Even though Long Chen was used to the world, seeing the nearly endless bookshelves before him still made him exclaim in surprise.
The Sutra Library of the First Academy is ten times larger than the main hall, almost endless at a glance. The bookshelves hold ancient books, jade slips, animal skins, bone carvings, and countless other ways of recording characters.
This is the ocean of secret manuals. All the classics, except for alchemy, are all included, and are all thoroughly categorized by rank.
"Jin"
When Bai Shishi saw a shape hint on a row of bookshelves, she immediately ran over. Looking at the countless ancient books, she was overwhelmed with excitement. She casually took out a book to study, and instantly felt as if she were possessed.
The others did the same. Yue Zifeng went to the bookshelf labeled "Sword" and refused to leave. Gu Yang, Li Qi, Song Mingyuan, Bai Xiaole, and others also found the bookshelf area where they recorded their attributes and began carefully studying ancient books. Even the little fox ran to a pile of beast bones, wondering what it was doing.
Long Chen and Yu Qingxuan followed Lu Chengkong deeper into the bookshelf. When they reached the end, stone platforms shrouded in light screens appeared before them. On these platforms were various rare ancient books, clearly making the books here even more precious.
Suddenly, Long Chen and Yu Qingxuan saw one of the stone platforms at the same time, their bodies trembling. On the platform, two gray scrolls were placed.
The scroll was neither made of gold nor paper, nor animal hide, nor a bone book. It was impossible to tell what it was made of. The scroll had already yellowed, clearly very old.
On the stone platform, there was a formation barrier guarding it, and the barrier wasn't even a single layer—it had eighteen layers of barriers firmly sealing it off.
Most of the barriers on other stone platforms had only one or two, but this one had eighteen barriers. Even under the seal of these eighteen barriers, Long Chen could still feel their powerful flame fluctuations.
When they arrived at the stone platform and saw the two opened scrolls, Long Chen and Yu Qingxuan's gaze was immediately drawn to the scrolls.
On one scroll, there was actually a blue lotus drawn on it. When Long Chen's gaze fixed on the lotus, it trembled slightly, as if some power was flowing within it, as if it were alive.
"Is this ...?"
Long Chen looked closely and was shocked to find that the lotus was made up of billions of runes, which moved rhythmically like a swarm of ants.
Within that rhythm, Long Chen sensed a terrifying aura of destruction, as if its operation was the process of the world heading toward destruction.
The runes moved at varying speeds, sometimes slow, sometimes fast, sometimes fast, but no matter how they moved, the lotus's shape remained unchanged.
"These two scrolls are the last two volumes of the Great Brahma Sutra. It's said that this is the eighth volume, and the other is the ninth volume." Lu Chengkong pointed at the scroll with lotus patterns.
Long Chen and Yu Qingxuan slowly shifted their gaze to Volume Nine. Both were stunned at the same time, because Volume Nine had nothing at all—a blank space.
"Are you sure this is Volume Nine?" Long Chen couldn't help but ask.
Lu Chengkong said, "These two volumes of the Great Brahma Heaven Sutra have been preserved here ever since. It's said that they were there when the First Branch Academy was established."
Although it had been moved several times, the stone platform and barrier had never been opened. If there was no mistake at first, these two scrolls recorded the last two volumes of the Great Brahma Heaven Sutra. "
Luchengkong didn't dare to speak too harshly, but these two scrolls were treasured treasures of the First Academy and could never be swapped, so their authenticity should be beyond doubt.
"What did you see?" Long Chen suddenly looked at Yu Qingxuan.
Yu Qingxuan was slightly taken aback and said, "A vibrant plain, countless beings made of runes are running about." At
that moment, Long Chen's eyes widened. He looked at the lotus again. No matter how hard he tried, changing angles, he couldn't see any other form.
It was a green lotus, surrounded by endless chaotic energy, the vast aura of destruction making one's scalp tingle. How could it possibly be a vibrant wilderness?
Seeing Long Chen's expression, Yu Qingxuan sensed something was off. Before she could ask him, Long Chen looked at Lu Chengkong and said,
"Dean Chengkong, what pattern do you see?"
Lu Chengkong was stunned: "Isn't this just a towering tree stained with golden flames?" At
that moment, all three were stunned. They looked at the same picture, but saw completely different patterns.
"Lord of the City, have you ever cultivated the Great Brahma Heaven Scripture?" Long Chen asked.
"I am dull-witted. When I was a hundred years old, I cultivated the Great Brahma Sutra to Volume Seven, but for more than eight thousand years since then, there has been no progress at all.
Even now, the eighth volume of the Great Brahma Heaven Sutra still hasn't been comprehended at all, which is truly shameful. "Lu Chengkong said.
Lu Chengkong had actually cultivated the Great Brahma Heaven Sutra, and had already mastered the first seven volumes. Both Long Chen and Yu Qingxuan were shocked.
"Dean Chengkong, could you recite the seventh scroll? You don't need to use the power of the flames, just simply recite the scriptures." Long Chen said.
"Then I'll show my embarrassment,"
Lu Chengkong didn't refuse. After taking a deep breath, his expression solemn, he began to chant the Great Brahma Heaven Sutra. The scripture's content was exactly the same as what Long Chen and Yu Qingxuan practiced.
However, when he recites the Great Brahma Sutra, his style differs from Long Chen and Yu Qingxuan. His tone is filled with humility and a sense of self-reliance on saving all beings. He is like a teacher preaching to the world.
After listening to Lu Chengkong's recitation, a look of realization appeared in Long Chen's eyes: "The Great Brahma Sutra has a thousand faces, ten thousand voices, so the eighth volume must be a matter of personal taste."
No wonder the scenes we see are all different. As a result, this eighth volume requires us to comprehend it ourselves; we cannot learn anything from others. "
When Long Chen said that what he saw was a blue lotus entwined with chaotic energy, Yu Qingxuan and Lu Chengkong were also utterly incredulous. The difference was too great; the sight the three of them saw was nothing in common.
"What about Volume Nine?" Yu Qingxuan asked.
"Nothing at all, just blank."
Long Chen and Lu Chengkong spoke simultaneously, and the three were stunned again, because this time, they saw exactly the same thing.
For a moment, the three fell silent. Long Chen and Yu Qingxuan continued to look down at the eighth volume of the Great Brahma Heaven Sutra, studying and pondering carefully, while Lu Chengkong had already given up.
In fact, Lu Chengkong's talent was astonishing; otherwise, he wouldn't have risen from a subject elder all the way to Human Emperor.
But precisely because of his astonishing talent, he gave up. The eighth volume of the Great Brahma Heaven Sutra had troubled and tormented him for countless years. He knew that with his talent, he simply couldn't comprehend it; the seventh volume was already his limit.
"Buzz"—
the Great Brahma Heaven Scripture inside the barrier suddenly trembled violently. Immediately, Long Chen and Yu Qingxuan's bodies trembled, and waves of divine radiance enveloped them.