Scripture Repository, Han Yue

Jia Nan Academy's Scripture Repository was far more imposing than Qin Yu had imagined.

The entire pavilion had three floors. Qin Yu pushed open the heavy wooden doors and found the first-floor hall exceptionally spacious.

Rows upon rows of rosewood bookshelves stood in neat formation, filled with assorted scrolls and ancient tomes arranged by category.

A glowing crystal hung above every shelf, casting a soft milky-white radiance that brightly illuminated the entire hall.

"Cultivation methods in the east section, Dou Techniques in the west. Huh, straightforward enough."

Qin Yu quietly read the guide plaque hanging on the wall, his gaze sweeping across the rows of shelves.

His purpose here was clear: high-rank Earth Attribute cultivation methods and Dou Techniques.

Preferably, the kind that could smoothly merge with his Earth Origin Formula.

After making a round of the first floor, he found that most of the cultivation methods and Dou Techniques were Mystic Tier low- or mid-rank. They were somewhat beneath his current needs.

"The second floor should have things at Mystic Tier High-Rank and above."

Qin Yu headed toward the stairs. The second floor's layout was vastly different from the first: there were far fewer bookshelves, replaced by individual stone platforms.

Each stone platform was covered by a transparent light barrier, within which lay either a scroll or an ancient tome.

Labels were affixed to the barriers, listing the cultivation method's name, attribute, rank, and a brief introduction.

Qin Yu's gaze passed over the stone platforms one by one.

Just then, faint footsteps sounded from ahead.

Qin Yu looked up and saw a silver figure standing before a stone platform not far away.

The woman was tall and slender. Her silver dress made her skin appear even whiter than snow, while her waist-length silver hair gleamed faintly beneath the crystal light.

"Han Yue?"

With such unmistakable features, she had to be Han Yue, the young lady of the Han Household from the Central Plains.

Judging by the timeline, she really should have been in the Outer Academy now.

Han Yue noticed Qin Yu's gaze, turned to glance at him, and frowned slightly.

Why would a Four-Star Dou Practitioner freshman be on the second floor of the Scripture Repository?

Qin Yu nodded to her in greeting, then continued forward.

"Wait."

Han Yue's cool voice sounded behind him.

Qin Yu stopped and turned to look at her.

"You're a freshman... why are you on the second floor?"

The next moment, Han Yue's gaze fell upon the token hanging at Qin Yu's waist, and a trace of surprise flashed through her eyes.

"A special authorization token from the vice dean?"

"Mm. I met the vice dean earlier, and he gave me a little privilege."

Han Yue fell silent for a moment, seeming to ponder something.

"What is your name?"

"Qin Yu."

"Han Yue."

After exchanging names simply, Han Yue asked no further questions.

Qin Yu did not linger either. He turned and continued searching the second floor, but before long, footsteps sounded behind him again.

"The Earth Attribute cultivation methods and Dou Techniques are over there."

At some point, Han Yue had come up behind him and pointed him in a direction.

"How did Senior Han Yue know I was looking for Earth Attribute things?"

"You looked through several Mystic Tier High-Rank cultivation methods of other attributes earlier, but you didn't stop at any of them. Besides, your Dou Qi fluctuations are steady and heavy. You can only cultivate Earth-Attribute Battle Qi."

If Qin Yu had merely been a Four-Star Dou Practitioner, Han Yue would not have believed that Vice Dean Hu Gan would approve his coming to the second floor to seek cultivation methods and Dou Techniques.

Getting acquainted with him in advance might bring unexpected gains in the future.

"Thank you."

Han Yue nodded, then turned and left the second floor of the Scripture Repository with the scroll in her hand.

Qin Yu quickly headed in the direction Han Yue had indicated. Sure enough, he found quite a few Mystic Tier High-Rank Earth Attribute cultivation methods and Dou Techniques in the corresponding area.

"Hmm... there really is quite a lot."

After searching for a while, Qin Yu took down a Mystic Tier High-Rank Earth Attribute cultivation method, Mountain Qilin Suppresses the Mountains.

From the brief introduction, the core principle of this cultivation method was to imitate the form and aura of a Qilin and resonate with the power of mountains. It had much in common with his Earth Origin Formula.

As Qin Yu read, he continuously deduced its principles in his mind.

Mountain Qilin Suppresses the Mountains was indeed Mystic Tier High-Rank, but it was far more difficult to cultivate than other methods of the same rank.

First, the practitioner needed to live in seclusion amid mountains and forests for a long time to comprehend the power of mountains. Second, they needed to imitate the form and aura of a Qilin and achieve resonance with mountain power.

Perfectly combining the two to achieve effects far beyond cultivation methods and Dou Techniques of the same rank was exceedingly difficult.

Yet for Qin Yu, that was precisely why it suited him best.

His Top-Tier Comprehension excelled at understanding and grasping such profound, mysterious concepts.

"And there's this accompanying Dou Technique, Qilin Fist."

Immediately afterward, he opened the Mystic Tier High-Rank Dou Technique that accompanied this cultivation method, Qilin Fist.

This Dou Technique came from the same lineage as Mountain Qilin Suppresses the Mountains, likewise imitating the form and aura of a Qilin.

Once cultivated to mastery, a single punch would strike like a Qilin's roar, unstoppable in its force.

If he merged Mountain Qilin Suppresses the Mountains with his Earth Origin Formula, then combined it with the principles behind Qilin Fist...

Countless new ideas instantly burst forth in Qin Yu's mind.

He closed the scrolls and held both books against his chest, preparing to go downstairs and register them for borrowing.

Just then, a voice came from behind Qin Yu.

"Oh? There's actually a freshman here?"

Qin Yu turned around and saw three or four older students approaching from the other side of the second floor. Their leader was a tall, thin young man with a sinister-looking face.

The young man's gaze fell upon the cultivation method scrolls in Qin Yu's arms, and displeasure immediately appeared in his eyes.

"Freshman, leave those behind. You can go."

He stepped closer, looked Qin Yu up and down, then directly held out his hand, his tone leaving no room for dispute.

"Since when did the things in the Scripture Repository become your property?"

At those words, the older students behind him immediately moved to press forward, but the man in front stopped them.

"I've had my eye on these two cultivation methods and Dou Techniques for a long time. Besides, a freshman like you won't be allowed to borrow such high-rank cultivation methods."

The older student did not shout. He merely lifted his chin and explained in an even tone.

"The lower floor is where freshmen like you belong. Do you understand?"

Qin Yu did not answer. He simply took out the token Hu Gan had given him and waved it before them.

"Sorry, but I believe I have the right to borrow these two cultivation methods and Dou Techniques."

"This is... the vice dean's special authorization token?"

The older student's expression instantly froze, and the others behind him also recognized the item in Qin Yu's hand.

There were only a handful of Hu Gan's special authorization tokens in the Outer Academy. Anyone who could obtain one was certainly not someone to provoke lightly.

"The vice dean told me to come to the Scripture Repository and freely choose two cultivation methods and Dou Techniques. What, are you seniors planning to oppose the vice dean?"

Qin Yu spoke leisurely, his tone equally calm.

The older student before him turned pale, then flushed. His lips moved a few times, but in the end, he did not dare say anything excessive.

What a charge to pin on him—opposing the vice dean? Even if he had ten times the courage, he would not dare.