Chapter 39

The Library

The trip back from the mountain was quiet and tense. No one wanted to talk about what happened.

All things considered, Jon had to admit it could have ended far, far worse for him and young Bao. Yes, the boy had borne witness to brutalities no child should ever face, but at least he remained mercifully unscathed - an evidence of Jianyu's pragmatic adherence to his own skewed codes.

That twisted bastard, for all his appalling depravities, had proven almost...reliable in extracting them from the chaos his maddened ambitions had wrought.

Jon shook his head, wincing as the motion sent fresh lances of pain through his temples. So much for reliability - the deranged cultivator had been the architect of this entire sordid affair in the first place.

Exhaling a weary sigh, he reached up to dab at the trickle of blood still oozing from the gash over his brow. The warm, metallic tang brought a grimace to his lips, memory flashing back to the horrific conclusion of Minghan...the man once known as Xue Feng. It wasn't pretty.

Upon their return to the village, Zhen Wu had swiftly pulled Jon aside, his gruff tones leaving no room for argument as he extracted a solemn vow. Not a soul could know the full extent of what had transpired out there on that mountain path. They agreed on a made up story to tell the others.

The remains of Xue Feng - Minghan - whatever forsaken name that pitiful soul had answered to, would be "taken care of" with all due discretion. Jon couldn't help but wonder if there was a cultivator's handbook for disposing of bodies and traumatized witnesses.

His gaze strayed towards Bao then, the silent, ghostly pallor of the child's face as he clung mutely to his hand with a death grip. He wanted to help the kid somehow, but he didn't know how.

The trek through the winding valleys passed in near silence, broken only by the occasional muffled sniffle from Bao's hunched form. At the village outskirts, a familiar, distraught figure came hurtling towards them - Lianhua, Bao's mother.

"Bao!" The anguished cry shredded the morning air as she descended upon them, frantic eyes drinking in every detail from her son's bedraggled state to the streaks of blood staining his robes.

"What happened? Where have you been?" Her trembling hands cupped Bao's pallid cheeks, thumbs brushing away the tear tracks as the boy absorbed her frenzied concern in stony silence...until the dam finally burst.

With a hitching intake of breath, Bao crumbled against her, tiny shoulders shaking with heaving sobs muffled in the folds of her robe. "I-I'm sorry...mother! I'm so sorry!" he wailed, the words barely intelligible through his gasping laments. "I won't...I won't go out at night again! I promise!"

Lianhua's bewildered gaze found Jon and Zhen wu's then, pleading for an explanation even as she gathered Bao into her trembling arms.

Clearing his throat, Zhen Wu mustered his most reassuring tones. "Your son...got turned around in the woods while out at night," he said, the feeble lie tasting like ashes on his tongue. "He encountered a wolf, but managed to evade it before we found him."

He gestured vaguely to the stains marring Bao's clothing. "This is where the blood came from - it's the wolf's."

The look Lianhua leveled at him held equal parts reproach and gratitude for the fragile seeds of reassurance he'd planted. For now, that would have to be enough.

*****

The afternoon sun beat down relentlessly as Jon stepped out of Quingshan's house, squinting against the harsh light. He'd spent the last few hours there, watching over Bao with a mixture of concern and unease. The usually boisterous boy had been unnaturally quiet, his eyes distant and unfocused. It was a stark reminder of the trauma he'd endured.

"Take care, little man," Jon said, ruffling Bao's hair. The boy barely reacted, offering only a weak nod in response.

Quingshan stood in the doorway, worry etched deep in the lines of his face. He'd rushed back from the rice fields earlier, abandoning his work at the first whisper of trouble. Now, covered in drying mud and sweat, he looked every bit the concerned father.

"Thanks for staying, brother Jon," Quingshan said, his voice low. "Will you be alright on your own?"

Jon forced a grin, though it felt more like a grimace. "Oh, yeah, don't worry. I'll ask around to find my way."

As he set off down the dusty road towards the library, Jon couldn't shake the feeling of unease that clung to him like a second skin. The memory of Jianyu's cold eyes and cryptic words echoed in his mind, a constant reminder of the precarious situation he found himself in.

How are you still alive? that question kept trudging at Jon's mind ever since.

"Where's a 'Surviving in a Death World for Dummies' guide when you need one?" he muttered, kicking a small stone out of his path.

The village bustled around him, life continuing as if nothing had changed. Women chatted by the well, children chased each other through narrow alleyways, and the smell of cooking fires filled the air. It all felt surreal to Jon, like he was walking through a dream – or a nightmare.

