Chapter 209: Strength Breakthrough, Advancing Further!

Chapter 209: Strength Breakthrough, Advancing Further!

That night.

"It's a bit cold!"

After Jiang Ning finished his cultivation, he felt the autumn wind blowing as his body temperature dropped. He couldn't help but tighten his clothing.

The temperature was noticeably lower than the previous night.

The perceived temperature had dropped by about 6 to 7 degrees compared to the night before.

The current temperature was definitely below 10 degrees.

Just two days ago, the weather seemed like the height of summer, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees.

In less than two days, the temperature plummeted from around 40 degrees to below 10 degrees.

As the autumn wind blew in, even Jiang Ning's robust physique couldn't withstand the drastic temperature change with just a single layer of thin clothing.

But as the wind blew, he still felt a chill.

This chilly sensation was uncomfortable.

Inside the room.

The candlelight flickered.

Xie Xiao Jiu gazed out the window, deep in thought.

Whoosh—

The autumn wind whistled through the narrow window gaps, entering the room, causing goosebumps on her arms.

At this moment, the night had deepened.

Moonlight filtered through the narrow window gaps, casting a thin beam of light inside the room.

After a while.

Creak—

Xie Xiao Jiu opened the window.

The autumn wind in the courtyard blew onto her, causing her loose skirt to cling to her body, revealing her beautiful figure.

In this moment, the wind seemed to take shape.

"Sir!"

Xie Xiao Jiu looked up and saw Jiang Ning lying on the beam under the eaves.

"What's wrong? Can't you sleep?" Jiang Ning turned his head and looked down, catching a glimpse of a breathtaking spring scene.

"I can't sleep!" Xie Xiao Jiu shook her head below.

Then she continued, "Sir, come to my room! It's too cold outside to sleep."

"Aren't you scared?" Jiang Ning smiled at her words.

"No, I'm not," Xie Xiao Jiu shook her head.

"Do you trust me that much?" Jiang Ning jumped down from the beam.

Xie Xiao Jiu looked at him seriously, "I trust your character, Sir."

Jiang Ning smiled again.

"Since you say so, I won't be impolite!"

As he spoke, Jiang Ning stepped over the threshold and entered Xie Xiao Jiu's room.

Upon entering, Jiang Ning instantly felt the room's temperature rise by several degrees.

He immediately understood that the wood used to build this room was extraordinary.

It was crafted from expensive timber with the effect of keeping warm in winter and cool in summer.

At the same time.

Xie Xiao Jiu's heart raced with nervousness.

In the quiet of the night, being alone with a man in the same room was a new experience for her.

Moreover, she was wearing only a thin, casual skirt, her whole body exposed.

Although she usually dressed like this in her own courtyard, enjoying the rare comfort, the current situation was different.

Being alone with a man in a room made her even more nervous.

Her mind was filled with various scenes.

Some of these images even made her blush and feel her body heat rise.

A moment later.

Creak—

Xie Xiao Jiu pushed open the door to her room and slowly closed it.

Jiang Ning was already sitting in a chair, pouring himself a cup of tea.

"Sir..." Xie Xiao Jiu's voice trailed off.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Ning picked up the tea and drank it in one go, then asked.

Xie Xiao Jiu gathered her thoughts and said, "Sir, my bed is a bit small, and you might feel uncomfortable later."

"I can't take your bed like this," Jiang Ning smiled, "it wouldn't be right for me to occupy your bed."

Saying this, Jiang Ning stood up and moved the stool next to the table, arranging it into a simple bed.

"I'll sleep here later!"

Xie Xiao Jiu stared at him, feeling a little dazed.

She realized Jiang Ning had misunderstood her intentions.

She originally wanted both of them to squeeze into the same bed.

Then, Xie Xiao Jiu opened her mouth but lacked the courage to say the words.

"Don't just stand there!" Jiang Ning said, "It's late, time to sleep!"

"Okay," Xie Xiao Jiu nodded after a moment of silence.

She came to her bed, kicked off her slippers, and glanced at Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning was already lying on the bed made from the stools, his eyes closed.

She tucked her legs into the covers.

The next moment.

Xie Xiao Jiu spoke again.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Ning asked again.

Xie Xiao Jiu said, "Do you have a cleanliness complex?"

"Born and raised as a commoner, how could I have a cleanliness complex?" Jiang Ning replied.

Hearing Jiang Ning's words.

Xie Xiao Jiu stood up, got out of bed, and picked up the thick blanket from her bed, walking towards Jiang Ning.

"Sir, the temperature is dropping tonight. This blanket is thick, so it'll keep you warm."

During the conversation, she reached Jiang Ning's side.

"Lie down, and I'll cover you with the blanket!"

Hearing Xie Xiao Jiu's words, Jiang Ning found it amusing and nodded, then lay down.

Xie Xiao Jiu immediately covered Jiang Ning with the blanket she was holding.

After tidying up, she asked anxiously, "Sir, does this blanket have any strange odors?"

