Chapter 57: Breaking the Limits of Saber Techniques, a New Trait! (Requesting Monthly Tickets!!!)

A moment later.

The kitchen of the martial arts hall.

"Alright, eat up quickly! Once you're done, I can clean up the kitchen!"

Auntie Sun placed the food, which had been heating in the pot, onto the stove.

There was a bowl of steamed cured meat with a perfect balance of fat and lean, a bowl of scrambled eggs, a steamer of buns, and a pot of rice on the side.

Looking at the steaming delicacies before him, Jiang Ning felt even hungrier.

"Thanks, Sister! I'm digging in!!"

"Eat up!" Auntie Sun smiled.

Then, Jiang Ning began to wolf down the food.

As he had achieved certain milestones in his martial arts training, Jiang Ning had noticed his appetite increasing day by day.

Now, he had to eat at least three to four times his previous daily intake; his appetite was staggering.

A single bun could be swallowed in one gulp.

A bowl of rice was cleared in just a few large mouthfuls, disappearing into his stomach.

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the food Auntie Sun had prepared was swept clean, all entering his belly.

"Ah, that's the stuff!" Jiang Ning rubbed his stomach lazily.

"Alright, little guy, don't just stand around getting in my way. Go back and rest!" Auntie Sun waved him off.

Jiang Ning smiled. "Thanks for the hard work, Big Sister!"

"Go back to sleep!" Auntie Sun waved again.

After returning, Jiang Ning practiced his fist technique two more times, successfully gaining 4 experience points before finally going to sleep.

Before falling asleep, he looked at his panel.

[Source Energy]: 9.2

"Still 0.8 short. I hope when I wake up tomorrow, my Source Energy points will exceed 10."

With this thought, Jiang Ning drifted into a slow sleep.

***

The next day.

As the first light of dawn appeared, Jiang Ning was already awake.

*Crack-crack-pop—*

As he stood up and stretched his limbs, his bones and muscles let out a series of cracking sounds throughout his body.

"Refreshing!!"

As he muttered to himself, he opened his panel to take a look.

[Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 10.1 [Skills] Literacy (First Limit Break: 568/2000) (Trait: Photographic Memory) Five Animals Fist (Small Success: 82/500) Firewood Chopping Saber Technique+ (Perfection: 1000/1000) Internal Alchemy Health Cultivation (Entry Level: 28/1000)

The moment he saw the panel, his gaze froze.

"Ten point zero one. I knew that absorbing half a wild ginseng yesterday would be enough to push my Source Energy growth past 0.8."

"It really is close to my previous calculations. Fully absorbing a ten-year-old wild ginseng should provide me with about 0.9 to 1.1 Source Energy points!"

Jiang Ning's face wore an expression of "just as I thought."

His gaze then fell upon the panel again, specifically on the plus sign following the Firewood Chopping Saber Technique.

"The Firewood Chopping Saber Technique... I can finally break its limit. I wonder what kind of trait it will grant me?"

As he mused silently, his mind stirred.

His intention focused on the plus sign next to the technique.

In an instant, his Source Energy points began to drain like flowing water. In the blink of an eye, his Source Energy returned to 0.1.

Immediately after, Jiang Ning felt countless sharp saber flashes erupting in his mind.

He closed his eyes instantly as his consciousness entered the mental space.

Countless saber lights flashed by, cold and piercing, slicing through the void.

These descending saber strikes were simple downward chops, yet they contained a strange, inherent beauty that left Jiang Ning somewhat mesmerized.

At the same time, he could feel as if thousands of ants were crawling across his arms; a wave of itching and numbness surged from deep within his flesh.

After dozens of breaths, all the changes vanished.

Jiang Ning opened his eyes.

[Skills]: Firewood Chopping Saber Technique (First Limit Break: 1783/2000) (Trait: Associative Learning) [Associative Learning (Saber)]: Possesses profound insight into saber techniques. Increases the efficiency of practicing saber-type arts and makes it easier to comprehend their mysteries.

"Associative Learning?"

"By that logic, it seems it will grant me higher talent in saber techniques."

Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning murmured to himself, his expression thoughtful.

He glanced at his panel once more, his eyes lingering on the [Associative Learning] trait.

The images of those countless saber flashes from moments ago flashed through his mind again.

"It looks like I really need to find a saber and learn a proper saber technique!"

"Having a saber in hand versus not having one is like night and day in terms of combat power."

"If I also have a decent grade saber technique, I estimate it won't be long before I can directly take down Xu Yunfeng!"

Then, Jiang Ning fell into deeper thought.

"I remember Wang Jin once saying that the name of the Canglang Martial Arts Hall comes from a saber technique! That's also why he had me chopping wood to familiarize myself with the feeling of a blade!"

"It seems my hopes for a saber and a saber technique both rest on Wang Jin!"

"Coincidentally, one of the five forms of the Five Animals Fist—the Tiger Form—has already reached Great Success, meeting Wang Jin's requirement for a true disciple."

Thinking of this, Jiang Ning couldn't help but click his tongue in surprise.

"The assessment period was supposed to be six months, but by my count, I've only spent about ten days. I achieved it in less than half a month!"

"This panel's effect is truly powerful!"

"But with such an exaggerated rate of progress, should I reveal it to Wang Jin today?"

"Should I let him know that my Tiger Form has reached Great Success, that I've passed his six-month assessment, and that I am qualified to become his true disciple?"

After thinking for only a moment, Jiang Ning made his decision.

He would tell Wang Jin and let him know his progress in fist techniques.

Only then could he earn Wang Jin's further respect and attention.

"Wang Jin is a trustworthy man. At his age, his desires should be quite simple."

"Finding a good successor and having a disciple to look after him in his old age!"

"I can do all of that!"

"The higher the talent I display now, the more attention I will receive! That way, I'll have more confidence when facing the pressure from Xu Yunfeng and the pressure from the Cao family via Cao Bin."

"Besides, based on my observations and interactions these past few days, Wang Jin's character is quite good!"

With these thoughts, Jiang Ning finalized his decision.

He planned to go find Wang Jin immediately to inform him of his current progress.

By doing so, he would become Wang Jin's true disciple—a disciple in name and reality.

He clenched his fists, and the muscles in his arms instantly bulged like coiled dragons, brimming with power.

Just by clenching his fists, Jiang Ning could clearly feel that his strength had increased following the breakthrough of the Firewood Chopping Saber Technique.

"With the saber technique limit break, I can feel my arm strength has risen again. My single-arm strength should now exceed three hundred jin!"

This guess formed in his mind.

"If I spar with Cheng Ran again today, I should be much more composed than yesterday!"

"If I have a saber in hand, relying on my broken-limit Firewood Chopping Saber Technique, I should be able to decide the outcome against Senior Brother Cheng Ran in a single strike—and settle the matter of life and death at the same time!!"

After feeling the changes brought about by the breakthrough, Jiang Ning finally pushed open his door and stepped out of the room.

(End of Chapter)