Chapter 492: The Effects of the Peak of the Mountain Trait Surpass Superior Martial Arts!

Chapter 492: The Effects of the Peak of the Mountain Trait Surpass Superior Martial Arts!

At the entrance of the Ten Thousand Blossoms Tower.

Xia Wanjun watched Jiang Ning leave, a mixture of amusement and frustration on her face.

While she had only jokingly offered herself as an alternative, she was still somewhat irritated when Jiang Ning chose the other option, opting for the powerful tonics instead.

Even though she wasn't in her true form, she still bore a striking resemblance to her real self, with a face that could make cities fall.

Yet, she hadn't managed to pique Jiang Ning's interest at all.

"Truly a martial arts fanatic!" Xia Wanjun shook her head and turned to go back inside.

On the other side.

Jiang Ning's mind flickered, and he surveyed the contents of his Seed Realm.

He felt a sense of satisfaction.

Through Xia Wanjun's connections, he had purchased a large batch of the supplies he needed at a low price, much lower than the market rate.

Xia Wanjun clearly didn't care much about the items, often rounding down the prices and giving him discounts.

It had been a pleasant experience, indeed.

The thrill of being friends with a rich person.

This also proved that Xia Wanjun held a highly respected position within the Ten Thousand Blossoms Tower, with as much autonomy as the Tower Master, Xie Yun.

The supplies he had bought were the powerful tonics he needed most at the moment.

One eight-hundred-year-old Blood Ginseng.

Two five-hundred-year-old Blood Ginsengs.

Three three-hundred-year-old Earth Dragonfruits.

A Sevenfold Spirit Ginseng, which grows one leaf every hundred years, with seven leaves signifying seven hundred years of accumulated medicinal power.

In addition, there were ten Crimson Flame Blood Crystals.

Each crystal was worth one hundred gold ingots, so ten crystals were worth a thousand gold ingots.

These were all powerful tonics that would greatly benefit his body.

They would help him recover from the physical weakness that followed the Bloodchange.

However, this had also drained his newly acquired wealth, leaving him with very little.

He had only one gold note worth a hundred gold ingots, a few gold ingots, and a few gold leaves left.

"Xia Wanjun is a good person!" As he walked, Jiang Ning recalled Xia Wanjun's face and made his judgment.

Without her generosity, he wouldn't have been able to obtain so many resources.

If he had bought these items normally, their combined value would have exceeded five thousand gold ingots.

The eight-hundred-year-old Blood Ginseng alone was worth a thousand gold ingots.

The two five-hundred-year-old Blood Ginsengs were worth another thousand gold ingots.

The Sevenfold Spirit Ginseng was even more expensive, worth two thousand gold ingots.

The Crimson Flame Blood Crystals, each worth a hundred gold ingots, totaled another thousand gold ingots.

Then, his mind flickered again.

His divine sense had already locked onto the person following him.

Since leaving the Ten Thousand Blossoms Tower, he had walked through several streets.

Now he was certain that the person following him was not a coincidence but had malicious intentions.

The thought of this possibility made him feel absurd.

He hadn't expected such a thing to happen in real life.

He shook his head and continued walking forward.

He had a good idea why he was being targeted. It was likely because Xia Wanjun had seen him off.

After witnessing the auction, everyone knew that Xia Wanjun was no ordinary young woman.

She was a top-tier Heavenly Master.

With a single move, she had instantly killed two ordinary Bloodchange Grandmasters.

So when Xia Wanjun saw him off, it indicated that he had valuable items with him.

And he was young.

Young people were often underestimated.

He also didn't have any strong protectors with him, which made him an easy target.

In a secluded alley.

A middle-aged man with a weathered face stepped into the alley and walked a few steps before suddenly stopping.

He felt a chill run down his spine, a sudden sense of unease.

Something was wrong!

His expression changed.

"Are you looking for me?" A young voice suddenly came from behind him, from above.

He turned around sharply, his hair standing on end.

The young man he had been following was now standing on the wall at the entrance of the alley.

He had just passed by that spot without noticing Jiang Ning's presence.

Even before speaking, he hadn't sensed him at all.

This realization filled him with dread.

The distance was less than ten feet.

Yet, he hadn't noticed anything.

For a Marrowforged martial artist, this was simply impossible.

With his Fourth Rank Marrowforged senses, he could detect even a mosquito flying three feet away.

But he had completely overlooked this person.

His mind raced.

"You must have misunderstood. I wasn't looking for you; I was just heading home!" the middle-aged man said respectfully.

"If you had said that fifteen minutes ago, I might have believed you. But now..." Jiang Ning shook his head.

He opened his mouth, and a silver light flashed out.

The silver light returned, fluttering beside him.

It was a three-inch silver sword.

It was also a sword pill.

Taken from Xiao Qiushui.

At this moment.

