Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Su Jingxing was still purchasing Energy Gathering Stones.
Considering that the array formations could be continually stacked, Su Jingxing had not returned the ancient manual, Simple Explanations of Array Formations. It was still kept in his palm space.
The He Family had leaked the news that a quarter of the map leading into the Mausoleum of Prince Qin was hidden in the Simple Explanations of Array Formations.
Was it the same one in Su Jingxing’s possession?
The reason for his suspicion was because Su Jingxing knew that most of the ancient books in the Qinghe City’s Xuantian University branch campus library were copies.
If the map that the He Family spoke of was hidden in the original version, then Su Jingxing would have been overjoyed for nothing.
At this thought, Su Jingxing suppressed his racing heart and took a deep breath to compose himself.
Activating Advanced Hearing, he listened to his surroundings to make sure that no one was around.
He took out the Simple Explanations of Array Formations, from his palm space and leafed through it carefully.
However, he did not find anything strange after flipping through the entire manual.
He didn’t find anything on the second try, and neither did he on the third.
“Fake?”
Su Jingxing stopped flipping and closed the book, frowning in thought.
Su Jingxing had personally taken the Simple Explanations of Array Formations from the top floor of Xuantian University Library. He had also personally tested the contents of the book——there was no mistake.
The He Family revealed that there was a quarter of a map in this manual.
However, Su Jingxing couldn’t find anything.
There were only two possibilities.
Either the Simple Explanations of Array Formations that the He Family referred to wasn’t a replicated version, but the original, or, there was indeed a map hidden within, but it could not be seen with the naked eye and required special methods to do so.
Just like the last pages of the Eight Steps Rising Dragon and Nine Steps Trampling Heaven!
“Looks like I’ll have to trouble Brother Goose again.” Su Jingxing murmured.
There was a unique way to unlock the secret in this manual.
Trying out different methods recklessly would only destroy the secret manual.
However, the big white goose’s innate ability did not have such a flaw.
As soon as the glow lit up, the contents would appear!
With this in mind, Su Jingxing put the Simple Explanations of Array Formations back into his palm space and left his office. After making up an excuse that he needed to make a trip home, he headed straight for his small courtyard at the foot of the mountain.
After reaching home, he quickly went into the back mountain and soared into the sky in the woods. Circulating the Eight Steps Rising Dragon to its maximum speed, he headed straight for the Green Cloud Mountain Range.
…
At the same time.
Xuantian University.
In the spacious president’s office, all the upper echelons of the university were seated.
Among them were the President, Ma Shifeng, the Dean of the Institute of Martial Arts, Han Zong, the Library Director, Liang Yiqing, the head of the logistics department, Gu Shiyang, the head of the security team, and Jiang Cheng.
There was also Liu Jufen from the main campus of Xuantian who had come to the Qinghe branch campus to relax.
Among them, Han Zong, Liang Yiqing, Gu Shiyang, and Jiang Cheng were fourth-grade martial artists——the strongest in the Qinghe branch campus.
If not for special circumstances, the four of them would never be in the President’s office at the same time.
However, at this moment, Ma Shifeng wasn’t the only one with a grim expression. Han Zong, Liang Yiqing, and the others also frowned anxiously.
“Everyone knows the situation. Now, say, what should we do?”
In the stifling atmosphere, Ma Shifeng broke the silence and said, “Soon, all the big factions in the city and the prefecture will know about this. Once those people arrive, the entire campus will never have peace again!”
“Losing peace isn’t the most important thing. The most important thing is that outsiders don’t have any scruples about coming in. If the students stay on campus, I guarantee that someone will get hurt,” the dean said softly.
“Then what’s the point of discussing anything? Why don’t we just announce a long vacation?!” said Han Zong in a voice that sounded like a firecracker. “Compared to outsiders, I’m more annoyed at the person who leaked the news. F*cking hell! How dare he say that the four ancient manuals with the map are stored in our university! What nonsense is this?”
“It’s not nonsense, it’s real,” Liang Yiqing replied with a sigh.
What?
Everyone froze.
Ma Shifeng’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Old Liang, what did you find?”
“Ever since the three groups of people invaded the library at night to seize the maps the last time, I specially went to investigate some secret information. In the end, I did discover a secret.”
Liang Yiqing explained in a deep voice. “This secret is related to the location of the Mausoleum of Prince Qin!
“Below the Green Cloud Mountain, Qinghe City. Below Qinghe City, the Mausoleum of Prince Qin.
“There are many notes on this in ancient records. I followed this lead and investigated further. I discovered that the map that records the location of the Mausoleum of Prince Qin had indeed been broken down into four parts and stored in four ancient manuals 400 years ago.
“These four manuals are Simple Explanations of Array Formations, True Energy for Beginners, Introduction To Pills, First Look At Spirit Weapons as exposed.
“From the very beginning, these four ancient manuals were indeed kept in our library. However, after a few hundred years, the First Look At Spirit Weapons had become lost 200 years ago. As for the Introduction To Pills, it was loaned to someone 70 years ago and hasn’t been returned since.
“As for the remaining two, Simple Explanations of Array Formations and True Energy for Beginners, they’ve been with us until now.
“However, when I went to look for these two ancient books a few days ago, only the True Energy for Beginners was still there, the Simple Explanations of Array Formations was suddenly nowhere to be seen!”
“…What do you mean by nowhere to be seen?” asked Ma Shifeng in a low voice as he forced himself to maintain his composure. “If it’s gone, it’s gone. What does “suddenly gone” mean?”
“It just disappeared. There were no traces, no loaning records, no one touched it. It simply disappeared.”
Liang Yiqing’s eyes flashed.
“Old Liang, do you have some suspicions?” asked Gu Shiyang.
“Suspicions? Old Liang, why are you still putting on an act at a time like this? Hurry up and tell us. Just who took away the Simple Explanations of Array Formations!” Han Zong urged when he heard that.
“It’s mainly because I’m not sure,” said Liang Yizhan pensively. “When the three groups of people broke into the library that night, do you guys still remember the third group, the fourth-grade that I only discovered at the end?”
“Are you saying that the mysterious fourth-grade martial artist took away the Simple Explanations of Array Formations?” Ma Shifeng asked with a frown.
“Yes.”
Liang Yiqing nodded solemnly. “Apart from him, I can’t think of anyone else who could be the prime suspect.”
“Even if we know it was him, we have nowhere to start.”
said the tall, burly Jiang Cheng in a booming voice. “Out of the four ancient manuals, only the True Energy for Beginners remains. How are we going to explain this to those who are watching?”
“Explain?”
Han Zong glared at him and rebuked, “We weren’t the ones who lost the ancient manuals. There’s no need for us to explain this to outsiders!”
“If you don’t explain, how are you going to placate the experts from the major factions who are going to come?” Gu Shiyang retorted irritably.
“So what if they come?!”
Han Zong snorted. “If they are so capable, they can tear down the university and raze it to the ground!”
“You…”
“Cough cough.”
A light cough interrupted the argument.
It was Liu Jufen. He narrowed his eyes and said in a low, seductive voice, “Let’s not talk about anything else for now.. I’m curious about the True Energy for Beginners. What kind of map does it contain?”
