The elder's monologue about the Path of Transformation took up most of the journey. Rand and Byron managed to pass through the portal arch and even approach the Library building. From the outside, it looked like a typical sect building, large and without any particular extravagance. Rand even thought that it differed from the Storage building only by the inscription above the gates, "Library," and the man sitting at the entrance. To him, Byron led Rand.
"Hello, Saran, I hope everything is fine with you, and the little ones are not bothering you too much," greeted the man the elder Byron.
"And hello to you, Byron. Nowadays, the little ones don't bother me too much; everyone is trying to make their own choices, so I don't have as much trouble as before. I heard that you finally took on a new disciple," said Saran, after which he turned his gaze to Rand, examining him for a couple of seconds.
"I guess this is the very disciple. If my technique is not lying to me, he has the Pure Lotus Body, right? A good disciple will come out of him."
"Can't hide anything from you, as usual, Saran. Yes, this is my new disciple, and we came for his first method and technique. Allow him to enter and take the first three levels of the Mythical Blood cultivation method, as well as go up to the closed section and take any technique of his choice from there," requested Byron.
"He would have received the Mythical Blood cultivation method tomorrow anyway, along with everyone else. So there won't be any problems with that. But letting him into the closed section... You know the rules."
"I know, I'm ready to part with the black order that I kept. As far as I remember, it can be used on personal disciples."
"It can, if you wish, the main thing is that you don't regret it later," replied elder Saran. Then he addressed Rand directly for the first time.
"Boy, I am elder Saran, responsible for the Library. You can enter and take the Mythical Blood cultivation method in the first room, but don't touch anything else there. You are also allowed to enter the second floor and take any technique there, but only one. I advise you to choose wisely. I give you one hour for everything. If you don't make it in time, or try to take more techniques or methods than allowed, you will leave the Library with nothing."
At this point, Elder Byron addressed his disciple.
"You need to take the Bronze Body technique from there; it fits well with your gift. But you can also look at other techniques to take from there in the future. Don't worry, you'll have many more chances for that."
"All right, master? I will follow your advice," although Rand didn't exactly know why the elder asked him to take this technique, but there was no need to upset the old man without reason. He could still get a lot of benefit from him.
After these words, Rand entered the building without haste, and surprisingly, it reminded him of the lower level of the Imperial Library, only a worse version. A huge hall with countless shelves, overflowing with ordinary books, folios, jade tablets, parchment scrolls. Under each of these knowledge repositories was a small description of what it contained. Out of curiosity, Rand decided to look at a few of them.
Fire Finger Technique. Three levels of mastery:
1) Weak reinforcement of the finger and when activated, it ignites it.
2) Significant reinforcement of the finger and intensification of the flame. Allows attacking with fire from the finger at both close and long range. Effective range of application up to 10 meters.
3) Enhancement of all previous aspects of the technique. Allows creating a beam of flame from the finger for a short time. Effective range of application up to 30 meters.
Snake Eye Technique. Three levels of mastery:
1) Slight improvement of daytime vision, partial night vision.
2) Improvement of daytime vision, nighttime vision only slightly worse than daytime, allows seeing heat clusters.
3) Enhancement of all previous aspects of the technique. Upon visual contact with an enemy with significantly lower cultivation, there is a chance to instill fear in them.
Water Breathing Cultivation Method. Nine levels.
Allows reaching the peak of the Qi Condensation stage. Each level corresponds to one of the nine steps of the Qi Condensation stage. Gradually increases the practitioner's affinity with the water element and improves control over it. Upon reaching the ninth level, it allows the body to temporarily turn into a liquid state.
Rand walked from shelf to shelf, examining the techniques, but as he expected, on the first floor of the library, there was only garbage, they were all at about the same level of quality and usefulness, zero. Most of these, if they could even be called techniques, could be bought for ordinary money in shops and stores in many cities. Some value was provided only by the first three levels of the Mythical Blood cultivation method, but these three levels were just the most basic and also did not represent any special value. With sufficient desire, they could also be obtained at one of the closed auctions inaccessible to ordinary people.
Unlike the other techniques and methods located on multi-tiered shelves, the Mythical Blood cultivation method was on a small pedestal, as if it were a pearl among stones. Approaching it, Rand began to examine its description.
Mythical Blood cultivation method. First three levels out of twelve.
1) Allows reaching the third stage of the Condensation Qi stage, improves blood circulation and regeneration, significantly increases stamina and body strength.
2) Allows reaching the sixth stage of the Condensation Qi stage. Enhancement of all previous aspects of the technique. Increases blood density. Allows making one's blood "boil" for a short period, which enhances all body parameters, after which the body enters a weakened state.
3) Allows reaching the ninth stage, the peak of the Condensation Qi stage. Enhancement of all previous aspects of the technique. Gives partial control over one's blood, allowing the regeneration of lost limbs.
As Rand thought, the first three levels of the Mythical Blood cultivation method did not allow mixing human blood with the blood of spiritual beasts. They only strengthened the blood and the body as a whole. At the initial stage, it rather resembled a specific cultivation method on the Body Path rather than the Transformation Path. Only the fourth level, which allows reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, should have this feature.
