Leng Zhiwei slowly rose, looked at Ye Ling, and spoke softly.
“I haven't returned to the sect for two days, and a lot of matters have piled up, so I cannot personally accompany you to the Library.”
After a moment's thought, she already had an arrangement.
“I have instructed my youngest personal disciple to take you to the Library shortly.”
With that, she took out a jade token carved with an ancient sword pattern and handed it to Ye Ling.
“This is the Sect Master's Token.”
“With this token, you can pass through all forbidden grounds and pavilions in the sect without hindrance.”
“Go straight to the highest floor of the Library and retrieve the sect-guarding heritage cultivation method.”
She advised further, “You may choose a few Yellow-grade peak-tier martial arts from the pavilion to practice.
“Profound-grade and higher martial arts require the support of Xiantian Realm true qi. Since your cultivation is still in the Houtian Realm, there is no need to force it.”
As her voice fell, Leng Zhiwei tapped her toes, soared into the air, and instantly vanished into the clouds outside the hall.
Ye Ling lowered her gaze, gently caressing the token with her fingertips, and stood quietly in place, waiting.
Before long, a green-clad figure walked quickly into the main hall.
The young woman was about twenty years old, with delicate and gentle features. Walking up to Ye Ling, she spoke warmly.
“Are you Junior Sister Ye Ling? I am the Sect Master's youngest personal disciple, Nalan Yanli. I have been ordered by Master to lead you to the Library.”
Ye Ling nodded slightly.
“Hello, Senior Sister Nalan.”
As they walked, Nalan Yanli turned her head to look at Ye Ling, speaking with a touch of playfulness.
“Junior Sister Ye Ling, over the past two days, your name has already spread like wildfire among the sect's elders, personal disciples, and True Disciples.”
Ye Ling didn't know how to respond, so she simply followed quietly by Nalan Yanli's side.
Seeing her silence, Nalan Yanli understood.
Master had warned her beforehand that Ye Ling was quiet, aloof, and not good at socializing, which was why she, an outgoing person, had been assigned to lead the way.
Looking at her now, Master's words were indeed true.
She didn't mind Ye Ling's coldness at all and continued with a smile.
“Yesterday, word leaked out in the sect that Master was going to break the rules and accept a Houtian Realm girl as the Tenth True Disciple.
“As soon as the news broke, the entire sect erupted.
“Everyone was whispering in private, wondering if you had pulled strings to get in through the back door. After all, according to the rules, those in the Houtian Realm are not qualified to become True Disciples.
“But not long after, the news of the Heavenly Spirit Stairs trial reached the mountain gate.
“Only then did everyone realize that the rumored girl was you, the one who had scaled nine thousand steps of the spiritual stairs.
“The noisy doubts from before vanished in an instant. Everyone changed their tune, agreeing with this rule-breaking investiture.
“It's a pity you didn't see the stark contrast in their faces before and after; it was truly quite amusing.”
...
Along the way, many inner sect and personal disciples who saw Nalan Yanli stopped to clasp their hands and greet her.
Nalan Yanli returned their greetings with a smile. It was clear she was highly popular.
When the disciples' gazes fell on Ye Ling behind Nalan Yanli, a hint of curiosity flickered in their eyes.
She was a fresh face, but everyone assumed she was just a newly recruited disciple. After greeting Nalan Yanli, they went on their way.
The two continued forward, and before long, they arrived in front of the Library.
Ye Ling looked up, a wave of awe washing over her.
The Library was constructed entirely of massive, dark green profound stones. Standing six stories high, it rose majestically like a mountain, piercing into the light mist of the valleys.
The upturned eaves were covered in dark green glazed tiles, and the corners were carved with reliefs of ancient swords and exotic beasts. Sword path runes were etched everywhere, faintly shimmering with spiritual light.
A hundred wide, smooth stone steps led up to the pavilion, where a faint scent of sandalwood lingered year-round, inspiring a sense of reverence.
Nalan Yanli pointed at the building, explaining floor by floor.
“The Library has six floors in total. The first floor houses Yellow-grade high-tier cultivation methods and martial arts, totaling about fifty thousand volumes.
