Chapter 242: Metamorphosis Complete, Achieving Sixth Rank!

Chapter 242: Metamorphosis Complete, Achieving Sixth Rank!

After dinner, Jiang Ning braved the heavy snow and returned to his courtyard.

Moments later, he set up nine torches in his courtyard, forming a circular arena with a width of about a zhang in the center.

The next moment, he took out two flint stones.

A spark ignited, and the oil-soaked torches burst into a raging inferno.

Soon, all nine torches blazed fiercely, flames reaching three feet high, and thick black smoke rose amidst the falling snow.

The intense heat melted the snowflakes drifting down from above.

"This environment is perfect!" Jiang Ning gazed at the torches planted in the ground, their fierce flames surrounding him, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

His Iron Bone transformation was now complete, and he only needed to wait for his metamorphosis to officially step into the Sixth Rank of Martial Arts.

Therefore, tonight, while undergoing his transformation, he also intended to allow the Water and Fire True Essence, a supreme martial art, to break through its limit for the second time.

[Skill]: Water and Fire True Essence (1691/2000 for one limit break) (Attribute: Water and Fire Immortal Robe)



After accumulating experience over the past few days, the Water and Fire True Essence skill was not far from its second limit break.

Through testing, he discovered that the skill's experience growth rate was higher when practiced in water or near a blazing fire.

That's why he had set up torches in his courtyard tonight.

Surrounded by the nine torches, the scorching heat made Jiang Ning feel the air around him searing hot.

An ordinary person in such an environment would be scorched and faint within a short time.

However, with the protection of the Water and Fire Immortal Robe, he felt completely comfortable in this environment.

Jiang Ning glanced at the torches and began to circulate the Water and Fire True Essence.

As he did so, he immediately felt a difference.

The speed of cultivating the Water and Fire True Essence was significantly faster than usual.

[Water and Fire True Essence Experience +5]



[Water and Fire True Essence Experience +3]



[Water and Fire True Essence Experience +6]



[.]



Half an hour later, the flames gradually died down.

[Skill]: Water and Fire True Essence (1773/2000 for one limit break) (Attribute: Water and Fire Immortal Robe)



"Indeed, the bigger the fire, the higher the efficiency!" Jiang Ning thought to himself as he observed the changes in his skill's experience on the panel.

Before tonight, he had also tried cultivating the Water and Fire True Essence near a bonfire.

The previous test had been quite satisfactory.

Lighting the torches, he cultivated the Water and Fire True Essence beside them, and the skill's experience growth rate was just as efficient as when he practiced in water.

For this reason, he had prepared some torches in his Xumi Ring in advance for use during his cultivation.

Replacing the torches around him with new ones, the flames became fierce once more.

Time passed, and the experience of the Water and Fire True Essence skill continued to grow.

The requirement for the second limit break was getting closer.

After several hours:

[Water and Fire True Essence Experience +6]



[Source Energy]: 566.33

[Skill]: Water and Fire True Essence + (2000/2000 for one limit break) (Attribute: Water and Fire Immortal Robe)



Seeing the changes on the panel, Jiang Ning's heart filled with joy.

The efforts of many days had finally paid off today.

The next moment, he hesitated not a second to activate his mental power.

The source energy points on the panel rapidly decreased.

In the blink of an eye, the source energy points decreased by a full 200 points, settling at 366.33.

At the same time, he found himself enveloped in endless flames.

It was as if he were in a pill furnace, surrounded by infinite flames on all sides, and he was a fire spirit amidst them.

Suddenly, the flames dispersed.

He plunged into the depths of the ocean.

All around him was the dark ocean floor and endless waves.

He seemed to have transformed into a small boat, drifting with the dark currents, completely at the mercy of the tides.

At this moment, water and fire continuously merged.

He alternated between entering the ocean from the fire and returning to the fire from the ocean.

It was unclear how much time had passed; it could have been an instant, or perhaps years, or even an eternity.

Jiang Ning suddenly returned to his normal state.

He slowly opened his eyes.

In the courtyard, only endless snow fell, and the torches that had been standing in the snow had completely burned out.

Jiang Ning looked up at the sky again.

The night sky remained pitch-black, as if an endless abyss loomed overhead, devoid of any light.

The time of night could not be discerned from the darkness.

Jiang Ning glanced at the torches beside him; the embers had completely dissipated.

"It seems like a lot of time has passed!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself.

Then, he finally looked at his panel.

[Source Energy]: 366.33

[Skill]: Water and Fire True Essence (3/3000 for second limit break) (Attribute: Water and Fire Immortal Robe, Control of Water and Fire)



[Control of Water and Fire]: Control the Water and Fire True Spirit, freely commanding the ninefold water and fire of the world.

"Another power or a divine ability?" Jiang Ning muttered to himself as he gazed at the description of the Great Dao on the panel.

