Invincible Beyond Heavens: Cultivating With A Broken EXP System

Li Yun cupped his hands respectfully and bowed to the white robed old man.

Since he had no idea what position the old man held within Martial Ascension Gate, he could only address him as Senior.

The white robed old man smiled gently.

“This old man is merely a caretaker who watches over this building for Martial Ascension Gate. I am not worthy of such a formal title. Just call me Old Bai.”

Then his gaze sharpened slightly.

“You still have not answered my question. What business do you have at the Martial Library?”

Li Yun immediately took out the Martial Token and handed it over with both hands.

“I performed well in the recent New Disciples Ranking competition and received a sect reward. The sect granted me permission to enter the Martial Library and select one Earth Rank martial art.”

“So that is the case.”

Old Bai accepted the Martial Token, examined it briefly, and confirmed its authenticity. Without further comment, he stored it away and waved his hand casually.

“With the Martial Token, you are indeed qualified to enter and choose an Earth Rank martial art. You may go in.”

“Thank you, Old Bai.”

Li Yun’s eyes lit up with anticipation as he prepared to step forward.

“Wait.”

Old Bai’s calm voice sounded again, stopping him in his tracks.

“Before you enter, you must understand the rules of the Martial Library.”

His tone remained mild, yet an invisible pressure settled over Li Yun.

“First, you may remain inside for only half an hour. Second, you may copy martial arts, but you may not remove any originals from this place. Third, you are strictly forbidden from damaging or stealing any martial art. Fourth, any martial art obtained here may not be passed on to others without permission from the sect.”

He paused briefly, and though his voice did not rise, a faint killing intent seeped into the air.

“If you violate the first two rules, you will be expelled immediately. If you violate the latter two, according to the laws of Martial Ascension Gate, you will be executed on the spot. Do you understand?”

Li Yun felt his heart tighten. He had no doubt that this seemingly gentle old man would act without hesitation if the rules were broken.

“I understand.”

He nodded firmly, composed himself, and stepped into the Martial Library.

…

The interior of the Martial Library was far less expansive than Li Yun had imagined. The entire space covered only a little more than one hundred square meters. Within that modest area, rows of wooden bookshelves stood in neat order, and upon them rested numerous ancient manuals that emitted a faint, timeworn aura.

With a single sweep of his gaze, Li Yun estimated that there were roughly one to two hundred volumes.

Each of them was an Earth Rank martial art.

Even a low grade Earth Rank martial art was considered a priceless treasure. In the Southern Martial Domain, the mere appearance of one could ignite fierce battles and drive countless Martial Artists to risk their lives. Yet here, in this quiet wooden building, one to two hundred Earth Rank techniques lay calmly arranged before him.

“Martial Ascension Gate truly deserves its reputation as one of the four great forces of the Southern Martial Domain,” Li Yun thought in awe.

Suppressing his excitement, he steadied his breathing and began to move slowly between the shelves. It felt as though he had stepped into an ocean of profound martial knowledge.

He picked up one manual after another.

“Great Buddha Fist, low grade Earth Rank martial art.”

“Azure Waves Sky Patting Palm, low grade Earth Rank martial art.”

“Great Sun Ghost King Leg, low grade Earth Rank martial art.”

Earth Rank techniques continuously entered his field of vision. There were sword arts, blade arts, spear techniques, finger techniques, leg techniques, and many more. The variety was astonishing, covering nearly every major category of martial practice. For a moment, the abundance dazzled him and left him uncertain about which path to choose.

Li Yun closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

“My primary path is the sword,” he reminded himself. “If I am to choose, it must be a sword art. Not merely one that is powerful, but one that is versatile and capable of adapting to many situations while retaining overwhelming strength.”

With that decision firmly settled in his mind, his search became focused and deliberate.

After searching for some time, Li Yun finally found a sword art that perfectly matched his expectations. It was a middle grade Earth Rank sword technique known as the Five Elements Sword Art.

This sword art bore a certain resemblance to the Five Elemental Divinity Fist practiced by Zhu Ximen.

Within a single technique, it contained five distinct sword forms, each corresponding to one of the Five Elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. If one mastered any single elemental sword move, its power would already rival that of a low grade Earth Rank martial art.

However, if all five elements were comprehended and fused together into a single unified strike, the resulting power could contend with a high grade Earth Rank technique and might even approach the level of a top grade Earth Rank sword art.

Li Yun’s eyes gleamed.

If he was going to choose, he would choose the best.

Among the hundreds of martial arts stored in the Martial Library of Martial Ascension Gate, the Five Elements Sword Art was undoubtedly among the top three in both depth and potential. More importantly, it aligned perfectly with his path of the sword. Without the slightest hesitation, he made his decision.

He took the manual and walked to a long wooden table within the library, then began carefully transcribing it.

The more profound a martial art, the more intricate its contents. Every line contained subtle principles, and every diagram concealed deeper meaning. Li Yun remained fully focused, and it took him nearly the time it took for an incense stick to burn before he finally completed the transcription.

After finishing, he registered the copied manual with Old Bai and then left the Martial Library smoothly, carrying only his handwritten version of the Five Elements Sword Art.

His next destination was the Contribution Hall. There, he spent all of his Contribution Points in one go, exchanging them for a large quantity of treasures that would assist him in cultivating the Ninefold Origin Flesh Scripture.

Once that was done, he headed toward the Martial Arts Pavilion of Heaven Mandate Peak.