‘This isn’t an act of confidence, but presumption.’
At this point, Yuqi the Venerable One could not help but think much lower of Ou Yangming than before. If the young fellow was a disciple from his sect, he might have rebuked him already.
The old macaque twitched its mouth as well as it was not optimistic about it too.
flying carpets were treasures that could only be studied by Venerable Blacksmiths. It was common sense, which was engraved in the heart of every powerhouse.
“Hehe, lil’ friend, it’s fine if you’d like to play around but…” The old macaque eventually had a grave look on its face. “I know you’re extraordinary in the path of smithing, which is why Bai Zhiyi thinks favorably of you. You might be able to refine flying carpets if you become a Venerable One in the future, but you shouldn’t waste your time on them now.”
Ou Yangming immediately understood that the old macaque was not optimistic about him being able to refine flying carpets.
He did not justify himself because he knew the powerhouses would not be moved no matter how he explained himself. If he wanted to get their recognition, the only way would be to refine the item first.
Ever since Ou Yangming studied the flying carpet, Yuqi the Venerable One and the old macaque kept an eye on him as if they were guarding against a thief; they were afraid that he would ruin the carpet if he was prompted by a sudden impulse.
Luckily, Ou Yangming sat quietly for the rest of the time and did not do anything improper.
After a few days, they finally returned to the Beast King Sect. As Yuqi the Venerable One controlled the flying carpet, they entered the inner sect directly.
The Venerable One looked at Ou Yangming and said, “You can stay here for now while I contact the people on Mount Wuzhi. If it’s possible, I’ll ask them to send your friends here.”
Ou Yangming responded in a deep voice, “Okay.”
“You’re not restricted in the sect, so feel free to do anything you want. I’ll especially allow you to enter the library, so you can read the book collections there with the disciples in the sect,” Yuqi the Venerable One noted after some thought, then he retrieved a jade badge and tossed it to the young fellow. “This is my authenticating object so if you bring it along with you, everywhere in the Beast King Sect is accessible to you.”
Ou Yangming’s eyes glowed. This time, he was truly surprised yet overjoyed.
Chapter 678 - Library
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
A library was the most important place in a sect.
This was because book collections represented a sect’s inheritance, so any sect that wanted to prosper for a long time must pay attention to their inheritance. Only by bringing up talents in every generation could a sect maintain the most powerful status.
Therefore, when Yuqi the Venerable One gave Ou Yangming his permission to enter the library, even the young fellow suspected if he heard it wrongly.
Nonetheless, the Venerable One’s word was fulfilled very quickly.
After Yuqi the Venerable One and the old macaque left, a close acquaintance approached Ou Yangming. It was Bai Zhiyi, who admired his smithing art very much.
In terms of outer appearance only, Bai Zhiyi seemed to be much older than Yuqi the Venerable One, but a cultivator’s age must not be judged from one’s appearance only.
Bai Zhiyi was also stunned when he received Yuqi the Venerable One’s order. He looked enviously at Ou Yangming and said, “Lil’ Ou, you’re really too lucky to be recognized by Sir Venerable One.” He paused for a while before he exclaimed, “As far as I know, Sir Venerable One has never spoken for anyone before this.”
Ou Yangming was dumbfounded. He found it rather strange too because Yuqi the Venerable One treated him with special respect indeed.
Bai Zhiyi then said with a smile, “Lil’ Ou, I’ve arranged your accommodation for you, so would you like to rest or…”
“I’d like to go to the library to take a look,” Ou Yangming answered without any hesitation.
The young fellow had come across many figures after he entered the Spiritual Realm from the lower realm, and he managed to learn a lot from them. Even so, he never really underwent systematic learning. Since he was given a chance now, he did not want to miss it.
Bai Zhiyi seemed to have guessed his answer already. He smiled and brought the young fellow to a mountain.
Many powerhouses guarded the mountain path, and they either kept watch openly or covertly.
Although Ou Yangming felt embarrassed to search the area with his consciousness, he could roughly estimate that the number of powerhouses gathered here was similar to that in a nest of lizards.
It was evident that this was the actual important place in the Beast King Sect, or there would not be so many powerhouses here.
Bai Zhiyi was a familiar face, hence nobody questioned him when he walked the path. On the other hand, Ou Yangming was a stranger. Especially when he walked past the guards on the mountainside, he was scanned by fierce looks from the guards, who seemed like they wanted to see through him.
One of the middle-aged men walked over. He did not take big strides, but his footsteps were firm and powerful as though he walked with extreme confidence.
The tough man beamed when he saw Bai Zhiyi. “Big Brother Bai, long time no see.”
Bai Zhiyi laughed and responded, “Brother Shui, you’re on duty this month.”
The middle-aged man smiled bitterly. “Ah, this is the most boring place for us to be on duty; I don’t believe that anyone will have the guts to invade the Beast King Sect.” He sounded confident as he was proud of being a disciple in the sect.
“That’s true.” Bai Zhiyi nodded and added after a pause, “I’d like to enter the library, so let me through.”
