Grinding to Become the Martial Saint of the Mortal World

[Literacy has reached Mastery. Consume 10 Source Energy to break the limit of Literacy?] 

The moment this prompt appeared, Jiangning suddenly understood everything. 

"So that's it! So this is what Source Energy is used for!" 

At this moment, everything became clear to him. 

Before this, as the panel had appeared, the Source Energy value would increase by 0.1 to 0.3 every day at midnight. 

He had tried various methods to figure out what the Source Energy on the panel was for, but until now, he had been unable to determine its purpose. 

Only now did he finally understand. 

When a skill reached Mastery, further breakthroughs required consuming Source Energy. 

With this realization, Jiangning no longer hesitated. He focused his mind, and instantly, 10 points of Source Energy were deducted from the panel. The Literacy skills displayed on the panel began to change. 

Jiangning also felt a clear, refreshing energy flowing through his mind. His heart was calm, and his thoughts were serene. 

He closed his eyes to better sense the changes happening within him. 

After a short while, everything settled down. 

Jiangning opened his eyes, and the panel appeared before him. 

[Name]: Jiangning 

[Source Energy]: 3.5 

[Skills]: Literacy (First Breakthrough 0/2000) (Trait: Photographic Memory) 

"Just as I thought!" he murmured to himself. 

This change did not come as a surprise to him. 

Earlier, he had noticed the word "Trait" on the panel. 

As the Literacy skill progressed from Beginner to Mastery, the "Trait" column had always been empty. 

Once it reached Mastery, he had speculated that breaking through might grant a trait. Now that his speculation had become reality, he wasn't particularly shocked. 

[Photographic Memory]: A person with extraordinary memory who cannot forget what they have seen. 

Jiangning quickly scanned his surroundings, taking in the scene in less than a breath. 

Then he closed his eyes. Instantly, the image of the courtyard he had just observed appeared vividly in his mind. The fluttering wings of bees, the leaves tumbling in the air everything was clear and detailed as if he were still seeing it. 

"This effect is incredible!" Jiangning couldn't help but marvel inwardly. 

The result far exceeded his expectations. 

The Photographic Memory he now possessed wasn't limited to text it included images, clear and detailed as if they were alive and moving. 

"With the Photographic Memory trait, learning martial arts will also be greatly beneficial!" Jiangning felt a surge of excitement. 

In this world, pursuing the path of scholarship through the imperial exams could elevate one from a humble farmer to a high-ranking official, achieving a position of power and prestige. 

Similarly, pursuing martial arts through military exams could lead to commanding armies, earning titles of nobility, or even carving out one's territory. 

Moreover, the path of martial arts allowed one to become an army unto themselves, capable of challenging entire nations, with all power concentrated in their own body. 

It could even lead to immortality! 

According to the books he had read, the Great Xia Dynasty was founded thanks to the presence of a Martial Saint an invincible Martial Saint. 

This Martial Saint had safeguarded the Great Xia Dynasty's fortune for eight hundred years. 

In other words, this Martial Saint had lived from the founding of the Great Xia Dynasty to the present day, a true legend, a myth. 

The current turmoil in the Great Xia Dynasty, in Jiangning's view, was likely connected to the fact that this Martial Saint had not been seen for decades. 

Because of this understanding, Jiangning had already made up his mind: he would pursue both scholarship and martial arts. 

Children make choices; adults take everything. 

He wanted both scholarship and martial arts, with martial arts as his primary focus and scholarship as a supplement. 

For him, these two paths were not in conflict but rather complemented each other. 

First of all, with the Photographic Memory trait, passing the imperial exams and earning scholarly honors would be a breeze. 

Without studying and understanding the world, how could he secure a place for himself in the coming chaos of the Great Xia Dynasty's decline? 

Before reaching the pinnacle of martial arts, having a clear and insightful perspective was essential. 

Moreover, passing the imperial exams and earning scholarly honors would grant him access to the Sacred Temple, where he could receive the infusion of Righteous Qi. 

The Confucian Righteous Qi nourished the soul, making it one of the best ways to cultivate the spirit, second only to the secret methods of Buddhism and Taoism. 

The high-ranking officials in the imperial court all possessed powerful souls, capable of processing countless thoughts in an instant, allowing them to sit firmly in their positions and strategize for the empire. 

Furthermore, advancing in martial arts required not only physical training but also spiritual cultivation. 

The growth of his soul would be of immense help in his future pursuit of martial arts, aiming to transcend the mundane and achieve sainthood. 

Another important point was that to continue gaining experience points for Literacy, he needed to read extensively. Only by constantly studying ancient texts and classics could he accumulate experience points for the Literacy skill. 

Since the first breakthrough had granted him the Photographic Memory trait, he believed that the second breakthrough would bring even more traits. 

The power of these traits was undeniable! 

Therefore, for him, passing the imperial exams and earning scholarly honors was not only a convenient step but also a move that brought multiple benefits. 

"Now I just hope my assumptions are correct that martial arts techniques can also generate experience points," Jiangning thought to himself. "Previously, due to my past self's injuries, I couldn't practice martial arts for over two months, which gave me the perfect opportunity to test the panel's effects through scholarship." 

"Now that I've achieved success in scholarship and fully tested the panel's capabilities, it's time to start learning martial arts." 

"With my Photographic Memory trait and the panel's miraculous effects, once I start learning martial arts, my progress will surely be rapid." 

"Later, I'll ask my elder brother if he, as a yamen constable, has any suitable martial arts manuals for me to learn." 

As Jiangning's thoughts flowed, a deep voice called out from the main house. 

"Little brother, come eat lunch!" 

Hearing this, Jiangning placed the [Immortal and Deity Compendium] on the chair and stood up, heading toward the main house. 

As he stepped inside, he saw his elder brother Jiang Li, his sister-in-law Liu Wanwan, his nephew Jiang Yiming, and his niece Little Doubao, also known as Jiang Yuanyuan. 

"Brother, sister-in-law," Jiangning greeted them. 

"Sit," Jiang Li said. 

"Dudu, Dudu! Sit next to Doubao," Little Doubao, perched on her stool and leaning over the table, eagerly invited Jiangning. 

Once Jiangning was seated, Jiang Li, while picking up food with his chopsticks, spoke up. 

"I've noticed you've been studying very hard lately. Are you planning to take the imperial exams and earn scholarly honors?" 

"I've been considering it," Jiangning nodded slightly, then shook his head. "But I'm more interested in learning martial arts." 

"Martial arts?" Jiang Li looked at Jiangning in surprise, his expression turning serious. "Do you want to learn martial arts?" 

"Yes!" Jiangning nodded firmly. 

"Are you sure? Learning martial arts is difficult and painful. Are you truly prepared?" Jiang Li pressed. 

Jiangning nodded again. "I've made up my mind." 

"Alright then," Jiang Li nodded slowly, about to say more when his mouth twitched slightly. 

Seeing this, Jiangning glanced at his sister-in-law Liu Wanwan and noticed her subtle movements. He realized she was subtly tugging at Jiang Li, seemingly aware of what Jiang Li was about to say next. 

Jiang Li also gave Liu Wanwan a slight glare before turning back to Jiangning. 

"Alright, in that case, I'll go find you a good teacher later."