Chapter 261: Surging Inner Breath, Ten Years of Cultivation!

Chapter 261: Surging Inner Breath, Ten Years of Cultivation!

The sun rises.

The Si hour approaches.

Long before the Si hour, he had broken through the ice and entered the water to restore his condition.

At this moment, Jiang Ning had already finished his preparations.

A moment later.

He glanced at the sundial in the courtyard, and as the sun slowly moved across the sky, the hour of Si arrived.

The next moment.

Jiang Ning focused his mind.

With the Earth Core Warm Jade at his chest, he also found it much easier to calm and concentrate than before.

Without wasting any effort on adjustments, he calmed and concentrated in an instant, his mind becoming clear and free of any distracting thoughts.

In the next instant, he faced the sky with his five hearts, then tilted his head slightly, and slowly inhaled towards the warm sun above.

In a flash, a strand of the Great Sun's Five Elements Essence Qi was drawn by him from the void and entered his nasal cavity.

The Great Sun's Essence Qi descended from his nasal cavity into his lungs, scorching hot, but he didn't feel any burning pain.

Ever since he acquired the Water Fire Immortal Robe's characteristic, the Great Sun's Essence Qi entering his five viscera and six bowels no longer harmed his viscera in the slightest.

It only had its tempering effect.

Then, he felt the Great Sun's Essence Qi disperse and merge into his five viscera and six bowels.

Instantly, he felt as if he were in a furnace, without a trace of coldness, and warmth flowed throughout his body.

As the five viscera were tempered by this strand of the Great Sun's Essence Qi, a strand of Inner Breath was condensed from the five viscera and merged into the Dantian in his abdomen.

[Inner Core Cultivation Experience +1]



With the prompt sounding, one strand of the Great Sun's Essence Qi was consumed.

Jiang Ning reopened his eyes, his face filled with joy.

After the five viscera were nourished by the Five Elements Essence, his foundation became robust.

This time, the refinement of the Great Sun's Essence Qi was completely different from the previous time.

The previous time, refining the Great Sun's Essence Qi only increased one strand of Inner Breath.

But this time, refining the first strand of the Great Sun's True Qi had already increased five strands of Inner Breath, five times more efficient.

"The efficiency of condensing Inner Breath has increased fivefold!" Jiang Ning was also taken aback in his heart.

Previously, because the five viscera were nourished by the Five Elements Essence, the five viscera and six bowels gradually became stronger, and this enhancement was an innate foundation.

In recent days, the Inner Breath that his body had been condensing on its own had also gradually increased from one strand per day to two or even three strands per day.

This change in the body's self-increasing Inner Breath was due to the enhancement of the five viscera and six bowels.

Just like the initial one strand per day, which was due to his characteristic.

[Five Viscera Storing Essence]: Essence Qi is stored in the five viscera, and the viscera and bowels strengthen on their own.

The strengthening of the viscera and bowels refers to the self-strengthening of the five viscera and six bowels.

In the Inner Fortification Realm, the five viscera and six bowels are strengthened.

The five viscera are the main focus, and the six bowels are secondary.

Because of this continuous slight enhancement, the five viscera and six bowels would condense a strand of Inner Breath on their own every day.

One strand per day, although not much, is equivalent to him absorbing one strand of the Great Sun's Essence Qi previously.

But it excels in consistency, undeterred by any external conditions, rain or shine.

Over the years, the increase in Inner Breath alone is a significant improvement.

Today, it's even more different.

With the nourishment of the Five Elements Essence, his innate foundation is enhanced, and the strengthening of the five viscera also strengthens the six bowels.

After this enhancement.

The rate of Inner Breath increase in recent days has also changed from the initial one strand per day to about three strands per day.

He originally thought this was the limit.

This is the effect of the Five Elements Essence nourishing the five viscera.

But after absorbing one strand of the Great Sun's Essence Qi today, he realized that he had underestimated the effect of the Five Elements Essence nourishing the five viscera.

