Chapter 32: The Library

## Chapter 32: The Library Pavilion

The sky was bright and clear.

Ye Chen, forgoing rest, was already up preparing breakfast for Zhang Fengnian and Hu Wa.

The room door creaked open, and Zhang Fengnian, leaning on a crutch, shuffled out unsteadily. Seeing Ye Chen, he offered a gentle smile. "Young man, up so early?"

"Didn't sleep, just got up," Ye Chen replied with a casual smile.

"It's rare to see someone as diligent as you."

"Senior is too kind."

"Grandfather!" Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by Hu Wa, who suddenly burst out.

Hu Wa, a little bewildered, walked over to Zhang Fengnian and Ye Chen, pointing at the swirling currents of qi around his body. He looked at them with a puzzled expression. "What's happening to me? I feel like things are rushing into my body, and I feel all warm."

"Spiritual energy?" Zhang Fengnian's eyes widened in shock as he quickly examined Hu Wa's body.

"How can this be…?" Zhang Fengnian's eyes were filled with disbelief.

"I… I can cultivate?" Hu Wa raised his little head, looking at Ye Chen and Zhang Fengnian.

"Yes, yes, of course you can!" Zhang Fengnian seemed even more excited than expected.

"From today onwards, you are a cultivator," Ye Chen said, patting Hu Wa's shoulder.

"I'm a cultivator! I'm a cultivator!" Hu Wa jumped with excitement. He was truly a pure and innocent child. He hopped around in the small spirit garden, finally running to the spirit beast called Little Eagle. With hands and feet dancing, he declared, "Little Eagle, I can cultivate now! I can protect you later!"

Guagu!

Little Eagle seemed to understand, its cries also full of joy.

"Heaven has eyes!" Zhang Fengnian's face broke into a joyous smile. Looking at the hopping Hu Wa, his complexion visibly improved, as if he had shed several years.

Beside them, Ye Chen watched Hu Wa in silence.

He was happy for Hu Wa, but his heart was also conflicted.

Was this truly for his good?

The path of a cultivator was far more arduous than that of an ordinary person. Walking this path meant a longer lifespan, but longevity also came with loneliness.

The cultivator's path was even more cruel.

Ye Chen didn't know if arbitrarily changing Hu Wa's destiny was the right thing to do. Perhaps when Hu Wa truly understood the hardships of the cultivator's journey, he would realize that being an ordinary person was far more carefree than being a cultivator.

After a simple breakfast, Ye Chen left the small spirit garden.

Today, he wasn't wearing his black robe.

He knew that at this moment, he didn't need to conceal himself anymore. The disciples of the three major peaks were already engaged in fierce combat. Even if he appeared alive and well on Heng Yue Spirit Mountain, it would be difficult to draw the attention of the three major peaks away from their conflict.

However, his appearance still drew countless gazes.

"This…." Every Heng Yue disciple who saw Ye Chen revealed a shocked expression.

"He endured over a hundred fire whips, and he's… he's fine just like that?"

"Is he a monster?"

"Not a single wound on his entire body, and it's only been a few days."

"What?" When he heard that Ye Chen was alive and well again, Yin Zhi Ping of the Discipline Hall suddenly stood up, unable to suppress the shock on his face.

Not only him, but the disciples and elders of Tian Yang Peak, Di Yang Peak, and Ren Yang Peak – in fact, all the outer disciples and elders of the entire Heng Yue Sect – were surprised upon hearing the news. In just a few days, all his wounds had healed. Since the founding of Heng Yue Sect, no one had ever achieved this.

"Quick, quick, quick! The disciples of Ren Yang Peak and Tian Yang Peak are fighting on the Wind Cloud Platform again!"

"I heard the disciples of Di Yang Peak also went."

"I heard that disciples with Yuan Realm cultivation have also joined the battle this time."

Soon, groups of three or five surged towards the Wind Cloud Platform.

This also meant that the surprise over Ye Chen's recovery was instantly overshadowed by the fighting between the disciples of the three major peaks on the Wind Cloud Platform.

