Current Situation

At this moment.

Jiang Ning roughly understood what kind of power the hidden explosive force mentioned in the fragment of the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill referred to.

The human body's Five Viscera and Six Bowels naturally contained countless secrets.

In his previous life, he had heard of a mother who saw her child trapped beneath a car. When her potential erupted, that mother lifted the car and rescued her child.

There were countless similar examples.

When the human body's potential erupted, it could unleash power far beyond the ordinary.

These hidden powers, such as adrenaline, were all concealed within the Five Viscera and Six Bowels.

Thus, Jiang Ning knew very clearly that if he could accomplish this, he would gain another trump card.

"However, filling up these one thousand Experience Points in the liver won't happen overnight!"

Jiang Ning looked at the progress of the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill on the Panel and muttered inwardly.

Afterward.

After resting for a moment and sensing no abnormalities among his organs, he continued while the Mao Hour had not yet passed and the Chen Hour had not yet arrived.

Facing the Great Sun that had only just risen, he circulated the Breathing and Exhalation Method recorded in the Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill.

[Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill Experience Points +1]

[Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill Experience Points +1]

[...]

He did not stop until the Chen Hour was about to arrive.

[Skills]: Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill (Initiation 6/1000)

That night.

Jiang Ning took two ingots of silver from his robes, a complicated look on his face.

Each ingot weighed ten taels, making the two ingots twenty taels in total.

These twenty taels of silver had been personally delivered to the Martial Arts Hall's entrance that afternoon by a former colleague of his Eldest Brother Jiang Li, whom his Eldest Brother had commissioned.

A trace of guilt surfaced in Jiang Ning's eyes.

"Twenty taels of silver! I wonder where Eldest Brother borrowed it from this time!"

He shook his head, his expression tinged with emotion.

"Forget it. There's no point dwelling on this!"

"The most urgent task is still to increase my strength. Only by becoming stronger can I change my own fate—and the fate of Eldest Brother's family!"

"Once I achieve Martial Dao Entry Rank and enter the Patrol Office, I'll bring Eldest Brother, Sister-in-law, and the rest of their family to live in the Inner City!"

"I'll slowly repay Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law's kindness in the future!"

Jiang Ning secretly made up his mind.

He then put the twenty taels of silver into his pocket and continued grinding his fist technique Experience Points.

The next day.

At Chen Si Si Ke, after the Martial Arts Hall opened.

As soon as Cheng Ran entered the Martial Arts Hall, he left the Front Yard together with Jiang Ning and headed toward the small courtyard where Jiang Ning lived.

After stepping into the small courtyard, Jiang Ning finally spoke.

"Senior Brother Cheng, how did it go?"

Cheng Ran nodded. "Your guess was right. There really were two people keeping watch outside the Martial Arts Hall. They were members of the Green Snake Gang."

"The Green Snake Gang?"

Cheng Ran nodded. "Luoshui County has three major gangs: the Green Snake Gang, the Black Tiger Gang, and the Bamboo Gang. Certain Lineages stand behind all three gangs. The Green Snake Gang is involved in Canal Transport and human trafficking, and the Cao Family stands behind it."

"Just as I thought!" Jiang Ning nodded, not surprised in the slightest.

Cheng Ran looked at Jiang Ning. "As for the other matter Junior Brother Jiang entrusted to me, I've investigated that as well."

"A few days ago, the Yamen took the initiative to attack and suppress the God Worshipping Sect, only to suffer a hidden setback. As a result, the God Worshipping Sect's momentum in the Outer City has grown even stronger these days."

"However, your Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law's family are still safe and sound. The patrols around their home have greatly increased during this period. Constables pass by at regular intervals, and there haven't been any disturbances."

Hearing that Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law were still living peacefully, Jiang Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good!"

Cheng Ran continued, looking at Jiang Ning. "As for Xu Yunfeng, whom Junior Brother Jiang asked me to investigate, I've gotten some results as well! There are no records of Xu Yunfeng Making a Move, but the last record of him Making a Move involved him single-handedly capturing a criminal who had fled after committing murder. That criminal was no weakling. He was a Martial Artist whose Blood Qi had already reached Great Completion and who had successfully achieved Penetrating Limbs."

Jiang Ning said, "In that case, Xu Yunfeng is probably also a Martial Artist like Senior Brother, with Blood Qi Completion and on the verge of achieving Martial Dao Entry Rank?"

Cheng Ran nodded. "That's probably the case! He belongs to Cao Bin, with the Cao Family behind him. If he achieves Martial Dao Entry Rank, his position and status in the Yamen will certainly rise. As the saying goes, commoners do not fight officials. Junior Brother Jiang, being targeted by him is indeed troublesome!"

Jiang Ning said helplessly, "There's nothing I can do about it!"

