Time passed in the blink of an eye.
The New Year was approaching.
Though the weather remained bitterly cold, Luoshui County had grown lively.
The streets and alleys were filled with the laughter of children, and red lanterns adorned the town, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Eastern Courtyard
"Hoo"
Jiang Ning exhaled a long breath, releasing a stream of white mist that shot through the air like a sword, extending more than a zhang (approx. 3 meters) before dissipating.
He then walked over to the stone table beneath a pavilion and poured himself a cup of warm tea.
"Gulp"
"Gulp"
Two large gulps, and the cup was empty.
Jiang Ning glanced at the busy figure in the courtyard.
At that moment, Lü Yi was balancing herself on a wooden ladder, standing on tiptoe as she hung red lanterns from the trees.
These lanterns were ones she had bought earlier that morning at the marketplace with sister-in-law Liu Wanwan.
In the afternoon, they had begun decorating the courtyard.
After all, tomorrow was New Year's Eve a night for families to reunite and share the New Year's Eve feast.
Seeing half the courtyard already adorned with red lanterns, Jiang Ning couldn't help but feel a little sentimental.
The New Year traditions here were remarkably similar to those from his past life—at least seven or eight parts alike.
This stirred something in his heart, bringing a faint sense of homesickness.
He remained silent for a few moments before shaking his head and smiling wryly.
Then, he set down the empty teacup in his hand.
"I need to keep practicing my martial arts and tempering my bones to complete the forging of my Jade Bones as soon as possible. The stronger I am, the better I can handle any unexpected situations."
At this thought, he recalled the incident from a few days ago.
Back then, two Fifth-Grade experts from the God-Worship Sect had launched a joint attack against him.
If he hadn't been diligently training every single day if his strength had been even slightly lacking he would have faced a life-threatening crisis.
That encounter reinforced a simple yet absolute truth:
Strength is the foundation for handling all things.
With sufficient power, problems cease to be problems.
Many of the conflicts he had encountered had naturally resolved themselves as his strength increased without him needing to exert any extra effort.
Take the Medicine King Valley, for example. If he hadn't demonstrated enough capability to make Lu Qingshan, the Valley Master, acknowledge him, their conflict wouldn't have been so easily dismissed.
As for the Cao Family, their feud with him had also become much easier to settle as his strength grew.
Looking back on everything, Jiang Ning's conviction became even firmer
Strengthening oneself is the only true path to standing firm in this world.
Checking His Progress
After resting for a short while, Jiang Ning glanced at his status panel:
[Skill]: Five-Animal Fist (Three-time Limit Break: 663/4000) (Trait: Essence Stored in the Five Organs, Five Elements Spirit, Grandmaster of Fist Techniques)
Over the past few days, his Five-Animal Fist experience had increased by more than six hundred points.
Meanwhile, the bones in his body were gradually undergoing Jade Bone transformation everything was progressing in a positive direction.
Additionally, Lü Yi's progress in learning Five-Animal Fist was astonishingly fast.
In just a few days, her blood energy had already penetrated both arms, significantly enhancing her martial prowess.
This also confirmed the fact that Jiang Ning had already suspected
His blood was a priceless treasure to others.
Of course, it wasn't without its drawbacks.
Those who absorbed his blood would become his subordinates, partially bound to his will.
To them, this might be a form of enslavement.
But for Jiang Ning, it was an incredibly valuable tool.
As the saying goes, "You may know a person's face, but not their heart."
With this ability, he could cultivate loyal subordinates when necessary just like Lü Yi.
At this thought, he called out
"Xiao Lü!"
"Young Master, you called me?" Lü Yi turned her head while balancing on the wooden ladder, tiptoeing as she hung a lantern.
Jiang Ning smiled. "Once you finish hanging the lanterns, come and receive my 'feeding'."
"Yes!" Lü Yi's eyes lit up with excitement.
Through Jiang Ning's experiments, she had already learned that her rapid progress in martial arts was thanks to his blood.
Her accelerated cultivation was closely tied to this mysterious power.
Training Continues
Jiang Ning then resumed practicing his martial arts, channeling his blood energy to temper his bones.
