"Wait, seriously? You're the cliché young master character from the stories?" Jin asked, his tone equal parts incredulous and amused. His eyes flicked from Feng's ostentatious clothing to his flunkeys, and then back again. He stifled a laugh, struggling to maintain a straight face.

Feng’s eyebrows shot up in indignation, his face contorting in anger. "What did you just say?" he seethed, glaring at Jin, his hand instinctively going to his weapon.

"Well, he's not wrong," Ying chimed in, giving Jin a side glance before turning to Feng, "Your reputation precedes you, young master Feng."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Feng snarled, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. His lackeys shifted uneasily behind him, their eyes darting between their boss and the group.

Ying, ever the mischievous one, shot Feng a toothy grin. His voice rang clear and resounding in the library, echoing off the dusty scrolls and ancient woodwork. "You know, Feng, even if we include your merry gang of flunkeys," he gestured flippantly at Feng's henchmen with a flick of his hand, "we still outnumber you, mate. So I'd think twice before playing the big bad wolf here."

Before anyone could react, Zhang stepped forward, his voice strained. "I... I must disclose something," he said, his eyes lowered, refusing to meet anyone's gaze. He took a deep breath and continued, "I’ve been instructed by my elders not to engage in combat with Feng. He is, after all, a peak Qi Gatherer. That leaves you at a distinct disadvantage, I'm afraid."

Zhang’s revelation was met with a stunned silence, a ripple of concern flashing across everyone's faces. They all shared a glance, understanding the gravity of the situation they were in. Their lighthearted adventure had taken a serious turn, and it was clear they would have to tread carefully in dealing with Feng.

The silence fell upon the room like a heavy cloak, smothering the previous joviality within the library. The two parties stood at opposite ends, glaring at each other, an invisible line drawn between them. Feng, fueled by his arrogance, was as immovable as a mountain, his dark expression a testament to his simmering anger. The very air seemed to vibrate with the tension between them, growing thick and heavy.

Suddenly, Feng’s temper found its outlet. With a growl of anger, he lashed out, his fist slamming into the nearby wall. A raw show of his power, his Qi-infused strike resulted in a spiderweb of cracks that spread outward from the point of impact. The room was plunged into a stunned silence, the ominous echo of Feng's power ringing in their ears.

Bao, known for his level-headedness even in the face of adversity, took a moment to assess the situation. He was no stranger to making hard calls, and this was one of those times. Taking a deep breath, he turned to the group, his face set in a grim expression. "We step back for now," he said, his voice carrying the weight of his decision. "This isn't the time or place to pick a fight."

With a clear path to the scrolls, Feng grumpily stomped forward, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. He greedily grabbed the two foundation scrolls, giving the remaining one a dismissive once-over before tossing it aside as he stormed out of the library, his lackeys in tow.

Zhang sighed, turning to the boys with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry for this. I didn’t anticipate Feng showing up. As for this..." He gestured towards the discarded scroll. "This is a guide to enchanting, although I doubt it will be very useful. Formations are a complex topic, even for experienced cultivators." He offered a weak smile, but the unease in his eyes spoke louder than words.

Picking up the discarded scroll, Bao unfurled it, his eyes scanning the contents. Complex diagrams, dense texts, and intricate symbols filled the scroll, presenting an insurmountable wall of enigmatic knowledge. It was almost like looking at some form of obscure art.

The patterns on the scroll reminded him of something. A spark of realization flickered in Bao's eyes. "Hey, this looks like the patterns we saw at the entrance," he mused aloud. The patterns had been cryptic, but the way Jin had deciphered them, the way he had made sense of the labyrinth of symbols and engravings, it had been nothing short of amazing.

Turning to Jin, Bao held out the scroll. "Here, why don't you have a look? You seem to have a knack for deciphering complex patterns," he suggested, a teasing smile playing on his lips. But his tone was serious, a testament to his faith in Jin's abilities.

Jin's gaze fell upon the scroll, and he started scanning the intricate lines and symbols. The design and structure felt familiar, akin to lines of code he had worked with in his past life. Yet, there were significant differences. Half of it was akin to gibberish, strings of repeating characters that were yet to make sense to him. It was like reading an instruction set written in assembly language instead of high-level language, requiring a more granular understanding.

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"Thanks, Bao," he said, his voice firm with determination. "I think... I think I can make something of this. If not, Master might be able to guide me through it."

Zhang wore an apologetic look as he faced the group, the disappointment in their eyes not escaping him. He sighed, the sound echoing through the hollow expanse of the temple.

"I understand how you must feel," he began, his tone sober. "Believe me, I wouldn't choose this path if there was another. But the intricate politics of the city... it's a delicate balance."

