East Courtyard.
The hour of Si (9–11 AM).
The rising sun climbed high.
Ice and snow melted, and meltwater flowed.
Jiang Ning felt his entire body bathed in warmth, his scalp tingling from the heat of the sunlight.
Seated cross-legged on a meditation cushion, he faced the great sun above and practiced his breathing technique.
With a single inhalation through his nostrils, a faint red strand of solar essence materialized in the void, descending from the heavens and entering his nasal passages before settling into his internal organs.
In an instant, he felt the accumulated Five Elements spiritual energy within his organs ignite.
It burned fiercely within him.
If before, the Five Elements spiritual energy had been slowly nourishing and strengthening his organs, now it was blazing, rapidly enhancing them.
At the same time, the inner energy that had previously taken considerable time to condense and merge into his dantian now flowed forth like a continuous spring rain, unceasing strands of inner energy emerging and merging into the surging river of energy within his dantian.
With each strand absorbed, Jiang Ning could feel the inner energy within his dantian growing stronger.
"After accumulating so much Five Elements spiritual energy, igniting it with solar essence has indeed brought tremendous progress!" After dissolving a strand of solar essence within his body, Jiang Ning opened his eyes with a satisfied smile.
Then, he inhaled deeply toward the sun once more.
Another faint red strand of solar essence descended from the heavens like a fiery serpent, drawn into his body.
[Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique experience +1]
[Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique experience +1]
[Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique experience +1]
[...]
As strand after strand of solar essence merged into his body, the progress of his Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique steadily increased.
Time passed slowly.
The sun gradually rose higher, its angle to the ground becoming more direct.
Suddenly
Whoosh
Jiang Ning heard the sound of surging waves coming from his dantian.
Dividing his focus, he turned his awareness inward.
There, he saw his inner energy churning like a vast sea of clouds within his dantian.
At times, towering waves rose, sweeping in all directions.
At others, opposing currents collided, producing thunderous crashes, the froth of inner energy surging skyward.
Inner energy like the sea!!
Jiang Ning's expression brightened with joy.
The change in the phenomenon within his dantian signified that the accumulation of his inner energy had reached the level of a vast sea.
Inner energy like the sea was equivalent to thirty years of cultivated power.
Normally, a fifth-rank martial artist would need to refine their inner energy day after day, year after year, for thirty years to achieve this level of accumulation.
Previously, Hong Minghu's inner energy had been at this stage.
Now, Jiang Ning had also advanced from the "inner energy like a river" level equivalent to a decade of cultivation to the "inner energy like the sea" level, representing thirty years of power.
"One more step, and it will be sixty years of power inner energy like the abyss!"
"At my current rate, I believe that day won't be far off!"
Random thoughts flashed through Jiang Ning's mind, but he quickly steadied his focus and resumed absorbing solar essence to temper his organs and expand his inner energy reserves.
[Skill]: Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique (Proficient 2447/5000)
"Progress is almost halfway there!"
Closing his panel, Jiang Ning stood up.
In the next moment
A fierce wind suddenly erupted in the courtyard, waves of energy surging outward like tidal forces. Gravel rolled, and dead branches were sent flying.
The phenomenon lasted less than a single breath before vanishing abruptly.
If it had continued, his inner energy would have spiraled out of control no longer surging like waves but erupting like a tsunami, instantly reducing the entire courtyard to ruins.
"Thirty years of power, inner energy like the sea this description is accurate!"
Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction.
Now, when he unleashed his inner energy, the pressure was entirely different from before.
Previously, it had been like a mighty river, vast and torrential.
Now, it was like the endless ebb and flow of the sea.
And if fully unleashed, it would be like a tsunami, sweeping away everything in its path.
He then glanced up at the sky.
The heavens were a clear, cloudless blue.
"I hope this good weather lasts a few more days. With my current accumulation, my inner energy is bound to skyrocket in a short time!"
The next morning.
Pushing open the door.
Dawn light faintly illuminated the sky.
The moon hung low on the eastern horizon.
Because the sky was slightly hazy with the first light of dawn, the bright moon had noticeably dimmed.
But with just one glance at the sky, Jiang Ning knew it would be another fine day.
Soon after, he finished washing up and began practicing his fist techniques in the courtyard.
[Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Fourth Breakthrough 1603/5000) (Trait: Essence Stored in the Five Organs, Five Elements Spirit, Grandmaster of Fist Techniques, Bear-Tiger Physique)
After a full day of practice yesterday, the fist technique had gained over 1,600 experience points, nearly completing a third of the progress toward the next breakthrough.
