from inside out. ¡°This feeling¡­ damn good!!!¡± A smile couldn¡¯t help but spread across Jiang Ning¡¯s face. At that moment, he felt that his condition was better than it had ever been before. He was brimming with vigor all over. It was as if a thousand-pound weight had been lifted inside him, giving him an unprecedented sense of comfort and ease. His entire body also felt incredibly light. As if his body was as light as a feather, able to ride the wind back home. ¡°Is this the effect of my organ functions transforming?¡± murmured Jiang Ning. At this moment, he could feel that with the breakthrough of his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, after undergoing that intense pain, his internal organs seemed to have undergone a rebirth by fire. This transformation significantly enhanced the functionality and strength of his organs. He could feel that the strength of his internal organs was now far beyond what it had been before. For ordinary people, if they were to suffer an impact that could cause internal injuries, their organs would displace or even rupture, ultimately leading to a high risk of death. But now, for his current organ strength, suffering internal injuries was not so simple anymore. Let alone fatal internal injuries. Like internal organs rupturing and bleeding! ¡°A master-level Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, paired with the perception of spiritual power, can actively stimulate the potential hidden inside the body.¡± ¡°Now that I meet these conditions, I might as well give it a try.¡± With that thought, Jiang Ning no longer hesitated. Then. Under the influence of his spiritual power, he instantly perceived the existence of his internal organs. The next moment. Thump¡ª His heart suddenly beat heavily. At this moment, if one could see through the short coat he was wearing, one would clearly see the chest at his heart trembling suddenly. Like a stone dropping into a calm lake, abruptly creating a ripple. Thump¡ª His heart beat violently again. Then. Thump¡ª Thump¡ª Thump¡ª Each beat was more rapid than the last, with the frequency continuously increasing. At the same time. Jiang Ning suddenly felt that as his heart¡¯s beating speed increased, it seemed to turn into a wild engine. The previously slow-flowing blood, driven by the now full-powered heart, instantly turned into unbridled wild horses rushing towards his organs, toward every part of his body, to all his limbs and bones. Jiang Ning raised his hand. He instantly saw his skin turn red, veins bulged out, and his muscles, stimulated, took on the appearance of sinewy dragons. Sigh¡ª With a gentle exhale, he felt the air in his nostrils was much hotter than before, filled with a burning sensation. Chapter 91 - 20 Special Means, Unleashing Human Limitations! Chapter 91: Chapter 20 Special Means, Unleashing Human Limitations! In the courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall. Jiang Ning had actively stimulated the potential hidden within his body, and his figure moved. Boom¡ª His leg muscles suddenly exerted force, and the mud beneath his feet exploded like artillery shells, splashing in all directions. The sound of the wind howled in his ears. If someone had been watching at that moment, they would have noticed Jiang Ning¡¯s tall figure, moving back and forth effortlessly in the not-so-large courtyard as if inertia did not exist. ... The fierce winds generated by his movements occasionally swept up the leaves and dust around him. Moments later, Jiang Ning suddenly stopped. The dirt and sand beneath his feet flew about. He clenched his fists again, feeling that his body was still in an extremely energetic state. It was as if he had inhaled a large amount of stimulants, giving him a desire to wildly release this power. ¡°Is this what it feels like when the body¡¯s full potential is unleashed?¡± Jiang Ning muttered. He could feel that he seemed tireless at this moment, and both his strength and speed had greatly increased. It was as if he had gone berserk. This state was even affecting his sanity, making him somewhat impulsive. Regarding this, Jiang Ning completely understood in his heart. The human body is controlled by various hormones. For example, the secretion of dopamine can bring immense pleasure. For example, the secretion of adrenaline can significantly enhance bodily functions, make one fearless of pain, and tireless. Stimulating his body¡¯s potential naturally led to the secretion of various substances. Afterward, Jiang Ning¡¯s mind slightly shifted, his reddish skin gradually returned to normal, and his body temperature began to fall. His dilated pupils also returned to their normal state. Under the control of his spiritual power, the potential within his body gradually shut down, and he slowly returned to normal. Moments later, When everything had fully returned to calm, he suddenly felt a sense of emptiness and weakness, and his legs were faintly wobbly. It was similar to the feeling of having fought through a night in a place of romance. ¡­ Jiang Ning returned to his room, picked up the bottle of medicinal wine that the disciples of the Martial Arts Hall had given him, and placed it on the table. Gulp¡ª He took a drink. He instantly felt the fiery liquor enter from his throat to his stomach. As the strong liquor hit his stomach, it burned like fire. A fine sweat immediately broke out on his body. Additionally, Jiang Ning also felt his body gradually becoming stronger, and the physical energy he had just exhausted was slowly recovering. ¡°It seems that actively stimulating potential should not be used frequently, as it has a considerable negative impact on the body.¡± ¡°Just stimulating for this brief moment, this state afterward made me feel many discomforts in my body.¡± ¡°One can imagine that if this potential were stimulated for a long time, it would definitely have a significant negative impact on the body.¡± Jiang Ning then thought again and felt it was quite normal. The conservation of energy, the laws of all things. Such a powerful burst effect would inevitably consume a great deal of material within the body. After the outburst, it is quite normal to have some aftereffects in a short period of time. Thinking back to just now when he had actively stimulated his potential, causing him to feel an unstoppable state, Jiang Ning¡¯s face showed a smile again. ¡°The effect is indeed strong, truly a very practical method!¡± He glanced at his attribute panel again. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 0/2000) ¡°I still need two thousand experience points to break through to the small success realm.¡± ¡°The small success of Inner Elixir Cultivation will not only enhance the strength and function of my internal organs but will also allow me to master special techniques of Inner Breath.¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Thinking of this, he looked forward even more to the day when his Inner Elixir Cultivation would break through to small success. At that time, his strength would surely be greatly enhanced. Afterward, While waiting for the effects of the medicinal wine to take place, S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning took out the gifts the Martial Arts Hall disciples had given him yesterday for a thorough check. Moments later, After finishing the count, he put the silver and silver notes together. ¡°A total of about one hundred and thirty-eight taels of silver!¡± ¡°Now that my Qi-Blood has reached Perfection, I need to make a trip to Wanhua Building today.¡± ¡°When Shen Congyun left, he had instructed me to visit Lin Qingyi at Wanhua Building once my Qi-Blood had reached Perfection, as he had left something of his own there.¡± ¡°Now that my Qi-Blood has reached Perfection, it¡¯s time to go see Master Lin!¡± ¡°After all, according to what Wang Jin said about the Inspection Office opening three months later, less than two months are left now.¡± ¡°If I want to qualify to join the Inspection Office, I must step into the Martial Arts Ninth Grade.¡± These thoughts swiftly crossed Jiang Ning¡¯s mind, and he made up his mind. He would go to Wanhua Building shortly and swing by his home to hand over the hundred plus taels of silver to his older brother, Jiang Li. After all, since his older brother Jiang Li had lost his right arm and was now supporting a family, in addition to the considerable amount of silver borrowed from Chief Feng for Jiang Ning¡¯s martial arts training. Though Chief Feng, considering Building Owner Shen¡¯s face, had said there was no rush, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t really afford to be unhurried. There was no need to owe such small favors. Moreover, for him at present, this mere hundred taels of silver was not much use. A hundred-plus taels of silver wouldn¡¯t last him many days, but giving it to his older brother and sister-in-law could significantly improve their living situation. Having thoroughly made up his decision, He got up and left his room. Arriving in the courtyard, he looked up at the sun above. He then glanced at the Sun Corona in the courtyard, knowing the current time. It was just past 7:30 a.m. It was still early! Yet it matched the time for breathing exercise after mastering the Inner Elixir Cultivation. But thinking of the internal organ changes caused by just now breaking through in Inner Elixir Cultivation, Jiang Ning immediately shook his head. Chapter 92 - 20 Special Means, Unlocking Human Limitations!_2 Chapter 92: Chapter 20 Special Means, Unlocking Human Limitations!_2 ¡°Enough! I won¡¯t practice martial arts today.¡± ¡°Today I¡¯ll rest and give my internal organs a good recovery.¡± ¡°After all, inhaling and exhaling the Great Sun Essence Qi burns, and it¡¯s quite a burden on my internal organs.¡± ¡­ In the courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall. Jiang Ning appeared here, then went over to the corner where the stone locks were kept. ... ¡°Let¡¯s test my current strength in a different way.¡± Having made up his mind, he sank his body slightly, bent over, and firmly grasped a 500-pound stone lock with both hands. Then, as he exerted force with his arms, he lifted the 500-pound stone lock instantly and held it high above his head. ¡°Quite easy!¡± he said. Then he tossed it with both hands, catching the somewhat lifted lock with steadiness as it fell back down. ¡°It is indeed very easy!¡± He sighed with a feeling of contentment and then placed the stone lock down. Next, he again grabbed the stone lock with one arm, lifting it off the ground once more. At the moment it reached shoulder height, he suddenly felt significant pressure. ¡°Up!¡± With a light shout, he exerted force with his right arm, his muscles bulging. He succeeded in lifting the 500-pound stone lock high above his head. After several breaths, he slowly put the stone lock down. Boom¡ª The moment it hit the ground, the 500-pound stone lock made contact with the surface, issuing a muffled sound and causing him to feel a slight tremor. After the test was complete, Jiang Ning had a good grasp of his own strength. He whispered to himself, ¡°My single arm should have a strength of around 800 to 900 pounds now. An ordinary Martial Artist with Qi Blood Perfection, like Cheng Ran, barely surpasses 500 pounds, and rarely can they exceed 600 pounds.¡± ¡°An ordinary Martial Artist who just entered Martial Arts Ninth Grade with some mastery in Skin Training also has a strength of around 700 to 800 pounds.¡± ¡°This means, currently, my strength alone is not weaker than that of an average Martial Arts Ninth Grade expert.¡± ¡°At the level of Qi Blood Perfection, my strength crushes others, unless it¡¯s someone born with Innate Divine Strength who has taken up martial arts. Only they could possibly match me in strength at this level of Qi Blood Perfection!¡± With that thought, Jiang Ning felt satisfied. His hard work over the past few days had paid off well. This strength gave him some peace of mind. At least if he met Xu Yunfeng again, he could be entirely fearless. Even against someone like Cao Bin, who had mastered Refining Skin, he held the confidence to compete. As for Cao Rong, he knew that he was still far behind. Cao Rong was at the Martial Arts Seventh Grade peak, nearly reaching Six Rank, and his strength faintly surpassed that of Wang Jin. Such strength, regardless of age, would rank in the top ten throughout Luoshui County. Cao Rong¡¯s bow shooting was powerful enough to release arrows that caused sonic booms, a terrifying level of power. Jiang Ning knew he was no match for him at present. However, regarding Cao Rong, Jiang Ning did not feel much apprehension. But this person had already left Luoshui County and returned to Dongling City in Dongling County, a fact he was well aware of. Besides, Cao Rong was in the military and would not return to Luoshui County until his next leave, whenever that might be. By that time, Jiang Ning himself would have already changed significantly. After all, since he began his martial arts training, it had been just over a month, not even a month and a half. Later, Jiang Ning rested for a moment before continuing to practice boxing. ¡­ Inside the county government. ¡°Paying respects to Mr. Cao!¡± Xu Yunfeng said respectfully. Cao Bin spoke, ¡°Do you know why I came to find you today?¡± Xu Yunfeng shook his head, ¡°I do not, sir!¡± ¡°Do you want to join the Inspection Office?¡± Cao Bin asked. ¡°Yes, sir! If I could join the Inspection Office, I would dedicate my life¡¯s blood and sweat to you!¡± A gleam of bright light flashed in Xu Yunfeng¡¯s eyes as he spoke with a longing gaze. Seeing this, Cao Bin nodded slightly. ¡°Then, I will give you an opportunity, an opportunity you must fight for with your life!¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Please tell me, sir!¡± Xu Yunfeng said respectfully. Cao Bin continued, ¡°I want you to discard your constable identity today and take my identity token to the Green Snake Gang to become the fourth Hall Master. Then, no matter what means you use, take care of both Jiang Ning and Jiang Li, and bring Liuu Wanwan to me.¡± ¡°If you can do it, I will give you this opportunity.¡± ¡°If you fail, I will bring your head to the Canglang Martial Arts Hall and offer a belated apology to Jiang Ning and Wang Jin!¡± After hearing these words, Xu Yunfeng looked up at Cao Bin. ¡°Sir, leave this matter to me, I will ensure it is taken care of properly.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Before Xu Yunfeng could finish, Cao Bin interjected, ¡°There are no buts! You do not need to worry about the consequences! What about Shen Congyun? My elder brother has reached the Sixth Rank, would he really spoil the rules of the Wanhua Building and turn against the Cao family for the sake of a dead man?¡± ¡°The way I have arranged things is already giving him enough face on the surface!¡± ¡°Shen Congyun is a smart man, and a smart man naturally knows when to step down.¡± Xu Yunfeng stood respectfully to one side, having heard all this. He then bowed and said, ¡°Since the sir has thoroughly thought it through, I have no further apprehensions! Please rest assured, sir, I will handle this matter appropriately.¡± Upon hearing this, Cao Bin sat upright in a chair, quietly savoring his tea, a picture of composure and calm. Then, he put down his tea and took a golden-jade token from his person. A large ¡°Cao¡± character was engraved on the token. ¡°Take this token to find the Green Gang Leader, Shi Xiaoyuan, and convey my oral command; he will naturally cooperate with you fully!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Xu Yunfeng took the token, bowing deeply. Cao Bin then picked up his tea again, the picture of calmness. ¡°Dismissed!¡± As the words fell, Cao Bin added a reminder, ¡°Remember, to carry out this task, Jiang Ning must be dealt with. If Shen Congyun values him, having offended him we must not leave him alive!¡± ¡°But when dealing with Jiang Ning, try to avoid other people witnessing it. It¡¯s best to create a situation where there is no evidence of his death.¡± ¡°Yes, sir! I understand!!¡± Xu Yunfeng bowed and retreated. After leaving the room, Xu Yunfeng¡¯s eyes revealed a touch of disdain, disdain for Cao Bin! ¡°What a fool!¡± ¡°That guy could be so highly regarded by Shen Congyun, that he would even break the rules of the Wanhua Building to help out, one can imagine how special Jiang Ning must be, with an extremely high Martial Arts talent.¡± ¡°How foolish it is to risk enmity with a Martial Arts genius like Jiang Ning and a significant figure like Shen Congyun for a moment¡¯s pleasure!¡± ¡°To not know how to grasp the opportunity to turn hostility into friendship!¡± ¡°If I succeed, all the better, but if I fail¡­¡± Thinking of this consequence, Xu Yunfeng¡¯s disdain for Cao Bin grew even stronger, someone who couldn¡¯t even control his own baser urges, what a waste. In his view, it was only because Cao Bin was born well, a direct descendant of the Cao family lineage, otherwise with his foolishness, he wouldn¡¯t be worthy of his submission. If not for his birth, in his eyes, Cao Bin would never have his current status or power. As a direct son of the Cao family, having enjoyed countless resources, and yet only reaching Martial Arts Ninth Grade, The Refining Skin Mastery, at the age of thirty-plus. What a waste! At the same time, Xu Yunfeng clenched his fists and silently vowed. ¡°I must change my destiny!¡± ¡°I will climb up, step by step!¡± ¡°I must get into the Inspection Office!¡± ¡°This is the opportunity for me to change my fate!¡± ¡°Jiang Ning, I¡¯m sorry! I am going to use your head!¡± Chapter 93 - 21 Shocking Xiao Peng! Chapter 93: Chapter 21 Shocking Xiao Peng! At 8:00 a.m. Jiang Ning opened the doors of the Martial Arts Hall. The disciples immediately streamed in. ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± ... ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The disciples all greeted Jiang Ning with respect on their faces. ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± Xiao Peng appeared in front of Jiang Ning and slowly began to speak. At that moment, Xiao Peng¡¯s gaze was piercing as he looked at Jiang Ning. ¡°Senior Brother Xiao!¡± Jiang Ning smiled. Xiao Peng said, ¡°I heard that the day before yesterday, Master Wang formally accepted you as a True Disciple?¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly, ¡°Yes!¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Peng, with a fiery look in his eyes, said, ¡°Brother Jiang, how about a friendly competition between us?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Jiang Ning shook his head, ¡°I need to go back home for a while.¡± ¡°Brother Jiang isn¡¯t scared, is he!¡± Xiao Peng watched Jiang Ning, who was about to leave, and couldn¡¯t help but provoke him. Jiang Ning immediately smiled, knowing that if he continued to refuse, Xiao Peng would not give up. Then, he stretched out his hand and said, ¡°Senior Brother Xiao, we are from the same sect, and both learned the Five Animals Fist, just shaking hands is fine!¡± Xiao Peng and Jiang Ning looked each other in the eyes for a moment, then said, ¡°Alright!¡± He then also extended his right hand. The next moment. The two grasped each other¡¯s right hands. Xiao Peng immediately exerted his strength. Instantly, he felt that even when applying one-third of his strength to grasp Jiang Ning¡¯s hand, it was like mud entering the sea, creating no ripples at all. Xiao Peng looked at Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes and immediately showed a hint of surprise. At this time, Jiang Ning¡¯s right hand also slowly exerted force. Xiao Peng furrowed his brow, then the distance between his brows shrunk. On Jiang Ning¡¯s slowly tightening right hand, he felt a growing force. In just a few breaths. Xiao Peng¡¯s forehead had started to bead with fine sweat, and his right hand, shaking slightly in his sleeve, was grasped by Jiang Ning. At that moment, Jiang Ning released his hand. ¡°Junior Brother Xiao is indeed powerful, admirable!¡± Jiang Ning clasped his hands, then turned and walked away. Watching Jiang Ning¡¯s unconstrained departure, Xiao Peng¡¯s expression became exceedingly complex. He distinctly felt the immense strength in Jiang Ning¡¯s hand, which kept increasing pressure, already making it difficult for him to resist, pushing his hand bones to the limit. And seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s expression, it was clear he was holding back. If Jiang Ning had continued applying pressure, Xiao Peng would ultimately have had to beg for mercy; otherwise, his hand bones would have been crushed. So how could he not understand that the comment Jiang Ning made was to save his own face? Otherwise, if he had asked for mercy in front of everyone, he would have lost all his dignity. ¡°He is stronger than me! All five patterns of the Five Animals Fist have reached Great Success! I am not his match!¡± Xiao Peng thought to himself. At that time. Among the watching disciples, someone spoke up, ¡°Senior Brother Xiao, how strong do you find Brother Jiang?¡± ¡°Very strong!¡± Xiao Peng nodded, then continued, ¡°No wonder he is so highly regarded by Building Owner Shen!¡± ¡°How does he compare with you, Senior Brother Xiao?¡± the disciple continued to inquire. ¡°Ask that again, and you will be somewhat impolite!¡± Xiao Peng glanced at the disciple. After saying these words, he also turned and walked towards the exit of the Martial Arts Hall. For him now, there was no need to stay in the Martial Arts Hall any longer. At home, he had private tutors and professional sparring partners, so he seldom returned to the Martial Arts Hall. His return to the Martial Arts Hall today was only because he heard that Jiang Ning had been taken on as a Direct Disciple by Master Wang. As Xiao Peng left, the hall buzzed with discussion. ¡°Gentlemen, can you tell who outperformed the other between Brother Jiang and Senior Brother Xiao?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell! But I think Senior Brother Xiao should have the upper hand in strength! After all, Senior Brother Xiao has been at the Martial Arts Hall for several months, and he had already been practicing martial arts long before that.¡± ¡°I think so too, after all Senior Brother Xiao had already reached Qi Blood Great Success, reaching a level that pervades his limbs, and his arm strength exceeded over four hundred catties.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s not necessarily so!¡± someone said, and as everyone looked his way, he continued, ¡°Look! When Brother Jiang was leaving just now, he was relaxed and comfortable, obviously in a very good state! And I saw Senior Brother Xiao break into a fine sweat on his forehead!¡± ¡°Fine sweat?¡± someone asked doubtfully, ¡°Is that really so?¡± ¡°That¡¯s natural!¡± the person nodded, ¡°So I think perhaps Junior Brother Xiao was not as good as Brother Jiang, don¡¯t you remember Junior Brother Xiao¡¯s usual character? When has he ever been so silent?¡± ¡°But¡­ But Brother Jiang has been in the Martial Arts Hall for no more than a month and a half! How could he match Senior Brother Xiao in strength?¡± That person continued, ¡°Before that, could you have imagined that Brother Jiang, while practicing all five stances, would pass Master Wang¡¯s test in just over a month¡¯s time and be taken on as a True Disciple?¡± ¡°You should know, Brother Jiang is a genius held in high esteem by Building Owner Shen! Moreover, Building Owner Shen pays great attention to Brother Jiang, even standing against the Cao family and breaking the rules of Wanhua Building.¡± ¡°And with the help of such an important figure as Building Owner Shen, it is quite normal for Brother Jiang¡¯s martial arts progress to be swift! Even if it is said that Brother Jiang will reach Martial Arts Nine Grade in a month, I would find it normal!¡± The disciples in front of the Martial Arts Hall pondered briefly before slowly nodding in agreement. ¡­ Meanwhile, After Xiao Peng left the main gate of the Martial Arts Hall, he extended his right hand from his sleeve and suddenly saw the distinct finger imprint left by Jiang Ning on his palm. He clenched his fist, activated the Qi-Blood within his body to wash over his palm, and only then did the fingerprint gradually fade. ¡°What strong force!¡± ¡°The strength of this Jiang Ning must be between six hundred to seven hundred and eighty jin!¡± ¡°How long has he been practicing boxing to possess such tremendous strength? I also don¡¯t know how many good things Shen Chongyun has given to Jiang Ning to boost his strength so swiftly!¡± Xiao Peng muttered to himself, his eyes unwittingly showing a hint of jealousy. ¡°Why is the genius valued by Shen Chongyun not me?¡± ¡°If Jiang Ning participates in the struggle for a position at the Inspection Office with Shen Chongyun¡¯s assistance, how can I compete with him?¡± Thinking of this point, Xiao Peng felt even more unwillingness fill his heart. He originally thought defeating Cheng Ran and then stepping into Martial Arts Nine Grade would be sufficient. In his view, surpassing Cheng Ran was not difficult! Stepping into Martial Arts Nine Grade was not difficult either! He already attained Qi Blood Perfection; refining skin to this step, stepping into Martial Arts Nine Grade was natural. In Martial Arts Nine Grade, the most difficult part is accumulating Qi-Blood to perfection, permeating through the entire body. Once one reaches Qi Blood Perfection, stepping into Martial Arts Nine Grade doesn¡¯t take much time under sufficient resources. He had another month to one and a half months before he could refine his skin successfully and step into the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade, arriving just before the Inspection Office is established. But now, Jiang Ning, emerging unexpectedly, completely shattered his plans. Thus, today he came to the Martial Arts Hall to gauge Jiang Ning¡¯s depth. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After all, in Luoshui County, the news that Shen Chongyun favored a civilian from outside and stood against the Cao family for that civilian had spread to all major forces. He naturally knew it too. Being so valued by Shen Chongyun, he could not help but view Jiang Ning seriously. However, as today¡¯s probing unfolded, his heart inevitably sank. Failing in matching up in boxing skills was one thing, but he couldn¡¯t even match the strength. And the level of strength is closely related to the thickness of Qi-Blood. Feeling the force from Jiang Ning¡¯s right hand just now, he knew that Jiang Ning either had Innate Divine Strength or extremely thick Qi-Blood, even if not yet perfected, it was not far from perfection. Xiao Peng stood still, staring blankly at the blue sky overhead. After a long while, ¡°Alas¡ª¡± He sighed heavily, somewhat dejectedly walking forward. ¡­ Wanhua Building. This place was the most luxurious in the entire Luoshui County. When Jiang Ning appeared at the entrance of the Wanhua Building, it was already after noon. After opening the Martial Arts Hall gate, he had returned home. He had also successfully handed over the silver to Jiang Li and Liuu Wanwan. After having lunch, he then set off for the Wanhua Building. His purpose for coming to Wanhua Building was also very simple. That was to retrieve the gift that Shen Congyun had mentioned he left for him, a gift that could be claimed from Lin Qingyun after achieving Qi Blood Perfection. ¡°Young Master, I am Little Lv. May I know if you would like to purchase something at our Wanhua Building?¡± The moment Jiang Ning stepped into the grand entrance of Wanhua Building, a maid in a light green dress approached, curtsied, and then inquired. ¡°I¡¯d like to see Master Lin, Lin Qingyi,¡± Jiang Ning said. As he spoke, he extended his arm that was hidden under his sleeve, displaying a white jade token, not bigger than a palm, in his hand. This token, given by Shen Congyun before his departure, granted considerable privileges within Wanhua Building and also the eligibility to meet the Deputy Master. Upon hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words, the maid¡¯s mouth opened slightly, about to speak. But when Jiang Ning showed the white jade token, the maid immediately closed her mouth, her expression turning respectful as she deeply bowed. ¡°Not knowing the honored guest¡¯s full name, miss will notify the Master for you, but whether the Master will meet you, I do not know.¡± Jiang Ning bowed: ¡°I am Jiang Ning! Thank you for your trouble, miss!¡± ¡°Young Master, please wait a moment!¡± said the maid in the light green dress. Then she took small steps to another maid and whispered to her. Afterward, the latter maid hurried to Jiang Ning. ¡°Young Master Jiang, please follow Little He to the VIP room for some tea. Master Lin might not respond in a short while.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. Chapter 94 - 22: Bathing, Lin Qingyi’s Surprise! Chapter 94: Chapter 22: Bathing, Lin Qingyi¡¯s Surprise! Wanhua Building. ¡°Young Master Jiang, please!¡± A maid named Little Lv led the way, guiding Jiang Ning to the rooftop. A moment later. Atop Wanhua Building. In the open-air pavilion. ... ¡°Master Lin is currently bathing. I ask Young Master Jiang to wait here for a moment.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Jiang Ning nodded and sat on a chair. Little Lv then began to prepare tea in front of Jiang Ning. After a short while, The sound of bubbling¡ª The freshly brewed tea was slowly poured into the cup. ¡°Young Master Jiang, please have some tea!¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning picked up the cup, blew on it to cool it down a bit, and gently took a sip. After one cup, then another, Lin Qingyi still had not appeared. Seeing this, Jiang Ning could only continue to wait patiently. Until he had finished five or six cups of tea, feeling a slight urge to urinate, He then heard some movement from inside the pavilion. A moment later. Creak¡ª The door was pushed open. Lin Qingyi then appeared before Jiang Ning. Clad in a thin, green dress, she moved with the grace of a newly sprouted willow leaf, stepping lightly out of the room. Having bathed, her skin appeared even more pale and delicate, not at all like that of a woman over thirty, but rather like a girl in her late teens. Her long hair casually draped, droplets of water slid from her locks, landing on her light green dress, making it cling to her skin and accentuating her slender figure. As Lin Qingyi crossed the threshold, she gently lifted the hem of her gossamer gown, revealing a pair of delicate, translucent jade feet, which left footprints on the cold floor. Upon seeing this, Jiang Ning hurriedly picked up his tea and took several more sips. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lin Qingyi, walking out of the room, saw this scene and couldn¡¯t help but smile coyly, Her mood becoming somewhat more cheerful. Jiang Ning¡¯s reaction affirmed that she was still quite captivating. How could this not please her? In the next moment, Jiang Ning put down his teacup and stood up. ¡°Master Lin, greetings!¡± he said with a bow. Lin Qingyi smiled coyly: ¡°Didn¡¯t you call me ¡®sister¡¯ before? Why the change today?¡± ¡°Sister Lin!¡± Jiang Ning immediately corrected himself. Hearing this, Lin Qingyi smiled even more broadly. Afterward, She sat next to Jiang Ning, lifted her gown, and crossed her right leg over her left before letting the gown fall back down. As a result, due to the length of the gown, half of her lustrous white right leg was exposed. ¡°Little one, what brings you to visit your sister today?¡± Lin Qingyi asked, taking a sip of her tea. Jiang Ning was momentarily taken aback. ¡°Master Lin¡­ that cup of tea was mine!¡± ¡°This cup is yours!¡± During the conversation, Jiang Ning pushed another cup of tea from the table towards Lin Qingyi. Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyi, holding her teacup, paused. Then, she slightly raised her eyebrows and took a discerning look at Jiang Ning¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s fine! I don¡¯t mind,¡± Lin Qingyi said calmly, her expression serene, ¡°And call me ¡®sister¡¯! I love hearing that title!¡± But as she spoke, the tips of her ears peeking out from her black hair seemed tinged with rouge. ¡°Alright, sister!¡± Jiang Ning responded. Afterward, Lin Qingyi cleared her throat with a light cough. Then she said, ¡°You still haven¡¯t mentioned why you came to see your sister today. Have you run into some trouble that you need your sister¡¯s help with?¡± Hearing Lin Qingyi frequently mention the word ¡®sister,¡¯ Jiang Ning came to understand her preference. She clearly really enjoyed being called ¡®sister.¡¯ Upon reflecting, Jiang Ning found this perfectly understandable. Many women have this preference, enjoying being called ¡®sister.¡¯ Especially since ¡®sister¡¯ is an age-reducing title for Lin Qingyi, her liking it wasn¡¯t surprising. Then, Jiang Ning spoke, ¡°Sister Lin, I came today to retrieve the gift left for me by Senior Shen.¡± Lin Qingyi glanced at Jiang Ning, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that for now! Shen Congyun had instructed me when he left to give it to you only after your Qi Blood Perfection. Instead of thinking about that, you¡¯d be better off focusing on strengthening your Qi-blood.¡± ¡°Sister Lin, I¡¯ve already achieved Qi Blood Perfection!¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°Qi Blood Perfection?¡± Lin Qingyi widened her eyes at Jiang Ning, skepticism evident in her gaze. Regarding Jiang Ning, she had undertaken some investigation out of curiosity. Thus, she was very aware of Jiang Ning¡¯s history and knows precisely when he had started his martial arts training. Calculating carefully, Jiang Ning had only been training for just over a month. With an ordinary family background, how could he have reached Qi Blood Perfection in such a short time? She also knew that Shen Congyun had not provided much help to Jiang Ning before. The real help came during the step into Martial Arts Nine Grade. This step is the first tier in the path of martial arts. If Martial Arts Nine Grade to First Grade were like building a nine-tiered pagoda, Then enhancing and strengthening Qi-blood would be like laying the foundation. And Martial Arts Nine Grade is the first layer above this foundation. This first layer is a crucial step. Thus, with Shen Congyun so optimistic about Jiang Ning, he had decided to assist. Without Shen Congyun¡¯s aid before this point, how could Jiang Ning have achieved Qi Blood Perfection in just a little over a month? Upon hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s statement, Lin Qingyi¡¯s first reaction was disbelief. Jiang Ning said, ¡°If Sister Lin doesn¡¯t believe it, you can check for yourself.¡± Seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s confident demeanor, Lin Qingyi nodded immediately, ¡°Alright! I must see for myself what trick this young fellow is up to!¡± As she spoke, Lin Qingyi stood up. Her gown slipped down, instantly covering her legs completely. Once she reached Jiang Ning, who had also stood up, Seeing herself only reaching up to Jiang Ning¡¯s shoulders, Lin Qingyi¡¯s eyebrows narrowed. ¡°Sit down!¡± ¡°Yes, Sister Lin!¡± Jiang Ning promptly sat down obediently. After sitting, Jiang Ning felt somewhat awkward. His current position put him right at eye level with Lin Qingyi¡¯s majestic presence. The warm breath from his nose in this position and distance might inevitably brush against Lin Qingyi¡¯s grandeur. Moreover, Jiang Ning also noticed that Lin Qingyi was wearing a thin undergarment inside. He abruptly held his breath. At this moment, it seemed Lin Qingyi hadn¡¯t noticed this detail. Her palm fell from Jiang Ning¡¯s collar to his heart, ¡°Circulate your Qi-Blood throughout your body.¡± As Lin Qingyi¡¯s palm touched him, Jiang Ning immediately felt that Lin Qingyi¡¯s palm was a bit cold, like jade, with a delicate touch but radiating bursts of icy coldness. Hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded. The next moment. As his thoughts moved, Qi-Blood circulated throughout his body. A look of surprise instantly appeared in Lin Qingyi¡¯s eyes. ¡°It truly is Qi Blood Perfection, circulating throughout the body.¡± She looked down at Jiang Ning again and thought to herself, could this young man really be a once-in-a-lifetime genius? He had been practicing martial arts for just over a month without much external help and had achieved Qi Blood Perfection? His efficiency in condensing Qi-Blood was perhaps too high? This kind of talent is comparable to those true monsters! Those monsters might have the chance to achieve the path of the Grandmaster, or even higher. At this moment, Lin Qingyi realized she had been wrong before. She had completely underestimated Jiang Ning. ¡°No wonder Shen Congyun values this lad so highly!¡± ¡°It seems Shen Congyun had recognized it early, hence he was willing to break the rules of the building and owe this young man a huge favor!¡± ¡°It looks like Shen Congyun¡¯s judgment is more accurate than mine! With one move, he has precisely found a true genius!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not as good as him!¡± Lin Qingyi thought to herself, her eyes thoughtful. At this moment, without Lin Qingyi speaking, Jiang Ning could only hold his breath and dared not make a sound. The faint scent of osmanthus and orchids emanating from Lin Qingyi was constantly drifting to Jiang Ning¡¯s nose. A moment later. Lin Qingyi came back to her senses. She looked at Jiang Ning holding his breath, and couldn¡¯t help but smile warmly. She looked down again, immediately understood the issue, and her earlobes turned slightly red. ¡°This lad is quite handsome, fitting my aesthetic quite well! If there¡¯s a chance in the future, helping him wouldn¡¯t be out of the question!¡± Then, she pinched Jiang Ning¡¯s pectoral muscle. Then she withdrew her hand, ¡°The chest muscles are well-developed, they feel quite good! Sister really likes it!¡± Jiang Ning remained silent. At that moment, he felt he was being teased by Lin Qingyi. But considering Lin Qingyi¡¯s status and her strength, Jiang Ning had no choice but to swallow his pride. Being teased is just being teased! After all, a man doesn¡¯t lose out when taking advantage! Besides, although Lin Qingyi was somewhat older, she still looked very young, seemingly in her late teens or early twenties, which wasn¡¯t unacceptable. Jiang Ning comforted himself inwardly, Lin Qingyi then said, ¡°Come with me! Since your Qi-Blood has reached Perfection, you meet Shen Congyun¡¯s criteria. It¡¯s time to give you that item!¡± Jiang Ning quickly got up and followed Lin Qingyi. Looking at her graceful waist, Jiang Ning then looked up at the ceiling. Don¡¯t look around carelessly! Don¡¯t be distracted! This was not a delicate fainting woman but a powerhouse who could kill him with one palm. Jiang Ning chanted this in his mind. Then. Lin Qingyi pushed open the door. Squeak- A mist and a strong scent of osmanthus and orchids immediately enveloped Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning was momentarily stunned. This was clearly Lin Qingyi¡¯s boudoir, and also where she had just bathed. Was it appropriate for him to enter? Just then, Lin Qingyi said, ¡°What are you hesitating for? Come in!¡± Jiang Ning heard her, nodded, and then stepped inside. Just as he entered the room, Jiang Ning saw clothes Lin Qingyi had just changed out of hanging on a screen. He quickly averted his gaze, pretending he hadn¡¯t seen them. At that moment, Lin Qingyi also noticed this scene, and seeing her own intimate clothing, her face suddenly got a little hot. But when she saw Jiang Ning¡¯s evasive gaze, she found it quite amusing. ¡°You little lad, are you this shy? Haven¡¯t you ever visited the Flower Building?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Jiang Ning honestly replied, ¡°No!!¡± ¡°Ho ho ho¡ª¡± Lin Qingyi couldn¡¯t help but laugh, her body shaking slightly. Then, she quickly covered her mouth to stop herself from continuing to laugh. After suppressing her laughter, Lin Qingyi said, ¡°This won¡¯t do, you haven¡¯t been through enough trials, you¡¯ll easily fall for beauty traps in the future.¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°Who would use such tricks on me!¡± Lin Qingyi then looked at Jiang Ning seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t belittle yourself, your future is extraordinary! Otherwise, Shen Congyun wouldn¡¯t have gone to such lengths to help you!¡± As they talked, she glanced at Jiang Ning again. Then she went to her vanity cabinet, reached into the cabinet, and lightly shifted something. Boom¡ª A hidden compartment suddenly emerged from the wall. She then took out a dark wooden box from it. ¡°Take it! This is the gift Shen Congyun left for you! Today, it finally reached your hands.¡± Jiang Ning hurriedly took it from Lin Qingyi¡¯s hands. Looking at the item in his hands, his heart was filled with joy. To make Shen Congyun go through such trouble to prepare it, and entrust it to Lin Qingyi for delivery, it must be something special. Lin Qingyi added, ¡°Right! After you achieve Refining Skin Mastery, come find me again! Shen Congyun has something else for you by then.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more?¡± Jiang Ning was a bit surprised. ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Lin Qingyi nodded slightly, ¡°There¡¯s more! So remember to come then!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Jiang Ning replied, ¡°Thank you, Sister Lin! Sister Lin, you are really kind!¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite the sweet-talker!¡± Lin Qingyi smiled warmly, extended her slender right index finger, and playfully hooked Jiang Ning¡¯s chin, ¡°Sister is somewhat interested in you.¡± Jiang Ning remained silent. ¡°Alright!¡± Lin Qingyi withdrew her finger with a smile, ¡°I won¡¯t tease you anymore! You can go back now! Sister needs to change clothes!¡± After leaving Lin Qingyi¡¯s boudoir. Phew¡ª Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°Indeed, boys need to protect themselves when they are away from home!¡± ¡°Women are really scary!!¡± Then he looked at the wooden box in his hand, his expression brimming with joy. ¡°Something specially left by Shen Congyun, and significant for me, it must be truly something excellent!¡± ¡°Only those with Qi Blood Perfection are eligible to get it, it must be very helpful for what comes next!¡± Immediately after, he recalled what Lin Qingyi had just said. Shen Congyun had left something else at Lin Qingyi¡¯s place. An item he could take only after achieving Refining Skin Mastery. Thinking of this, he couldn¡¯t help but silently wonder, ¡°I wonder what that item could be.¡± Chapter 95 - 23 Vajra Immortal Body Chapter 95: Chapter 23 Vajra Immortal Body Wanhua Building entrance. ¡°Hall Master, according to the report from our informants below, Jiang Ning is still inside the Wanhua Building and hasn¡¯t come out yet.¡± Xu Yunfeng arrived with several people, and an informant of the Green Gang hurriedly reported to him. ¡°Good! Well done!¡± Xu Yunfeng nodded in encouragement. Then, he took out his identity token and gave it to one of the gang members, ¡°Take my identity token and go ask Deputy Gang Leader Hong Chengtao for help, tell him that I owe him a favor and ask him to help me here. This is also a task from the Third Young Master!¡± ¡°Yes, Hall Master!¡± ... Hearing about the Third Young Master, the gang member took the token and respectfully responded. Afterwards, the disciple hurriedly dashed off to find the deputy gang leader to relay the message from Xu Yunfeng. As the disciple quickly departed, a woman wearing a leopard skin miniskirt and a wraparound top beside Xu Yunfeng frowned. ¡°Hall Master, it¡¯s just killing Jiang Ning, is it necessary to go to such lengths? Even asking Deputy Gang Leader Hong Chengtao for help?¡± ¡°Hong Chengtao has achieved minor success in Refining Skin, and he is a formidable person whose strength exceeds eight hundred jin.¡± ¡°It¡¯s somewhat embarrassing to ask him to join us in killing such a young whelp, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°With our two people helping, it should be enough to kill Jiang Ning! Don¡¯t you think so, Brother Yuan?¡± As she said the last line, this woman briefly nudged another man standing beside her. The one called Brother Yuan, a Hall Master, immediately spoke up: ¡°Little Yu is right! Two deputy hall masters and one hall master, aren¡¯t we enough to kill a Jiang Ning who has only studied martial arts for a bit over a month?¡± ¡°Even if he is a genius favored by Shen Congyun, it¡¯s only been a month since he started learning martial arts. How capable could he have become?¡± ¡°Little Yu has achieved Mastery in Qi-Blood, possessing strength of four hundred jin. I myself have reached Qi Blood Perfection, surpassing five hundred jin.¡± ¡°In addition, Hall Master Xu has achieved small success in Refining Skin and has stepped into the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade.¡± ¡°The three of us striking together, can Jiang Ning, who has studied martial arts for merely over a month, possibly escape our joint assault?¡± Hearing their words, Xu Yunfeng couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. ¡°The deputy hall masters do make sense, but the Third Young Master Cao said, ¡®A lion still uses all its might to catch a rabbit!''¡± ¡°Jiang Ning is highly regarded by Shen Congyun, we can¡¯t guarantee that some accidents won¡¯t occur!¡± ¡°Since we are making a move against him, we must give our all to ensure safety! After all, if we fail, we would not just be offending a mere Jiang Ning, but also the influential Shen Congyun!¡± ¡°If I could, I would have asked the Gang Leader for help to ensure nothing goes wrong, but since that¡¯s not possible right now, I must still seek the most foolproof method by asking Deputy Gang Leader Hong Chengtao to join us.¡± The two deputy hall masters, upon hearing this, found the one called Brother Yuan lightly shaking his head: ¡°Hall Master Xu, you are perhaps being too cautious!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s being cautious, but rather making a mountain out of a molehill!¡± the deputy hall master called Little Yu immediately added, expressing her dissatisfaction. Xu Yunfeng simply smiled slightly upon hearing this and said no more, letting the two deputy hall masters vent their frustrations. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In his view, as long as the two cooperated to get this job done, that was all that mattered. As for the rest, he couldn¡¯t be bothered. Although he also felt in his heart that just a few of them making a move should have been enough. However, to ensure that nothing went wrong, he still chose the safest course of action by inviting Deputy Gang Leader Hong Chengtao for help. With Hong Chengtao, who has achieved small success in Refining Skin and possesses a strength of eight hundred jin, stepping in, true certainty could be achieved. In his eyes, this task could only succeed, not fail. It concerned his grand future plans. Should he succeed, he would gain Cao Bin¡¯s approval to enter the Inspection Office. From then on, he could defy the odds and take control of his own fate. Therefore, in Xu Yunfeng¡¯s eyes, being overly cautious was never too much. Just because this matter was far too important. Meanwhile, Seeing Xu Yunfeng fall silent, the two deputy hall masters also said no more. After all, Xu Yunfeng was a man of the Third Young Master Cao. They couldn¡¯t disregard Xu Yunfeng¡¯s dignity without considering the Third Young Master Cao¡¯s face. ¡­ Wanhua Building. Jiang Ning stepped out of Lin Qingyi¡¯s room and headed to the attic. Seeing that there was no one around, and that the maid from earlier had already retreated, he instantly made up his mind. Right here, he would open the box that Shen Congyun had left him and see what was inside. After all, no place in Luoshui County was safer than here. The next moment, He placed the box on a wooden table and then opened the clasp. Click¡ª With a crisp sound, the wooden box was opened. What entered his sight was a secret manual, along with several small jars. [Vajra Immortal Body] Picking up the secret manual, Jiang Ning saw these large characters on the book. ¡°Vajra Immortal Body?¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Then, he continued to speak to himself, ¡°It seems to match what I had guessed before, the method of Refining Skin that Senior Shen left for me must be no ordinary cultivation technique, or else he wouldn¡¯t have made such a serious arrangement for Lin Qingyi to hand it over to me.¡± Thinking of this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. ¡°Senior Shen has really helped me too much!¡± Afterward, he began to slowly flip through the [Vajra Immortal Body]. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [¡­] As Jiang Ning kept flipping through the pages, his Literacy and Judgement Experience surged rapidly. Shortly thereafter. Lin Qingyi pushed open the door and saw Jiang Ning slowly browsing through an ancient, yellowed tome on the balcony of the pagoda. ¡°This¡­ must be what Shen Congyun left for him,¡± Lin Qingyi murmured to herself. She immediately stopped in her tracks, careful not to disturb him. A moment later. As Jiang Ning continued to flip through the ancient tome, Lin Qingyi also caught sight of a few characters on the book¡¯s cover. ¡°Vajra Immortal Body?¡± Her eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of surprise arising in her heart, ¡°Did Shen Congyun actually manage to obtain this ancient tome? Could he have visited the Vajra Temple?¡± ¡°No wonder he was so solemn before; it turns out to be this tome! If this is the legendary complete Vajra Immortal Body, it could forge the immortal golden body of legend!¡± ¡°However, this must not be the complete Vajra Immortal Body!¡± ¡°After all, the truly complete Vajra Immortal Body, as far as I know, exists only in the Vajra Temple. With Shen Congyun¡¯s capabilities, how could he possibly obtain the complete Vajra Immortal Body from the Vajra Temple.¡± ¡°Vajra Temple, that¡¯s a place with Grandmasters, or even higher existences!¡± Realizing this, Lin Qingyi shook her head. On the other side. Jiang Ning kept on turning pages, and found that during this process, his Literacy and Judgement Experience was increasing very rapidly. A moment later. He finished browsing. [After browsing Vajra Immortal Body, Literacy and Judgement Experience increased by a total of 438 points.] Seeing this prompt, Jiang Ning was momentarily taken aback. ¡°So much? 438 experience points?¡± He hurriedly opened the panel again for another look. [Skill]: Literacy and Judgement (Second Limit Breaking 543/3000) (Traits: unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) ¡°It really increased by 438 points of experience?¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself, feeling utterly astonished. He looked again at the ancient tome named [Vajra Immortal Body] he was holding in his hands. ¡°Just a fragment, and yet just by reading it, it increased my Literacy and Judgement by so much. What grade is this Vajra Immortal Body?¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning was incredibly surprised. From his recent browsing, according to the introduction of the ancient tome, he came to know that this tome named [Vajra Immortal Body] has a tremendous origin. Even claimed to be one of the origins of Martial Arts. According to the records, if one could cultivate Vajra Immortal Body to true Perfection, then one could condense the so-called immortal golden body. Owning the immortal golden body, it is claimed to be impervious to swords and spears, immune to water and fire, and untouched by myriad laws. Even in Ancient Times, those who practiced this cultivation technique, even with mortal bodies, qualified to contend against Immortals. Moreover, it is claimed to make one unbeatable within the same realm of Innate. Such statements naturally show the strength of this Vajra Immortal Body. But after reading, Jiang Ning also knew that the Vajra Immortal Body he had was just a fragment. A fragment that could be cultivated to small success. Although it is just a fragment of small success, its effect is also sufficient. Vajra Immortal Body¡¯s small success, enough to let him achieve Refining Skin Mastery, skin as hard as bronze. Thus, he could step into Martial Arts Eighth Grade of Divine Power Realm. Moreover, according to this Vajra Immortal Body, the skin membrane refined out of it is, on average, thirty to fifty percent stronger than those refined from other similar cultivation techniques. This shows how strong Vajra Immortal Body really is. ¡°I wonder what grade exactly is this martial arts cultivation technique, Vajra Immortal Body?¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. On the other side. Seeing Jiang Ning come back to his senses, Lin Qingyi walked over. ¡°Sister Lin!¡± Noticing the movement, Jiang Ning immediately greeted her. ¡°This is what Shen Congyun left for you?¡± Lin Qingyi pointed towards the ancient tome in Jiang Ning¡¯s hand. ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning nodded and then added, ¡°This golden body is indeed a generous gift!¡± ¡°That¡¯s expected!¡± Lin Qingyi said, ¡°The complete Vajra Immortal Body is the flagship martial arts technique of the Vajra Temple, one of Great Xia¡¯s top sects.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s it!¡± Jiang Ning realized, then shook his head and exclaimed, ¡°What a pity! What Senior Shen left was just a fragment, which can only allow me to refine a skin like bronze, achieving just small success.¡± Hearing this, Lin Qingyi felt relieved. Then she smiled slightl Chapter 96 - 24 Kill! Chapter 96: Chapter 24 Kill! Wanhua Building. Jiang Ning, having tidied everything up, walked out from the Wanhua Building. He also left that conspicuous chest there, including the ancient manuscript named ¡°Vajra Immortal Body,¡± with Lin Qingyi. Having understood the Vajra Immortal Body, he knew it had to be a Martial Arts Skill of a grade beyond his imagination. According to what Lin Qingyi had said, the complete ¡°Vajra Immortal Body¡± was the foundational Martial Arts of the Vajra Temple. ... The Vajra Temple also had more than a score of Grandmasters and even several Great Grandmasters, positioning it as a top-tier Sect. The strength of such a Sect was unimaginable. And that the Vajra Immortal Body could become the foundational Martial Arts of the Vajra Temple meant its grade was evident. Perhaps even secret techniques were no match for this martial study. So even the incomplete Vajra Immortal Body that could only cultivate to the small success of copper skin was, in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes, extremely precious. After all, according to the records of this Cultivation Technique, even skin and membrane at the same level, when refined by the Vajra Immortal Body, were thirty to fifty percent stronger. Thirty to fifty percent, that was a vast difference. This also demonstrated the importance of the Vajra Immortal Body. Therefore, Jiang Ning chose to leave the incomplete version of the Vajra Immortal Body with Lin Qingyi. He read it once and memorized it entirely. Taking it with him was useless. And it might inadvertently expose the existence of the Vajra Immortal Body, attracting fatal disaster, a loss far outweighing any gain. As for the remaining bottles and jars in the chest, Jiang Ning packed them into a bundle and took them with him. When he walked out of the Wanhua Building, he had only a bundle on him, and the ebony long knife he was carrying in his hand. He had just walked a short distance. When Jiang Ning¡¯s ears involuntarily twitched slightly. ¡°Follow Jiang Ning for now, and wait for Master Hong Chengtao. We¡¯ll make our move when there are fewer people around!¡± Upon hearing this sentence, a slight shift occurred in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart. Xu Chengfeng? Has he come to trouble me again? It seems the Cao family is indeed restless again following Shen Congyun¡¯s departure. Master Hong Chengtao? Who is that? Isn¡¯t the leader of the Green Snake Gang called Shi Xiaoyuan? Why is there a Master Hong Chengtao now? And neither the leader of the Black Tiger Gang nor the Bamboo Gang is named Hong Chengtao? Hearing the voice coming from Xu Yunfeng, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but contemplate in his heart. He then slightly slowed his pace, heading towards where the crowd was thicker. At the same time, he maximized his senses and listened intently to the conversation behind him. A moment later, he continued to eavesdrop on Xu Yunfeng and the others¡¯ conversation. He suddenly understood. Master Hong Chengtao wasn¡¯t the real Gang Leader but the deputy leader of the Green Snake Gang. ¡°Refining Skin small success?¡± ¡°Can be killed!¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Then he walked onward while slightly pondering. A moment later, he made a decision in his heart. ¡°Cao Rong has left. There¡¯s no need for me to hold back with my current strength!¡± ¡°Kill!¡± ¡°Why continue living so suffocated!¡± The next moment, he chose a direction and headed towards the Outer City. The few behind him trailed along after Jiang Ning. After leaving the Inner City and arriving in the Outer City, a muscular man with black skin approached Xu Yunfeng. ¡°Master Xu, I am here!¡± said the black-skinned man. ¡°Thank you, Master Hong, for coming to help!¡± Xu Yunfeng whispered. Seeing this, a sneer of contempt flashed across the black-skinned man¡¯s eyes. He shook his head as he glanced at Jiang Ning¡¯s back, ¡°Is the task the Third Young Master gave you just to kill him?¡± Xu Yunfeng replied, ¡°I need to kill him first to accomplish the Third Young Master¡¯s task.¡± ¡°That¡¯s simple!¡± The black-skinned man smiled, ¡°For just a green boy like him, with my Martial Arts Nine Grade small success strength, I could crush his head as easily as squeezing a watermelon.¡± As the black-skinned man seemed ready to act, Xu Yunfeng stepped forward quickly, stopping him. ¡°Hold, Master Hong!¡± he whispered. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± The black-skinned man looked at Xu Yunfeng with confusion. Xu Yunfeng continued in a low voice, ¡°The Third Young Master said we can¡¯t lay hands on Jiang Ning in public; he¡¯s someone Shen Congyun values!¡± ¡°To strike in public would be a direct blow to Shen Congyun¡¯s face!¡± ¡°Alright then!¡± The black-skinned man stopped immediately, ¡°We¡¯ll wait, then when he¡¯s in a place with fewer people, we¡¯ll kill them all!¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I meant!¡± said Xu Yunfeng. On the other side, Jiang Ning, with his senses maximized, also overheard this conversation. So they are indeed going to make a move on me! And the Master Hong mentioned by Xu Yunfeng has also arrived! They want to find a secluded place to attack me, huh? Very well, let¡¯s play along then! A sudden surge of killing intent flashed in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. Since you¡¯re courting death yourselves, then I¡¯ll cut you all down! The next moment, he tightened his grip on the long knife in his hands and walked along the main road of the Outer City toward the city gates. Thirty minutes later, Xu Yunfeng and the others continued to follow. Suddenly someone whispered, ¡°Is he planning to leave the city?¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yunfeng was momentarily stunned. Then he recalled in detail before slowly nodding, ¡°It seems like he is about to leave the city.¡± The black-skinned man then grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth. ¡°Leaving the city is exactly what I want!¡± ¡°Killing him outside the city and discarding the body in the wilderness, by the next night, it will be picked clean by jackals and wild beasts, with no evidence of death!!¡± Upon hearing this, the woman dressed in leopard skin also smiled. ¡°It¡¯s like he¡¯s avoided the path to heaven and chosen to barge right into hell!¡± ¡°Choosing to leave the city at this time, he¡¯s truly picked a path with no survival!¡± Meanwhile, Xu Yunfeng, listening to their conversation, suddenly felt waves of unease. Strange! The lad was so cautious before, not stepping out of the Martial Arts Hall for a whole month. Not to mention leaving the city? Why would he suddenly leave the city today? He has no need to leave the city, so why would he? And to leave at this very moment? Could it be that he has discovered us and intentionally lured us out of the city? That¡¯s not right! Xu Yunfeng thought this and immediately shook his head. If he really had discovered us, he should have taken the crowded main road straight back to the Martial Arts Hall! Isn¡¯t leaving the city simply asking for death? With this thought, Xu Yunfeng immediately suppressed his unease. Especially after glancing at the man with the dark skin, Hong Chengtao, he felt even more at ease. Hong Chengtao. He was someone who was much more formidable than himself. This man joined the Green Snake Gang at the age of thirteen and climbed from a mere gang member to the position of Deputy Gang Leader, step by step. His combat experience was extremely rich, having survived numerous brushes with death and finding life in desperate situations. Through sheer determination, he rose from poverty to the ranks of Martial Arts Ninth Grade, making a name for himself. With his rich combat experience, even faced with someone who had mastered Refining Skin, like Cao Bin, Hong Chengtao could still put up a fight. In a life-or-death battle, he still had a considerable chance of turning the tables. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then, Xu Yunfeng finally put his mind at ease and wobbly followed behind Jiang Ning. After a short while, Jiang Ning appeared at the city gate. Following the large troop, Jiang Ning passed through the gate, crossed the drawbridge, and completely exited Luoshui County. Behind Jiang Ning, Several people witnessed this scene. ¡°The kid really is leaving the city!¡± the dark-skinned man said with delight, ¡°We should hurry and follow him!¡± ¡°Right!¡± The two Vice Hall Masters immediately quickened their pace. Seeing this, Xu Yunfeng followed. ¡­ Shortly after leaving the city, ¡°Something¡¯s not right!¡± Xu Yunfeng suddenly spoke up. ¡°What¡¯s not right now?¡± the dark-skinned man asked. ¡°Why is Jiang Ning heading towards the woods? Clearly heading where people are scarce? That¡¯s too strange!¡± Xu Yunfeng spoke again. Hearing this, the dark-skinned man laughed and said, ¡°You¡¯re just like an arrest officer, overthinking everything!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± ¡°The lad is a disciple from Canglang Martial Arts Hall, and what they practice is the Five Animals Fist!¡± ¡°To improve in Five Animals Fist, they often choose to go to the wilderness to be amongst tigers, monkeys, bears, and deer, to observe these animals¡¯ habits and fight them, which can lead to understanding both the spirit and form of boxing, achieving Great Success eventually!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± the dark-skinned man questioned back. Hearing this, Xu Yunfeng was momentarily at a loss for words. After a few breaths, He slowly shook his head: ¡°I hope I¡¯m overthinking it!¡± Hearing this, the dark-skinned man couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡°Do you think the lad has already discovered us and is purposely leading us to a secluded place to kill us all?¡± Xu Yunfeng remained silent. On the other side, Jiang Ning continued along the mountain path, which became increasingly serene and quiet as he moved forward. Howling ¡ª From time to time, a wolf¡¯s howl or other wild beasts¡¯ roars could be heard. He surveyed the surrounding environment. The trees towered high, sunlight filtering through the lush leaves like stars scattering, with not a soul around. He nodded slightly. ¡°It should be about time!¡± Then, He turned and came to a halt behind a large tree. Less than ten breaths of time later, A series of footsteps approached from afar, getting closer and closer. ¡°Master Xu, are you sure this is the right way?¡± the dark-skinned man said. Xu Yunfeng glanced at the ground and shook his head: ¡°No mistake, these are clearly fresh tracks. Who else could it be but Jiang Ning?¡± ¡°Good!¡± the dark-skinned man nodded, then continued, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s quicken our pace and catch up! This place is a geomantic treasure for burials!¡± ¡°With just a few hours to sunset, wild beasts will come out to hunt, and by morning, he¡¯ll be nothing but bones!¡± Hearing this, Xu Yunfeng nodded immediately: ¡°Okay, no problem! Let¡¯s do as Gang Leader Hong says!¡± As they spoke, Xu Yunfeng, leading the way by following the tracks Jiang Ning left, also quickened his pace. However, just one breath later, having traveled only a short distance, he suddenly stopped. ¡°Master Xu, what now?¡± the dark-skinned man immediately asked with displeasure. ¡°Something¡¯s not right!¡± Xu Yunfeng said. ¡°What¡¯s not right now?¡± the dark-skinned man asked. ¡°The tracks left by Jiang Ning have suddenly disappeared!¡± Xu Yunfeng explained. ¡°Could Jiang Ning have discovered us?¡± The woman dressed in leopard skin who was following behind asked. ¡°Possibly!¡± Xu Yunfeng nodded, then continued, ¡°Don¡¯t rush; I¡¯ll look around. We should be able to find the tracks he¡¯s left behind.¡± ¡°Even if he was covering his tracks intentionally, there would still be some clues left.¡± Xu Yunfeng was full of confidence. Just then, Jiang Ning stepped out from behind the large tree. ¡°No need to search, I¡¯m right here!¡± Chapter 97 - 25 Slaughter! Xu Yunfeng Dies! Chapter 97: Chapter 25 Slaughter! Xu Yunfeng Dies! In the mountain forests outside Luoshui County town. Jiang Ning suddenly appeared from behind a large tree. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Xu Yunfeng was suddenly startled. ¡°Correct?¡± Jiang Ning nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve noticed us from the beginning?¡± Xu Yunfeng¡¯s expression was a bit grave. Before Jiang Ning could respond, the dark-skinned man spoke impatiently. ... ¡°Why babble so much with him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too late yet! Kill him quickly and go back to hold your wife!¡± After saying that, he looked at Jiang Ning with a fierce smile on his face. ¡°There is a path to heaven yet you choose not to take it, hell has no gate yet you insist on coming here!¡± ¡°Blame yourself for provoking those who shouldn¡¯t be provoked, coming to places where you shouldn¡¯t.¡± Then, his gaze slightly lowered to Jiang Ning¡¯s right hand. ¡°Oh! You actually want to draw your sword? Do you think you can still resist?¡± Hong Chengtao walked and laughed, continually approaching Jiang Ning. ¡°Master Hong, be careful!¡± Xu Yunfeng, watching this scene from behind, spoke with a rather heavy tone to warn. Hearing Xu Yunfeng¡¯s words, the woman in leopard skin beside him couldn¡¯t help but speak. ¡°Isn¡¯t Hall Master Xu being a bit too timid? Master Hong¡¯s Iron Sand Palm has reached perfection, a single strike can break monuments and iron; why be so cautious against this young lad?¡± On the other side, Hong Chengtao heard Xu Yunfeng¡¯s words and still had a cruel smile on his face, intending to oppress Jiang Ning. However, inside he was not as reckless as he appeared. He had already been secretly gathering his strength, pushing his Iron Sand Palm to the extreme, fully prepared. If he made a move, it would be with the intent for full power. As an old hand who had been mixing in the martial world for so many years, how could he not understand the saying, ¡°A small mistake can cause a great disaster¡±? He could scorn his opponent, but he never dared to underestimate them. If he underestimated his opponent, he wouldn¡¯t know how many times he could have died over the years. Thus, even though he didn¡¯t think Jiang Ning could pose a threat, he did not dare to take it lightly. After all, this situation seemed to him filled with many oddities. As Jiang Ning had just said, noticing their tailing early on. Why did he still leave the city, why come to these deserted mountain forests? Anyone but a fool wouldn¡¯t make such a suicidal choice. How could anyone valued so highly by Shen Congyun be a fool? Thus, there could only be one explanation. In his view, Jiang Ning must have something to rely on. Confident enough to handle a few people tailing them. Though at this moment Hong Chengtao also did not understand what Jiang Ning could rely on. But not understanding didn¡¯t matter, whether he understood or not, it wasn¡¯t going to delay his action. And at this time. Jiang Ning¡¯s fingers were also tightly gripping the long sword. Qi Blood Power surged through his body, his strength was ready to burst. A moment later. Hong Chengtao moved within a few feet of Jiang Ning. Whoosh¡ª Jiang Ning drew his sword, and the Cold Light flashed. ¡°Good timing!¡± As Hong Chengtao saw Jiang Ning unsheathe his sword, he immediately shouted out. Immediately after, his right palm thrust forward, his already somewhat dark palm instantly shone with a blackish-red luster. Jiang Ning had also drawn his sword at this moment, and the long sword suddenly chopped down. Buzz¡ª A vast, powerful force erupted, surging into the sword, causing it to emit a series of vibrating sounds. Then. The long sword slashed down with an unstoppable momentum. This strike unleashed all of Jiang Ning¡¯s strength. And it still added the First Layer of the Nine Layers of Strength. Further boosted by the Break Limit second level Chopping Wood Blade Skill. This strike was Jiang Ning¡¯s peak strike under his normal state. ¡­ ¡°Not good!!¡± Seeing the speed of the descending long sword and the carried momentum, Hong Chengtao¡¯s pupils suddenly shrank, feeling a bad premonition. The edge hadn¡¯t even fallen yet, but he felt a strong oppressive force. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong!¡± He thought again in his mind, ¡°But I can¡¯t retreat, nor do I have the time!¡± At this thought, Hong Chengtao clenched his teeth tightly and pushed his Iron Sand Palm to the extreme. At the same time, not far away. Seeing the suddenly falling long sword, whether it was Xu Yunfeng or the other two deputy hall masters, their pupils suddenly contracted. ¡°Such a fast sword!¡± ¡°This sword is too fast!!¡± The next moment. Clang¡ª The sword blade met Hong Chengtao¡¯s palm, producing a sound of metal striking metal. Immediately after, Hong Chengtao¡¯s eyes were filled with shock. The long sword chopped down on his palm, and only then did he truly feel the terror of Jiang Ning¡¯s strike. Even though his Iron Sand Palm could crush metal and iron, as Jiang Ning¡¯s fierce sword fall continued, his entire palm was also sliced open. The tremendous explosive power even flung his entire body. ¡°How can he be so strong!¡± Dismay filled Hong Chengtao¡¯s mind. As he flew through the air, he turned to glance at his right hand again. He saw the palm split apart, his once proud Iron Sand Palm, combined with his small success in Refining Skin, which was enough to break weapons, directly destroyed to reveal the fragmented stark white bones. Severe pain transmitted from the bones of his right arm, which was already twisted and deformed under this force. ¡°How can he be this strong?¡± Hong Chengtao again unbelievably questioned in his mind. ¡°He has only practiced martial arts for a little over a month, how can he be so strong?¡± ¡°A single strike has disabled my right arm. If he could strike again, I would only have to sacrifice my left arm to block it.¡± ¡°But how am I supposed to receive the third strike?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t this mean he could kill me with three strikes?¡± At this thought, Hong Chengtao became extremely frightened. He had painstakingly climbed from the lowest strata of society to this point and had not enjoyed it for long. He didn¡¯t want to die at all! ¡°I don¡¯t want to die!!¡± Hong Chengtao chanted in his heart again. Such thoughts rapidly flashed through his mind. In that split second, he solidified his resolve, and his gaze became extremely firm. At this moment, Xu Yunfeng¡¯s expression suddenly turned very solemn. He merely glanced at Hong Chengtao and then instantly turned and left, bursting forth with his full speed. ¡°Something¡¯s off!¡± ¡°Even Hong Chengtao was severely injured by Jiang Ning¡¯s single strike, rushing forward would only be a senseless sacrifice. I must escape!¡± ¡°Hurry and flee! The further the better for a chance to survive!¡± Just then, before Hong Chengtao had even hit the ground, he shouted loudly. ¡°Master Xu, Xiao Yuan, Shangguan Yu, you three act quickly. This lad has used a forbidden technique to squeeze out his body¡¯s potential¡ªafter one strike, he will be exhausted!¡± ¡°Yes, Gang Leader!¡± The woman in leopard skin and the somewhat sinister-looking man immediately responded. Then they exchanged glances and turned to leave. Xu Yunfeng reacted even faster than them, rushing towards the mountains first. ¡°You!!!¡± Seeing this, Hong Chengtao was overwhelmed, and a stream of fresh blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. All this happened in just a moment. Jiang Ning glanced at the airborne Hong Chengtao. ¡°My strength is truly incomparable to before!¡± He secretly thought and gripped the long knife in his hand even tighter. Then he glanced at the two fleeing figures and Xu Yunfeng, who had turned to escape. ¡°Perfect, time to test the new technique I¡¯ve just mastered!¡± ¡°At this point, I can¡¯t let Xu Yunfeng escape!¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡­ Jiang Ning¡¯s mind shifted. Thump¡ª His heart suddenly began to throb heavily, and a powerful force surged from within his body. Under these circumstances, Jiang Ning¡¯s skin also began to redden slightly, his pupils dilated, and his body entered a state of excitement. In this state, the various negative emotions in his mind, like nervousness and slight fear, were swept away in an instant. ¡°Kill!¡± Jiang Ning uttered softly. Carrying his knife, he moved at extreme speed, taking a step that covered a great distance. Like a gust of fierce wind, he rushed towards Hong Chengtao! As the saying goes, hit them when they¡¯re down. Especially since Hong Chengtao was the strongest among them, already having reached the Martial Arts Ninth Grade. ¡°Don¡¯t force me!!¡± Watching Jiang Ning rapidly closing in, madness flashed in Hong Chengtao¡¯s eyes. At this moment, Jiang Ning held his long knife, his gaze icy cold. In less than a breath¡¯s time, he was in front of Hong Chengtao. ¡°Die!¡± Jiang Ning let out a loud shout, suddenly unleashing his full strength, and chose to explode with one layer of Nine Layers of Strength. Seeing this, Hong Chengtao¡¯s left hand had already been pushed to its limit. This palm strike accumulated over ten years of his training. But even so, despair flickered in his eyes. Even if he could block this strike, could he withstand the next? Cling¡ª The knife struck Hong Chengtao¡¯s left hand, immediately emitting a metallic clang. Then¡­ Thwack¡ª The blade carved through flesh. Hong Chengtao¡¯s eyes instantly filled with profound despair and shock. Blood splattered, spurting forth. Jiang Ning also brushed past Hong Chengtao! At this moment, under Jiang Ning¡¯s blade, Hong Chengtao¡¯s body was split in two, directly cleaved into halves. Normally, if it were his first time killing someone, Jiang Ning would be nervous, even fearful. But in this moment, after breaking the body¡¯s limit, these negative emotions were swept away, with hardly any fluctuation in his heart due to this strike. After passing Hong Chengtao¡¯s corpse, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze firmly locked onto Xu Yunfeng. Since he had already chosen to act, Xu Yunfeng was already marked for death in his mind. At this time, Xu Yunfeng sensed the commotion behind him. In the midst of running, he turned back. Seeing the scene behind him, his soul nearly fled his body. ¡°How is this possible!¡± ¡°How could Master Hong die so easily!!¡± Then, seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s rapidly approaching figure, deep despair flashed through his eyes. Hong Chengtao was slain by Jiang Ning in just one exchange. How could he himself survive? At this moment, Xu Yunfeng thought of the blind mother waiting for him at home. A deep sense of guilt flashed in his eyes. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m sorry! Your son failed to keep his promise, failed to stand out and bring glory to our family!¡± The next moment, Jiang Ning rapidly closed in on Xu Yunfeng. Drawing his blade and slashing directly, this strike emitted just his regular strength and did not unleash another layer of the Nine Layers of Strength. Because just now, consecutively unleashing one layer of strength had caused his right arm to ache. Considering Xu Yunfeng¡¯s strength now that Jiang Ning had broken his body¡¯s limits, there was no need to add another layer of strength from the Nine Layers of Strength. Clang¡ª Xu Yunfeng blocked with his sword horizontally, and upon the collision of the blades, a spark flew. Instantly, Xu Yunfeng¡¯s long knife was suddenly knocked out of his hand and thrown away. ¡°This power!!!¡± Xu Yunfeng felt numbness in his tiger¡¯s mouth and was immensely shocked. Having personally fought against Jiang Ning, he now understood why Hong Chengtao, despite having perfected the Iron Sand Palm and achieved small success in Refining Skin, reaching a layer as hard as stone, was still slain by Jiang Ning with just two strikes. Because the force Jiang Ning unleashed was too strong, too terrifying. Even though he had reached the Martial Arts Ninth Grade, he had no power to fight back. The next moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s blade struck down Xu Yunfeng¡¯s long knife, then delivered another strike. Swoosh¡ª The long knife sliced through the air, and a human head was flung high. Chapter 98 - 26: One Can’t Get Rich Without Windfalls Chapter 98: Chapter 26: One Can¡¯t Get Rich Without Windfalls In the forest, Jiang Ning glanced at Xu Yunfeng¡¯s corpse. ¡°Finally, I have completely dealt with him!¡± he thought to himself. At this moment, the pent-up frustration in his heart was also released. Then, Boom¡ª ... With a push of his feet, the earth shattered, and his figure burst forth instantly, rushing towards the other two who had just fled. At the same time, In the dense jungle, ¡°Brother Yuan, are we safe now?¡± the woman in leopard skin asked. ¡°Not yet, we¡¯ve only run a few hundred meters and Jiang Ning might still find us. Keep running, we can¡¯t stop!¡± the man with a sinister gaze urged hurriedly. ¡°Yes, Brother Yuan!¡± the woman in leopard skin responded, then she asked again, ¡°But Brother Yuan, how can Jiang Ning be so powerful? With one slash, he severely injured Master Hong and directly disabled his right hand!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± The man with a sinister gaze kept running as he spoke. ¡°Brother Yuan, it¡¯s really strange! Jiang Ning has only been studying Martial Arts for a little over a month, how can he be so terrifying?¡± the woman in leopard skin expressed her doubts again. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s what a real genius is like! That¡¯s why Shen Congyun values him so much!¡± the man offhandedly said, then continued to focus desperately on escaping. At that moment, Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two of them suddenly heard the sound of movement behind them, getting closer and closer. Branches shook, rustling loudly. The pair turned around abruptly, only to see the figure of Jiang Ning dashing through the woods. Jiang Ning, at this moment, resembled a White Ape running through the forest; with one leap, he easily jumped from one tree to another. In a few bounds, he had crossed a distance of several dozen feet. So fast!! Witnessing this scene, the man with a sinister gaze immediately had his pupils shrink. ¡°Brother Yuan, Jiang Ning is catching up!¡± the woman in leopard skin cried out in terror. ¡°Split up and run!¡± the man with a sinister gaze took one look at Jiang Ning and decisively commanded. The next moment, He turned and sprinted in another direction. Escaping swiftly through the forest, he headed towards a place with complex terrain and dense bushes. ¡°May the Gods bless me, protect me so I can escape with my life today!¡± the man prayed silently in his heart. A short while later, ¡°Ah¡ª¡± A desperate scream suddenly echoed from behind. Hearing this scream, a shiver ran through his heart. He knew that now he was the only one left. Not even ten breaths later, He heard obvious movements coming from behind again. Turning around, Jiang Ning was already within ten feet of him. Despair filled his eyes instantly. Then, facing the slashing knife of Jiang Ning, he could only attack with all his might, directly aiming for Jiang Ning¡¯s vital points, forsaking defense. The next moment, Clang¡ª Jiang Ning struck sideways with his knife, sending the man¡¯s long sword flying with a single blow. Another knife. Swish¡ª A head soared into the air. Looking down at the corpse on the ground. ¡°Finally all dealt with!¡± Jiang Ning finally relaxed, also releasing his heightened state. As he released his state, his heartbeat returned to normal. His elevated body temperature dropped, and his reddened skin returned to normal. Jiang Ning immediately felt a wave of weakness coursing through his body. ¡°This side effect is really serious!¡± he remarked to himself. He then took out a piece of Wild Ginseng from his chest, snapped off half, and threw it into his mouth. As the Wild Ginseng entered his mouth, Jiang Ning began to chew. With each chew, hints of sweetness entered his belly with his saliva, bringing waves of warmth that spread from his stomach to his limbs and bones. After completely chewing the Wild Ginseng, Jiang Ning swallowed the remnants. As these remnants entered his stomach, he immediately felt the medicinal effect of the Wild Ginseng truly take hold, and the weakness in his body gradually dissipated. He glanced again at the corpse at his feet and noted the blood had already dyed the surrounding earth red. ¡°Having killed people, even four in a row, why do I not feel any different?¡± Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but ask himself in his heart. Then, He smirked and shook his head. ¡°Forget it! Don¡¯t dwell on this issue!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see if there¡¯s any unexpected gain from their bodies!¡± ¡°With their status, there should be some unexpected gains!¡± With this thought, Jiang Ning quickly squatted down and searched around the man¡¯s waist. After a moment, he pulled out a money pouch. ¡°Indeed, a gain!¡± Jiang Ning weighed the heavy money pouch in his hand, his expression lifted. Money was undeniably useful to him; his growth in Energy Points was dependent on the amount of energy absorbed. And generally, the more precious the herb or Pills, the more energy they contained, thus providing him with more Energy Points, but at the same time, they were extremely expensive. So, he needed money, and furthermore, his Martial Arts practice required the aid of herbs, meaning he needed even more money. Now he needed money, and in the future, he would only need it more! Now he still had the help of Wang Jin and Shen Congyun, allowing him to progress in his Martial Arts without worrying about money for the time being. But in the future, as his strength grew, They would no longer be able to help. He would have to rely on himself for all Martial Arts training expenses. After scouring, Jiang Ning took the money pouch and turned to leave. He had not forgotten that there were still three more he had killed in these woods. Now with the scent of blood spreading, if he did not hurry to scavenge, wolves or fierce beasts might carry away their corpses. By then, it would be difficult to find their bodies to scavenge. ¡­ Shortly after, He had scavenged everything of value from the several bodies. He placed all the items and Silver Taels in front of him. Chapter 99 - 26: One Can’t Get Rich Without Windfalls - 2 Chapter 99: Chapter 26: One Can¡¯t Get Rich Without Windfalls ¨C 2 A cultivation technique, the Iron Sand Palm. This was a cultivation technique scoured from the body of Hong Chengtao. A dagger, from the leopard-skin-clad woman. Also, two swords, one from Xu Yunfeng and another from a different man. Holding these two swords, he drew them and glanced at their blades, both of which had a notch clearly inflicted by him just moments before. He pondered briefly then tossed them into the bushes. ... He did not want others to know yet that he was the killer of these people. If he were to take their weapons and sell them, he would inevitably leave clues that could easily lead back to him. Moreover, the nicked blades wouldn¡¯t fetch much money, combining both would only bring in around a hundred and some taels of silver, hardly worth the risk of discovery. Subsequently, Jiang Ning turned to look at another pair of gold and white items. Two gold leaves and a pile of blindingly white broken silver along with several heavy silver pieces, and five silver notes. He counted them briefly, muttering to himself, ¡°Two gold leaves, each worth one tael of gold. With Great Xia¡¯s conversion rate of gold to silver, one tael of gold is equivalent to a thousand taels of silver. That makes two thousand taels of silver here!¡± Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue, ¡°This Gang Leader Hong is really wealthy! Carrying two gold leaves on him, one can only imagine how rich he must be!¡± Then he picked up the five silver notes and looked at each one. ¡°Three of a hundred taels, two of fifty, totalling four hundred taels of silver.¡± He then weighed the silver pieces: ¡°This is about twenty or more taels.¡± ¡°So, the total is roughly two thousand four hundred twenty or so taels of silver!¡± ¡°What a fat haul!¡± Jiang Ning clicked his tongue. Then he sighed again, ¡°Indeed, a man doesn¡¯t get rich without windfalls, and a horse doesn¡¯t get fat without grazing at night! If not for today¡¯s chance, how could I have gathered so much silver!¡± Looking at the wealth before him, a glint of joy flashed in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. With this wealth, he would not need to worry about money for a short period. And with this money, he could buy a large house in the Inner City and bring his older brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family to the Inner City as repayment for past debts. He had thought about this long ago. After packing these items, Jiang Ning carried the knife and went deeper into the forest. He did not plan to return today and would not do so for a few days. ¡­ Over 2 hours later, he reached the summit of a mountain. He also carried a rabbit caught on the way. He looked up at the sky, where the sun had only a little warmth left as it slowly descended towards distant mountains, and the air¡¯s temperature also began to drop. ¡°First to eat, after eating I start refining skin. Once my skin membrane is refined, I will be a Ninth Grade Martial Artist of Great Xia and truly have the entry ticket to join the Inspection Office.¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. He then threw the rabbit aside, gathered some willow fluff and dry grass, and prepared tools for making fire by friction. Luoshui County had not seen a drop of rain for several months. Soon, Jiang Ning prepared everything he needed. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Moments later, The flames slowly rose, casting a glow on Jiang Ning¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Making fire with friction, for me now, is indeed extremely simple!¡± ¡°In my previous life, I tried many times without success, but now it can be done effortlessly. After becoming physically stronger, it¡¯s completely different,¡± Jiang Ning reflected silently. Then, after letting the fire grow, he took the dagger and the recently caught rabbit and walked to one side. Arriving by a pool, he quickly skinned and cleaned the rabbit. A quarter-hour later. By the fireside, Jiang Ning began to roast the rabbit as he recalled the Vajra Immortal Body technique he had reviewed that afternoon. After a short while, Having recalled everything, He opened his pack, exposing an array of bottles and jars. ¡°With these refining sands, I should have enough for a while!¡± Looking at the heavy packs of refining sand in front of him, Jiang Ning silently thought. This step of Skin Refining, he was already well aware of. Using sandpaper, he continuously rubbed his entire body until his skin turned red, damaging the skin surface so that the medicinal power within the sandpaper could merge into the skin¡¯s interior. He then started to mobilize his Qi-Blood, and based on the cultivation technique he practiced, he began the special process of tempering his skin to absorb the medicinal power. He repeated this process until he formed a coherent skin membrane throughout his body in the inner layer of the skin, similar to the layer found beneath cowhide. Once the skin membrane was fully formed and continuous throughout his body, it signified that he had stepped into the ranks of Martial Arts Ninth Grade. The keys to this process included linking the Qi-Blood throughout the body and the aid of both medicine and cultivation techniques. This level was also known as the Skin Refining Realm. This realm mainly enhanced the body¡¯s ability to resist blows and its defensive power. Upon entering the Skin Refining Realm, the skin¡¯s strength was comparable to cowhide, significantly enhancing its resistance to blows. He would not fear ordinary hits from wooden sticks or stones. It also slightly increased his strength. Martial artists who reached this level would typically increase their strength by more than a hundred pounds. After reaching the entry level of the Skin Refining Realm, the next stage would be small success. At this stage, the skin membrane transformed, turning as hard as stone. His resistance to blows greatly increased. Blades not made of refined iron could hardly injure a strongman at this level. Even wielding a refined iron blade would unlikely cause fatal injuries to a martial artist at this level. After achieving small success in the Skin Refining Realm, his strength would increase by another one or two hundred pounds. Reaching this level, the effects of the Skin Refining Realm would begin to show. Attacks that could cause fatal wounds to ordinary people would only result in superficial skin injuries to a martial artist at this level. After achieving small success in the Skin Refining Realm, the next level would be Refining Skin Mastery. At the Skin Refining Mastery level, the skin membrane would transform again, becoming as hard as copper. Reaching this level, he seemed to wear a layer of bronze armor, making him virtually invulnerable to swords. Blades that weren¡¯t forged with a hundred layers of refined iron could hardly cause him any harm. His strength increased tremendously again, and any Martial Arts Strongman who mastered Refining Skin could exert a force of over a thousand pounds with one arm. If armored, he would be even more formidable. Such a strongman, regardless of which faction he joined, would become a distinguished guest. Normally, Refining Skin Mastery was the utmost limit for most martial artists at this level. Beyond this, most martial artists would choose to painstakingly master martial techniques and master the marvelous power known as Power. Using this Power, in conjunction with Qi-Blood, one could begin to temper the muscles inside the body. Through continuous tempering, the muscles¡¯ strength and hardness would increase, enhancing his strength further. Thus, Martial Arts Eighth Grade was also termed the Divine Power Realm. A typical characteristic of this realm was a particularly rapid increase in strength. Each time they surpassed a minor level, their strength would surge by hundreds of pounds. Among the top specialists, a single swing of an arm could easily unleash more than two thousand pounds of strength. If one had extraordinary innate talent and innate divine strength, they could exceed three thousand pounds of force. However, according to Jiang Ning¡¯s previous understanding, after achieving Refining Skin Mastery and having copper-hard skin, there was a higher level. Previously he was not very clear about this, knowing only a little. Today, after seeing the Vajra Immortal Body, he truly understood. Refining Skin Mastery, with skin as tough as copper, was not the true pinnacle of the Skin Refining Realm. There was still a higher level above it. The ultimate end of the Skin Refining Realm was the condensation of a Golden Body, an Immortal Golden Body. This was the true pinnacle of the Skin Refining Realm. The Vajra Immortal Body cultivation technique he now mastered was the central martial arts heritage of the Vajra Temple, and if he could break through to Perfection, he could also condense the recorded Immortal Golden Body. However, the current mastery of this technique and the states of Mastery and Perfection were missing. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning smiled slightly. ¡°This is no issue, relying on the panel, as long as I accumulate Experience Value, I can naturally break through the subsequent states of Mastery and Perfection and condense an Immortal Golden Body.¡± Thinking of this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help feeling pleased. If he truly accomplished this step, he would naturally far outpace most Martial Arts Strongmen. Only the most talented disciples within the Vajra Temple could possibly receive the transmission of central martial arts and achieve condensing an Immortal Golden Body like he did. Chapter 100 - 27 Tempering the Skin Membrane Chapter 100: Chapter 27 Tempering the Skin Membrane In the wilderness. Crackling¡ª Sparks flew as the roasting rabbit over the fire was now sizzling with oil, and its meaty scent wafted through the air. Jiang Ning turned the stick, ensuring that the rabbit on the stick was heated evenly. Another moment passed. Jiang Ning used a clean stick to poke through the rabbit meat easily and nodded in satisfaction. ... ¡°It should be about done! Time to eat!¡± He let it cool for a while longer, waiting for the roasted rabbit to lower in temperature before tearing off a leg. Barely having taken the first bite, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but frown. It looked delicious, but the taste was quite average. He then shook his head, ¡°Forget it! Without seasonings, one can¡¯t expect much. The key is to fill the stomach!¡± In no time at all, he had devoured the entire rabbit. For his current appetite, one adult rabbit could only make him feel about eighty percent full. After satisfying his hunger. Jiang Ning then went over to the water to wash the grease off his hands as thoroughly as possible. Afterward, he went to the side and opened a box of medicinal sand prepared for him by Shen Congyun. ¡°It¡¯s time to start refining my skin!¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. Then, in no time, he stripped off his clothes. The first stage of skin refining involves scrubbing the entire body with the medicinal sand until the skin turns red all over and begins to bleed slightly. Only then can you start channeling Qi-Blood to any part of the body, absorbing the medicine of the sand under the influence of Qi-Blood. With repeated cycles like this, until under the surface layer of the skin, a layer of skin forms that connects throughout the body. Only by achieving this step can one truly join the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade. The prerequisite for all this is to take off one¡¯s clothes. Without removing the clothes, the medicinal sand couldn¡¯t be scrubbed onto every part of the skin. That¡¯s why Jiang Ning chose not to return to the city today. In the wilderness, he could confidently remove his clothes to refine his skin. How could he do this if he returned to the Martial Arts Hall and didn¡¯t have his own yard? After he had taken off his clothes. Jiang Ning picked up the medicinal sand and started scrubbing it onto his arms. Moments later, he grimaced, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. Because the process is really painful. Grain after grain, like sandstones, was rubbed on the skin repeatedly, until the skin was rubbed raw. As one can imagine, this process is extremely painful. After more than half a 2-hour period. Enduring the pain, Jiang Ning had scrubbed the medicinal sand all over his body, his skin turned red all over, and faint bloodstains were oozing out. The next moment. Jiang Ning immediately formed the first pose of the Vajra Immortal Body. According to the records of Vajra Immortal Body, there are a total of eighteen poses. Each pose corresponds to a pathway for channeling Qi-Blood and refining the body. After forming the first pose, he began to channel Qi-Blood and refine his body. Time slowly passed. After a quarter of an hour. Feeling the heat across his body, his muscles warmed up, and he immediately changed to the second pose. Another quarter of an hour passed, then he posed the third move, switching to a different pathway for channeling Qi-Blood and refining the body. [Vajra Immortal Body EXP +3] After practicing the three moves, Jiang Ning suddenly saw a prompt before his eyes. He then quickly checked his panel. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Unmastered 3/100) ¡°Not bad!¡± Seeing the panel, Jiang Ning immediately breathed a sigh of relief. He then murmured to himself, ¡°Just like the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, it requires ten times the experience of ordinary cultivation techniques, which isn¡¯t outrageous!¡± The next moment. He began to check his body and saw that the skin beneath the peeled blood scabs was still red. Although it no longer bled, the skin still looked visibly fragile. Then, Jiang Ning touched it with his finger and immediately felt a pain like a needle prick. ¡°It seems I can¡¯t refine my skin any more today! It needs time to recover.¡± Afterward. Jiang Ning jumped into the nearby pool. This place was specifically chosen by him as a suitable place. Situated on the side of a cliff. It not only had spring water coming out from between the rocks for him to drink, But also a half-stagnant pool for him to bathe. At this stage of skin refining, one has to clean off the blood scabs from the body after daily practice, then apply medicine to heal faster, enabling the body to recover to its original state, and to continue applying medicinal sand for further practice. Again and again, until a skin membrane is formed throughout the body, one is officially stepping into the Skin Refining Realm and joining the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade. In the pool. Jiang Ning bore the pain on his body, quickly rubbed off the blood scabs from his body. A few minutes later, he climbed ashore from the pool. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After drying the water off his body, Jiang Ning saw that it was covered in spots and dots of red marks. These red marks were the wounds from his skin breaking just moments ago. The Refining Skin sand contained some medicine for healing wounds, which is why he could recover in such a short time, but it still wasn¡¯t enough. The faster the skin¡¯s external injuries recovered, the quicker his Refining Skin progress would be! Afterward, Jiang Ning went to a tree nearby, took down a package hanging on a branch, and picked up a round jar. After removing the seal from the round jar and opening the lid, he saw a jarful of white jade-colored ointment. ¡°This is it!¡± Jiang Ning said. Once he applied the white ointment all over the large and small external wounds on his body, he instantly felt a refreshing coolness all over. At this moment, The sun had completely set, and the light reflecting in the clouds was getting darker and darker. Jiang Ning put on his clothes, added a few logs to the fire, and then began practicing his punches on the spot. ¡­ The next day. Jiang Ning flipped off from a rock. Crackle and pop¡ª He stretched his limbs and instantly felt invigorated. [Source Energy]: 29.6 ¡°I gained a total of 1.8 yesterday, indeed, if you eat less, your Energy Points grow less,¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. He then glanced at his arms and the skin on his body, and couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡°The medicine Shen Congyun left me for treating external skin injuries really is something good. It helped me recover so much overnight, and now I can continue tempering my skin layers.¡± ¡­ More than half a ¡°Shichen¡± later. He rubbed his body all over with the Refining Skin sand, and his skin was rubbed until it bled. ¡°About there!¡± Jiang Ning looked at his own body and muttered to himself. He then struck the first pose of the Vajra Immortal Body on the spot. Subsequently, he operated his Power, propelling the Qi Blood Power to temper his entire body. In an instant, Qi-Blood surged, and his body warmed up. ¡°Definitely different!¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes brightened as he continued to think, ¡°No wonder they say mastering Power helps a lot with the efficiency of Refining Skin. It appears to be true.¡± What came next, He struck the second pose of Vajra Immortal Body, followed by the third pose. After completing the three poses, He felt his Qi Blood Power was almost completely depleted. [Vajra Immortal Body EXP +5] Seeing this notification made a smile spread across Jiang Ning¡¯s face. ¡°With the help of Power, the efficiency is nearly doubled,¡ªa significant improvement.¡± Subsequently, Jiang Ning cleaned his wounds and then applied ointment for the external injuries. Then he began practicing his punches again. Waited until the Great Sun had completely risen, and during the ¡°Chen Shi¡± he practiced breathing and releasing the Sun Essence Qi, tempering his organs, and increasing the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill¡¯s Experience Value. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [¡­] Right up until ¡°Chen Shi¡± eight quarters, ¡°Si Shi.¡± [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 28/2000) After glancing at his panel, Jiang Ning murmured to himself, ¡°28 experience points a day. I should be able to break through to the next Realm in just over two months, not bad!¡± He nodded in satisfaction. One must know that Inner Elixir Cultivation is an exceptional skill. Moreover, it¡¯s a skill with extreme difficulty in training. Breaking through to the next Realm would allow mastery of Inner Breath. That is to say, in just over two months, he would be able to master Inner Breath¡ªwhat could he not achieve then? After practicing breathing and releasing the Essence of the Great Sun ended, Jiang Ning continued to practice his punches. Before he knew it, It was evening again. At evening time, once Jiang Ning saw his external skin injuries had completely healed, He began using Refining Skin sand again, rubbing it all over his body. Not until the whole body¡¯s skin was rubbed red and bleeding did he Begin to strike the poses of Vajra Immortal Body, coordinating with Power to promote the tempering of the skin layers. After completing the three poses, [Vajra Immortal Body EXP +5] [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Uninitiated 13/100) ¡°In nine days, I¡¯ll be able to join the ranks of Martial Arts Ninth Grade!¡± ¡°If so, then I won¡¯t return to the city upon entering Martial Arts Ninth Grade.¡± ¡°I believe in nine days, the news of Hong Chengtao¡¯s and Xu Yunfeng¡¯s deaths in Luoshui County will have mostly blown over.¡± ¡°Plus, by then, as I enter the ranks of Martial Arts Ninth Grade, with my accumulation, even facing the Divine Power Realm of Martial Arts Eighth Grade, I will have nothing to fear!¡± Chapter 101 - 28 Martial Arts Nine Grade, New Trait Chapter 101: Chapter 28 Martial Arts Nine Grade, New Trait In the blink of an eye, it was nine days later. [name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 50.3 [Skill]: ¡­ ... Five Animals Fist (Great Success 957/1000) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 255/2000) Vajra Immortal Body (Uninitiated 98/100) Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (Second Limit Breaking 3000/3000) (trait: touch and understand, blade like a swift wind) ¡°It¡¯s time to harvest again!¡± Just after waking up and looking at his panel, Jiang Ning¡¯s face showed a pleased smile. Today was his day of bountiful harvest. His Source Energy Points had reached as high as fifty, and a plus sign had appeared behind the Chopping Wood Blade Skill. 50 Source Energy Points were enough to add a plus sign to the Chopping Wood Blade Skill after its Second Limit Breaking; this indicated that, with sufficient Experience Value, a third Limit Breaking of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill would only require fifty Source Energy Points. 10 points, 20 points, 50 points. This undoubtedly corresponded to the Experience Value needed for each breakthrough of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill before. Therefore, it was not hard to guess the Source Energy Points needed for the fourth Limit Breaking, which would be 100 points. Moreover, the Experience Value for the Vajra Immortal Body had reached 98 points, just two points shy of formally starting the technique. The moment of initiation would be when he refined his skin membrane and fully stepped into the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade. At this moment, seeing various changes on his own panel, Jiang Ning no longer hesitated. As his thoughts moved, his Source Energy Points rapidly decreased. In an instant, he felt a stream of information surge into his mind. Jiang Ning immediately closed his eyes. In his mind, countless figures emerged, each one of them being him, each wielding a saber to chop wood. One chop followed another, seemingly tireless, seemingly unaffected by the passage of time. Every chop was powerful and swift like thunder. After countless chops, Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes. The next moment, his form leaped forward, covering several meters before landing beneath a large tree. Then he picked up the black wooden saber placed under the tree. Clang¡ª He drew the saber, the sound crisp and sharp. Immediately, he grasped the saber in his right hand and swung it down. Swoosh¡ª The saber instantly sliced through the air and landed on a nearby tree twenty centimeters in diameter. Crack¡ª After one chop, the large tree slowly inclined and fell. At the freshly chopped spot, as the tree fell, a clean and smooth cut surface suddenly appeared. After one chop, Jiang Ning sheathed his saber and then nodded slightly. ¡°Not bad! This chop has increased my power by another twenty or thirty percent! Not only is the explosive power fiercer, but the speed is also faster!¡± Then he clenched his fists, feeling the power contained in his arms. Jiang Ning murmured again, ¡°And the strength in my arms has slightly increased! With my current strength, if I were to face Hong Chengtao again, perhaps one chop could kill him!¡± Feeling his own changes, Jiang Ning was extremely satisfied. Without saying much, the mere enhancement in the might of this chop made him feel that spending those 50 Source Energy Points was worth it. After all, the Source Energy Points were strictly an additional gain, requiring no extra effort on his part. As long as he accompanied it with daily energy intake, the Source Energy Points would grow. Especially with the intake of medicines that contained immense energy, the daily growth of Source Energy Points was even more significant. Thus, for Jiang Ning at this moment, accumulating fifty Source Energy Points would not take too long, roughly every ten to twenty days, which was not difficult. Afterward, Jiang Ning reopened his panel; he wanted to see what traits he had gained with the third Limit Breaking of his Chopping Wood Blade Skill, [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Third Limit Breaking 697/4000) (traits: touch and understand, blade like a swift wind, God-like Blade Control) [God-like Blade Control]: Increases affinity with the blade, enhancing the talent for the Saber Technique. ¡°An auxiliary effect? Not bad!¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly. Then, looking at the few traits on the panel, he appeared thoughtful. ¡°It seems these three traits all weigh the same, seemingly on the same level.¡± Then he glanced at another section of the panel. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Great Success 957/1000) S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Five Animals Fist will likely reach Perfection tomorrow! After reaching Perfection, accumulating another thousand Experience Points will allow for a Limit Breaking.¡± ¡°In terms of grade, Five Animals Fist is higher than Chopping Wood Blade Skill, I wonder if the traits gained from breaking the limit of Five Animals Fist will be stronger?¡± ¡°Logically, they should be stronger!¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Afterward, he closed the panel, moved aside, and quickly stripped off his clothes. Then he took out a box of skin grinding sand. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Uninitiated 98/100) He was only two points away from refining his skin membrane and officially stepping into the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade. At this moment, Jiang Ning could no longer wait. Then, enduring the pain, he rubbed the skin grinding sand all over his body. Until the skin all over his body turned red, with threads of blood emerging. Only then did he stop this action. The next moment, he immediately assumed the first position of Vajra Immortal Body. He circulated his Power, propelling his Qi-Blood to temper his entire body. In that instant, Qi-Blood surged, and his body heated up. After this process, Jiang Ning slightly closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into his body. With his spiritual power allowing internal vision, he immediately saw under his skin countless red silk threads had connected together, forming a net around each piece of his flesh, a net woven from red silk threads. And the number of these threads was still increasing, overlapping and connecting together, gradually forming a layer, a layer soon to cover his entire body. An action ended. Jiang Ning then struck a second pose. Then a third pose. After all three actions had ended, ¡°Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +5¡± As this prompt appeared, the panel suddenly underwent a huge change, the Vajra Immortal Body instantly leaped from uninitiated to the ranks of the beginners. ¡°Skill¡±: Vajra Immortal Body (Beginner 3/1000) At the moment the Vajra Immortal Body entered the beginner level, Jiang Ning immediately felt itching and pain under his skin, as if thousands of ants were burrowing into his heart. His body temperature also rose sharply. He couldn¡¯t help but clench his teeth, then his thoughts sank into his body. Using spiritual power to internally inspect his body, he immediately saw the layer under his skin rapidly expanding, spreading, and merging together. Any weak spots on the layer before were rapidly expanding, thickening the layer. In just a dozen breaths, this dramatic change had ended. From the perspective of Jiang Ning¡¯s internal vision of his own body, he immediately saw a continuous layer under his skin had completely formed. This layer connected to the skin on one side and to the flesh on the other, linking his entire body together. After internally inspecting for a moment, Jiang Ning opened his eyes. He first clenched his fists. Suddenly, he felt his strength had greatly increased, filled with a powerful sense of power. It also gave him an illusion, that there was nothing that could withstand his power. Hu¡ª Hu¡ª Jiang Ning took two deep breaths, suppressing his expanding confidence. He knew this was the mental expansion caused by the massive boost in strength in a short time. His current strength, looking at this world, was still very weak, far from being as powerful as it felt. After calming down, Jiang Ning then broke off a branch from a nearby tree. The broken end of the branch was incredibly sharp, much like a blade. ¡°Let¡¯s try the defensive power of my skin now!¡± Jiang Ning thought. Then he jabbed the branch into his arm. He saw the skin on his arm sunk deeply in, but no blood seeped out. ¡°Not bad!¡± Looking at the mark on his arm, Jiang Ning nodded slightly, somewhat satisfied. If it had been before he cultivated the layer, this jab would certainly break the skin and blood would have seeped out. Now, it was only a slight stinging sensation; the surface of the skin wasn¡¯t even punctured, let alone the layer underneath. This indicated that his resilience had significantly improved. After that, Jiang Ning grasped the branch and slid it down his arm. The sharp branch scraped across his skin, bringing a bit of pain, which made Jiang Ning frown slightly. Immediately, looking at the white mark revealed on his arm, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Indeed different! Even such a sharp branch sliding down couldn¡¯t puncture the surface skin, let alone damage the layer underneath!¡± ¡°Now I can be considered officially entering the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade!¡± Jiang Ning felt extremely exhilarated inside! Martial Arts Nine Grade, the long-desired Martial Arts Nine Grade. At this moment, he had completely achieved it. Now, he was qualified to join the Inspection Office. But, before the three months Wang Jin mentioned, there was still about one and a half months left. In these one and a half months, he could still improve a portion of his strength. In this way, passing the assessment to enter the office would be almost guaranteed. Thinking of this, the gloom in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart cleared, bright as the sun breaking through clouds, his mood greatly uplifted. Afterward, Jiang Ning jumped into the pool. In the icy water, he continuously rubbed his skin to wash off the blood scabs. After getting out of the water, he dried off the water stains on his body and then re-applied the healing ointment for external injuries. He then continued to practice fist techniques in the mountains and forests. The Five Animals Fist was only a step away from Perfection. With his current efficiency, he could formally breakthrough and reach Perfection tomorrow. So Jiang Ning planned to return to the city tomorrow. After all, he had been out for ten days. During these ten days, the wild ginseng he had brought along was almost eaten up. Now, he only had one stick left, which was because he controlled his consumption over these days. After this stock was used up, in order not to affect his growth speed, he could only choose to return to the city. Only by returning to the city, would his more than two thousand taels of silver be of use. He could continue to eat nourishing medicines while practicing martial arts, to continue efficiently increasing his Source Energy Points. These necessary items were completely impossible to acquire in the wilderness of the mountain forests. Moreover, now that he had entered Martial Arts Nine Grade, Jiang Ning felt his strength had reached a thousand pounds. Along with his other techniques, no matter what choice Cao Bin would make because of Xu Yunfeng and Hong Chengtao¡¯s deaths, he had the confidence to face them. With this kind of confidence, he was not afraid of any trouble upon returning to Luoshui County city! Chapter 102 - 29: River Dragon, Tian Buyi Chapter 102: Chapter 29: River Dragon, Tian Buyi Luoshui County, county town. Within the county government. ¡°How goes it?¡± Cao Bin sat on a Taishi Chair. In front of him, a man dressed as a constable gave a formal salute. ¡°Mr. Cao, because only yesterday did we find Xu Yunfeng¡¯s skeletal remains.¡± ¡°The county government¡¯s coroner said it¡¯s been too long since death! Moreover, the body was picked clean by jackals and beasts of prey. Now only dry bones and clothes stained with blood remain; it¡¯s impossible to determine the exact cause of Xu Yunfeng and the others¡¯ deaths.¡± ... Upon hearing this, Cao Bin pondered for a moment. Then he said, ¡°What about the bodies of Hong Chengtao and the others?¡± The constable replied, ¡°They¡¯ve been found too! Pretty much the same! Likely all killed by the same person.¡± Then he added, ¡°Mr. Cao, according to my investigation, Xu Yunfeng and Hong Chengtao followed Jiang Ning out of the city that day, and after leaving the city, none returned.¡± ¡°To think they failed!¡± Cao Bin suddenly looked down and frowned, muttering to himself. During this, the constable in front of him remained silent, quietly waiting for Cao Bin¡¯s reaction. Then Cao Bin looked up again, ¡°And Jiang Ning? Is there any news of his return to the city?¡± The constable shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know either. Those guarding the city gates are under the jurisdiction of the City Guard Department. My influence doesn¡¯t extend there! And they don¡¯t recognize Jiang Ning anyway!¡± ¡°Forget it!¡± Hearing this, Cao Bin immediately shook his head, ¡°Even if it¡¯s not him, it¡¯s related to him!¡± Hearing this, the constable took over the conversation. ¡°Does Mr. Cao mean that the deaths of Xu Yunfeng and Hong Chengtao were caused by Jiang Ning?¡± Cao Bin shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s unlikely! Jiang Ning has exceptional talent, and although he¡¯s only been studying martial arts for a little over a month, even if he could kill Xu Yunfeng, it¡¯s impossible for him to have killed Hong Chengtao!¡± ¡°Hong Chengtao had achieved small success in Refining Skin, and last month his Iron Sand Palm had reached Perfection, mastering power. Added to his rich fighting experience, even I wouldn¡¯t dare claim to be able to capture him, let alone kill him!¡± ¡°Hong Chengtao has been mixed up in factions for so many years; running away has always been his expertise.¡± Cao Bin then gave a thoughtful look, ¡°It seems that after Shen Congyun left, he indeed prepared against us! Who knows what he left for Jiang Ning; now it¡¯s not good to offend further!¡± Hearing this, the constable breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Mr. Cao is wise! Surely Shen Congyun left something behind before he departed! It could be some precious hidden weapon, like the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needle or Thunder Shock.¡± Cao Bin nodded slightly, ¡°It¡¯s possible. It must be some extremely precious object that allowed for the clean and neat deaths of Hong Chengtao and Xu Yunfeng.¡± Then Cao Bin said, ¡°Send someone to guard the city gate. Keep watch for half a month. If Jiang Ning is spotted returning to the city, let me know!¡± ¡°At that time, I¡¯ll bring the head of Xu Yunfeng¡¯s mother to apologize to him, and that¡¯s that.¡± Hearing this, the constable echoed in agreement. ¡°Mr. Cao is correct! Judging from his past actions, he is a smart man! A smart man will know how to weigh the situation and turn discord into friendship. That¡¯s best for him, and I believe he knows it.¡± ¡°Dismissed,¡± Cao Bin waved his hand. Then, watching the departing constable, he reminded again, ¡°Remember to inform Shi Xiaoyuan. Tell him we¡¯ll let this matter go for now!¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Cao!¡± The constable saluted again and then left the room. ¡­ Canglang Martial Arts Hall. ¡°Master Wang, is there still no word of my brother?¡± Worry was written all over Jiang Li¡¯s face. Wang Jin shook his head slightly, ¡°Still no news.¡± Then looking at Jiang Li, he consoled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I visited Mr. Chen from the City Guard Department yesterday. He said he¡¯d do his best to help me find Jiang Ning.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master Wang!¡± Jiang Li bowed respectfully. Wang Jin immediately gestured, ¡°No need for that. Jiang Ning isn¡¯t just your brother; he¡¯s also my disciple, the one I value the most!¡± ¡°If he truly is missing, I naturally must do everything in my power to find him!¡± ¡°If he really is in trouble!¡± At this point, a fierce light flashed in Wang Jin¡¯s eyes, ¡°Then I¡¯ll eventually unearth the person behind this and ensure blood for blood!¡± ¡­ Green Snake Gang headquarters. ¡°What did you say!¡± Shi Xiaoyuan, seated upon the White Tiger chair, slammed his hand down on the table and stood up. Boom¡ª The table beside him instantly turned into a pile of splinters. The corner of the constable¡¯s eye twitched slightly, then he put on a calm front and said, ¡°Gang Leader Shi, Mr. Cao said we should drop the matter!¡± ¡°He says drop it and we drop it? Are my brothers¡¯ deaths in vain?¡± Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s face was full of anger as he spoke. He continued, ¡°If word of this gets out, won¡¯t the other two major gangs laugh at me, Shi Xiaoyuan, for being a coward, afraid of a barely weaned boy?¡± The constable replied, ¡°But Jiang Ning has Shen Congyun standing behind him; in a couple of years at most, Shen Congyun will return to Luoshui County. Not to mention Wang Jin, who is not someone to be provoked.¡± Hearing the three words ¡°Shen Congyun,¡± Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s eyelids twitched slightly. He admitted that Wang Jin was indeed beyond his provocations. Then he snorted coldly. ¡°Go back and tell Cao Bin, if Jiang Ning returns unscathed, I can¡¯t swallow this. I¡¯ll find a way to avenge the brothers¡¯ death.¡± Hearing this, the constable saluted, ¡°I have conveyed all that should be conveyed, the rest is for Gang Leader Shi to consider!¡± ¡°But Mr. Cao also instructed me to pass along a message to Gang Leader Shi.¡± ¡°There are two big mountains behind Jiang Ning, both are formidable foes!¡± ¡°If Shen Congyun comes back one day, he¡¯d be nearly invincible here in Luoshui County. Although Wang Jin is old, there are only a dozen or so in Luoshui County who can defeat him.¡± ¡°If Jiang Ning is dead, then everything becomes easier to handle! No one would choose to be an enemy of the Cao family or the Green Snake Gang over a dead man. But as long as he is alive, those two formidable forces will remain,¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for this, how could Mr. Cao choose to swallow his pride?¡± ¡°Moreover, if Jiang Ning returns unscathed, the mystery of how he killed Hong Chengtao and Xu Yunfeng, among others, is something Boss Shi must not forget!¡± ¡°If he has the strength to kill Hong Chengtao, who had achieved a small success in Martial Arts Ninth Grade, he might also pose a threat to those at Martial Arts Eighth Grade!¡± ¡°It¡¯s precisely because of this unknown factor that Mr. Cao chose to back down. Nobody knows what ace Shen Congyun left him, nor what level of fighter it could take down.¡± Having said these words, the constable made his way out of the house. Not until the constable had left did Shi Xiaoyuan mutter to himself, ¡°Jiang Ning?¡± ¡°I had not expected this man to become so influential that even Cao Bin would choose to back down.¡± ¡°However, I am not such a person. Don¡¯t give me an opportunity, for if you do, I shall see what you are relying on!¡± ¡°To think you could capsize Brother Hong in a ditch.¡± ¡­ Another day passed. Approaching noon. The east city gate of Luoshui County. A man carrying a knapsack and slinging a long saber across his waist slowly approached. This man was Jiang Ning. ¡°I¡¯m finally back!¡± Jiang Ning sighed, looking at the three big characters of Luoshui County on the city wall before him. Although he had only left Luoshui County for a dozen days, it felt to him as though he had been away for many years. Now, returning once more filled him with indescribable sentiment. Immediately, he murmured to himself, ¡°Having disappeared for more than ten days, my elder brothers must all be worried by now.¡± Thinking of this, he quickened his pace toward the gate leading into the city. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, At the city gate stood a soldier holding a white wanted poster. As he posted the wanted notice near the city gate, the crowd passing by immediately gathered around. ¡°Officer, whom are you issuing a warrant for this time?¡± a wood-cutter who glanced at the just-posted wanted poster, curiously asked. The officer who posted the wanted notice glanced at the people gathered around and spoke, ¡°Folks! A chance to make a fortune has arrived!¡± ¡°The order has come down to apprehend a notorious river bandit, a kingpin named Tian Buyi.¡± ¡°This man has committed a grave offense in Medicine King Valley, and therefore, a bounty of one hundred taels will be rewarded for his capture. Anyone who reports credible information about this person¡¯s whereabouts will also be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver.¡± Upon hearing these words, the onlookers suddenly became excited. ¡°Is what you¡¯re saying true, Officer?¡± someone hastily asked. ¡°It¡¯s written in black and white right here, so of course it¡¯s true!¡± the soldier said. Another person asked, ¡°Is there really a reward of one hundred taels for capturing this person? And if we find evidence of his whereabouts, do we really get a hundred taels of silver as a reward?¡± The soldier answered, ¡°If any of you folks can bring in Tian Buyi for justice, you will indeed be rewarded with one hundred taels. This reward is backed by Medicine King Valley, so there¡¯s no need to worry about the money.¡± Then the soldier added, ¡°However, don¡¯t be greedy. This man ranks at Martial Arts Eighth Grade and is a true notorious river bandit. Capturing him is a matter for the bigshots, not something you should be eyeing for one hundred taels of reward.¡± ¡°If you find any detailed information about Tian Buyi, report it to the officials at the City Guard Department or the county government. Claiming the one hundred taels of reward is the feasible option.¡± After hearing this, another person inquired, ¡°Officer, what exactly is Medicine King Valley?¡± Before the soldier had the chance to respond, someone in the crowd began to speak, shaking their head knowledgeably, ¡°Medicine King Valley is a second-tier sect in Dongling County! Although second-tier, the sect is well-regarded for its exceptional ability to prepare and refine medicines, which makes it popular and wealthy.¡± ¡°If the bounty is indeed provided by Medicine King Valley, then there really is no concern about the reward money.¡± Meanwhile, as Jiang Ning passed by the city gate, he was also drawn to the wanted poster. ¡°A reward of one hundred taels for the capture of someone with Martial Arts Eighth Grade strength? That¡¯s rather extravagant,¡± he mused to himself. He then stopped at the city gate to take a look at the poster. After reading it, the information was indeed as the soldier had said. Tian Buyi indeed possessed Martial Arts Eighth Grade strength. He had indeed committed a major crime, angered Medicine King Valley, and was now being hunted with a hefty bounty. One hundred taels for his capture. One hundred taels of silver for information leading to his whereabouts. After confirming this, Jiang Ning was even more shocked. After all, that was one hundred taels of gold. One tael of gold is equivalent to a thousand taels of silver. One hundred taels of gold, therefore, would be one hundred thousand taels of silver. Just what taboo must have been violated by this person with Medicine King Valley to warrant such an enormous bounty. Jiang Ning did not understand. But from the amount of the reward alone, he could feel the wrath of Medicine King Valley. If they weren¡¯t extremely furious, how could they spend such a great deal of resources just to capture this Martial Arts Eighth Grade, notorious river bandit, Tian Buyi? Chapter 103 - 30 Return Chapter 103: Chapter 30 Return At the entrance to Luoshui County City. After reading the bounty notice, Jiang Ning etched the six characters of ¡®»ì½­Áú Tian Buyi¡¯ into his memory, and also firmly memorized the face described on the notice. If he ever got the chance, he would be very interested in this Tian Buyi. After all, capturing him meant a reward of a hundred taels of gold¡ªtoo generous to ignore. Moreover, Tian Buyi¡¯s Martial Arts Eighth Grade strength was within his range of capability. In a month, his own strength could advance further, and challenging someone of Martial Arts Eighth Grade was not out of the question. ... [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 2.4 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 543/3000) (Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (Perfection 3/1000) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Third Limit Breaking 697/4000) (Trait: touch and understand, Quick as the Wind, God-like Blade Control) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 308/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Master 1/200) Vajra Immortal Body (Entry 41/1000) He glanced at the panel that had recorded his progress over this period, then shut the panel down. After silently taking note of everything on the bounty notice, he headed toward the Inner City of Luoshui County. At the same time. Jiang Ning could feel many gazes at the city gate following his appearance, landing on him. Soon after, there was a stir behind him. Some turned to dash into alleys, obviously to pass on the information. Others released homing pigeons as the fluttering sounds of their wings abruptly filled the air. ¡°Seems like there¡¯s quite the silent attention on me!¡± Sensing the movements behind him, Jiang Ning mused to himself, then smiled. As the saying goes, treat a general three days absent as a stranger. He had been away from Luoshui County for twelve full days. That meant he should be looked upon with even greater change. He was vastly different from before. When he left, he had achieved Qi Blood Perfection, a full circulation of strength throughout his body. His power was merely around seven to eight hundred jin. Back then, he could, by himself, slay four skilled tailing followers. Including two who had stepped into the ranks of Martial Arts Ninth Grade¡ªamong them, Hong Chengtao of the Green Gang, who had reached a small success in Martial Arts Ninth Grade and possessed skin as hard as rock. Yet even so, that man could barely last three rounds against him at the time before he was slain. With that kind of strength then, needless to say about now. Now he not only stepped into the rank of Martial Arts Ninth Grade but had the strength of over a thousand jin in a single arm. He had also made a breakthrough in the Five Animals Fist, reaching the level of Perfection. Perfection in the Five Animals Fist meant his grasp on the skill was no less than that of Wang Jin. With the Perfection of the Five Animals Fist, his movement technique was exceptionally outstanding as well, hardly a few among Martial Arts Eighth Grade experts could match his current ability. Furthermore, Chopping Wood Blade Skill had undergone a Third Limit Breaking, increasing the explosive power of his blade. Additionally, his physical prowess had greatly increased with the new layer of skin he had cultivated. Just yesterday after his breakthrough, he tried and found that the first layer of the Canglang Blade Skill¡¯s explosive power did not affect his physique at all. Meaning, the first layer¡¯s explosive force had become a regular technique for him. He even attempted the explosion of the Dual Strength once, which only caused some tearing in the muscles of his right arm and skin lacerations. The aftermath was somewhat present, but not unbearable. In dire situations, he estimated that he could withstand more than five instances of explosive use of Dual Strength. With enhancements in multiple aspects, Jiang Ning clearly felt a huge improvement in his strength compared to before he left the city, a difference as vast as heaven and earth. If he were to face the him from more than ten days ago. He could defeat, even slay, within ten moves. Thus, even though he knew there were many informants around, notifying the people they stood behind, Jiang Ning wasn¡¯t the least bit anxious. His own strength provided him with this confidence. Following the main road outside the city, it wasn¡¯t long before. Jiang Ning arrived at the familiar cottage enclosed by fences. Upon seeing the faint smoke rising from the courtyard, a weight lifted from Jiang Ning¡¯s heart. As it neared noon and with smoke rising, It indicated that his elder brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family was business as usual, with no mishaps. Although this was something he had already anticipated. After all, since Shen Congyun took a stand for him last time, he¡¯d become the main focus. As long as nothing happened to him, normally no one would dare to move against his elder brother, sister-in-law, or his nephew and niece. Pushing open the gate to the courtyard, Jiang Ning immediately saw Little Dumpling playing and Jiang Li fetching water from the well. Although the area had been hit by months of drought, Luoshui County was next to the Luoshui River; therefore, they hadn¡¯t lacked water. This was also the reason why Luoshui County remained relatively peaceful. At this moment. Hearing the sound of the courtyard gate being pushed open, Jiang Li stopped fetching water midway and immediately looked up. The next instant, his eyes shone with joy. ¡°Little brother!!!¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°Big brother!¡± On the other side. Little Dumpling immediately tossed aside the hobbyhorse in his hands and ran toward Jiang Ning with open arms. ¡°Doot doot¡ª¡± ¡°Doot doot¡ª¡± Excitement filled her face. Upon witnessing this scene, Jiang Ning¡¯s face instantly revealed a knowing smile. He squatted down and opened his arms. Then he firmly caught Little Dumpling, who hurled herself at him. The five-year-old Little Dumpling was practically weightless in the hands of today¡¯s Jiang Ning; with a slight effort, he placed her on his shoulder. Then he headed towards Jiang Li. ¡°Brother¡¯s back!!¡± Watching Jiang Ning stride over, Jiang Li sized him up and his face showed a smile that came from his heart. Jiang Ning also had a faint smile on his face, ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± ¡°Did you encounter danger while you were away?¡± asked Jiang Li. Jiang Ning shook his head, ¡°There was no danger, just practicing in the mountains and forests! Big brother knows I practice the Five Animals Fist, and to advance further, I need to observe the daily habits and fights of animals like tigers, apes, and bears in the wild.¡± Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words, realization dawned on Jiang Li¡¯s face, ¡°So that¡¯s why, no wonder little brother suddenly disappeared for so long. You went to practice your boxing.¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± At this moment, Little Dumpling sat on Jiang Ning¡¯s shoulder, happily swinging her legs. ¡°Just let me know if you¡¯d like to have lunch here or go back to the Martial Arts Hall,¡± Jiang Li said at this juncture. Jiang Ning replied, ¡°We¡¯ll eat at home!¡± ¡°Yay¡ª¡± Little Dumpling, seated on Jiang Ning¡¯s shoulder, cheered upon hearing his response, her little short legs swaying. The smile on Jiang Li¡¯s face became warmer. He nodded immediately, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll go tell your sister-in-law to cook extra for lunch today. I¡¯m off now to buy some roast chicken and duck.¡± ¡°Hold on!¡± Jiang Ning interrupted. As he spoke, he swiftly stopped Jiang Li¡¯s movements. ¡°What is it?¡± Jiang Li turned to look at him. Jiang Ning walked a few steps over to a stone table nearby, where he placed his pack on the surface and spread it open; then he took out a purse and walked towards Jiang Li. ¡°Big brother, you take these.¡± Jiang Li looked at Jiang Ning in surprise. First, he accepted the purse, and his eyes immediately betrayed a look of shock. ¡°It¡¯s so heavy?¡± he exclaimed in astonishment. Then, after loosening the drawstring and taking a glance, he saw that inside the purse, under the overhead sunlight, it all shimmered with a silver-white gleam. ¡°Where did you get so much silver?¡± he asked. Jiang Ning replied, ¡°It¡¯s not much, just over twenty taels of silver. You take these for now, big brother.¡± Jiang Li immediately shook his head, ¡°This won¡¯t do. You can¡¯t just give me money once you have it! A man needs a financial foundation when traveling outside. You can¡¯t leave yourself without money.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°Big brother, this is just a very small part of what I have!¡± Immediately, he pulled out four silver notes from his waist. ¡°Here¡¯s another four hundred taels of silver!¡± Then he took out two gold leaves. The moment the gold leaves were pulled out, they reflected a dazzling golden light in the sunshine, instantly drawing Jiang Li¡¯s attention. ¡°Is this¡­ gold leaves??¡± Jiang Li couldn¡¯t help but gape open-mouthed. ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning nodded and then said, ¡°So don¡¯t worry, big brother, I still have a lot of money! This afternoon, let¡¯s go to the Inner City together, and buy a house. Then you and sister-in-law can move and live there with me.¡± ¡°This¡­ this¡­.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Li was so taken aback that his eyes widened and mouth opened wide, unable to utter a word for a long while. After a moment, he swallowed hard and once again glanced at the gold leaves and four silver notes in Jiang Ning¡¯s hand. ¡°Where on earth did you get all this money?¡± Jiang Ning replied, ¡°On the day I left the city, several thieves followed me. So I took care of them in the wild mountains and forests, and after a search, I came upon this unexpected windfall.¡± Thieves? Jiang Li: ¡°¡­¡± His heart filled with speechlessness. He really wanted to retort, what kind of thieves would carry two gold leaves and four hundred taels of silver notes? Staring blankly at Jiang Ning for a moment, Jiang Li eventually let out a long sigh. ¡°My little brother has truly grown up! I can¡¯t measure up to you anymore!¡± Then, picking up the purse Jiang Ning had just handed to him, he continued, ¡°Well, since little brother is so wealthy, I¡¯ll accept these twenty or so taels of silver!¡± ¡°I will go tell your sister-in-law right now, then head out to buy roast chicken and duck!¡± At this moment, Little Dumpling couldn¡¯t contain her excitement and cried out, ¡°Yay¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to have roast chicken soon!!!¡± Meanwhile, hearing the commotion in the courtyard, Liuu Wanwan, who had come out early, looked on with a complex expression at the scene in the courtyard. She had heard the whole conversation between the two. Looking at all that Jiang Ning had taken out, she too was immensely shocked. Two gold leaves amounted to two taels of gold. Even before she had eloped with Jiang Li, her monthly allowance was not more than that. For an average family, this was an enormous fortune that they could not attain in a lifetime. With her understanding, of course, she knew that those with two taels of gold could not possibly be mere thieves. They must have been Martial Arts Entry level. Without considerable strength or status, it was impossible to possess such wealth. For ordinary people, even accidentally acquiring this fortune could result in fatal trouble. Undoubtedly, the person her younger brother-in-law had killed was no ordinary thief. He must have been someone skilled in Martial Arts Entry. To kill someone of such skill, her younger brother-in-law must have relied on something with strong lethal power, probably a formidable external object. Chapter 104 - 31: Refreshing Wang Jin’s Understanding Chapter 104: Chapter 31: Refreshing Wang Jin¡¯s Understanding Afternoon. After dinner, Jiang Ning left his home alone and headed to the Martial Arts Hall. Wang Jin was his teacher, and given Jiang Ning¡¯s sudden disappearance for more than ten days, it was only proper, both emotionally and rationally, to visit the Martial Arts Hall first after his return today. This was the respect that was due! Wang Jin¡¯s previous actions also lived up to the name of teacher and merited the respect that Jiang Ning had for him. Furthermore, the training resources that Wang Jin had left for him were still at the Martial Arts Hall. ... Excluding the Wild Ginseng he had taken with him, there were more Wild Ginseng in the room he used to live in, as well as those unused Qi Blood Pills. The path of Martial Arts is about strengthening the physique and nourishing the Qi-Blood. The growth of Qi-Blood is a lifelong pursuit for anyone who practices Martial Arts. At the beginning of Martial Arts, one must achieve Qi Blood Perfection throughout the body. Only then can one begin Refining Skin and step into the ranks of Martial Arts Ninth Grade. Every subsequent improvement requires the growth of Qi-Blood and certain prerequisites must be met for the subsequent breakthroughs in Martial Arts. Just like now, he had already formed his skin membrane. If he wanted to transform his skin membrane further and reach the small success stage, it was closely related to the strength of his Qi-Blood. Without the increase of Qi-Blood, it would be impossible to shed the skin membrane and achieve the small success stage where the membrane is as hard as stone. Thus, those who practice martial arts and become old and weak, with declining Qi-Blood, lose the possibility of further progress! Therefore, even though he has now entered Martial Arts Ninth Grade, he still cannot neglect the growth of Qi-Blood. Those Qi Blood Pills are naturally very important. Not to mention, digesting the Medicinal Power of the Qi Blood Pills could bring him extra improvements in his Source Energy Points. After entering the Inner City, Jiang Ning took a carriage. ¡­ Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Jiang Ning paid the fare and disembarked. As for the money, it was the two taels of broken silver he had kept on himself. As soon as Jiang Ning stepped off the carriage, the two disciples guarding the gate of the Martial Arts Hall immediately changed their expressions. And then they immediately bowed with clasped fists. ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± ¡°Greetings to Brother Jiang!¡± Jiang Ning smiled and greeted them, then walked toward the gate of the Martial Arts Hall. Just as he stepped through the hall¡¯s gate, many disciples spotted him. They were overjoyed to see Jiang Ning¡¯s figure. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± ¡°Greetings to Brother Jiang!!¡± ¡°Where has Brother Jiang been!!!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Everyone facing Jiang Ning showed an extremely friendly demeanor. Because Jiang Ning¡¯s presence was now related to their interests. They had observed Jiang Ning¡¯s boxing training for several days in a row, which greatly helped the progress of their own Boxing. After Jiang Ning suddenly disappeared, their progress with the Five Animals Fist also fell back to the previous state. Now that Jiang Ning had reappeared, it meant that they could return to that previously efficient rate of progress. How could they not be happy? Jiang Ning smiled at everyone and then said, ¡°Fellow disciples, continue with your business. I am going to visit Master Wang in the backyard.¡± ¡°Brother Jiang, go ahead, it is as it should be!¡± someone spoke up. Seeing this, the others also spoke and conveyed their understanding. Especially a few who were particularly well-informed, their looks toward Jiang Ning were filled with respect. Naturally, they knew what Jiang Ning¡¯s safe return indicated. Soon after. Jiang Ning arrived at the gate of the backyard. Thump¡ª Thump¡ª Thump¡ª He knocked on the gate. ¡°Who is it?¡± Wang Jin¡¯s voice came through the backyard, resoundingly reaching Jiang Ning¡¯s ears. ¡°Master, it¡¯s me!¡± Jiang Ning said. Hearing this, it suddenly became silent behind the door. Then Wang Jin¡¯s voice rose again slightly. ¡°Zhou Xing, go open the door.¡± Immediately it was Zhou Xing¡¯s voice that echoed: ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Hearing this voice, Jiang Ning¡¯s face showed a hint of surprise. Zhou Xing was here too? How coincidental? A few breaths later. Creak¡ª The gate to the backyard opened. ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± Zhou Xing greeted Jiang Ning, and a complex look also flashed through his eyes as he saw him. In his heart, there was a tinge of regret. On the first day Jiang Ning joined the Martial Arts Hall, he had noticed that Jiang Ning had a bit of Talent. Immediately, he sighed to himself. He had underestimated his younger brother after all. These thoughts quickly passed through his mind, and then he showed a warm smile. ¡°Please come in, Brother Jiang.¡± As he spoke, he also stood aside, making enough space for Jiang Ning to pass. ¡°Good afternoon, Brother Zhou!¡± Jiang Ning smiled. Immediately, he walked into the backyard and saw Wang Jin, shirtless, wiping sweat from his body. ¡°Master, your disciple has returned!¡± Jiang Ning bowed with clasped hands. Wang Jin appraised Jiang Ning from top to bottom, then slowly nodded his head, ¡°Not bad, safe and sound!¡± He then continued, ¡°Have you encountered Hong Chengtao?¡± Jiang Ning replied, ¡°I have!¡± Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s affirmative response, a sharp light suddenly flashed in Wang Jin¡¯s eyes. He appraised Jiang Ning from top to bottom once again, and then burst into laughter. ¡°Good lad, what a tactic!!¡± ¡°To counter-kill Hong Chengtao and emerge unscathed, this is far beyond my expectations!¡± Zhou Xing, standing by the side, also felt a surge of shock. Born and raised in Luoshui County, how could he not have heard of the great name of Hong Chengtao. Even within the whole of Luoshui County, Hong Chengtao was a legend in his own right. From a mere commoner to a Deputy Gang Leader of the Green Snake Gang that made commoners tremble with fear. His Iron Sand Palm was capable of bending metal and breaking gold, and it too had a fearsome reputation. Who would have thought that such a figure, known throughout Luoshui County, would fall to a junior? ¡°How exactly did he pull this off?¡± Zhou Xing marveled inwardly as he looked at Jiang Ning¡¯s serene face. Jiang Ning asked, ¡°Does Master know about this?¡± Wang Jin smiled and nodded, ¡°How could I not? By now, this matter has probably become known among all the major forces in Luoshui County. I reckon that the various powers are aware of your safe return to the city!¡± With that said, Wang Jin spoke with interest, ¡°I¡¯m quite curious as to what choice Cao Bin will make? With Cao Rong gone, the strongest person in the Cao family is now his third uncle, Cao Guangyan.¡± ¡°Although Cao Guangyan is at Martial Arts Seventh Grade and has achieved great success in muscle fortification, he is old and in declining health, far from being a match for me!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning understood the meaning behind Wang Jin¡¯s words. Wang Jin mentioning the Cao family¡¯s strongest member, Cao Guangyan, and speaking of his old age and declining health in comparison to himself, meant that if the Cao family were to take action over this mater, he would intervene. Having understood this, Jiang Ning immediately bowed respectfully and said earnestly, ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± Upon seeing this, Wang Jin let out a hearty laugh. ¡°Since I have taken you as my disciple, how could I allow others to bully you with their power.¡± Zhou Xing, watching from the side, couldn¡¯t help but reveal an envious look in his eyes. Jiang Ning had been in the Martial Arts Hall for less than two months, yet he had gained Wang Jin¡¯s high regard. ¡°This is the influence of talent!¡± Zhou Xing sighed inwardly once again. He considered how respectfully he had always treated Wang Jin. Even after having reached Martial Arts Ninth Grade and having established himself, he would visit the Martial Arts Hall every three to five days, or at most every half a month, to pay respects to Wang Jin. Moreover, he was theoretically the senior disciple of the Martial Arts Hall. Yet, the way Wang Jin treated him was far different from the way he treated Jiang Ning. Thinking of this, a sour feeling couldn¡¯t help but rise in Zhou Xing¡¯s heart. At this time. Even after knowing that Hong Chengtao and Xu Yunfeng were killed by Jiang Ning, Wang Jin did not inquire further into the details. A trump card. Once exposed, its effect would surely diminish greatly. As a teacher, how could he not understand this principle. In his view, there was no true secret in the world. The only secrets that could be considered true were those that no second person on earth knew about. With that, Wang Jin changed the subject, ¡°Since you¡¯ve counter-killed Hong Chengtao, why did you linger outside the city for so long? Do you have other matters to attend to?¡± Jiang Ning answered, ¡°Your disciple wanted to observe the living habits and fighting of the tiger, bear, ape, and other animals of the Five Animals in the mountains and forests, to fathom the essence of the Five Animals Fist. Thus, I stayed for more than ten days.¡± ¡°I see!¡± Wang Jin nodded, then asked, ¡°Did you gain anything from this?¡± Jiang Ning nodded confidently and said, ¡°I have gained a little.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words, Wang Jin¡¯s eyes flashed with brilliance once again. He then calmly appraised Jiang Ning, ¡°It seems you truly have made some gains.¡± At this moment, although Wang Jin appeared calm, his heart was filled with amazement. He hadn¡¯t forgotten that previously, his disciple¡¯s Five Animals Fist had already reached the state of Great Success, with all five stances achieving Great Success. On top of that foundation, Jiang Ning now claimed to have gained a little. Having spent time with Jiang Ning, how could he not see that Jiang Ning was always one to understate his achievements? To say he had gained a little meant that the gains must have been significant. Significant gains on top of the foundation of Great Success in all five stances, That would be a further breakthrough, reaching Perfection. And it was precisely this thought that so startled Wang Jin. If it were anyone else who said this, he might not think this way, but Jiang Ning was different. He knew well that his own disciple, Jiang Ning, had already mastered the basics of the Canglang Blade Skill more than ten days ago. Considering the difficulty, mastering the Canglang Blade Skill was far tougher than advancing from Great Success to Perfection in the Five Animals Fist. Since Jiang Ning had managed to master the Canglang Blade Skill before leaving the Martial Arts Hall, it wasn¡¯t impossible for him to have advanced the Five Animals Fist to Perfection over these past ten-plus days. Thinking of this, Wang Jin immediately said to Zhou Xing, ¡°Zhou Xing!¡± ¡°Your disciple is here!¡± Zhou Xing promptly regained focus and bowed his hands in salute. ¡°You can go back now! Go digest what I¡¯ve taught you today about boxing insights, and remember the feeling of the power flowing through your body when the Five Animals come together,¡± Wang Jin instructed, then continued, ¡°I need to assess your junior brother¡¯s boxing technique.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhou Xing understood. Wang Jin was asking him to step aside for a moment. He bowed his hands again, ¡°Then your disciple will take his leave! Tomorrow I will report back my gains to Master.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Wang Jin nodded slightly. Afterward, Zhou Xing cast a glance at Jiang Ning again, with his gaze lingering briefly before turning to leave the backyard. When the backyard gate closed, Wang Jin then looked solemnly at Jiang Ning. ¡°The gains you mentioned just now, have you achieved Perfection in the Five Animals Fist?¡± Chapter 105 - 32: A person can change a lot in three days; look at them with new eyes! Chapter 105: Chapter 32: A person can change a lot in three days; look at them with new eyes! Martial Arts Hall backyard. Facing Wang Jin¡¯s question, Jiang Ning nodded slowly, ¡°Disciple¡¯s Five Animals Fist has now reached Perfection.¡± At this moment, when Wang Jin heard Jiang Ning¡¯s affirmative answer, even though he had already guessed it in his heart, his breathing couldn¡¯t help but become a bit more rapid. He had been learning boxing for less than two months, and from an outsider, he had now achieved Great Success in Qi-Blood, and even the Five Animals Fist had broken through to the realm of Perfection. ... In terms of boxing skills, his level was already not below his own. A sense of unreality unavoidably rose in Wang Jin¡¯s heart. Is this what a true genius looks like? No wonder Shen Congyun valued Jiang Ning so highly. After a few moments, Wang Jin came back to his senses and looked at Jiang Ning again, ¡°Can you now freely control the Five Beasts Strength as you wish?¡± Jiang Ning nodded and sincerely said, ¡°I can!¡± Revealing that his Five Animals Fist had reached Perfection, in Jiang Ning¡¯s view, this was not a matter of concern. He already had a few trump cards, and the perfection of the Five Animals Fist was not worth keeping as a hidden trump card. Moreover, the perfection in boxing skills would obviously show during the daily training process. With Wang Jin¡¯s experience, just one glance would tell, making hiding it even less necessary. ¡°Try it out for me, release a surge of power into my body for me to see!¡± Wang Jin said. Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded slightly, ¡°Alright!¡± Then the next moment, he raised his hand and slapped Wang Jin¡¯s arm, instantaneously sending a surge of power into Wang Jin¡¯s body. Feeling this familiar power surge within, Wang Jin¡¯s expression became astonished again. ¡°Five Forces as one?¡± he murmured to himself. Immediately, he looked up at Jiang Ning once more, a whirlwind sweeping through his heart. About the Five Animals Fist, others might not know, but he knew. Perfecting the Five Animals Fist, mastering five types of strength, although extremely rare, this is what most martial artists who learn the Five Animals Fist and achieve complete mastery in all five forces could achieve. But about this step, looking at the entire world, there are not a few who can do this. After all, the Five Animals Fist is not his exclusive martial art. It is a martial art that many people have already learned. Regarding this martial art, after reaching Perfection, strictly speaking, there is a further depth to advance. That is to fuse the five types of strength into one unified force. This is the most difficult step. Because in the Five Elements Theory, the Five Animals correspond to the Five Elements, each representing the elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Fusing these Five Elements is naturally an extremely difficult task. Even for him, it took over a year of dedicated study after fully mastering the Five Animals Fist to reach this step. But once achieved, the strength of the Five Animals Fist would undergo a further transformation, possessing five traits, merging into a neutral and balanced force. Although this force is not outstanding against enemies, it is excellent for refining oneself. Even with a basic understanding of the Canglang Blade Skill, mastering the Nine Layers of Strength, the path of refining oneself with this force after uniting the Five Forces is far superior to the Five Beasts Strength. Looking at Jiang Ning, Wang Jin couldn¡¯t help but slowly grin. Then he burst into hearty laughter. ¡°Good!¡± ¡°Really good!!!¡± On the other side. Having just walked to the front yard, Zhou Xing heard the hearty laughter from Wang Jin in the backyard. He couldn¡¯t help but stop in his tracks. ¡°Brother Jiang¡­ seems truly remarkable!!¡± he sighed in a voice only he could hear. Hearing Wang Jin¡¯s laughter, how could he not understand that this joy was brought by Brother Jiang to Wang Jin. This indicated that Jiang Ning had made significant progress on his Martial Arts path. Zhou Xing then sighed again, ¡°It seems it won¡¯t be long before Brother Jiang will also step into the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade! With such talent, Master Wang will absolutely seize this opportunity for him!¡± ¡°To let Brother Jiang unleash his potential, born in Luoshui County, it is essential for him to join the Inspection Office!¡± ¡°Looking at it this way, in the future my colleagues won¡¯t be Xiao Peng and Cheng Ran, but Brother Jiang.¡± ¡°It seems my investment in Cheng Ran was a failure!¡± Zhou Xing muttered to himself, shaking his head when he spoke the last sentence. Then he continued walking forward. ¡­ Backyard. After Wang Jin finished laughing, he collected his expression and looked at Jiang Ning. ¡°You lad did well, achieving the unity of the Five Forces. Such strength of the Five Animals Fist, which refines the body several times more efficiently than ordinary people, will greatly help you in refining the skin and stepping into the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade!¡± ¡°You currently should be close to Qi Blood Perfection, and Qi Blood penetrating the limbs isn¡¯t far off!¡± ¡°You should focus entirely on strengthening your Qi Blood for the time being. There¡¯s about a month and a half until the Inspection Office is established, and with the help of this teacher before that, you might have the opportunity to grasp it.¡± ¡°Your talent is high, to go further on the path of Martial Arts, you either join those top Sects or rely on the backing of the court and join the Inspection Office!¡± ¡°Apart from these two choices, you have no other options.¡± ¡°The path of Martial Arts, the higher you go, the more secretive the core inheritance becomes, especially achieving the level of Grandmaster, and even higher paths like Great Grandmaster and above.¡± ¡°If you have no connections to join top Sects, the Inspection Office has an immediate way in, and if you want to go further, you must seize this opportunity!¡± After listening to Wang Jin¡¯s words, Jiang Ning said, ¡°Thank you, Master, for your teachings, the disciple understands! Therefore, I am determined to win the opening of the Inspection Office in just over a month!¡± ¡°Having this confidence is good! A true man should be so confident!¡± Wang Jin looked at Jiang Ning at this moment and nodded in satisfaction. Then he added, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, you better go and train now! Strive to achieve Qi Blood Perfection early, so you can start refining the skin and enter the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade!¡± ¡°Only by stepping into Martial Arts Nine Grade will you qualify to join the Inspection Office.¡± At this time. Jiang Ning paused for a moment upon hearing Wang Jin¡¯s words, adjusting his state before he finally spoke. ¡°Master, I have already stepped into the Martial Arts Nine Grade!¡± ¡°Well done,¡± Wang Jin responded immediately. A moment later, His expression tightened, and his tone couldn¡¯t help but rise, ¡°What did you just say? Can you say that again?¡± Seeing this, Jiang Ning gave a wry smile. He knew that mentioning his achievement of the Martial Arts Nine Grade would elicit such a reaction from Wang Jin. But in the Skin Refining Realm, just a slight contact would reveal the progress of his skin refinement. There was no point in hiding it in front of Wang Jin. Moreover, there was no need to hide his martial arts progress from Wang Jin. Immediately, Jiang Ning spoke again, ¡°Reporting to Master! Disciple has successfully refined his skin membrane and has now entered the ranks of the Martial Arts Nine Grade!¡± Upon hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s reply, Wang Jin¡¯s figure suddenly moved, appearing like a swift gust of wind beside Jiang Ning. Then, He immediately slapped Jiang Ning¡¯s arm, feeling the changes as his own power entered Jiang Ning¡¯s body. Wang Jin couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes, displaying a look as if he doubted his own life. He muttered to himself, He truly has achieved skin refinement! He really has formed the skin membrane! He genuinely has stepped into the Martial Arts Nine Grade! Could it be that I overslept last night, causing hallucinations today? How is this possible? How did this kid achieve this? He had been out of town for more than ten days, and upon returning, suddenly claimed he had mastered the Five Animals Fist. Moreover, he achieved the unity of the Five Movements and the fusion of the five types of strength. And he even managed to refine the skin membrane, making his skin as tough as cowhide, entering the ranks of the Martial Arts Nine Grade! Wasn¡¯t he just at Great Success in Qi-Blood and not yet at Perfection? How could he change so drastically all of a sudden? A myriad of doubts arose in Wang Jin¡¯s mind, and he was bewildered for a little more than one breath¡¯s time before he regained his senses. Immediately, his pupils refocused, his gaze settling on Jiang Ning. It must have been something Shen Congyun left for him! Really good stuff! Otherwise, how could he have progressed so dramatically? And how could he possess the method for skin refinement? Yes! It must be so! Otherwise, none of this would make sense! Wang Jin immediately confirmed his guess, then looked at Jiang Ning and slowly grinned, showing his pearly white teeth. ¡°Good lad! You truly make your teacher look at you with new eyes!¡± Wang Jin heavily patted Jiang Ning¡¯s shoulder twice, his joy apparent. With Wang Jin patting his shoulder heavily twice, the corners of Jiang Ning¡¯s mouth unconsciously twitched. Then he said, ¡°Disciple owes this achievement to Master! Without the supplements and Qi Blood Pills provided by Master to enhance my Qi-Blood, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to achieve this today!¡± ¡°You sure have a way with words, kid!¡± Wang Jin chuckled upon hearing this. ¡­ Shortly thereafter, the two conversed for a while longer. Jiang Ning then returned to his own yard at the Martial Arts Hall. Opening the door and entering his room, Jiang Ning took out the box that he had previously placed in the cabinet. Inside the box were the resources Wang Jin had given him to aid in his training. Normally, when he went out, he carried some Wild Ginseng with him. After all, Wild Ginseng was naturally dried, small in size, and easy to carry. The Qi Blood Pills were different. They needed to be well preserved, otherwise, their efficacy would quickly degrade. That was why Jiang Ning hadn¡¯t carried them with him before. After opening the box, Jiang Ning took out the remaining Wild Ginseng and Qi Blood Pills and placed them on the table, beginning to count them one by one. After finishing the count, Jiang Ning muttered, ¡°There are still twenty-three pieces of Wild Ginseng. Even if purchased from Zhou Xing here, they would be worth two hundred and thirty taels of silver!¡± ¡°The Qi Blood Pills left are sixty-eight, based on my prior understanding, the market price of a Qi Blood Pill is five silver taels each. Although they are not cost-effective for me, for the heirs of wealthy and noble families, these are essential pills for martial training.¡± ¡°Calculating this, these Qi Blood Pills are worth three hundred and forty taels of silver!¡± ¡°Master Wang has indeed been generous to me, spending nearly a thousand taels of silver on me!¡± ¡°Given his family assets, I estimate they are probably around ten thousand taels of silver, after all, practicing martial arts is like a money pit!¡± ¡°He must have spent a considerable amount of money over these years, and as he ages, he would surely need many more supplements to maintain his Qi-Blood and bodily functions to slow their decline.¡± ¡°I will need to rely on myself for the resources required for my future martial arts training!¡± Thinking to this point, Jiang Ning took a small cloth bag from his bosom. Opening it, he saw two pieces of gold leaves and four hundred-tael silver notes inside. ¡°Luckily, I¡¯ve struck it rich this time!¡± ¡°Otherwise, in a few more days, I would have started worrying about finances!¡± ¡°Now, with what equals to over two thousand taels of silver in my possession, after buying a residence later, the remaining money should suffice for some time.¡± Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thinking this, Jiang Ning felt much reassured. Having money on hand brings peace of mind! Chapter 106: 33: Cao Bin Pays a Visit Chapter 106: Chapter 33: Cao Bin Pays a Visit In the Martial Arts Hall. Jiang Ning had just finished tallying up. When he heard someone shouting from outside. ¡°Brother Jiang! Brother Jiang!!¡± Upon hearing this voice, Jiang Ning tidied up, walked out of the room, and saw the Disciple who had been guarding the entrance to the Martial Arts Hall now standing in his courtyard. The Disciple bowed with clasped hands upon seeing Jiang Ning. ... ¡°Brother Jiang, a constable outside the Martial Arts Hall asked me to convey a message to you, that Master Cao is currently visiting your older brother¡¯s home, and I need to inform you to go back home.¡± Master Cao? Hearing these three words, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he thought silently to himself. It¡¯s Cao Bin! What¡¯s he doing at my brother and sister-in-law¡¯s house? The thoughts flashed rapidly through his mind, then Jiang Ning said, ¡°Thank you, Junior Brother Yu, for letting me know, I will head back now.¡± ¡­ Leaving the Martial Arts Hall, he immediately saw a young man dressed in a constable¡¯s uniform. Is it him? Jiang Ning suddenly remembered, the previous time Chief Feng came to visit the family, the person following him was indeed this man. He had also heard his brother mention him, known as Yang Zong. Upon seeing Jiang Ning, Yang Zong immediately bowed, ¡°Big Brother Jiang Ning, please join me in the carriage! Master Cao and Chief Feng should both be at Brother Li¡¯s house by now, they specifically sent me to invite you back!¡± At that moment, Yang Zong was quite polite. Because when Chief Feng had sent him, he had strictly instructed him to treat Jiang Ning with respect and not to offend him in any way. Although he did not know why, he knew that if Chief Feng had cautioned him so solemnly, there must be a reason. ¡°Alright!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, then said, ¡°Thank you for your trouble, Brother Yang!¡± Afterward, the two mounted the carriage, and with a flick of Yang Zong¡¯s whip, the carriage immediately sped off towards the outskirts of the city. ¡­ Not long after. On the outskirts of the city. Jiang Ning arrived at the familiar alley, turned a corner, and saw a familiar scene, a courtyard enclosed by a hedge. The courtyard¡¯s gate was a wooden door, which was now wide open. Listening to the conversation coming from ahead, Jiang Ning heard the voices of Chief Feng, who had visited before, and his own older brother, as well as another voice that was quite commanding. Judging by this voice, it was clear that the person was accustomed to giving orders and held a significant position. ¡°Cao Bin really did come!¡± Jiang Ning thought silently to himself. The last time in the Martial Arts Hall, he had met Cao Bin, so naturally, he remembered his voice. Now, just from the voice, he knew Cao Bin had come. Immediately, he quickened his pace, with Yang Zong hastily following behind him. A moment later. Jiang Ning appeared in front of the men. In the courtyard, three men were seated under a canopy of grapevines, with Cao Bin currently engaged in conversation with Chief Feng. The moment Jiang Ning appeared, the two men immediately ceased their talk, and Cao Bin¡¯s gaze fell upon Jiang Ning. He surveyed him up and down, thinking to himself. The intelligence was correct; this young man is indeed unharmed! It seems Shen Congyun really did leave him something valuable before leaving, something that allowed him to kill Hong Chengtao and Xu Yunfeng¡¯s men, and emerge unscathed¡ªimpressive! Now, it appears even if I personally intervened, there would be no guarantee of success. Even an Eighth Grade expert could capsize in the gutter. There is no need to escalate conflicts any further! If one cannot kill the other, it might come back to haunt you. Better to ease relations for now, and if we could turn hostility into friendship, so much the better. If not, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing to lower his guard. One could only hope the young man would be smart about this. Having thought this far, Cao Bin¡¯s face broke into a smile as he stood up to greet him. ¡°Little Brother Jiang Ning, it¡¯s been a while!¡± Jiang Ning also smiled, ¡°Greetings to Master Cao and Chief Feng. I¡¯m not sure what brings the two of you here all of a sudden?¡± Cao Bin smiled, ¡°Little Brother Jiang Ning, you¡¯ve just come back, why not have a drink of water first to moisten your throat before we talk?¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Jiang Ning smiled. On his way here, he had been somewhat puzzled as to why Cao Bin had come to his house, but now seeing Cao Bin in person and the goodwill he demonstrated, He had a rough idea. Cao Bin¡¯s visit today meant friendship, not hostility. Jiang Ning sat next to his older brother, picked up a cup of cold tea, and took a few sips. Having been in a carriage for nearly two hours on a hot afternoon, he was indeed a bit thirsty. After setting down the cold tea, without waiting for Jiang Ning to speak, Cao Bin said, ¡°Little Brother Jiang Ning, my visit today is simple. I hope to clear up any misunderstandings and turn hostility into friendship.¡± With that, he gestured to an attendant beside him. The attendant immediately pulled a small red box out of his sleeve and handed it to Cao Bin. Cao Bin took the red box, placed it on the stone table in front of Jiang Ning, ¡°This is a modest gift, a token of goodwill, I hope Little Brother Jiang Ning will accept it.¡± Jiang Ning heard the words and immediately opened the red small square box in front of him. The object inside the box shone brightly with golden light under the patchy sunlight. In the box was a golden leaf, weighing a tael. Seeing this golden leaf, Jiang Ning immediately showed a look of surprise. Chief Feng, who came with him, was even more shocked upon seeing the golden leaf. He had worked with Cao Bin for many years and knew Cao Bin¡¯s nature well; he was extremely greedy for money. Yet today, he saw a golden leaf flow from the hands of Cao Bin. ¡°Could that matter be true?¡± Chief Feng thought to himself, ¡°Could it be true that Jiang Ning really killed Xu Yunfeng and Hong Chengtao, the Vice Gang Leader of the Green Snake Gang?¡± ¡°But how is that possible?¡± ¡°Hong Chengtao was of the Ninth Grade in Martial Arts with a small success, a person who cultivated Stone Skin.¡± ¡°His physical strength alone was seven or eight hundred jin, coupled with his Perfection level Iron Sand Palm and battle-hardened combat experience, how could he fall to the hands of such a youngster?¡± Chief Feng found it unbelievable. When he had first heard the rumor, he treated it as absurd. But now, seeing this scene with his own eyes, his heart began to waver. Because if it weren¡¯t for that matter, how could Cao Bin have called him to visit and prepare such a generous gift for Jiang Ning? One should know, a golden leaf also weighed a tael, worth a thousand taels of silver. With their arrest officers¡¯ monthly salary of ten taels, it would take nearly ten years of work. At this time, Jiang Ning saw the golden leaf in the red small square box. He immediately showed a look of hesitation, ¡°Master Cao, what do you mean by this?¡± Cao Bin wore a smile, ¡°This is a small token of my sentiment, as well as a belated apology gift.¡± ¡°I previously misunderstood, almost arresting little brother Jiang Ning.¡± ¡°These past days, I¡¯ve been restless day and night!¡± ¡°I had wanted to visit a few days ago, but I heard that little brother Jiang Ning had left the city. Only today did I learn that little brother Jiang Ning had returned, and so I came to visit!¡± ¡°Also, there is another matter for which I need to apologize to little brother!¡± After saying these words, Cao Bin sitting on the chair slightly bowed his hands towards Jiang Ning. Then he continued, ¡°Previously, due to Xu Yunfeng¡¯s investigation error, I punished him, making him remove his constable uniform, strip himself of his official status, and become an ordinary citizen!¡± ¡°Unexpectedly, Xu Yunfeng outwardly obeyed me but harbored resentment against little brother behind my back, and even followed him out of the city intending to harm little brother. Fortunately, little brother is extraordinarily lucky, now having safely returned.¡± To express my apology, I have another item for little brother to take a look at. After this, Cao Bin gave his attendant a look. His attendant immediately left at a fast pace. Barely more than ten breaths later, Cao Bin¡¯s attendant appeared again, holding a cloth bag. Next. Cao Bin¡¯s attendant placed the cloth bag on the stone table in front of Jiang Ning, and with the black cloth uncovered, the box wrapped in black cloth appeared before everyone. By this time, Jiang Ning also smelled a strong scent of blood. ¡°What¡¯s inside?¡± Jiang Ning asked with a slight frown. Cao Bin smiled, ¡°Little brother Jiang Ning will know once you open it!¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning slid open the wooden box lid. As the cover slid off, the head of an elderly lady with wisps of withered silver hair appeared before everyone. At the same time, a pungent odor of blood assailed their noses. Jiang Ning¡¯s brow furrowed once more as he looked towards Cao Bin, ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Cao Bin smiled faintly, ¡°This is Xu Yunfeng¡¯s blind and old mother, also Xu Yunfeng¡¯s only relative in the world! Since Xu Yunfeng did such a thing, intending to harm little brother Jiang Ning, then his mother¡¯s failure in teaching her son merits this end!¡± Immediately afterward, Cao Bin looked at Jiang Ning with a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°I wonder if little brother Jiang Ning is satisfied with these two gifts!¡± Jiang Ning met Cao Bin¡¯s gaze with a calm look. After a single breath. Jiang Ning slowly closed the box carrying Xu Yunfeng¡¯s mother. ¡°Master Cao, please return.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Cao Bin said with a smile, then added, ¡°I¡¯ll leave these two gifts here!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. Seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s demeanor, Cao Bin laughed and stood up to leave. Seeing this, Chief Feng also stood and bowed his hands towards Jiang Ning and Jiang Li, ¡°Gentlemen, I shall take my leave as well!¡± Jiang Li replied, ¡°Chief Feng, take care!¡± Moments later. Only Jiang Ning and Jiang Li were left in the entire courtyard. ¡°Brother, did you really kill Xu Yunfeng?¡± Jiang Li asked. ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°My sudden disappearance a few days ago was because I noticed Xu Yunfeng and a few others were tailing me, so I went out of the city to find them a nice Feng Shui burial site!¡± ¡°Brother¡­ I am truly¡­ truly shocked!¡± Jiang Li sighed. Then, he pointed to the two items on the table. ¡°Brother, how should we deal with these?¡± Jiang Ning replied, ¡°Big brother, take them both!¡± Then Jiang Ning sighed, ¡°Calamity should not extend to family members! Give Xu Yunfeng¡¯s mother a decent burial!¡± Jiang Li immediately nodded, ¡°Brother is right, calamity should not extend to family members; we should give her a decent burial! I will arrange a burial plot for Xu Yunfeng¡¯s mother.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, then said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble big brother with this!¡± Jiang Li smiled, ¡°Now that big brother¡¯s right hand is crippled, my strength is limited, and I can¡¯t assist brother too much. This small matter is exactly something I can handle, and brother¡¯s time is much more precious, not to be wasted on such trivial things.¡± Then he took the small square box containing the golden leaf, closed it, and placed it in Jiang Ning¡¯s hands. ¡°Keep this item safe, brother! It¡¯s worth a thousand taels of silver and will be of great help to your Martial Arts training! I have enough money now!¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Alright!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. Chapter 107: 34 Buy a House Chapter 107: Chapter 34 Buy a House In the courtyard. Jiang Li spoke, ¡°Younger brother! Why do you think Cao Bin suddenly came to visit today and acted the way he did?¡± Holding the golden leaf that Cao Bin had just gifted him, Jiang Ning thoughtfully said, ¡°He must have come to express his goodwill and to improve our relationship.¡± ¡°Improve our relationship?¡± Jiang Li nodded as if he understood somewhat. Then he asked, ¡°What do you plan to do, younger brother?¡± After thinking for a moment, Jiang Ning replied, ¡°I¡¯ll go along with his wishes! After all, Cao Bin represents the Cao family, and it would be unwise to make them our enemies now.¡± ... Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words, Jiang Li immediately nodded in agreement. ¡°I support all your choices, younger brother!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning smiled. Jiang Li then said, ¡°Younger brother, I¡¯m going back to my room to check on your sister-in-law. I need to talk to her about booking a proper burial for Xu Yunfeng¡¯s mother later.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. As Jiang Li returned to his room, the courtyard was left with only Jiang Ning by himself. Staring at the golden leaf in his hand, he couldn¡¯t help but fall into deep thought. From today¡¯s behavior, Cao Bin must have concluded that Hong Chengtao and people like Xu Yunfeng were killed by me. Yet, his decision to mend our relationship came as a surprise. But then again, I am now valued by Shen Congyun and Wang Jin. To Cao Bin, I must appear no longer as a nobody easy to crush but as someone capable of killing a skilled practitioner like Hong Chengtao from the Martial Arts Nine Grade. Of course, he would make a different choice. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For Cao Bin, we are both prominent figures, not some reckless outlaws who risk their lives at the snap of a finger. Life isn¡¯t always about black-and-white struggles to the death. ¡°This must be the way dignified people behave!¡± With those thoughts, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, so be it!¡± ¡°At least, whether Cao Bin¡¯s actions are a ploy to lower my guard or a sincere effort to improve relations, it buys me time to grow.¡± ¡°The longer the time, the stronger my strength will grow; as long as I am powerful, I can face whatever comes my way.¡± With that thought, Jiang Ning muttered to himself inwardly. ¡­ Two days later. At Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Jiang Ning continuously practiced the Inner Elixir Cultivation breathing techniques under the rising sun. Now that this cultivation technique had reached mastery, his internal organs were refined to a higher level, and he no longer gained experience points from breathing in the Sun Essence Qi at dawn and during the 5:00 to 7:00 period. This meant that only the fiercer Sun Essence Qi closer to noon could refine his internal organs effectively. That time was from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Thus, he greatly increased his daily practice time for the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill by two hours, from 7 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [¡­] As he repeatedly breathed in and exhaled the Sun Essence Qi from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., the experience value for his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill continuously increased. To Jiang Ning, this cultivation technique was a daily essential. Despite taking two hours each day, its importance was undeniable as it allowed him to cultivate internally and externally, ensuring he would achieve greater progress than others. Especially when he one day breaks through to the small success stage of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, his strength would undergo a transformation by condensing Inner Breath within his body. Meanwhile, It was almost 9:00 a.m. Jiang Ning abruptly opened his eyes and stopped the intake and outflow of the Sun Essence Qi. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation (Mastery 387/2000) After a quick glance at his progress in Inner Elixir Cultivation, his gaze moved downward. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (89/1000) ¡°Wang Jin was right, using the Power derived from the Five Animals Fist to drive the Qi-Blood and refine the body¡¯s skin with Medicinal Power certainly improves efficiency.¡± ¡°Yesterday, I increased by 45 experience points in a single day. At this rate, I¡¯ll break through to Stone Skin in just over twenty days.¡± With that thought, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but marvel. ¡°This is too exaggerated!!¡± He then sighed inwardly: ¡°Even for a genius like Cao Rong, rumored to have taken nearly half a year to reach this step.¡± ¡°And he, as a prized son of the Cao family, had access to far more martial arts resources than I do.¡± Realizing this, Jiang Ning understood the magic of his own panel. Without this panel¡¯s assistance and given his own martial arts talent, such efficiency would have been impossible. You see, He was cultivating what was known as one of the top sect martial arts of Great Xia from Vajra Temple, the Vajra Immortal Body. This cultivation technique was top-tier for refining the skin. At the same level, it was about 30 to 50% more effective than standard Skin Refining Techniques. Naturally, each step of this cultivation technique was much more difficult than other skin refining methods, and thus, generally less efficient. But in that moment, Jiang Ning quickly calculated and found that the pace of skin refinement was not only not slower than these so-called geniuses, but much faster, in fact. The next moment. Jiang Ning closed the main gate of his courtyard, then began to strip off his clothes. Hearing various ¡°huh-hu-ha-ha¡± sounds coming from the front courtyard, he couldn¡¯t help but shake his head helplessly. ¡°Buying a bigger house is urgent! Otherwise, refining my skin here is really going to be awkward!¡± ¡°I hope Brother Cheng can bring me some good news in the next day or two, that he¡¯s found a nice big house in the Inner City.¡± In a flash. He stripped off all his clothes, leaving just his shorts. Afterward, He opened a box of skin refining sand and began to vigorously scrub his entire body, striving to redden his skin to increase the absorption of the medicinal power into the inner layers, which would enhance the efficiency of refining his skin membrane. Yesterday, he had tried it without the skin refining sand, and the efficiency of refining his skin membrane was only half. That is, the speed of gaining Vajra Immortal Body experience value was directly reduced by half. With and without the assistance of the skin refining sand, the efficiency of refining his skin membrane differed by a factor of two, which was a drastic difference. Moreover, he had also found that after using skin refining sand, the Source Energy Points he gained each day also changed a bit, slightly more than before. This indicated that the skin refining sand also contributed to the increase of Source Energy Points. From this, it was evident how crucial medicinal aids were for martial arts training. Last night, Jiang Ning had also counted that the skin refining sand left by Shen Congyun was running low. Since he had stepped into the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade, and refined his skin membrane to the level of cowhide, where he previously could only train his skin twice a day, now he could do it five to six times a day. Since his Skin Training had achieved small success, reaching the level of cowhide, no matter how much he rubbed with the skin refining sand, his skin would not get injured, at most it would turn bright red. Thus, although the absorption of medicinal power was not as good as before, he wouldn¡¯t suffer from external skin injuries, and the frequency of Skin Training per day could be greatly increased. So, that skin refining sand would last at best another nine to ten days. After that, he would have to rely on himself. As for Wang Jin, although he was his master, in Jiang Ning¡¯s view, he had already helped enough, and he himself could not continue to ask so much. An hour later, Jiang Ning took a deep breath of cold air, having finally scrubbed the skin refining sand across his entire body. Afterward, he assumed the fourth pose of Vajra Immortal Body, then the fifth, and then the sixth. While he took up each stance, he cycled his Power to drive Qi-Blood throughout his body to refine his skin membrane. ¡­ As noon approached. Knock, knock, knock¡ª The knocking sound suddenly emerged. ¡°Brother Jiang, it¡¯s me, Cheng Ran!¡± Hearing the voice of Cheng Ran, Jiang Ning hurried his showering actions and called out, ¡°Brother Cheng, wait a moment, I¡¯ll be right out.¡± Outside the courtyard, Cheng Ran heard the sound of splashing water from inside the yard and couldn¡¯t help but be puzzled. Strange! Why is Jiang Ning taking a bath again? He was seen taking a bath yesterday, and again today? When did he become so fond of cleanliness? A suspicion appeared in Cheng Ran¡¯s eyes. Just a few dozen breaths later, Jiang Ning was fully dressed. Then he lifted the door latch. With a ¡°clang¡± from the door latch, the mahogany door of Jiang Ning¡¯s courtyard slowly opened. ¡°Brother Jiang, guess what good news I have brought you?¡± Cheng Ran said with a smile. Hearing this, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes brightened immediately. ¡°Could it be good news about a house?¡± At that moment, Cheng Ran¡¯s gaze involuntarily fell on Jiang Ning¡¯s exposed arms and legs. For now, whether it was Jiang Ning¡¯s arms, neck, or the exposed parts of his calves, they were all bright red. Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s remark, Cheng Ran nodded. ¡°Brother Jiang guessed it right! Indeed, there is good news about a house, and actually, there are two residences, both with yards, both situated in the Inner City.¡± ¡°These two residences, one big and one small, both meet the conditions Brother Jiang mentioned before.¡± During the conversation, Cheng Ran looked at Jiang Ning¡¯s reddish skin, and a thought couldn¡¯t help but cross his mind. Could this redness all over his body be due to refining his skin membrane? At this moment, hearing Cheng Ran¡¯s words, Jiang Ning immediately became interested. Training his skin in the Martial Arts Hall made him feel very uncomfortable each time he removed his clothing. So, he said, ¡°Brother Cheng, tell me more!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Cheng Ran responded, while slightly shaking his head, shaking off the absurd thought from his mind and whispering to himself. It couldn¡¯t be possible! Refining the skin membrane would require Qi Blood Perfection! Jiang Ning¡¯s Qi-Blood strength should not have reached that level yet. Then, Cheng Ran came back to his senses and spoke to Jiang Ning. ¡°Brother Jiang, the smaller residence has about one acre and should meet your requirements. The listed price is six hundred and forty-eight taels of silver.¡± ¡°That expensive?¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but show a look of astonishment. Cheng Ran nodded, quite agreeing, ¡°It is a bit expensive! Because this residence is in the center of the Inner City, it¡¯s somewhat overpriced.¡± Jiang Ning asked, ¡°What about the other residence?¡± Cheng Ran replied, ¡°The other residence is even more expensive! The listed price is one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight taels, covering approximately five acres.¡± ¡°Five acres? That¡¯s quite large?¡± Jiang Ning was slightly surprised. Based on his knowledge, one acre was about six hundred sixty-six square meters, thus five acres was more than three thousand square meters. For a living place, this was naturally very large. Calling it an estate would not be an exaggeration. Cheng Ran said, ¡°It is indeed large, but it is also somewhat isolated within the Inner City, closer to the Outer City, and adjacent to the Luoshui River, which has good Feng Shui and a nice view!¡± Chapter 108: 35: The Mansion, Owning My Own Home! Chapter 108: Chapter 35: The Mansion, Owning My Own Home! In the Martial Arts Hall. Cheng Ran finished introducing two residential properties and then asked, ¡°Brother Jiang, do you have any thoughts on these two residences?¡± Jiang Ning replied, ¡°Brother Cheng, take me to see the residence worth one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight silver taels! I¡¯m quite interested in that one.¡± Hearing this, Cheng Ran couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. Jiang Ning actually chose to look at this residence? Could this mean that he could afford it? ... That¡¯s impossible, isn¡¯t it? My family can¡¯t produce that much silver all at once; how could Jiang Ning possibly come up with it? Could it be that the rumor I heard the other day is true? These thoughts rapidly flashed through Cheng Ran¡¯s mind. Then Cheng Ran said, ¡°Then follow me, Brother Jiang, I¡¯ll have an attendant contact the owner of that residence right away.¡± ¡°Thank you, Brother Cheng!¡± Jiang Ning expressed his gratitude. Cheng Ran smiled and said, ¡°You and I are friends, and it¡¯s quite normal for friends to help each other out; there¡¯s no need to be so formal.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning also showed a smile on his face. ¡°Since we are friends, then in the future, Brother Cheng, don¡¯t call me ¡®Brother¡¯ anymore! The Martial Arts Hall isn¡¯t a Sect; there¡¯s no need for such formality.¡± ¡°Alright! I will follow what Brother Jiang says!¡± Cheng Ran then changed his way of addressing. Subsequently. The two walked together towards the outside of the Martial Arts Hall. Along the way, Jiang Ning was secretly activating the Qi-Blood within his body, and his flushed skin gradually returned to normal. ¡­ Thirty minutes later. The two appeared in front of a large mansion adjacent to the Luoshui River. At this time, a middle-aged woman with some wrinkles around her eyes was already waiting there. ¡°Aunt Tong!¡± Cheng Ran immediately greeted the middle-aged woman upon seeing her. Then Cheng Ran introduced her to Jiang Ning, ¡°This is the owner of this mansion, and she is also the Store Manager of the Moon Pavilion.¡± Hearing Cheng Ran¡¯s introduction, a trace of mild surprise flashed in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. He naturally knew about the Moon Pavilion. It was one of the most famous restaurants in Luoshui County where numerous officials and dignitaries often entertained guests, and the business was booming. He had not realized before that the Store Manager of the Moon Pavilion was a woman, and a middle-aged woman at that. One must know, in this era, such a profitable business would inevitably attract the attention of those with intentions. Without significant strength, it was impossible to hold onto an enterprise like the Moon Pavilion. Thinking this, Jiang Ning immediately knew that Manager Tong in front of him was no ordinary person. ¡°Manager Tong!¡± Jiang Ning bowed his hands. The middle-aged woman gently smiled, ¡°Young Master Jiang is very polite! It¡¯s true what they say, seeing is believing; you are indeed a person of striking appearance.¡± Then Manager Tong looked at Cheng Ran and said, ¡°You¡¯ve brought me a good client!¡± With that, Manager Tong casually pushed open the heavy main gate. ¡°Young Master Jiang, please come in for a visit!¡± ¡°Please!¡± said Jiang Ning. Then the three of them stepped into the courtyard. From the entrance, it was a series of steps upward. On both sides of the front courtyard, there were rockeries, flowing streams, and bamboo groves. The sounds of the trickling water and the rustling of the bamboo filled his ears. The sound of the waves on the Luoshui River could also be heard in the distance. As they delved deeper into the residence, Manager Tong explained, ¡°This mansion is situated very high, and the entrance moves from lower to higher.¡± ¡°The highest part of the house is in the east courtyard, backing onto the Luoshui River, with an extremely open view, allowing one to see the entire boundless Luoshui River, and also the staggered houses of the Outer City of varying heights.¡± ¡°The entire mansion¡¯s structure consists of the front yard and the main house, as well as three large courtyards in the east, west, and north, enough to accommodate four generations living together.¡± ¡­ Two hours later. The three stood at the highest point of the east courtyard, enjoying the wind coming from the Luoshui River. Manager Tong gently smiled, ¡°Young Master Jiang, what do you think of this mansion, does it meet your standards?¡± Jiang Ning replied, ¡°I¡¯m interested, but could we possibly discuss the price a bit more.¡± Hearing this, Manager Tong gently smiled again. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Since Young Master Jiang has spoken, of course, the price can be discussed further. How would you like to proceed?¡± Manager Tong asked back. Jiang Ning said, ¡°Manager Tong, give me a sincere price, and I¡¯ll take it!¡± Manager Tong pondered for a moment. Then she said, ¡°How about six hundred and sixty-six taels?¡± On the side. Cheng Ran, hearing this, was immediately shocked and said, ¡°Aunt Tong, are you sure? Six hundred and sixty-six taels? You¡¯re not joking with my good brother, are you?¡± Manager Tong looked at Jiang Ning¡¯s puzzled eyes, her lips curling into a smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare joke with Young Master Jiang. This is genuinely a sincere price. How does Young Master Jiang feel about it?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jiang Ning asked. Manager Tong, still smiling, replied, ¡°I see a promising future for Young Master Jiang and want to make a friend! Six hundred and sixty-six is a very auspicious number! It¡¯s also my blessing to Young Master Jiang.¡± Hearing this, Cheng Ran nudged Jiang Ning with his arm. Jiang Ning then slowly said, ¡°With Manager Tong giving me such respect, how could I not agree?¡± Hearing this, Manager Tong¡¯s smile grew even broader. ¡­ In the evening, Jiang Ning, holding the deed, returned to the highest point of the east courtyard, feeling the lake breeze from the Luoshui River, looking down at the mansion that spanned more than three thousand square meters beneath his feet, his expression somewhat dreamy. In his previous life. He had spent years, emptied the savings of two generations and taken on decades of debt, just to obtain a home of his own, his own little den. But now. In just a few months after arriving in this world, he owned such a vast and luxurious residence. Such luxury, in his former life, he had not even dreamed of. After several breaths, he looked down at the deed in his hands again. Under the afterglow of the setting sun, he took a deep breath. He slowly exhaled. ¡°In this life, I fulfilled the dream of owning a luxurious villa, so let me witness a different future!¡± He murmured to himself, and it seemed as if a shackle had been unlocked in his heart. His soul relaxed! His heart became extremely comfortable and pleasant. That night. Jiang Ning decided to live alone in this house. During the handover of the house, Manager Tong from Moon Pavilion did an authentic job, leaving the furniture all in place. Even some valuable decorations were left in the house. Jiang Ning also realized Manager Tong¡¯s gestures of goodwill towards him. Seeing her capable and generous conduct, Jiang Ning understood why a woman like her could maintain such a large establishment as Moon Pavilion. He greatly admired Manager Tong. She discarded items worth over a thousand Silver Tael with decisive finality, without a hint of hesitation. This was not something an ordinary person could do. The next morning. Jiang Ning got up and checked his panel. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 9.7 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 591/3000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (Perfection 91/1000) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Third Limit Breaking 2366/4000) (Traits: Touch and Understand, Blade Swift as the Wind, God-like Blade Control) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 387/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Master 1/200) Vajra Immortal Body (Beginner 118/1000) ¡°Yesterday held many delays, the progress in all areas was a bit slow!¡± ¡°But I also accomplished a big thing, finally got a house of my own!¡± ¡°Today, I can also bring my older brother and his family to live in the Inner City!¡± Jiang Ning murmured lightly, his expression relaxed. Then. After a simple washup, Jiang Ning began to practice. Waited until 20 minutes past 7 a.m., he started facing the great sun and practiced Breathing and Releasing the Essence of the Great Sun, refining his organs. Right until 9:00 a.m., just before it turned into 9 a.m to 11 a.m, he stopped the practice of releasing the Essence Qi. [Skills]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 414/2000) ¡°Compared to yesterday, it has increased by 27 points! Not bad!¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly. Feeling the daily progress and becoming stronger gave him full motivation. For ordinary people, practicing was boring and tedious. But for him, it was an extremely interesting affair. All this was because he could see and feel his progress. As long as he put in effort, there was reward. Accumulating a certain amount would inevitably lead to qualitative change. Especially after each cultivation technique reached a breaking point, he was filled with anticipation, eager to see what traits would emerge as the techniques evolved. Then. Jiang Ning got up and walked outside the house. An hour later. Jiang Ning came to the outer city, to the familiar courtyard surrounded by a fence. Pushing open the wooden gate of the courtyard, Jiang Ning saw his older brother¡¯s family all in the yard. ¡°Little brother, how come you¡¯re here?¡± Jiang Li heard the gate pushed open, immediately looked up, and upon seeing Jiang Ning, his expression instantly became calm, obviously reassured. Jiang Ning bent down to pick up Little Dumpling who ran over. Then he said, ¡°Older brother, sister-in-law, I bought a big house in the Inner City, it¡¯s too lonely living there by myself. I hope you can move and live with me in the Inner City.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Jiang Li, upon hearing this, suddenly widened his eyes, disbelievingly staring at Jiang Ning. Liuu Wanwan also had her mouth slightly open, showing a look of surprise. ¡°Dumpling, Dumpling! Are you serious? Is there really a big house?¡± Little Dumpling in Jiang Ning¡¯s arms, his dark eyes became bright, his face full of joy. Jiang Ning grinned and gently rubbed Little Dumpling¡¯s tiny nose. ¡°Of course it¡¯s true!¡± Then he carried Little Dumpling over to his older brother and sister-in-law. ¡°Here, take a look!¡± During the conversation, Jiang Ning placed the property deed, which he had prepared beforehand, in Jiang Li¡¯s hands. He knew that without the deed, much persuasion would be needed. After all, moving to live in the Inner City had been his older brother and sister-in-law¡¯s dream for more than a dozen years. Unfortunately, they never achieved it due to lack of financial means. In the Inner City, despite Cheng Ran saying that the first residential plot that was one acre large only cost around six hundred Silver Tael, one might think a house of a few dozen square meters would cost a few dozen Silver Tael. This was completely wrong. Because there were no houses for common people in the Inner City. Even the smallest residential houses were close to half an acre and would cost nearly four hundred Silver Tael. For the previous Jiang Li, even working a lifetime, he couldn¡¯t save that much silver. Moving to the Inner City was merely a hopeful desire he harbored, unattainable yet longed for. Chapter 109: 36: Changes After More Than Ten Days Chapter 109: Chapter 36: Changes After More Than Ten Days Outer City. At this moment, Jiang Li looked at the deed in his hand, his eyes involuntarily widening. His gaze firmly fixed on a particular line on the deed. The line that marked the main residence foundation. After quite a few breaths, Jiang Li finally slowly looked up. ¡°A mansion spanning more than ten acres, did Little Dumpling truly buy this?¡± ... Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°Big brother, it¡¯s all there in black and white on the deed, and there¡¯s even the government¡¯s seal. How could it be fake?¡± Hearing this, Jiang Li was visibly moved. A moment later. He and Liuu Wanwan exchanged glances. Seeing this, Jiang Ning spoke again, ¡°Big brother, big sister-in-law, there¡¯s no need to think it over! There¡¯s nothing to consider! I can¡¯t live in such a large house by myself.¡± ¡°Moreover, you can see that these times are becoming increasingly unsettled!¡± ¡°The Outer City is even more chaotic compared to the Inner City!¡± ¡°For the sake of Little Dumpling and Yiming, if not for yourselves, you should consider their safety!¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Li immediately nodded vigorously. ¡°Little Dumpling is right! The times are indeed unsettled, and the Inner City is indeed much safer!¡± At this time. Liuu Wanwan also spoke, ¡°Ah Ning, thank you!¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but smile with relief. ¡°Big brother and sister-in-law, why be so formal! I freeloaded so many years without you saying a word!¡± Liuu Wanwan felt a pang of guilt as she remembered the nights she had poured out complaints to Jiang Li after hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words. Subsequently, they began to gather their belongings, preparing for the move. ¡­ In the blink of an eye. More than ten days had passed. During this time, Jiang Ning only traveled between the martial arts hall and the mansion he had bought adjacent to the Luoshui River. With him, Jiang Li, and Liuu Wanwan¡¯s family moving in, the mansion officially had the Jiang Mansion nameplate hung. Living in the new mansion, Jiang Ning truly experienced what it meant to be comfortable. Covering five acres and divided into three large yards to the north, east, and west, as long as the doors were shut, no one could disturb his skin refining. The awkwardness he had experienced in the martial arts hall was no more. With his mood improved, Jiang Ning also felt his martial arts training efficiency had increased. During these ten days. The Luoshui County remained calm, and in the martial arts hall, Jiang Ning only heard about the arrival of a senior official from Medicine King Valley leading a team. According to conversations among the disciples at the martial arts hall, this senior official from Medicine King Valley along with a few skilled individuals came to Luoshui County to capture a notorious bandit wanted by the government. The notorious Tian Buyi. Based on various clues, Tian Buyi was hiding in the county town of Luoshui. Also, from the disciples¡¯ conversations, Jiang Ning learned about the strength of the official from Medicine King Valley, ranked as Martial Arts Seventh Grade. Much stronger than the notorious Tian Buyi, who was ranked as Martial Arts Eighth Grade. Moreover, aside from that official, three other skilled individuals ranked as Martial Arts Eighth Grade came along. This indicated Medicine King Valley¡¯s determination to capture the notorious Tian Buyi. Jiang Ning was so concerned about this issue because of the bounty on Tian Buyi¡¯s head. Information on Tian Buyi was rewarded with one hundred silver taels upon verification. Capturing Tian Buyi would earn a bounty of one hundred taels of gold. Given the exchange rate of one tael of gold for one thousand taels of silver. That equated to one hundred thousand taels of silver. Such a high reward naturally drew Jiang Ning¡¯s attention. If he could capture Tian Buyi and obtain one hundred thousand taels of silver, he would be set for life. However, Jiang Ning also knew there must be something suspicious. Why would Tian Buyi, a mere Martial Arts Eighth Grade, warrant a Senior Martial Arts Seventh Grade official personally leading a team to capture him? Not to mention why Medicine King Valley would offer a huge bounty of one hundred taels of gold. One hundred taels of gold, one hundred thousand taels of silver, was not the bounty one would expect for a Martial Arts Eighth Grade highway robber. You must understand. Wang Jin, one of the top experts in Luoshui County, had a fortune estimated at around ten thousand taels of silver. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. One hundred thousand silver taels was ten times Wang Jin¡¯s wealth. Therefore, Jiang Ning speculated that there must be something very fishy about this. ¡­ In the martial arts hall. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [¡­] Jiang Ning practiced the boxing technique over and over again in the front yard. Each practice increased his Qi-Blood Power by five strands. Qi-Blood is the foundation of martial arts, the origin of martial arts. Without strong Qi-Blood, martial arts could hardly advance. The stronger the Qi-Blood, not only would the physical body become stronger, but martial arts would also advance, and the efficiency of steps such as refining skin and muscles would improve as well. Thus, Jiang Ning still placed great importance on the Five Animals Fist. It was related to his growing Qi-Blood. Not to mention that when his experience value was full and he broke his limit, his boxing realm could further break through, but it also brought him new trait enhancements. In this regard, Jiang Ning was also full of anticipation. The Five Animals Fist was the martial arts closest to breaking the limit among those he had mastered. During the repeated practice of boxing techniques. Jiang Ning also saw his experience value continuously increasing. At the same time. In the front courtyard, many disciples stopped their practice to watch and try to comprehend the boxing techniques practiced by Jiang Ning. The boxing technique displayed by Jiang Ning at this moment was a performance of great success, integrating spirit and form, hardness and softness, movement and stillness. For any disciple of the Martial Arts Hall¡¯s front courtyard, it was an opportunity. As long as they could perceive even a little, their boxing skills would inevitably advance. Everyone seized this rare opportunity. They also knew that as Jiang Ning¡¯s strength improved, he spent less and less time in the Martial Arts Hall. Most of his time during the day was not spent at the Martial Arts Hall but at his own home. They had long been aware of this. After practicing the boxing techniques several times in a row. Jiang Ning felt his physical energy was overly depleted. As he condensed a large amount of Qi-Blood Power, his body also felt slightly empty, and then he stopped practicing boxing. Then. He directly picked up the half-piece of wild ginseng lying nearby, threw it into his mouth, and chewed. Until the sun-dried wild ginseng was chewed into tiny bits and swallowed, he began to feel the emptiness in his body gradually disappearing. Afterward, he opened his panel and took a look. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 53.8 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 811/3000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (Perfection 533/1000) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Third Limit Breaking 4000/4000) (Traits: Touch and Understand, Blade as Quick as Wind, God-like Blade Control) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 807/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Master 1/200) Vajra Immortal Body (Beginner 721/1000) After reviewing his panel, Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. Over the past ten-plus days. His Source Energy Points had grown from a few points to 53.8, an extremely rapid growth, satisfying the third limit breaking of skills such as Chopping Wood Blade Skill and Reading and Writing. However, although the Chopping Wood Blade Skill had already completed its third limit breaking, and the experience value for the fourth limit breaking was met. He guessed that 100 points of Source Energy Points would be needed to meet the requirement for the fourth limit breaking. Although the experience value was fulfilled, the Source Energy Points were still far from sufficient. While Reading and Writing had only undergone the second limit breaking, the experience value was still quite far from the third limit breaking, lacking more than two thousand points. Considering the difficulty of obtaining experience points from Reading and Writing, Jiang Ning also knew that it was hopeless to expect this skill to undergo a third limit breaking any time soon. The real constraint for the limit breaking of this skill was the growth of experience value. At the same time. Jiang Ning was extremely satisfied with the growth in his Five Animals Fist, Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, and Vajra Immortal Body. The experience value of the Five Animals Fist in the state of Perfection had already exceeded half, achieving 533 points. During this period, his experience value increased by more than four hundred points. This meant he had practiced the Five Animals Fist over four hundred more times. Each repetition of the Five Animals Fist brought him five strands of Qi-Blood Power, meaning his Qi-Blood Power had increased by over two thousand strands during this time. Compared to when he had just stepped into the Martial Arts Ninth Grade, his Qi-Blood Power had grown by at least fifty percent. This period of advancement was indeed huge! The Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill also leaped from less than four hundred points of experience to over eight hundred. An increase of over four hundred points of experience made Jiang Ning feel his internal organs getting stronger, his stamina improving, and the next realm of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill was not far off. But the most significant improvement was in the Vajra Immortal Body. [Skills]: Vajra Immortal Body (Beginner 721/1000) This cultivation technique was only two hundred plus points away from the next realm. This indicated he was not far from the level of Stone Skin. In his recent inner visions. Jiang Ning also saw his own skin¡¯s membrane gradually changing from dark red to white. As he knew, reaching the level of Stone Skin meant the membrane under the skin turned completely white. White was the characteristic of Stone Skin. Once reaching the level of Stone Skin, which is the small success stage of Martial Arts Nine Grade, the skin would be as hard as stone. Ordinary swords and even sharp knives from regular households could hardly cause fatal wounds to a martial artist at this level, let alone common household knives and choppers. Martial Arts Ninth Grade, in a strict sense, only by reaching the Stone Skin level would a preliminary qualitative change be triggered. Looking at his own panel, Jiang Ning was fueled with motivation. With his current efficiency, the Stone Skin level was not far off, or rather very close. In just another eight or nine days, he would be able to reach the level of Stone Skin, leading to a true qualitative change. By then, Jiang Ning felt his strength would take a massive leap. Because once he reached Stone Skin, his physique and ability to withstand impacts would greatly increase. This would also enable him to endure more powerful bursts of strength. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, by then, stacking double-layer strength from the Nine Layers of Strength as a regular tactic would not be a problem; it would become his standard method. Being able to frequently unleash double-layer stacked strength, his strength would increase by at least twice. By that time, with such an advantage, even facing Martial Arts Eighth Grade, Divine Power Realm experts, Jiang Ning would have the confidence to engage them. Chapter 110: 37 Plant Essence Chapter 110: Chapter 37 Plant Essence From the Martial Arts Hall. Jiang Ning headed straight for the Wanhua Building. His purpose for visiting Wanhua Building was quite simple. Because he had consumed all the Wild Ginseng. As his strength grew, the amount of Wild Ginseng he consumed greatly increased. The Wild Ginseng he had used up over the past ten days or so was now depleted. ... Now he intended to find tonics that suited him. For that, the natural choice was Wanhua Building. After all, he held a VIP Token, given to him by Shen Congyun. With the VIP Token, he was entitled to have the maids send word to Lin Qingyi. At the same time, the VIP Token also qualified him for discounts when purchasing items at Wanhua Building. Which is why Wanhua Building naturally became his destination. Although the price of Zhou Xing¡¯s Wild Ginseng was very suitable for him, and the cost-performance ratio was high. Jiang Ning also understood there was no such thing as a free lunch. Accepting Zhou Xing¡¯s favors was to owe a debt of gratitude, which would eventually have to be repaid. Moreover, the supplies he needed to buy this time were not the same as before, like ten or eight plants. For ten or eight plants, Zhou Xing might well sell them to him at cost, giving them partly as a favor. But his demand this time was substantial. Even if he did not have the nerve to ask for that price again, even if he did, Zhou Xing might not be willing to agree. After all, Zhou family¡¯s medicine shop also needed to make a profit. ¡­. A moment later. Jiang Ning arrived at Wanhua Building. As soon as he stepped through the grand doors of Wanhua Building, a maidservant dressed in a green skirt approached him. ¡°Greetings to Young Master Jiang!¡± The maidservant named Little Lv walked up to Jiang Ning, performed a courteous salute, and then asked, ¡°May I know if Young Master Jiang is here to see Master Lin today?¡± Jiang Ning immediately shook his head, ¡°Here to buy some things, some tonics.¡± ¡°Understood, Young Master, please follow me,¡± said Little Lv softly and gently. Hearing this, Jiang Ning promptly followed Little Lv to a corner on the first floor. ¡°Young Master! This here is the tonic section. Would you like to look around yourself, or shall I introduce some cost-effective tonics to you?¡± Little Lv inquired with a gentle voice. Jiang Ning replied, ¡°You can introduce me to a few tonics with a high cost-performance ratio! Aim for the medicinal efficacy about that of ten years¡¯ worth of Wild Ginseng! The most important thing is the cost-performance ratio.¡± Little Lv listened attentively and did not nod until Jiang Ning had finished listing all his requirements. ¡°I understand! Please follow me, Young Master.¡± Shortly thereafter. They walked a few steps. Little Lv approached a counter. She pointed toward a thumb-sized white jade bottle and said, ¡°Young Master, this is Plant Essence refined by Medicine King Valley.¡± ¡°Its medicinal effect is similar to that of ten years¡¯ worth of Wild Ginseng, but it¡¯s much stronger!¡± ¡°One bottle of this Plant Essence is roughly equivalent to twenty years¡¯ worth of Wild Ginseng.¡± ¡°Compared to Wild Ginseng, its medicinal efficacy, after being formulated by the alchemists of Medicine King Valley, is more balanced and easier to absorb, and the price is not expensive either ¨C only thirty taels of silver for a bottle.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning felt a stir in his heart. Balanced and easy to absorb! This was a point he valued. Because as his physique grew, he could feel the diminishing auxiliary effect of Wild Ginseng on his body due to limited absorption, no matter whether he ate half at a time or a whole one. But an increased physique was equivalent to increased capacity. The same medicinal efficacy was fierce and potent for his once frail body. But for his body now, the effect was gentler and weaker. It was like the same pipe pouring into a bucket, which could be filled in the time it took to drink a cup of tea. But if pouring into a large vat, it would take several hours. This was the biggest difference between them. Afterwards. Under Little Lv¡¯s guidance, Jiang Ning also looked at several other medicines. After comparing the options, Jiang Ning decided upon the first tonic introduced by Little Lv, the Plant Essence. After Jiang Ning made his choice, Little Lv bowed slightly, ¡°Young Master Jiang, may I ask how many bottles you wish to purchase? I can go fetch them for you right away.¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°There¡¯s no hurry! I want to try the effects first.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Little Lv nodded. She then crouched down, her long skirt spreading on the ground like a sun-facing lotus leaf. She opened a wooden cabinet below, taking out a bottle of Plant Essence. After standing up, she handed it to Jiang Ning, ¡°Please try it, Young Master. I¡¯ve heard it also tastes quite good.¡± Jiang Ning nodded, taking the white jade bottle, thick as a thumb, from Little Lv. Then, he uncorked the bottle, tilted his head back slightly, and poured it into his mouth. Immediately, a small blob of green liquid swiftly flowed into his mouth. As the liquid entered his mouth, Jiang Ning immediately felt a cool sensation rushing straight to the top of his head, his mind shook, and his thoughts became extraordinarily clear. It was like drinking a mouthful of mint water. Afterwards, the liquid went down his throat into his belly. Jiang Ning suddenly felt an invigorating coolness, and the heat in his body instantly dissipated. His body temperature seemed to drop a few degrees as well. He couldn¡¯t help but close his eyes slightly, merely feeling the changes in his body. He wanted to decide whether or not to buy Plant Essence as his first choice of tonic based on the reactions of his body. ¡­ Elsewhere, in the attic of the Wanhua Building. As a maid dressed in a pink gown reported Jiang Ning¡¯s arrival to her, Lin Qingyi immediately sat up from the soft couch. ¡°This little fellow actually came to Wanhua Building today. Perfect, it allows me to see for myself, to see just how far this little fellow¡¯s Refining Skin has progressed,¡± she murmured to herself, excitement rising in her face. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then, she mused aloud, ¡°This little fellow went out of town alone previously and actually managed to kill a strong Ninth Grade Martial Artist like Hong Chengtao.¡± With that, Lin Qingyi¡¯s expression suddenly filled with suspicion, ¡°Could it be that Shen Congyun really left him a precious item for self-defense before he left in secret?¡± ¡­ A moment later. Tap tap tap¡ª Accompanied by a series of soft footsteps, Lin Qingyi turned a corner and saw Jiang Ning with his eyes lightly closed. At the sight of Jiang Ning, Lin Qingyi¡¯s gaze sharpened slightly, a hint of surprise in her heart. This kid seems different again. His Qi-Blood is much stronger than when I last saw him; I can even feel the robust Qi Blood Power coming from him. Young people indeed! Such vigorous Qi-Blood! Their physical endurance must be excellent! At that moment, even with his eyes closed, Jiang Ning sensed a gaze that put considerable pressure on him, a warning brought on by his heightened senses. Then, he swiftly opened his eyes. And saw Lin Qingyi, dressed in a green long dress, standing about three meters away. ¡°Sister Lin!¡± Jiang Ning immediately called out. Lin Qingyi¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°Little brother, what brings you to my place today?¡± Jiang Ning showed her the empty bottle which had contained the Plant Essence. ¡°Sister Lin, I came to Wanhua Building to buy some tonics to support my martial arts practice.¡± ¡°I see!¡± Lin Qingyi nodded and walked towards Jiang Ning with a smile. At the same time, the maid who had been attending Jiang Ning heard his address to Lin Qingyi, her heart brimming with respect. To be able to rely on Master Lin¡¯s support, smart move!! His body must be amazing!! Chapter 111: 38 Finding You a Wife Chapter 111: Chapter 38 Finding You a Wife Wanhua Building. Lin Qingyi approached Jiang Ning and pinched his arm. At the same time, she casually said, ¡°I heard you left the city a few days ago and countered Hong Chengtao¡¯s attack. How did you accomplish that?¡± Jiang Ning slightly bowed his head and side-eyed, his gaze landing on his own forearm. Lin Qingyi¡¯s soft, gentle fingers were pinching the firm muscles of his arm. ¡°Sister Lin, dealing with Hong Chengtao only requires a few slashes to kill!¡± ... Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyi couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. Believe you, my ass! She secretly muttered to herself. Then, her expression slightly revealed a trace of surprise. Something¡¯s off with this kid! Why does his skin feel so tough to the touch? Could it be that his Skin Training has made significant progress? Thinking of this, Lin Qingyi¡¯s eyes filled with suspicion as she looked toward Jiang Ning. ¡°Sister Lin, what¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Jiang Ning. Lin Qingyi slightly parted her lips, ¡°You, have you made significant progress with your Skin Training?¡± Jiang Ning nodded frankly, ¡°Yes! A lot of progress!¡± ¡°Have you stepped into the ranks of Martial Arts Nine Grade?¡± Lin Qingyi asked again. ¡°Indeed! Sister Lin, you have keen eyes!¡± Jiang Ning complimented. Concerning his achievement in Refining Skin, reaching the toughness of cowhide, Jiang Ning had no intention of concealing it. Because with Lin Qingyi¡¯s strength, upon close contact, it was easy to see through. Moreover, there was no need to conceal anything in front of Lin Qingyi. From Shen Congyun entrusting his belongings to Lin Qingyi, it was evident that she deserved a certain level of trust. Also, the stronger the talent he displayed, the more Lin Qingyi would value him. After all, the higher his talent, the greater his achievements would be in the future. All the investments in him at this time would reap benefits in the future. Meanwhile, Lin Qingyi, hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words, appeared even more surprised. Entered the Nine Grade? How many days has it been? Not even a month! That means he managed to enter the introductory stage of the Vajra Immortal Body in less than a month. Vajra Immortal Body is the grand secret technique of Vajra Temple. Training this cultivation technique is much more difficult than ordinary skin refining techniques. This kid¡¯s talent, as well as the achievements he has made at his current age. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Entering Martial Arts Nine Grade by training the Vajra Immortal Body has already qualified him to join Vajra Temple as an Outer Disciple. These thoughts rapidly flashed through Lin Qingyi¡¯s mind. Then she said, ¡°Do you have any thoughts of joining Vajra Temple?¡± ¡°Vajra Temple? Could I?¡± Jiang Ning looked at Lin Qingyi somewhat surprised. Lin Qingyi immediately nodded slightly, ¡°You can! The fragmented pieces of Vajra Immortal Body being able to spread from Vajra Temple is simple. It¡¯s one of the methods Vajra Temple uses to recruit disciples.¡± ¡°Under twenty years old, by refining the skin with Vajra Immortal Body and stepping into Martial Arts Nine Grade, one qualifies to join Vajra Temple as an Outer Disciple.¡± Hearing Lin Qingyi¡¯s words, Jiang Ning suddenly understood. Why the Vajra Immortal Body, being the grand secret of Vajra Temple, could spread outward. Jiang Ning then asked, ¡°Are there any other requirements if I join Vajra Temple?¡± Lin Qingyi responded, ¡°Naturally, there are! Vajra Temple is a Buddhist temple, so joining Vajra Temple means you must strictly adhere to Buddhist precepts and disciplines, abstain from meat, marriage, and¡­¡± Lin Qingyi listed them one by one, causing Jiang Ning to frown deeply. The precepts and disciplines of Vajra Temple were even stricter than those of other Buddhist temples he knew in his previous life. A key rule was that upon joining Vajra Temple, one must sever all ties with the secular world. No wife, no children, no parents. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, this was almost fanatical to the point of madness. He shook his head slightly, ¡°Forget it! Joining Vajra Temple sounds too dull! A life without a wife is too torturous!¡± Lin Qingyi, hearing this, couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, her eyebrows curving like crescent moons. ¡°No wife, indeed! You sure have a way with words! Are you thinking about getting married already?¡± Jiang Ning immediately shook his head, ¡°Not thinking about it now!¡± Lin Qingyi sized up Jiang Ning, ¡°From what I know, you¡¯re not exactly young anymore, nearly eighteen and a half years old! It¡¯s unfilial to not be married at this age.¡± Jiang Ning replied, ¡°I can¡¯t rush this; it needs to wait for the right person! I don¡¯t have any parents to support.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true!¡± Lin Qingyi nodded slightly and then said, ¡°But at your age, you should be thinking about women, right?¡± Upon hearing Lin Qingyi¡¯s words, Jiang Ning¡¯s face revealed a speechless expression. Seeing this, Lin Qingyi couldn¡¯t help but smile playfully. ¡°Look at you, still a greenhorn, aren¡¯t you!¡± ¡°I am not, don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Jiang Ning immediately retorted. His statement wasn¡¯t a lie; after all, he had indulged in his previous life. At this moment, Lin Qingyi¡¯s face showed a teasing smile. She then patted Jiang Ning on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t be embarrassed! Since you call me sister, I¡¯ll help you find a good girl so you can get married soon and naturally, you¡¯ll get to indulge!¡± Jiang Ning: ¡°¡­¡± Seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s expressions, Lin Qingyi¡¯s face revealed an even more playful smile, feeling amused at heart. She immediately reconsidered in her heart, and murmured to herself. Indeed, it was a good idea. This young man had surprisingly high talent. The Vajra Immortal Body on him was also so highly compatible with him that he entered the Martial Arts Nine Grade in less than a month. His future achievements were immeasurable. Perhaps he had the hope of glimpsing the mysteries of a Grandmaster. Such a young prodigy, helping him find a good girl and form a marriage alliance indeed was a good idea. Thinking of these, Lin Qingyi instantly made up her mind. She came back to herself, ¡°Alright! That¡¯s settled then! I will go and look up some information for you, see if there¡¯s a suitable girl for you!¡± As she finished speaking. Dong dong dong¡ª Lin Qingyi turned around and hurriedly left. Jiang Ning watched her departing figure, speechless. Marriage? Thinking of this word, he couldn¡¯t help shaking his head, having absolutely no such thoughts in his mind. With such a miraculous attribute and living in a dynasty where chaos was gradually arising, practicing martial arts was his main focus. Marriage and having children were still very far off for him. Then he murmured to himself. ¡°Forget it! I¡¯ll just refuse Lin Qingyi when the time comes! Besides, the things she just mentioned might not even get done, maybe it was just a spur of the moment for her!¡± ¡°Perhaps she might forget about this matter soon.¡± Thinking of these, Jiang Ning had no desire to think about it anymore. Then. He looked at Little Lv standing beside. ¡°Miss Lv!¡± ¡°Young Master called for me?¡± Little Lv suddenly reverted from her statuesque state to normal, and greeted Jiang Ning respectfully. Jiang Ning said, ¡°The Plant Essence is good, I plan to buy some.¡± ¡°Of course, Young Master!¡± Little Lv nodded continuously, like a pecking chicken. Then she asked, ¡°Young Master, I wonder if you brought the VIP Token that you showed to Little Lv more than half a month ago.¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°Of course I brought it.¡± While speaking, he also took out the palm-sized, white jade colored token from his pocket. This token was left to him by Shen Congyun before he left, having this token in Wanhua Building granted him significant privileges, allowing the maid to convey messages on behalf of the vice building master. Also, holding this token allowed him to enjoy a twenty percent discount on all expenditures within Wanhua Building. That was also one of the reasons Jiang Ning came to Wanhua Building. A twenty percent discount could save him a considerable amount of Silver Tael. Little Lv respectfully accepted the white jade token from Jiang Ning¡¯s hand, glanced at it, and then handed it back to Jiang Ning. Then she asked, ¡°How many bottles of Plant Essence does Young Master wish to purchase?¡± Jiang Ning thought briefly and then replied, ¡°Let¡¯s start with fifty bottles!¡± ¡°Alright, Young Master!¡± Little Lv bowed again, ¡°Young Master Jiang, please follow me to the VIP room! Since it¡¯s a one-time purchase of fifty bottles, I need to inform the manager to retrieve the items. It will take some time.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡­ A moment later. Inside the VIP room. Jiang Ning was sipping tea. As the door to the VIP room opened, he also set down the tea he had just picked up. A middle-aged woman, who seemed to be in her forties, was the first to step over the threshold. Following her, Little Lv, carrying a wooden box in her arms, followed closely behind. ¡°Greetings, Young Master Jiang!¡± The middle-aged woman bowed slightly and then introduced herself. ¡°My name is Han Hongmei, one of the managers at Wanhua Building. I am responsible for this transaction.¡± Jiang Ning stood up and greeted with a bow, ¡°Manager Han!¡± Manager Han also smiled slightly and then signaled Little Lv, who was half a step behind her, with her eyes. Little Lv stepped forward and placed the wooden box she was holding on the table next to Jiang Ning. Then. Han Hongmei also stepped forward, standing in front of the table, and opened the wooden box. Instantly, she saw neatly aligned white jade bottles embedded within the recesses of the wooden box. These bottles made of white jade were about as thick as a thumb. Han Hongmei spoke, ¡°Young Master Jiang, please inspect them, here are the fifty bottles of Plant Essence you requested.¡± Jiang Ning shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s no need, Wanhua Building¡¯s reputation is still trustworthy.¡± Hearing this, Han Hongmei immediately showed a broad smile. ¡°Since Young Master Jiang trusts us so much! I will take the liberty to round down and say fifty bottles of Plant Essence will total 1000 taels of silver.¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s face showed slight surprise. ¡°Is that how Manager Han rounds down?¡± He was even more astonished inside. Knowing that one bottle of Plant Essence was priced at thirty taels of silver, and with Shen Congyun¡¯s previously gifted token, all purchases could receive a twenty percent discount at Wanhua Building. After the discount, it would be 1200 taels of silver, saving him a full three hundred taels of silver. However, the rounding down that Han Hongmei mentioned, that was two hundred taels of silver. This kind of rounding-off was the first he had encountered. Han Hongmei then smiled upon hearing this, ¡°For others, rounding down naturally entails subtracting small two-digit numbers, but Young Master Jiang is different.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning didn¡¯t continue to ask why it was different. He immediately bowed, ¡°Then, thank you, Manager Han!¡± Chapter 112: 39 Breakthrough, Skin as Hard as Stone Chapter 112: Chapter 39 Breakthrough, Skin as Hard as Stone Wanhua Building. Jiang Ning walked out of Wanhua Building holding a wooden box filled to the brim with fifty bottles of Plant Essence. Looking at the wooden box in his hands, his heart swelled with great satisfaction. Just spending one thousand taels of silver to buy fifty bottles of Plant Essence, to Jiang Ning, this was akin to striking it rich. After all, the effects of Plant Essence were many times that of ten-year-old Wild Ginseng, and compared with Wild Ginseng, the body could also absorb Plant Essence much more easily. This also allowed him to infer that absorbing Plant Essence would increase the daily amount of Source Energy Points he could accumulate. ... Moreover, with these fifty bottles of Plant Essence, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about resources to aid his martial training before reaching Stone Skin. Fifty bottles of Plant Essence should suffice for about twenty days¡¯ use. As for refining sand, he had some left, and Wang Jin had already sent him a batch, enough for him to use for a while. ¡°Next, I can focus on continuing my martial training. Now, with about twenty to thirty days left until the Inspection Office opens, I will strive to improve my strength by one or two levels during this time.¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. After leaving Wanhua Building, he went straight home. Then he entered into a state of rigorous martial training. ¡­ In the blink of an eye, seven days passed. By the Luoshui River, Jiang Mansion. Wearing only shorts, Jiang Ning posed the sixth form of the Vajra Immortal Body in his yard. He then circulated the Five Beasts Force, driving his Qi-Blood around his body, continuously refining the skin membrane beneath the surface. [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] [¡­] As he refined the skin membrane, the experience value for the Vajra Immortal Body kept increasing. At this point, Jiang Ning had already closed his eyes, looking inward at his body. With his inner vision, he could see the skin membrane below had already undergone tremendous change. At the beginning, when the skin membrane formed, it was a thin red film clinging right below his skin. Later, as his Vajra Immortal Body progressed, the red film became spotted with specks of white. As he continued to refine the membrane, the white spread, signaling that he was one step closer to the next level of Refining Skin, Stone Skin. At the same time, In the state of inner vision, Jiang Ning also moved the Qi-Blood inside his body to continuously flush the areas of the skin membrane still red. Based on his previous experience, mobilizing Qi-Blood to flush such areas accelerated the gain of experience for the Vajra Immortal Body, meaning he could refine the skin membrane more efficiently. After a short time, Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Entry 987/1000) ¡°Only 13 experience points away,¡± Jiang Ning muttered, his heart thrilling with excitement. ¡°One more time, and I can break through my current realm and enter the small success stage of Refining Skin, turning skin to stone,¡± he said silently to himself. Afterward, Jiang Ning stood up, took a white jade-colored porcelain bottle from beside him, opened the lid, and swallowed the Plant Essence inside. As the emerald Plant Essence entered his body, a wave of coolness spread from his throat, rushing upwards to his crown, clarifying his mind. Sinking down to his five viscera and six bowels, throughout his limbs and bones, he instantly felt as if his body, parched from dryness, was being revived by sweet rain, while the strain from refining the skin membrane was swiftly recovering. Sensing the revival of his body condition and the changes within, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°Plant Essence truly is a wonderful thing, its effects are indeed far superior to those of Wild Ginseng!¡± After more than ten days of personal experience, he truly realized the ease with which Plant Essence could be absorbed. Compared with Wild Ginseng, the speed at which the medicinal power took effect was incomparable. The effect of Plant Essence was immediate. At the same time, over these past days of absorbing Plant Essence, he had also gained an additional benefit ¨C an increase in Source Energy Points. [Source Energy]: 81.6 In seven days, Source Energy Points had risen from fifty-three point eight to eighty-one point six, with an average daily increase of over three points. This was the extra boost brought by Plant Essence. He then glanced at his character panel. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 81.6 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1043/3000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (Perfection 765/1000) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Third Limit Breaking 4000/4000) (Traits: Touch and Understand, Blade Like Gust, God-like Blade Control) Inner Elixir Cultivation (Master 1005/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Master 1/200) Vajra Immortal Body (Entry 987/1000) After closing the panel, Jiang Ning felt that his condition had significantly recovered. He then jumped into a barrel of water to cleanse his body of the dried refining sand. In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, He jumped out of the barrel, still wearing shorts. Even though it was mid-September, the sun was still overwhelmingly powerful. Looking at the reddened skin on his body, Jiang Ning paid it no mind. After each session of skin membrane refining, after training the Vajra Immortal Body, his skin would always look like this. This was simply because using the refining sand had damaged the surface layer of the skin. As long as he repeatedly ran his Qi-Blood through it, his skin would quickly return to normal. Soon after, He began to practice boxing, moving his Qi-Blood throughout the training, which allowed him to recover from the bodily harm, and the reddened skin would also return to a wheatish color. Over these few months, under the sun¡¯s rays, his skin had long turned a healthy wheat color. As for this change, Jiang Ning was actually quite pleased. Before, his skin had been overly pale, an unhealthy shade of white that did not suggest good health. Now this was the color of healthy skin. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [¡­.] Jiang Ning¡¯s boxing practice speed was getting faster and faster. In two hours, he could practice the boxing technique five times. Each time he practiced the technique, it would bring an increase of one point of Five Animals Fist experience value. It also increased his body¡¯s total Qi-Blood by five strands. Condensing Qi-Blood was extremely taxing on the body. Especially for someone like him, who condensed Qi-Blood Power with such high efficiency. Thus, these days, he had to consume two bottles of Plant Essence every day to sustain his body¡¯s expenditure. This made him feel more and more like a gold-swallowing beast. Before, he had become rich from counter-killing Hong Chengtao and others. Then there was the golden leaf that Cao Bin had brought to him, which at one point made his fortune reach as high as three thousand and four hundred taels of silver. Later, he spent six hundred and sixty-six taels on the residence he now lived in. Then he went to the Wanhua Building and bought fifty bottles of Plant Essence, costing a whole one thousand taels of silver. Now his fortune was left with only seventeen hundred taels of silver, which was about half of what he had at his richest. This was because, when he bought the residence, Manager Tong from the Moon Pavilion was very generous and gave him a huge discount. He dropped the selling price from one thousand six hundred and sixty-six taels to six hundred and sixty-six taels for him. That saved him a thousand taels of silver. Then, at the Wanhua Building, when he bought Plant Essence, he got a twenty percent discount which saved him three hundred taels, and then Manager Han rounded down the amount by wiping off two hundred taels. That saved him a whopping five hundred taels of silver. If it was not for these savings, his wealth would have significantly decreased by another one thousand and five hundred taels. It would have nearly reverted him to a state of poverty. Reflecting on all this made Jiang Ning feel like he was spending money too quickly, just like water flowing away. Afterward. When Jiang Ning¡¯s skin gradually returned to a normal color from his continual boxing practice. He immediately stopped practicing. Then he could hardly wait to take out the skin refining sand and smear it all over his body, rubbing vigorously. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Entry-level 987/1000) Seeing this section on his panel, he knew he was about to break through and reach the level of Stone Skin. So at this moment, he could no longer hold back. Rubbing forcefully, the sand-like skin refining sand rolled repeatedly on the surface of his skin, causing Jiang Ning to feel bursts of pain, and his skin began to turn red, as if stained with blood. Shortly after. The rubbing finished. Hu¡ª¡ª Jiang Ning slowly exhaled the impure energy from his belly, then posed in the third posture recorded in the Vajra Immortal Body manual. He then activated Five Beasts Force to push the Qi-Blood throughout his body, refining his entire body. And he entered a state of inner sight, precisely mobilizing Qi-Blood to repeatedly wash the weaker parts of his skin, the membrane that was still red. The closer the skin membrane was to white, the stronger that part of the skin membrane was, and the closer it was to the state of Stone Skin. [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] [¡­] As Jiang Ning posed in the fourth and fifth postures, his experience value for Vajra Immortal Body kept increasing. Soon. He reached the critical bottleneck. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Entry-level 999/1000) He glanced at his panel, where Vajra Immortal Body was just one point away from the next level. Jiang Ning remained unfazed. Because for him, there were no bottlenecks, no barriers. As long as the experience value reached that step, reached fullness. A quantitative change would produce a qualitative change, and his cultivation technique would break through. [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] When this prompt appeared in front of him again. There was a sudden change on his panel. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Entry-level 999/1000) Instantly turned into. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Master 0/2000) The next moment. While Jiang Ning was still in the state of inner sight. He saw the whiteness wildly spreading on his skin membrane, spreading rapidly. In an instant, the membrane areas that were still red evolved into white. He knew that once the skin membrane of his entire body transformed into white, it signified that he had successfully broken through, stepping into the level of Stone Skin. In this state of frantic transformation, he felt his skin become harder and tighter. His entire body was no longer the kind of deep-seated pain but was filled with a numbing sensation. He could feel as if there were millions of ants moving under the invisible skin. In the blink of an eye. After dozens of breaths. All transformation had ended. Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes, a look of joy on his face. ¡°Success!!!¡± Chapter 113: 40 The Strong Defensive Power of Skin Training Small Success! Chapter 113: Chapter 40 The Strong Defensive Power of Skin Training Small Success! In his own courtyard, Jiang Ning clenched his fists and instantly felt the surging and abundant power within his body. ¡°So strong!¡± ¡°The strength I feel should exceed 1,300 catties!¡± He then stomped his foot. Boom¡ª ... The ground beneath his feet shook at that moment, sending dust flying, and the nearby trees swayed constantly, rustling loudly. ¡°Truly strong!¡± Feeling how his physique coped with the reaction force of this strength, Jiang Ning¡¯s face was full of joy. The next moment. He bent down, casually picking up a gray-white rock from the ground. Immediately, he clenched his fist, exerting force with his fingers and palm together. The muscles in his arm swelled like tree roots. After one breath. He opened his hand, and the gray-white rock in his palm had now turned into a pile of shattered stones. As Jiang Ning opened his right palm, pieces of rock fell to the ground. Hoo¡ª With a blow into his palm, the white ash sticking to it was blown away, revealing his unscathed palm. ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s no injury!¡± Jiang Ning wore a smile and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s try again!¡± Afterward. He took a few steps and came before a rock weighing about thirty to fifty catties. His five fingers closed together, forming a fist. ¡°Break¡ª¡± Jiang Ning uttered lightly. His right hand punched out instantly, unleashing a formidable force. The fist, swift as the wind, heavily struck the rock before him. Boom¡ª With a loud noise. The thirty to fifty catty rock in front of him instantly exploded, with fragments flying in all directions. Feeling no pain in his fist, Jiang Ning reversed his fist towards himself. ¡°Hoo¡ª¡± He blew forcefully again, and the dust on his fist was blown clean, instantly revealing his undamaged skin. ¡°Such impressive defensive power!¡± Jiang Ning smiled once more. His fleshly body clashed head-on with the rock, and although the rock shattered, his fist and palm were free from any injury. This undoubtedly meant that the hardness of his skin had surpassed that of the rocks. Only thus could he remain unscathed. Feeling the changes in his skin¡¯s toughness, Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. Reaching this stage, he considered himself a true Martial Arts Ninth Grade. Stone Skin, compared to Cowhide, was a metamorphosis. Still flesh and blood when likened to cowhide. But being comparable to hard rock was different. A rock is not flesh and blood. Normally in Martial Arts, reaching the level where skin is as hard as stone, the body is as if covered by a layer of rock, with extremely strong defensive power. The Cultivation Technique he practiced for refining his skin was Vajra Immortal Body, the Vajra Temple¡¯s Sect-defining martial arts. Cultivating the Vajra Immortal Body, at any level, would result in a defensive power at least thirty to fifty percent higher than that of an ordinary martial artist at the same level. This was the strength of a top Sect¡¯s defining martial arts. After this simple test, Jiang Ning roughly understood what level his defensive power had reached. His skin had become much harder than ordinary rock. If an ordinary person were to use farm tools like scythes and axes, they would at most inflict some superficial wounds on him, unable to cause serious injury. ¡°Getting this far, I really am fundamentally different from ordinary people! No wonder it is said that only those who reach the ranks of Martial Arts Ninth Grade can stand out from the crowd,¡± Jiang Ning reflected silently. Afterward. Jiang Ning moved aside and picked up his ebony long saber. Clang¡ª He drew the saber from its sheath: ¡°Let¡¯s see if my physique can now withstand the stacking of two-layered power.¡± As his words fell, his right hand also gripped the long saber tightly, with power flowing in his right arm, brewing. The next moment. He suddenly made his move. Holding the saber, he made a chopping motion into empty space. Swish¡ª A sharp sound of air being sliced came through. Under this cut, the air felt like water due to the excessive speed of the saber and the heaviness of its force. As the saber fell, it sliced the air cleanly, leaving a visible trace. After the flash of the saber, the razor-sharp long saber suddenly halted in mid-air. This cut was made in the air. Jiang Ning suddenly felt a strong tearing sensation in his body and the explosive double force in his right arm, creating a heavy burden. After maintaining the saber-holding pose for a full breath, Jiang Ning then circulated power in his right hand and flicked his wrist. The long saber in his right hand flew straight into his left hand. Then. He flexed the fingers of his right hand and then clenched them into a fist, feeling the relaxation and transformation of the muscles and skin in his arm. After repeating this several times, he nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s different now! The overlay of the two-layered power doesn¡¯t put too much strain on my right arm, I can fully withstand it, and I still feel like I have extra strength. My Canglang Blade Skill can proceed to make breakthroughs!¡± [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (Master 1/200) According to the introduction of the blade manual, once the Canglang Blade Skill makes a breakthrough to small success, it can overlay triple power, thus unleashing even more terrifying destructive force. With my current physique, I can completely withstand the explosive force of triple power. Even on reaching great success with the Blade Skill and overlaying five layers of power, I may still be able to endure it, if desperately. With that thought, Jiang Ning had already made up his mind. ¡°In the following days, I¡¯ll focus all my effort on practicing the blade, first breaking through to the realm of small success with the Canglang Blade Skill to see if my body can withstand the explosion of triple power.¡± ¡°If I can, then I will advance the Canglang Blade Skill to great success and master the overlay of five layers of power!¡± ¡°If I can achieve the overlay of five layers of power, I can instantly unleash more than five times my usual might, making me capable of fighting across ranks.¡± ¡°After all, my current physical strength has already surpassed one thousand catties, at around twelve to thirteen hundred catties.¡± ¡°And within the Divine Power Realm of the Martial Arts Eighth Grade, ordinary skilled fighters have around two thousand catties of strength, with the more powerful ones possessing three thousand catties.¡± ¡°Though they are several times stronger than me, if I can overlay five layers of power, my strength would directly amplify by more than five times. In addition to the enhancement from the three breakthroughs of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill, I could instantly unleash more than twenty thousand catties of force.¡± Thinking up to this point, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath of cool air. To burst forth with tens of thousands of catties of force using the body of flesh and blood is indeed astonishing. But as exaggerated as it seems, it is actually quite normal. In his previous life, those top boxers could throw a punch with a force of sixteen hundred catties. And how strong were they? Their single arm strength was at most a few hundred catties. And now, my strength is several times theirs. Moreover, in this world where Martial Arts are prosperous and magical, it¡¯s not excessive to use all sorts of unbelievable powers in tandem with a Middle Grade Martial Arts technique, to explode with such force. Afterwards. Jiang Ning sheathed his blade and his gaze swept over the ground. Then it was immediately drawn by a straight mark on the ground. With a simple glance, he knew the mark on the ground was the result of the air cleaved by his blade, a sword force cut. ¡°That¡¯s really exaggerated!¡± Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help exclaiming, ¡°If this blade had fallen on a soldier in armor, it should have been enough to cut him in two, right?¡± Then he pondered for a moment before shaking his head, ¡°Not necessarily! The Martial Arts in this world are so strong, the techniques of Refining Soldiers must be extraordinary.¡± ¡°With human strength reaching several thousand catties, or even higher, this sort of force could wield a thousand-catty hammer, erupting with tens of thousands of catties of force, or even more. They forge fine iron, capable of smithing metals comparable to the special alloys from my previous life.¡± Thinking of all this, Jiang Ning shook his head again and let out a wry smile. ¡°Forget it!¡± sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Why bother thinking so much!¡± ¡°Continuing to enhance my actual strength is the real priority!¡± ¡­ Afterwards. Jiang Ning took a bath, washing off the dry skin-grinding sand from his body and also the layer of dead skin. After he finished bathing and got dressed, he instantly felt refreshed and reinvigorated. ¡°I haven¡¯t visited the Martial Arts Hall for a few days!¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯ve reached small success in Refining Skin, and achieved skin as tough as stone, a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, it¡¯s a good time to pay a visit to the Martial Arts Hall.¡± Jiang Ning stood in the yard, muttering to himself. Then, he grabbed his ebony long blade and walked straight out of the yard. ¡­ Canglang Martial Arts Hall. ¡°Greetings, Brother Jiang!¡± ¡°Greetings, Brother Jiang!!¡± The two disciples guarding the Martial Arts Hall immediately greeted Jiang Ning with respect as he got off the horse carriage. Jiang Ning responded with a smile and a nod before heading inside the Martial Arts Hall. Backyard of the Martial Arts Hall. As soon as Jiang Ning stepped into the backyard, he found it, usually quiet, now somewhat lively. In the pavilion shaded by large and lush trees, four people were seated and one was standing. The person standing was very familiar to Jiang Ning; she was Li Qing, currently the only female disciple in the Martial Arts Hall. As for the other four individuals, they were all sitting around a stone table. One of them was Wang Jin, but the other two men and a woman Jiang Ning did not recognize. These two men and one woman were not young. The oldest of them appeared to be over forty. From the fact that he was sitting opposite Wang Jin, his standing among the three seemed to be the highest. On either side of him and Wang Jin sat a man and a woman, both around their thirties. From their uniform clothing and the unique badge of a plant and flower on their chests, Jiang Ning could tell that they were all from the same Sect. At this moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s sudden appearance and the noise he created immediately drew the attention of everyone in the pavilion. ¡°Greetings, Master!¡± Jiang Ning bowed to Wang Jin. Wang Jin, who had a calm expression, showed a faint smile upon seeing Jiang Ning. Li Qing, standing behind Wang Jin, waved cheerfully when she saw Jiang Ning. ¡°Junior Brother, come over!¡± ¡°Senior Sister Li!¡± Jiang Ning greeted in return. ¡°Jiang Ning, come here,¡± Wang Jin called out. ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Jiang Ning answered. He then walked forward, and meanwhile, Jiang Ning heard Wang Jin, while smiling, say to the middle-aged man in front of him. ¡°Elder Liu, this is also one of my best disciples, named Jiang Ning.¡± Upon hearing the name Jiang Ning, Elder Liu in front of Wang Jin looked at Jiang Ning with a bit of surprise. ¡°Jiang Ning, I have heard of Wang Brother¡¯s distinguished disciple. They say that Shen Congyun was punished because he helped him and violated the rules of Wanhua Building!¡± Wang Jin nodded, ¡°Elder Liu is right; it is indeed him!¡± As these words were spoken, the man and woman beside Elder Liu also glanced at Jiang Ning. Their gaze lingered on him briefly before they refocused their attention. Chapter 114: 41 Li Qings Foot Chapter 114: Chapter 41 Li Qing¡¯s Foot Martial Arts Hall¡¯s backyard. Elder Liu merely scrutinized Jiang Ning with two glances before shifting his gaze back to Wang Jin. ¡°Brother Wang,¡± he said, returning to the earlier topic, ¡°I don¡¯t know what conditions you might need to order Master Wang to mobilize his stationed troops and the City Guard Army, to join me in the mountains to encircle and suppress the River Dragon Tian Buyi.¡± At that moment, upon hearing the three words ¡°Tian Buyi,¡± Jiang Ning suddenly came to a realization. He thought to himself, ¡°So these three people are from Medicine King Valley.¡± Upon hearing Elder Liu¡¯s words, Wang Jin slowly shook his head and said, ¡°Talking to me is of no use! Although my surname is Wang, I don¡¯t have the influence to make Master Wang do such things! If Elder Liu truly wants to achieve his goal, he would be more effective going to the army camp outside the city to see Master Wang.¡± ... Elder Liu¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but flash a hint of indignation upon hearing this. He took a deep breath and said, ¡°Master Wang, please state your conditions directly. As long as I can fulfill them, I will certainly agree! I also ask Master Wang to help me this time, and I will be indebted to you.¡± Wang Jin slowly shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not that I won¡¯t help, but rather that I lack the ability to help! Elder Liu would be better off going to the county government to sit awhile and find the County Magistrate to mobilize Government Officials and constables, which would be more effective.¡± Upon hearing Wang Jin¡¯s words, Elder Liu also rose to his feet. ¡°Since Master Wang has put it that way, there¡¯s no need for me to shamelessly linger here any longer.¡± ¡°I take my leave!¡± He bowed his hands, turned, and swept away in his robes. The other two seated by the stone table quickly rose and followed him. At this time. Li Qing stood beside Jiang Ning, tilted her head, and whispered into Jiang Ning¡¯s ear, ¡°Brother Jiang, Liu Qingsong doesn¡¯t seem at all like he¡¯s asking for a favor! He can¡¯t put away his pride!¡± Jiang Ning smiled and said, ¡°Senior Sister Li really has keen insight.¡± Li Qing¡¯s expression showed a slight smugness, ¡°That¡¯s all too simple!¡± Meanwhile. Wang Jin watched as Elder Liu left without calling for Jiang Ning or Li Qing to accompany him. It was only after Elder Liu and his two companions had completely disappeared from his sight that Wang Jin looked away. His gaze then fell on Jiang Ning beside him. ¡°How has your martial arts training been going recently, lad?¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning immediately nodded repeatedly, ¡°Back to Master, it has been going smoothly.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Wang Jin nodded slightly and then added, ¡°The event for the Inspection Office in Luoshui County is about twenty days away. Are you confident?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning nodded emphatically. Beside him, Li Qing¡¯s eyes revealed a hint of surprise upon overhearing their conversation. Her gaze surveyed Jiang Ning from top to bottom. ¡°Brother Jiang is so confident; could the rumors I¡¯ve heard about Brother Jiang since my return to Luoshui County be true?¡± ¡°If this is true, it would be rather exaggerated!¡± Li Qing silently mused to herself, her eyes flitting back and forth between Wang Jin and Jiang Ning. Wang Jin spoke up, ¡°Having such confidence is very good!¡± He then asked, ¡°Did you come to find me today for any specific reason?¡± Jiang Ning shook his head, ¡°No reason, I just hadn¡¯t visited the Martial Arts Hall for a few days, so I decided to come by today.¡± ¡°Go on down then,¡± Wang Jin waved his hand, ¡°I still have things to do!¡± ¡°Then¡­ I will take my leave!¡± Jiang Ning bowed his hands. Li Qing also said, ¡°Then, I shall take my leave as well.¡± The two left the backyard of the Martial Arts Hall. Upon exiting, a deep curiosity flashed in Li Qing¡¯s eyes as she looked at Jiang Ning. ¡°Why is Senior Sister Li looking at me like that?¡± Jiang Ning asked. ¡°Brother Jiang, I just got back to Luoshui County a few days ago and heard many tales about you. Having just overheard the conversation between Master Wang and Brother Jiang, I¡¯m very curious about Brother Jiang¡¯s abilities. How about a friendly spar with me?¡± Li Qing said to Jiang Ning, her demeanor eager to try. Upon hearing Li Qing¡¯s words, Jiang Ning immediately shook his head. ¡°Senior Sister Li, let¡¯s not. I¡¯m not really interested in sparring!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a say in this!¡± Li Qing responded instantly. No sooner had her words fallen than she spun around, her right leg whipping towards Jiang Ning¡¯s face like a lash. Beneath this swing of her leg, the sound of the wind whistled sharply. At this moment, Jiang Ning saw the move. His left hand¡¯s fingers curled in a flash, like the talons of an eagle, and with ease, he caught Li Qing¡¯s sweeping right leg at the ankle. Snap¡ª The instant their forces collided, a crisp sound echoed. In this moment, Li Qing only felt her leg strike against a thick wall, utterly immovable. Then she stared at Jiang Ning, her eyes widening in disbelief. Her right leg had been blocked by Jiang Ning¡¯s palm and then seized by his fingers. She realized that she had underestimated Jiang Ning. Because, No matter who it was, leg strength surpassed arm strength. This was also one of the advantages of leg techniques. If two people of equal strength faced her whip-like strike, Not to mention capturing her leg, they wouldn¡¯t even dare to block it directly. But now, her leg, spun into a whipping lash, had been effortlessly blocked by Jiang Ning¡¯s raised hand. Moreover, he had taken the opportunity to capture her leg, making a sense of dread flash through her heart. ¡°Could it be that Brother Jiang¡¯s strength is far superior to mine?¡± Li Qing couldn¡¯t help but have this thought, immediately followed by her shaking her head. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! How long has Brother Jiang been practicing martial arts for his strength to exceed mine? Even if he truly has reached Martial Arts Nine Grade, it¡¯s the same level as mine. How could his arm strength be far greater than my leg strength?¡± As this thought crossed her mind, Li Qing¡¯s right leg tensed once again. Jiang Ning instantly felt Li Qing¡¯s leg muscles suddenly stiffen, as she tried to break free from his grasp. Sensing Li Qing¡¯s intention, Jiang Ning slightly eased his grip, giving Li Qing a bit of face. After one breath, The two looked at each other, eye to eye. ¡°Give me back my shoe!¡± Li Qing¡¯s face suddenly turned a shade redder. For just as she strained her right leg to break free from Jiang Ning¡¯s binding grip, her shoe had been pulled off, leaving her feeling utterly embarrassed. At that moment, Jiang Ning felt as though he was about to die. With Li Qing¡¯s shoe off, a sour and stinky odor shot straight up to the crown of his head. The more sensitive the sense of smell, the more terrible it was. Now with extraordinary senses, even without intentionally enhancing his senses, his were far beyond those of an ordinary person, including his sense of smell. It nearly brought his last night¡¯s dinner back up. Upon hearing Li Qing¡¯s words, Jiang Ning quickly held his breath and tossed her shoe back to her. ¡°Senior Sister Li, I¡¯m going to take my leave first!¡± said Jiang Ning, turning and leaving. It wasn¡¯t until he hurried out of the Martial Arts Hall that Jiang Ning finally took a deep breath. ¡°That was terrifying!¡± he sighed. Then to himself he thought, the popular science knowledge from my previous life did not deceive me, a woman¡¯s feet truly are seven times smellier than a man¡¯s. People who practiced martial arts sweated more, and the odor was even more horrific. Thinking back to the scene just now, a chill ran down Jiang Ning¡¯s spine. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 115: 42 Mastering a New Skill Chapter 115: Chapter 42 Mastering a New Skill After leaving the Martial Arts Hall, Jiang Ning went straight back to his house in the east of the city, adjacent to the Luoshui River. Back in his yard. : Canglang Blade Skill (Master 1/200) He glanced at his panel. ¡°The next plan is to first practice the saber! With small success in the saber technique, you can stack Triple Power explosive force.¡± ¡°With Great Success in the saber technique, you can stack Five Layers of Power explosive force.¡± ... ¡°With my current efficiency in practicing the saber, by temporarily setting aside the practice of Refining Skin and Five Animals Fist and focusing solely on the saber, it will take at most a few days to achieve small success with the Canglang Blade Skill.¡± Having made up his mind, Jiang Ning drew his blade from its sheath. Swoosh¡ª With a crisp sound, the long blade was instantly unsheathed from his hand. Just as he was about to practice the blade. Standing on the small slope in his yard, looking at the Luoshui to the east, Jiang Ning had a pensive look on his face. The Canglang Blade Skill was inspired by the endless tumultuous waves of the river. And right now, on the Luoshui, the winds were fierce, and the waves were raging. Even at this moment, standing in his own yard, Jiang Ning could feel the gale blowing from the surface of the lake. ¡°This saber technique is inspired by the endless tumultuous waves of the rivers. Might my efficiency increase if I enter the water to practice the saber?¡± Upon this realization, a glint of enlightenment flashed in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s worth a try!¡± Having made his decision. Swoosh¡ª He tossed the blade¡¯s sheath to the side on the grass and leaped. In a few bounds, he quickly left his yard. After climbing over the tall boundary wall, Jiang Ning arrived in front of a stretch of Rough Stone Beach. Behind him was the large mansion he had previously purchased. In front of him lay the Luoshui Lake with wind-swept waves. Rumble rumble¡ª Waves driven by the fierce wind surged toward him¡ªsplashing upon Chaotic Beach, bursting into countless white sprays. Seeing the fierce wind and tumultuous waves before him. Jiang Ning took a deep breath. The next moment. He leaped. Boom¡ª His legs released terrifying explosive power, shattering the stones beneath him, his form soaring like a great eagle. In a single leap, he covered dozens of yards. Landing on a piece of broken rock, he pushed off with his legs once more. Boom¡ª The shattered stones under his feet were once again forcefully kicked apart by him. After several more leaps and bounds, he plunged into the tumultuous Luoshui Lake, holding his icy long saber in hand. Upon entering the lake, Jiang Ning immediately felt a surge of waves rushing toward him, the water pushing his body, tumbling him around as if he were in a rolling washing machine. ¡°Such strong undercurrents!¡± exclaimed Jiang Ning inwardly. Quickly, he worked hard to adjust his posture and stabilize himself. After about thirty minutes. Suddenly, there came an epiphany. Following the flow of the water, Jiang Ning quickly adjusted his posture. At the same time, a prompt appeared before him. [Swimming Experience Value +1] : Swimming (Beginner 1/100) Seeing his panel at that moment, Jiang Ning had a moment of clarity. ¡°So that¡¯s it, I somehow stumbled upon the Skill of Swimming, no wonder I feel much more adapted to the water.¡± The next moment. He energetically pushed through the lake, moving deeper. Because he needed to go to the deep-water area in order to practice the saber without restrictions. In the shallow near-shore area, he could be swept away by a large wave at any moment, then smashed against Rough Stone Beach. A while later. He had penetrated several dozen yards deeper into the center of Luoshui Lake. ¡°That should be enough!¡± Jiang Ning surfaced, looked back at the shore, and murmured to himself. He then turned to look toward the center of the lake, which seemed endless, like the sea. As for the actual size of Luoshui Lake, Jiang Ning didn¡¯t know. Because nobody had actually measured it, there were only speculations and records. Some said that Luoshui Lake covered more than 70,000 square miles, others said it was 100,000 square miles, and some even claimed it was 230,000 to 300,000 square miles. These claims, nobody knew which were true and which were false. But all who lived near Luoshui Lake knew it was immense, truly immense! As if it had no boundaries. Jiang Ning thought any of these speculations could be true, or perhaps the actual size of Luoshui Lake was even much larger. Because in his previous life, he had visited the lake known as the largest in the world, which measured over 300,000 square miles in area. Let alone in this magical world. : Water Element (Beginner 10/100) Looking at his panel once more, Jiang Ning thought to himself. ¡°This experience value is rising so fast! At this rate, if I spend a few days in the water, I should be able to reach Perfection and then Break Limit!¡± The next moment. He gently kicked the lake beneath him, allowing half of his body to surface. Then he slowly exhaled the impure energy from his belly. Although he felt that he could hold his breath for much longer, even after nearly an hour (one stick of incense), his lung capacity had become so vast after refining his internal organs and with the breakthroughs of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. This nearly one stick of incense¡¯s worth of breath-holding time was far from his limit. But in order to practice the saber without disturbance later, he chose to first surface and breathe before diving back into the water to practice the blade. Three breaths later. He had replaced all the impure air in his belly with fresh air. Then he plunged back into the lake. [Swimming Experience Value +1] His vision once again flashed with a prompt. Jiang Ning was indifferent to it. A moment later, he sank several fathoms. He gripped the long saber in his hand, recalling the practice methods of the Canglang Saber Technique. The next instant, he began practicing his saber technique. As the blade in his hand moved, it split the flowing water, and he felt the resistance of the heavy currents, felt how his saber technique stirred the undercurrents. At the same time, surges of currents attacked him. Beneath the surface of the lake, a glint flashed in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes as he made an instant decision. No longer going with the undercurrents, he chose to resist them. Immediately, Power coursed through his muscles, and with one slash, he cut through a surge. Then there was another slash, and then another. Even while he was resisting the forces of nature, he was still practicing the Canglang Saber Technique. The undercurrents were endless, and so were the slashes from his hand, one after another, never stopping. [Canglang Saber Technique Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Canglang Saber Technique Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Canglang Saber Technique Experience Value +2] [¡­] [¡­] Watching the frequency with which prompts appeared before his eyes, Jiang Ning felt extremely satisfied. Judging by the speed of increase in experience value, he confirmed that practicing the saber in the lake was indeed effective. Moreover, resisting the surges and the forces of nature gave him the occasional sense of accomplishment. At the same time, as his experience value for the Canglang Saber Technique grew, his experience value for Swimming was also rising rapidly. The experience value of two skills was increasing at the same time, bringing him double the harvest. His mood was naturally extremely uplifted. After half an hour, Jiang Ning leapt out of the water. ¡°Ha¡ª¡± ¡°Ha¡ª¡± He rapidly expelled the impure energy from his belly, breathing in the fresh air voraciously. After a few breaths, his rapid panting gradually returned to a calm pace. ¡°Even while practicing the saber, to be able to hold my breath for half an hour, my lung capacity is indeed extraordinary,¡± Jiang Ning mumbled to himself, his expression revealing a hint of joy. Testing his lung capacity this time left him exceptionally pleased. Practicing the saber was incredibly strenuous and consumed a great deal of physical strength. Under these circumstances, he could hold his breath underwater for a full half hour, which was certainly a satisfaction. If it were under normal conditions, it meant he could last for at least two hours. This had already surpassed the limits of the mundane. To Jiang Ning, this was transcendent. [Skill]: Canglang Saber Technique (Master 11/100) He glanced at his own panel again, and Jiang Ning¡¯s expression immediately brightened. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s really completely different!!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only been practicing the saber in the lake for about half an hour, and it¡¯s already brought a ten-point increase to my experience value in the Canglang Saber Technique!¡± ¡°At this rate, I can breakthrough the small success of the saber skill today!¡± ¡°The efficiency is exaggerated!!¡± [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Triple Break Limit 4000/4000) (Trait: touch and understand, Blade like a Swift Wind, God-like Blade Control) [God-like Blade Control]: Increases affinity with sabers and improves talent in the way of the saber. ¡°Perhaps it also has to do with the new trait I acquired from recently breaking the limit of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill.¡± He glanced at the Chopping Wood Blade Skill section on his panel and mumbled to himself. Soon after, his gaze shifted slightly downward. [Skill]: Swimming (Beginner 48/100) ¡°The efficiency of progress in the Swimming skill is really quite fast; it¡¯s almost more than halfway there!¡± ¡°Practicing the saber in the lake waters seems to be immensely beneficial to me!¡± ¡°It allows me to increase experience values for both skills at the same time, and I can look forward to the trait I¡¯ll get after breaking the limit of Swimming.¡± ¡°After all, the first break limit costs only ten Source Energy Points, and given the rate at which my Source Energy Points are increasing, I¡¯ll have enough in three or four days!¡± Then, after he thoroughly caught his breath at the surface of the lake, Jiang Ning dove back into the waters to continue his saber practice. Another hour and a half went by. [Skill]: Swimming (Master 0/200) At the moment Swimming broke through, advancing from beginner to master, Jiang Ning instantly felt different. Beneath the surge of the currents, he could clearly sense the changes in the water flow; he could adjust his position with ease in the midst of the undercurrents. At this moment in the water, he felt as comfortable as a fish in water, and he also felt exceptionally safe. Unlike just before when, despite knowing that the lake¡¯s undercurrents couldn¡¯t do him any harm, he still couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit uncertain. The kind of uncertainty that comes from not having solid ground under one¡¯s feet. Now that Swimming had broken through to the master level, that feeling of uncertainty had completely vanished. After briefly testing and feeling the changes in himself, Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. He saw the Swimming skill as a particularly practical one. If there were dangers in the future, with his outstanding swimming ability, once he entered the water, he would be like a fish in the ocean; who could contend with him? Thus, he valued this skill highly. It was a very practical skill, and now increasing experience points for this skill was incredibly simple, which made him even more satisfied. Chapter 116: 43: Triple Power Explosion, Breakthrough in Sword Technique! Chapter 116: Chapter 43: Triple Power Explosion, Breakthrough in Sword Technique! Luoshui Lake. Moonlight bright, stars scarce. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh¡ª Strong waves surged, splashing forth. At this moment, Luoshui Lake was enshrouded in a layer of light mist. Upon the vast surface of the lake, there were nothing but waves and mist, nothing else existed. ... Only sparse lights could be seen from the distant shore. Suddenly. Whoosh¡ª Waves splashed across the surface of the lake. Shortly thereafter, a head rose from the water. It was none other than Jiang Ning. He shook off the water droplets from his hair, then wiped away the trickling water on his face. [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (Master 195/200) ¡°I¡¯m just five points away from a breakthrough!¡± He murmured to himself. Afterwards, he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled the impure energy from his belly. During this repetitive process, he could feel the plant essence in his belly continuously releasing medicinal power, constantly replenishing his stamina. ¡°I¡¯m getting a bit tired!¡± he exhaled slowly and said to himself, ¡°Practice once more, break through to small success with the blade skill, and then go back to sleep! Haven¡¯t even had dinner yet!¡± The next moment. He dove back into the lake. He began to practice his blade skills underwater. As he practiced, the experience value for the Canglang Blade Skill continued to increase. [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +2] [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] When the last notification appeared, the Canglang Blade Skill had accumulated enough experience value and smoothly achieved a breakthrough. [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (Small Success 0/500) At that moment, Jiang Ning closed his eyes immediately and stopped practicing the blade. In his mind suddenly emerged countless images, all scenes of his blade practice from today. One slash and then another; the continuous sword force and the undulating undercurrents were all dispersed by his blade. Viewing these images, insight about the blade skill flashed wildly in his mind, emerging profusely. With his eyes closed, those images replayed over and over again. Each review made Jiang Ning feel as if he had practiced the blade skill once more. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Time seemed to lose its meaning, as though it was but an instant and yet also an eternity. When he finally opened his eyes underwater, it seemed as if a flash of blade light flickered in them¡ªsharp and brilliant. His right hand gripped the long blade tightly, power circulating within his grasp. Majestic and vigorous, ready to burst forth at any moment. ¡°Triple power!¡± Jiang Ning felt the change inside him and his expression brightened. The next moment. He activated his power. ¡°Break¡ª¡± Underwater, he shouted loudly. An inch before his mouth, water exploded. His long blade also suddenly slashed down. Boom¡ª A roaring sound resounded in front of him. Under his blade, the water wave was instantly split apart. The undercurrents rushing towards him also shattered. The water in front of him was cleaved into a hollow. Centering around the point where his blade tip fell, the lake water dispersed in all directions. As though his single strike had cleaved a vacuum. One breath later. The lake water reconverged, quickly filling up the hollow. Feeling the pain in his right arm like acupuncture, Jiang Ning cracked a smile. The next moment. He stepped on the lake water and swiftly rose upwards. Soon, he was above the surface of the lake. Exhaling deeply, he took in the fresh air. [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (small success 0/500) After glancing at his panel again, his face instantly filled with satisfaction. In less than a day, the Canglang Blade Skill had progressed from Master to small success, a tremendous improvement. And his physique had indeed reached the realm of Stone Skin. He had just slightly tested it and found that his current physique could barely withstand the explosion of Triple power. It was much easier than when he had first reached Martial Arts Nine Grade with the resilience of cowhide, facing the explosion of two-layered power. At that moment. He stepped on the lake water, with half of his body emerging from the surface. He switched the knife from his right hand to his left. Then he clenched his right hand, still feeling the fine pain in his muscles, as if being pricked by needles. ¡°Although adding Triple power puts quite a strain on me, I can just about manage it!¡± ¡°With my current condition, bursting out more than ten times isn¡¯t a problem!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Then he nodded contentedly. ¡°Bursting out more than ten times, that¡¯s enough! That should end the fight!¡± ¡°If I cannot kill with a Triple power burst, there¡¯s no point in fighting, as the enemy would be far beyond my strength!¡± Afterward. He dove into the water, swiftly swimming towards the shore. Even though the lake surface was still restless, filled with gusts and waves, with his current strength and stamina, as well as his excellent Swimming skill, these waves could not affect him. He swam through the water like a fish. [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Swimming (small success 46/500) ¡°Small success level in Swimming makes me feel like a fisherman who has lived by the water for over a decade!¡± ¡°If I reach Great Success, Perfection, or even Break Limit, how exaggerated would my Swimming be?¡± ¡°If in the future a powerful enemy chases me, once I enter the water, I¡¯ll be like a dragon entering the sea; who could catch me?¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself, feeling extremely pleased. Today¡¯s unexpected acquisition of the Swimming skill, such a delightful surprise, put him in an excellent mood. Afterward. After feeling the changes in his Swimming skill, he made a decision. He would continue practicing with the knife in water tomorrow. He aimed to let his blade skill achieve a breakthrough to Great Success early and master the technique of adding Five Layers of power. After the recent test of adding Triple power, he had a rough idea of his own physique. Adding Five Layers of power might cause irreversible damage to his right arm. But, when faced with a life-threatening crisis, between losing his right arm and completely losing his life, any sane person knew what choice to make. He didn¡¯t necessarily need to use the technique of Five Layers, but he couldn¡¯t afford not to master it. This was the difference between being proactive and being passive. Moreover, practicing the Canglang Blade Skill in water would also quickly enhance his Swimming skill. Just today, in only a few hours, this skill had progressed from beginner to its current level of small success. With this rate, he could reach Perfection in just a day or two. Even Break Limit would not take much longer. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, whether it was the enhancement of the Canglang Blade Skill or Swimming, both were crucial for increasing his chances of survival. With this panel, he knew that nothing was more important than staying alive. As long as he lived, and lived long enough, he would eventually become invincible with this panel. Therefore, he could elect not to use the Five Layers power, but he couldn¡¯t afford not to master it. Just as the saying goes, having no sword in hand, and having a sword but not using it are two different things. Furthermore, if his Swimming continued to improve, being by the Luoshui River, should he face danger or encounter a powerful enemy in the future, once he entered the water, that would be his domain. He believed that once his Swimming skill reached Break Limit, normally speaking, no one in this world could surpass his Swimming skills. Chapter 117: 44 Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill Chapter 117: Chapter 44 Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill By the Luoshui River. Bathed in moonlight, Jiang Ning¡¯s figure leapt several times and quickly returned from the Rough Stone Beach to his own courtyard. He went to the kitchen. Immediately, Jiang Ning smelled the enticing aroma from the kitchen and the crackling sounds of burning wood. Creak¡ª A sound of a rotating bearing followed, and the wooden door of the kitchen was pushed open by Jiang Ning. ... ¡°Big brother?¡± Jiang Ning was slightly astonished to see the man cooking inside. Jiang Li¡¯s head, which had been hanging low, suddenly shook, and then his figure trembled. He was clearly startled by Jiang Ning¡¯s voice. Then he turned around and saw Jiang Ning standing at the kitchen doorway. Jiang Li couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Ah, brother!¡± His expression slightly alarmed, he then asked, ¡°Brother, what happened to you?¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s clothes were soaked with lake water, dripping constantly all over. Because of his soaked feet, a puddle of water had accumulated at the kitchen doorway. Hearing Jiang Li¡¯s question, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. ¡°Nothing much! I just went into the water to practice some saber skills, so my clothes are wet.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Li immediately relaxed, ¡°So that¡¯s it!¡± Then he quickly got up and said, ¡°Brother, you must be hungry after practicing for so long! I¡¯ve kept the dishes warm, so eat while they¡¯re still hot!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jiang Ning nodded calmly. But at this moment, his heart felt rather touched. At that time. Jiang Li also lifted the pot lid, and instantly, steam rose, and the scent of the dishes abruptly filled the entire kitchen. Gurgle¡ª Smelling the fragrance of the dishes in the air, Jiang Ning¡¯s stomach couldn¡¯t help but rumble. A moment later. Jiang Li, seeing Jiang Ning starting to eat the dishes ravenously, also set his mind at ease. ¡°Brother, eat slowly! Just leave the dishes and utensils here after eating, I¡¯ll wash them early tomorrow morning! I need to go accompany Wanwan now, she can¡¯t sleep without me!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded repeatedly, ¡°Okay! Go ahead, big brother!¡± Watching Jiang Li¡¯s departing figure, Jiang Ning inwardly sighed. Having a family really feels great! At least one wouldn¡¯t feel lonely and cold alone! Then, his gaze fell upon Jiang Li¡¯s right arm, which was swaying slightly back and forth. ¡°Big brother¡¯s arm is now completely disabled; if not for the exceptional medical techniques in this world, big brother¡¯s right arm would have had to be amputated to save his life back then.¡± ¡°Now, although big brother¡¯s life is no longer in danger, his right arm has completely necrotized!¡± ¡°I wonder if there will ever be a chance for by brother¡¯s right arm to heal.¡± Watching Jiang Li¡¯s departing figure, Jiang Ning silently muttered to himself. Then, he quickly devoured the dishes that Jiang Li had kept warm. A moment later. Burp¡ª Jiang Ning patted his stomach and said, ¡°I¡¯m full!¡± Then, looking at the messy table, Jiang Ning started to clean up. After tidying up, he washed up a bit before returning to his room to sleep. ¡­ Two days later. On the edge of a small island with rugged rocks. Huff¡ª A man emerged from the water, gasping for air. This person was Jiang Ning. This island was the deserted island he had accidentally discovered two days ago while practicing saber skills in the Luoshui Lake. The island was not far from his residence, merely about three to five kilometers. For him, three to five kilometers, even in water, didn¡¯t take much time. It didn¡¯t even require the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. After discovering the unique terrain of the deserted island, Jiang Ning felt incredibly elated. On the southeast side of this deserted island, there was a cliff that was constantly being battered by huge waves, creating a scene of rugged rocks under the impact of the water. Most importantly, this spot was constantly beset by large waves year-round, stirring undercurrents below the lake¡¯s surface due to the terrain, exceptionally suitable for his saber practice and improving his swimming skills. Because such fierce wind and waves like the other day were rare in Luoshui Lake. But this place was perennially swept by large waves, battering against the rocky cliffs. This was undoubtedly a natural and stable place suitable for his saber practice. Therefore, when Jiang Ning found this deserted island, he felt an immense surprise. Rising from the lake, after a short period of catching his breath, Jiang Ning swam towards the shore of the cliff. A few minutes later, he successfully reached the shore. Then, using his hands and feet, he climbed up the steep cliff, his figure agile like a White Ape. Soon, he had successfully scaled the cliff, about five or six meters high. Standing on the cliff, looking at the vast expanse of the lake, Jiang Ning felt extremely relaxed. Moreover, due to the enhanced acuity of his senses, his eyesight was terrifyingly sharp. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Even though he was three to five kilometers away, he could clearly see the residence by the lake. He could even make out the vines and flowers climbing on the fence. Afterward, he withdrew his gaze and looked at his panel. ¡°Skills¡±: Canglang Blade Skill (Small Success 477/500) Swimming (Perfection 683/1000) ¡°` ¡­ ¡°In a few hours, my Canglang Blade Skill will break through to Great Success, and I¡¯ll complete my first Break Limit in swimming!¡± ¡°This is a place worth looking forward to!¡± Thinking of this, Jiang Ning¡¯s face revealed a touch of joy. Then. He picked up a thumb-sized white jade bottle from the side, which contained Plant Essence. These days, it was because of the Plant Essence that he could practice daily without exhausting his body. After opening the white jade bottle, he titled his head back and poured the greenish liquid into his throat. As a cool sensation entered his throat, Jiang Ning felt a thrilling sensation throughout his body, refreshing and clearing his mind. Then, as the Medicinal Power evaporated, his somewhat depleted body gradually recovered. He sat on the cliff, feeling the lake breeze with a hint of a fishy smell, quietly sensing his body¡¯s recovery. ¡­ At the same time. On the other side. ¡°Ptui¡ª¡± The bearded Tian Buyi climbed ashore from the water and spat a mouthful of blood-stained phlegm onto the ground. Seeing the blood mixed with his phlegm, his face immediately turned very ugly. ¡°Damn it, this Liu Qingsong is insane! Is he chasing me so closely because I slept with his wife or killed his offspring!¡± Then. ¡°Ssst¡ª¡± He couldn¡¯t help but inhale a breath of cold air, rubbing his chest. ¡°This damn guy, his palm strike is really substantial. My chest is so painful; I must have internal injuries!¡± ¡°Thankfully, my swimming skills are exceptionally good; otherwise, it would have been difficult to escape that old man¡¯s chase!¡± ¡°Damn it! If I get a chance, I will definitely take my revenge.¡± While cursing under his breath, Tian Buyi continued rubbing his chest and looking around. A moment later. Tian Buyi murmured to himself, ¡°It seems I¡¯ve come to an uninhabited island on Luoshui Lake, which is a good hiding spot.¡± ¡°With my swimming skills, even if Liu Qingsong finds me, how can he get me if I jump into the water?¡± During his monologue, Tian Buyi took out a small porcelain bottle from his bosom and poured out a few pills the size of soybeans. Then he slapped his palm to his mouth, and the pills fell into his throat. As he swallowed slightly, the pills entered his stomach. He started circulating his Qi-Blood, allowing the pills to dissolve quickly and disperse their Medicinal Power. After a short while. Exhale¡ª Tian Buyi lightly exhaled a breath from his chest, and his face immediately looked much better. Then, he took out a golden brocade box from his bosom. After opening the brocade box, he saw two round, extremely golden pills in the depressed compartment. The two pills, about the size of pigeon eggs, shone brilliantly under the sunlight. Looking at the remaining two pills, a glint of intoxication flashed in Tian Buyi¡¯s eyes. ¡°Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills, the effects of this pill are indeed domineering!¡± ¡°Currently, without even fully assimilating one, my strength has increased by over 300 pounds.¡± ¡°If given half a year to assimilate these three Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills, I will far surpass the common Divine Power Realm Great Success, with my strength reaching over 3000 pounds.¡± ¡°Moreover, most importantly, as I assimilate the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill inside me, I can clearly feel my constitution improving, which will broaden my path in Martial Arts.¡± ¡°Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills, these are the divine pills that can improve one¡¯s constitution.¡± Muttering to himself, Tian Buyi showed a look of emotion and added, ¡°It¡¯s no wonder it came from Medicine King Valley and was a tribute to Prince Huaian!¡± Tian Buyi carefully sniffed the two Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills inside the box. Even though the remaining two pills were wrapped in a pill coating with no outflow of any scent, his expression remained intoxicated. From these Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills, he saw a broader prospect for his Martial Arts future. After admiring his spoils, which also happened to be the cause of his continual pursuit by Medicine King Valley, Tian Buyi then closed the box containing the pills and carefully stored it away. Then. He lightly tapped several acupoints on his body, coordinating with his Qi-Blood circulation. A moment later. ¡°Whoa¡ª¡± Tian Buyi spit out a mouthful of congestion, staining the rocks in front of him a dark red color. ¡°Finally feeling much better!¡± His face then took on a hint of rosiness. Immediately, he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. ¡°Cough cough¡ª¡± Suddenly, he coughed heavily a few times. Opening his right hand which was covering his mouth, his expression slightly changed. ¡°Damn it, these internal injuries are so severe?¡± ¡°I still underestimated him!¡± ¡°No wonder, being an elder of Medicine King Valley, not only does he look young, but his Qi-Blood hasn¡¯t declined much. Just one palm strike caused me such a heavy internal injury!¡± He glanced once more at the outline of the buildings on the shore. ¡°This can¡¯t go on! If I continue to stay in Luoshui County, it¡¯s only a matter of time before Liu Qingsong finds me again.¡± ¡°I was no match for him at my peak, and I¡¯m even less so now!¡± ¡°I need to find Jiang Ning as soon as possible, kill him, fulfill my promise to Cao Rong, then I can peacefully leave and escape Dongling County.¡± ¡°Wait a year or a half, after I assimilate the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill in my stomach and the remaining two, even if I encounter Liu Qingsong again, I won¡¯t be afraid!¡± ¡°According to the information I gathered a few days ago, Jiang Ning resides around the area of the Luoshui Riverbank. After I heal my injuries, I¡¯ll go find him!