Chapter 14: Song Qingshu

The next morning, after finishing his internal cultivation, Lin Yang headed toward the Library Pavilion.

As soon as he entered, a young Daoist greeted him.

“Junior Brother Qingyang, Master isn’t on the third floor today.”

“He’s on the sixth floor instead.”

“He said that when you arrive, you should go directly there to see him.”

“Understood, Senior Brother Mingyue.”

Lin Yang nodded with a smile.

The young Daoist was also one of Zhang Songxi’s disciples.

Unlike Yu Daiyan, Zhang Songxi was quite enthusiastic about accepting disciples.

He currently had eight third-generation disciples under him.

As for their Daoist names, however, Zhang Songxi did not enforce any strict rules, allowing his disciples considerable freedom in choosing their own titles.

Curious, Lin Yang made his way upstairs.

He had actually never visited any floor above the third level of the Library Pavilion.

According to the conventions of martial arts novels, the higher the floor, the more precious the treasures stored there.

He wondered what secrets the sixth floor held.

It didn’t take long before he arrived.

Unlike the lower levels, whose shelves were packed tightly with countless books, the sixth floor was remarkably spacious.

There wasn’t a single bookshelf in sight.

Instead, several large tables were arranged throughout the room, each holding a few carefully sealed wooden boxes.

Lin Yang glanced at them curiously but couldn’t discern what they contained.

Judging by the careful storage, they were probably some of Wudang’s most important manuals.

At that moment, Zhang Songxi stood near the open balcony overlooking the mountain.

From the height of the sixth floor, he gazed down upon the entirety of Wudang.

Hearing Lin Yang’s footsteps behind him, he turned around and beckoned.

“Come over here.”

Lin Yang walked to his side.

“So?”

“Does Wudang look different from this height?”

“Quite magnificent, isn’t it?”

Zhang Songxi smiled faintly.

Lin Yang followed the direction of his finger, looking over the countless buildings scattered across Wudang Mountain.

He nodded slightly.

Yet there was little surprise on his face.

After all, he had seen the towering forests of steel and concrete in his previous life.

Compared to modern skylines, Wudang’s scenery wasn’t particularly shocking.

Its greatest charm lay in its ancient architecture and the tranquil Daoist atmosphere surrounding it.

“You really don’t know how to appreciate scenery.”

Seeing none of the amazement he had expected, Zhang Songxi laughed helplessly.

He didn’t remain by the railing for long.

Instead, he led Lin Yang to one of the tables in the center of the room and sat down.

“Qingyang.”

“Let me ask you something.”

“Do you know what’s inside these boxes on the sixth floor?”

As he spoke, he pointed proudly toward the large wooden boxes arranged around them.

Lin Yang studied them for a moment.

“They should contain some particularly precious martial arts manuals.”

“Correct.”

Zhang Songxi nodded with satisfaction.

“These boxes contain some of the most valuable martial arts manuals in the entire martial world.”

“They are among Wudang’s greatest treasures.”

“Inside are manuals such as our Wudang’s Cloud Ladder Movement, Master’s Pure Yang Limitless Art, and many other important cultivation techniques.”

He looked at Lin Yang with a grin.

“So…”

“Wouldn’t you like to have a look?”

Unfortunately for him, Lin Yang showed no signs of excitement.

He simply shook his head calmly.

“Martial Uncle, my cultivation is still too shallow.”

“I haven’t even stepped into the Postnatal Realm.”

“Even if you placed those profound manuals right before me, I wouldn’t be able to understand them.”

“So please don’t tempt me with them.”

He was certainly curious.

But he also understood his own limits.

According to the Academic Genius System, he was still only at the equivalent of an elementary school student.

Those martial arts manuals…

Even the lowest estimate would place them at the level of high school textbooks.

Perhaps even higher.

There was no way he could comprehend them at his current level.

“How boring.”

“I don’t know how someone your age became so mature.”

Zhang Songxi sighed, shaking his head.

“But you’re right.”

“Wudang’s greatest treasures aren’t meant for someone at your current level.”

“I only brought this up because I wanted you to understand something.”

“The Library Pavilion contains an immeasurable collection of books.”

“What you’ve read so far is only a tiny fraction of what’s stored here.”

“So even if you become busy with other matters in the future…”

“I hope you’ll continue coming here regularly.”

Lin Yang looked at him in surprise.

After all that buildup…

His Martial Uncle’s true purpose had simply been to encourage him to keep reading.

“Martial Uncle.”

“Even if you hadn’t said anything, I would still keep coming here.”

Lin Yang smiled, feeling genuinely touched.

Given the nature of the Academic Genius System, he already knew that future missions would almost certainly involve massive amounts of reading.

The Library Pavilion would remain one of the places he visited most often for a long time to come.

Zhang Songxi nodded approvingly.

“Good.”

“It’s just a pity that you aren’t my disciple.”

“I’ve accepted many disciples over the years.”

“But their passion for martial arts far exceeds their love of reading.”

“I assigned them to help manage the Library Pavilion and required them to read every day.”

“But I know very well…”

“They’ve long since grown tired of staying here.”

He looked at Lin Yang.

“But you’re different.”

“When you read, you become completely absorbed.”

“I can see your genuine love for books.”

“Hold on to that.”

“One day, the knowledge you’ve gained from reading will never disappoint you.”

“Yes, Martial Uncle.”

“I understand.”

“Knowledge is power.”

Lin Yang answered with a smile.

“Knowledge is power…”

Zhang Songxi repeated the words softly before bursting into hearty laughter.

“Well said.”

“It’s simple.”

“But it’s also perfectly direct.”

He stood up.

“I won’t keep you any longer.”

“Now that you’ve finished studying the body’s meridians and acupoints, focus on digesting everything you’ve learned.”

“And cultivate diligently until you break through into the Postnatal Realm.”

After offering a few final words of advice, Zhang Songxi led Lin Yang back down from the sixth floor to the third.

He returned to studying the Daoist scriptures there.

Meanwhile, Lin Yang continued downstairs alone.

As he reached the staircase between the third and second floors, he noticed a Daoist boy about his own age slowly climbing upward.

The boy held a thick book in his arms.

His face was filled with misery, as though he were heading toward his execution rather than a lesson.

When he saw Lin Yang coming down, he paused to examine him.

Then something seemed to occur to him.

His expression immediately softened into one of shared suffering.

“Were you… also studying under Martial Uncle?”

he asked quietly.

Lin Yang looked him over, nodded once, and continued walking downstairs.

Receiving the confirmation, the young Daoist sighed deeply.

Neither of them said another word as they passed each other.

Just then, Zhang Songxi’s voice drifted down from the third floor.

“Qingshu.”

“You’re here.”

“Have you finished memorizing the book?”

Hearing the name, Lin Yang instinctively looked upward.

“Song Qingshu…”

He muttered to himself.

So it was him.

He hadn’t expected to run into one of the most tragic characters from the original story purely by coincidence.

Shaking his head slightly, Lin Yang sighed inwardly.

“So it’s true…”

“Simping never ends well.”

Unable to suppress a faint chuckle, he abandoned any thought of getting acquainted with Song Qingshu.

Instead, he quietly left the Library Pavilion and returned to Yu Daiyan’s courtyard.

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