As Xiaofan approached the last door, something about it felt… familiar.
The design, the frame, even the way it sat slightly off-center—it looked almost identical to the one in the office earlier. As if the previous owner had some strange obsession with symmetry. Or maybe a "sandwich method," stacking similar rooms around.
Without overthinking it—because when has that ever stopped him—Xiaofan pushed the door open.
And the first thing he noticed was…
Another bookshelf.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
Rows upon rows of books filled the room. Shelves lined the walls, stacked neatly, almost obsessively organized. Compared to the office, this was on an entirely different level.
At this point, it was safe to say the previous owner wasn't just "a bit bookish." No—this was a full-blown book addict. The kind who collects manuals like treasures and probably argues with people using footnotes.
Xiaofan stepped inside, glancing around. Surprisingly, despite the years of abandonment, the books were still intact. A little dust here and there, sure—but nothing serious. Everything was arranged carefully.
The room itself was bigger than expected—larger than the previous rooms, even stretching beyond what the hallway layout should have allowed.
As he explored the room, his gaze lingered on the shelves. At first, they seemed ordinary—but a closer look revealed something more. Each one was meticulously organized, every shelf devoted to a single purpose.
This one held records of the world's history.
The next detailed various types of monsters.
Everything was arranged with deliberate care, as if the former owner valued knowledge above all else.
But among them, one section drew his attention more than the rest.
Plants.
He stepped closer, eyes narrowing slightly, curiosity stirring within him.
"Hm."
Xiaofan stood in front of the plant section, eyes scanning the shelves. There were a lot of books here—far more than any normal farmer would ever need. Either the previous owner was extremely dedicated… or just had a serious obsession.
His gaze moved slowly until one title caught his attention.
"Heavenly Ginseng…"
The book stood out. Its cover had a faint golden layer, simple but refined, with a hand-drawn image of a ginseng root at the center. Compared to the others, it was thinner—noticeably so.
That alone made it worth checking.
He opened it.
The first page wasn't written like a formal manual. It read more like a journal—direct, personal, as if someone had recorded their own findings.
It began with a brief explanation.
Heavenly Ginseng—an herb said to originate from the Heavenly Realm.
But the connection between the Heavenly Realm and the mortal world had long been severed. The gates were closed, and whatever once passed between them no longer existed.
There had been a time when people attempted to cultivate it in the mortal world. Some even succeeded.
Until the holy war.
Twenty centuries ago, everything changed.
The methods were lost. The knowledge faded. What little remained became incomplete.
Over time, Heavenly Ginseng disappeared from the mortal world.
Some herbalists tried to keep it alive, but even that failed. The plant required time—at least ten years to mature properly. And without the proper methods… it simply couldn't be sustained.
Xiaofan continued turning the pages, his focus sharpening.
Eventually, he reached a section detailing its effects.
The benefits were clear.
This single herb could provide an overwhelming amount of qi—enough to push someone all the way to the Nascent Realm, even if they had just begun cultivating. If refined through alchemy, the effect became more stable and efficient.
But the drawbacks were just as clear.
It was extremely rare. Expensive to the point that few could ever obtain it.
And
It placed a heavy burden on the body.
Those who consumed it reported severe strain, as if their bodies were being drained from within. In some cases, it caused lasting damage.
But well..
Power itself was neither good nor evil. It simply existed.
But in the jianghu, such distinctions were meaningless—because cultivators were, by nature, and some are addicted to power.
Even if it meant destroying their own bodies just to grasp greater power… they would press forward without hesitation.
The book, in the end, contained more history than true understanding. It spoke of Heavenly Ginseng's past—its origins, its disappearance—but not what it truly was at its core.
Still, one thing was certain.
It was a treasure.
If it still existed in this world, clans and sects alike would fight to the death for it without hesitation.
Perhaps… removing it from history was the right decision after all.
After flipping through a few more pages, Xiao Fan closed the book with a soft thud.
He didn't return it immediately. Instead, his fingers lingered on the cover for a moment before placing it back on the shelf.
Then, he continued browsing.
One book after another, his eyes scanned titles, absorbing bits and pieces of knowledge. Time passed without him noticing.
By the time he finally stepped away, hours had gone by.
"…Reading really is intriguing."
He let out a quiet breath, a faint smile forming.
"There's still so much in this world… so much I need to learn."
Stretching his arms and loosening his stiff shoulders, he rolled his neck slightly before turning toward the door.
But before anything else—
"There's something more important."
A pause.
Then—
"It's cleaning time."
Without further delay, he headed downstairs, deciding to start from the first floor.
The first task was simple: discard everything useless.
Back on the first floor, he had already begun clearing out broken furniture—things that were once useful but now nothing more than junk. Worn tables, shattered chairs, scraps that served no purpose.
Noticing the layer of dust coating the floor, he let out a quiet sigh.
Luckily, after a bit of searching, he found a broom tucked away in a corner. He grabbed the broom and started sweeping the floor, pushing aside layers of dust.
It took him a few hours to finish clearing the first floor completely.
But in the end, all the effort was worth it. What the place needed now was simple—new furniture, maybe some renovation.
Still… he wasn't done yet.
Lifting his head, he glanced toward the second floor and let out a quiet sigh. Compared to the first floor, there wasn't much to deal with up there. Probably just some dust and a bit of sweeping.
"Alright… let's finish this."
Second floor.
The office was in better condition only few to throw up. Aside from a few stacks of unused papers and dried-up ink bottles, everything was relatively intact. What surprised him most were the books—row after row of them, each looking useful… even intriguing.
He paused, flipping through one at random.
"…Not bad."
In the end, he decided not to throw anything away. If anything, these might turn out to be valuable reads.
Room after room, he went through the entire floor. Dust was swept away, corners were cleared, and the stale air slowly faded.
Except for the second room along the right hallway.
He stopped briefly in front of it, glancing inside… then shook his head.
"Nothing to clean there anyway."
So he moved on without bothering.
After a long and exhausting cleaning session…
"It's finally done."
"My back… is killing me…"
Xiao Fan dropped into a chair, stretching slightly as he looked around. The once dusty and neglected space now felt alive again. Clean. Orderly.
A small, satisfied smile formed on his lips.
Not bad for a day's work.
DING!
MISSION COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY
Good job!
A translucent screen suddenly appeared before his eyes, as if materializing out of thin air.