Simulation becomes reality, have I ever looked down upon the eternity?

Chapter 554 Imperial Hometown Serenity Residence Nie Qingzhu, oh Nie Qingzhu!
[Lü Qingyu and Xiao Wan'er exchanged a glance, then silently withdrew.]

A feeling lingered in Lü Qingyu's mind: Aunt Zhu's gaze towards Junior Brother Zhou was always different, and it seemed that Junior Brother Zhou was always the one who lingered.

[Is it an illusion? ]

Shen Qingxue was overjoyed. She hadn't seen her senior brother for a long time, and today she found him even more handsome and refined. Since he went into seclusion, he had repeatedly instructed her and Shang Fang not to disturb him unless it was absolutely necessary.

Thinking about seeing her senior brother every day during the Eighteen Sects Grand Competition two months later, Shen Qingxue's eyes and brows were filled with an unconcealable smile.

Wan Sen, intending to travel with Xiao Wan'er, stepped forward and said, "Senior Sister Xiao, how have you been?"

Xiao Wan'er was tall and slender, the most ethereal and beautiful among the female disciples. She always walked barefoot, her robes fluttering in the breeze, making her the enchanting fairy that captivated the hearts of countless male disciples of Xiaoqing Peak.

She glanced at Wansen briefly, said nothing, and left.

Wansen looked embarrassed by the cold reception she received, especially with everyone present.

He clearly remembered how Xiao Wan'er and Zhou Jingyan looked so cheerful when they first entered the house.

The difference between the two is striking!

How could Zhou Jing, a mere nobody, be worthy of Senior Sister Xiao's favor? This comparison ignited a fire of jealousy within him, and his fist clenched involuntarily in his sleeve.

Wan Sen sneered inwardly: "Just wait and see. At the Eighteen Meridians Star-Picking Gathering, all those fancy tricks like identifying formations and objects will ultimately be beneath our notice! At that time, Zhou Jing will be exposed for who he really is."

As the other disciple, Wen Lou, was leaving, his gaze couldn't help but linger on Nie Qingzhu.

Elder Nie was graceful and elegant, and her blue robes further accentuated her ethereal beauty.

As the hero strode away, he gave you a hearty laugh: "Brother Zhou, you must come to my courtyard for a few drinks when you have some free time!"

You cupped your hands in a respectful gesture and smiled, "Next time, definitely!"

After everyone had left, only you and Nie Qingzhu remained standing facing each other in front of the thatched hut.

A mountain breeze rustled the bamboo leaves, adding to the tranquility.

[A hint of unease flickered across Nie Qingzhu's usually composed brow, especially when she was alone with you; her clear, autumn-water-like eyes would unconsciously avoid your gaze.]

After all, the last time you stole his clothes, it always made her feel shy whenever she saw you.

If you knew what she was thinking, you would definitely exclaim in surprise.

Elder Nie, you've misunderstood. My lifelong reputation, Zhou Jing's, is now ruined.

"Zhou Jing, please wait a moment."

"You have no problem with it," Nie Qingzhu said. After entering the thatched hut, she soon changed into a new dress and gracefully walked out.

[Though the gauze was as thin as a cicada's wing, ordinary robes should have provided some concealment. However, your eyesight is now exceptional; a casual glance revealed that Elder Nie's figure was indeed...somewhat like a supermodel's.]

Beneath her plain white dress, the curves of her breasts trembled slightly with each step, like two towering mountains. Her waist, though small enough to be grasped in one hand, was perfectly proportioned. Her entire being resembled a finely sculpted jade gourd, every curve exuding breathtaking beauty.

You only glanced at it, then immediately looked down; you shouldn't look at what you shouldn't.

[Nie Qingzhu took in your reaction, and a ripple of emotion stirred within her for no apparent reason. Suddenly realizing how daring her attire was, she blushed and pressed her legs together, her slender fingers unconsciously tightening the sash of her dress.]

She coughed lightly to conceal her emotions: "Zhou Jing, you are Senior Brother Nian's disciple."

[He suddenly stopped speaking, a burst of rosy light flashing behind his ears. Yes, this person before him was Senior Brother Nian's personal disciple, his own junior nephew.]

[Am I dressed like this...? But Zhou Jing seems to really like this style, otherwise he wouldn't have stolen it last time. Thinking of this, her heart warmed.]

"Senior Brother Nian strongly recommended you to participate in this Star-Picking Gathering and even vouched for you," she said, forcing herself to remain calm, but her voice was softer than usual, quite different from her dignified demeanor.

You said, "I will certainly not disappoint your expectations, my elders."

[This is also because you asked Elder Nian for it. Otherwise, given Elder Nian's personality, he would have been holed up in the Spirit Academy researching the "Taiyuan Yiyang Sword," so immersed in it that he would have long forgotten what the world was like.]

Nie Qingzhu leaned against the bamboo chair, her cheeks slightly flushed, her long, slender legs unconsciously curled up. She secretly glanced at your lowered profile, and seeing that you didn't look up, a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes.

"Of course, aside from that, you are the only one in Xiaoqing Peak capable of handling this task; your ranking is not important."

