Chapter 51: Probing

The stooped old man stood with his back to Lin Jiangnian, holding a broom. His movements were slow yet entirely focused as he diligently swept the dust from the attic floor.

The sudden appearance of such a bizarre and mysterious old man in the dim attic was indeed unexpected. Lin Jiangnian narrowed his eyes. Could there truly be a "sweeping monk" in the heavily restricted Ruyi Tower?

No outsider could easily enter the Ruyi Tower. Within the entire Prince Lin’s Estate, the only people permitted to move freely about this place were Prince Lin, the Heir Apparent, and perhaps his personal maid... Zhiyuan?

Aside from them, no one else was qualified to set foot here!

Yet right now, an old man of mysterious identity was sweeping the floor here?

All the classic elements were present!

This old man was probably far from simple!

Was he the guardian of the tower?

Or... some supreme martial arts master in hiding?

"Senior?" Lin Jiangnian tested the waters and spoke up.

However, the stooped old man continued sweeping the ground with rapt attention, as if he hadn't heard a thing.

Lin Jiangnian walked up slowly, coming to a halt behind the old man, and called out once more, "Senior?"

Still no reaction.

No reaction even at such a close distance?

Could he be deaf?

Just as Lin Jiangnian was about to step around in front of the old man, the old man finished sweeping the dust before him and turned around. He seemed momentarily startled, only then noticing Lin Jiangnian standing behind him.

He was an elderly man nearing his sixties, with withered white hair that was neat yet appeared somewhat disheveled. His aged face was covered in wrinkles, and his sunken eyes seemed barely able to open. His entire presence radiated a sense of profound desolation.

It felt as though he had already reached the very end of his life!

The old man raised his head and swept his gaze up and down Lin Jiangnian before speaking up.

His voice was similarly hoarse and aged.

Lin Jiangnian narrowed his eyes and gave a slight nod. "Senior, are you the guardian of this attic?"

The old man slowly shook his head. "What tower guardian? I'm just an old man about to die..."

With that, the old man slowly turned his back once again and resumed sweeping with his head bowed and waist bent.

"Senior?" Lin Jiangnian called out. The old man still didn't react. This time, Lin Jiangnian raised his voice. "Senior?!"

Only then did the old man seem to react, turning his head to look at Lin Jiangnian and shaking his head gently. "I'm old, my hearing isn't very good anymore... Do you still need something?"

"I have a few matters I'd like to ask Senior about." Lin Jiangnian nodded.

The old man, however, shook his head. "If you're looking for something, just search anywhere in this attic. Everything except the seventh floor is open. As for anything else, this old servant cannot answer..."

Lin Jiangnian subconsciously glanced in the direction of the seventh floor. Within the Ruyi Tower, the second, third, and fourth floors housed books, the fifth weapons, the sixth rare herbs and pills, while the seventh floor was locked up tight, preventing him from entering.

"Does Senior know what is hidden on the seventh floor?"

The old man gently shook his head and sighed. "Aside from the Prince, no one else is permitted to enter the seventh floor. What lies inside, no one knows."

No one could enter except Prince Lin?

Could even Prince Lin's Heir not go in?

Lin Jiangnian's gaze flickered as it landed once more on the old man before him. "Senior, how long have you been here?"

The old man did not answer the question. He merely shook his head slightly, turned around, and continued sweeping the floor.

However, Lin Jiangnian had no intention of giving up this opportunity.

Though he had entered the Ruyi Tower, he had come away empty-handed thus far. The old man before him... looked precisely like one of those reclusive, unfathomable supreme masters!

To be able to appear inside the Ruyi Tower meant he was definitely no ordinary person... Naturally, Lin Jiangnian would not let slip such a prime opportunity to forge a connection!

"Why does Senior appear here?"

"I have a few questions I wish to consult Senior about!"

"Senior, are you perhaps a peerless master living in seclusion within the Ruyi Tower, keeping your abilities hidden from the world?"

The old man sweeping the floor seemed somewhat annoyed by the incessant chattering of the young man beside his ear.

Hard of hearing or not, one could still not block out an annoying youngster!

The old man raised his head, looking at Lin Jiangnian with somewhat turbid eyes, and sighed. "Tell me, does this old servant look like any sort of master?"

