Chapter 298: Strength Enhancement

Chapter 298: Strength Enhancement



October 28, 2024

Inner Palace.

"Thank you, Senior, for your guidance!" Jiang Ning bowed respectfully.

The elder lady said, "You can go back now! I can't provide the reward of one million Contribution Points here, and it will take some time. When the messenger from the Prefecture City arrives, the reward of one million Contribution Points and the credit for pacifying the Black Mountain Army's rebellion on New Year's Eve will be given together!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning's heart was set, "I understand, Senior!"

"Also!" The elder lady spoke again, "During this time, you need to carefully consider your future plans. A small place like this can't nurture a true dragon. Now that you've reached such strength, continuing to stay here won't benefit your future at all; instead, it will hinder your future development."

"I understand, Senior!" Jiang Ning replied.

Jiang Ning had gained a deeper understanding of his pursuit.

After leaving the Inspection Office, he climbed back into the carriage, which took him home.

【Literary Knowledge Experience +1】

【Literary Knowledge Experience +1】

【Literary Knowledge Experience +1】

【.】

Previously, he lacked books to increase his literary knowledge experience.

Ever since acquiring Lu Yi, with her help in gathering books, he now had enough to read and improve his literary knowledge skills.

However, even with Lu Yi's assistance and the empowerment from his blood, she still hadn't officially reached the Ninth Level of Martial Dao during this time.

The main reason was that Lu Yi had been busy handling various trivial matters alone.

Looking at Lu Yi, who was kneeling and sitting in the carriage, quietly reading, Jiang Ning couldn't help but smile.

With Lu Yi's help, he indeed felt a significant improvement.

In daily life, without having to worry about trivial matters, he could focus on martial arts, and it felt incredibly comfortable.

Under his influence, Lu Yi also started reading in her free time, just like him.

This made Jiang Ning feel even more relieved.

Jiang Ning's gaze caused Lu Yi to lift her head.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Young Master?" Lu Yi asked.

Jiang Ning smiled, "When did you start reading?"

Lu Yi's eyes curved into a smile, "Young Master, you are a knowledgeable person. Since I'm following you, I can't be too ignorant. If I remain ignorant, maybe one day you'll abandon me."

Seeing the light in Lu Yi's eyes, Jiang Ning couldn't help but ask the question on his mind.

"Little Lu, I'm curious."

"Please speak, Young Master!" Lu Yi said.

"Why are you willing to follow me? There's no benefit in staying by my side." Jiang Ning said.

Lu Yi pursed her lips upon hearing this and then replied, "Because you are kind to me."

"Kind to me?" Jiang Ning was surprised by her words.

He asked, "How have I been kind to you?"

Lu Yi, with her lips pursed, said, "That night, you, a person of such importance, were willing to send me, a mere servant, and even worried about my safety walking alone at night." She fell into a moment of reminiscence.

"What's so kind about that???" Jiang Ning was puzzled and didn't understand.

Lu Yi softly smiled, not saying anything further.

Several days later, even though the new year had already passed by almost a month, the weather remained cold, and the sky was still overcast.

Every day, either dark clouds loomed, or snowflakes fell intermittently.

However, the desolation in Luo Shui County had lessened, and there was a bit more liveliness.

Following Lord Jiang's instructions, the Xie family opened their grain warehouses and started distributing porridge to the people, ensuring the safety of the entire city's residents during this harsh winter.

Although there were still some complaints, as the white rice porridge was mixed with a lot of sand and dirt, causing many to curse loudly.

But it also brought smiles to many people's faces.

Some even suggested erecting a statue of Lord Jiang to receive the people's incense offerings.

When this suggestion, represented by the respected Elder Li from the outer city, reached Jiang Ning, he thought for a moment and then agreed.

He knew this was a small scheme of Xie Zheng Tian from the Xie family.

The spread of his good name throughout the city was also secretly encouraged by the Xie family.

Originally, he had no thoughts about such a fame-seeking action.

But upon hearing the words 'incense offerings,' he immediately thought of the Blood and Flesh God of the Worshipping God Sect receiving incense offerings.

This meant that the incense offerings of the people were beneficial to these divine spirits.

And now, he also held the power of divinity.

【Divinity】: 2

【Power】: Blood and Flesh Regeneration (Half, 13.46 missing) Divine Descendant (Fragment, Extremely Incomplete)



At that moment, looking at his panel, he immediately agreed to Elder Li's request.

Letting the people erect a statue of him and offer incense.

He also wanted to try if the people's incense offerings would be of any help to him.

If it was beneficial, it could be a path worth exploring.

Early in the morning, Jiang Ning opened the tightly shut door and saw the overcast sky outside.

Although no snowflakes fell from the sky, the temperature remained extremely low, with a perceived temperature of at least minus ten degrees Celsius.

This temperature was similar to the cold he experienced in his previous life during the winter months.

At that moment, despite being wrapped in a thick down jacket, he felt the bone-chilling cold piercing his body as he stepped outside.

