professional virtue

Though still considered young among his peers, Xin Ma harbored greater ambitions in life and aspired to rise beyond his current status as an Outer Elder. He yearned for a path of cultivation rather than spending his days among dusty tomes.

Suddenly, the rhythmic sound of a cane striking the wooden floor broke the library's silence. Xin Ma immediately recognized the source without even turning his gaze.

As an old man came into view, he looked like he had one foot in the grave. With a peculiar goat-like beard jutting from his chin, small beady eyes, and a hunched back, the old man leaned on his broom as a makeshift cane for support.

Known as 'Goat Geezer' among the sect members, few knew his actual name. Xin Ma remembered that this old man had been part of the sect since his own days as a disciple.

The old geezer's name was Shan Sha, a cultivator who never advanced past the Qi Gathering stage. His unwavering loyalty to the sect was the sole reason for him still being around.

"Another one of those bloody tournaments has come around?" the geezer snorted as he settled into one of the many chairs lining a long table where disciples would usually read. "I swear, it's all just useless peacocking. They're doing it solely to please the Grand Elder. Aside from the man himself, no one believes another like him will rise from the outer sect to become a Grand Elder."

Even after easing into the chair, the geezer continued to breathe heavily. A simple walk had already become quite a challenge for him.

"You're still kicking it, Shan Sha?" Xin Ma joked.

The old man responded with a wheezing laugh. "Don't worry, I'll outlive all of you."

Normally, Xin Ma wouldn't allow the old man to make such remarks in front of others, as it would cause him to lose face. But since it was just the two of them, he didn't mind the jests. These conversations with the geezer were what made his days bearable.

As the old man gathered his breath, he continued, "By the way, when will the Acceptance Ceremony take place? I wouldn't wish to be you at that time, even if I were to regain my youth."

Xin Ma winced, and the old man cackled at his reaction. When new disciples arrived, they were often curious, rummaging through books and causing trouble. Of course, they grew bored of reading and moved on after a month or two, but it was still a hassle to deal with every year.

"Please don't remind me of that whole thing. It is one of the damn reasons I don't want to stay as an Outer Elder. We are all just glorified servants with fancy titles. The Inner Elders would never suffer something like this," Xin Ma ranted. "I barely have time for cultivation in the evenings."

"I wish I had the same problems as you youngsters." The old street sweeper shrugged.

********

After enjoying the free breakfast at the dining hall, I immediately made my way toward the library.

The entire Blazing Sun Sect was built atop a mountain, with the whole sect fit inside that mountain. But it was a big ass mountain, so everything took climbing an ungodly amount of stairs to get anywhere.

Fortunately, there were some blessings to this whole thing. Like how most disciples skipped breakfast to attend the tournament fights. So at least I didn't have to wait in line.

I walked up the countless stairs, clutching a notebook and brush in my hand. The only sounds accompanying my footsteps were the chirping of birds. At least the scenery was pleasant, with trees all around and lush greenery as far as the eye could see.

Upon reaching my destination, I breathed out a sigh of relief. Even this body was beginning to feel the fatigue of climbing so many stairs.

The library was like a large Chinese-themed tower. At the entrance, there was a statue of a scholarly-looking man, with a book in one hand and a sword in another.

There was no one around here, and I took a moment to appreciate the scenery. This place was built high enough that I could catch a glimpse of the arena where my compatriots were beating each other to death. Though from this distance, it was hard to tell who was fighting.

Walking closer to the statue, I searched for memos that might reveal the scholar's identity. Unfortunately, cultivators were shit at cataloging things, so there was no information about the statue.

With a disappointed sigh, I walked through the entrance, which was spacious enough to fit people three times my height. As soon as I stepped into the building, the sounds of chirping birds and the gentle rustling of leaves vanished.

Was this some kind of noise-canceling array?

Furthermore, the scent of the trees dissipated, leaving behind only the unmistakable aroma of ink and paper.

The library was filled with an astonishing number of books. So much so that it made me doubt what I knew about the technological level of this world.

This world lagged thousands of years behind modern times, remaining stagnant for generations. So how did they even get this much paper?

