Library of Heaven's Path

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

However, based on what she knew about her teacher, it shouldn't be a huge issue.

Since he had rejected even Elder Mo and Elder Zhao, there should be no other person in the academy who would worthy of becoming his teacher.

"I see."

As expected, after hearing her words, the young man before her shook his head, but it didn't seem like he was too affected by the issue. Instead, he seemed to be more worried about his acquaintance instead. "So… how many students did Luo shi eventually take in?"

"If I recall correctly, Luo shi didn't take in a single student at all. The requirement she set was simply too strict. Memorizing ten thousand books within two hours is an impossible feat!" Luo Qiqi shook her head.

"She didn't take in a single student?" Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

Since she was a teacher of the academy, why didn't she take in a single student?

"Yes. I am not too sure what is going on, but this matter had everyone baffled," Luo Qiqi replied.

According to the rumors, Luo Ruoxin had been dispatched to Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy by the headquarters for experiential training, so she should have accepted a few students in order to complete her training. But if that was the case, why did she set such strict requirements?

It was as if she was uninterested in accepting any students at all!

After pondering for a moment, Zhang Xuan eventually shook his head and said, "I will ask her about it when I get the chance to."

Putting Luo Ruoxin's issue aside, Zhang Xuan's attention finally fell on Qiqi, and with just a single glance, he was startled. "You have made a breakthrough?"

The previous time he met her, Luo Qiqi was at Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle, the cream of the crop of the Grade-2 students. Yet, in just a few days, she had made the breakthrough to Transcendent Mortal 7-dan Perfect Harmonization realm!

"Yes, it is all teacher's credit. As a reward for the mission, I received School Head Zhao's Meridian and Bone Cleansing, allowing me to overcome my previous bottleneck!" Luo Qiqi smiled.

If not for the Meridian and Bone Cleansing from School Head Zhao, even though she was already at Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle, it would have still taken her several months or even an entire year in order to take the next step forward.

Beyond Consonant Spirit realm, one had to not only accumulate sufficient zhenqi but nourish one's soul as well in order to make a breakthrough. It was often the latter that was more troublesome, requiring long periods of time just to increase it the tiniest bit.

As a result, there were many Grade-2 students who were stuck at Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle, unable to make the final step forward.

However, in the Meridian and Bone Cleansing, not only had School Head Zhao purified her zhenqi, he had also tempered her soul, thus allowing her to make the breakthrough instantaneously.

Yu Fei-er, Xing Yuan, Wu Zhen, and Ye Qian had also benefitted greatly from the Meridian and Bone Cleansing as well.

"My credit?" Zhang Xuan blinked.

Why was this his credit? And what did this have to do with School Head Zhao?

"Did Teacher forget about the mission at the underground chamber? You saved us and helped us retrieve Elder Wu Yangzi's body. That's a huge contribution to the Blacksmith School!" Luo Qiqi explained.

"Ahh…"

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan suddenly understood why Yuan Hong's attitude toward him abruptly changed after paying a visit to the school head's office.

At this point, Luo Qiqi suddenly bowed deeply and said, "Teacher, I apologize for handing the Zither Forging Technique to the Blacksmith School without your approval, I ask of you to punish me…"

She had only managed to obtain the Zither Forging Technique manual with her teacher's assistance, but without the latter's approval, she had handed it over to the school.

"You are the one who inherited Wu Yangzi's heritage; you can do whatever you want with it. Besides, the best way for the Zither Forging Technique to shine is through handing it over to School Head Zhao, so I believe that your decision was the right one as well," Zhang Xuan said.

Luo Qiqi was the one who had become Wu Yangzi's student, so it was only right for the technique to belong to her. In this respect, it wouldn't be right for Zhang Xuan to dictate what she could do with it.

"Thank you, Teacher!"

Even though Luo Qiqi knew that her teacher would agree to it, she didn't expect him to approve of her actions immediately. After all, the Zither Forging Technique was an incredibly valuable smithing technique which many were dying to lay their hands on. His magnanimity was indeed worthy of respect.

After chatting for a moment longer, Luo Qiqi suddenly recalled something and said, "Teacher, regarding the matter of Elder Wu Yangzi's old residence, I tried looking into it and there was someone who claimed that she knew where it was. I made an appointment with her tonight, and it is going to be time soon. I will have to head over to meet her."

"Tonight?" Zhang Xuan glanced at the window outside, and only then did he realize that the sun was beginning to set beyond the western horizon, and the sky was beginning to dim.

"I see. Let me grab some food first, and I will accompany you to the meeting," Zhang Xuan said after some contemplation.

The three days of sleeping had already emptied out whatever that was in his stomach.

"I knew that Teacher would be hungry, so I prepared some food!" Luo Qiqi chuckled as she flicked her wrist, and a huge spread materialized before her.

"Thank you!"

Looking at the delicacies before him, Zhang Xuan's appetite was whetted, and he immediately dived into action.

While stuffing his mouth, he made use of this opportunity to immerse his consciousness into the Library of Heaven's Path.

The reason he'd fainted three days ago was due to the rumbling in the Library of Heaven's Path. Since he had woken up, it was imperative that he should check what had happened to it.

As soon as his consciousness entered the Library of Heaven's Path, he froze.

This… Something is different about it…

Previously, the Library of Heaven's Path had been a large hall with towering shelves filled with books, expanding all the way to the horizon. The basic layout was still the same, but somehow, it felt larger, as if the ceiling and shelves were taller than before, and the area had become more spacious.

It seemed like the rumbling had caused several changes in the Library of Heaven's Path. Not only had it grown larger, it had also become much more majestic and grander.

