At the door.
Lin Qingyi had just raised her hand, ready to knock.
The next moment.
She felt an inexplicable discomfort.
"Strange!" She glanced around but found nothing unusual, then withdrew her gaze.
On the other side.
Jiang Ning wiped his nose, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Then he stood up.
Dong
Dong
Dong
The front gate was knocked on by Lin Qingyi.
Soon, the door swung open.
"Qingyi-jie!" Looking at the woman in the snow outside the gate, dressed in a long green skirt that trailed on the ground, blending seamlessly with the snowy landscape, Jiang Ning couldn't help but smile faintly.
Seeing Jiang Ning, Lin Qingyi eyed him suspiciously.
"How did you know I was coming?"
"I didn't," Jiang Ning replied.
"You didn't? Then how did you appear so promptly?" Lin Qingyi stared into Jiang Ning's eyes, their gazes locking.
Jiang Ning rubbed his nose awkwardly.
Seeing this, Lin Qingyi glared at him fiercely.
Her intuition told her that the strange feeling she had sensed earlier wasn't an illusion it had been Jiang Ning's prying eyes.
His timely appearance only confirmed her suspicion.
"Help me hold my skirt. It's dragging on the ground and getting dirty," Lin Qingyi said to Jiang Ning, who stood to the side.
Hearing this, Jiang Ning obediently lifted the hem of her skirt. As he did, his gaze inadvertently caught sight of Lin Qingyi's bare calves beneath the fabric.
"Qingyi-jie, aren't you cold? Going bare-legged in this weather?"
"It looks good," Lin Qingyi replied.
Then she smiled faintly. "A grandmaster like me would never fear the cold."
"Grandmaster?" Jiang Ning's eyes widened.
Seeing his expression, Lin Qingyi couldn't help but chuckle, her lips curling upward in slight amusement.
"Let's go. We'll talk in your room. I came today because I have something to discuss with you," Lin Qingyi added.
Jiang Ning snapped out of his surprise and nodded. Holding her skirt, he led the way to his courtyard in the east wing.
In the courtyard.
Jiang Li and Liu Wanwan, hearing the commotion at the front gate, stepped out of their room just in time to witness the scene.
"Li-ge, look at this. You don't need to worry about A-Ning. He's so popular with women what is there to worry about?" Liu Wanwan remarked.
Jiang Li nodded in agreement. "True. A-Ning is indeed quite the charmer these days. I just hope he doesn't get overwhelmed by all the attention and struggle to choose."
Liu Wanwan said, "I think an older woman would be better more caring and attentive."
"The best one is the one A-Ning likes," Jiang Li countered.
East Wing.
Jiang Ning held Lin Qingyi's skirt until they crossed the threshold into his room, then finally let it go.
The skirt fell back into place, quickly covering her bare calves once more.
"Qingyi-jie, would you like to warm yourself by the fire?" Jiang Ning picked up the freshly brewed tea from the table and poured a cup for Lin Qingyi.
"Yes," Lin Qingyi nodded, then glanced around. "Where's Lüyi?"
Jiang Ning handed her the steaming cup of tea and replied, "After lunch, she went out to buy books for me."
"Buy books?" Lin Qingyi looked puzzled.
Her eyes swept across the room, taking in the piles of books stacked everywhere.
"You're…?"
Jiang Ning explained, "Preparing for the imperial exams."
"The civil exams?" Lin Qingyi asked.
"Both."
"Impressive! Remarkable!" Lin Qingyi's expression was full of admiration.
Jiang Ning smiled.
Then he walked to the charcoal brazier in the corner, added a few pieces of charcoal, and waved his hand activating his control over fire and water.
In less than two breaths, the black charcoal turned bright red, fully ignited and radiating steady warmth.
Lin Qingyi, holding the hot teacup, had just sat down when her attention was drawn to Jiang Ning.
Witnessing this, her eyes flashed with surprise.
Her gaze then shifted upward, landing on Jiang Ning's face.
At this moment.
After lighting the fire, Jiang Ning willed his spiritual energy outward, using it to move the brazier silently to Lin Qingyi's feet.
"Spiritual energy manipulation!" Lin Qingyi remarked, then praised, "It seems your spiritual energy has grown quite strong."
Jiang Ning nodded with a smile and sat beside the brazier.
"It's passable. I can extend it about two hundred meters now."
"Two hundred meters?" Lin Qingyi stared at him in astonishment, her eyes reflecting deep shock.
Though her spiritual energy, as a grandmaster, surpassed Jiang Ning's current level, she understood just how extraordinary a two-hundred-meter range was.
It exceeded the capabilities of 99% of fifth-rank cultivators, and even among fourth-rank experts, few could boast such spiritual reach.
Even now, she has stepped into the third rank, achieving the status of a grandmaster.
Yet, her spiritual energy, capable of leaving her body, does not exceed that of Jiang Ning by merely a little over a mile.
She is also acutely aware that the reason she possesses such formidable spiritual energy at her age is due to her inherently unique physique.
