After leaving the valley, Jiang Ning quickly arrived at the edge of the cliff. Before him lay the surging lake waters. Being near the water felt like the safest place for him.
It was already late, and reaching Luoshui County would take at least ten hours. There was no need to rush back through the night. Sitting on a tree by the cliff, the bright moonlight illuminated the surroundings, making the shadows of the trees visible. The moonlight was so intense that it reminded Jiang Ning of the rural nights in the 1990s from his past life. Back then, the moonlight was so bright that one could read a book without needing a lamp.
In the next moment, he pulled out a book.
[Searching for Divine Biographies]
This was a miscellaneous book, filled with ancient legends and tales.
[Literacy Experience +1]
[Literacy Experience +1]
[Literacy Experience +1]
[...]
As Jiang Ning focused intently on reading, his literacy skill's experience points continued to grow.
After a long while, the bright moon hung directly overhead.
[Name]: Jiang Ning
[Source Energy]: 337.43
[Skills]:
Literacy + (Third Limit Break 4000/4000) (Traits: Photographic Memory, Enhanced Senses, Quick Thinking)
Glancing at his status panel, Jiang Ning's expression lit up with joy. His literacy experience had finally met the requirements for a limit break. This meant he could now advance his literacy skills to the fourth limit break.
Without hesitation, he focused his mind on the plus sign next to the literacy skill.
In an instant, his source energy points began to drain rapidly, decreasing by a full hundred points.
At the same time, Jiang Ning felt a surge of clarity in his mind. His thoughts became incredibly active, and countless ideas flowed through his consciousness at lightning speed. His spiritual power began to expand rapidly.
He closed his eyes.
With his spiritual power overflowing, everything around him became vividly clear in his mind. The range of his spiritual power continued to expand, growing larger and larger.
After a moment, the changes came to an end, and his spiritual power reached its new limit.
Thirty zhang!
His spiritual field now covered nearly a hundred meters!
Jiang Ning silently noted this in his mind.
In the next moment, he suddenly opened his eyes, which now seemed to gleam with a bright light.
With a flash, he appeared a hundred meters away.
Picking up a stone from the ground, he examined it closely and then nodded slightly.
"Just as I thought! The shape of this stone is the same as what I sensed in my spiritual field earlier!"
Confirming that the images he had seen through his spiritual field were not illusions, Jiang Ning's face broke into a smile.
His spiritual power had formed a field, allowing him to instantly sense everything within a hundred-meter radius. Without a doubt, his spiritual power had reached a new level.
In this state, if he were to enter the water, the range of his spiritual field would likely expand even further.
Thinking of this, Jiang Ning felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
The breakthrough in his spiritual power, as he had learned from previous changes, undoubtedly brought an increase in his overall strength. With his enhanced spiritual power, the divine abilities and water control techniques he had mastered would become even more potent.
With this in mind, Jiang Ning focused his thoughts.
Splash
From below the cliff, a water dragon suddenly surged into the air, soaring high into the night sky in this desolate wilderness.
The water dragon, as thick as a tree trunk, danced under the moonlight, twisting and turning in the air.
Under Jiang Ning's mental control, the water dragon moved with fluid grace, every motion filled with life and spirit.
In the next moment, with a thought from Jiang Ning, the water dragon abruptly turned and plunged downward, crashing into the side of the cliff with tremendous force.
The impact, carrying the weight of several tons of water, was nothing short of devastating.
Boom
The collision shook the earth, causing the ground to tremble violently.
A large section of rock broke away from the cliff and tumbled into the lake below.
Crash
As the rocks fell, the ground continued to shake.
Splash
When the massive rocks hit the water, the lake erupted in a towering wave, rising several zhang high.
"So powerful!" Jiang Ning exclaimed, marveling at the scene he had created.
His water control technique, now enhanced by his increased spiritual power, had become terrifyingly potent. This single strike had nearly the power to shatter a mountain.
In the next moment, he opened his status panel to take a look.
