“After the physical duel, is it time for a scholarly duel now...?”
The girl’s silver-blue eyes swept across the surroundings, taking in the countless ancient books that filled the room like a sky full of stars, neatly arranged on the bookshelves. A pleased smile played on her lips.
“Perfect, I love reading. Show me what you’ve got!”
With that, the girl didn’t rush to wander around the library. Instead, she plopped down on the nearest chair and casually picked up a thick book from the nearest shelf, giving it a quick glance.
“‘Research on Geomantic Ecology’... what in the world is this?”
Haste makes waste, as they say. Since the demon god set up this scenario, simply tearing down the library wouldn’t be the way to clear the level. Likewise, Silvester’s plans wouldn’t succeed overnight. Excessive impatience would only make things more troublesome.
With this in mind, Violet decided to open the book and see what it was all about.
“Oh...?”
To her surprise, the author of the book was highly knowledgeable. His research on the magical energy circulation within the earth’s veins was so advanced that he could predict changes in their trends. He could even alter the flow of energy to change the weather or cause a magical overload that could easily destroy an entire city.
The book recorded his lifelong insights and experiences. After reading just a few pages, Violet felt she had gained a lot and couldn’t help but immerse herself in the content.
It wasn’t until the girl finished the last page and closed the thick volume, which was even taller than a dictionary, that she snapped back to reality, a bit embarrassed.
“Ah, darn it, I got carried away...”
She had no idea how much time had passed. The bodies of the divine race don’t tire easily, nor do they have a strict need for food or sleep. Violet herself loved reading, and it was normal for her to read a book for over ten hours straight if it caught her interest.
In the outside world, she could at least gauge the passage of time by the changing light, but in this enclosed library where the sun and moon were not visible, it was hard to tell how long had passed unless she actively brought up the nearly useless system panel.
“Though it probably doesn’t matter much, it looks like I need to change this bad habit...”
“Finding joy in books is a delight, my lady. What fault is there in that, and why should you change?”
No sooner had she spoken than a young man in white emerged from a corner, his gentle voice responding to her self-deprecating remark. He slowly approached and sat down across from Violet, smiling warmly.
The boy looked no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, with an elegant demeanor and a gentle face. His black hair was neatly held up by a wooden hairpin, and he wore a feathered crown on his head, holding a folding fan in his hand. He seemed entirely harmless.
However, Violet, who had been constantly surrounding herself with a protective aura since arriving here, knew that there hadn’t been any other living beings in the library before. This young man in white had suddenly appeared out of nowhere after she finished reading and spoke.
Most likely, this guy wasn’t normal either.
“Are you the examiner for the second stage? How do I pass?”
The priestess got straight to the point, but the young man simply continued to smile and replied:
“No, no, I am not an examiner, nor do I dare speak of tests. Since you have broken through the twelve palaces to get here, you must possess great abilities. You could easily reduce me to ashes with a snap of your fingers. I am fully aware of this, so I merely wish to engage in some scholarly discourse with you.”
“......?”
Wait a minute... Why does this guy speak in such a convoluted, scholarly manner? He can’t seem to say anything straightforwardly, and even my translation tool can’t convert his speech into plain language. I have to admit, that’s a skill in itself...
However, everything has its own merits, and Violet couldn’t expect everyone to match her personal standards perfectly. So, she didn’t make a fuss and just nodded lightly.
“Alright, so what exactly do I need to do? But let me be clear, I don’t have the time to waste here indefinitely. If you plan to drag this out for days and nights, I’m afraid I can’t stay.”
The young man lightly waved his folding fan and replied with a chuckle.
“Hehe, you are quite impatient, my lady. Very well... You only need to answer three questions correctly to leave this place. Of course, if you lack confidence, you can stay here and study the collections further before attempting the questions. I assure you that the answers to all the questions are contained within the ninety-nine thousand books in this grand library.”
“Answer questions?”
As if she had anticipated this, the girl nodded slightly, then asked another question.
“Can I ask what will happen if I get the answers wrong?”
“Sigh~ Fearing failure before even trying is a grave mistake. I don’t wish to shake your resolve. If you lack confidence, you may leave now.”
Tch.
He’s even being coy about it. How annoying...
Oh well, no matter what, she couldn’t possibly stay here and read every book, and leaving was out of the question. Not only because she needed to track Silvester, but also because the challenges left by the demon god were an exciting experience for the adventure-loving priestess. Since she had to answer questions, she might as well give it a shot.
Focusing and remaining vigilant, Violet nodded.
“Alright, go ahead and ask the first question.”
“You truly are impatient, young lady. Patience and self-cultivation are virtues you should nurture... Very well, listen carefully.”
The young man shook his head helplessly and gently opened his folding fan, seeming to admire the ink brush calligraphy on it. After pondering for a moment, he spoke softly.
“The Qian position is cold, the Kun position is hot, Kan and Li are water and fire. If a place where they intersect experiences both torrential rain and continuous snowfall, what is the reason? How would you explain it?” [1]
“Hmm?”
Raising her eyebrow instinctively, Violet stared intently at the young man’s gentle face for a moment. He maintained his subtle smile, waiting silently for her answer.
Finally, Violet spoke, though she didn’t immediately give an answer. Instead, she smiled faintly and said,
“Are you giving me an easy one?”
The young man’s smile deepened.
“You misunderstand, my lady. I pose the question, and you provide the answer. The content is all within the books in this grand library. Why wouldn’t it be fair?”
“Hmph, you’re underestimating me.”
Wrinkling her nose in annoyance, the priestess decided not to waste any more time and responded directly.
“The Qian position is cold, the Kun position is hot. When the Qian position moves south, snow flies endlessly. Kan is water, Li is fire. When the Kan position moves west, torrential rain pours. This is the cause.”
Without pausing, Violet continued,
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“The earth’s veins are the world’s network. To balance them, one must clear the meridians. If the Qian position moves south, it’s due to Kun energy being blocked. If the Kan position moves west, it’s because Li energy is obstructed. Clearing these two meridians will resolve the chaos, ensuring the energies flow smoothly without dampness or cold. How’s that?”
The young man covered his face with his fan and then burst into hearty laughter.
“Hahaha! Excellent! Truly excellent! My lady, you are indeed extraordinary. With just a brief reading, you have an almost photographic memory. I am thoroughly impressed, truly impressed! Hahaha!”
“Tch...”
Indeed, the question the young man in white had posed was from the book “Research on Geomantic Ecology” that Violet had just casually picked up. The situation he described exactly matched the conditions facing the Ten Thousand Demons Mountains outside. Because of this, Violet had paid special attention to that part, leaving a deep impression on her.
Coupled with the divine race’s naturally remarkable physical abilities, she almost had a photographic memory, as the young man had said. Giving the correct answer was naturally a piece of cake.
TL Note:
[1]
The Qian and Kun positions refer to the two trigrams in the Bagua, the eight symbols of Chinese cosmology. The Qian trigram is associated with the heavens, masculinity, and creativity, while the Kun trigram is associated with the earth, femininity, and receptivity.
The Kan and Li trigrams represent water and fire, respectively. Kan is associated with the north, darkness, and the moon, while Li is associated with the south, light, and the sun.