Looking at it from afar, one couldn't help but feel intense pressure on one's soul.

The Library of Heaven's Path felt like a moon reflected in the water before, ethereal and transient. At this very moment, however, it felt palpable, as if it was a real library standing before him.

"The Library of Heaven's Path seems to have materialized further, but… what is the use of it?" Zhang Xuan muttered doubtfully.

He stepped forward and attempted to grab one of the books on the shelves, but just like before, his hand simply slipped through it.

In other words, even though the books seemed much more tangible than before, they were still illusory. They could be seen but not touched.

"Where are the books I have gathered before?" Zhang Xuan mumbled as he walked around the library.

Fortunately, he soon arrived at a section where the books he had gathered previously were. It seemed like they hadn't disappeared due to the changes in the Library of Heaven's Path.

Walking up to them, he casually grabbed one and began flipping through it.

Huala!

With the flipping of the books, the sight before Zhang Xuan blurred as the content of the book dove straight into his mind, etching itself onto it.

This… Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in astonishment.

Even when reading in the Library of Heaven's Path previously, he'd needed to read the words one by one in order to memorize them. But at this instant, he was able to memorize the content of the book just by flipping through the pages!

After several tries, he had verified the matter. As long as he picked up a book with the intention to read it, the content would automatically imprint itself onto his mind, sparing him from the additional effort of reading it.

This is great… I will be able to pick up my reading pace in the future! Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in agitation.

It seemed like along with the renovation in the Library of Heaven's Path, he had also gained an additional ability!

With his newfound ability, he could easily cover several hundred thousand books in the Library of Heaven's Path within two hours!

In the future, he wouldn't need to waste the hard-earned golden pages on assimilating the knowledge within the books anymore.

My pace of reading has quickened… Is it possible that my other abilities might have been enhanced as well? Zhang Xuan thought.

He swiftly extracted his consciousness from his mind and glanced at the chicken drumstick he was currently tearing the flesh out of.

"Flaws!" he muttered.

A book appeared in the Library of Heaven's Path, and he swiftly rushed to flip through it.

The thigh of Spirit Beast Boneless Chicken. Cooked by Master Gourmet Wu Bushui of Drunken Heart Tavern using 47 different spices and herbs…

It took him just an instant to read through the entire book.

Nothing has changed at all! Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

Just like before, the flaws regarding the dish were compiled in the book. There didn't seem to be any additional ability regarding this.

Hmm, I should try it on some other objects to verify the matter. Perplexed, Zhang Xuan turned his sight to the bookshelf before him.

The residences in the Elite Sector were filled with all kinds of amenities that one might require. There were bookshelves filled with books in the residence as well. However, they weren't cultivation technique manuals but books on the geography and culture of Hongyuan City.

Zhang Xuan was just about to stand up and make his way to the bookshelf when a thought suddenly came to his mind. Thus, he sat down back down and muttered, "Flaws!"

Hu!

A book appeared in his mind.

This…

He was only giving it a try out of curiosity, not holding much hope that it would work, but it actually did! A book had really appeared! He swiftly dived into the Library of Heaven's Path to flip through the book.

It was a replica of the book which he had intended to take in earlier.

He experimented a few more times, and the excited gleam in his eyes intensified.

It seems like I can gather books in the Library of Heaven's Path without touching them…

Previously, the only way for him to gather a book was to touch it with his hands. However, with his newfound ability, he could compile books just by laying his eyes on them and willing it.

In other words, gone were the days where he had to run frenziedly in libraries to gather books!

Recalling those embarrassing days where he had been caught running about in the various libraries, he couldn't help but feel a little moved within.

And more importantly, his efficiency to gather books had also been boosted immensely!

Does this ability apply to other objects as well? Zhang Xuan wondered.

He had only experimented with books so far, and he was curious to see if this ability was extended to other items as well. To his disappointment, however, it didn't work on other items.

It seemed like his newfound ability only worked on books at the moment. He could gather books just by laying his eyes on them, but as for artifacts and other items, he still had to lay his hands on them in order to find their flaws.

Frustrated, he shook his head.

He had gotten excited over nothing.

If he could discover the flaws of other objects without touching them, he would be spared a lot of trouble, and his ability would be far more versatile as well.

Perhaps it was due to the Library of Heaven's Path having yet to reach the required level or an innate flaw in the heavens itself, but he simply couldn't realize the ability at the moment.

Or maybe I am just lacking practice, I should give it a few more tries just to be sure…

The indignation Zhang Xuan felt made him unwilling to give up, and he began experimenting once again.

And while he was busy experimenting with his abilities, Luo Qiqi, who was sitting beside him, was stunned.

She had bought a table full of delicacies for her teacher to enjoy, but the latter… One moment, he would pick up a chicken thigh, stare deeply into it, and shake his head in disappointment. The next moment, he would look around the room, stare intensely at another object he'd laid his eyes upon, and clench his fists in excitement.

It was as if those items were his friends. Countless different expressions flickered across his face as he lay their eyes on them, be it melancholy, graveness, relaxed, excitement, delight, frustration…

Could he have gone bonkers due to the coma? Or did he lose a part of his soul somewhere?

Surely a normal person would express so many emotions not toward a chicken thigh but her, right?

No matter what, she was one of the most beautiful ladies in the academy. Yet, she couldn't even hold a candle to the charm of a chicken thigh?

Just as she was sighing deeply, she saw her teacher stretching his other hand forward to tear another chicken thigh before staring at both thighs even more intently.

It was as if he was responding to her doubts. If one chicken thigh wasn't enough, how about two?

"…" Luo Qiqi.