Lei folded his arms, his brows furrowed in thought. "I guess we're too accustomed to our village life," he said. "We didn't really think about the whole city politics thing."

Zhang nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "That's not entirely a bad thing," he said. "Innocence is a virtue not everyone gets to keep. The city, its ways... they can change a man."

Ying chimed in, a certain steely determination in his gaze. "And that's why we're here. To change the ways of the city, not let them change us."

The once jovial atmosphere had dissipated, replaced by a tense undercurrent of indignation and frustration. Bao finally broke the silence, his voice steadier than they had expected. "That didn't go exactly as planned," he admitted, a wry grin tugging at the corner of his lips. "But that doesn't mean we should let it ruin our day."

Jin and Ying exchanged a glance, a silent agreement passing between them. "Bao's right," Jin chimed in, his determination returning. "We came here for an adventure, and we're not going to let some pompous noble ruin it for us."

"And besides," Lei chimed in, the mischievous sparkle returning to his eyes. "We still have an entire temple to explore. Who knows what else we might find?"

Their earlier laughter and light-hearted teasing was replaced by a more somber exploration of the temple. The forgotten scrolls they found contained diaries of long-past cultivators and records of explorations; remnants of an era lost to time. Tattered artifacts lay strewn about, their usefulness long since faded into oblivion. Still, the gang moved around with a sense of reverence, keenly aware of the gravity and the history that the worn-out relics represented.

During this time, Ying, ever the curious one, had been playing with shards of mirror he'd found. He was fascinated by the strange reflections they cast, different from any regular mirror. "Guys, these aren't normal," he called out.

At his words, Zhang rushed over, his eyes widening at the sight of the shards. "These are Harmony fragments!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with a mixture of surprise and delight.

Seeing the bewildered looks on the boys' faces, Zhang quickly explained. "Harmony Crystals are rare artifacts that can bathe an entire area in Insight, thereby doubling the speed of cultivation for Qi gatherers. These fragments..." he trailed off, holding up one to the dim light of the temple, "... they may not have the same potency as a whole crystal, but they could still boost cultivation by at least 10%

This revelation instantly shifted the mood from somber to excited. The boys offered the largest fragment to Zhang, their faces glowing with gratitude for his guidance. They split the rest of the fragments among themselves, with Jin receiving a smaller piece. They collected the remaining tiny shards with the intention of distributing them among the villagers back home.

Han, a smirk playing on his lips, nudged a pile of rocks with his foot. "Well, today could've gone better, I guess, but it could have gone a lot worse too. At least we didn't leave empty-handed." He showed off a piece of the Harmony fragment, turning it over in his hands before stashing it away. "Could be worse, right?" His smirk grew wider as he turned to Zhang, a new question burning in his eyes. "So, Zhang," he began, "What's next on your grand agenda?" The tone was light, but the curiosity was palpable.

Zhang, with a sigh, leaned against an old wooden pillar. "Well, there's a tournament in the city in a few months. I was hoping I might find something here to give me a bit of an edge," he admitted.

The words "tournament" had barely left Zhang's lips before the boys descended into animated chatter, like a flock of excited birds. The sheer idea of it sparked a fire within them, igniting a wave of exhilaration that permeated the entire room.

"I've always wanted to see a city tournament!" Bao blurted out, his eyes twinkling like stars. "I mean, can you imagine? Warriors from different places, using a myriad of styles and techniques. It's the perfect opportunity to learn and test our own skills."

Ying, always eager for a brawl, pounded a fist into an open palm. "Yeah, and there's nothing like a good fight to get the blood pumping. It would be interesting to see how we stack up against the city cultivators. Especially you, Jin," he said, jabbing a playful finger at Jin.

Jin, caught off guard, could only manage a chuckle. "I can't say I'm as keen on the fighting aspect, but the knowledge to be gained! The different cultivation techniques and fighting styles we'd get to see... That would be worth the trip alone."

Lei, more thoughtful, added, "Plus, it's a chance to make connections, form alliances. We'd get to know more about the world beyond our village."

Finally, Han, who had been silent, nodded in agreement. "It's a risk, but with risk comes reward. It's not just about the fighting, it's about the experience, the growth."

But as quickly as the energy had risen, it started to wane when Zhang declared his intent to return to the city. "I'm afraid I've overstayed my deadline for this mission," he said with a soft sigh. "Besides, it seems we've discovered all that this place has to offer. It's time I head back."

A round of farewells followed. Even though they had not found a great treasure as they had hoped, their adventure had fostered a deeper bond between them, they knew that their paths would cross again. After all, the city's tournament was only a few months away. With a final wave, Zhang disappeared through the temple's entrance, leaving the boys to soak in the remaining silence of the ancient structure.