Chapter 316: Xiao Emei's Plight

Chapter 316: Xiao Emei's Plight

November 14, 2024

That night.

Splash!

Jiang Ning emerged from the deep lake, his body dripping with icy cold water that flowed down and dropped onto the ground beneath his feet.

In the next moment, his inner breath surged, and his robe fluttered.

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

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

[Skills]: Five Beasts Fist (5th Limit Break 267/6000) (Characteristics: Essence Stored in Five Organs, Five Elements Spirit, Fist Technique Master, Bear Tiger Physique, Quintessence Body)



He glanced at his panel and then closed it.

After seeing Bai Luoyu off earlier that day, he had spent the entire day practicing the Five Beasts Fist technique.

The breakthrough in his fist technique also allowed him to personally experience the increased efficiency.

Whether it was the efficiency of strengthening his vital energy and blood or absorbing the five elements essence from nature, it was significantly higher than before.

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

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

Up until now, the total Origin Energy Points he had accumulated was around that amount.

How long would it take to gather another five thousand points? Therefore, at this point, it wasn't very cost-effective for him to spend all his time on the fist technique.

Without breaking through the limits, the strength gained from experience points wasn't very noticeable.

Moreover, at the Fifth Rank, the technique that influenced his martial arts progress the most wasn't the Five Beasts Fist but the Inner Core Nourishing Art.

Then, he scanned his panel again.

[Skills]:

Literary Proficiency (5th Limit Break 1133/6000) (Characteristics: Memorize at a Glance, Extraordinary Five Senses, Swift Mind, Outstanding Comprehension, Heavenly Eye Vision)



Five Beasts Fist (5th Limit Break 267/6000) (Characteristics: Essence Stored in Five Organs, Five Elements Spirit, Fist Technique Master, Bear Tiger Physique, Quintessence Body)



Firewood Chopping Blade Technique (6th Limit Break 7000/7000) (Characteristics: Broad Understanding, Blade Like Thunder, Blade Handling Like a God, Man and Blade As One, Innate Blade Bone)



Inner Core Nourishing Art (Minor Accomplishment 3221/5000)



Vajra Indestructible Body (Minor Accomplishment 453/5000)



Water Control (6th Limit Break 7000/7000) (Characteristics: Underwater Breathing, Advanced Water Control Technique, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Manipulation and Rainmaking, Water Spirit Body)



Wind Thunder Arrow Art (3rd Limit Break 49/4000) (Characteristics: Wind Thunder Breath, Heart Arrow Art, Wind Thunder Arrow)



Water Fire Essence Energy (2nd Limit Break 48/3000) (Characteristics: Water Fire Immortal Garment, Palm Control Water Fire)



Painting Dao (Great Accomplishment 873/1000)



He now possessed many skills, a total of nine.

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

This was quite a diverse set of skills for him.

He knew that for his panel, the key wasn't in the number of skills but in their refinement.

Each limit break brought about noticeable transformations.

These transformations were what truly enhanced his strength.

At the same time, he could gain additional characteristics, making him even more extraordinary.

Therefore, unless necessary, he didn't want to learn too many skills and spread his energy too thin.

With limited energy and time, the more diverse his skills, the harder it was to focus and master them.

As he looked at his panel and reviewed all his skills, he couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

Both Water Control and Firewood Chopping Blade Technique were limited by Origin Energy Points, and even if his experience points were maxed out, he couldn't break through the limits and achieve a transformation.

As for Vajra Indestructible Body, although he knew the power of the golden body, he didn't want to grind for experience points in this technique yet.

Compared to Vajra Indestructible Body, which directly enhanced his combat power, what he needed now was to increase the efficiency of gathering Heaven-Bestowed Treasures.

The stronger his mental power was in the Luo River, the more efficient he would be in searching for Heaven-Bestowed Treasures.

Before going to Dongling City, he had already planned to search for Heaven-Bestowed Treasures in the Luo River area around Dongling County.

By digesting these treasures, the gained Origin Energy Points might be enough for him to break through the limits in Water Control and the blade technique.

Such a strength increase would be more direct compared to Vajra Indestructible Body.

As for Wind Thunder Arrow Art, which had completed three limit breaks, and Water Fire Essence Energy, which had completed two, the required Origin Energy Points were not cost-effective for him at this point.

To achieve the fourth limit break in Wind Thunder Arrow Art, he needed not only four thousand experience points but also a full one thousand Origin Energy Points.

To achieve the third limit break in Water Fire Essence Energy, he needed three thousand experience points and an additional five hundred Origin Energy Points.

