From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 9 Unveiling the Secret Manual

I suppressed my excitement and silently followed behind Steward Ma. We walked through several corridors and arrived at an antique-style pavilion. The three gilded characters "Scripture Repository" on the vermilion plaque gleamed in the sunlight.

"This is the Scripture Pavilion of our Tianyuan Sect, which houses precious cultivation techniques left by our ancestors," Steward Ma said solemnly, pointing to the pavilion. "It is your good fortune to be able to enter this place today, so cherish it." After saying that, he respectfully bowed to an old man beside him. "Manager Qian, this is my newly accepted disciple, Xiao Yao. She has come today to select cultivation techniques, and I hope you will give her your guidance."

Manager Qian, with his white hair and youthful face, was full of energy. He looked me over and nodded slightly. "Hmm, excellent aptitude, a promising talent." Then, he took out a jade token from his sleeve and handed it to me. "Go, but remember not to flip through it casually, and even more so, not to damage any books."

I accepted the jade token, thanked them, and stepped into the Sutra Repository. Rows of towering bookshelves came into view, densely packed with books, and the air was filled with an ancient and mysterious atmosphere that inspired awe. I took a deep breath, suppressing my excitement, and began to carefully peruse the books.

The cultivation methods here are indeed all-encompassing, ranging from basic swordsmanship to unfathomable immortal techniques. I eagerly absorbed the knowledge, only to find that most of the methods were too profound for my current level of cultivation.

I couldn't help but feel a little discouraged. Was there really no cultivation method suitable for me? I wandered aimlessly among the bookshelves, my gaze inadvertently landing on an ancient book in the corner. It was placed alone in a jade box, covered with a thick layer of dust, clearly untouched for a long time.

Curious, I walked over and gently brushed away the dust, revealing the ancient book. On the cover were three large, ancient, and powerful characters: "Nameless Kung Fu Technique." A thought struck me—could this be the legendary, nameless, peerless manual? I eagerly tried to open it, but found the pages sealed with strange runes, emitting a faint, eerie glow.

I couldn't resist reaching out my finger and gently touching the rune...

The moment my fingertips touched the runes, a powerful force rebounded, and I cried out in surprise, staggering back a few steps. At the same time, the entire library began to shake violently, books on the shelves crashed to the ground, dust filled the air, as if the end of the world had arrived.

"What's going on?!" A furious shout came from the doorway. I looked up and saw Manager Qian and a young man in blue robes stride in, their faces grave.

"Senior Brother Liu, look!" I pointed to the manual, still shaken.

Following my gaze, Senior Brother Liu's expression changed instantly. "This...this isn't..." He seemed to recognize the manual, a greedy glint flashing in his eyes.

"Xiao Yao, what have you done?!" Manager Qian asked sternly, staring sharply at me.

I hurriedly explained, "Manager Qian, I... I was just curious and wanted to see this manual, but who knew..."

"Hmph, ignorant brat!" Senior Brother Liu sneered. "How dare you lay a finger on such a treasure?!" With that, he flashed forward and pounced on me, trying to snatch the manual.

I was prepared and dodged his attack by sidestepping, while clutching the manual tightly to my chest. Enraged by his missed strike, Senior Brother Liu attacked me again, each move ruthless and merciless.

Although I had never practiced any martial arts, my strength lay in my quick reflexes and agility. I dodged left and right, weaving between the bookshelves, trying to outmaneuver Senior Brother Liu. However, my stamina was ultimately limited, and I gradually found myself at a disadvantage.

"Stop!" Manager Qian shouted angrily upon seeing this, leaping up to stand between me and Senior Brother Liu. Senior Brother Liu glared at me resentfully, but had no choice but to stop.

"Junior Nephew Liu, you've gone too far!" Steward Qian roared, his face ashen. "How dare you make a scene in the Scripture Pavilion! What kind of behavior is this?!"

"Uncle-Master, this manual..." Senior Brother Liu wanted to argue, but was interrupted by Steward Qian.

"Enough!" Manager Qian took a deep breath, his gaze falling on the manual, a complex expression flashing in his eyes. "This manual..." He paused, then slowly said, "was left behind by a senior many years ago..." "This manual... was left behind by a senior many years ago. Only a destined person can break the seal and cultivate the techniques within." Manager Qian's words were tinged with reverence as he carefully took the manual from my hands, as if holding a priceless treasure.

"Only those with a destined connection?" I muttered to myself. Could it be that I accidentally triggered some mechanism, which caused the strange phenomenon just now?

“Indeed.” Manager Qian nodded. “This manual is called the Tai Xu Sword Canon. Legend has it that it was created by an ancient sword immortal and is incredibly powerful. However, it is under a restriction, and only those destined to possess it can unlock it.”

