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Chapter 69: He is My Disciple!

A soft greenish glow surrounded my hands, shimmering in and out of existence, leaving behind a tingling sensation. As I tried to keep my fists up, two spherical barriers the size of my head formed around them. No matter how much I concentrated, I wasn't quite adept like a Qi Gathering Cultivator, where I could freely control my Qi.

Glancing to the side, I saw the owl-like being staring at me without blinking.

Was he curious about how I was doing this? It was much less impressive than it might appear to an outsider. 

Or perhaps he was pondering the futility of barriers around my fists since this was a martial technique and not an array, where the smaller the barrier, the stronger it was.

"This is something I came up with in case I ever need to punch someone with poisonous skin or something like that," I explained my reasons for training in this manner.

Well, at least that was part of the reason. Simply training for utility sounded like a chore. Also, any logical person could point out that instead of going through all this effort. I could just use a sword instead of punching someone with poisonous skin. 

But I trained this mainly because it was fun. I wanted to see how far I could push this and how similar certain defensive martial arts and barrier arrays were.

Overall, defensive martial techniques were less versatile and didn't grow stronger with a smaller area of effect for the barrier. Yet they were still impressive, naturally stronger than any of the level 1 arrays I had conjured until now. The martial technique's Qi was also denser and easier to manage.

I smashed my fists together, but they didn't touch; the two spherical barriers collided. As they ground against each other, they created the sound of someone scratching a blackboard. In response to the noise, I just applied more force. 

Slowly, the defensive greenish glow began to crack. I used a weaker version of the technique to acclimate myself to having small barriers around my hands, but it was still quite challenging.

Clearly, the Dancing Jade Armor was not designed for something like this at all.

My initial plan was to have the Dancing Jade Amor form into gloves. Sadly, that was too complicated to accomplish on the first day. With only the library's silence, the sound of the barriers breaking down around my fists resembled glass shattering.

As shards of Qi fell to the ground and my fists finally touched, I kept staring at the green shards that began disappearing into a green mist, and then nothing.

Despite the slow progress, I didn't feel discouraged at all!

If I was going to have a defensive technique, it would be quality over quantity. The least I could do was develop that one technique to be as versatile as possible. I would have to master this technique to levels none had before.

"How is your day going?" Mao suddenly asked, breaking me out of my thoughts. His owl-like golden eyes goggled at me as if trying to see into my soul.

Okay, he was totally acting like a weirdo here. I knew it must be confusing to communicate as a monstrous beast in human form. Imagine how weird it would be to communicate with other birds if I became a bird.

But that didn't mean I wouldn't call him out on it.

"What's with the weird question out of nowhere?" I asked.

"The last guy I talked to was over a decade ago," the owl said awkwardly. "Humans have weird rituals."

So he didn't regularly meet with the librarian? They managed the same library, so one would assume they would at least meet up more often. But that seemed not to be the case.

"What did you want to do?" I inquired.

"Well, I was attempting one of those weird rituals called—small talk. I know that it is considered rude to just immediately tell someone what you need or want," Mao said and took a breath. "I mean, to me, such things are completely alien. The reason why beings communicate is to tell someone something and convey that information about something. So talking about nothing is definitely weird."

"How did you do it then?"

"You mean how owls communicate?"

"Yeah."

"We usually just hoot when there is a predator nearby, which is a clear enough signal. I mean, we for sure don't do the 'small talk' thing before an eagle swoops down to kill us."

The intricate thoughts behind owl communication were fascinating, but it wasn't why we were here.

"Not to be rude, but can you get to the point already?" I said.

"I'm not the one with the weird rituals here. I mean, what if there is danger nearby? Do I have to write you a poem about nothing before warning you?" He shook his head.

Okay, he was stuck in this small talk for a while. Should I just explain it to him?

I was about to explain to him that there was no need to do that, as not even humans would do small talk with something dangerous nearby. However, it felt like saying such things would prolong this conversation unnecessarily. I would just tell him later about it when I had more free time.

"Anyway, I wanted to simply ask, how many spirit roots do you have?" He said, and as soon as the words left his mouth, he cleared his throat and added, "I'm not trying to belittle you or anything."

Since I was in the outer sect, Mao should know that my talent was nothing special. Yet he still asked. He was skittish and nervous, and he seemed to expect me to say something extraordinary.

"I don't take offense to it since it is nothing more or less than average. I have fifty-three spirit roots," I answered calmly.

It was no use hiding this kind of information, as it wouldn't be hard for him to find private information about me if he ever wanted to. I could use this to get closer to Mao, a humanoid monstrous beast who was clearly important. He no doubt held a lot of influence in the library and knew many secret places.

Honestly, I liked the idea of having Mao as a friend since he was clearly an ex-owl. It wasn't every day that someone had the chance to ask a bird what it felt like to be... well... a bird.

Unexpectedly, the owl man breathed a sigh of relief when he heard my talent grade.

What the hell was up with that reaction? Now, I was tempted to take offense!

But before I could question his reaction, Mao quickly rushed down the stairs, leaving me in absolute silence alone in this cave-like library.

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"What the actual fuck?" I muttered under my breath.

But it's not like I cared. Instead of taking offense, I'd rather practice this new technique. As someone who adhered to the strict rule that the quality of techniques was more important than quantity, I had to actively hold myself back from training new techniques.

But with Dancing Jade Armor, I now had a whole new toy to play with!

*********

Xin Ma was having another relatively normal day, with nothing unusual happening. Though being a librarian, the job was bound to grow dull.

He couldn't help but wonder if Liu Feng had passed the trial on the third floor.

Typically, someone who failed at a trial would have come out dejected. Yet Liu Feng would have gone right back to reading on the second floor and moved on as if nothing had happened. That was just the kind of person he was. 

However, the bored librarian had another source of excitement: a young red-haired man who had come to the library for the second time. He was a newcomer in the Sect. Instead of reading a book, the youngster stared at the air before him, appearing somewhat absent-minded.

The red-haired youngster nodded his head and whispered something under his breath.

He looked quite dimwitted doing that.

Despite how he acted, Xin Ma kept an eye on him. While he had told everyone else that the array had likely malfunctioned, Xin Ma knew these library barriers and inscriptions better than anyone alive. These arrays would not malfunction, but it was too embarrassing to admit that a three-star Body Tempering disciple had sneaked something out of the library without him finding any proof of it.

But since that day, he had put up some of his own arrays at the entrance, especially for handling the young red-haired boy. Even with the new arrays, he only found that the boy had somehow grown to become a five-star Body Tempering cultivator in a matter of weeks.

That kind of progress was highly unnatural.

Well... he had seen something similar before.

Xin Ma remembered Liu Feng's revelation that he could sense Qi. So far, the red-haired thief had shown no signs of sensing Qi, so Liu Feng had a bit of an advantage in that regard.

However, this wasn't a said-and-done thing, as it wasn't like Xin Ma had ever had any reason to monitor Liu Feng so much that he would know when his personal disciple broke through. Liu Feng never stole anything or acted in a way that would warrant such mistrust. It made it hard to pinpoint when he had broken through since he never bragged about his achievements. Even when he bragged, it was an attempt to get a rise out of old Shan Sha, and he usually failed to do that.

Xin Ma spent hours pondering useless things and answering a couple of questions. Only a short time after most of the disciples left, including the red-haired thief, this time without sneaking anything out of the library.

By the time the sun set, everyone had left.

Just as the sun set, a loud noise came from the stairs leading to the second floor. It sounded nothing like the calm steps Liu Feng usually took.

Xin Ma turned toward the noise and saw a humanoid creature with an owl's head, human torso, and harpy-like legs. The owl man looked around like a madman until its wide golden eyes landed on Xin Ma.

"Do you know anything about the disciple that just reached the third floor?" Mao asked, the feathers on his face ruffling around as his golden eyes dilated.

But despite the rambunctious sounds the owl-like manager of the third floor had made, Xin Ma was in quite a good mood as it seemed like Liu Feng had passed the test. Usually, Xin Ma was not allowed to say that there was a test on the way to the third floor, supposed to test someone's fortitude and willingness to wait and take one step at a time. But that did not mean he could not give some friendly advice to his personal disciple.

Thankfully, Liu Feng had been smart enough to listen.

"If you mean a quiet, dark-haired young man who likes to read, then that's my personal disciple," Xin Ma calmly stated. Though he was more surprised than he let on. 