There were shelves many times my height, all brimming with books. There was even a staircase that led to a second floor.

Thankfully, there were no people around. So I could study supernatural powers that made no sense, without anyone bothering me.

The only other people in the room were the librarian, a middle-aged man with Harry Potter-esque glasses and strands of white in his dark hair. There was also an old man sitting at a long desk.

Liu Feng's original memories weren't particularly informative about the old man's identity. He could have been someone beneath Liu Feng's notice or perhaps an Elder from the inner sect he had never met.

It was better to be cautious and assume the old man was a super powerful cultivator with unassuming looks. Approaching the librarian, I clasped my fist and bowed respectfully to them before addressing the librarian, "Excuse me, honorable elder. Can I study here today? I don't see any other disciples around."

The librarian nodded and replied, "Yes, the library is always open to those willing to learn."

I expressed my gratitude with a nod and proceeded to explore the library, despite the somewhat disorganized state of the shelves.

When disciples took a book to read, they returned it where they could and rarely where they found it. The original Liu Feng was the same, as he had been excited many times to train the technique he had read about to care for 'small' things like putting the books in their proper places.

But there were certain parts of the library no one cared about, and they were somewhat organized. These areas were dedicated to topics unrelated to cultivation techniques, and only scholars frequented them. Fortunately, scholars tended to respect the library and return books to their original spots. This was the impression I gathered from Liu Feng's memories.

I began my studies with a basic book tucked away in a quiet corner of the library. It covered the fundamentals of Body Tempering, a subject typically taught within families or among fellow disciples by word of mouth. Consequently, not many bothered to read such books. I selected a few similar texts and carried them to a nearby desk, where I settled down to read, starting from the very beginning.

Body Tempering, one-star. When someone entered this stage, their strength was still the same as an average person. Except that all the impurities are excreted from the pores, and the body becomes prepared for cultivation.

I hit a hurdle on the very first page. What did it mean for the body to be 'prepared' for cultivation? How did achieving one-star Body Tempering result in the expulsion of impurities? Furthermore, who decided what was beneficial or detrimental to the body? If everyone expelled these impurities, how could one claim they were harmful for cultivation when no one had tried cultivating with impurities?

I would need to study dozens or hundreds of people breaking through to one-star Body Tempering to understand even something as simple as this.

If expelling these impurities was indeed beneficial, was there an optimal method to achieve it? A supposed 'close to perfect practice'?

Ultimately, I sighed and shook my head in frustration. I lacked the necessary resources to delve into this subject at the moment.

The rest of the book remained consistent, with content cultivators often took for granted. It lacked in-depth explanations for everything.

Moving on to other books, they discussed the talent ratings in this world and various related topics. Talent rating in this world was somewhat complex; in some regions, one could be considered average, while in others, one would be seen as talented.

Take the original Liu Feng as an example; in his clan, he was considered relatively talented. However, here, he was merely average.

The book delved into great detail about what different regions considered talented. However, I disregarded this information, as the perception of 'talented' could vary if someone was in a different location or period of time.

Instead, I grabbed my notebook and began jotting down my own ranking system for clarity, which would help both myself and future readers. I decided to categorize it from A to D Ranks.

Having a minimum of twenty branches in one's Spiritual Root was essential to embark on the path of cultivation. Technically, those with fewer branches could attempt training, but their progress would be severely limited.

A range of 20 to 39 branches in their Spiritual Root would be noted as D Rank aptitude. I added the latter part myself.

Individuals with this level of talent usually remained at the Body Tempering stage and rarely advanced to the Qi Gathering Realm. Although there were exceptions, they usually reached only one or two stars in that realm.

C Rank aptitude encompassed 40 to 59 branches in their Spiritual Root, the same rank as mine. In larger sects, this was considered average talent.

On average, those with this level of talent could become Qi Gathering Realm cultivators and might reach the upper echelons of that realm. However, there was a slim chance of breaking through and becoming Foundation Establishment Realm experts.

B Rank aptitude included 60 to 79 branches, marking the stage where talent became critical. These individuals possessed the potential to reach the Core Formation Realm and serve as the backbone of any sect. Some might even have the opportunity to become Sect Leaders in smaller sects.

