[Ding~ Sorry, you haven't yet met the requirements to unlock this bamboo scroll in advance, so you cannot absorb it for now.]
[Ding~ Sorry, the knowledge contained in this bamboo scroll is too advanced. You are temporarily unable to absorb it.]
Elara touched nearly every pile of bamboo scrolls repeatedly and found that the higher a scroll was placed, the more energy and knowledge it contained, making it harder for her to absorb.
This discovery made both Elara and the System a bit disappointed. These energy-filled treasures of knowledge were right in front of them, yet they couldn't take them.
[Master, just like I told you when I first bound with you, the development of this world is still in an ancient age. The rules of the world will not allow knowledge that far exceeds its current level to appear. The higher the scroll, the more energy and knowledge it contains, far beyond what this world can accept, so you can't absorb them right now.]
The System spoke while sighing with deep regret.
These upper-level bamboo scrolls, if taken out casually, could easily cause a major technological reform.
But unfortunately, due to the world's restrictions, they were unable to take them for now.
It was like seeing a treasure right in front of you but not being able to get it.
[It's okay, Master! The energy here should work on a three-year cycle. This time, the cycle was activated by you. After you leave, it will close, and no one else will be able to enter. Three years later, you just need to take the test again and this treasure site will open once more. At that time, you can come back and check whether the world's rules have loosened and see if the scrolls can be taken.]
The System felt both heartache and regret as it tried to comfort Elara.
But as it was speaking, its voice suddenly paused and became excited again.
[Master! Quickly turn left! Then walk all the way to the back, and when you get to the end, look to the right!]
[I can feel an unusual energy there. It's completely different from everything else in this space. Go look at it, maybe it's something you can absorb!]
Elara followed the System's instructions and walked. When she reached the innermost area and looked to the right, she did see something extremely special.
It was... a thin paper film.
The film wasn't big, only the size of an adult's palm. It was semi-transparent and stuck to the wall, like a layer of bamboo skin accidentally pressed on. A little force would be enough to tear it.
On both sides of the paper film were extremely complex patterns, and the patterns on the front and back appeared to be exact opposites.
[Master, what is this?]
While the System was puzzled, Elara had already walked up to the paper film, staring at its markings with some shock.
These patterns... she recognized about one-third of them.
It was the part that Sindri had drawn on the Phoenix Talisman when he was still secretly by her side.
Back then, because of the part of the totem Sindri left behind, Elara was able to open the Phoenix Talisman and obtain the secret within it.
But it turns out, the totem Sindri drew at that time was only one-third of the complete totem?!
Did he deliberately leave only one-third? Or did he only know one-third himself?
Elara had managed to open the Phoenix Talisman with just that one-third.
Now that she had the complete version, could she unlock even more divine talismans?
What was the purpose of the reversed totem imprint on the back of the paper mold?
Thinking of the many stone plates with totems piled high with dozens of bamboo slips outside, Elara's breathing paused slightly.
She carefully memorized the pattern shape on the paper mold, then raised her hand and traced along the direction of the pattern.
When she finished tracing the final stroke with her fingertip, Elara suddenly paused, feeling a kind of energy flow into her body through her finger.
[Ah! Master! That special energy has indeed been absorbed by you! It has entered deep into your consciousness and merged with... the tree deep in your consciousness! Do you want to take a look?]
Absorbed by her? Elara felt more like the energy had merged into her body on its own.
But she didn't dwell too much on the System's wording. [Take me to see it.]
[Alright!]
Elara closed her eyes, and the System led her consciousness into the depths.
Deep in her consciousness, that crystal-clear, beautiful, translucent tree that looked like a work of art still stood quietly.
Elara had only seen it once before, back when she first activated the Phoenix Talisman and the tree had just sprouted in her consciousness.
Now looking at it again, it hadn't changed much. The only difference was that near the base of the trunk, a rune totem had appeared.
It was exactly the same totem pattern she had just seen on the paper mold.
The rune was carved into the tree trunk, with one facing upright and one in reverse, glowing faintly, adding a touch of mystery to the already divine-looking tree.
[Master, the special energy that entered your body is now gathered on these two rune patterns.]
Elara looked at the two glowing, shimmering patterns. [Do you know what these two patterns do?]
The System's voice softened. [Sorry, Master, I can't sense it...]
Elara wasn't disappointed. She lifted her gaze and looked at the patterns for a while longer.
After seeing nothing else unusual, she exited the world of consciousness and returned to reality, only to find that the paper mold in her hand had turned into dust and disappeared at the exact moment that energy entered her body.