Chapter 21: Time Flies, Knife Technique Reaches Great Mastery!

Under the moonlight, Jiang Ning stood in a daze, unsure of where to sleep for the night. 

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps echoed from behind the wall. 

A stout figure emerged from the shadows. 

"Big Sister Sun!" Jiang Ning called out. 

Auntie Sun glanced at Jiang Ning and immediately noticed the steam rising from his head and his sweat-soaked clothes. 

"Kid, you're pushing yourself too hard! It's this late, and you're still training!" Her voice carried a hint of tenderness. 

Jiang Ning smiled. "Since I've chosen to train, I have to endure some hardship. As someone from an ordinary family, getting this opportunity to learn martial arts isn't easy. I have to seize it tightly." 

"Even so, you need to sleep! It's already midnight. If you don't rest properly, how will you train tomorrow?" Auntie Sun scolded, though her tone was more concerned than angry. 

"You're right, I should sleep," Jiang Ning nodded. 

Seeing his agreement, Auntie Sun's expression softened. 

"Then follow me. I've already prepared a bed for you. I saw you reading earlier and didn't want to disturb you," she said, her words carrying a hint of nagging. 

Listening to her, Jiang Ning couldn't help but smile. 

The two walked through the quiet martial arts school, their footsteps echoing on the brick-paved path. 

The moonlight bathed the ground, casting clear shadows of the two. The chirping of insects filled the air. 

After passing through a courtyard and walking a few dozen meters, they arrived at a small courtyard. 

"The school has plenty of empty rooms. This courtyard is for you. I'll be right next door," Auntie Sun said, stopping in the yard. 

"Thank you, Big Sister!" Jiang Ning said earnestly. 

Auntie Sun chuckled. "You call me Big Sister, so there's no need to thank me!" 

Then she added, "By the way, your bedding hasn't been aired out yet. You'll have to make do for tonight. I'll air it out tomorrow." 

"It's fine," Jiang Ning replied with a smile. "Having a bed to sleep on is enough. I didn't come here to live in luxury." 

"You're such a sensible kid," Auntie Sun said, shaking her head. A hint of nostalgia flashed in her eyes. "He was just as sensible as you back then." 

"Big Sister, who are you talking about?" Jiang Ning asked. 

Auntie Sun snapped out of her reverie. She shook her head, not answering, and instead said, "It's late. Take a bath and get some sleep. I should head back too." 

Under the moonlight, Jiang Ning watched Auntie Sun's retreating figure. 

"It seems Big Sister Sun has her own story," Jiang Ning thought with a sigh, then headed to his room. 

Creak 

He pushed open the door. 

The room was simple and modest, about forty to fifty square meters. It had basic furniture a table, chairs, and a large rosewood bed in the corner. 

The spotless furniture showed how much care had been taken in cleaning the room. 

The neatly folded bedding on the bed reminded Jiang Ning of his past life. 

Back then, every time he returned home at the end of the year, his mother would have already prepared his bed, the sheets always carrying the scent of sunlight. 

He let out a soft sigh. 

Then he turned and left the room, fetching two buckets of water from the front yard. After a quick rinse, he wrung out his clothes and hung them on the windowsill to dry. 

It was mid-July, the hottest time of the year in Luoshui County. 

In this heat, any piece of clothing would dry overnight in the warm breeze. 

The next morning, the first thing Jiang Ning did upon waking was check his panel. 

[Source Energy]: 4.4 

"This time, the Source Energy increased by 0.5." 

Jiang Ning pondered, stroking his chin. "It seems the growth of Source Energy is indeed related to my daily intake, as I suspected. Yesterday, I consumed wild ginseng twice, and both lunch and dinner were much more substantial than usual. That's why the Source Energy increase broke the previous record, reaching 0.5." 

He then murmured to himself, "At this rate, it will take at least eleven more days to reach ten Source Energy points. So, there's no rush to grind experience for the Firewood Chopping Knife Technique. As long as I can max out the required experience before reaching ten Source Energy points, it'll be fine." 

He pushed open the door and stepped outside. 

Even in the hottest part of the year, the morning breeze carried a hint of coolness. 

The horizon was painted with streaks of red, signaling the imminent rise of the fiery sun. 

Jiang Ning took a deep breath of the fresh air. 

Exhale 

He slowly exhaled the stale air that had accumulated overnight. 

After a few cycles, he felt a sense of lightness in both body and mind. 

"Such a morning is perfect for practicing fist techniques," Jiang Ning thought with a smile. 

He assumed his stance, adjusted his breathing, and began practicing. 

[Five Animals Fist Experience +2] 

After one round of practice, nearly an incense stick's worth of time had passed. 

The faint light on the horizon had now given way to the rising sun. 

Jiang Ning's body was fully warmed up. 

His skin was slightly flushed, steam rose from his head, and beads of sweat dripped from his face. 

Yet, he felt incredibly content. 

One round of fist practice had yielded two experience points, equivalent to two rounds of training. 

Such efficiency was a pleasant surprise. 

After a short rest, he continued practicing. 

[Five Animals Fist Experience +1] 

[Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Beginner 31/100) 

Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning exhaled deeply. 

Exhale 

He had reached one-third of the progress. 

He was one step closer to breaking through in fist techniques. 

Jiang Ning nodded in satisfaction. 

In the blink of an eye, two more days passed. 

During this time, Jiang Li visited the martial arts school again, bringing Jiang Ning a few changes of clothes. 

Seeing that Jiang Ning's once thin frame had grown more robust, Jiang Li left reassured. 

Jiang Ning had not slacked off during these days, making the most of his time. 

Apart from practicing fist techniques and chopping wood, he spent his time reading. 

The thick book he had brought from home was finally finished the previous night. 

[Name]: Jiang Ning 

[Source Energy]: 5.4 

[Skills]: Literacy (First Breakthrough 148/2000) (Trait: Photographic Memory) 

Five Animals Fist (Beginner 88/100) 

Firewood Chopping Knife Technique (Great Mastery 109/1000) 

In just three days, Jiang Ning's panel had undergone significant changes. 

The Source Energy, increasing by 0.5 daily, had reached 5.4. 

His fist techniques had also made considerable progress, with only 12 more experience points needed for a breakthrough. 

The most notable change, however, was in the Firewood Chopping Knife Technique. 

In these few days, he had pushed it to Great Mastery. 

At the Great Mastery level, Jiang Ning could feel that his knife strikes were faster and more precise. 

He only needed to exert 80% of his previous strength to easily split a thick log in two. 

An increase of 20-30% in strength and speed might not seem like much, but in a combat technique, it could mean the difference between life and death. 

This was the change brought about by advancing the Firewood Chopping Knife Technique from Small Mastery to Great Mastery a comprehensive enhancement. 

After experiencing the leap from Small Mastery to Great Mastery, Jiang Ning's anticipation for the breakthrough of the Five Animals Fist grew even stronger.