Chapter 375: Passing Through, Harvest and Rewards!

Chapter 375: Passing Through, Harvest and Rewards!



January 9th, 2025

In front of the Martial Refining Tower.

It was already mid-February, and the consecutive sunny days had long driven away the cold winter.

The morning sun shone warmly on the Martial Refining Tower, creating a pleasant atmosphere.

"The bronze bell on the second floor is moving!" someone exclaimed.

Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to the tower.

On the Martial Refining Tower, the six-cornered eaves of the second floor trembled slightly, emitting a crisp and pleasant sound.

The movement of the bronze bell on the second floor indicated that Jiang Ning, who had entered the tower, had now reached the second floor.

Inside the Tower.

As the elevator slowly came to a stop, Jiang Ning appeared on the second floor of the Martial Refining Tower.

The crimson token appeared in his hand, and the number on it had changed.

"Passing the first floor, 5 credit points, not bad!"

He glanced at the number displayed on the token in his hand, which was now 95, and nodded in satisfaction.

The first-floor reward of five credit points was equivalent to five taels of gold, which was not a small amount.

After all, he had only passed the first floor of the Martial Refining Tower.

Subsequently, he felt the growth of Qi and Blood within his body.

Only after passing through the first floor of the tower did he realize the special reward for completing a floor.

It was a strand of Qi and Blood, an incredibly pure strand.

At this moment, the Qi and Blood had merged into his body, quickly digested and absorbed by his physique.

"One strand of Qi and Blood, a total of thirty-six threads!"

Feeling the change in his Qi and Blood, he nodded in satisfaction once more.

He still remembered that the entry-level Five Animal Fist Technique, when practiced with his 100% Qi and Blood refinement success rate, increased by one thread with each repetition.

The perfected level of the Five Animal Fist Technique would increase by five threads with each practice.

The boundary-breaking Five Animal Fist Technique increased by ten threads with each practice.

Now, with the Five Animal Fist Technique having been boundary-broken five times, each practice resulted in a remarkable increase of twenty threads in Qi and Blood.

Compared to his previous results from practicing the fist technique, one strand of Qi and Blood equated to thirty-six threads.

This was equivalent to practicing the perfected level of the Five Animal Fist Technique over seven times.

It was also equivalent to practicing the Five Animal Fist Technique, which he had boundary-broken five times, one and a half times.

In other words, the Qi and Blood reward for passing the first floor had saved him approximately the time of one incense stick's worth of fist practice.

"The Martial Refining Tower truly is amazing!"

He couldn't help but exclaim again.

Now that he had mastered the Water and Fire Doctrine and achieved synergy between Qi and Blood, they had reached a state of seamless integration.

The growth of Qi and Blood was equivalent to the growth of True Energy.

This further heightened his enthusiasm for conquering the Martial Refining Tower.

If passing the first floor had such an effect, what about the second floor? The third floor? And what about reaching the top of the ninth floor?

At this moment, on the second floor of the tower, a strand of Qi and Blood descended from the void above.

"Here it comes!"

Seeing the falling Qi and Blood, Jiang Ning's eyes instantly focused.

After passing through the first floor of the Martial Refining Tower, he was aware of the nature of the tower's trial opponents.

They were entities that existed between illusion and reality.

Just like the Golden-Eyed White Tiger that had appeared before him, it was a product of this phenomenon.

In the blink of an eye.

The falling strand of Qi and Blood materialized into a seven-foot-long Golden-Eyed White Tiger in front of Jiang Ning.

With a body length of seven feet, it was on par with the Northeast Tiger he knew from his past life, belonging to the same level.

This level of ferocious tiger was truly the king of beasts.

A single swipe of its claws could unleash over a thousand pounds of explosive force.

Even a martial practitioner of the Martial Rank Entry would not dare guarantee a certain victory against such a tiger.

Roar!

The Golden-Eyed White Tiger had just materialized and was already baring its blood-filled maw at Jiang Ning.

The Dragon Roar and Tiger Roar became fully tangible at this moment.

The terrifying tiger's roar reverberated throughout the second floor of the Martial Refining Tower, like thunderclaps exploding in Jiang Ning's ears.

A stench wind rushed towards him, instantly disheveling the hair on his forehead.

