Choked into silence

The library's layout was simple, consisting of three sections: the Soul Master Area, the Soul Beast Area, and the Miscellaneous Area. Each major section was further divided into smaller subsections.

The Soul Master Area, for example, had subsections for soul rings, soul bones, martial souls, and so on. Small as a sparrow, it still had all five vital organs.

Thinking about it that way, it actually made perfect sense for Shrek Academy's library to be modest in size. After all, before the industrial age, producing any single book would have been costly.

Under those circumstances, only a tiny fraction of people had the means to write and publish books. This library held at least ten thousand volumes; calling the books on this single, unassuming floor worth a king's ransom would be no exaggeration.

In fact, having so many books might not have been Shrek's achievement alone. It might also have been the result of inheriting part of Spirit Hall's legacy.

Besides, the original story had only mentioned a confidential library on Sea God Island in the Inner Court. Having a library like this in the Outer Court was already quite impressive.

There weren't many people in the library at the moment, only a scattering of sixth-year students in black uniforms reading quietly. That was understandable: their graduation assessment was only a month away.

Whether they could obtain a diploma from Shrek Academy would essentially come down to this final push. If they ended up with nothing more than a certificate of completion because their theoretical knowledge fell short, they would really have been wronged beyond words.

Precisely because of that, even without Bei Bei and Xiao Ya's help, Chen Ping quickly settled on one person.

The man was sitting at a table in the Plant-type Soul Beast subsection of the Soul Beast Area, engrossed in an ancient book. Occasionally, he took out paper and a pen to jot down a few notes.

At a glance, he looked twenty-eight or twenty-nine, perhaps even in his early thirties.

Not only was he out of uniform, he also wore pale-purple, square-framed glasses. His entire bearing exuded tranquility and gentleness.

Just watching him, Chen Ping could faintly sense the contentment he found in reading, as though he were the only person left in the entire library.

At that moment, Bei Bei and Tang Ya, who had split up with Chen Ping to search, came over as well. Following his gaze, they immediately brightened.

Wasn't that Teacher Wang Yan, whom they hadn't spotted on their earlier circuit?

Bei Bei chuckled inwardly.

I knew it. How could Teacher Wang Yan and Chen Ping be so distantly related that they were beyond the five mourning generations?

If they really were that far removed, how could Chen Ping recognize Teacher Wang Yan at a glance?

Bei Bei went over, raised a hand with a grin, and greeted Wang Yan.

Wang Yan had just read that the heartwood of the wenlan tree could be used medicinally and that its trunk was hard as iron. He was about to make a note when a shadow fell across his vision.

It seemed something was blocking the light in front of him. Wang Yan looked up and saw Bei Bei grinning at him.

"Is something the matter, Bei Bei?"

Wang Yan's voice was gentle, without the slightest displeasure at having his reading interrupted. He asked in a lowered voice and pulled out a chair for Bei Bei.

"Teacher Wang Yan, guess who I brought to see you?"

As Bei Bei spoke, he shifted half a step aside, revealing Tang Ya and Chen Ping behind him.

At those words, Teacher Wang Yan paused, but he still couldn't make sense of what Bei Bei meant.

Even so, he used his soul power to pull out two more chairs.

"Oh, Xiao Ya is here too, and this young fellow... did you need something from me?"

This time, Bei Bei truly froze. How could Teacher Wang Yan really not recognize Chen Ping?

Fortunately, Chen Ping stepped forward first and spoke softly. "Teacher Wang, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Chen Ping. You could say I'm a disciple of the Coiling Dragon Sect..."

Chen Ping's words struck like a thunderclap from a clear sky. Wang Yan sprang to his feet, his face filled with shock. "You... you... you're..."

For a moment, quite a few students who had been concentrating on their revision cast puzzled looks their way.

Wang Yan seemed to realize that he had acted too rashly and made far too much noise.

He hurriedly lowered his voice. "Let's talk somewhere else. Follow me."

They left the library and headed straight for the shore of Sea God Lake, where they all sat down.

Wang Yan turned his gaze toward Chen Ping, his eyes full of questions.

Looking a little embarrassed, Chen Ping began, "Teacher Wang, I came here and asked Brother Bei Bei and Sister Tang Ya to help me find you because I truly had nowhere else to turn."

"Ever since evil soul masters wiped out the sect, I've been wandering the continent. I've traveled through Heaven Dou, Dou Ling, and the Star Luo Empire, but I've never been able to find a place to settle."

"Without strength, it isn't easy to earn a mouthful of food anywhere."

"Fortunately, I've never forgotten my elders' instructions over the years, and I haven't neglected my cultivation. My soul power has now reached rank fourteen."

"Then, by chance, I heard that your martial soul, Teacher Wang Yan, was the Coiling Dragon Staff, the same inherited martial soul as our Coiling Dragon Sect's. That's why I had the nerve to come seek shelter with you."

Those words shocked not only Wang Yan, but Bei Bei and Tang Ya as well.

Could an eleven-year-old child really have devised such a plan?

While struggling to make a living, he had kept up his cultivation and constantly sought news about his sect.

Upon hearing that Wang Yan's martial soul was the same as the Coiling Dragon Sect's inherited martial soul, he had immediately resolved to come to Shrek Academy. His capacity for action was simply astonishing.

Hearing this, Bei Bei and Tang Ya were stunned by Chen Ping's daring and determination. He had truly followed a trail of inquiries all the way here, with nothing more than a name he had heard.

For the two of them, who had never ventured out into the world on their own, it inspired heartfelt admiration.

But for Wang Yan, it was more than just shock. There was also grief and pity.

"You child... you poor child..."

"When I heard about the tragedy at the Coiling Dragon Sect, I actually... ah, it was already very late by the time I heard."

Wang Yan could barely get his words out.

He looked at Chen Ping's travel-worn face and the hideous scar newly carved across it.

Then there were the thick, rough calluses on his hands and the chilblains cracked open by winter's cold. For a moment, Wang Yan was choked into silence.

Chen Ping had actually guessed correctly. Wang Yan's family and the Coiling Dragon Sect were very distant relations indeed.

Perhaps if one traced back a dozen generations or more, there might have been some connection, but in reality, the two families hadn't had any dealings for many years.

The only thing the two families shared was the Coiling Dragon Staff as their inherited martial soul. Beyond that, there really wasn't any relationship to speak of.

But that didn't mean Wang Yan would refuse to acknowledge Chen Ping because of it.

"Come on, never mind anything else for now. I'm taking you to get something to eat. Bei Bei, Xiao Ya, if it weren't for you two, I wouldn't have found young Chen either. You're coming too."

Wang Yan instinctively touched the Storage Ring on his hand and used his spiritual power to check how many Gold Soul Coins he had left after buying books. Only then did he let out a small sigh of relief.

Good, there's still enough to eat out. The academy should pay our salaries tomorrow. Perfect timing.