Chapter 12

If it became known that Yeon Woo-jin was Yeon Cheon-baek’s grandson, he would immediately become the primary target of the candidates vying for the position of the next Heavenly Lord. But could reading books in the Boundless Library really make him stronger? It was hard to understand. Normally, someone would look for a powerful martial arts manual and try to master its techniques. Yet Yeon Woo-jin wasn’t doing that. Instead, he simply flipped through the books rapidly and returned them to the shelves. It was the same process the librarians used when checking the condition of books. The librarians had already taken a liking to Yeon Woo-jin. After all, he had gone out of his way to help them so much. They wanted to return the favor. As the ones who knew the contents of the Boundless Library better than anyone, they were determined to find any book Yeon Woo-jin wanted if he asked for it. “Young Lord.” “Yes?” “Is there a specific book you’re looking for?” “Huh? A specific book? What do you mean?” “Helping us is kind, but you must have a purpose for coming here.” “That’s right. Checking the condition of the books is our job, so please focus on what you need.” “You’ve been flipping through the books as if you’re looking for something specific. We understand that you’re helping us while searching for your book. So if you tell us what you’re looking for, we’ll find it for you.” It seemed they had misunderstood his actions, assuming he was searching for a particular book. “Ah! I guess it could look that way. But no, I’m not checking the condition of the books or looking for specific information.” “Then... what are you doing?” “I’m reading.” “What?” “This might sound like bragging... but even if my martial arts are weak, my brain is pretty sharp.” It wasn’t just the librarians who were shocked by Yeon Woo-jin’s answer. Even Chun Ho-seong and Jeok Seong, standing beside him, looked stunned. They had assumed, like the librarians, that Yeon Woo-jin was simply helping them. None of them had imagined he was actually reading the books. After all, who would think that flipping through pages that quickly counted as reading? “Y-you actually read all of that?” “Yes.” “Young Lord, if you haven’t properly understood the content, it can’t really be considered reading.” “I understood everything. I even memorized it all.” “What?!” Everyone gasped. The fact that he hadn’t just skimmed but actually read was shocking enough—but to have memorized it all? It was unbelievable. “I’m serious.” Yeon Woo-jin grabbed a lower-level book, flipped through it rapidly, and handed it to Baek Ga-hu. “I’ve memorized it. Ask me anything.” Lower-level books were accessible to the librarians, so Baek Ga-hu opened the book and asked questions about its content. Yeon Woo-jin answered fluently without hesitation. It was real. His martial arts might have been weak, but his mind was monstrous. Everyone stared at him with their mouths agape. Chun Ho-seong was deeply impressed. ‘As expected of the Heavenly Lord’s bloodline! He may lack talent in martial arts, but his intellect is naturally exceptional.’ Strength wasn’t the only path to power. Even a brilliant mind could dominate. There was a reason why large factions established military strategists and granted them enormous authority. Their abilities rivaled martial strength. In Chun Ho-seong’s eyes, Yeon Woo-jin possessed the most extraordinary intellect in martial arts history. ‘No matter who becomes the next Heavenly Lord, they’ll end up moving under his influence.’ Meanwhile, Jeok Seong, who already knew Yeon Woo-jin’s true abilities, simply nodded as if it were obvious. To him, it wasn’t surprising. After all, he believed Yeon Woo-jin was a god. Jeok Seong had misunderstood Yeon Woo-jin’s presence in the Boundless Library. He thought the “god” had descended into a human body to learn and adapt to human knowledge—and to gather information about the mortal world. At first, he treated the idea as a convenient explanation, but over time, it became a conviction. To Jeok Seong, Yeon Woo-jin was the only divine being worthy of worship in this world. Jeok Seong’s heart raced as he looked at Yeon Woo-jin. He couldn’t wait to see what kind of new powers Yeon Woo-jin would create from the knowledge gained here. A god’s powers surely defied human imagination, promising a spectacle of unimaginable