Chapter 114: Water Mastery Breakthrough, New Attributes

Chapter 114: Water Mastery Breakthrough, New Attributes



On the deserted island.

Jiang Ning adjusted his state, then lifted the blade beside him and leaped towards a cliff platform two zhang below.

Boom—

The platform, two zhang high, shook as rocks shattered under his feet.

After a slight exertion of force, he leaped again.

Boom—

He landed on a protruding rock pillar a few feet away.

The height decreased by almost two zhang.

Then, he leaped once more.

Boom—

He landed on another rock.

As he landed, the rock beneath his feet emitted a booming sound.

After three consecutive jumps, the originally five to six zhang high cliff was now above his head.

He was thoroughly familiar with the terrain on this side of the island.

He knew exactly where the underwater reefs and visible rocks were located, all within his mental map.

Then, he leaped and dove several times.

Each time he landed, it was on a slightly protruding reef.

After two breaths.

Plop—

As the sound of entering the water echoed, Jiang Ning plunged into the water.

Soon, he arrived at the spot where he had previously practiced.

He stepped on the rock with water droplets, his five toes firmly gripping the rock.

Then, he started practicing his blade technique.

The long sword in his hand moved swiftly, each swing faster and more powerful than the last.

With each slash, he split the turbulent undercurrents rushing towards him.

Standing at the bottom of the water, he was like an impenetrable fortress.

All the splashing waves and hidden currents would be dispersed by his long sword if they came within one zhang of him.

[Canglang Blade Technique Experience +2]



[Water Mastery Experience +1]



[Water Mastery Experience +1]



[Canglang Blade Technique Experience +1]



[.]



As he practiced underwater, the experience points for both the Canglang Blade Technique and Water Mastery continued to increase on the panel.

Half an hour later.

He emerged from the water, taking a breath.

[Skills]:

Canglang Blade Technique (Minor Mastery 489/500)



Water Mastery (Perfection 729/1000)



Glancing at his panel, Jiang Ning's eyes flashed with a bright light.

"Not bad! One more time, and my Canglang Blade Technique will break through to Major Mastery!"

"This way, I can accumulate and release the power of five layers of force!"

"This will become my true trump card! I'll have the qualification to fight against powerful opponents!"

The next moment.

After taking a breath, Jiang Ning inhaled a breath of fresh air and dove back into the water.

[Canglang Blade Technique Experience +1]



[Water Mastery Experience +1]



[Water Mastery Experience +1]



[.]



A series of prompts flashed by, but Jiang Ning remained calm underwater, continuing to practice his blade technique.

In the blink of an eye.

[Skills]: Canglang Blade Technique (Minor Mastery 499/500)



Glancing at his panel, Jiang Ning's face turned slightly red.

He could feel the oxygen in his stomach gradually depleting.

But with just a little more experience points needed, the breakthrough in his blade technique was within reach.

He decided not to take a breath and chose to persist underwater for a while longer.

[Canglang Blade Technique Experience +1]



As this prompt flashed by.

[Skills]: Canglang Blade Technique (Major Mastery 0/1000)



With the breakthrough in his blade technique, Jiang Ning once again felt the changes from the previous breakthrough a few days ago.

Time seemed to have passed in a flash, yet it also felt like an eternity.

When Jiang Ning opened his eyes and looked at his panel again.

He knew that his Canglang Blade Technique had truly broken through to Major Mastery.

He slightly channeled his force, and a torrent of power flowed through his body, leaving him in a trance.

Feeling the force coursing through his right arm, Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction.

"I can indeed control the accumulation and release of five layers of force! From today onwards, I also have an additional life-saving trump card!"

The next moment.

His body leaped in the water, and he darted through the water like a swimming fish.

The water flowed around him as if it posed no resistance, instead providing him with assistance.

His upward movement became even more agile.

Ever since reaching Perfection in Water Mastery, Jiang Ning felt a sense of unity with the water.

Being in the water not only eliminated any fear but also gave him a sense of safety, as if he had returned home, calming his heart.

More importantly, his speed in the water had increased dramatically compared to before.

He could cover several dozen meters in a single breath.