"This weather is life-threatening. If it's man-made, the consequences would be dire!" Jiang Ning sighed softly, gazing at the darkening sky above.

Then, he shook his head and chuckled, "Perhaps there are no consequences, only ordinary people seeking solace in the intangible and the void."

In his past life, he didn't believe in the idea of good being rewarded and evil punished.

He never believed that justice would ultimately prevail.

In this life, he had come to believe in some notions of cause and effect.

But now, he no longer did.

If there truly was cause and effect...

Just as Ji Minghao said, the summer drought affecting all of Daxia was man-made. If there was cause and effect, what kind of cause and effect was this? Who could bear such terrifying consequences?

Now, this abnormal weather, in his opinion, also had a 50% chance of being a man-made disaster.

"If my guess is right, the chaos will soon arrive!" Jiang Ning sighed softly.

Then, he glanced at his own panel.

【Divinity】: 2

【Power】: Blood and Flesh Regeneration (Half-Complete 13.47%) Divine Descendant (Fragmented, Severely Incomplete)



【Primordial Energy】: 1498.63

After checking his panel, he shook his head.

The statue erected by the citizens of the outer city in his honor had been completed some time ago.

Although it was somewhat crude, every day, people would offer incense and prayers before it.

This was because the Xie family's relief porridge was distributed beneath his statue.

But after several days, he still hadn't felt even the slightest change.

There was no change on his panel either.

"Forget it!" He shook his head and closed his panel, "I should focus on martial arts instead!"

Regaining his focus, he turned his attention inward, scanning his body with his mind's eye.

Instantly, a delighted expression appeared on his face.

After a night of consolidation, his bones, tempered and nourished by ample Jade Marrow, had achieved an even higher degree of jadeification.

Now, only one crucial bone remained, the one at his heart.

Once this bone was tempered, he would complete the forging of his Jade Bones.

Seeing this, his motivation instantly doubled.

"The final step! I'll strive to finish it this morning!"

A moment later...

Jiang Ning finished his morning routine and drank a bowl of green-tinted meat soup prepared by Lu Yi, warming his body.

In the spacious courtyard, he began to temper his bones with all his might.

Boom—

Boom—

Boom—

With each strike of the small hammer on his body, his entire being trembled, but that was all.

As the bone tempering progressed, his bones had become even harder, and he no longer felt the initial discomfort of his entire body feeling like it was falling apart after each tempering session.

As time passed...

The sky gradually brightened.

The gloom began to dissipate.

When a ray of golden light pierced through the clouds, it was like an arrow piercing through the darkness.

Jiang Ning swallowed a Jade Marrow Pill, entering a meditative state like an old monk.

He quietly sensed the strands of Jade Marrow, like smoke and mist, permeating his five viscera and six entrails, passing through his flesh and blood, and merging with the last bone at his heart.

The bone at his heart was also the one closest to his heart.

Soon, the substance derived from the Jade Marrow Pill was completely absorbed by the bone at his heart, leaving no excess.

He also noticed that the last black silk thread on the bone at his heart gradually disappeared.

A moment later...

The final black residue completely vanished, and the bone at his heart was fully jadeified, radiating a lustrous, jade-like sheen.

"Finally, it's done!"

He couldn't help but exhale softly, slowly opening his eyes.

Instantly, he saw the golden light in the east, piercing through the clouds, shining upon him and illuminating the entire courtyard, turning it into a golden hue.

Witnessing this, his mood improved even further.

This signified that today would be another good weather day.

Clear skies, especially in winter, always brought joy to people.

For him, sunny days meant sunrise.

Sunrise meant progress in his Inner Alchemy.

And now, he had completed the forging of his Jade Bones.

If we refer to the Nine Levels of Martial Dao, at this moment, he had surpassed the Sixth Level and entered the Fifth Level.

Moreover, it wasn't just an ordinary Fifth Level, for if we consider the accumulation of Inner Breath, according to his previous understanding, an Inner Breath like a river indicated over ten years of power.

If we go further, an Inner Breath like an ocean indicated thirty years of power.

To reach this step, one would either be a Fifth Level Martial Artist of the older generation or a young genius who had consumed countless precious medicines and pills.

Taking another step, an Inner Breath like an abyss, would be called the power of sixty years.

Although this was merely an accumulation of power, it was already an extraordinary achievement.

Sixty years was the time it typically took for a regular Martial Artist to reach the Fifth Level.

Moreover, it was sixty years of unwavering dedication.

This amount of time usually exceeded the lifespan of a normal Martial Artist, only a Grandmaster with a lifespan of 120 years could possibly attain this level.

As for the next step beyond, there is no clear description or record regarding the state of "Inner Breath as Prison."

Currently, he is considered a Fifth Level Mastery with ten years of power, a Fifth Level Martial Daoist.

The next level is the Fifth Level Perfection, where the Inner Breath condenses into a Gale, and the viscera resonate with thunderous roars.

