Chapter 9: The Old Library
Vincent stepped off the polished path of Sector 3’s central belt and into the forgotten fringe of Autumnvale’s civilian quarter. Bodyguards, some of whom were cultivators, followed him without making their presence known. Here, the air carried dust instead of incense. Spirit lanterns buzzed unevenly, barely clinging to qi. Even the ambient energy felt thin—like light filtered through cheap glass. Women would occasionally give him glances and blush, but none dared approach because of his cold demeanor and imposing aura.
"Hmm, so this is where the lower class lives. I should sponsor more projects around this area and monitor it properly." Vincent also knew that many protagonists and their supporting characters came from areas like this. He would make a good first impression on the supporting characters if they saw him as kind and benevolent. One such character’s family he was going to meet right now.
He stopped before a squat, red-brick building tucked behind an herb market and a cursed pawn shop.
Autumnvale District Mehra Private Library – South Wing
"Knowledge Is a Lantern. Please Return It On Time."
Inside, it was dim and warm. Paper-scented. Peaceful, in a brittle sort of way. Most shelves sagged under the weight of mundane tomes. A few low-tier spirit scrolls were sealed behind dusty crystal cases—barely glowing. The qi within their text had faded from overuse.
Spirit energy pervaded this world, but it had to be personally refined to be used in cultivation. Only personal spirit energy could be infused into techniques, artifacts, or contracts. While natural treasures—spirit fruits, rare minerals—held power, technology couldn’t artificially infuse external energy into people or artifacts. So cultivation was always internal, personal, and spiritual.
Most cultivators followed one of two primary paths. Mind Cultivation enhanced memory, perception, intuition, and mental resilience—perfect for office work, research, legal affairs, or leadership roles. At higher levels, these cultivators could manipulate contracts, create logic fields, or influence others through refined aura presence. Body Cultivation, on the other hand, enhanced physical durability, speed, and combat strength. Fighters, guards, frontline managers, and enforcers typically chose this path. Though more immediately destructive, it was harder to maintain long-term due to the higher physical demands on the practitioner.
Then there were places they called ancient ruins. These, if discovered, were mostly taken over by corporations in that area. Artifacts and wealth inside such places could sometimes make a penniless beggar reach great heights and cause bloody wars among corporations.
"Liam will definitely gift me a ruin or two after he completes school, right? He must know of a ruin or two still undiscovered. I have to play this slowly with him... unless Liam does something to get himself expelled." Vincent thought to himself with a small smile. "But first, let me set the stage properly. If I let that boy run unchecked, he’ll eventually become a real threat to me and everything I’ve built."