Return to the Book-Collection Tower

The day Lin Qing would break through to the Second Tier of martial cultivation was drawing ever closer. It was time to record some new cultivation arts.

Back when he had solved the Wang Lineage case, he had been awarded an extremely substantial sum of merit. Daily patrol duty also earned merit. Moreover, because his consumption was so immense, he was utterly unsuited to exchanging resources at the Martial Suppression Office, so he had never spent any of his merit. As days accumulated into months, his reserve of merit had long since become exceedingly ample.

After finishing his morning duty, Lin Qing headed alone toward the Book-Collection Tower deep within the Martial Suppression Office.

The one guarding the entrance to the Book-Collection Tower was still Old Zhang, his beard and hair streaked with gray, his expression indolent.

The old man sat half-squinting, reclining sideways in an aged lounge chair cushioned with thick cotton padding. A pot of hot tea sat beside him. Whether winds blew and leaves fell, or worldly affairs churned in turmoil, nothing could disturb his leisurely ease.

There were countless Martial Suppression Office warriors coming and going each day to borrow books from the Book-Collection Tower, most hurrying along with purpose. Only Old Zhang remained here day after day, living out his quiet, ordinary life.

Lin Qing walked forward slowly, his expression respectful. He bowed slightly, then raised a black iron identity plaque engraved with his identification number and rank, handing it to Old Zhang. In a steady, modest tone, he said, "Old Zhang, this junior is Xie Chen. I have come today to enter the tower and select a Second-Tier cultivation art."

Several months ago, he had also visited the Book-Collection Tower once. At that time, he had recorded a cultivation art directly within the tower, then taken away a martial art manual, the Wind-Slashing Saber Art.

For that very reason, he had still not used his free cultivation art selection.

Old Zhang slowly opened his cloudy eyes and casually accepted the identity plaque, rubbing the patterns on its surface with his fingertips as he briefly checked the information.

The Martial Suppression Office in the prefectural city was a garrison of thousand-household scale, with nearly a thousand personnel of all kinds under its command. Warriors came endlessly to the Book-Collection Tower to borrow texts. Old Zhang had guarded this place for decades and seen young warriors as numerous as crucian carp crossing a river. How could he remember Lin Qing, who had visited only once several months ago?

In his eyes, the young man before him was merely another ordinary Banner Officer who had accumulated enough seniority, was preparing to advance to the Second Tier, and had come to select a cultivation art.

After confirming that everything was correct, Old Zhang returned the plaque without a ripple in his expression and said blandly, his voice carrying a hoarse rasp of age, "The rules remain the same. Second-Tier cultivation arts and Yellow Rank Beginner martial arts are both on the second floor. You have three hours to choose. Go."

"Many thanks, Old Zhang."

Lin Qing took back the identity plaque and tucked it into his robes. Yet he did not immediately turn to enter the tower. After hesitating briefly, he cupped his hands again and said earnestly, "Old Zhang, might this junior be permitted to visit the third floor for a look? This junior knows the third floor contains Third-Tier cultivation arts and Yellow-Tier High-Grade Martial Arts, which require considerable merit. This junior has enough merit to cover the cost and will absolutely not break any rules."

At those words, Old Zhang's relaxed brows furrowed slightly. He looked Lin Qing up and down, confusion and surprise in his eyes. "You are only at the First Tier now. It is enough for you to choose a Second-Tier cultivation art safely on the second floor. What are you going to the third floor for? The arts on the third floor are Third Tier. Even if I gave them to you, you could not cultivate them. Do not aim too high!"

Lin Qing had long expected this question and had already prepared his answer. He replied calmly, "Old Zhang, your judgment is wise. This junior is not aiming too high, nor will I forcibly cultivate a Third-Tier cultivation art. I merely intend to screen them in advance and find a Second-Tier cultivation art whose cultivation path is highly compatible with a Third-Tier cultivation art."

