Chapter 414: A Family of Scholars, Yin Shen Chu Qiao!

Chapter 414: A Family of Scholars, Yin Shen Chu Qiao!



February 15, 2025

Breakfast Time.

"Uncle, will they be releasing the Imperial Academy Preliminary Examination results later?" Jiang Yiming asked.

"Mhm!" Jiang Ning nodded.

"Uncle, shall we go together later?" Jiang Yiming asked again.

Then he added, "I heard it will be announced at the fourth quarter of the hour of the snake."

"I won't be going!" Jiang Ning shook his head. "Just come back and let me know later."

"Okay, Uncle!" Jiang Yiming nodded.

After a while, having finished lunch, Jiang Ning returned to his courtyard to continue his cultivation practice.

The dark and crimson glow, drawing upon the power of heaven and earth, infused his body as he refined his marrow.

In the blink of an eye, it was already noon.

Jiang Yiming entered the courtyard and saw Jiang Ning's body radiating heat like a furnace, emitting a terrifying heat wave.

The intense heat distorted his vision.

Jiang Yiming immediately calmed his excited heart, slowed his movements, and quietly stepped out of the courtyard.

The last quarter of the hour of the horse.

The scorching sun poured down like molten gold, flooding the courtyard.

[Nourishing Life with Inner Dan Experience +1]



"Haa..."

Jiang Ning slowly concluded his cultivation, exhaling a turbid breath from his abdomen.

The crimson vapor rising from his body condensed into several rays of light, which vanished into his seven apertures with his breath.

He raised his eyes to look at the panel in the void, a blend of reality and illusion.

[Technique]: Nourishing Life with Inner Dan (Great Mastery 2237/10000)



After glancing at his panel, he immediately stood up and closed it.

Every day's effort would eventually translate into visible progress, which made him very satisfied.

In life, one should not fear hardship or effort.

What is feared is that effort goes unrewarded, and what is most feared is an uncertain future.

That is the greatest despair.

This panel allowed him to see that every effort he made would not be in vain.

It also allowed him to see the infinite possibilities of his future.

A moment later.

"Uncle!"

Jiang Yiming appeared before him, his face full of excitement.

"What's with the excitement? Did you pass the examination?" Jiang Ning asked.

"Yes!" Jiang Yiming nodded vigorously.

He continued, "Uncle, you ranked fourth in the Imperial Academy Preliminary Examination and received an Upper-Mid comprehensive evaluation!"

"And you?" Jiang Ning asked with a smile.

He was not surprised at all that he had passed the examination to become a Literary Talented Scholar.

The Junior Examination was far too easy for him! Passing the examination was a certainty.

On the contrary, ranking only fourth was somewhat unexpected.

According to his estimation, he should have been at the top of the list!

After all, when it came to memory, which scholar could compare to his photographic memory?

And the Imperial Academy Preliminary Examination relied solely on memory.

But he didn't bother to dwell on the differences.

In this world, absolute fairness and justice were hard to come by.

Compared to the Martial Examination, the Imperial Academy Preliminary Examination was even easier to manipulate through connections and cheating.

Unlike the Martial Examination, the first three tests were conducted in full view of everyone, so it was clear whether one passed or failed.

There was no room for any trickery.

At this moment, Jiang Yiming heard Jiang Ning's question.

He immediately nodded repeatedly.

"Uncle, I passed too! Although it was a Lower-Mid evaluation, I still passed the examination! From now on, I'll have the status of a Talented Scholar."

"Not bad!" Jiang Ning nodded, showing approval.

A Talented Scholar at the age of fifteen.

No matter what, it was an exceptional achievement.

Even without me!

This kid, with the status of a Talented Scholar, should be able to support the family!

Looking at Jiang Yiming, slightly shorter and thinner than himself, Jiang Ning felt a surge of emotion.

"Uncle, according to the order, a messenger should be coming to deliver the good news soon!"

"Our Jiang family has produced two Talented Scholars, and you, Uncle, are a Scholar and Warrior. My father and mother will surely be overjoyed!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning smiled.

He recalled how Jiang Li, his older brother, had sheltered him from the wind and rain, like a father.

He agreed with Jiang Yiming's words.

Then he said, "This is indeed a joyous occasion. You can take some time to rest these days and go out with three or five friends to relax!"

Hearing this, Jiang Yiming shook his head.

"Uncle! If you can work so hard, I will take you as my role model. How can I slack off? I've decided that from now on, I will focus on martial arts training and studying, striving to pass the Martial Talented Scholar examination next year and also participate in the Imperial Academy Examination!"

"This way, I can barely keep up with your footsteps!"

As he said this, Jiang Yiming clenched his fists, his eyes full of determination.

Jiang Ning shook his head.

"There's no need to put too much pressure on yourself!"

"With me here, you can choose the life you want!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yiming looked up at Jiang Ning seriously.

