"Boy, do you think you could do me a favor?" The elder in front of Lin Tian leaned in, his lips curled into a smile, adopting an overly polite and ingratiating tone.
"Let me guess—you're not asking me to condense all the books in your library, are you?" Lin Tian looked at the elder with a sharp, knowing expression.
"Since you're so magnanimous, young brother, allow me to express my gratitude in advance," the elder replied, cupping his fists in respect, his tone filled with false humility.
Lin Tian couldn't help but roll his eyes. He had seen many people with shamelessness, but the elder before him was on an entirely different level.
"When did I ever agree to that?" Lin Tian immediately rejected the elder's suggestion, his voice firm and unyielding.
"Young brother, rest assured. If you agree to condense all the content in my library, I will ensure that the Task Hall awards you one hundred thousand points," the elder said, his voice hurried. The library's collection had been growing exponentially, and now the shelves were almost full. If this continued, it would soon be impossible to store any more books.
For this reason, the elder had been racking his brain. But with Lin Tian's arrival, who had already condensed the content into one-tenth of its original volume, the elder saw a glimmer of hope. If Lin Tian could do the same for the rest of the library's books, it would free up a substantial amount of space.
"Do you think I'm someone who's fond of these points?" Lin Tian was taken aback by the sheer generosity of the offer. He had not expected the elder to be so lavish with his rewards. However, Lin Tian was not the kind of person who would be swayed by the lure of one hundred thousand points. The more insistent the elder became, the more Lin Tian would raise his own demands—this way, he could gain even more benefits.
"One hundred thousand points is the maximum I can offer at my current rank," the elder confessed, his face showing signs of difficulty. "You should know that even inner disciples need a full year to accumulate such a sum of points if they work quickly."
"I can accept your offer, but in addition to the one hundred thousand points, I have one more request. I want unrestricted access to the library—both the second and third floors, anytime I wish."
"Is that your only condition?" When Lin Tian made this request, the elder was initially concerned that the young man might ask for something outrageous. To his surprise, this request seemed almost trivial, a mere formality in the elder's eyes.
"This token will grant you access to all the floors of the library. As long as you carry it, you may enter freely," the elder said, handing Lin Tian a token. "However, there is one thing I must warn you about—do not, under any circumstances, read the stele on the fourth floor."
"Thank you, Elder," Lin Tian said, a smile creeping across his face as he accepted the token. He had been worried about how to gain access to the second floor, but now, it seemed he had secured it effortlessly.
However, receiving the elder's favor meant he would have to fulfill his part of the bargain. Lin Tian immediately got to work, picking up the thick scrolls in the library and meticulously reviewing them. Six hours later, the pile of condensed scrolls had grown to the size of a small mountain, and the elder carefully examined Lin Tian's revisions.
After all, a sect's library was a critical resource for guiding disciples in their cultivation. It was imperative that no mistakes were made.
"Let's call it a day," Lin Tian stretched and said, glancing at the scrolls. He began walking towards the library's exit, but as soon as he stepped outside, a figure appeared before him, blocking his path.
"Xiao Min?" Lin Tian's eyes widened in surprise as he saw who it was.
"You really know how to hide," Xiao Min's voice was laced with a cold, sinister tone as she stared at him.
"Sister, don't tell me you've been waiting outside the library all this time," Lin Tian said with a wry smile, his tone teasing.
Since fighting was strictly prohibited inside the library, Xiao Min, no matter how displeased she was, would never enter to confront him. Clearly, waiting outside was the safer and more sensible option. But the fact that she had stayed outside for at least five hours after the formation was broken made Lin Tian chuckle inwardly.
"Who cares if I have to guard this place for a whole day and night, as long as I get to teach you a lesson," Xiao Min's eyes gleamed with murder. "Boy, I wonder if you still have any tricks left after that formation."
"Tricks? To deal with you, I don't need any formations," Lin Tian replied, his voice dripping with confidence.
"No tricks?" Xiao Min blinked, momentarily taken aback by his audacity. But her anger flared up immediately afterward. She had been careless before, letting Lin Tian catch her off guard, but she vowed not to make that mistake again.
"Indeed. My hand, which has been copying these scrolls, is more than enough to bring you down," Lin Tian said, raising his voice so that it could be heard by the library behind him.
"Arrogant," Xiao Min spat. Furious, she erupted with spiritual energy, her fist crackling with power as she launched herself at Lin Tian.
But before she could even get within a meter, a hand shot out and stopped her in her tracks. A white-haired elder appeared before Lin Tian, standing firmly in his way.
"This is the library, not a place for your tantrums," the elder said sternly, his voice laced with authority. Though Xiao Min was a full cultivation realm above Lin Tian, the elder knew that if they clashed now, Lin Tian's hand—his hand that had been working diligently copying the scrolls—would be destroyed. And that was something he could not allow to happen.
At least for now, he had no intention of seeing Lin Tian harmed.
"So, this is the person you've brought to your aid?" Xiao Min sneered, her tone dripping with arrogance.