Chapter 295: Yuan Energy Points Surge!

Chapter 295: Yuan Energy Points Surge!



October 26, 2024

On the side of the deserted island, on the icy surface, the old woman glanced at Jiang Ning and spoke.

"Come find me tomorrow! I will seek approval from above and give you a reply then."

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

"The Fifth Stage Inner Fortification Realm martial artists of the Worship God Sect are not to be taken lightly. They are among the top forces within their sect."

"To kill two of them is a great achievement!"

"The reward for this achievement should at least double that of a Sixth Stage reward."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning was overjoyed and immediately cupped his hands in gratitude.

"Thank you, Senior!"

The two returned to the Inspection Office.

The old woman also collected the two corpses into her storage tool.

Jiang Ning was not surprised to see that the White Granny from the Internal Affairs Office had a storage item.

This old woman was extremely mysterious in his eyes, and he still couldn't see through her true abilities. He had even considered using his Heaven's Eye to take a peek, but an ominous feeling had stopped him from such recklessness.

This made him realize that the Heaven's Eye should not be used indiscriminately.

Certain beings might discover his secrets if he were to use it.

"Lord of the Manor!"

Upon entering the main hall of the Inspection Office, Jiang Ning saw Hong Minghu sitting with Ye Qiu, drinking tea and chatting. He greeted them.

"Brother Ye!" Jiang Ning addressed Ye Qiu again.

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

Ye Qiu also stood up upon seeing Jiang Ning, a smile on his face. "Brother Jiang!"

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

At this moment, Hong Minghu also spoke, "Your archery skills are too advanced for the Inspection Office. If you were in the military, you would have achieved numerous outstanding feats by now."

"Today, when I see you, I might have to address you as Commander Jiang or General Jiang!"

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

"Lord of the Manor, Brother Ye, please don't flatter me anymore! I'm still young and my temperament is unstable, so it's easy for me to get carried away. With your praise, I feel like I'm floating in the air."

"Haha!" Hong Minghu laughed, his face radiating warmth. "The fact that you can say that proves you won't become arrogant or complacent."

Then, he pointed to the empty seat next to him, indicating for Jiang Ning to take a seat.

The three of them sat down.

"Commander Jiang, do you know why I asked for you?"

Jiang Ning shook his head slightly, seeing the look in Hong Minghu's eyes.

"While on vacation, Commander Ye discovered a shocking secret," Hong Minghu explained.

At these words, Jiang Ning turned to look at Ye Qiu.

Ye Qiu smiled mysteriously, "The Lord of the Manor doesn't want me to reveal it yet. In a few days, I'll need Brother Jiang's assistance. Brother Jiang's archery skills are the best in Luo Shui County, and I'll need your help then."

Hearing this, Jiang Ning's mind began to speculate.

He turned to look at Hong Minghu.

"Lord of the Manor, have you found a big catch?"

Hong Minghu smiled, "Indeed, it's a big fish. If the operation is successful, Commander Jiang's deputy title might be promoted, and I might also advance further."

Is it that exaggerated?

Jiang Ning was secretly shocked.

Earlier today, he had just removed the 'deputy' from his title, and his actual rank was now equivalent to Ye Qiu's, both at the eighth rank.

However, the two of them were clearly unaware of what had just happened. Although his new rank was an honorary position, once the official appointment documents were issued, his honorary position would become an actual position.

He was well aware of the price he had paid for this half-rank promotion—it was equivalent to the contribution points of ten thousand taels of silver.

Now, with just his participation in Hong Minghu's operation, if it succeeded, he would receive the same amount of merit for merely assisting from the sidelines.

The next moment, Jiang Ning asked, "When will you need me, Lord of the Manor?"

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

"Understood!" Jiang Ning cupped his hands and said, "Just notify me when you need me, Lord of the Manor!"

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

"Good, Commander Jiang, if you have matters to attend to, go ahead and take care of them!"

After Jiang Ning left, Hong Minghu watched his departing figure, feeling a surge of emotion.

"I've underestimated him!"

Ye Qiu, sitting beside him, nodded in agreement, "Indeed, we've underestimated him. With his archery skills, he single-handedly resolved the crisis of Black Mountain Riders' siege. His strength is quite intimidating."

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

"I can't compare to him!" Ye Qiu exclaimed, "That night, there was also the Saintess of the Black Lotus Sect, and you know how terrifying they are! Compared to the Black Lotus Sect, the Worship God Sect is nothing!"

"Indeed!" Hong Minghu nodded, "His archery skills... it seems the murderer of Cao Rong is none other than him. There's no way around it!"

Ye Qiu smiled, "Haven't we known this all along?"

Then, Ye Qiu continued, "Lord of the Manor, what reward do you think he will receive for this achievement?"

Hong Minghu paused for a moment after hearing these words, his expression turning contemplative.

After a moment, Hong Minghu said, "There are a few possibilities. It could be a direct grant of Contribution Points, an official promotion, or a bestowal of cultivation resources."

