Chapter 116: Chapter 115: Library Pavilion

Half a month later, a travel-worn Lu Zhao finally returned to the Bixia Sect Mountain Gate. The familiar, dense Spiritual Qi helped to ease his taut nerves. Without delay, he headed straight for the Recruitment Bureau.

Stepping into the somewhat solemn main hall of the Recruitment Bureau, Lu Zhao soon saw Wang Ping, the Steward who had been in charge of his mission. Wang Ping still had that same calm and capable demeanor, but an imperceptible trace of surprise flashed through his eyes upon seeing Lu Zhao’s return.

"Junior Brother Lu, you’re back?" Wang Ping set down the Jade Scroll in his hand and looked up. "You seem to be in decent shape. Did the trip go smoothly?"

"Fortunately, Brother Wang, the mission is complete." Lu Zhao cupped his hands in a salute, his voice calm and even.

Wang Ping’s eyebrow twitched, a hint of surprise on his face. "Oh? Qian Yuan was a cunning man with impressive Escape Techniques. Junior Brother Lu, you truly are resourceful to have been able to take him down."

Lu Zhao said no more, simply retrieving a wooden box sealed with a special Restriction Talisman from his Storage Bag and placing it gently on the desk in front of Wang Ping. "This is Qian Yuan’s head. As for his body..." Lu Zhao paused, his tone tinged with regret. "He launched a desperate counterattack before his death, self-detonating several vicious Magical Artifacts. The fight was intense, and his body was completely destroyed, making it impossible to bring back."

He had proactively mentioned the body’s destruction to preempt any potential doubts from the Sect and to prevent anyone from investigating the circumstances of Qian Yuan’s death or looking for his Storage Bag.

Upon hearing this, Wang Ping’s gaze swept over the wooden box. He briefly scanned it with his Divine Sense and confirmed the aura of the head was correct, then a smile appeared on his face. "No matter! In Sect missions, the result is what’s most important. Bringing back the head to confirm his identity and death is more than enough. Bodies being destroyed is a common occurrence in Magical Combat. You needn’t worry about it, Junior Brother."

He picked up the wooden box, carefully inspected the integrity of the sealing Restriction Talisman, and then put it away. "The mission confirmation requires some processing. The Merit will be recorded in your Identity Token in about half a month. At that time, you can go directly to the Merit Hall to redeem it, Junior Brother."

"Thank you, Brother Wang." Lu Zhao cupped his hands again.

Wang Ping waved his hand, gesturing for Lu Zhao to sit. He personally poured him a cup of Spirit Tea and began to chat casually, "Junior Brother Lu, you completed this mission beautifully. I imagine that most of your future mandatory Sect missions will also be assigned through me. If you have some free time, you should come visit my abode, have some Spirit Tea, and we can exchange some insights on cultivation."

Lu Zhao naturally understood the implied invitation to align with him. ’He’s trying to recruit me.’ Though his heart stirred, a delighted expression immediately appeared on his face as he readily played along. "Brother Wang, you flatter me! To receive your guidance would be my good fortune. I will certainly visit often in the future. I only hope you won’t find me to be a nuisance." He raised his teacup and formally saluted Wang Ping.

Wang Ping laughed, clearly pleased with Lu Zhao’s willingness to get closer. "Of course, of course."

Lu Zhao set down his teacup and took the opportunity to ask, "Brother Wang, how long until my next mandatory mission is assigned?"

Wang Ping pondered for a moment, tapping his fingers lightly on the desk a few times. "Hmm... According to custom, since you’ve just completed a mandatory mission, and quite efficiently at that, the Sect usually grants a period of rest. After the Merit for this mission is recorded, you generally won’t be assigned a new mandatory mission for at least two months. I estimate... the next one won’t be for two to three months at the earliest."

’Two to three months...’ Lu Zhao’s mind was put at ease. That was enough time for him to begin processing his recent gains and make some preparations. He thanked him sincerely again, "Thank you for letting me know, Brother Wang. I understand."

Wang Ping picked up his teacup and took a sip, his smile gentle. "It was nothing. It’s part of my duties, after all."