By the time the hour of Chen passed and the hour of Si arrived, Jiang Ning sat cross-legged again, adopting the "Five Centers Facing Heaven" posture.
He then began cultivating the Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique, using the breathing and energy-circulation method under the rising sun.
As the essence of the great sun entered his five viscera, it was like fire falling into a vat of oil.
The red, black, white, orange, and green spiritual auras burned rapidly, strengthening his five viscera at an astonishing speed.
At the same time, internal energy surged like continuous spring rain, merging into the sea of clouds within his dantian.
Every wisp of internal energy that merged caused the sea of clouds in his dantian to expand slightly.
The growth of internal energy was like accumulating drops to form a river or gathering sand to build a tower.
Bit by bit, it strengthened the sea of clouds in his dantian. One day, this sea of clouds would undergo another transformation.
A few days later...
Pushing open the door, Jiang Ning squinted slightly as cold wind-carrying snowflakes slapped against his face, rushing into the room through the gap.
The falling snow melted into water stains as soon as it touched the floor, darkening the wood.
"Though it's snowing, the temperature is much better than before. It seems spring isn't far away now."
Despite the sudden drop in temperature overnight and the heavy snowfall, which prevented him from absorbing the sun's essence to increase his progress in the Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique, Jiang Ning showed no trace of worry. Instead, his face lit up with joy.
The current cold spell was noticeably less severe than before, indicating that the weather was gradually warming.
This meant it wouldn't be long before winter gave way to spring, bringing back bright and sunny days.
At that time, his Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique would progress smoothly, just as it had last year.
[Skill]: Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique (Proficient 2773/5000)
After glancing at his panel, he closed it.
Thanks to the good weather over the past few days, his progress in the Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique has grown significantly.
He was already more than halfway toward condensing his internal energy into like steel.
Closing the panel, he turned and shut the door firmly before walking into the courtyard.
The next moment
A figure rushed excitedly into Jiang Ning's courtyard.
"Young Master, you're awake!" Lü Yi looked at Jiang Ning with excitement, her face flushed and a drop of sweat hanging from the tip of her nose.
"Xiao Lü, you..." Jiang Ning began.
Lü Yi beamed. "Young Master, I've reached the eighth rank!"
"Eighth rank?" Jiang Ning nodded with a smile. "Not bad!"
"Hehe!" Hearing his praise, Lü Yi giggled, her face full of delight.
Then she added, "Young Master, wait a moment! I'll go fetch your washing supplies. When I got up earlier and saw the heavy snow, I soaked the willow twigs and towels in hot water and prepared the saltwater for you."
With that, Lü Yi hurried off toward the side courtyard where she lived.
Watching her lively demeanor, Jiang Ning couldn't help but chuckle.
It was clear that Lü Yi was in high spirits today, her mood exceptionally bright.
"Eighth rank Divine Strength Realm?"
"It seems the effects of my flesh and blood are indeed extraordinary. One day, eating my flesh and drinking my blood might grant longevity and the strength to split mountains!"
"At that point, wouldn't I become like the Tang Monk?"
The thought amused him, and he shook his head with a smile.
However, his flesh and blood carried his imprint.
Even though Lü Yi had now reached the eighth rank, if he were to withdraw the power he had bestowed, she would perish in an instant.
The more of his flesh and blood one absorbed, the deeper their connection to him became.
Of course, he could also choose to remove his imprint.
In that case, however, he would lose the ability to withdraw his power, and his flesh and blood would simply become a radiant elixir a potent medicine to enhance others' physical bodies.
He was quite satisfied with the effects of this authority.
Though enhancing others' strength required him to sacrifice a portion of his own power whether in the form of blood or flesh and though this did have a slight impact on him, the benefits far outweighed the costs.
With this ability, he could nurture truly loyal subordinates.
The cost was minimal, and as long as the quantities were controlled, it was entirely manageable.
What he lost in a small measure could yield returns dozens or even hundreds of times greater in others.
A short while later, Lü Yi returned carrying a basin of hot water along with Jiang Ning's washing supplies.
"Young Master, wash up first! After that, I'll bring you the meat congee that's been kept warm in the kitchen."
"Mm." Jiang Ning nodded.
He took the willow twigs that had been softened in hot water, bit them open to separate the fibers, and dipped them in the fine, snow-white salt.
Then, he took another sip of warm salt water, gargled for a few moments, and spat it out before picking up a willow twig to clean his teeth.
Though, given where he stood in martial arts now,
brushing his teeth was entirely unnecessary.
