Xuanchu Academy disciples could enter only the first three floors of the Scripture Library.
The fourth floor and above housed Foundation Establishment cultivation methods and the sect's secret arts. Only elders with an order token could consult them. The Ninth Floor had never even been mentioned in the Xuanchu Academy handbook.
Li Sanshun examined the half-sheet of old paper several times.
The edge of the book-collection seal was damaged, and the ink had clearly been there for years. If this item really came from the Scripture Library of Tai Xuan Sect, then Old Rascal must have had some history with the sect.
Early the next morning, he took the fifteen Xuanchu Merit points he had just earned and headed to the Scripture Library.
The Scripture Library stood on the northern side of the main peak and had eight floors in all. It was built of dark timber. An old man in gray robes sat dozing by the entrance, a sword in his arms.
Li Sanshun looked up and counted twice.
There were indeed only eight floors.
The disciple in charge of registration checked his token and handed him a wooden timer.
"Xuanchu Academy disciples may stay on the first three floors for two hours. Basic immortal arts cost between two and five Xuanchu Merit points, while Qi Refining manuals cost ten or more. Cultivation methods may only be read inside the library. You can copy them only after redeeming them."
Li Sanshun entered the first floor.
The shelves held basic texts such as Fire Ignition Art, Water Condensation Art, and Thick Earth Merit. Most of their contents were even simpler than what Old Rascal had taught him. The Five Elements arts were kept in separate sections, and he couldn't find any records of how to link their cycles together.
The second floor held Qi Refining cultivation methods.
Li Sanshun found Primordial Origin Art on the old shelves at the very back.
The sect's version consisted of three volumes, covering the first through ninth levels of Qi Refining, and cost fifteen Xuanchu Merit points. Dust coated the covers, and the borrowing records hadn't been updated in more than twenty years.
Seeing him take the book, the disciple watching the shelves couldn't help warning him.
"Primordial Origin Art requires the cultivator to draw on the spiritual energy of all five elements at once. It's much slower than single-element methods. The sect classified it as a miscellaneous art long ago. Even though you have Five Elements Synchronization, you should consult the peak master first, lest you take a wrong turn."
Li Sanshun opened the first volume.
The opening passages were the same as in the version Old Rascal had passed down to him. But when it came to the section on the five energies returning to their source, the sect's version was missing three passages describing the energy-circulation routes. Those missing sections fit perfectly with the half-sheet of old paper.
Old Rascal's copy of Primordial Origin Art was more complete.
"Who put this cultivation method in the Scripture Library?"
The disciple watching the shelves shook his head.
"There are too many old books. The catalog only records the names of the methods. If you want to find out where it came from, you'll have to check the book register on the third floor."
Li Sanshun returned the volume to its place and went up to the third floor.
The book registers were arranged by year, with records from a hundred years ago and earlier on the western side. He began with the earliest borrowing record for Primordial Origin Art and finally found an entry in a catalog from six hundred years ago.
Primordial Origin Art, collected from the Mysterious Bird Secret Vault. Three incomplete volumes, missing the Five Elements Combined Art and the Foundation Establishment General Outline.
Beside the words "Mysterious Bird Secret Vault" was the same nine-level book-collection seal.
Just as Li Sanshun was about to continue searching, the Gold Blade in his arms began to tremble faintly.
He pressed down on the hilt through his clothes, but the tremor didn't stop. A faint scraping sound came from the wooden wall behind the book registers.
At the entrance on the first floor, the old man with the sword opened his eyes.
He had guarded the library for over a hundred years and had long since memorized its formations. Just now, an old formation pattern sealed inside the western wall on the third floor had briefly awakened.
Even he didn't know where the formation pattern led.
The old man picked up the teacup on the table and glanced toward the third floor, but didn't intervene.
Gu Changyue had sent word that morning. Li Sanshun was to be left alone while he consulted any cultivation method he wished; the only requirement was to record whatever he took away.
On the western side of the third floor, Li Sanshun followed the direction of the Gold Blade's vibrations to a corner.
A painting of Tai Xuan Sect's mountains and rivers hung on the wooden wall. The main peak in the painting had only an eight-story Scripture Library, but a very narrow white line had been drawn inside the mountain.
The line stretched upward from the third floor, ending at the roof.