After clearing his thoughts, in just a moment, his gaze landed on the Literary Proficiency section.

"This is it!"

"The required Origin Energy Points for Literary Proficiency's limit break are just right."

"Moreover, I'll be participating in the Imperial Examination soon, so I can read more related books."

"Plus, the transformation of my mental power will expand my perception range, which will be beneficial for my treasure hunting in the lake soon."

Thinking of the multiple benefits, Jiang Ning's resolve strengthened.

The next moment, he headed towards his courtyard.

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

His gaze instinctively turned towards his room.

"Someone?"

"A slight movement of his ears allowed him to hear the faint sound of breathing coming from his room.

Then, he extended his right index and middle fingers, touching them to the center of his forehead, activating the Celestial Eye.

He glanced toward his room once more.

"It's her!" Jiang Ning's gaze became fixed.

With the Celestial Eye open, his third eye could see through the void, piercing through illusions, making it difficult for any tangible or intangible existence to block his sight.

Through this, he saw Xiao Emei clinging to the ceiling above his bed.

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 toward his room.

Meanwhile, inside the room, Xiao Emei clung to the ceiling above the bed, lowering her breath upon hearing footsteps in the courtyard.

The door creaked as it opened, allowing the cold wind from the courtyard to rush into the room, causing Xiao Emei to squint.

Due to the bed curtain's obstruction, her vision was limited.

She could only hear the commotion at the door, and with no light to illuminate the room, everything was pitch black. She couldn't see the intruder's movements.

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

Soon after, she heard the door close again, and the howling wind inside the room ceased.

Footsteps approached her.

After a few breaths, Xiao Emei heard the footsteps stop, followed by the lighting of a candle, its warm glow instantly filling the entire room.

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

"It's him!" Her eyes narrowed.

Jiang Ning was wearing the same clothes as he had in the morning, with no changes.

At that moment, she also saw Jiang Ning walking toward the bed where she was hiding.

Seeing this, Xiao Emei quietly tightened her grip on the short dagger in her hand, her eyes slightly changing, 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 narrowed.

The sharp dagger in her hand aimed for Jiang Ning's shoulder.

With this strike, her goal was to determine the color of Jiang Ning's bones—whether they were silver, iron, black, or translucent like jade.

From the color of his bones, she could gauge Jiang Ning's level within the Sixth Rank and formulate a strategy to deal with him.

In this split second, a crucial moment, she suddenly saw Jiang Ning raise his head, his gaze meeting hers, revealing a calm and unperturbed expression, devoid of any surprise.

"Something's wrong!" Her eyes shifted slightly.

The next moment, she saw Jiang Ning's right hand shoot up from below, like a dragon's claw, moving with extreme speed, reaching her sleeve before she could react.

"Miss Xiao, why are you acting like a thief in the night?" Jiang Ning's voice echoed in her ear.

Upon hearing these words, Xiao Emei's heart stirred with confusion.

She had wrapped herself so tightly, revealing only her eyes, yet Jiang Ning had identified her in an instant.

Her mind in disarray, her reaction was half a beat slower, and her strength failed to respond.

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

She had never encountered such formidable strength in her life.

Even the strongest opponent she had faced, a Fifth Rank peak warrior with elemental breath, thunderous five viscera, and a body tempered by inner breath, lacked this superhuman power.

Jiang Ning, grasping Xiao Emei's wrist, didn't wait for her to unleash her strength or break free from his grip.

He sank his body, channeling power from his feet, and adjusted his major muscles to exert force throughout his body.

With his right hand firmly gripping Xiao Emei's wrist, he pulled her down with tremendous force.

Xiao Emei felt like a sandbag being yanked down, slamming into the floor in a flash.

Boom!

A thunderous roar echoed through the room as the floor beneath her feet shattered, sending dust flying.

The impact was so powerful that even with Xiao Emei's inner breath protecting her body, she felt as if her entire body had fallen apart.

Despite this, she dared not hesitate.

From the force 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 inhuman, almost demonic, physique, she dared not let her guard down.

Her inner breath erupted from her dantian, coursing through her meridians.

With her inner breath unleashed, her body sprang up like a nimble hare.

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

Flames engulfed her vision.

Hearing the tiger's roar, even without seeing Jiang Ning, Xiao Emei envisioned a fierce tiger bathed in flames, roaring towards the sky, its might akin to swallowing mountains and rivers.

"Fist Formation!"

"The third layer of Fist Formation!!!"

