Zhou's Medicinal Shop.
Inside the room.
Jiang Ning held a gold-inlaid jade pendant in his hand.
This was a token representing contribution points from the Inspection Bureau. A single gold-inlaid jade pendant stood for 10,000 contribution points.
"Commander, what is this?!" Zhou Xing looked puzzled.
He naturally recognized the item in Jiang Ning's hand a gold-inlaid jade pendant worth 10,000 contribution points.
At the Internal Affairs Office, this item could be exchanged for 10,000 taels of silver.
But if traded privately among lower-ranking members, it could fetch between 15,000 and 20,000 taels.
Its value was undeniably high.
Jiang Ning said, "Senior Brother Zhou, take this. The medicinal herbs here aren't enough I still need you to visit a few other medicinal shops and procure high-quality herbs for me. The type doesn't matter, as long as they're of sufficient age."
"Right now, I don't have much silver on me, so I'll use this as payment. Is that acceptable, Senior Brother Zhou?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Xing immediately composed himself, his expression turning solemn.
"Commander, how about a different condition?"
"What condition does Senior Brother Zhou have in mind?" Jiang Ning asked.
Zhou Xing looked at Jiang Ning and then bowed slightly, changing his form of address: "Junior Brother Jiang, I wish to follow you."
"Isn't Senior Brother Zhou already following me now?" Jiang Ning replied.
Zhou Xing shook his head. "Junior Brother Jiang, I don't mean it in that way."
He then looked at Jiang Ning again, his expression turning grave. "Through life and death, sharing glory and disgrace!"
"Has Senior Brother Zhou truly thought this through?" Jiang Ning's tone also turned serious.
"I have!" Zhou Xing nodded firmly and bowed once more.
The silence lasted several breaths, and the atmosphere grew tense.
"Good!" Jiang Ning suddenly spoke.
Hearing this word, Zhou Xing's hanging heart finally settled.
Deeply binding himself to Jiang Ning, following him this was a gamble he had pondered for a long time.
He knew this was a major bet in life.
But how many chances does a person get to gamble in their lifetime?
He wanted to take this gamble!
Because he had witnessed Jiang Ning's growth from the very beginning.
From the day Jiang Ning enrolled in the martial arts school, Zhou Xing had watched his meteoric rise.
A moment later.
"Subordinate greets the Commander!" Zhou Xing dropped to one knee.
"Senior Brother Zhou, there's no need for such formalities!" Jiang Ning said, gripping Zhou Xing's arm and effortlessly pulling him upright.
"In my presence, Senior Brother Zhou need not observe such rituals!" Jiang Ning added.
Zhou Xing's expression remained unchanged.
He cupped his hands toward Jiang Ning. "Commander, I'll visit the other major medicinal shops now. With the connections I've built over the years, procuring their treasured herbs won't be difficult."
"Senior Brother Zhou, wait!" Jiang Ning called out.
Hearing this, Zhou Xing immediately stopped and turned to Jiang Ning, awaiting his orders.
Jiang Ning said, "Senior Brother Zhou, I now offer you a choice."
"Commander, please speak!" Zhou Xing cupped his hands.
Jiang Ning continued, "I have a method that can rapidly enhance your strength. But from then on, you will be completely bound to me. Are you willing?"
"Nothing would please me more!" Zhou Xing met Jiang Ning's gaze, his eyes filled with determination.
Having made his choice, he had no intention of backing down.
Whether Jiang Ning's words were a trick to lower his guard and seize control of his fate, he was willing to gamble.
Recalling Jiang Ning's past, he was ready to stake his life and future on this bet.
Hearing Zhou Xing's response, the corners of Jiang Ning's lips curled into a smile.
A moment later.
"Senior Brother Zhou, open your mouth," Jiang Ning instructed.
Zhou Xing complied, parting his lips slightly.
Jiang Ning raised his right hand slightly.
Boom
An invisible surge of energy erupted from his body, and the entire room seemed to be swept by a fierce gust of wind. Tables, chairs, and stools swayed violently.
Under the pressure of his internal energy, five drops of crimson blood were forced out from the fingertips of his right hand.
With a flick of his wrist, the five drops of blood flew straight into Zhou Xing's mouth.
Within moments of the blood entering his body, Zhou Xing's face turned red, and his entire body temperature rose noticeably.
"Commander, I'll take my leave first!" Zhou Xing suppressed the discomfort in his body and cupped his hands.
"Wait!" Jiang Ning flicked the gold-inlaid jade pendant worth 10,000 contribution points into Zhou Xing's palm.
Then he added, "Take this. I need all medicinal herbs in the city that are at least thirty years old. And I need a quiet room."
"Yes!" Zhou Xing acknowledged.
He turned and left.
A short while later.
Zhou Xing's father appeared before Jiang Ning.
"Commander Jiang, please follow me. I'll take you to the quiet room my son Zhou Xing usually uses."
Soon after.
Inside the quiet room.
