Li Yuan's steps came to a halt.
Before him stood a magnificent three-story building, surrounded by towering old pine trees, silent sentinels guarding the knowledge held within. The outer walls were made of aged gray stone, adorned with carvings of dragons and phoenixes. Above the entrance, an inscription read:
Qinglong Shuwu – Where understanding surpasses strength.
Li Yuan gave a small nod. The air around him felt quieter, heavier, as if even the wind dared not disturb this place.
Calmly, he stepped inside.
As the door opened, the scent of old paper and ink greeted him. Rows of towering shelves lined the hall, filled with thousands of scrolls and ancient books. Blue candles floated gently in midair, burning without wicks, casting a soft, smokeless glow.
In the center of the main hall, a long wooden table stood, where a middle-aged man sat. His hair was streaked with white, and his neatly trimmed beard suggested discipline and care. He was writing something when he noticed Li Yuan's presence.
"What business do you have here, boy?" he asked, without lifting his head.
Li Yuan approached calmly. His gray eyes remained steady, serene, yet full of meaning.
"I want to read the world."
The man's hand paused. He looked up at Li Yuan for a long moment, as if trying to read something unwritten on his face.
At last, he turned his gaze and gestured inward.
"First floor, fundamentals, theory, and history.
Second floor, strategy and martial arts.
The third floor…"
His voice lowered, becoming serious.
"…is off limits. Even to the instructors."
Li Yuan gave a respectful nod.
"I seek understanding, not secrets."
The man furrowed his brow slightly. He had never seen someone this young speak with such calmness and depth.
"Your name?"
"Li Yuan."
"…Very well, Li Yuan. Cause no trouble. And don't set foot on the third floor."
Li Yuan didn't respond. He simply bowed slightly in respect, then began walking down the aisles of the library.
Shelf by shelf, he passed. His fingers brushed along scrolls and spines, letting instinct guide him. Finally, his hand stopped on an old book titled:
"Roots of the Soul: On Breath and the Silence That Shapes the Heavens."
He pulled it gently from the shelf, opened to the first page, and began to read.
A Meeting in the Library
"What is this book?" thought Li Yuan as he traced the early pages, written in ancient calligraphy.
Its title: "Roots of the Soul: On Breath and the Silence That Shapes the World."
The language was archaic, yet carried a profound clarity. It wasn't about ordinary cultivation techniques, but about understanding the soul through emptiness, about stillness that gives birth to movement, and breath not merely as air filling lungs, but as a thread connecting oneself to the heavens and the earth.
As he leaned closer, his eyes landed on a passage:
"Before the Dao, there was emptiness.
The first breath of the world was not sound, but understanding."
…Footsteps echoed softly in the quiet hall, steady, confident.
A young man approached, dressed in deep blue robes adorned with golden cloud patterns, a mark of high status. His gaze was sharp yet composed. He looked at Li Yuan with a spark of interest.
"Few ever touch that book," he said, eyeing the cover in Li Yuan's hands.
"Most are too busy chasing power. You… are different."
Li Yuan slowly closed the book and looked up, meeting the young man's eyes.
"Who are you?"
The young man gave a faint smile.
"My name is Wen Zhi, of the Wen family, the ones who oversee this academy."
He clasped his hands behind his back, then added,
"I'm simply curious, what is it you're hoping to find in those old books?"
Li Yuan replied in a calm tone:
"I'm not searching for power… I'm searching for understanding.
Because to me, power without understanding is just a burden."
Wen Zhi paused for a moment, as if weighing those words. Then he spoke, his voice lower, more thoughtful:
"An unusual answer. You know, most of us were taught that understanding comes after power. But perhaps... you're reversing that order."
Li Yuan closed the book and rose to his feet.
"To me, understanding is the foundation.
If you stand upon power without understanding, then you're standing on fragile emptiness."
Wen Zhi smiled again, this time, more genuinely.
"You're intriguing. We'll meet again, Li Yuan."
Li Yuan gave a small nod, his gray eyes returning to the book in his hands.
Wen Zhi turned and walked away, but there was a glint of curiosity in his eyes.
He now knew, this boy from a distant village was no ordinary student.