Chapter 224 – Biting Off More Than You Can Chew? I Call This Having Many Skills!

Jianghai Martial Arts Academy.

Soaring Ascent Building, Office.

“What? You said he wants to go to the Scripture Repository?”

Elder Li set down his purple clay teacup, holding the phone close to his ear as Li Qinghe’s voice came through from the other end.

The news had returned faster than expected.

They had just discussed it with Li Qinghe in the morning, and by early evening, the response had already come back.

Moreover.

It was quite an unexpected reply.

“Is this really Young Friend Qin’s intention?”

Elder Li leaned back in his office chair, stroking his white beard as he pondered, “Other than this, he has no other requests?”

“Well… nothing else for now, Elder Li.”

On the other end of the phone, Li Qinghe nodded gently while walking along the path outside the library. “He just told me he heard the academy’s Scripture Repository is quite famous and wants to go in to browse, looking for suitable cultivation techniques for himself.

He hopes you can grant him permission.”

“This…”

Upon hearing this, Elder Li’s white eyebrows furrowed tightly. “This matter requires some careful consideration from me.”

As he spoke, Elder Li set down the phone, contemplating internally.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to grant it.

But the academy’s Scripture Repository contained many Innate Realm techniques and was considered one of Jianghai Martial Arts Academy’s important sites.

It had always been open only to internal members.

In earlier years, even the Police Inspector Commander had wanted to borrow materials, but as soon as he brought it up, Elder Li immediately refused… leaving no room for negotiation.

And Qin Yang’s identity was rather complicated…

No matter what, he ultimately wasn’t part of the Martial Arts Academy. If they rashly made an exception for an outsider, it would be unprecedented and somewhat violate the academy’s rules.

While Elder Li was pondering this.

“Elder Li, Qin… ahem, Qin Yang also said that if it’s not possible, he won’t insist…”

Li Qinghe’s voice continued from the phone. “His main purpose is to enter the Scripture Repository to study some arrow-related techniques.

Now that Martial Uncle and the others are no longer here to teach him, he can only rely on his own comprehension…”

She didn’t continue further, leaving everything unspoken.

“Ah…”

Hearing this, Elder Li let out a heavy sigh and fell completely silent.

Indeed.

Given Qin Yang’s special circumstances now – with both the Jianghai Sword God and Arrow God being his teachers and close friends – the problem was that those two seniors had already departed.

They sacrificed themselves for Jianghai City. With such benevolence as foundation, making an exception for library access was only reasonable… what grounds did he have to refuse?

Thinking this.

Elder Li picked up the phone and agreed:

“Alright, let’s tentatively schedule it for tomorrow at noon. Have him come to the entrance of Soaring Ascent Building, and I’ll personally escort him into the repository.”

“Okay, thank you, Elder Li. I’ll inform Qin Yang right away.”

Beep—

The call ended with a busy signal.

Elder Li put down his phone and turned to look out the window, momentarily recalling the Arrow God’s sacrifice. “With two elders gone in succession, Qin Yang must be having a hard time now, right?”

……

……

“Haha, it worked, Master!!”

On the street, Li Qinghe hung up the phone and looked at Qin Yang, who was chewing on tanghulu beside her, excitedly waving her arms about.

“Elder Li agreed! Now you can browse to your heart’s content! Well, are you satisfied now?”

“Not bad, this master is pleased.”

Qin Yang bit into his tanghulu and said leisurely, “You really are reliable at handling things.”I must admit,

sometimes Li Qinghe’s mischievous and clever nature really does resemble my own.

“Hmph, just now when I heard Elder Li’s tone, I was still a bit hesitant… He’s such an old stick-in-the-mud.”

Li Qinghe lifted her nose proudly and declared, “Thanks to this young lady’s quick thinking and a little hint, if it were Zi Xuan in your place, she definitely wouldn’t have been able to fool him!”

“Your Martial Aunt is in seclusion—don’t try to gloss over things here.”

Qin Yang yawned and tossed the last tanghulu to Xiaobai. “I won’t be around for the next few days. Cover for me, will you?”

Since he hadn’t been to the Scripture Repository before and wasn’t sure how long he’d need to stay, Qin Yang went on to discuss some managerial matters with Li Qinghe.

“Hmph, partners in crime!”

Xiaobai gnawed on the tanghulu, glanced at Qin Yang twice, then clamped the skewer in her mouth, raised her tail, and quietly distanced herself from the two of them.

Master is off to wreak havoc somewhere else again!

This honest fairy fox wants no part in your schemes!

……..

The next day at noon, Qin Yang tidied up, dressed in casual clothes, and arrived as scheduled at the entrance of Soaring Ascent Building. Elder Li had already been waiting for some time.

Dressed in a gray Zhongshan suit, his hair silver with age, Elder Li had deliberately chosen this location to avoid the academy’s students, taking into account Qin Yang’s special status.

The lonely, quiet path saw few pedestrians.

“Young friend Qin Yang.”

Elder Li smiled warmly. “Please follow me—this way.”

Ahead lay a secluded trail.

He had previously looked into Qin Yang’s background; the fact that the young man secluded himself in the Library suggested a naturally low-profile disposition.

Thus, Elder Li had specifically chosen this path, which was seldom traveled.

Otherwise, if others were to see Qin Yang accompanying him, even without explanation, it would inevitably lead to unnecessary trouble.

“You’ve gone to great trouble, Elder Li.”

Qin Yang understood his intentions and nodded with a cupped-hand salute. “This junior only plans to browse some books to resolve a few doubts. I won’t trouble you for long.”