The man's pupils began to dilate, blood spurting from his forehead.

Even at the Fourth Rank of Martial Arts, with his brain turned to mush, death was inevitable.

After a few breaths.

Thud—

The middle-aged man's bulky body fell heavily to the ground.

"Even the most cautious can slip up!" Jiang Ning looked at the slowly lifeless corpse before him, shaking his head slightly.

This man had been following him for so long, intent on harming him.

Since he wanted Jiang Ning's life, how could Jiang Ning leave him alive?

Then.

He jumped down from the wall and began searching the body.

This was the moment of harvest.

A short while later.

He looked at the beast hide scroll in his hand.

Awakening Thunder.

A flash of joy crossed his eyes.

Awakening Thunder (Fragment).

He had wanted to bid on it before.

Because although it was just a fragment, it was still a superior blade technique.

Mastering this blade technique meant fully grasping the essence of the Awakening Thunder Blade Intent.

The Awakening Thunder Blade Intent symbolized the first thunder of spring, awakening all living things.

This blade technique was highly explosive.

It also matched his talent for blade techniques.

The Wood Chopping Blade Technique had completed its eleventh breakthrough, granting him the characteristic of Peak of the Mountain.

Peak of the Mountain: In the realm of blade techniques, his innate talent and insight are the highest peak of this world, unmatched by anyone.

The appearance of this characteristic undoubtedly reversed his innate conditions, indicating just how extraordinary his talent for blade techniques was.

So when he saw the fragment of Awakening Thunder, he had an idea.

Especially after learning from Xia Wanjun that the Awakening Thunder Blade Intent was one of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Blade Intents.

If he could gather all twenty-four fragments of the Solar Terms Blade Intents and master them, he could grasp the essence of the four seasons' cycle.

Xia Wanjun also mentioned that those with extraordinary talent could even grasp the essence of time itself.

Even the mere possibility, combined with the fact that Awakening Thunder was a superior blade technique on its own, made it highly valuable.

A superior blade technique that directly pointed to the essence of blade intent.

From this, it was clear that the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Blade Intents were created by someone of extraordinary talent.

Each one, on its own, was a superior martial art, leading directly to the essence of martial arts.

When combined, the twenty-four terms would represent the full cycle of the four seasons.

With such a blade technique, who in the world would be beyond his reach?

So, the fragment of Awakening Thunder was auctioned for eighteen hundred gold.

Faced with this price, he had to give up at the time.

But now.

By a twist of fate, the fragment of Awakening Thunder had fallen into his hands.

Looking at the fragment of Awakening Thunder in his hand.

Jiang Ning felt a myriad of emotions.

"This item is destined to be mine!"

In the end, he calmly put the fragment of Awakening Thunder into his bag.

He planned to return and imprint this martial art on his panel to see just how high his talent for blade techniques truly was.

After securing the fragment of Awakening Thunder, the other items he found on the body were laughably meager.

He could only describe the man as a pauper.

He now understood why the man had chosen to take such a risky path to rob him.

Because after obtaining the fragment of Awakening Thunder, the middle-aged man was essentially penniless, reduced to abject poverty.

To practice the Awakening Thunder Blade Technique, he needed money.

The essence of the Awakening Thunder Blade Technique was the first thunder of spring, awakening all living things.

It was ultimately about explosive power.

But practicing the blade technique repeatedly was highly damaging to the body.

If he practiced without proper care, he would inevitably accumulate hidden injuries and ailments over time.

After thoroughly searching the body, Jiang Ning glanced at the man's corpse one last time, ensuring he was truly dead before leaving.

Since he had dealt the fatal blow, he had to make sure the man was dead.

Otherwise, the cycle of revenge would never end.

After leaving the alley.

"Sir!" Lvyi called out as Jiang Ning approached.

"Let's go!" Jiang Ning said calmly.

In his hand, he held a silver pill.

The silver pill was the means he had used to slay the middle-aged man.

Originally, it was a sword pill he had swallowed.

In a critical moment, he could spit it out, and the sudden flash of silver would catch anyone off guard.

If they were unprepared, they would likely panic and even meet their end.

But thinking about the sword pill passing through someone's brain, even without leaving any residue, he found it hard to swallow.

After a long moment of contemplation.

Forget it!

He shook his head.

He tossed the sword pill into his hair, securing it with a black tie.

Back at his residence.

The sun was setting, the warm orange light enveloping the courtyard, the bamboo grove rustling softly, creating a tranquil atmosphere.

Jiang Ning rechecked his gains from the mission and then put them back into the Seed Realm.

The Seed Realm, now a golden thread, floated around his wrist.

He then looked at his panel.

Yuan Energy: 13834

Essence Points, with over ten thousand points remaining.

However, for him now, the surplus of over ten thousand Essence Points couldn’t bring about any substantial changes.

Although he had a large reserve of resources, they weren’t meant for immediate use.

