Chapter 138: Breakthrough, Skin Like Bronze

Open Balcony. 

"I'm sorry," Lin Qingyi said. 

Earlier, she had secretly followed Jiang Ning and Lin Jia'er. With her abilities, she had naturally overheard Lin Jia'er's remarks. 

She now understood that Lin Jia'er did not share her high regard for Jiang Ning. 

Lin Jia'er looked down on Jiang Ning's humble origins. 

Jiang Ning replied, "Sister Lin, there's no need to apologize." 

Lin Qingyi said, "I didn't expect my niece to have such thoughts. Instead, she ended up humiliating you." 

Hearing this, Jiang Ning smiled. "Sister Lin, you're joking. This isn't humiliation. Everyone has different pursuits. Lin Jia'er's perspective isn't wrong!" 

"Being mismatched in status, we aren't suited for each other." 

Jiang Ning felt no turmoil over what had just happened. 

Having lived two lives, if he were to get angry over Lin Jia'er's words, his temperament would be far too fragile. 

Lin Qingyi looked at Jiang Ning seriously. 

After a few moments, she smiled, her face lighting up with a beautiful expression. 

"I'm even more impressed with you now! Jia'er not seeing your worth is her loss. I believe there will come a day when she regrets it." 

Jiang Ning chuckled. "Sister Lin, do you think so highly of me?" 

Lin Qingyi nodded firmly. "Of course! I'm more and more impressed with you!" 

Then she sighed lightly. "Shen Congyun's judgment is indeed better than mine." 

Hearing Shen Congyun's name, Jiang Ning asked, "Sister Lin, do you know how Senior Shen is doing now?" 

"Don't worry, he's fine," Lin Qingyi replied. "Although he broke the rules, he's a future grandmaster candidate! Talented people always have some privileges." 

"Others who break the rules might face severe punishment." 

"But he won't suffer much. It's just like going into seclusion for a while." 

"Shen Congyun knew this, which is why he stepped in to help you." 

Hearing this, Jiang Ning felt both surprised and relieved. 

He was surprised to learn that Shen Congyun was a future grandmaster candidate. 

What was a grandmaster? 

Someone who could establish their school. 

Any grandmaster was a renowned figure across the world. 

The phrase "one person, an army" best describes a grandmaster. 

Such individuals were the pillars of any major force. 

Moreover, Jiang Ning knew that any grandmaster had broken the limits of the human lifespan, typically living to around 150 years. 

Such longevity was unheard of, even in his previous world with advanced medical technology. 

This alone was enough to show that grandmasters had transcended the limits of their species. 

"Grandmaster! I will reach that level one day." 

Jiang Ning thought to himself, filled with confidence. 

After leaving the Wanhua Pavilion, Jiang Ning headed home. 

The events of the night were just a small episode for him. 

As for Lin Jia'er, he quickly put her out of his mind. 

In Jiang Ning's eyes, Lin Jia'er's behavior wasn't necessarily wrong, but he didn't like it. 

Meanwhile, after seeing Jiang Ning off. 

"Jia'er, you've disappointed me," Lin Qingyi said sternly to Lin Jia'er. 

Seeing Lin Qingyi's serious expression, Lin Jia'er's face turned pale. 

She looked up at Lin Qingyi. 

"Auntie, did Jiang Ning say something bad about me?" 

"Do you believe an outsider over me?" 

Lin Qingyi said, "He didn't say anything to me. I was following you two earlier, so I heard everything you said." 

Hearing this, Lin Jia'er's face turned even paler. 

She had wanted to defend herself. 

But after hearing Lin Qingyi's words, she knew any defense would be meaningless. 

Because her earlier conversation with Jiang Ning had been overheard by her aunt. 

Lin Jia'er was silent for less than two breaths. 

She looked up at Lin Qingyi, tears glistening in her eyes, her expression stubborn. 

"Auntie, just like you heard earlier." 

"In my eyes, Jiang Ning is not my ideal suitor." 

"He's of lowly birth. Why should I stoop to marry him?!" 

"Lowly birth?" Lin Qingyi almost laughed at these words. "Is birth so important? Five generations ago, our Lin family ancestors were just fishermen, the so-called 'lowly' people you speak of." 