"This time, I will first choose a Second-Tier cultivation art to cultivate. When my cultivation breaks through in the future, I can directly cultivate the Third-Tier cultivation art I have already chosen, sparing myself the trouble of adapting to a new cultivation path and avoiding many detours on the road of cultivation."

The reasoning was entirely reasonable and logically sound.

Old Zhang fell silent upon hearing it. He stroked the sparse gray-white beard on his chin, quietly weighing the matter.

He had guarded the Book-Collection Tower for many years. Though the rules were strict, he was not so rigid that he could not adapt.

First, anyone visiting the third floor had to undergo his personal search and verification both when entering and leaving. There was absolutely no chance of secretly carrying out Third-Tier cultivation arts or high-grade martial art texts; second, in a mere three hours, no one could possibly memorize an entire Third-Tier cultivation art or Yellow-Tier High-Grade Martial Art, so there was no need to fear the texts being leaked; third, the Martial Suppression Office already had rules allowing merit to be exchanged for reading privileges. Quite a few First-Tier Banner Officers who had rendered meritorious service would occasionally spend merit to visit the third floor and select Yellow-Tier High-Grade Martial Arts.

Since Lin Qing was willing to spend merit and his reasoning was proper rather than reckless mischief, there was naturally no need to obstruct him further.

After a moment, Old Zhang slowly nodded and granted permission in a flat tone. "Very well. Since you know what you are doing and are willing to spend merit, I will allow you upstairs. Remember, you may only read; you may not copy or transcribe anything. The limit remains three hours. Once the time is up, come downstairs at once. Do not delay."

"This junior will remember the rules. Many thanks, Old Zhang, for granting this request!" Lin Qing was delighted and offered his solemn thanks once more.

Taking the identity plaque Old Zhang handed back to him, now marked for third-floor reading access, Lin Qing did not waste another moment. He turned and stepped through the ancient, imposing doors of the Book-Collection Tower.

The lighting inside was soft. Rows of wooden bookshelves stood in orderly formation, their layered texts arranged neatly and clearly categorized. His steps were light as he climbed the stairs, heading straight for the third floor.

There were noticeably fewer texts on the third floor. Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Qing casually took down a Third-Tier cultivation art and began carefully studying it word by word, sentence by sentence.

Time flowed slowly. Outside the window, the sun gradually shifted westward. The tower was silent, save for the soft rustle of turning pages.

The three-hour limit arrived in the blink of an eye.

In the cultivation art section on the second floor, Lin Qing casually selected an unremarkable, steady Second-Tier cultivation art as the text he had chosen openly, using it to deceive the eye.

Once everything was in order, he slowly descended the Book-Collection Tower and went to the entrance to undergo Old Zhang's routine inspection.

After carefully confirming that he had not concealed any fragments of books or sheets of paper, Old Zhang waved a hand and allowed him to leave.

Lin Qing cupped his hands in farewell and returned to his small courtyard at an unhurried pace.

After closing the courtyard gate and shutting out the disturbances of the outside world, Lin Qing willed it and opened the panel.

[Host: Lin Qing]

Realm: Skin-and-Flesh Realm (Breakthrough time: 10 days)

Fused cultivation arts: Origin-Returning Body-Tempering Stance, Bone-Nourishing Tendon-Tuning Stance (Expand)

Recorded cultivation arts: Lunar Visualization Art (257/9000), Solar Visualization Art (98/9000), Qi-Consolidating Essence-Fixing Stance (0/400), Breath-Steadying Foundation-Fixing Stance (0/400), Body-Calming Qi-Steadying Stance (0/400), Thick-Earth Root-Bearing Stance (0/400), Still-Standing Essence-Nurturing Stance (0/400)

Body control rating: Yellow-Tier Low Grade

Recorded martial arts: Mountain-Sinking Bone-Shattering Fist (0/80), Drifting-Cloud Wind-Breaking Steps (0/80), Falling-Wood Wind-Cutting Saber (0/80), Plain-Shadow Heart-Cleansing Sword (0/80), Soft-Cloud Gentle Palm Form (0/80)

The pale blue screen hovered before his eyes. What stood out most were the several brand-new cultivation arts and martial arts. Notably, as he fused more and more cultivation arts and martial arts, his aptitude had grown stronger and stronger. The total proficiency requirements for these newly recorded arts and skills had now fallen.

