Claiming Allocated Resources

Before long, Qin Huaian had the contents of Postpartum Care for Spirit Beasts in his mind.

This book mainly discussed precautions for caring for mammalian spirit beasts after giving birth, and also discussed...

Uh... what the book discussed was not important. What mattered was that he could record the books in the Library Pavilion!

With a thought, the book appeared in Qin Huaian's hand again. He returned it to its place on the shelf.

Of course, whether it was truly its original place, Qin Huaian had not paid attention. This Library Pavilion prided itself on chaos, anyway.

Since he could record them, he might as well record every book in the entire Library Pavilion. Qin Huaian began putting them into his space one by one.

"Unknown book Qi Kingdom Gazetteer detected. Record it?"

"Record!"

"Unknown book Pest Prevention in Spirit Rice Cultivation detected. Record it?"

"Unknown book detected..."

After recording more than a dozen books, Qin Huaian gradually felt mentally exhausted and drowsy.

Hmm? What was going on? Qin Huaian carefully sensed himself and immediately understood.

Although he could record the contents of books into his mind, suddenly cramming in so much knowledge at once was more than his mental energy could bear. He had to let his mind rest before he could continue recording.

Qin Huaian sat cross-legged on the floor, circulated his cultivation art, and closed his eyes to rest his mind. About an hour later, he opened his eyes. The feeling of mental exhaustion from before had faded.

He could not record every book indiscriminately. He needed to seek out books that were truly useful.

Qin Huaian began going through the shelves one by one. Then he suddenly discovered a very thick book, Elixir Compendium.

After flipping through it, he found that it mainly recorded the formulas for first- through third-tier pills in the Cultivation World, as well as the appearances, properties, and other characteristics of the spirit herbs and medicinal herbs required to refine them.

It included most commonly used first- through third-tier pills. This was a good book. He had to record it.

After recording it, Qin Huaian continued searching.

By nightfall, the Library Pavilion's illumination formation activated. Qin Huaian did not stop, still sweeping through books one after another without knowing fatigue. Whenever he found a suitable one, he recorded it. Whenever recording tired him out, he meditated and rested for a while before continuing his search.

By the following morning, Qin Huaian's face was full of exhaustion, yet his spirit was unusually excited.

Over that day and night, he had found many valuable books. Knowledge of commonly used first- through third-tier formations, first- through third-tier talismans, and the forging of magic artifacts had all been recorded in his mind.

Though none of it was especially advanced, it included the knowledge of artifacts, formations, pills, and talismans commonly used by Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators.

There was also geographical and cultural knowledge concerning the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect and the surrounding factions.

Though he was exhausted, he was deeply satisfied with the night.

Through his studies that night, Qin Huaian discovered something very strange.

The ascended cultivators recorded by the major factions had all ascended five thousand years ago. There were no records of cultivators ascending during the last five thousand years. Not only had no cultivators ascended, but the overall strength of the various sects had also been declining.

Five thousand years ago, records of Mahayana Realm and Integrated Body Realm Cultivators frequently appeared among the major factions. Yet in the last five thousand years, records of high-level cultivators became fewer and fewer. In the last two thousand years, even the highest-level cultivators appearing in various biographies were only Spirit Transformation cultivators.

Could it be that the Cultivation World here had entered the Age of Dharma Decline so often seen in novels from his previous life?

Or had the biographies deliberately exaggerated the cultivation of their predecessors?

They probably had not exaggerated it. At the very least, Yellow Mountain Sword Venerable should have truly existed. It was said that Yellow Mountain Sword Venerable had possessed unparalleled talent in his day, his flying sword wielded with divine mastery. In less than a thousand years, he had cultivated to the point of transcending tribulation and ascending.

Yet according to the biographies, the several sect masters of the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect over the past thousand years had only been at the Nascent Soul Realm.

Of course, this was not something a tiny Qi Refining cultivator like him should worry about now. He should first find a way to improve his cultivation.

At that moment, Qin Huaian's Identity Token flashed red several times. He knew that the day was up.

Over the course of that day, he had only read through less than a third of the bookshelves on the first floor. He would come again when he had the chance and strive to go through every book.

Qin Huaian walked out of the first floor of the Library Pavilion and saw that the old man was still holding a book and reading. He cupped his fists and said, "Senior, this junior will take his leave."

The old man did not raise his head. He merely nodded. "Go."

A librarian was worthy of the respect he deserved!

After leaving the Library Pavilion, Qin Huaian saw that East Dawn Plaza was already crowded with people. Most headed toward the Affairs Hall, while a small number went west toward Transmission Cliff. Only a very few headed for the Library Pavilion.

Qin Huaian also headed toward the Affairs Hall. There were far fewer people there today.

Upon entering the Affairs Hall, he found a massive hall inside, its space as lofty and spacious as an airport waiting hall from his previous life.

Directly in front of the entrance was the Resource Collection Counter, where disciples usually collected cultivation resources.

On the right was the Item Trading Counter, where various cultivation resources such as magic artifacts and pills could be purchased.

On the left was the Sect Mission Counter. A huge formation display screen scrolled through recent sect missions.

Qin Huaian looked toward the formation display screen:

"A small black iron mine has been discovered in Langya Kingdom. Five Late Qi Refinement Realm cultivators are being recruited as managers. Term: two years. Reward: 3,000 Sect Contribution Points."

"Large-scale purchase of first-tier demon beast cores from Shadow Panthers. Ten Sect Contribution Points per beast core."

"An ancient ruin has been discovered by the Boundless Sea in Jin Kingdom. The ruin's formation permits entry only to Qi Refining Stage cultivators. Mission: explore the ruin. Sect Contribution Points will be awarded according to results."

...

"Large-scale purchase of Essence Recovery Pills and True Essence Pills. One bottle of Essence Recovery Pills: 8 Sect Contribution Points. One bottle of True Essence Pills: 80 Sect Contribution Points."

At last, he saw a familiar mission. Essence Recovery Pills had been purchased by Rosy Cloud Pavilion for eighty spirit stones per bottle, while the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect offered eight Sect Contribution Points. By that comparison, one Sect Contribution Point was roughly equivalent to ten low-grade spirit stones.

Thinking back to how reading on the second floor of the Library Pavilion for one day required one hundred Sect Contribution Points, that was equivalent to one thousand low-grade spirit stones. It was still quite expensive.

Qin Huaian did not continue looking at the mission display screen. He went to the Resource Collection Counter. There were already only a few people waiting in line, and it was soon his turn.

Qin Huaian handed over his Identity Token and said, "Greetings, Senior Brother. I am here to collect this month's resources and the items for newly inducted disciples."

A ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivator took the Identity Token and placed it atop a magic artifact. A light screen appeared on the artifact:

Qin Huaian: Outer Sect Disciple of East Dawn Peak

Resources awaiting collection: 600 low-grade spirit stones; newly inducted disciple set.

"Junior Brother, what attribute of basic cultivation art would you like? All are top-grade Yellow-rank cultivation arts and can be cultivated to the ninth layer of Qi Refining."

After thinking for a moment, Qin Huaian said, "Please give me a wood-attribute cultivation art, Senior Brother."

The Azure Splendor Art he cultivated was a wood-attribute cultivation art, so he wanted a wood-attribute one for reference and comparison.

"Alright, everything has been placed in this storage pouch. Keep it safe, Junior Brother." The cultivator quickly handed Qin Huaian a storage pouch.

After briefly checking it, Qin Huaian cupped his fists. "Thank you, Senior Brother."

After leaving the Resource Collection Counter, Qin Huaian walked toward the Item Trading Counter.