Cultivation Nerd (xianxia)

Chapter 67 - Library Owl!

I reclined against one of the shelves on the library's second floor, engrossed in a book about monstrous beasts—a subject that had occupied my thoughts frequently lately, particularly with Speedy growing each day.

Navigating through the information on monstrous beasts proved as perplexing as ever. There were no clear categories or labels; I had to scour through various books to find details on each type. Moreover, unlike humans, monstrous beasts encompassed different species, each with its unique cultivation path. A turtle, for instance, didn't follow the same trajectory as a cat.

Yet, amidst the confusion, there was a glimmer of hope. Slowly, I began jotting down brief notes on each monstrous beast, organizing them neatly into a folder.

As I rose to my feet, I flipped through the meticulously illustrated pages, admiring the fusion of words and images. My endeavor resembled a personal monster encyclopedia, a labor of love born out of sheer fascination.

However, this book served merely as a pastime, a distraction from the complexities of sensing my own Qi, which proved more daunting than anticipated.

Descending the stairs, I approached the librarian and inquired, "Any advice on cultivation or breaking through to Qi Gathering?"

Fortunately, the old goat wasn't present to interject with his usual quips. Though not inclined to entertain my questions, the librarian was nonetheless a reliable source of knowledge.

"You've posed this question before; there's little more I can offer. While you're already halfway into Qi Gathering, forcing a breakthrough isn't doable," he reiterated, echoing the same counsel he'd given for the past few days. "Based on your talent alone, the odds of breaking into Qi Gathering are fifty-fifty. However, I believe you've overcome the most important obstacle. Now, you must allow it to unfold naturally, without undue pressure."

"Then how does one go about breaking through to Qi Gathering?" I inquired.

The librarian shrugged nonchalantly. "Typically, one would acquire a Qi Sensing Pill to aid in sensing Qi, but it's rather useless for you."

Oh, well...

Just as I was about to concede to his assessment, an idea struck me. "Where would I get Qi Sensing Pills?"

"If you're asking where to discreetly obtain Qi Sensing Pills without drawing attention or hindering your breakthrough, let's just say I have a few sources," the librarian stated matter-of-factly.

I didn't have to voice my thoughts to understand what I was thinking about. Clearly, the librarian knew me well. During these moments, his intelligence and skill at reading people became obvious.

"Qi is a personal journey, a path of self-discovery," the librarian mused philosophically, launching into his third such discourse of the week. It wasn't too bothersome.

While his theory held some merit, I couldn't help but doubt its universality. I'd recently encountered someone who had found profound self-awareness through caring for his daughter rather than pursuing extraordinary cultivation.

Between the librarian's perspective, Song Song's unconventional wisdom, and the arrogance of young masters, it seemed everyone had their unique approach to cultivation.

"Stop trying to rationalize everything, you brat," the old goat suddenly interjected, pointing his cane at me with a toothless grin. "Sometimes, understanding lies in accepting that you understand nothing. The world and cultivation itself are both filled with irrationality."

There may have been no singular correct path to cultivation. Maybe everyone followed what felt right. I realized I was overanalyzing it; reaching the Qi Gathering realm could only signify a new level of power, nothing more, nothing less.

"Also, brat, could you stop leaving your books and notes in my secret chamber? Nobody even comes to the second floor, and even if they did, nobody would touch your shoddy notes," the old goat sighed, shaking his head like a disappointed father.

Despite his words, I intended to continue my habits. If this old goat had taught me anything, it was to prioritize my convenience, regardless of inconvenience to others.

"You could rearrange some of your tea sacks, and you'd have plenty of room," I suggested casually, then turned to the librarian.

Before I could speak further, the old man sighed and stood up. "Well, time to retreat to my room and 'accidentally' spill some tea on your papers."

I turned towards him, engaging in an intense stare-down before conceding, "I apologize for my earlier remarks. I've changed since then."

"You literally said that less than a minute ago," he pointed out.

"A minute ago is still the past, and people can change. And you mentioned spilling tea 'accidentally' when we both knew it wouldn't be accidental. But I thought we agreed not to call each other out on our bullshit," I countered.

