On the Deserted Island.
After adjusting his condition, Jiang Ning picked up his blade and leaped down to a platform on the cliff.
Boom
The platform, about six meters below, cracked under his weight as he landed.
After absorbing the impact, he leaped again.
Boom
He landed on a protruding rock pillar about three meters away, reducing his height by another six meters.
Then he leaped once more.
Boom
He landed on another rock, causing it to shake and crack under his weight.
After three leaps, the cliff, which had been about fifteen meters high, was now above him.
Jiang Ning was already familiar with the terrain of this side of the island.
He knew where the underwater reefs were and where the visible rocks were located.
Then, with a few more leaps, he landed on slightly protruding rocks.
Two breaths later.
Splash
With the sound of water, Jiang Ning plunged into the lake.
Soon, he arrived at his usual training spot.
Standing on the underwater rocks, his toes gripping the surface tightly, he began practicing his blade techniques.
With each swing of his blade, he grew faster and more powerful.
Every strike cleaved through the rushing undercurrents coming at him.
Standing at the bottom of the lake, he was like a lone warrior holding off an army.
All the waves and undercurrents that came within three meters of him were shattered by his blade.
[Canglang Blade Technique experience +2]
[Water Affinity experience +1]
[Water Affinity experience +1]
[Canglang Blade Technique experience +1]
[...]
As he practiced his blade techniques underwater, the experience points for both the Canglang Blade Technique and Water Affinity continued to increase.
Half an Hour Later.
Jiang Ning surfaced from the water.
[Skills]:
Canglang Blade Technique (Small Success 489/500)
Water Affinity (Perfection 729/1000)
Looking at his panel, a bright gleam appeared in Jiang Ning's eyes.
"Not bad! One more session and my Canglang Blade Technique will break through to Great Success."
"Once that happens, I can overlay five layers of force!"
"This will become my true trump card, giving me the ability to fight against stronger opponents!"
In the next moment, after catching his breath, Jiang Ning took a deep breath of fresh air and dove back into the water.
[Canglang Blade Technique experience +1]
[Water Affinity experience +1]
[Water Affinity experience +1]
[...]
As the notifications flashed before him, Jiang Ning remained calm underwater, continuing to practice his blade techniques.
In the blink of an eye.
[Skill]: Canglang Blade Technique (Small Success 499/500)
Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning's face turned slightly red.
He could feel the oxygen in his lungs depleting.
But with only one more experience point needed for the breakthrough, he decided to hold his breath a little longer.
[Canglang Blade Technique experience +1]
When this notification appeared.
[Skill]: Canglang Blade Technique (Great Success 0/1000)
With the breakthrough of his blade technique, Jiang Ning once again experienced the same sensation he had felt a few days ago.
Time seemed to stand still, both fleeting and eternal.
When Jiang Ning opened his eyes and looked at his panel again, he knew his Canglang Blade Technique had truly broken through to Great Success.
He circulated his energy slightly, feeling the surging force within his body, which filled him with awe.
Feeling the energy flowing through his right arm, Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction.
"I can indeed overlay five layers of force now! From today on, I have another life-saving trump card!"
In the next moment, he leaped through the water, moving like a fish.
The water flowed past him as if it offered no resistance, even seeming to propel him forward.
Since reaching Perfection in Water Affinity, Jiang Ning has felt a sense of harmony with the water.
Being underwater no longer filled him with fear but instead gave him a sense of security as if he had returned home.
Most importantly, his speed in the water had improved dramatically.
He could now cover over ten meters in a single breath.
This speed was astonishing.
After all, this was underwater, where the resistance was immense.
Even arrows shot into the water by skilled archers would quickly lose their lethality.
From what he knew, even bullets from his previous world would lose their effectiveness after traveling less than a meter in water.
All of this was due to water resistance.
Yet, Jiang Ning could now move at such incredible speeds underwater, surpassing most aquatic creatures.
Many fish couldn't match his speed.
All of this was thanks to his Water Affinity reaching the Perfection level.
A few breaths later, he surfaced again.
Whoosh
He exhaled the stale air from his lungs and took several deep breaths of fresh air.
After a few cycles, his heart rate, which had accelerated due to oxygen deprivation, returned to normal.
His breathing also steadied.
"The Great Success Level of the Canglang Blade Technique... I wonder how powerful my strikes will be when I overlay five layers of force?"
A relaxed expression appeared on Jiang Ning's face.
The increase in his life-saving abilities made him feel more secure.
Security was something he had always lacked.
Coming to this world had left Jiang Ning feeling uneasy.
Then, he took another deep breath and dove back into the water.
His reason for returning to the water was simple: to increase his Water Affinity experience and practice his blade techniques.
Even though further breakthroughs in his blade technique wouldn't allow him to use overlay nine layers of force, he still needed to enter the water to increase his Water Affinity experience.