He had never seen Mao outside the third floor. Xin Ma had assumed that some kind of restriction array kept the monstrous beast confined there.

"Do you know about the young man's talents?" Mao inquired.

Talents?—Xin Ma's mind immediately went to Liu Feng's ability to sense Qi prematurely and his proficiency with arrays.

Usually, he would have liked to brag a bit about his disciple. But Xin Ma knew the consequences of others learning too much about him, which is how he ended up in this position.

"Of course, Liu Feng has his own talents. I didn't pick him as a personal disciple for no reason," Xin Ma said vaguely, displaying a disinterested gaze, indicating that he did not find Liu Feng unique in any way. "I taught Liu Feng some minor tricks; he is my eyes and ears in places where I can't be."

If he had it his way, Xin Ma would never have monstrous beasts in the sect. Even one so disfigured and acting as some kind of guardian.

Whether he could speak like a human or not, a beast was still a beast in his eyes.

"Does this personal disciple of yours truly have fifty-three spirit roots?" the owl man asked, his worried look almost human-like. But Xin Ma dismissed such thoughts as nothing more than a pure imitation. 

A beast was and would always be just that, a monster wearing human skin.

Xin Ma raised a questioning brow, pointing out, "Shouldn't you be able to tell? A Foundation Establishment beas-... Cultivator like you has access to the second floor, and the third floor is your playground. Shouldn't you be able to tell through your own access to the arrays on the third floor just how talented someone is and what cultivator they are?"

"I just saw something crazy," Mao reasoned. "It wouldn't be surprising if someone could hide such things from my senses."

"Liu Feng does indeed have fifty-three spiritual roots," Xin Ma stated, unable to stop his disappointment from slipping through.

It was such a shame. While Liu Feng's talent was just about average for the sect. With that work ethic, intelligence, and lack of recklessness, he would undoubtedly have reached greater heights if he had just ten or twenty more spiritual roots.

After all, despite his measly talent, Liu Feng had been able to sense Qi before even entering Qi Gathering. Imagine what he could have done with even more spiritual roots?

Mao sighed in relief, saying, "Thank the heavens for that."

Xin Ma immediately frowned and glared at the humanoid owl.

This damned beast! How dare it belittle-...

The librarian took a deep breath, calming himself down. But despite getting a tight grip on his emotions, he couldn't let someone talk like that about his personal disciple.

"While you are technically here to keep an eye on me and make sure I don't allow too much corruption or get bribed by clans," Xin Ma calculated his following words carefully before spitting them out. "You should still know that the sect would do nothing if I happened to squash some useless monstrous beast. Do you think I'm going to allow you to return to the third floor after wishin' for my disciple's downfall?"

"I meant nothing-"

"How would we know that?" Xin Ma interrupted Mao, adding, "Do you intend to harm my personal disciple?"

The air in the library grew stale and cold as Xin Ma released some of his Qi. This caused the bookshelves and table to shake while strange dark symbols crawled up the reception desk.

Mao took a step back, frowned, and mumbled under his breath, "Master was right. Human cultivators always result in violence at the smallest inconvenience."

But when Xin Ma did not stop, Mao raised his hands and said, "You know better than me that there are arrays in place here to stop me from acting against humans. I can't even walk out of this building."

Instead of confronting him or adding fuel to the fire, Mao stepped back and walked up the stairs to the upper floors.

That should be enough of a threat. 

Xin Ma withdrew his fighting intent and calmed down. He was expecting peace and quiet after such an encounter, but that was nothing more than a dream when Shan Sha walked out behind one of the shelves.

"It seems like the brat impressed Mao. That useless bird isn't easily impressed," said the old man, running a hand along his goat-like beard while holding a cup of tea in his other hand. "While Liu Feng is weird, he still has some moments where his intelligence shines through."

Xin Ma hid his smirk behind a fake cough.

Despite Shan Sha's only bantering with Liu Feng when they were around each other, the old goat still had a high opinion of the kid.

But just as they were about to continue conversing, Xin Ma halted as he sensed someone walk past the arrays at the entrance.

The library was closed at this hour. Usually, only Liu Feng came during these hours, and he was currently on the third floor.

Who could it be?

Chapter 70: Icy Allergies!

Xin Ma stared at the entrance as a young girl entered. She had skin resembling white jade, silky dark hair with a patch of white on her bangs, and a face akin to a pretty peach. Despite her beauty, something felt off about her demeanor; her silvery gaze was cold and emotionless.

"The library is closed," Xin Ma informed her.

"I'm here to meet Liu Feng under Song Song's orders," she stated, casually scanning her surroundings.

Xin Ma maintained eye contact as he discreetly activated a barrage of arrays. Despite the numerous arrays present, she seemed oblivious to any changes in Qi. Yet, Xin Ma sensed something peculiar about the young lady—a Qi blockage, as if her cultivation teetered on the brink of collapse.

"Liu Feng is currently on the third floor," Xin Ma informed her.

Though the girl appeared rough around the edges, she posed no threat to any Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Hence, excessive caution seemed unnecessary.

"I'll wait for him here. I'm not keen on returning and facing Song Song's wrath for failing to meet her favorite toy," the girl remarked coldly.

"Kids these days growing ruder with each generation," Shang Sha interjected, drawing attention to himself.

"My name is Ye An," she revealed.

"Well, Ye An, you don't strike me as someone easily intimidated," the old man remarked, sipping his tea with a smirk. "Not even by someone like Song Song."

Ye An rolled up the sleeve of her new blue uniform, revealing a nasty scar below her elbow. "The last time I defied Song Song, refusing to comply with her orders and insisting I wasn't her servant, she severed my arm."

For the first time since entering the library, Ye An's gaze wavered, hinting that the incident had affected her more deeply than she let on.

"Though she had someone reattach my arm, she made it clear that the next time I talked back to her or questioned her orders, she would feed my arm to the dogs," Ye An stated, her breath trembling slightly as she pulled her sleeve back down.

Immediately, Shan Sha's expression darkened, his playful demeanor replaced by seriousness. For a moment, his elderly façade vanished, replaced by a sharp intensity in his gaze.

"No doubt she wants to meet him," said the old man, his tone reflecting concern. It makes me wonder if sending Liu Feng to Song Song is a smart thing to do. It's like sending a lamb into a lion's den."

Shan Sha kept glancing at the librarian as he spoke, signaling him to intervene. 

Even Xin Ma found himself at a loss for words. There seemed to be little choice in the matter, knowing that someone like Song Song could easily manipulate inner elders to do her bidding in order to gain favor as a future Sect Leader. 

Xin Ma removed his glasses and began wiping them with a white cloth.

While he had only glimpsed Song Song in passing during significant events, her reputation seemed warranted. They were in a troublesome situation, and logic dictated a retreat. But this was his responsibility. He had been the one to send Liu Feng to that fateful exam, where he encountered Song Song.

"No, she treats him alright," Ye An suddenly interjected, snapping the librarian out of his thoughts. "In fact, I'd say Song Song behaves better when he's around."

She walked towards the table and sat, crossing one leg over the other while leaning forward. "Without Liu Feng, Song Song compensates for her lack of leadership and personality that inspires no loyalty by resorting to violence and cruelty to keep people in line."

Ye An had a distant look in her eyes as she spoke as if recalling something from the past. However, she quickly snapped back to reality before continuing, "The most surprising part of this whole ordeal is how many people within the inner sect actually support her."

"Well, she's essentially royalty within the Blazing Sun Sect, given her family's lineage tracing back to one of the Blazing Sun Immortals' ten wives," the old janitor remarked.

Despite his job being technically just doing around and doing nothing, the old janitor was quite well-learned in the history of the Sect. Xin Ma had also delved into the Sect's historical records. Still, it was evident that the history was biased, written by the winners. 

Only two direct bloodlines could be traced back to the Blazing Sun Immortal. In contrast, others had mysteriously vanished over the millennia.

"They must be so against having someone of peasant descent as the sect leader that they're willing to place their trust in someone unfit to lead anything more than a herd of goats," Ye An remarked, a smirk playing on her lips. "If Song Song were to ascend to the Blazing Sun Sect Leader position, it would spell doom for the Sect. She's is grossly incompetent at anything other than fighting."

Her bold statements reverberated through the library. Ye An's eyes burned with intensity, indicating her determination for revenge despite her current setbacks.

How did someone like Liu Feng become entangled with such troublesome women? He didn't seem the type at all!—Xin Ma wondered.

