Breakthrough

"Xiao Doubao, let's go!" Jiang Ning stood and took Xiao Doubao, Jiang Yuanyuan's, hand.

"Du Du, eat-eat!!" Xiao Doubao beamed with delight.

Upon entering the main hall, Jiang Ning saw that his sister-in-law, Liu Wanwan, had already taken her seat.

Though Liu Wanwan was dressed simply at the moment, she carried herself with the bearing of a great household. Her looks and temperament were unlike those of ordinary women, both of Superior Grade.

Even in plain clothing, she was enough to make one's eyes light up. She looked nothing like an ordinary woman bound all day by firewood, rice, oil, and salt.

Four bowls of thin porridge had been set on the round log table before them. At the center of the table sat a dish of pickled vegetables and a plate of freshly cooked greens still steaming with heat.

"Sister-in-law, where's Eldest Brother?" Jiang Ning asked as he led Xiao Doubao to their seats.

He glanced again at the bowl of porridge before him. Today's porridge was thinner than usual.

His heart stirred slightly, but he said nothing. Grain prices had skyrocketed lately, and he knew there was not much surplus food left at home.

"Your Eldest Brother is still at the Yamen. Before he left, he said he'd come back for lunch!"

Jiang Ning nodded, speechless for a moment.

A moment later.

Jiang Ning finished the thin porridge in his bowl.

"Sister-in-law, I'm done eating!" he said, getting to his feet.

"Wait!" Liu Wanwan called out to Jiang Ning, who was about to leave.

Seeing the puzzled look in his eyes, Liu Wanwan, Jiang Ning's sister-in-law, turned and took a gray shirt from behind her.

"I've mended your clothes. Take them and put them on!"

"Bring out the dirty clothes you changed out of later. I'll wash them for you!"

Jiang Ning froze for a breath before calmly accepting the mended shirt from Liu Wanwan.

"Thank you, Sister-in-law!!" he said slowly.

Only after Jiang Ning left did a teenage boy emerge from the house.

"Guoguo, hurry and drink your porridge!!" When Jiang Yuanyuan saw the thirteen- or fourteen-year-old boy, she patted the stool beside her and shifted the upper half of her body, which had been propped against the table.

After handing his dirty clothes to his sister-in-law and finishing his chores, Jiang Ning returned to the small courtyard.

[Immortal Gods Compendium]

Looking at the book Xiao Doubao had brought him, Jiang Ning could not help feeling a little fired up.

With this book, it would not be long before his Literacy skill achieved a Breakthrough.

The book's title, in particular, made him even more interested.

He had arrived in this world over two months ago, yet he still did not know whether he had transmigrated here or awakened the Mystery of the Womb.

He only knew that his former self shared the same name and surname as him, and even looked seventy to eighty percent alike. It was quite astonishing.

After so many days, he no longer obsessed over the matter and had long accepted his current identity.

At the same time, by absorbing his former self's memories, he had gained a certain understanding of this world.

Before Great Xia, this had been a world where Immortal Gods, humans, and Demons coexisted.

Immortal Gods had also existed in the legends of his previous life, so he was especially interested in this book.

Jiang Ning slowly opened the [Immortal Gods Compendium] and began flipping through it with rapt attention.

Without a sound, a notification flashed before his eyes.

[Literacy Experience Points +1]

[Literacy Experience Points +1]

The Rising Sun climbed steadily, gradually hanging high in the sky.

The temperature had long since lost the faint chill of morning, and the earth gradually grew scorching hot.

Sitting beneath the Grapevine trellis, tiny beads of sweat began to form on Jiang Ning's forehead.

Yet Jiang Ning remained completely unmoved, all his attention focused on the [Immortal Gods Compendium] before him.

After a long while.

A whiff of cooking smoke drifted to Jiang Ning's nose, and only then did he slowly come back to himself.

[During this reading session, Literacy Experience Points increased by 29.]

He raised his head and immediately saw the blazing sun hanging directly overhead.

"It's almost noon!" he murmured.

Then he opened his Panel again.

[Skills]: Literacy (Perfected Realm 997/1000) (Trait: None)

"Only three more Experience Points until it's full!"

His heart immediately surged with excitement, and his attention returned at once to the [Immortal Gods Compendium] before him.

Just then.

A burly middle-aged man wearing a Black Official Robe and carrying a long saber slung across his waist stepped into the small courtyard.

Seeing Jiang Ning bent over his book, studying diligently, he could not help smiling with gratification.

When he saw the title of the book in Jiang Ning's hands, he grinned even wider.

My little brother has finally grown up! he muttered to himself.

Then he quietly made his way toward the kitchen.

"My wife!" The middle-aged man's gaze softened as he looked at the busy woman.

"You're back?"

"Mm-hm!" the middle-aged man answered softly.

"Why have you been coming back later and later lately?"

"The times are troubled. Luoshui County is becoming more and more unsafe, and the pressure on us is growing greater too!" the middle-aged man said.

"I see! I just hope nothing happens!"

"Nothing will happen to me!" the middle-aged man reassured her. "Your man's martial arts may be utterly ordinary, but if things look bad, I can run faster than anyone!"

"All you do is brag!" The woman's lips curled slightly as she murmured, then added, "Go wash up, and take good care of Xiao Doubao! If Xiao Doubao wakes up and doesn't see anyone, she'll cry!"

"Alright!" The middle-aged man nodded.

Before leaving the kitchen, he grinned again. "My wife, did you see? ANing has truly grown up these past few days!"

At those words, Liu Wanwan, who had been busy at work, stopped what she was doing.

"You and that little brother of yours!!" She shook her head again. "You treat him even better than your own son!"

How could the middle-aged man fail to understand the resentment in his wife's heart?

He walked behind Liu Wanwan and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I've wronged you all these years by making you follow me!!"

The entire kitchen fell silent at once.

A moment later.

Liu Wanwan patted the hands around her waist.

"You stink to high heaven. Go take a bath!"

"Received!!" The middle-aged man immediately chuckled.

Elsewhere.

[Literacy Experience Points +1]

[During this reading session, Literacy Experience Points increased by 3.]

As the notification flashed past, intense delight flickered in Jiang Ning's eyes.

He immediately opened his Panel.

[Skills]: Literacy+ (Perfected Realm 1000/1000) (Trait: None)

"It's finally full!" he sighed inwardly.

The next moment.

His eyes narrowed.

At that moment, his Panel underwent a change he had never seen before: a plus sign had appeared after the Literacy skill.

Before this, whether it was Initiation or Proficiency, Minor Completion or Great Completion, every breakthrough had come as naturally as water flowing into a channel. Once the accumulated Experience Points were full, a breakthrough would follow naturally.

This time was completely different. The Experience Points required to break through the Perfected Realm had already been met, yet there was no movement toward the next stage. Only a plus sign had appeared after the Literacy skill.

Looking at his Panel, Jiang Ning's thoughts moved, settling on that plus sign.

[Literacy has reached the Perfected Realm. Consume 10 Source Energy to complete Literacy's Breakthrough?]