The Library of the Goldheart Estate stood in stark contrast to the Dao Pavilion. While the Dao Pavilion contained cultivation manuals and various Dao techniques, the library was a place for those who sought more... mundane knowledge.
In a world full of cultivators, few people truly attached importance to such knowledge. Strength was king, and most people prioritized it above all else.
Yet, despite this sentiment, about a dozen individuals were quietly reading in the library at that moment.
The Goldheart family had hundreds of living members, but the majority were out on missions to earn Family Contribution or engrossed in their cultivation. It begged the question: why were these select few spending their precious time here?
The answer lay in the man who occupied the highest point in the library, seated like a king on his throne in a royal court. This man was the librarian.
Sitting on his luxurious chair, the librarian sat with his eyes closed and legs crossed. To an outsider, he might have appeared to be deep in thought. In truth, he had just woken from his sleep.
Even when awake, the librarian kept his eyes closed most of the time. Why? Centuries of experience had taught him that fewer people would bother him if he pretended to be meditating or lost in thought.
But don't let this fact divert your attention away from the fact that the old man is an extremely powerful cultivator!
Despite his closed eyes, the librarian was very much aware of everything that went on within the library. His senses extended far beyond the confines of his vision.
'Do these people never get tired? Do they truly believe that if they persist long enough, pretending to read random books, I will suddenly grant them guidance?'
The librarian sighed internally. He had grown weary of their antics. To him, they were like a swarm of flies, endlessly buzzing around.
But then, something caught his attention.
'Hmm? A new face? And a very memorable one too. Don't tell me this is yet another misled youth here to seek my advice...'
Naturally, this new face was Caelum's.
'Oh, isn't this Valerius' third son? I see that the rumors don't exaggerate his appearance. But what is he doing here?'
With his cultivator perception, he observed the book Caelum was reading.
'The History of the Novastead Empire – From Formation to Chaos Era'—an extremely tedious and fact-heavy tome that was among the least popular books in the library. There were other books that covered the Empire's history in a more engaging manner, even if they resorted to some exaggerations.
Meanwhile, Caelum was entirely unaware of the librarian's spying. Immersed in his reading, he flipped through the pages with great focus.
The reason Caelum was in the library was quite simple. He believed that knowledge was power. He did not want to be a brute that used his strength to fix every problem he came across.
'A good understanding of history combined with adequate knowledge of the present can help make reasonable predictions about the future,' he believed. And the ability to anticipate future events was a form of power as valuable as any Dao Technique.
Caelum's visit to the library was driven by a desire to answer some very important questions.
'How did the Novastead Empire come to be?'
'What was the story behind the Goldheart Duchy's formation?'
'What are the Empire's current power dynamics, particularly its relationship with the Invader Sect—the Temple of Light?'
'How much power and influence does the Goldheart Family truly wield?'
'If an Imperial Princess were to visit the estate, fall hopelessly in love with me, and propose marriage, would I have the right to refuse? What would be the most polite way to decline?'
In Caelum's mind, these were all important questions that he needed to know the answers to.
A small stack of books lay on the table in front of Caelum, each one carefully selected to address one or more of his inquiries. With remarkable speed, he flipped through the pages, scanning for relevant information.
About an hour later... the librarian decided to end his quiet observation. Without warning, he appeared in front of Caelum.
"I did not think you would spend your time reading pointless books like this instead of focusing on cultivation, especially given your circumstances," the librarian said in a testing tone.
"What circumstances are you referring to?" Caelum asked curiously. From what he had heard, the librarian was reclusive and rarely initiated conversations.
'I don't think I've done anything to attract his attention,' Caelum thought to himself.
"Did you not make a bet with Boros that requires you to defeat him in six months?"
"Ah… those circumstances," Caelum replied with a hint of realization. "I don't think there's anything to worry about regarding that."
The librarian studied Caelum closely, but his confidence and carefree demeanor did not appear to be an act, which puzzled him.
Caelum continued after a brief pause. "Putting the bet aside, I wasn't really expecting you to talk to me, Elder. Your reputation led me to think otherwise."
"What reputation?" the librarian asked with a faint smirk. "Rumors are always overblown. No matter what, you are Valerius' son. If he finds out that his child came to the library and I ignored him the entire time, he would undoubtedly complain to me."
"There is no need to compare yourself to the ordinary members of the family. Still, whether you truly have qualities that merit such attention remains to be seen."
It became clear to Caelum that the librarian was entertaining him more because of his status than anything else. Yet, the elder continued speaking.
"I know you missed out on pre-cultivation school. Out of pity for your circumstances, I will answer one and only one question regarding cultivation. Go ahead."
Although Caelum wasn't fond of the librarian's patronizing tone, he did not let it show on his face.
"Elder, really, I don't think my circumstances are pitiful at all," he replied. "However, since you have offered me one question on cultivation, I'd like to hold onto it for now. I can't think of anything worthwhile to ask at the moment."
"That being said, would you be willing to discuss matters unrelated to cultivation with me?" Caelum asked. Gesturing toward the history and general affairs books on the table, he added, "I'm trying to satisfy my curiosity about the Empire. With your help, I'm sure I could understand these things much faster."
The librarian's surprise deepened. Most people who approached him were singularly obsessed with cultivation, yet Caelum's interest in history and politics appeared genuine.
After a moment of consideration, the librarian nodded. It had been some time since he'd had a proper conversation, and the idea intrigued him. If the discussion turned out to be boring, he could always just end it early.
With a snap of his fingers, the librarian created a soundproof dome around them, ensuring that no eavesdropper would overhear their exchange.
