Chapter 484: New Trait, The Peak of the World

Chapter 484: New Trait, The Peak of the World

Standing before the door, a gentle breeze blew past.

The green bamboo rustled in the wind.

Jiang Ning calmed the waves of emotion in his heart.

He glanced at the panel once more.

【Skill】: Wood Chopping Blade Technique (11 Limit Breaks 30000/30000) (Traits: Innate Blade Bone (2 Limit Breaks), Master Butcher's Skill, Blade of Mystic Insight, Peak of the Mountain)

【Peak of the Mountain】: In the art of blade techniques, your innate talent and comprehension are the highest peak in this world, unmatched by anyone.

Seeing the description before him, Jiang Ning was momentarily stunned.

"The highest peak in the world, unmatched by anyone?"

He then smiled.

From the panel's explanation, it was clear that the new trait he had gained was one that enhanced his innate talent and comprehension.

The trait Peak of the Mountain had appeared.

His talent in the art of blade techniques was now the highest peak in the world.

Although this did not directly increase his combat strength, it was extremely beneficial for his growth and development.

For him, this kind of enhancement was just as important.

Having reached the Third Rank Heavenly Master level, he now had the ability to protect himself, regardless of the situation.

If he truly needed to leave, the world was vast, and there were many places he could go.

But his ambitions extended beyond this.

Continuing to climb the path of martial arts required higher and higher levels of talent and comprehension.

The appearance of this trait had enhanced his capabilities in this area.

After closing the panel, he reached up and grabbed his Long Saber, which appeared in his hand.

He casually performed a few blade techniques, and the cold light of the blade filled the air with a sense of deadly intent.

"I don't really feel any different!" Jiang Ning thought to himself, then sheathed the Long Saber.

He had no doubt about the trait's description. Out of all the traits he had, none of their descriptions had ever been incorrect.

In the realm of blade comprehension, this talent was an invisible presence, not something immediately apparent.

To determine its effectiveness, he would need to find a blade technique to practice.

Although he had many blade techniques memorized, most of them were low-level martial arts.

There were only a few mid-level techniques, and those were incomplete.

These techniques were all acquired from the martial arts garden in Dongling City.

For his current level, even if he didn't aim for a supreme or clan-level technique, at least an advanced-level technique would be necessary to learn.

However, advanced-level techniques were not easy to come by.

Even with his current status, obtaining one would require a significant cost, making it a poor investment.

He already had the conditions to complete the Third Blood Transformation in the near future.

In this situation, the priority of anything requiring a high cost was far less important than advancing his martial arts.

The Third Rank Blood Transformation Grandmaster level was a path of life evolution and transformation.

Each blood transformation would bring a significant change to his physical form.

According to the information he had, the difference between a Third Blood Transformation expert and others was profound.

The performance of Ye Zhengqi and Li Sishang during their battle, as well as Xiao Qiushui's behavior in his hands, clearly demonstrated this.

Thinking about this, he slowly shook his head.

For now, he would put aside the idea of acquiring an advanced-level blade technique.

The improvement in his strength would be minimal, while the resource cost would be significant.

It was not a wise choice.

Then,

He looked at Lvyi, who was standing silently in the courtyard.

Lvyi, sensing Jiang Ning's gaze, immediately understood that her master had emerged from his enlightenment.

Her eyes filled with admiration.

"Was someone here to see me just now?" Jiang Ning asked.

During his enlightenment, he wasn't completely cut off from the outside world. A small part of his mind remained vigilant.

He had sensed someone visiting and being turned away by Lvyi at the gate.

Without any urgent matters, he had continued his state of enlightenment.

"Yes, Lord!" Lvyi nodded in response to Jiang Ning's question.

She continued, "Inspector Bai came to visit just now and left a message for you to visit him when you have time."

"Bai Luoyu?" Jiang Ning murmured.

Then he nodded, "Understood!"

He then patted his empty, rumbling stomach.

"Is there anything to eat?"

"Yes, Lord!" Lvyi nodded vigorously and said, "Earlier, Spring Wind Tower delivered breakfast, which is still warm. I'll bring it to you right away!"

"Good!" Jiang Ning nodded.

A short while later,

After eating and drinking his fill, Jiang Ning felt the food being rapidly digested and absorbed by his body, extracting its essence.

He rubbed his stomach, sensing that the food was being broken down even faster, and felt the current state of his body.

"Not fully recovered yet, but eating the remaining five-hundred-year-old blood ginseng should do the trick!"

He then took out the blood ginseng, bit off a few pieces, and swallowed them, allowing his body to slowly absorb it.

