Chapter 166: Chapter 28: Can’t Cultivators Sleep?
The two came to the side hall and were once again astonished by the nearly oceanic quantity of books.
Shi Liuli found a deserted corner, pulled a book off the shelf, and after a moment of reading, her eyes immediately seemed to emit spirals of mosquito coil smoke.
Luo Yan also picked up a book, read for a moment, and found the author’s writing intriguing—although somewhat mad.
The author claimed that the reason the Gui Xu Grand Formation appeared different with each observation was because it was actually three-dimensional, not flat.
Each time the cultivators made an observation, what they recorded was just “a certain cross section” of this three-dimensional formation…
Luo Yan quickly flipped to the back and discovered that the author was all speculation with no evidence to support his views, which immediately diminished his interest.
It appeared that among the more than one hundred thousand books, there truly weren’t many that were useful.
He then went over to a window in the side hall and looked out.
The Gui Xu Grand Formation, located in the central courtyard, was best viewed from above, right at the heart of Gui Xu.
Anyone looking out from the windows of the side hall could see the extremely intricate and lavish formation below, like a piece crafted from silver threads, exquisitely beautiful yet wholly natural.
Even more peculiar was that the formation was constantly changing, growing more and more complicated and indescribable…
“Can you understand it?” Miss Shi’s voice suddenly rang in his ear, interrupting Luo Yan’s thoughts, which he was almost immersed in.
“Uh, it’s kind of interesting,” Luo Yan responded noncommittally.
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“Liar,” Shi Liuli pursed her lips and then continued to stare at him.
The junior brother had just been staring at the formation for a quarter of an hour—how could it just be “kind of interesting”?
She cautiously surveyed her surroundings once more and found that everyone was still engrossed in their own activities, paying no attention to them whatsoever.
Unable to understand the books and with no entertainment around, Shi Liuli could only sit next to Luo Yan, motionless, and cast her gaze toward the Gui Xu Grand Formation outside the window.
Luo Yan, on the other hand, went to the bookshelves and started to search quickly.
With the talent of understanding a thousand things from one scent, he could get a general idea of what any book was about with just a brief glance through a few pages.
Therefore, most of the books full of subjective speculation and guesses were ruthlessly skimmed over by him.
Only those about formations that truly had substance were kept in his hands to read slowly, page by page.
Though “slowly” still meant flipping each page after about two seconds, the expression on Luo Yan’s face was extremely serious.
And none of the surrounding cultivators gave him even the slightest bit of attention.
After some time had passed, Luo Yan was suddenly awakened again by Miss Shi.
“How’s it going?” Shi Liuli asked.
“These books are fantastic!” Luo Yan said, his expression animated, “There are discussions by several Array Masters, some which my master had mentioned before…”
“Alright, alright,” Shi Liuli glanced nervously around and quickly pushed Luo Yan to walk out.
As they passed through the main hall again, they saw Zhun Mang sitting on the throne, holding a piece of wood and casually carving it into a rough treasure ship shape.
Then, he tossed it outside carelessly. The treasure ship shot out of the water film, rapidly growing larger as it swiftly ascended.
Luo Yan: ……….
Shi Liuli: ……….
Turns out the San Yu Treasure Ship that brought us in was your handiwork!
“I always need to bring more people in,” Zhun Mang noticed their complex looks and turned back with a handsome smile, “Otherwise, the rate at which cultivators in Gui Xu take their own lives would be much faster than the rate new people come in.”
“May I ask Zhun Mang, why is that treasure ship not affected by the Great Gorge, being able to ascend freely?” Luo Yan asked seriously.
“I don’t know either,” Zhun Mang admitted candidly, “Perhaps it has something to do with the material. These pieces of wood… have been piled on the Gui Xu Grand Formation in the central courtyard for a long time. Maybe they’re soaked with the power of the formation. Perhaps that’s why, like Gui Xu itself, they don’t sink in the Great Gorge?”
Luo Yan seemed contemplative as he asked,
“May I go to the central courtyard to look at those pieces of wood?”
“Feel free,” Master Chun Mang said with a smile. “But be careful not to block the line of sight of the cultivators behind the surrounding windows.”
“If you block their observation of the Gui Xu Grand Formation, they might become… a bit irritable.”
“Of course, within the Gui Xu, all individuals are prohibited from attacking each other, and I will step in to stop them.”
“Thank you,” Luo Yan said with a slight bow.
After they returned to their room, Shi Liuli suddenly relaxed. She lay down on the stone bed and stretched languorously.
“Phew, I’m bored to death,” she yawned, covering her mouth, “The day has been so long; I finally understand why those cultivators go mad. Ten thousand years… How did they endure it?”
“If Senior Sister finds it dull, you can simply sleep in the room tomorrow,” Luo Yan genuinely suggested.
His tone was quite earnest, but this time the Kunlun Mirror did not dispel the illusion technique, so Miss Shi, comparing this demeanor to the previously ‘incomparable’, ‘First Grade’ one, immediately felt something was amiss and said with grievance,
“Are you implying that my presence beside you is bothersome?”
Luo Yan: ?
“No, how could that be?” Seeing that Miss Shi seemed on the verge of tears again, Luo Yan could only sigh inwardly and hasten to reassure her, “I find it more comforting to have Senior Sister by my side.”
“You’re lying!” Shi Liuli sobbed.
“I’m not lying…”
“You’ve been burying your head in those books all day, not even glancing at me once!”
Why does it feel like a girlfriend throwing a tantrum to get her boyfriend’s attention?
Luo Yan pushed down the strange feeling in his heart and patiently said,
“Senior Sister is overly concerned; I have actually been watching you.”
“Really?”
“Of course, it’s true, truer than true. If you don’t believe me, look into my eyes.” Luo Yan shamelessly widened his eyes.
Shi Liuli mustered her indignation and “fiercely” met his gaze for a few seconds, then suddenly, perhaps thinking of something, she retreated with a red face.
“There aren’t even any bedding here, how am I supposed to sleep tonight?” she changed the subject.
“Sleep?” Upon hearing this, Luo Yan expressed great surprise, “Why would Senior Sister still have the habit of sleeping? Don’t we cultivators just need to sit in meditative concentration?”
“I like to sleep, what’s it to you!” Shi Liuli glared at him, then quickly resumed her worried frown, “The bed I usually sleep on has several layers of blankets, soft and fluffy… I can’t get used to this hard stone bed at all.”
“But Senior Sister, I really didn’t bring any bedding,” Luo Yan said with difficulty.
It’s not like I can have Ah Jing teleport me out to buy some and bring it back, right?
Even without considering the risk of exposing our secret, Ah Jing is unlikely to tolerate Miss Shi’s unreasonable demands.
Shi Liuli also pondered for a moment, then suddenly said,
“Aren’t you going to sit in meditation for the entire night?”
“Yes?” Luo Yan replied, puzzled. Which cultivator didn’t spend the night in meditation?
“Then I’ll sleep on your thigh,” Shi Liuli said assertively and, without giving Luo Yan any chance to refuse, she promptly nestled onto his lap as he sat cross-legged.
Luo Yan: ………
Forget it; let her be.
The next morning, Miss Shi woke up with a stiff neck.