The pressure descended instantly.
It did not crush his body, but his consciousness felt as though it had been seized by an invisible force, tightly restrained and completely suppressed.
The middle aged man looked at him with a faint trace of anger.
"Ignorant brat!"
However, he did not pursue the matter further.
Instead, his form began to blur, as if his existence was no longer stable.
"My time has already come to an end. What remains here is only a fragment of my will."
The surrounding darkness trembled faintly.
His voice grew distant.
"Remember to find a successor, do not let the Dao Origin Pupil be lost to history."
"Let the Dao continue."
As his final words faded, his figure dissolved completely into the void.
The darkness collapsed.
Xiao Feng's vision snapped back instantly.
He was still on the sixth floor of library, everything reappeared as though nothing had happened.
He remained seated in his original position.
But his entire back was soaked in sweat.
His breathing was uneven, his chest rising and falling rapidly as if he had just experienced something far more intense than any physical battle.
After a long moment, he gradually calmed himself.
Then, a strange sensation rose from his right eye. Without hesitation, he activated it.
The next moment, the world changed. Color faded from everything, as though a layer of illusion had been stripped away, leaving behind only a dull, lifeless version of reality.
The bookshelves, the walls, even the air itself seemed to lose their surface meaning, replaced by something insignificant.
He looked around.
There was no particular fluctuation, no heavenly mystery around him.
Then, his gaze lowered toward his own body. And in the next instant, his pupils contracted sharply.
His entire body was emitting a faint golden halo, subtle yet unmistakable, as if something within him was being revealed under this new perception.
The light was most concentrated around his hands, where thin strands of golden mist drifted slowly, like traces of something ancient and intrinsic.
Xiao Feng stared at it in silence.
After a few moments, realization dawned.
This… was his innate Dao Bone.
Understanding settled in his mind. 'This ability did not directly enhance his strength or combat power.
Its value lay elsewhere—in perception, in insight, in understanding the deeper structure of existence.'
Xiao Feng did not immediately withdraw his gaze after reaching that conclusion. Instead, he continued to observe his own body in silence, as if trying to understand what this so-called "Dao Bone" truly represented beyond a simple name.
Under the influence of the Dao Origin Pupil, his physical form no longer appeared as mere flesh and blood, but as a structure composed of countless subtle layers.
Each faintly resonating with an invisible rhythm that he could barely perceive yet instinctively felt was connected to something far greater than himself.
The golden halo surrounding his body was not radiant in an overwhelming sense, yet it possessed a purity that made it impossible to ignore, like a quiet flame that refused to be extinguished.
Especially around his hands, the concentration of that golden mist seemed denser.
As he focused more deeply, Xiao Feng faintly felt that these strands of golden mist were not isolated.
They seemed to extend outward, connecting him to the surrounding world in ways he could not yet fully comprehend.
It was as if his body was no longer a closed system, but part of a greater whole, subtly interacting with the environment through laws he had never perceived before.
"Can I find out thing's origin with these strands of golden mist?"
A thought came in his mind, as he began to think more about his idea.
After observing for a while longer, he deactivated the technique.
The golden glow disappeared and the world returned to normal. Everything looked unchanged, as if the previous transformation had never occurred.
He exhaled slowly, his expression returning to calm.
But what he failed to notice, was a faint and strange fluctuation lingered deep within his consciousness.
Without wasting time, he picked up the remaining three books and began reading them one by one, his focus steady. His mind already adjusting to the changes he had just experienced.
/
At this time, on the ninth floor of the library remained shrouded in an unnatural stillness, as if time itself flowed slower within that secluded space.
The air there was different, filled with an ancient aura that had accumulated over countless years.
At the very center of that vast and dim hall, an old man sat cross-legged on a worn meditation mat.
His figure thin yet upright, his presence so restrained that he seemed no different from an ordinary mortal at first glance.
His eyes were closed and breathing was slow. So slow that it was almost imperceptible.
Looking at him, it seems that he had been sitting there for a long time.
Just then, his eyes opened.
