Scripture of Days Past

Chu Qiguang’s composed demeanor and the clear lucidity in his eyes were enough to convince the gatekeeper that he really was doing fine.

Even so, he still shook his head and said, ”Many years ago, there was someone just like you. He appeared completely normal after reading a page, so we allowed him to read the entire book in one go. At first, it seemed like he hadn’t been affected at all. Then, half a year later, he gouged out his own heart.

“Even if you’re more resistant to the effects of this twisted knowledge than others, you still need to proceed with caution. Sometimes, the changes are very subtle and difficult to detect. When exploring this type of knowledge, we must always maintain a sense of wariness and reverence.”

Only after hearing the gatekeeper’s warning did Chu Qiguang realize that there was an irrational, almost uncontrollable desire in his heart to read more. This realization was like a bucket of cold water poured over his head, instantly restoring his rationality.

He’s right. Even if I have the makings of a heavenly immortal, that doesn’t mean I’m completely impervious to these things. I should still proceed with caution.

With that in mind, he relented with a nod and said, ”Alright. In that case, let’s continue in ten days.”

”I’m glad you’ve taken my advice to heart,” the gatekeeper said with a faint smile. ”While we’re on the subject, I’ll pass another warning onto you. This one is from a former Demon Vanquishing Envoy.”

The Demon Vanquishing Envoy was the head of the Demon Vanquishing Department, so whoever this was, they had to have been a Dao Comprehension-state cultivator. Naturally, Chu Qiguang was eager to hear what they had to say.

”The Demon Vanquishing Envoy once told me that knowledge attracts knowledge,” the gatekeeper continued. ”If you keep exploring the dark secrets hidden in history, you’ll discover that the more you learn, the more knowledge of this nature will come to you, pulling you closer to the abyss.”

***

Shortly afterward, Chu Qiguang began making his way toward the entrance of the archive building with Lin Lan.

Along the way, Chu Qiguang was still thinking about the diary entries he had just read, while Lin Lan walked ahead with an oil lamp in hand. Every now and then, she would turn back to steal a furtive glance at him, only to quickly look away again with flushed cheeks.

It seems like the decision-makers in the Vajra Monastery were intentionally trying to disseminate the Sumeru King Scripture, Chu Qiguang thought. Furthermore, they encouraged everyone in the monastery to cultivate the Sumeru King Scripture without informing them of the risks involved. Also, that abbot seemed to have constantly encouraged the other monks to read more Buddhist scriptures... Could it be that knowledge from Buddhist scriptures is needed to cultivate the Sumeru King Scripture? I should probably look into that.

All of a sudden, Chu Qiguang seemed to finally notice Lin Lan’s furtive glances, and he said, ”Thank you for your help today, Ms. Lin.”

”There’s no need to thank me, Brother Chu. I hardly did anything,” she replied with a shy smile.

Chu Qiguang immediately shook his head in disagreement. He knew that Lin Lan had been a huge help to him.

If she hadn’t been helping him this entire time, he had no idea how long it would’ve taken for the gatekeeper to agree to let him access the books on the second floor.

Even if he were allowed to read books from the second floor, it was only thanks to Lin Lan that the pages offered to him were related to the Heavenly Sword Sect, the Religion of Inaction, and the Vajra Monastery, all of which were organizations he was interested in.

As they were about to reach the entrance, Chu Qiguang said, ”By the way, I’m now responsible for the mountain’s procurement assignments, so if there’s anything you want, you can tell me. I’ll try to get it during the next procurement assignment.”

Lin Lan’s eyes lit up slightly when she heard this, but a shy look soon appeared on her face as she requested, ”I would like some new poetry anthologies. Would that be too much trouble?”

”Not at all!” Chu Qiguang replied. ”You can count on me. The next time I leave the mountain, I’ll be sure to get some poetry anthologies for you.”

Lin Lan nodded in response, then watched as Chu Qiguang left the archive building. Even after he was long gone, she continued looking into the darkness of the night.

Ever since Lin Lan was born, she had always lived in this cold and dark archive building, with only the darkness, the books, and the old gatekeeper to keep her company.

All of sudden, Chu Qiguang had appeared before her, bringing some vibrant colors to the dark canvas of her life.

A disgruntled voice suddenly rang out from behind her. ”How long are you going to keep looking?”

Lin Lan turned around with an embarrassed expression and asked, ”What’re you doing here, Grandpa Hai?”

”You were gone for so long that I was worried you had been abducted, so I came to check on you!” the gatekeeper replied.

Lin Lan lowered her head in embarrassment.

”What a terrible turn things have taken,” the gatekeeper said with a forlorn sigh.

”Why do you say that, Grandpa Hai?” Lin Lan asked with a puzzled expression. ”Brother Chu was completely alright, wasn’t he? I told you he would be. Maybe this time—”

The gatekeeper shook his head, cutting her off. Then, he took one final glance at her with a complicated look in his eyes before leaving in silence.

The stone gates of the archive building swung shut, and the entire building was once again swallowed by darkness and silence.

***

Meanwhile, Chu Qiguang had already returned to the courtyard that housed the granite boulder, eager to try out his new boon.

In order to examine the healing effects of the dragon snake skin, he first had to injure himself a little.

After some experimentation, he discovered that all types of injuries, including cuts, bruises, and even damage to his soft tissues, internal organs, and connective tissues could be healed through molting.

My recovery abilities have been significantly enhanced, but this ability looks really unsettling, so I have to be careful not to use it in front of others.

As Chu Qiguang molted once again, the skin on his back gradually split open like a cocoon. When he emerged, his entire body was still dripping with slime.

All of the bruises and fine cuts on his body from repeatedly crashing into the granite boulder had disappeared. The slough left behind resembled Chu Qiguang so closely that one could easily mistake it for him if they weren’t looking carefully.