On the Deserted Island.
Jiang Ning continued to draw his bow and shoot arrows.
With each arrow he released, the arrow created waves, and the experience points for Wind and Thunder Archery continued to grow.
A moment later.
Xie Xiaojiu leaped from the small boat, her toes lightly touching the cliff wall as she gracefully landed beside Jiang Ning.
"Sir!" Xie Xiaojiu called out.
Twang
Jiang Ning released another arrow.
The arrow shot through the air, creating a shockwave.
The wind from the arrow lifted the hair by Xie Xiaojiu's ears, sticking it to her red lips.
"Why did you come looking for me all of a sudden?" Jiang Ning asked.
Xie Xiaojiu first used her pinky to tuck the hair behind her ear, then replied, "Sir, the Black Mountain Army you asked me to monitor has been found."
"Found?" Jiang Ning looked surprised, then asked, "Where?"
As he spoke.
Another arrow appeared in his hand, and he slowly drew the bowstring.
"At North Hill Mountain," Xie Xiaojiu said.
North Hill Mountain.
Hearing these words, Jiang Ning immediately recalled information about North Hill Mountain.
North Hill Mountain was located ten miles north of Luoshui County and was connected to the Luoshui River.
The mountain stretched for dozens of miles, with towering ancient forests and wild beasts like tigers, leopards, and wolves. It was a remote and rarely visited area.
"Is the information reliable?" Jiang Ning asked.
As he spoke.
He released another fully drawn arrow.
Twang
The arrow shot through the air.
[Wind and Thunder Archery Experience +1]
Xie Xiaojiu glanced at the arrow Jiang Ning had shot, her eyes once again flashing with surprise.
Then she said, "It's very reliable! And when I left the Inspection Bureau earlier, I saw a captain leading a team out, heading straight for North Hill Mountain."
"Good!" Jiang Ning nodded.
"Sir, should I go back and gather some people now?"
"No need," Jiang Ning shook his head, then added, "Wait a little longer. You and I will go together!"
While talking to Xie Xiaojiu, Jiang Ning didn't stop his actions.
Wind and Thunder Archery was now only a few experience points away from reaching 3,000, making it the perfect time to push it to the limit.
"Sir, just the two of us?" Xie Xiaojiu looked surprised. "How is that possible? With just the two of us entering the mountains, it would be like two drops of water merging into the ocean. Finding the Black Mountain Army would be extremely difficult."
Xie Xiaojiu's words highlighted the reason why the Black Mountain Army had remained scattered and difficult to eradicate after the fall of the Black Lotus Sect.
The Black Mountain Army was composed entirely of martial artists who could move swiftly and survive in any harsh environment.
Once they blended into the mountains and forests, their traces became nearly impossible to find, let alone eliminate.
At this moment.
Jiang Ning shook his head. "It's fine. I have a way."
"What way does sir have?" Xie Xiaojiu asked curiously.
"Hearing," Jiang Ning smiled.
Twang
As the smile appeared, he shot another arrow.
[Wind and Thunder Archery Experience +1]
"Hearing?"
Xie Xiaojiu's eyes showed a hint of confusion.
Then, she glanced at Jiang Ning.
Seeing Jiang Ning seriously continuing to draw his bow and shoot arrows, she decided not to press further and kept her doubts to herself.
Next.
Jiang Ning continued to draw his bow and shoot arrows, making his final push.
Xie Xiaojiu quietly stood by, waiting for Jiang Ning.
Twang
Twang
Twang
Jiang Ning sped up, shooting arrows one after another.
[Wind and Thunder Archery Experience +1]
[Wind and Thunder Archery Experience +1]
[Wind and Thunder Archery Experience +1]
[Source Energy]: 531.28
[Skills]: Wind and Thunder Archery+ (Second Limit Break: 3000/3000) (Traits: Wind and Thunder Breath, Heart Archery)
After glancing at his status panel, Jiang Ning felt a surge of excitement.
With over 500 Source Energy Points and Wind and Thunder Archery's experience points exceeding 3,000, the familiar plus sign appeared.
This meant he could now break the limit of this skill.
In the next moment.
Jiang Ning didn't hesitate.
With a thought, the Source Energy Points on the panel rapidly decreased.
Suddenly.
Boom
Thunder roared in Jiang Ning's ears.
He closed his eyes, and the previously dark and empty world was instantly torn apart by streaks of lightning.
Jiang Ning felt as though he were in a world of thunder.