Those reserves were intended to help his body quickly recover from the weakness after the blood change.

Scanning the Yuan Energy section, his gaze moved down to the Skills section.

Skills: Wood Chopping Blade Technique (11 Limit Breaks 30,000/30,000) (Traits: Innate Blade Bone (2nd Limit Break), Master Butcher's Skill, Blade of Mystic Insight, Peak of the Mountain)

Peak of the Mountain: In the art of the blade, natural talent and insight are the highest peaks of this world, unmatched by anyone.

"The highest peak of this world, unmatched by anyone!!"

Jiang Ning murmured to himself as he read the description on the panel.

Then, he closed the panel.

He then took out the Awakening Thunder Blade Art (Fragment) once again.

The Awakening Thunder Blade Art was a superior martial technique recorded on an unknown beasthide scroll.

A superior martial technique that directly targets the essence of the blade.

From the introduction Xia Wanjun had given at the time,

The Awakening Thunder Blade Art, which directly targets the essence of the blade, was just one of the twenty-four scrolls of the seasonal techniques.

A single fragment was already a superior martial technique.

If one could gather all twenty-four fragments of the seasonal techniques and grasp the essence of the four seasons, the cycle of spring, summer, autumn, and winter,

It would undoubtedly be an extremely formidable martial technique.

Especially if one could comprehend the power of time, it would be even more inconceivable.

A thought flashed through Jiang Ning's mind.

His gaze focused on the beasthide scroll.

Literacy Experience +5

Literacy Experience +7

Literacy Experience +8

...

This time, he read it with particular care and slowness,

Not just skimming the opening words "Awakening Thunder" as he had done before.

After a full cup of tea had passed,

He slowly withdrew his gaze, keeping his eyes open.

After a few breaths,

He reopened his eyes, having thoroughly digested the information recorded in the Awakening Thunder Blade Art (Fragment).

He understood that this was a superior martial technique that heavily emphasized insight.

Insight was the first priority.

All other conditions could only be considered secondary.

Being able to grasp the essence of the first thunder of spring, awakening all living things, would naturally lead to mastering the Awakening Thunder Blade Art.

"Missing a visualization diagram!" Jiang Ning muttered.

This superior martial technique lacked a visualization diagram to guide it, making it extremely difficult to master.

Without a visualization diagram, one could only wait for the Awakening Thunder season, stand in an open field, and feel the first thunder of spring.

If one could seize that moment of inspiration, they could enter the realm of the Awakening Thunder Blade Art, then visualize the scene of the thunder, and continuously practice the Awakening Thunder Blade Art, ultimately achieving a blade that strikes like the first thunder of spring.

Perhaps, for me, it might not be necessary.

Jiang Ning thought to himself.

He glanced through the Awakening Thunder Blade Art (Fragment) from beginning to end once more,

Then put it away, closed his eyes, and held the Long Saber.

Time slowly passed.

The sun gradually set.

The evening glow illuminated the twilight sky.

Suddenly,

Jiang Ning opened his eyes and slashed the Long Saber through the air.

Boom—

The void resonated.

Lightning flashed, and the air was filled with the smell of ozone.

Awakening Thunder Experience +100

Seeing the prompt before him, Jiang Ning couldn’t help but smile.

He then looked at his panel.

Skills: Awakening Thunder (Beginner 90/100)

With a single slash, he had entered the beginner stage of the Awakening Thunder Blade Art.

Moreover, his understanding of the Awakening Thunder Blade Art had deepened.

The vague visualization he had conjured up earlier became much clearer.

He closed his eyes again.

In his previous life, he had lived in the countryside for several years, only moving to the county town after starting school.

During those times running in the open fields, he had a certain impression of every seasonal change, not just the Awakening Thunder.

Now, as he deepened those vague images and impressions, they became clearer.

Especially because of the Stormcall Stride and Stormcall Marksmanship, his understanding of thunder was much deeper than that of ordinary people.

Another cup of tea passed.

The evening glow could only fall on the walls.

The courtyard was already shrouded in the shadow of the walls.

Suddenly,

Boom—

Jiang Ning opened his eyes again and slashed the saber.

The void resonated, as if thunder had struck.

Arcs of light exploded, and the smell of ozone once again filled the air.

Awakening Thunder Experience +100

At this moment, it seemed like the true Awakening Thunder Blade Art, but in reality, it was only superficial.

However, he was very satisfied with the prompt.

A single slash had increased his experience by a hundred points.

This undoubtedly showed that his talent for the blade was extraordinary, standing at the Peak of the Mountain.

The boost from his talent made his grasp of the Awakening Thunder Blade Art exceptionally smooth.

Skills: Awakening Thunder (Proficient 90/200)

With two slashes, the Awakening Thunder Blade Art had reached the proficient stage. (End of Chapter)

Chapter end