This speed was incredibly exaggerated.

It was in the water, where resistance was exceptionally high.

Not only for humans, but even for powerful archers, their arrows would quickly lose their lethality after entering the water.

According to his knowledge, even bullets with formidable killing power in his previous life would lose their effectiveness after traveling less than a meter underwater.

All of this was due to the water's resistance.

Yet, he could now unleash such speed in the water, surpassing most aquatic creatures.

Many fish couldn't match his speed.

The reason for all this was that his Water Mastery had reached the level of Perfection.

After a few breaths.

He resurfaced.

"Ha—"

He exhaled the turbid air from his stomach and quickly took several breaths of fresh air.

After a few laps, his accelerated heartbeat due to oxygen deficiency returned to normal.

His breathing also calmed down.

"The Canglang Blade Technique at Major Mastery, I wonder how powerful my blade will be when I release the accumulated power of five layers of force?"

Jiang Ning's face involuntarily revealed a relaxed expression.

The increase in life-saving abilities made him feel increasingly secure.

And security was something he had always lacked.

Coming to this world had left Jiang Ning's heart perpetually unsettled.

Then.

He took a deep breath and dove back into the water.

The reason he continued to enter the water was simple.

It was to increase his Water Mastery and practice his blade technique.

Although even after breaking through, he couldn't utilize the power of nine layers of force, he still needed to enter the water to increase his Water Mastery experience points.

【Technique】: Water Proficiency (Perfection 793/1000)



He was now just over two hundred experience points away from reaching a thousand points in Water Proficiency.

His heart was filled with anticipation for the limit break in Water Proficiency.

Moreover, his experience points in Water Proficiency increased rapidly. Based on his recent understanding, he only needed to spend a few hours in the water to gain over two hundred experience points.

Since he was entering the water, he might as well practice his blade technique simultaneously, ensuring no time was wasted and maximizing efficiency.

Therefore, this time in the water, his primary focus was on gaining experience points in Water Proficiency, attempting his first limit break.

As for the Canglang Blade Technique, the increase in experience points was merely a side effect.

He entered the water and returned to practicing his blade technique.

【+1 Water Proficiency Experience Point】

【+1 Water Proficiency Experience Point】

【+2 Canglang Blade Technique Experience Points】

【+1 Water Proficiency Experience Point】

【.】

Seeing the simultaneous growth of experience points in both techniques, a hint of joy appeared on his face.

In the blink of an eye,

more than two hours had passed.

【Technique】: Water Proficiency (Perfection 999/1000)



He took a glance at his panel.

"Just one more experience point to go!"

Jiang Ning's heart stirred, and at this moment, his expression changed slightly.

After a short while,

【+1 Canglang Blade Technique Experience Point】

【+1 Water Proficiency Experience Point】

When the prompt appeared before him again,

【Technique】: Water Proficiency (1000/1000)



The experience points for Water Proficiency were now completely full, and a plus sign appeared behind it.

Seeing this plus sign, Jiang Ning's heart leaped with joy.

"Finally, I can break the limit! I wonder what new traits will emerge from the limit break in Water Proficiency?"

As he thought of this, his gaze fell upon his panel.

【Essence Energy】: 77.8

With a thought, his Essence Energy points rapidly decreased.

In an instant, ten points were gone.

【Essence Energy】: 67.8

It stopped at this number and remained unchanged.

"Indeed, the first limit break in Water Proficiency consumes ten Essence Energy points." Jiang Ning silently acknowledged.

Then, his gaze shifted to the lower section of his panel.

【Technique】: Water Proficiency (First Limit Break 0/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing)



【Underwater Breathing】: Mastery of underwater breathing allows one to absorb oxygen from water through the pores, sustaining oneself.

Jiang Ning's expression was one of surprise.

"Underwater breathing?"

"Such an incredible ability!"

As he muttered, he suddenly realized that even now, with his hands in the water and his lungs filled with oxygen, it was no longer a futile effort.

Fresh oxygen penetrated through his pores, naturally entering his lungs.

He stood still, quietly sensing the changes in his body.

6◇9◇Shu◇Ba

Jiang Ning opened his eyes, and a hint of joy shone in them.

