Chapter 23

  The scent of old parchment and candle wax clung to the Library like a second skin. Adam pushed the towering oak doors open and stepped inside, the gentle hum of silent knowledge washing over him. Row upon row of towering shelves stretched to the ceiling, vanishing into dim, mystic light. In the heart of it all, behind a desk littered with quills and scrolls, sat the Librarian.

  "Looks like you’ve achieved internal harmonization," the Librarian said without looking up, voice dry like brittle pages. "Good for you. You won’t experience the symptoms anymore."

  Adam let out a long, tired sigh. The headaches, the pressure, the constant internal friction — finally gone. "Thank the heavens..."

  "But you can’t relax just yet," the Librarian continued, setting down his pen and finally lifting his gaze. His eyes gleamed behind round lenses, ageless and unreadable. "I forgot to ask before—what’s your grade?"

  Adam hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. "Uh... I have Grade 9. In all."

  The silence was immediate.

  The Librarian blinked once, then chuckled.

  "Haah. A Grade 9, too, huh? Oh boy... I didn’t expect that."

  Adam frowned. "How bad is it for you to react like that?"

  The Librarian leaned back, folding his hands over his belly. "I was going to say you had about 120 years left, assuming Grade 8 at best. But now? You’ve got maybe 60. Tops."

  "...Damn."

  “Yep,” the Librarian nodded. “Grade 9s aren’t dangerous because they draw in too much Qi—but because their souls consist of too much of the element itself. It’s like your body isn’t made to contain what you are. The elemental imbalance is so severe, it’s like carrying a bomb inside you from the moment you’re born. Eventually, the soul cracks. It’s not about cultivation—it’s more like having an incurable disease. Sooner or later, the element devours you from the inside out.”

  Adam rubbed his temples. "Is there any way for me to make it in time?"

  The Librarian hummed. "Hmm... Well, there’s one way I can think of. A time chamber."

  Adam looked up, eyes narrowing.

  "A place where time flows differently from the rest of the world," the Librarian explained, voice suddenly serious. "Extremely rare. Extremely dangerous to maintain. But extremely effective. Especially for those with affinity to Time Qi. Those chambers attract it like bees to nectar thanks to the temporal dissonance."

  "There is one in the sect... but it’s going to cost you more than you think."

  "How much?"

  The Librarian smiled, slow and sharp.

  "Let’s say... a thousand times what you’re making now."

  Adam paled. "...Seriously?"

  "Very. If you want to know more, talk to your master. He’ll have more pull than I do when it comes to that chamber."

  Adam stood in silence, gears turning behind tired eyes.

  The Librarian tilted his head. "Still… you’ve come far. Grade 9 in all three dantians, with internal harmony between three different elements across each? That’s not something you see every day. It’s not unheard of—but even among prodigies, most struggle to balance just one element per core. Pulling off stable harmony like that… it’s rare enough to make people pay attention.”

  Adam bowed slightly. "Thank you... for everything."

  "Don’t thank me yet," the Librarian muttered, waving him off. "You still owe me two late fees. And possibly your lifespan."

  Adam stepped out of the Library, the weight of reality settling heavier on his shoulders than any scroll he had read. The quiet courtyard was bathed in the mellow gold of late afternoon, yet his mind felt anything but calm.

  By the time he reached his secluded abode, the sky had dipped into twilight. He exhaled, then touched the emblem stitched on his robe — a symbol of his status and connection to Grand Elder Guo.

  "Master," Adam called out, infusing a trace of Qi into the emblem.

  A pause. Then, the emblem shimmered faintly, and a deep, steady voice echoed in his mind.

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  "Speak, disciple."

  "I... I want to request access to the time chamber," Adam said, straight to the point. "The Librarian told me it's the only way I can make it in time."

  Silence lingered a heartbeat longer than expected.

  Then the voice replied, calm but firm.

  "Since I am your master now, it is only natural I help where I can. I will look into it personally."

  Relief threatened to unbalance Adam, but Elder Guo continued before he could respond.