Jiang Ning lowered his head to smell it. The scent of musk and orchid wafted from the blanket, and he replied, "No, it doesn't."

Hearing Jiang Ning's direct answer, Xie Xiao Jiu's tense heart finally relaxed.

Then, she took a blanket from the wardrobe and spread it on her bed.

The two of them quickly fell asleep.

In the blink of an eye, three days had passed.

During these three days, Jiang Ning worked tirelessly day and night, refining the Dragon Tiger Sinew Pill.

With the support of this precious pill, his strength improved rapidly.

"According to records, the human body's major sinews are categorized into four levels: ox, tiger, serpent, and dragon."

"When the major sinews reach the level of ox sinews, one enters the Seventh Rank of the Martial Way, and their explosive power can be increased by thirty percent."

"At the tiger sinews level, one's explosive power can be doubled."

"At the serpent sinews level, it can be increased by twofold."

"And at the dragon sinews level, it can be increased by five times."

Jiang Ning then swung his arms, activating the major sinews throughout his body.

A loud cracking sound filled the air.

With this swing, he saw white mist flowing from his fingers, even in the darkness of the night.

"This explosive power should be just one step away from reaching the serpent sinews level!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself.

His heart couldn't help but feel delighted.

In just a few days, his strength had advanced rapidly, reaching a level just one step away from the serpent sinews.

All of this was due to the effects of the Dragon Tiger Sinew Pill.

"This must be the power of money!" Jiang Ning couldn't help but exclaim in his heart.

After personally experiencing the effects of the Dragon Tiger Sinew Pill, he had a deeper understanding of a crucial point.

In this world, the difficulty of the Martial Way was only true for the poor and warriors from small towns.

For a few tens of thousands of silver taels, he could achieve such an improvement.

Although it seemed like a significant expenditure, it was only so for him.

The Great Xia Dynasty had nearly a thousand years of history.

Centuries-old aristocratic families were countless.

Millennia-old clans were not just legends.

And there were also those sects with millennia of history.

For these powerful forces, tens of thousands of silver taels were merely a few dozen gold taels, perhaps not even a drop in their vast wealth.

The heirs of such powerful forces would undoubtedly enjoy extremely luxurious resources from a young age.

"No wonder the Great Xia Dynasty has armies composed of Seventh and Eighth Rank warriors!"

After these few days, Jiang Ning thoroughly understood the power of wealth.

Not to mention the deeper aspects of the Martial Way.

At least, at the level of flesh, muscles, and bones, martial resources had a significant impact.

As long as there were sufficient resources, perhaps these few steps wouldn't be difficult at all.

"Talent and aptitude can be changed through cultivation."

"So, what does that mean?"

Jiang Ning's heart gained some insight.

[Essence Energy]: 677.49

He glanced at his status panel.

"Tomorrow, when I wake up, my Essence Energy should break through the 700-point threshold, right?"

"With the Essence Energy points after breaking through the 700-point threshold, I can complete the second and third breakthroughs of my Gale Thunder Archery."

"With that, even if Liu Linmen comes looking for me, I should have the power to fight back!"

Jiang Ning muttered to himself.

During these past few days, while the Bamboo Gang secretly kept an eye on him, he also became well-informed about the Yellow Heaven Sect's activities.

After the Yellow Heaven Sect displayed their miraculous abilities, their believers spread the word like wildfire.

In just a few days, in the eastern district of the outer city, thirty percent of the residents became believers of the Yellow Heaven Sect.

Especially after yesterday, when news spread that if the people of the eastern district sincerely believed in the Yellow Heaven Sect, the Heavenly Master would come to Luoshui County next spring to pray for rain, ensuring a timely spring rainfall for the planting season.

This news further ignited the people's fervor.

At the same time, Jiang Ning also gained a thorough understanding of Liu Linmen's condition.

After a few days of treatment, Liu Linmen's eye injury had healed, and he even visited Ye Qiu during the day.

This action immediately made Jiang Ning consider a possibility.

It seemed that Liu Linmen, just as Jiang Ning had predicted, still didn't know who had attacked him that night.

Visiting Ye Qiu might be to use the Heaven Opening Eye to spy on Ye Qiu.

"Tomorrow, I'll observe his movements and see if my guess is correct!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself.

With the increase in his strength, his heart was no longer as worried as it had been a few days ago.

The improvement in his strength gave him more confidence.

Compared to that night, his strength had improved significantly, increasing by at least twofold.

Not only had he completed the first breakthrough of his Gale Thunder Archery and mastered the Gale Thunder Breath, but he was also just one step away from reaching the serpent sinews.

The powerful and resilient major sinews in his body now allowed him to unleash nearly twice the explosive power he had before.

That night when he confronted Liu Linmen, he was only at the level of ox sinews, able to increase his explosive power by thirty percent.

Over the past few days, his sword technique had once again broken through, allowing him to utilize the power of heaven and earth by harnessing the sword's momentum.

The improvement of these three aspects gave him a certain level of confidence.

His current strength could not be simply evaluated by a martial arts rank.

