"...Please spare my transgression." He whispered. "...But, we might have offended Elder Rui…we should pacify him."
T-800 didn't understand at all but he knew that Lin Feng advice is valuable so he nodded.
"How?" He didn't ask what or why.
"...Two spirit stones would suffice." Lin Feng suggested with guilt because Two Spirit Stone is a large sum but it would be worth an investment for now.
They got 10, spent 3 on robes and now two more, half of their stipend already gone and they haven't spent anything on cultivation resources or other important things.
That's why Lin Feng felt guilty suggesting it.
T-800 now understood the whole nuance behind it. He calculated the logic behind Lin Feng's suggestion.
So far from what he has logged and studied the social structure of this new world, he could tell that it is built on resource scarcity and hierarchy, a transactional exchange was the most efficient method to neutralize hostility.
'Offense' was an abstract concept, but the restriction of future access to the library would be against Infiltration Doctrine.
T-800 turned back to the counter. The old Caretaker, Elder Rui, was already ignoring them, blowing smoke rings out of his pipe.
The T-800 placed two grey Spirit Stones on the wooden counter. The stones clicked on the wooden counter.
There was pause.
Lin Feng quickly jumped and came forward. "We apologize for disturbing your peace, Elder." He bowed.
T-800 also after a pause mimicked Lin Feng. "We apologize." He bent slightly and gave the cup salute.
Elder Rui's facial expression was unreadable but then he released a large puff of smoke.
"Fine…fine. You look like a lost bull…at least you are willing to learn. Now go…let me rest."
"Thanks elder…if you ever need any assistance we would be very eager to help." Lin Feng added.
"Would you?" The caretaker stared at Lin Feng first, Lin Feng nodded sincerely, then he turned to look at T-800.
T-800 also nodded, although it would be against his urgent need to understand and test his new theory but he decided to follow Lin Feng's cue.
The caretaker quickly collected the two spirit stones and leaned back to relax.
"What are your names?"
"I am Lin Feng and he is the new Enforcer, Tie Yuan."
Elder nodded as he sized up the T-800. "I do have a menial task…none is willing to help…if you help me then…" He left his words for interpretation and imagination.
"We are willing…please show us." Lin Feng immediately jumped and T-800 also nodded.
"Very good…" Elder Rui stood up immediately, and didn't look like he was an old man. "...follow me."
Elder Rui happily led them behind the counter, as if he had found a new bait, new specimens to test and experiment on.
They descended a short, spiraling stone staircase. The air here was colder, dry, and filled with the scent of decaying paper.
They emerged into a small, windowless cellar. In the center of the room sat a large, chaotic pile of broken jade slips, splintered bamboo scrolls, and cracked bone tablets.
"This," Elder Rui gestured with his pipe toward the pile, "is the Graveyard of Knowledge."
Lin Feng paled. He instinctively took a step back, hiding behind the T-800's massive frame. "E-Elder… these are Fractured Arts?"
"Sharp eye, boy," Elder Rui smirked, and didn't expect this boy to quickly understand what he is asking for.
"Why don't you explain it more?" Elder Rui gave Lin Feng the chance to explain it to Tie Yuan because he could tell Tie Yuan has not even basic knowledge of cultivation and the way he flipped those books, he was sure, he can't even read properly.
This brute just acted to impress him.
Lin Feng nodded and started explaining.
"Everyone's memories are not like carvings on stone, so we all keep a personal note, a Jade slip or a Bone Tablet to memorize our epiphanies, findings, theories and deep secrets."
Elder Rui nodded. "Yes, and when disciples get killed, or when an idiot tries to forcefully copy a technique and fails, the storage medium breaks. These slips contain fragmented spiritual imprints. Chaotic. Incomplete."
He kicked a piece of grey jade at his feet.
"Trying to read them usually results in a migraine that lasts three days. Reading too many? Qi Deviation. Mental collapse. Drooling idiocy."
Elder Rui looked at T-800 with a challenging smirk.
"The sect refuses to throw them away, thinking some genius might piece them together one day or it contains some deep dark secrets…"
Elder Rui sighed with a chuckle. "...But no disciple is willing to risk their sanity sorting this trash. My back hurts too much to do it."
He turned to address Tie Yuan and Lin Feng. "If you want to earn my generosity…help me with this task, come every week for an hour, that will be enough and help me finish this task…"
Elder Rui waited for a response. Lin Feng did not dare to answer on behalf of Tie Yuan.
Seeing no answer yet, Elder Rui decided to sweeten the pot.
"I will compensate you for this task, a Mind Clarity Pill every week…"
Lin Feng eyebrow perked but seeing no emotion on Tie Yuan he decided to not say yet.
"...Fine, if you work sincerely for a month I will let you access the Second Tier section for free."
Lin Feng's eyes bulged at that proposal. Free access to the Second Tier? That would save dozens of Spirit Stones! But…the cost is their own sanity.
Still nothing so Elder Rui gritted his teeth. "Fine…take this." He pulled out a small book out of his sleeve pocket.
Lin Feng quickly took the book with utmost courtesy. Then he slowly opened it, as he read the first line, the title, his eyes widened.
"Yes…how do you think I have kept my sanity in check doing this horrendous task alone by myself? This is…"...the Silent Mind Sutra! A Middle-Grade Yellow Tier auxiliary art!"
Lin Feng's hands trembled as he held the thin booklet. In the hierarchy of cultivation, defensive mental arts were rare, much rarer than offensive sword techniques.