¡± Thinking of this. Tian Buyi looked around, found a comfortable spot, and once again took out the pills, initiating the circulation of his internal Qi-Blood to heal his internal injuries. ¡°` Chapter 118: 45: Swimming Break Limit, New Trait (Two in One, Extra Update) Chapter 118: Chapter 45: Swimming Break Limit, New Trait (Two in One, Extra Update) On the deserted island. After Jiang Ning adjusted his state, he picked up the blade beside him and leaped toward a cliff platform below. Boom¡ª The platform dropped a full twenty feet, and as he jumped down, the platform beneath his feet suddenly cracked with the breaking of stones. After controlling his power slightly, he leaped again. ... Boom¡ª He landed on a protruding rock column about ten feet away. The height had decreased nearly another twenty feet. Then he leaped once more. Boom¡ª And landed on another rock. Because of his landing, the rock below emitted another thunderous roar. After three consecutive jumps, the cliff that was originally five or six zhang high was now above his head. He was now intimately familiar with the terrain on this side of the deserted island. Where there were hidden reefs underwater, where there were visible reefs around, all were in his mind. Then he moved, jumping and diving in a few fluid motions. Each landing was on the slightly raised reefs. Two breaths later. Splash¡ª Following the sound of entering water, Jiang Ning dove into the water. He quickly reached the spot where he had previously been practicing. Standing on the watery rock, his five toes gripped hard on the stone. Then he began to practice his blade technique. The long blade in his hand moved faster and heavier with each swing, every stroke cleaved through the turbulent undercurrents rushing toward him. Standing at the bottom, he was like a solitary guard whom no army could open. Every wave and surge, once it came within ten feet in front of him, was cleaved apart by the long blade in his hand. [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +2] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [¡­] As he practiced his blade technique underwater, the experience values for the Canglang Blade Skill and Swimming on his panel kept increasing. An hour later, he emerged from the water. [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (small success 489/500) Swimming (Perfection 729/1000) ¡­ After glancing at his panel, a bright light flashed in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. ¡°Not bad! One more time, and my Canglang Blade Skill will break through to Great Success.¡± ¡°With that, I¡¯ll be able to unleash the burst of Five Layers of power!¡± ¡°This will become my true ace, giving me the qualification to fight for my life against powerful opponents!¡± The next moment, after catching his breath, Jiang Ning took another deep breath of fresh air, then dove back into the water. [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [¡­] As prompts flashed by, Jiang Ning¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he continued to practice his blade technique underwater. In the blink of an eye, [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (small success 499/500) Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning¡¯s face turned slightly red. He could feel the oxygen in his belly gradually depleting. But with just the last bit of experience value needed, the breakthrough of his blade technique was imminent. He decided not to surface for air, choosing instead to persist underwater for a moment longer. ¡­ [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] As this prompt flashed by, [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 0/1000) Accompanying the breakthrough of his blade technique, Jiang Ning once again felt the transformation he had experienced a few days ago. It seemed as though time passed in an instant, yet it also felt like a long while. When Jiang Ning opened his eyes from meditation and looked at his panel again, he knew that his Canglang Blade Skill had truly broken through to Great Success. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He activated his power slightly, and the surging power circulated within his body, captivating him. Feeling the power flowing through his right arm, Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. ¡°I can indeed master the stacking of Five Layers of power! Starting today, I have another deadly weapon for life-and-death battles!¡± The next moment, he leaped in the water, moving through it like a fish with seamless ease. The water flowed past his body as if offering no resistance at all, but rather seemed to provide assistance, making his upward leaping form even more swift. Ever since his Swimming reached Perfection, Jiang Ning felt an intimate connection with the water. Being in the water not only didn¡¯t frighten him but instead gave him a sense of security as if he had returned home, calming his heart. More crucially, his speed in the water had also dramatically increased compared to before. He could traverse over a dozen meters in a single breath. This speed was incredibly exaggerated. Indeed, water resistance is surprisingly high. Let alone humans, even a strong archer¡¯s arrow, after shooting into the water, would soon lose any lethality. As he knew, even the bullets of the past world, known for their alarming lethality, would lose their effectiveness within less than a meter under water. All of this was due to the resistance of water. Yet now, he was able to burst forth with such speed in the water, a speed surpassing most aquatic creatures. Many fish did not have his speed. The reason for all this was that his Swimming had now reached the level of Perfection. A few breaths later, he was back at the surface of the lake. ¡°Ha¡ª¡± He exhaled the impure energy from his belly and eagerly breathed a few breaths of fresh air. After a few rounds, his accelerated heartbeat due to the lack of oxygen returned to normal. His breathing also became steady. ¡°How powerful will my Canglang Blade Skill be when it unleashes the Five Layers burst of power with Great Success?¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s face revealed a relaxed expression. Having more ways to save his own life gave him an increasing sense of security. And security was something he had always lacked. Coming to such a world, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart could never be at ease. Afterward, he took another deep breath and dove back into the water. Chapter 119: 45 Break Limit of Swimming, New Trait (Two in One, Extra Update)_2 Chapter 119: Chapter 45 Break Limit of Swimming, New Trait (Two in One, Extra Update)_2 He continued to immerse himself in the water for a very simple reason. That was to increase his Swimming Experience Value and incidentally practice his saber technique. Although his saber skills couldn¡¯t be used even if he broke through again, and even if he mastered the explosion of the Nine Layers of Strength, he still needed to go into the water for the sake of increasing his Swimming Experience Value. [Skill]: Swimming (Perfection 793/1000) He only needed a little over two hundred points to reach a thousand points of Swimming Experience Value. He was full of anticipation for breaking the limit of his Swimming skill. ... Moreover, the Swimming Experience Value increased very quickly. Based on his understanding over the past few days, he would only need to stay in the water for a little over two hours to earn those two hundred points. Since going into the water, he might as well practice his saber technique, so as to not waste time and maximize efficiency. Therefore, this time his main purpose for entering the water was to increase the Swimming Experience Value to attempt to Break Limit for the first time. As for the increase in the Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value, that was merely incidental. ¡­ Upon entering the water, Jiang Ning returned to his previous spot. Then, he continued to practice his saber technique. [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +2] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [¡­] Looking at the simultaneously increasing Experience Value of the two skills, he felt a hint of joy. ¡­ In the blink of an eye. More than two hours had passed. [Skill]: Swimming (Perfection 999/1000) He glanced at his panel. ¡°Just a little more Experience Value to go!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself, and at this moment, his expression was noticeably invigorated. After a short while. [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] When the prompt appeared again in front of him. [Skill]: Swimming+ (1000/1000) The Experience Value for the Swimming skill was completely filled, and a new plus sign appeared next to Swimming. Seeing this plus sign, Jiang Ning felt a surge of joy. ¡°I can finally Break Limit. I wonder what new trait will emerge from breaking the limit of the Swimming skill?¡± With this thought, his gaze fell on his panel. [Source Energy]: 87.8 With a thought, the Source Energy Points instantly started to decrease rapidly. In the blink of an eye, they had dropped by ten. [Source Energy]: 77.8 After lingering on this number for a moment, it stayed put. ¡°As expected, the first time breaking the limit of Swimming also costs ten Source Energy Points,¡± Jiang Ning said quietly to himself. Then his gaze fell on the next line of his panel. [Skill]: Swimming (First Limit Breaking 0/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing) [Underwater Breathing]: Mastery of underwater breathing enables one to draw oxygen from the water through the pores to sustain oneself. Looking at this trait, Jiang Ning¡¯s expression was one of astonishment. ¡°Underwater Breathing?¡± ¡°Such a unique ability.¡± Murmuring to himself, he immediately became aware that even now, the oxygen in his lungs was no longer rootless or sourceless. Fresh oxygen passed through the pores all over his body, instinctively drawn into his lungs. He stayed still and quietly felt the changes in his body. After a short moment. Jiang Ning opened his eyes, revealing a trace of joy in his gaze. ¡°Underwater Breathing, such a miraculous trait!¡± ¡°To think that just ten Source Energy Points could grant me such an amazing trait. This is simply too much of a bargain.¡± Subsequently, he looked over his panel as a whole. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 77.8 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1043/3000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (Perfection 765/1000) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Third Limit Breaking 4000/4000) (Traits: Touch and Understand, Blade like a Swift Wind, God-like Blade Control) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 1061/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 48/1000) Vajra Immortal Body (Master 0/2000) Swimming (First Limit Breaking 0/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing) These past few days, aside from practicing his saber skill, he was breathing and releasing Sun Essence Qi in the morning to temper his internal organs. Regarding any other skills, he hadn¡¯t spent time on them at all. His aim was to quickly bring the Canglang Blade Skill to Great Success, to master the techniques after stacking the Five Layers of Strength. Not until today did he complete this goal. As for the Swimming skill, it came as an unexpected and delightful gain. Previously, he had no idea that just by soaking in the lake for a while, he would obtain such a practical skill. Now, the first Limit Breaking of this skill gave him another surprise. Underwater Breathing might seem ordinary at first glance. But it was, in fact, extremely useful. It should be noted that humans are terrestrial creatures. Even with his advanced Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill broken through to Mastery, tempering his internal organs immensely, on the level of his organ function and lung capacity, he could match the strength of a Martial Artist who had just entered Martial Arts Fifth Grade Inner Strength. Even so, going into the water just to practice his saber technique meant that he could only persist for half an hour. If it was a more intense fight, he could only last an even shorter amount of time. This was the case even for a strong person at the Martial Arts Fifth Grade Inner Strength level. For those below this rank, whether Seventh Grade, Eighth Grade, or even a Sixth Grade Martial Artist, entering the water would quickly exhaust them and lead to death. But for Jiang Ning, it was entirely different. Now, even if he stayed in the water for days and nights, he would be completely safe. This was a tremendous advantage. It meant that by the water¡¯s edge, even top-notch Sixth Grade Martial Artists could not threaten him. Once he entered the water, it became his home turf. Just how strong a Martial Arts Sixth Grade was could be glimpsed from Cao Rong¡¯s actions. They were undoubtedly non-human entities. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But such beings, if they recklessly pursued him into the water, would give him a perfect opportunity to leave a non-human existence behind underwater. Chapter 120: 45 Swimming Break Limit, New Trait (Two in One, One More Update)_3 Chapter 120: Chapter 45 Swimming Break Limit, New Trait (Two in One, One More Update)_3 This was a huge invisible advantage, and it was also his reliance. The most crucial thing was that the emergence of this trait only consumed ten of his Source Energy Points. With his current rate of accumulating Source Energy Points, he could amass ten Source Energy Points in just three to four days. This had to be said to be a very cost-effective investment. Afterward. He stayed quietly in the water. ... Jiang Ning slowly exhaled the oxygen stored in his abdomen. He wanted to test how efficient underwater breathing actually was. If in the accumulation of combat, relying on the underwater breathing trait, could it really provide him with enough oxygen consumption underwater? It was known that the more intense the situation, the higher the demand for oxygen. After a moment. Jiang Ning had exhaled all the oxygen stored in his lungs, and after emptying the oxygen in his lungs, he felt oxygen entering his body through the pores all over his body. Although the amount of oxygen absorbed by each pore was not much, or even very little, the human body had many pores. Soon, Jiang Ning felt his lungs were filled with fresh and crisp oxygen again. Feeling the change inside his body, he nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Not bad! This efficiency is high, even if I fight underwater, I won¡¯t suffocate!¡± ¡°This is indeed a very practical trait.¡± At that moment, having mastered this trait, Jiang Ning also felt a bit of curiosity. Luoshui Lake was so vast, what kind of scenery lay at the bottom of the lake? With so many ships passing back and forth over countless years on the lake¡¯s surface, would there be a sunken ship filled with gold and jade at the bottom? The deeper parts of the lake were a desolate wilderness belonging to no man. Could it be that some unknown Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures beneficial to Martial Arts were hidden there? With this thought, he then prepared to delve into the surrounding lake bottom to see. Now that he could freely breathe underwater, it also meant he could freely move underwater. Immediately. He waved his hands through the water, his form shooting through the undercurrents like an arrow. ¡°Such quick speed!¡± Feeling the change in himself, Jiang Ning felt somewhat surprised. He could clearly feel that his speed was now about twenty to thirty percent faster than before. The reason for this was evident without guessing, it surely was because his Swimming trait had achieved a breakthrough. From Perfection to the enhancement brought by his first Break Limit. ¡­ A moment later. Tian Buyi appeared on a cliff. ¡°Cough cough¡ª¡± He still coughed lightly a few times. After coughing, he looked at the palm of his hand covering his mouth, and there was not a trace of blood. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His mind felt somewhat relieved. ¡°My internal injury has healed a bit, but it has not really recovered. I cannot be too vigorous.¡± ¡°Now I need to quickly find that man named Jiang Ning whom Cao Rong entrusted me to kill. I have seen his portrait before; as long as I find him, I can recognize him and kill him!¡± ¡°As long as I kill him, I will have completed the task Cao Rong gave me, and I can confidently flee far away, away from Luoshui County, away from Medicine King Valley¡¯s pursuit.¡± Tian Buyi murmured to himself, and thinking up to this, his eyes grew thoughtful. Looking at the building clusters on the banks of the Luoshui. ¡°According to the information I previously gathered, he moved house and is probably in that area.¡± ¡°As soon as I see him, I¡¯ll definitely recognize him.¡± ¡°With my current strength, although I still have an internal injury, relying on my Martial Arts Eighth Grade strength, killing him is as easy as killing a chick, picking up a stone could smash his head.¡± ¡°The only problem now is finding him.¡± Just then. Splashing sounds¡ª A head suddenly emerged from the lake surface ahead, stirring up waves. ¡°Someone?¡± Tian Buyi¡¯s eyes flashed with alertness instantly. Since Liu Qingsong found him last time, he dared not be careless. He knew clearly if Liu Qingsong found him again, he must jump into the lake immediately, otherwise, he would definitely die at Liu Qingsong¡¯s hands. Martial Arts Seventh Grade Liu Qingsong, after a simple encounter, let him know that he was incomparably weaker than Liu Qingsong. Even in his prime, he couldn¡¯t last a few rounds against Liu Qingsong. Not to mention now that he had an internal injury. Thus, seeing the figure emerging from the water, Tian Buyi¡¯s mind also became extremely alert. The next moment. After somewhat clearly seeing the face of the person emerging from the water, Tian Buyi¡¯s heart suddenly relaxed. ¡°It¡¯s a young man! Good! It should not be someone from Medicine King Valley; those sent by Medicine King Valley to kill me aren¡¯t this young.¡± Then, Tian Buyi¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°This is¡­ This is the person Cao Rong entrusted me to kill.¡± ¡°He is¡­ Jiang Ning!¡± After somewhat clearly seeing the face of the person emerging from the lake, Tian Buyi¡¯s eyes suddenly sharpened. His heart suddenly filled with wild joy. ¡°Heaven favors me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s as if I¡¯ve been searching tirelessly to no avail, only to find it effortlessly!¡± ¡°Killing this kid, I¡¯d be able to confidently flee far away!¡± Tian Buyi¡¯s face also showed a look of wild joy. The worries in his mind from before were instantly swept away. At this moment. Jiang Ning emerged from the lake, his expression slightly joyful, and his mood also became extremely good. Because he had spent a long time at the bottom of the lake and found a Blood Lotus. Blood Lotus, a plant that grows in water. Its shape resembles a lotus, and it is entirely blood-colored, hence the name Blood Lotus. For those practicing Martial Arts, it is truly a treasure that could be categorized as Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. Without needing special methods, after chewing and swallowing it, it could greatly enhance Qi-Blood without any side effects. Any Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that can increase Qi-Blood are extremely valuable. What¡¯s more, the Blood Lotus in his hands was fifty years old and had five leaves. According to Jiang Ning¡¯s understanding. A wild Blood Lotus of ten years generally cost fifty taels of silver. Twenty years would double in price, and a thirty-year-old three-leaved Blood Lotus would double again. And it continues doubling from there. A fifty-year-old Blood Lotus was worth eight hundred taels of silver. Equivalent to picking up eight hundred taels of silver, how could he not be joyful! Chapter 121: 46 Kill Chapter 121: Chapter 46 Kill On the deserted island. Jiang Ning surfaced, clutching the Blood Lotus he had just climbed onto the rocks with, when he sensed a piercing gaze fixed upon him. The next moment. He immediately looked up. On the cliffs dozens of meters away, a brawny man with a full beard and a rugged face entered his line of sight. At that moment, the brawny man¡¯s eyes blazed, staring intensely at him, his face showing ecstatic joy. ... Recognizing the man¡¯s face, Jiang Ning also slightly startled. ¡°Tian Buyi! This man is the wanted Tian Buyi!¡± ¡°To capture him would reward a hundred taels of gold, enough to make me rich overnight.¡± Thinking this, Jiang Ning felt somewhat tempted. On the other side. Tian Buyi, watching Jiang Ning, suddenly felt extremely delighted. In his view, Jiang Ning was already like a turtle in a jar. On such an isolated island surrounded by water on all sides, there was no way Jiang Ning could escape his grasp. It was a dead end with no way to heaven and no door to hell. The most he could do was enter the water. But entering the water, he was never afraid. He was known as the River Dragon. This nickname was because his swimming skills were exceptionally outstanding. Meanwhile. Just as Jiang Ning was contemplating, Tian Buyi stood on the cliff, with an expression as if everything was under his control. ¡°Are you Jiang Ning?¡± he slowly started. Hearing the voice of Tian Buyi from the cliff, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes suddenly sharpened. ¡°How does he know me?¡± Following. Jiang Ning stood on the rocks, slightly looking up. ¡°Why do you recognize me?¡± Upon hearing this, Tian Buyi cracked a smile, ¡°Because someone sent me to kill you!¡± As he spoke. Tian Buyi slightly bent his knees and then leapt into the air, instantly jumping down from the several zhang high cliff. Sensing the strong murderous intent emanating from Tian Buyi ahead, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes flickered, and he had already made a decision. The next moment. He turned and leapt. Splash¡ª The sound of entering the water echoed; he had dived into the water. On the other side. Boom¡ª Tian Buyi landed on a rock. As he descended from a high place with a powerful impact, The rocks under his feet also cracked inch by inch. ¡°Entering the water?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my playground!¡± Tian Buyi laughed heartily, his body leaping again, instantly covering a distance of two to three zhang. After a few movements, he arrived at the spot where Jiang Ning had just entered the water. By then, only two breaths had passed since Jiang Ning jumped into the water. Immediately. Splash¡ª As the sound of water entry echoed, Tian Buyi too plunged headfirst into the water. At the same time. Jiang Ning was submerged in the water. ¡°Somebody wants to kill me?¡± ¡°Who could it be that sent Tian Buyi to kill me?¡± Jiang Ning inwardly murmured, his gaze flickering slightly. He had already made a judgment. ¡°It must be the Cao family!¡± ¡°Apart from the Cao family, who else would employ a great river bandit like Tian Buyi to kill me?¡± ¡°Tian Buyi is a Martial Arts Eighth Grade expert; if not for a powerful force like the Cao family, who else could have hired such a strong man?¡± With these thoughts, Jiang Ning sighed internally. ¡°Exactly! My previous guess wasn¡¯t wrong! Cao Bin¡¯s visit was just to lull me into complacency!¡± ¡°It must have also been to sever any connection between the Cao family and me.¡± ¡°With Cao Bin¡¯s visit, even if I were to die unexpectedly later on, the Cao family could claim they were not involved, clearing themselves completely.¡± ¡°They did this also perhaps to give an explanation to Shen Congyun.¡± ¡°And with Tian Buyi attacking me, who would suspect it was the Cao family¡¯s directive?¡± ¡°Perhaps they would only think I was the collateral damage in someone else¡¯s battle!¡± Just then. Seeing the movement ahead, Jiang Ning made up his mind, fears dispelled. Good! Coming into the water, it remains to be seen who is the prey and who is the hunter. ¡­ After Tian Buyi entered the water, a glance was all it took for him to easily spot Jiang Ning, who had submerged. Merely a glance at Jiang Ning¡¯s figure, and he revealed a confident expression. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Only two breaths into the water and he¡¯s created this distance, not bad at all! No wonder he could end up on this uninhabited island.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s still a bit away from me!¡± The next moment. Tian Buyi made a move. His body, like a dragon cruising through the waters, rapidly closed the distance towards Jiang Ning. ¡°What incredible speed!¡± Turning his head to see Tian Buyi steadily approaching, Jiang Ning felt somewhat surprised, ¡°Worthy of the name River Dragon, indeed there are no wrong nicknames, only wrong names.¡± Following. Jiang Ning dived into deeper waters, his speed also increasing once again. Behind him, Tian Buyi saw Jiang Ning suddenly burst with speed, a glint appeared in his eyes. ¡°Good lad, such excellent swimming skills, a real promising talent!¡± ¡°Too bad, today he has encountered me, the River Dragon.¡± Tian Buyi also hastened to keep up with Jiang Ning¡¯s pace, diving into deeper waters. The two of them, one chasing and one fleeing, moved further from the deserted island, descending deeper and deeper. After leaving the diving layer, the light grew dimmer. Tian Buyi glanced at Jiang Ning, who was just about a zhang away in front of him, and his expression turned somewhat ferocious as he secretly cursed in his heart. ¡°Damn it! Keep running, and when I catch you, I¡¯ll skin you alive!¡± He chased after him some more, only to realize he still couldn¡¯t close the distance. He then pressed against his chest in the water. He had already had internal chest injuries, and the prolonged breath-holding had caused him a dull pain. His complexion also turned somewhat unsightly. Then, the thought he had just suppressed resurfaced in his mind. ¡°Damn it! Could this kid be toying with me on purpose?¡± ¡°I speed up, he speeds up! I slow down, he slows down! He¡¯s always keeping me just one step behind.¡± ¡°But why?¡± ¡°Why can this kid hold his breath longer than me?¡± ¡°And why is his swimming better than mine?¡± On the other hand, Jiang Ning sensed that Tian Buyi had stopped behind him, and he too came to a halt. Turning around, he saw Tian Buyi glaring at him with eyes wide and round. Their gazes met in the water. ¡°This kid, he really is toying with me!¡± At this moment, seeing Jiang Ning also stop and turn to look at him, Tian Buyi was thoroughly convinced of it. He cursed inwardly. ¡°Damn it! I¡¯ve run into a freak! To meet someone with better swimming skills than me, and just a young punk at that!¡± ¡°No way! My chest is starting to hurt, and my breath is getting choppy, I need to get back to the surface fast!¡± ¡°As for this kid, I¡¯ll have to give up for now!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find where he lives another day, go there under the cover of night, and just chop him up!¡± The next moment, Tian Buyi moved his figure and swiftly floated towards the lake¡¯s surface. ¡°Trying to leave?¡± Jiang Ning watched coldly with a smirk. He had been leading Tian Buyi on just for this moment, waiting for Tian Buyi to run low on oxygen and to want to surface. This was the best opportunity to make his move. Tian Buyi was wanted, and capturing him would yield a bounty of a hundred taels gold. This bounty greatly appealed to Jiang Ning. Coupled with his continuous strength enhancement recently, he felt confident enough to give it a try. Not to mention that they were still underwater. With his current swimming skills and underwater breathing ability. Even if he couldn¡¯t defeat Tian Buyi, he still had full confidence he could escape unharmed. But to be sure, Jiang Ning deliberately lured the enemy deeper. He led Tian Buyi to chase him into the lake that surrounded the originally deserted island, and into the deep water area. Here, not to mention getting back to land, even reaching the surface would take at least ten breaths. Those ten breaths were the exact moment for him to truly strike. Following that, Jiang Ning moved and his speed suddenly surged. This is impossible!! Seeing Jiang Ning approaching like a swift arrow, Tian Buyi¡¯s eyes widened instantly, and a very bad feeling arose in his heart. ¡°This kid, he doesn¡¯t plan to leave me here, does he?¡± Tian Buyi thought to himself. Simultaneously, Jiang Ning¡¯s speed doubled compared to before. The distance of one zhang, less than five meters. Under the full burst of speed from Jiang Ning, it took barely a breath¡¯s time for Jiang Ning to reach directly above Tian Buyi. ¡°How daring!¡± Tian Buyi, seeing Jiang Ning appear on the inevitable path towards the surface, grasped the long knife in his hand tightly as his veins bulged, and he inwardly roared. His face suddenly turned furious. He had roamed Dongling County for over a decade, and his reputation had been established for years. His hands had taken countless lives. Such an incident, being ambushed by what he considered a young punk, was unprecedented in his view. Especially since Jiang Ning had previously been an easy catch in his eyes, his prey was now turning the tables, which felt like a humiliation to him. ¡­ On the other hand. Jiang Ning, from a higher position, looked down at Tian Buyi, who was looking up at him. ¡°Today, let¡¯s see how much I¡¯ve improved recently?¡± ¡°And let me see what strength an Eighth Grade Martial Artist truly holds!¡± After that, Jiang Ning¡¯s thoughts shifted, and he instantly unlocked the constraints of his body. Thud¡ª His heart gave a fierce pound, like a hammer striking a drum, sending a vibration through his chest. Then. Thud¡ª Thud¡ª Thud¡ª With each beat faster and more intense than the last. In an instant, The beating of his heart was like an incessantly beating drum. The surging blood flowed throughout his body, making Jiang Ning feel a great surge of power. At this time, his skin also began turning a bit red, his pupils dilated, and his body entered an excited state. Under these circumstances, various negative emotions in his mind, such as nervousness and slight fear, were also swiftly wiped clean. He clenched the knife in his right hand, as power circulated through his arm. ¡°Quad-layered Power is added, releasing my body¡¯s constraints.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see if an Eighth Grade Martial Artist can withstand this strike.¡± Jiang Ning looked below at Tian Buyi, thinking to himself. That¡¯s right! This time, he hadn¡¯t opted to use his trump card ¡ªthe explosive force of Five-layered Power. He chose only the Quad-layered Power. Because the Five-layered Power was something Jiang Ning didn¡¯t dare to try lightly. As for Triple-layered Power, facing a strong opponent like Tian Buyi, Jiang Ning wouldn¡¯t presume too much. Therefore, he chose to unleash the Quad-layered Power. Having tested Triple-layered Power on his body before, he understood that his physique could definitely withstand the explosive force of Quad-layered Power. Chapter 122: 47 Martial Arts Eighth Grade, Death! Chapter 122: Chapter 47 Martial Arts Eighth Grade, Death! In the middle of Luoshui Lake. At that moment, with the overlay of two techniques, Jiang Ning felt that before this strike, there was no opponent that couldn¡¯t be defeated with one slash. And if one slash wasn¡¯t enough, then he would strike again. The next moment. Jiang Ning, with an advantageous position from above, shouted, ¡°Kill¡ª¡± With that roar, his long blade suddenly carried the force of a thousand catties and chopped straight down. ... ¡°Bring it on!¡± Tian Buyi shouted quietly. Watching this scene, he didn¡¯t panic at all. His fingers clenched into a fist, and a pair of black gloves clung to his skin. It was because of these gloves that he didn¡¯t fear the slash coming down on his head. In front of his black spider xuanjin silk gloves, he didn¡¯t know how many ordinary blades had been shattered. That¡¯s why he dared to meet Jiang Ning¡¯s downward slash with just his fleshy fists. Boom¡ª A mighty collision, a roar echoed in the deep waters. Both Jiang Ning and Tian Buyi chose different directions, up and down. ¡°So strong!¡± Feeling the numbness in his right arm and hand, Jiang Ning was somewhat surprised. Then he felt the condition of his right arm and thought to himself, ¡°I can probably strike four more slashes! After four slashes, if there¡¯s still no progress, I¡¯ll retreat!¡± ¡°If I forcibly strike again, my right arm¡¯s injury won¡¯t heal in just a few days. If the injury is too severe, it might affect my joining the Inspection Office in half a month.¡± Meanwhile. Receiving Jiang Ning¡¯s slash directly. Tian Buyi involuntarily widened his eyes, looking like a pair of protruding brass bells. ¡°How is this possible!¡± Feeling the power of Jiang Ning¡¯s strike, his heart turned pale. Then, he felt a sweet, fishy taste surge in his mouth and intense pain emanated from his chest. ¡°Not good! My internal injury has been aggravated!¡± Just when his mind was in complete disarray. Jiang Ning¡¯s momentum stopped rising, then he moved, sinking swiftly like a fish, heading straight for Tian Buyi. Before Tian Buyi had much time to prepare mentally. Jiang Ning struck with another slash. The water of the lake was suddenly split into a fine line, like a crack in the lake. ¡°Break¡ª,¡± seeing this, Tian Buyi murmured quietly to himself. His right fist, carrying all his strength, heavily blasted out again. Boom¡ª Another muffled sound reverberated through the lake. The force of this mighty collision caused both of their bodies to separate again. Jiang Ning was thrown towards the surface of the lake, while Tian Buyi¡¯s form also accelerated its descent. ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± With the impact force of this slash hitting Tian Buyi, he could no longer hold back the sweet, fishy taste in his mouth and spat it out with a burst. As he spit out this mouthful of blood, his expression drastically changed again. Because with him opening his mouth, any remaining oxygen in his stomach was forced out. ¡°Not good!¡± At this moment, Tian Buyi¡¯s eyes became slightly panicked. Looking at the faint light above, resembling the sky on the surface of the lake, he felt the scent of death. With his internal injury flaring open, insufficient oxygen in his lungs, and being in the deep water layer of the lake. And above, an opponent far stronger than he expected blocked the way; all these factors combined made Tian Buyi suddenly unable to see any possibility of surviving. ¡°Am I really going to die here?¡± he couldn¡¯t help but ask himself. Meanwhile. Jiang Ning felt even more pain in his right arm, with waves of muscle-tearing intense pain. But at this moment, his expression was one of joy. Because he saw the mouthful of bright red blood Tian Buyi spat out and his face, which had turned the color of iron. ¡°Effective!¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes suddenly became extremely sharp. He also gripped the handle of his blade tighter again. Subsequently, He swiftly shifted his body, negating the force that had propelled him upward, and then clutching his long blade, he dove down again swiftly, heading straight for Tian Buyi. Boom¡ª Another slash. Tian Buyi¡¯s body continued to sink, getting closer to the bottom of the lake. Jiang Ning saw that blood was continuously streaming from the corners of Tian Buyi¡¯s mouth. Then, he adjusted his position again, readying his blade to strike Tian Buyi once more. Reaching above Tian Buyi¡¯s head, he positioned himself for a downward strike. This slash, too, burst forth with all his strength and the stacking of Fourfold Power. To Tian Buyi, the sight of Jiang Ning above him, descending like a divine being, filled his heart with despair. ¡°How is this possible!¡± ¡°How could he be so strong!!¡± ¡°How could he possibly unleash such terrifying offensive bursts!!¡± ¡°What kind of existence has Cao Rong provoked!!!¡± At this moment, Tian Buyi felt nearly out of breath, especially his internal organs, which seemed to have shifted, each sending waves of severe pain. Blood was also incessantly spouting from his throat, utterly uncontrollable. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been injured!¡± ¡°If I weren¡¯t underwater!¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°If it happened again, how could I have fallen into such a state!!¡± Tian Buyi stared at the blade chopping down towards his head, his eyes full of intense unwillingness. Boom¡ª With a booming sound in the water, Tian Buyi took another slash from Jiang Ning, his figure sinking once again as he continuously spewed forth mouthfuls of blood. After the slash, Jiang Ning¡¯s body that had been repelled slowly halted. Then he circulated the Qi-Blood in his body to continually nourish the muscles of his right arm. Meanwhile, he quietly floated above Tian Buyi¡¯s head, coldly watching him. At this point, he could see that there was no need for him to make a move. The blood incessantly flowing from Tian Buyi¡¯s mouth indicated a severe internal injury. Also, in this situation, the oxygen in Tian Buyi¡¯s stomach had long been depleted, his complexion turning a leaden blue. Given Tian Buyi¡¯s current condition, it was fundamentally impossible for him to return to the surface to breathe. Therefore, Jiang Ning understood clearly that he no longer needed to take action. He just needed to quietly watch, like a hunter watching his prey die, and then go collect the body. At this moment, Tian Buyi quietly floated in the lake water, continuously vomiting blood. At the same time, his gaze was fixed dead on Jiang Ning, as if to imprint Jiang Ning in his mind, and then one day, follow the memory to take Jiang Ning with him. ¡°I can¡¯t accept this!¡± ¡°I was about to break through to Great Success in the Divine Power Realm! I had the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill to reshape my foundation, and I was bound to reach Martial Arts Seventh Grade, maybe even Sixth or Fifth Grade.¡± ¡°And yet, I am to die by the hands of such a brat and feed the fishes at the bottom of the lake, I can¡¯t accept it!!¡± ¡°¡­¡± After a short while, Until Tian Buyi moved no longer, Jiang Ning waited a bit longer before he slowly approached. After a slight test, confirming that Tian Buyi had indeed died, Jiang Ning finally let out a sigh of relief. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy at all!¡± ¡°Being of Martial Arts Eighth Grade is truly powerful! To withstand my full force of four slashes and still not have too much trouble!¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t at the bottom of the lake, if Tian Buyi hadn¡¯t likely been injured before, I would have had little hope of subduing him.¡± ¡°It seems Martial Arts Eighth Grade is stronger than I imagined. My current strength is still not quite up to par!¡± ¡°If even a Martial Arts Eighth Grade is so formidable that I can¡¯t subdue him, then what about a Seventh Grade like Cao Rong?¡± ¡°Moreover, the Cao family, as far as I know, hasn¡¯t gotten this far merely by relying on Cao Rong alone.¡± ¡°There are at least one Martial Arts Seventh Grade in the Cao family, and as for Eighth Grade, at least a handful!¡± ¡°The Cao family has sent Tian Buyi to kill me, which means they are determined to remove me.¡± ¡°Currently, relying solely on my strength, I can¡¯t protect myself against the Cao family; I still need to lean on a strong backer!¡± ¡°I must enter the Inspection Office in half a month. Only by leaning on this towering tree can I truly have some means of self-preservation against the Cao family.¡± ¡°Cao family¡­¡± Jiang Ning murmured in his heart, his expression thoughtful. Chapter 123: 48: Inventorying the Spoils of War, a Great Harvest! Chapter 123: Chapter 48: Inventorying the Spoils of War, a Great Harvest! Luoshui Lake. On the deserted island. ¡°Phew¡ª¡± Jiang Ning dragged the body of Tian Buyi back onto the rocks. Though he could now breathe underwater, his body hadn¡¯t yet adapted to this new skill, and he couldn¡¯t help but let out a breath of air, then he deeply inhaled some fresh air. The next moment. ... He looked down at Tian Buyi¡¯s body laid on the rocks. ¡°Tian Buyi, of Martial Arts Eighth Grade, also fell by my hand. Though I had the advantage of terrain, there¡¯s no doubt that my strength has seen tremendous improvement from defeating such an Eighth Grade powerhouse.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± A smile couldn¡¯t help but form on Jiang Ning¡¯s lips as he thought to himself, ¡°And by slaying Tian Buyi, I can claim the hundred taels of gold as a reward for his body.¡± ¡°With that hundred taels of gold, I won¡¯t have to worry about money for a long time.¡± ¡°A hundred taels of gold, equivalent to a hundred thousand taels of silver, is an outrageous fortune that could instantly make me one of the wealthiest men in Luoshui County, far surpassing even the family fortune of Cheng Ran!¡± At this moment, although these thoughts crossed Jiang Ning¡¯s mind, he was not overly excited. A hundred taels of gold, it was just too exaggerated! Even with the backing of Medicine King Valley, his instincts told him that this matter wasn¡¯t so simple. After all, Tian Buyi was just a Martial Arts Eighth Grade bandit. What did he do to deserve a hundred taels of gold as a bounty from Medicine King Valley? Hence, Jiang Ning instinctively felt something was fishy. The next moment. He squatted in front of Tian Buyi and removed the black gloves from his hands. These gloves had caught his attention long before. Underwater, he had delivered four slashes at his utmost limit. Yet Tian Buyi could easily catch all four of his slashes with just his right fist. While Tian Buyi¡¯s own strength contributed to this, the gloves played a significant role. Without these gloves that feared neither sword nor blade, how could Tian Buyi¡¯s flesh and blood withstand his four slashes? Hence, when Jiang Ning noticed the gloves on Tian Buyi¡¯s hands, he knew they must be highly valuable. Gloves that could easily withstand blades were surely worth several times more than ordinary swords. After removing the gloves, Jiang Ning began to search the rest of the body. This sort of bandit, who risked his neck at every turn, undoubtedly carried all his wealth on his person. Such a man could only trust himself. A short while later. Jiang Ning laid out the items he had collected from Tian Buyi before him. A golden box, not even as large as a palm. A folded piece of oiled paper. There was also a tied cloth bag. Plus two jade vials. Not many items. Jiang Ning first unfolded the oiled paper. ¡°So it¡¯s a silver note!¡± he murmured as several folded silver notes appeared before him. After briefly counting them, a look of slight disappointment crossed his face. The silver notes didn¡¯t amount to much, only one hundred and thirty taels. This wealth did not match the status of a Martial Arts Eighth Grade individual like Tian Buyi. Then, Jiang Ning stored these silver notes, rewrapped them in the oiled paper, sealed them tightly, to prevent the lake water from wetting them when submerged. After storing the silver notes, he picked up the cloth bag and weighed it in his hand. Just by weighing it, he knew it contained broken silver. Money was a necessity for anyone traveling the world. Loosening the bag¡¯s strings, Jiang Ning saw the gleaming broken silver shine under the sunlight. ¡°Around seven to eight taels,¡± he estimated, speaking to himself. Then he carefully stored the broken silver. He picked up the two jade vials. After opening them, he poured two pills into his hand and examined them closely before shaking his head slightly. ¡°The efficacy is unknown; I can¡¯t use them recklessly.¡± He replaced the pills, sealed the vials, and thought, ¡°I¡¯ll keep them. I¡¯ll have someone from Wanhua Building take a look when there¡¯s a chance.¡± Finally. He picked up the palm-sized box. Just by holding the box in his hand, Jiang Ning felt it was extraordinary, as he could smell a faint sandalwood scent up close. ¡°This fragrance can fend off insects; it must be out of the ordinary.¡± As he spoke, he opened the box and saw two pills wrapped in a golden outer coating inside. Each pill was about the size of a pigeon egg, and beside the two golden pills, there was an indent where a third pill had clearly been placed. ¡°These pills look uncommon!¡± Jiang Ning murmured, then shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a pity I don¡¯t recognize them; I can¡¯t just consume them blindly.¡± At that moment, his eyes suddenly sharpened. He noticed raised lettering on the coating of the two pills in the box. He then picked up one of the pills to examine it closely. The next moment. Jiang Ning¡¯s pupils constricted sharply. ¡°Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill!¡± He took another deep breath, his eyes shining brightly as he murmured to himself. ¡°It¡¯s actually the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill!¡± ¡°I understand now!¡± ¡°I finally understand why Medicine King Valley offered a reward of a hundred taels of gold for the capture of Tian Buyi.¡± ¡°Tian Buyi actually snatched three Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills from Medicine King Valley. He had previously consumed one, which is why there were only two left.¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s mind became crystal clear. After seeing the seven large characters for Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill on the outside of the pills, he understood everything. Naturally, he had heard of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill. Or rather, anyone in Dongling County who practiced Martial Arts had likely heard of this pill. This pill was the most famous divine elixir of Medicine King Valley. After being consumed and refined, it could enhance the physique, bolster Qi-Blood, strengthen muscles and bones, and naturally increase physical power. Most importantly, it could improve a person¡¯s Innate Root Bone. Because of this effect, the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill was truly worthy of the name divine elixir and was the dream pill of countless Martial Artists. However, such a pill was priceless and never circulated outside. Aside from being consumed internally by Medicine King Valley, it was offered as a tribute. Thus, Jiang Ning now understood everything. Tian Buyi must have robbed a tribute from Medicine King Valley and stolen these three Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills, hence the bounty of a hundred taels of gold on his head. At this moment, the sight of the remaining two Leopard Embryo Body Refining Pills spurred a single thought in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart. A hundred taels of gold? Compared to the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill, it was nothing. The value of a single Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill far exceeded a hundred taels of gold. After all, this was a famous pill from Medicine King Valley, capable of improving a person¡¯s Innate Root Bone. It was like when he had joined the Martial Arts Hall, where Wang Jin had felt his bones and then deemed him to have average potential. This meant his Root Bone was utterly ordinary, without anything remarkable. And the importance of the Root Bone in progressing far in Martial Arts was unquestionable. Those who attained great success on the path of Martial Arts either had extraordinary Innate Root Bones or amazing insight. In short, everyone had their strengths, as well as their own opportunities. Without these, mere hard work was unlikely to lead to significant achievements. This path, much like a fierce race of a hundred boats, was also incredibly ruthless. Therefore, Jiang Ning knew. Even though he possessed a miraculous panel, if he could improve his own Root Bone, his growth would be even faster. Compared to a pill that could improve one¡¯s Innate Root Bone, wealth was truly inconsequential, of little concern. Even if he had money, he would not easily get his hands on such a pill. Afterward, Jiang Ning grabbed Tian Buyi¡¯s corpse and flung it into the lake. Splash¡ª With the sound of something hitting the water, Tian Buyi¡¯s body disappeared into the waves. ¡°Done!¡± Jiang Ning clapped his hands and continued, ¡°Feeding his body to the fish means no one will find him, and no one will know Tian Buyi died by my hand.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even want the hundred taels of gold! With these two Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills, I¡¯m satisfied!¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s face showed an expression of pleasure. Then, he glanced once more at the spot where Tian Buyi had disappeared, making sure there were no surprises, before grabbing the fifty-year Blood Lotus that he had placed on the ground and quickly climbed up the cliff face. Soon, he reached the top of the cliff and the place where he had stowed his belongings. Having practiced his sword here for many days, he naturally brought along essential supplies for Martial Arts practice. After all, if he did not have the support of medicine while practicing under Luoshui Lake for so long each day, how could his body withstand it? After gathering these supplies, Jiang Ning made several leaps down the cliffside and plunged into the lake. He couldn¡¯t wait to go back and digest his gains. As for this deserted island, he planned not to return for a very long time. Staying away from the scene of the incident was, in his opinion, the wise thing to do. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now, an elder in charge of that part of Medicine King Valley was still hunting for Tian Buyi. If they ever learned that Tian Buyi had died by his hand, danger would immediately fall upon him. Even Wang Jin wouldn¡¯t have much influence in the face of Medicine King Valley. After all, the mere dispatch of one elder, who was at the Martial Arts Seventh Grade, was indicative of the extraordinary strength of Medicine King Valley. Not to mention, Medicine King Valley was renowned for its Alchemy Dao and Medical Skill. Such a Sect undoubtedly had extensive connections. It was an existence not to be trifled with. To them, the Cao family might just be considered a large household, nowhere near their level. Therefore, after discovering why Tian Buyi was pursued by Medicine King Valley, and deciding to consume the two Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills, Jiang Ning dared not linger on this deserted island. He feared an unexpected encounter with someone from Medicine King Valley. Should someone from Medicine King Valley spot him, with Tian Buyi gone and his whereabouts unknown, they would inevitably suspect Tian Buyi was dead. And they might also suspect him. Even if the chances were slim, Jiang Ning wouldn¡¯t take the risk. He chose to go home, to quickly leave this deserted island, to avoid this risk. After submerging into the water, Jiang Ning swiftly headed towards the shore. Chapter 124: 49 Digesting the Gains Chapter 124: Chapter 49 Digesting the Gains Beside the Luoshui River. East courtyard. Returning to his own residence, Jiang Ning felt his whole body relax. He then laid out his spoils of war in the courtyard. ¡°Finally, it¡¯s time to reap the rewards!¡± Jiang Ning opened the box and placed one of the golden, round pills in his hand. ... Looking at the pigeon egg-sized pill before him, a hint of excitement shimmered in his eyes. Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill. Consuming and refining it could improve one¡¯s Innate Root Bone, bolster Qi-Blood, and strengthen muscles and bones. The next moment. He placed the pill on his tongue, and as saliva was secreted, the outer coating of the pill instantly dissolved. With the dissolution of the pill¡¯s coating that locked the Medicinal Power. Jiang Ning immediately felt a rich and mellow medicinal fragrance explode in his mouth. He was entirely engulfed in a state of intoxication. ¡°So fragrant!¡± he exclaimed. Then, with a slight gulp, the pigeon egg-sized pill slid into his abdomen. In an instant. Boom¡ª Jiang Ning felt as though his body was about to explode, a tremendous Medicinal Power spread throughout his limbs and bones. As the Medicinal Power spread, his muscles and bones started to tingle with pain; his limbs and bones felt as though they were gradually twisting. ¡°Such a domineering medicinal effect!¡± he inwardly gasped with surprise and hastily focused his mind, putting forth all his effort to resist the pain. After the time it took for an incense stick to burn. He felt the numb pain all over his body subside, then it was as if he were in a hot spring. Warmth filled his body, comfort spreading from inside out. At this moment, it was as if he had gone from hell, filled with pain, to a blissful world. From pain to comfort, the pleasing sensation immediately doubled, making him feel extremely delighted. ¡°As expected of a pill able to improve one¡¯s Innate Root Bone, this Medicinal Power is indeed overpoweringly unmatched.¡± Jiang Ning felt the changes in his body and sighed inwardly. Then. He could still feel the pill existing in his abdomen. Immediately, he sunk his consciousness down, introspecting his body. Under his introspection, he suddenly saw the pill in his abdomen, still round and golden, wrapped in a thin outer layer, only slightly smaller in size. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is!¡± Introspecting and seeing the pill. He suddenly understood. The Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill was wrapped in countless membranes. The very outer layer was the pill¡¯s coating, meant to prevent the Medicinal Power from dissipating, a measure against loss of potency and spoilage. As for the interior of the pill, it was clear now that it was layered, with many layers separated, forming the single pill. Now, he had refined only the outermost layer, so the pill had only shrunk slightly. Clearly, this pill¡¯s refinement process was predetermined. After refining one layer, it would take some time to dissolve the next layer, thus giving the body sufficient time to endure this powerful Medicinal Power. The Medicinal Power that could improve Innate Root Bone. ¡°Truly exquisite!¡± With understanding in his heart, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but marvel inwardly. From the method of this pill¡¯s refinement and the attention to detail, Jiang Ning could see just how much care Medicine King Valley had put into the creation of this pill. Their extremely complex alchemy methods were obviously designed to reduce the requirements for use. Because changing a person¡¯s innate root bone is inevitably an exceedingly difficult task. It requires a gradual, imperceptible process. Just as a human body takes ten months of pregnancy to form, ten months that forge an individual¡¯s innate constitution. To alter it with pills after birth, if the process is completed in a short period. Then the body might not withstand it at all, and even if it does, the explosive medicinal power released in such a short time is not something that those with weak martial arts foundations can handle. ¡°Looking at the current situation, one pill will suffice for me to digest over a very long period!¡± said Jiang Ning silently to himself. After feeling his body again and sensing nothing unusual, he finally opened his eyes. He then got up, clenched his fist, and immediately felt something different. ¡°My strength seems to have increased again!¡± He clenched his fist again, felt it, and then nodded firmly. ¡°Indeed, my strength has truly increased!¡± ¡°This Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill truly deserves its reputation as one of the most famous pills in Medicine King Valley; the effect is without question.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just refined the first layer of medicinal power on the surface of the pill, and my strength has already significantly improved. No wonder Tian Buyi was so strong; despite being ill, he could take on my four all-out strikes without injury.¡± ¡°Luckily, his internal injuries were obviously triggered by those four strikes of mine. Otherwise, I really couldn¡¯t have taken him down!¡± After feeling the changes in himself, his gaze fell on the Blood Lotus in front of him. Looking at the Blood Lotus before him, his eyes also revealed a hint of joy. This Blood Lotus, found in the lake, was fifty years old and worth eight hundred taels of silver¡ªanother unexpected joy. The key was that from this Blood Lotus, Jiang Ning had discovered a new path to wealth. This vast Luoshui Lake would be the source of his future fortune. For so many years, countless boats have traveled over Luoshui Lake, and over time, many accidents must have occurred, with numerous vessels sinking to the bottom. All he had to do was find some shipwrecks, and he could excavate a large fortune. Not to mention, beneath the lake lay a natural treasure trove. Endowed with the trait of swimming and underwater breathing, any place that he could withstand the water pressure was his backyard, his treasure trove to grasp. Just as he had found this fifty-year-old Blood Lotus. Because of this factor, he was even less concerned about the hundred taels of gold offered by Medicine King Valley as a reward for Tian Buyi. Jiang Ning knew that in the future, he would not lack money. What he truly lacked were things that wealth could not buy. Just like those two Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills. Those were the most precious items, things that couldn¡¯t be bought with money. Or to put it another way, not things that could be bought at a normal price. Compared to those two Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills, a hundred taels of gold was nothing. Looking at the Blood Lotus in front of him, Jiang Ning then plucked a petal from it. As he plucked the lotus petal, a crimson liquid that resembled blood oozed from where it was torn. This was the origin of the name Blood Lotus; the entire lotus was blood-red in color. In the roots, it even seemed as if human blood was flowing. Jiang Ning then quickly placed the petal in his mouth, chewed it a few times, and swallowed it whole. Whoosh¡ª In the next moment. Jiang Ning exhaled a series of hot breaths from his nose. He felt his body temperature rapidly rising, and his Qi-Blood seemed to be stimulated as well, boiling and roaring uncontrollably. ¡°What a powerful medicinal force!¡± Jiang Ning silently marveled, then stood up and began to practice his punches. He used the practice of punching to digest this overpowering medicinal power and the surge of energy within that had no other outlet. Chapter 125: 50 Four Times Break Limit, Mastering Sword Force! Chapter 125: Chapter 50 Four Times Break Limit, Mastering Sword Force! By the banks of Luoshui River. In the east courtyard. Dawn was just breaking. Jiang Ning had already rolled out of bed. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 112 ... [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1043/3000) (Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (Perfection 787/1000) Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (Triple Limit Breaking 4000/4000) (Trait: touch and understand, Blade as Swift as Wind, God-like Blade Control) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 1061/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 48/1000) Vajra Immortal Body (Master 0/2000) Swimming (First Limit Breaking 187/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing) ¡°112 Source Energy Points?¡± Looking at the changes on the panel, Jiang Ning grinned. Awesome!!! A day let me increase by more than thirty Source Energy Points. It¡¯s truly worth it for an entire 50-year-old Blood Lotus! Yesterday alone was like an entire month¡¯s accumulation for me. Then. Jiang Ning stood by the bed and clenched his fists again. Qi-Blood circulated within his body. ¡°And my Qi-Blood, after refining the Medicinal Power of the Blood Lotus yesterday, increased by more than 300 strands, raising the total amount of Qi-Blood in my body by more than half.¡± ¡°This is almost equivalent to a day and a half¡¯s work of full-force fist practice.¡± ¡°This effect is so worth it!!¡± ¡°Truly worth the eight hundred taels of a great medicine.¡± Jiang Ning mused in silence. Although the Blood Lotus worth eight hundred taels was absorbed, which seemingly equaled to a day and a half¡¯s work for him, the cost-effectiveness was not high and far less than converting it into Qi Blood Pills for slow absorption and refinement. But it should not be calculated that way. Time is the most precious. Especially for him, this is even more true. The next moment. Boom¡ª He raised a fist and threw a punch toward the empty air in front of him. The air suddenly exploded, emitting a clear and crisp booming sound. And my strength has obviously grown a lot. I estimate it¡¯s between one thousand two hundred pounds to one thousand three hundred pounds. With such strength, even the common Refining Skin Mastery is far inferior to mine. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but feel thrilled. A common Refining Skin small success is only about eight hundred pounds of strength. Even Refining Skin Mastery doesn¡¯t exceed a thousand pounds of strength. And I, still just at Refining Skin small success, my skin as tough as stone, already have between one thousand two hundred and one thousand three hundred pounds. I have a good four to five hundred pounds more strength than Martial Artists of the same level. Such a gap, if we were to fight, would be like an adult beating up a child. Even those skilled with Refining Skin Mastery, like Jiang Li¡¯s former boss Head Feng, as well as the arrest officer Cao Bin. They also only have a thousand pounds of strength. I have a two or three tenths higher strength than theirs, which is utterly overwhelming. Not to mention, I wield the Great Success level Wave Stacking Blade Skill, effortlessly stacking triple Power for explosive force. With my striking skills, my normal strike can easily unleash at least seven to eight thousand pounds of force. Then with triple Power, it¡¯s over twenty thousand pounds in one strike. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning once again had a clear understanding of his own strength. With my current strength, if I were to strike, I can easily continually unleash over twenty thousand pounds of force. One strike after another, Sword Force incessant and unending, this has already reached the domain of the inhuman. In my past life, no one could imagine that a human body could burst forth with such terrifying strength. You should know, the world-famous boxing champion of the previous life could only unleash one thousand six hundred pounds in one punch. And right now, without going all out, I can unleash a strength dozens of times beyond the human limit. This kind of strength has surpassed that of an explosively powered sedan speeding down the highway. In this moment, Jiang Ning understood even more clearly just how exaggerated his own strength truly was. If I were to take this strength back to my previous life, although I couldn¡¯t become a hero of the nation, I could certainly be called a superhero. Immediately. Jiang Ning thought of Tian Buyi in the lake yesterday. In my state where I have unlocked body limits and strength can increase by three to five hundred pounds out of thin air, on top of that, I add the eruption of Fourfold Power. Even with the resistance of water, each strike still has at least nearly thirty thousand pounds of force, and yet four strikes in succession on Tian Buyi¡¯s palm could not cause much injury to him. If not for the fact that Tian Buyi was already internally injured, relying on that attack force, Jiang Ning wondered if those four strikes could have caused much damage to Tian Buyi¡¯s organs. Not to mention cutting down Tian Buyi with his blade. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but yearn even more, thinking to himself. ¡°If the Martial Arts Eighth Grade Tian Buyi is so formidable, wouldn¡¯t the legendary Martial Saint be capable of moving mountains and overturning seas?¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t even be Martial Arts anymore. That would clearly be Xuanhuan!¡± ¡°If I could advance further, couldn¡¯t I pluck stars and grab the moon?¡± ¡°No wonder that Martial Saint could live for a thousand years without reaching his end.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t much different from the Immortals in legends.¡± ¡­ After washing up, Jiang Ning went out into the courtyard. The cool breeze from the surface of Luoshui Lake blew over him, and the heat in his mind dissipated. Then, he looked at his panel again. [Source Energy]: 112 [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (Triple Limit Breaking 4000/4000) (Traits: touch and understand, Blade as Swift as Wind, God-like Blade Control) As his Source Energy broke through 100 points, a familiar plus sign appeared after his Chopping Wood Blade Skill. It indicated that his Chopping Wood Blade Skill could break through further to complete the fourth Breaking Limit. This matched his previous guess perfectly, as the last Break Limit of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill required fifty Source Energy Points. Therefore, this time the Chopping Wood Blade Skill¡¯s Break Limit required one hundred Source Energy Points. This was reasonable. But now, he was somewhat hesitant. With his current efficiency, accumulating one hundred Source Energy Points would not be easy. It would take more than a month to achieve that. Was it worth investing such an accumulation into the Chopping Wood Blade Skill, which did not show obvious effects? He was pondering this question. He hesitated for a dozen breaths. Then his gaze turned firm. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°There¡¯s no worth or worthless, only necessary or unnecessary,¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. In his opinion now, converting resources into his own strength was the top priority. Being a hoarder had no meaning. After making his decision, his heart suddenly moved. In an instant, the Source Energy Points on the panel began to deplete rapidly. In the blink of an eye, only a fraction remained. [Source Energy]: 12 Jiang Ning also abruptly closed his eyes, digesting the sudden explosion of insights that welled up in his mind. These insights were all related to the Chopping Wood Blade Skill. Stroke after stroke, the images composed of countless blade lights. As he watched these images in his mind, he seemed to enter a miraculous state, with numerous inspirations flashing by, countless insights flooding his mind. Time seemed to stretch on and on, yet it felt like just a moment. With each insight, the countless blade lights in his mind suddenly converged, ultimately forming a single strike, as swift as lightning, as forceful as thunder. The next moment, Jiang Ning suddenly opened his eyes. With a leap, he crossed a distance of more than ten feet to the table where the long saber was placed. Swish¡ª With the unsheathing of the saber, a clear ringing sound echoed. He tapped his toes again and, like a gust of wind, dashed out of the room. At this moment, his heart was full of insights, all about that lightning-fast, thunderously powerful strike. He was eager to execute this cut. Jiang Ning knew that only by making this cut could he truly master it. He arrived in the courtyard, and the slightly cool lake breeze from Luoshui Lake dispersed much of the heat within him. Then he closed his eyes again. He recalled that recent scene in his mind. After a few breaths, he abruptly opened his eyes. In the cool morning light, his eyes suddenly emitted two bright beams. He made his cut with the saber. In that instant, all was silent. Jiang Ning also felt as if everything around him had slowed down. Time seemed to play in slow motion, at least ten times slower than normal. Everything was so leisurely. Two falling leaves, within three feet in front of him, suddenly appeared to drift languidly. The scraps of grass stirred up by the lake wind in front of him also became exceedingly slow, as if frozen in time. At this very moment, the cut he was making with his hand also seemed extremely slow. Leisurely cutting through the air, severing a leaf. Buzz¡ª As the saber finished its course, the blade suddenly stopped mid-air. The blade emitted a series of tremors, having forcibly sustained the momentum of Jiang Ning¡¯s descending cut. Sss¡ª On the ground, a clean saber mark nearly four feet long suddenly appeared. All along its path, weeds were broken as if sliced by an invisible blade. As the saber force receded, the miraculous scene in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes suddenly returned to normal. Leaves continued to fall, scraps of grass were still lifted by the wind from Luoshui Lake. The rustling of leaves rubbing against each other was still in his ears. Jiang Ning came back to his senses, his eyes filled with shock. ¡°Saber force?¡± ¡°This is saber force!!¡± He became immensely certain. ¡°I¡¯ve actually mastered saber force!!!¡± He was instantly overjoyed. His eyes were filled with laughter. The Chopping Wood Blade Skill¡¯s this Break Limit brought him surprises far beyond his expectations. He never thought he would be able to grasp saber force. According to Jiang Ning¡¯s understanding, even those at Martial Arts Seventh Grade might not be able to initially master force. And yet he, a mere Ninth Grade in Martial Arts, had already mastered a kind of force, saber force. Force was an extremely profound and mystical power. Under the influence of saber force, one could not dodge; one had to withstand it head-on. Later, he looked at his panel again. [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Fourth Time Break Limit 5000/5000) (Trait: touch and understand, Saber as Swift Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) [Man and Sword as One]: Possessing a natural and exceptional compatibility with sabers, any unfamiliar saber held in hand would achieve its best state. Looking at this new trait, Jiang Ning thought to himself. ¡°No wonder I don¡¯t feel any change; it turns out to be this effect!¡± ¡°Man and Sword as One, the effect seems ordinary based on its name!¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not useless!¡± ¡°At least in the future, when I change to a new saber, I won¡¯t need to get used to it to be in the best condition.¡± Then he looked at the saber in his hand again. There were clearly some notches and rolled edges on the blade. Obviously, after several fierce battles, this blade could no longer withstand it. Especially since yesterday, in his underwater battle against Tian Buyi. The four strikes burst forth with terrifying power also placed a heavy burden on the saber in his hand. This resulted in rolled edges on the blade. ¡°It¡¯s time to switch to a new saber!¡± ¡°This fine iron long saber, forged a hundred times, cannot withstand my power now!¡± ¡°If I continue like this, it might not be far from breaking.¡± Chapter 126: 51: Enhancing Strength, Liu Qingsongs Pursuit! (Two-in-one, additional update 2/2) Chapter 126: Chapter 51: Enhancing Strength, Liu Qingsong¡¯s Pursuit! (Two-in-one, additional update 2/2) By the Luoshui River. East courtyard. [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Four times Break Limit 5000/5000) (Traits: touch and understand, swift as the wind in handling the blade, divine movement, unity of handler and blade) ¡°Experience Value is still full; it seems that my chopping wood in my spare time was effective!¡± ¡°I wonder how many Source Energy Points will be needed for the next Break Limit?¡± ¡°It should be 200 points!¡± ... Jiang Ning thought to himself. Afterwards, he closed the panel. And then started to practice his boxing as a warm-up. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Perfection 787/1000) The Five Animals Fist now reached Perfection; each time he practiced the boxing skill, it increased his Qi Blood Power by five strands. And the Experience Value needed to reach 1000 points was not far off, only a little over two hundred points remaining. With his current efficiency, filling it up wouldn¡¯t be difficult. It would take just a few more days at most. Once his Experience Value was full, he could perform his first Break Limit. He had high expectations for the Break Limit of the Five Animals Fist. After all, this was a lower-level martial arts Break Limit, far different from insignificant skills like the Chopping Wood Blade Skill. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] After practicing the boxing skill three times in a row, he instantly felt his body warm up completely, with the blood rushing faster inside. At this moment. There was still some time before sunrise, even more time until early morning. Jiang Ning then stripped off his clothes in his yard, wearing only a big pair of shorts. His front yard was locked and the surrounding wall was tall, exceeding three meters. Moreover, he lived on the side of the east courtyard closest to the Luoshui Lake, quite secluded. So, he didn¡¯t worry about anyone disturbing him. Here, he could confidently refine his skin membrane and enhance the progress of his Vajra Immortal Body. The next moment. He took out the sand used for skin refining. And began vigorously rubbing it over his whole body. After a period of time. His entire body had already been rubbed with the sand. This was his first skin refining after achieving small success in it. He also noticed that this was completely different from before, not to mention causing the membrane to ooze blood; no matter how hard he tried, his skin refused to turn red. Thus, after trying hard for a period, he gave up. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Afterwards. While his body was still coated with sand, Jiang Ning thought for a while and posed in the first pose of the Vajra Immortal Body. Then he mobilized his Power and urged the Qi Blood to enter the skin membrane all around his body. At this point, as he had reached this step in practicing the Five Animals Fist, his Qi Blood was already extremely vigorous, far surpassing ordinary martial artists of the same level. Especially after he refined the fifty-year-old Blood Lotus the previous day, his Qi Blood grew even stronger. At this moment, as he propelled with his Power, his Qi Blood boiled, surging into his skin membrane with a rolling momentum, refining the toughness of his skin membrane. A moment later. [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] Seeing the prompt in front of him, Jiang Ning remained unperturbed and posed in the second pose. [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] Then, he successively posed in the third pose, fourth pose, fifth pose¡­ Until he had performed up to the ninth pose of the incomplete Vajra Immortal Body currently in his possession. After each movement, he urged the Qi Blood to refine the skin membrane. Seeing the prompts appearing. [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] After all nine movements had been completed, and corresponding nine prompts had appeared. He then slowly stopped. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Master 9/2000) Looking at the changes on the panel, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes revealed a hint of joy. ¡°Sure enough, whether it¡¯s the first pose or the ninth, I can still gain Experience Value for the Vajra Immortal Body.¡± He then looked up at the sky. By this time, the Great Sun had already risen, releasing astonishing heat that enveloped the land. He glanced at the Sun Corona, then knew what time it was. It was past the quarter past 8:00 a.m. ¡°About two and a half hours, and the Vajra Immortal Body gained nine Experience Value points!¡± ¡°This efficiency, compared to before, has not decreased but increased!¡± ¡°The growth of Qi Blood can indeed greatly increase the efficiency of my skin refining.¡± After understanding his skin refining efficiency, Jiang Ning felt very reassured. Although the toughness of the skin membrane had increased and the effect of the skin refining sand was noticeably weaker, with the sand¡¯s medicinal power hardly entering his skin layer and being absorbed by him. But due to the growth of his Qi Blood, the current efficiency wasn¡¯t slow, in fact, it could be considered very high. Approximately in two and a half hours, his Vajra Immortal Body could gain nine Experience Value points. If he could train the Vajra Immortal Body continuously and refine his skin membrane, then progress would simply soar. He could gain seventy to eighty Experience Value points in a day. Two thousand Experience Value points, thus it would at most take a month. That is to say, he could achieve Refining Skin Mastery within a month, with skin as tough as copper. However, this was an ideal state, Jiang Ning knew. Because, having continuously refined the skin membrane for over two hours, he could feel a faint pain in the skin membrane all over his body. It was clear that the skin membrane had been refined by Qi Blood for a long time, reaching a high-load state. In such a case, a certain amount of time for recuperation was needed before the next skin refining. ¡­ Jiang Ning sat cross-legged facing the Great Sun. At this time, even though it was already past quarter past 8:00 a.m., there wasn¡¯t much time left until 9:00 a.m., less than two hours. But, under the state where the skin membrane was loaded due to refinement. And with the limited time in a day when he could ingest the Great Sun Essence Qi to refine his internal organs. Jiang Ning still took advantage of today¡¯s remaining less than two hours to start ingesting the Great Sun Essence Qi, continuing to refine his internal organs. The growth of his internal organs, how much help it provided him, Jiang Ning had fully realized over this period. Chapter 127: 51: Enhancing Strength, Liu Qingsongs Pursuit! (Combined , additional update 2/2)_2 Chapter 127: Chapter 51: Enhancing Strength, Liu Qingsong¡¯s Pursuit! (Combined chapter, additional update 2/2)_2 Not to mention that with further breakthroughs in the ¡°Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill,¡± a greater qualitative change would await him, taking control of his ¡°Inner Breath.¡± A moment later. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [¡­] ... As it was nearly time for the hour of ¡°9:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m.,¡± Jiang Ning also ceased his breath cultivation exercise. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Mastered 1075/2000) ¡°I¡¯ve made more than half the progress, and I¡¯m close to mastering Inner Breath!¡± Jiang Ning looked at his panel, filled with anticipation. Then, It was only then that he had time to leap into the water vat to scrub off the dry skin peeling sand from his body. After cleaning, with all the filth washed off his body, Jiang Ning stood in the courtyard feeling refreshed. Especially at this moment, as the lake breeze blew over him, the water on his body evaporated quickly. It made him feel bursts of coolness in the heat of the day. ¡°So comfortable!¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing like a bath on a hot day!¡± Jiang Ning looked invigorated and refreshed. ¡°Time to have breakfast!¡± Dressed, Jiang Ning headed out of the courtyard. These days, no matter when he went in the morning, midday or evening, his elder brother and sister-in-law already had food prepared in the kitchen. This convenience was something he found extremely satisfying. And it made him feel particularly wise for inviting his brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family to live with him. If it hadn¡¯t been for his brother and sister-in-law, living in such a big house would have been rather inconvenient. As for hiring servants, He did not wish to at the moment. Not because he couldn¡¯t afford it, but because he had too many secrets. He feared that interested parties would send someone under the guise of a servant to stay close to him. Especially ¡°the Cao family.¡± ¡­ Morning. [Five Animals Fist EXP +1] [Five Animals Fist EXP +1] [Five Animals Fist EXP +1] [¡­] Jiang Ning practiced the boxing technique over and over again in his own courtyard. With each practice of the boxing technique, his ¡°Qi-Blood¡± increased by five strands, and the experience for the Five Animals Fist slowly grew as well. While practicing, he could feel the load previously on his skin lessening as the Qi-Blood circulated through his body. Before long, The sun climbed higher. The temperature rose along with it. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Perfection 799/1000) After glancing at his panel, Jiang Ning stopped practicing. He felt that his skin was no longer in distress and was ready to continue with ¡°Refining Skin.¡± This time, however, Jiang Ning had a change of thought regarding refining his skin. He had just tried it out and felt that with his skin as tough as stone, the efficiency of the skin peeling sand was not as good as before. So he decided to experiment. To see what the results would be like without using the skin peeling sand. Immediately, Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He opened a bottle of ¡°Plant Essence¡± and drank it all in one gulp. Once his body absorbed a significant amount of the medicine and was in optimal condition, he started with the first pose of the ¡°Vajra Immortal Body.¡± Then, he began to operate his ¡°Power,¡± driving the Qi-Blood to refine his skin. With the Qi-Blood washing over him time after time, A new prompt gradually appeared in front of him. [Vajra Immortal Body EXP +1] [Vajra Immortal Body EXP +1] [Vajra Immortal Body EXP +1] [¡­] Only when he felt his skin reached an overload state and started to feel a slight pain throughout his body, did he stop his skin refining activity. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Mastered 19/2000) After closing the panel, he looked up at the sun¡¯s ¡°Corona¡± in the courtyard. ¡°Not even three two-hour periods.¡± ¡°It seems the skin peeling sand really isn¡¯t much use to me anymore!¡± ¡°The increase to my efficiency is incredibly slow. On the contrary, the growth of my Qi-Blood and the auxiliary effect of the Five Beasts Force seem pretty good, which is why I can still refine my skin at such a high rate.¡± After completing the test, Jiang Ning placed even greater importance on the Five Animals Fist. Qi-Blood is the foundation of ¡°Martial Arts.¡± Practicing the boxing was the best way for him to increase his Qi-Blood. As long as the Qi-Blood was strong, not only would his body become stronger, but it would also greatly assist his efficiency in breaking through future barriers, significantly increasing his overall efficiency. It could be said there was nothing more important than this. ¡­ The next afternoon. ¡°Luoshui Lake.¡± On a desolate island. A small boat was docked at the sandy shore. ¡°Elder Liu, according to the guidance from the insect, the scent left on Tian Buyi by the elder should be in this direction.¡± Liu Qingsong stood at the bow of the small boat, casting his gaze around. He nodded in agreement. ¡°This small island is indeed a good place to hide.¡± ¡°Tian Buyi¡¯s nickname is ¡®Dragon of the River,¡¯ his swimming skills are exceptional, and for him, this place is an even more ideal hiding spot.¡± The followers behind him hesitated upon hearing this. ¡°Elder Liu, if that¡¯s the case, even if we do find Tian Buyi, can we capture him?¡± ¡°His swimming skills are just too good. Once in the water, he vanishes, and he can hold his breath far longer than ordinary people.¡± Another person nodded, ¡°Exactly! How can we catch him?¡± Liu Qingsong said, ¡°Even if we can¡¯t capture him this time, don¡¯t worry! He was injured by one of my palms previously and must have internal injuries. I¡¯ve also applied a medicinal powder on him, which has already merged into his flesh and blood, and he can¡¯t rid himself of this scent.¡± ¡°Now that we have the insect to guide us, he can¡¯t escape.¡± ¡°As long as we pressure him enough, his injuries will certainly worsen, and sooner or later, we will capture him.¡± During this conversation, Liu Qingsong also took out a ¡°Jade Bottle¡± from his chest and slowly uncorked it. The next moment, An insect glowing faintly flew out of the bottle, then flapping its wings, it jerked toward a direction. ¡°Keep up!¡± Liu Qingsong commanded. ¡°Yes, Elder Liu!¡± The crowd responded as they hurriedly followed. Moments later, They reached a spot on the shore. Liu Qingsong watched the insect slowly land on a dried patch of blood. Chapter 128: 51 Enhancing Strength, Liu Qingsongs Pursuit! (Two in One, Additional Update 2/2)_3 Chapter 128: Chapter 51 Enhancing Strength, Liu Qingsong¡¯s Pursuit! (Two in One, Additional Update 2/2)_3 His gaze suddenly intensified, and he quickly crouched in front of the dried bloodstain. ¡°Elder Liu, have you discovered anything?¡± Several people behind him, breathing slightly heavily, stopped. Liu Qingsong touched the pool of dried blood in front of him and instantly made a judgment. ¡°The presence of the Gu worm here means that this bloodstain was left by Tian Buyi.¡± ¡°Only Tian Buyi¡¯s blood, infused with the medicinal powder, could attract the Gu worm.¡± Upon hearing this remark, someone immediately spoke from behind. ... ¡°Elder Liu¡¯s power is formidable, Tian Buyi must have been injured by Elder Liu, which is why this bloodstain is left here.¡± Then another person chimed in, ¡°Brother Shangguan is right! It appears that Tian Buyi is indeed on this desolate island now.¡± At that moment, Liu Qingsong said, ¡°Judging by the dried state of the blood, it must have been left here two days ago.¡± The next moment, Liu Qingsong immediately gave the command. ¡°Tian Buyi has internal injuries, and he is likely still on this island recuperating.¡± ¡°Spread out and search. If you find him, fire a signal flare immediately to notify me!¡± ¡°Remember, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse, and among those of the Eighth Grade, Tian Buyi is genuinely a strong fighter. Except for Wusheng and Wang Jiu, the rest of you must not engage Tian Buyi in combat.¡± Everyone nodded and bowed in respect. ¡°Yes, Elder!¡± After these words, everyone scattered in all directions. Then, Liu Qingsong continued to direct the Gu worm to track down the scent of Tian Buyi. ¡­ An hour later, he arrived at the cliffs near Luoshui County. The lake was raging. The waves under his feet surged, smashing against the rocks, exploding into clusters of white spray. Watching the continuously sinking Gu worm ahead, Liu Qingsong¡¯s gaze intensified once more, and he leaped toward a rock in front. From the forty to fifty feet high cliff, he leaped down in an instant. With a loud boom¡ª As he landed, the rock under his feet suddenly shattered. Liu Qingsong remained calm, looking up and waiting for the Gu worm to indicate the direction. A moment later, the Gu worm stopped on another rock. Upon seeing that rock, Liu Qingsong slightly hesitated, because the rock, smooth and indistinguishable from the others, had nothing on it. Then, he quickly approached the said rock. Seeing the Gu worm still stationary on the rock indicated a clear message. Seeing this scene, his gaze once again sharpened. Then he took out a small jade bottle from his bosom. After opening the jade bottle, he slowly poured the liquid onto the rock. The next moment, he saw the rock begin to transform, with specks of purple dust emerging. In an instant, Liu Qingsong¡¯s brows furrowed, and his eyes revealed a surprised expression. ¡°This rock actually has dust remaining, no wonder the Gu worm lingered here.¡± ¡°But the dust should have already fused with Tian Buyi¡¯s blood and flesh. The appearance of so much dust on this rock, could it be that Tian Buyi left a lot of blood here previously?¡± Thinking this point, Liu Qingsong¡¯s frown deepened. He also muttered under his breath, ¡°How strange! Why would Tian Buyi have left so much blood here previously?¡± ¡°Could it be that his internal injuries worsened?¡± ¡°But that¡¯s impossible!¡± ¡°My palm strike wasn¡¯t strong enough to this extent, and my power couldn¡¯t have penetrated into his body.¡± ¡°He clearly climbed ashore on the other side. After healing, his injuries shouldn¡¯t have worsened!¡± Liu Qingsong immersed himself in deep meditation, but still couldn¡¯t figure it out. But he also knew that Tian Buyi must have left a large amount of blood on this rock. So now that so much dust could still adhere to this rock. At that moment, the insect flew again. Seeing this, Liu Qingsong set aside the doubts in his mind and continued to follow the insect¡¯s movements. Just a few dozen breaths later, the insect began to descend. Liu Qingsong¡¯s gaze then fell on a piece of clothing on the rock. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He quickly approached the rock in three or four steps, looking at the clothing washed up on the rock by the waves, he felt it somewhat familiar. Then he watched as the insect slowly settled on the clothing. Liu Qingsong¡¯s expression changed once again. ¡°Is this Tian Buyi¡¯s clothing?¡± The next moment, he hurriedly took out a jade bottle from his bosom, poured some liquid on the clothing. With the integration of the liquid, in an instant, the clothing revealed countless spots of purple dust. Seeing this, Liu Qingsong became extremely certain. He remembered, when he had caught up with Tian Buyi, they had a brief encounter. That encounter gave him a rough impression of what Tian Buyi was wearing. This was indeed Tian Buyi¡¯s clothing. He had also struck Tian Buyi with one palm, a palm not only dispersed Tian Buyi¡¯s blocking posture but also landed on his chest. Tian Buyi, following that palm, directly retreated several meters, then turned and plunged into Luoshui Lake. It was then that he truly realized why Tian Buyi was nicknamed ¡°The River Dragon.¡± He truly witnessed how extraordinary Tian Buyi¡¯s swimming skills were. Even after taking his palm strike, Tian was like a traceless entry into the water, directly disappearing. Had he not been cautious at that moment, releasing a large amount of tracking dust with his strike, letting this dust adhere to Tian Buyi¡¯s clothes and merge into his body through his mouth and nose, Had he not been cautious, given Tian Buyi¡¯s swimming prowess, entering Luoshui Lake would have been like a fish entering the sea. Chasing Tian Buyi would have been more difficult than ascending to the heavens. Following this battle, Tian Buyi would undoubtedly become even more cautious, and finding him would be many times more difficult. So at this moment, when Liu Qingsong saw the scene before him, the purple dust on the clothing, and the impression in his memory, Liu Qingsong became utterly certain, this was the clothing Tian Buyi was wearing then. Just then, a thought suddenly occurred to him. His expression turned to astonishment. ¡°Tian Buyi, could he be dead?¡± No sooner had this thought arisen than it grew wildly like weeds in his mind, instantly occupying all his thoughts. He flipped through the clothes in his hands, feeling increasingly that this possibility could be true. Because the clothes washed up on the rocks were clearly damaged, with signs of being torn by fish, holes everywhere. Holding the clothes in his hands, he pondered for a long time. Then, shaking his head, he stood up: ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be possible! Tian Buyi is a Martial Artist Eighth Grade, and one who could directly receive my palm strike at that, clearly mightier than Wusheng and Wang Jiu. In this small Luoshui County, there aren¡¯t many who could surpass him!¡± ¡°Let alone this being near the water, with Tian Buyi¡¯s swimming skills, killing him would be as difficult for me as ascending to the heavens.¡± ¡°Once he enters the water, he vanishes without a trace, even I can do nothing in such a situation.¡± ¡°A man of his strength and capabilities couldn¡¯t possibly fall on this uninhabited island!¡± ¡°It must be an overthought!¡± Liu Qingsong muttered to himself, trying hard to convince himself. Afterwards, he urged the insect to continue searching for the scent left by Tian Buyi. But at that moment, no matter how he urged, the insect remained motionless. ¡°Is this¡­the insect has lost its target?¡± Liu Qingsong¡¯s eyes narrowed once again. Chapter 129: 52 Experience Value Full, Xiao Peng Steps Into Martial Arts Ninth Grade! Chapter 129: Chapter 52 Experience Value Full, Xiao Peng Steps Into Martial Arts Ninth Grade! Five days later. Still morning. Jiang Ning was practicing his punches over and over again in his own yard. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] ... [¡­] As he practiced, the experience value of Five Animals Fist slowly increased. He also felt his Qi-Blood becoming increasingly robust. A moment later. He ceased punching and stood still, stopping his movements. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Perfection 1000/1000) ¡°It¡¯s full!¡± Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning let out a sigh of relief. The next moment. His gaze slightly sharpened. Because as the experience value of Five Animals Fist hit a thousand points, his panel did not show the familiar change; the familiar plus sign did not appear next to the name of the skill. Then, he looked at his panel again. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 37.8 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1043/3000) (Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (Perfection 1000/1000) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Fourth Limit Breaking 5000/5000) (Trait: Touch and Understand, Blade like a Whirlwind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Mastered 1243/2000) Canglang Saber Technique (Great Success 48/1000) Vajra Immortal Body (Mastered 266/2000) Swimming (First Limit Breaking 187/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing) ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°These seven days, the medicinal coat of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill in my belly was dissolved by my stomach, and my body absorbed its medicinal power, leading to a significant increase in the Source Energy Points I gained that day.¡± ¡°Over the past few days, I¡¯ve also accumulated nearly thirty Source Energy Points, catapulting to 37.8.¡± ¡°However, with so many Source Energy Points, my experience value in Five Animals Fist has once again maxed out at a thousand points, but that familiar plus sign still hasn¡¯t appeared.¡± ¡°It seems my previous premonition was not wrong!¡± ¡°For a lower-level martial art like Five Animals Fist that has gained some popularity, it requires many more Source Energy Points to break limit than insignificant skills such as Swimming and Chopping Wood Blade Skill.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know whether the First Limit Breaking for Five Animals Fist requires fifty Source Energy Points or a hundred?¡± Jiang Ning mused internally. Then, he took another glance at his panel. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Perfection 1000/1000) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Fourth Limit Breaking 5000/5000) (Trait: Touch and Understand, Blade like a Whirlwind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) ¡­ He thought to himself again that now with both skills having their experience values maxed out, with enough Source Energy Points, both could immediately break through. His strength would surely advance greatly once more. Considering there are just about ten or so days left before the Inspection Office establishes its headquarters. In such a violent institution, strength is undoubtedly extremely important. I need to figure out how to gather enough Source Energy Points to allow for the First Limit Breaking of Five Animals Fist before that happens. With this in mind, Jiang Ning turned and walked toward the house. A moment later. He checked his finances and had a total of over eighteen hundred Silver Taels. He then took these eighteen hundred Silver Taels, along with some of the spoils of war he had saved, and headed towards Wanhua Building. Having tasted the benefits of Blood Lotus before, Jiang Ning knew that to rapidly increase his Source Energy Points in a short time, he still needed to rely on those so-called Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, And not ordinary supplements like Wild Ginseng and Earth Ginseng. Such supplements have a limited effect when taken daily. The human body ultimately has a limit; taking too much will be too much for the body to handle. Just like those Qi Blood Pills and Plant Essence. All medicines have their side effects. Taking a little daily, with his current physique and internal organs, is completely fine. But excessive consumption can lead to the accumulation of drug toxins, ultimately causing irreversible damage to the body. This is something that all people inevitably face. And that¡¯s why Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures like Blood Lotus, containing powerful medicinal effects, are so valuable. That¡¯s why they seem to have no cost-effectiveness. And that¡¯s why the value of Blood Lotus doubles with every additional decade of age, Because the erosion on the body remains constant, the stronger the medicinal properties, the greater the effect. Naturally, the value rises accordingly. Jiang Ning¡¯s current trip to Wanhua Building was to sell some of the previous spoils of war, gather some Silver Taels, and then see if he could purchase some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures with potent medicinal power. He had also thoroughly grasped the pattern of his Source Energy Points growth. It was the energy intake each day that determined the increase in Source Energy Points for the day. Like when he first started without practising martial arts, consuming simple meals, the growth in Source Energy Points each day was minimal, usually 0.1 per day. On occasions with meat and greasy food, it would be an increase of 0.2 Source Energy Points. Later, after joining the Martial Arts Hall and being able to eat meat, the growth of his Source Energy Points surged along with it. As for after obtaining the Wild Ginseng, his daily Source Energy Points also experienced a surge. Then, the Qi-Blood Pills also brought about some additional growth in Source Energy Points. In recent days, his most significant spikes in Source Energy Points came from only two sources. The first was that fifty-year-old Blood Lotus. Jiang Ning had roughly calculated that the Blood Lotus had accounted for an increase of over twenty Source Energy Points. Secondly, were the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills. Each time his body absorbed a part of the Medicinal Power, it would result in a surge of Source Energy Points. Based on the frequency of deterioration of the pills¡¯ outer coating over the past few days, as well as the insights Jiang Ning gained through inner vision, it would take at least half a year to completely absorb the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills. This was under the condition that he wasn¡¯t actively refining the pills. From his observation, it would take roughly five days to dissolve a layer of pill coating. Just estimating, Jiang Ning knew just how terrifying the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills were. If he were to refine the pill inside his body, just the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills alone could provide him with several hundreds of Source Energy Points. Plus, he had another one. If both pills were refined, he estimated it could potentially lead to an increase of nearly a thousand more Source Energy Points. This also showed just how precious the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills were and the immense Medicinal Power they contained. Not to mention, this was merely the additional effects the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills brought him. The most important effect was to improve his constitution. With an improved constitution, his body would grow stronger at an even faster rate, and the efficacy with which he could absorb various medicinal diets, pills, Heavenly Materials, and Earthly Treasures would significantly increase. This was where the true value of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills lay. Compared with these effects, the hundred Gold Taels offered as a reward by Medicine King Valley didn¡¯t amount to much at all. Afterwards, Jiang Ning left his residence with those items, heading straight for the Wanhua Building. ¡­ Meanwhile, At the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. ¡°Brother Zhou Xing has arrived!¡± ¡°Brother Zhou Xing has arrived!¡± ¡°And Brother Zhang Tiesheng is here too!¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­¡± With the carriage coming to a stop, Zhou Xing stepped into the Martial Arts Hall. Upon seeing Zhou Xing¡¯s arrival, everyone¡¯s faces instantly lit up with excitement. At this moment, with the arrival of Zhou Xing and Zhang Tiesheng, the front yard became even more lively. Everyone greeted Zhou Xing and Zhang Tiesheng. ¡°Where¡¯s Brother Jiang Ning?¡± asked Zhou Xing, scanning the crowd, then he inquired. Someone immediately responded, ¡°Brother Jiang Ning hasn¡¯t arrived yet, but Brother Cheng Ran has gone to find him!¡± Upon hearing this, Zhou Xing nodded, ¡°Then who else hasn¡¯t arrived?¡± Hearing this, Zhao Hu couldn¡¯t help but let out a sneer. ¡°Who else could be late other than that kid?¡± Hearing Zhao Hu¡¯s words, Zhou Xing pretended not to notice and completely ignored him. Getting entangled with such a muddle-headed person like Zhao Hu was beneath his dignity and utterly meaningless. At that moment, The figures of Wang Jin and Li Qing slowly came into view of the crowd. As Wang Jin appeared, the entire place suddenly went quiet. ¡°Has everyone arrived?¡± asked Wang Jin, his booming voice instantly spreading throughout the entire Qianyuan. Someone replied, ¡°Brother Jiang Ning and Brother Cheng Ran haven¡¯t arrived yet, as Cheng Ran has gone to call for him.¡± Wang Jin nodded slightly, then addressed Zhou Xing and the others, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him. It¡¯s fine as long as you few are here.¡± Seeing this, Zhou Xing immediately bowed and asked, ¡°Master Wang, what exactly is the matter?¡± Master Wang declared, ¡°Tomorrow, the Residence Master will arrive in Luoshui County and will also prepare for the establishment of the Inspection Office. Therefore, you candidates for the evaluation, I will take you in as Direct Disciples in three days. Everyone will witness this moment, and you will represent me in participating in the Inspection Office¡¯s evaluation.¡± At these words, Xiao Peng slowly stepped forward from the crowd. ¡°Master Wang, I have an objection!¡± As soon as these words were out, everyone¡¯s gaze instantly shifted to Xiao Peng. ¡°What¡¯s your objection?¡± Xiao Peng clenched his fists, his knuckles knocking against each other in front of his chest. Bang¡ª A muffled sound echoed instantly. Xiao Peng stated, ¡°I have now stepped into the Martial Arts Nine Grade, and I have achieved Great Success in both Fist Forces! I am aware that Master Wang currently only has five spots available, and I wish to compete for one of those spots.¡± ¡°To compete with Brother Jiang Ning!¡± These words immediately caused an uproar in the audience. ¡°Did I hear wrong? Brother Xiao Peng actually did it, he truly stepped into the Martial Arts Nine Grade?¡± ¡°I told you before, Brother Xiao Peng is definitely more promising than Brother Cheng Ran!¡± ¡°Given that Brother Xiao Peng has reached this point, it¡¯s no wonder he¡¯s stepping forward.¡± ¡°Yes! If I were in his shoes, I wouldn¡¯t be satisfied either!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Even though Brother Jiang Ning is favored by Building Owner Shen, even Shen might not be infallible! It¡¯s still uncertain whether Brother Jiang Ning has stepped into the Martial Arts Nine Grade.¡± ¡°Indeed! After all, Brother Jiang Ning has trained in martial arts for such a short period. Even if his martial arts talent is incredibly high, it¡¯s still debatable whether he can step into the Martial Arts Nine Grade in such a short time.¡± ¡°In my opinion, even if Brother Jiang Ning has really reached the Martial Arts Nine Grade, he may not necessarily be a match for Brother Xiao Peng, considering Xiao Peng¡¯s combat experience is far richer than Brother Jiang Ning¡¯s.¡± ¡°If Master Wang agrees and then Brother Jiang Ning is defeated by Brother Cheng Ran, that would be quite entertaining!¡± At this moment, you spoke, and I spoke, everyone voicing their opinions. All were expressing their skepticism about Jiang Ning. In recent times, because Jiang Ning hadn¡¯t been coming to the Martial Arts Hall for training, many people had already harbored grievances. So, in this moment, using this reason, they unleashed their complaints. Belittling Jiang Ning while elevating Xiao Peng was their most straightforward way of expressing themselves. Chapter 130: 53: Selling Spoils of War, Big Money Rolling In! Chapter 130: Chapter 53: Selling Spoils of War, Big Money Rolling In! Canglang Martial Arts Hall. ¡°Silence!¡± As Wang Jin spoke, the entire hall suddenly became quiet. Then he looked at Xiao Peng and said, ¡°Do you really want to see who is better between you and Jiang Ning?¡± Xiao Peng decisively nodded, ¡°Yes! Since I have fulfilled Master Wang¡¯s requirements, I can¡¯t be resigned not to test my skills against Jiang Ning. I also know that the Inspection Office is an opportunity, a chance to change my fate, so I naturally must firmly grasp it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s very good!¡± Wang Jin nodded, ¡°It¡¯s your right. Since I have established this rule, then it¡¯s your right. I¡¯ll get in touch with Jiang Ning and arrange for you to see who is better after three days!¡± ... ¡°Thank you, Master Wang!¡± Xiao Peng¡¯s expression brightened as he bowed deeply. Upon hearing this, the crowd showed a look of anticipation, ready to enjoy the show. Clearly, after three days, whoever won would become Wang Jin¡¯s direct disciple and also participate in the assessment at the Inspection Office. ¡­ On the other hand. Cheng Ran went to Jiang Ning¡¯s home, only to find out that Jiang Ning had already left. He thought for a moment, then asked the accompanying attendant to return to the hall to inform them, while he quietly waited at the estate for Jiang Ning¡¯s return. ¡­ Wanhua Building. When Jiang Ning once again stepped through the entrance, he was immediately greeted by the same maid as last time. ¡°Miss Lv, we meet again!¡± Jiang Ning smiled. The maid, dressed in a green dress, also smiled warmly and then gracefully curtsied, ¡°I¡¯ve seen Young Master Jiang. May I know what brings you here today? Is there anything you need?¡± Jiang Ning responded, ¡°I want to sell some items!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Miss Lv curtsied gracefully, ¡°Please follow me to the VIP room first. I will go find Elder Qian to appraise them.¡± ¡°That would be trouble for you, Miss Lv!¡± said Jiang Ning. Following Miss Lv¡¯s lead, Jiang Ning soon reached a VIP room on the first floor. A moment later. Jiang Ning was sipping tea when the door to the VIP room was pushed open again. This time, three people entered, two of whom Jiang Ning was fairly familiar with. They were Manager Han Hongmei, a manager of Wanhua Building, and Miss Lv, a maid there. The other person appeared to be an elderly man in his seventies, with white brows and wise, twinkling eyes. Jiang Ning stood up. Manager Han Hongmei softly smiled, ¡°It has been a long time, Young Master Jiang!¡± ¡°It has been a long time for you too, Manager Han!¡± Jiang Ning also smiled slightly. Han Hongmei then said, ¡°Let me introduce you.¡± As she spoke, she withdrew the hand placed at her abdomen and raised it toward the elderly man. ¡°This is Elder Qian, the most insightful person in our building. I heard that Young Master Jiang wants to sell some items, so Elder Qian will appraise them for you.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning bowed to the elderly man, ¡°Elder Qian, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you!¡± Elder Qian looked at Jiang Ning, his face showing emotion, ¡°Shen Congyun holds you in high regard; you must truly have exceptional qualities!¡± Elder Qian is being too generous,¡± replied Jiang Ning. Then Han Hongmei spoke up, ¡°Please, everyone, take a seat and we can discuss.¡± Then she turned to the maid behind her and said, ¡°Miss Lv, bring some tea.¡± ¡°Yes, Manager!¡± Miss Lv curtsied gracefully and then busied herself with preparing the tea. Once seated. Elder Qian asked Jiang Ning, ¡°May I know what items you plan to sell?¡± Jiang Ning inquired, ¡°I heard there is a rule at Wanhua Building that you never disclose any seller¡¯s information?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Han Hongmei quickly replied, ¡°At Wanhua Building, client information is of utmost confidentiality. Although nothing is absolute, to get Wanhua Building to reveal a client¡¯s information, it would require the Owner themselves to speak; otherwise, no one can do it.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning felt even more relieved. He had known earlier about the strict protocols of Wanhua Building. The building was highly secretive regarding its clients¡¯ information, and there had never been an incident where client information was disclosed. Now, with Han Hongmei¡¯s words, although it wasn¡¯t an absolute assurance of confidentiality, as long as the Owner of Wanhua Building spoke up, clients¡¯ information could indeed be disclosed. This statement not only did not make Jiang Ning feel insecure, but rather increased his trust. He could sell dirty items at the Wanhua Building without worrying about being discovered by others. This was the business reputation of the Wanhua Building for hundreds of years, which was naturally trustworthy. Just as Han Hongmei said, there are no absolutes. If someone could get the owner of the building to speak, then there was truly no real confidentiality. This was reasonable. Afterward. Jiang Ning untied the bundle beside him, then pulled out a pair of black gloves, as well as a martial arts manual titled Iron Sand Palm, and also a dagger. The black gloves came from Tian Buyi. As for the Iron Sand Palm martial arts manual, it came from Hong Chengtao. The dagger also came from a colleague of Hong Chengtao. Seeing Jiang Ning take these items out of the bundle, Elder Qian¡¯s eyes momentarily flashed with surprise. He first picked up the dagger and casually glanced at it, then weighed it in his hand, and lightly tapped the blade with his finger, listening to the tremolo. After a moment. Elder Qian spoke, ¡°This dagger is forged from about 130 temperings of fine iron from the Refining Soldiers Shop. If sold at the shop, it would be valued at approximately 150 taels of silver.¡± ¡°Now for recycling, offering a 30 percent discount, it is priced at 105 taels of silver.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± With these last four words, he looked up at Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning, with a calm expression, nodded, ¡°Acceptable!¡± Following this. Elder Qian put down the dagger, then picked up the manual titled Iron Sand Palm. He browsed it briefly and then spoke, ¡°Iron Sand Palm is a lower-tier cultivation technique, widely circulated and not considered very precious. This detailed recording of the Iron Sand Palm martial arts manual typically has a market price of 500 taels of silver.¡± ¡°Now for recycling, also offering a 30 percent discount, it is priced at 350 taels of silver.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Reaching these last four words, Elder Qian once again slightly looked up at Jiang Ning. ¡°Acceptable!¡± Jiang Ning still nodded calmly. Then. Elder Qian put down the manual, moved it to the side, and picked up the pair of black gloves. This time, he examined them carefully. It was a variety of checking methods¡ªhe touched, pressed them to his cheek, and even bit them with his teeth. After struggling for quite a few breaths. Elder Qian finally put down the gloves that came from Tian Buyi. He stated, ¡°These gloves are somewhat extraordinary, made from the extremely precious silk threads spun by the Black Jade Xuan Spider. This kind of spider silk¡¯s toughness is comparable to Xuanjin, thus called Black Spider Xuanjin Silk.¡± ¡°This spider silk is extremely tough, impervious to water and resistant to cuts from swords, hence this item is highly valuable.¡± ¡°Additionally, it is a complete pair of gloves.¡± ¡°By my estimation, the market price is about 5,000 taels.¡± ¡°Now for recycling, calculating a 30 percent discount, it comes to 3,500 taels.¡± ¡°Do you think Young Master Jiang can accept this?¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After carefully listening, Jiang Ning slowly nodded, ¡°Acceptable!¡± At this moment, Han Hongmei finally spoke up. ¡°Young Master Jiang, these three items total 3955 taels. I, as the manager, round it up to an even four thousand taels. Young Master Jiang, do you find this acceptable?¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°I still trust the business reputation of Wanhua Building.¡± Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s praise, Han Hongmei gently smiled, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, shall I send someone to fetch the silver notes?¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning immediately said, ¡°No rush!¡± ¡°Young Master Jiang, do you still have matters to attend to?¡± Han Hongmei looked up at Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning said, ¡°I still want to buy some other things; let¡¯s calculate it all together later! It saves trouble.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, we¡¯ll do as Young Master Jiang wishes!¡± Han Hongmei acquiesced. Chapter 131: 54: Spirit Fruit and Golden Body Water Chapter 131: Chapter 54: Spirit Fruit and Golden Body Water Wanhua Building. Having come out from the VIP room, Han Hongmei led Jiang Ning towards a partition on the second floor where the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures were displayed. ¡°Young Master Jiang,¡± asked Han Hongmei as they walked on the partitioned second floor, ¡°which kind of effect from the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures would you like to purchase?¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°Anything that can bolster the Qi-Blood and enhance the strength of muscles and bones will do! The key is that it¡¯s easy to absorb and can significantly improve the strength of a Martial Arts Ninth Grade Martial Artist.¡± Han Hongmei listened to Jiang Ning¡¯s requirements while nodding slightly. ... ¡°Then I understand!¡± she said. Then she added, ¡°According to Young Master Jiang¡¯s needs, it seems that Young Master Jiang must have stepped into the ranks of the Martial Arts Ninth Grade?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning nodded affirmatively. ¡°Young Master Jiang truly is an exceptional talent, having reached this stage in just a few short months!¡± Han Hongmei couldn¡¯t help but praise. ¡°You flatter me too much, Manager Han!¡± Jiang Ning said. Hearing this, Han Hongmei smiled and then said, ¡°May I ask if Young Master Jiang is familiar with the Divine Power Realm of Martial Arts Eighth Grade?¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning shook his head slightly, ¡°Not quite familiar, I only have a rudimentary understanding.¡± Han Hongmei said, ¡°Then let me tell Young Master Jiang about Martial Arts Eighth Grade!¡± ¡°Thank you, Manager Han, for enlightening me!¡± Jiang Ning suddenly stopped and bowed with his hands clasped together. Han Hongmei smiled slightly and continued, ¡°Let¡¯s walk and talk! Talking about Martial Arts Eighth Grade is also relevant to what I will recommend to Young Master Jiang in a moment.¡± At that moment, Jiang Ning showed a serious look, ready to listen carefully. Seeing this, Han Hongmei slowly began, ¡°Martial Arts Eighth Grade is also known as the Divine Power Realm.¡± ¡°This level mainly involves refining the large and small muscles throughout the body.¡± ¡°The process requires the involvement of power, supplemented by Qi-Blood.¡± ¡°Once the threshold is crossed, the muscles will transform, and one can unleash even greater strength.¡± ¡°The unilateral transformation of the muscles creates a kind of burden on the overall body, and if the skin¡¯s strength is not sufficient and has not undergone refining, it could tear due to the transformation of the muscles, leading to possible death.¡± ¡°It is for this reason that one needs to refine the skin first, then power, followed by muscles and bones, this external four-step sequence is well-established.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°However, this does not mean that one must strictly follow the external four-step sequence.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that in Ancient Times, the Martial Ancestor divided it this way, so everyone in the world naturally follows this method of body refining.¡± ¡°And this method of refining is also the most orthodox and most stable sequence that does not lead to accidents.¡± Seeing Han Hongmei suddenly stop as she spoke to this point, Jiang Ning then spoke up. ¡°Manager Han, why bring this up to me today?¡± Han Hongmei said, ¡°According to what Young Master Jiang said, having now stepped into Martial Arts Ninth Grade, the key for Young Master Jiang now is to find Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that can speed up the refining of your skin and increase your strength.¡± ¡°Based on my understanding, tomorrow a figure of importance will arrive in Luoshui County from the Guangning Prefecture, and that figure will also be the future Inspector Mansion Master.¡± ¡°As Young Master Jiang already possesses the strength of Martial Arts Ninth Grade and does not have a better place to go, you should choose to join this newly established imperial institution, the Inspection Office that patrols the Nine States.¡± Han Hongmei said this and stopped walking, her eyes full of expression as she looked at Jiang Ning. As if she was asking if it was so! Looking at Han Hongmei¡¯s gaze, Jiang Ning nodded slightly, ¡°Manager Han is right, I do indeed have the intention of joining the Inspection Office.¡± Hearing this, Han Hongmei smiled faintly, ¡°If so, a short-term surge in strength is especially important for Young Master Jiang!¡± ¡°After all, the Inspection Office is a newly established enforcement agency by the imperial court, with extremely high levels of authority. Young Master Jiang, joining it, will inevitably face struggles and fights in the future, and the importance of strength is beyond question.¡± ¡°Moreover, for such an imperial institution, strength will also inevitably be a key factor determining one¡¯s status.¡± Hearing Han Hongmei¡¯s words, Jiang Ning fully understood. The implication of Han Hongmei¡¯s words was clear; it probably had to do with the recommendation she would make shortly. Immediately, Jiang Ning spoke, ¡°Manager Han, feel free to make your recommendation.¡± The next moment. Han Hongmei nodded and then turned to take a box from the cabinet partition beside her. ¡°Young Master Jiang, please look, inside are three Bull Demon Strength Fruits. This fruit is a kind of Spirit Fruit that significantly enhances muscle strength and is of great assistance to the Divine Power Realm. One fruit can increase strength by a hundred pounds, and three can increase strength by three hundred pounds.¡± ¡°Normally, only those in the Divine Power Realm of Martial Arts Eighth Grade are qualified to enjoy this kind of Spirit Fruit.¡± ¡°Depending on their progress in refining power, the effects will differ.¡± ¡°If one has not yet begun the process of refining the muscles throughout the body, they can virtually reach the theoretical value¡ªone fruit can increase strength by a hundred pounds, three can increase it by three hundred pounds.¡± ¡°Young Master Jiang is now at Martial Arts Ninth Grade, with your power refined and skin tough as bull leather, consuming one fruit is no problem. Your skin¡¯s toughness is capable of withstanding the muscle refining effect of one Bull Demon Strength Fruit, perhaps even two, at a stretch.¡± ¡°Thus, Young Master Jiang¡¯s strength will instantly increase by two hundred pounds. Your strength will certainly see a significant improvement, which is a great help for you joining the Inspection Office.¡± At this moment. Jiang Ning, upon hearing Han Hongmei¡¯s explanation, his eyes suddenly brightened. One fruit for a hundred pounds of strength, three fruits for three hundred pounds. If he were to refine these three, then his strength would be increased by three hundred pounds, which was almost a thirty-percent increase in strength. Without a doubt, his power would make great strides. The next moment. Jiang Ning then said, ¡°If the effects of the Bull Demon Strength Fruit are as Manager Han says, then I¡¯ll take them!¡± Han Hongmei continued, ¡°One Bull Demon Strength Fruit is valued at eight hundred Silver Taels. How many does Young Master Jiang wish to purchase?¡± That¡¯s expensive! Hearing Han Hongmei¡¯s quoted price, Jiang Ning inwardly clicked his tongue. Then he asked, ¡°How many does Manager Han have here?¡± Upon hearing this, Han Hongmei immediately shook her head, ¡°This servant does not recommend Young Master Jiang take too many! As you consume the Bull Demon Strength Fruit, the effects will diminish as your muscle toughness increases.¡± ¡°Young Master Jiang, the first fruit you consume can increase your strength by a hundred jin, and the second and third fruits won¡¯t differ much.¡± ¡°But if you continue to consume them, firstly, because the muscle strength will increase sharply, your skin might not be able to withstand the sudden surge of the muscles.¡± ¡°Secondly, the further you go, the weaker the effect of the Bull Demon Strength Fruit will become.¡± ¡°Just like those experts in the Divine Power Realm, with strength exceeding two thousand jin, they have highly toughened muscles, so taking a Bull Demon Strength Fruit might hardly affect them, maybe increasing their strength by three to five jin at most!¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take three!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Han Hongmei nodded and then cautioned, ¡°Young Master Jiang, your progress in Refining Skin is limited, should you feel your body cannot withstand after consuming one or two Bull Demon Strength Fruits, then do not continue to consume them.¡± ¡°If you force it too much, the expanding muscles will tear your skin, causing irreparable harm to your body.¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°I understand!¡± Han Hongmei nodded, turned to the maid beside her, and instructed, ¡°Little Lv, prepare three Bull Demon Strength Fruits.¡± ¡°Yes, Manager!¡± Miss Lv, who had been following behind them, gracefully bowed and then proceeded to pack them up. Afterward. Han Hongmei asked again, ¡°Does Young Master Jiang need to buy anything else?¡± Jiang Ning thought for a moment before replying, ¡°I would also like to buy some medicinal herbs that aid in toughening the skin membrane, with strong medicinal power that can penetrate into the inner layers of the skin, not like the sand for skin abrasion.¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s purpose in coming to Wanhua Building today was to spend a large portion of his wealth. Having just sold his spoils of war, his earnings were beyond his expectations, amounting to a total of four thousand taels of silver. Adding this to his existing silver surplus, he held a fortune, with five thousand eight hundred taels of silver to splurge today. Those three Bull Demon Strength Fruits, although expensive at eight hundred taels each, seemed reasonable compared to his current wealth. The three fruits totaled only two thousand four hundred taels. Moreover, he still had the VIP Token given to him by Shen Congyun, which allowed him an 80% discount when shopping at Wanhua Building. Thus, he had only spent one thousand nine hundred and twenty taels of silver. He still had nearly three thousand taels of silver left to splurge. At this moment. Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words, Han Hongmei nodded slightly, understanding his intentions. Jiang Ning had succeeded in Refining Skin, reaching the level where his skin was as tough as oxhide. Therefore, he deemed the effects of the skin abrasion sand too weak and wanted something that could better aid in toughening his skin membrane. Wanhua Building, of course, had such things. ¡°Please follow me, Young Master Jiang!¡± spoke Han Hongmei. ¡­ A short while later. They arrived at another counter, where Han Hongmei pulled out a card and placed it in Jiang Ning¡¯s hand. ¡°Young Master Jiang, please take a look, this is a medicinal packet for Golden Body Water.¡± Jiang Ning took the card, and as he read the introduction on it, Han Hongmei continued to speak. ¡°Before you start the Body Refinement, put the medicinal packet for Golden Body Water in a wooden tub, then boil water over a strong flame, pour in the packet, and continue to heat it for half an hour, allowing the medicinal power to fuse into the water.¡± ¡°Then let it cool for half an hour, and heat it up gently again.¡± ¡°At this point, immerse yourself in a medicinal bath for half an hour, letting the medicinal power fully merge into the inner layers of your skin.¡± ¡°Afterward, begin refining the skin membrane, and with this method, the efficiency of Body Refinement will skyrocket, being worth several normal sessions.¡± ¡°However, the ingredients for Golden Body Water are extremely expensive, so it comes at a high price, making it a luxury only the extremely wealthy can afford.¡± Having said this, Han Hongmei looked at Jiang Ning with a hint of hesitation. ¡°Young Master Jiang, even though you have earned a substantial amount today, the future expenses are large, you should be more frugal!¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning had also finished reading the introduction about the Golden Body Water medicinal packet and was immediately intrigued. According to the card, not only were the ingredients used in the Golden Body Water medicinal packet extremely costly, but crucially, one of the auxiliary ingredients was a powder extracted from the blood of the Demon Clan. As Jiang Ning understood from his readings, during the Ancient Times, after the Immortals perished. That brief epoch was dominated by demons. Demons were naturally born with strong physical bodies and abundant Qi-Blood. Therefore, their blood, after being refined, greatly aids in Body Refining. The reason why the Golden Body Water medicinal packet was so precious, and why it significantly helped in refining the skin membrane, was due to this auxiliary ingredient. Knowing about this auxiliary ingredient, Jiang Ning realized that the Golden Body Water had to be prohibitively expensive. But the effects were undeniably strong, without question. Immediately, Jiang Ning spoke up, ¡°Manager Han, please tell me straight, how much does one packet cost?¡± Han Hongmei pointed to the side, ¡°Please look, Young Master Jiang, the price is listed there, each packet is one dose, one dose costs fifty taels, and one medicinal bath requires one dose.¡± ¡°If we speak of the usual routine, bathing in the medicinal bath three times a day, then you would spend one hundred and fifty taels of silver just on refining the skin membrane.¡± ¡°In ten days, that adds up to fifteen hundred taels of silver, the silver you earned today would only suffice for a month¡¯s use.¡± ¡°This level of Body Refinement takes more than one or two months to complete.¡± ¡°This expense is too costly for your savings, the cost-efficiency too low.¡± At this time, Jiang Ning shook his head, ¡°The cost-efficiency is not important; I currently need a significant increase in strength. Please prepare 50 doses of the Golden Body Water medicinal packets for me, Manager Han.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Han Hongmei nodded, ¡°Since Young Master Jiang has made up his mind, this servant naturally has no objections.¡± Thereupon. Han Hongmei said, ¡°Does Young Master Jiang need to buy anything else?¡± Chapter 132: 55: Return Fully Loaded Chapter 132: Chapter 55: Return Fully Loaded Wanhua Building. Second floor. Jiang Ning said, ¡°Manager Han, I would also like to exchange for a durable long blade.¡± Han Hongmei replied, ¡°For that request, Young Master Jiang, the best place would be the Weapon Forging Shop in the north district of the Outer City! In Luoshui County, the highest quality weapons are from the Weapon Forging Shop in that area.¡± ¡°Thank you for the information, Manager Han!¡± Jiang Ning bowed and then said, ¡°I need one more item.¡± Han Hongmei responded, ¡°Please go ahead, Young Master Jiang.¡± ... Jiang Ning said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Wanhua Building also sells various types of intelligence. I would like to purchase some information about the various events surrounding Luoshui Lake.¡± Upon hearing this, Han Hongmei smiled, ¡°No problem, I will bring you the intelligence on Luoshui Lake shortly.¡± ¡­ A moment later. In a VIP room on the first floor. ¡°Young Master Jiang, please check these¡ªhere are three Bull Demon Strength Fruits!¡± Han Hongmei pushed a brocade box to Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning immediately opened the box and glanced inside. Inside the brocade box, three fruits, black and bluish intermixed, appeared before him. Each fruit was approximately the size of an egg and was wrapped in a thin film. This thin layer was Wanhua Building¡¯s method of preserving Spirit Fruits. In a sealed state, the Spirit Fruits could remain fresh for several months, which was quite miraculous. Jiang Ning nodded and said, ¡°No issues!¡± Han Hongmei then took a booklet from a tray held by Little Lv. ¡°Young Master Jiang, here is the compiled intelligence information you requested.¡± Jiang Ning flipped through it casually for a few moments. After a dozen breaths, he nodded again slightly, ¡°Not bad! Very detailed.¡± Han Hongmei smiled and said, ¡°As for the Golden Body Water medicine packs that Young Master Jiang requested, totaling fifty packs, due to the heavy amount, I have already arranged for a carriage to personally deliver them to your residence. I just need the address from you shortly.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Jiang Ning nodded and then said, ¡°Manager Han, could you please calculate how much I owe for my purchases today?¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Okay!¡± Han Hongmei nodded. She then continued, ¡°Young Master Jiang bought three Bull Demon Strength Fruits, each priced at 800 taels of silver, totaling 2400 taels.¡± ¡°The Golden Body Water medicine pack is priced at fifty taels each, and you bought fifty packs, which amount to 2500 taels.¡± ¡°As for the intelligence information about Luoshui Lake, I will take care of that as a complimentary gift.¡± ¡°So, Young Master Jiang, your total expenditure for today is 4900 taels of silver. Since Young Master Jiang holds a VIP card, all expenses in the building are calculated at a twenty percent discount, which amounts to 3920 taels.¡± ¡°I will round it off, making it 3900 taels in total.¡± Han Hongmei then drew out a silver note of a hundred taels. ¡°Young Master Jiang, this is the surplus from the items you sold just now, please take good care of it!¡± Jiang Ning accepted the silver note of a hundred taels placed in front of him, keeping it well. He then bowed, ¡°It was a pleasure doing business!¡± Han Hongmei smiled, ¡°The pleasure was mine, and I wish Young Master Jiang great advances in his strength.¡± ¡­ A short while later. Jiang Ning was riding home slowly in a carriage from Wanhua Building. Beside him, lay fifty bound packs of Golden Body Water. Looking at the medicine packs beside him and smelling the aroma of the medicine in the carriage, a faint smile appeared on his face. ¡°With this kind of medicinal aid, the efficiency of refining my skin membrane should greatly increase.¡± ¡°If it proves useful, I will continue purchasing it after I use these up.¡± ¡°I still have 1900 taels¡¯ worth of silver notes with me. After I buy the long blade that suits me today, there should still be some surplus.¡± Thinking of this, he slowly opened the brocade box resting on his legs. After opening the box, he saw the three Bull Demon Strength Fruits wrapped in a transparent film. ¡°According to Manager Han¡¯s instructions, with Refining Skin at a small success stage, my skin tough like leather, should just be able to withstand the refining effects of two Bull Demon Strength Fruits.¡± ¡°I have already reached the state of small success in Refining Skin, my skin membrane as tough as stone, handling three should be no problem.¡± With this in mind. Jiang Ning then took one Bull Demon Strength Fruit out of the brocade box and tore off the outer film. He then opened his mouth and bit down. Instantly, juice exploded in his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s slightly bitter, a bit salty, and the taste is a bit off!¡± While mumbling to himself, he swallowed the egg-sized Bull Demon Strength Fruit in two bites. The next moment. As the fruit slowly digested in his stomach, Jiang Ning instantly felt waves of pain spreading from his abdomen throughout his body. This pain didn¡¯t come from his organs but from every muscle. The medicinal power continued to disperse as his muscles began to undergo transformations. They started to tighten and also began to ache intermittently. After briefly closing his eyes and feeling the effects for a moment, Jiang Ning opened his eyes, murmuring, ¡°This effect is indeed remarkable; I can feel the medicinal power refining the muscles all over my body.¡± ¡°I wonder how long this refining process will last?¡± Subsequently. He sat upright in the carriage, began circulating his Qi-Blood, and activated his Power to assist in refining the medicinal power of the Spirit Fruit within his body. With his assistance in refinement. His body temperature gradually rose, his skin began to redden, and his body turned into something akin to a furnace. The medicinal power of the Bull Demon Strength Fruit was rapidly absorbed by him. The carriage moved steadily along the clean, wide streets of the Inner City. The horses¡¯ hooves galloped, pulling the carriage in a swift flight. ¡­ Thirty minutes later. ¡°Young Master Jiang, we¡¯ve arrived at your home!¡± a voice called out. Jiang Ning also opened his eyes. He then picked up a large bag of medicine and stepped out of the carriage. ¡°Thank you!¡± Jiang Ning said with a smile. The coachman also revealed a hearty smile, ¡°Bringing Young Master Jiang home is part of my duty.¡± Jiang Ning just smiled without saying a word and looked up to see Jiang Li, who had been waiting at the door for a long time. ¡°Little brother, you¡¯ve finally come back!¡± Jiang Li said upon catching Jiang Ning¡¯s upward glance. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you waiting at the door for me?¡± Jiang Ning crossed the steps swiftly and reached the front of the house. Jiang Li said, ¡°Cheng Ran came looking for you, he¡¯s been waiting in the main hall for nearly an hour!¡± ¡°Cheng Ran is here?¡± Jiang Ning was somewhat surprised. Then he lifted the medicine bag, tightly bundled in his hand, ¡°Big brother, could you please put these medicine bags in my courtyard? I¡¯ll go see him now.¡± ¡°Little brother, this is?¡± Jiang Li took the medicine bag from Jiang Ning¡¯s hand, his face showing curiosity. Jiang Ning began to explain, ¡°These are the medicine bags for my medicinal bath, which are very helpful for my Martial Arts.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what it is!¡± Jiang Li instantly nodded in understanding, then continued, ¡°Preparing the medicinal bath needs heating water and adding material, and I¡¯m free right now, so I can help.¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°Hasn¡¯t the county government arranged a post for you yet, big brother?¡± Jiang Li slightly embarrassedly shook his head, ¡°I met Chief Feng before, and he said that these past two years the casualties among the constables have been quite high, and all logistic posts are filled! There¡¯s no suitable position for me yet.¡± Jiang Ning frowned slightly upon hearing this. He had known of this matter before. Generally speaking, the constables risked their lives for the government office, and if an incident occurred, there must be a casualty pension. At the end of the year, if a constable, injured and unsuitable for his position, failed the evaluation, he would also be arranged for a suitable logistic post, such as guarding warehouses or archives¡­ To ensure that those constables, losing their desperate drive, could continue to live. Without these assurances, why would those constables risk their lives for the government office? They would inevitably work without putting in the effort. Previously, because of intervention by the Cao family, his older brother not only didn¡¯t receive the compensation, but there were also no updates regarding the logistic post. Later, due to his own rise in status, Chief Feng and Cao Bin visited, and these issues were temporarily resolved. But the arrangement of his older brother¡¯s logistic post still hadn¡¯t been implemented. Jiang Ning also knew that his older brother, now idling at home daily, would feel extremely uneasy with his personality. If he had a position and an income, he would feel much more confident. Jiang Ning hadn¡¯t anticipated that even a simple arrangement like this hadn¡¯t been implemented by the county government yet. A thought flashed through his mind, and then he smiled. ¡°Then thank you very much, big brother. In about ten days, the Inspection Office will open, and this period is quite urgent for me. Having big brother¡¯s help couldn¡¯t be better.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Li laughed out loud, ¡°Little brother, just focus on practicing your martial arts! I¡¯m idle anyway, I¡¯ll handle these trivial matters!¡± Jiang Ning also smiled. Then he bent down to pick up Little Dumpling, who was playing in the courtyard, and placed her on his shoulder as he walked towards the main hall. Sitting on Jiang Ning¡¯s shoulder, Little Dumpling cheered joyfully. Her mouth continuously shouted, ¡°Charge, charge, charge! Charge, duck!!!¡± A moment later. Jiang Ning reached the entrance of the main hall and set Little Dumpling down from his shoulder. He patted her head, ¡°Yuanyuan, go play by yourself!¡± ¡°Okay, Doodoo!¡± Little Dumpling pouted her lip, somewhat reluctant, but still obediently nodded. ¡°Good girl!¡± Jiang Ning said, smiling as he rubbed her head. Immediately. He stepped into the main hall. He saw Cheng Ran at that moment in the hall¡¯s seat, eating melon seeds and drinking cold tea. Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s voice, he also turned his head toward the entrance. ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± Cheng Ran saw Jiang Ning entering the hall and immediately got up to greet him. Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°I didn¡¯t know Brother Cheng would visit suddenly. Sorry for making you wait so long!!¡± Then Jiang Ning continued, ¡°I wonder what brings Brother Cheng here all of a sudden?¡± Cheng Ran said, ¡°Master Wang informed us that there¡¯s something important to announce today, so we need to make a trip to the Martial Arts Hall.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning said, ¡°Shall we leave now then?¡± Cheng Ran said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s still possible to make it!¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°Whether it¡¯s possible or not, we¡¯ll know once we go to the Martial Arts Hall, it¡¯s not far from here anyway.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Cheng Ran agreed. Then the two of them exited the main hall. They reached the front door of the house. ¡°Young master!¡± a man dressed in simple clothes saw Cheng Ran and immediately spoke. ¡°Little Luo, you¡¯ve come at the right time! What did the Martial Arts Hall say?¡± Cheng Ran¡¯s eyes lit up as he asked. ¡°Reporting to the young master, the old master at the Martial Arts Hall said that the young master and Young Master Jiang need to make a trip to the Martial Arts Hall. There¡¯s something the big master at the Martial Arts Hall wants to inform the young master and Young Master Jiang about.¡± Hearing this, Cheng Ran nodded immediately. Then he said to Jiang Ning, ¡°Brother Jiang, then let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly. Chapter 133: 56 Five Animals Fist Break Limit Chapter 133: Chapter 56 Five Animals Fist Break Limit He had returned from the Martial Arts Hall. Jiang Ning had also learned about Wang Jin¡¯s arrangement. Three days later, he would need to make a trip to the Martial Arts Hall. On that day, Wang Jin would announce to all corners of society, inviting prominent figures to witness the enrollment of his five direct disciples. He was one of them. But before that, he still needed to contend with Xiao Peng. ... Xiao Peng had also reached the previous requirements announced by Wang Jin. About this matter, Jiang Ning did not take it to heart. It seemed normal to him that Xiao Peng wanted to challenge him. Everyone knew that joining the Inspection Office was an opportunity, a chance to change one¡¯s fate. Since Xiao Peng had met the conditions previously set by Wang Jin, he would definitely come to compete with him. No matter how big or small the opportunity was, anyone would compete for it; it was normal. When the time came, he would simply need to defeat Xiao Peng. To Jiang Ning now, this matter seemed nothing more than a minor episode. Compared to this, there was another matter that Jiang Ning was more concerned about. That was, according to what Wang Jin said, a major figure from Guangning Prefecture would arrive in Luoshui County tomorrow. This was truly a significant figure, the future Residence Master of the Luoshui County Inspection Office. This person would hold real power, controlling life and death. From high-ranking officials to ordinary citizens, all could exercise the right to act first and report later in urgent circumstances. He had previously heard about this from Manager Han. The arrival of this event was undoubtedly like a massive bomb dropping into the water for the whole Luoshui County. ¡°That one is the real ¡®dragon crossing the river¡¯,¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Then he quietly added, ¡°However, this matter doesn¡¯t concern me. What really needs to be worried about are those local bigwigs and powerful figures.¡± ¡°As for me right now, the key is to focus on enhancing my strength.¡± ¡°There are just over ten days until the opening of the Inspection Office; I must try to advance my strength further during this period!¡± While thinking about these things in his mind, Jiang Ning also walked through the corridor and pushed open the gate to the east courtyard. ¡­ A moment later. East courtyard. Jiang Ning stood in place, his eyelids slightly closed. The lake breeze rose from the Luoshui River, blowing over Chaotic Beach, caressing his face, his long black hair dancing in the wind. Since arriving in this world, Jiang Ning naturally conformed to the local customs, not cutting off the long hair of his original body. He usually just tied it up casually, and now, under the lake wind, it looked somewhat disheveled. While circulating his spiritual power for internal view, Jiang Ning also saw the Bull Demon Strength Fruit in his belly that had not yet been fully digested. ¡°This Bull Demon Strength Fruit still has about thirty percent remaining,¡± he opened his eyes and silently said to himself. Then, he continued to mutter, ¡°According to what Manager Han said, one Bull Demon Strength Fruit can temper muscle strength and increase my strength by a hundred pounds.¡± ¡°Digesting three of them will increase my strength by three hundred pounds.¡± ¡°Today, I will fully move and refine the remaining Bull Demon Strength Fruit. If successful, my Source Energy Points will surely surge tomorrow.¡± After making his decision. The next moment. Jiang Ning found a clean rock and sat cross-legged. Then, he circulated his own power, mobilizing his Qi-Blood within. Instantly. The Qi Blood Power in his body began to boil, and his body¡¯s temperature also climbed progressively. Under the dual catalytic forces, Jiang Ning immediately felt his digestive capacity in his abdomen surge. The remnants of the Bull Demon Strength Fruit in his stomach were rapidly digested by his stomach, releasing immense Medicinal Power. This Medicinal Power merged into his limbs and bones, flowing into all 639 muscles throughout his body. The muscles constantly tensed under the influence of the Bull Demon Strength Fruit, sending waves of pain. At the same time, his power also circulated through the muscles. ¡­ Half an hour later. Jiang Ning opened his eyes. Then he got up from the rock. He clenched his fists, and his arm muscles immediately released a powerful force. ¡°Manager Han was right! My strength has increased by nearly ten percent compared to yesterday.¡± ¡°The increase is a bit more than a hundred pounds; those 800 taels of silver were well spent!¡± Jiang Ning felt the changes within his body, his face showing slight joy. Before, the effect of the Bull Demon Strength Fruit had seemed somewhat miraculous, though coming from Manager Han of Wanhua Building, Jiang Ning had some doubts in his heart. Now, having personally verified the effects of this kind of Spirit Fruit, he had no doubts left. ¡°I still have two Bull Demon Strength Fruits. By refining these two, my strength can increase by a total of three hundred pounds.¡± ¡°That is to say, those 2,400 taels of silver can increase my strength by nearly thirty percent in just one day.¡± ¡°Is this the role of wealth?¡± The last sentence, Jiang Ning asked himself. At this moment. He experienced more clearly the significance of wealth. ¡°Wealth¡¯s aid to Martial Arts is also too significant!¡± he couldn¡¯t help sighing, then continued murmuring, ¡°It¡¯s understandable that those top-tier sects, those powerful family successors never lack resource provisions, their progress in Martial Arts can be incredibly fast.¡± ¡°No wonder, even though my Martial Arts progress has been so rapid before, neither Wang Jin nor Lin Qingyi, Master Lin, showed too much astonishment.¡± ¡°It must be that there are people in this world whose progress in Martial Arts is much faster than mine.¡± After reflecting briefly, Jiang Ning revived his spirit without any self-deprecation. He knew what his real advantage was. It was the miraculous panel in front of him. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 37.8 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1133/3000) (Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (Perfection 1000/1000) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Fourth Limit Breaking 5000/5000) (Trait: Touch and Understand, Blade like Swift Wind, God-Like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 1243/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 48/1000) Vajra Immortal Body (Master 266/2000) Swimming (First Limit Breaking 187/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing) He glanced at his own panel. ¡°I hope that after digesting these three Bull Demon Strength Fruits today, my Source Energy Points can break through a hundred tomorrow.¡± Jiang Ning silently said. Then he took out a Bull Demon Strength Fruit wrapped in a thin membrane from his body. Golden Body Water pouch, he asked Jiang Li to set it up properly inside the house. But the Bull Demon Strength Fruit, he always kept on him. After all, this kind of spirit fruit was not big, each only the size of a chicken egg, and very easy to carry. The next moment. He tore off the thin film on top of the spirit fruit. Then, he threw the Bull Demon Strength Fruit directly into his mouth. With a move of his jaw, the juice burst inside his mouth. As he chewed, his throat moved repeatedly, and the remnants of the fruit fell into his stomach. Then, he began to mobilize his Qi-Blood and operate his power, aiding the digestion and absorption of the Bull Demon Strength Fruit. ¡­ The moon was hazy. Tonight, the night sky was scattered with some clouds, stars hidden, the bright moon also visible intermittently. ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s expression brightened, and he opened his eyes. He then stood up and squeezed his right fist, immediately feeling the surging power contained within his right arm. Following his earlier breakthrough in Reading and Writing, the enhancement of his spiritual power, and the effects of his Extraordinary Five Senses trait, Jiang Ning had reached an extremely high state of control over his own body, capable of perceiving even minor changes. Therefore, at this moment, he was very clear about how the resilience and strength of his muscles contributed to the enhancement of his power. His strength had increased by about thirty percent. In terms of the 300-pound strength mentioned by Han Hongmei, in his perception of his body, it was more rather than less. The next moment. Boom¡ª He raised his hand and struck the air in front of him. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A force of 1,600 pounds, after being exerted, suddenly released a terrifying explosive power, instantly producing a clear sound in the air. ¡°Feels awesome!¡± Feeling his current strength, Jiang Ning was extremely exhilarated. Within one day, his strength had surged by thirty percent. This explosive increase provided him with great stimulation. ¡°With this strength, even those who just entered the Eighth Grade of Martial Arts wouldn¡¯t be much better than this!¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Then. Capitalizing on it still not being too late, and having little sleepiness, he began practicing boxing in the courtyard. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [¡­] ¡­ The next day. As his biological clock rang, Jiang Ning opened his eyes. He sat up and rubbed his cheeks. The remaining sleepiness evaporated instantly. After becoming fully awake, he immediately opened his panel to check. [Source Energy]: 110.5 Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°Yesterday, I clearly remember the Source Energy Points were at 37.8, today it has reached 110.5.¡± ¡°An increase of 72.7 Source Energy Points in one day, could the energy points brought by the Bull Demon Strength Fruit actually surpass that of the fifty-year-old Blood Lotus?¡± A hint of surprise flashed in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. Yesterday, he had been worried that even if he absorbed three spirit fruits named Bull Demon Strength Fruit, his Source Energy Points might not break a hundred today. Now, he realized he had underestimated the energy contained in these spirit fruits. They were even better than the Blood Lotus. One Bull Demon Strength Fruit had increased his Source Energy Points by about 23 to 24 points. The next moment. His gaze moved downward. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist +(Perfection 1000/1000) ¡°Indeed, a plus sign appeared, this martial art can also break the limit.¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s expression brightened. He slowly exhaled a breath of impure energy, calming his somewhat excited heart. The Five Animals Fist was the first cultivation technique he mastered, and it had met the requirements to Break Limit. Intuition told him, the nature of this skill¡¯s Break Limit would undoubtedly be different from before. A few moments later. He willed, and his Source Energy Points suddenly plummeted, the numbers rapidly decreasing. [Source Energy]: 10.5 Until the numbers reached this point did the change in Source Energy Points stop. In an instant. Jiang Ning involuntarily closed his eyes, entering a mysterious state. He saw between heaven and earth. Five colors were slowly converging towards his chest. They were red, black, white, yellow, and green. These five colors were distributed in various corners of heaven and earth, either sparse or dense. At this moment. While with closed eyes, in a pitch-black state of vision, he saw himself as if placed in the endless dark universe. Not knowing up from down, south from north. But all around, the speckles of five-colored lights were converging towards him. Red lights entered his body, making him feel slightly warm. Black lights entered his body, making him feel slightly cool. White lights entered his body, making him feel slightly sharp. Yellow lights entered his body, making him feel slightly dense. Green lights entered his body, bringing him a slight sense of vitality. Is this¡­ Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth? Sensing this scene, Jiang Ning murmured to himself. At this moment, although his mind was filled with countless doubts, he did not dare to be distracted. His instinct told him that where he was now was his fortune. It would certainly bring great benefits for his future. Chapter 134: 57 Metamorphosis, Powerful Trait! Chapter 134: Chapter 57 Metamorphosis, Powerful Trait! Moments later, All the strange phenomena disappeared, and he found himself in pitch darkness as his eyes were closed. Then, he slowly opened his eyes. [name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 10.5 [Skill]: ... Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1133/3000) (Traits: unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (First Limit Breaking 18/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Fourth Limit Breaking 5000/5000) (Traits: touch and understand, Blade like a Rapid Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 1243/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 48/1000) Vajra Immortal Body (Master 266/2000) Swimming (First Limit Breaking 187/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing) ¡°Five Internal Organs Store Essence?¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. Then he looked at the explanation of this trait. [Five Internal Organs Store Essence]: Essence Qi is stored in the five organs, which strengthen themselves. Reading the explanation, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Self-strengthening organs? Does this mean¡­ even if I don¡¯t practice the Inner Strength Method, I am naturally cultivating both internally and externally?¡± ¡°What a strong effect!¡± Understanding the implications, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue in amazement. To him, this seemed an extremely terrifying talent, especially after the birth of his Inner Breath, as the enhancement of his organs would lead to the growth of his Inner Breath. This meant, as time and years passed, his Inner Breath would grow stronger each day. ¡°This annotation should have an addition, ¡®My Inner Breath will grow stronger daily.''¡± Thinking this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but smile. Immediately after, he took a deep breath and quietly felt the changes in his body. After half an hour, ¡°I can feel my five organs being nourished by some special force, and indeed, they are slowly strengthening.¡± Confirming the changes in his own body, Jiang Ning then struck a pose, preparing to practice his boxing. Breaking limits in Five Animals Fist would inevitably bring about new changes. How effective, he would know upon practicing. The next moment, As Jiang Ning began practicing his boxing, he suddenly felt the Qi Blood Power within his body as if pulled by a force, Flowing like mighty rivers inside him. His body temperature continued rising, and his bodily functions became extremely vigorous. That¡¯s not right! Jiang Ning had a sudden realization. Then he practiced boxing with his eyes closed, moving freely. Suddenly, amidst the darkness, he saw a different scene. Red, black, white, yellow, and green light particles emerged in his sight. As he continued his boxing motions, his body seemed to turn into a vortex, slowly drawing in these light particles. As these particles touched his body, they suddenly disappeared without a trace, as if merging completely with him. ¡°The breaking limit of the Five Animals Fist seems to have a new effect, pulling these colorful particles into my body.¡± ¡°But what exactly do these colorful particles represent?¡± Jiang Ning continued his boxing practice while murmuring to himself, constantly pondering. Then, he murmured in his mind, ¡°According to my understanding, in the Five Elements Theory, red represents the Fire Element, black represents the Water Element, white represents the Gold Element, yellow represents the Earth Element, green represents the Wood Element.¡± After pondering, Jiang Ning carefully felt the changes in his body again. He immediately felt the same scene as before. The red light entering his body made him feel slightly warm. The black light entering his body resulted in a slight chill. The white light entering his body brought a slight sharpness. The yellow light entering his body made him feel slightly heavy. The green light gave him a slight sense of vitality. ¡°So that was not an illusion!¡± After feeling the feedback from his body again, Jiang Ning immediately realized. The sensations during the Five Animals Fist limit break were not illusions but actual events. ¡°If my guess is correct, my Five Animals Fist can now draw the Five Elements Qi from the universe into my body.¡± Realizing this, Jiang Ning felt a solemn sensation in his heart. ¡°Being able to draw the Five Elements Qi, is this still a martial arts skill? It clearly possesses the characteristics of a cultivation technique!¡± Pausing for a moment, he recalled the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill he had practiced for a long time. Instantly, he realized, ¡°Yes! Inner Elixir Cultivation, Breathing and Releasing the Essence of the Great Sun, this clearly is also endowed with the characteristics of cultivation.¡± ¡°This world where Martial Saints with lifespans of thousands of years exist, can definitely count as high martial arts!¡± ¡°In a world of high martial arts, it is normal to encounter such styles of cultivation techniques!¡± ¡°Moreover, according to those ancient texts, before Great Xia was founded, during ancient times, it was an era where immortals and gods coexisted.¡± ¡°If these records are true, then this world is not so simple! The prosperity of martial arts today may be a sign of its decline, in a sense.¡± After a moment, A round of boxing was completed. [Five Animals Fist EXP +1] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (First Limit Breaking 19/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) At this moment, Jiang Ning was closing his eyes, introspecting his whole body, feeling the changes in his body. ¡°Qi-blood increased by ten strands, which means the efficiency of my qi-blood enhancement has doubled.¡± ¡°A breakthrough has terrifyingly doubled the enhancement!¡± ¡°My intuition was right, the Five Animals Fist achieving a breakthrough has undergone a qualitative transformation!¡± ¡°Just practicing the boxing technique alone has brought such changes, it¡¯s a huge profit!¡± ¡°Not to mention there¡¯s also that added trait, Five Internal Organs Store Essence, with this trait, my internal organs will strengthen on their own!¡± ¡°Moreover, when I practiced the boxing technique just now, the five-colored particles I observed also merged into my internal organs.¡± ¡°According to my understanding, the five internal organs correspond to the Five Elements.¡± ¡°The attraction of five-colored particles should be refining my internal organs.¡± ¡°This means, practicing the boxing technique can not only enhance qi-blood but also refine the internal organs!¡± Thinking about this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes, amazed. ¡°Looking at it this way, what grade would my Five Animals Fist be considered as a cultivation technique?¡± ¡°Middle-class Martial Arts? Superior Martial Arts? Or perhaps a peerless skill?¡± After thinking for a moment, Jiang Ning shook his head slightly and chuckled with a smirk, ¡°Forget it! Why think so much! As long as the Five Animals Fist is effective enough!¡± Subsequently. Jiang Ning continued to practice his boxing while it was still dark. Now, every time he practiced the boxing technique, the qi-blood power inside his body would surge by ten strands. This efficiency was twice that compared to when the Five Animals Fist had reached Perfection. Plus, it also involved refining the internal organs. This brought him great motivation and positive feedback, fueling immense motivation within Jiang Ning. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [¡­] Through repeated practices, Jiang Ning¡¯s qi-blood soared. At the same time, he felt a slight enhancement in his internal organs. Though it wasn¡¯t much, the change was perceivable by him. After fully confirming his speculation, he felt even more motivated. Until the Great Sun rose, and it was nearing the hour between 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Only then did Jiang Ning go to have breakfast, asking Jiang Li to help heat some water as he was preparing to take a medicinal bath to refine his skin afterwards. After breakfast. It was exactly the time period from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Jiang Ning drank a small bottle of Plant Essence, then he began to breathe in and release the Essence of the Great Sun. As he started, Jiang Ning immediately felt a difference from before. The Great Sun Essence Qi entering his internal organs felt much less scorching than before, and it was much more comfortable. ¡°It must be the effect of the five-colored particles entering my body just now,¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Then he began to quicken the pace of his breathing. Since his organs could withstand it, naturally, the faster the breathing pace, the refining speed of his internal organs would also be accelerated. The experience value of Inner Elixir Cultivation skill could possibly increase at a similar pace too. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [¡­] As time passed, Jiang Ning clearly felt that the experience value acquisition rate of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill was much faster than the previous day. Until it was the period from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Jiang Ning finally stopped the breathing and releasing technique facing the Great Sun. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation (Master 1293/2000) Seeing the changes on the panel, Jiang Ning instantly nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Indeed!¡± ¡°Under normal circumstances, this Inner Elixir Cultivation technique would normally increase by about twenty-eight experience points a day!¡± ¡°But today, the experience value acquisition of the Inner Elixir Cultivation is nearly twice as fast as yesterday, a full increase of fifty points!¡± Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning was very satisfied. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The increase in the efficiency of the Inner Elixir Cultivation experience value meant that he was one step closer to achieving a small success in this skill. Achieving a small success in Inner Elixir Cultivation would mean mastering Inner Breath, which would be significant. Mastering Inner Breath, even falling leaves and flowers can harm others. As a man, who wouldn¡¯t dream of this? Furthermore, reaching this milestone would bring huge enhancement to his strength. With just a strand of Inner Breath, whether facing an opponent in the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm or the Seventh Grade, it would mean a sort of dimensional reduction attack. How could Jiang Ning not look forward to that day? With today¡¯s changes, the improved efficiency of Inner Elixir Cultivation, that day, in Jiang Ning¡¯s view, was not far off. His Inner Elixir Cultivation had reached the level of mastery, and he was more than halfway towards achieving a small success. Achieving a small success would mean mastering the magical force of Inner Breath, this extraordinary power. Afterward, Jiang Ning took another look at the panel. ¡°I¡¯m only over seven hundred points away from breaking through to a small success in my Inner Elixir Cultivation.¡± ¡°With my current efficiency, it will take just half a month!¡± ¡°In half a month, I will have an initial mastery of Inner Breath.¡± ¡°At that time, just give me an opportunity, a surprise attack can even kill a Seventh Grade!¡± Chapter 135: 58 Soaring Efficiency, Lin Qingyis Idea! Chapter 135: Chapter 58 Soaring Efficiency, Lin Qingyi¡¯s Idea! By the Luoshui River. East courtyard. Jiang Ning assumed the first position of the Vajra Immortal Body, and moments later, the second, then the third¡­ As he circulated the Five Beasts Strength, driving the Qi-Blood around his body, He suddenly felt a completely different sensation than before. The Five Beasts Strength seemed to have undergone a transformation, filled with a spiritual essence. ... Promoting the flow of Qi-Blood, he also felt the refining effect on his body¡¯s skin membrane greatly increased. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At the same time, Prompts of the increase in the Vajra Immortal Body¡¯s Experience Value appeared before him. [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] After three such prompts, He immediately switched to the second position. Continuing to circulate the Five Beasts Strength, pushing the Qi-Blood throughout his body. [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] Another three prompts, and he then switched to the third position of Vajra Immortal Body, followed by the fourth, the fifth¡­ In the blink of an eye, He had completed all nine body-refining positions recorded in the damaged manual of the Vajra Immortal Body. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Master 295/2000) Glancing at the panel, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes once again sparkled with joy. ¡°The experience value of the Vajra Immortal Body has skyrocketed from 266 before refining the skin membrane to 295 now.¡± ¡°Efficiency has doubled!!!¡± ¡°In the same amount of time, using the same method of refining the skin membrane, the experience value soared by 29 points!¡± ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Considering this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but inhale sharply. He continued to mutter to himself, ¡°The breakthrough of the Five Animals Fist has brought such a significant improvement, tripling the efficiency of skin membrane refining!¡± ¡°Moreover, my current rate of progress is without any external assistance. If I were to take a medicinal bath in Golden Body Water later, the efficiency of skin refining would surely soar again.¡± ¡°It seems that Refining Skin Mastery, and the day when my skin is tough as copper, is not far off!¡± Excitement filled Jiang Ning¡¯s heart. With Refining Skin Mastery, according to the world¡¯s martial arts standards, he could truly begin refining the muscles of his entire body. Thus stepping into Martial Arts Eighth Grade, entering the Divine Power Realm. If he reached this step, even when viewed across an entire county, he would be a true figure of importance, a person no one dared to overlook. Afterward, Feeling the depletion within his body, he took out a bottle of Plant Essence and swallowed it. Tsk tsk¡ª He smacked his lips twice and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°After the breakthrough of the Five Animals Fist, a single boxing session refines ten strands of Qi-Blood, greatly increasing the body¡¯s consumption.¡± ¡°The efficiency of skin membrane refinement has also begun to increase significantly, and once again the body¡¯s consumption has surged dramatically.¡± ¡°My current rate of consumption cannot be sustained by two bottles of Plant Essence a day anymore!¡± ¡°At least four or five bottles are needed daily now.¡± ¡°The fifty bottles of Plant Essence I bought over ten days ago will not last a few more days.¡± ¡°After I attend Wang Jin¡¯s Direct Disciple apprenticeship feast the day after tomorrow, I¡¯ll have to go buy some more Plant Essence!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll also need to get a new, suitable blade.¡± ¡°The ebony long blade I have now is too light, and its quality too poor!¡± ¡°If I had had a good blade in hand during the underwater fight with Tian Buyi that day, I believe it would have posed a much greater threat to him.¡± Mulling over these things in his mind, Jiang Ning walked towards the east courtyard¡¯s kitchen. ¡­ Direction of the kitchen. ¡°Little brother!¡± Seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s arrival, Jiang Li couldn¡¯t help but grin widely. After greeting him, Jiang Ning stripped off his clothes and, wearing only his shorts, jumped into the already heated wooden tub. Inside the tub, strands of golden threads flowed around like swimming dragons. This was the manifestation of demonic blood. At this moment, a package of Golden Body Water had already melted into the hot water, and its medicinal power was thoroughly infused into the steaming water. ¡°Little brother, can you handle it?¡± After getting into the water, Jiang Li couldn¡¯t help but ask. Feeling the changes in his body, Jiang Ning nodded calmly without a change in expression, ¡°No problem!¡± Jiang Ning seemed relaxed on the surface, but in reality, it was anything but easy. Suddenly jumping into a tub of boiling water, how could it be easy. Not to mention that the hot water contained the blend of medicinal herbs. At this moment, as his pores opened under the hot water, Jiang Ning immediately felt waves of domineering power enter his body. It felt as though thousands of needles were piercing through the pores all over his body and into his skin membrane. Instantly, Jiang Ning slowly closed his eyes and introspected his body. Under this inner vision, he saw strands of medicinal power enter every part of the skin membrane throughout his body through the pores opened in the hot water. The infusion of this medicinal power made him feel as if his skin was in a relaxed state. The recent strain on the skin membrane from practicing the Vajra Immortal Body was gradually soothed away by the medicinal bath. This made Jiang Ning feel comfortable, but at the same time, his body was in constant, needle-like pain. Especially when he was introspecting his body, occasionally a strand of golden thread would pass through his pores and reach the skin, causing a sudden and intense pain. The muscles and skin in that area would twitch slightly multiple times in response to this stimulus. ¡°It really is a sweet pain!¡± Jiang Ning silently sighed to himself. Then he calmly accepted it all. An hour later, Jiang Ning seemed to wake from a deep sleep, his eyes slowly opening. Looking down, he saw the originally murky hot water was now slightly clearer. The biggest change was that there were no longer any visible strands of golden threads in the water. Whoosh¡ª Jiang Ning got up. The scalding hot water slid off his body and fell back into the wooden tub at his feet. ¡°Little brother! How do you feel?¡± Jiang Li inquired. ¡°Very good!¡± Jiang Ning nodded in reply. Chapter 136: 58 Soaring Efficiency, Lin Qingyis Idea!_2 Chapter 136: Chapter 58 Soaring Efficiency, Lin Qingyi¡¯s Idea!_2 ¡°Brother, when will I boil water next time?¡± Jiang Li asked again. ¡°After lunch!¡± Jiang Ning replied. ¡­ In the courtyard. Jiang Ning posed the first stance of Vajra Immortal Body and then circulated the Five Beasts Force to drive the Qi-Blood throughout his body. [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] ... [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] [¡­] Seeing the frequency of the prompts appearing in front of him, Jiang Ning felt secretly thrilled. ¡°The efficiency has indeed surged again!¡± ¡°The medicinal power of the Golden Body Water is truly extraordinary! It¡¯s worth fifty taels for a single medicinal bath!¡± A short while later. Jiang Ning slowly withdrew his stance and stopped the action of refining his skin. Then he looked at his panel again. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Master 355/2000) Looking at the growth of the experience value on his panel, Jiang Ning was extremely satisfied. This time, refining his skin had skyrocketed by 60 experience points, from the previous 295 points of Vajra Immortal Body directly up to 355. Compared to the refining efficiency just then, it had doubled again. Compared to yesterday¡¯s efficiency, it had increased several times more. Although this time the refining skin had only increased by double compared to just then, and was far from the multiple increase Han Hongmei had mentioned, Jiang Ning was still not the slightest bit disappointed. He knew that the multiple increase Han Hongmei referred to was calculated based on the refining efficiency of a normal Ninth Grade Martial Artist. And his efficiency was extremely high, far surpassing the ordinary martial artists. Different base numbers naturally brought different multipliers. After the medicinal bath with Golden Body Water, being able to bring him another doubling of the Refining Skin efficiency was already very satisfying in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. ¡°With this efficiency, I might have a chance to achieve Refining Skin Mastery before the Inspection Office is established!¡± ¡­ Two days later. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 21.1 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1255/3000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (First Limit Breaking 53/2000) (Traits: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Fourth Limit Breaking 5000/5000) (Traits: Touch and Understand, Blade like a Swift Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 1343/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 48/1000) Vajra Immortal Body (Master 650/2000) Swimming (First Limit Breaking 187/2000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing) These two days. The Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill inside his body had released medicinal power again. This caused his physique to grow slightly again, and also brought an increase in Source Energy Points, which went from ten point zero five to twenty-one point one. The improvement of Five Animals Fist was not as obvious because he was currently focusing mainly on refining his skin. With his focus shifted, and also because of the transformation of Five Animals Fist after breaking the limit which greatly increased the efficiency of refining the skin, along with the assistance of the medicinal bath, his progress in Vajra Immortal Body had also skyrocketed, directly going from two hundred and few experience points two days ago to six hundred fifty now. This made Jiang Ning clearly feel that the toughness of his skin had greatly improved. ¡°This afternoon is the master¡¯s banquet entrusted by Wang Jin three days ago, the master¡¯s banquet for Direct Disciples!¡± ¡°There¡¯s still time, I¡¯ll continue practicing my fists and refining skin!¡± ¡°To me, the master¡¯s banquet is just a mere formality!¡± Jiang Ning muttered inwardly. Afterward. After cleaning up, he continued his practice in the courtyard. ¡­ Wanhua Building. ¡°Auntie,¡± A young girl in a goose yellow dress threw herself into Lin Qingyi¡¯s arms. Then she affectionately nuzzled against Lin Qingyi¡¯s chest. Lin Qingyi, looking at the young girl in her arms, couldn¡¯t help but show a hint of indulgence. ¡°Jiaer, how do you suddenly have time to visit me?¡± Dressed in a goose-yellow dress, upon hearing this, Jiaer rose from Lin Qingyi¡¯s embrace and said with a pout, ¡°Sister Qingxia and the others have just graduated from the Dongling Martial Garden and were assigned here to the Inspection Office, so I finally found time to visit my aunt!¡± ¡°I just arrived in Luoshui County last night, and today I¡¯m here to see my aunt!¡± Hearing the words of Lin Jiaer in front of her, Lin Qingyi¡¯s face showed a look of contentment. Then, Lin Jiaer took out a small box made of colored glaze. ¡°Aunt, this is a rouge specially procured by someone from the Prefecture of Guangning Prefecture, named ¡®Pear Blossom Surpasses Snow.''¡± ¡°You¡¯ve really put thought into it, you little minx!¡± Lin Qingyi lightly tapped on Lin Jiaer¡¯s delicate nose. Lin Jiaer was all smiles. At this moment, as she looked at Lin Qingyi¡¯s face, she felt secretly overjoyed. Over the past two years, as she studied martial arts at Dongling Martial Garden and gradually matured, she had come to realize just how incredible her aunt was. Not only had she become a member of the Wanhua Building, but she had also become the Vice Building Owner of one of its branches. Such a position carried high status and significant power. Her strength was also extremely formidable. If she could gain her favor, it would undoubtedly be greatly beneficial to her future path in martial arts. More importantly, she had vaguely heard from her family that her aunt had married an exceptionally incredible person. Exactly how incredible a person he was, she did not know now. But from the tone of discussion among the elders in her family, she could sense some clues¡ªit must be someone exceedingly remarkable. Because at the time, whenever the elders in her family discussed this person, they would shun further talk like avoiding venomous serpents. It was precisely because of these reasons that she had put great effort into preparing this gift and dressing up specially for this visit to Lin Qingyi. At this moment, Lin Qingyi opened the rouge box that Lin Jiaer had brought, and lightly sniffed it. ¡°This fragrance is indeed very pleasant; it must not have been cheap!¡± Lin Qingyi remarked. Lin Jiaer immediately nodded obediently, ¡°Aunt, your insight is really sharp. You noticed right away! This ¡®Pear Blossom Surpasses Snow¡¯ is this year¡¯s top new rouge from Green Moon Pavilion, so this box alone is worth a golden leaf.¡± Hearing this, a flash of surprise passed across Lin Qingyi¡¯s eyes. ¡°And then she tapped Lin Jiaer¡¯s delicate nose.¡± ¡°You really are generous, you little minx!¡± Lin Jiaer rubbed her arm around Lin Qingyi and showed a face full of affection. ¡°Aunt was so kind to Jiaer when I was a child, I have always remembered it! It has been more than two years, and this is Jiaer¡¯s first visit to see Aunt. How could I possibly visit empty-handed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s indeed not cheap for you my little minx!¡± Lin Qingyi, looking at Lin Jiaer, smiled fondly. ¡°This is what Jiaer should do!¡± Lin Jiaer posed coyly. Moments later. Watching Lin Jiaer twirl in front of her, her skirt billowing, showcasing the graceful figure of a young girl. Lin Qingyi nodded slightly. Soon after, she spoke, ¡°Jiaer, how old are you this year?¡± ¡°Aunt, I just turned seventeen last month!¡± Lin Jiaer replied cheerily. ¡°Then does Jiaer have any young man she fancies?¡± Lin Qingyi asked. Hearing this, an image of a tall and imposing man flashed through Lin Jiaer¡¯s mind, then she shook her head, smiling. ¡°Jiaer is still young, I haven¡¯t thought about that yet.¡± ¡°You¡¯re seventeen now, not so young anymore! Jiaer should also consider her lifelong matters,¡± Lin Qingyi slowly shook her head, then the image of Jiang Ning surfaced in her mind. She continued, ¡°Then let your aunt introduce a suitable young man for you, does Jiaer have any thoughts on that?¡± ¡°If others were introducing, then Jiaer would say I¡¯m not interested! But if Aunt is introducing a suitable young man, Jiaer would indeed be very interested!¡± Lin Jiaer replied. ¡°I also want to see, what kind of man can catch my aunt¡¯s discerning eye.¡± Lin Qingyi¡¯s lips curled into a smile immediately. ¡°You¡¯ll meet him this afternoon! He won¡¯t disappoint Jiaer!¡± she asserted confidently. Over this period, she had personally witnessed the rapid progress of Jiang Ning and knew very well that although Jiang Ning was an unpolished gem, he would surely shine brilliantly given time. He wouldn¡¯t just remain confined to a small county or even a district. Perhaps one day, the entire Guangning Prefecture and even the whole Zeshan State would have legends about Jiang Ning. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Even the entire realm might have its legends of Jiang Ning. In Lin Qingyi¡¯s eyes, with such an ordinary background yet such an exaggerated progress in martial arts, Jiang Ning had the potential to transform into a dragon in face of wind and thunder. In the future, he had the chance to strike for the realm of Martial Arts Grandmaster, a true prodigy. Thus, upon seeing Lin Jiaer today, she immediately had an idea. The idea of pairing Lin Jiaer with Jiang Ning. As the saying goes, why let a fine man marry outside when he could remain within her own Lin family. Chapter 137: 59: A Single Move Determines the Outcome! Chapter 137: Chapter 59: A Single Move Determines the Outcome! Canglang Martial Arts Hall. At this time, a number of carriages were all stopped at the entrance of the Martial Arts Hall. ¡°Master Yu Yuan from Shenwei Martial Arts Hall has arrived!!¡± ¡°Head Officer Ge Zhengyuan of the City Gates has arrived!!!¡± ¡°Gang Leader Shi Xiaoyuan of the Green Gang has arrived!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ... At this moment, one after another, influential figures appeared at the entrance of Canglang Martial Arts Hall. The disciples inside the Martial Arts Hall shook involuntarily upon hearing these resonant names. ¡°Master Wang has quite the reputation!¡± someone whispered in admiration. ¡°Yes!¡± another person said upon hearing this, nodding in fervent agreement. Zhou Xing glanced at a few people, ¡°Get back to work and don¡¯t delay any longer!¡± ¡°Yes, Brother Zhou!¡± The few people bowed their heads and replied promptly upon hearing Zhou Xing¡¯s reprimand. On the other side. The main hall of the Martial Arts Hall. At this time, it was already bustling, as one influential figure after another arrived in the hall, chatting casually over cups of tea. ¡°Aunt, who is that man you mentioned?¡± Lin Jiaer asked softly. Lin Qingyi smiled slightly, her lips moved but without making a sound, yet her voice clearly appeared in Lin Jiaer¡¯s ears. ¡°You¡¯ll see him soon! The man is exceptionally handsome; I believe he will satisfy you, Jiaer.¡± ¡°Aunt, Jiaer is not the kind of shallow girl who only looks at appearances,¡± Lin Jiaer protested coquettishly. Right then. Wang Jin strode into the main hall. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience and understanding.¡± At that moment, when everyone saw the armored, imposing figure beside Wang Jin, they immediately rose to their feet. ¡°Master Wang!¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Master Wang!!¡± ¡°¡­¡± One by one, the so-called bigwigs greeted him upon seeing this person. ¡°Let¡¯s keep it casual since we¡¯re outside!¡± Master Wang said earnestly. ¡°What Master Wang said makes sense!¡± ¡°Master Wang is right!¡± ¡°¡­¡± A string of flattering comments burst forth from the mouths of everyone present. At this time, only a few people were sitting calmly in their places. One of them was Lin Qingyi. Master Wang hesitated when he saw Lin Qingyi, then chose to sit below her. ¡°Master Wang, why don¡¯t you sit higher up?¡± someone asked with a puzzled expression. The burly Master Wang replied, ¡°I quite like this spot!¡± With this, no one else dared to raise an objection. Speaking of influential figures. Master Wang was indeed a top-tier powerhouse in Luoshui County. He had command over a hundred elite soldiers and five hundred city guards. Not to mention Master Wang¡¯s own formidable strength. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Whether it was his authority or his personal strength, both placed him at the apex of Luoshui County¡¯s hierarchy. Just then. Wang Jin also greeted Lin Qingyi, ¡°Master Lin, how come you have the leisure to attend my mentorship banquet today?¡± Lin Qingyi smiled slightly, ¡°Before Shen Congyun left, he asked me to take care of someone, so I came here today.¡± ¡°Is that person the same Jiang Ning who recently caused quite a stir?¡± Master Yu Yuan from Shenwei Martial Arts Hall suddenly interjected. Lin Qingyi nodded slightly, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s him.¡± Upon hearing this. A spark of interest flashed in Lin Jiaer¡¯s eyes behind her. ¡°Jiang Ning? Is this the man aunt wants to introduce to me as the ideal gentleman?¡± On the other side. A gleam of light passed through Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Jiang Ning? He¡¯s one lucky guy!¡± ¡°To have received the help of so many nobles!¡± Immediately afterward, he clenched his fists secretly, ¡°That¡¯s some luck! If it wasn¡¯t for that, I would have taken him down long ago to avenge my brother!¡± ¡°I have to consider this and that!¡± ¡°It¡¯s so frustrating!!!¡± ¡­ On another side. Jiang Ning also stopped in his tracks. On his way to the Martial Arts Hall, he had not chosen to use a carriage. For him, riding in a carriage was too cumbersome, bothersome, and a waste of time. His speed had already surpassed that of ordinary thoroughbred horses. As for the issue of stamina, which most martial artists consider, it was also not a concern for him. An Inner Strength Martial Artist does not fear prolonged battles¡ªthat is the most basic characteristic. He had now mastered the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill and possessed the basic characteristics of Inner Strength Martial Artists, not fearing a long battle. Given the current condition of his internal organs, unless he engaged in a long and intense fight, it was basically impossible for him to feel fatigued. At this time. The disciple guarding the entrance of the Martial Arts Hall saluted immediately upon seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s arrival. ¡°Good to see you, Brother Jiang!¡± ¡°Good to see you, Brother Jiang!¡± Jiang Ning glanced at the carriages at the entrance. He asked, ¡°Am I late?¡± ¡°Not at all, Brother Jiang! Please come in quickly; there is still some time before the mentorship banquet begins,¡± one of the disciples guarding the entrance of the Martial Arts Hall replied hastily. ¡°That¡¯s good then!¡± Jiang Ning was relieved! At the same time. In the forecourt of the Martial Arts Hall. Xiao Peng, who was holding his saber, had been resting with his eyes closed in the forecourt. He was waiting for one person¡¯s arrival. Waiting for Jiang Ning to show up. Previously, he had a brief exchange with Jiang Ning. During which, he felt the pressure emanating from Jiang Ning firsthand. His strength was far above his own. In the Early Stage of Martial Arts, strength plays a decisive role, especially when bare-handed, where the gap in strength has an even greater impact on the outcome. Therefore, Xiao Peng was acutely aware that he was no match for Jiang Ning at that time. It wasn¡¯t until a few days ago, when he reached the Ninth Grade in Martial Arts, perfectly satisfying all of Wang Jin¡¯s requirements, that he reignited the thought of competing against Jiang Ning. But he also knew that even though he had reached the Ninth Grade in Martial Arts, his strength still wouldn¡¯t match up to Jiang Ning¡¯s. That¡¯s why he was waiting today, with his saber in hand, for Jiang Ning¡¯s arrival. His purpose was to challenge Jiang Ning with a weapon and determine who was better, to decide the victor. When wielding a weapon, combat experience and skill have a much greater impact on the outcome, and the influence of strength diminishes. Chapter 138: 59: One Move Determines the Winner!_2 Chapter 138: Chapter 59: One Move Determines the Winner!_2 Xiao Peng understood that brandishing weapons to determine superiority was his only chance. At this moment. Xiao Peng heard Jiang Ning¡¯s voice at the entrance of the Martial Arts Hall. He immediately opened his eyes, retreating from his meditative state. ¡°Jiang Ning, you¡¯ve finally come!¡± he muttered. The next moment. ... As soon as Jiang Ning stepped into the front yard of the Martial Arts Hall, he immediately felt a strong gaze fixated on him. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s him, Xiao Peng!¡± Jiang Ning whispered to himself upon seeing the man. Xiao Peng¡¯s eyes blazed like twin flames, fiercely exuding a fighting spirit. ¡°Jiang Ning! Fight with me!¡± Xiao Peng declared, his voice not loud, yet resonant. Within the Martial Arts Hall, his voice instantly reached everyone¡¯s ears. They all stopped what they were doing. ¡°Is it finally happening?¡± someone said excitedly to themselves. ¡°We are about to witness a good show! Xiao Peng won¡¯t just hand over this opportunity to Jiang Ning!¡± ¡°Who do you think will come out on top?¡± ¡°I still hold my previous view, it¡¯s definitely Brother Xiao Peng, since Brother Jiang Ning hasn¡¯t been studying martial arts for long.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, I think the same.¡± ¡­ In the meantime, everyone whispered among themselves and quickly gathered in the direction of the two men. At the same time. Hearing Xiao Peng¡¯s words, Jiang Ning also slowly nodded. ¡°Very well! Let it be as you wish!¡± Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s response, Xiao Peng tightened his grip on the long saber he was holding. Then he spoke, ¡°Jiang Ning, since you also carry a long saber, let us determine the winner with our sabers today.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Jiang Ning nodded once more in agreement. Just then. Li Qing walked out from a nearby yard. ¡°Blades are blind, you two want to fight with swords to determine superiority, so wait a moment, I will call Master Wang.¡± ¡°With Master Wang present, should an accident occur, he could at least intervene to prevent fratricide among disciples.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Both men nodded in agreement. ¡­ Martial Arts Hall main hall. Li Qing hurried in. ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± Wang Jin asked as he saw Li Qing¡¯s pace. Li Qing approached and whispered in Wang Jin¡¯s ear about what was happening outside. A few moments later. Wang Jin stood up and declared, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, today my two disciples, Jiang Ning and Xiao Peng, need to determine who among them is superior, and the winner will become my direct disciple. Now, they are preparing to spar with sabers in the front courtyard. As their master, I need to be there to prevent any mishaps of fratricide.¡± Upon hearing this, Yu Yuan, the head of the Royal Capital Martial Arts Hall, promptly said, ¡°Brother Wang¡¯s two talented disciples are sparring; that I¡¯m interested in, Brother Wang, may I join you?¡± Lin Qingyi also said, ¡°I¡¯m interested too.¡± Green Snake Gang leader, Shi Xiaoyuan, added, ¡°Since one of them is Jiang Ning, I am very interested!¡± Everyone understood Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s implication clearly. The death of the Green Snake Gang¡¯s deputy leader, Hong Chengtao, at the hands of Jiang Ning in Luoshui County, was no secret among the upper echelons. The news had widely spread. A rising talent who had managed to kill a long-time, fairly skilled rogue was naturally going to attract attention from various power circles. Following these three people¡¯s remarks, others also expressed that they had nothing else to do and might as well join in the fun. Wang Jin looked around at the dozen or so people and then smiled. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s all go together!¡± ¡­ Martial Arts Hall front courtyard. In just a short while, all the disciples had gathered there. Zhou Xing, Zhao Hu, and Zhang Tiesheng had also appeared. ¡°As expected, I¡¯m a bit late!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself, ¡°But fortunately, it¡¯s not too late.¡± Among the crowd, Zhou Xing watched the two with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, his lips perpetually curled in a way that gave a spring-like feeling. ¡°Master Wang is here!¡± he caught sight of the hall and announced. This comment elicited their attention, Everyone¡¯s gaze turned towards the hall, and then the whole place suddenly became extremely quiet. Because today, many important figures were gathered here. Seeing those big shots, whom they normally only heard of but never saw, they naturally became cautious and dared not make too much noise. On the other side, Lin Jiaer looked at Jiang Ning, who was dressed in black and holding a long saber. She leaned over to Lin Qingyi¡¯s ear, ¡°Is that the Jiang Ning Auntie mentioned?¡± While speaking, she pointed towards Jiang Ning with her slender, jade-like finger. Lin Qingyi nodded slightly and used the Sound Transmission into Secret Skill to speak, ¡°How is it? Auntie¡¯s judgment isn¡¯t bad, right? This lad is quite handsome, isn¡¯t he?¡± Lin Jiaer nodded slightly and then leaned over to Lin Qingyi¡¯s ear again. ¡°He is indeed handsome, with an extraordinary appearance. I have scarcely seen a few in the Martial Arts Garden who could rival him in looks. Moreover, there¡¯s a confidence in his brow that shows he has strong backing.¡± Upon hearing Lin Jiaer¡¯s words, Lin Qingyi couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°So is Jiaer satisfied with him?¡± Upon hearing this, a hesitation flashed across Lin Jiaer¡¯s face, and suddenly the image of another man flashed through her mind. Then she whispered, ¡°Auntie, do you know how old this man is now, and what rank he¡¯s at in the Martial Arts ranks?¡± Lin Qingyi answered, ¡°Jiang Ning should be almost nineteen years old, and as for his Martial Arts rank, he entered the Ninth Grade a month ago.¡± Nineteen? Just entered Ninth Grade? Hearing this information, a flash of disdain appeared in Lin Jiaer¡¯s eyes. Then she leaned over to Qingyi and sweetly said, ¡°Indeed, he¡¯s not bad. Born in such a poor county, reaching this stage at his age is already quite commendable. No wonder Auntie holds him in such high regard.¡± On the other side, Wang Jin came before the two, Jiang Ning and Xiao Peng. ¡°This battle will determine who I will accept today as my direct disciple. Do you both understand?¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Xiao Peng nodded, his gaze burning with fervor as he stared at Jiang Ning. ¡°Understood!¡± Jiang Ning also nodded. ¡°Good!¡± Wang Jin nodded, ¡°In that case, make your moves! Finish sooner and start earlier, as almost everyone has arrived.¡± While speaking, Wang Jin also stepped back a few paces, clearing enough space and area for the two. At the same time, he was also pinching a small pebble between his fingers. This item was what he would later use to prevent the two disciples from harming each other. With his current strength and techniques, Such a small pebble could easily unleash a powerful impact, Able to send the long sabers flying with one strike. With such a technique, one could naturally prevent a bloody disaster. After Wang Jin cleared the area, Xiao Peng bowed with his saber. ¡°Jiang Ning, I will give it my all in this battle to become Master Wang¡¯s direct disciple. It has always been my goal, my pursuit.¡± Jiang Ning bowed with his saber in return, ¡°I will too!¡± Swish¡ª Both slowly drew their long sabers, the air around them grew tense. At this moment, The watching disciples held their breath, their gaze fixated on the center of the area. On the other side, Master Wang, standing by Wang Jin, nodded slightly, ¡°Your two disciples are both quite remarkable, both possessing dignified air, both are material to be molded.¡± The next moment, Master Wang¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, a hint of surprise flashing through them as he looked forward. Wang Jin reacted similarly, his expression slightly stunned. Just like everyone else, they all exhibited surprise, astonishment¡­ and other emotions, Because the battle in the arena had already concluded. The long saber drawn by Jiang Ning was now against Xiao Peng¡¯s neck, at the tip of the blade, a bright red bead of blood was slowly forming. This droplet of blood was from Xiao Peng¡¯s neck. This scene also signified that the victory and defeat between them had been decided. Xiao Peng had lost. For at this moment, if Jiang Ning simply pushed his saber forward by an inch, Xiao Peng would fall, dead on the spot¡ªthere would be no other possibility. ¡°What a fast saber!!!¡± Xiao Peng murmured. Chapter 139: 60 Thoroughly Concluded. Chapter 139: Chapter 60 Thoroughly Concluded. In the Martial Arts Hall. Xiao Peng stared blankly at the long blade resting against his own neck. He had anticipated defeat, but he never imagined he would lose so swiftly! The blade in his hand had just been drawn when the outcome was already decided. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have practiced such a fast blade technique, I underestimated you!¡± Xiao Peng said with some stubbornness, ¡°If you dare to fight me again, then I would accept my defeat.¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°If you were my enemy, this blade would have already taken your head off the ground!¡± ... With that, Jiang Ning sheathed his blade. ¡°You¡¯ve lost!¡± He then turned the handle of his blade downward in his hand. And then turned to pay respects to Wang Jin, ¡°Greetings, Master Wang!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Wang Jin showed a satisfied expression. That single stroke from Jiang Ning just now was stunning enough to take everyone by surprise. Such a fast stroke also brought great joy to Wang Jin, making him particularly proud. At this time. Shi Xiaoyuan watched this scene, a flash of brilliance in his eyes. This youngster¡¯s strength was unexpectedly outstanding. That amazing stroke, even I would struggle to receive it if caught off guard. No wonder Hong Chengtao capsized in the gutter at his hand. It seems this kid is not so simple. As he pondered this, his expression shifted slightly. A small compass quickly appeared from the sleeve of Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s robe. The compass needle pointed directly at Jiang Ning. ¡°Innate Spiritual Wisdom bearer!¡± ¡°This kid actually possesses Innate Spiritual Wisdom!¡± His eyes widened in surprise. And then his eyes revealed a scorching eagerness. In all of Luoshui County, he had found only three people with Innate Spiritual Wisdom so far. The first was Wang Jin, whom he immediately gave up on after discovering. Because he was very clear that Wang Jin was not someone he could afford to provoke. As for the second, it was a commoner he had discovered a while ago. After slaughtering that person and devouring their soul with the compass, he offered it to the Blood and Flesh God worshiped by the God Worship Sect. As a result, he received a divine gift, which greatly increased his strength, and allowed him to master a particularly remarkable technique. By leveraging that remarkable technique, he was confident he could battle the average Seventh Grade Martial Artist. Even with Wang Jin, he had been contemplating some ideas these days. In his view, although Wang Jin was an old Seventh Grade powerhouse. Yet old age and declining blood meant that his strength must have diminished a great deal, and furthermore, he was no longer suited for prolonged combat. He might be stronger than the average Seventh Grade Martial Artist for a short time. But once drawn into a prolonged battle, his condition would inevitably deteriorate. This was also the reason he came to the Canglang Martial Arts Hall to attend this apprenticeship banquet today. After feeling the effect of the divine gift, he began to covertly consider the idea of making a move against Wang Jin. Shi Xiaoyuan was absolutely convinced that as long as he offered another individual with Innate Spiritual Wisdom required by the Blood and Flesh God, He would certainly receive another divine gift. After assimilating the second divine gift, he would step into the ranks of the Martial Arts Seventh Grade. Once he entered the Seventh Grade of Martial Arts, he would be considered a true top-tier powerhouse in the entire Luoshui County. The Green Snake Gang could truly free itself from the control of the Cao family. And he would no longer need to follow the Cao family¡¯s orders, to be their dog. Because of all these reasons, Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s desires these past days grew more intense, and he increasingly longed to take a risk and launch a surprise attack to assassinate Wang Jin, to devour his soul and incorporate it into the compass, and then offer it to the Blood and Flesh God of the God Worship Sect. He did not have much confidence in making a move against Wang Jin, the chances were only fifty-fifty. That¡¯s why he hesitated. At this moment, with his palm-sized compass pointing towards Jiang Ning. Shi Xiaoyuan also knew that Jiang Ning was another bearer of Innate Spiritual Wisdom. At this instant. Great joy surged in his heart. Wang Jin was difficult to deal with, but Jiang Ning was far too easy. Offering the soul of Jiang Ning, the Innate Spiritual Wisdom bearer, to the Blood and Flesh God of the God Worship Sect, he would again receive a divine gift, and his strength was bound to surge. With that. He could also make a move against Wang Jin. After offering Wang Jin¡¯s soul, Shi Xiaoyuan suddenly felt a bright future ahead, the future¡­ ¡­ At this moment. Jiang Ning had also noticed the fiery gaze from Shi Xiaoyuan. His own gaze couldn¡¯t help but sweep over him. ¡°Who is this person?¡± Jiang Ning wondered silently, ¡°Why does he look at me with such eager eyes, as if seeing a rare treasure. ¡°Moreover, there¡¯s a deep murderous intent hidden in his gaze.¡± With enhanced senses, Jiang Ning had an acute awareness of murderous intent and various intense emotions. Even the gazes behind him could be clearly perceived by him as to where they came from. So at this moment, although Shi Xiaoyuan heavily suppressed his intent to kill, Jiang Ning could still sense it. Not to mention his very obvious gaze. Just as Jiang Ning was deep in thought. The voice of Wang Jin suddenly rang in his ear. ¡°Be careful!¡± At the same time. Xiao Peng brandished his blade in a sweeping cut. At the same time, he shouted loudly, ¡°Jiang Ning, I want to fight you again.¡± As his voice rose, the flash of the blade shimmered simultaneously. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The next moment. Jiang Ning¡¯s expression remained unchanged. With his current senses, he had detected Xiao Peng¡¯s initial movement in a flash. Suddenly. Jiang Ning powered through his waist, force starting from his feet, and his body swiftly spun in place. The long sword in his hands adjusted its stance, slicing horizontally with full force. This strike landed squarely below the blade of Xiao Peng¡¯s long sword. Clang¡ª The sound of metal clashing rang out. Xiao Peng felt a formidable force transferred to his long sword by Jiang Ning¡¯s slash. His palm went numb, his right arm holding the sword completely lost strength, and he could no longer grip the long sword. Immediately after, Xiao Peng¡¯s long sword flew from his grasp. With one slash, Jiang Ning had not only sent Xiao Peng¡¯s long sword flying but also left him wide open without the slightest defense. Jiang Ning kicked out forcefully. His foot struck Xiao Peng¡¯s body. One breath later. Bang¡ª Xiao Peng was sent flying several yards by Jiang Ning¡¯s kick, landing with a muffled thud. Elsewhere. Wang Jin, upon seeing this unfold, let out a sigh of relief. The pebble he had been gripping slipped from his fingers, falling to the ground. ¡°Well done, good lad!¡± Wang Jin praised. Then, His gaze suddenly became extremely stern as he stared at Xiao Peng, who had crashed into the corner of the wall. ¡°Xiao Peng! As a fellow disciple, you resorted to a sneak attack on Jiang Ning, which is an act of great injustice!¡± ¡°From this moment on, you are no longer my disciple, Wang Jin, nor a disciple of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall.¡± ¡°Do you have any objections?¡± Xiao Peng heard Wang Jin¡¯s stern reprimand. He struggled to stand up. ¡°Cough cough¡ª¡± But as he moved, he aggravated his injuries, causing him to hold his chest and cough a few times, with specks of blood spewing out with each cough. Two breaths later, Xiao Peng had recovered somewhat. ¡°Disciple has no objections!¡± He struggled to get up, his complexion ashen. The sneak attack was simply due to his unwillingness to accept defeat. Yet he still couldn¡¯t withstand a single move from Jiang Ning. With one slash, his own sword was sent flying, and then a kick had seriously injured him. At this moment, Xiao Peng truly understood the vast gap between himself and Jiang Ning. It was a complete and overwhelming gap, not just a superficial one of strength. Then. Xiao Peng looked towards Jiang Ning. ¡°I am thoroughly convinced!¡± he said. After speaking, he staggered towards the exit of the courtyard. On the other side. The onlookers whispered among themselves after watching the spectacle. ¡°Who would have thought! Brother Jiang¡¯s strength is so extraordinary!¡± ¡°Indeed! To deflect Xiao Peng¡¯s weapon with a single blow, the difference in the strength of their strikes is simply too vast!¡± ¡°Brother Xiao Peng¡¯s attack was really rather humiliating for himself.¡± ¡°Who would¡¯ve guessed that Brother Jiang would be this powerful? Climbing to this level within a few months is just too exaggerated!¡± ¡°I would say, the most critical thing just now was Brother Jiang¡¯s power, a clear showcase of dominance, absolutely unbelievable.¡± ¡°¡­¡± People expressed their amazement, exchanging comments with each other. And at this moment. Not just the ordinary disciples were shocked. Li Qing was equally astonished. She realized that if she were in Xiao Peng¡¯s place, her performance wouldn¡¯t be much better. That strike was as fast as lightning and she wouldn¡¯t have been able to fend it off either. The following strike, which sent Xiao Peng¡¯s sword flying, could just as well have sent her weapon flying. After all, like Xiao Peng, she had stepped into the Martial Arts Ninth Grade. There wasn¡¯t a large difference in strength between them; she had merely entered the Martial Arts Ninth Grade a few months earlier than Xiao Peng. ¡°It¡¯s ridiculously exaggerated! No wonder Shen Congyun and Master Wang obviously showed Jiang Ning extra care. Such talent is truly monstrous!¡± Li Qing couldn¡¯t help but inwardly remark. Beside her, Zhou Xing was even more surprised. Being stronger than Li Qing, he was naturally clearer about Jiang Ning¡¯s power. Such sword speed, swift as a streak of light, signified that Jiang Ning had trained in a fast-blade technique. Under these circumstances, it was not unusual for Xiao Peng to be defeated when caught off guard. But the subsequent strike was truly outrageous. To send a weapon flying with one cut indicated that the force behind Jiang Ning¡¯s slash was several times greater than Xiao Peng¡¯s. Such an effect could only happen with such a great disparity. ¡°With such an outrageous force, Jiang Ning must have consumed some extremely precious Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. Otherwise, it¡¯s impossible for a typical Martial Artist of Ninth Grade to have such strength and explosive power!¡± Zhou Xing said inwardly. On another side. Those standing next to Wang Jin also showed a look of surprise. ¡°Brother Wang has indeed taken on a good disciple, truly enviable!¡± Yu Yuan, the Master of the God Worship Sect, said with a hint of jealousy. Hearing this, Wang Jin couldn¡¯t help but laugh heartily. Then he said, ¡°Master Yu¡¯s disciple, Chen Geng, is truly the object of envy! Only twenty years old and he has stepped into the Martial Arts Eighth Grade. Given time, he will surely exceed expectations!¡± Chapter 140: 61 Officially Becomes a Direct Disciple! Chapter 140: Chapter 61 Officially Becomes a Direct Disciple! Canglang Martial Arts Hall. After Jiang Ning¡¯s battle with Xiao Peng ended, not much time passed. It wasn¡¯t until the last few distinguished guests arrived that the disciple ceremony was held. ¡°Disciple Zhou Xing!¡± ¡°Disciple Zhao Hu!¡± ... ¡°Disciple Zhang Tiesheng!¡± ¡°Disciple Li Qing!¡± ¡°Disciple Jiang Ning!¡± ¡°Please have tea, Master¡­¡± The five voices spoke in unison, offering tea to Wang Jin. ¡°Good! Good!! Good!!!¡± Wang Jin watched this scene with a face full of smiles. Then he took the tea from each of their hands, taking a large sip from every cup. Down below, Cheng Ran watched this scene with unparalleled envy. He had initially believed that the fifth direct disciple of Wang Jin would be either himself or Xiao Peng; within the Martial Arts Hall, there was no third option. As time went by and Jiang Ning refreshed his understanding time and again, he gradually realized that Jiang Ning was a more competitive choice than both of them. Today, this fact was undoubtedly confirmed. Jiang Ning¡¯s strength had long surpassed Xiao Peng¡¯s and also his own. Even though he had also stepped into the Martial Arts Ninth Grade, he clearly understood that the gap between himself and Jiang Ning would only grow wider. Jiang Ning¡¯s cut was not only a source of despair for Xiao Peng but also filled him with a sense of hopelessness. Such an ordinary cut, yet Xiao Peng was unable to receive it. Cheng Ran knew he wouldn¡¯t have been able to receive it either. There was no difference between the two. ¡­ With the disciple ceremony over, the crowd gradually dispersed. On this day, in the presence of more than a dozen high-profile figures, Jiang Ning and the other four became the direct disciples of Wang Jin. In Great Xia, the bond between teacher and student is no less than that between father and son. Sometimes, inheritance is even more critical than the ties of blood. Once the disciple ceremony was conducted, these five direct disciples represented the legacy of Wang Jin. Normally, no one would dare to seriously harm a disciple who had undergone such a ceremony. Because, should it happen, it would result in an irreconcilable enmity. An enmity as profound as cutting off someone¡¯s lineage. However, today, Jiang Ning also realized that this status he had once deemed so essential seemed not as important to him anymore. ¡­ Welcome Pavilion. In a room on the second floor by the lakeside. ¡°Brother Jiang, congratulations! You have become the direct disciple of Master Wang!¡± Cheng Ran raised his glass. Jiang Ning also raised his glass, ¡°Sorry, Brother Cheng! I¡¯ve stolen this opportunity from you!¡± At this moment, their glasses lightly clinked. Cheng Ran shook his head slightly at these words, ¡°Even without Brother Jiang¡¯s sudden emergence, I couldn¡¯t have competed with Xiao Peng! Although I entered the Martial Arts Ninth Grade a few days earlier than Xiao Peng, my skill in boxing is clearly inferior to his.¡± ¡°Currently, I have only achieved Great Success in Tiger Form Boxing, which has not yet met Master Wang¡¯s requirements,¡± Cheng Ran said with a wry smile. Then he drained his glass in one gulp. Jiang Ning did the same. Afterward, while pouring drinks for them both, Cheng Ran expressed his admiration. ¡°Having seen Brother Jiang¡¯s two cuts today, I now truly understand what a prodigy is.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t predict Brother Jiang¡¯s future martial arts path, but I know one thing; I can only look up to it.¡± ¡°I once prided myself on being a martial arts genius. Now I understand that my so-called genius, in front of a real prodigy, is just an ordinary person.¡± Jiang Ning raised his glass and said, ¡°Why has Brother Cheng suddenly become so sentimental? Everyone has their own fate. I¡¯ve been lucky to receive help from several benefactors.¡± Cheng Ran shook his head and then said, ¡°I¡¯ve figured it out! I won¡¯t focus solely on pursuing martial arts anymore!¡± Jiang Ning was taken aback at the words, his expression one of surprise as he said, ¡°Not practicing martial arts, then what are you going to do?¡± Cheng Ran replied, ¡°These past few months, I have spent thousands of taels of my family¡¯s savings to reach Martial Arts Nine Grade. Our financial reserves are not that substantial now!¡± ¡°With limited talent, continuing to focus on martial arts practice, each step ahead will be harder than the last! It¡¯s estimated that I will stop at Martial Arts Nine Grade. Continuing to focus on martial arts practice doesn¡¯t hold much significance.¡± ¡°Better to engage in business thoroughly, inheriting the family¡¯s enterprise, and get the business of the two taverns in the family up and running.¡± ¡°You see, this tavern is one of the foundations of my family¡¯s property!¡± ¡°When the business is booming, and I have money, I can hire more martial masters!¡± ¡°By then, with money, perhaps I can donate some, secure a minor official position, and that wouldn¡¯t be too bad!¡± Listening to Cheng Ran¡¯s plan, Jiang Ning asked, ¡°Brother Cheng, are you serious about this?¡± ¡°Um,¡± Cheng Ran nodded, ¡°I am clear about my talent and comprehension. No matter how much I strive, it is difficult to master power. Without mastering power, one¡¯s life will stop at Martial Arts Nine Grade.¡± ¡°Martial Arts Nine Grade, although very impressive in the eyes of ordinary people.¡± ¡°But facing a well-equipped small squad, with the appearance of an armor-piercing crossbow, they can easily be killed. It doesn¡¯t hold much significance.¡± ¡°If at my peak, I cannot withstand a few armor-piercing arrows, then what significance does it have!¡± Hearing Cheng Ran¡¯s earnest tone, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Since Brother Cheng has thought it through, then I won¡¯t offer much more advice.¡± ¡°I do have a few good recipes here. Brother Cheng, get me some paper and pen, and I¡¯ll write them down for you.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Cheng Ran looked at Jiang Ning with some surprise, then slowly nodded, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll thank Brother Jiang in advance!¡± ¡­ sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not long after. At the entrance of the Welcome Building. ¡°Brother Cheng, farewell!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Cheng Ran clasped his hands, ¡°Brother Jiang, take care!¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°If there¡¯s anything I can help with in the future, come to me! You and I are good friends!¡± Hearing this, Cheng Ran smiled. ¡°Definitely!¡± ¡°With Brother Jiang¡¯s words, I won¡¯t be polite!¡± The two of them then exchanged glances and burst into laughter. ¡­ After leaving the Welcome Building, Jiang Ning headed straight for Wanhua Building. This time, he was planning to buy some more Plant Essence. The fifty bottles of Plant Essence he had bought before were almost gone and wouldn¡¯t last many more days. As he broke through the limit with his Five Animals Fist. Now, each time he practiced the boxing technique, he would condense ten strands of Qi Blood Power. The efficiency of augmenting Qi-Blood had doubled compared to before, naturally increasing the consumption on his body as well. Without the support of medicinal supplements, he wouldn¡¯t be able to sustain it for many days. Additionally, the efficiency of Refining Skin had also skyrocketed. As such, the consumption of Plant Essence naturally increased considerably. Therefore, to continue focusing on martial arts, Jiang Ning was also going to buy some medicinal supplements that greatly benefit the body today. Walking on the road, Jiang Ning muttered to himself, ¡°I previously exchanged all my gold leaves for silver notes, currently having nineteen hundred taels in silver notes!¡± ¡°I also have to go to the Weapon Forging Shop outside the town to buy a good quality knife!¡± ¡°According to what Manager Han said a few days ago, the best weapons in Luoshui County can be found in the Weapon Forging Shop outside the town.¡± ¡°A weapon cannot be subpar, so I must set aside at least a thousand taels of silver for the weapon, which means I can only spend nine hundred taels on Plant Essence.¡± ¡°According to Wanhua Building¡¯s pricing, one bottle of Plant Essence cost thirty taels of silver.¡± ¡°With the Wanhua Building¡¯s VIP card Shen Congyun left me, I get a twenty percent discount on all expenses, making it twenty-four taels per bottle.¡± ¡°So, I can get thirty-seven bottles.¡± Thinking to this point, Jiang Ning murmured, ¡°Then I¡¯ll just round it up and buy forty bottles! The remaining nine hundred plus taels of silver should be just enough to buy a good knife!¡± Not long after. Coming out of Wanhua Building. Jiang Ning¡¯s hands were empty, but the forty bottles of Plant Essence he wanted had already been purchased. Wanhua Building would send someone to deliver it to his residence later, so there was no need for him to worry. Jiang Ning was also very confident in Wanhua Building. Afterward, he took a carriage from the entrance and headed toward the Weapon Forging Shop outside the town. Chapter 141: 62: A Precious Sword Given to A Hero Chapter 141: Chapter 62: A Precious Sword Given to A Hero Weapon Forging Shop. Located in the southern part of the outer city. As Jiang Ning approached, he heard the clang and clatter of iron being hammered. The Weapon Forging Shop was large and its doors were wide. Standing at the entrance of the Weapon Forging Shop, one could hear the sounds of various fine irons being forged in the backyard. Jiang Ning had some understanding of the Weapon Forging Shop. ... He knew that whether it was the standard long sabers of the government office constables or the standard weapons of the city gate officials, they all came from the Weapon Forging Shop. Therefore, the Weapon Forging Shop had many workers; many common families, in order to ensure their descendants had a trade to make a living, often sold them to the Weapon Forging Shop as servants at the age of twelve or thirteen. After three years of odd jobs and three years of assistant work, one could then learn the craft. This was the normal path for the growth of a qualified weapon-smith. With the continuous addition of young workers, the Weapon Forging Shop naturally grew more and more. Moreover, joining the Weapon Forging Shop also meant commoners could learn Martial Arts. If one had a good talent for Martial Arts, they would receive cultivation from the Weapon Forging Shop. This was yet another way out. So even if it meant selling themselves to the Weapon Forging Shop for a few years, the attraction was still very great for common families. At this moment. Jiang Ning arrived at the Weapon Forging Shop, and there were many people coming in and out. Much busier than the entrance of Wanhua Building. Because ordinary people also needed to buy some iron tools. Whether it was sickles or axes, or small items like firewood-cutting knives, the Weapon Forging Shop had them for sale. Jiang Ning walked into the Weapon Forging Shop. A young lad resembling a servant noticed Jiang Ning and approached him. As one who had long been in charge of welcoming guests here, he naturally could tell which groups of people had the ability to consume. Jiang Ning entered, saber in hand, with a steady pace and eyes brimming with sharpness. One could tell at a glance that he was a Martial Artist. In the eyes of the servant-like youth, such people always had good purchasing power. Because without a certain family backing, ordinary people found it very difficult to practice Martial Arts. Practicing Martial Arts year-round, not to mention various tonics, the consumption of meat and rich foods alone was a significant number. Common families at most could only indulge in a little bit of meat during festivals. How could one practice Martial Arts then? S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Without proper nourishment, practicing Martial Arts for three to five months would cause the body to collapse. For this reason, in the eyes of the servant-like youth. Anyone who practiced Martial Arts surely had a good family background. With a good family background, purchasing power was naturally good. ¡°Sir, do you come to our shop to buy any weapons?¡± the servant approached Jiang Ning and bowed. ¡°I need a good, handy saber,¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°That¡¯s simple!¡± The servant¡¯s face revealed a proud expression, ¡°If you¡¯re talking about good sabers, our Weapon Forging Shop has plenty, and I¡¯m sure you will leave satisfied, sir.¡± Then he added, ¡°This way, sir!¡± ¡°Um!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. The two then went to the side where the weapon racks were. ¡°Sir, try these weapons, they are all forged from the finest iron, extremely sharp, each capable of slicing hair as if it were blowing in the wind.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning casually picked up a long saber. ¡°Swoosh¡ª¡± He drew the saber from its sheath. Immediately after, ¡°swoosh¡± was the sound again as he sheathed the saber. ¡°Too light!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head: ¡°These should all be below a hundred-refinements, right?¡± ¡°You have great eyesight, sir!¡± The servant nodded continuously, ¡°These are carefully forged by our masters from hundred-refinement steel.¡± Jiang Ning shook his head: ¡°Don¡¯t waste time, hundred-refinement weapons are too light for me, meaningless! Show me better sabers.¡± Hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in the eyes of the servant-dressed young lad. Being from the Weapon Forging Shop, he naturally had extensive knowledge of weapons. A hundred-refinement weapon could even be a great use for those just entering the Ninth Grade of Martial Arts. Yet, this seemingly young lad, who appeared to be only eighteen or nineteen, actually says looking at hundred-refinement weapons is a waste of time. That they were too light for him. What strength could he possess? The servant-dressed young lad could not help but wonder. Then, ¡°Alright, sir, follow me.¡± After saying this, he led Jiang Ning to the neighboring shop. Stepping into the next shop, the sounds of iron being forged in Jiang Ning¡¯s ears grew even louder. ¡°Sir, take a look at these weapons, they are all forged from steel that has been refined three to five hundred times.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning became more interested. Immediately he went to the weapon rack and casually grabbed a long saber. Feeling the long saber in his hand, He became keenly aware of its size and weight. Four feet three inches long, weighing fifty-three catties. Jiang Ning then drew the saber from its sheath. Swoosh¡ª Cold Light flickered instantly in the room. Jiang Ning waved the saber at will. In an instant, The sword light flickered in the room, and an intense wind emerged from nowhere. The servant saw this and was somewhat alarmed, then he retreated repeatedly. His heart couldn¡¯t stop being surprised. He knew this saber well, refined five hundred and thirty-seven times, it was one of the superior-quality weapons in the shop. Among the swords and sabers here, it was also an extremely heavy weapon. Weighing fifty-three catties. Such weight could only be handled easily by a strong person at the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. But even for such strong individuals, wielding such a heavy long saber would be difficult to fight with for extended periods. Moreover, although saber techniques tend to favor a domineering and unstoppable momentum, they are still primarily skill-based; very rarely do they rely on brute force. Because if one were truly strong, they would often choose other types of heavy weapons, like sticks, hammers, spears, etc. Therefore, despite its excellent quality, this saber had not been sold in the Weapon Forging Shop for many years. After entering the Ninth Grade of Martial Arts, it¡¯s a threshold at every step. The skin hard as stone is difficult, and the skin as hard as copper is even more so. Chapter 142: 62: A Precious Sword Given to a Hero_2 Chapter 142: Chapter 62: A Precious Sword Given to a Hero_2 Every step up was a great leap, and because of that, each step was difficult. Ordinary people needed to grind away tirelessly to achieve such progress. Therefore, Luoshui County boasted few at the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. Those who used swords were even rarer. Let alone a sword of such heaviness. A few breaths later, Jiang Ning ceased his sword-testing action. ... At this moment, his face remained unflushed and his breathing steady. The fifty-three taels heavy long sword in his hand seemed as light as nothing. He weighed it a few more times, feeling the heft of the weapon in his hand. Then he shook his head secretly. ¡°Fifty-three taels, for an ordinary Martial Artist at Eighth Grade with more than one thousand five hundred taels of strength, indeed, it could be considered fitting, comfortable to use.¡± ¡°After all, if it were any heavier, the physical exertion would be too great. Even an average Eighth Grade at the Divine Power Realm would feel burdened.¡± ¡°But I am different, I don¡¯t fear prolonged battles, and my fighting style relies on deciding the victory with a few blows. Therefore, the heavier my sword, the better.¡± ¡°Moreover, my strength is rapidly increasing now. It won¡¯t be long before my strength breaks through two thousand taels, three thousand taels.¡± At this thought, Jiang Ning sheathed his sword. He then spoke, ¡°Do you have a heavier treasure sword?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t heavy enough?¡± asked the boy, his face showing an astonished expression. Jiang Ning shook his head slightly,¡±Not enough! It¡¯s still somewhat light. Ideally, I would prefer something twice as heavy, or even heavier if possible.¡± Hearing these words, the boy looked at Jiang Ning with an expression of horror. Among martial artists, The extent of one¡¯s strength typically reflected their overall power. Generally speaking, those with strength of a thousand taels wielded swords and sabers weighing around thirty to forty taels. Any heavier would be detrimental to performance. It would appear clumsy and greatly consume physical strength. Yet, this treasure sword forged five hundred and thirty times weighed fifty-three taels. For a Martial Artist of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm visiting this place, they wouldn¡¯t say that the sword was light. Jiang Ning now claimed that the sword was still too light. This astonished the boy greatly. He naturally understood what this implied. And since Jiang Ning had just managed to wield the sword freely, this also proved that Jiang Ning was not bragging. ¡°Could this man be a strong figure amongst those at the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm?¡± With this thought, The boy swallowed hard, and then said, ¡°Sir, please wait a moment. The sword in your hands is already the heaviest one we have here.¡± ¡°To find a better sword, I would need to seek permission, as I don¡¯t have the authority. I must report to the shopkeeper first.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°No problem, go ahead!¡± ¡°Of course, sir!¡± The boy nodded and bowed before he turned and trotted away. Jiang Ning returned the long sword to the weapon rack and casually tested a few other swords nearby. After wielding them, he realized that the one he had first tried indeed was the heaviest. The few other swords he randomly picked up afterwards did not exceed fifty taels in weight. The majority weighed merely twenty or thirty taels. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This weight was very handy for a Ninth Grade in Martial Arts, even possibly cumbersome. Shortly thereafter, He moved to the rack holding heavy weapons. Picking up a pair of giant hammers, he couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue. ¡°So heavy!¡± ¡°They must weigh around one hundred and fifty taels.¡± ¡°The explosive force of one hammer strike, how terrifying must it be?¡± ¡°An ordinary person would likely crush themselves into a meat patty!¡± Instantly, He began to swing the hammers in hand. Whoo, whoo, whoo¡ª In an instant, The sound of wind roared around him, as if ghosts and wolves howled in unity. The room was engulfed by a sudden gust of wind. At the same time, A mighty figure over two meters tall with muscles like iron blocks stepped inside. His dark, charcoal-like skin glistened. He walked in, wiping his hands with a towel. Then, He saw Jiang Ning swinging the hammers. A flash of shock crossed his eyes. ¡°That strength, it must be over fifteen hundred taels!!!¡± ¡°When did Luoshui County produce such an outstanding young talent!!¡± The boy following close behind him was also scared witless at the sight. At this moment, Jiang Ning also noticed the two men and thus halted the movements in his hands. ¡°So exhilarating!!¡± Feeling his body heating up, his blood circulating faster, and a slight sweat forming on his forehead, Jiang Ning felt invigorated by this state. ¡°I am Yang Kai, deputy manager of the Weapon Forging Shop,¡± the towering figure spoke after seeing Jiang Ning stop wielding the hammers. Then he added, ¡°May I know where the young brother is from?¡± Upon hearing this, a faint surprise surfaced in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart. Yang Kai; he had heard a little about him. Because Yang Kai was a Martial Artist at Eighth Grade. And a deputy manager of the Weapon Forging Shop. He possessed both strength and status, making him a significant figure throughout Luoshui County with considerable influence. Jiang Ning then spoke, ¡°Disciple of Canglang Martial Arts Hall, Jiang Ning!¡± ¡°Jiang Ning?¡± The towering man looked at Jiang Ning with a hint of surprise and a puzzled expression, ¡°So you¡¯re Jiang Ning?¡± ¡°Does Manager Yang know me?¡± Jiang Ning asked curiously. Yang Kai chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s quite difficult not to have heard of your name! After all, Building Owner Shen was reassigned because of you.¡± Subsequently, Yang Kai, gazing at Jiang Ning, sighed again, ¡°No wonder that Building Owner Shen was willing to oppose the Cao family for your sake. Your talent is indeed frightening!¡± Jiang Ning responded, ¡°Manager Yang is too kind. I just have a bit of brute strength!¡± While they were talking, Jiang Ning had already placed the two large hammers in his hands back in their proper place. Yang Kai took a detailed look at Jiang Ning and noticed how his face wasn¡¯t flushed, nor was his heart racing, nor was he out of breath. He then exclaimed, ¡°No wonder you felt that saber was still too light! Youth is indeed an asset; such physical vigor is marvelous!¡± Jiang Ning asked, ¡°Manager Yang, does your Weapon Forging Shop have any better sabers?¡± Upon hearing this, Yang Kai couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. Then he said with pride, ¡°Of course, we do! However, those kinds of weapons can¡¯t be measured by money.¡± ¡°What is needed then?¡± inquired Jiang Ning. Yang Kai said, ¡°As the saying goes, a precious sword is gifted to a hero; its owner must not dishonor those weapons.¡± Jiang Ning questioned, ¡°Am I considered a hero then?¡± ¡°You?¡± Yang Kai sized up Jiang Ning and said, ¡°Let¡¯s say tentatively.¡± Then he suggested, ¡°Come with me.¡± Saying that, Yang Kai walked toward a wall nearby. He then pushed on what seemed to be an ordinary brick on the wall. Rumble¡ª Accompanied by a low sound, a thick slab of bluestone brick slowly popped out. There was a noticeable dent on the bluestone brick. Afterward, Yang Kai took out a token from his person, placed it into the indentation of the bluestone brick, and pressed down hard. Rumble¡ª A sudden tremor emanated from the ground. As the trembling sound began, several sturdy bricks in the center of the room slowly opened up. A dark tunnel was revealed. Yang Kai said, this is where our Weapon Forging Shop keeps the truly good items. I¡¯ve forged ten pieces in my life that I¡¯m particularly proud of, all stored below. As he spoke, Yang Kai slowly descended the staircase toward the tunnel. Just as his silhouette vanished into the dark passage, Boom¡ª Boom¡ª Boom¡ª The sound of fire crackled to life. The entire dark passage was suddenly illuminated by the light of flames. ¡°Dare to come in?¡± Yang Kai looked back and asked. Jiang Ning gripped the long saber in his hand and then smiled. ¡°What is there to fear?¡± As he spoke, he too took the first step down the staircase. In his heart, Jiang Ning held little fear toward Yang Kai. Even if Yang Kai had ill intentions toward him upon entering the tunnel, He was not afraid. Because he knew Yang Kai¡¯s strength. He was just an ordinary practitioner of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. An ordinary practitioner of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm had about a strength of 1,500 taels. Not much different from his own. Even if Yang Kai had hidden some strength, it would at most be around 2,000 taels. A strength of 2,000 taels, under his full range of techniques, he could easily cut him down with his blade. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, the one who could pose a genuine threat to him now Would definitely be a top expert within the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. Possessing an approximate strength of 3,000 taels, these top experts could double his strength. Combined with a physique as tough as bronze and extraordinary physical resilience, they could pose a certain threat to him. Otherwise, with his current strength, if he were to face Tian Buyi again, Jiang Ning was confident that he could fight him on even ground, and the outcome would still be uncertain. His strength had grown by leaps and bounds since then. He was much stronger than before. Not only had his strength increased by three to four hundred taels, But he had also broken through the limitations of the Five Animals Fist increasing his Qi-Blood and physical prowess significantly. Especially since he had completed four break limits with his swordsmanship and mastered the Sword Force. With the addition of force, it was a true qualitative change. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, if he were to face off against the version of himself that had fought Tian Buyi now, He could bring down his past self with no more than three strikes of his saber. Such was the transformation he had undergone in this short time. His progress could indeed be described as swift. Subsequently, Seeing that Jiang Ning had stepped into the tunnel, Yang Kai nodded slightly and turned to lead the way forward. The two continued to delve deeper into the tunnel. Chapter 143: 63 Unexpected Gains, Old Spiritual Weapon! Chapter 143: Chapter 63 Unexpected Gains, Old Spiritual Weapon! Weapon Forging Shop. After walking dozens of steps, the view suddenly opened up. In the weapon storage room below the Weapon Forging Shop, weapons emitting a chilling aura were placed all around on racks and along the walls. By the light of the fire, countless reflections of cold light were casting from the blades. ¡°Kid, what do you think? This is what the Weapon Forging Shop has accumulated over the years,¡± Yang Kai said proudly. Then he continued, ¡°Over the years, every guest who has come here has been extraordinary! But every guest has also had good gains.¡± ... Jiang Ning glanced around the room and understood immediately. The really good stuff of the Weapon Forging Shop was all here. As for the two rooms above, they were just selling more common goods. Then he asked, ¡°Manager Yang, may I know the prices of these Divine Weapons?¡± Yang Kai replied, ¡°I just said, these items cannot be measured with money, using money would be too vulgar!¡± ¡°What would it take, then?¡± Jiang Ning inquired. Regarding what Yang Kai just mentioned upstairs, Jiang Ning just chuckled inwardly. Yang Kai said, ¡°Money, our Weapon Forging Shop does not lack! So what we¡¯re looking for is fate!¡± ¡°Fate?¡± Jiang Ning laughed, no longer bothering about Yang Kai¡¯s ramblings. Then he said, ¡°Manager Yang, since you brought me down here, it must not be just to take a quick look! Why not introduce me to some items!¡± ¡°That¡¯s natural!¡± Yang Kai laughed. Then he walked over to the side near the wall. He raised his hand and took down a treasured blade from the wall. Clang¡ª With the drawing of the blade, a clear and melodious sound instantly resounded inside the room. At the same time. The cold light of the blade shone in the room, as if invisible blades filled every space, causing the hairs on Jiang Ning¡¯s body to bristle. ¡°What an excellent blade!¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, praising inwardly. It was an instinctive reaction of his body to bristle. This showed how extraordinary the blade had to be. Yang Kai said, ¡°This blade is named Cold Light, three feet and nine inches long, three inches and three tenths wide, weighing one hundred and fifty-three pounds.¡± ¡°It was forged by my own hands from thousand-refined fine iron and is quite suitable even for a Martial Arts Seventh Grade master.¡± ¡°As for a general Martial Arts Eighth Grade, it would be difficult to wield this blade as desired, instead, it might be a burden.¡± After saying this. Whoosh¡ª Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yang Kai sheathed the blade and then threw it to Jiang Ning with a raise of his hand. ¡°Try it out!¡± Yang Kai said. Jiang Ning immediately caught it. His gaze fell on the blade in his hands, and he saw two characters engraved on the hilt. Cold Light. He then felt the weight of the blade in his hand. ¡°Indeed quite heavy!¡± Jiang Ning secretly remarked. One hundred and fifty-three pounds, this weight was already one-tenth of his current strength. This kind of weight, for someone with his current strength, would be difficult to wield as desired. Because the force that comes with this weight, the inertia is frighteningly large. Every time the blade is retracted, it consumes a significant amount of physical strength. Even in a brief battle, it would burst forth tens or hundreds of times. Under such circumstances, most of the physical strength would be depleted, and the condition would rapidly deteriorate. Therefore, most martial artists choose not to have too heavy a weapon. Although a heavy weapon has its advantages, the disadvantages are bigger, outweighing the benefits. Unless one cultivates both internally and externally or steps into the Inner Strength Realm of Martial Arts Fifth Grade. Only when the internal organs are tempered and the stamina is durable, not fearing long battles, will the situation improve significantly. And Jiang Ning possesses these factors. He held the weapon in his hand, quite satisfied. Although this weight was a bit much for him now, it was still manageable. Moreover, he was currently in a period of rapid strength improvement, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before he could progress further. Immediately. He grasped the hilt and drew the blade from the sheath. Clang¡ª A clear and melodious tremor resounded in the room. Whoosh¡ª Jiang Ning casually swung, and the blade in his hand instantly transformed into a streak of cold light slicing through the air. ¡°What an excellent blade!¡± Feeling the potential energy of this strike, Jiang Ning expressed his approval. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit too heavy?¡± Yang Kai asked. Jiang Ning casually swung the blade a few more times, with streaks of cold light flashing within three feet of him. At the same time, he said, ¡°It¡¯s a bit heavy, but it¡¯s fine! I have some strength, and considering future strength enhancements, I can¡¯t choose a blade that¡¯s too light.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true!¡± Yang Kai thought of the information about Jiang Ning and nodded slightly. Then he said, ¡°So, kid, you mean to say you are quite satisfied with this blade?¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly, just about to speak. He suddenly felt a more intense indistinct call in his heart, and the direction of this call became clearer. Just two fathoms and three paces to his left front. Immediately. Jiang Ning said, ¡°Quite satisfied, but I¡¯d like to look at the others.¡± Upon hearing this, Yang Kai responded cheerfully, ¡°No problem, my boy, take your time! I am not busy anyhow, so no rush!¡± Seeing the few strikes Jiang Ning had made just now, Yang Kai¡¯s evaluation of Jiang Ning rose even higher. Moreover, at this time, the blade in Jiang Ning¡¯s hand was one he had personally forged, and he was quite aware of the weight of the blade. Weighing one hundred and fifty-three pounds. In his view, Jiang Ning choosing this blade meant that Jiang Ning was confident in wielding this heavy blade. From this, he knew Jiang Ning¡¯s strength was higher than he initially imagined. And about Jiang Ning¡¯s matters, he had also heard many. Such a genius, who could make Shen Congyun sacrifice so much to help him, was naturally worth spending time on for Jiang Ning. And worth him offering some things. Chapter 144: 63 Unexpected Gains, Old Spiritual Weapon!_2 Chapter 144: Chapter 63 Unexpected Gains, Old Spiritual Weapon!_2 As Jiang Ning valued the weapon that suited him and thus owed someone a favor. The Weapon Forging Shop had developed to this point over many years, and money had long ceased to be a concern. In this era, they also deeply understood one thing: it was enough to have sufficient money. Earning too much could actually invite disaster. However, connections, networks, and the goodwill of talented and powerful individuals was something one could never have too much of. They had invested in plenty of talents and strong individuals. ... If there ever came a day when the Weapon Forging Shop faced trouble, naturally, there would be those who would help. That was their greatest return on investment. At this moment, Jiang Ning followed the calling in his heart to a weapons rack. At this instant, his curiosity was piqued. What exactly was this sudden sensation and call in his heart? Why had it appeared so unexpectedly? Then, he bent down and picked up an ancient, dust-covered saber from the bottom of the weapons rack. Whoosh¡ª He blew a breath, and a strong wind swept over the scabbard, sending all the dust flying up into the air. The scabbard was dark and had no patterns or designs, made simply from an unknown material. The handle was the same, also made from an unknown material and exuding simplicity. Yang Kai, who was nearby, saw this and his eyes suddenly filled with surprise. Then he walked over. Simultaneously, Jiang Ning¡¯s voice rang by his ear, ¡°Manager Yang, is there some story behind this saber?¡± Yang Kai looked at Jiang Ning with surprise and responded somewhat off topic, ¡°How did you suddenly take notice of this saber?¡± Jiang Ning lightly smiled, ¡°Just curious, for this saber to appear in this house implies it¡¯s no ordinary weapon. For such an extraordinary saber to be placed beneath the rack, covered in dust¡­¡± Yang Kai said, ¡°You¡¯re right! This saber truly is extraordinary.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± A look of curiosity immediately spread across Jiang Ning¡¯s face, ¡°Manager Yang, could you tell me what makes it so extraordinary?¡± Indeed, Jiang Ning felt an intense curiosity about the saber in his hands. Holding this saber, that feeling in his heart grew stronger. The sensation and call that had just arisen in his heart were indeed stemming from this saber. Yang Kai replied, ¡°This is a long story. This saber is a spiritual weapon?¡± ¡°Spiritual weapon?¡± Jiang Ning showed surprise, as he had never heard of the term. Then he inquired, ¡°Manager Yang, what is a ¡®spiritual weapon¡¯?¡± Yang Kai explained, ¡°A spiritual weapon was a type of powerful weapon from olden times, endowed with spiritual traits, thus the name spiritual weapon! As the old era ended and the Immortals vanished, spiritual weapons also decayed, or entered a state of deep sleep.¡± ¡°In such a condition, a spiritual weapon isn¡¯t much different from worthless scraps of metal.¡± ¡°At most, it¡¯s a bit tougher, impervious to chopping, hacking, and even to intense fire during forging, sustaining no damage whatsoever.¡± ¡°And because this saber possesses spirituality, over all these years, no one has been able to draw it from its scabbard; hence, it is truly useless!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it was tossed beneath the rack to gather dust!¡± At this point, Yang Kai¡¯s face showed regret, ¡°It¡¯s only a pity for the materials used to forge this spiritual weapon. Such materials must be quite extraordinary. If I could make use of them, I have confidence that I could forge even finer Divine Weapons.¡± Hearing Yang Kai¡¯s words, Jiang Ning immediately thought to himself: That¡¯s odd! If that be the case, why am I able to feel a connection to this saber and sense its call to me? Immediately, Jiang Ning¡¯s right hand gripped the handle of the saber. Upon seeing this, Yang Kai couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. He had seen many like Jiang Ning over the years. Every guest who heard his story would attempt to draw the saber. Yet without exception, all had failed. The saber seemed as if the blade and the scabbard were one entity. No matter how one tried, it wouldn¡¯t budge in the slightest. Clang¡ª Just at that moment, a clear and melodious sound echoed in the room. Immediately, Hum¡ª The clear sound transformed into a dragon¡¯s chant, with the chant reverberating continuously within the room. Yang Kai¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, as round as copper bells. ¡°This¡­ this¡­ this is impossible!!!¡± His mouth hung wide open. Compared to Yang Kai, Jiang Ning was equally astounded at this moment. After hearing Yang Kai¡¯s earlier words, he had held no expectations and had only tried to draw the saber as an afterthought. Yet unexpectedly, at the very first attempt to draw the spiritual weapon¡¯s saber from its scabbard, it had not moved an inch, as solid as a mountain. But in the next moment, he felt the force in his hand flow smoothly, and in an instant, he had unsheathed the saber. At this moment. As the blade came out of the scabbard, Jiang Ning felt an even deeper connection with the weapon in his hand, as if there was a mental bridge forming between them. The spiritual weapon sends forth a thought as well, ¡°Blood recognizance, blood melding and refining.¡± ¡°How did you do that?¡± Yang Kai suppressed the shock in his heart, hastily speaking as he watched the scene before him. Jiang Ning feigned a puzzled expression and shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know either!¡± He continued, ¡°I just casually tugged at it, and the blade came out.¡± ¡°Casually tugged at it, just like that¡­¡± Hearing Jiang Ning say this, Yang Kai was speechless inside. ¡°You don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve tried!¡± Yang Kai internally vented with great frustration. However, Yang Kai didn¡¯t doubt Jiang Ning¡¯s claim for a moment. This spiritual weapon had been in the Weapon Forging Shop for several decades. Over the years, they had tried countless times. Every attempt had invariably ended in failure! But at this moment, once the blade was in Jiang Ning¡¯s hands, it underwent a completely different transformation. The blade had been drawn out by Jiang Ning. Immediately, Yang Kai said, ¡°Sheathe it and let me try! I want to see if I can draw it out!¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly, ¡°Alright!¡± At this moment, some simple thoughts also formed in his heart. Whether it was the spiritual resonance with the spiritual weapon or the call from the weapon itself, there must be a reason for it. It must also be due to some unique trait he possessed that set him apart from ordinary people. Otherwise, why couldn¡¯t others draw it out? Yet he managed to do so? Yang Kai wanted to try now, and Jiang Ning was happy to let him test it out. If Yang Kai still couldn¡¯t draw the blade, then it would undeniably confirm the suspicions in his heart. Afterward. Whoosh¡ª Jiang Ning sheathed the blade, and instantly, the hilt fit seamlessly with the sheath. So perfectly snug that it seemed as one, with no gaps visible. Yang Kai took the spiritual weapon from Jiang Ning¡¯s hand, his right hand gripping the hilt. He then took a deep breath. Whoo¡ª He slowly exhaled. The next moment. Yang Kai suddenly exerted himself. His body, already as solid as rock, tensed up even more at this moment, hard as iron. Soon, Yang Kai¡¯s face turned red, then gradually took on a bluish hue. ¡°Haah¡ª¡± He suddenly let out a loud cry from his mouth, his arms trembling slightly, clearly straining to his limit. After two more breaths. ¡°Ha¡ª¡± Yang Kai exhaled deeply, giving up on the act of drawing the blade completely. His face then immediately showed a hint of dejection. No matter how hard he tried, the blade in hand remained immovable, the hilt and sheath appearing as one, joined together. ¡°It seems you are destined for this blade!¡± Yang Kai said to Jiang Ning. At this moment, he hesitated only briefly before handing the spiritual weapon back to Jiang Ning. Watching Jiang Ning take the spiritual weapon, longing shone in Yang Kai¡¯s eyes. A blade with spiritual sentience was undoubtedly an extremely precious item. Parting with such a treasure to someone else was indeed a painful affair. But thinking that this spiritual weapon had gathered dust here for decades, Yang Kai gradually came to terms with it. ¡°Forget it! This item has been nothing more than a chicken rib here; better to give it to the lad in exchange for a favor.¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This lad managed to draw out the spiritual weapon, he must be very special!¡± ¡°In the future, who knows if he won¡¯t reach a shocking level!¡± ¡°To exchange such a seemingly worthless thing for a favor from such a potential future powerhouse, I should say I¡¯ve made a profit!¡± Yang Kai was comforting himself in his mind, trying to lessen the reluctance in his heart. At this moment, Jiang Ning took the spiritual weapon handed over by Yang Kai, and having witnessed the recent scene, he had some speculations in his heart. ¡°To draw out this blade, it¡¯s either due to Innate Spiritual Wisdom or it¡¯s influenced by some traits I currently possess.¡± Thinking of these possibilities. His gaze fell on the traits displayed on his panel, then settled on one particular trait. [Man-Blade Unity]: Possesses a natural and remarkable affinity with blades, any unfamiliar blade held will be brought to an optimal state. ¡°If anything is most likely, it¡¯s this one!¡± Jiang Ning muttered inwardly. As his thoughts flowed. Jiang Ning gripped the hilt of the blade with his right hand and tried again. Instantly, a glimpse of the blade appeared before both. Yang Kai looked on, his eyes once more filled with envy. Chapter 145: 64 Blood Recognition, Blood Fusion Refinement! Chapter 145: Chapter 64 Blood Recognition, Blood Fusion Refinement! ¡°` Weapon Forging Shop. Underground Weapon Storage Chamber. ¡°How do you feel about this sword?¡± Yang Kai suddenly asked. Jiang Ning held the spiritual weapon in his hand, casually swinging it a few times. Then he said, ¡°As Manager Yang said, this sword has survived since ancient times without being destroyed, and its material must indeed be extraordinary! Although its magical traits are not apparent now, its indestructibility alone makes it a truly fine sword!¡± ... S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I naturally like it!¡± Yang Kai then asked, ¡°Now, if I give you a choice between Cold Light and this spiritual weapon, which would you choose?¡± Jiang Ning smiled and spoke without any hesitation, ¡°Then I would naturally choose this spiritual weapon!¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Yang Kai nodded, not at all surprised. Even he would choose the same. Although the sword Cold Light was not bad and was his own masterpiece, compared to the spiritual weapon of old, its value was negligible. Jiang Ning then said, ¡°I wonder if Manager Yang would be willing to part with this spiritual weapon, and if so, at what price?¡± Yang Kai said, ¡°As I¡¯ve said, the items here cannot be measured with money. So what I need is not money!¡± ¡°What then?¡± Jiang Ning asked again. Yang Kai spoke earnestly, ¡°Just a favor! A favor from your future!!¡± Jiang Ning was slightly surprised upon hearing this. ¡°Manager Yang holds me in such high regard? Just like that, gifting me a spiritual weapon for nothing?¡± Yang Kai nodded, ¡°If Shen Congyun can hold you in high esteem, our Weapon Forging Shop naturally trusts his judgment! This spirit weapon has been gathering dust in the Weapon Storage Chamber for decades, serving no purpose.¡± ¡°In our eyes, it¡¯s nothing but a chicken rib!¡± ¡°But in your hands, it can be put to use! You will certainly make a name for yourself in the future.¡± ¡°I feel trading our so-called chicken rib for a future favor from you is very much worth it!¡± Upon hearing this, Whoosh¡ª Jiang Ning sheathed the sword. ¡°Since Manager Yang holds me in such high regard, should the Weapon Forging Shop ever need my assistance in the future, feel free to speak up. As long as it¡¯s within my power, I will do my best!¡± ¡°With your word, I can rest easy!¡± Yang Kai chuckled. ¡­ Leaving the Weapon Forging Shop. Jiang Ning looked at the spiritual weapon in his hand, in a very good mood. Not only had he fulfilled his need for a good sword on this trip, but he also gained an unexpected reward. A spiritual weapon from ancient times, also referred to by Yang Kai as an ancient spiritual weapon. This gain was completely unexpected and exceeded his anticipations. All he had given in return was a mere verbal commitment. A future favor. Yang Kai was simply offering him a pie, which he had then promptly eaten. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, he had struck it rich. Such a spiritual weapon, capable of being put to use by him, if valued, would be priceless. And now, he had obtained it merely for a verbal promise. Regardless of what Yang Kai thought, in Jiang Ning¡¯s own view, he had scored a major windfall. At this moment. Even as he grasped the sword scabbard, Jiang Ning could faintly sense the spirit contained within the sword. This spirit was extraordinarily weak, yet he felt it distinctly. It was because of this subtle calling of the spirit that he had found this dusty spiritual weapon in the Weapon Forging Shop¡¯s underground chamber. ¡°I wonder what exactly is the reason!¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. Meanwhile. Yang Kai watched as Jiang Ning¡¯s figure gradually disappeared into the distance, as well as the pitch-black sword in Jiang Ning¡¯s hands. Pain still flickered across his eyes. A spiritual weapon left over from ancient times had been taken away by Jiang Ning. Even if that spiritual weapon was nothing more than a chicken rib, it was still a spiritual weapon. Even if it were auctioned off, such an object, deemed as worthless as a chicken rib, could still sell for over a thousand taels of silver. Such was the value of a spiritual weapon left from ancient times. Let alone now, after Jiang Ning had drawn the sword from its sheath, the value of the spiritual weapon skyrocketed. A spiritual weapon that could actually be used was priceless and could not be traded for gold. Had it been possible for anyone to use this spiritual weapon, no matter what kind of talent Jiang Ning possessed, Yang Kai would not have chosen to gift it to him. But after having tested it himself just now, he realized this was not the case. The spirit within the weapon, only Jiang Ning could draw out the sword. No matter how much he exerted himself, it remained just as immobile as before. Therefore, the value of the spiritual weapon naturally remained not far off from what it was previously. Unused by Jiang Ning, it could only continue to collect dust in the Weapon Storage Chamber. For decades, countless people had tried to draw the sword, all to no change just as he had just experienced. Only Jiang Ning had managed to draw the sword. It was impossible to say how long they¡¯d have to wait for a second person. Therefore, Yang Kai knew that the true value of this spiritual weapon could only be realized in the hands of Jiang Ning. In this way, he would not only be repurposing waste but also securing a favor from Jiang Ning. In Yang Kai¡¯s perspective, this favor might not be worth much now. But judging by the changes in Jiang Ning recently and the events that had transpired around him, And the spirit within the weapon choosing its master, permitting Jiang Ning to draw the sword, These occurrences made Yang Kai quite certain that Jiang Ning¡¯s future was immeasurable. This favor might one day reveal astonishing value. This spurred him to make this decision. ¡­ Elsewhere. Wanhua Building rooftop. Within a luxurious room. ¡°Jiaer, what do you think of him?¡± Lin Qingyi lay sideways on a bed wrapped in fox fur. Lin Jiaer said, ¡°Auntie was right before; he indeed looks quite good. The disciples of the Martial Arts Garden in Dongling City all come from major families and noble houses, with none from lowly origins, rich and noble within Dongling City.¡± ¡°` Chapter 146: 64 Blood Recognition, Blood Fusion Refinement!_2 Chapter 146: Chapter 64 Blood Recognition, Blood Fusion Refinement!_2 ¡°But not many can match him in terms of physical appearance,¡± Lin Qingyi said, resting her chin on her hands. ¡°And what else?¡± Lin Jiaer asked. ¡°As for martial arts, he¡¯s also quite good! The person he fought today should have just entered Martial Arts Ninth Grade. In such a small place, that person could be considered a genius,¡± Lin Jiaer continued. ¡°The fact that he could so easily defeat him proves that he¡¯s someone to be reckoned with here. It¡¯s no wonder auntie thinks so highly of him.¡± Listening to Lin Jiaer¡¯s words, Lin Qingyi couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly. Although Lin Jiaer¡¯s words were praising Jiang Ning, ... there was something in her tone that made Lin Qingyi feel somewhat uncomfortable. Small place¡­ someone noteworthy¡­ no wonder¡­ thinks highly of him¡­ Then, Lin Qingyi¡¯s frown relaxed slightly, and she thought to herself, Let it be! ¡°This girl is from the Lin family of Dongling City, just like me. Over the years, thanks to my overt and covert help, the Lin family has become a top-notch family in Dongling City.¡± It¡¯s no wonder that she¡¯s somewhat proud. Thinking about this, she completely relaxed her brow. Then Lin Qingyi spoke again: ¡°Well then, auntie will arrange a time for you two to meet, how about that?¡± Lin Jiaer hesitated for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Jiaer is willing to follow auntie¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Lin Qingyi said with a smile: ¡°In the next few days, let the two of you meet and have a good talk! If you¡¯re both interested, we can pick a date for the wedding.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± Lin Jiaer nodded and then seemed to think of something else. ¡°Auntie, which great family from Luoshui County does this man named Jiang Ning come from?¡± Lin Qingyi shook her head: ¡°His background is average, to put it mildly; it¡¯s actually quite poor. His parents were refugees. Sixteen years ago, due to the Red Dragon uprising, they became refugees and then came to Luoshui County. However, they didn¡¯t even make it into the county town before they collapsed on the road.¡± ¡°So he¡¯s been an orphan since he was little, raised by his elder brother.¡± Afterward, Lin Qingyi added: ¡°I have all the detailed information on Jiang Ning here; take a look at it later, and you¡¯ll know. This young man has great potential for the future, and from what I¡¯ve gathered during this time, he is also a suitable match.¡± ¡­ By the Luoshui River. When Jiang Ning returned home, he saw Little Dumpling rolling around in the mud. ¡°Dudu¡ª¡± Little Dumpling saw Jiang Ning and immediately stood up from the mud pit. ¡°Dudu¡ª¡± ¡°Hug¡ª¡± She opened her arms and toddled toward Jiang Ning. ¡°Stop!¡± Jiang Ning quickly stretched out his hand to press down on her head. ¡°Does Dudu not like Dumpling anymore?¡± Tears instantly welled up in Little Dumpling¡¯s eyes. Jiang Ning: ¡°¡­¡± Immediately, he let out a soft sigh, picked up Little Dumpling, and walked toward the front yard¡¯s small pond. This estate¡¯s front yard had small bridges over flowing water, large stones imitating mountains, bamboo rustling¡­ This was precisely what Jiang Ning had valued before. He couldn¡¯t afford such a luxurious estate in his previous life, so in this life, he definitely wanted to satisfy his long-held desire. After buying this luxurious property, he felt an immense sense of fulfillment. With this estate, he now had a home. A home of his own. As someone from a civilized ancient country in his previous life, ingrained with certain ideological influences, having one¡¯s own home was the only way to feel truly secure. ¡­ Arriving by the small pond. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t!!¡± Little Dumpling started flailing in Jiang Ning¡¯s hands. ¡°I heard from my brother that pigs roll around in mud pits, so they won¡¯t be bitten by mosquitoes. Dumpling is now a little pig and wants to roll in the mud too!!!¡± Jiang Ning placed her in the shallow pool, where the water flowed gently in from one side of the pond and out another. The bottom of the pond was paved with smooth, polished stones. That¡¯s why the water was extraordinarily clear to the bottom. After putting Little Dumpling down, Jiang Ning lightly tapped her head. ¡°You¡¯re not a pig, you¡¯re not a little pig!¡± ¡°Ouch!!!¡± Little Dumpling covered her head with her hands, her face showing an about-to-cry expression, and her mouth pouted high: ¡°I am a little pig!!¡± ¡­ Moments later, Jiang Ning had simply washed away the mud on Little Dumpling¡¯s body and brought her to Liuu Wanwan, who was tinkering in the vegetable garden, before he felt at ease to head towards his own east courtyard. After Jiang Ning left the vegetable garden, Liuu Wanwan then took out a cucumber from behind her back, a cucumber which was clearly half-eaten. Crunch¡ª She bit into it once more, her eyes narrowing slightly in happiness. ¡­ East courtyard. When Jiang Ning returned to his room, he saw the wooden box placed on the table. Upon opening the wooden box, he saw neatly arranged layers of white jade-colored porcelain bottles. These white jade-colored porcelain bottles were filled with Plant Essence, the Plant Essence he had bought from Wanhua Building today. Jiang Ning then counted them briefly and nodded slightly. ¡°Not bad!¡± ¡°Exactly forty bottles, not one more, not one less.¡± ¡°With these forty bottles, there¡¯s no need to go out for the next few days.¡± ¡°I can wait smoothly for the establishment of the Inspection Office.¡± ¡°The fact that Tian Buyi made a move against me shows that the Cao family¡¯s attitude towards me hasn¡¯t changed, they have just switched from overt to covert.¡± ¡°But it also makes sense. Now that I¡¯ve begun to stand out, it¡¯s reasonable for a family like the Cao family to prevent my full growth, given the friction between us.¡± ¡°Currently, I am no match for the Cao family, whether it¡¯s the Cao family in Luoshui County or Cao Rong who is still in Dongling City, either can pose a fatal threat to me. I desperately need the official protection of the Inspection Office.¡± Thinking this, Jiang Ning did not regret his earlier decision to show himself. Indeed, if he chose to act cautiously and kept a low profile, he would attract less jealousy. But he would also miss out on many benefits. His actions during this period, having chosen to reveal a part of himself, undoubtedly brought him many advantages. Being able to have Wang Jin go to such lengths to help him was also because he displayed his value. Therefore, Jiang Ning did not regret it at all, even though it led to Tian Buyi¡¯s assassination attempt. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Because of those benefits, his growth rate has been extremely fast, and his strength has improved a lot compared to before. This way of conducting himself has its disadvantages, but it also has its benefits. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Moreover, he hasn¡¯t shown all his cards. In everyone¡¯s eyes, if his combat power is five, Then his actual strength is above ten. The difference is the leeway Jiang Ning has left for himself. Always keeping something in reserve is the way to avoid being calculated by others. Just like Tian Buyi¡¯s attack against him. Unless someone witnessed it first-hand, who could guess that it was he who killed Tian Buyi? That is the confidence in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart. The assurance that can protect his life. In Jiang Ning¡¯s opinion, with his current strength, even if a common Martial Arts Eighth Grade attacked him, the outcome would be uncertain. Even for the top experts among the Martial Arts Eighth Grade, who have the strength of three thousand jin and can easily display tens of thousands of jin of explosive power, it would be nearly impossible to kill him. Especially when he is by the water, let alone Martial Arts Eighth Grade. Once he enters the water, he¡¯s like a fish entering the sea; even Martial Arts Seventh Grade and Sixth Rank wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to him. It¡¯s also because of this confidence that Jiang Ning dared to reveal part of his strength in facing Xiao Peng¡¯s sudden sneak attack today, to gain more substantial benefits and attention from those influential figures. He knew that as long as he displayed his strength, showed his value, Many would be willing to show goodwill towards him and invest in him, to reap returns in the future. This way of acting works in any world. Not to mention that in this world, where power resides within oneself, the transformation of personal strength brings greater status and influence. Thus, the returns from such investments would be greater. Just like Yang Kai¡¯s attitude towards him at the Weapon Forging Shop, and the spiritual weapon in his hand. Without the prior display, how could he have chanced upon an Ancient spiritual weapon? Looking at the spiritual weapon in his hand, a smile couldn¡¯t help but spread across Jiang Ning¡¯s face, and a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Blood bonding ritual, blood refinement. Thinking of the eight words he received in the Weapon Forging Shop¡¯s underground weapon chamber, Jiang Ning mentally mused, ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try!¡± With his mind made up, He closed the wooden box and picked up the knife, then walked towards the outside of the house. Chapter 147: 65: The Hidden Dragon Lies in the Abyss, Must Not Be Offended Excessively! Chapter 147: Chapter 65: The Hidden Dragon Lies in the Abyss, Must Not Be Offended Excessively! East Courtyard. Clang¡ª Jiang Ning drew his sword from its scabbard, and a gentle hum resonated from the blade in his hand the moment it was unsheathed. The sound was pleasant to the ear, almost as if a dragon¡¯s roar echoed beside him. He looked down to see the blade of his sword dull and lackluster, spotted with patches of greyish-white stains. Then he moved to the side, wet the blade with water, and brought his index and middle fingers together, wiping them down the length of the blade. Zing¡ª ... As his fingers left the blade, another soft chant was heard. The greyish-white stains on the blade were as stubborn as before, not a single mark had faded. ¡°It really isn¡¯t that simple,¡± he thought to himself. ¡°These must be marks left by the passage of time.¡± ¡°I hope such stains won¡¯t have too much of an impact on this spiritual weapon.¡± Jiang Ning thought silently. Afterward, His index and middle fingers came together again, pressing against the edge of the blade, then he gently slid them across. In an instant, He felt an extremely slight pain and soon, bright red blood welled up on the finger pads of his index and middle finger. ¡°What a sharp blade!¡± Jiang Ning was slightly surprised. Initially, he thought this spiritual weapon, after enduring such a long period of corrosion and the blade being so dull, would have lost its former sharpness. But now, having personally experienced the blade¡¯s sharpness, He knew that he had underestimated the spiritual weapon. Even if this blade might not be as formidable as in its heyday, it was still a divine weapon. ¡°As expected of the legendary spiritual weapon!¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Then he held his finger above the blade, and the bright red blood gathered into a droplet on his fingertip and slowly fell onto the blade. The next moment, Two drops of crimson blood slowly trickled down the blade. During their descent, the blood droplets shrank rapidly from their initial size, similar to soybeans, as if the blade was drawing in his blood. In the blink of an eye, they became as tiny as grains of rice and then disappeared without a trace. On the blade, there was no longer any sign of where the blood had once been. At this moment, Jiang Ning also felt a kind of mental connection with the spiritual weapon in his hand. The spiritual weapon in his hand now seemed to have become an integral part of him. ¡°This blade indeed possesses spirituality.¡± Then he closed his eyes. Because by establishing some sort of spiritual bridge with the weapon in his hand, he had also received some information. Some information about this sword. After a short while, Jiang Ning opened his eyes and looked at the weapon in his hand with a slight frown. How long has this sword been in existence? According to the information conveyed by the spiritual weapon, once blood was dripped onto it to recognize its master and a spiritual bridge was established, it was possible to receive the messages recorded within the spiritual weapon, regarding the details of this spiritual weapon. But now, the information recorded in this spiritual weapon was fragmented. He only knew it was a spiritual weapon, a weapon that once possessed a supreme level of spirituality. The source of that spirituality was the remnant soul of a real dragon, whose intelligence had been erased. Based on the feedback from this spiritual bridge, He also understood the way to truly master this sword and to restore its former glory; it would require a blood ritual to nourish the spirituality within the sword. According to the feedback from the spirituality residing in the sword, he also understood. The sword¡¯s once supreme spirituality has long been extinguished by the Ancient Era, and what exists now is a newly born spirituality. This new spirituality was due to a certain trait within himself that had called to him spiritually, and was willing to recognize him as its master. To make this newborn spirituality grow stronger and return to its peak state, it would need the blood of the spiritual weapon¡¯s master, his own blood, for the ritual. Then, He placed his two fingers on the blade and immediately felt the blood from the pads of his index and middle fingers being continuously drawn out, sucked by the blade. After a few breaths, He felt a sense of satisfaction transmitted through the spiritual bridge. Jiang Ning knew that it had been fed enough. ¡°Not bad, it doesn¡¯t require much,¡± sensing the loss of his own blood, Jiang Ning nodded slightly. In the span of a few breaths, the sword had at most consumed a total of less than ten drops of his blood. Moreover, based on the feedback, one absorption would last many days. After completing the blood ritual, Jiang Ning immediately applied pressure to his fingers, causing the blood to coagulate and the wound to begin to heal. Shortly after, In the courtyard, Jiang Ning held a sword in each hand, the left holding the blackwood longsword given to him by Wang Jin, which was said to be forged from a hundred refinements of fine iron and valued at a hundred taels of Silver. The blade shone like a mirror, reflecting rays of radiant light in the afterglow of the setting sun. The sword in his right hand was the spiritual weapon he had acquired today, a weapon from the Ancient Era, now possessing an incipient and weak spirituality. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The blade was dull and lackluster, spotted with patches of greyish-white stains. The reason for his actions was simple: he wanted to test the sharpness and resilience of the spiritual weapon. The next moment, He exerted force with both hands. The edges of both swords collided. Clang¡ª With a resounding clash of metal, The blackwood longsword in his left hand immediately broke in two, the tip flying off and plunging deep into the soil. ¡°So powerful!!¡± Witnessing this scene, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes widened involuntarily. ¡­ That night, In the Weapon Forging Shop, ¡°Brother Qiu, you¡¯re back, huh!¡± Yang Kai frowned but still greeted the man reeking of alcohol. The man was the new shopkeeper who had taken over last year, the real manager of the Weapon Forging Shop now. As for the former shopkeeper, the founder of the Weapon Forging Shop, he had already retired due to old age and was living out his days on an estate outside the city. Chapter 148: 65: The Hidden Dragon Lies in the Abyss, Must Not Be Offended Too Much!_2 Chapter 148: Chapter 65: The Hidden Dragon Lies in the Abyss, Must Not Be Offended Too Much!_2 ¡°` Therefore, the Weapon Forging Shop now only has one main and one deputy shopkeeper. The man surnamed Qiu in front of him was the main shopkeeper. And he, Yang Kai, was merely the current deputy shopkeeper of the Weapon Forging Shop. In the Weapon Forging Shop, he still had to follow the orders of the man surnamed Qiu in front of him. ¡°Hmm!¡± the man surnamed Qiu nodded, then said, ¡°Did anything important happen today in the shop?¡± ... ¡°Yes!¡± Yang Kai nodded, then continued, ¡°Today Jiang Ning from the Canglang Martial Arts Hall came to the Weapon Forging Shop.¡± ¡°Is it him?¡± the man surnamed Qiu was slightly surprised, then said, ¡°This afternoon I went to the Canglang Martial Arts Hall and attended Wang Jin¡¯s apprenticeship banquet; I saw this person.¡± Upon hearing this, Yang Kai asked, ¡°Then, Brother Qiu, what do you think of this youngster? Do you feel he has a lot of potential for the future?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± the man surnamed Qiu frowned and looked at Yang Kai. Immediately his face darkened, ¡°And then you followed Elder Gong¡¯s rules again, giving this youngster a valuable divine weapon?¡± Yang Kai nodded and said, ¡°These are the rules set by Elder Gong when he founded the Weapon Forging Shop, naturally, I must carry them out!¡± ¡°Yang Kai!¡± the man surnamed Qiu¡¯s eyes narrowed sternly, and his voice suddenly rose, ¡°I¡¯m the shopkeeper now, and I¡¯ve said that rule should have been abolished long ago!!¡± ¡°In this world, relying on others is not as good as relying on oneself!¡± ¡°With money, one can buy precious medicines and quickly enhance one¡¯s power.¡± ¡°In this world, only one¡¯s own strength is the most reliable!¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying this for the last time!¡± When he spoke these last words, the man surnamed Qiu¡¯s tone was extremely stern, and his eyes were filled with a fierce energy. Yang Kai watched him in silence, the atmosphere in the room oppressively quiet, without a sound. Only the sound of the bellows from the back courtyard¡¯s furnace could be heard. After a long while, Yang Kai slowly nodded. ¡°Fine!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll let it go this time! This will not happen again!¡± the man surnamed Qiu said sternly. Then, he asked, ¡°Did you give that kid the divine weapon from the underground armory this afternoon?¡± Yang Kai replied truthfully, ¡°It was the spiritual weapon stored in the armory!¡± ¡°A spiritual weapon, which spiritual weapon?¡± the man surnamed Qiu was slightly taken aback. The next moment, as if he had realized something, he said, ¡°Is it that spiritual weapon?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yang Kai nodded. Hearing this, the man surnamed Qiu frowned slightly. ¡°Although that thing isn¡¯t very useful, just a chicken rib, why would he want that thing?¡± ¡°Could it be he has something special, discovered some secret within that spiritual weapon?¡± He muttered to himself then turned to ask Yang Kai, ¡°This afternoon, did you notice anything unusual about that spiritual weapon?¡± Upon hearing the question, Yang Kai nodded slowly. ¡°Yes!!¡± ¡°What unusual?¡± the man surnamed Qiu pressed. Yang Kai said, ¡°He pulled out the blade of the spiritual weapon.¡± ¡°What?¡± the man surnamed Qiu¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°What did you say!!!¡± Seeing the expression on the man surnamed Qiu¡¯s face, Yang Kai suddenly felt uneasy. But the matter had come to this point, and he could only speak up, ¡°Jiang Ning, he pulled out the blade.¡± ¡°Pulled out the blade? He actually pulled out the blade!!!¡± the man surnamed Qiu¡¯s breathing became hurried. As the new shopkeeper of the Weapon Forging Shop, he naturally knew everything about that spiritual weapon. It was a spiritual weapon passed down from Ancient Times, made of extraordinary material. It had withstood the erosion of time without any external change. Moreover, it was indestructible; neither fierce fire could reshape it, nor could heavy hammer blows cause any change. However, in their eyes, it was nothing more than an utterly useless chicken rib because nobody could draw the blade from its sheath. A sword that couldn¡¯t be used, even if made of great material, was essentially nothing more than a fire poker. He had also always believed that with the demise of immortals and the change of eras, no one could wield these so-called spiritual weapons. But at this moment, he suddenly heard what Yang Kai had said. Jiang Ning had managed to draw the blade from its sheath. Knowing this news, the man surnamed Qiu¡¯s breathing grew even more rapid. Then, unable to contain his anger, he said, ¡°Since you saw him draw the blade, why did you still give the sword to him?¡± ¡°Do you not realize how valuable a functional spiritual weapon is?¡± ¡°It has an invaluable worth, priceless!¡± ¡°Yet you gave that spiritual weapon to that young kid.¡± Yang Kai said, ¡°After he managed to draw the blade, I tried myself. No matter how hard I tried, the blade and the scabbard remained as if they were one; I couldn¡¯t budge it in the slightest; it was no different than before.¡± ¡°This means the spiritual weapon has a spirit; it recognizes only Jiang Ning. It¡¯s useless for us to keep it.¡± ¡°` ¡°` ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why not give it to Jiang Ning? It would be a way to turn trash to treasure, and also have him owe us a favor.¡± ¡°I have high hopes for his future. If he becomes a top-tier expert someday, then the value of this favor could be equivalent to a fortune.¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± Brother Qiu, a burly man, roared with anger, ¡°A top-tier expert, Martial Arts Fourth Grade! What makes him think he can achieve that? To place our hopes on him is ludicrous!¡± Then Brother Qiu continued, ¡°The fact that he was able to unsheathe the sword indicates that this spiritual weapon is not a mere trifle, but a treasure of immeasurable value. We must get it back.¡± Upon hearing this, Yang Kai couldn¡¯t help but frown, ¡°Since when does one take back something that¡¯s already been given out?¡± Brother Qiu replied, ¡°I say it does!¡± He went on, ¡°You come with me, and together we¡¯ll demand its return from that boy.¡± ¡°This¡­ might not be a good idea,¡± Yang Kai frowned and slightly shook his head. ¡°Quit your yapping!¡± Brother Qiu shouted, ¡°How can we just give away something of immeasurable value to that kid for free.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!!¡± Brother Qiu glared fiercely at Yang Kai. Seeing this, Yang Kai sighed faintly and quickly followed Brother Qiu¡¯s steps. ¡­ The moon was hanging high. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [¡­] After refining his skin, Jiang Ning continued practicing boxing. The Five Animals Fist was the foundation of his Martial Arts. It was a boxing technique that could strengthen his Qi-Blood. ¡°It¡¯s about time to go to sleep,¡± Jiang Ning said, collecting his fists and exhaled a breath of impure energy. Then he went to a nearby well to draw a bucket of crisp well water. Gulp gulp¡ª First, he took a deep drink. Next, he grabbed the bucket and poured it over his head. As the cool well water cascaded down, his body involuntarily shivered. ¡°Truly refreshing!!¡± Then, he tossed the bucket back into the well. After a couple of swings, he drew up another bucket brimming with well water. He lifted the bucket again and tilted it over himself, letting the clean, cool water wash away the sweat from his boxing. This was something he did every night before sleep. Without taking a bath and being sticky all over with sweat, he couldn¡¯t sleep comfortably. Just at that moment, his eyebrows knitted together in a frown. He looked in the direction of the front yard. Someone¡¯s here!! Anyone who would climb over the wall this late must be up to no good. Jiang Ning¡¯s brow furrowed. He immediately put down the bucket he was holding. With a swift movement, he crossed a distance of ten feet in one step. In a few strides, he arrived beneath the tree where the spiritual weapon, Dragon Abyss, was placed. Picking up the Dragon Abyss, Jiang Ning suddenly felt a surge of confidence. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The evening¡¯s test had shown him the edge of the spiritual weapon in his hand. A single slash had severed a wenge longsword, reputed to be forged from hundred-refined steel, demonstrating the formidable strength of the Dragon Abyss. In battle, possessing such a weapon that could easily slash through other blades offered an enormous advantage. One couldn¡¯t underestimate its sharpness and had to retreat. One moment of carelessness, and both man and weapon could be destroyed. Hence, even though his own strength hadn¡¯t increased at this instant, Jiang Ning knew that with the Dragon Abyss in his hand, his actual combat power was worlds apart from before. Even his former self, wielding a wenge longsword, would only flee before his current self and could not face him head-on. On the other side, Brother Qiu climbed over the surrounding wall into the front yard, sweeping a glance around, and couldn¡¯t help but let out a cold laugh. ¡°That kid sure knows how to enjoy life, living in such a big house.¡± Following behind, Yang Kai also climbed over the wall. ¡°Brother Qiu, let¡¯s be polite when we approach him, best not to start a conflict with Jiang Ning.¡± ¡°This kind of prodigy is a hidden dragon in the abyss, we shouldn¡¯t offend him too much.¡± ¡°` Chapter 149: 66 Behead the Incoming Enemy! Chapter 149: Chapter 66 Behead the Incoming Enemy! East Courtyard. Jiang Ning¡¯s ears twitched slightly, and he could hear the conversation of two people who had climbed over the wall into the front courtyard. His gaze suddenly became sharp. It was him! Yang Kai! Hearing that familiar tone, Jiang Ning knew that one of the two people who had climbed over the wall was Yang Kai. ... ¡°So the ¡®Brother Qiu¡¯ he mentioned can only be Manager Qiu, Qiu Shilong, from the Weapon Forging Shop.¡± He muttered to himself, ¡°What business do these two have with me?¡± ¡°Could it be because of this?¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze involuntarily fell on the spiritual weapon he was holding in his hand. The next moment, he drew his sword. Clang¡ª A clear and resonant trembling sound echoed. In the stillness of the quiet night, the sound instantly traveled far. Elsewhere, In the front courtyard, ¡°The sound of a sword ringing, over there!¡± Qiu Shilong turned his head, his gaze instantly looked toward the east courtyard, pinpointing Jiang Ning¡¯s location. Shortly afterward, Qiu Shilong¡¯s figure moved, and he rapidly approached in the direction of Jiang Ning. Seeing this, Yang Kai hurriedly followed behind. ¡°They really came!¡± Hearing the noise from the front courtyard, Jiang Ning felt somewhat relieved. This residence was not inhabited by him alone. Jiang Li and Liu Wanwan were also living here, along with his nephew and niece. Under these circumstances, Jiang Ning made a noise to prevent these two from harming them. Then, Swoosh¡ª He stood silently in place with his sword, waiting for the two to appear. Information about these two men also surfaced in his mind. Qiu Shilong, Martial Arts Eighth Grade, a formidable figure in the Divine Power Realm. At this level, his accumulated experience was profound, much stronger than an ordinary practitioner in the Divine Power Realm. Yang Kai was equally formidable. The strength of the two was roughly equal. A few breaths later, A figure appeared in Jiang Ning¡¯s sight. He stood on top of the enclosing wall, his eyes extremely bright in the dark night. He also locked his gaze on Jiang Ning instantly. ¡°It¡¯s really him!¡± ¡°Qiu Shilong!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. He had seen this man earlier that afternoon at the Martial Arts Hall during a master¡¯s banquet. He was one of the distinguished guests invited by Wang Jin. As the Store Manager of the Weapon Forging Shop, he was indeed a notable figure in Luoshui County. After all, over the years, the Weapon Forging Shop had developed extensive connections, Maintaining certain ties with various powers, its network was immensely broad. Thus, even though there had never been a Seventh Grade martial artist in the Weapon Forging Shop, it was still a true powerhouse in Luoshui County. At this moment, Qiu Shilong stood on the wall, his figure imposing. Like a prime-aged brown bear. He was larger in stature compared to Yang Kai. Just then, Yang Kai¡¯s figure also appeared in front of Jiang Ning, similarly standing atop the wall. ¡°Two Eighth Grade martial artists!¡± Jiang Ning tightened his grip on the spiritual weapon, Dragon Abyss, in his hand. Qiu Shilong¡¯s gaze lingered on Jiang Ning for two breaths. Then he lightly leaped. And landed quietly on the ground without making much noise. ¡°This movement technique!¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes narrowed, placing even greater importance on Qiu Shilong. From the quiet impact of Qiu Shilong¡¯s landing, he realized his exceptional movement technique. After landing, Qiu Shilong slightly bent his knees to dissolve the force of the impact. Then his gaze shifted from Jiang Ning¡¯s figure to the spiritual weapon in his hand. Seeing the sword drawn, Jiang Ning stood firm with the sword in hand, and Qiu Shilong then spoke, ¡°It seems you discovered my arrival early on.¡± Qiu Shilong was not surprised by this. Tonight, he had not attempted to conceal his approach. In the quiet of the night, even a slight noise was conspicuous. It was not surprising that Jiang Ning could detect his arrival in advance. At this moment, as Qiu Shilong spoke, Jiang Ning remained calm, his eyes deep. ¡°I wonder, Manager Qiu, what brings you here today?¡± Qiu Shilong said, ¡°Simple, I want the spiritual weapon in your hands.¡± ¡°A gifted item doesn¡¯t justify a demand for its return,¡± Jiang Ning slowly said. Hearing this, Qiu Shilong couldn¡¯t help but scoff, ¡°Don¡¯t you know there are some things you shouldn¡¯t take if you don¡¯t mean to keep? Today, for the sake of Wang Jin, I won¡¯t hold it against you.¡± As he spoke, Qiu Shilong walked toward Jiang Ning. Simultaneously, Yang Kai had also jumped down from the wall. He spoke to Jiang Ning, ¡°Brother Jiang Ning, I apologize! Brother Qiu disagrees with me giving away this spiritual weapon, but I can compensate with another weapon!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head, ¡°Since Manager Yang chose to give it away, this spiritual weapon now belongs to me. There¡¯s no reason for me to return it.¡± ¡°No reason?¡± Qiu Shilong couldn¡¯t help but let out a cold laugh, ¡°Boy, do you not see the situation clearly? Did you think I came here to peacefully reason with you?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll return it, whether you wish to or not!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning gripped the spiritual weapon Dragon Abyss tighter. ¡°Expect me to return the sword?¡± ¡°Ask my sword first!¡± At this moment, Qiu Shilong had already closed the distance to within a dozen feet of Jiang Ning. His gaze fixed intently on the sword in Jiang Ning¡¯s hand. Looking at the hilt, he recognized the spiritual weapon that was previously stored in the underground treasure chamber. ¡°Yang Kai didn¡¯t lie to me! This lad really can draw this spiritual weapon.¡± At this point, Qiu Shilong also changed his mind. He wanted both the sword and the person. Since the spiritual weapon could be drawn from its sheath by Jiang Ning, taking Jiang Ning would surely aid his research on this spiritual weapon. ¡°Just perfect, this place is deserted. Taking this lad away and killing the others in the residence, even Wang Jin won¡¯t know it was my doing.¡± Qiu Shilong thought to himself. Having made his decision, killing intent surged within him and his eyes were filled with fierceness. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 150: 66 Chop Down the Incoming Enemy! _2 Chapter 150: Chapter 66 Chop Down the Incoming Enemy! _2 The next moment, he suddenly struck at Jiang Ning, raising his fist and slamming it horizontally towards Jiang Ning. This punch was thrown without holding back. His target was directly aimed at Jiang Ning¡¯s right arm that was holding the sword. If he managed to solidly land this punch, the right arm would certainly be disabled. This was Qiu Shilong¡¯s intention. ... Once both arms were disabled, Jiang Ning would naturally be powerless to resist and could only be manipulated at will. ¡°Brother Qiu, don¡¯t do this!¡± Yang Kai, seeing the full-force punch from Qiu Shilong behind him, hurriedly spoke up to stop it. His figure also suddenly moved, seemingly trying to intercept Qiu Shilong. ¡°So ruthless?¡± Jiang Ning stared at Qiu Shilong¡¯s fierce attack. ¡°He actually wants to kill me?¡± Sensing the murderous intent from Qiu Shilong, a fierce light flashed in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. He swung his sword. A streak of sword light instantly sliced through the night sky, swift as a startled swan. Ah¡ª A shrill scream echoed. At the same time, on Qiu Shilong¡¯s body, inertia seemed to lose its effect as his figure abruptly pulled back and exploded away. Under the bright moonlight, the two severed fingers on his right hand were clearly visible. His tiger fingers, which could easily block a divine weapon¡¯s blade, were clearly cut in half by the divine weapon. ¡°Kid, I want you dead!!¡± Qiu Shilong frantically retreated, his eyes turning a bright red. He never imagined that his tiger fingers, which could block the divine weapon¡¯s blade, would be severed by Jiang Ning¡¯s sword, also resulting in two of his fingers being chopped off. At that moment, he was filled with immense regret. Regret that he had been too careless. He had underestimated the sharpness of the spiritual weapon in Jiang Ning¡¯s hand. He also regretted that he should have brought his most proficient weapon, the armor-breaking hammer. With two fingers now severed, he would be bound to disability for life. This filled Qiu Shilong¡¯s eyes with endless resentment. For a martial artist, once physically disabled, the path of Martial Arts would inevitably be greatly limited. His future achievements would ultimately be extremely limited. ¡­ Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Thinking of escaping?¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes narrowed. He continued to make his move, with no intention of letting Qiu Shilong go. Since they had already become enemies, it was time to strike while he was weak and take his life. Following that, his right leg kicked off the ground. Boom¡ª The dirt beneath his feet flew up, his speed suddenly surged. In an instant, he covered a distance of several tens of meters. Seeing this, Yang Kai was caught completely off guard, his face confused. At this moment. Seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s rapidly approaching figure, the resentful look in Qiu Shilong¡¯s eyes was instantly replaced by terror. ¡°I was wrong! I know I was wrong! Spare me!!!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not just aware you were wrong, but you know you¡¯re about to die!¡± Jiang Ning said. At this moment, his movement was incredibly swift. After breaking his limit with the Five Animals Fist, Jiang Ning found his speed was three to four times faster than before. The Five Animals Fist, with the explosive tiger form and the speedy crane form boxing. Having broken the limit with the Five Animals Fist, his speed naturally surged. At this moment, his speed was nearly double that of Qiu Shilong. The distance between the two was instantly closed by Jiang Ning. ¡°Yang Kai, help me!!¡± Seeing Jiang Ning at a striking distance, Qiu Shilong quickly cried out for help. Before Yang Kai could decide, Jiang Ning¡¯s sword had already enveloped Qiu Shilong. Under this sword strike, Qiu Shilong instantly felt a monumental force descending upon him, with neither escape nor retreat possible. He had no choice but to confront it head-on. Force! This was Sword Force!!! Qiu Shilong¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Jiang Ning¡¯s sword. Enveloped in this sword force, coupled with the sharpness of the spiritual weapon in Jiang Ning¡¯s hand, A look of despair flashed through Qiu Shilong¡¯s eyes. This sword, unstoppable. The cutting edge of the spiritual weapon was not something that flesh and blood could withstand. Even if his skin was as tough as copper, so what? Even tiger fingers, forged from a thousand hammerings of refined iron, were easily cleaved into two. In this situation, there was no difference between bronze and tofu. The next moment, a sword fell. Qiu Shilong¡¯s body was split in two, then he slowly collapsed to the ground. Boom¡ª The over two meters tall figure fell to the ground, producing a thunderous boom. Beside him, Yang Kai watched the scene in disbelief. He had never imagined that Qiu Shilong, who had dominated Luoshui County for so many years, now the Store Manager of the Weapon Forging Shop, could die so simply. Die so unexpectedly. Killed by Jiang Ning, who had only been studying Martial Arts for several months. Afterward, cold sweat broke out on his forehead instantly. Because he saw Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze fall onto him. Holding a long sword, quietly watching him. Yang Kai instantly felt enveloped by the aura of death. Qiu Shilong couldn¡¯t withstand two strikes in Jiang Ning¡¯s hands before he perished. Even if he were in a different place, the result would be no different for him. It too would be death as the only outcome. The sharpness of the spiritual weapon cannot be resisted by ordinary blades. Covered by the Sword Force, how could one resist? It was an unbreakable killing move. Jiang Ning quietly watched Yang Kai for several breaths, his mind also flashing with various thoughts. After a few breaths, Swish¡ª He sheathed his sword. ¡°I won¡¯t kill you, take Qiu Shilong¡¯s corpse and go!¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Yang Kai was stunned for a moment, then said timidly. Jiang Ning spoke again, ¡°I hope the events of tonight won¡¯t be spread, or else you know the consequences.¡± ¡°I understand! I understand!¡± Yang Kai nodded repeatedly. A moment later, Watching Yang Kai quickly leave with Qiu Shilong¡¯s body, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°I still underestimated my strength!¡± ¡°With a spiritual weapon in hand capable of slicing through iron as if it were mud and facing so-called Martial Arts Eighth Grade is simply a dimension-reducing blow.¡± ¡°Under the envelopment of Sword Force, if their will isn¡¯t strong enough, they can only endure my strike, but with the sharpness of the spiritual weapon, ordinary blades would easily be shattered.¡± ¡°Just like the ebony long sword I used before.¡± ¡°Purportedly forged from a hundred times refined iron, it couldn¡¯t withstand a single strike and was split into two.¡± ¡°However, if facing an archer like Cao Rong, my advantage would be utterly gone.¡± ¡°Facing the arrows shot by Cao Rong, with my current strength, I would probably be shot dead before I could even get close!¡± Thinking of this, the complacency within Jiang Ning¡¯s heart instantly vanished. The sharpness of the spiritual weapon was only capable of bullying those with ordinary iron. He knew that the reason why Qiu Shilong was defeated so easily today was only because Qiu Shilong was too careless, coming at night without a weapon. With only a tiger claw a couple of centimeters thick, how could he resist the sharpness of the spiritual weapon? After falling into a disadvantage, his death was naturally inevitable. Deciding to let Yang Kai go was also a well-considered decision by Jiang Ning. He had no feud with Yang Kai and, in a strict sense, he even owed Yang Kai a favor. Under such circumstances, how could he deliver a fatal blow to Yang Kai? Moreover, from the information revealed in the conversation between Yang Kai and Qiu Shilong, coming tonight was likely Qiu Shilong¡¯s idea. Yang Kai harbored no ill intentions towards him either. Moreover, in Jiang Ning¡¯s current view, the Weapon Forging Shop posed no threat at all. The vast Weapon Forging Shop now only had two Martial Arts Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm individuals. One was Yang Kai who had come tonight, and the other was the aging former Store Manager of the Weapon Forging Shop, Gong Mingyuan. Besides these two, the best of the rest in the Weapon Forging Shop were at most Martial Arts Ninth Grade. ¡­ On the other side, After Yang Kai climbed over the wall and left Jiang Ning¡¯s residence. Whoosh¡ª He immediately breathed a sigh of relief, then wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. ¡°That kid is just too terrifying! He has mastered the legendary Sword Force! With a spiritual weapon in hand, Brother Qiu¡¯s death is not unjust.¡± Muttering to himself, Yang Kai looked down again at the body of Qiu Shilong in his hands. Under that strike from Jiang Ning, Qiu Shilong¡¯s head had already been split open, the knife wound penetrated deeply into his chest, dead beyond any doubt. Holding onto Qiu Shilong¡¯s body, he paused for a moment then turned towards the direction outside the city. That direction was where the former Store Manager of the Weapon Forging Shop now resided in retirement. ¡°Anyway, the sudden death of Qiu Shilong is a great matter for the shop, this cannot be concealed from Elder Gong, we must ask Elder Gong to decide.¡± ¡°I hope Elder Gong chooses not to be enemies with that kid!¡± ¡°At that age, practicing Martial Arts for only a few months and mastering Sword Force is terrifying.¡± ¡°No one knows how far he can grow in the future!¡± ¡°Tonight, he was able to kill Brother Qiu, although relying on the advantage of the blade, his power is also not to be underestimated, such speed is too exaggerated!¡± ¡°Far beyond Brother Qiu, and far beyond me.¡± Chapter 151: 67 Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill Chapter 151: Chapter 67 Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill Beside the Luoshui River. After Yang Kai had left, Jiang Li also arrived at the east courtyard. In the dead of night, when the east courtyard had just been disturbed, Jiang Li had naturally already heard. After soothing Liuu Wanwan, he hastily came with a bright sword in his left hand. He entered the courtyard where Jiang Ning was. ... He smelled the lingering scent of blood in the air and saw the figure of Jiang Ning standing still. ¡°Little brother, what just happened?¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t worry, tonight there were just two thieves who sneaked in, but I drove them away.¡± ¡°Little brother, you weren¡¯t injured, were you?¡± ¡°No!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head and reassured him, ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t worry, my strength now is such that ordinary people cannot threaten me.¡± ¡°Big brother, you should go back first! Make sure sister-in-law is calmed down, so she won¡¯t worry.¡± Jiang Li looked closely at Jiang Ning again, then glanced around at the changes in the surroundings. With his years of experience as a constable, he also saw something and completely eased his mind. ¡°Since little brother is fine, I will go back first!¡± ¡­ At dawn. Outside Luoshui County, A knocking sound erupted. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Master, there¡¯s been a major incident, Manager Yang is currently outside waiting for you!¡± Moments later, The candlelight inside the house lit up, and the bright light shone through the window lattice into the courtyard. The next moment, Creak¡ª The door opened. An old man with dry skin appeared in front of the servant outside the house. The old man was somewhat hunched over, his full head of silver hair especially conspicuous under the bright moonlight. As he tied his waistband, he asked, ¡°What exactly happened? Why would Yang Kai suddenly come to visit me in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure of the details, but I saw Manager Qiu¡¯s body,¡± the servant reported truthfully. ¡°What?¡± the old man¡¯s hands trembled involuntarily. Then he said, ¡°Quickly take me there!¡± At this moment, he could not even bother to properly tie his waistband properly, hurriedly binding it as he set off. ¡­ Arriving at the manor¡¯s backyard. Just as the old man stepped into the courtyard, he smelled a scent of blood. At this time, he also saw Yang Kai standing in the courtyard, and the body lying at Yang Kai¡¯s feet. ¡°Elder Gong!¡± Yang Kai saw the old man appear and quickly bowed in greeting. ¡°Dispense with the formalities!¡± the old man waved his hand, then asked: ¡°Yang Kai, what exactly happened?¡± Upon hearing this, Yang Kai began to recount the day¡¯s events. On his way here, he had already decided to tell the truth. As for what actions the Weapon Forging Shop should take, it would depend on Elder Gong¡¯s decision after knowing the ins and outs. After all, the decades of foundation of the entire Weapon Forging Shop had mainly been Elder Gong¡¯s contribution. Moments later, After hearing Yang Kai¡¯s account, Elder Gong fell into deep thought. After a while, He said, ¡°Prepare some gifts, tomorrow I¡¯ll accompany you to apologize.¡± ¡°Apologize?¡± Yang Kai was somewhat surprised. ¡°Mm!¡± Elder Gong slowly nodded, ¡°Regardless of right or wrong, that person must not be offended! To master Sword Force within a few months, unheard of.¡± ¡°And in some ways, we indeed did make a mistake, it was Qiu Shilong who erred!¡± ¡°Since it was given away, there¡¯s no reason to ask for it back!¡± Elder Gong immediately and resolutely said. Hearing this, Yang Kai repeatedly nodded, ¡°Elder Gong, if that¡¯s the case, shall I go prepare?¡± ¡°No need!¡± Elder Gong shook his head and continued, ¡°I have a Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill here, which is perfect for a gift.¡± Then he looked at Yang Kai and continued, ¡°As for the Weapon Forging Shop, since Qiu Shilong has died, you will be the new Store Manager, and the shop will be left to you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Yang Kai showed hesitation: ¡°Can I¡­ manage it?¡± ¡°Even if you can¡¯t, you have to! Currently in the shop, you are the only one at Martial Arts Eighth Grade, besides you, no one else can take charge! Moreover, the favor owed mainly involves you, he was able to pull out that spiritual weapon, he must have traits that ordinary people do not possess.¡± ¡°That kid¡¯s future is boundless, you being Store Manager is the best choice.¡± ¡°Elder Gong, since you trust me so, I will do my best,¡± Yang Kai said. ¡°Mm!¡± Elder Gong nodded then said, ¡°Tomorrow I will go with you to the shop to set things up, and in the afternoon, you and I will make a trip to Jiang Ning¡¯s house.¡± ¡°Yes, Elder Gong!¡± Yang Kai answered. ¡­ In the blink of an eye. The next day. [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [¡­] As Jiang Ning felt the endurance limit of his skin being reached, he finally stopped the process of refining his skin. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Master 853/2000) ¡°Almost there! Not far from Refining Skin Mastery now!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Afterward, he moved aside, picked up a bottle of Plant Essence, and poured it into his mouth. A wave of coolness slowly spread throughout his body, making him feel much better. Then, he sat in a shaded area, and at the same time picked up a book and slowly flipped through it. The growth of the experience value in Reading and Writing was equally important in his eyes. He had already grown accustomed to increasing various skill experience values daily, and watching himself improve bit by bit was sweet. Moments later. Tap tap tap¡ª A series of footsteps approached. ¡°Uncle!¡± a voice rang in his ear. Jiang Ning looked up and then smiled. The visitor was Jiang Yiming, Jiang Li¡¯s eldest son, his own nephew. ¡°Yiming, what brings you here? Is there something you need?¡± Jiang Ning asked. Jiang Yiming shook his head, ¡°Uncle, there¡¯s someone here to visit you, father sent me to fetch you.¡± ¡°Visiting me?¡± Jiang Ning looked puzzled, ¡°Did the visitor reveal their identity?¡± Chapter 152: 67: Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill_2 Chapter 152: Chapter 67: Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill_2 ¡°Yes,¡± Jiang Yiming nodded, ¡°They said they are from the Weapon Forging Shop.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s them!¡± Jiang Ning rose to his feet. He had already figured it out. The people from the Weapon Forging Shop must be here because of last night¡¯s incident. He then went to the side and picked up the spiritual weapon Dragon Abyss. ¡°Yiming, let¡¯s go!¡± he said. ... Jiang Ning walked ahead towards the main hall. People from the Weapon Forging Shop have arrived; I wonder if they¡¯re here to accuse us of wrongdoing! If they really are here to accuse us, I wouldn¡¯t mind crossing swords with them. I hope they have the wisdom to avoid that. ¡­ Inside the great hall. The moment Jiang Ning¡¯s figure appeared, ¡°Elder Gong, this is Jiang Ning!¡± Yang Kai stood up and whispered to the gray-haired elder next to him. Hearing this, Elder Gong also stood up, his gaze landing on Jiang Ning and looking him over from head to toe. Then his eyes fell upon the long saber in Jiang Ning¡¯s left hand. ¡°This must be the spiritual weapon Yang Kai told me about!¡± ¡°As I know, spiritual weapons possess spirituality, and for him to have drawn this blade from its sheath, he must have been recognized by the spirituality within this weapon.¡± ¡°In ancient times, this was considered as the weapon recognizing its master.¡± ¡°Apart from the weapon¡¯s owner, it is useless for anyone else to hold it,¡± Elder Gong muttered to himself. Meanwhile. As Jiang Ning crossed the threshold, his gaze immediately landed on the silver-haired elder next to Yang Kai, whose figure seemed somewhat stooped. In that moment, Jiang Ning knew. This person must be the founder of the Weapon Forging Shop, Gong Mingyuan. Despite his ordinary-looking stature nowadays. This man had once established a great reputation in Luoshui County, his hammer technique sweeping through those in the same martial grade. Wielding a thousand-tael hammer, he was an invincible existence amongst Martial Artists Eighth Grade. At his peak, he was a top-notch expert in Luoshui County. Even the gang leaders of the three major factions didn¡¯t dare to provoke the former Store Manager of the Weapon Forging Shop. But at this moment, even though Jiang Ning recognized his identity, there wasn¡¯t a trace of fear in his heart. Because the former Store Manager of the Weapon Forging Shop had already aged, his Qi-Blood was in decline. At Gong Mingyuan¡¯s age, maintaining even half of his peak strength was commendable. And with advanced age, his stamina was far less than before, making it hard for him to fight prolonged battles. Therefore, Jiang Ning felt no fear at all. Not to mention that these two had arrived unarmed; whether it was Yang Kai or Gong Mingyuan, both were famous for their hammer techniques. Appearing without their preferred weapons, barehanded, they could at most exhibit thirty to forty percent of their strength. ¡­ At this time. Jiang Li saw Jiang Ning coming over and hurriedly stood up to introduce them. ¡°Ah Di, these two distinguished guests are from the Weapon Forging Shop; they¡¯ve specifically come to visit you today.¡± Upon seeing Jiang Ning approaching, Yang Kai also quickly introduced them. ¡°Brother Jiang Ning, this is Elder Gong, the former Store Manager of the Weapon Forging Shop.¡± S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Gong Mingyuan said, ¡°It is said that seeing is believing; having met you today, I can tell that you possess the potential of a hidden dragon, destined to soar to the heavens one day.¡± At this point, Jiang Ning slowly revealed a hint of a smile. Because he now understood that Yang Kai and Gong Mingyuan¡¯s visit was with good intentions. Since they bore goodwill, there was no need for him to keep up a stranger¡¯s demeanor. After all, having one more friend is always better than having one more enemy. If one has too many enemies, they can¡¯t even sleep peacefully. ¡°So it¡¯s the former Store Manager of the Weapon Forging Shop, the renowned Elder Gong.¡± Jiang Ning greeted with a bow. Then he asked, ¡°May I know the reason for your visit today?¡± Elder Gong showed a kindly expression, ¡°Today, Yang Kai and I have specifically come to offer our apologies! Last night, Qiu Shilong and Yang Kai intruded upon your home without permission, and for this, I deeply apologize.¡± As he spoke, Elder Gong also bowed to Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning watched, without reaction, ¡°And here I thought Elder Gong was here to stand up for Qiu Shilong today!¡± Elder Gong immediately shook his head, ¡°Breaking into someone¡¯s home in the middle of the night, brother, you were fully justified in taking his life! Qiu Shilong met the end he deserved, and it is only right.¡± Beside him, Jiang Li heard these words and involuntarily widened his eyes in shock. Last night¡¯s conversation with Jiang Ning was still vivid in his mind. According to what Jiang Ning had said the night before, two thieves had stealthily broken into the east courtyard of the house under the cover of night. When he heard these words last night, he actually thought they were just two petty thieves. After all, the commotion had ended too quickly. He hadn¡¯t even arrived at the scene when the people who had caused the disturbance had already disappeared. Judging from the lingering smell of blood in the courtyard, and seeing that Jiang Ning was completely unharmed, it was clear that his younger brother had dealt with the perpetrators. And now, listening to the conversation of the two people before him, how could he not understand? The intruders who had broken into their home last night were not mere petty thieves. They were Qiu Shilong, the Store Manager of the Weapon Forging Shop, and Yang Kai, the Deputy Manager. These two were considered influential figures in the eyes of most people in Luoshui County. Moreover, the conversation revealed information. It turned out that Qiu Shilong, the Store Manager of the Weapon Forging Shop, had been killed by Jiang Ning just the night before. Thinking of this, Jiang Li¡¯s heart was filled with intense shock. When had his own younger brother become so powerful? That was Qiu Shilong, a Martial Artist of Eighth Grade, who had been taken care of by his younger brother in the brief encounter last night? He clearly remembered that the noise last night had only lasted for a short while. By the time he had calmed Liuu Wanwan and rushed over with his sword, everything had already settled down, with only Jiang Ning alone in the courtyard. ¡­ Jiang Ning said, ¡°What about this knife, then? I wonder what Elder Gong was thinking?¡± As he spoke, he raised the pitch-black sheath in his hand. Gong Mingyuan said, ¡°A spiritual weapon has a spirit of its own. Since it has chosen you, young brother, and Yang Kai has made it clear that he wants to give this spiritual weapon to you, then naturally, the knife belongs to you.¡± ¡°Elder Gong is so generous!¡± Jiang Ning bowed with his hands clasped and said, ¡°I admire you.¡± Gong Mingyuan revealed a warm smile, ¡°Something given away, there¡¯s no sense in asking for it back.¡± Then he took out a brocade box from his body and continued to speak, ¡°My visit today was hasty, and I didn¡¯t prepare much. I just brought a Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill with me.¡± While speaking, Gong Mingyuan handed the brocade box in front of Jiang Ning. ¡°Please accept this small gesture as an apology, and I hope you will accept it, young brother Jiang Ning.¡± Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill? Hearing these five words, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes immediately flashed with a look of surprise. He had heard of this pill before, and it had a famous reputation. It was a kind of pill crafted by the Dragon and Tiger Sect. The pill was made with extremely precious materials and a certain secret technique, which imbued the pill with profound power from the Dragon and Tiger. Hence the name, Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill. Taking the pill could greatly enhance one¡¯s strength in a very short amount of time. It was extremely precious to any martial artist of the Eighth Grade. It could greatly save time in tempering one¡¯s muscular strength, enhancing one¡¯s martial progress. The pill was well-known because it was said to be able to advance a small step within the Divine Power Realm of the Eighth Grade Martial Arts. Normally, for the first step into this realm, Martial Artists would increase their strength by five hundred catties after successful power training. Hence, most martial artists who had just entered the Divine Power Realm possessed the strength between one thousand five hundred and two thousand catties. Small success in the Divine Power Realm would mean possessing strength above two thousand catties and up to two thousand five hundred catties. Great Success in the Divine Power Realm meant possessing more than two thousand five hundred catties of strength, with top individuals even hosting three thousand catties. Depending on one¡¯s Innate Root Bone conditions and the cultivation techniques practiced later in life, there would be variations in strength. The better one¡¯s Innate Root Bone, the higher the potential upper limit. Just like some people born with Innate Divine Strength. As far as Jiang Ning knew, Gong Mingyuan in his peak period was such an individual. At his peak, he was said to possess the might of four thousand catties, wielding a thousand-cattie hammer, and was considered an invincible force in this realm. Jiang Ning now also took the brocade box handed over by Gong Mingyuan. He opened to glance inside the box, then immediately closed it. He bowed and said, ¡°Many thanks for Elder Gong¡¯s kindness! If the Weapon Forging Shop ever needs my help in the future, just let me know, and I still owe you a favor.¡± Hearing this, Gong Mingyuan¡¯s face broke into a smile. ¡°Young brother is quite magnanimous.¡± Then he added, ¡°From now on, Yang Kai will be taking over as Store Manager of the Weapon Forging Shop. If you need anything, young brother, just look for Yang Kai.¡± ¡°The Weapon Forging Shop, Yang Kai will be responsible for all matters, big and small, from now on.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Jiang Ning said. Soon after, seeing his purpose achieved, Gong Mingyuan spoke up, ¡°Then, this old man will take his leave first, not wanting to delay young brother¡¯s training.¡± Chapter 153: 68 Not the Ideal Husband! Chapter 153: Chapter 68 Not the Ideal Husband! East courtyard. After Yang Kai and Gong Mingyuan left, Jiang Ning also returned to continue his training. As for the Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill, he solemnly placed it in his own room. His Refining Skin had not yet achieved great success, had not reached the level of toughness of copper, and hence wasn¡¯t suitable to refine this Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill. The medicinal power of this pill was too strong, formed under the forging power of the dragon and tiger. It would cause his muscles to undergo a huge transformation in a short period of time. ... Such a sudden fierce transformation; without sufficient toughness in the skin and membranes, could cause some kind of irreversible injury. His body might even split open. This sort of thing had happened before. Thus there was the step of first refining the skin, then refining the power. All these were experiences summarily concluded by the predecessors step by step. So next, Jiang Ning continued to temper his skin and membrane, and to practice punching to increase his Qi-Blood and experience value of the Five Animals Fist. In between, he would read books to increase his skill in reading and writing. Originally, Jiang Ning thought he could peacefully train in martial arts for a few days until the establishment of the Inspection Office. ¡­ That night. ¡°Miss Lv.¡± Seeing Miss Lv, dressed in a green skirt, appear in front of him, Jiang Ning showed an expression of surprise. ¡°Young Master Jiang!¡± Miss Lv bowed gracefully, then said, ¡°My building¡¯s owner is looking for the young master to discuss some matters, I wonder if the young master would like to attend the meeting.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯d be willing,¡± Jiang Ning nodded. He knew that Miss Lv¡¯s building¡¯s owner naturally referred to Lin Qingyi, the Deputy Building Manager. In Luoshui County, Wanhua Building had previously three building managers, one chief and two deputies. However, the chief building manager had not appeared for many years and was probably no longer at Wanhua Building. Previously, it had always been Shen Congyun and Lin Qingyi in charge. After Shen Congyun was transferred, now the entire Wanhua Building in Luoshui County was managed solely by Lin Qingyi. So without a doubt, the building manager Miss Lv mentioned was definitely Lin Qingyi. Afterwards. Jiang Ning said, ¡°Miss Lv, please wait outside the courtyard for a moment, I need to take a shower before following Miss Lv.¡± ¡°Sure, Young Master Jiang, I will wait outside for the young master,¡± Miss Lv responded. ¡­ Wanhua Building. When Jiang Ning arrived with Miss Lv, it was already 8:00 p.m. Night had already fallen. But the street where Wanhua Building was located was still bright with lights and bustling with excitement. ¡°Young Master Jiang, please follow me upstairs,¡± Miss Lv gestured with her hand. A moment later. Jiang Ning reached the attic on the roof. At this time, the attic was silent, and Lin Qingyi seemed not to be here. Seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s inquiring gaze, Miss Lv spoke, ¡°Young Master Jiang, please wait here for a moment, admire the night view below, and I will go call our manager.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jiang Ning nodded in agreement with Miss Lv¡¯s arrangement. Then he sat beside the rooftop terrace. After Miss Lv prepared a pot of iced tea and some fruits for him, she then left. Jiang Ning was now sitting beside the open terrace, looking down at the bustling street below. Even though it was already 8:00 p.m., the area below was still extremely lively, with many men and women passing by. The road was also adorned with various colorful lanterns, beautifully lit. Looking up, he could see the bright and clear moonlight. While he sipped his iced tea and ate the fruits, he quietly waited for Lin Qingyi to appear. Lin Qingyi coming to find him so late at night must mean she had important matters to discuss. After a while. Tatatata¡ª A series of clear footsteps came up from the staircase. ¡°Here she comes!¡± Hearing this series of clear footsteps, Jiang Ning knew it must be Lin Qingyi. Moments later. The figure of Lin Qingyi suddenly appeared in front of him. At this time, Lin Qingyi was still dressed in a green floor-length skirt, covered with a layer of light gauze. Given the very hot weather, Lin Qingyi¡¯s clothes were not thick, or rather, very thin. The soft fabric clung tightly to her skin, showing off her magnificent and graceful figure very clearly. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Behind Lin Qingyi, Miss Lv was still following step by step. Seeing Jiang Ning, Lin Qingyi raised her hand to signal, and Miss Lv immediately stopped at the entrance of the terrace. Jiang Ning was holding a cup of tea and gestured towards Lin Qingyi, also revealing a smile on his face. Seeing this, Lin Qingyi also smiled back. ¡°Why do I feel like your temperament has changed lately?¡± Lin Qingyi came in front of Jiang Ning, curiously speaking. Jiang Ning chuckled, ¡°What change could I have? Instead, Sister Lin is getting prettier by the day!¡± Lin Qingyi smiled faintly at his words. Then she straightened her long skirt and sat down opposite Jiang Ning, ¡°I feel you¡¯ve become more confident than before.¡± Hearing Lin Qingyi say this, Jiang Ning was also slightly surprised in his heart. Surprised at how perceptive Lin Qingyi was. Just last night, he easily killed Qiu Shilong, the Store Manager of the Weapon Forging Shop, and today Gong Mingyuan even came to show goodwill, indeed increasing his confidence significantly. Whether it was Qiu Shilong or Gong Mingyuan. Both were previously untouchable figures for him. And today, a big shot like Gong Mingyuan even came to show goodwill, personally bringing gifts, covering up the incident from last night. How could his mentality not undergo some change? Jiang Ning then chuckled, ¡°Sister Lin really observes closely, my strength has indeed improved a little recently.¡± Hearing this, Lin Qingyi showed a surprised expression. ¡°It¡¯s only been a few days, and to hear you talk about slight improvement, it seems like your Refining Skin progress is quite good!¡± Jiang Ning just smiled noncommittally. Then he asked, ¡°May I know why Sister Lin has invited me so late today?¡± At this moment, Lin Qingyi¡¯s lips curved into a smile. Chapter 154: 68 Not the Ideal Husband!_2 Chapter 154: Chapter 68 Not the Ideal Husband!_2 ¡°The moon has climbed up to the willow¡¯s top, the appointment made after dusk.¡± ¡°You say what fun there could be, this late in the evening?¡± As she spoke, Lin Qingyi left her seat. With hands propped on the table¡¯s surface, she leaned slightly forward as she looked at Jiang Ning, her eyes seemingly rippling with autumnal waves. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Jiang Ning was momentarily stunned upon hearing her words. ... For he saw, as Lin Qingyi leaned forward with her hands on the table, an inadvertent glimpse of pale and majestic peaks under her leaned body. He was taken aback for a moment, then quickly realized what had happened and leaned back slightly. ¡°Sister Lin, don¡¯t joke with me!¡± Jiang Ning said. At that moment Lin Qingyi seemed to notice something too. A blush flashed across her face, and she hurriedly sat back down in the chair behind her. Then she adjusted her dress and slightly lifted the hem in front of her. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll stop teasing you!¡± Lin Qingyi said earnestly. Then she continued, ¡°Do you remember what I mentioned to you before?¡± ¡°What matter?¡± Jiang Ning was puzzled. ¡°About finding you a warm wife.¡± Lin Qingyi said. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning was slightly taken aback again. Seeing his reaction, Lin Qingyi smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before that I would find a girl for you, and now I have, waiting just below. Do you want to meet her?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not getting any younger either, and it¡¯s time you got married.¡± At these words, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but break out in a cold sweat. The fear of matchmaking, it seemed, couldn¡¯t be escaped in any world. ¡°If you don¡¯t speak, I¡¯ll take that as a yes!¡± Lin Qingyi declared, cutting off any chance for Jiang Ning to object. The next moment, she gestured to Little Lv, who was standing at the entrance to the pavilion, ¡°Little Lv, come here!¡± Dressed in a green skirt, Little Lv hurried over with quick, small steps. ¡°Mistress!¡± She curtseyed. ¡°Go and call Jiaer up,¡± Lin Qingyi instructed. ¡°Yes, Mistress!¡± After another curtsy, Little Lv quickly left. Watching this scene, Jiang Ning closed his mouth which he had just opened. Forget it! He shook his head inwardly. Meeting her first wouldn¡¯t hurt anyway. If it turned out to be a suitable match, getting married and having children wasn¡¯t out of the question. ¡­ A few moments later. Little Lv reappeared in front of them, followed by a delicately featured young girl. Her eyes were exceptionally intricate, her lips red as blood, and a dab of vermilion on her forehead¡ªa sign of meticulous grooming. To Jiang Ning, this girl¡¯s appearance ranked within the top ten of all the women he had ever seen in his life. Even compared to Lin Qingyi, she had about eighty percent of her beauty. Yet even so, Jiang Ning felt no stirrings in his heart, because this young girl did not match his aesthetic since she was entirely too plain-faced. The kind where her front and back were indistinguishable even when her face was covered. At the same time, Lin Jiaer also caught sight of Jiang Ning. She couldn¡¯t help but smirk slightly, thinking to herself, ¡°He¡¯s not bad looking!¡± ¡°His talent is decent too!¡± ¡°Pity his background is so lowly! How could he be worthy of my prestigious status as the Lin family¡¯s legitimate daughter.¡± After learning about Jiang Ning¡¯s background and reading through the intelligence detailing his information, Lin Jiaer already had no interest in him, her mind full of rejection. In her eyes, she and Jiang Ning were from different worlds. Her family hailed from Dongling City, and the Lin family there claimed to be the foremost family, truly a noble lineage. Moreover, she carried the direct bloodline of the Lin family, not a branch one. With such status, how could she condescend to marry Jiang Ning, born a mere commoner? Not to mention that he held no official position and was just an ordinary citizen. Lin Jiaer admitted to herself that Jiang Ning indeed had some talent. But she knew very well that in the current Great Xia Court, mere martial arts talent was not enough to shatter one¡¯s predestined social trajectory. Whether it was within the Martial Arts Sects or among the noble families that held sway over court positions, it took more than just martial arts talent to change one¡¯s fate. Sects with histories spanning hundreds or even thousands of years, over such lengthy periods, with generations of propagation, were dominated internally by a few surnames. Apart from the descendants of these few surnames, other disciples could hardly come into contact with the core lineage. Even if their talent were superior. And so was the case for various important positions in the court. Families all over had, after tens or even dozens of generations of unrelenting effort, already secured their way to ascendancy. Therefore, once Lin Jiaer became aware of Jiang Ning¡¯s background, she discarded any thought of him. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The man she wished to marry was simple; he would be someone who could make her stand out among her sisters, Someone whose presence would cause her sisters to look at her with envy and jealousy, Rather than with pity. Jiang Ning¡¯s origins were too ordinary, even if his Martial Arts talent was decent. This kind of decent, in her eyes, was alright for struggling among the lower classes. But once one reached a certain level, it was much harder to climb higher. Such an invisible cage was extremely difficult to break free from, At least not without having some achievements to one¡¯s name. However, Lin Jiaer also knew that it was Lin Qingyi who had facilitated this meeting. She was fully aware that if she wanted to leave a good impression on Lin Qingyi, she must not simply reject the offer. Otherwise, should Lin Qingyi harbor any resentment towards her, all of her previous deliberate efforts to please would have been in vain. ¡°I¡¯ve seen my aunt!¡± Lin Jiaer said to Lin Qingyi with a deep curtsey, the very picture of a lady from a reputable family. Lin Qingyi nodded: ¡°Jiaer, how is it? Your aunt¡¯s judgment isn¡¯t wrong, is it?¡± Lin Jiaer showed a slight smile: ¡°Aunt is correct, Young Master Jiang is indeed quite a talent, and his Martial Arts gift is quite extraordinary. Jiaer has long admired it.¡± In the midst of speaking, Lin Jiaer¡¯s gaze towards Jiang Ning was full of depth. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Young Master Jiang!¡± She then introduced herself: ¡°My name is Lin Jiaer, from the Lin family of Dongling City. Young Master Jiang can call me Jiaer.¡± Jiang Ning stood up and said, ¡°Miss Jiaer, please have a seat first.¡± ¡°Thank you, Young Master Jiang!¡± Lin Jiaer curtsied again. Lin Qingyi glanced at the two of them, then stood up: ¡°You two chat, I have some matters to attend to.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Qingyi stood up and left, suddenly leaving Jiang Ning and Lin Jiaer alone on the entire tower. The two were silent for a moment. Lin Jiaer was the first to break the silence. ¡°Young Master Jiang, why don¡¯t we go for a walk and chat casually?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Jiang Ning replied. ¡­ A moment later, The two were strolling down a brightly lit street. They walked side by side, maintaining a distance of about two fists apart. Lin Jiaer turned her head and caught a glimpse of Jiang Ning¡¯s clear-cut profile, his features outlined charmingly in the glow of the streetlights. ¡°What a pity!¡± Lin Jiaer sighed inwardly. At this moment, however, Jiang Ning¡¯s attention was not on Lin Jiaer beside him but rather on Lin Qingyi behind them. ¡°Indeed, gossiping is in a woman¡¯s nature.¡± Jiang Ning silently criticized in his mind. His extraordinary senses had long ago alerted him to Lin Qingyi following not too far behind them. At this moment, Lin Qingyi was only about ten steps away from them. This distance meant he could easily see Lin Qingyi¡¯s figure if he simply turned back, And for someone of Lin Qingyi¡¯s calibre, eavesdropping on their conversation would be very easy. Just then, Lin Jiaer slowly began to speak: ¡°Honestly, Young Master Jiang, you are not the ideal husband I have in mind.¡± Then, she noticed Jiang Ning looking at her from the corner of his eye. She continued: ¡°The husband of my dreams should be able to provide me with tangible and emotional value, make me proud, and fill me with pride.¡± ¡°You and I are from different worlds. I come from the prominent Lin family of Dongling City! Your origins are too ordinary; I don¡¯t want to marry beneath me.¡± ¡°I have lived a life of luxury and do not wish for my latter days to be spent on a plain and simple life.¡± ¡°The only reason I agreed to meet with you was that Aunt¡¯s well-meaning proposal was hard to decline. I hope you understand this and would also hope that Young Master Jiang would help me save Aunt¡¯s face later on, so as not to make her feel embarrassed.¡± Hearing all this, Jiang Ning then spoke up. ¡°Miss Jiaer, you are quite forthright.¡± Then Jiang Ning smiled: ¡°Fortunately, Miss Jiaer, you are not my ideal partner either.¡± On hearing this, Lin Jiaer subtly curled her lips. She knew it was just Jiang Ning¡¯s pride talking. Men care about their pride, and being rejected by her to his face, Jiang Ning would naturally feel embarrassed, so she did not take his words to heart. She had met plenty of men, all of whom had been eager to curry favor with her at first sight. This was all because of her looks and charm. She knew that she had inherited some of her aunt¡¯s beauty and, among the younger generation of the Lin family, her appearance and charm were most remarkable. Not to mention she had dressed up specially today, adding a touch of brilliance to her beauty. What normal man could resist her? Chapter 155: 69 Breakthrough, the membrane is like Chapter 155: Chapter 69 Breakthrough, the membrane is like On the open terrace. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Qingyi said. Just now, she had quietly followed behind Ning and Jiaer, and with her abilities, she naturally heard what Jiaer had said. She understood that Jiaer didn¡¯t think highly of Ning like she did. In her heart, Jiaer clearly looked down on Ning, who came from a humble background. Ning said, ¡°Sister Lin, why should you apologize?¡± ... S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qingyi replied, ¡°I hadn¡¯t realized my niece thought this way; it turned out she ended up insulting you.¡± Hearing this, Ning smiled, ¡°Sister Lin is joking, how could this be considered an insult? Everyone has different pursuits, and what Jiaer said is not wrong!¡± ¡°Being mismatched in social standing, we really aren¡¯t suitable for each other!¡± Regarding what had just happened, Ning felt no ripples in his heart. Having lived two lifetimes, if he were to get angry just because of what Jiaer had just said, his character would be too flawed. Qingyi looked at Ning earnestly. A few breaths later. She smiled radiantly, and a very attractive smile appeared on her face. ¡°I have come to think even more highly of you! It¡¯s Jiaer¡¯s loss not seeing your worth. I believe there will come a day when she regrets it.¡± Qingyi. Ning chuckled and said, ¡°Sister Lin, you think so highly of me?¡± Qingyi immediately nodded affirmatively, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve come to admire you more and more!¡± Then Qingyi sighed, ¡°Senior Shen does indeed have a better eye than I do!¡± Hearing the name Shen Congyun, Ning quickly asked Qingyi, ¡°Sister Lin, do you know how Senior Shen is doing now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! He is fine,¡± Qingyi said. ¡°Although he broke the rules, he is a potential future Grandmaster! Competent people always have some privileges.¡± ¡°Others breaking these rules might face severe punishment.¡± ¡°But he won¡¯t be in much trouble; it will just be like a retreat for a while.¡± ¡°Shen Congyun knew this, which is why he took the initiative to intervene on your behalf.¡± Hearing Qingyi¡¯s words, Ning felt both surprised and reassured. He was surprised that Shen Congyun was a potential future Grandmaster. What is a Grandmaster? That is someone who can establish his own sect. Any Grandmaster, regarded across the entire world, holds a prestigious position. A Grandmaster is best described as a one-man army. Such individuals, placed in any power structure, are pillars of stability. Moreover, as far as Ning knew. Any Grandmaster breaks the mundane limit of life expectancy, usually reaching around 150 years. This lifespan, let alone in this medically undeveloped era. Even in his previous life, mankind had never recorded such a lifespan. This fact alone testifies that the existence of a Grandmaster has already broken the limits of the species. ¡°Grandmaster! I will definitely take that step myself in the future.¡± Ning thought to himself, full of confidence. ¡­ Leaving the Wanhua Building, Ning walked toward his home. Tonight¡¯s events were just a minor episode for him. As for Jiaer, he quickly dismissed her from his mind. Jiaer¡¯s behavior, in Ning¡¯s eyes, wasn¡¯t exactly right or wrong, but it was not to his liking. On the other side. After seeing Ning off. ¡°Jiaer, you have really disappointed me,¡± Qingyi said sternly, looking at Jiaer. Seeing Qingyi¡¯s expression, Jiaer¡¯s face instantly went pale. Then she looked up at Qingyi. ¡°Aunt, did Ning say something bad about me?¡± ¡°Does my aunt trust an outsider, or does she trust me?¡± Qingyi replied, ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything to me, but I was following right behind you two the entire time, so I heard everything you said just now.¡± Hearing this, Jiaer¡¯s face turned even paler. She had wanted to defend herself, but hearing what Qingyi said, she knew any defense would be pointless. Because everything she had said to Ning had been overheard by her aunt. Jiaer fell silent for less than two breaths. She looked up at Qingyi, tears shimmering in her eyes, her expression defiant. ¡°Aunt, just as you heard.¡± ¡°In my eyes, Ning is not the ideal husband I wish for.¡± ¡°He comes from lowly origins, why should I lower myself to marry him!!¡± ¡°Lowly origins?¡± Qingyi couldn¡¯t help but laugh in frustration, ¡°Is background that important? Look back five generations, our Lin family ancestors were merely fishermen, also what you would call lowly.¡± Jiaer retorted, ¡°How can he be compared to the Lin family ancestors?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Qingyi continued, ¡°Are your horizons that narrow? Do you know someone broke the rules of the Wanhua Building to help him, and that person holds a status equal to mine and is even a potential future Grandmaster.¡± ¡°In my eyes, his future achievements will surpass those of the Lin ancestors by far.¡± ¡°With the world becoming increasingly chaotic, the Inspection Office has been established to patrol and oversee the people.¡± ¡°As the saying goes, chaotic times produce heroes, and such times are when capable people emerge.¡± ¡°Your vision is too narrow!¡± Qingyi said again. ¡°Aunt!¡± Jiaer looked up at her, ¡°No matter how you praise him, it¡¯s only your opinion! Jiaer does not want to gamble on his future.¡± ¡°Jiaer will only marry someone whose brightness I can see.¡± ¡°Moreover, I do not want to marry a man covered in the smell of sweat. My husband must be a modest gentleman, gentle as jade, someone I can be proud of, someone who can let me hold my head high in public.¡± Chapter 156: 69 Breakthrough, the membrane is like _2 Chapter 156: Chapter 69 Breakthrough, the membrane is like _2 ¡°Geez, Aunt, if you think so highly of him, just marry him yourself!¡± Lin Qingyi: ¡°¡­¡± ¡­ Jiang Ning didn¡¯t know about the conversation that had occurred between Lin Qingyi and Lin Jiaer. Because he had already taken the carriage back to his own estate. Even if he had known, he would have just chuckled to himself. ... Regardless of how others viewed him, his heart remained undisturbed. He knew that with the marvel of his stats panel and his own efforts, one day he would shock the world. He would be beholden to no one¡¯s opinion. After returning home, he practiced his fist forms for a while and before going to sleep, simply circulated his power, moving his Qi-Blood to temper the toughness of his skin, and then fell asleep. [Skills]: Five Animals Fist (One-time Break Limit 88/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Vajra Immortal Body (Master 1043/2000) Even though today¡¯s visit to the Weapon Forging Shop and Lin Qingyi¡¯s invitation caused him some delay, his Refining Skin progress had surged by nearly two hundred experience points, more than halfway to Refining Skin Mastery with skin tough as copper. For Jiang Ning at present, the progress of Refining Skin was of utmost importance. With the Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill provided by Gong Mingyuan, as long as he achieved Refining Skin Mastery, reaching the level where his skin was tough as copper, he could swallow that pill, temper the strength of his muscles, and directly step into Martial Arts Eighth Grade. This step was crucial; if his skin was not yet sufficiently resilient and strong like copper, he dared not recklessly temper his muscles. To prevent irreversible consequences. ¡­ In the blink of an eye, several days later. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [¡­] As the great sun rose gently, Jiang Ning was sitting cross-legged in the courtyard, continuously breathing and releasing the Essence of the Great Sun, tempering his five organs and six bowel movements. Now, his efficiency in tempering his organs was far better than before. Because he gained an extremely satisfactory trait after completing the first break limit of the Five Animals Fist. [Five Internal Organs Store Essence]: Essence Qi stores in the five organs, strengthening them autonomously. With this trait, his five internal organs and six bowels were nourished by Essence Qi daily, strengthening on their own. As a result, the experience gain for his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill markedly increased. Next, after completing the breathing and releasing the Essence of the Great Sun, Jiang Ning opened his panel to glance at it. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 47.1 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1478/3000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (One-time Break Limit 235/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Four Times Break Limit 5000/5000) (Traits: Touch and Understand, Blade Like a Swift Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 1513/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 48/1000) Vajra Immortal Body (Master 1976/2000) Swimming (One-time Break Limit 187/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing) ¡°Almost there! Today I will achieve the Great Success Realm of Refining Skin Mastery!¡± Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning thought to himself. His heart leapt with excitement. His progress was much faster than he had previously estimated. According to his original plan, by the time the Inspection Office was established, reaching Martial Arts Ninth Grade and possessing the strength to pass the assessment would have been sufficient. Joining the Inspection Office, using this big tree as support, provided him the capital to establish himself. But now, considering there were still around three to five days until the establishment of the Inspection Office, he was capable of stepping into Martial Arts Ninth Grade and achieving Refining Skin Mastery today. And it was entirely possible for him to reach Martial Arts Eighth Grade before that. For an institution that was founded on the premise of enforcing power, strength was undoubtedly going to be paramount within the Inspection Office. It would undoubtedly be directly linked to one¡¯s status. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning mentally noted, ¡°Then let¡¯s set a new goal, to strive to step into Martial Arts Eighth Grade, reaching the level of successful Power Training before that time.¡± ¡­ Sitting in the bath barrel, enjoying the Medicinal Power slowly seeping into his skin through his pores, Jiang Ning¡¯s expression was unchanged as he continued to flip through books. The medicinal bath required half an hour. Having grown accustomed to the medicinal baths, he did not want to waste the total two to three hours spent on several medicinal baths daily. So he was also making use of this time, flipping through books, increasing his ¡°Literacy and Judgement Experience.¡± This skill was related to the growth of his spiritual power. Although not very obvious, it had become the only means by which he could increase his spiritual power. Beyond that, the traits obtained after breaking the limit of ¡°Reading and Writing¡± were what he valued more. Whether it was the trait ¡°unforgettable¡± that he acquired earlier or the trait ¡°Extraordinary Five Senses,¡± both brought him considerable help. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Especially the ¡°Extraordinary Five Senses¡± trait, it frequently surprised him. With this trait, within tens of meters around him, he was almost like he had radar and Heavenly Eye, any minor movements couldn¡¯t escape his detection. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [¡­] These prompts kept popping up in front of him. Jiang Ning had already become accustomed to ignoring these prompts. Seeing this scene, Jiang Li quietly withdrew. An hour later. [Skill]: Literacy and Judgment (Second Limit Breaking 1494/3000) (Traits: unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) He glanced at his stats panel. Jiang Ning stood up. At this moment, he could clearly feel that the ¡°Medicinal Power¡± of the Golden Body Water had already fused into his skin membrane. Especially the refined demon blood in the Golden Body Water had brought tremendous stimulation to his skin membrane. The Golden Body Water also provided significant help in the tempering of the skin membrane precisely because of the demon blood ingredient. Rising from the bathtub, Jiang Ning went out to the open space outside the house. He immediately started with the first pose of the Vajra Immortal Body. He seized the time to absorb the ¡°Medicinal Power¡± that had integrated into his body, tempering the resilience of his skin membrane. [Vajra Immortal Body EXP +1] [Vajra Immortal Body EXP +1] [Vajra Immortal Body EXP +1] [¡­] Time slowly passed, and the experience points on the panel kept increasing. In the blink of an eye. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Master 1999/2000) ¡°Just a little more experience points!¡± he muttered to himself after glancing at his stats panel. Then he took a deep breath and continued to catalyze the Five Beasts Force, driving the ¡°Qi-Blood¡± around his body to temper his skin membrane. As his ¡°Qi-Blood¡± increased, the efficiency with which he tempered his skin membrane also increased. ¡°Qi-Blood¡± was the foundation of the martial arts. A short time later. [Vajra Immortal Body EXP +1] The moment that prompt appeared. The Vajra Immortal Body on his panel suddenly changed. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (small success 0/5000) From mastery to small success, a quantitative change led to a qualitative transformation. At the same time. Jiang Ning instantly felt a metamorphosis occurring within his body. He immediately closed his eyes, focused his mind internally, and observed his entire body. Then he saw the layer of skin membrane beneath his skin undergoing earth-shaking changes. Originally, many places in that layer were still the grayish-white color representing the Stone Skin level. There weren¡¯t many areas of bronze, and it was only where he had focused on tempering his skin membrane that some parts had started to show the color of bronze. The bronze color indicated that the resilience of the skin membrane in that area had greatly increased and that it had reached the effect of partial copper skin. Now, as the Vajra Immortal Body had made a breakthrough. The layer of skin membrane beneath his skin turned from the grayish-white color, indicating the Stone Skin level, towards a bronze transformation. This transformation was extremely intense and rapid. The bronze color spread, the grayish-white faded. The ¡°Qi-Blood¡± inside his body surged violently, rampaging within him. Jiang Ning steadied his heart and silently endured the changes occurring within him. Less than half an hour later. He slowly opened his eyes. Hu¡ª¡ª He slowly exhaled an impure breath that had been held in his stomach for a long time. He took a deep and fresh breath mixed with lake winds. ¡°Feels great!!¡± Jiang Ning stood up, murmuring to himself with a smile on his face. At this moment, he had officially made a breakthrough to Refining Skin Mastery, reaching the level of skin like bronzed copper. His mood was excellent. A faint smile also appeared on his face. Chapter 157 157: 70 Breakthrough to Martial Arts Eighth Grade Chapter 157: Chapter 70 Breakthrough to Martial Arts Eighth Grade In the courtyard. Jiang Ning clenched his fist. He immediately felt a change in his body. His strength had clearly become stronger. Merely clenching his fist allowed him to distinctly feel that the power he could unleash had risen to a higher level. ¡°The transformation of my skin layer, tough as copper, has added a few hundred pounds to my strength; now my power should be nearing two thousand pounds!¡± ... He muttered to himself. Then, he picked up a piece of broken stone from the ground, held it in his palm, and exerted force. Crack¡ª The sound of the stone shattering echoed in his hand. A few moments later. Jiang Ning opened his right hand to see only a pile of white powder remaining in his palm. Huff¡ª A fierce breath exhaled from his mouth, instantly swirling the white powder into the air, revealing his palm as smooth as new. There wasn¡¯t a single scratch on his palm. ¡°The toughness of my skin is indeed much stronger than before! It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know if it can withstand ordinary swords and sabers relying merely on the toughness of my flesh.¡± Jiang Ning muttered under his breath, speaking up to this point. He turned and walked toward the corner of the courtyard. The black wood saber that he had previously broken was now lying in a corner of the yard. Arriving at the corner, Jiang Ning quickly found the broken saber he had casually discarded earlier. ¡°Let¡¯s use this saber to test the toughness of my skin! According to the teachings of the Vajra Immortal Body, even though it¡¯s only Refining Skin Mastery, reaching the level of a copper-like skin layer.¡± ¡°But the skin layer refined with this technique is generally 35 percent stronger in terms of toughness than those of the same level.¡± Thinking this. Jiang Ning picked up the broken saber and gently slid the sharp edge against his arm. He immediately saw his skin on the arm cave in, while a faint pain fed back to him. After the blade passed over the skin. The dented skin instantly returned to normal, leaving no wound behind. Only a faint white mark appeared on the arm. He rubbed his finger over the white mark on his arm, and the mark instantly disappeared. ¡°It really is different!¡± Jiang Ning looked at the change on his arm, his expression immediately brightened. Then, he once more slid the saber across his arm. This time, he used much more force than before. Instantly. He felt a sharp pain in his arm. This was the sensation of the sharp blade cutting through the skin. But the next moment. He felt a layer of resistance from the blade, a very strong resistance. In front of this resistance, the blade could not advance further. ¡°This must be the effect of the skin layer!¡± muttered Jiang Ning. Then he moved the blade away from his arm and immediately saw a fine cut mark on his left arm. This was clearly a trace left by the testing of the broken saber on his arm. But at this time, the fine cut mark was obviously not severe. Because not much blood seeped from the wound, only a few strands of blood slowly emerged. ¡°It seems the toughness of the skin layer is much stronger than the skin.¡± ¡°From my test, a blade forged from a hundred-refined iron, exerting a force of about a hundred pounds, can break through my skin, but clearly cannot damage the skin layer underneath.¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning also roughly understood how high his physical defensive power was after achieving Refining Skin Mastery. The connected skin layer around his body now seemed like a layer of iron skin protecting him. Under this circumstance, ordinary people, even armed with blades, would hardly be able to damage his skin, let alone the skin layer beneath. ¡°Refining Skin Mastery truly represents a transformation!¡± Jiang Ning rejoiced inwardly. Then, he once again casually discarded the broken saber in the corner. To test whether the Vajra Immortal Body could continue to gain Experience Value. According to Lin Qingyi¡¯s words and the records in the fragmented scrolls of Vajra Immortal Body. Vajra Immortal Body is a paramount martial arts technique of the Vajra Temple. If cultivated to the level of Perfection, one could condense the legendary Undying Golden Body. A martial artist at this level is known as Vajra Indestructible, fearing no blades or divine weapons. That is truly the ultimate realm of Refining Skin. The fragmented scrolls of the Vajra Immortal Body that I currently possess were purposely disseminated by the Vajra Temple, as they only record up to Refining Skin Mastery, the level of copper-like skin. Now, my progress in Refining Skin can be said to have reached the highest level in this fragmented technique of the Sect. Ordinarily, if one wants to advance further in the realm of Skin Training, one would need to join Vajra Temple and pass their assessments to become a disciple of Vajra Temple, where it might be possible to receive the subsequent teachings of the Vajra Immortal Body. This is probably why the Vajra Temple chose to disseminate this fragmented paramount technique. Ordinarily, with my efficiency in cultivating Vajra Immortal Body, passing the tests of Vajra Temple and becoming a disciple is not difficult. But I can imagine. As one of the top sects in the world. Even with my performance, obtaining the subsequent teachings of this paramount martial arts technique would not be so simple. After all, such a paramount martial arts technique would not be so easily imparted. Moreover, considering the many strict rules of Vajra Temple, Jiang Ning had no intention whatsoever of joining the Vajra Temple. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unless one day he was forced into a corner, he might consider joining the Vajra Temple to continue his practice of Vajra Immortal Body and seek protection from the Temple. The next moment. Jiang Ning thought to himself, ¡°Now I need to see whether I can continue progressing in the realm of Refining Skin based on whether I can still gain Experience Value for this technique.¡± Chapter 158 158: 70 Breakthrough Martial Arts Eighth Grade_2 Chapter 158: Chapter 70 Breakthrough Martial Arts Eighth Grade_2 ¡°I should be able to! After all, before now I had only reached the introductory chapter of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, and even after reaching the beginner¡¯s level, I was still able to continue earning experience value.¡± Thinking this, Jiang Ning decided not to waste any more time. He positioned himself on the spot in the first stance recorded in the remaining chapters of the Vajra Immortal Body technique, then circulated his power, driving the Qi-Blood throughout his body to refine the skin membrane. ¡­ Time passed slowly. [Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value +1] ... [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Small Success 1/5000) Seeing the change in this column on the panel, the stone that had been hanging in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart finally fell. ¡°This way, there will be no problem!¡± ¡°After achieving small success with Vajra Immortal Body, the next phase is an uncharted area in the remaining chapters.¡± ¡°Now that I am still able to gain experience value for this technique, as long as the time comes, once I accumulate five thousand points of experience value, this technique will naturally achieve breakthrough to the next level, getting one step closer to Perfection, and solidifying the Undying Golden Body.¡± Jiang Ning was heartened by this thought. A moment later, He stopped his actions of continuing to refine the skin membrane. Because just now, in order to make a breakthrough, the skin membrane had already reached a point of strain. Continuing to refine the skin membrane, under consecutive strain, caused the skin membrane all over his body to ache faintly. [Skill]: Vajra Immortal Body (Small Success 2/5000) ¡°Two points of experience value, that¡¯s enough!¡± Jiang Ning completely relaxed. ¡­ [Swimming +1] [Swimming +1] [Swimming +1] [¡­] Soaking in the cool lake water, Jiang Ning felt the weariness on his body gradually dissipate, and at the same time, the experience value of his swimming skill continued to increase. ¡°It seems that taking a bath in the Luoshui River is indeed a better choice.¡± ¡°Not only can it dispel bodily fatigue, but it can also increase the experience value of the swimming skill.¡± Half an hour later, Jiang Ning got up and went ashore. He returned to his room. He looked at the Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill placed in front of him. His eyes couldn¡¯t help but emit a hot gaze. The Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill was in his view the fastest way for him to step into the Martial Arts Eighth Grade. Martial Arts Eighth Grade, Divine Power Realm. It involves using power to drive the Qi-Blood to refine the muscles all over the body, causing the muscles to transform, and thus to be able to burst forth with even greater strength. The biggest improvement at this level is strength. Therefore, Martial Arts Eighth Grade is also known as the Divine Power Realm. The most difficult aspect of this realm is to master power. For only by mastering power can one internalize and train all the muscles throughout the body. Without mastering power, there is no real method for refining muscles throughout the body. Whether it is Medicinal Power from Spirit Fruits or pills like the Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill. They can at most enable an ordinary Ninth Grade Martial Artist to barely step into the threshold of Martial Arts Eighth Grade. The further forward you go, the finer the muscles that need to be refined. Without relying on oneself, there is no way. And mastery of power has always been no simple matter. It is merely a matter of perception. Only with high perception can one cultivate lower-level martial arts to Perfection, thereby mastering a certain kind of power. And perception is elusive and intangible. It¡¯s like some people struggle to reach small success with boxing after several years due to poor perception. But when they switch to swordsmanship, they advance rapidly, reaching the state of swordsmanship Perfection in half a year. This situation is not unique; it has happened countless times from ancient times to the present. And it still continues to occur. So for most people, mastering power also requires some luck, encountering a weapon or martial arts they are proficient in makes it much simpler. But all this is irrelevant to Jiang Ning. He already mastered power long ago, so the Divine Power Realm of Martial Arts Eighth Grade holds no more secrets for him. Give him a little time, and he would smoothly complete this realm. Moreover, the realm was quite simple, not convoluted like Refining Skin. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tempering physical strength and muscles, an increase of five hundred catties signified entering the lower echelon of Eighth Grade. Most martial artists reaching this step possess strength above one thousand five hundred catties, mostly ranging from one thousand five hundred to two thousand catties. Then, continuing to temper the muscles with another increase of five hundred catties would result in small success in the Divine Power Realm. Most martial artists at this step generally possess strength above two thousand catties, with the vast majority between two thousand and two thousand five hundred catties. As for Great Success in the Divine Power Realm, that involved completely tempering all the muscles in the body. The strength would greatly increase as a result, reaching the limit of this realm. At this point, the disparities became more significant. Some individuals with superior Innate Root Bone and well-developed muscle groups could reach the limit of this realm and possess strength above three thousand catties. There were even those with Innate Divine Strength who could reach an astonishingly terrifying level of power, having more than four thousand catties of strength. Such martial artists were the symbol of invincibility at the same level. The gap in strength allowed them to easily defeat opponents of the same level. Even with sufficient accumulation, ordinary Seventh Grade Martial Artists wouldn¡¯t compare to those with Innate Divine Strength who also reached the limit of the Eighth Grade Martial Arts Realm. This realm, Mastery in Power Training, was in some sense the limit. Because Mastery in Power Training meant that all muscle groups had been tempered once over. Thus, unlike Ninth Grade Martial Arts, even with Refining Skin Mastery and tempering to copper skin, there were still two more steps. At this moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s mind was filled with information about the Eighth Grade of Martial Arts. Then he closed his eyes and looked inward at his body. He immediately saw that the muscles throughout his body had undergone extensive changes. This was because he had eaten three Bull Demon Strength Fruits before. One Bull Demon Strength Fruit could increase his strength by one hundred catties. Where did this one hundred catties of strength come from? Naturally, it wasn¡¯t directly from the fruit¡¯s enhancement. It was merely the medicinal effect of the fruit that tempered the muscle layers, thus increasing his strength. With muscles that had not been tempered, they were like a blank sheet of paper. Therefore, at the beginning, it was the optimal time for the medicinal effect of the Bull Demon Strength Fruit. As one proceeds, more muscle groups are tempered, and the strength gain from the Bull Demon Strength Fruit becomes weaker. This was the rationale behind the strength increase brought by spirit fruits like the Bull Demon Strength Fruit. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but think to himself, ¡°The three Bull Demon Strength Fruits gave me an increase of three hundred catties in strength, which means I need to increase my strength by two hundred more catties to formally enter the ranks of the Martial Arts Eighth Grade.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯m close!¡± Jiang Ning opened his eyes, his gaze falling back onto the Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill before him. The Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill was undoubtedly far more potent than the three Bull Demon Strength Fruits. Because this pill was known for breaking through a minor realm with a single dose. That meant one Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill could increase strength by at least five hundred catties. Moreover, according to widespread belief, this improvement was consistent regardless of whether one had yet to step into the ranks of Martial Arts Eighth Grade or had been deeply cultivating at the Divine Power Realm level of Eighth Grade for a long time, guaranteeing at least a five hundred catties increase in strength, equivalent to the breakthrough of a minor realm. ¡°Today is the day I step into the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm!¡± said Jiang Ning, picking up the Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill before him. The next moment, He peeled away the pill¡¯s coating. With the removal of the external encasing, a rich medicinal scent filled the room. Jiang Ning¡¯s nose was enveloped with the intoxicating aroma. ¡°Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, it¡¯s all in this effort.¡± Jiang Ning spoke, then placed the Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill on his tongue. With a gulp, the pill slid down his throat into his stomach. After entering his stomach. Boom¡ª Jiang Ning suddenly felt as though a mini-sun had plunged into his body. The pill instantly released a terrifying power. He immediately closed his eyes again and looked inward at his body. As he observed inwardly, Jiang Ning suddenly felt an unusual surge of power within him. A force that was not his own. This force was extremely domineering and was filled with a lively essence. It was like dragons and tigers roaring and coursing through his body. It seemed to carry a lively intention, precisely integrating into his muscle groups, cooperating with the released medicinal power to begin tempering every muscle in his body. Chapter 159 159: 71 Officially Steps into the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm Chapter 159: Chapter 71 Officially Steps into the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm Time flew by swiftly. The power contained within the Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill continuously tempered his muscles, causing a transformation that enhanced their toughness and strength. At the same time, the medicinal power was ceaselessly released from the pill. In the blink of an eye, It was a time when moonlight fades, crows caw and frost fills the sky. Only then did Jiang Ning slowly open his eyes. ... ¡°I¡¯ve achieved it!¡± His expression lit up with joy. By now, he could feel that the Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill inside of him had completely dissipated, with all of its medicinal power fully integrated into his body. He could clearly sense that every muscle in his body had been roughly tempered. The toughness of his muscles had increased, and accordingly, his strength had greatly increased. Immediately, he stood up and clenched his fists, quickly mobilizing the power throughout his body. Jiang Ning seriously felt his own strength and then muttered to himself, ¡°It¡¯s roughly two thousand five hundred jin of power.¡± Feeling the power he now possessed, His eyes suddenly shone even brighter. ¡°So strong!¡± ¡°Two thousand five hundred jin. In some ways, my current strength is no weaker than those experts who have reached small success in the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm!¡± Thinking of this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but feel secretly thrilled. If he was not weaker than the average expert who had small success in the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm in terms of strength, then his actual combat capability would be even stronger. After all, his Canglang Blade Skill had reached Great Success, capable of unleashing Five Layers of explosive power. You should know that the Canglang Blade Skill is a Middle Grade martial art, and ordinary people find it difficult even to get started. Once one enters the doorway of the Canglang Blade Skill, they can master the power. Now that the technique had reached Great Success, the Five Layers of power could stack, and a single strike could burst forth with the force of five slashes. Moreover, he had mastered a Sword Force technique, and wielded a spiritual weapon long saber. He could also release the restraints on his body, unleashing the latent potential hidden within. Therefore, how strong he really was, Jiang Ning himself wasn¡¯t too clear. But one thing was certain; his current true strength allowed him to dominate within the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. He would be hard-pressed to lose unless he faced someone of Martial Arts Seventh Grade. At this moment, He thought back to Tian Buyi, whom he had barely managed to exhaust to death a few days prior. That day, even though Tian Buyi was clearly internally injured, Jiang Ning hadn¡¯t been able to truly inflict significant damage on Tian Buyi, despite deploying all his techniques. The most he had done was cause the suppressed internal injury to erupt completely. Moreover, unlike him, Tian Buyi couldn¡¯t perform Underwater Breathing. When internal injury erupted and oxygen ran out, The environmental factors truly led to Tian Buyi¡¯s demise. Once in deep water with depleted oxygen and erupting injuries, there was no way Tian Buyi could last until he surfaced for air. Not to mention, Jiang Ning had been watching him like a hawk at that moment, so he wouldn¡¯t have given Tian Buyi any opportunities. ¡°If I faced him again today, I should be able to cleave him in half with one strike!¡± A look of confidence appeared on Jiang Ning¡¯s face. Then, He walked out into the courtyard, Wielding the spiritual weapon Dragon Abyss. Hum¡ª As the long saber was drawn from its sheath, the resonant hum of the blade¡¯s vibration was reminiscent of a dragon¡¯s roar. In this moment, the spiritual essence within the saber seemed to have sensed his advancement in strength and rejoiced for him. ¡°No wonder I feel so elated; it turns out that the improvement in my strength allows your spiritual essence to grow faster when nurtured by blood!¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself after receiving the message from the spiritual connection with the weapon¡¯s spirit. The next moment, He placed his index and middle fingers on the edge of the blade and drew them across lightly. Even though he had now surpassed Martial Arts Ninth Grade and entered the Eighth Grade Divine Power, His skin had long become as tough as copper. Yet before the blade of the spiritual weapon in his hand, his fingers were effortlessly sliced open. Crimson blood oozed from the pad of his finger. After that, He pressed the wounds on his two fingers against the blade. Blood immediately flowed from these wounds into the blade and was absorbed by the spiritual weapon in his hand. This technique allowed the spiritual essence within the spiritual weapon to grow more quickly; the stronger the spiritual essence, the stronger the spiritual weapon would be. A few breaths later, Jiang Ning finally detached his fingers from the blade, and after some simple pressure, The wounds quickly began to heal. Last time, his blood had allowed the spiritual weapon to recognize its master, and the wound on his finger healed completely within a day. No trace could be seen that the finger had ever been wounded. Thus, Jiang Ning knew that as his strength continuously improved, all his body¡¯s functions would also be enhanced. The healing of wounds was no exception. Normally, even a shallow cut would be hard to heal completely within a day. But now, he could do just that. This indicated that his rate of wound recovery was several times faster than that of ordinary people. A moment later, Only a faint red line remained on his fingers, with the blood already coagulating into scabs. Having reached this stage, Jiang Ning no longer paid attention to these minor injuries. He gripped the saber in his right hand, with power circulating through it. In an instant, Five Layers of power were stacked. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then he slashed out with the saber. Boom¡ª The air seemed to roar faintly. Before his strike, the air displayed the appearance of wave patterns. One could clearly see the traces where the wind flowed past the blade. This strike unleashed all of his power, a full two thousand five hundred jin. When the strike landed in the empty space, it easily burst forth with over twenty thousand jin of explosive power. Coupled with the explosion of Five Layers of power, This strike erupted with roughly a hundred thousand jin of terrifying force. According to Jiang Ning¡¯s knowledge, the brief impact force of an ordinary car collision at a speed of 120 miles per hour was only about ten tons. In other words, the power of his strike now was several times that of a small car traveling at high speed. Chapter 160 160: 71 Officially Steps into the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm_2 Chapter 160: Chapter 71 Officially Steps into the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm_2 ¡°` And the destructive power of such impact was clearly evident. It could easily send pedestrians flying more than ten meters away, nearly always fatal. Not to mention the explosive power he possessed now. ¡°This blade, it should be able to split a small car in half, right?¡± Feeling the explosive power he held at that moment, Jiang Ning murmured to himself. ... Then, Swoosh¡ª He sheathed his sword. He felt his right arm¡¯s condition once again. He opened and closed his palm, then gripped it tightly. ¡°Not bad,¡± he nodded in satisfaction. Because now, even unleashing the explosive power of five layers stacked, his arm only felt a slight abnormality. Apart from that, there was none of the previous obvious pain. This also indicated that following his Refining Skin Mastery yesterday, which made his skin tough as copper, his right arm could barely withstand the explosion of five layers of Power. From this, it was clear his bodily defensive power had greatly increased. You see, on the day he moved against Tian Buyi, S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. he only dared to unleash four layers of stacked Power, and never needed to use five. Moreover, even though he only released four layers at that time, he was only able to deliver five strikes. Five strikes were the limit his body could handle at that time. Should he continue beyond that, it would greatly affect his muscles, sinews, and the physical condition of his arm. If the skin was wounded, it could mostly recover in a few days¡¯ effort. But if it were too severe, his right arm might even become difficult to exert strength in the future. Thus, Jiang Ning didn¡¯t dare to continue his assault at that time. And since he stood in a safe situation at the time, there was no need to push Tian Buyi to desperation. Today, compared to that day, it was completely different. The outbreak of five layers of Power only caused his right arm to feel a slight abnormality. This was enough to show that even with the explosion of five layers of Power, he could maintain much more than before. Not to brag, but cutting twenty or thirty times wouldn¡¯t be a problem at all. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning was even more satisfied. Satisfied with the rewards gained from his diligent training efforts over this period. Such changes allowed him to clearly feel a tremendous advancement in his strength. Compared to himself a few days ago, the gap in strength was like the difference between heaven and earth. [Source Energy Points]: 96.7 Looking at the most significant change on his status panel, Jiang Ning was secretly delighted. The Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill not only brought him close to 600 jin of strength but also brought him over forty Source Energy Points. Now his Source Energy Points were about to break a hundred. Although breaking a hundred Source Energy Points wouldn¡¯t bring immediate, dramatic changes, after all, on his panel, the only thing that could meet the requirement for the next Break Limit was Chopping Wood Blade Skill. [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Four Times Break Limit 5000/5000) (Traits: touch and understand, blade like a swift wind, wielding blade like a deity, human and blade as one) And this blade technique had already reached the Four Times Break Limit. The fourth Break Limit consumed a hundred of his Source Energy Points. It didn¡¯t take much thought to know that the Source Energy Points needed for the Fifth Break Limit of Chopping Wood Blade Skill would certainly be more than a hundred. According to his estimate, it would probably take two hundred Source Energy Points to complete the Fifth Break Limit of Chopping Wood Blade Skill. For him now, this approach was definitely not worth it. With the same hundred points of Source Energy for the Break Limit, undoubtedly, the enhancement from Five Animals Fist was far stronger than that of Chopping Wood Blade Skill. Not to mention the traits gained from breaking the limit of each. The trait ¡°Five Internal Organs Store Essence¡± was obviously stronger than ¡°human and blade as one.¡± But even so, amassing Source Energy Points was a good thing. At least on the panel, apart from Chopping Wood Blade Skill, two other skills needed to accumulate experience value, and that was quite simple. That would be the Swimming skill and the Canglang Blade Skill. If Source Energy Points increase too much, then he could also spend a few days to max out the experience value of these two Skills. Whether it¡¯s Swimming or Canglang Blade Skill, both were worth his investment of Source Energy Points for a Break Limit. The Break Limit of Swimming gave him the ability of Underwater Breathing. Just looking at this trait, spending only ten Source Energy Points was too good a value. ¡°` The Second Limit Breaking of Swimming only needed to spend twenty Source Energy Points, which was also worth a try for him. As for the Canglang Blade Skill, there was even less to be said. This was a Middle Grade Martial Art, and after Breaking Limit, the trait it brought would only be stronger, not weaker. ¡­ Dawn was just breaking. ¡°Finally came back to life!¡± Jiang Ning patted his stomach and let out a gentle burp. He had spent the entire previous day digesting the Dragon and Tiger Strength Pill. Even with the support of the Medicinal Power, he had felt extremely hungry. Now that he had eaten his fill, he finally felt truly alive again. ¡°Full and satisfied, it¡¯s time to continue training!¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning was full of motivation. The efforts he had made before were now bringing obvious rewards. This extremely positive feedback loop was making his motivation grow stronger and stronger. Especially now that his strength had reached the current level, after reaching the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, he could confidently do what he had been wanting to do. That was to go treasure hunting in Luoshui Lake, based on the information he had gotten from the Wanhua Pavilion. According to the information he had seen, He knew his previous thoughts had been too simple. In Luoshui, there had indeed been many shipwrecks. But this world was different from his former world. The individual power in this world was too strong. Especially those above Fifth Grade. Each of them had a Mastery in Inner Strength, having reached the power of Inner Breath Like Gang. In front of such strong individuals, even Luoshui Lake held not much secret in their eyes. With their level of refinement of their internal organs, they could easily hold their breath for dozens of ¡®shi chen¡¯, or even longer. Moreover, their bodies were extremely formidable, and ordinary water pressure at the bottom of the lake could hardly affect them. Therefore, if ships carrying gold, silver, and jewels accidentally sank to the lake bottom, If the value was high, they would inevitably enlist such high-level experts to help retrieve them. So Jiang Ning also realized his previous idea was too presumptuous. Normally, real treasure-laden ships wouldn¡¯t be left for him to hunt for; they would have long been salvaged by others. But that didn¡¯t mean there was no value at all. Because Luoshui was so wide and large, to ordinary people, it was indistinguishable from the sea. In such vast waters, there were bound to be many lost sites. Especially since some areas of the lake were known as forbidden zones, where even those top three grades Grandmasters wouldn¡¯t dare to explore the lake bottom. And Jiang Ning¡¯s true target was only those shipwrecks that had been overlooked by others. Large ships often carried precious items like gold, silver, and jewels. These sporadic treasures weren¡¯t of high value. Not enough to warrant the real Martial Arts Strongmen to dive and retrieve. And for those Martial Arts Fifth Grade individuals, who attained Inner Breath Like Gang, even ten thousand taels of silver wouldn¡¯t catch their eye. They simply disdained to do what Jiang Ning was intending to do now. But for Jiang Ning, it was different. Not to mention ten thousand taels of silver, even one thousand taels was very important to him. He currently didn¡¯t even have two thousand taels of silver to his name. This amount wasn¡¯t enough for him to spend even once. Without money, the progress of his Martial Arts would inevitably slow down greatly, and the growth of his potential points would stagnate. He couldn¡¯t bear either situation. Especially concerning the growth of potential points. As long as he had enough wealth, he could purchase more valuable medicinal herbs. Like the fifty years¡¯ worth of Blood Lotus he had previously absorbed, One of which had brought him an increase of twenty Source Energy Points. There was also the Bull Demon Strength Fruit, a Spirit Fruit, which also brought him a significant increase in Source Energy Points. Hence, the importance of wealth was undoubtedly critical to him. The Source Energy Points were what he needed the most. Furthermore, by entering Luoshui, he might also find the so-called Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, while simultaneously increasing the Experience Value of his trait of Swimming. For him, this was a matter of killing three birds with one stone. Having made up his mind, Jiang Ning left a note in the house and then, carrying his saber, he headed towards the Luoshui outside the enclosure wall. Chapter 161 161: 72 White Dragon Fish, Treasure in the Water Chapter 161: Chapter 72 White Dragon Fish, Treasure in the Water Luoshui River. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Above the water, waves erupted occasionally. But underwater, it looked exceptionally calm. Within the calm, however, many dangers were hidden. The Luoshui River was too large, too vast, too wide. The underwater terrain was myriad, with unpredictable undercurrents. ... Once caught in it, one would realize that human strength had its limits, while the force of nature was boundless. For stream control, this was the basic skill of every underwater treasure hunter. As the saying goes, depend on the mountains if you live by them, depend on the water if you live by it. Along the banks of the Luoshui River, many people made their living from the river. There were many fishermen, but equally numerous were the treasure hunters and adventurers underwater. The residents living along the banks of the Luoshui River all knew that beneath the surface of the lake lay many opportunities for sudden wealth. Whether by catching a spirit fish, discovering Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures underwater, or finding an unknown sunken ship, one could become rich overnight. At this time, Above the surface of the lake, A two-story tall houseboat remained stationary on the lake. On the deck of the houseboat, a flag fluttered in the wind. From the side, one could see the fluttering green snake on the flag. Anyone with some knowledge knew this was a boat from the Green Snake Gang in Luoshui County. ¡°Gang Leader, this kid said that it was underwater right here that he found a sunken ship,¡± said a man with a sharp nose and monkey cheeks, dragging a dark-skinned man before Shi Xiaoyuan. Then with a flick of his hand, the dark-skinned man¡¯s form staggered and he fell onto the deck of the houseboat. Just from appearances, it was clear the dark-skinned man was someone who had struggled for survival on the water for many years. Prolonged exposure to the sun and wind had caused his complexion. At this moment, as he fell onto the deck, his face immediately showed a look of pain. From the wound on his left arm wrapped in bandages, with this fall, it was clear the originally well-wrapped wound tore, and crimson blood flowed out. ¡°So it was you who saw the iron ore in the sunken ship below?¡± Shi Xiaoyuan glanced at the dark-skinned man in front of him. ¡°The Gang Leader is questioning you,¡± the sharp-nosed, monkey-cheeked man kicked at the man. With this kick, the pain on his face grew even more intense. But even so, he dared not hesitate any further. Because his family and children were now in the hands of the Green Snake Gang. His capabilities had not yet reached Martial Arts Entry, and in front of the notoriously fierce Green Snake Gang, he had no chance to resist at all. The dark-skinned man immediately responded, ¡°Replying to the Gang Leader, indeed I saw it!¡± Hearing the definite answer, Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s face lit up with joy. Iron ore was an extremely important resource. Such a resource was always in demand. A warehouse full of iron ore, even to him, was a significant fortune. Immediately, he spoke again, ¡°Tell me more in detail, describe what happened at that time.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The dark-skinned man¡¯s face turned somewhat pale, enduring the pain as he continued, ¡°A few days ago, Zhang Jiu, Wang Chang, and others dived underwater with me for an adventure, where we accidentally discovered that sunken ship.¡± ¡°At that time, we few people didn¡¯t hold much hope, but upon entering the sunken ship, we found a warehouse full of iron ore inside.¡± ¡°But just as we were about to rejoice, we were attacked by a White Dragon Fish.¡± ¡°That White Dragon Fish was too strong; we stood no chance against it and in the end, I was the only one who escaped with my life.¡± Hearing this, Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s eyes suddenly hardened. ¡°White Dragon Fish?¡± ¡°Are you sure you saw it right?¡± The dark-skinned man shook his head repeatedly. ¡°I didn¡¯t see it wrong! It was that beast that bit off my left arm, I could not possibly have mistaken it; it was definitely a White Dragon Fish.¡± Shi Xiaoyuan immediately nodded his head joyfully. ¡°If it¡¯s really as you say, then it¡¯s no wonder that this shipwreck remained undiscovered; perhaps those who found the shipwreck before all perished inside that White Dragon Fish¡¯s belly.¡± ¡°Gang Leader is wise! That¡¯s exactly what I think too!¡± the sharp-faced man hastened to agree. Then he continued, ¡°Gang Leader, if that White Dragon Fish possesses such strength, it must have already attained spiritual intelligence. If Gang Leader catches this spirit fish, your power will undoubtedly advance further.¡± Shi Xiaoyuan replied, ¡°You¡¯re right! Compared to the iron ore in that warehouse, a spiritually awakened White Dragon Fish is the real treasure! Moreover, that White Dragon Fish is unwilling to leave its territory, perhaps it¡¯s guarding some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.¡± ¡°Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures?¡± The sharp-faced man¡¯s eyes glittered. ¡°Yes, exactly! Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures!¡± Shi Xiaoyuan said, ¡°According to the records, in the wilderness, many Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures have guardians; the guardians are there to protect the treasures and also to claim them as their own.¡± ¡°That White Dragon Fish has such power; it could not have evolved to this point without special circumstances.¡± ¡°If there are indeed Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures guarded by the White Dragon Fish, then that¡¯s the real treasure!¡± The sharp-faced man, on hearing this, immediately spoke up. ¡°Congratulations to the Gang Leader, best wishes to the Gang Leader!¡± ¡°With this opportunity, Gang Leader will surely advance to Martial Arts Seventh Grade, and under your leadership, our Green Snake Gang is sure to become the biggest gang in Luoshui County.¡± Shi Xiaoyuan couldn¡¯t help but laugh loudly. ¡°You sure know how to talk, but what you said is not wrong!¡± ¡°As long as I get this opportunity, Martial Arts Seventh Grade will easily be within reach. In the future, I¡¯ll see to it that you guys eat well, drink spicy, and enjoy the most beautiful women!¡± ¡°Gang Leader is wise and mighty!¡± The sharp-faced man kept flattering. Immediately. Shi Xiaoyuan looked towards the dark-skinned man. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The dark-skinned man, who had been silently listening to the two men talking, spoke up when Shi Xiaoyuan asked him, ¡°My name is Huang San.¡± Shi Xiaoyuan said, ¡°Huang San, from now on you¡¯ll follow me; any objections?¡± ¡°No objections!¡± Although Huang San was somewhat resentful in his heart, he knew resistance was futile, especially since his family was still under the control of the Green Snake Gang. Then he spoke up, ¡°Then¡­ then, Gang Leader, my family¡­¡± Before Huang San could finish, Shi Xiaoyuan cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Since you are one of us in the Green Snake Gang, your family will certainly be safe and sound.¡± ¡°Just focus on making contributions, and eventually, you will live a life of great wealth.¡± ¡°Thank you, Gang Leader!¡± Huang San replied. Shi Xiaoyuan nodded, then continued, ¡°Get ready, soon you¡¯ll join me underwater to enter the shipwreck. Huang San, you better lead well.¡± ¡°Yes, Gang Leader!¡± Huang San nodded. Immediately, he went under the guidance of the sharp-faced man to rebandage his wound. Moments later. Everyone finished their preparations and returned to the deck above. Chapter 162 162: 73: Being a Fisherman Chapter 162: Chapter 73: Being a Fisherman Luoshui River. On the deck of the building ship. Everyone was fully prepared. Each person was holding a large, basin-sized, white membrane-like sphere in their hands. These were the swim bladders from a type of large fish from the Luoshui River; inside, they stored fresh air. This item was their secondary lifeline after entering the water. ... Even though they were all skilled martial artists, once they entered the water, they could only last less than the time it takes to drink a half cup of tea. Without fresh air intake, once they dived deep, no matter how skilled in martial arts, they would still drown after running out of air. Shi Xiaoyuan glanced over the group. Seeing their high-spirited appearance, he nodded contentedly. He knew the sunken ship in the water was the territory of the White Dragon Fish. According to Huang San¡¯s description and their abilities, the White Dragon Fish¡¯s strength in water was extraordinary. He wouldn¡¯t take action himself, and no one from the Green Snake Gang could handle the White Dragon Fish. After all, among Huang San and the others, the strongest, as described, was a skilled individual who had achieved Great Success in Qi-Blood. But against the White Dragon Fish, even this level of strength offered little chance of retaliation. Thus, Shi Xiaoyuan knew, only he could ensure safety. ¡­ Elsewhere. [Swimming Experience Value +1] A notification appeared in front of Jiang Ning. [Skill]: Swimming (Once Break Limit 1677/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing) Glancing at his panel, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze then continued to fall on the building ship on the surface of the water. He had arrived here early and had already discovered the ship. The conversation of the people on board had also reached his ears. ¡°This is an unexpected surprise, it seems Wanhua Building still holds some secrets, even such hidden information is recorded.¡± ¡°White Dragon Fish, such spirited fish are indeed treasures! And a warehouse full of iron ore, that is a considerable fortune too!¡± ¡°And if it is as Shi Xiaoyuan said, where the White Dragon Fish resides, the growth of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures would be the biggest gain.¡± Thinking this, Jiang Ning felt eager. Because he felt this possibility was very high. The White Dragon Fish having such strength, merely growing on its own would be hard to achieve. Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures being present made the most logical possibility. At this moment, he had made up his mind. Since others were paving the way ahead, he didn¡¯t mind. The strength of the White Dragon Fish was unknown. After all, as he knew, this world indeed had demons. In the ancient times, when Immortals were numerous. Demons were the domineering beings above the Human Clan. Even in this era, according to books, in remote barbaric regions, Great Demons still lived. Most of them were dormant somewhere. Thus, the White Dragon Fish, a spirited fish with such strength, probably an awakened spirited fish, necessitated Shi Xiaoyuan, an Eighth Grade Martial Arts expert, to personally enter the water. Such spirited fish could also be called demons. If the White Dragon Fish¡¯s strength was beyond expectation, then with the Green Snake Gang probing ahead, he could easily retreat. If the White Dragon Fish wasn¡¯t a threat, not a match for Shi Xiaoyuan, Then he wouldn¡¯t mind playing the role of a fisherman. Casually, he would eliminate a menace for the people of Luoshui County. Shi Xiaoyuan, an Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm expert, no longer posed any threat in his eyes. Now his strength was enough to give him such confidence. Confidence unmatched below the Seventh Grade. Not to mention in the water. In the water, let alone Shi Xiaoyuan, even if facing Cao Rong, he dared to fight several rounds. ¡­ A moment later. Splash¡ª Plunk¡ª Several figures leaped into the water from the deck. Seeing this, Jiang Ning also hung far behind them. Now, in the water, he was no different from on land. As long as he wanted to hide, no one could find him. At least, with Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s strength, it was impossible for him to be found. Jiang Ning¡¯s five senses were now far beyond those of normal people. Even underwater, he could see more than a hundred meters away. Ordinary people, given the water quality of the Luoshui River, could barely see about ten meters. Yet, his underwater vision was more than ten times that of an ordinary person. His powerful hearing also allowed him to clearly hear the conversations on the surface of the river even while submerged. In fact, it was even clearer than on the shore. Thus, following Shi Xiaoyuan and the others was exceptionally easy for Jiang Ning. He trailed behind them by twenty to thirty meters, following them all the way. A moment later, Shi Xiaoyuan and his group moved from the shallow area into the deeper waters where the light became dimmer and visibility narrower. In this place, Jiang Ning¡¯s vision was also somewhat affected. From the previous hundred meters, it had sharply halved, now only about sixty meters remaining. ¡­ On the other side, Shi Xiaoyuan and the others started to change their breath in the water. They aligned the air bladders to their mouths and inhaled the fresh oxygen within. Then, Shi Xiaoyuan gestured, asking Huang San how far they were from their destination. The gesture below was a necessary skill for those making a living in the water. Because after diving in, it was impossible to verbally communicate, so they could only use hand signals. Seeing this, Huang San responded with a gesture. One breath¡¯s distance. Upon seeing this reply, Shi Xiaoyuan waved to the others. The group again followed close behind Huang San, continuously diving deeper into the water. ¡­ A moment later, An outline of a large ship appeared before them. Seeing this sight, a smile couldn¡¯t help but flicker across Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s eyes. Yet, fear thickly clouded Huang San¡¯s eyes. Because in the dark hull of the large ship, he saw a streak of white flash by. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Though the streak was fleeting, it was immensely conspicuous in the dim underwater light, instantly drawing his attention. It also made him recall his encounter here a few days ago. His escape had been possible only because the White Dragon Fish had not pursued him that day. In the next moment, He immediately signalled with his hands. The agitated water flow also caught Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s attention. Then, Shi Xiaoyuan also caught sight of the streak of white flashing in the shipwreck¡¯s cabin. Seeing that streak, Shi Xiaoyuan instantly recognized it as the White Dragon Fish. White Dragon Fish, a type of spiritual fish. It was named so because its scales were all white and its body was long and slender, resembling the dragons of legend. This fish was extremely rare, and its flesh incredibly delicious. A mature White Dragon Fish was the dominant ruler of its waters, fast as a shooting star, its mouth lined with teeth sharp enough to cut through metal, with virtually no natural predators in the water. Most importantly, its flesh was exceptional, a substantial nourishment for any martial artist. It could strengthen muscles and bones, enhance physique and Qi-Blood. Any martial artist who ate a White Dragon Fish could count it as several months of hard training. Thus, despite being the ruler of the waters, the White Dragon Fish was caught so often it was nearly extinct. Chapter 163: 74 Powerful Dragon Fish, Shi Xiaoyuan Transforms Chapter 163: Chapter 74 Powerful Dragon Fish, Shi Xiaoyuan Transforms Luoshui River. The moment he saw the White Dragon Fish, Shi Xiaoyuan waved his hand. Everyone instantly unfastened the fish bladders tied around their waists and then took a deep breath inward. After taking a deep breath, Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s chest visibly swelled a few centimeters in height. The others did the same. Huang San, upon seeing this, did not do as they did. Because just now Shi Xiaoyuan had promised that all he needed to do was lead the way to the sunken ship at the bottom of the river. As for what followed, Huang San¡¯s efforts were no longer needed. To confront a White Dragon Fish, even one that might have awakened its spiritual sense, Shi Xiaoyuan was full of confidence. Not to mention, he had the assistance of several capable followers by his side. In the span of two or three breaths, the others had also completed the act of breathing in. Then, just like Shi Xiaoyuan, they all tossed aside the fish bladders. Because they were about to make their move, having the air-filled fish bladders tied to their bodies in the water would undoubtedly greatly hinder their movements. One breath exchange was enough for them, who were outstanding swimmers, to last about half the time it takes for a cup of tea underwater. This amount of time, in their eyes, was sufficient. Enough to end the upcoming battle and easily return to the surface. Besides, even if they couldn¡¯t finish the battle, they could still retreat first and dive back after preparing adequately. After all, the sunken ship was right here; it wasn¡¯t going to suddenly disappear. At this moment, Shi Xiaoyuan glanced at his men and nodded in satisfaction. He signaled to them again, and immediately, they unfastened a few casting nets from their waists. Two others directly pulled open a fishing net and stood close together. Then, these men followed closely behind Shi Xiaoyuan, swimming towards the submerged ship below. Upon seeing this, Huang San watched the gradually vanishing figures of the men and he slowly let out a breath of relief. Then, he backed up a few meters until he could barely see a silhouette of the sunken ship and then stopped moving. Just then, he seemed to feel something. He instantly turned his head looking towards the right front. His gut told him there had been some disturbance in that direction. But where his gaze fell, there was nothing but void darkness, no signs of movement. ¡°Strange, could I have been mistaken?¡± Huang San pondered to himself. Immediately he looked again more carefully, shook his head slightly, and continued to muse, ¡°Seems like I¡¯m just too nervous!¡± Elsewhere. ¡°What keen perception, he could sense my presence from this distance.¡± Jiang Ning watched the direction where Huang San was with considerable surprise. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Huang San¡¯s earlier actions had naturally caught his eye. At this moment, inside the cabin of the sunken ship, if someone were there, they would see a Dragon Fish approximately five feet seven inches long, covered with white scales, swimming leisurely. Its eyes looking out of the cabin revealed a human-like cruelty. Anyone seeing that look would know this Dragon Fish had exceptional spiritual intelligence. To the White Dragon Fish, the approaching people were its prey. The prey that it had deliberately lured here. It was well aware that its evolution was imminent and needed a massive amount of high-quality blood food to supply the energy for its transformative evolution. In the water, the blood food it could find consisted of only common fish and shrimp. Such ordinary food was sufficient for it to fill its belly, but to provide the energy required for its evolutionary transformation called for a far too large quantity. So, it set its sights on the blood-rich Martial Artists. In the eyes of the White Dragon Fish, one blood-rich Martial Artist was of such high quality that it was equivalent to a thousand pounds of ordinary blood food. It was for this reason that it chose to deliberately let one person go. It knew that given human greed, there would inevitably be those who were not afraid of death to come seeking. And these people, at this moment, in its eyes, were typical of those who recklessly courted death. ¡­ The moment Shi Xiaoyuan led the charge into the cabin of the ship, his eyes suddenly burst with bright light. Because inside the cabin, iron ore was piled up like a mountain. Clearly, this was a cargo ship that once carried iron ore and one day, while sailing on the Luoshui River, it encountered an accident and sank. No one had discovered it henceforth, or perhaps someone did but they never made it out alive. Therefore, the cargo ship remained intact until now. Looking at the mountainous piles of iron ore, Shi Xiaoyuan couldn¡¯t help but feel elated. With a casual glance, he made a rough estimation in his mind. He knew that the worth of this batch of iron ore was around ten thousand Silver Taels. Ten thousand Silver Taels was a huge fortune even for the vast Green Snake Gang. Although the Green Snake Gang controlled many territories in Luoshui County, making money from taxation, water transportation, and human trafficking, there were too many subordinates, and the cost for food, clothing, and other expenses was significant. Joining the gang was essentially risking one¡¯s life for the sake of indulging in luxury, spicing up life, and striving for a rise above the rest. Therefore, they dared not be stingy with the welfare of the gang members. Moreover, thirty percent of the lower-tier income had to be handed over to the Cao family. So even as the Gang Leader of the Green Gang, he was not as wealthy as outsiders imagined. He was always in need of Silver Taels. Money equated to Martial Arts resources. With sufficient resources, he was confident that he could use them to rapidly climb into the ranks of Martial Arts Seventh Grade. A fortune worth ten thousand Silver Taels was indeed an unexpected windfall for him. At that moment, Boom¡ª Planks shattered and water churned. ¡°Here it comes!¡± The men¡¯s expressions remained unchanged, as though they had anticipated this scene. Catching sight of that white flash, Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s heart leaped with joy. Chapter 164: 74: The Mighty Dragon Fish, Shi Xiaoyuan Transforms_2 Chapter 164: Chapter 74: The Mighty Dragon Fish, Shi Xiaoyuan Transforms_2 Because a normal White Dragon Fish generally has a length of only three feet. Yet this particular White Dragon Fish measured a full five feet seven, nearly double the size compared to a regular White Dragon Fish. In the animal kingdom, size is an indication of something extraordinary, and a symbol of strength. The larger the White Dragon Fish, a cunning aquatic creature of such kind, the stronger it is, but it also means the greater its benefits for the human body. Shi Xiaoyuan was naturally very pleased. Just then, two people threw their hands forward, casting two fishing nets towards the White Dragon Fish in a flash. At each corner of the nets hung iron balls. Once ensnared by the net, the crisscrossing iron balls would restrict the White Dragon Fish¡¯s movements. The next moment, the White Dragon Fish flicked its tail, striking precisely against the iron balls on the net. Boom¡ª Boom¡ª Boom¡ª The iron balls flew off, striking the already decaying cabin and instantly blowing several large holes in it. Immediately after, the White Dragon Fish sped up. Its slender and elongated shape let it move exceptionally quickly in the water. Like a flash of white light, it crossed a distance of several yards in an instant, drawing close to the few people. ¡°Perfect timing!!¡± Shi Xiaoyuan remained calm and immediately slashed at the White Dragon Fish with his knife. The following moment, he felt as if his blade had sliced through air, grazing past the body of the White Dragon Fish. At this time, the White Dragon Fish had dodged the knife. With a flick of its tail, it instantly turned ninety degrees. The sudden change allowed it to bypass Shi Xiaoyuan and charge directly at the people behind him. ¡°Such a cunning beast!!¡± Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s eyes flickered with rage. After dissipating the explosive force in his hands, he turned with his knife, only to see two people behind him each holding a corner of a fishing net. Together, they instantly enveloped the White Dragon Fish in the net. But before he had time to rejoice, he saw the White Dragon Fish, bound by the net, open its mouth wide, flaunting two rows of serrated white teeth. Under the gnashing of those teeth, the initially durable net became extremely fragile and was easily torn open by the White Dragon Fish. Then, its slender and elongate body slipped through the hole in an instant. ¡°Not good!¡± Seeing this, Shi Xiaoyuan felt a sinking feeling in his heart. He sensed an ominous presence. The next moment, thud¡ª thud¡ª With a flick of its tail, two people were sent flying backward, spewing blood from their mouths. Then, Boom¡ª Boom¡ª Their impact further destroyed the rotten wooden planks of the ship, creating two large holes. Elsewhere, Jiang Ning floated outside the ship like a ghost. Through several gaps in the cabin, he clearly witnessed the scene. ¡°This White Dragon Fish¡­ such explosive power!¡± Jiang Ning inwardly muttered. Because those who had entered the water with Shi Xiaoyuan were all true Ninth Grade Martial Artists. And Ninth Grade Martial Artists, in front of this White Dragon Fish, appeared to stand little chance of fighting back. A flick of its tail against their chests had caused the two men internal injuries. Such wounds might be manageable on land and certainly not life-threatening. But now was different. They were deep underwater, and even in good condition, it would take them at least two to three minutes to surface. Now, with their internal organs damaged and blood spewing from their mouths, the oxygen in their lungs would naturally be depleted. Under such circumstances, how could they possibly survive? ¡­ At this moment, Shi Xiaoyuan slashed with his knife again. But because he was underwater, hindered by the water¡¯s resistance, his knife speed was several times slower than it would be on land. This slash merely glanced off the White Dragon Fish¡¯s scales. Clang¡ª In the dimly lit ship, a spark flashed momentarily, accompanied by the sound of metal striking metal. Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s expression changed once again. He realized that the situation was evolving beyond his expectations. The power of this White Dragon Fish was beyond his anticipation. Although the blade did not strike solidly, it did hit the fish¡¯s scales. But the feedback from the scales was akin to metal, not only producing the noise of clashing metal but also sparking a fire. Such strength had already surpassed that of copper skin. At this moment, even though he had felt confident before, Jiang Ning now felt somewhat uneasy. Such a strong defensive power, and on the White Dragon Fish¡¯s home turf. He realized that taking down the White Dragon Fish wouldn¡¯t be so easy. At the same time, as Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s blade struck, the White Dragon Fish, pained by the attack, had its speed surge once again. It came before another person, its tail whipping out again. Instantly, it seemed as though an iron whip had lashed out. Boom¡ª This lash landed solidly on that person¡¯s arm. But even with the arm blocking, that person was still sent flying backwards, his complexion ashen, clearly enduring the pain with all his might. ¡°Escape¡ª¡± Shi Xiaoyuan spoke up, the ripples in the water carrying his clear voice to everyone¡¯s ears. Upon hearing this command, the remaining three instantly turned to flee. But they were decisive, and the White Dragon Fish was faster. In the water, it was like a white dragon, instantly reaching behind one of them. With a bite, Sss¡ª Its serrated teeth sank deeply into that person¡¯s neck, after which flesh was torn away. ¡°Beast!!¡± Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s eyes bulged with fury. These people were all pillars of the Green Snake Gang, good hands at the Martial Arts Ninth Grade. If they were all to fall here, the entire Green Snake Gang would plummet. And his position as Gang Leader would exist in name only. This moment Shi Xiaoyuan had no reservations left, stepping off the floor, he too followed closely in speed, intending to protect the others. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Right now, he had no interest in dealing with the White Dragon Fish. Because it was quite clear that the strength of the White Dragon Fish was not any weaker. And its speed in the water was too fast. Without the constraint of a fishing net, he couldn¡¯t even catch up with the White Dragon Fish¡¯s speed, let alone capture this spiritual fish. So at this moment, even though he was reluctant, he knew he was out of luck with this White Dragon Fish. Now he could only cut his losses and return to the surface with the remaining few, then make other decisions. But the next moment, Shi Xiaoyuan stopped in his tracks because he found he had been overly optimistic. He had let the others go ahead, and when the White Dragon Fish caught up, he was simply too late to rescue them. Under the White Dragon Fish¡¯s full-on assault, one after another met their deaths, their blood spreading and staining the waters red. In the blink of an eye, there was only Shi Xiaoyuan left on the whole wreck. Outside the sunken ship, Jiang Ning was watching this scene. ¡°What a powerful White Dragon Fish!¡± he thought with a bit of amazement. In the blink of an eye, a total of five Ninth Grade experts had been killed here. The strength of this White Dragon Fish was far greater than that of its kind. According to the records, although the White Dragon Fish was one of the overlords of the waters, an experienced old fisherman, with complete gear, could possibly capture a White Dragon Fish. Thus, the strength demonstrated by this White Dragon Fish was simply not something an ordinary person could handle. Ninth Grade experts were instantly killed on contact. This kind of strength, if on land, even an ordinary Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm strongman would find hard to achieve. At the same time, Jiang Ning was secretly excited. Because the stronger the White Dragon Fish was, the more it represented a greatly nourishing spiritual fish. On the other side, Shi Xiaoyuan watched the White Dragon Fish with a grave look. Yet, there was a playful look in the fish¡¯s eyes. ¡°Truly extraordinary intelligence!¡± Shi Xiaoyuan thought, watching that gaze. ¡°If so, there¡¯s no other choice!¡± he thought to himself again. With things at this juncture, he also now only wanted to take a gamble and attempt to slay this extraordinary White Dragon Fish. Only in this way could he recoup some of the losses. Only then would these people¡¯s sacrifices be worth something. At this point, he was even more convinced that with such strength, there must be some extraordinary Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures nearby. Without the aid of such things, an ordinary White Dragon Fish could never grow to possess such strength. Scales hard as iron, a force that could burst with tens of thousands of taels of strength. If it weren¡¯t for such terrifying power, how could the pillars of the Green Snake Gang have suddenly fallen here? So as long as he took down this White Dragon Fish, he could get his hands on this greatly nourishing spiritual fish. And he could also find possibly some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures nearby. Moreover, then the warehouse full of iron ore would belong to him as well. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, then there¡¯s no need to hold back!¡± Shi Xiaoyuan made up his mind completely. The next moment, with the thought in his mind, Crack crack¡ª The sound of his bones and joints would be heard, his muscles writhing and contorting gruesomely. His stature also continued to increase, and in a blink, he reached over seven feet tall, turning into a muscle monster covered in lumps, completely unrecognizable as Shi Xiaoyuan. Chapter 165: 75: Superspeed Healing, God-given Effect. Chapter 165: Chapter 75: Superspeed Healing, God-given Effect. In the Luoshui River. ¡°This is¡­¡± Upon seeing Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s transformation, Jiang Ning was momentarily taken aback. For now, Shi Xiaoyuan had undergone a massive change in size. He stood over two meters and thirty centimeters tall, becoming a muscular monster whose muscles constantly throbbed. His arms, now as thick as water buckets. His skin was a purplish blue, and beneath it, the blue veins spread across his flesh like black tree roots, exuding an eerie sense of oppression. As if he were some kind of monster, some kind of demon, and not human at all. On the other side. Shi Xiaoyuan felt an overwhelming surge of strength coursing through his body, and he thought he had never been in such good form before, filling him with immense confidence. This transformation made him bare his teeth in a smile. His ghastly white teeth were strikingly visible in the dim waters of the river. The White Dragon Fish, witnessing this scene, also revealed a human-like expression, seemingly astonished. The next moment. Shi Xiaoyuan suddenly moved, his speed explosively increased compared to before. It was at least twice as fast. At this moment, the flowing water seemed to offer him little resistance; instead, it aided his movements. Caught off guard by the sudden change in speed, the White Dragon Fish was briefly stunned. By the time it regained its senses, Shi Xiaoyuan had closed the distance by nearly a zhang. Now, there was less than a zhang separating them. At this distance, even underwater, it was but the work of a moment for Shi Xiaoyuan. Given his arm span alone was already half a zhang. The knife in his hand was also longer, thicker, and heavier than ordinary knives. It was a full four chi and three cun in length. With such distance closing instantly, the White Dragon Fish¡¯s alarm heightened tremendously. Its tail flicked, and its form instantly turned into a streak of white, trying to widen the gap between itself and Shi Xiaoyuan. ¡°Too late!¡± Shi Xiaoyuan declared. At that moment, he slashed with his knife, and where the blade passed, the water parted abruptly to the sides. Creating a vacuum-like space deep in the water. The strike was as swift as lightning. The flash of the blade passed. Clang¡ª A sound like metal clashing rang out through the water. A flicker of sparks briefly illuminated the dark cabin. At the same time. Jiang Ning, outside the cabin, also felt the vibrations carried through the waves. ¡°Very strong!¡± thought Jiang Ning in awe. This strike had totally upended his previous assessment of Shi Xiaoyuan. The noise of Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s outburst made Jiang Ning think that even he, himself, could hardly do more. This level of strength was clearly not something one at the ordinary Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm could exhibit. If Tian Buyi had been able to unleash this kind of strength, he would have been able to defeat him with a single punch. It¡¯s impossible that he would have met such a suffocating end. But clearly, Shi Xiaoyuan was not normal at this moment. The sudden change in his physique and the strength he was now bursting with were obviously problematic in Jiang Ning¡¯s view. Taking strength into account, Tian Buyi, previously of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, was clearly stronger than Shi Xiaoyuan. After all, Tian Buyi had earned himself the nickname ¡°Mixed River Dragon.¡± How could Tian Buyi¡¯s strength be lacking if he could earn such a nickname? Let alone the fact that Tian Buyi was able to hold out so long under the pursuit of Medicine King Valley. And among Medicine King Valley¡¯s pursuers was a figure of elder level. That elder was a powerful being of the Martial Arts Seventh Grade. On the other side. The White Dragon Fish was struck by the blade and sent flying backward. Blood sprayed from its wound, blending into the water. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Such tough scales!¡± sneered Shi Xiaoyuan. Meanwhile, his actions didn¡¯t slow down. At this moment, the water in front of him was like solid ground to him. With a stomp, the water beneath his foot burst apart, and his figure rapidly closed the distance with the White Dragon Fish. The immense strength from those arms filled it with deep fear. Once fully caught by that strength, there would be no chance of struggle. Sss¡ª A forceful hiss burst forth from the White Dragon Fish¡¯s mouth. Immediately after, its slender, elongated body erupted with a burst of powerful force, as it tried to wrest free from Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s grip. All at once. Shi Xiaoyuan, holding the White Dragon Fish¡¯s tail, smashed it into the cabin. Boom¡ª The wooden planks splintered, and the struggling force in Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s hand weakened slightly. Then. He, holding the White Dragon Fish, charged out of the cabin at high speed, swinging the tail in his hand like a giant whip, furiously smashing it all around. How could the White Dragon Fish hope to outmatch Shi Xiaoyuan in terms of power right now? Boom¡ª Another loud bang. Shi Xiaoyuan, holding the White Dragon Fish, burst out from the submerged ship. At this moment, in front of Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s large frame, the White Dragon Fish¡¯s previously long body seemed not so long after all, resembling merely a thick, white whip. Chapter 166: 75: Accelerated Healing, Divine Effect._2 Chapter 166: Chapter 75: Accelerated Healing, Divine Effect._2 At that moment. Whine¡ª A whine of a dragon¡¯s roar abruptly resounded, and a streak of white blade light flashed into view within the dimly lit sunken ship. ¡°You¡­¡± Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s originally sneering face suddenly turned to shock. At that moment, his right leg stamped down fiercely, digging deep into the soft silt beneath him. His body, which had been moving forward, abruptly came to a halt, executing a dynamic to static transition. Then, with his right leg still deeply buried in the silt and exerting force, his leaning body also began to tilt backward. But Jiang Ning¡¯s knife was incredibly fast. Even underwater, despite the layers of water resistance, the horizontal slash was still extraordinarily swift, quick as a startled swan. This strike had long been held back by Jiang Ning, now unleashed, aiming to take Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s life in one blow. Should this strike land, Shi Xiaoyuan would be dead on the spot. The next moment. Sss¡ª The knife pierced flesh. Even though Shi Xiaoyuan was a powerhouse within the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, Source: , updated on ?0¦Í?0.?¦Ï his current bizarre state made his strength several notches above what it was before, and under these circumstances, his skin membrane was only tougher than ordinary copper skin. Yet, before this knife strike, it was as effortless as slicing through mashed beans. The blade easily tore open his chest. Dark red blood suddenly sprayed out from his chest, gradually staining the surrounding water. ¡°It¡¯s you¡­¡± Shi Xiaoyuan slowly began to speak, as if he couldn¡¯t quite believe the scene before his eyes. At this time, Jiang Ning also found it somewhat unbelievable. Because his strike, even with Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s desperate attempt to dodge, still managed to slice open nearly half of his chest. Such a wound on any normal person would be fatal in an instant. But not so for Shi Xiaoyuan at this moment. At the wound nearly cut across his chest by Jiang Ning, sprouts of flesh were continuously emerging. They intertwined and merged, healing his wound at a speed visible to the naked eye. At the same time, blood ceased to flow. Two breaths later. ¡°You can¡¯t believe it, can you!¡± Shi Xiaoyuan said with a twisted smile. Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning asked, ¡°What kind of monster are you?¡± Shi Xiaoyuan feigned a contemplative look, pausing for a brief moment before he slowly replied, ¡°This is a gift from the great God!¡± ¡°A divine gift?¡± Jiang Ning showed puzzlement. At this point, he also realized that Shi Xiaoyuan was intentionally stalling for time. Because even though Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s wound was healing rapidly, the gash that Jiang Ning had just inflicted was very deep. His chest was nearly cleaved in half by that one strike. Such an injury would be unquestionably fatal to a normal person. Even for a monstrous figure like Shi Xiaoyuan, it had to be a grievously serious wound. No matter the method, such a wound would not easily recover. Therefore, Shi Xiaoyuan was clearly trying to stall, biding his time to heal. But Jiang Ning, even though he was aware of this, chose to indulge him. Because he was confident enough that he could deal a heavy blow to Shi Xiaoyuan with another strike. So, even if his injury completely healed, Jiang Ning felt he could still accomplish the same and slay him there. The greatest source of his confidence, apart from his own strength, was due to their battle being underwater. Deep underwater at that. [Skill]: Swimming (Break Limit 1693/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing) After completing the Break Limit, his Swimming allowed him to move as freely underwater as he did on land, able to exert all his strength. But for those like Shi Xiaoyuan, managing to exert three to five tenths of their land strength in the water would be impressive. With such a disparity, Jiang Ning naturally had no fear. Moreover, he was genuinely curious about Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s current state, especially his ability to recover from injuries so quickly, which made Jiang Ning envious. To possess such a technique was an excellent means of safeguarding one¡¯s life. At that time, confronted with Jiang Ning¡¯s doubt, Shi Xiaoyuan, seeking to stall for time, spoke, ¡°Have you, young man, ever heard of the God Worship Sect?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve heard of it,¡± Jiang Ning said. Shi Xiaoyuan nodded slowly upon hearing this and continued, ¡°Since you¡¯ve heard of it, let me tell you more! The God Worship Sect worships the God of Blood and Flesh.¡± ¡°As long as you join the God Worship Sect and devoutly believe in the God of Blood and Flesh, you can receive blessings from the God.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± Shi Xiaoyuan paused again, looking at Jiang Ning. Then he slowly spoke up again, ¡°But to get the kind of blessing that I received, you need to sacrifice the God of Blood and Flesh¡¯s favorite offering. Offer up the sacrifice, and you can get the precious blessings of the God of Blood and Flesh.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning suddenly understood a bit more. The God Worship Sect had been very rampant lately in the outskirts of Luoshui County. It had many followers. Because he seldom went to the outskirts these days, he had little to do with the God Worship Sect. But he knew that the God Worship Sect worshipped what was known as an Evil God. And if it was indeed an Evil God, what good could their so-called divine gifts be? Not to mention that Shi Xiaoyuan looked like a complete monster at this moment. This further indicated that the divine gifts were nothing good. However, Jiang Ning still asked the question he wanted to know in his heart. Because at this moment, he had also thought of the reason his predecessor was attacked when he first came to this world and absorbed the predecessor¡¯s memories. The God Worship Sect. The Innate Spiritual Wisdom. And that last sentence his predecessor uttered before falling unconscious. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°We¡¯ve found another Innate Spiritual Wisdom, and by capturing this soul, we will definitely receive the Divine Envoy¡¯s blessing!¡± Jiang Ning thought, it was because of this factor that his predecessor was attacked for no reason. So now Jiang Ning asked, ¡°What is the offering?¡± Shi Xiaoyuan replied, ¡°I can tell you this secret about the sacrifice for the God of Blood and Flesh, but in exchange, you must let me go.¡± ¡°Speak!¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°The most precious offering is the soul of those with Innate Spiritual Wisdom,¡± Shi Xiaoyuan slowly stated. ¡°I see,¡± Jiang Ning nodded slowly. Hearing this, he knew Shi Xiaoyuan wasn¡¯t lying to him. Because what Shi Xiaoyuan had just said matched everything he had learned before. He was the one with Innate Spiritual Wisdom. His predecessor had been targeted by a member of the God Worship Sect for that reason too. Because the soul of someone with Innate Spiritual Wisdom was the most precious offering to present to the God of Blood and Flesh. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that it is because you offered the soul of someone with Innate Spiritual Wisdom that you now have these divine gifts?¡± Jiang Ning asked. ¡°Correct!¡± Shi Xiaoyuan nodded slowly, ¡°This method comes from the divine gift from the God of Blood and Flesh.¡± ¡°If you, boy, desire my kind of method, you can also join the God Worship Sect. Just offer the soul of someone with Innate Spiritual Wisdom, and you can receive the same blessing as I have.¡± Then, Shi Xiaoyuan added, ¡°I¡¯ve said all I¡¯m going to say. Can I go now?¡± Jiang Ning glanced at the White Dragon Fish that Shi Xiaoyuan was holding. At this moment, the White Dragon Fish seemed like a dead fish, motionless in his hand. He then smiled, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t keep your word,¡± Shi Xiaoyuan sneered. Then, with a covetous look in his eyes, he stared at Jiang Ning, his eyes blazing with greed. This was the first time he had experienced the healing powers after his transformation. The effect was so strong, it came as a pleasantly surprising shock. A wound that would¡¯ve been fatal to an ordinary person was nearly completely healed during the short conversation with Jiang Ning, with the external wounds fully closed and the internal ones healing rapidly. Such an against-nature effect made him all the more eager for the divine gifts of the God of Blood and Flesh. If one such divine gift could have such an effect, what about two? And where could the second offering be? It was right before his eyes. Thinking this, Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s mind was gradually consumed by this single thought. Soon, only this one and only thought remained in his mind. The next moment, Roar¡ª With a roar, he charged towards Jiang Ning, holding the White Dragon Fish. ¡°How dare he?¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself, somewhat astonished. He had nearly been killed by Jiang Ning¡¯s blade just moments ago, yet he was still charging straight at him. ¡°Could it be that his mind is a bit damaged?¡± Jiang Ning wondered to himself in astonishment. Chapter 167: 76: Water within Water, the Earth Treasure where the White Dragon Fish Transforms. Chapter 167: Chapter 76: Water within Water, the Earth Treasure where the White Dragon Fish Transforms. Underwater. Shi Xiaoyuan, holding the White Dragon Fish as if wielding a long whip, charged forward. Jiang Ning twisted his wrist and swung his sword. Five Layers of Power erupted suddenly. With this strike, the flowing water was briefly divided, as if he had slashed a vacuum underwater. Hiss¡ª In front of the extremely sharp long sword, the White Dragon Fish, which still had half a life left, was instantly split in two. The Sword Force continued, still heading toward Shi Xiaoyuan. Hiss¡ª The blade entered the flesh like slicing through soft tofu. Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s arm was severed with a sound. ¡°Roar¡ª¡± A deep roar like that of a wild beast suddenly emanated from his mouth. Dark red blood sprayed from his severed arm, further muddying the surrounding water. At that moment, Source: , updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï the intense pain from the severed arm also cleared Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s gaze. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong!¡± The first thought that came to him as he regained his senses was this. Recalling the state of mindlessness he had just experienced, Shi Xiaoyuan immediately thought of a possibility. Could there be something wrong with the divine gift? At the same time, Jiang Ning did not continue his attack. Instead, he observed, wondering whether the powerful healing effects brought about by Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s special state could allow his severed arm to regenerate. On the other side, Shi Xiaoyuan glanced at Jiang Ning and quickly withdrew. His heart was filled with fear. After witnessing the sharpness of the weapon in Jiang Ning¡¯s hand, he knew that in his current state, he stood no chance. A quick sword combined with a divine weapon that could slice through iron like mud was simply unbeatable. Especially since the sword he had left behind in the cabin was not with him now, leaving him empty-handed. Not to mention, the severe injuries and the loss of an arm had greatly diminished his strength. As Shi Xiaoyuan made his move, Jiang Ning also moved instantly. He knew where Shi Xiaoyuan was retreating to¡ªhe wanted to return to the cabin. For in the cabin, a fine sword was left behind during Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s battle with the White Dragon Fish. Given Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s strength and status, that sword was certainly a fine one. Perhaps it was a sword that could meet his spiritual weapon head-on. With Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s current special state, getting hold of the sword might lead to unexpected outcomes. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning wasted no more time. His body moved, swift as the wind. Even underwater, his speed was extremely fast. His excellent swimming ability made him seem like a fish entering the water. In a single breath, Jiang Ning was only half a zhang away from Shi Xiaoyuan. He swung his sword. Five Layers of Power erupted, instantly splitting the water in front of him into two, slashing a vacuum-like trace in the deep water. Hiss¡ª With this strike, Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s raised left arm was severed with a sound. Then another strike. In the dim lakebed, the sword light was bright, like slicing through the night sky, heading straight for Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s head. ¡°Sword Force¡ª¡± Shi Xiaoyuan, seeing the dazzling strike, revealed an utterly shocked expression in his eyes. In the next moment, His head flew off. His thick neck became like an open faucet, gushing out a large amount of dark red blood. Seeing this, Jiang Ning slowly sheathed his sword. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be this easy!¡± Looking at Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s body floating underwater, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but feel immensely moved. Just three strikes had killed a true heavyweight of Luoshui County. Thinking about it now made him feel somewhat surreal. Shi Xiaoyuan was, after all, the Gang Leader of the Green Snake Gang. And the Green Snake Gang, one of the three major gangs in Luoshui County, controlled the shipping. Luoshui County, with its extensive waterways along the Luoshui River, had developed shipping under the control of the Green Snake Gang, underscoring the gang¡¯s significant power. To be the Gang Leader of the Green Snake Gang, Shi Xiaoyuan was indeed a real heavyweight in the entire Luoshui County. Now, he had been slain by Jiang Ning in three easy strikes. ¡°The advantage of a sharp weapon at this stage is simply too great!¡± Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help feeling emotional. Talking about strength alone, from what Shi Xiaoyuan had shown in his current state. If it were a barehanded fight, Jiang Ning was not very confident either. Because from Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s recent performance alone, his strength was equivalent to three or four thousand pounds. Coupled with a terrifying recovery ability. In such a state, ordinary injuries had absolutely no effect on him. Non-fatal injuries could not break his defenses. But with a sharp spiritual weapon in hand, it was completely different. One slash, and Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s tough-as-iron body was cut through like soft tofu. ¡°He must have felt incredibly suffocated before he died!¡± Jiang Ning smiled, his mood greatly uplifted. Because with Shi Xiaoyuan dead and the White Dragon Fish dead, everything here belonged to himself. He had just clearly seen a warehouse of iron ore inside the sunken ship. In this era, iron ore was an extremely precious resource. Manufacturing weapons and armor couldn¡¯t do without iron ore. There would be no worries about selling such a resource. Moreover, having sliced the White Dragon Fish in half, that naturally belonged to him too. This kind of spirit fish was a great nourishment, enough to further his Martial Arts in a short time. Afterward, Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning grabbed the two halves of the White Dragon Fish and headed towards the cabin. On the other side, At a place not far from the sunken ship, Huang San watched the outline of the sunken ship below with a conflicted expression. The commotion from that direction had naturally caught his attention. Including the few exchanges between Shi Xiaoyuan and Jiang Ning, he had also caught bits and pieces. Chapter 168: 76: Water within Water, the Earth Treasure where the White Dragon Fish Transforms._2 Chapter 168: Chapter 76: Water within Water, the Earth Treasure where the White Dragon Fish Transforms._2 So at this moment, he knew that some kind of unexpected change must have occurred below. Apart from his own group, there were also other people inside the sunken ship below. ¡°Should I stay or should I go?¡± Huang San silently asked himself. He knew that if he wanted to leave, he could definitely get away. But he was not alone. His wife and daughters were all under the control of the Green Snake Gang. And his own strength was negligible in front of the powerful Green Snake Gang. Thinking of this, Huang San said to himself in his heart, ¡°No matter what happens, I cannot leave on my own!¡± ¡°If I were to leave, once Boss Shi finds out, not only would I suffer the consequences, but my wife and daughters would also get into trouble because of me.¡± After clearing his thoughts, Huang San immediately chose to stay put and continue to wait here. ¡­ Inside the cabin. Jiang Ning walked around the pile of iron ore like a mountain, and his heart was filled with delight. Even though he didn¡¯t know how much the iron ore was worth per pound. Source: , updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã0 He also knew that so much iron ore must be extremely valuable. After observing the iron ore, he went to the place where Shi Xiaoyuan and the White Dragon Fish had just battled. From the bottom of the cabin, he picked up the weapon that Shi Xiaoyuan had cast aside. ¡°So heavy!!¡± The moment he lifted the long saber, Jiang Ning felt the weight of the weapon in his hand, weighing a hefty two hundred tael. ¡°To use a two hundred tael heavy weapon, Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s strength is indeed extraordinary.¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Then he examined the long saber. The blade was extremely thick, and it wasn¡¯t the thin, wing-like type; it was sturdy as well. Particularly the length, which was a full four feet three inches. This length wasn¡¯t too suitable for normal use because it was a bit too long. While it¡¯s true that ¡°the longer, the stronger.¡± A blade that¡¯s too long can sometimes be cumbersome and not suitable for sword techniques. Therefore, it¡¯s clear that this saber was better suited for Shi Xiaoyuan after his monster transformation. The next moment. He drew his own long saber and struck a heavy blow to the hefty saber that had belonged to Shi Xiaoyuan. Clang¡ª Sparks flew, and the sound of metal striking metal entered his ears. The strong impact caused the surrounding lake water to scatter in all directions. The entire cabin, due to this vibration, also turned murky again. ¡°Indeed, a fine saber!¡± Looking at the previous long saber that had belonged to Shi Xiaoyuan in his hand, Jiang Ning inwardly praised. He was very clear about how sharp his spiritual weapon was. Ordinary weapons could be cut through with a single slash. Just like his previous Blackwood Long Saber, which was forged a hundred times and was cut into two by this spiritual weapon. And now, with an even stronger force, he only managed to cut a one-centimeter-deep notch on the weapon that belonged to Shi Xiaoyuan. Although this was already quite impressive, based on this situation, if Shi Xiaoyuan had retrieved his weapon, it would have been several times more troublesome. ¡°Good thing I didn¡¯t let him get back to the cabin to retrieve his weapon!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. After testing, his understanding of the sharpness of the spiritual weapon in his hand grew clearer. Then, he took the saber that had belonged to Shi Xiaoyuan and continued to explore the sunken ship. Because there was still one thing he hadn¡¯t found. That was the possibility of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. Normally, creatures like the White Dragon Fish were just slightly more powerful than ordinary humans. A regular person with proper equipment could certainly hope to catch a common White Dragon Fish. But this particular White Dragon Fish was too unusual. Even a good Martial Arts Nine Grade fighter was killed in a single encounter with this White Dragon Fish. Even a strong Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm fighter like Shi Xiaoyuan had to transform before subduing this White Dragon Fish. This strength was even more formidable than that of an ordinary Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. Too unusual, too abnormal. And also, due to its unique size, Jiang Ning concluded that there might still be some kind of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures in this area. Without the assistance of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, this White Dragon Fish couldn¡¯t possibly have such formidable power. Merely the passing of years wasn¡¯t enough to support its growth to this stage. After searching the sunken ship, Jiang Ning then proceeded to search around the perimeter of it. ¡­ Time slowly passed. Huang San, who was originally waiting at the bottom, had now resurfaced. Because he had completely used up the fresh air in the fish bladder he carried with him. As for the sunken ship below, the noise had long since disappeared, and not a single person from Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s group had emerged. Under these circumstances, Huang San could only choose to come up from the bottom to the surface. But at the moment, he dared not leave, nor did he dare to board the ship and let the people above know he had come back. Because Shi Xiaoyuan hadn¡¯t come back with him, he knew if he appeared alone in front of those people. He was inevitably going to suffer some hardships. The people of the Green Snake Gang would not treat him with kindness and gentleness. As for leaving, he also did not dare to leave for the time being. Firstly, because Shi Xiaoyuan and others¡¯ fates were unknown, if they were still alive and knew he had left, even if he could escape for the moment, he would not be able to escape the consequences thereafter. Not to mention he had family. Secondly, in the vast Luoshui River, with no place to land, even with his swimming ability, he would inevitably die of exhaustion in the vast waters. Not to mention that his arm was still injured, and the long immersion in water had already caused him unbearable pain. But at this moment, he could only choose to continue waiting secretly under the big ship, waiting for an opportunity. ¡­ On the other side. In an underwater cave. ¡°Could this be the source of the White Dragon Fish¡¯s transformation?¡± Jiang Ning looked at the pool of water beneath the rock wall ahead and couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes. The presence of a pool of water the size of a small bowl at the bottom of the water astonished him. Water within water. He had never seen such a thing before. Soon after. He approached the pool and slowly squatted down. From a closer observation, the pool appeared even clearer. Silver-white specks of light floated in the water, providing him with some visibility. At this moment, in front of this pool, Jiang Ning felt as if he wasn¡¯t underwater, but on land. ¡°Such a mysterious thing, this must be the source of the White Dragon Fish¡¯s transformation.¡± With that thought. Jiang Ning put the spiritual weapon he was holding aside and then lightly touched the pool with his fingertip. The moment his skin made contact, he immediately felt a coldness penetrate through his skin into his body. Beyond that, he felt nothing else. After a short time. Jiang Ning nodded slightly. ¡°There should be no problem!¡± he murmured to himself. He then attempted to extract a small droplet of water from the pool. He was unfamiliar with this kind of water filled with strange phenomena. Nor did he know its functions. But his intuition told him that this must be the source of the White Dragon Fish¡¯s transformation. However, for safety reasons, he did not dare to be careless. So he chose to take a small droplet from it to taste. Afterward. Through his attempt, he easily separated a small droplet. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The droplet fell into his palm like a tiny pearl. Although it was also water, it was clearly different from ordinary water. Even underwater, it did not disperse but remained cohesive like mercury. ¡°Let¡¯s try its effect!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Then he brought the pearl-like, cohesive droplet to his mouth. Just this mouthful of lake water. Gulp¡ª He swallowed it, and the water droplet went down his throat into his belly. As the droplet entered his stomach. A chill instantly rose in his belly, as if he were in the depths of an ice cellar. The coldness evaporated inside his body. [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] Seeing the prompt that rapidly appeared before him, Jiang Ning was astonished. ¡°Is this¡­ the effect of that water droplet?¡± He saw the prompt that obviously changed frequency before him and couldn¡¯t help but think of this. Afterwards. He continued to observe. [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [¡­] In a short time, prompts regarding the growth of swimming experience value consecutively appeared before him. This frequency was countless times faster than before. At this moment, he had some realization in his heart. The surge in swimming experience value must come from the droplet he had swallowed. Moments later. The frequency of the prompts in front of his eyes returned to normal. [Skill]: Swimming (Break Limit once 1855/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing) Chapter 169: 77: Consecutive Break Limits, Divine Skills Traits Chapter 169: Chapter 77: Consecutive Break Limits, Divine Skills Traits In the underwater cave. [Skill]: Swimming (First Break Limit 1855/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing) ¡°In the span of several dozen breaths, I¡¯ve gained over a hundred Experience Value!¡± ¡°It really is a good thing!¡± Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. The effect that a drop of water the size of a rice grain brought to him proved that it was indeed something valuable. Moreover, apart from the growth in his Swimming Experience Value, he could also feel some changes in his body. Only because the changes were so minor, he couldn¡¯t determine exactly what they were. Afterward. A little while later, after Jiang Ning was certain that his body hadn¡¯t shown any adverse reactions, he finally let down his guard completely. Beneficial and harmless, it truly was a good thing. After fully reassuring himself, Jiang Ning placed his hand into the pool of water. As his hand entered the silvery-white glowing pool, he immediately felt an even stronger chill than if he had placed it into a mix of ice and water. But such a chill had little effect on him at this point. The next moment. He scooped up a small amount of bone-chilling water from the pool. This special water was clearly different from ordinary lake water, its density was also greater. Straightaway. He brought it to his mouth, inhaling the lake water. Gulp¡ª As this special water entered his stomach, he immediately felt a burst of chilliness erupt within him. His body felt as though it was placed inside an ice cellar, his body temperature plummeting rapidly. At the same time, prompts swiftly flashed before his eyes. [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [¡­] The frequency of these prompts was even faster than before. A moment later. [Skill]: Swimming+ (First Break Limit 2000/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing) The Experience Value for this skill had entirely filled up, but the prompts did not cease. [Swimming Experience Value +1] [¡­] At this point, Jiang Ning wasn¡¯t in a hurry. Even though the Experience Value was full, the overflow wouldn¡¯t be wasted. And with a significant chill within him, he needed to circulate his Qi-Blood to warm up his body. In the blink of an eye. The chill within his body slowly dissipated, signifying that his body had completely absorbed this special Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure. ¡°Phew¡ª¡± Jiang Ning then finally let out a long breath, slowly exhaling a puff of air tinged with a chill. Glu-glu-glu¡ª A string of bubbles emerged from around his mouth, swiftly rising towards the surface above. ¡°Good thing I didn¡¯t act rashly just now, the amount ingested was limited. Otherwise, this chill wouldn¡¯t be so easy to dispel,¡± he thought to himself. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then, he continued to circulate his Qi-Blood, allowing the Qi-Blood to flow through his limbs and bones, completely dispersing the remnants of the chill within him and thoroughly warming his body. It wasn¡¯t until this moment that Jiang Ning slowly closed his eyes. His consciousness sank into his body, quietly sensing the changes. A moment later. He opened his eyes, instantly understanding the function of this special water. After being absorbed by his body, on one hand, this special water increased his affinity for water, and on the other, it improved his foundation, fundamentally enhancing his Talent. ¡°This must be the source of the White Dragon Fish¡¯s transformation,¡± Jiang Ning inwardly uttered. The effect it had on him, if applied to a spiritual being like the White Dragon Fish, would allow for an evolutionary leap in its life stage. The next moment. He turned his gaze back to his status panel. [Skill]: Swimming+ (First Break Limit 2000/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing) There was now a plus sign after the Swimming skill, indicating that it had met the requirements for Break Limit. [Source Energy]: 96.7 He glanced at his Source Energy Points. Jiang Ning¡¯s thoughts then acted upon that plus sign next to the Swimming skill. In that instant. Source Energy Points rapidly decreased, dropping by 20 points in a flash. [Source Energy]: 76.7 The Swimming section also immediately underwent a change. [Skill]: Swimming (Second Limit Breaking 899/3000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique) [Water Manipulation Technique]: A Divine Skill, inherently possessing the faint ability to manipulate water¡¯s Source Energy. ¡°Divine Skills?¡± ¡°The ability to manipulate water¡¯s Source Energy?¡± Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes, his face revealing an incredulous expression. This newly appeared trait completely exceeded his expectations. At this moment. He suddenly felt the difference. He could distinctly sense that he could control the flow of the surrounding water with his will. The next moment. With just a thought. The originally calm and undisturbed water around him suddenly formed a whirlpool right in place. As the whirlpool formed, sand and pebbles on the cave floor were immediately swirled up by the water¡¯s motion. Under his mental command, the water whirlpool darted left and right, changing according to his wishes. ¡°Indeed, I can now effortlessly manipulate the flow of water!¡± ¡°And the effect is quite good!¡± Jiang Ning watched as a rock, weighing several dozen pounds, was lifted by the current he manipulated, and estimated the effect of this new trait. Although described as faint control, this characterization wasn¡¯t measured against his current power, but rather against Divine Skills. According to the mythological records of his previous world, every Divine Skill possessed formidable effects. Some Divine Skills even had earth-shattering powers, capable of reversing seas and mountains, or changing heaven and earth themselves. So this ability to control water flows, indeed seemed like faint control compared to those Divine Skills. But for Jiang Ning at present, it was already quite powerful. An influence strong enough to lift objects weighing several dozen pounds¡ªif used to direct water to enter the human body through ears or nostrils, what kind of effect would that have? Chapter 170: 77 Consecutive Break Limits, Divine Skills Trait_2 Chapter 170: Chapter 77 Consecutive Break Limits, Divine Skills Trait_2 Just thinking about this method of movement made Jiang Ning feel that this divine skill was incredibly useful. Especially underwater, it proved to be exceptionally beneficial. Being able to manipulate water meant he could put it to use. In such a scenario, his speed underwater would inevitably surge. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning was filled with anticipation. He had just absorbed a part of these unknown heavenly materials and earthly treasures, which had brought him a significant amount of Swimming Experience Value. There was still much left. After absorbing the rest of these unknown heavenly materials and earthly treasures, his Swimming Experience Value would definitely increase by a few thousand points. ¡°Perhaps today I can even ¡®Break Limit¡¯ one or two times in my Swimming skill!¡± Jiang Ning felt a surge of excitement in his heart. The Second Limit Breaking in Swimming had already brought him unexpected surprises. This made him look forward even more to further limit breaking in the Swimming skill. He then released his control over the surrounding water flow. The whirlpool he had manipulated quickly dissipated. The rock weighing several tens of pounds, which had been lifted, also fell back to the ground. At this moment, he also felt some changes in his own state. Upon stopping the manipulation of water, he immediately felt a slight fatigue and his head was also slightly dizzy. ¡°It seems that operating this divine skill consumes both physical strength and my spiritual power.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I feel tired and dizzy right now.¡± After feeling the changes in his body, Jiang Ning quietly thought to himself. Next, he continued to absorb the slightly silver particles of water from the puddle. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [¡­] As his body absorbed these special waters, his experience value in the Swimming skill skyrocketed rapidly. In the blink of an eye. [Skill]:Swimming +(Second Limit Breaking 3000/3000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique) His experience value was full again. Jiang Ning did not hesitate at all, and decisively clicked on the plus sign next to the Swimming skill. In an instant. Source Energy Points rapidly decreased. After the change. [Source Energy]:26.7 ¡°Breaking limit three times really does consume fifty Source Energy Points!¡± Jiang Ning silently thought to himself after seeing the changes on the panel. He then looked at another section on the panel. [Skill]: Swimming (Third Limit Breaking 23/4000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity) [Water Spirit Affinity]: Naturally has an extraordinary affinity with water, sensory abilities are enhanced in water, recovery rate is doubled. At this moment. Jiang Ning once again felt changes in his body. Just now, because of operating the manipulation of water sources, he felt a bit weary, and his brain had also become somewhat languid, getting increasingly drowsy. However, now that he was soaking in the water, he felt his physical strength rapidly recovering. Not only that, but his brain also escaped the drowsy state, becoming more alert. ¡°So this is the effect of doubled recovery speed!¡± Jiang Ning was enlightened. At this moment, he also noticed further changes. Just now, this underwater cavern was extremely dark because of its location. If it wasn¡¯t for some rocks and plants similar to aquatic grass emitting a faint light, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to see the underwater cavern at all. And even so, his vision was extremely poor before. He could barely make out the contours of his surroundings. But now, it was completely different. He found his vision had greatly improved. Even though the visibility was still dim, he could see distances up to about five meters away. This was worlds apart compared to before. ¡°Is this the effect of enhanced senses?¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself and then closed his eyes, quietly sensing the changes in his body. Soon, he felt his condition reach a peak. Full of energy, vigorous, feeling as if he had boundless strength. ¡°What a powerful effect!!¡± Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes, his eyes filled with astonishment. Only after personally experiencing the effects of soaking in water did he understand how impressive this enhanced recovery state was. With such a recovery rate, his physical strength and spiritual power in the water seemed nearly endless. ¡°So powerful!¡± he praised again in his heart. The next moment. He seemed to think of something, then picked up his spiritual weapon from the ground and unsheathed his blade. Subsequently. He gripped the long saber, lightly grazing its edge against his arm. Even with his current level of Skin Training, in front of the sharp edge of the spiritual weapon in his hand, there was no difference. In an instant, a clear wound appeared before his eyes. Bright red blood emerged from the wound. Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but show a look of surprise in his eyes. Under his gaze, he could clearly see the blade injury on his arm, thin as a cicada¡¯s wing, healing rapidly. The speed of healing was discernible to the naked eye. Although it wasn¡¯t as abnormal as Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s, who could quickly recover even when nearly chopped in half. But this speed, from Jiang Ning¡¯s perspective, was extremely fast. A wound of about five to six centimeters completely healed in less than ten breaths. If not for the faint bloodstains proving he had just been wounded by the blade, Jiang Ning might even think he had seen a hallucination. Afterward, he raised his hand to wipe off the remaining bloodstains on his arm, and the skin became smooth as new, showing no signs of any wound. Without the proof of bloodstains, the wound just now seemed like some kind of illusion. ¡°Amazing!¡± Jiang Ning exclaimed in his heart again. Through this test, he genuinely understood the power of this trait. Once in water, he would not fatigue, and both his energy and physical strength would recover at a very fast pace. And any injury would heal at a similarly exaggerated speed. Under such conditions, in water, was when he was at his strongest state. The next moment, Jiang Ning focused his gaze on a puddle in front of him. After his recent refining, many of the unknown Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures in the puddle had been consumed, but many still remained. ¡°These could still increase the Experience Value of my Swimming skill by a few thousand points,¡± Jiang Ning murmured in his heart. Then he continued refining the water. [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [¡­] As he refined the water, the Experience Value of his Swimming Skill continued to surge. Not long after, [Skill]: Swimming (Three Times Break Limit 4000/4000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity) His Experience Value was full again. Looking at the changes in the panel, Jiang Ning felt extremely content. [Source Energy]: 26.7 Although he didn¡¯t have enough Source Energy Points to complete the Fourth Limit Breaking for his Swimming skill, After all, Fourth Limit Breaking required one hundred Source Energy Points. And he currently only had twenty-six-point seven Source Energy Points. But the gap to one hundred points seemed smaller in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. After today, his Source Energy Points would undoubtedly surge. This water had provided him with a massive increase in the Experience Value for his Swimming skill, and thus the provided Source Energy Points were inevitably substantial. Afterwards, Jiang Ning continued refining the remaining water. [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [¡­] The Experience Value for his Swimming skill continued to rise. A moment later, there was not a single silver droplet left in that little puddle; all the water had entered his belly. [name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 26.7 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1494/3000) (Traits: unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (First Limit Breaking 235/2000) (Traits: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Fourth Limit Breaking 5000/5000) (Traits: touch and understand, Blade as Swift as Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 1513/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 48/1000) Vajra Immortal Body (small success 1/5000) Swimming (Three Times Break Limit 4000/4000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity) ¡°Refreshing!¡± Jiang Ning, looking at his panel, felt completely satisfied. This time¡¯s gains had completely exceeded his expectations. Not only was a substantial fortune imminent, but also big catch like the White Dragon Fish. This transformed White Dragon Fish could bring significant assistance to the growth of his Martial Arts. The most crucial gain was the change in the panel. In just two hours, his Swimming skill had completed two Break Limits, and had also brought forth two new traits. Whether it was the Divine Skills of Water Manipulation Technique or the effects brought by the Water Spirit Affinity trait, Jiang Ning felt his journey had not been in vain. Moreover, the Experience Value for his Swimming skill had already met the requirements for the Fourth Limit Breaking. He only needed to wait for his Source Energy Points to accumulate to a hundred, and then he could let his Swimming skill undergo the Fourth Limit Breaking. Chapter 171: 78: The true treasures, bloodbath on the building ship! Chapter 171: Chapter 78: The true treasures, bloodbath on the building ship! Underwater in the cave. ¡°That is¡­¡± Just as Jiang Ning stood up, intending to leave, his gaze suddenly sharpened. Because in the small pool ahead, he saw specks of silver brilliance. He then gestured with his hand. Whir whir whir¡ª The fragments of rock in the pool were instantly affected by a formless power, speeding away in all directions. Immediately. A blackish, pigeon egg-sized stone flew from the bottom of the pool into his hand. As the stone made contact with his hand, he felt an ice-cold sensation penetrating into his bones, the chills seeping deep into his marrow. This sensation instantly gave Jiang Ning a sense of familiarity. It was exactly like the water in that pool just now. With this thought in mind, Jiang Ning turned over the blackish stone in his hand. Upon a closer look, he saw that within the blackish stone, there were occasional flashes of silver stars. This was also the reason he had just noticed this blackish stone at the bottom of the pool. As he watched the silver starlight flit within the stone, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but think of the special water he had just refined. The water from the pool contained silver brilliance, and even in the water it remained cohesive and unspeakably cold. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes widened slightly. He considered the possibility that the source of the special water he had just ¡°swallowed¡± might be due to something. Such Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures would certainly have an origin, a reason for their existence. It was impossible for them just to condense here out of nowhere. His gaze became sharp as a blade as he looked at the blackish stone in his hand. ¡°Is it because of it?¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Considering the similarities revealed thus far, the special water he had absorbed might indeed be due to this small black stone that felt chilling to the bone in his hand. A black stone that occasionally flashed with silver brilliance. Because both the special form of water just now and the black stone contained the same fleeting silver brilliance. And moreover, the chill they emitted was so similar. Yet, compared to the special form of water earlier, the stone¡¯s chill felt even more intense. In terms of temperature, the stone was so cold that even the iciest of ice could not compare. Normally, such a temperature would gradually solidify the surrounding lake water, turning it into ice crystals. But Jiang Ning discovered, Only when his body came in contact with the black stone could he feel the chill emitted from the stone. As soon as his palm left it, he could no longer feel the chill emanating from the black stone. After exploring back and forth, Jiang Ning felt more certain of this fact. The true treasure of this place might be this seemingly unremarkable black stone in his hand, rather than the special state of the water he had encountered. With this in mind, he carefully stored the black stone. Then he thoroughly searched the area around him, and finding nothing more, he set off toward the direction of the wrecked ship. Because in the shipwreck, aside from that warehouse full of iron ore, there were also two sections of the White Dragon Fish¡¯s body and Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s knife. Even if a notch had been cut in that knife, To be Shi Xiaoyuan¡¯s knife, both the material used and the forging technique made it extremely valuable. How could Jiang Ning waste such a fine blade? ¡­ On the surface of the lake. Splash¡ª Splash¡ª Splash¡ª Three more sounds of entry into the water. At the same time. Conversations were heard on the deck. ¡°How¡¯s it going, any sign of the Gang Leader and the others?¡± ¡°Back to the protector, no discovery!¡± ¡°¡­¡± On the other side. In a corner at the bottom of the building ship. Huang San¡¯s face had turned deathly pale by now, his lips had become a purple-black color. With an arm wound that had clearly broken, having been soaked in water continuously for more than two hours had made him feel extremely weak. He also sensed that he couldn¡¯t hold on for much longer and might pass out here at any moment. But even so, he dared not make any noise. Time passed, and none of Shi Xiaoyuan or the others had returned. Under such circumstances, how could he dare to emerge? If those above from the Green Snake Gang found out¡ª Having gone down with Boss Shi and the others, yet being the only one returning, what could he possibly explain? That would only expose him to an even more painful death at the hands of the Green Snake Gang, and his family might be implicated as well. Thinking of this, Huang San¡¯s resolve grew even firmer. Then, ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He suddenly heard several loud shouts from above while underneath the building ship. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The next moment. Ah¡ª Terrifying screams erupted from above on the building ship. For a while, the area above was filled with chaos, various sounds muddling into his ears. ¡°A demon, it¡¯s a demon!!¡± some voice shouted in utter panic. ¡°Spare me! I have elders above, children below¡­¡± someone begged desperately in their fear. ¡°Kill! Die, all of you!!¡± someone else yelled fiercely. ¡°¡­¡± But among these voices, Huang San heard mostly the anguished cries of those facing death. Suddenly. Splash¡ª The sound of something falling into the water echoed; a figure had fallen into the water a yard in front of him, the splashing waves hitting his face and snapping him back to attention. The next moment. The figure that had fallen into the water bobbed back to the surface buoyed by the water. ¡°Dead?¡± Huang San watched the motionless figure a yard away, his heart still in turmoil. After a few breaths, his frantic heart calmed down. He hesitated for a moment and then swam toward the body. Reaching the side of the figure, he already knew this person was certainly a corpse. Chapter 172 78 The True Treasure, Bloodbath of the Towering Ship!_2 Because at this moment the figure was facing up with its back, face down, and with the rise and fall of the body, the crimson blood had already dyed the surrounding lake water red. When Huang San flipped over the corpse, the scene he saw further confirmed his earlier judgment. This person was dead beyond any doubt, with blood continuing to flow out from the seven orifices, and the eyes were extremely bulging, protruding like those of a cow. Just as Huang San was observing the corpse in front, the screams from above were still incessant. From time to time, there was the sound of bodies falling into the lake. "Who is this ruthless person slaughtering the people of the Green Snake Gang above?" Huang San mumbled to himself. Then he suddenly remembered the several sentences of conversation he had overheard outside the sunken ship at the bottom of the lake. "Could it be that person?" Thinking this, Huang San couldn''t help but look up in the direction overhead. He now understood that Shi Xiaoyuan had not returned to this day, and their entire party must have been buried at the bottom of the lake. If they weren''t all buried at the lake''s bottom, how could they have not returned by now? Moreover, the commotion at that time was still vivid in his mind. "I wonder who that person is?" "He''s so formidable!" "Not only did he kill Shi Xiaoyuan, but now he''s taking on the Green Snake Gang''s boat single-handedly." "After today, the Green Snake Gang will exist in name only, and the county town is probably going to see a change of power!" Thinking of this, a trace of joy couldn''t help but show on Huang San''s face. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Once something happened to the Green Snake Gang, then he too would be able to return to freedom and get out of the gang''s grasp. "Who in the world is the person above?" Huang San was filled with curiosity. Shi Xiaoyuan, the Gang Leader of the Green Snake Gang, was a major figure in Luoshui County. He had dominated the county for more than a dozen years, and there were few in the entire Luoshui County who did not fear him. He had weathered many storms over the years. Yet today, he had encountered his demise in the Luoshui River, and the massive boat that accompanied him was now caught in the midst of a massacre. Under these circumstances, Huang San''s heart was naturally filled with curiosity. He was very eager to know who could commit such an earth-shattering act. ... At this moment, the last glow of the setting sun was fading, and the lake surface was covered with sparkling golden light. Huang San looked up at the sky, facing the direction of the sun, and he couldn''t help but squint his eyes. From his angle, he could only see the last gleams of the sunset dyeing the sky. Apart from that, he could only see a corner of the boat. As for the slaughter on board the boat, he could only hear it but not see it. A moment later. The commotion above the boat gradually diminished. "Is it over already?" Huang San was full of surprise. He had been imprisoned by the Green Snake Gang and brought here on this boat belonging to the gang. Thus, he was very clear that there were nearly a hundred people on board the boat. From when the commotion started to now, when the noise was getting smaller, only about half a moment had passed. "Even if it were a hundred pigs, they couldn''t be killed this quickly, right?" Huang San was even more astonished. Having lived in Luoshui County for many years, he naturally knew why the Green Snake Gang could become one of the top three gangs in the county. It was not only because of the influence of their Gang Leader Shi Xiaoyuan''s martial strength, but also because the majority of the gang members were skilled in martial arts, including a number of Martial Arts Nine Grade experts. Among the crew aboard the boat above his head, there were several Martial Arts Nine Grade experts who had accompanied Shi Xiaoyuan. Yet now, with such a crew aboard this boat, there was no more noise in less than half a moment. Just then. Huang San couldn''t help but widen his eyes. Because in his line of sight, two people appeared. ... Above the boat. The man with a sharp monkey-like face looked at Jiang Ning with a trembling gaze full of fear. At this moment, in his eyes, Jiang Ning seemed like a ghost or a demon. The techniques he used were even more bizarre and uncanny. "Please spare my life!" his face turned ashen, and he spoke with difficulty to Jiang Ning. As he spoke, his face gradually turned from pale to purple, and the expression on his face became one of extreme pain. "Please spare my life!" he again spoke with difficulty, begging for mercy. But the water wrapping around his neck tightened even more. The water acted like a python, tightly coiling around him, increasingly giving him a sense of suffocation. It was not just that he could no longer breathe through his neck, his chest was also tightly bound by the water, being compressed continuously. In this state, the oxygen in his lungs was completely expelled, and his internal organs began to shift out of place. Creak¡ª Creak¡ª As Jiang Ning continued to exert force, the python-like water tightened even further, causing the limbs and bones of the man with a sharp monkey-like face floating before Jiang Ning to twist and deform. Under the immense pressure, his eyes became even more bulging. Crack¡ª With a crashing sound, the sharp-faced, monkey-cheeked man in front of Jiang Ning instantly lost all breath. Thump¡ª The water dispersed. His already twisted and deformed corpse fell from the air onto the deck of the building ship. It was clear he had completely stopped breathing. Then, Jiang Ning waved his hand again. Several streams of water floating gently before him moved like living serpents, rushing towards the other end of the deck at high speed. The next moment, several streams of water reached another person. The water instantly entered his body through his ears and nose. Ah¡ª With a painful scream from the man, he died instantly, void of life. Jiang Ning then beckoned once more. Several more streams of water rose from the lake beneath his feet, and under his control, they moved like several serpents, thoroughly cleaning the battlefield and exterminating all the members of the Green Snake Gang on the entire building ship. For such actions, Jiang Ning had no psychological burden. Firstly, this method of killing wasn''t visually impactful. Unlike the violent entry of swords and spears, which would leave torn bodies and severed limbs scattered, with blood flowing like rivers. Secondly, in Jiang Ning''s eyes, among the hundred people of the Green Snake Gang he had killed, at least more than ninety of them deserved death, and at most, he would have wrongfully killed two or three. In his view, that was enough! He wasn''t a Judge, he didn''t need to be fair and just, he only needed to be true to his conscience. Afterward, another two or three hidden survivors also perished under his Water Control Divine Ability. Once the water, under his manipulation, entered through their nostrils and ears into their bodies, they would die within a breath or two. Because once the water entered the body, the internal organs would be instantly shredded to pieces. How could one not die with their organs turned to mush? "This method is quite effective!" Jiang Ning nodded slightly. Compared to this, killing that Ninth Grade Martial Artist with the monkey cheeks earlier was incredibly inefficient. Using water to shape into a python that constricted its prey to death was time-consuming, exhaustive, and low efficiency. Unlike now, with water entering the body, they would die within two or three breaths. ... On the other hand, Huang San watched Jiang Ning with a horrified expression from beneath the building ship, the scene of Jiang Ning killing the sharp-faced, monkey-cheeked man had caught his eye, clear and unmistakable. "Is this sorcery or an Immortal Technique?" Huang San wondered in his heart. These methods, he had only heard of in some storybooks and biographies. Some recounted that in Ancient Times, there were mythical birds that, with a flap of their wings, would scorch the earth for a hundred miles. There were also Divine Beings whose anger could cause mountains to crumble and rivers to change course. But in reality, he had never seen such methods. "Could he be one of the legendary immortals?" Huang San mused, looking up at Jiang Ning through the water, muttering to himself. At that time, on the building ship, everything had already settled down. Nearly a hundred people had died before Jiang Ning''s Water Control Divine Ability. "Truly worthy of being called Divine Skills, indeed powerful!" After this experiment, Jiang Ning could not help but praise repeatedly in his heart. Without this Divine Ability, it wouldn''t have been so simple to kill this nearly one hundred people with just his own strength. He would have had to exert considerable effort. Unlike now, everything was resolved with a mere wave of his hands. He checked once more to ensure there were no living beings left on the building ship. Within a hundred meters around, there was only one survivor in the lake. As for that person, Jiang Ning casually glanced and knew right away that he was the one coerced by the Green Snake Gang to lead the way to the sunken ship. For such an innocent and unlucky individual, Jiang Ning naturally had no thought of killing to silence him. Some time passed. Jiang Ning had ransacked the entire building ship. Instantly, he gathered a great amount of broken silver and silver notes. He was too lazy to count it all at the moment and simply stuffed all the gathered tael and silver notes into a cloth pouch. With so many items and such a significant haul, his hands alone couldn''t carry it all. Thus, he untied a small boat from the side of the building ship, placing all of his gains onto the light vessel. After everything was properly arranged, he sat down in the small boat himself. Then, with a thought activating his Water Control Divine Ability, the water beneath the light boat immediately began to stir. The direction of the flow changed, carrying the light boat at high speed toward his residence. Chapter 173 79: A Visit to Medicine King Valley Above the Luoshui River. Huang San watched Jiang Ning''s back disappearing into the distance, and only then did he carefully climb aboard the multi-storied boat. "Thank you, my lord!" He knelt down towards the lake''s horizon, where Jiang Ning''s silhouette merged with the sky, then slowly rose to his feet. Afterwards, he glanced at the twisted figure of the man lying next to his feet. "Bad luck!" He spat on the corpse and kicked it fiercely. Although the corpse was twisted beyond recognition, how could he not know who it was. That pinch-faced simian look, he could never forget in his lifetime. He had been caught and brought here all because of this person. Then, he searched the boat for medicine for himself. His wounds had been soaked in water for too long, and if he didn''t treat them timely, his life would be at risk. As he searched around, wherever his eyes landed, there were corpses strewn all over. A quick check revealed that the deaths of these bodies were peculiarly strange. None had wounds; all had died bleeding from their seven orifices. "Is that man a demon or a deity?" Huang San thought of Jiang Ning''s face that he had just seen. Although Jiang Ning had been backlit by the setting sun, and the light was dim, preventing a clear view. But one thing he could make out was that Jiang Ning was very young. The youthfulness of his features couldn''t be concealed. So young, yet he had done such a heaven-shocking deed and possessed such eerie methods. A moment later. After Huang San had applied medicine on his wound and rewrapped it, he also untied a small boat and headed toward the shore. ... On Rough Stone Beach. Seeing the boat filled with the spoils, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but smile. He had not expected that today''s simple sortie would accidentally result in such a generous bounty. A fish on the verge of turning into a demon. A pouch full of Silver Taels and silver notes. A saber that originally belonged to Shi Xiaoyuan, a Martial Arts Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm master. And the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that he had already completely refined. Each of the items was of no small value. Not to mention, there was a whole stockpile of iron ore in the sunken ship. Selling this stockpile of iron ore would bring in another significant fortune. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning took out the black lump of Black stone from his person. "If it really is as I suspect, this will be the greatest gain of my journey." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning looked at the Black stone in his hand, his heart brimming with anticipation. Because if it was as he predicted. His physique would continuously improve, and the ''Swimming'' skill''s Experience Value would also have a new avenue of growth. As this skill kept breaking limits, Jiang Ning had overturned his previous view. It is not that a common skill had no potential. The changes brought about by the ''Swimming'' skill after breaking limits were simply exaggerated. Whether it was the Water Control Divine Ability or the all-encompassing enhancement to his state when entering water, both traits had extremely powerful effects. Even compared to the traits gained from breaking limits with the Five Animals Fist, it was not inferior. Afterwards. Jiang Ning decided that he would test whether the Black stone was effective. Having made his decision, he placed the Black stone against his body, over his clothes, then carried his gains in both hands and headed towards his home. ... Elsewhere. "Senior, please wait here for a moment, my younger brother went out early this morning; he should be back soon considering the time." "Not a problem, I''m not busy with anything, I can wait for him!" Liu Qingsong spoke calmly. Then, after a short conversation between the two, Jiang Li, at Liu Qingsong''s gesture, left the hall. "Elder, even though Jiang Li is just an ordinary constable, he''s managed to live in such a large house. He surely has a good brother." After Jiang Li had left, a person beside Liu Qingsong slowly spoke up. Hearing this, Liu Qingsong slightly nodded: "Indeed, he has a good brother. Jiang Ning, that kid, reached Martial Arts Ninth Grade in just a few months; his talent is strong. Even within the valley, he could become an Inner Sect Disciple." "Does Elder have any ideas about recruiting him into the valley?" another man inquired. Liu Qingsong shook his head slightly: "This man is now the Direct Disciple of Wang Jin, and in a few days, he should join the Inspection Office! Either of these statuses means he cannot become a disciple of our Medicine King Valley, so there''s no point." "True!" the other man nodded with a smile: "The Elder sees clearly!" Then, he asked another question: "Elder, do you think, could Jiang Ning have anything to do with Tian Buyi''s death?" Liu Qingsong slowly shook his head: "Although there were traces of him on the desolate island, he shouldn''t have much to do with Tian Buyi''s death! After all, Tian Buyi was a high-level master of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. Even if you two teamed up, you might not surely defeat him." "Let alone such a small Ninth Grade Martial Artist." "Even if Tian Buyi was hurt by my palm, he wasn''t so weak that a little Ninth Grade Martial Artist could provoke him." "Today''s visit is mainly to ask him if he has seen Tian Buyi or some people." "Tian Buyi died on the desolate island; it must have been the doing of a truly strong person." "By now, the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill must be in the hands of the one who killed Tian Buyi." ... Elsewhere. "Big Brother, what are you doing here?" Jiang Ning asked Jiang Li, who was standing at the front door. "Little Brother, you''ve arrived just in time. A distinguished guest has come to visit you today; he''s currently waiting for you in the front hall!" Jiang Li said. "Distinguished guest?" Jiang Ning was somewhat surprised, "Who is it?" Chapter 174 79: A Visit to Medicine King Valley_2 Jiang Li spoke, "The man claimed to be an elder from the Medicine King Valley, Liu Qingsong." It was him! Jiang Ning''s eyes immediately narrowed. Had Liu Qingsong actually come to his doorstep? Could it be that he had discovered Tian Buyi was killed by him? That he knew the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill, originally a tribute to Prince Huaian from Medicine King Valley, was with him? Thinking this, Jiang Ning silently shook his head. It shouldn''t be possible! If that were true, it wouldn''t be a simple visit. It would definitely mean a direct and aggressive demand for the tribute pill. Jiang Ning was very clear in his mind. If it were proven that Prince Huaian''s tribute was in his possession, Even Wang Jin couldn''t help him. "Don''t scare yourself!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself, then steadied his spirit. Jiang Ning then said, "Big Brother, put these things away, I''ll go meet them!" The next moment, Jiang Li had just taken the long saber from Jiang Ning, who had not yet let go, when his expression suddenly changed. "This..." Jiang Ning smiled, "I forgot, this saber is a bit too heavy." Jiang Li took the cloth bag from Jiang Ning, glanced at its contents, and looked at Jiang Ning with a shocked expression on his face. "Little brother, this is..." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning slightly shook his head, "I''ll explain to Big Brother later." Upon hearing this, Jiang Li shelved his questions. With Jiang Li taking over some of the burden, Jiang Ning felt much more relaxed carrying the two sabers and the two sections of the White Dragon Fish. The reason for the ease wasn''t that he couldn''t carry it, but that he was running out of hands. Two sabers, two sections of fish, plus a cloth bag full of silver taels and silver notes. His hands were somewhat overextended, but now, he felt much more relaxed. A short while later, Jiang Ning put the items away. "Big Brother, you don''t have to come; I''ll go alone. First, take sister-in-law, Yiming, and Little Dumpling away." "Little brother, what are you?" Jiang Li suddenly looked at Jiang Ning, his eyes widening. Jiang Ning just smiled, "Big Brother, don''t worry, it''s just a precaution." "Alright!" Jiang Li nodded seriously, and warned before leaving, "Be careful little brother, and if anything feels wrong, run away immediately." "Don''t worry!" Jiang Ning smiled. Then, holding his spiritual weapon, he walked toward the hall alone. The sudden arrival of Liu Qingsong caught him off guard. And he was unclear about the man''s intentions, although he felt that it was improbable for his secret killing of Tian Buyi to be discovered. But he wasn''t certain that there were no special methods in this world to detect the perpetrator. After all, it was a world where the extraordinary was possible, and anything could happen. Hence, he was prepared for a fight. If Liu Qingsong had discovered something, then he would have no choice but to act. With all his techniques at the ready, he was not necessarily incapable of holding Liu Qingsong back. After all, his strength was far beyond that of Tian Buyi. And since Tian Buyi managed to evade Liu Qingsong for so long, it implied that the Seventh Grade Martial Arts of Liu Qingshan wasn''t insurmountable. ... In the front hall. "He''s here, Elder!" Wang Jiu spoke up. At this time, Jiang Ning, dressed in black, carrying a black long saber, crossed the threshold. Watching Jiang Ning, whose eyes withheld a sharp gleam, Liu Qingsong couldn''t help but nod slightly, muttering to himself, "This young man truly is a rarity, it''s a pity he didn''t join our Medicine King Valley!" "Greetings, Senior Liu!" Jiang Ning said, bowing his hand. "Young friend, no need for such formality!" Liu Qingsong smiled and nodded in return. The next moment, Liu Qingsong sniffed lightly, and the corner of his eye twitched. Jiang Ning noticed this and his gaze involuntarily sharpened. Then he sat down on a chair in front of Liu Qingsong. The two companions by Liu Qingsong''s side saw this and their expressions subtly changed. Jiang Ning''s act, without any kind of greeting, clearly disregarded them as if they were nothing, belittling them in his eyes. This disregard caused a hidden anger to rise within them. Wang Jiu wanted to react, but upon glancing at Liu Qingsong, he suppressed his fury. Simultaneously, Jiang Ning took his seat and began, "May I inquire why Senior Liu has paid me a visit today?" Liu Qingsong responded with a smile, "Can''t I visit without a reason?" Jiang Ning said, "As far as I''m aware, Senior Liu is always preoccupied with important matters." "Indeed," Liu Qingsong nodded slightly. Jiang Ning continued, "If Senior Liu has important matters to attend to, how could it be possible for you to visit me without reason? We do not share such a close friendship." Liu Qingsong laughed heartily, "We didn''t before, but who''s to say we won''t in the future?" Then, he swiftly changed the subject, "However, you''re right. I am indeed here today for a specific reason." "Please speak, Senior," said Jiang Ning. Liu Qingsong then pulled out a map from his person. The map unfolded to reveal the area surrounding Luoshui County. Liu Qingsong pointed at an island not far off the shore and asked, "Did you visit this deserted island a few days ago?" Upon hearing this, a shock ran through Jiang Ning''s heart. Because according to the map''s scale, that was precisely the place where he had been practicing his saber skills, and it was also where Tian Buyi had met his demise. How formidable the Medicine King Valley is! They''ve even managed to track me down! Although he was surprised, he still nodded subtly, without betraying any emotion. "I have been there." Liu Qingsong did not seem surprised by the answer. For they had found traces left by Jiang Ning on the deserted island. In order to acquire this lead, they had even returned to their Sect in the past few days, bringing with them a special kind of insect. It was with the guidance of this particular insect that they had managed to find him. "May I ask what purpose took you to that deserted island?" "Practicing my cultivation," Jiang Ning replied. "What Cultivation Technique were you practicing?" another voice from behind Liu Qingsong inquired. "Do I need to tell you even what Cultivation Technique I was practicing?" Jiang Ning raised an eyebrow, casting a glance at the person who had spoken behind Liu Qingsong. "You ..." Wang Jiu had yet to finish his sentence when Liu Qingsong cut him off harshly, "Wang Jiu, do not be rude!" Silenced by the remark, Wang Jiu immediately held his tongue. Liu Qingsong then turned to Jiang Ning with an apologetic smile, "My apologies, young friend! It''s a failure of my discipline." Jiang Ning merely smiled without saying a word. Liu Qingsong spoke again, "I have heard that the Canglang Martial Arts Hall is named after the Canglang Blade Skill, so the saber skill you practiced on the deserted island must have been this Canglang Blade Skill, right?" Jiang Ning gave a slight nod, "Senior''s knowledge is indeed vast; it was indeed the Canglang Blade Skill that I practiced that day!" Liu Qingsong chuckled, "Then I am not mistaken!" He then swiftly changed the topic again, "Do you happen to have encountered a bearded strongman on the deserted island?" "Are you referring to Tian Buyi, Senior?" asked Jiang Ning. "Exactly!" Liu Qingsong nodded. Jiang Ning shook his head slightly, "I have never seen him." "You really never saw him?" Liu Qingsong''s eyes suddenly opened wide in a fierce glare. His voice boomed like thunder, striking terror in the heart. But Jiang Ning''s expression remained unchanged, calmly shaking his head, "I haven''t." Liu Qingsong then looked at Jiang Ning with a serious face. After a few moments, he slowly broke into a smile, "Sorry, young friend!" "I have been pursuing Tian Buyi for many days without success, and a few days ago, I found out he had died on the deserted island, hence my loss of composure." Jiang Ning shook his head, not expressing any stance on the matter. Then he said, "Senior, if you have no further questions, please leave. It''s getting late, and I won''t keep you for dinner." Liu Qingsong stood up. Jiang Ning also got to his feet. The group of four quickly exited the front hall and arrived in the courtyard. Liu Qingsong glanced around briefly. "Young friend, where''s your older brother? I don''t see him." Jiang Ning replied, "He is likely in the kitchen preparing dinner." "I see," Liu Qingsong nodded, "It is indeed the time for dinner." The group of four then made their way through the courtyard. The October evening was darker earlier than usual. As the sun had completely set, shadows began to envelop the world. The bright moon had not yet risen, and only the faint glimmer in the sky provided a touch of luminance. "Senior, I shall see you out this far," Jiang Ning paused at the entrance of the courtyard. "My apologies for the disturbance today, farewell!" Liu Qingsong spoke, and then led the other two away. As Jiang Ning watched Liu Qingsong''s figure disappear into the distance, he pondered for a moment and then silently drew his saber and stealthily followed. Chapter 175 80: Underwater Fierce Battle, Divine Skills of Flicking Fingers By the Luoshui River. "Elder Liu, I suspect this boy was just lying," Wang Jiu said, following behind Liu Qingsong until they were completely away from the residence where Jiang Ning was staying. Hearing this, Liu Qingsong also stopped walking. He stood on the bank of the Luoshui River, facing the direction of the lake breeze, and nodded. "Wang Jiu, you have a good sense! This young man was indeed lying." "How did you figure it out, Elder?" Wusheng, who hadn''t said anything up until then, now spoke. This person was also one of the only two Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm individuals from Medicine King Valley who came to capture Tian Buyi. Liu Qingsong said, "Haven''t you two noticed that after Jiang Ning appeared, his elder brother''s family couldn''t be traced anymore?" "Elder, what do you mean by that?" Wusheng was taken aback, contemplating. Compared to Wang Jiu, he was more prone to pondering; upon hearing Liu Qingsong''s words, he immediately thought of a possibility. "You guessed right!" Liu Qingsong turned his head to look at Wusheng, his fellow Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm junior, his face showing approval. "Elder, Wusheng, what are you two talking about?" Wang Jiu suddenly looked confused. Wusheng began, "There''s something wrong with Jiang Ning. After he appeared, his elder brother''s family completely vanished without any trace or noise." "Isn''t that quite normal?" Wang Jiu looked puzzled. "It''s mealtime now, just like that boy said, they''re preparing dinner, naturally, they wouldn''t show up." Wusheng countered, "Did you smell any cooking or smoke?" "This..." Wang Jiu was momentarily startled. Wusheng went on, "Having stepped into Eighth Grade Martial Arts, although we haven''t specifically trained our senses, we have already far surpassed ordinary people. In such a small residence, if they were making dinner or there was normal activity, we would have noticed something unusual." "I understand now!" Wang Jiu finally got it. "So, you''re saying that boy is up to something. When he met with us just now, he had already secretly moved his family." "Correct!" Liu Qingsong nodded slightly. Then he added, "I also noticed another unusual thing just now; Jiang Ning has a strong smell of medicinal herbs lingering on him." "That scent is unique to the pills from our Medicine King Valley." "What do you mean by that, Elder???" Wang Jiu''s eyes widened. Liu Qingsong slowly nodded, "Although the scent lingering on him isn''t unique to the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill, my intuition tells me that this boy has swallowed one!" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "He also took a Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill?" Wang Jin''s eyes widened. "If that is so, why didn''t the Elder capture him on the spot?" "Three Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills, that makes just one left. If we delay, and the last pill is taken, our mission here will truly be a complete failure!!" Liu Qingsong slowly shook his head, "Our visit today wasn''t based on any secret information. If we had acted against him directly, it would inevitably lead to a conflict with Wang Jin." "Wang Jin publicly accepted this boy as his Direct Disciple a few days ago." "By blatantly acting against this boy now, I would be directly stepping on Wang Jin''s face." "Elder, why bolster someone else''s morale while diminishing our own prestige!" Wang Jiu spoke, "Although Wang Jin is also a Martial Arts Seventh Grade, he has aged and declined physically. Elder, you are at your peak, why fear him?" Liu Qingsong shook his head, "You know too little about Wang Jin. He was already famous when you had just started learning Martial Arts. He is not an ordinary Martial Arts Seventh Grade! Even if I do not fear him, it isn''t suitable to directly conflict with him, especially considering the Master of the Royal Capital, his own brother!" Liu Qingsong continued, "Moreover, that boy is not only backed by Wang Jin but previously Building Owner Shen also highly valued him, and now Master Lin also clearly treats him differently!" "We are after all outsiders; we shouldn''t act too rashly." Hearing this, Wang Jiu said, "So, Elder, are you suggesting we let that boy go?" "How could that be possible?" Liu Qingsong glanced at him, "We will first withdraw, return to the inn, and you two will join me at noon for a visit." "Understood, Elder!" Wang Jiu nodded immediately. Wusheng also nodded continually, "Yes, Elder." At that moment, elsewhere. Jiang Ning had already been hiding in the water. With his enhanced senses, especially after entering the water, the conversation of Liu Qingsong and the others clearly reached his ears. "As expected, Liu Qingsong had noticed something unusual just now!" "Thankfully, I secretly followed them!" "Otherwise, losing the initiative and them sneaking up tonight would have caused trouble!" At that moment, Jiang Ning was immensely relieved inside. He didn''t know the real strength of a Martial Arts Seventh Grade. But from the performances of Wang Jin and Cao Rong on that day, Seventh Grade at its peak was extremely terrifying. Even with all his tricks, he wasn''t confident he could overcome Cao Rong at that time. Especially the distanced version of Cao Rong. So, if he lost the initiative and was found by Liu Qingsong, a seasoned Seventh Grade expert, Jiang Ning had no confidence in overcoming him when all tricks were exhausted, Not to mention he would be constrained by others then. The next moment, Jiang Ning rapidly decided to strike first. Suddenly, The lake water in front of Liu Qingsong and the other two exploded, throwing up waves several feet high. "What happened?" Liu Qingsong was stunned. He saw the roaring water instantly sweep up his companions Wang Jiu and Wusheng into the lake. Seeing this, Liu Qingsong looked shocked, as if he couldn''t believe the scene before him. Chapter 176 80: Underwater Battle, Divine Skills with a Snap of the Fingers_2 One breath later. "Where did this monstrous beast come from?!" He shouted and took a deep breath in an instant. With a splash¡ª Liu Qingsong dove headfirst into the water. Upon entering the water, he immediately saw the lake water churning as if an angry dragon was roaring. He also saw the water dyed red with blood and spotted Wang Jiu and Wusheng wrapped up by a long blood-colored snake, speeding toward the bottom of the lake and into deeper waters. Seeing such a phenomenon, Liu Qingsong instantly thought of the changes over the years and the rumors that circulated privately. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Could this be a demon bred in the Luoshui River?" Liu Qingsong wondered in his heart. But at this moment, the movement ahead left him no time to think; he saw the figures of Wang Jiu and Wusheng sinking rapidly. Immediately, "How dare you attack people from Medicine King Valley!" Liu Qingsong bellowed, his voice exploding like thunder under the water. Even the surging water couldn''t stop the thunderous sound of his voice from spreading. He then quickly dived, chasing after Wang Jiu and Wusheng as they disappeared into the depths. On the other side, Jiang Ning noticed the commotion behind him. "Good thing you came; I was afraid you wouldn''t!" "In the water, this is now my home ground," he whispered to himself. Then, grabbing Wang Jiu and Wusheng, he dived quickly toward deeper parts of the Luoshui. At this time, those two were clearly showing more exhalations than inhalations. During his surprise attack just moments before, these two had almost no time to defend themselves and were easily inflicted with severe injuries by him. Had it not been to allure Liu Qingsong, Jiang Ning could have easily killed Wang Jiu and Wusheng the moment they fell into the water. Both being at the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. And with the advantage of favorable timing and location, and a foundation far deeper than the two combined with the advantage of a spiritual weapon, this feat was extremely simple. Yet, Jiang Ning also knew that if the two were completely dead and their breaths ceased, Liu Qingsong might notice their condition upon entering the water. Once Liu Qingsong noticed, there would be no reason for him to be lured deeper into the Luoshui. Liu Qingsong must not remain. After hearing the conversation of the three just now, Jiang Ning had made this decision in his heart. Because Liu Qingsong had already tracked down to him. Under such circumstances, once they investigated, they would surely discover the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill that he had just refined inside his body. If this pill was found, that would truly be troublesome. This trouble comes not only from Medicine King Valley but also from Prince Huaian. Since those three Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills were tribute items that Medicine King Valley was supposed to offer to Prince Huaian. Being found in possession of tribute items was a charge he could not currently afford. So just now, Jiang Ning had already resolved to make sure Liu Qingsong perished here. This man could not be allowed to remain. ... Liu Qingsong frantically pursued the two figures wrapped by the blood-colored snake, feeling extremely anxious in his heart. Originally, capturing Tian Buyi was meant to be an act of making amends for past misdeeds. Now that Tian Buyi hadn''t been captured, and the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills had not been retrieved, it was truly a disgrace to Medicine King Valley. In such a situation, if, under his leadership, two core members of the valley were lost, those two Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm Sect disciples, Wang Jiu and Wusheng, he would surely be punished upon returning. At the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, each individual was a critical pillar for the Sect. The lives of these two were no less significant than a Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill. At this time, As Liu Qingsong went deeper into the Luoshui, his anxiety grew. The longer the time dragged on, the less likely it was to save Wang Jiu and Wusheng''s lives. "Quicker!" Liu Qingsong said to himself as he saw the distance to the blood-colored snake slowly closing ahead. At the same time, he felt a secret thrill. This blood-colored snake, able to easily sweep away two Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm individuals like Wang Jiu and Wusheng, was surely considered a demon in Liu Qingsong''s eyes. Such demons, to a Martial Arts practitioner, were treasures from head to toe. Consuming it would greatly enhance their own power. "Perhaps this is also my chance; whether I can advance further, even touching the threshold of the Martial Arts Sixth Grade, depends on this blood-colored snake." As Liu Qingsong vigorously pursued, his heart was filled with excitement. However, what he did not know was that this so-called blood-colored snake was formed by Jiang Ning manipulating his Water Control Divine Ability, shaping the blood flowing from Wang Jiu and Wusheng''s bodies into a snake. And he, along with Wang Jiu and Wusheng, were in a place that Liu Qingsong couldn''t see. ... One was fleeing, the other pursuing. In the blink of an eye, dozens of breaths had passed. At this moment, Liu Qingsong had dived hundreds of meters deep into the water. The very next moment, Liu Qingsong reached out and grasped Wang Jiu and Wusheng with his hand. "Are they dead?" His hands had only just touched their bodies when he instantly made this judgment. It was at this time. Hum¡ª Suddenly, a dragon''s hum resounded from within the blood-red serpent. At the same time, a slash of sword light flashed by, instantly splitting the blood-red serpent, clearly imprinting itself in Liu Qingsong''s pupils. At this moment, Liu Qingsong''s pupils severely contracted, his eyes filled with immense shock. Because he saw the face of the person behind the flash of sword light. It was Jiang Ning. At the same time, he also felt himself enveloped by the Sword Force, and even sensed the extreme threat this slash posed to him. This threat even made him smell the scent of death. "How is this possible!!!" Looking at Jiang Ning in front of him, his heart was immensely shocked. Meanwhile, Jiang Ning had already unleashed all his techniques. This slash was also the most powerful one he had unleashed to date. And with the assistance of the water''s flow, this slash had the effect of pushing the waves and aiding the power in the water. At the same time, Liu Qingsong quickly recovered after a brief shock. Seeing the sword light that was nearly upon him, his face immediately showed a serious expression. He knew he could not avoid this slash. Not to mention the Sword Force, just in the water, he was unable to make the free and agile movements he could on land. In an instant, Liu Qingsong had already made his decision. That was to use his famous Martial Arts technique, the Flicking Divine Skill. Immediately, He flicked his finger, and a steel pellet shot out from his index finger. Pfft¡ª The steel pellet launched, creating a continuously expanding arc in the water. Liu Qingsong''s figure also began to retreat, trying to distance himself from Jiang Ning. As much as he had wanted to approach the blood-red serpent earlier, now he wanted just as much to get away. The next moment. Clang¡ª The blade collided with the steel pellet, emitting a loud sound in the water. Jiang Ning also suddenly felt a terrifying force hit his blade. The powerful force made Jiang Ning''s hands feel slightly numb. "What terrifying explosive power!" he thought in shock. But at the same time, the sword light in his hand did not stop, continuing to charge towards Liu Qingsong. Because the steel pellet flicked by Liu Qingsong had only blocked his blade for a moment before being split into two by the incredibly sharp blade. "Go¡ª" Liu Qingsong let out a soft shout, flicking another steel pellet. "Go¡ª" "Go¡ª" Three steel pellets flicked out in succession. Instantly creating a small empty area in front of him. Martial Arts Seventh Grade, refine the human body''s Great Tendons. At this level, simply raising a hand or a foot, without needing any force techniques, one could burst forth with power from the whole body. All other force techniques, in front of a warrior of this level, seemed like child''s play. If one reaches Complete Great Success at Seventh Grade, Power and energy as one wishes, the power of the whole body, can be instantly transferred from one point to another. It can also burst forth with all the body''s power from any point. At this stage, even a light point of a finger can gather the whole body''s power to burst forth, possessing terrifying explosive power, and can easily penetrate through solid iron. That''s why, at this moment, just the steel pellets Liu Qingsong was flicking out were so terrifying. In the eyes of Jiang Ning, it was no less powerful than the primitive bullets being fired. At the same time, Liu Qingsong continued to retreat back. Chapter 177 81: Whetstone, the Seventh Grades Astonishment! Luoshui River. Below the surface of the water. Zing¡ª Zing¡ª Zing¡ª With three rapid sounds erupting in the water, Liu Qingsong had completely pulled away from Jiang Ning by a full ten meters. Then, he reached his right hand into his waistband. Swoosh¡ª A soft sword was instantaneously drawn from his waist. With a flick of his wrist, the soft sword in his hand straightened into a line. Only at this moment did Liu Qingsong finally take a long breath and find the leisure to scrutinize Jiang Ning. At the same time, Jiang Ning''s right arm, washed over by Qi-Blood, had just returned to normal. "Is this the power of Martial Arts Seventh Grade?" "What explosive power!" He marveled silently in his heart, "A mere iron bead could shoot out with enough force to numb my arm, and that too under water where the flowing water mitigates the impact. If this were on land, it would be even more terrifying!" Thinking of this, he felt even more certain that luring Liu Qingsong into the lake was a wise move. On land, facing a Martial Arts Seventh Grade directly would be extremely dangerous. But in the water, it was different. A mere Martial Arts Seventh Grade, as long as he was in the water, he couldn''t lose. On this point, Jiang Ning was full of confidence. The Water Control Divine Ability gave him enough confidence. ¡­ At this point, Liu Qingsong first carefully sized up Jiang Ning, then glanced at two corpses nearby. Immediately after, his eyes narrowed slightly, and his face was as calm as water. But despite his outer calmness, a storm was raging in his heart. In that moment of crisis, he had not hesitated at all. With a snap of his fingers, he unleashed explosive power beyond his limits, and now those two fingers were temporarily disabled. Even with the physical resilience and muscle strength he possessed, his fingers couldn''t withstand the explosive force from his entire body. He was well aware of how terrifying the explosive power he had just emitted with his finger snaps was. Even a one-centimeter-thick iron plate would be pierced through by the iron beads he had just flicked. This kind of destructive power, at such close range, in his opinion, even Tian Buyi would have been killed. But obviously, Jiang Ning was standing unharmed before him, indicating that his four snaps had not touched Jiang Ning at all. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You''re quite good!" "You''ve hidden your skills quite deeply!" Liu Qingsong slowly began to speak, his wrist vibrating. The long sword in his hand trembled lightly, immediately stirring up waves spreading in all directions. "It''s my turn now, isn''t it?" Liu Qingsong spoke, moving swiftly towards Jiang Ning. In front of his powerful explosive force, the water beneath his feet might as well have been solid ground. His long sword instantly turned into a streak of sword light rushing towards Jiang Ning, parting the flowing water, visible to the naked eye. This sword aimed straight for Jiang Ning''s throat. Seeing this, Jiang Ning also instantly took action, Five Layers of Power burst forth, allowing him to launch an ultimate strike. Whoosh¡ª The blade split the water, and even beneath the surface, a brief vacuum emerged. The next moment. Clang¡ª Blade clashed against sword, sparks flew. Immediately, a powerful impact burst forth from where the blade and sword collided, like a bomb dropped into deep water. The strong impact even vaporized some of the water, creating a void beneath the surface. At the same time, the water surged wildly, causing both of their figures to involuntarily retreat backwards. The surface of the lake above their heads also stirred with waves. "What a formidable lad!!!" Feeling the impact transferred through his sword, Liu Qingsong''s expression became exceptionally solemn. His heart was suddenly filled with dread. Because he realized that in a head-on clash, he had not gained any advantage. After all, he was a Martial Arts Seventh Grade and an elder of Medicine King Valley, a strength that placed him among the formidable even throughout Dongling County, not just Luoshui County. Let alone in small Luoshui County, barely more than ten individuals could confidently best him. Yet the Jiang Ning before him, as far as he knew, had only been practicing martial arts for a few months. Had he not experienced it himself, he would have never believed such a scene could occur. What kind of monster was this? Liu Qingsong''s gaze fixed firmly on Jiang Ning, recalling the scene he had witnessed when he first entered the water, his heart filled with deep confusion. Then, his gaze flickered from the soft sword in his hand, his pupils narrowing once again. For he saw that the sword he had carried for nearly two decades now had a notch on its blade. Seeing this notch pained his heart immensely. At the same time, a wave of apprehension arose in his heart towards the long sword in Jiang Ning''s hands. Liu Qingsong was very aware of how much influence weapon superiority could have in a fight like this. Ordinary blades could hardly breach his defense, let alone inflict a fatal wound. Thus, facing ordinary weapons, he could focus solely on attacking without receiving blows, maintaining a complete advantage. Even if someone was two or three times stronger than him, they wouldn''t be his match under these circumstances. But now it was different, the blade in Jiang Ning''s hands was clearly extraordinary, capable of damaging his divine weapon in the clash. Merely relying on physical robustness, how could one block such a weapon? Failure to block even one strike could mean death or severe injury. On the other side, Jiang Ning was also inwardly shocked. So strong!!! The head-on clash let him truly feel how fierce Liu Qingsong''s burst of power was. At this moment, he felt a slight numbness in his tigers'' mouth, his Qi-Blood roiling inside. Bear in mind, Liu Qingsong was holding a soft sword, which clearly favored skill over brute strength. But even so, the force Liu Qingsong had unleashed made Jiang Ning feel outmatched. Chapter 178 81: The Whetstone, Seventh Grades Heart Trembles!_2 If he hadn''t mastered the Canglang Blade Skill to a Great Success, allowing him to unleash five layers of power, he wouldn''t even be able to catch a single sword strike from Liu Qingsong. Liu Qingsong was already so powerful, yet he regarded Wang Jin with such wariness, which showed that Wang Jin''s strength must undoubtedly surpass his. And on that day, Cao Rong had a clear advantage in a brief encounter with Wang Jin. Thus, it seemed that although Cao Rong was also at the Martial Arts Seventh Grade like Liu Qingsong, their strengths differed by several levels. I''m not yet strong enough to face him. After this brief exchange, Jiang Ning had roughly estimated his own prowess. Fully utilizing his techniques, he could surpass the Eighth Grade head-on. He could clash with some Martial Arts Seventh Graders, but under fair conditions, he likely wouldn''t match up to a long-cultivated Seventh Grade warrior like Liu Qingsong. The next moment, Jiang Ning tightened his grip on his long saber, and the abnormality in his body quickly dissipated in the water, restoring him to his peak state in the blink of an eye. His essence qi was full to brimming, reaching an overflowing state. At this moment, he had a deeper understanding of the "Water Spirit Affinity" trait; as long as he was in water, the aid it provided him was too significant. Not only were his senses greatly enhanced, but his body also recovered incredibly quickly. "Come again!" Feeling the state of his body, Jiang Ning''s fighting spirit surged, and he advanced with his long saber in hand. "Bring it on!" Liu Qingsong laughed. The long sword in his hand flickered, transforming from solid and straight to a darting serpent. Hiss¡ª With one thrust, the sword created a vacuum in the water and shot towards Jiang Ning as quick as lightning. Jiang Ning saw this and his expression changed slightly. He changed his sword force and held his saber horizontally in front of the sword tip. Clang¡ª A spark flashed, and Jiang Ning stepped back. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Liu Qingsong pressed forward again, his just-rebounded soft sword flicked straight by him in an instant. Hiss¡ª Another vacuum formed in the water, the sword tip as fast as lightning. Clang¡ª Jiang Ning blocked with his saber again, and another spark flashed. Afterward, Hiss¡ª Hiss¡ª Hiss¡ª ... The soft sword in Liu Qingsong''s hands was ethereal and mystical. Each thrust blossomed into a constantly unfolding pear flower in the water. Jiang Ning repeatedly blocked while continually stepping back. Faced with this torrential offensive, he dared not even breathe. If his breath slipped, he wouldn''t be able to parry any longer. ... A few breaths later, Liu Qingsong stood with his sword withdrawn. His face turned slightly red, then returned to normal. "Not bad!" he said, nodding slightly at Jiang Ning: "To catch my Rainstorm Sword Skill at your age, you are the first." Whoosh¡ª It was only then that Jiang Ning dared to finally exhale the impure energy he had been holding. He smiled at Liu Qingsong: "The senior is too kind! I merely have better fortunes compared to others!" At this moment, Jiang Ning was also willing to engage in conversation, seeing that Liu Qingsong seemed inclined to talk. In the water, he could breathe freely, unlike Liu Qingsong. Without entering the Inner Strength realm, without training the internal organs, no matter how strong one was, the time underwater without breath was limited. So the longer the fight dragged on, the more advantageous it was for him. Because once the body''s oxygen was exhausted, no matter how powerful one was, they could only perish in the water. After Jiang Ning spoke, Liu Qingsong asked: "The Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill is with you, right?" "Indeed!" Jiang Ning nodded. He then said: "So that means Tian Buyi also met his end at your hands?" "Indeed!" Jiang Ning nodded again. Even though Liu Qingsong was already fifty percent sure, he was still somewhat surprised when Jiang Ning confirmed it. Tian Buyi of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, able to withstand a palm strike without dying, was evidently strong. It was unexpected, however, that he would fall by the hand of a junior like Jiang Ning. Immediately after, Liu Qingsong thought of his recent encounter with Jiang Ning and couldn''t help but nod slowly. It made sense! Able to withstand his Rainstorm Sword Skill unscathed, surely Tian Buyi couldn''t match such strength. Thinking of this again, Liu Qingsong looked at Jiang Ning with immense admiration and respect in his eyes. Such an exceptional junior was the first he had seen in his life. "What a pity, this young man will fall here today!" Liu Qingsong internally sighed with regret. Although he valued the talent, this made his resolve to kill even firmer. Such a monstrous talent, once an enemy, must not be spared. In Liu Qingsong''s view, if Jiang Ning escaped this calamity today, he would become a catastrophe for Medicine King Valley in the future, and an unstoppable disaster at that. To his knowledge, even those world-renowned Grandmasters had not displayed such monstrous prowess at the beginning of their Martial Arts journey. Studying martial arts for a few months, and able to confront him head-on without falling short. Who would believe such a story? And who could believe it? If this hadn''t happened to him, he wouldn''t believe it either. Afterward, Liu Qingsong steadied his mind and said to Jiang Ning: "You''re so calm facing me now, it seems you''ve decided that only one of us will live to return to shore today." "Indeed!" Jiang Ning nodded: "The senior sees clearly." Liu Qingsong said: "You are very confident." "Aren''t you as well, senior?" Jiang Ning smiled. "Indeed!" Liu Qingsong agreed, nodding, and then smiled as well: "I don''t know where your confidence comes from, but I will soon show you where mine does." The next moment, Liu Qingsong flicked his wrist, and his soft sword instantly danced into a blossom of sword flowers. Then, his figure darted straight towards Jiang Ning. Following the brief probing, he already knew what Jiang Ning was relying on. Chapter 179 81: The Whetstone, Seventh Grades Heart Trembles!_3 His physique was extraordinary, and his mastery of sword techniques had reached the peak of perfection, with a high probability that he possessed Innate Divine Strength. It was precisely because of this that he could precisely intercept his opponent''s Rainstorm Sword Skill and block all the sword lights. But at the same time, he also discovered Jiang Ning''s weakness. That was his lack of actual combat experience, his swordsmanship straightforward and filled with an overwhelming presence, yet devoid of any feints or variations. This kind of opponent was not uncommon to Liu Qingsong. If faced with those whose strength was inferior to theirs, the opponents would naturally become overwhelmed and defenseless. But in the eyes of an experienced powerhouse like him, these were all flaws. Liu Qingsong closed in, and his long sword thrust forward once again. Hiss¡ª The water split apart. A clear void appeared in the water, presenting a vacuum state. This thrust was ten percent faster than the previous one. In real battle, a ten percent difference often amounted to a gap as wide as heaven and earth. "He still has hidden strengths?" Jiang Ning''s mind tensed. Once again, he brought his sword horizontally across to block. In the blink of an eye. No, something was wrong!!! His eyes narrowed slightly. Standing in the water, the currents around him were equivalent to the senses of his body. Sensing the feedback from the water, Jiang Ning immediately perceived a change in the long sword in Liu Qingsong''s hand. The next moment. The long sword that was initially thrusting at his blade suddenly softened, and like a cunning snake, it wound around the sword that was blocking in front of it, aiming for the tendons in Jiang Ning''s arm. "Just as I thought!" Jiang Ning murmured to himself. The moment Liu Qingsong''s sword momentum changed, he reacted. He instantly withdrew and rapidly retreated from his position. Under the control of his Water Spirit Affinity Divine Skill, his speed now was not only equal to his speed on land but even surpassed it. In what seemed like a precarious situation, Jiang Ning dodged Liu Qingsong''s lethal move. "Oh?" Liu Qingsong muttered under his breath. He continued to press forward towards Jiang Ning, fully showcasing the advantages of his Soft Sword. Transforming into a highly agile snake, it coiled and dodged, avoiding direct confrontation with Jiang Ning''s long sword. Then he relentlessly attacked the vital points on Jiang Ning''s body. At this moment, Jiang Ning could only keep retreating, his long sword flashing with Cold Light, striking as he fell back. Amidst the flicker of sword light and the glimmer of his blade, Jiang Ning had only the ability to dodge and parry, without any power to strike back. At this moment, Jiang Ning once again realized the terrifying ability of an older generation powerhouse like Liu Qingsong. "Fortunately, this is in the water. The sensation of the flowing water is the same as the sensation of my body," Jiang Ning thought to himself. Currently engaged in combat in the water, both men were engulfed by the lake. Every little change in Liu Qingsong was perceived unmistakably by Jiang Ning''s mind. At this moment, Jiang Ning felt that even if he were to close his eyes, he could still precisely see Liu Qingsong''s every move. "Such an incredible Water Spirit Affinity trait, in water it''s as if I possess the ability to anticipate my enemy''s moves. This effect is heaven-defying!" Jiang Ning sighed inwardly. Yet, he dared not relax in the slightest! No one knew whether Liu Qingsong still had any tricks up his sleeve. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If there was still something held back, letting down his guard would be tantamount to seeking his own death. Meanwhile, Liu Qingsong grew increasingly startled as the fight continued. At first, he clearly felt Jiang Ning was thrown into disarray. Yet, as Jiang Ning adapted, Liu Qingsong sensed him gradually entering a state of ease and mastery. Moreover, the longer the bout lasted, the more uncomfortable he felt. No matter the variations in his direct sword moves, it seemed Jiang Ning easily saw through them, and every swing of his sword managed to block precisely at the critical point of Liu Qingsong''s sword techniques. Or it aimed at the vital points he had to defend. This manner of fighting made him extremely uncomfortable. Though he appeared to have the upper hand, he was actually falling into disadvantage. "What kind of monster is this kid!!!" Liu Qingsong was astounded at this moment. He discovered he seemed to have become a whetstone for Jiang Ning. The more he honed, the sharper Jiang Ning''s blade became, its chill ever more biting! Chapter 180 82: Death of the Seventh Grade, Mastering the Secret Technique! Luoshui. Below the lake''s surface. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Blades and swords shimmered incessantly, bursting forth with force that made the lake''s surface surge with waves, causing fish nearby to dare not approach. After dozens of breaths. Liu Qingsong''s eyes sharpened, and with a flick of his wrist, his Power burst forth, straightening the soft sword that flexed like a snake. Zing¡ª Jiang Ning blocked with his horizontal blade but was still forced back several paces by the strike. He took the opportunity to retreat and adjust his stance. Thereafter. Jiang Ning halted, gripped the hilt tightly, and Qi-Blood surged through his right hand, the numb sensation gradually dissipating. At the same time. "You''re quite good!" Liu Qingsong spoke, "I seldom praise someone like this, you are the first!" "It seems, Senior Liu still has some techniques unutilized?" Jiang Ning slowly said. As he spoke, Jiang Ning also felt his body recovering due to being soaked in the water. His physical and mental states were rejuvenating as if out of thin air. At this rate, it wouldn''t take many breaths for him to return to his peak, with his Essence Qi overflowing. "You are indeed clever! A pity though," Liu Qingsong said. The next moment. Liu Qingsong, standing in the water, eyes snapping open, his left hand forming a sword gesture in front of his nose. "Ignite¡ª" He yelled, the robust sound from his mouth causing the lake''s water to ripple outwards like sound waves. Simultaneously. Jiang Ning saw Liu Qingsong''s skin transform in an instant. His skin turned dark red, like a cooked lobster. "Young friend, today I cannot spare your life, I truly dare not keep you alive!" Liu Qingsong''s sword gesture in his left hand slowly lowered. "It''s also time to end this!" Liu Qingsong spoke, filled with immense confidence. The Blood Ignition Forbidden Technique was the only Forbidden Technique he commanded, and it was a life-risking one. By enacting this technique, he would ignite his Qi-Blood, thereby unleashing remarkable combat power. He had only dared to use this technique in his youth. Back then, with vigorous bodily functions, even if he used this body-damaging secret technique, as long as he had enough restorative medicine, he could recover the physical wear and tear, thus not harming his foundation. But as he aged and his bodily functions weakened, he dared not use this Forbidden Technique anymore. For to use the Blood Ignition Forbidden Technique meant not only burning his Qi-Blood but his life span as well. And it would further decline his bodily functions, hastening his advance into old age. Originally, he had not wanted to use this Forbidden Technique. But after witnessing Jiang Ning''s monstrous capabilities today, he knew that missing today''s prime opportunity would make killing Jiang Ning nearly impossible in the future. Such a monster, since he was an enemy, must not be given any leeway. At this moment, as Liu Qingsong''s words fell. He held his Soft Sword, his Great Tendon shuddered, and he approached Jiang Ning with an unstoppable momentum. Before his explosive power at his feet, the lake''s water beneath him solidified like the ground. The water in front of him parted to either side as he pressed forward forcefully. "This is... a Forbidden Technique!" Jiang Ning''s eyes tightened. "Unstoppable!" He suddenly realized. From Liu Qingsong''s performance at this moment, Jiang Ning knew that Liu Qingsong''s strength had increased by at least thirty to fifty percent from before using the Forbidden Technique. That thirty to fifty percent was a comprehensive transformation of physical qualities. If previously he could still fight Liu Qingsong, relying on the advantage of the terrain, now, with Liu Qingsong using the Forbidden Technique, he stood no chance. Thinking this, Jiang Ning watched Liu Qingsong continuously approach, and sighed lightly. "It''s time to end this!!" "What?" Hearing Jiang Ning''s words, Liu Qingsong was momentarily startled. The next moment. He felt a massive change in the water currents around him. The originally calm water now rolled down from above him, centered on him. And the water beneath his feet suddenly felt soft like cotton, making it hard for him to exert force. At this moment. Facing Jiang Ning, who was only a few yards away, he felt as though separated by an insurmountable distance. No matter how he struggled, he found himself unable to escape this confined space. It was as though an invisible prison bound him there. "What is this technique??" Liu Qingsong looked at Jiang Ning, no longer struggling. Jiang Ning, at this moment, seemed not to hear Liu Qingsong''s words, showing no response. And in fact, he was indeed so. This was his first attempt to use the Water Control Divine Ability to manipulate the water current, forming a Water Prison. This delicate manipulation required his full concentration. Elsewhere. Liu Qingsong, seeing Jiang Ning''s oblivious response, sighed internally. He knew he would not get an answer from Jiang Ning. Immediately. He silently adjusted his state. After one breath. Boom¡ª His body emitted a booming sound, and all his muscles vibrated. With a stomp of his feet. His Power completely erupted. Bang¡ª This stomp, like a bomb exploding in the water. With such explosive power, the water flow couldn''t resist much of the force and was completely blown apart. Subsequently, the powerful reaction forced Liu Qingsong''s figure to rise sharply, shooting ten feet into the air. He made it out!!! Feeling the change in the water current around him, Liu Qingsong''s heart surged with immense excitement. The joy of escaping from a desperate situation instantly filled his heart. For so many years, his heart had never felt such joy. However, the next moment. Liu Qingsong''s heart sank drastically, as if plunging into an endless abyss. And his despair had never been as intense as it was at this moment. Chapter 181 82: Death of the Seventh Grade, Mastering the Secret Technique!_2 Because he had just discovered the invisible water prison from which he had managed to escape by exerting all his strength had reappeared by his side. Moreover, he also felt his condition getting worse. Using the Blood Ignition Forbidden Technique, when he was younger, he could sustain it for a dozen more breaths. But now, as he had aged, his condition was not as good as it used to be year by year. The Blood Ignition Forbidden Technique inflicted even greater damage on his body and made it harder to maintain the ignition of Qi-Blood. What was even more fatal was he felt that he was fast approaching the limit where he would stop breathing. Realizing this, he suddenly had a revelation. So, this was the reason Jiang Ning had led me into the water before. A long time later. Jiang Ning quietly observed the corpse of Liu Qingsong floating in front of him, feeling inexplicably moved. A Seventh Grade Martial Artist, in Luoshui County, that was heaven. Why were the Cao, Liu, and Xie families stable as the top three families in Luoshui County? Having a Seventh Grade Martial Arts expert was a key factor. And now, a Seventh Grade Martial Arts expert from Medicine King Valley had perished by his hand. "Is this the power of Divine Skills?" Jiang Ning murmured to himself. [Water Commanding Technique]: A type of Divine Skill, naturally possessing a slight ability to manipulate water sources. He looked at this trait again and silently said, "A slight control over water sources allows me to easily defeat an unbeatable opponent in water." "The might of the Divine Skills is truly terrifying!" Jiang Ning then went over to Liu Qingsong, gently closing his wide-open eyes. Liu Qingsong, facing death, was extremely unwilling, which Jiang Ning knew. No one would be calm dying like this, suffocating alive in the water. Not to mention, someone of high stature like Liu Qingsong. After this battle, Jiang Ning also roughly discerned the strength of a Seventh Grade expert. If he were on land, facing Liu Qingsong, he would stand no chance at all. Be it speed or explosive power or combat experience, he would be completely overwhelmed in every aspect. Not to mention, an established Seventh Grade expert like Liu Qingsong had a complex array of martial techniques. Once that Forbidden Technique was used, with his own strength, he would inevitably lose within a few moves against Liu Qingsong. "Martial Arts Seventh Grade, should not be trifled with lightly," Jiang Ning thought to himself. Then, he began guarding the spoils of Liu Qingsong and the other two Eighth Grade Martial Artists. A short while later. All three were tied to a huge stone, and as the stone slowly descended towards the lake bed, the bodies of Liu Qingsong and the others also slowly disappeared into the dark waters of the lake. "This way, no one should be able to find these three bodies!" Jiang Ning took a deep look at the dark lake bed at the end of his sight, then turned and left. Not long after, east courtyard. At this moment, his residence was completely silent. Since he had just instructed Jiang Li''s family of four to go to the Martial Arts Hall. Calculating the time, they should have already reached the Martial Arts Hall by now. So, Jiang Ning was in no hurry. Checking the spoils from Liu Qingsong and the other two was of prime importance. Then, Jiang Ning placed the items he had looted from Liu Qingsong and the others on a table in front of him. A few bottles and jars, some silver notes and money, among the money, there were also two gold leaflets. Besides these, there was also a sheepskin scroll and a soft sword. The soft sword was Liu Qingsong''s sidearm. The loot from Liu Qingsong and the others wasn''t much. This seemed normal to Jiang Ning, as it was inconvenient to carry many things when traveling. Most people, when going out, brought some money and arms, and that was it. He glanced at it, no need to look further at the money and weapons. What needed to be seen were just those few bottles and jars, and that sheepskin scroll. Then, Jiang Ning picked up a jade bottle. Strength Pill. He took a glance at the label. His heart leaped with joy. He had heard of this pill; it was a very useful auxiliary pill for the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. It had a marvelous effect on tempering muscle strength. This pill was also from Medicine King Valley. "This is quite good!" Jiang Ning glanced at a few more bottles and jars. There were indeed four bottles containing Strength Pills. "Presumably, these are the daily supplementary medicines for those two Eighth Grade Martial Artists," he thought to himself. Jiang Ning immediately opened one bottle, poured out two pills, and tossed them into his mouth, chewing them quickly as if they were candy beans. "Tastes good!" Jiang Ning nodded, and stored away the four bottles of Strength Pills. Then, he glanced at the labels on the other jars. "Healing Medicine, huh? They''re hardly worth anything!" Jiang Ning put the healing medicine aside. Then he picked up the sheepskin scroll. [Melting Furnace Alchemy Skill] Jiang Ning looked at the first few large characters on the sheepskin scroll, then his gaze moved downward. On the scroll, characters resembling tadpoles carved in black ink appeared before him. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [...] In less than half a cup of tea''s time, he had scanned through it. Then, his gaze landed on a furnace depicted at the bottom of the scroll. With a deep sweep of his eyes, the image of the furnace was permanently etched in his mind. At this moment, having finished scanning the sheepskin scroll, he understood what the scroll recorded. It was a secret technique. A secret technique exclusive to the Medicine King Valley. This secret technique was simple to practice, as long as one could fully visualize the furnace on the scroll in one''s mind, success in cultivation would naturally follow. The function of this secret technique was simple as well. It was to assist in refining and absorbing the medicinal power of pills. When needed, one would visualize the furnace on the scroll in one''s mind. Then, using the Qi-Blood as fuel, the furnace would be activated to refine the pills. This way, the pills could be swiftly refined, and their medicinal power fully released. The most distinctive feature of this secret technique was that it could increase the absorption rate of pills and reduce the toxicity. Generally, it was difficult to fully absorb the medicinal power of a pill. Ordinary people could only absorb twenty to thirty percent, which was already quite good. However, those with better innate potential could have a higher absorption rate for both pills and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. Using this secret technique to refine pills could also increase the absorption rate of the pills and reduce the accumulation of toxins. In terms of toxicity, every medicine has its poison, so regardless of the effectiveness or the preciousness of the medication used, there would inevitably be some residual toxins. Accumulated over time, this long-term deposit would have significant negative effects on the body. Having understood this secret technique from the sheepskin scroll, Jiang Ning was delighted. For him at this moment, the Melting Furnace Alchemy Skill was an extremely practical secret technique. "Let''s give it a try!" Jiang Ning thought to himself. After that, he sat down cross-legged right there and closed his eyes. In his mind, the furnace depicted on the sheepskin scroll instantly appeared with perfect clarity. At this moment, his unforgettable ability was displayed to its fullest. For others, what was most challenging seemed as simple as drinking water for him. As for the other requirement of this secret technique, mastering spiritual power to be able to internally view one''s own body, that was the basic requirement of this secret technique. And at this moment, Jiang Ning possessed both. The next moment, Jiang Ning mobilized his spiritual power and began to visualize the furnace. Boom¡ª In his visualization, a fierce fire suddenly ignited under the furnace, enveloping it with intense heat. At this point, if someone were nearby, they could feel Jiang Ning like a blazing bonfire, radiating an astonishing heat. Under this wave of heat, the air seemed to distort slightly as if in the peak of summer. Time passed, breath by breath. In just a few dozen breaths, Jiang Ning stopped visualizing the furnace and suddenly opened his eyes. "What a tremendous exhaustion!" he felt the changes in his body and was internally shocked. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, he felt a substantial consumption of his Qi-Blood. The consumption was no less than that of practicing martial arts for several hours. Then, he examined his body internally to feel the changes within. He had just swallowed two Strength Pills and wanted to see how they were refined under the Melting Furnace Alchemy Skill. Upon internal examination, he instantly saw a mass of pure medicinal liquid in his abdomen. "Is this the medicinal liquid from refining the Strength Pills?" Jiang Ning thought to himself. Just then, "What is that¡­" His heart tightened. Chapter 182 83: Enhancement of Strength, Strengthening of Root Bones! In the courtyard. While introspecting his own body, Jiang Ning was amazed to see four drops of pale golden liquid, the size of grains of rice, in his abdomen. These four drops had appeared next to the location of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill within his body. With just a glance at the pill, wrapped layer upon layer in its medicinal coating, Jiang Ning noticed that it had lost four layers. That is to say, when he had just used the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill, he had also refined four layers of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill. Normally, the human body takes about five to seven days to digest a single layer of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill. Because this pill strengthens the root bone and enhances martial arts talent, it requires ample time to subtly transform the body''s innate root bone and fortify the foundation and essence of one''s martial arts. Looking at the four pale golden drops in his abdomen, "I wonder if this will have any adverse effects?" Jiang Ning thought to himself. The next moment, He focused his thoughts and began to absorb the other two masses of liquid, the medicinal liquid refined from the Strength Pills. Instantly, The medicinal liquid dissolved and merged into his body. Jiang Ning immediately felt an extremely pure medicinal power enter his body like a refreshing spring. He quickly circulated his power, mobilizing his Qi Blood Power to direct this pure medicinal power to the muscles in his arms. After a short while, Jiang Ning opened his eyes and clenched his fists, feeling the surging strength within his body. "Not bad, an increase of more than ten pounds of strength!" he nodded in satisfaction. More than ten pounds of strength might not seem much to his current strength of over two thousand pounds, But accumulations make an ocean; his strength of over two thousand pounds was also accumulated bit by bit in this manner. An increase of more than ten pounds of strength at a time would amount to over a hundred pounds after ten times. Doing a quick calculation in his mind, Jiang Ning felt joy in his heart. Because he still had plenty of Strength Pills. With the effects of the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill, these pills could be quickly absorbed and converted into his own strength. Then, Jiang Ning closed his eyes again. While introspecting, he saw the four drops of pale golden liquid as large as grains of rice in his abdomen once more. "The effects of the medicial liquid from the four layers of Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill, I''ll know in a moment," Jiang Ning thought. Immediately he focused and began mobilizing his Qi Blood Power to dissolve the four condensed and undispersed drops of liquid. In an instant, The medicinal liquid dissolved, and it felt as if millions of wisps of spring rain were absorbed into his limbs and marrow, nurturing silently. He felt his body sending out messages of exhilaration. "Ah, that''s refreshing!" Feeling his body''s response, Jiang Ning sighed to himself. After that, Without any need for guidance, Jiang Ning could feel his body undergoing gradual changes. These changes were invisible but could be distinctly felt by him. Time slipped away quietly. In the blink of an eye, Thirty minutes had passed. Jiang Ning opened his eyes from meditation. Crackling sounds¡ª As he got up, sounds emanated from his whole body. Clenching his fists again, Jiang Ning''s face revealed a hint of joy. In a short amount of time, having digested the medicinal power of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill, he could clearly feel some changes in his body. If it could be described in words, it was as though his ability to exert force had become smoother, indicating that his tendons were strengthened. His bones had also become harder, his Blood Qi more vigorous... Even the functions of his internal organs had been enhanced. Those with excellent innate root bone, whether in Skin Training, Power Training, or subsequent Body Refining, would progress faster than an ordinary person. The body''s absorption of medicinal power would also be stronger. This was the manifestation of having outstanding root bone and excellent talent. At the same time, he could feel that his strength had grown compared to just before, by nearly a hundred pounds no less. "Is this the effect of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill?" Jiang Ning looked pleased. Digesting the medicinal power of the four layers of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill in a short time let him experience the potent effects of the pill. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Source Energy]: 26.7 He glanced again at the Source Energy Points on his panel. [Skill]: Swimming (Three Break Limits 4000/4000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Control Divine Ability, Water Spirit Affinity) Then he took another look at the Swimming sector. "By tomorrow morning, if all goes well, my Source Energy Points should be able to exceed a hundred, or nearly so." "If the Source Energy Points exceed a hundred, then let''s achieve the fourth Break Limit with this skill of Swimming!" Jiang Ning silently mused. Today''s battle with Liu Qingsong had made him truly feel the changes brought about by the Break Limit of the skill Swimming. Water Control Divine Ability. That''s a powerful and mystical force. Without mastering this Divine Skill, even if I expended all my efforts, I wouldn''t be a match for a longstanding Seventh Grade expert like Liu Qingsong. But with the Water Control Divine Ability, killing powerful opponents like Liu Qingsong in the water hardly requires much effort. ... Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Knock knock knock¡ª Jiang Ning knocked on the Martial Arts Hall''s main gate. "Who is it?" From behind the gate, a deep voice came from the front yard of the Martial Arts Hall. "It''s me," Jiang Ning said. "It''s Ah Ning!" Immediately, Liuu Wanwan''s voice followed from behind the door. The next moment. Boom¡ª The door shook slightly, slowly opening. "Dudu!!" The moment the door''s crevice widened, Little Dumpling saw Jiang Ning and ran over to him with a face full of joy. Seeing this, Jiang Ning bent over to pick up Little Dumpling and then placed the pet on his shoulder. "Brother, are you alright?" Jiang Li asked. Chapter 183 83: Increase in Strength, Strengthening the Roots!_2 Jiang Ning smiled, "It''s all right, completely safe now!" During the conversation, Jiang Ning''s gaze swept over a few people before landing on Wang Jin behind them. "Master!" Jiang Ning bowed with cupped fists. Wang Jin nodded slightly, "I heard you encountered some trouble, has it been resolved?" "Resolved!" Jiang Ning nodded his head. "That''s good!" Wang Jin said, "Since you''re here, why not stay for dinner?" "Thank you, Master!" Jiang Ning bowed with cupped fists. Then he untied the rope around his waist and lifted a White Dragon Fish weighing over two taels that was tied to his belt into the air. "Master, this is White Dragon Fish meat, perfect to enjoy together." "Oh?" Wang Jin looked at the fish meat in Jiang Ning''s hand, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, "White Dragon Fish, that''s quite the treasure! How did you manage to get your hands on this?" Jiang Ning said, "I was lucky today, caught one in the Luoshui River." "That''s great!" Wang Jin nodded slightly, "With such a fine delicacy, let''s have a drink later!" "Dutifully at your service!" Jiang Ning smiled. Then he walked towards Wang Jin. When Jiang Ning approached within less than ten feet of Wang Jin, Wang Jin looked at Jiang Ning with a gaze full of surprise. Because at this moment, he sensed a robust aura emanating from Jiang Ning. "This lad... seems to have made significant progress recently!" Wang Jin exclaimed in his heart. Although he could not discern Jiang Ning''s exact strength at the moment. He knew from the feeling that Jiang Ning''s strength had changed dramatically. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Because a stronger presence brings an innate sense of pressure. This is an instinctive reaction of the body. Just like how ordinary people feel an overwhelming sense of oppression when facing the king of beasts in nature, that inherent feeling is undeniable. Although the sensation Jiang Ning gave off wasn''t quite as intense as that, it was clearly different from the indifference he once showed. "Have you made quite the advancement in strength recently, lad?" Wang Jin asked. Jiang Ning nodded, "Slightly refined." "Do you feel confident about the upcoming assessment of the Inspection Office in three days?" Wang Jin inquired. "Is it just three days away?" Jiang Ning asked. "Yes, only three days left!" Wang Jin nodded, "I have received accurate information." "Very well," Jiang Ning nodded, "In three days, Master, you will see for yourself! I certainly won''t let you down!!" Hearing this, Wang Jin couldn''t help but smile, "Look at you, acting all mysterious! Fine then, I shall see your true abilities in three days." ... On the dining table. The two-tael White Dragon Fish had been sliced thinly and placed on a plate. The White Dragon Fish''s flesh didn''t need any further processing; sliced, it was already incredibly delectable. Moreover, this was the best way to retain the essence of the spiritual fish, which brought great benefits to the human body. The flesh of such spiritual fish was gentle and even ordinary people could absorb the essence of the fish meat. It also had the effect of improving the constitution and strengthening the body of common folks. That is why White Dragon Fish was known as a spiritual fish, priceless and hard to find. Jiang Ning first picked up a slice of White Dragon Fish meat and placed it in Wang Jin''s bowl. "Master, you eat first!" "You are quite thoughtful!" Wang Jin chuckled. "Dudu, Little Dumpling wants some too!" Jiang Yuanyuan, sitting next to Jiang Ning, tugged at his sleeve and whispered. Jiang Ning, hearing this, chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Wait a bit!" Then he said to Jiang Li and Liuu Wanwan, "Big Brother and Sister-in-Law, let me first check the effects of this White Dragon Fish to see if it''s suitable for ordinary people." "You''re being overly cautious, kid!" Wang Jin laughed. Then he casually picked up the slice of White Dragon Fish from his bowl and popped it into his mouth. After chewing twice, he swallowed it down. He closed his eyes, shook his head, and said contentedly, "Fresh, tender, smooth; truly a top-tier enjoyment!!!" The next moment, his face slightly changed, looking at the White Dragon Fish meat on the plate with great surprise. At that time, Jiang Ning also picked up a piece of fish meat and put it in his mouth. As soon as it entered his mouth, he felt the freshness and silkiness to the max, much like a jelly. With a gentle bite, the flesh was exceptionally tender. "It is indeed delicious; no wonder Master is so ecstatic!" Jiang Ning exclaimed inwardly. With the fish meat in his belly, he instantly felt as if the snow had fallen into a volcano, quickly melting away. Then, the melting fish meat released streams of warmth. He closed his eyes to savor the moment before finally opening them. "Big brother, sister-in-law, you both can eat normally, but you need to pay attention to the portion size." Wang Jin, upon hearing Jiang Ning''s statement, nodded in agreement. "You''re right; it''s indeed necessary to pay attention to the amount we take in!" Then he looked at Jiang Ning, "Where did you catch such a White Dragon Fish? I''ve eaten White Dragon Fish meat before, too. That was at Binjiang Building in the county of Dongling County." "But the one you have here is clearly different; the essence contained in this White Dragon Fish is far more than what I''ve had before." Jiang Ning said, "I caught it not far from our house, just got lucky at the time." As he spoke, Jiang Ning was also mumbling to himself in his heart. Indeed lucky! If I had been even a day later, that White Dragon Fish would have ended up in Shi Xiaoyuan''s hands. Not to mention that whole warehouse of iron ore, as well as that puddle of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, Luoshui River. As his thoughts wandered, Jiang Ning also placed a piece of fish meat into Little Dumpling''s bowl. "Little Dumpling, eat slowly!" "Mmm-hmm!!" Jiang Yuanyuan nodded eagerly like a chick pecking at grains. Her little legs dangling from the stool also swung happily. The frost-like fish meat had a somewhat fatally attractive appeal to someone her age. The next moment, she picked up the fish meat from the bowl with both hands and carefully nibbled at it. After a few breaths, she spoke in a wobbly, murmur-like voice, "So yum... so yum-yummy!!" At that moment, Little Dumpling appeared drunk, her cheeks flushed, her gaze hazy. Seeing this, Jiang Ning, who had just raised his glass, quickly put it down. Then he stretched out his hand and placed the index and middle fingers of his right hand on Little Dumpling''s neck. After examining her briefly, he let out a sigh of relief. "Ah Ning, is Little Dumpling... okay?" Liuu Wanwan asked nervously, looking at Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning smiled, "She''s fine! The fish meat is just too nourishing, that''s why she''s reacting like this! It''s not suitable for her to eat too much at her age!" As he finished speaking, Jiang Ning also took the piece of fish meat from Little Dumpling''s bowl and threw it into his mouth. "Uncle, may I continue eating?" Jiang Yiming asked, seeing this. Jiang Ning said, "When your body reacts like Little Dumpling''s, then you can''t eat anymore!" "Understood!" Jiang Yiming nodded repeatedly, then added, "Thank you, Uncle!" At this moment, he also knew that this kind of fish meat was an extremely precious thing. It would be of tremendous help to his future Martial Arts training. Thus, he treasured this opportunity very much, biting off the fish meat bit by bit and swallowing it. On the other side, Jiang Li, Jiang Ning, and Wang Jin clinked glasses, drinking the fine liquor provided by Wang Jin. At the same time, they were eating a sumptuous dinner. Especially the White Dragon Fish''s meat, Jiang Li had only heard that such a fish was considered spiritual, priceless, and hard to come by. For ordinary people, it could prolong life, strengthen the body, and automatically cure a myriad of illnesses. For those who practiced Martial Arts, it could strengthen the Qi-Blood, muscles, tendons, and bones, greatly aiding the path of Martial Arts. Jiang Li swallowed a piece of fish meat and felt the response from his body, filled with indescribable emotions. This meal was thoroughly enjoyed by all the guests. After Jiang Ning and his entourage had left, Wang Jin also hurriedly made his way back to his courtyard. He now felt a barely perceptible change in his strength, which had remained stagnant at the Seventh Grade Peak for many years. It seemed to be a change in the very foundations of his body, as well as in its upper limits. A superior bodily foundation implies a higher limit. At the same level, it means one would have more incredible strength, more exceptional agility, and quicker reflexes. Those said to have Innate Divine Strength, in a sense, possess this inborn talent. At this moment, Wang Jin was exceedingly excited as he felt changes in his body. That White Dragon Fish was indeed completely different from what I had before!! Wang Jin realized that the changes in his body must inevitably stem from the White Dragon Fish meat he had just eaten. Chapter 184 84: Divine Skills, Divine Skills Again! East courtyard. After returning home, Jiang Ning cut over ten pounds of White Dragon Fish meat and gave it to Jiang Li, reminding him to carefully control the daily intake. Although the effects of the White Dragon Fish were mild, it was still too much for an ordinary person to consume too much. Thus, in Jiang Ning''s view, over ten pounds of White Dragon Fish meat would be enough for his elder brother''s family to last several months. As for the storage of the White Dragon Fish, there was no need to worry. The fish meat of the White Dragon Fish could last for months without spoiling at room temperature. Then, he returned to his own courtyard and untied a wine jug from his waist. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This wine jug had just been demanded from the Martial Arts Hall. It contained the fine wine from Wang Jin. After opening the jug, a rich fragrance of wine wafted out. He then took out a black stone he had found at the bottom of the lake in the cave. "Whether it works or not, I will know in a few days!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself, then threw the black stone into the wine jug. Clank, clank, clank¡ª He shook the wine jug a few times. The sound of the black stone colliding inside the jug was clear to the ear. Immediately after, he tied the jug back to his waist. The black stone in the jug was extremely important in his eyes now because he speculated it might be the source of the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures from the bottom of the water. If his speculation was confirmed, then this object would be one of the most precious things he owned. One of the items was the black stone, and the other was the spiritual weapon that acknowledged him as its master. After securing the wine jug, Jiang Ning went beside the ancient well in the courtyard and looked down. Under the moonlight, a dazzling white light shimmered in the well. This dazzling brightness was the reflection of the moonlight on the white scales of the White Dragon Fish. The White Dragon Fish, over five feet long, had in total about a hundred pounds of fish meat. Even with Jiang Ning''s Eighth Grade physique and powerful consumption ability, these nearly hundred pounds of White Dragon Fish meat were enough to last him a long time. Therefore, to ensure the ingredients were fresher, he stored the fish meat in the cold ancient well. Afterward. Jiang Ning lifted the fish meat from the ancient well and then took out a small knife he had prepared earlier. With a swift movement of his hand, he sliced off about a pound of fish meat, which landed in his palm. He hadn''t fully enjoyed eating fish meat at the Martial Arts Hall. After all, bringing only two pounds of fish meat was not even enough for one person, let alone several people sharing it. He took a bite, and the icy cool fish flesh was torn apart by his sturdy teeth. "Refreshing!" With a few bites, a pound of fish meat entered his belly, Jiang Ning patted his stomach and remarked. Then, he continued to cut piece after piece of the White Dragon Fish meat, swallowing large mouthfuls into his stomach. For those who practice martial arts, consuming three to five pounds of meat in one meal was not an issue. Not to mention with his current strength. In the blink of an eye, over five pounds of fish meat entered his stomach, and Jiang Ning finally felt immensely satisfied. He patted his belly, feeling the fullness inside, then he placed the remaining White Dragon Fish meat back into the ancient well for storage. By now, the night had deepened. The next moment. He leaped off toward the direction of Chaotic Beach. It was still early before bedtime, and he had just eaten a large amount of White Dragon Fish meat; it was now the perfect time to practice his punches to aid the digestion of the meat in his body. And with the trait "Water Spirit Affinity," soaking in the water was the best place for him to train. Because being in the water would nourish him from the source, his body would fully recover, much like the Life Spring in the video games he played in his previous life. A moment later. Splash¡ª Waves splashed as Jiang Ning instantly entered the water. So comfortable! Feeling the nourishment from the mysterious energy, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but profoundly exhale. Afterwards. He began to practice his punches underwater. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [...] Practicing punches underwater, the experience value of the Five Animals Fist continually increased, as did the experience value for Swimming. If it had been earlier, with the consumption from practicing, he would have felt a significant drain, and both his physical and energy levels would have continuously declined. But at this moment, soaking in the water and practicing punches. Not only did he not feel his condition worsening, but his essence, energy, and spirit gradually became more abundant. Even the Qi Blood Power he had spent from using the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill was now recovering continuously as he was submerged in the lake water. Day was breaking. Today, the lake was calm, without much wind and waves. Suddenly. Splash¡ª Water sprayed as Jiang Ning leaped from the water, drawing a perfect parabola in the air and then landing on Chaotic Beach. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (One-time Break Limit 272/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) "Added a few dozen more experience points!" Then he closed the panel and clenched his fists. A sudden surge of fullness and abundance transmitted through his body. His essence, energy, and spirit reached their peak in this moment. "My strength has enhanced again! The White Dragon Fish truly lives up to its reputation as a spiritual fish. After aiding digestion with my punching practice, my strength surged by over fifty pounds instantaneously." "Even my Qi-Blood has grown by about ten percent." Jiang Ning murmured to himself, his heart brimming with excitement. He had thought the fish meat of the White Dragon Fish would be greatly helpful to him, but he hadn''t expected it to be this significant. Less than ten pounds of fish meat had led to such a substantial improvement. Moreover, this was just the apparent effect. Besides that, he could feel his muscles and bones slightly strengthened, and his foundational attributes had also improved. Chapter 185 84: Divine Skills, Once Again Divine Skills! _2 "I need to head back!" "Now that my essence, qi, and spirit are abundant, and my Qi-Blood is full, it''s the perfect time to operate the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill and refine the Strength Pills." At this thought, Jiang Ning cast his gaze toward the tall wall not far ahead. Then, with a few leaps, he flipped over the wall and returned to his own courtyard. Upon entering his house, he picked up a Jade Bottle containing the Strength Pills from the table. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After pouring out two Strength Pills from the bottle, Jiang Ning paused, then poured out one more, making it three in total. He threw all three Strength Pills directly into his mouth, and with the movement of his throat, the pills entered his stomach. He sat down cross-legged on his bed. Instantly visualizing that melting furnace in his mind. With the experience from the evening, this time''s visualization and operation of the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill were even more effortless. Boom¡ª In his mind, the large furnace instantly burst into raging flames. At this moment, the Qi-Blood Power that was already full within his body seemed to become the kindling for the furnace''s burning. In the blink of an eye, Thirty minutes later, Jiang Ning stopped operating the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill. He examined his body internally and instantly saw the medicinal liquid from the Strength Pills and near the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill, there were also four drops of pale golden medicinal liquid condensed. At this point, he also noticed that compared to before, the volume of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill inside his body had shrunk by a good third. "What a powerful secret technique!" Seeing the shrinkage of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but inwardly exclaim in awe. Normally, it would take nearly half a year of effort for the body to fully digest and absorb the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill. But now, having operated the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill only twice, he had refined about a third of the total amount of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill. With this efficiency, after a few more uses of the secret technique, the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill inside his body would be completely refined and absorbed. Afterward, he continued to close his eyes. He activated his Qi-Blood to dissolve the medicinal liquid refined from the Strength Pills. The medicinal liquid was dissolved, transported through his Qi-Blood to the muscles of his arms, and then he started to temper the muscle groups in his arms with Power. All at once, waves of a satisfying soreness swept over him. In this state, Jiang Ning distinctly felt the resilience of his muscles being tempered was improving. The increase in resilience allowed for an eruption of even more powerful strength. After thirty minutes, "My strength has increased again! I''m nearly reaching the power of 3,000 jin!" Jiang Ning clenched his fist, calling upon his own strength. Delighted by the feeling of power enhancement, his expression brightened. A strength of 3,000 jin, when considered amongst practitioners at the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, would be quite close to an upper limit. Most of the strong at the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, who have reached Great Success in Power Training, only have strength around 2,500 jin. Only the cream of the crop could possess a strength of 3,000 jin. Yet now, his strength was nearly there. With a glance at the Eighth Grade, merely in terms of strength, he was already one of the elites. However, at this moment, Jiang Ning did not feel that he had reached his strength limit. The muscle groups in his arms could clearly be further tempered. "I wonder how much strength will be my limit at the Eighth Grade?" "3,500 jin? 3,600 jin? 3,700 jin¡­" "Or the legendary 4,000 jin that rivals the Innate Divine Strength?" Contemplating these possibilities, Jiang Ning''s eyes suddenly gleamed with aspiration. Afterward, He glanced at the scene outside the window. He saw the cool moonlight had almost become a straight line, shining onto the edge of the window. It was time to sleep! Tomorrow I have many things to do. I need to find a suitable buyer for the warehouse of iron ore found in the sunken ship. This is a vast fortune. Those spoils of war also need to be sold for Silver Taels, and then I can spend them well. I must advance to the Seventh Grade as quickly as possible; otherwise, if Cao Rong comes knocking one day, I am no match for him with my current strength. And there''s the trouble with Medicine King Valley. I wonder how Liu Qingsong managed to suspect that I have the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill. Though Liu Qingsong and his two companions were sunk into the lake by me, within a day or two, the disciples of Medicine King Valley accompanying Liu Qingsong will undoubtedly realize they are missing. Once Medicine King Valley sends someone else, it may not be someone at the Martial Arts Seventh Grade like Liu Qingsong. It could either be a Seven Grade unbeatable warrior comparable to Cao Rong or a Sixth Rank. Since Liu Qingsong could perceive something off about me, there''s no guarantee others from Medicine King Valley won''t be able to. Considering this, Jiang Ning felt a tightening in his heart. The slightly inflated confidence due to the recent strength improvement instantly came back to earth. My current strength might be decent in Luoshui County. But in the grand scheme of Dongling County, it wouldn''t amount to much. Just try to look across Zeshan State, and even the whole Great Xia, as well as this world. This world, beyond the borders of Great Xia, has an expansive realm. According to what he knew from some books, in the Eastern Sea, there were three islands overseas and eighty-one smaller islands, numerous powers and sects beyond count. In the south, within the wild mountain ranges, lay the slumbering Great Demon of ancient times, said to have survived from the era when the Ancient Immortals stood tall. In the north, there were barbarians knocking at the border, whose blood was rumored to be completely different from that of the people of Great Xia. In this vast world, those of the Eighth Grade are no different from ants. Even those of the Seventh and Sixth Grade are merely slightly larger ants, insignificant to the world at large. Only a Grandmaster can be renowned across a state. Only a Great Grandmaster can make waves throughout the world. ... Only a Martial Saint can claim to be invincible in this era. "I possess an interface and have such opportunities, I shall become Great Xia''s second Martial Saint!" Jiang Ning looked at his panel, silently declaring to himself. Then he lay down on his bed and slowly fell asleep. ... The next day. Dawn was breaking. Jiang Ning rolled out of bed. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy Points]: 151.8 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1616/3000) (Trait: unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (First Limit Breaking 235/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Fourth Limit Breaking 5000/5000) (Trait: touch and understand, Blade Like a Swift Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 1513/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 48/1000) Vajra Immortal Body (small success 1/5000) Swimming (Third Limit Breaking 4000/4000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity) Comfortable!! Looking at his own panel, Jiang Ning felt only these two words in his heart. Within a day, his Source Energy Points skyrocketed from just over twenty to one hundred fifty-one. Such an enormous increase was a first. But considering his experience from yesterday, Jiang Ning felt it was normal. Yesterday in the cave, he had refined a bowl-sized amount of the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasure called "water from the water." This object led to nearly ten thousand Experience Value points being added to his Swimming Skill. It took the once First Limit Breaking Swimming Skill to complete its Third Limit Breaking, and there was still plenty to spare even after the potential for a Fourth Limit Breaking. It goes without saying how formidable the energy within that unknown Heavenly Material must have been. Not to mention afterwards, he consumed several pounds of White Dragon Fish flesh, refined five Strength Pills, and around thirty percent of a Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill. "Indeed plausible!" Thinking about his abundantly rewarding day yesterday, Jiang Ning nodded slightly. Then his gaze fell on the column for the Swimming Skill. "It''s time to break through!" The next instant. With a thought, the Source Energy Points on his panel started to plummet rapidly. In a blink. [Source Energy Points]: 51.8 The Source Energy Points froze at this number. And the Swimming Skill had completed its Fourth Limit Breaking. [Skill]: Swimming (Fourth Limit Breaking 1877/5000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall) [Cloud Formation and Rainfall]: A kind of Divine Skill, could manipulate clouds and rainfall. Divine Skill? Another Divine Skill? Jiang Ning''s gaze sharpened as he read the note on this trait. "Cloud Formation and Rainfall, huh? This Divine Skill seems a bit superfluous on the surface," he mused internally. "But that might not be the case!" his thoughts shifted, he mused internally: "On a rainy day, it must be of great help to me!" "Surely I can absorb the energy from a water source to replenish my own depletion, and it can also heal injuries." "And with the rainfall, it would facilitate my use of the Water Manipulation Divine Ability!" Thinking of these points, Jiang Ning''s perspective on the Cloud Formation and Rainfall Divine Skill changed, and he felt anticipation. Now, I just don''t know how much this Divine Skill will consume for me? How substantial is it? To what extent can I make Cloud Formation and Rainfall affect an area? Might as well try it out, try it and I will know!! Chapter 186 85 The Effect of the Divine Skills of Cloud Formation and Rainfall From inside the house, he moved to the courtyard. Jiang Ning looked up at the sky. At this moment, the sky was faintly bright, a grayish haze, with the sun yet to rise. The air was filled with moisture coming from the lake. On the bamboo leaves in the courtyard, dewdrops had now formed. The next moment, his figure leaped, quickly scaling the wall to exit. Within a few bounds, he arrived on a huge rock near Chaotic Beach. The lake surface was blurry, shrouded in mist, making visibility poor. Seeing this, Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. "There''s no one around, it''s a good time!" Immediately, Jiang Ning stretched out his hand towards the lake, his fingers spread wide. "Clouds, arise!" In an instant, the two words he uttered seemed to be a divine command. Above the lake, mists churned. If someone looked up at the sky, they would see, in the higher skies, mists rushing in from all directions. The mists gathered into gray, turning into thick layers of gray clouds, which then continuously piled up, gradually turning into black clouds. Moments later, Crack¡ª A bolt of lightning pierced the heavens, startling chickens and dogs with its roar. This thunderous sound woke many residents around Luoshui Lake from their sleep. Instantly, Crack¡ª The collision of clouds produced another bolt of lightning that split the heavens. Some people, seeing the distant black clouds, couldn''t help but gape. There were also fishermen who hurriedly came out from their houses, looking at the distant sky in surprise and anxiety. Surprised that this first rainfall in months was falling on Luoshui Lake, Anxious because thunderstorms were not suitable for fishing at sea. In such weather, a great wave could sweep someone into the lake, dooming them to a watery grave. In such harsh weather, even excellent swimming skills were useless. How could human strength contend against the might of nature? S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ... Elsewhere, Jiang Ning knew that such a spectacle would surely draw some attention. After all, with thunder appearing, anyone would notice the unusual phenomenon above the lake. Looking at the thick black clouds overhead, Jiang Ning was also inwardly amazed. Because this first test made him see this Divine Skill in a new light. Initially, he thought he''d find it difficult to manifest the Cloud Formation and Rainfall Divine Skill. But after the test, he knew that Cloud Formation and Rainfall seemed to have become an innate ability, a talent. To execute Cloud Formation and Rainfall, he only needed to expend a little spiritual power to invoke this law of nature, thus causing the clouds to gather. From the state of his body, this use of the Cloud Formation and Rainfall Divine Skill Only made him feel a little dazed and lethargic, although he had been full of spirit just moments before. Other than that, there were no other negative effects. At this time, The cloud layer above had already completely formed. Between the colliding clouds, rumbles of thunder and flashes of lightning streaked across the sky intermittently. Nobody would imagine that this stormy scene above Luoshui Lake was merely caused by a mere Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm junior. Jiang Ning looked up into the sky. The gathering clouds left nothing unseen, roughly covering only half the area of Luoshui County. "A bit small, but it''ll do," Jiang Ning nodded. His original intention to test the Cloud Formation and Rainfall Divine Skill was also to create a favorable environmental advantage for himself. In water, his physical state could benefit from all-around accelerated recovery. Similarly, in heavy rain, he could as well. And in water, his senses would be further enhanced. So would they be in heavy rain. The rainwater served as his sensory organ. Furthermore, on land, his ability to control water was difficult to use. Even if used, it was too obvious and did not have the surprising effect it did in the water. But in heavy rain, it was different. The falling rain could also become a weapon in his hands. The next moment, Splash¡ª As Jiang Ning concentrated, torrential rain fell from above, pattering against the lake surface and creating ripples. The originally calm lake surface turned choppy due to this sudden downpour. Rain poured down on him, feeling the moisture it provided to his body. "Not bad!" "It has about 30% of the effect of being in the water!" Feeling the change in his body, Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. A 30% effect was quite significant. Not to mention, his ability to control water could also be freely used in the heavy rain. With a thought, rainwater around him gathered, forming thin streams of Water Needles. The Water Needles swirled around him, like agile fish. Go¡ª Jiang Ning waved his hand. The dense Water Needles shot out like a torrential rain toward a nearby rock. Thud thud thud¡ª Stone chips flew, and the rock quickly became riddled with holes, full of pits and indentations. Not bad!! Jiang Ning nodded. He was satisfied with the impact of the Water Needles. Being able to shatter the surface of rocks indicated that the Water Needles he controlled under his water manipulation Divine Skill were powerful enough to injure a Refining Skin Mastery Martial Artist. Although it seemed useless¡ª After all, small success in Refining Skin was comparable to rock hardness. Above that, there was Refining Skin Mastery with bronze-like skin. And beyond the Ninth Grade were Eighth and Seventh Grade Martial Artists whose physiques were even stronger. However, the human body had many vulnerable spots. Even if one''s physique was strong and impervious to blades and swords, Eyes, ears, and such orifices did not share that kind of strength. Being able to shatter rocks, attacking these weak points could have unexpected effects. ... When Jiang Ning left Chaotic Beach, The clouds and rain that dominated the sky came swiftly and left just as quickly. Chapter 187 85 The Effect of Divine Skills: Cloud Formation and Rainfall_2 In the blink of an eye, the clouds had dispersed, and the sky was clear. This caused the residents who witnessed this scene to marvel in amazement. Returning to his own yard, Thump, thump, thump¡ª Jiang Ning shook the wine jug. Immediately, he heard the sound of the black stone hitting the walls of the jug. Then, he opened the mouth of the jug, his gaze falling inside. The next moment, his eyes suddenly flashed with surprise. Because in the liquor within the jug, he saw several points of silver starlight. It was as if brilliant stars had fallen into the liquor, extremely beautiful, and looking extremely mysterious. "Could it be that black stone really is the source of the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures I refined yesterday?" Thinking of this, Jiang Ning picked up the jug and poured a big gulp of the liquor into his mouth. Glug¡ª As the liquor went down, he immediately felt the fiery alcohol warming his heart, dispelling the chill, filling his whole body with warmth. [Swimming Experience Value +1] "Sure enough! This black stone was indeed my most precious gain from yesterday!" The appearance of this prompt brought joy to Jiang Ning''s face. The prompt confirmed his previous speculation. Promptly, he excitedly headed to the ancient well in the courtyard. He retrieved the White Dragon Fish meat socked in the ancient well. With one cut, he sliced off a full ten pounds, then returned the remaining White Dragon Fish meat back to the ancient well. Although the special nature of a spiritual fish like White Dragon Fish meant it wouldn''t spoil or deteriorate even if left indoors, the outside temperature was still high during the day, so keeping it in the ancient well would no doubt maintain the best taste. Carrying ten pounds of White Dragon Fish meat, Jiang Ning walked towards his room. This ten pounds of White Dragon Fish meat was his breakfast for the day. [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [Swimming Experience Value +1] [...] Gobbling down the White Dragon Fish meat, drinking the strong liquor from the jug, he watched as the Swimming Experience Value kept rising. "Awesome!" Jiang Ning ate with increasing delight. The delectable flavor of the fish combined with the fine liquor, and particularly because his strength was increasing while he enjoyed the meal. ... The Great Sun was high in the sky. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [...] Jiang Ning continuously breathed in and out the Great Sun Essence Qi, and the experience points of his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill kept on increasing. After a long time, He slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of impure energy. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 1555/2000) "I''m just over four hundred points away from a small success in Inner Elixir Cultivation." "Given my current effectiveness, it should take about ten days!" "In ten days, once Inner Elixir Cultivation breaks through to small success, I''ll be able to grasp Inner Breath!" "Ordinarily, Inner Breath is a hallmark of a Fifth Grade Inner Strength expert!" Thinking of this, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but feel excited. With Inner Breath, his strength would surely rise to a new level. Inner Breath, that is a truly extraordinary power. ... Not until noon did Jiang Ning finally prepare to leave the house. And at that moment, his strength had leaped to 3,000 pounds. Because for the entire morning, after finishing his breathing exercises with the Great Sun Essence Qi, he had begun to consume Strength Pills and then used the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill. The effect of ten pounds of White Dragon Fish meat, combined with three Strength Pills, and the effect of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill, allowed him to abruptly increase his strength by over a hundred pounds. His strength thus broke through the 3,000-pound mark, heading towards an even higher strength increase. An hour later, he came to the Weapon Forging Shop again. Under the guidance of a young servant, Jiang Ning went to the backyard of the Weapon Forging Shop. Clang, clang, clang¡ª Heavy hammers like thunder, little hammers like rain. The sound of iron striking was unceasing to the ear, filled with an extremely regular rhythm. At this moment, the forge was blazing fiercely. Even though they were out in the open air of the iron shop, Jiang Ning could feel waves of heat rushing towards him from the front. Just then, Yang Kai was walking towards Jiang Ning, wiping his hands with a soot-black towel. "Manager Yang, hope all is well with you!" Jiang Ning greeted with a bow. Yang Kai quickly slung the towel over his shoulder and returned the gesture with a bow. "Brother Jiang, hope all is well with you too!" Then he added, "May I know the reason for Brother Jiang''s visit to my Weapon Forging Shop today?" Jiang Ning nodded, "I have a business proposal I''d like to discuss with Manager Yang. Would you be interested?" "Brother Jiang''s business is naturally of interest to me," exclaimed Yang Kai as he nodded repeatedly. Jiang Ning asked, "I wonder if your shop is short on iron ore?" "Iron ore?" Upon hearing these words, Yang Kai showed a look of astonishment. But then he nodded vigorously, "Short of it? How could we not be short! Brother Jiang, have you found an iron mine? If it''s an iron mine, that''s going to be difficult to deal with!" "Iron mines are normally not allowed to be privately owned; all the mines within the territory of Great Xia are under the control of the court." "It would have been a different case usually, but right now that big shot from the Inspection Office has already arrived in Luoshui County; this matter is going to be tricky!" As Yang Kai said the last sentence, he couldn''t help shaking his head and sighing. Jiang Ning said, "It''s not a mine." "Not a mine?" Yang Kai showed surprise on his face and couldn''t help but feel a bit disappointed. If it wasn''t a mine, how much ore could there be? Thinking this, Yang Kai patted his chest and said, "However much ore Brother Jiang has, I''ll take it all at market price!" "That''s what you said!" Jiang Ning smiled. "Of course!" Yang Kai didn''t take it lightly. ... An hour or so later. A light boat was resting on the surface of the lake. "Brother Jiang has some truly magical methods!" Yang Kai couldn''t stop marveling while riding in the light boat. He felt that the light boat beneath him had some different kind of magic in Jiang Ning''s hands; with just a light touch of the paddle by Jiang Ning, the boat seemed to shoot forward like an arrow released from a bow. This was entirely unreasonable! Facing Yang Kai''s marvel, Jiang Ning simply smiled and didn''t pick up the topic, instead, he turned the conversation. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Manager Yang, below us is the iron ore I mentioned!" Then he asked, "How about joining me for a look?" "That would naturally be good!" Yang Kai nodded, "Now that there are strict controls on iron ore, I''ve been worrying about getting it. With Brother Jiang''s discovery, I naturally want to take it." "Then let''s go!" said Jiang Ning. "Just like this?" Yang Kai looked surprised. "What else?" "How can you go into the water without this?" Yang Kai took out a shriveled fish bladder and waved it in front of Jiang Ning. Huff¡ª Huff¡ª Huff¡ª He was blowing air into the fish bladder with each breath. In the blink of an eye, the originally small fish bladder puffed up to the size of a ball. "Brother Jiang, don''t you have... haven''t you prepared?" Yang Kai, seeing Jiang Ning''s unmoved demeanor, decided to ask. Jiang Ning replied, "I don''t need that. I am a good swimmer, and I can hold my breath for a long time." "Well... okay then!" Yang Kai, seeing this, showed a somewhat skeptical expression. "Let''s go!" Jiang Ning said again. Splash¡ª With the sound of entering the water, He disappeared from the surface of the lake in the blink of an eye. Seeing this, Yang Kai promptly jumped into the lake as well. ... A short while later. The two of them kept diving deeper. Yang Kai, following behind Jiang Ning, grew increasingly surprised. Because the depth they were diving into was considerable. For his safety, he had already used the fish bladder to breathe once. But he noticed that Jiang Ning, without having breathed once, was still swimming effortlessly. Compared with him, Jiang Ning was clearly much more at ease. "Such astounding lung capacity!!" Yang Kai secretly marveled. Then, after a little while, "We are almost there," Jiang Ning spoke. Even underwater, his voice sounded exceptionally clear, traveling through the water medium crisply into Yang Kai''s ears. Hearing Jiang Ning''s words, Yang Kai also narrowed his eyes, focusing on the darkness below. But by now, they had already entered the deep water area of Luoshui Lake, where the light was extremely dim. Even though he tried his best to open his eyes wide, he could still only see sheer darkness below. "Is there really a sunken ship here? And one loaded with iron ore at that?" Yang Kai had some doubts in his heart. But he did not voice this question; instead, he silently continued to follow Jiang Ning. After a few breaths'' time, they descended several more fathoms deeper. Only then did Yang Kai see the outline of the sunken ship up close. Upon seeing the outline of the sunken ship, he couldn''t help but turn to look at Jiang Ning. "What kind of sight does he have!!!" Yang Kai marveled inwardly. Chapter 188 86: Golden Body Pill, Vajra Order! Lake bottom. Inside the cabin. "Is this the iron ore you were talking about?" Yang Kai looked at the mountain of iron ore in front of him, his mouth agape, as lake water instantly rushed into his mouth. "Yes, exactly these!" Jiang Ning nodded, "Does what Manager Yang just said still hold?" "This..." Yang Kai hesitated momentarily. With just one glance, he knew that the iron ore in front of him, if calculated at market price, would be worth at least ten thousand taels of silver. Ten thousand taels of silver, even for the Weapon Forging Shop''s years of operation, would be hard to produce easily in a short span of time. Consequently, getting ten thousand taels of silver in cash on short notice might even deplete the shop''s liquidity. "What? Is Manager Yang going to go back on his word?" Jiang Ning spoke up. Yang Kai took another look at Jiang Ning, whose face was calm with not a ripple, completely unable to see through what Jiang Ning was thinking. After pondering for a moment and thinking about Elder Gong''s prior attitude towards Jiang Ning, and recalling Jiang Ning''s prior actions, Yang Kai promptly nodded, "As the Store Manager of the Weapon Forging Shop, I represent the face of the shop! Since I have spoken, naturally, I won''t go back on my word!" Jiang Ning asked, "Do we need to discuss the price? After all, these iron ores are from a sunken ship underwater, moving them will require manpower and resources!" "No need!" Yang Kai shook his head, "Manpower and resources, how much could that cost? Such trivial money isn''t something to quibble about with Brother Jiang." "That sounds good!" Jiang Ning nodded, "In that case, I entrust these iron ores to Manager Yang! Once Manager Yang finishes tallying, you can send the silver to my residence." Yang Kai looked at Jiang Ning, "Does Brother Jiang intend to return now?" "Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded, "I''ll be income at the Inspection Office in three days; I need some time to prepare." "I see!" Yang Kai immediately understood, then he asked, "But aren''t you worried I might count less iron ore in your absence?" "I trust Manager Yang!" ... After heading ashore, Jiang Ning immediately proceeded towards the Wanhua Building. He remembered what Lin Qingyi had previously told him: to come to her upon achieving Great Success in Refining Skin. