Chapter 60: Traumatic Third Floor

While the first two floors were termed 'Fabulous' and 'Serene', the third floor of the Martial Book Pavilion was very unique.

It was called the Traumatic Third Floor.

This floor was for the Elders and Disciples of the Second Peak of the Gracious Sword Sect.

But there was one thing different about this floor. This floor did not contain any Cultivation Manual, rather here were placed the manuals for Alchemy, Blacksmithing, Poison Arts, and manuals related to a very unique path of the cultivation world, the Arcane Path. Not much is known about this path to the general cultivators, however what everyone does know is that only most talented geniuses of an era can ever think about trying following this path.

The naming of this floor had no relation with Arcane Path, but in fact, this floor was called 'traumatic' by disciples and elders alike because all Alchemy, Poison Arts and Blacksmithing manuals on this floor. They could not be taken out nor was anyone allowed to make their copies, rather the disciples were forced to remember each and every line of the manuals by heart.

A legendary cultivator once said that even though cultivation is a long path, learning an alchemy manual may take even longer.

The disciples hated to come to this floor, and they hated these manuals with pure passion.

Learning the names of more than a hundred thousand herbs and poisonous plants, learning about different refining techniques, ores, and process of making pill or a weapon left a deep trauma in their hearts.

Sometimes disciples even questioned themselves about why they chose this path, why did they not chose simple cultivation but tried to go after fame.

It be Alchemy or Blacksmithing, the theoritical part was the one that had mutual hatred from all disciples and elders.

Any disciples in this path would love to have a divine artefact which could make this phase easier but nothing like that exists. In the end, only the very persistent and determined disciples have passed through and succeeded in becoming top class Alchemists or Blacksmiths.

...

Even though this floor was called Traumatic Third Floor by everyone, this was also the floor which was the most crowded in the Martial Book Pavilion.

Even more than the First Floor, which was much bigger in comparison to this floor. The third floor was crowded because unlike disciples on the first floor who were allowed to take back the cultivation manuals to their abodes, the disciples on the third floor could do nothing but sit in front of their manuals, questioning their life.

Above the Traumatic Third Floor was the Fortune Fourth Floor.

To enter this floor, one needed to be at least an Inner Court Elder in the Gracious Sword Sect.

This floor was called the Fortune Fourth, because this place had all the past sect records, some untold secrets, anecdotes of previous sect leaders and almost all of the knowledge regarding general affairs of the sect which is hidden from disciples and cultivators outside. This fourth floor was the true fortune of the Gracious Sword Sect and also the most well kept floor of the Martial Book Pavilion.

This floor also had a very special manual, old but very well kept. It was the Gracious Rule Book.

This book contained all the rules and decorum one must follow after he becomes a Core Disciple, Elder, Grand Elder, or Sect Leader in the Gracious Sword Sect.

For Inner Court disciples or Outer Court disciples, there's no rule book. The decision made by Elders is the final verdict.

After an Inner Disciple choses to become an Elder, he receives a copy of this book, which he is supposed to follow from then on.

Since normal disciples are not allowed to enter here, not much is known about its interior among them, except for the foretold information.

...

The Martial Book Pavilion has a total of Five Floors, and the top floor is the most special one.

The top floor is the smallest and it is said that no more than two people can stand together comfortably in this room.

All members of Gracious Sword Sect know of this room as the Forbidden Fifth Floor of Martial Book Pavilion.

It is the same place where the legendary sword technique, the Gracious Sword Technique is supposedly kept.

Only the current Sect Leader is allowed to enter this place, rest all members of the Gracious Sword Sect, including the Grand Elder, are forbidden from entry. And even if the Sect Leader consents, they are not allowed to enter.

To show how seriously the predecessors of Gracious Sword Sect took this floor could be observed by just looking at the Gracious Rule Book's first page.

It clearly states that under no circumstances the subjects of Gracious Sword Sect are allowed to enter the Fifth Floor. Only current Sect Leader is allowed, that too, no more than once in a month.

The more importance the sect gave to this floor, more people believed that this floor houses the Gracious Sword Technique.

With the Fabulous, Serene, Traumatic, Fortune and Forbidden Floors, the Martial Book Pavilion stood tallest among all the buildings at the base of the First Peak.