[Name]: Jiang Ning
[Source Energy]: 237.43
[Skills]:
Literacy (Fourth Limit Break 3/5000) (Traits: Photographic Memory, Enhanced Senses, Quick Thinking, Exceptional Comprehension)
[Exceptional Comprehension]: Extraordinary understanding. Any technique or skill can be mastered with ease, far surpassing ordinary people.
Exceptional Comprehension?
Jiang Ning was surprised. He hadn't expected the fourth limit break of his literacy skill to grant him such a trait.
In the next moment, he closed his eyes, and his thoughts began to race.
After a short while, he realized that he now had a deeper understanding of the techniques he had mastered.
Opening his eyes, he looked at the description of this new trait again.
After studying it for a few breaths, he began to practice the Five Animals Fist.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Jiang Ning slowly finished his practice.
[Five Animals Fist Experience +3]
"So it's true!!!"
Seeing this prompt, Jiang Ning's face lit up with joy, his eyes gleaming.
After reading the description of Exceptional Comprehension, he had a hunch that this trait might increase the efficiency of his martial skill experience gain. To test this, he immediately began practicing the Five Animals Fist.
Now, with the prompt showing that a single practice session had earned him three experience points, his theory was confirmed.
The Exceptional Comprehension trait would grant him additional experience gains when practicing martial techniques.
Encouraged by this, he continued to practice the fist technique.
After another round of practice:
[Five Animals Fist Experience +2]
Seeing this prompt, Jiang Ning thought to himself, "This time it's two points, and the increase in my vital energy isn't as dramatic as the experience gain. It seems this trait only boosts my experience gain."
"Still, this effect is incredibly useful for me! It will save me a lot of time."
Next, Jiang Ning took advantage of the remaining daylight to practice the fist technique a few more times before finally settling down to sleep in the tree.
The next morning, after waking up and taking care of his basic needs, Jiang Ning headed straight for Luoshui County.
By noon, he finally saw the familiar city walls in the distance, and a smile spread across his face.
Along the way, he had spent two hours absorbing the essence of the sun.
The Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique could only be practiced for a limited time each day, and he couldn't afford to miss this opportunity.
After two hours of absorption, he noticed that the Exceptional Comprehension trait did not affect the experience gained from the Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique. It still only increased by one point after each session.
Meanwhile, as soon as Jiang Ning appeared, he was spotted by someone on the city walls.
A moment later, as Jiang Ning approached and his face became clearer, someone on the wall immediately turned and left.
Having confirmed Jiang Ning's return and recognized his face, they naturally went to report to their superiors.
At the city gate:
"Senior Brother Jiang!" A young boy with a youthful face approached Jiang Ning.
"Who are you?" Hearing the title "Senior Brother," Jiang Ning stopped in his tracks.
The boy looked at Jiang Ning respectfully and said, "My name is Tong Yuan. I'm an ordinary disciple of the Canglang Martial School. Master Wang sent me here to wait for your arrival."
"Ah, it's Master!" Jiang Ning suddenly understood. "Does Master need me for something?"
"Yes!" Tong Yuan nodded repeatedly. "Master Wang specifically instructed me to bring you back to the school as soon as I saw you."
"Understood!" Jiang Ning nodded. "Lead the way!"
"Yes, Senior Brother Jiang!" Tong Yuan replied.
Soon after, they entered the city, and Tong Yuan led Jiang Ning to a carriage that had been waiting for them.
Sitting in the carriage, Jiang Ning's stamina gradually recovered.
He had traveled back to Luoshui County on foot, and even with his exceptional endurance, such a long journey had left him exhausted.
If it weren't for Master Wang's summons, he would have preferred to go home, take a bath, and recover in the water.
Yunlai Pavilion
"Reporting to the Valley Master, according to the latest information, Jiang Ning has returned to Luoshui County." Gongsun Yu hurried into the room of the Valley Master, who was standing by the railing feeding fish and delivered the news.
"He's back so soon?" The Valley Master, a man in a green robe, turned around in surprise.
He placed the fish food on the table beside him and began to pace slowly.
"No rush. We still need to wait for Cao Rong's news. If Cao Rong doesn't appear in Luoshui County by sunset today, it means Jiang Ning intercepted and killed him on the way."
