Book I Chapter 13
…
Deep abyss and heavy quagmire immediately enveloped the body of Hyuna as she watches in horror the movement of her opponent. She could see the action of her enemy, she could follow his movement easily, but her body was unable to move.
It was just like that time when she was facing that wolf.
Her body was unable to move because of a strange pressure bearing down on her.
If she could only move, then she knew that she could dodge the strike. But no matter how hard she tries, she could only watch as the sword drew closer to her doom.
Once again, her heart was filled with fear.
She could only cry within her heart and call for her mother.
But she did not want to cower and close her eyes in defeat. Instead, she faces death while staring it straight into its eyes.
But of course, tears are already forming at the corner of her eyes as she still forces her body to move but to no avail.
Clang!!!
The powerful sword suddenly blocks the incoming sword of death and the strong pressure released her from her frozen state.
As her body regained her movement, she easily dodges the two colliding swords and rolled to the side.
By this time, she noticed another figure jumping from a window down to the ground.
She could have sworn that she has checked the area and found no one.
She could only heave a sigh of relief as she was unable to use any of her talismans secretly stashed in some corner of her clothes.
Well, not that she could use them when she could not even move her body.
"What are you doing?" Ji Eun said in a scolding tone while glaring at the inner sect disciple.
"You do know that he is a mere mortal, right?" he asked while squinting at the young man.
"Hehe… Se… Senior Ji…I… I was just playing around. I wasn't going to kill this fellow…" the young man said while showing a slight panic in his heart.
Deep inside, he grumbles as he just wanted to teach this puny guy a lesson.
Who told him to seduce the girl behind him?
Ji Eun then looks at the woman who is showing fear in her eyes while looking at Ji Eun.
The two are actually older than him by 5 years. They are already in their 20s and they would still bully a teen. He could not help but shake his head in disappointment.
"Your master will hear from this… you know that, right?" Ji Eun said calmly as he waves his hand and the sword flew back into his grasp.
"Hehe… I will accept my punishment senior…" the bully said while lowering his stance and bowing.
Then he quickly turns around and left the place.
While leaving, he is cursing hundreds of times in his heart and promised that one of these days, he would teach that little mortal a lesson.
"Are you okay?" Ji Eun asked.
Hyuna looks at the young man and nodded her head.
She could not help but admire his strength and his heroic attitude while defending her at that time.
"Thank you, young master, sir…" she said while bowing.
"Haha… Don't worry about it… Just go directly to the library… it's that way… the red building, you can't miss it." Ji Eun pointed in that direction.
Once again, she cupped her hand and left with a grateful expression.
As she walks away, Ji Eun shook his head and then showed a faint smile on his face. He then jumps back up to the room he was in a while ago.
…
Hyuna finally reached the library and met a beautiful mature woman who is the one guarding the text of the sect.
"You are the new scribe… Hmm… You're that adoptive son of Elder Il, right?" she suddenly asked while scrutinizing Hyuna.
"Ye… Yes, mam…" she replied with a trembling tone.
"Haha… You look like a girl, you sound like a girl… If I did not know clearly, I would really think that you are a girl… for once the rumors are true, I guess…" the woman chuckled.
Hyuna did not say anything as she is already used to such words from the people who have seen her.
"Alright, since you are new… I will not let you spend your time copying anything… I will just let you return the manuals and scrolls that are scattered everywhere…" she said as she looks at the other scribes.
"You…" she suddenly called and pointed at someone.
A young boy who looks a bit fat looks at the librarian.
He looks at her and then looks around him.
"Yes... You!" she called.
The chubby young man who seemed to be 13 or 14 years old, pointed at himself.
"Come here…" the woman glared.
The chubby boy quickly walked near Hyuna and then cupped his hand towards the woman.
"Yes, Master Seo… what can I do for you…" the chubby boy politely greeted.
"What is your name again?... Umm… never mind that, anyway… guide this newbie inside the library… Tell him the rules and make him return the manuals in their proper order…" she said then waves her hand and then went back to what she was doing.
The chubby guy could not help but scratch his head and then looks at Hyuna.
"Hehe… I'm Mok Namgi… You are…"
"I'm Wu Jin…" Hyuna greeted back by cupping her hands.
The chubby guy guided her into the library. She then learned that all of the ones taking care of the library are really all mortals.
While walking behind Mok Namgi, she tried to observe if there is a Qi fluctuation in his body.
To do this, she just has to observe the tiny fibers of his fine clothes and if the fibers would be moving as if there is air blowing them upwards, then that means that his body is emitting an aura.
But she could see it, so that means that Mok Namgi is just a mortal like she is.
Suddenly, she moved to the side and hits her back on the shelf.
She was hit by a bout of pain as the wound on her back was hit.
She has already applied some first aid on her back, but it is still not enough to cure it that easily.
But she did not have a choice as she need to report here. She did not want to let this opportunity go to learn more about the sect and cultivation though she could not use it.
Soon, the two reached the fourth floor and Mok Namgi suddenly warned her.
"On this floor, there are many manuals that we cannot casually touch. If you are tasked to scribe one of them, then you have to get permission from Master Seo, our librarian."
Hyuna nodded her head and walked around the fourth floor.
From the 2nd floor and above, she could already sense the strong and powerful Qi in those manuals. She is not that affected by them as she is a mere mortal and the Qi would not enter her body.
That also means that she cannot do anything with those books as they are covered by powerful Qi.
Plus, she knew that if one brings an artifact into this building, then that would make the Qi in the air react and a trap would be set.
Before that person can even activate that artifact, it would have already been devoured by the trap.
Though she did not know if her speculations are correct, if it was her she would arrange such a formation inside this place.
After the tour, Hyuna began her first day working in the library.
As she returns some of the books, she could not help but take a look at them and read some parts of them before returning them to their place.
According to the instruction told to her by Mok Namgi, when they leave this place, everything they have read or learned there would be removed from their minds by a mysterious formation inside this place.
That way, the information inside this library could not be taken by anyone.
After the whole day of work, Hyun has already felt fatigued overcoming her body. Plus, the wound that she has suffered this morning, made her feel really tired.
As she walks out of the library, she quickly felt something has been missing in her head.
But no matter how hard she thinks about it she could not remember.
She just shrugs it off and followed the path back along with the others.
They soon arrive at the gate of the Inner Sect to the Outer Sect.
As everyone bid their farewell, they all walked the path to where most mortals are living in the Outer Sect.
However, for Hyuna, she started walking towards the Outer Sect area.
The two guards saw that a scribe is actually walking toward them and it made them feel a bit weird.
Why would a mortal scribe go to the Outer Sect?
Did someone order a manual today?
But when they saw that handsome young face, the two could not help but show faint smiles on their faces.
"Hey, Little Jin, you actually became a scribe… Good for you! I hope that you can make a copy of a manual one of these days…" one of them greeted.
Hyuna, though feeling tired, looks at that person and nodded her head in response.
"Just look for me…" she said while waving her hands.
The two chuckled and watches her enter the Outer Sect.
"Hahaha… I guess, he worked really hard in there, right? I wish I could also reach the Dantian Condensing so that I can enter the Inner Sect soon…" that guard said with a hint of melancholy in his eyes.
"Hey, cheer up! We both can do that… I actually learned of a secret…" the other one suddenly said as he looks around and then whispered something in the ears of the other guard.
After hearing what the other one was saying, an expression of surprise appeared on that guard's face.
"You're not playing with me, right?"
"I swear it's all true…"
Then the two shifted their gaze in the direction of where Hyuna was walking.