Chapter 68: A Day in the Life of a Nerd!

Chapter 68: A Day in the Life of a Nerd!

The books on the third floor differed significantly from those on the other two floors. While technically containing more valuable information, they also harbored numerous theories devoid of factual evidence.

I found myself engrossed in a book discussing a theory known as the Fate Theory. However, I opted to simplify its name for ease of remembrance. It delved into the concept of three wills governing the world, one of which was visible while the other two remained invisible.

The first will was the most apparentthe will of man. Through their actions, humans and other living beings could shape their surroundings, sometimes irreversibly. This will was observable to even the layperson, encompassing desires for freedom from mortal constraints, which cultivation sought to achieve.

The second will was the will of the heavens, a theoretical notion suggesting that heavenly forces might impede human progress beyond a certain point of cultivation and prevent them from entering the celestial realm.

Had the theorist consulted with immortals, he might have gained insights to verify his conjecture. However, lacking such encounters, he formulated his theory based on observations. If his conjecture proved accurate, he would indeed be a remarkable genius.

The book postulated a logical conflict between the wills of Heaven and Manthe former representing predetermined fate while the latter embodied individual free will.

The third will was the Will of the Earth, a regulating force that maintained balance and favored regression to natural states. The author posited that this will prevented unnatural things like the resurrection of the dead.

Although I harbored doubts about the latter assertion, I remained open-minded. My own unnatural experiences had broadened my perspectives, rendering me receptive to diverse possibilities.

What drew me to this book was the attempt to rationalize fate despite its heavily skewed and unproven nature, with a significant chance of being entirely erroneous.

I entertained the notion that individuals blessed by the heavens might possess an unnatural fate, replete with riches and opportunities, yet countered by the balancing force of the earth, which interjected misfortunes into their lives.

This framework was my closest approximation to understanding the enigmatic Hu Jina figure seemingly entwined with both fortune and disaster.

"You're delving into the musings of a lunatic?" Mao, the owl humanoid, interjected, his inscrutable owl visage betraying little emotion as he fixed his cold gaze upon me. "I knew the author of that tome. He rambled about bizarre notions, haunted by echoes of disasters from a century past. Despite his fervent efforts, the sole copy of his work, ensconced within this library, became his legacy before he leaped from out of a window on this very floor."

I scanned the cavernous confines around us. "There's a window here?"

Mao's confusion was palpable as he tilted his head. "You're fixated on the window? Even after hearing about a man's tragic death?"

"There's little merit in pondering the dead," I replied nonchalantly. "Only he knew the reasons behind his fateful leap. Speculating about his demise serves no purpose. It seems you're as puzzled by his death as I am."

I refrained from insinuating any foul play in the man's demise, wary of implicating Mao. After all, I had no desire to meet a similar fatestabbed in the back and tumbling out a window, whether by accident or design.

Turning my attention back to the book, I noted its peculiar appearance: a cover reminiscent of stretched skin adorned with red ink and curious splatters that bore resemblance to blood. Though the thought of human skin covering such a tome seemed improbable, I doubted the sect would harbor such macabre artifacts in their library.

Closing the book, I returned it to its rightful place and turned my attention back to the owl-like figure. "So, about that window?"

Regardless of whether the book merely contained the ravings of a madman, the author possessed a unique perspective worth considering.

"This place does indeed have windows... for those who know where to find them," the owl man replied cryptically before departing.

I watched him go, noting subtle differences in his demeanor compared to our initial encounter. There might be multiple individuals like him. After all, Mao had referred to himself as a failed experiment, implying the existence of others subjected to similar transformationsif such experiments had indeed taken place.

Engaged in a flurry of theories, I maintained a composed exterior, much like my contingency plans in the event of the sect's downfall. With Hu Jin around, I had prepared for certain things that might come to pass.

Surveying the shelves, my gaze settled on a small pile of books in a cornermy acquisitions from previous visits. These volumes purportedly contained Earth Grade Techniques, surpassing the potency of mundane Mortal Grade Techniques found on the lower floors.

However, not all Earth Grade Techniques proved practical. Many were unfinished, arduous to master, or carried dire consequences. Moreover, each tome hinted at a mysterious element known as a 'Trace,' essential for their completion.

