Beyond the Divine States

Chapter 67 The Old Man in the Library

From the sword hall came bursts of momentary laughter.

Most of the disciples here were from rich families. Due to their aptitude, they were sent here to seek enlightenment and attain Taoism. Of course, they started studying when they were little. Even those from a poor family would have studied in the school for the outer disciples for at least one year or so before they became the inner disciples.

Now, as Ning Xiaoling mentioned this, she finally thought of this.

In the battle against the old fox in the long street, because she told Ning Xiaoling about the breathing-in-and-out method of the inner peak recklessly, she almost got herself killed. At that time, she thought Ning Xiaoling was lying about her illiteracy. Now as it appeared, she was controlled through the evil seed by the old fox.

Lu Jiajia glanced around coldly and the laughter faded away in the sword hall.

She looked at Ning Xiaoling's grieved expression on her childish face and also felt a headache.

Now, Ning Xiaoling was 14 years old. Even if she was extremely talented, it was too late to start cultivating. If she was sent to the private school outside to learn to read for one year, it was not appropriate. After all, as to the learning of some sword methods, it didn't require literacy. However, one's perception of the mental methods was important but the concrete moves of the mental methods were recorded in several thick books, which were quite troublesome.

"I'll teach you how to read then," Lu Jiajia mulled it over and made such a decision.

In the sword hall, surprised and confused voices could be heard.

Who was Lu Jiajia? She was the female sword immortal who reached the realm of Half Step Purple Court at the age of 24. She was the unprecedented talent over the past hundred years of Tianku Peak. How could she teach a disciple how to read?

How talented was Ning Xiaoling?

The eyes of several disciples in the hall all glittered after a moment of astoundment. They all itched to share the burden for the deputy peak master.

However, to their astonishment, Ning Xiaoling turned down the offer. She said obediently, "How can I bother you with such a trivial thing? I heard that the sovereign succession ceremony would be held in a few years. I dare not or should not disturb your cultivation."

Lu Jiajia didn't insist then. She asked, "How about going to the private school?"

Ning Xiaoling replied with a long face, "Then I will be exhausted from climbing every day."

Lu Jiajia looked at her grieved face and suddenly understood what she truly wanted. Then, she sneered in her heart and asked with a calm face, "Can Ning Changjiu.read?"

Ning Xiaoling's eyes glittered and then she straightened up, saying seriously, "I always admire Changjiu's erudition most."

Lu Jiajia heaved a sigh slightly and said, "Then I shall allow you to learn to read from Changjiu after your sword class is over but it can only last three hours at most. Otherwise, you will be punished as per the rules of the sect."

Ning Xiaoling pretended to hesitate for a while.

Lu Jiajia's eyebrows slightly twitching, she said coldly, "You don't want to?"

Ning Xiaoling immediately stopped pretending and then nodded heavily, saying, "Yes, Master!"

In the sword hall, the other disciples all stared at her weirdly, wondering whether she didn't know what the peak master's willingness to teach her actually meant.

A few disciples also admired Ning Xiaoling's fellow disciple. That young man's constitution was not good but it seemed quite lucky for him to have such a fellow disciple.

Probably every cloud had a silver lining.

Lu Jiajia also let out a sigh of relief. It was not appropriate to let Ning Changjiu stay at the summit of the peak, which was more of a decision out of her selfish motive. Now it was great that she had a decent reason.

Hopefully, the two of them wouldn't arouse any scandal...

Luckily, Ning Changjiu looked like having few desires. Supposedly, he wouldn't conduct any misdemeanor.

Now, a look of irresistible excitement flashed across Ning Xiaoling's face. Those displeasing gazes on her also faded away at the moment.

Lu Jiajia knocked on her desk, saying, "Xiaoling, come out. I'll illustrate the texts for you first. You should work hard on learning to read in the future and ask Ning Changjiu to explain more to you. If you have any questions, you can ask me too."

Her voice was cold but the others present all knew that this was almost pampering for the peak master who always acted icily.

Most importantly, in this way, Ning Xiaoling's fellow disciple, as an outer disciple, would have a chance to access the mental methods for the inner disciples. How inappropriate!

Of course Ning Xiaoling wouldn't think about those messy things. She immediately nodded and said, "Yes, Master!"

...

...

It was nearly noon. Ning Changjiu pushed open the wooden door and walked to the next floor. Yesterday, Yazhu told them that there were lots of books on that floor, which they could read at will.

"Boy, where are you going?" A man's voice suddenly came.

