I entered the sect's library, and the first thing that struck me was the sheer vastness of the place. Endless shelves stretched beyond what the eye could see, forming a labyrinth.
In the darker corners, some shelves were cloaked in dust, as though no one had ventured there for centuries. I wondered if they housed forgotten—or cursed—techniques.
Each shelf was colossal, as if crafted for giants; their height was at least ten times my own.
At double the height of the shelves, there was a hollow space in the ceiling leading to the second floor and higher levels. There were no stairs, only emptiness.
It seemed one had to jump to reach them, which I couldn't manage yet.
Maybe I could climb or prop myself up using the shelves, but I feared knocking them over and being expelled from the sect where I had my perfect life.
Still, it was odd, but after half a breath of thought, it seemed quite logical.
I delved into the forest of shelves.
I was curious to explore various areas, but I realized that even with a lifetime, it wouldn't be possible. So, I decided to focus on what I came to find on this singular occasion.
Martial Arts, Spells and Formations, Herbs and Alchemy, Mystic Beast Arts, Sect and Bloodline Histories, Demonic and Forbidden Cultivation, Theories of Heaven and Earth, Studies on Spiritual Nodes: Structures of Ancient Astronauts, Rituals and Ancestral Secrets, and so on.
I passed through various sections, each marked by inscriptions on jade plaques placed at the start of every row.
Silence reigned, occasionally broken by the faint creak of my footsteps.
Along the way, I noticed several fellow cultivators scattered through the aisles. Some were sprawled on the ground, leaning against shelves, or sitting cross-legged with their eyes closed.
At first, I thought they were sleeping until I remembered that immortal cultivators read that way.
How does one do that? Simple. These books weren't made of paper.
They were crafted using what the Demon Fairy Sister called "spiritual jade stone," which is read using spiritual consciousness. Of course, one must know how to read.
She had shown me how, and it was quite simple and fast. It felt as if all the words and images could be absorbed simultaneously.
I was careful not to disturb anyone as I continued onward.
They were engrossed in their own exploration, analyzing the spiritual jade stones that contained the sect's techniques and knowledge.
Each step I took among the shelves made me feel as if the place grew more intricate, like walking through an endless maze. Was it really necessary to be this complicated?
After what seemed like 1,106 breaths—yes, I counted, because what else could I do while searching?—I was beginning to regret coming when I finally arrived at the section I was looking for.
The inscription on the jade plaque read: "Cultivation Techniques for Foundation Building: Body and Spirit Preparation Stage."
"At last," I thought joyfully.
With a mix of relief and curiosity, I picked up a spiritual jade stone from the shelf. Its surface was smooth and cool to the touch, but I felt a faint pulse of energy within it, as if the knowledge itself was alive.
I sat on the floor, leaning against the shelf, and began inspecting it with my spiritual consciousness.
"Technique of the Immovable Celestial Turtle"
Absolute Defense Type: Defense Effect: None Conditions: To activate, the user must remain immobile for 100,000 years.
I blinked, incredulous.
"What? Is this a joke? What is something like this doing in the techniques section?"
From what little I knew about cultivation techniques, they were supposed to be skills designed to fortify one's path to the Dao, surpass the limits of realms, and, for some reason—perhaps spite—break the poor heavens.
But then, why were all the techniques I encountered so strange? I thought of the master's techniques, the Demon Fairy Sister's, and now this one.
"Are they all like this?" Doubts began creeping in.
Curious, I inspected another jade stone.
"Spiritual River Technique"
Overflows the user's spiritual energy like a river. Type: Enhancement Side Effect: Spiritual flatulence.
Spiritual flatulence... Is that good or bad?
"..."
I picked up another one.
"Body Cleansing Technique"
Extracts 20% more impurities with each cultivation breakthrough. Type: Detoxification Side Effect: Develops an obsession with cleanliness and difficulty cultivating in dirty environments.
In my eleven years at the sect, I never imagined techniques could be so… peculiar, though the signs were always there.
"Is it just me picking the weirdest ones? Is it my luck? Is this the Dao destined for me?" I began doubting myself.
After reviewing several absurd techniques, I encountered a fellow cultivator and decided to ask directly. Maybe, just maybe, I was the problem.
He was leaning against a shelf with a jade stone in his hands.
"Hello, good afternoon, fellow cultivator. Sorry to interrupt your reading, but… could you tell me what technique you're holding?"
The young man opened his eyes and smiled kindly.
