Rucheng let out a sigh. It had been three hours already, and she was far from done with reading about this world. After she started reading about the ‘Ancient Time’ when this ‘cultivation first started, she grew interested and asked herself, ‘Why didn’t I think of doing research before?’ 

Relying on Gwanliin was one thing, but gaining knowledge was another, and no one was born wise.

Folding her arms on the table, she rested her head, sighing yet again. Closing her eyes, she could feel that they were tired.

A few weeks ago, she learnt that she could speed read and store the knowledge in her mind but that was just about it, you couldn’t confirm that she knew what she read so reading normally for hours on end was the only way to gain knowledge about the Third Realm.

“Why don’t you go home and rest?” Gwanliin asked from inside her domain.

She scoffed and sat up, answering, “I will, when I’m done. It’s just that I should have started when I first woke up. Now I’m on the verge of quitting, but my heart just cannot leave those children behind.”

“If it was anyone else, they would’ve left already,” Gwanliin stated.

“Mn, but it’s me,” she said and continued reading from where she left off.

Rucheng went over the curriculum again, making sure that she needed to understand what they meant by: cultivating the core

Reading and writing

Literature and poetry

Martial arts (for the boys) & cultivating virtue (for the girls)

Medicinal studies

Cultivating the core meant that she, as their teacher, needed to teach them different methods of cultivating and find what elements, spiritual awareness, or any other gifts they had. What these were? She had to look it all up!

Reading and writing were another thing, but she could understand why they did this. Kids weren’t kids and so she needed to familiarise herself with reading and writing in their language.

Literature and poetry obviously followed after the above, but then, martial arts for the boys? And Virtue for the girls? These were things she was unfamiliar with because as she read more about this, she discovered, she knew neither and had neither even though Gwanliin said that the previous Qin Rucheng was elegant and capable of holding her own in a duel.

Medicinal studies were like teaching them to stay clear from poisonous plants, but if they were gifted, they could become physicians, potion masters, poison masters or healers for the hunting groups.

Kissing her tongue across her teeth as she closed the book of hierarchy, she rubbed her eyes and stood up. Stretched her body then collected all the books.

Walking to the front, she looked at the receptionist and discovered that the person had changed. The woman now supervising looked at her oddly and with contempt as she recognised her made Rucheng’s blood boil but, ‘Stay calm, stay cool. Don’t overreact, we are starting over.’ She encouraged herself.

“Keep these for me. I’m going for fresh air,” she said and watched carefully as the books were checked. The woman looked at her confused, then scoffed and said, “Just take them with you and return them within the five leave period. No damages or you’ll have to pay and will be banned from here.”

Thinking back to what the elderly woman said before made no sense. Nodding her head slowly, she retrieved the books, then walked out of the library.

Stopping at the pillars, she looked up at the sky. She grew sad thinking about her life back on earth and how terrible she live and what a bad person she was.

A tear left her left eye, sliding down her cheek. Lifting a hand to wipe it, she looked at the drop in her hand, then rubbed it between her fingers with a smile. ‘I get to start over. I can do this. I won’t die again running after a man.’

Someone walked up the steps to the library and stopped on the last step. He looked at her, rubbing her fingers together and raised a brow. “Lady Qin, why are you here?”

He had heard the news of her leaving and as she turned to him. Under the bright moonlight, he could see that her eyes were glossy.

Rucheng walked up to him with gentle strides and stopped before him. Gazing up at him, she said, “Sorry, I seem to have forgotten your name.”

The man looked down into her eyes and saw the innocence in them. Pretending that he believed her, he asked, “Have you forgotten about me?” 

She forced a smile and nodded her head, “Mn, I’ve been pretending I know what I am doing, but for the life of me, I know nothing. All of you are new characters in my life, yet you were always here. I only know my name and my mother’s, my birthdate. I had to learn too, but whatever, you don’t have to tell me your name.”

He opened his mouth to say something, but she turned and walked back into the library, moving elegantly although she didn’t know it.

The man followed behind her after he entered and greeted the receptionist, who squealed at his handsome self. 

“Kim Juimin, you’re here so late? How can I help you?” she asked.

Juimin forced a smile and held his hand up. “Just doing some research. I know where to find the books.”

The receptionist pouted and nodded her head before going back to the desk. She kept her gaze on him as he walked off, disappearing between the shelves.

‘Kim Juimin,’ Rucheng repeated as she sat down on the chair and placed all the books back on the table.

Opening a book about the basic virtue teachings she started reading, and her face distorted.

Kim Juimin walked up to the table she was sitting at with a book in hand and looked at her. There were many seats in the library, but this was the only one occupied and he was rather curious about this teacher who made his little brother fall in love with her.

Wol Ryeong’s little brother seemed to have a crush on her too and from her looks, she was beautiful, but not a noteworthy beauty like the Top Ten Beauties of Heavenly Pavilion.

“Can I sit down?” He asked, catching her attention.

Her attention was drawn from the book of virtue to him, and she stared for a moment. “I’m sorry what?”

“Can I sit here?” He repeated.

She looked around, then looked back at him and said, “I don’t mind, but you’ll disturb the books.”

He looked down at the table and there was indeed no space for his books. Smiling as he sat down, he looked at her and said, “I just don’t want to sit alone.”

“Then sit with the receptionist,” she said with a frown.

“Kim Juimin,” he said.

Staring at him, she nodded slowly, “Mn, I heard. She was pretty loud.”

“Why are you reading the book of Basic Virtue?” He asked conversationally.

Rucheng raised a brow, then pointed at his book and said, “Silence in the library.”