"Uncle, this is the life I want!"

"I enjoy reading, and I also enjoy martial arts!"

"Reading makes me wise, and martial arts make me strong!"

"In both, I find endless joy!"

Hearing Jiang Yiming's words, Jiang Ning couldn't help but look at him with newfound respect.

He had seemingly underestimated his nephew before.

Jiang Yiming's inner strength was far more powerful than what he had previously known.

At this moment—

"You two, come over and eat!" Liu Wanwan scolded with a hint of anger in her voice.

As her voice rang out, the two of them also saw Liu Wanwan's figure appearing.

"Mother, I'm coming!" Jiang Yiming obediently replied upon seeing Liu Wanwan.

Jiang Ning also responded.

In the afternoon, the runners brought the good news of Jiang Ning and Jiang Yiming's success.

A family with two talented scholars.

Even though Jiang Li and Liu Wanwan had already known the news, they were still overjoyed.

Jiang Ning was also in high spirits.

According to his previous assessment as the acting inspection commissioner of Dongling County, he only needed to possess 5th-grade strength and pass the literary examination to be considered successful.

After that, his acting status would be made official.

At that time, he would become the next inspection commissioner of Dongling County.

He would be ranked as a 6th-grade official.

He would be qualified to establish his own residence in Dongling City.

Both his authority and status would be significantly different.

Having people under his command was the true power.

The more people he could command, the stronger his power would be.

The inspection commissioner of Dongling County could establish his own residence and have subordinates who would only follow his orders.

This was the true power.

At this point, if the previous situation were to occur again, he wouldn't need to rely on Bai Luoyu's influence.

If a situation like the one with Xiao Qiuyue were to happen again, he would never end up in the county prison with his status as an inspection commissioner.

It was common knowledge that at the banquet, Bai Luoyu was qualified to sit at the same table with Zhao Yulong, Yan Yikuan, and Wang Shouyi.

This was the status that came with being an inspection commissioner.

At the same time, he also learned about the morning's activities from the official announcement written in golden characters on red paper.

They would offer incense at the Sage Temple and pay respects to the ancient sages.

They could receive a baptism of the so-called Great and Righteous Qi, thus strengthening their spirits.

This would make their ears and minds sharper and their thoughts more agile.

In the afternoon, there would be the Luming Banquet, also known as the Literary Graduates' Banquet.

Normally, all those who passed the examinations this session would need to attend this banquet.

But Jiang Ning was too lazy to go, considering it a waste of time.

The only thing that piqued his interest was the morning's incense offering at the Sage Temple to pay respects to the ancient sages.

He was also curious about what this Great and Righteous Qi was.

How would it strengthen one's spiritual power?

He kept this thought in mind and continued his cultivation.

That night—

The moon was bright, and the stars were sparse.

The temperature had dropped significantly.

Firstly, Dongling City was located in the mountains, nestled within the Dongling Mountain Range.

Secondly, the weather during the day had been exceptionally clear, with not a single cloud in the sky, causing the temperature to drop even lower in the evening.

Jiang Ning sat cross-legged on his bed in his room.

In the lake outside, a dragon carp swam leisurely in the moonlit water, its silver scales shimmering.

At the bottom of the lake, there was also an old turtle.

The dragon carp and the old turtle were both guardians summoned by Jiang Ning to protect his physical body.

Tonight, he was preparing to attempt to project his Yin Shen out of his body and take a look at Luoshui County.

The journey was long, and it would be difficult to return to his physical body in an instant, so the presence of these guardians was necessary.

In the entire courtyard, aside from him, there were only the dragon carp and the old turtle.

In recent days, as his Refining Marrow progress increased, his physical body had undergone continuous transformations, elevating his life level, and the nourishing effects of his blood had become increasingly evident.

The old turtle's Dao cultivation had surpassed two hundred and fifty years.

It had a quarter of the cultivation of a great demon.

Its strength was sufficient to engage with ordinary 5th-grade cultivators, and while it might not be able to defeat them, it could certainly hold them off in a prolonged battle.

The dragon carp's cultivation had also exceeded a hundred years.

Due to its unique bloodline, after reaching a hundred years of cultivation, its strength had increased significantly.

It could unleash thousands of pounds of force, and its physical body was virtually indestructible.

Ordinary weapons would only spark when they struck the dragon carp's scales, emitting a dazzling firelight.

Based on the dragon carp's hundred years of cultivation, Jiang Ning, after a simple test, felt that even ordinary 7th-grade cultivators might not be its match.

Moreover, its physical body was incredibly robust, making it difficult to breach its defenses.

This showed that it had outgrown its previous ornamental role.

Jiang Ning paid even more attention to the cultivation of the old turtle and the dragon carp.

He was curious to see if he could nurture this turtle and fish into powerful demons.