A Rank aptitude comprised 80 to 99 branches, representing the stage where the next generation of major Sect Leaders was born. With a stroke of luck, one could even reach the Nascent Soul Realm.

This was generally what Liu Feng already knew, but I organized it more clearly. What followed, however, was new information that Liu Feng had no previous knowledge of: talents that surfaced only once every few hundred or thousand years.

S Rank aptitude was denoted by exactly 100 branches in one's spiritual root. These individuals possessed Perfect Cultivation Physiques, extremely rare and emerging only once every century or so.

There wasn't much additional information about this rank, but there were a few sentences describing talent levels beyond 100 branches. I decided to write down this information, even though there was little information available about it.

S+ Rank aptitude, with over 101 branches. They're known as Extreme Physiques, 'extreme' because despite how fast they cultivate, they die young.

I had some other questions about what determined the number of Spiritual Root branches or how they worked exactly, but those were the kinds of questions I wouldn't have answers to anytime soon.

Are there any books on alchemy around here? There must be some pills that help with impurity extraction. After all, there are healing pills, so something like that would make sense if it existed. Maybe the alchemists will have a clearer explanation of what it means to expel impurities from the body.

Now that I thought about it, I couldn't help but be curious about one thing.

Who tests these pills? If they do test them, do they take into account any long-term effects?

I went and put the books back where I found them, as I had already written down the useful information.

I looked around for any books that seemed related to alchemy. Some basic medical books here gave instructions for an outdated method of first aid, but nothing else appeared to be related to alchemy.

"Maybe I just don't know the location of such books in this huge, disorganized library."

With that in mind and an anxious heart, I approached the librarian. The old man was already gone, so the librarian was the only senior left, and I could only hope that this guy wasn't going to start a blood feud by asking a question.

It sounded kind of dumb when I thought about it. But this was a world where young masters exterminated clans just so they wouldn't lose face or for some other dumb reason.

"Excuse me, honorable elder, do you know where I can find some books on the basics of alchemy?" I asked, trying to stroke his ego as much as possible without coming off as insincere.

"Books about things like Artifact Creation, Inscriptions, or Alchemy aren't something you'll find in a library for free," the man explained, pushing up his glasses slightly. "To get access to that kind of information for free, you either need to be an Inner Disciple training under an Inner Elder or be a Core Disciple. Though for someone like you, your best chance is to look around the markets. But because of the tournament, no one is there to open any stalls."

Well, that sucks. But there isn't anything I could do about it for now, so it was better to turn in a different direction.

Also, Liu Feng had no savings. The guy didn't even think about what would happen if he failed the exam and had to stay another year as an Outer Disciple.

...

Hours passed, and I finished my daily reading session. I put the books back in their respective places and prepared to leave.

I had learned a little more about the basics, mostly reaffirming what the original Liu Feng already knew. For instance, in the Body Tempering Realm, talent didn't carry as much weight yet, since we didn't utilize our Spiritual Roots or Qi.

While talent played a minor role in one's progress within the Body Tempering Realm, hard work and access to resources were more crucial. At least when it came to the speed of advancement.

As I exited the library, the midday sun kissed my face, and the sounds of birds and rustling leaves once again filled my ears.

Now it was time to go and do some physical training! After all, I didn't want to get my brains plastered by some goon or end up like one of those bullied protagonists because my progress was too slow.

However, as I strolled along the stone pathway, approaching the descent down the stairs, I noticed an old man with a smile on his face, busy sweeping leaves at the side.

He was the same elderly man I had encountered in the library, likely a janitor.

At least, that's what an ordinary person from this world would think. But having read dozens, perhaps even over a hundred xianxia novels, I had developed a keen eye for clichés.

An old man janitor? I could spot the trope from a mile away! There was a decent chance that this old man was a hidden powerhouse. Perhaps he was a revered elder or even a clan ancestor.

Should I try to approach him? Going by cliché standards, he shouldn't be a villain, and having someone to watch my back in case I inadvertently offended some young master could prove invaluable.