Jon wandered through the streets, his eyes darting from one unfamiliar sight to another. He approached an elderly woman, hoping for directions to the library.

"Excuse me, could you—"

"Oh my!" the old woman exclaimed, her eyes twinkling. "Aren't you the handsome young man from last night? That newcomer everyone's been talking about?"

Jon felt a blush creep up his neck. "Uh, thank you," he mumbled, a shy smile tugging at his lips. His grandmother used to say the same thing, and the familiar compliment warmed his heart.

"I'm Elder Mei," she announced proudly. "Now, where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"Nice to meet you, elder, I'm Jon," he said with a court nod, "The library, I'm heading to the library" he replied, relieved to be back on track.

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"The library? Oh, you must be the scholarly type!" Elder Mei clapped her hands. "Girls love a man with brains. Speaking of which, have you met my granddaughter?"

Before Jon could respond, two more elderly women materialized as if summoned by the mention of eligible bachelors.

"Mei Mei, are you trying to set up this poor boy already?" one of them chided. "I'm Elder Ling, dear. Don't listen to her; my granddaughter is much prettier."

The third woman scoffed. "Prettier? Ha! My Lihua is the most beautiful girl in the entire village." then, with a mischievous glint in her eye that belied her age, she continued." Or perhaps our young friend here prefers a more... mature companion?" She winked at Jon. "I'm Elder Yang Lihua, but you can call me Lihua. "

Jon's eyebrows shot up, and he couldn't help but chuckle. "I, uh, appreciate the offer, but I'm really just looking for some books."

Elder Mei gasped. "Lihua! Have you no shame? Think of your face!"

Elder Ling nodded vigorously. "Indeed! What would your granddaughter say?"

Elder Yang shrugged, grinning. "Well, I had to try. You never know."

Jon's head spun as he tried to keep up with the rapid-fire introductions and matchmaking attempts. "Ladies, please," he said, raising his hands in surrender. "Again. I'm just looking for some books, not a bride."

The three elders exchanged knowing looks. "That's what they all say," Elder Wu said with a wink. "Come, we'll show you to the library. It's quite a walk."

As they set off, Jon found himself in the middle of a geriatric tug-of-war. Each elder took turns regaling him with tales of their granddaughters' virtues, from one's skill with a guzheng* to Mei Ling's granddaughter's mastery of calligraphy.

"Ladies, ladies," Jon interrupted, his tone light but firm, he wanted to change the subject, and from what he saw so far, Zhilan was way too large and developed to be called a village, so he asked. "While I'm sure your granddaughters are lovely, I'm more interested in the town's history right now. This place seems much larger than a typical village."

Elder Mei nodded sagely. "Ah, you've noticed! Well, you see, about a thousand years ago, this was just a small village on the empire's frontier. But then the emperor Ming Tai came to power."

Elder Ling nodded. "Yes, yes. Our village chief at the time, Zhen Yulong, had served under the emperor during the rebellion."

"Smart man," Elder Yang added. "When the emperor was consolidating power, Zhen Yulong saw an opportunity."

Jon listened intently as the elders wove their tale. Zhen Yulong had leveraged his relationship with the emperor to secure a position as a frontier commander, tasked with protecting the border and facilitating trade. The once-tiny village became a key strategic point, growing rapidly as soldiers, merchants, and opportunists flocked to the area.

"And that's how our humble village became a Town," Elder Zhao finished proudly. "But we still call it a village due to the habit, It a thing among us from Zhilan, hihihi!" she added.

"Fascinating," Jon said, genuinely impressed.

The elders beamed at his interest, launching into more tales of the town's history.

As they finally approached the library, a grand building that somehow managed to look both ancient and timeless, Jon turned to his enthusiastic guides. "Thank you, ladies. You've been incredibly helpful and entertaining."

"Oh, it was our pleasure, dear," Elder Ling said, patting his arm. "Now, about that granddaughter of mine..."

Jon quickly backed up the library steps, a nervous laugh escaping him. "Maybe another time! Got some urgent reading to do, you know how it is!"

As he slipped inside the building, he could hear Elder Yang call out, "If you change your mind about that mature companion, you know where to find me!"

Jon shook his head, a wry smile on his face. Note to self: in any world, never underestimate the matchmaking powers of grandmas – or their flirting skills.

With a deep breath, he turned to face the vast collection of knowledge before him. Time to get some answers – and hopefully avoid any more marriage proposals.

Jon took in the library's modest yet impressive facade. The building wasn't grandiose, but it had a certain charm – weathered stone walls covered in creeping vines, ornate carvings adorning the eaves, and a pair of imposing wooden doors that looked like they'd seen more years than Jon could count.

