After arriving inside that barrier, I can finally [Scan] those books. Luckily, it seems the barrier only has a one-way defense. As when I entered, my [Scan] can still sense the place outside this barrier.
With the appetizer, which is the library building, already scanned. Let’s start the main course!
I immediately asked Ren Qingquan to start working, of course I don’t forget there are some people observing him right now. So, I also warned him while at it.
[Host, quickly scan all of those books, we still have several other bookshelves to scan! Don’t forget to pick some books occasionally to not appear suspicious! Remember, right now you are being observed by several fossil level old foxes.]
While Ren Qingquan was busy scanning the bookshelf, I sent some of my focus toward those people inside the sect’s main hall. Right now, the Sect Master is busy meditating and has stopped sending his spirit qi into the mirror, and the one in charge of being the battery for their Heavenly Sight Mirror is that ruthless fatty.
Using whatever psychology techniques I learned. I tried to check on their expressions to make sure they hadn’t sensed something weird with Ren Qingquan. Several minutes pass, and I don’t think they have sensed anything wrong with him.
At this time, an impatient female voice sounded. “Why is he still in the sect? Doesn’t Fengyun say Ren Qingquan is leaving to look for some fortuitous encounter?! Should we close the mirror for now and only open it later when he starts leaving? After all, the cost of activating this mirror is extremely expensive! This might put a dent on our sect’s already limited budget.”
I never thought I would hear a cultivator talking about sect budgets here. But, my focus mainly lies on the sentence that woman previously said. - Activating the mirror is extremely expensive.
That means, I can actually use delaying tactics until they can’t afford to waste more money on this. But if I do that, I am a bit afraid they might know my ability to overhear their plan. Previously, Ren Qingquan already told elder Fengyun he is going to leave the sect and only changed his destination following my command after I knew Sect Master and other higher-ups are trying to spy on Ren Qingquan with their mirror.
After Ren Qingchen’s incident, I stopped underestimating the people in this world. Unlike novels, they are flesh and blood creatures who also have the ability to scheme.
Even if those people spent most of their time cultivating and the amount of time they speak every year might be less than what a gossipy neighborhood aunty spoke in a day. They can still smash me in terms of scheming just by using the experience they gained from living such a long life.
After the woman grumbled, the surrounding people continued chatting about random things and ignored her.
Next, I spent several minutes overhearing their conversation and observing their facial expressions. Especially the expression of that fatty who is currently observing with full focus while maintaining input for the Heavenly Sight Mirror.
Making sure no notable change happened, I sent most of my focus to Ren Qingquan. He finally scanned all the books inside this bookshelf. Controlling the floating platform under him with his mental power, Ren Qingquan makes it move outside of the bookshelf’s formation barrier.
Once he left the barrier, the sand on his token’s hourglass stopped ticking. At the same time, I am once again unable to [Scan] the inside of that barrier.
With our main target for visiting this library completed, I urged Ren Qingquan to stop dilly-dallying and start scanning other books. Typing something on my panel, I sent it to him as a mission.
[Mission: Collect Books.
Details: [Scan] as many bookshelves as possible.
Goal: None
Reward: at least 1 free attempt to learn and/or create a magical technique.
Note: Reward will increase depending on the values of those books and their amount.
Failure condition: Raising the suspicions of the sect’s higher ups currently observing you.
Punishment: 10 minutes of electric shock.]
Ren Qingquan paused upon seeing the reward I give, and once he looked at the note I wrote, I can feel his spirit increased! ‘System, how come you actually give me an easy mission with such a good reward? Are you sure you aren’t making any loss here?’
[No Comment. Please work hard and ‘Scan’ as many books as you can without pulling anyone’s attention.]
Anyway, creating and helping him learn techniques doesn’t cost any points from me. For information, I spent all the points he previously used to learn techniques to upgrade my [Calculate] so I can create better techniques.
With the addition of my mission rewards, even while acting as if he is checking which book he wishes to borrow, Ren Qingquan still moved significantly faster than before.
After entering another two bookshelves with the word ‘Anti Divination’ and ‘Illusions’ respectively. He finally found a bookshelf with a multiplier written on it.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Looking at the word ‘Weapon Refining’ and the x5 next to it, he entered while thinking. ‘Well, the system doesn’t say about what kind of book I need to [Scan] to complete that mission. So, let’s just [Scan] whatever.’
Once Ren Qingquan entered, I saw one of the hourglasses on his token ticking with increased speed. After calculation, its speed indeed increased by 5 times compared to the previous three bookshelves! With the ticking of that hourglass, he immediately scanned all of the books
Time passes and two hours later, Ren Qingquan’s token already lost all of its sand. Because he mostly entered bookshelves with multipliers written on it, the hourglass that initially could last for ten hours actually only lasted less than three hours!
Standing on top of his floating platform, he controlled it to slowly move toward the reception table.
While Ren Qingquan is busy controlling that platform, I am also quite busy myself. At first, I actually wished to only give him two or three attempts for free technique creation and learning. But after I sorted out the techniques he scanned, I changed my mind.
Ren Qingquan’s filthy high luck stat seems to be working as among the book I scanned, there are actually three immortal ascension stage techniques! One for stealth, one for movement techniques, and another one for weapon refining.
