C59 The Ten Floors of Water Pavilion Suddenly Changed!

After some hesitation, Shangguan Yue decided to place his trust in Jiang Su. He was aware of Jiang Su's past as a cook, a background that certainly didn't include this kind of knowledge.

Yet Elder Chiu Yue had recognized Jiang Su's innate genius.

"Examine that rune closely once more, and you'll discern the underlying pattern. The key to solving it lies within a word in this direction."

Jiang Su nodded in understanding. It was no surprise that Shangguan Yue was considered the most formidable Talisman Cultivator in the Cultivation World for millennia. With just one look, he could dismantle any formation.

Jiang Su had indeed erred. He had bypassed the opportunity to learn from such a powerful Talisman Cultivator, choosing instead to delve into the Archean Array Records on his own. This had led Shangguan Yue to overestimate his abilities.

Being a novice in talisman cultivation, Jiang Su was still largely ignorant.

Yet no one would believe his claims of inexperience.

With a sigh, Jiang Su took out a pen and lightly tapped the specified character. Immediately, the formation erupted with intense light, and the door swung open.

Without a moment's delay, he stepped through. His destination was the tenth floor, home to the texts considered the heart of the Devil Sect.

Jiang Su smiled, "Master Shangguan, from here on out, I'm in your hands."

Shangguan Yue rallied, regaining his composure.

Murong Yun and the Secretary, seated on the first floor of the Compendium Pavilion, were astounded.

Jiang Su had managed to find the key on his own, unlock the formation, and gain access to the seventh floor.

His talent was far beyond what they had imagined.

Jiang Su's prowess wasn't limited to swordsmanship; he was also remarkably skilled as a Talisman Cultivator.

Murong Yun pondered the familiarity of the sword in Jiang Su's grasp. It seemed to be the same sword he had encountered centuries ago.

To whom did the sword belong? Which tome mentioned it?

In a sudden bout of realization, he slapped himself, his hand shaking.

The slap echoed so loudly that it left everyone on the first floor of the Compendium Pavilion in shock.

Beside him, the Secretary was taken aback. What had come over Lord Murong? Had he only just come to terms with being evenly matched by a junior, and did the thought shame him?

That sword belonged to Senior Sword Immortal Chen Pingsheng! Murong Yun realized.

It's no surprise that the blade felt so familiar to him!

Since it was the esteemed Chen Pingsheng's sword, it had already acknowledged him as its true master. Yet now, it had been drawn by Jiang Su!

A new Sword Immortal was destined to rise in the Devil Domain!

Murong Yun's pallid complexion flushed with intense excitement. The Secretary watched him, questioning whether Murong Yun had lost his mind.

With caution, the Secretary suggested, "Lord Murong, perhaps you should retire to the Compendium Pavilion for some rest."

Murong Yun, stroking his beard with a thrill in his voice, replied, "No, I must go to the Devil Palace myself to meet the Female Ruler!"

He then reflected on the recent embarrassment he had caused Jiang Su, souring their relationship.

Having said that, Murong Yun dashed to his third-floor room and reemerged with a burlap sack. The onlookers were astounded. The sack brimmed with spiritual energy, unmistakably Murong Yun's possession, leading them to speculate about the treasures it might contain.

"Hand this sack to Jiang Hee later. I'm off," Murong Yun instructed.

The Secretary, puzzled, took the heavy sack.

As Murong Yun departed with evident exhilaration, the Secretary mused, "How can one ever truly grasp the intentions of such enigmatic figures?"

With Shangguan Yue's assistance, Jiang Su swiftly reached the tenth floor, only to find the scene there defied his expectations.

The sound of water droplets echoed in the serene space, casting an eerie ambiance.

The floor was awash, transforming the place from a library into what seemed more like a Water Pavilion.

Stepping forward, Jiang Su immediately felt the chill of the water soaking his hem and shoes.

Sparse bookshelves, no longer wooden, were carved from an unfamiliar stone. Touching one, Jiang Su found it icy to the touch.

A droplet landed precisely on his fingertip, but he paid it no mind, his attention captured by the books on the shelves.

These were not paper volumes but bamboo slips, preserved here in the quietude.

"Be on your guard, disciple. Something's amiss here. I suspect the First Devil Sect has laid a trap within the Compendium Pavilion," warned Shangguan Yue.

Jiang Su nodded, having already observed the uneven distribution of bamboo slips in various directions.

To the untrained eye, it might seem inconsequential, but the arrangement of these books subtly suggested the outline of a formation.

He had traversed this area to probe whether the floor submerged in water would activate any mechanisms. Since his passage had been uneventful, he concluded that the trap must be linked to the books.

Suddenly, a loud bang echoed as the door behind Jiang Su slammed shut.

With no retreat available, his only option was to press on.

"Disciple, I can dismantle this formation. I've encountered countless ones before, but I can't predict the aftermath of disabling this one," Shangguan Yue admitted.

Jiang Su contemplated the First Devil Sect's rationale for constructing a ten-story Compendium Pavilion. Theoretically, the most crucial texts would reside on the tenth floor, making a protective formation here logical. Yet, the Secretary had mentioned that only the four elders and the Female Ruler had access to the final five levels. The sixth through ninth floors seemed ordinary, so why did the tenth floor feel so off?

Water naturally flows downward, yet here on the top floor, the water source was constant. Where was it originating from?

Was it wise to dismantle the formation?

"Have you made up your mind, disciple?" Shangguan Yue inquired.

Drawing the Life Sword, Jiang Su sensed that the tenth floor might hold unexpected dangers, possibly a top-quality tome or a malevolent creature.

He gazed at the murky water below, which, to his surprise, began to clear.

"Break the formation!" commanded Jiang Su.

Shangguan Yue, having already mentally unraveled the formation, knew exactly how to neutralize it.

"The book on the eleventh shelf of the seventh bookcase."

With the Shadowless Step, Jiang Su moved swiftly across the water's surface, causing ripples to spread out from his path.

He charged toward the specified book, and in a mere moment, he reached the seventh bookshelf.

Just as Jiang Su was on the cusp of seizing the book, a multitude of vines surged from the water.

Their speed was astonishingly swift. One vine latched onto Jiang Su's leg with a vice-like grip, yanking him down from midair with ferocity. Caught unawares, Jiang Su found himself being dragged down by the tenacious vine.

Wielding his Life Sword, Jiang Su sliced through the vine ensnaring him. The area was overrun with vines. He realized it was futile to try to cut them all down.

So, he gathered his spiritual force. In a flash, a fierce blaze materialized in his hand. As the flames struck the vines, they let out agonized shrieks.

Incredibly, the vines were speaking. It was an eerie turn of events.