The Next Day: New Year's Eve Approaches
"The sky has finally cleared!"
Jiang Ning looked eastward and saw the clouds parting, revealing a small opening.
Golden sunlight pierced through, illuminating the distant mountaintops.
He couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.
Throughout the entire winter, clear skies had been a rare sight.
This lack of sunshine had severely hindered his progress in Internal Alchemy Cultivation.
Had conditions been normal, he would have already reached the stage where his Internal Breath was condensing into Inner Force.
At the very least, he wouldn't be far off.
And now, based on his efficiency in absorbing the essence of the great sun, he still needed about thirty to forty more days.
[Skill]: Internal Alchemy Nourishment Technique (Minor Accomplishment 1277/5000)
Glancing at his status panel, Jiang Ning became even more eager for the clear, sunny weather ahead.
After practicing the Five Animal Fist for so long, he had absorbed the essence of the five elements into his body. By now, a considerable amount of this essence had accumulated in his five internal organs.
This accumulation had continuously nurtured and strengthened his organs. However, without an internal fortification method to refine it, the elemental essence continued to build up without being properly processed.
"Once I absorb the essence of the great sun and refine the five elemental energies in my organs, my inner breath will undoubtedly surge, and my Internal Alchemy Nourishment Technique will make great progress."
Thinking of this, Jiang Ning was filled with anticipation.
For a martial artist in the Fifth Grade, the key transformation was the cultivation of the five internal organs, leading to mastery over inner breath.
At the peak of the Fifth Grade, it was said that a single breath could cut down a thousand troops.
This was the terrifying power of an immensely strong inner breath.
In the blink of an eye, time passed.
As the eighth quarter of the Hour of Chen (7:30-9:30 AM) ended, the Hour of Si (9:00-11:00 AM) arrived.
Jiang Ning could feel the warm rays of the sun shining down from above, freely spreading light and heat.
He could even feel his hair heating up under the sun's intensity.
At that moment, he sat cross-legged on the prayer mat that Luyi had prepared for him in advance, assuming the Taoist posture known as "Five Hearts Facing the Heavens."
The Internal Alchemy Nourishment Technique was a Taoist internal fortification method.
By positioning himself in this posture, he could better absorb the essence of the great sun.
In the next moment, he lifted his gaze toward the blazing sun above.
With a gentle inhale, an invisible stream of solar essence was drawn from the void into his nostrils.
The essence of the great sun descended into his lungs. Though it carried an extreme heat, brimming with terrifying energy, he no longer felt the burning pain he once did.
Thanks to the Water-Fire Immortal Robe trait, he had become impervious to ordinary flames. He could even bathe in lava without harm, so the essence of the great sun naturally could not burn him either.
Then, he felt the essence disperse, merging into his five internal organs and six viscera.
Instantly, it was as if he were sitting inside a furnace, warmth flowing through his entire body like a gentle stream.
As his five organs were tempered by the solar essence, the elemental energy accumulated within them was rapidly refined.
At the same time, strands of inner breath condensed from within his organs, flowing into his dantian.
[Internal Alchemy Nourishment Technique Experience +1]
As the notification appeared, the first strand of solar essence was completely absorbed.
Jiang Ning reopened his eyes, his face beaming with satisfaction.
Thanks to the nurturing of the Five Elements energy, his internal organs had become more robust over time.
Because of this, compared to the last time he refined solar essence, the transformation this time was even greater.
Before his Five Animal Fists had undergone its second limit break, he could only draw a single strand of inner breath per absorption cycle.
However, after his organs strengthened and began storing elemental energy, each session of solar refinement yielded multiple strands of inner breath.
With his foundation growing, his efficiency had increased several times over.
And now, it was even more extraordinary.
With the latest accumulation, his most recent breath of solar essence had generated more than ten strands of inner breath.
"This feels incredible!"
Jiang Ning's face lit up with joy.
The hardships of his training had finally borne fruit, and the next two hours would bring an even greater surge in his inner breath.
He quickly calmed his mind, clearing all distractions from his thoughts.