"Regardless, at the time of the establishment of the Inspection Office, those above would never dampen the spirits of those below."

"The merits established by General Jiang will likely spread throughout Dongling Prefecture, giving those above a great boost in reputation."

Listening to these words, Ye Qiu couldn't help but feel a hint of envy.

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

The next day, on the coldest day of the year, Jiang Ning opened his eyes to the sound of the howling wind outside.

The mournful sound was like the wailing of a vengeful ghost.

"The temperature has dropped again!" He couldn't help but frown.

At that moment, he was unaware that many others were frowning even more than him.

With the end of the New Year holiday, many personnel from the Inspection Office were still on their way back.

The sudden change in weather left many lamenting their fate.

Even though martial practitioners who had entered the ranks were much stronger than ordinary people, they still feared natural disasters.

Despite their robust vitality, they were no less afraid of the cold than ordinary practitioners, and they were just as likely to freeze to death in the snowstorm.

Especially when lacking food, their bodies would be unable to replenish the energy they expended.

For martial practitioners, due to their robust physical bodies, they required more energy intake daily, which meant they needed to consume more food.

Just like tall and sturdy individuals, their appetites were often astonishingly large.

This was because maintaining a powerful physical body required more energy than an ordinary person.

Only those who had reached the Fifth Rank could almost perfectly control their physical bodies and freely unlock the limitations of the human body, thereby controlling their energy expenditure and avoiding unnecessary loss and energy dissipation.

The Fifth Rank and above martial techniques and information were strictly guarded.

Ordinary martial practitioners had no qualifications or means to access them.

After waking up, Jiang Ning immediately checked his panel.

His heart rejoiced as he saw the Yuan Energy points reach an astonishing number.

2357.88.

He was less than 700 points away from reaching 3000 points.

"The Quintessence Fruit is truly extraordinary!" Jiang Ning thought of the five Quintessence Fruits he ate yesterday, and his face couldn't help but show his admiration.

Those five fruits, although costing him 80,000 taels of silver, had brought him ample rewards.

Not only did he feel a transformation and sublimation in his five viscera, but his Yuan Energy points also reached an unprecedented level.

With this, he surpassed the 2000-point threshold, and 3000 points didn't seem so unattainable anymore.

【Yuan Energy】: 2357.88

【Techniques】: Five Elements Fist + (Limit Break 3 times 4000/4000) (Characteristics: Essence Stored in Five Viscera, Five Elements Spirit, Fist Technique Grandmaster)



Firewood Splitting Sword Technique (Limit Break 6 times 4788/7000) (Characteristics: Touch Class, Sword Like Thunder, Sword Like God, Human-Sword Unity, Innate Sword Bone)



Water Skill + (Limit Break 6 times 7000/7000) (Characteristics: Underwater Breathing, Advanced Water Skill, Water Spirit Affinity, Ride Clouds and Spread Rain, Water Spirit Body)



When he looked at his panel again, he saw a familiar plus sign behind the Five Elements Fist and Water Skill.

This indicated that he had met the requirements for Limit Break.

The Firewood Splitting Sword Technique only lacked experience now.

But for Jiang Ning at this moment, the few thousand points of experience needed for the Firewood Splitting Sword Technique could be gained in half a day.

After glancing at his panel, Jiang Ning's face showed a faint smile.

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

Through yesterday's understanding, he was well aware of what was most important after crossing the Sixth Rank and reaching the Fifth Rank.

It was the strength of Inner Breath and the tempering of the five viscera.

The difference between the Fifth Rank and the Fifth Rank was also extremely exaggerated.

The strongest Fifth Rank practitioners condensed their Inner Breath into Energy Vortexes, vast and deep like an abyss, capable of achieving the terrifying feat of slaying a thousand soldiers with a single breath.

Facing such a Fifth Rank practitioner, Jiang Ning felt that even if he encountered them head-on, he would have to retreat three times.

This terrifying Inner Breath could reach the level of splitting mountains and severing rivers.

Even divine weapons might not be able to withstand such a burst of Inner Breath, let alone a mortal body.

Even a Jade Skeleton, comparable to a thousand-forged fine iron, couldn't withstand this terrifying Inner Breath.

After all, slaying a thousand soldiers meant that a thousand soldiers, clad in armor and wielding sharp weapons, would have their armor forged from fine iron.

Even if it were just ordinary fine iron, when faced with a thousand soldiers, its durability would surpass that of several centimeters of thousand-forged fine iron.

Therefore, such a Fifth Rank practitioner could easily slay a thousand soldiers and effortlessly kill a Sixth Rank Jade Skeleton practitioner.

Adding to this their far-reaching Inner Breath, Jiang Ning could only give four words of evaluation.

Terrifying beyond words!

This improvement was no different from an upgrade in rank.

Before reaching the Fifth Level, a martial artist who has completed the four stages of external refinement would find it extremely difficult to defeat a thousand trained soldiers led by ranked martial artists. Even in terms of physical strength, it would be impossible to sustain the effort.

