Chapter 23: The Tome of Divine Arts

Slumped on the ground, Lin Jiu stared at the split wooden stake.

His face was etched with bitter resignation.

“You didn’t even use your full strength this afternoon,” Lin Jiu exclaimed, “Why are you so powerful?”

Lin Jiu simply couldn’t comprehend it.

How could this Saint Son, who appeared to be around his age or even younger, possess such immense strength?

‘Had he been cultivating without pause since he was in his mother’s womb?’ Lin Jiu wondered.

He had always believed himself a prodigy, unmatched among guardians his age.

Yet, Zhang Luan’s appearance had utterly shattered his carefully constructed confidence.

“Am I… truly that strong?”

Zhang Luan murmured the question to himself, his gaze lifting towards the heavens.

A gentle breeze swept through, coaxing the clouds away from the moon’s embrace.

As moonlight bathed Zhang Luan, Lin Jiu, in a daze, perceived a figure forged in countless battles, a survivor of brutal war.

Lin Jiu’s hands pressed against the ground as he stared at Zhang Luan, disbelief clouding his eyes.

“You… just who are you?”

Zhang Luan couldn’t be bothered to respond.

He merely put away his Bow of Termination and departed, having only come to test it.

With the trial complete, there was no reason to linger here with another man at this hour.

Making his way towards the Hall of Saints, the soft glow of magic lamps illuminated his path.

Along both sides stood various temple murals, each depicting the miraculous deeds of the Goddess Akamana with breathtaking realism.

Only the priests and devoted supplicants of the Akamana Temple were permitted entry to behold these sacred depictions; other followers never had the opportunity to pay their respects.

****

Standing at the entrance of the Hall of Saints, Zhang Luan noted that all traces of his previous battle with Yanate had already been erased.

Under the moon’s gentle illumination, the structure exuded a hazy radiance.

An ordinary believer, witnessing such a sight, would undoubtedly have fallen to their knees in fervent worship.

The Hall of Saints rose in a spiral tower, its main body pure white, adorned with only subtle golden embellishments.

Its simple yet elegant structure conveyed a sense of transcendence, as if untouched by the mundane world.

Zhang Luan stepped through the grand doorway.

Despite the dark night, a single beam of light pierced the gloom within the Hall of Saints, falling precisely upon the floor.

Ye Ying sat quietly, savoring a piece of bitter chocolate.

Before her, Nan Fenghua chanted prayers, while mysterious runes spun and danced in the air, resembling a group of adorable sprites.

She was somewhat surprised by Zhang Luan’s arrival, but said nothing, allowing him to settle beside her.

She even offered him the bitter chocolate she had already taken a bite from.

“Want some?”

“No, I hate bitter flavors.”

Zhang Luan looked up at the statue of the Goddess Akamana.

Unlike the statues outside, which were visible to all believers, this particular effigy radiated a sacred light, clearly no ordinary creation.

Though he harbored no intention of worshipping a god, he had to admit that the Goddess Akamana was remarkably beautiful.

It was no wonder some players in his previous life had willingly joined the Akamana Temple, becoming devoted followers.

Ye Ying was not surprised by his refusal.

Few people enjoyed her taste, after all; even Nan Fenghua, whom she had raised since childhood, never touched this chocolate.

After a while, Zhang Luan quieted down, silently enjoying Nan Fenghua’s voice.

These prayers were like a balm for weariness, dispelling his earlier drowsiness and leaving him completely refreshed.

Ye Ying observed him, then, after a moment of contemplation, spoke.

“Does His Highness, the Saint Son, wish to learn Blessing Spells?”

“I’m an ability user; I can’t learn those.

But I know the Akamana Temple has some divine arts, right?”

Ye Ying nodded.

The Akamana Temple indeed possessed a tome of divine arts, filled with numerous spells of the Goddess Akamana.

However, very few ever attempted to learn them.

They were simply too difficult.

Compared to blessing spells, the divine arts used for combat were akin to celestial texts, only ever forced upon successive High Priests and Bishops.

However, the position of Bishop was now vacant, as she had eliminated the previous one, leaving her as the sole remaining authority.

She had indeed instructed some obedient guardians to learn these spells.

Unfortunately, none of them had succeeded; only Lin Jiu had managed to grasp a rudimentary understanding, but his progress was agonizingly slow, making physical training seem far simpler.

As for Nan Fenghua, she had no interest in learning those particular spells.

“Yes, the temple does have a tome of divine arts.

However, you’re not a magic user, and your level has already reached 15… Hmm? Have you already advanced?

Incredible. This is the first time I’ve seen someone advance so easily.”

Ye Ying’s gaze towards Zhang Luan was filled with surprise.

It was only then that she noticed the change in his demeanor.

After advancing, a person’s entire aura shifts, and the Zhang Luan before her now seemed like a completely different individual from the one she had seen earlier today.

She hadn’t noticed it before, but now that she had, it was truly astonishing.

“I am a genius; advancing is nothing.

I’m an ability user, so I can’t learn your divine arts; I was merely curious.

Let me see that book.”

Ye Ying pondered for a moment, then surprisingly accepted this fact.

Perhaps there truly were geniuses capable of completing their first advancement at level 15.

“If you were a magic user, perhaps you truly could learn all the divine arts.

Never mind, since the Saint Son insists, I will show you.

Follow me.”

She rose and walked directly behind the statue.

Zhang Luan followed, only then realizing that a hidden teleportation portal lay there.

The two passed through the portal, emerging on the other side into a snow-capped mountain that soared into the clouds.

A blast of cold wind swept through.

Several tiny, pure white snow sprites, seeing Ye Ying and Zhang Luan, joyfully flew towards them.

They circled the pair, their small eyes brimming with curiosity.

Ye Ying paid no mind to the adorable little creatures.

With a delicate hand, she pressed it against the ground, and a sacred light descended from the heavens.

A heavy book floated before them.

Upon the book’s appearance, the snow sprites danced even more merrily around it.

Ye Ying looked at Zhang Luan, stepping aside, and then said, “This is the Tome of Divine Arts.”

Zhang Luan didn’t hesitate.

He walked straight over and took the book, its information immediately appearing before his eyes.

[Akamana Tome of Divine Arts]

Rank: Advanced

Effect: None

Description: A tome recording Akamana’s divine arts.

Its material is excellent; one can learn from it independently, and it’s not bad for bludgeoning people either.

The book recorded Akamana’s divine arts, but it wasn’t like a skill book that granted instant knowledge upon contact.

Instead, it required diligent study and contemplation.

Zhang Luan wasn’t surprised.

In this world, only skill books and ability stones offered immediate power.

If players wished to learn NPC skills, they either had to slowly pore over books or train diligently; there was no third option.

This level of realism baffled many.

Even if they thoroughly understood magic books, they couldn’t cast spells in reality.

Only physical skills had a meager, tangible effect in the real world.

However, compared to their in-game bodies, most players with a sedentary lifestyle in reality couldn’t perform those flashy, elaborate movements.

He had no intention of learning it, nor could he.

While ability users and magic users shared some common ground, there were fundamental differences.

Moreover, with his Ultimate Ability, he had no need to waste time on this.

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