Chapter 662: The Three Thousand Weak Waters
The first floor of the Ghost Art Pavilion was vast, yet it teemed with people. A glance revealed a dense crowd, but they were remarkably quiet; apart from the rustle of turning pages, hardly a sound could be heard.
Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing had decided to head to the second floor even before entering the Ghost Art Pavilion. Thus, they didn't linger on the first floor. After a quick scan of the situation downstairs, they located the passage to the second floor and ascended directly.
The second floor was significantly smaller than the first. As this three-story pavilion was designed to be wider at the base and narrower at the top, each successive floor naturally diminished in size. Therefore, the second floor was considerably smaller in comparison to the first.
The term "small" here was only relative; truly speaking, the second floor was still quite expansive and exceptionally grand, appearing even cleaner and more orderly than the first.
It wasn't that the first floor was dirty; rather, the sheer number of books and people made it seem crowded and somewhat cluttered. The second floor, however, was quite the opposite: not only was the number of people more than halved, but the bookshelves and books themselves were also reduced by more than half, making it appear much cleaner and more organized than the first floor.
Compared to the first floor, the cost on the second floor was exactly double. Although it only cost one additional Soul Pill per hour, for ordinary Underworld agents, a single Soul Pill still represented a considerable expense. It was precisely for this reason that the number of people on the second floor was less than half that of the first.
At the entrance to the second floor was a counter, behind which stood two young women, their faces adorned with professional smiles, welcoming guests ascending to the second floor.
These two women were not true Ghost Officials of the Underworld, but rather spirits inhabiting skins. Under normal circumstances, genuine Ghost Officials would not be performing reception duties here.
The appearance of Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing immediately drew the attention of the two women. One of them spoke, addressing Xu Meijing, who was walking ahead.
Xu Meijing was about to reply, but Yang Haoran interjected before she could.
"We are together, and for now, we'll only be staying for one hour. If we need more time later, we'll extend it then," Yang Haoran said with a smile.
"Understood. However, we operate on a pay-first, consume-later basis. We hope both esteemed Underworld agents can understand," the woman replied with a smile, her attitude very respectful.
"Haha, no problem at all. Just follow the rules."
Yang Haoran responded with a chuckle, his demeanor very courteous. He then retrieved four Soul Pills from his independent space and handed them to the woman. As she collected the Soul Pills, the other woman meticulously recorded the transaction.
His courtesy towards the two women stemmed from two reasons: firstly, it was simply his nature, and secondly, there was another, underlying consideration.
After all, this Ghost Art Pavilion was an official enterprise of the Underworld Office. Not just any spirit could work here. Those who could were either capable or well-connected. If they possessed neither, it would be impossible for them to remain, even as mere service staff. It was best not to underestimate anyone here; they might well be backed by a powerful figure.
Yang Haoran didn't know how other Underworld agents treated the staff here, but he felt it was better to be polite to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Besides, the other party hadn't provoked him and had been equally courteous, so there was no need whatsoever to act superior or suppress them with his status.
Xu Meijing's reaction differed from Yang Haoran's. She neither displayed overt courtesy towards the two women nor sought any sense of presence from them. Her expression was aloof and cool, and she had no time to waste with two female spirits, her gaze already fixed on the rows of bookshelves on the second floor, seemingly searching for her target.
After Yang Haoran completed the payment, neither of them wasted any time and immediately began to act according to their previous plan.
Xu Meijing didn't even hesitate, heading directly to the section dedicated to offensive Ghost Arts. Her choice indicated that in her mind, she was more inclined towards offensive methods.
Seeing this, Yang Haoran opted for the defensive Ghost Arts section. While offensive Ghost Arts were crucial, defensive ones were equally indispensable. Relying solely on offensive methods without any means of defense would leave oneself vulnerable, easily exploited by an opponent.
Therefore, to ensure a comprehensive approach, Yang Haoran decisively chose the defensive Ghost Arts section.
When a person is starving, if given a plate of food and a bowl of rice, they would undoubtedly be overjoyed and eat with great relish. But if an entire table of delicious dishes were laid before them, they might instead find themselves at a loss as to where to begin. Yang Haoran felt precisely this way at the moment.
He urgently needed Ghost Arts to enhance his strength. If he acquired a single Ghost Art, regardless of its type, he would likely be quite pleased. Yet, with an overwhelming array of Ghost Arts spread before him, available for his choosing, he found himself genuinely torn, unsure how to proceed.
If only he could, he would have learned every single Ghost Art here. But the crucial issue was that he lacked the time, and certainly didn't have enough Soul Pills to squander.
His internal struggle lasted but a moment. Then, his gaze locked onto a black-covered book before him.
The book was nameless, roughly the thickness of an adult's finger. Yang Haoran skimmed through it, discovering that it contained several types of Ghost Arts, all of which, without exception, were defensive.
After a quick look, Yang Haoran closed the book and placed it back in its original position. As he prepared to take down another book nearby, his movement halted.
After a moment of hesitation, he didn't reach for another book. Instead, he picked up the black-covered book again, beginning to read it carefully from the first page.
The Ghost Arts recorded in this book all seemed quite good to him. The reason he had put it back earlier was because he wanted to continue browsing, hoping to find an even more suitable Ghost Art among the astonishing number available.
However, after he put the book back and was about to pick up another to look at, he hesitated.
The hesitation arose because he realized that continuing to pick and choose like this would be a vicious cycle with no end. He would always feel that something better lay ahead, and his time would simply dwindle away in endless selection. In the end, when his time ran out, he might not have gained a single Ghost Art for himself, leaving him empty-handed.
It was precisely because he considered this point that Yang Haoran decisively gave up on further selection, retrieved the black book, and resolved to study the Ghost Arts recorded within it.
Yang Haoran, who had previously been unsure how to choose or make a decision, felt his mind clear and his mood lighten after making this resolution. He easily focused all his attention on the book in his hands.
No photography was allowed here, so Yang Haoran could only rely on his memory to recall the Ghost Arts. To remember as many as possible within the limited time, he didn't delve into studying these Ghost Arts, nor did he practice them on the spot. Instead, he used the clumsy method of rote memorization, inscribing every incantation and every hand seal into his mind.
Not everyone shared Yang Haoran's approach. Xu Meijing, for example, had a different idea. While Yang Haoran was already committing Ghost Arts to memory, Xu Meijing was still in the offensive Ghost Arts section, meticulously choosing the ones she preferred.
Time ticked by. For Underworld agents like Yang Haoran, whose physical bodies do not naturally perish, let alone an hour, even ten, a hundred, or more years would not be a cause for concern, nor would they feel regret over the passage of time.
But now, they valued this single hour more than any other time, for it was simply too expensive.
Sometimes, when you wish time would pass quickly, every breath feels like an eternity of waiting.
But when you wish time would slow down, every breath feels like an inescapable surge of helplessness.
At that moment, Yang Haoran's heart was filled with just such helplessness, for, unknowingly, an hour had already passed. He had no choice but to return the book in his hands to its original place, prompted by the staff.
At the counter, Yang Haoran glanced at Xu Meijing beside him. He saw her brows furrowed, her expression rather displeased. He took in the sight, and a habitual smile surfaced on his face.
"How about we add another hour?"
Yang Haoran smiled as he sought Xu Meijing's opinion, but she gently shook her head.
"Let's leave it at that for now. We don't have much time to linger here."
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