This is true. Zhou Jing, as a fellow disciple of Nian, never flaunts his abilities and always acts with humility. Moreover, he always completes the trials perfectly, and his reputation within Xiaoqing Peak has always been good.

When the spots were initially decided, Nie Qingzhu secretly tested you multiple times. Whether it was analyzing formations or engaging in strategic chess games, you demonstrated a level of skill far exceeding your peers.

[Such extensive knowledge, coming from the Zhou family of Qinghe County, merely an ordinary lay disciple family of Fangcun Mountain, truly astonished her.]

[All I can say is, what erudition? You spent four years reading through the entire Fangcun Mountain Library, imprinting it all in your mind—that's pure hard work.]

Nie Qingzhu added, "However, the competition is in two months. Although you've read a lot of the Daoist scriptures in the library, if the examiners intend to make things difficult, it might be hard to handle."

"You're not from a prominent family, but thankfully you still have time."

She paused, her eyes flickering, "It's quite a coincidence, Little Green Peak does indeed have a secret scripture pavilion, built by a certain patriarch in the past. However, this patriarch's identity is too sensitive, so it has always been sealed off."

[Sensitive identity? The Little Green Peak Ancestor?]

[You immediately think of one person: the Patriarch of the Imperial Capital!]

[If it were this person's collection of books, it would be incredible. You've heard from the old man that there's a library inside Little Green Peak, but you searched the entire peak using the Jade Emperor's Qi Observation Technique and still couldn't find it.]

[I originally wanted to inquire about it, but the previous peak master was too ruthless, almost 'purifying' the previous generation of Xiaoqing Peak members like harvesting wheat.]

[Only Peak Master Jiang Yingxue remained; there was almost no one else to ask, so the matter had to be dropped.]

[Unexpectedly, Nie Qingzhu knew!]

[When Nie Qingzhu saw your eyes light up and you unconsciously look up, she wrinkled her nose slightly, secretly annoyed. She hadn't seen you look up at all during their intimate conversation, but suddenly perked up when the book was mentioned.]

Her tone changed, "However, this library is, after all, a secret within Little Green Peak... even the other branches of the mountain don't know about it."

You quickly replied, "I hope Elder Nie will grant my request."

He then feigned confusion and looked around, saying, "But in all these years I've traveled all over Little Green Peak, I've never seen a library."

[You were thinking to yourself that if Nie Qingzhu wouldn't allow it, you could just find a place and "sneak" there yourself to borrow the Daoist scriptures for a look.]

[No, how can you call it stealing something that involves cultivators?]

Nie Qingzhu didn't reply, but instead slightly furrowed her brows and rubbed her delicate shoulders with her hand: "Recently, there have been many affairs on the peak, and my shoulders and neck feel sore."

"Elder, you must be tired from handling so many things for Xiao Qingfeng. Let me massage your shoulders."

You quickly stepped forward, but were interrupted by Nie Qingzhu.

"Alright, it's good that you have this intention. Since I brought this up, I naturally intend to let you take a look at the library."

"This building is indeed built discreetly..."

[Nie Qingzhu glanced at you with her beautiful eyes, coughed, and said, "Entry to this library requires the Peak Master's seal..."]

"Go and fetch it from inside the hut."

You thought to yourself, "So that's how it is," and turned to walk into the thatched hut.

[Nie Qingzhu watched your retreating figure, her ears slightly red, a hint of panic in her eyes.]

[You enter the room and do indeed see a small seal on the bed, but—] [You are startled, because beneath the seal lies a small red garment, its thin fabric still carrying a faint, delicate fragrance.]

You tilt your head slightly and see a scene that seems somewhat familiar.

Elder Nie, please be more careful! Don't litter like that. It wouldn't look good if the other disciples saw it.

However, Elder Nie seemed to like red and purple, so you didn't think much of it.

With a light tap of your fingertip, the seal flew into your palm. As for the crimson stain, you didn't even glance at it, letting it lie quietly in its place.

What you're more concerned about right now is—what kind of mysterious method did that incredibly talented patriarch of the Imperial Capital use to hide the entire library?

Seeing you return with the seal, Nie Qingzhu's expression softened slightly.

She accepted the seal with her delicate hands and solemnly said, "This item and the library are originally one and the same magical treasure."

She formed a lotus-shaped hand seal, and the seal instantly emitted a cool, clear light. As the light shifted, five ancient seal characters gradually appeared—

【“Tranquil Abode in the Imperial Hometown”】

A glint of brilliance flashed in your eyes, and behind the thatched hut, the void twisted, slowly revealing a vortex-shaped portal.

[That aura!]

[You suddenly realize that the Ancestor of the Imperial Capital had actually transformed a blessed land into a storage artifact! No wonder you couldn't find it anywhere; who would have thought the entire library was hidden within this tiny space?]

"What a brilliant idea to contain Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed!" you couldn't help but murmur in admiration. Such ingenuity truly enlightened you.

However, storage bags are something that cannot be crafted in later generations, and they also possess the "sword-swallowing" aura of the Taiyuan Yiyang Sword.