***********

I learned something new while training and instinctively using my own Qi. That magical energy took a while to recover naturally. When it was low, a drowsy feeling in my head compelled me to sleep, even though I should physically be fully rested.

It was a shame I had none of the modern equipment, as that might have shed some light on whether Qi and Cultivation were somehow connected to the brain or mindset.

The green glow on my hands slowly sizzled out, and I sighed before slumping backward and lying on my back. The cold floor provided a sense of comfort that really made me want to sleep there. However, the second floor would be easier to sleep on, and I was wondering what Mao's policy was regarding people sleeping on his part of the library. The librarian hadn't minded, but assuming Mao was the same would be presumptuous. I didn't want to come off as rude.

While still lying down, I looked around, trying to find the humanoid owl. It wasn't hard, as Mao was just peeking at me from behind one of the bookshelves. His large, beady eyes stared at me with a strange intensity. 

Okay, this was getting creepy!

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"Hey, what's up..." I called out to him. 

That ended up with Mao just meekly trying to hide behind one of the shelves.

Forcing myself to stand up, I dusted off my clothes and shrugged before finding the stairs at the end of the cave-like library. While walking down the stairs, I was prepared for another array to try and stop me from going down, but there was none.

I had seen enough horror movies to know that messing around any longer was not a smart idea. Even though Mao's behavior could be attributed to being an owl and isolated for so long, I would not take my chances and stick around to find out.

From the second floor, I immediately went to the first floor. I was ready to talk to the librarian about the weird humanoid owl. For all I knew, Mao might just be some weird spirit who was not supposed to be there!

But when I arrived on the first floor, I saw a face I had not thought I would see in a while. Our eyes met, and her silver eyes had the same nonchalant look as ever.

"Well, I'll just get right to the point," she said, taking a breath before continuing. Song Song has sent you an invitation to join her unit during the Beast Waves in winter."

Who starts a conversation like that?

Oh well, I had seen weirder at this point. I was also too tired to engage in any banter.

"Tell Song Song that this is a choice I will make later," I said.

Her eye twitched before she let out a breath, which formed into steam as soon as it left her mouth. "There is a good chance that if Song Song got news like this, she would kill the messenger. But please do go and make this choice make sense."

Though she was not trying to hide it, she seemed annoyed. Well, her feelings were none of my problems.

"I'm waiting to see whether the Sect will draft me. If I am not drafted, that would be preferable. But if I am drafted, then I would rather work under someone who I know and could trust rather than some arrogant young master," I stated my reason, hiding nothing.

Ye An looked at me, blinked, and said, "You really are dumb."

She left me no time to respond as she continued. "I mean, you already showed it when you decided to spare me. But damn, you can't just go and decide to refuse the offer of someone clearly psychotic. To add insult to injury, you're even making it clear that you plan to use her for your convenience, depending on the situation. Does your brain filter the words before they come out?"

Her insults almost hurt my feelings. But I wasn't going to take to heart insults to my intelligence from someone who thought it would be a good idea to just massacre a bunch of people from the Sect she was planning to join.

Honestly, I was more curious how Song Song had convinced someone like Ye An to become a glorified messenger.

"I bet you don't talk to Song Song like this," I added while sitting on the chair opposite her.

She sent a cold gaze my way in response, to which I shrugged.

"If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen," I added.

I wouldn't take her words to heart if she wanted to insult someone, but that did not mean I wasn't going to shoot back.

"Since you spared my life, let me give you some advice. Song Song will absolutely bash your head in if she hears your answer," she stated matter-of-factly. "After she's done killing me in anger, she will personally come and rip your heart out. I've seen her do much worse for much less."

"I'm not necessarily worried about that," I leaned back on the wooden chair, looking at the ceiling. "I promised Song Song that I would always tell her the truth. This was the truth and my real thoughts about her offer."

Ye An didn't seem convinced, but she still said, "Let's say that by some miracle, Song Song felt merciful that day and decided not to kill you. Let me remind you this is less likely than seeing a unicorn dance in the sky. But for argument's sake, let's say she's feeling nice. She could just as easily pull strings from behind the scenes and have you drafted. After all, most disciples who have been here a year or longer help with the Beast Waves somehow."

"If she decides to do so, that would be her decision, and she had better be good at hiding her trail. Because if I ever found out she pulled the strings from behind the scenes to have me drafted, our trust would be broken," I stated. 

There was an unspoken understanding between Song Song and me. We had trusted each other on blind faith more than once. Neither of us had broken their trust in the other. I would trust her with my life. 

"After that, the only thing she can trust me to become is one of her many lackeys who will backstab her whenever it is convenient for me or another stronger figure bribes me," I stated, not caring whether Ye An would tell this part to Song Song. "Despite that, I believe that Song Song would not do something like that behind my back."

"That just shows how little you know of her," Ye An shook her head.

No, that showed just how little everyone else knew Song Song.

She had saved my life more than once. So either way, I owed it to her to at least not lie.

I was just some regular guy with everyday fears and insecurities. I would rather not get drafted into some horrific defensive battle against literal monsters. If Song Song wanted some brave young man who valued his life so little they were willing to put it in line for her without questioning her decisions, then she was barking up the wrong tree, and no doubt Song Song was smart enough to figure out something like this by now.

Ye An kept staring at me as if expecting me to change my answer.

In response, I just shook my head and doubled down, "Tell Song Song I appreciate the offer. But I would rather sit this war out."

Ye An shrugged and stood up from her chair. She turned toward the exit and walked out without saying a word.

Clearly, the jade-like beauty was not pleased by my response. Whatever Song Song had done to get this chick so obedient could not have been pretty. But I was about 70% sure that Song Song would not take this personally. Also, she should find better advisors than me and inspire loyalty on her own instead of relying on someone whose strategic knowledge came from YouTube videos.

I turned toward the librarian and the old man sitting on the corner of the table. The old goat looked at me bewildered, "How did a bookworm like you get involved with such dangerous women? You barely even go outside."

I shrugged in response and turned toward the librarian, "Anyway, do you know anything about the owl on the third floor, or is he some kind of evil spirit who has been haunting me all along?"

"He was the pet of the guy who made this library. Some experiments caused him to end up like that. So, no, he is not some evil spirit," said the librarian.

Oh, okay. So, the worst-case scenario of Mao being an evil spirit was not something to worry about.

"Though you should be careful around him. His master was known to be one of the Blazing Sun Immortal's many sons, but he was also known to be insane. Even though one might assume that he liked books since he created this library, he never had the talent to grow much as a cultivator, despite who his father was. His only legacy is a book about some mad ramblings about wills and fate. Then he threw himself off a window," the librarian said. "I have been preparing for the owl to one day break, show his true colors, and finally take him down for good."

Oh… that guy sounded a lot like the so-called madman who wrote the book about the wills of heaven, earth, and man. It seemed like Mao had a deeper connection to the book than he had first let on.

The book stated that the author never met an immortal, which was one of the stumbling points in my theory. After all, if his father was an immortal, could a son never really meet his father when they were both living in the same Sect?

The Blazing Sun Immortal had ten wives and countless concubines throughout his long life and likely hundreds of children. So, it wasn't like there was no chance he would never meet his father, especially when he lacked the talent to draw any attention, even from his own father.

Now that I thought about it, it was suspicious that only two families could be traced to be direct descendants of the Blazing Sun Immortal when he had a harem of women and so many kids. Also, the guy who made this library threw himself off the tower… perhaps…

Oops, it seemed like I just stumbled on another possible conspiracy within the Sect. This was the second one, and I would act like I knew nothing about it, just like the first one. I was just another bookworm here to read and knew nothing about grand conspiracies.

Well, none of this mattered to me, and I did not want to get involved in any way.

I was here to cultivate and learn cool techniques, not to get involved in political bullshit.

Chapter 71: A Wave in the Distance…

Days passed since Ye An came around with her crazy suggestion, and soon enough, my life returned to normal.

Climbing up the stairs and reaching the second floor, I immediately went to the third floor. A weightless feeling washed over me as I walked past the array. Unlike the first time, no illusion arrays or anything else tried to stop me.

Once again, I found myself on the third floor, seemingly alone. I couldn't shake the suspicion that Mao was lurking in some dark corner, just watching me creepily. I had yet to speak to him since our initial conversation.

This time, however, I had Speedy in my hands, and the little guy swung his legs around as if trying to walk on air.