However, what if I was wrong? He might just be an ordinary old man. My entire assumption was based on a cliché that might not even be true.

Regardless, even if he wasn't some hidden boss, there was a lot of wisdom to gain from an elder like him.

With that thought in mind, I changed course and approached the old man.

Please be a super monster in hiding. Though I hated cliches in my last life, I wouldn't mind it now if it ended up improving my situation!

It was the kind of situation where I wouldn't watch a show about a multi-millionaire with no problems in his life, but I would love to be one.

Chapter 3 - Nerd Guy Doing Nerdy Things

"Hello there, do you need any help?" I asked the old man, cautiously bowing and clasping my fist in respect as one would to a senior.

He looked at me, raised a questioning brow, and frowned. "Who the hell are you?"

"Uh, I'm the guy who was reading in the library and noticed that you were working hard even at your age. Even someone strong should take care of their health more," I tried to soften my words by indirectly calling him strong, just in case this guy was really just an old janitor.

There was no losing option for me as long as I didn't provoke the old man too much, especially if he was a powerhouse. Or maybe he was a powerhouse in hiding, and I could end up as collateral damage... Perhaps I shouldn't have gotten involved with this.

"No, I don't need anyone to help me with my job," the old man snorted and went back to sweeping, his hands shaking a bit as he had to lean on the broom every now and then to take a rest.

I stood there and stared; maybe he really was just an old man. Now I felt a bit bad for trying to take advantage of him. He was probably just an elderly man who had to work here because he had no other choice.

It seemed like I didn't have that protagonist luck after all. Still, I felt sorry for the old guy, and there was no doubt some things I could learn from him. "So, I could go and bring you your lunch."

Okay, I probably said that in the most awkward way ever.

But the stairs in this place were crazy, and even I would get tired walking up and down those, not to mention someone his age.

The old man sighed and turned around, "What's your deal, kid?"

"Honestly," I stopped for a split second, thinking about how to phrase my words. But instead, I decided to be truthful. "I feel sorry for you, and for old people in general who have to work laborious jobs even after their retirement age. Sometimes, I wonder if this isn't just me trying to be nice, but maybe I too am afraid that I might end up like that one day. If I do end up like that, I would like someone young to offer some help when they can. Oh, and I was also hoping to learn a thing or two from someone who has lived so long in the sect. There is plenty to learn from an old man in a profession where people die young."

He stared at me, and it was hard to tell what he could be thinking behind that stern look on his face. But he sighed again and shrugged, "Go and get me some tea, then."

Well, I didn't get slapped into a fleshy smudge, so that was a win for now.

I turned around and started walking down the stairs, and halfway down, it became clear that this was going to be a bit tiring, even for me.

...

By the time I returned, the old man was still sweeping around the same place, and I had a wooden cup of tea with a small cover above it. Fortunately, since I was running, it didn't take me even ten minutes to get back here.

However, I was breathing heavily, and my lungs felt like they were on fire. This was good training; maybe I should consider stair climbing for endurance.

"Here is your tea," I offered him his tea.

The old man raised a questioning brow as he took the tea from my hand and gave it a sniff. Then, he sat down on the ground near the scholarly statue and patted the spot next to him. I took that as a sign and went to sit down. As I settled, he remarked, "You're either exceptionally kind or just generally foolish. Why do something like this? Do you think a cultivator has all the time in the world? You should be training."

"Running up and down the stairs was excellent training," I replied, smiling despite the old man's comments. I leaned against the foot of the statue and continued, "Whether I live for one, one hundred, or one thousand years, life is meaningless if you don't do what you want during that time. I wanted to bring you some tea, and I did. I wouldn't call that a waste of time. Even if I live for a thousand years and spend nine hundred of those years in indoor cultivation, did I truly live longer than a hundred years?"

Some cultivators could live quite long. However, what was the use of living for 100 years if you spent 90 of those years indoors training? That was one of the many things I didn't understand about cultivators. The old man was also viewing things from a cultivator's perspective.

I turned toward the old man and was surprised to see his wide eyes. Was he that shocked by my answer?

"Heh," the old man chuckled. "I never looked at it that way."

