East Courtyard.
After returning home, Jiang Ning cut off more than ten pounds of White Dragon Fish meat and handed it to Jiang Li, instructing him to carefully control the daily intake.
Although the effects of the White Dragon Fish were mild, ordinary people still shouldn't consume too much.
So, in Jiang Ning's opinion, more than ten pounds of White Dragon Fish meat would be enough for his elder brother's family to consume over several months.
As for storing the White Dragon Fish, there was no need to worry.
The meat of the White Dragon Fish could remain fresh for several months at room temperature.
After that, he returned to his courtyard and untied a wine flask from his waist.
This flask was something he had just obtained from the martial arts school.
It contained fine wine from Wang Jin.
When he opened the flask, a rich aroma of wine wafted out.
He then took out the black stone he had found in the underwater cave earlier.
"Whether it's effective or not, we'll know in a few days!" Jiang Ning murmured, then dropped the black stone into the wine flask.
Clink, clink, clink
He shook the flask a few times.
The sound of the black stone colliding inside the flask was clear.
Then, he tied the flask back to his waist.
The black stone in the flask was extremely important to him now, as he suspected it might be the source of the treasure at the bottom of the lake.
If this speculation was confirmed, then this stone would be one of the two most valuable items he possessed.
One was the black stone, and the other was the spirit weapon that had recognized him as its master.
After securing the flask, Jiang Ning went to the ancient well in the courtyard and looked down.
Under the moonlight, the well shimmered with a bright white light.
This bright light was the reflection of the moonlight on the white scales of the White dragonfish.
The White Dragon Fish, over five feet long, had nearly a hundred pounds of meat.
Even with Jiang Ning's current eighth-grade physique and high metabolism, the nearly hundred pounds of White Dragon Fish meat would last him a long time.
To keep the meat fresh, he had stored it in the cool ancient well.
Then.
Jiang Ning lifted the White Dragon Fish meat from the well and took out a small knife he had prepared earlier.
With a swift cut, a piece of meat weighing about a pound fell into his hand.
He hadn't eaten his fill of the fish meat at the martial arts school earlier.
After all, he had only brought two pounds of meat, which wasn't enough for him alone, let alone sharing it with several people.
He took a bite, and the cool fish meat was torn apart by his strong teeth.
"Amazing!" After devouring a pound of fish meat in a few bites, Jiang Ning patted his stomach and sighed.
Then, he continued to cut off pieces of White Dragon Fish meat, devouring them in large mouthfuls.
For martial artists, eating three to five pounds of meat in one meal was no problem.
Especially for someone of Jiang Ning's current strength.
In the blink of an eye, over five pounds of fish meat had entered his stomach, and Jiang Ning finally felt satisfied.
Patting his stomach and feeling the fullness inside, he then returned the remaining White Dragon Fish meat to the well for storage.
By now, the night was deep.
In the next moment.
He leaped into the air and headed toward the rocky beach.
It was still early for sleep, and he had just consumed a large amount of White Dragon Fish meat. Now was the perfect time to practice his martial arts to aid in digesting the fish meat.
With the [Water Spirit Affinity] trait, practicing in the water was the best place for him.
Because he was in the water, he would be nourished by the water source, and his condition would recover in all aspects, much like the Fountain of Life in the games from his previous life.
After a while.
Splash
Water splashed as Jiang Ning plunged into the lake.
So comfortable!!
Feeling his body nourished by the mysterious energy, Jiang Ning couldn't help but sigh deeply.
Then.
He began practicing his martial arts underwater.
[Five Animals Fist Experience +1]
[Water Affinity Experience +1]
[Water Affinity Experience +1]
[...]
As he practiced underwater, the experience points for the Five Animals Fist and Water Affinity continued to increase.
In the past, as he practiced, he would feel a significant drain on his body, with his stamina and energy continuously declining.
But now, practicing in the water.
Not only did he not feel his condition worsening, but his spirit, energy, and vitality gradually became more abundant.
Even the blood and qi he had consumed earlier by using the Furnace Alchemy Technique were now continuously recovering as he stayed in the lake.
