As Xuan moved toward the staircase to descend, his eyes caught sight of something unexpected—a narrow spiral staircase tucked into the far corner, winding upward.
Confusion flickered across his face. The elder had said there were only four floors to the pavilion. Yet here was an unmistakable path to a fifth. Curiosity sparked, and without hesitation, he approached the staircase, placing his foot on the first step.
There were no signs or anything warning or forbidding an ascent, so Xuan just marched on. Then, without warning, he walked headfirst into something solid. The sudden impact sent him stumbling back, his hand shooting up to rub his forehead. He blinked, startled, and then reached out instinctively, his fingers metting a smooth, invisible resistance. There was some kind of invisible barrier.
Frowning, he pressed harder, testing its limits, but nothing worked. After several attempts, frustration welled within him. Whatever lay beyond the fifth floor was out of reach, and it seemed clear the way forward wasn't something he could force. With a resigned sigh, he turned and made his way back down the stairs.
---
At the bottom floor, the elder glanced up from his book, setting it aside as Xuan approached. "Found something suitable?" he asked, his gaze briefly flicking to the jade slip in Xuan's hand.
"Yes," Xuan replied, holding out the slip. It was the {Frozen Gale Codex}.
The elder inspected the jade slip briefly, nodding in approval. "Good choice. It's not often I see someone pay attention to compatibility rather than simply chasing the highest-grade manual." He looked up, his sharp gaze meeting Xuan's. "I'm assuming you do have dual wind and water affinities, correct?"
Xuan hesitated for a moment before giving a small nod. "Yes, those were my strongest affinities during the testing."
The elder hummed contentedly as he finished recording the manual. "Good. Remember, the strongest manual isn't always the best fit. Compatibility will always serve you better in the long run." He handed the token back to Xuan, adding, "You have three days to memorize the manual. Make sure to return it on time."
Accepting the token with a silent nod, his thoughts drifted elsewhere. The staircase and the invisible barrier lingered in his mind. What could possibly be on the fifth floor? The question gnawed at him.
As the elder began reaching for his book again, Xuan broke his silence. "Elder," he started, his voice careful, "what's on the fifth floor? I thought this pavilion had only four."
The elder chuckled, his tone tinged with mystery. "Ah, so you noticed. The fifth floor is restricted—it houses the sect's guiding cultivation method: the {Spider Emissary Codex}."
Xuan's brow furrowed. "Guiding method?"
The elder's expression turned serious. "It's not just any method. The {Spider Emissary Codex} is a simplified version of the {Spider Monarch Codex}, a Mid Earth-grade Level 3 manual—the main sect's crown jewel and one of only four Mid Earth manuals in the entire world."
"We have one of the strongest four manuals?" Xuan asked, the weight of the elder's words sinking in. Only now did he begin to realize that the sect he had inadvertently joined might be far more powerful than he'd initially thought.
"Yes," the elder said simply, then added, "But you can't learn it yet. It's not just a matter of talent or status. The {Spider Emissary Codex} is restricted to those who have earned the sect's trust through exceptional contributions or achievements. Even core disciples aren't handed it freely."
He paused, letting his words settle before continuing. "Earning the right to study it means proving not only your strength but your loyalty. That manual represents the very core of our sect's power, and we don't allow just anyone access to it."
The elder waved a hand dismissively, his tone lightening. "Now off you go. You've got three days to memorize that manual, and I have better things to do than entertain your questions all day." He picked up his book again, already engrossed before Xuan could say another word.
Realizing there was nothing more to be learned here, Xuan gave a slight bow of thanks and turned to leave.
---
As Xuan made his way back to his quarters, he found Lin Ran sitting quietly in the small garden outside the house. Her posture was stiff, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. When she noticed his approach, her gaze flickered up, her expression uncertain and hesitant.
"How was the pavilion?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper, as though testing the waters.
Xuan stopped and studied her for a moment. The tension in her shoulders, the guarded look in her eyes—it was clear she was still trying to come to terms with everything that had happened. "It went well," he said after a pause. "I found a manual that suits me."
Lin Ran nodded, her gaze dropping back to the ground. After a moment's silence, she added quietly, "I started tidying up the house while you were gone. I wasn't sure what else to do."
Xuan wasn't used to someone being this cautious around him, but he couldn't blame her. The circumstances that had brought her here were anything but gentle. "Thanks," he said, his voice softening as he offered a faint smile. "That's helpful."
He hesitated, then shook his head lightly. "But you don't need to worry about that going forward," he added gently. "Focus on yourself. Work on cultivating and unlocking your dantian as quickly as you can."
He knew the truth of the situation—they didn't have the luxury to dwell on the past. For both their sakes, it was better if she could unlock her dantian soon and leave his house, allowing him to focus fully on his own cultivation. Yet, he also knew the sect's attitude. Her survival hung by a thread, tied solely to her connection to him. He didn't want her to die, and keeping her alive cost him nothing more than a few words and patience.
Lin Ran looked up briefly, surprise flickering in her eyes, before she gave a small nod. "Alright," she murmured.
"Good luck," Xuan said simply, offering her another faint smile. Then, turning on his heel, he left her in the garden and stepped into the house, his mind already returning to the manual and the long path ahead.
---
Once inside, Xuan settled into his cultivation area, the jade slip of the {Frozen Gale Codex} resting in his hand. With a steady breath, he activated it, letting the information flow directly into his mind. Apparently this was one of the many ingenious uses of qi.
Detailed instructions filled his thoughts: how to refine and harmonize wind and water qi, how to balance their complementary natures, and how to channel their unique traits for maximum potency. Everything starting with gradual progression of realms.
As he absorbed the manual's teachings, his thoughts wandered to the larger picture of cultivation paths. This wasn't the only path available to cultivators, as Xuan had learned. After reading the notes left behind in his quarters and briefly cross-referencing them in the library on his way back from the Webspire Pavilion, he'd realized something crucial.
The {Frozen Gale Codex}, like every manual in the pavilion, followed the Qi Control Path, the most common cultivation path in the world. This path focused on gathering, refining, and manipulating qi for internal and external use. Yet, the manual his parents had entrusted to him was different—radically so. It was a method called: {Wings and Waves Body Scripture} that followed an entirely different system: the Body Cultivation Path. And that would get more and more obvious from now on.
Unlike the Qi Control Path, which emphasized qi refinement and control, the Body Cultivation Path aimed to strengthen the physical body itself. It sought to unlock and harness all of the body's latent potential, transforming it into a vessel capable of wielding immense power.
Xuan could have chosen to focus entirely on his parents' manual. But he didn't. The {Wings and Waves Body Scripture}, while undoubtedly powerful, had one glaring weakness: progressing swiftly required far more than simply absorbing the surrounding qi.
His parents' manual had offered solutions to accelerate progress—techniques and actions that would have made the process far more efficient. But those methods required one thing or another, that Xuan simply didn't have at the moment. They weren't viable right now.
He sighed. As much as he wanted to honor his parents' teachings, pragmatism had to come first. The Qi Control Path offered a more accessible route to power. Anyway, both paths aimed for the same goal—strength. He wasn't abandoning his parents' legacy; he was postponing it.
For now, he would cultivate using the Qi Control Path, keeping the Body Cultivation Path in his sights for the future.
Sitting cross-legged, Xuan placed the jade slip of the {Frozen Gale Codex} in his lap. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, letting his focus center on the manual. Carefully, he began to draw the surrounding qi toward him, guiding it into his nodes as the first step.