From the stench, Jiang Ning could even sense that this Golden-Eyed White Tiger had recently been experiencing some internal heat, making everything seem incredibly real.

However, he knew this was all an illusion.

It was merely the result of the falling Qi and Blood condensing and materializing, forming a tangible entity.

Just like the third-level formation he had mastered, it had completely detached itself from illusion and become a real phenomenon.

The next moment.

Jiang Ning lifted his finger, and a burst of True Energy erupted.

Whoosh! A piercing sound tore through the air.

A blood gash appeared on the Golden-Eyed White Tiger's forehead, just above the character 'Wang,' piercing through its forehead and the back of its head.

Its lively eyes instantly became stupefied.

In the next instant.

The ferocious tiger transformed into specks of blood light and dissipated, then turned into two strands of Qi and Blood rushing towards Jiang Ning.

With his recent experience, Jiang Ning directly chose to absorb and refine them.

Within a few breaths, he had completely refined the Qi and Blood.

"Two strands of Qi and Blood, a total of seventy-two threads, not bad at all!"

He took out the token from his chest.

After entering the Martial Refining Tower, the Martial Academy identity token could not be stored in the Sumeru Ring, or the credit points earned from passing the floors would not be redeemable.

"100 credit points, I've broken even, and now it's all profit!" He glanced at the elevator on the second floor and stepped onto it.

Third Floor.

A ferocious tiger with a body length of ten feet.

In front of Jiang Ning, another burst of True Energy erupted.

"10 credit points, forty-nine threads of Qi and Blood, equivalent to practicing the Five Animal Fist Technique twice!"

He chose to ascend further.

Outside the Martial Refining Tower.

"The bronze bell on the third floor is moving!"

"The fourth floor is moving!"

"The fifth floor is moving!"

". . ."

Witnessing Jiang Ning's ascent at a steady rate of one floor every ten breaths, the crowd outside the tower immediately fixed their gazes on the bronze bells above.

"His strength is incredible!" someone exclaimed in awe.

"Indeed, he's very powerful! It's evident that he's clearing each level with a one-hit kill!" another person added.

At this moment, Lin He's expression turned solemn as he watched the swaying bronze bell on the seventh level.

It was clear to him that the person inside the tower was likely stronger than him.

With his current abilities, he couldn't achieve such a swift clearance speed.

"Brother Liu, who is he?" Yan Youhu asked.

"He's from Luoshui County, Jiang Ning. He previously served as the Deputy Inspector General of the Patrol Office," Liu Sansheng replied.

"Jiang Ning from Luoshui County," Yan Youhu muttered, deep in thought.

The next moment, a spark of realization flashed in his eyes.

"So, it's him!"

"One man and his bow defending a city, it seems he's here at the Martial Academy for further training!"

"Little Tiger, do you know him?" Lin He asked.

"I know a bit," Yan Youhu nodded and continued, "My father once mentioned this person. He's a once-in-a-century genius."

"His background is also quite ordinary, just like mine. He's from a commoner family, and initially, he was unremarkable. But after he showed his talent, within just one year, his momentum became unstoppable."

Listening to Yan Youhu's words, Lin He's thoughts became complicated.

From Yan Youhu's brief description, he saw many similarities between them.

Both had ordinary backgrounds and were naturally gifted.

"Little Tiger, what's his current strength?" Lin He asked again.

"I'm not sure," Yan Youhu shook his head. "My understanding of him is limited. Perhaps my father knows more. This person has some conflict with my father. One of my father's capable subordinates died at his hands."

Hearing this part of their conversation, someone from the crowd spoke up, "Senior Brother Yan, if that's the case, this person is quite formidable!"

"Yes," Yan Youhu nodded. "To have a grudge with my father and yet not be touched by him, it's no ordinary matter."

"How old is he?" Wang Qingtan asked.

"He's very young. My father once sighed, saying that for an eighteen-year-old to possess such strength is a rare talent, and his future is limitless!" Yan Youhu replied.

Just then, the sound of a bell rang out.

The bronze bell on the eighth level of the Martial Refining Tower began to sway, emitting a pleasant sound.

"He's reached the eighth level!" someone exclaimed in surprise.

Inside the Martial Refining Tower.

Jiang Ning took out his token and glanced at it.

180.

"A net gain of 80 credits, equivalent to eighty thousand taels of silver!"