Above, below, and all around him, lightning continuously tore through the void.
In his ears, the howling of violent winds echoed.
Meanwhile.
Xie Xiaojiu looked at Jiang Ning in shock, stepping back repeatedly.
Because she saw that around Jiang Ning, a strong wind had suddenly appeared, swirling around him and gradually forming a small whirlwind.
"What's happening?" Xie Xiaojiu murmured, staring at the scene.
Boom
Suddenly.
A thunderclap rang out in the clear sky, startling Xie Xiaojiu.
She looked at the scene with a strange expression as the small whirlwind quickly took shape, lifting dust, fallen leaves, and dry grass into the air.
Soon after.
The strange phenomenon around Jiang Ning disappeared, and the dust and leaves slowly drifted back to the ground.
The sudden thunderclaps also completely subsided.
Jiang Ning slowly opened his eyes.
[Skills]: Wind and Thunder Archery (Third Limit Break: 0/4000) (Traits: Wind and Thunder Breath, Heart Archery, Wind and Thunder Arrow)
[Wind and Thunder Arrow]: When the arrow is released, wind and thunder follow.
Wind and Thunder Arrow?
Jiang Ning looked at the description on the panel, feeling puzzled.
The description was too brief, with only five words, making it hard for him to understand the effect of this trait.
Then.
He glanced at Xie Xiaojiu and slowly drew his bow.
"What effect does it have? I'll find out with one shot," Jiang Ning thought to himself.
A moment later.
He drew the bowstring to full draw.
Twang
Jiang Ning released the arrow, and it shot through the air.
In the next moment, Jiang Ning's eyes widened in surprise.
Beside him, Xie Xiaojiu was equally shocked.
Because this arrow was completely different from the ones before.
As the arrow left the bowstring, it suddenly summoned a storm.
Carrying a terrifying momentum, the arrow shot forward.
The commotion it caused was at least ten times greater than before.
With the storm's boost, the arrow's speed was nearly twice as fast as before.
Moreover, the arrow was now enveloped in lightning, transforming into a thunder arrow.
Jiang Ning's gaze was fixed on the arrow in mid-air.
"Is this the Wind and Thunder Arrow?" he thought to himself.
Beside him.
Xie Xiaojiu murmured, "Wind and Thunder Archery... It's said that at an extremely high level, a single arrow can summon wind and thunder."
In the next moment.
Xie Xiaojiu looked at Jiang Ning, her eyes filled with disbelief.
She now recognized that Jiang Ning's archery was a mid-tier martial art, Wind and Thunder Archery.
But the level of archery Jiang Ning was displaying left her in awe.
A single arrow summoning wind and thunder!
From what she knew, this was just an exaggeration common in martial arts lore.
If an arrow could truly summon wind and thunder.
Then it wouldn't be a martial art it would be an ancient immortal technique.
Meanwhile.
In Jiang Ning's perception, the arrow that had summoned wind and thunder was now several miles away, nearing the end of its flight.
But the arrow was still covered in lightning, accumulating a terrifying amount of electrical energy.
When the arrow's momentum finally waned it plunged into the lake.
Zap
Arcs of electricity flashed across the lake's surface.
"Is this the Wind and Thunder Arrow?"
Jiang Ning felt another surge of surprise.
In his eyes, this arrow had already transcended the realm of martial arts.
Especially when the lightning energy erupted at the end, it went beyond the scope of martial arts.
At least from what he knew, no martial art could harness natural lightning like this.
"This power is a bit exaggerated!!" Jiang Ning thought to himself, seeing the charred fish floating on the lake's surface.
The effect had completely exceeded his expectations.
Not only had the arrow's speed nearly doubled, but its maximum range had also significantly increased.
The most terrifying part was the lightning energy that erupted at the end.
Although he hadn't tested it on an enemy yet, the power of the lightning energy was undoubtedly formidable.
Just the increase in speed alone was immensely satisfying to Jiang Ning.
The doubled speed brought a significant boost in power.
As for the lightning energy, just seeing the aftermath told him it wouldn't be weak.
[Skills]: Wind and Thunder Archery (Third Limit Break: 1/4000) (Traits: Wind and Thunder Breath, Heart Archery, Wind and Thunder Arrow)
Jiang Ning glanced at his status panel, then stopped.
"Xiaojiu, let's go!" Jiang Ning said calmly.
As he spoke, he leaped into the air.
Xie Xiaojiu quickly followed.
