Beginning with the Five Animals Fist to Become a Saint

Guangning City.

backyard.

As the white mist dissipated, Jiang Ning did not get up, but instead closed his eyes again.

[Skill]: Autumn Treasure Trove + (Perfect 10000/10000)

[Source Energy]: 680553
Two columns of the panel then appeared in front of his tightly closed eyes.

Then, a thought popped into his head.

The energy points decreased rapidly, dropping by 10,000 points in an instant.

With the injection of 10,000 energy points, Jiang Ning felt a sudden jolt deep within his mind, and countless insights about autumn surged forth like a tide, reorganizing and sublimating.

The cool breeze of early autumn is no longer just a slight chill, but transforms into a chilling force capable of severing one's very soul.

As the leaves fall during the Autumnal Equinox, the trajectory of each leaf reveals the profound truth of the movement of objects in the world.

White dew congeals into frost, and within the depths of the frost lies a dormant life force.

The autumnal equinox is a time of equal day and night, embodying the balance of Yin and Yang in the Tai Chi principle.

When the Cold Dew falls, the cold penetrates to the bone, a severe cold that can freeze one's very soul.

When frost falls, all things wither and decay, and life withers and dies out.

The imagery of the six solar terms rapidly converged and merged in my mind.

Countless flashes of inspiration shone like starlight.

His aura was also changing rapidly.

Sometimes bleak, sometimes cold, sometimes desolate.
Various auras rapidly alternated and changed around him.

After a long while.

The dust has settled, and everything has returned to calm.

[Skill]: Autumn Treasure Trove (First Limit Break 133/20000) (Trait: (White-haired Frost (Light Blue))
【White Hair and Frosty Skin (Light Blue)】: White hair and frosty skin, time flies by, and time is no longer an imperceptible existence.

Looking at the characteristics before him, Jiang Ning's gaze suddenly sharpened.

"Time is no longer an imperceptible thing!" he murmured to himself.

Just now.

Boom—

He was startled.

A clap of thunder heralded the coming of spring, and a scene of the revival of all things in heaven and earth unfolded before him.

Then, a light drizzle fell, like silken beads falling from a curtain.

Then it turned into a violent storm, darkening the sky and creating a torrential downpour.

The wind stopped, the rain ceased, the clouds dispersed, and the sun shone brightly high.

The changing seasons cycled and alternated in his mind.

Autumn's perfection, the final piece of the puzzle appears, and he glimpses the complete cycle of the four seasons.

His aura also changed, no longer the simple, chilly autumn air it had just exuded.

Rather, it is the budding of spring, the blazing of summer, the desolation of autumn, and the biting cold of winter.

Scenes of the four seasons appearing alternately around him.

Just moments before, the chill of autumn frost lingered on his shoulders.

The next moment, warmth swept by like a spring breeze, and the frost turned into dew.

Before the dew had even dripped, the intense heat, like the scorching summer sun, rose and evaporated the moisture.

The rising heat had not yet dissipated when the stillness of deep winter returned, and all things lay dormant.

The four moods cycled in an astonishing speed. At first, they were somewhat awkward and sluggish, but after several alternations, they gradually became smooth and seamless, without any gaps.

His aura also became increasingly profound and unfathomable in this cycle.

Sometimes it is like a newly sprouted bud, full of infinite possibilities.

Sometimes it is like a towering ancient tree taking root in the earth.

Sometimes it is like a bountiful harvest containing the essence of something.

At times, it resembles a volcano covered in ice and snow, yet it possesses immense inner power.

Strange phenomena were occurring in the backyard.

Centered on Jiangning, within a radius of ten zhang, time seemed to be accelerated and stirred.

To his left, in the bamboo grove, several emerald bamboos completed the cycle of sprouting, unfolding leaves, withering, and falling leaves in just a few breaths.

On the right side of the pond, a clump of wild grass quickly bloomed, produced seeds, withered, and then the seeds fell to the ground, only to sprout again in the next moment.

The space is sometimes warm and gentle, sometimes hot and humid, sometimes cool and refreshing, and sometimes chilling and biting. Fragments of the four seasons flash and interweave here.

Yet it is constrained and harmonized by an invisible force, ultimately tending towards a dynamic and harmonious balance.

The imagery of the four seasons cycling through time was now intensely colliding and merging deep within his consciousness.

Spring, summer, autumn, and winter—four distinct rhythms of nature, each following its own path—are now converging under the pull of some higher-level force.

"The four seasons rotate, spring, summer, autumn and winter, and they are all one. Only when the four seasons are united can the cycle be completed!"

The thought flashed through his mind like lightning.

In my mind, the Autumn Treasure Book's upgraded trait, [White Hair and Frosty Radiance], appeared.

Time is no longer an imperceptible entity; it is like a key that unlocks the door to a higher realm.

His vague perception of the passage of time allowed him to glimpse the invisible thread that connects the four seasons.

time!

This is not a simple accumulation of imagery, but rather finding the axis that governs the four seasons.

That axis represents the flow of time, the growth, flourishing, decline, and eventual return of all things on a timescale.

Once the mind is clear, the body's energy changes drastically.

