Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1327 - 1323: Library

Zhang Jiyuan voiced his skepticism, "Little junior brother, is that item truly capable of predicting danger? It seems rather unreliable. I'm not inclined to venture out these days."

Chu Zhiyuan replied, "I'm returning it. Brother Zhang, weren't you planning to seek it out?"

"...I suppose I am prepared for that," Zhang Jiyuan conceded with a nod of helplessness.

Observing Chu Zhiyuan's act of returning the stone at that precise moment, Zhang Jiyuan's prior inclination to search for it resurfaced.

Chu Zhiyuan advised, "Then you must exercise caution, and operate under the assumption that it is accurate."

"I'm merely casually looking around, testing my luck. What real danger could there be?" Zhang Jiyuan chuckled, tapping his left elbow. "Besides, I possess a protective spiritual artifact; it can preserve my life in critical moments."

Ning Dongge chimed in with a laugh, "And do I not have a protective spiritual artifact as well?"

"So, should I refrain from going out altogether?" Zhang Jiyuan found himself at a loss for words.

Ning Dongge turned his gaze to Chu Zhiyuan, asking, "Little junior brother, what about your situation?"

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head. "I don't have the black thread. If I truly possessed it, I could evade any peril."

Zhang Jiyuan scoffed, "You can evade it?"

Chu Zhiyuan affirmed with unwavering confidence, "My premonition of danger is exceptionally accurate and keen."

Zhang Jiyuan asserted, "No matter how keen it may be, if there's a black thread, you must halt your actions and discreetly hide."

Chu Zhiyuan offered a simple nod in agreement.

Zhang Jiyuan then inquired, "So, what course of action do we take now?"

Ning Dongge let out a sigh, shook his head, and stated, "It lies beyond our capabilities; there's nothing more we can do."

Zhang Jiyuan expressed his lingering dissatisfaction, "I'm simply unwilling to accept it. If we cannot find it, then truly, we cannot find it, and we'll have to watch it slip away."

Ning Dongge responded with a shake of his head, "You cannot force everything. If it is not meant to be, then it is not. After all, it does not belong to us."

Chu Zhiyuan observed Ning Dongge's placid demeanor, noting that he clearly did not harbor significant regret.

It was evident that he did not place undue importance on this potential gain or loss.

Zhang Jiyuan sighed, lamenting, "The Divine Race! This is an opportunity that appears once in ten thousand years."

Chu Zhiyuan posed a question, "Brother Zhang, is a once-in-ten-thousand-years opportunity more valuable than your own life?"

"...Very well," Zhang Jiyuan conceded. "Little junior brother, return tomorrow and see if any danger presents itself."

"Understood," Chu Zhiyuan agreed. He then looked at Ning Dongge. "Brother, does our sect possess a library? I wish to expand my knowledge."

"Follow me," Ning Dongge replied with a smile. "Our sect houses the most extensive collection of books, though regrettably, few individuals take the time to read them."

"Do the esteemed seniors and ancestors not enjoy reading?"

"Regardless of how much one reads, it ultimately amounts to mere words on paper, inferior to actual cultivation and practical experience."

"But aren't there many things that cannot be experienced firsthand and can only be discovered in books?"

"For individuals like us, what is learned from books struggles to genuinely ignite our spirits. The longer we live, the more solidified our mental state becomes, leading to a certain numbness."

"Is there no means to overcome this predicament?"

"It's nearly impossible," Ning Dongge declared, shaking his head. "Certain sects possess unique methodologies. For instance, the Wu Gou Divine Palace purifies the soul's dust through reincarnation."

"Wu Gou Divine Palace?" Chu Zhiyuan furrowed his brow. "Reincarnation and rebirth?"

"Indeed," Ning Dongge confirmed. "This Wu Gou Divine Palace is exceptionally enigmatic, with even fewer disciples than our own. Their requirements for aptitude are excessively stringent."

"Wu Gou Divine Palace... Within the Little Outer Heaven, there exists the Yongling Divine Sect, which is home to an Eternal Spirit Divine Tree," Chu Zhiyuan remarked. "Is there any connection between them and the Wu Gou Divine Palace?"

"The Yongling Divine Sect was established by disciples who originated from the Wu Gou Divine Palace."

"Wu Gou Divine Palace..." Chu Zhiyuan mused, then asked, "What of the Yongling Divine Sect?"

"If the Wu Gou Divine Palace faced stagnation, the Yongling Divine Sect could scarcely hope for advancement," Ning Dongge replied, shaking his head. "It is already commendable to merely maintain its existence without decline... Biyuan Heaven lacks it, You Meng Heaven possesses it, and Outer Heaven also has it. The Yongling Divine Sect has become increasingly varied, lacking the purity of the Wu Gou Divine Palace. However, its renown far surpasses that of the Wu Gou Divine Palace. The world recognizes the Yongling Divine Sect, while only a select few are aware of the Wu Gou Divine Palace."

"Does being varied and impure not present a disadvantage?"

"From the perspective of preserving a heritage, it truly is not a drawback. When one avenue fails, another succeeds, thereby maintaining the unbroken lineage of the sect."