Seeing the librarian nod, Caelum began his inquiry.
"The Temple of Light is an Invader faction from the Cosmos. They should have cultivators far more powerful than the upper limit of the Mystical Wilderness minor realm. Yet, they chose to coexist peacefully with the Empire instead of dismantling it. Why?"
The librarian inwardly nodded in approval. Most youths took the status quo for granted, rarely questioning the delicate balance of power.
"The truce between the Empire and the Temple of Light was established long before the Goldheart family's founding," the librarian began. "Even I cannot provide all the details."
He continued, "You should already know that the Temple cannot send its most powerful cultivators to our minor realm freely. Apart from the overwhelming cost, their cultivation realms would be suppressed to the Mortal Ascension Realm upon entering anyways."
"In spite of these limitations, if they truly tried, dismantling the Novastead Empire should not have been a huge issue for them. However, the Empire had a trump card—its details remain unknown to me. That trump card is what forced the Temple to step back and agree to this cooperative relationship."
Caelum took a moment to process these implications of this information. He then asked, "Couldn't the combined might of the Empire and the Temple allow us to expand our borders then?"
The librarian's tone turned grim. "No."
After a pause, he elaborated, "Caelum, remember this: the true rulers of our minor realm might not be humans or any other sentient species like elves or dwarves. I'm almost certain the most powerful entity in this realm is a magical beast."
"And many powerful magical beasts reside near the Empire's borders. Unfortunately, even the Temple of Light, with all its might, is helpless against them. This fact both amuses and terrifies me."
The revelation left Caelum stunned. He had always believed that the intelligence and teamwork of human cultivators could overcome any magical beast, but apparently that was not the case.
"I see," he said. "Next question: When Evyndor Novast, the founder of the Novastead Empire, triggered the Great War that led to the creation of the Death Zone up North…"
The question-and-answer session continued for hours. As time passed, the librarian found himself genuinely enjoying the conversation. Some of Caelum's questions touched on topics even he did not know the answers to, while others revealed unique perspectives that intrigued him.
The sun's position shifted as the afternoon gave way to evening.
Meanwhile, the other library patrons watched in astonishment. Some had been coming to the library for weeks, even months, yet the librarian had never so much as glanced at them. But here was Caelum, engaging the reclusive librarian in a spirited discussion for hours.
The soundproof barrier raised by the librarian kept their conversation private, leaving the onlookers' imaginations running wild.
Comparison was the source of misery and these people who compared themselves to Caelum felt the most miserable. Life just wasn't fair.
Inside the soundproof barrier, the conversation was drawing to a close.
"Haha! That was the most fun I've had in a while!" the librarian exclaimed with a hearty laugh.
"Maybe you should try talking to more people," Caelum replied with a smile.
"I don't think I will," the librarian responded in the same jolly tone.
Caelum let out a wry chuckle. Over the past few hours, he had genuinely enjoyed their conversation leading to his Madness level dropping from 15% to around 12%.
Beyond that, he had gained some insight into the librarian's character, which made him trust him a little more.
"You mentioned I could ask you a single question related to cultivation," Caelum said, leaning forward slightly. "I've finally thought of something."
"Oh? Here it comes! Let's hear it."
"It's about Heavenly Gifts."
The librarian's smile faltered a bit. He assumed Caelum's question was going to be about acquiring a Heavenly Gift, as it was theoretically possible to gain one even without being born with it. However, Caelum's next words caught him completely off guard.
With a trace of uncertainty in his voice, Caelum asked, "Have you ever heard of or come across someone with a Heavenly Gift that's trying to kill them? Or one that could potentially kill its bearer under certain circumstances?"
Caelum wasn't someone who refused to ask the help of others, especially when faced with problem he couldn't solve on his own.
The librarian froze. This was not what he had anticipated. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he asked, "Don't tell me you have a Gift that's trying to kill you..."
"Uh… no? I'm just asking for a friend."
The librarian's expression made it clear he didn't believe the excuse for a moment. Still, he chose not to pry further.
His old age had honed his ability to read between the lines, and even without a full explanation, he grasped Caelum's predicament. He understood that Caelum was seeking a way to survive such a treacherous Heavenly Gift.
"Unfortunately, I can't provide you with the solution you're looking for."
"The inner workings of Heavenly Gifts are often shrouded in mystery. Most people, myself included, lack the means to fully understand them."
Caelum's shoulders slumped slightly in disappointment. But before he could respond, the librarian continued.
"However, I might know someone who could help you… your 'friend,' I mean."
Caelum immediately perked up, "Who is it?"
The librarian seemed to hesitate.
"Let me warn you in advance," he began. "Finding this person will likely be incredibly difficult. And even if you manage to locate her, convincing her to help might prove even harder."
"I don't care," Caelum said. "Just tell me who it is."
"The last time I corresponded with her, she was in the Imperial Capital," he said slowly. "But that was several decades ago. Her name is Velma Aylin, she is a Runemaster."
Then, the librarian went on to provide more details about her, specifically how Caelum might be able to find her. Soon, it was time for them to part ways.
"Since I wasn't able to give a satisfactory answer to your question regarding cultivation, let me tell you something interesting," the librarian said to Caelum just as he was about to leave.
"I'm listening."
The librarian's expression turned mysterious.
"The name of our minor realm - everyone thinks that it is called the Mystical Wilderness minor realm. However, very few people know that it is not the case."
"Then, what is it called?" Caelum asked, intrigued.
"...I don't know the real name. However, the true name of our minor realm is said to hold a great secret..."