Chapter 295: Essence Energy Points Surge!

Chapter 295: Essence Energy Points Surge!



October 26, 2024

On the desolate island, atop the icy surface, an elderly woman glanced at Jiang Ning and spoke.

"Come see me tomorrow! I'll request permission from above today and give you a reply tomorrow."

"But rest assured, the reward you'll receive won't be insignificant."

"A Fifth Rank Inner Fortitude Realm martial artist from the Divine Worship Sect is no ordinary person. They are among the top forces within their sect."

"Killing two of them is a great achievement!"

"The reward for this should be at least double that of a Sixth Rank."

Jiang Ning's face lit up with joy upon hearing this, and he immediately clasped his hands in gratitude.

"Thank you, Senior!"

The two returned to the Patrol Office.

The elderly woman collected the two corpses into her storage item.

Jiang Ning was not surprised to see that the Interior Affairs Department's White Grandma had such a storage item.

This elderly woman was extremely mysterious in his eyes, and he still couldn't see through her true abilities.

Previously, when he wanted to use the Heavenly Eye to investigate her, an ominous feeling stopped him from this reckless action.

This made him realize that the Heavenly Eye should not be used indiscriminately.

Certain beings might discover his secrets if he were to use the Heavenly Eye.

"Lord!"

Upon entering the Patrol Office, Jiang Ning saw Lord Hong Minghu and Ye Qiu drinking tea and chatting in the main hall. He greeted them.

"Brother Ye!" he said again.

"Commander Jiang, your timing is impeccable!" Lord Hong Minghu's eyes lit up at the sight of Jiang Ning, and he quickly stood up and spoke.

Ye Qiu stood up as well, a smile on his face. "Brother Jiang!"

Then he continued, "I was just telling Lord Hong about your heroic deeds on New Year's Eve. I never expected you to have such remarkable archery skills!"

"Your archery skills are too good for the Patrol Office. If you were in the military, you would have achieved great success by now."

"Today, I might have to address you as Commander Jiang and General!"

Hearing their words, Jiang Ning couldn't help but smile wryly.

"Lord Hong, Brother Ye, please don't flatter me anymore! I'm still young and emotionally unstable, and it's easy for me to get carried away. With your praise, I feel like I'm about to fly."

"Haha!" Lord Hong Minghu laughed, his face radiating warmth. "How could you be arrogant with such self-awareness?"

Then, he pointed to the empty seat beside him, indicating for Jiang Ning to sit first.

The three of them took their seats.

"Commander Jiang, do you know why I called you here?"

"I don't know!" Jiang Ning shook his head slightly, seeing the gaze Lord Hong Minghu was giving him.

"While Commander Ye was on leave, he uncovered a shocking secret."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning turned to look at Ye Qiu.

Ye Qiu said mysteriously, "Lord Hong doesn't want me to speak about it yet. In a few days, I'll need Brother Jiang's assistance. Your archery skills are the best in Luo Water County, and I'll need your help then."

Jiang Ning's heart raced with speculation upon hearing this.

He turned to look at Lord Hong Minghu.

"Lord Hong, did you find a big fish?"

Lord Hong Minghu smiled. "It's indeed a big fish. If this operation succeeds, Commander Jiang might lose his deputy title, and I can also take another step forward."

Is that so exaggerated?

Jiang Ning was secretly astonished.

He had just removed the 'deputy' from his title today, and his actual rank was now equivalent to Ye Qiu's.

Both of them were unaware of what had just happened. Although his position was honorary, once the official appointment documents were issued, his honorary rank would become an official one.

He was well aware of the price he had paid for his half-rank promotion—a contribution worth ten thousand silver talents.

Now, all he had to do was participate in Lord Hong Minghu's operation, and if it succeeded, he would receive an equal amount of contribution just for assisting.

The next moment, Jiang Ning asked, "When will I be needed, Lord Hong?"

"It's still early!" Lord Hong Minghu said, "We need to wait for the arrival of the other commanders. With the heavy snowfall blocking the mountains and the freezing weather, we'll need some more time!"

