章 26: Chapter 56- Have You Even Washed Your Hands?
The shell of the Curse Striker's egg pulsated ominously as the energy inside grew more dense. The spiritual beasts gathered outside the tower erupted in a chorus of howls, growls, and screeches, as if they were celebrating the birth of their new ruler.
Suddenly, cracks appeared on the surface of the egg, and it slowly began to peel away. Before the egg had been fully peeled, an image of a dragon appeared, its body covered in bright scales and horns erupting from its head. A pair of forelegs, each equipped with massive claws, helped the dragon to rip at the roots of the World Tree, Yggdrasil, but it had no back legs, only a serpentine tail. Beneath its bat-like wings, the dragon's massive body twisted and turned on the roots of the World Tree.
And then, the Curse Striker was born. It was much smaller than expected, no larger than the size of a human's head, with round and adorable eyes. The creature ran to Juanxiu and began licking him like a dog, leaving Juanxiu covered in saliva. The spirit animals and ominous cloud that had surrounded the tower just moments before quickly dispersed, leaving Juanxiu and the Curse Striker alone.
Juanxiu could feel a unique type of energy that resonate to him; it was something special, archaic. He tried to bind his own energy into that, like a root taking a firm hold on a soil. As he was directing the energy toward the Curse Striker, he noticed something strange happening. The dragon was slowly transforming, becoming more and more solid until it had completely transformed into a small bracelet.
Juanxiu was shocked at the transformation that had just taken place. He could sense that the Curse Striker was still there, still a part of the bracelet, but it had taken on a new form. Perhaps this is something similar to the Ju Wei Hu of Mao Wen Lin that transformed into a bracelet.
Juanxiu looked at Xiannu Yindao, who had finally made his appearance in front of him. The ghostly figure was dressed in traditional cultivator's robes, and his eyes were profound and filled with knowledge.
Juanxiu asked, "Xiannu, how come the Curse Striker transformed into this?"
Xiannu Yindao replied, "The Curse Striker is a part of the dragon lineage with the divine blood. It is a mythical beast with the power to break curses and bring balance to the world. If the energy of the owner and the beast completely melds, it transforms into something more convenient. The beasts are not mindless, they knew the best way to help their owner.
After this event, Juanxiu threw himself into his studies, pouring over the ancient tomes and texts in the library, honing his skills day in and day out. Despite his lack of a gifted martial body and constitution, he refused to let that stop him from helping those he cared about. He burned with a fierce determination to master the art of automail creation, to gift Liu Peng and Madam Zhang back their mobility, to give them a chance to reclaim their power and continue on their cultivation journeys.
Madam Zhang, in particular, weighed heavily on his mind. As the administrator of the Forgotten Valley, she carried a heavy burden, but it was clear to Juanxiu that her heart was still grieving for the loss of her husband. He couldn't help but think that if only he was stronger, that sacrifice might have been avoided.
With each day, Juanxiu grew more and more determined to perfect his craft, to do all he could to help his people, even if he was not gifted with the best martial body and constitution. His passion and drive were unwavering.
Juanxiu continued his relentless pursuit of knowledge, honing his skills and perfecting his understanding of the art of blacksmithing. He would often run into Mao Wenlin and Du Hong, who had both made significant strides in their own training.
Mao Wenlin had reached the final stage of the Thunderous Roar and had earned the third stage of the Master Swordsman rank, while Du Hong had mastered the perfect stage of Ethereal Blade and has reached the first stage of the Master Swordsman.
"Xiannu," Juanxiu asked one day, "Can I bring different people into the Tower once Du Hong and Alchemist Mao have left?"
Xiannu shook his head. "No, their identities have already been imprinted in this space."
Juanxiu was disappointed, but he didn't let it get him down. He knew that he couldn't control everything, but instead, he decided to focus on the things he could change.
Xiannu, seeing the disappointment in Juanxiu's eyes, offered some encouragement. "Don't worry, Juanxiu. If you can increase your cultivation to at least the 6th stage of the Soldier rank, you'll be able to bring in three more people, for a total of five."
As Juanxiu trained and cultivated, his determination grew stronger with each passing day. His fighting spirit blazed like a fierce inferno, fueling him to cultivate harder and harder, like a wild dog on the hunt.
Despite the many years he spent inside the tower, he refused to give up on his goals. Finally, after 29 long years of tireless effort, he reached the 6th stage of the Soldier rank, a milestone he had long striven for.
Despite his satisfaction, Juanxiu's mind was already racing with the thought of the three additional people he would be able to bring into the tower with him. He briefly entertained the thought before pushing it to the back of his mind, as he still had another year to perfect his blacksmithing skills.
Juanxiu's heart was pounding with excitement and nerves as the 30th year inside the tower finally came to an end. He had completed his studies in blacksmithing and was eager to leave the tower and return to the real world. Along with the reward he received for passing the Basic Alchemy exam, he was also presented with a set of scales from the diamond back turtle as a symbol of his achievement in blacksmithing.
As the time for their exit approached, Juanxiu and his two companions, Alchemist Mao and Du Hong felt themselves enveloped in a bright light. They were lifted up, spun around, and then suddenly everything was silent.
When they opened their eyes, they found themselves in a temporary hall, surrounded by the familiar sights and sounds of the real world. They looked at each other, grinning in disbelief as they realized that they had actually succeeded in their 30-year journey inside the tower.
Juanxiu saw that only three hours had passed in the real world. It seemed impossible that so much time had passed for them, yet only a mere three hours had gone by for everyone else.
