NOVEL NEXT Chapter 421: Takes, takes, takes, takes, takes
A few minutes later, we arrived at an impressive building that looked like a combination of a library and a concert hall.
The Grand Archive was easily the most magnificent structure I'd seen in the city so far. Its walls seemed to be carved from some kind of resonant crystal that stored musical energy, and the entrance was flanked by enormous statues of musicians holding various instruments.
"Here we are," the City Lord announced proudly. "The Grand Archive of Harmonic Arts. Nine centuries of the city's accumulated cultivation knowledge, all housed under one roof."
As we entered, I was struck by the sheer scale of the place.
The main hall stretched up several stories, with balconies and walkways connecting different sections. Thousands of scrolls, books, and what looked like recording devices, were organized in careful sections.
"I'll need all seals and protective formations unlocked," I said, getting straight to business.
The City Lord nodded and began moving through the repository, activating various formations and speaking command phrases that caused protective barriers to shimmer and fade. Within minutes, every technique in the building was accessible.
"There," he said, stepping back with obvious satisfaction. "Everything is now available for your review, divine one."
That was fast. I couldn't help but wonder why the City Lord was being so accommodating.
I'd initially assumed that getting access to their most valuable cultivation techniques would require some kind of negotiation or posturing. The eagerness with which he was helping me seemed almost too good to be true. It made me a little suspicious…
The City Lord must have noticed my thoughtful expression, because he cleared his throat and said, "Divine one, I hope you don't find my enthusiasm presumptuous. This is simply the normal practice whenever beings such as yourself honor us with your presence."
"Normal practice?" I asked.
"Oh yes," he nodded enthusiastically. "Divine beings always seek to understand our local cultivation methods. In fact, your opponent already completed a similar review just yesterday. She spent nearly twelve hours in the Archive, examining everything from basic First Scale techniques to our most advanced Seventh Scale formations."
That explained a lot. So, Guo Xinyi had already been gathering intelligence about this world's cultivation system. It made sense; understanding the local techniques would help her optimize her vessel's abilities and potentially give her insight into new applications for her own powers.
"I see," I said. "And you're comfortable with... sharing such knowledge?"
The City Lord's smile never wavered, but I caught something in his eyes, a calculating look that reminded me he wasn't just some eager-to-please administrator. He was hoping for something in return.
"It is our honor to serve beings of your caliber, divine one," he said. "We understand that divine conflicts require comprehensive preparation. The knowledge we possess is but a fraction of what beings such as yourself have access to, so we consider it a privilege to contribute in whatever small way we can."
I almost smiled at his diplomatic phrasing. What he was essentially saying was: 'Yes, you're going to pillage our techniques, but we're hoping you'll drop some advanced cultivation knowledge in return.'
It was strategy that relied on simple human decency.
But knowing how most cultivators operated, they probably did just end up pillaging without giving anything in return. The strong took what they wanted from the weak; it was practically a universal constant in cultivation worlds.
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But I'd never been that type of person, even back in my original world. If someone helped me, I generally tried to return the favor when possible. The knowledge and techniques of this realm were genuinely valuable, and if the City Lord was instrumental in helping me win this battle, I'd definitely want to show my appreciation.
Of course, all of that would have to wait until after I actually won the duel.
Right now, I had work to do.
I closed my eyes and made a show of extending my spiritual sense throughout the building, as if I was scanning and absorbing all the accumulated knowledge through pure cultivation power. In reality, I was doing something quite different.
"Azure," I said internally, "it's your time to shine."
"Already on it, Master," Azure replied in my mind. "Give me a few minutes to process everything."
While Azure worked, I stood perfectly still with my eyes closed, occasionally making small gestures as if I was directing my spiritual sense through different sections of the repository. The City Lord watched in fascination, clearly impressed by what he assumed was an incredible display of cultivation mastery.
The truth was, what I was pretending to do would have been genuinely impossible for someone at my actual cultivation level. If I had tried to scan and read this much information using my own spiritual sense, it would have taken weeks just to go through everything superficially. Actually understanding and memorizing the techniques? That would have taken months, if not years.
"Done," Azure announced after what felt like hours but was probably only about ten minutes. "I've catalogued everything from First Scale to Seventh Scale techniques, which covers the equivalent of Qi Condensation through Early Stellar Realm. Unfortunately, anything related to the Eighth Scale and above appears missing."
That made sense. That level of information was likely restricted to the most powerful sects and the royal capital. We would need more time to access that information, time that we just didn't have.
But it didn't matter. What we'd gathered here should be enough, it would be incredibly valuable not just for the coming battle, but for my cultivation in general.
Even though this world used a different energy system, the underlying principles and applications could definitely be incorporated into my blue sun techniques. Azure might even find ways to help me replicate some of these techniques when we returned to the cultivation world.
I opened my eyes and smiled at the City Lord. "We're done here."
His eyes widened in disbelief. "Already? Divine one, in such a short time you've... reviewed everything?"
"Yes," I confirmed simply.
The City Lord stared at me with what could only be described as awe. "Incredible. I've witnessed many divine beings visit our archive over the years, but I've never seen anyone process such a vast amount of information so quickly. Your mastery of cultivation knowledge is truly beyond mortal comprehension."
I just smiled and didn't reply, though I noticed the City Lord's expression had shifted subtly.
Where before he had been respectful but calculating, now there was something approaching reverence in his eyes. It was clear that my apparent feat of instantly absorbing centuries of cultivation knowledge had cemented me as the favorite to win the upcoming battle in his mind.
"Divine one," he said carefully, "if I may be so bold... your display of mastery today has been truly humbling. I find myself even more confident that you will emerge victorious in the coming conflict."
I could hear the unspoken question in his statement. He was fishing for confirmation, hoping for some reassurance that backing me was the right choice. Smart man, if I won, having been helpful would definitely work in his favor.
"I appreciate your confidence," I replied. "And I want you to know that your assistance today will not be forgotten. Once this matter is concluded, I'll make sure you're properly rewarded for your cooperation."
And I meant it. I just had to figure out what would be valuable to what was essentially someone two whole great realms higher in cultivation than myself.
The City Lord's face lit up like I'd just promised him immortality. "Divine one, your generosity knows no bounds! Whatever small assistance I can provide is freely given, but to know that it has earned your favor... this is truly more than I could have hoped for."
As we walked back through the city, I couldn't help but notice how the people seemed even more reverent than before.
"Master," Azure said quietly, "your performance has definitely made an impression. But you should be aware that it's also probably reached your opponent by now."
That was a good point. Guo Xinyi would likely hear about this, and she might interpret it as a sign that I was adjusting to this world better than she'd initially thought. That could work in my favor by making her more cautious, or it could backfire by encouraging her to strike early.
When we finally returned to the Harmony Sanctum, I felt the familiar sense of entering a completely protected space. The City Lord bowed deeply before departing, leaving me alone with my thoughts and preparations.
Four days left. Maybe less if Guo Xinyi decided to ignore our agreement and attack early.
I walked over to a nearby desk and began pulling out blank parchments. Time to create more musical technique scrolls and prepare my red sun trump card.
"Azure," I said, "let's see what we can do with all this new knowledge."