The map of the Magic Beast Mountain Range was complex, a chaotic spiderweb of contour lines, danger zones, and outdated markers. To a normal person, memorizing the specific topography of the 'Basin of the Fallen Star' would take days of tracing and copying.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni stared at the page for exactly ten seconds.
His eyes swept over the crimson markings, the elevation data, and the wind patterns. In his mind, the flat paper reconstructed itself into a 3D model. He saw the valleys, the peaks, and the specific funnel where the Dou Qi would be densest.
Snap.
He closed the red binder. The image was burned into his mind, as permanent as a carving on stone.
"Basin of the Fallen Star. Four peaks. Wind channel from the North-East. That is my destination."
He placed the binder back on the shelf with delicate precision.
The afternoon wore on.
Yoriichi did not stop. He moved from the Geography section to the Herbology section, and then to the compendium of Ores and Metals.
To the few remaining disciples in the library, his behavior was baffling. He would pull a book, open it, and the sound of rapid-fire page turning—thwip, thwip, thwip—would fill the silence for a minute or two. Then, he would close it and pick another.
He was consuming information like a starving whale consumes krill. He filtered through thousands of words to find the nuggets of truth he needed: the melting point of 'Black Steel', the famous 'soul perception' and it's techniques, the habitats of 'Fire Poison Lizards', the symptoms of 'Soul Hallucination'. Even if the information wasn't immediately usable, he filed it away. In a world of cultivation, ignorance was a faster killer than a blade.
Outside, the golden light of the afternoon began to fade, replaced by the bruised purple of twilight. The shadows in the library lengthened, stretching across the floor like grasping fingers.
Most of the disciples had already left, their stomachs calling them to the dining halls.
In the corner near the window, Xiao Xun'er finally closed her own book.
She let out a soft, almost imperceptible sigh.
"Still no progress," she thought, frustration rippling behind her calm, beautiful face.
She had been studying the theoretical framework of a specific Gold-attribute technique—a complex, ancient scroll provided by her clan. But the flow of Qi required was paradoxical. It demanded hardness and fluidity simultaneously. Even with her supreme talent, she had hit a wall.
"Perhaps I am distracted," she mused, standing up and smoothing her violet dress. "Spending too much time worrying about Xiao Yan ge-ge has made my mind rough. I need to clear my thoughts."
She picked up her book and began to walk toward the exit.
As she passed Aisle 3, she stopped.
Yoriichi was still there.
He was standing perfectly still, holding a thick tome titled The Encyclopedia of Southern Ores. He was flipping the pages so fast that the breeze created by the movement stirred the dust on the shelf.
Xun'er frowned.
"He is still doing this?" she thought, a hint of annoyance touching her mind. "Skimming through books just to look diligent? Does he think that acting scholarly will change the clan's opinion of him? It is childish."
She considered ignoring him, but the sheer absurdity of his speed—he wasn't even pausing to read the diagrams—compelled her to speak. It was an intellectual offense to see knowledge treated so casually.
She stepped into his peripheral vision.
"Cousin Xiao Ning," Xun'er said, her voice soft but laced with a subtle firmness. "It is evening. The hall will be dark soon, and you cannot read without candlelight. I am going now. You should perhaps rest your eyes."
Yoriichi didn't jump. He didn't look startled. He had felt her approach the moment she stood up from her chair.
Snap.
He closed the heavy book.
"Hm," Yoriichi hummed, placing the book back into its slot with care. He turned to her, his face as unreadable as the tome he had just shelved. "You are right. The light is fading. Then let's go."
He didn't try to explain himself. He didn't try to boast about what he read. He simply accepted her suggestion.
They began to walk toward the exit together, the silence between them awkward but polite.
As they reached the front desk, the sound of their footsteps woke the dozing keeper.
Elder Shu sat up. He rubbed his eyes, saw the shadow of Xiao Ning, and his expression darkened instantly.
The Elder stood up, slamming his hand onto the mahogany desk.
BAM!
"Young Master!" Elder Shu barked, his voice trembling with indignation. "Do you know what you have done?!"
The sudden shout echoed through the empty hall.
Yoriichi stopped. Xun'er stopped beside him, blinking in surprise. She looked from the angry Elder to Yoriichi, curious to see how this would play out.
"Elder," Yoriichi said, his voice even. "Please speak freely so I can understand."
He gazed calmly at the old man. His eyes were hollow, reflecting the dying light of the day. There was no guilt in them, nor any fear of authority.
That gaze... it made Elder Shu feel a sudden, inexplicable chill. It was like looking into a deep, old well.
The Elder swallowed, but his pride as the librarian forced him to speak.
"The disciples," Elder Shu hissed, pointing a shaking finger at the aisles. "They have been coming to me all afternoon. Complaining! They say you have been pulling books, flipping them like a fan, and putting them back. Distracting them with the noise!"
The Elder leaned forward, his face flushed.
"You are shattering the dignity of this place! Do you think these records are toys? Do you know your behavior will cause other children to copy you? They will think reading is just a performance! You are treating the legacy of our ancestors as a prop for your boredom!"
It was a harsh accusation. In a clan that valued tradition, disrespecting the archives was a serious offense.
Xun'er watched Yoriichi closely. A normal disciple would argue, get angry, or apologize profusely to save face.
Yoriichi did none of those things.
"I understand your concern," Yoriichi said, his tone respectful but firm. "However, I was not playing. I was reading and learning from all these precious books. I would never deem knowledge low."
"Reading?" Elder Shu scoffed, his incredulity peaking. "You call that reading? You were spending three seconds on a page! No human can absorb information that fast, not even a genius!"
The Elder stepped out from behind the desk, his Dou Qi flaring slightly in his agitation.
"Fine. Since you claim to have 'learned'," Elder Shu challenged, his eyes narrowing. "You asked about history earlier. Go bring the three books you read from Aisle 3. The Origins, the Structure of Powers, and the Southern Empires."
He crossed his arms.
"I will ask you questions. If you are clueless... if I find that you were just wasting time... I will report this to the First Elder personally. I will have you banned from this library for a month for disrespect."
The air in the library grew tense.
Xun'er stood to the side, her golden eyes flickering. "A test? Elder Shu is known for his memory. If Xiao Ning was truly just pretending, he is about to be humiliated."
Yoriichi looked at the Elder. He didn't blink.
"Very well."
He turned and walked back into the stacks. His pace was unhurried. He didn't panic. He returned a minute later carrying three thick, leather-bound books.
He placed them gently on the desk.