Blade Technique, Minor Completion!

The courtyard.

Jiang Ning grabbed another thick, heavy log and placed it on the wooden post.

His hand rose, and the blade fell.

Crack—

The Firewood Blade sank nine-tenths of the way into the wood.

Jiang Ning exerted strength through his arm once more, and only then did the thick log split cleanly in two.

[Firewood Chopping Blade Technique Experience Points +1]

Jiang Ning kicked the scattered firewood aside, then grabbed another thick, heavy log.

"At this rate, I should be able to grind out all two hundred Experience Points tonight, right? Once the Firewood Chopping Blade Technique reaches Minor Completion, it should be enough for me to split firewood with a single strike, right?"

With that thought in mind, the goal within arm's reach filled Jiang Ning's hands with even more vigor.

Compared to the Five Animal Frolics Fist, the Firewood Chopping Blade Technique was undoubtedly far easier to gain Experience Points from.

Although the Firewood Chopping Blade Technique was also terribly crude, and its effect on improving his strength was far inferior to that of the Five Animal Frolics Fist,

its flaws were entirely acceptable in the face of how quickly it yielded Experience Points.

Jiang Ning also placed a certain amount of hope in this blade technique.

The previous Breakthrough of the Literacy skill had granted him a Trait—the Photographic Memory Trait.

So Jiang Ning likewise looked forward to the Firewood Chopping Blade Technique's Breakthrough.

With this expectation in mind, Jiang Ning held the Firewood Blade and brought it down strike after strike.

[Firewood Chopping Blade Technique Experience Points +1]

[Firewood Chopping Blade Technique Experience Points +1]

[...]

[Skills]: Firewood Chopping Blade Technique (Proficiency 86/200)

After glancing at the Panel, Jiang Ning stopped to rest for a moment.

During that rest, he picked up a book from beside him. It was a book he had brought with him when he left home that day, specifically so he could grind out Experience Points in Literacy while recovering his strength.

This would not only increase his knowledge, but also slowly strengthen his spirit—what was commonly known as Spiritual Power.

At the same time, he was also filled with anticipation for the next Breakthrough of Literacy.

Based on his deduction, every Breakthrough from here on would grant a New Trait.

[Literacy Experience Points +1]

[Literacy Experience Points +1]

[...]

[Skills]: Literacy (First Breakthrough 93/2000) (Trait: Photographic Memory)

After glancing at his Panel, Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction.

Being able to watch himself improve bit by bit—especially when the goal was visible and tangible, and every bit of effort brought gains and drew him one step closer to that goal—left him somewhat enthralled.

Ever since he learned that a Breakthrough after reaching Perfected Realm would grant a Trait, the anticipation in his heart had grown even stronger.

After finishing his rest, Jiang Ning continued chopping firewood.

With every strike, every piece of firewood split open, he could feel an imperceptible change.

His hand had grown steadier, his blade more accurate, and his exertion smoother.

When the Bright Moon hung above the treetops, Jiang Ning looked at his Panel with faint excitement.

[Skills]: Firewood Chopping Blade Technique (Proficiency 199/200)

"Only the final Experience Point remains!"

He placed a thick, heavy log on the wooden post and set it upright.

Then he gripped the Firewood Blade.

Whoosh—

The sound of the blade scraping against the air suddenly rang out.

Crack—

The heavy Firewood Blade nearly split the entire log in a single strike, leaving only the final bit connected. This clearly represented an increase in the strength of his arm compared to before.

Although the improvement was not obvious, it could be seen very clearly.

After all, having split nearly two hundred pieces of firewood in such a short time, his arms were already somewhat fatigued, while the web between his thumb and forefinger trembled and tingled numbly. He could not possibly bring out the strength of his prime.

Yet even under these circumstances, the cut from this strike was actually deeper than before, nearly reaching ninety-five percent of the way through.

Then, as he exerted strength through his arm, the entire log finally split in two.

[Firewood Chopping Blade Technique Experience Points +1]

At this moment, as the notification appeared, quantitative change triggered qualitative change. On the Panel, the Firewood Chopping Blade Technique changed from Proficiency to Minor Completion.

[Skills]: Firewood Chopping Blade Technique (Minor Completion 0/500)

At the same time, the two hundred strikes he had just made flashed rapidly through Jiang Ning's mind.

How to exert strength for each strike, where to land each strike—everything was continuously corrected in his mind.

In the end, countless images merged into one: a blade cleaving through the air before landing on a log.

Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes, and a flash of blade-light seemed to pass through them.

The next moment,

he gripped the Firewood Blade and brought it down on the firewood atop the wooden post in front of him.

Swish—

The Firewood Blade tore through the air and landed directly in the center of the firewood.

Crack—

As the sound of splitting rang out, the firewood that had previously been difficult for him to cut apart was cleanly severed by a single strike, split into two down the middle.

