SFS Chapter 196 Ancient Pavilion, New Tricks: The Truth About to Emerge
Chapter 196 Ancient Pavilion, New Tricks: The Truth About to Emerge
Dai Yao and the mysterious figure stepped into the ancient book pavilion again, and were immediately greeted by an old and decaying smell, mixed with dust and mildew, which made them want to sneeze.
The room was dimly lit, and the towering bookshelves in the shadows resembled lurking beasts. The darkness seemed to conceal countless unknown dangers, sending chills down one's spine.
The gatekeeper still stood there with a solemn expression, his hair and beard all white, exuding an imposing aura without anger, like an insurmountable barrier.
"Ahem, here we are again." Dai Yao rubbed her hands together, trying to break the suffocating atmosphere.
The gatekeeper snorted coldly, his eyes sharp as knives, as if they could pierce through people's hearts: "What are you doing here? Haven't you learned your lesson last time?"
Dai Yao was not intimidated by the guard's imposing presence. Her eyes lit up and a plan came to her.
Rather than confronting them head-on, it's better to outsmart them.
“Oh, senior, you are mistaken. We have come here with the utmost sincerity, hoping to have a proper discussion with you on academic issues.” As Dai Yao spoke, she solemnly took out an ancient book from her storage bag, which was the very book she had “borrowed” from here last time.
"Look, I've studied this 'Illustrated Compendium of Ancient Mythical Beasts' for a long time and found some parts of it to be quite strange..."
Dai Yao began to talk at length with the pavilion keeper about the origins of some mysterious ancient books in the ancient book pavilion, occasionally throwing out some modern academic viewpoints, such as "carbon-14 dating" and "textual research", etc. Although they were completely impractical in the cultivation world, they successfully fooled the pavilion keeper.
With her extensive knowledge and unique insights (as a modern person), as well as various "ancient book decryption" plots learned from online novels, Dai Yao actually managed to soften the guard's attitude towards her slightly.
The keeper stroked his beard, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "You... you actually know so much about these ancient books?"
Dai Yao waved her hand modestly, "I know a little, just a little, nothing special, nothing to brag about." But inwardly she was secretly delighted: The old man, I finally fooled him!
Just as Dai Yao was about to press her advantage and extract further information, the guard suddenly stiffened, his gaze fixed intently on the "Illustrated Compendium of Ancient Mythical Beasts" in Dai Yao's hands. He said in a deep voice, "Wait! This book..." He suddenly pointed to an inconspicuous corner of the book, "Something seems amiss here..."
Dai Yao's heart skipped a beat. Had he discovered something?
She followed the guard's finger without making a sound, and saw a small, cat-like beast painted there, its body pure white, but its eyes flashing with an eerie red light.
"Is there something wrong with this... little kitten?" Dai Yao asked, trying to sound calm.
The guardian gave Dai Yao a deep look before slowly saying, "This is no ordinary cat, but..." He paused, his voice low and mysterious, "...the legendary... Devouring Beast!"
Dai Yao: ……
A... a beast that devours the heavens?
Why does this name sound so cringeworthy?
She suppressed the urge to complain and cautiously asked, "So... what's so special about this Devouring Beast?"
The guardian did not answer directly, but instead took out an ancient jade slip from his sleeve and handed it to Dai Yao: "This contains everything about the Devouring Beast. Take a look for yourself."
Dai Yao took the jade slip; it felt warm and smooth to the touch, and an ancient aura wafted over her.
Just as she was about to probe with her divine sense, a powerful force suddenly erupted from the jade slip, forcing her back several steps...
“This…” Dai Yao clutched her chest, her face turning slightly pale.
Dai Yao was so shocked that she took a few steps back and almost fell flat on her face, but fortunately the mysterious figure was quick-witted and caught her.
"Are you alright?" he asked with concern, his voice low and gentle, making Dai Yao's heart flutter.
"It's nothing, it's just that this jade slip is a bit... explosive." Dai Yao rubbed her chest, thinking to herself: Is this thing a bombshell?
The mysterious figure smiled gently, a smile so sweet it could melt ice and snow, that Dai Yao almost forgot her business.
"Be careful, these ancient things are no joke," he warned, his eyes full of affection.
Dai Yao snapped out of her daze and quickly checked the jade slip, only to find that it required a special incantation to open.
She looked to the gatekeeper for help, but he adopted a mysterious air, stroking his beard and slowly saying, "This is an ancient secret technique; how can it be easily revealed to others?"
Dai Yao rolled her eyes inwardly: The old man is putting on airs again!
She rolled her eyes and decided to take a roundabout approach.
“Senior, I suddenly remembered that there is another ancient book that seems to be related to this Devouring Beast. I wonder if I could take a look?” She casually mentioned another book, which was her real goal for this trip—the Secret History of the Mysterious Immortals.
The guard's expression changed drastically upon hearing the book's title.
"The Secret History of the Immortals? That's a forbidden book! It absolutely cannot be circulated!" He said firmly, his eyes filled with vigilance.
Dai Yao was overjoyed; it seemed she had found the right place!
