The Internal Affairs Division.
In the courtyard
The old woman looked at the expression on Jiang Ning's face and couldn't help but show a "promising student" kind of smile.
Then she spoke again.
"The four steps of external body refinement starting with the ninth-rank skin tempering do have higher-level secret techniques that are never taught to outsiders."
"The eighth-rank Strength Realm, however, doesn't have such exclusivity."
"As for the seventh-rank Tendon Refining stage, if there is something special, it would be the so-called Dragon Tendons."
"But many sects and powerful factions across the land have external resources to help with this process. The Soaring Dragon Pill used by the Inspection Bureau is one example."
"The sixth-rank Bone Forging stage has its closely-guarded secret method as well as the forging of the legendary Divine Bones."
"The importance of Divine Bones is no less than that of the Golden Body."
"If one manages to forge Divine Bones, their physical body becomes unimaginably powerful."
"If a sixth-rank martial artist manages to create Divine Bones, not only would they be invincible among their peers even peak fifth-rank cultivators would avoid clashing with them."
"Even fourth-rank experts who've mastered Force would find them a serious headache."
At this point, Jiang Ning couldn't help but speak again.
"What if someone managed to cultivate both the Golden Body and Divine Bones?"
The old woman glanced at him.
"If someone truly possessed both a Golden Body and Divine Bones, even without having reached the internal refinement of the five viscera remaining at the external stage they would be considered invincible below the Grandmaster level."
"They could take a shower in a rain of arrows. On the battlefield, unless a Grandmaster intervenes, no one could kill such a person."
"And even if a Grandmaster stepped in" she hesitated slightly, then continued, "it would still be incredibly difficult to kill them. The only method would be to shatter their internal organs."
At this point, the old woman chuckled.
"But in reality, if someone truly managed to forge both Divine Bones and a Golden Body, they'd receive immense resources and support. They'd soon achieve internal refinement, and there's no way they'd leave their five viscera as obvious weak points."
"Moreover, as one's cultivation advances, both the Golden Body and Divine Bones will continue to evolve becoming even more terrifying."
"Back in ancient times, there were people who, at the peak of the first rank, could challenge and slay immortals. These were beings of flesh and blood mortal men who were said to rival the gods."
The moment he heard that Jiang Ning trembled.
"Rival the gods?"
"Is that... possible?"
The old woman gave him a faint glance. "Why is that so hard to believe? Those battle feats were recorded long ago in the ancient era."
Hearing that, Jiang Ning took a sharp breath.
Peak first-rank martial artists, with both Divine Bones and a Golden Body, could rival immortals and gods.
Then what about a Martial Saint?
That thought hit him hard, and he immediately asked:
"Senior, if someone at peak first rank with Divine Bones and Golden Body can rival gods, then what about a Martial Saint?"
"Martial Saint?" The old woman smiled. "In the declining years of the ancient era, gods and immortals didn't disappear entirely. Martial Saints of that time slew more than a few crippled immortals and lesser gods."
"Crippled immortals? Lesser gods?" Jiang Ning was taken aback.
The old woman gave him an exasperated look, but then seemed to remember something and softened her tone as she patiently explained:
"There are levels among immortals, just as there are among gods."
"The gap between weak and strong immortals is no smaller than the gap between someone just stepping into the martial path and a Martial Saint."
"The same applies to gods."
"The fall of the ancient era was shrouded in unspeakable terror. I don't dare dig too deep into those secrets."
"You only need to understand one thing: the end of that era also marked the fall of gods and immortals and it came with a drastic change in the world's environment."
"When one era gives way to another, it's like casting a fishing net. The big fish are caught; only the small ones slip through the gaps."
"And with the world itself changed, with spiritual energy lost, the path to immortality was severed. Immortals no longer possessed their former divine powers they became what we now call crippled immortals."
"The world's decline mirrors the decline of immortals."
"As for the gods some lesser gods managed to survive the upheaval by clinging to incense offerings. But they were nothing like the once-mighty heavenly gods who needed no worship."
"These lesser gods, nourished and also corrupted by incense, often fell and became evil gods."
"The founding of the Great Xia Dynasty and the establishment of the mortal kingdoms was far from smooth."
"Martial Saints naturally killed quite a few in that process both crippled immortals and fallen gods."
"At the peak of the first rank lies the pinnacle of martial cultivation the end of the martial path."
"And if one reaches that height with forged Divine Bones and a Golden Body, they can slay gods and destroy immortals."
"Now imagine going even further to become a Martial Saint."
As she finished, the old woman's gaze once again swept across Jiang Ning.
She had only spoken this much because Jiang Ning had repeatedly impressed her.
She was even starting to wonder if Jiang Ning was really who he claimed to be.
After all, she was aware that the world was slowly beginning to recover and she had directly benefited from this revival.
She also knew that during the catastrophe of the ancient era, no great divine being escaped unscathed, though some lesser beings might have slipped through.
