"Cough cough, cough cough..."

At the entrance of the Black Tortoise City City Lord's Mansion's Library Pavilion, a sudden cough shattered the silence of the moonlit night.

Seeing the elderly figure's emaciated body trembling with the violent coughing, Lin Yi couldn't help but feel a pang in his heart.

Afraid the elder might cough up his lung.

When the elder removed the handkerchief from his mouth, Lin Yi could clearly see the alarming red bloodstains on it.

What surprised Lin Yi was that.

Normally, for someone at the Demigod Level, as long as they weren't dead.

No matter how severe the injury, a period of rest would allow them to recover completely.

Even when their time was near, they would normally pass away peacefully, not deteriorate into this current condition.

Lin Yi truly couldn't comprehend what the elder before him had gone through to end up like this.

Lin Yi supported the elder while looking at him with concern:

"Elder, are you alright?"

Facing Lin Yi's concern, the elder nonchalantly waved his hand, saying, "Won't die for now."

Then he evaporated the blood-stained handkerchief: "If you'd come a few days later, that might not have been the case."

As he spoke, the elder naturally raised his hand high.

Lin Yi also naturally stepped forward and supported the withered hand, disregarding the residual bloodstains on it.

During this time, there was a detail that Lin Yi hadn't noticed:

It seemed like the elder naturally made this gesture, and Lin Yi naturally stepped forward, as if they'd rehearsed this action countless times before.

But Lin Yi wasn't pondering over this, instead he asked:

"Elder, if I'm not mistaken."

"You, with a demigod body, how is your health so poor?"

"A demigod body isn't an undying body, death is something everyone must face one day."

At this moment, the elder stood at the Library Pavilion's entrance with Lin Yi, earnestly advising him:

"Sometimes what you see isn't necessarily the true reality."

Saying this, he handed a small jade token to Lin Yi:

"Take this."

Pointing at the Library Pavilion door, he added:

"Only with this, the restrictions inside won't attack you."

Looking at the elder with a mysterious familiarity, Lin Yi glanced at the jade token in his palm:

[Book Collection Token]

Special Item

Description: With it, you can freely enter and exit the Black Tortoise City Library Pavilion, limited time: 23:59:57

Unexpectedly, a tool like this was needed to enter the Library Pavilion.

Luckily, Lin Yi hadn't recklessly rushed in.

"Find what you need and then tell me, remember!"

The elder suddenly looked at Lin Yi with caution:

"Inside, you can only take one item."

Lin Yi immediately nodded, indicating:

"Understood!"

"Thank you, elder."

At this, the elder's weathered face showed a faint smile, saying:

"Go."

After speaking, the elder turned around, walking unsteadily towards the rocking chair under the phoenix tree.

During this, Lin Yi initially wanted to step forward and assist.

But was stopped by the elder's outstretched hand:

"No need, I can do it myself."

Moreover, facing the bright moonlight, the elder spoke to himself with a stooped posture:

"Don't easily be blinded by desire, what's suitable for you is the best."

"Trust your feelings."

Watching the elder carefully sit in the rocking chair.

Lin Yi understood that these words were addressed to him, a warning to heed.

This made Lin Yi more curious about what was inside the Library Pavilion; was there more than just that equipment?

Lin Yi faced the elder.

If not for the system prompts, it would be hard to believe that this frail figure, seeming like it could topple from a breeze, actually wielded the power of a Demigod.

At this moment, the rocking chair began to sway again, emitting creaky sounds.

Lin Yi faced the elder's direction and bowed deeply. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Then he turned around, heading into the open Library Pavilion doors.

However, in this tranquil moonlit night, the Library Pavilion's open doors seemed like a bottomless black hole; one couldn't decipher its contents from outside.

As Lin Yi stepped inside, it felt like being swallowed by a black hole, completely vanishing from sight.

The Library Pavilion doors closed shut accordingly.

When Lin Yi disappeared, the elder's foot landed on the grass, and the rocking chair stopped.

A figure suddenly appeared in front of the elder.

Though the figure faced the moonlight, one could still faintly discern it, and it was Aiborn, the City Lord of Black Tortoise City.

The elder sat up looking at Aiborn, not intending to rise.

He spoke slowly:

"You did it intentionally."

Though the elder didn't specify, Aiborn understood implicitly, nodding:

"If not for this."

"With Andre's cautious nature, he wouldn't have had the chance to come over soon."

The elder faintly nodded in agreement, saying nothing more.

Lying back on the rocking chair, it resumed rocking.

Aiborn glanced at the long-closed door, leaving a remark:

"I hope we're right."

Then he slowly disappeared into the night, leaving behind the solitary rocking chair swaying under the phoenix tree...

System: "You've entered the hidden reward dungeon [Library Pavilion]'s first level."

This was the system prompt Lin Yi received upon entering the Library Pavilion.

Simultaneously, a dialogue box appeared before Lin Yi:

"You can take one item here, once selected it cannot be changed. Choose carefully."

[Confirm]

Lin Yi faced rows of orderly shelves, neatly lined with ancient books.

Casually picking a book from a nearby shelf, a sudden prompt appeared:

"Do you wish to learn the skill [Fallen Stars]?"

[Confirm] [Cancel]

Lin Yi froze on the spot:

"Is it a skill?"

Not hastily choosing, Lin Yi checked the skill details:

[Fallen Stars] (Group Attack): "Upon activation, inflicts 60% Magic Damage on targets within the area. Each can sustain up to three skill hits. Skill Consumption: 10000 Mana Points; Skill Cooldown: 30s."

After reading the skill description, Lin Yi stared in shock at the rows of orderly shelves, deeply astonished:

'Could all of these be skill books?'