Just by absorbing one strand of the Great Sun's Essence Qi, the number of condensed Inner Breath strands increased from one strand each time previously to five strands each time now, a fivefold increase.

The next moment.

He calmed and concentrated, his mind becoming clear again, and all distracting thoughts vanished.

Then, he continued to absorb the Great Sun's Essence Qi from above.

As he absorbed, strands of the Great Sun's Essence Qi merged into his five viscera and six bowels.

The viscera and bowels continued to be tempered.

[Inner Core Cultivation Experience +1]



[Inner Core Cultivation Experience +1]



[Inner Core Cultivation Experience +1]



[.]



With the support of the Water Fire Immortal Robe's characteristic, he was no longer afraid of being burned by the Great Sun's Essence Qi, greatly improving his absorption efficiency.

He no longer had to worry about the viscera and bowels' endurance.

Previously, even when he was half-submerged in water and constantly nourished by the Water Essence, he still needed time to recover.

Now, without considering any endurance limits, the efficiency is significantly improved compared to his previous method of being in the water.

Not to mention the comparison with ordinary people, which is like the difference between heaven and earth!!

However, as he continued to absorb the Great Sun's Essence Qi, he noticed another change.

After refining each strand of the Great Sun's Essence Qi, the condensed Inner Breath gradually decreased from five strands each time, then to four strands, three strands, until

The Si hour passed, and the Wu hour approached.

Even in the cold winter, as the Wu hour arrived, the scorching sun above became a bit too hot.

"This strand of Great Sun Essence Qi has been refined by me, and it still condenses into two strands of Inner Breath!" Jiang Ning slowly exhaled a mouthful of turbid Qi from his abdomen, opening his eyes and muttering.

At the same time, as his thoughts turned, a prompt appeared before him once again.

【After inhaling and exhaling the Great Sun Essence Qi, the Inner Core Cultivation experience has increased by a total of 95 points.】

Not too much, but not too little either.

With a single round of inhalation and exhalation, after two hours, he gained nearly a hundred points of experience.

At the same time, he had long noticed that the panel seemed to undergo some changes according to his thoughts.

This was undoubtedly a good thing.

The fact that it could be influenced by his will might indicate that this panel was truly under his control.

All changes in the world must have a reason, and Jiang Ning guessed that this panel was no exception!

He then looked at the Inner Core Cultivation section on the panel.

【Skill】: Inner Core Cultivation (Minor Mastery 1086/5000)



"At this rate, it will take approximately forty-one to forty-two days."

"Indeed, the efficiency is high!"

"Unfortunately, the weather is unpredictable. There are fewer days with the Great Sun hanging high in the sky, and more often, it's overcast with dark clouds and heavy snow."

Jiang Ning shook his head and sighed softly.

He closed his eyes again, maintaining the Five Hearts to the Sky posture.

The Five Hearts to the Sky is a Daoist cultivation and meditation posture.

Inner Core Cultivation is a traditional Inner Fortification Art of the Daoists, requiring a Divine Root, also known as Natural Giftedness, as well as an extremely high level of insight.

As he focused his attention on his entire body, his gaze fell on the Dantian within his body.

Instantly, he could see the Inner Breath, like smoke, mist, and clouds, sometimes taking the form of a dragon, weaving through the clouds.

At other times, it resembled surging waves, ceaselessly flowing.

If one had a good understanding of the Fifth Rank Inner Fortification Realm, seeing the Inner Breath in the Dantian like this would reveal that it had reached a vast level akin to mountains and rivers.

This is the state of Inner Breath like a river.

Thus, the Inner Breath had already transcended the second level, reaching the realm of Inner Breath like a river.

What he didn't know was that this vast Inner Breath, even in the Fifth Rank Inner Fortification Realm, would be considered a decade of cultivation.

For a typical strong cultivator in the Fifth Rank Inner Fortification Realm, it often takes five to ten years of accumulation to reach the level of Inner Breath like a river.

As for the subsequent level of Inner Breath like an ocean, due to the accumulation of total volume in the Dantian, the phenomenon changes, and the cultivation becomes even more profound.

