Chapter 106: The Library Hall

Yang Ze sat quietly in his room, his right hand tapping rhythmically on the table as he pondered the issue before him.

In truth, his cultivation speed was already quite rapid; he had broken through to the seventh stage of True Yuan Qi upon entry. Yet, after consulting Lin Hui, he realized that reaching the seventh stage was nothing extraordinary.

With only three months remaining until the martial arts tournament for the tens of thousands of registered disciples on Qingyang Peak, securing a good ranking would require him to elevate his cultivation to the ninth stage of True Yuan Qi within that timeframe.

Indeed, Yang Ze had set his sights firmly on the ninth stage.

Among the tens of thousands of registered disciples, nearly two thousand had already reached the ninth stage. Undoubtedly, many among them possessed extraordinary combat prowess. Without sufficient cultivation, Yang Ze dared not claim he could achieve a high ranking.

“Ninth stage True Yuan Qi is achievable, especially with the aid of the Peiyuan Pill, which, after being absorbed and transformed by the Black Stone, still offers a chance. But the current problem lies in my mastery of martial arts—it is far from sufficient.”

Yang Ze understood clearly that his arsenal was too limited. The only technique he could truly rely on was the blade aura of the Black Tiger Saber.

The Nine Rotations Finger technique was only partially developed, its power limited. The Flying Swallow Thunder Saber was not yet mastered, and the Wind-Cutting Slash was only superficially understood.

Although he was confident he could bring these martial arts to full maturity in a short time, relying solely on them would likely be insufficient to secure a top spot in the tournament.

“I should first visit the library and see if there are any suitable martial arts to learn.” With that resolve, Yang Ze patted his thigh and stepped out of the room.

Holding a map of Qingyang Peak, he compared it carefully with the path ahead. He noticed that the library was not located at the mountain’s base near the ten residential zones of registered disciples, but rather halfway up the mountain.

Quickening his pace, Yang Ze left District D behind and climbed the stairs leading toward Qingyang Peak. When he reached the mid-mountain area, he was stopped by a man dressed in steward’s robes.

Upon seeing the steward, Yang Ze immediately clasped his fists in respect. “Registered disciple Yang Ze greets you, steward!”

Yang Ze was not entirely unfamiliar with Qingyang Peak’s hierarchy. Above the registered disciples stood these stewards.

Most stewards were former outer disciples who, unable to enter the inner sect and now older in age, had sought steward positions to secure a place on the peak.

Because of their outer disciple origins, these stewards typically cultivated at the second or third tier realm. Few, like Cai Kun who had reached the fourth-tier Unification stage, existed on Qingyang Peak.

Cai Kun, a former inner disciple who had reached the fourth-tier Unification stage, was unparalleled in strength and status among the stewards.

Though the steward before him was not on Cai Kun’s level, Yang Ze knew he could not ignore him.

“What is your identity? To pass beyond the mid-mountain area, you must present your identification token for inspection,” the steward said coldly.

Yang Ze explained, “I am here to visit the library and study the classics. I have just entered the sect and am unfamiliar with the rules. I hope you, steward, will show leniency.” As he spoke, he revealed his identification token.

Seeing the registered disciple token, the steward no longer troubled him and allowed him passage.

Yang Ze bowed slightly and continued upward.

Once Yang Ze was out of sight, the steward waved to one side, summoning a registered disciple.

“Go report to the Water Gate of District D and inform them that Yang Ze has reached the mid-mountain area.”

The disciple nodded and quickly ran down the mountain, while the steward’s gaze remained fixed on the path Yang Ze had taken, lost in thought.

Unaware that he was already being watched, Yang Ze continued onward. After a long walk, he finally arrived before a towering building. Its footprint rivaled that of the Qingyang Hall, and it even surpassed it in height.

Looking up, Yang Ze saw a plaque at the top bearing the three characters: “Library.”

He stepped forward and entered.

Just inside, on the first floor, he saw a reclining chair where an elderly man in a dark robe lay with his eyes closed.

Embroidered in the center of the robe was a striking crimson cloud.

Upon seeing this elder, Yang Ze’s heart tightened. To be a library elder, one had to be at least a fifth-tier Air Sea realm cultivator.

As the premier martial academy of the Jiuzhou continent, the Piao Miao Martial Academy’s rank and position were signified by attire. The dark robe with the red cloud embroidery was reserved solely for elders.

No exceptions—anyone holding the elder title must be fifth-tier Air Sea or above.

Yang Ze stood still, observing the elder from a distance. Despite feeling no fluctuation of cultivation from him, he dared not move.

“Disciple Yang Ze pays respects, Elder!” After a moment, he clasped his fists and bowed deeply. He knew without being told that this was the elder in charge of the library.

The elder’s eyes opened, revealing a cloudy gaze. When his eyes settled on Yang Ze, a powerful pressure pressed down on him, making it difficult to breathe.

Fortunately, the pressure soon dissipated.

“I am Zhang Chengxuan, overseeing the library for over sixty years. Registered disciples know upon entry to be quiet and not disturb my rest. In all these years, only nine have dared to interrupt me. You are the tenth,” the hoarse voice declared, chilling the temperature within the library.

Yang Ze’s heart tightened, silently cursing Cai Kun for failing to inform him of this crucial matter. It seemed he had angered an elder.

Quickly, he said, “Elder, I am new here, having entered less than five days ago. This is my first time in the library and I did not know the rules. Please forgive me.”

“So you’re new, and a privileged child at that. If the academy only admitted people like you, it would be ruined. I’ll have to report this to the headmaster. Now, tell me, who brought you in?” Zhang Chengxuan said gruffly, his gaze shifting.

“Ning Tengning, Elder Ning,” Yang Ze replied.

At the mention of that name, Zhang Chengxuan’s body stiffened, and the cloudiness in his eyes cleared considerably. Yang Ze saw it all.

“So Elder Ning brought you in. Very well, you may enter. You know the rules, yes?”

“Registered disciples may enter the library once a month for free to read martial arts manuals, for no more than two hours each time. The manuals can only be read within the library.

To enter again, one must pay one hundred contribution points each time. To copy any martial arts manual requires one hundred contribution points, with a one-month borrowing period, after which the manual must be returned.”

Yang Ze was well versed in these rules, and that was why he had come now.

“You recite the rules well. If not for the absence of the disciples guarding the library today, you wouldn’t have dared disturb me. Now, hand me your identification token for inspection. If all is in order, you may enter.”

Yang Ze promptly produced his token and held it out.

Zhang Chengxuan extended his right hand, exerting an invisible force that drew the token from Yang Ze’s grasp into his own. After a brief glance, he casually tossed it back.

“Remember to be punctual. If you don’t leave after two hours, I will escort you out. Enter.”

With that, Zhang Chengxuan yawned and reclined back to sleep.

Yang Ze did not dare waste time and strode inside. As he passed the elder’s chair, Zhang Chengxuan murmured,

“So Elder Ning has started pulling strings too. This kid might not be so simple after all.”

Unaware of any of this, Yang Ze entered the first floor.

The library housed ordinary martial arts manuals suitable for cultivation at the ninth stage of True Yuan Qi. Manuals for the ninth-rank martial path did not exist here.

The first floor was filled with rows of bookshelves laden with numerous manuals. Many disciples browsed through them.

These martial arts could be cultivated with either True Qi or True Yuan Qi and were truly foundational.

Yang Ze’s arrival went unnoticed among the registered disciples; no one paid him any mind.

With only two hours available, he did not linger on the first floor but ascended to the second floor.