"There really is nothing you can do!" Cheng Ran nodded in strong agreement. "Cao Bin suddenly taking a fancy to your Sister-in-law was pure calamity from nowhere!"

He then continued, "It's a pity that I, Cheng Ran, am too insignificant. I can't have my father step forward and ask for a favor to make Cao Bin spare your Sister-in-law!"

"I appreciate your kindness, Senior Brother Cheng!" Jiang Ning cupped his hands in thanks.

Yet inwardly, he secretly shook his head. He had analyzed this matter repeatedly. Regardless of whether Cao Bin harbored selfish motives, things were not that simple.

Nine times out of ten, it still involved a struggle between the County Magistrate, that Dragon Crossing the River, and the Local Snake.

His Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law had been swept into this whirlpool. Cao Bin might indeed have had selfish motives, but the greater reason was still the struggle between these two forces.

Since his Eldest Brother had been chosen as a chess piece and dragged into this kind of conflict, let alone Cheng Ran being unable to make his father step forward—even if his father truly did step forward, the Cao Family could not possibly just let the matter go.

"It all still depends on myself!"

"Becoming Wang Jin's Direct Disciple can ease the initial crisis."

"Only by joining the Patrol Office and relying on this great tree can I completely resolve the current situation."

Jiang Ning muttered inwardly.

Cheng Ran spoke again. "As for the other matter Junior Brother Jiang entrusted to me—finding a suitable tonic for cultivation—I looked into it. As it turns out, Ten-Year Wild Ginseng is the most suitable, and it offers Junior Brother Jiang the best value for money!"

"Ten-Year Wild Ginseng sells for fifteen taels of silver on the market. Junior Brother Jiang would do better to look for Senior Brother Zhou Xing."

"I heard about it before as well. Any disciple of our Martial Arts Hall who buys Ten-Year Wild Ginseng from Senior Brother Zhou Xing only needs to pay ten taels of silver, about five taels cheaper than the market price."

"Senior Brother Zhou Xing's family is one of the largest medicinal herb merchants in Luoshui County. Those ten taels are probably the Zhou Family's cost price, making it an excellent bargain."

"This afternoon is Ferocious Tiger Emerging from the Cage. Senior Brother Zhou Xing will almost certainly come to the Martial Arts Hall as well. At that time, Junior Brother Jiang can find Senior Brother Zhou Xing to purchase Wild Ginseng."

After listening carefully, Jiang Ning cupped his hands again. "I've troubled you these past two days, Senior Brother Cheng!"

Cheng Ran laughed heartily. "Junior Brother Jiang, you're being too formal. If you hadn't helped me a few days ago, how could I be standing before you today, chatting away!"

"The Patrol Office's entry quota would have become even more out of reach for me! Junior Brother Jiang was the one who truly helped me greatly, giving me another chance to compete with Xiao Peng for this qualification to enter the office."

Seeing how Cheng Ran spoke with such vigor, Jiang Ning could not help looking puzzled. "Senior Brother Cheng, you sound full of energy. Have your injuries healed?"

"That's right!" Cheng Ran nodded with a smile. "When my father heard that I wanted to enter the Patrol Office, he knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So he spent a fortune to buy a Great Revival Pill. My injuries healed in a single day, and my Blood Qi grew by more than ten percent!"

As he spoke, Cheng Ran clenched his fist. "Given the chance, I'll reclaim the face I lost a few days ago and let Xiao Peng taste what it's like to be injured!"

"What bold spirit, Senior Brother Cheng!" Jiang Ning praised.

Cheng Ran chuckled. "Anyway, I can't stand Xiao Peng. He's far too sinister. He hid that move and nearly tricked me into ruin!"

"Speaking of which, it really is a pity!" Cheng Ran looked at Jiang Ning, his expression turning regretful. "Junior Brother Jiang's talent for learning fist techniques is the finest I've ever seen. You reached this level after only a few days of study. If you had begun practicing martial arts a year or two earlier, there's no way this quota would have gone to Xiao Peng. Of course, then it wouldn't have gone to me either, so I suppose it benefits me!"

Jiang Ning smiled and shook his head. "There's nothing to regret! Who can say for certain what the future holds? The fact that I can practice martial arts already means I've escaped the fate of an ordinary person. I'm satisfied with that. As for how far I can go in the future, I'll ultimately have to rely on myself!"

"Junior Brother Jiang, you're truly open-minded! I admire you!" Cheng Ran clasped his fist and cupped his hands, then slapped his own chest. "Rest assured, Junior Brother Jiang. With me here, it won't be so easy for that brat Xiao Peng to obtain the qualification to enter the office. I'll definitely fight him for it!"

Jiang Ning smiled and said no more.

As for his intention to compete for the qualification to enter the office, he had never mentioned it to anyone. Naturally, he would not speak of it now.