Jiang Ning's Mansion.
Front Hall.
"It seems he's here!" Bai Luoyu flicked open his folding fan with a light smile.
As soon as these words were spoken, the few people in the hall turned their gazes toward the entrance.
A moment later, Xiao Emei couldn't help but glance at Bai Luoyu.
Only then did she hear the faint sound of movement in the distance the footsteps of two people.
At this moment, she realized that Bai Luoyu's senses were sharper than hers.
This undoubtedly indicated that Bai Luoyu's strength surpassed her own.
Generally speaking, the more refined one's martial arts, the keener their senses.
Powerful martial artists could even achieve a state where closing their eyes was as clear as daylight, relying solely on scent, the flow of air, and the transmission of sound to instantly visualize all changes in their surroundings.
After another moment, Jiang Ning appeared at the entrance, with Lü Yi following closely behind.
Seeing this, Hong Minghu and Bai Luoyu immediately stood up.
Xiao Emei hesitated briefly but also rose to her feet.
"Greetings, Prefect." Crossing the threshold, Jiang Ning swept his gaze across the hall and cupped his hands toward Hong Minghu.
Then, his eyes shifted to Bai Luoyu and Xiao Emei, lingering for a fleeting moment on Bai Luoyu.
"Prefect, who might these two be?" Jiang Ning asked again.
Hong Minghu had already risen. Gesturing toward Bai Luoyu, he introduced, "Commander Jiang, this is Bai Luoyu, Inspector Bai from the Eastern Mausoleum City Patrol Office."
Then, he turned to Xiao Emei beside him. "This is the chief disciple of the Moonwater Sword Palace's master, ranked third on the Hidden Dragon List Xiao Emei."
Hearing this, a subtle shift flickered in Jiang Ning's eyes as he looked at Xiao Emei.
Moonwater Sword Palace.
These four words instantly caught his attention.
Before He Jinsheng left, he had confessed to Jiang Ning: He Jinyun's mother was no ordinary woman she was the younger sister of the Moonwater Sword Palace's master, Xiao Qiushui.
In other words, He Jinyun, whom Jiang Ning had killed, was the nephew of the Moonwater Sword Palace's master.
The master of the Moonwater Sword Palace was one of the top experts in the entire Eastern Mausoleum Prefecture, hailed as the strongest below the Grandmaster level.
Her strength spoke for itself.
Not to mention her status as the master of the Moonwater Sword Palace.
Women were already not to be trifled with, let alone a middle-aged woman of such stature.
It was easy to imagine that the master of the Moonwater Sword Palace was a figure not to be provoked in the Eastern Mausoleum Prefecture.
"It seems this woman is here for me!" Jiang Ning thought to himself.
He then cupped his hands toward Bai Luoyu. "Greetings, Inspector!"
"The title 'Inspector' is unnecessary!" Bai Luoyu waved his folding fan with a smile. "We are colleagues just call me Brother Bai. I've always preferred addressing others as brothers and making friends with heroes!"
"Greetings, Brother Bai!" Jiang Ning replied.
Bai Luoyu's smile widened, and he lightly fanned himself.
"Brother Jiang, I've heard your name many times in the office. Seeing you today, you truly live up to your reputation! Young and accomplished, a genuine martial arts prodigy!"
"You flatter me, Brother Bai!" Jiang Ning chuckled.
Beside them, Xiao Emei observed this exchange with slight surprise.
She was well aware of Bai Luoyu's reputation in Eastern Mausoleum City it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was arrogant and looked down on most.
In the entire city, few earned Bai Luoyu's recognition, and even fewer were addressed by him as brothers.
"What makes him so special?" Xiao Emei scrutinized Jiang ning silently, her mind racing.
Noticing Xiao Emei's covert gaze, Jiang Ning felt a tightening in his chest.
He was being targeted.
Should he strike first?
The thought flashed through his mind, but he suppressed it for now.
"Little Brother, I'll leave you to host. I'll go prepare lunch," Jiang Li interjected.
Jiang Ning nodded. "Alright!"
Then, he turned to Bai Luoyu. "Brother Bai, how about we move to my courtyard?"
"Do you have wine?" Bai Luoyu asked.
"Of course," Jiang Ning replied.
"Excellent!" Bai Luoyu clapped his hands, laughing. "Then let's talk over drinks."
East Courtyard.
Pavilion.
A few plates of nuts were arranged on the white jade table.
Jiang Ning and the other three sat in four directions.
"Excellent wine!" Bai Luoyu took his first sip and immediately felt the chill of the liquor seep into his belly, only to transform into a raging fire that surged upward, flushing his face with its potency.
After praising it, he added, "This wine even contains a special substance! It elevates the taste to a whole new level."
"Brother Bai has a keen eye!" Jiang Ning complimented.
Bai Luoyu smiled. "You and I are kindred spirits. Such subtleties are naturally perceptible to us."
"Kindred spirits?" Jiang Ning looked puzzled.
Bai Luoyu chuckled. "Brother Jiang, like me, possesses an innate spiritual root and extraordinary wisdom. Moreover, we are among the best of our kind, capable of sensing energies that others cannot perceive."
