Inside the house.
Three hundred and fifty meters!
Feeling the range his spiritual power now covered, Jiang Ning was utterly shocked.
Three hundred and fifty meters though it was only an increase of one hundred and fifty meters in diameter compared to the previous two hundred meters his spiritual field expanded in a full 360-degree range without blind spots.
In the area of a circle, when the diameter doubles, the area increases exponentially. The same principle applied to the intensity of spiritual power it also grew exponentially.
Now that his spiritual field could cover a radius of three hundred and fifty meters, compared to the previous two hundred meters, it meant his spiritual power had increased by more than threefold. A simple calculation using knowledge from his past life confirmed this.
Moreover, the growth in spiritual power was something he could distinctly feel.
With spiritual power now three times stronger, the difference was palpable.
Soon, it was as if a god's perspective had opened up every minute change within a three-hundred-and-fifty-meter radius was laid bare in his mind.
This all-encompassing control was something Jiang Ning found deeply satisfying.
Everything was under his command.
A long time passed.
Slowly, he opened his eyes.
His gaze turned toward the window.
The snowflakes falling in the distance outside were now vividly clear in his mind.
The soft sound of snow landing inside and outside the courtyard reached his ears.
The feedback from these sounds instantly formed a clear image in his mind.
"This isn't right!"
Jiang Ning murmured to himself.
At this moment, he suddenly realized that his vision and hearing had undergone extraordinary improvements.
The extent of this enhancement far exceeded what a normal increase in spiritual power should bring.
Normally, growth in spiritual power would also sharpen the five senses.
Every previous breakthrough in spiritual power had strengthened his senses to some degree.
But this time was different.
Compared to before, this was a qualitative leap a transformation.
He immediately sensed that this state was unusual, far beyond what mere spiritual power growth could achieve.
With this in mind, he opened his panel.
Anticipation welled up in his heart.
The breakthrough in Literacy would undoubtedly grant him a new trait.
Every time a new trait appeared in the past, it filled him with excitement.
It was like drawing a lottery ticket.
The unknown was the greatest source of anticipation.
But this time, based on the changes in his body, he could already guess what aspect the new trait would enhance.
[Skills]: Literacy (Sixth Breakthrough 2/7000) (Traits: Photographic Memory, Enhanced Senses, Quick Thinking, Exceptional Comprehension, Heavenly Eye, Transcendent Sixth Sense)
[Transcendent Sixth Sense]: Innately possesses a sixth sense, with all six senses exhibiting transcendent effects. Intuition is extraordinary and unparalleled.
"Just as I thought!"
Looking at the display on his panel, Jiang Ning felt no surprise.
From the changes he had just experienced the leaps in vision and hearing he had already deduced that the new trait must be related to perception.
Now, seeing the new trait on his panel, acquired through the breakthrough in Literacy, he wasn't taken aback. The only slight surprise was the enhancement of intuition the so-called sixth sense.
A person's sixth sense, also known as intuition, was something every martial artist developed to some degree once they reached a certain level.
For example, in his previous archery practices, even if his opponents couldn't see or hear him, they would often sense danger at critical moments and either block or evade.
That was the manifestation of intuition.
Now, the new trait on his panel, as described, primarily enhanced intuition while also strengthening the other five senses to some extent.
"This is excellent!"
He nodded in satisfaction as he examined his panel.
The benefits of enhanced five senses had been proven to him time and again.
Now, with another boost to his five senses, it wouldn't directly increase his combat power, but the auxiliary effects were still significant.
Especially intuition this sixth sense would provide even greater support.
After reviewing the changes on his panel, he closed it.
Then, he turned his gaze toward Luoshui Lake.
Due to two consecutive days of snowfall, the partially thawed lake had frozen over again.
With his spiritual power now vastly stronger, Jiang Ning looked toward Luoshui Lake, and an idea resurfaced in his mind.
"Might as well give it a try."
The next moment.
He expanded his spiritual field, located Lü Yi, and used the Sound Transmission technique to instruct her to inform Jiang Li and Liu Wanwan that he was going out and not to wait for him at lunch.
After handling this matter, he left his room and stepped into the courtyard.
Hopping over the high courtyard wall, he soon reached the frozen surface of the lake.
Compared to half a month ago, the ice was noticeably thinner now.