Furthermore from its description, this stealth technique seems to be exactly what he needs right now.
Those three books are actually hidden inside a novel’s cover. Ren Qingquan previously decided to enter a bookshelf containing fictions just to refill his list of novels. Who knows the biggest harvest this time actually comes from such a place. Luckily, I didn’t stop him when he tried to enter that bookshelf’s barrier.
After several considerations, I decided to give him 6 free attempts as a reward. Listing the books I scanned, I sent it to Ren Qingquan for him to check.
[Host, here are the books you have scanned. What kind of techniques do you wish to learn? System suggests you use one of your free attempts to create a stealth technique.]
‘Argh. There are so many of them!’ Once Ren Qingquan saw the massive lists of books, I heard him grumble in annoyance. ‘System, can you recommend to me what kind of techniques I should learn? I am too lazy to think about it.’
When I heard him say that, I wish to curse whoever wrote the description for the Immortal Turtle Tempering which Ren Qingquan got from his mother.
Turn slightly lazier your damned ancestors! Give me back my old diligent Ren Qingquan who could devour several mountains for a month straight.
As if hearing my complaints, he suddenly thought. ‘Never mind, system. I think I know what kind of techniques I need.’
‘First, use one of my free attempts to create a stealth technique capable of blocking their mirror. Then just like what you recommended before, help me create a suitable movement technique. Finally, use three of my attempts to upgrade Armament Transformation, Body Hardening Technique, and Learning Formation Technique!’
Ren Qingquan then proceeded to count the amount of techniques he requested. Realizing he still has another free attempt, he said. ‘As for the last one, just help me learn whatever you think is suitable."
Well, this is at least better than having me choose all of his techniques. Without much thought, I decided to recommend him the immortal ascension stage refining technique.
[System recommended hosting a Weapon Refining Technique that can be used until the Immortal ascension stage.]
‘Okay.’ Ren Qingquan easily agreed to my recommendations. Now he already agreed, let’s enter the technique naming part.
[System used an Immortal Ascension stage magical technique as the main frame for Stealth, Movement, and Weapon Refining technique. Do you wish to rename those techniques or just use the name of those Immortal Ascension Technique?]
‘No, just use their original name. I don’t wanna bother thinking about a technique name.’ Ren Qingquan declined the offer to change the name of those techniques.
Well, don’t regret it later~
[Then, please name the other techniques.]
‘Just name them Armament Transformation V.2, Body Hardening V.2, and Formation Technique 1 respectively.’
What a half-assed naming. Anyway, I still followed his wishes and named it as such.
Once he named all of the techniques, I prepared them to be sent toward Ren Qingquan’s brain. This time I sent a warning about it, because the amount of skill sent is a bit too much and might cause his body to freeze.
[As the amount of information sent this time might be a bit bigger than usual. Please look for a safe place and do an act to not raise any suspicions.]
Hearing that, I can feel Ren Qingquan’s confusion. ‘System, what do you mean by doing an act?’
[The massive amount of information influx might cause the host’s thoughts and body to freeze. If that happens while you’re standing, it will look like you suddenly fell asleep or entered a coma. That will definitely raise those sect higher-up’s suspicions.]
‘Then, system. Do you have any suggestions about where I can start receiving that information? I am thinking of receiving it immediately. After all, you said those people think I am a child of luck. Even if they see me entering a sudden coma, we can just brush it off as an expert giving me his inheritance through dreams. Won’t it be normal for someone with luck to gain random encounters? Coupled with the magical technique you’re going to give me, it will further solidify that excuse. ‘
Oh shiet, he is right! Why do I start to turn stupid and overthink things?! Am I really affected by that intelligence lowering aura as I feared? Guess I need to do a check immediately. Before that, I sent the knowledge about techniques he requested into his mind.
With the sudden influx of information, Ren Qingquan fell to the ground face first.
While transmitting the knowledge of magical techniques to Ren Qingquan, I leave a fraction of [Calculate]’s computing ability to do some retrospection.
Am I really affected by Ren Qingquan’s aura? In some xianxia novels, there is often a hidden rule where the protagonist must be the smartest character even if their IQ is actually extremely worrying. These hidden rules usually resulted in side characters like me to have their intelligence lowered even more instead. Even those old monsters in stories can be affected. What’s stopping me, a half-baked system from being affected.
Slowly combing through my past experience, I feel a chill throughout my nonexistent body. Since entering Cultivation World, there are already several times where I do nonsensical things. But, the one that rings the greatest bell is when I heard the Sect Master ask one of the sect higher-ups to meditate in case he is affected by intelligence lowering the aura a child of luck has.
I actually pushed such an important thing to the back of my mind! With such solid evidence, I immediately shuddered in horror. If I still had my body, there must be goosebumps all over it.
If not for Ren Qingquan’s sudden spike in intelligence, I might not even realize this thing.
Is this the defense mechanism of luck? Just what the hell is luck, its power actually can affect someone to such a great degree.
This can’t go on. I need to look for a way to block the effect of luck. At least I need to find a way to make me realize when I am affected by something like an intelligence lowering aura.
While I am thinking real hard about how to guard against the power of luck. Ren Qingquan finally woke up.