A smile crept onto his lips as he put the token back.

Clearing the seventh level had earned him a full 30 credits.

This made him even more eager for the remaining two levels.

Additionally, after defeating the seventh-level opponent, he successfully harvested seven streams of Qi and Blood.

Each stream consisted of thirty-six threads, totaling two hundred and fifty-two threads.

Just the Qi and Blood gained from the seventh level alone was equivalent to practicing the Five Animal Fist Technique ten times! The surging Qi and Blood within his body made Jiang Ning truly understand the depth of the Wusheng Mansion.

The Martial Refining Tower had stood tall in the Martial Academy for hundreds of years.

In such a long time, no one knew how much Qi and Blood it had provided.

Countless martial practitioners had experienced significant boosts in their Qi and Blood due to this tower.

And this was just the Dongling Martial Academy.

In the Nine Provinces and Thirty-Six Mansions, every prefecture had its own Martial Refining Tower.

If you added them all up, the numbers would be terrifying.

This was just a glimpse of the Wusheng Mansion's foundation.

At this moment.

The opponent on the eighth level slowly appeared before Jiang Ning.

Please... collect... book... 6...9...

A wolf.

A silver-white wolf.

Its size was comparable to a tiger, with green light gleaming in its eyes, and silver glows flashing across its fur.

Clearly, this was no ordinary wolf.

"It should be a wolf spirit!"

Jiang Ning muttered.

The next instant.

He lifted his finger and pointed.

Whoosh! True Energy pierced through the air.

The extraordinary wolf spirit instantly exploded into a burst of silver light.

Eight streams of Qi and Blood rushed towards Jiang Ning, piercing through the air.

The Qi and Blood entered his body.

Jiang Ning closed his eyes to refine it.

A moment later.

He opened his eyes.

"288 threads of Qi and Blood!"

He took out his token again, displaying the number 230 on it.

"A gain of 50 credits! As expected, the rewards increase as you progress!"

His gaze fell on the elevator leading to the ninth level.

"I wonder how many credits the last level will reward me!"

Jiang Ning muttered to himself, then stepped onto the elevator leading to the ninth level of the Martial Refining Tower.

Outside the Martial Refining Tower.

The bronze bell on the ninth level gently swayed, emitting a pleasant sound.

"He's reached the ninth level!" Wang Qingtan whispered to herself.

From Yan Youhu and Liu Sansheng's words, she had gained a general understanding of Jiang Ning.

His background was ordinary.

For the first eighteen years, he was unknown.

Then, suddenly, he soared to the sky, unstoppable.

"If he truly enters the Fourth Rank, there must be something wrong!" Wang Qingtan thought to herself, recalling her past life's memories.

From her own experiences and what she had learned in the past six months, she knew this world was not simple.

The legends of Buddha and Daoist Ancestor reincarnations, which she once dismissed as baseless rumors to boost fame, seemed not so far-fetched anymore.

However, as she gradually absorbed the memories of her past life over the past half a year, she realized that her previous thoughts were wrong.

The ancient rumors in this world might all be true.

This world was not as simple as she once thought.

Because she herself was a living example.

"Could he also be like this?" Wang Qingtan's thoughts flickered as she gazed at the bronze bell swaying slightly on the ninth-floor eaves of the Martial Refining Tower.

The Martial Refining Tower.

The ninth floor.

After a brief exchange.

Jiang Ning experienced the pressure of the ninth floor, quickly understanding the intensity of the Martial Refining Tower's ninth level.

The intensity was roughly equivalent to that of a Seventh-Rank Martial Practitioner.

In other words, as long as an ordinary Martial Practitioner reached the Seventh Rank, started training their sinews, and accumulated some foundation, they could pass this level of the Martial Refining Tower.

The next moment.

Whoosh!

True Energy pierced through the air, condensing like a mighty force.

Lin He, known as the Martial Academy's once-in-a-decade Heavenly Talent, was now defeated, his blood turning into a burst of light.

Instantly, nine streams of Qi and Blood rushed towards Jiang Ning, piercing through the air.

"Wrap up!" Jiang Ning smiled.

He absorbed the nine streams of Qi and Blood coming at him and refined them in an instant.

Then, he took out the token.

330.

Seeing the number on the token, he felt a surge of joy.

Passing the ninth floor and reaching the top granted him a full one hundred credits.

