Chapter 298: Strength Enhancement

Chapter 298: Strength Enhancement



October 28, 2024

At the Internal Affairs Bureau.

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

The elder woman replied, "You can go back for now. I can't provide the reward of one million contribution points here, and it will take some time. When the county city envoy arrives, the contribution points and the merit for quelling the Black Mountain Army's rebellion during the New Year's Eve will be distributed together."

Jiang Ning's heart sank upon hearing this, and he nodded, "I understand."

"There's more," the elder woman continued, "During this time, you should carefully consider your future plans. A small place like this can't nurture a true dragon. Now that you've reached such a high level of strength, staying here will not benefit your future in any way; instead, it will hinder your development."

"I understand," Jiang Ning said again, his expression calm.

He already knew what he wanted, and he also understood his own aspirations.

After leaving the Patrol Office, he climbed back into the carriage, which carried him home.

[Calligraphy Mastery Experience +1]



[Calligraphy Mastery Experience +1]



[Calligraphy Mastery Experience +1]



[.]



Previously, he lacked the books to gain experience in Calligraphy Mastery.

Ever since he acquired Green Ripple, she had been collecting books from various places, providing him with enough reading materials to improve his skills in Calligraphy Mastery.

However, even with his blood empowerment, Green Ripple still hadn't officially reached the Ninth Stage of Martial Dao during this time.

The main reason for this was that Green Ripple had to handle all the trivial matters alone.

Seeing Green Ripple kneeling and quietly reading in the carriage, Jiang Ning couldn't help but smile.

Since taking Green Ripple under his wing, he had indeed found her to be of great help.

She took care of his daily life and chores, allowing him to focus on his martial arts training, and it felt incredibly comfortable.

Now, under his influence, Green Ripple also took time to read when she wasn't busy.

This made Jiang Ning feel relieved.

Jiang Ning's gaze caused Green Ripple to lift her head.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Master?" Green Ripple asked.

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

Green Ripple's eyes lit up with a smile, "Master is a knowledgeable person. Since I'm by your side, I can't be too ignorant. If I remain ignorant, maybe one day you won't want me anymore."

Seeing the glimmer in Green Ripple's eyes, Jiang Ning asked the question that had been on his mind.

"Little Green, I'm curious."

"Please tell me, Master," Green Ripple said.

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

Green Ripple pursed her lips and then spoke, "Because you've been very kind to me."

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

"You, such an important person, were willing to send me back that night for the sake of a servant like me and even worried about my safety walking alone at night." Green Ripple said, her lips pursed as she recalled the memory.

"Is that considered kindness???" Jiang Ning's face was filled with confusion and disbelief.

Seeing this, Green Ripple softly smiled without saying anything more.

A few days later.

Although the New Year had already passed nearly a month ago.

The temperature remained cold, and the sky hadn't cleared up yet.

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 in the air.

Following Lord Jiang's instructions, the Xie family opened their granaries and began distributing porridge to the people, ensuring that all the citizens could safely get through the harsh winter.

Although there were still complaints about the sand and dirt mixed into the white rice porridge, many people cursed loudly.

But it also brought smiles and vitality to many citizens' faces.

Some even suggested erecting a statue of Lord Jiang to show their gratitude.

When this proposal, led by the respected Elder Li from the outer city, reached Jiang Ning, he only thought for a moment before nodding in agreement.

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

They were spreading his good name throughout the city, and the Xie family was secretly stirring the waters.

Originally, he had no interest in such fame-seeking actions.

But upon hearing the word 'incense,' a thought occurred to him.

He knew that the Blood and Flesh God of the Divine Worship Sect and the Black Lotus Matriarch of the Black Lotus Sect both received incense offerings.

This meant that the incense offerings of the people could be of help to these divine beings.

And now, he also held the authority over a divine being.

[Divinity]: 2

[Authority]: Blood and Flesh Regeneration (Incomplete, 13.46% missing) Divine Descendant Attendant (Fragmented, severely incomplete)



At that moment, he glanced at his panel and immediately agreed to the elder's request.

He allowed the citizens to erect a statue of him and receive their incense offerings.

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

If it proved beneficial, it could be a path worth pursuing.

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

Although there were no snowflakes falling, the temperature was frigid, with a perceived temperature of at least minus ten degrees Celsius.

In his previous life, he had never experienced such cold temperatures, even during the coldest days of the year, except in the northern regions.

