After watching Thunder Spirit frolic in the sea of lightning for a while, the group finally reached the Thunderpeak under the guidance of Cang Wanli and Xue Changfeng.
The summit of Thunderpeak is open and flat, with the entire cliff top appearing as if it had been cleaved flat by a celestial blade, vast and expansive.
Several magnificent palaces and pavilions stand scattered on the flat ground. The most majestic and imposing main hall is the Thunderclap Hall. It is said that the entire hall is made of celestial black iron, which is thick and sturdy. Even if Grandmaster Realm attacks with all his might, it will be difficult to leave a mark on the hall walls.
The roof is covered with special lightning-attracting glazed tiles, which constantly Jieyin thunder and lightning from the sky. Strands of purple-gold lightning arcs wander and flicker at the eaves, crackling softly incessantly, naturally forming a top-notch lightning-gathering array, with lightning energy from within a hundred miles continuously converging here.
From afar, the entire hall was hidden within the misty lightning, and a domineering and chilling pressure swept over you. Just standing here, you could feel a powerful aura that could suppress all thunder.
In addition, because Thunderpeak is shrouded in thunderclouds and the power of lightning is violent and intense all year round, ordinary martial artists' Flesh Body Realm cannot withstand the erosion of such dense lightning energy and cannot stay on the peak for long. Therefore, hundreds of elegant independent villas have been built on the mountainside and at the foot of the mountain.
These villas are all equipped with protective array patterns that isolate excessive lightning power. They can absorb the rich lightning-attribute spiritual energy overflowing from Thunderpeak to aid cultivation, without being damaged by the violent lightning energy in their meridians and physical Flesh Body Realm.
As the Supreme Elder of the Heaven-Dominating Sect, it was only natural for him to occupy a main peak by himself. Moreover, Cang Wanli and Xue Changfeng had arranged for hundreds of servants and disciples on Thunderpeak for him to command.
Chen An didn't pay much attention to these things. He simply settled Shen Zongyue's family in the best Cloud-Resting Courtyard halfway up the mountain, and temporarily handed Thunder Spirit, who had finally returned from playing, over to Shen Qinglan. Then he went with Cang Wanli to the Sutra Repository, which was a hundred miles away.
The Heaven-Dominating Sect's Scripture Repository is over a hundred feet tall, constructed entirely of indestructible ink-patterned rock. It consists of nine levels, each with its own sealing formation and guarded by powerful individuals. The higher the level, the higher the grade of the cultivation techniques and scriptures stored there, and the more stringent the security becomes.
The entire building is hidden in the swirling clouds and mist, with ancient auspicious beast patterns carved on the eaves. Two Martial King Realm elders take turns guarding it year-round.
Normally, the Heaven-Dominating Sect does not restrict its disciples from visiting the Scripture Pavilion, but only the first to third floors are permitted.
On the third floor, at least Heaven Rank, and even King-rank and Emperor-rank, cultivation techniques, martial arts, secret arts, alchemy, and array formations are hidden, as well as the cultivation notes of martial artists above the Great Grandmaster Realm. Only elders or true disciples of the Heaven-Dominating Sect are allowed to enter.
Looking at this library, which embodies the martial arts heritage accumulated over tens of thousands of years of sect history, one can feel a profound and vast scholarly atmosphere emanating from it.
"Greetings, Elder Cang and Elder Chen!"
Chen An and Cang Wanli did not deliberately conceal their presence or aura. As soon as they stepped into the white jade square in front of the Scripture Pavilion, some disciples, stewards, and even the elders on duty who had seen them at the mountain gate or had already received the sect's message rushed over to bow and pay their respects, speaking with utmost deference.
"No need for formalities!"
Chen An and Cang Wanli simply nodded slightly to these people before entering the library.
" Shi Yuan, Cheng Yan, Elder Chen is the newly Heaven-Dominating Sect Elder of our Batian Sect. From now on, he may freely browse all the books on all floors of the Scripture Pavilion. You must not obstruct him!" Cang Wanli said to the two elders.
"Yes, we will obey the Supreme Lord's decree!" the two elders on duty replied in unison.
The two elders on duty, of course, dared not raise any objections.
Just kidding, this is Elder Chen. Don't let his youth fool you, he's a true Martial Emperor Realm.