The sun rose.
Today, the lake's surface was calm, with little wind or waves.
Suddenly.
Splash
Water splashed.
Jiang Ning leaped out of the water, drawing a perfect parabola in the air before landing on the rocky beach.
[Skill]: Five Animals Fist (First Breakthrough 272/2000) (Trait: Essence Storage)
"Another few dozen experience points!"
Then he closed the status panel and clenched his fist.
His body instantly felt incredibly full and robust.
His spirit, energy, and vitality had reached their peak at this moment.
"My strength has increased again! The White Dragon Fish truly lives up to its name as a spirit fish. After practicing to aid digestion, my strength instantly surged by over fifty pounds."
"Even my blood and qi have grown by about half a percent."
Jiang Ning murmured, filled with joy.
He had expected the White Dragon Fish meat to be beneficial, but he hadn't anticipated such a significant effect.
Less than ten pounds of fish meat had given him such a noticeable boost.
Moreover, this was just the visible effect.
In addition, he could feel that his bones and tendons had slightly strengthened, and his innate bone structure had improved.
"It's time to go back!"
"Now that my spirit, energy, and vitality are full, and my blood and qi are at their peak, it's the perfect time to use the Furnace Alchemy Technique to refine the Strength-Boosting Pills."
Thinking this, Jiang Ning looked at the tall wall not far ahead.
Then, with a few leaps, he scaled the wall and returned to his courtyard.
Entering the house, he picked up a jade bottle containing Strength-Boosting Pills from the table.
He poured out two pills, then thought for a moment and added one more, making three in total.
He tossed the three pills into his mouth, swallowed them, and then sat cross-legged on the bed.
In his mind, he instantly visualized the furnace.
With his experience from the evening, visualizing the furnace and using the Furnace Alchemy Technique was now second nature.
Boom
In his mind, a towering furnace burst into flames.
At this moment, the abundant blood and qi in his body seemed to fuel the furnace.
In the blink of an eye.
Fifteen minutes later.
Jiang Ning stopped using the Furnace Alchemy Technique.
He inspected his body internally and immediately saw the medicinal liquid refined from the Strength-Boosting Pills, as well as four drops of pale golden liquid next to the Leopard Fetus Transformation Pill.
Now, he also noticed that the Leopard Fetus Transformation Pill in his body had shrunk by about a third compared to before.
"What a powerful technique!"
Seeing the shrinkage of the Leopard Fetus Transformation Pill, Jiang Ning couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
Normally, it would take nearly half a year for the body to fully digest and absorb the Leopard Fetus Transformation Pill.
But now, after just two uses of the Furnace Alchemy Technique, he had refined about 30% of the pill's total potency.
At this rate, a few more uses of the technique, and the Leopard Fetus Transformation Pill in his body would be completely refined and absorbed.
Then, he closed his eyes again.
He circulated his blood and qi to dissolve the medicinal liquid refined from the Strength-Boosting Pills.
As the liquid dissolved, he directed it to the muscles in his arms with his blood and qi, then used his strength to temper the muscle groups.
Instantly, a wave of soreness and pleasure washed over him.
In this state, Jiang Ning could feel the toughness of the muscle groups he was tempering increasing.
Increased toughness meant he could unleash even greater strength.
After half an hour.
"My strength has increased again! It's almost reached three thousand pounds!"
Jiang Ning clenched his fist, feeling the increase in strength, and a look of joy appeared on his face.
Three thousand pounds of strength was almost the upper limit for an eighth-grade Divine Strength expert.
Most eighth-grade Divine Strength experts, even those who had mastered strength training, could only achieve a little over two thousand five hundred pounds of strength.
Only the top-tier experts could reach three thousand pounds.
And now, Jiang Ning's strength was approaching three thousand pounds.
In terms of strength alone, he was already among the top-tier experts in the eighth grade.
However, Jiang Ning didn't feel that he had reached his strength limit yet.
The muscle groups in his arms could continue to be tempered.
"I wonder what my strength limit in the eighth grade is?"