But despite his apparent excitement to explore, as soon as I put Speedy on the ground, he immediately laid down and retreated into his shell.

Did he just fall asleep?

"You really are a dramatic turtle," I crouched and tapped his shell.

He popped his head out and looked at me curiously as I grabbed a bone-white pill the size of a pinky's nail. Speedy eyed it suspiciously before extending his head and munching on the pill.

"You know, you shouldn't get in the habit of trusting anyone who hands you strange things," I warned Speedy.

Initially, the turtle had been quite reluctant to eat pills, and I usually crushed them for him. But I really hoped he wouldn't become like one of those dogs who accepted snacks from anyone. People in this world could be pretty diabolical.

Having the librarian discreetly buy these for me was the epitome of having my cake and eating it.

Letting the little guy sleep, I walked toward the shelf and picked a book on one technique resembling Dancing Jade Armour. I wasn't planning to train in this new technique, as it would be a waste of time, but it seemed like a good comparison and might spark some ideas.

Dancing Jade Armour, while boasting an extremely high defensive capability when used correctly, had crippling drawbacks in any fight. So, I had to ensure a slow unraveling and development of the technique to reach a true Earth Grade level, retaining its positives while eliminating as many negative factors as possible.

Closing my eyes momentarily, I attempted to sense Mao, but anything beyond twenty feet was too convoluted to perceive. This was not due to my lack of Qi senses but the numerous arrays saturating the third floor. They filled the space with so much Qi that it felt like trying to peek through a dense mist.

"Mao, don't eat the sleeping turtle. He's a friendly guy, and his name is Speedy," I declared aloud. 

Mao rarely left the third floor, and thus far, I'd only caught glimpses of him staring at me creepily. He should have heard my request.

By now, he had likely honed his skills to the point where I couldn't see him anymore, but he was likely lurking nearby, observing me.

Navigating the cave-like third floor, I felt as though the walls were shifting as I moved, accompanied by strange clicking sounds and a soft breeze tousling my hair.

Though my understanding of arrays was modest, the shifting patterns and moving walls indicated some form of sentient design. It was as if the library possessed its own subconsciousness.

This place's creator was undoubtedly talented.

However, there was still a discernible predetermined sequence of changes in the walls. Unlike mobile puzzle games, this one proved relatively easy to solve, and soon, I found myself back in the main library area without getting lost on the intricate cave pathways. 

Returning the book to its rightful place, I ensured Speedy slept soundly.

"Where might a place like this have a window?" I mused aloud.

This was an intriguing puzzle, likely holding a reward at its conclusion. Even though I had never met the individual who constructed this place and knew little about them. Yet, the design of the third floor alone spoke volumes about their character.

He was a puzzle enthusiast and enjoyed treasure hunts, so there had to be some reward if I could decipher the library's third-floor layout. Or the guy could also be a prankster. But that was more unlikely. 

However, for the moment, I had no time to delve into such pursuits. Scooping up Speedy, who was not so little anymore but had grown to the size of a football, I descended the stairs and left him on the second floor. Despite his change in size, his sleeping habits remained unchanged.

After settling Speedy on the second floor, I descended the stairs. It was still daylight, so some disciples lingered around. Paying them little mind, I exited the library, basking in the warmth of the sunlight on my face.

"Honorable cousin Fang!" someone called out from within the library.

Involuntarily cringing at the title, I turned around. My two cousins, now clad in gray robes signifying their status as outer disciples, waved at me. Their infectious smiles compelled me to return the gesture.

Though they were a bit whimsical with the formalities, they were good-hearted youngsters.

"Hey, how have you guys been?" I asked. "Sorry for not meeting up more often. I've had some catching up to do with work, and lately, I've been irregular at the dining hall."

"No need to apologize, honorable cousin!" Liu Long, the long-haired twin, chimed in.

Liu Lia, on the other hand, appeared more cautious as she glanced me over. Then, carefully looking around, she whispered, "Can we talk somewhere private?"

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Curious about the sudden need for privacy, I considered the library a safe venue. Still, it might be bugged with listening arrays, or the creepy owl could be spying on me.

Family matters were best kept discreet within the sect.

"Follow me," I whispered back, turning away as they followed silently.

We ventured into the forest, and I extended my senses as far as possible to ensure no one could eavesdrop. Upon reaching a secluded spot deep within the woods, we halted, and I turned to face them. "This should be far enough. What's on your minds?"

"We met with honorable senior Liu Bo," Liu Lia said, her expression grave. He informed us about the Earth Grade Technique."

Liu Bo was the amiable fellow I had encountered from the Liu Clan. As an inner disciple, he seemed entrusted with significant responsibilities by the clan, evident in his role as a messenger. Such a position indicated a high level of trust within the clan hierarchy.

"Ah, good. Did Liu Bo warn you against using it against anyone unless absolutely necessary?" I inquired.

"Huh? He didn't teach it to us," Liu Long replied, while Liu Lia narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Well, that was a slip-up. 

They hadn't received any detailed information about the technique beyond its existence. Yet, Liu Lia appeared sharp enough to detect that I possessed prior knowledge of the Earth Grade Technique from my manner of speaking.

She was a smart one...

"The clan leader believes that the clan is now sufficiently strong, and they intend to announce their possession of an Earth-Grade Technique," Liu Lia explained. "Soon, those taught the technique will be allowed to use it openly."

"Well, when that time comes, seek me out, and I'll teach you the technique," I assured them with a smile.

It would undoubtedly be a bothersome task, but my options were limited. This was likely the clan's intended course of action. Since I spent most of my time on the library's third floor, Liu Bo must have sought out the twins instead.

One aspect puzzled me. How did the Liu Clan plan to disclose their acquisition of the technique? It was unlikely they would attribute its discovery to the disciples they had within the Blazing Sun Sect, as such a claim could be countered by the Sect accusing them of theft. Given the Blazing Sun Sect's formidable reputation, it wouldn't be implausible for them to possess several Earth Grade Techniques.

Revealing the truth in this situation posed its own challenges.

Putting myself in the clan's shoes, it became clearer to predict their next move. Fabricating an expedition to ancient ruins where the new technique would be 'discovered' seemed the most plausible course of action. In such a scenario, only the Liu Clan Leader and a few elders would be privy to the truth. The clan's historical records would likely be altered to maintain the facade out of fear of reprisal from powers like the Blazing Sun Sect.

How many times had such events occurred throughout history? I now harbored doubts about the authenticity of the Sect's historical texts. Questions lingered, such as how the Blazing Sun Immortal's bloodline disappeared with only two branches remaining.

Man, there was so much bullshit happening in the background. I was relieved I hadn't gotten entangled in it.

Just as I was about to speak to the twins, someone entered the edge of my sensory range and then swiftly withdrew.

Instinctively, I signaled for the twins to remain silent, bringing a finger to my lips.

I scanned the surroundings, straining my eyes to discern anything I couldn't sense.

Nervously, the twins assumed fighting stances.

"Darn it, I accidentally stumbled into your sensory range," came a familiar voice as Ye An emerged from behind a tree. "Since when did your sensory abilities improve so much?"

Before responding to her, I turned to the twins and gestured for them to depart. "You two can leave now. I have matters to attend to."

They nodded understandingly, though their expressions betrayed their suspicions toward Ye An as they departed.

As they ran off, Ye An's gaze lingered on their retreating figures, "I didn't realize you had relatives in the outer sect."

"One learns something new every day," I replied with feigned astonishment. "Now, why are you following me?"

I harbored no trust for her. Was her intrusion into my sensory range genuine or a deliberate ploy? It was plausible that her internal Qi, in disarray, had weakened her sixth sense. However, it was equally plausible that she intended to be discovered.

"Well, I wasn't actually following you. I have better things to do, and if I were tailing someone, it would likely be for more sinister purposes," Ye An clarified before addressing the main issue. "Anyway, Song Song reacted strangely when I delivered your message. She actually laughed... and it wasn't one of her usual eerie laughs."

I nodded, scrutinizing her, expecting her departure at any moment. Yet she lingered as if anticipating something from me.

"What? Do you have anything else to say?" I prompted.

"Well, I'm not supposed to mention this, but Song Song urged me to persuade you by any means necessary. I'm pretty sure she hinted at using my charms for that purpose," she remarked matter-of-factly.

"Just to be clear, that won't work," I interjected firmly.