At that time, despite wearing thick down jackets, the biting cold penetrated to the bone when stepping outside.

"This weather is truly life-threatening. If it's man-made, the karma would be heavy!" Jiang Ning muttered, gazing at the dark sky above.

Then, he shook his head and chuckled, "Perhaps there's no such thing as karma; it's just ordinary people seeking solace in the intangible."

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

He never believed that justice would eventually prevail.

In this life, after arriving in this wondrous world, he had started to believe in the concept of karma.

But now, he no longer believed in it.

If there truly was karma, as Ji Minghao had said, the summer drought was man-made, affecting the entire Great Xia. If there was karma, what kind of karma would it be? Who could bear such terrifying karma?

In his opinion, this abnormal climate also had a 50% chance of being a man-made disaster.

"If my guess is right, chaos is probably coming soon!" Jiang Ning sighed.

Then, he glanced at his panel.

【Divinity】: 2

【Authority】: Blood and Flesh Regeneration (50% complete) Divine Descendant Attendant (Fragment, severely incomplete)



【Primordial Energy】: 1498.63

After checking his panel, he shook his head.

The statue erected by the outer city residents in his honor was already completed.

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

This was because the Xie family's porridge distribution was conducted beneath his statue.

However, after several days, he didn't feel 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 my martial arts instead!"

Regaining his focus, he visualized his body and scanned his mind.

Instantly, a joyful expression appeared on his face.

After a night of consolidation, his bones, having absorbed enough Jade Marrow from the hammering, had become even more jade-like.

Now, only the last crucial bone remained, the one at his chest.

After tempering this bone, he would completely forge his Jade Bones.

Seeing this, his motivation instantly doubled.

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

A moment later, Jiang Ning finished washing up and drank a bowl of meat soup prepared by Green Ripple, warming his body.

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

Boom—

Boom—

Boom—

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

As his bone tempering progressed, his bones had become even harder, and he no longer felt the initial discomfort after completing a round of bone tempering, as if his body had fallen apart.

As time passed, the sky gradually brightened.

The gloom began to dissipate.

When a ray of golden light pierced through the clouds, like an arrow slicing through the gloom, Jiang Ning swallowed the Jade Marrow Pill and entered a meditative state like an old monk.

He quietly felt the wisps of Jade Marrow permeating his five viscera and six bowels, passing through his flesh and merging into the last bone at his chest.

The bone at his chest 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 chest, leaving no excess.

He also saw the last black thread on the bone at his chest gradually disappear.

After a moment, the last black residue vanished, and the bone at his chest was completely jade-ified, shining with a lustrous, glass-like radiance.

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

"Finally done!"

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

Instantly, he saw the golden light piercing through the clouds in the east shining on him and the entire courtyard, bathing it in a golden hue.

Witnessing this, his mood improved.

This meant that today would be another good day.

Clear weather, especially in winter, always brightened people's moods.

This was especially true for him.

Clear skies meant the sunrise.

The sunrise meant progress in his Inner Core Nourishment Technique.

And now, he had completely forged his Jade Bones.

If we consider the classification within the nine stages of the Martial Dao, he had now surpassed the sixth stage and fully entered the fifth stage.

Moreover, it wasn't just an ordinary fifth stage. If we consider the accumulation of inner breath energy, according to his previous understanding, an inner breath like a river indicated a senior practitioner with over ten years of cultivation.

If we go further, an inner breath like an ocean indicated thirty years of cultivation.

Those who reach this step are either fifth-stage martial artists of the older generation or young geniuses who have consumed countless precious herbs and pills.

Taking it a step further, an inner breath like an abyss signifies a cultivation of one generation.

Although this is merely an accumulation of energy, it is beyond what ordinary people can achieve.

One generation is the time it typically takes for a normal martial artist to enter the fifth stage.

Moreover, it's a generation of consistent and unwavering cultivation.

This duration usually exceeds the lifespan of a normal martial artist, and only a Grandmaster with a lifespan of two generations can possibly reach this level.

As for the next step, there is no clear description or record of the state of having an inner breath like a prison.

He is now considered a Fifth Rank Grand Master, a Fifth Rank martial artist with over a decade of cultivation.

The next level is the Fifth Rank Perfection, where the inner breath condenses into an aura, and the organs resonate with the sound of thunder.

