In the courtyard.
Jiang Ning stood under a tree, deep in thought.
The sudden turn of events today had completely caught him off guard.
Whether it was Cao Bin's sudden arrest, Cao Rong's intervention, or Shen Congyun's arrival, everything had been beyond his expectations.
After a long while, Jiang Ning shook his head as he reflected on everything that had happened.
"The root cause is that I'm still too weak and lack power or influence!"
"Thankfully, I've gained the attention of someone as influential as Shen Congyun."
"However, Wang Jin's earlier words were also correct. Relying on others is not a sustainable path. True strength must come from within."
"Moreover, Wang Jin's reasoning makes sense. By intervening, Shen Congyun violated Wanhua Tower's rules."
"If he faces punishment from Wanhua Tower's headquarters and loses his authority, the Cao family might not remain as submissive as they are today."
Then, he clenched his fist, feeling the flow of his qi and blood as he assessed his current state.
"To take control of my future and prevent a situation like today from happening again, I must quickly strengthen myself."
"I hope Wang Jin's assistance tomorrow will be substantial."
He then recalled Shen Congyun's parting words.
Shen Congyun had instructed him to memorize the follow-up cultivation methods of the Internal Elixir Nourishment Technique and to visit Wanhua Tower as soon as possible.
"I hope Shen Congyun can also provide me with some help," Jiang Ning thought to himself.
Soon, night fell.
Jiang Ning brought the golden sheets containing the follow-up cultivation methods of the Internal Elixir Nourishment Technique to Wanhua Tower and handed them over to Shen Congyun.
After a long while, he left Wanhua Tower and headed straight for the outer city.
In the outer city, Jiang Ning walked along a familiar path.
As he turned a corner, he saw the house where he had lived for over a decade. At the gate of the small fenced yard, Jiang Li was eagerly waiting.
When Jiang Li saw Jiang Ning, a smile spread across his face.
"Big brother!" Jiang Ning called out as he approached.
Jiang Li quickly walked over and gave Jiang Ning a firm pat on the shoulder with his left hand.
"You've grown much stronger, kid! Martial training does wonders!"
Jiang Ning grinned. "Are you alright, big brother?"
"Ha!" Jiang Li shook his head. "Nothing happened! Your sister-in-law and I were barely taken to the county office before we were released."
"What about Little Doubao and Yiming?" Jiang Ning asked.
Jiang Li smiled. "Don't worry! They're fine. Thanks to you, we managed to get a big shot like Deputy Tower Master Shen to speak up for us."
"You know about that?" Jiang Ning asked.
"Pretty much!" Jiang Li nodded. "With Deputy Tower Master Shen's intervention, the matter is settled."
"It should be settled," Jiang Ning said, then added, "I'll go see Little Doubao and Yiming."
The two entered the small yard.
"Sister-in-law!" Jiang Ning greeted Liu Wanwan.
Liu Wanwan looked at Jiang Ning with a complex expression, then bowed gracefully. "Jiang Ning, thank you!"
"Sister-in-law, there's no need for this!" Jiang Ning quickly said.
Liu Wanwan shook her head. "I'm your sister-in-law, but I'm also Little Doubao and Yiming's mother. If it weren't for you today, both Little Doubao and Yiming, as well as your brother and I, would have met a tragic end, or worse, suffered humiliation."
"Thank you!"
As she expressed her gratitude, Liu Wanwan bowed again.
"Sister-in-law, we're family. There's no need for formalities!"
Liu Wanwan smiled softly. "Let's eat first! The food is still warm."
"Sister-in-law, I'll go see Little Doubao and Yiming first," Jiang Ning said.
"Alright," Liu Wanwan nodded.
Jiang Ning then entered the house.
"Uncle!" Jiang Yiming put down the book he was reading and stood up from his chair when he saw Jiang Ning.
Jiang Ning walked over and glanced at the book. It was a required text for the imperial examinations.
He ruffled Jiang Yiming's hair. "Study hard and aim to earn a scholarly title someday."
Jiang Yiming nodded earnestly. "Uncle, don't worry. I'll study hard. If I had a scholarly title today, we wouldn't have almost ended up in prison."
"Thanks to you, Uncle, my sister, and our parents are safe."
With that, Jiang Yiming bowed deeply to Jiang Ning.
"You little rascal!" Jiang Ning laughed, ruffling his hair again.
Then he said, "I'll go see Little Doubao."
Jiang Yiming said, "Little sister was frightened all day and just fell asleep. Should I wake her up?"
Jiang Ning shook his head. "No need. I'll just take a look."
Jiang Ning then entered the room and saw Little Doubao sleeping soundly on the bed, drooling slightly.
Seeing this, Jiang Ning couldn't help but smile.
His elder brother's family was safe and sound.
With that, he finally felt a sense of relief.
After leaving the room, he drank and ate with Jiang Li in the yard.
As the moon rose above the trees, Jiang Ning said, "Big brother, I should head back."
"Alright," Jiang Li nodded. "Be careful on your way back."
As Jiang Ning left the familiar yard, he glanced back one last time before turning away.
He knew that the current peace was only due to Shen Congyun's influence.
