Chapter 18: ‘Puking Blood’ In The Scripture Chamber
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Just outside the Scripture Chamber, Lin Fan paused and looked out dispassionately.
Behind, certain gossips were already spreading.
Some were saying that the saintess had made a breakthrough, others claimed that she had reached a bottleneck and therefore sought a solution from the scripture.
Lin Fan could clearly hear those discussions, but he ignored them.
Still, the gossipers did not dare to say another word after Chen Cheng and Zhou Yining threw them a glare.
The scripture chamber itself was not vast—or that was what it looked like from the outside, at least. Even so, it was a simple two-floor building that could not be more mundane.
Be that as it may, that small building had a mystical feeling to it, as if it stood for countless years and transcended time itself.
Lin Fan could neither describe nor explain that feeling, but he did not need to understand it. All he needed to be certain of, was that the scripture chamber was awesome.
As for the appearance?
That did not explain anything.
As he pushed the doors and was about to enter, he paused and looked left and right.
Two statues, sculpted with the likeness of Taoists sitting in meditation were placed on both sides of the door. They appeared vivid and alive, and if not for the hue and distinct smoothness, one would mistake them for two actual Taoists…
"But I don't think it's that simple."
Lin Fan muttered inwardly, and could not help looking twice.
He did not know how to use the cultivation in Qi Zixiao's body or its spirit sense. Still, having read too many novels, he did not have to think to know that some awesome figure would be watching a place like the scripture chamber.
Still, there were no such major characters in this place, although there were two statues that acted like guards, which would certainly prove extraordinary.
Quietly remembering that little tidbit, Lin Fan then entered the scripture chamber.
Unbeknownst to him, once he was inside, the two statues turned to each other and started talking.
"She noticed us?"
"She shouldn't have with her current cultivation and knowledge."
"But she was definitely looking at us before she got inside. She never did that in the countless times she visited before."
"That is true. Perhaps… even if she had not ascended in her seclusion, she had somehow gained outstanding strengths, such as in her spiritual sense?"
"That might be it. She truly is a fine sprout… hehe, let her be."
***
"Just as I thought. There is another world here."
Lin Fan was rather surprised when he entered the scripture chamber, but categorized that as common sense.
From the outside, the scripture chamber was merely a weathered two-floored building.
But from the inside, it was the internal structure of the seven-floored pagoda!
Each of the floors was smaller as one ascended upward, and were connected by staircases.
And when looking from above, every corner of the scripture chamber was arranged with various book racks, with the first floor having the most racks. Moreover, each of the racks was packed with every variety of books.
But while the books were countless, most of them were laden with dust.
Lin Fan: "…"
"So, basically no one reads the books on this floor?"
"Well, it makes sense. If even handyman disciples could come to this floor, the books kept here must lack in value."
Lin Fan instantly understood.
Though there were several disciples focused in their reading on the first floor, they were just a handful…
He went upstairs and found that there were a lot less books on the second floor, although there were a lot more disciples reading there.
"Your Grace…"
When one of the disciples recognized 'Qi Zixiao', the other disciples all came up to him in respectful salutation.
"Continue as you will."
Lin Fan said flatly, and continued upstairs.
He hence walked up and past the third floor, reaching the fourth…
The third floor had the greatest number of people, but that number fell upon reaching the fourth floor….
While Lin Fan did not know the specific rules, he could guess the reason: clearly, entrance to each respective floor required a corresponding status or ability.
After all, the higher one went, the cultivation manuals and what not would be more valuable and not to be read by just anyone.
"So, how many floors could I climb as Saintess?"
Lin Fan continued upward, and finally reached the seventh floor…
Which was empty.
"There's nothing here?"
"But… What the hell is this?!"
He put his hand over his forehead.
"The sixth floor had some books at least, but the seventh floor only has these weird jades. I'm clearly not allowed to read it!"
Lin Fan had expected to get his hands on some 'immortal arts' or whatnot from the scripture chamber, memorize it and slowly cultivate on it when he returns.
Still…
Jade?
It probably would be one of the 'jade letters' that the novels spoke of, and it required a spirit link, an imbuing of Innate Qi, or whatnot to read the contents.
The key was that Lin Fan did not know how to do those things…
"I'll come again…"
Lin Fan gave the dozens of variedly shaped and hued jade that hovered in the air a few more glances, and returned to the sixth floor without hesitation.
He simply picked up one of the antiquated volumes and started reading.
[Object refinement: Immortal-Mortal Metamorphosis Edition]
Lin Fan: "…"
Why did this feel like instructions on improving tools?
"The teachings on the divine refinement of various objects are actually placed on the sixth floor? And in a world of immortals?"
One could expect nothing less of these sacred grounds!
Gritting his teeth, he took up another book.
[A discourse on the structure and restraint against immortal spells and magic]
"…next!"
[Reincarnation Fists—Extract]
"This is good. Don't all novels describe how incomplete editions would always end up awesome? Even extracts of the bottom floor would eventually turn into grand treasures when they are completed. And this is already six-floor material—isn't it plenty impressive enough already?"
Lin Fan hence turned to the first page with great expectations…
[Cultivation possible for individuals of Mahayana realm and above]
"What the hell…"
The Mahayana realm?!
Qi Zixiao wouldn't even reach it, let alone myself!
Like the seventh floor, the sixth floor was unoccupied and incredibly silent.
Still, Lin Fan did not step out of line, and merely complained to himself.
After all, what if a big shot was keeping an eye on the scripture chamber at all times? And that was not impossible.
Lowering the book in his hand, Lin Fan kept browsing through the books and finally found one cultivation manual.
The so-called cultivation manuals were, in other words, the techniques of cultivation.
In turn, techniques like the Reincarnation Fists were known as 'arts', as well as 'combat technique' or 'fighting style'.
[Violet Dawn]
Brimming with expectation, Lin Fan turned to the first page.
[Upon the rise of the sun, draw in the first breath of air that the time of the violet dawn bestows, at a spot overflowing with Spirit Qi, and refine it into the qi of your own body…]
Lin Fan put the book back where he found it after a single sentence.
It was not as if it was unimpressive. Instead, Violet Dawn was powerful, and with sufficient talent, one could cultivate all the way to the realm of Mahayana, and becoming an immortal would be no issue.
The problem was that its very first condition was a place overflowing with Spirit Qi.
Where would he find a place like that back on Earth?
-- Gift
received