After all, he had now mastered Inner Breath, a skill that only a Fifth Rank Inner Fortitude Realm practitioner could possess.

With all these factors combined, Jiang Ning didn't claim to be able to compete with a Fifth Rank Inner Fortitude Realm expert, but he was confident that he could at least hold his own against a Sixth Rank opponent.

Given the right timing and circumstances, he might even have a chance against a Fifth Rank practitioner.

A moment later, Jiang Ning pushed open the door and entered Xie Xiao Jiu's room.

"Sir!" Xie Xiao Jiu sat on the bed, her blanket barely covering her thighs. She put down the sword manual in her hand and greeted Jiang Ning.

"You don't have to wait for me!" Jiang Ning said to Xie Xiao Jiu.

Xie Xiao Jiu smiled faintly.

She stretched out her leg from under the blanket and then got off the bed, wearing cotton shoes.

In the past few days, the temperature had dropped even further.

Even when staying at home in the evening, Xie Xiao Jiu no longer wore thin flowing robes.

Instead, she donned a white mink gown, with soft white fur lining both the inside and outside.

The thick mink gown covered some of her beauty, revealing only a small portion of her rounded calves, thin shoulders, and snow-white arms.

The most captivating sight was hidden by the thick gown, leaving Jiang Ning with a slight sense of regret that he couldn't appreciate this earthly beauty.

Approaching the table, Xie Xiao Jiu poured hot water from the teapot into a cup.

The hot water gushed out of the spout, creating a small cloud of steam.

"Sir, it's cold outside. Have a cup of hot tea to warm up before you sleep!"

"Thank you!" Jiang Ning smiled and took a small sip of the hot tea.

The teapot had been sitting for a while, and the water was no longer very hot.

Jiang Ning tested the water temperature and then quickly drank it all.

As the hot tea entered his body, the slight chill he felt instantly dissipated.

Although the temperature drop over the past few days wasn't as drastic as before, it was still getting colder.

It was now similar to the winter temperatures he experienced in his previous life in the south.

Due to the proximity to the Luo River, the humidity was high, and he could feel the bone-chilling dampness, even with his extraordinary physique. Jiang Ning still found the weather uncomfortable.

"Go to sleep! Don't worry about me!" Jiang Ning said, urging Xie Xiao Jiu, who was standing in front of him.

"Sir, it's very cold today," Xie Xiao Jiu said, her heart suddenly pounding. She hesitated for a moment before saying, "Why don't we sleep on the bed?"

Xie Xiao Jiu repeated the same words she had said a few days ago.

"I'll sleep on the bed, and where will you sleep?" Jiang Ning smiled and patted the blanket placed beside him, continuing, "Don't worry! With the blanket you gave me, I won't get cold! I'm a Seventh Rank Martial Dao expert!"

Looking at Jiang Ning, Xie Xiao Jiu opened her mouth, but suddenly, her chest tightened.

"Then, Sir, I'll go to sleep first!"

She quickly reached her bed in three strides and soon burrowed into the blanket.

Jiang Ning watched her back and shook his head with a wry smile.

Then, Jiang Ning arranged a makeshift sleeping area and spread out the blanket, quickly falling asleep.

The next day, Jiang Ning woke up to see Xie Xiao Jiu washing her face.

With her hair damp, the strands by her ears and forehead stuck to her skin.

From Jiang Ning's angle, he could clearly see the fine down on her face.

Jiang Ning immediately sat down on the wooden stool to calm the unusual sensations in his body.

At his age, every morning was a struggle due to his surging blood and energy.

Especially when he woke up to see Xie Xiao Jiu, he needed some time to suppress his physical reactions.

【Name】: Jiang Ning

【Essence Energy】: 717.88

【Skills】:

Script Mastery (3rd Breakthrough 517/4000) (Characteristics: Photographic Memory, Extraordinary Senses, Quick Thinking)



Five Animal Fist (1st Breakthrough 56/2000) (Characteristics: Five Viscera Essence Concealment)



Firewood Chopping Blade Technique+ (5th Breakthrough 6000/6000) (Characteristics: Analogous Understanding, Blade Like Gale, Blade Handling Like a Deity, Man and Blade as One, Innate Blade Bone)



Inner Core Nourishing Technique (Minor Success 493/5000)



Vajra Unshakable Body (Minor Success 453/5000)



Water Proficiency+ (5th Breakthrough 6000/6000) (Characteristics: Underwater Breathing, Water Control Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Walking and Rain Summoning, Water Spirit Form)



Gale Thunder Archery (1st Breakthrough 1/2000) (Characteristics: Gale Thunder Breath)



Waterfire True Qi (Minor Success 45/500)



Jiang Ning's eyes fell on the panel, and his heart was filled with excitement.

Breaking through the 700-point threshold of Essence Energy meant he had more options.

Whether to choose the breakthrough of Firewood Chopping Blade Technique or Water Proficiency, or the second and third breakthroughs of Gale Thunder Archery, was a decision he could make in an instant.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end