The Martial Emperor

Chapter 8 - The Scholar Hall

According to the rules of the Cloud Sword Sect, every inner disciple is required to choose one of the four main pillars of the sect to hone their specific abilities. The Battle Hall for those thirsty for power, the Law Enforcement Hall for the guardians of order, the Medicine Hall for the pill refiners, and the Scholar Hall for those who delve into knowledge as well as arrays and runes.

That morning, at the crossroad leading to these halls, Lin Feng and Zhang Hao stood facing each other. Zhang Hao’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the magnificent building of the Battle Hall.

"Feng, are you sure you don't want to come with me? With your current strength, the instructors at the Battle Hall would surely be very interested in training you," Zhang Hao invited.

Lin Feng gave a thin smile while patting his friend’s shoulder. "Our paths are different, Hao. You are a sword that must be sharpened through impact, while I feel there is something more important to be found within the piles of books. Train hard, and do not let your Qi filtering technique slacken."

Zhang Hao nodded firmly, though there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes. He knew Lin Feng was a man difficult to sway once a decision was made.

They parted ways, Lin Feng turned his steps toward the eastern part of the sect, where an ancient three-story building stood quietly under the shadows of old pine trees.

***

The Scholar Hall was often considered a dumping ground for disciples deemed "weak" in combat techniques but possessed of sharp minds.

As soon as Lin Feng set foot on the front porch, several seniors who were copying scrolls immediately stopped their activities. Their eyes fixed on Lin Feng with the dismissive gaze he knew all too well.

"Look who’s here, isn't this the duel winner from the arena yesterday?" whispered a disciple with a cynical tone. "It seems he realizes his victory yesterday was just luck, so he ran here to hide behind books."

A tall senior in the blue robes of an inner disciple, Gu Yanfeng, rose from his seat. He was a senior disciple already at the sixth level of the Marrow Refinement realm.

He walked toward Lin Feng with a very sharp gaze, as if wanting to pierce through the head of the youth before him.

"Lin Feng, entering the Scholar Hall does not mean you can relax," Gu Yanfeng said in a cold and authoritative voice. "If your reason for coming here is only because you cannot use elemental techniques and only rely on basic Qi strengthening, you had better give up now. This hall is not a dumping ground for people like you!"

Lin Feng did not stop walking, he only glanced briefly at Gu Yanfeng without saying a single word.

His indifference made Gu Yanfeng furrow his brow. To him, Lin Feng was just a new disciple who was arrogant because he felt he had defeated Dan Wuji. But to Lin Feng, the chatter was nothing more than noise disturbing his goal of seeking information about Zhan Tianshu.

After finishing his registration as a student of the Scholar Hall, Lin Feng immediately stepped deeper toward the most rarely visited part of the library: the shelves storing ancient history books.

Here, the air felt colder and dustier. Sunlight only entered through small gaps in high windows, illuminating dust particles dancing in the air. The atmosphere was so silent that even the sound of Lin Feng’s own heartbeat could seemingly be heard.

As he was browsing through a row of books with titles that had almost faded, a heavy and hoarse voice was heard from behind one of the shelves. "It is rare for a young man to be willing to get his hands dirty with the dust of history on his first day in the hall."

Lin Feng startled slightly and immediately turned around. There sat an old man with white hair tied simply. He wore grey robes that were somewhat worn, yet his eyes radiated an extraordinary depth of knowledge. Lin Feng immediately recognized the figure as Ye Jinshi, the elder owner and head of the Scholar Hall.

"Disciple Lin Feng pays respects to Elder Ye," Lin Feng said while bowing deeply. He was surprised that a figure as important as Elder Ye was in the most remote part of this library.

Elder Ye closed the thick book he was reading and looked at Lin Feng with great interest. "I know who you are. News of your victory over Dan Wuji has reached my ears. However, there is one thing you must remember, boy. Dan Wuji is the favorite nephew of Elder Dan Yu."

Lin Feng nodded slowly. "Thank you for the warning, Elder. I only did what I had to do to defend my honor."