Even with the ongoing snowfall, temperatures were still higher than they had been two weeks prior.
Standing on the ice, he could hear faint cracking sounds beneath his feet.
Boom
With a single stomp, the ice beneath him shattered instantly, sending fragments flying in all directions as he plunged into the lake.
The moment he entered the water, streams of bubbles rose around him.
He immediately felt an invisible nourishing sensation envelop his entire body far more comfortable than soaking in a hot spring.
Closing his eyes, he extended his perception outward.
In an instant
All the surrounding waters within a three-li radius suddenly fell into his mind.
Like a scroll unfolding before him, everything within that range appeared vividly in his consciousness.
Through the lake, he could sense every change within the three-li radius.
Whether it was the surging of underwater currents or the ripples stirred by fish flicking their tails, all were imprinted in his mind with crystal clarity.
"My perception range has indeed expanded!" Jiang Ning opened his eyes, his face lighting up with joy.
A radius of three li meant a diameter of three kilometers, stretching three thousand meters.
Such a vast expanse of water allowed him to observe every minute detail beneath the surface, all the diverse and intricate movements.
Had his mental strength not been sufficient, he suspected his brain might not have been able to handle such a massive influx of information before.
But now, even with his eyes open, processing the constant stream of details from the three-li radius didn't feel the least bit burdensome.
Especially since he was submerged in water, nourished by its essence any consumption was quickly replenished.
His brain continuously processed the information without feeling the slightest strain.
Soon, he made a discovery.
With a flicker of movement,
he darted through the water like a swift fish, the currents parting before him as if yielding to his advance.
Three breaths later,
he had already traveled over a thousand meters.
He stopped in front of a crevice in the rocks.
Extending his right hand, the rocky fissure began to split open.
"A twenty-year-old Water Sunflower what a lucky start!"
Jiang Ning smiled with satisfaction.
The Water Sunflower,
though growing underwater, had the effect of boosting blood vitality, strengthening the foundation, and replenishing vitality. Most notably, for women, it had remarkable beautifying properties and effects that were particularly pronounced.
And this was what made the Water Sunflower so unique.
Also, its most valuable trait.
Most women who practiced martial arts sought such beautifying treasures.
Take Li Qing, Xie Xiaojiu, Xiao Emei, and others, for example.
Without such rare natural treasures, how could they maintain fair, delicate skin and beautiful features after long hours of training under the sun and wind?
As the saying goes, fair skin hides a hundred flaws.
Once a woman's skin darkened, no matter how naturally beautiful she was, it would be hard for her to remain attractive.
Thus, the Water Sunflower with its potent beautifying effects was a treasure coveted by any woman who practiced martial arts.
This single plant alone could fetch two or three hundred taels of silver on the market.
Yet, other herbs with similar medicinal effects could be bought for merely a tenth or a fifth of that price.
The next moment,
he retrieved the twenty-year-old Water Sunflower from the crevice. Inspecting the intact plant, he nodded in approval.
His purpose in coming underwater today was precisely to search for treasures.
A lucky start naturally pleased him.
Then,
Without hesitation, he tossed the valuable Water Sunflower into his mouth and began chewing.
Though the Water Sunflower was far more expensive than other herbs with similar effects due to its unique properties,
to him, it made no difference.
A mere hundred taels of silver in price disparity wasn't worth his time.
Besides, in Luoshui County nowadays, any medicinal herbs or natural treasures of decent age are scarce.
Even with money, it was hard to procure the resources he needed for absorption.
Moreover, with his perception spanning a three-li radius underwater, his efficiency in locating natural treasures was exceptionally high.
Natural treasures weren't just abundant in untamed mountains and forests underwater, untouched by humans, was the real treasure trove.
With such a trove at his disposal and his current efficiency, how could he care about a mere difference of a few hundred taels?
After a few chews, the twenty-year-old Water Sunflower entered his stomach.
"This one Water Sunflower should give me about ten Source Energy points."
He immediately felt a warm current spreading through his abdomen.
Then,
he moved again.
With his perception covering a three-li radius and his incredible speed underwater,
Under a thorough, carpet-like search, he spent an entire day discovering quite a few treasures at the bottom of the water.
Among them, in the deep waters of the lake, he found several chests of official silver.