"Underwater breathing is such an amazing trait!"

"With just ten Essence Energy points, I gained such an incredible ability. This is truly a great reward."

Then, he took a comprehensive look at his panel.

【Name】: Jiang Ning

【Essence Energy】: 67.8

【Techniques】:

Script Knowledge Mastery (Second Limit Break 1043/3000) (Traits: Memorize at a Glance, Extraordinary Senses)



Five Beast Fist (Perfection 765/1000)



Firewood Splitting Blade Technique (Third Limit Break 4000/4000) (Traits: Broad Understanding, Blade Like Gale, Divine Blade Operation)



Inner Alchemy Cultivation Technique (Proficiency 1061/2000)



Canglang Blade Technique (Mastery 480/10000)



Indestructible Body Technique (Proficiency 0/2000)



Water Proficiency (First Limit Break 0/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing)



In recent days, aside from practicing his blade technique, he spent his mornings absorbing the essence of the Great Sun, tempering his five Zang and six Fu.

He no longer spent time on any other techniques.

His goal was to quickly achieve the mastery of the Canglang Blade Technique, allowing him to master the means of double-layered power.

Today, he finally accomplished this goal.

As for Water Proficiency, it was an unexpected surprise.

He had never imagined that by entering the lake and soaking for a while, he would gain such a practical technique.

Now, the first limit break in this technique brought him another surprise.

Underwater breathing seemed like a simple ability.

But in reality, it was incredibly useful.

One must understand that humans are land creatures, and even with his mastery of the Inner Alchemy Cultivation Technique, an unparalleled skill that tempered his five Zang and six Fu, he could only last half an hour in the water when practicing his blade technique.

Even at this level of cultivation, his lung capacity and five Zang and six Fu were comparable to a beginner Martial Master of the fifth stage.

If he were to engage in more intense combat, he would last even less time.

This was the strength of a fifth-stage Martial Master.

For those below this level, whether they were seventh, eighth, or even sixth-stage Martial Artists, entering the water would quickly lead to their demise.

But for Jiang Ning, it was completely different.

Even if he were in the water for days and nights, he would be safe and sound.

This was a significant advantage.

It meant that even a sixth-stage Martial Master, a top-tier warrior, would struggle to pose a threat to him near the water.

As long as he entered the water, he was in his element.

The strength of a sixth-stage Martial Master was formidable, as seen through Cao Rong.

They were truly inhuman beings.

However, if such a being were to arrogantly pursue him into the water, Jiang Ning had the opportunity to trap them there.

This was his hidden advantage and his reliance.

The emergence of this trait only consumed ten Essence Energy points.

With his current rate of accumulating Essence Energy, it would only take three days to gather ten points.

(End of Chapter)

This was indeed a very worthwhile investment.

Afterward, Jiang Ning slowly exhaled the oxygen stored in his stomach. He wanted to test the efficiency of underwater breathing. If, in the accumulated battles, he could rely on this underwater breathing ability to supply enough oxygen to meet his consumption, it would be an incredible advantage.

It was common knowledge that the more intense the situation, the greater the demand for oxygen.

A moment later, Jiang Ning completely exhaled the oxygen in his lungs, and as he emptied his lungs, he felt countless strands of oxygen entering his body through the pores all over his body. Although the amount of oxygen absorbed by each pore was not much, it could be said to be very little. But the human body had countless pores.

Soon, Jiang Ning felt his lungs filling up with fresh and invigorating oxygen. Sensing the changes in his body, he nodded in satisfaction.

"Not bad! The efficiency is high; even in underwater combat, I won't run out of breath!"

"This is indeed a very practical ability."

At this moment, having mastered this ability, a hint of curiosity arose in Jiang Ning's heart.

The Luo Shui Lake was so vast; what kind of scenery lay at its bottom? Countless ships had come and gone on the lake's surface over the years; were there any shipwrecks filled with gold and jade treasures at the bottom? The deeper parts of the lake were like a deserted wilderness, untouched by humans.

Could there be some unknown natural treasures hidden there, treasures that would greatly benefit martial arts practitioners?