After a few leaps, the two landed on the small boat Xie Xiaojiu had arrived in.
"Sir, are we heading to North Hill Mountain now?" Xie Xiaojiu asked as she steadied herself.
"Yes," Jiang Ning nodded. "To North Hill Mountain. If we find the Black Mountain Army, it'll be a good chance to test my archery."
"Sir's archery is truly divine!!" Xie Xiaojiu praised sincerely.
Jiang Ning smiled faintly.
Wind and Thunder Archery, even though it had only undergone three limit breaks, was the only skill that had consumed 500 Source Energy Points for a breakthrough.
Based on the amount of Source Energy Points consumed, this archery skill was now the most advanced among all the skills he had mastered.
As the two spoke.
The small boat beneath them suddenly began to move without wind, gradually accelerating toward the center of the lake.
"This..." Xie Xiaojiu felt the movement beneath her feet and stared in shock at the boat moving on its own.
When she had arrived at the deserted island, she had rowed the boat herself.
But now, with both her and Jiang Ning standing on the deck without anyone rowing, the boat was moving on its own.
"Don't be alarmed," Jiang Ning said calmly, glancing at Xie Xiaojiu. "It's just a small trick of mine."
"A small trick?" Xie Xiaojiu looked at Jiang Ning in surprise.
Jiang Ning smiled at her, then looked ahead, activating his Water Control ability to move the boat.
Then.
With his Water Control ability, the small boat beneath them continued to accelerate, moving faster and faster.
Soon, it was speeding toward North Hill Mountain like an arrow.
The vast Luoshui River.
Fed by countless mountain streams and rivers.
Among them was a large river that flowed through North Hill Mountain, so Jiang Ning planned to follow this river directly into the mountains.
North Hill Mountain.
Located ten miles north of Luoshui County.
The mountain stretched for dozens of miles, with a large river cutting through its valleys, gathering water from the surrounding peaks.
At this moment.
In a valley.
A group of uniformed martial artists was moving swiftly.
"Brother Liu, faster!" Liu Sansheng urged.
Hearing this, Liu Zhaonan urged the group behind him, then asked Liu Sansheng, "Brother Liu, how much farther?"
Liu Sansheng appeared beside a cliff wall, glancing at a mark on it.
His eyes lit up with excitement.
"According to the marks, we're not far now!"
Meanwhile.
In a valley.
A group of people rested by a lakeside, preparing food.
Nearby, five pitch-black horses drank from the lake.
"Boss, according to the little rat we caught earlier, the group behind us is probably from the Inspection Bureau."
A burly man tore into a charred leg of meat as he spoke. "In that case, let's wait for them here and see what the Inspection Bureau is made of!"
As he spoke, a greedy glint appeared in his eyes.
"Martial artists' bodies are like precious medicine. They'll make a good supplement."
"Good! We'll follow your lead, boss!"
Meanwhile.
Jiang Ning and Xie Xiaojiu steered the small boat upstream along the river flowing from North Hill Mountain.
With Jiang Ning's powerful Water Control ability, the boat moved swiftly against the current, soon entering the vast mountain forests.
"Sir, what should we do now?" Xie Xiaojiu asked, glancing around at the riverbanks.
"No rush," Jiang Ning said calmly. "Let's follow this river first."
At this moment, Jiang Ning had pushed his hearing to the limit.
Within a radius of one or two miles, any significant movement could be detected by him.
This was his confidence in entering North Hill Mountain with just Xie Xiaojiu.
Although North Hill Mountain was large, it only spanned a few miles in diameter.
With his enhanced hearing, following this river upstream would allow him to survey about a third of North Hill Mountain.
So in Jiang Ning's view, finding the Black Mountain Army hidden in the mountains wouldn't be too difficult.
After a short while.
Jiang Ning's ears twitched slightly.
Then a smile appeared on his face. "I think I've found the Black Mountain Army."
"Sir, you've found them?" Xie Xiaojiu's eyes widened as she looked around.
But no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't see any traces of the Black Mountain Army.
Then, she felt the small boat beneath her speeding toward the shore.
In a few breaths, the boat docked.
"Let's go, follow me," Jiang Ning said.
"Yes, sir!" Xie Xiaojiu replied.
At this moment, she still had many questions.
But she suppressed her doubts and followed Jiang Ning.
The two began walking forward.
The further they went, the clearer the sounds of clashing weapons became in Jiang Ning's ears.
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