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She still had things left by Shen Congyun. After bidding farewell to Jiang Ning, Yang Kai, too, headed to the outer city''s Weapon Forging Shop. The ten thousand taels worth of iron ore needed urgent arrangements to be fished out and counted, settling accounts with Jiang Ning as soon as possible. Although the iron ore was a bit much for the Weapon Forging Shop, it was still manageable. After being forged into pig iron and sold to other counties, it could still turn a profit. ... Wanhua Building. On the open-air loft of the rooftop. "Young Master Jiang, please wait here for a moment! The master is currently napping, and I dare not disturb her at this time," Little Lv apologized to Jiang Ning. "It''s fine; I can wait!" Jiang Ning responded. "Thank you for your understanding, Young Master!" Little Lv bowed gracefully, then added, "Usually, the master will wake up in about half an hour." "Alright!" Jiang Ning nodded. He wasn''t in a hurry at this moment. Because here, he could still practice without any disturbance. After Little Lv left, Jiang Ning drank a few sips of iced tea to quench his thirst. Even though it was already October, the weather was still excruciatingly hot without a hint of rain. Not the slightest coolness of autumn. Jiang Ning took another sip of iced tea, feeling much cooler inside. Then, he glanced in the direction of Lin Qingyi''s room. "I wonder what Shen Congyun actually left for me?" "Requiring me to achieve Ninth Grade Great Success, with skin tough as copper, before I could come again?" Jiang Ning muttered to himself internally. Then he sat cross-legged, eyes closed. He didn''t want to waste time waiting blankly for Lin Qingyi to awaken. Then, he thought for a moment, and decided to refine the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill inside. With the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill and his Qi Blood Power as the fuel, he was able to quickly digest the medicinal power of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill. This pill''s medicinal power could not only enhance his foundational strength and heritage but also help him quickly complete the Power Training process of Martial Arts Eighth Grade. Boom¡ª In his visualization. Intense flames enveloped the furnace. His body felt as if flames rose within, and his body temperature continuously increased; in an instant, it surpassed forty degrees and still kept climbing. On the other side. Dingling¡ª Lin Qingyi leisurely woke from the soft couch. She picked up a cup of tea from the table and took a sip to moisten her throat. "Little Lv, is there something?" Lin Qingyi then spoke. With her abilities, she was instantly aware of Little Lv waiting outside the door. Outside. Little Lv, hearing the voice from inside, bowed slightly and whispered softly, "Master, Young Master Jiang is currently waiting upstairs." "Why has he come?" Lin Qingyi was slightly surprised as she put down the tea cup in her hand. "I''m not sure!" Little Lv responded softly. "Could it be that the lad has already achieved Ninth Grade Great Success?" Lin Qingyi murmured softly. "I must go out and see him! If he really has achieved Ninth Grade Great Success at this time, his talent is truly terrifying!" Then, she picked up her clothes from a screen nearby and got dressed. Moments later. Lin Qingyi, dressed in a light gauze long dress and barefoot given the hot weather, with thin clothing on her upper body revealing the white tube top and slender shoulders, glanced at Little Lv and then dismissed her. "You go on with your work! I can go there alone." "Yes, Master!" Little Lv bowed to Lin Qingyi respectfully, then slowly retreated. ... Chapter 189 86 Golden Body Pill, Vajra Order!_2 On the open terrace. Lin Qingyi turned the corner and saw Jiang Ning sitting cross-legged on the ground. His black hair was casually tied back with a hairband, draping loosely over his shoulders. His brows were furrowed, his expression serene, showing neither joy nor sorrow. "This kid, he''s actually meditating here!" Lin Qingyi''s mouth curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile. No, wait!! Her smile faded, and she looked at Jiang Ning with a look of surprise on her face. Because she suddenly felt that the Jiang Ning in front of her was like a furnace, continuously radiating heat from his body. This heat was even more intense than the heat waves emitted from the scorching sun above. Then, Lin Qingyi took a few more steps forward, drawing closer to Jiang Ning. "Such astonishing heat!" "What on earth is this kid doing?" A look of suspicion appeared on her face as she pondered the situation she had previously encountered. After a moment, Lin Qingyi''s expression became slightly solemn. "Could it be the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill from Medicine King Valley?" She thought to herself. Upon this realization, she suddenly remembered the intelligence report she had seen during the day. Last night, Liu Qingsong and others did not return all night. And today, early in the morning, several disciples accompanying them from Medicine King Valley had left the inn, apparently to search for Liu Qingsong and his group. Linking this piece of intelligence, Lin Qingyi couldn''t help but smile. "I''m thinking too much!" "What kind of person is Liu Qingsong?" "In the whole Luoshui County, the number of people who can beat him can be counted on one hand!" Then, she looked at Jiang Ning seriously again. The more she observed, the more Lin Qingyi felt that Jiang Ning was indeed practicing the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill of Medicine King Valley. Because, from her understanding of this exclusive secret skill of Medicine King Valley, Jiang Ning''s current behavior perfectly matched the skill. Qi-Blood as the firewood, the body as the furnace. "What an outstanding young man!" Lin Qingyi looked at Jiang Ning with a flash of admiration in her eyes. Over the years, Jiang Ning had become the junior she admired most. "That Shen Congyun, his discernment is truly admirable!" Lin Qingyi thought of Shen Congyun, who was currently in Zeshan City, and felt a sense of appreciation. Not long after. Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes. "Sister Lin!" he exclaimed upon seeing Lin Qingyi in front of him. Hearing this, Lin Qingyi smiled slightly, "The Melting Furnace Alchemy Skill?" "Good eye, sister!" Jiang Ning nodded slightly. He knew that since Lin Qingyi could accurately name this secret technique, there was no point in him trying to hide it; he might as well be open about it. "Impressive!" Lin Qingyi exclaimed, "You''ve managed to acquire this secret technique from Medicine King Valley!" Jiang Ning smiled, "It''s just good luck!" This statement was indeed his truest thought, not just a modest phrase. The Melting Furnace Pill Secret Skill, the more he used it, the more he felt its marvelous nature. Transforming the body into a furnace, using Qi-Blood as firewood. Purifying the Pills, eliminating toxins within, and enhancing the body''s absorption efficiency. This skill''s effects were not only applicable to Pills but also to other Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. Its effects were incredibly magical and powerful. Because in the journey of Martial Arts, if one wishes to truly go far, one must seize these few short decades of prime time to make bold and rapid progress. Once one misses the body''s prime time, ensuring that the Martial Arts do not regress in power is already an achievement. And to make bold and rapid progress, assistance from external substances, as well as one''s own efforts and talent, is also essential. Without the help of external substances, regardless of one''s talent, the ultimate achievements will also be limited. Those Grandmasters famed throughout a state, and even the Great Grandmasters known around the world, aren''t they all gifted in Martial Arts? But in reaching those heights, external help was also indispensable. It was extremely important. Hearing Jiang Ning''s words, Lin Qingyi also smiled, "Luck is also a part of strength! Those who achieve great success all have good luck!" Then she added, "Enough talk for now, you should first process the medicinal liquid that has been refined inside your body!" "Mm," Jiang Ning nodded. Then he closed his eyes once more. As his thoughts moved, three drops of pale golden medicinal liquid within his body instantly dispersed. They transformed into countless threads of medicinal power that spread to his limbs and bones, flesh and sinew. Simultaneously, he took the opportunity to operate his power, transporting qi-blood to temper the muscles'' toughness in his arms. For strength enhancement, the toughness of the muscles in the arms was tremendously significant. As long as he could temper the muscles in his arms to a limit, he could then estimate the upper limit of strength he could possess in the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. Because, for him, who was skilled in blade techniques, the muscles in his arms comprised at least eighty percent of his strength. Half an incense stick of time later, Jiang Ning opened his eyes again. He clenched his fists, feeling the force within his arms, and a smile couldn''t help but emerge on his face. Because his strength had once again been enhanced, now around three thousand one hundred catties. And this strength had not yet reached the upper limits of the toughness of his muscle groups in his arms, indicating that three thousand one hundred catties was far from his limit. His upper limit was at least above three thousand five hundred catties. It was this very thought that made a smile appear on Jiang Ning''s face. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Looking at you, your gains must be quite good, right?" Lin Qingyi, who was sitting cross-legged on a chair, asked. "Not bad!" Jiang Ning responded. Lin Qingyi then said, "Did you come to find me today because you''ve achieved Great Success in the Ninth Grade?" "Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded and continued, "Sister Lin once said, when I achieve Great Success in the Ninth Grade and my skin becomes like copper, I should come to find you, as there are still things Shen Congyun left for me." "Right!" Lin Qingyi nodded. During their conversation, she picked up a bronze dagger from the nearby tea table and tossed it towards Jiang Ning. "Try it, see how tough your skin is." Jiang Ning raised his hand and caught the bronze dagger thrown by Lin Qingyi. Hearing her words, he nodded slightly. Then, holding the handle of the bronze dagger in his right hand, and the blade in his left, The next moment, He exerted force with his left hand, firmly gripping the blade of the bronze dagger and then twisting hard. In an instant, He felt the dagger in his palm twist and deform until it broke. When he opened the palm of his left hand, the formerly austere looking bronze dagger was now twisted and contorted, the blade itself warped into a corkscrew, with several complete breaks. Yet, Jiang Ning''s palm was completely unharmed, without any trace of blood. Seeing this, a look of surprise flashed in Lin Qingyi''s eyes. Truly, the toughness and durability of the copper skin formed by the Vajra Immortal Body was much stronger than that of a typical martial artist who had achieved Great Success in the Ninth Grade. Then, Lin Qingyi uncrossed her legs. She stood up and said to Jiang Ning, "Come with me! Since you''ve already reached Great Success in the Ninth Grade, then that item should be handed over to you!" Hearing this, Jiang Ning also stood up and followed behind Lin Qingyi. ... A short while later. Lin Qingyi brought Jiang Ning to her own room without any hesitation. She picked up a palm-sized wooden box from under the dressing table. "This is the last item Shen Congyun left for you! He said he can only help you this far; from now on, the journey is yours alone!" As Lin Qingyi spoke, she also opened the lid of the wooden box. The next moment, The contents inside the wooden box were revealed in front of Jiang Ning. "This is... the Golden Body Pill!!!" Lin Qingyi gazed at the pill lying quietly inside the wooden box, a deep shock flashing in her eyes. Then she sighed lightly, "Shen Congyun really trusted me enough! Entrusting me with such an item." At the same time, she saw a pure gold token lying quietly next to the Golden Body Pill. On the token, a fierce Vajra was clearly visible. Seeing this, a look of surprise once again flashed across Lin Qingyi''s face. She then picked up the pure gold token and turned it over. On the back of the token was an engraving of a temple''s construction, with countless steps leading to a temple. "Vajra Order!" Lin Qingyi once again uttered three words! Chapter 190 87: Can Become a Great Grandmaster! Wanhua Building. In the open-air pavilion, Lin Qingyi took a look at the Vajra Order in her hand. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then she turned to Jiang Ning with a look of surprise on her face. "You couldn''t possibly be Shen Congyun''s illegitimate son, could you?" "Why would you say that, Sister Lin?" Jiang Ning asked. Lin Qingyi gently tossed the Vajra Order in her hand and then spoke, "This token is called the Vajra Order, and it is a token passed down from the Vajra Temple. With this order, one can join the Vajra Temple without reason and become an official disciple!" "If one has achieved small success in the Vajra Immortal Body, with this order, one can even become a True Disciple of the Vajra Temple!" "True Disciple?" Jiang Ning asked, surprised. "Yes!" Lin Qingyi nodded slightly, "That''s right, the True Disciple! The True Discipleship of Vajra Temple is extraordinary! Aside from the inheritance of the Buddha himself, all other inheritances can be accessed." "That includes the complete version of the Vajra Immortal Body!" "In the future, there will even be an opportunity to achieve the status of an Arhat." At this point, Lin Qingyi glanced at Jiang Ning and, seeing the astonishment on his face, quickly explained, "An Arhat in Vajra Temple is what people commonly refer to as a Grandmaster!" "Sister Lin seems to know a lot!" Jiang Ning said in admiration. Lin Qingyi smiled. "Now you know the importance of this Vajra Order, right?" "With the achievements you have gained so far, just by holding this token and joining Vajra Temple, you could advance from an official disciple to a True Disciple." "The status of a True Disciple is second only to that of Buddha''s son within the entire Vajra Temple!" "For you, this is an opportunity to soar to the heavens." Seeing Jiang Ning lost in thought, Lin Qingyi added, "It seems you are hesitating." "Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded. He indeed was hesitant in his heart. Vajra Temple was one of the top-ranked sects in the world. Undoubtedly, joining Vajra Temple would bring tremendous benefits. However, he also knew about the strict rules of the Buddhist Sect. Having experienced a previous life, he did not know whether he could tolerate such strict discipline. If not, there would be no remedy for regret. Joining Vajra Temple was hard, but leaving it was as difficult as reaching the heavens. This was a choice with no room for regret. Once he left, he would be subjected to the pursuit of Vajra Temple. In this world, given the strength of Vajra Temple, apart from a few individuals, who could say they were not afraid of being hunted by Vajra Temple. Subsequently, he glanced at the panel again. He also thought about the two Divine Skills he now possessed, which came from the panel''s effects. "If I didn''t have this panel''s encounter, joining Vajra Temple would indeed be a good option." "But now, living under the eyes of so many unpredictable powerhouses in Vajra Temple," "not to mention having much benefit, if they discovered some secrets, it could be a disaster." Having thought this, Jiang Ning had already made up his mind. Lin Qingyi glanced at Jiang Ning and then gave a slight smile. "It seems you don''t wish to join Vajra Temple for the time being?" "That''s right!" Jiang Ning snapped back to reality and nodded, "The Inspection Office has the Martial Saint, and it gathers all kinds of martial arts and secret medicines from the world, and moreover, freedom!" Lin Qingyi nodded, "Indeed!" She then tossed the Vajra Order to Jiang Ning. "Even if you don''t join Vajra Temple, this token is still very useful to you!" "With this token, you can make a reasonable demand to Vajra Temple." "As long as it''s reasonable, they will agree!" Hearing these words, Jiang Ning instantly withdrew the look of indifference that had just appeared in his eyes. Looking at the Vajra Order in his hand, he couldn''t help showing joy. He had initially thought of selling this Vajra Order, which seemed rather useless to him, for gold. Now he knew that this Vajra Order was still a good item for him. Vajra Temple, one of the top three sects of the world. Even in the strongest era of Great Xia, Vajra Temple still had immense influence, not controlled by Great Xia. It is said that the Martial Saint once visited Vajra Temple. The exact outcome is unknown, but since then, Vajra Temple has remained unchanged. Great Xia treated Vajra Temple as if it were invisible. The two existed without affecting or interfering with each other. Although these were just records from various books, Jiang Ning believed such things did not come from nowhere. In such a unified empire, which has been established for over eight hundred years, Great Xia tolerated the existence of a Vajra Temple that influenced an entire province, which already said a lot. Vajra Temple was very strong, extraordinarily so. So the ability to make a request to Vajra Temple with the Vajra Order was extremely valuable, far more than the Vajra Order which seemed to be made of pure gold. This order might even save his life. Jiang Ning then carefully tucked the Vajra Order into his pouch. "Right!" As Jiang Ning did this, Lin Qingyi spoke again, "For you, if you do not join the Vajra Temple, you can ask to briefly observe the Vajra Immortal Body with the Vajra Order!" "With your abilities, you could easily memorize the entire cultivation technique." "Vajra Immortal Body, if you could achieve Perfection, and later when you become a Grandmaster, you could fight a Great Grandmaster!" "Alright!" Jiang Ning nodded. Lin Qingyi then pointed to the golden Vajra Pill inside the box. "Take this Vajra Pill as well! This pill is a major pill refined by Vajra Temple, known to grant the strength of a Vajra upon consumption." "Having the strength of a Vajra means that at the Eighth Grade level, your strength limit will be expanded!" "With your current Ninth Grade Great Success and having mastered the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill from Medicine King Valley, taking this pill could directly help you achieve the Eighth Grade level." As her words fell, Lin Qingyi swept a sleeve. Chapter 191 87 Potentially a Great Grandmaster!_2 The lid of the wooden box closed in an instant. Then the box shot straight towards him. Inner Breath! Jiang Ning''s eyes focused sharply, and he lifted his hand to catch the wooden box flying through the air. "Many thanks," he said, bowing with folded hands. "Alright!" Lin Qingyi, covering her mouth, yawned repeatedly, "Now that I have handed over everything Shen Congyun left in my care, you don''t need to come looking for me anymore!" Jiang Ning said, "Wait a moment, I have some things to sell too." "Go to Little Lv!" Lin Qingyi said. "These items are quite precious," Jiang Ning stated. "Oh?" Lin Qingyi glanced sideways at Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning then unwrapped the cloth beside him. Two weapons were immediately revealed. One was the long knife previously held by Shi Xiaoyuan. The other weapon was the soft sword previously carried by Liu Qingsong. Given that these weapons were utilized by such formidable figures, their value was naturally extraordinary. Originally, Jiang Ning intended to sell these two weapons to the Weapon Forging Shop. But when he saw how the shop looked after bringing Yang Kai to the sunken ship and discovering the iron ore, he knew that purchasing that entire warehouse of iron ore had already stretched the shop''s finances to the limit. It was utterly impossible for them to afford these two weapons as well. Therefore, he had no choice but to come to Wanhua Building to sell them. "These two weapons..." Lin Qingyi gave Jiang Ning another look, "are quite interesting." Then she beckoned with a raise of her hand. Swoosh¡ª The soft sword came out of its sheath. It turned into a streak of white light and flew into her hand in an instant. Seeing this scene, Jiang Ning immediately showed a look of surprise. "What, are you surprised by my technique?" Lin Qingyi, seeing his expression, couldn''t help but smile. "Is this... Inner Breath?" Jiang Ning asked. "You guessed right!" Lin Qingyi nodded slightly, continuing, "Whether it''s the Sound Transmission into Secret Skill or distant object retrieval, they are merely basic uses of Inner Breath." "Is Sister Lin perhaps a Fifth Grade in Internal Strength?" Jiang Ning inquired. "You guess!" Lin Qingyi laughed. Then she flicked the soft sword with her finger. Cling¡ª The blade quivered lightly, emitting the sound of sword ringing. "Indeed, it is a fine sword!" Lin Qingyi nodded slightly. Then, she looked at Jiang Ning with some astonishment, "Where did you get such a fine sword?" "I found it," Jiang Ning said. Hearing the two words that came out of Jiang Ning''s mouth, Lin Qingyi couldn''t help but roll her eyes at him. She also knew that Jiang Ning did not wish to elaborate, so she didn''t press him further. She looked again at the notch on the soft sword. "This flaw reduces the value of the soft sword by twenty percent. I offer 3,000 taels of silver; would that be acceptable to you?" Lin Qingyi pointed to the notch previously made by Jiang Ning and spoke. "Agreed!" Jiang Ning immediately nodded. Although he did not know the exact value of the soft sword, he knew that Lin Qingyi, with her character, wouldn''t deceive him. If she intended to deceive him, she wouldn''t have handed over the Vajra Pill or the Vajra Order to him. In terms of value, these two items were far more precious than the soft sword Liu Qingsong carried. They weren''t even on the same level. Especially the Vajra Order, Jiang Ning couldn''t fathom why Shen Congyun would leave such an important token for him. Surely Shen Congyun wasn''t from Vajra Temple and left the Vajra Order for him so he could join their ranks? At this moment, Lin Qingyi saw Jiang Ning nod, she flung her hand, and the soft sword split the air, accurately returning to its sheath. Then, she beckoned once more. Shi Xiaoyuan''s weapon, the long knife, didn''t have a sheath. Thus the knife lifted from the ground and flew directly toward Lin Qingyi''s hand. The moment the long knife left the ground, Lin Qingyi looked at Jiang Ning, utterly astounded. Retrieving it from afar, she felt the knife''s weight was quite exaggerated¡ª It weighed a full two hundred jin. From this weight, one could deduce the knife was not an ordinary person''s blade. Anyone who could wield this blade must possess astonishing strength, at the very least a practitioner at the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. And not just any ordinary practitioner at that level. After receiving the long knife, Lin Qingyi felt its weight even more, looking at Jiang Ning with an astonished expression, "Where did you get this knife?" "Found it!" Jiang Ning said. Lin Qingyi: "..." She immediately rolled her eyes at Jiang Ning. Immediately after, she flicked her finger against the blade. Clang¡ª The blade hummed and trembled incessantly. "It''s a good sword as well, made of fine material. It should be thousand-refined steel, but it''s a pity..." Lin Qingyi said, her gaze falling on the notch of the blade. At a glance, she knew that this notch and the one on the soft sword were made by the same weapon. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Could it be this youngster''s blade? Lin Qingyi eyed Jiang Ning''s dark long sword, set aside with some skepticism in her heart. She immediately shook her head inwardly. It should be impossible. Given the rarity of the soft sword, it''s not something ordinary Ninth Grade Martial Artists could possess. Weapons of this value are at least owned by Eighth or even Seventh Grade Martial Artists. Moreover, this blade weighs two hundred catties. To wield it as desired, one would need the strength of at least three or four thousand catties, or even more. Anyone with such strength would be among the top powerhouses of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. Even befitting a Seventh Grade powerhouse. How could Jiang Ning possibly contend with that? Lin Qingyi immediately dismissed this baseless speculation from her mind. Then, looking at the notch on the blade, she said, "This flaw also significantly reduces the price of this heavy blade. Discounting it by fifteen percent, I can offer 2,600 taels. Would you accept that?" "No problem!" Jiang Ning nodded. Seeing that Jiang Ning agreed, Lin Qingyi''s lips moved slightly, with no sound coming out. But on the first floor, Little Lv suddenly heard Lin Qingyi''s voice. "Little Lv, bring up a silver note of 5,500 taels!" Little Lv''s expression remained unchanged as she heard Lin Qingyi''s voice in her ear. She was already accustomed to this. But if others witnessed this skill, they would recognize the unfathomable depths of Lin Qingyi. To transmit sound through space from such a distance requires not only strong Inner Breath, but also a symbol of tremendous spiritual power. ... A moment later. "Jiaer, why are you here?" Lin Qingyi''s eyebrows furrowed slightly at the sight of Lin Jiaer. The appearance of Lin Jiaer was unexpected. Since that day, to avoid embarrassment, she had not wanted Lin Jiaer and Jiang Ning to meet in the Wanhua Building. Moreover, since then, she had felt a certain disapproval toward Lin Jiaer. In her view, Lin Jiaer was too shortsighted. If she wanted to be a general''s wife, she should start following him from his days as a lowly soldier. Jiang Ning, in her eyes, was becoming more and more promising. To form ties from a time of weakness could allow her to rise to prominence and become a phoenix in the future. Grandmaster, even Great Grandmaster¡ªthis was her current assessment of Jiang Ning''s future potential. Even considering her own stature, in her eyes, a youth who could possibly achieve the rank of Great Grandmaster was worth befriending. Not to mention, he was also a young man who grew according to her aesthetic standards. If it were not so, his potential talent alone would not be enough to win her favored view. Watching her aunt''s demeanor, Lin Jiaer greeted her sweetly while performing a courteously deep bow, "I pay my respects to my aunt." Since that day, she also understood her aunt had some objections to her. Despite this, she dared not show any displeasure. Although she did not know the significance of the great person her aunt had married, Based on the changes in the Lin family in Dongling City over the years and the elders'' attitude toward Lin Qingyi when she previously returned home, She knew her aunt''s marriage was to no ordinary person, extremely extraordinary. Then, Lin Jiaer turned toward Jiang Ning and politely bowed. "I pay my respects to Young Master Jiang." Although she was reluctant to show this gesture, she knew her aunt valued this young man highly, So, to win her aunt''s favor, she had no choice. At this point, Little Lv, who was following behind Lin Jiaer, finally spoke up. "Replying to the owner of the building, Miss Jiaer saw my hurried steps and inquired about the reason," Little Lv said. "After learning the reason, Miss Jiaer personally volunteered to bring the silver notes the owner required." Lin Qingyi asked calmly, "Are the silver notes with you or with Lin Jiaer?" "Aunt, they are with me!" Lin Jiaer said, giving Lin Qingyi a sweet smile. Then she took out the silver notes she had and respectfully handed them over to Lin Qingyi. Seeing this, Lin Qingyi''s brows furrowed once again. She took the silver notes and handed them to Jiang Ning. "Check them. The total is 5,500 taels!" "Alright!" Jiang Ning nodded. After concluding the conversation with Jiang Ning, Lin Qingyi turned to look at Lin Jiaer in front of her. "Jiaer, you''ve overstepped!" Chapter 192 88 Ambition of the Eighth-Rank Official Wanhua Building. At the open-air loft on the top floor. As Lin Qingyi spoke those words, Lin Jiaer''s heart shuddered. The next instant, Lin Qingyi continued, "Lin Jiaer, you took something from the building without permission. Kneel under the sun for three "shichen"." "Yes... Aunt!" Lin Jiaer''s delicate body trembled, and then she silently complied. Then Lin Qingyi looked at Little Lv, "Little Lv, you broke the rules. Go outside and kneel for two "shichen"." "Yes, Madam!" Little Lv knelt down respectfully. Jiang Ning watched Little Lv''s submissive posture and immediately felt some compassion. The blazing sun was high in the sky. For someone like Lin Jiaer, who practiced martial arts, kneeling for two "shichen" was bearable. Her strong physique could withstand it. But for an ordinary person like Little Lv, who had never practiced martial arts, kneeling under the fierce sun for two "shichen" might lead to heatstroke or even shock, endangering her life. Jiang Ning pondered for a moment, then hesitated to speak. This was Wanhua Building''s affair, and as an outsider, he had no right to intervene. Immediately, he shook his head quietly and put the silver note into his pouch. "What, you want to intercede for them?" Lin Qingyi glanced at Jiang Ning and figured something out from his gaze and the expression he revealed. Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning also openly spoke, "Sister Lin, I would like to ask for mercy for Miss Lv!" "You sure know how to feel pity for the fairer sex!" Lin Qingyi glanced at Jiang Ning slightly. "Well then, since you''ve called me sister, I can''t deny you this face!" Immediately, Lin Qingyi said to Little Lv, who was walking towards the scorching sun, "Little Lv, considering Jiang Ning has pleaded for you, you may return after kneeling outside for half a "shichen"." "Remember, you belong to the building. From now on, never give the building''s items to outsiders." "Yes, Madam!" Little Lv''s expression was respectful as she knelt on the ground, "Thank you, Madam, for your mercy!" Then she turned toward Jiang Ning and knelt, "Thank you, Young Master Jiang." "There''s no need for such formalities!" Jiang Ning shook his head. Little Lv did not continue to speak, but got up and walked quietly towards the scorching sun. At this moment, Lin Jiaer also stopped in her tracks and looked at Jiang Ning with hopeful eyes. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Basking in the sun for three "shichen". Although with her Ninth Grade strength, it wouldn''t cause any harm, she valued her beauty, and her skin would darken after being exposed directly to the scorching sun for three "shichen". Seeing this scene, she realized how important Jiang Ning was to her aunt. Just speaking a word for that servant made her aunt relent so easily. If Jiang Ning could speak for her, then her punishment would likely be much lightened, as it was for the servant. However, at this time, Jiang Ning said to Lin Qingyi, "Sister Lin is truly kind-hearted and beautiful!" Lin Qingyi smiled slightly. "Seeing as you have such sweet words for me, let me give you another piece of intelligence. About the Inspection Office." As Lin Qingyi finished speaking, she gestured towards her room with a beckoning hand. A sheet of white paper flew towards her. "Inner Breath is truly mysterious!" Witnessing this scene filled Jiang Ning with longing. This marvelous power was incredibly tempting in his eyes. Because it was so unscientific! And precisely because it seemed unscientific to him, its allure was immense. Even if he were now strong, fast, and had high defense, at the end of the day, he was still born of flesh and blood. In Jiang Ning''s eyes, Inner Breath represented true transcendence. A visible, tangible transcendence. After seeing so many fantasy works in his previous life, how could he not wish to possess it? Afterward, The white paper Lin Qingyi had summoned from afar seemed to be held up by an invisible force, slowly falling into her hand. "Take it! This is what your sister prepared for you in advance! It contains most of the intelligence about the Inspection Office. If you can achieve Eighth Grade before this, you might have a chance to become a team leader." "According to the structure of the Inspection Office, any team leader is a Ninth Grade official of Great Xia, with an actual official title." "This should hold some attraction for you!" Hearing Lin Qingyi''s words, Jiang Ning immediately took the white paper she handed over. "Thank you, Sister Lin!" He expressed his gratitude. It was at that moment, "What are you doing standing there, Jiaer? Why aren''t you kneeling outside?" Lin Qingyi said to Lin Jiaer by her side. At that moment, Lin Jiaer, seeing Jiang Ning finally looking her way, was filled with indignation. Being ignored for so long, anyone would feel upset. Let alone her, who was usually so doted on and the center of attention like the moon surrounded by stars. "Aunt, I''m going right now!" Lin Jiaer said. As she spoke, Lin Jiaer lowered her head and walked towards the blazing sun. "Alright, it''s time for you to go back!" Lin Qingyi said to Jiang Ning, patting her mouth and yawning. "That young man will take his leave then!" Jiang Ning bowed his hands. Lin Qingyi waved her hand at Jiang Ning and turned, walking leisurely back to her room. The thin, gauzy clothing outlined her figure perfectly. However, at the moment, Jiang Ning did not notice this scene, because his gaze was fixed on the white paper in his hand, instantly captivated by one of the statements. "Eighth Grade can participate in the assessment for team leader of the Inspection Office." "If you pass the assessment, you can not only join the Inspection Office but also possess a Ninth Grade official title!" "And more so, there is a chance to vie for the position of Deputy Commander!" Jiang Ning murmured to himself as he looked at the white paper in his hand. A sharp light flashed in his eyes. In his heart, he instantly set his sights on the position of Deputy Commander. Securing the Deputy Commander would mean acquiring an eighth-rank title. Although it was a Secondary Eighth-Rank official position, not a Standard Eighth Grade. Chapter 193 88 The Ambitions of an Eighth-Rank Official_2 However, in Luoshui County, even a Secondary Eighth-Rank Official was truly a notable figure. The Chief Arrest Officer at the government office was merely a Secondary Eighth-Rank Official. True Standard Eighth-Rank Officials were so rare in all of Luoshui County that they could be counted on one''s fingers. The County Magistrate was one, a Standard Eighth-Rank. The Senior Officer of the City Guard Department was another, also a Standard Eighth-Rank. ... As for those above the Eighth Rank, there were only two Seventh-Rank high officials in all of Luoshui County. The Master Wang outside the city, and the County Lord inside the city. And who were these two people? One was a prominent figure wielding military power, in charge of the stationed troops and capable of mobilizing the City Guard Department. The other was the sky of Luoshui County, the local emperor of Luoshui County, a true overweening presence capable of compelling the three long-time established families¡ªCao, Liu, and Xie¡ªto unite against him. *From this, it was clear what status an Eighth-Rank Official held?* *They were only slightly below these two in status.* *If he could seize the position of Deputy Commander, holding the title of a Secondary Eighth-Rank Official, it would be akin to reaching the sky in a single bound.* He knew that the Inspection Office was a true violent institution. Based on Jiang Ning''s understanding, it could be compared to the Jinyi Guard from his previous life. But in actuality, the power of the Inspection Office far exceeded that of the Jinyi Guard. *All of this was because the ruler of the Inspection Office was the Martial Saint who had overwhelmed the world for eight hundred years.* *The only Martial Saint in the world at present.* *Therefore, any officials of the Inspection Office were officials with real authority.* *Having substantial power was a symbol of status.* *However, Jiang Ning also knew it was very difficult for him to seize the Secondary Eighth-Rank position.* *Because according to the intelligence reports, these positions were almost entirely reserved for those from noble families graduating from the Martial Arts Garden.* The Martial Arts Garden was located in the County City of Dongling County, within Dongling City. This was the place where Great Xia cultivated martial arts talents. Anyone who could join the Martial Arts Garden was either of noble origin or had outstanding martial arts talent. In addition to this, even children from wealthy families found it difficult to pass through the gates of the Martial Arts Garden. *In the path of martial arts, one''s background was exceptionally important.* *Lacking talent?* *There was always the great medicinal tonics for that.* *Qi and blood not strong?* *There were also great medicinal tonics for enhancing blood power.* And those extremely precious things were hard to buy without status, no matter how wealthy one was. Like the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill from the Medicine King Valley. *Therefore, even the average, noble-born might become extraordinary.* *Under these circumstances, to join the Martial Arts Garden as an ordinary person and become a student there, one could only imagine how extraordinary their talent must be.* *Such talent would inevitably attract the recognition and cultivation of many prominent figures.* *In this regard, Jiang Ning had deep feelings.* *If not for showcasing extraordinary talent himself, how else could he have gained the favor of Wang Jin, Shen Congyun, and Lin Qingyi?* *Therefore, he clearly understood that competing with the contemporary elites from the Martial Arts Garden for the Deputy Commander position would not be so simple.* *Moreover, there was no fairness in competing with them for the Deputy Commander position.* *But regardless of how difficult it would be, Jiang Ning wanted to give it a try.* *Wearing the mantle of officialdom would mean immense benefits.* *Today, this world was still the world of Great Xia.* *Within the bounds of Great Xia, government officials represented justice and truth.* *Without invincible strength, justice and truth were extremely important things.* *Moreover, joining the Inspection Office, acquiring the Deputy Commander''s position.* *Even if the Medicine King Valley incident were to come to light, there would be no need for excessive concern.* *The matter could be easily resolved since he would at that time rely on Great Xia and the towering tree that was the Inspection Office.* *How would the Medicine King Valley dare to recklessly move against an official of the Great Xia Court?* *Especially still an official of the Inspection Office.* *Today, this world was ultimately still the world of Great Xia.* *To recklessly move against a court official could make them the target of the Inspection Office''s killing as a warning to others.* *In this regard, Jiang Ning was somewhat confident.* *Furthermore, joining the Inspection Office, he would not lack subsequent martial arts advancement techniques.* *This was why Jiang Ning so desired joining the Inspection Office.* *The benefits were too numerous.* *The only downside was that by joining the Inspection Office, he could not truly stay out of things; inevitably, he would have to engage in some matters.* *But there were still other benefits, such as having a truly secure resting place.* *No matter how chaotic the world became, a place with a Martial Saint holding court would always fall into chaos later.* *A suitable resting place could allow him more time to grow.* *Time was what he lacked most.* *As long as there was enough time, his cultivation technique continually breaking limits, with more and more traits, his strength would ultimately become increasingly exaggerated.* *A month ago, comparing himself to now, his strength was vastly different.* ... After saying goodbye to Lin Qingyi, he came out of the Wanhua Building. Jiang Ning turned back to look at the rooftop once more. He could see the figures of Little Lv and Lin Jiaer kneeling outside the pavilion. With one glance, he withdrew his gaze. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. *Originally, if Little Lv knelt for two hours, to save Little Lv''s life, he had considered using the Cloud Formation and Rainfall Divine Skill again.* *After all, he and Little Lv had met many times; every time he visited the Wanhua Building, Little Lv attentively received him, so naturally, he felt some reluctance.* But now, with Lin Qingyi''s reduced punishment, half an hour would not take her life. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning decided to let it be. Then. Jiang Ning headed straight home. Having accomplished everything, he only wanted to return quickly to digest the resources he had acquired over the past few days and raise his strength as soon as possible. The stronger he was, the greater the likelihood he would secure the Deputy Commander position. ... In the blink of an eye. Two days had passed. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 143.7 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1833/3000) (Trait: unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (First Limit Breaking 322/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Fourth Limit Breaking 5000/5000) (Trait: touch and understand, Blade like the Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 1644/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 48/1000) Vajra Immortal Body (small success 453/5000) Swimming (Fourth Limit Breaking 3873/5000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall) These past two days had been exceptionally fulfilling for Jiang Ning. Every day, aside from practicing, he was digesting the resources he had obtained in the previous days. The Vajra Pill had already been completely refined by him. *And he had witnessed the power of this pill.* It had elevated his strength to three thousand five hundred catties, which was the effect of the Vajra Pill. And now he possessed a strength of three thousand seven hundred catties. *At this level of strength, he discovered that the muscle groups in his arms had been refined to an extreme.* *To improve his strength further, he could only refine muscle groups in other parts of his body.* *Strength circulated throughout the body, and the human body was a whole.* *The metamorphosis of all muscle groups naturally allowed his arms to possess strength at a new height.* *Besides the significant changes in strength over these two days,* *The most significant improvement was the increase in Source Energy Points.* *From the previous 51.8 Source Energy Points, it jumped to 143.7 Source Energy Points.* *Such a drastic change was largely due to his relentless eating over the past two days.* The White Dragon Fish''s meat had mostly been eaten by him in those two days, leaving less than thirty catties of fish meat now. Coupled with his constant immersion in water these days, receiving the nourishment of Water Spirit. *His body''s condition continually recovered, equivalent to frequently using tonic medicine.* *Completely unafraid of physical depletion.* *Even though Qi Blood Power was being consumed quickly, his body condition was recovering just as quickly.* *Stamina and energy were nearly inexhaustible, pushing his efficiency to a new height.* *Even if Qi Blood Power was exhausted, it recovered at a speed far exceeding the norm.* *Therefore, each day he visualized the furnace, using internal Qi Blood Power as fuelwood, employing the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill several times daily to refine the pills within.* *As a result, not only had the Vajra Pill been completely refined, but the Strength Pill had been too.* *However, he discovered that as his strength exceeded three thousand catties, the effect of the Strength Pill was not as great as before and was significantly reduced.* *In contrast, the boost from the Vajra Pill was still very pronounced.* *Additionally, the Vajra Pill had another effect.* *When digesting the medicinal power, it unexpectedly had an effect of refining the skin in conjunction with the Vajra Immortal Body.* *It directly boosted his Vajra Immortal Body Experience Value by over four hundred points.* *These over four hundred points, though not causing substantial changes, did enhance his skin strength by at least 30%.* *A 30% improvement undoubtedly had a significant effect.* *Ordinary weapons could no longer penetrate his body surface.* *It could truly be described as being impervious to sword or spear.* *In addition, the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill within his body was also largely refined.* *By tomorrow, he would be able to completely refine the first Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill, further boosting his strength.* *Thus, these two days, his Source Energy Points had increased so dramatically precisely because of this!* Chapter 194 89 The People from Liuu Wanwans Maternal Home In the courtyard. Jiang Ning led Little Dumpling toward the front hall. For today, someone had come to his house, someone unexpected. It was Liuu Wanwan''s younger brother. That is to say, someone from Liuu Wanwan''s maternal family had arrived. As far as he knew, his sister-in-law Liuu Wanwan had a somewhat mysterious background. Because throughout the years, he had no memory of Liuu Wanwan ever visiting her family. But he also knew for a fact that his sister-in-law was not an orphan. From the bits of information he knew, it seemed that when his elder brother was young, Liuu Wanwan had been privately betrothed to Jiang Li, and the two had eloped. Now that someone from Liuu Wanwan''s maternal family had come, it could be inferred that their intentions were not good. In this era, the orders of parents and the words of matchmakers were paramount. Strictly speaking, however, this matter had little to do with him. Yet, standing in his elder brother Jiang Li''s shoes, this became his concern. Jiang Li had always treated him extremely well, how could he ignore this? Regardless, he naturally needed to make a trip to the hall to hold the fort for Jiang Li. With his current strength, he had this confidence. As long as they were not top warriors from the Seventh Grade, he feared no one. After all, a force of three thousand seven hundred pounds was a terrifying number. Amongst the entire Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, this level of strength was indeed one in ten thousand. Such power, even compared to ordinary Seventh Grade warriors, was not at all inferior. Only those at the peak of the Seventh Grade, who had achieved Great Success in Muscle Training. A Seventh Grade warrior of this level could easily channel the power of their whole body into one point. A thousand pounds of force, under the effect of Great Success in Muscle Training, could match the impact of three to four thousand pounds of force in the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. Such was the strength of the Seventh Grade. Thus, for Jiang Ning currently, except for such a level of Seventh Grade warriors, he feared none. After all, besides relying on the power of three thousand seven hundred pounds, he had many other techniques. ... On the other side. Front hall. Liuu Wanwan looked at the extraordinary middle-aged man before her, a complicated emotion flashing through her eyes. In a blink of an eye, it had been ten years since she last saw her brother. "San Sheng, are father and mother well?" Liuu Wanwan asked. Liuu Shansheng nodded, "They are fairly healthy." While speaking, he patted Jiang Yiming''s head. "Yiming has grown so tall in the blink of an eye, when do you plan to visit home to see our parents?" Hearing this, Liuu Wanwan''s gaze involuntarily fell on Jiang Li, then paused on his right arm for a moment. She then shook her head, "Not going back for now!" "No!" Before Liuu Shansheng could speak, Jiang Li shook his head in denial. At this moment, his eyes, as they looked at Liuu Wanwan, were filled with guilt. Because of following him, Liuu Wanwan had been away from home for over a decade. And it had been ten years since she last saw her relatives. Thinking of this filled his heart with more guilt and hatred. Guilty that he had failed Liuu Wanwan''s expectations, ultimately not allowing her to return home triumphantly to loudly tell those people that her choice was not wrong. The hatred was for his own right arm, which was incapacitated, ending his path in martial arts. From then on, there was no hope for Liuu Wanwan to triumph. Jiang Li''s words immediately drew Liuu Shansheng''s attention. His gaze towards Jiang Li slightly knitted together. In his heart, he had always disliked his brother-in-law. After all, in his view, his sister marrying him was truly marrying down. Moreover, it was because of him that his sister had not been entitled to return home for over ten years. How could he bear any good feelings? The next moment. His gaze hardened. "Brother-in-law, what happened to your arm?" Only then did Liuu Shansheng notice Jiang Li''s weakly hanging right arm and spoke up. Although he harbored no goodwill toward Jiang Li, he respected his sister''s choice. He knew that treating Jiang Li like the other family members would only make his sister suffer more. Being caught in the middle was even more difficult. Jiang Li patted his own right arm, "It''s useless!" "What happened?" Liuu Shansheng asked. Jiang Li said, "I was injured while rounding up the God Worship Sect during my constable duties, and it ended up like this." Liuu Shansheng''s eyebrows immediately furrowed. "I came here today originally intending to recommend you for a position at the Inspection Office, I didn''t expect you to have such a mishap!" Just then. Jiang Ning, leading Little Dumpling, appeared at the entrance of the hall. He had heard the entire conversation from afar with his sharp senses. At this moment, Jiang Ning understood that his brother''s brother-in-law seemed to be quite reasonable. There wasn''t the kind of trouble he had previously imagined! As everyone heard the noise, they also turned to look. Seeing Jiang Ning, Jiang Li couldn''t help but smile. "San Sheng, I''m not fit anymore! But if possible, this younger brother of mine, could you perhaps recommend him, get him into the Inspection Office." Hearing this, Liuu Shansheng''s gaze also shifted from Little Dumpling to Jiang Ning. "Are you... Jiang Ning?" Liuu Shansheng asked hesitantly. "Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded. Liuu Shansheng said, "I held you when you were a child." Jiang Ning: "..." Liuu Shansheng''s words caught Jiang Ning off guard against the middle-aged man who looked to be around thirty. Liuu Shansheng looked at Jiang Ning again, then asked, "Have you trained in martial arts?" "Trained?" Jiang Ning replied. Liuu Shansheng continued to ask, "Is your Qi_Blood at Perfection, flowing through all limbs?" Jiang Ning: "..." Then he nodded. "Not bad!" Liuu Shansheng nodded. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then he looked at Jiang Li, "Since your brother-in-law''s younger brother has achieved Qi Blood Perfection at this age, once I pass the Inspection Office''s examination tomorrow and become a captain, I will use my quota to bring him into the Inspection Office." Chapter 195 89 People from Liuu Wanwans Maternal Family_2 "Thank you," said Jiang Li. Liuu Shansheng turned to Jiang Ning, "I''m your sister-in-law''s brother, but I''m older than you. You should call me ''brother'' by rights." Jiang Ning: "..." He glanced at Jiang Li and Liuu Wanwan, feeling somewhat helpless inside. What was this all about? "Brother!" Liuu Shansheng nodded immediately. Then, he beckoned to Little Dumpling, "Come on, call me Uncle!" Little Dumpling looked up at Jiang Ning. "Dudu." Jiang Ning smiled and rubbed her head. "Go on! Go get a hug from your uncle!" "Uncle!" Only then did Little Dumpling let go of the hem of Jiang Ning''s clothes and cheerily tottered over to Liuu Shansheng. Seeing this, Liuu Shansheng immediately squatted down and scooped up Little Dumpling. "Tell Uncle, what''s your name?" "I''m Little Dumpling!" Liuu Shansheng: "..." He instantly gave an incredulous look to his niece. Liuu Wanwan, too, couldn''t help but chuckle and said, "Little brother, her name is Jiang Yuanyuan." "Jiang Yuanyuan..." Liuu Shansheng muttered to himself, then nodded with approval, "Nice name!" At that moment, Jiang Ning found a seat to sit down. He realized he wasn''t needed here. His sister-in-law''s brother clearly had good intentions. Completely different from what he had previously thought. Now, he also remembered Liuu Shansheng''s words from earlier. Should he win the position of team captain tomorrow, he would use his influence to get him into the Inspection Office. "That''s quite the kind gesture!" Jiang Ning thought to himself. From that remark, he gauged the extent of Liuu Shansheng''s abilities. Either a Ninth Grade Great Success, with skin as tough as copper, or an early stage of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. After a moment, Liuu Shansheng shared an affectionate moment with Little Dumpling, then looked at Liuu Wanwan. "Sis, I came to see you today without letting Mom and Dad know. I also understand you aren''t ready to go back and see them yet." "But, I still want to tell you, Mom and Dad have come of age, and deep down, they have come to accept the reality. Dad''s angry words about cutting off parental ties were just spoken in the heat of the moment." "Just bring Little Dumpling and Yiming home, and they will ultimately forgive you and your husband." "As for the attitudes of those uncles, Sis, you need not take them too seriously." "The headship of the Liuu family will eventually be in my hands." Hearing this, Liuu Wanwan said, "I''ll think about it." "Of course!" Liuu Shansheng nodded, "You and your husband should think it over. Returning to the Liuu family would be good for both Yiming and Jiang Yuanyuan." "The resources of the Liuu family are undoubtedly much better than here. Yiming''s future, whether he chooses the pen or the sword, will be much brighter!" "And in a few years, once I''ve taken over as head of the Liuu family, neither Yiming nor Yuanyuan will suffer bullying at the Liuu family." Liuu Shansheng then glanced at Jiang Li. "And as for your husband''s arm injury, that might not be incurable!" "When I become head of the Liuu family, a trip to Medicine King Valley could be arranged, and with the Valley Master''s medical skills and the miraculous medicine of Medicine King Valley, your husband''s arm might well be healed." Liuu Shansheng spoke eloquently to the two, his words filled with planning for Jiang Li''s family. On the side, Jiang Ning heard all this and couldn''t help but smirk. It seemed he had misjudged Liuu Shansheng. From Liuu Shansheng''s words, it was clear he valued his sister Liuu Wanwan, as well as Yiming and Yuanyuan. All his words were meant to encourage Liuu Wanwan to return home. This also showed that Liuu Shansheng genuinely valued his family and Liuu Wanwan. But that was all. Any sensible person would know that if Jiang Li accompanied Liuu Wanwan back to the Liuu family, living at the mercy of others, no matter how good the treatment, life would certainly be difficult. From Liuu Shansheng''s words, one could tell that the Liuu family was a large clan. Within such a large family, countless twisted and troublesome things could happen. For Jiang Li to live with the Liuu family would be no different than becoming a son-in-law who had married into the family. Furthermore, considering the series of events that had unfolded between Jiang Li and Liuu Wanwan, one could easily anticipate the spiritual devastation that would accompany a return to the Liuu family''s life of material abundance. And the words spoken by Liuu Shansheng touched their Achilles'' heel. The debt of Liuu Wanwan''s parents'' grace for giving life and nurturing it. No matter what had happened in the past, this was not only Liuu Wanwan''s vulnerability but also Jiang Li''s vulnerability. Because Jiang Li deeply loved Liuu Wanwan, he would inevitably hope that Liuu Wanwan could reconcile with her father. Then there was the hope of healing for Jiang Li''s right arm, which was once again a soft spot for both Liuu Wanwan and Jiang Li. And there was the future of Jiang Yiming and Little Dumpling. The future of the children was the vulnerability of any parent. In the eyes of Jiang Ning, Liuu Shansheng''s barrage of words was extremely shrewd. Without needing to think about it, it was clear that no matter how much his elder brother would suffer mentally from bringing Liuu Wanwan back to the Liuu family, he would definitely try his best to persuade Liuu Wanwan to return and reconcile. Because, as Liuu Shansheng had said, whether it was for the good of Liuu Wanwan or for Jiang Yuanyuan and Jiang Yiming, it was a beneficial thing. The only one who might suffer in this entire matter was probably Jiang Li himself. At this moment, Jiang Ning truly understood what kind of person Liuu Shansheng was. Immediately, he thought to himself darkly. What matter is this? My family should be protected by me. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With me here, how could the future of Yiming and Little Dumpling be any less than the Liuu family? As for my brother''s injury, now that I know the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley might have a way, That won''t be difficult to handle. After a year and a half, when my strength is sufficient, I will make a trip to Medicine King Valley myself. I believe by then that the Valley Master will know what''s best! Jiang Ning had already made his decision in his heart. He was very fond of Yiming and Little Dumpling. Moreover, they bore the Jiang surname and carried half of the Jiang family''s blood in their veins. In terms of emotion and reason, it was only right for him and his elder brother to be responsible for their upbringing. Once, his elder brother was the pillar of their family. Now that he had grown up, the future should be entrusted to him. On this point, Jiang Ning was extremely confident in his heart. The change in strength brought about in just a few short months had given him enough conviction. ... At that moment, Liuu Shansheng stood up. "Sister, brother-in-law, I''ve seen enough, and I should go back to prepare for tomorrow''s Inspection Office assessment! As a Martial Arts Garden student, I cannot afford any mishaps during tomorrow''s assessment." "Moreover, I must seize the captain''s position tomorrow to gain the qualifications to bring brother-in-law''s brother into the Inspection Office." After saying so, Liuu Shansheng was ready to leave. Seeing this, Jiang Li also got up and said, "San Sheng, it''s rare for you to come and see your sister, why don''t you stay for a meal?" Liuu Wanwan also spoke up, "Little brother, stay and eat before you go! It''s just about time for dinner." "Okay!" Liuu Shansheng immediately nodded, "It''s been many years since I last saw my sister." ... Two hours later, At the dining table in the front hall. "The food at my brother-in-law''s home is quite good!" Liuu Shansheng said, looking at the eight dishes on the table, all containing meat and fish. "Try it!" As several people gathered around the table, Liuu Wanwan spoke. Upon hearing this, Liuu Shansheng picked up a piece of chicken and popped it into his mouth. After chewing a couple of times, his eyes suddenly lit up. "After more than ten years, my sister''s culinary skills have become so good!" Then he sighed softly. "I still remember when sister was at home, her ten fingers never touched spring water, but now her cooking is no less skilled than those chefs." As soon as these words fell, a shadow crossed Jiang Li''s eyes, and his expression became somewhat downcast. "Can''t you shut your mouth, even when there''s food?" Liuu Wanwan immediately glared fiercely at Liuu Shansheng. Seeing this, even though Liuu Shansheng was thirty years old, he couldn''t help but let out a chuckle. Being full siblings, he and Liuu Wanwan used to have a very good relationship. At this point, Jiang Ning also stood up. "Elder brother, sister-in-law, you guys go ahead and eat! I''ll go get a plate of White Dragon Fish slices." No sooner had he spoken than Jiang Ning headed outside the hall. After two days of consumption, there were still about twenty pounds of White Dragon Fish left. He didn''t plan on taking out much, just one pound to maintain face for his elder brother should suffice. Hearing Liuu Shansheng''s words had irked Jiang Ning somewhat. Innuendo in his words suggested Liuu Shansheng thought Liuu Wanwan had married the wrong man by joining their family. Chapter 196 90: Thunderous to the Ears Moments later, Jiang Ning returned to the hall, holding a plate in his hands that contained a full jin of White Dragon Fish slices. "Ah Ning, what are you doing?" Liuu Wanwan exclaimed upon seeing the White Dragon Fish slices in Jiang Ning''s hands. Jiang Ning smiled, "My sister-in-law''s brother has come from afar, how could I not host him properly?" As his words fell, Jiang Ning placed the plate with the White Dragon Fish slices at the center of the dining table. "Little Dumpling wants to eat fish!" Little Dumpling, eyeing the snow-white fish meat, immediately salivated and started vigorously shaking Jiang Ning''s sleeve. Seeing this, Jiang Ning smiled. Then, he picked up a slice of fish from the plate and placed it in Little Dumpling''s bowl. "Eat slowly!" "Okay!!" Little Dumpling nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking at grains of rice. Liuu Shansheng watched the fish meat on the plate, a slight look of surprise on his face. Although White Dragon Fish was extremely precious, costing a hundred taels of silver per jin, being the eldest son of the Liuu family, he has naturally eaten it before. And he had consumed quite a bit. This type of Spirit Fish was very beneficial not only for those who practiced Martial Arts, but also for ordinary people who have yet to begin refining their muscles and bones. It could enhance one''s physical constitution and improve Martial Arts Talent. A good constitution and high talent resulted in a high efficiency whether in strengthening Qi-Blood or refining skin, flesh, and bones. And at the same level, one''s potential was much higher than that of ordinary people. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Divine Power Realm was a typical example. Some people, after refining their muscles to their limits, possessed only about two thousand jin of strength. While others, with casual refining, could easily exceed two thousand jin of strength, with limits reaching three to four thousand jin. This difference was due to innate reasons and differences in physical constitution and talent. It was precisely because of the effects of the Spirit Fish like White Dragon Fish in enhancing physical constitution and improving Martial Art Talent that it was worth a hundred taels of silver per jin. Afterward, Liuu Shansheng asked, "Is this... the meat of a White Dragon Fish?" "Exactly!" Jiang Ning nodded. "You''ve managed to get the meat of a Spirit Fish like the White Dragon Fish, impressive!" Liuu Shansheng''s face showed his appreciation. Jiang Ning smiled, "Yiming is about the right age to start practicing Martial Arts, naturally, we need to prepare something for him! The meat of the White Dragon Fish will be a great help to him in the future." "Indeed!" Liuu Shansheng nodded and then he picked up a piece of White Dragon Fish meat and popped it into his mouth. After tasting it slightly, he swallowed it down. The next moment. "This¡­ this fish meat is somewhat unusual?" Liuu Shansheng looked at the dish of White Dragon Fish meat on the dining table in front of him. Jiang Ning said, "This fish was quite large." "Quite large?" Liuu Shansheng looked at Jiang Ning with some confusion. Jiang Ning replied, "Yes, it weighed about a hundred jin." "A hundred jin?" Liuu Shansheng''s eyes widened in disbelief, "Is it a spirit?" Jiang Ning said, "Whether it''s a spirit or not, I don''t know. But I believe this Spirit Fish meat will greatly aid Yiming in his Martial Arts journey, don''t you think?" Liuu Shansheng instantly smiled, "You''re right! The energy contained in this fish meat far surpasses the White Dragon Fish meat I''ve eaten before, and it will indeed be a great help to Yiming!" "But if Yiming were to return to the Liuu family, with me there, money is not an issue, and he could freely purchase any Martial Arts resources he needs." "That''s something ordinary families cannot afford." While speaking, Liuu Shansheng also glanced around the hall. He then nodded slightly, "This house is indeed quite big! However, when I broke through to Martial Arts Nine Grade, it cost me a full ten thousand taels of silver, which could buy several homes like this." At that moment, Jiang Li said, "Younger brother, there''s no need to say more! San Sheng is right, returning to the Liuu family will ensure a bright future for Yiming, what I can offer him is limited." "Whether to return home or not is not up for you to decide, I have the final say," Liuu Wanwan put down her chopsticks decisively. As these words came out, the atmosphere at the dining table suddenly became a bit tense. Silence followed for a moment. Just then, Thump thump thump¡ª "Brother Jiang Ning!!" A knocking sound and a shout came from the front gate of the house, immediately breaking the quiet in the hall. It was... Yang Kai! Jiang Ning''s eyes hardened, and he muttered under his breath. "Father, Uncle, Uncle, I''ll go to the door." Jiang Yiming also stood up at that moment. He paused, then said firmly, "Dad, Mom, I don''t want to go to the Liuu family. I''ve already gotten used to everything in Luoshui County." Jiang Yiming expressed his stance and headed straight to the front yard. "This boy¡­" Liuu Wanwan watched her eldest son and couldn''t help but smile knowingly. Returning to the Liuu family? If she would make that choice now, she wouldn''t have decided to elope with Jiang Li ten years ago either. Given those circumstances back then, she was willing to follow Jiang Li, let alone now. Nowaday, they had more than enough food and drink and their children were thriving; it was indeed Perfection. Moreover, her younger brother had also become capable, able to lend a hand. As for her parents, she wasn''t ungrateful. It was truly because over the years, she couldn''t return, nor dared to return. Her uncles and her father''s words back then made it clear that she had no right to return. At that moment, Liuu Shansheng looked at his sister, then at the departing figure of Jiang Yiming, shaking his head. However, he wasn''t entirely resigned. He was very aware of his sister''s personality. To make her return home wouldn''t be so simple. Today was just a simple try. The real opportunity would come the day he became the Patriarch of the Liuu Family. Chapter 197 90 Thunderous Ovation_2 This time wouldn''t be particularly long, he could wait, his mother could wait as well. After a short while, "Brother Jiang Ning, I''ve brought the money!" The person wasn''t there yet, but the voice had already arrived. Hearing this sentence, Jiang Ning stood up to greet the visitor and walked towards the entrance of the main hall. It was Yang Kai bringing the money. The next moment. Dark-skinned, tall, and burly Yang Kai appeared in front of Jiang Ning, and also in front of Liuu Shansheng and the others. Behind him followed a fair-skinned, somewhat frail attendant. "Manager Yang!" Jiang Ning called out in greeting. "I''ve come at an inopportune time!" Yang Kai''s gaze swept quickly over the scene inside the hall. "Not at all, Manager Yang has come just in time, come take a seat and have some wine!" Upon hearing this, Yang Kai laughed heartily and then said, "Since Brother Jiang Ning has extended an invitation, I am more than happy to join!" With that, he walked towards the dining table. At this moment, Liuu Shansheng looked at Yang Kai with slight surprise. Yang Kai was tall and buff like a barrel. Moreover, his muscles seemed like iron blocks firmly on his body. At a glance, he knew that the dark-skinned man before him was extraordinarily strong. Most likely, he was a strongman at the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm like himself. At this point, Liuu Shansheng was surprised not by Yang Kai''s strength but by Manager Yang''s attitude. Manager Yang came to visit and Jiang Ning, his sister-in-law''s brother, didn''t even go to the doorway to welcome him. In his view, this was disrespectful. How could one be negligent towards a Martial Arts Strongman? Yet Manager Yang was not only not angry, he showed considerable face to his sister-in-law''s brother. The conversation also revealed a subtly ingratiating tone. This completely baffled Liuu Shansheng. A strongman of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, even in the Liuu family of Dongling City, would be an esteemed guest. Not to mention in a small place like Luoshui County, regardless of status, just by virtue of such Martial Arts strength, one would indeed be a figure above others. But at this moment, such a person showed a touch of flattery toward his sister-in-law''s brother. This feeling, he had seen many times before. But it was always the subordinates who displayed this kind of attitude towards their superiors. "Brother Jiang Ning, this is...?" After taking his seat, Yang Kai hesitated as he looked at Liuu Shansheng. "Oh!" Jiang Ning realized and then said, "This is Liuu Shansheng, my brother Jiang Li''s brother-in-law!" "I see!" Yang Kai then said to Liuu Shansheng, "Brother Liuu, I have long heard your great name. I am the store manager of the Weapon Forging Shop, Yang Kai." Liuu Shansheng: "...." He was momentarily speechless, then he composed himself and said with cupped hands, "Manager Yang, I too have heard of your renown!" Jiang Ning: "..." Watching them, he couldn''t help feeling speechless. Liuu Wanwan saw this scene and slightly chuckled. Jiang Li similarly showed a smile. Then, Yang Kai turned to Jiang Ning, who was sitting beside him, and seriously said, "Brother Jiang Ning, I have come today to deliver the silver to you." "Manager Yang, you dealt with it so quickly?" Jiang Ning showed a hint of surprise. "Of course!" Yang Kai nodded and then said, "The iron mines are worth 11,700 silver taels. Would you like to check with me later, Brother Jiang Ning?" "No need!" Jiang Ning shook his head, "Since I''ve chosen to trust Manager Yang, there is no need to check." "Brother Jiang Ning is truly a gentleman!" Yang Kai praised. He then gestured to the attendant behind him, who immediately handed over the tray covered with a red cloth. Yang Kai took the tray and placed it on the table. The next moment, He pulled with one hand, and the red cloth was instantly ripped away, revealing eleven gold leaves and seven silver notes pressed underneath them. Seeing this, the others couldn''t help but widen their eyes in astonishment. Even Liuu Shansheng, upon seeing the gold leaves on the tray, couldn''t help but widen his eyes slightly. Eleven gold leaves, which meant eleven taels of gold. The total value of 11,700 silver laid in front of them was a huge shock even to him. The Liuu family indeed was wealthy, But it also had a large business and many direct and collateral family members. Every month''s expenses are a vast sum. So for the Liuu family, the genuinely liquid funds available each month aren''t much. Roughly only about twenty to thirty thousand taels of silver for circulation. And these twenty to thirty thousand taels of silver aren''t just for one person but for the entire Liuu family. "It seems I underestimated Jiang Li''s brother-in-law''s brother! The kid managed to get his hands on so much money, he''s got some skills!" Liuu Shansheng mused to himself before his gaze fell back on the dining table. "And there''s the meat of the White Dragon Fish!" "No wonder he was confident enough to stand up to me just now!" "It looks like the kid''s strength isn''t merely Qi Blood Perfection, he must have stepped into Martial Arts Nine Grade!" "For his age, Martial Arts Nine Grade is indeed quite good!" "Reaching Eighth Grade in the future should be effortless, and even Seventh Grade is not out of the question!" "This is probably why Manager Yang treated him so specially." Liuu Shansheng thought to himself. At that moment, Jiang Ning reached out and grabbed three gold leaves and those seven silver notes from the table. "Sister-in-law, take these!" "What are you doing?" Liuu Wanwan looked at Jiang Ning in surprise. "Brother Ning, what are you up to?" Jiang Li frowned slightly. Jiang Ning shook his head with a smile, "Big brother, big sister! What Liuu Shansheng said earlier is right, Yiming has reached an age where, aside from attending private school, it''s also time to spend some money to enhance his martial arts foundation!" "Ah Ning, you''re right! But this is too much!" Liuu Wanwan shook her head, "You''ve already given your big brother a substantial amount of money before, and now Yiming eats well and drinks well every day, he''s even grown taller over these past few months!" "Moreover, a few days ago there was the White Dragon Fish meat you sent over; Yiming''s martial arts talent will surely exceed his father''s." At this time, Jiang Li also spoke up, "Brother Ning, take it back! You need money yourself right now." "You two stop fussing! Yiming is not only your son but also my nephew, Jiang Ning!" As he finished speaking, Jiang Ning showed a look that brooked no refusal. At this point, Jiang Li was ready to speak, but Liuu Wanwan tugged at his sleeve. "Brother Li, Ah Ning makes a point, and we shouldn''t disappoint his kind intentions!" "Well... okay then!" Jiang Li nodded hesitantly with some reluctance. "What a good brother the brother-in-law has!" Upon hearing this, Jiang Li chuckled with a hint of pride on his face. Then, Liuu Shansheng raised his glass to Jiang Ning. "For doing so much for Yiming, I toast to you!" Jiang Ning smiled, "After all, Yiming bears the Jiang surname, and I, as his uncle with only one nephew, naturally have to take care of him." Then he too raised his cup, "Big brother, Manager Yang, cheers!" "Alright!" Yang Kai grinned and lifted the cup before him. Jiang Li did the same. Clank clank clank ¡ª The glasses clinked, emitting a crisp and pleasant sound. The next moment, they all drained their cups in one go. Amid the clinking of cups and toasts, the lunch was quickly polished off. Several pounds of good wine also made their way into the bellies of the men. "Brother Jiang Ning, there''s some business I need to take care of back at the shop, so I''ll take my leave now!" Yang Kai said, cupping his hands toward Jiang Ning. "Manager Yang, please take care!" Jiang Ning cupped his hands in farewell. Seeing this, Yang Kai immediately beamed with a smile. Afterward, Liuu Shansheng also bid farewell to Jiang Li and Liuu Wanwan before he approached Jiang Ning. "Brother Ning, do you mind if I call you that?" "Not at all," Jiang Ning shook his head. Liuu Shansheng said, "To be honest, I admire you! For someone of your background to have come this far, it''s quite extraordinary! I believe Brother Ning''s luck isn''t bad either!" Jiang Ning nodded slightly, "It''s alright!" Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Liuu Shansheng said, "But for Yiming to have a good future, he''ll need to come to the Liuu family, don''t you think?" Jiang Ning just smiled non-committally. "I won''t say." "Uh..." Liuu Shansheng was silent for a breath before he cupped his hands, "I''ll take my leave! See you tomorrow!" Then, he also cupped his hands to bid farewell to Jiang Li and Liuu Wanwan, not far away. Chapter 198 91: Can the Captaincy Be Seized? The next day. Jiang Ning solemnly took out the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill. After a day''s effort yesterday, he had finally completely refined the first Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill. Moreover, out of the remaining thirty taels of White Dragon Fish meat from yesterday, he had eaten ten taels and given ten taels to Jiang Li and Liuu Wanwan''s family. It was partly to enhance Yiming''s foundational strength and physical essence. Once he started practicing martial arts, Yiming''s progress would naturally be swift. The second reason was that Jiang Ning had found the effects of the White Dragon Fish meat on himself to be extremely weak now. After consuming many Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures consecutively, especially after refining a Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill, his innate qualities had been enhanced to a limit. Under such circumstances, let alone the meat of the White Dragon Fish, even the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill, Jiang Ning found, was far less effective than before. It now had only about two or three tenths of its previous effect. Faced with this situation, Jiang Ning could understand. The closer to the limit, the harder it is to make progress. To go further at the top of a hundred-foot pole is naturally much harder than before. Therefore, he had eaten only ten taels of the remaining thirty taels of White Dragon Fish meat from yesterday. He gave the other ten taels to Jiang Li and Liuu Wanwan to allocate themselves, to let them properly cultivate Yiming. As for the remaining ten taels of White Dragon Fish meat, Jiang Ning planned to bring it to the Martial Arts Hall today and give it to Wang Jin. These past few months, Wang Jin had been a great help to him. Since the meat of the White Dragon Fish had a minor effect on him now, it was the perfect time for Jiang Ning to show his gratitude to Wang Jin. The next moment. Jiang Ning swallowed the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill. Then he didn''t do much else because he was about to leave for the Martial Arts Hall. As a disciple of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall, he was eligible to take part in the Inspection Office''s examination. Joining the Inspection Office was crucial for his future plans. In this world, after all, it is the era of Great Xia. Counting the various Sects and forces, the most significant force, undoubtedly, is the official power of Great Xia. After all, Great Xia had suppressed this world for over eight hundred years, its heritage undoubtedly extraordinary. And within Great Xia, the Martial Saint is Great Xia''s greatest reliance. Hence, the Inspection Office, stationed by a Martial Saint, was naturally an excellent place. Subsequently. After Jiang Ning got ready, he clenched his fists. His strength had improved compared to yesterday and now reached a force of three thousand nine hundred taels. Because the human body is a whole, even though the muscles in his arms had been refined to a limit, refining the muscles throughout his body would still enhance his strength. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 177.8 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1887/3000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (First Limit Breaking 345/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Fourth Limit Breaking 5000/5000) (Traits: Touch and Understand, Blade like the Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 1644/2000) Canglang Saber Technique (Great Success 48/1000) Vajra Immortal Body (Small Success 453/5000) Swimming (Fourth Limit Breaking 3873/5000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall) He glanced one more time at the panel and then closed it. Compared to yesterday, the panel had not changed much. Because the entire day yesterday, he had been refining the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill within his body and refining the tenacity of his muscles. The improvement of his martial arts foundation was the greatest help to his short-term strength. Three thousand nine hundred taels of strength. With just this strength, Jiang Ning had the confidence to sweep through all strong competitors in the Eighth Grade. Not to mention, he had many other methods. At this step, Jiang Ning also felt he was not far from the limit of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. The muscles in his arms had long been refined to a limit. Now, the muscles all over his body were also nearing an upper limit. Three thousand nine hundred taels of strength also indirectly showed he was close to reaching the limit of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. Because according to records, even those known for their innate divine strength, in this Realm, only had a strength of four thousand taels. And he now had reached three thousand nine hundred taels. Subsequently, Jiang Ning, carrying ten taels of White Dragon Fish, headed towards the Martial Arts Hall. ¡­ Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Backyard. "Master!" Jiang Ning called out to Wang Jin, who was sitting with his back to him. At this moment, Wang Jin was sitting cross-legged on the ground, dressed in a loose robe, resembling a Daoist meditating. Jiang Ning knew this was Wang Jin, breathing in the Great Sun Essence Qi, refining his internal organs, practicing the Inner Elixir Cultivation Technique. Thus, it was only after Wang Jin had finished his breathing exercises that he spoke. "You''re a bit early!" Wang Jin stood up and said. Jiang Ning lifted the fish meat in his hand. "I brought something for my master!" "White Dragon Fish meat?" Wang Jin''s eyes instantly focused on what Jiang Ning held, his gaze intensifying. "Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded. "You still have so much of this fish meat?" Wang Jin was somewhat surprised: "You must have eighty or ninety taels here?" Jiang Ning said, "About ten taels." "Why bring so much?" Wang Jin frowned, "This fish meat is a good thing, take it back, it''s a great help for your martial practice." Feeling the concern in Wang Jin''s tone, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but smile. Then he said, "Master, don''t worry, I''ve already eaten a lot of it and now it doesn''t have much effect on my body anymore?" "You''ve eaten a lot?" Wang Jin was surprised. "Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded slightly: "This fish originally weighed a hundred taels." S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "A hundred taels?" Wang Jin''s mouth fell open. Chapter 199: 91: Can the Captaincy Be Seized?_2 Chapter 199: Chapter 91: Can the Captaincy Be Seized?_2 Then he muttered to himself, ¡°No wonder I felt the effects of this White Dragon Fish¡¯s flesh so acutely that day. It turns out to be a hundred-pound White Dragon Fish, almost at the point of transforming into a demon!¡± ¡°Transforming into a demon?¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s curiosity was piqued upon hearing these words. ¡°Yes, transforming into a demon!¡± Wang Jin nodded slightly and then gestured to the stone bench in the pavilion next to them, ¡°Sit down, and let¡¯s talk!¡± Moments later, the two were seated in the pavilion. ¡°Do you know how much an average White Dragon Fish weighs?¡± Wang Jin asked. ¡°Not very clear,¡± Jiang Ning shook his head. Wang Jin explained, ¡°A normal White Dragon Fish, a kind of spirit fish, only weighs between ten to twenty pounds. The one you have, if it¡¯s as you say, then it¡¯s five to ten times the weight and size of a regular White Dragon Fish.¡± ¡°Such disparities in size undeniably indicate an essential transformation in its life.¡± ¡°It¡¯s highly likely that it has developed spiritual intelligence, close to the level of transforming into a demon.¡± His disciple¡¯s strength might not be inferior to Zhou Xing¡¯s, perhaps even surpassing it. Without sufficient strength, who would dare to claim they wanted to vie for the position of team leader? Thinking of this, Wang Jin¡¯s face beamed with joy. Then, something suddenly occurred to him, and he said, ¡°By the way, you arrived at the martial arts hall so early, have you had breakfast?¡± ¡°¡±I haven¡¯t had time to eat!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head. He had left home at 5:00 a.m. and it had just turned 7:00 a.m.; naturally, he hadn¡¯t had time for breakfast. ¡°¡±That¡¯s just perfect, come have breakfast with me and we can have a chat,¡± Wang Jin got up and said. ¡°¡±Yes, Master!¡± Jiang Ning smiled. Thinking about it, since moving out of the Martial Arts Hall, he hadn¡¯t had breakfast with Wang Jin. It had been a long time since the last. ¡­ As the day grew brighter, the entire Martial Arts Hall also gradually became more lively. ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± Cheng Ran saw Jiang Ning and immediately came over excitedly. ¡°Brother Cheng, what brings you here?¡± Jiang Ning, seeing Cheng Ran whom he hadn¡¯t seen in many days, could not help but smile. In this world, he didn¡¯t have many friends, and Cheng Ran was one of them. Seeing a friend, naturally, put him in a good mood. Cheng Ran smiled and said, ¡°¡±Of course, I came to cheer on Brother Jiang! Today is a crucial day for you.¡± Then Cheng Ran asked, ¡°¡±Does Brother Jiang feel confident about the assessment later?¡± ¡°¡±Naturally, I do!¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly. ¡°¡±I can tell that Brother Jiang is very confident!¡± At the entrance, Li Qing walked over with determined steps. Today she was dressed in a blue outfit, with her long boots tightly bound with cloth strips, to prevent them from coming off during potential combat later. ¡°¡±Senior Sister Li!¡± Hearing Li Qing¡¯s voice, Cheng Ran immediately turned and greeted her. ¡°¡±Senior Sister Li!¡± Jiang Ning nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°¡±Brother Jiang, you¡¯ve arrived quite early!¡± Li Qing looked at Jiang Ning, who was dressed in black attire, with a gleam in her eyes. ¡°¡±I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I thought I¡¯d wish Master a good morning!¡± Jiang Ning said casually. ¡°¡±No wonder Brother Jiang is so favored by Master Wang!¡± Li Qing sighed. A moment later, Zhao Hu arrived. Soon after, Zhou Xing and Zhang Tiesheng also appeared in the courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall. ¡°¡±Everyone¡¯s here!¡± Wang Jin looked at the five of them and nodded slightly. Then he said, ¡°¡±The assessment will begin at 10:00 a.m. Let¡¯s head out now!¡± ¡°¡±Yes, Master!¡± ¡°¡±Yes, Master!¡± ¡°¡±Yes, Master!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Everyone responded in unison. Then, under the lead of Wang Jin, they stepped out of the Martial Arts Hall. A group of disciples from the Martial Arts Hall followed closely behind. ¡°The White Dragon Fish you have probably swallowed some kind of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.¡± Having said this, Wang Jin took the piece of fish flesh that Jiang Ning had placed on the stone table, tore a white strip with his hand, and then popped it directly into his mouth to chew lightly. After thoroughly masticating, Wang Jin¡¯s throat moved slightly as he swallowed the fish flesh. The next moment, he closed his eyes slightly as the Qi Blood Power surged around his body. In just a handful of breaths, Wang Jin opened his eyes. ¡°This fish flesh is indeed a great thing; it¡¯s very beneficial even for me at my current stage.¡± ¡°Truly extraordinary,¡± sighed Wang Jin softly. Jiang Ning said, ¡°Since it¡¯s of great help, Master, please take it!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t stand on ceremony then!¡± Wang Jin looked at the ten pounds of fish flesh laid out on the table, his heart full of desire. A few days ago, after eating about a pound of the White Dragon Fish¡¯s flesh, he had felt his own strength slightly increase, and his Qi Blood Power had stopped declining and started to rise. With the help of these ten pounds of fish flesh, he believed he wouldn¡¯t be far from reaching Sixth Rank. Once he entered the threshold of Sixth Rank, he could eventually reach the peak of Bone Forging through meticulous practice. Jiang Ning said, ¡°Master, please keep it! As I just mentioned, I have already consumed a large amount of White Dragon Fish flesh, and it¡¯s no longer of much use to me now.¡± ¡°In that case, it seems your strength has truly transformed!¡± exhorted Wang Jin, his gaze falling on Jiang Ning, as if trying to detect some clue. But at the moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s aura was calm and undisturbed, betraying no particular sensation. Even the faintly threatening feeling that Wang Jin had felt before had disappeared. ¡°It seems this lad¡¯s progress with his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill has already surpassed mine,¡± Wang Jin thought to himself. He knew that Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill was a method of inner cultivation from Daoist practices. Cultivating both internally and externally, even with continual tempering of the body, would not result in a change of physique or bulky limbs like that of an ox. Moreover, it wouldn¡¯t cause the Qi Blood Power to burn hot like fire, allowing one to feel the potency of the Qi Blood Power from a close distance. During these days, as he advanced with his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, he also found himself to be more restrained, much like Jiang Ning at this moment. ¡°Are you confident about the journey today?¡± Wang Jin suddenly asked. ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. ¡°Above a regular Patrol Guard, there¡¯s also the struggle for the position of team leader. Will you participate in the competition for the team leader?¡± Wang Jin asked the question he was most eager to know. Above the Patrol Guard was the position commonly referred to as team leader. A team leader commanded ten Patrol Guards. That¡¯s the basic structure of the Inspection Office. Within the framework of the Inspection Office, a Patrol Guard is only an ordinary soldier of Secondary Ninth Rank. But a team leader is an official of Standard Ninth Grade. The difference in status is that of official rank and power. Wang Jin, as the head of Canglang Martial Arts Hall, also hoped to have one of his disciples attain the position of team leader. It would reflect well on him to say so. But he also knew the likelihood was not great. Among all his disciples, Zhou Xing was probably the only one with a chance. A year earlier, Zhou Xing had reached Great Success in Ninth Grade, his skin as tough as copper. With over a year¡¯s time and Zhou Xing¡¯s Martial Arts talent, there was the potential for another step forward, to enter the threshold of an Eighth Grade Martial Artist. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To vie for the position of team leader, one must have at least achieved Great Success in Ninth Grade, with Power Training successfully conducted, giving them a solid chance if they¡¯ve reached Eighth Grade. Whether Zhou Xing had broken through to Eighth Grade was not certain to Wang Jin, so he did not have much confidence that one of his disciples could emerge as a team leader of the Inspection Office. But now, looking at Jiang Ning, he felt hopeful. That¡¯s because Jiang Ning had said something that Wang Jin remembered clearly. That was, the flesh of the White Dragon Fish was no longer effective. Having personally experienced the effects of the White Dragon Fish flesh, Wang Jin naturally knew how potent the flesh of this nearly-demonic White Dragon Fish was. It had significantly boosted his own strength. Not to mention someone like Jiang Ning, who had only practiced martial arts for a few months. But then he heard from Jiang Ning that the flesh of the White Dragon Fish was ineffective. Wang Jin immediately realized something, that Jiang Ning¡¯s strength might have surged forward once again. At the same time, Jiang Ning, on hearing Wang Jin¡¯s question, nodded slightly. ¡°¡±To vie for the rank of team leader is naturally something I would like to try,¡± Securing the position of team leader had always been part of Jiang Ning¡¯s plan. Because to contend for the position of Deputy Commander, one had to first seize the rank of team leader. Only as a team leader could one qualify to compete for the role of Deputy Commander. As for anything higher, Jiang Ning had no such plans for the time being. Neither did he have the strength nor the qualifications. To his knowledge, positions above that of a Commander were originally affiliated with the court, appointed by drawing officials from various institutions. Like military officers from the army, for example. Upon hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s response, Wang Jin clapped his hands in delight, ¡°Excellent! Excellent!!¡± Now, with that answer from Jiang Ning, Wang Jin knew his guess was not wrong. On such an important day, as disciples of the Martial Arts Hall, they naturally wanted to see how Jiang Ning and the others would perform. Chapter 200: 92 Martial Arts Garden Students Chapter 200: Chapter 92 Martial Arts Garden Students Outside the Martial Arts Hall. ¡°This is¡­ the disciples from Canglang Martial Arts Hall, what are they up to?¡± Someone saw Wang Jin leading a group of disciples exiting the big gates of the martial arts hall one after another, and immediately looked puzzled. ¡°What else could they possibly be doing, they must be going to participate in the Inspection Office¡¯s examination!¡± Another person explained right away. ¡°How I envy them! If they pass the examination, they could become officials!¡± An envious expression appeared on someone¡¯s face nearby. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Greetings, Third Elder!¡± Seeing the middle-aged man in a gray robe appear, several disciples of Medicine King Valley promptly paid their respects, their anxious hearts also settling down at this moment. ¡°What exactly happened?¡± The grey-robed middle-aged man looked at the disciples in front of him and asked. ¡°Replying to the Elder, we also do not know! Three days ago, at noon, Elder Liu left the inn, and he did not return that night, including the accompanying disciples Wang Jiu and Wusheng; they also disappeared without any news,¡± one disciple stepped forward and responded. Then that disciple continued, ¡°Therefore, several of us went out to search for Elder Liu and the others that night, but found nothing, which is when we realized something was wrong, hence we contacted the sect.¡± ¡°Has Liu Qingsong shown up today?¡± the middle-aged man in grey asked. ¡°Responding to the Third Elder, he has not appeared,¡± replied the disciple. Hearing this answer, the grey-robed middle-aged man immediately furrowed his brows. ¡°It seems that Liu Qingsong¡¯s fate is ominous!¡± ¡°Third Elder, are you saying¡­ Elder Liu has been harmed?¡± At this moment, a female disciple asked cautiously. The grey-robed middle-aged man glanced at her: ¡°Most likely!¡± As his words fell. He pulled out a white jade token from his clothing. Seeing this token, several disciples were momentarily taken aback. ¡°Life Token!¡± one disciple whispered in a surprised tone, ¡°The Third Elder even brought Elder Liu¡¯s life token.¡± The grey-robed man held the token, and then a surge of Qi-Blood Power flowed into it. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The next moment. He declared, ¡°Come with me!¡± ¡°Yes, Third Elder!¡± Several disciples hurriedly followed. Not long after. They arrived at the banks of the Luoshui River. The grey-robed man looked at the rolling Luoshui River in front of him, then at the life token in his hand concerning Liu Qingsong. Then, he again infused a surge of Qi-Blood Power into it, activating the token¡¯s function. ¡°In the water!¡± he stated. Then he leaped towards the water surface. Splash¡ª Voices discussing the matter filled the air for a moment. ¡°Brother Jiang, do you feel confident about the upcoming challenge?¡± Li Qing moved closer to Jiang Ning and asked softly. Smelling the faint fragrance of the woman near him, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart trembled. Feeling the instinctive change in his body, Jiang Ning chuckled to himself. Indeed, being young and vigorous with abundant Qi-Blood made it hard to stay reserved! Then, he quietly stepped aside, increasing the distance between himself and Li Qing. Thinking about the scent Li Qing had carried the day she lifted her foot, it made him feel a bit dizzy. Then he whispered to Li Qing, ¡°Of course, I have confidence!¡± ¡°Brother Jiang is really arrogant!¡± Zhao Hu mocked from the side, ¡°Even I wouldn¡¯t dare to assert that I am certain to pass the examination, yet Brother Jiang, who has been studying martial arts for merely two or three months, dares to boast so wildly.¡± Seeing Zhao Hu¡¯s intense gaze directed at himself, Jiang Ning felt helpless. Without guessing, he knew that it was because Li Qing had just shown a hint of closeness to him, which made Zhao Hu target him. In the martial arts hall, it was well-known that Zhao Hu fancied Li Qing. And not just Zhao Hu¡ªmany disciples secretly admired Li Qing. Because Li Qing was tall and well-figured. Even in the entirety of Luoshui County, she could be called a beauty. Furthermore, because of her affluent family background, she had not endured the harshness of life. Even practicing martial arts hadn¡¯t made her skin rough or dull. In their youthful and lustful age, their secret admiration for Li Qing seemed quite reasonable. ¡°Beauty is a disaster; this phrase is truly not wrong.¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Then, his gaze swiftly moved past Zhao Hu. ¡°Jiang Ning, what do you mean by that look?¡± Seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze, Zhao Hu became instantly furious in front of Li Qing. ¡°Are you trying to cause trouble?¡± Jiang Ning frowned and looked at Zhao Hu. The piercing look suddenly made Zhao Hu¡¯s heart tremble. In Jiang Ning¡¯s hands, dozens of lives had already been claimed. Therefore, the aura he inadvertently exuded now faintly carried a tangible murderous intent. ¡°Eh?¡± Zhou Xing, sensing this aura, momentarily glanced sideways at Jiang Ning. The next moment. A contemplative look flashed in his eyes. ¡°This Jiang Ning seems not so simple after all! I previously thought he was merely a sheltered flower, inexperienced in real combat.¡± ¡°It seems now, the murderous aura Jiang Ning emanates, obviously he has quite a number of lives on his hands.¡± ¡°He has practiced martial arts for just over three months and already nurtured hints of murderous aura.¡± ¡°Remarkable! Truly remarkable!¡± Meanwhile. Wang Jin noticed the commotion behind him and immediately turned his head towards Jiang Ning and Zhao Hu. ¡°What¡¯s going on with you two?¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head. Zhao Hu, seeing Wang Jin looking over, also slowly shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡± Following Wang Jin turning his head back, Zhao Hu silently withdrew his gaze, muttering to himself. ¡°What was that just now?¡± ¡°Why did this youngster suddenly make me feel afraid?¡± ¡°Could it be that this youngster poses a threat to me?¡± ¡°Impossible! Absolutely impossible!¡± Zhao Hu thought about this, slowly shaking his head. ¡­ Elsewhere. Cloud Inn. As the sound of water breaking was heard, he plunged into the water. Chapter 201 92 Martial Arts Garden Students_2 "Junior Sister Qi Qi, Junior Brother Xu, wait here for us; we''re going down!" "Yes!" "Yes!" Both replied in unison. The next moment. Plop¡ª Plop¡ª ... With the sound of splashing, several people dove into the lake and quickly disappeared from the surface. Inside the lake. The group hurriedly followed the gray-robed man''s descent trajectory. After dozens of breaths. "Go up first!" said the gray-robed man. Even underwater, with the gray-robed man''s physique, he could easily make a resonant, deep voice. At this moment, the others were already gasping for air, their faces flushed red, and their lungs nearly out of oxygen. Hearing the words of the gray-robed man, they felt a huge relief and rapidly swam toward the surface of the lake. After a short while. The gray-robed man''s feet touched the soft riverbed made of sand and gravel. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Relying on the pull of the token in his hand, he quickly found three corpses. At this point, after soaking in the water for several days. The three bodies were beyond recognition, their flesh had been largely nibbled away by fish and shrimp, with only some pale rotting meat still clinging to their bones. "It''s definitely Elder Liu!" Upon seeing the clothes on the skeletal remains, the gray-robed man immediately confirmed. He then went to Liu Qingsong''s side and stooped to untie the stones bound to Liu''s bones. Moments later. He also untied the stones bound to the other two corpses. Then he grabbed the three bodies and started ascending. ... Above the lake. Whoosh¡ª With the sound of the waves, the gray-robed man emerged from the water. "Third Elder!" "Third Elder!" "..." Seeing the gray-robed man appear, the disciples from Medicine King Valley called out one after another. "Catch!" said the gray-robed man, and then he flung the three corpses he had brought up from the bottom of the lake toward the shore. The three bodies instantly traced a parabola and fell to the bank. The next moment. He kicked hard in the water. Boom¡ª Before the explosive power in his legs, the water under his feet instantly solidified like mud. He leapt out of the water in an instant. The surface of the water beneath his feet was like having been struck by a shell, a ring of white waves spreading endlessly outward. "Third Elder, is this Elder Liu''s body?" One disciple pointed to a rotting corpse on the shore and spoke. "According to the token''s guidance, and these clothes, it is indeed Elder Liu Qingsong," said the gray-robed man. Then he shook his body, the Great Tendon inside him pulling throughout, instantly causing his clothes to flutter, shaking a large amount of water from them. His clothes were half dry in an instant. "Third Elder, what should we do now?" a disciple asked. "Find the murderer who killed Liu Qingsong and the others," the gray-robed middle-aged man glanced at the bodies on the ground, then spoke again, "Do you know what Elder Liu was doing when he left that day?" "We know!" a disciple nodded, "According to Elder Liu, he was going to ask Jiang Ning a question." "Jiang Ning?" the gray-robed man said, "Who is this person?" ... Elsewhere. The outer city. The western training ground. Jiang Ning had just arrived to see the place surrounded by an impenetrable crowd. Even as the sun overhead began to bear down fiercely, the crowd of onlookers remained dense. Wooden sheds had already been erected all around the training ground. The wooden sheds were already filled with about half of the people. Wang Jin led a group of people toward a wooden shed on the eastern side of the training ground. The shelter was the designated area for the Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Then, a group of people made their way to the shelter on the east side of the training ground. "Master Wang, you''ve arrived!" As soon as they entered the shelter, a tall man sitting on the outermost bench stood up and greeted Wang Jin. This man was none other than the master of the Divine Power Hall, Yu Yuan. In Luoshui County, he was also a true powerhouse, considered on par with Wang Jin, and likewise ranked as a Martial Arts Seventh Grade. Having seen him at the apprenticeship banquet, Jiang Ning recognized him immediately. "Master Yu!" Wang Jin also called out in greeting. Then he calmly took his seat. Jiang Ning and the others also sat on the benches behind Wang Jin. "Master Wang, do any of your disciples have aspirations to compete for the team leader position?" Yu Yuan suddenly turned his head and asked Wang Jin. "Are you implying, old man, that your disciples are dead set on securing the position of team leader?" inquired Wang Jin. "Master Wang is sharp!" Yu Yuan laughed, "You saw right through it; indeed, there''s no concealing it from you." Wang Jin shook his head. "If you want to brag about your disciple, just say so. Why beat around the bush? Surely your disciple Du Yang hasn''t already reached Eighth Grade, has he?" "Ha ha!" Yu Yuan chuckled, "Nothing gets past you, Master Wang!" Hearing this, Wang Jin turned and asked Zhou Xing, "Do you have any thoughts of competing for the team leader position?" Upon hearing this, Zhou Xing gave a slight nod, "Your disciple has also reached the status of Eighth Grade Martial Artist!" With this statement, both Wang Jin and Yu Yuan understood Zhou Xing''s intention. How could someone of Eighth Grade not have the ambition to compete for the team leader position? At this moment, Wang Jin also laughed heartily, "Brother Yu, you see... my disciple isn''t too shabby, right?" "Not at all!" Yu Yuan''s gaze fixed on Zhou Xing, as he uttered words of admiration, "The prodigious scion of the Zhou family is indeed extraordinary, with a life of promise to reach our level!" Wang Jin nodded slightly, "Naturally!" Simultaneously, Jiang Ning''s gaze swept over the entire training ground and then settled on a grandstand in the distance. The grandstand was filled with men and women, all dressed opulently in obviously expensive fabrics. Among these people, Jiang Ning also spotted two familiar figures. Lin Jiaer, the niece of Lin Qingyi. Liuu Shansheng, the brother of his older sister-in-law, Liuu Wanwan. "These must be the disciples from the Martial Arts Garden," Jiang Ning thought to himself. Li Qing, following Jiang Ning''s line of sight, then leaned slightly towards him. "Junior Brother Jiang, are you envious? They can sit in the cool grandstand while we must sit in this stifling shelter." "A little!" Jiang Ning nodded. As Li Qing said, the shelters, simply constructed out of wood, became unbearably hot under the slightest sunlight. Particularly since each shelter was not very large, with so many people crammed together, perspiration mingled with the air, making one feel somewhat dizzy. On the grandstand, however, it was different. With open space and good air circulation, it was far more comfortable than the shelter. Li Qing''s eyes also showed envy as she looked towards where the disciples of the Martial Arts Garden sat. "Not just Junior Brother Jiang, I am envious too!" "It''s so much more comfortable up there on the grandstand!" "But we''re not qualified to go over there; they are students from the Martial Arts Schools of Dongling City, their status is far more noble than that of people from small places like ours." Hearing this, Jiang Ning said, "Senior Sister, you don''t need to belittle yourself. Your family background is certainly not lacking." "Not lacking it may be," Li Qing shook her head slightly, "but compared to them, it falls quite short." Just then, Zhao Hu clenched his fists as he saw Li Qing leaning towards Jiang Ning. "That damn pretty boy!!" he cursed inwardly. Elsewhere, Lin Jiaer, seated in the grandstand of the training ground, also spotted Jiang Ning in the shelter. Jiang Ning stood out among the crowd, his height and appearance easily attracting attention. From her vantage point, seeing Jiang Ning sitting in the shelter, she tilted her chin up slightly with a trace of pride on her face. As if to say, Look! This is the difference! Seeing Lin Jiaer''s subtle gesture, Jiang Ning shook his head. Childish! He then glanced at Liuu Shansheng. Surrounded by a crowd, it was clear that Liuu Shansheng was the center of attention. "It seems Liuu Shansheng was not wrong! He indeed has a great chance of becoming the Clan Leader of the Liuu family; otherwise, his status wouldn''t be this high." Afterwards, Jiang Ning''s gaze landed on the central high platform of the grandstand, where the Taishi Chair stood unoccupied. Jiang Ning knew that seat was reserved for the Master of the Inspector Mansion of Luoshui County. Given the power of the Inspection Office, if the County Lord was the previous tyrant of Luoshui County, then that Residence Master was probably the sky of Luoshui County. A being who could control life and death, and cover the heavens with one hand. Chapter 202 93 Residence Master Appears The Western Drill Grounds of the Outer City. Boom, boom, boom¡ª Ten o''clock in the morning. Boom¡ª Boom¡ª Boom¡ª Drumbeats started to echo from around the drill grounds. The drum sounds thundered, growing more urgent with each beat. Tap, tap, tap¡ª Simultaneously, the orderly sound of marching footsteps erupted from the perimeter. People looked towards the source of the noise. Instantly, they saw two squads of soldiers clad in impressive armor, brandishing sharp weapons and charging forward with high spirits. Each soldier was dressed in dark armor that, despite the sunlight, still gleamed with an ominous shade. Long halberds in hand, they shimmered with a cold light. "This vigor, this excellent equipment, truly befits the elite soldiers under Master Wang''s command!" Cheng Ran exclaimed from behind. Jiang Ning watched the scene and nodded silently to himself. Given his knowledge of history from his previous life, from ancient times until now, only a few elite soldiers and generals'' personal guards could afford such complete armor. Yet, these two squads of soldiers were merely a hundred-man detachment stationed in Luoshui County. A mere county''s garrison force possessing such formidable presence and elite equipment was indeed remarkable. "This Master Wang seems to be quite wealthy!" Jiang Ning thought to himself. According to his knowledge, although the armor surely wasn''t forged from hundred-refined iron and was of relatively common materials, outfitting a single soldier would still cost at least several hundred taels of silver. Not to overstate, but just equipping these two fine squads would have cost tens of thousands of taels of silver. And that was merely for two squads of armored and sharp soldiers. What if there were more? At this moment. The crowd was parted by the two squads of soldiers. A man dressed in a dark robe with black and gold trim suddenly appeared in everyone''s sight. The man appeared to be around forty, with a composed face, his emotions indecipherable, his depths impenetrable. "Master Hong has arrived!" Wang Jin spoke up, his expression solemn. "Master, is that man Hong Minghu, Master Hong?" Li Qing asked. "That''s him!" "What a formidable presence! Even from afar, his powerful aura causes my heart to tremble," Li Qing marveled. Wang Jin replied, "Of course, it''s rumored that Master Hong Minghu is at the peak of Sixth Rank, and by now he might have even reached Fifth Grade." "One man, able to easily decimate us all." Hearing the conversation between Li Qing and Wang Jin, Jiang Ning was not surprised. Because in the intelligence provided by Lin Qingyi, there was mention of Hong Minghu''s strength. Peak of Sixth Grade, possessing the power of both dragon and tiger, an invincible presence within Luoshui County. Behind Hong Minghu followed Master Wang, whom he had met once before. Beside Master Wang were four individuals, three men and a woman, all moving with the same commanding presence. Then, the two squads of soldiers followed behind and dispersed around the perimeter of the drill grounds. Shortly after. Hong Minghu arrived on the high platform and sat down on the chair atop it. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Let''s begin!" he spoke indifferently. His voice seemed faint but reached clearly into the ears of everyone in the drill grounds. "Inner Breath!" Jiang Ning heard the clear voice beside him and tensed up. Because he had witnessed such a method before, demonstrated by Lin Qingyi. "Looking at this, this Residence Master might not be Sixth Rank, but Fifth Grade!" ... On the high platform of the drill grounds. Following Hong Minghu''s commands, a person stood forth on the platform. "The rules are simple. The first step is to lift an 800-pound iron lock and hold it for three breaths to pass." With that, the person gestured with a wave of his hand. From the stands where the Martial Arts Garden students were sitting, people began to stand up one after another. They leaped down from the high platform. They were the first batch to be assessed. Quickly, it was no surprise that the students passed. Lifting an 800-pound iron lock for three breaths wasn''t too difficult for an ordinary Ninth Grade Martial Artist. After all, a Ninth Grade Martial Artist typically starts with the strength of at least 700 pounds. 800 pounds were merely a hundred pounds more than the threshold for just entering Ninth Grade. For the students of the Martial Arts Garden, it was an easy task. Moreover, they were already aware of the assessment rules beforehand, and those who couldn''t meet them wouldn''t come to the drill grounds to embarrass themselves. After the Martial Arts Garden students returned to the stands, it was time for the various factions to participate. From every pavilion, individuals came forth to partake in the iron lock assessment in the center of the drill grounds. Some succeeded, and some failed. Most who had just entered Ninth Grade had only 700 pounds of strength. To lift an 800-pound iron lock for a full three breaths, mere strength at the threshold of 800 pounds was insufficient. The martial practitioners from Luoshui County weren''t like the Martial Arts Garden students, who were nourished with great medicines from a young age to strengthen their foundations. Thus, most of the Ninth Grade Martial Artists from Luoshui were barely meeting the basic criteria. Without having achieved the Stone Skin level of Refining Skin, it was difficult to possess the strength of 800 pounds. Under these circumstances, failures in the assessment began to mount. Some, even if they barely lifted the 800-pound iron lock, ultimately couldn''t endure for three breaths and failed. Whenever someone failed, the host on the high platform unceremoniously crossed out the corresponding name from his list. If one''s strength didn''t meet the standard, it was deemed a failed assessment. Within two hours, it was God''s Prestige Martial Arts Hall''s turn. From within, five individuals emerged, three men and two women. "Master Wang, my disciples will lead the way!" Yu Yuan declared. "Please, Master Yu," Wang Jin said, gesturing for them to proceed. ... Meanwhile, at the outskirts of the drill grounds. "Elder, if nothing goes awry, the man called Jiang Ning should be present here." "I understand," the middle-aged man in the grey robe nodded slightly. Chapter 203 93 Residence Master Appears_2 Then he looked up at the center of the training field. His lips moved slightly. Hong Minghu''s eyes suddenly changed as he looked at the outskirts of the field, high above, he too instantly saw the figure of the man in the gray robe. "Gongsun Yu actually came? Shouldn''t he, as the Third Elder of Medicine King Valley, be in Medicine King Valley?" Hong Minghu muttered to himself. Then he waved his hand, signaling for someone behind him to invite Gongsun Yu over. ... At this moment, five members of Divine Power Hall arrived at the center of the training field. Called by the person on the high platform to their corresponding names, individuals would step forward and lift a massive iron weight weighing eight hundred catties. Testing strength was the simplest way to gauge one''s power. The first four passed quickly. But when the last person stepped forward, the female disciple couldn''t help but tremble slightly. She knew her own strength; she had tested herself privately, roughly over seven hundred catties but not reaching eight hundred. "Lin Mu, start!" the man on the high platform instructed. Hearing these words, the female disciple of Divine Power Hall clenched her teeth. Then she bent down to grasp the bulky iron weight in front of her. Even though it was made of iron blocks, the weight, being eight hundred catties, still appeared somewhat awkward. This also meant that once strength reached a certain level, it could no longer be easily tested; one could only rely on the body''s own sensation. Because once the strength exceeds two to three thousand catties, it''s even harder to find something to measure it with. Even a two to three thousand catties iron block, forged from fine iron, would be bulky and thus hard to exert force. As Lin Mu''s legs continued to shake and her form wavered slightly, the iron weight in her hands just wouldn''t leave the ground. "Disqualified!!!" The host on the high platform slightly lifted his eyes, glanced at Lin Mu, and pronounced her failure. Hearing this, Lin Mu bit her lip and gave up on further attempts. The next round, S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was the turn of Jiang Ning and four others to enter the field. ... Meanwhile, On the high platform, Gongsun Yu alone arrived beside Hong Minghu. "Brother Minghu, I didn''t expect to meet you here," the man in the gray robe said. "Gongsun Yu, what are you doing here instead of staying in Medicine King Valley?" Hong Minghu frowned ever so slightly. Although he was acquainted with Gongsun Yu, they weren''t familiar in the strictest sense. Moreover, in the eyes of the Inspection Office, a Jianghu sect like Medicine King Valley was also a target. Since ancient times, medicine and poison were two sides of the same coin. In recent years, several chaotic incidents in Great Xia had involved those sects adept in medicine. Among them, the most egregious incident in Dan State was a plague outbreak deliberately spread by the Ten Thousand Poison Sect. Once this act was uncovered, it sparked fury throughout the court, leading to the Ten Thousand Poison Sect''s sect being razed and its disciples nearly completely massacred. Therefore, at this moment, Hong Minghu was not very welcoming of Gongsun Yu''s presence. Hearing Hong Minghu''s words, Gongsun Yu immediately said, "Elder Liu of our valley was pursuing a bandit who robbed a tribute from Prince Huaian but tragically perished in the Luoshui River a few days ago." "There is someone here who knows some information, so I came to look into it." "I see!" Gongsun Yu nodded slightly, then inquired, "What''s that person''s name?" "Jiang Ning!" ... At this time, Jiang Ning and his four companions had also reached the center of the training field. Following the order of names on the list, the first to take the stage was Zhou Xing. In Zhou Xing''s hands, the eight hundred catties stone weight was effortlessly hoisted and held level. Watching Zhou Xing''s composed face, not flushed at all, breathing easily and comfortably, The man hosting the assessment on the high platform nodded slightly towards Zhou Xing. "He''s a promising one! It looks like he has the potential to vie for a team leader''s position. If he performs well later, it might not be bad to include him under my command." The man thought to himself, giving Zhou Xing an extra couple of glances. "Passed!" the man announced and marked Zhou Xing''s name with a red check. Next, "Zhao Hu!" Zhao Hu stepped forward immediately. "Begin!" ... "Passed!" Upon hearing these two words, Zhao Hu immediately relaxed his grip. Boom¡ª¡ª The massive iron lock, weighing a staggering eight hundred catties, landed heavily on the ground. "Brother Jiang, it''s almost your turn next!" Zhao Hu grinned at Jiang Ning. "Zhang Tiesheng!" On the high platform, another name was called out. Zhang Tiesheng hurried forward. He had already broken through to the Ninth Grade and, with years of accumulated effort, lifting the eight-hundred-catty iron lock was naturally no challenge for him. Three breaths later. "Passed!" Hearing these words, Zhang Tiesheng finally relaxed the strength in his hands and let the iron lock fall to the ground. Boom¡ª The iron lock settled, a sound like distant thunder followed, then dust billowed up. "Brother Jiang, what should I do? I have not yet reached the ''Stone Skin'' level, and I can''t lift the eight-hundred-catty iron lock." At this moment, Li Qing, realizing it was her turn, spoke out anxiously. Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning silently shook his head: "Senior sister, I have no solution!" "Li Qing!" On the high platform, a man called out her name once again. Hearing these words, Li Qing took a deep breath and then stepped forward slowly. "Begin!" The man on the high platform glanced at Li Qing, then silently took note of her. It was his task to remember the names and matches of everyone who took part in the examination. To make sure no one could sneak through or blend in undetected. Moments later. The man shook his head reluctantly, full of regret. If it were possible, he would have liked to recruit this woman into the Inspection Office to become one of the Patrol Guards. Not because she would be particularly effective, but at least she was pleasing to the eye. Moreover, the Inspection Office had far too many men. After all, in terms of innate martial arts talent, men had a slight edge over women. Additionally, due to various factors, males far outnumbered females among those who practiced martial arts. Under these circumstances, a female martial artist with good looks was naturally scarce. But unfortunately, the rules of the Inspection Office were clear and not for him alone to decide. He was not in charge¡ªthe one sitting in the Taishi Chair, Hong Minghu, was the one who called the shots. "Disqualified!" He pronounced the three words. Li Qing immediately hung her head in disappointment and retreated. Elsewhere. In the wooden shed occupied by the disciples of Canglang Martial Arts Hall. "Ah? Can it be? Senior Sister Li Qing actually didn''t pass the examination?" "If Senior Sister Li Qing failed the examination, then there''s trouble now! Brother Jiang will surely find it tough to pass, too." "You can say that again. Senior Sister Li Qing entered the Ninth Grade threshold a step ahead of Brother Jiang Ning, and yet she even failed!" "An eight-hundred-catty iron lock, this is clearly meant to weed out martial artists who''ve just attained the Ninth Grade!" "..." For a moment, all the disciples of Canglang Martial Arts Hall looked anxious. Yu Yuan, standing nearby, reveled in schadenfreude. "Master Wang, five out of three, it seems your disciples are slightly inferior to mine!" "Isn''t that statement a bit premature?" Wang Jin retorted. "Oh? Does Master Wang still have high hopes for the disciples who are ranked even lower?" Yu Yuan chuckled upon hearing this. Wang Jin said, "How about we make a bet?" "A bet? What on, let''s hear it?" Yu Yuan immediately replied. Wang Jin said, "If that disciple of mine passes the examination, how about Master Yu teaches me that secret technique of yours?" "That''s out of the question!" Yu Yuan immediately shook his head. He had heard of this kid Jiang Ning; it seemed that even Hong Chengtao had perished by his hand. "Then stop talking nonsense!" Wang Jin gave Yu Yuan a glance. "Ha ha!" Yu Yuan laughed it off, unbothered. On the other side. The man presiding over the examination slowly announced the next name on the list. "Jiang Ning." At the same time. In the center of the stands. Gongsun Yu, upon hearing the name called from the list, looked surprised. "Jiang Ning, is it really him?" he muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing as he watched Jiang Ning in the field. He had come to the venue in a rush today, so he only knew the name, but not what Jiang Ning looked like. Who exactly was Jiang Ning? But now, upon hearing the name, this name immediately captured his attention. Chapter 204 94 Superior Physique Outside the western city walls. Training ground. "If I''m not mistaken, it must be him!" Hong Minghu slowly spoke. "Oh?" Gongsun Yu immediately looked at Hong Minghu in surprise, "Brother Hong also knows of this person?" Hong Minghu responded, "Since I''ve come to Luoshui County, naturally I must understand all the major and minor affairs of the city. Otherwise, how can I carry out the Emperor''s orders!" Hearing this, Gongsun Yu deeply regarded Hong Minghu. "That''s true!" He immediately nodded. Elsewhere. Jiang Ning felt an extremely strong and intense gaze, giving him the sensation of being targeted by a significantly powerful sight. He immediately looked in the direction of the sensation and his pupils constricted. Although the training ground was vast, his current Extraordinary Five Senses and powerful sight were beyond the reach of ordinary people, even those martial artists whose strength far surpassed his could not match his Five Senses. He suddenly saw Gongsun Yu in a gray robe and also noticed the insignia on Gongsun Yu''s gray robe. It was the Martial Arts Sect emblem of Medicine King Valley. And from the emblem, he could tell this was an elder of the Elder Hall of Medicine King Valley. According to his understanding, the influence of Medicine King Valley spanned Dongling County and the surrounding counties¡ªit was a realm of extensive power. In such a case, although Medicine King Valley wasn''t a sect known for combat ability, its power was imaginable and undoubtedly strong. And the Elder Hall was the group within Medicine King Valley with the greatest power, even the least of the elders there had reached the peak of the Seventh Grade. What is a peak? It''s a term for reaching the ultimate state in the current realm, achieving a state of progress with no further advancements. Such existence, any one of them, was far more powerful than the likes of administrative elders such as Liu Qingsong. "Most likely a Sixth Grade Martial Arts, in the Bone Forging Realm!" "I''m no match for him!" "Indeed, the trouble with Martial Arts Sects is immense, attacking the weak brings the strong, attacking the young brings the old, it''s like cutting weeds that keep sprouting endlessly!" Jiang Ning silently watched Gongsun Yu, inwardly voicing immense complaints. The arrival of Gongsun Yu, an elder of the Medicine King Valley Elder Hall, although anticipated, greatly exceeded his expectations. He had not anticipated that they would find him so quickly, leaving no room for him to catch a breath. A deep sense of crisis immediately filled his heart. If the previous enemies could be sheltered by Wang Jin, The current enemies were something that Wang Jin could hardly cope with. Between Sixth and the peak of Seventh Grade, there was only a step difference, but the gap must undoubtedly be significant. "This is troublesome!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself. All these thoughts occurred in a moment''s change in his heart. ... "Begin!" The man overseeing the examination on the high platform uttered two words. Following those words, Jiang Ning also refocused his mind. At this moment, nothing was more important than the Inspection Office examination. Thinking this, he stepped forward and approached a massive iron lock weighing eight hundred jin. His right hand touched the iron lock. "Rise¡ª" With a light shout from Jiang Ning, the eight hundred jin iron lock suddenly rose from the ground, then hovered in midair, level with his shoulders. Jiang Ning''s face showed no change, no flush on his cheeks, no breathing hard, his heart remained steady, everything as usual. Seeing this scene. The man overseeing the examination on the high platform immediately looked at Jiang Ning with a focused gaze. This strength!! Impressive! He was silently amazed inside. Even more surprising than Zhou Xing''s just now performance. Without a doubt, to lift an eight-hundred-jin heavy iron lock so effortlessly meant he had certainly entered the Eighth Grade of Divine Power Realm. If not reaching this realm, without tempering the muscles all over, relying only on the strengthening of the skin, such a display of strength would be impossible. And Jiang Ning looked very young at a glance, certainly under twenty. This age matched with a Martial Arts Eighth Grade realm, this was the cause of his surprise. The county was inferior to the county town, with much fewer resources and fewer pathfinders in Martial Arts. More impoverished, more backward. Naturally, the number of strong people would also be fewer. At the age of eighteen or nineteen, not to mention in the county, even if placed in the county town, he would be called a prodigy. "Good constitution!!" The man on the high platform silently praised inside. Elsewhere. Due to the arrival of Gongsun Yu, Hong Minghu paid extra attention to Jiang Ning. Seeing this scene, he immediately nodded slightly. "Not bad! A promising prospect!" Gongsun Yu also showed some change in expression, his gaze slightly hardened as he watched Jiang Ning. Suddenly, he spoke, "Brother Hong, may I ask this young man to come over and answer a few questions later? I suspect he knows some news about Elder Liu Qingsong''s death." "Let''s see!" Hong Minghu nonchalantly replied without raising his eyes. "Brother Hong, the loss of Prince Huaian''s tribute has already greatly angered the valley, and now with Elder Liu''s unexpected death, this matter, if reported back, might even make the Valley Master personally come to Luoshui County," Gongsun Yu slowly said. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Are you threatening me?" Hong Minghu''s tone suddenly deepened, and the air became tense. "Not at all! Brother Hong is a trusted confidant of that great person, now stationed in Luoshui County as the Residence Master, how could I dare to threaten you!" Gongsun Yu seemed to remember something, softening his tone. Then he continued, "But this matter concerns the face of Prince Huaian, the Valley Master instructed us to thoroughly investigate it." "What does it have to do with me?" Hong Minghu said, "The people of the Inspection Office, you dare not touch, or it''s death! Outside the Inspection Office, I don''t care!" "Brother Hong, what a bold statement!" Gongsun Yu looked at Hong Minghu, his eyes suddenly becoming extremely sharp, like two divine swords stabbing towards Hong Minghu. Chapter 205 94 Superior Physique_2 Hong Minghu suddenly chuckled, "What, do you still want to fight me here?" Hearing these words, Gongsun Yu''s momentum suddenly deflated. To fight Hong Minghu here, he had already reached Fifth Grade, considered one of the top three presences in the valley. Things had changed a lot! In the past encounters with Hong Minghu, who was but at Bone Forging Great Success of Sixth Rank. A difference of one grade, but now it was like heaven and earth between them. Gongsun Yu naturally had full confidence that he could win, but even if he could, it was meaningless; he wouldn''t be able to leave this drill ground. At Sixth Rank, one is as tough as cast iron or copper. Even with the Divine Power of Fifth Grade, it wasn''t so easy to kill. Moreover, once Inner Breath was exhausted, there wasn''t much difference between Fifth Grade and Sixth Rank. Under a group attack, he would inevitably perish here. On the other side, Jiang Ning did not deliberately hold back in his display of strength. Since he was competing for the position of Deputy Commander, there was no way to hold back much strength. In the early days of establishing the Inspection Office, doubting one''s own worth was the best opportunity to climb the ranks, so he naturally had to seize this opportunity. Once this opportunity was missed, even if he had the strength in the future, there would be no vacancies to fill. "Approved!" The man on the high platform spoke indifferently. Boom¡ª Jiang Ning then tossed the iron lock in his hand gently, the ground roared and slightly trembled. In the shed, Upon seeing this, Wang Jin laughed heartily, "Master Yu, what do you think? How is my disciple?" At this moment, Wang Jin''s face was full of pride, flushed with excitement. A hint of envy appeared in Yu Yuan''s eyes. "You old chap really stepped in luck, to have picked up such a wondrously talented disciple." "No wonder you were brimming with confidence just now and wanted to bet with me; thankfully, I didn''t fall for your trick." Hearing this, the smugness on Wang Jin''s face intensified. How could he not hear the envy in the voice of the adjacent Divine Power Hall''s Master? Behind Wang Jin, the disciples of the Martial Arts Hall who saw this scene in the drill ground All of them couldn''t help but open their mouths, looking flabbergasted. "Didn''t see it wrong, did we? Brother Jiang actually lifted an iron lock weighing eight hundred catties so easily?" "You did not, indeed that''s the case!" "Doesn''t that mean that Brother Jiang might possess the strength of Martial Arts Eighth Grade?" "Most likely!" "Brother Jiang, really fierce!" "..." For a moment, exclamations of surprise and admiration burst forth from the crowd. ... In the drill ground, Watching Jiang Ning''s retreating figure. Li Qing''s mouth slightly opened in surprise, her eyes filled with a flash of amazement. Jiang Ning had been impressive with his memory since the first day he entered the Martial Arts Hall, when she personally greeted him. At the time, although she was amazed by Jiang''s memory abilities, she did not expect that this disciple with such a stunning appearance would have such an extraordinary transformation and achievement. After all, an impressive memory, unforgettable, though helpful in martial arts practice, Ultimately has its limits. Martial Arts is most dependent on one''s root bone and comprehension. Comprehension is hard to fathom. But the level of one''s root bone was made clear the day Wang Jin completed his bone reading, giving an average evaluation. This proved that for warriors with ordinary root bones, their progress is limited in the early Martial Arts realms. With the limitations of one''s lifespan and the prime years of their peak, their ultimate achievements are finite. But now, Jiang Ning''s performance completely shattered her perspective. Easily lifting iron locks weighing eight hundred catties. Such a display, seemingly even better than that of Great Brother Zhou Xing. And she was aware of Zhou Xing breaking through to Eighth Grade. This clearly demonstrated that her own little junior disciple had already stepped over the threshold of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm. To achieve Martial Arts Eighth Grade in just over three months of practice, it''s simply astonishing. Looking at Jiang Ning, Li Qing''s eyes couldn''t help but be filled with admiration and wonder. At this time, Beside Li Qing, Zhou Xing''s expression also changed slightly. Eighth Grade? He exhaled softly, "Martial Arts Eighth Grade, admirable. Lucky I didn''t make him an enemy." Zhao Hu, on the other hand, was different. Seeing this scene, his expression drastically changed, filled with secret regrets. At the same time, he couldn''t help but step back slightly behind the others, making himself less conspicuous. ... In the stands. A woman in green, Lin Qingyi, had appeared here at some point without anyone noticing. She watched the scene on the training field without any hint of surprise. With a smile at the corner of her mouth, she said, "It seems he has completely refined the Vajra Pill. It''s no wonder he has stepped into the Martial Arts Eighth Grade so easily." "But I wonder if that girl regrets it when she sees this?" Thinking this, Lin Qingyi''s gaze shifted towards Lin Jiaer, who was not far away on the stands. At that moment, Lin Jiaer''s expression subtly shifted. Faced with the enthusiasm of the man beside her, she responded and smiled somewhat perfunctorily. ... At this moment, everyone on the training field remembered Jiang Ning''s face. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With the strength of Martial Arts Eighth Grade, he was a rare individual in Luoshui County. His youthful age made him all the more memorable to everyone. ... In the middle of the training field. Jiang Ning returned to the group. "Brother Jiang, your progress is quite astonishing!" Zhou Xing was the first to offer his praise. Zhou Xing was obviously more enthusiastic than he had been previously. Jiang Ning said, "Brother Zhou, you flatter me. It''s just a bit of luck, that''s all!" Hearing this, Zhou Xing couldn''t help but show his envy. He didn''t believe Jiang Ning''s words were meant to be modest. Without luck and opportunity, it would not be possible to come this far in such a short time. "Brother Jiang, you are truly amazing!" Li Qing''s eyes also showed a hint of unusual light. Seeing this, Zhou Xing smiled faintly. He naturally noticed Li Qing''s interest in Jiang Ning. Especially after today, Li Qing''s affection seemed to be even more evident. At this time, Zhao Hu was feeling even more upset. "Damn it, this kid must have stepped in dog shit luck. Who knows what kind of opportunity he stumbled upon to get this far." "That Li Qing is a bitch. I''ve chased her for so long and she wouldn''t even give me a glance, but now she seems eager to throw herself at him." "Damn it!!!" Zhao Hu''s anger flared inside him, but he was weaker at this moment and dared not show any outward signs. To fight and act arrogantly when you can''t win is the behavior of an idiot looking for death! ... A short while later. Jiang Ning returned to the wooden pavilion. "Master, I have not failed your expectations!" Zhou Xing bowed. "Good!" "Good!!" "Good!!!" Wang Jin surveyed the four disciples, his eyes revealing his approval. With four out of five passing the first challenge, he was quite satisfied. Then his gaze fell on Li Qing. Li Qing had been eliminated, but that was because she was not known for her strength and had advanced to Martial Arts Ninth Grade too recently. If she had another two months to assimilate her skills, she certainly wouldn''t have been eliminated so soon. "Li Qing, don''t be discouraged. With your family background, joining a sect is also a good choice. The Inspection Office is not your only option." Li Qing bowed: "Disciple understands! I was prepared for this possibility." "Before coming here, my father had already secured a disciple spot at Sword Pavilion in Bashu County for me. Now that I''ve failed today, I will soon be heading to Sword Pavilion." "The Sword Pavilion?" Wang Jin nodded slightly: "Sword Pavilion is a first-rate sect with a Grandmaster presiding over it. It really is a very good option! With your talent and family background, if you join the Sword Pavilion, you will surely surpass me in the future." Li Qing bowed: "Thank you, Master, for your comfort." Hearing the conversation between the two, Jiang Ning was inwardly taken aback. Bashu County? Sword Pavilion? Grandmaster? He had not expected Li Qing''s father to have the connections to a first-rate sect like Sword Pavilion in Bashu County. It seemed that Li Qing''s father was quite resourceful! After Wang Jin consoled Li Qing, he then glanced at Zhou Xing and Zhao Hu. "You guys did well!" Then his gaze settled on Jiang Ning. "You, little fellow, did well too! Martial Arts Eighth Grade, your physique must have changed from before, hasn''t it?" Jiang Ning smiled, "I don''t know how to check bones, so I''m not very clear." "Come here, let me see what changes have occurred to your physique!" Wang Jin said. Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning approached Wang Jin. The next moment. Wang Jin stood up, raised his hand, and patted Jiang Ning''s shoulder. Suddenly, a surge of power roared into Jiang Ning''s body, causing his muscles and bones to resonate and his body to tremble. "Top grade!!!" Wang Jin''s eyes widened in amazement as he looked at Jiang Ning. Chapter 206 95 Innate Divine Strength In the wooden shelter of the drill ground. Wang Jin looked at Jiang Ning with utter amazement. "A superior root bone?" Beside them, Yu Yuan, the owner of the Shenwei Martial Arts Hall, heard these words and suddenly looked over. Jiang Ning also felt a trace of surprise upon hearing this. Had my root bone already become a superior one? But indeed, there was nothing wrong with it. Whether it was the nearly demon-transformed White Dragon Fish or the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill, both were great medicines for strengthening the human root bone. Innate root bone, altered by acquired efforts. Nowadays, having only a superior root bone was not strange at all. Above the superior level, one could find even higher evaluations. Thinking of these, Jiang Ning muttered to himself. By this time, Wang Jin had also withdrawn his right hand, "No wonder you''ve progressed so much, lad; a common root bone transformed into a superior one, you must have gotten quite a few good things in these months!" "Master is right! The disciple has indeed been quite lucky these past months!" Jiang Ning nodded, frankly admitting it. At that moment, the people around cast envious glances at Jiang Ning. In the first four realms of Martial Arts, the root bone plays a huge dominant factor. With a strong root bone, the growth of Qi-Blood is quick, making the ascent into Ninth Grade exceptionally fast. Beyond Ninth Grade, the efficiency of outer refining the skin, muscles, and bones is extremely high. Every step will far exceed the speed of an ordinary Martial Artist. Thus, one could reach the Inner Strength Realm in less than twenty years of prime cultivation time, refining the five organs and six bowels internally, and enhancing bodily functions, which is necessary to continue advancing in the Martial Arts path. Therefore, the importance of root bone on the Martial Arts path cannot be overstated. This is why any so-called Master who recruits disciples places such great emphasis on root bone. Without an exceptional root bone, it''s virtually impossible for an ordinary person to stand out on the path of Martial Arts. Even with great effort and hard work, without destiny, it''s impossible to stand out. Because the prime time for practicing Martial Arts is no more than twenty years; as one ages, depending on each person''s physical condition, there can be different declines in physical and Qi-Blood conditions. Once one enters a state of decline from a peak, only with great opportunity and destiny can one do anything but look helplessly to the heavens and sigh in vain! Because of this reason, one cannot stand out merely with effort alone. Only by passing the four realms of outer refining and starting inner refining can one extend physical functions, increase lifespan, and continue on the Martial Arts path. ... In the wooden shelter. "Damn it!" Zhao Hu, upon hearing this conversation, burned with jealousy, "I really don''t know how many good things Shen Congyun has given this kid, to actually transform his root bone into a superior one." Next to him, Yu Yuan, the owner of the Shenwei Martial Arts Hall, also showed envy for the first time. "A superior root bone, actually a notch above mine, your disciple will have limitless potential!" Hearing Yu Yuan''s words, Wang Jin could not help but laugh out loud, quite proud. He was not so pleased when praised by others because of the difference in status. But Yu Yuan was different. As the owner of the Shenwei Martial Arts Hall, he was previously an equal competitor and existed on the same level. Not to mention Yu Yuan, like him, also led a Martial Arts Hall and taught disciples. Naturally, Yu Yuan''s praise was very gratifying to him. Just then. Quiet¡ª A voice like a tidal wave traveled from the highest platform of the drill ground to all around. In an instant. The ground dust trembled slightly, and all the people in the drill ground immediately fell silent, all of them looking in shock toward the high platform. At this moment, Hong Minghu had already risen from his seat. He glanced over the crowd, and then slowly said, "The first phase of the assessment has ended, the second phase will be the arena battle!" "Do you see it?" While speaking, Hong Minghu pointed towards the three big arenas in the southeast direction of the drill ground. He continued, "On each arena, ten people, ten to five, and the rest may enter the Inspection Office! Besides that, there are no taboos!" As his words fell, Hong Minghu slowly sat down. At that moment, the most surprised was not the masses below, but Gongsun Yu, the Third Elder of Medicine King Valley, by Hong Minghu''s side. "Hong... Hong Minghu actually possesses such astonishing Inner Breath?!!" Hong Minghu then showed him a faint smile, "Still want to take action against me?" "Brother Hong jokes!" Gongsun Yu immediately smiled, "To attack court officials, isn''t this an act of rebellion?" "Good that you understand!" Hong Minghu glanced at Gongsun Yu indifferently, then his gaze fell back on the drill ground. .... In the drill ground. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The crowd, hearing these words, were all incredibly surprised. "So casual?" Yu Yuan was slightly amazed. "Quite casual indeed!" Wang Jin nodded in agreement. He then said, "However, I''ve heard Hong Minghu is informal in his affairs; this fits his style." Yu Yuan took over the conversation, "This way, one can bring people into the Inspection Office! Having a powerful protector greatly increases the chances of passing the assessment!" "Indeed so!" Wang Jin nodded slightly. He then looked at Jiang Ning and the others. "You guys have also understood the rules, right?" "Understood!" Zhou Xing immediately responded. Jiang Ning and the other two also nodded. Wang Jin said, "In a while, you four can go up to the stage together, watch over and assist each other!" "If there''s extra strength, you could help others!" Wang Jin said this looking towards Zhou Xing and Jiang Ning. Two Martial Arts Eighth Grade, among all those participating in the assessment, apart from the disciples who came from Dongling City''s Martial Arts Garden, already counted as the top few. In Wang Jin''s view, if Jiang Ning and Zhou Xing were willing to lend a hand, then it wouldn''t be difficult for the remaining two to pass the arena battle assessment. Upon hearing this, Zhou Xing immediately nodded again and again. Chapter 207 95 Innate Divine Strength_2 "No need for Master to say it, I would have done so myself! As fellow disciples, we should help each other!" "You agree, don''t you, Brother Jiang?" Zhou Xing looked at Jiang Ning as he said the last two sentences. Jiang Ning simply smiled noncommittally, then said, "Brother Zhou does have a point!" At that moment, Yu Yuan suddenly spoke up, "Master Wang, my disciple will take the stage first." As soon as his words fell, several people from the same wooden shed, belonging to the Divine Might Martial Arts Hall, immediately stood up and walked towards the arena. "Brother Jiang, shall we go over as well?" Zhou Xing asked Jiang Ning. "Okay!" Jiang Ning nodded. ... A moment later, Jiang Ning and his group arrived under the arena located to the southeast. By this time, the three major arenas had already begun. Each arena had ten people fiercely battling in the center. "Brother Jiang, eliminating five out of ten isn''t hard, how about you and I team up?" Zhou Xing observed the situation on the arena for a moment, then turned to Jiang Ning and suggested. "Okay!" Jiang Ning nodded. Just then, Zhao Hu suddenly spoke, "Brother Zhou, I have arrangements with others, so I will not join you on stage." After saying this, without waiting for Zhou Xing to respond, Zhao Hu hurried away. Zhou Xing watched Zhao Hu''s swiftly departing figure, shaking his head. "It''s alright! Since Brother Zhao has his reservations, let him be." Saying this, Zhou Xing''s gaze briefly flitted across Jiang Ning. Having witnessed the minor conflict between Zhao Hu and Jiang Ning on their way here, he naturally knew what Zhao Hu was wary of at this moment. It was clear that he was cautious about Jiang Ning potentially attacking him covertly, causing him to fall off the arena. Such a concern seemed reasonable to Zhou Xing. After all, this opportunity was like a leap through the dragon gate for someone like Zhao Hu, who came from a commoner background. Missing it meant losing a chance to rise above his class. Meanwhile, Jiang Ning watched Zhao Hu''s hastening figure. "He''s quite fast!" he thought to himself. If they were in the same arena, he wouldn''t mind using some tricks to knock Zhao Hu off. Now that Zhao Hu had left, that plan had to be temporarily abandoned. ... Soon, one of the arenas had already concluded. Five contestants were knocked off the arena, leaving only five remaining, signifying that these five had now become members of the Inspection Office. Watching these five, the crowd below revealed looks of envy. Simultaneously, below the arena, in the area where the Martial Arts Garden disciples were gathered. "Brother Liuu, shall we take the stage?" A young man with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, holding a gold and jade-inlaid longsword, said to Liuu Shansheng. "No!" Liuu Shansheng shook his head. "Why not?" the young man with the sword-like eyebrows asked. Liuu Shansheng said, "Because He Jinyun is about to take the stage!" Hearing these three words, the young man gasped sharply. "Sss¡ª" "He Jinyun is going on stage now? Then we better wait!" Immediately, a sense of retreat emerged in the young man''s words. At this moment, Liuu Shansheng also nodded slightly, "He Jinyun is known for his Innate Divine Strength. There''s no need for me to confront him head-on right now." "Brother Liuu is right!" another young man beside him interjected. "With Innate Divine Strength, he has an advantage at Eighth Grade, but that won''t be the case later. There''s no need for you, Brother Liuu, to compete with him at this point." "Compete? You think you''re qualified?" suddenly, a cold snort came from behind. The group turned and saw a lean man with sallow skin approaching them, immediately showing signs of wariness. For he was He Jinyun, the one they spoke of, a practitioner of Innate Divine Strength. Also known as the top of the Eighth Grade among the students of the Martial Arts Garden. Hearing the mocking tone in He Jinyun''s voice, Liuu Shansheng''s expression darkened slightly. "He Jinyun, don''t be arrogant." "What if I am arrogant?" He Jinyun showed a mouthful of yellow teeth as he sneered at Liuu Shansheng, "I''ve always disliked people like you! If you''re displeased with me, you can come up to the arena and fight me fair and square!" With these words, He Jinyu passed by with his group towards an empty arena. Watching He Jinyun''s departing figure swagger away, Liuu Shansheng''s face alternated between shades of green and white. He knew, even though he had already entered the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm and had some renown in the Martial Arts Garden, it was merely due to his age. In terms of talent and ability, he was no match for He Jinyun. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was nearing his thirties, while He Jinyun was just over twenty. Regarding strength, both being Martial Arts Eighth Grade, He Jinyun had only recently entered this realm and did not have as long a period of accumulation as I had. But with his Innate Divine Strength, I was certainly no match for him now. In terms of status? My family in Luoshui, while looking at the whole of Dongling City, was just an ordinary family, one that had just established its roots in Dongling City. The He family, however, was an Earl''s family of the Fourth Grade, even a declining Earl''s mansion was far superior to the Liuu family. Even though He Jinyun was the youngest in his generation of the Earl''s mansion, compared to me, the eldest legitimate son of the Liuu family, he could step on my face and his father would still have to apologize for him. ... On the other side. Watching as one of the arena stages had just been cleared. Zhou Xing suddenly spoke, "Brother Jiang, let''s go up together!" "Not in a hurry, let''s wait a bit longer!" Jiang Ning raised his hand to stop Zhou Xing from being too eager. "Why?" Zhou Xing looked at Jiang Ning in surprise. At this moment, Jiang Ning looked toward a slightly agitated crowd in the distance. The conversations of the students from the Martial Arts Garden had all been heard by him, thanks to his powerful auditory system, and had reached his ears. The students from the Martial Arts Garden were also the group he paid most attention to today. The students from Dongling City''s Martial Arts Garden were of orthodox backgrounds and deep foundations. Those Martial Arts Garden students were either scions of illustrious families or individuals with exceptional talent. In terms of resources and perspectives, they were far superior to the so-called prodigies of Luoshui County. Thus, without a doubt, their strength was naturally much more formidable than those so-called prodigies from Luoshui County. You should know that in Luoshui County, Shi Xiaoyuan, who was Martial Arts Eighth Grade, could control the vast Green Snake Gang, which showed the not so high levels of martial prowess in Luoshui County. Under such circumstances, the so-called prodigies, even Zhou Xing who was considered a Kirin child, even if he did everything for the chance at the Inspection Office, Martial Arts Eighth Grade was probably the limit. But Dongling City was different, it was a County, not just a County town. Families that could establish themselves in a County had fortunes and power that were certainly much superior to those in a County town, let alone other resources and connections. Thus, the Martial Arts Strongmen from a County were naturally much more numerous than those from a County town. Therefore, in Jiang Ning''s view, it would not surprise him if a Seventh Grade Martial Artist emerged from this group of Martial Arts Garden students. Under such circumstances, he naturally paid special attention to the conversations about the Martial Arts Garden disciples and thus heard the conversation from Liuu Shansheng. He Jinyun''s name was also deeply etched in his mind. Because of those four words. Innate Divine Strength! Thinking of this, Jiang Ning said, "Brother Zhou, the Martial Arts Garden students are going on stage, shall we watch them first?" "Martial Arts Garden students?" Zhou Xing was immediately startled, then quickly composed himself. "That sounds good!" Zhou Xing nodded, "Then let''s follow Brother Jiang''s suggestion and see what these Martial Arts Garden disciples are capable of." ... A few breaths later. A few people had just gone up. The next moment. Boom boom boom¡ª¡ª Five individuals suddenly leaped from the crowd, crossing a distance of several yards, and landed on the arena. "Are these five the Martial Arts Garden disciples Brother Jiang mentioned?" Zhou Xing asked softly at the side. "Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded. Zhou Xing said, "They look ordinary, especially that pale and skinny one, he doesn''t look like a Martial Artist at all, more like a sick person!" Hearing this, Jiang Ning slowly shook his head, "Brother Zhou, appearances can be deceiving!" At this moment, Jiang Ning''s gaze continued to sweep over these five individuals. He knew that among these five, there was probably a prodigy from the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, and also the one proclaimed to have Innate Divine Strength. But he couldn''t tell who it was. Because just now, he had only heard their voices and not seen them. Just then. The pale and skinny He Jinyun spoke to the host, "Hurry up! If the check is done, don''t waste time! The sun is really scorching." It''s him! Hearing this voice, Jiang Ning instantly identified the pale and skinny He Jinyun. The sound was consistent, which confirmed for him that this person was the one with Innate Divine Strength mentioned by Liuu Shansheng. Jiang Ning took another look at He Jinyun and thought to himself. You really can''t tell! How could this appearance and physique possess Innate Divine Strength? At this time. The host on the arena, faced with the urging from He Jinyun, was not annoyed at all. "Young Master, don''t be in a hurry, we need to check each identity carefully!" "Hurry up! I''m in a hurry to go back and rest!" He Jinyun said lazily. "No problem, Young Master!" the host responded. Chapter 208 96: How About Joining My Command? On the platform. "Young Master?" The five people across heard the conversation between the two, and could not help but be slightly surprised. "Alright, we can start now!" The host checked everything and then announced. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing this, He Jinyun lazily said to the five people in front of him, "Are you ready?" "Young Master, right?" someone asked with a slightly condensed expression, and then he said, "Come on! Let me see what a student from the Martial Arts Garden is capable of." As soon as the person finished speaking, He Jinyun moved like a gust of wind and charged towards the group. The next moment. Bang¡ª Bang¡ª Bang¡ª Several sounds erupted, and the seemingly malnourished and frail He Jinyun was like a heavy truck slamming into them. In front of He Jinyun, the group had no ability to resist, and were directly knocked off the platform. "This is outrageous!!!" Zhou Xing, seeing this scene on the platform, immediately showed a shocked expression. Jiang Ning also felt a slight surprise in his heart. He had just heard from Liuu Shansheng that He Jinyun was a prodigy with Innate Divine Strength, but seeing He Jinyun''s frail and thin appearance, Jiang Ning somewhat doubted his own judgement. But when He Jinyun made his move, Jiang Ning knew he was not mistaken. Because the strength He Jinyun exhibited was extraordinary and his speed was unusually fast, not even falling behind compared to him. And his strength, just by the fact that these five were no match for him, must be immensely exaggerated. Only a completely overpowering dominance could achieve such devastation. Then. Jiang Ning nodded slightly, "This strength is indeed a bit exaggerated!" "Good thing Brother Jiang stopped me just now!" Zhou Xing came back to his senses, and a look of relief immediately appeared on his face. He then reflected, "I know those five who fell from the platform, they are all decent in Ninth Grade, and one of them even has a personal tie with me, possessing the strength of Ninth Grade Great Success!" "But this Young Master seemed unassuming, with a haggard and skeletal appearance, yet his strength is way too exaggerated, simply sweeping through those five effortlessly!" "Even if we went up, we wouldn''t stand a chance against him!" "Good thing, good thing Brother Jiang stopped me!" Zhou Xing''s expression turned into one of relief after a narrow escape. On the other side. He Jinyun collected a dark Token. "Is this my identity token for the Inspection Office from now on?" he asked while fiddling with it. "Young Master, this is just a temporary token; after today''s examination, come to the Inspection Office tomorrow to exchange it for the official identity token!" "Is there competition for the Deputy Commander position later?" He Jinyun tossed the token in his hand and asked while standing on the platform. "Indeed!" the man hosting the examination nodded slightly. Then he asked, "Young Master, are you going to compete for the team leader''s position?" He Jinyun, hearing this, slowly shook his head, "The position of team leader? That''s not enough!" Then he smirked and revealed a smile, "The position I must compete for is that of Deputy Commander, a Secondary Eighth-Rank official position, which suits my status!" The man hosting the examination, hearing this, then said, "If Young Master could win the position of Deputy Commander, you could come to my command; I once received benefits from the old Lord." "Received benefits? Forget it!" He Jinyun pursed his lips and jumped down from the platform. The four other disciples from the Martial Arts Garden behind him looked at each other, with someone shrugging, "This examination is weirdly simple!" Then they also jumped down. Those who had just fallen off the platform, hearing this comment, immediately became filled with anger. Though they were swept aside by He Jinyun, they accepted it wholeheartedly. If you can''t win, there''s nothing you can do. But being mocked by a few who seemingly passed the examination just by making a round on the platform, some of them could not accept this. In martial arts, it''s inherent to hold pride, and they are straightforward by nature. So immediately someone stood up and said, "I don''t accept this!" "You don''t accept what?" the host on the platform asked indifferently. "I don''t accept this kind of examination rules! Why can these weaklings win and pass the examination without even making a move? This is unfair!!" that person shouted loudly. "Disapprove? Unfair?" the host on the platform smiled faintly. Then he said, "Uncertainty is exactly right! Unfair is also right! The world is inherently unfair! If you''re not strong enough, and can''t find support, then you''re eliminated, it''s that simple!" After saying that, his eyes swept across the crowd like sharp swords. Where his gaze went, there was utter silence. "Continue!!" He spoke again, and then his figure soared, gliding to another arena that had already finished. ... Below the platform. At this point, with the previous forewarning, although there were many spectators under the platform, no one dared to step forward easily. Because the rules were now clear. Ten enter, five pass! That is to say, the pass rate of this final test was merely fifty percent. Once you take this step, regardless of what identity, you obtain a position in office. Civilians and officials have always been two distinct social strata. And passing this test depended not only on one''s own strength but also on teammates'' strength and opponents'' strength. If they encounter strength like that young master''s earlier, few would be confident in passing this test. Once on the platform, the opportunity to back down is lost. Whoever follows must achieve a clear result with him. Thus. A somewhat awkward situation arose under the platform, no one taking the lead to step up. Taking the lead meant losing the advantage and becoming a target for selection. "Should we go up now, Brother Jiang?" Zhou Xing asked. Chapter 209 96 How About Joining My Command?_2 After the recent event, Zhou Xing, feeling uncertain, left the decision to Jiang Ning. "Get on the stage," Jiang Ning decided. "Okay!" Zhou Xing nodded. Suddenly, Jiang Ning, Zhou Xing, and Zhang Tiesheng leapt up in unison. Boom¡ª Zhang Tiesheng''s massive body heavily struck the platform. However, Jiang Ning and Zhou Xing landed gracefully and silently on the platform. "Gentlemen, let''s not delay any further. We invite a few more to come up and compete!" Zhou Xing said to the crowd, cupping his hands in respect. "Hey!" someone below laughed instantly, "Who in Luoshui County doesn''t know Zhou Xing, the Kirin son of the Zhou family? With his strength at the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, who would dare to compete?" "Exactly! And there''s Jiang Ning, who doesn''t know him? Only a fool would get on the stage to compete with you two based on your performances," another person below chimed in immediately. Upon hearing this, those in the crowd who had been stirring were suddenly restrained. Among the three, probably two were at the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm; it was fundamentally an uneven match. This directly occupied three spots, and with a choice of ten to select five, if they went on stage, only two spots remained. This turned it into a choice of seven to select two. How could they compete? Thinking of this, everyone suddenly lost all interest. Thus, the noisy area below the stage became desolate, with no one willing to step up. After a short while, "Brother Jiang, what do we do now?" Zhou Xing asked, his voice revealing a hint of helplessness, completely unexpected by this turn of events. At this moment, Zhou Xing was not only not feeling proud but also filled with anxiety. Their strength had been publicly acknowledged. The weak were afraid to step up, meaning those who dared to come forth must be strong. Although there were very few of the Eighth Grade among the younger generation in Luoshui County, this place was not limited to the young. Warriors from previous generations, in their thirties or forties, were also present. Among them, some were previously guests and guest elders of various powers. Today, they equally had the eligibility to participate in the Inspection Office assessment. Moreover, there were students from the Martial Arts Garden in Dongling City, among whom many were quite powerful. Just as that gaunt young man who had performed earlier, Zhou Xing was totally unconfident about competing against him! Hearing Zhou Xing''s words, Jiang Ning spoke softly, "No rush. The Residence Master has already anticipated this scenario since he set this rule. There will naturally be a corresponding strategy soon." Meanwhile, In the direction where the Martial Arts Garden students were, He Jinyun glanced in the direction of the platform where Jiang Ning was, then smiled faintly, turning to the person next to him, "Qin Xuan, with two Eighth Grade Martial Artists on stage, why don''t you go and broaden their horizons?" "Why should I be the bad guy?" Qin Xuan, dressed in a black gilt robe, laughed and casually refused He Jinyun''s suggestion. Just then, "Two paragons of the Eighth Grade Martial Arts, I am indeed interested in experiencing it for myself." The voice suddenly resonated, clear and loud. Upon hearing this, the crowd instantly turned their heads. "I didn''t want to be the bad guy, but it looks like Lv Renyao is willing!" Qin Xuan remarked. Everyone saw a man leap from the crowd, clad in a white robe, soaring over them like a crane through the sky. This man was exactly Lv Renyao, as Qin Xuan referred. On the platform. "What impressive movement technique!" Zhou Xing''s eyes sharpened, his gaze firmly fixed on the man in the white robe. Jiang Ning glanced once, then shook his head discreetly. Why bother! The next moment, Lv Renyao''s cloud-patterned shoes gently touched the platform, stirring up a circle of dust. Lv Renyao landed in front of Jiang Ning and Zhou Xing, sizing them up a few times. Then he spoke, "You two are commendable; reaching the Eighth Grade Martial Arts at your age. Even in this small place, you''re considered prodigies. How about working under me after you enter the residence?" Zhou Xing opened his mouth to respond, But Lv Renyao interrupted, "Hey! Don''t rush your answer, think it over carefully. If you both agree, I''ll let the three of you pass this round of the assessment, but if not¡ª" Here, Lv Renyao paused, his face brimming with confidence, "then I''ll have to send you off the stage." At these words, Zhou Xing''s mouth, which had just opened, closed again. His gaze immediately turned to Jiang Ning. In Zhou Xing''s eyes, among the disciples of Canglang Martial Arts Hall, only Jiang Ning, who had stepped into the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, was his peer and only Jiang Ning was qualified to discuss these decisions with him. As for Zhang Tiesheng behind him. Though a brother disciple, he was also a guest elder recruited by him. Whether it was strength or status, naturally he couldn''t match him. "You two take your time to discuss; I''m not in a hurry!" Lv Renyao said with a slight smile, then added, "Later I will surely seize the leader position, and you two under my command will be members of my team. Naturally, there will be plenty of benefits for you both." ... Below the stage. Qin Xuan, who was not far away, heard Lv Renyao''s words on the stage and was slightly stunned, then chuckled and shook his head. "This Lv Renyao really knows how to scheme! Using the quota to enter the residence to force these two prodigies from Luoshui County to join his future team and follow his orders!" "If they don''t comply, with Lv Renyao''s strength, he can easily force them to agree later!" "After all, for people from such small places, joining the Inspection Office is like ascending to the skies in one step, a change of fate that even if they were to attain official honors, couldn''t compare with this opportunity." "Right!" He Jinyun nodded slightly. "These two being able to reach Martial Arts Eighth Grade at such a young age in such a remote place indicates top-notch talent even in Dongling City." "If they were born in Dongling City and had access to the resources of the Martial Arts Garden, they might not be much weaker than us!" "He really is a promising young talent!" Speaking of this, He Jinyun became more and more excited. "Damn¡ª" he slapped his thigh hard. "These two are really talented! I can''t believe I didn''t think of this before." Qin Xuan, hearing these words, couldn''t help but smile broadly. "Brother Jinyun, if you think about it, with your strength, it isn''t too late to enter the stage now!" Upon hearing this, He Jinyun immediately shook his head. "Forget it, I''m used to being lazy, it''s too troublesome!" "That''s true!" Qin Xuan said with a slight smile. "With Brother Jinyun''s status as Young Master, you indeed don''t need to struggle with the mudfish in the mud." He Jinyun immediately swept his gaze around. "Why do you speak so unpleasantly? You''re quite good at annoying people!" Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ... On the other side. On the stage. Zhou Xing asked in a low voice, "Brother Jiang, what do you think?" "There''s nothing much to say; I have a bit of a hard backbone and have always responded better to gentleness than to forcefulness!" Jiang Ning said. Hearing this, Zhou Xing smiled right away. "Brother Jiang truly suits my taste!" "I feel the same way! I''ve always responded better to gentleness than to forcefulness!!" Respond better to gentleness than to forcefulness, huh? Lv Renyao, standing on the stage with a smirk playing on his lips, watched the two men. "It seems you two have already made your choice!" Zhou Xing said, "I just wanted to experience the methods of a Martial Arts Garden student." "And you?" Lv Renyao looked at Jiang Ning. In Lv Renyao''s heart, between Jiang Ning and Zhou Xing, he favored Jiang Ning more. And the reason was simple, not because of anything else, but simply because Jiang Ning was younger. Being the same grade but younger. It meant higher talent and more potential for the future. Naturally, he was more worth nurturing. Jiang Ning said indifferently, "Me too!" "Good!" Lv Renyao nodded. "Very good!!" He said again emphatically: "Later, let the two of you see just how big the gap in strength is between those of the same grade!" In the tense atmosphere. Suddenly, a faint voice came from nearby. "Alright, all four of you have passed the test, come and collect your identity tokens!" "What... WHAT???" On hearing this, Lv Renyao turned his head to look at the man presiding over the assessment on the stage, his face a picture of astonishment. What kind of joke is this? They passed the test without even fighting? At this moment, Lv Renyao doubted he was hearing things. As Lv Renyao was filled with doubt, the man presiding over the assessment saw Lv Renyao making such a face and couldn''t help but smile broadly. "Come over and collect your identity tokens!" Chapter 210 97: Battle for the Position of Team Captain On the stage. "Come and collect your Identity Token!" When Lv Renyao heard the words spoken by the man in charge of the assessment again, he realized he wasn''t hallucinating. He had indeed passed the assessment. "How can this be? We haven''t started fighting yet. Why has the assessment ended, and everyone passed?" Lv Renyao immediately voiced his confusion. "Who told you that you have to fight to pass the assessment? If a stage can''t gather ten people to start the battle in time, then those on the stage automatically pass," the man glanced at him slightly. "That''s the rule, understand?" Feeling the man''s gaze on him, Lv Renyao''s heart tightened. He respectfully bowed, "I understand!" "Sensible!" The man nodded slightly, a smile appearing on his face. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He couldn''t help but praise his own quick thinking. What rules? Aren''t they just what I say? Two excellent assistants from Martial Arts Eighth Grade, how could I let this youngster screw things up? If by some chance he did throw the competition from the stage, given that the rules state that he has to be re-absorbed into the Inspection Office, it would indeed be somewhat difficult to manage. The man in charge of the assessment silently complained to himself. Elsewhere. "Can it really be like that?" Zhou Xing murmured to himself upon hearing that statement, a look of great joy appearing on his face. The sliver of worry in his heart was swept away in that moment. Since the man in charge had spoken, it meant that this test was settled and no more changes could occur. "Jiang Ning, my fellow disciple, it seems we are in great luck!" Zhou Xing came back to his senses, a face full of excitement and no longer the calm of previous days. Months of preparations had settled in this moment, like a fish leaping through the dragon''s gate. The commoners and the officials belong to completely different classes. Even becoming the most ordinary Patrol Guard in the Inspection Office meant obtaining a Secondary Ninth Rank official position. An official is an official, even if it is just Secondary Ninth Rank, it is still an official rank. Not to mention the Inspection Office which holds great authority in life and death decisions; it naturally ranks above others. Even if the rank is the same as that of an arrest officer at Secondary Ninth Rank, when faced with a Patrol Guard with more power, they inherently rank lower. Moreover, having crossed this step, he would qualify to compete for the position of team leader. Once he secured the leadership, not only would he be promoted to Standard Ninth Grade, but he also would have a subordinated team in Martial Arts Ninth Grade under his command. Such a position was that of a truly important person, capable of elevating the Zhou family to a new height. Thinking of all these things, how could Zhou Xing not be extremely excited? How could he suppress the surging waves inside his heart? Meanwhile. Jiang Ning heard Zhou Xing talk about their good luck and simply smiled noncommittally. "What Elder Brother Zhou said makes sense!" "You two indeed have good luck!" Lv Renyao said, his tone half-mocking. Then he continued, "You will understand soon that joining my team is truly a wise choice. If you two are interested, my door is still open for you." "Especially you!" Lv Renyao''s gaze fixed firmly on Jiang Ning, continuing, "Jiang Ning! I really admire you! Reaching Martial Arts Eighth Grade at your age in Luoshui County! Joining me, we can become friends ¡ª comrades, even brothers!" After saying this, he didn''t wait for Jiang Ning to respond and turned his head to look at the man in charge of the assessment. "My lord, I''ve come to collect my Identity Token!" "Here you go!" The man tossed the black Token he had prepared earlier, sending it flying into Lv Renyao''s hands. Then he added, "Tomorrow morning, come to the Inspection Office on your own to report and exchange this temporary token for the official one!" "Yes, my lord!" Lv Renyao bowed respectfully. For this man presiding over the assessment, he did not dare to act rashly. He couldn''t dare treat this man with the casualness He Jinyun did. Because as he understood, this man was one of the Four Great Commanders of the Inspection Office. With the position at Standard Eighth Grade and strength at the peak of Seventh Grade, possibly already stepping into Sixth Grade, Regardless of rank or power, he could not afford any disrespect. Subsequently. Jiang Ning, Zhou Xing, and Zhang Tiesheng also came forward to receive their temporary Identity Tokens. ... Elsewhere. Below the stage. Zhao Hu watched the scene unfolding above and suddenly felt an immense regret. "Damn it!!" "Can you still play like this?" "If I had known earlier, I too would have gone up with them. No need to fight, just directly obtaining the qualifications to enter the Inspection Office." "Following the way, the plot unfolded just now, even if Jiang Ning pulled some underhanded tricks, he would have had no chance at all." The almost certain opportunity to enter the Inspection Office slipped by right in front of him, and the more Zhao Hu thought about it, the more regret he felt. ... In the wooden pavilion. Disciples of the Martial Arts Hall saw the scene on the stage and immediately began discussing fervently. "Elder Brother Jiang Ning, Elder Brother Zhou Xing, and Elder Brother Zhang Tiesheng are truly lucky!" "Yes! Their luck is really good! They passed the test automatically without a fight and became members of the Patrol Guards. We are not even in the same class anymore!" Some disciples revealed a look of extreme envy! "Yes! In the future, when we see the three elders, we must address them respectfully as ''my lord''!" Someone remarked, immediately followed by others with a face full of emotion. "But then again, it was also a narrow escape for the three elders! That student from the Martial Arts Garden looked terribly strong. If he had made a move just then, our three elder brothers would have been in danger!" "That''s for sure! The students from the Martial Arts Garden, who come from Dongling City, although he is also Eighth Grade, if he had made a move, Elder Brothers Jiang Ning and Zhou Xing would certainly have no chance against him!" Chapter 211 97: Competing for the Position of Team Leader_2 "I think so too. Just look at that pale and gaunt student from the Martial Arts Garden before, it''s simply like sweeping away everything with ease." "Yeah! That pale and gaunt student from the Martial Arts Garden looked malnourished, and his physical condition was average! Yet he was so terrifying; not to mention this disciple wearing the white robe from the Martial Arts Garden, he must be even more formidable!" "..." While the people in the wooden shed were discussing fervently, Jiang Ning and the others also stepped down from the ring, walking toward the wooden shed where Wang Jin was. ... In the wooden shed. "Good!" "Excellent!!" "Marvelous!!!" Looking at the three who had returned before him, Wang Jin couldn''t hide his expression of joy. He continued, "The three of you have now successfully crossed the Dragon Gate, and henceforth, as you wear the official uniforms and utilize the resources of the Inspection Office, your prospects in Martial Arts will be limitless." Jiang Ning clasped his hands and said, "This is all thanks to Master''s guidance!" This was a sincere remark from Jiang Ning''s heart. He knew that without Wang Jin, there would be no him today. Zhou Xing, seeing this, also clasped his hands in courtesy. "Thanks to Master Wang for his past cultivation!" Zhang Tiesheng quickly buzzed, "Thanks for Master''s nurturing!" "You are all commendable!" Wang Jin nodded with full of emotion. Then his gaze swept over Zhang Tiesheng and landed on Zhou Xing, saying, "Zhou Xing, Tiesheng is your junior disciple; since he follows you, I hope you treat him well in the future." Zhou Xing, hearing this, immediately clasped his hand and said, "Rest assured, Master Wang! I will certainly treat Junior Brother Tiesheng well!" "Then I am relieved!" Wang Jin nodded with satisfaction. Then he added, "You few are my last disciples. In the future, the Canglang Martial Arts Hall may close and no longer accept disciples." "Master, why is that?" Jiang Ning immediately asked. Wang Jin chuckled, "There''s nothing to worry about, it''s not a bad thing but a good thing! I want to seriously pursue Martial Arts." At this moment. Yu Yuan, who was still watching the ring on the side, heard this key phrase from Wang Jin''s mouth. He suddenly turned around, looking at Wang Jin in astonishment. "Master Wang, by your words... could it be that you have made progress in your Martial Arts?" "Indeed!" Wang Jin laughed heartily, "Master Yu still understands me!" "At your age, how did you manage that???" Yu Yuan''s eyes widened as he looked at Wang Jin. "Congratulations, Master!" Jiang Ning said, offering his congratulations. "Congratulations, Master!" "Congratulations, Master Wang!!" "Congratulations, Master Wang!!" "..." For a moment, the congratulations from all the disciples in the Martial Arts Hall echoed continuously. Wang Jin couldn''t help but laugh heartily. Seeing this scene before him, Jiang Ning roughly understood. It must have been that Wang Jin''s Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill had improved again, enhancing the skills of his internal organs. Thus, Wang Jin had the confidence to make further progress from his high standard, hence the decision not to recruit disciples anymore. *"That''s good!" Jiang Ning thought to himself.* *Wang Jin''s improvement in strength was undoubtedly a great thing for him as well.* *With Wang Jin''s improvement, his backing as a disciple would also be stronger.* At this moment. The head of Shenwei Martial Arts Hall, Yu Yuan, watched the scene beside him, his eyes showing a hint of envy. Wang Jin''s strength was advancing, meaning stepping into the threshold of the Sixth Rank. That was also his long-cherished wish over the years. For strong elders like them, if it weren''t for the decline in physical condition and strength not progressing but regressing, who would choose to open a hall and accept disciples as a provision for old age? Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. *This Wang Jin is quite lucky!* *Not only are his disciples stronger than mine, but he also seems to be breaking through his own strength?* *I wonder what lucky encounter this old fellow had, stepping on some good fortune?* Yu Yun thought to himself. ... A moment later. The clamor in the wooden shed quieted down. "Brother Jiang, I envy you!" Cheng Ran, standing beside Jiang Ning, displayed eyes filled with envy. Faced with Cheng Ran''s emotion-laden sigh, Jiang Ning opened his mouth, suddenly unsure of how to console him. He knew that joining the Inspection Office and becoming stronger through martial arts was Cheng Ran''s only goal before. The reason he later said he would give up martial arts and turn to business was simply because Cheng Ran had seen the reality. *Cheng Ran was not like himself, who had the fortunes of a fate-changing panel.* *Even if he worked hard at martial arts, due to talent, aptitude, and family background,* *He was destined not to make much of an achievement despite his efforts.* *How many people in the world practice martial arts?* *Among them were diligent and hardworking individuals.* *But those who became Ninth Grade Martial Artists were one in a hundred, or even one in a thousand.* *Cheng Ran, although different from them, as long as he continued, was still hopeful in the Martial Arts Nine Grade.* *But going further was too difficult for him.* *The Eighth Grade required mastering power.* *And mastering power required very high martial arts comprehension,* *Or extremely substantial wealth.* *Cheng Ran had neither of these.* *It was precisely because Cheng Ran realized this that he chose to abandon the martial path.* After a moment of silence, Jiang Ning patted Cheng Ran''s shoulder. "Brother Cheng, you can actually choose martial arts." "The Inspection Office, I might have a way to get you in!" "Really?" Hearing Jiang Ning''s words, Cheng Ran''s eyes suddenly shone with light, turning from dim to bright. Jiang Ning thought for a moment, recalling what Liuu Shansheng had said when he visited, and he nodded slightly again. "Maybe there''s a way! But I can''t guarantee it!" "No worries!" Cheng Ran immediately smiled, "It''s enough for Brother Jiang to have this intention! As for whether it succeeds or not, I''ve come to terms with it!" "If it doesn''t happen, having no path in martial arts, I can focus on managing my family''s business, which is also a good choice!" Chapter 212 97 Struggle for the Position of Team Leader_3 "As long as you have money, you can hire a Martial Arts Ninth Grade expert to protect your family business." Jiang Ning heard these words and patted Cheng Ran''s shoulder again, without saying anything more. Although Liuu Shansheng had mentioned that once he secured the position of the team captain, he would have the ability to promote him to the Inspection Office. But how this was to be done, and whether it would succeed or not, he did not dare to guarantee it now. ... At the same time, on the training ground, the battle for the arena was in full swing. Someone had seen the example set by Jiang Ning and others earlier and had hoped to dissuade people from ascending the stage, thereby passing the test without fighting for lack of enough participants. However, the man in charge of the examination was not polite at all. He suddenly became angry and swept them off the stage. Faced with these challengers'' doubts, he also left them with a sentence, "My rules are the rules!" The crowd immediately understood. As long as they followed the previous rules, honestly ten people would take the stage and participate in the fighting, the last five standing would be the winners and would pass the test. ... As the sun rose high, S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Gurgle¡ª Hunger rumbled from the stomachs of Jiang Ning and the others. Martial Artists have strong bodies and their digestion and appetite are much more vigorous than ordinary people''s. When it was time to eat, the sounds of hunger were incessant. At that moment, a slight commotion came from a distant shed. "Is this the cause of the recent commotion?" Wang Jin spread his hands, holding a green pill that had just been distributed by the soldiers. "Yes, Master Wang!" Zhou Xing nodded, his spirit buoyant and somewhat excited. Then Zhou Xing continued, "Master Wang, I just asked, this is a Marching Pill, made by a Pill Master who extracted the essence from meat and mixed it with several herbs." "One is enough to replace a meal for a regular Ninth Grade Martial Artist." At this point, Jiang Ning also tossed the Marching Pill into his mouth. As he swallowed, the pill made its way into his belly. Soon, he felt the Marching Pill slowly dissolving, gradually easing the hunger in his stomach. At this moment, Wang Jin also swallowed his pill. He then opened his eyes and gave a slight nod, "Indeed effective, the hunger is gradually disappearing!" "It even bears a resemblance to the Fasting Pill described in ancient texts." "However, the Fasting Pill in the records, one can ward off hunger for three days, far surpassing the effects of a Marching Pill." Zhou Xing spoke, "Master Wang is correct, this pill must have been refined in imitation of the legendary Fasting Pill." Fasting Pill? At these words, a look of surprise crossed Jiang Ning''s face. Just at that moment, Thump¡ª Thump¡ª Thump¡ª The sound of drums suddenly thundered, resonating through the entire training ground. "This is... the official conclusion of the entrance examination!" Wang Jin suddenly stood up. Then he looked at Jiang Ning and Zhou Xing, "Next, it''s the battle for the position of team captain! Both of you, being Martial Arts Eighth Grade, are qualified to try and compete for the position of captain in the Inspection Office." "If either of you is lucky enough to win the position of the captain, that would indeed be a rapid rise to prominence!" "In the Inspection Office, ten people make a team, and being the captain, you possess the authority over nine Martial Arts Ninth Grade members." "This would allow you to move freely in Luoshui County, let alone the other benefits this position brings." Zhou Xing clenched his fists, "Disciple understands! Master Wang, rest assured, your disciple will do his utmost to win the position of the captain." "And what about you, young man?" Wang Jin looked at Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning immediately smiled, "Don''t worry! I will definitely secure the position of captain and make you proud!" "With those words from you, I''m reassured!" Wang Jin laughed heartily. Nearby, the master of another Martial Arts Hall couldn''t help but glance sideways at Jiang Ning. "Master Wang''s disciple sure talks big!" "What, you have a problem with my disciple?" Wang Jin scoffed. "Are you suggesting to continue the wager we just made?" Yu Yuan spoke up. "Don''t try to trap me!" Wang Jin glared at Yu Yuan, "I won''t fall for your tricks!" At that moment, heavy footsteps came from outside the shed. "Master, your disciple has not failed in his mission and has successfully passed the examination to become a member of the Patrol Guard!" As the sound reached the ears of the crowd, Zhao Hu charged into the shed, loudly proclaiming with a triumphant face. "You passed?" Wang Jin stood up, his voice filled with amazement. "Of course I passed!" declared Zhao Hu with pride. "Good! Good!! Good!!!" Wang Jin looked at Zhao Hu before him and heartily patted his shoulder as a sign of encouragement. Chapter 213 98: On the Stage In the wooden pavilion. Zhao Hu grinned at Jiang Ning, his face full of provocation and triumph. Then he looked towards Li Qing, standing behind Jiang Ning, with the same triumphant expression and bared his gums in a grin. As if to say, Look! I, Zhao Hu, have done it too! Then, Zhao Hu turned to Wang Jin. "Master, I have to go over there!" As he spoke, Zhao Hu pointed in the direction of the Liu family. "Why go there?" Wang Jin asked. Zhao Hu replied, "Disciple has promised Liu Zhaonan of the Liu family. If he secures the team leader position, then I shall join his ranks." "I see!" Wang Jin nodded slightly and said, "Go ahead!" At that moment. Boom¡ª The sound of drums burst like thunder across the training ground. "Next, the process for contending for the team leader position will be announced." "Let''s go out too!" Hearing this, Wang Jin ordered. "We should also head out!" Yu Yuan from the side also spoke up. The next moment. Everyone walked out of the wooden pavilion. At this time, the crowd surrounding the training ground had already thinned considerably. Because it was now noon, not only was the sunshine fierce, but it was also mealtime. As everyone walked out of the wooden pavilion, they saw that the man who was hosting the assessment was still there on the platform. Around the base of the platform, there was still a large, crowded mass of people. The man hosting the assessment glanced at the crowd below, and once again raised his voice to announce, "The rules for contending for the team leader position are simple!" "Martial Arts Seventh Grade need not take part in any assessment and can directly obtain the team leader position." "As for the others?" The man swept his gaze across the whole area once more, "Take the platform and battle as the defending champion; if within half an hour none challenge you, you can secure the team leader position." Upon hearing this. Wang Jin, who had just walked out from the wooden pavilion to the area below the platform, frowned. "What an outrageous rule?" "Indeed it''s outrageous!" Jiang Ning nodded in agreement. Zhou Xing also had tightly furrowed brows, "With such rules, unless one''s strength is absolutely invincible, isn''t the influence of luck and connections far too great?" "Do you two still plan on competing for this team leader position?" Wang Jin asked. "Master Wang, disciple wants to watch first!" Zhou Xing replied. "And what about you, youngster?" Wang Jin turned to Jiang Ning. "I''ll watch first!" Jiang Ning continued, "Based on the outcome of the assessment just now, there should be more than ten vacancies for the team leader position." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just then. The man on the platform added, "Oh right, I forgot to tell you, we''ve only allocated fifteen team leader slots!" "I know some of you may want to compete for the Deputy Commander position later on, but the prerequisite is... you''ve got to win this team leader spot first." As soon as his last word fell. "I''ll go first!" Immediately, a loud voice rang out from below the platform. The next moment. A thin, pale man leapt from the crowd, flying through the air for several feet. Boom¡ª Then he landed heavily on the platform. "It''s him!" Jiang Ning''s eyes sharpened. This man was the most memorable presence of the day for him. Referred to as Young Master by the man hosting the assessment. It was evident that his status was extraordinary. Moreover, he was an owner of Innate Divine Strength. Looking over the entire training ground, this man was also a somewhat troublesome existence in Jiang Ning''s eyes. The reason he wasn''t the most troublesome was that, above this Young Master, there were two Martial Arts Seventh Grade participants present on the field. Martial Arts Seventh Grade, with just one exchange with Liu Qingsong, Jiang Ning knew that normally, the strength of the Seventh Grade was far superior to that of the Eighth Grade. The gap created by being one grade higher naturally brought more pressure than what He Jinyun, this Young Master with Innate Divine Strength, could muster. ... In the direction where the three great families of Luoshui County resided. "Cao Zijian, are you not going up?" "You think I''m a fool?" Cao Zijian glanced at Liu Zhaonan next to him, then continued, "This Young Master''s status is unattainable, plus the strength he just showed was also extremely outstanding. I''d have to be stuffed to the gills to go challenge him for this team leader spot!" "Besides, there are over ten spots available, so what''s the harm in letting him have one?" Hearing this, Liu Zhaonan couldn''t help but smile faintly. "Brother Cao speaks wisely, since you''re not going, neither will I!" At this time, those in the training ground eligible to contend for the team leader position all thought similarly. Especially the students of the Martial Arts Garden, none of them entertained the thought of stepping onto the platform to compete with He Jinyun. Within their branch of the Martial Arts Garden, He Jinyun, who had just stepped into the Eighth Grade a few months ago, was already a top-three contender. And now, they didn''t know what level he had reached within the Divine Power Realm. But they knew that He Jinyun must be much stronger than a few months ago. Because He Jinyun was a Young Master from an Earl''s household. As the Young Master of an Earl''s household, He Jinyun lacked nothing in terms of early stage resources, and common Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures were plentiful. A few months were enough to allow He Jinyun to make considerable progress at the Martial Arts Eighth Grade level. ... Half an hour later. "Boring!" He Jinyun muttered as he took the silver Identity Token passed to him by the man hosting the assessment and then hopped down from the platform. "Who else will come up?" After handing over the token, the man called out to the crowd below. At that moment, the crowd below first went quiet, then someone leapt up from among them. The person was dressed in an opulent black robe with gold trim, his figure landing lightly on the platform. "It''s Qin Xuan!" someone in the crowd said. "This man is even stronger than He Jinyun was a few months ago in our Martial Arts Garden!" ... As the discussions amongst the Martial Arts Garden''s people went on. Those Eighth Grade experts who originally had some thoughts about competing suddenly restrained their temptation to act. Chapter 214 98: On the Stage_2 On the other side. "These Martial Arts Garden students are really strong!" Zhou Xing exclaimed with emotion. Wang Jin said, "It''s only natural for the Martial Arts Garden students to be strong! After all, the Martial Arts Garden was founded by the Great Xia Martial Saint himself!" "With a history and heritage spanning hundreds of years!" Wang Jin then reassured, "However, you don''t need to belittle yourself. They have access to much better Martial Arts resources than you two, so it''s natural that they are currently ahead in strength!" Jiang Ning also smiled and said, "What Master says is true!" Thus, another thirty minutes passed. Still, no one stepped up to challenge Qin Xuan. After Qin Xuan received the silver Identity Token representing the main team and stepped down, "Liuu Shansheng is honored to learn from everyone here!" Liuu Shansheng couldn''t wait and greeted everyone below with a bow of his hands. At the same time, Several people arranged by Liuu Shansheng below also started to discuss loudly. "Liuu Shansheng is taking the stage this time?" "Since he''s so eager to go up, it seems Liuu Shansheng is very confident!" "Of course, he entered the Martial Arts Eighth Grade early and is the direct eldest son of the Liuu family, likely to become the Family Head in the future. The Martial Arts resources he has access to are surely extraordinary!" "Speaking of which, Liuu Shansheng''s strength must not be weak!" "Definitely!" "...." As these discussions spread, Zhou Xing couldn''t help but mutter, "Another strong contender from the Divine Power Realm, the Martial Arts Garden is really bullying others too much!" At this moment, Jiang Ning laughed and said, "Brother Zhou Xing, do you think these loudly discussing people might have been arranged by Liuu Shansheng on the stage in advance?" Zhou Xing''s eyes suddenly lit up. "Does Brother Jiang Ning mean that this man is putting on a show of strength?" "There''s a possibility!" Jiang Ning nodded slightly. "That makes sense!!" Zhou Xing suddenly realized and looked at Jiang Ning with newfound understanding. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On the other side, He Jinyun looked at Liuu Shansheng on the stage and smiled at Qin Xuan beside him. "This Liuu Shansheng sure knows how to seize the opportunity, climbing up on our momentum, and even has people bluffing for him!" Qin Xuan shook his head, "Opportunistic tricks, Liuu Shansheng clearly lacks our confidence. It seems his strength hasn''t undergone transformation." "That''s right!" He Jinyun nodded, and then sighed, "It''s a pity I took the stage earlier, otherwise if I were up there, I''d definitely show him what strength is." Suddenly, "Damnit¡ª" A bald man cursed angrily, then landed heavily on the stage. "You Martial Arts Garden students are all talk, let me see if you really have the strength you claim to have!" ... Under the stage, "Heh heh!" He Jinyun chuckled, "Now this will be a good show! What can come twice may not come thrice! It seems Liuu Shansheng''s entrance has made the Eighth Grade experts from Luoshui County lose their patience." Qin Xuan said, "Let''s see if he can win. If he can''t, he''s going to lose face big time." At this moment, Zhou Xing looked at the stage ahead with a solemn expression in his eyes. "This man is called Fu Shiquan, and he''s the top Darts Master of the escort agency," he explained. "Not only does he possess Eighth Grade Martial Arts strength, but he also has extremely rich combat experience. Even I don''t have any confidence in taking him down!" "I wonder if his appearance can defeat Liuu Shansheng from the Martial Arts Garden." The next moment, The two of them stopped talking and started fighting right away. Fu Shiquan wielded a fine iron staff, while Liuu Shansheng wielded a long sword. As soon as Fu Shiquan made a move, his iron staff created sounds reminiscent of tiger roars, full of momentum. "This is the Devil Suppression Eighteen Strokes!" Zhou Xing explained on the side, "It''s said to be lower-level martial arts from the Buddhist sect! It consists of eighteen strokes!" "Upon reaching Perfection, each stroke''s power surpasses the previous one. If he is allowed to swing smoothly, accumulating the might of eighteen strokes, "The final strike would be powerful enough to split a mountain. In Fu Shiquan''s hands, no one below the Seventh Grade Martial Artist can withstand it!" At this time, Fu Shiquan also used his long iron staff to its limits, stacking heavy shadows and covering more than a zhang in front of him. His staff attacks were like raging torrents, giving Liuu Shansheng no chance to catch his breath. In this first move, Fu Shiquan demonstrated his full strength, holding nothing back. At this moment, Liuu Shansheng''s face also changed slightly as he kept retreating. Facing this heavy iron staff bearing down like a thousand jun, he didn''t dare to withstand it head-on, only relying on his long sword''s Power Manipulation. "Looking at it this way, Liuu Shansheng has won!" Qin Xuan said from below. Just then. Liuu San Sheng, retreating continuously, suddenly advanced instead of backing away, his long sword swift as lightning, fast as the aurora. Whoosh¡ª The air waves were sharply divided at the edge of the sword. "Let go¡ª" Liuu San Sheng uttered a light shout. Fu Shiquan''s iron staff was flicked away in response. And at that moment, Fu Shiquan''s hands became drenched in blood. "Thank you for the match!" Liuu San Sheng stood with his sword sheathed and gave a cupped fist salute. "I''ve lost!" Fu Shiquan spoke with a face full of dejection. Leaving these words behind, he walked to the edge of the platform. Then he leaped towards the area below the platform, declaring his defeat. ¡­ Below the stage. Zhou Xing with a solemn face said, "This Liuu San Sheng''s swordsmanship is too exquisite! Especially that strike, as swift as lightning, I couldn''t react at all! If it were me on the stage, there would be no difference from Fu Shiquan, perhaps even worse than him!" Jiang Ning casually nodded, his gaze falling on the triumphant Liuu San Sheng on the stage. Should he go on stage now? He pondered this question at the moment. After watching the exchange between Liuu San Sheng and Fu Shiquan, he knew that Liuu San Sheng''s strength was far inferior to his own. Against Liuu San Sheng, he would need at most one strike to defeat him. After a long contemplation, "Forget it," Jiang Ning thought to himself, then shook his head. Although he was somewhat annoyed with Liuu San Sheng because of previous matters, thinking of Little Dumpling and Jiang Yiming, Jiang Ning still decided to let Liuu San Sheng go and not hinder his quest for the team leader position. Meanwhile. Liuu San Sheng on the stage remained silent, quietly waiting for time to pass. With the precedent set by Fu Shiquan, no one suddenly wanted to challenge Liuu San Sheng anymore. Because Liuu San Sheng had defeated Fu Shiquan without a scratch, he had proved his strength and his qualification for the team leader position. With enough team leader spots still available, there was no need to risk fighting Liuu San Sheng for the current team leader spot. After all, if one were defeated, they would completely lose the chance to compete for a team leader spot. So everyone felt there was no need to contend with Liuu San Sheng. As for the students of the Martial Arts Garden, they were even less likely to come forward. Because the Patrol Guard is like cattle and horses! And the team leader is a ruler! So before coming here, they had already established a rule of not fighting each other unless necessary. In the blink of an eye, thirty minutes had passed. Liuu San Sheng accepted the silver Identity Token, signifying the identity of team leader passed by the man presiding over the selection, his face brimming with joy. Afterward, he turned to look at the crowd below the platform, quickly spotting Jiang Ning. Liuu San Sheng leaped down from the platform and came straight to Jiang Ning''s side. "Did you see that, Brother Ning?" Liuu San Sheng raised the silver Token representing the team leader. Then Liuu San Sheng continued, "Now that I am the captain of the Inspection Office, since your elder brother entrusted me, come under my command! As a captain, I will surely take good care of you!" Faced with the power Jiang Ning had just displayed, Liuu San Sheng was also quite envious. Any captain could have nine Patrol Guards under them. But Patrol Guards are generally Ninth Grade Martial Artists, and if left to higher-ups to allocate, they vary in strength. It''s different when you seek them out yourself. If he could recruit someone like Jiang Ning, who was both young and had the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, then the stronger the team, the higher the captain''s position would naturally be. So Liuu San Sheng, after witnessing the power displayed by Jiang Ning, had already set his sights on Jiang Ning despite realizing he had misjudged the situation. "No, thanks!" Jiang Ning shook his head in response to Liuu San Sheng''s recruitment. "Why?" Liuu San Sheng inquired, "Brother Ning, your sister-in-law is my sister, we are already one family! Coming under my command is a union of strengths! I will certainly not treat you unfairly! I can even arrange for my cousin to marry you, adding ties of kinship!" Liuu San Sheng, seeing Jiang Ning''s refusal, immediately offered what he considered a generous deal. Hearing these words, Jiang Ning chuckled lightly. Then he said, "Because I, too, am aiming for a team leader position!" As soon as the words fell, Jiang Ning stamped his right foot on the ground. Boom¡ª His figure soared into the air, then seemingly without inertia, suddenly turned back in mid-air and streaked towards the platform! Chapter 215 99: Shocking the Whole Audience! On the martial field. Jiang Ning glided through the air like a white crane, then landed lightly on the stage. "What folly!" Wang Jin immediately stamped his foot from below the stage. Seeing this, Zhou Xing sighed softly, "Brother Jiang is too reckless! He went on the stage too early!" Liuu Shansheng watched Jiang Ning on the stage and shook his head, "He''s asking for humiliation!" Then he walked toward where the students of the Martial Arts Garden were. Below the stage, Li Qing watched Jiang Ning''s figure, her brows instantly furrowing with worry. "Why did Brother Jiang do this? Going up on the stage so early will surely lead to him being targeted by the strong among the Martial Arts Garden students." Beside her, Cheng Ran also furrowed his brows, muttering to himself. "No wonder Jiang Ning said earlier that he had a way to get me into the Inspection Office, so he was planning to compete for the position of team leader." "If he becomes the team leader, he might really be able to get me into the Inspection Office!" "But the competition for the team leader position is too tough, even Fu Shiquan was easily defeated!" Elsewhere, At the seats of the Cao, Liu, and Xie families. Cao Zijian looked at Jiang Ning on the stage, "This kid has also gone up?" "What, you want to go up and teach him a lesson?" Liu Zhaonan asked beside him. "If it were a bit later, I would indeed like to go up!" Cao Zijian spoke, then continued, "But going up now is too early. There are still top warriors from the Eighth Grade in the Martial Arts Garden who haven''t gone up. I don''t want to clash head-on with them." "How has Brother Zijian lost his sharp and aggressive spirit from the past?" Liu Zhaonan said with a sneer. Cao Zijian glanced at Liu Zhaonan faintly, "If you''re so capable, why don''t you go up now?" Liu Zhaonan immediately shook his head. "No way! I''ve been strictly ordered! As a hopeful contender for the team leader from the Liu family, I can''t act recklessly." "I feel the same way!" said Cao Zijian. Then, Cao Zijian looked towards Xie Xiaojiu not far away, dressed in tight black practice clothes, holding a silver-white long sword. "I wonder what that girl from the Xie family is thinking now?" "She has received investment from Master Lin Qingyi, and her strength is actually above both of us." Hearing this, Liu Zhaonan looked at the expressionless Xie Xiaojiu nearby, tying a ponytail and revealing her long swan-like neck. At this moment, Xie Xiaojiu, in her pure black tight practice clothes, not only accentuated her exquisite body but also highlighted her skin pale as cream-colored jade. Liu Zhaonan couldn''t help but show a hint of fascination in his eyes. After a moment of distraction, Liu Zhaonan retracted his gaze. "I think she should be braver than both of us!" Elsewhere on the stage. Jiang Ning landed empty-handed. As for the spiritual weapon, he did not bring it with him. Because here, there were too many powerful figures. Ordinary people wouldn''t recognize the preciousness of a spiritual weapon, but big shots like Hong Minghu might. It is a cardinal rule that flaunting wealth is neither safe nor prudent. "Ladies and gentlemen, would anyone wish to come up and give me some advice?" Jiang Ning asked, bowing to the audience. "Hey! Jiang Ning has taken the initiative to go on the stage, this is going to be interesting!" someone below voiced out eagerly, filled with the thrill of watching a good show. "Jiang Ning is our Luoshui County''s pride! He better not embarrass our Luoshui County!" someone below expressed their worries. "What are you talking about, losing face or not? Even if Jiang Ning loses, he''s much better than those geniuses who don''t even have the courage to go on the stage!" someone immediately spoke in defense of Jiang Ning. "That''s right! At least this Jiang Ning dared to step up. Besides Fu Shiquan, Jiang Ning is the second person from our Luoshui County to go on stage! Even if he loses, he has more spirit than those others!" someone voiced their agreement. "Exactly! Brother, you''re absolutely right! It makes sense!! I''m backing Jiang Ning this time!!" "... " sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, as the talent of Luoshui County, they all tacitly chose not to go on stage. Firstly, as fellow county folks, winning against Jiang Ning wouldn''t look good. Secondly, none of them were confident they could withstand the challenge from Martial Arts Garden students after beating Jiang Ning! Since they were not confident, going up to fight Jiang Ning was pointless. Elsewhere, From where the Martial Arts Garden students were. "It''s finally getting interesting!" the thin and sallow-faced He Jinyun showed a playful expression on his face. He continued, "This man is the first native of Luoshui County to volunteer, right?" "Yes!" Qin Xuan nodded, "I''ve had my eye on him for a while now! He''s a talent. If he loses later, I''d like to recruit him under my command." "Oh?" He Jinyun looked surprised at Qin Xuan, "Aren''t you interested in competing for the Deputy Commander position?" Qin Xuan suddenly smiled, "I forgot about that, there''s still the competition for Deputy Commander." Saying this, Qin Xuan shook his head with a laugh. At the same time. "A talent from Luoshui County? I''ll meet you!" A man jumped onto the stage, speaking as he did. "Martial Arts Garden student, Lu Yuan, Great Success Ninth Grade, please instruct!" The young man bowed. As soon as these words came out, the area below the stage immediately burst into chaos. "Great Success Ninth Grade, has he gone mad? A Ninth Grade daring to fight an Eighth Grade?" "Brother, his Ninth Grade isn''t like our Ninth Grade! He''s a student from the Martial Arts Garden!" "If Jiang Ning truly loses to a Ninth Grade, that would be a huge disgrace!" "..." On the stage. "Ninth Grade?" Jiang Ning laughed, his figure suddenly moved, transforming into an afterimage. With the perfected Five Animals Fist, he had the explosion of a tiger, the strength of a bear, and the agility of an ape. As he pushed the limits of the Five Animals Fist, Jiang Ning found his speed had increased by folds compared to before. Chapter 216 99: Shocking the Whole Audience!_2 It no longer seemed like the Ape Shape Fist, but more like the Ape Strike Skill he had seen in a movie in his previous life. The change brought about by Breaking Limit was not just an increase in traits. It was also a complete transformation of the Five Animals Fist, which had shed its mere appearance of Boxing and fused into every move he made. The explosive power of the tiger was stronger, a move, and it was like a tiger roaring through the forest, unstoppable. The strength of the bear was also stronger, every gesture seemed to carry the force of the earth. And the speed of the ape also underwent a transformation. Fast, only speed could not be broken, that was the essence of speed. At this moment, as Jiang Ning''s form turned into an afterimage, it also signified his speed was as fast as a startled swan. Once Jiang Ning chose to take action, he held nothing back. He did not want to waste too much time in the competition for the team leader position. Moreover, hiding his basic strength was meaningless to him. Because there was still the competition for the Deputy Commander position to come. How he hid his strength now, he ultimately had to reveal it later. ... "So fast?" Lu Yuan was shocked looking at the afterimage in front of him. The next moment. "Phut!" Before he could see Jiang Ning''s move, he felt a vast force hit him, sending him flying like a fallen leaf, blood mist spraying from his mouth, scattering in the air. Bang¡ª As the student named Lu Yuan from the Martial Arts Garden fell below the stage, the surroundings suddenly quieted. Everyone who witnessed this scene showed shock and disbelief. They had not expected that Lu Yuan, a student of the Martial Arts Garden, would be no match for Jiang Ning at all! Although there was a gap between the Eighth Grade and the Ninth Grade, normally, it wasn''t an overwhelming difference. The Eighth Grade was strong, but it was only slightly stronger in terms of physical prowess and physique than the Ninth Grade. This difference was only like that between a weak person and a robust person. It wasn''t impossible to fight, although he was outmatched. More so, this Ninth Grade Great Success challenger came from the Martial Arts Garden of Dongling County. Martial Arts Garden students, even if at the same level of physique refinement, were much stronger than Martial Artists from a small county. Because Martial Arts strength wasn''t just about the extent of body refinement. It was also related to the strength of martial arts techniques and realms. Even though Martial Arts Garden students mainly practiced lower-level martial arts, the lower-level martial arts in the Martial Arts Garden were of higher quality. Not only were the techniques more exquisite and powerful. But also, the coaching they received in the Martial Arts Garden far exceeded that of Martial Artists from a small county. With the same talent, the martial arts proficiency achievable in the Martial Arts Garden could easily tower several levels above that in a small county. For Martial Artists from a small county, achieving Perfection in lower-level martial arts is as challenging as one in ten thousand. In contrast, at the Martial Arts Garden, the difficulty of achieving Perfection in martial arts was the reverse of one in ten thousand. Anyone becoming a student at the Martial Arts Garden who could not reach Perfection in lower-level martial arts was one in ten thousand. That was the difference between the two. Therefore, anyone who understood this point believed that although Lu Yuan was only at the Ninth Grade Great Success, in terms of power, although not equal to Jiang Ning at the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, he was not utterly without the power to fight. The advantage of Martial Arts realm was enough to close a certain gap in physical strength. But the final result was unexpected by everyone. With just one strike, Lu Yuan, the Ninth Grade Great Success student from the Martial Arts Garden, was blasted off the stage, spitting fresh blood. ... Below the stage. "He''s that strong?" Zhou Xing''s mouth fell open in disbelief. "This speed..." Wang Jin''s pupils contracted sharply as he watched the scene on the stage, then muttered to himself, "His form resembles an ape, yet there''s not a single move from Ape Shape Fist, clearly, the ape form has melded into his bones! But this speed is simply unimaginable!!" "How did this kid do it?" Wang Jin immediately became immensely puzzled. "What a formidable kid; I underestimated him!" He Jinyun commented from another side. Beside him, Qin Xuan in a black, gold-threaded robe nodded slightly, "Indeed impressive, his speed is reaching unbelievable realms! Even though I have mastered the perfect ''Flying Bird Crossing Sky Body Method,'' I seem to be slower than him!" Hearing this, He Jinyun nodded as well, "The speed is indeed fast! It''s just that I don''t know about his strength, can he withstand a single strike from my hammer?" Qin Xuan immediately shook his head and laughed, "Do you even have to think about that? Definitely not! You possess innate divine strength, and with your sprinting efforts over the past few months, you should have almost reached the peak of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm!" "Your judgment is not bad!" He Jinyun said with a smirk. Elsewhere. In the direction where the people from the Cao, Liu, and Xie families were gathered. "Such incredible speed!" Liu Zhaonan''s eyes narrowed slightly, "I underestimated him just now! With such movement techniques, such speed, no wonder this young fellow dared to take the stage now!" Cao Zijian''s expression also slightly changed at that moment. "This young man''s progress is too astonishing! No wonder Cao Bin sought reconciliation with him. Such a talent shouldn''t be easily dismissed, and they couldn''t afford to offend him too deeply." "Indeed!" Liu Zhaonan nodded, then continued, "It appears that Cao Bin made the right choice today! After today, Jiang Ning''s power and influence will grow steadily. Offending him would not be a wise decision." Not far from them. Xie Xiaojiu, clad in black, watched the scene intently, her eyes suddenly sharp. "No wonder Sister Qingyi mentions you often; you really have some skill!" muttered Xie Xiaojiu as she stared at Jiang Ning in the arena. Then she glanced at Lin Qingyi in the distance in the stands. "Sister Qingyi, I acknowledge that Shen Congyun has excellent judgment, but I also want to prove to you that your insights are equally profound." Thinking of this. Xie Xiaojiu''s gaze suddenly became exceedingly determined. The next moment. She lightly tapped her toes, soaring straight up, and instantly appeared above the heads of the crowd. "People are heading to the stage!" "It''s the Xie family''s Miss Nine, Xie Xiaojiu!!!" S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Is it her? She was previously a legend in Luoshui County too! It''s said that she was favored by Master Lin of the Wanhua Building and received substantial support!" "Xie Xiaojiu is actually challenging Jiang Ning; this seems to be another showdown between the two leaders of the Wanhua Building from some time ago!" "...." Upon seeing Xie Xiaojiu soar into the air, the crowd immediately became excited. BecauseXie Xiaojiu, the Xie family''s Miss Nine, gained fame in Luoshui County due to being esteemed by Lin Qingyi of the Wanhua Building. Following the exhibition of Xie Xiaojiu''s progress in martial arts, it also demonstrated Lin Qingyi''s extraordinary foresight. At seventeen, Xie Xiaojiu was recognized by Lin Qingyi despite being in the small success phase of Ninth Grade. Later, in less than a year at the age of eighteen, Xie Xiaojiu had already stepped into the threshold of Martial Arts Eighth Grade. Xie Xiaojiu reaching the Martial Arts Eighth Grade by the age of eighteen undoubtedly proved Lin Qingyi''s judgment. Now, another year had passed, and everyone knew that Xie Xiaojiu must have progressed far in the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, her strength certainly remarkable. In the blink of an eye. Xie Xiaojiu, dressed in black, landed above the arena. At that moment, she held a silver-white long sword and had her black hair simply tied back, revealing her slender and fair swan neck. "Xie family, Xie Xiaojiu!" she said, looking at Jiang Ning in front of her, uttering the words lightly. Meanwhile. In a corner of the stands, Lin Qingyi saw this scene on the stage, and her brow furrowed immediately. "This silly girl choosing to go on stage now, Jiang Ning, this kid is in trouble!" "With the help of the Vajra Pill stepping into Martial Arts Eighth Grade, he is merely at the initial stage of Eighth Grade." "This silly girl reached that level a year ago, and now, with her martial arts talent and the resources she enjoys, she is most likely at the peak of Eighth Grade, I estimate her strength at nearly three thousand kilograms!" "Moreover, this silly girl has an innate sword heart, her Sword Dao is extraordinary, having broken through to perfect mastery in at least three martial arts skills, and also mastered a Middle Grade martial arts skill!" Thinking of this, Lin Qingyi couldn''t help but shake her head slightly. It looks like this kid is going to be defeated by Xiaojiu! I''ll have to compensate this kid properly after the fight! I hope this kid won''t hold a grudge against this silly girl! This kid''s potential is still above this silly girl! If he develops a grudge against her, this silly girl will have a tough time ahead! The next moment. Lin Qingyi muttered to herself, "Well, let''s give this kid a heads-up." Chapter 217 100 Xie Xiaojius Defeat On the arena. Lin Qingyi''s voice had just finished echoing in Jiang Ning''s ears as he suddenly turned his head to glance at the platform. There, he saw Lin Qingyi sitting in a corner of the stands, shrouded in shadow. Lin Qingyi, noticing Jiang Ning''s gaze at this moment, immediately showed a faint sense of guilt in her eyes. "I''m sorry!" her voice echoed in Jiang Ning''s ear once again. All of this happened in an instant. After that. Jiang Ning smiled slightly at Lin Qingyi, then turned back to look at the black-clad, sword-wielding woman on the arena, Xie Xiaojiu. "I hear you''re good with a sword?" Jiang Ning said. "Correct!" Xie Xiaojiu nodded slightly. "Good! It seems you wish to battle with me in our weapon skills!" Jiang Ning said, nodding. Then he turned to the man presiding nearby, "Sir, I need a sabre!" "No problem!" said the man conducting the assessment, and then he grabbed a sabre from the weapon rack on the side of the arena and tossed it toward Jiang Ning. "Take it! Make a good show of it!" "Thank you!" Jiang Ning caught the sabre and expressed his gratitude. With the long sabre in hand, the trait where man and blade become one immediately took effect. In his hands, the long sabre seemed to transform into an extension of his arm, moving as part of his body. Jiang Ning also knew the weight of the long sabre, a hefty eighty-five pounds, with a length of three feet seven inches. "Do you know why I ascended the arena?" Xie Xiaojiu suddenly said. "Is there a need for a reason?" Jiang Ning asked. "Of course, there is!" Xie Xiaojiu tightened her grip on the longsword and continued, "Sister Qingyi has been repeatedly mentioning you in front of me, saying my talent is not as good as yours! I couldn''t accept that!" "So!!" Xie Xiaojiu emphasized, slowly drawing her longsword, "So... I want to prove to Sister Qingyi that her vision is not lesser than Shen Congyun''s! I, Xie Xiaojiu, am not inferior to you, Jiang Ning!!" "I see!" Jiang Ning nodded and then said, "If you lose, how about you come and serve under my command?" "Sure!" Xie Xiaojiu responded, "If I lose, then I''ll listen to you!" Xie Xiaojiu immediately agreed to Jiang Ning''s proposition, seemingly without a moment''s hesitation. Seeing this, Jiang Ning was slightly surprised. Then he smiled, "Then bring it on!" At this moment, some joy stirred in Jiang Ning''s heart. Xie Xiaojiu''s strength was undoubtedly above the Eighth Grade level. And as someone highly regarded by Lin Qingyi, she must possess both exceptional talent and strength. After today, whether he was to claim the position of team leader or that of Deputy Commander, he would need capable people. Xie Xiaojiu clearly was a talent he could utilize. After all, she had a connection with Lin Qingyi, and his relationship with Lin Qingyi also seemed fairly good. Add to that Xie Xiaojiu''s striking appearance, with fair skin, beautiful features, and a tall figure. Such a subordinate could be pleasing to the eye even just as a decoration, for everyone has an appreciation for beauty, not to mention she was one of the most gifted in martial arts in the whole Luoshui County. At this moment, Xie Xiaojiu swung her sword gently. Hum¡ª¡ª The blade vibrated, issuing a faint humming sound. "Are you ready?" Xie Xiaojiu asked. "Come on!" Jiang Ning said, wielding his long sabre with a light swing. Whoosh¡ª¡ª The sound of the blade slicing through the air suddenly rang out. In an instant. Xie Xiaojiu''s toes tapped, and her entire body instantly turned into a blur charging toward Jiang Ning. Such incredible speed! Jiang Ning''s eyes narrowed. Once Xie Xiaojiu moved, Jiang Ning could tell that her movement technique was extraordinary. It must have been a specialized technique, and undoubtedly a high-level one. ... "Xie family''s Miss Nine is so fast!" "Yes! Like a fleeting shadow, her Willow-Fluff Technique has probably reached Great Success, or perhaps even Perfection!" "Is this what defines a martial arts prodigy? Not only has she stepped into the Martial Arts Eighth Grade realm at such a young age, but her movement technique is also remarkable. Most importantly, Xie Xiaojiu, the Miss Nine of the Xie family, is known for her innate sword heart!" Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "With such talent, it''s no wonder Master Lin of the Wanhua Building took notice of her years ago!" For a moment, the people below the platform expressed their amazement in unison. Meanwhile, on the arena. The distance of ten yards was crossed by Xie Xiaojiu in an instant. Clang¡ª¡ª As Xie Xiaojiu approached, the sword gleamed like snow. The moment the crowd saw clearly, Jian Ning had already parried Xie Xiaojiu''s sword tip with his saber. And Jiang Ning''s upper body also leaned back slightly, using the strength of his waist and abdomen to diffuse the powerful thrust brought by Xie Xiaojiu''s strike. With that one hit, the movements of both froze suddenly. "Such powerful force!" Feeling the formidable power transmitted through Xie Xiaojiu''s sword tip, Jiang Ning concentrated. Xie Xiaojiu probably had a strength of nearly three thousand pounds. A simple strike, and Jiang Ning had already made his assessment. Such incredible strength! Xie Xiaojiu, looking at Jiang Ning who was only an arm''s length away, also flashed a trace of shock in her eyes. She was very aware of her own strength. She had two thousand eight hundred pounds of force. For a woman, to reach this level of strength in the Martial Arts Eighth Grade was extremely difficult. If not for the fact that she was the Miss Nine of the Xie family, if not for her overflowing martial talent receiving so much attention, if not for the regard and help from Lin Qingyi. Had any of these factors been lacking, she could never have achieved such strength at the Eighth Grade level of martial arts as a woman. Originally, she thought that her present strength, if not dominating among her peers at the Eighth Grade, was at least outstanding. She did not expect that on her first battle, she would taste the bitterness of defeat before achieving victory. To know, she did not hold back in that strike, aiming to defeat with a single blow. Carrying the momentum of a charge, the strike''s speed and explosive power were both about twenty to thirty percent higher than usual. But Jiang Ning, merely standing in his original spot and parrying with his saber, effortlessly caught her fiercest strike. Chapter 218 100 Xie Xiaojius Defeat_2 After the surprise, Xie Xiaojiu made a judgment in an instant. Her strength was necessarily inferior to Jiang Ning''s. Otherwise, Jiang Ning wouldn''t have appeared so relaxed after receiving her severest sword strike, not even retreating an inch. At that moment, only they two knew how powerful each other was during the change of their gazes. To outsiders, they could only see Xie Xiaojiu''s swift movement technique and Jiang Ning''s fearless mentality in the face of danger. The next moment, Jiang Ning''s right arm, which held the sword, trembled, and power transmitted through the blade, causing Xie Xiaojiu''s expression to change again as her figure drifted back like catkins. Swish¡ª The sword cleaved through the air, and a sharp whistling sound followed. In front of this strike, Xie Xiaojiu''s airborne figure seemed like a tuft of catkins, affected by the gust brought by the descending long sword, causing her figure to drift slightly again. A miss by an inch, a loss by a mile. The blade narrowly missed Xie Xiaojiu''s shoulder. Suddenly, the sword halted midair. Then, with a flick of Jiang Ning''s wrist, the blade shifted from cleaving to slicing. This sword was directly aimed at Xie Xiaojiu''s shoulder. At the moment of the sword''s pause, Xie Xiaojiu''s cool eyes suddenly deepened, and her upper body tilted back. Xie Xiaojiu then exhibited her supple, boneless waist; her black ponytail swept the ground the moment it dodged the horizontal slash. The blade grazed past the softness of Xie Xiaojiu''s waist, cutting away a corner of her tight, black outfit. Following that, the sword''s force was half spent, and the blade paused again, as Jiang Ning was about to change from slicing to cleaving. By this time, Xie Xiaojiu had already anticipated this move, and the moment her waist bent, she swiftly tapped her toes, exerting force with her calves. She whirled past the front of Jiang Ning like a windmill, reaching his side. ... "This Miss Nine of the Xie family has remarkable adaptability and extraordinary movement technique!" "Yes! This movement technique, Xie Xiaojiu''s Catkin Technique must have reached Perfection! Even her technique has achieved Perfection, her Martial Arts Talent is truly incredible!" "Forget about Xie Xiaojiu, Jiang Ning also seems much stronger than we all anticipated!" "Indeed, such fast swordplay, yet the transitions are so smooth and satisfying. We must not underestimate Jiang Ning''s Sword Dao!" "There''s something I''ve been wondering¡ªdid Jiang Ning really only start learning martial arts a few months ago?" "That must be right! I have a friend who drank with Jiang Ning, and he told me so himself." "..." Seeing this exciting scene on the platform, the crowd began to comment. At that moment, Atop the platform, Using her movement technique, Xie Xiaojiu maneuvered from in front of Jiang Ning to his side; then, her sword blade gleamed, thrusting directly towards Jiang Ning''s right arm. Noticing this, Jiang Ning''s blade turned, and the speed of his sword surged again. Although his combat experience was not extensive, in most cases, the enemies Jiang Ning had faced before were swiftly dealt with by a few strokes. But even now, Jiang Ning showed no sign of easing. The so-called fight appeared simple in his eyes. Quick reaction, fast speed, that would surpass all experience. A quick reaction, would deal comfortably with any attack from the enemy. Fast speed, would allow him to attack even before reacting, making him effortlessly effective. And at this moment, Jiang Ning''s senses were extraordinarily sharp. Every gesture and slight change in Xie Xiaojiu was instantly perceived by him. Even behind him, merely with the change in the sound of the wind and the airflow, Jiang Ning felt as though he had eyes in the back of his head, easily detecting any changes around him. Clang¡ª Sword and sword collided, and a flash of sparks flew. Xie Xiaojiu''s expression instantly changed. This sudden increase in speed from Jiang Ning was completely unexpected. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The power transmitted by this strike was terrifyingly shocking to her. With one strike, her right arm went numb, nearly losing grip of the sword hilt. Her entire balance was directly disrupted by the force of Jiang Ning''s single strike. This strike also swept away the long sword in Xie Xiaojiu''s hand, leaving her wide open. The next moment, she saw Jiang Ning''s left hand following through the open guard, landing on her chest. "It''s over!" Jiang Ning''s voice faintly resounded beside her ear. Shortly afterward, Xie Xiaojiu felt a vast and majestic power transmitting from Jiang Ning''s palm onto her soft chest. She was sent flying backward, heading toward the edge of the platform. Boom¡ª Her unbalanced body solidly hit the ground below the platform. "I concede!" said Jiang Ning. "Thank you!" Xie Xiaojiu got up, her gaze lingering on Jiang Ning for a moment before she turned and walked away. Even though her chest was aching, she knew that Jiang Ning had definitely held back. If he hadn''t, considering the power she had just felt from him, a single palm strike would have been enough to make her organs tremble and spit blood, not just this faint pain she felt now. At this moment, feeling the pain in her chest, Xie Xiaojiu really wanted to rub it, but thinking about being in the training field and surrounded by so many people, she suppressed the urge. In such a public setting, rubbing her chest wound, especially as a young woman, would indeed seem indecent. ... On the platform, "I might have underestimated her! That Miss Nine from the Xie family is quite substantial," Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Then he added in his mind, That might have been presumptuous though. I hope she keeps to the agreement we just made. Xie Xiaojiu''s strength is indeed much greater than I previously imagined. Shi Xiaoyuan in his transformed state might not even be a match for her. ... Below the platform, the crowd was already abuzz with chatter. "Is it over just like that?" "Yes, it''s over! Xie Xiaojiu was a bit careless, let Jiang Ning strike her chest with a palm, and since she stood too close to the edge of the platform behind Jiang Ning, falling off the platform meant a natural loss!" "You can''t say it like that! A loss is a loss; what''s with being unguarded or not!" "She clearly underestimated the danger! Brother, can''t you see? Xie Xiaojiu is famous for her Sword Dao talent. She didn''t even use her full Sword Dao and fell from the platform; clearly, she wasn''t exerting her real strength!" "Speaking of which, I really envy Jiang Ning! Being able to rightfully take advantage of Miss Nine from the Xie family." "Brother, that''s a bit sleazy!!!" ... Elsewhere, Zhou Xing''s mouth slightly agape: "Brother Jiang is actually this formidable??" "Brother Jiang is indeed formidable!" Li Qing said with a bit of jealousy. "Great! Well done!!" Wang Jin expressed pleasantly. Especially seeing the surprised look on Yu Yuan''s face beside him, he felt extremely satisfied. When a disciple excels, it also reflects well on the master. ... In the direction of the families of Cao, Liu, and Xie, "Miss Nine lost?" Cao Zijian showed a look of surprise. "Damn it! That kid just took the opportunity to grope Little Jiu!" Liu Zhaonan cursed. "Pfft!" Cao Zijian burst out laughing and then said, "Are you angry, Brother Zhaonan?" "That''s not anger, that''s jealousy!!" Liu Zhaonan said. Then he continued, "Xie Xiaojiu is so beautiful and talented, and being the Miss Nine of the Xie family, such good fortune was seized by him!" "Brother Zhaonan is indeed a man of passion!" Cao Zijian thought for a moment before barely squeezing out that comment. ... In the direction of the Martial Arts Garden disciples. The pale and lean He Jinyun also showed a hint of surprise. "This man is quite formidable! Not only does he have an exceptional movement technique, but his grasp and use of the sword have reached the level where intent follows the heart, clearly showing his extraordinary swordsmanship!" "Indeed extraordinary!" Qin Xuan also slightly nodded and then continued, "If a real strong contestant doesn''t challenge his platform, this Jiang Ning might just become the first team leader of Luoshui County." "Chances are slim unless he can also defeat Lv Renyao!" He Jinyun said indifferently. "Lv Renyao?" Qin Xuan in his black gilt-edged robe showed a look of surprise. "Look, over there!" He Jinyun pointed out indifferently. Qin Xuan followed his gaze and suddenly saw Lv Renyao walking towards the front. "Is he going to challenge this young man''s platform?" "Definitely!" He Jinyun nodded, "Lv Renyao is someone who holds grudges! In the first round of the competition, he targeted Jiang Ning and was slighted by him. With Lv Renyao''s character, he would definitely seize the opportunity to retaliate on the spot." Qin Xuan glanced at the retreating figure of Lv Renyao and then smiled slightly, "It would be funny if Lv Renyao loses on stage!" "It''s highly unlikely for Lv Renyao to lose! Although he''s not as strong as you or me, he is much stronger than San Sheng. Lv Renyao''s strength, I heard, is over two thousand five hundred pounds, and with his Perfection movement technique and the Stacked Cloud Palm, there''s no way he''ll lose in such a small place!" "I actually think Lv Renyao might lose!" Qin Xuan said. "Oh? You think highly of this young man from Luoshui County?" "He feels different!" Chapter 219 101: Ended with One Punch! In the training grounds. This moment. As Xie Xiaojiu was defeated, everyone started to reassess Jiang Ning. For those strong ones, Martial Arts Ninth Grade meant little. Stepping into Martial Arts Ninth Grade was just the beginning of the path of Martial Arts. Even a preliminary entry into Martial Arts Eighth Grade was nothing remarkable, For this step could be achieved with external aids. But to defeat a renowned figure like Xie Xiaojiu was different. It indicated that Jiang Ning, at the very least, was at small success in the Divine Power Realm, and most likely at Great Success. This wasn''t something that could be achieved with external items. One must master Power to internally refine the muscles'' resilience. At this age, accomplishing this not only proved a deep natural talent in martial arts but also a remarkable understanding and extraordinary innate talent. Only possessing both and outshining all peers could one achieve this at such a young age. Especially for those who knew about Jiang Ning, they were aware of his extraordinary talent. Given that he had only practiced martial arts for a little over three months, the ability to reach this step, even with the help of influential figures, was incredibly shocking and awe-inspiring to them. At this time, Lin Qingyi, in a corner of the stands, slightly narrowed her eyes. "This kid, was he hiding his abilities before?" "He''s able to defeat Xie Xiaojiu after practicing for only three months?" Compared to others, Lin Qingyi was more aware of Jiang Ning''s fearsomeness. Because others couldn''t see what level Xie Xiaojiu''s true strength was, nor at which step in the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm he stood. But she was different; she was very clear about Xie Xiaojiu''s strength, which was a solid Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm at Great Success, also known as the Peak. Xie Xiaojiu had already reached the limit within the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm a few days earlier. Xie Xiaojiu''s muscular group had long been tempered to an extreme state. Therefore, his strength was extremely terrifying in Lin Qingyi''s eyes, And over ninety percent likely to snatch the position of team captain. When Xie Xiaojiu went on stage, she also thought that Jiang Ning would certainly be defeated by his hand, which was why she preemptively warned Jiang Ning in advance. However, with the end of their fight, Lin Qingyi also gained a certain understanding of Jiang Ning''s abilities. "This talent is too horrifying!" "Could it be that I''ve discovered a figure capable of rivaling those two in such a remote place?" Thinking of those two peerless prodigies, who brought despair to their contemporaries, Lin Qingyi couldn''t help but gasp and feel crazed by her thoughts. Those two prodigies, one is considered a Buddha''s son of the world''s Buddhist sects, and the other a Daoist child of the world''s Daoist sects. The Buddha''s son is touted as one incarnation of Buddha himself. The Daoist child, too, is said to be an incarnation of the Daoist Ancestors. Although these two have not yet achieved a great influence and are still outside the doors of the top three grades, Everyone says that they will surely become Great Grandmasters in the future, and even possibly step into ranks just beneath the Martial Saint. Some even boldly claim that the next Martial Saint to emerge in the last eight hundred years will be one of these two. Lin Qingyi watched Jiang Ning''s figure on the stage, deep in thought for a moment. Then she nodded slightly; this kid indeed had a rebellious streak and now seemed to have a shadow of those two. But one of them had gathered the power of the Buddhist sects for cultivation, reciting Buddhist Scriptures for three years. The other had gathered the teachings of the Daoists, studying the Daoist texts for three years. Jiang Ning, this kid, was only at Eighth Grade now, whereas those two had already been consolidating at the Fourth Grade Peak for so long, not to be spoken of in the same breath. Not to mention, the cultivation Jiang Ning received was vastly different from that of those two, like heaven and earth. It seemed impossible for him to rival them. However, even so, if this kid could steadily grow and cultivate himself, there was more than a ninety percent chance he would reach the Grandmaster level in the future. There was also more than a fifty percent chance of becoming a Great Grandmaster. Taking a step further was not out of the question! This seedling indeed had potential! S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this thought, Lin Qingyi muttered to herself: "Lin Jiaer is not fated to be with him, but that matter can still be done, I''ll need to find this kid another wife!" ... In the center of the stands. "This kid is not bad!" Hong Minghu chuckled. Then he glanced sideways at the Third Elder from Medicine King Valley, his eyes filled with a warning: "You better not mess with this kid!" "I understand!" Gongsun Yu quickly nodded his head in agreement, having just acknowledged that Hong Minghu was far stronger than himself, and he had willingly backed down. Seeing this, Hong Minghu nodded slightly, a satisfied expression appearing on his face. Then he added, "After this is over, I''ll have the kid come over and answer your questions!" "Thank you, Master Hong!" said Gongsun Yu, bowing his hand in respect, no longer resisting the previous forcefulness. He was well aware that if he could fight, then being forceful was fine and wouldn''t end badly. But if unable to fight, being forceful was like lighting a lamp in an outhouse¡ªutterly senseless! Given Hong Minghu''s status, if he were to take action and kill him on the spot, Medicine King Valley couldn''t do anything. Because Hong Minghu currently represented the Great Xia Court, representing that invincible Martial Saint of this age. That Martial Saint had major actions forthcoming and was about to come out of seclusion. If someone like himself was to do some little maneuver, it would be alright, but if Medicine King Valley made a move, it would be like delivering a monkey to the Inspection Office to make an example. In the world at present, although the Great Xia tiger was sick and its might in decline, A tiger''s move was still that of the king of beasts. Chapter 220 101: Ended with One Punch!_2 Don''t even mention Medicine King Valley¡ªVajra Temple, which has existed for over a thousand years, still dares not provoke them directly. This is the greatest force behind Hong Minghu; the Great Xia Martial Saint is his backer. At the same time, Lin Jiaer, a student of the Martial Arts Garden, was silently watching Lv Renyao''s retreating figure. "Brother Lv, you must win! I don''t want to become a laughingstock!!" Lin Jiaer whispered to herself in her heart. At this moment, she also had some regrets in her heart, regretting not listening to her aunt. ... Before the platform, A white shadow leaped up like a roc, gliding through the air. In the blink of an eye, it landed on the platform. "We meet again!" Lv Renyao looked at Jiang Ning with a teasing expression on his face. "Are all the students of the Martial Arts Garden like you?" Jiang Ning shook his head slightly. Lv Renyao, upon hearing the sarcastic tone in Jiang Ning''s words, remained completely unfazed in his heart. "What''s wrong? Scared?" "No more talk, come on!" Jiang Ning spoke directly. "Fine by me!" Lv Renyao said with a smile on his face. Then he said, "I choose to compete in hand-to-hand combat, you should give up your sword!" As his words fell, he looked at Jiang Ning with a mockingly amused expression. He had just finished watching Jiang Ning''s fight with Xie Xiaojiu, and he admitted that Jiang Ning''s swordplay was outstanding, Clearly having reached the realm where the sword moves freely as one with the wielder. Such transcendent swordplay outstripping that of Xie Xiaojiu was therefore not surprising. However, from this, he also inferred that Jiang Ning must not have much skill in hand-to-hand combat. Because a person''s time is limited. One only has twelve 2-hour periods in a day. Both sword practice and martial training are required. He had also briefly learned that Jiang Ning''s time practicing martial arts had been very short. Nothing like them, who began training as soon as they turned fifteen and their bones were fully developed. Such a short training period, being able to step into the Martial Arts Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, and with such outstanding swordsmanship as well as a very good movement technique, In this situation, one didn''t need to guess to know that hand-to-hand combat must be Jiang Ning''s weakness. This was Lv Renyao''s judgment in his heart. Therefore, this time stepping onto the platform, he was full of confidence in his heart. Using his strength to attack the enemy''s weakness, how could he not win? At the same time, Facing Lv Renyao''s proposal to compete in hand-to-hand combat, Jiang Ning could only nod slightly. The challenger, if using hand-to-hand combat, would mean the defender must also respond with hand-to-hand combat. This was the rule of defending the platform. ... S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At the same time, Below the platform, "Hisss, Jiang Ning is in trouble now!" "Yes! This person is a Martial Arts Garden student, and not just any student!" "Speaking of the Martial Arts Garden, I know a bit; in the Garden, Ninth Grade is one level, Eighth Grade is another, and surpassing Eighth Grade, one can take the assessment to advance to the academies in the county. This Lv Renyao, in the Martial Arts Garden Eighth Grade, is a top-notch fighter, not inferior to the students who have just passed the assessment and became team leaders!" "In that case, doesn''t it mean Jiang Ning will also stop here?" "It''s inevitable! How can someone from our Luoshui County compete with students from the county academy?" "Yes! How can we compete? It''s just a bit too unfair!!" "Fairness? These two words simply don''t exist in this world!" "..." For a while, the few people who were discussing fell silent. ... At that moment, Jiang Ning, on the platform, turned a deaf ear to the discussions below. He said to the man presiding over the assessment, "Sir, I would like to return my weapon." "Throw it over here!" the official said. "Yes!" Jiang Ning replied. With a flick of his wrist, the long sword flew into the hands of the man presiding over the assessment. After taking the sword, he placed it back on the weapon rack. At that time. "Are you ready?" Lv Renyao asked. "Come on!" Jiang Ning took a slight step to the side and spoke indifferently. The next moment, The motionless Lv Renyao suddenly burst into action from stillness, his body lunging forward, his white robe puffing up from the gusting wind and making a whooshing sound. Amidst the billowing robes, he resembled a white crane spreading its wings to pounce. Halfway through his advance, Lv Renyao''s right hand shot out from under his long sleeve. The sleeve roared, and his palm was already joined, seeming to be accompanied by mist and clouds. ... "Stacked Cloud Palm!" Someone suddenly spoke out from the direction of the Martial Arts Garden students. "Brother Lv is making his move without holding back, going straight for his signature Stacked Cloud Palm!" "Yes! Brother Lv''s Stacked Cloud Palm grows stronger with each strike, surpassing the last. Unless Jiang Ning can break Brother Lv''s momentum, defeat is the only outcome. Brother Lv isn''t giving that kid any chance!" "That''s right! Even when a lion fights a rabbit, it uses all its strength; so how could Brother Lv be careless since he''s entered the ring?" "You''re saying Jiang Ning can take a few of Brother Lv''s palm strikes?" "I guess three strikes!" "I guess two strikes!" "I guess five strikes!" "Five strikes? Impossible!! Absolutely impossible!!!" "Exactly, taking Brother Lv''s five strikes, that''s absolutely impossible!! I also guess two strikes!" "..." Beneath the arena, the students from the Martial Arts Garden began to speculate in various opinions. ... On the arena. Facing the strong attack from Lv Renyao, Jiang Ning was unmoved. At this moment, seeing Jiang Ning''s calm and composed demeanor, Lv Renyao was not angered but instead became more alert. "It seems like it''s not that simple!" Lv Renyao said to himself. He then gathered his strength, and his attack increased in intensity by a notch. He certainly didn''t think Jiang Ning was a fool, a fool who doesn''t know how to dodge. Jiang Ning''s actions, in Lv Renyao''s view, must be backed by some confidence. It''s time to end this!! Seeing Lv Renyao had come within ten feet of him, Jiang Ning thought to himself. The next moment. Jiang Ning stepped forward, his five fingers clenched into a fist. He punched out. Five layers of power erupted within him instantly. This is bad!!! Lv Renyao, feeling the strong wind pressure coming from ahead, had his pupils suddenly contract, filled with horror. Wrong! Everything was wrong!! These thoughts flashed through Lv Renyao''s mind in an instant. At that moment. He felt Jiang Ning''s fist pounding into the center of his palm. Feeling the overwhelming force like a vast ocean, Lv Renyao''s heart was filled with despair. What mastery of punches and kicks. At this moment, Lv Renyao realized that in front of absolute power disparity, all were meaningless. Lv Renyao also understood, the moment he had chosen to confront the attack head-on, his defeat was already sealed. Because Jiang Ning''s power was so strong it was not like a human''s, but like that of a demon beast. Crack¡ª The sound of bone breaking travelled from Lv Renyao''s arm into his ears. The next instant. The punch that hit Lv Renyao''s palm sent him flying outside of the arena. "A bit weak!" Jiang Ning frowned and thought to himself: "But I did hold back just now, he shouldn''t be dead! If he is, that would be somewhat troublesome!" Thinking this, Jiang Ning inwardly sighed. "Still too reckless!" "To unleash full strength with a single move!" "I didn''t expect Lv Renyao, with all his might, to be so weak, even weaker than Xie Xiaojiu, which is surprising!" With these thoughts, Jiang Ning shook his head once again. ... Below the arena. Witnessing this scene. The crowd involuntarily gaped. "Did I see that right?" "You saw right!!" "Sss! Just one punch?" "Yeah! Just one punch!!" "That''s too exaggerated!" "Yeah! Way too exaggerated!!" "I thought these Martial Arts Garden students were so strong? And yet he was sent flying with a single punch?" "It may not necessarily mean the Martial Arts Garden student is weak!" "Are you saying... it''s Jiang Ning who''s too strong?" "Mhm! Yes!! Perhaps Jiang Ning is far stronger than we imagined! Didn''t you hear the conversation between those Martial Arts Garden students just now? The student who entered the arena is not the least bit weak!" "..." On the arena. "This strong?" The man hosting the assessment looked at Jiang Ning in surprise. In the stands. "This strong?" Hong Minghu was also astonished as he watched Jiang Ning on the arena, his interest piqued. "Well done! That''s how it should be done! That''s the thrill!!" Lin Qingyi, looking at Jiang Ning, revealed a smile on her lips, her interest in him growing. Below the arena. "So powerful!!" Li Qing''s eyes flashed brightly. "Brother Jiang is so powerful?!!" Zhou Xing was immensely astonished. "Damn it! Why did I hesitate just now!!!" Wang Jin, upon witnessing the scene, couldn''t help but slap his thigh. He then thought to himself: "If I had known my disciple was this strong, I should have accepted Yu Yuan''s bet!!" Chapter 221 102: The Struggle for Deputy Commander In the training field, where the Martial Arts Garden students were, Lin Jiaer felt a wave of regret as she watched Jiang Ning standing on the stage. With such strength, Jiang Ning was bound to secure the position of team commander. The commander of the Inspection Office was a standard Ninth Grade official of Great Xia. Although this only differed from the Patrol Guard by being standard versus secondary, the gap between them was immense. Secondary Ninth Rank, Patrol Guard, was merely the lower echelon within this powerful institution, dealing with the dirtiest and most exhaustive tasks. Whereas a standard Ninth Grade team commander had the power to dispatch nine Martial Arts Nine Grade Patrol Guards. This was a true power-holding Ninth-Rank Martial Official. This meant, from today onwards, Jiang Ning was no longer an ordinary civilian but a standard Ninth Grade Martial Official with real power. Such power brought a status comparable to that of most Secondary Eighth-Rank Officials. You see, even in the county of Dongling County, an Eighth-Rank Official was considered to have some status. After all, the Prefectural Governor of the county was merely a Sixth-Rank Official. Thinking of all these, Lin Jiaer felt even more regret. Such a young Martial Artist, on par with an Eighth-Rank Official, faced a bright future. He was undoubtedly her ideal match, a partner full of potential. But she knew it was no longer possible for her! After pushing him away that day, it became impossible!! ... On the other side, He Jinyun, looking gaunt and wan, stared at Jiang Ning on the platform somewhat blankly. "Is this an exaggeration?" "It is a bit exaggerated!" Qin Xuan, dressed in a black robe with golden trim, nodded slightly, then added, "I know Lv Renyao''s strength well. To counter his punch directly, I couldn''t manage." Then Qin Xuan looked at He Jinyun again, "Not to mention me, no Martial Artist in the Martial Arts Garden who has normally reached the Peak of Eighth Grade could do this! His punch isn''t something a normal person could produce." He Jinyun asked, "Why are you looking at me?" Qin Xuan spoke up, "I feel this youngster, like you, also possesses Innate Divine Strength!" Hearing this comment, He Jinyun immediately shook his head, "Even with my Innate Divine Strength, if I faced Lv Renyao barehanded, I couldn''t achieve this kid''s overwhelming force!" "In my view, you all still underestimate this kid!" "His overwhelming force not only crushed Lv Renyao in strength but also surpassed him in martial skill. He must have mastered a very good Middle Grade or higher Martial Art; hence such strong explosive power!" He Jinyun''s words made Qin Xuan''s eyes narrow. "Middle Grade or higher Martial Art?" "Yes!" He Jinyun nodded, "That''s my judgment!" "If that''s true, he will be quite the challenging opponent for you, Brother Jinyun!" Qin Xuan spoke. "He is a challenging opponent! But that''s what makes it interesting, right?" He Jinyun licked his lips and showed an excited face. ... On the other side, On the platform, Following the defeat of Martial Arts Garden student Lv Renyao, no one dared to challenge Jiang Ning''s platform. Thirty minutes later, "Take it!" the man presiding over the assessment spoke, handing a silver identity token to Jiang Ning. He added, "How about joining my command afterward?" Jiang Ning received the token and smiled. "Thank you for considering me, sir, but I would like to compete for the Deputy Commander position!" "Well, that''s ambition!" the man presiding over the assessment commended. As Jiang Ning jumped down from the platform, the crowd made way for him, watching him with admiration. Defeating an elite from the Martial Arts Garden students made the people of Luoshui County feel honored. Before, with just three Martial Arts Garden students easily securing the team commander positions and intimidating the competitors, they all thought that the strong Martial Arts Garden students would continue winning, leaving them quite disheartened. But seeing someone like themselves gaining power usually meant consideration for fellow townspeople. And unlike the outsiders from Martial Arts Garden, they had no such ties. So, seeing Jiang Ning win the position of team commander, not only did they not feel jealous but they were happy instead. Some were even more thrilled. Having seen one succeed, they believed there could be another. Since Jiang Ning could win the team commander position, it indicated that the students from Dongling City''s Martial Arts Garden weren''t unbeatable, and they might also have a chance to secure a team commander position. ... Below the platform. "Mission accomplished!" Jiang Ning smiled at Wang Jin. "Excellent!" Wang Jin nodded vigorously, then looked at Jiang Ning with a beaming face. Then, he turned to Master Yu beside him, "Master Yu, how do you find this disciple of mine?" Hearing Wang Jin''s words, Master Yu gazed at him somewhat grudgingly. "You''ve merely lucked out in stumbling upon such a Martial Arts genius!" Master Yu, as the head of a Martial Arts Hall, could clearly see the enormous potential in Jiang Ning. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To have achieved such proficiency in just three months of training. Where he could go in the future, Master Yu dared not predict, nor could he even imagine. But Master Yu knew, to have such a disciple in Luoshui County, was exceedingly rare, maybe once in a hundred years. To take him as a disciple was the dream of countless Masters. Including himself!! "Haha¡ª" hearing Master Yu''s words, Wang Jin couldn''t help but beam with joy. Master Yu''s envious and jealous gaze was extremely satisfying to Wang Jin. Why open a Martial Arts Hall, teach Martial Arts, and accept disciples? Mainly for the continuation of the lineage and the sense of accomplishment in nurturing disciples. Now that Jiang Ning had become the first person in Luoshui County to secure the position of team commander, giving him such honor naturally filled Wang Jin with a profound sense of accomplishment. Chapter 222 102: The Struggle for Deputy Commander_2 Reflecting on the various decisions he had made, Wang Jin felt he was extremely wise. "Brother Jiang, congratulations!" Zhou Xing came up to Jiang Ning and raised his hand to congratulate him. "Brother Jiang, congratulations!" Li Qing looked at Jiang Ning with a smile, and it seemed like there were stars twinkling in her eyes at that moment. Jiang Ning then exchanged a few pleasantries. Time silently passed. Even with Jiang Ning leading the way, Zhou Xing still didn''t dare to go on stage at this moment. Zhou Xing was very clear that he was not only no match for Jiang Ning but also for the two whom Jiang Ning had defeated, Miss Nine from the Xie family, as well as that elite student from the Martial Arts Garden who had gone on stage; he had no confidence in surpassing them. In this case, Zhou Xing could only patiently wait. Normally, as the competition progresses, the challengers tend to get weaker. Because real strong players disdain to wait. Like He Jinyun, who was the first to go on stage, and a few others who followed. As one defender after another took to the stage, everyone still realized that it was extremely difficult, too difficult, to hold the stage against the students from the Martial Arts Garden. Even if their physical strength wasn''t inferior, facing an elite Eighth Grade student from the Martial Arts Garden meant no chance of winning. Because the students of the Martial Arts Garden had too superior a mastery of martial arts. They generally possessed several lower-level martial arts skills at the Perfection level and some even mastered middle-grade martial arts. With equal physical prowess, the battle was lost as they were at a disadvantage. After a long wait, two hours had passed. Zhou Xing finally took the stage. However, just when he finally managed to hold off a challenger from the Martial Arts Garden, he was easily defeated by the next challenger and thrown out of the stage. "It''s not so simple after all! I''m nowhere near as good as Brother Jiang," Zhou Xing spoke while standing in front of Jiang Ning. As he watched the disheartened Zhou Xing, Jiang Ning was about to say something. Zhou Xing''s expression perked up a bit, then he said, "It''s okay! Brother Jiang, no need to comfort me, this was all within my expectations!" Then he turned to look at Wang Jin. "Disciple Zhou Xing has failed to make you proud, Master!" Wang Jin stepped forward and patted Zhou Xing on the shoulder. "You''ve done very well! Being able to join the Inspection Office, you have not let down your father''s cultivation!" Zhou Xing heard this and gave Wang Jin a forced smile. Zhou Xing immediately adjusted his mentality. Then he looked at Jiang Ning: "Brother Jiang, I wonder if I could work under you after I join the Inspection Office?" "Very welcome!" Jiang Ning spoke. "Then I''ll be counting on Brother Jiang to look after me in the future!" Zhou Xing bowed to Jiang Ning and performed a ceremonial gesture. "There''s no need for such formalities!" Jiang Ning quickly helped Zhou Xing up. Jiang Ning knew Zhou Xing as a man of deep thoughts who had rejected Cheng Ran''s invitation to invest in him previously. But Jiang Ning didn''t dislike Zhou Xing. Considering that Zhou Xing had been quite helpful to himself. On his first day in the Martial Arts Hall, Zhou Xing had given him a Wild Ginseng. Although it was Zhou Xing''s attempt to win favor, it was undoubtedly a great help to him. The batch of Wild Ginseng he bought from Zhou Xing later was practically given to him half for half price. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. All these things also made Jiang Ning unable to dislike Zhou Xing. Not to mention, Zhou Xing, an Eighth Grade in Martial Arts, was a capable talent. In the future, joining the Inspection Office, he couldn''t personally handle everything. After all, advancing his martial arts skills was his first priority. The Inspection Office was always a place of refuge in Jiang Ning''s eyes, allowing him to grow. He naturally did not want to deal with trivial matters. Under such circumstances, capable people were needed. Zhou Xing was an excellent choice. Especially with the strength of an Eighth Grade in Martial Arts. At this time, Zhou Xing looked at Jiang Ning, feeling mixed emotions. Originally, he had wanted to recruit Jiang Ning under his command. But now, it was completely the other way around. However, he did not regret this decision at all, as it was made after careful consideration. When he decided to fight on the stage, he was already prepared to make this decision. As soon as he failed to secure his position as leader, he would immediately side with Jiang Ning. Because of everything that had happened, Zhou Xing knew that Jiang Ning was the star talent of Luoshui County once in a century. Such a person, if not a friend, then not an enemy. If able to submit, then not act arrogant. Once he had his role adjusted, he naturally made this decision early. But at this moment, there was still great regret in his heart. Thinking back on his missed opportunity to invest in Jiang Ning, Zhou Xing felt immense regret. If he had sent valuable gifts earlier, his relationship with Jiang Ning wouldn''t have been merely that of sect brothers, but that of close friends. The nature of their relationship would have been completely different. Now that Jiang Ning had dramatically risen in status, the benefits brought to him were also completely different. "What a pity!!!" Thinking back to that scene, Zhou Xing sighed deeply in his heart. ... After Zhou Xing was defeated and descended from the stage, there were still martial artists from Luoshui County who went up to challenge or defend the position. However, there were hardly any successful ones. Until the battles for the thirteen team leader positions were over, including Jiang Ning, only three martial artists from Luoshui County had successfully claimed the positions. One of them was Liu Zhaonan from the Liu family, and another was a woman from the Fuyuan Escort Agency, named Ruan Hongmei. Her whip technique was as agile as a dragon, astonishing everyone. For Ruan Hongmei, a daughter of the escort agency''s owner, had previously not been well-known within Luoshui County. Even less renowned than Jiang Ning. But now she had surpassed all competitors and captured a team leader position, something no one had expected. After the dust settled, all the team leaders went on the stage again, totaling fifteen people. Among them were two at Martial Arts Seventh Grade. Martial Arts Seventh Grade, automatically giving the holder a team leader title. "You all¡­ not bad!!" The man overseeing the assessment looked over the fifteen people and nodded his head. "Hurry and announce the next competition for the Deputy Commander!" He Jinyun said languidly. Seeing this, the man overseeing the assessment smiled faintly, showing no sign of displeasure. Because there was no choice¡ªHe Jinyun was the renowned Young Master from Dongling City. A Fourth Grade Lord''s Young Master, how could an Eighth-Rank Official dare to provoke him? Even though He Jinyun was being somewhat rude at that moment, he could only respond with a smile. The next moment. His expression became more spirited. "Now that the Inspection Office has been initially established, there are four vacancies for Deputy Commander, a fact I believe you all are aware of!" The man glanced at the crowd, then continued, "The four Deputy Commander positions will be contested by you, arising from amongst yourselves." "As for the rules of the contest for Deputy Commander, they are quite simple!" "Go up to the stage by yourself, one-on-one, defeat any team leader, and you move on to the next round!" "The final four victors will obtain the position of Deputy Commander." With that, the man added, "I remind you once more, the position of Deputy Commander is an Eighth-Rank official post. If you miss today, it will be difficult as ascending to heaven to obtain such a rank later!" Having finished announcing, the man moved to a corner of the stage. "Alright! You can begin now!" ... On the stage, He Jinyun scanned the crowd, his face immediately showing excitement. "I''ll go first, who wants to fight me?" For a moment, everyone stepped back to the edge of the stage. Nobody stepped forward to challenge He Jinyun. Jiang Ning made the same choice. As the saying goes, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down, and he knew well that he wasn''t a match for someone of He Jinyun''s significant background. There was no need to be the first to step forward now. Even though he was confident he could defeat He Jinyun, there wasn''t a need to do so. Because defeating He Jinyun would merely qualify him for the next round. And by hindering this Young Master''s advancement, it would offend the Young Master from Dongling City. Merely the words "Young Master" made Jiang Ning choose not to offend him temporarily. Instigating trouble with such a powerfully connected Young Master was far more disadvantageous than advantageous, something he wouldn''t consider. Moreover, competing with He Jinyun was entirely unnecessary. Because there were four Deputy Commander positions available. After understanding the martial prowess of everyone present today, Jiang Ning was completely confident. Among these fifteen team leaders, there were only two at Martial Arts Seventh Grade, all the rest were at Martial Arts Eighth Grade. In Jiang Ning''s view, Among the twelve people with Martial Arts Eighth Grade, He Jinyun was probably the strongest. With his Innate Divine Strength, such talent was naturally unbeatable at Eighth Grade. Not to mention, He Jinyun also had the status of a Young Master. With such a status, he was never lacking in martial resources or elite teachers. How could he be weak? Thus, even without competing with He Jinyun, under the scenario where he couldn''t surpass the two Martial Arts Seventh Grades, it just allowed those three to occupy three of the Deputy Commander positions. But there were four Deputy Commander positions! With one position left for him, how could he not secure it? Chapter 223 103: Twelve Competing for One Above the arena, no one stepped forward to face He Jinyun. After quite a while, "This is boring!" He Jinyun shook his head, utterly uninterested. At that moment, the man hosting the assessment looked towards the direction of the viewing stand, where Hong Minghu was located. Seeing Hong Minghu nod slightly and hearing Hong Minghu''s voice ringing in his ear, the host immediately understood. Then, he turned his gaze towards the people at the edge of the arena. "If no one here challenges He Jinyun, then he will directly seize the position of Deputy Commander!" Even after this announcement, still no one on the arena stepped forward. The two Martial Arts Seventh Grade fighters, a man and a woman, remained as calm as old dogs, watching the scene unfold on the arena without any hurry. Since there were four Deputy Commander positions and among the crowd, only the two of them were Martial Arts Seventh Grade. Given this, they had no reason to feel anxious. Between the Seventh and Eighth Grades lay a chasm-like gap. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After Muscle Training, the explosive power was terrifying; every action could gather the force from the entire body. This explosive power made their attacks extremely formidable. Furthermore, this powerful explosive power greatly increased their speed. Especially in close combat, their movements, far quicker by many degrees compared to an Eighth Grade, if at the peak of the Seventh Grade and having achieved Great Success in Muscle Training, were exponentially faster than an Eighth Grade. This gap was the confidence in their hearts. Out of the four Deputy Commander positions, they could easily occupy two. Hence, they could afford to give this Young Master face and not compete with him. As for the others, they all knew that though He Jinyun looked skinny and undernourished, they were aware that he possessed Innate Divine Strength. Among the elite students of the Martial Arts Garden, with such talent, he was naturally invincible. Knowing they couldn''t defeat him, how could they dare to step forward and fight? ... A moment later, "Congratulations, Young Master!" the host announced. He then took out a golden Token from his chest and tossed it towards He Jinyun. "Is it solid gold?" He Jinyun caught the Token and examined it closely. "Gilded!" the host replied. "How stingy!" He Jinyun pursed his lips, clearly disdainful. Hearing these words from He Jinyun, the host felt speechless. A token the size of a palm, pure gold? Who could afford such extravagance? Then, He Jinyun walked towards the crowd and said, "There are three positions left; you all fight for them! I''m going back first, this damn weather is too hot!!" With that, he jumped down from the arena. The crowd made way for him, watching him leave. "This Young Master is really powerful! He seized the position of Deputy Commander effortlessly, grading him as an Eighth Grade official!" As they watched He Jinyun''s departing figure, someone suddenly exclaimed in admiration. Immediately someone replied: "Indeed! Did you see who he is? He''s a Young Master, a descendant of a Fourth Grade Lord. In their eyes, an Eighth Grade position is nothing!" Hearing this, someone immediately objected: "You''re underestimating the Eighth Rank Deputy Commander position. It''s a position with real power, holding the authority of life and death, with the privilege of execution before reporting, one rank above other officials!" Upon hearing this, someone nodded: "True! The power of the Inspection Office is far too great; it seems that Luoshui County will inevitably undergo turmoil!" "That''s inevitable!" Someone nodded in agreement. "Speaking of which! Do you think our local prodigies from Luoshui County have any chance of securing one of these four Deputy Commander spots?" someone changed the topic. "Difficult! Very difficult!!" "Yes! It''s very difficult! This Young Master has already seized one position. Now with only three Deputy Commander positions left and two Martial Arts Seventh Grades left, they will surely take two more spots. That leaves only the last one!" "In this case, Jiang Ning, Liu Zhaonan, and Ruan Hongmei have no hope!" "Not necessarily!" someone suddenly countered: "Did you all forget Jiang Ning''s performance just now? His punch defeated an elite student from the Martial Arts Garden. With such a performance, he might stand a chance!" "It''s not that simple!" someone immediately shook their heads and continued to analyze: "You must know, the martial arts skills of the students from the Martial Arts Garden far surpass ours!" "The ones who will compete with Jiang Ning are the elite among these elite students, each mastering several forms of Perfection in lower-level martial arts!" "The Martial Arts Garden student who finally seizes the remaining Deputy Commander position will certainly have mastered Middle Grade and even superior martial arts beyond lower-level martial arts!" "With such a huge gap in martial arts skills, how could sheer brute strength prevail!" The analytical discussion left the group silent, for they fully understood the undeniable truth in these words. The difference in strength isn''t solely based on power. Combat experience, performance under pressure, weapon advantage, mastery of martial arts... These all influence the outcome of a fight. Among them, mastery of martial arts had the greatest impact. Possessing a powerful form of martial arts brought unparalleled advantages. Middle Grade martial arts, even just being a master of it, could easily crush lower-level martial arts. Higher forms of martial arts have even more potent effects. And the major shortfall of Luoshui County''s prodigies is in their mastery of martial arts. ... On the stage, a man stepped to the center. "Who will fight me?" He looked at the crowd with confidence. Being one of the two powerful Seventh Grade fighters, facing a group of Sixth Rank fighters, he naturally had this confidence. Chapter 224 103: Twelve Compete for One_2 The crowd watched him and immediately frowned. Because they realized that if no one took the stage, it would simply replicate the scene with He Jinyun from just moments ago, and this person would automatically seize the position of Deputy Commander. If that was to be the case, then the original four spots would be reduced to two. But when they thought of this person''s strength, their hearts started to thump. Martial Arts Seventh Grade. This was a level of progress in Martial Arts far ahead of their own. Moreover, as far as they knew, both of these Martial Arts Seventh Graders had come from the city of the prefecture. From the city at the heart of Guangning Prefecture. At the same time, they were students from the institutions above the Martial Arts Garden. Having stood out from the competition in the Martial Arts Garden and entering the institutions of the city, without a doubt, this person had been an exceptional presence during their time in the Martial Arts Garden. Such a presence, even if only at Eighth Grade, would not be weaker than any of the people present. Let alone now that they had reached the Seventh Grade. Thinking of this, everyone held their breath. As for the other Seventh Grade woman, she looked on with a face that seemed to enjoy the drama unfolding before her. A moment later. The man conducting the exam said, "Won''t anyone step forward?" The crowd remained silent! So did Jiang Ning! With only one chance to take the stage, and a single defeat meaning a complete loss of eligibility to compete for the Deputy Commander position, why would he choose to challenge a Seventh Grader when he had the option of an Eighth Grader? He still vividly remembered the power of Liu Qingsong that day. The fact that he had been able to overcome Liu Qingsong, the steward elder from Medicine King Valley and a Martial Arts Seventh Grader, had been due to having the advantage of fighting in water. In water, his combat power doubled. Naturally, he feared not these Seventh Grade Martial Artists and could win easily. But on land, especially under the watchful eyes of all, his strength and tactics were limited, and it was unjustified to look for trouble with a Seventh Grade Martial Artist. Another moment passed. The man conducting the exam spoke again, "If no one comes forward to challenge, then Yuan Hua will automatically assume the position of Deputy Commander, won''t he?" Once more, the crowd kept silent, with no one showing any intention of stepping forward to challenge. "Well then!" The man sighed slightly. Then he took out a golden Identity Token from his body. "Congratulations!" Yuan Hua, who came from the institution, bowed and then received the golden Identity Token. Immediately. He returned to the side of the stage and whispered to the woman beside him, "Tang Miaomiao, it''s your turn!" The woman nodded, grasping her long sword as she stepped into the center of the stage. "Is there anyone who wishes to battle with me?" Her gaze swept over the crowd, her expression containing a hint of arrogance. With Yuan Hua leading the way, not a single person dared to take the stage to fight. The lack of courage to even fight had naturally led her to look down upon these people. Watching Tang Miaomiao''s gaze, several faces instantly showed displeasure. Especially Qin Xuan and others, who couldn''t help but clench their fists tightly. As students of the Martial Arts Garden from Dongling City, they had always received respectful gazes wherever they went; when had they ever been subjected to such disdain? Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But thinking of this woman''s background and her Martial Arts Seventh Grade strength, they could only silently endure such gazes. "How boring!!" Tang Miaomiao curled her lip, her words carrying a touch of contempt. Then she said to the man conducting the exam, "Why not just announce it? I don''t think any of these people are going to come up and fight me!" The man heard this but did not respond directly. Instead, he looked at the crowd once more, "Does anyone wish to challenge?" Silence... Another moment passed. "Well then!" He sighed slightly. Then he took out another golden Identity Token from his body. "Congratulations!" "Thanks!" Tang Miaomiao accepted the golden token, her face filled with excitement. She had known even before that she was just going through the motions in the middle. After all, Yuan Hua, also at the Seventh Grade, had done the same. With Yuan Hua leading, it was natural she would follow suit. With the token neatly secured, she walked towards Yuan Hua. On the other side. The crowd instantly became eager, their faces full of anticipation. Three of the four Deputy Commander positions had already been taken. And there were still a total of twelve people amongst those present. That is to say, the position of Deputy Commander must be decided from among the remaining twelve people. Only the ultimate victor may seize this position of Deputy Commander. "I''ll do it!" Qin Xuan stepped forward without hesitation, his face fearless. The very next moment, someone else stepped forward as well. It was Ruan Hongmei from Luoshui County. She held a long whip in her hand, and wearing a tight-fitting martial outfit, she approached the center of the ring. "As expected, my treatment is completely different! As soon as I step forward, someone challenges me!" Qin Xuan looked at Ruan Hongmei in front of him and gave a self-mocking smile. "Enough talk!" Ruan Hongmei said, "There''s only one Deputy Commander position left, what difference does it make if you''re first or last, you have to defeat everyone to qualify." "You make a good point!" Qin Xuan nodded in agreement. "Are you okay with a weapon duel?" Ruan Hongmei asked again. Qin Xuan glanced at the long whip in Ruan Hongmei''s hand and then nodded, "Let''s have a weapon duel then!" The next moment, he asked the man hosting the examination for a long sword. Afterward, Qin Xuan, holding the long sword, instantly crossed hands with Ruan Hongmei. As soon as they engaged, they both went all out, holding nothing back. Ruan Hongmei''s whip moved like a swimming dragon, flicking left and right, cracking through the air. After just over a dozen breaths, Ruan Hongmei fell in defeat. At this moment, her body had several bone-deep sword wounds, and her clothes were stained with a large patch of red. If it were an ordinary person, any sword strike that Ruan Hongmei received would have been fatal on the spot, sliced apart by the blade. The reason why Ruan Hongmei could withstand those sword wounds was related to the Martial Artist''s strong physical defensive power. Ninth Grade Great Success, skin as tough as bronze. Further on, as strength and Qi-Blood increase, the toughness of the skin membrane will continue to grow. For this reason, every Martial Artist has extremely strong survivability and is unlikely to suffer severe fatal injuries. Especially when clad in armor, equivalent to double protection, death becomes even more unlikely. Having seen the genuine exchange between the two, Jiang Ning gained a more direct understanding of the physical resilience of Martial Artists. This is a path where defense outweighs attack. Because according to what he knew, the Ninth Grade Great Success and bronze-like skin membrane was not the limit of Refining Skin. There were two more steps after that. Vajra Temple possesses the successive methods, which were indeed what he is now cultivating: Vajra Immortal Body. The Golden Body is the true Perfection of this step in Refining Skin. "With skin as tough as bronze, such defensive power, if one achieves Golden Body Perfection, then it should truly be invincible to blades and spears!" Thinking of this, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but muse inwardly. At this time, after Ruan Hongmei was defeated and stepped down, her expression was resolute and calm, as if she had not sustained any injuries at all. The wounds on her body also visibly stopped bleeding. In the face of her strong physical control, the muscles squeezed shut, stopping the flow of blood from the wounds. Ruan Hongmei then approached Jiang Ning, suddenly stopping her steps, and whispered to him. "I did my best! Qin Xuan is too strong, I''m not his match, but I also injured his right arm, I believe it''ll be easier for you if you face him later!" "I believe you can grab this position, create a miracle! The people of Luoshui County need a Deputy Commander from our county!" After quickly saying this, Ruan Hongmei leaped down from the ring and disappeared into the crowd without looking back. Jiang Ning was taken aback, then glanced at Ruan Hongmei''s retreating figure and smiled faintly. On the stage, Qin Xuan had already moved to one side. After defeating Ruan Hongmei, he automatically advanced to the next round, so naturally, he didn''t need to fight any longer. Afterward, another person from the Martial Arts Garden came to the center of the ring. "Contesting martial skills, who will enlighten me?" he said to the remaining nine people. "I will!" Jiang Ning stepped forward decisively. Seeing Jiang Ning, the man couldn''t help but take a deep breath. "Come on!" At this moment, as Jiang Ning took the initiative to step forward, the crowd became interested. "Can Jiang Ning advance to the next round?" someone asked. "Shouldn''t be hard! Looking at the ring fights from earlier, he doesn''t seem to have an unbeatable aura!" "..." As the crowd discussed, the two soon crossed hands. After just a few breaths, the man from the Martial Arts Garden fell off the ring. "Acknowledged!" Jiang Ning bowed with his hands clasped. The man held his chest, his face flushed red. With Jiang Ning''s execution of "Blind Man Bumping into a Tree," he was knocked off the ring without any ability to resist, defeated and fallen. Chapter 225 104 Sorry... Sorry! On the stage. In the blink of an eye, the first round had already ended. Just now there were twelve people, and now only six remained. Among the six, as of now the only local Martial Artist from Luoshui County left to compete was Jiang Ning. The other five were all students from the Martial Arts Garden of Dongling City. Beneath the stage. "Indeed! It''s not easy to handle the elite among the elite students of the Martial Arts Garden. I couldn''t even win a single match!" Liu Zhaonan sighed slightly, his expression reflective. "Brother Zhaonan has already made me see you in a new light. To think you could seize the position of squad leader, I am far from your equal!" Cao Zijian looked at Liu Zhaonan, a complex expression flashing through his eyes. He had not expected that Liu Zhaonan, who had once been behind him, had quietly surpassed him by so much. He had just gone up to the stage to personally compete with the elite students of the Martial Arts Garden, and had developed a firsthand knowledge of the strength of those Martial Arts Garden students. It was a crushing force that left him with no sight of victory. At this moment, Liu Zhaonan heard Cao Zijian''s words and immediately let out a light sigh, shaking his head. "What''s my achievement worth! It''s Jiang Ning who has truly changed our perception. Who could have thought that such an ordinary civilian, practicing martial arts for merely a few months, could have come this far? A talent that Luoshui County only sees once in a hundred years wouldn''t come close to comparing to him, right?" Hearing Liu Zhaonan mention Jiang Ning, Cao Zijian''s face grew even more complicated. "Yes! Who would have thought he had such strength? With such talent, even my clan brother Cao Rong is not his equal!" "It''s also fortunate that clan brother Cao Bin chose to reconcile with him earlier. If we had continued to be at odds, after today, with Jiang Ning''s power and influence, my Cao family would really be in trouble!" At this, Liu Zhaonan, who was listening to Cao Zijian''s laments, couldn''t help but smile faintly. Because he did not have the concerns Cao Zijian had. The pillar of the Cao family was now Cao Rong. Cao Rong of the Divine Bow Camp in Dongling City. Although Cao Rong held a high position, being a military man, he could scarcely return home once or twice a year. His influence could hardly reach Luoshui County. If things turned out as Cao Zijian had said, and Jiang Ning became a squad leader in the Inspection Office after today, if he were to target the Cao family, it would indeed become very troublesome for them. Because it was too easy to find trouble when one had authority. And with Cao Rong too remote to help, far waters can''t quench near thirst. But Liu Zhaonan was different. He had been given costly support by his clan over the past few months. And now he had successfully captured the position of squad leader. Being squad leaders in the Inspection Office, although he admired Jiang Ning''s strength, being a squad leader like him, he did not fear Jiang Ning as Cao Zijian did. And with him as a squad leader in the Inspection Office, the future storms in Luoshui County would pass peacefully for the Liu family. The Cao and Xie families, however, were different stories. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xie Xiaojiu, the most outstanding of the Xie family, had just lost to Jiang Ning in the battle for squad leader. Therefore, like the Cao family, they had not managed to produce a squad leader. Thinking of this, Liu Zhaonan felt a secret pleasure. Ten years ago, Cao Rong burst onto the scene, leading the Cao family from the least of the three major families to a power that vaguely overshadowed the Liu and Xie families. And now, it was his turn to create a legend. ... At this time. On the stage. Following the end of the first round, there were now only six people qualified to compete in the second round. Qin Xuan was the first to take the stage again. Holding a sharp sword slightly downward, he wore a black gold-trimmed long robe that showed his flair. "Who will it be?" Qin Xuan addressed the five. "I will!" Instantly, a man stood out without hesitation. With only one Deputy Commander position remaining, to seize this sole spot required defeating everyone present. If one was to become the only one, there was no difference between fighting first or later. Therefore, the man did not hesitate at all. After the fight, Qin Xuan was victorious. In this battle, he did not sustain any additional wounds. If He Jinyun were here, she would notice that Qin Xuan had made tremendously great progress compared to a month ago. The next moment, Jiang Ning voluntarily stepped up to the stage. "A weapon battle, who will it be?" He addressed the remaining three. Then he turned his head to the man presiding over the assessment and said, "Please lend me a blade." "Here!" The man grabbed a heavier blade than previously from the nearby weapon rack and tossed it toward Jiang Ning. The long blade whistled through the air, and Jiang Ning caught it with his hand. With the long blade in hand, its specifications appeared in his mind. It was three feet and five inches long, weighing one hundred and thirty-seven pounds. It was indeed a fine blade. Its mirror-like blade reflected a dazzling light in the sunlight. At this time, a woman stepped forward on her own initiative. She was the only woman left among those present. She wore a fiery red leather battle armor, with a long spear in her hand, her hair confined by a hair crown, swaying like a ponytail behind her head, looking very heroic and valiant. "I''m up!" The woman came to the center of the stage, standing in front of Jiang Ning. "A weapon battle, I love it!" She lightly swung the long spear in her hand, the red tassel flashing like a streak of fire. "I''m Feng Jiuge!" "Jiang Ning!" Jiang Ning somewhat knew of this woman, because his senses were extraordinarily keen, and just by standing there, he could hear the low murmurs from all over the place beneath the stage. So, during the half-day''s events at the training ground, he had also learned many things he had not known before from those discussions. Among them was information about the red-robed warrior woman in front of him. This woman was the daughter of a Colonel in Dongling City. Her martial skills were full of military style, and her previous battle was characterized by wide open strikes. Such a style, in theory, was not suitable for arena combat, but better for charging on the battlefield. Chapter 226 104 Im... Im sorry!_2 But the fact that she could stand here, as one of the remaining six, was enough to show her extraordinary strength. "Are you ready?" the woman spoke to Jiang Ning. "Come on!" Jiang Ning said. As the sound of his voice fell, the woman''s figure moved, and a surge of murderous intent suddenly enveloped Jiang Ning. Such intense murderous intent! It seemed this woman had been on the battlefield! Jiang Ning instantly made a judgment in his heart. At this moment, his mind also ceased to harbor any distracting thoughts. He raised his hand and a sword hacked through the air. Block¡ª Metal clashed against metal, sparks flew. Feng Jiuge''s spear was suddenly sent flying from her hands, and her heart was startled. "Such terrifying power!" "At least three thousand eight or nine hundred pounds." "My strength is merely three thousand pounds, far from being his match in terms of strength!" Feng Jiuge immediately made a judgment in her heart. Then, she moved her hand that was holding the spear to the back, gripping it at the tail end. With a shake of her arm, the spearhead that had just been flung away promptly realigned, with its cold light glittering in a diamond shape, it made a horizontal cut towards Jiang Ning''s throat. Seeing this, Jiang Ning''s figure subtly retreated, dodging Feng Jiuge''s strike. Then, the long sword in his hand followed the motion and lifted upward. His sword force was now both heavy and fast. In just an instant, it struck the shaft of the spear. However, as Feng Jiuge lifted the shaft of her spear, with her technique in wielding it, the elastic and tough shaft of the spear easily dissipated the force within. "Indeed it works!" Feng Jiuge''s eyes narrowed slightly. "Time to end this!" she thought to herself. The next moment, S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. behind the cover of its red tassels, the spear blossomed like fire. Hidden within the fire was a spear tip akin to a venomous snake. Clang¡ª Clang¡ª Clang¡ª ... Streaks of light flashed, forcing Jiang Ning to retreat time and again. "What fierce power!" Feeling the feedback from his sword, Jiang Ning inwardly exclaimed. He could clearly sense that the force Feng Jiuge was unleashing now was far greater than before. Every collision of her spearhead against his sword blade forced him to retreat in order to neutralize it. "It''s somewhat like the Nine Layers of Strength!