Her mind was seized by its power, and for an instant, her inner breath became uncontrollable.

As she felt the terrifying heat wave emanating from beside her, her mental defenses momentarily faltered.

At that moment, a ferocious tiger lifted its right paw and viciously stomped down on the figure below, clad in black night travel clothes, with a slender physique.

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 trace of fear flashed through her mind, and the inner breath in her dantian erupted with all its might once more. Even with her meridians damaged, she dared not hold back, fully protecting every vital point around her body.

Boom!

The tiger's right paw stomped down, and the inferno swept through the confined room.

The burst of fire from within the room instantly illuminated the pitch-black courtyard outside.

The flames dissipated, and the Fire Tiger vanished.

Even though the entire room was made of wood, there were no signs of burning.

However, the floor beneath was charred black, and the black night travel clothes on Xiao Emei had turned into pieces of charcoal-like fabric clinging to her body.

The next moment, a look of astonishment flashed across Jiang Ning's eyes.

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

Crack!

Crack!

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

In an instant, Xiao Emei's face contorted in pain. The night travel clothes had been burned and carbonized, sticking to her face, but now fell off due to the contortion of her expression.

However, Jiang Ning was secretly amazed by this sight.

"Amazing!"

The carbonized fabric fell from Xiao Emei's face, leaving no signs of burns.

Even the hair on Xiao Emei's head, which had been burned, was not extensive.

This couldn't help but make Jiang Ning marvel; Xiao Emei's control over inner breath was far superior to his own.

At this moment, he recalled the technique he had seen in the Fifth Rank True Profound Stage, a technique called Seamless Heaven Robe.

"It seems that technique is indeed the most valuable in the Fifth Rank True Profound Stage!"

Witnessing this scene, Jiang Ning instantly understood the wonder of that technique.

If Xiao Emei hadn't mastered a similar technique and lacked the protection of inner breath, the previous burst of flames would have left severe burns on her body.

His thoughts raced, flashing through his mind in an instant.

Jiang Ning's palm once again landed on Xiao Emei's exposed back.

"No!!!" Xiao Emei's plea for mercy echoed from below.

But Jiang Ning showed no hesitation.

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

Xiao Emei's inner breath, which she had just mobilized, instantly retreated in the face of Jiang Ning's overwhelming inner breath.

"No!!!" She pleaded again.

She could feel her meridians being torn apart by Jiang Ning's inner breath.

In just a few breaths, Jiang Ning retracted his right hand.

Xiao Emei's meridians were now in disarray.

Especially the eight meridians and the twelve regular meridians, which had been severely torn.

In this state, even the slightest mobilization of inner breath would cause unbearable pain.

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

Then he added, "Don't even think about escaping. If you try to leave this room, there will be one more female corpse in Luo Water Lake."

Hearing this, Xiao Emei's heart trembled.

She endured the pain throughout her body and slowly rose, supporting herself with her elbows.

Looking at Jiang Ning squatting before her, her eyes widened as if she were staring at a devil.

Before coming here, she had never imagined that she would fall into Jiang Ning's hands, let alone be defeated so thoroughly, with her life and honor resting in Jiang Ning's palms.

No one knew her body's condition better than herself.

Her arms were dislocated, her meridians torn, her five organs damaged, and blood oozed from various parts of her body.

These injuries left her completely unable to resist.

"Jiang Commander, I hate you so much!!!" Xiao Emei clenched her teeth.

"You sneaked into my room in the middle of the night, wanting my life. Doesn't Miss Xiao hate me too?"

"I never intended to take Jiang Commander's life. I just wanted to test your skills."

"So I didn't kill you either, but spared you." With these words, the room fell silent.

"Don't look at me like that, no one will come to your rescue!" Jiang Ning said coldly, gazing at Xiao Emei, who now looked pitiful.

At this moment, Jiang Ning used the Secret Sound Transmission technique to prevent Lu Yi and Jiang Li from coming over.

Hearing Jiang Ning's words, Xiao Emei silently mobilized her inner breath.

With two cracks, her previously dislocated arms instantly snapped back into place.

Then, she adjusted her posture and sat back down.

As she moved, the carbonized and cooled fabric pieces fell off, revealing large areas of her fair skin.

Seeing this, Xiao Emei quickly covered her exposed body.

At this moment, she felt incredibly embarrassed.

She had never been exposed like this in front of others, her body on display.

But now, in a small county town, she had fallen into such a predicament, her body exposed like goods under Jiang Ning's scrutinizing gaze.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end