Grinding Cultivation Toward Martial Saint

[Skill]: Chopping Wood Blade Skill (Broken Limit 5 times 6000/6000) (Traits: touch and understand, blade like a gust of wind, wielding blade like a god, unity of man and blade, born with a blade bone)

Swimming (Broken Limit 6 times 7000/7000) (Traits: Underwater Breathing, Water Control Technique+, Water Spirit Affinity, Cloud Formation and Rainfall, Water Spirit Body)

The experience value required to break the limit of these two skills had already been full for many days.

But the lack of Source Energy Points was still a big problem.

To break the limit of Chopping Wood Blade Skill for the sixth time, that would require a total of five hundred Source Energy Points.

As for Swimming, to achieve the seventh break limit, according to Jiang Ning's own estimation, it would need a thousand Source Energy Points.

The shortfall of Source Energy Points was indeed substantial.

After studying the panel for a long time, he thought for a moment and then closed it.

"I still need money!" After thinking for half a day, that was the only solution he could come up with.

As long as he had money, he could buy all kinds of precious herbs and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, as well as so-called Immortal Treasures.

By absorbing those things, the Source Energy Points would naturally skyrocket.

At this moment, he also thought of the remaining Immortal Treasures at the Wanhua Building.

One type was the Five Elements Spiritual Fruits, each with five fruits of the Five Elements Attributes.

There were also two other types of Immortal Treasures, one being Star Grass and another being the Ten Thousand Wood Tree Heart.

These three types of Immortal Treasures were all very valuable.

Especially the Five Elements Spiritual Fruits, which were priced at one hundred thousand taels of silver at Wanhua Building.

This amount was a considerable fortune for any power in Luoshui County.

"Only the three big families could raise that sum in a short time!" Jiang Ning shook his head slightly, temporarily not considering this problem without any leads.

Then he vaulted over the high wall and arrived above the ice layer at Rough Stone Beach.

With an easy stomp, he shattered the thick ice layer, and his whole body instantly sank into the icy bone-piercing water.

However, for him, as soon as he entered the water, he felt an indescribable comfort and enjoyment.

In just the time it took to drink a cup of tea,

He resurrected to full blood and full status, returning to the top of the ice layer.

By then, he had washed away the sweat from just exercising and felt refreshed all over.

With a thought, his clothes became dry and free of any water stains.

Afterward,

He returned to his room where, under Lv Yi's attendance, he changed into New Year's attire.

"Master, it's ready!" Lv Yi spoke, and looking at Jiang Ning's reflection in the bronze mirror, her face showed a very pleased expression.

At this moment, under Lv Yi's grooming, Jiang Ning's hair was combed smoothly, held at the top of his head with a black hairband.

Wearing a red and white robe, he looked very festive and well-fitted, and the cloth used was obviously very special and smooth, with threads shimmering in the sunlight that shone in from outside the house.

At the same time,

The Family Head of the Xie family, Xie Zhengtian, had also arrived in front of Jiang Ning's residence.

He lowered his head to straighten his clothes, then turned to glance at the dark-faced man behind him.

"Second brother, is everything prepared?"

"Everything's prepared!" the dark-faced man nodded.

"Good!" Xie Zhengtian, the Family Head, nodded slightly.

Then he straightened his clothes before knocking on the front courtyard gate.

A few breaths later,

"So early?" A surprised voice came from the front courtyard, followed by hurried footsteps.

...

East Courtyard.

"Master, the Family Head of the Xie family has come to pay a New Year's visit and says he wants to see you."

"He's come this early?" Jiang Ning looked surprised.

Then he put down the book in his hand and stood up.

"Let's go! Let's meet him!"

Walking along the way, Jiang Ning was very curious. The Xie Family Head's request to see him clearly meant he had something he wanted to discuss.

But what could he have to discuss with him?

Harboring some doubts, Jiang Ning headed toward the main hall of the front courtyard.

A moment later,

Jiang Ning and Xie Zhengtian sat at the tea table.

Suddenly,

Xie Zhengtian stood up, his expression solemn, "Commander Jiang!!"

"Does the Family Head have something to say?" Jiang Ning said.

"Yes!" Xie Zhengtian nodded solemnly.