"Compared to before, the total amount of Inner Breath has indeed increased," Jiang Ning thought to himself, feeling slightly surprised.

Compared to the last time he observed the changes within his Dantian, the changes this time were noticeably different.

It was like vast, surging mountains and rivers, exuding a formidable aura.

"Today's inhalation and exhalation of the Great Sun Essence Qi increased a total of 291 strands of Inner Breath. Could it be because of the increase in the total amount of Inner Breath?"

Jiang Ning had some speculations in his mind.

"After the New Year's holiday, when I return to work, I need to get a promotion and also enhance my authority to obtain information about the Fifth Rank and above."

He made a decision in his heart.

Previously, he wasn't in a hurry and considered the need for Contribution Points to exchange for other necessities.

Now, he also realized that he indeed needed to improve his official position and status.

It wasn't just because of He Jinseng from Qinghe Duke Manor's visit, but also because he required higher authority.

Otherwise, after he forges the Jade Bone and enters the Fifth Rank, he would be completely in the dark.

"Perhaps, I can look for Lin Qingyi?"

The image of the green-clad figure flashed in his mind, and he shook his head.

"Forget it, I won't look for her! She's a married woman, so it's better to keep some distance!"

He had some reservations in his heart.

Several more days passed.

During these days, since He Jinseng's visit, there had been no further appearances.

Jiang Ning simply kept it in mind.

With his current strength, he was not afraid of He Jinseng at all.

As for Qinghe Duke Manor, since they only sent He Jinseng, it represented that they wouldn't send anyone else in the short term.

Moreover, the heavy snow had sealed off the mountains, and the roads outside the city were covered in thick snow.

In such harsh conditions, it was difficult for anyone other than a strong cultivator to travel long distances.

Even if they were strong cultivators, they wouldn't venture out in such terrible weather unless it was absolutely necessary.

Normally, traveling from Dongling City to Luoshui County, even at a gallop, would take about five days.

In the current conditions, it would take at least half a month.

In other words, they would have to travel for more than half a month in a freezing environment where it was difficult to start a fire.

Therefore, Jiang Ning wasn't worried at all.

Qinghe Duke Manor had already declined, and it wasn't difficult for them to find a Fifth Rank cultivator comparable to Hong Minghu.

However, to make such a cultivator travel for more than half a month in the freezing cold, enduring the harsh weather, would require a significant amount of face.

Any Fifth Rank cultivator would be a prominent figure in Dongling City.

As for a Fifth Rank Peak cultivator, comparable to Lu Qing Shan, the master of Medicine King Valley, it was simply impossible!

The gap between the Fifth Rank Peak and below was immense, and the two were not on the same level at all.

When the Inner Breath is condensed into a Primordial Qi, it can slash through thousands of troops with a single strike.

Such combat power was terrifying.

It also naturally indicated that their status and position would be very high, and it would take a lot of effort to move such a figure.

In the courtyard.

After completing a set of fist techniques, Bone Forging also completed a Great Zhou Tian cycle.

Under the warm sunlight, Jiang Ning was drenched in sweat, with steam constantly rising from his head.

Even for him now, completing one cycle of bone tempering was a significant drain.

Huff—

He exhaled a breath of turbid air.

Then, he took a look at his status panel.

【Name】: Jiang Ning

【Divinity】: 0

【Authority】: Flesh Regeneration (82.73% Deficient)



【Essence Energy】: 221.88

【Skills】:

Text Recognition (Fourth Limit Break 2466/5000) (Characteristics: Memorization, Extraordinary Senses, Sharp Mind, Extraordinary Insight)



Five Animal Fist (Second Limit Break 3000/3000) (Characteristics: Five Viscera Storing Essence, Five Elements Spirit)



Firewood Cleaving Blade Technique (Fifth Limit Break 6000/6000) (Characteristics: Analogical Understanding, Blade Like Gale, Blade Movement Like God, Man and Blade as One, Innate Blade Bone)



Inner Core Cultivation (Minor Mastery 1277/5000)



The Five Animal Fist has seen the most significant change recently.