"If this were the ancient era, both of us would have become immortals or revered ancestors, achieving eternal life."
"What a shame!"
At this point, Bai Luoyu couldn't help but shake his head slightly.
Xiao Emei and Hong Minghu, seated nearby, remained unfazed.
They had already heard Bai Luoyu's remarks at the door and were aware of Jiang Ning's uniqueness.
"No wonder Commander Jiang has progressed so rapidly in martial arts, reaching this level in such a short time!" Hong Minghu chimed in, following Bai Luoyu's lead.
"Not necessarily," Bai Luoyu disagreed. "This isn't the ancient era the environment has long since changed. The so-called spiritual root doesn't hold much significance anymore. At most, it grants some advantage in certain aspects. Brother Jiang's achievements are ultimately due to his efforts."
Behind them, Lü Yi, upon hearing this, couldn't help but think of Jiang Ning's diligence and nodded in deep agreement.
Bai Luoyu noticed this and smiled faintly.
Jiang Ning also smiled.
He knew his circumstances well.
His hard work was real, but effort alone wouldn't have brought him this far.
Then he said, "Brother Bai certainly knows how to flatter!"
"Brother Jiang is quite straightforward!" Bai Luoyu picked up the folding fan on the table, flicked it open with a snap, and began gently waving it.
"Come, let's drink!" Bai Luoyu raised his cup.
He gestured to Jiang Ning, Hong Minghu, and Xiao Emei.
Xiao Emei smiled apologetically and waved her hand, once again declining.
Hong Minghu raised his cup, lowering it slightly when clinking glasses as a sign of respect.
Jiang Ning also raised his cup in acknowledgment.
The three of them then downed their drinks in one go.
"Brother Jiang, do you know why I came to visit today?" Bai Luoyu asked.
Jiang Ning nodded slightly. "I have a rough idea."
"My intentions aren't hard to guess," Bai Luoyu said, slowly fanning himself as he set down his cup.
Lü Yi, holding the wine jug with both hands, stepped forward again to refill their cups.
"The Three Major Achievements truly astounded me!" Bai Luoyu's face showed a trace of awe.
Jiang Ning smiled, choosing not to elaborate further.
Instead, he simply said, "Just luck."
"This is no mere luck!" Bai Luoyu shook his head and continued, "At your age, to efficiently absorb the solar essence during the hour of Si such profound internal cultivation is extraordinary."
"Mastering both internal and external disciplines, with unparalleled archery skills."
"The Black Mountain Army dared to target Luoshui County they were practically begging for death!"
Hearing this, Hong Minghu nodded in agreement.
Having personally witnessed Jiang Ning's archery in the battle against Li Hong, he understood its terrifying power.
Two arrows were all it took to kill Li Hong a divine descendant with an undying body.
With such formidable skill, the Black Mountain Army's decision to attack the city was nothing short of a death wish.
In his eyes, Jiang Ning was likely a sixth-rank martial artist.
Yet even at his peak, as a fifth-rank warrior with vast internal energy and fully opened meridians, Hong Minghu doubted he could guarantee a clean escape if he faced Jiang Ning's arrows head-on.
Let alone the remnants of the Black Mountain Army.
At that moment, Bai Luoyu turned to Jiang Ning.
"Brother Jiang, the internal strengthening method you practice must be the orthodox Daoist Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique, correct?"
"Indeed!" Jiang Ning nodded, then praised, "Brother Bai is truly extraordinary, able to discern my cultivation method at a glance."
Bai Luoyu smiled. "It's not difficult. Both of us possess innate spiritual roots, enabling us to perceive certain unique energies in the world."
"Earlier, at the door, I noticed solar essence descending in your direction."
"Among the current internal strengthening methods, few can harness solar essence the Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique is one of them."
"This method originates from the Dan Yang Sect of Daoism, derived from an ancient immortal cultivation technique. Today, the Dan Yang Sect holds the complete version of this method."
"Of course, our Martial Sage Manor also possesses the full Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique."
As he spoke, Bai Luoyu's expression brimmed with pride, as if sharing in the glory.
Then he continued, "Brother Jiang if you can reach the perfection level in the future, with 'a golden pill swallowed into the belly, my fate is mine, not heaven's,' you will surely make a name for yourself in the world."
Jiang Ning asked, "Brother Bai, are there any senior experts in this world who have cultivated this inner-strengthening method to perfection?"
"There is!" Bai Luoyu continued to wave his folding fan gently as he explained to Jiang Ning, "The Danyang Sect has a grandmaster who achieved the rank of grandmaster in a single step through the Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique."
"A single step to grandmaster?" Jiang Ning was somewhat surprised upon hearing this.
Bai Luoyu glanced at Jiang Ning and realized his knowledge in this area was lacking, so he went on, "Grandmasters are also known as Blood-Tempering Grandmasters, and there are distinctions in strength and ability among them."
"Some use external substances like Bai Ling Blood, absorbing its spiritual essence to complete a single tempering, thereby undergoing a transformative rebirth. These are the weakest Single-Tempering Human Path Grandmasters."
