The Sutra Library was as peaceful as ever in the early morning. Aura swirled between the bookshelves, as gentle and mysterious as a mist. Each book sat quietly in its place, exuding an ancient aura, as if awaiting its destined visitor. Two stone lions stood majestically at the entrance, their gazes awe-inspiring, as if silently scrutinizing every disciple who entered.

Xiang Fan stood at the entrance to the Sutra Library, took a deep breath, and forced himself to remain calm. He reached into his arms and touched the psychic jammer he'd labored over late last night. His heart was beating rapidly. He muttered, "Calm down, calm down. Don't give yourself away. Just borrow a book like any other time. Don't panic."

He walked into the Sutra Library and casually glanced around, pretending to search for some basic theory book. But in reality, his eyes never left the "Thirty-Six Sword Styles of Lingxiao" placed in the center of the advanced swordsmanship area. The book shone with golden light, as if deliberately provoking him, so dazzling that it made him want to rush over and snatch it away.

Xiang Fan casually pulled a copy of "A Detailed Explanation of the Circulation of Spiritual Energy" from a nearby bookshelf and flipped through two pages. The corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch. Trying to embolden himself, he muttered to himself, "Just treat it as a normal day, except... with a little more challenge."

He carefully moved to the target bookshelf, quickly scanning the surrounding disciples. After confirming that no one noticed him, he held his breath and pulled the jammer from his pocket. The jammer still looked extremely shabby, its bumpy surface no different from scrap metal, but he held it as if he were holding a peerless artifact, and gently pressed the switch with his finger.

"Buzz—" The jammer vibrated slightly, and Xiang Fan subconsciously held his breath, his eyes fixed on the spiritual patterns on the sword manual. The spiritual patterns, which had previously shimmered with a majestic light, trembled slightly, like a guard who had yawned, paused for a moment, and then... calmed down.

Xiang Fan's eyes widened in ecstasy, nearly leaping up in joy. He suppressed his excitement and quickly pulled the sword manual from the shelf. The glittering golden cover shone brighter than the aura of the Sutra Library. He suppressed his trembling hands and tried to maintain composure. He even casually pulled out two books, "Analysis of Basic Sword Moves" and "Basics of Psychic Control," and piled them on top of the sword manual to conceal his target.

"Okay, calm down now, calm down..." He muttered to himself, forcing himself to slow down and act like an ordinary disciple borrowing books. He knew that the administrator of the Sutra Library had a sharper eye than an eagle, and if he was spotted, things could get very troublesome.

He turned and walked to another area. He saw a copy of "Analysis of Advanced Formations" on a shelf, and his eyes lit up. Since the jammer hadn't burned out yet, he figured he might as well strike while the iron was hot and borrow a few more. He quietly placed the jammer on the surface of the book again and flipped the switch.

The spiritual energy array trembled slightly before calming down again. He couldn't help but smile slightly. He took the book down and pulled out two low-level mental skills books to put in between. "With a few more books as cover, there will definitely be no problem," Xiang Fan thought to himself.

For the next ten minutes, Xiang Fan wandered through the high-level bookshelves of the Sutra Library, quietly using the jammer to borrow several high-level Foundation Establishment books—including "Spiritual Energy Refinement and Circulation," "Analysis of Sword Dao Inner Skills," and a very rare "Interaction between Array Patterns and Spells." Each time he borrowed a book, his movements were extremely stealthy, swift, and precise, as if he was born for this kind of task.

As he walked toward the registration counter at the Sutra Library, carrying a stack of books, he felt his spirits soar. He gazed down at the treasures in his arms, the sound of celebratory fireworks exploding in his mind. "I did it! Who says I can't? This is the power of wisdom! If those guys knew what I'd gained today, their eyes would pop out!"

He stood in front of the registration desk, trying to put on a calm expression, and handed all the books one by one to the administrator of the Sutra Library.

The morning light from the Sutra Library streamed through the tall windows onto the bookshelves, its gentle glow adorning each volume with a warm hue. However, Xiang Fan felt no warmth at that moment. He stood cautiously at the registration desk, as if a giant claw would descend from the sky and snatch him and his books away at any moment.

The white-bearded elder was leaning back in his chair, his eyes slightly closed, breathing evenly, and a faint snoring coming from his nostrils. Xiang Fan carefully cleared his throat, but found that his voice was almost swallowed by his throat. He coughed lightly, piled the pile of books in his arms on the registration desk, and said in a voice as weak as a mosquito: "Elder, I come... to borrow a book."

The elder snorted, his head lifted slightly, his eyelids barely parted as he glanced lazily at the books on the table. His gaze slid from the top volume, "Basic Spiritual Energy Analysis," to the lower volume, "Basic Theory of Spiritual Energy Flow," and his mouth twitched. He casually picked up a brush and scribbled something in the register: "Borrowing another basic theory book? Are you planning on memorizing all of these?"

Xiang Fan smiled stiffly, his voice so low it seemed he was talking to the air: "Basic theory... is very helpful for cultivation."

The elder glared at him, as if dissatisfied with his ambiguous attitude, and muttered, "What use are these books other than making people sleepy?" But he didn't say much, waved his hand and asked Xiang Fan to stack the books and hand them over.

Xiang Fan's palms were already sweaty as he handed the book over. Countless possibilities raced through his mind—perhaps the elder would suddenly flip through the book, notice something was wrong, and then grab him and demand, "Boy, you're not even at the fifth level of Qi training, how did you borrow a high-level sword manual?" Or perhaps he would simply be kicked out of the Sutra Library on the spot, earning the infamy of being a "book thief."

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!