"I know, so I'm trying to think of another way to persuade you to join. Can you give me some space? Song Song didn't make it easy with all her conditions either, so I actually have to put in some effort here," she muttered, cursing under her breath. "I'll make sure to settle the score with her once I regain my cultivation."

"Wow, you two seem to get along famously," I remarked sarcastically.

But Ye An made no indication of even hearing me. Instead, she locked her gaze with mine and asked, "So, is it working?"

"No?" I sighed, rubbing the back of my head. "What are you even talking about?"

The situation was getting increasingly awkward.

"According to Song Song, maintaining eye contact can seduce a man. Even a fleeting glance from a beautiful woman can reduce men to acting like dogs. And I know I'm absolutely beautiful," she explained.

She was clearly humble, too. 

"Well, staring at someone is just creepy," I pointed out.

It felt doubly unsettling when someone who had previously attempted to kill me continued to gaze at me so coldly.

Song Song teaching Ye An about romance was akin to a fish teaching an octopus how to breathe. While both girls were physically attractive, they seemed clueless about human interaction. 

Furthermore, I couldn't shake the suspicion that Song Song might have simply sent Ye An my way to torment her for amusement.

"I see," Ye An nodded. "Then I'll have to try another approach to convince you. Luckily, Song Song has given me until we depart for the Beast Wave to figure something out."

With that, she turned on her heel and began walking away. I watched her retreating figure, left with more questions than answers. It felt as though I were caught in some bizarre fever dream. Witnessing people so oblivious to the intricacies of human behavior was disconcerting.

Despite my frequent visits to the library, I remained keenly aware of the preparations underway to combat the monstrous beasts. This was an annual occurrence, with the beasts venturing out during the cold weather in search of prey. Usually, it was manageable.

However, with the presence of a particular red-haired individual this time, I couldn't help but wonder how different the upcoming Beast Wave would be compared to previous ones.

Chapter 72: No Right Choice for Righteous Men

"Why are you bringing this to the second floor?" asked the old goat as I carried two green jades the size of my head down the stairs.

Shan Sha stared at me, sipping his tea while pointing his cane at my chest.

"Well, the owl upstairs just keeps staring at me, and it's a bit unnerving. Also, I don't want to train in a place where I feel nervous, especially as I'm in some critical stages of my training," I explained, putting down the two jades and sitting in a meditative position between them.

The old man took this as a chance to slurp his tea loudly, and I stared at him as he did so. He continued without an ounce of shame.

"What? Now that you no longer have the owl staring at you, I will be staring instead," he declared.

He was doing this to annoy me and for no other reason. So, instead of falling for his bait, I closed my eyes and concentrated intensely as the two jades next to me began shining brighter.

"What kind of training is that?" he asked.

I didn't bother to open my eyes and just explained, "I need these to gather the Qi needed to activate my new technique. Think of it as a crutch, allowing me to use the technique at higher levels than normal, and then I can retrace those steps with my normal Qi."

"Are you into Qi Gathering yet?"

"No, but I can somewhat move my Qi," I explained. "Now, can you stop talking? I'm trying to concentrate on this. I think I'm pretty close to being able to use this technique freely and without the need to use the jades to gather Qi."

"That's a weird technique," the old goat commented as if he hadn't even heard the part where I asked him to be quiet. "Why do you always pick up weird techniques? Also, wouldn't it be easier to carry your jades around when using your technique?"

"That's not how this technique works, and even if it did, do you think carrying jade on my shoulders sounds convenient in a fight?" I bit back.

"Who said anything about carrying them on your shoulders? You could just as easily use a storage ring and store them," he smiled.

My eyes closed, but I could sense that he was smiling by how he said those words. He did this kind of thing when he was leading someone to a certain point he wanted to make.

"Do I look like I'm made of money? Where would I even get a storage ring?" I was concentrating on training my Dancing Jade Amour technique to come up with witty comebacks.

"You could always ask Song Song. There are rumors that the two of you are… close," he said in the last part, with a deep tone in his voice that gave the word a double meaning.

I immediately opened my eyes and frowned at the old goat. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I think you already know what that means," he smirked deviously, enjoying the show while smugly sipping his tea. "People have been talking. People have eyes, and even I was there looking at you from a distance when you and Song Song met for the first time."

"Are you suggesting that Song Song and I are in a relationship?"

"Oh, no. I know you are too much of a shut-in to charm a woman like that. I doubt someone like Song Song can even be charmed," he snickered, looking me in the eyes and pointing his cane at my face. "Also, don't get something mixed up, brat. You're nowhere near the same social standing as her to even qualify to be her partner. At best, you would be her boy toy."

"Do cultivators have nothing better to do than babble about other people's business?" I sighed, closing my eyes again to focus on practicing Dancing Jade Armour. "Also, just to clarify, my relationship with Song Song is nothing less or more than simply professional. I would even go as far as to call her a friend, though there have been times when she doesn't act like one. But at the end of the day, people should learn to keep their mouths shut and mind their business."

"Hey, don't worry too much about it," the old man reassured me, though I could feel the teasing smirk on his face. "Though this story might have gained more traction if it wasn't for that red-haired youngster causing trouble everywhere. I just want to advise you to take advantage of these rumors. They won't go away, and nobody will believe you if you refute them, so it is best to use them. While people might be willing to mess with her potential advisor, even if only to weaken her base since there is only so much someone can sacrifice to take revenge for a servant."

I waited for the old man to continue, and he did after taking another sip. The clicking sound of him putting his teacup down rang out, "But if you're known as her secret lover or boy toy, then people wouldn't dare touch you. Because then there was a chance that Song Song might act illogically and be willing to sacrifice anything to take revenge."

From a certain perspective, his idea was sound. It was the kind of high-level scheming I would expect from someone who survived for so long in the Sect.

"No," I stated loudly and clearly before Shan Sha could spew any more of his ideas. "I would not disrespect Song Song like that. After all, if she were to one day find a good fiancé, I doubt he would like this unknown boyfriend to be around her all the time, especially when there is a perceived history and rumors between us two."

I did not want to be the guy friend a girl told her boyfriend not to worry about. Not only would I not do something like that on Earth, but here it was a hundred times more of a reason not to. Some people could easily kill me, and I doubted Song Song's future fiancé would lack the political power to have me executed.

Also, betraying my future fiancée like this was just asking for her to embark on some long revenge arc. I understood nothing about how someone favored from the heavens like the red-haired guy came to be. It could be because certain events aligned, and I did not want to do anything like that.

I was thinking more long-term than just what was beneficial right now.

Plus, it was a scumbag kind of thing to do. I wouldn't want such a thing done to me, so I wouldn't do it to others.

"Boyfriend? What is that supposed to mean?" asked the old man, testing out the new word.

This world did not have such a thing as a boyfriend or girlfriend.

"It's the new youngsters' lingo. Boyfriend or girlfriend means lover," I said, too preoccupied to devise another excuse.

With that said, I finally heard his steps descending the stairs, leaving me in a comfortable silence. The only other presence on the second floor was Speedy, walking around like a busybody. It was one of those days when he wasn't napping all day.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

...

After finishing my training, I walked out of the library without anyone bothering me.

The sun was about to set, but it wasn't quite evening, and it was the perfect time to go to the cafeteria and grab some food after a day's hard work.

In the distance, I could see the walls of the outer sect that protected us from the outside. Unlike usual, people were drawing large dark letters on those walls. But even from here, I could feel the tingle in my spine.

What was that dark paint they were putting in there made of? I had never felt such intense Qi in a non-living thing.

As I walked down the stairs and reached the bottom, many people came from the Alchemy Pagoda, each emitting a salty and ashy smell since they were constantly close to the fire. Every so often, other pungent aromas emanated from their clothes, likely related to the kind of pills they were making.

It seemed like even the Alchemists were working hard, likely creating bulk reserves of pills for when the battle came. Since they would still be assigned to battle, the Sect wouldn't be able to create so many pills when the Alchemists were out there fighting.

Everyone was preparing for war, and I even felt a sense of foreboding in my heart. My heart felt heavier seeing all this, knowing this kind of preparation was for. Though it happened every winter, even without Hu Jin around, many people died. But with him around this time, there was a good chance something would happen...

As I climbed the stairs toward the dining hall, I halted as something came to mind.

Wait. If Hu Jin had just joined the Sect, it was extremely unlikely that he would be deployed in the war. Whatever unpredictable thing might happen, it would target Hu Jin first and foremost.

Perhaps the most dangerous place this time was in the Sect!