As for the several Yellow-Tier Low-Grade Martial Arts he had recorded earlier, after practicing them for this period of time, he had already cultivated them to perfection.

With multiple Yellow-Tier Low-Grade Martial Arts reaching perfection, his body control rating had likewise broken through the Mortal Tier and reached the Yellow-Tier Low-Grade level.

When ordinary warriors cultivated martial arts, they were often confined to fixed moves. A martial art generally contained only a few forms, each pieced together from basic martial movements.

When training, warriors could only rigidly imitate the routines. They had to rely on the connection of cumbersome basic movements, paired with particular methods of exerting force and shifting their breath, to briefly unleash Yellow-Tier combat power that surpassed the mundane.

Yet although such martial arts were more powerful than ordinary techniques, they also possessed several drawbacks.

First, the moves were fixed. Only the forms recorded in the martial art could unleash Yellow-Tier power; all other moves remained mundane. Second, the wind-up was too long. With multiple basic movements linked together, opponents could easily predict and interrupt them in battle, leaving the user passive. Third, the moves were rigid and inflexible. Against an experienced opponent, they could easily be countered in a targeted manner.

But as his martial arts melded together seamlessly, Lin Qing had now broken free of those shackles.

Where ordinary people needed to gather force and link several moves before unleashing a Yellow-Tier attack, he needed no wind-up at all. With every gesture and movement, he could activate such power as he pleased.

In other words, every punch, every kick, every slash and block of Lin Qing's now contained the explosive force and killing power of Yellow-Tier Low-Grade Martial Arts within the simplest basic movements. Attack and defense were one, nimble and ever-changing, without any rigid weakness.

Putting away the panel, Lin Qing slowly rose and began practicing one of the Third-Tier cultivation arts he had just recorded in the courtyard.

A Third-Tier cultivation art that ordinary First-Tier warriors would not even dare touch—he was able to perform one complete practice cycle.

Yet after practicing it, his tendons and bones ached unbearably, his Qi and Blood Realm energy was greatly depleted, and waves of heavy pressure came from his internal organs. It was clearly the burden brought about by forcing himself to wield a Third-Tier cultivation art with insufficient cultivation.

He understood at once that, with his current physique and Qi and Blood Realm energy at the peak of the First Tier, he still could not sustain long, uninterrupted cultivation of a Third-Tier cultivation art.

In that case, there was no need to use Earthheart Marrow for cultivation just yet. He could practice it once every so often and slowly push forward its cultivation progress first.

After formally breaking through to the Second Tier, when his total Qi and Blood Realm energy and physical strength had improved across the board, he could then consume Earthheart Marrow and rapidly push these Third-Tier cultivation arts to perfection.

Afterward, he took out a Yellow-Tier High-Grade Martial Art and began practicing it as well.

Compared to the Third-Tier cultivation arts, whose threshold was extremely high and burden immense, Yellow-Tier High-Grade Martial Arts placed very little pressure on him. They flowed smoothly, their force easy to wield, and could completely serve as his main direction of cultivation for the coming period.

He had thought these peaceful days of cultivation would continue for a long while, but there was never certainty in worldly affairs. Calm was ultimately only a fleeting illusion.

After merely two peaceful days, a sudden summons shattered the tranquility of the small courtyard.

Within the Martial Suppression Office, Hundred-Household Zhao Feng had received a mission and needed to select several people to accompany him. Lin Qing's name stood conspicuously on the list of those drafted.

His brief period of secluded cultivation came to an abrupt end. What awaited him was an external assignment filled with unknown dangers.