As for the peak of the Fifth Rank, it is a state where the inner breath has condensed into an aura, and one can have an inner breath of a hundred days, reaching a level that normal Fifth Rank martial artists without special encounters cannot attain. Hence, it is called the peak of the Fifth Rank.

Any powerful individual who can reach this level at the Fifth Rank is not ordinary.

They either possess fortune, blessed with the support of encounters, or have an extraordinary understanding and exceptional roots, able to accumulate in a day the amount of inner breath that others would take several days.

Once such a powerful individual comprehends the power of the aura, they can thoroughly harness the power of heaven and earth with their formidable inner breath, starting the process of bone refinement and undergoing a life-changing transformation.

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

As the time reached noon...

The sun rose high in the sky.

Jiang Ning also displayed the Taoist cultivation posture of Five Hearts Facing Heaven.

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

[Inner Core Nourishment Technique Experience +1]



[Inner Core Nourishment Technique Experience +1]



[Inner Core Nourishment Technique Experience +1]



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

His inner breath continuously flowed into his dantian.

The five viscera and six bowels also became stronger under the tempering of the sun's essence.

In the blink of an eye...

Another three days passed.

During these days, the weather had only cleared up for two days, and then it returned to an unusual state of heavy snowfall.

Jiang Ning didn't engage in intense cultivation these past two days; he merely practiced the Five Beasts Fist while reading, drinking tea, and enjoying the peaceful moments.

These days, there was still no news from the people above the Patrol Office.

But Jiang Ning wasn't in a hurry.

As time passed, his strength improved bit by bit.

He relished the feeling of his power gradually rising.

As the saying goes, adapting to all changes, he was currently in this state.

After a few days, he could clearly feel that with the complete transformation of his jade bones, his physique had undergone a metamorphosis due to the influence of 206 bones, becoming much stronger than before.

Whether it was his physical defense, strength, or qi and blood, they all experienced significant improvements. This enhancement was very noticeable, and he could clearly sense that he had reached a new level.

If he were to encounter the two Fifth Rank martial artists from the Divine Worship Sect again a month ago, he felt that with his current physical strength alone, he could kill them both.

It wouldn't be as troublesome as before; he could use all his skills without restraint.

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

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

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

From that battle until now, his sword technique had broken through limitations, and his sword style had advanced further.

His psychic energy transformed, and the psychic energy field expanded to cover twice the area.

His fist technique had also broken through limitations, and with the support of his bear-tiger physique and the power of his fists, his fist style had advanced.

A few days ago, he had completed the forging of his jade bones, driving the metamorphosis of his body and spirit.

After these improvements, his strength had increased manifold.

If he were to face the two Fifth Rank martial artists from the Divine Worship Sect again, Jiang Ning felt that with his current physique and the power of his fists, he could kill them both.

There was no need for him to enter the water, utilize the advantage of terrain, or unleash his sword style; he could complete the kill with the sharpness of his spirit armament alone.

Feeling the changes within himself, his confidence grew stronger.

Mighty strength returned to his body, and power became his greatest confidence.

Then, he turned his inner vision to examine his body, sensing his current state.

After a moment, he opened his eyes.

"In another two days, the growth of my physique from the jade bones should come to an end!"

"At that time, according to the nine ranks of martial arts in the Great Xia, I should truly be considered a Fifth Rank Grand Master!!"

With this thought, his expression became even more relaxed.

The Fifth Rank Grand Master, with an inner breath like a river, possessed over a decade of cultivation.

Additionally, with the authority of blood and flesh regeneration, various enhancements, and the support of his sword style, he felt fully qualified to challenge a peak Fifth Rank martial artist.

The peak Fifth Rank, the only thing that made him cautious, was the sheer terror of their inner breath.

In terms of physical strength and spirit, he believed he was ahead of a peak Fifth Rank martial artist.

However, in terms of the quantity and quality of inner breath, he was not on the same level as a peak Fifth Rank martial artist.

The peak Fifth Rank, in terms of quality, had undergone a metamorphosis, condensing their inner breath into an aura, which was like the difference between clouds and mud compared to his loose inner breath.

In terms of quantity...

He currently had less than three decades of cultivation, and he had yet to accumulate enough inner breath to create the phenomenon of an inner breath like the sea within his dantian.

The peak Fifth Rank, in terms of quantity, possessed a hundred days of cultivation, with an inner breath as vast as an abyss.

A hundred days of cultivation, in terms of quantity, was the accumulation of ten years of cultivation.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end