# File lib/asciidoctor/reader.rb, line 311
  def skip_blank_lines
    return 0 if eof?

    num_skipped = 0
    # optimized code for shortest execution path
    while (next_line = peek_line)
      if next_line.empty?
        advance
        num_skipped += 1
      else
        return num_skipped
      end
    end

    num_skipped
  end