Some might be seeking rebirth, aiming to rebuild their Dao fruit in a new life.
Just like today's most prominent figures the Dao Child and the Buddha Son.
She knew for a fact that those two were among the rare successful cases of such lesser beings reborn.
Now, she was beginning to suspect that Jiang Ning might be one of them too.
Otherwise, she was beginning to doubt everything she knew.
But she couldn't sense any lingering aura of a past life from Jiang Ning.
So, for now, her theory remained just that a theory.
At the same time
After hearing the old woman's explanation, Jiang Ning came to a sudden realization:
Immortals and gods weren't as invincible as he had once believed.
And martial cultivation wasn't as weak as he had once thought.
At the peak of the first rank the pinnacle of the martial path if one forged both Divine Bones and a Golden Body, creating the strongest body in the mortal world...
That alone could allow a martial artist to rival the gods.
And in this era, due to environmental shifts, the current so-called gods and immortals were far weaker than those of ancient times.
After all, unlike martial artists, their power relied more heavily on the external world.
Upon learning this information, Jiang Ning felt a great sense of relief in his heart.
His greatest worry all along had been the Black Lotus Matriarch, who might come looking for him one day.
As for the Palace Master of the Moonwater Sword Palace, he wasn't all that concerned.
After all, he was an official of the imperial court. That Palace Master was not someone without attachments she had the entire Moonwater Sword Palace behind her.
No matter what, she would have to weigh the implications of attacking a court official.
Moreover, the Great Xia Dynasty hadn't fallen into complete chaos yet. No matter how strong she was, she was still only a top-tier figure within Dongling Commandery.
Looking across the entire Great Xia, there were countless experts stronger than her.
If she truly acted recklessly, the Moonwater Sword Palace could easily become a target and be wiped off the map.
Jiang Ning was certain that for the Palace Master to rise to her current position and elevate the Moonwater Sword Palace to the top of Dongling Commandery, she couldn't be a fool. She understood the risks involved.
Just like Lu Qingshan, the master of the Medicine King Valley, from before.
Back then, Jiang Ning's strength was nothing compared to Lu Qingshan's.
Yet Lu Qingshan had chosen to completely bury the grudge between them while Jiang Ning was still weak.
The key to that decision had been Jiang Ning's official status.
He had been the deputy commander of the Luoshui County Inspection Bureau a rank eight official.
To strike at him would've meant openly challenging the Inspection Bureau and, by extension, the Martial Saint's Office.
Now, dealing with the Palace Master of Moonwater Sword Palace followed the same logic.
Unless she had gone mad, how could she dare to act rashly?
Besides, her peak fourth-rank strength didn't seem so insurmountable to Jiang Ning.
In another three, five, or maybe seven or eight days, he would finish forging his jade bones. At that point, his achievements in the ninth-rank martial stage would place him firmly among fifth-rank experts.
If things continued smoothly and the conditions were favorable, in about a month, he could reach the stage of condensing internal energy into refined like steel (gangqi), closing the gap between him and that Palace Master even further.
So, he wasn't overly worried about her.
As for the troubles of the Worshipers Sect? Even simpler.
If the Flesh and Blood God were capable of causing problems, the Black Lotus Matriarch would've already shown up long ago.
With these thoughts in mind, Jiang Ning finally felt at ease.
He also understood that his top priority now was to climb the bureaucratic ladder, gain higher authority within the Inspection Bureau, and access deeper martial knowledge.
"Senior!" Jiang Ning cupped his fists and asked, "If I want to get promoted, do I just need enough contribution points?"
The old woman glanced at him and instantly understood why Jiang Ning had come today.
She nodded slightly. "Contribution points in the Inspection Bureau represent the merits you've earned. If your merit is sufficient, of course, you can be promoted."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning asked again, "Senior, I want to know: what level of authority is required to access information on fifth-rank martial arts?"
"With your current rank of junior eighth-grade official, you'll need to go up by half a rank," the old woman said.
"How many contribution points does that take?" Jiang Ning pressed.
"100,000," she replied.
Jiang Ning couldn't help but suck in a breath.
A hundred thousand contribution points the equivalent of spending a hundred thousand taels of silver to buy a promotion, based on the official exchange rate.
How many more points would be needed for future promotions?
That thought made his heart ache.
A hundred thousand taels of silver if used to purchase rare resources could significantly boost his source energy growth.
And now he was about to spend it all just like that. To say it didn't hurt would be a lie.
But considering how crucial rank and access were, he understood it was a necessary investment.
Just then, the old woman glanced at Jiang Ning again.
"Feeling the sting, huh?" She already knew that Jiang Ning had accumulated more than enough contribution points and could afford the cost.
"A bit," Jiang Ning nodded honestly.
Upon hearing this, the old woman said calmly, "Then go take the martial civil service exam."