"Valley Master is wise!" Gongsun Yu agreed.
At this moment, the Valley Master slowly smiled. "Elder Gongsun, do you think Jiang Ning succeeded in his ambush against Cao Rong?"
Hearing this, Gongsun Yu replied, "Valley Master, according to the latest information, when Jiang Ning appeared at the city gate, he looked merely travel-worn. There were no signs of battle on him."
"No bloodstains, and most surprisingly, not even a tear in his clothes!"
"If he managed to intercept and kill Cao Rong under these circumstances, his methods would be truly terrifying!"
Hearing this, the Valley Master's lips curled into a playful smile.
"That would indeed be interesting!"
"If Jiang Ning could so effortlessly kill Cao Rong, especially with Cao Rong being protected by a hundred cavalry, then I would have to reevaluate him!"
Gongsun Yu asked, "Valley Master, what should we do now?"
"Just one word: wait!" The Valley Master replied calmly.
Canglang Martial School
The carriage slowly came to a stop at the entrance of the martial school.
"Senior Brother Jiang, we've arrived!" Tong Yuan lifted the carriage curtain.
Jiang Ning nodded and stepped out of the carriage.
Seeing the Canglang Martial School again, Jiang Ning paused to look at the sign above the gate.
The words "Canglang Martial School" hung prominently above the entrance.
This place was where his fate had taken a turn. After joining the Canglang Martial School, he had been introduced to martial arts and had advanced rapidly, facing almost no setbacks along the way.
Looking back on everything that had happened, he couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia.
"Senior Brother, what are you looking at?" Tong Yuan asked from behind.
"Nothing," Jiang Ning replied lightly. "Let's go."
With that, he stepped forward, and Tong Yuan quickly followed.
The school's gate was slightly ajar, neither fully open nor closed, and there were no guards at the entrance.
Jiang Ning gently pushed the gate open.
The heavy gate felt weightless in his hands, swinging open with ease.
Seeing the empty front courtyard, Jiang Ning turned to Tong Yuan.
"Junior Brother Tong Yuan, why are there no disciples practicing in the front courtyard? Has something happened at the school?"
Tong Yuan replied, "Senior Brother Jiang, you may not know, but since yesterday, Master Wang has been in a bad mood. He told us to stay away from the school for a few days."
"Bad mood?" Jiang Ning was puzzled.
He looked toward the backyard. Even without actively probing, his enhanced senses told him that Wang Jin was currently in the backyard, fast asleep.
"It's lunchtime. Why is Master still sleeping in the backyard?" Jiang Ning wondered.
In the next moment, he said, "Junior Brother Tong Yuan, I'll go to the backyard to see Master Wang."
"Alright!" Tong Yuan nodded repeatedly.
Jiang Ning then walked toward the backyard, leaving Tong Yuan behind.
Creak
Gently pushing open the slightly ajar wooden door to the backyard, Jiang Ning saw Wang Jin lying under the shade of a tree, still fast asleep.
Even the sound of the door opening didn't wake him.
"Strange," Jiang Ning thought, feeling suspicious.
He walked toward Wang Jin.
When he was within a zhang of Wang Jin, Wang Jin suddenly woke up, his eyes snapping open.
Seeing that it was Jiang Ning, he relaxed.
"You're... here," Wang Jin said, his voice hoarse.
"Master, what's wrong?" Jiang Ning asked, his expression serious.
In Jiang Ning's eyes, Wang Jin looked terrible. His face was pale and exhausted, his eyes bloodshot. It was clear he hadn't slept well the previous night.
Hearing Jiang Ning's question, Wang Jin replied, "Aunt Sun is dead."
"Dead?" Jiang Ning was stunned. "How did she die?"
Wang Jin explained, "Commander He Jinyun said she was a member of the Worship Sect and had been tainted by an evil god's aura. She was executed according to the law."
At this, Wang Jin's expression darkened. "If only I hadn't let her go out to buy groceries yesterday. If she hadn't gone out, she wouldn't have met such a fate."
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