The man was struck dumb. “Big Brother Bai, it’s fine if you’d like to enter on your own, but this little brother…” He was puzzled when he looked at Ou Yangming, who was standing behind Bai Zhiyi. “You should know the rules—strangers aren’t allowed to enter the library.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t make things difficult for you.” Bai Zhiyi could not help but laugh. He explained, “This is Ou Yangming. Sir Venerable One permitted him to enter the library to learn every secret technique in our sect.”
“What?” The middle-aged man’s face changed. He could not help but look at Ou Yangming in confusion.
Ou Yangming then retrieved an item—the jade badge given by Yuqi the Venerable One.
Bai Zhiyi chuckled and introduced the young fellow to the middle-aged man. “Lil’ Ou, this is Shui Wenliang, an Advanced Spiritualist. He’s quite reputable in the sect. If you’ll come to the library often in the future, you should get acquainted with him.” The elder smiled with his eyes squinted.
“Greetings, Brother Shui,” Ou Yangming uttered.
Shui Wenliang was surprised when he glanced at the jade badge.
Being an Advanced Spiritualist in the Beast King Sect, he naturally knew the jade badge’s background. Moreover, he knew that Ou Yangming would be qualified to enter even the key places in the sect, let alone the library.
Having said that, he could not help but wonder, ‘This young fella’s clearly not a disciple from our sect, so why would Sir Venerable One make things convenient for him?’
Since Ou Yangming had the jade badge as proof, Shui Wenliang dared not obstruct him. He personally escorted the elder and the young fellow up to the mountain and into the library.
Bai Zhiyi stroked his beard and asked, “Lil’ Ou, what would you like to see?”
Ou Yangming answered after some thought, “I’d like to take a look at books related to smithing art.”
“Okay.” Bai Zhiyi skipped the formalities and simply brought him to an attic, then he pointed at the books on the shelf and said, “These are the book collections that we have on smithing art.” He paused for a while then looked meaningfully at Ou Yangming. “I can only bring you t
his far, so go ahead and look for anything that you need. As for how much you’re able to learn, it’ll be up to you.”
He was optimistic about Ou Yangming, but the young fellow was not a disciple from the sect, after all. It was true that Ou Yangming was granted permission by Sir Venerable One to enter the library, but it would be inappropriate for the elder to guide him.
Ou Yangming nodded and expressed his gratitude, “Thank you, senior.”
It was already unexpected for him to receive such deferential treatment, so he dared not ask for more.
Bai Zhiyi turned and left after he said a few more words.
Once he left the library, Shui Wenliang approached him and asked, “Big Brother Bai, who exactly is that person? Why is Sir Venerable One treating him differently?”
“Brother Shui, I’m sure you’re aware of the jade badge’s meaning, right?” Bai Zhiyi asked him in return.
Shui Wenliang answered with a bitter smile, “Who in the sect doesn’t know what it means? The jade badge’s equivalent to Sir Venerable Ones’ presence.”
“Exactly.” Bai Zhiyi chuckled and continued, “Let me disclose something to you—this young man isn’t ordinary at all, and he hasn’t joined any sect.”
“Are you saying that Sir Venerable One gave him the jade badge for him to move around easily so that he’ll join us?” Shui Wenliang was moved.
“Yes,” Bai Zhiyi spoke sternly, “If he doesn’t understand how mighty the Beast King Sect is, how could he be moved?”
Shui Wenliang did not look bothered at all. The Beast King Sect was one of the Humans’ Nine Great Sects in Danzhou, and they also had an even more formidable reliance in the Spiritual Realm. As such, many rogue cultivators were attracted to the sect.
In his opinion, as long as their sect leaked their intention a little, rogue cultivators would definitely queue until the foot of the mountain to join them.
As naturally gifted as the young fellow was, Shui Wenliang felt that he could not be worthy of such treatment from Sir Venerable One.
“Brother Shui, I know you don’t really buy this, but Sir Venerable One’s jade badge can’t be fake, can it?” Bai Zhiyi shook his head. He looked at the middle-aged man sternly and said, “Even if it’s for the sake of Sire Venerable One, you must treat this matter carefully. Heh, if you ruin sir’s plan, you should know what the consequences are.”
Shui Wenliang’s face changed all of a sudden, and he quickly replied to the elder, “Big Brother Bai, don’t worry, I won’t spoil sir’s plan no matter what.”
Bai Zhiyi was right. Regardless of Ou Yangming’s background, since Yuqi the Venerable One valued him so much, Shui Wenliang could not object to anything at all. Besides, the jade badge represented the Venerable One’s presence. If he dared to be disrespectful, he would not be able to bear the consequences.
Nevertheless, the Advanced Spiritualist was still bewildered when he turned to look at the library.
‘Is this young fella Sir Venerable One’s illegitimate child?’
※※※※
Ou Yangming looked at the book collections in the grids. His eyes gleamed with happiness.
He browsed the books according to the list, and he picked 3 books in no time. After he retrieved the books, he read them quietly on the desk in the attic.
There were rules in the library. The disciples from the sect could enter if they paid a certain price, but books could only be read in the library and could not be taken out.
Other than Ou Yangming, there were several blacksmiths from the sect in this side hall at the moment.
