[Literacy has reached completion. Spend 10 points of Source Energy to break the limit of Literacy?]

The moment he saw this prompt, Jiang Ning was suddenly struck by realization.

“So that is how it works! That is what the Source Energy points are for!”

In this instant, complete understanding dawned upon his mind.

Before this, with the appearance of the status panel, the Source Energy column would automatically increase by 0.1 to 0.3 points every night at midnight as time passed.

Previously, he had tried many different things but could never figure out what effect the Source Energy points on the panel actually had.

It was only at this moment that he truly understood.

It turned out that when a skill reached completion, if he wanted to break through further, he had to consume Source Energy points.

Having understood this, Jiang Ning had no more hesitation, and his thoughts immediately stirred.

The Source Energy points on the panel instantly decreased by 10, and the Literacy skill displayed on the panel began to change.

Jiang Ning also immediately perceived a surge of pure, spiritual energy flowing through his brain. His heart became as calm as an ancient well, and his mind felt completely clear and empty.

He could not help but close his eyes to gently feel the changes occurring within his body.

After a short while, all the changes subsided into tranquility.

Jiang Ning opened his eyes, and the panel floated before him.

[Name]: Jiang Ning

[Source Energy]: 3.5

[Skill]: Literacy (First Limit Break 0/2000) (Trait: Photographic Memory)

“Indeed, it is as I thought!” he muttered to himself.

Such a change was not beyond his expectations.

Before this, he had noticed the word ‘Trait’.

Previously, as the Literacy skill continuously broke through from entry-level, the Trait column had always remained empty.

After reaching completion, he had a guess that breaking through after completion might cause a trait to appear. Now that his guess had become reality, he naturally felt no great surprise.

[Photographic Memory]: One with extraordinary memory does not forget what passes before their eyes.

He then quickly swept his eyes over his surroundings, which took less than a breath of time.

Then he closed his eyes. In an instant, the scenery of the small courtyard he had just swept his eyes over appeared lifelike in his mind. Whether it was the flapping wings of a bee or a leaf drifting and turning in the air, everything emerged in his mind with clear and perfect detail.

“What an incredible effect!” Jiang Ning could not help but marvel in his heart.

This effect greatly exceeded his expectations.

The photographic memory he now possessed was not just for text, but for images—images as clear as physical textures, lifelike, and capable of moving.

“With the assistance of Photographic Memory, it will be extremely beneficial for me to learn martial arts as well!” Jiang Ning’s heart instantly surged with excitement.

In this world, pursuing scholarly studies and taking the imperial examinations could allow one to rise from a humble peasant boy to a high court official overnight, becoming a member of the elite classes.

Learning martial arts was the same; taking the martial examinations could allow one to lead millions of soldiers, receive titles of marquis or king, and even conquer new territories.

Moreover, the path of martial arts allowed a single person to become an army, a single person to rival a state, with all the supreme power gathered within oneself.

One could even achieve longevity!

According to the books he had read during this period, the Great Xia Dynasty was successfully founded because of a Martial Sage, an invincible Martial Sage.

And this Martial Sage had anchored the eight hundred years of luck and destiny of the Great Xia Dynasty.

In other words, that Martial Sage had survived from the founding of Great Xia to the present day. He was nothing short of a myth, a legend.

The current turmoil in the Great Xia Dynasty, in Jiang Ning’s view, was also related to the fact that this Martial Sage had not shown his face for several decades.

Precisely because he understood all this, Jiang Ning had already made up his mind: he wanted both scholarly studies and martial arts.

Only children make choices; adults want it all.

He wanted both scholarly studies and martial arts, with martial arts as his primary focus and scholarly studies as his support.

These two paths did not conflict for him; instead, they had a mutually reinforcing effect.

First of all, for him right now, with a trait like Photographic Memory, passing the exams to earn scholarly honors would be incredibly simple.

If he did not study literature and understand everything about this world, how could he find a safe haven in the turbulent torrent of the late Great Xia Dynasty in the near future?

