Myriad Phenomena in Books, and No Book Without Coincidence

"That's right, that's the purpose of this Book Mine." Bei Xuan said, raising his hand.

Seeing this, Qiu Yan understood and handed the crystal back. The moment it left his hand, the feeling of ink splashing that had been lingering in his heart vanished instantly, as if it had been forcibly peeled away from his heart.

"Oh? The information from this Book Mine can't be retained in the mind?"

Bei Xuan smiled slightly, "The information in the Book Mine is different from that of the wood that responds to human desires. It contains no trace of Human Thoughts, it is pure and white, as if it were naturally formed. It contains only simple insights and information, which cover a wide range of topics, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. The late emperor once wrote a poem..."

At this point, he recited a poem—

The wealthy need not buy fertile land; they can find abundant harvests within books.

A comfortable home doesn't need a grand mansion; a golden house can be found within books.

Don't lament the lack of companions when you go out; in books, carriages and horses are plentiful in abundance.

Don't lament the lack of a good matchmaker when seeking a wife; beauty awaits in books...

Upon hearing these four lines, Qiu Yan's heart stirred. "Could this poem be describing Book Mine?"

Bei Xuan did not answer directly, but said, "In this mountain of Book Mountain and mineral deposits, the mineral crystals contained are all-encompassing. If one is lucky, one can obtain great fortune from them, allowing those who cannot write calligraphy to reach the essence of the art, allowing those who have never painted to create dragons with their brushes, allowing ugly people to have good luck in love, and allowing those who are plagued by bad luck to find a way out!"

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yan suddenly realized. "So that's how it is. The essence of the painting technique was contained within that Book Ore Crystals. And it focused on painting bamboo leaves. However, once the ore left his hand, all the insights it conveyed vanished. Doesn't that mean a person cannot leave the ore? Could it be that one could bring these ores from the Scholar Forest back to the Mortal Realm?"

His question stemmed from a realization. Although the ore before him was tangible, it was actually akin to a mental object. It could be visually represented in the Scholar Forest World, but once the soul left and returned to the body, how to carry this Book Mine would become a problem.

Then Qiu Yan frowned and said, "That's not right either. Although the insights gained from the Book Mine are exquisite, it's still just a single bamboo leaf. The art of calligraphy and painting is so profound. Even if one can paint a single leaf, one still cannot be considered School of Names."

Bei Xuan nodded, his eyes showing admiration. "Brother Qiu touched the Book Mine and was able to deduce these things from just a few words. It's clear you're a thoughtful person. No wonder you can condense the Literary Heart and Literary Path Creation. Indeed, the Book Ore Crystals is subject to many restrictions. Even if you obtain it, you can only gain some insight when you come into contact with the soul ore. Moreover, this Book Mine to take out of the Scholar Forest. Once the soul leaves, the ore returns to its place."

"Can't be taken out of the Scholar Forest?" Qiu Yan raised an eyebrow. "If it can't be taken out of the Scholar Forest, then this Book Mine is practically useless. You can gain some insights within the Scholar Forest, but once you leave, you're back to square one. That's quite different from what the poem describes."

"What the poem describes is an ideal realm." Bei Xuan raised his hand and pointed around, "These stalagmites on the ground and the stalactites on the cave ceiling all contain a piece of Book Mine, each containing insights into a certain aspect, and Fortune the Three Shoulder Flames!"

"Even Fortune is hidden? Obtained from the sky?" Qiu Yan narrowed his eyes, looking around. His senses spread out, reaching a wide area, but he couldn't penetrate the surface of the stalactites and stalagmites to see inside. "But with just senses, you can't know what's inside at all; you can only rely on luck to figure it out."

"Indeed, this is also what makes Book Mine special. These Book Mine are not all isolated; they are interconnected. For example, the one I have contains the painting techniques for bamboo leaves in the art of calligraphy and painting. A single piece of it is difficult for anyone to retain the insights within it. However, if you encounter several pieces related to ink splashing and bamboo painting, and absorb them together as a whole, they can be understood and absorbed by others! As the saying goes, there is no book without coincidence. Ultimately, the creation of a book depends on one's own luck."

Qiu Yan paused for a moment, glanced at the crystal in the other person's hand, then looked at the stalagmites scattered on the ground, and shook his head, saying, "The possibility of encountering someone with the same insights is too small, and besides, a few pieces of Book Mine count as a set?"

"Any number is possible, which is why only a few people can truly gain anything from the Book Mine; perhaps not even one person in a hundred years." Bei Xuan shook his head, a glint of light in his eyes. "However, for us, getting close to the bamboo shoot and carefully sensing it, as long as we can concentrate and calm our minds, without being disturbed by external things, we can still get a general idea of its shape, which can be considered an experience."

Hearing this, Qiu Yan took a deep breath to calm his slightly turbulent State of Mind, then clasped his hands in thanks. "Thank you for your guidance, Brother Bei. These words will save me a lot of trouble in this Book Mine."

"No need to be polite. You'll know these things quickly once you try them. I'm just adding icing on the cake." Bei Xuan waved his hand, not taking credit for it.

Looking at the other person's expression, Qiu Yan had a sudden thought and asked, "Excuse me, Brother Bei, is this your first time visiting Scholar Forest?"