Lin Jia'er retorted, "How can he compare to our ancestors?" 

"Why can't he?" Lin Qingyi continued. "Your vision is too narrow. Do you know that someone was willing to break the Wanhua Pavilion's rules for him? That person holds the same status as me and is a future grandmaster candidate." 

"In my eyes, his future achievements will surpass those of our ancestors, by a large margin." 

"With the chaos rising in the world, the Patrol Office was established to oversee the people." 

"In times of chaos, heroes emerge. This is the time for talented individuals to rise." 

"Your vision is too narrow!" Lin Qingyi said again. 

"Auntie!" Lin Jia'er looked up at her. "No matter how much you believe in him, that's just your opinion! I don't want to gamble on his future." 

"I will only marry someone who can give me a clear, bright future." 

"And I don't want to marry someone who reeks of sweat. My husband must be a gentleman, refined and elegant, someone I can be proud of and show off." 

"If Auntie thinks so highly of him, why don't you marry him yourself?!" 

Lin Qingyi: "..." 

Jiang Ning was unaware of the conversation between Lin Qingyi and Lin Jia'er. 

He had already taken a carriage back to his home. 

Even if he knew, he would have just smiled. 

No matter how others viewed him, he remained unshaken. 

He knew that with the help of his system and his own efforts, one day he would astonish the world. 

He would no longer need to care about anyone's opinion. 

After returning home, he practiced his fist techniques for a while. Before bed, he circulated his energy and tempered his skin's toughness, then went to sleep. 

[Skills]: 

Five Animals Fist (First Breakthrough 88/2000) (Trait: Essence Stored in Organs) 

Indestructible Golden Body (Proficient 1043/2000) 

Even though he had lost some time today due to the forge and Lin Qingyi's invitation, his skin-tempering progress had surged by nearly 200 experience points. He was now more than halfway to achieving skin as tough as bronze. 

For Jiang Ning, skin-tempering progress was his top priority. 

With the Dragon-Tiger Strength Pill gifted by Gong Mingyuan, once he achieved skin as tough as bronze, he could take the pill and temper his muscles, directly stepping into the eighth grade of martial arts. 

This step was crucial. Without skin as tough as bronze, he dared not recklessly temper his muscles, lest he cause irreversible damage. 

A few days later. 

[Inner Alchemy Life-Nurturing Skill experience +1] 

[Inner Alchemy Life-Nurturing Skill experience +1] 

[Inner Alchemy Life-Nurturing Skill experience +1] 

[...] 

As the sun rose, Jiang Ning sat cross-legged in the courtyard, absorbing the sun's essence to temper his internal organs. 

His efficiency in tempering his internal organs had greatly improved. 

After the Five Animals Fist reached its first breakthrough, he gained a trait he was very satisfied with. 

[Essence Stored in Organs]: Essence is stored in the five organs, which continuously strengthen on their own. 

With this trait, his internal organs were nourished by essence every day, strengthening autonomously. 

As a result, his Inner Alchemy Life-Nurturing Skill experience grew much faster. 

After finishing his sun-essence absorption, Jiang Ning checked his status panel. 

[Name]: Jiang Ning 

[Source Energy]: 47.1 

[Skills]: 

Literacy (Second Breakthrough 1478/3000) (Traits: Photographic Memory, Enhanced Senses) 

Five Animals Fist (First Breakthrough 235/2000) (Trait: Essence Stored in Organs) 

Firewood Chopping Saber Technique (Fourth Breakthrough 5000/5000) (Traits: Versatility, Swift as the Wind, Mastery of the Saber, Unity of Man and Saber) 

Inner Alchemy Life-Nurturing Skill (Proficient 1513/2000) 

Canglang Saber Technique (Mastery 48/1000) 

Indestructible Golden Body (Proficient 1976/2000) 

Swimming (First Breakthrough 187/2000) (Trait: Underwater Breathing) 

"Almost there! Today, I will achieve skin as tough as bronze!" Jiang Ning thought to himself, feeling excited. 

His progress was much faster than he had initially estimated. 

According to his original plan, by the time the Patrol Office was established, he would strive to reach the ninth grade of martial arts, having the strength to pass the assessment. 

