Chapter 114: The Library

Two originally turbulent forces reached a balance and ultimately intertwined, merging as one.

“Is this success?” Li Sibai muttered, glancing toward Cai Yao, who seemed to have fainted from exhaustion. Had it not been for Cai Yao’s assistance earlier, he might have suffered ruptured meridians.

After channeling some pure energy into Cai Yao, Li Sibai drew him close to his chest.

Carefully sensing the energy within his body, Li Sibai’s face lit up with excitement. The current energy inside him was an upgraded version of his original vital energy.

Previously, his vital energy was composed of true energy and battle energy, merged into one through the Primordial Harmony Technique. Now, the “vital energy” inside him was also composed of true energy and battle energy, but merged through the Yuan Decision Technique.

The key difference was that the new vital energy could be combined and separated again, whereas the old version lacked this ability.

This capacity to separate again, though seemingly trivial, actually added versatility to Li Sibai’s attacks, rendering them unpredictable and difficult to defend against.

Having understood this, Li Sibai nodded with satisfaction, pondering the relationship between the founder of the Yuan Decision Technique and that of the Primordial Harmony Technique. Otherwise, how could two such strikingly similar martial arts have come into existence?

Rising to his feet, Li Sibai struck the air ahead with a punch. Instantly, he saw his fist leave a blurred afterimage, as if two forces were unleashed simultaneously.

A thrill surged through him. Merely having learned the mental method of this technique was already so powerful. Had he studied it earlier, his fight against Zhao Kang would not have been so troublesome.

Continuing to read, he saw instructions on how to apply the mental method. Only by mastering all of this could one fully comprehend the first level of the Yuan Decision Technique.

Of course, there were also accompanying swordplay, fist techniques, and body movements. Unfortunately, the first level did not include any spells specifically aligned to true energy attributes, which left Li Sibai somewhat disappointed.

He resolved to seek out the inner sect library when he had the chance or to ask his master for advice on this matter.

...

For the following days, Li Sibai went daily at dawn to the Shen-character classroom in the Nebula Pavilion, waiting for his master’s arrival. During these waiting periods, he diligently practiced various techniques of the first level of the Yuan Decision Technique. He had become utterly engrossed, unable to stop. The profundity and grandeur of these techniques captivated him endlessly.

...

Even after waiting five days, his master had yet to appear. At first, Li Sibai was unconcerned.

His training progressed smoothly without obstacles.

He estimated that if he persisted, within three months he could fully master and even reach proficiency in the first level of the Yuan Decision Technique.

The learning goals of a technique or spell are divided into five stages: initiation, minor success, proficiency, great success, and perfection. Reaching initiation meant successful training; proficiency indicated a deep understanding.

The actual level one attains depends on individual aptitude and comprehension.

Yet despite this, Li Sibai harbored some concerns.

One was that his cultivation level was not yet high enough. Although his combat power was strong, the inability to rapidly advance his cultivation remained a hidden risk.

Another was that he had yet to learn any wind-element spells corresponding to his true energy attribute. He had hoped his master would teach some, but was only imparted the Yuan Decision Technique. Though formidable, relying solely on physical attacks left him feeling something was lacking.

Moreover, it had been seven days since he returned to the inner sect and took his master’s apprenticeship. After Zhao Kang was defeated, there was no reaction from Guo Jian’s side. This unusual calm unsettled Li Sibai.

So, one morning after rising, he decided to take a stroll.

But just as he was about to leave for the inner sect library, there was a knock at the door, accompanied by a voice:

“May I ask, is Young Hero Li Sibai present?”

Startled, Li Sibai wondered if trouble had come, but the polite tone reassured him. He hurried to open the door.

Standing there was a youth, rosy-lipped and white-toothed, appearing even younger than Li Sibai, dressed as a servant.

Li Sibai was momentarily at a loss, having never seen this person before, and was about to inquire when the youth clasped his hands respectfully and said, “Young Hero Li, my master sends me to inform you that all the materials for refining the Crimson Gold Bear Core Pill have been prepared. Refinement can begin this evening at the hour of Xu. My master specially invites you to observe at the Pill Refining Pavilion tonight.” He then handed over an invitation.

Li Sibai opened it and found the invitation’s contents matched the youth’s words. He nodded and said, “Please tell your master that I shall definitely attend this evening.”

The youth acknowledged this and departed without further words.

Li Sibai examined the invitation again, confirming the time as the hour of Xu. Though unfamiliar with pill refining and feeling some unease about an evening session, since he had expressed interest in observing, he could not refuse out of suspicion. He resolved to be cautious and also to inquire with Kang Wei about the Taiqing Pill, knowing Kang’s wide connections might yield some information.

Without hesitation, as it was still early, he proceeded with his original plan and headed straight to the inner sect library.

The library was inside the Nebula Pavilion, a five-story building.

At the entrance, Li Sibai inquired and, using his inner sect jade token, gained free access to the first and second floors for study. The first floor housed books on various techniques and Taoist methods; the second contained books on different spells.

The third and fourth floors were reserved for instructors and required special approval and tokens for students. The top fifth floor was accessible only to a few core elders, safeguarding rare scrolls and tomes accumulated over generations.

After scanning his token, Li Sibai bypassed the first floor and went directly to the second floor to study spells.

There were few people present today, only a handful.

He observed that the area was divided into zones by elemental attribute, each housing spellbooks of a single attribute for easy reference.

Some attributes had more books, others fewer, reflecting the number of practitioners and spells created accordingly.

Near the inner section, Li Sibai found the “Wind” attribute bookshelf. Rows upon rows of densely packed spellbooks on wind magic stretched before him. He began flipping through them with great satisfaction.

(End of chapter)