With this thought, he decided to explore the lake's bottom in the surrounding areas.

Being able to breathe underwater freely also meant he could move freely underwater.

Subsequently, Jiang Ning waved his hands, causing the flowing water to part, and his body shot through the dark currents like an arrow.

"Such speed!" Sensing the changes in his body, Jiang Ning was somewhat surprised. He could clearly feel that his speed was about two to three times faster than before.

The reason for this was obvious; it was undoubtedly due to his breakthrough in water proficiency. From perfection, he had broken through to the initial limit-break, resulting in this increase.

A moment later, Tian Buyi appeared on a steep cliff.

"Cough, cough—"

He still coughed lightly a few times. After coughing, he looked at the palm of his hand, which had covered his mouth. There was not a trace of blood in his palm.

His heart immediately felt relieved.

"Although my internal injury has improved, it hasn't fully healed yet. I mustn't engage in intense battles."

"Now, I must quickly find the man named Jiang Ning, whom Cao Rong asked me to kill. I've seen his portrait before, and as long as I find him, I'll be able to recognize and kill him!"

"Once I kill him, I'll have completed Cao Rong's request. I can then leave Luo Shui County far behind and escape the pursuit from Medicine King Valley."

Tian Buyi muttered to himself, and as he spoke, a thoughtful expression appeared in his eyes.

Seeing the Jian clan by the Luo Shui shore, he said, "According to the information I gathered earlier, after he moved, he should be in that area."

"As long as I see him, I'll definitely recognize him."

"With my current strength, even though I have an internal injury, relying on my Eighth Stage Martial Artist's strength, killing him would be as easy as killing a little chick. I could smash his head with a rock."

"The only problem now is finding him."

Just then, the lake's surface ahead suddenly erupted with splashes, and a head popped out, creating ripples.

"Someone?" Tian Buyi's eyes flashed with alertness.

Ever since Liu Qingsong found him last time, he hadn't dared to be careless. He knew very well that if Liu Qingsong found him again, he must jump into the lake immediately; otherwise, he would surely die at Liu Qingsong's hands.

Liu Qingsong, a Seventh Stage Martial Artist, had made him aware of the insurmountable gap in their strengths with just a simple encounter.

Even in his prime, he wouldn't have lasted a few rounds against Liu Qingsong.

Not to mention that he now had an internal injury.

Therefore, when Tian Buyi saw the figure emerging from the lake, he became extremely vigilant.

The next moment, after slightly making out the face of the person who had emerged from the water, Tian Buyi's heart relaxed.

"It's a young man! Good! He shouldn't be from Medicine King Valley; the people from Medicine King Valley who came to chase me are not this young."

Instantly, Tian Buyi's gaze sharpened.

"That's not right!"

"This is... This is the man Cao Rong asked me to kill, Jiang Ning!"

After slightly making out the face of the person who emerged from the lake, Tian Buyi's eyes suddenly sharpened.

His heart filled with wild joy.

"Heavens favor me!"

"It seems I've finally found him after all this searching!"

"Once I kill this kid, I can leave without a care in the world!"

Tian Buyi's face also revealed his wild joy.

The worries in his mind were instantly swept away.

At this moment, Jiang Ning emerged from the lake's surface, his expression slightly pleased, and his mood improved.

Because he had spent time at the lake's bottom, he had found a Blood Lotus.

The Blood Lotus was a plant that grew in water, resembling a lotus with a blood-red color, hence its name.

This lotus was a genuine treasure for martial artists, a natural substance that could greatly enhance vital energy without any side effects.

Any natural substance that could increase vital energy was extremely valuable.

Moreover, the Blood Lotus in Jiang Ning's hand was fifty years old and had five leaves, making it even more precious.

According to Jiang Ning's understanding, a ten-year-old wild Blood Lotus was worth fifty taels of silver. A twenty-year-old one would double that, and a thirty-year-old three-leaf Blood Lotus would double again.

The value would continue to double for older ones.

A fifty-year-old Blood Lotus, like the one Jiang Ning had, was worth eight hundred taels of silver.

It was like finding eight hundred taels of silver; how could he not be delighted!

(End of Chapter 131)

Chapter end