She feigned disappointment and said, "Alas, it seems my fate is not good enough." She turned to leave, but was actually observing the guard's reaction.
The mysterious figure also sighed in agreement, gently patted Dai Yao's shoulder, and gestured with his eyes for her not to give up.
Just then, the gatekeeper suddenly spoke up: "Wait..." He hesitated for a moment, as if he were having a fierce internal struggle.
Dai Yao exchanged a glance with the mysterious figure, thinking to herself: This is promising!
“Unless…” The guardian paused, his gaze falling on Dai Yao, “unless you can…” “Unless… you can help me find my lost ‘Spring Palace Picture’!” The guardian’s face flushed red, his voice barely audible, as if he had revealed some unspeakable secret.
Dai Yao and the mysterious figure exchanged a glance, and both saw three words in each other's eyes: What the hell?
!
Erotic paintings?
!
The sudden change in style caught everyone off guard.
Dai Yao suppressed a laugh and asked seriously, "Senior, what's so special about this... 'Spring Palace Picture'?"
The old man guarding the pavilion blushed and stammered, "Ahem...this is...an art treasure, which I...have collected for many years and find extremely...precious."
Dai Yao internally screamed: Old man, you're a Nascent Soul stage expert, how could you have such a taste?
It’s true that people can’t be judged by their appearance!
At this moment, Dai Yao suddenly remembered the clever little creature she had met in the Ancient Books Pavilion. It had secretly told her that the keeper's greatest hobby was collecting all sorts of strange and unusual things, including some...
Art treasures.
Furthermore, the clever young man revealed that the keeper of the pavilion was recently distressed because he had lost a treasured book of erotic paintings.
Dai Yao had a sudden inspiration and a plan came to her mind.
“Senior, perhaps I can help you find the ‘Spring Palace Pictures’,” she said mysteriously.
Upon hearing this, the gatekeeper immediately perked up, his eyes shining: "Really?! If you can find it, I... I'll let you see part of 'The Mysterious History of the Immortal's Trail'!"
Dai Yao was secretly delighted: It's done!
She pretended to ponder for a moment, then said, "This junior needs some clues, such as... what does the cover of this 'Spring Palace Picture' look like?"
The keeper described the cover of the "Spring Palace Picture" in detail, and after listening, Dai Yao already had a good idea of what was going on.
She made a pact with the clever little creature to secretly put the erotic picture back into the keeper's room.
Having dealt with the gatekeeper, Dai Yao could finally relax and read "The Secret History of the Immortals".
She quickly flipped through the ancient books, when suddenly a cryptic passage caught her attention.
This account describes a mysterious space and the method to enter it.
"So that's how it is..." Dai Yao murmured to herself, a hint of excitement flashing in her eyes.
This is a major breakthrough!
Just then, a sinister laugh suddenly echoed from the Ancient Books Pavilion…
Dai Yao was immersed in the joy of discovering new clues when suddenly a sinister laugh echoed in the ancient book pavilion, like the crackling sound of an old radio, sending chills down one's spine.
The laughter was sharp and piercing, carrying an indescribable eeriness, instantly shattering the tranquility of the pavilion.
"Holy crap! What's going on?" Dai Yao almost threw away the book "The Secret History of the Immortals" she was holding, but luckily the mysterious figure reacted quickly and caught her, whispering, "Be careful!"
The two instantly went into battle mode, warily scanning their surroundings.
On the shelves of the Ancient Books Pavilion, books moved swiftly without wind, making a rustling sound, as if countless eyes were secretly watching them.
The sinister laughter continued, sometimes near, sometimes far, elusive and unpredictable, its source elusive.
"Could it be that we woke up some old monster?" Dai Yao muttered in a low voice.
Although she appeared calm on the surface, she was actually a little flustered inside.
After all, this ancient book pavilion is a place where hidden talents abound; who knows what strange things might emerge?
The mysterious figure narrowed his eyes, and a gleaming dagger appeared in his hand. He shielded Dai Yao behind him and said in a deep voice, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
The laughter grew closer and clearer, as if it were echoing right next to their ears.
Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed past from behind the bookshelf at an astonishing speed. Dai Yao only felt a blur before her eyes and couldn't see anything clearly.
"What the heck? So fast?!" Dai Yao couldn't help but exclaim.
The mysterious figure's expression turned grave. He gripped his dagger tightly, his gaze fixed on the direction the shadow had vanished, and said in a deep voice, "Stay close to me!"
The two cautiously walked in the direction where the shadowy figure had disappeared. An eerie atmosphere filled the air, making it hard to breathe.
Suddenly, the mysterious figure grabbed Dai Yao, pointed to a painting on the wall in front of them, and whispered, "Look..."
The painting depicts a misty valley that looks quite ordinary.
But guided by the mysterious figure, Dai Yao discovers that the clouds in the painting seem to be slowly flowing, forming a vortex-shaped entrance...
"This is..." Dai Yao was about to ask when the mysterious figure suddenly covered her mouth and gestured for her to look ahead.
A figure dressed in black and wearing a strange mask slowly emerged from the painting, grinning sinisterly, "I didn't expect you to actually find this place..."