  "That said, your foundation is still lacking in one vital area. You have no formal knowledge of your elemental arts, specifically the spellcasting part. If you wish to truly progress and survive what lies ahead, you can no longer afford such ignorance."

  Adam straightened, sensing the change in tone.

  "We shall begin now."

  The emblem pulsed once with light. Adam’s room trembled slightly, and the air around him shifted — charged with the faint essence of multiple elements.

  He sat down immediately, spine straight, breath steady.

  And so the lesson began.

  The emblem glowed faintly again, and Grand Elder Guo’s voice resonated through the room, deeper and more resonant this time — not just a voice, but a presence.

  “Before we begin with the spells, you must understand the foundation of all spells: the Symbols.”

  Adam’s brows furrowed. "Symbols?"

  A scroll materialized in the air before him, glowing with an ethereal golden script. As it gently unfurled, countless geometric lines, spirals, and shapes filled the page — dense, mysterious, and overwhelming.

  “These are not mere drawings,” Elder Guo said. “We call them Spell Diagrams — fragments of a language older than any mortal tongue. A mythical origin language, said to be used by the beings who wrote the world into existence.”

  Adam stared at the scroll, the symbols almost seeming to shift subtly when he wasn’t looking at them directly.

  “Each element resonates with different diagrams. Flow Qi of fire through this one—” a symbol on the scroll flared red— “and you conjure a fireball. But run water Qi through the same diagram, and the result could be steam, mist, or even an explosion. It is not just about energy, but harmony.”

  Adam nodded slowly. “So… elemental arts are just techniques powered by Qi and shaped by these diagrams?”

  Elder Guo shook his head. “Not quite. Elemental arts is a broad term—an umbrella for how a cultivator expresses their fighting style through their dantian system. Spells drawn from the upper dantian tap into the mind and spirit—illusion, manipulation, and destructive arts. The middle dantian handles healing, support, and taming—techniques that require balance and connection. The lower dantian governs imbuement—infusing your body or weapons with elemental force, along with the most basic manipulation of the elements.”

  He paused, making sure Adam was following. “Most cultivators only use one or two dantians depending on their affinity or specialization. But in your case… with all three active and synchronized, anything less than using all of them would be a waste of potential.”

  He gestured toward Adam’s chest. “You’re expected to go through this foundational stage, like everyone else. But your path forward won’t look like theirs. You’ll need to blend all three streams—body, soul, and mind—if you want the best use.”

  Adam took a deep breath and bowed toward the scroll. "Then teach me, Master."

  “Very well.” The emblem shimmered once more.

  The scroll floated down in front of him.

  The scroll floated before Adam, no longer filled with hundreds of symbols, but three glowing diagrams pulsing faintly.

  Grand Elder Guo’s voice came from the emblem again:

  “Let us begin. First, every spell Diagram begins with two parts — the Base Diagram and the Function Diagram. Think of the Base as the lens for your element, and the Function as the shape of your intention.”

  Adam squinted at the scroll. Three distinct diagrams shimmered:

  1. A spiral intersected by seven lines – labeled [Base: Light]

  2. A nested diamond structure with sharp tips – labeled [Base: Metal]

  3. A decaying circle broken into halves – labeled [Base: Death]

  Elder Guo continued.

  “To start, we will use Light — the most difficult to control, but also the most flexible. See this spiral? It channels Light Qi into form, disperses it gently, and stabilizes the radiant output. Without it, Light Qi would blind you or tear through your body.”

  The symbol glowed brighter as Adam studied it, his Light Qi automatically resonating.

  “Now,” Guo said, “add a Function Diagram. Choose one: Attack, Defense, Bind, or Heal.”

  Four diagrams appeared:

  A sharp triangular glyph pointing outward – [Function: Attack]

  A circular loop with interlocking rings – [Function: Defense]

  An X-shaped cross with jagged anchors – [Function: Bind]

  A soft wave shape curling inward – [Function: Heal]

  Adam hesitated, then chose Attack.