"This isn't the first time; this is the second," Bei Xuan shook his head, a look of regret on his face. "Both times I entered the forest, and the aura and intent of the Scholar Forest have left many traces in my soul. After this time, I'm afraid there won't be a third time. This is my last chance in this life. How much I can comprehend depends on fate."

"Hmm? Even someone Literary Path Creation can't survive three entries into the forest?" Qiu Yan was somewhat surprised. He had previously heard that the Scholar Forest had certain restrictions and that one's soul could not survive more than three entries. He had speculated that someone who had condensed their Literary Heart and Literary Path Creation might be able to withstand more entries and exits. He didn't expect Bei Xuan to say something like this. Judging from the other party's expression and demeanor, he didn't seem to be faking it.

Just as Qiu Yan was about to ask further questions, a voice came from the cave entrance. It was Tang Qing and the old man who walked in, followed by Sun Yong, Zhou Meng, and Huang Xun.

Upon seeing the two people in the cave, Sun Yong stopped and said apologetically, "I didn't know you two gentlemen were still talking. I apologize for the intrusion. I will take my leave now." Although he said this, Sun Yong's feet remained firmly on the ground, showing no intention of retreating.

"No need," Bei Xuan waved his hand. "I've said everything I needed to say. You're here for the mines, and this is a matter of chance. We can't afford to waste a moment. Go on."

"Then thank you very much, Mr. Bei." Sun Yong nodded with a smile, and led Zhou Meng and Huang Xun toward the edge of the cave. Zhou and Huang also bowed to Qiu Yan before following.

The three of them selected one of the dozens of caves and went inside without hesitation.

"Cousin, let's set off too." Tang Qing came to Bei Xuan's side, glancing at Qiu Yan as she spoke, her tone suggesting he was seeing her off.

Qiu Yan, naturally understanding the situation, cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Now that I know the characteristics of this Book Mine, I won't take up any more of your time, Brother Bei. I'll explore it on my own."

Bei Xuan pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Very well. Although there are Trial Beast roaming around, Brother Qiu, you are skilled in Literary Path Creation and have cultivation, so those Trial Beast can't harm you. We'll meet again later. However, the thoughts and insights within the Book Mine are pure, but they can also corrupt the soul. Brother Qiu, it's best not to stay inside for more than thirty-six hours. Moreover, the more stalagmites and stalactites you break off, the more your soul will be eroded, and the shorter the time you can stay."

A day consists of twelve two-hour periods, and thirty-six two-hour periods make up three days.

"I will keep that in mind." Qiu Yan nodded and turned to walk towards a cave entrance.

At this moment, a rustling sound came from the cave entrance again, indicating that people were walking shoulder to shoulder. Zhan Household, the three Zhan brothers and several others came in, bowed to Bei Xuan, and addressed him as "Master."

Bei Xuan nodded and entered a cave entrance next to him with Tang Qing and the old man.

After Qiu Yan entered the cave, he strode a few steps, and the surroundings immediately became quiet.

The further you go in, the quieter it becomes.

The cave within the cave wasn't very high, just half a head taller than Qiu Yan. Walking through it felt somewhat oppressive, but he didn't need to bend over or stoop. His senses covered his surroundings, allowing him to be constantly aware of his surroundings.

"It seems that no one else has chosen this path but me."

Along the edge of the main cave, there are dozens of caves within caves. There weren't many people who came by boat to begin with, and even fewer were willing to disembark and enter the caves. At most, there were only about ten people. Most of them had seen Qiu Yan enter the cave with their own eyes and naturally didn't want to follow. In their view, following Literary Path Creation's group would greatly reduce their chances of success.

After understanding the surrounding situation, Qiu Yan bent down, stared at a stalagmite at his feet, calmed his mind, and carefully contemplated it.

Along the way, the ground was covered with stalactites of different colors and heights, and this one was just one of them, nothing special.

As his State of Mind calmed and his spirit focused, Qiu Yan indeed sensed the subtle insight within the stalagmite—it was nimble and delicate. However, Qiu Yan sighed, "Although I can grasp the general atmosphere within, without a point of reference, how can I learn more information? How can I discern its origin?"

With a sigh, he raised his hand and broke the stalactite in half.

Instantly, the stalactites melted, revealing blue crystals. The artistic conception and insights within seeped into his soul, spreading ink in his heart, allowing him to calmly paint. Soon, a lifelike bird took shape.

"This area is also Book Mine of knowledge about painting."

As he pondered this, Incense Faith surged forth from within the Soul Aperture, attempting to decipher them. Strangely, these Incense Faith, which had always been effective, seemed to have encountered their nemesis this time, proving utterly incapable of interpreting this insight about painting birds!

"It seems that the shortcut method won't work, so I'll have to try the brute force method..."

Just as Qiu Yan was about to change his mind and take control, his soul suddenly trembled, and he felt a surge of filial piety rising from the depths of his soul!

"Hmm?" A thought struck Qiu Yan, and he stopped what he was thinking. Then he opened his mouth and uttered a sound!

A flash of white light appeared from its mouth, followed by a burst of radiant light. It hovered in the air before landing on the ground. After a turn, a figure was revealed—

It turned out to be a chubby, fair-skinned boy, completely naked, holding a brocade pouch in his hands.

ps:

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