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself. At this time, Feng Jiuge''s swinging spear grew increasingly ferocious. The tip of the spear seemed to transform into a whirl of flames, continually expanding to tightly encircle Jiang Ning, not giving him even the slightest chance to catch his breath. Moreover, as time trickled by, Feng Jiuge''s offensive grew ever more intense, each spear thrust more powerful and heavier than the last. The flames at the tip of her spear were gradually compressing Jiang Ning''s space, driving him toward the edge of the platform behind him. "Is this the Miao family''s Sweeping Fire Spear Skill? Truly domineering!" Qin Xuan murmured to himself as he watched the scene unfold on the platform. "Brother Qin is also familiar with the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill?" a man asked beside him. "Of course, I know it! The Sweeping Fire Spear Skill is a middle-grade martial art owned by the Miao family. The Miao Captain rose to prominence relying on the power of this middle-grade martial art!" Qin Xuan said. "Then, in Brother Qin''s view, can Jiang Ning handle Feng Jiuge going all out?" the man beside him asked again. Qin Xuan''s mouth opened slightly, about to make a judgment, and then he slightly shook his head: "Hard to say, let''s wait and see!" ... On the other side, In the midst of the platform, under Feng Jiuge''s fierce attacks, Jiang Ning had been pushed back across a good portion of the area. Now, he was only a mere two Zhang (approximately 20 feet) from the edge of the platform. Sweeping Fire Spear Skill? Upon hearing these three words, Jiang Ning felt surprised in his heart. He suddenly recalled what Wang Jin had said when he passed on the Canglang Blade Skill. According to Wang Jin, The Canglang Blade Skill is an exceptionally superior middle-grade martial art that can cultivate the Nine Layers of Strength. When the blade skill reaches Perfection, so does the Nine Layers of Strength. Perfection of the Nine Layers of Strength allows one to unleash the power of nine blades in a single strike, fusing the power of nine blades into one. Able to fight across borders. At the same time, Wang Jin also mentioned another middle-grade martial arts technique, the Sweeping Fire Saber Skill. If he could master the Sweeping Fire Saber Skill and practice both saber techniques to perfection, fusing them into one, then he would master a superior martial arts technique. "Sweeping Fire Saber Skill? Sweeping Fire Spear Skill?" "Could this be a variation of the saber technique?" Jiang Ning thought to himself while fending off his opponent. At this moment, even though Feng Jiuge was going all out, she wasn''t putting any pressure on Jiang Ning. Ferocious as her spear technique was, dazzling even, Before Jiang Ning''s heightened senses, the trajectory of Feng Jiuge''s spear was clearly visible. Every time the spear tip launched an attack, hidden by the red tassel, just as it moved, Jiang Ning would easily detect it and cleave it apart with his blade. He didn''t fully strike her and knock Feng Jiuge out of the ring because he only wanted to keep her as a tool for gaining battle experience. After all, opponents too weak were of no use for enhancing his battle experience. An outstanding opponent like Feng Jiuge was hard to come by in Luoshui County, so naturally, there was no need to rush. But after this brief exchange, Jiang Ning realized this approach seemed futile. Because he discovered that so-called battle experience was nothing more than the muscle memory honed during combat, the body''s instinct. For other martial artists, it was difficult to fully capture the movements and techniques of an equal opponent. In situations where one couldn''t see clearly, the ability to react in the nick of time when facing an enemy was extremely important. But now, to his eyes, every move, every slight change in action of the opponent was clearly visible. His strong senses gave him the ability to perceive all changes, all falsities, and truths. So even if Feng Jiuge''s attacks were fierce and dazzling, Jiang Ning could easily see through everything. Moreover, his mastery of the saber had reached the so-called unity of man and blade, the blade moving with his will. Where his eyes went, his saber followed. His breakthrough in saber technique allowed him to swing his blade as fast as a startled swan, which enabled him to precisely defend against the oncoming spearhead. ... On the stage, Feng Jiuge felt increasingly alarmed as the fight went on. As Jiang Ning''s competitor in the ring, she could clearly perceive the terror of his ability. Though it seemed she had the upper hand, in reality, she knew she was in a very bad position. Because out of the dozens of spear thrusts, ea?h attack was effortlessly blocked by the long blade in Jiang Ning''s hands, without exception. Up to now, despite seemingly overpowering Jiang Ning, she found she hadn''t breached his defenses a single time, hadn''t injured anywhere on Jiang Ning''s body. Under such circumstances, how could she not understand that even though it appeared she had the advantage, she was actually at a disadvantage? The moment Jiang Ning counterattacked would be the time of her defeat. Thinking of this, she clenched her teeth tightly. "Ha!" With a loud shout from Feng Jiuge, her attacks became even more ferocious, even more rapid. Her eyes focused, fiercely locking onto Jiang Ning''s every move. She knew victory or defeat would be determined in these few moments. Since she couldn''t injure him at all, her strategy was to force Jiang Ning off the platform with her fierce offensive. That would be a win as well. Because on the stage, that was the rule; falling off the platform signified defeat. Feeling Feng Jiuge''s intensified onslaught, "It''s time to end this," he exclaimed. The next moment, Power converged in his hands, swiftly becoming as overwhelming as a mountainous tsunami. Clang¡ª Another saber strike was unleashed. This strike burst forth with five layers of strength. Feng Jiuge''s expression turned to one of shock at the formidable power. Even though she held onto the spear''s tail, the power transmitted through the spear shaft was limited. But at this moment, Feng Jiuge almost lost her grip on the spear. Holding the spear this way, although the recoil on her arms was weak, her control over the spear was greatly diminished. Under Jiang Ning''s fierce strike, the spearhead was directly flung a full ten feet away. Feng Jiuge quickly retreated, her arms forcefully exerting power in an attempt to right the spear, to bring it back under her control. But at that moment, Though Feng Jiuge retreated quickly, Jiang Ning surged forward even faster. In two or three steps, Jiang Ning charged into the range of the spear held in Feng Jiuge''s hands. Then, taking advantage of the spear''s loss of control, Jiang Ning reached out and grabbed the spear shaft. "Let go!" Jiang Ning commanded with a light shout. His left arm exerted force, pulling the spear away from Feng Jiuge, causing her to stagger forward suddenly. She then collided with Jiang Ning''s chest. "Sorry... sorry!" Feng Jiuge pushed away from Jiang Ning''s chest, stuttering her words. A blush also spread across her face! Chapter 227 105: The Final Showdown! On the stage. Feng Jiuge had just finished with a brief flash of panic and quickly regained her composure, looking as usual. "I lost!" she said. Then, grasping her long spear, she was about to jump down from the stage. "Wait!" Jiang Ning hastily spoke up. Feng Jiuge, hearing this, paused and turned to look at Jiang Ning! "Miss Feng, I have something to ask you later, do you have time afterward?" Feng Jiuge took a good look at Jiang Ning, pausing on his face twice. Then she said, "The daytime is fine; at night, it''s not!" Jiang Ning: "..." What kind of thought process is that? Jiang Ning inwardly criticized. Then he said, "Would the afternoon work for you, Miss Feng?" "Yes!" Feng Jiuge nodded, "Just come to Moon Residence in the afternoon, I''ll be there anytime!" Leaving these words, Feng Jiuge, with her long spear in hand, leaped down from the stage and disappeared into the crowd in the blink of an eye. ... "Brother Jiang Ning, a fellow enthusiast indeed!" Having just returned to the side of the stage, Qin Xuan spoke with a slight smile to Jiang Ning. Hearing the voice nearby, Jiang Ning was somewhat surprised as he looked at Qin Xuan. This had been Qin Xuan''s first time addressing him since Jiang Ning arrived here. He was also the first among the Martial Arts Garden disciples to take the initiative to strike up a conversation with him. Immediately, his thoughts turned, and Jiang Ning understood. It was his recent performance that had won Qin Xuan''s acknowledgment, leading to Qin Xuan initiating the conversation and expressing goodwill. After figuring out the reason behind it, Jiang Ning smiled slightly, "Don''t slander me; it was purely an accident just now." "I get it!" Qin Xuan smiled and said, "In this respect, I have quite some understanding! The last thing women like is a man who is too purposeful, so to win a girl''s heart, you need these kinds of accidental coincidences." "Quite experienced!" Jiang Ning praised. Qin Xuan immediately smiled, cupped his hand in salute, "I am Qin Xuan!" "I am Jiang Ning!" Jiang Ning cupped his hand in return. With that, they exchanged a knowing smile. Qin Xuan was clearly interested in making friends, so naturally, Jiang Ning had no reason to refuse. There''s a saying that while traveling abroad, rely on friends; having one more friend is always better than having one more enemy. The more friends one has, the more convenient it becomes to go about one''s business. Especially when it comes to someone of Qin Xuan''s status and position. At this time. While the two of them were talking, the remaining two people on the stage had also begun to fight. This battle was a clash between fist and foot. One was adept at boxing, and the other skilled in kicking, filled with the romance of fists meeting flesh. Throughout their exchange, there was a constant sound of thuds. "Brother Jiang, who do you think will win?" Qin Xuan asked. "I don''t know!" Jiang Ning shook his head. Qin Xuan then asked, "Brother Jiang, what do you think about Feng Jiuge''s performance just now?" "Pretty impressive, her spear technique is the best I have seen so far, as fiery as it is, filled with a strong sense of aggression and attack!" Jiang Ning thought briefly, then immediately replied. Qin Xuan: "..." A look of speechlessness suddenly appeared on his face. Then he asked, "I mean, don''t you think Miss Feng has a nice appearance?" Hearing this, Jiang Ning recalled the look of Feng Jiuge. With phoenix-like eyes and bright teeth, her face blossom-like, and a high ponytail full of personality. Jiang Ning immediately nodded, "Indeed, with phoenix eyes and bright teeth, her face as beautiful as a picture, she''s a rare sight of a woman, possessing a spirited and unique charm, unlike others." Hearing Jiang Ning''s remarks, Qin Xuan understood in his heart. If he hadn''t been somewhat stricken, how could he remember Feng Jiuge so clearly? "It seems Brother Jiang is interested in Miss Feng! No wonder you said you had something to talk about with her," Qin Xuan said with a hint of amusement in his voice. "I indeed have something to discuss with Miss Feng!" Jiang Ning continued, "As for romance, I am still young, and my martial arts are not yet mature, so I have no such thoughts at the moment!" "Admirable!" said Qin Xuan. While the two conversed, their eyes remained on the platform, still observing the boxing and kicking fight. Because coming up, one of these two would be their opponent. By now, it was natural to observe carefully; stepping into this phase, vying for the last position of Deputy Commander, no one wanted to fall at the last hurdle. A moment later. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The outcome was decided. The man with the narrow waist and ape-like arms emerged victorious. During the observation of the battle, from Qin Xuan''s explanations, Jiang Ning had learned the name of the winner as Yuan Fei, who was skilled in White Ape Fist. White Ape Fist was a Middle Grade martial art. Thirteen sounds in one punch were considered perfection. Such a punch could easily shatter rocks. Moreover, this boxing technique had the effect of tempering the Great Tendon of the human body. Throughout his battle, Yuan Fei''s strongest punch, as observed by Jiang Ning, produced two sounds in one strike. From this, it was evident that Yuan Fei''s White Ape Fist had already reached the elementary level. It was thus clear that Yuan Fei, appearing to be about twenty-six or twenty-seven, might be just a step away from the Martial Arts Seventh Grade. And this was ultimately the root of Yuan Fei''s victory. When the gap between competitors was not huge, and they both mastered Middle Grade martial arts, the advantage of being ahead in the Martial Arts Realm could become the key to deciding the outcome. ... On the stage. As Yuan Fei''s battle concluded, the vast stage was now left with only Jiang Ning, Qin Xuan, and Yuan Fei. "There are three of you; how do you want to arrange the order?" the man in charge of the assessment asked. "It''s all up to you, sir!" Yuan Fei was the first to express his stance with a cupped fist gesture. Jiang Ning also said, "The sir''s arrangement is fine!" Qin Xuan likewise expressed the same sentiment. "Good!" The man in charge of the assessment nodded, "Since all three of you say so, then I will make the arrangements!" "At your command, sir!" Yuan Fei said. The man in charge of the assessment looked at the three of them, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Let''s do it like this! The youngest among you three wait on the side; the older two will decide the winner first!" Chapter 228 105: The Final Showdown!_2 "I''m twenty-four!" Qin Xuan gave both men a glance, and spoke first. Yuan Fei''s face darkened, "Twenty-seven!" "Eighteen!" Jiang Ning chimed in decisively. Upon hearing this, all three men looked at Jiang Ning in surprise. Although Jiang Ning''s age was no secret and many people were aware of it, it didn''t include the three of them. Before today, they hadn''t acknowledged the existence of someone named Jiang Ning. Not to mention investigating any information on him. Merely judging from his appearance, they could only estimate his rough age, unable to discern his exact youthfulness. Thus, the three had no inkling that Jiang Ning was a mere eighteen years old. "Brother Jiang is so young?" Qin Xuan''s face showed his astonishment. Yuan Fei''s gaze shifted towards Jiang Ning, turning sharply focused at this moment. Learning Jiang Ning''s age, his heart was filled with shock. He was acutely aware of how arduous the journey to his current state had been. The path of Martial Arts, for them, reaching Ninth Grade wasn''t difficult, from the day they began cultivating, a fast learner could achieve it in a year and a half, slow ones in a couple of years. Reaching the level at Ninth Grade where the skin was as tough as copper and impervious to blades and spears wasn''t particularly hard. With his talent, it had taken merely two years. But by that stage, he was already eighteen. Advancing from Ninth Grade into Eighth Grade wasn''t difficult; tempering the muscles to add five hundred jin of strength would be considered stepping into Martial Arts Eighth Grade¡ªif relying on external means, it could be achieved in mere days. However, relying on external means had little significance. It served only to prematurely enhance strength. At the Eighth Grade level, the toughest task was to temper every muscle in the body without exception. Such meticulous work could not be assisted by external means. It required a supremely high level of control over one''s Power and equally high mastery over the physique. This step was a grueling grind. From Ninth Grade Great Success, he took three months to step into Martial Arts Eighth Grade. And at that level of Eighth Grade, he spent a whole five years to truly achieve Perfection in tempering muscles throughout the body, A stage where he could progress no further. As far as he knew, besides relying on continual laborious efforts like water grinding stone, there were not many shortcuts. Unless one had an exceptional talent and constitution, the higher the talent and constitution, the more efficient the tempering of muscles would be, allowing one to refine the muscles at a speed far exceeding an average person''s, naturally saving time. The other was possessing outstanding spiritual power, reaching the level of introspection throughout the body. With significant spiritual power, the higher the level of control over one''s physique, especially when one can perform an introspective view of the entire body, seeing any muscle yet to be tempered. In that case, one could precisely use their Power to temper those muscles, inherently increasing efficiency by leaps and bounds. And Yuan Fei knew he was neither of these types of people. He was well aware of his own innate constitution. It was merely above average. Above average constitution might be heralded as a prodigy in a small locale, But in the Martial Arts Garden, it was hardly worth mentioning and nothing special. The reason he had come this far was not due to his extraordinary talent and constitution, but the resources from his family background, As well as his good comprehension. Being able to grasp Middle Grade martial arts clearly demonstrated his perceptiveness. It was precisely because of his past experiences that Yuan Fei understood all too well how incredible a talent and constitution Jiang Ning must possess to have such strength at the tender age of eighteen. A once-in-a-century prodigy! These words instantly crossed Yuan Fei''s mind. The once-in-a-century he thought of did not refer to Luoshui County, but to the Martial Arts Garden of Dongling County. Because, as far as he knew, no one in the Martial Arts Garden had achieved Eighth Grade Power Training Great Success at eighteen in the past few decades. Only over a hundred years ago did Dongling County''s Martial Arts Garden have a prodigy, eighteen years old, Martial Arts Seventh Grade. That person later even stepped into the Grandmaster Realm, becoming famous in an instant. With such thoughts, Yuan Fei''s gaze towards Jiang Ning turned even more solemn. Just at this moment, The man overseeing the examination nodded slightly towards Jiang Ning, "Eighteen, huh? Not bad! Not bad!!" Then he added, "You have no objections to my decision, right?" Upon hearing this, Qin Xuan immediately shook his head, "I have no objections!" Following that, Qin Xuan continued, "Youth implies a lack of battle experience and not being adept at fighting, but it also signifies a higher potential for talent, and naturally deserves some favorable consideration." With these words, Qin Xuan took the initiative to step forward and came to the center of the leitai. He held a sharp sword, pointing it obliquely towards the ground, "Brother Yuan Fei, do you choose to fight with fists and feet or with weapons?" Qin Xuan looked calm and composed, as if he had everything under control. Yuan Fei''s gaze shifted slightly, landing on the edge of Qin Xuan''s sword. "I''ve heard your Sword Dao is extraordinary and you''re not skilled in boxing. I, Yuan Fei, will not bully you! Let''s compete with weapons!" Yuan Fei said with a composed face. Hearing this, a faint smile inadvertently appeared on Qin Xuan''s lips. At that moment, Yuan Fei said to the official overseeing the assessment: "Please, sir, give me a wrought iron staff!" "There you go!" The official immediately took a staff from the weapon rack next to the leitai and tossed it towards Yuan Fei. Yuan Fei leaped up, catching the wrought iron staff with one hand. Boom¡ª The moment he landed. Dust flew, and there was a muffled sound between his feet and the ground. Whoosh whoosh whoosh¡ª Yuan Fei swung the staff in his hand with ease, and in an instant, shadows of the staff danced about, whistling through the air as the dust on the leitai was blown away in all directions. Seeing this, Qin Xuan''s eyes suddenly hardened. He realized he might have underestimated Yuan Fei. Yuan Fei''s arms were long like those of an ape, naturally hanging down to his knees¡ªa born talent indicating a high aptitude for boxing. But as soon as Yuan Fei took hold of the wrought iron staff, Qin Xuan immediately noticed a sudden change in Yuan Fei''s demeanor, becoming even more different and confident! "Are you ready, Qin Xuan?" Yuan Fei grinned, his stark white teeth suddenly exposed. "Come on!" Qin Xuan responded indifferently. The next moment. Boom¡ª Yuan Fei pushed off the ground with his right leg, and the powerful recoil sent him speeding towards Qin Xuan like an arrow released from a bow. Within one breath. Whoosh¡ª A staff swung down, the wind howling. Clang¡ª Qin Xuan dealt with the blow with his sword, like using the strategy of "using the force of four taels to deflect a thousand pounds," but at the moment of the collision of their weapons, his expression abruptly changed slightly. The next moment. The staff Yuan Fei had just brought down bounced back as if repelled. As the staff was raised three feet high again, it came down even more swiftly. At that time. Jiang Ning saw Qin Xuan retreating repeatedly, just as he had been pressured by Feng Jiuge, clearly under Yuan Fei''s control. And as time gradually passed by. Yuan Fei''s offensive became more and more fierce, not giving Qin Xuan any chance to catch his breath. One staff followed another, one attack after another. In the air, Yuan Fei''s staff created dozens of afterimages that completely enveloped Qin Xuan. Accompanied by the sounds of wrought iron clashing, amidst the sparks, Qin Xuan retreated again and again. During this process, Jiang Ning, through the numerous staff shadows, clearly saw Qin Xuan''s face turning red from holding his breath, struggling to recover. Moreover, there was sweat dripping from Qin Xuan''s forehead. "It looks like Yuan Fei is going to win!" Jiang Ning thought to himself. It was only a brief moment. Qin Xuan found himself in the same position Jiang Ning had been in just moments before. Half a zhang behind him was the edge of the leitai. Surrounded on all sides by layers of staff shadows, Qin Xuan was in a tight spot. Just then. Yuan Fei struck with his staff, and Qin Xuan lightly tapped it with the tip of his sword, using the force of the blow to make his body seem weightless like a floating weed drifting toward the edge of the leitai. "Brother Yuan is truly formidable. I admire you!" Qin Xuan landed below the leitai, holding his sword in salute. Even though he had been defeated just now, his demeanor was unshaken, still the graceful and elegant young nobleman. As Qin Xuan finished speaking, he quietly exhaled a breath. On the leitai, he had not been able to catch his breath, and once it faltered, Yuan Fei''s wrought iron staff could have broken through his defense. Being pushed to this point by Yuan Fei was completely unexpected for him. Seeing no chance of victory and facing the risk of humiliation, he chose to concede with dignity. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Being swept off the leitai with a single staff strike by Yuan Fei was something he absolutely could not accept! Chapter 229 106 Sword Force Erupts! In the schoolyard. Following Qin Xuan''s voluntary leap down from the arena, only Jiang Ning and Yuan Fei remained. "You''re next!" Yuan Fei said with a grin, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Jiang Ning, looking completely different from before, like a violent ape brimming with ferocity. When he grinned, his bright red gums were fully exposed. Meanwhile, sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hong Minghu''s gaze slightly sharpened. "Ape Demon True Body!" "Ape Demon True Body?" Gongsun Yu from Medicine King Valley''s Third Elder was momentarily stunned. Hong Minghu slightly nodded, "Yes, it''s indeed the superior martial arts, the Ape Demon True Body." "Does this mean that this lad has actually entered the threshold of the Ape Demon True Body?" Gongsun Yu looked towards Yuan Fei on the stage, suddenly filled with immense surprise. He then sighed slightly, "What a pity! At twenty-seven years of age, he is still at Martial Arts Eighth Grade. Even though he has entered the threshold of the Ape Demon True Body, his martial arts future is limited. It''s such a waste of his exceptional comprehension!" "It is indeed a bit of a pity," Hong Minghu slightly nodded in agreement. At twenty-seven years old, there are only about seven or eight years left in one''s martial arts prime. Considering Yuan Fei''s achievements so far, in the remaining seven or eight years, unless he has an incredible stroke of luck, it''s impossible for him to step into the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm as he has. Without reaching the Fifth Grade, with Yuan Fei''s age, in seven or eight years, his physical functions will decline, his Qi-Blood will weaken, and his strength will not only cease to advance but will actually regress, making further achievements increasingly difficult. Thinking of this, Hong Minghu slightly shook his head, then his gaze fell on Jiang Ning standing in the arena. "It''s also unfortunate for this young man, bad luck to come across Yuan Fei who has grasped the superior martial arts at such a critical moment!" Gongsun Ming immediately said upon hearing this, "Master Hong is right, the young man is indeed unlucky to encounter someone who can wield superior martial arts in such a small place." ... At the same time. On the stage. Ape Demon True Body? Superior Martial Arts? Hearing these words, Jiang Ning''s heart was also a bit surprised. "No wonder Qin Xuan lost; his defeat isn''t unjust at all!" "Sword or unarmed combat? I''ll let you choose!" Yuan Fei looked towards Jiang Ning, speaking unconcernedly. At this moment, the only thing in his eyes was the Deputy Commander position, which was as good as his. Since Qin Xuan had been easily forced down from the stage, it was natural that Jiang Ning would be no exception. In Yuan Fei''s view, with his current strength, it was not just the Martial Arts Eighth Grade to be concerned about. Even when facing those two at Martial Arts Seventh Grade, he was confident in his ability to defeat them 50% of the time. The reason he didn''t fight those two was simply to be cautious, not because he feared them. The entry-level mastery of the superior martial arts was the foundation of his confidence. "Armed combat!" Jiang Ning spoke up directly. "Admirable courage!" Yuan Fei grinned once again. At this moment, Jiang Ning addressed the man presiding over the evaluation, "Sir, I need a heavier saber." "Even heavier?" the presiding man asked. "Yes, heavier!" Jiang Ning said. "Alright!" The man nodded. He went over to the weapons rack beside the stage and selected a thick and heavy broadsword. The back of the sword had nine holes, each containing a ring. "Be careful, this saber is quite heavy!" the man said as he grabbed the hilt and tossed it towards Jiang Ning. The heavy broadsword cut through the air. Clang clang- Jiang Ning caught the saber with his right hand, and the rings on the back of the blade immediately collided with each other, producing a series of metallic clashing sounds. "Excellent saber!" Jiang Ning was instantly delighted. Once he held the broadsword, he could feel its weight. It weighed a whole three hundred catties. For his nearly four thousand catties of force, a three hundred catty broadsword was still somewhat light, but it was indeed not bad. After all, this was merely a schoolyard, and to find a sword of such weight here was a pleasant surprise for him. Now with this three hundred catty broadsword in hand, Jiang Ning felt even more assured of defeating Yuan Fei. In the face of his current strength, a suitable sword could significantly enhance his power. A fifty catty sword, compared to a three hundred catty one, would exhibit entirely different explosive power when wielded with the same force. Not to mention, with roughly the same volume but heavier, it naturally suggested that the material of the sword was even more extraordinary. After witnessing Yuan Fei''s fighting style, Jiang Ning knew very well that his battle approach, which emphasized overpowering his opponent rather than winning with technique, demanded a sword that was sufficiently heavy and durable. If the sword wasn''t heavy enough or tough enough, how could it prevail? If he held a Willow Leaf Blade, even with great strength, it couldn''t withstand a sweep from Yuan Fei''s sword with the force of a thousand catties ¡ª it would instantly snap because in such a scenario, a thin blade like the Willow Leaf would break. ... Jiang Ning, holding the saber, stepped to the center of the stage, opposite Yuan Fei. Thud- Yuan Fei planted his ironwood staff on the stage with a dull sound. "Come on!" Yuan Fei said. His eyes were full of bloodshot veins at the moment, his mouth was protruding, and his arms were long and thick, resembling an enraged ape. Just then, Jiang Ning stomped on the ground with his right foot, momentarily shifting from stillness to motion, becoming a black shadow charging straight towards Yuan Fei. At the same time, the Power within Jiang Ning''s body began to circulate and accumulate. As his Power amassed, it seemed like a mountain torrent poised to burst forth. "Well done!" Yuan Fei''s eyes sharpened. He kicked the staff that was planted on the ground, instantly switching to a two-handed grip and sweeping it towards the onrushing Jiang Ning. Clang- In mid-air. Sword clashed with staff. Under the burst of Five Layers of Power, compounded by the three hundred catty heavy broadsword. Chapter 230 106 Sword Force Erupts!_2 Boom¡ª Yuan Fei''s right leg involuntarily stepped back, and the moment his right leg touched the ground, he suddenly erupted with terrifying power. Hiss¡ª Yuan Fei''s muscles intensely collided at this moment, his arms and legs swelling so much that his clothes burst open. For a moment, fabric flew through the air. "Take this strike!" Yuan Fei bellowed, mustering strength in his arms, just about to shift from defense to offense. However, at that moment, the thick blade in Jiang Ning''s hand seemed unaffected by any force. As soon as the blade separated from the stick, another slash descended. Clang¡ª Seeing this, Yuan Fei could only continue to defend with his stick. Thud¡ª Faced with the overwhelming explosive power, this time it was Yuan Fei''s left leg stepping back. His thick left leg stepped down, instantly cracking the platform. ... "What incredible power!" exclaimed the man overseeing the evaluation nearby, his face slightly changing color. A step that cracked the ground of the platform, the contained power was unbelievable. This was already far beyond the strength possessed by a Martial Arts Eighth Grade. "How strong is this strike of his?" The man looked at Jiang Ning, incredibly perplexed. Then. Thud¡ª Yuan Fei took another step back, the platform cracked again, and fissures spread outwards. Clang¡ª Jiang Ning raised his hand and delivered another cut. The powerful Sword Force erupted, causing Yuan Fei to retreat once again. Then cut after cut. The sword strikes were relentless, and Yuan Fei kept retreating. As much as Qin Xuan felt stifled just now, Yuan Fei felt equally so now. In front of Jiang Ning''s heavy, lightning-fast sword strikes, Yuan Fei found no chance to counterattack. He could only keep retreating, gradually pushing him to the same predicament as Qin Xuan just experienced. ... Below the platform. Seeing this, Qin Xuan couldn''t help but feel secretly thrilled. Just now, facing Yuan Fei''s unceasing stick attacks, even though he blocked them all, he was almost beaten to the point of spitting blood and not recovering. If not for that, he would not have chosen to jump off the platform and concede. Now, seeing Yuan Fei follow in his footsteps, this naturally gave Qin Xuan great satisfaction. At the same time, he was extraordinarily shocked by Jiang Ning''s strength. Having personally faced Yuan Fei, he knew well how strong Yuan Fei was! He was completely suppressed without any strength to retaliate, a significant acknowledgment indeed. And he was among the highly ranked individuals present. Among the standout captains of the Inspection Office, he was within at least the top three. This strength was completely suppressed by Yuan Fei. And yet, Yuan Fei was in turn completely suppressed by Jiang Ning. "What kind of monster is this!" Thinking of Jiang Ning revealing his age as eighteen, Qin Xuan felt incredibly complex. He once thought he was a prodigy, born into a notable family, with excellent innate Talent, and had a smooth journey thus far, with few peers who could match him. Today, however, in such a small place, he saw what a true Martial Arts prodigy was. He watched the platform, where Yuan Fei now had his face flushed red and eyes bloodshot, filled with a crimson hue. "Claiming to be a prodigy, yet he has no right to even stand before him!" Qin Xuan showed a bitter smile. Yuan Fei could suppress him to the point of breathlessness, and Jiang Ning could suppress Yuan Fei the same way. The gap between them was exaggerated to think about. Moreover, Jiang Ning, who achieved this, was still so young, not yet of age. ... On the platform. Yuan Fei had retreated to where Qin Xuan had just been, with only about half a meter left to the edge of the platform behind him. At this moment. This battle, which seemed intense to outsiders, felt like no burden to Jiang Ning. Because his Internal Strength had achieved some success, the functioning of his five organs was far beyond ordinary. Even though he appeared to wield a 300-pound thick blade, exerting full force with each strike, he still showed no sign of reddened face or racing heart. This battle, to him, was at most a warm-up. Then, he cleaved with another stroke, the blade wind whistling through the nine ring-holes on the blade''s spine, sounding like the howling of ghosts and wolves. Seeing this strike, Yuan Fei''s eyes bulged out, resembling bronze bells. "Break!" He shouted, and suddenly a blood-colored mist rose from his body. The muscles in his limbs solidified like iron, clearly revealing the green veins and human meridians winding across the muscles. "Forbidden Technique!!" Hong Minghu instantly uttered these two words from the stands. The next moment. Clang¡ª The blade and stick collided. An immense, vast force surged from the blade to Jiang Ning''s right arm. Thunk thunk thunk¡ª Faced with this massive force, Jiang Ning involuntarily took three steps back. So strong! Jiang Ning was secretly startled. "Kill¡ª" Yuan Kong glared furiously. At this moment, it seemed like red flames were burning in his eyes. A faint red mist also drifted from his entire body. As the stick fell, halfway through the air, Jiang Ning felt a strong wind pressure rushing towards his face. "Good coming!" Jiang Ning smiled. Although Yuan Fei had been strong just now, the pressure on him wasn''t great. It made him somewhat bored. But this stick attack made him somewhat excited. A clash of the strong, that was what he truly desired. Next moment. Thump¡ª His heart suddenly pounded heavily. It was as if a stone had fallen into a calm lake, suddenly creating a ripple. The blood in his body seemed to break free like wild horses running wild. In an instant, He felt an infinite power surge within him, his energy was abundant, with nowhere to vent. His skin quickly turned red, veins bulged, and his muscles were stimulated intensely, twisting into the shape of sinuous dragons. All these changes happened in the blink of an eye. At this time, the human body''s limits inside him had been removed. Only a Martial Artist who had attained the Fifth Grade Internal Strength could achieve this. Removing human body limits, completely unleashing the body''s potential. Enhancing speed, power, reaction, and endurance comprehensively. And this, it was merely a basic technique for Martial Artists who have stepped into the Fifth Grade. But this kind of basic technique of the Fifth Grade, used at this moment, had an effect far beyond any so-called Forbidden Technique. On the other side, On the viewing platform, Hong Minghu''s pupils suddenly narrowed. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Internal and external cultivation, successful internal refining!!! Gongsun Yu, witnessing this, also had his pupils sharply contract. Because both of them, were Martial Artists who had stepped into the Fifth Grade. Naturally, they could recognize that the technique Jiang Ning was using Was one that could be mastered only when the organs had been greatly enhanced through Internal Strength. Moreover, to use this technique, one also needed strong mental power. Only with mental power strong enough to introspect one''s body could one use this technique, remove human body limits, and unlock their potential. This technique was far more profound than those so-called Forbidden Techniques. Because most of the inspirations for Forbidden Techniques came from methods to remove human body constraints. "What kind of monster is this?" Hong Minghu couldn''t help but wonder inwardly. Jiang Ning''s current performance was simply astonishing. "If I were to take a disciple, I must find a way to take this young man as my disciple, this performance is monstrous!!" Hong Minghu sighed inwardly as he looked at Jiang Ning in this moment. At this time, Gongsun Yu was also coveting Jiang Ning. "How great would it be to take him as a disciple?" "What a pity! Such a pity!" He glanced at Hong Minghu beside him and sighed inwardly. ... On the arena. Jiang Ning swung his blade. As soon as this strike fell, a solid oppressive force instantly enveloped Yuan Fei. At the same time, in Yuan Fei''s burning eyes, there was now only the blade in mid-air. The blade reflects in Yuan Fei''s fiery pupils, instantly conjuring the image of the Fiery Fire Refining Gold Blade. ... On the viewing platform. Clang¡ª The desk before Hong Minghu suddenly shook, moving slightly about a centimeter forward. Sword Force!! Hong Minghu''s pupils contracted yet again. "How is this possible!" Gongsun Yu exclaimed slightly open-mouthed. As the Third Elder of the Medicine King Valley, well-experienced and knowledgeable, how could he not recognize that Jiang Ning''s strike was indeed Sword Force. This profound and mysterious technique, even he had yet to master. Out of all Fifth Grade Martial Artists, less than half can master any form of Force. Because only by mastering Force, could one step into the ranks of the Fourth Grade. Force. It is a profound and ineffable technique! But there''s no doubt, this technique is extremely powerful. Regardless of which Force is mastered, once deployed, it''s as if one could borrow the power of the universe, merging with the cosmos. Facing a strong person who has mastered the Force, one can only clash forcefully, unable to escape. If the Force is strong enough, it can even suppress others with its might. Winning without a battle. This, even the Valley Master couldn''t achieve. He had once been fortunate enough to encounter such a formidable person, who was also an exceedingly young Fourth Grade strong person. That Fourth Grade strong person''s Force was overwhelmingly powerful. Upon the burst of Force, he only felt terrified, daring not make the slightest movement. Chapter 231 107: Deputy Commander, Jiang Ning! Upon the stage, Clang¡ª A sword fell, and amidst the collision of sword and stick, a powerful soundwave formed, invisible to the naked eye. Centered between the two combatants, the dust beneath their feet trembled and then, pushed by an unseen force, scattered in all directions. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At the same time, Yuan Fei suddenly flew out of the arena. Below the stage, people close to it couldn''t help but cover their ears. With the spread of this powerful soundwave, their ears filled with ringing. "How powerful!" The man hosting the assessment gasped in shock, his face showing disbelief. Even though he was now at the Martial Arts Sixth Grade and among the Four Great Commanders ranked within the top two, he was still utterly amazed by Jiang Ning''s strike. Because the attack strength of this single slash far surpassed the limits of Martial Arts Eighth Grade. Even ordinary individuals at Martial Arts Seventh Grade would find it difficult to parry this blow and emerge unscathed. Under Jiang Ning''s blade, Yuan Fei was sent flying dozens of feet, finally crashing heavily into the crowd. "Wow! Jiang Ning has become the top leader among the dozen captains, seizing victory and the title of Deputy Commander?" "It''s unbelievable! We never thought highly of Jiang Ning, yet he turned things around and became the strongest." "Yes, it''s really incredible! But, this is what a true Martial Arts prodigy looks like! A real prodigy always breaks the constraints of common sense and shatters the perceptions of people!" "I''m so envious! From today onwards, when facing Jiang Ning, I''ll have to address him as ''Sir''!" "Yes! Jiang Ning, so young, yet he''s obtained the official rank of Eighth Grade, a position of real power similar to the previous County Magistrate¡ªtruly a meteoric rise!" "...." Watching this scene unfold on the stage, the crowd couldn''t help but speak out in astonishment and shock, their faces a mix of myriad expressions. Elsewhere, Zhao Hu, witnessing this scene, couldn''t help but feel immense regret for provoking Jiang Ning earlier. He quickly slipped into the crowd, vanishing where Jiang Ning might spot him. At this moment, all he wanted was to lower his presence as much as possible. ... Up in the stands, Lin Qingyi''s stunned gaze soon turned into a smile. "This young fellow, how much more can he surprise me!" "Three months of martial arts practice, unmatched at Eighth Grade, mastering the Sword Force, how strong he will become is something even I dare not predict!" At the same time, Lin Jiaer, seeing Jiang Ning standing alone with his sword on the stage, felt an immense regret inside. If she had known Jiang Ning would come this far, she would never have rejected the match-making proposal from her aunt, Lin Qingyi, earlier. "I wonder if there''s still a chance to remedy this, after all, I am not lacking in beauty!" Lin Jiaer thought introspectively. ... Below the stage. Thwack¡ª Wang Jin smacked his thigh hard, as he was wearing thin clothes due to the summer heat. The crisp sound that came from the slap was extremely loud. But at this moment, he couldn''t care less about the pain in his leg, his face radiating immense joy. "This disciple of mine, isn''t he awesome!" He laughed and said to Yu Yuan standing beside him. At this moment, Yu Yuan''s face showed intense jealousy. Seeing Yu Yuan''s expression, Wang Jin laughed even louder, feeling extremely proud inside. "Blue outshines indigo," is the wish of ninety-nine percent of all masters. Being a master, who wouldn''t want a remarkable disciple to inherit their mantle. Let alone having received Jiang Ning, a disciple displaying legendary traits. Wow¡ª Jackpot¡ª That was what Wang Jin was feeling at that moment. ... Upon the stage, After delivering a full-powered slash that knocked Yuan Fei out of the arena, securing his victory, Jiang Ning then reverted to a sword-holding posture. He then turned around to look at the man hosting the examination. As he turned, his gaze swept across half of the schoolyard, brushing momentarily over the central part of the stands. The central position was where Hong Minghu was seated. Upon that fleeting glimpse, the expressions of Hong Minghu and Gongsun Yu beside him were fully captured by Jiang Ning. "It should be fine!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself. He had not forgotten that in the midst of the examination, a person suddenly appeared beside Hong Minghu. A person from Medicine King Valley. Undoubtedly, this man was a true core member of Medicine King Valley. Most likely, the news of Liu Qingsong''s disappearance had reached Medicine King Valley, thus this key person had arrived. His presence here, in Jiang Ning''s mind, undoubtedly meant he had traced something here. Although Jiang Ning didn''t know how he could have possibly traced it here, He also hadn''t forgotten that this world was vastly different from his previous one, with Martial Saints ruling unmatched for eight hundred years. Before in Great Xia, there were even legends of immortals and demons. Thus, it was entirely normal for this world to possess unknown and miraculous divine methods. Considering this, Jiang Ning couldn''t look upon this powerful person from Medicine King Valley as coming specifically for him. Thus, at this critical moment, he chose to reveal his mastery of the Sword Force to the many dignitaries present, Partly to boost his status in the eyes of others. A Martial Arts prodigy always has people willing to invest in him and befriend him. Just like how his talent had initially attracted Wang Jin''s attention, leading to everything that followed. And why Shen Congyun had valued him so highly back then; partly it was due to Shen Congyun''s character and attitude, but also because he had made himself significant in Shen Congyun''s eyes. Had Shen Congyun not valued him highly, with just Cao Rong''s attack, even with Wang Jin''s full protection, the outcome might have been uncertain. Chapter 232 107 Deputy Commander, Jiang Ning!_2 Today. Facing this powerful individual from the Medicine King Valley, even though he had seized the position of Deputy Commander and was about to be appointed as a Secondary Eighth-Rank official of Great Xia, Jiang Ning, in order to enhance his own safety, could only choose to estimate and implement, adding more safeguards. "Hope it works," Jiang Ning said to himself. In his eyes, the only people he could rely on now were just two. One was the newly arrived Residence Master of Luoshui County, Hong Minghu. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Being able to undertake such a significant task, Hong Minghu''s strength must certainly be extraordinary, possibly the foremost powerhouse in Luoshui County now. Apart from him, there was only Lin Qingyi. In Jiang Ning''s view, Lin Qingyi remained full of mystery. *During this period of contact, he even speculated that Lin Qingyi''s strength might surpass that of Shen Congyun before.* From how Lin Qingyi operated the Inner Breath so smoothly and comfortably, one could glimpse this aspect. ... On the platform. "Congratulations! Brother Jiang!" the man hosting the assessment congratulated him. Then he continued, "I''m about ten years older than you, would you mind if I called you little brother?" "I don''t mind!" Jiang Ning smiled. Seeing this, the man hosting the assessment also smiled slightly. "Allow me to reintroduce myself," he said, "I am Ye Qiu, like the falling leaf predicting autumn in the world." "I am Jiang Ning, nice to meet you, Brother Ye!" Jiang Ning cupped his hands in greeting. "Haha, Brother Jiang, if you''re free tonight, how about we gather?" Ye Qiu laughed heartily. "Since Brother Ye has invited me, how could I not be free!" Jiang Ning replied. Hearing this, Ye Qiu''s face was filled with even more laughter. Then. He took out a solid gold token from his bosom, "I''ll leave this item with you. When you have time, drop by the Inspection Office and have words representing your identity engraved on the back of the token. From then on, seeing your token will be as if you are personally present!" "Understood!" Jiang Ning accepted the golden token handed over by Ye Qiu and nodded slightly. Watching Jiang Ning accept the token, Ye Qiu couldn''t help but smile. "This dreadful weather is finally over, and I can go home and rest!" At this point. Jiang Ning also jumped down from the platform. He landed in front of Xie Xiaojiu, "Does what was said before, about working under me, still count?" "Of course, it counts!" Xie Xiaojiu nodded, the look in her eyes toward Jiang Ning filled with complexity. Seeing Jiang Ning step by step reach this point, becoming the only one standing among the ten or so captains and seizing the sole Deputy Commander position, *she finally understood how great the gap between herself and Jiang Ning actually was.* *"It''s no shame to lose to him!"* Xie Xiaojiu thought to herself. At this moment. Seeing Xie Xiaojiu nodding, Jiang Ning also nodded slightly, "In that case, in the next few days, once I''ve sorted out the workings of the Inspection Office, I''ll transfer you under my command." "Yes, Sir!" Xie Xiaojiu cupped her hands in acknowledgment and nodded slightly. Seeing this woman in front of him bowing her head, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but feel a bit of joy. Since he chose the path of the Inspection Office, he naturally had to plan carefully, ensuring he had people at his command for assignments and tasks. Entering the Inspection Office, he wasn''t there to be a laborer. His main mission was still to practice martial arts, continue breaking through in Martial Arts; that was his ultimate pursuit. The Inspection Office was merely a towering tree that could shelter him for now. After all, the Inspection Office represented the Martial Saint, represented the court, and stood for truth. No matter what world, truth was always in the hands of a few. These few had absolute power in their grasp. Justice was the same. Whoever had the power, that was the truth, that was justice. Even though Great Xia was no longer as prosperous as it once was, a starved camel was still bigger than a horse. Great Xia, even as it declined, wasn''t something any one force could contend with. The day Great Xia split apart would also be the day that legendary Martial Saint passed away. With the passing of the Martial Saint, the power of absolute truth and absolute justice would cease to exist. Great Xia would naturally find it difficult to maintain its absolute authority. But before that day arrived, the Inspection Office, with the support of the Martial Saint, was the most powerful authority in Great Xia. Since this was the case, it was also the safest place for Jiang Ning, the most suitable for his growth and development. But for all of this, he needed to have a strong foundation within the Inspection Office. So he needed capable people under his command to execute his orders and assignments. With that, the various sundries would no longer trouble him, allowing him to focus on cultivating Martial Arts Skills and continuously advancing his strength. Among all the people, although Xie Xiaojiu was not a captain, her strength surpassed that of many captains and she was, therefore, a very rare talent. So Jiang Ning naturally valued Xie Xiaojiu. Now, hearing Xie Xiaojiu address him as "Sir" and seeing her actions, Jiang Ning knew this matter was assured. Then. He safely headed towards the direction where Wang Jin was located. ... "I''m glad I lived up to expectations," Jiang Ning said. "I truly didn''t expect it! You brat, to be able to come this far!" Wang Jin looked at Jiang Ning, his voice tinged with emotion. "All thanks to Master''s teaching!" Jiang Ning smiled. "Don''t say that!" Wang Jin waved his hand and continued, "I have enough self-awareness to know that you coming this far is mainly due to your own abilities. As for me, I can at best be considered your guide." At that moment, Wang Jin sighed a bit, for as he spoke, he recalled all the incidents of the past few months. Now seeing Jiang Ning reach this point, carefully reminiscing brought a touch of nostalgia to his expression. Those events seemed as if they occurred long ago, but in reality, they were just a few short months past. Just then. A bodyguard, clad in full armor and with a sword tightly gripped at his waist, approached Jiang Ning and Wang Jin. "Mr. Jiang!" The bodyguard immediately cupped his hands towards Jiang Ning, then added, "The Residence Master requests Mr. Jiang''s presence." *"Sure enough, it has come!"* Jiang Ning mused internally. Then he nodded, "Lead the way up ahead!" "Yes, Mr. Jiang!" The bodyguard cupped his hands again. Subsequently, Jiang Ning turned to Wang Jin, "Master, the Residence Master has called for me, I must go." "Go, but be cautious in all matters!" Wang Jin advised. "Understood!" Jiang Ning nodded. At that moment, as the sound of drums echoed, the assessment at the Inspection Office officially ended. The crowds around the training ground began to disperse and head home, while the various factions in the wooden stands also departed. "Master, should we wait here for Brother Jiang?" Li Qing asked. Wang Jin glanced at Jiang Ning''s departing figure, then shook his head, "Let''s not wait! We''ll head back first!" "Yes, Master!" Li Qing responded. ... Above the stands. Lin Qingyi came quietly, and left just as quietly. The crowd began to disperse as well. At this time, both Hong Minghu and Gongsun Yu were absent from the stands, instead arriving at a camp within the training ground. Inside the camp. Hong Minghu sat boldly, while Gongsun Yu stood beside him. Upon realizing that Hong Minghu''s strength was likely above his own, Gongsun Yu became very agreeable, having no objections whatsoever to the current situation. A moment later. A series of footsteps sounded from outside the camp. He had arrived! Hong Minghu''s heart tensed slightly, as he was very interested in Jiang Ning at that moment. The performance Jiang Ning just displayed had astounded him greatly. Even the talents he had previously seen on the Hidden Dragon List did not impress him as much as Jiang Ning did today. *"With that kid''s performance today, he should be enough to be ranked among the people on the Human List of the Hidden Dragon List, right?"* Hong Minghu thought internally. The Hidden Dragon List is divided into the Human List, Earth List, and Heavenly List. The Human List is comprised of the top hundred powerhouses under thirty years old in a residence. For anyone under thirty, regardless of age, only realms and strength are considered in the ranking. Even just being on the Human List is an immense honor. Consider that a residence is composed of over ten counties and hundreds of towns. In such a vast area, the martial arts prodigies are numerous. Making it into the top hundred already showcases extraordinary talent. The Earth List refers to the top hundred under thirty in a state. To make it onto the Earth List, even the last ranked is considered to possess the potential of a Grandmaster. As for the Heavenly List, it encompasses the martial arts prodigies of the entire Nine Provinces of Great Xia. Those who make it onto the Heavenly List are not lacking in those who might achieve the status of a Grandmaster. Under thirty, achieving Grandmaster status, speaks to the extreme difficulty of ranking on the Heavenly List. Chapter 233 1 Can She Be Wedded? The Young Girl Is But Fourteen! Exercise Field. Inside the military tent. As the tent flap was drawn back, Jiang Ning suddenly appeared before the two men. "Subordinate Jiang Ning pays his respects to Residence Master!" Jiang Ning greeted with a cupped fist salute. "Do you recognize me?" Hong Minghu asked. "Even if I don''t recognize you, I could guess who you are!" Jiang Ning responded. "True enough," Hong Minghu nodded slightly, then continued, "Do you know why I summoned you?" "I do not," Jiang Ning shook his head. Upon hearing this, Hong Minghu raised his hand and pointed to Gongsun Yu beside him, "This is Third Elder Gongsun Yu of Medicine King Valley. He is looking for you." "So, it''s Elder Gongsun Yu," Jiang Ning greeted with a cupped fist. Gongsun Yu spoke, "Jiang Ning, young friend, do you know why I am looking for you?" "I do not," Jiang Ning shook his head slightly. "Then I''ll get straight to the point," Gongsun Yu began and continued, "Elder Liu Qingsong met with foul play, and the timing coincided with the day he went to see you. You must have seen Elder Liu Qingsong, right?" "Liu Qingsong is dead?" Jiang Ning frowned. "You didn''t know?" Gongsun Yu spoke, his gaze sharply fixed on Jiang Ning. "How would I know that?" Jiang Ning looked up at him and continued, "After I met with Liu Qingsong that day, I have been in seclusion at home, practicing hard for this day. I have been preparing for several months!" Meanwhile. Next to them, Hong Minghu, listening to the conversation, tapped the tabletop continuously with the index finger of his right hand resting on the desk. Thump¡ª Thump¡ª Thump¡ª ... The dull sounds echoed in the large tent. Gongsun Yu then spoke, "What did Elder Liu Qingsong say to you when you saw him?" Jiang Ning replied, "He just casually asked me if I had seen any trace of the river bandit Tian Buyi on the deserted island. After asking, Elder Liu left." "I understand!" Gongsun Yu nodded looking at Jiang Ning. Then he turned his head to Hong Minghu, "Master Hong, I have finished my questioning!" "Any findings?" Hong Minghu asked indifferently. "Quite a few," Gongsun Yu nodded slightly. Then he cupped his fist toward Hong Minghu, "I will take my leave now, with this matter concluded!" After bidding farewell to Hong Minghu, Gongsun Yu walked towards the outside of the tent. As soon as he stepped out, his expression changed drastically. Originally, Liu Qingsong had smelled the scent of medicine on Jiang Ning''s body, the scent of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill. How could he not smell it, being in the same room with Jiang Ning? As soon as Jiang Ning stepped into the tent, he was ninety percent certain in his heart. Tian Buyi had fallen at the hands of Jiang Ning, and so had Elder Liu Qingsong. After witnessing Jiang Ning''s performance today, he didn''t think it impossible for Liu Qingsong to have fallen at Jiang Ning''s hand. That sword strike on the platform, carrying the rolling Sword Force, had defeated Yuan Fei, who had only just started Muscle Training and had barely mastered the Ape Demon True Body. That sword strike alone was enough to prove that Jiang Ning had the power to confront an ordinary Seventh Grade head-on. Although Liu Qingsong was somewhat stronger than the ordinary Seventh Grade. But who could guarantee that Jiang Ning had shown his full potential at that time? After all, Yuan Fei, who had just mastered the Ape Demon True Body, was completely dominated by Jiang Ning without showing any signs of reaching his limit. "Truly terrifying! At such a young age, Jiang Ning has reached this step! This matter is of great importance; I must personally return to the valley to report to the Valley Master!" Gongsun Yu thought to himself, muttering under his breath. Thinking of this, he silently added, "This youngster is too montrous, and when the time comes, I must convey the dangers to the Valley Master, hoping he will make a prudent decision." ... Elsewhere. Back in the military tent. With the departure of Gongsun Yu, Jiang Ning also let out a sigh of relief in his heart. Third Elder of Medicine King Valley. This identity had indeed startled him just now. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After becoming an imaginary enemy of Medicine King Valley, he naturally made sure to read up on information about Medicine King Valley. According to the records, the Elder Hall of Medicine King Valley consisted of six members. Any one of them far surpassed Seventh Grade and was placed in the ranks of Sixth Grade. To become an Elder, one must break through Seventh Grade and step into the ranks of Sixth Grade. And the higher the ranking of the Elder, the more powerful they were. According to the information, the Head Elder in the Elder Hall was a Fifth Grade strong person who had mastered Inner Breath, delving deeply into this realm for over five years. It was precisely because of such a powerful Elder Hall that Medicine King Valley could become a major force in Dongling County, ranking as the second Sect. So, it wasn''t difficult for Jiang Ning to guess that this Third Elder of Medicine King Valley, Gongsun Yu, was at least at the Peak of Sixth Grade. A strength like Gongsun Yu''s could easily sweep through the entire Luoshui County. Perhaps only Master Hong, dispatched from another place, could contend with him. As Jiang Ning pondered. "Well done, you faced such a strong person without groveling or arrogance, not diminishing the might of our Inspection Office!" Hong Minghu praised. Jiang Ning immediately responded with a cupped fist, "I can be so composed because the Residence Master is here. If the situation were reversed, and I were alone with the Third Elder of Medicine King Valley, I wouldn''t have this confidence." Hong Minghu laughed at this, "You''re right! With this office here, even if Gongsun Yu has spent some years in Fifth Grade, he would still not dare to act recklessly in front of me!" Fifth Grade? Jiang Ning was suddenly a bit surprised. Then he looked at Hong Minghu in front of him, wondering. Could it be that he, too, was a strong person with Fifth Grade Internal Strength? "There''s no need to guess, I am also Fifth Grade!" Hong Minghu said indifferently. "Residence Master is mighty!" Jiang Ning responded with a fist and palm salute. Hong Minghu laughed heartily, then said, "Sit down, let''s talk." "Yes, Residence Master!" Jiang Ning replied, then took a seat as suggested. Chapter 234 1 Can There Be a Marriage? The Young Girl is Fourteen!_2 "Commander Jiang, you are eighteen this year, do you have a marriage arrangement or someone special in mind?" Hong Minghu asked as he saw Jiang Ning sit down, taking the opportunity to voice the question that was on his mind. "No!" Jiang Ning shook his head. Hearing this response, a wave of joy immediately washed over Hong Minghu. Having just witnessed Jiang Ning''s abilities, he knew that Jiang Ning''s future would undoubtedly be far superior to his own. Although he was currently at Martial Arts Fifth Grade, his Fifth Grade was flawed, achieved through the use of secret medicines. From now on, his martial arts path would end here; even with more secret medicines, at most he could climb to the Peak of Fifth Grade and could not progress further. Otherwise, if it were a breakthrough achieved through his own strength, why would he come to a small place like Luoshui County to serve as a Residence Master? He would certainly go to a higher realm. Although the title of Residence Master seemed prestigious and powerful, it was only a Seventh Grade official position. In the entire Great Xia hierarchical system, it was no more than a fish swimming across the river. Jiang Ning was different. At just eighteen, he already possessed Seventh Grade strength, was accomplished in both internal and external cultivation, and had mastered techniques that only Fifth Grade strong people could manage. With such terrifying talent, his future was bound to be far superior to his own. For Jiang Ning to take a seat among the Grandmasters in the future would not surprise him in the slightest. ... In the grand tent. "Since Commander Jiang has no marriage arranged, I have a daughter who has just turned fourteen, an age suitable for marriage. Would Commander Jiang be willing to meet her?" Fourteen years old? Jiang Ning''s eyes immediately widened, followed by a bout of speechlessness. Fourteen years old, this would be illegal... With this thought, Jiang Ning spoke up: "Residence Master, I am currently only focused on the path of Martial Arts and have no plans for marriage yet!" "Oh, is that so?" Hong Minghu''s eyes immediately revealed a hint of disappointment: "Well, then, let''s set this matter aside for now. If Commander Jiang is interested in the future, you may meet with my daughter at any time! Tomorrow, I will send my daughter''s portrait for Commander Jiang to appraise!" Hong Minghu did not doubt that Jiang Ning''s words were a polite refusal. For Jiang Ning to have come this far, possessing such exaggerated strength. Talent, foundation, and insight are naturally indispensable, but personal effort is just as essential. Without high devotion to Martial Arts, it would be very difficult to achieve such accomplishments at such a young age, even with high talent. But at this moment, a tinge of disappointment still lingered in Hong Minghu''s heart. Jiang Ning, he was extremely optimistic about. If a marriage could be arranged, it would naturally be excellent. Jiang Ning, seeing Hong Minghu press the matter to this extent, could only nod in agreement for now. After all, since he was working under Hong Minghu, he had to consider Hong Minghu''s face. ... After leaving Hong Minghu''s grand tent, the drill ground returned to its usual calmness. All the factions had left, and the onlookers around the drill ground had dispersed to their homes. Leaving the drill ground, Jiang Ning thought for a moment and headed towards the place Feng Jiuge had mentioned just previously. The Sweeping Fire Spear Skill was all too familiar to him. The Power embedded within it was even more familiar to him. The ingenuity within it, similar yet distinct from that of the Nine Layers of Strength, made him suspect. The Sweeping Fire Spear Skill, was likely a variation of the Sweeping Fire Saber Skill. Just as the Canglang Blade Skill cultivated the Nine Layers of Strength Power, he could also use his fists to achieve the same. ... Moon Residence. It was a residence in the Inner City with a rather high cost, serving the same function as an inn. While inns catered to the general populace, and even the so-called Sky Grade only targeted wealthy gentry. Moon Residence, however, was different. The cost was much higher than even the Sky Building. But at the same time, the living environment was also significantly better. Adjacent to the Luoshui River, surrounded by Green Water. Even in this dry year, the water level in Luoshui Lake remained undiminished. Moreover, every residence here came with a small courtyard, a private dwelling place. All of this contributed to the exorbitant residential prices. "Young Master Jiang, Miss Feng Jiuge is in this courtyard!" A maid in a green dress led the way up front. She paused in front of the Green Water Courtyard, pointing to the courtyard engraved with "Bishui Courtyard" on the plaque. At this time, the wind over the Luoshui Lake brushed across the water, past the lakeside, and onto this maid. Under the caress of the lake breeze, her dress clung to her skin, perfectly accentuating the youthful figure of the maid. "I appreciate your guidance, Little Cui," Jiang Ning gave a sign of thanks. "Young Master Jiang is too polite. It is my duty!" said the maid named Little Cui with a graceful curtsey before she retreated. Knock¡ª Knock¡ª Knock¡ª Jiang Ning gently knocked on the door of the small courtyard. "Who is it?" a young voice came from inside the courtyard. As the talking proceeded. Clang¡ª The sound of a gate latch shaking suddenly came from the entrance of the courtyard. Subsequently, the courtyard gate was slowly opened, and a young girl with two pigtails appeared in front of Jiang Ning. "Who are you?" She looked at Jiang Ning, and her originally vigilant expression eased considerably. "I am Jiang Ning, coming especially to see Miss Feng Jiuge!" "Oh!" The girl with pigtails nodded slightly, then said, "Please wait here; I''ll go ask Sister Feng!" Leaving these words behind, the girl closed the courtyard gate, and the gradually fading footsteps behind it signified her departure to seek permission. After a short while. The sound of footsteps reappeared behind the courtyard gate. Then. Clang¡ª The gate latch shook. The courtyard gate slowly opened. The girl with the pigtails peeked out again. "Young Master Jiang, please come in! Sister Feng said that you may enter." Jiang Ning smiled and lightly patted her head; the girl gave him the feeling of a little sister from next door. He then asked, "Little girl, what is your name?" "Young Master Jiang can call me Yiyi! And... I''m not little!" Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning smiled slightly. "How old are you then?" "Fourteen!" Yiyi stood tall, chest puffed, as if to showcase her maturity. Jiang Ning: "...." He thought of the marriage proposal from Hong Minghu he just received, whose own daughter was also just fourteen years old. Thinking this, Jiang Ning took another look at Yiyi in front of him. He was speechless. Fourteen? Hong Minghu really had the nerve to suggest such a thing. The mere thought made Jiang Ning feel like it would be a sin. After a short while. Led by Yiyi, Jiang Ning arrived at a pavilion over the water. Surrounded by the cool, flowing lake water, the pavilion was also filled with a refreshing chill. "Indeed, a nice place! No wonder the Moon Residence charges so much!" Jiang Ning nodded slightly, whispering to himself. "Young Master Jiang, please wait here a moment; Sister Feng has just come back from outside and is bathing, so she will need some time." "No worries, I''m not in a hurry!" said Jiang Ning. He then patiently waited. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He knew from his past life just how slow it could be for a woman to bathe. However. In only slightly more than half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Feng Jiuge appeared in his sight. She was completely different from how she had appeared on the stage just earlier. Her form-fitting red attire made her look tall and exquisite, with very good proportions. Her regular martial arts training also contributed to an excellent figure. Without the hindrance of leather armor, her body was on full display. Her hair was no longer in the high ponytail of before, full of a valiant and heroic air. Instead, it hung loose over her shoulders, with droplets of water still collecting and falling among her strands. "Sorry to keep you waiting!" Feng Jiuge spoke. Jiang Ning stood up, "It wasn''t long." The two of them took their seats. "Care for a drink?" Feng Jiuge asked. "Sure!" Jiang Ning nodded. Feng Jiuge gave a slight nod upon hearing his answer. Then, as she poured drinks for both, she asked, "Young Master Jiang, did you win just now?" "Luckily, I managed to take it down!" "Congratulations!" Feng Jiuge spoke, and then said, "There''s no such thing as luck here. To grab the sole position of Deputy Commander from among more than ten captains, it takes skill, not luck." Saying this, Feng Jiuge fixed her gaze on Jiang Ning for a while. "Why does Miss Feng look at me this way?" Jiang Ning inquired. Only then did Feng Jiuge take her eyes off him, raising her wine cup towards Jiang Ning as a gesture. After the two clinked glasses, Feng Jiuge said, "I wonder if there are vacancies under your command, Deputy Commander?" "Yes, there definitely are!" Jiang Ning responded at once. Feng Jiuge asked, "Would you welcome me into your ranks, Commander Jiang?" "Most welcome!" Chapter 235 2: Superior Martial Arts, Water and Fire True Intent! Moon Residence. Sitting across from Feng Jiuge, the two of them held up their cups and drank merrily in each other''s company. Feng Jiuge, having a military style about her, despite wearing casual home attire, which made her seem slightly softer, still drank her liquor heartily. The cups they used were not the small ones commonly used for drinking, but rather, could be described as mugs. These cup-sized vessels could be grasped entirely in the palm of one''s hand. One cup followed another, with Feng Jiuge emptying her cup in one gulp each time, drinking it dry. Seeing this, Jiang Ning had no choice but to accompany her to the end. A short time later. After drinking consecutive cups of strong alcohol, even Jiang Ning began to feel slightly inebriated. At this moment, he saw Feng Jiuge''s complexion remained unchanged as if it was nothing. "Miss Feng¡­ What a capacity for alcohol!" Jiang Ning exclaimed, inwardly amazed. After all, he had accomplished a great deal in internal cultivation and was only a step away from generating Inner Breath. Under these conditions, his internal organ functions were several times more efficient than those of ordinary people. Feeling slightly drunk despite his strong internal organ functions was enough to indicate the potency of the alcohol. Yet Feng Jiuge showed no sign of being affected. Hearing his words, Feng Jiuge raised her cup, tilted her head back, and emptied it in one go. Instantly, the slightly sharp alcohol flowed through her red lips and down her slender neck, pouring into the valley within her. Draining the cup. Clang¡ª Feng Jiuge set her empty cup on the stone table, then proceeded to pour herself another drink. "I inherited my father''s ability to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, so when it comes to drinking contests, there are few who can outdrink me." While speaking, Feng Jiuge looked toward Jiang Ning with a slight smile. Because at this moment, a blush had appeared on Jiang Ning''s face, a sign that the alcohol had indeed affected him. Subsequently, Feng Jiuge stood up: "On the arena, I lost to you and was somewhat unconvinced. May I challenge you to another match?" "Of course! I''m quite eager to witness your Sweeping Fire Spear Skill again!" Jiang Ning said. The next moment. Jiang Ning also stood up. Heading to the backyard. The backyard was clearly arranged meticulously, into a neat space with just grass and two weapon racks, and without too much decoration. ... After thirty minutes. The look in Feng Jiuge''s eyes toward Jiang Ning was complicated. "You''ve actually mastered the Sword Force!! No wonder you were able to claim the Deputy Commander position; that Young Master was far inferior to you!" After the battle, all the inebriation from the alcohol within Jiang Ning had vanished. "Young Master, merely by his status alone, deserves to hold the position of Deputy Commander. There''s no need for me to compete with him." Hearing this, Feng Jiuge suddenly chuckled lightly. "With that Young Master''s pride and arrogance, if he hears what you just said, he''ll surely be infuriated." Then, Feng Jiuge''s expression became focused again. "Your Power just now, why is it so similar to the Nine Refining Fire Power that I possess?" During the battle, Feng Jiuge had personally experienced the Nine Layers of Strength released by Jiang Ning when he wielded his saber. Each strike of the saber seemed to effortlessly unleash the power of the previous three strikes, an explosive power that left her struggling for breath. It was also during this battle that she realized just how much Jiang Ning had held back in their arena fight. In their exchange, her definitive defeat came under the Sword Force Jiang Ning had deployed. Once the Sword Force was revealed, the outcome was decided. Only then did Feng Jiuge understand why Jiang Ning was able to seize the position of Deputy Commander among the more than ten captains. In this exchange, Jiang Ning chose to reveal his Sword Force, partly to ensure that a captain like Feng Jiuge would be more willing to be led by him. He knew that a prodigy like Feng Jiuge was proud and arrogant by nature. If she were a mediocrity, she would never yield to him. Only someone far more exceptional than prodigies like her could genuinely persuade Feng Jiuge and others to willingly follow his commands. ... "Nine Refining Fire?" Jiang Ning showed a hint of surprise. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then he said, "The Power I have mastered is the Nine Layers of Strength!" "Nine Layers of Strength?" Feng Jiuge''s eyes also widened slightly. "It seems you''re aware of it!" Jiang Ning smiled. Feng Jiuge promptly nodded: "Nine Refining Fire, Nine Layers of Strength, these are essentially two types of Power, one of water and one of fire! My Sweeping Fire Spear Skill, when perfected, produces a spear force like fire ¨C attacking the enemy with unceasing flames. One strike can unleash the power of nine spears, it''s a Middle Grade martial art." Jiang Ning said, "My Canglang Blade Skill, once perfected, can also unleash the power of nine strikes with a single cut. It is also a Middle Grade martial art. As for the Sword Force, there''s no record of it." "Canglang Blade Skill?" Feng Jiuge shook her head slightly: "I have never heard of it." She then added, "But as far as I know, the Nine Refining Fire Power and the Nine Layers of Strength are powers evolved from the cultivation techniques of Ancient Times, derived from the Water and Fire Treasure Book." "Whoever can master both Powers, combining the two into one, will possess a superior martial art." "If one could divine the mysteries of the Water and Fire Treasure Book from that, they could grasp the Water and Fire True Intent, which is key to the gateway towards becoming a Grandmaster!" Jiang Ning said, "Miss Feng, would you be interested in exchanging cultivation techniques?" "Could you make the decision?" Feng Jiuge looked at Jiang Ning, then she said, "The Sweeping Fire Spear Skill, as a Middle Grade martial art, also represents my father''s signature spear skill. I can''t make that decision." Jiang Ning said, "Neither can I. I can go back and ask my master, and he should agree!" Feng Jiuge said, "Then I will send a message via carrier pigeon to my father. If he agrees, then we can exchange the cultivation techniques." "It''s a deal!" Jiang Ning declared. ... Leaving the Moon Residence, Jiang Ning felt secretly overjoyed. Nine Refining Fire, Nine Layers of Strength. If these two Powers representing their respective cultivation techniques could be fused, then it would indeed form a superior martial art. Chapter 236 2: Superior Martial Arts, Water and Fire True Intent!_2 And he still had yet to possess superior martial arts. He had a personal understanding of just how much more complex middle-class martial arts were compared to lower-level martial arts. His current combat strength could largely be attributed to the Canglang Blade Skill. Without this middle-class martial arts skill, his strength would be at least reduced by half. This was the effect of middle-class martial arts of the skill type. From this, it could be seen that the strength enhancement brought by superior martial arts would be even more exaggerated. For others, like Feng Jiuge, even if she obtained the Canglang Blade Skill and managed to get a start on it, mastering the Nine Layers of Strength, to achieve Perfection in these two middle-class martial arts and integrate them as one would be an unattainable goal. However, for Jiang Ning, it was different. With the help of this miraculous panel, given some time, he could push these two Cultivation Techniques to Perfection, even Break Limit. At that time, merging them should not be hard! Thinking of this, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but feel a bit of anticipation. Superior martial arts, Water and Fire True Intent, were the capital of making his stand in the world. ... Canglang Martial Arts Hall. "What did you say?" Wang Jin suddenly stood up, his eyes as wide as saucers, staring at Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning said, "Feng Jiuge asked Disciple if I would be willing to exchange the Canglang Blade Skill for her Sweeping Fire Spear Skill, which can cultivate the Nine Refining Fire Power!" Watching Wang Jin''s shocked expression, Jiang Ning repeated himself. "You''re not pulling one over on me?" Wang Jin''s breathing suddenly became rapid. "Of course not!" Jiang Ning said. Hearing Jiang Ning''s affirmative response, Wang Jin paced back and forth. "No need to break my back searching; it falls into my lap without effort!" Wang Jin muttered to himself several times, then turned to look at Jiang Ning. "Approve it, and then you can handle the exchange yourself!" Then Wang Jin added, "Come with me!" Once in the study, Wang Jin solemnly handed over the saber manual of the Canglang Blade Skill to Jiang Ning. "This is up to you now, try your best to complete this exchange!" "I will," Jiang Ning nodded. ... By the time Jiang Ning returned home, the sky was already dark. At this time, Jiang Ning thought back on the events of the day, feeling as if they couldn''t be real. In the span of a single day, he''d gone from being an ordinary civilian to a court-appointed official of the Eighth Grade. Moreover, this was a position of real authority, with the power over life and death, an official whose presence commanded respect above those of the same rank. In other words, if he did not count the Inspection Office, he was now one of the top officials in the whole of Luoshui County. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "This is¡­" Just as he stepped through his front door, Jiang Ning saw the items in the courtyard and the person Jiang Li had sent, his expression showing faint surprise. At that moment, Jiang Ning''s appearance also immediately caught the attention of the two in the courtyard. "Mr. Jiang, I never thought I''d be so lucky to meet you in person!" said a chubby man, smiling and speaking to Jiang Ning. This man seemed comical, but Jiang Ning did not dare to underestimate him. Because this person was the President of the Sihe Chamber of Commerce. The Sihe Chamber of Commerce was one of the top three major commerce guilds in Luoshui County. The livelihoods of countless civilians were closely linked to the Sihe Chamber of Commerce! Behind the Sihe Chamber of Commerce stood the formidable Liu family. Suddenly, A thought flickered through Jiang Ning''s mind. The Liu family, perhaps they''re not much of an issue for me anymore? Then he thought of the Cao family. Cao Bin''s previous actions, Cao Rong''s attack on him that day, and Tian Buyi, the hired thug of the Cao family. These were things Jiang Ning could not forget. It was impossible to just let them slide! Had his luck not been good, he might well have fallen into the hands of the Cao family. How could he easily forgive a matter of life and death? These matters, Jiang Ning always kept in mind. "Has Mr. Jiang dined yet?" The fat-headed President of the Sihe Chamber of Commerce bowed to Jiang Ning, his face brimming with smiles. "Not yet," Jiang Ning shook his head. "Then may I play host and invite Mr. Jiang to dine at the Moon Pavilion? I have a perennially reserved private room there; the environment is quite nice!" the fat-headed President of the Sihe Chamber of Commerce said, bending slightly. "No need," Jiang Ning shook his head again. "Very well!" The President of the Sihe Chamber of Commerce still kept his smile: "Mr. Jiang must be somewhat exhausted today, it''s not suitable to travel once more!" "Next time, when Mr. Jiang has the time, I will host a banquet for you!" ... A moment later, the chairman of the Sihe Chamber of Commerce had the good sense to excuse himself first. Looking at the pile of things in the courtyard, Jiang Ning immediately understood that these must have been gifts from the various major families and forces of Luoshui County. Then, the list handed over by Jiang Li also corroborated Jiang Ning''s speculation. The mountainous stack of presents was gifts from various major families. They included gifts from the Cao, Liu, and Xie families, as well as the chamber of commerce, escort agencies, Weapon Forging Shops, and several major gangs... That night, after having a full meal, Jiang Ning went to keep an appointment¡ªthe invitation from Ye Qiu, the commander. It wasn''t until late into the night, when the moon hung low in the sky, that Jiang Ning returned. This banquet was just between him and Ye Qiu, with no other participants. After returning, Jiang Ning went straight to sleep. ... In the blink of an eye, the next day. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 187.3 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1903/3000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (First Limit Breaking 353/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Four times limit-breaking 5000/5000) (Traits: Touch and Understand, Saber Fast as the Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Mastering 1644/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 67/1000) Vajra Immortal Body (small success 453/5000) Swimming (Four times limit-breaking 3873/5000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall) Taking a quick glance at his panel, Jiang Ning immediately closed it. His Source Energy Points were about to break through two hundred. Once he reached two hundred points, according to his speculation, whether it''s the Chopping Wood Blade Skill or the skill of Swimming, both could undergo the fifth limit-breaking. But he still hadn''t decided which to choose. The four times limit-breaking of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill brought not just an increase in traits but also allowed him to grasp the essence of the saber force. Surely, the change brought by the fifth limit-breaking wouldn''t be far off. The breakthroughs in Swimming had led to even more obvious changes. Whether it was mastery over the Water Manipulation Divine Ability or the Cloud Formation and Rainfall, both far exceeded his expectations. After getting out of bed, Jiang Ning simply cycled the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill to refine several layers of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill inside his body. The potent Medicinal Power of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill, once integrated into his body, could enhance his physique. Ever since he knew his physique had become superior, Jiang Ning truly recognized the potent efficacy of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill. He also understood why such a pill could serve as tribute, an offering to the Prince Huaian. With such pills, any child could be transformed into a physique like his. A superior physique, even in Dongling County, could be described with the words "exceptional talent." In the blink of an eye, after his refinement, three drops of pale golden elixir appeared inside his body. The liquid then dispersed, integrating into his limbs and bones. Jiang Ning also immediately circulated his power, mobilizing the Qi-Blood throughout his body, and continued to temper his muscles with the effectiveness of the medicinal power. At the Eighth Grade level, although he hadn''t lingered for long, with the enhancement of various treasures, he had already reached this step at the top of the ladder. There was almost no room for advancement left, just the final shiver. In Jiang Ning''s view, it wouldn''t take many days for him to reach the true Peak of Eighth Grade, and then he would be able to start attempting to open the door to Seventh Grade. ... Most of the morning passed. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [...] [Skills]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Mastering 1684/2000) It was still 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., the key time for Jiang Ning to inhale the essence of the great sun, refine his five internal organs, and increase the experience of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. But he had to stop practicing earlier than planned. That''s because Little Dumpling, who had run over, told him that a beautiful older sister had come to visit and specifically asked to see him. As for who it was, even Little Dumpling did not know. Because that person didn''t say. Chapter 237 3: Alcohol Doesnt Intoxicate; People Intoxicate Themselves Front Courtyard. "Senior Sister Li?" Jiang Ning saw the figure of Li Qing and was slightly surprised. "Brother Jiang, do you mind if I disturb you?" Li Qing spoke. "Not at all!" Jiang Ning smiled slightly, "Senior Sister Li, come with me!" Then he patted Little Dumpling on the head, "Little Dumpling, go play by yourself for a while!" "Okay!" Little Dumpling obediently nodded her head and instantly hopped away. For a child, there''s no fear of having nothing to play with. Even a few ants on the ground can provide entertainment for a long time. Following that. Jiang Ning led Li Qing towards his east courtyard. On the way. "Senior Sister Li, how come you have time to visit me today?" "Because I''m leaving!" Li Qing said. "Leaving?" Jiang Ning stopped in his tracks, slightly taken aback. "Yes!" Li Qing nodded, "Since I didn''t get into the Inspection Office, to seek development in Martial Arts, I''m starting my journey today with my father to Sword Pavilion in Bashu County to study Martial Arts. I came to Brother Jiang today to say farewell." As the two talked, they headed towards the east courtyard. A short time later. In the pavilion of the east courtyard. The two sat face to face. After their recent conversation, Jiang Ning understood. In Sword Pavilion of Bashu County, Li Qing''s father had connections that could get Li Qing into the Sword Pavilion for Martial Arts study. Sword Pavilion was a sect much stronger than Medicine King Valley. Inside the Sword Pavilion, a Great Grandmaster was stationed, signaling its formidable strength. Therefore, for Li Qing, becoming a disciple of Sword Pavilion was an excellent choice. If not for her father''s extensive connections, she wouldn''t even have had this opportunity to be accepted into the Sword Pavilion of Bashu County. And Bashu County was more than two thousand kilometers away from Luoshui County. Once they parted, there would be no telling when they might meet again. That''s why Li Qing came to say goodbye today. Because this farewell might mean they would never meet again. Sitting face to face, Jiang Ning thought for a moment then said, "Senior Sister, wait a moment!" The sentence fell, and Jiang Ning walked towards the inside of his house. ... When he emerged. He was holding a jug of wine and two wine cups. Dong dong dong¡ª He gently shook the jug, and the collision sound between the black stone and the inner walls of the jug resounded. Arriving at the pavilion, Jiang Ning placed the wine cups in front of Li Qing. "Brother Jiang, this is..." Li Qing''s mouth gaped slightly as she looked at the jug and wine cups before her. Then, as if she realized something. Could it be that Junior Brother intends to get me drunk today? Li Qing looked at Jiang Ning, her face suddenly blushed. Quickly, Li Qing''s gaze shifted from sparkling to hesitant. She tilted her head slightly, as if making a decision. At this time, Jiang Ning spoke, "Since Senior Sister is leaving, naturally I should see you off properly." Gu gu gu¡ª Crystal clear wine poured into the cup, with dots of silver starlight flickering. At the same time, a strong aroma of wine spread. "Senior Sister, I wish you a smooth journey!" Jiang Ning raised his cup. The next moment. "So spicy!" Li Qing took a tiny sip and immediately stuck out her tongue. Jiang Ning downed his cup at once, smooth on entry and with no burning sensation in his stomach. He immediately looked at Li Qing, "Senior Sister, this wine is great stuff, really great stuff, don''t waste it." Indeed! Junior Brother does want to get me drunk! Listening to Jiang Ning''s words, Li Qing suddenly understood. Immediately. She steeled herself, picked up the cup, and tilted her head to drink it all in one go. In that instant. As the wine ran down her throat and into her stomach, Li Qing''s face suddenly turned rosy. Clang¡ª The wine cup in Li Qing''s hand slammed heavily onto the stone table. "Junior Brother, I want more!" "Alright!" Jiang Ning chuckled and then poured another round for both of them. The jug contained a black stone, which had the effect of improving one''s physical body and enhancing one''s Martial Arts talents. Originally, the massive transformation of that White Dragon Fish was, Jiang Ning realized afterwards, due to the effect of this black stone. Therefore, he was very clear that this black stone was indeed a very special and precious item. With this miraculous black stone, soaking it in water could produce substances as valuable as Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures endlessly. Today, upon knowing of Li Qing''s departure, Jiang Ning was no longer stingy; he used wine soaked with the black stone as her parting gift. This way, it could also improve Li Qing''s roots and enhance her Martial Arts talents. After all, this substance was inexhaustible for him. Every day, soaking the black stone in any liquid, whether wine or water, would have the same effect. After Jiang Ning filled the second cup, Li Qing again boldly downed it in one gulp. At this moment, with the two cups of wine in her belly, Li Qing''s face was dyed with a blush. ... A short while later. "Junior Brother!" Li Qing looked at Jiang Ning, suddenly giggling foolishly, her face all rosy. Suddenly. "Burp¡ª" Li Qing let out a loud burp, her eyes dazed and wandering. "This tolerance for alcohol..." Jiang Ning shook his head, "It''s really poor!!" Seeing Li Qing already nearly nine parts drunk, Jiang Ning finished the last cup of wine. Then, he tucked away the jug. "Senior Sister, let me take you home!" Jiang Ning came to Li Qing''s side, supporting her arm, to keep her unsteady body from falling to the ground. Two hours later. Li Mansion''s main gate. "Senior Sister Li, we''re home!" Jiang Ning patted Li Qing, who was lying on his leg asleep. "Are we home?" Li Qing murmured incoherently, her gaze was hazy as she looked up, her face still flushed. "Yes, we''re at your house, Senior Sister!" Jiang Ning drew back the carriage curtain, pointing outside towards the main gate of the Li Mansion. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Alright then!" Li Qing nodded slightly. Jiang Ning then helped Li Qing down from the carriage. Chapter 238 3 Alcohol Doesnt Intoxicate, People Intoxicate Themselves_2 A moment later. After Jiang Ning had left, Li Qing''s hazy gaze suddenly became clear. She watched the departing carriage and couldn''t help but stamp her foot. "Miss, what''s wrong?" A maid dressed in a pink dress curiously asked her mistress. "It''s nothing!" Li Qing had a look of wanting to complain but not knowing to whom she should speak. ... Outer city. Inspection Office. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The Inspection Office... disregards human life, doesn''t anyone care? My son died unjustly! Unjustly!!!" In front of the Inspection Office, a seventy-year-old man wailed loudly. Next to him, a rolled-up straw mat lay. While he spoke, he repeatedly banged his head against the hard ground in front of the Inspection Office. His forehead was already smeared with dust and blood. Behind the old man, more than ten stern-looking constables stood armed with swords. Because the person who died in the straw mat was one of their colleagues, an old constable. This old constable had died last night at the hands of someone in the Inspection Office. Today, they had come together, also to seek justice and an explanation. "Get lost, or if you continue making noise at the door, I''ll have you all arrested!" Zhao Hu, who emerged from the Inspection Office, looked fiercely at the scene at the doorway. At this moment, he was also filled with regret. Yesterday he shouldn''t have forgotten himself in his sense of triumph and sought revenge against the constable who had once insulted him. He shouldn''t have, while drunk, killed him without realizing the severity. He shouldn''t have, after someone had died, failed to handle the situation properly, becoming scared and fleeing in disarray due to the arrival of the constables. "Arrest us? I''d like to see how, on what authority a mere Patrol Guard like you can arrest me," a middle-aged man around thirty-seven or thirty-eight slowly stepped forward from the crowd. "Master Lin, my son died unjustly!" The seventy-year-old man saw the middle-aged man and wailed even louder. "Don''t worry, leave this matter to me. Your son worked under me for many years; I won''t let him die without clarity!" Master Lin consoled the elderly man and then looked towards Zhao Hu. At that moment, Zhao Hu suddenly snorted, "What? This man was found conspiring with the Evil God Sect last night, he refused to surrender and tried to silence me; as a member of the Inspection Office, am I not allowed to uphold the law?" "What a joke!" Master Lin coldly retorted, "You say there was conspiracy; where''s the evidence?" "Evidence, I have it!" Just then. From inside the Inspection Office, a voice suddenly called out, and a man dressed in a black, blood-stained robe walked out. "Captain Liu!" Zhao Hu looked down at this man, and a sense of relief flooded his heart. After this incident occurred, he had consulted with Liu Zhaonan. Liu Zhaonan had instructed him to go out and deal with the situation while maintaining the dignity of the Inspection Office. Now, the appearance of Liu Zhaonan and his words greatly steadied Zhao Hu''s heart. Liu Zhaonan''s statement was clearly intended to protect him. "Liu Zhaonan, what evidence do you have?" Master Lin''s heart tightened at the sight of Liu Zhaonan. Yesterday, he had witnessed Liu Zhaonan''s strength at the drilling field. Peak of Eighth Grade, far more powerful than his Standard Ninth Grade by several times. In front of Zhao Hu, he was confident, but in front of Liu Zhaonan, he had little to rely on. Liu Zhaonan raised his hand and tossed out a letter. "This is physical evidence, correspondence between Xia Li and the God Worship Sect. As for the witness, Zhao Hu himself is a witness; he saw it with his own eyes!" "You''re spouting nonsense!" Master Lin couldn''t help but curse in rage. Because Liu Zhaonan''s actions were akin to treating them all as fools, blatantly lying with his eyes closed. Hearing Master Lin''s shouting, Liu Zhaonan''s eyebrows furrowed, and he looked sharply at him. The next moment. Liu Zhaonan kicked a stone on the ground in front of him. Whoosh¡ª The sound of the stone breaking through the air suddenly exploded. "Liu Zhaonan, you dare!" A loud shout immediately came from the crowd. At this moment. Master Lin''s expression dramatically changed. Liu Zhaonan''s sudden move was completely unexpected. This mode of attack was also beyond his anticipation. Watching the stone hurtling toward him, he hurriedly moved to dodge the stone''s attack. Then the next breath. He had only moved half his body when the stone that tore through the air heavily struck his left shoulder. His figure immediately lost balance, slightly rose into the air toward the back, and then heavily fell to the ground. So strong!! Master Lin was instantly shocked. He had never thought that he would be injured by such an attack. Before, he had fought with Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm martial artists. Although he was completely outmatched, he managed to exchange a few moves. But in front of Liu Zhaonan, he had absolutely no ability to fight back. Just a kicked piece of rubble could defeat him! Is this the strength of a Commander level? Master Lin murmured to himself. This strike also let him see what an Eighth Grade powerhouse at the Commander level was. Totally different from the strength possessed by ordinary Eighth Grade martial artists. "You acted against superiors; a small punishment serves as a warning for bigger issues! If there is a next time, it won''t be so easy to let it go!" Liu Zhaonan said indifferently. His gaze no longer rested on Master Lin but fell upon the casually dressed man who had just stepped out of the crowd. "Chief arrest officer!" Supported by this newly arrived man, Master Lin immediately spoke through the pain in his shoulder. This man, who had appeared, was Xu Zhengnan, the Chief arrest officer of the government office, the leader of all the constables. His strength was genuinely at the Peak of Eighth Grade. "Are you alright?" Xu Zhengnan asked. Master Lin nodded immediately, "I''m fine, nothing serious!" Hearing this response, Xu Zhengnan slightly nodded then looked toward Liu Zhaonan. "Captain Liu, isn''t your action a bit too extreme?" "Too extreme?" Liu Zhaonan laughed, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes. To someone of Xu Zhengnan''s age, reaching his steps was not even worth considering. Moreover, before coming here, he had reported the matter to Ye Qiu, the Commander. Ye Qiu''s instruction was simple: it didn''t matter whether it was right or wrong, just act forcefully. The Inspection Office needed an excuse, an opportunity to show its fangs to the power structures throughout the city. In extraordinary times, extraordinary actions are necessary. The actions of the Inspection Office did not need to be justified; even mistakenly killing some people was deemed acceptable. As long as they fulfilled the duties expected of the Inspection Office. Because he had the backing of Ye Qiu, the Commander, Liu Zhaonan was not afraid at that moment. Immediately, Liu Zhaonan said, "With all evidence in place, do not stir up trouble needlessly. If you continue to confront the Inspection Office, even if you, Xu Zhengnan, are a Standard Ninth Grade chief arrest officer, I have every reason to suspect your collusion with the Evil God Sect and deal with you!" Hearing Liu Zhaonan''s words, Xu Zhengnan burst into angry laughter. "Good!" "Very good!!" "I want to see how you''re going to ''deal with me''?" In an instant, As Xu Zhengnan''s words fell, Liu Zhaonan suddenly moved, leaping several zhang away toward Xu Zhengnan. All of this was seen by Jiang Ning. "So fierce?" Jiang Ning observed the scene in front of the Inspection Office, astonished. Immediately, he looked in the direction of the Inspection Office. From atop a tall building, he saw Ye Qiu standing by the railing, quietly watching the scene below. At that moment, as Jiang Ning''s gaze fell on Ye Qiu, the Commander, Ye Qiu seemed to perceive it, and his gaze shifted to where Jiang Ning was. Their eyes met, and Ye Qiu gave Jiang Ning a slight smile. Jiang Ning also returned the smile. Immediately, Ye Qiu''s mouth moved slightly, indicating with speech. "Brother Jiang, would you like to come up here?" Seeing the intent revealed in Ye Qiu''s gesture, Jiang Ning slightly nodded. Immediately, he took a glance ahead. At this moment, Liu Zhaonan and Xu Zhengnan were engaged in battle. The two were nearly matched; Liu Zhaonan was younger and physically stronger. While Xu Zhengnan was more experienced, each had their advantages and disadvantages. Clearly, neither could easily win over the other. Thus, Jiang Ning moved to the side, with a leap, rapidly ascended towards the direction of Ye Qiu! Chapter 239 4: The Powerful Inspection Office Inspection Office. Atop the pavilion. "Brother Ye!" Jiang Ning greeted him as he approached. "Brother Jiang!" Ye Qiu smiled. Ye Qiu looked down, "Brother Jiang, do you know what happened below?" Jiang Ning shook his head, "Not very clear." Ye Qiu said, "There is a Patrol Guard below who, having passed his examination yesterday, got drunk and out of pride, killed a constable from the government office who had once wronged him. However, he did nothing wrong." "Did nothing wrong?" Jiang Ning was slightly surprised. "Yes, did nothing wrong!" Ye Qiu nodded, "The Inspection Office was newly established and needed to assert its authority. Without power, it''s difficult to carry on future work. This incident, regardless of right or wrong, is just the occasion to exercise authority over the county government." Jiang Ning said, "Is that not somewhat inappropriate?" Ye Qiu shook his head, "There''s nothing inappropriate about it!" After finishing, he looked at Jiang Ning with a smile, then continued, "It''s normal for Brother Jiang to think this way since you were once an ordinary citizen." "But from now on, Brother Jiang, your way of thinking must evolve." "For those high in the courts, those who hold supreme positions, this world is just a chess game; right or wrong, good or evil don''t matter. What matters is the execution of their will." "The establishment of our Inspection Office represents the will of certain people. Our primary duty is to execute the will of these people. In this context, it is just, because justice here represents the interests of these people." "In the face of such justice, the interests of the common people can be completely sacrificed." "The constable who died last night was unfortunate, he was the sacrificial object." "And the sacrifice of that constable also coincidentally serves to entrap the county government, which will also become an object of authority for our Inspection Office." "For our Inspection Office, there''s no need to maintain good relations locally, just establishing absolute authority is sufficient." "The mission of the Inspection Office is precisely to quell chaos through execution!" As he said this last sentence, Ye Qiu''s look at Jiang Ning was profoundly meaningful. At this moment, Jiang Ning did not respond, quietly observing the fight below between Liu Zhaonan and Xu Zhengnan. "The actions of the Inspection Office are indeed overbearing!" Jiang Ning sighed inwardly. Just then, Xu Zhengnan, in Liu Zhaonan''s hands, was already being beaten to spit blood repeatedly. "Hold it!!" Suddenly, a loud shout came from the crowd. As soon as the voice sounded, everyone''s gaze was drawn. A man dressed in casual clothes stepped forward. Clearly, this man had been dressed in casual clothes and had been watching for a long time. It was only now, when Xu Zhengnan could no longer fend for himself, that he stepped forward. Seeing the man appear, Jiang Ning immediately recognized him. This person was County Captain Shan, a Standard Eighth Grade. Within the county government, he held a position just below one and above many. "So, it''s County Captain Shan!" Liu Zhaonan smiled and immediately stopped. At that moment, Xu Zhengnan finally had time to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth. "You''re not qualified; let someone higher-ranking come out!" Shan Xiangxiong spoke. While speaking, his gaze didn''t wander to Liu Zhaonan but went towards the pavilion where Jiang Ning and Ye Qiu were. He had noticed Jiang Ning and Ye Qiu''s presence early in the crowd, He also knew that this matter was not just a personal vendetta but an issue involving a dispute between the Inspection Office and the county government. ... Atop the pavilion. "Let''s go, Brother Jiang; come down with me!" Ye Qiu smiled, continuing, "Master Hong has entrusted this matter entirely to me; I must not mess it up!" "Alright," Jiang Ning nodded. The next moment, The two turned and walked down the stairs. Then they came out through the main gate of the Inspection Office. "County Captain Shan!" Ye Qiu smiled. "Commander Ye, Vice Commander Jiang!" Shan Xiangxiong glanced at them, then greeted. Then he said, "Commanders, what do you think about this matter?" Ye Qiu showed a surprised expression, "County Captain Shan, the evidence of the person and the objects are all present; what else is there to see?" Upon saying this, Ye Qiu''s gaze suddenly sharpened, "Could it be that County Captain Shan wants to cover up for that member of the Evil God Sect?" "Commander Ye, are you really going to be like this?" Shan Xiangxiong''s gaze suddenly became fierce as he stared at Ye Qiu. Shan Xiangxiong''s fierce gaze, however, felt like a spring breeze to Ye Qiu. He smiled, walked up to Shan Xiangxiong, and gently patted his shoulder. "County Captain Shan, do not misunderstand! This matter isn''t up to me!" Shan Xiangxiong''s face flushed, and he glanced at Ye Qiu warily. From the few gentle taps, he knew he was no match for Ye Qiu, And from Ye Qiu''s words, he understood that this was Master Hong''s intention. With this realization, Shan Xiangxiong took a deep breath. "Alright!! Since Commander Ye has already investigated this matter, it appears that Tian Bo indeed has connections with the Evil God Sect!" "County Captain!!" Xu Zhengnan suddenly spoke up, his demeanor somewhat dissatisfied. "Quiet!!" Shan Xiangxiong turned to reprimand Xu Zhengnan, the chief arrest officer. Then he looked at Ye Qiu, "I will remember this matter!" Ye Qiu smiled indifferently. Then he waved his hand, "Take this old man away, send him to prison." "Yes, Commander!!" Zhao Hu immediately excited. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He raised his hand and grabbed the seventy-year-old man with fingers like tiger claws, firmly grasping him. "Old thing, rest assured! It won''t be long before you can be on your way to see your only son!" Zhao Hu sneered. "The world is unjust!!!" The seventy-year-old man suddenly let out a long howl to the sky, his eyes filled with despair. Seeing this scene, Jiang Ning felt somewhat reluctant. "Commander Ye, why not spare this old man! At such an age, he surely cannot be involved with the Evil God Sect." Chapter 240 4: The Powerful Inspection Office_2 Ye Qiu glanced at Jiang Ning upon hearing his words. Then he chuckled and said, "Since Brother Jiang has spoken, let''s do as he suggests." Soon after. He looked at Zhao Hu, "Release him!!" Upon hearing these words, Zhao Hu immediately released his grip in annoyance. "Old fool, consider yourself lucky to escape with your life, so you can bury your son." The old man in his seventies glanced at the people present, his face filled with despair as he picked up the mat bearing his son''s body and walked towards the outside. The County Magistrate had intervened, yet he could not obtain justice for his son. What could an old man like himself possibly do? He then proceeded to struggle outside the city walls with the body of his son, searching for a perfect feng shui burial site to lay him to rest. "Disperse! Disperse!!" Following Jiang Ning''s and Ye Qiu''s entrance into the Inspection Office, Zhao Hu began to disperse the crowd at the door. ... Inside the Inspection Office. Jiang Ning said, "Brother Ye, I wonder if I have the authority to recruit people to work in the Inspection Office?" Jiang Ning had just crossed the threshold of the Inspection Office''s main gate when he asked the question that was on his mind. For he had previously promised Cheng Ran he would find a way to get him into the Inspection Office. This would be a good thing for Cheng Ran. But it was also a good thing for himself. In doing so, he would have another trusted confidante whom he could command. This would greatly assist his future duties within the Inspection Office. As a Deputy Commander, if he didn''t have a few trustworthy people under him, things would become troublesome later on. Many matters would require his personal attention. This not only affected his efficiency in advancing in Martial Arts, but it also brought him a host of troublesome issues. Moreover, as a Deputy Commander, if he had no one to command, the position would be in name only. At that moment. Ye Qiu stopped walking when he heard what Jiang Ning said. Then he spoke up, "As a Deputy Commander, Brother Jiang naturally has that power. Every Deputy Commander has the right to recruit up to four people into the Inspection Office and also has the authority to appoint one team leader." "Of course, the choice of team leader requires careful consideration, Brother Jiang, as each team leader will undergo an evaluation. If they are not up to standard, passing the annual assessment will be difficult." "Understood!" Jiang Ning''s eyes brightened immediately upon hearing this. The authority to appoint one team leader and four Patrol Guards was significant. Like Liu Zhaonan, who had just confronted the County''s Chief Arrest Officer, Xu Zhengnan, outside. He was just a team leader. Any team leader was a Standard Ninth Grade official. For the average person, this was nothing short of skyrocketing to high status. However, this position had to be selected with care, as Brother Ye had advised. Each team leader faced an annual assessment. Lacking strength, even if appointed by him, failing the annual assessment would still strip them of the position. At this moment. Ye Qiu spoke up again, "As it is Brother Jiang''s first visit to the Inspection Office, and I happen to be free, why not let me show you around?" "Then I am in your debt, Brother Ye!" Jiang Ning immediately made a bow with his hands clasped together. ... Inside the Internal Affairs Office. Upon arriving here, Ye Qiu departed. And Jiang Ning headed towards the Internal Affairs Office. The Internal Affairs Office served as the logistical support of the Inspection Office. Here, lay the benefits of joining the Inspection Office that everyone was greatly concerned about. The Inspection Office, under the authority of the Martial Saint, was backed by the entirety of Great Xia. Within the office, one could obtain countless divine techniques, secret manuals, and precious, rare medicines. According to Jiang Ning''s prior knowledge, one could acquire lower-level martial arts, middle-grade martial arts, and superior martial arts here. Even higher levels of martial arts were accessible. Besides that, methods to become a Grandmaster or even a Great Grandmaster were available. There was even the chance to personally meet the Martial Saint and receive guidance. These factors contributed to why the Inspection Office was so highly sought after by everyone. And all this was available within the Internal Affairs Office. Additionally, Jiang Ning had another important matter to attend to in the Internal Affairs Office. That was to add his unique mark to his Deputy Commander''s Token and to collect a token representing the team leader position as well as four tokens representing the Patrol Guards. These five tokens, once given to someone, meant they only had to bring the token to the Internal Affairs Office to register and be officially recognized, obtaining the corresponding official title and status. ... Inside the Internal Affairs Office. An older woman, still graceful, took the token handed over by Jiang Ning. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "So you''re Jiang Ning?" the woman asked. "I am indeed Jiang Ning!" Jiang Ning replied with a slight bow. Even though he didn''t know who this older woman was, Jiang Ning understood that anyone who managed the Internal Affairs Office must be more than what met the eye. "Would engraving a ''Ning'' character on it be acceptable to you?" the woman inquired. "Yes, that would be fine," Jiang Ning nodded. The old woman took Jiang Ning''s token and busily set to work. After only a short while. "It''s done!" The woman placed the golden token on the desk before Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning picked up the token and immediately noticed the freshly engraved character on its back, Ning. This character represented him. Henceforth, whosoever held this token acted on his personal behalf. Jiang Ning carefully pocketed the token, then said to the old woman, "Elder, I need one silver token and four black tokens." Clang¡ª The woman promptly took out five tokens from a cabinet behind her and tossed them before Jiang Ning. "Keep them safe! These unclaimed tokens can theoretically be presented to register and join the Inspection Office by anyone who holds them. Don''t lose them." "Understood!" Jiang Ning nodded in acknowledgment. Chapter 241 4: The Powerful Inspection Office_3 Following up, Jiang Ning lingered in the Internal Affairs Office for about half an hour. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. During that half hour, he also learned about some general things. In the Inspection Office, the salary he received was neither Silver Tael nor Gold. It was Contribution Points. Contribution Points could be obtained in multiple ways. One way was by completing missions, and another was through the exchange of salary and precious metals. As a Secondary Eighth-Rank Deputy Commander, he could receive a hundred Contribution Points each month. What did a hundred Contribution Points imply? According to the elderly woman from the Internal Affairs Office, if Contribution Points were acquired by donating silver, then two taels of Silver would be exchanged for one Contribution Point. This meant that, if exchanged for Silver, a hundred Contribution Points would be equivalent to two hundred taels of Silver. Conversely, if Contribution Points were used to get Silver, then one Contribution Point would exchange for one tael of Silver. In other words, looking at it from this point, his current salary amounted to a hundred taels of Silver per month. It might not seem like much, but it was actually an extravagant salary. From what he knew, the purchasing power of one tael of Silver was equivalent to a thousand dollars in his former life. So, a hundred taels of Silver meant that his salary was equivalent to a monthly income of a hundred thousand. What did a hundred thousand a month signify? In his former life, that was an income only the elite class could earn. If it were the official system, that would be a salary inconceivably high to be disclosed publicly. Therefore, from this viewpoint, his current salary was undoubtedly very high. However, Jiang Ning knew that this one hundred taels of salary was just the official amount. With his current status, if he wanted to make money, it would not be difficult to earn up to a hundred times the monthly salary. But it was unnecessary. Because he did not lack money currently. He had previously sold a shipload of iron ore to the Weapon Forging Shop, earning slightly over ten thousand taels of silver. Additionally, other spoils of war were sold to Wanhua Building which had earned him another five thousand five hundred silver notes. The total silver in his possession now, along with gold leaves, was close to twenty thousand taels of silver. To people like Lin Qingyi, twenty thousand taels of silver might not seem much, but for him at the moment, it was quite a substantial fortune. With such wealth, he was not short of money for the time being. But he also wasn''t planning to donate this money to the Inspection Office to obtain Contribution Points, as the two-to-one exchange rate was too much of a loss. He had just looked at the list the old woman had handed him. It included all the items within the jurisdiction of his authority that he could view at the Inspection Office. Although the variety was complete and abundant, his current authority allowed him to exchange for any lower-level martial arts, and even middle-grade martial arts, but as for superior martial arts, he temporarily had no right to exchange. Yet, for martial arts, Jiang Ning didn''t have much demand. What he truly needed were treasures that could accelerate the progress of refining his body. Before reaching the Fifth Grade, it was all about refining the body. At this stage, many treasures could have significantly noticeable effects. These were exactly the kind of treasures he needed. Those treasures, which he needed and that were completely obtainable with Contribution Points, he saw on the list the old woman gave him. These items were also available at the Wanhua Building, purchasable with merely money. Besides these, Jiang Ning also saw on the list the methods for Seventh Grade Refining Muscle, Sixth Grade Bone Refining, and even the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Method, Five Qi Chaoyuan Breathing Skill, a middle-grade Internal Refining Method, and it was the only Internal Refining Method he was eligible to access. It required fifty thousand Contribution Points to exchange. And according to the record on the list, a normal middle-grade martial art only required ten thousand Contribution Points to exchange. This demonstrated the preciousness of the Internal Refining Method. According to what the old woman said, this was a special benefit given to the lower echelons by the higher authorities. If it wasn''t for this reason, this Internal Refining Method would not have even appeared on the list, nor would it be available for just fifty thousand Contribution Points. The Internal Refining Method was much more precious than Jiang Ning had initially imagined. Chapter 242 5 Visit the Mountain Top Moon Pavilion. A squad of soldiers marched toward the newly opened Moon Pavilion. Just stepping into the grand hall of Moon Pavilion, "Hurry and leave! Hurry and leave!! I am here to seize the Moon Pavilion. Anyone who continues to linger shall be thrown into the dungeon," the soldiers began to drive out the diners, who promptly put down their utensils and rushed out the doors. It was just noon, and there were not many people dining in the Moon Pavilion, so under the expulsion of the soldiers, the vast Moon Pavilion suddenly became empty. Thud, thud, thud¡ª A series of footsteps came from the second floor. "What are you trying to do?" Tong Xiuyun spoke up. "Manager Tong, you''re in trouble!" said a middle-aged man accompanying the soldiers, with skullduggery written all over his face, over forty years old. In front of this middle-aged man was a young man of imposing appearance and extraordinary looks. He waved his hand, "Take her away!" "Sir, you are wise!" the devious-looking middle-aged man immediately exclaimed with great joy. "Huang Dazheng, you''re breaking the rules!!" Tong Xiuyun spoke, her expression furious. "What rules am I breaking? You, Tong Xiuyun, are suspected of child trafficking and murder. As a good citizen, can''t I report your crimes?" Huang Dazheng raised his eyebrow and smiled, revealing a set of yellow teeth. Immediately, He watched as several soldiers stepped forward and arrested Tong Xiuyun decisively, his expression inevitably proud. Business battle, it''s just that plain and simple. It doesn''t matter if you can''t compete with Moon Pavilion in business; just find a powerful backer, and directly arrest and frame someone. Although Tong Xiuyun also had influential support, how could her backing compare to that of this young man from Dongling City? One should know, this promising young man was the new darling of Luoshui County. One of the commanders of the Inspection Office. The personnel of the Inspection Office wielded the power of life and death, with authority to execute first and report later. From officials to common citizens, all were under their jurisdiction. The power was indeed immense. Not to mention that his backer was also an official of Standard Ninth Grade, one of the commanders in the Inspection Office, And possessed the strength at the Peak of Martial Arts Eighth Grade. At this moment, being escorted by the soldiers, walking past the young man, Tong Xiuyun''s heart sank suddenly. How could she not recognize him? The leader among the young men, one of the newly appointed commanders of the Inspection Office. Ranked as a Standard Ninth Grade official, possessing the prowess of Peak of Martial Arts Eighth Grade. In front of him, the support she had relied on previously was simply unshakeable. Not to mention, this person was also a student from the Martial Arts Garden of Dongling City. In the Inspection Office of Luoshui County, students from the Martial Arts Garden represented a tremendous force. Because among the more than ten commanders, students from the Martial Arts Garden made up seventy to eighty percent. Each one of these people held the strength of Martial Arts Eighth Grade. Not to mention the large number of Martial Arts Ninth Grade students below them. Thinking of this, Tong Xiuyun couldn''t help feeling a bit desperate. However, she soon calmed down. Her gaze shifted to the side, looking at the lad at the entrance. She immediately made a meaningful eye signal to the lad. The implication was clear; she wanted the lad to go fetch help. "I wonder if Little Jiu knows about this, can he help me!" Tong Xiuyun muttered to herself internally. On the other side, The young man looked at Huang Dazheng, "How many other taverns are there, lead the way, I''ll go seal them!" "Thank you, sir!" Huang Dazheng was extremely delighted. He suddenly felt that sending out the family heirloom last night was a very wise decision. That so-called family heirloom had been useless in his hands, his father''s hands, and his grandfather''s hands. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Since that was the case, keeping the family heirloom was meaningless. Better to give it away like now, as with the heirloom given away, He gained the favor of this prominent figure, which resulted in today''s business battle. It didn''t matter if he couldn''t surpass the Moon Pavilion, as long as Tong Xiuyun was arrested, then Moon Pavilion would naturally be gone. Moreover, with this figure''s leadership today, all other taverns could be sealed, and the people inside taken away. After today, the tavern industry of Luoshui County would be monopolized by him. With this powerful backer, Huang Dazheng could truly become wealthy... Coming out from the Moon Pavilion, Escorted by the soldiers, they took Tong Xiuyun toward the Wealth Building. Wealth Building, another business owned by the Cheng family. Moments later, At the entrance of Wealth Building, Since Cheng Ran and his father happened to be inside the tavern, they were directly captured. As they moved, the soldiers behind quickly sealed the doors and windows and posted sealing strips. As for the civilians gathered around, they only dared to stealthily watch from a distance, not daring to get too close in front of this group of soldiers. "Aunt Tong!" Seeing Tong Xiuyun, Cheng Ran immediately spoke. "Shut up!!" A nearby soldier instantly chided. Cheng Ran''s father immediately shook his head quietly at Cheng Ran. Seeing that the situation was beyond their control, Cheng Ran fell silent immediately. At that moment, Tong Xiuyun also gave Cheng Ran a comforting look, as if to say, don''t worry, I''ve gone to ask for help! "Continue?" the young man looked at Huang Dazheng. Huang Dazheng nodded firmly, "Continue, thank you for your trouble today, sir!" "Lead the way! The sooner we finish capturing, the sooner it''s over!" the young man said indifferently. "Yes, sir!" ... Inspection Office. "Sir!" Dressed in black, Xie Xiaojiu bowed slightly towards Jiang Ning. At that moment, Jiang Ning was seated in the inner hall of his own courtyard. As Deputy Commander, he had his own private courtyard within the Inspection Office. The courtyard covered several hundred meters. After having just toured the vast grounds of the Inspection Office, he had come to his own courtyard. Chapter 243 5 Worshiping the Mountain Peak_2 Although his current estate still lacked available manpower, the estate had already been cleaned and tidied by the servants. Thus, after arriving at his estate, he began reading some information in his inner hall, specifically about the Inspection Office. He explored what he could exchange with his access level at the Internal Affairs Office, what those items were, and how many Contribution Points were needed to obtain them. He needed to understand these details thoroughly. After all, he had come to the Inspection Office to find a place to establish himself and facilitate his cultivation. There were many such items, all recorded in a thick volume; at the Internal Affairs Office, he had not had time to read it completely, only glancing over a few key points. At this moment, in the inner hall of the estate, as Xie Xiaojiu made her appearance, Jiang Ning immediately put down the book in his hand. [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1911/3000) (Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) After glimpsing the addition of several dozen points to his Reading and Writing Experience Value on his panel, Jiang Ning then focused his attention on Xie Xiaojiu. Xie Xiaojiu had already changed into the official uniform of the Inspection Office. The uniform was predominantly black, with blood-red trim. "Miss Xie really keeps her promises," Jiang Ning said. Xie Xiaojiu replied, "Since I lost to you yesterday, it''s only natural I come under your command!" Upon hearing her words, Jiang Ning nodded slightly. He was quite pleased with Xie Xiaojiu''s arrival. Because with Xie Xiaojiu''s strength, if she hadn''t faced him, she would have had every chance to snatch a team leader''s position with her skills. Furthermore, it was apparent that Xie Xiaojiu hadn''t shown all her strength when she lost to him. She was one of only two prodigies in Luoshui County that Lin Qingyi held in high regard. A prodigy with extraordinarily outstanding talent in Sword Dao. Having such an adept person join his ranks was, of course, a cause for happiness. Not to mention Xie Xiaojiu was also very young, just a few months older than him, which indicated that she had great talent and potential. Where else could he find a subordinate who was strong now and promised to be stronger in the future? Moreover, Xie Xiaojiu had a deep connection with Lin Qingyi, and his relationship with Lin Qingyi seemed to be good as well. If, after some time, Xie Xiaojiu proved trustworthy, then her assistance to him would undoubtedly be significant. The stronger Xie Xiaojiu was, the more energy he would have in the future to improve himself. Just then, Xie Xiaojiu suddenly looked up at Jiang Ning! "Sir, I would like to spar with you once more!" "Still dissatisfied with your loss from yesterday?" Jiang Ning asked. "A little," Xie Xiaojiu nodded. Then she said, "If Sir can beat me, from now on, Little Jiu will follow your orders without any complaints!" "Good!" Jiang Ning nodded. The two of them then walked out from the inner hall to the spacious courtyard outside. The ground of the courtyard was paved with blue bricks, and it was very tidy with not too much decor, only a giant banyan tree. The banyan tree''s leaves were dense, shading a lot of sunlight and bringing some coolness to the courtyard. "Sir, please!" Xie Xiaojiu unsheathed her sword and spoke. Jiang Ning thought for a moment, and instead of using the spiritual weapon he brought with him, he picked up a standard long saber from the weapon rack nearby. "Miss Xie, we can begin!" As soon as he spoke, Xie Xiaojiu moved with her sword, and the two immediately engaged in combat. ... A moment later. The edge of the saber pressed against Xie Xiaojiu''s fair and jade-like neck. Immediately, Jiang Ning withdrew the saber: "Miss Xie, I appreciate your grace!" Xie Xiaojiu fell silent, and after a few breaths, she spoke, "Sir, was that all your strength?" Jiang Ning hesitated for a bit, then slowly shook his head: "No!!" "I see!" As she spoke, Xie Xiaojiu couldn''t help but take a deep breath to steady her emotions. "I had thought too highly of myself. I had imagined I was a true prodigy, but today I realized that in front of you, Sir, I am nothing but a frog at the bottom of a well." "There''s no need to belittle yourself, Miss Xie!" Jiang Ning spoke to comfort her: "You are the person with the highest talent I have ever seen. At just nineteen years old, Miss Xie, you have come so far, and you''re not far from Seventh Grade!" Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing his words, Xie Xiaojiu gave Jiang Ning a forced smile. "Thank you for your reassurance, Sir!" "Just call me Little Jiu!" Just then, a voice came from the entrance of the mansion. "Mr. Jiang really knows how to enjoy himself!" The two turned toward the sound and immediately saw Feng Jiuge in fiery red battle armor. "Captain Feng!" Xie Xiaojiu bowed slightly. Feng Jiuge approached Xie Xiaojiu, raised her hand, and gently hooked her chin. "Miss Xie is truly beautiful, such a pitiable sight!" "Do you have any business, Captain Feng?" Xie Xiaojiu looked up at Feng Jiuge, her eyes calm, apparently unbothered by Feng Jiuge''s provocative action. "No fun!!" Feng Jiuge withdrew her finger. Then she turned to Jiang Ning, "Mr. Jiang, I''ve come to report to you! From now on, I''ll be working under your command!" Jiang Ning nodded slightly, "Miss Feng truly keeps her promises!" Feng Jiuge curled her lip, "Mr. Jiang is quite handsome; serving under your command will at least be more pleasing to the eye." Jiang Ning: "..." He felt a wave of speechlessness in his heart. He had the feeling that Feng Jiuge had stolen his thunder. Undoubtedly, both Feng Jiuge and Xie Xiaojiu were women of stunning appearance and demeanor. Each had her own charm, both considered beauties capable of toppling cities. Such women were naturally a part of the scenery. Having these two under his command, even if it wasn''t clear whether they could work well, at least it was a delight to the eyes on a daily basis. At this moment, because of Feng Jiuge''s arrival, Xie Xiaojiu headed outside. "Miss Feng, did your father agree to this?" After Xie Xiaojiu had left, Jiang Ning finally spoke. "Just call me Jiuge, the repeated ''Miss Feng'' sounds so awkward!" Feng Jiuge said. She continued, "As for my father''s message, it hasn''t come so quickly. After all, my father has many military matters to attend to; perhaps a response will come in a few days, or maybe even ten days to half a month." "Understood!" Jiang Ning nodded immediately. Then he asked, "Would Jiuge like to come in and sit?" "Is there any wine to drink?" Feng Jiuge suddenly asked. "This... not at the moment!" Jiang Ning shook his head. "Then forget it! I''m going out to find some wine! I came here today mainly to meet you. From now on, I''ll be working under your command; just notify me directly if there''s anything!" "Alright!" Jiang Ning nodded. Watching Feng Jiuge leave, Jiang Ning also turned and headed toward the inner hall. He hadn''t finished reading the book about the Inspection Office. "Mr. Jiang!" Jiang Ning had just walked a few steps through the courtyard, heading back to the inner hall when suddenly another woman''s voice called out from behind him. He immediately turned around and saw a somewhat familiar figure. Ruan Hongmei from Fuyuan Escort Agency. Seeing her, Jiang Ning recalled. Yesterday, Ruan Hongmei, as one of the captains, had dueled with Qin Xuan, wielding a whip. Although she ultimately was defeated, she still managed to inflict a light injury on Qin Xuan with her martial skills. And before stepping down, Ruan Hongmei had had a brief conversation with him. "So it''s Miss Ruan!" Jiang Ning moved forward to meet her. Ruan Hongmei was also dressed in official attire, a captain''s uniform. Around her waist was also a long whip, which at this moment wrapped around her waist like a belt. "Mr. Jiang, I wonder if I might work under your command?" Ruan Hongmei got straight to the point. On her way here, Ruan Hongmei had thought it through. As a captain, she needed to affiliate herself with a leader and then come under the direct command of one of the four Deputy Commanders. Being from Luoshui County, her first choice was naturally Jiang Ning. Although Jiang Ning might not be the strongest among the four Deputy Commanders, he was undoubtedly the most handsome in her eyes. And he also possessed the highest talent. These reasons were more than enough!! "Of course, you''re very welcome!" Jiang Ning immediately showed a smile. From what he had seen yesterday, Ruan Hongmei was among the dozen or so captains, not strictly at the top, but at least mid-tier in strength. Being mid-tier meant she possessed the power of the Peak of Eighth Grade. "I hadn''t heard before that Fuyuan Escort Agency''s boss had such an exceptional daughter," Jiang Ning secretly thought to himself. Hearing Jiang Ning''s words, Ruan Hongmei also showed a slight smile. "Since Mr. Jiang has agreed, I''ll be under your care from now on!" Chapter 244 6: Maiming Colleagues, Surrendering without a Fight! Inspection Office. In the residence of Jiang Ning. "Brother Ning, you are indeed an object of envy!" Ruan Hongmei''s voice was promptly followed by a mocking one from behind. Turning her head, Ruan Hongmei saw Liuu Shansheng approaching from Jiang Ning''s direction. "Congratulations to Brother Ning for obtaining the position of Deputy Commander yesterday. Seeing Brother Ning today fills me with joy. May I know if I can come to perform duties under Brother Ning in the future?" Liuu Shansheng asked with a smile on his face. All day yesterday, Liuu Shansheng tossed and turned before he came to a realization. If his brother-in-law''s brother was so capable, then it was natural for him to cling to his coattails. With his age, strength, and status, he was bound to soar to great heights in the future. Clinging on now might benefit the Liuu family in the future. At the same time. Ruan Hongmei looked at Liuu Shansheng in surprise, then turned her gaze to Jiang Ning. She immediately noticed Jiang Ning''s slightly furrowed brow. The next moment. She quickly got the message: "Hold your tongue! How dare you show disrespect to the lord?" Upon hearing this, Liuu Shansheng''s expression darkened with anger: "Ruan Hongmei, this is not the place for you to be insolent. Brother Ning and I have a marital family connection!" "Still dare to disrespect the lord?" Ruan Hongmei barked. Slap¡ª She immediately drew her long whip from her waist, snapped it through the air, and a thunderous crack resounded. "By the rules of the Inspection Office, for your insubordination, I am authorized to carry out summary execution on the spot!" At this moment, Ruan Hongmei was still somewhat apprehensive. Because she believed Liuu Shansheng''s claim that he really could be related by marriage to Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning said, "There''s no need at the moment, I already have three team captains under my command. If I were to recruit another direct-report team captain, it would be forming cliques for selfish interests!" "Brother Ning, as Deputy Commander, you can have four direct-report team captains! And you know my strength..." Slap¡ª Before Liuu Shansheng could finish speaking, the sharp cracking of the whip cut through the air again. The next moment. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Liuu Shansheng hastily leapt backwards, quickly avoiding Ruan Hongmei''s range of attack. Subsequently. Several more whip cracks whistled through the air. Liuu Shansheng kept retreating: "Crazy woman, have you lost your mind?!" Jiang Ning, watching Liuu Shansheng being chased and beaten by Ruan Hongmei, couldn''t help but slowly shake his head. Liuu Shansheng had always carried a sense of superiority, which he found displeasing. But Liuu Shansheng was also his elder brother''s brother-in-law, which made it difficult for him to outrightly cut ties. Now that Ruan Hongmei had taken action, it conveniently spared him some trouble. He promptly turned and walked toward the inner hall. Upon returning to the inner hall, the noise outside gradually quieted down. Jiang Ning then continued to browse through the book, which detailed all the items to be aware of in the Inspection Office, as well as the welfare of Inspection Office staff... and so on. As a Deputy Commander, his scope of responsibility was broader, he needed to know more, and his authority also increased, enabling him to exchange Contribution Points for more Martial Arts practice resources. So, the book in his hands was thicker. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [...] As he continued to browse through the book, his experience in Reading and Writing Skill also kept growing. ... In the blink of an eye. It was noon. "My lord, your meal is ready!" Xie Xiaojiu promptly brought some food and drink to the inner hall where Jiang Ning was. "What''s the matter?" Jiang Ning put down the book he hadn''t finished reading and murmured to himself. "Yes, my lord! It''s now 12:45!" Xie Xiaojiu spoke again. "Put it down!" Jiang Ning commanded and then asked, "Why are you the one delivering the meal?" By that time, he had already closed the book. Xie Xiaojiu replied, "There are currently no servants in the Inspection Office. Since I''ve joined your service, my lord, such minor matters are naturally my responsibility!" "You''ve put yourself out on my behalf!" Jiang Ning smiled: "I hadn''t expected that Miss Nine of the Xie family would be willing to do such tasks." Xie Xiaojiu calmly said, "It''s nothing. Since I was five or six years old, I have only had my mother. Before I met Master Lin, my treatment at the Xie family was not even as good as that of a slightly favored servant. Once, in hope of pleasing my father, I often did such tasks of serving others." Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning expressed a look of amazement. A lead female''s protagonist''s script? He couldn''t help but chuckle to himself. Xie Xiaojiu''s words suddenly made him imagine the script of a protagonist. Born in a great family, humiliated from a young age, yet outstandingly talented, then encountering an adventure and rapidly rising to prominence. "Have you eaten?" Jiang Ning asked as he sat at the table. "Not yet! After I deliver your meal, lord, I''ll go back and eat!" Xie Xiaojiu replied. "Sit down and eat with me!" Jiang Ning indicated with a lift of his eyes. Xie Xiaojiu immediately pulled out a chair and sat down, seemingly without any notion of politeness. Jiang Ning watched Xie Xiaojiu for a moment and smiled. Just then. "Lord Xie, Lord Xie..." A flustered voice suddenly came from outside the courtyard. This voice continued to call out, yet Xie Xiaojiu seemed unmoved. "Little Jiu, could it be someone looking for you?" Jiang Ning swallowed the beef in his mouth and asked. Upon hearing this, Xie Xiaojiu''s expression froze for a moment. She hesitated, then nodded: "It should be for me! Right now in the Inspection Office, I''m the only one with the surname Xie!" After saying this, she wiped her mouth. "My lord, I''ll go out and check who''s looking for me and what the matter is! After you''ve finished eating, just leave the dishes here, and I''ll come back to clean up for you." After leaving these words, Xie Xiaojiu proceeded to walk outside. As for Xie Xiaojiu''s departure, Jiang Ning was indifferent. Chapter 245 6: Maiming Colleagues, Surrendering without a Fight!_2 A moment later, After finishing his lunch, he continued to sit at his desk and read. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [...] As prompts sounded one after another, the book in his hands was gradually flipped through. After an hour and a half, Jiang Ning closed the last page. He immediately closed his eyes to digest the information he had just absorbed. A dozen breaths later, he opened his eyes. At this moment, in his mind, the words he had just read appeared distinctly, as if carved into his brain with knife and chisel. "Unforgettable is truly a great talent!" Jiang Ning couldn''t help but smile. [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1983/3000) (Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) He glanced at his panel and then closed it. "Strange, why hasn''t Little Jiu come yet? Could something have happened?" Jiang Ning''s gaze fell on the dining table, where the remnants of his recent lunch still lingered, prompting a look of confusion to spread across his brow. ... Elsewhere, At the entrance of the Inspection Office, "You''ve got some nerve!" A young man wiped the blood from his neck, his face turning ghastly pale. He never imagined that he, an esteemed Standard Ninth Grade team leader, would nearly lose his life to an ordinary Secondary Ninth Rank Patrol Guard. With such strength, why hadn''t he stood out yesterday, and why would he settle for being a mere patrolman? Little Jiu, holding her sword, spoke coldly, "Release Tong Xiuyun!" She had just been called out of the Inspection Office and only learned about the incident at Moon Pavilion after being informed by passersby. In previous years, the opportunity to stand out and earn Lin Qingyi''s esteem was greatly thanks to Tong Xiuyun, who had provided significant assistance to her. Furthermore, having had very few friends before, Tong Xiuyun was both her benefactor as well as someone who treated her like a sister in Little Jiu''s eyes. Hence, upon learning of Tong Xiuyun''s predicament, Little Jiu became very anxious. However, when she arrived at Moon Pavilion, she found the place deserted and sealed off. After inquiring further, Little Jiu learned that Tong Xiuyun had been arrested by a certain team leader of the Inspection Office. Through others'' descriptions, Little Jiu quickly matched the team leader''s identity in her mind. Xiao Tianhe. For Little Jiu, making this connection wasn''t difficult. After all, there were only a handful of team leaders in the Inspection Office. A little investigation was all it took to find the relevant person. Once she knew it was Xiao Tianhe''s doing, Little Jiu didn''t waste time on futile travels. She went straight back to the Inspection Office and waited at the entrance for Xiao Tianhe to appear. And now, this scene unfolded before her eyes. ... "Tong Xiuyun?" Xiao Tianhe said, "Who is that? I don''t know!" Little Jiu said, "The Shopkeeper of Moon Pavilion!" "Him?" Xiao Tianhe sneered, "He''s in trouble for child trafficking and hiding a body after murder. My arrest is simply carrying out my duty. Do you have a problem with that?" "I do!" Little Jiu said coldly, "Release her, and we''ll call it even." "Just like that, you think you''re in a position to bargain?" Xiao Tianhe laughed, "Don''t you know the rules of the Inspection Office? Insurrection is a serious offense!" Saying so, Xiao Tianhe waved his hand toward the front. Suddenly, a few people stepped out from among the onlookers. These individuals were students from the Martial Arts Garden he had recruited under his command the previous day. Being from Dongling County''s Martial Arts Garden, they were naturally inclined to band together. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Seize her!" commanded Xiao Tianhe. "Yes!" someone responded and promptly attacked. Ah¡ª Ah¡ª Ah¡ª ... Immediately, Little Jiu took action, her sword flashing, splattering blood in front of the Inspection Office gates. In barely ten breaths, the four who had moved against Little Jiu were all wounded. And this was Little Jiu holding back. Because she knew that with her current status, if the altercation remained just a confrontation, she still had room to maneuver. If I were killed here, then I would truly be in a situation of certain death without escape. Even the Xie family would be powerless in the face of the Inspection Office. As the ninth daughter of the Xie family, of course, I have a deeper understanding of the Inspection Office than most. The deeper the understanding, the more terrifying the Inspection Office becomes. Not to mention someone with my strength, even the strongest person in Luoshui County, the County Lord himself, wouldn''t dare to challenge the Inspection Office. Because the master of the Inspection Office is of a rank above the Sixth Rank. Not to mention that, beneath the master, there are the Four Great Commanders, all of whom are personages dispatched from higher up. In the face of such power, any infraction or murder of one''s peers is a capital offense! ... At this time, The entrance of the Inspection Office was already crowded with people. For just yesterday was the day of the Inspection Office''s examination. Today, they were to be registered, and not to mention, it was their duty shift. Therefore, at this time, nearly all members of the Inspection Office were on full duty. Under such circumstances, a major event taking place at the great doors of the Inspection Office naturally drew the curious gazes of many onlookers. At the same moment, When Xiao Tianhe saw this scene, seeing Xie Xiaojiu sweep his subordinates away like autumn leaves, he did not get angry but instead revealed a smile. He had just had a brief confrontation with Xie Xiaojiu, almost capsizing in the gutter, naturally aware that his subordinates were no match for Xie Xiaojiu''s strength. It wouldn''t matter if four attacked together, or even nine, in his eyes, they were unlikely to defeat Xie Xiaojiu. However, these four making a move was not without meaning. Having witnessed Xie Xiaojiu''s strength, Xiao Tianhe understood that resolving this conflict with strength was not going to be so simple. If that''s the case, then the conflict had to be resolved within the framework of rules. Xie Xiaojiu injuring him was a case of insubordination, a serious transgression. Xie Xiaojiu injuring his four squad members was akin to harming fellow officers, also a grave taboo. Both charges combined, what did Xie Xiaojiu''s strength count for? Wouldn''t she inevitably face a grim outcome? Rules, they are very important! Lacking absolute certainty of victory and to prevent loss of face, actions had to be confined within the rules. Thinking of this, Xiao Tianhe felt quite confident. "Xie Xiaojiu, for harming your peers, why don''t you surrender now!" After taking a deep breath, Xiao Tianhe bellowed loudly, his powerful voice immediately reverberating through the entire Inspection Office. ... On the other side, Inside the Inspection Office, After finishing reading the books, Jiang Ning began practicing the Melting Furnace Alchemy Skill, refining the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill within his body. In one go, he dissolved three drops of the elixir, coordinating with the Power to circulate throughout his body. At the same time, under internal observation, he precisely tempered the muscle groups that had not yet reached their limit. During this process, Jiang Ning could feel the muscle fibers inside his body becoming tougher and more powerful. Just then, "Xie Xiaojiu, for harming your peers, why don''t you surrender now!" A loud shout from the entrance of the Inspection Office reached Jiang Ning''s ears. Hearing this, Jiang Ning immediately opened his eyes, slightly startled. "Harming peers, surrendering? It seems Xie Xiaojiu really is in trouble!!" He immediately got up: "If that''s the case, then let''s go out and see! Let''s see just how Xie Xiaojiu has harmed her peers." Shortly afterward, Jiang Ning walked out of the Inspection Office''s entrance. He immediately saw that the entrance was crowded, a group of people huddled together to form a wall of bodies. Because of Jiang Ning''s height, even behind the human wall, he could roughly see the situation inside. Xie Xiaojiu, with a sword in hand, stood in front of a young man, and several people nearby were already injured. Clearly, there was a conflict between Xie Xiaojiu and the young man. "Is that... Xiao Tianhe?" Jiang Ning slightly recalled and then brought up Xiao Tianhe''s information. He had seen all the captains who competed on the same stage as him the day before. A little reminiscing allowed him to remember this young man''s name. "Xie Xiaojiu, won''t you surrender now?" Xiao Tianhe asked calmly. Facing this, Xie Xiaojiu tightened her grip on her long sword. "You, as a captain of the Inspection Office, corruptly pursue private interests under the guise of public authority, and arrest people at will!" "Arrest people at will?" Xiao Tianhe laughed, "I''m not arresting without cause. I have both people and evidence in hand, and I will report this matter to Commander He Jinyun later. Commander He will naturally decide on this matter." "Thick as thieves!!!" Xie Xiaojiu spat coldly, her eyebrows shooting up. Chapter 246 7 Jiang Ning Makes a Move In front of the Inspection Office. "Who are you saying is colluding?" A man''s voice suddenly rose from the crowd. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The next moment. "Make way!" the man spoke, waving his hand, and the crowd parted to both sides. "He Jinyun!" Xie Xiaojiu saw him and immediately furrowed her brows. Who didn''t know the renown of this Young Master? Yesterday, as a team leader, this Young Master had easily secured the position of Deputy Commander without a fight. That incident alone was enough to make him unforgettable to the people. Not to mention his identity as Young Master. Anyone who knew what ''Lord'' implied dared not take any slight action against this Young Master. "You said I collude, so tell me, how exactly do I collude!" He Jinyun''s face turned extremely displeased. Seeing this, even Xie Xiaojiu, who was not very eloquent, patiently started to converse with He Jinyun. Meanwhile. Next to the windowsill of a pavilion. Two men quietly stood there. These were Hong Minghu and Ye Qiu. One was the Residence Master of Luoshui County''s Inspection Office, and the other one of the Four Great Commanders. Both of their statuses were extraordinary. "What a rabble!" Ye Qiu said coldly, looking at the scene below. Hong Minghu smiled slightly, "Didn''t we anticipate this scene long ago?" Ye Qiu sighed, "Yes, but it''s incredibly disappointing! Once some people gain power, they start abusing it!" "That''s acceptable," Hong Minghu said indifferently. "Compared to the current situation, their actions are not significant, merely small issues!" "True," Ye Qiu nodded. "Coming to Luoshui County, I didn''t expect such peace here." Hong Minghu explained, "Luoshui County has a unique geographic advantage, adjoining Luoshui River. Even the drought these past months hasn''t impacted this area much; the farmlands still have water for irrigation, and because there are fishermen, even the price of grain hasn''t risen much." "The County Lord is truly talented!" Hearing Hong Minghu mention the County Lord of Luoshui County, Ye Qiu immediately nodded, "Indeed a talented person! Managing to stabilize the grain prices is a merit!" "Speaking of which, considering the local three major families, whom does the Residence Master intend to take action against?" "You''ll find out in a few days!" Hong Minghu stated lightly. "I''ll wait for the Residence Master''s news," Ye Qiu said. "This matter doesn''t need your involvement, let the Deputy Commander handle it," Hong Minghu added. "No problem," Ye Qiu nodded. ... In front of the Inspection Office. Jiang Ning frowned suddenly. "Cheng Ran and his son were also captured?" Just then. He Jinyun waved his hand, interrupting Xie Xiaojiu''s speech. "So much nagging!" "It hurts the ears!" "You want justice, it''s simple!" At this, He Jinyun clenched his fist and gestured towards Xie Xiaojiu. "Justice is power! Power is justice!! And it''s the truth!!" "Just like the Martial Saint, whatever he says is the truth of the entire Great Xia!!!" "If you defeat me, Xiao Tianhe is wrong, and I''ll let you deal with him. If you lose to me, then your harming of a colleague and insubordination is wrong!" Xie Xiaojiu clenched her fist, then took a deep breath and said, "You, being an Eighth-Rank Official and a Deputy Commander as well as a Young Master, and I, merely a Patrol Guard, how can I contend with you?" "That makes sense!" He Jinyun nodded slightly, "It''s indeed bullying to make you fight me." Then, He Jinyun looked around. "Young Master!" Xiao Tianhe immediately looked anxious. "You, come here!" He Jinyun''s gaze settled on Xiao Tianhe. "Since you started this mess, you''ll resolve it!" Hearing this, Xiao Tianhe''s face darkened. If he could defeat Xie Xiaojiu, would he have bothered with all these antics? He really wanted to complain to He Jinyun, but he dared not. He Jinyun was superior to him in strength, position, and status. At this, He Jinyun left these words and turned to leave, leaving Xiao Tianhe with a face full of dark lines. "Captain Xiao, make your move!" Xie Xiaojiu''s brows immediately relaxed. Against He Jinyun, she had no confidence. Having witnessed Jiang Ning''s strength, the oppressive feeling left her looking up to him like a towering mountain. In such circumstances, it was obvious that the strength of He Jinyun, who had secured the Deputy Commander''s position without a fight, could not be underestimated. She could not afford to lose, so she dared not rashly choose to fight with He Jinyun. But facing Xiao Tianhe was different. He was just an ordinary captain. If she hadn''t overestimated herself in fighting for the captain''s position against Jiang Ning, the Deputy Commander, how would she have ended up merely as a Patrol Guard? Meanwhile. Compared to the suddenly relaxed heart of Xie Xiaojiu, Xiao Tianhe was extremely tense inside. He Jinyun''s words were akin to roasting him on a fire. If he lost to Xie Xiaojiu in a fight in front of so many people, it wouldn''t just be a humiliation, but he might also be punished. Considering the morning''s deeds, they wouldn''t withstand strict scrutiny. Thinking of this, Xiao Tianhe was deeply conflicted. "Captain Xiao, if you don''t make a move, I will!" Xie Xiaojiu slightly turned the hilt of her sword and a piercing sunlight reflected off it into Xiao Tianhe''s pupils, causing him to squint slightly. Suddenly. Xiao Tianhe coldly smiled, pulling a book from his bosom, "According to the rules of the Inspection Office, when do you, a mere Patrol Guard, have the right to strike me?" Chapter 247 7 Jiang Ning Makes a Move_2 He immediately said, "According to the rules of the Inspection Office, those who commit insubordination will, at minimum, be thrown into prison for seven days! At worst, they could be beheaded on the spot!!" "Arrest her!" Captain Xiao promptly waved the book in his hand. The few team members behind him exchanged glances, then moved towards Xie Xiaojiu. Seeing this, Xie Xiaojiu couldn''t help but grip the hilt of her sword tightly, the blade rotating slightly, emitting a buzzing sound. "What, in front of so many people, do you still dare to resist?" Captain Xiao said coldly, "Surrender now and just serve seven days! If you knowingly break the law again, it won''t be so easy to get off lightly!" He then turned his head to look at the other captains who had come with him from the Martial Arts Garden. "Fellow captains, if this woman resists, will you join me in apprehending her?" "Brother Tianhe has spoken, how could we have a reason to refuse!" One of the captains immediately replied with a slight smile. Another captain also said with a laugh, "Of course, there''s no problem, it''s just right to use this woman to correct the rules and regulations of the Inspection Office, lest there be no discipline at all!!" ... On the other side. By the window of the tower. "What do you think?" Hong Minghu asked Ye Qiu indifferently. Ye Qiu said, "Without a doubt, Captain Xiao has an issue!" He then added, "But they are right, the Inspection Office has just been established, and there''s no discipline to speak of, taking this woman as an example could establish some rules." Upon hearing this, Hong Minghu burst into laughter. "You seemed quite compassionate just now, how come you''re so cold and heartless this moment! And you''ve lost all sense of chivalry towards women!" Ye Qiu replied indifferently, "Sacrifice the few for the many, that''s all there is to it! Sacrificing her to establish some rules for the Inspection Office is very worthwhile." Just then, Ye Qiu''s gaze suddenly intensified. "Looks like things can''t go as planned!!" Hong Minghu nodded slightly, "He''s stepping in, your plan can''t proceed! Indeed, it''s still the young who are chivalrous and compassionate towards women!!" Immediately, Hong Minghu thought to himself, since this young man has this consideration, why did he refuse my offer yesterday? Could it be that this fellow hasn''t seen the portrait of my daughter and thinks she looks like me? Thinking this, Hong Minghu gently stroked his chin. Scratch¡ª Scratch¡ª His rough palms brushed past his beard that was as sharp as steel needles, producing a scraping sound. "It must be for this reason!" Hong Minghu became more convinced of this reason. And then, He slapped his thigh. "I''ll send it to the youngster later!" "Send what?" Ye Qiu looked at Hong Minghu beside him and was momentarily stunned. Hong Minghu immediately smiled at Ye Qiu. To onlookers, Hong Minghu didn''t have the composure of a head of an office at this moment. But both he and Gongsun Yu, the Third Elder of Medicine King Valley, were clearer than anyone else yesterday about Jiang Ning''s frightening potential. At his age, cultivating both internally and externally, he was at the peak of Martial Arts Eighth Grade, only a step away from Seventh Grade. This was something only they, who had both stepped into the Fifth Grade Inner Strength Realm, could discern. Moreover, he also mastered Sword Force capable of stepping into Fourth Grade. All these factors combined in one person indicated a template of a young Grandmaster. If he could marry off his daughter to him, there was a very high probability of gaining a Grandmaster in the future. A Grandmaster was enough for a family to rise in the empire of Great Xia. Especially in these troubled times, a Grandmaster was an entire family''s safeguard. And now, the reason Hong Minghu and Ye Qiu were acting this way, was because Jiang Ning, seeing Xie Xiaojiu in trouble, stepped out from the crowd. ... S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Elsewhere. "If they say my person committed insubordination, what if I do it?" Jiang Ning stood in front of Xie Xiaojiu. Looking at Jiang Ning, who appeared in front of her like a wall, Xie Xiaojiu''s sinking heart suddenly saw the light again. She had come to the Inspection Office early and finished reading the booklets handed out by the Internal Affairs Office. Of course, she knew the rules of the Inspection Office. Just as Captain Xiao had said, insubordination was a grave offense within the Inspection Office. Moreover, according to the booklets, the hierarchy of the Inspection Office was extremely strict, almost no different from that of the military. This is the regulation of the Inspection Office. Now that Xiao Tianhe was using this regulation to punish her, Xie Xiaojiu knew in her heart that she was truly in trouble. In front of so many people, violating the regulations of the Inspection Office would inevitably be used by those above to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys. An institution in its infancy needs to kill the chicken to scare the dogs; otherwise, there would be no rules to speak of, just a rabble. In the face of this situation, she was powerless, without influence, and her strength was limited; such an individual would inevitably be sacrificed. Moreover, being sacrificed was just that¡ªno one would stand up for her. After witnessing this scene, Xie Xiaojiu felt some regret in her heart. If she had known earlier that joining the Inspection Office would lead to becoming a target to be made an example of, she would''ve been better off fleeing far away, not caring about the fate of the Xie family. However, she hadn''t anticipated that when faced with the overwhelming rule of the Inspection Office and filled with despair, Jiang Ning would choose to stand up. The intervention of a Deputy Commander was significant. Instantly, the darkness in Xie Xiaojiu''s heart dispersed, filled with hope. Looking at Jiang Ning''s back, Xie Xiaojiu also secretly felt wise about her previous decision. If she hadn''t chosen to rely on such a spirited Deputy Commander, who would have stood up for her today? It is important to know that what Xiao Tianhe represented was the collective of the Martial Arts Garden. Facing Xiao Tianhe was one thing, but the meaning behind doing so was entirely different. It meant suddenly standing on the opposite side of all the students of the Martial Arts Garden. ... At the entrance of the Inspection Office. Watching Jiang Ning stand in front of Xie Xiaojiu. Xiao Tianhe''s face changed slightly, and the few teammates beside him also abruptly stopped their actions. Jiang Ning, one of the four Deputy Commanders, had emerged from over ten captains to become a Deputy Commander. In facing Yuan Fei, a strong dark horse, he displayed Sword Force and defeated him decisively. They were all present yesterday, how could they not recognize Jiang Ning. "Jiang Ning, what do you mean by this?" Xiao Tianhe spoke up. Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning''s figure suddenly moved. In an instant, A whirlwind arose from the flat ground. Xiao Tianhe''s expression turned to shock, drastically changing. "How dare¡­" "What are you doing¡­" "Presumptuous¡­" Seeing this scene, the students from the Martial Arts Garden immediately began to speak up, all with anger on their faces. Among them, two people directly intercepted. One of them was familiar to Jiang Ning, named Lv Renyao. The other was a captain who had met with Jiang Ning the day before. The next moment. Boom¡ª The collision between flesh and flesh, the two who attempted to intercept were like ordinary people trying to block a galloping warhorse, and were sent flying. Jiang Ning knocked away the two interceptors and arrived within three feet of Xiao Tianhe. The moment Xiao Tianhe''s fist collided with Jiang Ning, his expression once again drastically changed. A power like a mountain tsunami erupted from within Jiang Ning and thunderously landed on his right arm. All at once, Xiao Tianhe heard the sound of bones twisting and muscle fascia tearing within his right arm. "You¡­" Xiao Tianhe had just begun to speak when his voice abruptly cut off. Because at that moment, Jiang Ning''s five fingers had clasped his neck firmly like tiger''s claws, locking down his windpipe, making it impossible to make a sound. "As a captain, don''t you know how to address someone as ''Deputy Commander''?" Jiang Ning spoke indifferently. Then, he stared at Xiao Tianhe, "Where did you take the person you caught this morning!" Xiao Tianhe was already red-faced, showing an expression of pain. Because Jiang Ning''s grip was so strong, he felt like his neck could be snapped at any moment. Before reaching the Sixth Rank, one does not truly begin to temper their bones. Even though Xiao Tianhe, at the Peak of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, had bones far more durable than an ordinary person, in the face of an opponent of equal rank, the bones in the neck remained a fatal weakness. And in the hands of Jiang Ning, even more so. Xiao Tianhe could feel that with Jiang Ning''s strength, it would be easy to break his neck and kill him on the spot! Chapter 248 8 Conflict Resolved Inspection Office entrance. With Jiang Ning''s move, there was a burst of uproar. No one had expected Jiang Ning to strike directly. "Let go of Captain Xiao!" "Let go of Captain Xiao!" "..." Immediately, several voices arose. Jiang Ning turned a blind eye and then said, "Xie Xiaojiu, arrest these two. They dare to strike at me¡ªthis is an offense from the lower ranks against the higher, arrest them first." "Yes!" Xie Xiaojiu immediately responded from behind. The situation between friend and foe reversed; with Jiang Ning''s backing, Xie Xiaojiu''s confidence surged as well. With the support of one of the four Deputy Commanders, what had she to fear from these captains? That was her confidence at this moment. The next moment. Xie Xiaojiu, holding a long sword, suddenly became a gust of wind, rushing towards Lv Renyao and another captain. At this time, the two had just been injured by Jiang Ning''s full-force attack, and their condition was far from their peak. Seeing Xie Xiaojiu charging, they got up to strike back immediately. "Brothers, we all come from the Martial Arts Garden, some people come with me!" Lv Renyao suddenly called out. Hearing Lv Renyao''s words, some people in the crowd immediately stepped forward. Meanwhile, Jiang Ning no longer paid attention to the fight on Xie Xiaojiu''s side. Just now, he had injured two people with his moves¡ªa captain and Lv Renyao himself. Especially Lv Renyao, who had already been punched by him yesterday, and had struck at him again today¡ªJiang Ning had hardly held back, and Lv Renyao must not be feeling well at the moment. Under these circumstances, if Xie Xiaojiu couldn''t handle it, that would be too embarrassing for her reputation as a prodigy. And it would also disappoint Lin Qingyi''s high regard for her. Right then, Jiang Ning looked at Xiao Tianhe in his hand. "Tell me, where have you hidden the people you took this morning?" Xiao Tianhe immediately pointed painfully at his own throat, his face turning beet red, completely unable to speak. Seeing this, Jiang Ning loosened his grip. Thump¡ª Xiao Tianhe immediately fell from mid-air to the ground. Cough cough¡ª He coughed several times, catching his breath, before finally saying, "I did not know that there were friends of the Commander among those civilians. If the Commander tells me who that person is, I will immediately go to the county government''s prison and release that person!" Xiao Tianhe immediately softened at this point. Just then. "Trash!!" A voice rang out. Immediately, the gaunt He Jinyun walked out from the crowd again. "You dare touch my men?" he said to Jiang Ning. "Is Young Master He trying to abuse public power for personal gain?" Jiang Ning smiled. Hearing this, He Jinyun looked seriously at Jiang Ning. "You are very bold!" Jiang Ning replied, "Young Master He is not without courage himself! In front of so many people, Young Master He even tries to shield a subordinate!" "You are indeed bold!!" He Jinyun said, his gaze darkening. "Enough!" From the entrance of the Inspection Office, a deep voice came. When everyone heard this voice, their hearts were suddenly shocked. They turned to look and immediately saw the figures of Hong Minghu and Ye Qiu. The crowd separated to both sides, making way for the two. "Greetings to the Residence Master, greetings to Commander Ye!" Someone spoke up and others quickly followed suit. "Greetings to the Residence Master, greetings to Commander Ye!" "Greetings to the Residence Master, greetings to Commander Ye!" "Greetings to the Residence Master, greetings to Commander Ye!" "..." "What kind of decorum is this?" Hong Minghu glanced at He Jinyun and Jiang Ning: "Making such a scene outside the Inspection Office''s gate; it''s like a mob, a laughingstock if word gets out." "Residence Master, please investigate!" Xie Xiaojiu, who had stopped fighting, immediately stepped forward: "Captain Xiao has been bribed, abused his power for personal gain, arbitrarily arresting owners of major taverns, and shutting down their businesses to hinder their trade." "Captain Xiao, is this true?" Hong Minghu''s gaze fell on Xiao Tianhe with a deep voice. Looking at Hong Minghu''s calm gaze, Xiao Tianhe couldn''t help but tremble slightly. "Make an honest confession, and you will be dealt with leniently!" Hong Minghu spoke again. Xiao Tianhe, hearing this, nodded slightly: "I did indeed take bribes!" "You''ll be confined in the Water Prison for a month; do you accept the punishment?" Hong Minghu said. "I accept the punishment!" Xiao Tianhe replied in a low voice. Immediately. Hong Minghu turned his gaze to where Xie Xiaojiu was. "Xie Xiaojiu, you did well to denounce the crimes but committed the offense of insubordination. Therefore, your merits and demerits cancel each other out, no rewards will be given, and no punishment either. Are you satisfied?" Xie Xiaojiu nodded vigorously: "I am satisfied." Then Hong Minghu turned to Jiang Ning. "Commander Jiang, you took initiative to set an example for the Inspection Office, which is a minor merit. You will be awarded 100 Contribution Points. Are you satisfied?" "I am satisfied!" Jiang Ning replied. Hearing this, Hong Minghu gave a slight nod. Then he looked toward the few people who had crossed hands with Xie Xiaojiu. "Lv Renyao, Huang Xianzong, you two struck at Commander Jiang, insubordination from the lower ranks. Huang Xianzong as a captain will be confined in the Water Prison for half a month. Lv Renyao as a Patrol Guard committed insubordination; you will be confined for three months. Are you two satisfied?" Hearing this, Lv Renyao''s face subtly changed. Three months in the Water Prison. This was not closed-door martial training but enduring torture in a dark dungeon for two months. He had the fortune to have seen the Water Prison of the Inspection Office that morning. The Water Prison, also known as the Water Dungeon. Within the prison, it was cold and damp, dark without sunlight and, because it was underground, the space was cramped. Even the headroom wasn''t sufficient for him to stand upright. In such an environment, Lv Renyao thought he wouldn''t be able to endure even three days, let alone three months. Moreover, the environment would allow him to do nothing but feel every drip of time passing while inside. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I don''t accept!!" Lv Renyao suddenly spoke up, looking up at Hong Minghu: "Residence Master, you are biased, favoring Jiang Ning, a native." Chapter 249 8 Conflict Resolution_2 "Not convinced? Biased?" Hong Minghu''s face darkened. "Hmph!" He then snorted coldly. In an instant, it seemed as if an invisible force exploded in the void, causing Lv Renyao''s figure to stagger backward continuously before crashing onto the ground, his mouth leaking crimson blood. "Defying the order and failing to comply, add another month to the term!" Hong Minghu said indifferently. Following that, he looked towards the few people clashing with Xie Xiaojiu. "The few of you conspired for personal gain and brawled with colleagues in public, I sentence you to three days in the bitter prison. Do any of you dispute this?" "We accept the punishment!" With the lesson from Lv Renyao before them, no one else dared to utter another word, all promptly expressing their acceptance. At this time. Ye Qiu then stepped forward. "Everyone, disperse! Today, the Residence Master leniently forgave you all because it''s your first time at the Inspection Office and you don''t understand many rules." "If there is a next time, things will not be let go so easily!" "I hope everyone will go back and consider what you should do, what you intend to do, and what rules you need to abide by!" "The rules of the Inspection Office are extremely strict!!" Leaving these words behind, Ye Qiu turned to look at the man beside him. One of the four Deputy Commanders, Tang Miaomiao. "Commander Tang!" "My lord, please speak!" Tang Miaomiao responded with a salute. She came from an academy in Guangning Prefecture, naturally understanding the Inspection Office better than the students from the Martial Arts Garden of Dongling County. Thus, she showed no disrespect towards Ye Qiu, since strictly speaking, only a few people like Ye Qiu and Hong Minghu were the real core of the local Inspection Offices. Those below them, as of now, merely formed the periphery, no more than a disorganized crowd. At this moment, when Tang Miaomiao saluted, Ye Qiu slightly nodded. "The punishment for those people just now will be handled by Commander Tang!" "Rest assured, my lord!" Tang Miaomiao replied. ... As Ye Qiu and Hong Minghu left, the crowd also dispersed. "Jiang Ning, I''ll remember you!" He Jinyun passed by Jiang Ning and suddenly stopped to drop these words before leaving. "My lord!" Xie Xiaojiu approached Jiang Ning: "Thank you for just now, my lord! It was my fault that involved you!" Jiang Ning smiled slightly, "There''s no need! Since you are my person, how could I sit idly by and let you be bullied. Not to mention, Xiao Tianhe caught a friend of mine this morning!" "So, what should we do now, my lord?" Xie Xiaojiu asked. "Go find Jiuge, have her gather some people, and come with me to the county government!" "Yes, my lord!" Hearing this, Xie Xiaojiu promptly saluted. ... Meanwhile, inside the Inspection Office. Ye Qiu and Hong Minghu walked side by side. "Residence Master, you were particularly generous today," Ye Qiu remarked. Hong Minghu slowly began, "These people are, after all, students from the Martial Arts Garden and come from prominent families within Dongling City; it''s not good to punish them too harshly!" "Does that mean if Commander Jiang hadn''t intervened, you were prepared to use that girl as an example?" Ye Qiu turned his head to ask. "Indeed!" Hong Minghu candidly admitted. He continued, "Today''s actions significantly weakened the effect, but there''s nothing I can do; these people are not easy to handle." Looking at it this way, the Residence Master indeed respects Commander Jiang a lot!" "Jiang Ning?" Hong Minghu repeated the name and then chuckled, "Commander Jiang''s face is not something that can be ignored! He is a young Grandmaster, after all!" "Do you think highly of him?" Ye Qiu slightly revealed a surprised expression. Hong Minghu nodded, "Watch, he will definitely have a place on the soon-to-be-updated Hidden Dragon List." ... County Government Jail. "Halt!" The two jail guards immediately drew their swords, vigilantly watching Jiang Ning and his entourage. "Call your prison head out!" Feng Jiuge stepped forward and spoke. "Who are you, please identify yourself?" one of the prison clerks swallowed and asked timidly. "Inspection Office!" Feng Jiuge replied indifferently. Hearing these three words, the prison clerk immediately nodded repeatedly. "Please wait here, my lord, I''ll go and call Boss Zhang out!" Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Feng Jiuge turned to Jiang Ning and said, "Mr. Jiang, based on their reactions, it seems Xiao Tianhe wasn''t lying. The people he arrested this morning are indeed here." Jiang Ning nodded, "He had no reason to lie. In front of the Residence Master, he wouldn''t dare to." ... County government prison. "Damn it, disturbing my sleep again, Xiao Tianhe is here again?" a burly middle-aged man cursed as he got up. "Sir, it''s not the same group from this morning; the leader this time is a beautiful and heroic-looking woman." "A woman?" The burly middle-aged man paused for a moment before saying, "Lead the way!" Moments later. At the entrance of the county government prison. "Xiao Tianhe didn''t come?" Emerging from the dark prison to the harsh sunlight outside, the burly middle-aged man squinted his eyes at the scene before him, thinking to himself in surprise. The next moment. "Greetings to all the officials!" He immediately walked over to Jiang Ning with a smile on his face, "May I know how to address you, gentlemen? I am Zhang Cheng, the head of the prison here." Feng Jiuge said, "Inspection Office team leader, Feng Jiuge." As she spoke, she took out a silver token to show Zhang Cheng. "So it''s Captain Feng!" Zhang Cheng hurriedly bowed, "This subordinate has seen Lord Feng!" Jiang Ning, too, took out a golden token. "Inspection Office Deputy Commander, Jiang Ning!" "You are Jiang Ning!!" Zhang Cheng''s eyes widened in shock as he looked at Jiang Ning. "That''s right!" Jiang Ning nodded. "Greetings, Mr. Jiang!" Zhang Cheng came to his senses and hurriedly bowed. He was also extremely surprised internally. Jiang Ning''s name had been thunderously familiar, especially after yesterday; the entire Luoshui County resonated with his name, known to everyone. But knowing was one thing, seeing Jiang Ning in person was rare. He was one of them. As the head of the county government prison, guarding the prison was his duty. Thus, despite his seemingly leisurely life within the prison, he wouldn''t dare to leave his post without permission. Guarding the county government prison, abandoning his post was an offense punishable by death. A fleeting thought passed through Zhang Cheng''s mind. Then he turned to Jiang Ning and said, "May I know the purpose of Mr. Jiang''s visit today?" Jiang Ning said, "Mr. Zhang, did the Inspection Office send a group of prisoners this morning?" Zhang Cheng immediately waved his hands. "I dare not take the title ''Sir'' in front of Commander Jiang! How could I, a mere Ninth Grade prison head, dare to claim such a title?" He then added, "But you''re right, sir. A group of prisoners was indeed sent here this morning, they''re all locked up on the second floor of the county government." "Take me to see them!" Jiang Ning ordered. "Yes, sir!" Zhang Cheng nodded repeatedly and then led the way forward. As he led the way, he spoke, "Mr. Jiang, the prisoners this morning were captured by Captain Xiao Tianhe. Before leaving, he instructed me to keep them well-guarded, prohibiting any visits." Feng Jiuge said, "The Xiao Tianhe you mentioned has already been imprisoned in the harsh cells of the Inspection Office." "Imprisoned?" Zhang Cheng looked shocked, then suddenly realized and nodded repeatedly, "I understand now!" Moments later. Under Zhang Cheng''s lead, the group swiftly arrived at the second floor of the county government prison. This floor, compared to the one above, was even darker, damper, and more oppressive. "Sir, it''s just ahead!" Zhang Cheng said. They then rounded a corner and suddenly saw several prisoners locked up in the cells ahead. At that moment, the footsteps of Jiang Ning and the others entering the prison drew their attention, and they all looked toward the corner. "Miss Nine?" Tong Xiuyun, seeing Xie Xiaojiu, showed a look of joyful surprise. "Brother Jiang!" Cheng Ran''s eyes brightened. Chapter 250 9: Family Heirloom County government prison. "Brother Jiang, how did you come here!" Cheng Ran clasped his hands on the iron cage, his face showing surprise and delight. He had not expected to see Jiang Ning in this place. At this moment, Xie Xiaojiu also arrived at the cell where Tong Xiuyun was held, tugged at her clothes, and after finding no abnormalities, she finally let out a sigh of relief. The two immediately held hands, their faces brimming with joy. Aside. Seeing Cheng Ran safe and sound, Jiang Ning also nodded slightly, then answered, "I just heard that you were in trouble, so I came immediately." Upon saying these words, Jiang Ning continued, "Brother Cheng, when you were captured this morning, why didn''t you mention my name? If you had mentioned my name, how could Xiao Tianhe have been so brazen?" Cheng Ran heard this and couldn''t help but smile bitterly and shake his head. "How could I have the face to mention Brother Jiang''s great name!" Immediately after, he became contemplative and said, "It''s only today that I''ve realized, the Martial Arts are a hundred times more important than doing business! Just like the Cheng family, who can be called wealthy." "But what about it? Faced with a captain from the Inspection Office, we were utterly helpless!" "If Brother Jiang had not come to rescue us, perhaps my entire family would have been wrongfully put to death." Jiang Ning said, "Has Brother Cheng come to a realization?" Cheng Ran nodded repeatedly, "I''ve come to a realization. No matter how hard it is to practice Martial Arts, I must carry on! In this world, without martial strength by your side, you cannot even move an inch!" "If I had half the martial power of Brother Jiang, how would Xiao Tianhe dare to bully the Cheng family like this?" At this time, Cheng Ran''s father also gave Cheng Ran''s shoulders a firm pat from behind. "My son, go ahead and fight! Your father will support you with all our family''s assets, even if it means scattering it all!" Seeing this scene, Jiang Ning nodded slightly. Strength is the true principle, which he had long recognized. Just as in his previous life, among major nations, the truth was also confined within the range of big guns; as for those small countries, without sufficient strength, who would reason with them? Thus, after realizing how brilliantly prosperous the world of Martial Arts was, after realizing the great personal power he could possess, And learning that powerful Martial Artists could live for hundreds or even thousands of years, he had already set a goal for himself, which was to climb ceaselessly along the path of Martial Arts. After discovering his magical abilities, he became even more resolute in this goal. Moments later. "My lord, how should the others be dealt with?" Zhang Cheng asked Jiang Ning carefully. Jiang Ning said, "Release them all, they are all innocent people!" "Thank you, lord!" "Thank you, Mr. Jiang!!" "Thank you so much, lord!!" "..." As soon as Jiang Ning spoke, all the shopkeepers in the surrounding cells thanked him profusely, some even knelt on the spot. Tong Xiuyun, who had already walked out of the cell, looked at Jiang Ning with complicated feelings. From Xie Xiaojiu''s words just now, she had learned that her rescue was all thanks to Jiang Ning''s efforts. If Jiang Ning had not stood up for them, not to mention her rescue, even Xie Xiaojiu would have been in danger. Thinking of this, Tong Xiuyun spoke to show her gratitude, "Thank you, Mr. Jiang, for saving my life!" Jiang Ning said, "No need for that, Shopkeeper Tong previously sold half and gave half of that house to me, I''ve always kept this favor in mind!" Tong Xiuyun revealed a smile, "Such a trivial matter, and yet Mr. Jiang still remembers it." ... Moments later. Everyone walked towards the outside of the prison. Zhang Cheng followed close behind, trotting, "Mr. Jiang, your friend was arrested all because of Huang Dazheng, should I send someone to capture him and bring him to the Inspection Office?" Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning immediately stopped in his tracks. "Xie Xiaojiu, go with Mr. Zhang and capture Huang Dazheng, then bring him to the Inspection Office to see me!" "Yes, my lord!" Xie Xiaojiu immediately bowed and responded. At the same time. The Cheng family father and son, following closely behind Jiang Ning, couldn''t help but sigh quietly as they watched the scene unfold. "Ran''er, I''m glad that you chose to befriend Jiang Ning; otherwise, we would have been in real trouble today!" "Yes!" Cheng Ran also nodded in agreement. Today was the first time he witnessed what real power and influence was. Xiao Tianhe, just a captain, could arbitrarily fabricate a reason to apprehend them. And the county government''s people complied completely, not bothering to delve into the true causes. Zhang Cheng, the experienced warden of many years, Upon seeing Jiang Ning today, could only smile apologetically and follow behind, nothing like the notorious warden he was known to be. Whoever thought that Zhang Cheng''s current demeanor was his true nature would be greatly mistaken. To be able to serve as the warden of the county government''s prison for so many years, to ensure that the prison had no incidents for so many years, That was not something just anybody could do. Keep in mind, the county government confined various cruel and vicious bandits and outlaw heroes. These people made countless friends on the outside. And these so-called outlaw heroes valued brotherhood above all else. There were numerous attempts to break them out of prison. But in the end, over the years, nothing significant had ever happened in this prison, testimony to Zhang Cheng''s methods. The Cheng father and son continued to follow closely behind Jiang Ning. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ran''er, your father regrets it! I shouldn''t have disbelieved your judgment." "Father means..." Cheng Ran spoke slowly. The father said, "It was when you were right about investing in Jiang Ning. If I had believed your judgment, our Cheng family would have reaped endless benefits." Hearing this, Cheng Ran shook his head slightly, "Father, speaking of it now is meaningless!" "Yes, it''s meaningless!" the father said with a light sigh, "What''s missed is missed. We missed the best opportunity to become close with Mr. Jiang, and now, even if we scatter all our family wealth, it''s unlikely Mr. Jiang will look our way again!" Chapter 251 9: Family Heirloom_2 ... Inspection Office. After leaving the county government, Jiang Ning had Cheng Ran make some arrangements before taking him to the Inspection Office. His purpose for doing so was simple. It was to have Cheng Ran registered. "Brother Cheng, take this token and head to the Internal Affairs Office to complete the registration. From then on, you will be a member of the Inspection Office," Jiang Ning said as he pulled out a black token from his bosom and handed it to Cheng Ran. "Mr. Jiang, rest assured, I will not let you down. In no more than ten to fifteen days, I am confident I will step into the Martial Arts Nine Grade." "Take your time, there''s no need to rush!" Jiang Ning started, then added, "As for the formal address, there''s no need for such between us!" Cheng Ran immediately shook his head repeatedly, "Mr. Jiang, public and private matters must be kept separate!" "In private, we are friends, but here, it must be official business! Since Mr. Jiang considers me a friend, he must not lead me into injustice!" Hearing this, Jiang Ning laughed. "You make sense. In that case, let''s do as you say." "Sire, your subordinate shall take his leave first!" Cheng Ran bowed. Once Cheng Ran had left, Jiang Ning turned and walked into the inner hall. Back in the inner hall of his residence, he continued to practice the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill to refine the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill within his body. He discovered that with the medicinal power of this pill and at this rate of refinement, it wouldn''t take many days for him to truly reach the Peak of Eighth Grade. ¡­ Some two hours later. "Sire, the person has been brought!" Xie Xiaojiu spoke from the courtyard. At this moment, Jiang Ning slowly retracted his fist stance. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Break Limit once 366/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) "The next Break Limit for Five Animals Fist is quite a ways off, it seems I need to focus on Martial Arts training after stabilizing!" Jiang Ning murmured to himself as he glanced at his panel. Then he closed the panel and looked towards Xie Xiaojiu. "Sire, this is Huang Dazheng. The issue this morning also started because of him." Thump¡ª As Xie Xiaojiu spoke, Huang Dazheng''s knees weakened, and he knelt down directly. That morning, he had witnessed the capabilities of Xiao Tianhe, the captain of the Inspection Office. But now, he was facing not the captain, but the Deputy Commander, whose status and strength both surpassed those of Xiao Tianhe. "Sire, this humble one was foolish!" Huang Dazheng immediately spoke, his voice trembling with fear. "Does this mean you admit that those actions were done by you?" Jiang Ning spoke indifferently. Huang Dazheng immediately nodded, "Yes, it was indeed this humble one''s doing. I was blinded by greed, using a family heirloom to lure Captain Xiao into abusing his power, which led to this great mistake." "Please, Sire, forgive me and spare this humble one this once." As he spoke, Huang Dazheng offered a ring with both hands. "This is one of my family''s heirloom treasures! There are two rings in total, and according to family records, they possess the effect of the Sumeru Mustard Seed." "The effect of the Sumeru Mustard Seed?" Jiang Ning''s expression turned curious. "Ah, the effect of the Sumeru Mustard Seed?" A surprised voice suddenly came from the entrance of the residence. Jiang Ning looked up and saw that the newcomer was Feng Jiuge. "Sire!" Seeing Jiang Ning look over, Feng Jiuge immediately spoke. Then in a flash, she moved several feet instantly, arriving in front of Jiang Ning. "I heard that in ancient times, there were miraculous artifact refinings techniques that involved encapsulating the Sumeru in a mustard seed! Could it be that the object in your hand is the legendary Sumeru Ring?" Feng Jiuge eyed the ring in Huang Dazheng''s hand, her gaze flickering as she spoke. Hearing this, Huang Dazheng immediately nodded repeatedly, "Sire is correct, according to family records, this object is indeed the legendary item." "Why haven''t you used it if it''s a legendary item?" Feng Jiuge took the initiative to express Jiang Ning''s inner doubt. Huang Dazheng immediately responded with a look of distress, "It''s not that I haven''t used it, but rather, I cannot. This object can''t be used by ordinary people; it requires legendary immortal techniques." "What kind of immortal techniques?" Feng Jiuge asked. Huang Dazheng replied, "This humble one does not know. My father and grandfather, and generations before them, have researched it but have never been able to correctly use this item." "Just because of this, I did not want this treasure to gather dust, which is why I offered it to you, sir. I beg for your mercy and spare my life!" Huang Dazheng finished speaking and raised the ring above his head, presenting it to Jiang Ning. "Sir!" Xie Xiaojiu''s mouth slightly opened, as if he wanted to say more but stopped himself. Seeing this, Jiang Ning pondered for a few breaths. Then he raised his hand and accepted the Sumeru Ring that Huang Dazheng offered. The ring was dark black, dull and without luster. On the front, there was a floral and bird design, and beyond that, there was nothing special about it. However, holding the ring, Jiang Ning felt a faint stirring in his heart, as if he had seen a similar scene somewhere before. He immediately furrowed his brows. The next moment, he suddenly remembered. The day he was in the Weapon Forging Shop''s underground armory and discovered the spiritual weapon, he felt a similar stirring. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning''s heart stirred. "I will accept this item, and I will not pursue the matter further!" he said indifferently. "Thank you, sir!!" Huang Dazheng''s expression filled with joy. Then he said, "It is often said that a precious sword is destined for a hero. This item must have been meant by the heavens for me to present to you, sir. In your hands, it will surely show its miraculous effects." Jiang Ning asked, "Based on what you just mentioned, there is another ring in Xiao Tianhe''s possession?" Huang Dazheng immediately nodded and said, "Yes, sir! There are two of these heirloom rings. One is now in your hands, sir, and the other I gave to Captain Xiao this morning, which should be with him now." Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded slightly, then said, "Little Jiu, see him out!" "Yes, sir!" Xie Xiaojiu responded immediately with a bow. "Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!!" Huang Dazheng''s expression filled with joy again. On the way here, he learned that Xiao Tianhe had been thrown into a harsh prison to be punished. Knowing this outcome, Huang Dazheng felt extremely anxious. Even Captain Xiao was captured and thrown into prison, and as a commoner, he felt as if death were upon him. Yet now, to his surprise, Jiang Ning had picked him up high and set him down gently. Although it was because he offered his family treasure, Huang Dazheng still felt incredibly lucky. Many are those who "cross the river and demolish the bridge"¡ªtaking the items but reneging on their promises. For common people, it is rare to encounter someone who not only takes the items but also fulfills his promises. Although he paid with an heirloom, this so-called treasure was nothing but a chicken rib to Huang Dazheng¡ªuseless and burdensome. He knew the Sumeru Ring was miraculous, but despite the efforts of generations, its secret had never been unlocked. Now, to have traded such a worthless item for his life, he felt extremely fortunate. After all, what use is a treasure if one is not alive? Afterwards, Xie Xiaojiu led Huang Dazheng out. Only Feng Jiuge and Jiang Ning were left in the mansion. "By the way, sir!" Feng Jiuge spoke up, "All ten members of my team have been gathered. Would you like to inspect them later?" "There''s no need; I trust you!" Jiang Ning replied. "You really are a hands-off manager, sir!" Feng Jiuge smiled. Then she said, "Sir, may I see the Sumeru Ring in your hand?" S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning nodded slightly and placed the Sumeru Ring in Feng Jiuge''s hand. Taking the ring, Feng Jiuge observed it closely for a moment, then said, "Sir, have you ever heard of ''Sumeru Mustard Seed''?" Jiang Ning shook his head slightly. "I have not." Feng Jiuge said, "Sumeru Mustard Seed is an object from Ancient Times, belonging to the immortals, and possesses the miraculous power to contain the universe within a mustard seed." "If this item is indeed the legendary Sumeru Mustard Seed, then it truly is a treasure." "However, it''s not so simple to use!" "From my understanding, only those with divine roots, as well as those whose spiritual power can momentarily leave the body and interact with the external world as though it was tangible, can use it." "I see!" Jiang Ning nodded slightly, then said, "Such a treasure, even if unusable, is worth collecting!" "Your words are reasonable, sir! The tavern owner is but a trivial commoner; if what he says is true, his life is far less valuable than this Sumeru Ring." Chapter 252 10 Sumeru Ring Within the Residence. Feng Jiuge departed, Jiang Ning stood still. "A Sumeru Ring, isn''t that what they call a Space Ring?" "If it really can be used, that will be incredibly convenient for me!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself. He then slipped the dark black ring onto his finger. He felt a unique sensation from the ring, similar to the initial interaction with the spiritual weapon. Jiang Ning was even clearer now, Huang Dazheng hadn''t been wrong, this object was most likely an artifact from the Ancient Era. Named the Sumeru Ring. "Feng Jiuge mentioned the divine root, which should indeed be the spiritual wisdom Shen Congyun talked about." "It''s because I possess spiritual wisdom that I qualified to make the spiritual weapon recognize me as its master." "It must be so!" The more Jiang Ning thought about it, the more he felt it was true. He then lightly stroked his chin. "If that''s the case, I am only missing one requirement to use the Sumeru Ring, which is for my spiritual power to be solid enough to temporarily leave my body!" [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 1903/3000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Jiang Ning''s gaze fell upon the panel. He was 1100 points short of experience value to allow Reading and Writing to undergo another limit break, each break enhancing his spiritual power. The last limit break allowed his spiritual power to increase enough to introspect his entire body, this breakthrough significantly boosted the efficiency of refining his muscles. The next limit break would certainly usher in another transformation of his spiritual power. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning thought of the imperial examination. From his prior knowledge, in Great Xia, just having scholarly honors added to one''s name allowed one to worship at the Holy Temple and carve one''s name on the stele, which in turn enhanced one''s spiritual power. Now he thought, this was also a good path. With his unforgettable ability, and his current scholarship, being named a top scholar was impossible. But attempting for the Scholar title wasn''t difficult. A Scholar, standing with scholarly accolades. Just like that County Lord of Luoshui County. It was said he excelled both in civil and military skills. However, this path, he could only fantasize about. The imperial examination in this life differed from his previous life''s understanding. The examination, only next spring could one participate in Luoshui County''s child scholar test. There were still several months until this time. And for a Scholar, one had to further participate in the county examination. Only after achieving a top rank in the county examination could one have scholarly honors added, could go to the Confucius Temple in the county city to carve the name on a stele, and receive the blessing of spiritual power. However, thinking of this, Jiang Ning felt it was unreliable. True power must come from oneself. What blessings from the Confucius Temple¡ªthis thought made him recall his previous encounter with Shi Xiaoyuan. Shi Xiaoyuan had relied on the blessings from a God, his power greatly increased, and he even acquired the ability to transform into a monster, enhancing his survivability and healing abilities, with any injuries recovering quickly. He was no different from a monster. However, that was obviously problematic. "Need to be careful!" Jiang Ning muttered secretly: "The Confucius Temple, perhaps also the so-called Gods, but under the control of Great Xia." Just as Jiang Ning was considering this. Pat pat pat¡ª A series of footsteps approached. "Milord!" Xie Xiaojiu appeared before Jiang Ning, bowing and saying: "Subordinate has already sent Huang Dazheng away from the Patrol Guard office." "Ever thought about being a captain?" Jiang Ning suddenly asked. "What?" Xie Xiaojiu suddenly widened her beautiful eyes and gaped. Jiang Ning smiled: "Ever thought about being a captain?" "Yes!" Xie Xiaojiu immediately nodded emphatically. "Good! Then this item is for you!" Jiang Ning pulled out a silver token and placed it before Xie Xiaojiu. Watching as Xiaojiu stared blankly, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but chuckle. "What are you dazing for? Aren''t you going to take it?" "Milord... Milord... I..." Xiaojiu stammered. She immediately threw herself into Jiang Ning''s embrace, hugged him once, and immediately left. "Thank you, Milord! Xiaojiu will definitely not disappoint your expectations." Xiaojiu took the silver token from Jiang Ning''s hand and dashed off like a rabbit. "Oh! My Lord is actually engaging in a romance with a subordinate!" Feng Jiuge leaned against the Residence gate, chuckling lightly. "How are you here again?" Jiang Ning said. "Yes... yes ... yes, I shouldn''t have come and disturbed the Lord''s romantic moments!" Feng Jiuge said a bit resentfully. She then sighed: "Forget it, I won''t bother you anymore! Here are one hundred Contribution Points issued by the Residence Master." Saying this, Feng Jiuge raised her hand and tossed a coin-sized piece of bronze to Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning caught it and took a closer look. The coin-sized object was turquoise, with strange patterns engraved on it, resembling an array of lines. "Is this item worth one hundred Contribution Points?" Jiang Ning asked. "Yes!" Feng Jiuge nodded: "This item is worth one hundred Contribution Points. You can take it to the Internal Affairs Office and exchange it for whatever you need." "Alright, I''ve now given you the item, so I''ll be on my way!" Feng Jiuge said. After speaking, she turned to leave, waving at Jiang Ning behind her. Watching Feng Jiuge''s retreating figure and her swaying ponytail, Jiang Ning smiled. "Having Feng Jiuge around is not bad, it saves me a lot of trouble." Holding the bronze coin in his hand, Jiang Ning thought for a moment and then also headed towards the Internal Affairs Office. There were some items he wanted to exchange, he originally planned to bring some silver notes tomorrow to buy Contribution Points, but now with these hundred Contribution Points, that was not necessary. One hundred Contribution Points was not a small amount. You see, to earn one hundred Contribution Points through the Patrol Guard salary would take an entire ten months. Chapter 253 10 Sumeru Ring_2 This is a treatment reserved only for Ninth Grade Martial Artists. And to procure it by exchanging silver, one would need a full two hundred taels of silver. Two hundred taels of silver could support an ordinary family of four for most of their lives. ... A moment later. Internal Affairs Office. Jiang Ning arrived once more. "Sir!" Xie Xiaojiu greeted Jiang Ning with a composed manner as if the previous scene had never happened. Jiang Ning nodded slightly, "Have you registered?" "I have already registered!" Xie Xiaojiu looked at Jiang Ning gratefully. The incident at noon had made her clearly realize the difference in status between a captain and an ordinary patrol guard. In the Inspection Office, one level higher in rank could suppress all others. If she had the status of a captain at noon, and her power surpassed that of Xiao Tianhe, she wouldn''t have felt so powerless. Thus, at this moment, her heart was filled with immense gratitude. With this status, she could truly establish herself in the Inspection Office. On the other side. The elderly woman at the Internal Affairs Office counter glanced at Jiang Ning. "Mr. Jiang, what brings you here?" Jiang Ning clasped his hands and said, "Senior, I would like to exchange for the detailed explanation of Martial Arts Seventh Grade Refining Muscle and Martial Arts Sixth Grade Bone Refining." "Martial Arts Seventh Grade Refining Muscle detailed explanation fifty Contribution Points, Martial Arts Sixth Grade Bone Refining detailed explanation one hundred Contribution Points, in total one hundred fifty Contribution Points," the elderly woman said indifferently, then opened her palm, "Hand them over!" Jiang Ning, upon hearing this, immediately took out the bronze colored currency from his bosom. "Senior, here is one hundred Contribution Value!" Then he took out a silver note worth one hundred taels from his bosom. "Senior, I''m using this silver note to exchange for fifty Contribution Points, making a total of one hundred fifty Contribution Points." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "No problem!" the elderly woman took the two items placed on the counter by Jiang Ning. Then she took out two thin booklets from the cabinet behind her, "These are what you requested; they are rubbings personally written by Martial Saint, containing core truths directly pointing to Martial Arts Sixth and Seventh Grade." Jiang Ning took the items, his heart immediately stirred. With these scripts, he could now smoothly break through to the Seventh Grade of Martial Arts, and with the Sixth Grade explanation in these booklets. The Sixth Grade was merely a matter of time in his eyes. As for the Fifth Grade, he has already been on this path for a long time. Once he reached the Peak of Sixth Grade, with his current efficiency, he could instantly achieve the strength of the Peak of Fifth Grade, and Fourth Grade was within reach. Now, before reaching Fourth Grade, there were hardly any secrets left in the path of Martial Arts in his eyes. Jiang Ning secured the two booklets, then said, "Senior, I will take my leave now!" The elderly woman waved her hand, then closed her eyes, suddenly motionless like a statue of a Bodhisattva. "Let''s go!" Jiang Ning said softly to Xie Xiaojiu. Xie Xiaojiu nodded gently, obediently following behind Jiang Ning. ... [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +2] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +2] [...] Jiang Ning slowly flipped through the booklets in his hands, his vision occasionally flashing with a prompt. At this moment, the prompts appeared much faster compared to when he read ordinary books. Not only did prompts of Experience Value +2 appear frequently, but the frequency of the prompts increased significantly as well. After a long time. [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 2337/3000) (Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) After finishing the booklets, Jiang Ning opened his panel and took a look, his heart secretly shocked. "In less than two 2 hours, just by reading the rubbings of core truths of Martial Arts Sixth and Seventh Grade passed down by Martial Saint, my Experience Value increased by several hundred points!" "If all could be done at this efficiency, wouldn''t Reading and Writing be able to break its limit within a day or two?" Immediately. Jiang Ning became thoughtful. "From this, it seems the information contained within these true explanations is extraordinarily remarkable, which is why it boosted the Experience Value of my Reading and Writing skill so substantially!" "If I could read the original core truths of Martial Arts Ninth Grade written by Martial Saint, that will surely bring me a massive amount of Experience Value!" "If I ever get a chance in the future, I must obtain them for study!" Having made the decision, Jiang Ning''s gaze returned to the two booklets in his hands. Based on the true explanations for Martial Arts Sixth Grade and Seventh Grade, also known as auspicious explanations. At this moment, his understanding of the levels of Martial Arts Sixth Grade and Seventh Grade was extremely deep. According to the records in the books. At Martial Arts Seventh Grade, the meridians throughout the body are refined to the extreme, enabling the body''s strength to move with the mind and to burst forth anywhere. It''s like with ordinary people, the strength in their feet is always greater than in their legs; the larger the range of motion in the arms, the greater the strength that bursts forth. However, after achieving Great Success in Refining Muscle, it''s different. Even within a small range, a flick of the finger can erupt with a force not inferior to the waving of an arm. With every casual movement of the arms and legs, one can also easily burst forth with body strength. This is the terrifying aspect of having achieved Great Success in Refining Muscle. More critically, a Martial Arts Seventh Grade who has mastered Refining Muscle, even if they possess the same 4,000 jin strength as a Martial Arts Eighth Grade, their explosive power is entirely different. It''s multiple times the explosive power of a normal Eighth Grade fighter. For Martial Arts Sixth Grade, Bone Refining is already the last barrier of the physical body. Reaching this step is the sublimation of the entire physical body. The transformation of muscles, bones, and skin amplifies strength, speed, and defense in all aspects. If it''s said that Seventh Grade can fight five Eighth Grades, then between Sixth Grade and Seventh Grade, one can fight ten. These two books of Martial Arts Sixth Grade and Seventh Grade provide a very thorough explanation of all points of attention for these two realms. They also let Jiang Ning know how to proceed with Seventh Grade Refining Muscle. The principle at this level is also very simple. You replenish what you consume. Human tendons are not tough. In nature, such as cow tendons, tiger tendons, jiao tendons, dragon tendons... There are countless tendons tougher than human''s. Just like bows, some use cow tendons for bowstrings, others use tiger tendons, but who has ever heard of using human tendons? All this is because human tendons are fragile, far less tough than cow, tiger, or jiao tendons. Thus, this step involves eating, then moving Qi-Blood to refine the body''s Great Tendon, pushing the human tendon''s base towards those of cows, tigers, dragons. Step by step transformed, the power that the human body can burst forth with also becomes more terrifying. Above that, the true Martial Arts Seventh Grade solution also records in detail the methods for refining channels and tendons. Recalling the insights he had just seen, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but sigh lightly. "These 150 Contribution Points were so worthwhile, such a bargain!" "Joining the Inspection Office was indeed the right choice!" ... Time flew swiftly. Since its establishment that day, the Inspection Office had remained quiet without making any significant moves. This caused the various forces that had been closely monitoring the Inspection Office to breathe a sigh of relief. Within the courtyard. Jiang Ning was soaking in a pool. "Comfortable!" he sighed with closed eyes. The moment he entered the water, he felt an incomparable comfort over his whole body. Just like a fish entering the ocean, his vitality was instantly revitalized. This pool wasn''t there a few days ago. But since Jiang Ning possesses the trait of recovering his state through water, he asked Little Jiu to help dig a pool in the backyard of his courtyard. Hearing this request, Little Jiu went to work without a word, rolling up her sleeves and getting to it. By the time Jiang Ning saw her, she was all covered in dust, so he immediately called for a stop. Then, he called Ruan Hongmei, and Jiang Ning realized that Little Jiu obviously wasn''t good at this sort of thing. Following Ruan Hongmei''s orders, a construction team was quickly summoned. In just under three days, they had neatly arranged his pool. Today was also the first time Jiang Ning soaked in the pool. He instantly felt his body''s state rapidly recovering, Qi-Blood stirring vigorously within him and becoming continuously replenished. "Indeed, soaking is always the simplest!" Jiang Ning sighed with closed eyes, quietly feeling his body''s recovery. Moments later. His spirit reached fullness, Qi-Blood filled him, and his energy overflowed with no outlet. "Fully recovered!" Jiang Ning clasped his hands, feeling the changes in his body, his expression lit up with joy. Immediately, he gestured with his hand. The pool water instantly gathered into a dragon, surging and lively within the water. "This... is my ace!" Chapter 254 11: Killing the Innocent to Usurp Credit In the pool. Under Jiang Ning''s control, the convergence of the water flow took on the form of a dragon-like serpent swimming. After controlling it for a moment, Jiang Ning waved his hand, and the serpent formed by the returning water instantly disintegrated. "Indeed, the stronger I am, the more powerful this divine skill becomes!" "Now my control over the flow of water is about ten percent stronger than a few days ago." [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 224.7 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 2877/3000) (Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Five Animals Fist (First Limit Breaking 381/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (Five Times Limit-Breaking 5000/5000) (Trait: Touch and Understand, Blade as Swift as the Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Master 1811/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 67/1000) Vajra Immortal Body (Small Success 453/5000) Swimming (Five Times Limit-Breaking 4637/5000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall) Glancing at his character panel, Jiang Ning was quite pleased. After days of dedicated cultivation experience, the Reading and Writing skill was about to reach a breakthrough. If this skill were to break the limit, his spiritual power would be greatly enhanced. Then he would be able to test whether the Sumeru Ring was usable by him. It was impossible for Jiang Ning not to look forward to such a treasure. With the Nasumi contained within the mustard seed, although it would not enhance his strength, it would make many of his future actions much more convenient. No longer would he need to carry weapons at his side wherever he went. Additionally, due to the complete refinement of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill in the past few days, his Source Energy Points also experienced a surge. This fulfilled the requirement for the five times limit-breaking of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill. At the same time, the experience value for the Swimming skill also neared the requirement for five times limit-breaking. But what Jiang Ning looked forward to the most was that in a few days'' time, the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill would face a breakthrough. This cultivation technique was a peerless skill. Once it reached the small success level, he would be able to master the mysterious Inner Breath. At that time, his strength would inevitably undergo a transformation. "It won''t be long now, a few more days and I''ll see a significant improvement in my strength," Jiang Ning whispered to himself. Then, clenching his fists in the water, he felt his muscles around his body instantly engage, and a formidable strength filled his arms. "Over four thousand jin!" "All the muscles in my body have been tempered to the limit, and this is also my current limit!" ... Just then, Footsteps came from behind. "Sir!" the voice of Xie Xiaojiu rang out. "Little Jiu, what is it?" Jiang Ning stood up. Whoosh¡ª A sound of water splashing arose as the droplets brought up by his rising form slid over his lean, cheetah-like muscles and fell upon the surface of the water. At this moment, Jiang Ning was wearing only a pair of shorts. For him, this was quite normal. After all, this is how he previously dressed at the beach. But at this moment, for Xie Xiaojiu, it was somewhat... Xie Xiaojiu was momentarily stunned, then regaining his composure, he said, "Sir, according to the mission assigned by the higher-ups, your subordinate has located a branch of the God Worship Sect." "The City God Temple? Any movements there?" Jiang Ning inquired. Xie Xiaojiu shook his head, "A month before Master Hong''s arrival, the statues of the God Worship Sect were secretly taken down from the City God Temple and are nowhere to be found." "It seems they got the message. Such associations that worship Evil Gods have always been the primary targets for eradication by the Inspection Office." "Half of the previous rebellions in Great Xia were related to these Evil God Sects." As Jiang Ning dressed, he continued, "Little Jiu, the God Worship Sect could venerate their statues in the City God Temple, do you know who exactly in the local area might be involved with the sect?" Xie Xiaojiu shook his head slightly, "I am not sure, but I estimate that the Cao, Liu, and Xie families could all potentially be connected to the God Worship Sect." "You would bring up the Xie family?" Jiang Ning couldn''t help but smile. Xie Xiaojiu said, "The Cao, Liu, and Xie families are inherently intertwined, but the most likely would be the County Lord." Jiang Ning asked, "If it''s the County Lord, then what is he after?" Xie Xiaojiu responded, "Your subordinate has pondered this as well, perhaps they are after military power." "Military power?" Jiang Ning showed a trace of surprise, "Continue." Xie Xiaojiu then continued, "Our Zeshan State is relatively peaceful, thanks to the many mountains and rivers." "Especially our Luoshui County, being adjacent to the Luoshui River, the farmlands remain unscathed by the drought even after several months." "However, outside Luoshui County, particularly beyond Zeshan State, the situation has become more chaotic over the years, with rebellions occurring from time to time." "In such turbulent conditions, the various powerful clans and families are unanimously pressuring the authorities to decentralize power and relax control over the military." "With looser control over military power, the mighty clans and families can freely recruit soldiers, arming them for battle." "Having soldiers means having capital, capital for self-protection." "After all, strong as Martial Arts Strongmen may be, they have their limits, and without reaching a certain pinnacle, human strength is finite." "And those noble families and top-ranking forces are more than happy to see this happen!" "The Royal Family of Great Xia was once the leading family in the world before Great Xia''s time." "If the world were to fall into disorder, many of those noble families would wish to follow that same path again!!" Hearing Xie Xiaojiu articulate these points so clearly, Jiang Ning was inwardly impressed. He truly lived up to his background as a scion of a major family. Despite seeming not so sharp outwardly, he understood so much. Then, centering himself, Jiang Ning turned to Xie Xiaojiu and asked, "By the way! Where is this branch of the Evil God Sect you mentioned just now?" Xie Xiaojiu answered, "It''s in a large mansion to the east of the city!" Chapter 255 11 Killing the Good and Stealing the Credit_2 "Is the news reliable?" Jiang Ning asked. "Reliable!" Xie Xiaojiu nodded. "Good, go notify Feng Jiuge and Ruan Hongmei. Have them gather the men, and they will accompany me shortly." "Yes, sir!" Xie Xiaojiu responded. He then turned and left. Jiang Ning was fully dressed by then. "God Worship Sect?" he murmured to himself. He hadn''t forgotten that his predecessor seemed to have fallen into a coma because of the God Worship Sect. The reason the sect members had attacked him was simple: he possessed Innate Spiritual Wisdom. From his conversation with Shi Xiaoyuan, Jiang Ning had learned about the attraction the God Worship Sect held for those with Innate Spiritual Wisdom. Those with Innate Spiritual Wisdom, if sacrificed to the gods they worshipped, could receive tremendous gifts. "Let''s meet them shortly. Let''s see what this God Worship Sect is really capable of!" Jiang Ning murmured to himself. ... Several hours later. In front of a residence in the East District. Boom¡ª Under Jiang Ning''s signal, Feng Jiuge kicked out, shattering the residence''s main gate instantly. "No one?" Feng Jiuge was startled. Jiang Ning said, "Follow me!" With those words, Jiang Ning stepped into the residence. Before Feng Jiuge kicked the door, he had already known that the courtyard was empty. His senses were extraordinarily sharp now, able to hear a person''s heartbeat even through a wall. And standing in front of this residence, not only were there no voices, but there was also no sound of breathing or heartbeats. This indicated that there was definitely no one in the courtyard. Upon stepping into the courtyard, what met his eyes was indeed an empty space. A moment later. "My Lord, there''s not a soul here!" Xie Xiaojiu reported. Then, from a nearby house, Feng Jiuge''s voice rang out: "My Lord, I''ve found something!" "Let''s go!" Jiang Ning said. Xie Xiaojiu quickly followed behind Jiang Ning. Inside the house. Feng Jiuge had blasted a large hole in the floor, revealing a pitch-dark basement entrance. "My Lord, should I go in first?" Feng Jiuge asked. Jiang Ning shook his head: "No rush." Then he turned to the people behind him: "Bring me a torch!" "Yes, Commander Jiang!" the people behind him immediately responded. A moment later. A blazing torch appeared in front of Jiang Ning. Holding the torch, Jiang Ning threw it into the basement hole. In an instant. The darkness of the basement revealed downward steps. The torch rolled and bounced down the steps, illuminating the staircase brightly. "Bring another torch!" Jiang Ning said. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yes, Commander Jiang!" the man responded again. Then, he quickly lit another torch and handed it to Jiang Ning: "Sir!" Jiang Ning took the torch and turned to his followers: "Stay close behind me, and be careful!" "Why should you lead, my Lord? I''ll go ahead!" Xie Xiaojiu quickly stepped forward. "You''re too weak; just follow behind me!" During the conversation, Jiang Ning unfastened the mouth-horizon from his waist and took a sip. Then, Puff¡ª He exhaled a mist of alcohol forward. "Keep up!" Jiang Ning spoke, then stepped onto the basement stairs. At that moment, in the air unseen by the others. Countless alcohol mists seemed to turn into his eyes, controlled by him, following the basement stairs deeper underground. A moment later. "Wait a moment!" Jiang Ning raised his hand. The people behind him immediately stopped. The next instant. Jiang Ning''s hand smashed the wall in front of him with the hilt of his knife. Boom¡ª The wall cracked instantly. Several arrows flashing with green light shot out. Poison arrow traps?! Xie Xiaojiu and Feng Jiuge, and the others behind him suddenly widened their eyes. "My Lord is really incredible, to have spotted that!" Xie Xiaojiu exclaimed in astonishment. "Indeed impressive!" Feng Jiuge nodded. "How did you find out, sir?" Ruan Hongmei asked the question that puzzled her heart. Jiang Ning said, "Just observe carefully!" Then he continued forward. He had manipulated the fog in front of him to scout the area, so he knew very well whether it was safe. A moment later, Jiang Ning sabotaged two more mechanisms along the way before he reached the underground room. Entering the basement, Jiang Ning was familiar with the process. He reached a corner and lit a pile of fire, then casually destroyed the surrounding traps. "Sir is too strong!" Xie Xiaojiu watched Jiang Ning''s divine maneuver and admired him greatly. "Indeed strong!" Feng Jiuge also slightly nodded. If she hadn''t believed that a prodigy like Jiang Ning couldn''t possibly come from the God Worship Sect, she would have suspected he was one of them. Normally speaking, how could he be so familiar with the arrangement here if he wasn''t one of them? Soon, the entire basement lit up under Jiang Ning''s ignition. "There''s nothing?" Feng Jiuge frowned slightly. Jiang Ning also nodded slightly, "Indeed, there is nothing." Before lighting the torches, he had discovered that there was nothing, the whole basement was empty. ... Two hours later, at the entrance of the Inspection Office. "Well, Commander Jiang, why return empty-handed?" He Jinyun was still that same gaunt and casual figure. "Commander He, it seems you have a full harvest!" Jiang Ning glanced at He Jinyun. At that moment, He Jinyun was almost dyed red with blood, and the two Purple Golden Hammers he held were also stained with blood. Behind him, someone was holding a pile of heads. Suddenly, Jiang Ning''s gaze sharpened. "Are you claiming false achievements by killing innocents?" He Jinyun turned to look, immediately understanding why Jiang Ning said that, then smirked. "Claiming false achievements by killing innocents? These people are all followers of the God Worship Sect!" Hearing this, Jiang Ning took a deep look at He Jinyun. Seeing this, He Jinyun shuddered. Before he could regain his senses, Jiang Ning had already turned his head and walked away. "Claiming false achievements by killing innocents, I misjudged this He Jinyun!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Initially, he thought that although He Jinyun was the son of a Lord, his nature shouldn''t be bad. But from that moment, He Jinyun''s image in Jiang Ning''s mind had fallen to an extreme. Claiming false achievements by killing innocents. With his moral standards from his past life, he simply couldn''t bear to witness such a tragedy. "Sir, should we report this to the Residence Master?" Feng Jiuge spoke softly from behind. Jiang Ning shook his head, "Whether we tell him or not, the Residence Master will know. Even I could see it, how could he not?" ... After returning to the Inspection Office. Jiang Ning had just settled down when he received an invitation from Hong Minghu. At 7:45 p.m. tonight, meet at Moon Pavilion. ... Nighttime. At the terrace of the Moon Pavilion. The bright moonlight bathed the terrace. "Residence Master, is it just the two of us?" As soon as Jiang Ning climbed the terrace according to the invitation, he saw Hong Minghu, who had clearly been waiting for quite some time. Hong Minghu nodded slightly, "Yes, just the two of us. Consider it a private banquet!" During the conversation, Hong Minghu stood and gestured with his hand, signaling Jiang Ning to take a seat. Jiang Ning gave a salute, "I am honored that the Residence Master thinks highly of me!" Hong Minghu laughed heartily upon hearing this. "What are you saying!" "In the entire Inspection Office, I may look down on anyone, but I dare not underestimate you!" "Do you know, you are currently ranked eighty-third on the Hidden Dragon List!" Jiang Ning was extremely surprised upon hearing this. "The eighty-third on the Hidden Dragon List?" "Yes!" Hong Minghu nodded slightly, then handed a roll of golden fabric placed beside him to Jiang Ning, "Take a look for yourself! This is the Hidden Dragon List, the Human List. You are currently ranked eighty-third." Jiang Ning took the Hidden Dragon List handed over by Hong Minghu and unrolled it to see his name immediately at the end. Then, he slowly scanned from the top to the bottom. He paused slightly in the middle. He Jinyun, ranked seventy-sixth. Seeing this line, Jiang Ning continued to scan down. Soon, these hundred names were ingrained in his mind. "He Jinyun, ranked seventy-sixth! It seems that the person who customized the list does not know everything." "Or...unless He Jinyun has hidden much of his strength, there''s no way his Martial Arts Eighth Grade capabilities could be above my own." Jiang Ning internally assured himself of this judgment, very confident. Aside from himself, no one knew how much strength he truly concealed. Although He Jinyun was reputed to have Innate Divine Strength, Jiang Ning himself possessed strength over four thousand catties, not much different from someone with Innate Divine Strength. Chapter 256 12: The Cao Family, Be Destroyed! In Moon Pavilion. Jiang Ning, having finished reading the rankings list, set it aside. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Residence Master, may I ask what this Human List means?" Hong Minghu said, "Drink and eat while we talk!" With that, he picked up the wine pot, about to pour wine for Jiang Ning. "I''ll do it!" Just as Jiang Ning was about to take the wine pot, Hong Minghu raised his hand to stop him, "No need! Today, I am hosting the banquet, and all you need to do is eat and drink to your heart''s content!" "Alright then!" Seeing Hong Minghu''s resolute expression, Jiang Ning said helplessly. Gurgling¡ª The tipping of the wine pot quickly filled the cup with clear and crisp liquid. Shortly after, the surface of the wine glass became as calm as a mirror, devoid of a single impurity, clearly a fine wine of excellent quality. Hong Minghu said, "You just asked me the meaning of this Human List! Have you, Young Brother Jiang Ning, ever heard of the Hidden Dragon List, the Three Lists of Heaven, Earth, and Man?" Jiang Ning shook his head, "I''ve never heard of it!" Hong Minghu laughed and said, "The Hidden Dragon, strictly speaking, is divided into the Heavenly List, the Earth List, and the Human List, each containing a hundred people." "The Heavenly List features the strongest individuals under the age of thirty in Great Xia Country, and among them, the strongest have already reached the Grandmaster Realm. The people on this list are all dragons among men, unattainably high." "The Earth List has its own version in each of the Nine States within Great Xia, with the same criteria as the Heavenly List, including the top hundred strongest under the age of thirty." "Below the Earth List comes the Human List. There are seventy-two Human Lists, one for each of the seventy-two prefectures in Great Xia. To be ranked on the Human List, the criteria are the same as those of the Earth and Heavenly Lists, including the strongest under the age of thirty." At this point, Hong Minghu looked at Jiang Ning. "For you to be ranked on the Human List of Guangning Prefecture means that within Guangning Prefecture, you are considered among the top hundred young powerhouses under the age of thirty." Jiang Ning asked, "Are the strong ones in the Grandmaster Realm also considered Hidden Dragons?" "I thought of everything, but I didn''t expect you to ask this question," laughed Hong Minghu. Then he said, "Grandmaster, of course, is still considered a Hidden Dragon. You must know, the ''dragon'' referred to here is the true dragon of Ancient Times. In Ancient Times, the true dragons were beings that stood shoulder to shoulder with Immortals. In front of such creatures, even Grandmasters are merely Hidden Dragons." "I see!" Jiang Ning nodded slightly. He then said, "Residence Master, may I ask who established this Hidden Dragon List, and how do they possess the authority and means to do so?" Hong Minghu smiled, "To have such authority, naturally it''s from the officials of Great Xia. The Hidden Dragon List is issued by the Observatory of Great Xia, which claims the ability to monitor all major events under the heavens!" "It is said that those within the Observatory are individuals claimed to possess Immortal Roots!" "If these individuals were in Ancient Times, they would be among those who could become Immortals. With Immortal Roots and the support of Great Xia, of course, they retained some of the methods from Ancient Times, which makes their means extremely profound and unfathomable." Hearing this explanation, Jiang Ning nodded slightly, having a rough understanding. The Immortal Roots mentioned by the Observatory were what Shen Congyun referred to as spiritual intelligence. They were also the offerings that the Evil God Sect''s Evil Gods loved the most. It''s not surprising that they retained methods from Ancient Times. After all, he himself could wield a spiritual weapon; with the backing of Great Xia and years of cultivation, how could they not have some special artifacts? Thinking this way, the so-called Hidden Dragon List might rely on some artifacts from Ancient Times to achieve such miraculous results. As for monitoring under the heavens, judging from the Hidden Dragon List, if it''s sufficiently genuine and reliable, then that phrase might not be an exaggeration. ... At this moment. Hong Minghu, seeing Jiang Ning lost in thought, couldn''t help but ask. "Young Brother Jiang Ning, what significant matter are you pondering?" Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning immediately came back to his senses and said, "Residence Master, I was wondering, is this Hidden Dragon List really credible?" Hong Minghu smiled wryly, "I thought you were contemplating some profound issue! To your question, I do know a bit." With that said, Hong Minghu paused. He then continued, "To say it''s absolutely credible is naturally impossible! But since ancient times, the reliability of the Hidden Dragon List has always been very high." "Eight or nine out of ten, there''s not much difference!" "As for the exceptions, that''s because someone has hidden their strength too deeply, always remaining unseen, and then, of course, the Observatory cannot accurately rank them." Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning immediately said, "So, if someone hides their strength, the rankings of the Hidden Dragon List would be inaccurate?" Hong Minghu nodded, "Naturally! If someone hides their strength, and the Observatory could still provide accurate rankings, that would be too terrifying!" "Indeed!" Jiang Ning nodded in agreement. Afterward. He raised his cup and said, "Thank you, Residence Master, for clearing up my doubts, I toast to you." Hong Minghu laughed heartily, also raising his cup. A moment later. Hong Minghu casually refilled his own cup, then filled up Jiang Ning''s cup again. "Young Brother Jiang Ning, do you know the true purpose of inviting you here today?" "How could I know!" Seeing this, Hong Minghu smiled mysteriously. Immediately, he pulled out a scroll from beneath the table and placed it in front of Jiang Ning. "Take a look!" Seeing Hong Minghu''s mysterious smile, Jiang Ning''s face showed a trace of curiosity. Then. He picked up the scroll lying on the wine table, unfurled it for a look, and his expression instantly became a bit startled. Because as the scroll was opened, the figure of a girl in the prime of her youth vividly leaped into the painting. A light smile in her eyes, eyebrows arched like hooks. Clothed in a light green dress, she had the poise of a simple and elegant jade beauty, indeed with a charming appearance. After glancing at the girl on the scroll, Jiang Ning looked at Hong Minghu and asked, "Residence Master, what is this..." Chapter 257 12: The Cao Family, Be Destroyed!_2 Hong Minghu picked up his wine cup and took a light sip, "This is my daughter." Then he continued to ask, "How is it, she''s pretty, isn''t she?" Jiang Ning immediately understood. He also nodded sincerely from the heart, "Indeed, she is pretty!" Hong Minghu said, "Then are you satisfied?" Jiang Ning shook his head slightly, "Residence Master, to speak the truth! Your daughter is too young, just at the age of budding youth, I really cannot accept it!" "How can she be too young at fourteen?" Hong Minghu glared, "In Great Xia, fourteen is already an appropriate age for marriage! After all this, could it be you think my daughter isn''t good enough for you?" Jiang Ning shook his head repeatedly, "The Residence Master''s daughter, with such a noble status, how could she not be good enough for me?" "If that''s the case, then will you accept her?" Hong Minghu asked directly. Jiang Ning shook his head helplessly, "Residence Master, I really cannot accept this!" "Fine then!" Hong Minghu nodded, "Let us drop this matter and never speak of it again!" Seeing this scene, Jiang Ning sighed helplessly in his heart. How could he not understand, at this moment Hong Minghu clearly appeared very displeased. But considering Hong Minghu''s young daughter''s age, and her immature face depicted on the scroll, how could he accept this? If only she were a couple of years older, he could have seriously considered it. After all, the girl''s looks on the scroll were indeed not bad, and she was the beloved daughter of a figure like Hong Minghu. If he were to marry her, it would have been all advantages and no disadvantages for him. But all these were based on if only. However, reality had no "if only." At merely fourteen, he could not accept it. Just then, Hong Minghu spoke again. "Commander Jiang, if I were to strike against one of the Cao, Liu, Xie families, which one do you suggest I start with?" Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning bowed slightly, "This matter is entirely up to the Residence Master to decide." Hong Minghu picked up his wine cup and took another drink by himself. "What about the Cao family?" "If the Residence Master thinks it''s good, then it''s good!" "Then it will be the Cao family!" Hong Minghu declared directly. As his words fell, he looked at Jiang Ning again, "I''ve heard that Commander Jiang has had conflicts with the Cao family. How about I leave this matter to you, to settle the score with them; how does that sound?" "The Residence Master commands, how could I not obey?" Jiang Ning said. "Good!" Hong Minghu smiled slightly, "Since Commander Jiang sees no issue, then in a few days, I shall leave this matter to Commander Jiang to lead the team. Execute the Cao family; anyone who resists will be killed without mercy!" "Yes, sir!" Jiang Ning agreed. Hong Minghu said, "Since that''s settled, you may leave, Commander Jiang." Jiang Ning stood up and as he was about to leave, something seemed to come to his mind. Then, he bowed slightly towards Hong Minghu, "Residence Master, about the extermination of the God Worship Sect''s hideout during the day, He Jinyun killed innocents to take credit; are you aware of this?" "Killing innocents to take credit, what do you mean?" Hong Minghu looked up at Jiang Ning. Seeing this, Jiang Ning explained the events of the day and his observations. After listening, Hong Minghu smiled wryly, "What''s this about killing innocents and taking credit? That Young Master killed followers of the God Worship Sect, and since they are followers, who knows if among them there were actual members?" Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning said, "I understand!" After saying this, Jiang Ning then took his leave and departed. ... A moment later. On the Moon Pavilion. Hong Minghu stood quietly at the edge of the pavilion, watching Jiang Ning''s figure gradually recede into the distance. Beside him, a figure appeared as well, someone who seemed to exist like a shadow. "Residence Master, if this person will not serve you, shall I deal with him?" Hearing this voice, Hong Minghu showed no surprise on his face. He thought for a moment, then shook his head, "Forget it! Let him be! To kill such a talent who could rank on the Hidden Dragon List, that would be quite a pity!" "So, you intend to keep him?" the shadow asked. "Mm," Hong Minghu nodded slightly, "Since he serves under my command, he is of use to me! But since he will not serve me fully, let him handle all the dirty work in the future!" "True dragons, after all, must undergo tests and tribulations!" "If he can overcome these tests that I set for him, he will be able to rise to the heavens." "If he can achieve greatness in the future, he should even thank me for it!" While he spoke, the shadow gradually receded away. ... On the other hand. Walking down the street, Jiang Ning''s ears moved slightly. The conversation between Hong Minghu and the shadow above the Moon Pavilion was fully heard by Jiang Ning. Indeed! None who sat in the position of a Residence Master were simple characters; they were all ruthless individuals. This Hong Minghu, previously seemed quite fond of me, even poured wine for me. Now, however, he has developed a certain murderous intent towards me in the blink of an eye. If he does make a move on me, I truly have no plan to counter it. Only by taking the opportunity to jump into the river inside the city would I stand a chance of contending with him. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning hastened his steps even more. The Martial Arts Seventh Grade, it was imminent. Strength, after all, was the fundamental base of everything, the most reliable thing. ... Wanhua Building. "Young Master Jiang, take care!" Little Lv sent Jiang Ning to the door, watching as he departed. A few breaths later. "Did Jiang Ning just come by?" Lin Qingyi''s voice suddenly appeared behind Little Lv. Hearing this voice, Little Lv''s body trembled slightly. Then she quickly turned around to bow and said, "Replying to the Residence Master, Young Master Jiang indeed came by just now." "What did he come here for?" Lin Qingyi asked. Little Lv responded, "Young Master Jiang came here just now to buy ox tendon powder, as well as tiger tendon powder, and jiao tendon powder." "Ox tendon powder, tiger tendon powder, jiao tendon powder?" Lin Qingyi showed a slightly surprised expression. Then she continued, "It seems this young fellow intends to break through to Seventh Grade, but to think he prepared ox tendon powder, tiger tendon powder, and jiao tendon powder all at once, this fellow is quite lavish!" Little Lv immediately nodded in agreement, "The Residence Master is correct! Young Master Jiang was indeed very lavish today, spending seventeen thousand taels of silver at our establishment in one go, setting the record for the highest income of the year!" "He has so much money?" Lin Qingyi displayed a look of surprise. Immediately, Lin Qingyi looked at Little Lv and said, "Next time Jiang Ning comes, no matter when or where, inform me, understand?" "Yes, Residence Master!" Little Lv quickly bowed and replied. ... The moon hung high in the sky. Returning to his own home. Jiang Ning looked at the three large bags of powder in front of him. His heart was exceptionally excited. Although the three large bags of powder had used up nearly all his resources. But according to his estimate, these three bags were enough to take him to the level of the Martial Arts Seventh Grade and the jiao dragon tendons. At that stage, he could control the movement of his strength at will, and direct it to any part of his body. And accordingly, the power he could exert with every move would be entirely different. At the very least, it would be several times his own. Having an explosive power that was double would be like the difference between heaven and earth. Just like with a common person''s punch strength, facing off between one hundred catties and two hundred catties, the two hundred catties punch after several blows could beat the opponent to death. That was the gap of multiples. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thinking of this. Jiang Ning locked the gate of his courtyard. Then he came to the edge of the pond. The bright moonlight was reflecting in the pond, making his own reflection clearly visible. This pond in front of him was also dug by his own hands. With the trait of Water Spirit Affinity, water became the best place for his martial arts training. Any martial practice, at its best physical condition, could greatly increase efficiency. Not to mention, being in water, he could also accumulate experience value for the Swimming skill over time. The next moment. He directly dumped a bag of ox tendon powder into the water. This kind of ox tendon powder, a single packet of which consumed the great tendons of more than a dozen oxen. The great tendons from over a dozen oxen, after special refinement to extract the essence, and then ground into powder, was a product that could assist the training of Martial Arts Seventh Grade. Normally one would use the ox tendon powder by stirring a small cup of water to drink. Then by mobilizing Qi-Blood and Power, one would slowly strengthen the foundation of the body''s tendons, building a solid foundation. But now, Jiang Ning was different. He wanted to try another method. That was to pour the ox tendon powder into the pond, relying on his ability to control the water. He could also manipulate the Medicinal Power within the ox tendon powder to enter his body through the countless pores, then mobilize Qi-Blood to refine it, expanding the foundation and base of his own tendons. Due to his special traits, Jiang Ning wanted to give it a try. If successful, he would enter the Martial Arts Seventh Grade at an even faster rate. Martial Arts Seventh Grade, looking across the entirety of Luoshui County, was a status of a local strongman. Just as previously the three great families had such a strong reputation, it was because the Cao, Liu, and Xie families each had a Martial Arts Seventh Grade existence. And the reason why Wang Jin held such a high status in Luoshui County, making even the Cao family so wary, was due to Wang Jin''s peak Martial Arts Seventh Grade strength. Although he was advanced in years and not what he used to be, when looking at the strong within Luoshui County at the Martial Arts Seventh Grade, Wang Jin still possessed one of the top positions in terms of strength. Chapter 258 13: Breakthrough to Seventh Grade, Mastering Inner Breath! The moon rose above the treetops. Splash ¡ª¡ª Waves splashed in the pond as a figure suddenly emerged from the lake. It was Jiang Ning. "Indeed!" Jiang Ning clenched his fist excitedly, feeling the power ready to burst within him, his heart leaping with joy. At this moment, he could clearly feel that clenching his fist casually, compared to before, had become much smoother. This state indicated that the toughness of his Great Tendon had noticeably improved. "With this situation, it won''t be long before I can truly step into the Martial Arts Seventh Grade." "Entering the Martial Arts Seventh Grade, normally speaking, one can unleash a force three times as strong as during the peak of Eighth Grade." "With my strength increasing by three times, I believe I can compete with most of the Martial Arts Seventh Grade." Thinking of this, the scene of Cao Rong making his move that day involuntarily flashed through Jiang Ning''s mind. The arrows broke through the air, momentarily causing a sonic boom. "Cao Rong, truly fearsome!" "Hong Minghu actually commanded me to lead a team to annihilate the Cao family; this move will surely bring about a reckless retaliation from Cao Rong." Thinking this, Jiang Ning''s brows slightly furrowed. "This is troublesome! I need to enhance my strength as soon as possible!" ... Time flew swiftly. In the blink of an eye, several days had passed. By the Luoshui River. Snap ¡ª¡ª Jiang Ning casually lashed out his arm, which, like a whip, suddenly produced a crisp crackling sound. "Whipping fists like a whip, Martial Arts Seventh Grade achieved!!" Jiang Ning suddenly looked elated. Using up only half of his beef tendons, he had reached the Martial Arts Seventh Grade, a level where the human body''s Great Tendon was as resilient as a cow''s. Reaching this level meant he was officially in the Martial Arts Seventh Grade. And this, too, marked his entrance into a new level of Martial Arts. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Immediately. Jiang Ning clenched his fist; power circulated within his body, accumulating. The next moment. Boom ¡ª¡ª He punched out, releasing power like a deluge. The punch boomed through the air, creating a thunderous sound. "Still not there!" Jiang Ning slightly shook his head. With his punch, he could feel the air in front of his fist as if it were substantial. However, it was still not sufficient to trigger an explosion. This indicated that his punch was still not comparable to the arrows shot by Cao Rong. Thinking back to that scene, Jiang Ning pondered, "From this, it seems Cao Rong is indeed not simple; his archery is extraordinary!" "His bow and arrows are also out of the ordinary!" "Indeed, the threat of a skilled archer is exceptional." "Perhaps, I too could try learning an archery skill!" With this thought, Jiang Ning glanced at his own panel. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 237.6 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 2955/3000) (Traits: unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) Five Animals Fist (First Limit Breaking 413/2000) (Traits: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (Four times limit-breaking 5000/5000) (Traits: touch and understand, Blade like a swift wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Mastered 1977/2000) Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 67/1000) Vajra Immortal Body (Small Success 453/5000) Swimming+ (Four times Limit Breaking 5000/5000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall) Over the course of a few days, Source Energy Points had also seen a rise. Reaching a value of 237.6. Since the Source Energy Points had broken through the 200-point threshold, and both Chopping Wood Blade Skill and Swimming had their experience values completely filled up, they were now eligible for the fifth limit-breaking. Yet, Jiang Ning was not planning to allocate his Source Energy Points to these two skills. Because Reading and Writing was about to break through. Once Reading and Writing breaks through again, according to Feng Jiuge''s statement, he could use the so-called Sumeru Ring. This matter, in fact, was where Jiang Ning felt he should use his Source Energy Points most. Now, his Source Energy Points were clearly running short. To undergo the fifth limit-breaking for Swimming, he needed 200 Source Energy Points, and it was the same for Chopping Wood Blade Skill. Just for these two skills, there was a shortfall of over one hundred and sixty Source Energy Points. Not to mention that Reading and Writing was also approaching its third limit-breaking, which likewise required fifty Source Energy Points. "The gap in Source Energy Points is a bit large!" Jiang Ning said to himself as he looked at his panel, letting out a quiet sigh. Immediately afterward, his gaze moved downward. [Skills]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Mastered 1977/2000) "Fortunately, the level of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill is high enough, reaching the level of condensing Inner Breath, and does not yet require spending Source Energy Points." Now, Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill was also reaching a critical stage. Within today, this cultivation technique would certainly break through to small success. Small success in Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill would allow him to cultivate Inner Breath within his body. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning''s emotions subtly turned to excitement. Possessing Inner Breath, strength would surely experience a qualitative leap. This enhancement, in his view, was maybe even greater than the enhancement from stepping into the Martial Arts Seventh Grade. After all, Inner Breath is a power possessed by those in the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm. Only those with Inner Breath can be called true Fifth Grade. Immediately, Jiang Ning looked up at the sun overhead. At this time, the sun had already surpassed its early rising phase, and the sunlight was becoming fierce and harsh. Temperatures also gradually rose. Thus, it was also getting closer to the period from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. "Almost time!" Jiang Ning murmured to himself. When the time reached from 7 a.m to 9 a.m., it would be time for him to start practicing Inner Elixir Cultivation and Breathing and releasing the Essence of the Great Sun. Immediately, he no longer bothered with anything else and picked up a miscellaneous book from beside him to read. [Adventures of Qingwei True Man] This miscellaneous book tells of a Daoist master, Qingwei True Man, traveling through the Nine States, even to the countries of many demons in the south, the overseas islands in the East Sea, and documenting the star-studded eighty-one islands. Thus, although it was a miscellaneous book, Jiang Ning read it very seriously. Chapter 259 13: Breaking Through to Seventh Grade, Mastering Inner Breath!_2 [Reading and Writing Experience Value +1] [Reading and Writing Experience Value +1] [Reading and Writing Experience Value +1] [...] As time elapsed, Jiang Ning found that his experience in Reading and Writing was constantly growing. Compared to before, he discovered that his efficiency in perusing books was getting increasingly higher. Thus, it also brought about a higher rate of experience growth. Now, Reading and Writing was only a step away from the next Break Limit, and he felt somewhat impatient in his heart. He deduced that when the skill of Reading and Writing achieved Break Limit, it would be the time when he could use the Sumeru Ring. ... Half an hour later. [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Second Limit Breaking 2966/3000) (Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) He glanced at the Reading and Writing section on the panel and then closed it. Facing the direction of the rising sun, he sat cross-legged. With each inhalation and exhalation, his internal organs felt hot as fire, as if roasted by the Great Sun True Fire. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [...] Time flowed uninterruptedly, and the experience needed for the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill to reach the 3000-point mark was getting shorter. The sun hung steadily higher. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Mastered 1999/2000) During the intervals of breathing in and out, Jiang Ning''s gaze swept over the panel. A flash of excitement passed through his heart. Immediately, he suppressed the excitement in his heart and continued to breathe and release the Essence of the Great Sun. A moment later. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill Experience Value +2] As this prompt flashed past, there was a sudden change on the panel. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Small Success 1/5000) In an instant, Jiang Ning felt a sense of relief spreading throughout his body from the inside out. At this moment, his body felt unburdened as though a heaviness had been unloaded, and his internal organs felt incredibly light and nimble. What followed was the sound of his blood rushing like rivers, clearly audible to the ear. In an instant, the blood within his body completed a full Grand Circulation. Just then, Jiang Ning felt the birth of the first thread of essence within his internal organs, akin to the gentle nurturing of spring rain. This thread of essence, silent and pervasive like nourishing rain, flowed through his internal organs, settling into a place within his abdomen. This place was three inches below his navel. "This must be the so-called Dantian," Jiang Ning silently mused to himself. Immediately, he turned his attention inward. He had attempted to look inside himself countless times before but had never discovered the so-called Dantian. But this time was different. Guided by that thread of Inner Breath, Jiang Ning instantly became aware of the location of the Dantian within his body, which was three inches below the navel. At the same time, he also saw that thread of Inner Breath within the Dantian, resembling misty clouds. "Inner Breath, is this Inner Breath?" Jiang Ning looked at the thread of essence within the Dantian with inward joy. The next moment, he opened his eyes. With a lift of his finger, he felt that thread of Inner Breath upon his fingertip. With a thought, Hiss¡ª The air stirred slightly, and a thread of Inner Breath, imperceptible to the naked eye, burst forth from the tip of his finger. It pierced the ground in front of him. A row of small grass was instantly and neatly sliced through. Jiang Ning then broke open the soil to take a look and couldn''t help but shake his head slightly. "As I thought, without reaching the level of Power, the Inner Breath''s strength will be drastically reduced once it leaves the body." A few breaths of time later, Jiang Ning felt that the thread of Inner Breath that had just been used up inside the Dantian had restored itself to its original state. He then conducted another experiment. He condensed the thread of Inner Breath between his fingers and then lightly poked a rock in front of him. Instantly, his finger penetrated three inches into the stone. "Indeed powerful!" Seeing this, Jiang Ning''s eyes flashed with a strong sense of astonishment. It should be noted that, despite his strong physique, he was still flesh and blood, not as sharp as weapons. But with Inner Breath attached, his fingers became sharp and tough, as if forged from solid metal. And this was merely the effect of a single thread of Inner Breath. Another hour had gone by. Jiang Ning continually exhausted that trace of Inner Breath for various tests. The results he finally derived were no different from what was recorded in the books. Inner Breath was indeed magical, greatly enhancing the effectiveness of wherever it was channeled. For instance, when applied to his legs, it could drastically increase his speed in a burst. Even though it only lasted for an instant. But after all, the Inner Breath he currently possessed was merely a single trace. If used on his fist, it could unleash an even stronger, more fierce punch. Attached to a tree branch, it could temporarily endow the branch with the toughness of a sword or blade. Moreover, Inner Breath also had the effect of healing wounds and mending injuries. "No wonder they say that only those at Fifth Grade are truly strong! Just a trace of Inner Breath holds such power; if it were a peak Fifth Grade strong person, they would be impossible to overwhelm by sheer numbers of those below Fifth Grade before their Inner Breath was depleted!" Experiencing the profoundness of Inner Breath, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but sigh in amazement. Immediately after, he looked up at the Great Sun above and then down at the shadows around, instantly knowing the approximate time. It was close to the Hour of Si. To break through from small success to Great Success for the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, he needed to breathe in and exhale the Great Sun Essence Qi during the Hour of Si. The Essence Qi of the Great Sun during this hour was even more domineering, causing greater damage to the organs but also providing a better effect on tempering them. After a short while, the equivalent of half a cup of tea time, The Hour of Si arrived. Jiang Ning, facing the Great Sun once again, swallowed a Protective Organ Pill that Shen Congyun had left for him and began breathing in and releasing the Essence Qi of the Great Sun. With his inhalation, he suddenly felt a vigorous and domineering Essence Qi of the Great Sun entering his body through his nostrils. Boom¡ª The moment this trace of Great Sun Essence Qi entered his body, it seemed to transform into a raging inferno, roasting his organs with an intense burning sensation, and the cooling effect of the Protective Organ Pill was like a drop in the bucket, unable to withstand this blazing fire. Instantly, an intense pang of pain swept through his organs. After a long while, dozens of breaths later, [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] Huff¡ª Jiang Ning exhaled a breath that was scorching to the extreme from his nostrils. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If someone were to place their palm near Jiang Ning''s nose at that moment, they would feel that the breath he exhaled could scald the skin of an ordinary person. "Such terrifying Essence Qi of the Great Sun!" The moment he opened his eyes, Jiang Ning frowned deeply and sighed profoundly. Right then, he could clearly feel that even the strength of his organs couldn''t withstand the tempering of that trace of Great Sun Essence Qi; they were evidently damaged. In this state, it was not suitable to attempt breathing in and releasing the Essence Qi of the Great Sun in the short term. However, his frown soon smoothed out. "Two traces of Inner Breath now!" His expression immediately revealed a hint of joy. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (small success 2/5000) After reviewing his own status panel, Jiang Ning nodded thoughtfully. "This means that with every breath of the Great Sun Essence Qi I inhale and exhale, I can gain a point of experience for the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill!" "And at the same time, it also leads to the growth of a trace of Inner Breath in my Dantian." After pondering for a moment, Jiang Ning leapt up. Splosh¡ª A sound of entering the water echoed as his figure submerged. Immersed in the lake, Jiang Ning immediately felt a deep, heartfelt pleasure. His condition was continuously returning to its peak, and the damaged areas in his organs were also healing amid the soothing coolness. "Taking advantage of the interval while my body recovers, it''s the perfect time to practice my blade! Certainly, with the augmentation of Inner Breath, it won''t be a problem to withstand the eruption of the Nine Layers of Strength now!" With this thought, Jiang Ning no longer wasted any time. He leaped up, returned to Chaotic Beach, grabbed his blade, and once again entered the water. [Canglang Blade Skill experience +1] [Swimming experience +1] [Swimming experience +1] [Canglang Blade Skill experience +1] [...] Feeling the simultaneous growth in three areas, Jiang Ning was even more motivated. Two hours whizzed by. Splashing¡ª A figure leaped from the water and landed on the surface of the lake. At this moment, even after several sessions of breathing and releasing the Essence Qi of the Great Sun, Jiang Ning''s body had still recovered to its peak. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (small success 33/5000) Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 151/1000) "Thirty-three points of experience, thirty-three breaths of Qi! I suppose my strength now is no less than Wang Jin''s!" Jiang Ning mused to himself. Chapter 260 14: Break Limit, spiritual power leaves the body! After lunch, Jiang Ning continued to read. As a Deputy Commander, he enjoyed a great deal of freedom and didn''t need to clock in at the Inspection Office like the ordinary Patrol Guards. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [...] As time passed, his experience in Reading and Writing continually increased. Watching his Experience Value grow, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but feel some anticipation. In an instant, Noon had passed and the day was moving westward. [Skill]: Reading and Writing+ (Second Limit Breaking 3000/3000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses) When the Experience Value reached the limit of three thousand points, the familiar plus sign appeared next to the Reading and Writing Skill on the panel. Seeing the change on the panel, Jiang Ning didn''t hesitate for a moment, and his thought swiftly took action. In an instant, Source Energy Points rapidly decreased. Jiang Ning felt his consciousness become a blur, as if he had entered a muddled state. The next moment, S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Clear skies appeared, and with his eyes closed, Jiang Ning saw a colorful world around him. At his will, specks of dust invisible to the naked eye began to dance around him, he controlled them as he pleased. Immediately, A weed seemed to be torn by an invisible force, then turned into a sharp sword swirling around him. Afterwards, A piece of broken stone slowly lifted into the air. A moment later, Jiang Ning opened his eyes and rubbed his temples. After the brief attempt, he felt a slight heaviness in his mind, clearly having overused his spiritual power. "Remote manipulation of objects, spiritual power leaving the body as if tangible!" "I''ve achieved these three things, plus Innate Spiritual Wisdom -- according to Feng Jiuge, I clearly meet the conditions for using the Sumeru Ring." Jiang Ning murmured to himself, while his gaze swept over his panel. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 187.6 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Third Limit Breaking 0/4000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility) ... [Divine Thought Agility]: Innately agile thoughts, high comprehension, and spiritual power above the ordinary. Looking at this description on the panel, Jiang Ning appeared to be deep in thought. Then, his thoughts churned. In a flash, Every character from the books he had read that day flashed through his mind at a speed ten times the norm, and in an instant, he had recalled them all. "Is this the effect of Divine Thought Agility?" Jiang Ning mused to himself. After the attempt, he reached a clear conclusion. With the Third Limit Breaking of his Reading and Writing, giving birth to Divine Thought Agility trait, the speed at which his thoughts operated had multiplied significantly compared to before. Now his mind was like an old computer that suddenly had a new generation of processors installed, running at full speed. After sensing the speed of his brain''s operations again with his eyes closed, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but nod slightly. "Choosing to Break Limit for Reading and Writing was indeed the right choice." "Just this trait alone is worth it for the boost to comprehension, not to mention it also enhances my spiritual power, allowing me to temporarily extend it three inches outside my body." The next instant, He took out a dark-colored ring from his chest. "Just as Feng Jiuge said." As his voice fell, His spiritual power instantly left his body, merging into the dark ring in his hand. Immediately, Jiang Ning frowned. Because the moment his spiritual power touched the Sumeru Ring, he felt a strong repulsion. It seemed as though an invisible barrier was keeping his spiritual power out. After a few moments of trying, Jiang Ning withdrew his spiritual power, his gaze intensely focused on the ring in his hand. Moments later, He took a spiritual weapon in hand and drew its sharp blade across his finger. A flash of blood appeared in an instant. Then, a drop of fresh blood condensed from the tip of his finger andfell onto the ring. In an instant, He felt an indistinct connection with the ring in his hand. Then, His tangible spiritual power once again left his body and invaded the Sumeru Ring. At this moment, Jiang Ning instantly felt the previously tangible barrier melt away without any effort, his spiritual power easily entered the Sumeru Ring. Afterwards, Jiang Ning also perceived a very intricate array pattern inside the ring. Immersing his spiritual power into it, one pattern after another lit up, becoming incredibly clear from the perspective of his spiritual power. Moments later, As his spiritual power continued to pour into the ring and get consumed, the array patterns were completely illuminated. At the moment it was fully lit, Jiang Ning suddenly saw a brand new space from a spiritual perspective. A massive space, each side just over ten feet long. "It really is the Sumeru Ring!" Jiang Ning''s expression brightened. Then, A glint of light flashed in his hand, and the spiritual weapon that was in his right hand disappeared without a trace along with that flicker of light. The next instant, That glint of light flashed again, and the spiritual weapon reappeared in his hand from the Sumeru Ring. After several attempts, Jiang Ning quickly mastered the use of the Sumeru Ring, utilizing it with ease. "Truly a good item, so convenient!" Jiang Ning exclaimed after another trial, depositing the silver notes he carried into the storage ring, unable to help expressing his admiration. With this item, he suddenly found himself free from the troubles of miscellaneous belongings and the need to carry weapons. Soon. Chapter 261 14: Break Limit, spiritual power leaves the body! _2 He returned to his room and placed the items he needed into the storage ring. When he picked up the wine pot that he had been treasuring for several days, he glanced at his panel again and hesitated for a moment. Inside this wine pot was the small black stone soaking. The black stone, when immersed in any liquid, secretes a mysterious substance. This mysterious substance not only increases the experience value of his Swimming skill but also strengthens his Innate Root Bone. Moreover, it also brings about an increase in his Source Energy Points. His hesitation was due to seeing the section of the Source Energy Points. [Source Energy]: 187.6 He was less than thirteen points away from breaking through 200 points. At 200 points, he could perform the fifth Break Limit for either the Chopping Wood Blade Skill or the Swimming skill. From the previous Break Limits, it was undoubtedly a significant enhancement. But for him now, it would still take two to three days to accumulate thirteen Source Energy Points. The closer he got to the goal, the more impatient he became. He wanted to see what changes the fifth Break Limit with 200 Source Energy Points would bring. The fourth Break Limit of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill alone had allowed him to master Sword Force. Not to mention the enhancements brought by traits. As for the Swimming skill, it was even more miraculous. The fourth Break Limit had granted him a Divine Skill, Cloud Formation and Rainfall. Now, whenever he used this Divine Skill, he could summon clouds and rain to cover most of Luoshui County. The effect of this Divine Skill was undeniably strong! After merely a moment of thought, He quickly drank the icy cold fine wine from the pot, refilled it with more fine wine, and then placed the wine pot into the Sumeru Ring. After he had packed everything up, Jiang Ning left his house. ... Inspection Office. As Jiang Ning stepped through the main gate, he was immediately approached by a hurried Ruan Hongmei. Her eyes lit up upon seeing Jiang Ning. "Sir, your timing is perfect. I was just about to go to your house to find you!" "What is it?" Jiang Ning stopped in his tracks. Ruan Hongmei said, "Commander Ye just came looking for you; the Residence Master has an important matter to discuss with you and requires you to meet him in person!" "Understood!" Jiang Ning nodded. He immediately put his previous thoughts aside. Initially, he had only come to the Inspection Office in the evening to visit the prison and see Xiao Tianhe, Because according to Huang Dazheng, two of his family''s inherited Sumeru Rings, one was in his possession, and the other was with Xiao Tianhe. Now that the existence of the Sumeru Ring had been confirmed, it was natural for him to claim the one in Xiao Tianhe''s possession. After all, such a magical item had to be extremely precious. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But now, he had to put this matter aside. Finding Hong Minghu was the most critical issue at the moment. In the Inspection Office, even though he was the Deputy Commander, he still had to act on orders from Hong Minghu. ... A few moments later, Inside a tower. "Residence Master!" Jiang Ning bowed slightly. Hong Minghu stopped talking with Ye Qiu, then turned his head to look at Jiang Ning, "You''ve come at the right time!" "What is the matter for summoning me, sir?" Jiang Ning asked. Hong Minghu began, "Deputy Commander Jiang, do you remember the conversation I had with you a few days ago?" "The Residence Master mentioned?" Seeing the puzzled look on Jiang Ning''s face, Hong Minghu immediately grabbed a few sheets of white paper from in front of him and threw them at Jiang Ning. In an instant, The white paper sliced through the air, flying towards Jiang Ning like blades. Seeing this, Jiang Ning raised his hand to catch them, then quickly looked over them, his expression immediately turning solemn. The sheets listed various accusations against the Cao family, including smuggling salt and iron, human trafficking, and taking lives recklessly... The most critical point was that the Cao family was a secret base for the God Worship Sect, deeply connected to the sect. After reading, Jiang Ning instantly looked at Hong Minghu. Hong Minghu said, "I believe you know what I need you to do! Today, you need to lead a team to arrest all 385 members of the Cao family, no one should be spared, and resisters can be killed directly!" "Tonight is also the fiftieth birthday of the Family Head of the Cao family, an excellent opportunity to capture them all!" "This mission is perfect for you, the Deputy Commander born and raised in Luoshui County!" "Besides, Deputy Commander Jiang, you have a longstanding grudge with the Cao family, so this action suits you for taking revenge." "Deputy Commander Jiang, will you accept the order?" Watching Hong Minghu''s serious expression, Jiang Ning bowed and said, "I accept the order!" "Good!" Hong Minghu immediately grabbed a token from his waist and threw it to Jiang Ning, "Take this token and make a trip outside the city, and have Master Wang dispatch the City Guard Army to support you, this mission must not have any errors!" "Yes!" Jiang Ning bowed, secured the token thrown by Hong Minghu, then turned and left. Simultaneously. Watching Jiang Ning''s departing figure, Ye Qiu immediately stood up. "Residence Master, let me give a few more instructions to Commander Jiang!" "Hmm!" Hong Minghu nodded. ... Inspection Office. Ye Qiu quickly caught up with Jiang Ning''s steps. "Brother Jiang!" "Brother Ye!" Jiang Ning immediately turned around. Ye Qiu looked seriously at Jiang Ning, "Brother Jiang, did you happen to offend Master Hong?" Jiang Ning nodded slightly, then recounted the event from the other day. "I see!" Ye Qiu seemed enlightened. Then he continued, "That''s a good thing! Why did you refuse then?" Jiang Ning shook his head, "Master Hong''s youngest daughter is too young; how could I possibly lay a hand on her?" Upon hearing this, Ye Qiu said earnestly, "Brother Jiang, what does that matter? At fourteen, one can already be married in Great Xia!" Chapter 262 14 Break Limit, Spiritual Power Leaves the Body!_3 "And if Brother Jiang finds her too young, wouldn''t it be fine to raise her for a year or two?" Jiang Ning shook his head slightly, "No." "Alas!" Ye Qiu sighed, "Brother Jiang, your stubborn temper won''t serve you well in the future! Offending Master Hong will inevitably lead to him making things difficult for you." Jiang Ning shook his head slightly again, then said, "Let''s stop here, Brother Ye! I still need to gather some subordinates! We can''t delay tonight''s matter!" "Alright!" Ye Qiu nodded and added a word of caution, "Be careful in everything! If the Evil God Sect really has a stronghold within the Cao family, you must prioritize safety!" "Thank you for your concern, Brother Ye!" Jiang Ning bowed and then turned to leave. Walking on the road, Jiang Ning couldn''t help but reflect on what Ye Qiu had just said. After pondering for a few moments, he smiled faintly and shook his head. He was naturally more receptive to a gentle approach than a forceful one. If Hong Minghu had taken a softer approach, he might have seriously considered the proposition. But since he had been forceful, Jiang Ning had completely discarded the idea. Now, as a Martial Arts Seventh Grade, possessing dozens of strands of Inner Breath, and with the Water Control Divine Ability and the skill to create Cloud Formation and Rainfall, And with such a miraculous panel. What made Hong Minghu think he would yield? Given some time, what would Hong Minghu even count for? Elsewhere, In a pavilion, Ye Qiu had just returned. "How did it go?" Hong Minghu spoke up. Ye Qiu shook his head slightly, "Commander Jiang is somewhat obstinate and unwilling to bend." "Well then!" Hong Minghu shook his head and continued, "My daughter is a beauty beyond compare, extremely endearing. I don''t believe she won''t be able to marry someone on par with Jiang Ning, a martial prodigy!" Upon hearing these words from Hong Minghu, Ye Qiu smiled faintly but didn''t respond. Then, Ye Qiu said, "Commander Jiang, as a prodigy and so young yet so strong and accomplished, it''s normal for him to have some pride!" "If Master really values him as a worthy son-in-law, why not try a softer approach?" At these words, Hong Minghu fell silent for a moment. A few breaths later, "Hmph!" Hong Minghu let out a heavy snort, "Why should my residence have to bow to him?" ... Outside Luoshui County, In a military camp, Inside a large tent, "Master Wang!" Jiang Ning greeted the burly figure with a general''s belly in front of him. "I know you, Jiang Ning!" Master Wang showed a smile to Jiang Ning, then continued, "Wang Jin has praised you a lot to me." Jiang Ning returned the smile, "That''s just Master being generous with his praise!" Master Wang shook his head, "It''s not just praise. Of all the prodigies I''ve seen in my life, you could be ranked within the top three." Jiang Ning smiled and didn''t deny this point. Immediately after, Master Wang asked, "Jiang Ning, what brings you to my military camp today?" At that, Jiang Ning immediately revealed the Token given to him by Hong Minghu and explained the mission he was tasked with truthfully. After a short while, The two finished discussing. Master Wang nodded, "No problem with this matter!" He then called out from inside the tent, "Deputy Tong?" "Present!" The tent curtains were quickly drawn, and a similarly brawny man appeared. "Deputy Tong, accompany Commander Jiang to the City Guard Army, and have the City Guard Army fully cooperate with Commander Jiang''s actions!" "Yes, sir!" The man named Deputy Tong bowed in response. After the instructions were given, Master Wang looked seriously at Jiang Ning. "If you are to handle this issue, you must be cautious of Cao Rong in the future!" Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Cao Rong with a bow poses a threat not inferior to a Sixth Rank powerhouse!" "Moreover, no matter what crime the Inspection Office charges him with, it''s useless!" "Because the military does not currently accept the jurisdiction of the Inspection Office! They can''t convict Cao Rong!" Hearing this, Jiang Ning respectfully bowed. "Thank you, Master Wang, for informing me of this!" Shortly after, As Jiang Ning left the tent, Master Wang sighed deeply. "Luoshui County is about to change!" "I just hope the God Worship Sect won''t get involved with the Yellow Heaven Sect." "Otherwise, it will truly be hard for Luoshui County to find peace!" Chapter 263 15 Stepping on the Ground, Stomping the Earth Cao Mansion. Today, the Cao Mansion was ablaze with lights and bustling with noise. For today was the fiftieth birthday celebration of the Cao family head. The Cao family, as Luoshui County''s foremost clan, naturally saw its Family Head''s fiftieth birthday as an occasion filled with distinguished guests. Not to mention, this Family Head of the Cao family had fathered a fine son, Cao Rong. Considering that Cao Rong had reached the peak of Martial Arts Seventh Grade in his early thirties, who would dare not to pay respects to the father of Cao Rong, the Cao Family Head? Should Cao Rong advance further in Martial Arts, and his official position likewise, he will instantly become an unattainable figure, rising to stand on par with a Seventh Grade County Lord. Military power, likewise, is real power. ... On this joyous day for the Cao Family Head, dozens of men had already silently emerged in an alley not far from Cao Mansion. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was already night, darkness had fallen. From the distant surface of the lake, there came flashes of lightning and the sound of wind mixed with rain. Such natural preeminence concealed the slight noise made by these men. And the cover of dark clouds made the moonlight fainter, the night darker. "Commander Jiang, do we need to go in?" asked a square-faced middle-aged man standing beside Jiang Ning. This man was the second-in-command of the City Guard Army, tonight tasked with leading men to cooperate with Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning said, "No need! I ask Vice Officer Liu to dispatch men to help me surround Cao Mansion and ensure not a single person escapes." "I''ll do my best," replied the square-faced middle-aged man. Seeing this, Jiang Ning nodded slightly, then turned to look at the three team leaders behind him. Xie Xiaojiu, Ruan Hongmei, Feng Jiuge. The members brought by these three totaled about thirty. Although normally, the members of the Patrol Guard were all Martial Arts Ninth Grade, among the twenty-seven Patrol Guards present, there were also those of Martial Arts Eighth Grade. This force, together with the peak of Martial Arts Eighth Grade strength of Xie Xiaojiu, Ruan Hongmei, and Feng Jiuge, would not be taken lightly by any power in Luoshui County. Let alone, there was Jiang Ning, even more powerful and of higher status, overlooking the operation. But even with such strength, Jiang Ning dared not be the slightest bit careless. Because according to the intelligence from Hong Minghu, the Cao family was in secret collusion with the God Worship Sect, even being one of its strongholds. This news made Jiang Ning take the matter with utmost seriousness. As for the true strength of the God Worship Sect, he did not know. But he had witnessed the strangeness and strength of Shi Xiaoyuan''s transformation. Not only did strength and speed surge, but his body was nigh indestructible. And this was merely Shi Xiaoyuan at Martial Arts Eighth Grade. If Shi Xiaoyuan was like this, then how powerful would a Seventh Grade Martial Artist blessed by the deities of the God Worship Sect be? Anything connected to deities must not be underestimated. Naturally, Jiang Ning took this mission very seriously. The so-called Martial Arts Seventh Grade of the Cao family was not worth mentioning; he could handle it. After all, it was the domain of those who were aged and declining. But it was the members of the God Worship Sect that he truly feared. "Sir, should we make our move now?" asked Feng Jiuge, as he noticed Jiang Ning standing motionless. Jiang Ning raised his hand, "Wait a moment!" He looked up at the clouds behind Cao Mansion. The downpour had already spread from the Luoshui River toward Luoshui County. This was the second heavy rain in several months. And this rain was also by Jiang Ning''s own design. In water, his strength would increase exponentially. Rain, too, was water. Before long, the dark clouds spreading towards Luoshui County reached the sky above Cao Mansion, and pouring rain came down at an angle. The entire Cao Mansion was instantly enveloped in the torrential rain. Numerous torches were extinguished in an instant. "Take action!" Jiang Ning waved his hand. The next moment, he led the team out of the alley. Dozens of people burst forth instantaneously. At the same time, Whistle¨C¨C Vice Officer Liu put two fingers to his mouth, and with a piercing whistle that echoed to the heavens, a large number of men who had already been lurking in the vicinity poured out seamlessly. "Who goes there?" demanded the four Martial Artists guarding the gates of Cao Mansion, as they saw Jiang Ning and his men appear, immediately becoming alert. ... Meanwhile, In the Cao Mansion''s backyard, "Retreat! Retreat at once!!" The Cao family head, who had just disappeared from the banquet, now appeared in the backyard. Just moments before, they had received a message from the outside world. The Inspection Office was going to take action against the Cao family, and it was already known that a God Worship Sect stronghold was within Cao Mansion. Upon learning this information, the Cao family head was greatly alarmed. Then he quickly took several core family members and quietly left the banquet. Beneath the sudden, torrential downpour, important members of the Cao household gathered in the backyard. Then they opened the entrance to an underground passage. This tunnel led directly out of the city. It was an escape route left behind by several generations of the Cao family. Upon learning of the Inspection Office''s actions, they knew there was no turning back. Hong Minghu was known for his fierce and domineering character. The God Worship Sect was the prime target of the Inspection Office. Now, the Inspection Office in Luoshui County certainly needed a figure to assert their authority on. With the Cao family standing in their sights, how could they fare well? Having understood this, the Cao family head did not hesitate, merely notifying some important members of the Cao family to gather in the backyard and flee through the tunnel. As for the others, they were left outside to delay the footsteps of Jiang Ning and his team. At this moment, The entrance to the tunnel had already been opened, and with the fall of the rain, several young members of the Cao clan, whether bewildered, confused, or aware of some reasons and therefore fearful... Chapter 264 15 Stepping on the Ground, Stomping the Earth_2 Expressions varied among them. But under the urging of the elders in their family, they plunged one by one into the tunnel. Included among them was Cao Zijian, also a staff member of the Inspection Office. In just a few breaths'' time, The dozen or so people originally gathered in the backyard had all entered the tunnel. The torrential rain outside served as the perfect cover for the noise they made. From start to finish, it seemed no one had noticed such changes happening in the Cao family''s backyard. But at the entrance of the Cao Mansion, A pair of eyes, like from the perspective of God, could clearly see everything happening in the Cao family''s backyard through the sensation of rain and mist, along with his powerful senses. As the mist entered the tunnel, he could also clearly detect everything happening inside. His gaze suddenly sharpened. "There really is a God Worship Sect stronghold!!" Jiang Ning thought to himself. Then, Jiang Ning let out a loud shout. The powerful voice provided by his strong organs instantly overpowered the howling wind and rain. "Inspection Office Jiang Ning, by order tasked with arresting the three hundred eighty-five persons of the Cao family, any resister will be killed without mercy, any interferer will be killed without mercy!" As soon as these words were said, they exploded like rolling thunder, instantly echoing throughout the entire Cao Mansion. The four martial artists guarding the Cao Mansion gate were shocked by the scene before them. "Go, any resisters will be killed without mercy!" said Jiang Ning, sprinting ahead into the Cao Mansion. He had to hurry at this moment. Because he could clearly sense that the line of people in the tunnel below the Cao Mansion was rapidly moving. With their speed, it would not take long before they escaped the range of his detection. At this moment, As the sound of Jiang Ning''s voice rose, The whole Cao Mansion was in an uproar. Especially in the hall, where guests attending the Cao family head''s fiftieth birthday were quite astonished. "Jiang Ning, it''s actually him?" "The Inspection Office is taking action against the Cao family, and it''s Jiang Ning who''s doing it, could this be Jiang Ning''s personal vendetta?" "It must be! Don''t forget, the Cao family had a fall out with Jiang Ning in the past! Now that Jiang Ning has risen from a carp to a dragon, seeking revenge against the Cao family is only natural!" "Yes! Young and impetuous, how could he tolerate the Cao family''s bullying that day! If it weren''t for Shen Congyun stepping forward to escort and protect Jiang Ning, perhaps the day Cao Rong acted would have been Jiang Ning''s end." "...." Upon hearing Jiang Ning''s voice that just thrilled to the skies, many guests of the Cao family stood in place and started talking. Being natives of Luoshui County, they were naturally aware of the past history between Jiang Ning and the Cao family. Before Jiang Ning grew up, Cao Bin had some not insubstantial disputes with him. Later it even escalated with Cao Rong taking action. That day, if it were not for Wang Jin stepping in, followed by Shen Congyun taking initiative, Jiang Ning may not have been able to grow to this stage. At this time, Bang¡ª Someone suddenly got up and rushed toward the outside of the hall. "Go, follow Cao Bin and see what''s happening!" "Right, but later we need to stay out of the way!" "..." Among the discussions, everyone moved toward the outside of the hall, heading toward the front courtyard of the Cao Mansion. ... Cao Mansion''s front courtyard. Jiang Ning quickly locked onto the direction in which the people inside the tunnel were moving. With his powerful hearing, he could even discern that there were thirty-four people in the tunnel below. As he thought, Jiang Ning quickly figured out his strategy. He then rushed towards a corner of the front courtyard hall. The corner of the front courtyard hall was right above a section of the tunnel below. Just then, "Jiang Ning!!!" A loud roar came, and Cao Bin suddenly appeared before Jiang Ning''s eyes. "You despicable man, seeking personal revenge under the guise of public duty, faithless and perfidious!" said Cao Bin as he reached out to grab Jiang Ning''s clothes. "Get lost!" A clear reprimand sounded beside him. A black sword handle, swift as a striking viper, hit Cao Bin, who was instantly sent flying heavily toward the corner of the front courtyard. At this moment, Those coming out of the hall saw the fierce scene unfold. Looking at the twenty or so people, all dressed in standard black robes. Realizing this, they understood that these individuals were all personnel of the Inspection Office. Each one, at least of Martial Arts Ninth Grade strength. As for Jiang Ning and Xie Xiaojiu, they were dressed casually. This was the liberty afforded to them as team leaders and Deputy Commanders. "The Cao family is in trouble now! A Deputy Commander and three team captains leading three troops, the Cao family is going to have a hard time passing this hurdle!" "Yeah, a difficult time indeed!" "Brother Xie, isn''t that your ninth daughter over there? You married the third legitimate daughter of the Cao family, aren''t you going to speak on behalf of your daughter?" Hearing this, a middle-aged man in the crowd glanced indifferently at the speaker: "Do you think I''m crazy?" ... At that moment, In the front courtyard of the Cao Mansion, Seeing Xie Xiaojiu make his move and send Cao Bin flying, Jiang Ning nodded slightly. Then, he immediately lifted his right foot, channeled the strength throughout his body, and the vast power began accumulating within him. Boom¡ª He stomped down fiercely with his right leg. That stomp, is it not more than ten thousand pounds? In an instant, The ground shook vehemently; soil layers collapsed downward, churning. The thick green bricks fractured, with the area where Jiang Ning''s foot landed as the epicenter, the surrounding surface curled upward high. It looked as if a dragon beneath the earth was turning over. Everyone''s figures swayed, and nearby buildings also had tiles fall, raising clouds of dust. When they steadied themselves, they were in shock. "What... what is he doing?" someone swallowed hard, still unable to conceal their amazement. With a single stomp, it was as if a dragon beneath the earth had turned over, creating seismic tremors. "Is... is he even human?" someone said in a voice close to a groan. This stomp shattered their understanding. Although Eighth Grade Martial Artists were not numerous, there were still quite a few in Luoshui County who possessed such strength. But they had never seen, nor imagined, an Eighth Grade Martial Artist who could cause an earthquake and ground collapse with just a single stomp. Meanwhile, Inside the underground passage, The people who were hurrying along the tunnel couldn''t help but stop in their tracks. Looking at the planks above the tunnel that had already broken, seeing the support beams at the wall of the tunnel starting to twist and deform, their expressions drastically changed. Just then, Jiang Ning unleashed another stomp with all his strength. After entering the Seventh Grade of Martial Arts, not only was his physical quality slightly strengthened, his explosive power had significantly increased. Thus, the explosive power of each stomp now was far greater than it had been several days ago, having increased by at least several tenths. As this stomp came down, Boom¡ª Everyone felt the ground shake and the collapse of the earth became more pronounced. Spiderweb cracks spread out once more, with gravel flying about. Everyone steadied themselves and got out of the way. Crack¡ª At that moment, A sound of breaking came from one of the beams in the hall. Inside the tunnel at that time, the wood supporting the top of the tunnel could no longer withstand the force and snapped directly, with stones immediately falling from overhead. "Not good!" "Someone above wants to collapse the tunnel!" An old man with protruding temples spoke up. Right after, Boom¡ª Another thunderous noise came from above. The entire tunnel violently shook under this force. The people in the tunnel had just steadied themselves when they were shaken once again. Then, Boom¡ª Boom¡ª One stomp after the other. Dust filled the air, the earth collapsed, and the thick green bricks had already turned into rubble. The hall of the Cao Mansion in front, due to the beam breaking, began to collapse, with bricks and wood debris continuing to fall. "Quick, quick, quick! Run out first," someone spoke loudly. