With the Abbot's permission, Lin Mu was granted access to the Scroll Vault—a place even the monks rarely entered anymore. The heavy ironwood doors creaked open slowly, revealing a vast chamber carved into the very rocks themselves. Dust blanketed most of the scroll shelves like a second skin, and the faint scent of old ink and yellowing parchment hung in the air like incense.
A monk guided him in, lighting the sun lamps along the ceiling before giving a respectful bow and retreating. "This place hasn't been entered in decades," he said before leaving. "Most of us have not had the time to read, let alone explore."
Lin Mu stood alone among thousands of scrolls, each one a voice of the past.
He began his search immediately.