[Firewood Chopping Blade Technique Experience Points +1]

"Sure enough, it's different now!" Jiang Ning gripped the Firewood Blade and casually swung it twice more.

He immediately grabbed another log and held it steady, aiming at a black grain running across its surface.

Swish—

The Firewood Blade fell again.

It landed precisely on that black grain.

Crack—

The log was once again cleanly split in two.

[Firewood Chopping Blade Technique Experience Points +1]

"The Firewood Chopping Blade Technique at Minor Completion really is different! Not only is the exertion of strength more refined, but wherever my eyes land, my hand and blade follow. There's no longer the slightest deviation. At this efficiency, I'll be able to grind this skill's Experience Points even faster."

Jiang Ning immediately nodded in great satisfaction.

Then he glanced at the Bright Moon hanging high overhead.

"It's getting late!" he murmured. "I can still practice the fist form twice before I have to sleep!"

Under the pale moonlight, Jiang Ning simply found a spacious patch of ground and began practicing the Five Animal Frolics Fist.

With the threat of Xu Yunfeng, the threat of Cao Bin, and perhaps even the threat of the God Worshipping Sect, Jiang Ning did not dare relax in the slightest.

His coming to the Martial Arts Hall had only been possible because his Eldest Brother had borrowed money at the cost of selling off everything he owned. It had given him this opportunity to leap through the Dragon Gate.

[Five Animal Frolics Fist Experience Points +1]

[Five Animal Frolics Fist Experience Points +1]

After completing two rounds of fist practice, Jiang Ning's skin was faintly flushed, and sweat had thoroughly soaked his short jacket. Steam continuously rose from the top of his head.

"The Five Animal Frolics Fist really does consume a tremendous amount of stamina!" Jiang Ning shook his head helplessly.

Already somewhat fatigued, he had practiced the Five Animal Frolics Fist twice more. Even after consuming a large amount of energy that evening along with some precious Earth Ganoderma, he still felt waves of weakness filling his body.

He clenched his fist and sensed the Qi and Blood Power circulating within him.

Jiang Ning nodded slightly. "I condensed two more strands of Qi and Blood Power. As a Lower Grade technique used to lay the foundation of the Martial Path, the Five Animal Frolics Fist truly isn't something the Firewood Chopping Blade Technique can compare to. The improvement is difficult, but the returns are entirely worth the effort."

[Skills]: Five Animal Frolics Fist (Initiation 28/100)

After glancing at the Five Animal Frolics Fist's progress, the Panel vanished from Jiang Ning's sight.

"I'm already past a quarter of the way there. At today's efficiency, it should take about three more days for the Five Animal Frolics Fist to reach Proficiency. By then, the Qi and blood in my body will be even fuller. But in three days, medicinal materials will become a problem!"

Thinking of this issue, Jiang Ning immediately developed a headache.

The reason he had been able to make such efficient progress that day was largely because of that Wild Ginseng.

It was the Wild Ginseng's consumption and medicinal potency that allowed him to endure practicing the Five Animal Frolics Fist again and again.

Without the Wild Ginseng's support, Jiang Ning felt that he would have to halve the frequency of his fist practice, or perhaps he would manage only a third of today's efficiency.

This was not an unfounded worry.

The improvements in strength, agility, and physique brought about by fist practice were incredibly rapid, far surpassing what physical training in his previous life could achieve.

It could even condense a unique power: Qi and Blood Power.

Such a drastic method of improvement would inevitably place a tremendous burden on the body.

Without the support of powerful tonics, he could only control the frequency of training and slowly temper his physique through persistent effort. Only then would he avoid training his body into collapse.

But given his current circumstances, how could Jiang Ning endure slowly improving his physique?

The threat of Xu Yunfeng was pressing in the short term.

Jiang Ning understood very clearly that Xu Yunfeng would gradually lose patience as he sought to climb higher, establish merit, and join the Cao Family, that colossal lineage.

Especially once his own Eldest Brother lost his official registry one day, Xu Yunfeng would have even fewer scruples.

Under normal circumstances, his Eldest Brother would lose his official registry only after failing the year-end assessment.

But Xu Yunfeng had Cao Bin backing him, and Cao Bin had the Cao Family behind him.

The Cao Family controlled Luoshui County's mines, water transport, and population registries. As one of the Local Snakes of Luoshui County, its power was unimaginably great.

Once they set things in motion, his Eldest Brother's official registry could be revoked within days for one reason or another, and he might even be thrown into prison.

So Jiang Ning did not know how much time he had left.

In the more than two months since arriving in this world, he had long since come to regard his Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law's family as his own.

He especially doted on Xiao Doubao.

Even though he was now able to stay at the Canglang Martial Hall and his own safety was no longer a problem,

there was no way he could stand by and watch the family he had gained in this life suffer such a calamity.

So I have to speed up. Only by reaching Great Completion in fist techniques can I pass Wang Jin's assessment and become Wang Jin's Direct Disciple.

Only then can I protect my Eldest Brother's family!