Wang Jin's Study

Jiang Ning understood why Wang Jin did not believe he could fulfill the requirements for entering the Patrol Office within three months.

He understood completely. It was only natural.

After all, he had been practicing martial arts for far too short a time.

What could he accomplish in three months?

From the test for Wang Jin's Direct Disciples, it was clear that mastering any one stance of the Five Forms Fist within six months was enough to become his Direct Disciple.

This showed just how difficult martial arts truly was.

His own Eldest Brother had practiced martial arts for so many years, yet had only reached the level of Great Accomplishment of Blood Qi and Penetrating Limbs.

As for fulfilling the requirements to join the Patrol Office, one had to achieve Martial Dao Entry Rank and be under thirty years old.

In Luoshui County, anyone capable of this was either a martial arts prodigy or a Martial Artist who was either wealthy or powerful, having been built up with money.

A smile appeared on Jiang Ning's face, and his expression was full of confidence. "Master, rest assured! It won't be long before I achieve Great Completion in the Five Animal Frolics Fist!!"

"Good! That's the confidence you should have!" Wang Jin praised him again.

He then raised his head slightly and glanced at the moonlight. "It's getting rather late! These old bones of mine aren't going to tire themselves out with a young man like you! I'm going back to rest! You shouldn't practice your fists tonight either. You overdid it just now. Go back to your room, rest well, and conserve your energy before practicing again tomorrow!"

Jiang Ning nodded. "This disciple understands!"

Then Jiang Ning spoke again. "Disciple has a favor to ask of Master."

"Stop hemming and hawing. Just say it directly!" Wang Jin said.

"Disciple would like to borrow some books from your Study. It's still early before Midnight Zi Hour, so I can read for a while. In the future, I can also read during my spare time between practicing my fists, recovering my strength, and resting, to broaden my knowledge!" Jiang Ning said.

"You're really going all out?" Wang Jin was somewhat astonished. His original intention had been for Jiang Ning to return and rest early that night.

Yet he had never expected that Jiang Ning would want to take advantage of the fact that it was still relatively early to borrow books and read.

Jiang Ning scratched his head. "A child from a poor family has no choice but to struggle! How else can I change my fate? And Teacher knows that the reason I asked to stay at the Martial Arts Hall permanently is because someone outside wants to harm me! I also want to take the Imperial Examination next spring and gain an official honor. Only then can I obtain true peace."

"You need an official honor to obtain peace?" Wang Jin continued asking with some surprise. "Is the pressure coming from an official position?"

Jiang Ning said, "Not a true official position, but better than one."

"I see!" Wang Jin nodded slightly but did not ask further. He then said, "To have such aspirations is truly commendable. It is indeed important to excel in both the civil and martial arts! A true powerhouse has never been invincible through strength alone, nor invincible through wisdom alone, but possesses both! Among the true powerhouses of the Martial Path, there has never been one who was illiterate."

Jiang Ning nodded in strong agreement. "I deeply agree with what Master said!"

Wang Jin nodded again. "Since you have such aspirations, how could I not support you? From now on, you may enter my Study whenever you like. In a moment, go to Aunt Sun and get a key!"

"Thank you, Master!" Jiang Ning's expression was solemn as he clasped his hands and saluted.

Knock knock knock—

A knocking sound rang out.

"Coming! Coming!"

A voice rang out, followed by a series of heavy footsteps that reached Jiang Ning's ears and steadily drew closer.

Creak—

As the gate to the small courtyard opened, it revealed Aunt Sun's somewhat burly figure.

"I knew it was you, boy!" Aunt Sun said.

A smile also appeared on Jiang Ning's face. "Big Sister, sorry to disturb you so late."

"Oh, what disturbance? I haven't gone to sleep yet!" Aunt Sun waved her hand, then asked, "Why aren't you practicing at this hour? You suddenly came to find me—what's the matter?"

Jiang Ning said, "I overtaxed my body today, and I don't have any Wild Ginseng to replenish what I consumed. How could I still practice? So I just told the Hall Master that I wanted to borrow some books from the Study. After the Hall Master agreed, he sent me to Big Sister Sun for the key!"

"I see!" Aunt Sun nodded in realization. "Wait here! I'll get you a key to the Study!"

"Mm-hmm!" Jiang Ning nodded repeatedly.

A short while later.

Aunt Sun came bustling over to Jiang Ning.

"Here's the key! Don't lose it!"

"Don't worry, Big Sister!" Jiang Ning smiled and accepted the key Aunt Sun handed him.

Then he spoke again. "By the way, Big Sister."

"What is it?"

Jiang Ning said, "The Hall Master just said that starting tomorrow, I can drink a bowl of Medicinal Soup every morning, noon, and evening."

"Not bad, little fellow! I didn't expect Hall Master Wang to think so highly of you. He actually upgraded your treatment to that of a Direct Disciple! That Xiao Peng fellow only became a Direct Disciple today, and he merely received the same treatment!" Aunt Sun happily gave Jiang Ning a heavy slap on the back.

She continued, "When I just heard that you had no Wild Ginseng to replenish what you consumed from practicing, I was worried that you might train your body to collapse on your own! After all, in all my years at the Martial Arts Hall, you're the hardest-working child I've ever seen when it comes to practicing."

Jiang Ning only smiled without speaking.

He had heard people call him diligent many times already.

But with the Panel, every bit of effort yielded a reward. He could see his progress accumulate bit by bit and feel his physique continually growing. Who could possibly not work hard under such circumstances?

The reason people were not diligent or hardworking was often that they could not see the rewards, that their efforts brought no returns.

Especially when they were stuck at a bottleneck—if they worked hard for a week, a month, or a year and still could not advance even an inch, how many people could continue persevering?

After bidding farewell to Aunt Sun, Jiang Ning quickly headed toward the Study.

The collection of books at Wang Jin's Martial Arts Hall was bound to be far larger than the one at his own home. There might even be Martial Arts Techniques and manuals inside. Now that his standing in Wang Jin's heart had risen because of his previous performance, he had also gained permission to enter the Study, which filled him with anticipation.

He arrived outside the Study.

He unlocked the door and walked inside.

After lighting the candle stand, the entire layout of the Study appeared before his eyes.

Three sides of the Study were fitted with large bookcases, and every bookcase was filled with neatly arranged books.

Holding a book, Jiang Ning approached the bookcase on the right. At a glance, he saw that it was filled with medical texts and books on medicinal theory.

As the saying went, medicine and martial arts were inseparable.

Martial arts involved the mysteries of every part of the human body. Anyone who created a Martial Arts Technique had to possess extraordinarily broad knowledge and experience, as well as a deep understanding of the mysteries of the human body.

The same was true of medicinal herbs.

The path of the Martial Path was closely linked with all kinds of medicinal herbs, and the two were difficult to separate.

Without the aid of medicine, a person's lifetime achievements in martial arts would inevitably be severely restricted, and the rate of progress would be greatly slowed.

One had to understand that the optimal golden age for learning martial arts began at fifteen. After the bones and body had matured, the period up to around thirty-five was the peak golden age—the period of greatest and fastest progress.

Martial Artists would gradually begin declining from around the age of forty, and their Blood Qi would continually deteriorate as well.

At that time, let alone making progress in the Martial Path, even maintaining one's strength without decline would be difficult.

Unless one cultivated the Martial Path to a profound level, strengthened the five organs through Internal Strengthening, and extended the body's functions. Only then could one enjoy a longer golden age in which to advance along the Martial Path.

These distracting thoughts flashed through his mind as Jiang Ning's gaze quickly swept across the titles on the bookcase while he slowly walked forward.