A sense of nervousness washed over me. All this time, the Sect had been my sanctuary, the only place where I could put my feet up and relax.

But despite the sense of foreboding, I only stopped on the stairway for a second before continuing my climb toward the top.

There was no use worrying about this now; there might even be things I couldn't predict.

Should I try to move some strings behind the scenes to stay in the Sect or get drafted?

I did not know which was the right choice. Perhaps there was no right choice to begin with.

Moving on autopilot, I ordered my usual food tray and sat on one of the free seats in the almost empty dining hall. A sense of calm washed over me as I began chowing down on my food.

Surprisingly, I was calm and rational.Sure, I was afraid, which was understandable considering that whatever Hu Jin attracted here would likely be something I could not handle. But fear and anxiety were not going to fix my problems; actions and a calmer mind, on the other hand, would help much more.

First and foremost, I had to warn some of the people I cared about in the Sect.

After finishing my meal, I returned the tray and thanked the cooks before leaving. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I looked for a certain sign and walked down a road I hadn't walked since transmigrated here.

The Training Grounds were way more crowded than I had thought. There were hundreds, if not over a thousand outer disciples training here. The cement floor was wet as if it had rained, but that was just the sweat of the guys training here.

Gross...

Some had taken off their shirts and were punching the air while using some techniques, while most were lightly sparring against some enemies. A few were trying to be alone in the corners of the training ground.

I looked around for a certain someone and easily found him. Unlike everyone here, the guy I was looking for was fat as heck. His fat jiggled around under his wide uniform as he threw a punch.

It was quite a comedic sight, but I held my tongue.

As I approached Yang Cho, who no longer had his muscular body, a round of sniggers stopped me in my tracks, and I turned toward the source.

It was just some normal-looking disciples exchanging whispers between each other and snickering while looking at Yang Cho.

To some degree, I understood why they were laughing. Perhaps if I were an outsider, a chuckle would have also slipped out and I would have done the same as them. 

But this was my friend. This was unacceptable...

Closing my eyes, I felt the simmer of Qi inside myself, and with a heavy nudge, the Qi bubbled up. I was almost there...

I recalled a certain event, of how the large serpent I had met had caused me to freeze in place with its presence. Though I had no such presence, theoretically, I should be able to imitate it.

Though I had no control over my Qi, I was still skilled enough to open the dam gates and have it burst out like a tidal wave. Then I filled that tidal wave with every negative emotion possible and tried to think of my worst memories.

Times when I wanted to hit my manager for talking to me like I was a nobody, that time I wanted to kill Ye An for attempting to murder me. That one inner disciple who came and disturbed my peace.

I wanted to kill them all!

All manner of malice and negative emotions burst through me as Qi mixed with negative emotions burst out, and everyone around me stopped moving.

The people I was targeting seemed to have caught the most of it, as they immediately stopped laughing at Yang Cho and turned toward me. At first, there was a trace of fear behind their gaze, but whether it was due to stupid bravado or bravery, they somehow regained their senses and frowned.

As expected, an imitation of something the snake monstrous beast had done naturally was just that... a poor imitation. This was a poor version of something like Killing Intent. Still, it was not quite there, mostly because I lacked the necessary experience to build something into it.

One of the people in the group who had been snickering at Yang Cho took a step toward me. He looked ready for a fight, but one of his friends put a hand on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear. That caused the guy to lose all the momentum of the fighting spirit he had built up, and he no longer even looked at me. Instead, he stared at the ground and tried to make himself less visible.

Even though I likely wouldn't have lost in a fight against him, Song Song's guardianship seemed to protect me from more than inner disciples or outer elders.

"Yo! Liu Feng, what're you doing all the way here?" Yang Cho called out to me with a wide smile.

Deciding not to ruin the mood, I smiled back and walked toward my chubby friend. As I got closer, it felt like Yang Cho had somehow grown taller and even fatter than when I met him.

"It's rare to see you outside of the library these days," Yang Cho said as he sat down on the pavement floor, taking a breather. "Nowadays, people have been busier than usual, if you haven't noticed. We are getting closer to the Beast Wave each day, and any day, the names of those conscripted will be announced."

Despite whether they were going to be picked or not, everyone who had been in the Sect for two years or more was likely training. I should be doing that, too, and there was no room for small talk or secretive meetings in a place like this.

Instead, I went straight to the point and whispered to him, "Don't question this. But if Hu Jin is still in the Sect when the Beast Wave comes around, you should immediately leave even if you aren't drafted. Take my cousins with you too, if you can. They're good kids."

Yang Cho's smile slipped off his face, and he nodded without asking questions. Soon after, the smile returned, and he began telling me the usual gossip he had overheard in the Sect.

"By the way, did you know that Hu Jin defeated an inner sect disciple and actually crippled the guy's cultivation?" Yang Cho stated. "Now an inner elder demands reparations, and Hu Jin is imprisoned."

It was just another of the usual shenanigans that Hu Jin had been involved in since he came here. This was just another piece of gossip...

But this one came with another terrifying realization.

There was actually a good chance that Hu Jin would also be deployed if one of the many people he pissed off since coming here decided to pull some strings from behind the scenes. It could likely be some kind of ploy to kill Hu Jin. But I was willing to bet everything I owned that Hu Jin would only become stronger after the ordeal.

"Fuck," I cursed under my breath, now having a hard time keeping my emotions under control.

In this case, both outside and inside of the Sect had the potential to mess things up.

Was there any right choice in this mess?

Chapter 73: An Encyclopedia of Monsters

I settled onto the stone base on the library's third floor, stitching together a thick binder of pages and a rugged leather cover. Making a book from scratch was tedious, especially when it was as thick as this, and I had to sew the pages together.

I smiled as I examined the book's dark cover, adorned with the inscription:

An Encyclopedia of Monsters — by Liu Feng.

But despite the momentary satisfaction of finally completing my side hobby, my thoughts still lingered on what my chubby friend had told me about Hu Jin.

There was a pattern of events I couldn't see, but strangely, I could sense something big coming soon. Perhaps I was just being paranoid, and the xianxia novels I read in my last life were twisting my senses.

But if what I feared came to pass, and Hu Jin stayed in the Sect. For something to cause trouble for the Sect, the creature would have to be at least at the level of a Nascent Soul Cultivator. Otherwise, it would perish before reaching the Sect's outer barrier.

A Nascent Soul Beast attacking the Sect while I was here would make this place unsafe! I would get squashed like a bug, perhaps literally. I had no idea precisely how monstrously strong a Nascent Soul Cultivator was. 

There was a 50% chance I would make the wrong choice, like flipping a coin. However, I still couldn't dismiss the possibility that I might be overreacting, but I pushed that thought aside for now.

If I took too long to decide, Song Song would set off on her own. She would likely defend one of the big cities with her position while the elders and upper echelons remained at the Sect. That was usually the case.

Journeying in winter, when animals preyed on humans and danger filled the roads, I would likely die chasing after Song Song once she left.

Ultimately, the decision wasn't about gambling on a fight-fifty chance but choosing the path with the least danger. In this case, it would be best to venture outside. Even if Hu Jin was nearby, he would have to confront his own challenges. Which hopefully won't be a Nascent Soul creature. I cared little whether he obtained a random power-up; he would deal with these things on his own.

Unfairness existed even on earth. Some were born into wealth, while others toiled endlessly, with no chance of ever closing the wealth gap even if they worked tirelessly for the rest of their lives. 

With that in mind, I harbored no jealousy or hatred towards Hu Jin as long as his problems didn't intrude upon my life.

Considering we were outside the threat level needed to trouble Hu Jin, it didn't have to be a Nascent Soul Monster. Even if Hu Jin chose to stay behind, I'd be far enough away to be unaffected, even if the Blazing Sun Sect vanished upon my return.

Rather than a coin toss, I preferred a logical, safer choice. Plus, I held some sway with Song Song. If Hu Jin somehow ended up in our group, I could arrange for him to join another team.

My decision was made, and I would go with Song Song. Now, I just needed to make it seem natural. Explaining my theories would be a hassle; she'd probably think I was crazy. However, that didn't necessarily mean I had to lie. 

How should I explain something like this to her?

I rushed downstairs, finding Ye An effortlessly on the first floor, engrossed in an untitled book, likely from her storage ring.

Before I could speak, she turned to me. "Finally, you're here. Since I'm stuck with you, I've been brainstorming ways to put you to use."