Moreover, during his meeting with Shen Congyun at Wanhua Tower that evening, he learned something.
Shen Congyun might be leaving Luoshui County in the next couple of days.
Although Shen Congyun didn't explicitly state the reason, Jiang Ning could guess.
It was because Shen Congyun had violated Wanhua Tower's rules.
An organization as large as Wanhua Tower undoubtedly had strict regulations.
While Shen Congyun was a prominent figure in Luoshui County, within the vast Wanhua Tower, which spanned the nine provinces and thirty-six prefectures, he was just an ordinary member.
Knowing that Shen Congyun might leave soon, Jiang Ning realized that true safety could only come from his strength.
Relying on others was not a sustainable solution.
If Shen Congyun left, it would be difficult for him to return anytime soon.
Without his influence, Jiang Ning couldn't be sure whether the Cao family would remain subdued.
He couldn't afford to gamble on it.
Because the stakes were too high.
The next day.
Jiang Ning woke up and checked his status.
[Name]: Jiang Ning
[Source Energy]: 6.8
[Skills]:
Literacy (First Breakthrough 732/2000) (Trait: Photographic Memory)
Five Animals Fist (Minor Mastery 268/500)
Firewood Chopping Blade Technique (First Breakthrough 2000/2000) (Trait: Versatility)
Internal Elixir Nourishment Technique (Initial Stage 58/1000)
Canglang Blade Technique (Proficient 0/200)
Due to yesterday's upheaval, his progress has been delayed.
His source energy had only increased by one point, much less than in previous days.
His fist technique's experience had also grown only slightly, as he had been preoccupied.
After leaving his room, Jiang Ning washed up and began practicing his fist techniques.
[Five Animals Fist Experience +2]
[Five Animals Fist Experience +2]
[Five Animals Fist Experience +2]
[Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Minor Mastery 274/500)
After practicing the fist technique three times, his experience with the Five Animals Fist increased by six points, and his qi and blood energy grew by nine strands.
By now, the eastern sky was dyed red by the morning sun, with half the sky glowing crimson.
Seeing the sun about to rise, Jiang Ning felt a surge of excitement.
Last night, after meeting Shen Congyun, he received some benefits.
These included five bottles of Organ Protection Pills and Shen Congyun's future arrangements for him.
According to Shen Congyun, once Jiang Ning's qi and blood reached perfection, he could seek out Deputy Tower Master Lin Qingyi, who would have further instructions from Shen Congyun.
The five bottles of Organ Protection Pills had been handed to him that very night.
Shen Congyun explained that taking one pill each morning before absorbing the solar essence would protect his internal organs, reducing the pain caused by the scorching solar energy.
It would also increase the efficiency of absorbing solar essence and speed up his progress in the Internal Elixir Nourishment Technique.
The five bottles of pills would last him about half a year.
They were an invaluable aid.
Now, with the addition of the guiding method he had acquired for the Internal Elixir Nourishment Technique, Jiang Ning was filled with anticipation.
With these two advantages combined, how much would his efficiency in grinding experience for the Internal Elixir Nourishment Technique improve?
Since learning about the technique's rank yesterday, Jiang Ning has held it in high regard.
This technique was a peerless skill, ranked above even top-tier martial arts.
Previously, Jiang Ning had only heard fragments of information about such skills.
Every peerless skill was incredibly powerful, capable of reaching the pinnacle of martial arts.
If he could make breakthroughs in the Internal Elixir Nourishment Technique, it would undoubtedly greatly enhance his strength.
Strength was the foundation of his survival.
With the help of his mysterious panel, as long as he worked hard, any skill could be perfected, and even broken through to unimaginable levels.
Take his Firewood Chopping Blade Technique, for example. Though it was a simple farming technique, after breaking through its limits, it had not only granted him incredible traits but also given him immense explosive power.
Thus, Jiang Ning was filled with anticipation for the Internal Elixir Nourishment Technique, a skill hailed as a peerless art.
Every breakthrough would bring a significant boost to his strength.
This was why he was so eager.
He was eager to see how much his efficiency in absorbing solar essence would improve with the help of the Organ Protection Pills and the guiding method.
How fast would he be able to gain experience?
After all, the faster he gained experience, the sooner he could break through to the next level of the Internal Elixir Nourishment Technique.
A moment later, the fiery sun slowly rose from the east.
Jiang Ning sat cross-legged in the courtyard, having already swallowed an Organ Protection Pill. He felt a cooling sensation spread through his internal organs, causing his body to shudder slightly.
In this state, he waited quietly for the sun to fully rise.
After reaching the initial stage of the Internal Elixir Nourishment Technique, he could only absorb the solar essence after sunrise to further refine his internal organs and increase his experience with the technique.
Thus, the moment after the sun fully rose was the best time for him to absorb the solar essence.
Soon, within just a minute, the sun had fully risen.
Jiang Ning faced east, his eyes fixed on the rising sun, and began circulating the absorption method recorded in the Internal Elixir Nourishment Technique.
In the next moment, Jiang Ning felt a scorching heat, like a fiery serpent, enter through his nostrils and flow into his internal organs.
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