If he succeeded, even if he were to leave one day, these two creatures, with the long lifespans of demons, could ensure the prosperity of the Jiang family for countless generations.

Indoors, a dark blue Yin Shen slowly floated in mid-air.

Watching himself sitting peacefully on the bed, Jiang Ning felt a sense of wonder.

Ordinary people often struggle to have a clear perception of their own appearance.

However, from a third-person perspective, he couldn't help but marvel at the strength of the Jiang family genes as he observed his own appearance.

Whether it was Jiang Li, himself, Jiang Yiming, or even the five-year-old Jiang Yuan'er, they all resembled exquisite jade carvings, each a masterpiece in their own right.

Even though his current appearance was only about 70% similar to his peak appearance in his previous life, it was evidently more outstanding by 30%.

Two worlds, the same name, and almost identical appearances.

He wondered if he was the other him, or if the other him was him.

Or perhaps, they were both him! As he gazed at himself sitting cross-legged on the bed, a thought flashed through Jiang Ning's mind.

After pondering for a moment, he shook his head slightly, choosing not to delve into this profound and unanswerable question.

Then, he lowered his head to look at his raised right hand.

He instantly noticed his clear five fingers, which, along with his right arm, appeared as a faint blue spiritual body.

Outside his body, smoke-like mist constantly rose, and after drifting a few inches away, it was drawn back and reabsorbed into the spiritual body.

"So solid, it seems my Yin Shen is quite strong." Jiang Ning thought to himself.

He recalled the descriptions of the Yin Shen from the book.

According to the records, the Yin Shen is formed by condensing the spirit and capturing the three souls and seven spirits, transforming the ethereal spirit into a tangible form.

In its initial state, the Yin Shen is just a vague human-like shape.

As it is continuously refined, the Yin Shen grows stronger, gradually becoming more solid, and the limbs become extremely distinct.

With further refinement, the facial features become more defined.

After that, the entire body's texture becomes clearly visible.

Except for the slightly blurred face, the facial features and limbs are remarkably clear.

This was his current state.

The next step is to refine it further to achieve a one-to-one clear and visible self.

One can clearly see the facial features and expressions, even noticing changes in emotions.

This is the most refined state of the Yin Shen.

After this, the Yin Shen gradually transforms into the Yang Shen.

The Yin Shen roams at night.

If it encounters the intense sunlight, it will be like bathing in a sea of fire, burning to ashes, and disappearing without a trace, forever lost from the cycle of life and death.

The Yang Shen is different.

Even at noon, when the Yang Qi is at its peak, the Yang Shen remains unaffected by the scorching sun.

These were all things he had learned from the book.

Then, with a slight movement of his body, he passed through the tightly closed door and arrived in the courtyard.

The bright moonlight bathed him, and he felt a sense of comfort.

It seemed as if his Yin Shen was absorbing the essence of the moonlight.

No wonder it was called the Yin Shen.

He couldn't help but think to himself.

Then, he approached the lake and sank into the water.

With the perception of his Yin Shen, he could feel the chill of the lake.

At that moment, Linglong suddenly appeared beside him, looking at the empty lake in front of her with a puzzled expression.

Mysteriously, she could sense that familiar aura, Jiang Ning's aura, but all she could see was the clear and empty lake.

Seeing Linglong swimming around him repeatedly, Jiang Ning smiled faintly.

Ordinary beings rarely notice the presence of a roaming Yin Shen.

Long Li obviously couldn't see him, but he could clearly sense his existence.

After completing the test, he rose to the surface of the lake.

At the same time, his gaze suddenly shifted to a corner of the surrounding wall behind him.

There, a woman in a long blue dress stood, her sleeves fluttering in the night breeze, revealing her creamy white wrists.

The jade hairpin on her head trembled, and under the moonlight, her pure and clean face appeared even more radiant.

Seeing this woman, Jiang Ning was surprised.

She was Lin Qingyi, who had been staying at his home for a few days.

Yet, she had silently appeared on the wall surrounding his courtyard.

In the frosty moonlight, her fair and delicate skin made her look like a celestial maiden from the Moon Palace.

At that moment, Jiang Ning distinctly felt Lin Qingyi's gaze upon him.

She could see him! Jiang Ning was absolutely certain of this.

His mind flashed back to a previous scene.

In Luoshui County, a Diwang from the Huangtian Sect had used his Yin Shen to find him.

On that night, it was Lin Qingyi's intervention that saved him from a crisis.

At the same time, Lin Qingyi stared at the Yin Shen, her heart filled with unease.

She had initially thought it was some wandering ghost or spirit.

But now, she realized that the aura emanating from this Yin Shen belonged to none other than Jiang Ning! He had actually cultivated a Yin Shen?!

Lin Qingyi gave Jiang Ning a deep look, glanced at the room, and then, in a flash, she disappeared from the spot.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end