Early morning.
Sitting on the floor, Levi focused on a large, shining red ring floating above his lap.
" Still not quite right." He said in disappointment.
"...It's been over two years, what's a bit more time?" He mumbled.
The ring, which was big enough for him to fit through, slowly broke down into blood energy.
' Demon saint, will that librarian bring out the manuals? Assuming he has more.' Levi asked.
' Of course. He should have been copying and returning them to the cultivation department but kept them instead.' The demon saint said.
' The punishment for stealing techniques is a mystery to me, but judging from his reaction to you finding the manual, it can't be anything pleasant.' The demon saint said.
' In response to your threat, after eliminating his options, he will corner himself with the thought that his only choice is to do as you have told him. After mulling it over, this will become the only 'logical' action he can think of.' the demon saint said.
'...And what about framing me for stealing them?' Levi asked.
' As a new disciple, you've been in this sect for a few days at most. How could you have stolen something from under the noses of these old cultivators? Furthermore, no new disciple has been allowed to leave this building. How could you have stolen manuals from the cultivation department then?' The demon saint said.
' Then what about after a while?' Levi asked.
' If you're staying for a long time, then you will have to make him want to keep his mouth shut. Display your overwhelming talent or something.' The demon saint said.
' Hmm. Then I will go to the library after class to 'borrow' a few manuals from him later today.' Levi said.
' Sooner is better.' The demon saint said.
'...' Qi enveloped Levi as he sat cross-legged.
He cultivated until it was time for class.
...
Evening.
Levi walked through the hall with big strides.
" Ahh. This hair tie will be the death of me." He sighed in relief as he lightly massaged his scalp.
' Hey, hey! Isn't your hair a bit too much? It's obstructing my vision, cut it! Bald, shave your head bald.' The demon saint said.
' Don't be ridiculous.' Levi said.
' How is it ridiculous? it's not my hair.' The demon saint said.
' It's mine, that's why.' Levi said.
He then heard voices from down the hallway.
" But Mr. Teigen, I've been taught inscriptions for over 3 years straight! Even senior brother Yuri has left the sect at least once." Olivia's voice sounded.
" I've told you to call me master. I've also shown you your above-average talents in inscription crafting. What will you do if you leave the sect now? Are you planning to die like those impatient disciples before you? After the number of resources I've put into nurturing you?" A man harshly.
" No, that's not what i..." Olivia said.
" Haven't I also told you to keep your distance from that little snake Yuri? You're both the same age and yet he insists that you address him as 'senior'. Do you think I don't notice how he looks at you?" The person asked.
" Master! Senior brother is not like that, he-" Olivia was interrupted.
" Now you call me master? While arguing for that brat? Little Olivia sure loves her 'senior brother' dearly." The man said.
" Master!" Olivia stomped her foot.
" Careful now, I don't have any more high-level pills to compensate your senior brother if you damage your foot. My humble self is not so extravagant." The man said.
"..." Olivia kept silent.
" If you want to leave the Sect so badly, I'll take you out." The man said.
" No! I want to leave on my own! How am I to learn anything with you constantly protecting me?" Olivia asked.
" You say you want to leave on your own, but what if I see you walking down the mountain with that brat? To ensure that doesn't happen, you won't be leaving at all, not with me, nor with him or by yourself." The man said.
" Master!" Olivia stomped once again.
" Hm?" The man hummed.
" Who are you, boy? Why do you look so untidy?" The man asked.
"...Oh, hello, junior brother. Were you going somewhere?" Olivia asked Levi.
"...Hello, senior sister, sir." Levi bowed while greeting.
" I am unaccustomed to having my hair tied up. It gets particularly bad at times, so..." Levi explained.
" Humph, so does life. What will you do when that happens? Untie it?" Mr. Teigen said harshly.
" Retie it immediately. Don't let this happen again." He said, his brows furrowed as he walked off.
" Sorry about my master, junior brother. He strongly dislikes untidiness, so..." Olivia said.
" I understand," Levi said, on the verge of tears.
' I may lie about a lot of things, but this is a truth among truths!' He thought. He could only tie up his hair.
" So where were you going?" Olivia asked.
" To the library," Levi said.
" Oh, were you looking for me then?" She asked.
" I-" Levi was cut off.
" Come along, Olivia." Mr. Teigen said from the distance.
" Sorry, junior brother. You could have waited for me, master!" Olivia ran.
" Time is precious, it must never be wasted." Mr. Teigen said.
