Chapter 316: Xiao Emei's Plight

Chapter 316: Xiao Emei's Plight

2024-11-14

That night.

Splash!

Jiang Ning emerged from the depths of the dark lake.

The freezing cold water dripped from his body, landing on the ground beneath his feet.

The next moment, his inner breath surged, causing his robe to flutter.

Within a few breaths, the water on his body evaporated completely.

His long hair spread out, and his robe became soft and loose.

【Skill】: Five Beast Fist (5th Limit Break 267/6000) (Traits: Five Viscera Essence, Five Elements Spirit, Fist Technique Master, Bear-Tiger Body, Five Elements Body)



He glanced at his panel and then closed it.

After sending off Bai Luoyu earlier, he had spent the entire day practicing the Five Beast Fist.

With each breakthrough in the fist technique, he felt the increased efficiency firsthand.

Whether it was the efficiency of strengthening Qi and Blood or absorbing the Five Elements essence from the world, it had improved significantly compared to before.

However, after practicing for most of the day, he had made a decision to temporarily set aside this fist technique.

According to his calculations, the next limit break for the fist technique would require not two thousand, but five thousand Essence Energy points.

Up until now, he had only accumulated around that many points.

How long would it take to gather another five thousand points? It didn't seem worth it to him to spend all his time on this technique.

Without limit breaks and transformations, the strength gained from experience points wasn't very noticeable.

Moreover, at the Fifth Rank, the skill that had the most significant impact on his martial progress wasn't the Five Beast Fist, but the Inner Core Nourishing Skill.

He scanned his panel again.

【Skills】:

Literary Examination (5th Limit Break 1133/6000) (Traits: Photographic Memory, Extraordinary Senses, Quick Wits, Outstanding Comprehension, Heavenly Eye)



Five Beast Fist (5th Limit Break 267/6000) (Traits: Five Viscera Essence, Five Elements Spirit, Fist Technique Master, Bear-Tiger Body, Five Elements Body)



Firewood Cleaving Blade Technique (6th Limit Break 7000/7000) (Traits: Profound Understanding, Lightning Blade, Divine Blade Control, Blade and Man as One)



Inner Core Nourishing Skill (Minor Accomplishment 3221/5000)



Unbreakable Body (Minor Accomplishment 453/5000)



Water Proficiency (6th Limit Break 7000/7000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Advanced Water Manipulation, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud and Rain Control, Water Spirit Body)



Thunder and Lightning Arrow Technique (3rd Limit Break 49/4000) (Traits: Thunder and Lightning Breath, Heart Arrow Technique, Thunder and Lightning Arrow)



Water and Fire True Force (2nd Limit Break 48/3000) (Traits: Water and Fire Immortal Robe, Palm Control of Water and Fire)



Dao of Painting (Major Accomplishment 873/1000)



He had mastered numerous skills, totaling nine in all.

Excluding the Dao of Painting, which he didn't prioritize, he still had eight skills.

For him, this was quite a diverse range of skills.

He knew that for his panel, the key was not the quantity of skills but their quality.

Each limit break brought about noticeable transformations.

This was the most effective way to enhance his strength.

Additionally, each limit break granted him unique traits, making him increasingly extraordinary.

Therefore, unless necessary, he didn't want to learn too many skills, which would only disperse his focus.

His time and energy were limited, and the more skills he had, the harder it would be to master them all.

As he reviewed his panel, going through each of his skills, he fell into deep thought.

Both Water Proficiency and Firewood Cleaving Blade Technique were limited by Essence Energy points; even if he had enough experience points, he couldn't break their limits and achieve transformations.

As for the Unbreakable Body, although he understood the power of the Golden Body, he wasn't ready to grind for experience points in this skill yet.

Compared to the Unbreakable Body, which directly enhanced his combat power, he now needed to improve his efficiency in searching for Heavenly Materials.

The stronger his mental power, the more efficient he would be in finding Heavenly Materials.

Before going to Dongling City, he had already planned to search for Heavenly Materials around the Luoshui River in Dongling County.

By absorbing these materials, he could gain Essence Energy points, which might help him break the limits of Water Proficiency and Firewood Cleaving Blade Technique.

This would directly enhance his strength more than the Unbreakable Body.

As for the Wind and Lightning Arrow Technique, which had completed three limit breaks, and the Water and Fire True Force, which had completed two, the required Essence Energy points were not worth it for him at this point.

To achieve the fourth limit break in the Wind and Lightning Arrow Technique, he needed not only 4000 experience points but also 1000 Essence Energy points.

To achieve the third limit break in Water and Fire True Force, he required 3000 experience points and 500 Essence Energy points.

After clearing his thoughts, he quickly fixed his gaze on the Literary Examination skill.

"This is it!"

"The required Essence Energy points for the Literary Examination's limit break are just right."

"Moreover, I'll be taking the Imperial Examinations soon, so I can review related books."