Another silent understanding passed between us, and we resumed our conversation as if nothing had occurred. The librarian observed us, clearly puzzled by our dynamic. It was surprising that he hadn't caught on by now, but I couldn't blame him; we did act rather peculiarly.

"So, anything new on your end?" the old man inquired, taking a sip from a teacup he conjured seemingly out of thin air.

I raised an eyebrow, wondering if there was any news. The old man just shrugged, giving me a knowing smirk.

With a sigh, I replied, "Well, my friend who keeps an ear on rumors-"

"You have friends?" the old goat interjected with mock surprise.

"Screw you, old bastard!" I grumbled, then quickly regained control of my emotions. Falling for the old goat's provocations was precisely what he wanted. "Anyway, there's this new guy, Hu Jin. Recently, he was challenged by the fiancé of a girl he was seen talking to. He defeated the fiancé but said fiance had a brother from the inner sect."

The old man looked surprised but chuckled at the stories while the librarian appeared somewhat disturbed.

Since returning from the exams, life had been relatively quiet for me. However, there seemed to be no shortage of drama surrounding the red-haired Hu Jin. Not a day went by without him stirring up trouble.

"Hu Jin... He's the red-haired newcomer, right?" the librarian inquired. "He tried to take a book from the library."

Ah, so he'd also made his way to the library? That was concerning but not entirely unexpected. Every new sect member typically made a beeline for the library, searching for powerful techniques.

"So, what did you do about him trying to steal?" I asked, trying to mask my nervousness. I silently hoped he hadn't incurred Hu Jin's wrath. Crossing someone favored by the heavens rarely ended well.

"It was just an array misreading. There was nothing on the guy, and the centuries-old arrays were starting to show their age. No matter how well someone maintains a decrepit old building, it's still old," the librarian explained.

But I suspected there was more to it than just a malfunctioning array. Undoubtedly, the old man in the ring had helped Hu Jin escape any repercussions.

Had he discovered something on the first floor? I had already combed through almost all the books here for anything useful. What were the odds he stumbled upon some obscure tome containing special knowledge?

I scrutinized the bookshelves, but everything seemed in order. Even if something were amiss, the librarian would have noticed.

"Anyway, someone from Song Song's group has notified me that they will come and meet you for something soon," the librarian said.

Since I was in the presence of two trusted individuals, I didn't bother hiding the sour expression that crossed my face. However, I quickly rationalized that Song Song's intentions might not necessarily spell trouble. She could simply be seeking advice.

I might have played coy and acted elusive if it had been anyone else, but I felt obligated to at least listen to Song Song.

Well, this was as good a sign as any to ascend to the third floor. Although the librarian hadn't restricted my access to the library, I heeded his advice and expanded on my basic knowledge before advancing further.

"Tell them to meet me on the third floor when the time comes," I replied, then ascended the stairs, feeling the first array wash over me. After that initial sensation, I continued my ascent.

But as I climbed towards the third floor, the journey seemed longer than usual. So long, in fact, that I halted and glanced behind me.

It was odd. I had yet to progress beyond the first step and even take a step upward toward the third floor.

A chill crept over me, its icy tendrils enveloping my body.

"The warning was more literal than I anticipated," I chuckled, though unease lingered beneath the surface.

It appeared that even the librarian knew how to safeguard secrets of this nature. This was likely a protective measure, and I suspected it was merely an illusion.

When I took a second step, I felt the air shift as I moved, and my foot landed on the second step. All my senses affirmed that I had progressed forward.

Closing my eyes, I focused, sensing a peculiar disturbance and detecting the Qi around me, which indicated that I hadn't budged an inch.

When I opened my eyes, I remained in the same spot as before, with endless steps in front of me.

"An illusionary array, capable of deceiving all five senses and of a rather high level," I muttered, drawing upon every bit of knowledge I possessed regarding such phenomena.

While the librarian likely maintained this illusionary array, its purpose wasn't to obstruct me but to test my readiness for the third floor.

It was somewhat predictable for there to be a test here. Given the age of the building, clichéd challenges were to be expected.

Attempting to retreat, I found myself stuck in place once more. This array was formidable, and illusionary arrays weren't typically so overtly powerful.

As I prepared to take a deep breath to calm myself, I noticed something peculiar—I wasn't breathing.

