One-Eyed Monster

Igor hadn’t even finished his thought when a Spirit Book from one of the four bookshelves came flying at him, its gaping mouth opened wide, as if ready to bite Igor in half!

If it weren’t for the iron chain holding that Spirit Book, Igor might have really been attacked at that moment!

”Quiet!” The short and stout Skol pulled the Spirit Book back with a technique that wasn’t apparent, causing the book to close its mouth.

”Haha. This kind of thing happens often. You have to know these books are written by remarkable predecessors, and they carry a bit of their temper. It’s normal for many of them to be a tad arrogant and look down on people; this is largely due to their conceit.” Dean Hoffman glanced at Igor’s still-shaken expression and said reassuringly.

”I wonder what kind of scene His Excellency the Dean’s Spirit Book will present when it’s finished...” Perkins couldn’t help but voice his curiosity about what the Dean’s Spirit Book would be like.

”Maybe it’ll be like me and keep dozing off, haha...” Dean Hoffman said self-deprecatingly.

”No, Your Excellency the Dean’s book is sure to be quite rational, just like Lord Soron’s works!” Stim also emerged from a nearby bookshelf, hugging a Spirit Book.

”Bah! What’s Soron worth? His book can’t compare to mine!” A Spirit Book from nearby protested loudly, showing not the slightest regard for Soron’s name.

”Hmph, just because you’re Barbosa’s work doesn’t mean you can be so arrogant. In terms of achievements, you have no advantage at all. You have many impressive theories, but you also have many obvious errors!” Jiggs closed the boastful Spirit Book.

Barbosa was once a famed Hunter of Yowein Continent, a person very old and ancient. Back then, to pass on his skills, he helped contemporary Scholars write Hunter’s Notes. Due to the distant times, much of the content in this book has later been proven wrong by Scholars. However, Spirit Books are indifferent to these validations and still regard their old qualifications with pride, treating younger generations with disdain.

But faced with outstanding young Scholars, they immediately wilt as if they’ve encountered their nemesis.

”Haha, sometimes these books are just as rebellious. In front of Absolute Truth, they’re as insignificant as we are.” Dean Hoffman continued adding.

Igor finally understood a bit at this moment; the Spirit Book in his hand didn’t speak just now because with Senior Stim holding it, it was like a child. Though it is a book, it is not all-knowing. There are things it does not know. In front of mature Scholars, its inadequacies are immediately apparent; it can only obediently comply.

After all, they are books; their role is to solve problems for others. In front of some Scholars, they too feel ignorant and fearful!

Igor hastily settled the Spirit Book in his hand. From then on, he would no longer ridicule this book or doubt its reliability. Faced with this book, he was also an ignorant boy, albeit always flaunting his ignorance...

Feeling embarrassed, Igor scratched his head and respectfully handed the Spirit Book to Stim.

”Thank you.” Stim took the book and moved towards another bookshelf.

”These guys are really naughty. We have to organize them many times every day. You know, they don’t arrange themselves according to our order!” Skol said, pointing at a bookshelf. ”Look, we think Witch’s Techniques should be placed on the first shelf, but some Spirit Books feel our arrangement is unreasonable. After we’ve settled them, they secretly swap places...”

”That’s why Brother Stim is now searching for them, right?” Perkins quickly realized what Stim was doing.

”Right, you’re clever!” Jiggs hurriedly stuffed a furious Spirit Book onto the shelf while speaking, ”Earlier, it was chaotic here; the fellow in my hand was fighting the one opposite it. I really don’t know what they’re debating, things from years ago, yet still grudging.”

”Hmph! I shall never be reconciled with Lord Sorin’s enemy!”

”Bah, your Lord Sorin is nothing but a despicable plagiarizer of Lord Bal’s theories!”

”Haha, isn’t it lively here? Without these administrators, these books would’ve flipped this room over.” Dean Hoffman walked over with his hands behind his back, closing Lord Sorin’s work.

Many books, being one with their authors, can connect spiritually due to the predecessors’ Spirit Power extending into the books, carrying shadows of predecessors. Although many older books are outdated, we can still find the wisdom of the time from them. The truth is built upon constant rejection of predecessors. So, regardless of whether Stim’s discovery is correct or not, his method is the Scholar’s attitude. Without trying, merely immersing oneself in books, there will be no discoveries!” Dean Hoffman spoke as if teaching, saying quite a lot.

Igor listened intently but couldn’t quite understand one point. With so many Spirit Books in this room, have all signed a Spirit Power contract with Dean Hoffman...? He voiced this doubt.

”Well, haha, these Spirit Books haven’t signed any agreement with me. I’m a Scholar, not in other professions; I’m friends with books, no agreements needed.”

”Then why did my Spirit Book want to sign an agreement with me and insist on following me...” Igor was puzzled.

”Haha, I said, though Spirit Books extend the Spirit Power of predecessors, they are ultimately independent with consciousness. There’s something about you that’s attracted the Spirit Book; hence, it completes some agreement with you. This is quite rare, Igor, indicating you are different from others; you possess something unique.”

”Uh...” Igor was baffled by Dean Hoffman’s words.

”Found it!” Just as Igor was feeling bewildered, Stim shouted with excitement, as he’d clearly found those few Travelogues.

The crowd heard and went over, seeing Stim in a corner of the bookshelf finding the last Travelogue. On the stool under his feet were three neatly arranged Spirit Books, all the same size but different colors, each with its distinctive features...