"If it's too much, I'll pass," I replied promptly.

Only one woman could be so blunt about her intentions and still command my attention: Song Song. But Ye An occupied the opposite end of the friendship spectrum compared to her.

"Anyway," she continued, unfazed by my remarks. "Have you seen any books about Extreme Physiques?"

Extreme Physiques? That condition arose when someone possessed more than a hundred spirit roots.

Suddenly, it all made sense. No wonder she was in such a hurry...

"I know of a few," I muttered quietly.

Usually, I might have felt some sympathy. But this was Ye An, someone I had no affection for. It would be intriguing to witness her Extreme Physique in action; they were exceedingly rare, appearing perhaps once in a millennium. Little was known about them; some considered it a medical anomaly, while others saw it as divine retribution against excessive talent.

I tried to suppress any signs of excitement.

"Wait here, I'll fetch some books," I said, ascending to the second floor. After a brief search, I retrieved three books I had perused before.

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While the books contained scant useful information on Extreme Physiques, I did my best. Though I didn't feel remorse about her drastically shortened lifespan, it was a perilous reality in this dangerous world, worse than the Wild West era.

Descending the stairs, I handed the books to Ye An, noticing the librarian's disapproving glance from the corner of my eye.

Extreme Physiques were random occurrences, not hereditary, granting unparalleled talent with severe drawbacks.

Could such conditions be artificially induced? Could spirit roots be manipulated through other means?

Ye An flipped through the pages, then frowned, closing the books. She met my gaze. "Have you read these?"

"Yes."

"Could you just give me a summary? I don't want to waste time," she asked, seemingly expecting me to refuse.

But unlike before, she now had the knowledge I wanted. I was willing to overlook some of her past transgressions, at least temporarily, until I uncovered all there was to know about her.

"Yes, I'll explain. But first, could you tell me what type of Extreme Physique you have?" I inquired.

Extreme Physiques came in various forms, with no two being exactly alike.

"People have dubbed it the Eight Ice Flowers Extreme Yin Physique," she replied.

Quite the mouthful, but lengthy names like that were par for the course. If I ever invented something, I'd give it a long name just to irk future generations. Misery loves company, after all.

"I have until I turn eighteen before my body succumbs to an explosion of ice," she continued. "Though by seventeen, I'll likely be driven mad by the pain. Certain legendary Yang Element Herbs and Pills could extend that time limit to twenty-one..."

She gritted her teeth, her eyes bloodshot, her expression icy. "I stumbled upon a Yang Herb. But a certain red-haired bastard stole it from me..."

Of course, Hu Jin was involved somehow.

"May I test and try to sense your spirit roots?" I asked out of politeness.

"Sure, go ahead," she nodded, and I placed a hand on her shoulder, attempting to sense her spirit roots. 

My senses were overwhelmed by a torrent of Qi, disorderly and chaotic. Then, I was assailed by a blinding light. No, it was not a literal light, just an illusion as my mind struggled to comprehend what I was sensing.

Spirit roots were metaphysical, tangible only through Qi. The fewer spirit roots someone had, the harder they were to sense. Usually, they appeared as dull, branching lights with hair-like tendrils. But this was different. Her spirit roots spread throughout her body, growing more intense by the second. It felt like an endless onslaught, akin to a relentless cancer.

I quickly withdrew my hand, a bead of sweat trickling down my forehead. "I see, so that's how you're likely to explode when the time comes—because you have too many spirit roots."

Despite the situation, I had gleaned something new: individuals with Extreme Physiques could somehow increase the number of their spirit roots, which wasn't a boon in their case.

"Your sensory abilities are truly remarkable," she remarked. "It seems you've improved even further."

"You could say that. Also, I'm incredibly envious of your spirit roots. How many do you have now?" I inquired, massaging my forehead to ease the migraine from the influx of information.

What a peculiar sensation. Yet, oddly enough, I found it somewhat exhilarating. Though Ye An's condition was exceedingly rare and seemingly devoid of practical knowledge, it held a strange allure.

"I'd estimate close to a hundred and sixty spirit roots," she replied. "It's likely the only reason my cultivation didn't collapse entirely during my battle with Song Song."

"Hmm..." I rubbed my chin. "Are your spirit roots somehow stabilizing your chaotic Qi?"

"Yes," she confirmed without hesitation, seemingly prepared for my discovery. "I can sense that you're mainly interested in how my roots and talent continuously increase. An Extreme Physique is a talent bestowed by the heavens, yet cursed."

"I'd argue it's more akin to a metaphysical anomaly with peculiar benefits," I countered.

She appeared perplexed. "Anomaly?"

Ah, right. There was no concept of anomalies like cancer in this world.

"Think of it as a kind of illness," I explained briefly.

Before I could delve deeper into my thoughts on this newfound knowledge and begin forming theories, Ye An interjected, "If you're likening it to an illness, do you know of a cure?"

A cure for cancer? No. But cultivators approached such matters differently.

"This is purely theoretical, but ancient texts suggest that an immortal's body ceases to age or change in any way. It's as if the body freezes in time. So theoretically, becoming immortal should halt the progression of your 'illness'," I suggested.

She might possess an Extreme Physique, but ascending to the immortal realm in three years was highly improbable.

Glancing at Ye An, I expected disappointment. Instead, her eyes sparkled with hope.

"Remember, this is just a half-baked theory of mine, so don't get your hopes up too much. The notion of immortals ceasing to age could be nothing more than a metaphor," I cautioned.

"Song Song was right, you're actually quite clever," she nodded, then seemed poised to leave. However, she halted before taking a step, turning back to me with a knowing look. "By the way, it was wise not to have me killed back then. My death would have triggered my spirit roots to explode in a burst of ice, lethal even to a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. You saved both your life and hers. Song Song is fortunate to have someone like you at her side."

I remained frozen, processing the revelation that she had a contingency plan in case of her demise. It made sense, yet I hadn't considered it then and had nearly allowed Song Song to finish the job.

"Song Song is fortunate to have someone who reins in her impulses and makes sound decisions," she added, her gaze distant, indicating her mind was elsewhere despite her words.

It felt peculiar to hear such praise from someone who typically insulted me.

Honestly, it was somewhat unsettling, coming from her.

When did the conversation even start going this way? I was here to tell her my decision.

Chapter 74: Just Call Me!

"With how she acts, Song Song is headed for an inevitable demise. She's making too many enemies," Ye An continued her rant.

I had zoned out halfway through. After all, it was more than ironic that Ye An was accusing others of making enemies. Did she forget what she had done? Ye An had her own enemies from when she killed all those people in the exams.

If it weren't for Song Song's protection, she would be in deep trouble. Inner elders and disciples would come out of the woodwork hunting her, ready to do terrible things.

"The closest thing she has to a friend her own age in the inner sect is me, and that's saying a lot," she smiled, her gaze sharpening as she looked at me. "Though I'm not much help with anything. I broke through haphazardly during my fight with Song Song, and my foundation is all messed up. Not only can't I use Qi, but even cultivating is not an option for now. I have to let my Qi settle down naturally."

She also left out the part where she had eaten a pill to forcefully increase her cultivation right after breaking through. Also, there was that strange technique. If I were a betting man, I'd say that technique did most of the damage.

While many logical rules from my last world and this one had changed drastically, morphing how I looked at things, one rule still held true: something could not be created from nothing. 

In this case, more Qi could not be made from no Qi.

Where had she even gotten such a technique?

From what Ye An had said until now, she would be dead from her Extreme Physique before she ever got a chance to cultivate again unless she found some way to heal herself.

Well, none of those things were my problem. I had my own matters to attend to.

After gathering my thoughts, I held Ye An's gaze and said, "I will join Song Song's group."

She said nothing, blinking a couple of times and seeming lost in her thoughts, before finally coming to her senses and saying, "I never took you for an illogical person. You always seemed like the calculating type who never participated in something without being sure they would win."

That second part was quite an acute assessment of me. But Ye An seemed to have other ideas, so I let her continue talking.

"Was just the thought of Song Song dying enough to make you put yourself in danger? That's quite romantic. I would congratulate you if I wasn't more than a hundred percent sure your feelings are wasted. I don't think Song Song feels such things for any man..." Ye An's gaze was emotionless. "Actually, she likely holds love for no one, not even herself. She's just an instinctive being going through motions and imitating humans because she follows her instincts to survive, and acting as a human would help her survive longer."

Okay, how long was she actually going to rant? 

