Chapter 5: Sutra Depository
Inside the Sutra Depository of Wuhua Palace, Ye Changsheng was reading about the Art of Talisman Cultivation.
There weren’t many people in the Sutra Depository, especially men, so he stood out a bit.
“To study the Art of Talisman Cultivation, one must enter a state of selflessness, achieve unity between mind and brush, and use the Talisman Master’s origin spiritual energy to draw talismans.”
“Drawing talismans of different realms requires spiritual energy of the corresponding realm, and the materials also vary.”
“The more special the efficacy of a talisman, the more special, rare, and expensive the materials will be…”
Ye Changsheng read the records in the manual and shook his head.
“Is that all?”
The methods for drawing talismans recorded were only introductory ones like the Wood Escape Talisman, Light Body Talisman, and Cold Resistance Talisman. Advanced talismans like the Shennong Talisman and Extreme Flame Talisman, which Ye Changsheng had mastered, were not mentioned at all.
This was not surprising, as the cultivation techniques and martial arts recorded in the outer depostory of the Sutra Depository were very ordinary. If one wanted to learn more powerful inner sect skills, they would have to go to the heavily guarded inner depostory.
And the inner depostory was only accessible to Elders or core disciples.
“Fortunately, I don’t really need to learn these things,” Ye Changsheng closed the book, “Introduction to Talisman Cultivation for Rapid Mastery.”
In the Wuji Immortal Realm, Mo Baizhi had taught him various disciplines to cultivate Ye Changsheng.
He had learned a little about artifact cultivation, pill cultivation, talisman cultivation, formation cultivation, and so on.
His purpose for coming to the Sutra Depository was to find information about the Heartbreak Flower, but as usual, he came up empty.
Instead, he ended up learning some useless things unique to Wuhua Palace, like the Complementary Technique…
Ahem.
Ye Changsheng walked out of the Sutra Depository and happened to run into the attendant in charge of managing it.
“Wuxiao, are you leaving?” asked a woman in red with a proud figure, greeting Ye Changsheng with seductive movements.
“Greetings, Attendant Chang Yu, this disciple is preparing to leave,” Ye Changsheng replied politely.
Her name was Chang Yu. She had been an Inner Disciple before Ye Changsheng entered Wuhua Palace and had been promoted to an attendant of the Sutra Depository in the past three years.
“Wuxiao, you don’t have to be so formal.”
Chang Yu was not very reserved, as they had known each other for three years.
“I miss you a little. Other cauldrons are no good; only you are quite capable. Now that you’re exclusively for the Young Palace Mistress, no one else can touch you.”
Chang Yu had a lively personality, speaking her mind directly. In fact, being in charge of the Sutra Depository felt like a form of torture to her.
“The Young Palace Mistress would be unhappy if she heard that,” Ye Changsheng reminded her.
“You’ve really become well-behaved,”
Chang Yu stared at Ye Changsheng for a long time without speaking.
“What is it?” Ye Changsheng asked.
“I’m wondering, could you be the traitor rumored in Wuhua Palace recently?”
“If I were a traitor with ulterior motives, I would have already whispered it into the Young Palace Mistress’s ear.”
The treatment of cauldrons in Wuhua Palace was not much different from that of Outer Disciples. They received a small amount of Spiritual Stones each month, not enough to buy anything good within the sect.
Most cauldrons simply gave up, indulging in pleasure and abandoning further cultivation.
As Luo Yingying’s exclusive cauldron, Ye Changsheng had considerable convenience but rarely acted on it to curry favor or ask for things, which was widely known in Wuhua Palace.
“Wuxiao, you really are an exception. You never seem to do anything memorable,” Chang Yu said. “You don’t show much interest in either cultivation techniques or pills.”
The Young Palace Mistress was the future of Wuhua Palace and received extreme attention from the sect. The upper echelons already had many reservations about her exclusive cauldron arrangement. Some Elders already viewed Ye Changsheng as a disaster that would hinder Luo Yingying, but they couldn’t find enough excuses to act because Ye Changsheng performed adequately.
If he were to give the outside world any excuse, it would undoubtedly lead to endless trouble.