That was when I realized that this guy could still be some formidable old master cultivator. So I cupped my hands in respect. "Of course, that is only my humble opinion as a disciple. I could be wrong too. But I'm not here for that, I'm here to ask you some questions, wise elder."

"Go on then, this is the most fun I've had in years," the old man's chuckle deepened.

"Why aren't there many explanations for different paths than the standard one? There are no records of them," I asked.

He must have lived here for decades, witnessing tens of thousands of sect disciples throughout the years.

The old man shrugged, "What's the use of writing down failures? Though powerful cultivators can have a long lifespan, no one wants to waste their time on useless things... Heh, kind of like how you are wasting your time on me."

"I wouldn't call you useless. You have already helped me quite a lot with that answer," I nodded. The old man shrugged and took a sip of his tea, clearly dismissing my compliments as useless comments.

"Well, let me tell you. The current way of cultivation has been perfected through tens of thousands of years by our ancestors and hasn't changed for thousands of years," he looked at the sky as if recalling a distant memory.

That... didn't make sense. I understood that cultivation had been optimized, but by that assumption, the current cultivation methods should be the best. Yet it was widely known through stories and legends that in the past, there were stronger cultivators, even outliers of the whole system who somehow became strong and defied their natural cultivation aptitude.

In the distant past, there were stories about immortals beyond the Nascent Soul Realm roaming the lands.

I shared my thoughts with the old man, and he rubbed his goat-like beard, deep in thought. "Huh, you make some good points. But that's because what cultivator would share a technique they worked hard on with others? Things like that could get lost in time. Also, it could have been an elixir that no longer exists. Or maybe, there was more Qi in the air back then."

He continued to offer various other reasons, like a treasure trove of assumptions from people across the ages.

But I somewhat understood why cultivation would halt at a certain stage.

Knowledge was power, literally in this world. Knowing a certain technique was power. A cultivator sharing their technique was like... by modern standards, it could be compared to telling a potential enemy how to create an atomic bomb and providing them with the tools to do so.

"In the past, there were many legendary cultivators whose powers defied common sense," the old man said. "Even the creator of this Sect, the Ten Thousand Sun Saint, was such a figure. He couldn't be harmed by flames, and some said he could wield the power of the sun from the palm of his hands."

Okay, that had to be exaggerated a bit over the years. Because... it had to be; such absurd power would be catastrophic if it existed. But there had to be some hints of truth to it. Maybe immunity to fire could be real, even if it contradicted everything I knew about physics and biology from my previous world.

But that was the most exciting part of this whole thing—figuring it out.

Although I might need to change my mindset regarding how I perceive the world and even the laws of physics themselves.

"You have been honest with me, kid. So I will be honest with you too. I don't have the answers to most of your questions, and I never asked questions like that, or even wondered about them." With a final clack, the old man put the empty wooden teacup down. "Maybe that was what held me back from advancing further in my cultivation. But I can still give you one piece of advice. I can tell that you're a curious kid but don't try experimenting with things on your own body."

I technically wasn't a kid, and I wasn't going to try things like that, "I might be curious, but I'm not dumb."

"That might be so, but I can tell that you're different from others," the old man turned toward him.

"Different? How so?"

"By now, a lot of kids your age would have tried to force me to talk if they wanted answers. Break my fingers one by one, and then threaten to break my limbs too."

Holy shit, okay, that was way too extreme! Who even goes around beating on old men like that?

Right, xianxia nonsense and saving face.

"Of course, they never succeed," the old man snickered. "After all, most of the servants here are related to cultivators but had no talent or little talent to cultivate. The last thing we want is for someone to slip through and poison our sect's food at a feast, and kill us all."

Poison? Yeah, with that even a mortal could kill a careless cultivator.

"Did that happen before?" I asked, unsure.

"Oh yeah, the Great Sage of Divine Slaying Poison. He was known for killing his enemies and slaughtering whole clans like this," he nodded. "But don't worry, the Sects have taken countermeasures against something like that. It will never happen again. Though some have been worried since the Great Sage of Divine Slaying Poison hasn't been seen in hundreds of years."

