Chapter 16: The First Glimpse of Life

Leng Sha was one of the trainees who survived back then. Because of this, he understood all too well the meaning and weight carried by the term “Forbidden Zone.” When he heard that Wuying had sent Du Gu Bieli to the Forbidden Zone, his initial shock quickly gave way to a rising tide of questions. But Wuying had no patience for them; he cut straight to the point, asking, “Are you satisfied with this arrangement?”

Leng Sha hesitated, lowering his head in contemplation. After a long silence, he let out a sly laugh. “That place isn’t so bad, you know. There are endless cultivation methods and profound arts to study and borrow, and a wealth of rare minerals and essences—take whatever you want, freely and conveniently, with no one to oversee you. If anything, it sounds more like a reward than a punishment, heh…”

“You…” Wuying pointed at him, shaking his head with a wry smile, the oppressive weight of the forbidden zone’s name dispelled in an instant. He helped Leng Sha analyze, “True, there are storerooms filled with minerals—if you’re lucky, you might even find the Five Element Essences, maybe even piece together a complete set for your future fusion. There’s also the library, with countless cultivation techniques and insights painstakingly recorded by previous generations… But you’re missing something—or perhaps you’re deliberately ignoring it. Imagine, a new student coming to Butterfly Academy, what are they after? Don’t feed me those lofty ideals; in reality, who isn’t hoping for guidance from a master, to avoid detours and advance swiftly along their path? By assigning Du Gu Bieli to the forbidden zone, where there are no teachers, his progress will be painfully slow. For a student whose sole aim is to grow in strength, is there anything more agonizing?”

“All right, enough!” Leng Sha raised both hands in surrender, feigning defeat. “If you keep going, I’ll start thinking I’m some kind of monster, guilty of unforgivable crimes… Fine, let him stay in the forbidden… I mean, in the library. It’s been thirty years; I bet the dust is piled thick in there. Someone diligent is just what’s needed to clean it up…”

“If you’re satisfied, then get out!” Wuying, having gained the upper hand, glared and loudly shooed him away.

Leng Sha chuckled, rubbing his hands as he backed out. Once he was outside, his expression turned grave and heavy. “Old man, do you really intend to reopen the library and storeroom? You must consider this carefully before deciding, no matter how much it might benefit the academy as a whole. Even the Queen will be hard to convince… The Spirit Garment—that’s the Queen’s pain…”

Inside, Wuying shed his mask of laughter and scolding, his brow furrowed tight. He gazed upward, mumbling in a daze, “Your Majesty, if I open the Forbidden Zone, will you agree? Over the years, the Headmaster and I have debated this many times, and I’ve always held back, but I know it could propel the academy to new heights… I only hope that the pain left by the Spirit Garment has finally faded away… Du Gu Bieli, he’s a fine seedling—he’s already advanced to the rank of General so quickly. If cultivated well, he could become a pillar of the academy, even represent us in the Eastern Wasteland Academy Tournament… Ah, I nearly forgot my true intention. This boy also has a unique technique—he can absorb the physical essence and spiritual energy of others to nourish himself… I can condense vortices to absorb matter, but for it to work even on cultivators, that’s unheard of. What secret art is this? Could it be a legacy from some ancient deity or demon?”

Wuying stroked his beard, pondering further. “If I’m not mistaken, that technique should also be able to absorb sealing energies. If so, then my precious niece’s troubles might finally be resolved…”

The mere possibility that his dearest wish could come true and a thorny problem be unraveled made Wuying chuckle foolishly to himself.

…

“To the library?” Du Gu Bieli stared blankly at Wuying, lost and uncertain. He even wondered if this was some kind of joke. “Why?”

“Not just the library—the storeroom as well.” Wuying’s tone was solemn, the majesty of a Seer settling over him like a mountain, pressing on the heart and senses. It was clear he wasn’t joking.

“If you wish to live peacefully here at the academy, don’t ask for reasons.” Wuying didn’t explain that this was the result of a compromise with Leng Sha; instead, he offered another excuse, “Just do as I say. You’ll benefit from it in the end. For instance, if you run into trouble in the future, you can invoke my name—I’ll protect you.”

Du Gu Bieli was speechless.

Seeing that he still had requests to make, Wuying softened his approach, enticing, “The storeroom holds countless mineral essences. If you sort them carefully, you might just gather the Five Element Essences, which will benefit your cultivation. The library contains thousands upon thousands of techniques for you to select, study, and comprehend, broadening your horizons and deepening your understanding, shattering the limitations of knowledge and cultivation… Of course, even if you care nothing for these, think of the benefits they could bring to those close to you…”

“I’ll go!”