Moreover, it is said that before Chen Taishang became emperor, he had already killed an avatar of the Bloodslaughter Demon Emperor.
Faced with such a terrifying existence, even without Cang Wanli's orders, would those two Martial King Realm dare to step forward and stop it?
Chen An and Cang Wanli nodded slightly, and then walked into the Sutra Repository together.
The interior of the Sutra Repository is extremely spacious, with thick, dark-patterned stone pillars, each as thick as two people could hug, rising from the ground to support the towering dome.
Rows of tall ebony bookshelves are neatly arranged, stretching as far as the eye can see. The shelves are filled with all kinds of ancient books and animal skin scrolls, so many that they are countless.
Sunlight streamed through the glazed tiles of the dome, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The entire space was so quiet that only the occasional sound of pages turning could be heard.
"Brother Chen, the first to third floors of our Heaven-Dominating Sect Pavilion contain basic Yellow-rank, Profound-rank, and Earth Rank cultivation techniques, as well as rudimentary notes on alchemy, weapon crafting, and array formation, for outer and inner disciples to peruse and study."
As Cang Wanli walked slowly forward, he personally introduced the area to Chen An, saying, "The fourth to sixth floors contain Heaven Rank and King-rank martial arts manuals, as well as the cultivation notes of past elders and true disciples. Only direct disciples and stewards of that rank or higher are allowed to enter."
The two climbed the stairs and soon arrived at the seventh floor.
The bookshelves here are noticeably sparser, and each book is placed individually in a specially made jade box. There are even a few jade slips, which emit a faint, restrictive glow.
"The seventh and eighth floors contain high-grade King-level or Emperor-level martial arts, ancient incomplete cultivation techniques, martial skills, secret arts, as well as cultivation notes and miscellaneous records of some Martial King Realm -level martial artists, and many high-level classics such as alchemy and array formation. Normally, even elders are not qualified to browse them at will."
"By the way, the Yuan Master inheritance you were interested in before is right here!"
As he spoke, led by Cang Wanli, Chen An walked into the depths of the seventh floor, raised his hand and pointed directly to a bookshelf specially equipped with isolation and restriction measures. On the shelf were neatly arranged more than ten long-sealed jade slips and several yellowed and tattered ancient scrolls.
"The path of the Yuan Master is mysterious and unpredictable, and its cultivation is extremely difficult. Brother Chen, if you are interested, you can take a look, but please don't become too obsessed."
Cang Wanli spoke solemnly and earnestly, "Throughout history, countless exceptionally talented individuals have devoted their entire lives to studying this path, only to end up failing to comprehend the earth veins' connection and neglecting their martial arts cultivation, resulting in nothing. The third-generation patriarch was a once-in-a-millennium genius, yet he barely managed to reach the threshold of the Yuan Earth Master. Since him, for tens of thousands of years, no one in the sect has been able to enter this path, which shows just how demanding this path is."
Chen An stepped forward slowly, his gaze falling on the jade slips and ancient scrolls. His heart stirred slightly, but he nodded calmly and said, "I appreciate Brother Cang's kindness. Don't worry, I'm only somewhat interested in the Dao of Yuan Masters; I won't become too obsessed!"
"It's good that Brother Chen knows what's going on!" Hearing Chen An's words, Cang Wanli nodded, relieved.
Finally, the two reached the ninth floor.
"As for this ninth level, it is the forbidden area of our sect. It contains the handwritten notes of all the founders since the founding of the sect, the inheritance of the sect's ultimate technique, the Overlord Heaven Fist, and various fragmented manuals and techniques involving secrets left over from countless years."
Chen An glanced around and nodded slightly.
The fact that the Heaven-Dominating Sect is one of the Four Great Martial Sacred Lands is truly well-deserved. The foundation of its Scripture Repository alone is something that ordinary sects cannot match.
"I won't bother you any longer. I have some matters to attend to within the sect. If you need anything, or if you can't find the scriptures you're looking for, feel free to send me a message!"
Cang Wanli, being an old and shrewd man, had already seen Chen An's longing for the Scripture Pavilion from his eyes. After giving his introduction, he didn't want to make a fool of himself and left with a casual excuse.
After Cang Wanli left, a look of excitement finally appeared in Chen An's eyes. He then returned to the fourth floor and plunged into the vast sea of bookshelves...