Then he continued, "Commander Jiang, previously, my family's younger generation was unruly, and some scoundrels caused trouble for the villagers; this is a self-examination of all two hundred and forty-seven people in my Xie family."

After saying this, he took a rolled-up piece of white paper from the hands of the dark-faced man behind him.

"Commander Jiang, please take a look."

Then, he took out two silver notes edged with thin gold threads from his sleeve and continued, "Commander Jiang, thank you for protecting the safety of all the citizens of Luoshui County last night. This is a modest token of gratitude from the Xie family. Please accept it."

At this moment,

Jiang Ning glanced at the sticky, rolled-up white paper that Xie Zhengtian had placed on the desk, then at the gold-threaded silver notes that Xie Zhengtian had pushed towards him, and couldn't help but smile.

He instantly understood the general idea of Xie Zhengtian.

It was a sense of shared doom.

The fate of the Cao and Liu families had given the Xie family a great crisis now.

Hence, they came knocking on his door on the first day of the New Year.

It was both an attempt to curry favor and a well-prepared move.

Self-investigation and self-punishment, then presenting a generous gift.

Two silver notes edged with gold threads!

Such notes, each represented ten thousand taels of silver.

With two notes on the desk at the moment, this meant a whole twenty thousand taels of silver were meant to be given to himself.

Afterwards,

He picked up the roll of white paper, tore off the sticky part, and the pages instantly spread out in his hand.

After a moment,

[Literacy and Judgement Experience +1]

Another moment passed.

[Literacy and Judgement Experience +1]

In less than the time it took to brew half a pot of tea, he had gone through the pages in his hand detailing the Xie family's self-investigation and self-punishment.

By flipping through the information on these pages, he barely gained two points of Literacy and Judgment Experience.

Then, Jiang Ning put down the pages in his hand, looked at Xie Zhengtian standing before him, and spoke with a calm demeanor,

"Not enough!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Zhengtian was taken aback.

Jiang Ning continued, "Given my relationship with Xie Xiaojiu, I can consider letting your Xie family off. However, the punishments listed here are far from sufficient, and the crimes committed by your family members amount to much more than this."

"I will give you another chance, a chance for self-investigation and self-punishment."

"Only one chance!"

"If your Xie family is not sincere in dealing with those people, I wouldn't mind making the Xie family end up like the Liu family."

Hearing Jiang Ning's last sentence,

Although the tone was even, Xie Zhengtian felt a chill going from head to toe, causing his heart to tremble.

He was very clear about what happened to the Liu family.

And he had no doubt that Jiang Ning was capable of doing the same.

Especially after last night's event, his doubts disappeared completely.

Also, because of what happened last night, holding the family elder meeting had become extremely smooth.

Families that had grown to this stage were no fools.

They all knew too well that everything should prioritize the longevity of the family; individual sacrifices were insignificant in the face of the family's survival.

At this moment, upon hearing the response from Jiang Ning, he instantly understood the trouble he was in.

It was evident that Jiang Ning did not want to let the Xie family off just like that.

What troubled him most was Jiang Ning's statement about there being only one chance.

Then, he respectfully responded,

"Understood! Thank you, Commander Jiang, for giving the Xie family another opportunity."

After saying this, he pushed the two gold-threaded silver notes on the table once more.

"Commander Jiang, please accept these!"

"Very well," Jiang Ning nodded and took the two silver notes Xie Zhengtian pushed over, "I just happen to be short on money, so I will accept these notes."

At the same time,

Upon hearing this, Xie Zhengtian's eyes suddenly lit up.

Then,

He did not continue to talk, but instead, he bowed and took his leave.

After stepping out of the mansion's gate,

"Big brother, what should we do?" The dark-faced man dared to speak only then because before going in, Xie Zhengtian, the Family Head of the Xie family, had instructed him not to utter a single word inside.

Xie Zhengtian said, "It's obvious now, if our Xie family is willing to endure bone-scrapping treatment, then the Xie family can survive. If we are not willing, the fate of the Xie family may not be much different from that of the Liu family."

Having said that, Xie Zhengtian showed a smile.

"Fortunately, I just discovered a need of Commander Jiang. He is in dire need of money."

"My Xie family happens to be wealthy!"