The remaining few percent of his recovery would take some time.

Just like when the body is extremely fatigued, the initial few stages of recovery are always quick.

But to bring a person to the peak of their condition after complete exhaustion requires time.

It would be impossible to accomplish without at least a dozen hours.

"Come, let’s pay Brother Bai a visit!" Jiang Ning said.

"Yes, Young Master!" Upon hearing Jiang Ning’s words, Lvyi immediately responded.

She followed behind Jiang Ning, closed the main gate of the courtyard, and then quickly caught up.

On the other side.

Plum Blossom Pavilion.

Plum Blossom Pavilion was another courtyard in Spring Wind Tower, specifically designated for visiting wealthy merchants and high-ranking officials.

The courtyard was filled with peach trees, hence its name, Plum Blossom Pavilion.

However, it was currently the season when the peach blossoms had mostly withered.

Therefore, the living costs at Plum Blossom Pavilion were slightly cheaper compared to Bamboo Listening Pavilion.

But if one were to go back a couple of months, it would be a completely different story.

A couple of months ago, during the peak of the peach blossoms, the living costs would nearly double.

"Brother Jiang!" When Bai Luoyu opened the door, he saw Jiang Ning standing outside and immediately broke into a smile.

He then gave him a once-over.

He felt that today’s Jiang Ning seemed different from usual, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint what exactly was different.

"Brother Bai, aren’t you going to invite me in?" Jiang Ning asked with a smile.

"Brother Jiang, please come in!" Bai Luoyu immediately stepped aside, gesturing for him to enter.

Jiang Ning smiled and crossed the threshold, stepping into the courtyard.

He briefly glanced around the three-hundred-square-meter courtyard. The peach blossoms had long since withered, and the flower buds were dried up.

He paid little attention to this and turned to look at Bai Luoyu.

"I wonder why Brother Bai came to see me earlier?"

"I want to invite Brother Jiang to pay a visit to Inspector Ye with me!"

"Visit Inspector Ye?" Jiang Ning nodded immediately. "That’s quite necessary!"

He continued, "Since we’re in Guangning City, it’s only right and proper to pay our respects. Besides, Inspector Ye has helped me before!"

Jiang Ning immediately recalled the events of that day at the Moonlight Sword Palace, during Xiao Qiushui’s Master Feast.

At that time, Ye Zhengqi had suffered severe injuries at the hands of Li Sishang. Before leaving, he had insisted on taking Jiang Ning with him, clearly fearing that Jiang Ning might face danger if left behind at Xiao Qiushui’s Master Feast.

Although Ye Zhengqi was not the most approachable person and had a certain air of arrogance, Jiang Ning knew from that day on that Ye Zhengqi was someone trustworthy and worth befriending.

Ye Zhengqi was also a straightforward person, someone who didn’t bother with pretenses.

From this, Jiang Ning understood why Ye Zhengqi had achieved such remarkable success on the path of martial arts.

A Heavenly Master who had completed four blood transformations was extremely rare in the world.

He was truly worthy of the title of a genius.

After Bai Luoyu finished his preparations, the two of them set off for the Inspector’s residence.

As the current sole Inspector of Guangning Prefecture, Ye Zhengqi held a position of unparalleled status.

Though Jiang Ning was not familiar with where he lived, Bai Luoyu knew the location.

Inspector Ye’s residence.

At the main gate, two ten-foot-tall stone lions stood on either side, adding to the solemnity of the grand entrance.

"Please inform Inspector Ye that two Inspectors from Dongling City are here to pay a visit!"

Bai Luoyu bowed to the two warriors guarding the gate.

As the saying goes, "Before the Prime Minister’s door stand Third Rank officials."

While Inspector Ye’s residence wasn’t as grand as the Prime Minister’s, it was still not to be underestimated.

As the Inspector of a prefecture, Ye Zhengqi held a Fourth Rank official position.

Shen Wenyuan, the head of Guangning Prefecture’s Inspectorate, held a Third Rank position.

Compared to Ye Zhengqi, Shen Wenyuan’s official rank was only one grade higher.

However, Shen Wenyuan’s most important identity was that of a Marquis, a title with a fief.

Compared to his role as the head of the Inspectorate, this title was the primary one Shen Wenyuan held.

From this, Jiang Ning also realized how dire the talent shortage was in the Great Xia Empire.

Originally, Guangning Prefecture had its own head of the Inspectorate.

However, after Shen Wenyuan broke through to the Second Rank Grandmaster and joined the government, he was entrusted with the important role of head of the Inspectorate.

As for the original head of the Inspectorate, Jiang Ning did not know where he had been reassigned.

