One week later.
Pushing open the door.
The courtyard was already blanketed in white.
As the cold wind rushed in, Jiang Ning narrowed his eyes.
A few goose-feather-like snowflakes landed on his neck, melting into snow water from his body heat, instantly releasing a wave of chill.
"The weather has gotten colder again!" Jiang Ning sighed softly.
Then, he glanced at his panel.
[Skills]:
Literacy (Fifth Breakthrough 5477/6000) (Traits: Photographic Memory, Enhanced Senses, Quick Thinking, Exceptional Comprehension, Heavenly Eye)
Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique (Intermediate 4055/5000)
These days, the most significant changes have occurred in these two skills on the panel.
His Literacy skill, after days of grinding experience points, was now not far from the 6,000 points needed for the next breakthrough.
As for the Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique, thanks to the clear weather in recent days, its progress has grown rapidly, surpassing 4,000 points. It was now only a little under 1,000 points away from the 5,000-point requirement for mastery, where internal energy would undergo a qualitative change and condense into protective energy.
However, with the sudden drop in temperature and the heavy snow falling in the courtyard, the cold had intensified overnight.
He knew there would be no chance to practice the Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique in the coming days.
This technique could only be cultivated on clear, sunny days when the sun was unobstructed.
After a moment, he took one last look at the snowy scene in the courtyard and withdrew his gaze, not bothering to clear the accumulated snow.
These days, he wasn't practicing martial arts his routine consisted solely of reading.
To increase his Literacy experience points, he had long since finished all the books in his home.
Over the past few days, he had purchased many previously unread books from various bookstores in the city. Each time he finished a batch, the next would be bought and brought back by Lü Yi.
He had lost count of how many books he had read by now.
But he knew that almost every book available for purchase in Luoshui County had already been read by him.
Two days ago, Lü Yi had spent half a day buying a cartload of books for him.
After skimming through them, he realized that more than half were books he had already read Lü Yi simply hadn't known.
Closing the panel before his eyes, he stepped into the courtyard.
A few days earlier, Bai Luoyu and Xiao Emei had returned to Dongling City together.
Before leaving, Xiao Emei had secretly visited him as agreed.
He had also assigned her a task: to monitor the movements of the Moonwater Sword Palace, especially Xiao Qiushui's plans and actions regarding him, and to report back to him promptly.
Thinking of this, Jiang Ning couldn't help but mutter to himself.
"By my estimate, she should have returned to the Moonwater Sword Palace by now. I wonder how Xiao Qiushui will react to her returning empty-handed. Will she keep her promise and relay information to me, or will she betray me?"
A short while later.
Just as Jiang Ning finished washing up and was about to return to his room to read, he heard a fluttering sound overhead.
Looking up, he saw a large blue bird circling high above Luoshui County.
"A Sky-Messenger Hawk?"
A trace of surprise flashed in Jiang Ning's eyes as he recalled what Xiao Emei had told him before leaving.
The next moment.
He quickly strode back inside.
Picking up a green bamboo stick resembling a fire starter, he returned to the open courtyard.
Lü Yi, who had been in the courtyard earlier, had already left as usual, she had gone to fetch a bowl of meat broth to warm Jiang Ning's stomach.
Standing in the courtyard, Jiang Ning uncapped the bamboo stick, releasing a peculiar fragrance.
Inside the stick was a substance resembling red clay, packed tightly.
As the strange scent diffused, after about a dozen breaths, the Sky-Messenger Hawk circling above Luoshui County seemed to find its direction.
Like an arrow, it swooped down toward Jiang Ning's courtyard.
When it was about ten feet above the ground, the hawk spread its wings spanning nearly five feet and instantly stirred a gust of wind.
With its wings fully extended, its speed slowed abruptly.
Flap, flap
It landed gracefully on Jiang Ning's outstretched arm.
Its body was about the size of a flycatcher.
Its claws were white and hooked like iron.
Its beak was vermilion red and razor-sharp.
Once perched on Jiang Ning's arm, the Sky-Messenger Hawk pecked twice"tock, tock" and immediately began eating the red clay-like substance from the bamboo stick.
Understanding, Jiang Ning applied a bit of force and split the bamboo stick open.
The Sky-Messenger Hawk lowered its head and quickly devoured the contents.
Then, it affectionately nuzzled Jiang Ning's chest.
At this point, Jiang Ning noticed the message tube tied to the hawk's right leg.
He opened it and pulled out the rolled-up letter inside.
Unfolding it, he saw as expected that it was a message from Xiao Emei.
A moment later.
He finished reading.
Haa
He exhaled slowly.
According to the letter, after returning, Xiao Emei had failed to complete Xiao Qiushui's task but had not been punished for it.
However, Xiao Qiushui did not let the matter drop.
Instead, she had assigned the task to her second disciple, Yu Manyun to continue the mission of inviting Jiang Ning to the Moonwater Sword Palace.
Based on the contents of the letter,
Jiang Ning also learned that Xiao Qiushui's younger sister, Xiao Qiuyue, was currently at the Moonwater Sword Palace.
