Scroll Repository Hall

Chapter 3

Leaving the Training Hall after his strength test, Lingtian's immediate destination was the Scroll Repository Hall.

This was the repository where all the martial scrolls of the clan were stored. Just like the Training Hall, the Martial Hall had a majestic exterior, but it was smaller in size.

The Hall was compartmentalized into four floors. The fourth floor was designated for servants and lower-ranking members of the clan. The martial scrolls available on this floor were limited in power compared to the ones stored on the upper floors.

On the third floor, martial scrolls were available for the direct descendants of the clan, which included individuals like Lingtian.

Moving up to the second floor, esteemed members of the clan, such as elders like the one Lingtian had greeted at the Training Hall, had access to scrolls there. The floor at the very top was reserved exclusively for the clan leader.

Situated not far from the clan's Training Hall, the Scroll Repository Hall was a highly valued possession of the clan.

Due to its significance, it was heavily guarded and situated close to the main hall of the clan. The hall was surrounded by lush courtyards and adorned with fountains, highlighting the clan's deep care for the Scroll Repository Hall.

"Truly befitting of a powerful clan," Lingtian whispered, his eyes filled with emotion as he looked at the impressive building in front of him.

Approaching the massive wooden doors adorned with intricate carvings of dragons and beasts, Lingtian felt a shiver run down his spine just by glancing at the intimidating designs. With a token in hand, he confidently presented it to the door, causing it to swing open.

As the door creaked open, a refreshing and fragrant breeze swept through, carrying the scent of aged parchment and the faint whispers of book pages. The aroma and ambiance reminded Lingtian of the national libraries back in his home world.

Inside, he was greeted by a sight that left him astonished: endless rows of towering bookshelves adorned with neatly placed silk scrolls. Lingtian couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at the sight before him. "And to think this is only the fourth floor," he mused with a wry smile, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness.

Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, creating a vibrant mosaic of colors that danced upon the polished marble floors. Elaborate murals adorned the walls, depicting the grandeur and power that the Duan clan had amassed over countless years.

Lingtian skimmed through the scrolls on the fourth floor, glancing over their contents. Upon closer examination, he realized the reason why these scrolls were accessible to most clan members. They were primarily geared towards individuals who had just embarked on their cultivation journey, especially those at the Qi condensation stage.

"These are mostly basic martial arts," Lingtian remarked with a sigh as he began making his way towards the third floor. "I hope I can find a suitable martial art for my level," he muttered, his emotions evident in his voice.

Upon reaching the third floor, Lingtian observed, "Hmm, there seems to be fewer ineffective martial arts here." After some exploration, he came to this conclusion.

Lingtian came across several potent martial skills like [Berserker's Roar Fist – Raging Stormhowl Uppercut]. He couldn't help but cringe at the name, imagining himself in battle, shouting out something like "Berserker's Roar Fist – Raging Stormhowl Uppercut" seemed far from practical.

As he read through the descriptions of these skills, he found some to be decent, including one called [Whispering Wind Fist - Zephyr's Ephemeral Caress]. However, he couldn't help but notice a trend: either the names were overly dramatic and edgy, or... there was another issue.

Sighing, Lingtian mused, "It's either the names are too over-the-top, or..." Most of the skills he had come across so far weren't compatible with his personal style or preferences.

After a few minutes of aimlessly flipping through scrolls, Lingtian's eyes fell upon an old, dusty, and rather rough-looking scroll. His cringe senses began tingling. With a comical expression and widened eyes, he exclaimed, "This is it!" and eagerly picked up the scroll.

[Tranquil Mirage Palm].

[A subtle yet potent martial skill that harnesses the art of illusion and misdirection to confuse and overpower opponents. Its deceptive nature belies its true might, allowing practitioners to exploit the vulnerabilities of even the most formidable opponents.]

"This is it!" Lingtian's excitement was evident as he perused the contents of the scroll. However, his enthusiasm was relapsed as he realized that the skill had multiple stages of mastery, and it would be up to his own efforts to progress through them.

Taking a deep breath, he muttered. "This would be a lot of work, but anyways..." he mused, fully aware that this situation was ticking off another item on the list of clichés.

Finding an old martial skill that resonates with him seemed like every normal wuxia novel cliché. But as he contemplated this, he half-jokingly wondered what cliché would come knocking next – perhaps an unexpected engagement dissolution by a fiancé?

"Hahahaha," he laughed, "good one." Lingtian muttered under his breath as he made his way to the testing chamber inside the Scroll repository hall. This is the place where anyone can test their skills after learning them.

"Alright, let's go~"

Lingtian contemplated as he was preparing to leave, but he hesitated. "Hmm, maybe I should also consider picking up a defensive skill?" Lingtian mused with a sigh. Just as he was about to start searching for such a skill, his attention was drawn by someone descending from the second floor.

This individual appeared to be taken aback, their widened eyes revealing their surprise upon seeing Lingtian. "The young lord…" the individuals thoughts seemed to echo.

Observing Lingtian's troubled expression and noticing his focus on the section of defensive skills, the approaching figure made their way to Lingtian.

With a casual wave of their hand, a scroll floated toward them. "I noticed your troubled expression," their voice resonated, momentarily surprising Lingtian. As the scroll was handed over, Lingtian recognized the person before him and promptly paid his respects. "Eh? Elder Bai," Lingtian greeted with respect.

Elder Bai, distinguished by his white hair and matching white beard, adorned a white and blue patterned outfit that exuded a sense of calm. As Lingtian gazed upon him, his voice faltered for a moment. Naturally, he recognized Elder Bai, one of the most approachable among the clan's elders. Despite his affable demeanor, Elder Bai could shift into seriousness when circumstances warranted, he is also highly regarded by the clan leader for some reason rumors say that his strength is one of the top in the clan just below the clan leader but he is aloof to most matters concerning the clan, he spends most of his time in the scroll repository hall.

"This defensive martial skill isn't an ordinary one. Only five individuals, including the clan leader, have truly mastered it," Elder Bai explained, handing over the scroll to Lingtian. "you can imagine the difficulty from how just 5 have managed to cultivate it so if you feel you aren't making any progress try another although I would really like it if you manage to cultivate this it will help you a lot."

The sound of Elder Bai's words lingered in Lingtian's mind even as the elder seemed to disappear from sight. Lingtian's eyes lit up with enthusiasm, and he responded, "Yes, Elder Bai."

Internally, a surge of excitement coursed through Lingtian as he examined the name of the martial skill before him – "Tranquil Shielding Veil. A good name just like my attack skill" He couldn't help but feel joy. Yet, upon reading the details of the technique, "Uses a tranquil energy to form a barrier... It's a perfect fit for me."

However, as he delved deeper into the skill's description, he scratched his head, "The technique is rooted in the principle of inner calm, there are even steps to mastery which are small success, large success and consummate step. No wonder only five people have managed to master it, I have a feeling father has studied it to consummate maybe if I reach a bottleneck I can meet him for pointers. It's even kind of weird how it has a name similar maybe they have a relation? whatever as long as it helps me it doesn't matter instead I'm more curious about elder bai he seems like all those mysterious elders in the wuxia novels I read that you can't see their depth and they are even stronger than clan leader".

Setting aside his thoughts for the moment, Lingtian entered the training hall within the Repository Hall. He encountered another elder in charge and respectfully acknowledged him with a slight bow.

The elder, however, appeared taken aback by Lingtian's presence. Disregarding the elder's surprise, Lingtian proceeded into the training hall to put his new martial skills to the test.