Chapter Forty-Six: The Five Elements of Yin and Yang

The library of Zixing Academy housed both electronic and physical books. To access the electronic editions, a group of three students needed to activate the electronic reading room together using their smartbrains and consult the materials jointly. For physical books, one entered the reading hall alone, already knowing what they needed; otherwise, searching aimlessly through the sea of volumes would exhaust anyone.

After Ye Bai and his companions entered the library, they found every available space occupied—beside tables, between shelves, even on the floor—by students absorbed in their books. On the other side of the library, it resembled a series of small private booths, each occupied by three people, searching through electronic texts.

Yao Ling explained to them, “In the Four Great Academies, the library and the training grounds are probably the most crowded places. The library not only collects all sorts of pre-Dark Era works, but also preserves the insights of outstanding graduates into the various elements.”

Some of the library’s resources were restricted and could only be viewed by sophomores, juniors, or seniors, and some not even after graduation. Most of those reading outside in the open were sophomores and juniors; they generally knew exactly what they needed and came directly for their chosen books. The newcomers, meanwhile, crowded the electronic rooms, eager to understand the Second World.

Ye Bai and his two friends found an empty electronic reading room and entered. Their smartbrains floated beside them—Yao Ling’s was a plump, chubby kitten; Cao Xiaoseng, with a penchant for mischief, had chosen a caterpillar that lay motionless on his shoulder as if asleep.

Inside, once they settled, a triangular table projected blue light screens above, forming a truncated cone with the triangle as its base. Ye Bai took the seat by the window. On the screen before him, he saw categories: history, medicine, elements, technology, and more.

Glancing to his side, he noticed Yao Ling had already opened a medical book, engrossed in her reading. The digital versions mimicked the size and style of the physical books, all scanned into the school’s system by Arya and digitized.

Ye Bai flipped through the pages, surprised to find comics and novels among the selections. Entering the novel section, he noticed a book titled “Nether Sea and Starry Sky” by Xiao Bai and Li. Really, Xiao Bai? He wondered who would bother writing novels, and whether anyone actually read them.

He moved on to the pre-Dark Era works, opening “A General Treatise on the Five Elements.”

“The Five Elementalists, since the dawn of chaos, clarity rose as heaven, turbidity as earth. From earth emerged the five elements, with wood giving birth to fire, fire to earth, earth to metal, metal to water, and water to wood. This cycle is generative, defined as yang; the cycle of overcoming—metal conquers wood, wood conquers earth, earth conquers water, water conquers fire, fire conquers metal—is the cycle of restraint, defined as yin.

Earth is the source; accumulation of life is yang, accumulation of death is yin; the convergence of yin and yang gives rise to the heavens, from which wind, rain, thunder, and lightning are born.”

Ye Bai was stunned—only today did he realize the Five Elements could be divided into yang and yin.

Continuing, he read: “Heaven’s wrath, yin’s victory; clear skies, yang’s triumph. All transformations in the world happen in the waxing and waning of yin and yang. If balance is achieved, chaos results…”

Ye Bai rubbed his brow; chaos indeed—his mind was a muddle. He smiled wryly. No wonder this was a classic from before the Dark Era—he couldn’t even grasp the introduction. He memorized the terms yin and yang of the Five Elements and put the book back.

He scrolled through the digital shelves and stumbled upon “Zhang Jian’s Insights”—just a thin booklet, not many words. Yet for someone just entering his senior year to have his insights preserved in the library spoke of extraordinary talent.

“Wood and fire—an alliance, yang, each as attack. From the general treatise, the Five Elements divide into yin and yang; the way of life and death. Wood is the death of fire; fire is the edge of wood. United, they attack with triple normal strength.”

The rest was mostly Zhang Jian’s reflections on the treatise, but the publication date caught Ye Bai’s eye: October 6, Dark Era Year 99.

The Dark Era marked humanity’s great destruction. To distinguish from the previous civilization, the first year after was called Year One of the Dark Calendar; now, a century had passed.