Within his dantian, the immortal seedling, now seven inches tall, moved swiftly without wind, its branches and leaves unfurling, its roots deeply penetrating the inner void.

At the heart, the flower of essence flows with crimson light; at the mind's eye, the flower of spirit shines with silver radiance; at the dantian, the flower of qi blooms with golden light.

The three flowers reflect each other, resonating simultaneously.

An even more mysterious change is that another branch sprouts from the seedling, and as the branch grows, four tender leaves emerge.

A moment later.

The sapling, about a foot tall, has grown a new branch.

At the tip of the branch, four new broad leaves have grown.

The broad leaves symbolize the four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

Blue represents spring, red represents summer, white represents autumn, and black represents winter.

Jiang Ning opened his eyes, his gaze seemingly reflecting the shimmering light and shadow of the four seasons.

He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, the breath long and deep, the white mist like a sword.

Then, he looked at the panel.

The Spring Manual, Summer Manual, Autumn Manual, and Winter Manual had all disappeared from the panel, replaced by a new technique.

[Skill]: Unnamed Technique (First Limit Break 113/20000) (Trait: Withering and Flourishing (Dark Purple))

【Withering and Flourishing (Deep Purple)】: Between withering and flourishing lies the essence of the rules of heaven and earth.

"Withering and flourishing!" Jiang Ning murmured as he looked at the panel.

Then look at the ground in front of you.

He then raised his hand and pointed, and a burst of golden light shot into a weed in front of him that was growing wildly due to the recent fluctuations.

As the golden light shone in, the weed turned from lush green to withered and curled, instantly losing all its vitality.

next moment.

Greenery bursts from the ground and grows wildly upwards.

In the blink of an eye, it has grown to an even greater height than before. The cycle of withering and flourishing is completed in an instant.

Is this what they mean by flourishing and decay?

Jiang Ning watched the changes in the weed and murmured to himself.

He understood that this mastery was a state of mind, or rather, a higher level of rules.

He immediately looked at the panel again.

[Skill]: Unnamed Technique (First Limit Break 113/20000) (Trait: Withering and Flourishing (Dark Purple))

After the four seasons merge, the resulting cultivation method is completely different from the previous one and is an unnamed cultivation method.

However, judging from the experience points required for the breakthrough, the skill level has not seen a substantial improvement compared to before. The requirement of 20,000 experience points is no different from the previous Autumn Treasure Manual.

But the only special thing is that the derived characteristics have changed, namely, withering and flourishing.

Thinking of this, he slowly closed his eyes again.

The life force within his body suddenly surged, endlessly, before instantly returning to stillness.

When he opened his eyes, a ball of golden flame suddenly floated in front of him.

It is the Yangyan True Fire.

"The features I previously knew haven't become invalid, they're just no longer displayed on the panel!" he muttered to himself, nodding in satisfaction.

He then looked at the panel.

"An unnamed cultivation technique!" he murmured, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.

next moment.

His thoughts shifted, and the panel immediately changed.

[Skill]: The Cycle of the Four Seasons (First Limit Break 113/20000) (Trait: Withering and Flourishing (Dark Purple))

Noon.

Jiang Ning sat cross-legged by the pond, with weeds beside him that had just been tested for their withering and flourishing properties, one withering and the other flourishing.

His eyes were slightly closed, his breath was deep and still like an ancient well, but a tremendous change was taking place within his body.

The Four Seasons Manual is integrated and unified into the Four Seasons Cycle Sutra.

The four-colored new leaves on the immortal seedling in the dantian swayed slightly. With each sway, the energy of the inner world flowed, spring brought forth life, summer brought growth, autumn brought harvest, and winter brought storage, in an endless cycle of life.

“Withering and flourishing…” Jiang Ning silently recited this new characteristic in his mind.

It is not merely a superficial phenomenon of plants experiencing the cycle of life and death in an instant; at a deeper level, it is the application of the two opposing forces of "vitality" and "extinction".

This power is mysterious and unpredictable, far beyond what simple offensive methods can achieve.

He had a vague feeling that if he could delve deeper into the meaning, he might be able to grasp a deeper level of artistic conception, or rather, the rules.

He couldn't help but recall the characteristic he had mastered after breaking through the Autumn Treasure Manual.

White hair and frosty complexion.

That was one of the characteristics that allowed him to first encounter time.

Just then.

dong dong dong-

A soft knock came from the front yard, followed by Ji Mingyue's clear reply and the sound of the door opening.

"Is Brother Jiang here? I, Shen, have come to visit."

Shen Wenyuan's voice came through, full of composure.

Jiang Ning opened his eyes, the illusions of the four seasons flashing by in his eyes before his vision cleared.

He stood up, dusted off non-existent dust from his robes, and slowly walked towards the front yard.

The front yard had been meticulously trimmed by Ji Mingyue, with various colorful flowers dotting the lush greenery. Although newly planted, it had already become a beautiful sight thanks to Jiang Ning's efforts yesterday.

The crane strolled gracefully beside the flowers. When it saw Shen Wenyuan, it merely raised its long neck as a greeting.

