Chapter 3. The Spirit of Knowledge
The next two days, I focused on hunting new dark water spirits to try and surpass my rank. After defeating dozens of mid-level spirits, my progress hit a wall. No matter how much energy I absorbed from the kills, I couldn't break through.
I considered asking Wong to kill a high-level dark spirit for me, but finding one would be a challenge. Plus, I'd have to stay close to him during the fight, which would distract him. And from the baboon's stories, I knew high-level spirits were full of nasty surprises—they might pull something desperate if cornered. I didn't want to put Wong at risk, especially since he'd helped me so much without asking for anything in return.
During the battles, I honed my mastery over water to a level most mid-level spirits couldn't match. My favorite trio of techniques became second nature, and I even developed a new one: *Cutting Armor*. It creates moving streams of water that both protect and deal damage on contact. Even for me, it's exhausting to use—I have to focus entirely on it. But its power is unmatched. In one fight against two strong mid-level spirits, it shredded them in two seconds.
The biggest problem was the gradual, subtle change in my mind. I kept suppressing foolish impulses, and thinking became harder. Even Wong noticed, but he didn't know how to help. He suggested I visit the Spirit of Knowledge, a being who rarely lacks answers and helps peaceful spirits without hesitation.
Deciding not to waste time, I said goodbye to Wong, who looked a little sad. It was unclear when we'd meet again. I thanked him for everything and filled a vessel with water while he drew rough maps and symbols in the dirt to guide me to Wan Shi Tong. The journey, he said, would take about a week. He offered to escort me, but he had spirits under his care who'd be vulnerable without him.
I assured him I'd be cautious, avoiding strong spirits and handling mid-level or weaker ones easily. After a firm handshake, I set off for the library.
Knowing a place is extraordinary is one thing; seeing it is another. Along the way, I encountered over a hundred spirits—I stopped counting after that. It felt like there were spirits for everything. I had to detour around some areas to avoid high-level dark spirits. Staying focused on my thoughts and actions was crucial; one wrong impulse from my lower spirit nature could be fatal. I'd only recently "come to life," and I wasn't eager to die.
After eight days, I finally reached the library. It was stunning—or would have been, if it weren't in the middle of a desert, with only its tower visible. As I approached, I wondered about giant owls and their love of burying libraries in sand.
Inside, endless rows of books seemed to stretch into the sky. This was the Spirit of Knowledge's domain. If I wanted to solve my problem, I needed to find him quickly—time was against me. I was about to call his name when my voice caught in my throat. Before I could speak, Wan Shi Tong stood before me. A massive owl with no hint of hostility in his eyes, yet his gaze felt like he'd dissected me and was ready to study further. I couldn't move until he finished examining me.