81: Ning An
A cool, warm current surged from within his body, bringing a light, airy sensation, as if he was about to ascend to immortality.
A moment later, Qin Jiang opened his eyes, which had become bright, seemingly reflecting the entire world.
He quietly clenched his fist, his heart calm.
This improvement didn't significantly impact his strength, increasing it by about half a percent.
However, he had an indescribable feeling, as if some obscure shackles within his body had been broken.
Looking at the panel's prompt:
【Innate One Qi Art (First Layer) (1/1000) [78%]】
【Potential Points: 742.6】
Although its grade was still somewhat inferior to the Black Fiend Demon Statue Skill, it was still a high-grade True Martial art with five Realms.
This was probably the strongest health cultivation art at the True Martial level.
The consumption of Potential Points wasn't much, only 50 points, which was similar to the amount needed to deduce a high-grade True Martial art to Perfection Realm.
Perhaps, the Potential Points consumed by Fusion deduction were related to the number of Martial arts.
He just didn't know if there was a difference between deducing True Martial-level and Secret Martial Artist-level Martial arts.
His gaze fell on the section after Innate One Qi Art, and he realized the difference between the Potential Panel's Fusion deduction and his own deduction of Martial arts.
Firstly, there was a difference in Realm; when he melted his own Martial arts to deduce the Black Fiend Demon Statue Skill, he directly reached the fifth layer, not far from Major Achievement Perfection.
However, the Innate One Qi Art, like when he previously deduced ordinary True Martial arts into high-grade True Martial arts, started from the first layer.
Furthermore, there was a significant difference in adaptability. Although the Innate One Qi Art also underwent some adaptive adjustments to reach 78%, it still had a huge gap compared to the Black Fiend Demon Statue Skill's almost absurd 95%.
At most, this only allowed him to cultivate a powerful True Martial health cultivation art concurrently; it didn't have the effect of a Divine Ability-like instinct.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile; he was too greedy.
A martial art with an adaptability of 78% was already extremely rare.
Without further thought, 'Potential, add points, Innate One Qi Art!'
【Innate One Qi Art (First Layer) (1/1000), Experience +7900】
【Innate One Qi Art (Perfection) [78%]】
【Potential Points: 663.6】
His Physical Body was strengthened again, increasing by about 30%.
Currently, he wasn't short on Potential Points, so there was no need to be overly frugal.
Moreover, after going to the Prefecture City, he would also have opportunities to acquire Potential Points, and the area controlled by the Prefecture City was much larger than the combined area of several cities near Black Mountain City, so naturally, there would be more Potential Points.
Knock, knock, knock.
A knock on the door sounded, and Qin Jiang looked over to see Xu Yanran in a green dress standing outside the courtyard gate.
Qin Jiang smiled slightly, "Yanran is here. Please, have a seat."
Xu Yanran walked over and sat down. Qin Jiang pushed the grapes in front of him towards her, "Try them; they taste quite good."
Xu Yanran picked up a grape and put it in her mouth, nodding slightly, "Very sweet."
"Yanran, is there something you need?" Qin Jiang asked.
Xu Yanran nodded, "Qin-ge, I'm here to resign."
Qin Jiang realized, "So urgent?"
"Yes, now is a time when various supplies are scarce, and I've decided to go all out this time," Xu Yanran said.
If possible, she would also like to take things slowly, but the Xu Family suffered almost no losses in this strange crisis. In the eyes of others, they were like a piece of fatty meat, and everyone wanted to take a bite out of the Xu Family.
There was no other way; the current Xu Family was no longer one of the nine great prominent families.
However, this was also a rare opportunity that came once every few decades!
She had already decided to spare no expense this time to push her father back to the Secret Martial Artist Realm!
As long as there was a Secret Martial Artist guarding them, although they couldn't restore their former glory, they would at least have the power to protect themselves.
If they couldn't safely get through this crisis... Although she had a backup plan, there would be no hope of recovering to their current state within ten years.
Thinking of this, she looked at Qin Jiang. If they could get through this crisis, she could then open her heart without burden.
How could someone as strong as her impose her troubles on Qin-ge?
"Okay, if there's anything you need help with, you can tell me. By the way, I'll be going to the Prefecture City in a while; the Bronze Bell Sect has already been confirmed," Qin Jiang said.
Xu Yanran was stunned when she heard this, then reacted, thinking it must be Magistrate Long's doing.
It seemed that the Secret Martial Artist who came should be from the Long Family faction.
It made sense; a True Martial Artist like Qin-ge, who could suppress an Eye Fiend, probably didn't have such a Prodigy even in the Prefecture?
"Alright, after things here are settled, I will lead the Xu Family back to the Prefecture City," she said.
Qin Jiang's eyes slightly raised. Return? So, the 'going back' she mentioned meant returning to the Prefecture City.
"Why did you leave the Prefecture City in the first place?" he asked.
Xu Yanran was startled, then lowered her head slightly, "That night, a group of mysterious people broke into the Xu Mansion. Grandfather risked his life to get us out. We thought we would be ambushed on the run, but nothing happened.
It was as if... as if their only goal was the location of the Xu Mansion, and as for us Xu Family members, we were just insects that could be crushed at will, completely disregarded."
Even though many years had passed, she still couldn't forget that night.
That was the turning point in her life's trajectory, where she lost many loved ones.
Speaking of this, she became a little conflicted again. If she wanted to investigate the real culprits, she would inevitably confront that group of mysterious people. If Qin-ge were to get involved then, what should she do?
Qin Jiang sat opposite her, casually picking up a grape and tossing it into his mouth.
"Oh, by the way, Yanran, there's something I need to ask of you."
Xu Yanran looked up, "What is it?"
"Wait for me a moment."
With that, Qin Jiang walked into the house and came out shortly after, holding a wad of silver notes.
"This is fifty thousand taels of silver notes. When you travel to various cities, please keep an eye out for all kinds of antiques and old items for me, especially bronze wares from the Ancient Yu period."
After speaking, he placed the silver notes in Xu Yanran's hand.
Some of these silver notes were plundered from the Autumn Leaf Gang, and some were his own, about five hundred taels.
"Fifty thousand taels!" Xu Yanran was slightly startled.
Even the current Xu Family would find it difficult to produce fifty thousand taels in cash all at once.
The total tax revenue of a small city for ten years might not even be fifty thousand taels!
What was Qin-ge thinking, spending so much money on antiques? It wouldn't cost that much at all.
Could it be...? Her eyes reddened slightly, then she quickly suppressed it with her internal Qi.
"Thank you, Qin-ge."
Several days later, Ningan Prefecture City.
Long Yuesheng and Qin Jiang were leading their horses, queuing outside the city.
Qin Jiang looked at the giant city built against the mountains. The city walls were at least thirty meters high, and standing beneath them gave a feeling of being about to topple and crush him.
"How is it? Isn't it much bigger than Black Mountain City? This Ningan City has a total of forty-nine markets, and each market is at least five times the size of Black Mountain City's market," Long Yuesheng said.
Actually, with his status, he could have taken Qin Jiang directly inside. In this huge Ningan City, no one would dare to stop someone from the Long Family.
However, he wanted to familiarize Qin Jiang with the city's layout, which was why he was queuing according to procedure.
Soon, the two walked into the city, and a sense of prosperity and bustling activity enveloped them. Even at the city gate, there were still many vendors hawking their wares.
"Not bad, right? Ningan, meaning 'peaceful and safe,' was a name personally given by the previous Governor of Yuan Province who came from here."