"Three thousand five hundred pounds? Three thousand six hundred pounds? Three thousand seven hundred pounds?"
"Or even four thousand pounds, matching those born with divine strength?"
Thinking this, Jiang Ning's eyes lit up, filled with anticipation.
Then.
He glanced out the window.
The cold moonlight was now shining almost directly on the window frame.
Time to sleep!
Tomorrow, I have a lot to do.
I need to find a suitable buyer for the warehouse full of iron ore in the sunken ship.
That's a huge fortune.
I also need to sell the spoils of war for silver and then spend it wisely.
I need to reach the seventh grade as soon as possible. Otherwise, if Cao Rong comes knocking one day, I won't be a match for him with my current strength.
And there's the trouble with the Medicine King Valley.
I wonder how Liu Qingsong figured out that the Leopard Fetus Transformation Pill was with me.
Although I sank Liu Qingsong and the other two into the lake, within a day or two, the Medicine King Valley disciples traveling with them would notice their absence and realize something was wrong.
Once the Medicine King Valley sends someone else, it might not be someone like Liu Qingsong, a seventh-grade martial artist.
It could be someone as strong as Cao Rong, an invincible seventh-grade expert, or even a sixth-grade expert.
Since Liu Qingsong could detect something off about me, others from the Medicine King Valley might be able to as well.
Thinking this, Jiang Ning's heart tightened.
The slight arrogance he had felt from his recent strength boost instantly faded.
With his current strength, he might be considered strong in Luoshui County.
But in the entire Dongling Prefecture, he was nothing special.
Not to mention the entire Zeshan Province, or even the entire Great Xia Empire, and the world beyond.
Beyond the Great Xia Empire, there was a vast world.
From what he had read in some books, in the East Sea, there were three major islands and eighty-one smaller islands, with countless sects and factions.
In the south, in the wild mountains, ancient great demons slumbered said to have survived since the era of gods and immortals.
In the north, barbarians raided the borders, said to possess bloodlines completely different from those of the Great Xia.
In this vast world, eighth-grade martial artists were as insignificant as ants.
Even seventh and sixth-grade martial artists were just slightly larger ants, insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
Only grandmasters could make a name for themselves in a province.
Only great grandmasters could shake the world.
Only martial saints could be called invincible in their time.
"With my panel and such opportunities, I should become the second martial saint of the Great Xia!!" Jiang Ning looked at his status panel and thought to himself.
Then he lay down on the bed and slowly fell asleep.
The next day.
As the sky began to lighten.
Jiang Ning got out of bed.
[Name]: Jiang Ning
[Source Energy]: 151.8
[Skills]:
Literacy (Second Breakthrough 1616/3000) (Traits: Photographic Memory, Enhanced Senses)
Five Animals Fist (First Breakthrough 235/2000) (Trait: Essence Storage)
Firewood Chopping Blade Technique (Fourth Breakthrough 5000/5000) (Traits: Versatility, Blade Like the Wind, Mastery of the Blade, Unity of Man and Blade)
Inner Alchemy Cultivation (Proficient 1513/2000)
Surging Waves Blade Technique (Mastery 48/1000)
Indestructible Vajra Body (Small Achievement 1/5000)
Water Affinity (Fourth Breakthrough 1877/5000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud and Rain Control)
[Cloud and Rain Control]: A divine ability that allows one to control clouds and rain.
Divine ability?
Another divine ability?
Jiang Ning's eyes narrowed as he read the description of this trait.
"Cloud and Rain Control? This ability seems a bit underwhelming at first glance!" he thought to himself.
"But maybe not!" His thoughts shifted. "On rainy days, this ability could be very useful!"
"I can absorb the energy from the water to recover my stamina and heal my injuries."
"Plus, with rain falling, it would be easier for me to use my Water Manipulation ability!"
Thinking this, Jiang Ning's opinion of the Cloud and Rain Control ability changed, and he began to look forward to it.
Now, the question is, how much of a toll does this ability take on me?
How much can I affect with Cloud and Rain Control?
Let's just try it and see!!
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