Ning Changjiu stopped and looked aside only to see a man dressed in the sword gown with the crossing on the right side standing with arms around his chest at the corner of the corridor. His hair was slicked back with a fringe hanging before his forehead. The man looked a bit more than 30 years old, whose complexion was slightly tanned and hard. He was giving off the faint sword Qi, looking rather intimidating.

Of course, Ning Changjiu didn't know him. However, since he asked the question, he answered, "I want to read some ancient records."

The man slowly walked over in steady steps. Staring at Ning Changjiu, he said, "You don't need to go to the class?"

Ning Changjiu replied, "I'm an outer disciple."

The man said with a frown, "Absurd! How can an outer disciple come to the peak?"

Ning Changjiu said, "Miss... Well, Master gave special approval to this."

The man thought for a while and then took a tumble, saying, "Yesterday, I heard that a little girl with an innate spirit came to the peak, followed by a lackey. Are you the lackey?"

Ning Changjiu slightly shook his head. "I'm her fellow disciple."

"It's you then," the man sneered and said. "You are so lucky to have such a fellow disciple."

Ning Changjiu looked at him and asked, "You are?"

The man said laughingly, "In terms of seniority, I should be your uncle-master."

Ning Changjiu replied casually, "Well, good morning, Uncle-master."

He couldn't be bothered to blather so he just walked to the wooden staircase ahead.

With a frown, the man reached out his hand to stop him, "You don't know who I am?"

Ning Changjiu shook his head and said, "It's the first day I'm here. I don't know who you are. May I have your name?"

The man looked him up and down, saying, "You don't look like a stupid man... Oh, I see. You are acting like this specially to arouse my attention and make me feel that you are extraordinary?"

Ning Changjiu said, "You've thought too much."

The man snorted and took a deep breath, saying in a potent voice, "My name is Lu Yuanbai. In terms of the time sequence of joining the sect, I'm the senior fellow disciple of Lu Jiajia. Now the order of the inner peak is in the charge of me. Today is the first time that you met me. I won't blame you. If you dare to show disrespect for me, I will punish you according to the rules of the sect."

Ning Changjiu said with a nod, "I've read the rules of the sect and got a rough idea of the rules."

Lu Yuanbai asked, "According to the rules of the sect, are the outer disciples allowed to read the books of the inner peak?"

Ning Changjiu said, "According to the rules of the sect, outer disciples are not f*******n to do that."

Lu Yuanbai said angrily, "It's because they cannot get in here."

Ning Changjiu said, "But I'm here."

"You..."

Lu Yuanbai took several more looks at him and felt that the young man was quite good-looking but his way of talking was too irritating.

Then, he looked Ning Changjiu up and down again, asking, "What realm have you reached?"

Ning Changjiu said, "I haven't reached the Profound Realm."

Lu Yuanbai frowned, "How old are you?"

Ning Changjiu said, "16."

"16..." Lu Yuanbai shook his head and became calmer, saying, "You are 16 but you haven't reached the Profound Realm. You should read more indeed and try your best to fawn on your fellow disciple in case that you are in disgrace with her and get evicted from the peak."

Ning Changjiu didn't go mad and only said, "Surely I will treat my fellow disciple well."

Hearing that, Lu Yuanbai felt annoyed somehow and his gaze at Ning Changjiu became somewhat disdainful.

He waved his hand and said coldly, "Be quiet when you are in the library of the inner peak. The old man watching the library is of the same generation of the sovereign. He is not good-tempered. Don't piss him off."

Ning Changjiu expressed his gratitude and walked forward.

...

The inner disciples of the young generation were all taking a class in the sword hall, thus leaving the library of the inner peak quiet and empty.

Ning Changjiu walked inside.

The large bookshelves and a mass of book backs came to his view.

There were so many books. Every bookshelf was as high as several people's height. Wooden tablets hung on one side of the bookshelves by category and the books were placed from the bottom up in terms of ranking.

There was no ladder in the library. If one wanted to fetch the books on the upper layers, he could only fetch them with his spiritual power. Therefore, a lot of books were placed at high positions, some of which were even isolated with some small formations.

When Ning Changjiu walked inside, an old man lying back against a long desk grabbed a precious old book covering his face and glimpsed the young man that came in.

Ning Changjiu also glanced at him.

"You are new here?" The old man asked randomly and turned his gaze away.

"Yes," Ning Changjiu replied briefly.

This should be the grandmaster mentioned by Lu Yuanbai.

He stared at the old man for a while and had a feeling. Then, he heaved a sigh because he could sense that the old man was about to die.