You grew increasingly curious about what books the Imperial Ancestor might possess.

[Nie Qingzhu gives you the seal, saying, "Only with this can you enter. To leave, you need to activate this incantation. The Daoist scriptures inside cannot be taken out; you must read them all inside."]

[She sent you a spell to activate the technique.]

You sincerely thanked him, saying, "Thank you, Elder Nie."

The moment he stepped into the vortex, holding the seal, the gate behind him rippled and vanished like water, as if it had never existed.

[The view suddenly opened up before us—this was no ordinary library; rather, it was a spacious cavern hollowed out from the mountainside.]

Beneath a dome three zhang high, two rows of black iron bookshelves stretched out, their books gleaming with various spiritual lights, reaching a height of two stories.

The cave was not only free of any musty smell, but was also filled with a faint, pleasant fragrance of pine resin.

[A spotless rosewood desk in the center, furnished with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.]

A fist-sized luminescent bead on the desk emitted a soft light, illuminating the entire space as if it were daytime.

[You found a jade slip and began to peruse it with your divine sense. As your divine sense swept over it, you saw tens of thousands of words of feng shui and geomancy techniques densely recorded within. After a cursory glance, you gently put it down.]

You picked up another piece, which described an improved version of the "Five Elements Escape Technique Sword Manual." It was quite exquisite. You frowned, somewhat puzzled, and put it down again.

Then he took out another piece, the "Mighty Spirit Sword Manual," one of the six secret techniques of Little Green Peak.

You picked up several jade slips from the remaining bookshelves. While the cultivation techniques and array diagrams recorded on them were extraordinary, they were far from what you had expected.

[Why did the Patriarch of the Imperial Hometown choose the name "Imperial Hometown Tranquil Abode" for this place, and even create a space using such a precious storage bag, only to display these Taoist scriptures?]

[On second thought, it makes sense—if it truly contained a priceless treasure, wouldn't the previous peak masters have already investigated it? Why would they have allowed you to enter so easily?]

[You've become quite eager to learn about the Patriarch of the Imperial Capital.]

After much thought, it simply doesn't align with the conduct and style of that patriarch from the Imperial Capital!

[Your eyes shone with a clear, jade-like light once more, and the Jade Emperor's Aura Observation Technique was activated to its fullest extent. Yet, as far as your gaze fell, the bookshelves remained bookshelves, and the long table remained a long table; there was nothing amiss.]

[It doesn't seem wrong?]

[You looked around and at the seal in your hand, a thought flashing through your mind. As if struck by a sudden inspiration, you realized that the aura of the *Taiyuan Yiyang Sword* had been present when you entered.]

Could it be—

Suddenly, a black dot appears in your hand, followed by a white dot, both slowly rotating.

The black dots devoured the surrounding spiritual light; the white dots rippled outwards like the rising sun.

The two attracted each other, like a yin-yang symbol, and in an instant, the entire cave rippled like water.

Suddenly, another layer of folded void appeared within this space!

[There is indeed a world of wonders inside the cave!]

You couldn't help but smile; the Ancestor of the Imperial Capital was indeed adept at hiding his true strength.

[This place has likely been searched by the elders of the mountains as well. After all, the Ancestor of the Imperial Village went mad, slaughtered Little Green Peak, and then disappeared. There must be someone in the mountains investigating, and this place cannot be overlooked.]

However, to clear this place, one needs to master the complete "Taiyuan Yiyang Sword," a technique that has been lost for many years, and almost no one in Xiaoqing Peak has mastered it.

Even after a hundred years of life have passed, all one can do is "swallow a sword."

[The patriarch of this imperial land either didn't want anyone to set foot in this place, or he wanted someone in future generations to inherit his mantle to be allowed to enter.]

You exclaimed with delight, "Grandmaster of the Imperial Hometown, those destined to meet you have arrived!"

Once you enter the overlapping space, it becomes much smaller, like a separate, elegant room or study.

A bookshelf, only about the height of a person, held scattered jade slips. In the center was a desk, on which lay what appeared to be some unfinished works.

As you approach and look down, you see a few lines of text written on it, and you are immediately struck by their presence.

"On the fourth day of the seventh month, the Imperial Treasury inspected my plans and came to offer advice."

"Though the Imperial Treasury is my younger brother, how dare he obstruct my path to enlightenment?"

"The Imperial Treasury deserves to die!"

~

Nie Qingzhu watched you enter the "Library".

He secretly let out a breath.

She quietly walked back into the thatched hut and saw that her belongings were still on the bed, completely untouched. She murmured to herself.

"Could it be that he doesn't like this one? This one is clearly very thin. Could it be that... he doesn't like this pattern?"

As soon as she said it, she suddenly woke up and covered her burning cheeks.

At this moment, her eyes were sparkling, and she no longer had any of the aloofness she usually displayed as an elder.

Thinking of this, she blushed and buried her face in her hands, crying out, "Nie Qingzhu, Nie Qingzhu, what are you doing!"

"Control yourself! Are you possessed by a demon today, or did you take the wrong pill?"

(End of this chapter)