After dinner, Jiang Ning braved the heavy snow and returned to his courtyard.
Before long, he had set up nine torches in the yard, arranged in a circle with a clearing about ten feet wide in the center.
Then, he took out a pair of flint stones.
Click
Sparks flew, and the oil-soaked torches burst into roaring flames.
Soon, all nine torches were ablaze, their flames reaching three feet high, thick black smoke rising into the snowy night.
The intense heat melted the falling snowflakes before they could even touch the ground.
"This environment should do the trick!" Jiang Ning looked at the fiercely burning torches surrounding him and allowed a faint smile to cross his face.
With his Iron Bones already forged, all he needed now was to wait for his body's final transformation to officially step into the Sixth Rank of martial arts.
Tonight, while undergoing this metamorphosis, he also planned to push his high-tier martial art, Water-Fire True Force, through its second breakthrough.
[Skill]: Water-Fire True Force (First Breakthrough: 1691/2000) (Trait: Water-Fire Immortal Robe)
Thanks to his efforts over the past few days, the skill was already close to its second breakthrough.
Through experimentation, he discovered that training Water-Fire True Force near water or intense flames accelerated its progress.
Hence, tonight's fiery setup.
The nine torches surrounded him, waves of heat filling the air. An ordinary person would suffer burns and pass out within minutes in such an environment.
But for Jiang Ning, with the protection of his Water-Fire Immortal Robe, it was no different from standing in a normal room completely comfortable.
Then, he glanced at the torches and began circulating his Water-Fire True Force.
The moment he did, he immediately sensed the difference.
The growth rate of his Water-Fire True Force was significantly faster than usual.
[Water-Fire True Force EXP +5]
[Water-Fire True Force EXP +3]
[Water-Fire True Force EXP +6]
[...]
After half an hour, the flames gradually died down.
[Skill]: Water-Fire True Force (First Breakthrough: 1773/2000) (Trait: Water-Fire Immortal Robe)
"As expected the fiercer the flames, the faster the progress!"
Seeing the changes in his panel, Jiang Ning was pleased.
Before tonight, he had already tested training near the fire. The results had been promising, with the flames providing efficiency comparable to training in water.
That was why he had prepared extra torches in his Spatial Ring, ready for cultivation sessions like this.
He swiftly replaced the burnt-out torches with new ones, and the flames roared back to life.
Time passed.
The Water-Fire True Force skill continued to grow, inching closer to its second breakthrough.
Several hours later
[Water-Fire True Force EXP +6]
[Source Energy]: 566.33
[Skill]: Water-Fire True Force+ (First Breakthrough: 2000/2000) (Trait: Water-Fire Immortal Robe)
At this sight, joy surged in Jiang Ning's heart.
His days of effort had finally borne fruit.
Without hesitation, he willed the breakthrough.
Instantly, his Source Energy plummeted by 200 points, settling at 366.33.
At the same time
An endless sea of flames enveloped him.
It was as if he had been thrown into a blazing furnace, surrounded by infinite fire, like a spirit dancing within the inferno.
Then, just as suddenly, the flames vanished.
He plunged into the abyssal depths of an endless ocean.
Darkness surrounded him, an infinite expanse of water pressing in from all sides.
Here, he was like a tiny boat, tossed by unseen currents, utterly at the mercy of the waves.
Fire and water intertwined.
He cycled between the two realms scorching flames one moment, crushing depths the next.
Time lost meaning.
It might have been an instant, or years perhaps even an eternity compressed into a single moment.
Then, abruptly, Jiang Ning returned to reality.
He slowly opened his eyes.
The courtyard was silent, save for the endless snowfall. The torches around him had long since burned to ashes.
He glanced up at the sky.
The night was still pitch-black, an abyss with no trace of light. There was no way to tell how much time had passed.
Looking back at the torches, only cold embers remained.
"It must have been quite a while..." he murmured.
Then, he checked his panel.
[Source Energy]: 366.33
[Skill]: Water-Fire True Force (Second Breakthrough: 3/3000) (Traits: Water-Fire Immortal Robe, Mastery of Fire and Water)
[Mastery of Fire and Water]: Command the spirits of water and fire, freely manipulating 90% of the world's flames and currents.
"Another form of authority... or perhaps a divine ability?" Jiang Ning muttered, studying the panel's grand description.
He closed his eyes again.
In the darkness of his mind, he sensed countless floating specks some black, some crimson-red. The black specks outnumbered the red ones several times over.
Whoosh
Suddenly, flames erupted from thin air beside him, leaping three feet high and illuminating the entire courtyard.
Jiang Ning opened his eyes and observed the fire.
"So that's how it works."
With this simple test, he understood the essence of Mastery of Fire and Water the ability to summon flames and water from nothingness.
A thought later, a mass of water materialized in the air, weighing roughly a ton.
With a wave of his hand, the two elements shifted shape.
One became a serpent of fire, the other a serpent of water.
The two snakes slithered through the courtyard, the fire serpent's heat melting the snow beneath it.
After observing for a moment, Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction.
"Quite powerful."
The heat radiating from the fire serpent was staggering at least 1,500 degrees Celsius. Against an ordinary martial artist, a single coil would reduce them to charcoal.
For most warriors, this was an overwhelming, insurmountable force.
"A shame I can't use this ability too freely."
He knew all too well the saying: "A man's wealth is his ruin."
In a world where martial arts reigned supreme, displaying such a miraculous ability would undoubtedly draw the attention of the strongest experts.
Even grandmasters, as far as he knew, could not wield such power.
According to ancient texts, abilities like this belonged to the era of gods and immortals.
In this age, revealing it would only invite dangerous curiosity from the most formidable figures.
That was a risk he couldn't afford.
Thus, this power whether a divine ability or some form of authority would remain hidden, especially in public.