[Skill]: Water Affinity (Perfection 793/1000)
He was now only about 200 experience points away from 1,000.
He was filled with anticipation for the breakthrough of Water Affinity.
Moreover, the experience points for Water Affinity increased rapidly. Based on his recent experience, he could gain over 200 points in just over two hours.
Since he was already in the water, he might as well practice his blade techniques to maximize efficiency.
Thus, his primary goal this time was to increase his Water Affinity experience and attempt the first breakthrough.
The growth of his Canglang Blade Technique experience was just a bonus.
Returning to his usual spot underwater, Jiang Ning continued practicing his blade techniques.
[Water Affinity experience +1]
[Water Affinity experience +1]
[Canglang Blade Technique experience +2]
[Water Affinity experience +1]
[...]
Seeing the experience points for both skills increasing simultaneously, Jiang Ning felt a surge of joy.
In the blink of an eye, over two hours had passed.
[Skill]: Water Affinity (Perfection 999/1000)
Looking at his panel.
"Just one more point!"
Jiang Ning thought to himself, his spirits lifting.
A moment later.
[Canglang Blade Technique experience +1]
[Water Affinity experience +1]
When this notification appeared.
[Skill]: Water Affinity+ (1000/1000)
The experience points for Water Affinity had finally maxed out, and a plus sign appeared next to the skill.
Seeing this, Jiang Ning felt a surge of joy.
"Finally, I can break through! I wonder what new trait Water Affinity will gain after the breakthrough?"
With this thought, he focused on his panel.
[Source Energy]: 87.8
As he willed it, the Source Energy points began to decrease rapidly.
In an instant, ten points were consumed.
[Source Energy]: 77.8
The number stopped there.
"Indeed, the first breakthrough of Water Affinity also costs ten Source Energy points," Jiang Ning thought to himself.
Then he looked at the next line on his panel.
[Skill]: Water Affinity (First Breakthrough 0/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing)
[Underwater Breathing]: Gain the ability to breathe underwater. The pores of your body can absorb oxygen from the water to sustain yourself.
Seeing this trait, Jiang Ning was astonished.
"Underwater Breathing?"
"Such a unique ability."
As he murmured to himself, he immediately noticed that even underwater, the oxygen in his lungs was no longer finite.
Fresh oxygen was being absorbed through his pores, instinctively replenishing his lungs.
He stood still for a moment, feeling the changes in his body.
A moment later, Jiang Ning opened his eyes, a look of delight in them.
"Underwater Breathing is such a miraculous trait!"
"Just ten Source Energy points gave me such an incredible ability. This is such a bargain."
Then, he took a comprehensive look at his panel.
[Name]: Jiang Ning
[Source Energy]: 77.8
[Skills]:
Literacy (Second Breakthrough 1043/3000) (Traits: Photographic Memory, Enhanced Senses)
Five Animals Fist (Perfection 765/1000)
Firewood Chopping Technique (Third Breakthrough 4000/4000) (Traits: Versatility, Swift as the Wind, Mastery of the Blade)
Internal Elixir Cultivation Art (Proficient 1061/2000)
Canglang Blade Technique (Great Success 48/1000)
Indestructible Golden Body (Proficient 0/2000)
Water Affinity (First Breakthrough 0/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing)
Over the past few days, aside from practicing his blade techniques, Jiang Ning had been absorbing solar energy in the mornings to refine his internal organs.
He hadn't spent time on any other skills, focusing entirely on breaking through to Great Success in the Canglang Blade Technique and mastering the overlay of five layers of force.
Today, he had finally achieved that goal.
As for the Water Affinity skill, it had been an unexpected but delightful surprise.
He had never imagined that simply spending time in the lake would grant him such a practical skill.
Now, with its first breakthrough, it had given him another pleasant surprise.
Underwater Breathing might seem like a modest ability, but it was incredibly useful.
After all, humans were land creatures. Even with the Internal Elixir Cultivation Art at the Proficient level, which had greatly refined his internal organs, his lung capacity was comparable to that of a fifth-grade martial artist.
Yet, even so, practicing his blade techniques underwater had limited him to half an hour.
In more intense combat, that time would be even shorter.
This was true even for fifth-grade martial artists.
For those below that level, whether seventh, eighth or even sixth-grade martial artists, entering the water would quickly exhaust them, leading to their demise.
But for Jiang Ning, it was different.
Now, he could stay underwater for days without worry.
This was a significant advantage.
It meant that near water, even a top-tier sixth-grade martial artist would struggle to threaten him.
Once he entered the water, it became his domain.
How powerful was a sixth-grade martial artist? From Cao Rong's display, one could get a glimpse.
They were truly superhuman beings.
But if such a being were to enter the water to pursue him, Jiang Ning could seize the opportunity to eliminate them.
This was a massive hidden advantage and his greatest reliance.
Most importantly, this trait had only cost him ten Source Energy points.