But he knew that the Great Xia Empire was short of capable hands.

There was a lack of top-tier experts who could stand on their own.

Thus, after Shen Wenyuan took on such a crucial role, the original head of the Inspectorate was reassigned.

Since the establishment of the Guangning Inspectorate, there had only been one person in the position: Ye Zhengqi.

If this were the case for all thirty-six prefectures of the Nine Provinces,

it would mean that there were only thirty-six people like Ye Zhengqi in the entire world.

In front of the Ye Manor.

As Bai Luoyu revealed his identity, the two guards instantly grew solemn.

"Please wait a moment, Your Excellencies. I will inform the master immediately."

One of the guards, who wore a long saber at his waist, respectfully said.

The guard then turned and hurried into the courtyard, leaving the other to face Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu alone.

A short while later.

The guard with the long saber quickly returned.

"Your Excellencies, my master invites you in. Please follow me."

"Lead the way!" Bai Luoyu said first.

Seeing this, Jiang Ning felt relieved and relaxed, not having to engage in small talk.

In the back garden.

"When did you two arrive?" Ye Zhengqi asked, looking at Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu as they appeared, seated in a pavilion.

"We greet you, Master Ye!"

"We greet you, Master Ye!"

Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu immediately bowed.

Jiang Ning then smiled. "We arrived the night before last!"

Bai Luoyu added, "Yesterday, we reported to Lord Wenyuan, so we are visiting today."

Ye Zhengqi nodded.

"Please, sit down."

"Thank you, Master Ye", Bai Luoyu bowed.

After they sat down, Ye Zhengqi's gaze fell on Jiang Ning, his eyes filled with surprise.

"Are you feeling well, Master Ye?" Jiang Ning asked.

He hadn't forgotten that Ye Zhengqi had been severely injured in the battle with the Great Beast Baichi in the Luoshui River. After that, he had fought Li Sishang, who had already reached the Second Rank Divine Intent Realm. The brief but intense battle had only worsened his injuries.

At that moment, Ye Zhengqi, hearing Jiang Ning's inquiry, waved his hand.

"I am fine now."

"That's good to hear", Jiang Ning nodded.

Just then, Ye Zhengqi suddenly asked Jiang Ning, "Inspector Jiang, have you had any recent insights into the realm of Heaven and Man as One?"

Bai Luoyu, hearing this, looked at Jiang Ning with surprise.

He knew very well what Heaven and Man as One represented.

If Jiang Ning had any insights in this area, it would mean that Dongling County was about to welcome another Heavenly Master, the second after Xiao Qiushui.

Thinking of Xiao Qiushui, Bai Luoyu turned to Ye Zhengqi, expressing his doubt.

"Master Ye, I heard that Xiao Qiushui is dead!"

"He is indeed dead", Ye Zhengqi nodded.

"Who do you think killed him? Do you have any suspicions?" Bai Luoyu asked.

"Yes, I do", Ye Zhengqi said.

"Who?" Bai Luoyu's curiosity was piqued.

He had received reports about Xiao Qiushui's death long ago, but no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't figure out who could have killed him. To kill Xiao Qiushui, one needed both the motive and the strength, and no one in his intelligence network fit the criteria at the time.

"Inspector Jiang", Ye Zhengqi said, looking at Jiang Ning.

"Impossible!" Bai Luoyu laughed.

"It does seem unlikely", Ye Zhengqi also shook his head slightly.

His gaze remained on Jiang Ning.

A Heavenly Master?

He had his doubts.

He could sense that Jiang Ning was different from before, giving him a completely different feeling.

The thought flashed through his mind, but he pushed it aside, not wanting to voice his suspicions. He wasn't particularly curious.

Then, Ye Zhengqi spoke again.

"You two arrived at the right time. Take a look at this."

As he spoke, Ye Zhengqi pulled out a piece of intelligence and laid it in front of them.

Bai Luoyu picked it up first, and his eyes widened in shock as he read it.

After a few breaths, he said, "Brother Jiang, take a look!"

He then passed the intelligence to Jiang Ning.

When Jiang Ning saw it, his eyes narrowed.

In Beimang County, Anyuan County, Sanlang Village, all 123 residents were killed by a monster from the Luoshui River.

This single piece of information weighed heavily on Jiang Ning's mind.

123 lives.

"Could it be the Great Beast Baichi?" Jiang Ning asked, looking up.

"There's a seventy percent chance", Ye Zhengqi nodded. "This was just delivered. We'll go to the Marquis's residence later."

"Yes, sir", the two replied in unison. (End of Chapter)

Chapter end