Before martial arts reached the peak, the importance of an insightful vision that understood everything was beyond doubt.

Furthermore, by passing the examinations to earn scholarly honors, one could enter the Holy Temple to worship and receive the infusion of Righteous Qi.

The Confucian Righteous Qi could nourish the soul and spirit, which was the best way to cultivate the spirit outside the secret teachings of the Buddhist and Daoist sects.

The various ministers in the imperial court all possessed powerful spirits, and their minds could run through thousands of thoughts in an instant. This was why they could sit firmly in the court and strategize for the entire world.

Moreover, when the path of martial arts reached its end, it required not only refining the body but also nourishing the spirit.

The strengthening of the soul and spirit would also be of immense help for his future rise to the pinnacle of martial arts and achieving sainthood.

Another even more important point was that if he wanted to continue grinding for experience points in Literacy, he had to read widely through ancient texts and scriptures. Only by constantly reading books of all kinds could he grind for the experience points of the Literacy skill.

Since the first limit break had granted him the Photographic Memory trait, he believed that the second limit break would surely grant him even more traits.

The powerful effect of traits was beyond doubt!

Therefore, for him, earning scholarly honors through the imperial examinations was a natural step along the way, and a good thing that served multiple purposes.

“Now I only hope that my guess is correct, and that martial arts techniques can also grind for experience points,” Jiang Ning murmured to himself. “Previously, because of my predecessor’s injury, I had to recover for more than two months, making it inconvenient to practice martial arts. It was the perfect time to study literature to test the effects of the panel!”

“Now that I have achieved success in literature and have successfully tested all the effects of the panel, it is time to practice martial arts!”

“With my current Photographic Memory trait and the magical effects of the panel, once I start practicing martial arts, my progress will surely be rapid.”

“I will go ask my eldest brother in a moment to see if he, as a government bailiff, has any suitable martial arts techniques for me to learn!”

Just as Jiang Ning’s thoughts were drifting, a robust voice came from the main house.

“Little brother, come over for lunch!”

Hearing this, Jiang Ning put the book An Explanation of Divine Powers down on his chair, then stood up and walked toward the main house.

The moment he stepped into the main house, he saw his eldest brother, his sister-in-law, his nephew Jiang Yiming, and his niece Xiaodoubao, who was Jiang Yuanyuan.

“Eldest Brother, Sister-in-law!” Jiang Ning greeted them.

“Sit!” Jiang Li, the eldest brother, spoke.

“Uncle, Uncle! Sit next to Doubao.” Sitting on the stool and leaning hard against the dining table, Xiaodoubao quickly invited Jiang Ning.

After Jiang Ning took his seat.

Jiang Li, acting as the eldest brother, picked up some food with his chopsticks and spoke, “I’ve seen you studying very hard lately. Do you want to take the imperial examinations and earn scholarly honors?”

“I have some thoughts about it!” Jiang Ning nodded slightly, then shook his head. “But I want to learn martial arts even more!”

“Learn martial arts?” Jiang Li looked at Jiang Ning in surprise, his gaze suddenly turning serious. “Do you really want to learn martial arts?”

“Yes!!” Jiang Ning nodded heavily.

“Have you really thought this through? Learning martial arts is very difficult and very bitter! Have you really made up your mind?” Jiang Li continued.

Jiang Ning nodded again, “I have made up my mind!!”

“Very well!” Jiang Li nodded slowly. Just as he was about to speak, the corner of his mouth suddenly twitched.

Seeing this, Jiang Ning could not help but glance at his sister-in-law, Liu Wanwan, who was beside them. Seeing her small physical movements, Jiang Ning instantly understood that Liu Wanwan was currently tugging at Jiang Li in secret, seemingly knowing what Jiang Li planned to do next.

Jiang Li also gave Liu Wanwan a slight glare, then looked back at Jiang Ning.

“Very well, since that is the case, I will go find a good teacher for you in a bit.”