techniques. What kind of innovative attack would shock him next? How strong would Yeon Woo-jin become? As he grew accustomed to his human form, the day he fully awakened his divine powers wasn’t far off. When that day came, Jeok Seong was certain the world would revolve around Yeon Woo-jin. Both Jeok Seong and Chun Ho-seong stared at Yeon Woo-jin with eyes full of expectation, making him feel uneasy. “My lord... your subordinates are watching.” Chun Ho-seong spoke quietly, trying to remind him. “So what? If they’re watching, let them. Who’s going to stop me from hugging my grandson? Anyone with a problem can step forward.” Yeon Cheon-baek’s eyes gleamed like lightning as he spoke. Who would dare step forward? Even if someone scoured the entire martial world, they wouldn’t find a fool bold enough to challenge him. Having finally indulged himself after holding back for so long, Yeon Cheon-baek felt fully recharged just from Yeon Woo-jin’s presence. “So, what brings you here, Grandpa?” “Haha. Do I need a reason to visit my grandson?” “Hehe, no. I was just worried I might be distracting you from something important.” “Haha. Only my Woo-jin would care so much about his grandpa.” “Did you really come just to see me?” “Of course. Well... there’s something I’m curious about too.” “Curious?” “That man over there told me... you can memorize any book after reading it just once. Is that true?” “Yes.” Yeon Woo-jin answered without hesitation, leaving Yeon Cheon-baek stunned. “Really? Is that true?” “Yes.” “Can you show me?” “Sure. Just pick any book and give it to me. I’ll memorize it on the spot.” “Haha! Alright then.” Yeon Cheon-baek glanced around the library. Yeon Cheon-baek pulled a book from the shelf and handed it to Yeon Woo-jin. Flip—flip—flip. Yeon Woo-jin rapidly turned the pages, and Yeon Cheon-baek watched him with a nervous expression. Snap. Moments later, Yeon Woo-jin closed the book and handed it back. “I’ve memorized it all.” “A-already?” “Yes.” “C-can this old man check, just to be sure?” “Of course!” Yeon Cheon-baek immediately opened the book to a random page and read aloud a passage. Without hesitation, Yeon Woo-jin recited the next part. “Huh...” He couldn’t believe it. Maybe it was just a book Yeon Woo-jin had read before? He pulled out another book and handed it over. Without a word, Yeon Woo-jin took it and began flipping through the pages just as quickly. When Yeon Cheon-baek asked questions, he answered without missing a single detail. “H-how is this even possible...” Stunned, Yeon Cheon-baek stood frozen for a moment before his face lit up. “Hahaha! My boy is a genius! A genius, I say! Hahaha!” He grabbed Yeon Woo-jin and hugged him tightly, his laughter echoing throughout the library. Then, as if something had just occurred to him, he asked, “Have you been inside the Heavenly Hall yet?” “No, not yet.” “Huh. Well, when this old man goes there, you’ll enter and read everything inside. Memorize it all and make it yours.” “Yes, sir!” “Oh, look at how well you answer! My precious boy.” Yeon Cheon-baek grinned from ear to ear and ruffled Yeon Woo-jin’s hair with boundless affection. After basking in his joy for a while, he suddenly remembered something and carefully asked, “By the way... have you made any progress in martial arts?” At this, Yeon Woo-jin’s face fell, looking guilty. “I’m improving little by little. I’m sorry... I haven’t lived up to your expectations yet.” Yeon Cheon-baek was so startled that he quickly waved his hands in denial. “No, no! My Woo-jin misunderstood me. I was just curious, that’s all. This old man doesn’t care whether you’re strong in martial arts or not. It doesn’t matter to me one bit. I shouldn’t have said something that hurt your feelings.” Afraid he had upset Yeon Woo-jin, Yeon Cheon-baek did his best to reassure him. Everyone around them stared in disbelief. Was this truly the same man who used to treat weak martial artists as less than human? While most were stunned, one person wore a slight smile—Jeok Seong. ‘Heavenly Lord, you’re going to be in for a huge surprise later.’ Yeon Woo-jin claimed he was improving little by little, but that wasn’t the truth. He was growing stronger at a terrifying rate, using the knowledge he gained in this place. And Jeok Seong, being the only one who knew this secret, couldn’t help but feel a sense of privilege.