"Still, it's a valuable addition to my arsenal."
While not entirely satisfied, he accepted the gains.
Summoning water and fire will expand his combat options.
The ability to control flames, in particular, was a terrifying weapon if used without restraint.
Against high-ranking experts with Inner Breath, it might not be decisive, as they could isolate themselves from the elements.
But against warriors below the Fifth Rank?
It was an unstoppable force.
A single sweep of flames could turn an army to ash.
Even a thousand soldiers would be nothing before him.
As long as his mental energy held out, he could incinerate entire battlefields.
The mere thought made the ability worth it.
In this world, unless one reached the level of a Martial Saint, even grandmasters could be worn down by sheer numbers.
Human strength had limits.
Facing an endless tide of enemies, even the mightiest would eventually exhaust their Inner Breath and fall.
But now?
That was no longer a concern for Jiang Ning.
An army of thousands meant nothing to his flames.
And as long as there was water nearby, his mental energy would never run dry.
"With this, even in times of war and chaos, I'll have a way to survive."
The more he considered it, the more satisfied he became with his new power.
Next, he turned his attention inward, sensing the ongoing transformation of his bones.
In his meditative state, he could feel them growing denser, tougher, more resilient.
"According to that parchment, at my current level, the full transformation takes about ten hours. Once complete, I'll officially step into the Sixth Rank."
"After that, my physique will undergo another evolution, lasting three days to a week."
"Once finished, my body, blood, strength, and endurance will all reach new heights."
"That's when I'll be a true Sixth-Rank martial artist."
After reviewing the process in his mind, he went to the lakeside to wash up before heading to bed.
The Next Morning
At the first light of dawn, Jiang Ning awoke.
[Source Energy]: 370.15
A glance at his panel showed only a minor increase in Source Energy nothing noteworthy.
"The third breakthrough for Water-Fire True Force requires 500 Source Energy."
"Firewood Chopping Blade Art needs 500 for its sixth breakthrough."
"And Water Affinity demands a whopping 1,000 for its seventh."
He sighed.
"I need to find some rare treasures to absorb. Iron Bone Pills aren't cutting it anymore."
After some thought, his mind turned to the Luo River a seemingly endless expanse of water teeming with natural treasures.
Like the Blood Lotus, he had found before, which had given him dozens of Source Energy points.
Or that Black Stone, which was still steadily providing Source Energy while enhancing his Bone Structure and Water Affinity.
Over the past few months, its benefits have been undeniable.
[Skill]: Water Affinity (Sixth Breakthrough: 7000/7000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Manipulation+, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud and Rain Control, Water Spirit Body)
For instance, Water Affinity had only recently reached its sixth breakthrough. Back then, it was still thousands of points away from the 7,000 EXP mark. Now, it had already maxed out again.
The Black Stone had contributed significantly to that growth.
Now, the only thing holding Water Affinity back from its seventh breakthrough was the lack of Source Energy.
By his estimates, 1,000 points would be enough.
Having settled on his next goal, Jiang Ning got out of bed.
Then, he closed his eyes and focused inward.
Instantly, he saw his 206 bones, now entirely silver-white.
"As expected. The bone transformation is complete. True Iron Bones."
He opened his eyes, a pleased smile forming.
Though he had known the process would finish by morning, seeing it firsthand still filled him with satisfaction.
A Sixth-Rank martial artist.
In Luo River County, this placed him among the elite.
Even Wang Jin was no longer his match.
"I should visit the martial hall soon. The master will be thrilled."
He clenched his fist, feeling the surge of power as his blood and qi roared like a tidal wave.
After a brief assessment, he nodded.
"As I thought compared to last night, my body has improved across the board. The evolution has already begun."
"Once it's over, my strength will rise even further."
Inspection Headquarters
Jiang Ning arrived early and headed straight to his office a private courtyard within the compound.
"Sir!" Xie Xiaojiu looked up in surprise, then quickly set aside the kindling she was lighting and stood. "Let me brew some tea for you!"
"No need." He waved her off. "Go about your business. I'm waiting for Captain Feng."
"Are you two heading out?" she asked.
"Mhm." He nodded. "We're going to the outer city. She found a Worshipper Sect hideout that might be a big fish."
"A big fish?" Xie Xiaojiu's eyes widened. "Sir, can I come along?"
"Sure."
In his eyes, the Worshipper Sect was no longer a threat. Dealing with them would be simple.
If there was a high-ranking target, even better.
The sect's idol, hidden in the City God Temple, still hadn't been found.
That idol was the higher-ups' top priority.
Recovering it would earn him 50,000 Contribution Points within the Inspection Bureau.
Right now, as a Deputy Commander (Rank 8b), a significant sum of points could promote him to Full Commander (Rank 8a) making him the Inspection Bureau's fifth official leader.
With his current clearance, the Internal Affairs Department had little left to offer him.
Even the Martial Saint's notes on the Fifth Rank (Inner Refinement) were locked behind higher access.
Thus, Contribution Points still mattered.
Without sufficient rank, even with his mystical panel, his progress would hit a wall.
Beyond the Fifth Rank, cultivation methods were closely guarded secrets, restricted to major factions.
The path to Grandmaster and above?
Even more elusive.
Only core members of top sects or organizations could access such knowledge.
Joining a sect was an option, but Jiang Ning found it too restrictive.
The Inspection Bureau offered far more freedom.
After all, lately, he'd been reaping benefits without doing much work.
By now, Xie Xiaojiu had the fire going.
She blew gently on the flames, coaxing them to life, then stood up eagerly.
"Sir, the fire's ready! Warm yourself while I make tea!"
Her cheerful demeanor suggested she was genuinely happy to see him.
-support me on Patreon for more chapters, 410+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LordoftheReader