As their conversation concluded, the two arrived at the northern corner of the western wall of the main hall. There, they placed the Heaven-Reaching Order against the wall, causing a luminous gateway to materialize upon its surface.

They stepped through the portal, finding themselves in another, more expansive main hall in the subsequent moment.

The grand hall stood devoid of occupants, save for colossal bookshelves lining its walls, towering to an impressive height of six meters and exuding an antique charm.

At the heart of this chamber, a majestic spiral staircase, meticulously crafted from solid and profound rosewood, ascended.

Ning Dongge gestured towards this staircase, remarking, "This Ten Thousand Knowledge Tower ascends for five floors. Within, you'll find every conceivable type of book, casually amassed by disciples throughout the ages. They cover a vast spectrum of subjects. Feel free to browse at your leisure, but remember the rules: no removing anything and certainly no damaging the contents."

"Brother Ning, do you have any idea of the total volume of books housed here?" Chu Zhiyuan inquired.

"Approximately ten thousand volumes in total. Each floor is organized by era, with the fifth floor containing the most ancient texts, often mere fragments, while the first floor houses works from within the last thousand years, making them the most recent," Ning Dongge replied.

"A thousand years considered the newest…" Chu Zhiyuan let out a soft chuckle. "Then I shall begin my exploration with the oldest."

Ning Dongge offered a word of caution, "That depends entirely on your proficiency in ancient languages, young brother."

With a step onto the staircase, Ning Dongge began to lead Chu Zhiyuan towards the fifth floor.

The fifth floor presented a far more densely packed layout than the first. Towering bookshelves, exceeding five meters in height, lined every available space, creating a maze of ancient knowledge.

Adorning these shelves were not only the expected yellowed tomes but also an assortment of peculiar items: beast bones, segments of stone walls, and even metallic plates.

These unusual artifacts varied dramatically in size, some no larger than a palm, while others commanded an entire shelf, stretching five meters wide and five meters tall.

Intricate symbols, unmistakably forming words, were etched upon their surfaces.

Upon activating his Insight, Chu Zhiyuan found himself utterly incapable of deciphering any of the symbols.

"Brother Ning, can you make any sense of these characters?" Chu Zhiyuan asked, a hint of bewilderment in his voice.

"I cannot comprehend them," Ning Dongge stated plainly.

"Not a single one?" Chu Zhiyuan pressed, incredulous.

"Indeed, not a single one," Ning Dongge confirmed. "They are all remnants of ancient scripts, their origins completely unknown to us."

"Not a single one?" Chu Zhiyuan’s laughter echoed slightly. "Could it be that these scripts have been entirely lost to time?"

"It is highly probable that they are lost. I haven't delved deeply into their study, truthfully," Ning Dongge admitted. "However, these objects are clearly not commonplace, and whatever knowledge they contain must surely be extraordinary."

"Does such a mystery not pique your curiosity, Brother Ning?"

"Our Heaven-Reaching Sect's cultivation methods are already of the highest caliber. For us, diligent practice is paramount. Coupled with our several awe-inspiring miracle techniques, there is simply no need to dabble in other arts," Ning Dongge explained.

"Yet, there is a saying: 'A stone from another mountain can polish our own jade.' Perhaps by studying these, we might even enhance our comprehension of our own sect's methods."

"Without a complete inheritance, only possessing a fragment or even a partial mental method, who would dare to practice such uncertain arts?" Ning Dongge questioned. "It truly seems an inefficient use of one's efforts."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly, a deep understanding dawning within him.

The arduous pursuit of an almost forgotten ancient script, only to discover that its recorded content is a mere fragment or an impractical cultivation technique.

Numerous ancient lineages have faded into obscurity precisely because environmental shifts rendered their practices obsolete.

Ning Dongge gestured broadly. "Examine them as you wish. I shall take my leave to cultivate. Should you grow weary, you may return to the main hall at any time, or depart altogether."

"Please, Brother Ning, go ahead. I shall manage on my own," Chu Zhiyuan replied with a nod.

His attention then fixed upon a colossal White Jade Wall, measuring five meters in height and five meters in width.

A striking sense of familiarity washed over him.

He recognized it as the Karma Stone Wall that Chu Liezhao had encountered at the True Martial Institute of Great Bright Peak.

The resemblance was uncanny, almost identical.

This Karma Stone was an ancient artifact, possessing a hardness that defied decay, ensuring its perpetual preservation throughout the ages.

The act of inscribing upon the Karma Stone required exceptional individuals to leave their marks, imbuing it with profound cultivation insights.

And the mental methods thus recorded were far from ordinary.

The stone at the True Martial Institute contained the 'Light Ode'; he wondered what wisdom this particular stone held.

With focused intent, he meticulously scrutinized the inscriptions upon this stone wall, earnestly seeking any discernible patterns or internal connections.

Alas, the script inscribed upon it proved stubbornly cryptic, and no meaningful links could be established between the various symbols.

Relying solely on conjecture, discerning the true meaning behind these markings seemed an almost insurmountable task.