NOVEL WEB Chapter 226: I Shall Know The Heavens
On the other side of the continent, beyond the territory once ruled by the Bloodsucker Demon Sect, a young man sat quietly, absorbed in a book.
Around him were countless books, neatly arranged on grand wooden shelves. Protective arrays surrounded the shelves, keeping the books safe from the passage of time.
The young man looked frail and sickly, but when it came to reading, he could sit for hours, completely lost in the pages.
Hours passed in silence until a group of muscular men entered the library. They were the complete opposite of the frail young man—their muscles bulged under their robes, and they radiated a powerful, overwhelming energy.
"Well, if it isn't Sickly Tao, reading late again? Even if you're not cut out for body cultivation, what's the point of wasting your days here with books?" The leader of the group, Dong Long, walked closer to the young man.
The young man's name was Dong Tao. He was the son of the Dong family, the most powerful family in the Black Turtle Continent.
They controlled the Black Turtle Sect, one of the three ruling powers of the continent, which governed the western region.
"S-Senior Brother Long, it's not that I don't want to train, but you know my body isn't suited for body or qi cultivation…"
Dong Long shook his head. "That's a loser's mindset. No wonder the elders always criticize you. Anyway, I'm here to find a martial technique. See you around!"
Dong Long left, heading toward the shelves filled with books. The other men followed, chuckling at Dong Tao as they walked away.
Dong Tao sighed. Although Dong Long seemed harsh, compared to how others in his family treated him, Dong Long was almost kind.
"If only Mother and Father were still here…"
His parents had been powerful figures in the family, but they disappeared ten years ago while fighting in the alien war against foreign forces. Since then, Dong Tao's life has grown harder with each passing year.
Now thirty-five years old, Dong Tao had a cultivation level of only the 9th Foundation Establishment stage—mediocre at best. To make matters worse, the Dong family valued body cultivation above all else, and Dong Tao was born without the family's prized bloodline.
The Dong family's strength came from their bloodline, inherited from the Black Turtle divine beast. Those with purer bloodlines were stronger and held higher status in the family.
But Dong Tao had no trace of this bloodline.
The only reason he hadn't been kicked out of the family was out of respect for his father, who had one of the purest bloodlines in the family. Some even whispered that Dong Tao might not be his father's true son, suggesting he was the result of betrayal.
Dong Tao closed the book in his hand and walked through the wooden shelves, returning it to its proper place. He gazed at the shelves, admiring the books that had always brought him comfort.
"I've read most of the books here… Soon, I'll have to leave the family and search for new ones."
He continued walking, searching for any books he hadn't read yet. Dong Tao craved knowledge and the peace that books brought him.
Suddenly, his eyes widened in surprise. On the ground lay an old, worn book. Unlike the others, it wasn't on the shelves; it rested on the cold floor instead.
Dong Tao crouched down and picked up the book, examining its title. Only a single word was visible: Suppression.
"This book… I've never seen it before. Impossible! I know every book in the Dong family's collection," he muttered, his eyes wide with shock.
He opened the book, gently brushing his fingers over the worn pages. To his surprise, all the pages were blank.
"Why is it empty?" he wondered aloud.
As he flipped through the pages, his delicate hand was cut by the edge of a page. His blood was silently absorbed by the book.
In an instant, Dong Tao's vision changed. He found himself floating above a massive library. The number of books was staggering—no matter where he looked, he couldn't see the end of it.
Below him, a man with a scholarly appearance flipped through book after book. The man seemed focused, but the speed at which he turned the pages made Dong Tao doubt he was truly reading.
Yet, Dong Tao couldn't help but admire the man. He felt as though the man was like a sponge, absorbing every bit of knowledge around him. Dong Tao couldn't explain it, he just felt it.
Hours passed, then days, but the scholar never stopped reading. Books flew to him and away with a flick of his sleeve.
Dong Tao lost track of time, completely focused on the scholar. He felt he was on the verge of a revelation.
As he watched, Dong Tao realized he was seeing a reflection of himself. He was learning about himself.
He had found his Dao.
When this realization struck, the scholar closed the book in his hands. Instead of reaching for another, he looked up at Dong Tao and smiled.
"I shall know the Heavens."
—
Inside the Dong family's library, a man with long silver hair who didn't belong there watched Dong Tao standing in a daze, holding a book.
Given the strong defenses around the Dong family's territory, such an intruder should have been impossible, especially inside their library, where their most important secrets were kept.
Yet, the silver-haired man had entered unnoticed and stood there as if he were part of the place. Strangely, Dong Long, who had been searching for a martial technique, found one right behind the silver-haired man.
Dong Long picked up the martial technique without even noticing the man standing there. It was as if the man existed in that space but, at the same time, didn't.
When Dong Tao finally snapped out of his daze, the silver-haired man smiled faintly to himself.
"Master, it won't take much longer…" His voice was filled with melancholy.
Then, he vanished.