Shen Wenyuan stood in the courtyard, his gaze sweeping over the newly renovated courtyard, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Before he arrived, he knew about the place; it was a courtyard that had been abandoned for nearly two years and had been in the hands of the government.

Yesterday, Jiang Ning voluntarily bought the land title and moved in.

In just one day, the courtyard, which had been abandoned for two years, was transformed into a brand new place.

More importantly, even though it is still winter, the courtyard is a vibrant scene of everything thriving and full of life.

He quickly composed himself, followed by two close aides carrying thick ledgers and files.

"Brother Shen, has there been any outcome regarding the follow-up matters of the Immortal Crossing Sect?" Jiang Ning stepped forward and asked directly.

“Exactly.” Shen Wen nodded solemnly. “After Brother Jiang returned to the city yesterday, we took stock overnight and have now preliminarily sorted out the Du Xian Sect’s treasury, land, shops, and the property of some of those who resisted or whose crimes were proven. This is the general ledger and detailed accounts. Please take a look, Brother Jiang.”

The attendant stepped forward and respectfully handed over the account books.

Jiang Ning took the document but did not immediately read it. Instead, he asked, "How were the personnel handled?"

"As Brother Jiang instructed, there are a total of 137 people of the seventh rank and above who are willing to surrender. They have been temporarily organized into a team, led by Yun Yinzi, and are awaiting Jing Wuming's command. They are currently undergoing training at the camp outside the city."

"The remaining disciples and followers, those with minor offenses, have had their property confiscated and are forced to perform labor to atone for their sins, while those with serious offenses have been sent to the government prison and will be dealt with after the court's approval."

"The people rescued from the dungeon have been properly resettled and returned to their hometowns."

"In addition, the affiliated forces of the Immortal Crossing Sect in various places are being eliminated by the Inspection Office and the Zhuge family. The main hidden dangers in Guangning Prefecture should be eliminated within three days."

"Thank you for your hard work, Brother Shen," Jiang Ning said, then opened the account book in his hand.

My gaze swept over it, and even though I had expected it, I couldn't help but feel a slight tremor in my heart.

The total amount of gold exceeded 50,000 taels, and the amount of silver was no less than 2 million taels. Various kinds of jewelry, antiques, medicinal materials, minerals, and real estate deeds were piled up like mountains.

This does not include the most precious secret treasures and elixirs in the alchemy room that he has already taken.

"The accumulation of the Immortal Crossing Sect over hundreds of years is indeed astonishing," he thought to himself.

“As previously agreed, fifty percent of it will belong to Brother Jiang.” Shen Wenyuan pointed to the total amount specially marked in red in the account book and continued, “I have ordered someone to seal up Brother Jiang’s share of gold, silver and easily convertible items separately, so that they can be handed over at any time. As for the remaining land, shops and other properties, if Brother Jiang is willing to accept them, I will have someone send over the land deeds and house deeds.”

"If you find it troublesome to manage, the government can value it and convert it into cash, or my Shen family can manage it on your behalf, and the profits will be delivered on schedule."

Jiang Ning pondered for a moment. He needed gold and silver, as they were the hard currency for purchasing resources in the future.

But he had no interest in, and no one was willing to, manage the farmhouses.

"Thank you for your trouble, Brother Shen. I will accept the gold and silver. As for the land and shops, let's settle the value in cash!" Jiang Ning said.

"No problem!" Shen Wenyuan nodded, then said, "It should be done within three days!"

Then he added, "Next, the books and collections of the Immortal Crossing Sect will be transported back to the city in batches and delivered to Brother Jiang shortly. Please remember to receive them!"

Hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded: "No problem!"

"And another thing!" Shen Wenyuan added, "I've already sent a message to inform Jing Wuming that he should return in the next day or two to take command of the surrendered troops from the Immortal Crossing Sect!"

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother Shen!" Jiang Ning said, bowing with his hands clasped in thanks.

"No trouble at all!" Shen Wenyuan shook his head.

"Brother Shen, it's lunchtime now, why don't we go inside and have lunch together later?" Jiang Ning invited.

Shen Wenyuan immediately shook his head: "I appreciate Brother Jiang's kindness! But I've been busy these past two days, so I haven't been able to indulge in any pleasures and waste time on eating and drinking!"

After saying this, he cupped his hands in farewell.

Seeing this, Jiang Ning did not try to persuade him to stay.

Then he looked at the ledger in his hand.

The property confiscated from just the Duxianmen sect exceeded his imagination!
"This path is indeed the fastest way to accumulate!" he murmured to himself, and continued, "In this light, once I digest the wealth accumulated by the Immortal Crossing Sect, it will be enough for my Source Energy Points to reach a new height, exceeding one million!"

Thinking about this, he felt a surge of excitement and anticipation.

With these subsequent increases in source energy points, he can recklessly increase the number of times he can break through his cultivation technique.

And this is only the Duxian Sect.

Within the entire Guangning Prefecture, below the Duxian Sect, there are other forces of a slightly lower level.

Those forces are easily subdued with the intervention of Jing Wuming, an invincible second-grade grandmaster! (End of Chapter)