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Everyone rushed toward the front courtyard of the Cao Mansion, their figures tottering. Even if they were to go out and face the downpour, how could they not run when the hall looked about to collapse? Boom¡ª When Jiang Ning gathered all the power in his body for another stomp, this time, he also invoked the Inner Breath from his Dantian. With the enhancement of Inner Breath, this stomp erupted with even more terrifying explosive power. Booming¡ª Inside the tunnel, rocks rolled down, the tunnel collapsed, and the falling stones completely blocked the entire passage. Jiang Ning''s body also sank more than half a zhang. Right after, He leaped up from the collapsed ground, elegantly landing in front of everyone. Under the baptism of the heavy rain, Jiang Ning could feel the energy he had just expended recovering rapidly. At this moment, he focused intently on the exposed entrance to the underground passage below. In his perception, there were still thirty-four people inside the tunnel, Including more than a dozen from the Cao family and several others not from the Cao family. Chapter 265 16: The Fall of Cao Mansion Cao Mansion. Looking at the pitch-black tunnel entrance before them, everyone was momentarily astonished. "A tunnel, there''s actually a tunnel beneath the Cao family''s ground?" "No wonder! No wonder Jiang Ning just did what he did, he was actually stamping on the ground to shake it!" "..." Amidst the low murmurs of the crowd, Jiang Ning looked at the pitch-black tunnel entrance, "Why are you still hiding? Aren''t you coming out?" Just then, a sinister laugh suddenly echoed from the dark tunnel. "Commander Jiang, what a move!!" "Stop hiding and show yourself!" Jiang Ning said. "Since Commander Jiang has chosen the path to death, then why should I hesitate to come out." Just as the voice sounded, instantly a figure burst out from the darkness of the tunnel - amidst the night and the pouring rain, it appeared almost like a specter. "Be careful, sir!!" "..." Xie Xiaojiu, Feng Jiuge, and others immediately called out in alarm, their expressions filled with shock. For they realized the shadow moved at an extremely fast speed, well beyond their own; in the blink of an eye, it was as if it had teleported to within three feet in front of Jiang Ning. They could not react at all and could only call out as a warning. This speed signified many things. The shadow''s strength must be far above their own. Meaning that the shadow''s strength must be above Martial Arts Eighth Grade, ranking as a Martial Arts Seventh Grade expert. In the flash of lightning, Boom¡ª A bolt of lightning tore through the clouds above, turning everything below to a ghostly white. Immediately thereafter, Clang¡ª The flash of a sword, sparks flying in all directions. The next moment, the shadow was sent flying backward at high speed. "Nice move!!" "Commander Jiang, you''ve kept your true strength well hidden!!" In that voice was a hint of wariness. Meanwhile, Feng Jiuge was also looking at Jiang Ning in surprise. "What''s with this weapon in your hand, sir?" "Just now... you didn''t seem to have any weapon on you!" Feng Jiuge mused to herself, watching the sword-wielding Jiang Ning. Just then, Boom¡ª Jiang Ning stomped on the ground. In an instant, mud mixed with rainwater splattered. "Split half the men to the back yard, the entrance to the tunnel is there. Make sure no one from the tunnel escapes, especially the followers of the God Worship Sect!" "Feng Jiuge, take your team and capture all the Cao family members present, drive them to the front courtyard, kill any who disobey!" Jiang Ning approached the shadow at high speed while issuing orders. "Yes!" The group responded in unison. Immediately, Feng Jiuge could not afford to be surprised anymore and directly led her squad deeper into the Cao Mansion. At the same time, thanks to the flash of lightning, everyone also got a glimpse of the shadow''s appearance. He was a gaunt old man wearing a black hood and a black robe, with skin stretched tightly over bone. As the old man continued retreating quickly, he spoke again, "Cao Guangsheng, Zhao Ming, make use of the darkness to break out quickly, do not engage in battle!" S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this word, the surrounding guests were clearly startled. "Cao Guangsheng? The head of the Cao family is actually in the tunnel?" "Yes! Looking at it now, the Cao family is really in trouble, actually consorting with the God Worship Sect." "The Cao family may be in trouble, but Jiang Ning is in trouble as well! He led a team to raid the Cao Mansion, how will he face Cao Rong when he comes from Dongling City?" "Cao Rong... He''s indeed a problem for Jiang Ning! Among the Seventh Grade, Cao Rong is an invincible fighter in Dongling County. Furthermore, with Cao Rong''s archery skills, even a Sixth Rank fighter would tremble at a distance!" "....." As the crowd discussed, whispers also came from inside the tunnel. After one breath, several figures burst forth from the tunnel. Clang¡ª Seeing this, Xie Xiaojiu immediately drew her sword. Ruan Hongmei, who was originally leading her team to block the back yard, saw this scene and quickly turned her team around. The old man who had been repelled by Jiang Ning''s sword also returned like a bird doubling back, his Spiritual Snake Sword emitting a green radiance in the night. "Commander Jiang, let this old man see what strength you, who rank on the Hidden Dragon List, truly possesses!" the skinny old man declared, a cold light flickering in his eyes. Facing the approaching old man, Jiang Ning wielded his sword to strike once more. From their brief exchange just now, Jiang Ning had already roughly gauged his opponent''s strength. The old man was a Martial Arts Seventh Grade, roughly at the same level as Liu Qingsong. On that day, facing Martial Arts Seventh Grade Liu Qingsong, even underwater, he did not dare to clash directly. But today was unlike any other day. Just now, Jiang Ning found this simple exchange quite easy. Without having lifted the body''s restrictions, without having invoked Hidden Dragon, and even without using Inner Breath, he could easily send the old man flying with a single slice of his sword. Clang¡ª Sparks flew in all directions. The old man''s complexion instantly turned crimson. Immediately, he took a few steps back. "You, hurry and break through the encirclement! I''ll hold Jiang Ning back!" Upon hearing this statement, regardless of whether it was Cao Guangsheng, the head of the Cao family, or Xie Xiaojiu and her companions, they, as Peak of Martial Arts Eighth Grade, needed only one glance at the exchange between the two to see that the old man was indeed a genuine Martial Arts Seventh Grade. And yet, at this moment, all this Martial Arts Seventh Grade expert could say was that he would hold Jiang Ning back. "Could it be that the sir has made another breakthrough?" Xie Xiaojiu''s mind immediately came up with this thought. "Hold me back?" Jiang Ning spoke with a calm expression. Then, he once again raised his sword to strike. This strike, with Five Layers of power erupting, Qi-Blood in his body surged, and Inner Breath burst forth violently. The slash was as quick as a beam of light. The sword gleamed for an instant. Ting¡ª The Spiritual Snake Sword was instantly split into two by Jiang Ning''s strike. With an incredulous look in the old man''s eyes, Jiang Ning''s Sword Force turned toward the old man''s throat in a slash. In an instant, the old man''s expression became one of utter terror, his body''s Great Tendon tensing like a bowstring. Chapter 266 16: The Fall of Cao Mansion_2 In an instant, the stillness turned into motion, and he swiftly retreated backward. The old man was fast, but at this moment, Jiang Ning''s sword swing was even faster. With the enhancement of his Inner Breath, this strike was 30 percent faster than his previous ones. A 30 percent increase in sword speed was the difference between life and death. Hoarsely¡ª The old man opened his mouth and dark, fresh blood gushed out continuously, completely stifling his words. "I... am... not... willing!" Among the spray of blood, the old man struggled to say these words. His eyes were also filled with intense unwillingness. Because in his heart, he still had many tricks left unused. If he transformed into his Divine Descendant form, he would possess an immortal body. In front of an immortal body, such a sword wound was merely a flesh wound. As long as his neck wasn''t completely severed, it would take but a moment to recover fully. Even if his neck was severed, as long as it was reattached quickly, he could still live. But now, it was all too late. The cervical vertebrae were snapped, and only a layer of skin and flesh remained at the neck connection. Such an injury, even gods would struggle to save! At the same time, Everyone in the front yard was shockingly watching this scene. "Is Sir so formidable? A Martial Arts Seventh Grade powerhouse, taken down by Sir in just a few slashes?" Xie Xiaojiu looked at this scene, utterly incredulous. "So strong!" Ruan Hongmei, who had just returned, only had these two words in her heart after seeing this. At this time, Cao Guangsheng, the Family Head of the Cao family, felt as if he had fallen into an icy abyss. No one knew better than him the identity and strength of this old man. This old man, the sole Incense Master of the Luoshui County. A Martial Arts Seventh Grade strength. If he were to use his Divine Descendant abilities, even ordinary Martial Arts Sixth Rank fighters couldn''t deal with him. This strength, this status, he never imagined it would perish so easily here. And with the death of this Incense Master from the God Worship Sect, it also signified that the Cao family''s dominion was over. With Jiang Ning able to kill this Incense Master and his combat power unleashed, who else present could constrain him? The Cao family''s Martial Arts Seventh Grade, old and frail, stubborn and rigid, had not chosen to become a Divine Descendant. Under these circumstances, how could he possibly be a match for Jiang Ning? "What are you still waiting for? Take action!" Jiang Ning looked at the stunned Xie Xiaojiu and Ruan Hongmei and suddenly spoke. "Yes, Sir!" Ruan Hongmei responded. "Yes, Sir!" Xie Xiaojiu also quickly came to his senses and responded. "Surrender and spare your lives!" Xie Xiaojiu immediately shouted to the people of the Cao family. "Surrender and spare your lives!" Ruan Hongmei also immediately shouted. "Let''s avenge the Incense Master, charge with me!!!" A believer who had just emerged from the tunnel, seeing the death of the old man, suddenly became enraged and raised his knife to attack Jiang Ning. At this moment, Xie Xiaojiu and Ruan Hongmei swiftly entered the fray. The two, with their Martial Arts Eighth Grade abilities, instantly became like tigers among sheep. With a crack of the whip, someone was flung into the air, limbs severed. With a flash of the sword, blood sprayed across the sky. "Gentlemen, I am an officer from the Inspection Office. I am fully aware of how the Inspection Office operates; fighting with all your might, carving a bloody path, there is still hope to preserve the Cao family''s lineage!" "If you surrender, there''s only death!" "The Inspection Office is making an example out of my Cao family!" Among the Cao family crowd, someone was the first to break the silence and then spoke. No sooner had the words fallen than this person charged out ahead of the troops. Just then. Crack¡ª A lightning bolt seemed to split the night sky, illuminating the entire Cao Mansion as bright as day. Under the light of the lightning, everyone suddenly saw clearly who the person taking action was. It was Cao Zijian, the most outstanding talent of the young generation in the Cao family! He had joined the Inspection Office some days ago. As he rushed forward, he continued, "To preserve a seed for the Cao family, follow me and fight!" "Right! Cousin says it right!!" Someone in the crowd immediately spoke, "Fight with cousin!" "Fight! The rainfall tonight is heaven''s aid to the Cao family, leaving hope behind! Follow me and fight!!" "Fight..." "..." Suddenly, the crowd surged. Some charged towards Jiang Ning, some scattered towards the surrounding walls, some turned and rushed into the rear hall, instantly extinguishing the candle lights. Seeing this. Jiang Ning no longer watched the drama unfold. The Cao Mansion had over three hundred people, and if they were to really resist with all their might, with so many people and the blustery weather, even with the City Guard Army surrounding them, there would inevitably be oversights. Publicly and privately, Jiang Ning did not want any complications to arise from this matter. The next moment, as soon as Jiang Ning made his move, he was like a tiger entering a flock of sheep. With every flash of his blade, a life was reaped. In the chaos, Jiang Ning''s blade slid across Cao Bin''s throat. In his bewildered gaze, his life vanished instantly. At that moment, the remaining light from the hall was extinguished by someone. Under the shrouded clouds, in the pouring rain, the entire front courtyard of the Cao Mansion was plunged into darkness. "Escape, climb the walls and escape!" someone shouted loudly. Seeing this, Jiang Ning''s mind stirred. In the pitch-dark night, rain converged in the air to form blades of water. Blades that resembled the long sword in his hand. Since his spiritual power had reached a tangible state and could temporarily leave his body, Jiang Ning found his Water Control Divine Ability had become stronger and operated more smoothly. His Cloud Formation and Rainfall Divine Ability was also upgraded. If necessary, he could almost envelop the entire Luoshui County in clouds. Previously, he could only cover half of Luoshui County. At this moment, as the Water Control Divine Ability was in motion, a total of three water blades took shape. With his current ability, this level of intricate manipulation was all he could achieve. The next moment, Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. the three water blades, along with him, increased the efficiency of reaping lives by fourfold. Ah¡ª Ah¡ª Ah¡ª Screams rose one after another. In the nearly invisible darkness, these screams filled everyone''s hearts with immense fear. Especially those guests who had come to celebrate the Cao family head''s fiftieth birthday, who now crouched in corners like quails, not daring to make any movements. Within a visibility of barely ten feet, everyone feared attracting armed confrontation. This scene continued for more than a dozen breaths. Outside the walls of the Cao Mansion, suddenly a voice called out. "Commander Jiang! I come to assist you!" As the voice sounded, one by one, torches were thrown from outside the walls toward the center of the Cao Mansion. These torches were extraordinary; despite the heavy rain, they did not show any signs of being extinguished. Under the light of the torches, the darkness was instantly dispelled. Jiang Ning also stopped the killing; his long sword, having reaped many lives, still appeared bright as new as a few drops of blood were washed away by the rain. As for the water blades Jiang Ning had been controlling, he had already dispersed them before the torchlight illuminated the Cao Mansion. At this moment, everyone''s hearts were chillingly cold. Only to see corpses lying on the ground. The entire front courtyard of the Cao Mansion was stained red with blood. From the underground passages of the vast front courtyard, the Cao family''s seedlings, as well as the group of people from the hall, now only a dozen remained. Those guests, seeing this scene, suddenly felt their legs weaken. "How long has it been? So many people killed already?" "Yes! Even slaughtering chickens isn''t this fast!" "What level of strength does Jiang Ning actually possess? Definitely not just Peak of Martial Arts Eighth Grade!" "Who knows! Why don''t you go ask?" "..." Amid the low murmurs of many guests, Jiang Ning looked calmly at Cao Guangsheng. "Do you still want to resist?" Cao Guangsheng glanced around, his steps staggering, then fell to his knees on the ground. This time, his fiftieth birthday, many outsiders had returned to the Cao family. The core members of the Cao family were almost all at the banquet. Now, among these corpses around him, he saw his son, grandson, granddaughter, cousins... Such a blood-drenched scene immediately dimmed Cao Guangsheng''s gaze. After a few moments of silence, his voice hoarse, he said to Jiang Ning, "If I surrender, can my clansmen survive?" "Whether they can survive depends on the Residence Master''s will," Jiang Ning replied. Upon hearing this, Cao Guangsheng fell into silence. Chapter 267 17 Middle Grade Martial Arts, Wind Thunder Arrow Technique Cao Mansion''s front courtyard. Cao Guangsheng remained silent for a long time before closing his eyes. "The Cao family has surrendered!" Seeing this, Jiang Ning waved his hand, "Take them all away!" "Yes, sir!" Ruan Hongmei bowed in response. At that moment, "Jiang Ning, you will regret this! Cousin Cao Rong will avenge us..." a boy around eleven or twelve started to speak but was quickly silenced by a middle-aged woman next to him who covered his mouth with force. Seeing Jiang Ning''s gaze turned towards them, The middle-aged woman''s eyes suddenly flashed with a plea for mercy. "Take them away!" Jiang Ning waved his hand. Xie Xiaojiu and Ruan Hongmei immediately sprang into action. ... Moments later, Because Cao Guangsheng had lost the will to resist, peace quickly returned to the entire Cao Mansion. The living had ceased their resistance and had surrendered en masse. "Commander Jiang, mission accomplished!" Vice Officer Liu approached Jiang Ning with a group of detained people. "Thank you, Mr. Liu!" Jiang Ning thanked him with a bow. "No trouble at all! No trouble at all!" Vice Officer Liu chuckled, "The title of ''sir''¡ªI dare not claim it!" He then said, "There were some resistances from the people who climbed over the wall from the Cao family just now. In the urgency of the situation, I had to kill a few resistors. I hope Commander Jiang won''t blame me?" Jiang Ning pointed to the corpses on the ground in the front courtyard, "Master Hong has ordered that resisters shall be executed without mercy! Mr. Liu, you committed no wrong in killing them, rather, you have contributed a service!" "No wrong, that''s good!" Vice Officer Liu chuckled again. He then glanced over the corpses in the front yard of Cao Mansion, where rain mixed with fresh blood had soaked the entire area red. "Commander Jiang, you must be very careful of Cao Rong in the future!" "I understand," Jiang Ning nodded slightly. He was very clear before he set out. Today, he led his team to raid the Cao family''s residence. In the future, Cao Rong, who was far away in Dongling City, would certainly seek revenge. He had been psychologically prepared for this eventuality. ... The next day, The news of Jiang Ning''s team raiding the Cao family''s residence swept through Luoshui County like a storm. Overnight, Luoshui County underwent a complete transformation. The Cao family, after being raided, had more than two hundred remaining members who were all imprisoned in various jails throughout Luoshui County. Under these circumstances, industries controlled by the Cao family in Luoshui County were left vacant overnight, becoming lucrative opportunities. The Green Snake Gang, because of the fall of the Cao family, was invaded by the other two major gangs on the same day, leading to severe conflicts. Inspection Office. "Sir!" Just as Jiang Ning stepped into his own residence, he saw Xie Xiaojiu who had obviously been waiting for a long time in the courtyard. "What''s the matter?" Jiang Ning asked. Xie Xiaojiu said, "Sir, please come with me. I took some valuables from the Cao family under the cover of night yesterday." "You''re telling me this?" Jiang Ning smiled. Xie Xiaojiu said seriously, "If it were not for your previous help, how would I, Xie Xiaojiu, have my current status today? It''s only right!" Jiang Ning smiled. Yesterday, amid the heavy rain, With the support of his Extraordinary Five Senses and Water Spirit Affinity, His perception had reached an incredibly exaggerated level. Especially since his spiritual power had broken through, he could clearly feel his perception growing further. Under such circumstances, every movement within the Cao Mansion was clear in his mind. He was also aware of Xie Xiaojiu''s secretive actions yesterday, but he chose to turn a blind eye. Immediately, Xie Xiaojiu led Jiang Ning to the inner hall, where she swept away the black cloth covering the table. Instantly, a treasure chest slightly larger than a palm appeared in front of Jiang Ning. Sparkling with pearls and the glitter of gold and silver under sunlight. Looking at the scene before him, Jiang Ning felt moved. Xie Xiaojiu said, "Sir, according to my estimate, there are over thirty thousand taels of silver in here. I dared not take more! Especially since Commander Ye arrived quickly last night, and there were many onlookers!" Hearing this, Jiang Ning smiled. Xie Xiaojiu dared not take more, but he had taken quite a bit using the opportunity. The Sumeru Ring had been very effective last night. Especially since he had employed the Divine Skill of Cloud Formation and Rainfall, the visibility within the entire Cao Mansion had been extremely poor. He had used the Sumeru Ring to loot quite a lot. By the time Ye Qiu arrived, he was not holding anything, perfectly avoiding suspicion. However, seeing the money and wealth before him now, Jiang Ning was quite surprised. He had roughly estimated the things he had looted last night; though they looked substantial, they amounted to just over twenty thousand taels. The items collected by Xie Xiaojiu seemed fewer, but they were clearly very valuable gold, silver, and jewels. Especially the jewels and gold, which were extremely valuable. "Truly the offspring of a great family!" Jiang Ning inwardly sighed. Then he spoke, "You take these items, liquidate them, and then hand me silver notes worth twenty thousand taels of silver. As for the rest, it''s yours." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Thank you, sir!" Xie Xiaojiu did not refuse and swiftly packed everything neatly. At this moment, Jiang Ning was in high spirits. Having raided the Cao family''s foundation last night, he now had a solution for the Source Energy Points he desperately needed. He then glanced at his own panel. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 197.3 [Skills]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Four times Break Limit 5000/5000) (Traits: Touch and Understand, Blade Like Wind, Handling Blade Divinely, Unity of Man and Blade) Swimming (Four times Break Limit 5000/5000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Control Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall) ... Currently for him, Source Energy Points were extremely scarce. The experience values for both Chopping Wood Blade Skill and Swimming had been full for who knows how long, and now, the only constraint was the Source Energy Points. The fifth Break Limit for these two skills required a total of two hundred Source Energy Points. Chapter 268 - 268 17 Middle Grade Martial Arts Wind and ?Chapter 268: Chapter 17 Middle Grade Martial Arts, Wind and Thunder Arrow Technique_2 Chapter 268: Chapter 17 Middle Grade Martial Arts, Wind and Thunder Arrow Technique_2 ¡°That is to say, currently, to just break the limit of these two skills, he is lacking more than two hundred Source Energy Points.¡± ¡°Not to mention, the sixth and seventh times breaking the limit¡­¡± ¡°Whether it is the Chopping Wood Blade Skill or Swimming, obtaining experience values for these two skills is quite easy.¡± ¡°Therefore, what¡¯s limiting him from breakthroughs are only the Source Energy Points.¡± ¡°And now, with the loot from raiding the Cao family, the several tens of thousands of taels of silver, he had a way to quickly increase his Source Energy Points.¡± ¡°Like the fifty-year-old Blood Lotus found in Luoshui Lake, the medicinal power of that Blood Lotus gave him an increase of more than twenty Source Energy Points in a single day.¡± ¡°And this Blood Lotus was very cheap compared to his current wealth.¡± ¡°Looking at the market price, it only costs eight hundred to one thousand taels.¡± Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Even if this fifty-year-old Blood Lotus had no effect on him now.¡± ¡°But for a price under a thousand taels, just buying more than twenty Source Energy Points was worthwhile.¡± ¡°As long as his skills broke through, it would mean a huge enhancement for him.¡± ¡°At that moment,¡± ¡°Mr. Jiang!!¡± a voice came from outside the courtyard. ¡°Upon hearing this voice, the two instantly knew it was Feng Jiuge.¡± Xie Xiaojiu quickly put away the box on the table and closed it.¡± ¡°And Jiang Ning went out.¡± ¡°Captain Feng, what brings you here in such a hurry?¡± ¡°Sir, you were here!¡± Feng Jiuge stopped, then said, ¡°The Residence Master wants to see you!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. ¡°Then he turned to the room and said, ¡®Little Jiu, go ahead with your tasks! I need to see the Residence Master!''¡± ¡°Dressed in a black tight-fitting outfit, Xie Xiaojiu, with a ponytail, came out.¡± ¡°Appearing before the two empty-handed, ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Sir! The task you gave me will be done in two to three days at most!''¡± ¡°Jiang Ning nodded, then said to Feng Jiuge, ¡®Let¡¯s go!''¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In the attic.¡± ¡°¡®Residence Master!¡¯ Jiang Ning, seeing Hong Minghu facing away from him looking out beyond the railing, bowed respectfully.¡± ¡°¡®You came!¡¯ Hong Minghu turned around.¡± ¡°Then he said, ¡®You did well last night!''¡± ¡°As I should!¡± Jiang Ning said.¡± ¡°¡®Do you know that last night at the Cao family you eradicated a God Worship Sect¡¯s stronghold and killed an Incense Master from the God Worship Sect?¡¯ Hong Minghu looked intently at Jiang Ning.¡± ¡°Jiang Ning replied, ¡®I know!''¡± ¡°¡®Oh?¡¯ Hong Minghu showed a slight surprise, ¡®Then do you know that any Incense Master from the God Worship Sect has the strength of a Martial Arts Seventh Grade?''¡± ¡°¡®I did not know that!¡¯ Jiang Ning said.¡± ¡°On hearing this, Hong Minghu fell silent, his gaze fixed on Jiang Ning.¡± ¡°Early this morning, from Ye Qiu¡¯s report, he knew about the events of last night, and he was immensely shocked.¡± ¡°Just as he had just mentioned, every Incense Master from the God Worship Sect has the strength of a Martial Arts Seventh Grade.¡± ¡°And moreover, those of the God Worship Sect who worshiped the gods, when blessed by the gods, are able to transform into beings known as Divine Descendants.¡± ¡°This form possesses immense strength, is immune to swords and spears, and has incredibly strong physical recovery abilities, almost indestructible.¡± ¡°Once transformed into a Divine Descendant, a Martial Arts Seventh Grade martial artist, even a Martial Arts Sixth Grade artist, could temporarily do nothing to them.¡± ¡°Hong Minghu never expected that there would be an Incense Master from the Cao family with the strength of a Martial Arts Seventh Grade and the ability to transform into a Divine Descendant, yet he fell at the hands of Jiang Ning.¡± ¡°And did not cause any trouble for Jiang Ning.¡± ¡°¡®Could this young man have had a breakthrough in strength again?¡± Looking at the calm Jiang Ning, Hong Minghu couldn¡¯t help but think this.¡± ¡°¡®Residence Master, why do you look at me in such a way?¡¯ Jiang Ning suddenly asked.¡± ¡°On hearing this, Hong Minghu decided not to keep his questions to himself any longer.¡± ¡°He then asked, ¡®Commander Jiang, did you manage to perform so admirably last night because of further advances in your strength?''¡± ¡°¡®A little! But last night¡¯s achievements were mainly because the opponent underestimated me!''¡± ¡°Seeing Hong Minghu at this moment, Jiang Ning immediately knew his doubts, so he casually found an excuse.¡± ¡°Hong Minghu nodded slightly, ¡®For you to be so young, it¡¯s normal for that Incense Master to have underestimated you!''¡± ¡°As for Jiang Ning¡¯s explanation, Hong Minghu felt it was very reasonable.¡± ¡°After all, according to his understanding, that Incense Master had the ability to transform into a Divine Descendant, yet died in his normal human form.¡± ¡°From this, it undoubtedly corroborated Jiang Ning¡¯s explanation.¡± ¡°The Incense Master had underestimated him too much.¡± ¡°If not for his underestimation, how could he have died so miserably?¡± ¡°Then, Hong Minghu took out some items from under the table.¡± ¡°And tossed them to Jiang Ning, ¡®Take these Contribution Points to the Internal Affairs Office to register or use! They are a reward for your outstanding completion of last night¡¯s task.''¡± Jiang Ning took the small cloth bag that Hong Minghu handed over. He gently shook it and heard a pleasant sound coming from inside. ¡°Thank you, Residence Master!¡± Jiang Ning bowed. ¡­ After coming out of the attic, Jiang Ning¡¯s mood had improved. Hong Minghu had been very generous this time. He had just opened the cloth bag to take a look, and there were at least ten thousand Contribution Points inside. Considering the value of the Contribution Points alone, they could be exchanged for more than ten thousand taels of silver. If silver was used to purchase those Contribution Points, it would require over twenty thousand taels of silver to get as many. This could truly be considered a bountiful harvest! ¡°Commander, what was the Residence Master wanting with you?¡± Feng Jiuge hurried over upon seeing Jiang Ning. ¡°There¡¯s nothing much! Just bestowing a reward,¡± Jiang Ning mentioned and glanced at Feng Jiuge. ¡°By the way, why are you waiting here for me?¡± Feng Jiuge smiled, ¡°Do you want my family¡¯s Sweeping Fire Spear Skill?¡± At these words, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes widened. Then, looking at Feng Jiuge, he asked, ¡°Your father agreed?¡± Feng Jiuge nodded, ¡°He agreed!¡± Then she added, ¡°Do you want to exchange?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jiang Ning continued, ¡°Right now?¡± Feng Jiuge shook her head, ¡°Three days. It will take three more days. The imprint of the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill will be delivered, then I¡¯ll come to find you!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°After three days, I will bring the Canglang Blade Skill!¡± ¡­ Internal Affairs Office. Senior: ¡°I need to exchange for the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill!¡± ¡°Wind Thunder Arrow Skill?¡± The old woman at the Internal Affairs Office looked at Jiang Ning in surprise. The Wind Thunder Arrow Skill was a middle-grade martial arts technique and a rare archery skill. This skill had been Wind Thunder Sect¡¯s crowning martial technique. Disciples of Wind Thunder Sect had once made no small name for themselves with this very archery skill. However, times had changed. The once glorious Wind Thunder Sect had long deteriorated, but the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill was still stored in the Martial Saint Mansion. ¡°The Wind Thunder Arrow Skill isn¡¯t cheap, it requires thirteen thousand Contribution Points to exchange!¡± the old woman spoke. ¡°The younger generation understands!¡± Jiang Ning replied respectfully. He then took out precisely thirteen silver jade ornaments from the cloth bag. Each silver jade ornament represented a thousand Contribution Points. These were the internal currency circulated within the Inspection Office. Bronze items represented a hundred Contribution Points. Silver jade ornaments represented a thousand Contribution Points. Jiang Ning had just counted, and after paying these thirteen thousand Contribution Points, he would still have twenty-three hundred Contribution Points left. Seeing this, the old woman took the silver jade ornaments that Jiang Ning had placed on the counter and checked them carefully, then nodded. ¡°That¡¯s correct!¡± Then she looked at Jiang Ning again, ¡°Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning nodded again. The old woman said, ¡°Come to collect it tomorrow!¡± After saying so, she immediately blew a whistle. A moment later. A beam of green light shot through the door and instantly landed on the counter. The green light turned out to be a palm-sized bird of prey. Its beak like a hook, claws like knives, its body covered in deep green feathers. The old woman wrote the words ¡°Wind Thunder Arrow Skill¡± on a piece of white paper and then securely fastened it to the claws of the bird of prey. ¡°The Wind Thunder Arrow Skill is only stored in the County, it needs a day to coordinate. Come back to the Internal Affairs Office at this time tomorrow, and you can receive the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill you requested!¡± the old woman said as she securely tied the white paper to the claws of the bird of prey, addressing Jiang Ning. ¡°The younger generation understands!¡± said Jiang Ning. At that moment, Jiang Ning also suddenly understood. No wonder he had seen so many items listed before, yet the whole Internal Affairs Office seemed so empty. It turned out that those valuable items needed to be coordinated from other places. Chapter 269 - 269 18 Break Limit New Trait ?Chapter 269: Chapter 18: Break Limit, New Trait Chapter 269: Chapter 18: Break Limit, New Trait Inspection Office. The next morning. Jiang Ning was leisurely flipping through a secret manual in the courtyard. This secret manual was the middle-class martial arts Wind Thunder Arrow Skill that he had exchanged for with Contribution Points at the Internal Affairs Office yesterday. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [¡­] Time quietly passed. After a short while. Jiang Ning closed the book, shut his eyes, and quietly digested the information in his mind. Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. According to the secret manual, it was a type of middle-class martial art. Once mastered, the arrow would fly with the force of wind and thunder. The arrow would be followed by wind and thunder. That was the manifestation of a mastered archery skill, and at the level of Perfection, it was said that one arrow could trigger wind and thunder. However, the manual did not explain how to trigger wind and thunder or even what it entailed. After a short time. Jiang Ning opened his eyes and went out into the courtyard. He had planned to practice archery, and so he had prepared a strong bow and arrows yesterday. The reason for practicing archery was simple. The Canglang Blade Skill, this martial arts Skill, made Experience Value gains simple and very efficient. It was far simpler than the Experience Value gains from Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, Five Animals Fist, and Vajra Immortal Body. So he wanted to try and see if the Experience Value from archery Skill was also efficient. Moreover, practicing an archery skill was necessary. Archery was a useful method whether for overcoming the strong with the weak or for long-range ambush attacks. Especially for him, if it was a sudden downpour, and the world was dark. If he shot an arrow from miles away, who could stop it? Who could even find him? Cao Rong was exceptional at archery; Jiang Ning dared not be unguarded. And in this world, who could be vigilant against a thief every day? Taking the initiative was the best strategy. If Cao Rong took the initiative to seek revenge, Jiang Ning wasn¡¯t afraid if he were found. But what about his family? ¡­ In the courtyard, Jiang Ning slowly drew the strong bow in his hands. He released the drawn bowstring when it was more than halfway pulled. Bang¡ª The air exploded; the arrow shot through the air in an instant. Boom¡ª An arrow hit the wooden stake, which instantly shattered, and the arrow, without losing momentum, struck the wall behind it. In an instant. Countless debris flew. When the arrow fell, the arrow itself had shattered into dust, and a fist-sized hole appeared in the wall. ¡°The power of archery is indeed strong!¡± Jiang Ning sighed softly. [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Uninitiated 1/10) ¡°It really works! The experience gain truly is simple!¡± Seeing this scene on the panel, a delighted expression crossed his heart. Immediately. He tried again, casually drawing the bow and shooting. The arrow flew out more than ten meters and then weakly hit a tree trunk. [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Uninitiated 1/10) ¡°Indeed, I can¡¯t take shortcuts like this!¡± Taking a look at his panel, Jiang Ning thought to himself. Afterward, he cleaned up a bit, picked up several buckets of arrows, and walked out of the Inspection Office. ¡­ ¡°Where is the master going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to practice archery by the lake; if there are any issues, come find me at the Rough Stone Beach next to my house!¡± ¡°Yes, master!!¡± Xie Xiaojiu responded, watching Jiang Ning¡¯s retreating figure. ¡­ On Rough Stone Beach. Jiang Ning looked at the hundreds of arrows before him, feeling a bit excited. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With these arrows, his Wind Thunder Arrow Skill was sure to make significant progress in a short time. Moreover, to quickly bring his archery to Perfection, he had a lot of arrows and several longbows ready in his Storage Ring for him to use up. By the lakeside was also the best place for him to practice his archery. As long as he forcefully drew the bow and shot, he would gain Experience Value for the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. This action, unless his hands were crippled, was without difficulty. As for crippling his hands, it was simple; as long as he was in the water, he could quickly recover from any discomfort in his body. In this case, he entered a state similar to a perpetual motion machine. Afterward. Jiang Ning began to draw the bow and shoot arrows. Bang¡ª Bang¡ª Bang¡ª With every resounding snap of the bowstring, he saw a point of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Experience Value get credited. [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Beginner 0/100) Seeing he had entered the beginner phase of his archery, Jiang Ning felt even more motivated. In the blink of an eye. After a short while, Jiang Ning already felt a burning pain in his fingers from drawing the string, his arms were starting to feel weak and heavy. Even the muscles in his arms began to be filled with waves of soreness. [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Beginner 33/100) ¡°Continuous drawing of the bow over forty times at such an intensity has nearly reached the limit of my body! No wonder archers have always been considered elite troops since ancient times; no wonder master archers are so rare!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Then, he leaped into the water. Soaking in the lake, he immediately felt the discomfort in his body quickly fade away. ¡°This effect is really strong!!¡± He praised silently. He then immediately opened the panel to take a look. [Source Energy]: 201.7 [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (Four Times Break Limit 5000/5000) (Traits: Touch and Understand, Blade Like a Swift Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Swimming+ (Four Times Break Limit 5000/5000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall) ¡­ Source Energy Points had once again surpassed 200 today. Chopping Wood Blade Skill and Swimming, these two Skills, had the familiar plus sign again, indicating that he now met the requirements to choose one of these two Skills for a Break Limit. Ever since seeing the Source Energy Points on the panel this morning, he had been thinking. Thinking whether to choose Chopping Wood Blade Skill or Swimming for the Break Limit. Now, soaking in the lake, a choice suddenly became clear in his heart. The next moment. With a thought from Jiang Ning, The Source Energy Points on the panel started to decrease like flowing water. In an instant. He felt as if he had merged with the entire water body, his consciousness stretching in all directions, with the surrounding area of a mile of water, evidently coming into his mind. Chapter 270 - 270 18 Break Limit New Trait 2 ?Chapter 270: Chapter 18: Break Limit, New Trait 2 Chapter 270: Chapter 18: Break Limit, New Trait 2 A moment later, Jiang Ning opened his eyes and immediately looked at the panel. [Source Energy]: 1.7 The original total of over two hundred Source Energy Points had now dwindled to just 1.7. [Skill]: Swimming (Five times breaking limit 6000/6000) (trait: Underwater Breathing, Control over Water, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) [Water Spirit Body]: A special physique, naturally affiliated with water. Reading this description, Jiang Ning¡¯s brows slightly furrowed. The words on the panel didn¡¯t provide him with any useful information. He then pondered for a moment. With a thought from Jiang Ning, In an instant, The feeling from before surfaced in his heart once again. It was as if he had activated a God¡¯s eye view, encompassing the entire area within a mile, entirely within his mind. ¡°In the water, my perception has greatly enhanced; this must be the effect of the so-called Water Spirit Body,¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Then, he slightly lifted his five fingers. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Following his thought, Whoosh¡ª The previously calm lake water around him suddenly surged. A massive water dragon merged into the water, circling around him. After experimenting for a short while, Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. ¡°The control over water Divine Skill has also been strengthened!¡± Then, He closed his eyes again. Above Luoshui Lake, the skies suddenly surged with clouds, dark and roiling. Boom¡ª A thunderous sound echoed in the sky. In the residential areas by the Luoshui, cries suddenly erupted. ¡°It¡¯s going to rain, hurry and bring the clothes back in!!¡± ¡°It¡¯s raining! Bring in the clothes!!¡± ¡°¡­¡± For a moment, various shouting filled the air. Elsewhere, Jiang Ning also slowly opened his eyes. As he opened his eyes, the swirling clouds above seemed to lose some supportive force. Not a single drop of rain had fallen, and in the blink of an eye, the sky cleared. ¡°The range of Cloud Formation and Rainfall has roughly doubled,¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. He then thought to himself, ¡°These changes must all be due to the Water Spirit Body, and I wonder if there are other enhancements from the Water Spirit Body.¡± After sensing his own changes, Jiang Ning looked at the panel again. [Source Energy]: 1.7 [Skill]: Swimming (Five times breaking limit 6000/6000) (trait: Underwater Breathing, Control over Water, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) ¡°The Source Energy Points are only at 1.7, yet the Experience Value for the Swimming skill has reached the upper limit of 6000 points.¡± ¡°The sixth breaking of the limit, if nothing goes wrong, will require a full five hundred Source Energy Points.¡± ¡°The gap in the Source Energy Points has widened!¡± ¡°Sigh!¡± As he looked at his panel, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡­ After resting in the lake water for a moment, Once his physical condition had fully recovered, Jiang Ning rose to the surface, standing in the water with it reaching his calves, and continued to practice archery to increase his Wind Thunder Arrow Skill experience. Because part of his body was soaked in the lake water, he immediately felt that continuous archery no longer caused any discomfort in his body. By 9:00 AM, Jiang Ning immersed half of his body in the lake water, then began performing the Breathing and Exhaling Method facing the rising sun. Immersed in the water, the burns in his internal organs were continuously healed. This allowed Jiang Ning¡¯s efficiency to be more than ten times higher than ordinary people, perhaps even more. Without the healing from the Water Spirit, Just inhaling a whiff of the 9:00 AM Sun Essence Qi could cause severe burns to his internal organs. With such burns, without miraculous medicines for treatment, relying solely on the body¡¯s recovery, he might only manage to perform the breathing exercise once a day, if at all. Yet, yesterday, he had completed thirty-three cycles of breathing and refinement, increasing his Inner Breath by exactly thirty-three threads. ¡­ By the lakeside, Jiang Ning entered a rigorous phase of cultivation. At this time, in Luoshui County, the atmosphere was far from calm. With hundreds of members of the Cao family imprisoned, and after fermenting throughout the day yesterday, nearly the entire city knew. Green Snake Gang, their turf and alleys all lost within a day. The elite members of the gang, some died, some got injured, and some fled. In just one day, the great Green Snake Gang had vanished like smoke. From an equilibrium maintained by three major gangs, it abruptly shifted to a balance held by two, who then jointly carved up the large spoils left by the Green Snake Gang. On the other side, Cloud Inn, Sky Grade Room, ¡°Sect Master, this is all the information this disciple has collected recently!¡± A disciple from Medicine King Valley finished reporting all the dynamics concerning Jiang Ning to the slightly graying man in front, then said, This man with slightly graying temples, was none other than the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley. He was also a prominent figure in Dongling County, a Peak of Martial Arts Fifth Grade presence. Such a powerful being, his Inner Breath as solid as steel. A single breath could slash through a thousand troops, One sword could split mountains and rift valleys. Compared to those newly entering the Fifth Grade of Martial Arts, he was as different as heaven and earth. ¡°Elder Gongsun, what do you think?¡± the man with graying temples asked. Upon hearing this, Gongsun Yu thought for a moment and then said, ¡°How to deal with Jiang Ning still needs to be decided by the Sect Master! However, in my opinion, it¡¯s better not to offend this young man!¡± ¡°Not offend? But according to our speculations, our Medicine King Valley has already offended him!¡± the man with graying temples looked into the distance and continued murmuring, ¡°Elder Liu Qingsong was surely killed by him. Then the man with graying temples continued, ¡°The Cao family had a grievance with him, they got their house raided by his team two days ago, without sparing a single survivor! This kind of person, I am a bit worried!¡± ¡°What does the Sect Master suggest?¡± Gongsun Yu asked hesitantly. The man with graying temples immediately fell silent. A moment later, he glanced at the Hidden Dragon List in front of him. ¡°Hidden Dragon List, eighty-third! Judging from his performance at the Cao family two days ago, he was still underestimated!¡± ¡°He was underestimated!¡± Gongsun Yu said. The man with graying temples continued, ¡°Able to kill an Incense Master of the God Worship Sect, and a Divine Descendant at that, regardless of the reason, he could at least enter the top fifty of the Human List!¡± ¡°At his age, the top fifty of the Human List!¡± ¡°If we truly offend him to death, the future of our Medicine King Valley would be in jeopardy.¡± ¡°What does the Sect Master suggest?¡± Gongsun Yu asked again. The man with graying temples fell silent once more. Another moment passed. He then said, ¡°For now, make no choice, just watch the changes! I want to see how he responds to Cao Rong¡¯s revenge!¡± ¡°If Cao Rong can overcome this ordeal, then I see no harm in visiting him and showing goodwill!¡± ¡°His elder brother was injured in the arm, when we visit him, I wouldn¡¯t mind expending resources to treat his arm.¡± Upon hearing these words, Gongsun Yu instantly said, ¡°Sect Master is wise!!¡± ¡­ Two days later, Dongling City, Military Camp, BOOM¡ª ¡°What did you say?¡± Cao Rong slammed his hand on the wooden desk in front of him, shattering it instantly, then stood up in fury! ¡°Deputy Captain Cao, this matter is absolutely true! Moreover, Capital Commandant Yan just received a notification from the Inspection Office, ordering him to escort him to Luoshui County for trial!¡± Hearing this, Cao Rong¡¯s face suddenly changed. He immediately asked, ¡°What did Capital Commandant Yan say?¡± ¡°Capital Commandant Yan naturally rejected it! Our military would not let the Inspection Office ride over us!¡± Hearing this, Cao Rong immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Then, as if he thought of something. He asked the officer in front of him, ¡°Vice Officer Jin, is the Black Wind Army currently wandering around the mountains near Luoshui County?¡± Vice Officer Jin immediately nodded, ¡°Indeed so!¡± Hearing this affirmative answer, Cao Rong looked contemplative. Shortly afterwards, he said, ¡°Vice Officer Jin, can you help me find out how the Inspection Office plans to handle my family members from the Cao family?¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Vice Officer Jin patted his chest and then continued, ¡°I¡¯ve already found out, since the Cao family members colluded with the God Worship Sect, the evidence is conclusive, they will be beheaded in the market in a month!!¡± ¡°A month? That¡¯s so soon?¡± Cao Rong frowned. ¡°It is very soon!¡± Vice Officer Jin said, ¡°So if you think of doing something, you need to act quickly! Capital Commandant Yan just told me, if you need help, he can assist you in advancing to the Sixth Rank quickly!¡± Hearing this, a brilliance flashed in Cao Rong¡¯s eyes. He instantly understood, Capital Commandant Yan was using him as a pawn, a pawn to strike against the authority of the Inspection Office. If he succeeded and the Cao family survived, it would be a great blow to the sway of the Inspection Office. If he failed, it would just shift all the problems onto him. After pondering for a moment. He instantly nodded, ¡°Understood!¡± Chapter 271 - 271 19 Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Perfection ?Chapter 271: Chapter 19: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, Perfection! Chapter 271: Chapter 19: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, Perfection! Several days later. Jiang Ning drew his bow and aimed it towards the surface of the lake. In an instant, the bowstring was pulled to full draw by him. And then, Snap¡ª With the release of his fingers, the bowstring vibrated, emitting an explosion-like sound right where he stood. A white mist visible to the naked eye formed in the air. The next moment, Boom¡ª The air was torn apart as an arrow broke through the sky, stirring up waves of white vapor. Where the waves passed, they split the originally calm lake surface into a waterway. The ripples spread out following the trajectory of the arrow. One breath later, the arrow was already two li away. Yet, the arrow still let out bursts of roaring sounds, continually tearing through the air, lifting waves of white vapor. After another breath, the arrow finally lost its sound barrier-breaking ability, and its kinetic energy started to wane. Another breath after that, the arrow slanted and plunged into the water. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 15.3 [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Perfection 1/2000) ¡°So strong!!!¡± Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but marvel inwardly after glancing at his panel. This was the terrifying might of his first time pulling the bowstring to its limit after reaching Perfection in Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. Breaking the sound barrier. Just this alone had already caught up with the terrifying effect of the archery displayed by Cao Rong that day. Moreover, this arrow of his lasted even longer in breaking the sound barrier compared to the arrows shot by Cao Rong. ¡°Is this the effect of Wind Thunder Power at the Perfection level of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill?¡± Jiang Ning admired once again inwardly. Since he had started learning the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, he realized that he had grasped the Wind Thunder Power recorded within. It was precisely this special power that created the terror-inducing effects of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. As the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill broke through one barrier after another, the Wind Thunder Power grew stronger and stronger. Now that the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill has reached Perfection, the Wind Thunder Power had grown to an unimaginable extent. It was this power infused within the arrows that resulted in such formidable might. Furthermore, according to the records of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, once an arrow is infused with the Wind Thunder Power, depending on the strength of the power, it could persist within the arrow for a maximum duration. Now, his Wind Thunder Power, clinging to the arrows, could last for up to two breaths at most. During this time, wherever the arrow struck, it would ignite the Wind Thunder Power, causing a huge roaring and explosive effect. Like thunderbolts from a clear sky, the thunderous roar of a lightning strike descending upon the earth. This is also where the ¡°thunder¡± in the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill came from. ¡°Middle Grade martial arts truly are far beyond the reach of Lower Grade martial arts!¡± Jiang Ning reflected internally after personally experiencing the Perfection level of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. And then, he once again drew the bow. When the bowstring reached full draw, Crack¡ª The wooden bow body suddenly broke in half. Looking at the bow body broken into two pieces in his hand, Jiang Ning shook his head unavoidably. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve wrecked this bow as well!¡± Right after, he tossed the broken bow aside carelessly. These past few days, destroyed bows like this one were not uncommon. The high-intensity bow drawing and arrow shooting was something ordinary standardized longbows simply could not withstand, especially against his destructive power. Particularly with his strength being so overwhelming now, just a bit too much force would cause irreparable damage to the body of the longbow. Jiang Ning could feel that if he switched to a more suitable bow and better arrows, merged with Perfection level Wind Thunder Power, the arrows shot would be even more terrifying. Taking out another longbow, Jiang Ning continued his archery practice. Even though the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill had reached Perfection now, his ambitions didn¡¯t stop there. This skill may just simply have ¡°Experience Value¡± attached to it. So, naturally, it could be pushed to Break Limit. After breaking the limit, the power of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill would undoubtedly reach even greater heights. Snap¡ª Snap¡ª Snap¡ª Pulling the bow and shooting arrows over and over, the arrows slicing through the air. [Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Experience Value +1] [Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Experience Value +1] [Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Experience Value +1] [¡­] His vision was continuously filled with these prompts. Seeing his own panel¡¯s Experience Value increasing non-stop, Jiang Ning felt even more motivated and didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of fatigue. The changes in his archery after breaking the limit and the newly added traits filled him with anticipation. ¡­ Early the next morning. Snap¡ª The arrow sliced through the air. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Boom¡ª When this arrow landed on a rock, it suddenly caused a deafening roar as if a thunderbolt struck under a clear sky, with broken stones splattering everywhere. One could see that the rock, originally as tall as a person, had suddenly shrunk by half. Jiang Ning retracted the drawn arrow and looked aside. He immediately saw Feng Jiuge with her mouth agape and eyes bulging out, round and wide. ¡°Jiuge, what brings you here?¡± Jiang Ning asked. This question instantly brought Feng Jiuge, who had fallen into a daze, back to her senses. ¡°My lord, that arrow of yours¡­¡± Feng Jiuge started but faltered, seemingly at a loss for words to continue. ¡°What about my arrow?¡± Jiang Ning queried. Feng Jiuge swallowed hard: ¡°Astonishingly brilliant!¡± Jiang Ning simply smiled without comment. Before Feng Jiuge had revealed herself, he had already sensed her arrival. And this arrow, though slightly held back, was also purposely shown to Feng Jiuge. These days, he had not visited the Inspection Office once, instead secluding himself to rigorously practice his archery. Although Feng Jiuge was under his command, it couldn¡¯t be guaranteed that she wouldn¡¯t have other thoughts. Under such circumstances, the stronger the power he displayed, the more determined Feng Jiuge would naturally be in following him. No one would want to follow a weakling with no hope or future in sight. As long as he himself was strong, even if he didn¡¯t make an appearance for a long time, Feng Jiuge was less likely to waver in her loyalty. Collecting his thoughts, Jiang Ning then said, ¡°Jiuge, if you¡¯re looking for me at this hour, is there some urgent matter at the Inspection Office?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it!¡± Feng Jiuge shook her head, then continued, ¡°My lord, did you forget the matter mentioned a few days ago? The exchange of the Canglang Blade Skill for our family¡¯s Sweeping Fire Spear Skill.¡± Chapter 272 - 272 19 Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Perfection_2 ?Chapter 272: Chapter 19: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, Perfection!_2 Chapter 272: Chapter 19: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, Perfection!_2 Hearing this, Jiang Ning suddenly came to his senses. He slapped his forehead, ¡°You didn¡¯t say, and I had actually forgotten; these past few days I¡¯ve been so focused on archery cultivation that I temporarily forgot about this matter.¡± Having said that, Jiang Ning added, ¡°I have brought the copy of the Canglang Blade Skill with me.¡± As he spoke, Jiang Ning made a gesture of reaching into his chest, then pretended to pull out a blue book from within. On the front of the book, several large characters were boldly inscribed. [Canglang Blade Skill] Immediately, Jiang Ning lightly leaped, his figure soaring into the air and landing on the bank that was about three meters high, appearing before Feng Jiuge. ¡°This is the Middle Grade martial art, the Canglang Blade Skill.¡± At the moment, Feng Jiuge took the blue book but looked at Jiang Ning with a strange gaze. When she had just arrived, she saw that Jiang Ning clearly had signs of having been in the water. However, the book she felt in her hands was clearly not made of waterproof material. Under these circumstances, if Jiang Ning had entered the water with this book, it would inevitably have left traces and become stained with water. But right now, she could not find any water stains on the book. This made her recall the night from several days ago. During the raid on Cao Mansion, she remembered that Jiang Ning had not been carrying any weapons, yet in the instant the shadowy figure attacked, he had a long saber in his hand to respond to the enemy. After that battle, she also observed quietly. At some point, the long saber had disappeared from Jiang Ning¡¯s hands. Now, seeing the oddity of this book again, her gaze could not help but quietly fall on the black ring on Jiang Ning¡¯s finger. Feng Jiuge¡¯s heart suddenly tensed. Then she too took out a brand-new book from within her chest. ¡°My Lord, this is the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill passed down in my family; please have a look,¡± Feng Jiuge said. Jiang Ning accepted the book Feng Jiuge handed over and began to flip through it on the spot. He immediately became highly focused. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [¡­] Feng Jiuge, upon seeing this, silently watched Jiang Ning for a while. After which, she also started to flip through the Canglang Blade Skill in her hands. In the blink of an eye. About half an hour later. Jiang Ning slowly closed the book. [Skill]: Sweeping Fire Spear Skill (Uninitiated 0/10) After glancing at his own stats panel, Jiang Ning nodded slightly, then directly stored the book about the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill into the Sumeru Ring. He had not missed the slight movement and micro-expressions of Feng Jiuge just now, nor had her gaze escaped his notice. He also knew that Feng Jiuge might have guessed that he possessed the Sumeru Ring, so he decided not to hide it anymore. Although the Sumeru Ring was precious, as previously mentioned, using this item required a lot of prerequisites. Not only does one need spiritual power that is almost tangible and can be externalized, but one also needs what is known as the Immortal Root, or perhaps what is referred to as spiritual wisdom. Therefore, the Sumeru Ring is not something that just anyone can use. Jiang Ning had also thought clearly that even if someone knew he had the Sumeru Ring, there was no need for excessive concern. Holding a treasure but inviting trouble is only true for the truly weak. He was not yet a strong warrior, but he had left the category of the weak. With several Divine Skills in hand, Perfection in Middle Grade archery, strength at Martial Arts Seventh Grade, and mastery of Inner Breath. With all his techniques at the ready, even a peak Martial Arts Seventh Grade figure like Wang Jin would not match him. Moreover, in Jiang Ning¡¯s view, anyone stronger than him would certainly know the origin and conditions of the Sumeru Ring. Because this was not a secret, even Feng Jiuge was very clear about it. As for those who were clueless and coveted his Sumeru Ring, their strength was probably also not a match for him. It was precisely because of this that he had nothing to fear. Since Feng Jiuge had figured it out, he could not be bothered to hide it anymore. However, this scene, in the eyes of Feng Jiuge, was a strong shock. She had initially made a guess in her mind, and now Jiang Ning¡¯s actions had starkly confirmed her guess. ¡°Could it be that My Lord is a person who possesses the Immortal Root?¡± Feng Jiuge was immensely shocked in her heart. Immediately after, she thought to herself: ¡°No wonder My Lord has such high talent, possessing the Immortal Root, in the Ancient Times, that would qualify one as a being with the potential to become an immortal.¡± Feng Jiuge was momentarily dazed, then came back to her senses. ¡°My Lord, if there is nothing else, may I take my leave?¡± ¡°En!¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly, then said, ¡°If there is anything at the mansion, come find me here. I will continue my cultivation in this place!¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord!¡± Feng Jiuge replied. ¡­ After Feng Jiuge had left, Jiang Ning checked his own panel. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 18.5 [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 151/1000) Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Perfection 1673/2000) Sweeping Fire Spear Skill (Unlearned 0/10) ¡­ ¡°The Wind Thunder Arrow Skill still lacks more than three hundred Experience Points to meet the first Break Limit requirement, let¡¯s max out the Experience of this Skill first!¡± Thinking thus, Jiang Ning continued to draw his bow and shoot arrows. Bang¡ª Bang¡ª Bang¡ª [Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Experience Value +1] [Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Experience Value +1] [Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Experience Value +1] [¡­] S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he kept drawing the bow and shooting arrows, the Experience Value of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill kept growing. In the blink of an eye, it was afternoon. Bang¡ª [Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Experience Value +1] With one arrow shot, the Experience Value of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill increased by another point. [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Perfection 2000/2000) ¡°Finally full! Now I just lack Source Energy Points! If I¡¯m not mistaken, the Source Energy Points required for the first Break Limit of Middle Grade Martial Arts are the same as that for Five Animals Fist, both needing 100 Source Energy Points.¡± ¡°That is to say, as long as I get the Source Energy Points to 100, I can make the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill complete its first Break Limit!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. [Source Energy Points]: 18.5 ¡°Currently short by more than eighty points, this isn¡¯t difficult, just need to buy some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures and spend a wave!¡± [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (Great Success 151/1000) Sweeping Fire Spear Skill (Unlearned 0/10) ¡­ Immediately, he glanced at his panel again. ¡°No rush, let¡¯s wait until the Canglang Blade Skill reaches Perfection and the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill reaches Perfection, my strength will greatly increase then I¡¯ll prepare for this!¡± After thinking it through, Jiang Ning stored his long bow into the Sumeru Ring, then with a leap, he ¡°plopped¡± into the water, completely submerged. Once completely underwater, Jiang Ning felt like a fish in water, utterly relaxed and at ease, entering a state of total relaxation. Nurtured by the water, his condition quickly reached its peak. The next moment, he swam through the water like a dragon, moving swiftly. This speed was not inferior to his speed on land in the slightest. Especially underwater, within a radius of a mile, all changes were clear in his mind. It seemed as if everything was under his control. ¡°This is so cool!!¡± This complete sense of control, like a god¡¯s point of view, gave Jiang Ning an inner thrill. Such control gave him a great sense of security, far more than he had on land. ¡°Underwater, that¡¯s where I am strongest!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. A moment later, he arrived at the hidden reefs of the deserted island. Because of the unique terrain, the area was stormed by fierce winds and waves. Waves surged on the surface, and underwater, the undercurrent surged even more, continuously slapping against the rocks, stirring up sprays. Coming here, Jiang Ning recalled the river gang leader Tian Buyi. It was here that he had been practicing with his saber and by chance encountered the injured Tian Buyi. From Tian Buyi, he also gained an opportunity. Two Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills. ¡°Thinking about it, my achievements today owe a lot to Tian Buyi!¡± ¡°Now, I just don¡¯t know what attitude Medicine King Valley has towards my entanglement, have they found out whether this incident was my doing?¡± Thinking of this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but contemplate for a moment. Then he shook his head and chuckled. ¡°Forget it!¡± ¡°Thinking about this is meaningless!¡± ¡°Now, as long as I am strong enough, Medicine King Valley poses no great threat to me!¡± After clearing his thoughts, Jiang Ning quickly adjusted his condition. He began practicing with his saber underwater. [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [¡­] As he continued to practice here, the Experience Value of the Canglang Blade Skill kept increasing! Chapter 273 - 273 20 Water and Fire True Strength Superior ?Chapter 273: Chapter 20: Water and Fire True Strength, Superior Martial Arts! Chapter 273: Chapter 20: Water and Fire True Strength, Superior Martial Arts! Luoshui River. Beneath the turbulent surface of the lake. Boom¡ª Jiang Ning cleaved firewood, and the Nine Layers of Strength that had been accumulating within him suddenly erupted. The water of the lake parted to either side, and a visible vacuum appeared in the midst for a good while. Even as undercurrents surged toward it, in the face of this vacuum, they were instantly parted. A good one breath later. The vacuum created by the slash finally began to dissipate, and the tide quickly filled the void. [Canglang Blade Skill Experience Value +1] [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (Perfection 1/2000) Looking at the panel, Jiang Ning felt immensely pleased. In just two days, the Canglang Blade Skill had broken through from Great Success to Perfection. Who would believe it if he spoke of this? Immediately after, he stowed the long saber back into his bag and clenched his fist. In an instant. Power surged within his body like a tidal wave, accumulating. ¡°The superposition of Nine Layers of Strength, now my explosive power has doubled!¡± ¡°Moreover, my body can now completely withstand such a burst.¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning could distinctly feel three types of strength within his body. One was a more balanced and harmonious force, the power evolved from the Five Animals Fist after reaching Perfection. Following the Break Limit, Jiang Ning felt it more apt to name it as Five Elements Power. For in the Five Animals Fist, the ape was associated with fire, the bear with earth, the deer with water¡­ Originally, the theory of the Five Elements was merely one of the explanations, a concept within the Five Animals Fist. But as the Five Animals Fist completed its first Break Limit, what was once merely a concept gradually became a reality. Now he could clearly feel that within the five internal organs, the Five Elements were slowly taking shape, being separated, and thereby the viscera appeared to be absorbing some form of Essence Qi from the world on their own. With the nourishment of this Essence Qi, he could feel that his organs were strengthening themselves every day. [Five Internal Organs Store Essence]: Essence Qi stored in the five internal organs, organs strengthen themselves. Looking at this trait on the panel, Jiang Ning felt even more moved. These days, even when he wasn¡¯t practicing the Breathing and Releasing the Essence of the Great Sun, the enhancement of the five organs brought about an ongoing increase in his Inner Breath. By now, his Inner Breath had grown much more robust, reaching over two hundred strands. The Inner Breath also gathered like smoke or mist within the human Dantian. He then glanced at the Skills section on the panel once more. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (small success 245/5000) The Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, through his relentless efforts over these past days, had also reached over 200 points of experience. Moreover, Jiang Ning noticed that after these days of practicing the Breathing and Releasing the Essence of the Great Sun, the viscera had been further strengthened. Each day¡¯s practice became more efficient, and he received more experience points than in previous days. He clearly remembered that on the first day of practicing, he had accumulated 33 points of Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill experience. And today, he had received 35 points, clearly showing improvement. This indicated that as the strength of the viscera increased, his practice efficiency would also grow. Then, he felt the other two types of power within his body. One power was full of wild fury, like lightning clawing and gnashing its teeth. This power was the Wind and Fire True Strength, brought about by reaching Perfection in the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. This power, compared to the Five Elements Power, was clearly much stronger and had greater lethality. It was also because of the Wind and Fire True Strength that the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill had such formidable power. As for the third type of power, it was like a tsunami, layer upon layer, surging and overwhelming. This was the Nine Layers of Strength. These three types of power interwoven within his body, giving Jiang Ning a surge of confidence. Now, to find Cao Rong and kill him alive, eliminating this latent threat in the cradle. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After a short while, Jiang Ning calmed his fluctuating heart. ¡°No rush! Cao Rong should still be in Dongling County¡¯s military camp right now.¡± ¡°When he leaves the camp and comes to Luoshui County, that will be my best opportunity to take action.¡± Having thought it through, Jiang Ning immediately got up and headed towards the Inspection Office. He planned to have Feng Jiuge help keep an eye on Cao Rong¡¯s movements. With Feng Jiuge¡¯s father being a member of the military, perhaps she could assist him in this matter. And there was Xie Xiaojiu, being the daughter of the Xie family, she should now be able to have her family watch Cao Rong¡¯s movements for him. With social resources, one must utilize them. If he had to rely on himself, how could he keep an eye on Cao Rong¡¯s movements? Perhaps by the time Cao Rong arrived in Luoshui County, he would be unaware. Cao Rong was in the dark; he was in the light, and that was the real trouble. A Martial Artist of Seventh Grade Peak is too great of a threat. Arrows capable of breaking the sound barrier mean that once ambushed, one can¡¯t locate by sound. Hearing becomes useless. That is precisely what makes an archer so terrifying. Thus, a normal martial artist faced with such an ambush would be powerless to counter. Unless one¡¯s spiritual power grew to a certain level, developed a sixth sense that could detect and avoid danger without sight or sound. And this step, even Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t completely achieve. ¡­ Several hours later. Jiang Ning returned to Rough Stone Beach. A visit to the Inspection Office and Feng Jiuge promptly agreed to his request. Once Cao Rong made any move, she would report to him. Jiang Ning was much relieved upon hearing Feng Jiuge¡¯s reply. Then, he visited Xie Xiaojiu. And Xie Xiaojiu, too, reassured him by beating her chest, promising that the Xie family would closely monitor Cao Rong¡¯s whereabouts. Once they discovered Cao Rong¡¯s trail, they would immediately report to him. With the assurances from both, Jiang Ning could then return to the Rough Stone Beach and continue his cultivation. Chapter 274 - 274 20 Water and Fire True Strength Superior ?Chapter 274: Chapter 20: Water and Fire True Strength, Superior Martial Arts!_2 Chapter 274: Chapter 20: Water and Fire True Strength, Superior Martial Arts!_2 Since he had obtained the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill, he naturally wanted to practice this technique well. He wanted to see if he could grasp the superior martial arts Wang Jin spoke of. Having experienced the strength of Middle Grade martial arts, Jiang Ning was filled with anticipation for superior martial arts. Subsequently, Jiang Ning stood on a reef submerged in water. With a raise of his hand, a long spear appeared in his grasp. [Sweeping Fire Spear Skill Experience Value +1] [Sweeping Fire Spear Skill Experience Value +1] [Sweeping Fire Spear Skill Experience Value +1] [¡­] As he began to practice with the spear, he immediately felt the experience value skyrocketing. The rate of increase was not even slightly slower than the Canglang Blade Skill. Seeing the prompt before his eyes, Jiang Ning¡¯s hanging heart completely settled. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With this efficiency, there would be no problem. It wouldn¡¯t take many days for the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill to reach Perfection. ¡­ The sun rose and the moon set. The moon rose and the sun set. Suddenly, several days had passed. During these days, Jiang Ning had not stepped away from the Rough Stone Beach, unconcerned with the changes in Luoshui County. Martial Arts were always his number one priority. As long as one had enough strength, any changes in the outside world could be easily dealt with. Yet, Luoshui County was far from peaceful. The entire Cao family had been locked in jail, and the piece of the pie they once held had been completely and thoroughly divided over these days. However, the death of the Incense Master of the God Worship Sect had left the hidden followers in Luoshui County in a headless state. One stronghold after another was discovered and eradicated by the Inspection Office. Dealing with the God Worship Sect was now the top priority of the Inspection Office. Because if the times were troubled, it was easy for religious groups to stir people¡¯s hearts and spark rebellion. Any rebellion would shake the foundations of Great Xia. It was now night. The Inspection Office was still brightly lit. Sitting on the pavilion, Hong Minghu¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed. ¡°Commander Ye, what do you think should be done?¡± Hong Minghu said, pointing at the invitation on the desk and falling deep into thought. Seeing this, Ye Qiu also furrowed his brows. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the Yellow Heaven Sect to come here to preach. That¡¯s a big problem!¡± Hong Minghu nodded, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a big problem! The God Worship Sect, we can directly eradicate, but this Yellow Heaven Sect, it¡¯s not appropriate to move against them now.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ye Qiu nodded, ¡°The Yellow Heaven Sect is now spread across twenty-three prefectures in the Five States of Great Xia, nearly half of the world has their followers! Moreover, the doctrine of the Yellow Heaven Sect leads people towards goodness, wherever they go they give out talismans, heal diseases, and save lives, never committing evil deeds! Without orders from above, it¡¯s indeed not good to make a move.¡± ¡°And, the most crucial point is, the Sect Hierarch of the Yellow Heaven Sect is a remarkable person of this era, a peer to the national teacher, and has discussed Daoism with the head of Yuxu Temple, as well as debated Buddhist Scripture with the head of Vajra Temple.¡± ¡°That Sect Hierarch is a supreme Grandmaster, unmatched in the entire world, and it is said he has even received guidance from the Martial Saint.¡± ¡°This Yellow Heaven Sect, we cannot handle lightly.¡± Hearing these words, Hong Minghu¡¯s frown deepened even more. After pondering for several moments, he said, ¡°I really don¡¯t know what the higher-ups are thinking, letting the Yellow Heaven Sect grow so strong! Now, the Yellow Heaven Sect is so involved that pulling one hair would affect the whole body. If we let the Yellow Heaven Sect start a rebellion, the world would truly be in complete chaos.¡± Ye Qiu nodded solemnly in agreement, ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s an observable fact!¡± Then, Ye Qiu added, ¡°Residence Master, then how should we handle this Incense Master from the Yellow Heaven Sect?¡± Hong Minghu said, ¡°The Incense Masters of the Yellow Heaven Sect are all genuine Fifth Grade experts, likely not inferior to me. We need to see them and understand their intentions.¡± Ye Qiu nodded, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s arrange for the Incense Master to meet with the Residence Master tomorrow.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Hong Minghu nodded slightly and then said, ¡°Remember to invite the other three Commanders to come as well.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Hong Minghu thought for a moment, ¡°Have the four Deputy Commanders come too!¡± ¡°Yes, Residence Master,¡± Ye Qiu responded. On the other side, the bright moonlight spilled over the surface of the lake. Jiang Ning stood barefoot on a reef submerged by the lake water. As the lake breeze stirred, the waves rhythmically lapped against his legs, bringing him bursts of coolness. The next moment, Jiang Ning swung the long spear. The spear in his hands whipped about like a dragon. At that moment, it was as if flames ignited. Boom boom boom¡ª Spear thrusts after spear thrusts fell upon the water surface like torrential rain. The water erupted, and white spray scattered everywhere. The Nine Refining Fire Power exploded wildly within his body. After a few moments, Jiang Ning stood upright, spear in hand. [Skill]: Sweeping Fire Spear Skill (Perfection 0/2000) Jiang Ning¡¯s brow suddenly furrowed as he looked at his own status panel. Because he saw the entry for the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill slowly fading away, as if it were about to vanish from his panel. His gaze immediately shifted upwards, locating the entry for the Canglang Blade Skill. [Skill]: Canglang Blade Skill (Perfection 1/2000) Looking at this entry, his eyes suddenly sharpened. Because the section for the Canglang Blade Skill was also becoming blurred. The next moment. He felt two streams of power within his body slowly merging, as if becoming one. Sensing such a change, a sharp glint flashed in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± The thought arose in his heart for an instant. Suddenly, he felt a rush of information flooding into his mind. He immediately closed his eyes, his mind sinking into his body. ¡­ After half an hour. Whoosh¡ª Whoosh¡ª Whoosh¡ª The night breeze blew over the lake, constantly stirring up white ripples on the water¡¯s surface. Standing on a rock, Jiang Ning was like a sturdy pine, motionless. Suddenly. He opened his eyes abruptly. [Skill]: Water and Fire True Strength (small success 13/500) Looking at the change on his panel, a joy couldn¡¯t help but rise in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart. From the information that had surged into his mind just now. After perfecting both the Canglang Blade Skill and the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill, and mastering the Nine Layers of Strength and the Nine Refining Fire Strength in their perfected forms, there was a chance to grasp that fleeting inspiration and deduce this superior martial arts skill, Water and Fire True Strength. Just as he had skipped this process after meeting the requirements. Allowing him to complete the merging of the two strengths and directly comprehend this superior martial arts skill, Water and Fire True Strength. Jiang Ning opened his palm, and immediately felt the intermingling of water and fire, the merged powers circulating in his hand. Immediately. He placed his palm on a nearby rock and gently pressed down. Silently. The entire rock crumbled into countless tiny grains of sand, slowly flowing downward. With the passing lake breeze, some of the grains were picked up and carried across the lake¡¯s surface. ¡°Is this the Power controlled by superior martial arts??¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes widened a bit as he watched the scene before him in quiet shock. This was terrifying destructive power, somewhat beyond his imagination. The intermingling of water and fire, the merging power of two extreme attributes gave him a taste of the might of superior martial arts. The rock had been utterly disintegrated by the merging power of water and fire, reducing its structure to dust, thus disintegrating like fine sand. [Skill]: Water and Fire True Strength (small success 13/500) He looked at his panel again. ¡°If small success-level Water and Fire True Strength is so potent, how powerful would it be at Perfection?¡± Thinking this, Jiang Ning was suddenly unable to sleep. He immediately started grinding experience for this Cultivation Technique. The experience growth of Water and Fire True Strength was also quite straightforward. Simply keep rotating the power and honing the strength. Water and Fire True Strength was an extreme Cultivation Technique for refining strength. The higher the realm of the Cultivation Technique, the stronger the power. [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +1] [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +1] [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +1] [¡­] It was not until late at night that Jiang Ning went back to sleep. Early the next morning. He continued to head to Chaotic Beach to refine this strength. After a whole night of refining the previous day, he found that for him now, the consumption of refining this strength was extremely exaggerated. Qi-Blood and physical strength were almost quickly depleted. Had it not been for the continuous recovery his body underwent in the water. Without the aid of medicines, he would not dare to refine this strength rashly. But now it was different. Being in water was akin to being constantly nourished by medicine, able to simply restore all of his consumption. These auxiliary effects were incomparable even to those precious medicines. Because all medicines have side effects. If medicines were used recklessly and without moderation, any person¡¯s body would be unable to bear it. Therefore, even if one were wealthy, no one would dare to drink medicine like water. But Jiang Ning didn¡¯t have to worry about these problems. Chapter 275 - 275 21 Defeated by One Punch ?Chapter 275: Chapter 21: Defeated by One Punch! Chapter 275: Chapter 21: Defeated by One Punch! The next morning. [name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 28.9 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Three times limit-breaking 321/4000) (trait: unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility) Five Animals Fist (Once limit-breaking 447/2000) (trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Four times limit-breaking 5000/5000) (trait: touch and understand, Blade like a Swift Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (small success 245/5000) Vajra Immortal Body (small success 453/5000) Swimming (Five times limit-breaking 6000/6000) (trait: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Perfection 2000/2000) Water and Fire True Strength (small success 31/500) Jiang Ning got up and glanced at his own panel. The strenuous cultivation of these past days was all displayed on this panel. The perfection of Wind Thunder Arrow Skill endowed him with terrifying enemy-killing capabilities. Jiang Ning had already imagined a scenario, that was when night fell, he would use his Divine Skill of Cloud Formation and Rainfall, enveloping the land in a furious downpour. In this era, once the moon was obscured by clouds, darkness would reign between heaven and earth. Under the cover of night, without any source of light, even martial artists of the Sixth Grade, or even stronger ones, could only see a few yards, maybe just over a dozen yards. But he was different. After his senses significantly enhanced, his sight far surpassed that of ordinary people. Even in the pitch black of night without any light, he could easily see a hundred yards away. Not to mention, water was an extension of his senses. At Cao Mansion, he could perceive every movement within the mansion just by sensing the rainwater. With the re-breaking of his Swimming skill, his abilities in this regard were even stronger. Therefore, as long as there was a torrential downpour, that was his home ground, his domain. The perfection of Wind Thunder Arrow Skill could be fully showcased in such a setting. The arrows that broke through sound barriers were infinite death-seeking entities in the night. Moreover, the Experience Value of Wind Thunder Arrow Skill was now completely maxed. With just a hundred Source Energy Points, this archery skill could break limits again. The effects brought by the limit-breaking of lower-level martial art Five Animals Fist made Jiang Ning even more expectant for the limit-breaking of this middle-class martial art, Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. One could imagine, if Wind Thunder Arrow Skill broke limits, its lethality would surely become even more horrifying. Perhaps it could truly demonstrate the essence of ¡°Wind Thunder Movements with the Arrow¡¯s Release¡±. Apart from Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, what satisfied Jiang Ning more was the Water and Fire True Strength. This was a superior martial art. And it was his only superior martial art. At this moment, feeling the destructive power of both extreme yet merged Water and Fire True Strength inside his body, Jiang Ning felt a sense of contentment. He didn¡¯t know how strong this power was. But he knew, it must be very strong!! Currently, the only concern for Water and Fire True Strength was that, after transformation, gaining Experience Value was not as fast as before. Last night, he had focused on refining Water and Fire True Strength for several hours, yet it had only increased by less than 20 Experience Value. With this efficiency, reaching Perfection wouldn¡¯t be a matter of just a day or two. However, he wasn¡¯t in much of a hurry. Yesterday, after briefly testing the burst of Water and Fire True Strength, he discovered that even at small success level, Water and Fire True Strength had put a great strain on his body. With his current physical condition, even if Water and Fire True Strength continued to break through, he might not be able to unleash its full power. Immediately, Jiang Ning got up, finished washing up, ate breakfast, and continued to practice boxing as a warm-up. Practicing Five Animals Fist each time could enhance his Qi-Blood. The stronger the Qi-Blood, the smoother his journey on the path of martial arts would be. Now that his skills were supremely high, he began to shift the focus of his cultivation, aiming to enhance the fundamentals of martial arts as his main task. The fundamentals of martial arts are the foundation of everything. Martial Arts Nine Grade, crossing each Grade would significantly boost his strength, and his physique would undergo further transformation. The focus of martial arts cultivation was always on this. After practicing boxing for half an hour and thoroughly warming up, Jiang Ning continued to pour Tiger Tendon Powder into the yard¡¯s pool, and after the Tiger Tendon Powder had fully dissolved in the water, he directly jumped into the pool. Under his control, the dissolved medicinal powder entered his body through billions of pores. Then he circulated his Qi-Blood to refine it. In the water, all consumption inside the body would be quickly recovered. Jiang Ning¡¯s efficiency immediately soared, and he could clearly feel the essence of the medicinal powder blending into the Great Tendon in his body after refining. The Great Tendon in the human body became exceptionally tough. Time slowly passed. ¡­ In the pool. ¡°Jiuge is here?¡± ¡°Could there be something at the Inspection Office?¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning suddenly moved his ears slightly, then immediately furrowed his brow. Then he leapt up and landed on the shore. With a shake of his body, the water on him transformed into thousands of droplets scattering everywhere. By the time Jiuge arrived in his yard, he had already been dressed and waiting for quite some time. ¡°Sir!¡± Jiuge saw Jiang Ning and instantly bowed slightly. ¡°Is there something going on?¡± ¡°Sir, Master Hong is looking for you!¡± Jiuge said. ¡°Understood!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. The two then headed towards the Inspection Office. ¡­ At the Inspection Office. ¡°Residence Master!¡± When Jiang Ning arrived at the hall, he saw that the Four Great Commanders had already gathered, along with two Deputy Commanders, Tang Miaomiao and Yuan Hua, both Martial Arts Seventh Grade, were also present. Apart from himself, only Deputy Commander He Jinyun had not yet arrived. Seeing this, Jiang Ning immediately understood that something significant must have happened. Otherwise, why would all personnel be present? Especially the other three commanders, whom Jiang Ning rarely saw. Today was also his first time seeing the Four Great Commanders gathered together. ¡°Sit!¡± Master Hong pointed to a vacant seat beside him and said to Jiang Ning. Chapter 276 - 276 21 Defeated by One Punch_2 ?Chapter 276: Chapter 21 Defeated by One Punch!_2 Chapter 276: Chapter 21 Defeated by One Punch!_2 Hearing this, Jiang Ning sat down. ¡°May I know why the Residence Master has summoned me here today?¡± Jiang Ning spoke first. Hong Minghu said, ¡°Commander Ye, you tell him!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ye Qiu nodded. He was already accustomed to dealing with such thankless tasks. Just then, Wow wow¡ª He Jinyun, who suddenly appeared at the door, patted his mouth, emitting a burst of sound. Then he yawned deeply. ¡°Residence Master, calling me here so early in the morning, what is the matter?¡± At this moment, everyone looked on at this scene and was somewhat speechless. Afterwards, Hong Minghu said, ¡°Deputy Commander He, please take a seat first, Commander Ye will explain to you shortly.¡± ¡°Residence Master, I don¡¯t like to hear the word ¡®deputy¡¯.¡± He Jinyun said as he sat down on a chair nearby. Upon hearing this, Hong Minghu just smiled and said nothing. Just then, He Jinyun suddenly looked toward Jiang Ning. ¡°Vice Commander Jiang, I heard that you recently acquired a Sumeru Ring?¡± As soon as these words came out, everyone¡¯s gaze turned toward Jiang Ning. Surprise showed on the faces of Ye Qiu and Hong Minghu among others. A Sumeru Ring, with their status, they had naturally heard of it and knew what it was. This object was a marvel left over from ancient times. It had the effect of encompassing heaven and earth within Sumeru. Unfortunately, it was not an item just anyone could use. Even Great Grandmasters of this era could only rarely utilize such a marvel. But this did not mean such a marvel was without value. Because relics of this kind were scarce in the world today. And no longer could they be crafted. Thus, one less was truly one less. Many people would collect them to preserve them. ¡­ In the hall, Jiang Ning felt a jolt in his heart when he saw everyone looking his way. He immediately understood that Xiao Tianhe must have disclosed this matter to He Jinyun. And perhaps He Jinyun had also visited Huang Dazheng, who, in all likelihood, had completely revealed everything to him, telling He Jinyun that he had given his family¡¯s last storage ring to him. Originally, he had wanted to visit the harsh prison to see if Xiao Tianhe would be sensible enough to hand over the Sumeru Ring he held. But now it seemed unnecessary to visit the prison. Clearly, the Sumeru Ring was no longer in Xiao Tianhe¡¯s hands but in those of Young Master He. At the same time, He Jinyun also took out a ring, a dark black ring. He continuously flipped the ring in his hand, tossing it up and catching it, tossing and catching, repeating the cycle endlessly. ¡°Vice Commander Jiang, I¡¯m quite interested in your Sumeru Ring, how about you sell it to me?¡± As he said this, he shook his head, ¡°Too bad, the Huang family must have only those two heirlooms, no matter how much I interrogated, he couldn¡¯t produce a third.¡± At this moment, Jiang Ning felt a chill in his heart. Huang Dazheng. More likely to be unlucky than not. ¡°What? Vice Commander Jiang, are you unwilling to deal with me?¡± He Jinyun continued flipping the Sumeru Ring in his hand and then added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll give you a fair price, ten thousand taels of silver per ring, how about it?¡± While speaking, He Jinyun¡¯s gaze had already locked onto the Sumeru Ring on Jiang Ning¡¯s finger. On the other side, ¡°Sumeru Ring.¡± Yuan Hua watched this scene and muttered softly, his eyes shimmering. Tang Miaomiao sat beside him; she seemed to hear his muttering and glanced at him. ¡°I don¡¯t lack money!¡± Jiang Ning said indifferently. ¡°Don¡¯t lack money?¡± He Yunjin laughed upon hearing this, ¡°That statement does make me feel somewhat ashamed! Having lived to this day, I, as a Young Master, have always been short of money!¡± His words fell. He Yunjin sighed again, ¡°Well then! Since Vice Commander Jiang doesn¡¯t lack money, how about we make a bet?¡± He Yunjin then raised the dark black ring in his hand. ¡°Vice Commander Jiang, you see this Sumeru Ring, right? It¡¯s just like the one in your hand!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wager our Sumeru Rings and make a bet!¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning was slightly moved. ¡°What kind of bet?¡± He Yunjin said, ¡°You and I have never battled each other before! Previously, I always wanted to have a proper fight with you, so instead of choosing another day, why not today? We¡¯ll wager our Sumeru Rings!¡± ¡°Fight one battle!!¡± ¡°If you win, this Sumeru Ring in my hand will be yours!¡± ¡°If you lose, then will the one in your hand be mine?¡± ¡°How is it?¡± He Jinyun¡¯s gaze burned as he stared at Jiang Ning. ¡°What are you two doing? We are all family here, why harm the harmony?¡± Seeing this, Hong Minghu immediately spoke up to smooth things over. At this moment. ¡°Good!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. ¡°Residence Master, can you bear witness for both of us?¡± Jiang Ning then turned to Hong Minghu and said. ¡°Sigh!¡± With a sigh, Hong Minghu said, ¡°Well, since you two want to spar, I won¡¯t stop you!¡± ¡°Jiang Ning, I¡¯ve suddenly come to appreciate you!¡± He Jinyun immediately grinned. His yellow, gaunt cheeks, along with his smile, made his cheekbones strikingly visible. Outside. ¡°Let¡¯s get straight to it, how about determining the winner with fists and feet?¡± He Jinyun looked at Jiang Ning. ¡°Alright!¡± Jiang Ning nodded calmly. A moment later. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to make a move?¡± He Jinyun looked at Jiang Ning. ¡°Me first?¡± ¡°You first!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jiang Ning suddenly smiled. The next instant. Jiang Ning moved. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Boom¡ª The stone tiles under his feet instantly shattered, and debris flew everywhere. Upon seeing this, everyone present shrank their pupils in unison. ¡°Martial Arts Seventh Grade!!!¡± Ye Qiu exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Martial Arts Seventh Grade!¡± The expression of everyone at Hong Mingfu became focused. At that moment, the explosive power demonstrated by Jiang Ning was much greater than before, instantly revealing his strength. He Jinyun was shocked. Facing the speed that Jiang Ning¡¯s immense explosive power brought about, he could hardly react before Jiang Ning had crossed several meters. Bang¡ª A punch. He Jinyun was immediately sent flying heavily. Boom¡ª His body crashed into a rockery in the courtyard, which collapsed instantly, raising dust all around. A few breaths later. He Jinyun got up again. Now, his cheeks were flushed red, and blood was seeping from the corner of his mouth, looking utterly dispirited. ¡°Do you still want to fight?¡± Jiang Ning said indifferently. Hearing this, He Jinyun took a deep look at Jiang Ning. ¡°You won!¡± he said resentfully. ¡°The ring!¡± Jiang Ning said. As soon as the words fell, He Jinyun took out the Sumeru Ring and threw it toward Jiang Ning. The ring whistled through the air. Like a hidden weapon, it shot towards Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning casually caught it with his hand. ¡°Residence Master, I¡¯ll be going back first. If there are any tasks, just notify me!¡± He Jinyun left these words and immediately turned to leave. Once He Jinyun had completely gone. ¡°Brother Jiang, impressive skills! Silently stepping into Martial Arts Seventh Grade, truly a huge surprise for me!¡± Ye Qiu spoke, showing a smile at Jiang Ning: ¡°This young master today really lost justifiably! He truly fell heavily at your hands.¡± Seeing this, Jiang Ning also smiled slightly: ¡°Lucky me, I had a breakthrough unexpectedly a few days ago, and it happens that this young master bumped into my hands today.¡± Elsewhere. Yuan Hua immediately broke out in a cold sweat, somewhat alarmed. Having just seen the Sumeru Ring, he initially had other thoughts in mind. But now, those thoughts had vanished in smoke. He knew how strong He Jinyun was. Though only Martial Arts Eighth Grade, the ordinary Martial Arts Seventh Grade might not necessarily be He Jinyun¡¯s match. Remember, He Jinyun is the son of a lord, blessed with countless resources from childhood, a profound foundation. And he possesses Innate Divine Strength! Such a person cannot be judged by ordinary standards. Even if he, with his Martial Arts Seventh Grade strength, took a strike at He Jinyun, he might not win so cleanly. Not to mention, Jiang Ning¡¯s current strength is far beyond his at a younger age. Youth is the greatest capital and dependence on the path of martial arts. Yuan Hua instantly understood. Before long, he and Jiang Ning might not even belong to the same world. In the future, it is likely for Jiang Ning to achieve Grandmaster. For him, reaching Fourth Grade in this lifetime is already a great hope, let alone Grandmaster! Chapter 277 - 277 22 The Person Who Took the Previous Life ?Chapter 277: Chapter 22 The Person Who Took the Previous Life Chapter 277: Chapter 22 The Person Who Took the Previous Life Inspection Office. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Back in the hall, several people sat down again. At this moment, the expressions of Ye Qiu and others looking at Jiang Ning were filled with friendly smiles. Seventh Grade, which had greatly shocked their hearts. Such power, despite coming from major places, did not yield much to them. Most crucially, they saw immense potential in Jiang Ning. This potential inadvertently instilled fear in them. Under such circumstances, they all kept silent about the fact that Jiang Ning had two Sumeru Rings in his possession. Although the Sumeru Ring seemed precious, it was, in reality, a useless accessory. In this world, more than ninety-nine percent of people were not qualified to use the Sumeru Ring. For them, the Sumeru Ring only had the use of collection and research, with no practical effect. Having witnessed Jiang Ning¡¯s terrifying speed of progress and potential, they had no covetous thoughts regarding the Sumeru Ring he possessed. This item was, at best, worth a few tens of thousands of taels of silver to them. Although this sum was also a large fortune for them, it was not too difficult to obtain if they really wanted it. With the right effort, they could acquire it within half a year to a year. Compared to this, offending a figure like Jiang Ning, a prodigy from the Hidden Dragon List, a young Grandmaster, would be unwise. ¡­ ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s continue our earlier discussion!¡± After sitting down, Hong Minghu picked up his tea, sipped it, moistened his mouth and throat, and continued speaking. Upon hearing this, Ye Qiu immediately nodded. Then he looked around the hall, sweeping his gaze over the other three Commanders and three Deputy Commanders. ¡°I believe everyone is quite curious as to why the Residence Master has suddenly convened you all today.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone nodded slightly, quietly waiting for Ye Qiu to continue. Seeing this, Ye Qiu continued, ¡°Yesterday, an Incense Master from the Yellow Heaven Sect arrived in Luoshui County.¡± Yellow Heaven Sect? Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning felt puzzled. ¡°What is this now?¡± At this moment, he was utterly baffled. He had never heard of the Yellow Heaven Sect. Since arriving in this world, he had spent most of his time practicing Martial Arts. Even when he had spare time, he primarily read books to absorb knowledge. If asked about the history of Great Xia spanning thousands of years or legends from the Ancient Era, he could discuss them. These pieces of knowledge were recorded in books, giving him a way to understand them. But regarding the distribution and changes of major powers in the world, he only had a superficial understanding. The Yellow Heaven Sect, he had never heard of, nor had he heard any mention of it. Even sifting through his predecessor¡¯s memories, there was no information about the Yellow Heaven Sect. At this moment, Ye Qiu glanced over the crowd once more, and his mind instantly became clear. Then he said, ¡°I know some of you are not very familiar with the Yellow Heaven Sect, so I have already prepared for this.¡± As he spoke, Ye Qiu quickly pulled out several sheets of white paper from his person. ¡°Take a look! These have some general records about the Yellow Heaven Sect.¡± Immediately, Ye Qiu handed the white papers, which had information about the Yellow Heaven Sect, to the others. Jiang Ning took the papers and read carefully. After a short while, after he had read everything, he immediately understood why Hong Mingfu had such a grand arrangement. According to the intelligence records, the power of the Yellow Heaven Sect was alarmingly large. This sect was primarily spread across five of the Nine States of Great Xia, and outside these five states, there were also numerous believers of the Yellow Heaven Sect. Their followers numbered at least in the millions. Most importantly, the soul of the Yellow Heaven Sect, its Sect Hierarch, Yellow Heaven Daoist, was the strongest existence under Martial Saint. This man had an unbreakable bond with the Great Xia¡¯s National Advisor and was reputed to have a mentor-disciple relationship with the Martial Saint. He once went to the Daoist holy land, Yuxu Temple, and debated with the Daoist leader for three days; the outcome was unknown, but afterwards, that leader said, ¡°He is superior to me!¡± He also went to the Buddhist holy land, Vajra Temple, and debated Buddhist Scriptures with the Buddhist leader; after three days, he also left with esteem. This man had also met the Emperor of Great Xia and had several days of interactions. Afterward, the Emperor of Great Xia also praised him highly. Yellow Heaven Daoist, truly a peerless individual in the world. There were rumors that this person was an Immortal reincarnate, possessing Immortal Law, capable of conjuring armies from beans and summoning heavenly soldiers and generals. And this rumor was not baseless. Yellow Heaven Daoist had demonstrated several miracles and Immortal Laws. In the capital, he was known as the one who could smile and make flowers blossom instantly, causing half of the capital¡¯s flowers to bloom even in winter. He was also known to have conducted rites in Beiqiu Prefecture, which had suffered from severe drought for six months; it rained heavily for three days and nights immediately on the same day. If the old Jiang Ning had heard this record, he would have regarded it as a rumor. But now, he knew it was not impossible. Because he now also possessed Divine Skills, capable of Cloud Formation and Rainfall. Since he could command such powers, it wasn¡¯t impossible for Yellow Heaven Daoist to have the ability to pray for rain. Moreover, this world was anything but simple. In Ancient Times, there were traces of Immortal beings. Even in this era, the God Worship Sect also had an immortal. And in this world, it was not just him alone who possessed divine roots and wisdom. Just in Luoshui County alone, he now knew of Wang Jin and Shen Congyun, each endowed with divine roots. Yellow Heaven Daoist, eight or nine out of ten times, might be the same. Possessing divine roots, beings of wisdom. Such individuals possessing so-called Immortal Law was not impossible. Such a terrifying individual, with Martial Arts skills ranked among the top in this era, plus possibly possessing Ancient Era¡¯s Immortal Law. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, this was tantamount to having an Immortal from the Ancient Times alive. Chapter 278 - 278 22 The Person Who Took the Previous Life_2 ?Chapter 278: Chapter 22 The Person Who Took the Previous Life_2 Chapter 278: Chapter 22 The Person Who Took the Previous Life_2 Additionally, coupled with the formidable power of the Yellow Heaven Sect, such a colossal entity was vastly beyond the reach of the God Worship Sect. Moreover, according to intelligence records, any Incense Master of the Yellow Heaven Sect was a person of the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm. As far as Jiang Ning knew, in Dongling County, even the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley, who could dominate the region, was merely a strong person of the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm. In the entire Medicine King Valley, the recorded number of Fifth Grade strong people did not exceed three. This showed the terrifying strength of the Yellow Heaven Sect. The Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm alone was enough to sweep through Luoshui County. Such a strong person, if not faced with the organized heavy crossbows of Great Xia, could no longer be killed merely by a numbers tactic. After their internal organs were tempered, their breath became long and enduring, making their stamina nearly inexhaustible. If one were to erupt with Inner Breath, a single person with a sword could break out from an encirclement of elite soldiers composed of armored Ninth Grade or above Martial Artists. If such a person employed guerrilla tactics, they could accomplish the Thousand Man Slash. And this so-called Thousand Man Slash was not made up of ordinary troops. Instead, it consisted of armored, weapon-wielding warriors who entered the ranking. This showed the formidable nature of Fifth Grade Martial Artists. When such a person entered the city with the dread-inducing Yellow Heaven Sect behind him, it was no wonder that Hong Mingfu felt as if he was facing a great enemy. Moments later, Ye Qiu saw that everyone had finished reviewing the documents, then spoke up. ¡°Fellow colleagues, tonight the Incense Master from the Yellow Heaven Sect will visit.¡± ¡°What does Commander Ye need us to do?¡± Tang Miaomiao asked. Ye Qiu shook his head, ¡°You don¡¯t need to do anything, just make contact and get acquainted! We might need him someday.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Tang Miaomiao immediately responded respectfully. Hong Mingfu also spoke, ¡°Tonight, you all cannot afford to lose face for the Inspection Office!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± A strikingly handsome leader who resembled a refined young noble spoke confidently. Jiang Ning glanced at him. Although this leader seldom appeared, Jiang Ning knew that this man, called Li Changkong, was a true Sixth Grade strong person. ¡­ After the discussion. Everyone went their separate ways. Jiang Ning likewise did not return but continued his cultivation in his residence, tempering his Great Tendon to increase its tenacity. In his courtyard, he had already dug out a pool specifically for his cultivation. When it was between 9:00 a.m and 11:00 a.m, Jiang Ning began to sit cross-legged in the pool, breathing in the Sun Essence Qi, tempering his internal organs, and increasing his Inner Breath. Before long, night fell. ¡­ The moon slowly rose, hanging in mid-air. ¡°Fellow colleagues, you¡¯ve arrived quite early!¡± In the familiar hall, Ye Qiu stepped over the threshold and greeted everyone with a smile as he clasped his hands. Shortly thereafter, just moments later, the steady steps of the guards came to report, and everyone knew that the Yellow Heaven Sect had arrived. ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± Ye Qiu said lightly, with a smile appearing on his face. Moments later. Tap, tap, tap¡ª A variety of footsteps sounded from outside the hall. The next moment, those figures appeared before Jiang Ning and the others. All of them were dressed in yellow-brown robes and wore yellow-brown headbands, slightly bowed, with a very affable smile on their faces. ¡°Greetings, Master Hong!¡± The leading person stepped into the hall, immediately bowed deeply to Hong Mingfu, bearing a very humble demeanor. ¡°Greetings, Master Hong!¡± ¡°Greetings, Master Hong!¡± The accompanying people all bowed to Hong Mingfu. Jiang Ning also carefully observed the people before him. The next moment, his pupils suddenly constricted. It was him!! A surge of shock and horror swept through Jiang Ning¡¯s mind. Among the seven people before him, he saw a familiar face. This face was the blurry one seen at the last moment of his predecessor, in the blurred consciousness. It was also the face that remained as the last image in the mind of his predecessor before coming to this world. Although the face was blurred and unclear, when Jiang Ning saw it again, he was almost ninety percent certain that the blurry face, which had taken the predecessor¡¯s life, belonged to one of these people from the Yellow Heaven Sect. Based on memory and his subsequent understanding and conjecture, the predecessor¡¯s murder was an encounter with a member of the God Worship Sect. Within the God Worship Sect, those who sacrificed Innate Spiritual Wisdom would receive God¡¯s blessing from the sect. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just like Shi Xiaoyuan from the Green Snake Gang who not only advanced greatly in Martial Arts but also gained the ability to change form, turning into a nearly immortal monster. At this moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s intense gaze immediately caught the attention of that man. The man immediately looked up at Jiang Ning. In an instant, that person¡¯s pupils abruptly narrowed. It seemed he had glimpsed something unbelievable. Pupils flickered with intense shock. Seeing this change, Jiang Ning, who initially had about eighty to ninety percent confidence, now had a full one hundred percent certainty. ¡°This person is the one who took my predecessor¡¯s life!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no mistake!!¡± Jiang Ning made a firm decision in his heart. The next moment, Thoughts flashed rapidly through his mind. In less than one breath, The only thought left in Jiang Ning¡¯s mind was, ¡°This person must not stay!!!¡± After making the decision, Jiang Ning appeared calm, but he knew in his heart, This person was too dangerous to keep. His predecessor had died, and he had taken his place. Originally, he was the only one who knew about it. But now it was different. This person might be the second one to know. Although Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t be sure, he didn¡¯t want to gamble. He wouldn¡¯t gamble. Resuscitated from death. The soul was gone yet alive. He didn¡¯t know what consequences there would be if this matter leaked out. In an instant, Jiang Ning had made his decision. Above the Inspection Office, above most of Luoshui County, the skies suddenly churned. Instantly, clouds dense-packed the sky, and the bright moon swiftly hid behind them, turning the world pitch black. Boom¡ª A loud bang. Thunder flashed outside the house. At that moment, The leader of the Yellow Heaven Sect also spoke, ¡°Master Hong, allow me to formally introduce myself!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need, I know you, Liu Linmen!¡± Hong Minghu said indifferently. ¡°To think that Master Hong would recognize such a small fry like me, it is truly a great honor of three lifetimes!¡± Liu Linmen said with a smile. ¡°If a Fifth Grade strong person is a small fry, what am I?¡± Master Hong responded. ¡°You are, of course, a major figure!¡± Liu Linmen replied with a smile. Hong Minghu, hearing this, slightly raised his eyebrows. ¡°Speak! What brings you to Luoshui County?¡± ¡°Since Master Hong is straightforward, I won¡¯t beat around the bush!¡± Liu Linmen immediately performed a professional salute. Then he continued, ¡°I wish to obtain Master Hong¡¯s approval to spread our teachings within Luoshui County.¡± ¡°On what grounds?¡± Master Hong said calmly, his expression unchanged. However, as his words fell, Everyone suddenly felt a heavy atmosphere descend within the great hall. An invisible oppressive force seemed to burst from within Hong Minghu. This oppressive force came wave after wave, endless and unbroken. Like a tsunami surging, like massive waves crashing. At this moment, the air seemed to solidify. Tang Miaomiao and Yuan Hua next to him were instantly shocked, their faces turning slightly red. They seemed to be enduring some terrifying oppressive force. In front of Hong Minghu, among the seven people from Yellow Heaven Sect, six swayed slightly, with several in the back staggering. As if standing before massive waves, continuously struck, causing their forms to falter. ¡°Such strong Inner Breath!!¡± Ye Qiu murmured to himself in a voice only he could hear. Even though he was not directly in front of Hong Minghu, he could still feel the invisible oppressive force in the air. It made his breathing hard to maintain. Had it not been for his strength being greater than that of Tang Miaomiao, Yuan Hua, and others, He would not have been able to remain so at ease. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Suddenly, when Ye Qiu turned to look at Jiang Ning, he let out a small exclamation of surprise. For at that moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s face showed no change, just as calm as ever. Not like Tang Miaomiao and Yuan Hua, whose faces were turning red. Seeing this, Ye Qiu¡¯s eyes immediately flashed with shock. One must know, Yuan Hua and Tang Miaomiao were not weak¡ªthey were true Seventh Grade Martial Artists. Before coming to the Inspection Office, these two had already crossed the threshold of the Seventh Grade in Martial Arts. Compared to the two of them, even if He Jinyun possessed Innate Divine Strength, he likely wasn¡¯t as strong. Yet even with their strength, currently being affected by the Inner Breath burst from within Master Hong, both were so oppressed that their faces turned red. Yet Jiang Ning remained calm as water. This undoubtedly indicated that Jiang Ning was above these two. At least his endurance was greater. ¡°How did this kid manage that?¡± ¡°This rate of improvement is simply too terrifying!!!¡± Chapter 279 - 279 23 Murderous Intent on a Rainy Night ?Chapter 279: Chapter 23: Murderous Intent on a Rainy Night Chapter 279: Chapter 23: Murderous Intent on a Rainy Night Inspection Office. In the main hall. As Hong Minghu¡¯s breath erupted, the entire place fell silent, and no one made a noise. The people in front of him were as if facing terrifying waves, their figures shaking unsteadily. However, there was one who remained unchanged, his face wearing a kindly smile. This man was Liu Linmen, the leader of the Yellow Heaven Sect. A few breaths later. The invisible oppressive feeling suddenly receded like a tide and vanished in the blink of an eye. ¡°Master Hong has impressive skills! Such profound Inner Breath!¡± Liu Linmen said calmly, ¡°I had heard from elsewhere that Master Hong had stepped into the Fifth Grade by using external objects to control Inner Breath.¡± ¡°Now it seems, this rumor might not necessarily be true!¡± At this moment. Hong Minghu looked at the calm-faced Incense Master of the Yellow Heaven Sect, his heart becoming extremely heavy. His recent action was intended to intimidate Liu Linmen. However, as his Inner Breath¡¯s oppressive power ended, he found that he could not discern Liu Linmen¡¯s true capabilities. The burst of his Inner Breath was primarily aimed at Liu Linmen. The others were merely affected by it. But from the effects on the others, one could see the power of the Inner Breath¡¯s oppression. Those strong individuals were shaking, their faces flushed red, struggling to withstand it. But when the Inner Breath¡¯s oppression fell on Liu Linmen, it was like a breeze brushing over a ridge, hardly able to shake him at all. Such a display instantly made Hong Minghu lose his confidence. What stage had Liu Linmen reached? Was his Inner Breath like a river? A stream? A sea? An abyss? A force? Musing for a moment, Hong Minghu¡¯s thoughts raced. Then he spoke lightly, ¡°Yellow Heaven Sect may only preach in the East District of the Outer City; should any trouble arise, I will not be merciful!¡± ¡°Thank you, Residence Master!¡± Liu Linmen bowed deeply, his friendly smile growing even broader. A moment later. After Liu Linmen and his group left the main hall and the torrential rain overhead gradually receded. ¡°Sir, what is the strength of this Liu Linmen?¡± Ye Qiu asked first, voicing his doubts. He had also secretly observed this scene. Upon hearing this, Hong Minghu¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. After pondering for a moment, he finally spoke, ¡°According to the information, Liu Linmen is a master who has long entered the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm! Just now, I casually tested him; facing the Inner Breath oppression, he showed no change, so I couldn¡¯t test his depth.¡± ¡°But I estimate that his Inner Breath must have reached the level of a sea.¡± ¡°The level of a sea?¡± Ye Qiu¡¯s brow also furrowed at once, ¡°That powerful?¡± ¡°It is very powerful!¡± Hong Mingfu nodded. Just then. Jiang Ning stood up. ¡°Residence Master, I need to return home for some trivial matters,¡± this statement immediately interrupted the conversation between the two. Everyone¡¯s gaze involuntarily fell on Jiang Ning, their attention drawn to him. Especially commanders like Li Chang Kong, whose brows immediately furrowed. Interrupting a conversation abruptly was not polite, especially interrupting a superior, which was even taboo. But considering Jiang Ning¡¯s current strength and performance, the words they had intended to admonish him with were forcefully held back. Hong Minghu¡¯s brow also slightly furrowed, then relaxed, his face bearing a smile. ¡°Family matters?¡± he then nodded, ¡°Then Commander, you may leave first.¡± ¡°Thank you, Residence Master!¡± Jiang Ning bowed. Hong Minghu said, ¡°It¡¯s raining outside, do you want to take an umbrella?¡± ¡°No need!¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°A martial artist is rough-hewn, what harm is a bit of rain?¡± As his words ended. Jiang Ning, braving the heavy rain, crossed the threshold and soon disappeared into the pouring rain. After Jiang Ning left. Someone said, ¡°Isn¡¯t the Residence Master being too lenient with him! We hadn¡¯t finished discussing, and he was the first to leave.¡± Hong Minghu smiled, ¡°Commander Jiang said it, right! There are urgent matters at home, it¡¯s normal for him to leave first!¡± ¡­ Elsewhere. Jiang Ning left the Inspection Office. Suddenly changed from walking to running. His form leapt, speeding across the rooftops. At this moment, with a heavy downpour and the moonlight blocked by dark clouds, only occasional candlelight from the low houses provided some illumination. For ordinary people, most places were pitch black. Even for powerful martial artists with enhanced senses, visibility in most places was only about ten meters. But in Jiang Ning¡¯s perception. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The surroundings within a mile were clearly presented in his mind. If relying solely on sight, he could even see the scenery two or three miles away. The rain-covered world was his main stage. Following the direction Liu Linmen had left in, Jiang Ning continued to speed forward. In the thundering, wind-swept environment, he was not afraid of being discovered by anyone. Crack¡ª Lightning tore across the sky. Suddenly illuminating the entire dark county town in stark white. If someone were looking at the rooftops right now, they would see a figure, like a ghostly apparition, quickly dodging between eaves. Boom¡ª After the flash of lightning, what followed was a deafening boom. ¡­ ¡°Found them!¡± Jiang Ning focused. At the end of the street two miles ahead, he suddenly saw Liu Linmen and a group of seven. Among them, that familiar face was also in these seven people. At this moment, those seven people were hurrying, occasionally wiping the rain from their faces to keep their vision from being too obscured by the rain. Suddenly. Liu Linmen raised his hand. ¡°Wait!¡± As his voice fell, the other six people immediately stopped moving. ¡°What is it, Incense Master?¡± Someone spoke. Chapter 280 - 280 23 Murderous Intent on a Rainy Night_2 ?Chapter 280: Chapter 23 Murderous Intent on a Rainy Night_2 Chapter 280: Chapter 23 Murderous Intent on a Rainy Night_2 Liu Linmen¡¯s expression became very grave: ¡°Something¡¯s not right!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the other six instantly became full of vigilance, all looking around. However, under the cloak of the heavy rain and dark clouds, all they saw was endless darkness, a devouring darkness. ¡°Incense Master, could it be the Inspection Office?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± While Liu Linmen continuously swept his gaze around, he spoke. On the other side. Jiang Ning had located this group of people and immediately took out a longbow and an arrow from the Sumeru Ring, slowly pulling the bowstring and aiming at the person he intended to kill. As he did so, he also observed the changes in Liu Linmen and the other seven and heard their brief exchange. ¡°Liu Linmen is so formidable!¡± Jiang Ning was instantly startled inwardly. At this moment, he was still more than two miles away from Liu Linmen and the rest. Under the heavy rain and the veil of night, he was utterly confident that Liu Linmen wouldn¡¯t detect him. But as he slowly drew the bow, aiming in the direction where Liu Linmen was, Liu Linmen instantly became alert. It was as if he perceived the approaching Golden Wind before it stirred. After observing for a moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s slightly suspended heart was put at ease. From Liu Linmen¡¯s reaction, he seemed to have merely sensed something, not discovered him. The next moment. Bang¡ª Jiang Ning released the bowstring, and the arrow suddenly shot out with a fierce Wind Thunder force. Boom¡ª The booming sound of the arrow breaking through the air rang in Jiang Ning¡¯s ears. As the arrow broke the sound barrier, it immediately formed a very distinct trail in the void. At the same time. Liu Linmen suddenly felt his hairs stand on end, his heart filled with extreme alertness. ¡°Not good!!¡± ¡°Everyone, be careful!!¡± He shouted loudly then quickly scanned the surroundings with his eyes. Even though he felt that something was amiss, sensed danger. He still didn¡¯t know where this sense of crisis was coming from. With the speed of the sound barrier-breaking arrow surpassing the speed of sound. Reliance on hearing alone was too late to catch it. Only sight could capture its whereabouts. But in this stormy night, even Liu Linmen¡¯s vision was greatly reduced, allowing him to see only two or three Zhang (a Chinese unit of length; 1 zhang = 3.33 meters) around him. Beyond that, there was only endless pitch-black and torrential rain. In the next moment. When the sound barrier-breaking arrow came into Liu Linmen¡¯s line of sight, his expression changed dramatically. With this environment combined with the sound barrier-breaking arrow, he suddenly realized he was in trouble. If it were any other time, he wouldn¡¯t fear such an arrow. His Inner Breath bursting forth, he could easily swat the arrow away. Then close the distance and kill the enemy directly. But in this environment, and with these few burdens around him, the situation suddenly became extremely unfavorable. The hidden enemy had clearly gained both the timing and the geographical advantage. Immediately facing the lightning-fast appearing arrow. Liu Linmen¡¯s right palm burst with Inner Breath, slapping upwards. Boom¡ª The arrow suddenly exploded, emitting a roar. Thud Thud¡ª Under the powerful explosive force, Liu Linmen involuntarily stepped back twice. ¡°It¡¯s so strong!¡± His expression changed once again. Just at this moment. Two more arrows suddenly appeared in front of him. This time, with preparation, he saw even more clearly. ¡°It¡¯s not aimed at me, but at the person behind me?¡± As the thought rose, Liu Linmen sneered. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I can¡¯t let you get your way!¡± His Inner Breath erupted forth once again. With the augmentation of his Inner Breath, his palms were on par with Divine Weapons. Waving his palms in quick succession. Boom¡ª Boom¡ª The arrows were once again swatted away. The powerful explosive force only caused his figure to sway slightly. On the other side. Jiang Ning frowned. Having witnessed this scene, he instantly gained a deeper understanding of a true Fifth Grade strong person. With his Martial Arts Seventh Grade strength, combined with the perfected Middle Grade martial arts, Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. Moreover, with him effectively ambushing, he in the dark and the enemy in the light, giving Liu Linmen less than one breath¡¯s time to react, his arrows were still blocked effortlessly by Liu Linmen, the Fifth Grade strong person. Hesitating for a moment. Jiang Ning continued to draw his bow and shoot arrows. Bang¡ª Bang¡ª Bang¡ª ¡­ The arrows rained down, changing targets, all aiming straight for Liu Linmen. A breath later. The arrows reached in front of Liu Linmen. Boom¡ª Boom¡ª Boom¡ª ¡­ Prepared, he blocked one after another, easily swatting them away. The powerful blasted force emitted roars, but could only cause his current body to sway slightly, the impact dissipated. Having familiarized himself with the rhythm, Liu Linmen fought more and more easily. He immediately pondered over the current problem in his mind. ¡°Sound barrier-breaking arrows, to my knowledge, should only be achievable by Cao Rong in Luoshui County!¡± ¡°But Cao Rong should still be in Dongling City¡¯s camp!¡± ¡°And how could Cao Rong, a mere Seventh Grade at his peak, fire arrows with such terrifying impact.¡± ¡°This force and explosive power are enough to kill most Sixth Rank Martial Artists.¡± Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s also a rainy night, how could he not be discovered by me while knowing my situation?¡± ¡°Strange! Too strange!!!¡± Thinking of these questions, Liu Linmen was momentarily lost in thought. Just at this time. In the place where he was slightly paying attention. The falling rain suddenly experienced some changes. In the next instant. Ah¡ª Liu Linmen let out a pained cry, closing his eyes tight, and blood immediately appeared at the corners. Also at this time. An arrow brushed past him, shooting through the air towards a person behind him. At this moment. The person behind him saw the sound barrier-breaking arrow coming, only then realizing that the target of the one hidden in the shadows was himself. ¡°Could it be him!!!¡± The image of Jiang Ning just now suddenly flashed through that person¡¯s mind. Chapter 281 - 281 23 Murderous Intent on a Rainy Night_3 ?Chapter 281: Chapter 23 Murderous Intent on a Rainy Night_3 Chapter 281: Chapter 23 Murderous Intent on a Rainy Night_3 In the blink of an eye, he had no time for further thought. Roar¡ª A thunderous beastly roar burst forth from his mouth. Bone spurs jutted from his body, muscles began to swell rapidly, covered in black keratinization. Boom¡ª But just as his transformation had started, an arrow had already pierced into his head. With the explosive force of the wind and thunder, his skull was shattered to pieces in an instant. The changes in his body came to an abrupt halt. All this was completed in the span of a heartbeat. With the headless body slowly falling to the ground. The people beside him wiped off the splattered blood and brain matter from their faces, finally snapping back to reality, and then looked at the body on the ground with fear and horror. ¡­ ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± Jiang Ning, watching this scene from afar, murmured to himself, his heart finally settling down. He felt a sense of relief wash over him. It took less than a breath before Jiang Ning once again nocked an arrow to his bow. Twang¡ª The arrow split the air, instantly stirring up a wave of energy, creating a visible, clear trail through the curtain of rain. On the other side. Liu Linmen, following the recent upheaval, suddenly adjusted himself. ¡°Retreat, find cover!¡± he vigorously blinked to clear the blood from his eyes, barely making out the blurred scene in front of him. With his vision impaired by the injuries to his eyes, Liu Linmen completely abandoned any thought of seizing the opportunity to strike. Upon hearing his words, the people behind him scattered, retreating towards the rear. However, the moment the arrows had stopped, they once again appeared silently. The arrows, creating waves of energy and piercing through the rain curtain, left clearly visible trails. ¡°Incense Master, ahead!¡± Someone called out a warning. Liu Linmen acted even faster, and despite his blurred vision and injured eyes, his powerful senses still allowed him to barely capture some traces. Boom¡ª Boom¡ª As he took action, the arrows were once again deflected. Just then. Ah¡ª A scream rang out, followed by a thunderous roar. The explosive force instantly tore one of them apart. ¡°Quick, retreat!¡± Liu Linmen, having no time for anger, continued to urge everyone on. At that moment. Jiang Ning kept firing arrows. Twang¡ª Twang¡ª Twang¡ª ¡­ With each sound, an arrow flew through the air. After several breaths. Jiang Ning retracted his arrows and turned to leave. Because by now, the distant figures had taken cover behind buildings. Though this made no difference to him. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Since his target had been killed, there was no point in lingering. Most importantly, Liu Linmen was approaching along the trajectory of the arrows. Jiang Ning didn¡¯t yet wish to confront Liu Linmen at this time. The Fifth Grade Internal Strength was far beyond what he could handle at present. In the blink of an eye. Jiang Ning disappeared into the vast rainy night. This was his home ground. If he didn¡¯t want to be discovered, no one in Luoshui County could spot him on a rainy night. Moments later. Liu Linmen¡¯s impotent rage echoed from a distance. This night had been a devastating loss for him. Not only had he sustained injuries to his eyes, impairing his vision. Out of the seven who had come, only four remained, with the other three falling on this rainy night. Most crucially, the enemy¡¯s identity was still unknown to him. Moreover, one of the three who had fallen held a key position, an Incense Master of the God Worship Sect. The God Worship Sect had recently joined forces with the Yellow Heaven Sect. The addition of the God Worship Sect could further strengthen the power of the Yellow Heaven Sect. That Incense Master had come to Luoshui County with him to help the leaderless followers of the God Worship Sect find a new figurehead. The death of such a person at this sensitive time was bound to stir up trouble. Chapter 282 - 282 24 Yin God Leaves the Body ?Chapter 282: Chapter 24: Yin God Leaves the Body Chapter 282: Chapter 24: Yin God Leaves the Body ¡°It¡¯s finally over!!¡± Jiang Ning glanced back and saw Liu Linmen had reached the very spot where he had just stood. However, by this time, he had already escaped to a place a mile away. On a rainy night, a distance of a mile was beyond Liu¡¯s detection. He looked indifferently at Liu Linmen. Then, Jiang Ning turned and left once again. After the dust settled on this plan, he still felt somewhat satisfied in his heart. The variable had been eliminated! His greatest secret would remain unknown to all. The only regret Jiang Ning had was not having enough power to kill Liu Linmen. That would likely leave some future trouble. Earlier, he had taken some measures, which was to shoot indiscriminately at that group of people. That was the best he could do. As to whether Liu Linmen would discover that tonight¡¯s incident was his doing, Jiang Ning felt it was very unlikely. The heavy rain could wash away any traces he left behind. And the night was so dark, one could not see their own fingers in front of them. How could Liu Linmen possibly discover he was to blame unless the Yellow Heaven Sect had methods he was completely unaware of? ¡­ Soon. Jiang Ning left the area enveloped by the heavy rain and walked toward his home. Elsewhere. After a fruitless search, Liu Linmen immediately turned back and, with his subordinates, hurried to their dwelling place. They moved with hasty steps, in silence, remaining vigilantly alert to their surroundings, for fear that in the dark, rainy night, an arrow that could stir up a whirlwind and break the sound barrier might shoot at them. Tread, tread, tread¡ª Chaotic footsteps on the muddy ground splashed up bursts of water. During their advance, Liu Linmen also took out medicine to treat his injured eyes. After a long while. Having left the area covered by the heavy rain, and as the faint moonlight fell upon the ground, Liu Linmen finally let out a sigh of relief. ¡°This rain is a bit odd!¡± Liu Linmen looked back, then gazed upwards and said. His words immediately broke the quiet maintained by the group. ¡°Incense Master, are you suggesting this rain might be manmade?¡± Liu Linmen nodded slightly, ¡°With such weather, how could a downpour suddenly occur? Moreover, if it were a true heavy rain, how could it not cover even a place as small as Luoshui County?¡± Having reached that analysis, Liu Linmen immediately made a judgment. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with this rain; it must be manmade.¡± ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Hearing Liu Linmen¡¯s words, someone among his subordinates sharply inhaled. ¡°Sir, the art of rainmaking is a Divine Skill that only our Sect Hierarch possesses; how could such a small town harbor such a terrifying entity?¡± ¡°And why would such a terrifying existence suddenly act against us?¡± ¡°If they acted against us, why would they then just watch us escape?¡± Upon hearing this, Liu Linmen fell into deep thought. He had pondered this question all the way. After walking out of the Inspection Office, he felt something was wrong. Because the rain was too strange and defied reason. The subsequent events further confirmed that his feelings were correct. Indeed, someone had targeted their group, and the attacker was extremely formidable. In such a dark night, compounded by the obfuscation of the rain, the person attacking them from the shadows didn¡¯t seem to be affected at all. Every arrow was deadly, piercing the sound barrier. The power within each arrow was enough to effortlessly kill a Seventh Grade Martial Artist, and even an ordinary Sixth Grade Martial Artist would inevitably perish under a hail of arrows in such conditions. Such a master shouldn¡¯t appear in such a minor place. After pondering for a long time. Faces of the people he had seen in the Inspection Office¡¯s main hall suddenly flashed through Liu Linmen¡¯s mind. ¡°The person who acted against me tonight must be from the Inspection Office.¡± ¡°It seems that the Inspection Office, while agreeing to my preaching on the surface, is actually plotting to get rid of me quickly. I must be more cautious in the future.¡± ¡°However, from the act itself, the strength of the hidden person is limited; most likely, it¡¯s at most a Martial Arts Sixth Grade or the peak of Seventh Grade.¡± ¡°Cao Rong¡­ is it him?¡± This thought barely crossed Liu Linmen¡¯s mind before he shook his head. ¡°It can¡¯t be Cao Rong! According to the information I have, almost three hundred people from the Cao family are still imprisoned, soon to be executed.¡± ¡°Under such circumstances, how could Cao Rong help the Inspection Office!¡± ¡°Besides, logically speaking, Cao Rong should be in the military camp at Dongling City by now, not appearing here.¡± Thinking this, Liu Linmen couldn¡¯t help but continue contemplating. ¡°Then¡­ who could it be?¡± In his mind, the figures of the eight people from the hall flashed by. ¡°Incense Master, regarding this matter, shall we burn a talisman to report?¡± ¡°Yes!!¡± Liu Linmen nodded. ¡­ Half an hour later. In an inn. Liu Linmen lit the yellow talisman paper in his hand. Under the yellow paper, there was no visible flame; rather, it carbonized progressively beneath, the carbonization slowly spreading upward. At the same time, a wisp of light blue smoke rose. The smoke quickly drifted to the ceiling. In front of the smoke, the ceiling was like an illusion, offering no resistance to the rising smoke. After a few breaths. The rising smoke suddenly changed, sparsely forming an image of a person in the empty air. Upon seeing this, Liu Linmen showed utmost reverence, as if he were facing Heavenly Gods. He hurriedly reported the night¡¯s events to the image before him. After a short while. Once the report was complete. The figure spoke slowly, ¡°In this world, three feet above your head, there are Heavenly Gods!¡± ¡°Whoever tainted my sect with blood tonight, I will mark for you. When you open the Heavenly Eye one day, you shall know who acted.¡± S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 283 - 283 24 Yin God Leaves the Body_2 ?Chapter 283: Chapter 24 Yin God Leaves the Body_2 Chapter 283: Chapter 24 Yin God Leaves the Body_2 Upon hearing these words, Liu Linmen immediately prostrated himself with respectful reverence. ¡°Thank you, Earth King!!!¡± The next moment, The figure made of blue smoke suddenly dispersed. After several breaths, Liu Linmen dared to slowly stand up. Because tonight, the person he reported to was one of the eight Earth Kings under the Sect Hierarch. In the Yellow Heaven Sect, under the Sect Hierarch were the Heaven Kings, and below the Heaven Kings were the Earth Kings. Any Earth King was acclaimed as an Immortal in this world. According to the disciples¡¯ tales, such beings, if placed in ancient times, could have become immortals who lived eternity, roaming freely between heaven and earth. Rather than mortals like them, even Martial Saint who reached the summit of humanity and the extreme of Martial Arts, would only live around a thousand years. Therefore, even in this era, the Earth Kings below the Heaven Kings still commanded unfathomably mysterious Divine Skills. As the Earth King had just said, there are divinities three feet above one¡¯s head. In the eyes of the Earth King, as long as the Yin God leaves the body, it can question ghosts and gods, question heaven and earth, and by asking the world, one can know who acted against him tonight. After marking them, he simply had to open the Heavenly Eye the following day, and he would see the mark given by the Earth King and know who had acted against him. However, for him, opening the Heavenly Eye was no easy feat. It would be extremely strenuous to use, and even if he managed to use it, he could only maintain it for a moment. And each time after using it, he would need several days of rest. With that thought, Liu Linmen murmured to himself, ¡°I need to rest well now. Only when my eyes are fully healed can I open the Heavenly Eye.¡± ¡­ On the other hand, After returning to his place, Jiang Ning did not know that such a change had occurred elsewhere in Luoshui County. He also had no idea that one of the Earth Kings from the Yellow Heaven Sect had set his sights on him. Still, he dared not slack off after returning home. Luoshui County now was completely different from half a year ago. Half a year ago, the so-called top experts in Luoshui County were merely Martial Arts Seventh Grade and Martial Arts Sixth Grade practitioners, and there were only a few of them at that level. People like Shen Congyun and Lin Qingyi, the big figures who rarely took action. But now it was completely different. Just among those he knew of, there were two top experts of the Martial Arts Fifth Grade. The Residence Master of the Inspection Office, Hong Minghu. And that Incense Master of the Yellow Heaven Sect, Liu Linmen. Both were Peak Fifth Grade Internal Strength strong people. Such experts were not someone ordinary people could contend with. Not even swarm tactics would work against these strong people. That night, he had personally tested the terror of a Fifth Grade Internal Strength expert. Even though he had every advantage of terrain and the natural world. Even in a rainy night when one couldn¡¯t see their hand in front of their face. Even though he launched a sneak attack using the Perfection-level Middle Grade Martial Arts, Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, he was utterly helpless against Liu Linmen. The so-called supersonic arrows were easily countered by Liu Linmen with a wave of his hand. Even when he used rainwater as a hidden weapon to suddenly attack Liu Linmen¡¯s eyes, he failed to deliver a real injury. That was with the element of surprise and employing his most magical methods. Yet, he still couldn¡¯t truly harm Liu Linmen. Under these circumstances, Jiang Ning did not dare to linger in battle. If he couldn¡¯t succeed in a sneak attack, and Liu Linmen became prepared, even continuing to use his Water Control Divine Ability would be of no use. With Inner Breath protecting the body, even attacking the various weak points of human orifices would not be effective. Moreover, such a move would inevitably reveal his methods. Without absolute certainty of killing Liu Linmen, he did not want to expose much. The first sneak attack caught Liu Linmen unprepared, and at most, he might think he had been attacked with a hidden weapon. But if there were a second or third time, Liu Linmen would realize something was special about the rainwater, as long as he wasn¡¯t a fool. That would be too revealing. This battle that night taught Jiang Ning a great deal. Against a Fifth Grade Internal Strength expert in direct combat, he was no match and his life could be in danger. Under these conditions, he felt no sense of security whatsoever. Liu Linmen, from the mysterious and unpredictable Yellow Heaven Sect, If he discovers that Jiang Ning was behind tonight¡¯s incident, that would mean a formidable enemy. Even though Liu Linmen might hesitate to act rashly because of his public office on the surface, Being targeted by such a strong person was enough to make one¡¯s life uneasy. He could not afford to ignore this potential crisis. Besides, he did not forget about the matter with Medicine King Valley. Liu Qingsong was killed by him. The Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill was taken by him. If Medicine King Valley came looking, it would pose a tremendous threat. Fifth Grade strong people were not absent in Medicine King Valley. According to his understanding, there were quite a few. Especially the Valley Master, who was rumored to be an invincible presence within the Fifth Grade, He had already reached the level of Inner Breath Like Gang and Five Internal Organs Thunder Sound. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Such an expert, based on his knowledge, Could turn even a tree branch into a Divine Weapon, And could slay over a thousand armed soldiers with a single sword strike. This sort of feat had been recorded. Inner Breath condensed like Gang, transforming into sword energy that was famed to break all things, unstoppable by any force. Wherever the sword energy went, men and horses were cleaved in half. Organs and blood everywhere, forming rivers. Such a scene had been recorded. This was the terror of Inner Breath Like Gang. Inner Breath condensed to the extreme, and even when leaving the body, it dispersed very slowly. Such an expert was far superior to Liu Linmen whom he faced tonight. If faced with the Peak of Fifth Grade, Inner Breath Like Gang Valley Master rumored in Medicine King Valley, Jiang Ning would turn and run without a second thought. Such a tiger¡¯s whisker was not to be touched. With such potential enemies, how could Jiang Ning dare to relax? A slight misstep and he might end up dead on the street. Chapter 284 - 284 24 Yin God Leaves the Body_3 ?Chapter 284: Chapter 24 Yin God Leaves the Body_3 Chapter 284: Chapter 24 Yin God Leaves the Body_3 That night, Jiang Ning ceaselessly tempered his Great Tendons, augmenting his Martial Arts Realm. Martial Arts Realm was indeed the foundation of everything. By 12:45, Jiang Ning suddenly felt the surrounding environment turn frigid, and the pool water became chilling to the bone. It was as if he had fallen into an ice cave. Additionally, the sound of an eerie wind reached his ears. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jiang Ning abruptly opened his eyes and continuously scanned the surroundings. In the darkness, he felt the gaze of a pair of eyes watching him, causing the hair on his body to stand on end and goosebumps to form. Jiang Ning¡¯s heart sank suddenly, feeling that something was amiss. He couldn¡¯t fail to notice such a change. At that moment, ¡°Who goes there!¡± A cold voice sounded. The next moment, A streak of green light sliced through the night sky. This green light was incredibly fast, like a meteor rushing toward Jiang Ning. Ah¡ª A piercing scream rang out beside Jiang Ning¡¯s ear. As the scream faded, Jiang Ning felt the environment return to normal. The bone-chilling cold was no more. The whirling winds had disappeared. Driiipping¡ª Jiang Ning came back to his senses and saw a green jade hairpin spinning before his eyes. The end of the hairpin continued to spread a green glow. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes widened. The scene before him felt somewhat fantastical; he was in a world of martial arts. Yet, the jade hairpin now made him feel as if he was in a world of immortals and cultivators. ¡°Little guy, stop looking! It¡¯s me!!¡± Hearing this voice, Jiang Ning immediately said, ¡°Sister Lin!!¡± This voice belonged to none other than Lin Qingyi. ¡°Come to me tomorrow!¡± Lin Qingyi¡¯s voice echoed once again in Jiang Ning¡¯s ear. Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded without hesitation. The next moment, The jade hairpin abruptly went from stillness to extreme speed, vanishing from Jiang Ning¡¯s sight like a meteor. The direction in which the hairpin disappeared was precisely toward Wanhua Building. At this point, Jiang Ning gazed in the direction of the vanishing hairpin, lost in thought. At this instant, his mind overflowed with questions. What caused the recent turn of events? Whose scream had suddenly burst forth? What was the jade hairpin? Who exactly was Lin Qingyi, and how could she wield such miraculous methods? And how had Lin Qingyi discovered the change that occurred here? Such numerous questions made Jiang Ning feel somewhat unfamiliar with his understanding of the world. Was this still the world of Martial Arts? Such astonishing methods? After a long contemplation, Jiang Ning shook his head slightly, temporarily dispelling the distracting thoughts in his mind. ¡°Tomorrow, meeting Lin Qingyi should clear up most of my doubts!¡± ¡°Just in time, I also need to spend some wealth to significantly increase my Source Energy Points, to support the Break Limit of my memory.¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. He then turned and headed toward his room. The night was deep, and it was time to sleep. ¡­ Thousands of miles away, A man with thick eyebrows and big eyes turned deathly pale, with cold sweat dripping from his forehead. An injury to the Yin God caused him to feel his soul tearing with excruciating agony. ¡°There exists such a Magic Artifact in Luoshui County!!!¡± This thought flashed through his mind. He immediately sent a message that due to the Yin God¡¯s injury, he needed to retreat and heal for three hundred days and requested not to be disturbed with any trivial matters. After sending the message, the man with thick eyebrows and a big visage immediately began his healing retreat. An injury to the Yin God, he dared not delay further. Such a wound was a thousand times more troublesome than any physical injury. Chapter 285 - 285 25 Reaping Great Rewards Cashing in Wealth ?Chapter 285: Chapter 25: Reaping Great Rewards, Cashing in Wealth! Chapter 285: Chapter 25: Reaping Great Rewards, Cashing in Wealth! The next day. Jiang Ning woke up early. It was still dawn when he left his room. At this time, the lake¡¯s mist was being blown across by the breeze, forming a smoke-like haze, dimming the light and obscuring visibility. But it was exceptionally cool. ¡°At last, the weather is finally starting to cool down!¡± Jiang Ning sighed. If he remembered the days correctly, it should be late October by now. The days were still blisteringly hot, only the early mornings and nights brought some cool relief. As for the weather, apart from a few rains he had conjured using the Divine Skill of Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Luoshui County hadn¡¯t seen a drop of rain for several months. Such unusual weather was indeed rare. Jiang Ning had even suspected it was man-made at one point. Even he could summon a storm that would drench half of Luoshui County. And if the records about the Ancient Times were true, then anything was possible. Especially after last night¡¯s anomaly, he felt that the world was not as simple as he had previously thought. Pondering for a moment, Jiang Ning shook his head to clear his thoughts, and then opened his stats panel. [name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 31.7 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (Three times limit-breaking 333/4000) (Traits: unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility) Five Animals Fist (One time limit-breaking 463/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Four times limit-breaking 5000/5000) (Traits: touch and understand, Blade as Swift as Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (small success 279/5000) Vajra Immortal Body (small success 453/5000) Swimming (Five times limit-breaking 6000/6000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Perfection 2000/2000) Water and Fire True Strength (small success 31/500) After a day¡¯s changes, his Source Energy Points had increased by a few points, reaching just over thirty. With this rate, his Source Energy points would break a hundred in less than a month. That would allow his Wind Thunder Arrow Skill to break the limit. But after last night¡¯s changes, Jiang Ning grew even more urgent for his strength to grow. Currently, the fastest way to enhance his strength was to break the limits of the skills that had reached full experience. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A breakthrough in skills would further enhance his actual combat power. ¡°Perfect, I¡¯ll go meet Lin Qingyi later and convert my current wealth into Source Energy points to allow my skills to breakthrough,¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Then he continued his journey of Martial Arts cultivation. ¡­ In the blink of an eye. The sun had risen. Jiang Ning took another bath, ate breakfast, and immediately rushed to Wanhua Building. He was eager to understand the reason behind last night¡¯s incident. Otherwise, he would never feel at ease. ¡­ Wanhua Building. ¡°Mr. Jiang!¡± As soon as she saw Jiang Ning, the girl in the green dress immediately hurried over. This girl was Miss Lv, whom Jiang Ning knew very well. ¡°Mr. Jiang is here early!¡± Miss Lv showed a bright smile. Seeing her, Jiang Ning also smiled slightly. ¡°Miss Lv is also early!¡± ¡°May I know what Mr. Jiang needs today?¡± Miss Lv bowed to Jiang Ning and then asked. Jiang Ning said, ¡°I¡¯d like to see Lin Qingyi, Master Lin!¡± Upon hearing this, Miss Lv¡¯s face revealed a moment of hesitation, then she said, ¡°Mr. Jiang, according to Master Lin¡¯s habit, she usually doesn¡¯t wake up until noon.¡± Jiang Ning: ¡°¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t help but slap his forehead; he had forgotten. Women are creatures who love to sleep. Especially beautiful women, who love it even more, under the pretense of beauty sleep. After pondering for a breath or two, Jiang Ning then spoke, ¡°Then let¡¯s buy some stuff first, and I¡¯ll meet her after she wakes up.¡± ¡°Mr. Jiang, please follow me,¡± Miss Lv said respectfully. ¡­ At this time, Wanhua Building was a bit desolate since it was still early. The two walked on the wooden boards, occasionally hearing creaking sounds under their feet. ¡°Mr. Jiang, what would you like to purchase today?¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that can enhance my Martial Arts strength are all acceptable.¡± ¡°How much value in Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures do you wish to buy?¡± asked Miss Lv. Jiang Ning promptly responded, ¡°About forty thousand taels of silver.¡± Hearing this, Miss Lv was startled, patting her chest. ¡°Mr. Jiang, that amount is too large; I can¡¯t make this decision by myself, I need to consult my manager!¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Jiang Ning nodded his head. Soon after. Miss Lv led Jiang Ning to the VIP room. After a short while, the door of the VIP room was pushed open, and the person who walked in was someone he recognized. It was Manager Han, Han Hongmei, whom he had met before. The last time he bought plant essence, it was Han Hongmei who attended him. Subsequently, clearly, Miss Lv¡¯s authority was raised. Most expenses were handled by Miss Lv. But this time was different; this was the wealthiest Jiang Ning had been and the most he had spent. This time he had brought over forty thousand taels of silver, all to be spent in one go. Absorbing Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, digesting their energy, would bring him a substantial increase in Source Energy points. Just like the time he found a fifty-year-old Blood Lotus in the lake, or by the old sunken ship near the pond at the bottom of the lake. Each time, he experienced a significant short-term rise in his Source Energy points. Especially the time he found the pond by the sunken ship at the bottom of the lake, which provided him with a considerable amount of Source Energy points. ¡°Greetings, Mr. Jiang!¡± As Han Hongmei stepped into the VIP room, she immediately paid her respects to Jiang Ning. Chapter 286 - 286 25 Reaping Great Rewards Cashing in ?Chapter 286: Chapter 25: Reaping Great Rewards, Cashing in Wealth!_2 Chapter 286: Chapter 25: Reaping Great Rewards, Cashing in Wealth!_2 ¡°Manager Han, there¡¯s no need for such formality,¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°Mr. Jiang, what exactly are you looking for?¡± Han Hongmei asked again, echoing the question Little Lv had just posed. Jiang Ning replied, ¡°Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that can significantly enhance Martial Arts Seventh Grade, or precious pills! Perhaps treasures like the Blood Lotus that can increase Qi-Blood and are very easy to digest and absorb, or items that can enhance spiritual power.¡± Upon hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s requirements, Han Hongmei fell into contemplation for a moment. She had a rough memory and understanding of all the various goods available at the Wanhua Building. Quickly, she thought of some items that would meet Jiang Ning¡¯s needs. ¡°Mr. Jiang, please follow me!¡± said Han Hongmei. Jiang Ning nodded and then followed her. ¡­ Two hours later. On the balcony of the Wanhua Building¡¯s attic. Jiang Ning sat cross-legged, his spiritual power delving into the ring. After a sweeping glance, a surge of joy welled up inside him. This time, after careful selection and calculation, his haul was abundant. He spent a total of forty-two thousand three hundred taels of silver. And this was after applying the 20% discount from the token left to him by Shen Congyun. Had he paid the original prices, his expenditure would have surpassed fifty thousand taels of silver. Such an enormous fortune could support five thousand households for a year¡¯s time. Five thousand households¡ªthat was over twenty thousand people. Such a number could not be considered small. At the same time. With these items in the ring, his confidence in his rapid strength improvement was now even stronger. Within the ring were precious pills that would aid his swift advancement in Martial Arts Seventh Grade. Just for this purpose, he had spent nearly twenty thousand taels of silver. There were plenty of other treasures as well. Looking at this batch of invaluable Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures and various precious medicines made Jiang Ning almost want to return immediately and fully assimilate these resources to boost his strength. But thinking about the incident from the previous night, he temporarily shelved this idea. An increase in strength was not something to be rushed. The cause of last night¡¯s event was of utmost importance. However, it was now between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., and Lin Qingyi was still asleep, so he didn¡¯t want to disturb her. It was also the time for him to practice his Breathing and Releasing the Essence of the Great Sun, so Jiang Ning began to do so right there, cross-legged, to gain Experience Value for his Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, to refine his organs, and to increase the amount of Inner Breath in his Dantian. With each breath in and out. A stream of Sun Essence Qi from the void, like a serpent of fire, was drawn into his organs through his nostrils. Jiang Ning immediately felt an intense burning sensation within his body. But he was already accustomed to such changes. However, he soon felt something entirely different from before. Previously, when he sat halfway submerged in water, the moisture from the water source allowed the burns in his organs to heal quickly. But now, sitting on a wooden terrace, without the nourishment of water. After digesting one stream of Sun Essence Qi, the burns in his organs showed no signs of subsiding. He then continued to absorb and breathe in the second stream of Sun Essence Qi despite the burning injuries in his organs. After the second stream of Sun Essence Qi was assimilated. He couldn¡¯t help but open his eyes, his brows deeply furrowed. Even after his body had absorbed the second stream of Sun Essence Qi, the burning sensation in his organs hadn¡¯t diminished at all. The pain of burning kept assaulting him relentlessly. Only at this moment did Jiang Ning truly understand how difficult it was for ordinary people to practice the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. Just the damage from the Sun Essence Qi to the organs was a major problem. He had only assimilated two streams, yet he felt that he could no longer continue to breathe in the Essence of the Great Sun. The burns caused by merely two streams were already quite severe. If he were to take in another stream, he felt that his organs might suffer major issues. Under such circumstances, he could not continue to practice the Breathing and Releasing the Essence of the Great Sun. But without this practice, the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill could not advance, and his organs would not improve. Thinking about this, Jiang Ning was filled with emotions. Under the nurturing of a water source, he could practice thirty or more times a day. But now, without the nourishment of water, equivalent to the situation of an ordinary person, he could barely manage to do it twice. The difference in efficiency was nearly twentyfold. That is to say, the progress he made in one day of practice was equivalent to a common person¡¯s month of effort. ¡°The disparity is too great!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head. Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t continue breathing and releasing the Essence of the Great Sun or practice Inner Elixir Cultivation. He simply took out a few things from his ring. He waved his hand. Five Blood Lotuses appeared before him. Their ages ranged from 35 to 100 years. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This batch of Blood Lotuses alone cost him over ten thousand taels of silver. He was very clear on their effects¡ªto enhance Qi Blood power. The increase in Qi Blood power is a good thing for any martial artist. For him as well. But what Jiang Ning valued most were the Source Energy Points provided by the Blood Lotuses. Last time, a fifty-year-old Blood Lotus worth about eight hundred taels had provided him with more than twenty Source Energy Points. This cost-effectiveness was extremely high in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. A single lotus could provide more than twenty Source Energy Points, meaning that at most, five fifty-year-old Blood Lotuses could provide him with over a hundred Source Energy Points. Over a hundred Source Energy Points would allow his Wind Thunder Arrow Skill to Break Limit for the first time. And this price, compared to that of the Snow Lotus, was about four thousand taels of silver. Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t guarantee that other Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures had such a suitable cost-effectiveness ratio. So, he directly bought all the Blood Lotus stock from Wanhua Building. But there were only these five in front of him. After that, he took out the oldest one. A hundred-year-old Blood Lotus, that single one cost him a great deal of money, five thousand taels of silver. That was an exceptionally favorable price. According to the blood lotus pricing, adding just ten more years would double the price. Of course, if the price really doubled like that, nobody could bear it, and the actual effect wasn¡¯t worth such exaggerated claims. But still, a hundred-year Blood Lotus for merely five thousand taels of silver felt very worthwhile to Jiang Ning. Originally, he thought that even if it didn¡¯t cost over twenty thousand taels, it would still take ten thousand taels to secure one. The next moment, He plucked a leaf from the hundred-year Blood Lotus. The leaf was as red as blood, and one could clearly see a fluid resembling blood flowing through the veins of the leaf¡¯s stem. Such a magical leaf, on a hundred-year Blood Lotus, there were ten in total. After Jiang Ning plucked one, he directly threw it into his mouth. After chewing a few times, he swallowed it in one gulp. The juice, along with the remains of the leaf, fell into his belly together. Suddenly, Jiang Ning felt his body temperature rising steadily, his skin turning a glowing red. His Blood Qi became violent and boiled within his veins as if roaring like a mighty river, unceasing and tumultuous. Every inch of the blood vessels on his skin swelled like a dragon, extremely visible. ¡°Such a fierce Medicinal Power!¡± Jiang Ning was startled. He quickly got up and started practicing his punches. Practicing punches to digest this violent Qi-Blood and vast Medicinal Power. Again and again. Jiang Ning was sweating profusely, and the Medicinal Power inside his body was gradually absorbed. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value+1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value+1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value+1] After three consecutive repetitions, his body temperature slowly fell. His breath gradually returned to normal, and his heartbeat stabilized. He clenched his fists. Feeling the change in the Qi-Blood inside him, Jiang Ning was delighted. Just a single leaf made him feel the increase in Qi-Blood was almost as significant as consuming a whole fifty-year-old Blood Lotus. ¡°No wonder they say the price of the Blood Lotus doubles with every ten years of age!¡± ¡°The increase in Medicinal effect is indeed exaggerated!¡± Jiang Ning reflected inwardly. He then glanced at the loft where Lin Qingyi was and withdrew his gaze. Jiang Ning plucked another crimson lotus leaf. His time was extremely precious now; he wouldn¡¯t wait here for Lin Qingyi to wake up. This was the perfect time to refine and absorb the Medicinal Power of the Blood Lotus. The Sumeru Ring was not short on Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. Just refining and absorbing those Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, Jiang Ning estimated it would take at least three to five days. Chapter 287 - 287 26 Lin Qingyis Worries ?Chapter 287: Chapter 26 Lin Qingyi¡¯s Worries Chapter 287: Chapter 26 Lin Qingyi¡¯s Worries Time passed. Jiang Ning ceaselessly refined one Blood Lotus leaf after another. With each hundred-year-old leaf he refined, he could feel his Qi-Blood growing stronger and more robust. In the blink of an eye, two hours had gone by, and the fierce sun was about to gradually rise directly overhead, perpendicular to the earth. Creak¡ª The door behind him was slowly pushed open, making a slight friction sound. Upon hearing this noise, Jiang Ning immediately turned to look and saw Lin Qingyi, barefoot and wearing a thin long dress, walking out of her room. ¡°Sister Lin,¡± Jiang Ning addressed her, then halted his fist training to bow respectfully, ¡°I thank you for your help last night.¡± As he finished speaking, Jiang Ning took out a green hairpin, carved with a phoenix spreading its wings. He had purchased this item just before his arrival here, spending over a hundred taels of silver. ¡°Sister Lin, I saw this hairpin on my way here and felt it would suit Sister Lin well, so I bought it.¡± Lin Qingyi looked at the jade hairpin in Jiang Ning¡¯s palm and couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. ¡°It seems that I didn¡¯t save the wrong person last night!¡± While speaking, she raised her hand slightly and, as if grasped by an invisible hand, the jade hairpin flew directly into her palm. After taking the hairpin, Lin Qingyi carefully examined it. Then she nodded slightly, ¡°This item is nice, I really like it. Come, put it on for Sister Lin.¡± ¡°All right!¡± Jiang Ning obediently nodded in agreement. He was secretly grateful to Lin Qingyi. Not to mention previous events, just her action last night alone had helped him out of a big trouble. Even until today, he couldn¡¯t comprehend the anomaly from last night. Approaching Lin Qingyi, Jiang Ning took the hairpin and moved behind her. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he reached out to gather Lin Qingyi¡¯s hair in his hands and began to bind it. At the same time, Lin Qingyi¡¯s cheeks reddened slightly. Because Jiang Ning had sweated a lot during his earlier training, now close behind her, the scent of the young man filled her nostrils. Having come so far in Martial Arts, Jiang Ning¡¯s life level had partially transformed, and he no longer had the foul smell normal people had. ¡°Could it be that I¡¯m longing for a man?¡± The thought popped into Lin Qingyi¡¯s mind, and then she chided herself lightly. ¡°Sister Lin, it¡¯s done!¡± Jiang Ning released his hands and stepped back. Lin Qingyi¡¯s previously disheveled hair, now confined by the jade hairpin, obediently gathered at the back of her head. The hairpin instantly added an intellectual charm to Lin Qingyi. Hearing his words, Lin Qingyi reached up to touch the hair behind her head. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Not bad, you actually have this skill. Tell me, with which girl have you practiced this before, for whom else have you tied up hair?¡± Hearing this question, a person flashed through Jiang Ning¡¯s mind. His first love in his past life. They loved each other, but due to the realities of life, they had gone their separate ways without ever coming together. After three years, he had tied her hair many times. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning simply smiled faintly and said nothing. Seeing this, Lin Qingyi immediately changed the subject. ¡°Speaking of which, you came so early today because of what happened last night?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning nodded and continued, ¡°Please help me understand, Sister Lin.¡± Upon hearing his words, Lin Qingyi nodded slightly. ¡°The incident last night was a manifestation of a Yin God venturing forth.¡± ¡°A Yin God venturing forth?¡± Jiang Ning was utterly astonished. ¡°Mhm!¡± Lin Qingyi nodded slightly, then glanced at Jiang Ning as if to acknowledge his confusion. She continued, ¡°The Yin God is a result of an ancient cultivation system. To reach this step, one must be a natural-born Immortal Root person.¡± ¡°The Yin God, as the name suggests, allows one to spirit away at night, covering a hundred miles in one breath, extremely terrifying! And with the strength of the Yin God, it is even possible to affect reality.¡± Saying this, Lin Qingyi looked at Jiang Ning, ¡°You¡¯ve run into big trouble!¡± Although Jiang Ning¡¯s face remained unchanged, his heart tightened slightly. Then, he asked, ¡°Sister Lin, about the Yin God¡¯s venture ¨C what level is it approximately?¡± Lin Qingyi explained, ¡°Yin Gods roam at night, Yang Gods during the day, and after the Yang God, one crosses the Heavenly Tribulation.¡± ¡°If it were ancient times, after the Heavenly Tribulation, one becomes an Immortal!¡± ¡°In ancient times, cultivators capable of a Yin God¡¯s venture were equivalent to Grandmasters.¡± ¡°But now, the environment is quite different, and those who follow that path have weakened considerably. A cultivator whose Yin God ventures forth is equivalent to a Martial Arts Fourth Grade, which isn¡¯t much to boast of.¡± Martial Arts Fourth Grade! Hearing these four words, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart tightened yet again, then he felt slightly relieved. Martial Arts Fourth Grade was intimidating, but it seemed simpler than he had imagined. He had thought that the Yin God¡¯s venture must be at least above the Grandmaster level. But from Lin Qingyi¡¯s words, he learned it was far from that frightening. It was just Martial Arts Fourth Grade. Given some time, he might not be unable to contend. Lin Qingyi glanced at Jiang Ning and then smiled, ¡°But you don¡¯t need to worry too much. The person whose Yin God ventured forth last night suffered damage to their Divine Soul.¡± ¡°The injury to the Divine Soul is a thousand times more troublesome than a physical injury.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t completely recover in less than a year.¡± ¡°Moreover, you are currently an unknown figure, not worth such a significant person making a move against you.¡± ¡°Besides, given your sensitive identity at present, the Deputy Commander of the Inspection Office, holding an official rank of Eighth Grade, only a real madman would dare to lay hands on you.¡± Chapter 288 - 288 26 Lin Qingyis Worries_2 ?Chapter 288: Chapter 26 Lin Qingyi¡¯s Worries_2 Chapter 288: Chapter 26 Lin Qingyi¡¯s Worries_2 Hearing Lin Qingyi¡¯s words, Jiang Ning didn¡¯t quite agree. This world didn¡¯t have the ubiquitous surveillance of his past life. No matter how high one¡¯s status, at most others would not dare to attack openly. But to kill secretly and dispose of the body without a trace, who would know who did it? Where does the notion of safety come from? Lin Qingyi continued, ¡°However, you mustn¡¯t take it lightly, you¡¯ve been marked by the Yellow Heaven Sect!¡± ¡°The Yellow Heaven Sect? Marked?¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s expression revealed a hint of surprise. He suddenly thought of his actions the previous night. ¡°Could it be that my actions, so well hidden, have been discovered by the Yellow Heaven Sect?¡± he thought to himself. At this moment, seeing the surprise on Jiang Ning¡¯s face, Lin Qingyi slightly nodded. ¡°Yes! The Yin God that appeared in your home last night is one of the Earth Kings of the Yellow Heaven Sect.¡± ¡°Among the Yellow Heaven Sect, Earth Kings hold very high positions, for they have achieved success in the Ancient Cultivation Method.¡± ¡°They have mastered Ancient Skills, and thus possess various inconceivable Divine Skills.¡± ¡°During last night¡¯s incident, you were marked by that Earth King with the Yellow Heaven Sect¡¯s mark.¡± ¡°Any martial artist in the Yellow Heaven Sect who has mastered the Heavenly Eye can see the mark he placed.¡± As she said this, Lin Qingyi¡¯s gaze fell into Jiang Ning¡¯s pupils. ¡°Having said that, what exactly did you do to the Yellow Heaven Sect that made them send an Earth King using Yin God to find you?¡± Jiang Ning hesitated briefly before responding, ¡°Last night, I killed a few members of the Yellow Heaven Sect.¡± ¡°That explains it!¡± Lin Qingyi nodded. She then continued, ¡°The Yellow Heaven Sect truly spans only five of the Nine States in Great Xia, and there aren¡¯t many followers of the sect in Luoshui County, which lies in Zeshan State.¡± ¡°The group of Yellow Heaven Sect members who came to Luoshui County must be tasked with spreading their doctrines and recruiting believers.¡± ¡°Your killing of their people, hindering the spread of the Yellow Heaven Sect, made it normal for an Earth King to intervene from afar.¡± Hearing Lin Qingyi¡¯s words, Jiang Ning felt he understood the situation somewhat. He then asked, ¡°Sister Lin, with that said, will the Earth King come to Luoshui County?¡± ¡°No!¡± Lin Qingyi shook her head. ¡°What status does an Earth King have? Why would he come to Luoshui County for such a trivial matter?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by the fact that the Earth King¡¯s Yin God manifestation is only equivalent to Martial Arts Fourth Grade. Due to its special nature, he¡¯s considered a reincarnated Immortal and holds an extremely high position in the Yellow Heaven Sect.¡± ¡°The Earth King ranks only below the Heaven King and the Sect Hierarch of the Yellow Heaven Sect.¡± ¡°For such a minor matter, it¡¯s not worth his while to travel thousands of miles to come to Luoshui County.¡± ¡°Just sending his Yin God thousands of miles to mark you is already the greatest help to the believers on this mission.¡± Having listened seriously to Lin Qingyi¡¯s words, Jiang Ning felt much relieved. That significant figure capable of sending out his Yin God was thousands of miles away, and with his Divine Soul injured, it was not possible for him to come to Luoshui County. That meant his potential enemies were no more than Liu Linmen and his group. Although a Martial Arts Fifth Grade exerted great pressure on him, it was not without countermeasures for resistance. Just like the previous night, gaining the advantage of time and place, Liu Linmen could do nothing to him for the moment. In fact, he had even injured him, nearly blinding his eyes. After pondering for a moment. Jiang Ning spoke again, ¡°Sister Lin, do you have a way to remove the mark from me?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± Lin Qingyi shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t have the Immortal Root. I have no solution for such Divine Skills from Ancient Times.¡± She then continued to look at Jiang Ning. ¡°Nevertheless, you don¡¯t have to worry. Being an Eighth Grade official, the Yellow Heaven Sect dares not act against you here. Their mission is far more important than those who died.¡± Jiang Ning smiled noncommittally. Regarding this matter, he knew far more than Lin Qingyi. Last night, the person he killed, if he wasn¡¯t mistaken, belonged to the God Worship Sect, not the Yellow Heaven Sect. The fact that yesterday¡¯s God Worship Sect members were acting with the Yellow Heaven Sect undeniably suggested a problem. Hence, the importance of the man he killed might be more troublesome than Lin Qingyi imagined. Therefore, he didn¡¯t dare to be careless. The mark Lin Qingyi spoke of, he couldn¡¯t detect, let alone dispel. That meant, as long as Liu Linmen came looking, with a mere open of the Heavenly Eye, he could know that he was the one who took action that night. ¡°I need to focus more on strengthening my power!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. He glanced at his own panel. [Source Energy]: 31.7 Currently, the only thing that could improve his power quickly was Source Energy Points. The Break Limit of Skill, though it wouldn¡¯t bring a fundamental improvement in Martial Arts, could undoubtedly greatly increase his actual combat capabilities. Just like the arrow he shot out last night. If he hadn¡¯t mastered the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill to Perfection, how could he have shot such a formidable arrow? Including last night¡¯s narrow achievement of injuring Liu Linmen¡¯s eyes, it was also reliant on the Divine Skills gained from breaking the limit of Swimming. After some thought, Jiang Ning prepared to go home to assimilate the resources he had acquired that day. Afterwards, Jiang Ning clasped his hands together, ¡°Thank you, Sister Lin, for solving the mystery in my heart! I must return home now.¡± ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Lin Qingyi raised her hand, ¡°Would you like a wife?¡± Jiang Ning: ¡°¡­¡± He then said, ¡°Sister Lin, I have absolutely no such thoughts at present. Only if there could be a woman as stunning as you, might I be moved.¡± Having said that, Jiang Ning clasped his hands, ¡°Sister Lin, I will take my leave now.¡± As his words ended, Jiang Ning turned and left. Lin Qingyi watched his tall figure departing, and couldn¡¯t help but be slightly startled. Afterward, she watched Jiang Ning slowly descending the stairs, his fading figure eliciting a smile from her. ¡°This little guy, he even dares to tease me?¡± Soon after, she took on a look as if her thoughts were wandering to the heavens, seemingly pondering something. Several breaths later. Lin Qingyi couldn¡¯t help but sigh softly, ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Her tone brimmed with deep melancholy. Then she walked over to the wooden railing and looked down at the street below. Instantly, she saw Jiang Ning, who was also looking back in her direction. At that moment, Jiang Ning stood on the street and glanced up at the rooftop pavilion of Wanhua Building, immediately noticing Lin Qingyi standing against the railing. Seeing this, Jiang Ning raised his hand and waved goodbye. Then he turned once more and left. ¡°This young man is really not bad! He truly fits my aesthetic! If I had met him when I was younger, I might indeed have refused to yield to death, and never have married that man, effectively becoming a widow for nothing!¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t know whether what I¡¯ve investigated these years is true.¡± ¡°Did the Old Prince want him to marry me simply because I was a suitable vessel?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s really the case, the sudden death of the man on the day he married me might have been the handiwork of the Old Prince.¡± With this possibility in mind, Lin Qingyi felt a sense of powerlessness wash over her. After marrying into the Prince Mansion, she truly experienced the terror of being married to a man of great rank and power. Even though the old man was white-haired and aged, he remained a colossal presence in Great Xia. Nowadays, even with some strength of her own, she had no chance of escaping. Moreover, if she were to flee, over a thousand of her family members would perish because of her. If this matter was true, the Old Prince¡¯s allowing her the freedom to move about showed the extent of his confidence. Thinking about all these matters, Lin Qingyi sighed deeply, filled with a myriad of melancholy emotions. Subsequently, she steadied her spirit and shook her head. ¡°No!!! ¡°I still have to find that youngster a wife. Otherwise, I really fear the day I make a mistake.¡± ¡°If I really mess up, that youngster might end up dead because of me!¡± Lin Qingyi immediately made up her mind. ¡­ On the other side, sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After leaving Wanhua Building, Jiang Ning fell into deep thought. His visit to Wanhua Building today solved many of the doubts in his heart. Especially, he solved the biggest doubt in his mind, the reason for last night¡¯s incident. Yin God possession. That was the root cause of last night¡¯s changes. ¡°Luckily, Lin Qingyi was there!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself silently. He was secretly grateful to Lin Qingyi. She had helped him enormously. ¡°I wonder what Lin Qingyi¡¯s true strength is?¡± This question, after appearing in Jiang Ning¡¯s mind, made him feel that Lin Qingyi was surrounded by layers of enigma. According to Lin Qingyi, a Prince of the Land was equivalent to a Martial Arts Fourth Grade existence. Martial Arts Fourth Grade, one below a Grandmaster, the strongest of warriors. Such might was incredibly formidable. And even among the contemporaries, it denoted a top-tier combatant. Yet Lin Qingyi, last night, managed to harm that Prince of the Land¡¯s Yin God. This clearly indicated that Lin Qingyi was not simple. Such strength, how could she merely be the deputy manager of a small branch of Wanhua Building in Luoshui County? If Wanhua Building could really afford such luxury, to have Lin Qingyi serve as just a deputy manager, Then this world would not belong to Great Xia, but to Wanhua Building. ¡°Lin Qingyi is not so simple, but it¡¯s best not to inquire too much!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself internally. Chapter 289 - 289 27 Wind Thunder Arrow Technique Breaks ?Chapter 289: Chapter 27: Wind Thunder Arrow Technique Breaks Limit, Soaring Combat Power! Chapter 289: Chapter 27: Wind Thunder Arrow Technique Breaks Limit, Soaring Combat Power! The next day. name: Jiang Ning Source Energy: 177.3 Skill: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Break Limit four times 5000/5000) (traits: touch and understand, blade like a swift wind, wielding the blade divinely, unity of person and blade) Swimming (Break Limit five times 6000/6000) (traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Control Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) Wind Thunder Arrow Skill+ (Perfection 2000/2000) ¡­ Looking at his status panel, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of excitement. In just one day, his Source Energy Points had skyrocketed by more than a hundred points. This was the effect of digesting what was called Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures on the previous day. And this increase was just from digesting a hundred-year-old Blood Lotus. That hundred-year Blood Lotus cost him only five thousand taels of silver. For him, five thousand taels of silver to gain over a hundred Source Energy Points felt like an exceptionally good deal. Not to mention, the increase in Source Energy Points was just a secondary benefit. The elevation of Qi-Blood was the true effect of the hundred-year Blood Lotus. The improvement in Qi-Blood the Blood Lotus provided yesterday would have taken him at least half a month of dedicated cultivation. Keep in mind, he had made it to this point in just about four months¡¯ time. The efforts of half a month equated to an increase of one-eighth in his Qi Blood Power. This enhancement was by no means insignificant. Digesting the hundred-year Blood Lotus yesterday let him truly understand the importance of Martial Arts resources. Even if medicine comes with a three-point poison, the proper use of resources offers a stark and crucial enhancement. On the path of Martial Arts, being one step ahead means you¡¯re ahead with every step. The golden years of vigorous and dedicated practice in Martial Arts are these ten or twenty years; any improvement that can save months of effort greatly increases the likelihood of entering the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm. Once one reaches the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm, the functions of internal organs are enhanced, and the golden years can be extended for several or even tens of years. Various thoughts flickered through Jiang Ning¡¯s mind, and he heaved a sigh inwardly before his gaze settled back on his status panel. Now that the Source Energy Points had surpassed a hundred, Wind Thunder Arrow Skill met the first Break Limit condition. The next moment, Jiang Ning didn¡¯t hesitate; with a slight thought, The Source Energy Points on the panel quickly decreased. Boom¡ª Just then, a thunderous roar erupted in his mind, and his consciousness plunged into chaos. Within the sea of consciousness, there was the descent of thunder. The terrifying arrival of thunder brought a brief moment of confusion to his consciousness. When Jiang Ning¡¯s consciousness returned, all changes on the panel had already concluded. Source Energy: 77.3 Skill: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Break Limit four times 5000/5000) (traits: touch and understand, blade like a swift wind, wielding the blade divinely, unity of person and blade) Swimming (Break Limit five times 6000/6000) (traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Control Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Break Limit once 0/3000) (trait: Wind and Thunder Breath) Wind and Thunder Breath: Move like the wind, act like thunder, able to sense the existence of Wind and Thunder Power between heaven and earth. Observing the changes on the panel, Jiang Ning immediately closed his eyes. Instantly, his vision became pitch black. It was then, In the dark world, blue and purple lights suddenly appeared. The lights floated to his body, and Jiang Ning instantly understood. Blue was for wind, and purple for thunder. He then opened his eyes. With a casual lift of his right hand, he saw a blue and purple light ball slowly gathering in his palm. Several breaths passed, And the blue and purple light ball finally became somewhat denser. Seeing this, Jiang Ning waved his right hand. The light ball in his hand burst forth like a sudden thunderclap, flying through the window and landing in the courtyard outside. Boom¡ª A muffled sound. Although the noise wasn¡¯t as terrifying as a bolt from the blue sky, it was nonetheless clear and loud. ¡°Such an action somewhat resembles the Palm Thunder Divine Skill of Daoism!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head with a laugh, feeling no great joy in his heart. Through the window, he saw the pit made by the impact that resembled the Palm Thunder Divine Skill. The pit was only three to five centimeters deep, and the surrounding area of two or three centimeters was pitch black. For him at this stage, such power was too weak. His Water and Fire True Strength could easily crush a rock into powder and could turn a big hugged tree into complete splinters with one palm strike. Compared to the explosive power of Water and Fire True Strength, the force of the explosion resembling Wind and Thunder Power was far too feeble. The performance and intimidating effect were far greater than the actual impact. Remember, this burst of Wind and Thunder Power was after several breaths of gathering. In an actual battle, where would he have so much time to gather Wind and Thunder Power? With that time, he could fire several arrows with all his might. ¡°However¡­¡± Jiang Ning murmured softly, his lips curving into a slight smile: ¡°The transformation of Wind and Thunder Strength is the biggest gain and surprise.¡± sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he spoke, he raised his hand. Crackle¡ª Lightning flashed instantly along his right arm. In the dawning light, you could clearly see the electric arcs bursting like static electricity. Such bursts, much like the static shocks experienced during the winter when removing a wool sweater in the night. The next moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s figure shifted, turning into an afterimage as he dashed out of the room through the window. After appearing in the courtyard, Jiang Ning looked back over his shoulder. A look of joy crossed his face. This distance, this speed, he was not capable of achieving it before. Afterward, He once again burst forward with all his power. His silhouette turned into an afterimage on the spot. He vaulted over the tall courtyard wall, crossed the Rough Stone Beach, and stepped onto the surface of the lake. With his incredibly fast speed and powerful explosive power, he tread upon the water as if on flat ground. Walking on water, the lake breeze faced him head-on. Chapter 290 - 290 27 Wind and Thunder Arrow Techniques Break ?Chapter 290: Chapter 27: Wind and Thunder Arrow Techniques Break Limit, Soaring Combat Power!_2 Chapter 290: Chapter 27: Wind and Thunder Arrow Techniques Break Limit, Soaring Combat Power!_2 Mist and waves intertwined, creating a scene that seemed like a heavenly paradise, filling Jiang Ning¡¯s heart with unparalleled exhilaration. The vast world, at this moment, was his to race through. If someone were boating on the lake at this time, they would see a human silhouette racing across the surface of the water. As the silhouette passed, the water exploded, blossoming into white waves. Suddenly¡ª Boom¡ª The water beneath Jiang Ning¡¯s feet burst, and the spray exploded into myriad white pearls. His body was immediately surrounded by layers of electric arcs. At this moment, his movement was like the wind, his actions like thunder, fully erupting. Under the influence of the bioelectric arcs, his speed once again surged dramatically. The previously black silhouette was suddenly filled with a faint blue light as it raced over the water. Jiang Ning walked on water and circled back to a rock formation; his mood instantly improved greatly. To walk on water was the martial fantasy dream of so many people. Today, he had effortlessly achieved it. After this simple test, he understood what it meant to move like the wind and act like thunder. The power of wind and thunder merged into his body, making him blend with the wind once he moved. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Under this condition, the wind resistance he experienced was greatly reduced. Anyone who understood wind resistance knew how much its reduction could impact speed. His running speed had just increased by a full fifty percent more than before. At this stage, an increase of nearly fifty percent could be described as freakish. To make even further progress at the height of one¡¯s achievement was incredibly difficult. The difficulty of breaking one¡¯s own limits as a former athlete in his previous life was evidence enough. The breakthrough in the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill took him by complete surprise, as he moved like the wind and increased speed by fifty percent¡ªan unexpected joy. Furthermore, the effect of moving like thunder was astounding. The power of movement and the power of thunder surged through his muscles, stimulating his body to unleash extraordinary strength. Just now, he had also conducted a simple test; although it could not be used as a standard technique, short bursts of it were totally feasible. In other words, he had added another method to his arsenal. If he used both ¡°move like the wind¡± and ¡°act like thunder.¡± Then his speed would be twice as fast as ordinary; in Jiang Ning¡¯s view, this was an incredibly heaven-defying method. ¡°The breakthroughs of Middle-class Martial Arts bring indeed huge changes!¡± Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but marvel. Afterward, A longbow suddenly appeared in his hands. Nocking and drawing the bow, Jiang Ning easily drew the string to its full extent. Thwang¡ª With a release of his finger, the arrow blazed across the lake¡¯s surface. The arrow, charged with the energy of wind and thunder, suddenly broke the sound barrier, creating a surge of air that formed a distinct trail over the lake¡¯s surface. Above the lake, ripples continued to spread. The arrow shot several miles before plunging into the water. ¡°I have indeed become stronger!¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s concentrated gaze returned to normal as he watched the arrow¡¯s path. ¡°Compared to the Perfection of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, the power of this arrow is about twenty to thirty percent stronger. If I had a better bow, the arrows I shoot could reach even higher levels!¡± Jiang Ning sighed inwardly, feeling a bit helpless. To find what he now considered a good bow was impossible in Luoshui County. He felt even Cao Rong¡¯s bow, in his own hands, would not be able to fully demonstrate his strength. Cao Rong, at the Peak of the Seventh Grade, was no longer even in Jiang Ning¡¯s consideration. If Cao Rong hadn¡¯t made any progress compared to a few months ago, Jiang Ning had full confidence he could kill him with a single arrow. After stowing away the longbow, Jiang Ning returned to his yard in a few leaps and bounds. His movements were light and effortless between action and stillness, giving Jiang Ning the sensation that he could rise with the wind. He knew this was the power of the wind. It was also the change brought to him by breaking the limit of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. Such an effect not only met his expectations but also exceeded what he anticipated. Just breaking the limit with the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, Jiang Ning felt that if he confronted his self from yesterday, he would easily win. Such a significant improvement in strength further solidified Jiang Ning¡¯s resolve. The breakthrough in skills was currently the fastest way to enhance his strength. ¡­ After returning to the courtyard. The sky was still dawn, barely beginning to brighten. Jiang Ning then took out the remaining four Blood Lotuses from his Storage Ring. The previous day, he had only consumed the hundred-year-old Blood Lotus. The test of the hundred-year-old Blood Lotus¡¯s effects had left him quite satisfied. Blood Lotus, one of the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, truly offered him a high cost-performance ratio. A hundred-year-old Blood Lotus, sold to him by Wanhua Building for 5000 taels of silver, indeed increased more than a hundred Source Energy Points. At least for now, this conversion ratio is extremely cost-effective. The most critical thing is, Blood Lotus is very easy for him to refine and absorb. Valued at 5,000 taels, he used less than a day yesterday to thoroughly digest and absorb it. After distractions passed, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze returned to the four Blood Lotuses in front of him. Compared to the century-old Blood Lotus, these four were far inferior and much cheaper. One was sixty years old, one was twenty years old, and two were forty years old. Together, they totaled just over 2,000 taels of silver. In terms of value, still not half the value of the century-old Blood Lotus from yesterday. Jiang Ning then grabbed the twenty-year-old Blood Lotus and popped it into his mouth, chewing a few times before swallowing it whole. Several breaths passed. He frowned because the effect was indeed very weak. Yesterday, a single lotus leaf made his Qi-Blood surge and hard to calm. Then, he grabbed a forty-year-old Blood Lotus. After plucking the four deep red, blood-like leaves off, he chewed them up and swallowed. Only when this Blood Lotus entered his mouth did Jiang Ning feel yesterday¡¯s changes again. Body temperature skyrocketed, Qi-Blood boiling. Jiang Ning immediately began practicing his boxing, aiding his body in refining this enormous Medicinal Power. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +1] [¡­] Over and over again, as the boxing experience value increased continuously, the body¡¯s Medicinal Power was also being refined. Soon, when body temperature returned to normal and the boiling sensation subsided, most of the Medicinal Power had been thoroughly refined. Jiang Ning then continued to chew and ingest the remaining Blood Lotus. Then he continued to practice boxing to aid his body in refining this Medicinal Power. ¡­ Until the Great Sun hung high in the sky. All the Blood Lotuses had finally been completely refined by Jiang Ning. And by this time, it was nearly 9:00 a.m. Jiang Ning went to the kitchen to grab something, filling his stomach, then the time also arrived at 9:00 a.m. This time, sitting cross-legged in the water, the sensation of Breathing and Releasing the Essence of the Great Sun was completely different from yesterday. Not only was there no scorching sensation like yesterday, but also the slight abnormal feeling in the body¡¯s five organs quickly dissipated with the nourishment of the water source. [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill EXP +1] [¡­] With each cycle of breathing in and out, Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill experience accumulated, and the Inner Breath at the Dantian became even more vigorous. ¡­ Two hours had not yet passed. Approaching noon, Jiang Ning stopped the breathing and releasing of the Great Sun Essence Qi. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (small success 319/5000) He took a brief glance at his panel and immediately skipped it. The Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill was still far from Great Success. Then, Jiang Ning shifted his attention to the Sumeru Ring. During yesterday¡¯s trip to the Wanhua Building, he spent over 40,000 taels of silver. But it was not just for those five Blood Lotuses. The value of those five Blood Lotuses was just over 7,000 taels. That is to say, he spent more than 30,000 taels on other various expenses. Of which, 20,000 taels were spent on Pills that elevate the fundamentals of Martial Arts. Another 10,000 plus taels were spent on an assortment of other Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. Subsequently, Jiang Ning took out an item from the Storage Ring. It resembled a bamboo shoot, a translucent jade bamboo shoot. This item was valued at 3,500 taels. According to Han Hongmei, this item could improve one¡¯s physique, particularly helpful for future Bone Forging, by greatly enhancing the hardness of one¡¯s bones and also increasing the efficiency of Sixth Rank Bone Forging. This, in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes, was also extremely important. Moreover, according to Han Hongmei, this item was also easy for the body to absorb and refine without the need for slow digestion resembling grinding a millstone. This, in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes, was equally crucial. Chapter 291 - 291 28 Sudden Surge in Source Energy Points ?Chapter 291: Chapter 28: Sudden Surge in Source Energy Points Chapter 291: Chapter 28: Sudden Surge in Source Energy Points In the courtyard. Crack¡ª Crack¡ª S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning took a bite after another of the jade bamboo shoot. ¡°It tastes quite refreshing!¡± he nodded. Soon, the entire jade bamboo shoot had entered his stomach. The Water and Fire True Strength surged within his body. In an instant, the jade bamboo shoot, originally as hard as jade, was ground into powder. Under the operation of Qi-Blood, the green powder released a rolling Medicinal Power. With the transportation of Qi-Blood, the Medicinal Power slowly merged into all 206 bones in his body. In an instant, Jiang Ning felt an itching sensation deep in his bones, as if ants were crawling. ¡­ Several hours later. Huff¡ª Jiang Ning opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of impure energy. ¡°Crushing it with the Water and Fire True Strength really does increase the refinement efficiency!¡± Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. According to Han Hongmei, a normal Martial Artist would need a day or two to refine this jade bamboo shoot. Yet, he had done it in less than three hours. Such efficiency could be attributed partly to the abundant Qi-Blood in his body, and partly to the powerful Water and Fire True Strength he possessed. Even the Wind-Thunder Strength, achieved after one Break Limit, couldn¡¯t compare with it. In terms of destructive power, being made of two extreme and incompatible forces, the destructive power of Water and Fire True Strength far exceeded that of Wind-Thunder Strength. Thus, when operated, a gentle crush, and the jade bamboo shoot as hard as jade was turned into powder. In this way, his efficiency of refinement was so high. The next moment, Jiang Ning closed his eyes to introspect his whole body. In an instant, all 206 bones appeared in his sight. He saw that the originally pale bones were now tinged with spots of green luster. The green luster was also slowly fading as time passed. ¡°From this, it¡¯s clear that the Bi wave bamboo shoot is indeed a type of bone targeted at human bones.¡± ¡°This item helps on my path to Martial Arts Sixth Grade, and its primary effect now is to provide me with Source Energy Points.¡± ¡°I just wonder how many Source Energy Points the growth will be from this jade bamboo shoot worth three thousand taels of silver?¡± Thinking this, Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes. This question lingered in his mind, and there was no way for him to verify his guess by consuming one Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure every day. Afterward, Jiang Ning clenched his fists. Crackling¡ª His finger bones made a crisp sound. He immediately felt that, compared to before, his bones had grown much harder. Harder bones meant stronger resistance to impacts. Martial arts combat. It¡¯s not just about who is more ferocious in killing, but also about who can withstand impact better, the defensive power of the physique. A robust physique with strong defense makes severe injuries into minor injuries, minor injuries into superficial wounds, and superficial wounds into no breach. This was equally important. ¡­ Having simply experienced the changes brought about by the Bi wave bamboo shoot over decades, Jiang Ning rose to have his meal. By this time, it was past noon, and feeling an emptiness in his stomach, he felt hungry. After lunch, Jiang Ning returned to his yard. There were still many resources in his Sumeru Ring that needed to be digested. Once they were digested, he could sooner continue to Break Limit other skills. Within Luoshui County itself, there was Liu Linmen, a hidden enemy. Yesterday, the Land King of the Yellow Heaven Sect manifested his Yin God to find him and gave him a mark. Under such circumstances, any day Liu Linmen found him and called upon the Heavenly Eye, he would know last night¡¯s incident was his doing. Although as the Deputy Commander of the Inspection Office, even if Liu Linmen had the guts, he wouldn¡¯t dare to attack him outright. But as the saying goes, open spears are easy to dodge, secret arrows are difficult to guard against. On a moonless windy night, to be attacked secretly and have the body disposed of, who would know who was responsible? In such a scenario, Jiang Ning naturally could not afford any negligence. Strength was the ultimate confidence. Next, he took out another item from the Storage Ring. A palm-sized shell. This item also cost a fortune, valued at four thousand taels. Inside the shell were four drops of Earth Core Cold Marrow. This item could only be found deep within underground caverns in extremely cold environments, a valuable Heavenly Material. Consuming and refining it could enhance spiritual power. Such an item was always welcomed by true Martial Arts Strongmen. Therefore, it was extremely valuable, with each drop costing one thousand taels. Jiang Ning purchased this because he considered the divine skills he mastered, all related to spiritual power. As his spiritual power broke through once, reaching a tangibly out-of-body level for a short time, his various divine skills were visibly enhanced. For this reason, Jiang Ning chose to buy the Earth Core Cold Marrow. The enhancement of spiritual power would make his Divine Skills stronger. This would not only improve his strength but also increase his Source Energy Points. After forcefully opening the shell, a burst of cold mist emerged instantly, enclosing the four pearl-like droplets at its core. The droplets, dense as mercury, stayed separate, not merging even though they collided due to the shell¡¯s movement, unlike ordinary droplets merging together. ¡°Truly marvelous!¡± Jiang Ning murmured in awe. Then, with a light blow towards the shell, the sinking cold mist instantly surged like a tidal wave, spilling over from the edges of the shell and cascading towards the ground like clouds from the nine heavens. The cold mist seeped through his palms, instantly giving him a bone-chilling sensation. ¡°No wonder Han Hongmei told me it¡¯s best to dissolve it in water before drinking it. Although it weakens the effect of the Earth Core Cold Marrow a bit, it significantly reduces the accumulation of cold poison, preventing it from harming the internal organs and viscera.¡± Chapter 292 - 292 28 Source Energy Points Surge_2 ?Chapter 292: Chapter 28 Source Energy Points Surge_2 Chapter 292: Chapter 28 Source Energy Points Surge_2 Thinking about this, Jiang Ning pondered for a moment and then shook his head. ¡°I believe my five internal organs, refined daily by the Great Sun Essence Qi, can resist the cold poison in the core of the earth.¡± The next moment, A drop of the core¡¯s cold marrow rose out of thin air. Jiang Ning¡¯s mouth slightly opened. Whoosh¡ª The drop of cold marrow instantly shot into his mouth. For Jiang Ning, controlling a drop of the earth¡¯s core cold marrow with his spiritual power was no trouble at all. However, that was the extent of its uses; beyond that, there was no other substantial effect. Unless he could break through again and further strengthen it. Just then, Jiang Ning¡¯s brow suddenly furrowed. As the cold marrow entered his body, he suddenly felt a terrifying chill burst forth. This was a chill below zero degrees! In the face of this chill, he felt his blood gradually beginning to solidify. The water within his body started to crystallize into ice. Ha¡ª Jiang Ning expelled a breath from his mouth, and instantly, a white mist emerged. ¡°What a terrifying cold poison!¡± Jiang Ning murmured. His expression was already beginning to improve, and his complexion gradually shifted from deathly pale to a healthy flush. As the chill erupted, his heart suddenly burst forth like a volcano. Qi-Blood boiled, and body temperature soared. The increasingly hot blood surged through his veins like a fire dragon. Wherever it passed, the chill was dispersed, and the ice crystals melted. In less than ten breaths, the circulating blood completed a grand circulation within the human body. The surrounding chill completely dispersed, and the drop of earth¡¯s core cold marrow, now with inwardly contained chill, rested in his abdomen. ¡°This object should be quite potent!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. He then began to refine the earth¡¯s core cold marrow within him. ¡­ Time passed. Until the Great Sun sank to the west, and night fell. Hu¡ª Jiang Ning opened his eyes and expelled a breath of impure energy from his belly. As he expelled this breath, which met the outside air, it suddenly condensed into countless tiny ice crystals, creating the mist. ¡°All four drops of Earth¡¯s Core Cold Marrow completely refined!¡± Jiang Ning murmured. He gestured with his hand. A leaf hovered midair about a yard in front of him. ¡°Spiritual power can extend to about a yard from the body.¡± Then, Jiang Ning waved his hand. The leaf, having lost some kind of support, gently fell to the ground. Jiang Ning then closed his eyes again. In an instant, An invisible net of spiritual power spread outward, instantly mapping out a 360-degree, yard-wide area in his mind. ¡°My spiritual power truly has grown much stronger!¡± Jiang Ning felt a surge of joy in his mind. This step not only represented that his various divine abilities would be stronger, but also that his advantage in conflicts with others would increase. Under the spread of the spiritual power net, no movement within a yard could escape his senses. This meant he could completely anticipate his enemies, acting faster than them in every move. ¡°Just this improvement alone makes the four thousand taels well spent.¡± Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. Then, he maintained this state for several dozen breaths until he felt a faint pain in his brain and his spirit started to wane, at which point he opened his eyes and retracted the spread spiritual power net. The Earth¡¯s Core Cold Marrow, a heavenly material and earthly treasure, had increased in importance in his eyes. Compared to the enhancements provided by the BiBo Bamboo, the effects of the Earth¡¯s Core Cold Marrow were undoubtedly more significant. Next, Jiang Ning quietly sat in a pool, eyes closed and rejuvenating. After about half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he opened his eyes, lively and spirited. At this moment, his body¡¯s condition had once again reached its peak. His spirit was filled with vigor. ¡°Continue!¡± Under the moonlight, Jiang Ning gestured again, and like a flame, a fruit appeared in his hand. This object was about the size of a cherry tomato from his past life, completely crimson, as if a flame was burning within it. According to Han Hongmei, This was the Red Flame Fruit. In the Ancient Era, this was one of the spirit fruits required by those who followed the path of the immortals, capable of enhancing cultivation. However, for martial artists, it had little effect, only reputed to possess effects like washing the marrow, eliminating hidden diseases, and prolonging life. However, in reality, these claims were merely exaggerations. Perhaps they were effective, but the effect was extremely weak. These were things Han Hongmei personally told him. Jiang Ning should not hold any expectations for this item. Yet, even though it was primarily exaggerated, the value of the Red Flame Vermilion Fruit was extremely high. The one he held in his hand alone had cost him eight thousand taels of silver. This was even after he had used a token left by Shen Congyun to get a 20% discount. That is to say, a single Red Flame Vermilion Fruit, at the original price of Wanhua Building, was worth ten thousand taels. That¡¯s ten taels of Gold, ten golden leaves. He glanced a few times at the Red Flame Vermilion Fruit in his hand. Jiang Ning then tossed it into his mouth. With a gentle bite, juice splattered everywhere. As the juice traveled down his throat into his body, Jiang Ning immediately felt warmth spreading throughout him. It was as if he were soaking in a warm pool. Once the Red Flame Vermilion Fruit entered his stomach, Jiang Ning quietly sensed the changes in his body. A warm flow filled his limbs and organs, present everywhere in his body. But that was all. He could not feel any transformation or enhancement in his body. It merely made him feel as if his body had been baptized by some power, becoming more agile throughout. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This state lasted for an hour, then completely vanished without a trace. Jiang Ning then closed his eyes and introspected. After several breaths, he opened his eyes reluctantly. Through introspection, he confirmed what Han Hongmei had said, the Red Flame Vermilion Fruit had not induced any changes. ¡°Eight thousand taels of silver seem to have been wasted!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head and smiled bitterly. However, if he could go back to yesterday, he would still choose to buy the Red Flame Vermilion Fruit. Because according to what Han Hongmei said, such Spirit Plants from the Ancient Era were now incredibly rare. Wanhua Building only had one Red Flame Vermilion Fruit in stock. And even that was obtained by a fluke. The changes over the eras had made this item incredibly rare. Such a rare item, if he had the chance, he would definitely secure it. He also wanted to see how many Source Energy Points such a rare item could provide him. After all, this item was considered a Heavenly Material and Earth Treasure needed by Immortals. Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures needed by Immortals should theoretically contain much more energy than those required by martial artists. This was also the reason he chose to spend eight thousand taels of silver to buy it. Source Energy Points were what he valued the most now. This was related to his Skill¡¯s breakthrough limit. Compared to the enhancement brought by a Skill¡¯s breakthrough limit, the enhancement to the human body from Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures was negligible. Just like the Core Chilling Marrow allowed his spiritual power to extend around his body by a whole meter, it could be said to be a great improvement. However, the enhancement brought by breaking the limit of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill significantly improved his real strength. It wasn¡¯t just a multiple of improvement, but at least made his combat power increase by fifty percent. ¡­ The next day, it was still dimly lit outside when he rose from bed. The first thing upon waking up was to open his status panel. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 687.33 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (Three times limit-breaking 358/4000) (Traits: unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility) Five Animals Fist (One time limit-breaking 501/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (Four times limit-breaking 5000/5000) (Traits: touch and understand, Blade like Lightning, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (small success 319/5000) Vajra Immortal Body (small success 453/5000) Swimming+ (Five times limit-breaking 6000/6000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (One time limit-breaking 1/2000) (Trait: Wind and Thunder Breath) Water and Fire True Strength (small success 31/500) Seeing this panel, Jiang Ning¡¯s breathing got heavy. Six hundred eighty-seven Source Energy Points completely surprised him. This was the first time he had such a large amount of Source Energy Points, bringing him the excitement of overnight wealth. Breath¨D Breath¨D After two deep breaths, Jiang Ning¡¯s agitated heart calmed down. ¡°Overnight, it shot up to nearly seven hundred points!¡± ¡°It seems my gamble was right! Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures needed by beings of the Immortal path contain more energy than ordinary ones, which is why my Source Energy Points reached the considerable number of six hundred eighty-seven.¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Chapter 293 - 293 29 Sword Technique Breaks Limit Sword ?Chapter 293: Chapter 29: Sword Technique Breaks Limit, Sword Force Achieves Another Breakthrough! Chapter 293: Chapter 29: Sword Technique Breaks Limit, Sword Force Achieves Another Breakthrough! Inside the room. Looking at his own panel. [Source Energy]: 687.33 [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (Four times breaking limit 5000/5000) (Trait: touch and understand, sword like rapid wind, handling sword like a deity, man and sword as one) Swimming+ (Five times breaking limit 6000/6000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing, water control techniques, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) ¡­ Looking at his panel again, Jiang Ning fell into contemplation. Among his numerous skills, only two had maxed out their Experience Value and met the requirements for breaking limits. One is the Chopping Wood Blade Skill, which after four breaks, needed 200 Source Energy Points for the fifth. Another is Swimming, which, after five breaks, estimated by him, needed a full 500 Source Energy Points for the sixth break. That is to say, to break the limits for both skills, he needed a total of 700 Source Energy Points. He currently had only 687.33 Source Energy Points, and now he ignored the fractional part. Therefore, he could only choose one among these two skills to breakthrough. After briefly contemplating, Jiang Ning unhesitatingly chose the Chopping Wood Blade Skill. His Source Energy Points were still crucial, as the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill had only been broken once. With the speed of gaining experience from the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, fully grinding could fill the remaining 2000 experience points in just two to three days. The next moment. Jiang Ning¡¯s mind stirred, and the Mind Points landed after the plus sign of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill. He then closed his eyes. With eyes shut, everything turned pitch black. At this moment. In the pitch-black vision, suddenly, a streak of sword light appeared. The sword light was blazing white, coming closer from afar. The closer it got, the more intense the sword light became. In no time! All his vision was completely enveloped by this streak of sword light. As far as his eyes could see, there was dazzling and blinding sword light. This streak of sword light cleaved through the darkness in his eyes and seemed also to split the heaven and earth in his vision. After a long while. Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes, regaining sight. Yet, at this moment, he still saw two paths of sword light floating in his pupils. One on the left and one on the right, both were a path of sword light. The sword light shone brightly in his vision, but as time went by, Jiang Ning also noticed that the sword light was gradually fading. [Source Energy]: 487.33 [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Five times breaking limit 6000/6000) (Trait: touch and understand, sword like rapid wind, handling sword like a deity, man and sword as one, innate sword bone) Swimming (Five times breaking limit 6000/6000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing, water control techniques, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) ¡­ [Innate Sword Bone]: Possessing sword bone, you have a talent for reaching peaks in sword techniques. Jiang Ning frowned slightly as he checked the description on the panel. ¡°This time it turned out to be a passive, talented trait!¡± ¡°It seems that relying on traits doesn¡¯t bring an immediate effect to my combat power.¡± Then. Jiang Ning came to the center of the courtyard. He already had his long sword in hand. Just after completing the limit break of his sword technique, although the sword light had dissipated, it was deeply etched in his mind. At this moment, he felt as if he could wield the sword and slash out that streak of sword light. Standing in the center of the courtyard with his sword. Jiang Ning felt immediately different from before. Before, it was the unity of man and sword. But now, it was the unity of man, sword, and heaven and earth. In this state, he seemed to feel the rhythm of the heaven and earth, the breath of the universe. Jiang Ning immediately closed his eyes to cultivate his mind, quietly feeling this rhythm. After a short while. Standing in the center of the courtyard, Jiang Ning suddenly opened his eyes and made a sudden strike. Whoosh¡ª¡ª The sword light hung in midair. Hum¡ª¡ª The long sword standing in midair vibrated continuously. Jiang Ning at this moment slightly opened his eyes, revealing a hint of incredulity. His sword, which had merely struck midair, stopped. Yet, at this moment, his long sword was still three feet above the ground. But the ground below showed a cut as thin as a finger. Wherever the sword mark passed, all the grass and trees were uniformly cut down. Several chicken egg-sized pebbles were also blasted into two halves by this sword mark. The cut was smooth and even without any flaws. And even the ground exposed the brown soil underneath. This display of power was entirely unlike the results he could achieve with his previous sword force. Before, his sword force could only cut through weeds. Such power, even against regular people, could only scratch a few blood marks or shallow skin wounds. But now it was entirely different. This sword slash stretched more than half a ¡°tan¡± (Chinese yard). Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Everywhere the sword mark passed, not only did the weeds and bamboo break, even the hard rocks split in two. Such performance was not inferior to the eruption of Inner Breath. But just now, he did not use any special technique with his sword. It was merely a single straightforward slash. Immediately. Jiang Ning slashed again with his sword. Hum¡ª¡ª The sword stopped midair. The strong kinetic energy was entirely absorbed by the sword in Jiang Ning¡¯s hand, causing continuous humming from the blade. Within a yard in front of him, a clear and visible sword mark appeared again. This time, Jiang Ning carefully measured it, and the sword mark was six feet three long. In other words, it was just over two meters in length. Wherever the sword mark went, there were no exceptions; grass, wood, bamboo, and rocks were all severed. Whoosh¡ª¡ª He swung his sword. One breath later. Boom¡ª¡ª A huge rock in front of him was split in two, smooth cut surfaces without any support, directly falling and crashing to the ground. Looking at the scene in front of him, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Chapter 294 - 294 29 Sword Technique Break Limit Sword Force ?Chapter 294: Chapter 29: Sword Technique Break Limit, Sword Force Achieves Another Breakthrough!_2 Chapter 294: Chapter 29: Sword Technique Break Limit, Sword Force Achieves Another Breakthrough!_2 ¡°According to the book, when Sword Force swells to a certain extent, it can cause a resonance with heaven and earth, drawing upon the power of the cosmos to unleash unbelievable might.¡± ¡°This¡­ could this be the further effect of Sword Force?¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn¡¯t dare to make judgments lightly in his heart. Because he didn¡¯t know much about this aspect. He only had a superficial understanding of Sword Force. According to the book, mastering Sword Force is an essential condition to set foot in Martial Arts Fourth Grade. Martial Arts Sixth Rank, and thereafter, each grade is a world apart, and the gap between them gets larger and larger, gradually beyond the reach of ordinary people. Just like Martial Arts Fifth Grade, when one first enters Fifth Grade, one can merely touch upon the body¡¯s limits and release these restraints. But to advance further in the Fifth Grade level is to control Inner Breath and discover the human body¡¯s Dantian. At this step, with the support of Inner Breath, combat power increases by a level, and as long as the Inner Breath isn¡¯t exhausted, one can fight against three or four opponents who have just stepped into the Fifth Grade of Martial Arts. If one progresses further, the Inner Breath is condensed into Gang. Then the combat power is unimaginably strong. With one slash, the sword Gang can easily cut through everything. Even soldiers clad in armor and wielding sharp weapons can be easily cleaved in two with a single slash. And this is something that ordinary Fifth Grade warriors bursting forth with all their strength would find difficult to achieve. After all, so-called armor plates are all forged from refined steel. Armor forged from refined steel isn¡¯t so easily cut through. Soldiers who can wear such armor are without exception Martial Arts Entry-level experts with skin as tough as copper. Combined, they are like human tanks. Not to mention slicing through armor and man in one slash. Even simply killing them is difficult. Especially when such elite soldiers form military formations, they can easily surround and kill warriors far above themselves. Even a Fifth Grade powerhouse who has condensed Inner Breath wouldn¡¯t dare to fall into such an army formation lightly. Because there is a limit to human strength, and Inner Breath can be exhausted. Once they burst forth with full power, how long can they fight? The power of the military formations made up of armies is endless. Not to mention, Jiang Ning knew that some of the elite troops in Great Xia, like the Xuan Wu Army, consisted of soldiers above Martial Arts Eighth Grade. There are no lack of Seventh Grade elite soldiers, and even higher-ranking commanders. This is one of the reasons why Great Xia has been able to suppress the world for nearly a thousand years without major chaos. But all of this is not so effective in front of Martial Arts Fourth Grade. Martial Arts Fourth Grade is much stronger than Fifth Grade. Jiang Ning also only knew that it was much stronger, and he knew that only by mastering Force can one possess the key to step into Fourth Grade. Besides that, he didn¡¯t understand much. Right now, Martial Arts Fourth Grade is still far away from him. But he knew that he had already mastered the key to step into Fourth Grade. In the next moment. He tested out a few more slashes. Each slash seemed to draw upon the power of heaven and earth. This made each of his slashes possess an effect that was like that of sword Gang, able to cut through everything within two meters in front of him. Even solid rock, in front of this Sword Force drawing upon the power of heaven and earth, was fragile like tofu. ¡°This must be the further effect of Sword Force!¡± Jiang Ning murmured. [Source Energy]: 487.33 [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Five times breaking limit 6000/6000) (trait: touch and understand, sword like swift wind, wielding the sword like a deity, unity of man and sword, innate sword bone) Swimming (Five times breaking limit 6000/6000) (trait: Underwater Breathing, Controlling Water Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) ¡­ He took another look at his panel and fell into deep thought. As the Skill progresses further in breaking limits, the number of Source Energy Points it requires also increases gradually. From the very beginning where just ten points could break the limit, to now where nearly five hundred points are unable to satisfy the requirements. Without a doubt, both Chopping Wood Blade Skill and Swimming¡¯s sixth limit breaking require a full five hundred Source Energy Points. This number, to him now, is indeed a bit too much. If he accumulated at his usual speed, five hundred tael of Source Energy Points would take nearly half a year. And this is just the sixth time breaking limit. One can imagine, the seventh time¡¯s requirements would only be more exaggerated. ¡°Forget it! I won¡¯t invest in the Chopping Wood Blade Skill and Swimming for the time being!¡± ¡°Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, breaking the second limit only needs 200 points, this is my best choice right now.¡± Having made up his mind, Jiang Ning immediately glanced at the panel below, [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Second time breaking limit 1/2000) (trait: Wind and Thunder Breath) The Wind Thunder Arrow Skill now only required 1,999 more Experience Value to achieve its Second Limit Breaking. For him, this was simply a matter of drawing the bow and shooting arrows 1,999 times. Even though the recovery of the Wind Thunder Breath in the water took some time, it was not endless. But 1,999 rounds of drawing the bow and shooting arrows, without considering the situation of exhaustion and muscle sprain, would take at most two to three days. Though this period was short, Jiang Ning did not plan to grind for the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill¡¯s Experience Value today. Because his resources had not yet been fully consumed. Within the Sumeru Ring, there were still Pills that assisted him in Refining Muscle of Martial Arts Seventh Grade. ¡­ In the courtyard. Jiang Ning sat cross-legged on the ground, taking out a golden brocade box from his storage ring. Within the brocade box were the Pills he had purchased the day before. Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill. Such a pill cost five thousand taels each. After a twenty percent discount, it was four thousand taels each. According to Han Hongmei, the Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill was the best Pill for Refining Muscle in the Wanhua Building. The price of five thousand taels was proof of the Pill¡¯s potent Medicinal Power. This time, Jiang Ning had bought a total of six. Purchasing these six had almost emptied his savings. ¡°I wonder to which stage will refining these six Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pills take my Refining Muscle progress?¡± ¡°Will it be like a tiger? Or like a dragon serpent?¡± Jiang Ning mused silently. As for Refining Muscle like a dragon, he dared not even contemplate it. With just these six Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pills, it was impossible to reach such a level. To achieve human Great Tendons like a dragon, one would need extremely precious treasures. Such an item, Jiang Ning had to date only seen it recorded in the cherished texts at the Inspection Office. To exchange for that treasure would require an immense number of Contribution Points. ¡­ A moment later. Jiang Ning steadied his mind. He opened the brocade box in his hand. Instantly, a pill, the size of a quail egg with a mixed elemental surface, appeared before his eyes. The pill was golden purple, and the surface of the Pill even had patterns that seemed like a dragon and tiger intertwining. At this moment, as the brocade box was opened, no fragrance wafted out. Yet Jiang Ning felt no surprise. These kinds of Pills were all covered with a layer of Outer Pill Coating as thin as cicada¡¯s wings. As long as the Outer Pill Coating wasn¡¯t disrupted, it could lock in the Medicinal Power of the Pill and prevent degradation. It was precisely because of methods like the Outer Pill Coating that such precious Pills did not require any special storage tools and could be kept in ordinary brocade boxes. No sealed tool could be more effective than the Pill¡¯s Outer Coating. Looking at the Pill before him, Jiang Ning¡¯s thoughts moved. As if an invisible hand lifted the Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill, the Pill flew towards his slightly open mouth. As the Pill entered his mouth and was moistened by saliva, the outer coating swiftly dissolved, instantly releasing a rich fragrance. This fragrance was like deeply conceited sandalwood accumulated over the years. The scent was so strong, filling Jiang Ning¡¯s nostrils, immediately making him feel comfortable all over, his body functions became extremely active, his heartbeat and the speed of his blood flow were much faster than usual. The next moment. Jiang Ning¡¯s throat pulsated slightly, and the Pill went straight down into his abdomen. Then. Boom¡ª¡ª A fire blazed within his mind. A cauldron forge took shape in his imagination. The secret technique from Medicine King Valley, Melting Furnace Alchemy Skill, came into effect once again. At this moment, his body seemed to transform into a furnace, with the Qi Blood Power acting as firewood for the flames. Now that his Qi-Blood was more vigorous than before, the invisible flames inside his body burned even more fiercely. His body consequently emitted astonishing heat. The dispersal of the heat caused the surrounding air to warp and distort. Jiang Ning¡¯s skin was also filled with a fiery red hue. One breath¡­ two breaths¡­ three breaths¡­ Time passed by ceaselessly. The Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill inside him was gradually refined, impurities were burnt away by the invisible fire, leaving behind only drops of pure Medicinal Essence. Chapter 295 - 295 30 Staying at Xie Xiaojius Home ?Chapter 295: Chapter 30 Staying at Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s Home Chapter 295: Chapter 30 Staying at Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s Home In the courtyard. As the hour of Si passed, Whoosh¡ª Jiang Ning exhaled a mouthful of impure energy from his belly and rose to his feet. His daily routine of absorbing and exhaling the Great Sun Essence Qi had ended. He could distinctly feel that with the refinement of his five internal organs, the Inner Breath within his Dantian had grown denser. Furthermore, even without actively refining his internal organs and concentrating on Inner Breath, his Inner Breath still grew at the rate of several strands each day. This effect was also a change brought about by the ¡°Break Limit¡± trait of the Five Animals Fist. [Five Internal Organs Store Essence]: Essence Qi hidden within the five organs, which strengthen themselves. With this trait present, Each day, the Inner Breath in his body would increase by several strands. Gather water to make a river, accumulate grains to fill a basket. In time, with the natural growth of Inner Breath alone, Jiang Ning believed he would possess a Dantian as vast as the ocean. After feeling out the Inner Breath within his body for a while, he then stood up and headed toward the Inspection Office. As for that Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill within his body, it had not been fully refined yet. Nearly half of it was still in his belly, continually releasing Medicinal Power. ¡­ An hour and a half later. Inspection Office. ¡°My lord, your subordinate has arranged everything you ordered!¡± Xie Xiaojiu reported respectfully to Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning said, ¡°Keep a close watch on the movements of the Yellow Heaven Sect within the county, especially that man Liu Linmen!¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Xie Xiaojiu bowed, then said, ¡°Subordinate has also sent a message to the Gang Leader of the Bamboo Gang. With their widespread surveillance, they will report his activities three times daily, morning, noon, and night, just as you instructed, my lord.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly. Then he picked up the tea from the table to moisten his throat, using the tea to wash away the remnants of food in his mouth. Xie Xiaojiu, who was by his side, saw that Jiang Ning had finished his lunch, and immediately began to clear the table. ¡­ Arriving in the courtyard, Jiang Ning stood by the pool behind a nearby artificial hill. The pool¡¯s banks and bottom were closely laid with cobblestones, the water clear to the bottom. This pool of clear water was also a place for Jiang Ning¡¯s cultivation practice. No other place was more suitable for his training than in the water. Soon, Jiang Ning stripped off his clothes, revealing his solid muscles, and wearing only a pair of shorts, he stepped into the water. Sitting cross-legged in the shallow edge of the pool that was only ten or so centimeters deep, Jiang Ning began to imagine the furnace. The Qi Blood Power instantly became the sustenance and kindling for the burning furnace. The impurities in the Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill within his body were continuously purified, leaving behind only the condensed medicinal liquid of pure Medicinal Power. ¡­ It was not until two hours had passed that Jiang Ning completely refined the first Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill. Snap¡ª He sat cross-legged in the water and flicked his hand lightly. The Great Tendons inside his body, like bowstrings, exploded with immense force. The air hitting his arm felt like touching a water bag. This sensation was similar to sticking one¡¯s hand out of a car window at high speed in his previous life. ¡°Indeed, the toughness of the body¡¯s Great Tendons has grown even stronger,¡± Jiang Ning looked pleased. He then tried exerting force a few more times. After a few breaths, he stopped such action. ¡°The explosive power has increased by about ten percent!¡± ¡°It seems the effect of the Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill is really strong!¡± ¡°But this price is genuinely a bit steep!¡± Jiang Ning felt a tinge of pain in his heart. In just half a day, he had used up a pill worth five thousand taels. If not for a recent windfall, if not for the presence of a formidable enemy, he simply could not afford such extravagance. However, feeling the effect of the pill, he was also quite satisfied. With his previous efficiency, it would¡¯ve taken at least five days of focused cultivation with the aid of Tiger Tendon Powder to achieve this effect. Now, in just half a day, he had reached this level. The difference in efficiency between the two was at least tenfold. Compared with the efficiency of an ordinary Martial Artist refining the Great Tendon, it differed by several tens of times. After all, compared to an ordinary Seventh Grade Martial Artist, he could manipulate water sources and possessed extremely strong spiritual power. The stronger the spiritual power, the more precise and efficient the refinement of skin, flesh, muscles, and bones. And his Qi Blood was far superior to an ordinary Seventh Grade Martial Artist, compounded with his top-notch physique. All of these factors already gave him an efficiency in Muscle Training far beyond that of the average person. From this point alone, it was enough to see how strong the medicinal effect of the Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill was. This pill was said to be able to easily refine one¡¯s Great Tendons to a level like that of dragons and tigers. Dragon, that is a Jiao Dragon. Tiger, that is a fierce tiger. Once the body¡¯s Great Tendons are toughened to this level, incredible power can be unleashed. Each movement, within a mere short distance, could instantly explode with the full force of the body. Even a casual flick of the finger could unleash a force nearly as powerful as a full-force punch. This powerful explosive force could even cause one¡¯s own fingers to snap. This was the incomprehensible aspect of Great Tendons like those of dragons and tigers. ¡­ Afterward, Jiang Ning took out another Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill and swallowed it into his belly. Then he continued to visualize the furnace, using the Qi Blood Power as kindling, to refine the pill within his body. In the Inspection Office, Jiang Ning could also let his guard down, no need to be wary of Liu Linmen suddenly knocking at his door, focusing entirely on refining the pills within his body. Under such circumstances, the efficiency was two or three times faster than at home. Soon. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The setting sun began to sink. Ta ta ta¡ª A series of light footsteps appeared in the courtyard. The person was none other than Xie Xiaojiu. When she arrived in the courtyard, she immediately lightened her steps, tiptoeing around the corner of the artificial hill, and then saw Jiang Ning sitting cross-legged in the center of the pool. At this moment, Jiang Ning was sitting cross-legged in the pool, wearing only a large pair of shorts, exposing a physique streamlined like that of a cheetah¡¯s muscles. Chapter 296 - 296 30 Staying at Xie Xiaojius Home_2 ?Chapter 296: Chapter 30 Staying at Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s Home_2 Chapter 296: Chapter 30 Staying at Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s Home_2 His black hair was simply tied at the back of his head, the ends slightly dampened. Wisps of mist-like vapor continuously rose from Jiang Ning¡¯s body. The water beside him stirred slightly. ¡°He¡¯s still training!¡± ¡°No wonder his strength is so formidable!¡± ¡°With talent superior to mine and efforts akin to foregoing sleep and food!¡± Xie Xiaojiu silently thought to herself as she watched the scene unfold before her. A sense of admiration stirred within her. Since knowing Jiang Ning, every time she saw him, he was training. Such relentless and unwavering dedication was something she hadn¡¯t managed to achieve even during her most difficult years. Moreover, Jiang Ning had now transcended social layers, becoming an eminent figure in Luoshui County. She knew that in the Xie family, even her own father discreetly advised her to follow Jiang Ning closely. He even hinted that she should dedicate herself to him in some ways. Thinking of those words, Xie Xiaojiu was momentarily at a loss for words. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But this also showed how high Jiang Ning¡¯s status was. One of the three major families of Luoshui County, the Cao family, had completely fallen into Jiang Ning¡¯s hands. Under such circumstances, who wouldn¡¯t be fearful? Yet with such status and life, Jiang Ning did not indulge in the pleasures of life but continued to train and cultivate. This was what Xie Xiaojiu admired the most. ¡­ Afterward, Xie Xiaojiu quietly stood aside, waiting for Jiang Ning to finish his training. The distant horizon¡¯s sunset gradually dipped behind the mountains. The warm red sunlight bathed the courtyard. A gentle breeze swept by, reflecting shimmering red light on the water surface. Even at this time of day, the wind that blew from afar still carried rolling heat waves that caused sweat to form on one¡¯s forehead. ¡°How long have you been here!¡± Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Commander, not long, just under half a cup of tea time!¡± Xie Xiaojiu replied. Jiang Ning nodded, then asked, ¡°Is there any news on Liu Linmen?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded vigorously. Gurgle ¡ª Xie Xiaojiu suddenly blushed. Hearing the sound of hunger from Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s stomach, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. He then stood up from the pool of water. Splashing¡ª Water cascaded down his body and fell into the pool, causing ripples to bloom. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll talk over a meal,¡± Jiang Ning, his powerful muscles flexing under his skin, shook off the water drops that clung to him. ¡°Commander, change your clothes, I¡¯ll wait outside!¡± Xie Xiaojiu blushed, quickly turned, and fled. Jiang Ning paused, then laughed. Xie Xiaojiu thought he needed to change, but he really did not. Jiang Ning¡¯s thoughts shifted, instantly transferring the water in his trunks aside. Then he picked up his clothes laid on the faux rocks nearby and dressed. ¡­ Wangjiang Building. Gentle breezes over the lake caused ripples to dance. This place was very close to the Inspection Office, only a street away. Jiang Ning and Xie Xiaojiu sat by the window on the second floor. ¡°Speak!¡± Jiang Ning glanced out the window, instantly feeling refreshed. ¡°Commander, according to the intelligence received today, there was no significant activity from the Yellow Heaven Sect and others. However, someone went out to buy some herbs for treating eye conditions,¡± Xie Xiaojiu reported. Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning pondered. ¡°Did Liu Linmen go out?¡± Xie Xiaojiu replied, ¡°The person watching outside didn¡¯t see him.¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly. He thought to himself that the injuries I inflicted on Liu Linmen¡¯s eyes that night were not so easily healed. After pondering for a moment, Jiang Ning instructed, ¡°Continue watching closely. Do not overlook anyone coming in or going out.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded vigorously. At that moment, ¡°Sir, your dishes and wine are here!¡± a servant carrying a tray approached Jiang Ning by the window. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first!¡± Jiang Ning glanced and spoke. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded repeatedly. ¡­ Night fell. The two left the tavern. ¡°Sir, do you really want to come home with me?¡± Xie Xiaojiu asked. ¡°Yes, I shall stay at your place tonight, and for the next few days as well,¡± Jiang Ning affirmed with a nod. ¡°Then¡­ should I inform my father to open the door and welcome you?¡± Xie Xiaojiu looked at Jiang Ning. ¡°No need!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head and continued, ¡°Do not tell anyone about this. Just tell me the exact direction, and I will climb over the wall to find you later.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ okay!!¡± Xie Xiaojiu was stunned for a moment, then nodded. Along the way, Neither of them spoke. Jiang Ning had thought about staying temporarily at the Xie family¡¯s house. According to Lin Qingyi, that night the Yin God had left its body; it was the handiwork of a Land King from the Yellow Heaven Sect. This Land King¡¯s Yin God came to Luoshui County and somehow performed miraculous methods to find out that the attack on Liu Linmen was his doing. So it found him and placed a mark on him. If Lin Qingyi hadn¡¯t intervened suddenly, his situation would have become much worse. Even though Lin Qingyi attacked and injured that Yin God, the mark planted on him could not be removed. In such a situation, as long as Liu Linmen found him and used the Heavenly Eye to observe him, he would be identified as the target. That¡¯s why Jiang Ning decided not to go home that night. Before leaving the house during the day, he even alerted his elder brother. It was too easy for Liu Linmen to find him at his own home under the cover of darkness. Staying at Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s house was different; it would be hard for Liu Linmen to trace his steps. He would also be difficult to reach inside the Inspection Office during the day. Each day¡¯s delay allowed his strength to grow. The stronger he became, the safer and more maneuverable he felt. ¡­ Shortly thereafter, The two arrived on the street where the Xie Mansion was located. Standing in a shadowed corner, Jiang Ning watched as Xie Xiaojiu left. ¡°Miss Nine!¡± ¡°Miss Nine!¡± Two guards at the door, upon seeing Xie Xiaojiu, bowed respectfully, not daring any delay. Nowadays, Xie Xiaojiu was regarded with great respect by everyone in the Xie Mansion. This respect came not only from her strength but also from her status. After crossing the threshold of the Xie Mansion, Xie Xiaojiu immediately saw a middle-aged man standing in the front courtyard. ¡°Father!¡± Xie Xiaojiu said indifferently. Upon hearing Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s voice, the middle-aged man immediately turned around. This person was none other than the current Family Head of the Xie family, Xie Zhengtian. ¡°Little Jiu, you have finally come back!¡± Xie Zhengtian revealed a kind smile. He knew he had wronged Xie Xiaojiu and her mother, and he realized Xie Xiaojiu had always hated him for being so heartless towards her mother. Thus, every time he saw Xie Xiaojiu, he acted exceptionally kind, hoping to foster a better father-daughter relationship. ¡°Father, are you waiting here specifically for me? Is there something you need?¡± Xie Xiaojiu asked with a detached expression. Xie Zhengtian said, ¡°Little Jiu, today you had people tail a group claiming to be from the Yellow Heaven Sect. Was that Commander Jiang¡¯s instruction?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded. A look of pleasure immediately emerged on Xie Zhengtian¡¯s face. ¡°That Commander Jiang frequently assigns tasks to you and personally promoted you to the position of team leader. This clearly indicates his interest in you; you must seize the opportunity!¡± ¡°Father, if you¡¯re going to speak like this, I¡¯m going back to sleep!¡± Xie Xiaojiu said coldly. Watching Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s retreating figure, Xie Zhengtian couldn¡¯t help but sigh to himself. As the Family Head, he felt increasingly the strains and turmoil in Luoshui County. He was well aware of the powerful Yellow Heaven Sect. Now, the Xie family was evidently being dragged into their affairs. But this mandate came from Deputy Commander Jiang Ning of the Inspection Office. Even knowing this, he dared not refuse, nor act contrary to the orders. The example of the Cao family was clear: dozens had died overnight, and the remainder were to be executed soon after. Given the same circumstances, the Xie family would face a similar fate with no power to resist. Unable to avoid it, he now only wished to gamble. By binding the Xie family to the large ship of Jiang Ning, if Jiang Ning soared, the Xie family could advance further. But to firmly tie the Xie family to Jiang Ning, the key lay in Xie Xiaojiu. Talented and spirited young couple. With just a slight nudge, sparks could easily fly. Chapter 297 - 297 31 Overnight Bathing ?Chapter 297: Chapter 31: Overnight Bathing Chapter 297: Chapter 31: Overnight Bathing Xie Mansion. ¡°Sir!¡± Xie Xiaojiu lit the candle and was startled by the sight of Jiang Ning, who had already appeared in the room. Soundlessly, he had reached right in front of her without her knowing it. Such unpredictable methods proved that if Jiang Ning wanted to kill her, it would require no effort at all. ¡°Sir!¡± After being startled, Xie Xiaojiu steadied herself and then spoke. Jiang Ning said, ¡°I will be troubling you quite a bit these next few days.¡± Xie Xiaojiu shook her head repeatedly, ¡°It¡¯s fine! As long as Sir doesn¡¯t mind the simplicity of my residence, that¡¯s all that matters! Also¡­¡± Upon saying this, she suddenly showed a trace of hesitation. Then she continued, ¡°Since I do not fancy being served by servants, there are no serving staff in the yard where I live. If you need anything, I can serve you in place of a servant.¡± Towards the end, Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s calm expression hidden under the candlelight couldn¡¯t help but reveal a touch of modest embarrassment. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning smiled and shook his head, ¡°I too come from an ordinary family and do not have the habits of scions from great clans!¡± Hearing these words, Xie Xiaojiu instantly let out a sigh of relief in her heart. Then she said, ¡°Sir, there is only one bed here. Can you sleep in my bed later? The bedding on my bed was just aired out the day before yesterday and is very clean! Moreover, I bathe before bed each day.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Jiang Ning looked at Xie Xiaojiu with a half-smiling gaze. Xie Xiaojiu replied, ¡°I can just find a lounge chair to sleep on for the night!¡± ¡°If it really comes to that, wouldn¡¯t you resent me?¡± ¡°Why would I resent?¡± Xie Xiaojiu shook her head, her high ponytail swaying from side to side, ¡°Sir has shown great kindness to me! I have always kept it in mind! I am more than happy to be able to help Sir!¡± Upon hearing her words, Jiang Ning¡¯s lips curved into a smile, ¡°How could I have the heart to occupy a young lady¡¯s bed? I can just find somewhere to sleep for the night.¡± ¡°Sir¡­¡± Xie Xiaojiu was about to speak when Jiang Ning directly interrupted her, ¡°There¡¯s no need to discuss this further, just comply with it obediently!¡± Xie Xiaojiu then nodded slightly, ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± After their discussion, Jiang Ning stood up and walked towards the outside of the room. Since it was still early and with formidable enemies surrounding them, he naturally had to take advantage of the time to enhance his own strength. He came to Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s courtyard. There, Jiang Ning found a suitable spot and immediately continued refining the Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill within his body. On the other side. Xie Xiaojiu observed Jiang Ning in the room for a moment and, seeing that he was completely absorbed in his cultivation, she finally turned and took her clothes from the wardrobe. With such hot weather, she naturally wanted to take a nice bath after returning home to relax her mind and body. Otherwise, with sweat on her body, she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep peacefully. Normally there was no one in the courtyard where she lived, so she could act freely. But now it was different. Living under the same roof as Jiang Ning, it wasn¡¯t proper for her to ask him to leave and avoid impropriety. She could only take the opportunity to bathe while Jiang Ning was absorbed in his cultivation. ¡­ After the bathwater was ready. Xie Xiaojiu quietly closed the room door and pulled down the window. Then, a stealthy sound of undressing echoed followed by the beauty¡¯s silhouette reflected by the candlelight, slowly stepping into the bathtub. At this moment, Jiang Ning had just finished a cycle of cultivation and when he looked up, he saw the beautiful silhouette reflected on the window. He was momentarily stunned. Splash splash¡ª¡ª Splash splash¡ª¡ª Hearing the sound of water pouring, he could only smile wryly and shake his head. He had indeed forgotten that living under the same roof as a woman could be quite inconvenient. Just by listening to the sound of running water beside him, he couldn¡¯t help but feel his qi-blood rising and his thoughts becoming restless. Faced with the surge of his qi-blood and the instincts of his body, Jiang Ning could only shake his head helplessly and dispel the distracting thoughts from his mind. Afterward. He continued to enter a meditative state, envisioning a furnace, using his own qi-blood as the fuel to refine the pills within his body, concentrating their essence and purging the impurities. ¡­ Over half an hour later. Creak¡ª Xie Xiaojiu stealthily pushed open the door and peered through the crack, stealing a glance at where Jiang Ning was. Seeing him still completely absorbed, she let out a relieved breath. Then, she pushed the door open. Carrying a large bucket of bathwater, she walked outside. Xie Xiaojiu at this time was completely different from before. Her tied-up long hair was now spread out, softening her demeanor. Droplets of water from the tips of her hair would occasionally form and fall onto her slender shoulders and her fair, jade-like arms. She wore a long black ruqun that reached her calves, stepping over the threshold, tiptoeing, and sneaking to the other side of the yard. Because after bathing, she was only wearing this one garment. Typically, she could loosen any bindings and relax comfortably without constraints, enjoying the rare moment of relaxation when alone in her own courtyard. But now, with a man in the yard and Jiang Ning present. She felt an immediate surge of nervousness and tension walking out in just that ruqun. That nervousness and tension even gave her a subtle, almost imperceptible thrill. Arriving at the backyard, she dumped out the bathwater she was carrying, then turned and walked towards the front yard where Jiang Ning was. Stepping through a round arch doorway and seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s slowly opening eyes looking over. Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s face suddenly flushed deeply red. The relaxation she felt from unbinding her chest was comforting, but now it only caused her great embarrassment. Only she knew just how much more pronounced it was to wear only a ruqun with the binding of her chest undone. Jiang Ning opened his eyes and saw the momentarily astonished Xie Xiaojiu. He too was momentarily taken aback. His eyesight was now exceptionally keen. Chapter 298 - 298 31 Overnight Stay and Bath_2 ?Chapter 298: Chapter 31 Overnight Stay and Bath_2 Chapter 298: Chapter 31 Overnight Stay and Bath_2 Even in pitch-black darkness, one could possess vision as clear as daylight. Now, how could he not notice the changes in Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s body? After all, the once rolling hillocks had now become majestic mountains, a transformation impossible to overlook. He glanced at Xie Xiaojiu, then quickly averted his gaze. Because he noticed Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s embarrassment. Afterward, he closed his eyes again. Seeing Jiang Ning close his eyes once more, Xie Xiaojiu rushed back to her room like a gust of wind. By the time she came out again with a bucket full of bathwater, Her breasts were back to normal, with several bands of black cloth visible outside her robe. After several back-and-forths, Xie Xiaojiu finally poured all her bathwater in the backyard. Upon returning, Xie Xiaojiu quietly watched Jiang Ning for a while, then seemed to think of something. And turned to walk back towards the backyard. ¡­ Half an hour later, Xie Xiaojiu saw Jiang Ning open his eyes again. ¡°My Lord, I have prepared your bathwater; do you need to bathe?¡± she asked. Jiang Ning opened his eyes and heard Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s voice. After the long period of contemplation and refining, the Qi Blood in his body had been mostly depleted. Now, upon hearing Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s voice, he nodded slightly, ¡°That would be good!¡± To him, taking a bath and soaking in water could also help restore the Qi Blood depletion. His condition was perfect for a recovery. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go adjust the water temperature for you,¡± Xie Xiaojiu said, then turned to walk towards her own room. When he opened his eyes and caught a fleeting glimpse of Xie Xiaojiu, Jiang Ning noticed she had undergone a significant change. Just now, Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s ample size meant she couldn¡¯t see her feet when she looked down. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But now, it was just a rolling hillside. Xie Xiaojiu had clearly bound her chest. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help shaking his head, then stood up. ¡­ In Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s room, Just as Jiang Ning crossed the threshold, he saw Xie Xiaojiu already lifting a steaming bucket of water to pour into the bath. Hot water poured down, with steam rising constantly. Xie Xiaojiu poured a portion, then bent down to stir the water with her hands to mix it and tested the temperature. After several repetitions, Xie Xiaojiu straightened up from her previously bent posture. ¡°My Lord, the water temperature has been adjusted; it¡¯s what I usually find most comfortable.¡± Jiang Ning nodded and walked towards the bathtub. The next moment, Xie Xiaojiu approached Jiang Ning, bent down, and reached to untie his belt. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jiang Ning was startled, hastily grabbing Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s hands. Xie Xiaojiu immediately looked up at Jiang Ning and said as if it were the most natural thing in the world, ¡°I¡¯m helping you undress for the bath!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head repeatedly, ¡°You go out, I can manage by myself!¡± Hearing this, Xie Xiaojiu also secretly sighed with relief. Compared to Jiang Ning, she was even more nervous at that moment. ¡­ After Xie Xiaojiu left the room, closing the door behind her, Jiang Ning completely relaxed. Being bathed by someone else was something he couldn¡¯t adapt to, it just felt exceedingly awkward. Not to mention that person was a woman; just thinking about that scenario made him feel uncomfortable all over. Neither in his past life nor in this one had he ever been accustomed to such a thing. Afterwards, He looked around the room and immediately felt a tad awkward. Although the layout of the entire room was simple, it was obviously a young girl¡¯s boudoir. Stripping naked in such an environment still made him uneasy. After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Ning only took off the clothes on the outside and kept on a pair of large underpants. After placing the removed clothes on a screen, Jiang Ning stepped into the bathtub. ¡°Hisss¡ª¡± As soon as his right foot touched the water, he couldn¡¯t help but inhale sharply. He quickly lifted his right foot. Then, he reached his hand into the water to test the temperature. Jiang Ning: ¡°¡­¡± As soon as his palm touched the water, his face betrayed his speechlessness. To him, the temperature of the water was suitable to scald pigs, yet it was Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s usual comfortable bath temperature. ¡°No wonder there are always complaints online about the scalding temperatures some women prefer for their baths!¡± ¡°It seems the same everywhere!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head. With a thought, he used his Divine Skills to quickly lower the water temperature by several degrees. After feeling that the temperature was suitable, he stepped back into the tub. ¡°Comfortable!!!¡± Leaning in the bath, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but close his eyes and let out a long sigh. Soaking in the warm water made him feel as if the fatigue throughout his body was rapidly dissipating, and his nearly depleted Qi Blood Power was also¡­ Outside the room. Xie Xiaojiu was also quietly enjoying the evening breeze. Tonight¡¯s breeze was particularly cool. It swept across her cheeks, bringing the cool touch of the long-missed autumn chill. ¡°It¡¯s already the beginning of November! By this time in the past, it should have been deep autumn!¡± Xie Xiaojiu, feeling the coolness of the evening breeze, opened her eyes and looked up at the still crisp leaves overhead, sighing. Woo woo woo¡ª The evening breeze blew across her, lifting the fallen leaves from the ground, making Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s dress cling to her figure, displaying the svelte and exquisite curves of the young girl. Her slender and smooth legs were also exquisitely revealed under the dress that hugged her skin. It was a pity that such a beautiful scene was appreciated by no one. After a long while. Xie Xiaojiu turned her head to glance inside the room. Through the shadows cast by the candlelight on the window lattice, she saw Jiang Ning lying quietly in the tub, motionless. ¡°Having someone around doesn¡¯t feel as lonely, it¡¯s actually quite nice!¡± The corners of Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s mouth curved slightly, her eyes and brow softening. ¡­ Thump thump thump¡ª Jiang Ning was lying in the tub when he suddenly heard three knocks on the door. ¡°My Lord!¡± Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s voice also rose from outside. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Jiang Ning asked. ¡°My Lord, may I come in?¡± asked Xie Xiaojiu. Jiang Ning immediately opened his eyes to look at his attire, noticing the black boxer shorts he was wearing. Then he responded, ¡°Come on in!¡± Creak¡ª The door was promptly pushed open. Jiang Ning turned his head slightly to see Xie Xiaojiu, dressed in a black dress trimmed with gold threads, crossed the threshold and walked in. ¡°My Lord, shall I wash your clothes for you?¡± Xie Xiaojiu inquired tentatively. ¡°That would be very kind of you!¡± A warm smile immediately spread across Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s face, ¡°No trouble at all! I was about to wash my clothes anyway, I might as well wash yours too!¡± Then she added apologetically, ¡°However, my Lord, I do not have suitable clothing for you to change into. If you don¡¯t mind, you could wear some men¡¯s clothing that I have previously worn?¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning patted his forehead. Before leaving home, he hadn¡¯t thought this far ahead. Now, prompted by Xie Xiaojiu, he remembered that he had not prepared a few sets of clean clothes to store in the Sumeru Ring. If his clothes were taken to be washed, he would momentarily have nothing to wear. Surely he couldn¡¯t parade around here in just a pair of boxer shorts? This wasn¡¯t his private abode. There was also Xie Xiaojiu, a girl of a not dissimilar age. Striding about in boxer shorts wasn¡¯t exactly decorous. After hesitating for a moment. ¡°Bring it over for me to see!¡± Jiang Ning said. Xie Xiaojiu immediately turned and walked to her wardrobe. After searching briefly. She quickly returned with a white robe, approaching Jiang Ning. ¡°My Lord! Please take a look!¡± Xie Xiaojiu arrived in front of the bath, unfurling the clothes she had brought for Jiang Ning to see. Seizing the opportunity, she sneakily glanced at Jiang Ning in the tub and caught sight of the boxer shorts he was wearing. She immediately averted her gaze, a hint of disappointment unconsciously flashing through her eyes. ¡°Will these clothes fit me?¡± Jian Ning inquired. Xie Xiaojiu snapped back to attention and replied, ¡°The clothes I wore at the time were a bit too large for me, so they might feel a tad tight on you, but you should be able to wear them.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s give it a try!¡± Jiang Ning got up. Xie Xiaojiu was fairly tall, slightly taller even than Li Qing. Compared to her, Jiang Ning was just less than a head taller. ¡°If it is as Xie Xiaojiu says, and the clothes were somewhat loose on her, then maybe they¡¯ll indeed fit me,¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Chapter 299 - 299 32 So beautiful that you cant see your ?Chapter 299: Chapter 32: So beautiful that you can¡¯t see your feet when you lower your head! Chapter 299: Chapter 32: So beautiful that you can¡¯t see your feet when you lower your head! In the room. Jiang Ning took the garment. Under his powerful sense of smell, he could smell a faint aromatic scent on the clothing instead of the usual musty odor from long-placed clothes. It was a scent as subtle as orchid and chrysanthemum. Very similar to the scent on Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s body. ¡°Sir, this garment is quite intricate to wear; let me help you!¡± Xie Xiaojiu spoke up. Jiang Ning picked up the clothes and glanced at them, then nodded slightly, murmuring, ¡°Hmm!¡± The garment in his hand was indeed intricate. Previously, he wore only ordinary, everyday clothes of the common people. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Simple and convenient for wear and chores. But this garment was the luxurious attire worn by children of rich families and high-ranking officials, hence it was somewhat complicated and intricate. Generally, one needed assistance to put it neatly on. The next moment, Xie Xiaojiu looked down briefly, her gaze immediately turning shy, her face tinged with hesitation. ¡°Sir, these trousers¡­ I¡­ let me help you take them off!¡± ¡°No need!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head. Wearing boxer shorts was nothing to him; after all, he was used to such attire on the beaches in his previous life. But to be wholly unreserved and honest in front of Xiaojiu, he wasn¡¯t completely ready for that yet. Soon afterward, With a thought, he employed his Water Control Divine Ability, and water instantly separated from the trousers, dropping to the ground at his feet. ¡°All done, the clothes are dry!¡± Jiang Ning murmured. Hearing this, Xie Xiaojiu stealthily touched the hem of Jiang Ning¡¯s trousers, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes. She clearly saw Jiang Ning bathing in these boxer shorts. Stepping out of the bathtub, it had only been a short while, yet now they seemed as though they had been sun-dried for half a day, completely dry. ¡°What skill is this?¡± Xie Xiaojiu was filled with curiosity. Following that, she began to help Jiang Ning put on the undergarment. The undergarment was also white. Jiang Ning immediately cooperated very well, spreading his arms as if a wealthy landlord enjoying the service of dressing by a servant. This was a treatment he hadn¡¯t experienced before in his past life. After putting on the undergarment, Jiang Ning raised his arms and his legs. ¡°Sir, how does it feel, is it a bit tight?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°But it¡¯s a bit strange, the lower part is a bit tight, but the upper part is okay!¡± Saying this, Jiang Ning seemed to recall something. His gaze flicked towards Xie Xiaojiu, settling on her chest. At the moment, Xie Xiaojiu was still dressed in that ruqun, with her slender shoulders and pale arms revealed. At the same time, Jiang Ning also clearly saw a few black cloth wraps across her chest. ¡°Such a waste of natural gifts!!¡± Jiang Ning withdrew his gaze and immediately realized why the top felt okay. The design itself was loose, coupled with Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s ¡°head down, unable to see her feet¡± stature; naturally, the upper garment appeared larger. ¡°Not bad!¡± After dressing Jiang Ning in the undergarment, Xie Xiaojiu stepped back a few steps and admired her handiwork, nodding with satisfaction. Seeing this scene gave her an inexplicable sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. ¡°Sir, try the outer garment now!¡± Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s interest significantly heightened. Jiang Ning then cooperated with Xie Xiaojiu. After a short while, Xie Xiaojiu had Jiang Ning neatly dressed and stepped back a few steps, scrutinizing him head to toe. Her eyes immediately sparkled with amazement. Usually, she found him quite pleasing to the eye, very comfortable to look at. Now dressed in this elegant and noble garment, she finally understood why they say ¡°Clothes make the man, and saddles make the horse.¡± In his new attire, Jiang Ning gave off the vibe of a legendary exiled immortal. ¡°So handsome!!!¡± Xie Xiaojiu, mesmerized, blurted in admiration. Jiang Ning also came to the mirror in her room. He glanced at his own reflection in the copper mirror, nodding continuously. ¡°Not bad!¡± ¡°If the sir likes it, I¡¯m glad!¡± Xie Xiaojiu smiled. Then, she approached Jiang Ning. ¡°Sir, please take a seat. I¡¯ll comb your hair for you.¡± Xie Xiaojiu, grasping Jiang Ning¡¯s arms from each side, guided him towards her vanity table. Jiang Ning willingly followed her lead. His long hair was usually quite a hassle to manage. But cutting it off abruptly would be completely out of place with everything around. So, normally, he would just casually tie it with a black cloth at the back of his head. Now that Xie Xiaojiu offered to comb his hair, there was no reason to refuse. Sitting at the vanity table, Xie Xiaojiu picked up the wooden comb she usually used and started smoothing Jiang Ning¡¯s long hair bit by bit. Jiang Ning let her do as she wished. ¡°Sir¡¯s hair is all messy; doesn¡¯t anyone comb your hair usually?¡± Xie Xiaojiu asked after she had brushed it once. ¡°No one!¡± Jiang Ning replied indifferently. ¡°Does the sir not have any servants to take care of you?¡± Xie Xiaojiu asked. ¡°I¡¯m not used to it!¡± Jiang Ning retorted curtly. ¡°So¡­ Sir, how about you let me comb your hair from now on?¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning immediately smiled, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you find it bothersome?¡± At that moment, Xie Xiaojiu clapped her hands, ¡°Done! It¡¯s all tidy now! Sir, take a look yourself!¡± Jiang Ning turned his head and saw in the mirror his long hair, neatly combed by Xie Xiaojiu, and tied with a black silk ribbon, as neatly bundled as a hair bun. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize; you are quite skillful!¡± Jiang Ning complimented. A gentle smile immediately appeared on Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s face. ¡°If the sir is pleased, from now on, if the sir doesn¡¯t mind, let me handle combing your hair, sir! I completely don¡¯t mind the trouble, and it actually gives me a sense of achievement!¡± Chapter 300 - 300 32 So beautiful you cant see your feet ?Chapter 300: Chapter 32: So beautiful you can¡¯t see your feet when you look down! _2 Chapter 300: Chapter 32: So beautiful you can¡¯t see your feet when you look down! _2 ¡°Fine then, from now on it¡¯s up to you!¡± Jiang Ning said. As his words fell, he too rose to his feet. ¡°Clean up a bit, and go to sleep early! I¡¯ll go to the yard to practice for a while, and later I will find somewhere outside to sleep.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more¡­¡± Jiang Ning paused in his steps. ¡°It¡¯s not good to be tied up all the time, it¡¯s bad for the body! I won¡¯t come inside the house tonight.¡± ¡°Sir, you mustn¡¯t!!¡± Xie Xiaojiu spoke up, then continued, ¡°Sir, the autumn wind has already started to blow, and the temperature is going to drop tonight. If you spend the night outside, you¡¯re bound to catch cold.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Jiang Ning, without turning his head, walked towards the inside of the house while continuing, ¡°As a Seventh Grade martial artist, I¡¯m already not afraid of ordinary changes in temperature.¡± Watching Jiang Ning leave without looking back, Xie Xiaojiu opened her mouth but for a moment didn¡¯t know how to make him stay. After pondering for a long time, Xie Xiaojiu approached the window, opened it, and saw that Jiang Ning was already sitting cross-legged in the courtyard, his eyes slightly closed. After watching him for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Xie Xiaojiu quietly went back and undid the bindings at her chest. ¡°Sir, good night¡­¡± she murmured in the direction of Jiang Ning. On the other side. At this moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s Qi Blood Power had fully recovered, and he returned to his best state. He therefore continued to visualize the furnace, using his Qi Blood Power as kindling, constantly melting the pills within his body. ¡­ Under the moonlit willow tip. Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Whew¡ª¡± He let out a breath of impure energy and immediately felt a cool breeze blowing over him. The heat that had just formed on his body was continually taken away by the autumn wind. ¡°The temperature really dropped fast!¡± Jiang Ning tightened his clothes, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. In terms of body temperature, he felt that compared to the daytime it had dropped by nearly twenty degrees. Even with the physique of a martial artist, such a change in temperature would not make him sick. But the chill entering his collar and neck made him uncomfortable. ¡°Never mind!¡± He glanced at the house where Xie Xiaojiu was and dismissed the thought in his mind. ¡­ The next day. ¡°Sir!¡± Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s voice rang in Jiang Ning¡¯s ears. Jiang Ning opened his eyes and looked down, the high and lofty perspective suddenly revealing a stunning glimpse of spring beauty. Her thin gown could not conceal Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s graceful figure. From this angle, Jiang Ning could not see Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s feet. A woman whose feet are hidden when she bows her head is surely a peerless beauty! This phrase suddenly popped into Jiang Ning¡¯s mind. ¡°Sir, why are you sleeping here?¡± Xie Xiaojiu looked up at Jiang Ning. At this moment, Jiang Ning was waking up under the eaves of the roof beam. Hearing this question from Xie Xiaojiu, Jiang Ning felt a slight helplessness in his heart. The autumn wind had blown all night long. Where else could he have slept if not here? Under the eaves, at least, there was no wind. He couldn¡¯t possibly go into the room and sleep with Xie Xiaojiu, could he? Having said those words the night before, to spit and nail it, he was not yet able to be so shameless. These few thoughts passed through Jiang Ning¡¯s heart, and then he jumped down from above. ¡°It¡¯s safe to sleep here,¡± Jiang Ning replied indifferently, then said, ¡°Change clothes, it¡¯s time to go to the Inspection Office.¡± Hearing this, Xie Xiaojiu looked down at herself and immediately realized she had unconsciously opened the door without changing her clothes. Usually, it would not matter for her to live alone, but now there was Jiang Ning in the yard as well. Thinking back to the scene just now, and Jiang Ning¡¯s lofty perspective, her ears immediately turned scarlet red. Slam¡ª She turned around and closed the door, then leaned against it. After several breaths, her frantic heartbeat then gradually began to calm down. Elsewhere. Outside the house, Jiang Ning. ¡°Not bad!¡± he chuckled. Then he snapped a willow branch from the courtyard¡¯s willow tree. Chewing the willow twig, he had used it many times before when at the Martial Arts Hall, and now he did it with practiced ease, thoroughly kneading open the fibers of the twig. He then used his Water Control Divine Ability to gather dew from the surrounding leaves to before him. ¡­ Moments later. By the time Xie Xiaojiu reopened the door, Jiang Ning had already finished washing up. ¡°Sir!¡± Xie Xiaojiu called out. Jiang Ning turned around and immediately his eyes brightened. At this moment, Xie Xiaojiu clearly wasn¡¯t binding her chest. Noticing Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze, a flicker of secret joy couldn¡¯t help but flash through Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s heart. Just now, inside the room, she had pondered for a long time before making this choice. ¡°Shall we leave now?¡± Jiang Ning asked. Xie Xiaojiu said, ¡°Please wait a moment, my lord, I need to wash up first.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Jiang Ning nodded at her words. ¡­ Half an hour later. The two appeared at the Inspection Office. The sky had just begun to brighten, and the sun hadn¡¯t yet risen. Returning to his own residence, Jiang Ning continued his martial arts practices and cultivation. ¡­ For the entire day, Jiang Ning stayed within the Inspection Office. Morning, noon, and evening, Xie Xiaojiu reported news from the Yellow Heaven Sect to Jiang Ning. Throughout the day, the Yellow Heaven Sect began to stir, spreading its teachings in the East District of the external city, and using talismans to heal and treat the sick. According to the information passed on by Xie Xiaojiu, the followers of the Yellow Heaven Sect indeed had some skills. For common ailments, drinking talisman water made from the ash of burned talisman paper from the Yellow Heaven Sect would drive away the illness and relieve pain within less than an hour. Even for injuries with significant bleeding, sprinkling the ash on the wound after burning the talisman paper had a similarly strong effect on stopping blood flow and also provided pain relief. If he had heard such claims in his previous life, he would have treated it as feudal superstition, certainly a scheme to swindle people. But in this world, he believed it, at least for the most part. That day, according to the news explored by the Bamboo Gang, Liu Linmen had an eye injury, and he even invited a rather famous doctor from Luoshui County to treat his eye injury. This piece of information was only confirmed through this source. Hearing this news, Jiang Ning felt somewhat more at ease in his heart. The person who most undoubtedly gave him a sense of pressure at the moment was Liu Linmen. Individuals like Cao Rong, if their strengths didn¡¯t change, were not worth mentioning in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. Given the chance, he could employ the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, easily shooting down Cao Rong. As for that Earth King of the Yellow Heaven Sect, Jiang Ning wasn¡¯t particularly worried either. The one who had wounded him wasn¡¯t himself, but Lin Qingyi. Furthermore, according to Lin Qingyi, that Earth King¡¯s Yin God was damaged. Without one or two years of time, it would be impossible to recover from the damage to the Yin God. Injuries to the Yin God were not to be taken lightly by anyone. Such injuries, if delayed, could at the least cause lasting harm to the Yin God, or at worst, scatter the Three Souls and Seven Spirits. In addition, with the Earth King¡¯s status, firstly, it was beneath him to entangle himself with a junior like himself, and secondly, that Earth King wouldn¡¯t have the time to travel thousands of miles to find trouble with him in Luoshui County. Important figures didn¡¯t have so much time to trouble themselves over small fry. This was the fundamental judgment in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart. Furthermore, given the previous injury of that Earth King, so Jiang Ning wasn¡¯t very worried about the potential threat from that Earth King. As for Medicine King Valley, there had been no movement for so many days, so Jiang Ning was not very worried anymore. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So, at this moment in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes, the only potential biggest threat was Liu Linmen, the Incense Master of the Yellow Heaven Sect with Martial Arts Fifth Grade strength, in control of Inner Breath. That night, after he was ambushed by himself, he had the Earth King of the Yellow Heaven Sect employ the Yin God Projection to find that it was his doing. Under such circumstances, as long as he was sought out by Liu Linmen, who had locked onto him. He would find himself in trouble. With Liu Linmen¡¯s strength, right now, he most probably couldn¡¯t compete with him. And this was why Jiang Ning chose to stay at Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s place. The Xie family, being one of the three major, now two major, local families of Luoshui County, were quite vigilant and not so easy to infiltrate. Additionally, others would find it hard to imagine that he would spend the night at the Xie family¡¯s residence. The longer he could avoid being found by Liu Linmen or having the mark placed on him by that Earth King detected with the Heavenly Eye, the more time he would have each day to strengthen himself. Given some time, he would eventually be able to contend with Liu Linmen. This day, knowing about Liu Linmen¡¯s eye injury, Jiang Ning instantly felt much more at ease. This meant he had a few more days of safety than initially estimated. With the Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill, each day, Jiang Ning could feel his strength making clear improvements and progress. Moreover, the daily increase in his Source Energy Points also gave him an increasing sense of security. Having stayed a night at Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s house, when Jiang Ning woke up the next day, he found that he had easily broken through the significant barrier of five hundred Source Energy Points once more. He knew that the Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill also had an exceptional effect on the improvement of his Source Energy Points. The increase in Source Energy Points was also a tremendous help to his strength. Now, if necessary, relying on more than five hundred Source Energy Points, he could easily choose to Break Limit of either the Chopping Wood Blade Skill or Swimming. With this, in a critical moment, he could once again enhance his strength. Chapter 301 - 301 33 A Breakthrough in Strength Advancing ?Chapter 301: Chapter 33: A Breakthrough in Strength, Advancing Further! Chapter 301: Chapter 33: A Breakthrough in Strength, Advancing Further! It was nighttime. ¡°A bit chilly!¡± Jiang Ning had finished his martial arts practice, and as his body temperature dropped, he felt the autumn breeze in waves, prompting him to tighten his clothing. He could clearly feel that the temperature tonight was lower than last night. The temperature felt to his body was six or seven degrees lower than last night. Now the temperature must be below ten degrees. Just two days before, the weather seemed to be in the height of summer, a sweltering heat unbearable at forty degrees. In the short span of less than two days. From around forty degrees, the temperature plummeted to less than ten degrees. Even with Jiang Ning¡¯s physique, he could hardly resist the change in temperature with just thin clothes against the autumn wind laden with the spirit of fall. But as the autumn wind blew in waves, he still felt a slight chill. This cool sensation was not comfortable. ¡­ Inside the room. The candlelight flickered. Xie Xiaojiu gazed outside the window, deep in thought. Woosh woosh¡ª The sound of the autumn wind from outside the window crept through the narrow gaps, causing goosebumps to rise on her arms. At this point, the night had also deepened. The moonlight from outside shone through the slim gaps in the window, casting a very narrow strip of light inside the room. After a while. Creak¡ª Xie Xiaojiu opened the window. The autumn wind from the courtyard blew against her, causing her loose long dress to cling to her body. And revealed her delicate youthful figure. At this moment, the wind seemed to take shape. ¡°Sir!¡± Xie Xiaojiu looked up and saw Jiang Ning lying across the eaves, on a beam. ¡°Why, haven¡¯t you gone to sleep?¡± Jiang Ning turned his head to look down, and immediately saw a glimpse of breathtaking beauty. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep,¡± Xie Xiaojiu shook her head from below. Then she continued, ¡°Sir, come sleep in my room! It¡¯s too cold to spend the night outside.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Jiang Ning smirked at her words. ¡°Not afraid!¡± Xie Xiaojiu shook her head. ¡°You trust me this much?¡± Jiang Ning jumped down from the beam. Xie Xiaojiu looked at Jiang Ning earnestly, ¡°I trust the person you are, sir.¡± Jiang Ning revealed a smile again. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll take you up on your offer without reserve!¡± As he finished speaking, Jiang Ning lifted his leg over the threshold and walked into Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s room. Stepping into Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s room, Jiang Ning immediately felt that the temperature inside was several degrees warmer. He understood at once that the wood used to build this house wasn¡¯t ordinary. It was constructed with expensive wood known for its effect of staying cool in summer and warm in winter. At the same time. Xie Xiaojiu suddenly felt a bit nervous. In the dead of night, being in the same room with a man was a first for her. And she was dressed so thinly, wearing only a casual home dress. Although she always dressed like this in her own courtyard, enjoying the rare comfort, Now it was different. Being alone with a man in a room made her especially nervous. Scenes flashed incessantly through her mind. Some of those images even made her cheeks flush and body heat up. Moments later. Creak¡ª Xie Xiaojiu pushed the room¡¯s door and slowly closed it. Turning around, she saw Jiang Ning sitting in a chair, pouring himself a cup of cool tea. ¡°Si¡­ Sir¡­¡± Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jiang Ning drank the tea in one gulp, then asked. Xie Xiaojiu calmed her mind, then said, ¡°Sir, my bed is a bit small, it might be a bit uncomfortable for you later.¡± Jiang Ning responded with a smile, ¡°Taking shelter in your home, how can I even think of taking over your bed.¡± Having said that, Jiang Ning stood up and moved the chair next to the table, simply joining them together. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep here, that¡¯ll be fine!¡± S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Watching this scene, Xie Xiaojiu was slightly startled. She realized Jiang Ning had misunderstood her. She had originally wanted to suggest they squeeze together and share the bed. Then, Xie Xiaojiu opened her mouth but no longer had the courage to say those words. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there!¡± said Jiang Ning, ¡°It¡¯s late, time to sleep!¡± ¡°Okay!!¡± Xie Xiaojiu paused for a moment and then nodded. She approached her bed, kicked off her slippers, and turned to glance at Jiang Ning. She saw that Jiang Ning had already lain down on the improvised bed of chairs, with his eyes closed. She then extended her legs under the covers. The next moment. Xie Xiaojiu spoke again, ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Jiang Ning asked again. ¡°Do you have a habit of cleanliness?¡± asked Xie Xiaojiu. ¡°I come from a common family, where would I get ideas of being a clean freak,¡± Jiang Ning said. Hearing this from Jiang Ning, Xie Xiaojiu immediately got out of bed, picked up the quilt from her bed, and walked towards Jiang Ning. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s still getting colder tonight, this quilt is quite thick, let me put it on you.¡± In the midst of speaking, she arrived by Jiang Ning¡¯s side. ¡°Sir, lie down, and I¡¯ll cover you!¡± Jiang Ning found it amusing and nodded, then lay down again. Xie Xiaojiu immediately covered him with the quilt she was holding. After adjusting it a bit, she asked, somewhat nervously, ¡°Sir, there¡¯s no strange smell on my quilt, is there?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t!¡± Jiang Ning lowered his head to sniff, and his shoulder caught the scent as sweet as musk and as exquisite as orchids, then he spoke. Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s direct answer, Xie Xiaojiu finally let go of her hanging heart. Then. She took another quilt from the wardrobe, spread it on her own bed. Both quickly fell asleep. ¡­ In the blink of an eye. Another three days had passed. During these three days, Jiang Ning practiced relentlessly, day and night refining the Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill. With the support of such precious pills, his strength too, progressed rapidly. Chapter 302 - 302 33 Strength Breakthrough Further ?Chapter 302: Chapter 33 Strength Breakthrough, Further Progress!_2 Chapter 302: Chapter 33 Strength Breakthrough, Further Progress!_2 ¡°According to the records, the body¡¯s Great Tendons are divided into four levels: Ox, Tiger, Jiao, and Dragon.¡± ¡°The physical achievement of Ox Tendon signifies the initial entry into Martial Arts Seventh Grade, which can increase one¡¯s explosive power by thirty percent.¡± ¡°Reaching the Tiger Tendon can double one¡¯s explosive power.¡± ¡°Reaching the Jiao Tendon can triple one¡¯s explosive power.¡± ¡°Reaching the Dragon Tendon can quintuple one¡¯s explosive power.¡± Jiang Ning then flicked his body, pulling along his Great Tendons and channeling the strength throughout his body. Snap¡ª The air abruptly exploded. With this flick, he saw that even in the darkness, there was a white mist flowing through his fingers. ¡°This explosive power, I must be just one step away from the Jiao Tendon!¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. He couldn¡¯t help but feel elated. In just a few days, his strength had advanced leaps and bounds, from the Ox Tendon to being merely one step away from the Jiao Tendon. This was all the effect of the Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill. ¡°This is probably the power of money!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself with a sense of wonder. After experiencing the effects of the Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill firsthand, one important point became very clear to him. In this world, the so-called difficulty of the Martial Arts path applies only to the poor and to Martial Artists from small places. Tens of thousands of taels of silver could bring about this kind of advancement. Although it may seem like a lot of wealth is being consumed, that is only relative to him. Great Xia, with its history of nearly a thousand years. Countless century-old families. Sects that span millennia are not just legend. There are also those Sects that have histories spanning a thousand years. To these powers, tens of thousands of taels of silver are but a trifle; maybe not even worth mentioning in the grand scheme of their wealth. The heirs of these powers must be enjoying extremely extravagant resources from a young age. ¡°No wonder there are armies in Great Xia comprised of Martial Artists of Seventh and Eighth Grades!¡± Over the past few days, he had come to fully understand the role of wealth. Not to mention the more profound aspects of Martial Arts. At least at the level of the skin and bones, Martial Arts resources play a significant role. With ample resources, these steps might not be difficult at all. ¡°Talent and innate potential can be changed with acquired effort.¡± ¡°What then is there to be really proud of?¡± Jiang Ning had a moment of realization. [Source Energy]: 677.49 He glanced at his own panel. ¡°When I wake up tomorrow, my Source Energy should be able to break through the seven hundred mark, right?¡± ¡°Having broken through seven hundred in Source Energy Points is enough for my Wind Thunder Arrow Skill to undergo the second and third limit-breakings.¡± ¡°With that, even if Liu Linmen comes knocking, I should have the strength to fight back!¡± Jiang Ning mentally noted. During these three days, with the Bamboo Gang keeping a covert watch for him, he also had been keeping track of the Yellow Heaven Sect¡¯s movements. After the miraculous spread of their teachings, their followers were spreading the faith frenetically. In just a few days, around thirty percent of the populace in the East District of the outer city had become followers who believed in the Yellow Heaven Sect. Especially when someone from the Yellow Heaven Sect spread a message yesterday that the followers in this place need only remain devout, And by the next spring, a Heavenly King will come to Luoshui County to pray for rain for the people of Luoshui County, ensuring a spring rain for an unhindered spring planting. This message fueled the fanaticism of the populace. At the same time, Jiang Ning also had a grasp on Liu Linmen¡¯s condition. After several days of treatment, Liu Linmen¡¯s eye injury had healed, and the man had visited Ye Qiu today. This move immediately made Jiang Ning think of a possibility. That is, like what he had predicted previously, Liu Linmen may not know who attacked him that night. The visit to Ye Qiu might have been to use his Heavenly Eye to probe Ye Qiu. ¡°Tomorrow, by observing his actions, I¡¯ll know if my guess is mostly correct,¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. At this moment, with the increase in strength, he no longer had the concerns that plagued him a few days ago. The improvement in strength had given him much more confidence. Compared to that night, his strength had made tremendous progress, improving by no less than one hundred percent. Not only had he completed the first limit-breaking of Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, mastering the Power of Wind and Thunder, But he was also only one step away from the Jiao Tendon in terms of refining muscles. The robust and tough Great Tendons now allowed him to burst forth with explosive power that was nearly twice as great as before. And on that night when he acted against Liu Linmen, he was only at the level of the Ox Tendon, capable of only increasing his explosive power by thirty percent. Moreover, in these past few days, his Saber Technique had once again undergone a limit-breaking, and his Sword Force had broken through, able to invoke the Power of Heaven and Earth with its use. The advancement of these three aspects gave him a certain confidence. His strength, as of now, couldn¡¯t be simply evaluated by Martial Arts Grade. After all, he now also possessed Inner Breath, the Inner Breath that should only be mastered at the Fifth Grade Inner Strength Realm. With all these factors combined, Jiang Ning didn¡¯t claim he could fight against a master at the Fifth Grade Inner Strength Realm, but at least when facing Sixth Rank, he felt no fear in his heart. With the right timing and location, even tackling a Fifth Grade opponent wasn¡¯t out of the question. ¡­ Moments later, Jiang Ning pushed open the door and stepped into Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s room. ¡°Master!¡± Xie Xiaojiu, sitting on the bed with bedding covering only her thighs, put down the saber manual in her hands and greeted Jiang Ning. ¡°No need to wait up for me!¡± Jiang Ning said to Xie Xiaojiu. Xie Xiaojiu showed a faint smile. She stretched her legs out from under the blanket and stepped off the bed wearing cotton shoes. These past few days, the temperature had dropped further. Even at home in the evening, Xie Xiaojiu no longer wore thin robes. Instead, she wore a white mink fur long dress, with soft white mink fur on both the inside and outside. The thick fur long dress also concealed some of the scenery, only revealing a small portion of her rounded calves and slender shoulders and snow-white arms. The most beautiful sight was hidden by the thick long dress, causing a slight regret in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart for not being able to admire the stunning beauty of this world. Approaching the table, S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xie Xiaojiu picked up the teapot and poured water into a teacup. Gurgling ¡ª Boiling hot tea flowed from the spout into the cup, creating rising mist. ¡°Master, it¡¯s chilly outside. Have a cup of hot tea to warm up before you sleep!¡± ¡°Appreciate it!¡± Jiang Ning said with a smile, then gently sipped the hot tea. The teapot had been set aside for a while, so the water was clearly not too hot. Jiang Ning cautiously tested the temperature and then drank the tea down in a few gulps. The hot tea, once in his stomach, instantly dispelled the slight chill. Although the temperature drop in the past few days hadn¡¯t been as drastic as earlier, it still continued to fall. It was now almost equal to the winters he experienced in the south in his previous life. Because of the proximity to the Luoshui River, the humidity was significant, and the bone-chilling dampness was palpable. Even with his extraordinary physique, Jiang Ning still did not find the weather comfortable. ¡°Go to sleep! Don¡¯t mind me,¡± Jiang Ning urged, looking at Xie Xiaojiu standing in front of him. ¡°Master, it¡¯s cold tonight.¡± Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s heart suddenly started pounding, and she hesitantly began, ¡°How about¡­ How about sleeping in the bed?