When they saw Bai Zhiyi earlier, they stood up to greet him. Only when the elder left, they looked at Ou Yangming in confusion.
This was because they could not figure out who the young fellow was to be accompanied by the elder here.
It was worth noting that Bai Zhiyi was one of the top 5 blacksmiths in the Beast King Sect. Even the sect leader treated him politely and would not be hostile toward him.
The disciples did not keep looking at Ou Yangming, but they paid attention to the books that he picked.
However, they were in disbelief when they saw what books he picked. This was because he chose the most fundamental books for smithing art.
The contents of those books were not complicated. They contained the most basic knowledge, where most of them could even be found in ordinary stores.
Bai Zhiyi had accompanied the young fellow here, but he only read the most ordinary books here. This was extremely from what the disciples had expected.
When they left the library, they instantly spread the word.
Needless to say, Bai Zhiyi heard the news too. He smiled when he found out about Ou Yangming’s choices as he was pleased.
The young fellow was exceptionally gifted, by which he smithed Good Grade magic tools without having undergone systematic learning. Despite that, he was not arrogant and all, and he learned from the bottom when he was given a chance.
His character was even harder to come by as compared to his natural gift.
Such a person would surely achieve great things in the future.
Chapter 679 - The Center Of Attention
Ou Yangming looked away from the book. He closed his eyes and recalled the book’s content.
When he read, he must not only read the words but also conclude them. Moreover, he had to apply his experience as well to absorb the beneficial points to convert them for his own.
That was the essence of reading, which was more than just reading fast.
Needless to say, one must train for a long time and put the knowledge into practice to achieve that. Ou Yangming was not lacking in terms of this.
Ever since he obtained the Military Fire, he had smithed countless pieces of equipment. In particular, he had smithed so many magic tools that even blacksmiths that had lived for several decades might not be able to compare with him at all.
Since Ou Yangming had enough experience, the benefits that he received from reading these theories were far beyond one’s imagination.
Of course, Ou Yangming could only record those contents at the moment. Only by putting them into enough practice could he achieve mastery.
Reading was a step-by-step process. Ou Yangming read the most basic contents at first but as he grasped the knowledge, he began to read faster and looked at more difficult contents.
Many people entered the library to learn. Even in the side hall, which especially gathered books related to smithing art, it was packed with people.
Ou Yangming found it strange because the people seemed to be very interested in his books.
Nonetheless, he did not know that his appearance was the exact reason there was a huge gap between him at the blacksmiths from the Beast King Sect.
This was because he was reading too fast!
In the beginning, not many people bothered about Ou Yangming when he read the fundamental contents. Although the people found it weird, they did not pay extra attention to him. As the young fellow started to speed up and read more profound contents, the blacksmiths quickly became curious.
Especially after a week, when Ou Yangming started picking books that were related to the smithing of High Grade magic tools, there was a small sensation among the blacksmiths.
High Grade magic tools were pieces of high-end equipment among magic tools. There were definitely no more than 20 people in the Beast King Sect that could normally smith them. Therefore, back when Xu Feiyu smithed a fine High Grade magic tool, he could show off for some time.
From the time when Ou Yangming started to read fundamental smithing techniques to when he eventually read tempering techniques for High Grade magic tools, it had only been 10 days.
When the blacksmiths from the sect heard about this, they had a special feeling.
They had seen pretentious people, but none of them were as pretentious as this young fellow.
It was reasonable for a beginner to study basic smithing art but if he continued and even read about High Gra
de magic tools, he must be pretentious—so pretentious that he lacked principle.
Of course, what made the blacksmiths even more indignant was most of them were not qualified enough to read those books.
Who knew, the young fellow pulled strings with Bai Zhiyi, such that all of the book collections that were related to smithing art were accessible to him. As such, everyone envied him.
They dared not make such remarks in front of Bai Zhiyi, but the elder still heard about the gossip. He did not know to cry or to laugh when he received the news, and he thought, ‘How could I have such an honor?
‘Ou Yangming didn’t pull strings with me but Sir Venerable One.
‘The books that he has access to aren’t only limited to smithing art; he can read anything in the library.’
It was a secret that Ou Yangming entered the library with Yuqi the Venerable One’s jade pendant, by which there were less than 5 people who knew. Nevertheless, they dared not leak the secret at all because they must keep their mouths shut about anything that was related to Sir Venerable One.
Besides, while Ou Yangming displayed his smithing talent in the Beast King Sect in the past, he had only shown up once, and it had been several months since. As such, the sensation that was stirred up had disappeared, and very few people could recognize him. Even if people did recognize him, nobody would believe that he could smith High Grade magic tools.
On this day, Ou Yangming entered the library again. He looked around and hesitated for the first time.
After reading carefully for some time, Ou Yangming had gained a new understanding of smithing art. In particular, he underwent systematic learning for smithing art as he studied from the basics. The young fellow might have learned through the unorthodox method before this, but he was at least close to the standard now.
All of a sudden, he recalled the flying carpet that he rode to come to the sect.
It was an impulsive feeling, where he wanted to study the suprema equipment’s smithing technique.
Immortal Path to Heaven c1-725 Page 400
