The following morning, I returned to the archives with a new purpose. The dusty, sunlit room
was no longer a refuge for a lazy disciple; it was a quarry, and I was here to mine. The quest [
The Idle Collector] glowed enticingly in my vision, its reward of 100 points being the key to
unlocking the next tier of the shop.
I started systematically. I ignored the philosophical texts and histories for now, focusing solely on
the technique manuals. I pulled a scroll titled "Soaring Eagle's Sight," a basic sensory technique.
I unrolled it, and with a thought, activated [Observe].
[ Technique: 'Soaring Eagle's Sight' (Incomplete, Mortal Grade, Low-Tier) ]
Description: Enhances visual acuity and long-distance focus by channeling Qi to the ocular
meridians.
Flaws: Overstimulation risk on page 2, verse 4. Corrected meridian pathway available.
Mastery Path: [Auto-Learn: 10 System Points]
I didn't auto-learn it. I was here to collect data, not spend points. I simply committed the
corrected version to memory. A counter in my quest log ticked up.
[ Unique Manuals Observed: 1/10 ]
A thrill ran through me. This was going to be easy.
I moved on. "Stone Turtle's Resilience," a defensive technique. [Observe] flashed, highlighting
a flawed breathing pattern. [ 2/10 ]
"Four Directions Movement," a more advanced footwork. [Observe] corrected a fatal
misalignment in the foot placement. [ 3/10 ]
I was in a state of bliss, a connoisseur of flawed art, happily collecting every broken piece. The [
Passive Scan] from my Apprentice-level Observe skill hummed quietly in the background,
registering the comings and goings of a few other disciples. Most were at Qi Gathering Levels 2-
4, their intent bored or frustrated. None paid me any mind.
It was on my seventh manual, "Flowing Water Sword Intent," a basic swordsmanship primer, that
I noticed her.
Xiao Lian was sitting at a corner table, hidden behind a tall stack of books. Her brow was
furrowed in intense concentration, her hand moving as she copied characters onto a piece of
parchment. My [Passive Scan] registered her.
[ Target: Xiao Lian. Cultivation: Qi Gathering Stage, Level 4 (Solid). Status: Frustrated. Anxious. ]
I walked over, my footsteps silent on the [Placid Deer Steps].
"Struggling with the classics?" I asked softly.
She jumped, nearly knocking over her inkwell. "Brother Lin! You startled me." She managed a
tired smile. "It's the 'Discourse on Qi and the Five Elements.' Elder Mei assigned it as
supplementary reading. She said my foundation needs... theoretical reinforcement." She sighed,
looking down at her messy notes. "I'm a farmer's daughter. I understand soil and seasons, not...
this."
I glanced at the dense, convoluted text. My [Observe] skill automatically activated.
[ Treatise: 'Discourse on Qi and the Five Elements' (Original) ]
Description: A foundational philosophical text explaining the interaction of spiritual energy with
natural law.
Flaws: Abstruse language. Key concepts on page 18 are obfuscated by redundant metaphors.
Simplified interpretation available.
A simplified interpretation appeared in my mind, clear as spring water. It was all about balance
and affinity, like matching crops to the right soil.
"I think I see the problem," I said, pulling up a stool. "Look here, where it talks about 'Metal
giving birth to Water.' They've made it sound like a mystery, but it's not. It's like... a cold sword
(Metal) gathering morning dew (Water) from the air. The property of one naturally attracts the
other. Your Wood-aligned spirit root wouldn't resonate well with that passage. You should focus
on the 'Wood nurturing Fire' section. It's like dry kindling creating flame."
I pointed to the relevant passage, explaining it in the simple, practical terms she would
understand.
Her eyes, which had been clouded with confusion, slowly cleared. She stared at me, then at the
book, then back at me. "How... how did you understand that so easily? This text has baffled
disciples for weeks."
I just tapped my temple. "Different kinds of soil, Sister Lian. You understand the earth. I guess I
understand books."
The gratitude in her eyes was a reward in itself. She beamed, her frustration melting away.
"Thank you, Brother Lin! Truly."
"Any time," I said, and I meant it.
Feeling lighter, I returned to my quarry. I found my eighth, ninth, and tenth manuals in quick
succession—a staff art, a dagger technique, and a meditation chant. The quest counter filled.
[ Unique Manuals Observed: 10/10 ]
[ Quest Complete: 'The Idle Collector' ]
Reward: 100 System Points. 'Technique Synthesis' Feature Unlocked!
A new, complex icon appeared in my system interface: two gears intertwining. But before I could
explore it, my [Passive Scan] pinged a subtle alert.
I turned. An inner disciple, someone I'd never seen before, had entered the archives. He was tall,
with an aloof expression and robes of finer material. My enhanced [Observe] fed me
information.
[ Target: Su Jin. Cultivation: Qi Gathering Stage, Level 9 (Peak). Status: Focused. Searching. ]
He wasn't here to browse. He moved with purpose, his gaze scanning the shelves until it landed
on a specific, ancient-looking text tucked away in a high corner. He retrieved it, "Chronicles of
the Verdant Sword Saint," and sat at a table, beginning to read intently.
Curiosity got the better of me. I casually walked along a nearby aisle, pretending to look for a
manual, and let my [Observe] skill focus on the book in his hands.
It was mostly historical fluff, the dramatic retelling of an ancient expert's life. But as Su Jin turned
a page, my [Observe] skill, now capable of seeing through basic concealment, flared.
[ Target: 'Chronicles of the Verdant Sword Saint' (Camouflaged) ]
Analysis: A low-level illusion charm conceals the true nature of page 47. True content detected.
True Content: Fragment of a lost movement technique. Grade: Unknown.
My breath hitched. A hidden technique! And this inner disciple was looking for it. Was it his
personal quest? A family secret?
He suddenly stiffened, as if sensing my scrutiny. His head snapped up, his eyes, sharp and cold,
locking directly onto mine.
The comfortable, lazy atmosphere of the archives vanished, replaced by a sudden, chilling
tension. I had just stumbled into something far bigger than a collection quest.