How Much For Your Soul?

Chapter 3

A week later, Shen Yue was on his way to the Alchemy Association. After negotiating (bribing), a couple of the Associations Masters agreed to let Shen Yue read all books at master level and below without being a member. It must have cost his father favour or two.

The entrance to the Alchemy Association was unquestionably awe-inspiring. With a long set of steps between two towers and statues bordering the path, it was a pleasant trek to the top. His two new guards quickly sorted things out with the Masters and Shen Yue was ushered into their library.

Seeing the massive number of books, easily twice the size of the family library, he got straight to work. With his bodyguards hovering and looking menacing, no one was brave enough to indulge their curiosity and talk to him.

Over the next three weeks, Shen Yue received many stares, ranging from curious to sneering contempt. It didn't bother him in the slightest as he scanned every book and scroll he could get his hands on. The only person that interested Shen Yue was a stunning dark-haired beauty. She was always surrounded by a couple of guys, either apprentices or masters, this 18-year-old stunner drew them all. She was, of course, a young Yang Xin, still only an apprentice.

Other than a few looks, she did not pay Shen Yue much attention, and he was not ready to meet her. Shen Yue was planning to start an organisation to rival the Alchemy Association and wanted her to lead it, but he still needed the Soul Shackle inscription. She was the future Director of the Association, so she certainly had the skills and determination. With all books scanned, there was no need for him to be here any longer. Onto the Holy Orchid Institute!

The school was a welcome surprise. Shen Yue wasn't expecting much, as all books were made public for students to read. According to the librarian, the number of books in the library easily numbers a hundred thousand, with ninety percent of them left behind from the ancient times.

There were countless ancient texts in the library that had still not been translated. The unknown script of different dynasties forgotten with time.

Another language offered no challenge to the Library of Heaven's Path.

As long as it had enough material, it could compile a manual on the unknown language, making learning it simple. This was how Shen Yue learned to speak the dialect of Glory City.

It turned out that Shen Hong had already planned ahead after learning that Shen Yue could read around one thousand books in eight hours. Since Shen Hong already knew the size of the school's library, he judged it would take a minimum of one hundred days, so he just paid a year's tuition after receiving permission from the Vice Principle Ye Sheng. This was only for access to the library as they agreed he was still too young to attend any classes.

This suited Shen Yue perfectly as he had no desire to waste his time in a classroom. After learning to deal with extreme boredom for the first six years of his life, scanning one hundred thousand books didn't faze him. Especially when the knowledge he gained would give his library a solid foundation to compile perfect books. For the next hundred or so days Shen Yue was like a machine, only stopping for lunch when his little aunt forced him.

In fact, in the three and a half months Shen Yue attended Holy Orchid Institute, he had become quite close to his cute little aunt. Travelling to and from school, plus lunch every day, he ended up nearly enjoying the thirteen-year old's chatter. It also became clear she didn't really have any friends.

The Sacred Family doctrine pumped out snobby, entitled children that looked down on others, which made it hard to make friends. He didn't help her with her training as that would expose his skills. Shen Xiu would surely reveal him to Shen Hong in her eagerness to show off, she was very prideful.

"Mmmwwwahahahahahaha! The world will be mine!" Shen Yue's inner evil dictator had escaped in his excitement.

He had finally finished scanning the school's library, and he was feeling on top of the world. It was a treasure trove of information. One hundred thousand books and probably forty thousand had not even been translated.

Like the Book of Divine Lightning Fire that Nie Li shames Shen Xue with, only the first volume was ever translated. The seventh volume was the one that the Sacred family founder ripped off. All the other volumes held inscriptions just as valuable, and this was merely one series of books! Thousands of techniques, pill formulas, inscriptions, battle arrays and enchanting patterns just there for the taking!

He even found some special techniques.

-Secret Soul Is to focus on a person's control of strength and soul force.

-Berserker's Heart This technique is usually used as a last resort. It allows the user to produce a surge in their abilities. However, it has many drawbacks. The duration is extremely short, they will become exhausted afterwards, and they can lose their rationality.

-Scarlet Body Refining A technique that is mostly used by fighters to temperately raise their combat abilities.

-Soul Refining One of the most effective techniques used for interrogation after pulling out a person's soul. With it out, the soul won't have consciousness so it will always answer questions truthfully.

-Soul Separating Able to partially release the soul from the body. Can be used to communicate mentally.

These special techniques had multiple uses, and that was before correcting the flaws. Because Shen Yue didn't have enough of the same type of special techniques to compile a book without flaws, he could only do things the old fashion way.

After the flaws where listed, Shen Yue would re-write the technique fixing the flaws as he went. After a few re-writes, the skill would be as complete as he could manage, without additional references. Although he could never eliminate all flaws, as the library would do when it compiled multiple books, it vastly improved the techniques.