The elder’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Even though Dan Yu is an upright man, his actions are often influenced by pride in his family. You must remain vigilant, boy."

Lin Feng nodded respectfully.

Elder Ye smiled then stood up with the help of his bamboo staff. "Many disciples enter the Scholar Hall because they want to learn array techniques or rune making to patch the gaps in their strength. But you... you went straight to the history shelves. What exactly are you looking for here, Lin Feng?"

Lin Feng fell silent for a moment, weighing whether he should be honest or not. However, looking into Elder Ye’s sincere eyes, he finally spoke. "I want to find out everything about Zhan Tianshu."

Hearing that name, Elder Ye’s expression changed for a moment. There was a very brief flash of surprise before he finally gave a small laugh—a laugh that sounded warm yet full of secrets.

"Zhan Tianshu? That is a name from the very distant past, almost considered a myth by most people. It is very interesting that a young disciple cares about a figure forgotten by time."

Elder Ye patted Lin Feng’s shoulder. "The Scholar Hall is the right place for you. Here, you will not only learn about the past but also how to manifest your pure Qi into formations of arrays and runes. For someone who has no elemental affinity like you, arrays are your true sword and shield. It is the art of changing the world with spiritual will."

Suddenly, light footsteps were heard from behind another shelf of history books. Not long after, a girl with hair tied in two braids appeared, carrying several scrolls in her hands.

Upon seeing Lin Feng and Elder Ye, the girl stopped dead, her face looking both surprised and shy as if she felt she had interrupted an important conversation.

"Ah, here she is, the only loyal resident of the history shelves besides myself," Elder Ye said with a cheerful laugh. "Cen Linxi, come here. Meet Lin Feng, a new member of our hall."

The girl named Cen Linxi had a very sweet face with her hair tied in pigtails. She wore a neat inner disciple uniform.

As her eyes met Lin Feng’s, her cheeks slowly turned reddish. She immediately bowed her head and paid respects with somewhat nervous movements until the scrolls in her hands almost fell.

"N-nice to meet you, Junior Lin Feng. My name is Cen Linxi," she said in a soft and slightly trembling voice.

Elder Ye glanced at the two of them with a meaningful smile. "Linxi, since you are the disciple who knows the ins and outs of these history shelves best, please help Lin Feng look for literature about Zhan Tianshu. I have some business. Do not let him get lost among this dust."

Without waiting for an answer, Elder Ye walked away with light steps, leaving Lin Feng and Cen Linxi in a slightly awkward silence.

Lin Feng could feel the nervousness of the girl before him. He felt it was somewhat strange, all this time he had only known hostility and mockery, yet now he was faced with sincere kindness by these two people.

"So... Junior Lin wants to search for the First Cultivator?" Cen Linxi asked after a while, trying to gather her courage. She began to walk toward a higher shelf in the back. "There are not many books left about him. Most have been destroyed, but there is one ancient travel log that might help."

Lin Feng followed the girl’s small steps. "The first cultivator?" Lin Feng asked curiously.

Linxi stopped, turned, and nodded. "It is a pity there isn't much written about him."

"Why would a person like that have so little written about him?"

"That is also what makes me curious."

Lin Feng felt there was a great mystery buried beneath the foundation of this world, and he had accidentally become part of that mystery.

"Zhan Tianshu... why did I suddenly know his name back in Black Bone Valley?"

As Linxi reached out her hand to take an old book with a cover made of animal hide, Lin Feng helped her steady the somewhat shaky wooden ladder.

The brief touch on the ladder made Linxi bow her head even more shyly, yet she still handed the book to Lin Feng. "This is it, the Falling Cloud Records. Inside is a chapter telling of the final battle of Zhan Tianshu at the peak of Sky Mountain."

Lin Feng received the book with a racing heart. He felt the door to the truth was beginning to open slightly. In this Scholar Hall, amidst the scent of old paper and the presence of this awkward girl, Lin Feng felt he had found the right place for some unknown reason.

"Falling Cloud Records... this will help me know who Zhan Tianshu was, who that woman was, and who I am." Lin Feng’s gaze was full of resolve, gripping the book tightly.