In fact, Ye Changsheng did not want to act too aggressively; he had even handled the matter of the Heartless Seal with extreme caution.
“But—!”
Chang Yu suddenly raised her voice, leaning close to Ye Changsheng as if to fall into his arms, whispering suggestive words into his ear.
“All men are greedy. If you say you desire nothing, that’s strange. Why come to Wuhua Palace if you’re indifferent? You might as well become a monk.”
“I desire beautiful women.”
“Lies! You always look so indifferent.”
“I’m outwardly cold but inwardly passionate.”
“I don’t believe you; you’re too passive.”
“Alright, alright,” Ye Changsheng raised his hands in surrender. “Actually, I want to become a formal member of Wuhua Palace, to join Wuhua Palace, which is why I’m abiding by the rules and not violating any sect regulations.”
Chang Yu was surprised, “This is it?”
“If I don’t want to rely on the Young Palace Mistress, I won’t have so many restrictions after becoming a formal disciple.”
“That answer is reasonable, but,” Chang Yu patted Ye Changsheng’s shoulder earnestly, “Wuxiao, that’s very difficult.”
After all, Wuhua Palace was a sect dominated by women, and the status of men was obvious. Throughout the sect’s history, almost no man had left their name.
“But it’s not entirely impossible, right?”
“Then you should work hard. I will watch you from afar and cheer you on in my heart.”
“Senior Sister Chang Yu, we’ve known each other a long time. Can’t you give me a hand and put in a good word for me with the Elders?”
“Get out, get out! Who’s known you a long time? Be serious! Call me Attendant!”
As Ye Changsheng and Chang Yu were chatting, a young girl walked out of the Sutra Depository. She saw Chang Yu and Ye Changsheng talking and laughing, her face showing clear displeasure.
“Greetings, Attendant Chang Yu. Ah, how can someone not watch where they’re going? So annoying.”
She walked up to Ye Changsheng and deliberately jostled past him, bumping into him provocatively.
Ye Changsheng stumbled back a step, clearing the way.
Upon closer inspection, this girl was an Inner Disciple of Wuhua Palace, wearing twin ponytails. She was not old, close to Luo Yingying’s age, and of the cute type.
She had bell ornaments hanging from her braids, which jingled as she walked. If one paid attention, her attire was even imitating Luo Yingying’s style.
Ye Changsheng remembered she was Ling Xiaoxing, who had recently advanced from Outer Disciple to Inner Disciple. He just couldn’t understand why her hostility towards him was so strong.
“Oh, isn’t this the cauldron of Wuhua Palace? What are you doing here?” Ling Xiaoxing proudly puffed out her chest. “A cauldron should act like a cauldron and indulge in pleasure. Don’t get in the way of Inner Disciples studying cultivation techniques!”
Ye Changsheng had long developed resilience from the many people who looked down on him.
“Senior Sister Xiaoxing, I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention earlier. Did I hurt you?” Ye Changsheng remained unfazed and calmly responded.
“Hmph, who asked you? So fake,” Ling Xiaoxing felt she had gained nothing and turned her head away, throwing a childish tantrum.
Chang Yu shrugged. As long as it wasn’t a matter of principle, it was indeed difficult for her to say much for Ye Changsheng. But with a shift in thought, she addressed Ling Xiaoxing.
“Ling Xiaoxing, now that you’ve become an Inner Disciple, you should start cultivating the Flower Transferring Art,” Chang Yu teased. “If you don’t cultivate, other Inner Disciples will laugh at you.”
Ling Xiaoxing’s face turned red, and she stammered incomprehensible excuses like “considering the timing and favorable conditions” and “cultivation cannot be rushed” and “I haven’t found a satisfactory opportunity,” filling the Sutra Depository with a cheerful atmosphere.
Finally, unable to bear the awkwardness, she prepared to leave. At the door, she suddenly turned back, one hand on her hip and the other pointing at Ye Changsheng, arrogantly saying, “Cauldron! I warn you, you seductive disaster, don’t harm the Young Palace Mistress. You don’t deserve to be by the Young Palace Mistress’s side!”
Before Ye Changsheng could say anything, Ling Xiaoxing darted away.