"Understood!" Jiang Ning clasped his hands and said, "Just notify me when you need me, Lord Hong!"

Seeing Jiang Ning's gesture, Lord Hong Minghu nodded in understanding.

"Alright, Commander Jiang, go and attend to your duties first!"

After Jiang Ning left, Lord Hong Minghu watched his departing figure and couldn't help but feel he had underestimated him.

"I underestimated him!"

Ye Qiu, sitting beside him, nodded in agreement. "Yes, we did underestimate him. With his archery skills, he single-handedly resolved the crisis of the Black Mountain Cavalry's siege. His skills are indeed impressive."

"Is he stronger than you?" Lord Hong Minghu asked, looking at Ye Qiu.

"I can't compare to him! That night, there was even a saintess from the Black Lotus Sect. You know how terrifying the Black Lotus Sect is! Compared to them, the Divine Worship Sect is nothing!" Ye Qiu shook his head and said.

"Indeed!" Lord Hong Minghu nodded. "His archery skills... it seems the murderer of Cao Rong was indeed him. There's no escape!"

Ye Qiu smiled. "We already knew that, didn't we?"

Then Ye Qiu spoke again, "Lord Hong, what reward do you think he'll receive for this achievement?"

Hong Minghu paused, his face revealing a contemplative expression.

After a moment, he spoke, "There are a few possibilities. It could be a direct grant of contribution points, a promotion in rank, or the bestowal of cultivation resources."

"In any case, at the initial establishment of the Patrol Office, the higher-ups wouldn't dampen the morale of those below."

"The merit Lord Jiang has established will likely spread throughout Dongling Prefecture, giving the higher-ups a significant boost in reputation."

Ye Qiu couldn't help but show a hint of envy upon hearing these words.

Meanwhile, Jiang Ning, after leaving the Patrol Office, boarded the waiting carriage and headed straight home.

The next day, on the Winter Solstice, Jiang Ning opened his eyes to the sound of howling winds outside.

The mournful sound was like the wailing of vengeful spirits.

"It's gotten colder again!" Jiang Ning couldn't help but frown.

Unbeknownst to him, many others were frowning even more.

With the end of the New Year holiday, many from the Patrol Office were still on the road.

The sudden change in weather left many lamenting their fate.

Even though Post-Initiation martial practitioners were much stronger than ordinary people, they still feared natural disasters.

Despite their robust vitality, they feared the cold just as much as any ordinary Post-Initiation martial artist, and they could freeze to death in the snowstorm.

Especially when lacking food, their bodies couldn't replenish the energy consumed.

For martial artists, their robust bodies required more energy intake, and thus, they needed to eat more food.

For example, those with tall and robust physiques often had larger appetites.

This was because maintaining a powerful body consumed more energy than ordinary people.

Only Post-Initiation martial artists of the Fifth Rank and above could almost perfectly control their bodies, and those who could freely unlock the body's limits could manage their energy consumption, avoiding unnecessary losses and energy dissipation.

The Fifth Rank was a significant milestone.

Therefore, information and martial arts of the Fifth Rank and above were strictly guarded.

Ordinary martial artists had no access or connections to such knowledge.

After waking up, Jiang Ning immediately checked his interface.

His heart rejoiced when he saw the Essence Energy Points on his interface reach an astonishing number.

2357.88.

He was only a few hundred points away from three thousand Essence Energy Points.

"The Five Elements Spirit Fruit is truly extraordinary," Jiang Ning thought, recalling the fruit he had consumed the day before.

Although it had cost him eighty thousand silver talents, it had brought him ample rewards.

Not only did he feel a transformation and elevation in his Five Viscera, but his Essence Energy Points also reached an unprecedented level.

With this, he could break through the two-thousand-point threshold, and three thousand points didn't seem so unattainable.