¡± Xie Xiaojiu repeated the suggestion she¡¯d made a few days earlier. ¡°If I sleep on the bed, where will you sleep?¡± Jiang Ning smiled and then patted the quilt lying aside, continuing, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! With this quilt you¡¯ve given me, I won¡¯t freeze. I am, after all, a good hand at Martial Arts Seventh Grade!¡± Watching Jiang Ning, Xie Xiaojiu opened her mouth, then suddenly let out a sigh. ¡°Then¡­ Master, I¡¯ll go to sleep first!¡± She quickly moved to her own bed in two or three steps and then swiftly dived under the covers. Jiang Ning watched her back, smiling and shaking his head. Soon after, Jiang Ning put together a makeshift bed for himself, spread the quilt over him, and quickly fell into sleep. ¡­ The next day, ¡°Master¡¯s awake!¡± Jiang Ning opened his eyes and saw Xie Xiaojiu beside him, cleaning her face. Wet from the water, her hair by her ears and forehead clung together. From Jiang Ning¡¯s angle, he could clearly see the fine down on the girl¡¯s face. He immediately sat on a wooden stool to calm the stirrings of his body. At this age, brimming with blood and vigor, it was always so uncomfortable every morning. Especially waking up to see Xie Xiaojiu and such a sight, Jiang Ning needed some time to suppress the movements of his body. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy Points]: 717.88 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Three times limit-breaking 517/4000) (Trait: unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility) Five Animals Fist (one time limit-breaking 568/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (Five times limit-breaking 6000/6000) (Trait: touch and understand, Sword Force like a gust of wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One, Innate Blade Bone) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (small success 493/5000) Vajra Immortal Body (small success 453/5000) Swimming+ (Five times limit-breaking 6000/6000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (one time limit-breaking 1/2000) (Trait: Wind and Thunder Power) Water and Fire True Strength (small success 45/500) His gaze fell on the panel, and Jiang Ning was inwardly thrilled. Having broken through the seven hundred Source Energy Points, he had more options. Whether to break the limits of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill or Swimming, or to go for the second and third times limit-breaking of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, the decision was his to make. Chapter 303 - 303 34 Walking on Water Practicing Archery in ?Chapter 303: Chapter 34: Walking on Water, Practicing Archery in the Lake Chapter 303: Chapter 34: Walking on Water, Practicing Archery in the Lake Outside the Xie Mansion. Xie Xiaojiu sat inside the carriage, which was taking her on its own towards the Inspection Office. Upon reaching the turn into an alley. ¡°Big Yellow, stop!¡± Xie Xiaojiu commanded. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The horse pulling the carriage immediately came to a halt. ¡°That¡¯s a fine horse!¡± Jiang Ning complimented, as he stood beside the alleyway. Even though he had witnessed the horse¡¯s extraordinary human-like intelligence yesterday, which allowed it to understand human speech, Jiang Ning was still awestruck to witness it again. To understand human speech, a certain level of intelligence was obviously required. In his previous life, only a few animals were capable of such intelligence. However, with a change of thought to the wonders of this world, Jiang Ning suddenly came to terms with it. ¡°My Lord, please get in!¡± Xie Xiaojiu lifted the carriage curtain, revealing half of her beautiful profile. Upon hearing her words, Jiang Ning lightly leaped onto the carriage and then bent down to get inside. ¡°Apologies for the wait, my Lord!¡± Xie Xiaojiu opened with an apologetic face. Jiang Ning shook his head and then asked, ¡°Is there any news of the Yellow Heaven Sect?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded and took out a folded piece of paper from her waist: ¡°My Lord, have a look!¡± Jiang Ning took the folded paper and slowly looked it over. He had finished perusing the several hundred characters of the record in just a few moments. ¡°Someone entered the Yellow Heaven Sect¡¯s base last night?¡± Jiang Ning inquired. ¡°Yes!¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded: ¡°According to reports from our people below, someone shrouded in a hooded cloak entered the Yellow Heaven Sect¡¯s base through the main gate in the dead of night around 3 a.m.¡± ¡°Who do you think this person was, and why would they deliberately reveal their tracks?¡± Jiang Ning mused with a contemplative expression. From a preliminary judgment, Jiang Ning felt the mysterious individual was not simple. If they weren¡¯t simple, and if they had intended to hide, why would they appear at the gate of the Yellow Heaven Sect¡¯s base during the third watch of the night? Any capable person who wished to stay hidden wouldn¡¯t be discovered by those shadowing them. It was just like himself, who had been coming and going from the Xie Mansion over the past few days without attracting anyone¡¯s attention. And with impressive abilities, one¡¯s senses would also be extraordinary compared to common folk, making it easy to detect unusual gazes and those shadowing them nearby. Hearing the two questions from Jiang Ning, Xie Xiaojiu pondered for a moment and then responded. ¡°My Lord, I truly can¡¯t comprehend the two questions you asked.¡± Jiang Ning simply smiled upon hearing her words. It wasn¡¯t only Xie Xiaojiu who couldn¡¯t understand; he couldn¡¯t either. After pondering for a while, Jiang Ning temporarily set aside the question. If there was an opportunity later, he would personally go and investigate. But not now, as getting close to Liu Linmen, he had no certainty of remaining undetected by Liu Linmen. Liu Linmen, who was of the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm, had demonstrated his powerful senses to him just a few nights ago. Even in utter darkness and amidst a torrential downpour, Liu Linmen could still detect arrows shot with supernatural speed at critical moments. From this, one could see that the senses of such a formidable person like Liu Linmen were truly extraordinary. There was no chance of being followed without being noticed. If he were to go rashly, it would be easy for Liu Linmen to detect him. ¡°No rush!¡± Jiang Ning secretly reassured himself: ¡°I¡¯m still safe for now, there¡¯s no need to take risks; the key lies in continuing to enhance my strength.¡± ¡­ Half an hour later. The carriage entered the Inspection Office. Just as they stepped out of it. Pitter-patter¡ª Drops of rain tapped against the carriage. At this moment, just having exited the carriage, Xie Xiaojiu involuntarily shrank her neck slightly. ¡°My Lord, it¡¯s started to rain!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. Drop by drop, the rain full of the autumn air fell from the overcast sky. Falling on his neck, it immediately brought a bone-chilling cold. This rain was the first real rain Jiang Ning had encountered since coming to this world. The previous rains were all due to his use of the Divine Skill ¡°Cloud Formation and Rainfall¡± which brought about heavy rain. Now, this rain was truly natural rainfall. Feeling the rain soak his skin, Jiang Ning felt invigorated, his Essence Qi spirit growing even more vibrant. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside and take shelter from the rain,¡± Jiang Ning suggested. ¡­ Several hours later. On the banks of the Luoshui River. ¡°Hu¡ª¡± Looking at the vast expanse of the lake in front of him, Jiang Ning felt incredibly refreshed. After dealing with some urgent matters at the Inspection Office, he had walked out. From the most recent urgent matters he had handled, he also roughly grasped the direction the Inspection Office¡¯s people were taking. As per Hong Minghu¡¯s instructions, Luoshui County was making an all-out effort to eradicate the God Worship Sect. And these past few days, while implementing Hong Minghu¡¯s instructions. However, the subordinates below hadn¡¯t achieved much. It seemed as if the God Worship Sect had vanished overnight. Regarding this matter, Jiang Ning simply became aware of it and then stopped paying attention. He had known before that the God Worship Sect was not so simple. If they were, how could the God Worship Sect¡¯s idols have been enshrined in the City God Temple, allowing the entire city¡¯s populace to worship them? In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, the God Worship Sect was not only involved with the Cao family but also deeply intertwined with both the Liu and Xie families, and even with the County Lord. That County Lord may seem to have no presence now, and since arriving in this part of the world, Jiang Ning had not even seen the County Lord in person. But Jiang Ning felt that the County Lord would not remain silent so easily. Furthermore, from what he had seen a few nights before, he knew that the God Worship Sect might have some connection with the Yellow Heaven Sect. With the reports coming in over the past few days, Jiang Ning thought this possibility very likely. If not for someone¡¯s protection, how could the God Worship Sect, which had been operating in Luoshui County for so long and left so many traces, suddenly vanish without a trace? Afterward. Chapter 304 - 304 34 Walking on Water Practicing Archery in ?Chapter 304: Chapter 34: Walking on Water, Practicing Archery in the Lake_2 Chapter 304: Chapter 34: Walking on Water, Practicing Archery in the Lake_2 He no longer continued to stay at the Inspection Office. By now, Jiang Ning had fully digested the Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill. Although he was just a step away from achieving the Jiao tendon level in refining his muscles, he decided not to waste any more time on it. Without the precious medicine of the Dragon Tiger Refining Muscle Pill, the progress of refining muscles couldn¡¯t be enhanced in a short period of time. Focusing on refining muscles in the short term wouldn¡¯t bring about any dramatic improvements. At the moment, Jiang Ning urgently needed the sense of security that came with increased strength. Thus, he set his sights on the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. The first Break Limit of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill had granted him mastery over the Wind and Thunder Power, a change that significantly boosted his combat prowess. Future breakthroughs would similarly yield great improvements. In the short term, the only direction that would significantly enhance his strength was the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. Moreover, leveling up the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill required a vast area. For him, the Inspection Office was naturally not a suitable place anymore. What place was most suitable for practicing archery? Where else but Luoshui Lake? Luoshui Lake, vast and boundless, rarely frequented by people. He could practice his archery there, no matter how noisy, without attracting any attention. ¡­ At this moment, standing on the banks of the Luoshui River. Jiang Ning leapt forward and fell toward the lake surface. Boom¡ª As his feet just touched the water, his right foot stepped on the surface; under his feet, the lake suddenly exploded like a cannonball, and Jiang Ning¡¯s form also soared upward, rushing forward across the lake. Boom¡ª Boom¡ª ¡­ One step after another, each step erupting, the lake surface shattered violently, water splashing everywhere into countless broken pearls. Stepping on the lake, Jiang Ning advanced effortlessly across the water¡¯s surface with a rise and fall. ¡°No wonder it¡¯s said that Seventh Grade Martial Artists can walk on water.¡± Feeling his current state, Jiang Ning sighed inwardly. At this moment, his speed was not fast; he was not running at top speed across the water. He was merely using terrifying explosive power in an instant to achieve this scene. Refining muscles as strong as Jiao, even in a small interval, he could easily mobilize his body¡¯s strength, bursting out twice his usual explosive power. That is the most terrifying aspect of the Seventh Grade. Although he had not yet reached the level of refining muscle as Jiao, being only a step away from it, he could easily take this step. At this time. Each of Jiang Ning¡¯s steps unleashed explosive power in an instant, turning the water¡¯s surface as solid as the ground. The rebound force from stepping on the water easily allowed him a rise and fall, covering a distance of two to three zhang each time. At this moment, Jiang Ning walked effortlessly on the surface of the lake. He also constantly felt the changes brought by the breakthrough of refining muscles. Half a cup of tea later. ¡°The breakthrough of refining muscles really differs vastly from before!¡± Jiang Ning sighed. After spending half a cup of tea time closely contemplating, he thoroughly understood his current physical state. His bodily strength flowed at will, able to burst forth instantaneously at any part. Normally, only a Martial Artist who had reached this step could walk on water. Being able to unleash full force in an instant, that was the secret of walking on water. The next moment. Boom¡ª He stomped hard again, and the water beneath his feet suddenly exploded, then formed a vacuum spreading outward from him. His form also shot forward suddenly, his speed immediately surged. In an instant. He crossed more than ten zhang in distance. At this moment, he raced across the lake like a whirlwind, with rain falling overhead directly swept away by the gusts around him, unable to touch his body. Moving like the wind, this moment was fully displayed through him. ¡­ Across the vast expanse of the lake. If someone were boating on the lake, they would see a figure running swiftly across the lake surface. Behind this figure were even traces of afterimages. This was a visual illusion caused by extremely high speeds. After a long while. Boom¡ª The water erupted, and Jiang Ning soared into the air. In an instant, he crossed over a mountain cliff several zhang high and landed on the cliff edge of the deserted island. ¡°Back again!¡± Seeing the familiar scene, Jiang Ning smiled. This deserted island was the best place in his heart to practice archery. Practicing archery here, Jiang Ning wasn¡¯t afraid of being discovered by anyone, nor was he afraid of being approached by Liu Linmen. Subsequently, A longbow appeared in his hands. Stringing the bow and drawing the string, he easily pulled the longbow to full draw. Bang¡ª [Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Experience Value +1] The arrow left the string, creating a wave of air that cut through the sky. Raindrops in the air were instantly blown away by this wave. In midair, a visible trail was created by the piercing arrow. This one arrow flew several miles before its momentum gradually faded, and it fell obliquely toward the surface of the lake. [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Break Limit once 2/2000) (trait: Wind and Thunder Breath) Glancing at the panel, the experience value of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill had indeed increased by one point. Jiang Ning once again strung the bow and drew the string. Bang¡ª Bang¡ª Bang¡ª ¡­ Arrows pierced through the air one by one. The Wind and Thunder Power within his body was continuously being consumed. At the same time, the experience value of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill also continuously increased. ¡­ On the other side, Yellow Heaven Sect¡¯s quarters. ¡°Altar Master Sun, I apologize! I was in seclusion last night and couldn¡¯t receive you immediately!¡± Liu Linmen entered the hall, his face showing a kind expression. Then he blinked his eyes. Even after a night¡¯s recovery, his eyes were still filled with a stinging sensation after briefly using the Heavenly Vision the day before. ¡°No problem!¡± The visitor responded as she lifted the hood from her head, revealing her face. She was a middle-aged woman about forty years old. Then she added, ¡°Is the Incense Master¡¯s eyes causing discomfort?¡± Liu Linmen smiled, ¡°My eyes were injured a few days ago, and I used Heavenly Vision yesterday; it¡¯s hard to recover completely in a short period, so they¡¯re a bit sore.¡± Hearing the words ¡®Heavenly Vision,¡¯ the middle-aged woman immediately showed great respect. ¡°Turns out Incense Master Liu is also a Heavenly Master!¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say a Heavenly Master!¡± Liu Linmen laughed and waved his hand: ¡°It¡¯s just that I barely managed to harness the Heavenly Vision.¡± Then he asked, ¡°Altar Master Sun, you entered the city last night without being discovered, right?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Liu Linmen nodded and then continued, ¡°How is your Hierarch considering? Would you like to join the Yellow Heaven Sect?¡± ¡°If so, the False God Power residing within your sect members can be completely removed by the Yellow Heaven Sect¡¯s Grand Helmsman who will petition the Supreme King on your behalf.¡± The middle-aged woman¡¯s expression did not change at all upon hearing this. They already knew about this condition. Indeed, because of this condition, the God Worship Sect was contemplating joining the Yellow Heaven Sect. After all, leaning on a big tree is good for enjoying the shade, and because the God Worship Sect had been venerating that God for a long time, it had assimilated too much of its aura, causing the condition of the upper echelons within the sect to progressively deteriorate. And there was another even more critical matter. But for now, they were not in a hurry. Immediately, she slowly began to speak, ¡°The Hierarch is still considering it.¡± ¡°Still considering?¡± Liu Linmen¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°Yes!¡± The middle-aged woman nodded: ¡°This is a decision from above, and I cannot intervene.¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then she added, ¡°Heavenly Master Sun, do you know why the Incense Master that came with you was attacked, and who exactly was behind this?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t completely figured out this matter!¡± Liu Linmen shook his head: ¡°But I have generally identified the target, give me some time, and I¡¯ll find out.¡± Liu Linmen explained to the middle-aged woman. Before he came to Luoshui County, his superiors had assigned him the task, demanding that he must bring the God Worship Sect into the Yellow Heaven Sect. The upper echelons were very interested in the method of worshiping gods. To truly worship something is not a simple matter. Looking at this world, there are few such signs in any church. As such, he was very kind towards the God Worship Sect. Meanwhile, The middle-aged woman nodded at Liu Linmen¡¯s words, ¡°I believe the words of Heavenly Master Liu, if you find out who it is, please let me know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! It won¡¯t be many days!¡± Liu Linmen said lightly. ¡°Since I have Heavenly Master Liu¡¯s word, I¡¯ll rest easy!¡± The middle-aged woman nodded, and then continued, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave first!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Liu Linmen nodded slightly, watching as the middle-aged woman left. It wasn¡¯t until she disappeared around the corner outside the door that a contemplative expression emerged in Liu Linmen¡¯s eyes. After the God Worship Sect had lost two Incense Masters, they even sent out an Altar Master. It seems the revered God statue is still in Luoshui County, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t send such an important Altar Master to such a minor place. Chapter 305 - 305 35 Second Limit Breaking of Wind Thunder ?Chapter 305: Chapter 35: Second Limit Breaking of Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Chapter 305: Chapter 35: Second Limit Breaking of Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Three days later. Moonlight spilled from the canopy of heaven above, reflecting countless silver scales upon the surface of the lake. Boom¡ª Jiang Ning loosed an arrow, which streaked across the sky like a rainbow, before vanishing over the distant lake. [Source Energy]: 721.11 [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill+ (First Limit Breaking 2000/2000) (Trait: Wind and Thunder Breath) ¡°Sigh¡ª¡± After a glance at his own panel, Jiang Ning exhaled a breath filled with impure energy. His three days of arduous practice with the bow had once again filled the experience value for the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. It had now met the requirements to break through the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. Over these three days, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t remember how many times he had drawn his bowstring, depleting his Wind and Thunder Power time after time. Every depletion required him to enter the lake to hasten his recovery. The larger the contact area with the water, the faster his recovery would be. Submerging his entire body in water, his speed of recovery was more than tenfold of that on shore. Only with the aid of water recuperation was he able to fire his bow hundreds of times a day, exhausting his Wind and Thunder Power over and over again. At the same time, while recuperating in the water, he didn¡¯t waste any time, but took the opportunity to practice his fist technique underwater. Enhancing the Five Animals Fist would increase his Qi-Blood, which is foundational to Martial Arts. Now. Looking at the scene on the panel, the hard work of the past three days turned into joy at the bountiful harvest at that moment. The experience value for the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill was completely filled; he only needed to spend 200 Source Energy Points for his Wind Thunder Arrow Skill to undergo the Second Limit Breaking. He glanced again at his own panel. [Source Energy]: 721.11 [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill+ (First Limit Breaking 2000/2000) (Trait: Wind and Thunder Breath) Jiang Ning no longer hesitated in his heart. Breakthrough! With a thought, he activated the breakthrough. In an instant. Source Energy Points swiftly diminished. In the blink of an eye, the total amount of Source Energy Points had decreased by a full two hundred. [Source Energy]: 521.11 The panel fixed on this scene of Source Energy Points. Moments later. Jiang Ning slightly started. Because after several breaths had passed, he hadn¡¯t felt any change in himself. Unlike when he first broke the limit of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, when he closed his eyes and saw the Wind and Thunder Power in the void. The next moment. Jiang Ning immediately looked at his panel, toward the skill section. [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Second Limit Breaking 0/3000) (Traits: Wind and Thunder Breath, Heart Guided Arrow Skill) ¡°Heart Guided Arrow Skill?¡± mumbled Jiang Ning. He immediately looked at the explanation on the panel. [Heart Guided Arrow Skill]: Use the heart as a guide, firing an arrow that follows one¡¯s intention. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this section, Jiang Ning was once again taken aback. ¡°Guided by the heart?¡± His eyebrows knitted slightly, a trace of confusion flashing in his eyes. He whispered to himself, ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try!¡± At once. A white glow flashed in his hand, and an arrow appeared. Nocking the arrow, he drew the bowstring. Boom¡ª As he released the string, the arrow shot through the air, disappearing into the pitch-black night sky in the blink of an eye. But at this moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Because as the arrow flew, he suddenly saw from another perspective, that of the arrow soaring through the air. In this view, he could clearly see everything ahead of him. Time also seemed to slow down drastically. Suddenly. The arrow¡¯s speed unchanged, effortlessly breaking the sound barrier, but Jiang Ning discovered the arrow diverged from its course, following the flow of his intentions. The deviation wasn¡¯t large. Yet at a distance of several miles, a miss as small as a hair could mean a difference as vast as a thousand miles. Then, Jiang Ning¡¯s thoughts shifted once more. The original arrow flying skimming over the lake surface, now suddenly veered steeply downward, quickly plunging into the water. Its speed plummeted dramatically upon touching the water. Hiss¡ª And only when guided by Jiang Ning¡¯s intentions did the arrow pierce through a big fish half a zhang long, before its momentum was utterly spent. Retracting his sight, Jiang Ning¡¯s face couldn¡¯t help but show a look of astonishment. A seemingly unremarkable effect had brought him an unexpectedly pleasant surprise. Heart Guided Arrow Skill was the equivalent of sword control from immortal cultivation tales. An arrow whose trajectory could be altered and one whose couldn¡¯t were fundamentally different in every respect. Once an arrow was loosed, its direction was set. This sort of archery, when up against a formidable enemy, had only the effect of a surprise attack, especially under the clear view of the broad daylight. With a range of several miles, even the swiftest arrow from the moment of release to hitting the target would take one or two breaths¡¯ time. In such a case, if someone noticed, shifting just one body¡¯s width would allow them to easily dodge the lock-on of the arrow. And the subsequent arrows would have little chance of hitting the enemy. Because, like now, with one breath, he could traverse more than ten zhangs. Given such a disparity, anyone on guard during the day could hardly be hit by an arrow from afar. Distance and one¡¯s own speed could easily dodge an incoming arrow from a distance. But now it was different. Having mastered the Heart Guided Arrow Skill. Jiang Ning could manipulate the arrow with his intention, altering its trajectory in mid-air without affecting its speed and power. Under these circumstances, the true terror of archery could be revealed. Given a vast expanse, a single person with one arrow could easily suppress dozens of equally skilled opponents: to show oneself was to invite death. Guided by the Heart Guided Arrow Skill, it would be very difficult to evade his fatal arrows. With the mastery of the Heart Guided Arrow Skill, the true terror of archery would be fully unleashed. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning felt a surge of joy in his heart. That night, if he had possessed this Heart Guided Arrow Skill when he made a move against Liu Linmen. Chapter 306 - 306 35 Second Limit Breaking of Wind Thunder ?Chapter 306: Chapter 35: Second Limit Breaking of Wind Thunder Arrow Skill_2 Chapter 306: Chapter 35: Second Limit Breaking of Wind Thunder Arrow Skill_2 Liu Linmen¡¯s response would inevitably not be so relaxed. To say nothing of launching an attack on him, it would be considered quite good if Liu Linmen could manage to get away unscathed. The originally set track of the arrows could be called inanimate. The arrows mastered by the ¡°heart-arrow technique¡± could be called living things, directed by his heart¡¯s will. Once the arrows possessed the spirituality of living things, their threat became literally deadly. Even the so-called ¡°Sword Control Skill¡± was not as terrifying as his current Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. The next moment. Jiang Ning once again set his bow and drew the string. He easily pulled the longbow in his hand to full draw. The Wind Thunder strength silently merged into the arrow in his hand. Pop¡ª The arrow left the string, breaking the sound barrier. In the blink of an eye, it disappeared into the pitch-black night sky, only losing its barrier-breaking kinetic energy four miles away. Then it traveled an additional two miles before its kinetic energy gradually waned, swiftly plunging into the lake water. After mastering the heart-arrow technique, even on the dark and open lake surface, Jiang Ning could clearly see where the arrow landed. His alternative perspective synchronized with the arrow that shot through the air. ¡°This arrow, compared to the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill before the Second Limit Breaking, has increased in power by two or three tenths! Now my strength has climbed up at least another level.¡± Jiang Ning retracted the longbow in his hand, muttering to himself. Then. Boom¡ª He lightly kicked the ground, kicking up pebbles, and his whole body soared toward the lake surface like a giant roc spreading its wings. In mid-air, the wind from the lake surged toward his robe, forming a glide-like motion as it smoothly descended. Boom¡ª The moment he landed on the lake surface. He stomped fiercely again with one foot, the lake surface beneath Jiang Ning suddenly burst, and the reactionary force instantly negated the kinetic energy from his high leap. Then, Jiang Ning walked on the ripples toward the shore at high speed. At this time, the night was deep, and the bright moon hung high overhead. He needed to hurry back to sleep. Previously, he had also tried, finding that sleeping every night was a deep relaxation and recovery of his physical state. No method could replace sleep in aiding the body. So even at this stage, no matter how good his physical state, he would maintain his nightly sleep. It was both a pleasure and the greatest help for his body. ¡­ Arriving at the shore, Jiang Ning discreetly observed his own mansion. Feeling the undisturbed aura of his elder brother, sister-in-law, Little Dumpling, and Jiang Yiming inside the room, Jiang Ning immediately left with peace of mind. These days, he checked on his elder brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family every night before he could leave with peace of mind. Not staying here was also his greatest protection for his elder brother¡¯s family. If he lived here, it would truly be dangerous if Liu Linmen took advantage of the night to come knocking. No one knew better than himself that it was his own doing that night against Liu Linmen. And that night, the Yin God of the Yellow Heaven Sect had also found him and marked him with a trace he had yet not detected. As Lin Qingyi had said, even if Liu Linmen did not yet know who the real culprit was, as long as he opened his Heavenly Eye and saw him, he would definitely discover the mark planted by that Yin God. In that case, the truth would come out, and a conflict with Liu Linmen was inevitable. Once a conflict arose, it would pose the greatest danger to his ordinary elder brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family. Therefore, Jiang Ning chose not to live at home, but instead to stay at Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s house. As long as Liu Linmen could not find him, he probably could not confirm who the culprit was that night! After all, the Yin God Lord had been injured by Lin Qingyi when he found him. Injuries to a Yin God were urgent, and that Lord might not have had time to inform Liu Linmen who exactly was responsible for that night¡¯s events. It was precisely because of this consideration that Jiang Ning had taken these actions. Based on his findings over these days, Jiang Ning was quite certain that his earlier guess was almost entirely correct. The Incense Master of the Yellow Heaven Sect, Liu Linmen indeed did not know who the main culprit was. These few days, according to the news gathered from below, Liu Linmen had visited two Commanders every two days. Clearly, he was discreetly investigating. Therefore, now more than ever, Jiang Ning could not appear in his own mansion. As long as he did not show up and nothing went wrong, Liu Linmen would not dare to recklessly harm his elder brother¡¯s family. Given his official position, no one dared to disregard him. As a Secondary Eighth-Rank Deputy Commander with real power, he could not only mobilize dozens of Ninth Grade Martial Artists under him but also request assistance from the military stationed outside the city. On this point, unless Liu Linmen was completely insane, he would not dare to touch his elder brother and sister-in-law before something happened to him. Thus, Jiang Ning had not let them go into hiding. And yet, there was nowhere to hide even if he wanted to. Stepping out of Luoshui County, he knew nothing and had no connections or resources. This was even more dangerous. Moreover, once they left, it would be equivalent to openly acknowledging a hidden cache. Instead, it placed them in greater peril. Considering everything, Jiang Ning had only made himself disappear, appearing at most during routine duties at the Inspection Office during the day and staying at Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s home at night. Letting Liu Linmen be unable to find him, he tried to bide his time to further strengthen his abilities. The stronger his power, the more confidence he had! Now, Jiang Ning¡¯s confidence was much stronger than it had been a few days ago. But he also knew that it was not enough. A Fifth Grade Internal Strength expert was not simple; with his current array of skills, a hasty confrontation could hardly protect himself, let alone completely resolve this hidden trouble. Xie Mansion. Thump-thump¡ª Xie Xiaojiu heard two soft knocks at the window and immediately looked over. ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± Hearing the response from Jiang Ning, Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s hanging heart fell back into place. Because usually, by this time, Jiang Ning would have already returned. Tonight, he was a bit later, which led her to uncontrollably harbor some wild thoughts. She also knew something, that Jiang Ning stayed at her place to avoid some things or people. That¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t help feeling uneasy just now. Until this moment, when she heard Jiang Ning¡¯s familiar voice, she finally felt completely at ease. Immediately afterward, Xie Xiaojiu got out of bed, came to the window, and opened it, allowing Jiang Ning to climb through into her room. ¡°Sir, you¡¯ve come back so late, nothing happened, right?¡± Xie Xiaojiu asked as she closed the window to keep the cold air out while looking at Jiang Ning with a concerned expression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I just had a breakthrough today, so it took a bit longer,¡± Jiang Ning said casually. ¡°You had another breakthrough?¡± A bright spark flashed in Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s eyes, and a joyful expression appeared on her face. She didn¡¯t doubt the truth of Jiang Ning¡¯s words at all. These days, living together from dawn to dusk, she naturally noticed some changes in Jiang Ning. His strength was far beyond her reach. Being a prodigy herself, she understood all the more how frightening Jiang Ning was. Such overflowing talent made her feel hopelessly outstripped. Xie Xiaojiu knew she could never catch up to Jiang Ning in her lifetime. But she didn¡¯t feel jealous, instead genuinely feeling happy. ¡°Just a minor achievement!¡± Seeing the bright spark in Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s eyes, Jiang Ning smiled. Then he took off his jacket, and Xie Xiaojiu immediately took it from him, hanging it on a nearby rack. As skillfully as a wife tending to her husband who had just come home. ¡°Sir, do you want to take a bath tonight? I¡¯ve prepared the hot water in advance.¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No, it¡¯s a bit late!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head. Then he moved to a bed that had been simply made out of planks. This was his new bed. In recent days, Jiang Ning insisted on not taking over Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s bed, and she, helpless and not wanting to draw the attention of others in the house, had to simply throw together a bed. This new bed, under Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s arrangement, was also quite soft and warm. Jiang Ning just sat on the bed, bending over to take off his shoes. ¡°Sir, let me do it!¡± Xie Xiaojiu crouched, her skirt softly spread over the wooden floor, enough to cover her ankles. She took off Jiang Ning¡¯s shoes and socks, then turned and left. Moments later, she came back with a basin of hot water. ¡°Sir, wash your feet before going to sleep!¡± ¡°You put it down, I¡¯ll do it myself!¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°Just rest, sir! I¡¯ll do it!¡± Xie Xiaojiu squatted down to place the basin properly, then smiled at Jiang Ning. She immediately grabbed Jiang Ning¡¯s feet and placed them in the basin. ¡°Is the water temperature alright?¡± Xie Xiaojiu looked up at Jiang Ning, tucking a lock of hair that had fallen by her ear behind it with her pinkie. Jiang Ning looked at her, unable to help but smile. ¡°It¡¯s perfect!¡± While speaking, Jiang Ning gently rubbed Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s head. In that moment, Jiang Ning felt a profound sense of warmth and comfort. Chapter 307 - 307 36 Arduous Archery Training The Shock in ?Chapter 307: Chapter 36: Arduous Archery Training, The Shock in Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s Heart! Chapter 307: Chapter 36: Arduous Archery Training, The Shock in Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s Heart! The next day. Inspection Office. ¡°Sir, Liu Linmen of the Yellow Heaven Sect requests an audience!¡± Jiang Ning had just returned from Hong Minghu and saw Xie Xiaojiu reporting to him. Liu Linmen requests an audience? He looked surprised at once. ¡°Do not see him,¡± Jiang Ning then said. ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± Xie Xiaojiu bowed and exited, then headed towards the courtyard gate. Watching Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s departing figure, Jiang Ning inadvertently showed a contemplative expression in his eyes. Liu Linmen had already visited three Commanders in the past few days and there was still one Commander he had not yet seen. Today, however, he suddenly came to visit, making it clear that he wanted to meet him and then use the Heavenly Eye to spy on the truth. ¡°It seems Liu Linmen has a great suspicion of me,¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Then he smiled wryly, looking at the office from outside, ¡°But now, I certainly won¡¯t agree to your request for an audience!¡± With his hearing ability, listening attentively, he had already heard Liu Linmen at the gate of the Inspection Office as well as a middle-aged woman following him. After making up his mind, Jiang Ning simply decided not to go out today. He was not in a hurry since he had completed the Second Break of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. After all, he had more than one way to improve his strength. If he went out and Liu Linmen discovered the mark on his body and confirmed that he was the one who acted that night, that would be less than ideal. ¡­ At the gate of the Inspection Office. ¡°My lord is in seclusion, cultivating his martial arts and will not see anyone,¡± Xie Xiaojiu said. ¡°I understand,¡± Liu Linmen replied with an unchanging expression, showing a hint of respect. Shortly after. Not until Xie Xiaojiu re-entered the gate of the Inspection Office and disappeared from the sight of Liu Linmen and the woman beside him, did the woman speak. ¡°This junior Jiang Ning is quite arrogant, not even welcoming a visit from Heavenly Master Liu!¡± Hearing the woman beside him, Liu Linmen showed a serene smile on his face. ¡°It¡¯s normal for one who gained fame at a young age to be proud!¡± ¡°With his performance before, surpassing me in the future is not out of the question. It¡¯s very normal for him to ignore me.¡± Upon hearing this, the middle-aged woman spoke again. ¡°Then what does Heavenly Master Liu plan to do next?¡± ¡°First, I will meet with the other individuals. If I gain nothing, I will visit him again in two days! Among the four Deputy Commanders, Jiang Ning is the most likely!¡± Liu Linmen said calmly. ¡°What if he still refuses to see you?¡± asked the middle-aged woman. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Then I shall break the conventions! A night visit won¡¯t harm,¡± Liu Linmen¡¯s eyes flashed with a sharp light. ¡­ Meanwhile. Jiang Ning had already immersed himself in the water, absorbing the Jiao Tendon Powder dissolved within it and channeling his Qi-Blood to temper the strength of his tendons. He was only a step away from the Jiao tendon. Soaking in the cold pool, Jiang Ning felt as though he was bathing in a hot spring. It only brought him comfort, relaxation¡­ No discomfort at all. Meanwhile, as he channeled his Qi-Blood, Jiang Ning also recalled what Hong Minghu had tasked him and the other Deputy Commanders with. A roaming unit of the Black Mountain Army had entered the territory of Luoshui County. Therefore, Hong Minghu wanted them to closely monitor the movements of the Black Mountain Army and lead their troops to encircle and suppress them upon discovery. Because the Black Mountain Army was previously the Church Protection Army of the Black Lotus Sect. The Black Lotus Sect had once incited a rebellion in Daming State nearby. The rebellion¡¯s momentum swept through three prefectures of Daming State, causing the deaths of over a million people. The entire rebellion lasted half a year last year before it was finally dispersed by a massive army. But the Black Mountain Army, still wandering around, was a persistent headache for the Great Xia Court. The Black Mountain Army, as the core elite of the Black Lotus Sect, consisted of Martial Artists who moved like the wind and acted freely. Especially the elite Black Mountain Cavalry, whose steeds climbed mountains and crossed ridges as though they were on flat land. It was precisely because of this that even though the Black Lotus Sect was destroyed, the Black Mountain Army remained difficult to eradicate completely. Now, according to Hong Minghu, a roaming unit of the Black Mountain Army had come to the territory of Luoshui County. Eradicating such a rebel force was also one of the duties of the Inspection Office. According to the number eradicated, corresponding Contribution Points could be claimed. Jiang Ning was contemplating this matter because of Contribution Points. Human tendons reaching the Dragon Tendon could amplify explosive power by five times. This step was extremely difficult; most Martial Artists would begin Bone Forging after reaching the Jiao tendon level, stepping into Sixth Rank. Because the process of Refining Muscle required foreign objects, in order to make human tendons reach the so-called Dragon Tendon level, one had to absorb the Dragon Tendon from the bodies of Dragon Blood descendants. Only creatures of Dragon Blood could have their tendons called Dragon Tendon. Either ground into powder or refined into precious Pills, both could help Seventh Grade reach the level of Great Tendon, like that of a dragon. But descendents of Dragon Blood were nearly extinct in the current era. Thus, Dragon Tendon was hard to find, such high-level foreign objects were scarce, and all of them were priceless treasures. Even with money, one could hardly buy them. But in the records of the Internal Affairs Office of the Inspection Office, Jiang Ning had seen a type of pill that could be exchanged with Contribution Points, the Dragon Ascending Pill. This pill could help him reach the level of Great Tendon like that of a dragon. However, it was prohibitively expensive and could only be exchanged with Contribution Points. One pill cost fifty thousand Contribution Points. To exchange fifty thousand Contribution Points with Silver would require a hundred thousand Silver Taels. A hundred thousand taels, just thinking of this figure made Jiang Ning involuntarily take a sharp breath. This huge sum of wealth was something he couldn¡¯t think of obtaining at the moment. However, he was not satisfied with just reaching the level of Refining Muscle like Jiao. Since there was a method to reach the level of Refining Muscle like Dragon, he must try his best to attempt it. Chapter 308: 36: Hard Practice in Archery, The Shock in Xie Xiaojius Heart!_2 Chapter 308: Chapter 36: Hard Practice in Archery, The Shock in Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s Heart!_2 ¡°If I get a chance to find the Black Mountain Army, I¡¯ll annihilate them all, a perfect opportunity to test my current archery skills, as well as a chance to earn a hefty sum of Contribution Points.¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. According to his previous understanding, destroying the Black Mountain Army would award a Ninth Grade Martial Artist fifty Contribution Points. An Eighth Grade Martial Artist would receive five hundred points. A Seventh Grade Martial Artist would earn five thousand points. A Sixth Grade Martial Artist would rake in fifty thousand points. As for Fifth Grade, he was not aware, since martial artists of this level are not commonly found all over the world. Not to mention that even at its peak, the Black Lotus Sect didn¡¯t have many Martial Artists in the Fifth Grade Inner Strength Realm. Let alone now. ¡­ Several days later. On a deserted island. Boom¡ª The arrow flew like a rainbow, tearing through the air. [Skill Experience Value for Wind Thunder Arrow Skill +1] [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Second Limit Breaking 1501/3000) (Trait: Wind and Thunder Breath, Heart¡¯s Archery) ¡°I¡¯ve surpassed half of the experience points needed!¡± Seeing the changes on the panel, Jiang Ning felt quite invigorated. Over the past few days, aside from spending the entire first day at the Inspection Office to temper his Great Tendon, he had continued to practice archery on this deserted island from the second day onward. The third limit breaking of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill remained the most important matter in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. Subsequently, Jiang Ning continued drawing the bow and releasing arrows. These days, he had no idea how many longbows he had snapped, yet each arrow he drew to full draw. Ordinary longbows like these, costing just a few dozen taels of silver each, were merely consumables to him. Boom¡ª Boom¡ª Boom¡ª ¡­ As the arrows left the bowstring, they broke the air, kicking up massive waves of qi. [Experience Value for Wind Thunder Arrow Skill +1] [Experience Value for Wind Thunder Arrow Skill +1] [Experience Value for Wind Thunder Arrow Skill +1] [¡­] With each arrow carrying the force of wind and thunder that flew out, his experience points for the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill increased by one. ¡­ Two days passed once more. Elsewhere. Yellow Heaven Sect¡¯s base. ¡°Master Liu, have you discovered who was responsible for that night¡¯s deed?¡± the middle-aged woman asked as soon as Liu Linmen appeared. Liu Linmen shook his head: ¡°I¡¯ve used the Heavenly Eye to investigate all the Four Great Commanders and both Deputy Commanders, but found no signs.¡± ¡°Could it be that the local king you mentioned didn¡¯t leave a mark?¡± the middle-aged woman inquired. ¡°Impossible!¡± Liu Linmen shook his head again, continuing, ¡°That local king can venture out with his Yin God and travel thousands of miles at night; getting to Luoshui County is just a matter of an hour¡¯s time. Since he agreed to the task, he certainly wouldn¡¯t speak carelessly.¡± After that, Liu Linmen added, ¡°There are still two people I haven¡¯t investigated, and it¡¯s highly likely that one of them was the villain that night.¡± ¡°Who are these two people?¡± the middle-aged woman asked. ¡°Jiang Ning, Tang Miaomiao.¡± ¡°Jiang Ning? Master Liu, didn¡¯t you see him last night?¡± the middle-aged woman said with a look of surprise. She was aware that Liu Linmen had gone out last night to secretly spy on Jiang Ning and to check if the Yin God of the local king had marked him. Liu Linmen shook his head at this time: ¡°I didn¡¯t. He wasn¡¯t at home last night.¡± ¡°Then I suspect it¡¯s Jiang Ning!¡± the middle-aged woman said with a stern look. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say!¡± Liu Linmen shook his head: ¡°Tang Miaomiao requested leave to go home a few days ago, perhaps to avoid something.¡± The middle-aged woman said, ¡°But to my knowledge, Tang Miaomiao is not skilled at archery, but at the Sword Dao.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve also not heard that Jiang Ning is skilled at archery,¡± Liu Linmen asserted. His instincts didn¡¯t want the culprit to be Jiang Ning, because then he¡¯d have to confront Jiang Ning. He didn¡¯t want to face such a terrifyingly gifted individual. The more he learned about Jiang Ning¡¯s past, the more apprehensive he became. In just a few months, Jiang Ning had evolved from an ordinary person with no combat skills to a top talent listed on the Hidden Dragon List. Even thinking about it was frightening. Given his insights, he suspected that Jiang Ning must either be reincarnated or possessed. Otherwise, Jiang Ning¡¯s transformation was simply beyond his understanding. And because of this, he instinctively didn¡¯t want to confront Jiang Ning or become enemies with him. Once enemies, he wasn¡¯t sure how to handle the matter. If they became enemies, how should he deal with it? A rash attack, no matter how cleanly executed, could never be concealed from the heavens or the earth. The Inspection Office had numerous ways to find the real murderer. When the time came, he would have nowhere to hide in the heavens or on earth. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As an Incense Master in the Yellow Heaven Sect, he had encountered many significant figures and witnessed many magical methods. Like the local king who communicated with him that night, capable of traveling thousands of miles at night with the Yin God, consulting with ghosts and deities, he would be aware of everything that happened in a certain place. No matter how covert the method, it would be known to the heavens and the earth. That local king had his methods, and so did the experts in the Inspection Office, some of whom possessed Ancient Immortal Skills and Divine Skills. This was also likely true of one of the sect¡¯s Heavenly Kings. They could, from thousands of miles away, directly employ the Curse Killing Skill. Because of this, he was very resistant to the idea of making the Inspection Office his enemy. To say nothing of his belief that Jiang Ning was much more complex than he appeared to be. If he truly was the reincarnation of some legendary figure who had awakened his previous wisdom, it would be even harder to kill him based on his strength alone. Like the rumors about the Buddha¡¯s son and the Daoist, one claimed to be a reincarnation of Buddha, and the other claimed to be a reincarnation of the Daoist Ancestor. Among these two, the Buddha¡¯s son had manifested a Buddha from his brow at the brink of death. Great Sun Tathagata. The Buddha figure towered hundreds of feet tall. With a single palm, he flattened a mountaintop and also vanquished a demon sect Grandmaster who had a tremendous reputation in the world. Some say it was a life-saving method left behind for the reincarnated by Buddha himself. This explanation was the most accepted by the world. Thus, Liu Linmen instinctively didn¡¯t want to become enemies with Jiang Ning, no matter what. His breadth of experience over these past few months, much wider than many others, gave him insights into the implications contained within. Chapter 309: 36: Intensive Archery Training, the Shock in Xie Xiaojius Heart!_3 Chapter 309: Chapter 36: Intensive Archery Training, the Shock in Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s Heart!_3 Mere talent alone could never have brought him this far. ¡­ Two days later. It was the afternoon. The sky was overcast. Ever since the last weather change, there had been few clear days. Most days were dominated by gloomy skies, occasionally accompanied by a few bouts of autumn rain. The autumn rain at this time was insufficient to alleviate the dryness of the crops. But thanks to Luoshui Lake, the people of Luoshui County weren¡¯t severely afflicted by the drought throughout the year. And now, according to the season, it was early winter. The crops in the fields had long been harvested, so it didn¡¯t matter whether there was autumn rain or not. Boom¡ª Standing atop the cliff, Jiang Ning released an arrow, which tore through the air, stirring up gusts of wind. [Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Experience Value +1] Suddenly, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze sharpened. Across the distant lake, he saw a light boat coming his way. The next moment, His expression relaxed. He recognized the person on the boat¡ªit was Xie Xiaojiu. These past nights, he¡¯d been staying at Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s home, sharing a room with her. His trust in Xie Xiaojiu had deepened considerably. Watching Xie Xiaojiu steer the boat rapidly toward him, Jiang Ning smiled, glanced at the panel, and continued to draw his bow and shoot arrows. [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Second Limit Breaking 2993/3000) (Traits: Wind and Thunder Breath, Arrow Skill of the Heart) He was now mere inches away from the 3,000 experience points required for the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. Seventeen more shots and the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill would reach 3,000 experience points, and he would be able to undergo the skill¡¯s third limit breaking. Boom¡ª Jiang Ning released his fingers, and the arrow shot forth from the bowstring. In an instant, The arrow broke the sound barrier, creating waves of turbulent energy. The powerful energy waved over the lake, causing the water to churn and waves to spread out on either side of the path the energy had taken. In the distance, Xie Xiaojiu watched the scene before her, her expression one of shock. ¡°A supersonic arrow!¡± Xie Xiaojiu murmured to herself. She clearly saw the arrow, slanting towards her direction. The sound of the arrow tearing through the air reached her ears only after the arrow itself had passed. This undoubtedly demonstrated that Jiang Ning¡¯s arrow had broken the sound barrier. ¡°The lord¡¯s arrow skill is terrifying!¡± Xie Xiaojiu muttered, her eyes flashing with disbelief. As a native of Luoshui County, she was well aware of everything about Jiang Ning. But the more she knew, the more surreal the scene before her seemed. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. An arrow capable of breaking the sound barrier was previously achieved by only one person in Luoshui County in public, and that was Cao Rong. And what kind of strength did Cao Rong possess? He was at the peak of Martial Arts Seventh Grade, famed for his Refining Muscle prowess, which had reached the level of Dragon Tendon¡ªa state where no further progress could be made. Such a Martial Arts Seventh Grade practitioner could shoot an arrow that broke the sound barrier and maintained this state for less than one breath. Yet, with just a glance, she knew that the duration of the sound barrier-breaking arrow shot by Jiang Ning had lasted for roughly more than one breath. The level of power between the two could not be compared. Jiang Ning¡¯s arrow was clearly far superior to Cao Rong¡¯s skill. ¡°The lord¡¯s talent is too terrifying!¡± Xie Xiaojiu whispered to herself, feeling utterly astonished. Jiang Ning had come so far in just a few months. His strength at the Martial Arts Seventh Grade seemed incredible to her. And now his arrow skill far exceeded Cao Rong¡¯s. She couldn¡¯t fathom how Jiang Ning had achieved this in such a short period, Advancing his arrow skill to such a frightening level. Such an arrow skill, in Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s view, posed a lethal threat even to practitioners of Martial Arts Sixth Grade. With such strength, he was now the previous number one person in Luoshui County. Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s gaze became somewhat vacant. After a while, Sigh¡ª She exhaled a breath of impure energy. ¡°In martial arts, I may never be able to catch up to his figure for the rest of my life.¡± Thinking this, Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly. Chapter 310: 37: Breaking Limit Thrice, Terrifying Archery Skills! Chapter 310: Chapter 37: Breaking Limit Thrice, Terrifying Archery Skills! On the deserted island. Jiang Ning continued to draw his bow and release arrows without end. With each shot, the arrows stirred up waves of wind, and the experience value of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill also kept growing. Moments later. Xie Xiaojiu leaped from the light boat, deftly tapped her toes on the rock wall, and gracefully landed beside Jiang Ning. ¡°Sir!¡± Xie Xiaojiu spoke. Bang¡ª Jiang Ning once again released the tightly gripped arrow in his hand. The arrow tore through the air, suddenly bringing up a gale. The long hair beside Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s ear was instantly swept up by the wind and stuck wetly to her red lips. ¡°Why have you suddenly come to find me?¡± Jiang Ning asked. Upon hearing this, Xie Xiaojiu first gently used her little finger to hook the long hair on her face behind her ear, then responded, ¡°Sir, the traces of the Black Mountain Army you had me observe earlier, I have now located them.¡± ¡°Located them?¡± Jiang Ning showed surprise before asking again, ¡°Where?¡± In the midst of speaking. Another arrow appeared in the palm of his hand, then he slowly drew the bowstring. ¡°At Beiqiu Mountain,¡± Xie Xiaojiu said. Beiqiu Mountain. Upon hearing these three words, the information about Beiqiu Mountain immediately flashed in Jiang Ning¡¯s mind. Beiqiu Mountain was ten miles to the north of Luoshui County and connected to the Luoshui River. The mountain stretched for dozens of miles, filled with towering ancient forests and with fierce beasts such as tigers, leopards, and wolves; indeed, it was a wilderness rarely trodden by man. ¡°Is the message highly reliable?¡± Jiang Ning inquired. In the midst of speaking. He once again released the taut, fully drawn arrow. Bang¡ª The arrow shot out into the air. [Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Experience Value +1] Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xie Xiaojiu glanced at the arrow Jiang Ning had shot out, a hint of amazement flashing again in her eyes. Then, she said, ¡°Highly reliable! Moreover, just now when I came out from the Inspection Office, I saw a captain leading men out, and their target was precisely Beiqiu Mountain.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Jiang Ning nodded his head. ¡°Sir, shall I go back now and gather our men?¡± ¡°No need!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head, continuing, ¡°Just wait a little longer, you will accompany me!¡± While speaking with Xie Xiaojiu, Jiang Ning did not cease the actions of his hands. The Wind Thunder Arrow Skill was now only a few experience points away from reaching three thousand, a perfect moment to steadily fill up the experience value. ¡°Accompany you, sir?¡± Xie Xiaojiu showed a surprised expression, ¡°How could that be? Just the two of us entering the mountain would be like two drops of water merging into the sea among the vast forest, finding the Black Mountain Army troops would be difficult.¡± The words of Xie Xiaojiu precisely echoed the root cause of why, since the collapse of the Black Lotus Sect, the scattered Black Mountain Army had been so difficult to completely eradicate. Composed of martial artists who had attained a certain level, the Black Mountain Army moved like the wind, capable of surviving in the harshest conditions. Once they melded into the mountain woods, their tracks became near-impossible to find, making it difficult to even search for their traces, let alone eradicate them completely. At this time. Jiang Ning shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I have my methods!¡± ¡°What methods do you have, sir?¡± Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s expression was filled with curiosity. ¡°Hearing!¡± Jiang Ning smiled slightly. Bang¡ª At the moment that smile appeared, he shot another arrow from his hand. [Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Experience Value +1] Hearing? Doubt flickered in Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s eyes. Then, she glanced at Jiang Ning again. Seeing Jiang Ning seriously continue to draw his bow and shoot arrows, she said no more, hiding her doubt deep within her heart. ¡­ Following that. Jiang Ning continued to draw the bow and release arrows, exerting his final efforts. Xie Xiaojiu also stayed quietly by his side, silently waiting for Jiang Ning. Bang¡ª Bang¡ª Bang¡ª ¡­ Jiang Ning sped up, a succession of arrows rushing out into the air. [Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Experience Value +1] [Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Experience Value +1] [Wind Thunder Arrow Skill Experience Value +1] ¡­ [Source Energy]: 531.28 [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill + (Second Limit Breaking 3000/3000) (Trait: Wind and Thunder Breath, Heart¡¯s Arrow Skill) Glancing over his status panel, Jiang Ning felt a surge of excitement within him. With Source Energy Points exceeding five hundred and the experience value of his Wind Thunder Arrow Skill skill surpassing three thousand points, and the familiar plus sign appearing. This indicated that he could now Break Limit for this skill. The next moment. Jiang Ning no longer harbored any hesitation. A thought crossed his mind, and the Source Energy Points on the panel began to decrease rapidly. Suddenly. Roar¡ª The sound of thunder boomed in Jiang Ning¡¯s ears. He closed his eyes, and his world, previously enveloped in darkness, was instantaneously torn apart by streaks of lightning. Jiang Ning could feel himself in a world of thunder. All around him, scintillating lightning occasionally rent the air. In his ears, there was also the howling fury of the storm. Elsewhere. Xie Xiaojiu watched Jiang Ning in astonishment, her figure stepping back repeatedly. Because she saw that around Jiang Ning, sudden gusts of wind had appeared, circling and gradually evolving into a small whirlwind. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Xie Xiaojiu murmured, looking at the scene before her. Roar¡ª Suddenly. Out of the clear sky, thunder exploded, and Xie Xiaojiu couldn¡¯t help but jump in alarm. She looked at the unfolding scene with remarkable interest as the suddenly appearing small whirlwind soon fully took shape, sweeping up the surrounding dust, fallen leaves, and withered grass. Not long after. The phenomenon around Jiang Ning disappeared, and the dust and fallen leaves in the sky slowly drifted back to the ground. The sudden peals of thunder also died down completely. Only then did Jiang Ning slowly open his eyes. [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Third Limit Breaking 0/4000) (Trait: Wind and Thunder Breath, Heart¡¯s Arrow Skill, Thunderbolt Arrow) [Thunderbolt Arrow]: When the arrow is fired, wind and thunder follow. Thunderbolt Arrow? Seeing the description on the panel, Jiang Ning¡¯s expression revealed amazement. The explanation was too simplistic, with only five characters, leaving him unsure of the trait¡¯s effects. After that. He looked at Xie Xiaojiu, then slowly drew his bow and released an arrow. ¡°Whatever the effect, one shot will reveal all!¡± Jiang Ning reassured himself inwardly. Chapter 311: 37: Breaking Limit Thrice, Terrifying Archery Skills!_2 Chapter 311: Chapter 37: Breaking Limit Thrice, Terrifying Archery Skills!_2 After one breath, He pulled to full draw. Snap¡ª Jiang Ning released the arrow, and it tore through the air. The next moment, a look of surprise suddenly flashed across Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. Beside him, Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s face was filled with astonishment. Because Jiang Ning¡¯s arrow was entirely different from the earlier ones. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the arrow left the bowstring, it instantly set off a storm. Carrying a terrifying momentum, it sped on, breaking through the air in front of him. The commotion it caused along its path was more than tenfold louder than before. With the storm¡¯s augmentation, the arrow¡¯s speed was extremely fast, almost double that of the previous shots. And the arrow itself was enveloped by Thunder Light, transforming into a bolt of lightning. Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze was fixedly on the arrow in midair. ¡°Is this the Wind and Thunder Arrow?¡± he muttered to himself. Beside him. Xie Xiaojiu murmured to herself, ¡°Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, it is said that when it reaches a supremely high level, a single arrow can summon the wind and thunder.¡± The next moment, Xie Xiaojiu looked at Jiang Ning with a face that flickered with disbelief. She now recognized that Jiang Ning¡¯s archery was a Middle Grade martial art, the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. But the archery technique Jiang Ning displayed astounded her beyond words. An arrow to summon wind and thunder! To her knowledge, that was nothing but an exaggeration common among worldly martial arts. If an arrow could truly summon wind and thunder upon release, It would no longer be a martial skill, but rather Divine Skills from the Ancient Times. On the other side, In Jiang Ning¡¯s perception, this wind and thunder-summoning arrow had already traveled several miles away, approaching the limit of its momentum. Yet the arrow was still covered with thunder and lightning, charged with a terrifying force. When the momentum of the arrow gradually waned, and it slantedly pierced into the lake water, Sizzle¡ª Electric arcs suddenly danced upon the lake¡¯s surface. ¡°Is this the Wind and Thunder Arrow?¡± A new wave of surprise flashed through Jiang Ning¡¯s mind. This arrow in his current perspective, had clearly stepped beyond the boundary of martial arts. Especially when the Power of thunder and lightning erupted, it was even more beyond the realm of martial arts. At least, as far as he knew, no martial skill could harness natural thunderbolts for one¡¯s own use. ¡°This power¡­ is a bit exaggerated!!¡± Jiang Ning saw the explosion of thunder and lightning across the lake¡¯s surface, where charred fish corpses floated on the water, and inwardly clicked his tongue in awe. The effect now was completely beyond his expectations. Not only had the arrow¡¯s flight speed nearly doubled, but its maximum range had significantly increased as well. The most formidable was the Power of thunder and lightning unleashed in the end¡ªthat was the most terrifying part. Although he didn¡¯t have enemies to test it on now, and thus didn¡¯t know how strong the final burst of thunder and lightning was, But just the increase in speed alone left Jiang Ning quite satisfied. The doubled speed brought about a substantial increase in power. As for the unleashed Power of thunder and lightning, just witnessing that scene from afar he knew it couldn¡¯t be weak. [Skill]: Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Three times Break Limit 1/4000) (Traits: Wind and Thunder Breath, Heart Arrow Skill, Wind and Thunder Arrow) Jiang Ning glanced at his stats panel and then ended his practice. ¡°Little Jiu, time to go!¡± Jiang Ning said indifferently. As his words fell, he leapt up. Seeing this, Xie Xiaojiu hurriedly followed. After a few bounds, the two landed on the light boat Xie Xiaojiu had just ridden over. ¡°Sir, shall we go to Beiqiu Mountain now?¡± Xie Xiaojiu steadied herself and promptly asked. ¡°Mm!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°To Beiqiu Mountain we go. If we find the Black Mountain Army, it¡¯ll be just right to test my archery on them.¡± ¡°Sir¡¯s archery is truly incredible!!¡± Xie Xiaojiu sincerely praised. Jiang Ning smiled noncommittally. The Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, although thrice Break Limited, was the only skill he had that consumed five hundred Source Energy Points to Break Limit. Judging by the level of Source Energy consumption, this archery skill was now the most profound one he possessed. While the two were conversing, The light boat underneath them suddenly began to move without wind, slowly picking up speed towards the center of the lake. ¡°This¡­¡± Xie Xiaojiu, feeling the movement beneath her feet, suddenly widened her eyes in astonishment at the self-propelling light boat. She had just arrived at the deserted island by rowing a small boat all the way here. Now she and Jiang Ning were standing on the deck of the small boat, not a single person paddling, yet the boat beneath their feet started moving on its own. ¡°Don¡¯t panic!¡± Jiang Ning glanced at Xie Xiaojiu indifferently, ¡°This is just a small trick of mine.¡± ¡°A small trick?¡± Xie Xiaojiu looked at Jiang Ning in wonder. Jiang Ning smiled at him and then turned his gaze to the front, channeling the Water Control Divine Ability to get the boat moving. Afterward, Under the augmentation of his Water Control Divine Ability, the small boat beneath their feet sped up continuously, getting faster and faster. In no time, it shot towards Beiqiu Mountain like an arrow leaving its bowstring. The vast and boundless Luoshui, Which gathered the waters from countless mountains and great rivers. There was also a large river that passed through the interior of Beiqiu Mountain, hence Jiang Ning intended to follow that river directly into the heart of Beiqiu Mountain. ¡­ Beiqiu Mountain. Situated ten miles north of Luoshui County. This mountain stretched for dozens of miles, crisscrossed with mountain ranges, with a great river flowing through its valleys, gathering numerous water sources of the Beiqiu Mountain ranges. At this moment, In a canyon, A group of officials dressed in formal martial artist attire was swiftly advancing. ¡°Brother Liu, a bit faster!¡± Liuu Shansheng urged quickly. Hearing this, Liu Zhaonan spurred on the people behind him, then said to Liuu Shansheng, ¡°Brother Liuu, how much further?¡± Liuu Shansheng flashed beside a piece of rock, glanced at the markings on it, And immediately his eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°According to the markings left here, we¡¯re not far now!¡± ¡­ Meanwhile, In a valley, A group of people rested by a lake nestled within the valley, starting to boil water and cook food. Not far away, five pitch-black horses were lowering their heads to drink water by the lake¡¯s edge. ¡°Boss, based on the confession of that little rat we caught earlier, the group coming after us is likely from the Inspection Office.¡± The burly man tore into the charred thigh in his hand while speaking, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s wait for them here and see what the Inspection Office¡¯s people are made of!¡± As he spoke, a glint of greed flashed in the burly man¡¯s eyes. ¡°The flesh of martial artists is great medicine! Just what we need to replenish ourselves.¡± ¡°Good! We¡¯ll follow the boss¡¯s lead!¡± ¡­ On the other side, Jiang Ning and Xie Xiaojiu piloted the small boat, moving upstream against the current coming from within Beiqiu Mountain. In front of Jiang Ning¡¯s formidable Water Control Divine Ability, even though the small boat was moving against the current, its speed remained swift, and soon they entered the vast wilderness of the mountains and forests. ¡°Sir, what should we do now?¡± Xie Xiaojiu glanced around at the riverbanks and asked. ¡°No rush!¡± Jiang Ning spoke calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s follow this great river for now.¡± At that moment, Jiang Ning was using his hearing to its utmost limit. Within a range of one or two miles around them, any slightly larger movement would be captured by him. This was also the reliance that led him to bring Xie Xiaojiu into Beiqiu Mountain. Though vast, Beiqiu Mountain was only a few miles across. With his current powerful sense of hearing, going upstream along the great river beneath their feet would allow him to scout about one-third of Beiqiu Mountain. Therefore, in Jiang Ning¡¯s view, finding the hidden Black Mountain Army within Beiqiu Mountain wouldn¡¯t be difficult. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Jiang Ning¡¯s ears twitched slightly. His face then revealed a slight smile, ¡°I think I¡¯ve found the Black Mountain Army!¡± ¡°Sir, you found the Black Mountain Army?¡± Xie Xiaojiu suddenly widened her eyes, looking around. However, no matter how she observed, she could not see any trace of the Black Mountain Army nearby. Right after, she realized the small boat was racing towards the shore. In a few breaths¡¯ time, the boat docked at the bank. ¡°Come, follow me!¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± Xie Xiaojiu immediately replied. At this moment, there were still many doubts in her heart. But she secretly suppressed the questions and followed behind Jiang Ning. The two of them immediately walked forward. The closer they got, the clearer the sounds of weapons clashing became in Jiang Ning¡¯s ears. Chapter 312: 38: Random Killing Chapter 312: Chapter 38: Random Killing In the valley. Blades and shadows of swords flickered continuously. The sound of metal clashing was incessant. ¡°Not bad with movements!¡± The burly man watched the battle in front of him and continued to tear into the meat in his hands. Beside him stood four robust men clad in black armor. Unlike the burly man¡¯s casual demeanor, these four in black armor watched the battle ahead solemnly, ready to join the fight at any moment. At this time, if a knowledgeable person witnessed this scene, they would realize that these five men who had yet to make a move were once the famous Black Mountain Cavalry of the Black Lotus Sect. Black Mountain Cavalry. Astride Black Nightmare Horses and clad in mysterious iron armor. As members of the Church Protection Army of the Black Lotus Sect, these Black Mountain Cavalry were the elite of the elite within the Black Mountain Army. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This army, in its peak, only numbered a thousand horsemen. Yet, with just these thousand cavalrymen of the Black Mountain, they once accomplished the feat of breaking through the formation of a fifty-thousand-strong army. That battle had built the formidable reputation of the Black Mountain Cavalry. And now, these five men were precisely those formidable Black Mountain Cavalry. Among them, the burly man was clearly the leader. On the other side, Liu Shansheng swung his longsword repeatedly. Although his longsword seemed light and floaty, each strike unleashed immense power, easily repelling his opponents. However, these Black Mountain soldiers were all battle-hardened veterans. Those who had survived till now had long reached the Martial Arts Entry status. Coupled with their armored bodies and rich combat experience, Liu Shansheng could not break free for the time being. ¡°Brother Liu!¡± Liu Shansheng fended off an enemy in front of him, shooting a glance at Liu Zhaonan. Liu Zhaonan caught his gaze and slightly nodded. ¡­ Above the valley. Two figures appeared atop the cliffs. Xie Xiaojiu looked at the activity in the valley below, her eyes slightly widening. ¡°How did master realize the movement below from such a distance?¡± Xie Xiaojiu turned to look at Jiang Ning. ¡°By listening!¡± Jiang Ning replied while observing the situation below. Listening? Xie Xiaojiu was surprised. She suddenly recalled what Jiang Ning had mentioned before. Meanwhile, after observing for a while, Jiang Ning roughly understood the situation below. In the valley, two teams from the Inspection Office and the Black Mountain Army were mixed in battle. Led by Liu Shansheng and Liu Zhaonan, these captains were seemingly holding the upper hand, but from the situation in the valley, it was clear they were in grave danger. Because beside the lake, there were still five people who had not yet joined the fight. Just from a glance at these five men, Jiang Ning knew that they were the key core of this batch of Black Mountain troops. There were five black warhorses drinking nearby, and though Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t discern what breed or origin these black warhorses were, given the presence of the Black Mountain Army, it was not hard to deduce that these were the mounts of the legendary Black Mountain Cavalry, the Black Nightmare Horses. And from this, it wasn¡¯t hard to infer that these five were the Black Mountain Cavalry, the true elites among the Black Mountain Army, each a Martial Arts Strongman capable of standing ten to one, a hundred to one. ¡°Master, there are five Black Mountain Cavalry here!¡± Xie Xiaojiu suddenly looked extremely serious. Without turning his head, Jiang Ning asked, ¡°How much do you know about the Black Mountain Cavalry?¡± ¡°I know quite a bit!¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded, continueing, ¡°I specially reviewed all information on the Black Lotus Sect and Black Mountain Army in the past two days.¡± ¡°According to the records, the Black Mountain Cavalry are the elite of the elite within the Church Protection Army.¡± ¡°Each member of the Black Mountain Cavalry is a true Martial Arts Strongman.¡± ¡°One must at least reach the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm to be eligible to join the Black Mountain Cavalry.¡± ¡°The stronger ordinary members even possess the strength of Martial Arts Seventh Grade.¡± ¡°And such strongmen, the Black Lotus Sect actually had a thousand cavalrymen, which is also why they could stir up such a massive rebellion in Daming Prefecture.¡± ¡°Eighth Grade?¡± After hearing what Xie Xiaojiu said, Jiang Ning was slightly surprised. Xie Xiaojiu immediately said, ¡°Master, I think these people are more than just Eighth Grade. The Black Lotus Sect has long been destroyed, and this batch of remnants has traveled thousands of miles to our Zeshan State, they must be veteran soldiers.¡± ¡°After the brutal elimination during their escape, it¡¯s possible that these five cavalrymen possess even Martial Arts Seventh Grade strength.¡± ¡°Especially the leading individual.¡± On the other side, Liu Shansheng also realized this situation. Although their two teams seemed to have the upper hand, it was clear that there were still five men among the Black Mountain Army who had not made a move. Obviously, these five were the highest in strength and status among the group. Once these five joined the battle, the situation would definitely be reversed instantly. ¡°I was careless!¡± Liu Shansheng inwardly cursed. He originally thought that after fleeing thousands of miles, this group of Black Mountain soldiers, if not severely injured, would at least be in poor condition. With their two teams, comprising in total five of Martial Arts Eighth Grade and fifteen of Martial Arts Ninth Grade experts, it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to defeat these weary Black Mountain troops. However, after a brief engagement, he realized how terribly wrong he was. This batch of Black Mountain troops was not only in good condition but also comprised good hands experienced in battle. If pitted one-on-one, his men might not even be able to defeat one of the Black Mountain soldiers. Moments later, ¡°Thinking of escaping!¡± the burly man¡¯s eyes turned cold, and he immediately dropped the leg bone he had been gnawing, ¡°You four, make your move and keep them all here!¡± ¡°Yes, big brother!¡± one replied. Another said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, big brother! These Martial Arts Strongmen are big tonics for the body, we brothers won¡¯t let them escape.¡± The next moment, the four acted swiftly. ¡­ Above the valley. Chapter 313: 38 Chaos Kills_2 Chapter 313: Chapter 38 Chaos Kills_2 ¡°Sir, should we make a move now?¡± Xie Xiaojiu asked. ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see,¡± Jiang Ning replied indifferently as the longbow had already appeared in his hand. Below them, following the actions of those four men, two groups of Inspection Office personnel had already fallen into disarray. Among those who had made their move, two were a cut above the rest, being genuine Martial Arts Seventh Grade practitioners. For a moment, cries for fathers and mothers were non-stop. Jiang Ning also watched this scene coldly, unmoved. Not until Zhao Hu¡¯s arm was chopped off by the burly man who had just attacked did Jiang Ning slowly draw his bowstring. The bow was drawn to full draw. Bang¡ª Jiang Ning made his move. The people below had not noticed anything at all. Until¡ª Boom¡ª A muffled thunderous noise erupted in everyone¡¯s ears, like a bolt from the blue. The powerful sound and commotion of the explosion instantly drew all eyes in the valley to its source. When they looked towards where the sound had come from, they were all utterly shocked. Because there was nothing left but a deep pit at that spot, three feet deep. Half of the body by the pit had disappeared. ¡°There¡¯s a divine archer!!!¡± the muscular man suddenly shouted, alerting everyone. Then, He quickly scanned his surroundings. Elsewhere, As Jiang Ning watched this scene from above, he was inwardly clicking his tongue in wonder. He had not imbued his arrow with the effect of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, only using the force of the Wind Thunder Art. Yet, the power it brought was a pleasantly surprising shock to him. Martial Arts Ninth Grade warriors, clad in armor and wielding sharp weapons, were effortlessly penetrated by his arrow through their armor and torn asunder. Half a body was ripped apart by the powerful kinetic energy of this single arrow. Such an effect was comparable to that of an ordinary person hit by a Barrett Explosion. ¡°The Wind Thunder Arrow Skill after three Break Limits really lived up to my expectations!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Then he pulled his bow and shot an arrow again. This time, his target was a Martial Arts Eighth Grade warrior from the Black Mountain Army, at the level of the Divine Power Realm. The bow was drawn to full draw. Bang¡ª The arrow once again broke through the air. Breaking the sound barrier in the sky, it caused a terrifying wave of air. With this arrow, the arrow came first, and the sound followed. For the common martial artist, if their eyes failed to spot this arrow, it was a death strike. Impossible to dodge. The next moment. Boom¡ª Another explosion rocked the valley, as a Black Mountain Army soldier clad in armor was pierced through by the arrow. An enormous gash appeared in his chest, where one could see the sun overhead. Thud¡ª The Martial Arts Eighth Grade Black Mountain Cavalry soldier, clad in armor, fell straight to the ground. This Black Mountain soldier¡¯s bodily defensive power was clearly stronger than the former¡¯s, but against this terrifying arrow, even with armor, it was still ineffective. The ultimate outcome was still death. ¡°Brother, on the cliff top!¡± another strong man called out loudly. When this warning was given, everyone in the valley, having stopped fighting because of the shocking development, looked up at their surroundings. In an instant, They all saw Jiang Ning and Xie Xiaojiu. They also saw Jiang Ning, who was drawing his bow to full once again. ¡°It¡¯s him!!!¡± Liuu Shansheng was utterly horrified. The effects of these two arrows had left him astounded. Such a terrifying mastery of the bow, he had never seen in his life. Originally, he thought it was some passing senior expert. He never expected it to be Jiang Ning. Someone he was already familiar with, whom he had previously not taken seriously. ¡°My brother-in-law¡¯s own brother, he has such ability?!!¡± Liuu Shansheng¡¯s eyes constantly shifted with astonishment. Elsewhere, Liu Zhaonan¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise, then he quickly recovered and shouted. ¡°Commander Jiang is our reinforcement, we must withdraw quickly, not to hinder him!¡± Upon hearing this, Everyone snapped back to reality. ¡°Go!¡± ¡°Go!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Low shouts rose. Zhao Hu also covered his severed arm with a ferocious expression and followed them in retreat. ¡­ Meanwhile, Bang¡ª Jiang Ning released the arrow pinched between his fingers. The arrow instantly broke through the air with terrifying kinetic energy. At this moment, standing atop the valley with the high ground to his advantage, overlooking everything below, with the speed of his arrows now, it only took a third of a breath¡¯s time to hit anyone in the valley. ¡°Quick, dodge!¡± the muscular man¡¯s pupils contracted, and he immediately shouted. Then, He moved, with the soil under his feet flying, racing towards the rock walls of the valley with an unstoppable momentum. ¡°Zhao Liu, Li San! Don¡¯t bother with the others, follow me in the charge, we mustn¡¯t let him shoot arrows at will!¡± The burly man rushed toward the rock wall, and immediately spoke out. ¡°Yes, big brother!¡± ¡°Yes, big brother!¡± The two men singled out by the burly man also decisively followed his steps. They were very clear. An archer capable of shooting arrows that break the sound barrier, if allowed to act at will, would be nothing short of a death god reaping lives. Especially with the advantage of the high ground. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Every breath could take away the life of a brother. As the only other two Seventh Grade Martial Artists in the Black Mountain Army aside from their big brother, they had an undeniable responsibility. At that moment. Boom¡ª Another thunderous noise reached the ears of the three men. The corner of their eyes caught the sight, and their eye sockets instantly turned bloodshot. Because another brother, who had traveled thousands of miles with them, had been shot dead, and his body was blown to pieces, not even leaving a whole corpse. Traveling thousands of miles together, The journey had seen their number of brotherly comrades dwindle. And the corresponding emotions had deepened. By now, the burly man knew them as well as the back of his hand. He knew where they hailed from, how many were in their families, why they joined the Black Lotus Sect, why they joined the Black Mountain Army¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t take on the arrows head-on, dodge with all you¡¯ve got!!¡± Zhao Liu yelled hoarsely. Suddenly. Boom¡ª Another arrow fell. Like a shell, it exploded a large crater on the ground. As for the Black Mountain Army soldier hit by the arrow, his limbs had already been severed. ¡°Big brother, we can¡¯t dodge it!!!¡± the comrade beside the fallen soldier cried out in fear and despair. He had watched his good brother dodging with all his might. But his chattiest good brother, even after sidestepping halfway, was still quietly locked on by the arrow, hitting him straight in the chest. At that moment. He stared intently at Jiang Ning on top of the valley, seeing another arrow from Jiang Ning¡¯s hand shoot out. At that moment, he knew the arrow was heading straight for him. ¡°Big brother!!!¡± He screamed with all his might, tears spurting from his eyes, his voice filled with endless fear. At this time, he also moved laterally with all his might, trying to dodge the incoming arrow. The burly man looked back. Immediately he saw an arrow descend as if it was divine punishment. Boom¡ª The arrow fell and tore through everything. It didn¡¯t stop until it had buried itself deeply into the soil. Witnessing this, the burly man¡¯s pupils shrank dramatically. He instantly understood there was something wrong with these arrows. They seemed to have the power to seek their target. Instantly. His eyes locked onto Jiang Ning above his head. He dared not be distracted any longer. He knew to stop Jiang Ning, the divine archer, it would depend on him and the other two Seventh Grade Martial Artists brothers. He had already made out Jiang Ning¡¯s face. Although he did not recognize Jiang Ning¡¯s identity, he could see that Jiang Ning had a very young face. ¡°Such a divine archer must have close combat as his weakness!¡± The burly man made use of Jiang Ning¡¯s blind spot, climbing the rock wall in a frenzy. Before his formidable arm strength. A single grab resulted in stones splintering, and his body soared straight up, moving three to four zhang with each motion. His movements on the rock face were as agile as a White Ape. His limbs working together, he rapidly closed the distance toward the top. On the other side. Jiang Ning had already noticed the three men charging at him. After letting the burly man come closer, Jiang Ning pulled the bowstring tight and aimed at the other two. Bang¡ª The arrow split the air, traversing a hundred meters in an instant. Boom¡ª With one arrow down, the one who appeared to be a Seventh Grade Martial Artist in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes died instantly on the spot. ¡°Martial Arts Seventh Grade, five thousand Contribution Value!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. He then turned the direction of the arrow, aiming at the other suspected Seventh Grade Black Mountain Cavalry. Bang¡ª The arrow tore through the air again! Boom¡ª Another man perished instantly. At the same time. Xie Xiaojiu, standing beside Jiang Ning, had already been dumbfounded. Jiang Ning¡¯s terrifying speed of killing the enemy simply left him breathless. From the recent engagement of the Black Mountain Army with Commanders Liu Shansheng and Liuu Zhaonan, he knew that this group of the Black Mountain Army was extraordinarily strong. Some of them were even beyond his ability to cope with. However, several individuals in his eyes that were extremely troublesome were nothing but a simple slaughter in Jiang Ning¡¯s hands. No matter the opponent. Each arrow sought the enemy¡¯s life, without exception. ¡°If I were to face the lord in the valley, I would be no different from them!¡± Xie Xiaojiu murmured to himself. Chapter 314: 39 The Terror of Superior Martial Arts Chapter 314: Chapter 39 The Terror of Superior Martial Arts Above the valley. ¡°Death comes¡ª¡± A burly man suddenly leaped from behind a rock, shouting loudly, and his figure, like a fierce tiger, pounced toward Jiang Ning. Clang¡ª A sword¡¯s hum suddenly rang in Jiang Ning¡¯s ears. A flash of sword light. The one who made the move was Xie Xiaojiu. The next moment. Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s figure flew backward, and her long sword flew out of her hand, shooting straight toward the trunk of a nearby tree. ¡°Sir, Seventh Grade Great Success!¡± ¡°Do not confront him directly!¡± ¡°Sir, retreat quickly!¡± Xie Xiaojiu spoke with a look of great terror. Facing this bare-handed burly man. With just a single encounter, she was defeated. The brief combat let her feel the terror of the burly man. Meanwhile. ¡°Death¡ª¡± The burly man then slapped Xie Xiaojiu away and charged toward Jiang Ning with furious eyes. At this moment, his entire body suddenly burst forth with a dreadful power and murderous aura. For years, he had stained his hands with countless lives, with many perishing by his hands. At this moment, the lives he had taken seemed to transform into a substantial murderous aura, pressing directly towards Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning¡¯s brow slightly furrowed, his heart secretly startled. In his eyes, it seemed as though black flames surrounded the burly man¡¯s body. The intangible murderous aura was like a tangible substance, already affecting his perception. At this moment. The burly man, seeing his own reflection in Jiang Ning¡¯s pupils, surrounded by black flames, couldn¡¯t help but reveal a chilling smile on his face. Murderous aura solidified, oppressing the enemy on a spiritual level, this was a cultivation technique he relied on for survival. Thanks to this technique, he had picked up countless lives on the battlefield. His joining the Black Lotus Sect and the Black Mountain Cavalry was also because of this technique. To solidify murderous aura, one must kill. Where is it easiest to kill? Only on the battlefield! Just then. Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze sharpened, and his eyes instantly regained clarity. The demonic-like image of the burly man reflected in his pupils also instantly reverted to being unremarkable. ¡°Impossible!¡± Seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes regain clarity, the burly man¡¯s complexion changed, his face showing an incredulous expression. Such a turn of events also caused the burly man¡¯s momentum to suddenly wane, no longer possessing his prior imposing aura. ¡°There is nothing impossible!¡± Jiang Ning spoke indifferently. He then slapped out toward the burly man with a single palm. Water and Fire True Strength mingled in his hand. Boom¡ª With a muffled sound in the void, the burly man instantly retreated as if electrified. The next moment. His face instantly changed, his eyes revealing extreme fear. ¡°Impossible!!!¡± These words had just fallen. The burly man then saw his right arm begin to disintegrate inch by inch. Flesh and tissue continuously dissolved. In an instant. His right arm turned into complete nothingness. Moreover, he could feel two parallel, intermingling invisible forces within his body. This force continuously spread throughout his body. Wherever it passed, the flesh and bones inside his body were directly ground into nothingness. He looked up in fear, then his eyes gradually dimmed and became tranquil. Two breaths later. Thud¡ª The two-meter-three-tall burly man¡¯s body fell straight back and heavily onto the ground. If someone were to examine his body now, they would find that the organs inside the burly man¡¯s body had all turned into powder. Only a shell was left behind. ¡­ Seeing this scene before him, Jiang Ning was slightly stunned. ¡°Is it this simple?¡± he couldn¡¯t help but be enormously surprised. The brief exchange also let him measure the level of the burly man. Martial Arts Seventh Grade, muscles like a dragon. This level of martial arts was already above him. Yet in a single encounter, he was killed with one move. ¡°Is this the power of Water and Fire True Strength, a superior martial art?¡± Jiang Ning felt a surprising joy in his heart. This was his first time employing the superior martial art, Water and Fire True Strength against an enemy. The effect had also completely exceeded his expectations. Just a single simple clash had allowed him to kill the burly man, who was slightly above him in martial arts grade. On the other hand. Xie Xiaojiu had just stabilized herself and upon seeing the scene ahead, widened her eyes in disbelief. Having had a combat encounter with the burly man, she was very aware of his terror. His body was like cast iron. A single palm could send her sword flying without any harm, indicating an incredibly terrifying physical body. The force contained within also made her feel that there was no chance to win. Martial Arts Seventh Grade Great Success. This level was like muscles made of dragons. This was not a level she, being Eighth Grade, could contend with. Such strength, even placed in the former Luoshui County, would rank in the top ten. Even the likes of Wang Jin and similar figures might not be a match for this burly man at his peak. And now. This seemingly unbeatable existence in her eyes was already a lifeless corpse lying on the ground. Xie Xiaojiu then looked at Jiang Ning, her gaze incredibly complex at this moment. Jiang Ning¡¯s performance had completely baffled her. Such military exploits, in Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s view, even Martial Arts Sixth Grade powerhouse couldn¡¯t achieve. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What exactly is¡­ Sir¡¯s strength?¡± This question popped up in Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s mind. ¡­ Meanwhile. Jiang Ning looked over everything in the valley, then drew his bow again and shot arrows. Boom¡ª Boom¡ª Boom¡ª Arrows flew like rainbows. Transforming into instruments of death. Every arrow shot inevitably claimed a life. This batch of Black Mountain Army had lost its backbone completely and lacked the ability to resist, their hearts completely despaired. Chapter 316: 39 The Terror of Superior Martial Arts_3 Chapter 316: Chapter 39 The Terror of Superior Martial Arts_3 Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thinking about this, Jiang Ning understood even more. His survival was not primarily based on his Martial Arts Realm, but on his Skill. It was the constant limit-breaking of his skills that had brought him to his current achievements. It had made his strength something that could no longer be simply measured by his Martial Arts Realm alone. Thus, he could continually exceed others¡¯ expectations and understanding. Only then could he be fearless in the face of certain threats. ¡­ The next day, Jiang Ning opened his eyes. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 35.47 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (three times limit-breaking 688/4000) (Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility) Five Animals Fist (one time limit-breaking 733/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (five times limit-breaking 6000/6000) (Trait: Touch and Understand, Blade like a Gale, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One, Innate Blade Bone) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Small Success 687/5000) Vajra Immortal Body (Small Success 453/5000) Swimming+ (five times limit-breaking 6000/6000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (three times limit-breaking 49/4000) (Trait: Wind and Thunder Breath, Heart Arrow Technique, Wind and Thunder Arrow) Water and Fire True Strength (Small Success 45/500) Glancing at his panel, Jiang Ning then closed it. In the short term, there was no way for him to improve his skills any further. On several skills where Experience Value wasn¡¯t an issue, if he wanted to improve, Source Energy Points were the real problem. Just like with Chopping Wood Blade Skill and Swimming, although the Experience Value was already full, to limit-break any of these two skills would require a full five hundred Source Energy Points. And for the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, which wasn¡¯t difficult for him to improve in terms of Experience Value either, he estimated that he would need a whopping one thousand Source Energy Points to limit-break it again. Whether five hundred points or one thousand, they were figures he simply couldn¡¯t come up with at the moment. ¡°Now, I must focus mainly on the fundamentals of Martial Arts!¡± Jiang Ning silently declared. ¡­ Elsewhere. ¡°Is this message reliable?¡± Liu Linmen¡¯s face showed surprise as he looked at the report presented by his subordinate. ¡°Reporting to Incense Master, this matter is absolutely true!¡± Hearing this response, Liu Linmen¡¯s eyes immediately showed a weighty expression. ¡°While patrolling with the two team leaders, we were unable to defeat the remnants of the Black Mountain Army, but Commander Jiang was able to slaughter the Black Mountain Army to near extinction with his archery.¡± ¡°It seems my previous guess was indeed correct!¡± ¡°The murderer that night must have been the mysterious and unpredictable Commander Jiang! No wonder I haven¡¯t been able to find any trace of him these past few days!¡± Liu Linmen muttered to himself. As soon as he saw the report in his hands, he was 90% certain. As far as he knew, in Luoshui County, no one possessed the terrifying archery skills of the person who had attacked that night. Nor could anyone call forth the torrential rain that covered more than half of Luoshui County. The rain praying technique, even within the Yellow Heaven Sect, no one could achieve it. ¡°This Commander Jiang is indeed troubling!¡± Liu Linmen inwardly affirmed part of his previous conjecture. Whether it was that rain, the records in the report, or Jiang Ning¡¯s current strength, all made Liu Linmen feel that perhaps Jiang Ning was related to the rumored Buddha¡¯s son or Daoist. ¡°Just why did he attack me that night?¡± After pondering for a moment, Liu Linmen slowly shook his head. No! Perhaps the attack on me was a ruse! The person he killed that night was the real target! Among the people he killed that night, there was someone who was his true objective! As for attacking me, perhaps it was meant to guide me. With that thought, Liu Linmen suddenly remembered the first person to die under Jiang Ning¡¯s arrows that night. That person from the God Worship Sect, an Incense Master of the God Worship Sect. He was also the main support who had come to Luoshui County with him to sort out the chaos of the God Worship Sect in Luoshui County. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± ¡°Does Commander Jiang have a grudge against the God Worship Sect?¡± Chapter 315: 39 The Terror of Superior Martial Arts_2 Chapter 315: Chapter 39 The Terror of Superior Martial Arts_2 Because they realized that no matter how they tried to dodge the incoming arrows, they could not escape the fate of being struck. All manner of evasions would still result in the arrows hitting their mark, killing them instantly. Elsewhere, Liu Zhaonan and Liuu San Sheng retreated from the battlefield and began to secretly observe from the sidelines. ¡°So powerful!¡± Liu Zhaonan couldn¡¯t help but mutter as he saw the arrows descend again. ¡°Truly strong!¡± Liuu San Sheng, standing next to him, also watched with a complex expression. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He clearly saw that as the arrows fell, the enemies that had given them immense trouble were now easily slaughtered. Each arrow that fell could easily pierce through armor and claim a life. Moments later, no more arrows fell, and all of the Black Mountain Army in the valley had turned into cold, lifeless corpses. ¡°Brother Liuu, what do we do now?¡± Liu Zhaonan asked from the side. ¡°Go over and thank him!¡± Liuu San Sheng said, looking towards Jiang Ning, who was coming down from the cliff top. Hearing Liuu San Sheng¡¯s words, Liu Zhaonan immediately nodded. ¡°Everyone, come along!¡± Liu Zhaonan said, turning his head back. Those behind hurriedly followed their steps. Zhao Hu, whose arm had been severed, could only bear the pain and keep up. ¡­ As soon as Jiang Ning and Xie Xiaojiu landed, they saw a group of people quickly approaching them. ¡°Commander Jiang, at your service!¡± Liu Zhaonan was the first to salute. ¡°Commander Jiang, at your service!¡± Liuu San Sheng also saluted with a complex look on his face. He remembered that not long ago, he had visited his sister, Liuu Wanwan, and her family. At that time, he received a request from his brother-in-law, Jiang Li, to help Jiang Ning gain an opportunity to join the Inspection Office. He could only bow and salute before Jiang Ning now. And if it weren¡¯t for Jiang Ning¡¯s assistance today, he felt that they would have completely perished here. This meant that his life was saved by Jiang Ning today. ¡°Any problem with taking these bodies back for me?¡± Jiang Ning asked. ¡°No problem!¡± Liu Zhaonan immediately patted his chest and said, ¡°Please rest assured, Commander Jiang. We will take care of the battlefield cleanup, and all the war merits belonging to you will be recorded without omission.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± Jiang Ning nodded. The next moment, he departed with Xie Xiaojiu. Only after Jiang Ning¡¯s figure had completely disappeared, did Liu Zhaonan exhale lightly and touched his forehead, where no sweat existed. ¡°Brother Liuu, the pressure from Commander Jiang is really strong!¡± Liuu San Sheng also agreed with a solemn nod. ¡°His strength is unfathomable!¡± ¡°Unfathomable indeed!¡± Liu Zhaonan nodded vehemently. Recalling the events that had just unfolded, he felt Jiang Ning¡¯s strength might not even be less than those four commanders with extraordinary backgrounds. On the other hand, Jiang Ning also quietly rejoiced in his heart. In another Sumeru Ring in his possession now lay three bodies. These were the three who had charged at him earlier. Upon a simple investigation, he discovered that all three were Martial Artists at the Refining Muscle level, meaning they were all Martial Artists of the Seventh Grade. According to the terms set by the Inspection Office, each Seventh Grade Martial Artist of the Black Mountain Army eradicated was worth five thousand Contribution Points. With three Seventh Grade Martial Artists total, that came to fifteen thousand Contribution Points from this alone, which nearly satisfied a third of the fifty thousand Contribution Points he needed. This meant he was close to collecting one-third of the Contribution Points needed for the Dragon Ascending Pill. ¡°If you include the deeds from the valley, the Contribution Points could reach almost twenty thousand,¡± Jiang Ning contemplated internally. Moments later, the two found the light boat, and they departed Beiqiu Mountain. ¡­ By evening that day, at the Inspection Office, ¡°Brother Jiang, truly a great achievement!¡± Ye Qiu walked towards Jiang Ning with a hearty laugh. Jiang Ning asked, ¡°Brother Ye, have all been verified?¡± ¡°Verified!¡± Ye Qiu nodded, then continued, ¡°Three Seventh Grade Martial Artists, seven Eighth Grade Martial Artists, twenty-one Ninth Grade Martial Artists.¡± As he spoke, Ye Qiu took a cloth bag from his waist and tossed it towards Jiang Ning. ¡°Brother Jiang, here are your Contribution Points. Please count them.¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning took the cloth bag with a slight smile. Then he opened the bag and counted. A total of nineteen thousand five hundred fifty Contribution Points, already exceeding the one-third threshold needed for the Dragon Ascending Pill. Seeing Jiang Ning had finished counting, Ye Qiu asked, ¡°Does it match up?¡± ¡°It matches!¡± Jiang Ning nodded his head. Seeing this, Ye Qiu couldn¡¯t help but express admiration. ¡°Brother Jiang is not simple at all!¡± ¡°To think that you could single-handedly take down five of the Black Mountain Cavalry among this batch of the Black Mountain Army!¡± Jiang Ning simply smiled, ¡°Just luck!¡± Ye Qiu countered, ¡°It¡¯s not just luck! Brother Jiang¡¯s archery skills are simply peerless! I didn¡¯t expect the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill that you exchanged for recently to have reached such a profound level.¡± ¡­ Outside the Inspection Office, ¡°Sir!¡± Xie Xiaojiu immediately greeted as Jiang Ning lifted the curtain of his sedan. Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded. As the carriage began to move, Jiang Ning also sunk into thought. He had just exchanged brief pleasantries with Ye Qiu before departing. From his conversation with Ye Qiu, he immediately understood. The materials he had exchanged at the Internal Affairs Office had no secret to them. The Wind Thunder Arrow Skill had already been known to them. After pondering for a moment, Jiang Ning shook his head. Let it be! If they know, they know. These things being known by others was not a matter of great concern. Even if they knew of his Martial Arts Realm, they did not know his true combat strength! Chapter 317: 40: Strength Breakthrough, Achieving Jiao Tendon Chapter 317: Chapter 40: Strength Breakthrough, Achieving Jiao Tendon In a moment. Several days had passed again. Early in the morning during late autumn, daylight always arrived a bit later than usual. Jiang Ning sat cross-legged in a wooden barrel, steam rising from the water inside, while occasionally a few ¡°popping¡± sounds could be heard from the pile of wood underneath. Sparks scattered. ¡°Master sure can endure hardship,¡± Xie Xiaojiu propped her head up, her eyelids fighting to stay open as her head occasionally slipped downward. Just then, Jiang Ning suddenly opened his eyes, his expression joyous. Seeing this, Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s beautiful eyes, which had been constantly closing and opening, instantly became much more alert, and the drowsiness in her mind rapidly dissipated. ¡°Master!¡± she immediately exclaimed. Jiang Ning¡¯s expression remained joyful as he clenched his fist, instantly channeling all his strength into it. ¡°I¡¯ve finally achieved the level of Jiao tendon!¡± ¡°Next, I need to figure out a way to gather the remaining Contribution Points to exchange for the Dragon Ascending Pill and reach the level of Dragon Tendon!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Thereupon, he stood up. Whoosh¡ª Water immediately slid off his body back into the barrel. ¡°Master, are we done for today?¡± Xie Xiaojiu asked. ¡°We are done,¡± Jiang Ning nodded. ¡°Why so early today, Master?¡± Xie Xiaojiu wondered internally. Jiang Ning explained, ¡°I¡¯ve broken through! It¡¯s time to end today¡¯s refining muscle progress!¡± Upon hearing this, Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Master has broken through?¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, his face breaking into a smile. Fully reaching the level of Jiao tendon meant his strength had once again increased. Now, he just needed to find a way to acquire thirty thousand Contribution Points to exchange for the Dragon Ascending Pill, and he might smoothly break through to the Dragon Tendon level. Once he reached the Dragon Tendon level, he could start advancing to Sixth Rank. ¡°Master truly has broken through!¡± Xie Xiaojiu inwardly marveled. Seeing the calm and confident expression on Jiang Ning¡¯s face, she no longer harbored any doubts. Just a few days earlier, she had witnessed as a bystander Jiang Ning¡¯s power. He had killed the leader of the Black Cavalry Army who was at the Martial Arts Seventh Grade Great Success with a single palm strike. This indicated that Jiang Ning must have been at the Martial Arts Seventh Grade then. And now, he had made another breakthrough. Thinking about this, a look of disbelief crossed Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s eyes. On the existing level, to break through again, what level might that be? ¡­ Several hours later. Jiang Ning once again boarded Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s carriage in an alley. ¡°I apologize for keeping Master waiting in the snow!¡± Xie Xiaojiu quickly picked up a fur coat and draped it over Jiang Ning as he stepped into the carriage. ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen snow in a long time. Standing in it today felt rather pleasant!¡± During the conversation, Jiang Ning also reached for the two corners of the fur coat Xie Xiaojiu held, adjusting it to make it more comfortable on him. This snowfall was the first he had seen since arriving in this world. He had also briefly run a test to see if the Water Control Divine Ability worked on snow. The outcome was somewhat disappointing, confirming that Water Control Divine Ability was just that, and had no effect on snow. Moreover, the presence of snow didn¡¯t extend his sensory reach. And while being in water, whatever the temperature, he only felt as comfortable as if in a hot spring. But it was different in heavy snow; he could feel the cold of the snow. Even though this level of cold did not affect him adversely, the continuous cold still made him less comfortable. ¡­ At the entrance of the Inspection Office. ¡°Heavenly Master Liu, do you say that Jiang Ning is likely the person who killed our Incense Master that night?¡± A middle-aged woman, braced against the snowy weather, stood beside Liu Linmen at one side of the Inspection Office entrance. ¡°Most likely!¡± Liu Linmen confidently spoke, ¡°We just need to verify it now!¡± After a moment, ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± Liu Linmen announced, looking toward the slowly approaching carriage. Simultaneously, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°Master, what is it?¡± Xie Xiaojiu sensed a change in the atmosphere inside the carriage and immediately spoke up. ¡°An unwelcome guest has arrived!¡± Jiang Ning replied indifferently. ¡°Is it the person Master has been avoiding these days?¡± Xie Xiaojiu suddenly asked. ¡°Indeed!¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly. ¡°Then¡­ Master, let me handle him when the time comes!¡± Xie Xiaojiu said. ¡°No need!¡± Jiang Ning spoke calmly, ¡°He is a smart man, and hiding further at this point is meaningless, just self-deception!¡± On the other side, Liu Linmen approached the carriage where Xie Xiaojiu and Jiang Ning were located. He was followed closely by the middle-aged woman, who remained silent. After a moment, Liu Linmen stopped in front of Jiang Ning¡¯s carriage and respectfully saluted toward the carriage. ¡°Greetings, Commander Jiang, may we speak face-to-face?¡± The snow fell silently, and a pause lingered. ¡°Sure,¡± a voice came from inside the carriage. The next moment, the curtain of the carriage was swept aside, and Liu Linmen saw Jiang Ning in a white robe embroidered with brocade, bending over as he stepped out. This embroidered white robe was tailored for Jiang Ning by Xie Xiaojiu a few days ago. She said that Jiang Ning looked good in a white robe! So Jiang Ning simply went along with her. At the same time, the black-dressed Xie Xiaojiu also followed suit from inside the carriage, bending over as she stepped out, standing beside Jiang Ning. ¡°Wait for me here!¡± Jiang Ning told Xie Xiaojiu, handing over the fur coat he draped on himself to her. Xie Xiaojiu, upon hearing this, took a deep look at Liu Linmen, then obediently nodded at Jiang Ning, taking the fur coat he handed over. Jiang Ning jumped down from the carriage onto the soft snowy ground, landing silently. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, Liu Linmen¡¯s right hand index and middle fingers pinched together, gently sliding across his own brow. The next moment. Chapter 318: 40: Breaking Through in Strength, Achieving Jiao Tendon_2 Chapter 318: Chapter 40: Breaking Through in Strength, Achieving Jiao Tendon_2 He suddenly understood in his heart. ¡°Indeed!¡± ¡°Come over and talk!¡± Jiang Ning said indifferently. ¡°Yes!¡± Liu Linmen involuntarily revealed a hint of respect, obediently following behind Jiang Ning. At this moment, having seen Jiang Ning with his own eyes, he was even more convinced of his earlier thoughts. Because at this moment, he did not sense any panic or nervousness on Jiang Ning¡¯s face. What he could feel was calmness and confidence. One must know that as an Incense Master of the Yellow Heaven Sect, he was indeed a veritable Fifth Grade Internal Strength powerhouse. He had already consolidated his Inner Breath. Such strength, let alone in a small place like Luoshui County, even in the county of Dongling County, in the face of those old things, he would not be at a disadvantage, nor be oppressed by their aura. And at this moment. Jiang Ning, who was not even twenty years old, looked at him and had been caught in the act but showed no signs of nervousness or fear. How could this be the reaction of a normal person? In Liu Linmen¡¯s view, it was without a doubt, only someone with strong confidence could face him so calmly. On the other hand. A middle-aged woman looked at Jiang Ning¡¯s retreating figure, her eyes flashing with extreme surprise. Then it quickly turned into ecstasy in her heart. Spirituality! Such rich spirituality!! He was a perfect sacrifice! If I offer up this perfect sacrifice, I¡¯ll surely be able to skyrocket to the heavens, my internal organs will be strengthened, and I¡¯ll directly step into the Fifth Grade. At this moment, the middle-aged woman, looking at Jiang Ning¡¯s back, suddenly displayed a look of greed. She saw in Jiang Ning the opportunity for her to ascend to the heavens in one step. ¡­ The two came to the side alley. After seeing Jiang Ning stop, ¡°Commander Jiang, I apologize for any presumptuousness today!¡± Liu Linmen said with a respectful expression. Seeing Liu Linmen¡¯s demeanor, Jiang Ning was momentarily puzzled. Then, he set aside this confusion for the time being. He could sense that Liu Linmen did not seem to harbor any ill will towards him now. Although he did not understand why Liu Linmen held no malice against him, it did not hinder his subsequent choice. It was a choice that was a bluff, but also one made with certain confidence. ¡°Has the Heavenly Eye confirmed it, Liu Incense Master?¡± Jiang Ning asked indifferently. ¡°It has!¡± Liu Linmen bowed slightly, showing respect. ¡°It took so many days to find me. It seems the Earth King of your sect must have been seriously injured!¡± Jiang Ning said composedly. ¡°Injured?¡± Liu Linmen¡¯s expression immediately showed surprise. Seeing the change in Liu Linmen¡¯s eyes, Jiang Ning felt even more confident. Then, he nodded slightly, ¡°Your sect¡¯s Earth King used the Yin God to locate me, it couldn¡¯t have been that simple for him to escape unscathed!¡± Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words, Liu Linmen immediately understood. No wonder after that day, when he burned incense to contact the Earth King, he could not get any response. It turned out that the Earth King¡¯s Yin God was damaged that night. Injuries to the Yin God are always the most tricky and troublesome. Once the injury worsens, there could be soul dispersion, or one could end up as an imbecile. At this moment, Liu Linmen fully understood that the Earth King had not responded later on because he was healing his Yin God. That¡¯s why he had no time to respond to his requests. At the same time, Liu Linmen also noticed another key point from Jiang Ning¡¯s words. That was that after the Earth King¡¯s Yin God had located Jiang Ning and planted a mark, Jiang Ning had attacked and injured the Earth King¡¯s Yin God. ¡°To injure the Yin God! How could such a feat be accomplished by the pride of a small place like this?¡± Liu Linmen thought to himself. Immediately. His demeanor became even more respectful. He was convinced of his previous guess, that this must be either the reincarnation of a high and mighty figure or the possession of an old monster. Either possibility was far from being a normal genius. Just as Liu Linmen¡¯s expression changed, Jiang Ning spoke again. ¡°Are you here to seek revenge for the disciples of your sect, Incense Master Liu?¡± ¡°How dare I! How dare I!!¡± Liu Linmen immediately snapped back to reality, a smile on his face. Then said, ¡°Commander Jiang is a court official, I, being merely a commoner, humbly ask Commander Jiang to show mercy and spare our lives!¡± ¡°If Commander Jiang is willing to show mercy and spare our lives, should you ever give an order in the future, I will brave any danger without a frown on my face,¡± he said. Jiang Ning heard this and suddenly let out a smirk as he looked at Liu Linmen. The next moment, He turned and walked away. Seeing the meaningful smirk on Jiang Ning¡¯s face, Liu Linmen suddenly felt perplexed. He stared blankly at Jiang Ning¡¯s retreating figure until Jiang Ning climbed back into the carriage and disappeared from his sight, his eyes still flickering uncertainly. ¡°What¡­ what does he mean by that?¡± Liu Linmen muttered to himself, pondering the smile on Jiang Ning¡¯s face. ¡­ Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Heavenly Master Liu!¡± The middle-aged woman appeared beside Liu Linmen and spoke. Liu Linmen, snapping out of his reverie upon hearing her voice, turned to her. ¡°Was that Commander Jiang the one who acted that night?¡± the middle-aged woman asked, seeing Liu Linmen regain his composure. ¡°It was him!¡± Liu Linmen nodded. ¡°Indeed it was him!¡± The middle-aged woman¡¯s eyes suddenly sharpened with ferocity. Then she said, ¡°Heavenly Master Liu, may I take this revenge?¡± ¡°Do you wish to strike at Commander Jiang to avenge the Incense Master from your sect?¡± Liu Linmen looked at the middle-aged woman with slight surprise. ¡°Yes!¡± the middle-aged woman nodded firmly, then continued, ¡°The man from before was deeply connected to me; I must seek vengeance for him!¡± ¡°So¡­¡± she looked at Liu Linmen, ¡°I ask you, Heavenly Master Liu, to give me this opportunity to exact revenge with the Blood Blade!¡± Observing the middle-aged woman¡¯s determined gaze, Liu Linmen pondered for a couple of breaths. Then he slowly nodded, ¡°Since you¡¯ve put it that way, we¡¯ll do as you wish!¡± ¡°Thank you, Heavenly Master Liu!¡± The middle-aged woman¡¯s eyes immediately flashed with intense joy. Seizing this opportunity, I will surely rise swiftly! This thought flickered through her mind. Meanwhile, Liu Linmen was filled with intrigue. The fact that this Altar Master Sun from the God Worship Sect wanted to act against Jiang Ning was something he very much desired. ¡°If this is the case, I can use the hands of the Altar Master Sun to gauge the depth of this Commander Jiang. If he can handle the crisis from the Altar Master Sun, then the possibility of my previous speculation increases, so why shouldn¡¯t I willingly concede to him?¡± ¡°If I am wrong, then he¡¯ll be apt to die at the hands of the Altar Master Sun, and when the Inspection Office investigates later, it will have nothing to do with me!¡± Liu Linmen quickly sorted through his thoughts, clarifying everything. ¡­ On the other side, Jiang Ning had just returned to the carriage and fell into deep thought. Liu Linmen¡¯s behavior earlier was entirely unexpected. After pondering for a long while, ¡°It seems Liu Linmen has imagined quite a lot about me!¡± ¡°The most lethal thing is an invisible imagination, indeed!¡± ¡°Having displayed a false sense of power due to the damaged Yin God of the Earth King earlier, Liu Linmen surely will not dare to act against me in the short term!¡± ¡°With this, I shall be safe for the time being.¡± ¡°Not bad at all!¡± Having thought everything through, Jiang Ning breathed a sigh of relief. To be honest, Facing a Fifth Grade Internal Strength expert who had forced Hong Minghu to be on high alert wasn¡¯t a small pressure on him either. He had no confidence whatsoever that he was qualified to tangle with such a formidable person. A true expert of the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm was certainly not someone he could match with his basic mastery of Inner Breath. After all, his accumulation wasn¡¯t deep, and the total amount of his Inner Breath couldn¡¯t compare with someone like Liu Linmen. Not to mention the huge gap of a Martial Arts Sixth Grade between them. So if he could avoid a confrontation for the time being, that was naturally for the best. While Jiang Ning was mulling things over, the carriage entered the gate of the Inspection Office. ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve arrived!¡± Xie Xiaojiu spoke up. Jiang Ning also came back to his senses, lifted the curtain of the carriage door, and stepped out. After they got off, their feet touched the soft snow. Xie Xiaojiu suddenly said, ¡°Sir, is that matter resolved?¡± Jiang Ning knew what Xie Xiaojiu was alluding to and nodded, ¡°It¡¯s resolved for now!¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Xie Xiaojiu hesitated, ¡°Sir, will you return with me tonight?¡± ¡°I need to go home for a while, so my brother and sister-in-law won¡¯t continue to worry!¡± Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s response, Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly. Chapter 319: 41: The Feast! Hunting the Yellow Heaven Sect! Chapter 319: Chapter 41: The Feast! Hunting the Yellow Heaven Sect! Inspection Office. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s really cold today!¡± Xie Xiaojiu rubbed her hands together in front of the stove. The bright red coal fire made her complexion exceptionally rosy. Hearing this, Jiang Ning temporarily put down his book and looked out the window. At this moment, the heavy snow was falling steadily, like goose feathers. From time to time, large patches of snowflakes drifted through the gaps in the windows and gradually accumulated a thin layer on the wooden floor. Then, Jiang Ning glanced at Xie Xiaojiu. ¡°Since you feel cold, why didn¡¯t you wear more clothes when you went out just now?¡± Xie Xiaojiu shook her head, ¡°Wearing too many clothes feels too constricting, I don¡¯t like it!¡± Jiang Ning smiled at her words but didn¡¯t say anything more. For martial artists, indeed, wearing too much clothing is inconvenient. Besides, the sub-zero cold wasn¡¯t much of an impact on martial artists of his level. At most, they would feel a bit cold. The cold was neither fatal nor harmful. It was merely uncomfortable. Just then, Xie Xiaojiu tightened her collar. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ll close the windows!¡± ¡°No!¡± Jiang Ning immediately voiced his objection. Seeing Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s puzzled gaze, Jiang Ning pointed to the vigorously burning coal fire in front of him. ¡°If you completely shut the windows and doors, the air won¡¯t circulate, and you could get poisoned by the coal fumes.¡± ¡°Coal fire poisoning?¡± Xie Xiaojiu looked a bit puzzled. ¡°Yes,¡± Jiang Ning nodded. Facing Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s doubtful look, that was the best explanation Jiang Ning could offer. He couldn¡¯t really say that burning charcoal indoors would produce a large amount of carbon dioxide, leading to carbon dioxide poisoning, could he? If he said that, Xie Xiaojiu would only be more confused. Seeing this, Xie Xiaojiu no longer insisted and tightened her collar again to continue warming herself by the fire. Jiang Ning also reopened the book in his hands. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] Just then. ¡°Sir, aren¡¯t you practicing martial arts today?¡± Xie Xiaojiu looked at Jiang Ning and asked. Jiang Ning slowly shook his head while looking at his book. ¡°I¡¯m taking a day off, not practicing today!¡± At this moment. Xie Xiaojiu, watching Jiang Ning quietly reading, suddenly showed an excited look on her face. ¡°I¡¯ll make tea for you!¡± With that, she turned and left. Watching Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s unexpectedly cheerful figure, Jiang Ning shook his head with a smile, then continued to reopen his book. The Seventh Grade Refining Muscle had already reached the level of Jiao tendon, and further progress wasn¡¯t just a matter of effort. External factors were indispensable for this step. Only with the help of external factors could the innate deficiencies of the human body be compensated. Also, the recent meeting with Liu Linmen had greatly reduced the sense of crisis in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart. Thus, he relaxed his previously tense demeanor, read some books, increased his experience, and incidentally improved his Literacy and Judgement experience. This skill¡¯s breakthrough could bring an increase in his spiritual power. Having seen the Yin God manifestation of the lord of the Yellow Heaven Sect, Jiang Ning understood more than ever that spiritual power must not become his weakness. If spiritual power became a weak point, one might not even know how he died in the future. That night, if it weren¡¯t for his exceptional spiritual power, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to detect the arrival of that lord¡¯s Yin God. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [¡­] While Jiang Ning was engrossed in reading, the experience value of his Literacy and Judgement Skill kept increasing. His efficiency was now much higher than it was at the beginning. ¡­ After a while. Xie Xiaojiu reappeared, continually moving tea chairs and stools. ¡°What are you doing?¡± During the break, Jiang Ning looked at her in surprise. Xie Xiaojiu said, ¡°It¡¯s snowing today! It¡¯s perfect for brewing tea! Enjoying tea while watching the snow has its own special taste!!¡± ¡°Brewing tea?¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°Alright then, continue!¡± After saying this, Jiang Ning continued to read. Time trickled by. The snow outside the window kept falling heavier, and between heaven and earth, all was silent. ¡°Sir, your tea!¡± Xie Xiaojiu approached Jiang Ning with a cup of steaming tea. ¡°Great!¡± Jiang Ning looked at her with a smile. Immediately. He took the hot tea, slightly blew away the two floating tea leaves on the surface. After taking a gentle sip, the scalding tea went down his throat. Jiang Ning instantly felt a bitter taste in his mouth, which soon turned into a sweet aftertaste, lingering sweetly at the tip of his tongue while warmth spread from his belly. ¡°How is it?¡± Xie Xiaojiu looked at Jiang Ning with anticipation. Jiang Ning, seeing her hopeful eyes, nodded slightly, ¡°Good tea!¡± ¡°Thank you for your praise, sir!¡± Xie Xiaojiu immediately showed a smile. Just then. ¡°Sir seems to be in a good mood!¡± The door was pushed open, and the wind and snow rushed in. Both looked up to see the visitor was none other than Feng Jiuge. She entered wearing a red outfit, with a fox fur coat on her back and a fox fur hat on her head. ¡°In this weather, you actually came?¡± Jiang Ning said. Feng Jiuge turned around to shut the door, keeping the wind and snow outside. She glanced lightly at Xie Xiaojiu and then said to Jiang Ning, ¡°Sir, you¡¯ve been quite relaxed these days, completely oblivious to outside affairs!¡± ¡°Why should I be worried?¡± Jiang Ning asked. Feng Jiuge came over to Jiang Ning and warmed her hands over the lively burning coal stove. ¡°Sir, after joining the Inspection Office for so many days, don¡¯t you feel you¡¯ve become too marginalized? Besides Commander Ye Qiu who occasionally seeks you out, the other three commanders haven¡¯t looked for you at all.¡± Hearing this from Feng Jiuge, Jiang Ning reflected briefly, then nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Now that you mention it, it indeed seems so!¡± Chapter 320: 41: Grand Feast! Hunting the Yellow Heaven Sect!_2 Chapter 320: Chapter 41: Grand Feast! Hunting the Yellow Heaven Sect!_2 Immediately, Jiang Ning smiled faintly, ¡°But what does that have to do with me?¡± Feng Jiuge said, ¡°Sir, have you seen Ruan Hongmei these days?¡± ¡°I have not!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s it then!¡± Feng Jiuge continued to warm her hands and then turned to Xie Xiaojiu beside her, ¡°Little Jiu, pour me a cup of hot tea, thank you!!¡± Xie Xiaojiu: ¡°¡­¡± She was rendered speechless by Feng Jiuge¡¯s words and then slowly poured a cup of hot tea for Feng Jiuge. Receiving the hot tea from Xie Xiaojiu, Feng Jiuge said, ¡°Sir, I saw Ruan Hongmei at He Jinyun¡¯s!¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Jiang Ning asked. Feng Jiuge shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m merely conveying what I have seen and heard.¡± Then she added, ¡°However, I can tell you explicitly, they are marginalizing you! In other words, they¡¯re not including you in their affairs.¡± ¡°In their affairs?¡± Jiang Ning said in surprise. ¡°In their affairs!¡± Feng Jiuge nodded, ¡°Sir, do you think people like He Jinyun join the Inspection Office for what purpose?¡± ¡°For the country, for the people?¡± Feng Jiuge shook her head, ¡°They¡¯re all in it for their personal gain.¡± ¡°In the Inspection Office, Contribution Points can be exchanged for treasures from the Martial Saint¡¯s treasure trove, for anything associated with Martial Arts advancement.¡± ¡°Even for the secrets to achieving Martial Saint status.¡± ¡°As well as the legendary Immortal Elixirs, Immortal Treasures, and Divine Skills, and so on!!¡± ¡°Furthermore, by spending Contribution Points, one can directly get promoted, be transferred to a bigger city!¡± Upon hearing Feng Jiuge¡¯s words, Jiang Ning showed no surprise. For the country, for the people? For the sake of Great Xia? He had never thought so before. Feng Jiuge looked at Jiang Ning, ¡°Sir, they have already tried to recruit me yesterday, wanting me to join them.¡± ¡°Join them in doing what?¡± Jiang Ning inquired. Feng Jiuge answered, ¡°To farm Contribution Points!¡± ¡°Farm Contribution Points?¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°Yes!¡± Feng Jiuge nodded, ¡°To farm Contribution Points!¡± ¡°How?¡± Jiang Ning could hardly believe his own speculation. Feng Jiuge said, ¡°Sir must have guessed something!¡± After saying this, she looked out the window. ¡°Previously, there were many followers of the God Worship Sect in Luoshui County, and now some of these people¡¯s heads are counted as Contribution Points.¡± ¡°Is this really the case?¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze intensified. Feng Jiuge continued, ¡°Falsely claiming credit for killing innocents is quite common! Moreover, these people already had issues, and many of them were tainted with the aura of the Evil God.¡± ¡°Anyone tainted with the aura of the Evil God can be regarded as a follower of the God Worship Sect!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning gently closed his eyes. After several breaths, he opened his eyes again to look at Feng Jiuge. ¡°What about you, then? What decision are you planning to make?¡± Feng Jiuge revealed a smile, ¡°To tell you the truth, I¡¯m very tempted as well! Sir, you don¡¯t understand the Martial Saint¡¯s treasure trove, you haven¡¯t truly understood the function of the Inspection Office¡¯s Contribution Points.¡± ¡°That Martial Saint has accumulated wealth for nearly a thousand years, and after establishing the Inspection Office, has completely opened it up.¡± ¡°With those items inside, it¡¯s not impossible to raise another Martial Saint!¡± ¡°If we just take the leftovers, it¡¯s enough for us to go one level higher on our current Martial Arts achievements.¡± ¡°And furthermore¡­ my subordinates have been somewhat dissatisfied these days, by following me, they¡¯ve missed out on many benefits compared to the other teams.¡± As she spoke this, Feng Jiuge sighed slightly. ¡°But I can¡¯t get over this moral hurdle!¡± Immediately after, she turned her head to look at Jiang Ning. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you think, sir?¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze was calm, ¡°What does this have to do with me?¡± ¡°Sir, don¡¯t you want to participate and seek benefits?¡± Feng Jiuge asked. ¡°Not interested!¡± Jiang Ning said indifferently as he shook his head. ¡°Understood!¡± Feng Jiuge stood up, ¡°Sir, you truly did not disappoint me!¡± ¡°I shall take my leave!¡± After leaving this sentence, Feng Jiuge suddenly turned and left. Creak¡ª She opened the door, and the snow instantly poured into the room through the narrow gap. Feng Jiuge suddenly turned back to look at Jiang Ning. ¡°Sir, if you have any doubts about the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill, you can come to discuss it with me, my mastery of it is something personally taught to me by my father, and it¡¯s already at a Great Success!¡± ¡­ A moment later. Once Feng Jiuge had left. Jiang Ning suddenly spoke, ¡°Little Jiu, what do you think about this matter?¡± Xie Xiaojiu replied, ¡°I have some understanding of this matter.¡± ¡°Then, have the members of your team had any complaints these days?¡± Jiang Ning asked. ¡°Some have,¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded. ¡°A commoner tainted with the aura of the Evil God can be considered a member of the God Worship Sect. Bringing back proof of membership is worth ten Contribution Points.¡± ¡°Ten Contribution Points? That much?¡± His gaze sharpened. Xie Xiaojiu nodded again, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a lot! One such commoner is equivalent to the monthly salary of an ordinary member. Moreover, one Contribution Point has a circulation value of twelve to thirteen Copper Coins privately, amounting to one tael and two to one tael and three Silver.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning immediately understood. Why the members of Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s team were complaining. It all came down to the allure of money. A commoner who had once worshipped at the God Worship Sect, tainted by the aura of the Evil God but utterly powerless to resist, equaled a month¡¯s salary for them. How could anyone resist such easy wealth? They joined the Inspection Office seeking wealth, power, and strength. With Contribution Points, they could achieve all three. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me before?¡± Jiang Ning asked. Xie Xiaojiu replied, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to say! I would never stoop to doing such a thing! Besides, as a person from Luoshui County, I could not do such an act!¡± Jiang Ning looked at her sworn assurance and couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I would never do such a thing!¡± Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words, Xie Xiaojiu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Having been with Jiang Ning these past few days, she naturally knew he was in need of Contribution Points. Now that he knew about this matter, she feared that Jiang Ning might view the commoners as stepping stones, just like those people did. If Jiang Ning really chose to do so, she didn¡¯t know what she would do. At this moment, Jiang Ning quietly watched outside the window, muttering to himself. ¡°No wonder I haven¡¯t seen many people from the residence these days.¡± After looking out the window for a long time, Jiang Ning suddenly sighed. Faced with this matter, he found himself utterly helpless. It was tied to the interests of an entire social stratum. He presumed even the Four Great Commanders were involved. Without having to ponder, he knew that Hong Minghu was aware of it and turned a blind eye to their actions. Faced with such a stratum, he was completely unable to make any changes for now. He also deeply understood that in such circumstances, the commoners had no ability to resist and could only resign themselves to fate. Even he seemed only capable of holding fast to his principles. That was all!! Suddenly, Jiang Ning stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a bit!¡± ¡°Where are you heading, my lord?¡± Xie Xiaojiu asked, hurriedly picking up a mink coat from the nearby chair to drape over Jiang Ning. ¡°I¡¯m going to see the Residence Master,¡± Jiang Ning said. Leaving these words, Jiang Ning pushed open the door, the wind and snow poured in through the gap, and his robe rustled violently. The mink coat that Xie Xiaojiu had just draped over him was immediately swept away by the wind and snow. ¡°My lord¡­¡± Xie Xiaojiu had just begun to speak. ¡°No need,¡± Jiang Ning said calmly. As his voice fell, he stepped into the thick snow. ¡­ At this moment, Outside the Inspection Office, The middle-aged woman who had come with Liu Linmen was already lying in wait on the roof, completely covered by the heavy snow, which served as her perfect camouflage. She lay hidden in the snowdrifts, secretly spying on the entrance and exit of the Inspection Office, quietly waiting for Jiang Ning to come out. Faced with Jiang Ning, whom she saw as an exquisite sacrifice, she could hardly wait any longer. If she didn¡¯t know that the Inspection Office was a veritable den of dragons and tigers in Luoshui County, she would even think of sneaking right in. She knew very well how rewarding it would be to offer such a spiritually gifted talent to that God. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Such a reward would be enough to change her fate once again. To let her climb to the highest echelons of the sect. With that thought, A glimmer of greed surfaced in her eyes. ¡°Yellow Heaven Sect!¡± She licked her lips and whispered to herself, ¡°If I can use this to reach the top ranks of the sect, I might even participate in the feast of hunting the Yellow Heaven Sect!¡± Chapter 321: 42: Return without Success, Ambush Jiang Ning! Chapter 321: Chapter 42: Return without Success, Ambush Jiang Ning! Inspection Office. On the highest loft. A faint mist arose. ¡°Residence Master, have a taste!¡± Ye Qiu stretched out his hand, indicating for Hong Minghu to taste the freshly brewed hot tea in front of him. A moment later. ¡°Excellent tea!¡± Hong Minghu took a sip and nodded in praise. ¡°Residence Master, do you think we should intervene in the chaos below?¡± Ye Qiu asked immediately after seeing Hong Minghu set down his teacup. ¡°Chaos? What chaos?¡± Hong Minghu looked at Ye Qiu with a surprised expression. ¡°Do you really not understand, Residence Master?¡± Ye Qiu asked. Hong Minghu said, ¡°Why beat around the bush? Speak plainly!¡± Hearing this, Ye Qiu stared into Hong Minghu¡¯s eyes and remained silent for a good two breaths. Then, he chuckled softly. ¡°Alright!¡± Ye Qiu nodded firmly. Just then, the two turned their heads toward the stairs behind them. Thump, thump, thump¡ª The sound of footsteps was especially clear in the silent snowy weather, growing louder and clearer. ¡°Commander Jiang has actually come!¡± Hong Minghu looked at the just appearing Jiang Ning and smiled faintly. ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± Upon seeing him, Ye Qiu immediately stood up to greet him. ¡°Brother Ye!¡± Jiang Ning also greeted him with a smile. He then slightly bowed to Hong Minghu. ¡°Residence Master, I have seen you.¡± ¡°Commander Jiang, you actually found the time to visit me today!¡± Hong Minghu said with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s sit together!¡± ¡°Thank you, Residence Master!¡± Jiang Ning bowed slightly. Shortly. Jiang Ning and Ye Qiu took their seats in front of Hong Minghu. ¡°Brother Jiang, have some tea!¡± Ye Qiu poured a cup of steaming tea for Jiang Ning. Seeing this, Jiang Ning lightly sipped the tea and promptly set down the cup. ¡°It seems Commander Jiang has something to discuss?¡± Hong Minghu asked. ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. ¡°If you have something to say, speak freely!¡± Hong Minghu spoke up. Hearing this, Jiang Ning immediately asked, ¡°Does the Residence Master know about the matter of innocent people being killed in the name of capturing God Worship Sect followers?¡± ¡°Killing the innocent for credit?¡± Hong Minghu¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Commander Jiang, could you elaborate?¡± ¡°Residence Master, are you aware that the recent victims targeted by the captains and commanders are all ordinary citizens?¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°This is impossible!¡± Hong Minghu shook his head. He continued, ¡°I have verified that those people were indeed tainted with the aura of the Evil God defeated by the God Worship Sect. Anyone tainted with the Evil God¡¯s aura cannot be mistaken.¡± ¡°Do you genuinely not know, Residence Master?¡± Jiang Ning looked intently at Hong Minghu. ¡°Ridiculous!¡± Hong Minghu said angrily. ¡°Residence Master, please calm down!¡± Ye Qiu said quickly, trying to pacify him. Then he pulled Jiang Ning¡¯s arm downward. At this moment. Hong Minghu also slightly relaxed his expression. He looked at Jiang Ning, ¡°I know what you want to say! But I want to tell you, Great Xia is said to share the world with the Sect families, and this world is not that of the ordinary citizens.¡± ¡°The Inspection Office needs not only to establish authority but also to gain the support of those people.¡± ¡°As for those captains and deputy commanders you mentioned, apart from you, who else comes from an ordinary family?¡± ¡°Those citizens were once followers of the God Worship Sect, tainted by the essence of the Evil God, so killing them is not wrongful.¡± Saying this, Hong Minghu stared at Jiang Ning. ¡°You were born in an ordinary family, so your perspective is problematic! Now that you are in power, you need not consider the ordinary citizens but only those of your own stature.¡± ¡°In this world, ordinary people can¡¯t overturn anything!¡± Having said this. Hong Minghu added, ¡°Commander Jiang, go back and think it through! You should know that your fellow Deputy Commander, He Jinyun, belongs to a hereditary noble family.¡± ¡°With you as Deputy Commander, Yuan Hua of the Yuan family in Donglin City; his father Yuan Xianzong is known as a junior Grandmaster and is one of the Six Elders of the Golden Wheel Sect.¡± ¡°With you, Tang Miaomiao, who belongs to a branch of the Tang Sect in Bashu County and has studied deeply in the Tang Sect until she was eighteen.¡± ¡°And the commander above you, Li Changkong, is the direct descendant of the Beili Li clan.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A moment later. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave!¡± Jiang Ning bowed and turned to leave. Ye Qiu also hastily said, ¡°Residence Master, let me see Commander Jiang off and have a word with him.¡± ¡°Go ahead!¡± Hong Minghu said indifferently. Afterward. He watched the two walk away, shaking his head secretly. ¡°Naive!!¡± At this moment, Hong Minghu suddenly felt somewhat grateful. Grateful that Jiang Ning had not agreed to marry his younger daughter. After the previous incident where Jiang Ning reported He Jinyun for killing the innocent for credit, and from today¡¯s various behaviors and statements of Jiang Ning, He had realized that Jiang Ning was a genuinely good person. But to him, good people were inherently terrifying. Being overly righteous, unwilling to adapt, and refusing to blend in, would ultimately be crushed by the overwhelming tide of the times. In the face of such powerful trends, so-called prodigies, young Grandmasters, were all insignificant, meaningless. As opposing the great trend leaves no room for growth to that extent. And even growing to that extent, becoming a Grandmaster who stands above others, still couldn¡¯t withstand the great trend. Unless one could become a figure like the Martial Saint. Only such figures could represent the trend, the world¡¯s great trend! Hong Minghu pondered for a long time then shook his head again. ¡°Fortunately, I didn¡¯t become relatives with him; otherwise, given his current temperament, if he doesn¡¯t adapt, it would likely lead to a catastrophe in the future, thereby endangering my wife and daughter!¡± Then he chuckled again. And muttered to himself, ¡°These days, my Contribution Points earnings haven¡¯t been bad!¡± ¡°How could I let this lad mess up my good fortune!¡± ¡°I am too eager to progress!¡± Hong Minghu said this with a wistful expression. Since he hadn¡¯t reached the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm through conventional means, it was presumed that in this lifetime, he had no hope of advancing to a higher level of Martial Arts. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 322: 42: Return Without Success, Ambush and Kill Jiang Ning!_2 Chapter 322: Chapter 42: Return Without Success, Ambush and Kill Jiang Ning!_2 But the world harbors no absolutes. According to his knowledge, within the Martial Saint¡¯s treasury, there existed a sacred medicine that could allow him to shed his mortal shell and reverse his innate deficiencies, a medicine that could solve his current problems. It would qualify him to ascend to higher echelons of martial arts. But the Contribution Points required for that medicine were frighteningly substantial. Yet, no matter how daunting, he wanted to give it a try¡ªself-interest was not absent from his mind. ¡­ On the other hand, Ye Qiu and Jiang Ning left the attic, stepping onto the soft snowy ground. ¡°Brother Jiang, I admire you!¡± Ye Qiu looked back, ensuring they were at a safe distance before speaking. Jiang Ning shook his head and sighed lightly. Ye Qiu said, ¡°Brother Jiang, you did all that was in your power today, but your actions were doomed to be fruitless. Do you know¡­ even Master Hong participated in the splitting of Contribution Points?¡± ¡°Master Hong was involved too?¡± Jiang Ning was startled, his gaze filled with surprise. ¡°Indeed!¡± Ye Qiu nodded. ¡°As far as I know, that¡¯s the case! Three-tenths of the Contribution Points go directly to the Residence Master. Furthermore, throughout Luoshui County¡¯s Inspection Office, everyone below the Residence Master, including Commanders of our status, must yield an additional one-tenth of any earned Contribution Points to the Residence Master.¡± ¡°Therefore, Master Hong will surely turn a blind eye.¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That Master Hong, he really embodies vested interests!¡± ¡°Moreover,¡± Ye Qiu quickly shifted his tone, ¡°You¡¯re aware of He Jinyun, aren¡¯t you? What the Master said was true! Some people can¡¯t lightly be tampered with, even by the likes of us.¡± ¡°A person like He Jinyun commands enough respect that both I and the Residence Master must give him his due.¡± ¡°Although that Young Master¡¯s family is currently fallen, their position remains exceedingly revered, with hereditary nobles unchallenged in status. In their house, they have leading First-grade experts of our time, and a number of Fifth Grade strong people among their followers.¡± ¡°Therefore, such individuals are difficult to deal with!¡± ¡°You¡¯d better hold yourself back; it¡¯s not worth stirring trouble with the real power bloc over some common folk.¡± Heeding Ye Qiu¡¯s demeanor, Jiang Ning nodded. ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Brother Ye, I understand!¡± ¡°As long as you understand!¡± Ye Qiu sighed, ¡°Individual strength pales in the face of the greater current. If there were a choice, I wouldn¡¯t be urging you this way!¡± ¡°But you presently have no choice, taking care of yourself is truly the greatest kindness you can do.¡± Jiang Ning watched Ye Qiu, his face breaking into a smile. ¡­ Moments later, Jiang Ning returned to his own residence. ¡°My lord!¡± Xie Xiaojiu saw Jiang Ning and hurriedly stood up to meet him. After draping a fur coat over Jiang Ning, she quickly brought him a cup of pre-warmed tea from the stove. ¡°My lord, please have some tea first!¡± Taking the tea Xie Xiaojiu handed him, Jiang Ning drank a few sips and felt the chill leave his body. ¡°My lord, what did the Residence Master say?¡± Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity. Jiang Ning shook his head, ¡°There was no gain at all!¡± ¡°I understand!¡± The light in Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s eyes instantly faded. She was well aware that the credits and Contribution Points received by the captains and their men, as well as the Commanders for the people they caught or killed, were all from the ordinary citizens of the city. Although she was not born a commoner, she was a native of Luoshui County and did not wish to witness such a scene. But as an ordinary captain in the Inspection Office, Even though captains appeared to the outside world as having real power and privileges, Within the Inspection Office, captains had no say; they only had the power to implement decisions. Thus, she was helpless. Now, seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s response, her heart was filled with helplessness and resignation. If Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t achieve a thing even when he intervened, there was even less she could do. After a short while, The only sounds in the room were Jiang Ning quietly flipping through pages, and occasionally, the crackling of sparks in the charcoal stove. In the process of reading, [Literacy and Judgment Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgment Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgment Experience +1] [¡­] The experience points for the Literacy and Judgment skill steadily increased. And time kept slipping away¡­ ¡­ Evening. The snow had stopped. Under the gloomy sky, night fell exceptionally fast. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m heading back now!¡± Xie Xiaojiu mounted the carriage and turned to take one more look at Jiang Ning. ¡°Go ahead! The roads are slippery with the heavy snow, be careful on your way!¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°Thank you for your concern, sir!¡± Hearing this, Xie Xiaojiu immediately beamed with a smile. The next moment, she crawled into the carriage, and as soon as she gave the command, the horses, already endowed with a spiritual nature, lifted their legs and pulled the carriage towards the direction of Xie Mansion. Watching the carriage grow distant, Jiang Ning slowly retracted his gaze. ¡°Today, I can finally go home!¡± He sighed to himself. After the conversation with Liu Linmen earlier in the day, although he wasn¡¯t particularly clear on why Liu Linmen was so respectful towards him, he could conclude that, for now, Liu Linmen wouldn¡¯t make a move against him, wouldn¡¯t pose a threat to him. And even if he really faced off against Liu Linmen, Jiang Ning wasn¡¯t particularly scared now. He believed that he had the power to fight Liu Linmen. His strength had greatly increased compared to that night, it was incomparable to before. His martial arts power had reached the level of the Jiao tendon, which could double the explosive power on top of the original foundation. Furthermore, the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill had broken through limits in succession. Even without using a longbow, relying on his speed like wind and actions like thunder, his combat power showed exponential growth. Not to mention the breakthrough of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill, which brought further enhancement to his sword force. Any one of these changes could double his strength. With the combination of these variations, his power differed vastly from that night; it was a completely different level. All of these now formed the foundation of confidence in his heart, increasing his self-assurance significantly. But when he thought back to the events that had transpired earlier in the day with Hong Minghu as well as Ye Qiu, Jiang Ning felt his vigor suddenly deflate. His power had improved the fastest, but in the face of the overwhelming situation, he was still utterly helpless. They were using lives to farm Contribution Points, and nearly everyone in the Inspection Office was involved. Under such circumstances, he currently had no power to stop this behavior. If he tried to stop it, he would be openly standing against the entire interest group. The people he faced were not only those captains but also the world¡¯s sons like He Jinyun and Yuan Hua, who were Deputy Commanders. As well as the heirs of influential families like Li Changkong who were Commanders. Even Hong Minghu might take action. Thinking about all this, Jiang Ning secretly shook his head: ¡°Forget it! I am not the kind of person who worries about the country and the people, who harbors the world in my heart. As of now, being able to protect the people around me, the people I care about, is enough!¡± While pondering, Jiang Ning also walked towards his own home. ¡­ Simultaneously, among a pile of snow on a roof, a pair of eyes peered through the thick snow, stealthily surveilling Jiang Ning. Upon seeing Jiang Ning, excitement flooded her eyes. At this moment, she was even more certain that the spiritual essence within Jiang Ning was the most exaggerated she had ever seen. The mere thought of the benefits she could reap by sacrificing Jiang Ning as a tribute filled her with overwhelming excitement and agitation, making her body tremble with eagerness. ¡°Sacrifice him, and I will surely step into the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm in one fell swoop!!!¡± Greed swelled in the middle-aged woman¡¯s eyes. Immediately, she quietly emerged from the snow pile, trying not to make any noise, and followed Jiang Ning secretly. At the entrance of the Inspection Office, she didn¡¯t dare to make a move. If she acted and attracted the attention of the Residence Master, she knew she had no power to resist in the face of Hong Minghu. The difference between Sixth Rank and Fifth Grade, though it seemed like only one grade apart, was as vast as the difference between heaven and earth. The gap of this one grade was much greater than any before it. The Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm was not only about stronger physique; it also meant that after tempering, the five organs were resilient, breath was long, stamina was enduring, and one knew no fatigue. And when necessary, it could also stimulate the body¡¯s potential, bursting with far greater strength and speed than normal. In addition to mastering the powerful and mysterious force of Inner Breath, with the enhancement of Inner Breath, combat power would grow by multiples. Combined, this gap was sufficient to make any Sixth Rank strong person feel a profound despair when facing a Fifth Grade strong person, making them feel invincible. Chapter 323: 43: The Peak Strike Chapter 323: Chapter 43: The Peak Strike Night was falling. Suddenly, fine snowflakes began to fall again. At this moment, Jiang Ning was walking on the soft, snow-covered road, surrounded by emptiness. In such severe weather, even in the Inner City, few people were willing to go out. ¡°This winter, it will probably freeze people to death in the outer city!¡± Thinking of the outer city made Jiang Ning sigh. In his previous life in the north, every winter he used to see stray cats frozen to death in deserted corners. Surviving the winter! In times of underdeveloped productivity, it was always a matter of life and death. That¡¯s why Jiang Ning was very aware that this year, being a year of severe drought, even though the people around Luoshui County could irrigate their fields with water from the Luoshui River, the harvest would not be good. Without a good harvest, surviving the winter would be extremely difficult. And these were the people near the Luoshui River. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For those farther away, encountering such a year of drought without a water source for irrigation meant a real disaster, one that could displace people. Along the way, Jiang Ning thought a lot. After a long time, he shook his head, dispelling the clutter in his mind. He knew this matter had nothing to do with him. He couldn¡¯t manage it either. Not even the revered one honored by all officials could manage it. In the face of natural disasters, human power was too trivial. Now, he could only be glad that he had enough ability and strength not to have to struggle on the edge of life and death and poverty like the ordinary people in the outer city. At that moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s ears twitched slightly. ¡°I was a bit careless just now and almost failed to notice the person secretly following me.¡± At this, his alertness soared. Jiang Ning was very clear that with his current strength and heightened senses, someone could follow him within a hundred meters without being detected. This level of skill must be extraordinary, far surpassing any opponent he had previously encountered. ¡°Who is it?¡± Jiang Ning wondered silently. Ideas raced through his mind, various possibilities emerging. ¡°Could it be Liu Linmen?¡± At this thought, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart tightened. Liu Linmen, as he understood, was a master of the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm. And had already refined his Inner Breath, though not yet to the level of Inner Breath Like Gang. This person¡¯s strength, in his estimation, might be comparable to Minghu. ¡°Is it really him?¡± Jiang Ning wondered silently, maximizing his senses. In an instant, sounds, big and small, within hundreds of meters became clear. His sharp hearing scanned all movements like radar. Then, the silhouette of the person secretly following him reflected in Jiang Ning¡¯s mind. It wasn¡¯t Liu Linmen! Jiang Ning silently shook his head, making a judgment. Because based on the silhouette¡¯s height, he found the person was half a head shorter than Liu Linmen. Their physiques were too different; it couldn¡¯t be Liu Linmen. ¡°If not him, then who could it be?¡± Jiang Ning continued walking forward, pondering silently. On the other side, the middle-aged woman had been trailing far behind Jiang Ning. ¡°I need to find a good place to make a move! Mustn¡¯t make too much noise! Luoshui County isn¡¯t safe now!¡± she thought silently. Just then, her expression slightly surprised. Because she saw Jiang Ning, who had been walking on the main road, suddenly turn and dart into an alley. ¡°Good opportunity!¡± She quickly followed. On the other side, Jiang Ning entered the alley, blocking the view of the person secretly following him, and suddenly moved, conjuring wild winds around him, swiftly escaping amid the swirling snow. ¡­ Moments later, ¡°Not good!¡± the middle-aged woman entered the alley and her expression changed. Because she had lost sight of Jiang Ning, and the snow-covered ground bore no traces, no footprints¡ªJiang Ning had vanished. ¡°Did Commander Jiang realize I was following him?¡± ¡°When exactly did he notice?¡± Looking at the snow-covered ground that bore no trace, the middle-aged woman¡¯s expression shifted. Meanwhile, Jiang Ning was now standing in a tall pavilion. By this time, the sky had darkened, and quiet Luoshui County was shrouded in darkness, lit only by the star-like gleaming of numerous household lights. With poor lighting conditions, even a martial artist¡¯s vision was greatly limited. But Jiang Ning, with his extraordinary senses, could still clearly see her face from hundreds of meters away. ¡°Is it her?¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze sharpened as he identified the identity of the person who had been following him. It was the same person who had been with Liu Linmen during the day. ¡°If it¡¯s not Liu Linmen, then this person should not be of the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm level!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll use you as my test subject!¡± Jiang Ning watched the person in the small alley in the hutong, muttering to himself. As he spoke, Jiang Ning also took out a longbow and an arrow from the Sumeru Ring. Previously, when he had gone to Beimang Mountain to exterminate the Black Mountain Army, he had only tested the normal state of Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. The Wind Thunder Arrow, mastered after three Break Limits, had not been tested. One reason was due to the presence of many people, with two teams from the Inspection Office there, making it inappropriate to reveal too much. Another reason was that the strength of that batch of Black Mountain Army was insufficient, their strongest being only equal to his own level of Martial Arts Seventh Grade. With equivalent strength at the Seventh Grade, they were no match for him now. He had merely tested the effects of Water and Fire True Strength on the leader of the Black Mountain Army and had easily killed him. Chapter 324: 43: The Peak Strike_2 Chapter 324: Chapter 43: The Peak Strike_2 Immediately, Jiang Ning slowly drew his bow and shot an arrow. In an instant, a violent wind arose around him, snowflakes swirling around his figure. At that moment, Jiang Ning seemed to be enveloped by an invisible cyclone, and he stood at its very center. On the other side, a middle-aged woman suddenly felt a tremor in her heart. ¡°No good!¡± Her expression filled with horror, she immediately looked up into the sky. In her line of sight, the area was shrouded in endless night. But a premonition told her that a great crisis had descended. In the endless darkness, something had locked onto her, a presence that could threaten her life. Just then, Boom¡ª Jiang Ning released the arrow in his hand. The arrow, flashing with electric light, pierced through the night sky, turning into a blue arc of lightning heading straight for the middle-aged woman. Jiang Ning¡¯s Wind Thunder Arrow Skill had undergone three Break Limits and had reached an unfathomable level. Having been able to shoot arrows that broke the sound barrier early on, Jiang Ning¡¯s arrows now traveled a kilometer in a blink of an eye. And Jiang Ning was only two to three hundred meters away from the middle-aged woman. Such a brief distance, Just an instant. By the time the middle-aged woman saw the thunder light in the void, She couldn¡¯t react in time, and her body was pierced by the arrow. Then the arrow pierced through her body, shattered the stone bricks, and burrowed into the ground. Boom¡ª Suddenly, a roaring sound came from beneath the ground. In that moment, it seemed as if a dragon beneath the earth had turned over, the stone bricks shooting in every direction, and the walls on either side collapsed, sending soil flying into the air. At that moment, The middle-aged woman looked down at the wound that went straight through her chest to her back, her pupils dilating. ¡°This¡­ this is impossible!¡± ¡°Impossible!!!¡± She murmured to herself. Immediately, She looked in the direction the arrow had come from, a trace of venom flashing in her eyes. ¡°Jiang Ning, I want you dead!!!¡± Her voice was piercing to the extreme, cutting through the void, clearly reaching Jiang Ning¡¯s ears. Hearing such a robust statement given her condition, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyebrow raised, his expression one of surprise. A wound that penetrated from the front chest to the back, and on top of that, the size of a fist. Not to mention the Power of Thunder and Lightning contained in the arrow had fully integrated into the woman¡¯s body. Under these circumstances, it was shocking that the middle-aged woman could still utter such a robust phrase, astonishing Jiang Ning. The next moment, Jiang Ning saw flesh begin to grow at the woman¡¯s chest, quickly filling the fist-sized wound like wriggling maggots. Then her body began to undergo a grotesque transformation, similar to how Shi Xiaoyuan had transformed at the bottom of the lake. Her body continuously swelled, her clothes soon bursting at the seams, hanging in tatters on her body. Her exposed flesh was made of large chunks of black muscle, cast like iron. Veins and tendons as thick as fingers spread across her entire body like worms. ¡°So that¡¯s it!!¡± Jiang Ning realized as he watched the scene from afar. Shi Xiaoyuan had also turned into this kind of monstrous state, possessing an almost undying body with just the power of Martial Arts Eighth Grade. In the blink of an eye, In Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes, the middle-aged woman who seemed on the verge of death had turned into a three-meter-tall monster, composed of mutated flesh and blood. ¡°I want you dead!!¡± A deep voice, like a wild beast¡¯s roar, entered Jiang Ning¡¯s ears. At the same time, The mutated flesh monster began striding towards Jiang Ning. At that moment her speed was extremely fast, covering dozens of meters in one step. ¡°I¡¯ve found you!!¡± the deep roar sounded. Jiang Ning saw her leap into the air. Despite her massive body, her agility was not hindered at all. Boom¡ª A foot landed on the building, and as she leapt into the air, the structure beneath her feet collapsed thunderously. Watching the leaping flesh monster, a sword already appeared in Jiang Ning¡¯s hand. ¡°Old buddy, it¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve seen action!¡± Jiang Ning caressed the blade. Instantly, the blade vibrated continuously, emitting a humming sound. Spiritual weapons possess a spirit, and at that moment, it was the spirit within the sword responding. After months of feeding the sword with drops of blood, Jiang Ning felt a bond with the long sword, as if it were an extension of his own flesh and blood. Holding the sword in his hand felt like an extension of his own body. The next moment. Jiang Ning watched as the flesh-mutated monster rapidly approached from below, leaping forward with a bound. Buzz¡ª The long sword in his hand quivered lightly. It stirred up waves of trembling sounds in the void. In an instant, the pupil of the flesh monster reflected a sword light as bright as daylight, blindingly radiant. This sword light completely dominated his vision. In his eyes, there was only this streak of sword light, flickering in the dark night. Szzt¡ª Flesh parted! Jiang Ning landed on the ground, a large amount of black blood spilled behind him. Sizzling¡ª The black blood fell onto the snowy ground, much like boiling lava landing on accumulated snow. ¡°Sword Force!!¡± ¡°The Sword Force that moves heaven and earth!!¡± Watching Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze, fear flickered in the eyes of the flesh monster. ¡°Not bad insight!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. This sword strike was his peak performance so far. This strike focused his essence qi and spirit. Merely swinging once, Jiang Ning felt his essence qi and spirit were depleted by margins. Both the Inner Breath at his Dantian and the Qi Blood Power in his body were nearly drained by thirty percent due to this strike. But the outcome of this strike greatly satisfied Jiang Ning. He had witnessed the formidable transformation of Shi Xiaoyuan. When Shi Xiaoyuan transformed into a monster, his power increased by more than a fraction. Far surpassing his usual strength. Whereas the current monster, though Jiang Ning hadn¡¯t discerned her Martial Arts Realm, Undoubtedly, was much stronger than Shi Xiaoyuan back then. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, she was above Seventh Grade, or an expert at concealing her tracks from Seventh Grade. Otherwise, throughout this journey, Her tracks couldn¡¯t have been hidden so well! In a situation where this monster possessed such strength before transforming, now having nearly an immortal body, her power must have multiplied. Yet under such circumstances, she was severed almost in half by his bursting Sword Force. ¡­ ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± the flesh monster asked Jiang Ning, her eyes full of fear. At this moment, her body, severed by the Sword Force, had blood endlessly spouting inward, rendering the supposed immortal body completely ineffective. Because the wound, still concentrated with persistent Sword Force, prevented her body from self-healing. This situation was something she had never encountered before. As previously, she had never seen a Sword Force that could move the power of heaven and earth. Possessing such a level of Sword Force, as she understood, was generally reserved for grandmasters. The most terrifying opponent she had encountered before was a Fifth Grade Internal Strength warrior. Using her transformation, although still no match for the Fifth Grade Internal Strength opponent, she managed to struggle for a long time and successfully escaped. At the same time, Hearing her question, Jiang Ning calmly said, ¡°The one who¡¯s sending you off!¡± ¡°I mean no harm!!¡± The middle-aged woman hastily spoke out. ¡°I do!¡± Jiang Ning stated flatly. As the words fell, Jiang Ning raised the long sword in his hand. Sword light appeared. Szzt¡ª With one swing, a basketball-sized head was instantly severed by Jiang Ning. Sizzling¡ª Black blood spurted from her neckline, melting the snow rapidly. ¡°Still don¡¯t know what grade she is?¡± ¡°If she¡¯s Seventh Grade, with her God Worship Sect status, I could earn five thousand Contribution Points!¡± ¡°If she¡¯s Sixth Rank, I get fifty thousand Contribution Points!¡± ¡°Perhaps more than Seventh Grade, a mighty Sixth Rank!¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning watched the headless body slowly fall, murmuring to himself. At the same time, Silence enveloped the surroundings. All the villagers, upon hearing this commotion, trembled and hid in their homes, under beds, or tables. Merely hearing the sounds from outside, the bursts of thundering previously, they knew it was a battle between deities, not something they could interfere in. As the disturbance gradually subsided, Jiang Ning faintly heard footsteps coming from afar. Moments later, The black-robed constable uniform entered Jiang Ning¡¯s line of sight. ¡°It¡¯s Commander Jiang!!¡± Chapter 325: 44 Unexpected Gains Chapter 325: Chapter 44 Unexpected Gains Luoshui County. Several street-patrolling constables clenched the long sabers in their hands, moving slowly and extremely cautiously towards the source of the noise. When they saw Jiang Ning standing in the snowy field, their hearts, which had been in their throats, finally settled with relief. ¡°Commander Jiang!¡± Someone immediately spoke up. One of them, upon seeing Jiang Ning, was slightly startled at first, then his expression became incredibly complex. He remembered the last time he had seen Jiang Ning; he had followed Head Feng to pay a visit. Back then, Jiang Ning was just beginning to make a name for himself in Luoshui County and wasn¡¯t considered an important figure. Now, merely a few months later, their reunion was entirely different. Jiang Ning had become a prominent figure in Luoshui County, well-known to all. Mention the name Jiang Ning, and who in the county government wouldn¡¯t know? A mere commoner who, in just a few short months, had grown into one of the few significant figures in Luoshui County¡ªno one would have thought this possible before. Meanwhile, Jiang Ning calmly swept a glance over them. ¡°Trouble you all to clean up the battlefield!¡± ¡°No trouble, no trouble at all!¡± One of them said with a smile on his face. He glanced at the blood-soaked monster next to Jiang Ning, the scene where dark blood was dissolving the snow, and immediately said, ¡°Commander Jiang has slain the malevolent evil, protecting us all. It is only right that we take care of such small matters!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! Brother Chen¡¯s right!¡± someone else chimed in. Jiang Ning nodded, crouched down in front of the lifeless, headless flesh monster and stretched out his right hand, parting the flesh with his fingers, and gave her bones a pinch. Bone Forging Realm! Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes suddenly sharpened. Indeed, Martial Arts Sixth Grade! And what¡¯s more, one from the God Worship Sect at Martial Arts Sixth Grade. Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but feel elated. A Martial Artist at Sixth Grade from the God Worship Sect represented fifty thousand Contribution Points. Fifty thousand Contribution Points amounted to even more than fifty thousand taels of silver when calculated by value alone. The Dragon Ascending Pill he needed at present only required fifty thousand Contribution Points. With these points, he could exchange them at the Inspection Office¡¯s Internal Affairs Office for a Dragon Ascending Pill to assist him in reaching the Dragon Tendon level. Suddenly, His gaze sharpened, catching a glimpse of a faint golden hue shining through the torn clothes of the flesh monster. Gold? Jiang Ning felt covert delight. He then reached into the clothes and immediately felt the outline of the object emitting the golden glow¡ªa small square box the size of a palm. The next moment. The item silently entered his Sumeru Ring. After securing the item, Jiang Ning¡¯s hand then brushed over the headless flesh monster, with spiritual power enveloping it. In an instant, the corpse of the headless flesh monster vanished before the eyes of the onlookers. Seeing this, they widened their eyes in surprise. Jiang Ning thought for a moment, then walked to the head that he had severed earlier, similarly stashing it into his Sumeru Ring. Bringing this corpse back to verify its identity and the realm of Martial Arts Sixth Grade, he could claim a reward of fifty thousand Contribution Points, so naturally, he was cautious and took the head along. A moment later, Watching Jiang Ning¡¯s retreating figure, The men exchanged glances. ¡°What exactly is this method?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! It looks like a miraculous method of the immortals!¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s similar to the legendary Nasumi and mustard seed methods!¡± ¡­ While the constables discussed among themselves, Jiang Ning had already reached the shore of Luoshui Lake. This place was merely less than two hundred meters away from where the fight had just taken place. The lake, after a heavy snow, had started to form slushy ice. Looking at the tranquil surface of the lake, ¡°It seems I had underestimated my strength as well as the power of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill! This escape route wasn¡¯t even needed.¡± Jiang Ning smiled, then headed straight towards his home. Walking along the road, his heart felt much lighter. He could slay a Martial Artist at Sixth Grade, and one that possessed an undying body at that. This undoubtedly proved the great advancement of his strength. Especially his long-range attack methods. The Wind Thunder Arrow, mastered after breaking the limit of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill three times. Its power and speed were astonishingly delightful to him. One arrow shot out, and a formidable Martial Artist at Sixth Grade hardly had time to react before his arrow pierced through their chest. This kind of lethality, had that person not been a member of the God Worship Sect with the ability to transform, Ordinarily, another Sixth Grade Martial Artist would have been slain by one of his arrows¡ªthis result was remarkably surprising to Jiang Ning. This signified that his long-range attack methods had reached an exceptionally admirable effectiveness. If they were in an open field, relying solely on his current archery skills against an ordinary Sixth Grade Martial Artist, he would be a harvester of lives. However, what really surprised Jiang Ning tonight was his Sword Force. The Sword Force that could draw upon the power of heaven and earth went far beyond his expectations. A single strike, like chopping vegetables and cutting firewood, slashed off more than half of the mutated flesh monster¡¯s body. And the Sword Force, drawing the power of heaven and earth, also effectively prevented the wound from healing. That one strike laid the foundation for his victory, leaving the mutated flesh monster unable to resist. ¡°Nowadays, even if I¡¯m not a match for Liu Linmen, I should at least have some ability to fight back, right?¡± Jiang Ning mused internally. ¡­ After a long while, Jiang Ning stood in front of his house, his expression somewhat complex. ¡°Finally, no need to hide anymore!¡± Then a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. Through the laughter of Little Dumpling that floated into his ears over the wall, he knew that his brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family were safe and sound. The next moment. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Knock, knock, knock¡ª Jiang Ning knocked on the front door. Chapter 326: 44 Unexpected Gains_2 Chapter 326: Chapter 44 Unexpected Gains_2 Knocking sounds resonated, suddenly halting all activity within the courtyard. ¡°Who is it?¡± a voice full of caution called from inside. ¡°It¡¯s me, sister-in-law!¡± Jiang Ning replied. ¡°It really is Ah Ning!!¡± Liuu Wanwan¡¯s voice, full of surprise and delight, echoed from inside. ¡°Brother Li, Ah Ning is back!¡± Liuu Wanwan¡¯s voice rang out again from within. She then moved towards the front door, and after the sound of the bolt sliding open¡­ Liuu Wanwan¡¯s face appeared before Jiang Ning, clearly a bit haggard. ¡°Sister-in-law!¡± Jiang Ning immediately greeted her. ¡°Come in quickly, have some hot tea first!¡± Liuu Wanwan¡¯s brows were adorned with a compassionate smile at that moment. These days, because of Jiang Ning¡¯s departure, her mind had been restless. She was well aware that her brother-in-law had reached a point where the people he was dealing with were no ordinary folks, but rather significant figures. Walking this path was surely like treading on thin ice, standing at the edge of an abyss. One wrong step might lead to irredeemable disaster, and both she and Brother Li could not escape the danger. Thus, since the day Jiang Ning did not return home, she knew her brother-in-law had encountered serious trouble. Otherwise, why would her brother-in-law hide away? However, she didn¡¯t blame her brother-in-law. She knew the danger her family had faced before; if not for her brother-in-law¡¯s miraculous assistance that gained the favor of that significant figure from Wanhua Building who intervened on their behalf¡­ Her entire family would have likely faced misfortune and unjustly perished in prison. Cao Bin, who coveted her beauty, would certainly have used Little Dumpling and Minger to subdue her. At that point, even death might have seemed a luxurious release. Compared to that situation, what was this current crisis? ¡°Ah Ning!¡± At that moment, an excited voice from Brother Li came from behind Liuu Wanwan. Jiang Ning looked up to see Jiang Li standing on the front step of the courtyard. Brother Li¡¯s face was a mess of unkempt stubble, hardened by time, as if he had aged years in that instant. Stepping out of the house, Jiang Li wore a heavy coat, his right sleeve still hanging limply without strength. Seeing their appearances, Jiang Ning knew that during his absence, both Jiang Li and Liuu Wanwan had been fraught with worry because of him. Seeing Jiang Ning, Jiang Li quickly moved towards him. Grasping Jiang Ning¡¯s shoulders to check, he asked, ¡°You aren¡¯t hurt, are you?¡± Jiang Ning responded with a grin, ¡°How could I be hurt?¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear!¡± Brother Li¡¯s tense expression relaxed significantly. ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re blocking me!¡± Just then, Little Dumpling¡¯s tender voice came from below. Looking down, Jiang Ning saw the not-yet-thigh-high Little Dumpling, head lowered like a bull, squeezing to the front. After Jiang Li stepped aside, Little Dumpling immediately threw herself onto Jiang Ning¡¯s legs. ¡°Dumpling! I missed you so much!!¡± Jiang Ning responded with a smile, squatting down to gently tickle her tiny cute nose. ¡°I missed you too!!¡± ¡°Dumpling, I¡¯m coming up!¡± Seeing Jiang Ning squat, Little Dumpling strenuously tried to climb onto his shoulders. Watching this scene, both Jiang Li and Liuu Wanwan smiled knowingly. Jiang Ning then picked up Little Dumpling, placed her on his shoulder, and stood up. ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go in and talk,¡± Jiang Li said. Jiang Ning nodded, looking up as he stepped over the threshold. The two walked on the swept stone bricks towards the inside of the house. Behind them, Liuu Wanwan closed the door and slid the bolt back in place. ¡°Brother, are you going to leave again this time?¡± As they walked, Jiang Li asked. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving for now,¡± Jiang Ning answered. Hearing this, Jiang Li¡¯s expression brightened, ¡°Then has your trouble been resolved?¡± ¡°It should be considered temporarily resolved!¡± Jiang Ning replied. ¡°Dumpling, what trouble?¡± Little Dumpling, sitting on Jiang Ning¡¯s shoulders, kicked her legs and asked curiously. ¡°Children shouldn¡¯t ask about adult matters!¡± Jiang Li glared at Little Dumpling. Little Dumpling immediately pouted, silently hugging Jiang Ning¡¯s neck as her eyes welled up with tears. ¡°Brother, let¡¯s have some hot tea to warm up first.¡± After the two entered the hall and the wind and snow were shut out, Jiang Li poured a steaming cup of tea for Jiang Ning. ¡°Thank you, brother!¡± Jiang Ning took the tea and took two sips, warmth flowing through his body. Liuu Wanwan, who had followed them inside, gave the two a glance and immediately said, ¡°You brothers catch up, I¡¯ll go prepare some supper for you.¡± ¡°Wanwan, remember to heat up a pot of good wine!¡± Jiang Li quickly said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your wine won¡¯t be forgotten today!¡± Liuu Wanwan glared playfully at Jiang Li, then hurried off. Just then¡­ Another figure entered the hall through the back door, it was Jiang Yiming. ¡°Hello, Uncle!¡± After seeing Jiang Ning, Jiang Yiming immediately spoke politely. ¡°You¡¯ve grown a bit taller!¡± Jiang Ning sized up Jiang Yiming and nodded with satisfaction. ¡­ All night, Jiang Li talked at length with Jiang Ning. That night, Jiang Ning did nothing but drink and chat with Jiang Ning. ¡­ The next morning. Jiang Ning awoke as the sky was just beginning to lighten. His consistent routine had become his biological clock. By this time, he would naturally wake up. [name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy Points]: 53.33 [Skills]: S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Reading and Writing (Three times limit-breaking, 873/4000) (Traits: unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility) Five Animals Fist (One time limit-breaking, 742/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (Five times limit-breaking, 6000/6000) (Traits: touch and understand, Blade as Swift as Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One, Innate Blade Bone) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (small success, 732/5000) Vajra Immortal Body (small success, 453/5000) Swimming+ (Five times limit-breaking, 6000/6000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Three times limit-breaking, 49/4000) (Traits: Wind and Thunder Breath, Heart Arrow Technique, Wind and Thunder Arrow) Water and Fire True Strength (small success, 45/500) After glancing at his panel, although Jiang Ning mastered many skills, he had already decided on his next steps. Aside from primarily striving to break through his Martial Arts Realm to reach the Dragon Tendon level, the main focus was on increasing the experience value in Reading and Writing and Water and Fire True Strength. As for the other skills, either they lacked Source Energy Points and couldn¡¯t break through despite max experience, or the experience growth was too slow. Such as the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill and Vajra Immortal Body. Inner Elixir Cultivation mainly required persistence, daily Breathing and Releasing the Essence of the Great Sun, and the experience for this skill could not be rushed. Regarding the Vajra Immortal Body, although it could gain enough experience to reach the legendary level of a golden body providing supernatural physical strength, Jiang Ning was currently advancing rapidly in the Martial Arts Realm and decided not to spend time on this. He planned to consider grinding the experience in this skill to enhance his physical strength when his progress slowed down. Shortly afterward. After briefly cleaning up, Jiang Ning started brewing tea, appreciating the snow, and reading in the courtyard. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +1] [¡­] After a long time. The teapot boiled. Jiang Ning suddenly missed the days when he stayed with Xie Xiaojiu, where everything was provided for him and he was taken care of. ¡°Habits, indeed scary!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head and continued to drink tea and read. Breaking limits in Reading and Writing greatly boosted his spiritual power. Now that he had some self-defensive strength, he had to consider the threat of the Earth King capable of spirit projection from the Yellow Heaven Sect. That Earth King was separated from him by thousands of mountains and rivers, and such a distant journey wouldn¡¯t be undertaken just to trouble him, a minor figure. Travel in this world was cumbersome, even for Martial Artists, crossing a continent was problematic. Regardless of how fast one could run on legs, they would be limited by their physical and endurance abilities, making it difficult to travel day and night. Normally, travel still relied on horses. But spirit projection was different. It allowed thousands of miles of travel overnight, and that Earth King could traverse between two places in one night by spirit projection. Enhancing spiritual power was the best way to counteract spirit projection. Sitting in the courtyard, Jiang Ning drank tea, appreciated the snow, read, and quietly waited for time to pass. When the Inspection Office opened, he immediately set out for it, to turn over the Sixth Rank Martial Artist from the God Worship Sect he had slain last night to the Internal Affairs Office, in exchange for fifty thousand contribution points to buy the Dragon Ascending Pill to help him step into the Dragon Tendon level. Entering the Dragon Tendon level would allow him to officially start Bone Forging, thereby stepping into the ranks of Martial Arts Sixth Grade. Bone Forging was also the final step of refining skin, flesh, tendons, and bones. These four major steps constitute outer refining. Chapter 327: 45 The Statue of the Blood and Flesh God Chapter 327: Chapter 45 The Statue of the Blood and Flesh God East courtyard. In the distance, the sun rose in the east, the morning glow filled the sky, and the sky was tinged with red. Jiang Ning glanced at the rising sun and immediately got up. ¡°I should be off to work!¡± The phrase ¡°going to work¡± brought a smile to his lips. These words made him involuntarily think of all the unpleasant memories of his previous life and the servile life he had lived. Thinking of this, he felt even more satisfied with his current life. Although this life was not as rich in resources or entertainment activities, practicing Martial Arts and feeling his strength gradually increase, the sense of fulfillment of amassing mighty power within himself brought him relentless joy. In his view, the path of Martial Arts was a journey of personal independence and transcendence, a transformation and sublimation of life forms. The higher one climbed on the path of Martial Arts, the more one resembled the Immortal Gods of legend. Just like the Martial Saint who had dominated the world for eight hundred years and lived nearly a thousand years. That lifespan alone was like that of Immortal Gods. The way of Martial Arts, to Jiang Ning, although it did not grant eternal life, the allure of nearly a thousand years of life was incredibly enticing. Eternal life! These words had long been ingrained in the genes of humankind in his previous life. Throughout thousands of years of history, countless emperors had desired eternal life but could never achieve it. Even that emperor of ages past had lost his life prematurely in his pursuit of immortality. The path of Martial Arts in this life, although it did not offer true eternal life, still provided a lifespan nearly as long as that of the Martial Saint. In the face of a thousand-year lifespan, with fifty generations of ordinary people passing by, this was, in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes, a form of immortality. The mere effect of extending life for a thousand years was enough to make him pursue this path. Not to mention that on this path, one could possess powers comparable to those of gods, capable of moving mountains and overturning seas. The next moment. Jiang Ning had just gotten up and was ready to head to the Inspection Office to verify the identity of the God Worship Sect member who had followed him stealthily last night. A member of the God Worship Sect at the Martial Arts Sixth Grade could yield fifty thousand Contribution Points. Thinking of this, a sudden flash of inspiration struck Jiang Ning¡¯s mind. ¡°Right!¡± he slapped his thigh, ¡°How could I forget the golden box I discovered last night?¡± Following that, Jiang Ning¡¯s spiritual power left his body and merged into the Sumeru Ring. He now had two Sumeru Rings; one contained items and miscellaneous things he needed, while the other stored the body of the God Worship Sect member who had transformed into a blood and flesh monster. Taking the body with him would facilitate confirming its identity and smoothly earning fifty thousand Contribution Points. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As his spiritual power merged into the Sumeru Ring, Jiang Ning soon found the spoils of war he had stumbled upon last night. A small square box the size of a palm, the body of the box was dark gold in color, clearly cast from gold. ¡°This must weigh at least a pound!¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes brightened with joy. A pound was ten taels, and with one tael of gold equating to one thousand taels of silver according to the exchange rate in Great Xia, that meant the gold-cast box alone was worth at least ten thousand taels of silver. A golden box worth at least ten thousand taels of silver simply used as a container meant that whatever was contained within must be tremendously valuable, far exceeding ten thousand taels of silver in worth. In an instant, the dark gold-colored box appeared in Jiang Ning¡¯s hands. After taking the box, Jiang Ning weighed it slightly. ¡°About one pound, five taels!¡± Then he inspected the item in his hands; it was completely dark gold and smooth, without any patterns, feeling like a gold brick in his hands. The only seam on the side was what revealed that it was a box made from gold. ¡°What could be inside?¡± Looking at the gold-cast box in his hands, Jiang Ning was very curious. Following that, he exerted a slight force with the fingers clenching the box. The next moment, he opened the box, and his eyes immediately saw the gold-cast box which had been soaked in fresh blood. In the blood, a godly statue about ten centimeters long soaked within. The statue had three heads, six arms, and four legs! As Jiang Ning observed the statue, the originally closed eyes of the statue immersed in blood suddenly opened. ¡°Worship me, and your flesh will live forever¡­¡± ¡°Offer tribute to me, and your flesh will ascend¡­¡± ¡°Serve me, and your flesh will be indestructible¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Three voices emerged from thin air, whispering continuously deep into his brain, seemingly twisting his thoughts. The next moment. Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes instantly flickered with struggle, his gaze vacant, as if entranced. Almost instantly after, Snap¡ª The box was suddenly closed by his right hand. In the moment the box closed, the murmuring that had been incessant in his ear suddenly vanished without a trace. The scene just now felt like an illusion. Huffing¡ª Jiang Ning regained his composure, gasping heavily. His eyes still held traces of fear. Just now, in his mind, he had seen a sea of blood. Above the sea of blood floated corpse after corpse, lifelike in detail. And in the center of the blood sea, a monster with three heads, six arms, and four legs was slowly approaching him. As the distance continuously closed, Jiang Ning felt an increasing sense of extreme danger. Moreover, during this process, his body was completely out of his control, frozen in place like a wooden chicken. But fortunately, thanks to the burst of his spiritual power, he briefly regained control of his body. Using this control, he successfully closed the box in his hands. ¡°Phew¡ª¡± Jiang Ning took another long breath, his wildly beating heart gradually calming down. ¡°It seems I was right, this gold-cast box can isolate the godly statue inside.¡± ¡°Combining the just transpired events and the endless whispers echoing in my ears, the godly statue inside the box must be the Blood and Flesh God of the God Worship Sect.¡± Chapter 328: 45: The Idol of the Blood and Flesh God_2 Chapter 328: Chapter 45: The Idol of the Blood and Flesh God_2 Jiang Ning murmured under his breath, his eyes sharpening. Could it be that there really are gods in this world? Or is it some kind of demonic entity that¡¯s called a god? At this moment, Jiang Ning suddenly recalled the Ancient Era he had read about in books. In the world¡¯s Ancient Era, immortals, demons, humans, and gods coexisted. Immortals were humans or demons who had found the Dao and become immortal, practicing the Way of Immortality. Only those with innate immortal roots were qualified to cultivate the Way of Immortality. This so-called immortal root, as he now understood, was also known as spiritual wisdom, and only those with Innate Spiritual Wisdom could aim to become immortal through cultivation. These two characters for spiritual wisdom were also the term used in later generations. As for demons, they have existed since ancient times. Plants, spirits, birds, and beasts, once they gained spiritual intelligence, could all transform into demons. And gods, they were divine entities, all of which wielded a certain authority between heaven and earth. Like the Mountain God or River God, each held absolute authority over their own mountain or river. Even a minor god within their domain had formidable divine power. But these were only minor deities. However, since the end of the Ancient Era, immortals and gods no longer existed, and traces of great demons had vanished. According to various rumors, in this era, only within the vast mountains to the south did ancient great demons slumber. Knowing all this, Jiang Ning had previously dismissed the Blood and Flesh God worshipped by the God Worship Sect as inconsequential. With the end of the Ancient Era, the era of martial arts flourished. The strongest among men was the Martial Saint. The Martial Saint who had dominated the world for eight hundred years. The Martial Saint¡¯s ability to do so indicated that the times had long changed, and it was now the era of martial arts. If it were not the era of martial arts, with the presence of ancient immortals or demons from the Ancient Era, how could the Martial Saint have suppressed the world for eight hundred years? Therefore, Jiang Ning thought that in the small Luoshui County of the current era, what kind of god could possibly stir up trouble? But now it seemed, he had underestimated things. That Blood and Flesh God appeared to be not so simple. With his current strength and strong spiritual power, he was almost influenced by the statue to warp his thinking. With this realization, a chill of fear crept into his heart. ¡°Strengthening my spiritual power must become my top priority!¡± Jiang Ning said to himself. He then quickly secured the Golden Box in his hand. ¡­ Inspection Office. Internal Affairs Office. When Jiang Ning arrived, the sun was already three poles high. ¡°Senior!¡± he said, bowing to the elderly woman before him. As Jiang Ning¡¯s voice rose, the drowsy elderly woman slowly opened her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s the junior!¡± Jiang Ning bowed again. From what he knew, this elderly woman was an extremely important person at the Inspection Office. The distribution and accounting of all Contribution Points were handled solely by her hand. Even the Identity Tokens representing membership in the Inspection Office and the registry came from her. Without a doubt, this elderly woman was a significant figure. In Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes, perhaps the strongest person in Luoshui County¡¯s Inspection Office might be this elderly woman. Because of this, he always regarded her with the utmost respect. ¡°What business brings you here?¡± the elderly woman asked. ¡°I happened to encounter a severely injured member of the God Worship Sect last night, and I took the opportunity to slay them. I¡¯ve come to collect my Contribution Points,¡± Jiang Ning replied. ¡°Bring forth the identity evidence!¡± the elderly woman commanded, looking up indifferently. ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning bowed respectfully. The next moment, he waved his hand, and the body of the person he had slain last night suddenly appeared on the stone bricks in front of him. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The massive body instantly became eye-catching in the room. ¡°Senior, will this suffice?¡± Jiang Ning asked. At this moment, the elderly woman ignored his question, her gaze intensely focused on the body on the ground. ¡°A Divine Transformation corpse!¡± She flashed forward, suddenly appearing right in front of Jiang Ning. ¡°Just as I suspected!¡± A shock of surprise ran through Jiang Ning¡¯s heart. The elderly woman¡¯s speed was so fast that, even compared to his own, Jiang Ning felt he fell short. ¡°At least twice as fast as my normal speed, and even with the ability ¡®Moving Like Wind¡¯ to drastically reduce air resistance, her speed would still be at least thirty percent faster than mine!¡± ¡°Her Martial Arts Realm is at least not less than Hong Minghu¡¯s!¡± Jiang Ning immediately made this judgment in his heart. At that moment, the old woman appeared beside the monster¡¯s corpse. She flipped over the body and squeezed the bones, her expression instantly brightening with delight. ¡°This is the corpse of a Martial Arts Sixth Grade that has undergone Divine Transformation, of extremely high research value. I¡¯ll give you an additional 10,000 Contribution Points if you let me handle this corpse, how about it?¡± the old woman said to Jiang Ning. Hearing these words, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help feeling secretly pleased in his heart. 10,000 Contribution Points were as valuable to him as 20,000 silver taels. Because his need for Contribution Points was massive. As for using silver to make under-the-table purchases from those in the Inspection Office, it was like trying to extinguish a house fire with a cup of water in terms of meeting his current needs. ¡°Let¡¯s do as the senior has suggested!¡± Jiang Ning bowed and said. Hearing these words, the middle-aged woman immediately waved her hand, and the corpse, oozing black blood, vanished from the room. ¡°Sumeru Ring!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. The old woman said, ¡°Follow me! I¡¯ll get you the currency representing 60,000 Contribution Points right now!¡± ¡°Senior!¡± Jiang Ning immediately spoke up, ¡°I need a Dragon Ascending Pill.¡± ¡°Dragon Ascending Pill?¡± The old woman glanced at Jiang Ning, sizing him up, ¡°Are you still at the level of Dragon Tendon, Martial Arts Seventh Grade?¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°So weak?¡± she said in surprise. Jiang Ning: ¡°¡­¡± It had been a long time since he had heard the word ¡®weak.¡¯ During this time, what he had always heard was astonishment at his own strength. And now, he was once again confronted with the term ¡®weak.¡¯ As the old woman finished speaking, she continued, ¡°With that level of strength, how did you kill a Martial Arts Sixth Grade, and a Divine Transformation one at that?¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°I was lucky last night and happened upon her when she was gravely injured, so I took advantage of the situation.¡± Hearing this, the old woman suddenly looked at Jiang Ning as if he was an idiot. It was as if she was saying, Are you trying to fool me? Seeing the old woman¡¯s look, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but give an embarrassed smile. He also realized that his explanation seemed a bit flimsy. Because a Martial Arts Sixth Grade that had undergone monster transformation practically had the ability to regenerate endlessly. If his arrow shot through the chest the night before couldn¡¯t deal a fatal blow, how could she have been so seriously wounded that he managed to easily kill her? ¡°Forget it!¡± the old woman waved her hand, ¡°How you killed her is your own secret, and I can¡¯t be bothered to probe further.¡± ¡°As for the Dragon Ascending Pill you requested, it needs to be arranged from the city, which will take about three days!¡± ¡°Come back here in three days!¡± ¡°Yes, Senior!¡± Jiang Ning bowed. ¡­ Elsewhere. Yellow Heaven Sect territory. ¡°Have we found the Altar Master Sun?¡± ¡°Reporting to the Incense Master, we have not found any trace of the Altar Master Sun!¡± ¡°Any other findings?¡± ¡°Reporting to the Incense Master, despite a thorough search, there is no sign of the Altar Master Sun anywhere! However, last night at Linjiang Building, there was a large fight, which may be related to the Altar Master Sun!¡± ¡°A fight at Linjiang Building?¡± Liu Linmen¡¯s gaze sharpened, and he continued, ¡°Come with me and let¡¯s take a look!¡± ¡°Yes, Incense Master!¡± ¡­ In the blink of an eye, three days passed. [name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 59.12 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (Break Limit three times 2147/4000) (traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility) ¡­ Jiang Ning stood up, glanced at his panel, and then closed it. Over the past three days, he had spent most of his time reading. This had allowed the Experience Value of his Reading and Writing Skill to increase significantly. The only thing dissatisfying him was that without additional sources, the growth of his Source Energy Points was extremely slow. In three whole days, they had grown by less than ten points. ¡°It seems that to grow quickly, I still need to ¡®gold¡¯!¡± Jiang Ning sighed internally and promptly stood up. According to the agreement, today he would be able to receive the Dragon Ascending Pill. That day he had chosen only to exchange for one Dragon Ascending Pill, without any other spending. Because he couldn¡¯t guarantee that one Dragon Ascending Pill would actually elevate him to the level of Dragon Tendon. If not, the remaining nearly 30,000 Contribution Points would be put to use to find a way to gather more, and with 50,000 points he could exchange for another Dragon Ascending Pill. Chapter 329: 46: Breakthrough in Strength, Achieving Dragon Tendon! Chapter 329: Chapter 46: Breakthrough in Strength, Achieving Dragon Tendon! Inspection Office. Internal Affairs Office. ¡°Elder!¡± Jiang Ning said respectfully, looking at the old woman before him. ¡°You¡¯re quite early!¡± the old woman looked up at Jiang Ning. Then, a flash of white light appeared in her hand, and she threw something towards Jiang Ning. ¡°Dragon Ascending Pill, take it!¡± Jiang Ning quickly raised his hand to catch it. The next moment, he opened the box he had caught, and a golden pill, the size of a pigeon¡¯s egg, appeared before his eyes. This golden core was completely round, with the pattern of a five-clawed dragon visible on its surface. ¡°Is there any problem with the Dragon Ascending Pill?¡± the old woman asked. ¡°No problem!¡± Jiang Ning closed the lid of the brocade box and nodded his head in satisfaction. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, please do not disturb me anymore!¡± the old woman continued, ¡°By the way, if one Dragon Ascending Pill is not enough for you to reach the Dragon Tendon level, you can come to me again, but remember you¡¯ll need to gather fifty thousand Contribution Points.¡± ¡°I understand, elder!¡± Jiang Ning bowed. ¡°I take my leave, elder!¡± Jiang Ning added. ¡­ After leaving the hall of the Internal Affairs Office, Jiang Ning again opened his palm to take another look at the Dragon Ascending Pill, a smile of anticipation crossing his face. With the long-coveted Dragon Ascending Pill in hand, how could he not be pleased as his path in Martial Arts could now progress further? Reaching the level of Dragon Tendon, he could proceed to Bone Forging. Once he achieved small success in Bone Forging, he would reach the Sixth Rank. Finishing the process of Sixth Rank Bone Forging, Fifth Grade Internal Strength would pose no difficulty for him. ¡­ Thereupon, he secured the brocade box and quickly walked towards his mansion. Moments later, he arrived at his compound and sat down in the courtyard, the brocade box with the Dragon Ascending Pill reappearing in his hands. After opening the brocade box, the golden Dragon Ascending Pill emerged before his eyes. ¡°According to my knowledge, consuming this pill and harnessing its Medicinal Power can transform and greatly enhance the resilience of my Great Tendon inside my body,¡± Jiang Ning murmured. The next moment, he held the Dragon Ascending Pill in mid-air. As saliva began to secrete, the outer coating of the pill rapidly dissolved, and instantly, a rich fragrance of the medicine exploded in his mouth. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s the Dragon Ascending Pill, the fragrance is really rich!¡± Jiang Ning focused his gaze, astonished. Immediately, as he swallowed, the pill, as big as a pigeon¡¯s egg, plunged into his stomach. The reaction of the pill entering his stomach was not intense. Jiang Ning slightly closed his eyes to sense, only feeling a slight warmth emanating from his abdomen. He then used his spiritual power for introspection. Instantly, he saw the golden Dragon Ascending Pill inside his abdomen, floating like a miniature sun. The floating ¡®sun¡¯ continuously emitted streams of golden fluid, integrating into his body and melding with the Great Tendon. After observing for a moment, he opened his eyes. As I knew, even without actively refining the Medicinal Power of the Dragon Ascending Pill, the simple act of mobilizing Qi-Blood to refine the Great Tendon in coordination with the pill will enhance the resilience of the Great Tendon through the volatilization of the pill¡¯s power! However, actively refining its Medicinal Power and mobilizing Qi-Blood to refine the Great Tendon significantly increased both efficiency and utilization of the Medicinal Power. ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Immediately, he found a place, sat down with crossed legs, and slightly closed his eyes. The next moment, he began visualizing the Baking Furnace. The Baking Furnace Alchemy Skill, a secret technique of Medicine King Valley, visualizes the human body as a baking furnace and the inner Qi-Blood as fuel. This secret technique assists in refining all pills, purifying Medicinal Power, removing impurities, and reducing the accumulation of toxic residues from pills. With the implementation of this technique, his Qi-Blood Power blazed furiously. The temperature of his body surged immediately, the heat spreading so intensely that the surrounding snow began to melt rapidly. At the same time, a dragon chant suddenly sounded within his body, followed by the Dragon Ascending Pill starting to violently oscillate inside him, as if it was gathering a certain kind of power. The next moment, countless beams of Medicinal Power shot into his body like golden light. After this change, Jiang Ning abruptly stopped visualizing the Melting Furnace Alchemy Skill, and promptly mobilized his Qi-Blood to capture the rampaging Medicinal Power. Half a tea¡¯s time later, Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes. He clenched his fists, feeling the pull of power around his body, and a hint of joy flashed in his eyes. ¡°The resilience of the Great Tendon inside my body has indeed improved, and the explosive power has also been enhanced.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± he clenched his fist again, activating the Great Tendon inside his body, then murmured to himself, ¡°I need to rest for a bit! Such intense refining of the internal Great Tendon, even just mobilizing power now, causes a faint pain in the Great Tendon, which is clearly in an overloaded state.¡± ¡­ Time flew by. A week passed in the blink of an eye. During this week, Jiang Ning not only refined the Dragon Ascending Pill to enhance the resilience of his internal Great Tendon but also read books to increase his Experience Value in Reading and Writing, and took hot baths. The reason for taking hot baths was that the internal Great Tendon was overly refined, and the impact of the violent Medicinal Power had led to an overloaded state. In this situation, his affinity with Water Spirit allowed him, being in water, to rapidly recover his physical condition, thus significantly speeding up the recovery of the internal Great Tendon. At this moment, Jiang Ning stood in the snow, clenched his fists, his expression suddenly invigorated. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The next moment, he threw a punch, strength coursing through his body, his physical Great Tendon switching from relaxed to intensely taut, and suddenly, a sound similar to a dragon chant echoed within him. As he threw the punch, the air in front of him became exceedingly compact, briefly showing a white mist, which flowed like water along his fist. Boom¡ª The air exploded. Immediately, the blast of air dispersed. Chapter 330: 46: Breakthrough in Strength, Achieving Dragon Tendon! _2 Chapter 330: Chapter 46: Breakthrough in Strength, Achieving Dragon Tendon! _2 The branches in front of him shook under the force of the wave, scattering the snow that had accumulated on them. ¡°Dragon Tendon, accomplished!!!¡± Jiang Ning was overjoyed. With the level of the Dragon Tendon, he now possessed five times the explosive power he had before. This was the effect of reaching the level of the Dragon Tendon. Moreover, it involved the interaction with the Great Tendon inside his body, where he could faintly hear the sound of a dragon¡¯s chant, a clear sign of reaching the Dragon Tendon level. There was no doubt about it, he had indeed achieved the level of Dragon Tendon. Feeling the change inside his body, a look of joy immediately appeared on Jiang Ning¡¯s face. ¡°Just one Dragon Ascending Pill took me to the level of Dragon Tendon, truly worthy of its name!¡± ¡°Also, the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill from Medicine King Valley is indeed very useful!¡± Thinking back on the past few days, Jiang Ning was filled with emotion. Without relying on the Molten Furnace Pill Secret Skill, it would not have been so efficient to reach this level, and would have taken at least half a month more. And he might have needed more than one Dragon Ascending Pill, possibly even two. Just like what the old woman had said. If one wasn¡¯t enough, he could go back and find her! This meant that normally, one Dragon Ascending Pill might not be enough to elevate a Martial Artist to the level of Dragon Tendon. ¡­ ¡°Comfortable!!¡± Jiang Ning soaked in the hot water, his face full of enjoyment. Even though his body was now indifferent to the cold, he could still feel the chill of winter. Taking a bath in the middle of winter was a great pleasure. Not to mention, soaking in the water also helped him recover his physical condition, adding to the joy of bathing. While soaking, Jiang Ning also accessed his panel. [name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 337.43 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Break Limit three times 3874/4000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility) ¡­ His Source Energy Points had reached over 300 after these days. The major contributor was still the cultivation of the Dragon Ascending Pill. During these days, his Literacy and Judgement Experience had also reached a high value, 3874 points. He was only a little more than a hundred points away from 4000 points. ¡°With the needs of Reading and Writing, just a hundred more Source Energy Points would meet the requirement for four Break Limits.¡± ¡°That means, as long as the experience is sufficient, the skill of Reading and Writing could instantly complete four Break Limits.¡± Thinking of this. Jiang Ning immediately picked up a book and slowly opened it. [Reading and Writing Experience +1] [Reading and Writing Experience +1] [Reading and Writing Experience +1] [¡­] As time slowly passed, the experience for the skill of Reading and Writing continued to grow. Suddenly. Knock knock knock¡ª A knocking sound came to Jiang Ning¡¯s ears. ¡°Is the lord inside?¡± a voice asked. Hearing this voice, Jiang Ning immediately knew that it was Feng Jiuge, who had been missing for a few days. Thinking of Feng Jiuge, Jiang Ning¡¯s expression became focused. A few days ago, Feng Jiuge had explained to him how other team leaders and several commanders colluded, considering ordinary citizens who were followers of the God Worship Sect and tainted with the essence of the Blood and Flesh God as their achievements, a tool to amass Contribution Points. ¡°Why is she looking for me now?¡± A hint of curiosity flashed through Jiang Ning¡¯s mind. He immediately responded, ¡°I am here!¡± S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Lord, I have urgent news to report, coming from the military camp in Dongling City,¡± Feng Jiuge¡¯s voice entered Jiang Ning¡¯s ears through the door. Hearing this, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze sharpened, and he immediately responded, ¡°Wait for me behind the door!¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Feng Jiuge replied. At this moment, Jiang Ning also quickly got up and dispelled the water droplets from his body. The mention of news from the military camp in Dongling City made Jiang Ning think of one thing. That was the matter with Cao Rong. Because counting the time, it was almost when the entire Cao Mansion would be executed. A few moments later. Jiang Ning, dressed impeccably, appeared before Feng Jiuge. Feng Jiuge sneaked a peek through Jiang Ning¡¯s figure. ¡°Lord, are you here alone?¡± ¡°Who else but me?¡± Jiang Ning replied. Then he went to a table next to the hall, poured a cup of tea, and handed it to Feng Jiuge. ¡°Have some tea first, then tell me what brought you here!¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord!¡± Feng Jiuge spoke. She took the teacup handed to her by Jiang Ning and drank it all in one gulp, then said, ¡°Lord, Cao Rong has already left the military camp, taking a cavalry unit of a hundred men rushing toward Luoshui County.¡± ¡°Taking a hundred cavalry?¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°Yes!¡± Feng Jiuge nodded. ¡°This time, Cao Rong has left the camp with military orders to besiege the Black Mountain Army! Moreover, it is said that Cao Rong has caught the favor of a Capital Commandant, who bestowed a treasure that helped him advance into the ranks of Martial Arts Sixth Grade, my lord, you must be careful!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning¡¯s expression turned surprised. ¡°The Black Mountain Army? The Black Mountain Army that had previously fled to Beimang Mountain, have they not been wiped out by me?¡± As for the rest of Feng Jiuge¡¯s statement, Jiang Ning acted as though he had not heard it. Not long ago, he had killed a Martial Arts Sixth Grade, a strong man endowed with a nearly immortal physique. As far as Jiang Ning was concerned, Cao Rong had only just entered Martial Arts Sixth Grade and posed no threat. Not to mention that his own strength had recently broken through, advancing further on the existing foundation. As Jiang Ning voiced his confusion, Feng Jiuge then said, ¡°Exactly because Lord had previously slain that group of Black Mountain Army, now another group has appeared within the boundaries of Luoshui County, reportedly with the banner of avenging their brothers!¡± ¡°I see,¡± Jiang Ning nodded. ¡°What does the Lord plan to do?¡± Feng Jiuge asked her perplexity. She was also very aware that if Cao Rong came to Luoshui County, he was certainly coming to trouble Jiang Ning, her direct superior. Her direct superior himself had once raided the Cao Mansion, causing numerous deaths and injuries on the spot, with the others imprisoned. Although her superior was commanded by Hong Minghu, how could Cao Rong dare find trouble with Hong Minghu? Thus, he would naturally only seek trouble with her direct superior, Jiang Ning. Moreover, she knew that there was already friction between her superior and the Cao family. At the same time, faced with the question asked by Feng Jiuge, Jiang Ning did not respond. Instead, he asked, ¡°Do you have the rough route of Cao Rong¡¯s troops?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Feng Jiuge nodded. ¡°There¡¯s only one official road from Dongling City to Luoshui County, which is the most straightforward; Cao Rong and his cavalry will inevitably rush along the official road straight to Luoshui County.¡± ¡°The official road?¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself, then nodded slightly, ¡°Understood!¡± ¡­ Several hours later, Jiang Ning had left Luoshui County. ¡­ Elsewhere, Cloud Pavilion. On a lake-facing balcony on the third floor, a middle-aged man dressed in a blue robe with slightly graying temples, yet possessing skin as tender as a baby, slowly said, ¡°Is the information reliable?¡± ¡°Valley Master, the information is reliable! Cao Rong has entered Sixth Grade, and now leading a hundred cavalry, has already departed the military camp for three days. Judging by time, there¡¯s only a day¡¯s travel left to Luoshui County!¡± ¡°And Jiang Ning?¡± asked the blue-robed, youthful-skinned middle-aged man. ¡°According to the latest news, Commander Jiang has already left the city!¡± Gongsun Yu respectfully spoke next to him. ¡°Then there¡¯s a good show to watch!¡± The blue-robed middle-aged man revealed a slight smile and continued, ¡°Cao Rong is an emerging talent of Dongling County, though not yet on the Hidden Dragon List, but his future should not be underestimated!¡± ¡°As for that young man named Jiang Ning, he is even more exceptional. At such a young age, he serves as the Deputy Commander of the Inspection Office, holds the Eighth Grade rank, and is even listed on the Hidden Dragon List.¡± Hearing the praise from his own Valley Master, Gongsun Yu spoke again, ¡°Valley Master, do you think Commander Jiang taking the initiative to attack represents his confidence in killing Cao Rong?¡± ¡°Perhaps he does! Or perhaps not!¡± The blue-robed middle-aged man spoke indifferently. Then he continued, ¡°However, if he really can manage to ambush and kill Cao Rong amidst a hundred cavalry, then I really must respect him more, and send him a substantial gift!¡± ¡­ Yellow Heaven Sect headquarters. ¡°Incense Master, according to intelligence, Commander Jiang has already left the city.¡± ¡°Left the city?¡± Liu Linmen said indifferently, ¡°It seems that tonight or by tomorrow will be Cao Rong¡¯s end.¡± Thinking of Jiang Ning, he became extremely troubled. After investigating these past few days, he felt almost certain that the Altar Master Sun had been killed by Jiang Ning. The death of the Altar Master Sun caused the calculations of incorporating the Yellow Heaven Sect under their command to fall through directly. These days, the previously hidden members of the God Worship Sect within the city had also been nearly wiped out due to the Inspection Office¡¯s intensive searches. Even if gathered, they would be of no use, and could instead attract the personnel of the Inspection Office. This made Liu Linmen directly abandon his previous plans. ¡°Commander Jiang targeting the members of the God Worship Sect and killing them, could it be that he holds a grudge against the God Worship Sect?¡± Recalling the past events, the idea suddenly emerged in Liu Linmen¡¯s mind. Chapter 331: 47: Two Arrows Kill Cao Rong! Chapter 331: Chapter 47: Two Arrows Kill Cao Rong! He stepped out of Luoshui County. Jiang Ning quietly waited on a high slope, anticipating the arrival of a potential follower. Less than a hundred meters from his side flowed the tumultuous Luoshui River. This was the battlefield he had chosen, a battlefield with an escape route. The water was his home ground. Time passed slowly, moment by moment. Jiang Ning had waited a long time, and the sun gradually descended from overhead toward the west. ¡°Liu Linmen didn¡¯t come?¡± A flicker of surprise crossed Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. ¡°Could it be that the Fifth Grade strong person from that night, who followed and attacked me, wasn¡¯t acting on Liu Linmen¡¯s orders?¡± He stood on the slope, gazing toward Luoshui County and muttering to himself. Since that night, after the assault by a Sixth Grade Martial Artist, who also had followed Liu Linmen in daylight, Jiang Ning had to be cautious of Liu Linmen. Even though Liu Linmen had been quiet for many days, merely developing his Yellow Heaven Sect and spreading its doctrines outside the city, Still, Jiang Ning dared not take him lightly. To take lightly a Fifth Grade strong person who commanded Inner Breath and made even Hong Minghu extremely wary, could prove fatal at a given moment. Therefore, after leaving the city today, Jiang Ning was extremely careful. He was well aware that leaving the city was the best opportunity for his enemies to strike at him. Thus, upon leaving the city, he immediately selected a terrain advantageous for him. Situated on a hillside with a clear field of vision, his sight allowed him to observe the surroundings well, and anyone approaching could hardly escape his eyes. This terrain also suited his archery skills. Close by, the undulating Luoshui River was positioned such that if something went amiss, he could jump into it immediately. Once in the water, his combat power would multiply significantly. His ability to preserve his life was unmatched by anyone. Using these advantages, he dared to wait here for the possible appearance of Liu Linmen. If Liu Linmen showed up, he could also test the sharpness of the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm. He wanted to see how big the gap was between himself and Liu Linmen in the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm, and approximately what level his strength was at. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this point, he no longer had a clear idea of the true level of his martial prowess. With various unique methods enhancing him, the Martial Arts Realm was no longer sufficient to measure his strength. After half an hour more, Liu Linmen¡¯s figure still had not shown up. ¡°It seems my previous concerns were unnecessary; Liu Linmen didn¡¯t intend to act against me. The person from God Worship Sect who attacked me that night might not have been acting on Liu Linmen¡¯s orders!¡± As this thought flashed through his mind, Jiang Ning turned and headed toward the official road. According to what Feng Jiuge had said, Cao Rong was now leading a hundred cavalry straight toward Luoshui County via the official road. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, it was undeniable that once Cao Rong arrived at Luoshui County, he would definitely seek him out. After all, the Cao family¡¯s current predicament was well-known in Luoshui County, as it had been caused by him leading a team. The entire family, hundreds of people, were imprisoned precisely because of him. How could Cao Rong just let it go? But Jiang Ning was not afraid even if Cao Rong came with a hundred cavalry. What he really feared was that Cao Rong would not play by the rules and instead of attacking him directly, would target his elder brother¡¯s family. Normally, one should not involve family in disputes. However, Jiang Ning did not trust Cao Rong to adhere to this norm, given the role he had played in causing the Cao family¡¯s downfall. Under such circumstances, how could he expect Cao Rong to play by the rules? In the next moment, Jiang Ning continued along the official road¡¯s path at a measured pace, conserving as much energy as possible. Covering long distances on foot, even a warrior at the Inner Strength level couldn¡¯t maintain it for long if exerting too much force. ¡­ Outside Dongling City In the military camp, ¡°Vice Officer Jin, calculate the time. Where should Deputy Captain Cao be by now?¡± ¡°Replying to the Capital Commandant, based on the daily bird messages, Deputy Captain Cao should be less than a day¡¯s journey from Luoshui County by now. If he marches through the night, he should reach Luoshui County by tomorrow morning.¡± At that moment, the middle-aged man with a weathered face, sitting in the main seat with a majestic posture in the tent, suddenly stroked his chin. ¡°I hope Deputy Captain Cao can bring some trouble to Tiger Hong upon returning to Luoshui County.¡± ¡°That should be possible!¡± The slightly bowed vice officer continued: ¡°Deputy Captain Cao has been promoted by the superior and has now reached the Sixth Grade. A Sixth Grade warrior in the small Luoshui County can indeed be considered a strong figure. Unless Hong Minghu himself actions, few people have the ability to confidently defeat Cao Rong.¡± Hearing this, the middle-aged man with a large saber sitting promptly nodded slightly in agreement. Because in his view, a Sixth Grade warrior, let alone in a small county like Luoshui County, even in a larger county, would be a skilled warrior. Such a figure venturing into a small county could not only dominate but also stir up significant sequences and bring some trouble to the local Inspection Office, while also testing the attitude of the Inspection Office. As part of the military of the Great Xia Country, holding military power, they were unwilling to see an institution capable of supervising them appear. ¡­ Canglang Martial Arts Hall. ¡°Commander He, what is this about?¡± Wang Jin looked at He Jinyun who suddenly barged into the martial arts hall, his face full of anger. Facing the furious Wang Jin, He Jinyun gave a mocking smile. ¡°Master Wang, don¡¯t be nervous; I¡¯m not here to find you!¡± ¡°What is your purpose in coming to my Martial Arts Hall then? Speak plainly!¡± Wang Jin said. He Jinyun chuckled: ¡°No particular reason! It¡¯s just out of respect for Master Wang, so I specifically came to inform you that the cook in your Martial Arts Hall is a member of the God Worship Sect, harboring the aura of the Evil God in her body, with a potential risk of aberration in the future!¡± Chapter 332: 47: Killing Cao Rong with Two Arrows!_2 Chapter 332: Chapter 47: Killing Cao Rong with Two Arrows!_2 ¡°What did you say?¡± Wang Jin¡¯s expression immediately darkened as he bellowed, ¡°What have you done to her?¡± He Jinyun chuckled, ¡°Of course, we followed the rules of the Inspection Office and executed her on the spot!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Wang Jin¡¯s palm landed on the wooden table beside him. Boom¡ª The entire wooden table suddenly shattered into pieces. He Jinyun, witnessing this scene, remained unfazed and glanced up slightly at the now disintegrated wooden table beside Wang Jin. ¡°What?¡± He spoke indifferently, ¡°Master Wang, are you intending to make a move against me?¡± Hearing this, Wang Jin glanced at the several men following He Jinyun and took a deep breath. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± ¡°I thought as much,¡± He Jinyun said with a smile. Then he added, ¡°Since I¡¯ve already informed Master Wang, I¡¯ll be taking my leave now!¡± As his words fell, He Jinyun immediately departed. Watching He Jinyun¡¯s retreating figure, Wang Jin couldn¡¯t help but clench his fists tightly. After so many years, even a dog would feel like family, let alone Aunt Sun who had taken care of his daily needs for so many years. But now, he knew full well that He Jinyun was the enemy who killed Aunt Sun. Yet, he didn¡¯t dare to take action. Because He Jinyun¡¯s actions were flawless in the light of day. Aunt Sun had the breath of the Evil God within her, a claim he did not doubt. Even if he did, it would be pointless. Whether the matter was true or not, it was now taken as truth. For the people of the Inspection Office, fabricating such a matter was not difficult. He Jinyun had no obvious faults on the surface, so if Wang Jin took action, he would be openly challenging the authority of the Inspection Office. Even with the support of Master Wang of the Royal Capital, he wouldn¡¯t dare face the consequences. Once he acted, it would not only affect all the disciples in his Martial Arts Hall but also involve his brother, Master Wang of the Royal Capital. Not to mention, He Jinyun held another identity. He was the famed Young Master. Being the son of a lord, who would dare to touch him? Considering all these factors, Wang Jin¡¯s tightly clenched fists slowly relaxed. ¡°I must inform Jiang Ning about this, and when the time comes, persuade Jiang Ning not to act impulsively!¡± Wang Jin muttered to himself, followed by a sigh. ¡­ That night. The moon was bright, and the stars sparse. Clip-clop-clip-clop¡ª The sound of horse hooves echoed from a distance, carrying far along the valley. The next moment. Dust rose up. A tall and powerful warhorse galloped swiftly, instantly arriving at the front of the valley. ¡°Cao Wei, it¡¯s getting late, and we are all tired and weary; should we find a good spot to rest awhile?¡± Hearing this, Cao Rong turned to look at the cavalrymen following behind him and immediately noted the fatigue on their faces. He understood that it was time to rest. Returning to Luoshui County was not urgent at this very moment. After all, there was still some time before the day when the entire Cao Mansion would be executed for conspiring with the God Worship Sect and turning into a lair for the sect. Arriving at Luoshui County half a day earlier was not that critical. Once clear in his mind, Cao Rong spoke up. ¡°Give the order, after we pass this valley, we¡¯ll find a place near a water source to camp and rest. We¡¯ll resume our journey after a hearty meal and drink early tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Yes, Cao Wei!¡± The person beside him, hearing Cao Rong¡¯s words, nodded excitedly. Then he immediately conveyed Cao Rong¡¯s instructions to those below. ¡­ Elsewhere. A figure stood atop the valley, the pale moonlight seemingly hanging right behind this silhouette. This person was none other than Jiang Ning, who had been waiting here for some time. Following the official road all the way here and discovering this valley, Jiang Ning knew from the terrain that Cao Rong would surely pass through this route. The path through the valley was the flat and wide official road. If they did not take this path, the cavalry would have to take a much longer detour to reach Luoshui County. Jiang Ning was confident that Cao Rong would not choose to do so. Therefore, he decided to wait here, gaining the strategic advantage of higher ground. The next moment. His gaze sharpened, instantly focusing on Cao Rong, who was leading the group into the valley. ¡°He¡¯s really come!¡± he thought to himself. Then. A longbow suddenly appeared in his hands, followed swiftly by an arrow. Drawing the bowstring back, the longbow was instantly pulled taut. Jiang Ning¡¯s piercing gaze fixed on the Cao Rong leading the team below, and he murmured softly, ¡°Back then you gave me three arrows, now I return the same to you¡ªthree arrows. If you can handle these three arrows, I¡¯ll let you live tonight!¡± Twang¡ª As his fingers released, the arrow left the string, breaking the sound barrier. Below. This is bad!! At the same moment, Cao Rong, who was traversing the valley, felt his left eyelid twitch as an inexplicable sense of danger washed over him. He immediately looked up and saw an arrow, silent and swift, cutting through the air, heading straight for him. In that instant. Cao Rong¡¯s pupils suddenly constricted intensely. As the camp¡¯s divine archer, how could he not see that this arrow was one that exceeded the speed of sound? An arrow reaching such velocity possessed terrifying might. Especially when targeted by a sneak attack, it was virtually impossible to defend against. He immediately exerted force with his lower limbs and leaped into the air, attempting to dodge the arrow. However, the next moment. ¡°Thwack¡ª¡± The arrow pierced through his body. In the face of the powerful impact, his just-launched form was directly deflected by the arrow¡¯s powerful kinetic energy. ¡°Lord!¡± ¡°Lord!¡± ¡°Cao Wei!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cries of alarm suddenly echoed in Cao Rong¡¯s ears. At this moment, however, Cao Rong had no time to attend to others; his body was still in the air, his eyes intently fixed on Jiang Ning above the valley. Because Jiang Ning was backlit, under the bright moonlight, his facial features were extremely dim. Even if Cao Rong widened his eyes, he could only see a blurry and hazy face. Who is it? Who possesses such world-shocking archery skill? Why would that person target me? Thoughts rapidly flashed through Cao Rong¡¯s mind. At the same time. Jiang Ning on the valley ridge inwardly shook his head. So weak! Immediately. He already had an arrow nocked and pulled it back to the full draw. ¡°Bang¡ª¡± The arrow shot through the air. In an instant, it punctured through layers of space. This arrow was aimed straight at Cao Rong¡¯s head. In the valley, as Cao Rong saw the arrow hurtling directly toward him, his eyes instantly filled with intense despair. He couldn¡¯t even dodge the first arrow, let alone this second, more powerful one. After one breath. The arrow passed through Cao Rong¡¯s head, his head as hard as stone instantly turned into remnants. Jiang Ning glanced at him. Killing Cao Rong was already enough! Then, he turned and leaped away, his figure instantly becoming a dark shadow disappearing in the bright moonlight. ¡°Lord!¡± ¡°Lord!!¡± ¡°Cao Wei!!!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The sudden turn of events left the cavalry below completely unable to react. Especially the warhorses already in a gallop, when suddenly reined in amidst the chaos, descended into unsurpassed confusion, with some soldiers even tumbling off their steeds on the spot. The entire valley was in utter disarray. As for Jiang Ning¡¯s departure, very few took notice. ¡­ Elsewhere. Jiang Ning quickly left the area above the valley, relocating his position. During the relocation process, he couldn¡¯t help but be immensely moved. Months ago, confronted by the abrupt attack from Cao Rong, he could only hide behind Wang Jin¡¯s protection, his fate out of his own hands, like a duckweed in the wind. Had Shen Congyun not intervened that day, even with Wang Jin¡¯s protection, he might not have emerged unscathed. Back then, Cao Rong had given Jiang Ning an overwhelming sense of oppression and suffocation. Now, Jiang Ning found that killing Cao Rong was incredibly simple and easy. Cao Rong couldn¡¯t even handle his first arrow used for probing, let alone the two that followed. The second arrow, he had just used ordinary archery skills and directly ended Cao Rong¡¯s life. Now departing, he felt a sense of blandness in his heart. The kill was too simple! It gave him an unreal feeling. The next moment. He opened his panel to take another look. [Name]: Jiang Ning S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Source Energy]: 337.43 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Three Break Limits 3918/4000) (Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility) ¡­ Reading and Writing was only a few dozen Experience Points away from meeting the requirements for the next Break Limit. Those few dozen Experience Points were not challenging for Jiang Ning now. As for the Source Energy Points due to the Dragon Ascending Pill, they had long reached the requirement for the fourth Break Limit of Reading and Writing. Having glanced at his panel, Jiang Ning then closed it. Chapter 333: 48 Break Limit, Spiritual Power Breakthrough! Chapter 333: Chapter 48 Break Limit, Spiritual Power Breakthrough! After leaving the valley, Jiang Ning quickly arrived at the edge, with the surging lake waters before him. Being near the water was, in his eyes, the safest place. Now that evening had fallen, and it would take at least twenty hours to return to Luoshui County, there was no need to rush back through the night. Sitting on a tree at the edge, the bright moonlight poured down, as if it were daylight, and the shadows of the trees were clearly visible. Such bright moonlight reminded Jiang Ning of the rural villages of the nineties in his previous life. Back then, the moonlight was just like this; under its illumination, there was no need for lamps to read the text on the pages of books. The next moment, He pulled out a book. [Search for God Chronicles] It was a collection of miscellaneous writings, recording many rumors from Ancient Times. [Reading and Writing Experience Value +1] [Reading and Writing Experience Value +1] [Reading and Writing Experience Value +1] [¡­] As Jiang Ning read with rapt attention, his experience in the skill of Reading and Writing also continued to grow. After a long time, The bright moon was high above his head. [name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 337.43 [Skill]: Reading and Writing+(three times Break Limit 4000/4000)(Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility) ¡­ Glancing at his own panel, Jiang Ning¡¯s expression immediately brightened. The experience value of Reading and Writing had reached the requirement for a Break Limit. This meant that he could now allow the skill of Reading and Writing to undergo its fourth Break Limit. The next moment, His mind hesitated not at all to land on the plus sign of the Reading and Writing skill. In an instant, The Source Energy Points on the panel decreased like flowing water, and in a blink of an eye, a full hundred points were reduced. At that moment, Jiang Ning also felt his brain become clear and spirited, his thoughts exceedingly active, and countless ideas rapidly circulating in his mind. His spiritual power also expanded rapidly at this moment. Immediately, he closed his eyes. Under the outflow of his spiritual power, everything around him was clearly presented in his mind. The spiritual power continued to expand, covering an ever-growing range. A short while later, All transformation had ended, and the expanded spiritual power had reached a limit. Over thirty zhang! A nearly hundred meters covering Spiritual Field! Jiang Ning mused to himself. The next moment, He suddenly opened his eyes, which in that instant seemed to flash with light, extraordinarily bright. In a flash, he appeared a hundred meters away. He picked up a stone from the ground and examined it carefully, then nodded slightly. ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s no mistake! The shape of this stone and the shape that emerged in my Spiritual Field just now are exactly the same!¡± After confirming that everything he had seen after the expansion of the Spiritual Field was not an illusion, a look of joy immediately appeared on Jiang Ning¡¯s face. His spiritual power had formed a field, able to cover the area around him for approximately a hundred meters in an instant. Undoubtedly, his spiritual power had reached a new level. Under such circumstances, if he were to enter the water and make use of the power of water, the area covered by his spiritual power would certainly be even wider. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning felt extremely satisfied. The breakthrough in spiritual power, according to the changes last time, was sure to bring an improvement in his strength. With the increase of his spiritual power, his Divine Skills and Water Control Skill would also become stronger. With that thought, Jiang Ning¡¯s mind moved. Hualala¡ª Below the mountain edge, a water dragon suddenly soared into the air, charging towards the high sky in this uninhabited wilderness. A water dragon as thick as one¡¯s embrace danced out of nowhere under the moonlight, twisting and turning in the air. At this moment, the water dragon, under the control of Jiang Ning¡¯s mind, moved freely and effortlessly. Each movement of the water dragon was full of spirituality and combined form with divine essence. The next moment, As Jiang Ning¡¯s mind moved, The water dragon dancing in the mid-air suddenly turned sharply downwards and slammed heavily against the side of the cliff. With several tons of lake water behind it, this collision carried a force well beyond ten thousand catties. Boom¡ª With the slam of the water dragon, the earth suddenly shook. The ground trembled incessantly. Then, a large swath of rock immediately split and broke away from the shore, collapsing into the water below. Boom boom boom¡ª With the tumbling of the rocks, the ground continued to shake. Boom¡ª The moment a large piece of rock plunged into the water, the lake water exploded several zhang high. ¡°Amazing!!¡± Jiang Ning watched the scene he created with his mouth agape in astonishment. His current ability to control water had become terrifyingly powerful with the growth of his spiritual power. Just this one strike was nearly equivalent to the might of a mountain collapse. The next moment, He opened his panel to take a look. [name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 237.43 [Skill]: Reading and Writing (fourth Break Limit 3/5000)(Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility, Outstanding Comprehension) ¡­ [Outstanding Comprehension]: Excellent comprehension, all Cultivation Techniques are extremely easy to master, and the speed of mastery far exceeds that of others. Comprehension? Jiang Ning was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected that the fourth Break Limit of Reading and Writing would bring him an increase in comprehension. The next moment, He closed his eyes, his mind racing. After a short while, he found he had a deeper understanding of the Cultivation Techniques he currently commanded. After opening his eyes, his gaze once again fell on the explanation of this trait. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After looking at it for a few breaths, he then began to practice the Five Animals Fist, assuming the stance directly. After the time it took for a cup of tea to brew, Jiang Ning slowly finished his stance. [Five Animals Fist Experience Value +3] ¡°Just as I thought!!!¡± Seeing this prompt, Jiang Ning¡¯s face immediately lit up with joy and his eyes shone brightly. After reading the description of Outstanding Comprehension, he had vaguely suspected this. With this trait, the experience gain efficiency of his Martial Arts skills might be even higher. Chapter 334: 48: Break Limit, Spiritual Power Breakthrough!_2 Chapter 334: Chapter 48: Break Limit, Spiritual Power Breakthrough!_2 So, he began practicing the Five Animals Fist right there to test if his idea was correct. Now, as the prompt appeared, practicing the Five Animals Fist once increased his Experience Value by three points, which undoubtedly proved that his recent guess was spot-on. The trait ¡°Outstanding Comprehension¡± would allow him to gain extra Experience Value in future Martial Arts skill practice. He immediately continued practicing with enthusiasm. Another round of Boxing ended. [Experience Value for Five Animals Fist +2] Glancing at the prompt, Jiang Ning muttered to himself, ¡°This time it¡¯s two points, and the growth in Qi-Blood isn¡¯t as significant as the Experience Value. It seems this trait merely allows my Experience Value to increase faster.¡± ¡°However, this effect is very useful for me! It will save me a lot of time.¡± Next, Jiang Ning took advantage of the day not being too late and practiced the Boxing several more times, then finally went to sleep in a tree. ¡­ The next morning. After waking up, Jiang Ning quickly tended to his personal needs and then headed straight for Luoshui County. ¡­ By noon. Seeing the familiar city walls ahead, a smile finally spread across Jiang Ning¡¯s face. On the way there, he had also spent two hours Breathing and Releasing the Essence of the Great Sun. The Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill allowed him only those two hours each day for practice. Naturally, he could not miss this time. After the two hours of breathing and releasing, he found that the ¡°Outstanding Comprehension¡± trait did not enhance or change the Experience Value gain of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill. It remained that after each breathing session, the Experience Value of the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill would increase by one point. On the other side. As soon as Jiang Ning appeared, he was spotted by people standing on the city wall. Moments later. As Jiang Ning approached and became clearer, someone on the wall turned and left without hesitation. Having confirmed Jiang Ning¡¯s return and recognized his face, it was naturally time to report back to the person behind them. ¡­ At the city gate. ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± A young boy with a youthful face came up to meet Jiang Ning as soon as he saw him. ¡°Who are you?¡± Hearing the title ¡°Brother,¡± Jiang Ning immediately stopped. The boy looked at Jiang Ning respectfully and said, ¡°My name is Tong Yuan, a common disciple of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall, assigned by Master Wang to wait here specifically for Brother Jiang¡¯s arrival.¡± ¡°So, it was Master!¡± Jiang Ning suddenly realized, then said, ¡°Did Master need to see me for something?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Tong Yuan nodded repeatedly, ¡°Master Wang specifically instructed me that if I saw Brother Jiang, I must ask Brother Jiang to return to the Martial Arts Hall.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, then said, ¡°Lead the way!¡± ¡°Yes, Brother Jiang!¡± Tong Yuan responded. Following that. He entered the city with Jiang Ning and took him to a carriage that had been waiting there for a long time. Sitting in the carriage, Jiang Ning¡¯s energy gradually recovered. He had just rushed back to Luoshui County with just his legs, which was exhausting even for someone with his enduring strength. If it weren¡¯t for Wang Jin wanting to see him, he would prefer to just go home and take a good bath to restore himself by soaking in water. ¡­ At Cloud Pavilion. ¡°Reporting to the Valley Master. According to the latest intelligence, Jiang Ning has returned to Luoshui County,¡± reported Gongsun Yu hastily as he entered his Valley Master¡¯s room where the man in a blue robe was feeding fish at the fence. ¡°He¡¯s back so soon?¡± the man in the blue robe turned with a look of surprise. He immediately placed the fish food on a nearby table and began pacing slowly. ¡°No rush! We still need to wait for news from Cao Rong! If Cao Rong does not appear in Luoshui County before sunset today, it means he was ambushed by Jiang Ning on the way!¡± ¡°What the Valley Master says is wise!¡± Gongsun Yu agreed. At that moment. A smile slowly appeared on the face of the man in the blue robe, ¡°Elder Gongsun, do you think Jiang Ning has successfully ambushed Cao Rong this time?¡± Upon hearing this, Gongsun Yu slowly said, ¡°Valley Master, according to the latest news, when Jiang Ning appeared at the city gate, he was merely travel-worn with no signs of combat on him!¡± ¡°No bloodstains, and most astonishingly, not even a single tear on his clothes!¡± ¡°If he managed to ambush Cao Rong under these circumstances, his methods are somewhat terrifying!¡± The man in the blue robe let out a playful smile at the corner of his mouth when he heard this. ¡°That¡¯s indeed interesting!¡± ¡°If Jiang Ning really can manage such a composed ambush on Cao Rong, especially when Cao Rong is guarded by a hundred riders, then I really must regard him more highly!¡± Upon hearing this, Gongsun Yu said, ¡°Valley Master, what should we do now?¡± ¡°Just one word, wait!¡± the man in the blue robe said indifferently. Meanwhile, Canglang Martial Arts Hall. The carriage slowly stopped at the entrance of the hall. ¡°Brother Jiang, we¡¯ve arrived at the hall!¡± Tong Yuan lifted the carriage curtain. Jiang Ning nodded and then stepped out of the carriage. Seeing Canglang Martial Arts Hall once again, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but gaze at the sign above the gate. The words ¡°Canglang Martial Arts Hall¡± hung high above the gate. This place was where his fate had begun to turn. After joining the Canglang Martial Arts Hall, he had come into contact with martial arts, and from there, he had advanced rapidly without facing any significant setbacks to reach where he was today. Thinking back on all his past experiences now brought a sense of wistfulness to his heart. ¡°What are you looking at, Senior Brother?¡± Tong Yuan asked from behind. ¡°Nothing!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head lightly, then said, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Following that, he stepped forward, and Tong Yuan hurriedly followed. At that moment, the hall¡¯s doors were ajar, neither fully closed nor open, and there was no one guarding the sides of the gate. Jiang Ning gently pushed open the gate of the hall. The heavy gate seemed like nothing in his hands and swung open with just a light push. Seeing no one in the front courtyard, Jiang Ning turned back and said, ¡°Tong Yuan, why are there no disciples practicing in the hall? Has something happened inside?¡± Upon hearing this, Tong Yuan immediately responded, ¡°Brother Jiang might not know, but since yesterday, Master Wang has been in a very bad mood, so he said yesterday that the disciples should stay away from the hall for a few days!¡± ¡°A bad mood?¡± Jiang Ning looked surprised. Then he looked toward the back of the hall, and although he hadn¡¯t investigated deliberately, his senses alone told him that Wang Jin was currently in the backyard and was fast asleep. ¡°At this time, it¡¯s lunchtime, how can the teacher still be sleeping in the backyard?¡± Jiang Ning was utterly perplexed. The next moment, Jiang Ning spoke, ¡°Tong Yuan, I¡¯ll go check on Master Wang in the backyard first!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Tong Yuan nodded repeatedly. Then he watched as Jiang Ning walked towards the backyard. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Squeak¡ª Gently pushing open the half-closed wooden door of the backyard, Jiang Ning saw Wang Jin lying under the shade of a tree, still fast asleep. Even though the opening of the wooden door made some noise, Wang Jin still did not wake up. ¡°Strange!¡± With a suspicious mind, Jiang Ning walked toward Wang Jin. Just as he got within a yard of Wang Jin, Whoosh¡ª Wang Jin suddenly woke up and immediately opened his eyes. Seeing that it was Jiang Ning, he finally sighed in relief! ¡°You¡­came¡­!¡± When Wang Jin spoke, his voice was suddenly hoarse. ¡°Master, what happened to you?¡± Jiang Ning looked at Wang Jin, his gaze sharpening. Because in his eyes, Wang Jin¡¯s condition was very poor. Not only was his face filled with exhaustion, but his eyes were also bloodshot, obviously due to not having rested well the whole night. At that moment, Wang Jin heard Jiang Ning¡¯s question and began to speak. ¡°Aunt Sun has died!¡± ¡°Dead?¡± Jiang Ning was startled, then quickly asked, ¡°How did she die?¡± Wang Jin said, ¡°Commander He Jin Yun said she was a follower of the God Worship Sect, tainted with the breath of the Evil God, so she was executed by law!¡± Saying this, Wang Jin¡¯s expression grew heavy, ¡°If only I hadn¡¯t let her go out shopping yesterday. If she hadn¡¯t gone out, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this.¡± Chapter 335: 49: The Death of He Jinyun Chapter 335: Chapter 49: The Death of He Jinyun S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Backyard. Standing in the courtyard, Jiang Ning heard Wang Jin¡¯s words, and immediately fell into silence. He knew that if Aunt Sun died, it would inevitably be partly his fault. Since the previous conflicts, He Jinyun had somewhat been at odds with him. Regarding this prestigious Young Master, he had previously tried to avoid any serious conflicts, not wanting to provoke him. Now that He Jinyun had acted against Aunt Sun, it was like a slap in the face for Jiang Ning. Thinking this, Jiang Ning¡¯s hands, which had naturally hung at his sides, now clenched tightly, his nails digging into his palms. He couldn¡¯t forget the care Aunt Sun had shown him when he first came to the Martial Arts Hall. He could feel that back then, Aunt Sun had treated him as if he were her own kin. In this world, there weren¡¯t many people he cared about, and Aunt Sun was one of them. After contemplating for a long time, Jiang Ning slightly closed his eyes, then opened them again, a firm look flashing through. ¡°Master, this is not your fault! The matter of Aunt Sun mainly arose because of me!¡± Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s unusually calm tone, Wang Jin immediately looked up at him. The next moment. Wang Jin was slightly taken aback. Because he saw in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes the calm before the storm, like the sea under a sky covered with black clouds, with the storm gradually stirring. ¡°You mustn¡¯t do anything foolish!¡± Wang Jin said with a solemn tone. Wang Jin was very clear about He Jinyun¡¯s identity. And precisely because of this, even though Wang Jin was far stronger than He Jinyun, he dared not lay a finger on him yesterday when He Jinyun blatantly disrespected him. Young Master! The significance behind these three words was too great. In front of this weighty identity, even the title of Deputy Commander of the Inspection Office seemed insignificant. ¡°I understand,¡± Jiang Ning replied, noncommittally nodding his head, At this moment, his thoughts were very clear. He Jinyun¡¯s attack on Aunt Sun, whether or not his accusations were true, was as insignificant. What mattered was that He Jinyun had chosen to act against someone related to him. Such actions showed a lack of taboos. In the future, there was no certainty that He Jinyun wouldn¡¯t do something even more excessive, hurting those he cared about even more. Moreover, whenever Jiang Ning remembered how Aunt Sun had especially saved him food and made his bed, treating him like family, he felt an overwhelming surge of emotions. The next moment. ¡°Master, I¡¯m going back first!¡± Leaving these words behind, Jiang Ning turned and left. Watching Jiang Ning¡¯s retreating figure, Wang Jin raised his hand slightly, his mouth opening slightly. For a long time, until Jiang Ning¡¯s figure disappeared around the corner. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± All the words Wang Jin wanted to say turned into a heavy sigh. ¡°If I had known it would come to this, I wouldn¡¯t have told him!¡± ¡­ Elsewhere. Walking from the Martial Arts Hall, Jiang Ning took one step after another towards the Inspection Office. At this moment, his mind was a jumble of thoughts flashing through. Sometimes recalling Aunt Sun¡¯s kind face and past events! Sometimes remembering He Jinyun¡¯s identity! But as he walked step by step towards the Inspection Office, the chaotic thoughts in his mind cleared away like unspinning silk. ¡­ Inspection Office. When Jiang Ning appeared at the entrance, his gaze was as calm as a deep pool. ¡°Greetings, Commander Jiang!¡± The two guards at the gate saw Jiang Ning¡¯s arrival and immediately bowed respectfully. But at that moment, Jiang Ning, as if he heard them not, strode directly through the gates of the Inspection Office. The next moment, Without a sound, his Spiritual Field had expanded, covering a hundred-meter radius around him. Soon, he spotted He Jinyun, who was drinking with others in another courtyard. ¡°Found you,¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. After spotting He Jinyun, Jiang Ning immediately turned around and headed for his own quarters in the Inspection Office. Upon returning to his own quarters, Jiang Ning sat down cross-legged and became as still as a meditating monk, his breath even, undisturbed like an ancient well. Within his Spiritual Field that now enveloped the area, he kept a firm lock on He Jinyun. Time passed, second by second. The warm, comforting sun also gradually descended towards the west. During this time, Feng Jiuge had come by. But seeing Jiang Ning resembling a meditating monk, she quietly withdrew. Then, Xie Xiaojiu also came by. She stood by for quite a long time, almost a full hour, before silently moving back to the entrance of the courtyard, guarding the gate for Jiang Ning. Although she didn¡¯t know what Jiang Ning was doing at this moment, she knew that it was not a good time for others to disturb him in this state. ¡­ When the setting sun stained the sky red with its lingering glow, Jiang Ning also saw that He Jinyun and his companions¡¯ banquet was coming to an end. ¡°It¡¯s about time,¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. The next moment, Over the entire Luoshui County, the wind and clouds changed dramatically, dark clouds appeared from afar, and swiftly gathered above Luoshui County. In just a short time, the once-clear skies had turned oppressively overcast. Howling winds swept across the banks of Luoshui Lake, stirring the waters, which beat incessantly against the shoreline rocks. The trees within the city also rustled loudly, their trunks gradually bending. At this moment, Jiang Ning had maximized his ability to summon rain using his Divine Skills. The thick clouds could now easily shroud the entire Luoshui County, as opposed to only covering most of it like before. ¡­ Meanwhile, At the Yellow Heaven Sect¡¯s headquarters. ¡°These clouds¡­¡± Liu Linmen, looking up at the sky above, spoke with a heavy gaze and muttered to himself, ¡°These clouds are abnormal. There¡¯s something demonic about them!¡± Seeing the clouds overhead, Jiang Ning¡¯s figure flashed through his mind. ¡°Could it be him again?¡± Immediately, Liu Linmen¡¯s gaze turned towards the distant horizon, his pupils constricting once again. Chapter 336: 49: The Death of He Jinyun_2 Chapter 336: Chapter 49: The Death of He Jinyun_2 ¡°These dark clouds cover a larger area than last time!¡± he muttered to himself. At that moment, he still remembered the night he led people out of the city engulfed by the heavy rain, and immediately knew something was off with the rainstorm that was so fierce. And it was a big problem. The rain must have been artificially created. Otherwise, how could there be rain that hadn¡¯t yet covered the entire county? There are coincidences in the world, but so many coincidences together are no longer coincidences. ¡°Has he grown stronger?¡± Looking at the range covered by the dark clouds overhead, Liu Linmen couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath inward. If such a rain had come before, he would never have suspected it was man-made. Because he knew very well how difficult it was to pray to the heavens for such rain. In the Yellow Heaven Sect, only a few heavenly kings could possess the ability to summon such a deluge over a county. ¡°I guessed right before, Jiang Ning must be the most terrifying existence in Luoshui County!¡± Seeing the changes in the heavenly phenomenon today, Liu Linmen was even more certain of his previous guess. Jiang Ning was either a reincarnated great figure like Daoist or Buddha¡¯s son, or an old monster who had taken over someone else¡¯s body. According to Liu Linmen¡¯s understanding, the method of seizing another¡¯s body was recorded many times in ancient times. ¡­ Cloud Pavilion. ¡°This weather¡­ it¡¯s rather peculiar!¡± said the man in the blue robe with slight graying temples, glancing up at the sky and muttering. ¡°Peculiar?¡± Gongsun Yu looked in surprise in the direction the blue-robed man was staring. Then he asked, ¡°Why does the Valley Master say this weather is peculiar?¡± The blue-robed man said indifferently, ¡°Weather changes follow natural laws, like ants moving home and snakes crossing paths signaling that heavy rain will soon arrive. Like ¡®red sky at morning, sailors take warning; red sky at night, sailors delight!''¡± ¡°Do you remember the scene of the evening glow covering the sky just now?¡± ¡°I remember!¡± Gongsun Yu nodded repeatedly. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± the man in the blue robe said indifferently, ¡°With the evening glow covering the sky, how could dark clouds suddenly envelope the city? This emergence of dark clouds ¨C¡± He paused, then emphasized, ¡°is very peculiar!!¡± ¡­ Inspection Office. Hong Minghu glanced out the window. ¡°It¡¯s actually going to rain, how odd!¡± he exclaimed. Then, with a wave of his sleeve, he suddenly closed the open window. On the other side. He Jinyun looked up at the sky. ¡°Ptui, ptui!¡± As the rain thundered down, he quickly lowered his head and spat out the rainwater from his mouth. He then quickened his pace through the buildings of the Inspection Office. At the entrance of the Inspection Office, his personal carriage was there; getting inside would allow him to avoid the rain and prevent a shabby appearance. ¡­ Meanwhile. Under the enhancement of the heavy rain, Jiang Ning¡¯s senses rapidly expanded, covering a radius of several miles. Within this range, nothing could escape his perception. Even the smallest corners of the Inspection Office, which wasn¡¯t very large, fell under Jiang Ning¡¯s surveillance. This included Hong Minghu. And Hong Minghu was Jiang Ning¡¯s key surveillance target. Because Jiang Ning knew that at this moment, the most likely person who could stop him from killing He Jinyun was Hong Minghu, the strongest in this place. And this was the reason Jiang Ning hadn¡¯t made a move all afternoon. Inside the Inspection Office, if he chose to strike at He Jinyun and didn¡¯t succeed in killing him instantly, it would only take a few breaths¡¯ time for Hong Minghu to appear in front of He Jinyun. Once Hong Minghu was shielding him, trying to kill He Jinyun would be harder than reaching the heavens. Not to mention killing silently. Thus, Jiang Ning had been waiting all afternoon, waiting for He Jinyun to leave the Inspection Office, to walk out of Hong Minghu¡¯s sensory range. The farther from Hong Minghu, the more time he would indeed have. ¡°Finally willing to come out,¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself as he watched He Jinyun cross the gate of the Inspection Office. The next moment. Under Jiang Ning¡¯s covert surveillance, He Jinyun got onto the carriage. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, the carriage slowly moved away along the main road. At this time, Jiang Ning was not in a rush. Making a move at the entrance of the Inspection Office was still too close to Hong Minghu. ¡­ In no time at all. The carriage had already traveled a full mile away from the Inspection Office. ¡°Now is the time!¡± As Jiang Ning¡¯s thoughts arose, a mile away, the torrential rain suddenly froze in mid-air, only to transform into long, diamond-shaped needles. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª Needles formed from the rain, like a violent rush of pear blossoms, shot towards the carriage. In an instant. Bang, bang, bang¡ª As the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles, formed from the rain, hit the carriage, the carriage, crafted from precious wood, immediately became riddled with holes. ¡°Who dares to ambush me!!!¡± a bloody figure suddenly burst through the constraints of the carriage, soaring into the air. As He Jinyun soared, countless splinters burst and scattered all around. At this moment, He Jinyun¡¯s body was already covered in blood. At the same time, As soon as he was freed from the carriage, He Jinyun scanned his surroundings, his expression becoming grave. For he had not found the enemy he anticipated, but saw only dozens of Water Needles reforming in the heavy rain. ¡°What demon are you!!!¡± He Jinyun yelled again, his voice, despite his injuries and blood-soaked body, still thunderous. ¡°Just relying on the Water Control Divine Ability, trying to deliver a mortal blow to He Jinyun from a mile away is still not feasible!¡± Jiang Ning, observing the scene from afar, mused inwardly. The next moment, his mind stirred again. As He Jinyun¡¯s thunderous voice echoed, the newly formed Water Needles shot like Rainstorm Pear Blossoms towards him again. ¡­ Faced with dozens of Water Needles densely surrounding him from all directions, He Jinyun immediately regretted leaping into the air, having been overly confident. Now, suspended in mid-air, like a rootless water plant against the 360-degree assault of the piercing Water Needles, he was completely unable to dodge or defend. Subsequently, he shielded his face and head with his arms, his Qi-Blood turbulence inside, trying to endure the onslaught with his body. Aah¡ª What followed was He Jinyun¡¯s agonizing scream. These Water Needles drilled into every gap, penetrated every orifice. Despite his strong physique, the Water Needles barely entered three centimeters into the flesh before losing momentum. But the vulnerable human openings like the ears were still targeted, now penetrated by water-turned-needles. The pain made He Jinyun¡¯s screams excruciating. Not until this point, did his earlier cry of ¡°What demon is this¡± reach Hong Minghu a mile away. And it had taken more than half a moment. ¡°Young Master!!!¡± Hong Minghu, hearing He Jinyun¡¯s cry, suddenly opened his eyes. Boom¡ª With a stamp of his foot, the wooden planks immediately burst. Hong Minghu¡¯s figure also directly crashed through the solid wall, rushing towards He Jinyun a mile away. ¡°So fast!¡± Noticing Hong Minghu¡¯s movement, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart tensed. ¡°I only have two moments to kill He Jinyun!¡± he made a snap judgment. Then, with no further distractions in his mind, he fully activated his Water Control Divine Ability, countless raindrops solidifying into sharp points, relentlessly penetrating He Jinyun¡¯s body. Eyes, ears, nose, groin¡­ Every vulnerable human spot was Jiang Ning¡¯s focus of attack. At this moment, in the face of immense pain, He Jinyun had completely lost any capability to resist. He could only curl up on the ground, screaming. Each raindrop that transformed into a solid needle could penetrate up to one to three centimeters deep into He Jinyun¡¯s flesh. At the same time, in the extensive rain, Hong Minghu had already seen He Jinyun in a pool of blood. ¡°Young Master!!!¡± he immediately shouted. Boom¡ª However, the only response was the thunder that flashed overhead. On the other side, Jiang Ning also breathed a sigh of relief. Before Hong Minghu found He Jinyun, he had already inflicted a fatal wound on him. A heart-piercing, fatal injury. Such a wound could claim He Jinyun¡¯s life in a short period. Not to mention the wounds all over his body riddled with thousands of needles. So when Hong Minghu saw He Jinyun, the rain-formed Water Needles had already silently dispersed. Leaving no trace at the scene. Any investigator arriving would be unable to determine by what means He Jinyun had died. Chapter 337: 50 Unpredictable Means of Gods and Ghosts Chapter 337: Chapter 50 Unpredictable Means of Gods and Ghosts In the pouring rain. ¡°Dead!¡± Hong Minghu reached out to check He Jinyun¡¯s breath, and his pupils suddenly trembled. Immediately, his expression became extremely solemn. He Jinyun¡¯s death here meant that he too was to blame. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Who laid hands on Young Master?¡± ¡°And who has the ability to kill He Jinyun, who possessed Innate Divine Strength and had already reached the Peak of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, in just a brief two breaths?¡± Three doubts instantly surfaced in Hong Minghu¡¯s mind. The Peak of the Eighth Grade Divine Power Realm, this kind of strength, unless it was a top expert among the Martial Arts Sixth Grade, could achieve this feat. Hong Minghu¡¯s mind quickly passed over the faces of those in Luoshui County with Martial Arts Sixth Grade strength, then he slowly shook his head. It couldn¡¯t possibly be them!! After pondering for a moment, the more Hong Minghu thought about it, the more he felt a headache coming on. ¡°Forget it!¡± He shook his head and then crouched down. ¡°Strange!!¡± Having examined the injuries on He Jinyun¡¯s body, Hong Minghu found them exceedingly peculiar. Because the injuries on He Jinyun¡¯s body were unlike anything he had seen before, as if pierced by ten thousand needles, the wounds were terrifyingly gruesome, but he didn¡¯t see any trace of a murder weapon left at the scene. ¡°These methods¡­unimaginable!¡± Hong Minghu frowned. Just by looking at the unsightly wounds on He Jinyun¡¯s body, he knew that He Jinyun must have suffered agony akin to enduring thousands of arrows piercing his heart and thousands of ants gnawing at his bones. At this moment, He Jinyun¡¯s body was covered with injuries top to bottom, with not a single piece of good flesh left, fully mangled and bloody. Under the heavy rain, blood flowed all over the ground, spreading outward in all directions. ¡­ Elsewhere. Inspection Office. Aunt Sun! I¡¯ve avenged you! Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes, murmuring internally. Although he had killed He Jinyun, there was no joy in his heart. He understood that by taking action to kill He Jinyun himself, once the matter was exposed, it would bring him immense trouble. He Jinyun, son of a lord, known as Little Lord. Even if it was a lord fallen from grace, having divided the enfeoffment over dozens of generations, He Jinyun¡¯s father was still the legitimate direct descendant of the founding lord, the line of succession from the firstborn son of a lord. Though by this generation, they had already lost their fiefdom, and their official rank had been reduced from the initial Second Grade to Fourth Grade. Yet, the eldest branch of He Jinyun¡¯s family, his grandfather, his father, still retained the title of a lord. The position of an earl, even if destitute, without real power, reduced to a nominal Fourth Grade position, only receiving the stipend of a Fourth Grade official. But the key was not this, it was the name of Qinghe Marquis. The title, Qinghe Marquis, signified too much. It represented the past and honor, and that was a terrifying power. This power was something he currently had no way to resist. But despite knowing all of this, Jiang Ning still made this choice. Compared to this potential threat, the direct threat He Jinyun posed seemed more problematic to Jiang Ning. Yesterday, he dared to strike Aunt Sun; who could guarantee he would not attack Little Dumpling, or his elder brother and sister-in-law, or anyone close to him, the next day? He Jinyun¡¯s reckless behavior was a risk that Jiang Ning was not willing to gamble with. Moreover. He did not want to delay Aunt Sun¡¯s vengeance. Sitting in the heavy rain, Jiang Ning contemplated for a long time. Suddenly, the sounds from outside the courtyard interrupted his thoughts. ¡°Commander He¡­Commander He is dead!!¡± Hearing the voice from outside the courtyard, Jiang Ning slowly got to his feet. ¡°I need to go take a look!¡± After stepping out of the courtyard¡¯s main gate. ¡°Sir!¡± Xie Xiaojiu saw Jiang Ning leaving the courtyard and immediately spoke up. Then she raised her black sleeve, intending to shield Jiang Ning from the rain. By this time, Jiang Ning was already soaked, as the rain kept falling from his head from the moment he walked out of the courtyard; he was thoroughly drenched. Jiang Ning glanced at Xie Xiaojiu, who was standing on her tiptoes, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Look at me, already drenched to the bone, is there any point in shielding me from the rain?¡± Xie Xiaojiu said, ¡°Sir, why do you not avoid the rain? This cold winter rain is too chilling, it can damage your body!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning chuckled. He looked up and rubbed her head. Then he took an umbrella out of the Sumeru Ring and handed it to Xie Xiaojiu. ¡°Come with me; it seems there has been some trouble over there!¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Xie Xiaojiu quickly acknowledged. Then she immediately opened the umbrella and held it high above Jiang Ning¡¯s head. Jiang Ning took a step forward, then turned back to look at Xie Xiaojiu. ¡°Shift the umbrella towards you a bit, you¡¯re a young lady, you can¡¯t catch cold! And as for me, I¡¯m already soaked through, I don¡¯t need you to hold an umbrella for me; this umbrella is for you after all!¡± Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words, Xie Xiaojiu instantly beamed a smile, then stepped back slightly, holding the umbrella over Jiang Ning. After a moment. Turning a corner, Jiang Ning saw the body, steadily encircled by blood mixed with rainwater, and also saw He Jinyun¡¯s lifeless corpse. ¡°Residence Master, what happened here?¡± Jiang Ning frowned. Hong Minghu glanced at Jiang Ning, his brows furrowed deeply: ¡°He Jinyun is dead, this complicates things!¡± At the same time. Ye Qiu, who had already arrived at the scene, was silently sizing up Jiang Ning. After understanding the situation with He Jinyun just moments ago, he immediately considered Jiang Ning a suspect. Yet with Jiang Ning¡¯s entrance, seeing that Jiang Ning showed no sign of struggle, Not even a trace of fighting, not even a smear of mud or dirt, After observing, he immediately dismissed his suspicion of Jiang Ning. Because he was well aware, with He Jinyun¡¯s strength, if Jiang Ning had been the killer, it would have been impossible not to leave any traces behind. Chapter 338: 50 Unpredictable Techniques_2 Chapter 338: Chapter 50 Unpredictable Techniques_2 And yet, in his view, even though Jiang Ning had some motive, he lacked the strength required. From when the Residence Master was alerted to his arrival at the scene, it was merely a matter of a few breaths. In such a short time, to think of killing He Jinyun, one would have to do it oneself almost. Furthermore, the way He Jinyun died was so unusual that even if it was done by him, he couldn¡¯t have achieved it. At the same time, he also felt that with Jiang Ning¡¯s intelligence and ability to assess the situation, he couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware of how terrifying an act it was to kill He Jinyun. Being a direct descendant of the Earl¡¯s family, although He Jinyun was the youngest son, he was also extremely favored. It was imaginable that once this matter spread to the Earl¡¯s residence, it would cause a great stir and provoke tremendous anger. After staying at the original place for a moment, the Four Great Commanders all appeared quickly. Another half an hour passed. The men gathered and did not come up with any solutions; ultimately, Hong Minghu entrusted the task of tracking down the murderer to Ye Qiu, whom he relied upon most. The others also dispersed thereafter. ¡­ Exiting the Inspection Office, ¡°My lord, you are soaked through. Why not come to my place and take a hot bath?¡± Xie Xiaojiu timidly said to Jiang Ning. Hearing Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s words, Jiang Ning was slightly taken aback and then looked at her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± ¡°Not afraid!¡± Xie Xiaojiu shook her head. Jiang Ning, seeing her resolute gaze, then slowly shook his head, ¡°No, it¡¯s too late in the evening.¡± After leaving these words behind, Jiang Ning turned and walked away. In this world, even achieving what he had so far, he dared not say he could rest without worries, how could he possibly afford happiness to others. Not to mention, his actions today had provoked a potential behemoth. If the affair came to light one day, it would be difficult for him to protect himself, and those who were closer to him would suffer even more. At the same time, Xie Xiaojiu, dressed in black, raised an umbrella, watching the tranquil departure of Jiang Ning. By now, the rain had slowed, having turned from a downpour to a drizzle. Even as Jiang Ning¡¯s figure completely disappeared, Xie Xiaojiu quietly remained standing in place. ¡­ Returning to his own residence, Jiang Ning took a hot bath, and immediately, all the negative emotions dissolved. A smile still showed on his face. Regardless, his gains over the past few days were substantial. He had eliminated a potential threat, Cao Rong. At the same time, his skills had also breached limits once more, with the limit break in Reading and Writing significantly increasing his comprehension. With the trait [Outstanding Comprehension] added, the experience value growth for most of his martial skills would be significantly more efficient, a great help for his strength enhancement. Furthermore, his spiritual power had also surged, and once the Spiritual Field expanded, it could easily envelop an area of a hundred meters around him. The growth in spiritual power also made his Divine Skills much stronger. Using the Divine Skill of Cloud Formation and Rainfall today, he easily covered the entire Luoshui County in rain, while also employing Water Manipulation Divine Ability to eliminate He Jinyun from a mile away. With such unfathomable methods, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t believe that this could leave any evidence behind, or that anyone else could pinpoint him as the true perpetrator? This was also why he dared to take action against He Jinyun today, to avenge Aunt Sun. ¡­ Sitting in the courtyard, as the clouds dispersed, the bright moon was already high in the night sky. Jiang Ning glanced at his status panel. [name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 237.43 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (five times limit-breaking 3/5000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility, Outstanding Comprehension) Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (five times limit-breaking 6000/6000) (Traits: Touch and Understand, Blade like a Swift Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One, Innate Blade Bone) Swimming (five times limit-breaking 6000/6000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) ¡­ ¡°There are still two hundred Source Energy Points left, these two hundred points are only enough to complete the fifth time limit-breaking for Reading and Writing, still insufficient for the sixth time limit-breaking for Chopping Wood Blade Skill and Swimming.¡± After reading the panel, Jiang Ning immediately closed it. Now, there was only one thing on his mind, and that was how to further enhance his strength. The stronger his strength, the more confident he would be in facing various unexpected events. Just like yesterday, knowing that Cao Rong was heading straight for Luoshui County, he was able to leave Luoshui County alone and intercept Cao Rong halfway. This was all because of his strength. Sufficient strength had given him this confidence. If one day he killed He Jinyun and it came to light, then strength alone would be his reliance. An official identity might be useful against a force like the Yellow Heaven Sect. But merely relying on an Eighth Grade official position against an Earl, who held a Fourth Grade, was insignificant. Although Jiang Ning saw this possibility as not very large, he could not help but guard against it. Like that night, when he attacked Liu Linmen in secret, only to have Liu Linmen summon the Earth King who used the Yin God technique and easily located him. He did not understand these mysterious and ghost-like methods. Afterwards, Jiang Ning began to reassess his current strength. He glanced at his panel again. [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Five times limit-breaking 3/5000) (Trait: unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility, Outstanding Comprehension) Five Animals Fist (One time limit-breaking 787/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Five times limit-breaking 6000/6000) (Trait: touch and understand, Blade like a Swift Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One, Innate Blade Bone) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (small success 713/5000) Vajra Immortal Body (small success 453/5000) Swimming (Five times limit-breaking 6000/6000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Three times limit-breaking 49/4000) (Trait: Wind and Thunder Breath, Heart Arrow Technique, Wind and Thunder Arrow) Water and Fire True Strength (small success 54/500) Reading and Writing allowed his mental power to cover a hundred meters around him, greatly aiding him. The Five Animals Fist, although only achieving its first limit-breaking, had brought a massive increase in his Qi-Blood, which was key to his rapid progress. The biggest change in the Chopping Wood Blade Skill was that after achieving five limit-breakings, his Sword Force had further improved. That peak blade strike that night was still unforgettable for Jiang Ning. In his view, that strike might be his strongest combat technique. To kill a flesh-distorted monster of Martial Arts Sixth Grade with one strike was testament to the horror of that blade. As for the Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill, reaching the level of small success had allowed him to master the Inner Breath that should only be available in the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm. His dual cultivation of internal and external techniques was also why his strength far surpassed those of the same grade. He had not spent much time on the Vajra Immortal Body recently, which although a superior technique, had not shown any special miraculous effects in him. He then looked at the skills of Swimming, Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, and Water and Fire True Strength. Swimming, in particular, was his biggest reliance now. With the Swimming technique, once he entered water, his strength would increase significantly¡ªwater was his home field. The Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, a Middle-class Martial Arts, had also become one of Jiang Ning¡¯s trump cards now that it had undergone three limit-breakings. Additionally, methods swift as wind and fierce as thunder greatly enhanced his regular techniques. Compared to the terror of the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, the superior martial arts technique Water and Fire True Strength was a shade less potent in attack capabilities. Jiang Ning also understood that all of this was because the Water and Fire True Strength, still at a lower level of small success, had not yet achieved Great Success, let alone Perfection. As for the Middle-class Martial Arts Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, having achieved three limit-breakings with the enhancement of three traits, and with each limit-breaking strengthening the Wind Thunder Energy further, the three limit-breakings had already transformed the Wind Thunder Arrow Skill. It was no longer simply a standard Middle-class Martial Arts. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, even a superior martial arts at Perfection level might not compare to his Wind Thunder Arrow Skill with three times limit-breaking. After sorting through the changes in the panel, Jiang Ning immediately closed the panel and clenched his fist. In an instant, strength coursed through his body, feeling the extremely resilient, dragon tendon-like human great tendons, he nodded with satisfaction. Achieving Dragon Tendon, but the true peak of Martial Arts Seventh Grade could not be furthered at this level. If he wanted to seek further breakthroughs, it would be the path of Martial Arts Sixth Grade. Now, to further advance his strength, besides improving his skills, the most important thing was the tempering of his flesh. Bone Forging was the last step of outer refining, S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. and a crucial one. After completing this step, with his early start in dual internal and external cultivation, and the progress of his Inner Elixir Cultivation, he could directly enter the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm. And it would not be an ordinary Fifth Grade. Chapter 339: 51: Martial Arts Sixth Grade, Qi-Blood Like a River Chapter 339: Chapter 51: Martial Arts Sixth Grade, Qi-Blood Like a River In the courtyard. Jiang Ning sat under the moonlight, having organized everything he had mastered. He then pulled out a yellow parchment from the Sumeru Ring. This yellow parchment contained the detailed exposition of the Martial Arts Sixth Grade Bone Forging Realm. The last time he had exchanged for the Seventh Grade Realm exposition at the Internal Affairs Office, he had also obtained this yellow parchment detailing the Sixth Grade Bone Forging Realm. He had already read everything recorded on the yellow parchment. But at this moment, he still took out the parchment detailing the Sixth Grade Bone Forging Realm to read it again from start to finish, to prevent any errors in his memory. As he looked at the parchment, the small black texts on it became clearly visible under the bright moonlight as the clouds dispersed. Reviewing the text he had once read, Jiang Ning no longer saw the prompts for Experience Value increase in the skill of Reading and Writing. Because according to the rules he had figured out, repetitive reading did not bring about an increase in Experience Value. A moment later. Jiang Ning had fully perused the parchment, and the words recorded on it deepened in his mind, engraved like the chisel of a sculptor. Briefly reflecting, the explanation regarding the Martial Arts Sixth Grade Bone Forging Realm reappeared in his mind. According to the explanations on the yellow parchment, the Sixth Grade Bone Forging Realm was the final stage and step of outer refining of the physical body. Skin, flesh, and bones, after being forged, the entire skeleton becomes as hard as refined iron. Under such a condition, even a thousand forges of fine iron could hardly sever human bones. At this step, the physical body was truly powerful and reached Perfection. The yellow parchment also recorded the philosophy and method of Bone Forging. This step of Bone Forging aimed to mimic the method of Refining Soldiers, following the path where a thousand hammers create iron, and a hundred refinings create steel. The human bones were treated as common iron blocks, condensing the Qi Blood Power within the body to form a great hammer for forging. Constantly hammering the human bones, striking out the impurities and aided by external substances, the bones were forged with a thousand hammers and hundred refinings. It was named the Bone Forging Realm precisely because this realm drew inspiration from Refining Soldiers. This realm was divided into several steps. Iron Bone, the small success of Martial Arts Sixth Grade, where the bones were no longer white but turned silvery white, much like the color of pure iron, hence the name Iron Bone. Only by reaching this step did the hardness of the bones transform, possessing a strength not inferior to refined iron, and this level was considered the Martial Arts Sixth Grade. And the martial artists of this step, having copper skin and iron bones, were as if cast from copper and iron, making them immensely difficult to kill. Just as rocks are not as tough as refined iron. Yet, even if giving a common person a long sword made of refined iron, they could not chop through ten centimeters thick rock. This was the underlying principle. Thus, even at the initial stage of the Martial Arts Sixth Grade, such a powerful person on the battlefield would be a one-man-army against thousands. Such martial artists, even when subjected to sword and spear attacks or a barrage of thousands of arrows, would only suffer minor superficial injuries. And this was just the small success, the initial level of the Sixth Grade. The next step was Xuan Bone. The bones would be like mysterious iron, presenting a shiny black color, toughness comparable to a hundred forges of refined iron. This was called Great Success. A few days ago, the blood monster he had slain, as per his examination, belonged to this stage of Martial Arts Sixth Grade. The bones presented shiny dark color, named Xuan Bone. The next step following Xuan Bone was Jade Bone. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bones transition from shiny dark to a jade color, translucent and as flawless as a jade stone, which was considered Perfection of the Sixth Grade. And according to records on the yellow parchment, if chance allowed, yet another transformation existed. According to Martial Saint, this transformation was called Divine Bone. It was also a crucial step to achieve the body of a Martial Saint. Merely this hint on the yellow parchment was valued as priceless in the eyes of the world. The body of a Martial Saint. In the current world, only one had reached it, that being the founding Martial Saint of Great Xia. The establishment of Great Xia largely credited to that Martial Saint. A single person overpowering the entire world, such was the terror of a Martial Saint. Over the next few hundred years until today, no second person had reached the level of Martial Saint. That Martial Saint¡¯s achievement in the Martial Arts was unparalleled. Therefore, the secrets surrounding a Martial Saint were known only by that Martial Saint himself. Thus, a hint coming directly from him about the body of a Martial Saint naturally held inestimable value, even said to be priceless. ¡°Divine Bone!¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. Immediately, he recalled the records about the Bone Forging Realm. To leap over the threshold of Martial Arts Sixth Grade, achieving Iron Bone through the method of Bone Forging, a crucial point was capturing spiritual power, understanding it, and mastering it. The stronger the spiritual power, the greater the control over one¡¯s own body. Only thus could one meticulously control the body¡¯s Qi Blood, condensing it into Qi Blood Hammers. By continuously striking the internal bones with the Qi Blood Hammers, repeatedly hammering out the impurities, the hardness of the bones would continually increase. Just like ordinary iron containing impurities becoming harder with each strike, removing impurities through repeated pounding. A thousand pounds form steel, this was the saying. However, achieving this step crucially depended on the spiritual power reaching a level of substantive manifestation. It was the degree to which spiritual power could lift a falling leaf from a distance. Merely this step had stumped numerous warriors at the peak of Seventh Grade. Because growing powerful spiritual power was immensely difficult. Similarly, the potency of the Qi Blood also affected the efficiency and progress of refining the bones. Chapter 340: 51: Martial Arts Sixth Grade, Qi-Blood Like a River_2 Chapter 340: Chapter 51: Martial Arts Sixth Grade, Qi-Blood Like a River_2 To refine Iron Bone, one needed an extremely strong Qi Blood Power. Qi Blood Power had to reach the magnitude of a river. This was the threshold! Only when the Qi Blood Power reached this level, could one possess the capability to refine Iron Bone. And a telltale sign of this Qi Blood Power level was the act of summoning the Qi Blood throughout the body, creating a ¡°rushing¡± sound within. Sounding like the rushing of river water, this noise circulated within the body. Going further, to forge Xuan Bone required even more profound Qi Blood. Qi Blood like a river! That was the threshold for forging Xuan Bone. Only with Qi Blood Power reaching this level, could one have the capacity to refine Xuan Bone. The prominent feature of Qi Blood like a river was that summoning Qi Blood throughout the body would produce a ¡°thundering¡± rumble within. This sound, like a roaring river, was majestic and incredibly profound. Continuing further, to forge Jade Bone, one must reach the level of Qi Blood like the sea. As for the notable characteristic of Qi Blood like the sea, it was the act of summoning the Qi Blood throughout the body, resulting in tranquility; however, beneath the calm surface of the sea, there was an extraordinary turmoil being brewed. With one move, it could erupt like a tsunami. ¡­ The next moment. Jiang Ning¡¯s thoughts arose. He instantly summoned the Qi Blood throughout his body. Thundering¡ª A rumbling roar emanated as his Qi Blood surged within his body. ¡°My Qi Blood has long reached the level of a river!¡± ¡°That means, with the current strength of my Qi Blood, achieving Bone Forging Great Success is not a problem!¡± ¡°As for the need for spiritual power, I am well ahead, with my spiritual power already able to leave the body for roughly a hundred meters!