The Supernatural Daily Life of a Magazine

"It's not that simple," Editor-in-Chief Qin shook his head. "Hanshan Technology is a legitimate company; their system has passed all technical tests. Without solid evidence, the library won't be demolished rashly. And even if it were demolished, they could continue monitoring it in another way."

He walked to the stone table and spread out a map of Kyoto City: "We need more direct evidence. Yamashiro, the entrance to the underground vault you saw should theoretically be beneath the library, but its exact location is a mystery. If you could pinpoint it more precisely..."

"I can give it a try," Li Shancheng said. "Those images are still in my mind; maybe I can draw them."

Editor-in-Chief Qin handed him paper and pen: "Don't use rational thinking, let your hands follow your feelings."

Li Shancheng closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and then began to draw. This time, he didn't consciously try to recall the drawing; instead, he let his hand move freely. Lines extended across the paper, outlining a complex underground structure. When he finished the last stroke, he opened his eyes and was surprised by his own work.

The paper shows a complete three-dimensional structure: starting from a hidden corner of the library's underground parking garage, descending a spiral staircase, the location of the three protective doors, the layout of the mural hall, and finally, the location of the Book of Light at the center.

"This...this is the complete entry route map." Editor Qin's voice trembled slightly. "It even marks the locations of the protective mechanisms. Shancheng, are you really just a college student?"

"I'm sure." Li Shancheng smiled wryly. "Before this, I knew nothing about these things."

"Exceptional talent, or..." Editor-in-Chief Qin didn't finish his sentence, but Li Shancheng could sense the deeper meaning in his words.

A two-headed blue phoenix flew down from the sky and landed on the stone table. Its two heads took turns looking at the map and made cooing sounds.

"Qingluan recognized it too." Xu Qingqing stroked the bird's feathers. "It seems this picture is real."

Editor-in-Chief Qin put away the map, his expression resolute: "Tonight, we're going to the secret vault."

"Tonight?" Li Shancheng asked in surprise.

"The anomalies at the array's core are becoming increasingly obvious; we can't wait any longer," said Editor-in-Chief Qin. "The secret vault should contain logs recording the state of the array's core, which might provide evidence of surveillance. Moreover, if Shancheng is indeed the chosen candidate, entering the secret vault might trigger further inheritance."

"But how do we get in? The library is closed at night, and there are security guards," Xu Qingqing asked, raising a practical question.

Editor-in-Chief Qin revealed a mysterious smile: "If we can't get in through the official channels, we can use 'unofficial' channels. As one of the oldest array eyes in Kyoto City, the Wen Shu Array Eye has at least three backup entrances besides the main entrance to the library. One of them... is in Qingyun Alley."

Li Shancheng and Xu Qingqing were both stunned.

"Qingyun Alley itself is a small array eye, an auxiliary node of the Wenshu array eye," Chief Editor Qin explained. "From here, you can directly access the secret vault through the earth vein passage. However, the passage has not been used for decades and needs to be reactivated."

"How do I activate it?" Li Shancheng asked.

"Two conditions are required: the blood of the candidate for the array core, and the activation talisman of the guardian." Editor-in-Chief Qin looked at him, "Shancheng, are you willing to give it a try? This may be risky; the passage has not been used for many years, and the situation inside is unknown."

Li Shancheng answered almost without hesitation: "I'm willing."

It wasn't because he was particularly brave, but because ever since he came into contact with this world, a strong sense of mission and curiosity had taken root in his heart. He needed to know the truth, he needed to know why he had been chosen, and he needed to know the meaning behind it all.

"Okay." Editor-in-Chief Qin nodded. "Tonight at midnight, the yang energy is at its weakest and the yin energy is just beginning to emerge, making it the best time to open the earth vein passage. Xu Qingqing, prepare the necessary supplies. Shancheng, continue practicing your basic runes; you might need them tonight."

In the following period, under Xu Qingqing's guidance, Li Shancheng began to systematically study the basics of runes. He was surprised to find that those complex symbols became exceptionally clear in his eyes. The direction of each stroke and the angle of each turn seemed to be engraved in his memory, just waiting to be awakened.

"Your learning speed is three times faster than I've ever seen," Xu Qingqing exclaimed. "No wonder Editor-in-Chief Qin said you were special."