"Others employ profound methods to achieve communion between heaven and man, drawing upon the spiritual essence of heaven and earth to complete a single tempering, resulting in a transformative rebirth. Such grandmasters are exceptionally powerful and are known as Heavenly Path Grandmasters."
"That grandmaster from the Danyang Sect is a Double-Tempering Heavenly Path Grandmaster. Even when facing a Triple-Tempering Human Path Grandmaster one who has completed three temperings using Bai Ling Blood, Thousand-Spirit Blood, and Ten-Thousand-Spirit Blood he could still emerge victorious."
"Heavenly Path Grandmasters, Human Path Grandmasters..." Jiang Ning murmured to himself before asking Bai Luoyu, "Brother Bai, are there other classifications for grandmasters?"
"There are!" Bai Luoyu nodded. "In ancient times, during the era of immortals and deities, the powerful could manipulate the laws of heaven and earth, creating blessed lands, hidden realms, and secret dimensions. Some of these special dimensions remain today."
"Those dimensions contain treasures imbued with spiritual essence from ancient times. Absorbing the spiritual essence of such treasures to complete blood tempering results in Earth-Bearing Grandmasters."
"Among these three types of grandmasters, the Heavenly Path Grandmaster is the most difficult to achieve, as it requires communion between heaven and man to draw upon the spiritual essence of heaven and earth for blood tempering. However, it is also the strongest and holds the greatest potential."
"Half of the Great Grandmasters in this world are built upon the foundation of Heavenly Path Grandmasters."
Hearing this, Jiang Ning raised his wine cup.
"Thank you for your guidance, Brother Bai. I offer you a toast."
Bai Luoyu smiled, raised his cup, and lightly clinked it with Jiang Ning's, keeping them at the same height.
Then he added, "The inner-strengthening method Brother Jiang is currently practicing, once perfected to the level of a golden pill swallowed into the belly, my fate is mine, not heaven's,' will lay the foundation for becoming a Heavenly Path Grandmaster."
"In the future, you can achieve the rank of grandmaster in a single step, becoming a Heavenly Path Grandmaster."
Xiao Emei and Hong Minghu, who were listening nearby, felt a mix of emotions upon hearing this conversation.
Grandmaster.
Even in their eyes, it was an almost unattainable realm.
Yet Bai Luoyu and Jiang Ning were discussing the path to grandmastery as if it were a given.
Clearly, in Bai Luoyu's view, he had an eighty to ninety percent chance of reaching grandmastery in the future.
Moreover, Bai Luoyu was also highly confident in Jiang Ning's potential to become a grandmaster specifically, the highest tier of grandmaster, the Heavenly Path Grandmaster.
At this moment, Xiao Emei couldn't help but think of her master, the sect leader of the Moonwater Sword Palace.
The reason her master had not yet achieved grandmastery was precisely because she aimed to become the highest tier of Heavenly Path Grandmaster.
Only a Heavenly Path Grandmaster could lead the Moonwater Sword Palace to become the true hegemon of Dongling County, the uncrowned king among its major sects.
Bai Luoyu then said, "Brother Jiang, if you have time in the future, after reaching the fifth rank, you can spend contribution points to exchange for an opportunity to study at the Dao Palace or the Academy."
"The accumulated knowledge and resources of the Dao Palace and the Academy over the years will be of great help to you."
"Moreover, aside from the Danyang Sect, the complete cultivation method for the Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique can only be found in the Martial Sage Manor and the Dao Palace's library."
"I believe Brother Jiang must be quite interested in the complete method."
Jiang Ning nodded.
"I am indeed interested."
After hearing Bai Luoyu's words, he understood the significance of the Internal Alchemy Cultivation Technique.
It was not just a profound inner-strengthening method but also a path to becoming a Heavenly Path Grandmaster.
By reaching perfection and achieving "a golden pill swallowed into the belly, my fate is mine, not heaven's," one could commune with heaven and man, drawing upon the spiritual essence of heaven and earth to complete blood tempering, becoming a grandmaster in a single day a Heavenly Path Grandmaster.
Soon after, Bai Luoyu turned to Hong Minghu and Xiao Emei.
"Could the two of you excuse us for a moment?"
"No problem!" Hong Minghu stood up and added, "Inspector Bai, I'll wait for you outside!"
"Mm." Bai Luoyu acknowledged with a nod.
He then looked at Xiao Emei.
Xiao Emei glanced at Bai Luoyu, exchanged a look with Jiang Ning, and then smiled gracefully as she slowly rose to her feet.
"Commander Jiang, Inspector Bai, I shall take my leave first."
With those words, she departed first.
Hong Minghu followed suit and left as well.
Lü Yi also trailed behind the two.
Soon, only Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu remained in the courtyard.
"Brother Jiang, I came to Luoshui County under orders from above, primarily to deliver the rewards for your merits."
Hearing Bai Luoyu's words, Jiang Ning knew the main event had arrived.
This was also what he had been looking forward to most today.
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