"The martial civil exam?" Jiang Ning was a bit surprised.
The old woman nodded lightly. "With your strength, passing the martial exam shouldn't be difficult."
"In the Inspection Bureau, having academic titles reduces the contribution points required for promotion."
"If you earn the title of martial scholar, then up to the seventh-rank level, the contribution points needed for promotion are halved."
"If you earn martial licentiate, then up to the fifth-rank level, the required points are halved."
"If you become martial champion, then up to the third-rank level, the points required for promotion are halved."
"Beyond that level, contribution points won't matter anymore."
Jiang Ning's heart was stirred.
He had already been planning to participate in the martial exams.
In Great Xia, academic titles were one of the best protective shields.
Their importance was on par with holding an official post.
So this had always been part of his plan.
He was preparing to take part in both the martial and civil exams this spring. With both titles and his current position in the Inspection Bureau…
Anyone thinking of making a move against him would have to think very carefully.
This was also part of the reason he wasn't too worried about the Moonwater Sword Palace.
Upon hearing the old woman's words, Jiang Ning became even more resolute.
Once the martial exam opened, he would have to make a trip to Dongling City to participate.
In the martial exam path, the lowest academic title was Martial Scholar, and it had to be earned in Dongling City.
Seeing the contemplative look on Jiang Ning's face, the old woman smiled.
"How about holding off for now? Wait until spring, earn your title first, and then come to me to spend your contribution points for a higher rank and more access?"
"No." Jiang Ning shook his head without hesitation. Then, with a flick of his hand, ten jade tokens inlaid with gold appeared in his palm.
Each of these tokens represented ten thousand contribution points.
Ten tokens meant a hundred thousand points in total.
He had earned these during his last mission, where he wiped out one of the most important strongholds of the Worshipers Sect in the outer district. Among the enemies slain had been a sixth-rank martial artist of the cult.
He had also recovered a statue of the Flesh and Blood God that had once been enshrined in the City God Temple.
Altogether, the merit he gained had amounted to 107,000 contribution points, which had been converted into these ten gold-inlaid jade tokens he now held.
When the old woman saw the ten tokens appear in Jiang Ning's hand, a flicker of surprise crossed her face.
"You've made up your mind?"
"I have." Jiang Ning nodded firmly.
Hearing this, the old woman was silently astonished.
Jiang Ning was so decisive he wasn't even willing to wait a single month until spring.
She could easily understand what that meant.
"Your jade bones are formed?" she asked.
"Almost," Jiang Ning replied.
"Little monster…" the old woman muttered under her breath, astonished.
The next moment, she raised her hand, and the ten gold-inlaid jade tokens flew into her grasp.
"Identity token," she said.
In her words, Jiang Ning produced a golden token that represented his official identity.
The token floated into her hand and instantly vanished.
A moment later, a new golden token appeared in the old woman's hand.
Its size and color were nearly identical to the one Jiang Ning had just handed over. It was completely golden.
However, Jiang Ning noticed that the patterns on this new token were entirely different.
At the top of its front side were the characters for Eighth Grade Official, which gleamed brightly under the sunlight.
"Jiang Ning, correct?" the old woman asked.
"Yes, senior," Jiang Ning replied.
She extended her index finger and pressed it against the token.
Shhhh
Golden dust flaked off as Jiang Ning's name slowly appeared on the front of the token.
Condensing energy into like steel?
Seeing this, Jiang Ning was visibly surprised, uncertain of what to make of it.
"Take it," the old woman said casually.
In just two breaths' time, she had engraved his name onto the brand-new token.
Whoosh
The token shot through the air, whistling as it came.
Jiang Ning raised his hand and caught it smoothly.
"This is your identity token as an official of the Primary Eighth Grade."
"But for now, your position is only honorary. I'll report this to Dongling Commandery shortly. Your official posting will take some time. Whether you stay where you are or get reassigned elsewhere depends on what the higher-ups decide."
Hearing this, Jiang Ning immediately understood.
There were currently only four Primary Eighth Grade officials in the Inspection Bureau, all of whom were Chief Commanders.
Each post was already filled.
Now that he had been promoted to Eighth Grade, once the official appointment came down, either one of the four would be reassigned, or he would be transferred.
Between those two options, if given a choice, he would prefer to stay in Luoshui County, rather than be sent to some unfamiliar place.
With that in mind, he looked at the old woman and asked:
"Senior, can I choose to be promoted and stay here?"
The old woman wasn't surprised.
She slowly shook her head and replied, "Unless you can get one of the four current commanders here transferred elsewhere so you can take their place, once the transfer order comes down, you'll either have to accept it or resign."
Jiang Ning nodded slightly, indicating his understanding.
Then he decided not to dwell on the matter for now.
Water flows to lower ground, people climb to higher places.
Someday, he would inevitably leave Luoshui County.
Before that, he needed to continue strengthening himself.
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