Grinding Cultivation Toward Martial Saint

East Courtyard.

Only a moment passed.

A surge erupted in the stream.

Water splashed on both sides, wetting the pebbles on the banks.

"Master, I'm coming!" The Old Turtle's voice reached Jiang Ning before he appeared in his view.

The surge from the stream marked the speed of the Old Turtle's arrival.

A breath later.

The Old Turtle appeared in the lake.

"Catch these!" Jiang Ning flicked two drops of blood, drawing an arc in the air.

The Old Turtle leapt from the lake, extending his neck.

"Swish, swish."

The two drops of blood were swallowed by the Old Turtle.

"Go back and refine them! Remember to protect them well!" Jiang Ning said.

"Yes, Master!" the Old Turtle replied.

He came swiftly, and left just as quickly!

After receiving Jiang Ning's instructions, he departed rapidly.

In such a short time, losing three drops of blood, Jiang Ning felt a slight difference in his body.

"Losing three to five drops of blood daily is harmless, but any more, over time, could affect me!"

"The nurturing of the Old Turtle and Linglong must continue; being creatures of the mystical, they absorb my blood the most efficiently, and as my followers, they can protect my family well."

...

The grand sun rose slowly.

Even as sunlight enveloped Dongling City, because the city nestled in the mountains, the time was still early, and the temperature had not yet risen. The morning breeze continued to carry the mountain's moist chill.

Having washed up, Jiang Ning settled in the courtyard and turned the pages of a book.

"Young master, tea!" Lv Yi came with a freshly brewed pot of hot tea.

"Just put it next to me!" Jiang Ning said without lifting his head.

His gaze remained fixed on the pages he held.

A moment passed.

[Literacy and Judgement Experience +1]

When the prompt appeared, he finished reading a small section, then momentarily put the book down and took a gentle sip from the cup of tea on the table beside him.

"Young master, Lady Liuu is calling you for breakfast." Lv Yi walked briskly from outside the courtyard.

"Go back and tell her I ate too much last night, so I won't have breakfast today!" Jiang Ning said.

With that, he set down the tea cup.

[Skill]: Reading and Writing (Six times breaking limit 2783/7000) (Trait: Unforgettable, Extraordinary Five Senses, Divine Thought Agility, Outstanding Comprehension, Heavenly Vision, Sixth Sense Transcendent)

Then continued to leaf through the book in his hand.

The progress of Reading and Writing had just surpassed one-third.

For him now, the importance of this skill had once again been elevated.

Because among all his skills now, it was the only one related to the growth of spiritual power.

At his current level, the importance of spiritual power was indisputable.

And at the Fifth Grade level, besides a breakthrough in Inner Elixir Cultivation, there was temporarily no other way for him to quickly achieve Perfection in this grade.

And the breakthrough in Inner Elixir Cultivation required waiting for time to pass, with no other methodology.

As for his other skills, none could elevate the essence of his Martial Arts.

All their significances had to be postponed for now.

...

A moment later.

A somewhat unfamiliar sound of footsteps suddenly reached Jiang Ning's ears.

He looked up, a faint smile appearing on his face.

For the visitor was Liuu Wanwan.

"Sister-in-law!" Jiang Ning greeted.

"Ah Ning, it's not good to skip breakfast early in the morning! It's bad for your stomach, you might end up with a stomach illness!" Liuu Wanwan said while approaching with a food container.

Hearing this, Jiang Ning couldn't help but chuckle.

"Sister-in-law, I've long transcended the ordinary! There's no talk of stomach illnesses for me!"

"I won't listen to that!" Liuu Wanwan came to Jiang Ning, placing the container on the courtyard's tea table as she spoke.

"If you won't come for breakfast, I'll bring it to you!"

Hearing this, Jiang Ning felt a bit helpless, yet a warmth stirred in his heart.

"Thank you, Sister-in-law!"

Moments later.

Jiang Ning was holding a large meat bun in one hand and a bowl of lean meat soup in the other, eating with gusto.

Liuu Wanwan watched Jiang Ning eat heartily, a gentle affection showing on her face.

In less than a quarter of an hour.

"Sister-in-law, I'm full!" Jiang Ning wiped his mouth, the food before him already consumed, all within his stomach.

"Then I'll head back, I'll call you for lunch!" Liuu Wanwan packed up the dishes into the food container.

"Alright! Thank you, Sister-in-law!" Jiang Ning said.

Afterwards.

Jiang Ning drank a few more sips of tea, clearing his bowels, then continued reading.

[Literacy and Judgement Experience +1]

[Literacy and Judgement Experience +1]

[Literacy and Judgement Experience +1]

[...]

As time passed, the experience value kept increasing.

Suddenly.

The light dimmed, with shadows covering where Jiang Ning sat.

Seeing this, Jiang Ning looked up.

Where it had been clear and cloudless before, it was now overcast.

"Not good!"

He glanced at the sundial in the courtyard.

It was only 7:45 AM.

There was still an hour until the time between 9:00 AM-11:00 AM.

"Hopefully, the weather won't change too quickly!" Jiang Ning muttered.

With that, he set aside his concerns and continued to read.

After an hour.

The sunlight had disappeared from Dongling City, blocked by overhead clouds.

Jiang Ning looked up at the sky.

The clouds overhead were thickening, dark clouds gathering.

"The heavens don't align with human wishes!" he sighed, gazing thoughtfully at the clouds above, examining his panel of skills.

[Cloud Formation and Rainfall]: A divine skill, able to form clouds and bring rain.