【Essence Energy】: 2357.88

【Skills】: Five Beasts Fist+ (Three Limit Breaks 4000/4000) (Characteristics: Five Viscera Essence Storage, Five Elements Spirit, Fist Technique Grandmaster)



Splitting Firewood Sword Technique (Six Limit Breaks 4788/7000) (Characteristics: Touching One to Understand Many, Sword Like Thunderbolt, Divine Sword Control, Born Sword Bone)



Water Nature+ (Six Limit Breaks 7000/7000) (Characteristics: Underwater Breathing, Enhanced Water Control Technique, Water Affinity, Cloud Walking Rain Making, Water Spirit Body)



When Jiang Ning looked at his interface again, he noticed the plus signs behind the Five Beasts Fist and Water Nature skills.

This indicated that he had met all the Limit Break conditions for these two skills.

For Splitting Firewood Sword Technique, all that was lacking was experience.

But for Jiang Ning, the few thousand experience points needed for Splitting Firewood Sword Technique could be achieved in half a day.

After glancing at his interface, a faint smile appeared on Jiang Ning's face.

"The Limit Break of Five Beasts Fist is the most crucial for me right now!"

After yesterday's experience, he was well aware of what was essential after crossing the Sixth Rank and entering the Fifth Rank.

It was the strength of Inner Breath and the tempering of the Five Viscera.

The gap between Fifth Rank practitioners was also extremely exaggerated.

The most powerful Fifth Rank practitioners had Inner Breath as vast as an abyss or a prison, capable of slaying a thousand soldiers with a single breath.

Facing such a Fifth Rank practitioner, Jiang Ning felt he would have to retreat in the face of their power.

This terrifying Inner Breath could split mountains and sever rivers.

Even divine armaments might not withstand the eruption of this Inner Breath, let alone flesh and blood.

Jade Bones, comparable to a thousand-forged fine iron, couldn't resist this terrifying Inner Breath either.

After all, to slay a thousand soldiers, a thousand soldiers in armor with sharp weapons, and each soldier's armor was forged from fine iron.

Even if it were just ordinary fine iron, in the face of a thousand armors, its durability surpassed that of a few centimeters of thousand-forged fine iron.

Therefore, such Fifth Rank practitioners could slay a thousand soldiers and easily kill Sixth Rank Jade Bone Realm martial artists.

Adding their pervasive Inner Breath and the distance they could cover, Jiang Ning could only give four words of evaluation.

(End)

This level of enhancement is akin to a grade advancement!

Before reaching the Fifth Rank, external cultivators who have completed the Four Steps of External Tempering are considered formidable.

However, even the strongest of them would find it challenging to defeat a well-trained army of a thousand soldiers composed of First Rank martial practitioners.

Their physical strength alone is insufficient.

Not to mention other aspects.

Yet, the top-tier martial artists at the Fifth Rank can effortlessly slay thousands.

The improvement is so exaggerated that it's almost unbelievable.

It's as if they belong to a different level entirely!

Calling these Fifth Rank practitioners immortals wouldn't be an exaggeration! As for the weaker ones at the Fifth Rank, they are not much stronger than those at the Sixth Rank.

When one first enters the Fifth Rank, it's already challenging to fight two opponents alone.

Even those who have achieved the condensation of inner breath find it difficult to face multiple enemies.

This is because their inner breath cannot last long, and both the quantity and quality are still insufficient.

The only way is to continue accumulating, day by day, month by month, until the water forms a pond.

Once the inner breath reaches a certain level, like a river or a sea, they can easily defeat Sixth Rank Jade Bone Realm martial artists.

They can face ten opponents without faltering, and even before their inner breath is depleted, they can handle it with ease.

But once the inner breath is exhausted, these Fifth Rank practitioners are not much stronger than those at the Sixth Rank.

Without the support of inner breath, the only advantage they have is their physical strength.

The true power of the Fifth Rank lies in the metamorphosis of inner breath, reaching the level of condensing it into primal energy.

These Fifth Rank practitioners can then unleash the true divine might of their rank.

