Chapter 51 – The door of the Scripture Pavilion is open for you
Chapter 51 – The door of the Scripture Pavilion is open for you
The next day, Meng Fan, with Elder Lin's token in hand, arrived at the Scripture Pavilion.
Elder Lin had mentioned he'd already notified Old Wang of the Scripture Pavilion, so with the token, Meng Fan should have unhindered access throughout the pavilion.
Just not the fifth floor!
Indeed, it was as Elder Lin said. Once Meng Fan presented the token upon entering, no one bothered him as he perused the scriptures within.
Meng Fan wandered through this ocean of knowledge, spending an entire day immersed in the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion.
Comprehending the Sword God Stele was, after all, understanding the insights of others.
But here in the Scripture Pavilion, observing the sword techniques, Meng Fan was studying and researching something of his own.
The Shu Mountain Sword Sect's Scripture Pavilion housed countless sword techniques, yet Meng Fan had no intention of learning any specific one.
Instead, he planned to study these techniques to create his own "Myriad Swords Returning to One."
This idea had been with Meng Fan for some time, especially under the encompassing nature of the Primordial Dao, which ensured his decision would yield twice the result with half the effort.
For the average disciple, it might be possible to study only a few sword techniques in a day.
But Meng Fan, with the bug that was Sword Dao Transcendence, could grasp the essence of any sword technique with just a cursory glance.
He didn't need to master these techniques thoroughly; a single look and a lasting impression were enough.
The key was to learn by analogy!
By the end of the day, Meng Fan had reviewed hundreds of sword techniques.
In a corner of the first floor of the Sword Pavilion, an elder had been observing Meng Fan ever since he entered the Scripture Pavilion.
This was the Old Wang that Elder Lin had spoken of.
Old Wang's status in the Scripture Pavilion was equivalent to that of Elder Lin in the Sword Pavilion.
He and Elder Lin were old friends, and lately, Elder Lin had been boasting about his excellent new disciple.
So when Meng Fan came to the Scripture Pavilion, Old Wang was very curious!
He wanted to see what kind of disciple Elder Lin had taken on that made him so insufferably proud.
After watching Meng Fan for a day, he was somewhat disappointed.
Because the young man had spent the whole day looking at sword techniques.
But he had merely skimmed through them all, hastily and messily!
Such a cursory review of the sword techniques was meaningless, a sheer waste of time.
Was this young man here just to look at the names of these techniques?
Elder Lin, who never bowed his head to him, had actually softened this time just to give this youngster a chance to enter the Scripture Pavilion.
Yet, this youngster didn't cherish the opportunity, which made Old Wang feel a hint of anger.
With a bit of anger in his heart, Old Wang approached Meng Fan.
He looked at Meng Fan coldly and said, "What's the point of flipping through the sword techniques so carelessly, young man?"
Meng Fan looked up, clearly startled, as he hadn't sensed anyone approaching.
"Senior, I am studying and researching these sword techniques, not flipping through them aimlessly!" Meng Fan replied to the elder.
This elder had an extraordinary presence, certainly not a paper tiger like Senior Disciple Luo.
Such a senior deserved respect!
"Studying? If you're studying, then study properly! Flipping through the books so frantically, what can you learn? Do you even remember a single word?"
"Do you know how much effort your master put into getting you this opportunity to study in the Scripture Pavilion?"
"Wasting time like this, unfocused and half-hearted, you're really squandering someone else's kindness!"
Hearing the old man's angry words, Meng Fan realized that this was Old Wang, the one Elder Lin had mentioned.
"Old Wang, please don't be angry," Meng Fan said with a helpless wry smile.
"Me, angry? Why should I be angry? You're not my disciple!" Old Wang looked at Meng Fan with disdain.
Meng Fan smiled. He understood what Old Wang was angry about.
If anything, it was because he was too outstanding!
"Old Wang, do you think I'm not taking these sword techniques seriously and wasting time?"
"What else could it be?"
"Then why don't you test me, Senior? The sword techniques on the shelves behind you are the ones I've just gone through. Pick any one."
"Heh, still stubborn when you're clearly in the wrong!"
Old Wang randomly picked a sword technique from the shelf.
"Golden Yuan Sword Technique"
"I ask you about this Golden Yuan Sword Technique..."
...
...
Moments later, Old Wang stared at Meng Fan, dumbfounded, as if looking at a monstrosity.
He had tested Meng Fan with more than a dozen sword techniques, and Meng Fan had managed to remember something about each one.
What was terrifying was that the more they discussed the techniques, the deeper Meng Fan's understanding seemed to be.
It was as if he had grasped the essence of the techniques with just one look.
This was simply impossible!
But if it were just one technique, Old Wang could have dismissed it as a fluke, perhaps Meng Fan had studied that technique before.
But the same was true for over a dozen techniques in a row.
This...
Only proved that the kid was a monstrosity, a complete and utter monstrosity.
No wonder Elder Lin was so insufferably proud when he talked about this disciple!
If he had such a disciple, he too would be over the moon.
Alas, he was a step too late!
At that moment, Old Wang even pondered whether there was a way to snatch Meng Fan as his own disciple.
After much thought, he gave up.
Because he couldn't beat Elder Lin!
If he could, he would have shamelessly snatched Meng Fan for himself.
"The Scripture Pavilion is closing, you can go back now," Old Wang suddenly said to Meng Fan.
"Huh?" Meng Fan looked at Old Wang in surprise and said, "Old Wang, my master said I could study here for ten days and nights. Does that mean I can stay here at night too?"
"Ten days and nights without sleep? How can you have the energy to read like that?
Starting today, you can come to the Scripture Pavilion whenever you want, there's no ten-day limit.
Even if you stay in the Scripture Pavilion for a month, I won't chase you away!
Go back and rest now. Only with proper rest can you be in the best state to read."
Old Wang's words left Meng Fan somewhat stunned.
He had thought that being allowed to study in the Scripture Pavilion for ten days and nights was a great fortune.
But now, out of the blue, it had turned into unlimited access?
The doors of the Scripture Pavilion would always be open to him?
Meng Fan stared at Old Wang, dumbfounded, wondering if the old man was really so capricious.
But, I quite like it!
Once Meng Fan recovered, he quickly thanked Old Wang with excitement and gratitude.
"Thank you, Old Wang!"
Moments later, as Old Wang watched Meng Fan leave the Scripture Pavilion, he let out a soft sigh.
How had he not encountered this monstrous genius earlier, allowing Elder Lin to get the jump on him!
Although Meng Fan wasn't his disciple, he truly had taken a liking to him.
A place like the Scripture Pavilion should indeed be fully open to prodigies like Meng Fan.
For someone like him, destined to become a pillar of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect, it would be the sect's biggest joke if he couldn't rise due to lack of access to the scriptures!