Given his current rate of accumulating Source Energy, it would only take three or four days to earn ten points.
This was undoubtedly a very worthwhile investment.
Then, staying quietly underwater, Jiang Ning slowly exhaled the oxygen stored in his lungs.
He wanted to test the efficiency of Underwater Breathing.
In intense combat, could this trait provide him with enough oxygen?
After all, the more intense the activity, the higher the oxygen demand.
A moment later, Jiang Ning had completely exhaled the oxygen from his lungs.
Once his lungs were empty, he felt thousands of tiny streams of oxygen entering his body through his pores.
Although each pore absorbed only a small amount of oxygen, the sheer number of pores in the human body made up for it.
Soon, Jiang Ning felt his lungs filling with fresh oxygen again.
Feeling the changes in his body, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Not bad! The efficiency is high. Even in underwater combat, I won't run out of breath!"
"This is indeed a very practical trait."
Now that he had mastered this trait, Jiang Ning felt a surge of curiosity.
The Luo River was vast. What lay at the bottom of the lake?
Over the years, countless ships have traveled its waters. Could there be sunken ships filled with gold and jade?
The depths of the lake were an unexplored wilderness.
Could there be rare treasures hidden there, treasures that could greatly benefit martial arts?
With this thought, he decided to explore the lakebed.
Now that he could breathe freely underwater, he could move around without restriction.
Then, with a few strokes, he shot through the water like an arrow.
"So fast!" Feeling the change in his speed, Jiang Ning was slightly surprised.
He could feel that his speed had increased by about 20-30%.
The reason was obvious: his Water Affinity had broken through.
Reaching the first breakthrough had brought significant improvements.
A Short While Later.
Tian Buyi appeared on a cliff.
Cough
He coughed lightly a few times.
After coughing, he looked at his palm, which showed no traces of blood.
He felt somewhat relieved.
"My internal injuries have improved, but they're not fully healed yet. I can't exert myself too much."
"Now, I need to find the man named Jiang Ning, whom Cao Rong tasked me to kill. I've seen his portrait. Once I find him, I'll recognize him and kill him!"
"Once he's dead, I can fulfill my promise to Cao Rong and leave Luoshui County, escaping the Medicine King Valley's pursuit."
Tian Buyi muttered to himself, his eyes thoughtful.
Looking at the buildings along the Luo River.
"Based on my earlier investigations, he now lives in that area."
"As long as I see him, I'll recognize him."
"With my current strength, even though I'm still injured, as an eighth-grade martial artist, killing him would be as easy as crushing a chick. I could even kill him with a thrown stone."
"The only problem now is finding him."
At that moment.
Splash
A head suddenly emerged from the water ahead, sending ripples across the surface.
"Someone's there?" Tian Buyi's eyes were instantly filled with alertness.
Since his last encounter with Liu Qingsong, he had become extremely cautious.
He knew that if Liu Qingsong found him again, he would have to jump into the lake immediately, or he would surely die.
Liu Qingsong, a seventh-grade martial artist, had shown him the insurmountable gap between their strengths.
Even at his peak, Tian Buyi couldn't last more than a few rounds against Liu Qingsong.
Now, with his injuries, it was even more hopeless.
So, seeing the figure emerging from the water, Tian Buyi was on high alert.
In the next moment, after getting a clearer look at the young man's face, Tian Buyi breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's a young man! Good, he's probably not from the Medicine King Valley. None of their pursuers are this young."
Then, Tian Buyi's eyes narrowed.
"Wait!"
"This is... the person Cao Rong tasked me to kill."
"It's... Jiang Ning!"
After getting a clearer look at the young man's face, Tian Buyi's expression hardened.
A surge of joy filled his heart.
"Heaven has blessed me!"
"After searching high and low, I've found him without even trying!"
"Once I kill this kid, I can leave Luoshui County in peace!"
Tian Buyi's face lit up with excitement.
All the worries in his mind vanished.
At this moment, Jiang Ning surfaced from the water, a look of joy on his face.
He had just found a Blood Lotus at the bottom of the lake.
The Blood Lotus was an aquatic plant.
It resembled a lotus but was entirely blood-red, hence its name.
For martial artists, it was a true treasure, a natural resource that could significantly enhance one's qi and blood.
It required no special preparation; simply chewing and swallowing it would greatly boost one's qi and blood without any side effects.
Any natural resource that could enhance qi and blood was extremely valuable.
Moreover, the Blood Lotus in Jiang Ning's hand was fifty years old, with five leaves.
From what Jiang Ning knew, a ten-year-old wild Blood Lotus was worth fifty taels of silver.
A twenty-year-old one was worth double, and a thirty-year-old one with three leaves was worth double again.
The value continued to double with each decade.
A fifty-year-old Blood Lotus was worth eight hundred taels of silver.
Finding something worth eight hundred taels was certainly cause for celebration!
-support me on Patreon for more chapters, 410+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LordoftheReader