The entire space seemed to shift ever so slightly, an invisible pressure rippling outward before quickly settling back into silence.
A faint light flickered within his pupils.
"Finally, someone had gained those senior's legacy."
His voice was low, even a bit hoarse.
The old man's brows furrowed slightly in contemplation.
"Who… could it be?"
There was no excitement in his voice. Only a quiet curiosity… and a trace of something unreadable.
The old man slowly lifted his hand and in the next moment, the space in front of him distorted slightly.
A figure appeared suddenly in a ghost like manner and he bowed deeply.
"What are your orders!"
His voice was respectful, without the slightest hesitation.
"Find out who entered the sixth floor of the library today for first time. I want to know who has obtained that person's inheritance."
The elder's back straightened slightly.
"Yes."
He did not ask further questions. He bowed to him again, before vanishing from his place.
The old man slowly closed his eyes again, as if the matter had already been decided and required no further attention from him personally.
The ninth floor of the library returned to silence, as if nothing had happened.
On the other hand, Xiao Feng calmy reading the books, completely unaware of the invisible ripple his actions had caused.
In his mind, everything had gone unnoticed.
/
Time passed quietly as Xiao Feng immersed himself in the contents of the books. The surrounding silence of the sixth floor remaining undisturbed, as if even the air respected the stillness of this place.
After finishing the three books, he did not immediately stand up.
He raised his head slightly and glanced toward the distance.
Through the windows of the sixth floor, faint traces of light still filtered in.
The sky had not yet darkened completely.
"There's still time before evening…"
Xiao Feng murmured softly.
Originally, he had planned to leave after finishing the required readings.
But now, his thoughts had changed. Reading books were not entirely useless, there could be many good things.
Without hesitation, he found some more books and began to read them. It was not until evening, he finally turned and walked out of the sixth floor of the library.
His figure gradually disappearing down the corridor as silence once again reclaimed the space.
The next morning arrived quietly, as a faint golden light slowly spread across the horizon.
Within his residence, Xiao Feng had already completed his preparations.
After adjusting his robes, he stepped outside without hesitation and made his way toward his teacher's mountain.
The spiritual energy in the air gradually grew denser as he ascended, becoming purer and more stable. The faint fragrance of medicinal herbs lingered persistently, blending with the fresh scent of nature.
Before long, Xiao Feng arrived at the entrance of the courtyard.
Just as he stepped forward, his gaze landed on an old man standing quietly near the entrance.
The man's appearance was ordinary, dressed in plain robes without any decoration. Yet his posture was straight and composed.
His presence restrained to the extreme, making him seem almost indistinguishable from an ordinary servant at first glance.
However, the longer one observed him, the more one could sense that there was something unusual about him.
The old man's gaze shifted toward Xiao Feng the moment he approached. His eyes calm and steady, carrying a faint sharpness that quickly faded into neutrality.
"You must be Xiao Feng," he said in an even tone.
Xiao Feng cupped his fists slightly in greeting. "Yes, Senior."
The old man studied him for a brief moment, his gaze lingering just slightly longer than necessary, as if trying to discern something beyond the surface.
A faint, almost imperceptible glint flickered within his eyes before disappearing completely.
"You may call me Steward Mo," he said calmly. "I manage the affairs of this mountain on behalf of your master."
Understanding flashed across Xiao Feng's mind.
This person was clearly no ordinary steward. Being entrusted with managing the daily matters of Elder Shi Bodong's residence meant that his status and strength were far from simple.
"Then I will trouble Steward Mo in the future," Xiao Feng replied politely.
Steward Mo gave a slight nod before turning around. "Follow me."
Xiao Feng stepped forward without hesitation and followed behind him into the courtyard.
As he entered, the fragrance of medicinal herbs became noticeably stronger, filling the air with a refreshing yet slightly bitter scent that lingered on the senses.
Rows of carefully cultivated herbs lined both sides of the courtyard, each one thriving with vitality, their leaves and stems radiating faint spiritual fluctuations that hinted at their value.
The entire place was simple in appearance, yet carried a quiet discipline and order, as if every detail had been arranged with purpose.