' Hates untidiness, huh? What a literal pain.' Levi continued on his way.
...
A few minutes later.
In the library.
" Hello, sir. Have you gathered them?" He bowed to a man sitting behind a counter.
"..." Beads of sweat appeared on the man's face as he kept silent.
" Hmm?" Levi looked up.
" I-They are in the back room..." The man said.
" Oh, thanks. Where is the back room?" Levi asked politely.
" That's..." The man paused.
..
They arrived before a wooden door at the back of the library.
" Then let's see what's inside." Levi waited for him to open the door.
"..." The man helplessly turned the knob, before walking into the room.
" You...I will let you look at these, but you can't tell anyone about them." He said.
' Still trying to act commandingly in this situation?' Levi thought.
" And don't take them from this room." The man continued.
" I understand. But if I can't take them, where should I practice?" Levi asked.
" Pra-Practice? You want to practice them?!" The man asked.
"...What else would I want them for?" Levi asked.
' What other use could they have?' He thought.
" You can't practice these! You're in the inscription department!" The man said.
"...So? What do you steal them for then?" Levi asked, confused.
" Not Stealing! I borrow them for a time to admire them! I don't practice them, and neither can you!" The man said.
"..." Levi looked like he bit a lime.
"...Admire them?" He asked.
" Yes! Admire their intricacies, the old writing, the ages of the techniques! Admire..." The man paused.
"-The people great enough to practice these techniques, whether they be low or high level!' He said.
" And...Accept that some people just aren't capable of learning them." He finished.
"..." Levi's jaw was slack with astonishment.
' Will a slap give this fool some sense?' He thought.
' How long has this guy 'admired' these techniques? With all of that time he wasted, he could have still learned a thing or two!' He thought.
This kind of thing made him speechless.
" All right, I guess this room will do. I'll have to move this table and this and that to the side. Hmm, there's even a window. Small, but better than nothing." Levi walked in, thinking aloud.
Aside from the table of books, a few boxes and whatnot were laying around, along with a small set of wooden louvers.
" What are you doing?" The man asked.
" Making space?" Levi returned a question.
" Making space for what?" The man asked.
" To practice some techniques?" Levi asked.
" Didn't you hear what I said?! YOU CAN'T! Furthermore, trying to walk two paths will stunt your potential!" The man said.
" Well, it's mine to stunt. Do you think people will hear me in here? How loud can I be?" Levi put down a box.
" You-" The man was cut off.
" Enough. Are you forgetting who has leverage over whom? Furthermore, whether or not I practice these techniques, what does it have to do with you?" Levi's eyes narrowed.
"..." The man opened his mouth.
" Thanks for bringing the manuals, but I don't need your concern, real or not," Levi said.
He silently looked at the man.
" I-Is that so..." The man turned, slouched as he walked from the room.
"...If I get too loud, let me know. You are risking a lot just by me being here, after all." Levi said.
"..." The man silently left.
"...Tsk." Levi's face darkened.
' You're angry? Why?' The demon saint asked.
' That left a bad taste in my mouth.' Levi thought.
' Hah, you're like a child.' The demon saint said.
"..." He said nothing more.
...
Half an hour later.
"...Finally finished." Levi mumbled.
He had just finished shifting the things in the room.
" Now I have to sort these things." He looked at the table stacked with cultivation techniques.
He picked up each book one by one, reading its name. He looked at any diagrams and read a few texts.
Depending on what he saw, he would either place them on top of a pile or start a new pile.
After a few minutes.
"...1 spear-focused technique, 3 sword-focused techniques, 5 fist/palm-based techniques and 11 agility techniques, both qi, and body-based." He listed.
" Why are there so many agility techniques?" He asked.
He was already killing himself every few minutes to practice an agility technique, why would he need or want more? The biggest pile on the table was mostly useless to him!
" Sigh, the only things here for me are the 3 sword techniques, and maybe 1 or 2 of the fist techniques." He placed these two piles to the side, before gathering the extras.
Sitting beside each other were 3 sword skills, " Moon Blocking Sword", " Death Cloaked Blade" and " Fairy Splitting Edge".
The first was mainly a thrusting technique and the second, a cleaving technique. The last one, however, was a precision focused skill which utilized Qi control.
" Qi control again." He mumbled.
He looked over the three skills and made his decision.
" I'll start with this "Death Cloaked Blade" skill." He said.
He sat on the ground.
A few minutes later, the book closed with a light tap as he got up.
" Fuuu." He exhaled heavily as a glint shone in his eyes.