Despite exhaustive searches, the elusive Trace remained undiscovered within the library's vast expanse. While the prospect of uncovering it independently held allure, I harbored no qualms about wasting too much time on this. After all, this library had enough books to last multiple lifetimes. I might never be able to find a specific thing; this was not Google.

When it came to these things, there was no shame in asking for help.

"What exactly is this Trace phenomenon?" I inquired, hoping for clarification. "Some passages in these books suggest that a technique is only considered half-Earth Grade without it."

The owl sighed, pivoting back toward me and approaching until he was within a couple of feet. Seating himself cross-legged, he rested his feathery head on one palm, elbow propped on his leg.

"A Trace occurs in perhaps one out of a thousand perfectly executed techniques, and even then, it's a tentative concept," he explained, scratching his beak before elaborating further. "It involves someone performing a Trace to demonstrate a technique's potential, confirming its classification as an Earth Grade technique."

Though unconventional, the requirement for a Trace revealed the perceived weakness of these techniques compared to conventional Earth Grade ones. They were the rejects, although some were still good despite their classification.

Turning to a stack of books nearby, I retrieved a specific green tome titled 'Piercing Gaze.' It contained a technique capable of inducing headaches in those who met my gaze. However, anyone skilled in Qi manipulation could mitigate its effectiveness, rendering it impractical for widespread use.

Most techniques housed on the third floor were advanced iterations of Mortal Grade techniques, refined over time by talented practitioners to almost be as strong as Earth Grade techniques but lacking the elusive Trace.

Mao's explanation of the Trace phenomenon was somewhat evasive, cloaked in verbose language that left the precise nature of a Trace unclear. Nevertheless, it seemed to be a discernible occurrence, recognizable when witnessed.

It was surprisingly easy to get my mind in a suitable space, and my senses expanded as a bead of sweat rolled down my brow.

I was actively controlling the range of my Qi senses... just two more things, and I would break through. I could do it right now.

Yes, this was it. I truly felt a breakthrough right now! Almost there!

"Dancing Jade Armour," I muttered under my breath and clapped my hands.

One of the weaknesses of this technique was that I had to keep my hands clapped when activating it. It was quite a significant drawback, especially for someone who used fist techniques. But it was something I could get rid of...

I let go of my hands and held them by my side, smiling as the barrier stood up. However, it was technically not a barrier and was more of a jade-like construct.

Yeah, I could feel it now. It was so clear before, the Qi inside me. There was no way to move it; I had no experience with that. But when using arrays, I knew how my words, hand seals, and rituals could nudge the Qi around the world to form certain things.

So I had to try and nudge my Qi...

But just as I was about to take that final step, my legs buckled, and I almost fell face-first onto the hard stone floor. I barely stopped myself from smashing my face to the ground by using my arms to hold myself up.

"Huh, it seems like I accidentally used my own Qi instinctively," I said while slowly letting myself lay down on the cold stone floor. "If only I had a little more Qi to use."

Damn, this kind of sucked. If I had taken a Qi Replenishing Pill before this whole thing, I would have broken through today! But then again, it wasn't like I knew this would happen, so no use worrying about something like this.

However, I could now sense the meager Qi moving through my body. I was literally a hair away from breaking through!

After some time, I rested well enough to stand up, and immediately after doing so, I took out a notebook and began writing down my stats.

Name: Liu Feng

Age: 16 17

Talent: C (fifty-three spirit root branches)

Cultivation: Body Tempering (nine-star)

Strength 8.9 9.3

Agility 8.9 9.2

Endurance 8.9 9.8

Qi 0 ?

Techniques:

- Sonic Fang Fist (Mortal Grade)

- Rushing Bull Step (Mortal Grade)

- Turtle Shell Body (Mortal Grade)

- Dancing Jade Armor (semi-Earth Grade)

- Falling Moon Claw (Earth Grade)

Skills:

- Array Conjurer - Level 1 (Practitioner)

Since my birthday passed a couple of weeks ago, I should also change my age. Birthdays were only important here if it was the tenth birthday when someone could officially begin practicing the family's martial arts. Even then, most never celebrated such trivial things unless they were rich.

The Qi stat was still unknown since I had created no measuring number for it and qualified what 1 in Qi would signify.

Today was another day in my life, though it had been a bit more exciting than average. I rarely got this kind of excitement of almost breaking through.

I turned toward the owl, who was just looking at me, and I asked. "What?"

"N-Nothing," said the owl, looking intimidated for some reason.