No matter how hard I tried, I didn't feel the air entering my lungs, and even the absence of breathing didn't cause discomfort.

I realized my mistake. This wasn't an illusionary array or a harmful one. It was an array designed to accelerate thoughts, causing my mind to outpace my body. The darkness compounded the effect, leading to hallucinations of my actions. My nervous system was thrown off, and my senses were inundated with distorted stimuli.

Despite understanding what was happening, there was little I could do.

Strangely, I felt excitement at the prospect of solving this puzzle. While I typically avoided danger, this challenge appealed to me. I persisted, attempting to regain control.

With each attempt, I slowed my movements until finally, after numerous tries, my left pinky twitched, indicating a brief synchronization of body and mind.

After several more attempts, I regained control of my right knee, and my right foot moved to the second step. At that moment, it felt as though something had snapped, and the shadowy grip around me dissipated.

The remainder of the ascent was uneventful, leading me to what appeared to be an underground cave.

What?...

Was this yet another illusion?

As I ventured further, there were no strange sensations, and everything appeared real. I proceeded through the cave until I encountered what could only be described as a tsunami-sized shelf overflowing with books. Books littered the ground, and as I looked up, I noticed more shelves embedded into the walls, all filled with books.

Gazing at this unbelievable sight, I immediately categorized it as an illusion. It seemed beyond the scope of anything I could sense; even my Qi perception was deceived. This vast expanse couldn't possibly be part of the library; it felt more like we were in a cavern.

"The same array used here is similar to storage rings, albeit modified to suit this space," a deep voice interrupted my thoughts.

Turning around, I was met with a strange chimera-like creature—a fusion of an owl and a human. Its humanoid body featured large claw-like legs, its brown feathery head resembled an owl, and its hands were human, adorned in a golden-laced black shirt.

It must be a monstrous beast if this wasn't a human engaging in eccentric cosplay. Only Nascent Soul Realm monstrous beasts could assume human form. I quickly bowed my head, clasping my palm with my fist, and spoke, "Liu Feng greets the honorable senior."

Though I couldn't detect the Qi emissions one would expect typical of a Nascent Soul Cultivator, someone of such power could undoubtedly conceal their aura from my modest senses.

Or perhaps this was how all Nascent Soul Cultivators felt?

"I might be older, but that doesn't necessarily make me your senior. I only gained this rough human form because of a pill. At best, I was a mere experiment," he explained, shaking his head. "Anyway, I'm Mao, the guardian of the third floor. However, my duties often extend beyond that. Think of it as while the librarian is supposed to keep an eye on the disciples, I keep an eye on the librarian for any signs of corruption. Thankfully, this last guy is stricter than me, so there hasn't been much work to do."

"Oh," was all I could muster, recalling the times the librarian had shown favoritism towards me, even if it could be considered corrupt.

"It has been fifteen years since someone has come to the third floor, so having you here is quite an exciting development for me," Mao remarked, his steps executed with an air of anticipation as he walked towards the shelves.

He seemed genuinely thrilled to have someone to converse with, and I was eager to hear more about this hidden floor. Before delving further, I inquired, "How many books are here? Are there any technique books, or are they all theoretical?"

"Well, technically, this is the last floor of the library. In truth, this floor didn't even exist until one of the least talented disciples of the Blazing Sun Immortal decided to dedicate his life's work to it. Many talented disciples after him have converted Mortal Grade Techniques into Earth Grade Techniques and left their findings here," Mao explained. "However, nowadays, most consider it a waste of space since it requires a highly skilled Array Conjurer to keep these arrays active and regularly maintained."

So that's why the librarian worked here, and likely all the librarians before him were Array Masters.

Surveying the vast collection, I felt a twinge of despair knowing I wouldn't be able to read all these books in ten lifetimes. I had yet to scratch the surface of the books on the first floor and had only selected those that intrigued me on the second floor.

Yet, amidst the overwhelming abundance, a sense of contentment washed over me. Despite the impossibility of reading every book, I found solace in knowing that this library held enough material to captivate me for a lifetime.

It was like discovering a new genre of books you absolutely loved, and learning there were many books of the same genre.

 

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