In the courtyard.

After some exploration.

Jiang Ning reopened his eyes.

Though it is dark now, it is only because winter has arrived; in truth, the time is still early.

"It’s still early!" He glanced at the light shining in the room ahead, and the graceful silhouette of a woman imprinted on the window. With the flickering of the candlelight inside, the silhouette danced along, as if performing within the room.

Jiang Ning slowly withdrew his gaze and then closed his eyes again.

"The Winter Cultivation Manual has reached Perfection, but there is still some distance to the Break Limit. For the four seasonal manuals to further meld and grasp higher mysteries, all four manuals—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—must reach the same level."

"Currently, spring and summer have achieved Break Limit; only autumn and winter remain."

"Now, amidst snowy cold winter, it is the perfect time to ponder the winter’s chill and propel the manual further."

A thought flashed in his mind, followed by his Heart Spirit spreading out.

In an instant, his Heart Spirit covered all of Guangning City.

Every snowflake, every breath of icy wind, was vividly perceived by him.

He sensed the silence of all things, the dormancy of the plants, the life buried under the ice and snow.

Then, his Heart Spirit continued to spread, beyond Guangning City, into the wilderness and forests.

He saw squirrels hibernating in tree hollows, winter food reserves within.

He saw pythons curled deep underground, seeds of grass and trees locked in frozen soil.

In this season, all things seemed to fall into a long, deathly silence.

Yet at the same time, he sensed the seeds of life contained within the quiet.

All things were preserving themselves, not awaiting impending death but preparing for spring’s awakening, thus gaining rebirth.

At that time, grass and trees would grow anew, squirrels would awake from hibernation, pythons would move again and lay eggs.

"Winter hiding is not death; life exists within silence!"

A thought arose in his mind, and images formed in his imagination.

Start of Winter, all things hide in winter, life is buried.

Light Snow, the first snow falls, extinguishing life.

Heavy Snow...

Winter Solstice...

Slight Cold...

Severe Cold...

During the snowy cold winter, while snow seals thousands of mountains, in his heart the six major winter seasonal Visualization Diagrams flickered continuously.

The Conception accumulated in his heart was also continuously increasing.

[Winter Cultivation Manual Experience Value +266]

[Winter Cultivation Manual Experience Value +266]

[Visualization Experience Value +9]

[...]

On the panel, with each leap, experience value increased substantially.

But in comparison to the required ten thousand for a breakthrough, it’s not something that can be amassed in mere moments.

As time passed, the night deepened, the sky grew colder, and the whirl of wind and snow around Jiang Ning became ever more apparent.

The wind and snow swirled continuously around him, eventually engulfing his form.

After an unknown length of time.

Snow-without-flakes suddenly soared upward, rushing to the sky.

Disappearing into the vast night sky.

Jiang Ning also slowly reopened his eyes.

[Skill]: Winter Cultivation Manual (Perfection 5677/10000)

In just one night, less than two hours, the Winter Cultivation Manual, which requires ten thousand experience points to break through, he advanced its progress by over half.

"A few more hours, and I can complete the first Break Limit."

He looked at his panel, silently speaking to himself.

Then, he closed the panel.

He glanced again at the room where Ji Mingyue was.

The candlelight had already extinguished.

In the quiet of the night, he could hear Ji Mingyue’s gentle breathing inside the room, along with the peaceful and long breaths of the Immortal Crane.

Clearly, Ji Mingyue and the Immortal Crane had both fallen asleep.

Seeing this, he returned to his room to sleep.

...

The next day.

Swoosh—

Jiang Ning exhaled a mouthful of impure energy from his abdomen and slowly reopened his eyes.

[Skill]: Winter Cultivation Manual (Perfection 7388/10000)

"Almost there!" He closed the panel.

Looking toward a corner of the courtyard.

Ji Mingyue was now dressed in a fur coat, which wrapped her body thoroughly, making her appear even more petite.

Beside her stood the Immortal Crane on one leg, using its red beak to preen its feathers.

"Shiqi, let’s go!" Jiang Ning said.

"Is Marquis Shen here to see us?" Ji Mingyue asked.

"Almost!" Jiang Ning nodded, "If we don’t go now, the mansion’s maid will come to invite us soon."

"Then let’s go together!" Ji Mingyue said.

Jiang Ning nodded, "If we calculate the time, it’s just right to have breakfast before meeting the Nine River Dragon—Wang Wenzong! I have always wanted to meet this celebrated figure from a century ago!"

As he spoke, Jiang Ning’s eyes slightly narrowed.

Nine River Dragon—Wang Wenzong, he was no stranger.

He had heard of him before, with some basic understanding.

He was once a fierce figure, ranked third among the Eighteen Dragon Heads, with countless bloodstains on his hands.

...

Marquis Mansion’s front hall.

"Marquis Wen Yuan!" Seeing Shen Wenyan again, Jiang Ning cupped his hands.

"I was just about to find you two to have breakfast together, but you came already." Shen Wenyan smiled as he walked towards them.

"Marquis, there’s no need to be so polite! You can just send someone to find us if there’s anything." Jiang Ning said.

"Then Dongling Marquis, no need to be so polite either; how about we call each other ’brother’?" Shen Wenyan said.

"How can that be suitable!" Jiang Ning immediately shook his head, "Marquis is much older than me, such a title is inappropriate."

Shen Wenyan said, "We’ve both reached this point, why should we view it through a worldly lens? The Great Grandmaster Realm can live at least three Jiazi, being born dozens of years earlier counts for little! Besides, in martial arts, Brother Jiang is ahead, above me, calling you brother is completely appropriate!"

While speaking, Shen Wenyan’s tone was firm and resolute.

At this moment, Ji Mingyue listened to their conversation, and couldn’t help but show a faint smile.

"Changing the title between you two is indeed good. Calling each other ’Marquis’ all the time sounds so awkward!"