"With the transformation of my mental power, my perception range will increase, aiding my treasure hunting in the lake."

Thinking of these benefits, Jiang Ning's determination grew stronger.

The next moment, he headed towards his courtyard.

As he stepped into his courtyard, Jiang Ning suddenly paused.

His gaze instinctively turned towards his room.

"Is someone there?" He slightly moved his ears and heard faint breathing coming from his room.

Then, he pressed his right index and middle fingers together, touching his forehead, and instantly activated his Heavenly Eye.

He scanned his room again.

"It's her!" Jiang Ning's gaze involuntarily focused.

After opening his Heavenly Eye, the third eye on his forehead could see through the void, piercing through illusions, and nothing, whether tangible or intangible, could block his sight.

He also saw Xiao Emei, who was clinging to the ceiling above his bed in his room.

Even though Xiao Emei's face was already covered by a black cloth, revealing only a pair of bright eyes, Jiang Ning's gaze easily penetrated the cloth.

The next moment, he lifted his leg and continued walking towards his room.

At the same time, inside the room, Xiao Emei clung tightly to the ceiling above the bed. Hearing footsteps approaching from outside the courtyard, she instinctively lowered her breathing.

The door creaked as it was pushed open, and the cold wind from the courtyard rushed into the room, causing Xiao Emei to squint slightly.

Due to the obstruction of the bed curtains, her vision was limited.

She could only hear the sounds coming from the doorway, and with no light to illuminate the area, her vision was pitch black, preventing her from seeing the intruder's movements.

"Is that Jiang Ning?" she wondered silently, squinting her eyes.

Then, she heard the door being closed again, and the howling wind inside the room abruptly stopped.

Footsteps began to approach her.

After a few breaths, Xiao Emei heard the footsteps pause, followed by the lighting of a candle, and warm candlelight instantly filled the entire room.

She also caught a glimpse of Jiang Ning's lower body.

"It's him!" Her gaze involuntarily sharpened.

At this moment, Jiang Ning was wearing the same clothes as he had in the morning, without any changes.

Just then, she also saw Jiang Ning lift his leg and walk towards the bed where she was hiding.

Seeing this, she quietly tightened her grip on the short dagger in her hand, and her eyes underwent a subtle change, her pupils contracting and her breath momentarily halting.

The next instant, she saw Jiang Ning's head and neck appear in her line of sight.

"This is the moment!" Xiao Emei's eyes sharpened.

The sharp dagger in her hand darted towards Jiang Ning's shoulder.

With this strike, her goal was to examine the color of Jiang Ning's bones.

Were they silver, iron, black, or jade-like?

From the color of his bones, she could determine Jiang Ning's cultivation level within the sixth rank and choose an appropriate strategy to deal with him.

In this split second, a flash of lightning, she suddenly saw Jiang Ning lift his head, and his gaze, calm as an ancient well, revealed nothing.

"Oh?" Her eyes flickered slightly.

The next moment, she saw Jiang Ning's right hand shoot up from below, swift as a flying dragon, so fast that it reached her sleeve before she could react, gripping it firmly.

"Miss Xiao, why are you engaging in such underhanded behavior?"

Jiang Ning's voice echoed in her ear.

Hearing these words, Xiao Emei's heart skipped a beat.

She had never expected that despite being wrapped up so tightly, with only her eyes exposed, Jiang Ning could still see through her disguise in an instant.

Her heart raced, and her reaction was a beat too slow, her strength not yet gathered.

At the same time, she felt an immense force emanating from Jiang Ning's hand that held her wrist.

This force was stronger than anything she had ever encountered.

Even the strongest opponent she had ever faced, a fifth-rank peak cultivator with inner breath transformed into prana, thunderous five viscera, and a robust body tempered by inner breath, did not possess such superhuman strength.

At this moment, Jiang Ning grabbed Xiao Emei's wrist, not giving her a chance to unleash her strength and break free from his grasp.

He sank his body, gathering strength from his feet, and with a swift motion, he yanked her wrist downward.

Xiao Emei felt like a sandbag being pulled down with lightning speed, slamming into the floor.

Boom!

A thunderous roar echoed through the room.

The floor beneath her feet shook, and dust rose in the air.

Despite Xiao Emei's inner breath protecting her body, this strike still made her feel like her entire body had fallen apart.

However, even in this state, she dared not hesitate.

From the strength Jiang Ning had displayed, she knew that in close combat, she was no match for him.

The disparity in their physical strength was too great.

Although she didn't understand why Jiang Ning possessed such an otherworldly physique, in this situation, she dared not let her guard down.

Her inner breath burst forth from her dantian, coursing through her meridians.

As her inner breath surged, her body sprang up like a nimble rabbit.

Just then, a tiger's roar reverberated in her ears.

Flames engulfed her field of vision.

Hearing the tiger's roar, Xiao Emei's mind conjured an image of a flame-bathed tiger.

The tiger roared towards the sky, its aura seeming to devour the mountains and rivers.