  The scroll shimmered. The Light Spiral aligned with the Attack Triangle, fusing into a more complex diagram.

  “Now feed a thread of Light Qi into this pattern.”

  Adam did as instructed. The moment his light Qi passed through the shape, a small, condensed beam of light shimmered into existence in front of his palm — just barely the size of a finger.

  It crackled, unstable, and then popped like a spark.

  Adam blinked. “That was... something.”

  Elder Guo chuckled. “For a first try, that is excellent. You’ve just created the base form of Blinding Ray, a low-level Light art. Now, refine it. Memorize the feeling of the diagram. You’ll need hundreds more to survive in this world.”

  “Since you're in the Qi Condensation realm, your elemental Qi can only be manipulated internally. That limits what you can do for now.”

  Adam blinked. “So I can’t use spell diagrams in battle yet?”

  “Not in the way you’re imagining. Drawing symbols into the air or weaving them into arrays mid-combat—that's a Foundation Establishment and above technique. Only when your Qi pathways are open to the outside world can you project elemental energy outward.”

  Adam frowned, disappointed. But the old man continued.

  “Don’t look so down. You can still practice using talismans. Think of them as sealed spell diagrams, inscribed onto materials in advance. You charge them with Qi, then activate them when needed. It’s slower, but perfect for learning spell structure and usage.”

  Adam perked up slightly. “So it’s like training wheels for spellcasting?”

  “Exactly. Plus, many advanced cultivators still use talismans—especially for traps, support, or surprise attacks. But listen well: focus on mastering the spell diagrams on paper. You’ll learn the foundation for complex spells that will truly shine when you reach the next realm.”

  The emblem pulsed once more before going silent, leaving Adam thoughtful—his path was clearer now.

  The next day

  Master has informed adam about how much it costed to use the time chamber

  “Ten… thousand spirit stones?”

  Adam’s jaw nearly hit the ground.

  From the glowing emblem stitched into his robe, Elder Guo’s calm voice replied,

  “Yes. At your current rate of mission completion, it would take you a decade of non-stop work.”

  Adam staggered back, hand running through his hair. “But I only have sixty years left… that’s—”

  “—Exactly why you must take your life into your own hands.” Elder Guo interrupted, his tone suddenly firmer. “I’ve done what I can as your master. Now, disciple… the rest is up to you.”

  Adam fell into silence. The elder continued,

  “Once you reach Foundation Establishment, you’ll gain two hundred more years of life. That’s more than enough to handle the pressure of your Grade 9 affinities. Your body and soul will adapt. I suggest… you begin now.”

  Adam stood frozen for a moment, then slowly nodded. “Alright. I understand.”

  —

  Before throwing himself entirely into cultivation, Adam made one last decision.

  He wandered to the cafeteria, where the scent of spiced meat and steamed buns hung in the air. Eventually, he spotted Xiaoyan and Xiaomei sitting together, joined by Aria, who was gracefully sipping soup while reading a scroll.

  He greeted them with a tired smile. “Hey. Mind if I join you?”

  Their faces lit up.

  The next hour passed with laughter and stories. Lan Xiaomei animatedly recounted how they’d discovered ruins during the entrance exam, and stumbled on a stash of tempering pills, rare herbs, and even gold bars hidden in a stone chest. Lan Xiaoyan corrected her exaggerations now and then, and even Aria cracked a small smile at their antics.

  Once the mood settled, Adam took a breath. “Listen. I… might not be around for a while.”

  The table fell silent.

  “I don’t have much time left,” Adam said honestly. “My only shot is to break through to Foundation Establishment. That’s going to take everything I have.”

  Lan Xiaoyan looked down. Aria gave him a small, respectful nod. Xiaomei’s eyes welled up slightly, but she held it back.

  “We understand,” Xiaoyan finally said, “but

  you better come back stronger.”

  “We’ll be waiting,” Xiaomei added, gripping his hand.

  Adam smiled. “Thanks. I’ll see you all 60 years from now.”

  With that, Adam stood and walked away—toward the grind.

  To earn 10,000 spirit stones.