Then, he turned his focus back to the sun above and resumed his breathing exercises.
As he inhaled, one strand after another of the essence of the great sun merged into his five internal organs and six viscera.
His organs were continuously tempered and strengthened.
[Internal Alchemy Nourishment Technique Experience +1]
[Internal Alchemy Nourishment Technique Experience +1]
[Internal Alchemy Nourishment Technique Experience +1]
[…]
With the Water-Fire Immortal Robe trait, he no longer feared the scorching heat of the solar essence, allowing him to absorb and refine it at an unprecedented rate.
He no longer had to worry about his internal organs being overwhelmed.
Two hours later.
The sun had reached its peak.
The Hour of Si had passed, and the Hour of Wu (11:00 AM - 1:00 PM) had arrived.
"Hoo"
Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes, exhaling a long breath of turbid air.
[This session of solar essence absorption has increased the Internal Alchemy Nourishment Technique experience by a total of 110 points.]
[Skill]: Internal Alchemy Nourishment Technique (Minor Accomplishment 1387/5000)
After checking his status panel, he closed it with satisfaction.
"With this efficiency, I need just over a month to reach the next stage."
"That's not too long!"
"It's just unfortunate that this winter is particularly harsh."
He shook his head slightly, then closed his eyes again to observe the changes within his body.
Focusing his mind inward, he examined his dantian.
There, he saw a vast river of inner breath, surging and crashing like a mighty current.
Both in momentum and intensity, it was far greater than before.
"It has indeed grown significantly! While there's no fundamental transformation yet, the sheer amount has increased noticeably."
After examining his dantian, Jiang Ning opened his eyes, feeling deeply satisfied.
The biggest gain from this session wasn't just the progress in the Internal Alchemy Nourishment Technique.
More importantly, refining the five elemental energies within his organs had brought about a major enhancement in his inner breath.
Just from this one session, his total inner breath had increased by roughly 15%. The improvement was astonishing.
He fully understood the reason for this massive boost.
It was all thanks to the multiple breakthroughs of his Five Animal Fist.
For a martial artist at the Fifth Grade Internal Fortification Realm, the primary goal was to fortify the five organs and refine inner breath.
Since his Five Animal Fist had broken through multiple times, it allowed him to absorb the essence of the five elements from the natural world, nurturing his internal organs.
The stronger his internal organs became, the more his inner breath would grow automatically each day.
At the same time, with the elemental energy accumulating inside him, absorbing the essence of the great sun allowed him to refine it into pure power.
This cycle of reinforcement had caused his inner breath to skyrocket.
Moreover, he had just realized that after practicing boxing daily and drawing in the Five Elements Essence, he had accumulated an excessive amount of it.
A single day of absorbing the Great Sun's Essence was not enough to completely refine the Five Elements Essence.
There was still a significant amount left unprocessed.
Although this accumulation was strengthening his five internal organs, the effect was too mild. The daily improvement was far less than the amount he was absorbing.
As a result, the accumulation has been increasing over these past days.
"If the weather stays clear for another three to five days, that should be enough!"
Jiang Ning murmured to himself.
Meanwhile.
Outside Luoshui County.
A military force had quietly appeared in the nearby forest.
There were a total of over a hundred soldiers, yet not a single sound could be heard from them.
Even the thirty or so Black Nightmare Horses made no noise at all.
Such discipline was proof of this army's exceptionally high level of training.
"Saintess, what should we do? Today is a clear day, so the moon will likely be bright tonight," said the rugged-looking leader.
Upon hearing this, the Black Lotus Sect Saintess, whose face was covered by a black veil, spoke slowly.
"No worries. Captain Jiang, proceed as planned!"
"Tonight is the time for family reunion feasts in every household, making it the moment when defenses are weakest."
"It is also the best time to breach the city gate!"
Hearing this, the leader grinned widely.
"Alright! Then we'll proceed as planned!"
"Tonight, we take the city!!"
As time passed, night fell.
The cold moonlight hung high in the sky.
It shone upon the snow-covered city, reflecting off the icy surface and making the county appear almost as bright as daytime.
