NOVEL WEB chapter 33
33. A Dog
Lin Nuo was puzzled about the origin of the note.
It seemed like a reading note or a reflective essay.
Lin Nuo glanced at the Dao Yuan spiritual cat.
“Great Sage Cat, do you know who wrote this note?”
However, the spiritual cat stretched lazily and replied:
“I have no idea.”
Lin Nuo found it strange, pondering over the few people in the library, and anyone flipping through “One Thousand Years of Solitude” would definitely catch the fat cat’s attention.
It claimed ignorance, could it be that this was truly an ancient tome, left to him by an ancestor from eons ago?
No, looking at the handwriting, the note seemed recently written.
Who else would flip through this dry and tasteless ancient book like him?
It was likely that a reader, after perusing “One Thousand Years of Solitude” and feeling inspired, had casually jotted down a thought.
Lin Nuo remembered, there seemed to be a charming tale in this world, about a group of impoverished scholars who couldn’t afford books and could only borrow from public libraries. Among them, a scholar was moved to write a thought on a slip of paper, which he then placed inside a book. Later, other readers saw it and began to write their thoughts too. Over time, that slip of paper was filled with reflective notes. After these scholars achieved success and returned home in glory, they revisited the slip of paper, filled with emotion, reminiscing about their challenging past. This story eventually became a celebrated anecdote passed down through generations.
It looked like this could be the Xuan Yun Sect’s version of the charming tale.
To encounter it was fate, to join in the fun, I, Lin, shall also leave a thought for remembrance.
What to write? ‘An unknown handsome guy passed by here’?
No, no, that’s too common. The art of writing reflective notes lies in its subtlety and depth of meaning.
After some thought, Lin Nuo penned down a phrase on the paper:
“Knowing fate does not mean submitting to it.”
This sentence perfectly represented his own thoughts.
To “know fate” meant he was aware that his destiny was to play the villain, and “not submitting to it” meant he refused to succumb to the fate of being killed by the protagonist.
He, Lin Nuo, harbored a golden dream—to live in a world where villains could also defeat the protagonists.
Excellent, succinct yet profound, mainly because it carried enough prestige. In the future, it would certainly be remembered for ages, becoming a tale worth retelling.
Having finished writing, Lin Nuo placed the note back into “One Thousand Years of Solitude” and closed the book.
“Let’s go, Great Sage Cat.”
He returned “One Thousand Years of Solitude” to the shelf and took the trilogy of Qi cultivation to register with Zhao Yueqing.
Dao Yuan spiritual cat didn’t say anything, just stretched lazily and continued to roam among the bookshelves.
…
In the quiet Zi Library, the sound of pages turning could be heard from time to time.
Zhao Yueqing placed the newly arrived books on the shelf and tidied up a bit.
“I’ve finished organizing the last batch of new books, so tiring.”
Zhao Yueqing gently wiped the sweat from her forehead, murmuring softly.
As the readers of the book pavilion gradually left, she felt it was almost time to close up.
“Let’s tidy up and get ready to go back.”
Click, click, click… The crisp sound of high heels echoed, and around the corner of the bookshelves emerged a cool, silver-haired girl.
“Shi, Sister Shili.”
Zhao Yueqing greeted her in a low voice, and Qin Shili nodded slightly in response.
With her cold and stunning beauty, elegant demeanor, and confident stride, Qin Shili, the strongest of her peers at Xuan Yun Sect, seemed to be surrounded by a thick layer of ice, isolating Zhao Yueqing.
The Ice Queen’s presence also carried an intangible aura, making others unconsciously treat her with the utmost respect.
Qin Shili was a regular at this book pavilion, where she liked to pick one or two profound books, sit quietly, and read, absorbing the precious wisdom of the ancients.
Zhao Yueqing quietly left, not daring to disturb her.
Qin Shili scanned the books on the shelves and took down one.
“One Hundred Years of Solitude.”
She found a corner to sit down, turning the pages slowly until she came to a stop at a note.
There were two sentences on the note. “I once owned the vast sea and sky, yet my heart longs for the deep abyss,” and “Fate known, yet not bowed to.”
The first beautifully written sentence was her own, while the second, though not flattering in handwriting, seemed to hide a profound meaning in its mere five words.
A lazy, plump black-and-white cat with half-closed eyes approached Qin Shili, then agilely jumped onto the desk, gazing at her.
“Senior Daoyuan, do you know who wrote the second sentence?”
Qin Shili communicated with Daoyuan, the spirit cat, using a telepathic technique, a privilege granted only to cultivators recognized by the spirit cat.
With a casual air, Daoyuan, the spirit cat, replied:
“A dog.”