In a dusty corner of the ancient library, Li Yuan sat cross-legged between old wooden shelves lined with scrolls and books whose origins he no longer tried to guess.
Sunlight streamed through cracks in the worn roof, casting soft rays on his face—a face that had begun to show signs of maturity. He was only fourteen, but his thoughts ran deeper than most his age.
"How many years has it been since I first found this place…?"
He let out a quiet sigh. Book after book he had read.
Around a thousand volumes had passed from shelf to lap—and back again.
Yet before him still remained thousands more. Perhaps five thousand, or even more.
The world within those pages… had shaped his thoughts, and molded his heart.
That day, he reached for a random book. The cover was worn, its color faded, and the ancient script barely legible. But as he opened it, a single sentence struck his mind like a gentle yet firm wind:
"With strength, peace can be forged.
Do not lose your wisdom.
With age comes insight—
But the young may stray if they do not first learn wisdom."
Li Yuan fell silent.
The words echoed within him.
He thought of his training. Of how his body had changed—and how his mind had grown alongside it.
"What does it mean to be strong… if the heart becomes rigid?"
"What meaning is there in victory… if those who are defeated learn nothing from it?"
In this world, Qi had not yet awakened.
But he understood—a calm soul and a deep mind could surpass physical might.
He closed the book gently, then stood.
Those old shelves, once a place of quiet escape… had become silent teachers, guiding him in their own way.
"I want to be strong… but not just for battle.
I want to become someone who understands this world.
And protect it—if one day, it begins to change."