The next moment, he closed his eyes.

In the pitch-black darkness, he suddenly felt floating black spots and crimson spots around him.

The black spots were several times more numerous than the crimson spots.

Boom—

At that moment, a flame suddenly rose from the air beside Jiang Ning, reaching a height of three feet.

The raging flame instantly illuminated the entire courtyard.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the rising flame before him.

"So that's how it is!"

He muttered to himself.

After this simple attempt, he had a rough understanding of the effect of controlling Water and Fire.

He could gather Water and Fire in the void.

Then, he moved his mind.

A mass of water, at least one ton in volume, materialized in the air.

With a wave of his hand, the two masses of Water and Fire floating in front of him transformed.

They turned into a Water Serpent and a Fire Serpent, writhing in the courtyard.

Under the heat emitted by the Fire Serpent, the accumulated snow on the ground began to melt.

Jiang Ning nodded slightly after observing for a moment.

"Quite powerful!"

He could sense that the heat emitted by the Fire Serpent was astonishing, at least over 1500 degrees.

This fire, when faced with ordinary martial artists, would turn them into charcoal with a single coil.

It was a devastating move against normal martial artists.

"It's a pity, but I can't use this move casually!" Jiang Ning shook his head.

He was well aware of a saying: "A commoner with a treasure will be blamed for it."

This special and magical ability, if displayed in a world where martial arts flourished, would undoubtedly attract the attention of powerful beings.

It would draw the gaze of the top-tier powerhouses.

Those martial artists, even as strong as the Grandmasters, according to his understanding, would not be able to grasp such a magical ability.

According to the records in the book, only in the ancient times, when gods and immortals coexisted, was this ability considered normal.

Demonstrating this ability in the current era would undoubtedly attract the curiosity of those top-tier powerhouses.

At that time, it would only bring harm and no benefit to himself.

Therefore, this ability, which Jiang Ning understood as both a divine power and a form of authority, would not be used lightly.

Especially in front of others, he would never reveal it easily.

"However, it's not bad. At least it enriches my options!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself as he looked at his panel.

He wasn't very satisfied with this harvest, but he could accept it.

At least, gathering Water and Fire in the void would make his abilities more diverse.

Especially his control over fire.

If he didn't have too many concerns, it would be a terrifying killing move.

It might not be effective against powerful opponents who mastered Inner Breath, as they could isolate the Water and Fire with their Inner Breath.

But for martial artists below the Fifth Rank, this was an unstoppable killing move.

With a single coil of the fire, they would turn into ashes in minutes.

Even a thousand troops and ten thousand horses would struggle to resist him in the face of this ability.

The fire, like a dragon, could sweep through thousands of troops and horses, burning everything in its path, as long as his spiritual power didn't run out.

Just thinking about this scene, he felt very accepting of it.

In this world, unless it was that Saint-like figure, even the existence of Grandmasters would become like ants biting an elephant.

Human strength had its limits, and facing thousands of troops and horses, even with the support of weaker opponents, would lead to exhaustion.

When Inner Breath was completely depleted, it would mean death.

But for Jiang Ning at present, this situation didn't seem to exist.

Thousands of troops and horses couldn't resist the flames he now controlled.

As for spiritual power depletion, as long as there was water, his spiritual power wouldn't run out.

"With this ability, even in times of chaos and war, I will have the means to protect myself!"

Thinking of all this, facing the newly acquired ability, Jiang Ning became very satisfied.

Then, he felt the transformation of his body's bones once again.

As he calmly observed within, he could sense that his bones were quietly and gradually transforming.

They became increasingly harder and more resilient.

"According to the records on the sheepskin scroll, reaching my current level, a complete transformation can be achieved in over ten hours, truly entering the Sixth Rank of martial arts!"

"At that time, it will also trigger a transformation of the body, which will last for about three days to a week."

"After the transformation is complete, the body, Qi and blood, strength, and muscle strength will all reach a new level."

"This is what a true Sixth Rank martial artist should be."

After a simple recollection in his mind, Jiang Ning went to the lake to casually wash his body, then returned to sleep.

The next day.

As the sky faintly brightened, Jiang Ning awoke.

【Essence Energy】: 370.15

After a quick glance at his panel, he saw that his Essence Energy points had only increased by a few, with no surprises.

"Water and Fire True Energy, breaking the limit three times, requires 500 Essence Energy points."

"The Chopping Wood Sword Technique, breaking the limit six times, also requires 500 Essence Energy points."

"As for Water Proficiency, breaking the limit seven times, it requires 1000 Essence Energy points.

Jiang Ning sighed as these thoughts crossed his mind.

"I need to find a way to obtain some heavenly treasures and absorb them. It's clear that the Iron Bone Pill has very little effect on increasing Source Energy points!"

After some contemplation, Jiang Ning suddenly thought of the vast waters of Luoshui.

