Chapter 20: There Really Is A Divine Arts Manual? Movements Everywhere
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Unwittingly, the disciples on the first floor of the scripture chamber increased.
After all, someone had spread the news about the Dusty Divine Arts and that the saintess herself was on the first floor…
And in less than half a day, the whole place became jam-packed!
"Ouch! Who stepped on my foot?!"
"Hey! Stop pushing?!"
"Who the heck let out a fart?!"
"Make way! A senior sister has arrived…"
***
As everyone squeezed and shoved, the entire spot became livelier and noisier than a wet market.
Only the spot where Lin Fan was, was given a slight berth since no disciple would approach him recklessly. Moreover, they would all give way whenever he moved.
Watching as the many disciples got busy and searched through almost every book, with many even investigating the cracks and spaces between racks, Lin Fan almost rolled his eyes.
"…"
That was when a lady dressed in a snow-white gown came to 'her'. She appeared to be her twenties and could be described as an otherworldly beauty.
She was not afraid of approaching the 'Saintess' like the other disciples, and instead came straight to Lin Fan's side, standing shoulder-to-shoulder beside her and searching through the books on the same rack.
"Is that the so-called senior sister?"
Lin Fan took a peek at her.
Another who could become a senior sister at these sacred grounds would definitely be extraordinary.
Indeed, her looks, figure, and aura were all very good.
However…
When Lin Fan thought that she was quite lacking compared to 'him', he did not care anymore.
That was when a cry resounded amongst the crowd.
"Divine art!!!"
A female disciple was exclaiming. "The Cloud Smoke Blade!"
Lin Fan turned towards the voice.
A disciple in red was holding a book and her face was overflowing with excitement.
He could also hear many others discussing it as well.
"The Dusty Divine Art really exists?!"
"The Cloud Smoke Blade is amongst the top hundred swordplays in the Eastern Front! It should have been placed on the fifth floor… but it's actually on the first floor?!"
"That sister is just a provisional disciple. But for her to get a swordplay of that level…"
"Even established disciples such as us could only reach the fourth floor with sufficient contribution. But even the arts up there wouldn't compare to Cloud Smoke Blade!"
Hence, there was a chorus of awed gasps.
The many disciples became even more fervent, and began to scrounge through the texts wildly…
Outside the scripture chamber, droves of disciples who arrived late could not squeeze their way in it, and could only pace around anxiously outside the door.
All Lin Fan wanted right then was to curse at someone.
What the hell!!!
"There really is a divine art?
"But the problem is… where is my martial arts? There couldn't really be none, could it?"
He had been searching for most of the day now!
Still, he did check out some of the history books, hence generally understanding the layout of this world.
It was a vast world of untold thousands of miles, and was basically divided into five regions.
There were four fronts: north, east, south, and west, with the Violet Manor being located on the Eastern Front.
Aside from those, there was also a Central Continent.
The Central Continent was the biggest of all five regions, being the most modern and the most powerful.
Of the eight immortal sacred grounds, four of them were in the Central Continent, whereas each of the fronts only had one sacred ground a piece.
As for the Sacred Violet Manor, it had been established and developed since several hundred thousand years ago, founded by the True Habitant of the Violet Manor…
Aside from that, there were also certain details about the Sacred Violet Manor, such as the previous generations of Holy Lords…
However, those bits of information were useless for Lin Fan. He only wanted martial arts text, but there was no trace of any even now.
On the other hand, there were countless low-tier spells and manuals of founding cultivation methods.
But the problem was that those manuals meant nothing to Lin Fan!
"I don't have much time…"
Lin Fan's mood became somber.
"I'll look for another hour. I have to leave right away if I still find any by then…"
Still, it was not as if he was about to transmigrate.
Instead, there were more and more people around, and he might draw the attention of some big-shot in the sect. When that happened and if he was still here meant a chance of blowing his cover, which was why he could not delay for long.
He calmed himself and continued searching the scripture chamber.
Meanwhile, the other disciples were naturally more thrilled after someone found the Dusty Divine Art, and became even more diligent…
***
Meanwhile, an elderly Taoist stepped out of seclusion…
"It's been over a hundred years in the blink of an eye. Really, the scenery outside calls out to me more."
"But… why is the sacred grounds so bleak now?"
To his memory, there should be an overlapping of human voices everywhere at the sacred grounds. For example, there ought to be many disciples, rafts, or swords heading here and there busily up in the air.
Now, however, there were just a handful of people, and all of them are heading toward the same direction.
He lifted his brow. "Could some accident had happened to the sacred grounds in my seclusion, culling our numbers?!"
In a split second, a grand drama played out in his head.
For example, the Sacred Violet Manor was jointly attacked by multiple sacred grounds or demonic cults, and their many disciples bled dry as they fought on bitterly, eventually suffering terrible casualties to the point that less than one out of a hundred survived, leaving the sacred grounds in its present bleak state.
Anxious, the old Taoist grasped, his hand turning into a gigantic palm that directly caught a young disciple who was rushing somewhere.
The disciple was left dumbstruck. The thought of being attacked by such an elite within the sacred grounds as one of its apprentices had never crossed his mind!
"Kid, what is your sect? What disaster had befallen these sacred grounds, that it has become so quiet? And where are you going in such a hurry?!"
Despite being dumbstruck, the young disciple was no fool and knew that the old man was not someone he could afford to provoke, and quickly said, "Elder, I'm a disciple of the Bitter Bamboo Peak… but may I ask what is this disaster you speak of?"
"As for why it is so quiet… it's probably because many fellow disciples had all gone to the scripture chamber in search of Dusty Divine Arts?"
"I'm rushing there right now too."
The old Taoist did a double take, before radiating delight.
"I see! Very well, very well! Go on, then!"
With a simple fling, the disciple felt an unstoppable force. In the next split second, he was already outside the scripture chamber with a blank face.
The disciple: "…"
Meanwhile, the old Taoist was laughing out loud and rubbing his hands persistently. "I knew someone would notice, hehehe… although I wouldn't know who would be that lucky."
That was when a voice came to him.
"Fifth Brother, stop fooling around and make haste for the Violet Chateau."
"Alright."
The old Taoist chuckled upon being summoned. He did not even have to move when a cloud appeared beneath his feet, and carried him up to the floating chateau…
***
Meanwhile, a personal disciple rushed to the location where the saint was in isolation.
"Urgent news!"
"What is it?"
Two of the disciples who were on guard duty turned towards him in confusion.
"Qi Zixiao has received information from somewhere that the first floor of the scripture chamber holds a Dusty Divine Art, and is searching it right now!"
"A provisional disciple had even found the Cloud Smoke Blade manual. I have to inform the saint about this at once!"
"That actually happened?!"
The guards were stunned.
Creak…
That was when the door opened.
-- Gift
received