My heart suddenly raced. Could I be the one destined for me? I suppressed my excitement and asked, "Manager Qian, how can I find out if I am the one destined for me?"

Manager Qian pondered for a moment and said, "The seal on this manual is a special runic array that can only be broken by those with special spiritual roots or bloodlines. Please come with me."

He led me to a secret room deep within the library, where an ancient stone platform stood in the center, covered with mysterious runes.

"Place your hands on the stone platform," Steward Qian instructed.

I did as instructed, gently placing my hand on the stone platform. Instantly, a warm energy emanated from the platform, flowing down my arm and throughout my body. I felt a tingling sensation, as if something had been unlocked.

"Concentrate and feel the changes within your body," Manager Qian's voice rang in my ears.

I closed my eyes, concentrated, and carefully sensed the changes within my body. Gradually, I felt a faint power gathering in my dantian. Although this power was weak, it was full of vitality and unlike any power I had ever felt before.

"How is it?" Manager Qian asked.

I opened my eyes, shook my head, and said, "I can't feel any change."

Manager Qian frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "It seems you need some guidance."

He took out an ancient jade slip from his pocket, handed it to me, and said, "This jade slip contains a special method that can help you sense the power within your body. Give it a try."

I took the jade slip, probed it with my divine sense, and began to comprehend it. The method recorded in the jade slip was not complicated, and I quickly grasped the essentials. Following the instructions, I circulated my inner energy, guiding the faint power within my body to flow through my meridians.

As time went by, I felt that power growing stronger and stronger, and my body becoming lighter and lighter, as if I were about to fly.

"Now!" Manager Qian suddenly said, "Infuse your power into the manual!"

I took a deep breath, channeling all the power within me into the manual. Instantly, the runes on the manual began to flicker, emitting a dazzling light.

However, just when I thought the seal was about to be broken, a sudden change occurred. The manual suddenly trembled violently, and its light flickered, as if it would go out at any moment. Immediately afterwards, a powerful suction force came from the manual, and the power within my body surged uncontrollably towards the manual like a flood bursting its banks.

"Ah!" I exclaimed in surprise, and everything went black before my eyes as I lost consciousness.

When I woke up again, I found myself still lying in the secret room, but Steward Qian and Senior Brother Liu were nowhere to be seen. I struggled to sit up, only to find that the secret manual in my hand was gone, and only an envelope lay quietly beside me.

My hands trembled as I picked up the envelope and slowly opened it. Inside, I saw a few delicate, small characters:

"Those who are destined to find me, come quickly..."

I rubbed my still-drowsy head, my mind filled with questions. What was that powerful suction? Why did the manual suddenly disappear? And who left this letter?

"Those destined to find me, come quickly..." I repeatedly stroked the handwriting on the letter, trying to find some clues. The handwriting was delicate yet powerful, with a touch of heroism, clearly the work of a woman. But who could it be?

In the corner of the letter, a small plum blossom was drawn with faint ink. A thought struck me—this plum blossom…

I suddenly remembered that before I lost consciousness, I seemed to have seen a similar plum blossom pattern appear on the manual! Could it be that the person who wrote this letter is the owner of the manual?

A glimmer of hope ignited in my heart, further strengthening my resolve to find the secret manual. On the back of the letter, in extremely small print, was an address: Forbidden Area of ​​the Back Mountain, Cultivation Room.

The forbidden area in the back mountain? The cultivation room? I was startled. These two places were absolutely forbidden for novice disciples. Could it be that the owner of the manual was a reclusive master?

I took a deep breath and carefully put the letter away. No matter what, I had to try. Perhaps this was my only chance to change my fate!

I quietly left the scripture pavilion, avoiding the passing disciples, and headed towards the back mountain. The back mountain was sparsely populated, with towering trees, making it exceptionally quiet. Following the instructions on the letter, I searched along the way and finally found a simple stone chamber in a secluded valley.

The door to the stone chamber was ajar. I gently pushed it open and went inside. The chamber wasn't large, containing only a stone bed, a stone table, and a few stone stools. An oil lamp sat on the stone table, its dim light illuminating the chamber with an air of mystery.

"Is anyone there?" I asked softly.

However, the stone chamber was empty; only my voice echoed in the empty room.

I looked around, my gaze finally settling on a portrait in the center of the stone chamber. The portrait depicted a woman in white, holding a long sword, her figure valiant and spirited, with a familiar air of heroism about her.

"Is it you?" I murmured to myself, my heart pounding.

Just then, a cold voice suddenly came from behind me: "What are you doing here?"

I turned around abruptly and saw a woman dressed in green standing behind me. Her face was frosty and her eyes were sharp as she stared at me.