By calculation, Zhang Jian must have written this when he had just become a junior, right after the secret realm trial where he first displayed his mastery of wood and fire and completed the assessment.

The first time was the Five Elemental Path of the Snow City King; the second, Arya’s system had uncovered the way of elemental generation, though much of it was false, but the author had still mentioned the yang Five Elements. The third time was here in the library. Each time, Ye Bai was more astounded.

He rubbed the fingers he burned last night, deeply moved. Last night, he must have subconsciously touched the Path of Wood and Fire, but, lacking awareness, let slip a perfect opportunity.

Looking at Cao Xiaoseng snoring beside him, Ye Bai could only sigh—this guy was a born sleeper, always drifting off. Meanwhile, Yao Ling remained deeply engrossed in her medical texts, lips moving as she memorized passages.

Sensing Ye Bai’s gaze, Yao Ling looked up and smiled; Ye Bai returned the smile.

Her pure expression, her eyes always seeming to shimmer with mist and spiritual light, brought Ye Bai a sense of peace. He was reminded of the white-robed fairy he had met in Snow City.

He entered Houyan Jiayi’s characteristics into the search—especially her seemingly non-elemental, yet healing and restorative, mysterious power.

“Book of Revelation” soon appeared on the screen, but four large red characters flashed repeatedly: “Access Denied.”

The red glow reflected on Ye Bai’s face; he was taken aback. Houyan Jiayi was far from ordinary—those four words alone proved it.

Growing up, Ye Bai had seen mostly wood, earth, and water attributes. Fire he only discovered upon his own awakening, surprised that some people possessed it. In the entrance exam, he saw a fifth attribute—not metal, but a white, seemingly non-elemental power, just like the King’s. But the exam was virtual. Surely Houyan Jiayi wasn’t virtual too? If so, her name wouldn’t have appeared in the final rankings.

He couldn’t make sense of it. He’d come to the library today to find answers, but only gained more questions. Hastily, he shoved the books back on the shelf, afraid that if he lingered, his head would fill with unsolvable mysteries.

For a moment, Ye Bai envied Cao Xiaoseng’s carefree attitude—indifferent to everything, sleeping day and night, free from troubles. Such a life, he thought, must be blissful.

He closed his eyes and reclined on the soft couch, the cushion behind him gently massaging his back as thoughts of yin and yang and the Five Elements churned in his mind.

Yao Ling seemed to have found something she liked, reading tirelessly, sometimes smiling faintly, sometimes frowning in puzzlement.

Ye Bai lay quietly, not daring to disturb her. The three of them had only just met; this was their first time “on assignment” together. Everyone had their boundaries—something Ye Bai’s mother had instilled in him from a young age.

No matter how close you grew to a new friend or confidant, you should never easily cross their inner lines. You might think you’re close as siblings, but if you touch their boundaries, they may say nothing for the sake of past friendship, yet a gulf will quietly open between you, and eventually, you will drift apart.

For new friends, the worst mistake was to interrupt them in their moments of concentration. Noticing Yao Ling’s attention was wholly on her book, Ye Bai took care not to make a sound.

The sun gradually climbed the sky, and when the first ray of light crept slowly to the edge of Ye Bai’s window, Yao Ling put her book back on the shelf. With all the books returned, the virtual shelf flickered twice and reverted to the triangular table.

“Mm…ah—” Yao Ling stretched, arms extended, her white short-sleeved shirt revealing a hint of budding femininity.

Clearly delighted by her new discoveries, she said, “You’re all finished?”

Ye Bai, still lost in thought, lay against the sofa with his eyes closed; Cao Xiaoseng was sprawled on the table, snoring.

Yao Ling’s cheeks flushed with a hint of anger, though she didn’t let it show.

“You’re both done?” Her usually crisp voice now a little cool. “Then let’s go.”

Ye Bai opened his eyes to signal he was ready, while Cao Xiaoseng wiped the drool from his mouth and followed Ye Bai out of the reading room.