Breaking the Limit

Breaking the Limit

"Little Doubao, let's go!" Jiang Ning rose and took Little Doubao, Jiang Yuanyuan, by the hand.

"Dudu, eat-eat!!" Little Doubao beamed with delight.

Upon entering the main hall, Jiang Ning saw that his sister-in-law, Liu Wanwan, was already seated.

Though Liu Wanwan was dressed plainly, she possessed the bearing of a great household. Her looks and temperament were far beyond those of an ordinary woman, both first-rate.

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

At that moment, four bowls of thin porridge had been set on the round wooden table. At its center sat a dish of pickled vegetables and a plate of freshly cooked greens still steaming.

"Sister-in-law, where's Big Brother?" Jiang Ning asked as he led Little 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 soared recently, and he knew there was not much surplus food left at home.

"Your big brother is still at the yamen. Before he left, he said he'd come back for lunch!"

Jiang Ning nodded, momentarily speechless.

A moment later.

Jiang Ning finished the thin porridge in his bowl.

"Sister-in-law, I'm done eating!" he said as he rose.

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

Seeing Jiang Ning's puzzled look, Liu Wanwan turned and took out 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 youth emerge from inside the house.

"Guoguo, hurry and drink your porridge!!" Seeing the thirteen- or fourteen-year-old youth, Jiang Yuanyuan patted the stool beside her, then shifted her upper body, which had been propped against the table.

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

[Comprehensive Explanation of Immortals and Gods]

Looking at the book Little Doubao had brought him, Jiang Ning could not help but feel a fire burning in his heart.

With this book, it would not be long before his Literacy skill broke through.

Especially after seeing the title of the book, his interest deepened even further.

He had come to this world more than two months ago, yet he still did not know whether he had transmigrated here or awakened the mystery hidden within his mother's womb.

He only knew that his previous self had shared his exact name, even resembling him by seventy or eighty percent. It was rather miraculous.

Now that so many days had passed, he no longer dwelled on the matter and had long accepted his current identity.

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

Before Great Xia, this had been a world where immortals, gods, humans, and demons coexisted.

Tales of immortals and gods had existed in his previous life as well, so he was especially interested in this book.

Jiang Ning slowly opened [Comprehensive Explanation of Immortals and Gods] and began turning its pages with rapt attention.

Silently, a notification flashed before his eyes.

[Literacy Experience +1]

[Literacy Experience +1]

The rising sun climbed ever higher.

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

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

Yet Jiang Ning remained utterly unaware, all his attention focused on the [Comprehensive Explanation of Immortals and Gods] 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 increased by 29 points.]

He looked up at the sky and immediately saw the blazing sun hanging high overhead.

"It's almost noon!" he murmured.

Then he opened his panel again.

[Skill]: Literacy (Mastery 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 [Comprehensive Explanation of Immortals and Gods] before him.

Just then.

A burly middle-aged man wearing a black constable's robe, with a long saber slung diagonally at his waist, stepped into the small courtyard.

Seeing Jiang Ning bent over his book in diligent study, he could not help but reveal a gratified smile.

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!" Warmth filled the middle-aged man's eyes as he looked at the busy woman.

"You're back?"

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

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

"The times are bad. Luoshui County is becoming more and more unsettled, and the pressure on us is growing heavier 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 may be utterly ordinary in martial arts, but when things look bad, I run faster than anyone!"

"All you know is how to brag about yourself!" The woman curled her lips and chided him softly, then added, "Go wash up, then take good care of Little Doubao! If Little 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 that? A-Ning has truly grown up these past few days!"

Hearing this, Liu Wanwan, who had been busy at work, stopped what she was doing.

"You and that little brother of yours!!" She shook her head. "You're closer to him than you are to your own son!"

How could the middle-aged man fail to understand that his wife harbored quite a bit of resentment?

He walked behind Liu Wanwan and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You've suffered these years following me!!"

The entire kitchen fell silent.

A moment later.

Liu Wanwan patted the hands around her waist.

"You stink. Go take a bath!"

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

Elsewhere.

[Literacy Experience +1]

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

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

He immediately opened his panel.

[Skill]: Literacy+ (Mastery 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 unlike any he had seen before: a plus sign appeared after the Literacy skill.

Previously, whether it was from beginner to proficient or from minor accomplishment to major accomplishment, every breakthrough had flowed as naturally as water finding its course. Once experience had accumulated to the limit, a breakthrough would follow naturally.

This time was completely different. The experience required for a breakthrough beyond the Mastery level had already been met, yet there was no sign of advancing to the next level. Only a plus sign had appeared after the Literacy skill.

Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning focused his thoughts on that plus sign.

[Literacy has reached Mastery. Consume 10 points of Source Energy to break Literacy beyond its limits?]

(End of Chapter)