The outer city had only a few spots of red decoration.
But inside the inner city, every household had hung bright red lanterns.
Along both sides of the roads, red lanterns were placed every ten steps, illuminating the streets with a festive glow.
At Jiang Ning's residence, large and small red lanterns flickered in the candlelight, filling the courtyards and hanging from the trees.
Inside the main hall.
"Sister-in-law, sit down and eat! There's already enough food on the table!" Jiang Ning called out, watching Liu Wanwan busying herself.
There were already sixteen dishes set on the table.
Such a lavish New Year's Eve dinner far grander than anything he'd ever had, even when his parents were still alive in his previous life.
Hearing his words, Liu Wanwan turned back to glance at Jiang Ning.
Then, she smiled gently and said, "A-Ning, have some wine with your brother first. There are only two dishes left, and then everything will be ready."
Jiang Ning chuckled and replied, "I'm not in a hurry. A reunion dinner isn't complete without you at the table."
"Alright!" Liu Wanwan said with a smile. "Just two vegetable dishes left it won't take long!"
With that, she quickly turned and headed back toward the kitchen.
Jiang Ning watched her go, then turned his gaze to Jiang Li.
"Why are you looking at me like that, little brother?"
Jiang Ning grinned and said, "Big Brother, you're truly fortunate to have married such a capable wife someone who is elegant in the hall and skilled in the kitchen."
As he spoke, a wave of emotion washed over him.
He couldn't help but recall the "interesting" women he had met during arranged dates in his past life.
But he quickly shook his head, unwilling to dwell on the past.
Now that he had been given another chance at life, the past was nothing more than fleeting memories.
This time, he simply wanted to live a good life.
His previous life no longer held any attachments for him.
A moment later.
"Miss Lüyi, come sit and eat with us!" Liu Wanwan said as she wiped her hands on her apron before taking it off, addressing the somewhat reserved Lüyi.
Hearing Liu Wanwan's words, Lüyi turned her gaze toward Jiang Ning.
"Come, sit and eat with us," Jiang Ning said.
Upon hearing this, Lüyi nodded.
Shortly after.
"Dinner's ready!" Little Doubao cheered, swinging his legs excitedly as he sat in his chair.
Jiang Yiming, sitting beside him, immediately poured him a glass of freshly squeezed fruit juice.
The idea of having fresh fruit juice was also Jiang Ning's suggestion.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ning and Jiang Li's bowls were filled with clear, fragrant wine.
On the table before them were eighteen steaming hot dishes.
There were chicken, duck, fish, and all kinds of meats.
At the center of the table, a bubbling donkey meat stew emitted a rich aroma, with tender white tofu floating on the surface.
As he took in the scene before him, Jiang Ning was unexpectedly overcome with a deep sense of emotion.
The next moment.
Just as they were about to start eating.
Jiang Ning and Jiang Li had just clinked their bowls together.
Boom
Boom
Boom
Suddenly, several explosive sounds rang out in the sky outside, mixed in with the sound of fireworks.
The sky above Luoshui County lit up in an instant.
The sounds were as deafening as rolling thunder, instantly spreading throughout the entire county.
"Is that... a signal flare?" Jiang Ning asked, immediately locking eyes with Jiang Li.
Just then
Bang
Bang, bang
Bang, bang, bang
Drums began to pound furiously, echoing like relentless thunder, growing more and more intense.
Hearing the war drums, both of their expressions changed instantly.
"War drums!" Jiang Li stood up abruptly.
Jiang Ning nodded, slowly setting down his bowl of wine.
"The city gates must be under attack. I have to go check it out!"
"Little brother, I'll go with you!" Jiang Li said immediately.
"No need," Jiang Ning shook his head. "Big Brother, you should stay at home. The family needs a steady presence here. As for me, you don't have to worry!
"Right now, in this entire county, if I'm not the strongest, I'm at least among the top three!
"If I encounter a situation I can't handle, I'll return immediately. If that happens, you and Sister-in-law should leave the city with me through the lake!"
After saying this, Jiang Ning quickly stepped out of the house. ,
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