It was precisely because of this unique constitution that she caught the attention of that old prince.
Under the pretext of a "joyous wedding," she was married into the prince's mansion, becoming his nominal princess.
At the thought of this, Lin Qingyi couldn't help but feel a wave of irritation rise in her heart.
Then, she lifted her gaze to Jiang Ning, and the corners of her lips curled into a faint smile. The irritation in her heart eased slightly.
Afterward,
She lifted the hem of her long skirt, revealing a section of smooth, jade-like calf, and stretched it out beside the charcoal brazier to warm herself.
Jiang Ning took a sip of the tea he had just brewed, his eyes involuntarily drawn to her.
Lin Qingyi looked at his gaze, her expression half-smiling. "Like what you see?"
"Quite lovely!" Jiang Ning nodded.
Hearing this, the corners of her lips lifted slightly. Pretending to warm herself, she lifted the hem of her skirt a little higher.
There was no maidenly shyness on her face.
"Go ahead, look!" Lin Qingyi tilted her chin up slightly, a hint of pride in her tone.
Jiang Ning chuckled.
Then, he spoke. "Sister Lin, is there something you came to see me about today?"
"Ah, right!" At his words, Lin Qingyi seemed to snap back to attention.
She retrieved a letter from her sleeve and placed it beside Jiang Ning.
"Here, take it."
"This is...?" Jiang Ning hesitated.
"A letter from Little Seventeen to you."
"Princess Seventeen?"
Jiang Ning's mind immediately conjured the image of Ji Mingyue, who stood half a head shorter than him.
He recalled how she had actively interlocked her fingers with his that day, and his eyes couldn't help but grow complex.
"What? Touched?" Lin Qingyi smiled, lowering the hem of her skirt to cover the exposed smoothness of her calf.
Jiang Ning didn't respond to her teasing. Instead, he tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter inside.
Unfolding it,
He scanned the lines one by one.
The letter, a few hundred words long, didn't use any flowery language. They simply shared her experiences and reflections over the past month.
Within the plain words lay the outpouring of a young girl's heart.
After finishing the letter, Jiang Ning sighed inwardly, then carefully folded it and returned it to the envelope.
"What do you think?" Lin Qingyi asked from the side.
"Nothing much," Jiang Ning replied flatly.
Then, he changed the subject.
"Sister Lin, you mentioned earlier that you've achieved the rank of grandmaster. Is it as a Celestial Grandmaster, a Human Grandmaster, or an Earthly Grandmaster?"
"I didn't expect you to know about these distinctions!" Lin Qingyi cradled the teacup in both hands, took a sip, and then looked up at Jiang Ning.
Jiang Ning said, "I heard a bit about it from Inspector Bai during a conversation the other day."
"Bai Luoyu?" Lin Qingyi asked.
"Yes," Jiang Ning nodded.
"He's quite an extraordinary figure," Lin Qingyi remarked with a sigh, then added, "I completed my first refinement with the Hundred Spirits Blood, so naturally, I'm a Human Grandmaster."
"Human Grandmaster..." Jiang Ning murmured to himself, then asked, "Is achieving Celestial Grandmaster very difficult?"
Lin Qingyi nodded slightly. "Extremely difficult! Extremely!!"
She continued, "Among the grandmasters in this world, only one in ten is a Celestial Grandmaster the highest tier of grandmasters. The rest fall below this level."
"For me, the greatest challenge in becoming a Celestial Grandmaster is the lack of time and insufficient foundation."
"To become a Celestial Grandmaster, one must either rely on certain techniques to achieve communion with heaven and earth, thereby attaining the rank."
"Or, one's state of mind must reach enlightenment, achieving harmony between heaven and man, which also allows one to become a Celestial Grandmaster."
Hearing this, Jiang Ning asked, "Which of these two is harder?"
Lin Qingyi replied, "In terms of difficulty, the first method is undoubtedly harder. Using certain powerful techniques to commune with heaven and earth, drawing the energy of the world into the body to complete a blood refinement and achieve Celestial Grandmaster status."
"The difficulty lies not only in finding compatible techniques but also in comprehending them to an extremely profound level."
"You must understand, that the more powerful the technique, the harder it is to cultivate."
"For ordinary martial artists, even mastering the basics of such techniques is challenging, let alone reaching an exceptionally profound level of understanding."
Jiang Ning asked, "What about the second method?"
Lin Qingyi continued, "The second method of reaching a state of harmony between heaven and man through mental enlightenment is equally difficult and relies more on serendipity and opportunity."
"When the moment and opportunity arrive, a flash of insight may lead to enlightenment, achieving harmony with heaven and earth and drawing the energy of the world into the body."
Hearing this, Jiang Ning understood.
Celestial Grandmasters
place greater emphasis on innate talent, but they are also the highest-tier grandmasters, possessing the greatest potential.