As evening fell, Editor-in-Chief Qin carried an ancient wooden box out of the main room. Inside the box were various strange tools: a bronze compass, a jade seal, specially made talisman paper and ink, and several bottles of potions of different colors.

"These are all tools left behind by the guardians of the past." Editor-in-Chief Qin carefully took out each item. "Tonight we will use the 'Earth Vein Compass' to guide our way, the 'Protective Jade Talisman' to resist the energy turbulence in the passage, and the 'Manifestation Incense' to illuminate unseen dangers."

As dusk settled, Qingyun Lane was shrouded in twilight. Editor-in-Chief Qin cleared a space in the center of the courtyard and used a special powder to draw a complex magic circle. A geomantic compass was placed in the center of the magic circle, and eight jade talismans were arranged around it according to the eight trigrams.

"Shancheng, stand at the Zhen position," Chief Editor Qin instructed. "Xu Qingqing, you stand at the Li position and are responsible for vigilance."

As midnight approached, the night was as dark as ink. The hustle and bustle of Kyoto was completely shut out here; the alley was so quiet you could hear your own heartbeat. Editor-in-Chief Qin lit three sticks of incense, and a strange fragrance filled the air. It wasn't the smell of ordinary spices, but rather a mixture of earthy scents after rain and the aroma of ancient books.

"In the name of the array's core, open the path of the earth's veins." Editor-in-Chief Qin began chanting the ancient incantation, his voice deep and rhythmic.

As the incantation was performed, the magic circle on the ground began to glow. First, a faint blue light, then gradually intensifying, finally turning a dazzling silver-white. The needle of the leyline compass spun wildly, then suddenly pointed downwards.

At that moment, Li Shancheng felt a warmth in his chest, not from the badge, but from some deeper resonance. The image of the secret vault reappeared in his mind, and this time, a silver path of light extended from the image, pointing to the depths of the earth.

The ground at the center of the magic circle began to become transparent, revealing a downward staircase below, with glowing runes engraved on the walls on both sides of the staircase.

"The passage is open." Editor-in-Chief Qin put away the incantation, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. "We only have two hours. After midnight, the passage will automatically close. Let's go."

He stepped into the passage first, followed closely by Li Shancheng and Xu Qingqing. Once they were fully inside, the ground above them closed again, as if it had never been opened at all.

The passage wasn't dark; runes on either side emitted a soft white light, illuminating the path ahead. The air was cool and fresh, completely devoid of the musty smell one would expect from underground. The stairs spiraled downwards, their depths unfathomable.

"How long is this passage?" Li Shancheng asked.

"The earth vein passage is not a concept of physical distance," Chief Editor Qin explained. "It is a rapid passage achieved through folded space. In fact, every step we take now is equivalent to walking one hundred meters on the ground."

After walking for about ten minutes, the passage ahead suddenly opened up. They arrived at a huge underground hall, the very space that Li Shancheng had seen in the video.

The hall's circular dome is inlaid with luminous gems arranged in a starry sky pattern. The surrounding walls are covered with murals depicting ancient cultivators setting up formations, sealing techniques, and battling demonic beasts. In the center of the hall, a book entirely composed of light floats—the core of the Wen Shu Formation Eye.

"Welcome to the Wenshu Secret Treasury." Editor-in-Chief Qin's voice echoed in the hall. "Here, the historical records of the array's core over the past 1,300 years are preserved."

Li Shancheng was speechless, stunned by the sight before him. Everything here surpassed his twenty years of understanding of the world—beautiful, mysterious, and solemn.

Suddenly, the pages of the Book of Light began to flip rapidly, and a beam of light shot out from the book, shining directly on Li Shancheng.

"It's scanning you," Editor-in-Chief Qin said. "Don't move, let it complete the verification."

The beam of light lingered on Li Shancheng for about thirty seconds before withdrawing. The Book of Light stopped turning its pages and slowly descended onto a stone platform, transforming into a physical object—a thick ancient book with a cover made of some unknown metal, inscribed with the three ancient characters "Wen Shu Zhi".

"It has recognized you." Editor-in-Chief Qin's voice was filled with relief. "Now, you can view the logs of the array's core."

Li Shancheng stepped forward and carefully opened the ancient book. The words on the pages flowed like living things, but when he concentrated, the words solidified and became content he could understand.