Lin Jiangnian's gaze flickered. Indeed, he didn't look the part, but didn't true masters excel at disguise and always act like this?

"This old servant is merely an old man facing his twilight years!"

The old man heaved a deep sigh. "I am fortunate only in the Prince's mercy, taking in this old servant to sweep and tidy things up here in the Ruyi Tower..."

Shaking his head and sighing, the old man glanced at Lin Jiangnian once more before going back to his sweeping.

Lin Jiangnian stood on the spot, furrowing his brow as he looked at the stooped figure before him.

Not a master?

A thought stirred within his heart. He pulled a book from a nearby shelf and tossed it toward the old man.

There was no cinematic scene of the old man growing eyes on the back of his head and catching the book with a single hand... The book simply struck the old man's back and fell to the floor.

The old man seemed to snap out of his thoughts. He turned around, glanced at the ground, and then looked at Lin Jiangnian behind him with a slight sigh. Bending down slowly, he picked the book up from the floor, brushed the dust from its cover, and carefully returned it to the bookshelf.

"The books here are precious treasures beyond compare. You must cherish them!"

With that done, the old man went right back to sweeping.

Lin Jiangnian stood in place, his brow furrowing even deeper!

Was he truly not a master?

Or was he simply... putting on an exceptionally deep act?

Regardless, it seemed unlikely he would uncover the truth today. Lin Jiangnian glanced out the attic window at the gathering night sky. Darkness was falling.

It appeared he would have to make other plans tomorrow.

Lin Jiangnian turned and descended the stairs, leaving the Ruyi Tower.

On the bank opposite the long bridge, maidservants had been waiting for a long time. The moment Lin Jiangnian stepped onto the shore, two maids hurried forward.

"Your Highness, it is getting late. Are you hungry? Dinner has already been prepared..."

Lin Jiangnian rubbed his stomach. He was indeed rather hungry, so he followed the maids to have his meal.

On the way, the maid walking behind him brought up a matter.

"Your Highness, this afternoon, Miss Xu came looking for you!"

"Xu Lan?"

Lin Jiangnian wasn't surprised. "Where is she?"

"Upon learning that Your Highness had entered the Ruyi Tower, she waited outside for a long time, only returning when night fell."

Lin Jiangnian was momentarily stunned. She waited for him all afternoon?

Did she really have nothing better to do with her time?

However, Lin Jiangnian's mind was currently tangled in questions, and he had no mood to care about such things. After having dinner with the maids' guidance to fill his stomach, taking a bath, and changing into clean clothes, he returned to his chambers.

The room was empty.

There was no sign of the woman in red, nor the little maid who ought to have been obediently warming his bed.

Yet Lin Jiangnian was in no mood to settle scores with that little maid right now.

Sitting at the desk, he began to recall the martial arts manuals he had memorized that afternoon in the attic.

While deep in thought, Lin Jiangnian fetched brush and ink from beside the bookshelf and slowly began to write down the martial arts manuals stored in his memory.

Though he couldn't remember every single detail with absolute clarity, he had retained the general outline.

Once the desk was covered with densely written text, Lin Jiangnian let out a soft breath of relief and began to study them.

Yet...

Even after reading them once, twice, three, and four times...

Lin Jiangnian still could not comprehend a single thing!

He couldn't make sense of it at all!

Nor did he know where to begin!

After a long while, Lin Jiangnian let out a soft sigh.

As expected, he had overestimated his own comprehension. In this completely unfamiliar realm of martial arts, without a master to guide one through the door, breaking into the field was exceedingly difficult!

Every trade has its barrier!

At this moment, Lin Jiangnian was utterly baffled, clueless as to how to proceed.

Just as he was feeling somewhat disappointed, a figure flashed across the corner of his eye. Lin Jiangnian instinctively raised his gaze, and a faint fragrance brushed against his nostrils.

Immediately, a figure materialized inside the room and sat down across from him.

The familiar crimson robes!

"What are you doing?"

The woman in red cast a soft, playfully mocking gaze at Lin Jiangnian, sweeping her eyes over him before glancing at the items on the desk.

Then, she seemed to realize something, looking slightly surprised.

"You... want to practice martial arts?!"