Within Luoshui, there were many heavenly treasures and earth gems hidden.

Just like the Blood Lotus he had found earlier, it had provided him with several dozen Source Energy points.

And that black stone, it was still continuously providing him with Source Energy points, as well as enhancing his bones and Water Affinity.

After several months, the benefits were already very evident.

【Skills】: Water Affinity (Six Limit Breaks 7000/7000) (Attributes: Underwater Breathing, Water Control Technique+, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation Rainmaking, Water Spirit Body)



Similar to Water Affinity, just a few days ago, it completed six Limit Breaks. At that time, it was still a few thousand points away from the seven thousand experience points, but now it has reached seven thousand experience points again.

That black stone also contributed a significant amount of experience points to the Water Affinity skill.

Now, with seven Limit Breaks completed, the only thing lacking is Source Energy points.

According to his estimation, with a thousand Source Energy points, Water Affinity can smoothly complete seven Limit Breaks.

Having decided on his next course of action, Jiang Ning got out of bed.

He then closed his eyes and focused his inner vision on his body.

The next moment, he saw that the two hundred and six bones in his body had completely transformed into a silvery-white color.

"As expected, the bones have fully molted and completely transformed into Iron Bones."

Jiang Ning opened his eyes, and his face showed a hint of joy.

Although he had already known that his bones would molt upon waking up today, seeing the situation within his body, he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy in his heart.

Sixth Rank Martial Artist.

In all of Luoshui County, he was already an unparalleled existence.

Even Wang Jin couldn't compare to him anymore.

"I should go to the Martial Arts Hall today and let the teacher be happy!" Jiang Ning said with a smile.

Then he clenched his fist, mobilized his whole body's power, and his inner Qi and blood surged like a tsunami.

After sensing the changes in his body.

"As expected, compared to last night, my physical body has improved comprehensively! This shows that I am already in the stage of molting."

"After the molting is complete, my strength will definitely increase even more!"

He nodded in satisfaction.

Inspection Bureau.

Jiang Ning arrived at the Inspection Bureau early and went to his workplace, the courtyard that belonged to him.

"Sir!" Upon seeing Jiang Ning's appearance, Xie Xiaojiu was surprised.

Then she put down the fire she was starting and hurriedly stood up, "Sir, I'll go and boil some tea!"

"No need!" Jiang Ning waved his hand, "You continue with your work! I'm waiting for Captain Feng."

"Sir, are you waiting for Captain Feng for something?" Xie Xiaojiu asked.

"Hmm!" Jiang Ning nodded, "I need to go to the outer city with her. I heard she found a Worship God Sect stronghold and may have discovered a big fish!"

"A big fish?" Xie Xiaojiu was slightly surprised and then said, "Sir, can I come along later?"

"Sure!" Jiang Ning nodded.

In his opinion, the Worship God Sect was not a big deal, and dealing with them was simple.

If there was a big fish, it would be a good thing.

The divine statue that the Worship God Sect had placed in the City God Shrine some time ago had not been found yet.

That divine statue was the most valued item by the higher-ups. As long as they found that statue, they could receive a reward of fifty thousand Contribution Points from the Inspection Bureau.

With his current eighth-rank official position, as long as he spent a considerable amount of Contribution Points, he could be promoted to the full eighth rank, removing the 'deputy' from his title as deputy commander, and becoming the fifth commander of this Inspection Bureau.

With his current authority, the good things he could see in the Internal Affairs Department were not many.

Even the detailed explanation of the fifth-rank Internal Fortification Realm, written by the Martial Sage, was something he couldn't purchase with his current permissions.

Therefore, Jiang Ning still had a demand for Contribution Points.

Without sufficient authority, even with this miraculous panel, his achievements would still be limited.

From the fifth rank and above, it was already a secret that various factions did not spread.

If he wanted to obtain cultivation methods of the fifth rank and above, he could basically only rely on the Inspection Bureau.

Unless he left the Inspection Bureau, found a top-tier sect, joined as an ordinary disciple, climbed up step by step, became a true disciple, and even a personal disciple.

Only with higher status and authority would he have the qualifications to come into contact with higher-grade cultivation methods.

From the fifth rank and above, especially the methods to achieve the level of a Martial Saint, were extremely difficult!

The route of joining a sect had too many restrictions in Jiang Ning's opinion, and it was not as free and easy as being within the Inspection Bureau.

Just like during this period, he didn't handle many matters, but the benefits he received were significant.

At this moment, Xie Xiaojiu had already started the fire.

Then she slightly lowered her head and blew into the fire pit.

The fire grew larger, quickly igniting the charcoal nearby.

"Sir, the fire is ready. You can come and warm yourself. I'll go and make some tea!"

Xie Xiaojiu stood up, her expression filled with excitement.

It seemed that seeing Jiang Ning made her very happy.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end