As for that dull, dreadful ending from the day before, he had completely put it behind him after being dejected for a while.
Death was unable to completely do him in, so he thought nothing of that minor setback.
“It’s just the Inner Yard after all,” he thought. “And maybe I’m just not ready for it!
Urgent knocks were heard at his door again, waking him up. He went over to open the door.
“It’s you?”
The person before him was none other than a staff member from that waiting room who had delivered him the Red Gold Pills from Xiao Qixiu.
“Please be quick. Elder Xiao is waiting for you.” He deliberated for a moment. Then, afraid that Xu Xiaoshou would take his sweet time getting ready, he added, “You’re the only one who hasn’t shown up yet.”
Today was the day he would head inside the Spiritual Library Division to pick his spiritual technique. It was already noon, and was indeed getting late.
“Alright, lead the way.”
Xu Xiaoshou simply waved his hand and told the staff to lead the way, as he had nothing to pack anyway.
The staff member immediately rushed to get ahead of him.
“By the way, are there any special rules, written or otherwise, that I should know about before getting into the Spiritual Library Division?” Xu Xiaoshou took out a bottle of Red Gold Pills.
Again?
The staff member was startled, and immediately waved his hand in the negative.
“Nothing of that sort. Elder Xiao will personally explain the rules when he sees you all.” He pushed the Red Gold Pill bottle back, then drastically lowered his voice. “I’ve already broken the rules once, so I really can’t do this again.”
Xu Xiaoshou frowned. “Take it!”
The staff member looked like he was about to cry. “There really are no hidden rules, and even if I took this, I wouldn’t be able to tell you anything. I’ve never been to the Spiritual Library Division.”
“Oh, that so?” Xu Xiaoshou hesitated for a bit, realizing that he wouldn’t be able to fish anything out of the other man.
The last time he went there was about three years ago, and it actually wasn’t his soul that had been in control then, so he’d forgotten everything.
Furthermore, he was rather dumb back then, having picked the “White Cloud Sword Techniques,” which he was unable to master more than the first move of, even after practicing for three years.
He was determined to be smarter this time.
But then again, he had little confidence in his potential and figured that it wouldn’t quite matter what he picked anyway.
Sigh.
Xu Xiaoshou’s expression turned dull, and he had no intentions of taking that bottle of Red Gold Pills back.
The staff member took a deep breath, as if he were about to make some very, very important decision, and said, “I cannot take this!”
Xu Xiaoshou looked at the staff member, surprised that he wasn’t actually backing down but was instead glaring at him with his teeth clenched.
Shing!
Xu Xiaoshou then drew his black sword out of his chest.
“Take it.”
Sigh. The staff member then took the pills and shoved them into his sleeve.
“Lead the way.”
“Very well.”
The sun was hot, and the leader of the staff members looked up, trying to let the sun dry his tears.
“Oh, elder,” he sighed inwardly.
“It’s really not my fault. Xu Xiaoshou just insists on bribing me. Wuuuuuuu.
“I’m sorry for breaking the rules again…”
Cursed, Passive Points +1.
Impressed, Passive Points +1.
Xu Xiaoshou was amused, wondering what could’ve possibly caused such ambivalence.
…
The Spiritual Library Division, Inner Yard.
The Inner Yard had a concentration of Spiritual Energy several times that of the Outer Yard, which enabled one to be invigorated as soon as one entered the place.
Every disciple who first joined the Tiansang Spirit Palace would get a chance to enter the Spiritual Library Division once. While this was mainly to let them select the techniques they would soon practice, having them experience the difference in Spiritual Energy concentration between the Inner and Outer Yards also served as a way to encourage them to be diligent in their training.
Furthermore, it was said that every Inner Yard disciple would get their own private compound, which had an array that, when opened, would increase said concentration by several times over.
Private compounds were hard to come by.
Not everyone was like Xu Xiaoshou, who’d managed to get himself a private compound when he was still training at the Outer Yard.
Some even had to sneak up others’ doors just to train.
Xiao Qixiu brought eleven others with him, walking as he talked.
“Although you’ve all been here before, I’m about to reiterate the rules one more time.”
“Each of you can select an Innate-level spiritual technique. Once you’re done, get to registration right away. Be careful not to cause a scene, and fighting inside is absolutely forbidden.”