That last line struck a chord with Du Gu Bieli. He didn’t care for himself, but knowing it would help his younger sister and the children, he agreed at once. Wuying, intending to say more, was caught off guard by his quick acceptance and swallowed his words. Rising to his feet, he gazed intently at Du Gu Bieli, reached into his robe, and retrieved a peculiar token—roughly rectangular, with wings on either side, resembling a butterfly in flight. He pressed it gently to Du Gu Bieli’s forehead. Instantly, a beam of light flashed, shining on his brow before fading away.

Wuying handed the token over, saying, “This is the Queen’s token. I’ve granted you access—you can freely enter and leave the Forbidden Zone. Use it wisely. If you wish to bring someone close, they’ll need this process as well, or they’ll suffer the Queen’s wrath; in severe cases, it could cost their lives. Remember that well.”

With that, Wuying pointed again, transmitting the location of the Forbidden Zone directly into Du Gu Bieli’s consciousness. Du Gu Bieli shuddered, then turned silently away without asking how long he was to remain there, and departed.

Staring after him, Wuying sighed softly and murmured, “For my own selfish reasons, I’m sending you to the Forbidden Zone. Whatever you lose, I will make it up to you. If… if you can use that unique technique to ease Xiruo’s suffering, I, Wuying, swear I will protect you all my life.”

…

The ground was pitted and scarred, as if eroded by a meteor shower—ruined and desolate. Walking through the Forbidden Zone, Du Gu Bieli felt as though he was traversing the ravages of lost years, tasting the weight of time and decay.

The storeroom was a single-story building, but its true storage space was below ground, concealing further mysteries. Not far from the storeroom stood the library.

The library rose seven stories high, each floor distinct. Over the main entrance on the ground floor hung a plaque inscribed “Hall of Collected Books,” the calligraphy bold and majestic, exuding an aura of unrivaled dominance that struck the soul with awe.

He placed his hand on the doors, pressed gently, then pushed with force—his vision instantly opened wide. The library’s interior, clearly expanded through some spatial art, stretched for miles. Rows upon rows of bookshelves extended into the distance, scattered with folded animal hides—draped, hung, or spread on the floor—in a state of some disarray.

Du Gu Bieli was about to step inside when a wave of musty decay, sharp and earthy, surged into his face, stinging his nose and mouth. He hastily retreated, thought for a moment, and turned to throw open the storeroom’s doors.

Decades of neglect had left a thick layer of dust. Now, as the doors stood wide, fresh air began to circulate, carrying out the dense, lingering scent of the ages—the pent-up melancholy of years, rushing forth eagerly. It would take some time for the air to clear enough for the place to be bearable, so Du Gu Bieli could do nothing but wait outside. Finding a flat spot, he sat down to meditate.

For days he had been on the move, constantly fighting. Even with his primordial physique and abundant energy, he was exhausted and in dire need of rest. Especially his spirit, which was weary to the bone. Lacking any supportive cultivation arts, he could only pin his hopes on sleep for recovery.

“Why have they sent me here? What’s Wuying’s intention?” Du Gu Bieli pondered in silence. “I’m just a mere general, of little use or value—nothing worth exploiting… Since I’m here, and tasked with cleaning the storeroom and library, I’ll probably be here a while. That saves a lot of trouble, and I can bring my sister and the children to stay—it could be a safe haven… As for learning directly from teachers, I don’t really need it; that mysterious inheritance is enough for my cultivation…”

“Now, I’ve already mastered the Tenfold Body Refinement Art; the Myriad-Phase Fist still needs work. Beyond that, there are other techniques I could study if I have the time… Since I have nothing else to do, why not embrace it?” He chuckled softly to himself, shaking his head, then steadied his mind, gathering his spirit, and began to search for information within his sea of consciousness.

Tap. Tap.

Just as he was about to search for and comprehend new techniques, faint footsteps approached his ears, drawing closer.

“Without a token, who could come in here?” Du Gu Bieli’s eyes flashed as he looked toward the sound. He saw a handsome, delicate youth wearing a cap and carrying a basket, approaching carefully, his eyes full of caution.

“He’s even smaller than I am; looks like I’m not the only one.” Due to cultivating the Tenfold Body Refinement Art, his physical frame had shrunk, and he was typically shorter than other men—a source of mild irritation, now somewhat relieved. Du Gu Bieli smiled and asked, “Who are you? How can you come and go here freely?”

“Ah…” The youth hadn’t noticed Du Gu Bieli was awake. At the sudden question, he jumped in fright, his face turning pale as a sheet, his wide eyes full of terror like a startled rabbit. Pressing his lips together, he summoned all his courage and replied in a small, timid voice, “My name is Su Xiruo… I brought you food, for you…”

As he spoke, he crouched and set the basket on the ground, then, flustered, sprang to his feet and hurried away on quick, scurrying steps.