But after tens of thousands of mornings, the habit of brushing and washing up had become ingrained.
At this point, for him, the psychological benefit of the routine far outweighed its practical purpose.
After brushing, Lü Yi promptly handed him a wrung-out hot towel.
He washed his face and dried his hands with the towel.
Lü Yi quickly took the towel Jiang Ning handed back and said, "Young Master, I'll fetch the meat porridge right away!"
"Mm." Jiang Ning nodded.
Then he watched Lü Yi's retreating figure.
"Comfortable! Too comfortable!"
"If this goes on, I'll lose the ability to live independently!"
These days, Jiang Ning had truly experienced what it meant to live like an immortal.
Every aspect of daily life was taken care of meticulously by Lü Yi, leaving him with nothing to worry about.
It made him feel as though he were rapidly sinking into decadence,
growing more and more addicted to this lifestyle.
"Taking Lü Yi it was the right decision!" Reflecting on the past, he sighed inwardly.
Then, he began warming up.
A short while later,
Lü Yi returned with a food box. Opening it,
a steaming bowl of meat porridge appeared before him, its rich aroma making his mouth water.
After devouring the large bowl, Jiang Ning felt warmth spreading through his body, an incredibly pleasant sensation.
Then, undeterred by the raging snowstorm, he resumed his fist practice.
The courtyard had grown rather spacious due to the sheer force of his training.
The former rockeries, ornamental ponds, and several large trees had all been cleared away, leaving only a small bridge over a winding stream, a pavilion, a bamboo grove beside it, and a few large trees along the walls.
Meanwhile, in Qujiang County.
"Patrol Envoy Bai, why the sudden detour into the city?" Xiao Emei stepped out of the carriage, puzzled as she looked at Bai Luoyu.
Bai Luoyu smiled. "The weather's terrible naturally, we should take shelter from the wind and snow."
As he spoke, Bai Luoyu stood on the carriage shaft, gently fanning himself with a folding fan. Dressed in white, he looked every bit the dashing immortal, while Xiao Emei, standing beside him, was half a head shorter, making them resemble a celestial couple. Passersby couldn't help but glance their way.
Xiao Emei: "..."
She stared at Bai Luoyu, utterly speechless.
She wanted to say, If it's so cold, why are you fanning yourself? Are you sick?
But these words only echoed in her mind she didn't dare voice them.
Though she ranked third on the Human Rankings,
The human Rankings only accounted for the prodigies and talents of Guangning Prefecture.
Guangning was a small prefecture, covering just three counties.
Larger prefectures governed six or seven counties twice the size of Guangning.
So the prestige of Guangning's Human Rankings wasn't particularly high.
Above the Human Rankings were the Earth Rankings, which encompassed an entire province.
The Earth Rankings included prodigies under the age of thirty from across the province, their strength far surpassing hers.
In Dongling County, some had made it onto the Earth Rankings individuals far stronger than her.
As far as she knew, two years ago, Bai Luoyu had barely scraped onto the tail end of the Earth Rankings.
That was also why Bai Luoyu had been sent to the Dao Palace for advanced training.
So Xiao Emei was well aware that she stood no chance against Bai Luoyu.
Her current self couldn't even match Bai Luoyu from two years ago, let alone the present Bai Luoyu.
Thus, she had no idea just how strong Bai Luoyu was now.
Whether he had reached the level of internal energy like steel, rivaling the older generation's experts, was something she couldn't gauge at all.
Add to that Bai Luoyu's status even Deputy Prefect Su Zhi of the Inspection Bureau, a fourth-grade martial artist, treated him with respect. How could she compare?
So,
Xiao Emei could only nod. "Then let's follow Patrol Envoy Bai's suggestion and take shelter in the city first."
Then she asked, "Patrol Envoy Bai, when do we set out for Luoshui County?"
"What's the hurry?" Bai Luoyu fanned himself lightly, a faint smile on his lips. "We've been traveling for days we're exhausted from the bumpy roads. Let's take a hot bath first before considering that!"
"Patrol Envoy Bai, our time is precious! Every day delayed on the road is a day wasted!" Xiao Emei frowned.
Bai Luoyu smiled. "No need to rush. Martial arts thrive on balance if the string is pulled too tight, it'll snap. That's hardly a good thing. Rest well for a few days. We'll leave once the snow stops and the skies clear."
With that,
"Miss Xiao, let's enter the city," Bai Luoyu said.
Hearing his firm tone, Xiao Emei had no choice but to nod in agreement.
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