“The second floor houses Yellow-grade peak-tier cultivation methods and martial arts, with over ten thousand volumes.
“The third floor houses Profound-grade low-tier cultivation methods and martial arts, around one thousand volumes.
“The fourth floor houses Profound-grade mid-tier cultivation methods and martial arts, about two hundred volumes.
“The fifth floor houses Profound-grade high-tier cultivation methods and martial arts, over eighty volumes.
“The highest, sixth floor treasures Profound-grade peak-tier cultivation methods and martial arts, with fewer than forty volumes. This is also where our sect's top-tier martial arts and core secret techniques are stored.”
She lightly brushed her fingers against an ancient corridor pillar and added with a smile,
“A portion of the high-grade cultivation methods and martial arts in this pavilion was recovered by our sect's legendary predecessor, Su Qingyue, during her early travels across the world.
“It is precisely because of her generous contributions back then that our sect's collection of cultivation methods is so vast, firmly placing us at the head of the four major sects.”
Ye Ling was slightly startled.
She had long known that Su Qingyue was the cornerstone of the Qinglan Sword Sect's rise, but she hadn't expected that even the sect's foundation of high-grade cultivation methods and martial arts bore the mark of this predecessor.
The thousands of years of accumulation of a great sect and the blessings passed down by predecessors were fully on display at this moment.
When the two reached the entrance of the Library, the two guarding disciples quickly bowed in salute upon seeing Nalan Yanli.
“Senior Sister Nalan!”
Nalan Yanli smiled and nodded, exchanging a few pleasantries. Once the formalities were complete, she stepped aside and gestured, leading Ye Ling into the pavilion.
Stepping inside, the entire room was filled with a faint fragrance of ink and the pure aura of spiritual scrolls.
As Nalan Yanli led the way, she explained the borrowing rules in detail.
“The Qinglan Sword Sect has always been generous to its disciples.
“The cultivation methods and martial arts on the first floor are completely open and free to all disciples of the sect. There are no limits on the number of times or duration; anyone can study and practice them.
“To access the cultivation methods and martial arts on the second floor, one must spend sect contribution points to unlock the permissions.
“The cultivation methods and martial arts on the third and fourth floors can be exchanged by inner sect disciples using contribution points, while True Disciples and personal disciples enjoy exclusive discounts, costing them far less.
“The threshold for the fifth floor is extremely high. Only True Disciples and sect elders are permitted entry; ordinary disciples can never set foot here in their entire lives.”
She looked up toward the highest floor, her tone turning solemn.
“As for the sixth floor, it stores dozens of our sect's Profound-grade peak-tier martial arts and core secret manuals.
“In the entire sect, only the Sect Master and the Peak Masters of the main peaks can enter. It is the true core forbidden ground of our Qinglan Sword Sect.”
Hearing this, Ye Ling silently noted it down.
She now had many privileges as the Tenth True Disciple, but she was ultimately still a Houtian Realm cultivator.
The urgent matter at hand was to obtain the sect-guarding cultivation method, switch her cultivation as soon as possible, and lay the foundation for breaking through to the Xiantian Realm.
The two walked up the wooden stairs floor by floor, and the scene on each floor was completely different.
The first floor was the most crowded, with disciples buried in scrolls everywhere.
The second floor had fewer people, but there was still a steady stream of traffic.
When they reached the third floor, there were only dozens of people left.
By the time they reached the fourth floor, only a dozen or so disciples stood quietly, flipping through books.
Everyone was focused on searching for cultivation methods and martial arts suitable for themselves, paying no attention to the passing duo.
Before long, the two arrived at the staircase leading to the fifth floor.
A barrier of light glowing with a faint green luster blocked their path, pulsing with a thick, restrictive spiritual force.
Nalan Yanli stopped her steps, turned to Ye Ling, and said,
“My access only goes up to the fourth floor, so I can't accompany you any further. You'll have to go up the remaining path alone.
“Master should have given you a token of passage. Just take it out and touch the light barrier to unlock the restriction.”
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