storybook

"Jake, don't joke around," Xenia whispered to him. "Just your presence here is enough. I'm happy even without a gift."

Xenia didn't believe that Jake had any cultivation technique with him. She was familiar with Jake's situation, and she had seen videos of his fights with others. Although her Xenia family had never possessed a cultivation technique before, she had some knowledge about these matters. She could tell from the videos that Jake was just an ordinary person with some physical strength, not someone who had a cultivation technique.

Jake himself didn't possess any cultivation technique, so how could he give one as a birthday gift? Perhaps, given Jake's background, he didn't even understand what cultivation was, which would explain his actions.

However, Jake didn't leave or back down. He said, "I'm not joking. I really have a booklet like this. I couldn't find a gift for you since the one I prepared disappeared. I didn't know what to get, but it seems you like these booklets. So, I'll give you mine."

Naturally, everyone wished to receive such a booklet; who wouldn't? The people present heard Jake's words, and it made them roll their eyes mentally. The issue was whether he actually had one. None of them had such a booklet, and Jake, an ordinary person, wasn't expected to have one either.

"Miss Xenia, since he insists on giving it, you shouldn't refuse. It's still a thoughtful gesture," Jude said with a mocking smile.

"He probably thought that since Elder Gary gave a storybook, he should also prepare a storybook," Bill added, also using the opportunity to mock.

These two individuals had a grudge against Xenia and Jake after being humiliated in front of others. They weren't willing to let this opportunity to mock Jake pass.

Xenia glared fiercely at Jude and Bill. These two were clearly just here to watch a spectacle.

However, Jake insisted on giving the gift, and with so many people watching, Xenia didn't want to refuse openly. She accepted the booklet and said, "Thank you."

Compared to the booklet Elder Gary had given her, the one from Jake was noticeably more worn and tattered. Gary's booklet might not have looked luxurious, but it was clean and tidy. In contrast, Jake's booklet looked like a casual hand-copied version with creases and even some mud stains.

Giving such a gift for a birthday present was beyond their comprehension, and they looked down on Jake. Xenia decided to put it away, convinced that it couldn't possibly be a cultivation technique. Opening it in front of everyone would only embarrass Jake.

However, despite Xenia's glare, Jude had no intention of holding back. After all, their Jude family was also one of the five major families in J City, and he wasn't afraid of Xenia.

"Miss Xenia, since he's given it to you so seriously, wouldn't it be nice to open and take a look? Perhaps it might even be better than what Elder Gary from Celestial Moon Sect gave. Hahaha," Jude said loudly.

"I'll take a look later," Xenia replied with an unfriendly tone.

"Why don't you open and have a look? I'm curious too, what's inside that booklet," Elder Gary, who had remained silent until now, said.

Elder Gary wasn't pleased with Jake's actions either. He had given Xenia a cultivation technique, and Jake immediately followed up with something similar. Did this young man think that what he had given was cheap or worthless? Elder Gary also wanted to see what was inside Jake's booklet.

Initially, Xenia had no intention of opening Jake's booklet right away. She didn't want Jake to embarrass himself publicly. However, now that Elder Gary had spoken up, Xenia couldn't refuse. 

"Xenia, go ahead and open it," Dan also urged. Since Elder Gary wanted to see, they had to oblige him.

Xenia felt torn. On one hand, she didn't want Jake to embarrass himself, but on the other hand, she couldn't afford to offend Elder Gary. Her Xenia family had invested significantly to establish a connection with the Celestial Moon Sect, and they couldn't afford to upset them.

"Xenia, if everyone wants to see, then go ahead and open it," Jake said.

Xenia shot Jake a glare, blaming him for his lack of appreciation. She had been considerate of him, but he didn't seem to appreciate it. Nevertheless, in this situation, there seemed to be no other option. So, Xenia opened the booklet Jake had given her, and when she saw the content inside, she froze.

Originally, Xenia, like everyone else, believed that Jake couldn't possibly be giving her a cultivation technique. Perhaps it was just a storybook after all.

However, when she saw the contents inside, although she hadn't read them in detail, one thing was clear—it was definitely not a storybook. There were techniques, detailed illustrations, and it looked like a thorough guide.

"Could this actually be a cultivation technique?" Xenia thought, stunned by what she saw.

"Miss Xenia, don't get too engrossed in the story content. Read some of the stories to us and make us happy," Jude teased.

However, Xenia ignored him. Right now, she was genuinely intrigued by the content of the booklet. It was anything but a storybook.

Standing beside Xenia, Elder Gary also tried to get a glimpse of the content. He reacted just like Xenia—initially puzzled, then captivated by what he saw.

Seeing their reactions, the others couldn't help but gossip among themselves, their curiosity piqued. They wanted to know what was inside and felt tempted to peek as well.