She had been there for a long time.
The reason Xiao Qiuyue, as He Jinyun's birth mother, had not left the Moonwater Sword Palace all this time was because Xiao Qiushui dared not let her go.
After losing her son, Xiao Qiuyue became suicidal.
Especially after Xiao Emei returned empty-handed, Xiao Qiuyue's emotions grew even more volatile.
Thus, Xiao Qiushui was even more afraid to let her leave.
Because Xiao Qiuyue understood that at this critical juncture, killing an official of the Inspection Bureau would bring catastrophic consequences.
Others would weigh the pros and cons and would not act against Jiang Ning based solely on suspicion.
But Xiao Qiuyue was different.
According to Xiao Emei's report, Xiao Qiuyue now only wanted to kill every potential suspect to avenge her only son.
For revenge, Xiao Qiuyue had adopted a mindset of "better to kill ten innocents than let one guilty escape."
Precisely because of this, Xiao Qiushui did not dare to let her leave.
At the same time, however, Xiao Emei also mentioned that Yu Manyun, to prove herself and elevate her standing in Xiao Qiushui's eyes, would spare no effort in handling this matter.
In the next election for the position of Moonwater Sword Palace's master, Yu Manyun was the second-ranked candidate.
In this matter, Yu Manyun would undoubtedly strive to demonstrate her superiority to earn Xiao Qiushui's approval and strengthen her position in Xiao Qiushui's esteem.
After reading the entire letter, Jiang Ning chuckled faintly and shook his head.
"Yu Manyun, Xiao Qiushui, Xiao Qiuyue, Xiao Emei."
"Who knows how much of Xiao Emei's words in this letter are true and how much are false?"
"Most of it is probably true."
"The part that might be problematic is likely the description of Yu Manyun."
"It's entirely possible she's borrowing my blade to eliminate Yu Manyun for her."
Jiang Ning silently mused.
He considered this speculation quite plausible.
Because it was clear that within the Moonwater Sword Palace, Xiao Emei had not yet distinguished herself enough to secure her position as the next master.
Thus, since Yu Manyun was repeatedly mentioned by Xiao Emei, she must be a potential competitor.
Then, his thoughts turned to Xiao Qiuyue, mentioned in the letter as the wife of the Qinghe Count and the birth mother of He Jinsheng.
Thinking of this person, Jiang Ning couldn't help but frown.
With others, there might still be room for negotiation.
After all, his current status was not low, and as an official of the Inspection Bureau, even the current Qinghe Count, He Jinsheng's father, was unlikely to kill him on mere suspicion and provoke the colossal entity that was the Inspection Bureau.
For the Qinghe Count, he had many sons.
In such a large family, the combined number of direct and collateral descendants was staggering.
Family bonds were generally not that strong.
Thus, he would weigh the pros and cons, and once he did, he would not act impulsively.
But for He Jinsheng's mother, Xiao Qiuyue, it was different.
She had only He Jinsheng as her sole son.
For most mothers in the world, their children were their only solace.
Especially in a large family like the Qinghe Counts, where pure and deep affection between husband and wife was rare, the deepest bond was often between mother and child.
He Jinyun's death was a devastating blow to his mother, Xiao Qiuyue.
Jiang Ning would not be surprised by any action Xiao Qiuyue took to avenge her only son, and he fully understood it.
Thus, he did not doubt Xiao Emei's account in the letter at all.
But understanding aside, Xiao Qiuyue's mindset also gave Jiang Ning a massive headache.
There was no evidence linking He Jinyun's death to him. Both Xiao Qiushui and the Qinghe Count would weigh the pros and cons and refrain from rash action.
But if Xiao Qiuyue died by his hand, it would become an undeniable fact.
The wife of the Qinghe Count, the younger sister of Xiao Qiushui
Either of these identities alone would bring immense trouble.
Let alone possessing both.
If Xiao Qiuyue died by his hand, it would be like poking two hornets' nests at once.
Considering all this,
Jiang Ning felt a surge of frustration and an overwhelming sense of irritation.
It was like dark clouds pressing down on his head, suffocating and oppressive.
"It's still because my strength is insufficient!!" Jiang Ning clenched his fists.
After a moment,
"Huu"
He exhaled deeply, releasing the pent-up frustration in his heart.
"If my strength were sufficient, the dark clouds in my heart would naturally disperse!"
"If I had the power of a grandmaster, would He Jinyun's matter be this troublesome?"
At this thought, Jiang Ning became even more certain that his top priority now was still one thing improving his own strength.
In a world where power resided in the individual, the greatest reliance was on fists; authority came second.
As long as his fists were strong enough, the wrath of a single man could shake heaven and earth, stirring dragons and snakes from their slumber.
Then,
Jiang Ning steadied his emotions and returned to his room to read quietly.
The calmer his mind, the more efficient his reading became.
And the faster his literacy skills grew.
As he turned page after page, prompts slowly appeared before him.