While her expressionless face might not show it, just with how much yapping she was doing, I could tell she had a bone to pick with Song Song.

Ye An was just assuming things here. But I let her continue assuming whatever she wanted.

"Yeah, yeah," I said and began climbing up the stairs toward the upper floors of the library.

I had nothing to do up there, but sitting about and doing nothing was better than listening to her talk. Her soft, innocent, and beautiful appearance did not match her personality.

As I climbed the stairs, as soon as I walked past an array separating the second and first floors, all the sound from the first floor stopped.

That was not something I had paid much attention to before, but it was very welcome right now.

On the second floor, Speedy was walking about the bookshelves. Since I had nothing to do, I walked past him and was about to pick a new book to read. 

But as soon as I stepped a few steps away from Speedy, my Qi senses blipped, and I knew someone was behind me.

What?

I turned around, expecting someone to be there, perhaps somebody who had snuck through to the second floor.

But that was not the case; instead, there was just empty air and Speedy walking about.

"I can see you," I said out loud, even though I couldn't see anything. It had worked against people before.

Every muscle in my body tightened, waiting for something or someone to appear. But there was no one behind me except Speedy.

After a dozen seconds of the standoff, still, no one was there—just the library and its eerie quietness as usual.

Was it an array acting up, or...

I glanced at Speedy and picked him up. He was heavier than usual and too big to comfortably sit atop my head. So, instead, I just held him while strolling comfortably through the library.

But despite trying to get away from the annoyance that was Ye An, her words still held some truth in them. Song Song had no friends in the inner sect, and despite claiming to be the closest to her, Ye An was also just waiting for her opportunity to stab her 'friend' in the back.

However, if she thought that I might seek revenge if she tried to betray Song Song, that thought might make her hesitate for a split second, and that would be more than enough time for someone like Song Song to react.

I looked down at Speedy and rubbed the little guy's head. "All that political bullshit, am I right, little guy?"

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

In response, Speedy just continued looking straight ahead. The little guy had no worries in the world and was living my dream of doing whatever he wanted.

Also, I should ask the teacher whether anyone else was on the second floor. Because if there was no one, then this little guy probably just tried gathering Qi for the first time!

I felt a strange pride at the thought of Speedy trying to gather Qi. Was this how a parent felt when they saw their child take their first step?

...

Days passed, and days turned into weeks. Slowly, the golden shine of autumn faded, and the trees stood naked without leaves. My days passed peacefully, and I no longer heard from Song Song or any of her people. Whether Ye An had delivered my message to Song Song was questionable.

I walked through the training grounds, and the place no longer resembled what I was used to. The broken trees were still there, but the grass had dried up, and that green, energetic feeling was no longer around.

Standing atop the boulder where I usually left Speedy during my training sessions, I couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy about the whole thing.

Just as I was admiring the scenery, a small milk-white snowflake fell on the tip of my nose.

When I looked up, there were just big white clouds in the sky, with barely any sun getting through. A few moments later, it began snowing, and winter officially started in full swing.

With this, many monstrous beasts would hibernate, and travel plans would dry up. On the other hand, monstrous beasts that stayed awake for the winter would find a new favorite type of snack in humans.

Usually, mindless monstrous beasts took part in these attacks, meaning only those at Qi Gathering attacked large towns at best. Since the Foundation Establishment and beyond, monstrous beasts had human-like intelligence and knew that attacking human settlements would not be a smart idea in the long run. But I had a feeling that this time would be different with the red-haired guy around.

Despite the impending danger and the pressure of death appearing and growing closer each day, I still hadn't broken through to Qi Gathering. The librarian had said that it was not something I could rush despite ensuring that my techniques were mastered to near perfection and my physical body was up for the challenge.

The last step was to somehow have my own Qi and my body start sucking the Qi around me to act as fuel for my cultivation and grow my own Qi reserves.

Standing up from the boulder I was sitting on, I landed on the dry ground and took a spirit stone from my pocket.

While my cultivation hadn't advanced to the next level, I had improved in some areas.

Closing my eyes, I visualized the Qi inside the rock and carefully siphoned it. Opening my eyes again, I muttered, "Eight Trigrams, Golden Inauguration, Dancing Tax! Wealth Barrier!"

Instantly, I was surrounded by a pyramid-shaped golden barrier that gave off a soft metallic hum. The Wealth Barrier was stronger when gold was used as sacrifice and was an outdated barrier utilized by merchants of old times, something I had stumbled upon on the second floor.

To be considered a Level 2 Array Conjurer, someone had to use their own Qi or the Qi from a spirit stone to form a Level 2 barrier. Usually, the easier way was to just be at the Qi Gathering stage to tick off all those points, but I was a special case when it came to this. Despite the greater difficulty of achieving this, there were few advantages, as I had to carry spirit stones around to use arrays. This was usually done by cultivators who did not want to waste their Qi.

Extending my hand toward the golden barrier, my palm touched the hardened surface. Even though the golden barrier shimmered like water when I put my hand on it, it was still a hard surface and undoubtedly strong enough to handle attacks even from Qi Gathering Cultivators and would no longer be destabilized by someone just using Qi on them.

From where my palm made contact with the barrier, spiderweb-like cracks began spreading, and soon they overtook it. The barrier shattered like glass in seconds, with shards exploding outward and stabbing into nearby trees, sometimes even cutting through trees like razor blades.

I was working on a new attack with the Wealth Barrier, trying to combine the effects of two arrays. However, I had had too little success with it and no longer had much time to test things out as a hobby; I had to focus on improving in areas that would increase my survivability during winter.

I jumped up, and with a single leap, I was higher than any of the tallest trees could reach. Enjoying the sensation of falling for a split second, I grabbed onto a branch and swung myself toward the library.

Every movement was controlled, and it felt like I was dreaming. Despite over half a year passing since I came into this world, moving around like some superhuman never got old. I had never enjoyed exercising that much, but this was a whole other thing!

It took me less than a minute to reach the library tower entrance, with only a slight dusting of snow on my hair. But even then, I hadn't gone as fast as I could and was using no movement technique.

Since it was early in the morning, no one was there except my teacher, the librarian. He was behind the counter, as always. Except this time, he was reading a thick book. Not just any book, though—it was my monster encyclopedia that I had put a lot of effort into.

As I walked closer, he looked up and met my gaze. "I really hope you're not going out there with Song Song just so you can confirm the contents of this book."

"Not necessarily, but that is a very good side quest when I'm out there," I said, dragging a chair and sitting down next to the counter.

"I still do not understand why you decided to go out there with Song Song. It seems like such an illogical choice on your part, and I can see no reason why you would act on something like this," he said; his voice was deadly serious despite how nonchalant he acted by flipping to another page in my book. "Though I must admit, your encyclopedia of monstrous beasts is quite good. There is even a species of scorpion I haven't seen before in here; it describes their weaknesses in a lot of detail and even where their hearts are."

Despite his compliments about my book, it was evident by the tone of his voice that his previous remarks held more weight here. Honestly, telling him my reasons would make no sense to him. I would come off as crazy to him. Perhaps I was crazy in assuming certain things that had almost no physical proof and could be correlated to mere coincidences.

"Well, now that I have become a Level 2 Array Master, do you think the Sect has a place for me? Preferably very far away from the Blazing Sun Sect, involving some work that a Level 2 Array Master could do," I said.

"First off, congratulations on becoming a Level 2 Array Master," he said while adjusting his glasses once more. "While impressive given the time you have been studying arrays, in the grand scheme of things and within the Sect itself, you have gone from a disposable Body Tempering Cultivator to a disposable Level 2 Array Master. Trust me, you do not want to be outside the walls reinforcing the arrays while the monstrous beasts are trying to devour you alive. You should keep certain abilities to yourself."

"Well, that's a shame," I shrugged, expecting something like this.

Leaning back in my chair, I glanced at the librarian before returning my gaze to the library.

My teacher might be stoic, but I knew he also had a history of becoming an Array Master. He was forced into a position he did not want and ended up in a dead-end job.

"Any day now, Song Song will come and have you join her little group of misfits," my teacher said, his voice as hard as a stone and betraying no emotions or how he might feel about this whole thing.

"Well, I'm ready," I said.

I had been waiting all this time for Song Song to send a letter or for someone to notify me…

Wait, she would do that, right? She wouldn't just show up one day out of nowhere without prior notice and ask me to come with her immediately, right?

I should prepare just in case…