“It’s no trouble at all, young friend Qin. If you find any books to your liking, you may borrow them,” Elder Li said, walking ahead with his hands behind his back and stepping over fallen branches. “The Scripture Repository houses a vast and varied collection of texts. If they can be of help to you, there’s no need to stand on ceremony with me.”

It was midday.

The sweltering summer heat rose, and sunlight dappled through the tree shadows.

“These past few days must have been difficult for you.”

Elder Li sighed softly, thinking of the Arrow God’s death. “Your elders were loyal and heroic, sacrificing so much for our Jianghai. I have no way to repay them, but if you ever have any needs in the future, feel free to come to me.

Though I am old, I still hold some influence.”

“Thank you, Elder Li. I appreciate it.”

Qin Yang nodded gently. “Since the matter is over, let’s leave it in the past.”

Elder Li was too honest—he really couldn’t bear to keep deceiving him.

A short while later.

A massive structure lay hidden within the Back Mountain, veiled by pine forests. At the entrance, an elderly man leisurely swept fallen leaves.

“Young friend Qin Yang, this is the Scripture Repository of our Jianghai Martial Arts Academy,”

Elder Li introduced as he walked ahead, nodding slightly to the old man in greeting before leading Qin Yang into the building.

As they passed the old man…

]Qin Yang remained expressionless as he glanced at the old man. His spirit was inwardly contained, with all his aura withdrawn into his body, not a trace leaking out.

He appeared no different from an ordinary person.

Yet the more ordinary he seemed, the more peculiar it felt.

“This is definitely a hidden master,” Qin Yang mused inwardly, feeling an inexplicable sense of kinship while growing more eager to explore the books inside.

Compared to the publicly accessible Jianghai Library, the collection at the Martial Arts Academy was undoubtedly of higher quality.

With the Enlightenment Space at his disposal,

he could definitely create more perfect martial techniques after deduction and fusion!

“This is the place!”

Elder Li stopped at the entrance, gesturing toward the arrangement behind him. “This is the Scripture Repository. Feel free to read here as long as you like, young friend Qin.”

“Hmm?”

Upon hearing this, Qin Yang stepped over the threshold, and the interior layout came into view.

Sandalwood shelves were filled with various classical texts, a dazzling array that overwhelmed the eyes. Many were at the Innate Realm level, containing palm techniques, fist techniques, blade techniques… it was a feast for the eyes.

“Fantastic!”

Qin Yang gazed at the room full of books, his heart already burning with impatience.

Currently, he possessed One Sword Opens Heaven’s Gate and Sky-Slicing Sword Draw for swordplay, with the two on verge of fusion. For archery, he had the Sun-Shooting Arrow Technique, and for movement, “Close at Hand.”

With the addition of the books in this repository, he could soon fuse them into a new martial technique!

Thinking this,

Qin Yang directly entered the repository and began browsing the shelves.

During this time, Elder Li thoughtfully brought various delicacies, but seeing Qin Yang deeply engrossed, he didn’t wish to disturb.

Time passed slowly.

In the vast Scripture Repository, only Qin Yang sat immersed in a sea of books, using his spiritual sense to survey his surroundings while reading, with gourmet meals changed daily.

Life was quite comfortable.

As for the Library, Li Qinghe had sensibly made arrangements. The managerial work had just begun, and full attendance was still counted.

Thus,

Qin Yang enjoyed three days and nights of blissful reading in the Scripture Repository.

Swimming through an ocean of books!

All kinds of Innate Realm manuals were thoroughly absorbed!

Until noon on the third day.

A presence entered his perception range.

“What’s he doing here?”

Qin Yang set down his book, slightly probing the presence, and found it was Lin Mofeng approaching, drawing closer and closer.

Clearly targeting him.

Uncertain of the other’s intentions, Qin Yang wasn’t in a hurry to continue reading. He set the book aside and headed toward another section of the repository.

He hadn’t gone far when

Lin Mofeng called out from behind.

“Brother Qin, please wait a moment!”

Lin Mofeng stood with hands behind his back among the bookshelves, his expression slightly evasive. When Qin Yang turned, he showed some hesitation.

“Grandmaster Lin?”

Qin Yang feigned surprise upon hearing him. “What brings you here?”

“I…”

Lin Mofeng scratched his head, his thoughts wavering uncertainly.

Earlier, Elder Li had revealed that Qin Yang was reading in the repository, hinting that he could come in to offer guidance and assistance.

But to his surprise, after three days of reading, Qin Yang’s condition wasn’t poor at all—instead, he looked vibrant and energetic, nothing like someone in distress.

He seemed completely unaffected by any setback.

As a senior Grandmaster, Lin Mofeng had hoped to provide some guidance to make up for things.

“Grandmaster Lin?”

Seeing Lin Mofeng lost in thought, Qin Yang prompted, “If there’s nothing important, I’ll go read in another section.”

“Oh… it’s nothing major. I heard Brother Qin was in the repository and came specifically to see you.”Lin Mofeng felt a pang of guilt. “I noticed you’ve been in the Library for almost three days without coming out, so I grew concerned.”

As he spoke, he picked up a book. “Are there parts you don’t understand? Taking on too much at once can hinder your progress and create obstacles.”

“Grandmaster Lin makes a valid point! I’m just browsing casually, not planning to delve too deep.”

Qin Yang nodded, appearing to agree.

Privately, however, he curled his lip.

He didn’t take the advice seriously at all!

What did they mean by “taking on too much at once”?

With the Enlightenment Space at his disposal, not only could he handle all the books in this Martial Arts Academy’s Scripture Repository, but even if the entire Imperial Library from the Imperial Capital were brought before him, he would accept them all without hesitation, storing every volume in his mind.

He could even refine and innovate upon them!

This was what they called “many skills make light work”!!

(End of Chapter)