"Fist Technique!"

"The third layer of the Fist Technique!!!"

Her mind was shaken, and for a fleeting moment, her inner breath lost control.

At the same time, she felt a terrifying wave of heat from beside her, causing her mind to momentarily lose its guard.

At this moment.

A fierce tiger raised its right paw and stomped down viciously on the slender figure of a woman in black night walker garb lying beneath its feet.

Flames erupted, instantly engulfing the woman's figure.

Xiao Emei had just leaped up when she felt a foot stomp down hard on her back.

"No!"

A flash of fear crossed her mind, and the inner breath in her dantian erupted with all its might. Even with her meridians damaged, she dared not hold back, using all her strength to protect her vital points.

Boom—

The tiger's right paw stomped down, flames sweeping through the small room.

The burst of firelight instantly illuminated the dark courtyard outside.

As the flames dissipated and the Flame Tiger disappeared, the entire wooden room showed no signs of being burned.

However, the floor beneath her feet was scorched black, and the black night walker garb on Xiao Emei's body had turned into pieces of charred charcoal clinging to her.

In the next moment.

Jiang Ning's eyes flashed with surprise.

He then squatted down, his right hand extended, like a dragon emerging from the sea, landing on Xiao Emei's arm.

Crack—

Crack—

Two sounds echoed, and Xiao Emei's arm became twisted, clearly dislocated.

In an instant.

Pain spread across Xiao Emei's face. The night walker garb, burned and carbonized, stuck to her face and fell off due to her contorted expression.

But this scene left Jiang Ning secretly amazed.

"Amazing!"

The carbonized fabric fell off Xiao Emei's face, leaving no burn marks.

Even the hair on her head that had been burned was not much.

This couldn't help but make Jiang Ning marvel at Xiao Emei's mastery of inner breath, which was far superior to his own.

At this moment, he couldn't help but think of a technique he had seen in the Fifth Rank True Explanation, called the Seamless Heavenly Garment.

Seamless Heavenly Garment, can avoid water and fire.

"From what I see now, that technique is the most valuable thing in the Fifth Rank True Explanation!"

Seeing this scene, Jiang Ning immediately understood the wonder of that technique.

If Xiao Emei hadn't mastered a similar technique and had no inner breath protection, the flames would have left significant burns on her body.

His thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.

Jiang Ning's hand fell again on Xiao Emei's exposed back.

"Don't!!" came Xiao Emei's plea from below.

Jiang Ning showed no hesitation.

The inner breath in his dantian erupted, surging into Xiao Emei's body like a tsunami.

The inner breath Xiao Emei had just mobilized was instantly overwhelmed by the tsunami-like inner breath from Jiang Ning.

"Don't!!" she pleaded again.

She could feel her meridians being torn apart one by one under the onslaught of Jiang Ning's inner breath.

In just a few breaths.

Jiang Ning withdrew his right hand.

Xiao Emei's meridians were now in a mess, with significant damage to the eight and twelve main meridians, all showing signs of tearing.

In this state, even a slight movement of inner breath would cause unbearable pain.

"Miss Xiao, get up!" Jiang Ning said calmly.

He then added, "Don't even think of escaping. If you leave this room, there will be one more female corpse in Luoshui Lake."

Hearing this, Xiao Emei's heart trembled.

She endured the pain all over her body, using her elbows to slowly rise.

Looking at Jiang Ning, who was squatting in front of her, her eyes were filled with fear, as if she were looking at a devil.

She had never expected to fall into Jiang Ning's hands, and even more so, to fall so completely, with her life and honor in his grasp.

No one understood her condition better than she did.

Both arms dislocated, meridians torn, five viscera damaged, and internal bleeding.

This injury left her completely unable to resist.

"Commander Jiang, you are so cruel!!" Xiao Emei gritted her teeth and said.

"Breaking into my house in the middle of the night and trying to kill me, isn't Miss Xiao also ruthless?"

"I didn't want to take Commander Jiang's life; I just wanted to test your capabilities."

"So I didn't kill you; I spared your life." Jiang Ning said.

With these words, the room fell silent.

"Don't look for help; no one can save you!" Jiang Ning looked at Xiao Emei, who looked pitiful, and said coldly.

At that moment, Lu Yi and Jiang Li outside the room were also instructed by Jiang Ning using the Sound Transmission Technique not to come in.

Hearing Jiang Ning's words.

Xiao Emei silently mobilized the major tendons in her body.

With two cracks, her dislocated arms were instantly realigned.

Then she adjusted her posture and sat back down on the ground.

As she moved, the carbonized and cooled fabric on her body fell off in pieces, revealing large areas of pale skin.

Xiao Emei quickly covered her exposed body.

At this moment, she felt immense humiliation.

She had never been seen like this by anyone, with her body exposed to others.

Now, she had fallen to this state in a small county, like a piece of goods on display for Jiang Ning's gaze.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end