Chapter 6: The Treasure Library
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
In a world where power could be stolen by consuming someone else’s fortune, revealing such a dark secret would undoubtedly lead to chaos. Yet, with a few simple words, Ye Cong Xin twisted this horrifying truth into nothing more than a false accusation.
Yu Zhao, who had boldly stepped forward to accuse Ye Cong Xin, found herself suddenly labeled as the villain.
Master Qing Yan, overwhelmed with rage, personally disabled one of Yu Zhao’s arms and banished her from the sect.
That day, a heavy rain blurred everything around Yu Zhao. She couldn’t see the faces of those around her, only hearing their sharp, piercing curses. The pain was excruciating, not just physically from her injuries but also from the crushing realization that her ideals had been naive. She had always believed hard work would earn gratitude, but now she understood some people would always take without a shred of thankfulness. She vowed then not to live for others, but solely for herself—selfishly, and as long as possible.
In the brutal world of cultivation, only the strong could guarantee their own safety. It was imperative for Yu Zhao to rebuild her strength. Determined, she set her sights on the sect’s Treasure Library as a starting point to gain new cultivation techniques.
The Treasure Library of the Five Elements Sect was an imposing six-story building packed with ancient texts. The first two floors were open to all disciples; the third and higher were reserved for Golden Core disciples and elders. The fourth floor was for Nascent Soul stage members, the fifth for Soul Formation stage, and the sixth was a sacred ground accessible only to the sect leader and grand elders.
Yu Zhao knew that the truly precious cultivation techniques were stored above the third floor. The first two floors held basic techniques and biographies of famous ancestors, which were of little help to her. But she had no better option and wasn’t one to sit around waiting for death, so she decided to give it a shot.
After a restful night, Yu Zhao left her cave dwelling early the next morning for the library. Her past life as a long-time disciple had given her an excellent memory, and she navigated to the library without hesitation, despite rarely visiting it before.
As she approached, she noticed occasional glances from other disciples—some curious, some amused. Ignoring them, she continued to the grand building that stood as a testament to the sect’s power and prestige.
The Five Elements Sect was the most esteemed in the entire realm of cultivators, known by the adage “One sect, two schools, four factions,” with the sect being the renowned Five Elements Sect itself. Consequently, the Treasure Library was a monumental structure, a testament to the sect’s opulence and prestige.
Yu Zhao paused at the foot of the library, taking a moment to appreciate its imposing architecture before she ascended the steps. As she crossed the threshold, her eyes landed on an old man with a flowing white beard seated by the entrance, tasked with maintaining the records.
A smile tugged at the corners of Yu Zhao’s lips. She found the old man rather quirky. His name was Elder Gu, a former member of the Law Enforcement Hall who had been reassigned here because of his eccentric and reclusive personality, which had irked many disciples. The Law Enforcement Hall was a place of considerable influence within the sect, whereas the Treasure Library was a haven of serenity. Typically, such a transfer would be viewed unfavorably, yet Elder Gu had welcomed his new role with open arms and had been contentedly manning his post for decades.
Many in the sect secretly scoffed at Elder Gu for his apparent lack of ambition, content with his simplistic duties. In her previous life, Yu Zhao had mainly focused on her training and her relationships with her master and five senior brothers, paying little heed to Elder Gu or the gossip surrounding him.
Now, engrossed in a tome, Elder Gu seemed oblivious to the world around him, including Yu Zhao’s lingering gaze.
Elder Gu looked rather cheerful, with plump, rosy cheeks and white hair that matched his beard. His eyes sparkled with a clarity that reminded one of an innocent child.
Despite Yu Zhao’s less-than-subtle observation, Elder Gu did not even glance up.
Indeed, as the saying goes, “If you are not a fish, how can you understand the joy of fish?” Elder Gu seemed perfectly content in his quiet little corner, far removed from the world’s turmoil.
Feeling a sense of revelation, Yu Zhao quietly saluted Elder Gu in respect before turning her attention to the vast array of bookshelves on the first floor. There were seven tiers of shelves, each brimming with neatly arranged tomes. With 108 shelves on the first floor alone, finding the book she needed was akin to searching for a needle in a haystack—yet this task was trivial compared to the challenges she had faced in her previous life.
Yu Zhao headed straight to a corner on the first floor and pulled a book from the bottom shelf, quickly flipping through its pages.
The first book she picked up was the Vajra Sutra, a basic technique for those with a metal spiritual root, ideal for beginners.
After a brief scan, she returned the book to its place and selected another, also based on metal techniques.
She repeated this process: open, glance, close, and replace.
She methodically worked her way through the first bookshelf, then moved on to the second.
Fifteen minutes later, Yu Zhao stood before the third shelf. Her actions hadn’t gone unnoticed by other disciples present.
“Isn’t that Senior Sister Yu from Lone Moon Peak? What is she doing here?” one whispered.
“I saw her apologizing to Junior Sister Cong Xin yesterday. She seemed really upset,” another added.
“She’s a personal disciple of Master Qing Yan. It’s odd to see her rummaging through the library like this,” remarked a third.
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
In the Five Elements Sect, disciples were categorized into three groups: personal disciples taught by Nascent Soul and Soul Formation stage masters, inner disciples under the tutelage of Golden Core stage elders, and outer disciples without a personal master. As a personal disciple, Yu Zhao received direct guidance and superior resources monthly, making her visits to the library for techniques quite unusual.
Normally, it was the master-less outer disciples who frequented the library.
Yu Zhao, appearing among them, stood out starkly, like a lone wolf in a flock of sheep.
Remembering her earlier observation of Elder Gu, Yu Zhao resolved to disregard the whispers and continued her search with unrelenting focus. The outer disciples, constrained by their limited talents and the need to complete monthly sect tasks, valued their time highly. Noting Yu Zhao’s determination, they soon returned to their own studies, losing interest in her actions.
In this manner, time slipped quietly by as Yu Zhao immersed herself in her search.