After the meal, Chen Ning simply carved a wooden sword and practiced swinging it in the courtyard.
Although the action of swinging a sword seemed simple, constant repetition could improve his proficiency.
A nine-story platform begins with a pile of earth; a journey of a thousand li starts with a single step.
Only by practicing sword moves until they were ingrained in his muscle memory could he unleash unexpected power at critical moments.
While swinging the sword in the courtyard, Chen Ning had to be careful to control his strength.
After all, with just a bit of effort, the accidentally leaking Sword Qi could easily turn the courtyard into a mess.
【Swung the sword twenty times, obtained Noble Qi * 1】
When Chen Ning severed a falling leaf with a single strike, the system prompt suddenly sounded.
“Swinging a sword can also grant Noble Qi?”
Thinking carefully, the Six Arts of a Noble Scholar were divided into rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics.
In the eyes of the sages, being proficient in both literary and martial arts was also a manifestation of a noble scholar's virtue, so it wasn't strange to receive rewards for practicing martial arts.
He hadn't expected this Confucian Saint System to be so user-friendly!
Chen Ning continued to swing the wooden sword.
As he practiced, his control over his strength became increasingly terrifying.
While the Sword Qi did not damage the courtyard's structures, it could precisely sever every fluttering leaf, and even a few passing insects became targets for his precision.
Unknowingly, the speed of Chen Ning's swings became faster and faster, and the sharpness of each strike surpassed the last.
The thin wooden sword moved so fast that its shadow was almost invisible, like a lingering phantom dancing around Chen Ning.
Just then, Chen Ning noticed Xiao Jiu watching him intently from the side, a hint of longing in her eyes.
Xiao Jiu was drawn by the Sword Qi scattered in the courtyard. In her eyes, this majestic Sword Intent smelled incredibly sweet—it was simply a top-tier delicacy!
However, she had become much more sensible. Although she really wanted to eat it, she still had to wait for Chen Ning's permission.
“Eat if you want to. These scattered bits of Sword Qi are useless anyway,” Chen Ning said with a smile.
Hearing this, Xiao Jiu excitedly stepped forward and devoured the lingering Sword Qi in the air.
As expected, the taste of this Sword Qi was even more delicious than she had imagined!
The scene in the courtyard soon changed.
Chen Ning danced with his sword while Xiao Jiu happily scurried back and forth, searching for the scattered Sword Intent.
Although the scene looked a bit strange, it had an unexpectedly harmonious feel to it.
【Congratulations, Host, for swinging the sword one thousand times. Obtained Noble Qi * 60】
After swinging the sword for a full shichen, Chen Ning finally let out a long breath and withdrew the wooden sword.
He could clearly feel that his physical stamina had increased several times over, to the point that even after swinging his sword under the sun for so long, he had barely broken a sweat.
“I'll go take a bath first.”
Putting down the wooden sword, Chen Ning took off his cloth shirt and walked toward the bathroom, saying, “Qing Yan, I’m going to bathe. Prepare some hot water for me.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Wait, a bath?
The weather is so hot, I want to bathe too!
Hearing about the bath, Xiao Jiu excitedly followed behind Chen Ning, wanting to enter the bathroom together.
“You little female snake, stay outside.”
However, she was quickly picked up by Chen Ning and tossed out.
How did he know she was a female snake? And if she couldn't go in, why could Qing Yan!
Watching Qing Yan enter the bathroom, Xiao Jiu felt she was being severely discriminated against.
...
Inside the bathroom, Qing Yan poured hot water into the wooden tub and asked softly, “Young Master, is the water temperature alright?”
“Mhm, the temperature is just right.”
Chen Ning leaned against the edge of the tub with a look of enjoyment.
“That’s good...”
After just one glance at Chen Ning, Qing Yan couldn't help but turn her head away.
She inexplicably found that her heart rate was accelerating.
Two years ago, Qing Yan had come to Chen Ning's side to repay a debt of gratitude.
At that time, she only thought about leaving after a year or two once the debt was paid. Thus, whether she was serving Chen Ning with his clothes or helping him bathe, there was no ripple in her heart.
But now, looking at Chen Ning's tall, slender frame, now defined with solid muscle, Qing Yan couldn't help but feel her cheeks flush slightly. She could no longer maintain her former composure.
“Young Master, your physique seems to have become much sturdier lately...” Qing Yan murmured.
She didn't understand why she had suddenly become so strange.
It must be Young Master's fault!
If Young Master hadn't developed such a good physique, why would she suddenly be afraid to look at him directly?
“Is that so?”
Chen Ning looked himself over carefully and finally noticed the huge change in his body.
With just a bit of exertion, six firm, powerful abdominal muscles would appear on his stomach. Not only that, but the handsome face reflected in the water seemed quite a bit more dashing than his previous appearance as a frail scholar.
He had become more handsome, but to Chen Ning, that wasn't necessarily a good thing.
As the only scholar in the village, whenever he went out, he would encounter various village aunties trying every possible way to pitch their daughters to him.
It was like that before, let alone now.
It seemed he had to find a way to shut them up...
Chen Ning suddenly said, “Qing Yan, there’s a temple fair in the village tonight. How about you come with me to check it out?”
Taking Qing Yan to the temple fair would, on one hand, allow him to lay his cards on the table and let the villagers understand the relationship between him and Qing Yan.
On the other hand, he could also use the opportunity of the large crowd at the temple fair to search for traces of Painted Skin Slaves.
Although there were currently no clues regarding the Painted Skin Ghost, he would eliminate such a menace one by one whenever possible.
“Young Master is actually taking the initiative to invite me to the temple fair?”
Qing Yan’s cheeks immediately flushed.
Going to the temple fair with Young Master, just the two of them—doesn't that mean it's... a date?
Spring has come; has Young Master’s blockhead finally opened up!
“I was planning to stay home and clean the house, but since Young Master wants to go, then let’s go!”
Qing Yan tried her best to pretend she didn't care, but her heart couldn't help but flutter with joy like a startled deer...
Chen Ning couldn't help but smile.
As expected, when it comes to being a tsundere, Xiao Jiu was still far behind Qing Yan.
...
Mingji Temple.
Looking at the two face skins on the ground, the gaunt old monk slowly opened his eyes, a look of gravity flashing between his brows.
“How is it, Master? Can you find out where the Painted Skin Ghost’s true body is?”
Seeing this, Jingkong hurriedly asked.
Hui Jian sighed.
“Causality is inherently a vague concept. Moreover, this Painted Skin Ghost is extremely cautious and hasn't left a single trace.
Trying to find it based on these two face skins is almost like a fantasy...
The only thing I can deduce is that there are still many Painted Skin Slaves lurking where these face skins originated. Furthermore, their numbers are likely increasing.”
Hearing this, Jingkong turned pale with fright.
“Does Master mean Ning'an Village? Then isn't Brother Chen’s situation extremely dangerous!”
Hui Jian shook his head. “It’s fine. There's no need to worry about your friend's safety.”
“Is Master sure you're not joking? Chen Ning lives right in Ning'an Village.”
“Don't worry. This person's destiny is not something you or I can easily measure. If it weren't for you, I might not have known such a remarkable individual existed in this world.”
Having said that, the old monk looked up at the night sky, his eyes filled with a complex, surprised expression.
“Ziwei Dou Shu, the Starry Compass, the heavenly stars converge, and a new sign appears.”
Has such a figure with this kind of destiny actually emerged from Confucianism?
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