As Bai Luoyu had mentioned earlier, among Great Grandmasters, half are built upon the foundation of Celestial Grandmasters, while the remainder comes from the other two types of grandmasters.
As for the Earthly Grandmaster, it is achieved through the foundation of rare and precious natural treasures.
Compared to the Celestial Grandmaster, it is slightly weaker, yet still extremely difficult to attain.
This is because the natural treasures required for an Earthly Grandmaster are not found in the current world.
Instead, they exist within secret realms left behind by ancient beings of great supernatural power.
Such secret realms are exceedingly rare in this world, almost unheard of.
At least, he had never encountered any mention of them so far.
The third type of grandmaster, the most common one, is the Human Grandmaster also the most frequently seen.
Grandmasters like Lin Qingyi fall into this category, relying on external aids such as Bai Ling Blood to refine their blood and complete the transformation of their physical bodies.
Lin Qingyi glanced at Jiang Ning at this moment, noticing his thoughtful expression, and couldn't help but ask,
"What, do you think achieving Human Grandmaster status makes me weak?"
"No!" Jiang Ning shook his head. "I was just contemplating the differences between the three types of grandmasters."
"You have a general understanding of Celestial, Earthly, and Human Grandmasters?"
"Roughly, yes." Jiang Ning continued, "Celestial Grandmasters are so named because they achieve their status through communion with heaven and earth."
"Earthly Grandmasters are named so because they rely on rare natural treasures to attain their rank."
"And Human Grandmasters are named thus because humans are the leaders of all living beings."
Hearing this, Lin Qingyi couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head, the ornaments in her hair swaying lightly.
"You're not far off, but that's not what I was asking."
"Still, from your explanation, it seems you've grasped the basics well enough!"
Jiang Ning reflected for a moment, then nodded slightly. "I suppose I do understand the gist of it."
"Do you think I lacked ambition by settling for Human Grandmaster?" Lin Qingyi tilted her head to look at Jiang Ning, probing further.
Meeting her gaze, Jiang Ning hesitated briefly before nodding honestly.
"A little."
He went on, "Sister Lin, you're still so young with plenty of time ahead. Why rush into becoming a grandmaster?"
"I'm not that young!" Lin Qingyi gave a bitter smile, her expression dimming slightly. "After twenty-five, a woman starts to decline. I'm already thirty."
Jiang Ning countered, "Achieving grandmaster status grants at least two jiazi (120 years) of lifespan. At that scale, thirty is just the beginning like a flower in full bloom."
"You certainly know how to flatter!" Lin Qingyi smiled.
Jiang Ning replied, "Every word is sincere."
Her smile deepened, but then she said, "You don't understand. Time is running out for me."
"Why do you say that?" Jiang Ning was taken aback, puzzled.
Lin Qingyi shook her head, clearly unwilling to delve deeper.
She then stood up. "My purpose for coming here today is fulfilled. Little Seventeen's letter has been delivered to you. A man and a woman alone in a room if word gets out, it won't sound good. It could ruin your reputation."
"I don't mind, but you're different. You're not married yet."
"So, I should take my leave."
With that, Lin Qingyi turned and walked out of the room.
Watching her push open the door and disappear beyond the threshold, Jiang Ning's gaze sharpened slightly, his expression pensive.
Clearly, from Lin Qingyi's demeanor just now, she was harboring deep worries ones she didn't wish to share with him.
After a moment of contemplation,
Jiang Ning shook his head.
Then, he picked up an unread book from the table beside him and continued flipping through its pages.
On the other side,
Lin Qingyi stepped out of the main gate and glanced back at the eastern courtyard where Jiang Ning resided.
"My troubles must not involve you."
"Becoming a grandmaster has only given me a sliver of hope to resist fate!"
She shook her head, the ornaments in her hair swaying once more, then descended the steps.
The next day,
[Skill]: Literacy + (Fifth Breakthrough 6000/6000) (Traits: Photographic Memory, Enhanced Senses, Quick Thinking, Exceptional Comprehension, Heavenly Eye)
Opening his panel and seeing the display, Jiang Ning couldn't help but smile.
Thanks to his relentless efforts, he had maxed out the 6,000 experience points for Literacy much faster than originally planned.
By mid-morning, he had already reached the full 6,000 points.
With sufficient Source Energy points, this also meant the skill now met the requirements for its next breakthrough.
He checked his Source Energy reserves:
[Source Energy]: 911.87
After days of steady accumulation, his Source Energy had surpassed 900 points.
From what he understood, the sixth breakthrough for Literacy would cost exactly 500 Source Energy points.
Double-checking the numbers,
He focused his mind.
Instantly,
The Source Energy plummeted like a waterfall.
In the blink of an eye, it settled at:
[Source Energy]: 411.87
At the same time, he closed his eyes, feeling an ethereal sensation as if his soul had left his body.
His form grew incredibly light, as though he might drift away with the breeze.
Simultaneously,
He felt his mental force field expand explosively, instantly covering a radius of 200 meters and continuing to swell rapidly.
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