The Wind Cloud Platform was ablaze with activity again, but Ye Chen didn't stop his steps.

Today was the day the Heng Yue Sect's Library Pavilion opened for inner disciples. He didn't want to waste time by going to watch the commotion.

Before a majestic pavilion, Ye Chen stopped.

Compared to the past, the Library Pavilion was eerily quiet today. Not even a single person could be seen, probably everyone had gone to the Wind Cloud Platform to watch the excitement.

"No one here is just right, it's rarely this quiet."

With a slight smile, Ye Chen stepped into the Library Pavilion.

Inside the Library Pavilion, a world unto itself existed. It was vast and boundless, grand and majestic. Row upon row of bookshelves were filled with ancient scrolls, numbering in the tens of thousands. These were all collected by the Heng Yue Sect. Although located on the first layer, they were still precious treasures.

Guarding the Library Pavilion was a sloppy old man. His beard was white, his hair messy. The people of Heng Yue called him True Person Huang Shi.

"Elder," Ye Chen respectfully bowed.

"Go in! Leave your identity token with me." True Person Huang Shi sized Ye Chen up and down. As he spoke, he revealed a mouth full of large yellow teeth.

Ye Chen handed over his identity token and then walked in.

There were many ancient scrolls on the bookshelves. He casually picked up one volume, only to find it was an ancient scroll introducing spirit grasses.

Slightly shaking his head, Ye Chen placed it back in its original spot.

The Library Pavilion was quiet, and Ye Chen was happy to enjoy the tranquility. He browsed like someone shopping for groceries, taking down ancient scrolls one by one and then putting them back in their original places.

Three hours later, he hadn't found a single ancient scroll related to profound arts or skills.

"It seems that profound arts and skills are all on the upper floors," Ye Chen muttered to himself.

In Heng Yue Sect, inner disciples could only enter the first layer of the Library Pavilion. As for the upper floors, with his current identity, he wasn't qualified yet.

Feeling a little disappointed, Ye Chen picked up another ancient scroll to read.

"Old fellow Huang Shi, you think I'm not here?" The quiet Library Pavilion was broken by a voice from the doorway. It seemed someone else had come to the Library Pavilion.

"Little brat, stealing things here again? Be careful, I'll beat you," True Person Huang Shi's scolding voice immediately rang out.

"Look at you, the way you talk. Am I that kind of person?"

"Get lost."

After a few simple exchanges, Ye Chen, who was engrossed in reading an ancient book, finally saw the newcomer.

Suddenly, the corner of Ye Chen's mouth twitched violently. "What did this guy eat to grow up like this?"

He couldn't be blamed for this expression; the only blame lay with the newcomer's appearance, which was too…

It was a youth of about thirteen or fourteen, shorter than even Hu Wa, yet he was unusually fat. When he walked, his layers of fat wobbled, and from a distance, he looked like a lump.

As for his attire, it was the most bizarre Ye Chen had ever seen.

He was wearing only two pieces of clothing: a large pair of shorts on the bottom and a small vest on the top. His eyes were so small they were almost invisible, his chest was bare, exposing his belly – he was a living, breathing miniature Maitreya Buddha.

"Heng Yue has many talents!" Looking at the little fatty, Ye Chen sighed with deep meaning.

As he spoke, the little fatty had already walked over.

As he passed Ye Chen, he even sized him up and down. Although his eyes were small, they were very bright and seemed incredibly shrewd.

"How come I haven't seen you before?" The little fatty rubbed his chubby chin.

"I just arrived."

Ur!

The little fatty casually responded and was about to walk past.

However, after taking only two steps, he walked back, his fleshy nose twitching. Then, like a dog, he sniffed here and there.

Soon, the little fatty's sniffing led him to Ye Chen's body.

"True Fire?" The little fatty suddenly raised his head, his small eyes flashing with eagerness as he stared at Ye Chen.

"You have True Fire?"

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