Juanxiu quickly made his way out of the room with a sense of urgency, it was already deep in the night and he didn't want to waste any more time. Du Hong and Mao Wenlin bid their farewells, with Du Hong expressing his excitement to see his beloved Li Jing again, while Mao Wenlin simply nodded her goodbye.
Juanxiu, now on his own, searched for an empty space within their territory. The reward was already inside his spatial pouch including the basic library of Alchemy.
The pagoda architectural style caught his eye, with its tall and slender structure. The ancient aura emanating from it was almost palpable, and as he looked at it, Juanxiu couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
With a wave of his hand, Juanxiu took the Library from his spatial pouch and placed it in the empty space he had selected. The building materialized in front of him, the intricate carvings and ornate decorations filling him with a sense of pride. The pagoda towered above him, reaching towards the sky with its multiple tiers, each one appearing more impressive than the last. The roof was adorned with a golden pinnacle, casting a warm glow over the entire building. Juanxiu couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder, he had truly created something magnificent.
As the morning sun slowly rose from the horizon, the towering pagoda captured the attention of everyone in the Forgotten Valley. Its imposing architecture emanated an ancient aura, making it seem like it had stood there for countless centuries. Juanxiu called for Alchemist Zhou, knowing that there was no one better to manage the library.
Juanxiu led Alchemist Zhou to the first floor of the library, where rows and rows of shelves filled with books could be seen. The shelves were lined with books, each one filled with ancient knowledge and secrets of alchemy. The room was quiet, except for the occasional sound of pages being flipped as Juanxiu and Alchemist Zhou made their way through the shelves.
Alchemist Zhou was in awe. The books he saw before him were all stuff of legends, books that he had only heard of in rumors. There were the "Essence of Blood Alchemy," "Meng Hong Path to Alchemy," "The Art of Essence Transmutation," "The Secrets of Elixir Creation," and "Inferno Pill Refinement." These were just five of the many alchemy books that filled the library.
As he gazed at the shelves, Alchemist Zhou's eyes lit up with excitement. He couldn't hide his smile as he eagerly reached for the "Essence of Blood Alchemy." The feeling of finally getting his hands on a book that he had only read about in legends was indescribable. He opened the book and eagerly scanned through the pages, completely absorbed in the knowledge and secrets that lay before him. He was carrying it now like a baby.
It was clear that the library was in good hands with Alchemist Zhou, who was completely enamored with alchemy and would do everything in his power to preserve and protect the knowledge contained within its walls.
Juanxiu and Alchemist Zhou finally reached the second floor of the library, and Zhou was awestruck at what he saw. The room was filled with books, but these were not your ordinary books. These were tomes of ancient alchemy knowledge that had been long lost to the world. Zhou's eyes widened as he gazed upon the rows and rows of books, his mind racing as he took in the sheer amount of knowledge contained within. When they reched the third floor, there were only ten books here, but the value is most possibly incomparable. It is made from ancient text that he couldn't understand.
"These books, Juanxiu. They're...they're beyond anything I've ever seen before," Zhou stammered, his voice filled with awe and excitement.
Juanxiu chuckled at Zhou's reaction. "Yes, these books are some of the most valuable and ancient books on alchemy. I want you to manage this library, Zhou. You'll have the power to grant access to specific parts of the library as you see fit. I trust that you'll use that power wisely."
Zhou nodded, still in shock. He couldn't believe his luck. He had always been passionate about alchemy, and now he was being given the opportunity to manage a library filled with some of the most valuable and ancient alchemical knowledge in the world.
As Juanxiu left the library to focus on his automail creation, Zhou remained in the second floor, surrounded by the books. He was determined to learn all that he could, to uncover the secrets hidden within each and every one of those books.
....
Juanxiu was completely absorbed in his work, carefully forging the delicate mechanisms of the automail. He had been at it for hours, losing himself in the rhythm of the hammer strikes and the glowing heat of the forge. The sound of a voice calling his name disrupted his focus, and he looked up to see Liu Peng standing at the door of his workshop, looking troubled.
"Juanxiu, you're needed at the entrance of the Pagoda," Liu Peng said. "There's a commotion going on, and the alchemists are causing quite a stir."
Juanxiu frowned, setting aside his tools and following Liu Peng out of the workshop and towards the Pagoda. As they drew near, the sounds of raised voices grew louder and clearer. A group of alchemists, led by Alchemist Qian, were gathered outside the entrance, protesting loudly and demanding to be allowed inside.
"Alchemist Zhou, that library is a gift from the young master to all alchemists. You don't own it," Alchemist Qian was saying, his voice carrying a note of frustration.
"I never said that it is mine," replied Alchemist Zhou, a hint of frustration in his tone, "I'm just afraid that you will ruin the books inside. Do you know how valuable the books are inside? I've seen the Muse Symphony, The Yin and Yang Transmutation, The Essence of Blood Alchemy, and others. Those are knowledge lost in time. What if you damage that? Have you even washed your hands?"
The alchemists, upon hearing the names of the books, became even more persistent in entering the library. But Alchemist Zhou was equally persistent in his stance.
"Alchemist Zhou, how could you? Alchemy is about searching for knowledge and now that the knowledge is in front of us, why would you act this way?" Alchemist Qian argued.
"What good is knowledge if it has been damaged? Will it be lost in time again? No one can set foot inside unless I've read them all," retorted Alchemist Zhou.
"This is too much," another alchemist shouted, joining the fray.
The ruckus continued, voices raised and tempers flared, until Juanxiu finally stepped in to mediate. With a wave of his hand, he brought silence to the crowd. The alchemists turned their attention to Juanxiu, waiting for him to speak.
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