One hundred credits were equivalent to one hundred and two taels of gold or ten thousand taels of silver in value.

"So generous, the Wusheng Mansion is incredibly generous!" Jiang Ning exclaimed in admiration.

With these 330 points, his energy points were temporarily secured.

In the Dan Tower, there was also the Embryo Primordial Qi Pill, which he had verified to be effective.

One pill was worth eight credits, so ten pills would be eighty points.

With his current credits, he could exchange them for four bottles of the Embryo Primordial Qi Pill.

His previous experience made it clear that refining those four bottles would not only increase his cultivation but also boost his total True Energy and allow him to break through the five thousand-point threshold for energy points.

Five thousand energy points were enough to ensure he wouldn't have to worry about energy points for a short time.

The energy points needed for the next Boundary Breaking of the Water and Fire True Force were also secured.

At this moment, he thought of Wang Qingtan's credits.

"Did this rich lady rob the entire Martial Academy to get over ten thousand credits?"

Outside the Martial Refining Tower.

Boom—

As the tower gate shook, it slowly opened.

Sunlight filtered through the door crack and landed on Jiang Ning, leaving him untainted.

"He's so much stronger than me," Lin He couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions as he witnessed this.

"Is this the feeling of 'Beyond People, Beyond Heaven'?" His expression became complex.

"He's indeed powerful! I wasn't wrong about him being a Fourth-Rank Martial Practitioner!" Wang Qingtan observed Jiang Ning.

"Congratulations on reaching the top, Commander Jiang!" Liu Sansheng took a few steps forward to greet him.

Jiang Ning smiled, "It's indeed worth celebrating!"

"It seems Commander Jiang has gained a lot!" Liu Sansheng remarked.

Jiang Ning nodded, "The Martial Academy is truly generous, giving so many credits for clearing the Martial Refining Tower!"

At that moment, Wang Qingtan approached.

"Young Master Jiang, please wait for me here!"

As her voice trailed off, she brushed past Jiang Ning and headed straight for the entrance of the Martial Refining Tower.

"Is Senior Sister Wang also going to challenge the ninth floor?" A Martial Academy student exclaimed upon seeing Wang Qingtan's back.

"It seems so. Senior Sister Wang must have been inspired by him!" someone added.

"Do you think Senior Sister Wang will succeed?"

". . ."

Amidst the crowd's discussion, Wang Qingtan crossed the threshold of the Martial Refining Tower and disappeared from sight.

Wang Qinghan also hurried to Jiang Ning's side.

She wasn't familiar with anyone present, as this was her first time meeting them all.

The only exception was Jiang Ning, whom she had met a few times before. Their brief interactions over the past few hours had made her feel more at ease with him.

"Brother Jiang Ning, do you think my sister will succeed?" Wang Qinghan clenched her fists, looking at the Martial Refining Tower with tension.

"I'm not sure about your sister's abilities, but I think she should be fine!" Jiang Ning recalled the prompt he had seen when touching Wang Qingtan in the Dan Tower and replied.

Then he glanced at Wang Qinghan beside him.

"Her sister possesses Divinity and Authority, but what about her?"

The thought flashed through his mind.

Jiang Ning reached out and ruffled Wang Qinghan's hair, "Don't worry, Miss Qinghan!"

Wang Qinghan: "!!!"

She turned to look at Jiang Ning, her face filled with shock.

She never expected Jiang Ning to suddenly act so intimately, touching her head.

Only her sister would do such a thing to her at home.

Her face flushed slightly.

Could he also like me? Wang Qinghan's palms began to sweat, and she felt awkward.

On that day atop the city wall, she had felt this way because Jiang Ning matched her fantasies and aesthetic preferences.

After reading many romantic novels at home, she had already developed expectations for her future partner.

It was only natural for an eighteen-year-old maiden to have such thoughts!

At that moment, Jiang Ning looked at Wang Qinghan, who showed no indication of anything unusual, and suddenly understood. Wang Qinghan was an ordinary person with no issues.

Only her sister was the one with problems, not an ordinary person!

He withdrew his hand and turned his gaze back to the Martial Refining Tower.

Wang Qinghan, standing beside him, gradually regained her composure, and her palms stopped sweating.

Liu Sansheng silently retreated half a step, leaving ample space.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end