Jiang Ning sat alone in meditation.
Lü Yi stood guard outside the door.
He opened a jade box, inside of which lay a ginseng root shaped like a human figure.
Without hesitation, he tossed the entire wild ginseng into his mouth. As he chewed, juices overflowed, absorbed and digested by his body. Streams of warmth spread through him, and his blood and qi surged in response.
After digesting one, he opened the next jade box.
Soon, all the jade boxes before him had been opened, their meticulously preserved, precious contents now inside Jiang Ning's body.
Sitting cross-legged, he circulated his blood and qi, continuously refining the potent medicinal effects of the herbs.
Streams of heat surged chaotically within his body, and he could feel his qi and blood growing stronger. The internal energy in his dantian was also continuously increasing.
Wisp after wisp of internal energy, like mist or smoke, condensed in his dantian before merging into a vast, cloud-like sea.
At the same time, thanks to his powerful digestive ability, the medicinal herbs he had ingested were quickly broken down and fully absorbed in his stomach.
After an hour, the medicinal energy in Jiang Ning's body was completely digested.
He could sense that not only had his qi and blood improved, but the total amount of internal energy in his dantian had also increased slightly.
"As expected of the treasure of Zhou's Medicine Shop the potency is truly remarkable!"
Feeling the changes in his body, Jiang Ning let out a soft sigh of admiration.
Then, he pushed open the door of the meditation chamber.
"Young Master, Zhou Xing sent someone to deliver another batch of medicinal herbs. They're said to be century-old treasures from Tongji Tang, specially offered to you as a gift without charging a single coin."
"So they're treating me like some kind of extortionist villain?" Jiang Ning chuckled wryly and shook his head.
He then picked up the rosewood chest placed at the entrance of the meditation chamber.
The words "Tongji Tang" were carved on the top and sides of the chest.
"Giving them away for free? They must think too highly of me." Jiang Ning sighed inwardly.
Carrying the chest, he turned and walked back into the meditation chamber.
The sky had completely darkened.
Under the cool night, the stars shone brightly, and the pale moon rose in the west.
Zhou Xing stood outside the meditation chamber, his expression respectful, his heart filled with awe.
Having endured the drastic changes in his body and feeling the enhancement of his physical strength, he was utterly shocked.
Just five drops of blood had brought him a transformation as profound as rebirth.
Though he had not yet stepped into the eighth-grade Divine Strength realm, he felt his power was already on par with ordinary eighth-grade martial artists, with his arm strength exceeding a thousand pounds.
Moreover, every aspect of his body be it bones, muscles, skin, or qi and blood had improved significantly.
With such a solid foundation, he believed it would only take a few more days for him to fully break through to the eighth-grade Divine Strength realm and reach the peak of the ninth grade.
"Could Junior Brother Jiang be some kind of immortal?" Recalling Jiang Ning's actions during the day, Zhou Xing was overwhelmed with shock.
Just five drops of blood had brought him such immense benefits.
Such a miraculous method was something he had never even heard of, let alone witnessed.
Another hour passed.
Finally, Jiang Ning stepped out of the meditation chamber. After bidding farewell to Zhou Xing, he returned home with Lü Yi, thoroughly satisfied.
For most of the day, he had been refining medicinal energy.
The stock of rare herbs from the county's medicine shops had far exceeded his expectations.
One after another, each shop had delivered at least five treasured herbs.
None of the herbs were less than thirty years old, and two of them had even reached a century in age.
One of them came from Tongji Tang.
Under normal circumstances, even a common thirty- or fifty-year-old herb would cost hundreds of taels of silver.
Let alone century-old herbs even ordinary wild ginseng or lingzhi, after a hundred years of accumulated potency, could fetch thousands of taels.
Thousands of taels were a considerable sum even for him now.
After all, one tael of silver had roughly the same purchasing power as a thousand yuan in his previous life.
Thousands of taels of silver were equivalent to millions.
Millions, even in a county town in his past life, were no small amount.
Not to mention in this less industrially developed Great Xia Dynasty.
Tongji Tang's approach had left a deep impression on him.
After refining the herbs today, he felt his strength had grown slightly.
The most significant improvement was in his qi and blood.
Most of the herbs were primarily used to enhance qi and blood while replenishing the body's deficiencies.
Only a few had the effect of strengthening the internal organs or expanding internal energy.
Thus, the improvement in internal energy wasn't particularly substantial.
In total, it was roughly equivalent to a single day's absorption of solar essence.
[Source Energy]: 1681.73
"The Source Energy points should be secure now." Glancing at his panel and reflecting on the day's gains, Jiang Ning murmured to himself.
After returning home, he practiced his fist techniques for a few more hours before finally falling asleep.
The next morning, the moment he opened his eyes, Jiang Ning checked his panel.
[Source Energy]: 2877.45
"Perfect!"
A smile instantly spread across his face.
He rolled out of bed, dressed, and pushed open the door.