"Oh, hello, young junior. You're new, aren't you? Sure, no problem. Here you go. It's a great technique, but it's not suitable for the Dao I'm pursuing. Perhaps it'll suit you."
He handed me the jade stone, and I inspected it.
"Great Golden Fish Summoning Technique"
Summons the legendary celestial golden fish from the Constellation Realm. Type: Summoning Effect: None Conditions: Must summon in a pond with approximately one million goldfish. Must be at night with three moons aligned. The summoner must dance on the pond. If the celestial fish enjoys the dance, it will grant a favor. If not, it will eliminate the summoner. Note: It's recommended to practice the "Swan Dance Technique" for 10,000 years before attempting.
I sighed.
"I really wish the Demon Fairy Sister were here to ask about these things. Annoying as she is, she knows a lot. She's like a mini-library," I murmured.
The fellow cultivator chuckled at my expression.
"Didn't like it?"
"Well… fellow cultivator, I'm just very confused by the conditions and effects of these techniques. How and why do people cultivate them? It's absurd, even for someone as ignorant as me about the immensity of Mount Tai."
The young man laughed again but answered calmly.
"Oh, now I understand. The reason is simple: most techniques for the Body and Spirit Preparation Stage were created by beginner cultivators of the same stage. That's why they often have strange side effects or absurdly difficult conditions. When they made them, they still didn't understand spiritual energy or the Dao very well, so their techniques are imperfect."
My eyes lit up. Was that the reason?
"Why don't the elders, teachers, or superiors fix them?"
"It's simple! They're just old farts who only care about their own cultivation!"
Ah, that startled me.
He gritted his teeth and calmed himself.
"Ugh, sorry, I got a little carried away. Let me continue. They do fix some, especially the dangerous ones, but others they prefer to leave as they are or cannot be fixed, as the technique would become something completely different. Besides, as one progresses in their cultivation and understands the technique, they'll be able to fix it themselves."
"I see... So these techniques are considered safe or, on the other hand, can't be repaired but aren't dangerous, right?"
"Exactly."
"Thank you, fellow cultivator. I understand now."
"No problem! We're here to help! Let me give you some advice. Be very careful when choosing a technique, especially if you don't have a master or senior cultivator to guide you. As I mentioned, some can't be fixed, and you'd have to live with their effects your entire life on your path to immortality. I have no one, as I was once a mortal, so I've spent 47 years searching for a suitable technique since I reached the peak of body and spirit preparation. However, I still haven't found one."
The young man sighed.
I was surprised.
"You're very patient and determined. I would've given up by now."
The young man gave a faint smile and gazed into the distance with a melancholy air.
"I want to give up too, but I have a childhood friend in my hometown who was engaged to a wealthy young master. I promised to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator, stop her marriage, and go after her because I love her. I want to bring her with me to be my Dao partner. I've lived with that sole goal in mind."
How inspiring! I nodded, encouraging him, but I couldn't help frowning shortly after. Wait. Forty-seven years looking for a technique?
"Is she a cultivator?" I asked.
"No," he replied.
"How long has it been since you arrived here?" I asked nervously.
"A hundred and nine years," he answered instantly.
I looked at him in silence. He met my gaze.
Ten breaths later, the young man's chest began to heave. His eyes widened, staring into nothingness.
"…"
He was stunned. A solitary tear, as lonely as his life thus far, rolled down his cheek. His body began to tremble.
"She..." he murmured, "she... must no longer remember me. Ah, how tragic."
He spat out a mouthful of blood.
I didn't know what to say. My throat was dry, and all I could think was, "Remember you? Forget her engagement. She's probably already with my parents, living her next life."
After that, the wails in the library unsettled everyone. The librarian at the door came to remove the broken young man.
"Ha ha ha! I've wasted my life. This ring is meaningless now! You old bastard, you can eat shit! I won't help you anymore!"
The young man removed a ring from his left hand and threw it into the air.
It fell at my feet.
I picked it up to take a closer look. The ring was old, with red stains on its surface, as if time had left a deep mark. The metal appeared dull, worn, and the inscriptions on it, which might once have been clearly visible, were faded, almost unrecognizable. The stone adorning it had a dim glow, as if it had lost its original luster, absorbing more shadows than light.
I observed it for a while, feeling the young man's frustration reflected in the object. I decided to keep it. It didn't seem like the right time to return it; it was clear he was shattered, both inside and out. He needed time to heal.
In light of these events, I remained calm and composed, reaching a conclusion: cultivation somehow affects people in strange ways...