This was why he chose the Library of Heaven's Path, in a world where most knowledge was lost or in a forgotten language, his system would just use its bullshit skills to pop out technique after technique! He couldn't understand the choices his female counterpart made.

Ye Ziyun was already supposed to be beautiful so why waste points? The Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal Pendant / System from the Ancient Strengthening Technique novel was pretty cool but made redundant by the Myriad Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting. He would still pillage it though as he still held an unhealthy grudge from her comments on his maturity and sexual conquests.

He was hoping for some enslaving techniques or inscriptions but was sadly disappointed. He did, however, get a few about the soul. Hopefully, it will be able to enhance the Soul Shackles considerably. Being able to pull out and inscribe a slave inscription directly on their soul would be terrifying.

Shen Yue spent the next week relaxing and consolidating his looted knowledge. He had never been as happy in this life as he was now. After 6 years of torture, his goal was in sight! With the list of skills and techniques he had now, he could dominate the trade industry in Glory City. All he needed was his betrayal countermeasure. He was going to have to try and bargain his way into the restricted area of the Sacred Family library.

Waiting outside for his father's permission to enter his courtyard, he was once again reminded of how much of a douche Shen Hong was. It had already been at least half an hour. While waiting, he fantasised over ways to kill him and take over the family, it was another option than just starting out on his own. Finally getting the nod from one of the countless nondescript guards inhabiting the family compound, he made his way in.

"Greetings lord father." He said giving a salute.

"Oh, Shen Yue, how has the Holy Orchid Institute's archive?" Asked Shen Hong as if he was surprised at seeing Shen Yue. Did he forget he had just made him wait thirty minutes at the door? Dick.

"It was enlightening, so much to learn. During my time reading at the Holy Orchid Institute, I came across something that could be damaging to the family's reputation. Would this achievement be worthy of entry into our Families restricted library?" Shen Yue eagerly asked.

Since Shen Hong wanted to be a dick, then he would repay him in kind. Although Shen Hong was a psychopath, he wouldn't kill him. Shen Yue wasn't as scared of him now he had a way of surviving without the support of the Sacred Family.

"Oh, and what would that be?" With his eyes narrowing into a death stare, Shen Hong gave his full attention to Shen Yue, sitting up straight on his throne.

Shen Yue just calmly met his gaze and waited. On one hand, his father scared the shit out of him, but on the other, he no longer needed Shen Hong. He was sure he would not be killed because if the news got out to the other families, Shen Hong's reputation would be shot. After ten minutes Shen Hong lost his calm.

"Speak!"

"Oh, I'm sorry lord father I thought you liked to take your time in your decisions. After all, it took you thirty minutes to decide if you should see me or not." Replied Shen Yue in an offhand manner, feeling very satisfied at venting some of the frustration he had accumulated over the years at Shen Hong.

"Boy, if you do not tell me right now your punishment will not be light!"

"The information I found could be devastating if not handled correctly, I want access to all the Family's forbidden books! It's not like there is a reason to prohibit me from entering, I am after all your son and direct descendant! Unless we have no relation?" Shen Yue's calm face morphing into one of anger. All previous thoughts about not pissing of Shen Hong thrown out the window. Being so close to his goal had weakened his resolve to be patient, six years was a long time to wait.

"Petulant child, you dare to make demands of me?" with a wave of his hand, Shen Yue was blasted off his feet. Landing on the floor three metres away, Shen Yue could not help but cry out in pain.

"You will tell me now!" Shen Hong demanded.

Standing back up, Shen Yue levelled a glare at the ancient looking douche, he really didn't age well. Shen Yue decided to go all out, the worst Shen Hong could do was beat him, if he went too far, he would lose all face.

"It seems you don't see me like family. Hope you are proud of that trash Shen Fei." The beating continued for a while after that. Shen Yue didn't give a shit about reputation, he was only six years old! He screamed as loud as he could, allowing the guards to know what was transpiring inside the room. When Shen Hong looked like he was about to stop, he whispered 'trash' just loud enough for Shen Hong to hear but not the guards outside the door.

Shen Yue woke up in pain. It seems he had lost conciseness and had been carried back to his room. He would smile if it didn't hurt so much, just breathing hurt. Seeing him wake, his maids rushed over.

"Young master, how are you feeling?" Asked Maid number one, he never bothered remembering their names when it was clear they were loyal to Shen Hong first.

"Like I was beaten to death." The Maids just looked at him, what could they do?

"Where is the doctor?" Continued Shen Yue, speaking through the pain.

"He has already been young master; he has done all he can." Answered Maid number two.

Shen Yue was in too much pain to drag answers out of these retards, probably not his best idea antagonising Shen Hong. Without anything he could do, he closed his eyes and tried his best to fall back into blissful unconsciousness. He had to wait for his aunt to continue the next step of his backup plan.

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