On this floor, this technique was Rand's sole objective, so he touched the book with his hand. And immediately an identical copy of it appeared next to the book. Rand tried to move or open the original, but he couldn't. But he could take and flip through the copy without any problems. However, he didn't delve into the details, as he didn't have time for such things. After taking the book, Rand immediately headed towards the staircase leading to the second floor.
As he ascended, it seemed to him that he crossed some barely perceptible barrier. Since he was still not a cultivator, he couldn't say for sure, but the existence of protective barriers between different sections of the Library of different importance would be logical. Surely, only thanks to the permission of the Library's guardian, Elder Saran, Rand was able to pass through it unhindered.
And on the second floor, a completely different picture unfolded before Rand. If the first floor was full of books and other manuscripts, each accompanied by a brief description, then there was nothing of that sort on the second floor. Only countless talismans suspended in the air, flooding the space with light.
"At last, a sight worthy of the Library of the great sect, as before I had the feeling that I had entered some shop in the capital. The question is only how I can make use of this," thought Rand.
Glancing around, Rand saw the names of several techniques: Infernal Flame, Death Claw, Radiant Beryl Body, and even the Mythical Blood cultivation method from the fourth to the sixth level.
And while Rand was looking around, a tall man, Elder Saran, appeared behind him seemingly out of nowhere.
"Stop," said the elder, calmly surveying the young man who had turned to face him without flinching. "Not even a twitch of surprise. Impressive. But I'm not here to scare you. It's a great rarity to reach the second floor of the Library without even reaching the Qi Condensation stage. Those who have already embarked on the cultivation path can obtain general information about the technique or method with a touch of the talisman, and if it suits them, they can activate the talisman using Qi, and it will directly transfer all the necessary knowledge into the practitioner's consciousness. But you are still an ordinary mortal; you have too little Qi for the talismans to respond to your touch, so you won't even be able to see the general information about the technique or method. There's no need to talk about using Qi to activate the talisman. And with both the first and the second, I could help you, but unfortunately, your mind, which is not refined by Qi, may suffer slightly from the instant transfer of such a huge volume of information. Even cultivators in the early stages of cultivation fill pain from this and suffer from migraines for the next few hours. The consequences for you, however, would be much worse."
"So, does that mean I won't be able to take the technique my teacher asked me to get today?" Rand decided to clarify.
"Don't worry about that. You'll be able to, although you'll have to take a slightly circuitous route. Follow me."
Rand followed the elder through the hall full of technique talismans. Some of these techniques he had already seen in the Imperial Library, while others were new to him. And judging by what he knew, they were mainly designed for practitioners at the Foundation Establishment stage. Considering that the building had four floors, and the first floor was filled with techniques whose usefulness mostly ended at the Qi Condensation stage, and on the second floor, at the Foundation Establishment stage, it was likely that the third floor was reserved for techniques at the Core Formation stage, and the fourth for the Nascent Soul stage.
From these rather abstract and not very useful thoughts at the moment, Rand was distracted by the sight of one talisman with a technique that he had not only seen before but had also practiced in his time as a prince of the empire.
Dark Moon Step Technique. First four levels. Total number of levels unknown.
Out of surprise, he even froze for a second, and Elder Saran, noticing this, also stopped and asked, "What's up? Did you see some interesting technique name? Since you can't see it description yourself, I can enlighten you about it once."
Rand had to come up with an answer instantly. At first, he wanted to lie and ask about some random technique, but then he decided to ask the question he really wanted to know.
"Elder, I was intrigued by this technique related to the Dark Moon. Isn't that the name of the imperial family's path?"
"Hmm, you guessed it right. This technique is indeed related to the imperial family; it was passed down to us from the current emperor's grandfather. In the hands of a practitioner of the Dark Moon path, this technique displays astonishing power. As far as I know, if practiced up to the ninth level, one can reach any place within sight in a single step. Even if it's a place a hundred kilometers away. But, unfortunately, if you're not a practitioner of the Dark Moon path, training in this technique will be a real torture for you. It's very difficult, and the results and effectiveness will be minimal. And besides, we don't even have the cultivation method for the Dark Moon path; the emperor didn't want to share it with us, of course. So if you don't want to waste your time in vain in the future, it's better to forget about this technique," the elder replied, casting a glance at the talisman.
"Thank you for answering. I was just curious, and I don't intend to practice it in the future."
After these words, they continued on their way, and literally fifteen seconds later, they reached their destination. They approached the talisman with the name: Bronze Body Technique. After that, Elder Saran touched it with his finger, and the talisman flared up with silver flames. Then a book appeared in the elder's hand, which he immediately handed to Rand.
"Here, this is your Bronze Body Technique. It really suits you. In thirty days, this book and the book with the Mythical Blood cultivation method will turn to dust, and you will have to pay to come back here for copies. So, I advise you not to be lazy and learn all their contents in these thirty days. And also, I think you've already guessed this, but no one should see the contents of these books except you, otherwise, I'll find out, and you'll face severe punishment. Also, of course, you are not allowed to tell anyone what you read there. That's all. You have seventeen minutes left. If you want, you can wander around the first floor, look at the techniques there, but make sure to leave before your time is up," the elder finished his speech and immediately left, leaving Rand alone.