Li Sanshun took down the painting, revealing a palm-sized hollow in the wall behind it.
The hollow's shape resembled the bottom of the Gold Blade's hilt.
Old Rascal had warned him never to show the Gold Blade lightly. And this was the Scripture Library of Tai Xuan Sect. Putting it into the hollow without thinking might trigger the sect's formations.
Li Sanshun didn't draw the blade. He wrapped the hilt in its cloth cover and gently pressed it against the wall.
The Mystic Bird design lit up through the cloth.
A mechanism turned inside the wall, and a narrow door slid inward. There were no stone steps behind it, only a wooden ladder stretching upward.
The wooden timer was still counting down, and none of the Scripture Library's guards had appeared.
Li Sanshun took out the half-sheet of old paper. The nine-level book-collection seal on it grew warm as he faced the ladder.
Since the door was open, there was no point pretending he hadn't seen it.
He climbed the ladder.
At the top was a sealed chamber. Wooden boards covered every window. Inside stood seven rows of empty bookshelves, with only a black wooden box resting on a stone platform in the center.
An old plaque hung on the wall.
Ninth Floor of the Scripture Pavilion.
Li Sanshun didn't rush to touch the box. First, he inspected the area around the stone platform. Dust covered the floor, except for two rows of footprints in front of the platform.
They were faint, no more than half a month old.
Someone had been here recently.
Following the footprints to a corner, he found a scrap of charred paper. Half of the character "Zhao" remained on it, along with some of the red wax commonly used by the Deacon Hall.
Had someone from the Zhao household entered the Ninth Floor of the Scripture Pavilion?
Li Sanshun wrapped the scrap in cloth and put it in his Storage Bag. Then he returned to the stone platform and opened the black wooden box.
There were no cultivation methods inside, only five copper pieces of different colors.
When the half-sheet of old paper came close to the pieces, five diagrams of arts lit up in sequence. The copper pieces arranged themselves into a diagram of a person's energy-circulation routes.
The spiritual energy of the five elements flowed from the meridians into the dantian, transformed once inside, then emerged through all five arts at the same time.
A chant was engraved beneath the diagram.
"One turn of the Primordial Origin, and the five arts return to the current. Five turns of the Primordial Origin, and the five elements become one."
Li Sanshun memorized the chant and returned the copper pieces to their original positions.
A letter lay beneath the bottom of the wooden box.
The envelope had been opened, and only half a sheet of paper remained inside.
"If the Gold Blade returns, a descendant of the Mystic Bird will surely come. Whoever bears the blade may take the Primordial Origin Foundation Establishment General Outline. The other items must not be touched without permission..."
The rest had been torn away.
Li Sanshun put the letter back where it had been and looked toward the two rows of footprints.
Whoever had entered recently had already read the letter and torn away its most important half. Perhaps they were waiting for someone carrying the Gold Blade to appear.
A creaking sound came from the wooden ladder outside.
Someone was coming up.
Li Sanshun retreated beside the shelves, his hand already gripping the Gold Blade.
A thin, bony hand appeared in the narrow doorway, followed by the wrinkled face of the old man with the sword.
The old man looked at the open wooden box, then glanced at Li Sanshun's hand on the blade.
"Don't draw it. If you unsheathe this blade, the entire main peak will sense it."
Li Sanshun didn't relax.
"Senior, you knew about the Ninth Floor?"
"I knew it existed, but I couldn't get in. The ninth floor recognizes only the Mystic Bird Seal. I've guarded this place for over a hundred years, and today's the first time I've made it up here."
The old man went to the stone platform. When he saw that only half the letter remained, his expression darkened.
"Fifteen days ago, the Scripture Library's formations failed for half a quarter of an hour. I searched all eight floors, but couldn't find the cause. Looks like someone used the opportunity to get in here."
Li Sanshun took out the scrap of paper bearing the character "Zhao."
"Senior, do you recognize this sealing wax?"
The old man took the scrap. When he recognized the mountain pattern in the red wax, he set his teacup down hard on the stone platform.
"Zhao Chong."
A bell rang from below.
A sword-bearing disciple entered the Scripture Library and loudly relayed the summons.
"Li Sanshun, the Grand Elder summons you. Bring your Gold Blade and go to the side hall on the main peak."
Before you continue