With a wry smile, he pushed open one of the doors, wincing at the ear-splitting creak that echoed through the air. "Well, no sneaking in here unannounced," he muttered.

As he stepped inside, the musty scent of old parchment and dust assaulted his nostrils. Motes of dust danced in the shafts of sunlight streaming through high windows, giving the place an eerily beautiful, if neglected, atmosphere.

"Hello?" Jon called out, his voice echoing in the cavernous space. "Any librarians hiding behind a scroll mountain?"

Silence answered him. He shrugged, unsurprised. "Right, because who needs a librarian when most of your patrons can't read? It's not like knowledge is power or anything."

As he wandered through the aisles, Jon's fingers traced over scroll cases and crudely bound books.

He pulled one out at random, squinting at the faded title. "'A Comprehensive Guide to Proper Bowing Etiquette in the Imperial Court.' Riveting stuff. I'm sure it's a real page-turner."

He replaced it and moved on, occasionally pausing to read other titles aloud. "'The Complete Lineage of the 3rd Emperor's Prize-Winning Koi Fish.' 'One Hundred and One Uses for Leftover Cultivation Pills.' 'How to Impress Your In-Laws with Sword Techniques.'" Jon snorted. "Clearly, I've stumbled upon the classics section."

He kept an eye out for any suspiciously glowing books or scrolls that screamed 'Pick me! I'll make you OP!' It was mostly in jest, but in a world where people could fly on swords and shoot lasers from their eyes (probably), who was he to rule anything out?

Despite his sarcasm, Jon felt oddly at home among the dusty tomes. The sunlight filtering through the windows cast a warm glow over everything, making the library feel like a sanctuary of knowledge – albeit a poorly maintained one.

He began methodically searching the shelves, looking for anything that might hint at interdimensional travel, talismans or ways to return to his world. Come on, he muttered internally. There's got to be a 'Dummy's Guide to Universe Hopping' around here somewhere.

Just as frustration was beginning to set in, a familiar deep, vaguely masculine voice broke the silence. "Looking for something in particular?"

A smile spread across Jon's face as he turned around. "Sorry I'm late," he said, relief evident in his voice. "Yeah, I might need some help here."

Yulian's smile had a hint of mischief as she said, "Follow me. I'm sitting upstairs, where the most interesting ones are."

Jon raised an eyebrow. Interesting, huh? he thought. By Yulian's expression, one would think they would have something like 'Fifty shades of Feng' as a bestseller up there.

Yulian led the way up the creaky wooden stairs. As they ascended, she glanced back at Jon. "I heard there was quite the commotion this morning involving you, the chief, and a child?"

Jon's usual smirk vanished, replaced by an expression so solemn it seemed to age him years in an instant. His voice, normally light, carried a weight that surprised even him. "Yeah, but you'll have to ask the chief about that. I don't feel like talking about it, please."

Yulian turned, studying Jon with an intensity that made him squirm.

"What?" he asked defensively. "Something on my face? Did I grow a third eye without noticing?"

"Not at all," Yulian replied, her voice softer than before. "I just never took you for the serious type."

Jon's brow furrowed. "What do you mean by that? You think I'm a clown?"

Yulian chuckled, resuming her climb. "Well, I didn't say it. You did."

"Yeah, but you think so, don't you?" Jon pressed, feeling inexplicably annoyed.

Yulian remained silent, which only irritated Jon more. He sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Whatever," he muttered, too drained to argue.

As they reached Yulian's desk, she turned to him. "So, what kind of books are you look-"

"Talismans!" Jon blurted out, his earlier enthusiasm returning like a hyperactive puppy. "Do you know where I could find talisman books? Oh, and qi-related ones too, as well as cultivation and some history books."

Yulian blinked, taken aback by the sudden outburst. "You... seem to like reading," she said, her surprise evident.

Jon just stared at her, waiting for an answer.

"Well," Yulian began, regaining her composure, "there are no books about talismans here. It's a very closed science."

Closed science, my ass, Jon thought. Bet there's a secret talisman vault where they keep all the good stuff. Probably guarded by some spirit beast or something equally cliché.

"As for qi and cultivation," Yulian continued, "there are exactly three of each, just enough to know how it works more or less. And the history books are in this section," she finished, gesturing towards a dusty corner that looked like it hadn't seen a reader since a few thousand years.

It wasn't perfect, but it would have to do. "Thanks," Jon said, already moving towards the shelves. 'Time to become a cultivation expert or die trying. Preferably the former.'