Okay, first, Great Sage of Divine Slaying Poison? That name was way too much of a mouthful. But long and confusing titles were synonymous with xianxia.

"Well, I have to get back to work, and you should spend your time more wisely than with an old man like me. I already have a foot in the grave," he joked.

I shrugged and got up, "Come on now, old man, don't go around telling youngsters what to do. That is uncool."

He got my jesting tone and slapped me on the back, "You're an okay kid, so train hard so you don't die a useless death. Also, next time you come and bother me, don't forget to bring a cup of tea."

"Then I will make sure to bring a cup of tea every day," I stood up and started walking away. The old man sighed but didn't refuse my offer.

There was much to learn from someone like him. He had lived a long life in such a dangerous world, all while being a less-than-average cultivator. What were his methods for surviving so long in a profession where men usually met an early demise?

Next time, I should ask about his survival tips in a forest. He probably went on a lot of expeditions outside throughout his lifetime, and those were the things I was dreading as some were mandatory. No rule in the world said I wouldn't meet a Nascent Soul Powerhouse on my first outing.

Many might consider survival tips from nearly a hundred years ago outdated. However, that wasn't the case in a world like this. It was likely that the same exams, enemy sects, and petty rivalries that the old man had to deal with during his disciple years were the ones we were currently facing.

How could such a thing happen? Probably because the people in charge remained the same. If I were to guess why this world had seen few advancements over thousands of years, it was because, in two millennia, only two or three generations had passed at most. Even the

'younger' generations that were next in the line of power were hundreds of years old. Those who lived for centuries focused solely on their cultivation and cared little for progress elsewhere.

I descended the stairs and wandered into one of the many forests surrounding the mountain. Generally, the area was safe as I was still inside the sect's walls, making it an ideal training ground that remained hidden.

My first task was to place the brush and notebook atop a nearby boulder. Then, I approached a tree, clenched my fist, and prepared for a punch. Instinct and logic told me that I wouldn't break my hand by punching a tree with all my might. However, remnants of my past life still held me back.

After gazing at the tree for a few moments, I closed my eyes and imagined it as a fluffy bear. With that image in mind, I unleashed a full-force punch. Upon opening my eyes, despite what I expected, I saw a dent in the solid tree. The tree was thicker than my waist, far from flimsy or soft.

Holy shit! This is so amazing! I have superpowers!

No, I must calm down despite how amazing it felt to be superhuman. I could nerd out later.

I wasn't here merely to test my raw strength. Instead, I took a deep breath and focused on a specific technique, winding my fist back once more.

This time, I pushed aside the fear from my past world where fists were one of the most vulnerable parts of the human body. Here, it was like a dream, where my fist was unbreakable, and my power limitless. I needed to visualize the perfect punch and employ that martial technique.

My fist shot forward, and as I rotated it, the air around my fist twisted, forming a small twister that resembled a fang. The endpoint of this twister was the tip of my knuckle.

Piercing Fang Fist!

As soon as my fist made contact with the tree, I felt it shake and crumble under the power of my punch, taking out a large chunk.

In the end, I stared with my mouth agape at the missing piece, as if a giant drill had been used on one side of the tree.

How was this possible? It didn't make any sense! The laws of physics seemed to be mere suggestions here, but it was so incredible!

The tree fell to the ground, and I found myself in a trance, staring at it for a couple of minutes.

I knew this would happen; Piercing Fang Fist was the martial technique that Liu Feng had perfected over the years. Despite my muscle memory, I couldn't execute it quite as well as he could on my first try.

It was astonishing that this was considered one of the lowest-grade Martial Techniques.

In this world, Martial Techniques were categorized into four grades:

Mortal Grade

Earth Grade

Sky Grade

Heaven Grade

Piercing Fang Fist belonged to the Mortal Grade, the weakest category. Something you could even buy in the market with a bit of luck.

Mortal Grade techniques were considered attainable by normal people, yet it was still so incredibly impressive!

Just the thought of higher-grade techniques made my heart race. How powerful would a Sky or Heaven Grade technique be? Even Earth Grade was bound to be something amazing!

