The Book Repository is a place where a vast number of books are stored, including many cultivation manuals, making it quite important. After all, in this world, books are considered very precious.

Henry Johnson must pass through the martial training grounds to reach the Book Repository.

The martial training grounds serve as the training field for the manor’s guards and warriors, occupying the largest area. Next to the training grounds are the stables and the armory.

As soon as he stepped out of the inner manor’s main gate, Henry Johnson could see, on the expansive bluestone martial training grounds spanning several hundred meters, over a hundred youths standing in neat formation, their momentum soaring, each one full of vigor as they practiced their boxing techniques.

“Ninth form, gather your energy.” A burly man in a black martial uniform shouted, “Channel your strength throughout your body, unify your fists, tense your legs... Mastering this form is the key to producing true qi. Focus!”

“The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle. When you join the guard and go into real combat in the future, you won’t regret it.” The man walked to the front of the formation. “Only by constantly pushing your physical limits can you hope to condense martial patterns and set foot on the path of cultivation.”

Henry Johnson stood by the wall, watching quietly. He had considerable insight into the path of the soul, but when it came to martial cultivation, he felt a bit...

“My uncle’s teaching skills are indeed impressive, but my father is the strongest in the manor, yet he never instructs disciples!” Henry Johnson pondered.

That burly middle-aged man was his Uncle Robert Johnson, his father’s elder brother, a powerful Martial Master and the martial instructor of the manor, responsible for teaching youths with cultivation talent who had not yet set foot on the path.

“These youths, in terms of talent and potential, are far stronger than the humans of my previous life on Earth.”

Over the past six years, Henry Johnson had long since discovered that the physical constitution of humans in this world far surpassed that of his previous life on Earth.

In his previous life, he had spent decades just to barely set foot on the path of cultivation—a talent considered top-tier on Earth.

Yet these youths, each with single-arm strength of several hundred jin, would have been kings of the army in terms of physical power in his previous life, but in The Johnson Manor, they didn’t even qualify to become soldiers.

“My The Johnson Manor is considered a first-class power within Hongcheng, but it’s still far inferior to the Northern March Stronghold.” Henry Johnson mused. “Nine thousand Northern March soldiers, their armor shining like feathers, dominating the great river—truly extraordinary.”

The nine thousand Northern March troops, their armor like mirrors, when charging, resembled the sun and moon, reputed as the number one army north of the river.

The Northern March Stronghold is absolutely the most powerful force in the entire Jiangbei Commandery, bar none. Even ten The Johnson Family combined are far inferior.

The only thing worth mentioning about the The Johnson Family is perhaps that they have a peerless expert who commands awe throughout Jiangbei.

...

After passing the martial training grounds, Henry Johnson arrived in front of a three-story pavilion—the Book Repository, which appeared ancient and solemn.

“You all wait for me outside!” Henry Johnson instructed.

The soldiers who had been following and protecting him nodded. Only members of the The Johnson Family clan could freely enter and exit the Book Repository; others required a token or verbal permission.

“Sixth Grandpa.” Henry Johnson respectfully greeted a lean old man basking in the sun at the entrance.

This elder, named Andrew Johnson, was of the same generation as his grandfather Samuel Johnson. According to his father, this Sixth Grandpa’s strength was among the very top in the manor, but he was unwilling to manage affairs, so he became the gatekeeper of the Book Repository.

“Little Han, here to read again?” The old man opened his eyes and smiled. “Go on in, read whatever you like. If you want to take any books back, just record it.”

Henry Johnson smiled and nodded, not disturbing the old man’s nap any further.

He walked up the steps and gently pushed open the door to the Book Repository. Without hesitation, Henry Johnson selected a book he had already picked out earlier and began reading at a nearby desk.

Sunlight streamed through the window, making Henry Johnson feel very comfortable.

Over the past six years, besides cultivating his soul and training his body, Henry Johnson spent his time reading.

Henry Johnson understood that books record the history of a civilization and are the driving force behind its continuous progress and development. Whether this world was a technological civilization or a cultivation civilization, if he wanted to understand many things, he didn’t need to ask others—books would explain it clearly.

So, from the moment he started speaking, Henry Johnson insisted that his mother teach him to read.

Vera Quinn was highly educated. Though surprised by her son’s performance, she was happy to teach him. With Henry Johnson’s powerful soul, his memory was extraordinary. In less than a month, he had mastered thousands of the most basic characters of this world.

Even at the peak of a civilization’s development, its written characters usually number only in the tens of thousands, with commonly used ones just a few thousand.

In the years that followed, Henry Johnson read on his own.

In his previous life, Henry Johnson had only known some basic knowledge of the underworld and soul cultivation.

As for martial cultivation, he had only tried it during the end of the law era on Earth, so his understanding was limited, and he knew even less about the world he was now born into.

To climb the mountain, one must first know the path.

In this life, Henry Johnson wanted to set foot on the sacred path, so naturally he needed to delve deeply into understanding it.

Seek the principles in books; the classics contain the true essence.