Regarding the Fifth Level Peak, it is a level achieved by condensing the Inner Breath into a Gale and possessing a sixty-year accumulation of Inner Breath. This is a level that ordinary Fifth Level Martial Daoists cannot attain without special circumstances, hence it is called the Fifth Level Peak.

Any powerful individual who reaches the Fifth Level Peak at this stage is not an ordinary person.

Either they carry the aura of destiny and are blessed by opportunities and encounters, or they possess exceptional innate talent and understanding, enabling them to accumulate in one day what others would in several days.

Such powerful individuals, once they comprehend the aura, can thoroughly harness the power of heaven and earth with their formidable Inner Breath, beginning the process of refining the marrow and undergoing a metamorphosis at the level of life.

Thus, they step into the realm of the Fourth Level of Martial Dao.

By the time of the Hour of the Snake.

The sun rose high in the sky.

Jiang Ning had already assumed the Taoist cultivation posture of the Five Hearts to Heaven.

Facing the great sun above, he opened his mouth and began to inhale, swallowing the essence of the great sun and tempering his five viscera and six entrails.

[Inner Alchemy Experience +1]



[Inner Alchemy Experience +1]



[Inner Alchemy Experience +1]



As the essence of the great sun entered his body, he instantly fell into a familiar rhythm.

The Inner Breath continuously flowed into his Dantian.

His five viscera and six entrails also grew stronger under the tempering of the great sun's essence.

In the blink of an eye.

Three more days had passed.

During these days, the weather had only cleared up for two days before returning to an unusual state of heavy snowfall.

Jiang Ning did not engage in intense cultivation these past two days; he merely practiced the Five Beast Fist, read books, drank tea, and enjoyed the tranquility.

No one from the Inspection Office had arrived in these days.

There was also no news from Hong Minghu regarding their previous agreement.

But Jiang Ning was not in a hurry.

As time passed, his strength improved bit by bit.

He relished the feeling of his power gradually increasing.

As the saying goes, he adapted through invariance, and he was currently in this state.

In just a few days, he could clearly feel that with the complete forging of his Jade Bones, his physical body had become much stronger under the influence of the transformation of 206 bones within his body.

Whether it was his physical body's defense, strength, or blood and energy, they had all significantly improved. This improvement was evident, and he could clearly sense that he had reached a new level.

If he were to encounter the two Fifth Level Martial Daoists from the Worship God Sect again, he felt that he could now kill them both with his physical strength alone, without the need for the complications and exhaustive use of all his means as before.

In the face of sufficient strength, the so-called Immortal Body was merely a means to prolong one's last breath.

"My strength has once again reached a level beyond comparison and measurement!" Standing in the courtyard, feeling the state of his body, Jiang Ning couldn't help but smile.

Compared to the previous battle, although he had just completed the forging of his Jade Bones, his actual combat power had increased tremendously, far beyond what could be measured by rank.

Since that battle, his blade technique had broken through the limit, and his blade aura had advanced further.

His mental energy transformed, and the diameter of his mental energy field expanded to double its size.

His fist technique had also broken through the limit, gaining the support of the Bear-Tiger Body's characteristics and enhancing his physical body. Moreover, his fist aura had achieved another breakthrough.

A few days ago, he had completed the forging of his Jade Bones, driving the transformation of his body through the metamorphosis of his bones.

After these improvements, his strength had increased manifold.

If he were to fight again, Jiang Ning felt that with his physique and his fists alone, he could hammer those two Worship God Sect Martial Daoists to death.

He wouldn't need to rely on geographical advantages, nor would he need to unleash his blade aura; with the sharpness of his spirit armament, he could easily slay them.

Feeling the changes within himself, his confidence grew stronger.

Power within himself, strength was the greatest source of confidence.

Then, he looked within his body, sensing his own state.

After a moment, he opened his eyes.

"In a couple more days, the growth of my body from the transformation of Jade Bones should come to an end!"

"At that time, according to the Great Xia's Nine Levels of Martial Dao, I should truly be considered a Fifth Level Mastery Martial Daoist!"

Thinking of this, his expression became more relaxed.

The Fifth Level Mastery, Inner Breath like a river, with more than ten years of power.

Add to that the power of blood and flesh regeneration, various characteristic enhancements, and the support of blade aura.

He felt that he could now compete with the Fifth Level Peak.

The Fifth Level Peak, the only thing that made him wary was its quality.

In terms of the physical body, he believed he was ahead of the Fifth Level Peak.

But in terms of the quantity and quality of Inner Breath, he was not on the same level as the Fifth Level Peak.

The Fifth Level Peak, in terms of quality, had undergone a transformation, condensing into a Gale, far surpassing his loose and scattered Inner Breath, akin to the difference between clouds and mud.

In terms of quantity, the Fifth Level Peak had accumulated sixty years of power, with Inner Breath vast as an abyss.

Sixty years of power is six times the accumulation of ten years of power.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end