Joining the Patrol Office and relying on its influence would give him a stable foundation. 

But now, with about three to five days left before the Patrol Office's establishment, he was on the verge of reaching the ninth grade and achieving skin as tough as bronze. 

Moreover, he might even reach the eighth grade before then. 

For an organization like the Patrol Office, established with a focus on strength, power would undoubtedly be crucial. 

It would directly correlate with one's status. 

Thinking this, Jiang Ning decided, "Then I'll change my goal. I'll strive to reach the eighth grade and achieve tempered muscles before then." 

Sitting in the medicinal bath, enjoying the soothing effects of the herbs seeping into his skin, Jiang Ning remained calm and continued reading. 

The medicinal bath took half an hour. 

After getting used to it, he didn't want to waste the two to three hours spent in the bath each day. 

So now, he uses this time to read and increase his literacy experience. 

This skill was related to the growth of his mental strength. 

Although the effect wasn't obvious, it was currently his only way to enhance his mental strength. 

Moreover, the traits gained from breaking through in literacy were highly valuable to him. 

Whether it was the [Photographic Memory] trait or the [Enhanced Senses] trait, both had greatly benefited him. 

Especially the [Enhanced Senses] trait, which had repeatedly surprised him. 

With this trait, within a radius of several dozen meters, it was as if he had a radar. Any movement or sound couldn't escape his notice. 

[Literacy experience +1] 

[Literacy experience +1] 

[Literacy experience +1] 

[...] 

These notifications kept appearing before him. 

Jiang Ning had grown accustomed to them. 

Seeing this, Jiang Li quietly left. 

Half an hour later. 

[Skill]: Literacy (Second Breakthrough 1494/3000) (Traits: Photographic Memory, Enhanced Senses) 

After checking his status panel, Jiang Ning stood up. 

He could feel the medicinal power of the Golden Body Soup integrating into his skin. 

Especially the refined demon blood in the soup, which greatly stimulated his skin. 

It was precisely because of the demon blood that the Golden Body Soup was so effective in tempering the skin. 

Stepping out of the bath, Jiang Ning went to the open area outside. 

He immediately began performing the first stance of the Indestructible Golden Body. 

He needed to absorb the medicinal power in his body and temper his skin's toughness as quickly as possible. 

[Indestructible Golden Body experience +1] 

[Indestructible Golden Body experience +1] 

[Indestructible Golden Body experience +1] 

[...] 

As time passed, the experience points on his panel continued to grow. 

Soon. 

[Skill]: Indestructible Golden Body (Proficient 1999/2000) 

"Just one more experience point!" Jiang Ning thought to himself after checking his panel. 

He took a deep breath and continued circulating the Five Animals energy, pushing his blood and energy to temper his skin. 

As his blood and energy grew, his efficiency in tempering his skin also increased. 

Blood and energy were the foundation of martial arts. 

A moment later. 

[Indestructible Golden Body experience +1] 

When this notification appeared, the Indestructible Golden Body on his panel changed. 

[Skill]: Indestructible Golden Body (Small Achievement 0/5000) 

From proficient to small achievement, a qualitative change occurred. 

At the same time, Jiang Ning felt a transformation happening within his body. 

He immediately closed his eyes, focusing inward to observe the changes. 

He saw the layer of skin beneath his surface undergoing a dramatic transformation. 

Originally, this layer of skin had many areas that were still grayish-white, representing the stone-skin level. 

Only a few areas, which he had focused on tempering, showed a bronze color, indicating that those parts had reached the bronze-skin level. 

But now, with the Indestructible Golden Body's breakthrough, the grayish-white areas representing stone-skin rapidly transformed into bronze. 

This change was intense and rapid. 

The bronze color spread and the grayish-white faded. 

His blood and energy surged wildly within his body. 

Jiang Ning steadied his mind, enduring the changes. 

In less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, he slowly opened his eyes. 

Exhale 

He let out a long breath, releasing the stale air he had been holding. 

Then he took a deep breath of fresh air mixed with the lake breeze. 

"Wonderful!!" 

Jiang Ning stood up, a smile on his face as he murmured to himself. 

At this moment, he had officially broken through to skin as tough as bronze. 

His mood was excellent, and a faint smile lingered on his face. 

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