Not to mention other aspects.

However, among the top-tier martial artists at the Fifth Level, there are those who can slay a thousand enemies with a single breath. The enhancement is simply astonishing, almost as if they belong to a completely different tier of beings!

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call such Fifth Level martial artists immortals!

In contrast, the weaker Fifth Level martial artists are not much stronger than Sixth Level martial artists. When they first enter the Fifth Level, they might even struggle to face two opponents at once. Even if they reach the stage where they can condense their Inner Breath, they still find it difficult to face multiple enemies. At that stage, their Inner Breath doesn't last long enough, both in quantity and quality.

Only by continuing to accumulate, day by day, can they gradually build up their Inner Breath. Once it reaches a certain level, like a river or a stream, they can easily defeat Sixth Level Jade Bone Realm martial artists. They can face ten opponents without losing ground, and still have plenty of Inner Breath to spare before it runs out.

However, once their Inner Breath is exhausted, the gap between them and Sixth Level martial artists narrows significantly. Without the boost from Inner Breath, the only difference is in physical strength.

The truly formidable Fifth Level martial artists are those whose Inner Breath has undergone a transformation, condensing into a gale. Only then can they truly showcase the divine might of the Fifth Level. Even with a mere twig in hand, they can unleash Inner Breath that can cut through metal and jade.

If the accumulation of Inner Breath reaches the level of a sea or an abyss, they become terrifyingly powerful, almost like human missiles. A single person can breach a city without much effort.

Jiang Ning is well aware that to achieve these feats, the breakthrough of the Five Beast Fist is crucial. The Five Beast Fist is a foundational martial art. Practicing it regularly can strengthen the body, increase strength, and refine blood and qi. Later, after achieving a breakthrough, it can even draw the quintessence of the Five Elements from the heavens and earth, nourishing the five viscera.

Continuing to break through with this fist technique will further enhance these effects. His future practice will allow him to refine even more blood and qi, and the nourishment of his five viscera will also improve. The stronger his five viscera, the greater the total amount of Inner Breath he can generate.

Thus, the importance of this fist technique to him cannot be overstated. In the long run, it is far more valuable to him than Enhanced Water Proficiency or the Cleaving Blade Technique.

He has already mastered the five fist auras of the Five Beast Fist. A breakthrough in the fist technique will inevitably lead to further improvements in these auras.

With this in mind, Jiang Ning confirmed his resolve. Fully enhancing the Five Beast Fist is the most beneficial for his current martial path.

He then got out of bed and closed his eyes to sense the changes in his body. The effects of the Five Elements Spirit Fruit from the previous day made him feel a vibrant and vigorous energy in his five viscera, like the rising sun, full of life and vitality.

However, he also sensed that his body had not undergone any fundamental changes, remaining the same as before. The Five Elements Spirit Fruit did not have the legendary effect of altering his constitution to make it more attuned to the Five Elements.

Next, he performed an internal inspection of his body. His gaze quickly scanned over the 206 bones in his body. After the continued bone forging from the previous day, the degree of Jade Bone transformation in his body had increased.

"Judging by this, it will take about three more days to complete the forging of Sixth Level Jade Bones."

"At that point, according to the martial levels, I will be considered a Fifth-level martial artist."

Jiang Ning felt a surge of anticipation at this thought.

He also understood that the martial levels in the Great Xia were not strictly defined. Achieving a breakthrough in a realm didn't mean an instant, all-around enhancement like leveling up. On the path of martial arts, each step was a climb, gradually becoming stronger, with quantitative changes leading to qualitative improvements.

For example, even though he was now considered a Sixth Level Mystic Bone Realm martial artist, he was already not much different from a Fifth Level martial artist. In terms of the accumulation of Inner Breath, he had long reached the level where his Inner Breath was like a river. For a regular Fifth Level martial artist, it would take at least eight to ten years of accumulation to reach this level.

From this perspective, he was already on par with experienced Fifth Level martial artists. In terms of strength, he was even ahead of the majority of Fifth level martial artists, with only a few who had achieved Major Success in Inner Breath and condensed it into a gale causing him some concern.

However, he also understood that this did not mean he was invincible outside the Fifth Level. As Elder Aunt White from the Inner Palace had mentioned the other day, if one could forge a Golden Body during the Skin Refinement stage, like the monks of the Diamond Temple who had perfected the Diamond Body Indestructibility and forged an Indestructible Golden Body, they could fight on par with Sixth Level martial artists even while still being officially at the Ninth Level. If such martial artists advanced to the Eighth Level and refined their muscle groups, they would become even more terrifying and powerful.

The more he understood, the less arrogant and complacent Jiang Ning became. He also realized that the martial levels were merely for differentiation and to provide martial artists with a clearer understanding of their own capabilities. This prevents them from becoming lost and confused on the path of martial arts, unsure of how to proceed.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end