"I naturally won't refuse."
Zhong Shenxiu laughed heartily, followed Old Li, and entered the Tingchao Pavilion directly.
"Welcome, Master Fang!"
Two rows of staff stood at the entrance. There wasn't a single customer inside the Tingchao Pavilion, which seemed to have suspended business for a day to welcome Zhong Shenxiu. Get full chapters from NoveIＦire.net
This level of reception was, in a way, intimidating.
However, Zhong Shenxiu, unafraid, accepted this special treatment with composure and walked into the Tingchao Pavilion with large strides.
"The Pavilion Master is on the third floor, and the Master is invited to go upstairs."
Old Li led the way, and they came immediately to the second floor of the Tingchao Pavilion.
The bookshelves, originally in disarray, seemed to have been organized and vaguely formed into a formation.
Old Li smiled and said, "Our Pavilion Master knows you, Master, enjoy reading, especially ancient texts. Therefore, he has specifically chosen a few ancient volumes for you to appreciate...Among the Ten Thousand Books Formation, there are three rare books. If the Master can find and interpret them one by one, you may proceed to the third floor to meet the Pavilion Master, and these rare books will be gifts from our pavilion."
'This old fox has ulterior motives…'
Zhong Shenxiu muttered to himself and directly entered the book formation.
The black wooden shelves suddenly seemed to come alive, with the textures on them starting to wriggle like blood vessels.
"Heavenly Dao...what does it mean?"
"At the beginning of ancient times, shadows transmitted the Dao? What does it mean?"
"Blood for the Blood Lord, bone for the Bone Throne...Demon! Great Demon!"
Countless whispers incessantly sounded in Zhong Shenxiu's ears, trying to induce one illusion after another.
Zhong Shenxiu could see deciphering masters who were absorbed in their studies, their expressions frenzied. Some were even undergoing mutations, just a step away from death and downfall.
He chuckled softly, disregarding them, and took a step forward, arriving in front of a bookshelf.
On the shelf, there was an ornate box. Opening it, a thread-bound ancient book floated within.
"This is a True Inheritor Talisman of the Dao Sect—named 'Soul Capturing Talisman', which contains a mysterious power beyond the comprehension of ghosts and gods once refined..."
The voice of Old Li came from outside the formation.
Zhong Shenxiu casually flipped through it and saw a flamboyantly crafted talisman, with every essential element from head to core to tail intact, indeed quite complete.
Judging by the talisman's effect, it should absorb the essence, spirit, and vigor of the cultivator, transforming into a force to capture demons.
Used skillfully, it had boundless marvelous effects, indeed enabling the weaker to defeat the stronger.
He nodded, tucked the ancient book into his chest, and kept moving forward.
A short distance ahead, several pitch-black chains formed together into a Thousand Mechanism Lock, securing an iron box.
"This hurdle requires the Master to unlock this Thousand Mechanism Lock to obtain the book inside."
As soon as he finished speaking, he rubbed his eyes and found that the chains directly fell with a clatter. Zhong Shenxiu casually opened the iron box and took out a parchment text, the cover marked with an eerie pentagram and goat head symbol exuding an unsettling aura.
"The Book of the Dead?"
Zhong Shenxiu gently read out the name of the book.
"Indeed, it's a copy of the [Book of the Dead]... It's rumored that a madman in Taixi, glimpsing an incomprehensible great existence, went mad. Before his madness, he wrote a mysterious ancient book encompassing everything, named—the [Hymn of Hell]! In the realm of the mysterious, it's coveted and contested by many... thus scattered, this [Book of the Dead] is a handwritten copy recorded by a later mysterious expert after reading the [Book of the Dead], containing many magic spells, each with incredible effects."
Old Li continued acting as the explainer.
Zhong Shenxiu proceeded, and suddenly, his view became broad as he walked out of the book formation.
In front of him was a staircase, with a desk at its entrance, upon which lay a tome quietly.
"Congratulations to Master Fang for passing two levels; this third level requires you to translate the ancient volume on this desk..."
Old Li's palms slightly sweat, his mind spinning numerous thoughts:
'First, use the book formation to bewilder his mind, then present scriptures to entice his interest... This person is already in the trap!'
'Sigh... I hope he can succeed.'
'This first scripture is just the pinnacle of the mystical canon; the [Book of the Dead] has already reached the earthly territory...'
'However, the Pavilion Master needs a translation of a mystical volume infinitely close to the Heavenly territory... This is like courtesy before force.'
'After some probing during this period, his character and strength... The Pavilion Master is already fully aware. Letting him come today must mean he's fully prepared.'
'Hmm? A good piece has arrived?'
Zhong Shenxiu paid him no mind; he accepted the invitation today just to see what sort of things the Tingchao Pavilion was selling.
At this moment, his eyes swept over the desk where the cyan ancient book lay, and he felt as if he couldn't look away, immediately realizing its extremely high grade.
Even if it wasn't part of the Heavenly territory, it was infinitely close.
He couldn't help stepping forward, focusing on the azure cover of the mystical volume.
On the cover, there was a line of wicked words of the Great Dao, wild and unrestrained, seemingly revealing to Zhong Shenxiu a mighty existence in the unseen, shaking the light and diminishing the three lamps of blessings, prosperity, and longevity within him...
"[Taishang Zhan Yuan Jian Wo Ben Ming Jing]?"
Zhong Shenxiu read the book's title.
Old Li felt a surge of joy inside; the Pavilion Master originally had no intention of trading with this person, instead concealing his desire within a test.
As long as the other party is tempted, driven by competitiveness and interest, they'll naturally help translate.
If they refuse, this person can still be captured and forced; after all, their cultivation doesn't seem high...
But now, seeing Fang Lang immediately translate the name of this mystical volume correctly, Old Li gained much confidence.
Not only him, but the third floor of the Tingchao Pavilion, a massive glowing jellyfish, trembled constantly.
It hovered between reality and illusion, being a creature of information, a demon of civilization.
At this moment, wisps of thoughts, containing innumerable information, permeated down to the second floor.
"Finally... finally..."
The demon of civilization on the third floor radiated scarlet light all over, evidently extremely excited, but not a single deciphering master could respond.
At this moment, within the cages on the third floor, there were only dried corpses...
"Finally... a true Master of Deciphering has appeared. This civilization's aura... is far stronger than those wasteful ones, absorbing this one's literary energy is worth a hundred wastes!"
The demon of civilization extended its illusory tentacles, beginning to pierce through the real layers, reaching downstairs.
It aimed to cooperate with Old Li to alter some of Fang Lang's perceptions.
Let this Master of Deciphering dedicate himself wholeheartedly to translating the [Taishang Zhan Yuan Jian Wo Ben Ming Jing] for it!
As an information creature, the core ability of the demon of civilization was perception alteration.
It was also through this ability that it altered Old Li's perception, making him and the other staff indifferent to the fate of other deciphering masters, remaining utterly loyal!