Forbidden Book: Dragon-Phoenix Change (Thanks to the Alliance Leader "Give Me a Hug, Peaceful Life" for the reward)

# Chapter 8: Forbidden Book—Dragon-Phoenix Change

After Yun Zhi left, Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou went to check out their caves like the other disciples.

But before that, Lu Yang followed Meng Jingzhou outside Ask Dao Sect to bring Old Horse inside.

Outside Ask Dao Sect, Lu Yang saw many newly joined fellow disciples reporting the good news to their families. Whether from small clans or cultivation families, having a family member accepted into Ask Dao Sect was a major event worthy of recording in the family history.

"Your family didn't come?" Lu Yang had gathered from Meng Jingzhou's scattered words that the Meng family was an ancient cultivation clan.

Meng Jingzhou said with some pride: "I ran away from home!"

Lu Yang: "..."

What are you so proud of?

After Meng Jingzhou led Old Horse back to his cave, Lu Yang returned to his own.

Lu Yang took out a jade pendant. A senior brother he didn't recognize had given it to him earlier, saying it was the identity token for Ask Dao Sect disciples—it could prove one's status as an Ask Dao Sect disciple to outsiders and open one's cave dwelling from within, among other uses.

The pendant was carved from spiritual jade marrow and bore the characters "Lu Yang." Many of its functions would only become available after Lu Yang formally became a cultivator.

Lu Yang placed the pendant against the stone wall beside his cave entrance. The pendant emitted a faint blue glow that resonated with the recessed groove in the entrance. The groove flashed twice, and the stone wall slid open automatically, revealing a luxurious cave dwelling beyond anything Lu Yang could have imagined.

The moment he stepped inside, Lu Yang felt warmth spread through his body, as if some mysterious energy was nourishing him.

"Is this what they call spiritual energy?"

After realizing what it was, Lu Yang was visibly astonished. The concentration of spiritual energy inside the cave was so high that even a mortal like him could sense it—that alone showed how extraordinary it was.

The cave's furnishings were simple: just a table, a meditation cushion, and a straw mat. Compared to the cavernous space, it felt empty. Lu Yang couldn't tell if this was Ask Dao Sect's way of teaching disciples to be ascetic or if they expected disciples to decorate according to their own preferences.

On the table lay a piece of paper with writing on both sides.

The front side said that disciples who knew nothing about cultivation could first go to Word Transmission Peak to learn basic knowledge, or go to the Scripture Depository to study on their own.

The back side was a map of Ask Dao Sect, quite simplified, showing the main peaks with large blank areas. According to the map, Ask Dao Sect spanned a hundred thousand li—truly vast beyond Lu Yang's imagination.

The front side gave direction to Lu Yang, who hadn't known what to do for the next month.

Lu Yang yawned. He needed a good sleep.

From encountering rain when he left home, to passing three trials through sincere character and outstanding wisdom, winning the attention of Senior Sister Yun Zhi and Second Senior Brother Dai Bufan, and finally becoming an Ask Dao Sect disciple—the day's events had drained him mentally. He was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open.

"Ask Dao Sect couldn't even give me a pillow..."

Lu Yang muttered. The exhaustion of the entire day surged up at this moment. He didn't care whether it was comfortable or not, smacked his lips, and soon fell asleep.

The next morning, Lu Yang woke up early. He planned to go to the Scripture Depository first and get a general understanding of the Central Continent.

"New here?" At the entrance to the Scripture Depository, a senior brother looked up at Lu Yang.

"Yes."

"Since you're new, I'll tell you the rules of the Scripture Depository. They're simple, just three."

"One, your current authority only allows you to read books on the first floor. You may read any book there freely. Two, you can only borrow one book at a time for now. Three, take care of the books. Don't get them dirty. If you do, you'll have to pay full compensation."

"I understand." Lu Yang nodded. The senior brother said nothing more and let Lu Yang enter.

Inside the Scripture Depository, Ask Dao Sect disciples were absorbed in their reading, utterly focused, not even noticing Lu Yang walking past them.

The vast hall held only the occasional sound of footsteps and the rustling of pages turning.

The books here were dazzling in their variety—from folk entertainers' comedy scripts to cultivators' technique manuals, from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment insights. Everything was available.

Lu Yang's eyes went blurry trying to take it all in. He didn't even know which one to read.

"What's this book?"

Lu Yang happened to find a book wedged in the gap between shelves, covered in thick dust, as if it had fallen there and gone unread for a long time.

He wiped off the dust and finally made out the title—Dragon-Phoenix Change

"What a domineering name!"

Lu Yang exclaimed in a low voice. Even without reading the content, the title alone radiated a kingly, overbearing aura!

He felt momentarily dazed, as if hearing the harmonious cries of dragons and phoenixes. Before his eyes, phantom images of a dragon and phoenix appeared, vivid and lifelike. Then the phantoms shifted, as if enacting the process of their emergence.

Lu Yang snapped back to reality and looked around. The sounds and phantoms had vanished.

"Was that just an illusion?"

Lu Yang was suspicious. Then, slightly excited, he flipped open the first page.

Maybe this was his opportunity!

But the page was unexpectedly sharp. It accidentally cut his finger, and a few drops of blood fell onto the paper.

A sudden change occurred!

This ancient book actually emitted a golden light, as if something inside was about to break free from its seal!

Lu Yang's heart pounded wildly. This process was completely unexpected and beyond his control. He didn't know whether it was fortune or disaster.

He even felt as if some powerful existence was watching him, making him instinctively afraid to move!

This feeling grew clearer and clearer, signaling that the powerful presence was drawing closer and closer to him.

Finally, the powerful being stood behind Lu Yang, staring at him silently without a word, scaring Lu Yang so much that cold sweat broke out all over his body.

"You..." At last, the powerful being spoke.

"Here!" Lu Yang jolted with a start.

"You've dirtied the book."

The powerful being frowned. Lu Yang turned around and saw that it was actually the senior brother at the entrance of the Scripture Depository.

The senior brother looked at the bloodstain on the book cover with displeasure. He had just warned him not to dirty the books, and this kid had already dripped blood onto it.

There was a formation inside the Scripture Depository. Anyone who dirtied a book would emit a golden light, sending a signal to the person guarding the depository.

"What book is this? I've never seen it before?"

The senior brother picked up the book in confusion and flipped through it. His expression changed drastically. "This... this is actually that legendary forbidden book!"

Lu Yang's heart leaped with joy. He hadn't expected to be so lucky—finding an ancient forbidden book the moment he entered the Scripture Depository. He just didn't know what secret was hidden within this book.

"Senior Brother, what's wrong with this book?" Lu Yang asked curiously.

The senior brother's expression shifted. He hesitated for a moment, considering whether to tell this new junior brother such a secret. After thinking it over, he spoke truthfully.

"This book records in detail the mating process of dragons and phoenixes. Because it was written too explicitly, the Dragon Clan and Phoenix Clan filed a joint complaint, and it was listed as a forbidden book. I thought all copies had been destroyed. I never expected one to still be here. I wonder who hid it!"

In other words, it was a porn book.

Lu Yang: "..."

To hell with your dragon-phoenix harmony!

He suddenly remembered—the senior brother had said that dirtying a book meant paying compensation.

The alliance leader's bonus chapter will have to wait for now.