[Literacy experience +1]
[Literacy experience +1]
[Literacy experience +1]
[...]
When Lüyi pushed open the door with a thermal food box in hand and saw Jiang Ning absorbed in his book, she immediately tiptoed in quietly.
She carefully placed the food box on the table in the room.
Then, she went to the side, picked up a piece of sandalwood, and gently scraped off a layer of shavings. She placed the shavings in the sandalwood burner, pressed them down, and lit them.
As wisps of blue smoke rose, a faint sandalwood fragrance quickly filled the room.
This scent had the effect of calming the mind and soothing the spirit.
After a while longer,
Jiang Ning turned to the last page and finished the book in his hands, then set it down.
Seeing this, Lüyi hurriedly opened the food box and took out the still-warm bowl of meat porridge.
Watching this, he shook his head: "You don't need to wait around here. Go attend to your tasks."
As he spoke, he took the bowl of porridge handed to him by Lüyi.
A few bites in, half the palm-sized porcelain bowl was already empty.
Then, after a few more large mouthfuls, all the porridge in the bowl had entered his stomach.
Lüyi took the empty bowl from Jiang Ning and placed it back into the food box.
"Young Master, I'll take my leave now."
"Wait!" Jiang Ning called out.
Hearing this, Lüyi, who had just lifted her foot to leave, immediately stopped.
She turned her head to look at Jiang Ning and saw blood slowly seeping from his fingertip, condensing into a single crimson drop.
At this sight, excitement instantly filled Lüyi's eyes.
She now understood very well that Jiang Ning's blood contained a miraculous power.
It could enhance her physical body and greatly aid her progress in martial arts.
The next moment,
she opened her mouth slightly, closed her eyes, and waited expectantly, like a baby bird waiting to be fed.
Seeing this, Jiang Ning couldn't help but chuckle.
With a flick of his finger, a drop of blood shot through the air and landed in Lüyi's mouth.
"Alright, you can go now," Jiang Ning said.
"Yes, Young Master!" Lüyi's face flushed slightly, her expression full of excitement.
Wanhua Pavilion.
Lin Qingyi, looking lazily at the letter before her, couldn't help but shake her head with a smile.
"This little girl is persistent. After a month, she's sent a second letter to that kid."
"Well, since it's here, I might as well make a trip to his place later!"
"It's been a while since I've seen him anyway. I wonder how much he's grown by now?"
At this thought, a smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of Lin Qingyi's lips.
Afternoon.
The sky remained overcast, and heavy snow fell straight down.
Jiang Ning sat indoors with the window open.
Though it was snowing heavily, the temperature was much higher than at the beginning of the year, far from the biting cold of that time.
Seated by the window, he continued flipping through the book in his hands.
[Literacy experience +1]
[Literacy experience +1]
[Literacy experience +1]
[...]
Prompts continuously appeared before him,
their frequency noticeably higher than before.
After turning to the last page, he finally withdrew his gaze from the book and glanced at his status panel.
[Skill]: Literacy (Fifth Breakthrough 5613/6000) (Traits: Photographic Memory, Enhanced Senses, Quick Thinking, Exceptional Comprehension, Heavenly Eye)
"Just over 300 points left. At my current pace, I should reach it by tomorrow!"
The thought of reaping the rewards of his efforts tomorrow stirred a faint excitement in Jiang Ning's heart.
Breaking through in literacy would allow his mental strength to undergo another transformation.
Moreover, every trait gained so far had been immensely useful none were worthless.
Especially the Heavenly Eye, acquired at the fifth breakthrough.
Though it didn't directly increase his combat power, its auxiliary effects were extraordinarily practical.
In his recent battles, the Heavenly Eye had been a tremendous help.
When combined with his archery skills, the synergy was greater than the sum of its parts.
Thinking of his archery, he recalled Bai Luoyu's remarks during their conversation a few days ago.
Bai held his archery in high regard,
even expressing awe at its prowess.
Similarly, Xiao Emei's perception of him had also centered on his archery.
Evidently, in the eyes of Dongling City's residents, his greatest strength lay in his archery.
"If I have time, I should work on breaking through my archery skills further."
As this thought crossed his mind, Jiang Ning picked up the teacup beside him, gently blew away the tea dust on the surface, and took a sip only to immediately frown.
"As expected, the tea I brew is nowhere near as good as Lüyi's."
He set the cup down and admired the snowy scenery outside the window.
The afternoon was tranquil, with no wind. The snow fell straight down, and the soft rustling of flakes landing on the accumulated snow could be heard.
Occasionally, the weight of snow would snap a branch, sending a pile of it tumbling to the ground.
After enjoying the view for a while,
he picked up another book.
Just as he was about to start reading, he suddenly looked up, his gaze shifting toward the estate's front gate.
"A visitor in this weather? Who could it be?"
As the thought arose, he pressed his index and middle fingers together, closed his eyes, and swiped them across his forehead.
In an instant,
the Heavenly Eye between his brows opened, instantly revealing the scene at the estate's entrance.
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