Techniques were further rated within each grade, divided into low, middle, and high tiers. My technique was a middle-tier Mortal Grade.

I attempted the technique again, and a whip-like motion followed, as I didn't aim at anything. I experimented with hip twists and power from my legs, trying to apply knowledge from my previous world, but my long hair kept hitting my face like a horse's tail.

It even stung my eyes a bit. "Damn, why did that idiot think keeping long hair was a good idea?"

I rubbed my stinging eyes and then gathered a handful of hair.

Taking out a roll of bandages, I used some to tie my hair into a ponytail. Even then, as I moved quickly, my hair continued to slap me or obstruct my vision. That's when I realized something crucial. "The hair has to go."

The original Liu Feng cherished his hair, but it would be a hindrance in any fight. Besides, I knew from Liu Feng's memories that longer hair was harder to maintain, requiring extensive conditioning. A waste of time, in my opinion.

Blasphemy! — Called a part of me. That part was the original Liu Feng's memories that I decided to ignore.

However, there was one lingering concern. Would anyone notice? After all, Liu Feng was quite fond of his hair.

Perhaps I could use the excuse that I cut it to strengthen my resolve.

With a touch of anxiety, I decided to cut my hair after this training session.

********

Xin Ma managed his library as he always did, but at least today had been a bit more interesting. It wasn't every day that someone became so engrossed in books about the basics.

At least the kid had some basic decency, refraining from making noise or attempting to sneak the books out of the building. He even returned the books to their proper places. This had quickly become Xin Ma's favorite disciple generation, which wasn't a difficult threshold to cross since he didn't like any of them. They usually just made his job more difficult.

Suddenly, someone else entered, and with the unmistakable sound of something hard hitting the floor, Xin Ma knew that the old man had arrived. However, unlike before, the old man had a smile on his face as he took a seat with an empty wooden cup in hand. "You won't believe what I saw today."

"A dragon with crow's legs?"

"No, something even rarer. A likable disciple," the old man nodded. "He actually felt sorry for me as I cleaned."

Cleaning? Xin Ma wondered, then realized what had happened and chuckled, with the old man following suit.

In certain areas of the sect, such as the library and its surroundings, having cleaners posed a security risk. Instead, the Sect employed an Inscription Master to create cleaning arrays and similar solutions.

Moreover, having an old man undertake strenuous work posed its own security risk. Fatigued individuals were more susceptible to bribes or external influences seeking to exploit them for personal gain.

There had been numerous instances of such incidents in the past, and the Blazing Sun Sect wouldn't have risen to become one of the most powerful sects in the White Tiger Continent by being careless.

The only reason the old man was still around, performing "cleaning" duties, was because he had nothing else to do in his old age. He had long since given up on his cultivation and now only wished to spend his remaining days in relaxation.

"Huh, what kind of brat could make even an annoying fellow like you fond of them?" Xin Ma cracked a smile. He knew how difficult it was to like the old man, Shan Sha, who was far too grumpy.

"Hey! I can be nice when I want to. It's just that young people nowadays lack the patience to earn someone's respect," the old man grumbled.

Even though they didn't look like it, many people in the Blazing Sun Sect were old. But among all the older people Xin Ma knew, this old man was the grumpiest.

Yet despite his prickly personality, old Shan would never talk behind your back. If he had something to say about you, he'd say it to your face—much better than those scheming elders in the Inner Sect who pretended to be friends and stabbed you in the back with smiles on their faces.

"Still, won't the Acceptance Trial take place soon? Hopefully, there won't be any exceptionally talented new juniors. Since he's still far from eighteen years old, he can enter the Inner Sect as long as he wins the tournament next year," Xin Ma suggested.

"Meh, the brat isn't the type to be deterred by something like that. From what I've seen, he doesn't seem to care about such matters. As long as he reaches Qi Gathering before the age of twenty, he'll be able to enter the Inner Sect that way," the old man shrugged and adjusted his chair.

For some reason, the old man believed this youngster would make it. Well, Xin Ma wished the young man good luck.

Entering the Qi Gathering Realm before the age of twenty without external aid was hard, as it was a well-known bottleneck in cultivation...