¡± Having thought this through, Jiang Ning was not satisfied. Because he knew that Martial Arts Sixth Grade might dominate in Luoshui County. But in Dongling County, it amounted to little. Looking across Dongling County, at least reaching Fifth Grade was what made someone significant. And within Fifth Grade, there were significant disparities, just like the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley, at the Peak of Fifth Grade, had already reached the level of Inner Breath Like Gang. Such a strongman could kill a beginner of Fifth Grade as effortlessly as slaughtering chickens and sheep, with a full burst of Inner Breath. Even the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm, in Jiang Ning¡¯s view, might not be a match against such peak figures as the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley. After all, according to records, a strongman at the Peak of Fifth Grade with Inner Breath Like Gang could slay a thousand troops with a single sword; those were troops armored and armed, consisting of a thousand elite soldiers of Martial Arts Entry. Such strongman, as long as their Inner Breath was not exhausted, numbers were no longer so important. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, only strongmen of such calibre, relying solely on Martial Arts strength, could be true personages. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Any one of them in Dongling County held significant sway. And only such individuals were qualified to protect themselves in front of Qinghe Marquis Mansion. After all, to say it again, the grandeur of Qinghe Marquis Mansion was no longer there. It wasn¡¯t the Qinghe Marquis of the era when Great Xia was founded. At that time, Qinghe Marquis was a Second Grade official of the court, with two counties¡¯ lands under his fief. Now after so many generations of Qinghe Marquis¡¯ descendants, Even the direct eldest son lineage, the line of He Jinyun, his grandfather¡¯s generation, only inherited the honorary title of Qinghe Marquis. As for the fief, it was long gone. The official position had also fallen from the original Second Grade to the current Secondary Fourth-Rank. Merely an honorary Secondary Fourth-Rank position. Under the current situation of Qinghe Marquis Mansion, Unless resorting to their roots, perhaps a Martial Arts Strongman at the Peak of Fifth Grade could protect themselves in front of the current Qinghe Marquis Mansion. After all, looking across the entire Dongling County, as far as Jiang Ning knew, there were not many strongmen above Fifth Grade. ¡­ The next moment. Jiang Ning slowly closed his eyes. In an instant. His Spiritual Field had already expanded, covering an area of a hundred meters in radius. Within the radius of a hundred meters, any subtlety was seen by him. ¡°My spiritual power, compared to a few days ago, has already grown several times stronger!¡± Jiang Ning opened his eyes, muttering to himself. Immediately, A gleam of light flashed in his eyes. A box suddenly appeared in his hand. A golden box. Looking at the Golden Box made of gold in his hand, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze was exceptionally solemn. The artifact came from the spoils of a Sixth Grade Martial Artist from the God Worship Sect, which inside was a divine statue floating amidst the blood. Last time he opened this box, he almost fell prey to the hallucinations whispered by the divine statue, almost leading him astray. Now, Jiang Ning took out the box again, not for any other reason but to open it once more. Because of a brief glimpse last time, he felt that the blood soaking the divine statue in the box was problematic. Now, with his spiritual power greatly increased, compared to last time, it had grown several times stronger. ¡°Last time I was able to break free from the divine statue¡¯s influence on me, this time with my surge in spiritual power, dealing with it will surely be simple,¡± ¡°And even if I can¡¯t cope, as long as I close the box, I can block the divine statue¡¯s influence on me.¡± Jiang Ning looked at the box in his hand, muttering to himself. After thinking it through, he no longer had any hesitation in his heart. ¡­ When he opened the golden box in his hand. The interior of the golden box was once again exposed before Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. The inside of the box had long been soaked with fresh blood. Within the blood, a divine statue about ten centimeters tall was immersed. The statue had three heads, six arms, and four legs! Just as Jiang Ning was observing the statue, the eyes of the God, originally closed and submerged in the blood, suddenly opened. ¡°Worship me, and the flesh shall live forever¡­¡± ¡°Offer tributes to me, and the flesh shall ascend¡­¡± ¡°Serve me, and the flesh shall never perish¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± These three voices once again rose in Jiang Ning¡¯s ears, like murmurs constantly penetrating deeper into his brain, as if wanting to twist his thoughts. In an instant. Jiang Ning saw a vision. A boundless sea of blood floated with vivid and lifelike corpses. And in the center of the blood sea, a three-headed, six-armed, four-legged monster was slowly approaching him. But this time was different from the last. A spark flashed in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes, and the hallucination shattered, like a mirror breaking into pieces. After one breath. He returned to reality from the illusion. The murmur in his ears, as if disappearing along with the break of the illusion, left no trace of whispers, only the sound of waves breaking against the rocks in the distance. The divine statue soaked in the blood in front of him seemed to have once again turned into a lifeless object. The eyes of the divine statue that had just opened seemed to have been an illusion in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes, now closed once again. ¡°Indeed! With the great increase in my spiritual power, this statue can no longer affect me much!¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. Then he thoughtfully stroked his chin and whispered, ¡°Looking at it this way, the so-called Blood and Flesh God might not be so terrifying! After all, I am still just a minor Seventh Grade Martial Artist.¡± ¡°The true divine beings, according to the ancient texts, are existences that wield the authority of heaven and earth, possessing boundless divine skills, their status even above that of immortals.¡± The next moment. Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze was once again attracted to the fresh blood inside the box. Because by this time, with the box now having been open for a while, his nose had already detected a strong, intoxicating scent. This scent was like that of a starving man who had not eaten for three days and three nights, suddenly smelling the aroma of roasted meat close at hand. Gulp¡ª Jiang Ning¡¯s throat moved slightly, swallowing down saliva involuntarily. His body¡¯s instincts told him that the blood in the box was tremendously beneficial. At this moment, it seemed as if every cell in his body was exuding a greedy intention. Plunk¡ª ¡°Huff¡ª¡± He forcefully closed the lid of the golden box, and could not help but let out a long sigh of relief. The greed that had just arisen from his body¡¯s instincts was terrifyingly intense. He suspected that given a little more time, he would not be able to control his body¡¯s instincts and would recklessly consume that blood. Just like a vampire starved for a long time unable to restrain themselves at the sight of the blood of a delicious maiden. Just thinking about the possibility, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but shudder. The blood in the box looked too eerie; he had no idea what consequences drinking it would bring, nor did he understand. If there were irreversible consequences, regrets would be useless. ¡°This thing is too sinister!¡± Jiang Ning looked at the golden box in his hand, murmuring. Afterward, he looked at the box in his hand and fell into thought. After several breaths. ¡°No way!¡± ¡°If I can¡¯t recognize what this blood is, then tomorrow I¡¯ll take a drop to Lin Qingyi for identification.¡± ¡°My body has such a strong reaction, it might be some precious substance.¡± ¡°If I want to quickly increase my strength, I need some opportunities!¡± Chapter 341: 52: Grandmaster Resources, Lin Qingyis Strength! Chapter 341: Chapter 52: Grandmaster Resources, Lin Qingyi¡¯s Strength! The next day. Wanhua Building. ¡°Why have you come, you rascal!¡± Lin Qingyi patted her mouth, yawning extensively. Jiang Ning, looking at Lin Qingyi¡¯s languid face, revealed a faint smile. ¡°Sister Lin is up rather early today!¡± Lin Qingyi yawned again, deeply this time, and then gave Jiang Ning a white-eyed glance. ¡°How can I possibly sleep when you come to disturb my sweet dreams so early in the morning?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± Jiang Ning spread his hands. He had arrived at the Wanhua Building early in the morning mainly to inquire if this place had any treasures that could aid in Bone Forging, not expecting to instead startle Lin Qingyi. Chuckle¡ª Seeing this scene, a smile suddenly blossomed on Lin Qingyi¡¯s face. Then she casually sat down at the table and poured herself a cup of clear water, drinking it down in one gulp. ¡°Out with it! With your character of not visiting without an agenda, why have you come to me today?¡± Lin Qingyi wiped away the water droplet trickling down the corner of her mouth. Jiang Qing said, ¡°A few days ago, I happened upon some special blood, which is extremely sinister in nature, so I wanted Sister Lin to take a look at it.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Lin Qingyi¡¯s eyes immediately showed surprise, ¡°What kind of sinister? Let¡¯s hear it!¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning then recounted the events of the previous night to Lin Qingyi. A moment later. After listening to Jiang Ning¡¯s narration, Lin Qingyi¡¯s eyes showed an excited glint. ¡°According to what you¡¯ve described, I think I know what it is!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Jiang Ning hastily asked. ¡°Hundred Spirit Blood!¡± Lin Qingyi said. ¡°Hundred Spirit Blood?¡± Jiang Ning looked puzzled as he had never heard of it before. Lin Qingyi glanced at him, noticing the confusion in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes, and then explained, ¡°Hundred Spirit Blood is the essence extracted from the vital blood of a hundred kinds of beasts.¡± ¡°Such blood is considered a treasure to martial artists for enhancing Qi Blood Power, and a single drop can bring about a significant change.¡± At this point, Lin Qingyi gazed intently at Jiang Ning. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Do you have the Hundred Spirit Blood you speak of? If so, show it to me, and I¡¯ll know whether my judgment is correct!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. The next moment. A white light flashed in his hand, and a drop of crimson blood appeared in the center of his palm. With the appearance of this drop of blood, an indescribable fragrance wafted through the air. Both of them smelled this aroma, and their expressions subtly changed. ¡°Exactly! It is Hundred Spirit Blood!¡± Lin Qingyi¡¯s eyes were fixed on the object in Jiang Ning¡¯s hand, confirming with a decisive nod. Then, she spoke up, ¡°Put it away now!¡± Only after Jiang Ning retracted the blood did Lin Qingyi slowly avert her gaze. Immediately after. She then asked Jiang Ning, ¡°How much Hundred Spirit Blood do you have on you?¡± Jiang Ning recalled the amount of blood in the Golden Box and, considering what he saw last night, estimated there were roughly a hundred drops if counted individually. He immediately shook his head, ¡°Not much! But I do have some!¡± ¡°Could you sell me ten drops?¡± Lin Qingyi asked. ¡°Does Sister Lin also need Hundred Spirit Blood?¡± Jiang Ning asked, slightly surprised. Lin Qingyi nodded instantly, ¡°Hundred Spirit Blood mainly has two effects: one is to significantly increase Qi Blood Power, and the other is to serve as the best supplementary artifact for advancing into the Grandmaster realm through blood exchange.¡± ¡°Blood exchange Grandmaster?¡± Jiang Ning looked surprised, then nodded in sudden understanding, ¡°Since Sister Lin has asked, then certainly, there¡¯s no problem.¡± Jiang Ning readily agreed. In his eyes, it wasn¡¯t just about selling to Lin Qingyi; even giving it to her seemed appropriate. His own progress to this point was helped greatly by Lin Qingyi. She had even saved his life. That night, the Yin God of the Earth King had left its body and found him. If not for Lin Qingyi¡¯s intervention, he dared not imagine what might have happened. Such a great favor, how could it not be repaid. The next moment. Jiang Ning took out the Golden Box. Before coming here, he had only taken one drop of blood from it. ¡°This item¡­¡± Upon seeing the Golden Box Jiang Ning brought out, Lin Qingyi¡¯s eyes suddenly narrowed. Then, as Jiang Ning opened the box, nine drops of crimson blood floated out from the crevices of the box. At the same time. Murmurs whizzed by Lin Qingyi¡¯s ear and disappeared as Jiang Ning closed the box. ¡°As I suspected!¡± Lin Qingyi inwardly mused. Then, she glanced again at the ten floating drops of blood and saw Jiang Ning¡¯s slightly raised brow, internally taken aback. Spiritual power taking form, an embodiment that indicated one could manipulate objects outside the body ¨C possessing such spiritual power was something not even a Bone Forging Realm expert could accomplish. And for spiritual power to become this formidable was also the greatest threshold to step into the Bone Forging Realm. The subtly raised brow also indicated that Jiang Ning¡¯s spiritual power had undergone a qualitative leap in a short period, which would present this feature. After observing covertly, a question emerged in Lin Qingyi¡¯s mind. ¡°What exactly is his strength now?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Seeing Lin Qingyi staring intently at him, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but examine himself, finding nothing amiss, and then asked. ¡°Nothing!¡± Lin Qingyi came to her senses and shook her head lightly. She did not plan to delve deeper into Jiang Ning¡¯s strength. Then she said, ¡°For these ten drops of Hundred Spirit Blood, according to the market price of ten taels of Gold per drop, that¡¯s the price I¡¯ll give you, is that acceptable?¡± Ten taels of Gold? Hearing this figure, Jiang Ning was internally shocked. One tael of Gold was worth a thousand taels of silver. Ten taels of Gold, that was ten thousand taels of silver. Just these ten drops of Hundred Spirit Blood alone were valued at a hundred thousand taels of Gold! ¡°Sister Lin, isn¡¯t that price a bit exaggerated?¡± Jiang Ning immediately voiced his doubts. Chapter 342: 52 Grandmaster Resources, Lin Qingyis Strength!_2 Chapter 342: Chapter 52 Grandmaster Resources, Lin Qingyi¡¯s Strength!_2 ¡°Exaggerating?¡± Lin Qingyi immediately laughed and shook her head, ¡°Even at this price, with my identity, I can¡¯t buy it!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t buy it?¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes revealed surprise, and he was somewhat astonished. Because Lin Qingyi was no ordinary person, she was the Vice Tower Master of Wanhua Building. With such an identity, there were still things she couldn¡¯t afford? At this moment, Lin Qingyi seemed to perceive the doubts in Jiang Ning¡¯s heart. So, she spoke up, ¡°You don¡¯t understand! In this world, money isn¡¯t omnipotent! Especially for something as precious as Hundred Spirit Blood.¡± ¡°Even I, with money, can¡¯t buy it!¡± ¡°Because this item is the best auxiliary substance for a Grandmaster undergoing blood exchange, it¡¯s priceless! It simply can¡¯t fall into the hands of Wanhua Building.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°And if it does fall into Wanhua¡¯s hands, it would be preempted and consumed early!¡± Upon saying this, Lin Qingyi felt a surge of emotions. Hundred Spirit Blood was the resource she had been searching for these past two years. Over the course of these years, what she found wasn¡¯t much, still not enough for her to undergo a single blood exchange. As for obtaining this item with her identity as the Prince¡¯s wife, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult. But she dared not do so. Once she used the Prince¡¯s wife¡¯s identity to obtain Hundred Spirit Blood, this sensitive substance would definitely catch Old Prince¡¯s attention. Then her last hope of escaping the cage would also vanish. Now, developing silently and in secret, once she became a Grandmaster, there might be a sliver of a chance for freedom. Ten drops of Hundred Spirit Blood, that was what she estimated she needed to step into the Grandmaster level. With these ten drops of Hundred Spirit Blood, she was confident she could reach Grandmaster level within a few months. Thinking of this, Lin Qingyi¡¯s face couldn¡¯t help but reveal a satisfied smile. ¡°Little brother, thank you!¡± She teased him with joy written all over her face. Then, with a flick of her sleeve, she directly collected the ten hovering drops of Hundred Spirit Blood into her Sumeru Ring. Hearing her words, Jiang Ning immediately retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not little!¡± ¡°Where are you not little?¡± Lin Qingyi looked at Jiang Ning with a teasing smile, her eyes hinting at a deeper meaning. Jiang Ning: ¡°¡­¡± Hearing Lin Qingyi¡¯s words, Jiang Ning¡¯s face immediately showed an expression of speechlessness. ¡°You win!¡± He spread his hands. Seeing this, the smile on Lin Qingyi¡¯s face grew even brighter. Looking at Lin Qingyi¡¯s smiling face, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but show a trace of a smile himself. Lin Qingyi being able to joke about him indicated that she was in a good mood at the moment. It meant these ten drops of Hundred Spirit Blood were very important to Lin Qingyi. Thus, he felt he had indeed helped Lin Qingyi a bit and repaid some of her kindness. Afterward. She waved her sleeve toward the table beside her. Bars of gold appeared on the table. ¡°There are ten taels per bar, a total of a hundred taels of gold, please count it!¡± Lin Qingyi said. Hearing her words, Jiang Ning glanced at the gold on the table beside Lin Qingyi, and then withdrew his gaze. ¡°Sister Lin, I¡¯m not in urgent need of gold, I¡¯d like some resources for Martial Arts training, would that be possible?¡± ¡°What kind of Martial Arts resources, just say them!¡± Lin Qingyi said. ¡°Iron Bone Pill, Xuan Bone Pill, Jade Bone Pill, any of those will do!¡± Jiang Ning immediately mentioned the items he needed. Just downstairs he had asked Little Lv. And Little Lv¡¯s answer had left him disappointed. This Wanhua Building, in fact, did not have the resources for a Martial Artist at Sixth Grade in the Bone Forging Realm. The resources for the Bone Forging Realm are precisely those three items he mentioned. Iron Bone Pill was a pill concocted with special medicinal herbs mixed with iron marrow. After each bone-hammering session, one needed to absorb the medicinal power from the Iron Bone Pill to replenish the missing substances in the body¡¯s bones. At this level, the efficiency with or without such auxiliary substances is vastly different. To forge Iron Bone, iron substances are essential. According to what he once read in miscellaneous books, In the Early Stage of Martial Arts, Bone Forging Martial Artists would consume iron sand, letting the gastric acid corrode the sand to difficultly absorb the iron substance within. Then they would excrete the iron sand. Repeating this process back and forth, ultimately, they would need to expend several times the effort of an ordinary Bone Forging Martial Artist to forge Iron Bone. But now, with the Iron Bone Pill as an aid, it¡¯s different. Swallowing an Iron Bone Pill, the iron marrow within spreads with the medicinal power and merges into the forged bones, greatly accelerating the progress of forging Iron Bone. Therefore, Jiang Ning came to Wanhua Building at the first opportunity today. Without such auxiliary substances, the progress of Bone Forging would be extremely slow. To forge bones quickly, this item is indispensable. ¡­ Simultaneously. Lin Qingyi¡¯s eyes widened when she heard the three types of pills Jiang Ning had named. ¡°Iron Bone Pill, Xuan Bone Pill, Jade Bone Pill?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°I need these three types of pills. I also asked Miss Lv earlier, Wanhua Building doesn¡¯t have these to sell!¡± ¡°Indeed, we don¡¯t have them!¡± Lin Qingyi said and still gazed at Jiang Ning with suspicion, ¡°What do you want these for? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re about to start Bone Forging?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Sister Lin!¡± Jiang Ning grinned. The next moment. A gust of wind blew, and Lin Qingyi immediately moved to within a foot of Jiang Ning, bringing a soft fragrance with her. She grabbed Jiang Ning¡¯s hand, her slender jade fingers gently squeezing his palm. Jiang Ning instantly felt the extraordinary strength of Lin Qingyi¡¯s delicate fingers, making the Great Tendon in his arm taut. ¡°Dragon Tendon!!!¡± Lin Qingyi¡¯s eyes bulged as she looked at Jiang Ning, filled with utter disbelief. ¡°You¡¯ve actually reached Dragon Tendon!!!¡± Lin Qingyi looked at Jiang Ning, who was mere inches away, dumbfounded. At that moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s hot breath brushed Lin Qingyi¡¯s pretty face, causing her cheeks to redden slightly, and her eyes suddenly dodged to the sides. Then she released Jiang Ning¡¯s hand and stepped back. Chapter 343: 52 Grandmaster Resources, Lin Qingyis Strength!_3 Chapter 343: Chapter 52 Grandmaster Resources, Lin Qingyi¡¯s Strength!_3 Jiang Ning¡¯s voice also rang in her ears, ¡°Not bad! Recently, I used my Contribution Points at the Inspection Office to exchange for a Dragon Ascending Pill, and that¡¯s how I reached the Dragon Tendon level.¡± ¡°Dragon Ascending Pill, what a treasure!¡± Lin Qingyi¡¯s face showed a trace of admiration, ¡°Such an item can only be easily obtained at the Inspection Office. In other places, it¡¯s much harder to come by!¡± ¡°Even if you¡¯re willing to pay two or three times the price, it¡¯s very difficult to obtain, after all, there are too few creatures containing dragon blood!¡± Then, Lin Qingyi looked at Jiang Ning again. ¡°Now that you want the Iron Bone Pill, Xuan Bone Pill, and Jade Bone Pill, I will use these one hundred taels of gold to buy them for you from other places.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sister Lin!¡± Jiang Ning bowed with his hands clasped. ¡°I should be thanking you!¡± Lin Qingyi said, ¡°These ten drops of Hundred Spirit Blood you gave me are incredibly important to me!¡± ¡°I wish Sister Lin gets her wish soon!¡± Jiang Ning said with a smile. Hearing these words, a smile danced in Lin Qingyi¡¯s eyes as she looked at Jiang Ning, ¡°I hope your words come true.¡± ¡­ A moment later. Lin Qingyi saw Jiang Ning off. ¡°This kid is about to enter the Bone Forging Realm without anyone noticing, the pace of his progress is frightening! He¡¯s really a monster!!¡± As she watched Jiang Ning¡¯s figure disappear into the distance, she couldn¡¯t help but marvel. Then. Only after Jiang Ning¡¯s figure had vanished from her sight did Lin Qingyi retract her gaze. ¡°I wonder which lucky girl will catch his eye in the future!¡± She then pondered thoughtfully. ¡°I wonder where Little Jin is now after receiving my letter? And whether Little Jin could catch Jiang Ning¡¯s eye!¡± ¡­ Elsewhere. Upon stepping out of the Wanhua Building, Jiang Ning felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. A single visit to the Wanhua Building solved two of his problems. One of the problems was obtaining the resources necessary for advancing to Martial Arts Sixth Grade. The Iron Bone Pill, Xuan Bone Pill, and Jade Bone Pill. With Lin Qingyi¡¯s help, none of that was a problem anymore. And a total of one hundred thousand taels of wealth, Jiang Ning believed that these three Bone Forging Pills would allow him to complete the cultivation in the Bone Forging Realm of the Sixth Rank smoothly. However, according to what Lin Qingyi mentioned, the pills might arrive within three to five days at the earliest, or seventy to eighty days at the most. Because such items are only available in county and prefecture cities. Ordinary county towns rarely sell the resources needed for Martial Arts Sixth Grade. As for the other problem, it was through Lin Qingyi¡¯s explanation that he understood the nature of the fresh blood in the golden box. Hundred Spirit Blood, an extremely precious resource. Consuming and absorbing it strengthens the Qi-Blood in the human body. Another critical effect, according to Lin Qingyi, is that it¡¯s essential for those entering the Grandmaster Realm. From this point of view, it¡¯s not hard to guess. Currently, Lin Qingyi is at the peak of Martial Arts Fourth Grade, just one step away from Third Grade Grandmaster. ¡°That¡¯s incredible!¡± Thinking of Lin Qingyi¡¯s strength, a wave of amazement swept through Jiang Ning. A towering peak of Fourth Grade, nestled in Luoshui County, such a small place. He hadn¡¯t expected that. And even more so, at such a young age. Given Jiang Ning¡¯s observation, Lin Qingyi appeared to be only around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. At such an age, she was about to step into the Grandmaster Realm. The revelation could shock many prodigies to death. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Who exactly is she?¡± Jiang Ning was bewildered. By now, he no longer believed that Lin Qingyi was merely an ordinary deputy master of Wanhua Building stationed in Luoshui County. If an ordinary deputy master of Wanhua Building possessed the strength of a peak Fourth Grade, one of the top experts in the world. Then the power of the Wanhua Building would have long reached the level where it could easily challenge the foundation of Great Xia¡¯s rule. That was simply impossible. Therefore, Jiang Ning believed that Lin Qingyi¡¯s identity must be far from simple. There must also be great secrets hidden behind Lin Qingyi. But this was not something Jiang Ning wanted to delve into. He was only further convinced of his resolve to hold tight to this powerful ally. A Grandmaster not long in the future. This was indeed a massive support to cling to! Chapter 344: 53 Jiang Lis Right Arm Recovers Chapter 344: Chapter 53 Jiang Li¡¯s Right Arm Recovers Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Canglang Martial Arts Hall. ¡°Master!¡± Jiang Ning spoke. Wang Jin looked at Jiang Ning, his brow immediately furrowed. ¡°I heard that He Jinyun died. Do you know about it?¡± ¡°I know,¡± Jiang Ning nodded calmly. Wang Jin looked at Jiang Ning and suddenly sighed deeply. ¡°You are too impulsive! How dare you touch someone of He Jinyun¡¯s status! Aren¡¯t you afraid of bringing disaster upon yourself?¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°Besides you and me, Master, no one else knows of this matter.¡± Wang Jin shook his head, ¡°I believe you in this!¡± Then he shifted his tone, ¡°But¡­ do you think the upper-echelon really needs evidence to act?¡± Afterward, Wang Jin stared into Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes, ¡°Let me ask you this once, up to this point, in your endeavors, for the people you intend to kill, would you discuss evidence?¡± Taken aback by this remark, Jiang Ning faltered slightly. Wang Jin continued, ¡°Evidence isn¡¯t important!¡± ¡°The laws of Great Xia are merely to solidify rule, to restrain the common folk, so they don¡¯t rise in chaos against each other!¡± ¡°They are not meant to restrain the upper-echelon!¡± ¡°If you climb higher, you¡¯ll understand a principle, a stark reality, the perpetual law of survival of the fittest!¡± ¡°The weak exist only to be trampled upon!¡± ¡°If you have enough strength, who will discuss evidence or reason with you?¡± ¡°He Jinyun¡¯s death! As long as Qinghe Marquis suspects you, even without evidence pinpointing you, it would still pose a great threat to you!¡± ¡­ Leaving Canglang Martial Arts Hall. Jiang Ning¡¯s understanding became clear. His previous knowledge was from his past life as an ordinary citizen. Ordinary people require evidence and law to protect themselves. Just as Wang Jin had said. Laws and regulations were nothing more than shackles placed on the common people by the rulers. Only with these shackles in place could Great Xia remain harmonious and stable, without unrest. To those in power, the rules are set by them. The shackles of rules never truly bound them. ¡°Perhaps¡­ survival of the fittest is the true essence of this world!¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself, recalling experiences from his past life. All the way, Jiang Ning kept reflecting. Soon, he arrived at the entrance of his home. ¡°Is someone here?¡± Seeing the open gate, Jiang Ning immediately looked solemn. Normally, the gate to his estate was never carelessly opened; after all, Little Dumpling was still young, and leaving the gate open was too dangerous, as Little Dumpling could easily wander out. The open gate today meant that someone was definitely visiting. This sudden visit at such a timing made Jiang Ning grow solemn. The next moment. He stepped onto the stairs. His eyes level with the gate, he instantly saw a man and a woman standing on either side of the entrance through the open gate. Their features were lovely and they were not old, wearing clothes he was very familiar with, marked with the insignia of Medicine King Valley. Seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s arrival. The pair immediately stepped forward, respectfully saying, ¡°Greetings to Commander Jiang, our Sect Master has come to visit and has been waiting inside your residence for quite a while!¡± Sect Master? Hearing these words, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart grew heavy. The Sect Master mentioned by the two undoubtedly referred to the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, this person was the true power figure who could dominate Dongling County, not someone who could only claim supremacy in a small county town. A county was ten times larger than a county town. In such a vast area, there were countless powerful martial artists. And Medicine King Valley, looking across the whole of Dongling County, was a leading force. The status and identity of its Valley Master were unimaginable. Plus, according to Jiang Ning¡¯s knowledge, the Valley Master was a true Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm Peak powerhouse, whose energy was refined as solid as Gang. Such a powerhouse, according to the records, could slay a thousand enemies with a single sword. An enemy of ten thousand was precisely what such a powerhouse could accomplish. Recalling his past conflicts with Medicine King Valley, recalling how he had intercepted Medicine King Valley¡¯s route, killed the bandit Tian Buyi, and privately consumed the two Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills. Later, he had also killed the elder of Medicine King Valley, Liu Qingsong. ¡°Those who come are not kind!!¡± Jiang Ning felt incredibly grave. But at this stage, Jiang Ning knew he could not retreat temporarily. For such beings, a mere hundred meters could be crossed in a stride. With the Valley Master¡¯s strength, his arrival at the door would inevitably be noticed by him. In an instant, he could appear next to him. And with his elder brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family at home, he couldn¡¯t afford to back down easily now. He also believed, given his current official status, even if the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley harbored ill will, he wouldn¡¯t dare to attack him openly in broad daylight. People of the martial world do not dare to openly attack Great Xia officials under the light of day. That was a great taboo! The next moment. ¡°Lead the way, please!¡± Jiang Ning spoke calmly. ¡°Okay!¡± The two responded immediately. Then they gestured with their hands, ¡°Commander Jiang, please follow us!¡± Stepping over the threshold, the two led Jiang Ning towards the east courtyard. ¡°Commander Jiang, the Sect Master specially came to visit you an hour ago! Having heard that you had just left and were not at home, our Sect Master has been waiting for you in your east courtyard!¡± The pair explained as they led the way. Hearing this, Jiang Ning felt somewhat relieved. Had they harbored ill intentions, these two wouldn¡¯t have treated him with such respect. Chapter 345: 53 Jiang Lis Right Arm Recovers_2 Chapter 345: Chapter 53 Jiang Li¡¯s Right Arm Recovers_2 Moments later, the two guided him and soon arrived at the east courtyard. As soon as they approached the east courtyard, they could hear Jiang Li¡¯s agonizing, suppressed groans, barely audible. In an instant, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes suddenly turned sharp. He moved quickly, taking a few strides like arrows, and appeared inside the east courtyard. At the same time, a refined and gentle voice also rang out in the courtyard. ¡°Brother Li, hang in there, the pain in your right arm shows that the sensation is returning!¡± By the time Jiang Ning arrived at the east courtyard, he saw a middle-aged man dressed in a blue robe in front of Jiang Li, gradually kneading Jiang Li¡¯s right arm. At this moment, Jiang Li¡¯s face was contorted, and large beads of sweat had appeared on his forehead. ¡°Is that Commander Jiang?¡± the middle-aged man noticed the commotion at the entrance and immediately greeted Jiang Ning. ¡°I am indeed Jiang Ning!¡± ¡°I am Lu Qingshan.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s Valley Master Lu!¡± Jiang Ning said, then his gaze fixed on Jiang Li¡¯s right arm, ¡°Valley Master Lu, what are you intending to do?¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lu Qingshan replied, ¡°I observed Commander Jiang¡¯s elder brother, Brother Li¡¯s right arm still has the possibility of healing, so I wanted to try and see if it can be fully healed and restored to its original state.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning was slightly surprised. ¡°How do you feel, Big Brother?¡± he then looked at Jiang Li. ¡°Very good!¡± Jiang Li grinned, showing his teeth, and as the sweat on his forehead dripped down, the corners of his lips twitched slightly. Clearly, he was enduring immense pain at the moment. However, Jiang Ning could see the genuine smile on Jiang Li¡¯s face. Jiang Li continued, ¡°Previously, my right arm had completely lost all sensation, but now in front of Doctor Lu, I can actually feel pain.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning felt much more relieved. Anyone familiar with paralysis knew that the fear was not the pain, but rather the absence of any sensation and obliviousness to pain. Being able to feel pain implied that there was still a possibility of recovery. If even pain couldn¡¯t be perceived, it could mean the nerves were completely dead, and recovery would be nearly impossible. At this time, seeing the movements of Lu Qingshan and Jiang Li from afar, Jiang Ning quietly approached them, not wanting to disturb. If Jiang Li¡¯s right arm could be recovered, it would be a tremendous blessing. At the same time, after Lu Qingshan finished manipulating every part of Jiang Li¡¯s right arm, he looked at Jiang Li¡¯s sweat-drenched face and silently nodded in approval, ¡°What a man! To endure without a whimper!¡± ¡°Is there hope for recovery?¡± Jiang Li looked at Lu Qingshan with hopeful eyes. Lu Qingshan¡¯s face immediately showed a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! With my help, even if it can¡¯t fully recover by 100%, restoring 80% to 90% will not be a problem!¡± Having said that, he turned to Gongsun Yu, ¡°Elder Gongsun, help me stabilize it!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Gongsun Yu nodded and quickly steadied Jiang Li¡¯s right arm. Then, Lu Qingshan took out a packet of needles from his waist, spread open the packet, and immediately a row of tiny golden needles appeared. The next moment, one by one, the golden needles were inserted into Jiang Li¡¯s right arm. As the golden needles penetrated, Jiang Li grimaced and trembled all over. ¡°It feels tingling and itchy, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Lu Qingshan looked up at Jiang Li. Jiang Li, struggling to control his expression, nodded, ¡°It feels both tingling and itchy, like countless ants are crawling inside my arm.¡± While speaking, the fingers on Jiang Li¡¯s right arm began to tremble involuntarily. Lu Qingshan calmly observed the movement of Jiang Li¡¯s fingers, then said, ¡°This is normal! Soon I will use these golden needles to channel Inner Breath to assist the recovery of sensory perception in your right arm.¡± ¡­ Time passed slowly. Jiang Ning stood quietly to the side. After about half an hour, ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Lu Qingshan clapped his hands! He swept his hand, and the densely packed golden needles were retracted into his hand from Jiang Li¡¯s arm. Then, he took out a small, white jade-colored jar from his body. The ointment inside this jar was worth a fortune and was indeed crucial for the complete recovery of Jiang Li¡¯s paralyzed right arm. The next moment, Lu Qingshan opened the jar. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± he advised. Then, he gently applied the ointment to Jiang Li¡¯s paralyzed right arm, covering every inch of skin. Afterward, he took out a roll of white medicinal gauze from his body and carefully wrapped it around Jiang Li¡¯s right arm. Watching Lu Qingshan work so adeptly and clearly well-prepared, Jiang Ning felt reassured once again. It was obvious that Lu Qingshan did not have storage tools like the Sumeru Ring; he had brought these items with him in advance. This also indicated that Lu Qingshan had already prepared to treat Jiang Li¡¯s paralyzed right arm before even visiting. After thoroughly wrapping up the white medicinal cloth, Lu Qingshan grabbed Jiang Li¡¯s right hand again and closed his eyes to stimulate his Inner Breath. Seeing this scene, both Gongsun Yu and Jiang Ning remained silent, quietly waiting for the treatment to end. Another hour passed. Lu Qingshan unwrapped the medicinal cloth, and layers of already dried white paste fell off Jiang Li¡¯s arm. ¡­ ¡°Brother Li, give it a try!¡± Lu Qingshan wiped the fine sweat from his forehead and spoke to Jiang Li. Hearing this, Jiang Li instantly clenched his fist, his fingers curling from open hand to fist. After repeating this several times, Jiang Li¡¯s face revealed a strong look of joy. The next moment, he was about to kneel on one knee. ¡°Hey!¡± Jiang Li had just bent his knee halfway when he realized he couldn¡¯t kneel down at all. He then looked up and saw a faint smile on Lu Qingshan¡¯s face. ¡°There¡¯s no need for such grand gestures! Treating your arm is merely part of my duty as a physician!¡± ¡°Doctor Lu treated my paralyzed right arm, an act of kindness as heavy as a mountain,¡± declared Jiang Li as he saluted with clasped hands. A gentle smile immediately appeared on Lu Qingshan¡¯s face. Then, he produced a small glazed bottle from his bosom. ¡°This bottle contains an oil. Apply it to your right arm once in the morning and once in the evening every day, and it will help restore your arm to its original state!¡± Jiang Li took the item, thanking him with a solemn bow. ¡°Many thanks, Doctor Lu!¡± Then, he turned to Jiang Ning, ¡°Little brother has arrived, so I will go and prepare lunch. You two can chat first!¡± After leaving the east courtyard. Jiang Li felt a complex mix of emotions. He was very aware that today¡¯s treatment of his right arm by Lu Qingshan, Doctor Lu, was all because of his younger brother, Jiang Ning. If not for Jiang Ning, how could the eminent Valley Master of Medicine King Valley condescend to visit his home to treat his paralyzed arm? After secretly sighing, he immediately went with a cheerful face to where Wanwan resided. He was eager to share the good news about his now freely moving right arm with Liuu Wanwan. ¡­ On the other side. Jiang Ning and Lu Qingshan sat face to face in the pavilion. ¡°Thank you, Valley Master Lu!¡± Jiang Ning offered his salutations. By this moment, how could he not understand that Lu Qingshan¡¯s visit today was friendly and full of goodwill? If it weren¡¯t for goodwill, why would he have helped heal the paralysis of Jiang Li¡¯s right arm? Moreover, the fine sweat on Lu Qingshan¡¯s forehead earlier indicated that fully healing Jiang Li¡¯s right arm paralysis in such a short time was not so simple. The difficulty of making a Peak of Fifth Grade, top-tier expert with Inner Breath Like Gang sweat was evident. ¡°Just a small effort!¡± Lu Qingshan smiled and waved his hand. Just then. Jiang Ning also brought out his own wine flask. The mysterious Black stone had long been soaked in the wine flask, giving the wine exceptional properties. Normally, drinking the wine soaked with Black stone not only increased his Swimming Experience Value but also enhanced his innate attributes and changed his Martial Arts Talent. Usually, he would drink it himself. Today, because Lu Qingshan had gone out of his way to cure Jiang Li¡¯s paralyzed right arm, he had brought out this fine wine to share. The next moment. Jiang Ning waved his hand. Suddenly, a porcelain bowl appeared in front of Lu Qingshan. Seeing this, Lu Qingshan¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°Sumeru Ring, one with Innate Spiritual Wisdom!¡± ¡°Valley Master Lu is indeed well-informed!¡± Jiang Ning stated sincerely. Lu Qingshan smiled slightly, ¡°Growing a few years older naturally means knowing more than the average person.¡± After speaking, he looked at Jiang Ning admiringly, ¡°Commander Jiang is no wonder capable of reaching this step, indeed a rare talent with Ancient Immortal Root.¡± ¡°If you had been born during the Ancient Times, perhaps you could have embarked on the path of Immortality and become a high and mighty, eternally youthful Immortal.¡± Jiang Ning shook his head, ¡°Valley Master Lu flatters me too much! During Ancient Times, those with Immortal Roots were numerous, and so were those who pursued immortality. Yet how many could actually achieve enlightenment and rise above the mortal realm?¡± ¡°I am but one among the multitude.¡± As they talked, Jiang Ning also filled the large bowl in front of Lu Qingshan with wine. As the wine was poured into the bowl, countless silver spots floated in the liquid, instantly transforming it as if a galaxy had descended into the bowl. ¡°This wine¡­ is extraordinary!¡± Chapter 346: 54: Goodwill from the Peak of Fifth Grade Chapter 346: Chapter 54: Goodwill from the Peak of Fifth Grade In the courtyard. ¡°Such excellent wine!¡± Lu Qingshan quietly tasted a small sip of the fine wine, then opened his eyes to express his admiration. Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning smiled. ¡°With the Valley Master personally visiting, and even going as far as to heal my elder brother¡¯s paralyzed arm, I naturally have to serve the best wine I have,¡± Jiang Ning said. Lu Qingshan waved his hand: ¡°It was just a visit and a helping hand. It¡¯s nothing much!¡± ¡°I will surely remember this kindness in my heart!¡± Jiang Ning spoke as he raised the bowl of splendid wine in his hand, ¡°I toast a bowl to the Valley Master!¡± ¡°One swig!¡± Lu Qingshan raised his bowl for a toast, declaring. ¡°Of course!¡± Jiang Ning said. The next moment. Both men took a swig of their drink, and the cold liquor spilled from the corners of their mouths, falling to the ground and releasing a faint chill. ¡°This wine¡­¡± After taking a drink, Lu Qingshan¡¯s face showed admiration: ¡°This wine brings a chill to the body when it hits the stomach, like being in a thousand-year-old layer of ice. If one were to drink a bowl in summer, it would be incredibly refreshing!¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning laughed, ¡°Then next summer, I¡¯ll invite the Valley Master to taste this fine wine again!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Lu Qingshan nodded vigorously. Immediately after, he continued to praise, ¡°This wine is extraordinary; it seems it has the effect of completely transforming one and enhancing one¡¯s martial arts talent.¡± ¡°Indeed, it does!¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly. ¡°Commander Jiang is indeed generous! To bring out such valuable things!¡± Lu Qingshan showed approval in his expression. Jiang Ning smiled. Just at this moment, Lu Qingshan suddenly spoke, ¡°I smell the scent of the Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pill on Commander Jiang, you must¡¯ve enjoyed the pill sometime recently, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, casually pouring another bowl of liquor for Lu Qingshan, then for himself. ¡°In that case, I must thank Commander Jiang for dealing with that arrogant fool for Medicine King Valley!¡± Lu Qingshan said as he picked up his drink, then added, ¡°To show my gratitude, I toast Commander Jiang a bowl!¡± Clang¡ª The two porcelain bowls tapped together, producing a light ring of sound. Jiang Ning said, ¡°Valley Master Lu doesn¡¯t blame me for taking those two Leopard Embryo Shaping Body Pills for myself?¡± ¡°Why should I blame you?¡± Lu Qingshan shook his head and laughed, ¡°Commander Jiang, you took care of that madman for Medicine King Valley; the items you confiscated from him naturally belong to you as your spoils of war. Actually, Medicine King Valley should offer you a reward!¡± ¡°The Valley Master is so magnanimous!¡± Jiang Ning praised. At this moment, Jiang Ning completely understood that the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley had come with good intentions. Otherwise, with Lu Qingshan¡¯s capabilities, there was no need for him to say such things. Against a common Fifth Grade, Jiang Ning felt that with all his methods, he still had the qualification to compete. But at the Peak of Fifth Grade, according to the records in the books, one could slay a thousand troops with a single sword. Such strength cannot be achieved by an ordinary mortal, it¡¯s tantamount to a nuclear bomb level. Straight away, the two raised their bowls filled with liquor and drank them down in one gulp. As the liquor entered his system, steam immediately rose from Jiang Ning¡¯s head. After a swig, putting down the bowl, Lu Qingshan said, ¡°Commander Jiang, we have taken a liking to each other upon our first meeting today, how about we become friends?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we already friends if we can sit down and drink together?¡± Jiang Ning laughed. ¡°You have a point!¡± Lu Qingshan feigned surprise, then his face broke into a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve been unnecessarily formal!¡± After that, Jiang Ning once again filled both their bowls with liquor. Looking at the dazzling, starlight-like specks in the bowl, Lu Qingshan suddenly spoke, ¡°Commander Jiang, I¡¯ve heard that last evening, the Qinghe Marquis Mansion¡¯s Young Master died near the Inspection Office, about five hundred meters away. Is this true?¡± When he heard Lu Qingshan¡¯s words, Jiang Ning nodded slightly, ¡°That¡¯s true. Commander He was assassinated last evening.¡± ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Qingshan took a sharp breath, ¡°This is troublesome! The Young Master of Qinghe Marquis Mansion has died in Luoshui County; in a few days, there will be major turmoil in Luoshui County!¡± Then, Lu Qingshan looked at Jiang Ning, ¡°Commander Jiang, you must be careful in your actions in the future!!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jiang Ning asked. Lu Qingshan said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Commander Jiang had some friction with that Young Master. If the people from Qinghe Marquis Mansion come to Luoshui County, they will surely list you as a suspect! Although everyone knows it couldn¡¯t possibly have been Commander Jiang¡­¡± ¡°But Qinghe Marquis Mansion, being descendants of a founding Earl, they are not that particular about manners or evidence. Often they would rather wrongfully slay a thousand than let one go!¡± ¡°As long as all the suspects are killed, they can claim to have avenged the Young Master!¡± ¡°Thus, preserving the last bit of face for Qinghe Marquis Mansion!¡± ¡°Fortunately, Commander Jiang belongs to the Inspection Office, and even Qinghe Marquis Mansion wouldn¡¯t dare act rashly.¡± ¡°So, in the coming days, it¡¯s best for Commander Jiang not to leave the city lightly, and it would be best to stay at the Inspection Office until this matter blows over!¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning clapped his hands together and said, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Valley Master, I understand!¡± ¡­ After lunch. Saw off Lu Qingshan. ¡­ By the Luoshui River. Lu Qingshan and Gongsun Yu stood by the lakeside, quietly feeling the cold wind blowing from the lake surface. The gray-white hair at Lu Qingshan¡¯s temples suddenly flew back. ¡°Elder Gongsun, what do you think of this Jiang Ning?¡± Lu Qingshan suddenly asked. ¡°This person is extraordinary; he did not show the slightest hint of fear in front of the Valley Master!¡± Gongsun Yu stated. ¡°You¡¯re looking at it too superficially,¡± Lu Qingshan shook his head, ¡°Did you notice his glabella just now?¡± ¡°What about his glabella?¡± Gongsun Yu looked puzzled. Lu Qingshan explained, ¡°A slight protrusion on his glabella indicates that his spiritual power has greatly advanced in a short time, reaching a very high level, not inferior to mine!¡± ¡°Not inferior to the Valley Master?¡± Gongsun Yu¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Yes! Not inferior to me!¡± Lu Qingshan nodded slightly. ¡°That¡¯s monstrous,¡± Gongsun Yu said with an incredulous look on his face. Chapter 347: 54: Goodwill from the Peak of Fifth Grade_2 Chapter 347: Chapter 54: Goodwill from the Peak of Fifth Grade_2 Lu Qingshan said, ¡°At his age, with such a clean past and history, it¡¯s astonishing that his spiritual power could grow so immensely, not to mention his rapid advance in strength. His origins are rather problematic.¡± ¡°What kind of problem?¡± Gongsun Yu asked. ¡°I suspect he is the reincarnated being of someone from the Ancient Times,¡± Lu Qingshan slowly explained. ¡°Is there really such a thing as reincarnation?¡± Gongsun Yu was somewhat astonished. ¡°Yes!¡± Lu Qingshan nodded affirmatively, ¡°Not only the current era¡¯s Buddhist Dao twins, but also the founder of Sword Pavilion in Bashu County, who is also the reincarnation of an Immortal from the Ancient Times!¡± ¡°The current Sect Hierarch of the Yellow Heaven Sect, known as the second under heaven, is rumored too to be a reincarnated Immortal from the Ancient Times.¡± Hearing this, Gongsun Yu said, ¡°According to the Valley Master, could Commander Jiang also possibly be the reincarnation of such a significant figure?¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± Lu Qingshan nodded slightly, then added, ¡°Do you still remember the rain from yesterday?¡± ¡°Are you referring to the rain in the evening?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lu Qingshan nodded, ¡°There was something off about that rain. According to heavenly phenomena, it was impossible for it to rain during that period; it was likely man-made.¡± ¡°And now, it seems possible that the rain was targeted at Young Master!¡± Gongsun Yu suddenly widened his eyes, ¡°Do you mean to say, Valley Master, that the rain could have been summoned by Jiang Ning? Could he possibly be the ultimate murderer behind He Jinyun¡¯s death?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible!¡± Lu Qingshan revealed a slight smile, ¡°But that¡¯s just a possibility, my speculation! If he is the reincarnation of an Immortal, then it would make sense that he could summon a rainstorm that enveloped Luoshui County.¡± ¡­ On the other side. After seeing off Lu Qingshan, Jiang Ning was sitting alone in his courtyard, sipping hot tea. Today¡¯s unexpected visit by Lu Qingshan was beyond his expectations. ¡°But it¡¯s also a good thing! Lu Qingshan¡¯s visit showed goodwill, indicating that the past conflicts with Medicine King Valley were over. From now on, I need not worry too much about threats from Medicine King Valley!¡± ¡°Moreover, it has brought back vitality to Brother¡¯s paralyzed right arm, which is truly great news.¡± Thinking of this, Jiang Ning showed a knowing smile. These days, he knew well that his elder brother had been extremely depressed. Anyone whose body suddenly became disabled, with an arm rendered useless, could hardly remain optimistic. Originally, Jackson was planning to elevate his own strength and status before seeking a way to treat the disabled arm. The stronger the power, the higher the connections, and the status could accordingly rise, providing chances to discover feasible solutions. Now, this worry in his mind was resolved, clearing away the prolonged gloom of his elder brother. Just then, Jiang Ning¡¯s expression grew serious. ¡°Someone is coming again!¡± The next moment, His figure vanished from that spot. ¡­ At the gate. Boom boom boom¡ª Ye Qiu gently knocked on the gate, The next moment, The recently shut gate was opened. ¡°Brother Ye!¡± Jiang Ning spoke. ¡°Brother Jiang!¡± A hint of surprise crossed Ye Qiu¡¯s face. He had just knocked, and Jiang Ning appeared behind the door, almost as if he had known he was coming and specifically waited there for him. This thought briefly crossed his mind before he firmly shook his head. Impossible! If Jiang Ning could really do that, then he would be terrifying! I might not even be his match! Just then, Jiang Ning made way, ¡°Please come in, Brother Ye!¡± As he heard these words, Ye Qiu immediately snapped back to reality. ¡­ Under Jiang Ning¡¯s lead, the two walked towards the east courtyard. ¡°Brother Ye, is there something on your mind that brings you here so suddenly today?¡± ¡°Nothing serious,¡± Ye Qiu shook his head, ¡°Just coming to share some distress with Brother Jiang.¡± ¡°What¡¯s causing Brother Ye such distress?¡± Ye Qiu said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it about yesterday¡¯s incident? Young Master suddenly died outside the Inspection Office, five hundred meters away, with a bizarre manner of death. The Residence Master had no choice but to assign me the task of investigating the real culprit.¡± ¡°You were there at the time, Brother Jiang, how should we investigate this?¡± Hearing Ye Qiu¡¯s words, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart tightened. He then spoke, ¡°It¡¯s indeed hard to investigate; I¡¯ve never seen such a manner of death before!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ye Qiu sighed deeply. By then, the two had reached the east courtyard where Jiang Ning lived. Seated in the courtyard, the two of them talked for a long time. ¡­ An hour later, Jiang Ning finally saw Ye Qiu out of the residence. After closing the main gate and returning to the courtyard, Jiang Ning¡¯s expression immediately became somewhat solemn. Ye Qiu¡¯s visit, and his indirect questioning during their conversation, had clearly been an attempt to test him. Had he not been well-prepared, with experiences from two lifetimes, he might not have handled it appropriately. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning felt a heaviness in his heart. Even Ye Qiu had come to suspect him, although they had no evidence. But, as Wang Jin had previously said, did one really need evidence to act? Evidence was merely a prerequisite for enforcing the law. For the powerful, did the law impose any restraint on them? Rules were indeed set by the powerful. Rules were just meant to bind the weak, much like a sheep pen. The purpose of constructing a sheep pen was simply to prevent sheep from escaping, and as for protecting them from wolves, that was just a glossy facade. ¡°Power is my greatest reliance!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning opened his right hand, and a gold-and-yellow box immediately appeared. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lin Qingyi had told him that morning that the eerie blood within the box was the incredibly precious Hundred Spirit Blood. Hundred Spirit Blood, derived from the blending and refining of blood from a hundred beasts into a precious elixir. According to Lin Qingyi, this blood had extraordinary effects and was a treasure essential for achieving a ¡°Blood Exchange Grandmaster¡± status. On the market, a single drop of Hundred Spirit Blood was worth ten gold pieces, a hundred thousand silver, and it was priceless. The main reason was that the Hundred Spirit Blood was crucial for becoming a Blood Exchange Grandmaster. Furthermore, Hundred Spirit Blood had another effect. It was to augment the Qi Blood Power, purely increasing the Qi Blood Power. ¡°No wonder, when I previously smelled the Hundred Spirit Blood, my body sent my brain an intense craving.¡± Jiang Ning realized at that moment. Such precious Hundred Spirit Blood, having indescribable benefits for the body, made his body naturally crave it intensely. Thinking this, Jiang Ning glanced at the box again, then looked in the direction where his elder brother and sister-in-law were. The next moment, he activated his Spiritual Field, instantly enveloping Jiang Li. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m going to the desolate island at the lake¡¯s heart!¡± Jiang Ning announced, employing his spiritual power to cause the air to vibrate, his voice reaching Jiang Li¡¯s ears instantly. Leaving this message, he turned and left. Opening the Golden Box would emit whispers that had almost caused him to sink previously. In the courtyard, being too close to his elder brother and sister-in-law¡¯s home, he feared the commotion from the Evil God statue might affect them, so he chose to go back to the uninhabited island he had visited before to practice. ¡­ At the lake¡¯s surface, Jiang Ning was now able to effortlessly tread on water. The explosive power from the Dragon Tendon layer allowed for instant bursts of strength, making the lake¡¯s surface no different from solid ground. With each step, treading on the water was just like stepping on solid ground. He wasn¡¯t surprised by this. Many experiments had been conducted in his previous life. Falling into water from fifty meters high had no difference from crashing onto a concrete surface. As long as the explosive power was strong enough, walking on water was overly simple. After a while, he arrived again at the previously visited uninhabited island. Looking at the vast lake, feeling the cool lake breeze, Jiang Ning¡¯s mood suddenly lightened. Subsequently, he once again took out the Golden Box from the Sumeru Ring. ¡°I wonder how much my Qi Blood Power can increase with the Hundred Spirit Blood? How much will it increase my Source Energy Points?¡± Thinking this, Jiang Ning glanced again at his own panel. [Source Energy]: 241.43 He silently noted this number in his mind. Chapter 348: 55: The Powerful Effect of Hundred Spirit Blood! Chapter 348: Chapter 55: The Powerful Effect of Hundred Spirit Blood! On the deserted island. Jiang Ning slowly opened the Golden Box in his hand. The next moment. ¡°Believe in me, your flesh shall be eternal¡­¡± ¡°Tribute me, your flesh shall ascend¡­¡± ¡°Serve me, your flesh shall never perish¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± That voice, whispering in his ears, once again echoed in his mind, and the familiar environment once again emerged before him. In the blink of an eye, as the Illusion Realm of endless Blood Sea with corpses floating appeared, Jiang Ning¡¯s pupils constricted, and the burst of his Spiritual Field instantly shattered the illusion in front of him. What had just happened felt like a hallucination now, with only the lake breeze blowing against his face and the echo of waves crashing against the rocks filling his ears. ¡°There¡¯s indeed something sinister about this!¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself as he looked at the statue of the God, immersed in the bloody water. He then turned his attention to the blood in the box. In the morning, he had given ten drops of Hundred Spirit Blood to Lin Qingyi, and now the level of blood in the box had clearly dropped a little, by about one-tenth of the total volume. At the same time. As the box opened, Jiang Ning immediately smelled an intense fragrance, a kind of fragrance that couldn¡¯t be described by any other he had ever smelled. It was a fragrance that arose from the body¡¯s instinctual desires¡ªevery cell in his body was yearning for it. It seemed this blood offered great benefits to a person¡¯s flesh, producing an uncontrollable greed in one¡¯s body. Then, a drop of blood floated out of the box, and Jiang Ning quickly shut the lid of the Golden Box. When the lid was closed, he felt the carnal desires emanating from every cell in his body decrease significantly. Although the floating drop of blood still held an irresistible allure for him, the temptation no longer felt overwhelming. ¡°It should be okay now!¡± Looking at the floating drop of crimson blood before him, Jiang Ning murmured to himself. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the words fell. Jiang Ning opened his mouth slightly, and the drop of alluring Hundred Spirit Blood shot straight into his mouth. Once the Hundred Spirit Blood entered his mouth, it was like a droplet merging with the sea, disappearing without a trace in an instant. Simultaneously. Jiang Ning immediately felt an intense sense of pleasure, a cheer from the cells throughout his body, spreading joy across his entire being. This sense of delight far surpassed any physical pleasure he had ever experienced before. He felt light and ethereal, as if his spirit was wandering beyond the heavens. After a few breaths, the pleasure gradually subsided, and Jiang Ning came back to his senses. Then. He immediately examined himself internally, instantly feeling a sense of satisfaction from every cell in his body. The Hundred Spirit Blood had already dissipated within him, leaving no trace behind. But Jiang Ning could feel the enormous effect that the Hundred Spirit Blood had had. His Qi Blood Power surged dramatically. After sensing the changes in his body for a moment, Jiang Ning finally opened his eyes. ¡°The Hundred Spirit Blood is really miraculous, no need to refine it, it takes effect the moment it enters the body.¡± ¡°But it makes sense, this substance is the best auxiliary for someone entering the realm of blood refinement Grandmasters, its potent effect is only to be expected!¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself and clenched his fist, immediately feeling a slight enhancement in his physical strength. The increase in Qi Blood would lead to a comprehensive transformation of the flesh. Just like now, although he was still in the Copper Skin Realm, the strength of his muscles far surpassed the moment he had reached Ninth Grade Great Success. With his current muscular strength, even a common fine iron longsword would hardly be able to inflict much damage on him, something he had tested before. ¡­ Then. Another drop of blood flew out of the slightly opened Golden Box and instantly entered Jiang Ning¡¯s mouth. This time, he observed it carefully. He immediately noticed that the drop of Hundred Spirit Blood entering his mouth was like a droplet falling onto parched sand. In just an instant, it completely merged into it. Jiang Ning once again felt pleasure and cheer from every corner of his body. He closed his eyes and quietly savored this change. After a moment. ¡°The Hundred Spirit Blood seems to not only increase Qi Blood Power but seems to contain substances that can transform the blood in the body.¡± ¡°Perhaps, this is why it¡¯s considered the best auxiliary for Grandmasters undergoing blood transformation!¡± Jiang Ning opened his eyes and murmured to himself. At this moment. He also felt the emotions from every cell in his body, as if to say¡­ It¡¯s not enough! I want more! He pondered for a few moments. Jiang Ning opened the lid of the Golden Box again, and another drop of Hundred Spirit Blood flew out, entering his mouth. Then, another drop. And another. ¡­ After twelve consecutive drops, he finally felt a wave of satisfaction from within his body. Even when he opened the box lid and smelled the fragrance, there was no longer any sense of longing or greed from any cell in his body. ¡°Is this¡­ feeling full?¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. He glanced at the open Golden Box again. There was still no urge of intense desire as before. ¡°It seems I really am satiated!¡± At once. He felt the changes within his body again and immediately perceived a clear surge in his Qi Blood Power, like a gushing well. This rate of growth far surpassed any Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures he had used before. He clenched his fist and invoked the Qi Blood Power within his body. Boom¡ª The Qi Blood Power coursed through, rolling like a torrential river, its movement like a mountain-shaking tsunami, and its momentum immense. ¡°The change is very evident!¡± Jiang Ning said with a delighted expression: ¡°This treasure is indeed worthy of being used by a Grandmaster!!¡± ¡­ Half a tea time later. Jiang Ning continued to feel the changes within himself over that period. In just that short half a tea time, he felt his Qi Blood Power had grown by more than two-tenths compared to before. Chapter 349: 55: The Powerful Effect of Hundred Spirit Blood!_2 Chapter 349: Chapter 55: The Powerful Effect of Hundred Spirit Blood!_2 This rate of growth was extremely exaggerated in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. He had to acknowledge that his current level of Qi-Blood Power had reached the level that resembled a river. This level typically belonged to a Martial Arts Sixth Grade, Bone Forging second step, Xuan Bone Realm Martial Artist who possessed that total amount of Qi-Blood. Bone Forging at the Sixth Rank comprised three steps, each more difficult and offering more enhancement than the last. With every complete transformation of the bones, there was an ensuing, further transformation of the tendons, skin, and flesh, which could also be called a sublimation. Therefore, the difference in strength between each step for a Martial Arts Sixth Grade Martial Artist was even more significant than before reaching the Sixth Rank. And the gaps between each subsequent level would grow even larger. The total amount of Qi-Blood for a Second Step Bone Forging, a Xuan Bone Realm Martial Artist, was double that of the First Step, Qi-Blood like a river. From this, one could see just how terrifying a river-like quantity of Qi-Blood was. He had already reached this level of Qi-Blood, and now, with twelve drops of Hundred Spirit Blood entering his body, he managed to increase his total Qi-Blood by over twenty percent in just half an hour. Such a substantial increase made Jiang Ning experience the powerful effects of the Hundred Spirit Blood once again. ¡°Truly worthy of being a treasure needed to step into Grandmasterhood!¡± Jiang Ning exclaimed in admiration once more. Then, he glanced at the panel. [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Four Times Break Limit 3/5000) (Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility, Outstanding Comprehension) Five Animals Fist (One Time Break Limit 787/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Three Times Break Limit 49/4000) (Trait: Wind and Thunder Breath, Arrow of the Heart, Arrows of Wind and Thunder) Water and Fire True Strength (Small Success 54/500) ¡­ Only these four skills remained in his eyes. While his body was digesting the Hundred Spirit Blood, he didn¡¯t need to take any action. So Jiang Ning immediately focused on his panel. While digesting the Hundred Spirit Blood, he could choose a skill to level up. Having absorbed the Hundred Spirit Blood today, he could imagine the explosion of Source Energy Points he would face tomorrow. And breaking the limit of skills was where he could see the clearest strength improvement. He examined each of these four skills in turn, and then Jiang Ning fell into deep contemplation. He had just completed four Break Limits for Reading and Writing, and breaking the limits of this skill had greatly advanced him¡ªhis spiritual power had broken through to cover a hundred meters around him in a Spiritual Field. Such a potent effect had left him extremely satisfied. However, it was currently difficult to level up this skill. Because nearly all the books he could read, he had already read them. Reading a book twice had no effect. Moreover, randomly rearranged book texts did not bring any Experience Value increase, a point he had tested before. After thinking it over, he temporarily gave up on increasing the Experience Value of this skill. His gaze then fell on Five Animals Fist, Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, and Water and Fire True Strength. After pondering for a moment, he decided to start leveling up Water and Fire True Strength later. Because Water and Fire True Strength was a superior martial arts technique. It was his only superior martial arts technique. Based on his previous experience, breaking the limits of superior martial arts would surely bring even more powerful effects. Much like Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, the improvement of this Middle Grade martial arts technique had greatly enhanced his ranged combat capabilities. If it wasn¡¯t for his mastery of Sword Force, a peak level sword technique that converged Essence Qi and spirits into a single strike, then the three-times Break Limit Wind Thunder Arrow Skill would have been his strongest technique. With this arrow technique, he would typically be able to fight beyond his realm. Especially with a suitable battleground, a three-times Break Limit Wind Thunder Arrow Skill would allow him to kill any Martial Arts Sixth Grade Martial Artist with his Martial Arts Seventh Grade strength. This was the powerful effect brought about by continuous Break Limits in Middle Grade martial arts. That night, he had pierced through the Bone Forging Sixth Grade Martial Artist from the God Worship Sect with a single arrow. Had the Sixth Grade Xuan Bone Martial Artist not been a member of the God Worship Sect, possessing the ability to transform into a monster with an almost deathless body, that arrow would have been enough to kill the Sixth Grade Martial Artist on the spot. For an ordinary Sixth Grade Martial Artist, vital points of the body were still crucial. A pierced heart was an injury not even gods could heal. They at most could last a few more breaths than ordinary people. Beyond that, they had no ability to struggle. At that time, the Sixth Grade Xuan Bone Martial Artist relied on the God Worship Sect¡¯s special ability to transform into a monster shape and possessed an undead body to survive. Jiang Ning was very clear about how terrifying such a monstrous state could be, with Shi Xiaoyuan serving as a cautionary tale. Once transformed, the combat strength during the maintenance of a monstrous state of mutated flesh could explode by several times in a short period. Not only nearly unlimited flesh would be on their body, but they would also have no deadly points at all. Even speed, strength, and explosive power would all receive a great enhancement. Whenever one transformed, they would possess strength not just one level higher. Thus, the fact that he could kill such an enhanced state with a single strike of sword force also demonstrated the increase brought about by breaking limits. A mere Chopping Wood Blade Skill, after five break limits, the inherent effect had also become so formidable. Therefore, Jiang Ning had reason to believe that, as a superior martial art, Water and Fire True Strength would only have more pronounced effects. ¡°I hope tomorrow¡¯s Source Energy Points will let me indulge!¡± Jiang Ning glanced at the Source Energy Points on his panel, murmuring in his heart. [Source Energy]: 241.31 ¡­ Sitting cross-legged in the cold wind, Jiang Ning¡¯s Water and Fire True Strength in his body suddenly surged. According to what Feng Jiuge had said before, Water and Fire True Strength was derived from an Ancient Times cultivation technique known as Water and Fire Treasure Book. At that time, Feng Jiuge had also said that if Nine Layers of Strength and Nine Refining Fire were merged into one, it would result in mastering a superior martial art, which was Water and Fire True Strength. If one could deduce the profound mysteries of Water and Fire Treasure Book from Water and Fire True Strength, they would grasp a truth that leads directly to the grand gateway of Grandmasters. ¡°Truth?¡± At this thought, Jiang Ning murmured. He had not heard this term before. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had only heard it from Feng Jiuge. ¡°I wonder if I can comprehend the truth she spoke of if I continue to break limits with Water and Fire True Strength?¡± Casting aside the distracting thoughts in his mind, Jiang Ning immediately began to push the two extreme forces of water and fire inside his body. Water and fire do not mix, but now these two opposing forces were strangely harmonious in his body, forming a vortex and rotating like a grinding mill. With each rotation, Jiang Ning could feel the Qi Blood Power being continuously consumed. At the same time, the strength of Water and Fire True Strength was also growing bit by bit. [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +2] [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +3] [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +2] [¡­] As he continued to enhance Water and Fire True Strength, Jiang Ning also seemed to have some enlightenment, with occasional flashes of inspiration in his mind. At the same time, the prompts that flashed before him, were no longer the kind that only increased by one point of experience value each time. Instead, they had become random fluctuations of two or three points, with the three-point experience value prompts not being any less frequent than those of two points. In the blink of an eye, more than two hours had passed. [Skill]: Water and Fire True Strength (small success 89/500) Jiang Ning glanced at his panel, and his brows furrowed slightly. ¡°It¡¯s a bit slow,¡± he sighed softly. He remembered that more than two hours ago, the skill of Water and Fire True Strength had already accumulated 54 points of experience value. Now it had only reached 89 points, which meant that in a little over two hours, the skill had grown by less than forty points of experience value. Jiang Ning shook his head. Then he felt inside his body again. The Qi Blood Power brought by the Hundred Spirit Blood was surging and explosive, and had already become calm. The next moment, Jiang Ning began to mobilize the Qi Blood around his body. Boom¡ª The Qi Blood Power surged, suddenly like a mighty river, with a majestic momentum, roaring in his body. ¡°The Qi Blood Power has grown by more than fifty percent!¡± A trace of joy immediately appeared between Jiang Ning¡¯s eyebrows. Although a fifty percent increase seemed only three percent greater than the initial twenty percent, Jiang Ning was not disappointed at all. Because after his recent realization, he had discovered that after consuming Hundred Spirit Blood, the growth of Qi Blood Power was like an erupting volcano. At the beginning, the eruption was at its most potent. As it progressed, the momentum weakened. Therefore, he was not the slightest bit disappointed with a fifty percent increase, but rather extremely delighted. Because a fifty percent increase in Qi Blood Power in a short span of time was equivalent to at least half a month of his usual hard training. It must be understood that he had reached this point in less than half a year. Half a month was incredibly precious to him. Especially under the current circumstances, with He Jinyun¡¯s death, this became even more precious. With the powerful effect of Hundred Spirit Blood, he could match half a month of regular hard training in less than two hours. This made him very satisfied. After that, seizing the moment, he opened the Golden Box again to consume Hundred Spirit Blood. Chapter 350: 56: Breakthrough, Qi-Blood Like the Sea! Chapter 350: Chapter 56: Breakthrough, Qi-Blood Like the Sea! North of Luoshui Lake. The cold wind howled, and large snowflakes fluttered like goose feathers. On the lakeshore amid the vast expanse of snow, two figures had already appeared. One of the figures had an aged face with visible wrinkles and grayish-white hair. He was dressed in a yellowish-brown Taoist robe, which had a Qiankun Eight Diagram embroidered on its back. The cold wind whipped up the man¡¯s yellowish-brown robe, causing it to flutter madly behind him. Had there been a well-learned person present, they would recognize that this elderly man, who appeared to be over fifty, was acknowledged as the second most powerful person in the world today. He was the Sect Hierarch of Yellow Heaven Sect, the sect with the most followers in the contemporary era. Beside him stood another figure, a youthful man with a trace of naivety on his face, carrying a sword on his back, which also bore a Qiankun Eight Diagram on its hilt. ¡°Master, why have you brought me here?¡± the youth asked puzzledly. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The aged man slowly replied, ¡°Disciple, what do you think of the current state of Great Xia?¡± The youth thought for a moment before slowly responding, ¡°The poor have nowhere to stand, while the rich own endless stretches of land. Mansions reek of meat and wine while bones of the frozen dead litter the roads!¡± ¡°Class stratification is extremely severe, and a common-born man breaking through these strata is one in ten thousand!¡± The aged man said, ¡°Disciple, what if there were a regime change and we created a new heaven and earth, would that solve the situation?¡± ¡°Master, are you suggesting!!!¡± Upon hearing the old man¡¯s words, the youth¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Speak your thoughts!¡± the aged man said indifferently. After pondering for a long time, the youth said, ¡°A regime change might temporarily alleviate the situation when a new order is set, but no matter what laws and systems are established, or how we perfect the legal loopholes, it won¡¯t be a hundred years before things gradually revert to the current state of Great Xia.¡± Hearing this, the elder showed a look of approval. ¡°Well-observed, Disciple! This is the abyss of history; a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand years hence, no matter how many dynasties change, regardless of who rules, it will inevitably reach this point.¡± ¡°That is undoubtedly true!¡± ¡°However, each regime change also heralds a century of prosperity and wealth.¡± The youth hesitated, ¡°So, Master, are you suggesting?¡± The aged man nodded, ¡°It¡¯s time to make a decisive move! Let¡¯s start the end for Great Xia.¡± Upon saying this, the old man¡¯s previously calm pupils suddenly blazed like the midsummer sun. ¡°Master, it¡¯s impossible for us to succeed!¡± ¡°I know!¡± the aged man nodded, ¡°It is indeed impossible for us alone.¡± ¡°But!!!¡± ¡°My taking this step will be enough to plunge the already precarious Great Xia into the abyss.¡± ¡°Perfectly, it will also give me the opportunity to send some corrupt, filthy sects and noble families, harboring the evils of this world, into the cycle of reincarnation!¡± Seeing the passionate and resolute look in the old man¡¯s eyes, the youth was visibly shaken. ¡°What is your plan now, Master?¡± ¡°For any grand endeavor, we need the right opportunity, which hasn¡¯t come yet. However, I can create that opportunity!¡± Having said this, the elder pulled a white small snake from his sleeve, which bore a slight bulge on its forehead, making it look extraordinarily mystical. ¡°Master, what is this?¡± the youth asked, puzzled. The elder tossed the snake from his sleeve towards the icing surface of Luoshui Lake. As soon as the white snake left his palm, it grew rapidly in the wind. Instantly transforming into a snake ten feet long. Plunge¡ª As it splashed into the water, the white snake forcefully fell into the icy waters of the lake. Watching the disappearing figure of the white snake, the elder then spoke lightly, ¡°This snake possesses the bloodline of the Ancient White Chi, inherently fierce! I have fed it a special pill that greatly stimulates its bloodline and accelerates its growth.¡± ¡°Once it has grown a bit, with the Ice Chi¡¯s fierce nature, it will surely stir up infamy in Luoshui.¡± ¡°When the time is ripe, he will rise in revolt and take the Human Emperor Sword from its belly.¡± As the words fell from the aged man, The youth¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Human Emperor Sword!!¡± ¡°The sword is actually inside this white snake!!¡± The elder spoke lightly, ¡°Not now, but I have the Human Emperor Sword! Slaying the nefarious chi and wielding the Human Emperor Sword, with my prestige, it will be enough to stir up a vast rebellion.¡± ¡°With the Human Emperor Sword in hand, I uphold the rightful lineage of the Human Clan, commanded by the heavens!¡± ¡°After my death, the emergence of the Human Emperor Sword will also be enough to throw the whole world into utter chaos.¡± ¡°Unless¡­¡± saying this, the elder looked faintly toward the direction of the capital of Great Xia: ¡°Unless he can defy the heavens, break the shackles, and extend his lifespan!¡± Meanwhile, Under the water surface, The white snake stirred from the chill of the lake water, Looking around after it awakened, Hungry hungry hungry¡ª Its eyes suddenly turned a deep red before its tail flicked, shooting through the water like an arrow. The form of the White Chi moved, stirring the water. The Ancient White Chi, naturally mastering the power of controlling water. ¡­ Elsewhere, Also in Luoshui. Jiang Ning was completely unaware of the events transpiring on the other side of Luoshui. On the desolate island, he continually consumed Hundred Spirit Blood to increase his own Qi Blood Power. Simultaneously, he was strengthening the Water and Fire True Strength skill, increasing its Experience Value. In the blink of an eye, A day had passed. Under the moonlight, he made his way towards his home. [Source Energy]: 241.31 [Skill]: Water and Fire True Strength (small success 374/500) Catching a glimpse of his status panel, Jiang Ning then closed it. Chapter 351: 56: Breakthrough, Qi-Blood like the Sea!_2 Chapter 351: Chapter 56: Breakthrough, Qi-Blood like the Sea!_2 At that moment, he was walking on water, feeling the surging Qi Blood Power within his body, and his heart was unusually excited. From the afternoon until the moon peaked, he had been digesting Hundred Spirit Blood. Although the digestion speed slowed as time went on, by now, he had digested more than forty drops of Hundred Spirit Blood. Now he could feel that although the Qi Blood Power in his body was still at the level of ¡°Qi-blood like a river,¡± it had already grown more than twice as strong. ¡­ That day. Winter days dawned later than usual. While it was still dark, Jiang Ning had already awakened. The moment he awoke, he immediately opened his own panel. [Source Energy]: 613.17 ¡°Is that all?¡± Staring at the panel with numbers starting with six, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes narrowed. According to his estimation, nearly half of the Hundred Spirit Blood was digested yesterday with such a powerful effect. Logically, when he woke up today, the Source Energy Points should have at least broken a thousand. But now it seems that although there is decent growth, it is just that¡ªdecent. From a little over two hundred to over six hundred, an increase of less than four hundred points, this greatly disappointed him. The next moment. Jiang Ning looked at his panel, seemingly enlightened. Then he muttered to himself, ¡°From today¡¯s view, the increase in Source Energy Points might be related to their source! The efficiency of increase on my body seemed to maximize previously with Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, as well as so-called Ancient Immortal Treasures.¡± ¡°As for artificially created items, their impact on Source Energy Points isn¡¯t as great as the innate items.¡± ¡°If we observe from this point, Hundred Spirit Blood, not being a called Heavenly Material or Earthly Treasure, is not an innate item, but an artificial product.¡± ¡°The true innate items, the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, are represented by the products I previously refined such as Blood Lotus.¡± While talking to himself, he recalled his past. Regarding this judgement, Jiang Ning increasingly felt that his current perception wasn¡¯t mistaken. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s really the case!¡± he thought secretly. Then he looked at his panel again. [Source Energy]: 613.17 The Source Energy Points remained over six hundred, nowhere near the thousand he had speculated earlier. Immediately afterward, he closed the panel. He walked outside the house. After washing up. He grabbed a few meat buns from the kitchen and left the house, leaving behind a note in the kitchen informing Jiang Li that he had left. ¡­ S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On the surface of the lake. The sky was dimly lit, fine blood flowers floating in the air. Jiang Ning walked on water, breaking through the thick fog, heading towards the desolate island. Today, his task was simple, to continue digesting the Qi Blood Power and to increase the experience value of the Water and Fire True Strength martial art. As for using the Source Energy Points, he wasn¡¯t in a hurry. Now with over six hundred Source Energy Points, he already had choices. Source Energy Points beyond five hundred allowed both Chopping Wood Blade Skill and Swimming to reach the sixth Break Limit, but he hadn¡¯t yet decided. [Source Energy]: 613.17 [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (five times breaking limit 6000/6000) (trait: touch and understand, blade like a rapid wind, handling the blade like a god, man and blade as one, born with blade bone) Swimming+ (five times breaking limit 6000/6000) (trait: Underwater Breathing, water controlling technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) ¡­ Moments later. He had arrived at the desolate island. Opening the Golden Box, Jiang Ning continued the unfinished task from yesterday, devouring Hundred Spirit Blood, increasing the Qi Blood Power. ¡­ Time flew by. The next morning. The world was already completely white. Since yesterday, the snow had grown heavier and heavier, and after a day and a night, white had already covered everything. Ice could even form on the surface of the lake. At that moment, Jiang Ning stood by the lake, mobilizing the Qi Blood inside his body. In an instant. The Qi Blood Power within him suddenly surged like a tsunami erupting from a tranquil sea. Boom¡ª The tsunami rose, a thunderous sound. As the Qi Blood Power erupted, it instantly possessed the power of a mountain and sea tsunami. Feeling the activity within his body, Jiang Ning¡¯s face immediately showed great joy. At this moment, his Qi Blood had reached the level of ¡°Qi-blood like a sea.¡± For Sixth Rank Martial Artists desiring to reach the Jade Bone layer, achieving ¡°Qi-blood like a sea¡± was the hardest step. According to the experience of predecessors, ¡°Qi-blood like a river¡± was twice as much as ¡°Qi-blood like a river¡±. But to progress from Qi-Blood like a river to Qi-Blood like a sea required a multiple-fold increase in Qi-Blood Power. Increasing multiple times from the foundation of a river was exponentially more difficult. For a martial artist at this level, even several years might not be sufficient to complete this step. Yet, at this moment, Jiang Ning had done it in just two days. ¡°Hundred Spirit Blood, truly a resource used by a Grandmaster!¡± Feeling the Qi-Blood Power in his body reach that of a sea, Jiang Ning emitted a deep sigh. Just then, his understanding of ¡°rich in martial arts and poor in literature¡± deepened. The path of martial arts, from start to finish, is simply a money-burning journey. Small money burns in the early phase, and big money burns later on. Even with his unique traits, using dozens of drops of Hundred Spirit Blood in two days saved him several months of hard work. Such was the nature of burning money. Without Hundred Spirit Blood, even with his uniqueness, it might still take two to three months to achieve this step of Qi-Blood like a sea. And it seemed reasonable that Hundred Spirit Blood had such an effect. After all, it was the reason Lin Qingyi had approached him to buy ten drops. Lin Qingyi, whose official position was the deputy head of Wanhua Building in Luoshui County. However, Jiang Ning felt her identity was certainly very mysterious. Because judging from her strength that day, she was on the cusp of Fourth Grade peak, just a step away from becoming a Third Grade Grandmaster. How could her public identity be so simple? And with such strength and identity, she still found Hundred Spirit Blood elusive. Having to approach him the moment she saw his possession of the Hundred Spirit Blood showed just how rare this item was. Then, Jiang Ning quietly sensed the changes within his body. These two days, as his Qi-Blood Power surged exponentially from river to sea, he had overcome a major class boundary. The explosive growth of Qi-Blood Power was now nourishing every part of his body. It had significantly enhanced his physical body in just two days. The strengthening of Qi-Blood Power nourishes the physical body. While old martial artists with waning bodily functions see their Qi-Blood Power stagnate or decline, leading them back down step by step. Their physical body also weakens progressively. This was one of the main reasons for the decline in the strength of elderly martial artists. After a while, Having felt the changes in his physique, Jiang Ning opened the Golden Box again. Now, only a shallow layer of Hundred Spirit Blood was left at the bottom, about ten drops by his estimation. As for the illusion emanating from the God statue, Jiang Ning had long become accustomed to it and dared not touch the statue. He could only separate a drop of Hundred Spirit Blood using his spiritual power each time he needed one. The next moment, Another drop of Hundred Spirit Blood floated out of the box, and as he opened his mouth, The drop flew into his mouth and instantly merged into his body. One drop after another. Soon, all the Hundred Spirit Blood in the box had integrated into his body. ¡°Burp¡ª¡± Having swallowed all the Hundred Spirit Blood, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but belch. Though the Hundred Spirit Blood didn¡¯t give his stomach a sense of fullness, Consuming thirteen drops at once made him feel as if every part of his body was bursting. A single drop of Hundred Spirit Blood contained enormous energy. Thirteen altogether carried unimaginable energy, easily satiating his physical body. ¡°After digesting all this Hundred Spirit Blood, my Qi-Blood Power could increase by another half stage!¡± Jiang Ning rubbed his stomach and smiled. Then, he looked at his panel. [Source Energy]: 838.49 The Source Energy Points had started with an eight. Though it hadn¡¯t reached a thousand yet, Jiang Ning believed that by tomorrow, his points would be sufficient to break a thousand. Then, he looked at the Skill section. [Skill]: Five Animals Fist (One-time Break Limit 813/2000) (Traits: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (Five times Breaking Limit 6000/6000) (Traits: Touch and Understand, Blade like a Gale, Handling Blade like a God, Man and Blade as One, Innate Blade Bone) Swimming+ (Five times Breaking Limit 6000/6000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) Water and Fire True Strength (Great Success 378/1000) The biggest change on the panel was in Water and Fire True Strength. In two days, this cultivation technique had successfully progressed from small success to great success. Such speed, although not as fast as the previous advancements of Canglang Blade Skill and Sweeping Fire Spear Skill, was still extremely fast. Especially considering it within superior martial arts, this speed was frighteningly fast. ¡°All my achievements today are the result of hard work!¡± Jiang Ning said this with a smile curling at the corner of his mouth. No one knew better than him what he primarily relied on to achieve his current success! Chapter 352: 57: Swimming Breaks Limit, The Path of God? Chapter 352: Chapter 57: Swimming Breaks Limit, The Path of God? The next day. Snowflakes fluttered about. Jiang Ning habitually rolled out of bed and immediately felt a wave of coldness sweeping through his body. His Qi-Blood circulated, and in an instant, his body became as hot as a furnace, dispelling all the chill. Afterward, Jiang Ning immediately opened his panel. [Source Energy]: 1089.33 ¡°The Source Energy Points really passed a thousand!¡± Looking at his own panel, Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. Although the Hundred Spirit Blood didn¡¯t bring the explosive increase in Source Energy Points he had expected, it wasn¡¯t bad either. Thanks to the effects of the Hundred Spirit Blood, not only had his Qi-Blood broken through a significant threshold, reaching a level like an ocean, but it also enabled his Source Energy Points to successfully exceed a thousand. A thousand Source Energy Points would allow both his Chopping Wood Blade Skill and Swimming to achieve a sixth Break Limit. Based on his previous experience, no matter which Skill it was, completing the sixth Break Limit would undoubtedly be of great help to his strength. However, he was more interested in breaking the limit of his Water and Fire True Strength martial arts. Water and Fire True Strength was a purely offensive martial arts, and it was also the only superior martial arts he currently possessed. If this martial arts were to break the limit, its might would surge tremendously. [Skill]: Water and Fire True Strength (Great Success 378/1000) He glanced at his panel again. ¡°I¡¯ll need to save some Source Energy Points for future use of Water and Fire True Strength!¡± ¡°However, based on previous experiences, martial arts that have entered grade, whether it¡¯s the lower-level Five Animals Fist or the middle-grade Wind Thunder Arrow Skill, the first Break Limit only requires ten times the Source Energy Points of those that have not entered a grade, which is a hundred points.¡± ¡°With this in mind, I only need to keep around four or five hundred Source Energy Points for now, enough for Water and Fire True Strength to complete one or two Break Limits!¡± ¡°The rest of the Source Energy Points can be used to break the limit of another Skill!¡± After thinking it through, Jiang Ning once again looked at the Skill section of his panel. [Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill+ (Six Times Breaking Limit 6000/6000) (Trait: Touch and Understand, Sword Like Swift Wind, Operating Sword like a God, Man and Sword As One, Innate Sword Bone) Swimming+ (Six Times Breaking Limit 6000/6000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing, Mastery of Water, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) Undoubtedly, the only Skills available for him to choose from were these two. Chopping Wood Blade Skill and Swimming. Looking at these two Skills on the panel, Jiang Ning fell into thought again. Even without considering the traits, having completed five Break Limits with the Chopping Wood Blade Skill, he had mastered the magical technique of Sword Force. With a single slash, his spirit, Qi, and spirit gathered as one, drawing upon the power of heaven and earth. That dazzling peak slash was something he couldn¡¯t forget to this day. Facing a Sixth Rank Xuan Bone Martial Artist, and even a monsterized Xuan Bone Martial Artist, they were still instantly killed under his blade. Recalling this now, Jiang Ning felt it was an incredibly stunning slash. Without a doubt, continuing to break the limit of the Chopping Wood Blade Skill would further strengthen his swordsmanship. But the next moment, Jiang Ning decided to first break the limit of his Swimming Skill. Because Swimming was a comprehensive Skill and his strongest means of survival. Enhancing offensive capabilities with a shallow foundation, how strong could it get? Even if he could kill any Bone Forging strong person with one slash, he would still fall short when facing Fifth Grade Internal Strength martial artists. Especially those at the Peak with Inner Breath Like Gang. One sword to cut down thousands in the enemy ranks. Just this description made it hard for him to imagine such terrifying explosive power. This sort of killing power, even the missiles of his previous world couldn¡¯t achieve. Because it wasn¡¯t common people these thousands referred to, but Martial Artists who had entered the ranks, clad in armor and wielding sharp weapons. These Martial Artists, weren¡¯t much different from a lump of iron. In his former world, they could be considered immune to small-caliber firearms. So Jiang Ning was very clear that his Martial Arts foundation was only at the Seventh Grade Peak. Even with highly sophisticated techniques and terrifying swordsmanship, his killing ability was still limited and couldn¡¯t stand against Fifth Grade strong people. And if the death of He Jinyun truly sparked a crisis, the forces dispatched by the Qinghe Marquis Mansion certainly wouldn¡¯t be lower than Fifth Grade. After all, He Jinyun was a direct descendant of the Qinghe Marquis Mansion, and a member of the main family line. If his older brother were to unexpectedly pass away, He Jinyun would be eligible to inherit the title of Marquis of Qinghe. The next moment. Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning¡¯s thoughts moved. The Source Energy Points on the panel suddenly flew like running water. In the blink of an eye, the Source Energy Points settled at 589.33. Afterward. Jiang Ning felt his thoughts continuously expanding. The moisture in the air at this moment seemed to become his eyes. His senses spread continuously, and then merged into the Luoshui River, spreading further. At this moment, Jiang Ning felt as if he had become an omnipotent being, able to see any scene within his senses just by a thought. In a state of seeing from the perspective of God, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart became neither sad nor happy, his spirit indifferent. As if a God looking down at all living beings from high above. Time passed, perhaps two hours, perhaps a day, or perhaps an instant. In Jiang Ning¡¯s perception, a blue light suddenly appeared within his sensing range and then merged into his body. ¡°That was!!!¡± Jiang Ning immediately opened his eyes, a look of surprise on his face. Just at the moment the blue light appeared, in that fleeting glimpse, he saw a mysterious pattern, one that closely resembled the pictograph for ¡°water¡±. The next moment. He opened his panel. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Skill]: Swimming (Six Times Breaking Limit 3173/7000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing, Mastery of Water+, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) Looking at his current panel, Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze suddenly sharpened. Chapter 353: 57: Swimming Breaks Limit, The Path of God?_2 Chapter 353: Chapter 57: Swimming Breaks Limit, The Path of God?_2 Mastery of Water Technique+ This was the first time he had seen such a change on his panel. Immediately, He looked at his panel, deep in thought. Recalling the fleeting glimpse of blue light, his eyes deepened. ¡°Is it authority?¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself. His gaze shifted back to the sky outside the window. ¡°Could it be that breaking the limit of Swimming is to seize the authority of the Water God from between heaven and earth?¡± This speculation couldn¡¯t help but surface in his mind. Because the traits listed on the panel were quite telling. Seeing again the blue watery characters he had just glimpsed, ¡°Perhaps¡­ there is such a possibility!¡± Jiang Ning silently pondered. Then he looked at his panel again. [Mastery of Water Technique+]: A kind of authority, a natural ability to control sources of water. Seeing the description on the panel, Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes suddenly sharpened. Authority! The term clearly differed from before. Previously, the Mastery of Water Technique was described as Divine Skills. Now, it had transformed into authority. The word ¡°authority¡± carried an incredibly large amount of information. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Which led him to reflect on his previous speculation once more. The next moment, He went to the door and pushed it open. Just as he opened a crack, the fluttering goose feather-like snow fell through the gap and onto the floor of the room. Soon after, a world draped in silver unfolded before his eyes. The somber sky, with a faint light starting to appear, was filled with goose feather-like snowflakes, and the ground was covered in half a foot of snow. As Jiang Ning stepped out of the door, snowflakes fell onto his neck And immediately melted into water and dissipated. ¡°So beautiful!!¡± Admiring the silver-clad scenery, with everything covered in snow, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but marvel. As a child from the South, he had never witnessed such a beautiful scene in his past life. The world was silent except for the constantly falling snowflakes and the vast expanse of white. After admiring it for a moment, he moved. Snowflakes swirled behind him, and in an instant, his figure disappeared from the courtyard, over the high walls, arriving at the stony beach. By now, after two days of heavy snow, a layer of ice had begun to form on the lake. Although the ice layer was thin and couldn¡¯t support the weight of an ordinary person, it was sufficient to lock the lake¡¯s surface from the waves. With the ice sealing the lake, the snowflakes falling on the ice layer turned the vast Luoshui Lake into a boundless white expanse. ¡°What a scene, ice fishing by the lake would indeed be quite a mood!¡± Jiang Ning chuckled to himself. Then, he solemnly focused his gaze on the lake ahead. He came here with a simple intent, to test the upgraded version of the Mastery of Water Technique. The Mastery of Water Technique, which had gone from being called a Divine Skill to an authority. The next moment, He gazed ahead, a thought crossing his mind. Crack, crack, crack¡ª Across the lake surface, a web of cracks spread like a spider¡¯s web. After one breath, Boom¡ª The ice layer burst, and the snow flew in all directions. Immediately after, the water within a hundred meters began to rise, appearing as if the riverbed itself was being elevated. As the water kept rising, surpassing the rocks and the shore, Sweat began to appear on Jiang Ning¡¯s forehead. His face grew even more solemn. A few breaths later, The water within a hundred meters had risen above Jiang Ning¡¯s head. And at that moment, his face had turned red, seemingly reaching a limit. Boom¡ª With a release of breath, the wall of water, several zhang high, crashed down, sending up mounds of snow. And producing a deafening boom. At that moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s figure vanished from the spot. He returned to his own courtyard. Looking at his panel once again, Jiang Ning was inwardly excited. [Skill]: Swimming (Six times breaking limit 3173/7000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Mastery of Water Technique+, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) The Mastery of Water Technique had upgraded. Its water-controlling ability was simply incomparable to before. It wasn¡¯t a difference of multiples, but a gap in quality. The chasm between heaven and earth. One could imagine that, with his future growth in essence Qi, he would have the complete capacity to invoke a deluge or even trigger a tsunami. Such power was not within human reach, it was a display of divine might. ¡°This five hundred points, well spent!¡± Jiang Ning nodded to himself satisfied as he looked at his panel. ¡­ Morning. After finishing breakfast at home, Jiang Ning headed to the Inspection Office. He hadn¡¯t visited the Inspection Office for a few days, and as Deputy Commander, he needed to check in. At the same time, he wanted to probe for information, to see the reaction of Qinghe Marquis of Dongling County and the military in Dongling County to the death of He Jinyun in Luoshui County. Cao Rong had been shot dead by his two arrows. Although the evidence pointed to him, it was he who had killed Cao Rong. However, any intelligent person would know that Cao Rong¡¯s death was surely at his hands. He was indeed the murderer of Cao Rong. It was clear to anyone with eyes. ¡­ Inspection Office. ¡°Father, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Feng Jiuge looked at the middle-aged man who suddenly appeared before her, her face filled with surprise. The middle-aged man in front of her was none other than the renowned Feng Xiaochen from Dongling County, a Secondary Sixth-rank Colonel. A Sixth-rank Official held considerable prestige in Dongling City. After all, the Prefectural Governor of Dongling County was only a Sixth-Grade official. Which meant that Feng Xiaochen was only half a rank lower than the Prefectural Governor. But the military authority he held was the true power. The status that came with his military authority meant he was in no way inferior to that of the Prefectural Governor. At this moment, faced with his daughter¡¯s perplexity, Feng Xiaochen showed a faint smile as he looked at his daughter whom he hadn¡¯t seen for days. ¡°Cao Rong died at Yi Zhang Gorge; Capital Commandant Yan has sent me to find out who exactly the murderer is!¡± ¡°Capital Commandant Yan?¡± Feng Jiuge¡¯s expression suddenly grew serious. ¡°Mm!¡± Feng Xiaochen nodded slightly, ¡°Cao Rong led the team to Luoshui County under orders from Capital Commandant Yan! Moreover, before his departure, Cao Rong received considerable assistance from Capital Commandant Yan, allowing him to successfully enter the ranks of Martial Arts Sixth Grade.¡± ¡°It must be said, being able to shoot and kill Cao Rong with archery, in the very field he excelled in, the murderer is quite a figure!¡± As he said this, Feng Xiaochen looked at his daughter in front of him with a half-smile, ¡°I wonder who Jiuge thinks the murderer might be?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Feng Jiuge said indifferently. ¡°Do you really not know, or are you pretending not to know?¡± Feng Xiaochen asked. ¡°Why ask when you already know?¡± Feng Jiuge looked up at her father. Hearing this, Feng Xiaochen simply smiled without saying a word. He had already gathered all the intelligence on Luoshui County before coming here. Now he obviously knew who the murderer of Cao Rong was. Besides that Commander Jiang, his own daughter¡¯s direct superior, who else could it be? Just then, Tap tap tap¡ª The sound of footsteps approached from afar. Soon, the footsteps reached a place very close to the two of them. The next moment, a figure appeared from the side of the main gate. ¡°Captain Feng, who is this?¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s figure appeared, instantly noticing Feng Jiuge and the middle-aged man in the hall. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself, I am Feng Xiaochen!¡± the middle-aged man said lightly. Hearing this name, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart tightened for a moment. Feng Xiaochen, how could he be unaware? Once famous for his Sweeping Fire Spear Skill, domineering as fire. This man was also Feng Jiuge¡¯s father, known as Captain Feng of Dongling City. Colonel. In charge of a company of soldiers, totaling one thousand. These one thousand soldiers were all well-trained and well-equipped. Despite the apparent unrest and spreading rebellions in Great Xia, the legitimacy and elite nature of the court¡¯s soldiers had not declined in the slightest; they remained extremely fine troops, all of them armored and ready for battle. This was why, despite so many rebellious cases, Great Xia was still relatively stable overall. Because those soldiers were too elite, all armored and equipped, always in a state of readiness for battle. In military camps, where food was plentiful, those who practiced martial arts had a much higher chance of becoming ranked martial artists compared to ordinary civilians. ¡°Greetings to Colonel Feng!¡± Jiang Ning immediately bowed his hands in respect. ¡°No need for formalities, Commander Jiang!¡± Feng Xiaochen replied with a faint smile, ¡°I must also thank Commander Jiang for your care of my daughter these days.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing of the sort!¡± Jiang Ning replied. From the side, Feng Jiuge glanced at the two men. ¡°I¡¯ll go make tea for you two,¡± she said indifferently. Chapter 354: 58: One Hundred and Eight Heaven and Earth Evil Bone Forging Skill Chapter 354: Chapter 58: One Hundred and Eight Heaven and Earth Evil Bone Forging Skill Inspection Office. Jiang Ning walked alone to the stove, rubbed his hands together, then spread them out to warm himself by the fire. ¡°Commander Jiang, with your physique, do you still need to warm yourself by the fire?¡± Feng Xiaochen, seeing this scene, chuckled. Jiang Ning, hearing this, also showed a faint smile on his face. ¡°Out of habit!¡± Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words, Feng Xiaochen suddenly realized. ¡°It is indeed! Commander Jiang has been an ordinary person for over a decade, habits from so many years are hard to change in a mere moment.¡± After saying this, he too sat down next to Jiang Ning, stretching out his hands to warm them by the fire. Immediately, Feng Xiaochen also rubbed his hands: ¡°Warming up by the fire in this deep winter really is comforting!¡± A thought seemed to cross his mind as he recalled some nostalgic memory. The next moment, Feng Xiaochen shook his head slightly: ¡°Commander Jiang, I wonder what level you have achieved with the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill!¡± ¡°The progress is decent,¡± Jiang Ning said. Hearing this, Feng Xiaochen nodded knowingly. Saying it was ¡°decent¡± meant Jiang Ning did not wish to delve deep into this topic. Why he did not want to delve deep was probably because the progress was not great, no substantial gains, hence he did not want to talk deeply about it. Thinking this, Feng Xiaochen muttered to himself silently. ¡°This Commander Jiang is indeed a prodigy with exceptional talent, resembling a young Grandmaster! Today, perhaps I should do him a favor!¡± After a moment of contemplation, Feng Xiaochen had made up his mind. Then he spoke, ¡°Commander Jiang, my Nine Refining Fire Power has already reached the pinnacle, even ordinary martial artists who have mastered the perfect Sweeping Fire Spear Skill cannot compare with my Nine Refining Fire Power!¡± ¡°Commander Jiang, why not experience the power of the Nine Refining Fire? It might help you grasp the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill, reversely deduce that superior martial arts recorded in the archives.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning laughed and shook his head. From Feng Xiaochen¡¯s words, he sensed the goodwill. Moreover, Feng Xiaochen¡¯s daughter, Feng Jiuge, was currently working under his command, and previously, on behalf of his master Wang Jin, he had made a deal with Feng Xiaochen. Both parties exchanged the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill and the Canglang Blade Skill. Calculatedly, both parties already had some ties. Now, Feng Xiaochen was openly showing goodwill once again. The next moment. Jiang Ning gently placed his hand on Feng Xiaochen¡¯s elbow. Water and Fire True Strength circulated, poised but not unleashed. At the same time, ¡°Is this!!!¡± Feng Xiaochen suddenly widened his eyes at Jiang Ning. After two breaths. Jiang Ning withdrew his hand. ¡°Captain Feng, did you feel that?¡± ¡°The continuity of water, the ferocity of fire, repelling yet merging!¡± Feng Xiaochen murmured, his eyes showing an incredibly incredulous look: ¡°Could it be that Commander Jiang has already deduced that superior Cultivation Technique?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Jiang Ning nodded lightly. ¡°Hiss!¡± Hearing this, Feng Xiaochen gasped sharply, looking at Jiang Ning in utter shock. It seemed like a mortal glimpsing into the divine. As someone who had made a name for himself with the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill, Feng Xiaochen was very aware of the difficulty of this martial arts technique. The Sweeping Fire Spear Skill, emphasizes intent and spirit over form. In other words, it focuses on comprehension; hard practice of the spear skill does little to aid in mastering the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hence, any martial artist who could perfect the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill, mastering the flawless Nine Refining Fire Power, required immense comprehension and no small amount of time. ¡°How long has it been since he started with the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill?¡± ¡°What monstrous comprehension does he possess?¡± ¡°The so-called Martial Saint, perhaps, is no more than this?¡± With this thought, Feng Xiaochen took a deep breath again in his mind. In just a few months, a normal martial artist mastering the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill would already be a rare genius. Not to mention mastering the perfect realm of the Sweeping Fire Spear Skill, fully mastering the Nine Refining Fire Power. Not to mention achieving that legendary feat. The next moment, Feng Xiaochen steadied his spirit, his eyes filled with admiration as he looked at Jiang Ning. ¡°No wonder Commander Jiang, at such a young age, has achieved those feats, the world has underestimated you!¡± Jiang Ning merely smiled noncommittally. Then changing the subject, ¡°I wonder, Captain Feng, what brings you here all of a sudden?¡± Having settled his turbulent emotions, Feng Xiaochen then spoke, ¡°I¡¯m here under the orders of Capital Commandant Yan, to investigate who killed Cao Rong in Luoshui County!¡± Capital Commandant Yan. Hearing this name, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart suddenly tightened. If you were to speak of the few people at the top of the pyramid in Dongling County, undoubtedly Capital Commandant Yan was among them. This man commanded the military of the entire county. His official rank was even above that of the Prefectural Governor. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that military power should not intersect with political authority, any interaction between Capital Commandant Yan and the Governor would be a great taboo. With the power at his disposal, he could easily become the true ruler of Dongling County. But even though he only wielded military and not political power, with the rank of Standard Fifth Grade and the influence of commanding the military of the whole county, Any power in Dongling County dare not disrespect him. Moreover, as Jiang Ning knew, This Capital Commandant Yan was also one of the few peak fifth-grade powerhouses within Dongling County. At this moment, Feng Xiaochen glanced at Jiang Ning. ¡°Everyone says that Cao Rong died by Commander Jiang¡¯s hand, do you believe this to be true?¡± ¡°What do you think, Captain Feng?¡± Jiang Ning countered. Feng Xiaochen smiled, about to speak, when suddenly a voice reached his ears. ¡°What are Father and Commander Jiang talking about?¡± The voice of Feng Jiuge arrived, as the two men turned their heads. Dressed in a red long coat and wearing a red fox fur cloak, Feng Jiuge approached, carrying a steaming pot of tea. ¡°We were just briefly discussing the death of Cao Rong. Everyone outside says that Commander Jiang killed him, and I was just asking Commander Jiang what he thinks about this!¡± Feng Xiaochen laughed. Chapter 355: 58: One Hundred and Eight Heaven and Earth Evil Bone Forging Skill_2 Chapter 355: Chapter 58: One Hundred and Eight Heaven and Earth Evil Bone Forging Skill_2 Hearing these words, Feng Jiuge¡¯s face immediately showed a look of tension. She was very aware that aside from her own master, who else could be responsible for Cao Rong¡¯s death? Then, she asked, ¡°So, Father, whom do you think killed Cao Rong?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Feng Xiaochen shook his head and chuckled, ¡°I wasn¡¯t there at the time, how could I know! I certainly don¡¯t believe the rumors on the street!¡± ¡­ Half an hour later. Feng Xiaochen departed, and Feng Jiuge went out to see him off. ¡°It¡¯s time to visit the Internal Affairs Office,¡± Jiang Ning stood up and murmured. Having reached the Martial Arts Sixth Grade, his Qi-Blood had long met the conditions. Now, he just needed to wait for Lin Qingyi¡¯s message about the Iron Bone Pill, the Xuan Bone Pill, and other pills. The path of Bone Forging, if not aided by external substances, was impossible to reach the Iron Bone Realm. The most foolish method would be to consume iron sand during Bone Forging, following the Ancient Method. But Jiang Ning wasn¡¯t in such a hurry. Compared to assisting with Iron Bone Pills, the method of eating iron sand was vastly inefficient. Moreover, judging by the time, he would receive news from Lin Qingyi in a few days. Apart from that, he also needed to prepare a Bone Forging Method. Bone Forging Methods stemmed from the craft of blacksmithing. Like blacksmithing, which has various schools, Bone Forging Methods also vary. Different Bone Forging Methods vary in efficiency. However, the Bone Forging Methods available from the Internal Affairs Office of the Inspection Office would undoubtedly be of high quality. Because the Martial Saint of yesteryears had already gathered the martial knowledge and countless secret techniques from across the world. To presume to advance further on the foundation of the Martial Saint, one would need the wisdom of the world. ¡­ S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Moments later. Internal Affairs Office. Jiang Ning shook off the snow outside the door before pushing open the grand entrance to the Internal Affairs Office. Upon entering, he saw an elderly woman snoozing next to a stove. ¡°Senior!¡± Jiang Ning immediately spoke up. The elderly woman¡¯s head gave a small nod before she promptly awoke. ¡°It¡¯s you, boy!¡± she said indifferently. ¡°Senior, it¡¯s me!¡± Jiang Ning replied respectfully. After witnessing the elderly woman¡¯s movement technique and use of the Sumeru Ring the last time, Jiang Ning knew his previous guess was correct. This elderly woman was not simple. Perhaps the strongest person in this Inspection Office was not Hong Minghu, but this elderly woman. Because, as far as he knew, Hong Minghu¡¯s entry into the Fifth Grade was through absolutely unconventional means, purely relying on external objects. ¡°What brings you here today?¡± The elderly woman glanced at Jiang Ning with her gaze landing on the center of his forehead. Jiang Ning said, ¡°I need to exchange for a Bone Forging Method, the best one within thirty thousand Contribution Points.¡± ¡°Bone Forging?¡± The elderly woman gave Jiang Ning a look and remarked indifferently, ¡°Such methods aren¡¯t that expensive, after all, imprinting a copy is simple! Since you are from the Inspection Office, there¡¯s no need to be so stringent on this matter!¡± Having said that, the elderly woman continued, ¡°Three thousand Contribution Points, I¡¯ll give you a Bone Forging Method best suited for you, no problem there, right?¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Jiang Ning nodded immediately. Next, he took out the currency representing three thousand Contribution Points from the Sumeru Ring and handed it to the elderly woman. ¡°Here you go!¡± A scroll of sheepskin appeared in the elderly woman¡¯s hand as she tossed it towards Jiang Ning. Then, she added, ¡°This is a method called ¡®One Hundred and Eight Heaven and Earth Evil Bone Forging Skill¡¯. This method suits those with Innate Spiritual Wisdom, and it¡¯s extremely suitable for you. With your comprehension, understanding it should not be difficult!¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior!¡± Jiang Ning was immediately overjoyed upon hearing this. Although there was no explicit ranking for Bone Forging Methods, just like blacksmith techniques, he knew from its name that this Bone Forging Method was extraordinary, surely among the top-tier Bone Forging Methods. After carefully storing the sheepskin scroll, Jiang Ning bid farewell to the elderly woman and turned to leave. At this point. The elderly woman watched Jiang Ning¡¯s retreating figure, her eyes profoundly deep. ¡°This boy is too extraordinary!¡± ¡°The protrusion at the center of his forehead is the sign that spiritual power has surged to a certain level!¡± ¡°And now he¡¯s seeking out a Bone Forging Method, it looks like this boy will step into the Sixth Grade Bone Forging Realm soon!¡± ¡°Yet previously, he was able to slay a Sixth Grade Xuan Bone Realm martial artist with the strength of Seventh Grade, and it was a martial artist who had undergone Divine Transformation.¡± ¡°Even with a Jade Bone, one couldn¡¯t contend against a Sixth Grade Xuan Bone Divine Transformation!¡± ¡°This boy, he¡¯s too extraordinary!¡± ¡°I wonder if he can one day stand shoulder to shoulder with the Martial Saint, with this ¡®One Hundred and Eight Heaven and Earth Evil Bone Forging Skill¡¯ that has been perfected by the former Martial Saint.¡± At this thought, an image of a Daoist wearing a yellow robe with the Qiankun Eight Diagram inscribed on his back suddenly appeared in the elderly woman¡¯s mind. ¡­ Elsewhere. Jiang Ning returned indoors and sat next to the charcoal stove, unfolding the sheepskin scroll. [Literacy and Judgement Experience +3] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +5] [Literacy and Judgement Experience +2] [¡­] In an instant, a series of prompts appeared before his eyes¡ªnotifications of the growth in his skill of Reading and Writing. After a short while with a tea cup half-filled, he had finished reading the densely packed characters on the parchment, akin to ants in their multitude. He immediately closed his eyes, quietly assimilating the information in his mind. A moment later, he opened his eyes, his gaze brimming with intense surprise. According to the description on the parchment, if one found the Heaven¡¯s Might Yang and the Earth¡¯s Fiend Yin and combined them with the Bone Forging Method, one could ascend beyond the level of Jade Bone. That was a necessary step to achieve the body of a Martial Saint. ¡°This Heaven and Earth Evil Bone Forging Skill is truly extraordinary, far too extraordinary!!¡± He was extremely excited in his heart. Martial Saint! These two words alone were enough to elicit such a reaction from him. In the eight hundred year history of Great Xia, it could be said that eighty percent of its merits lay with that Martial Saint. One man, towering above all living beings. This clearly showed the mighty power represented by a Martial Saint. A power that could dominate the world. One must know that in this world, Ancient Times were the era of immortals and gods. Even if that era had faded, the legacy of the descendants of immortals and gods surely remained. Even to the south of Great Xia, within the barbaric moutain ranges, great demons still slumbered. Yet none of these had affected the status of the Martial Saint. Even in this current era, the rise of rampant chaos is not unrelated to the absence of the Martial Saint. ¡°Heaven¡¯s Might Yang and Earth¡¯s Fiend Yin, I have never heard of them before!¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. ¡°But there¡¯s no rush, I¡¯ll find them gradually in the future! This Heaven and Earth Evil Bone Forging Skill is so extraordinary, it will certainly make my bone forging efficiency far surpass the ordinary man!¡± ¡°Now, I just need to wait for Lin Qingyi¡¯s notice!¡± ¡­ [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Four Break Limit 2378/5000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility, Outstanding Comprehension) Afterwards, Jiang Ning glanced at his own panel. Seeing the huge surge in experience for the skill of Reading and Writing, he knew even more how exceptional the Heaven and Earth Evil Bone Forging Skill was. Merely half a cup of tea¡¯s time of reading had increased the skill by more than two thousand experience points. Something he had never encountered before. Up next, Jiang Ning glanced outside the window at the heavy snow still falling, then continued to warm himself by the fire while covertly circulating his power, increasing the experience for the skill of Water and Fire True Strength. For him now, sitting, lying down, or standing, as long as he was undisturbed, he could train. [Water and Fire True Strength Experience +2] [Water and Fire True Strength Experience +3] [Water and Fire True Strength Experience +2] [¡­] Time continued to pass, the experience for the Water and Fire True Strength cultivation technique steadily grew, and the realm of Perfection was ever closer. ¡­ ¡°Sir, what are you doing here?¡± The door swung open, and a voice filled with joy burst into Jiang Ning¡¯s ears. He immediately interrupted his training and turned to look. The visitor was none other than Xie Xiaojiu, draped in a black fox fur cloak. From this, Jiang Ning knew Xie Xiaojiu favored black. In his memory, every time Xie Xiaojiu appeared before him, she was dressed in black. Even those nights when he stayed at Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s house, Xie Xiaojiu would be lounging in a black nightgown. ¡°It¡¯s snowing heavily; you still came to work!¡± Jiang Ning chuckled. Xie Xiaojiu was taken aback for a moment, then quickly grasped the meaning behind the words ¡®came to work¡¯ that Jiang Ning used. She immediately beamed and replied, ¡°I wanted to try my luck here and see if I could run into the Sir!¡± As Jiang Ning looked at Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s smiling face and heard her words, his heart suddenly felt tender. ¡°Come in and warm up by the fire after closing the door!¡± ¡°Yes, Sir!!¡± Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s voice was brimming with elation. She promptly closed the door, keeping the wind and snow outside. Chapter 356: 59: Break Limit, Water and Fire Immortal Clothes! Chapter 356: Chapter 59: Break Limit, Water and Fire Immortal Clothes! Indoors. Xie Xiaojiu closed the door, shutting out the blizzard, then took off the fox fur cloak she had draped over her shoulders and placed it on the table next to her. After that, she sat beside Jiang Ning, rubbing her hands together, her face appearing rosy in the glow of the charcoal fire. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Sir, do you know why I was looking for you?¡± Xie Xiaojiu started, speaking to Jiang Ning. ¡°What is it?¡± Jiang Ning asked. ¡°I officially entered the Seventh Grade a few days ago!¡± Xie Xiaojiu said, full of pride, her chin slightly lifted. ¡°Impressive!!¡± Jiang Ning exclaimed sincerely. Although he had already reached the peak of the Seventh Grade and was even two years younger than Xie Xiaojiu, he knew that he himself should not be judged by normal standards. For Xie Xiaojiu to reach this level at her age was quite extraordinary, even in the whole of Luoshui County. Know that even someone with the fame and status of Wang Jin was only at the peak of the Seventh Grade. Compared to Wang Jin, Xie Xiaojiu was much younger. With her talent and potential, she would undoubtedly be the foremost of her generation in Luoshui County, aside from himself. At the same time. When Xie Xiaojiu heard Jiang Ning¡¯s exaggerated praise, a smile immediately spread across her face. ¡°In front of you, sir, my little accomplishment doesn¡¯t deserve such praise!¡± ¡°Compared to the bright moon that is you, I am but the glow of fireflies!¡± Jiang Ning, laughing, shook his head, ¡°Apart from me, you are indeed the number one of the younger generation in Luoshui County!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true!¡± Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s face burst with excitement, ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t compare myself to you, sir. After all, how many people in this world are qualified to be compared to you?¡± Hearing Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s exaggerated speech, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. Just then, the door was pushed open once again. A fiery red figure appeared before them, it was Feng Jiuge. ¡°Sir!¡± Feng Jiuge gave Xie Xiaojiu a brief glance before addressing Jiang Ning. ¡°Have you settled your father in?¡± Jiang Ning asked. ¡°Thank you for your concern, sir, everything has been arranged!¡± Feng Jiuge responded. Then she added, ¡°I have also investigated the information you entrusted me to find!¡± ¡°How is it?¡± Jiang Ning inquired. Feng Jiuge replied, ¡°According to my father, the news of He Jinyun¡¯s death arrived in Dongling City just before his departure, and the Qinghe Marquis Mansion is enraged!¡± ¡°But as for who they are sending and when they will arrive, that is still unknown!¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Jiang Ning nodded. At that moment, Feng Jiuge seemed to think of something, her eyes suddenly filled with shock as she looked at Jiang Ning. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be¡­¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there at the door, come in and get warm by the fire!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Feng Jiuge immediately complied, suppressing the frightening thoughts in her head, then turned around and shut the door. That day. The snow swirled outside the house, while Xie Xiaojiu and Feng Jiuge sat quietly beside Jiang Ning, warming themselves by the fire, occasionally bringing over hot tea. And Jiang Ning was continuously cultivating his Water and Fire True Strength, increasing the experience value of this skill. ¡­ In a blink. Three days had passed. Jiang Ning pushed open the door. The snow outside was still falling thick and fast, with the wind but no snow. ¡°Never mind, with this weather, I won¡¯t go to the Inspection Office!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head dismissively. And then he closed the door again. The weather made it inconvenient even to walk outside. The thick snowfall had long been covering the roads. Even though the Inner City had laborers clearing snow from the roads daily, it usually took until Noon for carts to be able to pass. If he left as early as he did, he would have to rely solely on his own two feet. ¡°This weather, the people in the Outer City and the ordinary citizens must be having a hard time!¡± Jiang Ning suddenly remembered a stray cat from his past life that had frozen to death. Forget it! He shook his head, no longer wanting to think about it. Such grand concerns for the country and its people were not for him. In his eyes, if he could live well himself and ensure those around him did the same, that was enough! In poverty, one can only take care of oneself; in wealth, one should help the world. It¡¯s not that he lacked such lofty ideals, even if he did, he was far from what could be called accomplished. In this world, he was just a minor Eighth-Rank Official, and on the path of Martial Arts, merely a minor Seventh Grade practitioner. Truly, in the grand scheme of things, he was still an insignificant person. After securing the door, Jiang Ning opened his panel to check again. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 623.17 [Skills]: Reading and Writing (Five times limit-breaking 2378/5000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility, Outstanding Comprehension) Five Animals Fist (One time breaking limit 787/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Five times limit-breaking 6000/6000) (Traits: Touch and Understand, Sword as Swift as the Wind, God-like Blade Control, Man and Sword as One, Innate Blade Bone) Inner Elixir Cultivation Skill (Small Success 713/5000) Vajra Immortal Body (Small Success 453/5000) Swimming (Six times breaking limit 3763/7000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation Technique+, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) Wind Thunder Arrow Skill (Three times limit-breaking 49/4000) (Traits: Wind and Thunder Breath, Heart Arrow Technique, Wind and Thunder Arrow) Water and Fire True Strength (Perfection 776/1000) The Water and Fire True Strength skill was now also perfected. And the experience value had already grown by an additional 776 points on top of perfection. These past few days, besides his daily routine, he had been working hard on the experience value for the Water and Fire True Strength skill. Now it was already perfected, and he was not far from the first breaking limit. ¡°According to my current rate, I will be able to break the first limit of Water and Fire True Strength by today!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself as he looked at his panel. Then. He continued to cultivate his Water and Fire True Strength indoors. [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +1] [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +3] [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +3] [¡­] ¡­ Outside Luoshui County. Chapter 357: 59: Break Limit, Water and Fire Immortal Clothes!_2 Chapter 357: Chapter 59: Break Limit, Water and Fire Immortal Clothes!_2 A dragon steed, towering ten feet tall, approached through the snow. Its hooves moved swiftly, each lift stirring up a flurry of snowflakes. Astride the horse, a distinguished young man clad in a thin white robe, with a handsome face and piercing eyes, sat poised. In front of this young man, the extreme cold of the outside world seemed trivial. Even as the howling wind penetrated his white robe, his brow remained uncreased. ¡°Luoshui County! We¡¯re here!¡± the young man slightly lifted his head and saw the three characters above the city gate not far away. At the same time, The sound of the hooves quickly attracted the attention of the soldiers on guard in the chilling wind. The moment they saw the white-robed figure on the dragon steed, the soldiers on the city wall immediately grew solemn. Whether it was traveling in snowy weather or the fact that the man rode a dragon steed as tall as ten feet, both were enough to prove the extraordinary status of the visitor. Moments later, The young man¡¯s right hand grasped a long spear, and his left hand held the dragon steed¡¯s reins. He¡ª¡ª Amid the dragon steed¡¯s neighing, a series of dull dragon chants emitted. On the other side, The newly appeared adjutant on the city wall narrowed his eyes. ¡°Pureblood dragon steed!¡± ¡°Sir, is a pureblood dragon steed very precious?¡± asked a captain standing nearby. ¡°Very precious! A pureblood dragon steed is worth a hundred gold! And that¡¯s not just a figure of speech!¡± the adjutant replied. ¡°Hiss¡ª¡ª¡± Hearing this, the nearby captain immediately drew in a breath of cold air. A hundred gold equates to a hundred taels of gold. If converted to silver tael, that meant the dragon steed was worth one hundred thousand taels of silver. Then, the captain continued, ¡°That means the visitor is no ordinary person!¡± ¡°Definitely not ordinary!¡± said the adjutant, ¡°Being able to travel in this heavy snow and dressed so lightly, how could he be ordinary! He must be a master!¡± Just then, The young man called out loudly, ¡°Open the city gate!¡± His voice boomed like thunder, instantly carrying across the snowy ground. ¡°My hero! It is not yet time to open the gate; please wait outside for another half an hour!¡± the city wall¡¯s adjutant immediately leaned out and called loudly. ¡°Again, open the gate!¡± the man outside the city spoke again, adding, ¡°I am the second son of the Qinghe Marquis!¡± Upon hearing this, the adjutant on the city wall was instantly shaken. ¡°Open the city gate!¡± he immediately turned and called out loudly. ¡°Sir¡­¡± ¡°Open the city gate!¡± Before the person behind him could finish, the adjutant cut him off. Following this order, In less than an instant, Boom¡ª¡ª With a shake of the city gate, it began to slowly swing open to both sides. As the city gate opened, the snow around it rustled down. Once a ten-foot-wide gap appeared, ¡°Drive¡ª¡ª¡± The man outside, riding the dragon steed, pulled on the reins, and the steed instantly moved its four hooves to charge into the city. ¡°Go safely, Second Young Master!¡± the adjutant stood at the gate, his face brimming with a smile as he spoke. The man did not speak, nor did he look back as he entered the city. Moments later, Only when the man was a distance away did the adjutant finally breathe a sigh of relief. Seeing this, the captain next to him immediately spoke, ¡°Sir, without verifying his identity, you broke the rules by letting him enter the city. Aren¡¯t you afraid of the Commander¡¯s blame?¡± ¡°You know nothing!¡± the adjutant glared fiercely at the captain beside him, ¡°Being blamed by the Commander is much better than losing one¡¯s life!¡± Then he added, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the identity the man just declared? He is the second son of the Qinghe Marquis¡¯ family, rumored to be an unbeatable existence among Sixth Ranks.¡± Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°His presence at the city gate today, clearly making an urgent journey overnight, must be in relation to the death of his brother, He Jinyun.¡± ¡°In such a case, do you dare block his entry into the city, believing he won¡¯t erupt in anger, storming the city walls to slay us?¡± ¡°For the likes of us, just based on the identity of the Marquis¡¯ second son, even in death we would be insignificant!¡± ¡°Do you understand??¡± Hearing this stern shout, the captain beside him shuddered and nodded repeatedly. Understood! ¡­ On the other side, At this moment, Jiang Ning was unaware that the Qinghe Marquis¡¯ second son had already arrived in Luoshui County. He continued to operate his strength indoors, constantly bolstering his Water and Fire True Strength. In a blink, It was already afternoon. ¡­ Inspection Office. ¡°Turns out it¡¯s the second son himself who has come!¡± Hong Minghu stepped into the hall and saw an extraordinary, upright young man. ¡°I greet the Residence Master!¡± The young man stood up and slightly clasped his hands. ¡°No need for such formality, Second Son, please, take a seat,¡± offered Hong Minghu with a wave of his hand. Facing the Qinghe Marquis¡¯s second son, even he dared not take things lightly. Because though the Second Son held no official position now, he was distinguished by his academic honors. He had secured the title of a successful martial candidate last year. If he chose to join the military, he could easily start as a Capital Commandant. Even leveraging the Qinghe Marquis Mansion¡¯s connections, he might have the chance to reach a Secondary Fourth-Rank military advisor. Although a Secondary Fourth-Rank military advisor might be a nominal position, it was still a Fourth Grade official. And having such an office in Dongling County would make him the highest official. Therefore, Hong Minghu did not dare neglect this second son who had traveled from afar of the Qinghe Marquis Family. Simply based on the achievements the Second Son had earned alone, he was worthy of respectful treatment. Not to mention the identity of Qinghe Marquis¡¯s Second Son. ¡­ After they sat down, The young man spoke, ¡°Master Hong, do you have any leads on the death of my fifth brother?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had Ye Qiu and the commander look into this matter. How about I call him here to let the Second Son ask about it?¡± Hong Minghu said. ¡°Good!¡± The young man nodded, his expression calm. ¡­ Elsewhere. [Source Energy]: 623.17 [Skill]: Water and Fire True Strength+ (Perfection 1000/1000) Staring at the display on the panel, Jiang Ning felt extremely pleased. Through his strenuous training these past days, his skill, Water and Fire True Strength, had finally met the requirements for the first Break Limit. The plus sign on the panel also proved that this skill had indeed fulfilled all the needs to Break Limit. Whenever he wished, he could allow Water and Fire True Strength to Break Limit. The next moment. With a thought from Jiang Ning, The Source Energy Points on the panel plummeted. Immediately afterward, he felt half of his body submerged in water and the other half enveloped in fire. The two extreme forces seemed harmonious at this moment. And his body seemed to become the transition point in between. His body alternated between chill and searing heat. After some time, all sensations faded. Jiang Ning opened his eyes and first looked at his panel. [Source Energy]: 523.17 ¡°Indeed, the requirement for Breaking Limit in superior martial arts has no difference compared to lower-level and middle-grade martial arts! The first Break Limit costs one hundred Source Energy Points.¡± He then looked further below. [Skill]: Water and Fire True Strength (First Break Limit 0/2000) (Trait: Water and Fire Immortal Clothes) [Water and Fire Immortal Clothes]: Possessing the Water and Fire Immortal Clothes, able to avoid water and fire, fearless of them. ¡°Is this the effect?¡± Jiang Ning looked at the description on the panel and his gaze sharpened. He had thought that after Breaking Limit, Water and Fire True Strength would augment traits beneficial to offensive power. But this trait seemed unquestionably a form of self-defense. Water and Fire Immortal Clothes, fearing neither water nor fire. The effect of this trait was quite clear, as the words suggested. ¡°I wonder if this fearlessness of water and fire has an upper temperature limit?¡± Jiang Ning murmured, thinking of the high temperatures of the sun. That¡¯s also fire. Up to 15 million degrees Celsius. ¡°There must be a limit, it couldn¡¯t possibly cope!¡± Considering the temperature at the core of the sun, Jiang Ning shook his head inwardly. That temperature was just too exaggerated. If it could resist such flames of that temperature, it would be far too exaggerated. After checking the panel, Jiang Ning immediately closed it. Then, he closed his eyes and circulated the Water and Fire True Strength, calmly feeling it flowing through his body. A few breaths later, he opened his eyes. ¡°Not a bad deal, Water and Fire True Strength enhanced by more than double after the Break Limit, which will surely augment my offensive capabilities.¡± ¡°Now I just need to know, how effective is this trait of fearing neither water nor fire!¡± With this thought, Jiang Ning lowered his head to look at the charcoal brazier in the room. The black charcoal was burning well, filled with a red glow, and flames were rising. ¡°Let¡¯s try it out!¡± Jiang Ning looked at the lively burning charcoal, muttering to himself inwardly. Chapter 358: 60: Bathing in Magma and Acquiring the Bone Forging Pill Chapter 358: Chapter 60: Bathing in Magma and Acquiring the Bone Forging Pill Indoors. Jiang Ning pulled out a piece of red-hot charcoal. According to his knowledge, red-hot charcoal has a temperature of about 700 degrees. If it was in the blower furnace of an iron workshop, the temperature could even reach nine hundred to one thousand degrees. In an environment full of oxygen, it could even reach over a thousand degrees. That¡¯s also why ironworkers choose to use charcoal as fuel, because the temperature of this kind of fuel is extremely high. After that, he picked up the red-hot charcoal with his bare hands. ¡°It¡¯s really not hot at all!¡± Looking at the charcoal in his hand that resembled a red date, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. At this moment, the red-hot charcoal in his hand felt like warm jade to him. There was only a faint warmth, with no sense of burning pain whatsoever. After fiddling with the charcoal in his hand for a while, the temperature began to drop, and Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze returned to the stove in front of him. The stove in front of him, with the charcoal burning fully, was blazing fiercely. ¡°Let¡¯s try again!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. Then. He leaned down and blew into the charcoal stove. Crackle, crackle¡ª Suddenly, sparks erupted from the stove, and the fire became even more intense. Looking at the rising flames, Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. Then, he inserted his fingers into the flames produced by the fully burning charcoal. The next moment. He saw a miraculous scene. His fingers touched the flame, and it seemed as if there was an invisible cloak between his skin and the fire, maintaining a tiny gap always. At the same time, he felt no scorching sensation whatsoever, only a warm and comfortable touch. It was as if his fingers, at that moment, were not in the flame, but immersed in warm water. After that, Jiang Ning moved his fingers back and forth. Where his fingers passed, the flames immediately parted as if avoiding a king. ¡°Is this the Water and Fire Immortal Clothes?¡± ¡°Truly magical!!¡± Watching this scene before him, a hint of amazement flickered in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. Water and Fire Immortal Clothes, after a simple test. The performance against fire did not disappoint him in the least. To insert his hand into the flames without sustaining any burns. This meant he was no longer afraid of most of the fire in the world. Because most of the fire in the world had a temperature limit of only about a thousand degrees. Not higher than the flames in the charcoal stove. As far as he knew, even the temperature of lava was only between seven hundred to one thousand two hundred degrees. That is to say, with the miraculous effect of the Water and Fire Immortal Clothes, he might now be able to bathe in lava. ¡°Incredible, so incredible!!¡± Thinking of the image of bathing in lava, excitement appeared in Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. To have a lava bath was such an absurd notion, yet now he had a ninety percent confidence he could do it. [Skill]: Water and Fire True Strength (Break Limit 0/2000) (Trait: Water and Fire Immortal Clothes) Once again, he glanced at his pane and marvelled. This Water and Fire Immortal Clothes, its trait was really unreasonable. With my current body being only a mortal¡¯s flesh, to be able to resist fire and bathe in lava. This is simply the authority of the creator, the authority of gods indeed. ¡­ Squish¡ª Squish¡ª The sound of snow being trampled entered Jiang Ning¡¯s ears. The next moment. Knock, knock, knock¡ª The door was knocked. ¡°Little brother!¡± Jiang Li¡¯s voice sounded from outside: ¡°Miss Lv from Wanhua Building is looking for you!¡± Jiang Ning inside the room brightened up at this sentence, his eyes snapping open. [Skill]: Water and Fire True Strength (Break Limit 73/2000) (Trait: Water and Fire Immortal Clothes) He glanced at his panel and then closed it. He then walked towards the outside of the room. Excitement was faintly present on his face. This poor weather, yet Miss Lv has suddenly come to visit, which may indicate news from Lin Qingyi. Which is the Iron Bone Pill that he currently needs the most. As long as he had the Iron Bone Pill, he could start Bone Forging and step into the ranks of Martial Arts Sixth Grade. The next moment. Jiang Ning pushed open the door, and two figures immediately appeared in front of him. One was Jiang Li, dressed in a thick coat, his complexion rosy. The other was Lv Yi, wearing a green dress and draped in a white rabbit fur cape. ¡°Big brother!¡± ¡°Miss Lv!¡± Jiang Ning greeted them. ¡°Little brother, you two talk. I¡¯ll head back first!¡± Jiang Li said. ¡°Okay!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. As Jiang Li turned to leave, Lv Yi spoke up: ¡°Commander Jiang, our building¡¯s owner has invited you to visit Wanhua Building!¡± ¡°Did your building¡¯s owner explain the reason?¡± asked Jiang Ning. ¡°Yes!¡± Lv Yi nodded, and then added: ¡°Our building¡¯s owner said, the things Commander Jiang needs are all ready!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡± Jiang Ning turned around to close the door. ¡°Commander Jiang, aren¡¯t you going to wear a fox fur coat before going out in this weather?¡± Lv Yi looked at Jiang Ning¡¯s thin dress and asked. ¡°No need!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head. ¡°Then Commander Jiang, please follow me; the carriage is already waiting for us outside!¡± Lv Yi said. ¡­ Outside the courtyard. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Commander Jiang, please!¡± Lv Yi lifted the heavy carriage curtains. Seeing this, Jiang Ning immediately boarded the carriage and entered the compartment. The compartment was high, allowing entry without needing to stoop. And it was spacious; when Jiang Ning stepped in, a quick glance let him know that the space inside was at least a dozen square meters, without feeling cramped. Moreover, the carriage¡¯s decor was very luxurious, with seating benches made of clearly extraordinary wood. It brought a faint scent of sandalwood and the fragrance of a woman inside the carriage. Clearly, the owner of this carriage was a woman. At this moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s thoughts immediately went to Lin Qingyi. Because such a luxurious carriage, without a few tens of thousands of silver taels, could not be obtained, clearly it wasn¡¯t something Lv Yi could own. Chapter 359: 60: Able to Bathe in Magma, Obtained the Bone Forging Pill_2 Chapter 359: Chapter 60: Able to Bathe in Magma, Obtained the Bone Forging Pill_2 The next moment. Lv Yi also lifted the carriage curtain, ducking inside. She unfastened the rabbit fur coat draped over her body at the carriage doorway, shook off the snowflakes and melted snow stains, and then carefully hung it on the wall by the carriage door. Then, she removed her shoes soaked with melting snow on the carpet beside the carriage doorway before stepping barefoot, her feet pale and delicate, onto the soft carpet inside the carriage. Jiang Ning glanced at her small feet, then looked down at the path he had just walked, clearly leaving a trail of footprints. ¡°Commander Jiang, no worries! You need not remove your shoes, only I will,¡± Lv Yi, seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze, hurriedly spoke up. She then straightened her long skirt and knelt at the tea table. Gurgling¡ª The hot tea was poured into the cup, and immediately wisps of steam rose. ¡°Commander Jiang, please have some tea first! It will be a while before we reach Wanhua Building.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Jiang Ning nodded lightly. ¡­ Along the way, after drinking a few sips of tea, Jiang Ning continued to circulate his Water and Fire True Strength. ¡­ Wanhua Building, Loft area. ¡°Commander Jiang, long time no see!¡± Lin Qingyi poured tea, with wisps of blue smoke rising beside her, the air filled with bursts of musk, making the mind exceptionally clear. ¡°Sister Lin seems to have quite the elegance, here making tea and admiring the snow!¡± Jiang Ning smiled. ¡°With nothing pressing, I made good tea to wait for you! Compared to my room, this place is more suitable to receive you,¡± Lin Qingyi said. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Jiang Ning nodded. ¡°A man and woman alone within a room could tarnish Sister Lin¡¯s reputation were it to be spoken of!¡± As he spoke, Jiang Ning took a seat opposite Lin Qingyi. ¡°My reputation?¡± Lin Qingyi muttered, then shook her head with a bitter smile emerging: ¡°What reputation will I have in the future!¡± Her last statement was frail as a mosquito¡¯s hum. And now Jiang Ning, with such strength and hearing, Sitting barely forty centimeters in front of Lin Qingyi. At this distance, even the murmuring from Lin Qingyi¡¯s mouth was still clearly discernible to his ears. What did that mean? Jiang Ning wondered internally. He looked seriously at Lin Qingyi and immediately saw a trace of worry between her brows. After contemplating intensely for a moment, Jiang Ning temporarily shelved the doubts in his heart. Then, Jiang Ning spoke again, changing the topic, ¡°Sister Lin, I wonder if those ten drops of Hundred Spirit Blood were effective?¡± ¡°Very effective!¡± Lin Qingyi said, pouring a full cup of hot tea for Jiang Ning opposite her, a slight smile appearing on her lips, the trace of worry in her eyes instantly dissipating. Her lips curled slightly upward, ¡°I see what you really want to ask about are those three Bone Forging types, right?¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning¡¯s face showed an embarrassed smile, he scratched his head, revealing a bit of awkwardness: ¡°Sister Lin is indeed clever!¡± ¡°Take them!¡± Lin Qingyi waved her hand. Suddenly, three neat rows of pills appeared on the table. ¡°Ten bottles of Iron Bone Pill, ten bottles of Xuan Bone Pill, ten bottles of Jade Bone Pill, a total of thirty bottles!¡± ¡°Generally speaking, these thirty Bone Forging Pills could almost certainly elevate you to the level of Jade Bone.¡± ¡°If they prove insufficient in the future, feel free to come find me, and I will help you obtain more!¡± Hearing Lin Qingyi¡¯s words, Jiang Ning was immediately thrilled. ¡°Thank you, Sister Lin!¡± he quickly bowed. Immediately after, he said: ¡°However, Sister Lin! These thirty bottles of pills should cost more than ten thousand taels of silver, shouldn¡¯t they?¡± Lin Qingyi responded indifferently: ¡°Since you call me ¡®sister,¡¯ there¡¯s no need to worry about that!¡± ¡°Thank you, Sister Lin!¡± Jiang Ning bowed again. ¡°If you truly wish to thank me¡­ in the future¡­¡± Lin Qingyi glanced at Jiang Ning¡¯s face, then shook her head: ¡°Never mind¡­¡± ¡°Sister Lin, please feel free to speak!¡± Jiang Ning earnestly said. Seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s serious expression, Lin Qingyi could not help but show a serene smile. ¡°Never mind, I won¡¯t bother or involve you with sister¡¯s affairs!¡± ¡°You should know, sister will soon step into the Grandmaster Realm!¡± ¡°Amazing!!¡± Jiang Ning exclaimed. Seeing Lin Qingyi appearing reticent to say more, Jiang Ning also felt it inappropriate to inquire further, opting to suppress the doubts in his mind. ¡­ An hour later. Jiang Ning stepped out of the Wanhua Building¡¯s entrance, reboarding the carriage he arrived in. Meanwhile, At the railing of the loft, Lin Qingyi leaned against the railing, watching the gradually receding carriage. A gentle smile appeared on her face. ¡°This little guy actually has a conscience, not a thankless wretch, always hinting at the thoughts I accidentally blurted out.¡± ¡°But alas! Even if you¡¯re a prodigy, you¡¯re still too young. How can you possibly help me?¡± ¡°Better not to drag you down, to pull you into this whirlpool!¡± At that moment, Lin Qingyi thought of the Old Prince, feeling a tinge of sorrow in her heart. Marrying into the offspring of the Old Prince, she had never truly completed a marriage. And she herself was nothing more than a furnace for the Old Prince to achieve Great Success in the Ancient Demon Skill. Faced with the Old Prince¡¯s power, and considering the influence of the Prince Mansion on the court today, Lin Qingyi felt somewhat desperate. ¡­ Meanwhile. In the carriage. Jiang Ning, looking at the Iron Bone Pill in front of him, felt extremely excited. Next to him, Lv Yi knelt on the carpet, quietly pouring him tea and then silently watching Jiang Ning. The next moment. Jiang Ning opened the medicinal jade bottle, pouring out a bean-sized pill. ¡°Is this the Iron Bone Pill?¡± Looking at the silver, bean-sized pill in his hand, Jiang Ning murmured to himself. He then placed the pill back into the bottle. After securing the Iron Bone Pill. Jiang Ning closed his eyes once more, starting to recall the teachings of the Heaven and Earth Evil Bone Forging Skill. ¡°According to the records on that sheepskin scroll, a complete cycle consists of 108 hammer strikes.¡± ¡°To forge one bone, one must persist through a full cycle for the Bone Forging Method to be truly effective!¡± ¡°The human body has 206 bones, and if each one requires a cycle, then it¡¯s best to consume the Iron Bone Pill at 206 cycles, maximizing the pill¡¯s effectiveness and also saving money!¡± ¡°I wonder, with my current spiritual power, how many bones can I simultaneously forge using Qi Blood Power?¡± Jiang Ning pondered inwardly. ¡°No matter!¡± he then thought to himself, ¡°I¡¯ll only know if I try!¡± Having decided. His consciousness sank into his body. His brow furrowed slightly. ¡°At most, I can concentrate thirteen small Qi Blood hammers at once!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself. In the next instant, he followed the guidance of the Heaven and Earth Evil Bone Forging Skill, and the first hammer fell. Boom¡ª His body instantly roared! He was tremendously shaken! Qi-Blood roared through him! Jiang Ning¡¯s brow also furrowed. The first strike brought him a wave of pain. Then a tingling sensation spread throughout his body! Following the tingling, his body felt loose and extraordinarily comfortable. ¡°So refreshing!¡± Feeling the comfort throughout his body, Jiang Ning felt somewhat reluctant to stop. The aftermath of this hammer strike felt as though he¡¯d had a full-body massage at a rejuvenation center, incredibly comforting and relaxing. The next moment. Boom¡ª Another hammer fell. His body shook again. Then, Jiang Ning gradually adapted to the rhythm. Under his strong spiritual control, every swing of the Qi-Blood hammers was synchronized across all thirteen hammers. This efficiency, compared to an ordinary Martial Artist in the Bone Forging Realm, was thirteen times more effective. ¡­ Along the way. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Snowflakes fluttered, the carriage traveled on the snow-covered road at a leisurely pace. Inside the carriage, Lv Yi, seeing Jiang Ning practicing, had already lit a pot of musk. Musk enhances mental focus and relaxation, and also relaxes the tense nerves of martial artists. She remained utterly silent throughout, just quietly curling her legs beside, gazing affectionately at Jiang Ning¡¯s face without making a sound. ¡°Commander Jiang looks so handsome!¡± Lv Yi couldn¡¯t help but murmur to herself. At that moment, something seemed to cross her mind. A faint blush appeared on her face. Chapter 360: 61: Ordinary Sixth Rank Several Times Bone Forging Efficiency Chapter 360: Chapter 61: Ordinary Sixth Rank Several Times Bone Forging Efficiency Winter¡¯s nightfall always descends faster than in the summer. A carriage stopped in front of the Jiangning Mansion. In just under an hour, the sky had already turned completely dark. Inside the carriage. Miss Lv Yi remained silent, even though they had long since arrived at the gates of Young Master Jiang¡¯s home; she dared not make any sound to disturb Jiang Ning. For from just now till this moment, seated in the carriage, she could continuously hear the dull thunderous sounds emanating from Jiang Ning¡¯s body. These sounds were like waves crashing against cliffs, and like a giant hammer pounding on an anvil. A little while later. The commotion inside Jiang Ning suddenly ceased. Perceiving this, Lv Yi immediately sat up straight, her posture correct. A breath later. Jiang Ning abruptly opened his eyes. He raised his hand, summoning a jade bottle containing Iron Bone Pills into his palm. At this moment, a total of thirteen bones in his body had completed a full cycle of Bone Forging, precisely one hundred and eight times, and it was time to absorb the power of the Iron Bone Pill. The next moment. As Jiang Ning opened his mouth slightly, A pill, the size of a soybean and silvery white, flew out from the jade bottle. The pill, like a streak of light, directly entered the throat of Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning immediately closed his eyes again, introspecting his body. He then saw the outer layer of the Dan pill dissolve quickly upon entering the stomach. Once the outer layer melted away, the previously solid pill started dispersing into strands of fine silver threads. ¡°This must be the iron marrow!¡± Jiang Ning thought to himself upon witnessing this scene within him. Immediately. He began to channel the power of his Qi Blood, directing the silver threads towards the thirteen bones he had just forged. Upon contacting the bones, the silver threads silently merged into the newly forged bones. As time trickled by. He saw all the iron marrow being fully absorbed by those thirteen bones. ¡°Not enough!¡± Jiang Ning opened his eyes, gestured with his hand. The jade bottle appeared in his hand once again. Then another Iron Bone Pill, the size of a soybean, entered his stomach. With the pill inside and drawing on his recent experience, Jiang Ning became adept at the process. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Still not enough!!¡± Jiang Ning opened his eyes again and swallowed another Iron Bone Pill. ¡°Still not enough!!!¡± Jiang Ning opened his eyes again and consumed another Iron Bone Pill, the fourth one. ¡°It¡¯s still not enough!!!¡± Jiang Ning was somewhat startle and also tinged with shock. Currently being at a critical moment, he quickly set aside the random thoughts in his mind. Then, a fifth Iron Bone Pill entered his stomach. With the fifth Iron Bone Pill ingested. Soon, he felt the myriad threads of the iron marrow could no longer merge into the bones. This indicated that he had truly satisfied the hunger, awaiting full digestion before he could forge the same bone again. At this moment. Under the introspective state, he gradually began to see those thirteen bones starting to show a silvery glow. ¡°Excellent!¡± Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. Then he opened his eyes. ¡°Whew¡ª¡± He exhaled a breath of impure energy, his expression slightly pleased. The Bone Forging had taken its first step. And the results were remarkable. Being able to absorb five Iron Bone Pills at once was naturally a cause for joy. Because, as far as he knew, for an ordinary martial artist, it wasn¡¯t just five Iron Bone Pills that were difficult to absorb fully, even absorbing one completely was nearly impossible. This is also why the Iron Bone Pills were only the size of a soybean. Because if the Iron Bone Pill were too large, and unable to be absorbed in one go, it would only result in a greater waste. Absorbing seventy to eighty percent of a single Iron Bone Pill at once is the average level for a martial artist in the Bone Forging Realm. And now, he could absorb five Iron Bone Pills at once, Meaning that, in terms of efficiency alone, his speed of absorption was more than five times the average. No, it would be more accurate to say more than six times the average. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning naturally felt pleased. ¡­ ¡°Miss Lv, have we¡­ arrived home?¡± Jiang Ning asked, looking at the serene-faced Lv Yi. ¡°Yes, Commander Jiang!¡± Lv Yi nodded repeatedly in response: ¡°We have been home for almost two hours now, but I saw that Commander Jiang was practicing so I dared not disturb you.¡± Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but smile upon hearing this. Then he said, ¡°Thank you, Miss Lv, for accompanying me on the journey!¡± ¡°You are an esteemed guest of our building; it¡¯s only right!¡± Lv Yi saw Jiang Ning getting up and hastened to rise as well. After stepping out of the carriage. Jiang Ning looked up at the sky, where night had already fallen. Snowflakes were still drifting down from the sky. The darkness was pitch black all around, the only light coming from the lanterns on the carriage, illuminating the immediate vicinity. As well as the faint lights glowing from the steps leading to his house not far away. Jiang Ning turned his head to glance at Lv Yi, who had poked her head out, only to see a trace of fear in her eyes as she looked towards the darkness beside her. With this kind of weather, and light rain falling from the sky, anywhere away from the light was best described as pitch-black. ¡°Miss Lv, it¡¯s quite late now, and it¡¯s not safe for a woman to return alone, let me accompany you on the journey back!¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind offer, Commander Jiang, but there is no need!¡± Lv Yi bowed her head in refusal. Jiang Ning turned back and withdrew into the carriage. ¡°No more words, let¡¯s head back to Wanhua Building! With my strength, walking at night is no problem at all, but it¡¯s too unsafe for a young girl like you!¡± At this moment, Lv Yi also pulled her head back into the carriage. ¡°Thank you, Young Master Jiang!¡± Lv Yi bowed her head. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble!¡± Jiang Ning settled onto the soft carpet: ¡°For me, anywhere is a place to cultivate! This carriage provides a fine environment, well suited for practice!¡± After speaking. Jiang Ning once again closed his eyes. Chapter 361: 61: Ordinary Sixth Rank Several Times Bone Forging Efficiency_2 Chapter 361: Chapter 61: Ordinary Sixth Rank Several Times Bone Forging Efficiency_2 Lv Yi stood by, staring blankly at Jiang Ning before sticking her head out to issue commands to the two horses that could understand human speech. Hiss¡ª Hiss¡ª Upon hearing her commands, the precious horses immediately snorted out white mist from their noses, then began pulling the carriage, slowly turning it around. After giving the commands, Lv Yi withdrew back into the carriage. She took off the cotton shoes she had just put on, revealing her tender, bare feet on the soft carpet. ¡­ Meanwhile. At Jiang Ning¡¯s residence. ¡°Miss Xie, Ah Ning hasn¡¯t returned yet, and it¡¯s getting dark. Do you still want to wait?¡± asked Liuu Wanwan, prompted by Jiang Li. ¡°Yes!¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded firmly, ¡°I must wait for the lord¡¯s arrival tonight, as I have important matters to tell him!¡± ¡°Alright then!¡± Liuu Wanwan nodded softly, then added, ¡°If it gets too late, and Miss Xie finds it inconvenient to return home, I¡¯ll make the bed for you with new cotton quilts!¡± ¡°Thank you, sister!¡± Xie Xiaojiu said. ¡­ More than two hours later. ¡°Have we arrived?¡± The moment the carriage came to a halt, Jiang Ning opened his eyes. ¡°Young Master Jiang, we have arrived!¡± Lv Yi, seeing Jiang Ning open his eyes, immediately greeted him with a curtsy. ¡°No need for such formalities!¡± Jiang Ning stood up with a smile, ¡°Now that Miss Lv has safely arrived, it¡¯s time for me to return home!¡± With those words, Jiang Ning lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out. At the same time. ¡°Eh¡ª¡± At the rooftop of Wanhua Building. Lin Qingyi, hearing the sound of her carriage arriving, looked down just in time to see Jiang Ning suddenly emerge from the carriage. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this sight, a look of surprise revealed itself in her eyes. Afterward. It was only after listening to Lv Yi¡¯s report that she understood why Jiang Ning had come and gone so quickly. ¡°What do you think of Jiang Ning?¡± Lin Qingyi asked softly. ¡°In my heart, Young Master Jiang is a good person, a rare good person in this world!¡± ¡°From the tone of your voice, do you like Jiang Ning?¡± Lin Qingyi suddenly asked. Lv Yi shook her head slightly, ¡°I am not worthy to like Young Master Jiang!¡± ¡­ Elsewhere. After leaving Wanhua Building, Jiang Ning hurried towards his home. Having digested the journey, he could see that the thirteen bones he had refined were now gleaming with a great deal of silver color. This signified that the hardness of those bones had greatly increased compared to before, and he was one step closer to the Iron Bone of Martial Arts Sixth Grade. He was now heading home to hasten the refinement of the other bones in his body. Those thirteen bones were still in the process of absorbing and digesting the iron marrow and couldn¡¯t be refined further. But since the human body has a total of 206 bones, the remaining 193 bones can still be refined. With his speed of recovery in water, whether it¡¯s the consumption of Qi Blood Power or the digestion of his spirit, he could quickly recover. This way, he could rapidly complete the initial Bone Forging and craft Iron Bone to step into the realm of the Peak of Sixth Grade. ¡­ Not long after. ¡°Finally, I¡¯m here!¡± Seeing the stone steps and the gate above with the plaque hanging with the words ¡®Jiang Mansion.¡¯ Jiang Ning stopped in his tracks, exhaling a breath of impure energy. After the vigorous journey, Jiang Ning¡¯s forehead was covered with a thin layer of sweat, and steam rose continuously from the top of his head. Thump thump thump¡ª He knocked on the door. The next moment. He heard heavy footsteps coming from behind the door. In less than a moment. As the sound of the door bolt being withdrawn rang out, the gate slowly opened. What met his eyes was Jiang Li holding a lantern. ¡°Big brother!¡± Jiang Ning showed a faint smile. ¡°Ah Ning, you¡¯re finally back!¡± Jiang Li¡¯s rugged face momentarily lost its worry. Then, he said, ¡°Come in quickly! There¡¯s a guest waiting for you at home!¡± ¡°Waiting for me?¡± Jiang Ning asked with a look of surprise, ¡°Who could be waiting for me at this late hour?¡± ¡°Miss Nine of the Xie family, Miss Xie!¡± Jiang Li took Jiang Ning¡¯s wrist and stepped over the threshold, continuing, ¡°Hurry and meet her! That young lady has been waiting for you all night at home, she hasn¡¯t eaten dinner or gone home just to wait for you!¡± ¡°She is now in the hall waiting for you!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go right over!¡± ¡°Go! Go!¡± urged Jiang Li, then as he closed the large door, he continued to speak, ¡°I think the girl looks quite nice, she seems very fit to bear children, and it seems she has taken a liking to you. You¡¯re not getting any younger, so it¡¯s about time to get married and have children. If you¡¯re interested, why not see if there¡¯s a chance?¡± Hearing Jiang Li¡¯s words, Jiang Ning immediately felt overwhelmed. He had been urged to marry in his previous life, and now it was happening again. He was momentarily speechless, quickly quickening his pace. In the blink of an eye. He passed through the front yard, pushed open the partially closed front hall door, and saw Xie Xiaojiu sitting upright in the hall. ¡°Milord!¡± Xie Xiaojiu had just turned her head at the sound by the door when she saw Jiang Ning¡¯s figure, and she was overjoyed. ¡°Ah Ning is back!¡± said Liu Wanwan as she rose from Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s side, her tone gentle. ¡°Sister-in-law!¡± greeted Jiang Ning. Then he nodded, ¡°I just got back!¡± ¡°Did you have dinner outside, Ah Ning?¡± Liu Wanwan asked. ¡°No!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head. ¡°Then I¡¯ll bring over the warm food. Miss Nine from the Xie family hasn¡¯t eaten either. You both can have dinner together!¡± Liu Wanwan said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble my sister-in-law!¡± Jiang Ning bowed. ¡°You two chat, I¡¯ll bring the food!¡± Liu Wanwan gestured to Jiang Ning and gave Xie Xiaojiu a knowing look as if to tell him to seize the opportunity. Jiang Ning: ¡°¡­¡± Seeing Liu Wanwan¡¯s hint, how could he not understand? His brother and sister-in-law were clearly in cahoots. He then. Sat down beside Xie Xiaojiu. ¡°Is there something from the Inspection Office?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded, ¡°Have a sip of tea first, Milord!¡± She placed the already poured hot tea in front of Jiang Ning. ¡°Please tell me!¡± Jiang Ning spoke, picking up the warm tea and drinking it in one gulp. Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s expression grew serious, ¡°Milord, this morning, He Jinseng arrived in Luoshui County!¡± ¡°He Jinseng?¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s expression also became more serious, ¡°What is his relation to He Jinyun?¡± Xie Xiaojiu said, ¡°He Jinseng, the older brother of He Jinyun, is a civil martial examinee in Great Xia. According to previous records, he has already reached the Peak of Martial Arts Sixth Grade!¡± ¡°A civil martial examinee?¡± ¡°Martial Arts Sixth Grade Peak?¡± Jiang Ning murmured to himself, head lowered. Then looking up at Xie Xiaojiu, he said, ¡°So, his coming here is probably concerning He Jinyun¡¯s death, right?¡± ¡°You are correct, Milord!¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded again and again, ¡°He Jinseng rushed to Luoshui County overnight, just to investigate who killed He Jinyun!¡± ¡°After entering the city this morning, he only had a simple wash and bath, and right after noon, he went to see Master Hong at the Inspection Office.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning murmured, ¡°If he went to the Inspection Office only after noon, he doesn¡¯t seem to be in much of a hurry!¡± After a moment of reflection, he looked up at Xie Xiaojiu, ¡°Did you specially come to inform me because you also think I might have killed He Jinyun?¡± Xie Xiaojiu locked eyes with Jiang Ning, ¡°The way Young Master died was extremely strange, but in my view, there are not many in Luoshui County with both the motive and the ability to kill He Jinyun.¡± ¡°I believe there are even fewer with the courage to kill Young Master He. While it may seem impossible for you to do it, Milord, you¡¯ve always been shrouded in mist in my eyes, and I don¡¯t know if you have some miraculous means to kill He Jinyun unperceived.¡± Hearing Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s words, Jiang Ning understood immediately. ¡°So, even though you¡¯re not sure, you still chose to inform me?¡± ¡°Yes!!¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded again and again. Just then. ¡°The food is ready!¡± Liu Wanwan¡¯s voice arrived before she did. The next moment. She appeared before the pair, carrying a tray. Beside her, Jiang Li held a wooden bucket, which exuded a rich aroma of rice. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first!¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°Alright, Milord!¡± Xie Xiaojiu obediently nodded. Chapter 362: 62 Living Together in One Room Chapter 362: Chapter 62 Living Together in One Room Night. ¡°Shall we go back?¡± After finishing their meal, Jiang Ning asked. Xie Xiaojiu hesitated upon hearing this and then said, ¡°My lord, the snow is getting quite heavy, and it¡¯s too dark!¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Jiang Ning nodded. Just then. Footsteps were heard. The next moment. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Liuu Wanwan appeared from the back door of the great hall. ¡°Miss Xie, your room has been prepared! We¡¯re also heating up some water for you!¡± Upon hearing this, Xie Xiaojiu was momentarily stunned, her eyes turning towards Jiang Ning, her mouth gaping slightly as if she wanted to say something but stopped herself. At this moment, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡°Sister-in-law, no need! She can sleep in my room,¡± he said. ¡°Sleep in your room?¡± Liuu Wanwan was taken aback and said, ¡°Is that proper? Miss Xie is still an unmarried maiden.¡± Jiang Ning replied, ¡°The past few nights I was away from home, I happened to stay at Miss Xie¡¯s house.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± A knowing smile spread across Liuu Wanwan¡¯s face upon hearing this. She glanced at the two of them and added, ¡°Then I won¡¯t disturb the two of you!¡± As her voice faded. Liuu Wanwan quickly hurried off to report this good news to Jiang Li. ¡°My lord!!¡± Jiang Ning turned around, only to hear Xie Xiaojiu speaking up. ¡°Before it was me taking advantage of you, occupying your room! Tonight, let it be you who takes advantage of me!¡± Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words made Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s face break into a smile, visibly relaxing. ¡°Thank you, my lord, for speaking on my behalf! Staying in your home, I feel much safer in your room.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡± Jiang Ning asked with a smile. ¡°Not at all!¡± Xie Xiaojiu shook her head seriously. Jiang Ning then chuckled and lifted his leg to head outside the hall, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Xie Xiaojiu hurriedly followed his steps from behind. Entering the front courtyard, the sky was still sprinkling light snow. ¡°My lord, it¡¯s a bit cold!¡± Xie Xiaojiu, feeling the snowflakes melting on her neck, couldn¡¯t help but speak. ¡°Then put on more clothes!¡± Jiang Ning suggested. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring extra clothes,¡± Xie Xiaojiu replied, lowering her head. Then she added, ¡°I¡¯d like to take a hot bath later to ward off the chill.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Jiang Ning nodded. ¡­ Moments later. They arrived at the east courtyard. After crossing the courtyard, Jiang Ning pushed open the room door, lit the nearby candle, and immediately the darkness inside dissipated significantly. ¡°Come in first! It¡¯s cold outside,¡± Jiang Ning said, and Xie Xiaojiu hurriedly stepped across the threshold. As the door closed. The cold wind and the falling snow were kept at bay, instantly making it much warmer. ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll go fetch the hot water for you.¡± ¡°If you feel cold, you can light a fire and ignite the charcoal in the stove but remember to slightly open a window,¡± Jiang Ning instructed. ¡°My lord, let me fetch the hot water! How can you do such a thing?¡± Xie Xiaojiu quickly offered. ¡°No need!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s too dark, you¡¯re unfamiliar with the pathways, and you don¡¯t know where the kitchen is. Just wait here nicely, I¡¯ll fetch the hot water for you!¡± Having said this, Jiang Ning turned and opened the door to leave. ¡°How wonderful!!¡± Watching Jiang Ning¡¯s figure disappear through the door, Xie Xiaojiu murmured to herself, ¡°If my father had taken care of my mother like you do, she wouldn¡¯t have had to suffer so much.¡± On the other side. Jiang Ning was well aware of the layout of the courtyard. Even in the snowy and windy night, he made his way to the kitchen with ease. ¡°Big brother!¡± As he stepped into the kitchen, Jiang Ning looked at the man tending the fire and couldn¡¯t help but show a hint of surprise. Jiang Li turned around and saw Jiang Ning in the doorway of the kitchen, and he chuckled, ¡°Ah Ning, you came here to fetch hot water, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Jiang Ning nodded. ¡°Go for it! You¡¯ve got to take the chance with Miss Xie, don¡¯t mind all those red tape!¡± Jiang Li clenched his fist. Jiang Ning: ¡°¡­¡± He then asked, ¡°Is that how you treated sister-in-law before?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± Jiang Li scratched his head, his face beaming with happiness, ¡°It was on our wedding night, the night although we didn¡¯t have the blessings of our relatives, it was still the happiest day of my life.¡± Looking at the honest man in front of him, Jiang Ning smiled. Afterward. He easily carried a large bucket of hot water that had been prepared earlier and a bucket of cold water and left. ¡­ ¡°My lord, come in quickly!¡± Hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s approach, Xie Xiaojiu rushed to the door in a few strides, opening the door and greeting Jiang Ning who was carrying water. After setting down the two large buckets of water. ¡°One moment!¡± Xie Xiaojiu said and then stood on tiptoes to brush off the bits of snow on Jiang Ning¡¯s head. ¡°All set!¡± She clapped her hands, her eyes slightly narrowed, a look of satisfaction on her face. Jiang Ning chuckled, ¡°Shall you mix the water temperature, or shall I help you?¡± ¡°I tend to run cold, so I like the bathwater to be quite warm. I¡¯ll handle it!¡± Xie Xiaojiu said. Hearing that, Jiang Ning nodded, ¡°Okay, you go ahead and wash first, I¡¯ll go out. Just call me when you¡¯re done!¡± Having said that, Jiang Ning turned and left immediately. ¡°My lord!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Jiang Ning turned back around. At that moment, Xie Xiaojiu bit her lip with tension, remaining silent for a long breath before finally saying, ¡°It¡¯s gotten darker outside, and the light snow has turned into a biting wind. It¡¯s too cold!¡± ¡°Please stay inside instead!¡± Having uttered the last sentence, Xie Xiaojiu couldn¡¯t help but bury her head in her chest. Such candid words made her face flush with redness. At this moment. Jiang Ning looked at Xie Xiaojiu. Suddenly, he nodded his head. He knew it must have taken considerable courage for an unmarried young woman like Xie Xiaojiu to say such things. Then, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll just wait behind the screen.¡± As his voice faded. Jiang Ning walked towards the screen. Chapter 363: 62 Living Together in One Room_2 Chapter 363: Chapter 62 Living Together in One Room_2 His room was a good 100 square meters. When he moved in, there was a privacy screen right at the entrance. Previously finding the screen an obstruction, he had moved it to a corner of the room. Now, under these circumstances, there was no better method than hiding behind the screen. ¡°Listen to your lordship!¡± Xie Xiaojiu saw the screen in the corner of the room and breathed a sigh of relief. Though all this was happening as she wished, her heart was incredibly tense as the moment approached. The screen undoubtedly provided a psychological buffer for her. Otherwise, she didn¡¯t know to what extent her nerves might reach. Then. Jiang Ning moved the screen, placing it between the two of them. Next, he grabbed a face towel and a bath towel from the wardrobe. ¡°These are the towels I use for washing my face and bathing, if you don¡¯t mind, you can use them later!¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°I don¡¯t mind!¡± Xie Xiaojiu quickly took the towels Jiang Ning handed over and held them against her chest. ¡°I¡¯ll go first!¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°Alright, my lord!¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded. Afterward, she saw Jiang Ning¡¯s figure obscured by the screen and breathed a light sigh of relief. Once her pounding heart calmed somewhat, Xie Xiaojiu set the towels aside. Then she began to pour the right mix of hot and cold water into the bathtub. Only when the water temperature was right did she start to undo the clothes on her body. For a Martial Artist, even during the bitter winter months, they wouldn¡¯t wear very thick clothes. Too much clothing could be restrictive, inconvenient for moving limbs freely. So now, the clothing on her body wasn¡¯t much¡ªjust three layers inside and out, not much different from spring or autumn wear. On the other side. Jiang Ning watched with interest through the screen as Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s graceful figure was revealed. It was just a glimpse, but he didn¡¯t pretend to be a gentleman of virtue. Having come this far, he wasn¡¯t a fool; he certainly understood Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s intentions. But he also had his own reservations. In this world, even though he knew he had great potential for the future, he was still just an ordinary person at the moment. He dared not say he could genuinely protect himself. Especially after learning that He Jinyun¡¯s elder brother, He Jinseng, had come to the city this morning. Should they find him in the next day or two and a conflict arises, And the situation evolves beyond the point of no return, The more people he is close to, the greater his restraint will be. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Especially his women, they would be his greatest vulnerability. Moreover, after enjoying the pleasures of Martial Arts, Jiang Ning had found that compared to a woman, the path of Martial Arts was even more enticing. Strength returning to one¡¯s own body, every increase in power was a huge gain and joy. Especially the elevation and leap in the level of life itself brought him an unparalleled sense of fulfillment. In a moment of distraction. The sound of rustling cloth reached him as her dress hit the floor. Under the candlelight, Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s delicate figure was displayed without a doubt. On the other side. Xie Xiaojiu looked towards the screen, although Jiang Ning was in the shadows and his outline was vague. But somehow, she could feel a gaze fall upon her, and her face couldn¡¯t help but show a trace of shyness. At this moment, her heart was already prepared to give herself to him. So she was not afraid. The next moment. She lifted her leg and stepped into the tub. ¡­ Behind the screen. Seeing Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s figure reflected on the screen as she entered the tub and hearing the sound of splashing water. He couldn¡¯t help but construct an image in his mind. The image of a beauty bathing. ¡°No!¡± Jiang Ning immediately shook his head. He knew if he continued like this, he would inevitably succumb to the impulses of his body. Today, he wasn¡¯t prepared for this. At this thought. He shook his head to clear the distracting thoughts and promptly closed his eyes. The next moment. He turned his focus inward, sinking his consciousness into his body. Soon, he began to mobilize the Qi-Blood Power within him, gathering it into a Qi-Blood mallet. Boom¡ª With a tremor inside his body, he started the Bone Forging process. Having experienced it in the afternoon, Jiang Ning was even more adept this time, executing the Heaven and Earth Evil Bone Forging Skill much more smoothly than the first time. One strike resonated, vibrations dissipated, then another strike followed. ¡­ On the other side. Xie Xiaojiu bathed amidst her immense nervousness. She knew that with a single man and a single woman sharing a room, in such circumstances, and considering Jiang Ning was at an age brimming with Blood Qi, anything could happen! So every moment, her heart was filled with unease. For over two hours, Xie Xiaojiu was also tense for over two hours. Especially when she was preparing to rise from the bathing tub, she waged a tumultuous battle within her heart before mustering the courage. The next moment. Sloshh¡ª The sound of water splashing arose as Xie Xiaojiu stood up from the bathing tub. Unfortunately, this scene had no audience. Because at this moment, Jiang Ning was too engrossed, wholeheartedly committed to the progress of his Bone Forging. Soon after. Xie Xiaojiu wiped off the water droplets from her body and wrapped her long hair atop her head with a towel. Only then did she begin to pick up the undergarments she had set aside. After putting on the undergarments, Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s face couldn¡¯t help but turn beet red. At home, she often wore just such nightclothes to sleep. But now was different. Sharing a room with Jiang Ning. As soon as she stepped out from behind the screen, her intimate undergarments would catch Jiang Ning¡¯s eye. Although the undergarments she was wearing now weren¡¯t very revealing. The upper half barely showed off a pair of arms and a girl¡¯s waist. The lower half only exposed half of her thighs and calves. From the perspective of Jiang Ning¡¯s past life, this was far less than what the girls on the beach revealed. But this world was different. Such attire was extremely private, generally only seen by a lady¡¯s own husband. For Xie Xiaojiu, this was a tremendous psychological shackles. She bowed her head, biting her lip, her face showing hesitation. The next moment. She gathered her courage and took the first step forward. After crossing the screen. Xie Xiaojiu saw Jiang Ning sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed. And then she noticed a faint rumbling sound emanating from within Jiang Ning¡¯s body. Xie Xiaojiu: ¡°¡­¡± At this moment, she suddenly stood there dumbly, her face a picture of speechlessness. She had never imagined. That leaving Jiang Ning in the room while she bathed by his side would result in such a scenario. After standing dumbfounded for quite some time, Xie Xiaojiu looked down at herself. ¡°Am I really that unattractive?¡± She felt suddenly deflated in her heart. Meanwhile. Jiang Ning had completed a full cycle of cultivation. He immediately opened his eyes. With a beckoning motion of his hand. A jade bottle containing Iron Bone Pills appeared in his grasp. The next moment. He opened his mouth and inhaled. From the jade bottle, five Iron Bone Pills, each about the size of a soybean, flew straight out. Each Iron Bone Pill was merely about a centimeter in diameter. As the five Iron Bone Pills entered his body, Jiang Ning once again closed his eyes. As for Xie Xiaojiu by his side, he had no leisure at the moment to appreciate her presence. Seeing this, Xie Xiaojiu obediently stood to one side, making no noise. She naturally realized that Jiang Ning was at a critical moment of cultivation. She was also filled with astonishment. The Iron Bone Pills flying out from the bottle, she recognized them at a glance. ¡°His talent is truly unparalleled; he¡¯s already begun Bone Forging! I am far behind him!¡± Xie Xiaojiu felt waves of emotion in her heart. At this moment, she focused her attention entirely on Jiang Ning. She knew that Jiang Ning had ingested the Iron Bone Pills, signifying the most critical step of Bone Forging had been reached. In less than the time it takes for half a cup of tea to brew. Jiang Ning proceeded as if on familiar ground, the essence of the dissolved Iron Bone Pills merging into the thirteen newly forged bones in his body. Forging thirteen bones in one sitting was still his limit. Once the dust had settled, only then did Jiang Ning slowly open his eyes. The next moment. His eyes opened slightly. ¡°So big,¡± he thought inwardly. At this moment. There stood Xie Xiaojiu in her undergarments before him, looking especially magnificent without the previous chest-binding constraints, in her thin attire. ¡°No wonder she always bound her chest before!¡± Witnessing the scene before him, Jiang Ning finally understood. For a Martial Artist, being too endowed was indeed an inconvenience for movement. Chapter 364: 63 After One Night Chapter 364: Chapter 63 After One Night Inside. Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but take another look at Xie Xiaojiu. Because she indeed was very beautiful! Under the candlelight, her skin was like coagulated cream, as white as frost and snow. Since she practiced martial arts all year round, her body had not an ounce of extra fat, which perfectly suited his aesthetic. Noticing Jiang Ning¡¯s undisguised gaze, Xie Xiaojiu felt a surge of joy in her heart. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her confidence instantly returned. ¡°Sir, I am clean now!¡± she immediately said. ¡°Mm!¡± Jiang Ning got up, nodded, and then said, ¡°Wearing so little one could easily catch cold; you should go and stay in bed first!¡± When Jiang Ning looked over, Xie Xiaojiu couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit shy, covering her chest with her left hand. Little did she know that this action only attracted more attention. Then, with her right hand, she pointed to the hair tied above her head, ¡°Sir, my hair is still wet, wait a moment!¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy!¡± Jiang Ning waved his hand, and his Divine Water Skill took effect, instantly drying the droplets of water clinging to Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s hair, making them vanish into thin air. ¡°There, your hair is dry now!¡± he said indifferently. Hearing this, Xie Xiaojiu looked at Jiang Ning skeptically, then reached up to her hair with her right hand, and her eyes widened in astonishment. Because where her right hand touched, there wasn¡¯t a trace of moisture, not even the towel wrapped around her head felt damp. She immediately unwrapped the towel from her head, and her black hair cascaded down. After shaking her head, her waist-long hair was as smooth as black satin. ¡°Sir, your skills are too magical!!¡± Xie Xiaojiu looked at Jiang Ning with amazement. Seeing the look of astonishment on Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s face, Jiang Ning smiled. Then, Xie Xiaojiu obediently snuggled into the covers, only exposing a pair of wide, round eyes as she looked at Jiang Ning. Glancing at her, Jiang Ning approached the bathtub. Steam was still rising from the bathtub, indicating that the water was indeed still hot. Curiously, he reached his hand into the water. Next moment, the corners of his mouth involuntarily twitched. ¡°Am I boiling a pig here?¡± At that moment, Jiang Ning had nothing but deep sarcasm in his mind. Even after a while, the water temperature in the tub was still hot to his touch. On the other side, ¡°Sir, are you going to bathe?¡± Xie Xiaojiu asked, hope flashing in her eyes as she looked at Jiang Ning. ¡°I bathed yesterday; I¡¯m not going to today!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head. As the words fell, he flicked his wrist. The closed window suddenly opened, and the water from the tub rose up, turned into a column of water, and flew out of the window, falling onto the snowy ground outside. After dealing with Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s bathwater, Jiang Ning turned around to see Xie Xiaojiu with her rosy lips slightly open, in a daze. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, did I scare you?¡± Jiang Ning asked. ¡°A little!¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded. Seeing this, Jiang Ning smiled. At that moment, Xie Xiaojiu suddenly asked timidly, ¡°Sir, is it time for bed? The bed is warm now!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning looked at Xie Xiaojiu with some surprise. He did not expect Xie Xiaojiu to be so bold tonight as to utter those words. However, considering his current situation, Jiang Ning slowly shook his head, ¡°Sleep by yourself! Tonight, I will cultivate right over there!¡± To his mind, what pleasure in women could compare to cultivating? Growing stronger, the physical body becoming more powerful, bit by bit grasping greater powers, undergoing a transformation of life¡¯s realms. That was enjoyment beyond what women could provide! Moreover, women were ultimately trouble! Unless one could be truly heartless, once involved, one must take responsibility, face lots of trouble! Thinking of this, Jiang Ning was even more determined in his resolve. He could not seek temporary pleasures that would bring endless troubles. Especially under unfavorable circumstances, things would become even more troublesome! At the same time, Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s eyes dimmed a shade upon hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words. Then she quietly tucked her head under the covers. ¡­ A short while later, Jiang Ning sat down cross-legged on the side. Today he had successfully obtained the Bone Forging Pill, making the path to Martial Arts Sixth Grade wide open before him. The more effort he put in, the sooner he would reach Martial Arts Sixth Grade. Under circumstances where He Jinyun¡¯s brother, He Jinyun, had arrived in Luoshui County, he dared not be negligent. If the situation deteriorated, strength would be the most reliable support. Moreover, tonight he intended to see just when there would be changes to the Source Energy Points on the panel. Previously, he would see, every time he awoke, the Source Energy accumulated from the previous day would show up on the panel, with the points changed. To his mind, the change in Source Energy Points would only be displayed on the panel the next day. It should settle at a certain time point, accounting for a day¡¯s total. Only, this settlement point was during his sleep. Tonight, since his bed was claimed by Xie Xiaojiu, he planned simply not to sleep and cultivate all night. For him now, staying up all night might affect his condition the next day, but not significantly. Occasionally going a day or two without sleep was not a big deal. The next moment, he closed his eyes and his thoughts sank inside his body. Instantly, he saw twenty-six bones inside him glowing with a silvery light. Especially the thirteen bones he had hammered in the afternoon, their silvery luster shone even more brilliantly, now occupying more than a tenth of the surface area of those thirteen bones. ¡°This efficiency, according to the records, is much higher than that of ordinary martial artists!¡± Seeing the progress of these thirteen bones inside him, Jiang Ning internally praised. As far as he knew, for a common Seventh Grade peak martial artist to break through to the Sixth Grade, even if their Qi-Blood and spiritual power met the requirements, the efficiency couldn¡¯t compare to his. Chapter 365: 63 After One Night_2 Chapter 365: Chapter 63 After One Night_2 They would typically have to hammer forge their bones slowly, one at a time. Because to hammer forge thirteen bones at the same time like he did, not only required a very strong spiritual power and great manipulation capability. At the same time, the Qi Blood Power had to be extremely strong to condense thirteen Qi Blood hammers to forge the bones within one¡¯s body. From this perspective alone, he knew his efficiency was nearly ten times that of a regular Martial Artist. And moreover. Condensing Qi Blood hammers to forge bones was also an extremely draining task, both spiritually and in terms of Qi Blood Power. Ordinary Martial Artists, if they did not use auxiliary items to restore their Qi Blood and replenish their depleted spiritual power, Would find it difficult to forge their bones many times in a day. Yet this was not difficult for him. Being in the water, he could quickly restore his own condition. This meant that if necessary, he could always maintain his peak condition, fearing no depletion of Qi Blood Power or spiritual power. Afterward. Jiang Ning entered into Bone Forging. As the Qi Blood hammers fell, striking heavily upon the bones inside his body, there was a tremendous shaking within, and a series of muffled sounds emerged. ¡­ Time slipped by unnoticed. In the blink of an eye, it was midnight. After one session of Bone Forging was completed. Jiang Ning opened his eyes, the candle had long been extinguished, and darkness enveloped everything. You could not see your hand in front of your face. But to his senses, although not as clear as daylight, he could easily make out everything inside the room. A glance found Xie Xiaojiu sleeping on his bed. Her sleeping position was far from proper, the blanket having slid down to her waist, revealing a large expanse of fair skin. One foot was also sticking out from the blanket, carelessly dangling over the side of the bed. Jiang Ning shook his head slightly at this. Then he got up and approached the bed. First, he adjusted her foot and tucked it back under the blanket. Next, he pulled up the blanket to cover the spring scenery that had inadvertently been revealed at her chest. Just then. Mmm¡­ Xie Xiaojiu let out a subconscious nasal hum, then grabbed Jiang Ning¡¯s arm tightly in her hands. As if holding a doll, she embraced Jiang Ning¡¯s arm tightly to her chest. In an instant. Jiang Ning felt his right hand touch a soft place. Afterward. Jiang Ning instinctively squeezed. Mmm¡­ Xie Xiaojiu made a nasal sound from her mouth. Then, Jiang Ning felt her body suddenly tense up. Uh¡­ Jiang Ning was instantly dumbfounded. Judging from the changes in Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s body, she was clearly awake at that moment. Immediately, Jiang Ning looked down and, even in the darkness, could see Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s eyelashes trembling madly, clearly very nervous. At this moment, he immediately felt that things were not going well. In their current posture, he felt as if he could never clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River. From an onlooker¡¯s perspective, it was clear that he had nefarious intentions. Jiang Ning: ¡°¡­¡± After a moment of silence in his heart. He tried to gently withdraw his right hand, only to find that Xie Xiaojiu still held it tightly, making it impossible to pull away. At the same time, Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s tensed body gradually softened a lot. Jiang Ning: ¡°¡­¡± The next moment. He gently squeezed. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Xie Xiaojiu let out a light cry, and Jiang Ning took the opportunity to pull out his right hand. Then he pulled the blanket up to her chest and patted it gently, ¡°Sleep!¡± After saying this, Jiang Ning turned and left. Xie Xiaojiu behind him was still pretending to sleep. When Jiang Ning wasn¡¯t looking, the corners of her mouth unconsciously revealed a trace of joy. ¡­ After leaving the bedside. Jiang Ning came to the bucket. The two large buckets of water he had just brought over, after being used by Xie Xiaojiu, now only had about one-third left at the bottom. The next moment. Jiang Ning immersed his palm into the icy water. His brow immediately relaxed. Even with just his palm submerged, he could feel the Qi Blood within his body, which had been greatly depleted, along with his spiritual power, like a spring with a source, constantly gathering. On the other side. Xie Xiaojiu turned her head towards the direction where Jiang Ning was. Although she couldn¡¯t see where he was in the pitch-black room at that moment, She could feel that Jiang Ning was inside the room. She could smell his scent and hear his breathing. Her heart immediately became very peaceful. And she couldn¡¯t help but curl her lips into a smile. After a moment, she came back to her senses and nodded slightly, her lips revealing a hint of smugness. ¡°It seems I still have some attraction to the lord!¡± Thinking this, the feeling of loss she had before had long dissipated. ¡­ After about the time it took to drink a cup of tea. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xie Xiaojiu once again entered into sleep. Jiang Ning also withdrew his hand from the water. After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, his spiritual power and Qi Blood had both recovered quite a bit. Subsequently. He went to the side and continued with Bone Forging. In the blink of an eye. It was the time between 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. Huh¡ª Jiang Ning opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of impure energy from his abdomen. After a whole night of continuous Bone Forging, his Qi Blood Power and spiritual power had been depleted several times. Under conditions of inadequate rest, even he felt somewhat exhausted. He closed his eyes and rubbed the spot between his eyebrows to ease some of the fatigue around his eyes. Then, he habitually opened his status panel. Jiang Ning got up and went to the side. [Source Energy]:541.11 When he saw the figure in the Source Energy section, his gaze immediately sharpened. ¡°I remember it was over five hundred and thirty points yesterday!¡± ¡°Now it has suddenly become over five hundred and forty points!¡± ¡°This means the daily change in Source Energy Points is likely around this time!¡± Jiang Ning silently noted to himself, then understood. Then he went back to the water bucket, reaching his hand into the water. After a short while. His brow furrowed immediately. ¡°That¡¯s odd! The water has lost its restorative effect on my condition!¡± Chapter 366: 63 After One Night_3 Chapter 366: Chapter 63 After One Night_3 Looking at the water in the bucket, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but speculate in his mind. Soon after, he glanced at Xie Xiaojiu again, who was still deep in sleep. Seeing this, he abandoned the idea of going out. Although a little fatigued, without a water source to absorb and recover his state, he chose to continue Bone Forging. ¡­ S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Time quietly slipped by. In the blink of an eye. The sky outside was already faintly bright. After another cycle of Bone Forging ended, Jiang Ning internally inspected his whole body. He immediately saw that seventy-eight of his bones were already emitting a faint silver glow. This indicated that the progress of Bone Forging for these seventy-eight bones had taken them one step closer to the Iron Bone state. Especially the initial thirteen bones, after completely absorbing the iron marrow and merging it into the bones, those thirteen were shining with an abundant silver light. When all the bones within his body turned completely silver, that would mark the completion of Bone Forging, the successful creation of Iron Bone, and the time to enter the ranks of a Sixth Grade Martial Artist. After observing the changes in the bones within his body, Jiang Ning felt very satisfied. This progress indicated that the creation of Iron Bone was not far off for him. Subsequently, he withdrew from the state of internal inspection and slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Master!¡± The moment he opened his eyes, Jiang Ning heard Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s voice beside his ear. Turning his head slightly, he saw that Xie Xiaojiu had already awakened; she was sitting on the bed, pulling up the quilt in front of her to cover the inadvertent exposure of her body. ¡°Awake?¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°Mm! Awakened!¡± Xie Xiaojiu nodded repeatedly and then said, ¡°Master¡¯s bed is very comfortable to sleep in, I¡¯ve never slept so well!¡± Hearing this sentence, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but smile. He knew his own bed¡ªall it was was an ordinary hard plank bed, which was hardly what one would called particularly comfortable. ¡°So, do you want to get up now?¡± Jiang Ning asked. Xie Xiaojiu nodded, ¡°Yes! It¡¯s also time for my sword practice!¡± After saying this, Xie Xiaojiu looked down somewhat shyly. ¡°Could you turn around, please? I need to get dressed!¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly. Then he turned around. At this moment, both of them tacitly did not bring up the events of last night. Even though both of them were fully aware! Immediately, a rustling sound came from behind. That was the sound of Xie Xiaojiu getting dressed. In less than a quarter of an hour! ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡± Xie Xiaojiu spoke out. Jiang Ning turned back around, and by this time, Xie Xiaojiu was already neatly dressed. She was once again wearing her black dress from the day before. Like the elegant orchid in an empty valley, her long black dress. ¡°Master, I¡¯m going to go outside and practice my sword! Would you like to come and watch?¡± Xie Xiaojiu got up and asked. ¡°No need!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ll take a nap! Call me when it¡¯s time for breakfast!¡± ¡°Master, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Xie Xiaojiu said timidly, standing by the side of the bed with a hint of guilt in her eyes. As Jiang Ning walked past her, he reached out to ruffle her head, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault! You warmed the bed up for me last night, and it was me who didn¡¯t come to sleep!¡± Then Jiang Ning smiled at her and walked to the side of the bed. ¡°Let me!¡± Seeing this, Xie Xiaojiu immediately came to Jiang Ning¡¯s side in three quick steps and then squatted down. ¡°Master, let me help you take off your shoes!¡± After saying this, Xie Xiaojiu grabbed onto Jiang Ning¡¯s shoes before he could and took them off. Seeing this scene, seeing Xie Xiaojiu remove his shoes, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°You¡¯re not bothered by the smell of my feet?¡± Upon hearing this, Xie Xiaojiu¡¯s delicate nose twitched. Then she looked up at Jiang Ning, ¡°Not smelly!¡± After removing the shoes and socks, Xie Xiaojiu helped Jiang Ning to lie down, then covered him with the quilt and patted his chest. ¡°Have a good sleep, Master!¡± Smelling the suddenly pleasant fragrance in the quilt, ¡°The differences between men and women are indeed vast!¡± Jiang Ning sighed in his heart, and then he fell into a deep sleep. Chapter 367: 64 Grasping the Authority of God? Chapter 367: Chapter 64 Grasping the Authority of God? Inside the room. ¡°So comfortable!¡± Jiang Ning rose up and slowly stretched his body. *Crack Crack¡ª* Immediately, his muscles and bones sang in unison. After a simple stretch that fully activated all his muscles and bones, he felt completely refreshed. Upon waking up, his mind was no longer in a hazy state like before; he was already in peak condition. ¡°Indeed, nothing beats a good night¡¯s sleep!¡± Jiang Ning sighed quietly. He then threw off the blanket and got out of bed. Just like early in the morning when he dipped his hand in water to rejuvenate his condition. Looking back now, it was quite similar to drinking strong coffee to alleviate tiredness when one is feeling wiped out. Although it could relieve physical fatigue, it was a classic case of treating the symptoms but not the cause. Afterwards, Jiang Ning put on his shoes and socks and looked around. He did not see Xie Xiaojiu, but he already heard the whistling of sword Qi crisscrossing in the yard. Getting off the bed. Jiang Ning took the cool tea from the table and poured it into a cup. *Gulugulugulu¡ª* He chugged it down in a few gulps. After cleansing his stomach and intestines, Jiang Ning then opened his room door. The next moment. He squinted his eyes slightly. Because the sunlight outside was in full blaze. The dazzling sunlight reflected off the snow, casting bright glares. Stepping suddenly from the indoors to the bright snowfield under the sun inevitably stimulated his eyes. In just an instant, he adapted to the piercing sunlight in the yard. And so, he saw Xie Xiaojiu practicing her swordsmanship in the courtyard. At that moment, a long sword in her hand was like a startling swan or a roaming dragon. Watching Xie Xiaojiu practice swordsmanship in the snowy courtyard, lines of poetry couldn¡¯t help but emerge in Jiang Ning¡¯s mind. Swift like Yi shooting down the nine suns, majestic like a group of emperors harnessing dragons. It appears like thunder collecting its raging anger, it ceases like the sea reflecting tranquility¡¯s light. ¡°Such swordsmanship, so spirited!!¡± Jiang Ning praised silently in his heart. Just then. Xie Xiaojiu suddenly reined in her sword movements and then placed the long sword on her back, with her black dress standing out in the snowfield. ¡°Did my sword practice disturb you, sir?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± Jiang Ning smiled, ¡°The sword dance was good, and I¡¯ve had enough sleep, so I woke up!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Xie Xiaojiu patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief. Then she smiled, ¡°Thank you for your compliment, sir!¡± ¡°You seem more cheerful than before!¡± said Jiang Ning. He then glanced at the sundial in the yard. It was just past the third quarter after noon, not yet the fourth quarter after noon! He immediately spoke, ¡°Continue practicing your sword! We¡¯ll go to the Inspection Office together in the afternoon!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Xie Xiaojiu responded from behind him. Jiang Ning returned to his room and freshened up a bit. Then he took some dried meat from the Sumeru Ring. With a few pieces of dried meat in his belly, his empty stomach instantly felt much more satiated. Afterwards, he sat cross-legged and introspected his body. The next moment. He felt delighted. After several hours of absorption, the 78 bones in his body that had been tempered by Qi Blood now all showed a faint silvery sheen. ¡°There¡¯s a trace of silver in the bones, about two or three tenths!¡± ¡°If this rate continues, each bone needs only to be tempered four or five times to reach the strength of Iron Bone!¡± Looking at the 18 bones in his body that glistened with a silver sheen, Jiang Ning pondered. After a good night¡¯s sleep and several hours of settling, the silvery sheen on the 78 bones he had tempered once was now virtually indistinguishable. This indicated that the iron marrow integrated into bones had mostly been digested and absorbed. If necessary, he could continue with the next tempering. After introspecting his body. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ning opened his eyes and slowly stood up. The next moment. He clenched his fist and mobilized the power throughout his body. In an instant. He felt different. Yesterday¡¯s Bone Forging progress was astounding, with the progress of Bone Forging, a resonance between his skin, flesh, muscles, and bones, his physique had slightly improved compared to the day before. Though not by a full ten or fifteen percent increase, the improvement was still significantly noticeable, and he could clearly feel the sudden surge of power within him, even the Qi Blood Power had become stronger because of the physique enhancement. ¡°The records in the book were indeed correct! The skin, flesh, muscles, and bones are interconnected, and an increase in bone strength can lead to a transformation of the physical body.¡± ¡°The deeper the Bone Forging progress, the more evident the physical changes!¡± After feeling the changes within his body again. Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°This realm of Bone Forging, it¡¯s no wonder it¡¯s called a transformation of the physical body!¡± This moment. Jiang Ning truly felt the changes brought about by the growth of Bone Forging progress. As his bones gradually headed toward Iron Bone, his physical body was slowly transforming. Stronger strength, higher resistance, more abundant Qi-Blood¡­ If this were to be described using game terminology, his physique, strength, and defense attributes had all been enhanced. Going forward, as the Bone Forging progress increases, these improvements will only get bigger. It is conceivable that once truly entering the Bone Forging Realm and completing the tempering of Iron Bone, the physical body would undergo a dramatic transformation. With this thought in mind, a rush of enthusiasm filled Jiang Ning. The transformation of the physical body marked the return of formidable power to oneself. The growth of the physical body would also be the most reliable power. This kind of power was much more reliable than authority and status. Afterwards. Jiang Ning began to continue Bone Forging. Having had a good sleep, he was full of Essence Qi and spirit, his condition was the best it could be for the day. It was also the time when Bone Forging efficiency was at its highest. ¡­ In the blink of an eye. It was noon. ¡°Ah Ning, time for lunch¡ª¡± ¡°Miss Xie, time for lunch¡ª¡± The voice of Wanwan Liuu came through several walls. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s eat first!¡± Jiang Ning walked out of his room and said to Xie Xiaojiu. ¡­ During the meal, Wanwan Liuu and Jiang Li looked at the two of them, their brows and eyes filled with joy. Jiang Ning seemed to see the scene of them holding a plump baby in their eyes. He shook his head. After quickly finishing lunch. Chapter 368: 64 Grasping the Authority of God?_2 Chapter 368: Chapter 64 Grasping the Authority of God?_2 Jiang Ning continued to return to his room to continue Bone Forging. With each increment in the progress of his Bone Forging, his strength also grew by a corresponding measure. The robustness of one¡¯s physique was the foundation, the foundation of the strong. The stronger the physique, the more solid the foundation, which would pave the way for a longer journey in the future. From what he had learned about the Skin Refining Realm and Bone Forging Realm, Jiang Ning had uncovered some of the mysteries behind becoming a Martial Saint. The pinnacle of Skin Refining was the Golden Body. The concept of the Golden Bodied Arhat in Buddhism referred to reaching the apex of Skin Refining, creating a Golden Body. Therefore, the Vajra Immortal Body, the defining supreme skill of the Vajra Temple, could be found there. The epitome of Bone Forging also went beyond Jade Bones. According to the records in the Heaven and Earth Evil Bone Forging Skill, which harbors the body of a Martial Saint, finding the yang of Heaven and the yin of Earth could forge the foundation for becoming a Martial Saint. From these two aspects, Jiang Ning had some conjectures in his mind. Conjectures about becoming a Martial Saint! To achieve the status of Martial Saint, one must undoubtedly cast the perfect foundation of the flesh. The first person in a thousand years, the only Martial Saint of the present age. To stand shoulder to shoulder with him would clearly be no simple feat. The foundation of the flesh was certainly of the utmost importance. Jiang Ning also placed a great value on the foundation of the flesh. Meanwhile, with regards to the flesh, he could not help but think of the two great gods mentioned in the myths of his previous life. The mysteries of the Eight Nine Profound Art, the Unbreakable Golden Body. Speaking of divine powers, those two great gods in the myths were certainly not the strongest. But in terms of combat and survival, those two great gods must surely be at the forefront. Such was the advantage of an Unbreakable Body. All manner of Divine Skills, a thousand methodologies, held no fear for them. Only at this point could one cease to fear formidable opponents, only then did one possess leeway in dire situations. And, according to the effects outlined on his personal panel, Jiang Ning was very clear. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As long as he had enough time to develop, he would eventually become a being that transcended everything else. Even lifespan might not be an issue for him. For with his current insights, those traits listed as part of his Skill on his panel gave him a broader understanding. Those traits might not be so straightforward. Perhaps they were not just traits; they might also involve the Authority of Gods. His thoughts came full circle, and Jiang Ning cut off the distracting thoughts in his mind to continue Bone Forging. ¡­ In the afternoon. At 13:30 pm. Jiang Ning and Xie Xiaojiu boarded the carriage for the Inspection Office. Yesterday, the second son of the Qinghe Marquis, He Jinseng, entered Luoshui County. Since he couldn¡¯t avoid confrontation by stepping back, he could only meet it head-on. No matter how the situation changed, it would always be preferable to be at the Inspection Office than at home. Home was not only where he was, but also where his elder brother and sister-in-law¡¯s family lived. Should a conflict arise, With his strength, and starting from the Peak of the Martial Arts Sixth Grade like He Jinseng, it would be easy to harm those around him. It would be different at the Inspection Office. With Hong Minghu there, no matter how the conflict escalated, it would be difficult to spread further. Sitting in the carriage, Jiang Ning continued Bone Forging. Just before departure, he had briefly recovered his state. Now in prime condition, with abundant Qi-Blood and overflowing Essence Qi. ¡­ Time flew like a swift steed. Before he knew it, evening had come. Jiang Ning returned alone. As for He Jinseng, he spent the entire afternoon in the Inspection Office forging his bones, and there was no word of his whereabouts. Where this person had gone to now, Jiang Ning had no idea. ¡­ Caw, caw, caw¡ª The cold moonlight poured down from overhead. A crow cawed on the treetop. Jiang Ning walked out of his room, his face showing a faint pleasure. After a day of Bone Forging, a total of 206 bones in his body were now gleaming with a silvery luster. This signified that he had preliminarily completed the tempering of a total of 206 bones in his body. All that was now awaited was the thorough absorption of iron marrow by these 206 bones, and he could begin the second tempering. Standing amidst the snow, Jiang Ning closed his eyes slightly, quietly sensing the metamorphosis brought about by the progress of Bone Forging. Time slipped away in silence. Under his quiet perception, he could clearly sense the changes within his body. These changes were like seeds breaking through the soil. Though it appeared silent and uneventful, From a microscopic perspective, the changes were constant and active. At this moment, The same was happening inside his body. He could feel his physique growing stronger, little by little. With each passing breath, his physique was stronger than the last. The resilience of his muscles was also gradually increasing. With each breath, they became more tenacious than the previous one. The strength of the skin and flesh was also enhancing bit by bit. The Qi Blood Power was the same. The various changes in his body, though slow, were persistent. Just like grains of sand would eventually pile up to form a tower. As drops of water would eventually gather to become a pool. Standing in the cold wind and snow, Jiang Ning quietly felt the subtle changes within his body. After an unknown amount of time, Which might have been as brief as the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, or as long as thirty minutes, Jiang Ning opened his eyes, and his figure moved. He suddenly vanished from the spot, leaving the empty courtyard to the cold wind and the occasional falling snowflakes from the treetops. ¡­ Rough Stone Beach. Jiang Ning appeared on the ice layer. Due to the continuous cold snap and several days of heavy snow, The water beneath his feet had already frozen into ice. Boom¡ª Jiang Ning suddenly stomped his foot, and the ice layer nearly ten centimeters thick under his feet shattered instantaneously. Then, his figure sank into the icy waters. The moment he entered the water, feeling the bone-chilling waters, Jiang Ning experienced a sudden shudder. But then the coldness dispersed instantaneously, and he felt as if he had entered a hot spring, comfortably warm all over. Chapter 369: 64 Grasping the Authority of God?_3 Chapter 369: Chapter 64 Grasping the Authority of God?_3 ¡°Awesome!¡± Jiang Ning closed his eyes. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soaking in the lake, he felt an indescribable sense of refreshment. ¡°Indeed, soaking in the water is the best way to relax. What was I thinking, just dipping my hands into a bucket!¡± Recalling the way he had previously restored his condition, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but comment. Submerged in the water, Jiang Ning immediately felt his condition rapidly improving. Much faster than when he had stretched his hands into the water bucket last night. After dozens of breaths, he opened his eyes, and by this time, his condition was completely restored. The fatigue from a day of grueling training seemed to have dissipated in that moment as well. ¡°Is this the invulnerability to water and fire and water avoidance effects mentioned by the Water and Fire Immortal Clothes?¡± Spreading his fingers, he lightly stirred in the water, and Jiang Ning immediately felt as if there was a thin film between his fingers and the lake, invisible to the naked eye. With this film, there was always a separation between his skin and the lake water. Because of this barrier, he could imagine, that even waters which could melt flesh and blood, could not touch a hair on him without his permission. Then, with a thought from Jiang Ning, the film enveloping his palm, the so-called Water and Fire Immortal Clothes, disappeared. The lake water touched his palm again. However, with the trait he possessed, even though the lake water was ice-cold, he found the sensation extremely comfortable, as if he was soaking in a hot spring. ¡°The Water and Fire Immortal Clothes actually have some conflicting effects with my current trait, Water Spirit Affinity,¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Because with Water Spirit Affinity, he no longer feared water, even at the bottom of the lake, hundreds of meters deep, it was no different to him than being on land. Immediately, with another thought, he murmured, ¡°But not necessarily! I am not afraid of ordinary water with the trait of Water Spirit Affinity, but something like poison water might not be effectively mitigated by it.¡± From what he knew, there were waters in this world that appeared no different from ordinary water, but any creature that fell into them turned into profound ice that wouldn¡¯t melt for thousands of years. ¡°If it¡¯s that kind of water, I wouldn¡¯t have to fear with the Water and Fire Immortal Clothes, but without them, I¡¯d have to run as far away as possible!¡± Thinking this, Jiang Ning felt even more satisfied with the trait of the Water and Fire Immortal Clothes. At least according to his tests, in terms of defending against fire, he was completely capable of bathing in lava without injury. It was obvious, then, that in terms of water control, even if there was a limit, that limit was quite high. Then, he, still in the water, began to operate the Water and Fire True Strength to increase the Experience Value of this Skill. [Skill]: Water and Fire True Strength (First Limit Breaking 189/2000) (Trait: Water and Fire Immortal Clothes) Today, he had completed the initial Bone Forging. His two hundred and six bones would need some time to settle. After settling, he could proceed with the second Bone Forging. In the meantime, it was natural that he did not neglect his practice of the Skill of Water and Fire True Strength. Even though the first Break Limit of Water and Fire True Strength did not yield the trait he had in mind to enhance his offensive power, if it didn¡¯t appear the first time, then there was hope for the Second Limit Breaking. After all, it wasn¡¯t difficult to increase the Experience Value of this Skill. The Source Energy Points needed for the Second Limit Breaking weren¡¯t many either; it only required 200 Source Energy Points. Immersed in the water, Jiang Ning continuously operated the Water and Fire True Strength. [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +4] [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +3] [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +4] [¡­] With this operation, he immediately noticed something different. ¡°It seems¡­ the efficiency of gaining Experience Value has increased?¡± Jiang Ning observed the prompts before his eyes and couldn¡¯t help but reveal a look of astonishment. Chapter 370: 65: Casting Iron Bone, Martial Arts Sixth Grade! Chapter 370: Chapter 65: Casting Iron Bone, Martial Arts Sixth Grade! Two days later, Flapping, flapping¡ª The sound of wings came from above. Jiang Ning looked up and immediately saw a white bird rapidly flapping its wings toward him. He raised his hand, and the white bird plummeted from the sky, quickly landing on his forearm. Then, he opened the message tube on the bird¡¯s leg and pulled out a white slip of paper. The text on the white paper was as tiny as ants¡¯ tracks. With just a glance, Jiang Ning had read it all. ¡°He Jinseng hasn¡¯t been to the Inspection Office these past few days and is missing, which is quite strange!¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself while crushing the paper in his hand and tossing it into the snow. He had thought that after He Jinseng arrived in Luoshui County, there would inevitably be a conflict between them. After all, there had already been conflicts with He Jinyun, so it was normal for He Jinseng to come looking for trouble from that angle. Facing such a situation, Jiang Ning wasn¡¯t afraid. If pushed to the limit and as long as He Jinseng was still at the Peak of Sixth Grade, Jiang Ning could find a chance to kill him someday. With his archery skills now, even from several thousand meters away, he could hit He Jinseng with a miraculous heart-targeting arrow. Using the powerful ¡°Wind and Thunder¡± archery technique, as long as He Jinseng was unprepared, it was not impossible to kill him with one arrow. As for the future, he could only take things one step at a time. But now, three days had passed, and He Jinseng had not come to find him. This was somewhat beyond Jiang Ning¡¯s expectation. ¡°Forget it! Let things come as they may; worrying about this is less useful than continuing to cultivate!¡± Later, he went to the lakeside and stood on the ice. He lifted his right foot and gently stomped. Boom¡ª The thick ice layer suddenly collapsed and shattered. He also entered the water through the large gap in the ice. These past few days, he had discovered an important point. That was, in the water, the experience value for his skill ¡°Water and Fire True Strength¡± grew more quickly. [Skill]: Water and Fire True Strength (Once Breaking Limit 832/2000) (Trait: Water and Fire Immortal Clothes) Now, in just two short days, this skill¡¯s progress was not far from being half completed. This was still while he focused on bone forging and only cultivated this skill in his spare time. Once fully immersed in the water, Jiang Ning immediately felt completely secure! In the water, his five senses were much sharper than on land. Even the range of his spiritual field was much larger. On land, his spiritual field could only cover a hundred meters around him, but now in the water, it could easily envelop a radius of one kilometer, a full thousand meters. The diameter was ten times larger! If considering only the extension of perception, even four or five miles away, he could sense any movement. Hence, every time he entered the water, a sense of security naturally emerged. Within several miles around him, everything could be sensed by him, and even a fish swimming by could not escape his notice. In such conditions, the sense of security was naturally complete. Moreover, his combat power in the water increased at least several times. Even to say, its formidable level was far beyond what his current martial arts could match. After breaking the limits of his water control skills six times, his Divine Water Skills were enhanced. When he tested them, at full strength, he could control the water within a hundred meters, even raising the lake¡¯s surface to above his head. This power was terrifying. If in the water, with his powerful Divine Water Skills, it could be considered a domain. He could kill enemies, restrain them, and trap them¡­ Various methods were extremely profound. In Jiang Ning¡¯s view, even typical Fifth Grade strong people, once in the water, he was confident he could play them in the palm of his hand. Not to mention fighting him, even touching his body would be difficult. But for stronger enemies, like the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley, Lu Qingshan, at the Peak of Fifth Grade with Inner Breath already condensed into Gang Qi, He wasn¡¯t entirely confident. Because he could achieve cutting down a thousand troops with one sword. And these thousand troops were armored and armed, a thousand soldiers of Martial Arts Entry. So, in front of such powerful Gang Qi, even the lake water might not hinder their movements. Perhaps such a strong person could split a waterfall with one sword, or cleave mountains with another. Facing such a mighty foe, Jiang Ning still harbored some trepidation. Later, he stood in the water and started to introspect his body. Under introspection, he immediately saw that all 206 bones in his body were now shining with a silvery white light. The silvery color had already covered the majority of each bone. ¡°In another two or three days, I¡¯ll likely complete the Iron Bone forging, stepping into Martial Arts Sixth Grade!¡± Thinking of this, Jiang Ning¡¯s heart surged with excitement. This efficiency, even the so-called martial arts geniuses couldn¡¯t compare to him. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qi-Blood like a sea, along with the powerful spiritual power that enveloped a hundred meters, forged his current powerful efficiency of developing Iron Bone. ¡­ In the lake, with boundless Qi Blood Power and inexhaustible spiritual power, Jiang Ning continued his bone forging. ¡­ Three days later. In the lake. Boom¡ª When the last hammer fell, completing a total of one week and 108 strikes. Jiang Ning immediately opened his eyes. With a wave of his hand, the water in front of him parted on its own, forming a vacuum. Next, the jade bottle containing Iron Bone Pills appeared in front of him. He opened his mouth, and several broad bean-sized Iron Bone Pills flew out from the bottle. The next moment. He retrieved the jade bottle, closed his eyes, and began refining the Iron Bone Pills inside his body. With a roll of his Qi Blood Power, the Iron Bone Pills instantly shattered, and the thousands of strands of contained iron marrow, under the control of his mind, converged onto the freshly forged bones. Moments later. Several Iron Bone Pills were absorbed in an instant. ¡°It seems¡­ not enough!¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Chapter 371: 65 Casting Iron Bone, Martial Arts Sixth Grade!_2 Chapter 371: Chapter 65 Casting Iron Bone, Martial Arts Sixth Grade!_2 Then he instantly opened his eyes. Raising a hand, he parted the lake water and continued to form a vacuum zone. Then, the jade bottle containing Iron Bone Pills appeared, and several more pills flew out and into his throat. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Once the pills reached his stomach, they dissolved already. As soon as he exerted his Qi Blood Power, the Iron Bone Pills suddenly burst open, and the iron marrow within seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, turning into thousands of silver threads, rushing towards the bones throughout his body. ¡°Indeed it is so!!¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself, his face immediately bursting with joy. For according to the records, this was the telltale sign of starting to forge Iron Bones. This process required vast amounts of iron marrow for the body¡¯s bones to absorb and to complete the final transformation. Just after a dozen breaths¡¯ time, the iron marrow from the dissolved Iron Bone Pills in his body The next moment. He opened his eyes again, and as before, swallowed several more Iron Bone Pills. Another dozen breaths¡¯ time passed. ¡°Not enough!¡± ¡°Not enough!!¡± ¡°Still not enough!!!¡± Quickly, he finished one bottle of Iron Bone Pills and immediately took out another. Lin Qingyi had prepared plenty for him. Though there were only ten bottles, each was filled with Iron Bone Pills. After swallowing Iron Bone Pills several times. He then felt that all 206 bones in his body had reached a saturated state. Like a dry sponge now fully soaked with water, unable to absorb even a drop more. ¡°Finally¡­ I¡¯ve reached this step!¡± Jiang Ning sighed as he looked at his almost silvery white bones inside him. Upon reaching this step, all he needed to do was wait. With the passage of time, the white bones would completely turn into silvery white bones, marking the true entry into Iron Bone. Upon reaching that step, his physical body would also begin to undergo a greater transformation than before. The next moment. His figure flickered, shooting up like an arrow. Boom¡ª The ice layer above his head burst, and he shot up from the lake. At that time. Besides the howling cold wind over the lake, there was the darkness creeping in like ink. The light at the horizon was also gradually swallowed by darkness. Jiang Ning stretched out his palm, and a snowflake the size of a fingernail gently floated down into his hand. ¡°Snowing again?¡± He looked up at the sky, immediately noticing the somber sky gradually dotted with falling snowflakes. ¡°This weather is truly tormenting!¡± Jiang Ning shook his head. Since winter arrived, there were hardly any clear days, causing his Inner Elixir Cultivation to stagnate. Without clear skies, there was no Great Sun. Without seeing the Great Sun, he could not breathe in and release the Essence of the Great Sun. Without breathing and releasing the Essence of the Great Sun, the Inner Elixir Cultivation, this Internal Refining Method, could not gain Experience Value. Without gaining Experience Value, his Inner Breath could not advance to the next level. It must be mentioned, he had already condensed his Inner Breath. Should this technique advance to the next level, even if the total amount of Inner Breath wasn¡¯t sufficient, it would reach the level where Inner Breath is condensed into a solid form. Inner Breath condensed into a solid form is a symbol of the Peak of Fifth Grade. Once he reached this step and completed his Iron Bone of Sixth Grade, he could directly join the ranks of the Peak of Fifth Grade. At that time, looking around, he could also be called a true powerhouse. Just like Lu Qingshan at the Peak of Fifth Grade, with a formidable reputation throughout the county. In Dongling County, Medicine King Valley was the biggest Sect force. The reason was twofold. One, because of the extensive network of Medicine King Valley. After all, a sect proficient in healing and Alchemy Dao was something everyone wanted to be on good terms with. Second, because of Lu Qingshan. At the Peak of Fifth Grade, incomparable to an ordinary Fifth Grade. There was a fundamental difference between the two. [Skill]: Inner Elixir Cultivation (small success 893/5000) Looking at his own panel, Jiang Ning shook his head. Still more than four thousand Experience Value points away from Great Success, reaching the level of Inner Breath condensed into a solid form. If calculating the progress, it was barely at one and a half percent. ¡°Can¡¯t count on this happening anytime soon, especially with this unpredictable weather!¡± ¡°Luckily, since I completed Break Limit with Five Animals Fist before, the trait I obtained allows me to increase my Inner Breath daily.¡± ¡°Even without breathing and releasing the Essence of the Great Sun, refining the internal organs, I can still increase my Inner Breath!¡± ¡°After this winter, even if my Inner Elixir Cultivation isn¡¯t at Great Success, the total amount of my Inner Breath will still increase several times.¡± ¡°At that time, compared to an ordinary Fifth Grade Martial Artist, my Inner Breath should not be far behind.¡± ¡­ A little while later. Jiang Ning followed the lights to find his home. Vaulting the wall, he stepped into his courtyard. ¡°There¡¯s someone!¡± Jiang Ning¡¯s gaze sharpened as he looked toward his room. The next moment. His slightly tense expression relaxed. For he already knew who was in his room, it was his elder brother Jiang Li. As he pushed open the door. ¡°Big brother!¡± Jiang Ning called out immediately. ¡°Ah Ning is back!¡± Jiang Li¡¯s face instantly showed a smile. ¡°Brother, were you waiting for me here?¡± Jiang Ning expressed a slight confusion. ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Li nodded and then grabbed a piece of white paper from the table, continuing, ¡°This is from a young lady named Feng Jiuge!¡± ¡°She came this afternoon and waited for you for several hours but didn¡¯t meet you, so she left this note, asking me to give it to you.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning looked surprised. ¡°Feng Jiuge!¡± Then he walked up to Jiang Li and took the white paper from his hand. ¡°Ah Ning, thank you!¡± Suddenly, Jiang Li spoke again. ¡°Thanks for what?¡± Jiang Ning chuckled. Jiang Li said, ¡°Thank you for helping your brother; I passed the government office¡¯s assessment these past few days and can continue my old job as a constable!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning felt a slight surprise. Chapter 372: 65 Forging the Iron Bone, Martial Arts Sixth Grade!_3 Chapter 372: Chapter 65 Forging the Iron Bone, Martial Arts Sixth Grade!_3 The government office held its annual year-end assessment. And it was always conducted by people from the county government office. He had known about this for some time. Because a few months ago, Jiang Li¡¯s right arm was rendered useless. According to the rules, he would inevitably fail the assessment. If the government office was considerate, they might allow him to step back from the front lines, taking a logistics position to retire quietly. The conflict he had with Cao Bin before, at that time, Xu Yunfeng also used the year-end assessment as a threat. Threatening his elder brother to comply. Thinking of this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but feel disoriented. It seemed like not much time had passed, but the changes over these past few months had been earth-shattering. ¡°Ah Ning, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Jiang Li asked. ¡°Nothing!¡± Jiang Ning smiled and quickly regained his composure, ¡°By the way, big brother, do you know why the entire Cao family will be beheaded?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know, Ah Ning? The Cao family will be executed at the market in three days¡¯ time!¡± ¡°Three days?¡± Jiang Ning appeared surprised. ¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Li nodded, ¡°Ever since I found out the time, I¡¯ve been counting the days on my fingers! The Cao family was captured by a team you led, and if they aren¡¯t completely wiped out, there¡¯s a possibility of endless troubles!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded in strong agreement. Although the order had been issued by Hong Minghu, he had been the one to carry it out. The Cao family would surely hold a grudge against him. If the Cao family were allowed to survive, they would inevitably become an endless threat. This was a matter of life and death! Even if he was not afraid himself, it could endanger his relatives. At this thought, Jiang Ning said, ¡°In three days, do you plan to go to the market to witness the execution?¡± ¡°I do!¡± Jiang Li nodded, ¡°I want to see the execution with my own eyes. Only when this matter is settled can I rest easy.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Jiang Ning nodded and then asked, ¡°Big brother, apart from being a constable, have you ever thought about changing your job?¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say!¡± Jiang Li laughed, ¡°I¡¯m used to being a constable! As for the Inspection Office, it¡¯s too dangerous, I won¡¯t get involved!¡± ¡°That makes sense!¡± Jiang Ning nodded slightly. Although he didn¡¯t feel it was dangerous to be in the Inspection Office, it wasn¡¯t safe for a ground-level inspector. These days, the sole goal of the Inspection Office was to wipe out members of the God Worship Sect. Yet, in this sustained operation, despite incidents like He Jinyun¡¯s wrongful claim of others¡¯ merits through killing innocent people, they had also discovered hideouts of the God Worship Sect. In the pursuit to eliminate members, three of the ordinary members had been lost, and there were troops in double digits with injuries. At this thought, Jiang Ning immediately discarded this notion from his mind. He was fearless against these dangers because of his own strength, but Jiang Li was different. Over the years, Jiang Li had not yet reached Ninth Grade. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This was partly due to the lack of Martial Arts resources, but it also indirectly showed that Jiang Li¡¯s Martial Arts talent and physical foundation were average. At that moment, Jiang Li spoke again, ¡°I need to go help your sister-in-law in the kitchen, remember to come for dinner later!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, watching as Jiang Li left. Once the door closed, his gaze returned to the blank paper left by Feng Jiuge. His eyes swiftly scanned the contents, and he frowned slightly. According to the information left by Feng Jiuge, she had two main reasons for visiting him today. One was to inform him that her father would return to Dongling County, but now a new envoy had been sent from outside Dongling City by Captain Yan to Luoshui County. Their purpose was simple, for the Cao family and Cao Rong. As for the other matter, it was that Feng Jiuge had located a God Worship Sect hideout, possibly with high-ranking members within, so she wanted to request his assistance in the operation. Over these past few months, the God Worship Sect had been as cunning as a rabbit. Like a hare with three burrows, they had never found its real dens. Except for the previous one at the City God Temple with the revered statue. ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯ll have to make a trip to the Inspection Office!¡± Jiang Ning circulated his Inner Breath and crushed the blank paper in his hand. With a gentle wave, the paper in his hand immediately turned into powder and scattered. Chapter 373: 66: Transformation Complete, Fully Achieved Sixth Rank! Chapter 373: Chapter 66: Transformation Complete, Fully Achieved Sixth Rank! After dinner, Jiang Ning braved the heavy snow and returned to his courtyard. Moments later, he had arranged nine torches throughout his courtyard. The nine torches formed a circle with an open space over three feet wide in the middle. The next moment, he pulled out two flintstones. Snap¡ª Sparks flew and the oil-soaked torches instantly burst into fierce flames. Soon, all nine torches were ablaze with fierce fire, reaching three feet high, and billows of black smoke swirled up through the falling snow. The intense heat directly melted the snowflakes falling just above. ¡°This environment is quite good!¡± Jiang Ning looked at the fiercely burning torches planted in the ground around him, revealing a faint smile on his face. Now that Iron Bone had been fully forged, he only needed to wait for his own transformation to officially step into Martial Arts Sixth Grade. Therefore, tonight he planned to also achieve the Second Limit Breaking for Water and Fire True Strength, the superior martial arts, in addition to his transformation. [Skill]: Water and Fire True Strength (First Limit Breaking 1691/2000) (Trait: Water and Fire Immortal Clothes) Over the past few days, the skill of Water and Fire True Strength approached its Second Limit Breaking. He had tested these past days and knew that practicing this skill either underwater or beside a large fire increased the efficiency of gaining Experience Value. That¡¯s why he lit torches in the courtyard tonight. Nine torches surrounded him with rolling heat waves, making Jiang Ning feel the air filled with a scorching sensation. Ordinary people would suffer burns and faint in such an environment within a very short time. But for him, with the enhancement of Water and Fire Immortal Clothes, this kind of environment felt quite normal, without any discomfort. Afterward, Jiang Ning glanced at the torch beside him and began to practice Water and Fire True Strength. As he practiced, he immediately felt the difference. The growth speed of Water and Fire True Strength was much faster compared to usual. [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +5] [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +3] [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +6] [¡­] An hour later, the flames gradually died down. [Skill]: Water and Fire True Strength (First Limit Breaking 1773/2000) (Trait: Water and Fire Immortal Clothes) ¡°The larger the fire, the higher the efficiency!¡± Seeing the change in Experience Value on the panel, Jiang Ning quietly mused. Before this evening, he had also tried practicing Water and Fire True Strength next to a fire. He was quite satisfied with his last test. Lighting the torches, practicing Water and Fire True Strength alongside them, the efficiency of gaining experience for this skill was not at all inferior to practicing in water. Because of this, he had prepared some torches in his Sumeru Ring in advance, to use during his training. Then, he replaced the surrounding torches with fresh ones. The fire once again became fierce. ¡­ Time passed steadily. The Experience Value of Water and Fire True Strength skill continued to rise. The requirement for its Second Limit Breaking was getting closer and closer. Several 2-hour periods later, [Water and Fire True Strength Experience Value +6] [Source Energy]: 566.33 [Skill]: Water and Fire True Strength+ (First Limit Breaking 2000/2000) (Trait: Water and Fire Immortal Clothes) Seeing the changes on the panel, Jiang Ning was delighted. Days of effort had finally turned into a harvest today. In the next moment, his mind moved without hesitation. The Source Energy Points on the panel rapidly decreased. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the blink of an eye, 200 Source Energy Points were deducted, stabilizing at the figure of 366.33. At the same time, he saw endless flames envelop his body. It was as if he was in a Pill Furnace, surrounded on all sides by relentless flames, and he was the spirit residing within the fire. Suddenly, the great fire dispersed. He suddenly sank into the endless depths of the sea. All that met his eyes were the dark ocean floor and endless waves. In the water, he seemed to have become a leaf on a boat, drifting with the undercurrent, completely out of control. Water and fire intermingled at that moment. He kept transitioning from the aqueous realm to the sea of fire and then back again. He had no idea how much time had passed. It could¡¯ve been an instant, or it could¡¯ve been years, even a moment in eternity. Jiang Ning suddenly returned to normal. He slowly opened his eyes. Now, only the endless snowfall filled the courtyard, and the torches that had stood in the snow were completely burned to ash. Jiang Ning looked up at the sky again. The night was still pitch-black, as if an endless abyss loomed overhead, revealing not a hint of light. It was impossible to discern the time from the night sky. Jiang Ning glanced at the torch beside him again, its embers completely scattered. ¡°It seems that quite some time has passed!¡± Jiang Ning muttered to himself. Then he looked at his panel. [Source Energy]: 366.33 [Skill]: Water and Fire True Strength (Second Limit Breaking 3/3000) (Traits: Water and Fire Immortal Clothes, Control Over Water and Fire) [Control Over Water and Fire]: Master the True Spirit of Water and Fire, capable of freely wielding the water and fire of the ninety-nine realms at will. ¡°Another form of authority, or a Divine Skill?¡± Jiang Ning murmured, looking at the description on the panel. In the next moment, he closed his eyes. In the pitch darkness of his vision, he immediately sensed black and crimson specks floating around him. The black specks were several times more numerous than the red ones. Boom¡ª Suddenly, flames rose from nowhere around Jiang Ning, reaching three feet high. The blazing flames suddenly illuminated the entire courtyard. He slowly opened his eyes, looking at the rising flame in front of him. ¡°So that¡¯s it!¡± He murmured to himself. With this simple test, he had already roughly understood the effects of Control Over Water and Fire. He could condense water and fire out of thin air. Then, with a thought, a mass of water materialized out of nowhere in the void, this mass of water weighing over a ton. Chapter 374: 66 Transformation Complete, Fully Achieved Sixth Rank!_2 Chapter 374: Chapter 66 Transformation Complete, Fully Achieved Sixth Rank!_2 Waving his hand, the two spheres of water and fire floating before him suddenly transformed. One after another, they turned into a pair of water and fire snakes. The water snake and the fire snake began to slither around the yard. Beneath the heat emitted by the fire snake, the snow on the ground started to melt away. After observing for a moment, Jiang Ning nodded slightly. ¡°Quite powerful!¡± He could feel that the heat emitted by the fire snake was extremely astonishing, at least above 1500 degrees. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Such fierce fire, when faced with an ordinary martial artist, would reduce them to ashes with just a sweep of the fire snake. For common martial artists, it could be considered a method of attack that reduced their dimensionality of fighting capabilities. ¡°Unfortunately, this kind of method can¡¯t be used casually,¡± Jiang Ning shook his head. He was very clear on one point, innocence cannot protect a person who possesses a precious jade. Such a special and magical method, if displayed in the glittering world of martial arts, would inevitably attract the attention of stronger fighters. The attention of top-level strong fighters. Even those warriors, as strong as Grandmasters, could not grasp such magical methods with Jiang Ning¡¯s understanding. According to the records in books, such methods were only common in the Ancient Times when Immortals coexisted with mortals. Displaying such methods in this era would surely attract the curiosity of those top-tier fighters. By then, it would be more detrimental than beneficial to himself. Thus, Jiang Ning would not easily use this type of method, which in his understanding was akin to Divine Skills and also resembled a form of authority, especially not in front of others. ¡°However, it¡¯s not bad, at least it enriches my arsenal!¡± Jiang Ning looked at his panel and muttered to himself. He was not very satisfied with his recent gains, but it was acceptable. At the very least, conjuring water and fire out of thin air allowed his techniques to become more diverse, especially the method of Fire Control. Without too many concerns, it was a terrifying weapon. Against stronger opponents, it may not be very effective. For example, strong fighters who mastered Inner Breath could isolate water and fire with their Inner Breath. But for martial artists below the Fifth Grade, this was an unstoppable weapon. Swept by the fire¡¯s fury, they would turn to ash in minutes. In front of such a method, even thousands of troops would struggle to block him for a moment. The fire raged like a dragon, able to sweep across thousands of troops and burn everything before his spiritual power became exhausted. Just thinking of this scene, he was very much at ease. In this world, unless one was a person like the Martial Saint, even the existence of Grandmasters would turn into ants overwhelmed by numbers. Human strength has limits; when facing thousands of troops, a slightly weaker opponent could restrain them. Once the Inner Breath was completely spent, it would mean certain death. However, for him at present, it seemed this situation did not exist. Thousands of troops could not withstand the flames he now controlled. As for the exhaustion of spiritual power, where there was water, he would never run out of spiritual power. ¡°With this method, even if chaos reigns in the future, I¡¯ll have the assurance to establish myself and stand upright!¡± Thinking of all this, facing the newly emerged trait, Jiang Ning felt very satisfied in his heart. Afterwards, he sensed the transformation of the bones within his body once more. During a calm introspection, he could feel his bones silently transforming bit by bit, becoming increasingly harder and more resilient. ¡°According to the record on that sheepskin scroll, reaching my current level, it would take just over ten hours to complete the transformation and truly step into Martial Arts Sixth Grade!¡± ¡°Then, it would trigger the transformation of the physique, lasting about three days to a week.¡± ¡°After the transformation is complete, the physique, Qi-Blood, strength, and muscle toughness all will ascend to a new level.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it really means to be a Sixth Grade Martial Artist.¡± He quickly recalled the process in his mind, Jiang Ning went to the lakeside to casually clean himself up, and then went back to sleep. ¡­ The next day. As dawn slightly brightened the sky, Jiang Ning awoke. [Source Energy]: 370.15 He glanced at his personal panel, the Source Energy Points had increased by only a few points with no surprises. ¡°Three times breaking limit for Water and Fire True Strength requires 500 Source Energy Points.¡± ¡°To perform six times breaking limit for Chopping Wood Blade Skill, I also need 500 Source Energy Points.¡± ¡°As for swimming, to undergo seven times breaking limit, it requires a thousand Source Energy Points.¡± Thinking of these points, Jiang Ning let out a sigh. ¡°I have to find a way to absorb some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, as it¡¯s quite clear that Iron Bone Pills have a minimal effect on the growth of Source Energy Points!¡± After a short pondering, Jiang Ning suddenly thought of the Luoshui River, which had nearly endless waters. Within the river, many Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures were concealed. Like the Blood Lotus he found before, which provided him with dozens of Source Energy Points. And that black stone, which was still providing him with a steady stream of Source Energy Points, as well as improvements to his constitution and swimming ability. The help it provided him over the months was already very evident. [Skill]: Swimming (Six times breaking limit 7000/7000) (trait: Underwater Breathing, Fire Control +, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body) Like swimming, he had just completed six times breaking limit a few days ago; back then he was still a few thousand points away from 7000 Experience Value, yet now he had reached 7000 Experience Value again. That black stone also contributed a considerable amount of Experience Value to the skill of swimming. Now, to complete the seven times breaking limit for swimming, all that was lacking was Source Energy Points. By his estimate, with a thousand Source Energy Points, swimming would smoothly complete the seven times breaking limit. Having thought out what to do next, Jiang Ning rolled out of bed. Then he closed his eyes for introspection. The next moment, he saw that all 206 bones in his body had thoroughly turned into a silvery white color. ¡°Indeed, the complete transformation of the bones has been finished; they have turned into Iron Bone.¡± Jiang Ning opened his eyes, his face brightened with joy. Chapter 375: 66 Transformation Complete, Fully Achieved Sixth Rank!_3 Chapter 375: Chapter 66 Transformation Complete, Fully Achieved Sixth Rank!_3 Although he had already known that his bones would complete their transformation upon awakening today, the sight of the condition within his body still made his eyebrows reveal an uncontrollable joy. Sixth Grade Martial Artist. In Luoshui County, he was now second to none. Even Wang Jin was no match for him any longer. ¡°I should pay a visit to the Martial Arts Hall today, let the teacher share in the joy!¡± Jiang Ning said with a smile. Then he clenched his fists and mobilized his strength throughout his body, causing his Qi-Blood to surge like a tsunami. After briefly feeling the change within. ¡°Indeed, compared to last night, my physical body has been comprehensively enhanced! This means I am already in the stage of transformation.¡± ¡°Once the transformation is complete, my strength will surely increase even further!¡± He nodded in satisfaction. ¡­ Inspection Office. Jiang Ning had entered the Inspection Office early and arrived at his own office, which belonged to his residence. ¡°My lord!¡± Seeing Jiang Ning¡¯s appearance, Xie Xiaojiu immediately showed surprise. Then she put down the task of starting the fire in her hands and quickly stood up. ¡°My lord, I¡¯ll go boil some tea for you!¡± ¡°No need!¡± Jiang Ning waved his hand. ¡°Carry on with your tasks! I¡¯m waiting for Captain Feng.¡± ¡°Do you have something to discuss with Captain Feng, my lord?¡± Xie Xiaojiu asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jiang Ning nodded. ¡°I need to go to the outer city with her. I heard she has found a stronghold of the God Worship Sect, and it seems a big fish has been discovered!¡± ¡°A big fish?¡± Xie Xiaojiu responded with a slight surprise, then asked, ¡°My lord, may I accompany you later?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Jiang Ning replied. In his view, the God Worship Sect was no longer anything formidable, and easily dealt with. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If there was a big fish, that was also a good thing. The idol placed in the City God Temple by the God Worship Sect had not been found for some time. That idol was regarded as a matter of great importance by the upper echelons, and finding it would earn a reward of fifty thousand Contribution Points from the Inspection Office. With his current status as a Secondary Eighth-Rank, as long as he spent a considerable amount of Contribution Points, he could be promoted to Standard Eighth Grade, removing the title of Deputy Commander and become the fifth Commander of this local Inspection Office. With his current permissions, the worthy items he could see in the Internal Affairs Office were limited. Even the detailed explanation of the Fifth Grade Internal Strength Realm once written by the Martial Saint was beyond his access to purchase. Therefore, Jiang Ning still had a need for Contribution Points in his heart. Without sufficient permissions, even with his miraculous panel, his achievements would be greatly restricted. Because Fifth Grade and above were secrets not spread by various powers. He could only rely on the Inspection Office to acquire cultivation methods above Fifth Grade. Otherwise, he would have to leave the Inspection Office, join a top Sect, become an ordinary disciple, and climb his way up step by step to become a Direct Disciple and even closer to the core. With a higher position and permissions, he would be qualified to access more advanced cultivation techniques. Especially the methods to become a Grandmaster from Fifth Grade upwards. It¡¯s exceedingly difficult! Apart from the core members of the major powers, it is difficult for others to access. He viewed the Sect pathway as too restrictive; it was better to have the freedom within the Inspection Office. Just like recently, he hadn¡¯t managed many affairs, but the benefits were many. At this moment. Xie Xiaojiu had already started the fire. She then bowed slightly and blew into the brazier. The flames grew, quickly igniting the charcoal beside it. ¡°My lord, the fire is ready; you can come and warm up. I¡¯ll go make the tea now!¡± Xie Xiaojiu got up, her expression somewhat cheerful. It seemed that seeing Jiang Ning made her very happy. Chapter 376: 67: The Holy Object of the God Worship Sect, Divine Fetus? Chapter 376: Chapter 67: The Holy Object of the God Worship Sect, Divine Fetus? Yellow Heaven Sect Headquarters. ¡°Guardian Xing, what brings you here?¡± Liu Linmen stepped over the threshold and saw his early visitor, his expression immediately turned solemn. Because the person in front of him was a protector of the God Worship Sect. Since the time he had entered Luoshui County and failed to protect those key figures of the God Worship Sect, there had been some unpleasantness between the God Worship Sect and the Yellow Heaven Sect. And even the previously agreed merger of both sects, with the God Worship Sect joining the Yellow Heaven Sect to become one of its members, had now become ambiguous and uncertain. But Liu Linmen couldn¡¯t be bothered to consider this matter. Such a major decision all depended on the higher-ups. As a mere Incense Master, he was not qualified to partake in such significant issues. All he knew was that the higher-ups were very interested in the sacrificial methods of the God Worship Sect. The ability to gather the willpower of all living beings with ordinary idols, condensing a certain kind of Divinity scattered between heaven and earth, was extremely rare. It was for this reason that the higher-ups wanted to absorb the God Worship Sect. Now that an unforeseen event had occurred, Liu Linmen had already been punished by those above, and he did not want to have too much involvement with the core members of the God Worship Sect. All he wanted to do now was to fulfill his own duties, to save and heal the world, to spread the teachings. So, seeing this Guardian Xing of the God Worship Sect, he felt trouble had come knocking at his door again. At the same time. Guardian Xing, dressed in a black fur coat, having just lowered his hood, gave a respectful bow to Liu Linmen: ¡°Heavenly Master Liu, I greet you!¡± Although he held the high position of protector in the God Worship Sect, he did not dare to show any arrogance in front of Liu Linmen. Because Liu Linmen was an Incense Master of the Yellow Heaven Sect, and furthermore, he had the title of Heavenly Master. To be given the title of Heavenly Master meant he could one day qualify as one of the core figures of the Yellow Heaven Sect. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He might even have the chance to be among the ranks of the Earth Kings. Moreover, the Yellow Heaven Sect was a colossal entity that spanned across four or five States of Great Xia; in front of this colossus, the God Worship Sect, which could only expand in two counties, simply could not compare. Even though he was a revered protector within the God Worship Sect, it was the same. ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase!¡± Liu Linmen waved his hand. ¡°Then I will speak frankly!¡± Guardian Xing bowed slightly and then asked, ¡°I want to know, who killed the Altar Master Sun in Luoshui County?¡± Hearing this, Liu Linmen¡¯s gaze slightly changed. He indeed knew who had killed the Altar Master Sun. But thinking of his previous speculation about Jiang Ning, he immediately shook his head: ¡°I do not know.¡± Guardian Xing said, ¡°If Heavenly Master Liu does know, please be sure to inform me. The Altar Master Sun was carrying our sect¡¯s Holy Object. That object is vitally important to our sect.¡± ¡°As long as you can help me find our sect¡¯s Holy Object, I will owe you a big favor!¡± ¡°Holy Object?¡± Liu Linmen looked surprised, hesitated briefly in his heart, then shook his head: ¡°Sorry, I truly do not know.¡± Hearing this reply, Guardian Xing¡¯s face immediately sank slightly, looking a bit displeased. He didn¡¯t believe Liu Linmen could be ignorant. Because for the Altar Master Sun, who was a Sixth Rank Xuan Bone Realm, there were few in Luoshui County who could kill her. Especially since the Altar Master Sun had mastered the technique of Divine Transformation and possessed a body that could arguably be called immortal and indestructible. With such power, even in death, she would have caused no small disturbance. With Liu Linmen¡¯s power and status, it was impossible for him to be completely unaware. He didn¡¯t believe it!! Thinking this, Guardian Xing took a deep breath, and said in a heavy tone: ¡°Heavenly Master Liu, even if you do not know who killed the Altar Master Sun, you should have some idea in your mind. Please tell me. That Holy Object is the divine embryo of our sect.¡± ¡°The divine embryo is extremely important to our sect!¡± ¡°You can also provide me with some clues!¡± Divine embryo? Hearing these two words, Liu Linmen¡¯s expression subtly changed. Since he had arrived in Luoshui County, he, of course, knew of it. The God Worship Sect, by worshipping idols, was nurturing the so-called divine embryo. At this moment, he also understood. Why the God Worship Sect had sent people time and again to Luoshui County. Because the divine embryo cultivated in Luoshui County had been lost and hadn¡¯t returned to the God Worship Sect¡¯s hands. They naturally wanted to retrieve the divine embryo. These thoughts flashed through his mind. Then he slowly shook his head: ¡°Indeed, I do not know! As for who killed the Altar Master Sun, there are only a handful in the county with such ability, and I cannot rashly conclude.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Guardian Xing nodded. He then put on his black hood and walked towards the door. As soon as he stepped onto the snow, his black fur coat immediately began to change color, and in an instant, it turned as pure white as accumulated snow. ¡­ Wanhua Building. At the topmost pavilion. ¡°Sister-in-law!!¡± A lively girl dressed in a goose-yellow long dress, her fair face flushed from the cold, threw herself excitedly towards Lin Qingyi, who was brimming with smiles. Behind her followed a tall and distinguished young man with an indulgent expression on his face. At the same time. Seeing the girl who rushed over, Lin Qingyi¡¯s eyes also showed thick surprise and delight. She hugged the girl in the goose-yellow long dress: ¡°Little Seventeen, what brings you here?¡± Then, while ruffling the girl¡¯s head, she looked towards the young man behind her. ¡°Your Highness the Eighth Prince, you¡¯ve come as well!¡± The young man said warmly: ¡°Greetings to my brother¡¯s wife. Little Seventeen and I were traveling around, and she wanted to see you, so I came along!¡± ¡°I see!¡± Lin Qingyi nodded. Then she looked down at the girl who kept burrowing into her arms, her eyes conveying affection. This girl in front of her, though the Seventeenth Princess of Great Xia, had been raised by her since she was a child, and they were very close. Chapter 377: 67 The Holy Object of the God Worship Sect, the Divine Fetus?_2 Chapter 377: Chapter 67 The Holy Object of the God Worship Sect, the Divine Fetus?_2 At that moment, the young girl heard the question Lin Qingyi had just asked. ¡°Hehe!¡± She looked up at Lin Qingyi, chuckled, and then said, ¡°I was at Uncle Zhu¡¯s house, just when his wife was writing a letter to Little Jin. I decided to join Little Jin in visiting your sister-in-law to play.¡± ¡°Where is Little Jin then?¡± Lin Qingyi asked with a puzzled expression. The girl answered, ¡°Little Jin¡¯s father called her back on the way.¡± Hearing this, Lin Qingyi furrowed her brows slightly. She couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly, ¡°It seems there¡¯s no show!¡± The girl saw Lin Qingyi¡¯s slightly knitted brows and reached out to smooth them, saying, ¡°Sister-in-law, are you worrying about that matter? About finding a husband for Little Jin?¡± Lin Qingyi nodded, ¡°Your Little Jin is gentle, modest, and gracious. It¡¯s time for her to find a suitable husband and marry.¡± At this point, the girl¡¯s eyes showed excitement, ¡°Sister-in-law, is that young man from Jiang Ning region as outstanding as you say?¡± Lin Qingyi replied, ¡°He¡¯s even better than described!¡± Hearing this, the handsome young man standing behind the girl immediately showed a trace of curiosity. He had also read Lin Qingyi¡¯s letter, and after reading it, he became curious about the Jiang Ning described in her letter. That was also why he was willing to accompany his full sister, the Seventeenth Princess, to Luoshui County. He had always had great admiration for heroes, especially those who emerged from humble origins. Such talents, in his eyes, would, given the opportunity, rise meteorically. They had far greater potential than the scions cultivated by the noble families and clans. At the same time, Dressed in pale yellow, the girl, upon hearing Lin Qingyi¡¯s answer, suddenly said excitedly, ¡°Sister-in-law, since Little Jin is occupied, I¡¯m here! Let me go and meet that young man for a blind date!¡± ¡°You?¡± Lin Qingyi looked at the excited princess standing before her and shook her head, ¡°You can¡¯t! Your status is too noble.¡± ¡°Sister-in-law~~¡± The girl clung to Lin Qingyi¡¯s arm, swaying it back and forth, ¡°Please let me go! I¡¯ve never tried matchmaking before! And you talk about how outstanding he is, but won¡¯t let me meet him! That¡¯s clearly favoritism, you favor Little Jin and don¡¯t like me!¡± Looking at the girl¡¯s naive face as she playfully coaxed her, Lin Qingyi couldn¡¯t help but look up at the young man standing behind her, who was looking elsewhere. ¡°Eighth Prince, please advise your younger sister!¡± Upon hearing this, the young man¡¯s face showed a gentle smile, ¡°Cousin-in-law, Seventeenth Princess has a point. Why not let her meet the young man? I¡¯m also quite curious to see the young man whom my cousin-in-law highly praises!¡± ¡°If they truly are fated, then the young man you mentioned could indeed become a consort prince!¡± Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Brother¡ª¡± The girl stamped her foot and pounced with fieriness, ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense, don¡¯t fill your mouth with madness!¡± The young man grinned and stepped back, easily dodging the girl¡¯s pounce. ¡°You¡¯re quite generous of a brother!¡± Lin Qingyi looked at the Eighth Prince with a peculiar expression. The young man, while casually evading the girl¡¯s attacks, said, ¡°Seventeenth Princess is growing up, and she will have to marry someone eventually! So, it might as well be me who keeps an eye on her suitors!¡± ¡°Brother!! If you say that again!!!¡± At that moment, Lin Qingyi watched the pair quarreling, and her eyes couldn¡¯t help but fill with laughter. ¡­ In the outer city, Jiang Ning was leading his team out of the outer city, treading the familiar road, when he couldn¡¯t help but knit his brows. Because ahead, he saw a family of four huddled under the eaves, shivering and begging. Two adults and two children. The adults looked pale and wore very little clothing, their lips blue, making it difficult to estimate their ages. The children were also bloodless, but wore two additional layers of clothing, huddled together under the eaves, shaking and relying on their close body warmth to maintain their fading heat. The children seemed to be around five or six and seven or eight years old. At that moment, Feng Jiuge spoke upon seeing where Jiang Ning was looking, ¡°Sir, a group of refugees from other regions has come to Dongling County recently, some of whom have arrived at Luoshui County.¡± ¡°Are you saying that these people are those refugees?¡± asked Jiang Ning. ¡°Yes,¡± Feng Jiuge nodded and continued, ¡°It¡¯s not just them. There are many such refugees in the outer city of Luoshui County, and even more throughout Dongling County.¡± ¡°Due to the months-long drought recently, the harvests in many places failed completely. The people living around the Luoshui River fared a bit better and were able to irrigate their crops, achieving some yield, so they could still get by this year.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why refugees from other counties have been entering Dongling County, making their way to Luoshui County.¡± ¡°Families like these are numerous in the outer city, and given the situation this winter, it will be difficult for them to survive.¡± Next to him, Xie Xiaojiu also nodded in agreement, ¡°It¡¯s indeed going to be hard for them to make it through!¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t the County Lord done something?¡± Jiang Ning asked. Feng Jiuge shook his head, ¡°He can¡¯t do much. The harvests have been poor in recent years, especially this year. There isn¡¯t much surplus grain in Dongling City¡¯s granaries, let alone in Luoshui County.¡± ¡°Everyone is in dire straits. How could they care for these refugees who don¡¯t have identity tokens?¡± ¡°Not driving them out of the city is already showing them pity.¡± Just then, Xie Xiaojiu spoke up, ¡°Sir, should we help them?¡± Jiang Ning glanced impassively at the family huddled in the distant corner. He took out four strips of dried meat from the Sumeru Ring. ¡°Give these to them.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord!¡± Xie Xiaojiu took the strip of meat from Jiang Ning¡¯s hand and walked toward the distant corner. A moment later, they saw a family of four kneel to the ground, continuously kowtowing to Xie Xiaojiu and Jiang Ning. Carried by the wind, one could also hear waves of thankful words. Afterward, Xie Xiaojiu returned, his expression somewhat downcast. ¡°My Lord, they¡¯re really pitiable! Having treked for hundreds of miles, now they can only live under a bridge.¡± Jiang Ning said, ¡°In times like these, there are too many pitiable people!¡± Having said this, he continued on his way forward. ¡­ In the Outer City. Jiang Ning was extremely familiar with it, especially the road from the Inner City to the Outer City. He knew it even better. He had previously lived with his elder brother and sister-in-law in the Outer City, commuting to and from the Martial Arts Hall several times. With his memory, every brick and tile, and all facets of life were deeply etched in his mind. However, upon returning to the Outer City after a long while, he noticed many new faces. And there were many more refugees curled up in street corners. Among them were clearly whole families, pairs dependent on each other, and more so, lone individuals, utterly solitary, without any ties. After walking through several more streets, Jiang Ning suddenly stopped. Because ahead in the alley, there was a surging crowd, yet orderly. ¡°What¡¯s going on there?¡± Jiang Ning asked. Xie Xiaojiu answered, ¡°My Lord, I know this¡ªit¡¯s the Yellow Heaven Sect distributing talisman water!¡± Hearing this, Jiang Ning understood immediately. In the Inspection Office, he would review the reports submitted from time to time. As part of the Inspection Office¡¯s duties, the movements of the Yellow Heaven Sect were certainly a focus. Among those reports, there were accounts of the Yellow Heaven Sect administering talisman water. According to the reports, the talisman water of the Yellow Heaven Sect was very miraculous. A bowl of talisman water could dispel the cold and keep one warm for several hours as if next to a stove. It also warded off hunger. One could maintain a sense of fullness for half a day. Furthermore, it purportedly had effects of remedying minor ailments and disasters. Regarding such claims, Jiang Ning was noncommittal. Neither denying nor acknowledging! Had it been in his previous life, he would¡¯ve dismissed it as nonsense. But things were different in this world. Even more wondrous events were possible. The miraculous nature of this talisman water might not be false. And it was one of the important means by which the Yellow Heaven Sect attracted followers. Merely with a glance, Jiang Ning led his team to continue toward their destination. According to the information provided by Feng Jiuge, the suspected stronghold of the God Worship Sect where the big fish were located was in a courtyard in the northeastern corner of the Outer City. That courtyard was a gathering place for blind, deaf, and disabled beggars. That place was also suspected to be a property of the Black Tiger Gang. The Black Tiger Gang, standing behind them, was one of the two major families of Luoshui County, the Liu family. What Jiang Ning was most concerned about was the big fish of the God Worship Sect mentioned by Feng Jiuge. If it was indeed a big fish, that meant a substantial amount of Contribution Points to be gained¡ªContribution Points being the tangible form of merit. Within the Inspection Office, the utility of Contribution Points was extraordinarily crucial. Contribution Points could be exchanged one-to-one for Silver Taels, and for any treasure available within the level of authority. They could also be used to directly advance in official position. Although this method was luxurious, it also represented a direct path to promotion. At the same time, regarding the stronghold mentioned by Feng Jiuge, what Jiang Ning most wanted to find was the sacred statue previously enshrined in the City God Temple. Based on the speculations from higher-ups, the statue was still somewhere within Luoshui County. If it could be found, that would be a reward of fifty thousand Contribution Points, which was very important to him. Chapter 380: 69 Divinity and Authority, the New Changes in the Panel Chapter 380: Chapter 69 Divinity and Authority, the New Changes in the Panel On the rooftop. Guardian Xing, blending with the accumulated snow, quietly watched the scene unfolding in the courtyard below. He then slowly shook his head, murmuring to himself, ¡°There is no divine embryo, it¡¯s not worth taking such a risk for an empty idol!¡± After realizing this, he quietly retreated. He was well aware that if he provoked Hong Minghu, he would not stand a chance against him with his current strength. As for Divine Transformation, the more he knew about it, the more he dared not use it lightly. Each use brought him closer to the abyss of losing his sanity. There had already been many Martial Artists within the sect who had completely lost their minds. ¡­ On the other side. As the person on the roof withdrew, Jiang Ning¡¯s attention was fully on the person in front of him. At that moment, The man looked at Jiang Ning, his eyes filled with confidence and composure. This composure was not based on his own strength. It was based on his confidence in the imminent arrival of Guardian Xing. Guardian Xing, being in the Fifth Grade Inner Strength Realm, had Inner Breath refined to the point of being tangible, and his Inner Breath was as vast as a river. The density of his Inner Breath far surpassed those who had just refined theirs in the Fifth Grade Inner Strength Realm. Not to mention, the young man in front of him who cultivated both internally and externally. At his age, being able to refine Inner Breath to such an extent was indeed remarkable. But so what? Dual cultivation of internal and external abilities was just that. How could he compare with the Fifth Grade strong people? Not to mention, someone like the protector who had reached the great river-like density of Inner Breath. While he was lost in his thoughts, Jiang Ning suddenly moved. ¡°So fast!¡± The man¡¯s pupils shrank as he quickly reacted. Boom¡ª Fist clashed with fist, power against power. Rip¡ª His right sleeve was instantly torn as if by an invisible force, the fabric scattering like petals from a celestial maiden, and his body swiftly retreated backward. ¡°So weak?¡± Jiang Ning was surprised. Immediately, he twisted his right foot. Bang¡ª The ground beneath shattered, and he successfully controlled the backward momentum, lunging forward once more. At the same time, The man¡¯s face changed drastically. He felt two opposing forces within his right arm clashing, erupting with power. This tremendous explosive power continuously tore through the flesh and sinews of his right arm. Even his Xuan Bones, which had been gradually transforming, now felt a bone-piercing pain under this explosive force. In less than a breath¡¯s time, His exposed right arm went from unscathed to blood-drenched, with muscles continually splitting open and blood vessels bursting. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing Jiang Ning closing in, the man¡¯s eyes filled with horror again. He was no match for Jiang Ning at all! Bang¡ª Another collision of fists. Watching the mutating Martial Artist in front of him, Jiang Ning¡¯s Inner Breath burst forth, and he threw another punch. This punch, unhindered, directly hit the man¡¯s head. In an instant, The man¡¯s head burst open like a watermelon. Jiang Ning withdrew his fist and lightly shook his head. ¡°Bone Forging Sixth Rank, too weak!¡± ¡°Acting all high and mighty just now, so composed, I almost thought he was some strong warrior!¡± Thinking this, Jiang Ning couldn¡¯t help but smirk. He had almost been fooled by this man. Then, looking at the corpse, his heart soared with joy. Last time, a Bone Forging Sixth Rank Martial Artist from the God Worship Sect contributed a whole fifty thousand Contribution Points to him. And today, another Sixth Rank Bone Forging Martial Artist from the same sect, tainted with the aura of the Evil God and able to mutate, had fallen. In the Inspection Office, eliminating a Martial Artist of this realm from the God Worship Sect was indeed a great achievement. Furthermore, there were five other decapitated and similarly mutating bodies in the courtyard. Those five bodies, four Eighth Grades and one Seventh Grade, were also a considerable gain. Not to mention, there was also the idol previously worshipped in the City God Temple inside the tunnel. Finding that idol was another major achievement, worth outright fifty thousand Contribution Points. Thinking of all these, Jiang Ning was thrilled inside. Today¡¯s gains were far greater than he had anticipated. At this time, As the battle ended and the dust settled, The crowd behind couldn¡¯t help but exchange glances. ¡°Very strong!¡± someone whispered softly. ¡°Yes! Commander Jiang¡¯s strength is clearly much greater than a few months ago!¡± ¡°What strength do you think Commander Jiang has reached now?¡± ¡°Above Eighth Grade, at least Seventh Grade Great Success or even Peak!¡± ¡°Did you guys catch that phrase just now?¡± ¡°What phrase?¡± ¡°Dual cultivation of internal and external abilities! Inner Breath refined to tangibility!¡± ¡­ Ignoring the murmurs and exclamations behind him, Jiang Ning¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he turned his attention to the building in front of him. Because the entrance to the tunnel was right there, the idol that the Inspection Office had been searching for for many days was inside. ¡°Sir!¡± Xie Xiaojiu and Feng Jiuge approached and stood behind Jiang Ning. ¡°Come, follow me to the tunnel!¡± Jiang Ning said. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the two responded immediately. ¡­ Following that, The three of them entered the dilapidated building. They immediately saw a dark entrance on the ground. Seeing this, Jiang Ning took a torch out of his Sumeru Ring. He casually flicked the end of the torch he was holding. Boom¡ª The flame immediately soared from the top of the torch, brightly illuminating the interior. Feng Jiuge looked at Jiang Ning in surprise. Even with her keen eyes, she hadn¡¯t seen how Jiang Ning had managed to light the torch so effortlessly. ¡°Both of you follow behind me!¡± Jiang Ning said indifferently. As his words fell, He was the first to step into the descending staircase of the tunnel. Though he was already familiar with the layout inside the tunnel, he still needed to put on a bit of a show. Chapter 381: 69 Divinity and Authority, The New Changes in the Panel_2 Chapter 381: Chapter 69 Divinity and Authority, The New Changes in the Panel_2 ¡­ Another side. People relaxed considerably when they saw Jiang Ning and the two team captains enter the house. ¡°Is it our turn to strike it rich today?¡± someone laughed. ¡°Of course!¡± another person pointed at the corpses on the ground and said, ¡°Six bodies tainted with the aura of the Blood and Flesh God, all of them members of the God Worship Sect. This is a great accomplishment!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± another person nodded in agreement with a full face, ¡°Even a small share of the spoils for us is a windfall!¡± ¡­ For a while, everyone was full of anticipation regarding the upcoming distribution of rewards and showed smiles on their faces. ¡­ In the tunnel. Jiang Ning led two people through the narrow staircase and onto the solid ground below, where the space suddenly opened up, illuminated by firelight. The tunnel was thirteen feet wide, and a torch was hung every ten steps along the walls. ¡°Sir, looking at the direction of this tunnel, it should lead outside the city!¡± Xie Xiaojiu spoke up. ¡°Indeed, it does lead outside!¡± Jiang Ning nodded, then continued forward. ¡­ Meanwhile. The people in the courtyard were suddenly alerted by the shouts of the team members on guard outside the door. ¡°Greetings to Commander Yuan!¡± ¡°Greetings to Commander Yuan!¡± Two voices came through, instantly dampening the joyful hearts of the people inside. Who else in Luoshui County could be addressed as Commander Yuan? Only Yuan Hua, Martial Arts Seventh Grade, could demand such a call from the guard team members. The next moment. They saw a line of people appear at the entrance of the courtyard and then step inside. ¡°Greetings to Commander Yuan!¡± ¡°Greetings to Commander Yuan!¡± ¡°Greetings to Commander Yuan!¡± ¡­ The moment they saw Yuan Hua, they had no choice but to salute. At the Inspection Office, they could ignore other team captains and not salute them because they had their own captains. But they could not ignore someone at the Deputy Commander¡¯s level; they had to salute upon meeting. This was the case even when they were out on official business. Yuan Hua stepped into the courtyard and swept his gaze over the corpses scattered all over the ground, also noticing the several headless bodies with abnormally transformed flesh. ¡°Commander Jiang has quite the method, to have snatched the credit that rightfully belonged to me!¡± Upon these words, the courtyard fell silent. No one was a fool; they naturally knew that Commander Yuan wanted a piece of the action, to take credit. Seeing this, everyone¡¯s heart sank. Yuan Hua was a student from the academic institution. And the academic institution was an official organization in the city of the province that cultivated martial arts geniuses, belonging to the Martial Saint Mansion. And for this reason, since the establishment of the Inspection Office, students from the Martial Arts Garden, the academic institution, and even higher-level students from dojo academies had filled the Inspection Offices, taking up important positions. These people, having skipped various struggles and competitions, had ascended rapidly. They were also the core members of the Inspection Offices everywhere, not only extraordinary in martial arts but also coming from the same place and having deep relationships with each other, sharing the camaraderie of schoolmates. Basically, to move one person was to make an enemy of a group. Thus, even at the same rank, the power and status were implicitly a notch above. At this time, Yuan Hua glanced at everyone in the field and then smiled again, ¡°By the way, where is Commander Jiang?¡± Everyone was silent. The next moment. Cheng Ran stepped forward first. ¡°Reporting to Commander Yuan, Commander Jiang has entered that house and is probably deep within the enemy¡¯s lair, not having returned yet!¡± ¡°I see!¡± Yuan Hua nodded, then said, ¡°Tell Jiang Ning later that I had set my sights on this God Worship Sect base a few days earlier; unexpectedly, he got ahead of me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t hold it against him, though. As for the credit for eradicating this God Worship Sect base, I won¡¯t compete with him for the largest share.¡± ¡°I will take those three bodies!¡± ¡°As for the rest, they belong to Commander Jiang!¡± After saying this, he walked straight towards the few bodies still oozing black blood in the snow. ¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡± Cheng Ran stepped forward, blocking Yuan Hua¡¯s path. ¡°You dare obstruct me?¡± Yuan Hua¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and the almost tangible aura immediately made Cheng Ran swallow hard. ¡­ Another side. In the tunnel. ¡°Sir, don¡¯t stare! That is the idol of the Blood and Flesh God!¡± Xie Xiaojiu exclaimed in horror, immediately turning his head. Jiang Ning took a casual glance. The idol in front of him, nearly two zhang tall, was exactly like the one he had seen in the Golden Box. It also had three heads, six arms, and four legs. Jiang Ning looked at the idol, and gradually, whispers echoed in his ears. ¡°Believe in me, and your flesh shall live forever¡­¡± ¡°Offer to me, and your flesh shall ascend¡­¡± ¡°Serve me, and your flesh shall be indestructible¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± These three familiar voices slowly rose, as if floating over from the distant heavens. They were significantly weaker than the murmurings that had come from the Golden Box directly into his ears before. Just then, A pair of cold little hands covered Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes. ¡°Sir, you mustn¡¯t stare any longer!¡± Xie Xiaojiu spoke, ¡°To gaze directly at this Blood and Flesh God¡¯s statue will cause the God¡¯s words to ring in your ears.¡± ¡°Such divine speech twists reality, corrupting the mind.¡± ¡°In the long term, one¡¯s sanity might be warped by it, turning one into a devout follower of this deity!¡± Feng Jiuge cast a distant glance at the two, then withdrew her gaze, silent. Jiang Ning smiled and removed the cold little hands blocking his sight. ¡°It¡¯s alright!¡± ¡°Such weak spiritual corruption has no effect on me!¡± As he spoke, Jiang Ning walked forward. After covering several feet, he stood at the base of the statue. His palm touched the foot of the statue. The next moment, His expression suddenly froze. [Detected a trace of Divinity, detected an Authority, would you like to absorb?] Divinity? Authority? Looking at the prompt before him, Jiang Ning was utterly incredulous. It was the first time he had encountered such an event on the panel. Both Divinity and Authority sounded extremely mysterious. After hesitating only momentarily, Jiang Ning mentally affirmed without any hesitation. [Yes] As his thought materialized, He instantly felt a certain trait of the statue in front of him begin to dissipate, and the faint murmurings that had just begun in his ears ceased abruptly. At the same time, His panel interface changed drastically and began to fluctuate wildly, Like a black-and-white television flickering with snowy speckles, what was previously clear became blurred. On the other side, Xie Xiaojiu and Feng Jiuge, looking at the motionless Jiang Ning, just began to feel puzzled When they saw the statue slowly rise, hovering a foot above the ground. ¡°It¡¯s quite heavy!¡± Jiang Ning said casually, Then gently set it down. With a thunderous boom¡ª The moment the statue touched the ground, the surface beneath trembled slightly. Dust continuously sprinkled down from the tunnel ceiling above. ¡°Let¡¯s go, time to head back!¡± Jiang Ning said indifferently, ¡°Someone up there wants to steal the credit, looking to get a piece of the action!¡± No sooner had he spoken than Xie Xiaojiu and Feng Jiuge¡¯s attention was diverted. ¡°Sir, who? Who¡¯s trying to steal your credit?¡± Feng Jiuge¡¯s brows knitted in anger. Jiang Ning casually replied, ¡°That would be Commander Yuan Hua.¡± Having said that, he had already walked up to the two. ¡°Jiuge!¡± Jiang Ning called. ¡°Present!¡± Feng Jiuge responded. ¡°When you go up later, go to the Inspection Office and call for Commander Ye Qiu and also please invite Master Hong! They would be very interested in this statue, I believe!¡± Jiang Ning instructed. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Feng Jiuge immediately responded. Jiang Ning then turned to Xie Xiaojiu, ¡°Little Jiu!¡± ¡°Present!¡± Xie Xiaojiu responded in kind. Jiang Ning continued to instruct, ¡°You go to the county government and ask the chief arrest officer, Xu Zhengnan, to bring people over! The Black Tiger Gang¡¯s crimes are irrefutable; since no one has dealt with them, I wouldn¡¯t mind cleaning them up myself!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Xie Xiaojiu gave a bow and accepted the order. ¡°Let¡¯s move out!¡± after finishing his instructions, Jiang Ning walked towards the staircase leading upwards. Seeing this, Xie Xiaojiu and Feng Jiuge quickly followed. At this moment, Jiang Ning¡¯s panel interface suddenly appeared before his eyes. [Name]: Jiang Ning [Divinity]: 1 [Authority]: Flesh Regeneration (Incomplete 0%) [Source Energy]: 370.15 S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Skill]: Reading and Writing (Four Break Limit 2413/5000) (Traits: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility, Outstanding Comprehension) Five Animals Fist (One Break Limit 811/2000) (Trait: Five Internal Organs Store Essence) ¡­