2 Chapter 2 - Divine Library

Although the building seemed to demand respect, the first floor was dusty and empty, with the only exception being a single bookcase surrounded by cobwebs. On the large bookcase rested two separate scrollcases, which had been leftover after everyone else had already taken the rest. Picking them both off the shelf, Feng Jie saw both had a brown plate with the technique's name inscribed on it. One was called "Consuming Citadel" while the other was called "Dew Stance".

Opening the first case, Feng Jie unfurled the scroll inside.

'What you cannot gain for yourself, you can gain from others. This cultivation technique allows one to absorb Qi from others who are foolish enough to give it.' It read.

While something like this seemed useful, for someone like him who could only retain 5% of absorbed Qi, it was not that useful. Placing the scroll back into the case and returning it to the shelf, Feng Jie opened the second case. Unfurling the scroll, it read as follows:

'Like the morning dew that comes everyday despite celebration or tragedy, you cannot be stopped and are simply a force of nature. This cultivation technique allows one to counter any physical attack, through pure animalistic instinct.'

This seemed interesting to him. It didn't require a fit body, strong mind, or cultivation talent, but training and a routine stance to memorize. After committing the stance instructions to memory, he placed the scroll back into its case, and the case on the floor to practice.

Taking several deep breaths, Feng Jie placed his feet sholder-length apart and kept his knees slightly bent. While keeping his palms in opposite directions of west-to-east, he brought his wrists within an inch of his chest. Maintaining this stance for a few minutes, Feng Jie found it was fairly easy to learn, and barely required any Qi to restore his stamina from using it.

"15 minutes left! Choose quickly Young One, or I'll not spare you!" The elder shouted from the lobby.

Feeling a chill down his spine, Feng Jie quickly grabbed the "Dew Stance" scrollcase before leaving Level 1 of the library and reentered the lobby. Pausing in front of the elder, he couldn't keep his curiosity in.

"Elder, how is it you keep time without a clock?" Feng Jie asked, with slight confusion. The elder was stunned, and stopped to look at Feng Jie up and down before answering. "The average person breaths naturally in and out at around two seconds. 30 breaths is about a minute. I counted 450 breaths since you entered Level 1 of the library. That equals to roughly 15 minutes."  The elder explained.

"If I may, what is this Young Master's name?" The elder asked, with a polite tone. "Eh? I am Feng Jie, is there something wrong Elder?" Feng Jie responded in an equally polite manner, but the sudden change of character made him uncomfortable.

"No, that is all." The elder answered, smiling as though they were friends. After giving a slight bow of respect, Feng Jie left the Divine Library with the scrollcase. It wasn't until he'd made it halfway down the road leading out of the sect that the realization hit him. Unlike in his past life where clocks were common everywhere, most people likely didn't even own a single clock in this world. He would have to be more careful about things next time, as it might lead to misunderstandings that would be hard to explain later on. Sighing, Feng Jie decided to let the matter be for now, and focused on making it down the road safely.

After making it back to his spot at the beginning of the road leading to the sect, it had quickly gotten dark. Now pitch black, Feng Jie couldn't find Outer Disciple Cheng Yi's Courtyard. As one of her Junior Disciples, Feng Jie was allowed to sleep in the public room during the night.

Deciding it wasn't worth the risk of getting lost, he found the nearest tree, placed the scrollcase beside him and slept on the ground. Being from a modern world in his past life, Feng Jie had found he actually enjoyed sleeping outside more than in a room. Using one of his arms as a pillow, he quickly fell into a deep sleep, unknowingly absorbing the Qi of the ground and trees.

As morning came, Feng Jie woke up and stretched out his body. After doing some warmup exercises, he sat down in the lotus position and began to meditate. Taking deep, slow breaths, he eased his mind into a calm emptyness until he began sensing the Qi around him. Focusing his mind, Feng Jie began absorbing the Qi into his body. After 20 minutes, he opened his eyes, his body soaked in sweat.

Scruntching his face up, Feng Jie really wanted a bath. Trying to get up, he fell over almost immediately due to exhaustion. Reluctant to waste it, he used the 7% of Qi he had just retained to revitalize his body. Looking around, Feng Jie found he wasn't too far off from Cheng Yi's Courtyard. Making his way there, Feng Jie noticed a brown haired short girl with smooth skin and rosy cheeks arguing with a black haired tall male with the face akin to a sculpture's masterpiece.

As the Feng Jie approached the direction of the two, the girl noticed him and started walking towards him. Feeling uneasy, he tried moving quicker, however she vanished and reappeared next to him. Grabbing and wrapping her arms around his arm, she gave him a blank stare before speaking for all to hear.

"You made me wait for so long my love. Don't do so again."

Feng Jie didn't even have time to be confused before the male stood before him with a expression of disgust. "You are Miss Liao's fiance?" Before Feng Jie could protest, he felt his restrained arm nearly snap in half. "He has a name. Feng Jie, 14 years old, 1st Layer Low Stage Cultivation." She replied without emotion.

Both males stared at her with bewildered expressions, for different reasons however. Wiping the disgust away in an instant, the male replaced it with the gentleness of a generous noble when turning to the girl. "Miss Wu-" "We are not friends, you shall not address me with such familiarity." She interrupted.

The male hesitated before speaking again. "Miss Liao, I, Yang Jin, am Duke Chen's favorite nephew and at the 4th Layer Low Stage of cultivation. What does he offer, which I do not?"

"Blissful silence." Liao Wu responded, without hesitation. Yang Jin shuddered, wanting to explode in anger, however kept it inside and bowed to them before leaving.