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. Lu Zhao estimated that the Merit should have arrived, so he set out for the Merit Hall. Sure enough, the amount of Merit corresponding to his mission had been added to his Identity Token. He didn’t immediately exchange it for other resources, instead turning toward another important location within the Sect—the Library Pavilion.

The Library Pavilion was a quaint, four-story wooden structure nestled behind a quiet bamboo forest within the Sect. It had upturned eaves and interlocking brackets, with carved beams and painted rafters. Though not extravagant, it exuded a profound aura, heavy with the weight of ages and knowledge. The building was clad in dark brown Spirit Wood that glowed with a warm luster in the sunlight. Small bronze bells hung from the corners of the eaves, chiming crisply and distantly in the wind, adding to the serene atmosphere.

Lu Zhao walked to the front of the building and handed his wooden Token, which identified him as an Outer Sect Steward, to the Outer Disciple on duty at the entrance. The disciple took the Token, infused a trace of Magical Power to verify it, then handed it back to Lu Zhao with a nod, signaling that he could enter.

As he stepped onto the first floor of the Library Pavilion, a unique scent washed over him—a mixture of old paper, the fresh fragrance of Spirit Wood, and the faint smell of ink. The space inside was open and airy. Light streamed through carved wooden windows, forming pillars of light that illuminated the motes of dust floating in the air.

Looking around, he saw dozens of tall bookshelves arranged in neat rows, packed densely with all sorts of books and Jade Scrolls. There were a few dozen people on the floor, mostly Outer Disciples, with a few Outer Sect Stewards like Lu Zhao. Everyone was quietly browsing, the only sounds being the soft rustle of turning pages and faint footsteps.

The first floor primarily housed records on the customs and cultures of Chen Country and its neighboring nations, geographical atlases, historical archives, and various travelogues and miscellaneous writings. There were also some ancient, fragmented scrolls and records of legends, their authenticity difficult to verify due to their age.

The collection was as vast as an ocean, comprising both heavy, paper-bound tomes and easily stored Jade Scrolls, all of which stuffed the shelves to capacity.

The materials on this floor were completely free for all Sect Disciples and Stewards to access, requiring no Merit. It was here, in a travelogue from this very floor, that Lu Zhao had previously found the key to countering Qian Yuan’s special Escape Technique.

However, this was not his goal today. After a brief pause, Lu Zhao walked straight to the stairs leading to the second floor.

The moment he stepped onto the second floor, Lu Zhao felt as if he had passed through an invisible, cool Water Curtain. A faint but distinct probing sensation swept over his body before vanishing. He knew this was the routine check performed by the Library Pavilion’s Protective Array on all who entered.

The second floor was slightly smaller than the first, and there were far fewer people—only a dozen or so scattered among the bookshelves, making it even quieter.

The collection on this floor was far more valuable than the first. It was mainly divided into several major sections: Lower Grade Cultivation Techniques (covering both Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment), Jade Scrolls of Magic applicable to the Qi Cultivation Stage and a small number for the Foundation Establishment Stage, Entry Level and advanced tomes on the various Tier One Cultivation Hundred Arts, and a large number of cultivation insights, breakthrough epiphanies, and travel notes left by senior Cultivators.

Overall, the second floor’s core collection served Qi cultivators, but it also included some content from the Foundation Establishment Stage that was extremely helpful to them.

Lu Zhao, knowing his way around, first headed to the Cultivation Technique section. His objective was clear. He walked straight to the bookshelf containing Water Element Techniques.

His gaze swept across the shelves. The most numerous were the Unranked Cultivation Techniques; a quick glance revealed nearly five hundred different kinds. Most were basic Techniques passed down through families or developed by Wanderers through trial and error. Lu Zhao couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe. ’Even when it comes to worthless techniques, the resources of a Major Sect are far beyond what the outside world can compare to.’

He skipped past those and fixed his gaze on the section labeled "Lower Grade Cultivation Technique." After searching carefully for a moment, his eyes suddenly lit up—a pale blue Jade Scroll lay quietly on a shelf, labeled with the name: Little Spirit Rain Technique!

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