The next moment, his gaze fell on Lü Yi in the side courtyard.
"Young Master, you're awake!" Lü Yi's face was radiant with a bright smile.
Jiang Ning nodded slightly.
"Young Master, I'll fetch your washing supplies right away!"
A short while later, after freshening up, Jiang Ning drank the meat broth Lü Yi had prepared for him.
"I'm heading out. If my elder brother or sister-in-law ask, tell them not to wait for me for breakfast they can eat first."
"Yes, Young Master!" Lü Yi nodded repeatedly.
Subsequently.
Jiang Ning leaped up and landed atop the tall wall.
With a light tap on the wall, his figure soared like a bird riding the wind, swiftly cutting through the air.
Only after covering a distance of several dozen zhang did he finally land on the icy surface.
After several days of exposure to the winter sun, much of the snow on the frozen lake had melted, and he could feel that the thick ice beneath his feet had also thinned somewhat.
"It seems this harsh winter is truly coming to an end!"
He then advanced several kilometers further toward the center of the lake before stopping.
The last time his fist technique broke through its limits, the commotion had been enormous.
This time, with another breakthrough imminent, he feared his home might not survive the aftermath.
That's why he had come to the frozen lake, far enough from the shore.
The next moment.
He opened his panel again.
[Source Energy]: 2877.45
[Skills]: Five Animals Fist+ (Fourth Limit Break 5000/5000) (Trait: Essence Stored in the Five Organs, Five Elements Spirit, Grandmaster of Fist Techniques, Bear-Tiger Physique)
Wood-Splitting Saber Technique+ (Sixth Limit Break 7000/7000) (Traits: Cross-Application, Saber Like Thunder, Divine Saber Wielding, Unity of Man and Saber, Innate Saber Bone)
[Skills]: Water Affinity+ (Sixth Limit Break 7000/7000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation+, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud and Rain Control, Water Spirit Body)
On the panel, all three skills now display a plus sign.
This meant he had fully met the requirements for breaking the limits of these three skills.
If he wished, he could have any one of them advance immediately.
The next moment.
His gaze fell unhesitatingly on Five Animals Fist.
Five Animals Fist was currently the most important to him.
To swiftly progress through the fifth rank and to possess greater combat power at this stage, internal energy was the top priority.
Five Animals Fist not only condensed and enhanced his vital energy but also nurtured his five organs, strengthening their foundational potential.
Breaking the limits of the fist technique would also allow the fist Intent he had mastered to advance further, boosting his combat power.
Choosing Five Animals Fist would kill three birds with one stone.
Once his mind was made up, he didn't hesitate in the slightest.
With a thought.
The source energy points on the panel instantly plummeted like a waterfall.
In less than a breath's time.
[Source Energy]: 877.45
"As expected, the fifth limit break of Five Animals Fist requires two thousand source energy points."
"This suggests that the next limit break will likely demand five thousand source energy points."
Then, he slowly closed his eyes.
Countless images instantly flooded his mind.
Training through the coldest winters.
Practicing through the hottest summers.
The sun and moon alternating.
The stars shift over time.
The seas turning into mulberry fields.
Scenes flashed through his mind at lightning speed.
The figure was still practicing fist techniques atop the mountain peak.
Unafraid of wind and rain, unafraid of scorching sun, unafraid of snow.
Until a certain moment.
The figure suddenly transformed into a fierce tiger, a tiger bathed in blazing flames.
The tiger raised its head and roared, shattering its cage in an instant, finally seeing the world beyond.
Next came the bear, the ape, the deer, the roc.
And at this moment, Jiang Ning also suddenly understood.
Boom
Flames erupted violently around him.
The flames took the form of a fierce tiger, instantly enveloping his body.
At this moment, the fire tiger was no longer an illusion it was real.
The raging flames, burning out of thin air, released astonishing heat. Waves of scorching air spread outward in all directions.
The snow melted, and the ice thawed.
The fire tiger also closed its eyes, resting lightly.
Then, abruptly.
The fire tiger opened its eyes.
Roar
A tiger's roar, shaking the mountains and forests, exploded like thunder.
The already-thin ice beneath its feet instantly shattered like a mirror.
The Intent of the flames ascended to another level, the fire growing even fiercer.
The terrifying heat forced back the snow, turning it into water that merged into the lake.
"Is this the third layer of fist Intent?"
"It has completely materialized into a real existence!"
At this moment, Jiang Ning understood deeply, gaining clearer insight into the nature of Intent transformation.
He could feel that the flames surrounding him were not illusory but real.
Yet, despite their astonishing intensity, they did not affect him whatsoever.
To him, this phenomenon was nothing short of miraculous.
After experiencing the changes in fist Intent, he suddenly threw a punch, striking at the air.
At the same time, the flaming tiger's paw formed by the flames swiped forward.
Boom
The air exploded.
Visible ripples spread outward in waves.
"So powerful!!" Jiang Ning's heart trembled.
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