When he first discovered them, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
But upon closer inspection, his hopes were quickly dashed.
The silver had been lost at some unknown point in history.
Having been submerged in the depths of the lake for too long, it had been severely eroded. The moment it came into contact with air, it began to oxidize rapidly, turning into worthless scraps.
The next day.
When Jiang Ning woke up, he immediately checked his panel.
[Source Energy]: 611.17
Seeing the change in his Source Energy points, he gave a slight nod.
"Not bad."
From the morning of the previous day until late at night, he had been combing through Luoshui Lake in a systematic search for underwater natural treasures.
Thanks to his speed and his perception of the surrounding three-mile radius, he had managed to find many natural treasures of varying ages, some decades old.
Regardless of their effects, he had consumed every single one he found without hesitation, refining and absorbing them.
After a full day of absorption and refinement, his Source Energy points had increased significantly by the time he woke up today.
From over 300 points the previous day, it had now risen to over 600 an increase of more than 200 points.
In the past, such a jump would have excited him.
But now, it barely registered. His heart remained unmoved.
After all, for him at this stage, the amount of Source Energy required to break through any skill on his panel was no small figure.
After spending nearly an entire day, his Source Energy had grown by less than 300 points.
At this rate, accumulating 1,000 Source Energy points would take four or five days.
And that was just the time needed for Source Energy's growth not even accounting for the time required to grind experience.
"I'll have to venture deeper into the lake today!"
With that thought, Jiang Ning steeled himself.
The day before, he had been conducting a systematic search along the lakeshore, moving toward the deeper parts. He had noticed a pattern: the further he went into Luoshui Lake, the deeper the water became but the older and more potent the natural treasures he found.
The highest-grade treasure he had discovered the previous day was an 80-year-old Serpentvine Grass.
This was a natural treasure that could enhance the toughness of human tendons, improving the efficiency of tendon tempering and shortening the time required.
Even with his current tendon strength, after refining that 80-year-old Serpentvine Grass, he could feel a slight increase in the toughness of his tendons.
For someone like him, whose tendons were already as tough as dragon sinews, even a minor improvement was incredibly difficult to achieve.
That such a small enhancement was noticeable at all spoke volumes about the potency of Serpentine Grass.
This alone was enough to prove that Luoshui Lake was a natural treasure trove.
A natural trove is ripe for the taking.
Then.
He stretched out his hand and retrieved a wine gourd from his spatial ring.
Opening the gourd, he peered inside and saw two small black stones lying at the bottom.
Threads of silver light continuously seeped out from the stones, dissolving into the wine and transforming into shimmering specks of starlight.
"So it is!" His expression brightened with delight.
The day before, he had found a black stone in a corner of the lakebed that closely resembled the Lunar Yin Stone he had once obtained.
The only difference was that the black stone he found yesterday showed no extraordinary properties it was dull and unremarkable, like an ordinary piece of rubble.
Had he not already possessed a Lunar Yin Stone, he would never have noticed it.
Since the black stone had displayed no unusual traits at the time, he had taken it on a whim, just to test his theory.
But now, it seemed his guess had been correct it was indeed a Lunar Yin Stone.
Moreover, placing the two stones together seemed to have activated the mystical properties of the newly found stone, causing it to also release diluted strands of Emperor's Essence.
A moment later.
With a thought, he used his spiritual power to levitate the two Lunar Yin Stones from the bottom of the gourd. They floated through the opening and landed in his palm.
"They are the same!" After a careful examination, Jiang Ning confirmed that, aside from their shapes, the two black stones were nearly identical after just one night.
"From the looks of it, there must be more Lunar Yin Stones like these in Luoshui Lake."
"I wonder what caused such mystical objects to exist in this lake..."
He murmured to himself.
Now he had another reason to thoroughly scour Luoshui Lake.
Lunar Yin Stones might not provide immediate, tangible benefits.
But when soaked in liquid over time, they could continuously produce diluted Emperor's Essence.
This unique natural treasure could not only improve his innate physique and enhance his martial talent, bringing about continuous transformation it could also provide a steady stream of Source Energy growth.
And the growth of Source Energy was even more crucial.
Over time, the Source Energy provided by Lunar Yin Stone-infused wine would become a significant accumulation.
With that, he tossed the two stones back into the wine gourd.
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