He had filled up three thousand experience points, and now he only needed Essence Energy Points.

To achieve the Third Limit Break, he needed five hundred Essence Energy Points, but he currently only had a little over two hundred, leaving a significant gap.

Additionally, there was the Inner Core Cultivation technique.

Over the past two sunny days, he had taken advantage of the clear weather to absorb the Great Sun Essence, increasing the Inner Core Cultivation technique's experience by nearly two hundred points, bringing him closer to Major Mastery.

More importantly, his Inner Breath had surged by several hundred threads.

These hundreds of threads of Inner Breath converged into his dantian, making his Inner Breath vast, with a total increase of about six to seven percent.

This increase was already quite remarkable, considering it was just over two days.

At this rate, if everything went smoothly and it remained sunny every day, he could double the total amount of Inner Breath in his body within a month.

If a Fifth Rank Inner Fortification Realm expert knew about this efficiency, they would be utterly astonished.

After closing the panel,

"Five Animal Fist's Third Limit Break now only needs Essence Energy Points. I need to find a way to obtain the Essence Energy Points I lack!"

Jiang Ning murmured to himself.

Then he closed his eyes and focused inward.

His mind sank into his body.

In an instant, he saw the 206 bones floating in his field of vision.

These bones had undergone significant changes compared to a few days ago, completely different from their initial state.

They now had a luster like obsidian, with ninety-five percent of the bones resembling black obsidian.

This black had no darkness; instead, it was filled with a bright luster.

Within this black, there were thousands of silver threads.

By tempering his bones and thoroughly hammering these silver threads into black, if all 206 bones were free of impurities, he would officially enter the Sixth Rank Martial Dao's Second Stage Bone Forging, the Mystic Bone Realm.

"In another three to five days, it should be about right!"

Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes.

He stood still for a moment, thinking.

Then he returned to his room and picked up the clothes that his sister-in-law Liu Wanwan had washed and dried over the past two days.

The clothes, having been exposed to the sun all day, were filled with the scent of sunlight.

Putting the neatly folded clothes into his Infinite Ring, Jiang Ning turned and walked out of the room.

He stepped onto the ice layer.

Two consecutive days of warm sun had melted some of the snow on the road, but the lake was still covered with a thick layer of ice.

Boom—

Jiang Ning stomped his right foot on the ground, and the ice layer, which was over twenty centimeters thick, suddenly collapsed.

Centered around him, the broken ice blocks rose high into the air.

Within a few yards, large and small cracks spread everywhere.

As the ice layer shattered, Jiang Ning fell into the icy lake water.

However, the cold lake water, which seemed chilling to others, made Jiang Ning close his eyes in enjoyment.

He could feel his body being nourished by the lake water, and the physical energy he had consumed from tempering his bones was rapidly restored.

After a moment,

All the energy he had expended during his training was completely restored by the lake water, reaching its peak state.

Jiang Ning quickly washed his body.

Then, with a slight thought,

The lake water surrounding him suddenly changed, creating an underwater vacuum.

In the vacuum underwater, he quickly changed his clothes.

The lake water above him naturally parted, and the water below him continued to rise, allowing him to step on the water as if on a floating staircase.

When he stepped back onto the ice layer, his clothes were completely dry, not a single drop of water on them.

"Go to Wanhua Tower, sell the gold box, and buy some Heavenly Materials to increase my Essence Energy Points to five hundred."

"Complete the Three Chi Limit Break of the Five Animal Fist today and see what characteristics the Third Limit Break will bring!"

"Then, I will continue to temper my bones and practice the Five Animal Fist in tandem. In a few days, my bone tempering will also reach the Second Stage Bone Forging, achieving the Mystic bone realm, and my strength will surely rise to a new level."

Jiang Ning thought, filled with anticipation, as the fruits of his hard work over the past few days were about to be reaped.

Then he headed toward Wanhua Tower.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end