Even with just a branch in hand, they can release an inner breath capable of cutting gold and jade.

If they can accumulate inner breath to the extent of it resembling a sea or an abyss, they become even more terrifying, akin to human missiles.

Single-handedly breaking through city defenses is no challenge for them.

Jiang Ning is well aware of the goals he needs to achieve.

The breakthrough of Five Beasts Fist is of utmost importance.

Five Beasts Fist is a foundational martial art in the martial world.

With long-term practice, it can enhance one's physique, strengthen their power, and refine their qi and blood.

After breaking through its limits, it further enables the absorption of the essence of the five elements into the body, nourishing the five viscera.

If this fist technique can break through its limits again, these effects will be further enhanced.

As he continues practicing the fist technique, the amount of qi and blood he can refine will increase.

The nourishing effect on the five viscera will also be amplified.

The stronger the five viscera become, the more his total inner breath will improve.

Therefore, the importance of this fist technique to him is evident.

In the long run, it is far more beneficial to him than Water Proficiency and Firewood Cleaving Sword Technique.

Currently, he has mastered the five fist forms of Five Beasts Fist.

Breaking through the limits of the fist technique will undoubtedly lead to further improvement in the fist forms.

At this thought, Jiang Ning affirmed his decision.

Enhancing Five Beasts Fist is the best path for his martial progress.

Without delay, he got out of bed.

Closing his eyes, he sensed the changes in his body.

The effects of the Five Elements Spirit Fruit from the previous day were evident, as he could clearly feel his five viscera filled with vibrant and energetic qi.

It was like a newly risen sun, full of vitality.

However, he also realized that his body had not undergone any fundamental changes and remained the same as before.

There was no sign of the legendary effect of the Five Elements Spirit Fruit, which was said to alter one's physique and make it more compatible with the five elements.

Afterward, he examined his body internally.

His gaze quickly scanned over his two hundred and six bones.

After continuing the bone tempering process upon returning yesterday, the degree of jade bone transformation within his body had increased.

"Judging from this, it'll only take about three more days to complete the Sixth Rank Jade Bone casting."

"By then, according to the martial arts ranking system, I'll be considered a Fifth Rank practitioner."

At this thought, Jiang Ning's heart was filled with anticipation.

He was also aware that the Great Xia's martial arts ranking system wasn't overly strict.

It didn't mean that upon completing a realm breakthrough, one would instantly gain a comprehensive improvement like an upgrade.

In the martial world, each step is a climb upward, becoming stronger step by step, with quantitative changes leading to qualitative transformations.

Like him, although he is considered a Sixth Rank Mystic Bone Realm practitioner, there is little difference between him and a Fifth Rank martial artist.

In terms of the accumulation of inner breath, he has already reached the level of inner breath like a river.

This level of inner breath quantity is something that ordinary Fifth Rank practitioners cannot achieve without eight to ten years of accumulation.

From this perspective, he can already rival experienced Fifth Rank martial artists.

In terms of strength, he is not at a disadvantage.

One could even say that he is far ahead of ninety percent of Fifth Rank practitioners, with only a few exceptions—those who have achieved inner fortification and condensed their inner breath into primal energy.

However, he also understands that this doesn't mean he is invincible beyond the Fifth Rank.

As White Grandma from the Interior Affairs Department mentioned yesterday, if one can forge the Golden Body during the Skin Polishing stage, like the monks of Vajra Temple who have perfected the Vajra Indestructible Body, they can achieve an Unbreakable Golden Body.

With just the strength of the Golden Body, these seemingly Ninth Rank martial artists can battle against Sixth Rank practitioners.

If these practitioners advance to the Eighth Rank and temper their muscle groups, they will become even more formidable and powerful.

The more Jiang Ning learns, the more he dares not be arrogant or complacent.

He also understands that the martial arts ranks are merely a means of distinction, allowing martial artists across the land to have a clearer understanding of their own abilities.

It prevents them from feeling lost and uncertain about their martial path after embarking on it.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end